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I 


1 


THE 


Civil  Political,  Professional  and  Ecclesiastical 

HISTORY 


AND 


COMMERCIAL  AND  INDUSTRIAL  RECORD 


OF  THK 


COUNTY  OF  KINGS 


A  XI) 


THE  CITY  OF  BROOKLYN,  N-  Y. 

FROM  1683  TO  1884. 


BY 


HENRY  R.  STILES,  A.M.,  M.D.,  Editor-in-Chief, 

Formerly  Librarian  of  the  Long  Island  Historical  Society ;  Member  of  the  N.  Y.  Genealogical  and  Biograph  ical  Society, 
tlie  American  Ethnological  Society,  etc.,  etc.;  Author  of  the  "History  of  Brooklyn,"  "Tlie  Wallabout  Prison 
Ship  Seines,"  the  "History  and  Genealogies  of  Ancient  Windsor,  Conn."  and  other  Historical  Works. 

ASSISTED  BY 

L.  B.  PROCTOR,  Esq.,  and  L.  P.  BROCKETT,  A.M.,  M.D., 

Author  of  "Bench  and  Bar  of  the  State  of  N.  Y.,"  "Lives  of  the  Author  of  "Our  Western  Empire,"  "Our  Country's  Wealth  and  Influ- 
State  Chancellors  of  New  York,"  "Lawyer  and  Client,"  "Life  ence,'  " Geographical  Histnru  of  N.  Y.,"  and  Geographical  and' 

and  Times  of  Thomas  Addis  Emmett,"  "Lives  of  Statistical  Editor  of  "JVeio  American"  and  "Johnson's 

Eminent  American  Statesmen,"  Cyclopaedia,"  and  the  "American  Supplement  to 

etc.,  etc.  Encyclopedia  Britannica,"  etc.,  etc. 


WITH  PORTRAITS.  BIOGRAPHIES  AND  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


VOLUME  II. 


NEW  YORK: 

W.  W.   MUNSELL  &  CO. 

PUBLISHERS. 


Copyright,  1884. 
W.  W.    MUNSELL  &  CO. 


PRlNTIO  «r 

A.  COFFIN  &  ROGERS 

86  87  John  Sr.,  N.  V. 


BOUND  ev 

A    S.  BARNES  4  COMPANY 

New  York  and  Brooklyn. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 


The  Commerce  of  Brooklyn,    ......          By  L.  P.  Brockett,  M.  D.  633 

The  Manufacturing  Interests  of  Brooklyn  \sd  Kings  Co.,            .     By  L.  P.  Brockett,  31.  D.  668 

The  Architects,  Builders  and  Real  Estate  Agents  in  Brooklyn,        By  L.  P.  Brockett,  31.  D.  829 

United  States  Interests  in  Kings  County:  Post-Office,  Navy  Yard,  Forts,  Internal  Revenue, 

etc.,  etc.,    ..........    By  The  Editor.  865 

The  Medical  Profession  of  the  City  of  Brooklyn,  1822  to  1884,    (Old  School.)     By  Frank  B. 

Greene,  M.  D.  886 

Rise  and  Progress  of  Homceopathic  Medicine  in  Kings  County,    .         .        By  R.  C.  Moffat,  M.  D.  905 

History  of  the  Eclectic  School  of  Medicine  in  Brooklyn,     ......  917 

Hospitals,  Dispensaries,  Etc.,  .  .  .       Compiled  under  the  direction  of  the  Editor. 

The  Profession  of  Dentistry  in  Kings  County  and  Brooklyn,    Compiled  under  the  direction  of 

the  Editor.  941 

The  History  of  Higher  Education,  Private  Schools,  Etc.,  in  Brooklyn,    Compiled  under  the 

direction  of  the  Editor.  950 

Fish  Culture  on  Long  Island,      .....       By  Eugene  G.  Blackford,  Esq.  963 

Brooklyn  Markets,       .........     By  the  Editor.  971 

The  Charitable  Institutions  of  Kings  County  and  Brooklyn,    Compiled  under  the  direction  of 

the  Editor.  973 

The  Ecclesiastical  Organizations  of  the  City  of  Brooklyn,      Compiled  under  the  direction  of 

the  Editor.  993 

History  of  the  Sunday-School  Work  in  Brooklyn,         ......  1090 

Missionary,  Bible,  Tract  and  other  Organizations  for  Christian  Work,    Compiled  under  the 

direction  of  the  Editor.  1100 

The  Progress  of  the  Drama,  Opera,  Music  and  Art  in  Brooklyn,      By  Gabriel  Harrison,  Esq.  1105 

The  Fine  Arts  in  Brooklyn,         ......            By  Gabriel  Harrison,  Esq.  1137 

The  Amateur  Dramatic  Associations  of  Brooklyn,    Compiled  under  the  direction  of  the  Editor.  1162 

Photography  in  Brooklyn,       ....     Compiled  under  the  direction  of  the  Editor.  1166 

The  History  of  the  Press  of  Brooklyn  and  Kings  County,    By  Hon.  W.  E.  Robinson. 

(Supplemented  by  the  Editor.)  1169 

History  of  the  Military  Organizations  of  Kings  County,    Compiled  under  direction  of  the  Editor.  1194 

The  Bench  and  Bar  of  Brooklyn,           .....         By  L.  B.  Proctor,  Esq.  1213 

Notes  on  Literature  and  Science  in  Brooklyn,     .....     By  the  Editor.  1301 

The  Sporting  and  Athletic  Clubs  of  Kings  County,  Compiled  under  direction  of  the  Editor.  1336 
The  Beneficent  and  Social  Organizations  of  Brooklyn  and  Kings  County,     Compiled  under 

direction  of  the  Editor,  1346 

Hotels  and  Bathing  Establishments  in  Kings  County,          ......  1358 

General  Trade  and  Merchandise  in  Brooklyn  and  Kings  County                .                    .  1362 


LIST  OF  PORTRAITS. 


PAGE. 

Jeremiah  P.  Robinson  Facing  639 

William  Beard                                          "  638 

Franklin  Woodruff                                      "  642 

Abiel  A.  Low                                              "  647 

Alexander  E.  Orr                                         "  648 

Harrison  S.  Vining                                     "  651 

Richard  Harrison  Laimbeer                          "  65'2 

Gen.  Francis  E.  Pinto                                 "  654 

James  W.  Ehvell                                         "  656 

Daniel  Ambrose,  M.  D.                                "  658 

Charles  Dennis                                          "  660 

Isaac  F.  Chapman                                    "  661 

Janus  McChesney                                       "  662 

Elihu  Spieer,  Jr                                          «  663 

Joseph  J.  O'Donohue                                   "  664 

Timothy  Hogan    667 

William  Dick  Facing  672 

William  R.  Taylor   680 

William  Taylor  Facing  685 

James  A.  Taylor                                         «  686 

Daniel  Y.  Saxtan   687 

William  G.  Creamer   692 

William  Cabbie  (deceased)  Facing  695 

Elijah  Cabbie                                              "  696 

Harvey  W.  Peace                                           "  700 

Enoch  Ketcham                                         "  702 

Leonard  Richardson                                  "  713 

Hon.  William  Wall                                    "  719 

Charles  Wall  (deceased)                               "  720 

Michael  W.  Wall                                       «  72 1 

John  Good                                                «  723 

William  II.  Mairs                                     "  727 

Martin  Worn   732 

The  Fingleton  Brothers  (Patrick  J.,  Henry  W., 

and  Hugh  S  Facing  733 

John  S.  Loomis      737 

A.  S.  Barnes  Facing  741 

Hosea  O.  Pearce                                          «  745 

Henry  O.  Pearce   747 

George  B.  Forrester  Facing  757 

Thomas  C.  Smith   766 

Ephraim  J.  Jennings   769 

Michael  Seitz                                    . .    773 

Francis  H.  Holton   Facing  774 

Alanson  Trask                                          "  785 

Paul  Weidmann   788 

Edward  Smith  Facing  789 

Ithamar  Du  Boil                                        "  792 

George  M.  Eddy   795 

Jam.-  I ).  Liary  Paring  708 

Hermann  Wisehmann                                    "  801 

Sylvester  M.  Beard                                        "  802 

Robinson  Gill  _  _  _     «<  805 

Andrew  D.  Baird                                 "  805 

J.  K.  Brick  (deceased)                                 "  hot 

Abraham  G.  Jennings                                  "  sim 


M.  J.  Seelig    

John  S.  Turner  

James  Binns  (dec'd)  Facing 

Nathan  Barney  

Hon.  Eben  Moody  Boynton  Facing 

Charles  Feltman  (Biog.  199)   " 

Isaac  A.  Ketcham  

William  Irvine  Preston  Facing 

Robert  Speir  

II.  S.  Christian  

Horace  F.  Burroughs   

John  Morton  

Elbert  Snedeker  Facing 

Bernard  Gallagher   " 

John  I).  Anderson   " 

George  W.  Brown    " 

John  Lee   " 

George  W.  Brandt   " 

James  Rodwell   " 

J.  W.  Campbell  

Patrick  F.  O'Brien  Facing 

Thomas  B.  Rutan   " 

Edward  Freel   " 

John  S.  Frost  

John  Rome  

James  Weaver  .Facing 

John  H.  O'Rourke  

Frederick  Ilcrr  

John  Doherty  Facing 

Daniel  McCabe  

Robert  Thomas  

Benjamin  T.  Lynch  

Benjamin  C.  Miller  Facing 

Chester  Bedell   " 

Edwin  H.  Burnett  

Lindsay  James  Wells  

Jacob  Rapelye  (deceased)  Facing 

Leonard  Moody,    (Biog.  860)   " 

James  C.  Eadie   " 

William  O.  Sumner   " 

Nicholas  Cooper   " 

Julius  Davenport  

Chester  D.  Burrows,  Jr   .  .  .Facing 

Col.  James  McLeer  

Hon.  William  H.  Lyon  Facing 

Augustus  C.  Tate   

Gen.  Alfred  C.  Barnes  Facing 

Edwin  Bulkley   " 

Henry  C.  Hulbert   " 

Aaron  D.  Farmer    " 

Daniel  C.  Robbing   " 

Jeremiah  J.  Rappelyea  (deceased)   " 

Joseph  C.  Hutchison,  M.  D   " 

Samuel  Fleet  Speir,  M.  D   " 

Homer  L.  Bartlett,  M.  D   " 

Ferd.  W.  <  Grander,  M.  D   " 


PAGE. 

816 

818 

820 

825a 

825 

827a 

82Sa 

829* 

832R 

834 

836 

837 

838 

838 

839 

839 

840 

841 

841 

842 

842 

843 

843 

844 

845 

846 

847 

848 

848 

849 

850 

851 

855 

855 

856 

857 

859 

866» 

860 

861 

861 

862 

864 

868 

874 

877 

878 

880 

881 

883 

8S4 

886 

894 

895 

896 

897 


LIS  T  OF  FOE  THAI  TS—  Continued. 


PAGE. 

Cornelius  Olcott,  M.  D  Facing  897 

Thomas  P.  Norris,  M.  D   900 

George  Wackerhagen,  M.  D  Facing  901 

George  R.  Fowler,  M.  D                            "  902 

Edward  C.  Mann,  M.  D                            "  903a 

Edward  S.  Bunker,  M.  D                           "  903 

Thomas  L.  Smith,  M.  D                             "  904 

Wm.  M.  L.  Fiske,  M.  D                             "  910 

David  A.  Gorton,  M.  D                             "  915 

S.  T.  Birdsall,  M.  D                                  "  916 

Dennis  E.  Smith,  M.  D                             "  918 

Wm.  H.  Bowlsby,  M.  D   919 

William  Henry  Dudley,  M.  D  Facing  932 

Chauncey  L.  Mitchell,  M.  D                       "  933 

John  Byrne,  M.  D                                     "  934 

George  W.  Fraim                                       "  94G 

Salmon  Skinner  (deceased)   947 

David  Salmon  Skinner   949 

Charles  Claghorn  Facing  960 

Charles  H.  Rivers   962 

Eugene  G.  Blackford  Facing  967 

Benjamin  W.  West   969 

Samuel  L.  Storer  Facing  970 

Samuel  B.  Miller                                     "  970 

Rev.  Samuel  M.  Haskins,  D.  D   1008 

Rt.  Rev.  Abram  N.  Littlejohn,  D.  D. .  .  .Facing  1012 

Rev.  Richard  S.  Storrs,  D.  D                      "  1016 

Rev.  Henry  Ward  Beecher                        "  1020 

Very  Rev.  William  Keegan                       "  1047 

Rev.  Sylvester  Malone                              "  1050 

Rev.  Thomas  DeWitt  Talmage,  D.  D   1063 

Albert  Woodruff  Facing  1091 

Eli  Robbins                                               "  1102 

Amos  Robbins                                          "  1103 

Frederick  Loeser                                     "  1104 

Gabriel  Harrison                                     "  1152 

Charles  Storrs                                          «  1158 

Augustus  Young   1160 

G.  Frank  E.  Pearsall  Facing  1167 

Hon.  Demas  Barnes                                 "  1172 

Col.  Henry  E.  Roehr  Facing  1175 

Bernard  Peters                                         "  1177 

Isaac  Van  Anden  (deceased)   1183 


PAGE. 

Hon.  Thomas  Kinsella  (deceased)  Facing  1185 

Col.  William  Hester   "  1187 

Hon.  Wm.  Erigena  Robinson   "  1190 

John  T.  Runcie  (Biog.  608)   "  lli>2 

Maj.-Gen.  Thomas  S.  Dakin  (deceased) . .    "  1206 

Gen.  Quincy  Adams  Gillmore   "  1207 

Hon.  Benjamin  F.  Tracy   "  1222 

Hon.  Benjamin  D.  Silliman   "  1229 

Samuel  Bowne  Duryea   "  1232 

Gen.  Harmanus  B.  Duryea   "  1233 

Samuel  D.  Morris    "  1236 

Thomas  G.  Shearman,  Esq   "  1240 

Hon.  Jasper  W.  Gilbert   "  1275 

Judge  Calvin  E.  Pratt   1278 

Lucien  Birdseye   Facing  1281 

Winchester  Britton   "  1283 

E.  H.  Hobbs   "  1285 

Tunis  G.  Bergen,  Esq   "  1286 

Hon.  George  L.  Thompson   1288 

Walter  L.  Livingston,  Esq   1289 

Timothy  Perry  Facing  1290 

Rufus  L.  Scott   "  1291 

Edmund  Terry  ,.    "  1292 

Hon.  William  H.  Waring   1294 

Andrew  J.  Perry     Facing  1293* 

John  M.  Stearns   1295 

Brewster  Kissam  Facing  1296 

A.  Orville  Millard   "  1297 

Robert  Van  Buren,  C.  E.    (Biog.  594)   1326 

Nelson  Sizer   1330 

Julius  E.  Meyer  ,   1333 

Hon.  Albert  Daggett    Facing  1334 

John  A.  Voorhees   1343 

James  Schenck     1345 

Charles  N.  Peed   1360 

William  Harkness  Facing  1379 

George  W.  Coger   1381 

Louis  Bossert   1383 

William  H.  Marston   1384 

Ezra  B.  Tuttle  Facing  1385 

Charles  H.  Reynolds   1386 

John  J.  Hardy  Facing  1394 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAGE. 

The  N.  Y.  and  Brooklyn  Bridge — Frontispiece. 

Atlantic  Docks  and  Basin   636 

The  Niagara  Direct-Acting  Pump   684 

Columbian  Iron  Works   685 

E.  W.  Bliss'  Machine  Shop  and  Foundries   689 

E.  W.  Bliss'  Residence,  "  Owl's  Head  "...  Facing  688 

The  William  Cabbie  Excelsior  Wire  Works   696 

The  H.  W.  Peace  Co.'s  Vulcan  Saw  Works   699 


PAGE. 

Schwalbach  &  Obrig's  Factory   704 

E.  G.  Webster  &  Bro.'s  Silver-Plating  Works  ...  707 

Wm.  Wall  &  Son's  Rope  and  Cordage  Works. .  718 

John  Good's  Ropemaking  Machinery  Establishm't  723 

Wm.  H.  Mairs  &  Co.'s  Paper  Hanging  Manuf'y.  724 

Martin  Worn  &  Sons'  Furniture  Warehouse. . . .  731 

J.  S.  Loomis'  Moulding  and  Planing  Mill    736 

D.  Appleton  &  Co.'s  Eook  Bindery   739 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTR 


A  TIONS—  Continued. 


PAGE. 

Pearce  &  Hall's  Hat  Factory   746 

The  Union  Porcelain  Works  ami  Wares   763 

Hetfield  &  Ducker's  Cracker  Manufactory   770 

Charles  A.  Schieren  is  Co.'s  Manufactory   781 

George  M.  Eddy  &  Co.'s  Manufactory   793 

O.  F.  Hawley's  Manufactory   797 

F.  W.  Wurster's  Factory   800 

John  J.  Green's  Monumental  Works   804 

Brooklyn  Clay  Retort  and  Fire  Brick  Works.  . .  806 

A.  G.  Jennings  &  Sons'  Lace  Works   808 

Charles  S.  Higgins'  Soap  Manufactory   811 

Charles  W.  Held's  Piano  Warerooms   812 

F.  Rochow's  Patent  Compound  Steam  Engine..  822 

August  Moll's  Manufactory                         ...  823 

E.  M.  Boynton's  Saw  and  File  Co   823 

Downing  &  Lawrence's  Marine  Railway   824 

Barney's  Automatic  Dumping-Boat   826a 

Kctcbani's  Submarine  Torpedo- Boat   828a 

Arms  of  the  United  States   

"  Sea-Breeze,"— Residence  of  S.  F.  Speir,  M.  D. 

Facing  895 
"Feniraore" — Residence  of  H.  L.  Bartlett,  M.  D. 

Facing  896 

St.  Catharine's  Hospital    928 

Long  Island  College  Hospital   929 

St.  Mary's  General  Hospital   934 

Dr.  Skinner's  Residence   948 

Packer  Collegiate  Institute   951 

Adelphi  Academy   954 

S.  John's  (R.  C.)  College   955 

Academy  of  the  Visitation  (R.  C.)   957 

Brooklyn  Orphan  Asylum     973 

First  Building  of  the  Association  for  Improving 

the  Condition  of  the  Poor   975 

Present  Building  of  same   975 

The  Graham  Institution   976 

The  Brooklyn  Nursery   977 

The  Baptist  Home   978 

Orphan  House  of  the  Church  Charity  Foundat  ion.  970 

St.  John's  Hospital,  Church  Charity  Foundation,  979 

Newsboy's  Rome   980 

Home  for  r'ncmllcss  Women  and  Children  ....  988 

Hebrew  Orphan  Asylum   9S4 

Brooklyn  Industrial  Home     985 

Brooklyn  Industrial  School  and  Home  (E.  D.)..  985 

Inebriates'  Home   989 

St.  John's  (R.  C.)  Male  Orphan  Asylum   991 

First  Reformed  Church   993 

Greenpoint  Reformed  Church   990 

1..      Avenue  Reformed  (  'lliirdl    997 

Cottage  If  here  the  Lee  Ave.  Reformed  Church 

originated    997 

The  Second  St.  Ann's  (P.  E.)  Church   999 

The  Present  St.  Aim's  (P.  K.)  Church   1000 

Church  of  Holy  Trinity  (P.  E.)   1002 

I  Iraoe  (P.  E.;  Church   1001 

Church  of  the  Pilgrims  (Cony.)   KH5 


PAGE. 

Plymouth  Church  (Cong.)   1018 

Plymouth  Church  Bethel  (Cong.)   1021 

Central  Congregational  Church. ...    1025 

Puritan  (Cong.)  Church   1026 

Sands  Street  (M.  E.)  Church   1030 

Simpson  (M.  E.)  Church   1033 

First  Place  (M.  E.)  Church   1035 

St.  John's  (It  E.)  Church   1035 

Fleet  Street  (M.  E.)  Church   1036 

Willoughby  Avenue  (M.  E.)  Church   1038 

Nostrand  Avenue  (M.  E.)  Church    1039 

Grace  (M.  E.)  Church   1040 

Central  (M.  E.)  Church  '..  1041 

Park  Avenue  (P.  It)  Church   1043 

The  Art  Association  Building   1136 

Organ  in  Tabernacle  Pres.  Church   1061 

South  Third  Street  Pres.  Church   1065 

The  Old  Franklin  Avenue  Pres.  Church   1066 

Lafayette  Avenue  Pres.  Church    1068 

Ross  Street  Pres.  Church   1069 

Throop  Avenue  Pres.  Church   1070 

Memorial  Pres.  Church   1071 

Noble  Street  Pres.  Church   1072 

First  Baptist  Church   1075 

Pierrepont  Street  Baptist  Church   1075 

Central  Baptist  Church   1077 

Washington  Avenue  Baptist  Church   1078 

Greenwood  Baptist  Church   1079 

Centennial  Baptist  Clinch   1079 

Sixth  Avenue  Baptist  Church   1080 

Greenpoint  Baptist  Church   1081 

First  Baptist  Church  (E.  D.)   1082 

St.  Matthew's  Eng.  Lutheran  Church   1084 

Church  of  the  Savior  (Unitarian)   1086 

The  Old  Suydam  House   1099 

Mr.  G.  Frank  E.  Pearsall's  Photograph  Studio.. .  1168 

The  Eagle  Office   1181 

The  Garfield  Building   1800 

The  Brooklyn  Institute   1303 

The  Long  Island  Historical  Society's  Building. . .  1305 

The  Pierrepont  House    1359 

Wechsler  &  Abraham's  New  Stores   1363 

James  Weir's  Conservatories  and  Green-Houses  .  1364 

Richard  Shannon's  Green-Houses   1365 

James  Dean's  Green-Houses   1365 

Johnston  Hros.'  Stores  (4  cuts)   136S 

John  Harrison's  Grocery  Establishment   1309 

A.  A  S.  Haviland  &  Co.'s  Stores  _   1370 

Henry  Schade's  Silver-Plating  Factory   1372 

Cowperthwait  Co.'s  Furniture  Warehouses   1878 

Jesse  A.  CrandalPs  Manufactory   137:! 

M.  Webster  «fc  Sons'  Warerooms     1374 

Joseph  J.  Byers'  Shoe  Store   1376 

William  1 1 arkness' Stores   1379 

Louis  BoBsert's  Manufactory   1882 

S.  Tuttle's  Son  «fc  Co.'s  Coal*  Yards   1385 

C.  U.  Reynolds'  Coal  and  Wood  Yards   1387 


THE 

COMMERCE  OF  BROOKLYN. 


UNLIKE  any  other  great  seaport  of  our  country, 
or  the  world,  Brooklyn  and  the  county  of 
Kings  has  no  separate  existence  as  a  port  of 
entry;  but,  while  possessing  an  unrivaled  water 
front,  with  the  most  magnificent  docks  and  piers  in  the 
world,  and  an  unlimited  capacity  for  expansion,  till  it 
may  be  able  to  receive  and  store  the  entire  products  of 
a  continent,  it  suffers  the  humiliation  of  knowing  that 
all  this  vast  commerce  is  credited  to  New  York  City; 
and  that  there  does  not  exist  either  in  the  New  York 
Custom  House,  the  reports  of  the  Produce  Exchange, 
or  the  New  York  Chamber  of  Commerce,  or,  indeed, 
in  the  records  of  any  government  or  mercantile  office, 
the  data  for  giving  to  Brooklyn  its  quota  of  credit  for 
her  share  in  this  immense  traffic,  which  has  no  rival  on 
this  side  of  the  globe. 

Yet  our  statistics  of  the  Brooklyn  commerce  as  com- 
pared with  that  of  New  York — statistics  collected  with 
infinite  labor  and  pains,  and  the  comparison  of  the 
business  of  the  largest  shipping  houses  with  the  returns 
of  the  commerce  of  the  port  of  New  York,  officially 
rendered,  show  the  following  facts,  viz. : 

1.  That  the  arrivals  and  departures  of  shipping, 
both  sail  and  steam,  at  tbe  wharves,  piers  and  docks  of 
Brooklyn,  are  to  New  York  arrivals  and  departures  as 
9  to  7. 

2.  That  the  grain  receipts  and  shipments  at  Brook- 
lyn warehouses,  and  by  ships  loading  and  unloading  at 
Brooklyn  piers,  docks  and  wharves,  are  in  proportion 
of  76  to  24  of  those  of  New  York. 

3.  That  the  proportion  of  receipts  and  shipments  of 
provisions  is  very  nearly  80  for  Brooklyn  to  20  for 
New  York. 

4.  That  the  receipts  of  raw  sugars  and  molasses, 
from  all  quarters,  go  to  the  Brooklyn  warehouses  for 
transfer  to  the  Brooklyn  sugar  refineries,  almost  wholly; 
hardly  ten  per  cent,  being  received  in  New  York. 

5.  That  the  receipts  and  shipments  of  cotton  are 
nearly  one-half  at  and  from  Brooklyn  warehouses. 

6.  That  the  greater  part  of  the  petroleum  oils,  all  ex- 
cept those  for  the  refineries  on  tbe  Jersey  side,  come 


through  the  Standard  Oil  Company's  pipes  to  the  refin- 
eries in  Williamsburg  and  Long  Island  City,  and  the 
shipments  to  foreign  and  to  other  American  ports,  go 
from  the  refineries  direct  on  ship-board,  without  touch- 
ing New  York  city,  either  in  receipt  or  shipment.  The 
whole,  or  nearly  the  whole,  of  the  petroleum  traffic  be- 
longs to  Brooklyn. 

7.  The  proportion  of  the  receipts  and  shipments  of 
general  merchandise  are  the  most  difficult  to  ascertain. 
There  are  many  large  warehouses  in  New  York  which 
have,  for  a  long  term  of  years,  received  the  bulk  of 
certain  articles  known  under  this  general  denomina- 
tion; but  it  is  doubtful  if  there  are  not  more  in  Brook- 
lyn. In  general,  it  may  be  said,  that  the  greater  part 
of  the  imported  dress  goods  and  dry  goods  come  to 
New  York  warehouses;  that,  of  imported  metals — iron, 
steel,  copper,  lead,  zinc  and  tin — about  two-thirds  come 
to  Brooklyn;  that  teas  and  raw  silk  come  generally  to 
New  York;  but  coffee,  spices,  cocoa,  chocolate,  flax, 
hemp,  jute,  cordage  and  the  materials  of  which  it  is 
made,  argols,  medicinal  barks,  crude  camphor,  chemi- 
cals, bleaching  powder,  medicinal  gums,dyewoods,  dried 
and  salted  fish,  guano,  gypsum  aud  fertilizers  gener- 
ally, India  rubber,  indigo,  madder,  oils,  sulphur,  bread- 
stuffs,  bristles,  dried  fruits,  glass,  leather  and  manufac- 
tures of  leather,  paints,  potatoes,  salt,  provisions,  salt- 
petre, seeds,  soda  and  salts  of  soda,  manufactures  of 
tin,  tobacco,  and  perhaps  of  spirituous  liquors,  watches, 
wool  and  woolen  rags,  belong  more  properly  to  the 
Brooklyn  warehouses;  while  books,  paintings,  jewelry 
perfumery,  paper,  cabinet  furniture  and  woods,  musi- 
cal instruments,  etc.,  etc.,  are  more  generally  sent  to 
the  New  York  warehouses.  In  general  merchandise, 
while  the  bulk  is  very  largely  on  the  side  of  Brooklyn, 
as  nearly  as  can  be  estimated,  taking  the  average  of 
the  past  three  years,  New  York  city  has  about  44  per 
cent,  of  the  values,  and  Brooklyn  about  56  per  cent. 
This  covers  the  whole  imports,  and  much  of  the  ex- 
ports. We  may  remark,  however,  that  the  limited  ex- 
tent and  moderate  storage  room  of  the  New  York 
warehouses,  which  are  contiguous  to  the  docks  and 


634 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


provided  with  elevators,  and  other  means  of  rapid 
loading  and  unloading,  causes  all  of  our  exports  which 
are  of  considerable  bulk,  to  be  brought  to  the  Brooklyn 
warehouses,  which  are  of  immense  and  constantly  in- 
creasing extent,  and  lying  directly  at  the  edge  of  the 
docks  and  piers,  and  can  transfer  entire  cargoes  to  ves- 
sels without  employing  a  single  truck.  Thus,  one  of 
the  great  shipping  houses  occupy  52  large  warehouses, 
all  on  the  Brooklyn  side,  besides  extensive  covered 
piers,  still  more  convenient  for  loading  and  unloading. 
Another  has  28  such  warehouses.  This  is  particularly 
true  of  the  loading  and  unloading  of  grain  for  export. 
We  have  stated  the  amount  of  grain  handled  in  Brook- 
lyn and  put  on  board  vessels  at  Brooklyn  docks,  as  76 
per  cent,  of  the  whole ;  but  we  do  not  mean  to  be  under- 
stood that  the  remaining  24  per  cent,  goes  into  New 
York  warehouses.  Not  at  all.  We  have  serious 
doubts  whether,  as  matters  are  now  arranged,  1,000,000 
Im-liel-  "t  grain  go  into  New  York  warehouses  in  a 
vear:  that  from  the  Erie,  Pennsylvania,  and  Delaware, 
Lackawanna  A'  Western  R.  R.'s  comes  to  Hoboken,  or 
Jersey  City,  and  is  taken  up  by  elevators  there  in  the 
warehouses  on  the  Jersey  side,  and  from  thence  trans- 
ferred to  the  ships.  That  from  the  Erie,  Delaware  and 
Hudson,  Morris  and  Raritan  canals,  and  from  Albany 
barges,  sailing  vessels  and  steamers,  goes  mostly  to 
Brooklyn  direct,  or  is  picked  up  by  the  floating  ele- 
vators, and  loaded  on  vessels  either  at  Brooklyn  or  New 
York  wharves  and  docks.  The  New  York  Central  and 
Hudson  River  R.  R.  has  one  or  more  elevators  of  its 
own,  but  very  much  of  the  grain  brought  on  its  cars  is 
lightered  or  brought  by  floating  elevators  direct  to  the 
Brooklyn  warehouses. 

In  regard  to  the  gram  receipts  and  shipments. 
Brooklyn  ha-  virtual  control  of  the  trade.  All  of  the 
regular  grain  warehouses  recognized  by  the  New  York 
Produce  Exchange  are  in  Brooklyn  All  of  the  float- 
ing elevator  companies  are  officered  by  Brooklyn 
men,  and  all  of  these  elevators — thirty-four  in  num- 
ber— start  from  Brooklyn  and  bring  grain  for  the 
Brooklyn  warehouses,  or  load  it  upon  vessels  at  the 
Brooklyn  wharves.  The  president  of  the  largest  of 
these  companies  (the  International),  Mr.  Annan,  who 
controls  22  of  these  floating  elevators,  two  of  double 
capacity,  is  also  a  partner  in  the  great  grain  house  of 
Hazeltine  A  Co.,  the  occupants  of  Dows,  the  Colum- 
bia, and  tin-  Kelsey  store-. 

The  interests  of  Mr.  George  D.  Puffer,  President  of 
the  New  York  Floating  Elevator  Company,  who  run 
five  floating  elevators,  are  also  wholly  identified  with 
Brooklyn.  The  same  is  true  of  Messrs.  Ht  iibt  n  r, 
Knap]'  A.  M<  Cord.  \V.  I).  Mangam's  Sen,  Marsh. 
White  A  Co.,  and  S.  M.  Cornell,  who  own,  together, 
seven  floating  elevators.  The  entire  storage  capacity 
of  all  the  stationary  elevators  in  New  York  city,  in- 
cluding those  of  the  New  York  Central  and  Hudson 
River  R.  R.  Co.,  is  only  3,340,000  bushels,  of  which 


the  New  York  Central  is  2,300,000  bushels.  Those  of 
Jersey  have  a  capacity  of  3,000,000  bushels.  Neither 
of  them  is  ever  full.  The  Brooklyn  stationary  eleva- 
tors have  a  capacity  of  20,000,000  bushels,  and,  as  the 
Produce  Exchange  reports  show,  handled  over  150,000,- 
000  bushels  of  grain  in  1882,  and  more  than  200,000,- 
000  bushels  in  1881.  But  the  grain  trade,  large  as  it 
is,  is  only  one  item  of  Brooklyn's  commerce.  Below 
Fulton  Ferry,  and  between  that  and  Fortieth  street, 
South  Brooklyn,  are  nearly  twenty  firms,  many  of 
them  controlling  large  blocks  of  warehouses  and  pier 
sheds,  who  do  a  general  merchandise  business,  some  of 
them  handling  mainly  imported  goods,  others  both 
import*  and  >.rp  >rt*  One  of  these  houses  already  re- 
ferred to,  Messrs.  G.  C.  and  J.  P.  Robinson,  in  1882, 
in  their  52  warehouses,  received  and  shipped  merchan- 

i  dise  valued  at  $105,000,000.  Another,  F.  Woodruff 
»fc  Co.,  as  the  average  of  three  years  in  their  28  ware- 

j  houses,  handled  $53,000,000.  The  receipts  and  ship- 
ments of  the  whole  twenty  firms  can  hardly  be-  less 
than  $325,000,000,  and  may  exceed  that  amount. 

But,  aside  from  these,  there  are  two  large  oil  refiner- 
ies belonging  to  Bush  and  Denslow;  five  or  six  large 
lumber  yards  at  the  Gowanus  Canal  and  Erie  Basin  ; 
two  coal  yards  of  great  extent;  two  rosin  yards;  eight 
ship  yards,  four  of  them  with  dry  docks,  those  of 
Messrs.  William  Camp  &  Son  being  the  largest  in  the 
world,  and  one  with  an  immense  marine  railway,  suffi- 
cient to  accommodate  the  largest  ocean  steamships;  six 
piers  for  steamship  lines  landing  their  passengers  and 
freight  in  Brooklyn:  three  inspection  yards,  one  for 
tobacco,  and  two  for  pork,  etc.;  five  large  ferry  slips 
for  the  Hamilton,  South.  Wall  street,  and  the  two  An- 
nex ferries,  to  which  should  be  added  the  Fulton  ferry 
slip  and  the  Bridge  pier;  the  two  great  flouring  mill 
piers  of  F.  E.  Smith  and  Jewell  Brothers,  and  one  of 
the  Knickerbocker  Ice  Company's  piers.  There  are, 
moreover,  extensive  foundries,  iron  works,  and  pump- 
ing engine  works,  which  ship  their  products  from  these 
wharves  and  piers.  There  is  no  separate  record  of  the 
number  of  vessels  which  discharge  or  receive  their  car- 
goes at  these  piers  and  wharves,  for  the  arrivals  and 
clearances  are  all  made  at  the  Naval  Office  in  New 
York,  but  there  must  be  several  thousands  every  year. 
We  cannot  obtain  any  definite  statistics  of  the  business 
transacted  or  the  moneys  received  in  these  various 
commercial  houses,  but  in  some  of  them  we  know  that 
it  amounts  to  many  millions. 

If  we  go  back  one  or  two  streets  from  the  water 
front,  we  shall  find,  for  nearly  the  whole  distance,  great 
manufactories,  machine  shops,  iron  foundries,  etc.,  etc., 
whose  products  are  all  shipped  from  these  wharves  and 
piers. 

Northward  and  north-eastward  from  Fulton  Ferry 
to  Hunter's  Point,  the  piers  and  wharves  loaded  with 
merchandise,  and  the  numberless  vessels  loading  and 
unloading  indicate  that  the  commerce  is  very  nearly  as 


THE  COMMERCE  OF  BROOKLYN. 


635 


extensive  as  below  that  ferry,  though  of  a  somewhat 
different  character.  In  the  region  we  have  already 
described,  there  were  three  artificial  and  one  natural 
water  courses  and  basins,  stream  and  bay,  to  increase 
the  water-front,  viz.  :  the  Erie  and  Atlantic  Basins, 
Gowanus  Bay  and  Creek,  and  Gowanus  Canal.  In  the 
northern  division  (north  of  Fulton  ferry),  there  are 
the  Wallabout  Bay,  Basin  and  Canal,  Bushwick  Creek, 
and  Newtown  Creek  and  Canal.  Of  these,  the  first 
three  and  the  last  two  add  greatly  to  the  water  front 
of  this  portion  of  the  city. 

There  are  six  ferries  to  New  York  on  this  portion  of 
the  water  front,  some  of  them  having  two  or  three 
termini  in  that  city.  It  is  noteworthy,  also,  that  in 
this  part  of  the  water  front,  numerous  and  important 
as  are  the  commercial  houses  directly  fronting  the 
water,  the  great  manufactories,  for  two  or  three  streets 
back  from  the  shore,  contribute  an  equal,  or  nearly 
equal,  amount  of  their  products  to  the  commerce  of 
the  city. 

Above  the  Fulton  ferry  and  the  Bridge  pier,  we 
have,  first,  two  extensive  coal-yards,  and  then  long 
blocks  of  warehouses,  known  as  the  Fulton  and  Em- 
pire Stores.  On  the  next  street  east  are  Tobacco  In- 
spection Stores,  the  Fulton  Sugar  Refinery,  Iron 
Works,  Artificial  Ice  Machine  Works,  an  extensive 
Brewery,  etc.  Next  on  the  river  front  are  cooperage 
and  stave  yards,  Arbuckle's  immense  coffee  and  spice 
warehouses,  and  behind  them,  Taylor's  foundry  and 
engine  works,  Bliss'  immense  press  and  die  works, 
Hardick's  steam  pump  factory  ;  next  on  the  river  are 
Benton's  steam  and  gas  pipe  works,  Nathan's  coal 
yards,  the  Jay  street  stores,  the  offices  of  the  Delaware 
and  Hudson  Canal  Co.,  Crabb  and  Wilson's  sugar 
refinery,  Poillon's  ship  yard,  and  above  these,  the  At- 
lantic white  lead  works,  and  the  Brooklyn  Gas  Com- 
pany. On  Plymouth  and  Water  Streets,  immediately 
behind  these  establishments,  are  a  host  of  great  manu- 
factories, all  of  them  sending  immense  amounts  of 
their  products  abroad,  from  the  wharves  below  and  the 
other  piers  and  wharves  of  Brooklyn.  Among  these, 
are  the  great  color  house  of  Sondheim,  Alsburg  &  Co., 
the  paint,  color  and  varnish  works  of  J.  W.  Masury  & 
Son,  the  Averill  Paint  Co.,  C.  T.  Reynolds  &  Co.,  In- 
gersoll  &  Co.,  etc.,  etc.,  the  Somers  decorated  tin 
works,  the  Paris  white,  whiting  and  cork  works  of 
Truslow  &  Co.,  Rochow's  stationary  engine  works, 
one  or  two  large  breweries,  Clayton's  steam  pumps, 
&c,  &c. 

Beyond  Gold  street,  the  Navy  Yard  occupies  an  ex- 
tensive tract  fronting  on  Wallabout  Bay,  but  the  Wal- 
labout basin  and  canal  redeems  a  considerable  district 
for  commerce  and  manufactures.  The  Navy  Yard  in- 
directly makes  a  considerable  addition  to  our  com- 
merce, in  the  extent  of  supplies  of  all  sorts  required, 
and  brought  thither  from  various  quarters,  in  the 
arrival  and  departure  of  vessels  belonging  to  the  fleet, 


and  of  school-ships,  and  in  the  coming  of  ships  from 
the  navies  of  other  nations,  either  on  friendly  visits  or 
for  repairs. 

But  aside  from  these,  the  Wallabout  basin  and  canal 
have  two  very  large  gas-works,  a  stationary  elevator 
and  mill,  a  large  coal  yard,  and  an  oil  works,  a  dis- 
tillery, the  sugar  refineries  of  Moller,  Sierck  &  Co., 
and  of  DeCastro  and  Donner,  the  largest  retail  lumber 
yard  in  the  United  States5  that  of  Cross,  Austin  &  Co., 
the  Knickerbocker  Ice  Co.'s  largest  depot,  and  a  very 
large  lath  and  brick  yard.  Back  of  these  again  are 
numerous  large  manufactories,  the  great  book  factory 
of  Messrs.  Appleton  &  Co.,  steam  pump  works,  several 
stone  and  marble  works  of  great  extent,  particularly 
that  of  Gill  &  Baird ;  the  Royal  Baking  Powder  Co., 
an  immense  establishment,  the  New  York  Tartar  Co., 
etc.,  etc. 

The  extensive  ferry-house  of  the  Roosevelt  and 
South  Seventh  street  ferries  occupy  a  considerable 
space,  but  are  succeeded  immediately  by  the  great 
sugar  refineries  of  Havemeyer  &  Elder,  the  Brooklyn, 
the  Long  Island,  another  of  Havemeyer  &  Elder's,  and 
Dick  &  Meyer's  refinery.  Sugar  refining  is  the  largest 
manufacturing  industry  of  Brooklyn,  its  annual  pro- 
duct exceeding  $100,000,000,  and  most  of  it  is  concen- 
trated in  this  district.  The  sugar  refineries  are  also 
important  in  this  commercial  aspect,  as  more  than 
nineteen-twentieths  of  the  sugar  which  they  refine  is 
imported  direct  for  them,  and  a  large  proportion  of 
their  products  are  exported  or  transported  by  our  ship- 
ping to  other  Atlantic  ports.  Here  are  also  two  or 
three  large  lumber  yards,  one*  shipping  yard,  one  large 
cooperage,  four  stave  yards,  the  Philadelphia  and  Read- 
ing Coal  and  Iron  Co.'s  yard,  a  gas-light  company, 
and  the  immense  oil  works  of  Charles  Pratt  &  Co. 
The  ferry-house  of  the  Grand  street  ferry  is  also  in 
this  district,  and  at  the  northern  limit  of  the  district, 
Bushwick  creek  enters  the  East  river.  At  its  junction, 
the  Quay  street  Continental  iron  works  are  situated,  an 
immense  establishment  for  building  and  fitting  steam- 
ships, supplying  boilers,  engines,  shafts,  &c.  Here, 
also,  is  John  H.  Engles  &  Son's  great  ship  yard,  and 
the  Manhattan  Compress  and  Pipe  Factory.  The  Green- 
point  ferry,  having  two  termini  in  New  York,  comes 
next.  From  this  to  Newtown  creek,  are  mostly  lumber 
yards,  spar  and  box  yards  and  factories,  and  Hara- 
way's  extensive  dye  works.  Along  the  Brooklyn  side 
of  Newtown  creek  are  the  Devoe  Manufacturing  Co., 
and  Empire  oil  works,  the  Greenpoint  glass  -works,  very 
extensive,  and  Charles  F.  Havemeyer's  sugar  refinery, 
as  well  as  some  other  lumber  yards,  a  Bohemian  glass 
manufactory,  the  vast  chemical  works  of  Martin  Kalb- 
fleisch's  Sons,  and  the  L.  Waterbury  &  Co.  rope  walk, 
said  to  be  the  largest  in  the  world. 

The  warehouses  and  great  manufactories  along  the 
East  river  and  Newtown  creek,  above  Fulton  ferry, 
have  an  annual  business  of  more  than  $250,000,000. 


636 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


It  remains  for  us  to  speak  of  the  basins,  canals,  and 
smooth  water  navigation,  which  give  the  city  60  great 
an  advantage  over  New  York  for  commercial  pur- 
poses, and  the  dry  docks  and  marine  railway,  which 
draw  hither  the  largest  ocean  steamers  needing  repairs. 

There  are  four  or  five  basins,  all  of  large  size,  on 
the  Brooklyn  water-front,  viz.:  the  Erie  and  Brooklyn 
Basins,  spoken  of,  collectively,  as  the  Erie  Basin  y 
the  Atlantic  Docks  and  Basin  ;  the  Wallabout  Basin 
and  Ca/ud.ant.]  adjacent  to  it,  and  generally  considered 
a  part  of  it,  the  Kent  Avenue  Basin.  Aside  from 
these,  there  are  the  Improvements  of  the  Brooklyn  Im- 
provement Co.,  and  others  around  Gowanus  bay,  creek, 
and  canal,  and  branches  ;  the,  as  yet  not  fully  corn- 


rendered  a  second  application  to  the  Legislature  neces- 
sary, and  work  was  commenced  in  June,  1841.  At  the 
time  Col.  Richards  conceived  this  idea,  forty-four 
years  ago,  the  whole  tract  southwest  of  Hamilton 
avenue,  and  much  of  that  between  Third  avenue  and 
Gowanus  bay,  was  a  swampy  marsh,  without  sufficient 
water  on  its  surface  to  be  navigable  anywhere  for  any- 
thing more  than  very  small  boats,  and  much  of  it  was 
uncovered  at  low  water,  and  often  sent  up  the  odors  of 
decaying  vegetation.  A  few  squatters  occupied  the 
more  elevated  hummocks,  but  it  was  valueless  for 
building  or  commercial  purposes.  Col.  Richards  de- 
voted himself  to  the  work  with  great  energy  and  amid 
many  discouragements  for  five  years,  when  he  turned 


pit  ted  improvement,  Bushwick  inlet;  and  the  extensive 
wharves,  docks,  and  canals,  on  the  Brooklyn  side  of 
Newtown  creek. 

Our  limits  do  not  permit  so  full  a  description  of 
these  great  work-  as  we  would  like  to  insert,  hut  we 
will  endeavor  to  give  a  brief  account  of  each  of  them, 
premising  that  the  most  advanced  of  them  are  but  just 
completed,  while  others  are  yet  in  progress. 

Atlantic  Docks.  Treating  the  subject  chronologi- 
cally, we  find  that  the  Atlanta-  I)»rk*  and  ISiixin  were 
the  first  of  these  improvements  projected,  and  were 
the  first  to  be  completed.  Col.  Daniel  Richards  was 
the  originator  of  the  plan,  and  his  surveys,  Bound- 
ings,  <fcc,  were  made  in  I  h:{;»,  and  the  Atlantic  Dock 
Company  was  incorporated,  in  May,  1*40,  with  a  capi- 
tal of  (11,000,000;  but  a  slight  change  in  their  plans 


his  attention  to  other  enterprises;  and  Mr.  James  S.  T. 
Stranahan  became  interested  in  the  Atlantic  Docks,  of 
which,  by  subsequent  purchases  from  the  other  stock- 
holders, he  became  the  principal  proprietor. 

For  several  years  the  company  met  with  many  dis- 
couragements and  disappointments;  and  it  was  not  till 
Is  17,  six  years  after  its  commencement,  that  its  suc- 
cess began  to  be  assured.  The  corner-stone  of  the 
first  warehouse  was  laid  in  1844,  but  it  was  not  until 
is^7  that  the  first  steam  grain  elevator  was  erected  for 
a  warehouse  on  the  north  pier.  There  are  now  eight 
elevators,  having  a  total  storage  capacity  of  7,500,000 
bushels  in  the  warehouses  on  those  docks.  The  basin 
ha-  an  area  of  forty  acres  water  surface",  and  the  ware- 
houses surrounding  and  enclosing  it  cover  more  than 
twenty  acres.    It  is  entered  by  a  passage-way  two 


THE  COMMER  CE  OF  BR  0  OKL  Ytf. 


63  V 


hundred  feet  wide,  and  has  wharf  room  for  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  vessels.  It  has  a  depth  of  more  than 
twenty  feet  of  water  at  low  tide,  so  that  very  large 
ocean  steamers  can  be  loaded  or  unloaded  there.  The 
first  cost  and  present  value  of  this  property  exhibits 
very  clearly  the  progress  of  Brooklyn  in  commercial 
greatness  within  forty  years.  "  The  land  and  water 
rights  for  this  great  property  "  (which  included  land  ex- 
tending to  or  beyond  Hamilton  avenue),  were  purchased 
for  $158,000,  payable  in  stock,  and  the  circumference 
was  apportioned  into  540  lots,  valued  at  from  $400,  for 
the  front  lots,  to  $250  for  those  in  the  rear,  the  whole 
aggregating  $640,000,  which  was  the  contemplated 
cost  of  the  docks. 

As  we  have  said,  there  are  now  more  than  twenty 
acres  of  warehouses  and  eight  elevators  on  these  docks, 
but  independent  of  the  value  of  these,  or  any  buildings 
on  this  property,  the  present  value  of  the  land  and 
water  rights  exceeds  twelve  million  dollars. 

The  Erie  and  Brooklyn  Basins  were  next  in 
order  of  time.  These,  also,  originated  in  the  fertile 
and  enterprising  brain  of  Col.  Richards,  though  their 
actual  designing  and  building  were  the  work  of  Jere- 
miah P.  Robinson;  and  the  construction  of  both  the 
basins  and  their  warehouses  has  been  under  the  super- 
intendency  of  William  Beard.  The  owners  of  the 
Erie  Basins  and  the  land  bordering  on  it  are  J.  P.  & 
G.  C.  Robinson  and  William  Beard,  and  they  and 
Franklin  Woodruff,  and  one  or  two  other  parties,  also 
own  the  Brooklyn  Basin  and  the  lands  adjacent. 

The  two  companies  own,  or  did  own,  at  the  beginning 
of  their  enterprise  in  1856  or  1857,  with  the  exception 
of  some  small  tracts  nearest  to  Hamilton  avenue,  the 
entire  territory  bounded  by  Van  Brunt  street,  Hamil- 
ton avenue,  Gowanus  Creek,  south  of  Hamilton  avenue, 
and  the  water  rights  now  bounded  by  the  piers  and 
wharves  of  the  Erie  Basin.  Much  of  this  territory  was 
under  water  at  high  tide,  and  most  of  the  remainder 
was  inhabited  by  squatters,  even  as  late  as  1864,  when 
the  immense  excavations  having  been  completed,  the 
foundations  of  the  docks  were  commenced  by  the  driv- 
ing of  piles,  25  feet  in  length,  close  to  each  other,  driven 
even  with  the  surface,  and  bedded  with  concrete.  On 
this  foundation  were  reared  massive  superstructures  of 
solid  stone,  faced  at  the  water  fronts  with  granite.  The 
first  of  the  dry-docks  was  completed  in  October,  1866, 
and  a  vessel  admitted  to  it.  There  are  now  three  of 
these  dry-docks,  capable  of  receiving  the  largest  steam- 
ships and  merchant  vessels  afloat,  even  when  loaded. 
Large  warehouses  have  been  erected  upon  both  sides 
of  these  docks  for  the  reception  of  the  cargoes  of  laden 
vessels  seeking  the  use  of  the  docks,  and  for  general 
storage.  There  are  now  52  of  these  warehouses  around 
the  Erie  Basin,  most  of  them  four  stories  or  more  in 
height,  132  feet  in  depth,  and  29  feet  in  breadth,  which 
are  occupied  by  Messrs.  J.  P.  &  G.  C.  Robinson  alone 
for  their  extensive  warehouse  and  storage  business. 


Many  others  are  occupied  by  other  firms  engaged  in 
the  same  business.  The  whole  water  area  of  the  two 
Basins  (the  Brooklyn  and  Erie)  is  100  acres,  of  which 
60  are  included  in  the  Erie  and  40  in  the  Brooklyn 
Basin.  The  owners  secured  in  the  beginning  1,000,000 
square  feet  of  submerged  territory,  beside  all  the  land 
which  they  purchased,  and  most  of  which  was  filled  up 
from  excavations  made  for  the  Basins. 


Jeremiah  P.  Robinson. — The  career  of  this  widely-known 
gentleman  is  another  illustration,  as  well  of  the  benefits 
which  our  free  institutions  and  unlimited  privileges  to  law- 
abiding  citizens  vouchsafe  to  the  diligent,  active,  faithful 
and  honest  workers  in  the  land,  as  it  is  to  the  fact  that  with- 
out earnest  labor  and  unceasing  toil  no  great  credit  or  suc- 
cess can  be  attained. 

Mr.  Robinson  commenced  his  business  life  a  poor  boy,  and 
has  gained  an  enviable  reputation  and  an  abundant  fortune; 
and  is  now  entitled  to  spend  the  remainder  of  his  days  in 
peace  and  quietude,  if  he  so  desires,  without  further  strug- 
gles with  the  problems  of  life  than  those  which  will  come  to 
him  in  his  works  of  kindness  and  charity  to  his  fellows. 

True,  he  had  the  advantage  of  a  long  line  of  ancestors, 
both  paternal  and  maternal,  noted  for  honorable  and  pi-aise- 
worthy  conduct;  and  this  alone  always  endows  the  youth 
about  entering  upon  the  career  of  manhood  with  an  inde- 
pendent and  fearless  spirit.  He  now  looks  back  to  the  his- 
tory of  his  ancestors,  so  far  as  he  is  able  to  trace  it,  and  can 
find  no  smell  of  fire  upon  their  garments  and  no  blot  upon 
the  family  escutcheon.  Among  the  first  settlers  of  Rhode 
Island,  those  ancestors  were  contemporaneous  with  Roger 
Williams,  who  settled  in  Providence  in  1636 ;  since  which 
time  their  descendants  have  been  known  in  all  parts  of  the 
land,  in  the  pulpit,  in  the  forum,  on  the  bench,  and  in  al- 
most every  branch  of  business. 

On  the  Robinson  side,  William  Robinson,  six  generations 
removed  from  the  subject  of  our  sketch,  was  a  prominent 
man  in  Rhode  Island.  Sturdy  and  industrious,  he  became 
well  known  in  the  province  as  one  of  its  most  thrifty  and 
valued  citizens,  and  was  frequently  called  to  positions  of 
high  official  responsibility.  It  is  not  important  for  the  pur- 
poses of  this  sketch  to  trace  fully  the  characters  of  all  his 
progenitors.  It  is  sufficient  here  to  say  that  Governor  Wil- 
liam Robinson  was  the  great-grandfather  of  Christopher 
Robinson,  a  prominent  and  wealthy  man  of  his  time  in 
Rhode  Island.  Christopher  was  the  father  of  George 
C.  Robinson,  the  father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 

George  C.  Robinson  was  a  young  man  of  great  energy, 
courage  and  commercial  enterprise.  As  many  of  the  most 
promising  of  the  youths  of  that  period  in  that  locality  chose 
to  follow  the  sea  as  a  profession,  George  cast  his  lot  in  that 
direction.  So  marked  were  his  ability,  integrity  and  manly 
qualities  (for  none  could  attain  the  position  without  all  of 
these  recommendations  in  those  days)  that  he  soon  became 
captain  of  a  ship  in  the  East  India  trade,  and  pushed  his  prow 
to  the  shores  of  countries  as  remote  from  his  native  land  as 
any  who  sailed  the  then  almost  unknown  seas.  He  married 
the  daughter  of  Jeremiah  Niles  Potter  while  quite  young, 
and  was  suddenly  stricken  down,  while  at  Canton,  China,  at 
the  age  of  thirty-two,  leaving  five  small  children  fatherless, 
and  without  direct  parental  means  of  support.  Of  these  five 
children,  Jeremiah  P.  Robinson  was  the  eldest. 

Having  briefly  alluded  to  his  progenitors  on  the  mother's 
side,  it  seems  proper  to  state  that  the  American  progenitors 
of  the  families  of  Niles  and  Potter  were  among  the  first  set- 


03  s 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


tiers  of  Rhode  Island,  and  were  of  the  highest  respectability 
and  standing.  Jeremiah  Niles  was  a  man  of  large  posses- 
sions, and  was  for  many  years  Judge  of  the  Superior  Court, 
holding  commissions  from  both  kings,  George  II.  and  III  . 
some  of  which  are  still  extant  and  in  the  possession  of  Jere- 
miah P.  Robinson  and  his  son.  He  also  held  other  important 
offices  of  trust,  and  those  who  came  after  him  have  ever  been 
proud  to  trace  to  him  the  lineage  of  the  families  to  which 
they  belonged.  John  Potter,  whose  family  was  also  among 
the  original  settlers  of  Rhode  Island,  was  a  man  of  consider- 
able wealth  and  high  character.  One  of  his  sons  married 
into  the  Niles  family,  and  had  a  son  named  Jeremiah  Niles 
Potter,  who  was  the  father  of  Mary  Niles  Potter,  the  wife  of 
Captain  George  C.  Robinson  and  the  mother  of  Jeremiah 
Potter  Robinson.  It  will  thus  be  seen  that  Mr.  Robinson 
traces  his  lineage  on  both  his  father's  and  his  mother's  side 
back  through  many  generations  of  honorable  men  and 
women;  and  his  Christian  names  are  taken  from  the  two  dis- 
tinguished families  on  his  mother's  side. 

As  before  stated,  upon  the  death  of  his  father  the  mother 
and  children  were  left  in  straitened  circumstances;  but  the 
mother's  father,  Jeremiah  Niles  Potter,  quite  a  large  landed 
proprietor,  took  his  daughter,  with  her  five  helpless  children, 
under  protecting  care  at  his  home  in  South  Kingstown,  near 
the  present  village  of  Wakefield,  Rhode  Island,  and  gave  his 
grandchildren  such  limited  advantages  for  education  as  at 
that  time  were  afforded  in  that  locality,  until  they  were  pre- 
pared to  undertake  the  struggle  of  life  for  themselves,  the 
mother  remaining  at  the  old  homestead  until  her  death. 

Jeremiah  Potter  Robinson  was  born  on  the  18th  day  of 
August,  1819,  in  South  Kingstown,  Rhode  Island,  and  is  now 
(1888)  sixty-four  years  of  age.  It  would  seem  that  he  early- 
developed  an  independent  and  fearless  spirit.  When  about 
twelve  years  of  age,  having  been  used  to  the  labor  and  toil 
to  which  fanners'  boys  of  that  period  were  subjected,  and 
having  had  but  limited  opportunities  for  obtaining  an  educa- 
tion, he  went  to  Newport  aud  entered  the  grocery  store  of 
his  uncle,  Stephen  A.  Robinson,  where  he  attained  the  posi- 
tion of  accountant.  Here  he  remained  about  two  and  one- 
half  years,  when  he  returned  to  his  grandfather's  farm  for  a 
short  time.  In  183(5,  at  the  age  of  sixteen,  he  went  to  New 
York.  Parental  affection  and  anxiety  interposed  objections 
to  his  undertaking,  at  that  early  age,  to  "  paddle  his  own 
canoe,"  but  the  boy  was  mildly  persistent,  and  finally  ob- 
tained permission  to  go. 

New  York  was  then  a  comparatively  small  city,  but  to  the 
adventurous  b  >v  it  was  his  ideal  of  an  opportunity  to  make 
himself  a  man,  and  his  fondest  hopes  have  been  more  than 
realized.  He  applied  to  various  business  houses  for  employ- 
ment, visiting  nearly  all  parts  of  the  city,  but  failed  to  dis- 
cover anything  which  met  his  idea  of  properly  starting  upon 
his  business  career;  until,  after  long  and  weary  noarch  lie 
was  employed  l>>  the  linn  of  K.  I'.  A.  A.  Woodruff,  jobbers 
in  fish,  Bait  and  provisions.  Under  this  engagement  he  was 
to  Im-  boarded  in  the  family  of  his  employers,  for  which  he 
was  to  give  his  labor  for  two  years,  he  clothing  himself.  He 
entered  i j j •  p'i  the  performance  o|  his  <lut ies  v\  it  li  a  will,  and 
soon  exhibited  the  possession  of  those  sterling  qualities 
which,  as  step  by  step  he  has  advanced  through  life,  have 
borne  him  ever  on  to  success.  His  pay  was  steadily  in 
creased  He  was  prudent,  economical  and  painstaking.  His 
strict  attention  to  business,  steady  habits  ami  pleasing  de- 
meanor drew  the  attention  of  many  leading  business  men  to 
him.  and  Haltering  offers  were  made  to  him  to  leave  his  old 
employers;  but  he  steadfast ly  stood  h_\  them,  attending  to 
their  affairs  so  faithfully  that,  at  the  end  of  his  fourth  \  ear's 
service,  he  was  offered  an  I  accepted  a  partnership  in  the 


firm  of  the  Messrs.  Woodruff.  From  this  time  on  he  has 
held  a  high  place  in  the  business  world.  He  immediately 
took  charge  of  some  of  the  most  important  business  interests 
of  the  concern.  After  a  few  years.  Mr.  E.  P.  Woodruff  died, 
and  the  style  of  the  firm  was  changed  to  A.  Woodruff  & 
Robinson.  This  firm  soou  added  the  warehousing  and  stor- 
age departments  to  their  other  business,  thus  becoming  the 
pioneers  in  this  line,  and  prosperity  marked  their  course  un- 
til, a  few  years  later.  Mr.  Woodruff  retired  from  the  firm, 
and  the  business  was  continued  under  the  firm  name  of  J.  P. 
&  G.  C.  Robinson.  Thus,  in  a  comparatively  short  time.  Mr. 
Robinson  rose  from  the  boy  working  for  his  board  to  the 
head  of  one  of  the  oldest,  largest  and  most  prosperous  busi- 
ness concerns  of  its  kind  in  the  metropolis.  G.  C.  Robinson 
of  this  firm  is  a  younger  brother  of  his. 

It  is  a  fact  worthy  of  note,  that,  with  the  exception  of 
two  years,  when  the  offices  of  the  concern  were  in  Front 
street,  his  business  desk  has  stood  within  seventy-five  feet  of 
where  it  now  stands  for  forty-five  years;  and  he  has,  nearly 
all  his  life,  done  business  on  what  is  almost  literally  the  site 
of  the  old  house  of  the  Messrs.  Woodruff,  when  he  entered 
their  service  as  a  poor  bo\*.  Sometime  about  the  year  1843 
he  began  to  look  with  much  interest  across  the  East  river, 
from  his  then  home  in  New  York,  upon  the  growing  city  of 
Brooklyn,  and  soon  began  to  purchase  large  blocks  of  real 
estate  on  the  Brooklyn  river  front,  and  to  improve  the  same 
by  building  warehouses  and  piers  at  the  foot  of  Congress  and 
Warren  streets.  He  was  among  the  early  pioneers  of  the  great 
warehouse  business  of  Brooklyn,  which  exists  to-day/  to  the 
benefit  of  the  city.  A  few  years  later,  in  company  with  Wil- 
liam Beard,  he  became  interested  in  water  front  in  South 
Brooklyn,  and  they  began  the  work  of  planning  and  con- 
structing the  great  Erie  Basin  and  the  adjoining  basins, 
building  piers  and  warehouses  until  at  this  time  there  is  a 
wharfage  and  dockage  of  several  miles,  where  vessels  may 
be  laden  and  unladen  at  this  vast  receptacle.  It  is  the 
largest  and  most  comprehensive  dock  system  in  the  world 
under  one  management,  and  is  one  of  the  most  important 
improvements  made  for  the  city,  and  it  is  predicted  that  in 
the  near  future  it  is  destined  to  play  an  important  part  in  the 
commercial  interests  of  both  Brooklyn  and  New  York.  Mr. 
William  Beard,  with  whom  Mr.  Robinson  has  been  so  long 
associated,  is  still  largely  interested  in  these  land  and  harbor 
improvements,  and  the  firm  of  Beard  &  Robinson  are  still 
carrying  on  gigantic  improvements  which  must  inure  to  the 
public  benefit:  and  both  patrons  deserve  great  credit  for  their 
energy,  courage  and  sagacity,  in  bringing  into  use  the  waste 
lands  and  sand  beaches  of  Brooklyn's  water  front. 

In  this  connection  it  is  proper  to  say  that  Mr.  Robinson 
has  ever  taken  great  pains  in  looking  after  the  rights  and 
interests  of  laboring  men.  Whenever  he  has  had  oppor- 
tunity to  ameliorate  their  condition,  either  by  counsel  with 
those  who  had  control  of  works  where  labor  was  employed, 
or  in  his  own  business,  which  in  many  directions  necessi- 
tates  the  employment  of  many  laborers,  he' has  shown,  in 
|  theory  and  practice,  his  desire  and  willingness  to  elevate 
ami  assist  the  honest  laborer.  In  the  great  warehouse  busi- 
ness, both  at  Mr.  Robinson's  Congress  street  stores  and  at 
the  Krie  Basin,  where  Mr.  Heard  and  he  are  together  inter- 
ested, great  care  is  taken  to  pay  each  laborer  and  employe 
liberally  for  any  extra  .service;  the  result  of  which  is  that 
the  laborer  is  pleased  with  his  employers,  and  the  employers 
arc  able  to  retain  for  man\  years  faithful  men  who  have 
their  interests  at  heart.  Thus  should  it  he  with  capital  and 
labor  everywhere. 

Mr  Rollins, m  was  one  of  the  prominent  supporters  of  the 
great  East  River  Bridge  enterprise,  now  so  successfully  estab- 


THE  COMMERCE  OF  BROOK L  Y X. 


039 


lished.  As  a  bridge  trustee,  he  ever  gave  faithful  and  intel- 
ligent attention  to  all  the  details  of  its  progress  and  manage- 
ment, and  honorably  filled  the  responsible  office  of  President 
of  the  Board  of  Trustees  through  the  most  trying  and 
difficult  portion  of  the  work. 

We  have  thus  spoken  of  Mr.  Robinson  in  his  general  rela- 
tions as  connected  with  New  York  and  Brooklyn ;  but  during 
all  the  time  alluded  to,  he  has  extended  his  acquaintance  and 
business  connections  not  only  over  the  Middle  States  and  all 
New  England,  but  largely  into  the  British  Provinces.  He 
was  for  many  years  claimed  to  belong  exclusively  to  New 
York  city  as  a  citizen ;  but,  since  about  1843,  when  he 
removed  his  family  to  Brooklyn,  Kings  county  has  claimed 
him  as  her  own. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  and  important  events  in  his 
life  has  thus  far  been  allowed  to  remain  unnoticed  in  this 
sketch,  and  that  is  his  marriage,  at  the  age  of  twenty-four 
years,  with  a  most  estimable  and  charming  lady,  Miss 
Elizabeth  DeWitt,  of  Cranberry,  New  Jersey.  Space  does 
not  permit  us  in  this  article  to  adequately  estimate  this 
lady's  strong  character  and  many  virtues,  and  hence  it  will 
not  be  attempted.  It  is  enough  to  say  in  this  con- 
nection that  she  bore  him  five  children,  two  sons  and  three 
daughters. 

One  of  the  sons,  Mr.  Isaac  Rich  Robinson,  resides  on  the 
old  homestead.  This  estate,  together  with  six  hundred  and 
fifty  acres  adjoining,  is  now  owned  by  his  father,  who 
keeps  the  old  place,  as  sacred  to  the  memory  of  Grand- 
father Potter  and  the  fond  recollections  of  his  childhood's 
days. 

His  son,  Mr.  Jeremiah  P.  Robinson,  Jr. ,  is  largely  con- 
nected in  active  business  with  his  father.  He  is  widely 
known  in  business  circles  already,  and  it  is  acknowledged 
that  he  is  most  capable  and  far-reaching  in  his  transactions. 
It  may  be  well  for  the  father  to  look  well  to  his  own  laurels 
lest  his  son  and  namesake  should  overshadow  them.  It  is 
thought,  however,  that  the  father  would  regard  such  an 
occurrence  with  complacency. 

Mr.  Robinson  and  his  family  are  attendants  at  the  Church 
of  the  Pilgrims,  of  which  the  Rev.  Richard  S.  Storrs  is 
pastor,  and  he  has  contributed  liberally  towards  its  support, 
and  all  charitable  objects  in  which  it  is  engaged.  It  may  be 
stated  as  an  interesting  fact  in  this  connection,  that  for  a 
period  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  years,  the  old  Congrega- 
tional church  of  Braintree,  Mass.,  was  presided  over  by 
only  three  pastors,  each  for  about  half  a  century.  Rev. 
Samuel  Niles,  brother  of  Jeremiah  Niles,  who  was  a  relative 
of  Mr.  Robinson,  was  the  first,  and  the  father  of  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Richard  S.  Storrs,  was  the  last. 

Personally,  Mr.  Robinson  is  an  unusually  popular  and  lib- 
eral-minded gentleman.  In  his  social  relations,  he  is 
courtly,  but  unostentatious.  He  is  not  fond  of  glare  and 
glitter,  pomp  and  parade,  but  rather  of  that  modest  comfort 
and  real  social  entertainment,  which  may  be  had  among 
men  and  women  of  brains  and  heart.  He  is  not  a  patron  of 
the  halls  of  fashion  and  show,  but  may  be  found  among 
people  of  sterling  worth  and  good  sense. 

In  politics,  he  is  accredited  to  the  democratic  party ;  but, 
we  think  it  may  safely  be  said  of  him,  as  it  may  of  many 
others  of  his  class,  that  political  garments,  in  a  partisan 
sense,  sit  so  loosely  upon  his  shoulders,  that  he  finds  no 
difficulty  in  throwing  them  off,  when  his  party  goes  astray, 
either  in  men  or  measures.  He  has  often  been  importuned 
to  run  for  offices  of  high  trust  and  honor,  but  has  always 
persisted  in  declining  even  to  have  his  name  used  as  a  candi- 
date before  nominating  conventions.  Good  men  think  that, 
should  he  have  consented  to  allow  the  use  of  his  name  as  a 


candidate  before  the  people,  party  lines  would  have 
been  abandoned  and  he  elected,  regardless  of  party  affili- 
ations. 

Of  such  a  man  Kings  County  has  a  right  to  be  proud.  He 
commenced  at  the  bottom  of  the  ladder  and  has  ascended 
higher  than  most  men  ever  get.  He  has  been  successful  for 
himself  and  family,  and  kind,  helpful  and  generous  to  the 
poor.  He  has  elevated  the  standard  of  labor,  and  contributed 
largely  to  the  public  good  in  numerous  ways.  He  has  been 
a  builder,  not  a  destroyer ;  a  producer,  not  a  consumer, 
except  where  to  consume  was  to  reproduce  more.  He  has 
builded  as  the  builders  build, 

"  Steadily,  steadily,  step  by  step, 
Up  the  venturous  builders  go. 
Carefully  placing  stone  on  stone, 
'Tla  thus  the  loftiest  temples  grow." 

His  temple  is  near  complete,  and  long  may  he  live  to 
enjoy  its  occupancy,  and  remain,  as  he  ever  has  been,  the 
welcoming  host  of  his  many  friends. 

Broad-shouldered,  deep-chested,  large-hearted,  fair-minded, 
kind  and  genial,  firm  and  strong,  Jeremiah  Potter  Robinson 
stands  with  commanding  presence  to-day  in  the  zenith  of 
his  manhood,  admired  by  all  those  who  know  him  well,  and 
the  peer  of  all  honorable  business  men  throughout  the  land. 


William  Beard  was  born  in  the  town  of  Foxhall,  County 
Westmeath,  Ireland,  in  1804.  He  lost  his  mother  before  he 
was  two  years  old,  and  his  father  at  the  age  of  seven  years. 
After  the  death  of  his  father  he  lived  with  his  uncle  till  he 
arrived  at  the  age  of  fourteen;  leaving  at  that  age  to  work  at 
the  stonemason's  trade,  at  which  he  was  employed  in  Ireland 
until  he  reached  the  age  of  seventeen,  when  he  emigrated  to 
England,  arriving  there  in  May,  1821.  He  was  first  employed 
in  England  by  a  small  contractor  at  ditching,  harvesting, 
general  labor,  and  afterward  worked  in  a  quarry  a  short 
time,  and  more  or  less  at  his  trade  as  a  stonemason.  In  May, 
1825,  he  sailed  from  Liverpool  for  New  York  in  the  sailing 
ship  Edwards,  Captain  Edwards.  On  account  of  adverse 
winds  the  vessel  did  not  arrive  in  New  York  till  August,  it 
having  taken  three  months  to  make  the  passage  now  made 
in  seven  days.  Having  with  him  a  traveling  companion 
named  John  Rankin,  whose  passage  he  had  paid,  he  found 
upon  his  arrival  that,  although  when  he  concluded  to  start 
he  had  been  possessed  of  one  hundred  pounds  sterling,  he 
did  not  then  have  more  than  two  hundred  dollars.  He  found 
the  chances  of  obtaining  employment  here  poorer  than  in 
England.  The  year  1825  being  one  of  the  hardest  years 
financially  that  this  country  had  yet  seen,  employment  was 
very  difficult  to  obtain,  and  wages  were  very  low. 

His  first  employment  in  the  New  World  was  in  a  silk  fac- 
tory at  West  Farms,  N.  Y.,  at  twelve  dollars  and  board  per 
month.  The  proprietor  of  the  factory  failed  five  weeks  after 
Mr.  Beard  entered  his  service,  and  did  not  pa\  him  a  cent  of 
the  wages  due,  and  when  he  had  paid  his  board  his  capital 
was  nearly  exhausted.  His  next  employment  was  with  a 
stonemason  at  or  about  the  site  of  the  present  large  reservoir 
in  New  York  at  twelve  dollars  per  month  and  board.  He 
remained  with  him  for  four  or  five  weeks,  but  became  sus- 
picious of  his  employer,  as  he  had  been  informed  that  the 
latter  had  paid  a  man  who  lately  worked  for  him  in  counter- 
feit money,  and  when  the  poor  fellow  went  to  purchase 
something  he  was  arrested  and  sent  to  prison  for  passing 
counterfeit  money,  and  left  without  asking  for  his  pay.  His 
next  work  was  for  Francis  Bretane,  who  had  at  that  time  a 
beautiful  residence  at  about  where  the  corner  of  Eighth 
avenue  and  Eighty-sixth  street  is  now  located,  and  employed 


640 


HISTORY  OF  KTXGS  I'OUXTY. 


him  to  take  charge  of  his  place  during  the  fall  and  winter  of 
1825  and  1826.  He  was  to  receive  only  twelve  dollars  per 
month,  but  when  he  came  to  leave  in  May,  1826,  much 
against  Mr.  Bretane's  wish,  for  the  reason  that  he  could  no 
longer  afford  to  work  for  any  one  by  the  month,  Mr.  Bretane 
was  so  well  pleased  with  his  winter's  work  that  he  gave  him 
fifty  dollars  beside  his  regular  wages.  This  money  was  the 
first  he  had  received  since  coming  to  the  United  States.  Mr. 
Bretane  was  ever  after  his  friend,  assuring  him  when  he  left 
that  if  he  ever  wanted  any  favor  he  had  only  to  call  on  him, 
and  he  would  ever  lind  him  ready  to  aid  him.  Soon  after- 
ward Mr.  Beard  was  building  a  stone  wall,  ditching  and 
grubbing  by  contract  for  Mr.  Thomas  Mulliner,  who  had  a 
residence  on  the  site  of  the  present  Deer  Park  in  Central 
Park,  New  York.  This  was  the  first  contract  he  ever  took, 
and  the  proceeds  of  it  was  the  first  considerable  amount  of 
money  that  he  had  made.  He  also  dug  a  well  for  the  same 
party,  at  the  same  place,  for  which  he  received  forty  dollars, 
he  aud  another  man  doing  all  the  work  in  one  day,  and  he 
began  to  think  this  was  not  such  a  bad  country  after  all,  and 
to  believe  there  was  good  hick  in  store  for  him. 

He  was  married  to  Mary  Johnston  in  New  York  on  January 
1st,  1826.  He  then  located  in  Yorkville,  and  took  a  contract 
from  Isaac  Adriance  to  grade  some  lots  located  at  different 
points  about  Harlem.  He  also  graded  a  number  of  lots,  built 
stone  walls,  and  did  other  work  for  Alderman  Hall  of  the 
Twelfth  Ward,  New  York.  At  that  time  the  Twelfth  Ward 
extended  from  Fourteenth  street  to  Harlem  River.  The  first 
work  he  did  for  the  City  of  New  York  was  accomplished  at 
this  time.  He  built  a  stone  wall  to  protect  the  Third  avenue, 
at  or  about  One  Hundredth  street.  He  was  recommended  to 
the  authorities  by  Alderman  Hall,  and  as  he  offered  to  do  the 
work  for  one-half  what  another  contractor  offered  to  do  it 
for,  they  awarded  the  contract  to  him.  He  remembers  well 
the  price  he  received— $500.  It  cost  him  just  $250  to  do  the 
work,  leaving  him  a  profit  of  $250,  which  he  considered  at 
that  time  a  very  large  sum  of  money.  He  then  took  a  con- 
tract from  the  City  to  grade  Third  avenue  from  Sixtieth  street 
to  Eighty-sixth  street,  cutting  through  the  rocks,  filling  the 
low  land,  and  building  walls  to  protect  the  embankment.  He 
also  graded  Bloomingdale  Road  at  several  points,  widening 
the  dri\-e  and  filling  the  old  deep  hollows.  In  the  year  1831 
the  Corporation  of  New  York  concluded  not  to  let  any  more 
work  by  contract,  but  to  hire  the  contractors  with  their  men 
and  teams  to  do  the  work  of  the  City  by  the  day.  Mr.  Beard 
and  his  men.  horses  and  wagons  were  thus  employed  by  the 
day  during  that  whole  year,  and  he  was  paid  a  commission 
as  his  profit.  The  next  contract  was  for  constructing  the 
Harlem  Railroad  from  <  enter  street  toward  the  Harlem  River, 
he  doing  all  the  grading  from  Fourteenth  street  to  Sixtieth 
street,  cutting  through  the  rocks  at  Murray  Hill,  etc.,  opera- 
tions which  had  been  begun  the  previous  year  by  another  con- 
tractor, who  had  failed.  The  engineer,  knowing  Mr.  Beard, 
sent  for  him,  and  insisted  on  his  taking  the  work.  During 
the  last  four  months  of  his  engagement  on  this  contract  he 
worked  night  and  day  with  double  gangs.  His  next  work 
was  on  the  old  New  Jersey  Railroad  and  Transportation 
Company's  Line,  now  the  iVnnsvl vania  Railroad,  between 
liahway  and  New  Brunswick,  N.  J.  At  the  same  time  he 
built  a  dock  for  Captain  Gibbons  at  Elizabethport.  Old  Com- 
modore Vanderbilt  was  then  in  Captain  Gibbons'  employ  as 
captain  of  the  l>oat  that  ran  from  New  York  to  Elizabethport, 
and  during  this  time  Mr  Beard  and  Mr.  Yanderbilt  were  on 
friendly  terms,  meeting  often  and  taking  pleasure  in  each 
other's  society.  Mr.  Beard  soon  afterward  came  to  Brooklyn, 
and  built  the  Brooklyn  and  Jamaica  Railroad  from  South 
Ferry  to  Bedford;  after  which  he  took  a  contract  to  build  two 


sections  of  the  conduit  for  the  New  York  "Water  "Works,  one 
section  near  Yonkers,  and  the  other  near  Bloomingdale.  At 
this  time  (1835  and  1836)  he  was  also  engaged  in  grading  and 
paving  a  number  of  streets  in  the  city  of  Brooklyn,  among 
them  Myrtle  avenue,  from  the  City  Hall  to  Bedford  avenue  ; 
Atlantic  street,  from  South  Ferry  to  Bedford  avenue ;  Union 
street  and  Strong  Place.    A  few  years  later  he  graded  and 

|-  paved  Montague,  Pierrepoint  aud  Joralemon  streets,  and 
■wen  street,  Brooklyn,  E.  D.  During  1854  and  1855  he  graded 
and  paved  Broad  street  and  several  other  streets  in  Newark, 

\  N.  J.  In  1839  he  constructed  a  section  of  the  Albany  and 
Boston  Railroad  near  Worcester,  and  another  near  Pittsfield, 
Mass.  He  also  built  another  section  near  Chatham  Four 
Corners,  N.  Y.  Next  he  built  twenty  miles  of  the  lower  end 
of  the  Long  Island  Railroad,  and  in  1846  a  section  of  the 
New  Jersey  Central  Railroad  at  Somerville,  N.  J.  In  the 
spring  of  1844  he  started  the  great  excavation  for  the  tunnel 
for  the  Long  Island  Railroad  in  Atlantic  street,  com- 
pleting the  work  in  1845.  At  about  this  time  he  built  a  sec- 
tion of  the  Morris  Canal  at  Dover.  He  was  engaged,  too,  in 
the  construction  of  the  viaduct  bridge  on  the  Erie  Railway 
at  Lainsborough.  In  the  years  1856  and  1857  he  constructed 
water  works  at  Carleton,  St.  Johns,  N.  B.  This  was  a  very- 
large  contract.  In  1857  and  1858  he  was  engaged  in  perform- 
ing a  Government  contract  to  improve  the  navigation  of  the 
Mascougan  River  at  Grand  Rapids,  Mich.,  which  was  also  an 
extensive  contract. 

Since  his  arrival  in  New  York,  he  had  watched  the  rapid 
growth,  both  of  that  city  and  of  Brooklyn.  After  his  per- 
manent settlement  in  Brooklyn,  in  1840,  he  looked  around 
for  profitable  investments,  knowing  that  there  could  be 
scarcely  a  limit- to  the  extension  of  the  city  toward  the  east. 
He  also  saw  that  still  there  was  a  limit  to  available  water 
front  on  our  shore;  and  that,  as  the  county  grew,  and  both 
cities  increased,  an  investment  in  water  front  lots  must,  in 
time,  become  profitable.  Looking  around  for  any  opportu- 
nity to  invest,  in  1843,  he  bought  one-half  interest  in  what  is 
now  known  as  the  Erie  Basin,  extending  from  the  foot  of 
Conover  street  to  the  foot  of  Columbia  street,  from  George 
Hall,  who  was  the  first  Mayor  of  Brooklyn.  For  a  few  years 
after  the  first  purchase  there  was  very  little  done  to  improve 
the  property.  A  year  after,  Mr.  Beard  taught  another  quarter 
of  the  interest  held  by  Mr.  Hall,  and  then  commenced  to  make 
improvements.  At  the  time  of  the  first  purchase,  Red  Hook 
Point  was  a  barren  waste,  a  great  sand  hill  cutting  it  off  from 
Brooklyn  proper.  There  was  hardly  a  building  to  be  seen  south 
of  Atlantic  street,  and  not  a  single  one  south  of  Hamilton 
avenue;  in  fact,  Hamilton  avenue  was  not  paved  at  that  time. 
Beyond  the  sand  hill  there  was  a  long  stretch  of  sand  beach, 
extending  from  what  was  at  that  time  known  as  Red  Hook 

j  Point,  to  Bompties  Hook.  In  the  rear  of  the  sand  beach  or  sand 
strip,  a  low  fiat  marsh  extended  nearly  to  Hamilton  avenue, 
that  is  cast  of  the  sand  hill  first  referred  to.  The  sand  hill 
extended  toward  Buttermilk  Channel,  and  the  marsh  from 
the  base  of  the  sand  hill  to  Gowanus  ('reek.  Shortly  after 
Mr.  Beard's  last  purchase  from  Mr.  Hall,  Mr.  Jeremiah  P. 
Robinson  purchased  from  Mr.  Hall  his  remaining  quarter. 
The  improvements  then  l>egan  in  earnest  at  Erie  Basin.  Mr. 
Beard  having  retired  from  active  contracting,  concluded  to 
devote  his  whole  time  to  the  work  and  pride  of  his  life  (the 
completion  of  Erie  Basin).  The  construction  of  the  Break- 
water, 300  feet  wide,  which  surrounds  the  Erie  Basin,  was 
commenced,  extending  from  foot  of  Van  Brunt  street  out  in 

the  Bay,  nearh  I,        feet,  and  from  that  point  east,  about 

4,000  feet  to  Columbia  street,  thence  north,  about  2,000  feet 
,  to  the  original  beach.    When  the  fact  is  taken  into  consid- 
eration that  the  water  was  of  no  great  depth  outside  of  the 


THE  COMMERCE  OF  BROOKLYN. 


641 


original  beach,  the  magnitude  of  the  work  can  be  conceived. 
When  we  consider  also  the  fact  that  ships  and  steamers  can 
come  alongside  of  the  docks,  drawing  25  feet  of  water  and 
discharge  their  cargo,  where  but  a  few  years  ago  there  was 
less  than  eight  feet  of  water,  it  is  easy  to  imagine  the  great 
expense  incurred  by  Messrs.  Beard  and  Robinson  in  dredging 
the  bottom  of  the  Bay  so  as  to  obtain  sufficient  water  to 
accommodate  the  vessels  desiring  to  use  these  docks.  During 
the  construction,  and  after  the  completion  of  the  Breakwater, 
they  commenced  erecting  warehouses  for  the  accommodation 
of  merchandise.  But  few  persons,  besides  themselves,  be- 
lieved that  it  would  be  possible  to  get  merchandise  to  store  so 
far  from  what  was  then  the  center  of  warehouse  business. 
But  time  has  proven  the  truth  of  Mr.  Beard's  first  idea,  viz. : 
that  the  port  of  New  York  would  need  all  its  shore  facilities  ; 
and  now  what  a  few  years  ago  was  but  a  sand  beach,  has 
been  turned  into  one  of  the  busiest  and  most  important  com- 
mercial warehousing  depots  in  this  port — with  its  docks  lined 
with  warehouses  and  grain  elevators,  ships  arriving  from  all 
parts  of  the  world  with  their  cargoes  of  merchandise,  and 
canal  boats  from  the  West  with  cargoes  of  grain,  to  be  placed 
in  store  on  the  sea  board,  ready  for  transhipment  to  any  part 
of  the  world. 

The  great  Anglo-  American  Dry  Docks  are  also  located  at 
Erie  Basin.  They,  like  the  Erie  Basin,  are  gigantic  in  extent, 
being  the  largest  dry  docks  on  this  continent;  and  the  largest 
ship  that  floats,  excepting  perhaps  the  "  Great  Eastern,"  can 
be  placed  in  these  docks  and  in  an  hour  will  be  sitting  on 
high  and  dry  keel  blocks,  when  repairs  may  be  done  as  con- 
veniently as  before  they  were  launched. 

Messrs.  Beard  &  Robinson,  in  order  to  carry  out  their  plans 
in  full  and  utilize  the  water  front  to  the  best  advantage, 
found  it  necessary  to  extend  their  purchases  of  shore  front 
lots  whenever  offered  in  the  market,  till  now  their  posses- 
sions not  only  extend  to  the  line  of  Columbia  street,  but  to  the 
Gowanus  Canal,  including  all  that  property  that  was  known 
and  described  in  the  old  maps  of  Brooklyn  as  Bompties  Hook 
and  Bushnell  Basin.  They  are  not  only  continuing  their  im- 
provements in  the  Erie  Basin,  but  are  fast  reclaiming  the 
waste  flats,  souch  of  Hamilton  avenue;  grading  the  streets  and 
filling  the  low  lots,  so  that  Rip  Van  Winkle,  if  he  were  to 
arise  from  his  sleep,  would  not  recognize  that  portion  of  the 
Twelfth  Ward. 

It  must  be  admitted  that  the  conception  and  construction 
of  Erie  Basin  in  all  its  details,  was  the  work  of  master 
minds  and  hands.  When  we  look  back  at  what  it  was  but  a 
few  years  ago  and  see  what  it  is  now,  it  goes  without  saying 
that  Messrs.  Beard  &  Robinson  deserve  the  thanks  of  their 
fellow-citizens  for  the  work  they  have  accomplished  unaided 
and  alone.  They  have  added  to  the  port  of  New  York  that 
which  is  of  lasting  value  to  its  commerce,  and  to  the  City  of 
Brooklyn,  thousands  of  dollars  worth  of  valuable  property 
which,  but  for  their  sagacity  and  enterprise,  would  no  doubt 
to-day  be  in  the  same  crude  state  that  it  was  forty  years  ago. 

They  foresaw  the  future,  as  year  after  year  they  stuck  to 
their  enterprise,  planning  and  executing,  each  year  burying 
thousands  of  dollars  under  the  water  where  it  could  not  be 
seen;  but  they  kept  steadily  on  during  peace  and  war,  during 
commercial  prosperity  and  adversity,  with  only  one  object  in 
view,  viz.,  to  make  the  Erie  Basin  the  most  convenient  com- 
mercial depot  on  this  continent. 

Future  generations  may  reap  the  reward  of  their  skill  and 
labors.  It  is  not  possible  for  them  during  their  short  lives  to 
obtain  from  their  investment  that  return  which  they  de- 
serve. William  Beard  and  Jeremiah  P.  Robinson  will  both 
pass  away  ;  but,  while  the  city  of  Brooklyn  and  the  port  of 
New  York  exists,  their  names  and  labors  will  not  be  forgotten. 


The  Erie  Basin. — The  wharves  and  piers  of 
the  Erie  Basin  are  of  enormous  area,  the  principal 
one,  which  extends  from  Elizabeth  street  to  the  foot 
of  Columbia  street,  and  thence  on  the  south  and 
south-west  walls  of  the  Basin  to  its  entrance  on  the 
west  side,  being  500  feet  wide  and  2,700  feet  in 
length.  This  is  all  built  on  piles,  with  cribwork  above 
the  whole  width,  filled  in  with  the  excavated  earth,  and 
faced,  for  the  whole  2,700  feet  of  the  exterior  wall,  with 
granite.  On  the  north  side  of  the  Basin  are  ten  slips 
of  large  size,  three  of  which  are  occupied  by  the  dry 
docks  before  mentioned,  which  belong  now  to  the  Anglo- 
American  Dock  Company,  and  the  others  by  ship- 
yards, iron  works,  <fcc. 

Adjoining  this  Basin  on  the  west  are  three  other 
protected  slips,  which  are  also  used,  we  believe,  as 
shipyards.  In  addition  to  the  Dry  Dock  Company's 
docks,  Messrs.  William  Camp  &  Sons  have  two  others 
in  the  Basin,  which  are  said  to  be  the  largest  in  this 
country,  if  not  the  largest  in  the  world.  In  one  of 
these  (Xo.  2)  the  City  of  Berlin  and,  we  believe,  also 
the  Alaska,  were  docked  for  repair  of  injuries.  These 
docks  were  built  by  J.  E.  Simpson  &  Co.,  of  New  York, 
We  subjoin  a  description  of  them  from  the  Brooklyn 
Eagle  of  March  24th,  1883: 

"  The  docks  are  built  upon  spruce  pile  foundations  through- 
out, the  floor  foundation  piles  being  driven  in  rows  spaced 
three  feet  from  the  centre,  transversely,  and  about  four  feet 
eight  inches  longitudinally,  upon  which  are  fitted  and  secured 
heavy  transverse  floor  timbers  of  yellow  pine,  covered  with 
spruce  planking  to  form  the  floor,  and  carrying  the  keel- 
blocks,  the  latter  being  additionally  supported  by  four  rows 
of  piles,  firmly  driven  under  the  floor  timbers,  and  capped 
with  heavy  yellow  pine  timbers  along  the  axis  of  the  dock. 

The  heads  of  these  piles  along  the  keelway  are  also  enclosed 
in  a  continuous  bed  of  Portland  cement.  Open  box  chains 
are  provided  on  each  side  of  the  keelway,  beneath  the  floor 
timbers,  leading  to  the  chainage  culverts  at  the  head  of  each 
dock.  The  sides  and  heads  of  the  docks  are  built  with  a  slope 
of  about  46  degrees;  the  altars  to  high  water  level  are  of  yel- 
low pine  timber,  nine  inches  rise  and  ten  inches  tread,  and 
bolted  to  side  brace  timbers,  which  are  supported  by  piles 
and  put  upon  the  ends  of  the  floor  timbers.  The  altars  are 
carefully  filled  in  behind  with  clay  puddle,  as  the  sides  are 
built  up,  and  from  the  level  of  high  water  to  the  top  of  the 
coping  the  sides  are  built  of  concrete  en  masse,  faced  with 
artificial  stone,  the  altars  being  continued  of  the  same  mate- 
rial to  the  coping  level.  Lines  of  close  sheet  piling  of  tongued 
piling  inclose  the  floor  of  the  dock,  and  also  extend  entirely 
around  the  dock  outside  of  the  coping  and  across  the  en- 
trance of  the  outer  end  of  the  apron  and  at  each  abutment, 
forming  cut-offs  to  exclude  the  tide  water,  &c.  An  iron 
caisson  or  floating  gate  is  used  to  close  the  dock,  and  it  is 
made  with  sloping  ends,  corresponding  substantially  with 
the  shape  of  the  side  walls  in  the  body  of  the  dock,  which 
bears  against  the  sill  and  solid  timber  abutments  the  whole 
length  of  its  keel  and  stem,  no  grooves  being  used. 

"Each  dock  has  two  gate  sills  and  abutments,  the  outer 
one  being  provided  chiefly  to  facilitate  examination  of  and 
repairs  to  the  inner  or  main  one  generally  used.  The  joint 
is  made  rubber  tight  by  means  of  a  rubber  gasket  secured  to 
the  face  of  the  sills  and  abutments.  The  principal  advantages 


642 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


which  these  docks  possess  over  stone  docks,  as  usually  con- 
structed, are  greater  accessibility,  increased  facilities  for 
shoring  vessels,  and  better  distribution  of  light  and  drainage. 
The  narrow  altars,  it  is  said,  and  the  gentle  sloping  sides, 
afford  safer  and  easier  means  of  egress  at  every  point,  and 
furnish  a  better  supply  of  light  and  air,  and  the  shoring  is 
more  easily  adjusted,  all  of  which  materially  aid  in  the  dis- 
patch and  economy  with  which  the  work  of  repairs  can  be 
prosecuted.  The  cost  and  the  manner  of  operating  does  not 
appear  to  differ  materially  from  those  of  excavated  docks. 
Two  of  Audrews'  centrifugal  cataract  pumps,  each  driven  by 
a  vertical  engine,  which  are  ordinarily  run  at  fifty  revolu- 
tions per  minute,  and  by  spur  gearing  between  the  engines 
and  the  pump,  the  revolutions  of  the  latter  are  double  those 
of  the  former.  The  effective  capacity  of  each  pump  is  23,500 
gallons  per  minute.  Dock  No.  1  is  in  length  over  all  540  feet, 
and  the  length  inside  the  caisson  is  510  feet.  Dock  No.  2  is 
the  one  the  City  of  Berlin  occupied,  and  is  much  larger  than 
No.  1.  This  dock  can  accommodate  the  largest  vessel.  It  is 
1530  feet  long;  the  length  inside  the  caisson  is  600  feet." 

With  the  exception  of  the  great  Bermuda  Dock, 
these  are  the  largest  in  the  world. 

The  Brooklyn  Basin,  which  lies  east  of  the  Colum- 
bia street  pier,  is  of  very  different  shape  from  the  Erie. 
The  New  York  &  Astoria  R.  R.  Co.  have  built  a  pier 
from  the  foot  of  87th  street,  on  the  south  side  of  Gow- 
anus  bay,  which  extends  out  to  the  deep  water-line  of 
the  Bay  Ridge  water  front,  a  length  of  nearly  2,000  feet, 
and  near  a  steam  ferry,  thence  to  Pier  No.  6,  New 
York  city.  This  pier  serves  as  a  breakwater,  on  the 
south,  to  Gowanus  bay,  making  it  a  safe  harbor,  the 
Erie  Basin  breakwater  performing  the  same  office  on 
the  northern  side.  Erom  this  safe  harbor  there  is  a 
ready  entrance  into  the  wide  Hicks  street  and  Henry 
street  -lips,  the  entrance  to  Gowanus  creek,  the  docks 
at  the  foot  of  Court  and  Smith  streets,  the  Ambrose 
Dry  Dock  and  piers  at  the  foot  of  26th  and  27th  streets, 
and  the  wide  slips  on  the  east  side,  between  21st  and 
24th  streets,  at  the  foot  of  20th  street,  and  between 
Prospect  avenue  and  19th  street. 

This  Basin  has  wide  piers,  with  large  warehouses 
and  extensive  sheds  for  the  storage  of  goods,  and  for 
drv  dock  and  ship  building  purposes.  It  is  now  con- 
trolled by  different  parties,  and  from  its  different  en- 
trances has  lost,  in  a  measure,  its  distinctive  character 
as  a  basin. 


Franklin  Woodri'FF. — It  is  probable  that  there  are  few 
inen  in  Brooklyn  who  have  been  better  known  or  more  favor- 
ably  regarded  for  many  years  than  Mr.  Franklin  Woodruff. 
A  son  of  Sylvester  and  Nancy  (Andrus)  Woodruff,  both  of 
whom  are  deceased,  lie  was  born  in  Farmington,  Conn., 
A|>ril  29th,  1H:(2,  and  his  earlier  years  were  passed  on  his 
father's  farm. 

At  the  age  of  IS  he  became  ;i  clerk  ill  tile  house  of  Messrs. 
A.  Woodruff  <v  Robinson,  o|  New  York,  one  of  the  oldest 
warehousing  arid  salt-fish  homes  in  the  I'nitcd  States.  His 
success  was  so  marked  that,  three  years  later,  he  was  given 
an  interest  in  the  business.  January  1st,  1858,  Mr.  Albert 
Woodruff,  one  of  the  founders  of  the  house,  retired,  and  Mr. 
Franklin  Woodruff  U-camu  a  partner  in  the  (inn.  Thence- 
forward be  was  one  of  the  most  active  ineinl>ers  of  the  lirm, 


often  suggesting  measures  and  taking  the  initial  steps  in 
operations  of  importance.  In  1875  the  firm  of  Woodruff  & 
Robinson  terminated  its  existence  by  dissolution. 

Mr.  Woodruff  continued  in  the  same  line  of  business,  and 
is  now  one  of  the  most  extensive  dealers  in  foreign  and 
domestic  salt  and  salt  fish  in  the  United  States,  and  one  of  the 
heaviest  importers  of  salt  as  well,  frequently  having  under 
charter,  from  the  Mediterranean  and  other  foreign  ports, 
from  twenty-five  to  thirty  vessels  at  a  time.  He  is  also  the 
owner  of  the  large  block  of  warehouses  at  the  foot  of  Jorale- 
mon  street,  known  as  "Woodruff's  stores,"  and  of  extensive 
warehouses  at  the  Atlantic  Docks,  doing  one  of  the  largest 
storage  businesses  done  in  the  city.  He  has  spent  several 
hundred  thousands  of  dollars  in  building  stores  and  covered 
piers,  and  otherwise  improving  the  Brooklyn  water  front, 
and  has  l>oen  one  of  the  most  active  in  bringing  thither  a 
large  portion  of  the  business  of  the  port  of  New  York.  At 
his  several  warehouses  skilled  and  unskilled  labor  finds  em- 
ployment to  the  aggregate  of  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  mil- 
lion of  dollars  per  annum.  His  interests  in  this  department 
are  so  extensive  as  to  constitute  him  one  of  the  largest  ware- 
house owners  in  the  country. 

Not  alone  with  respect  to  his  great  business  interests  and 
his  extensive  employment  of  labor,  nor  in  consequence  of 
the  many  public  improvements  he  has  made,  is  Mr.  Wood- 
ruff regarded  as  one  of  the  benefactors  of  Brooklyn.  Deeply- 
interested  in  all  matters  of  public  moment,  he  has  long  lieen 
conspicuously  identified  with  the  most  prominent  efforts  put 
forth  on  behalf  of  the  causes  of  education,  Christianity  and 
the  dissemination  of  useful  knowledge.  A  more  than  liberal 
contributor  toward  the  foundation  of  the  Brooklyn  Library, 
he  was  for  five  years  president  of  the  association  controll- 
ing its  interests.  It  was  during  this  period  that  the  present 
elegant  and  costly  edifice  of  the  Library,  on  Montague  street, 
was  built,  and  toward  its  building  fund  he,  with  character- 
istic liberality,  gave  several  thousands  of  dollars.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  present  Board  of  Managers  of  the  Library, 
and  is  connected  with,  or  a  frequent  and  generous  contrib- 
utor to,  many  other  benevolent  purposes  in  the  city.  He  lias 
been  long  a  member  of  the  Congregational  church,  and  a 
liberal  supporter  of  its  charitable  and  missionary  interests. 

Mr.  Woodruff  has  been  a  republican  since  the  organization 
of  the  republican  party,  and  on  all  questions  of  National  im- 
portance has  sustained  its  men  and  measures.  In  the  muni- 
cipal affairs  of  Brooklyn  he  has  long  taken  a  deep  interest, 
and  for  several  years  was  one  of  the  most  act lveof  the  better 
class  of  city  politicians.  At  the  organization  of  the  Commit- 
tee of  Seventy-five,  he  was  identified  with  it,  and  was  chosen 
its  president.  He  was  one  of  the  first  Commissioners  of 
Election  under  the  new  charter,  serving  as  such  until  his 
resignation.  In  1879  he  was  the  candidate  of  his  party  for 
the  mayoralty.  It  was  a  year  when  the  city  went  largely 
democratic  on  the  state  ticket,  and  he  was  consequently 
defeated. 

M  r.  lodruff  has  been  t  wice  married,  and  has  four  children 
living.  Three  have  died.  Mr.  Woodruff  is  now  in  the  prime 
of  life,  the  embodiment  of  health,  and  full  of  energy  and  the 
enterprise  which  have  made  his  name  so  well  and  widely 
known,  with  apparent  promise  of  being  vouchsafed  many 
more  years  of  usefulness.  In  all  of  the  relations  of  life  he 
has  always  enjoyed,  in  a  marked  degree,  the  respect  and 
confidence  of  all  with  whom  he  has  associated.  It  is  such 
men  as  he  who  build  up  substantially  for  the  good  of  the 
public  with  u  hu  h  tin  y  are  identified,  and  he  is  one  of  those 
citizens  of  whom  Brooklyn  has  a  right  to  be  proud,  iu  view 
of  his  successes,  and  their  inlliience  on  the  commerce  and 
other  important  interests  of  the  city. 


THE  COMMERCE  OF  BROOKLYN. 


643 


Gowanus  Bay  and  Canal. — We  have  spoken  of 
the  improvements  which  have  made  Gowanus  bay  a 
perfectly  safe,  land-locked  harbor  for  vessels  of  mod- 
erate draught,  not  exceeding  15  feet  at  low  water.  The 
Gowanus  Canal  Improvement  Commissioners*  and  the 
Brooklyn  Improvement  Company\  have  extended  Gow- 
anus creek  as  a  canal,  100  feet  in  width,  and  varying 
in  depth  from  12  feet  at  low  water  to  16  feet  at  high 
water.  The  main  canal  extends  from  Hamilton  avenue 
to  Baltic  street,  a  distance  of  a  mile,  and  there  are  five 
branches  of  the  same  width  and  depth  with  the  main 
canal,  and  which  have  an  aggregate  length  of  about 
two-thirds  of  a  mile  more.  Wharves  and  docks  have 
been  built  along  the  whole  course  of  these  canals,  and 
the  entire  water  front  along  them  is  about  three  and  a 
third  miles.  Immense  lumber  yards,  coal  yards  and 
flouring,  plaster  and  other  mills,  and  brick  and  stone 
yards,  occupy  the  whole  available  space. 

At  the  entrance  of  Gowanus  creek,  on  the  east  side, 
are  the  extensive  piers  and  the  small  basin,  or  slip, 
where  Messrs.  Downing  &  Lawrence's  shipyard  and 
marine  railways  are  situated.  The  object  of  these  rail- 
ways is  to  draw  the  ships  which  need  repairs  upon  ways, 
where  they  will  be  entirely  out  of  water,  and  can  be 
coppered  anew,  or  their  hulls  painted,  or  receive  other 
repairs.  The  dry  docks  accomplish  the  same  purpose 
by  floating  vessels  into  the  dock,  closing  the  gates  and 
pumping  out  the  water;  and  the  sectional  or  floating 
docks,  of  which  there  are  several  in  this  vicinity  (though 
none  of  the  largest  size),  lift  the  vessel  up  as  it  lies  in 

♦Gowanus  Canal  Improvement  Commissioners— An  Act  was 
passed,  April  19, 1866,  to  improve  Gowanus  canal.  W.  M.  Harris,  S.  D. 
Voorhees,  W.  G.  Libby,  C.  Dever,  J.  H.  Watson,  W.  M.  Thomas,  J.  L. 
Spader,  J.  Booth,  and  C.  J.  Sprague,  together  with  the  Mayor  of 
Brooklyn,  and  County  Treasurer  of  Kings  County,  were  appointed 
Commissioners  for  improving  Gowanus  canal,  and  the  channel  in 
Gowanus  bay,  from  the  north  of  said  canal  to  and  beyond  the  bar  at, 
or  near,  Percival  street.  The  Commissioners  were  authorized  to  cause 
the  sides  of  Gowanus  canal,  and  the  channel  of  Gowanus  bay,  to  be 
docked,  and  to  deepen  the  canal  by  dredging,  to  7  feet  at  low  water,  at 
Douglass  street,  and  13  feet  at  low  water,  at  its  end,  with  gradual 
depths  from  head  to  such  point.  To  pay  for  this  improvement  bonds  of 
the  city  to  the  amount  of  $175,000,  at  7  per  cent,  interest  were  to  be 
issued,  5>b  to  be  paid  each  year;  assessment  district,  200  feet  back  from 
canal. 

Act  amended  May  10,  1867,  making  issue  of  bonds  $350,000,  and  in- 
creasing powers  of  Commissioners  in  constructing  and  repairing  docks 
on  line  of  canal,  and  to  take  charge  of  bridges. 

Act  amended  May  6, 1S68,  authorizing  Commissioners  to  rebuild  and 
raise  bridges. 

Act  amended  May  6,  1869,  authorizing  Commissioners  to  expend 
$100,000  additional,  making  a  total  of  $450,000. 

Act  passed  May  10, 1869.  Commissioners  directed  and  required  to 
complete  improvement  without  delay,  and  report  on  or  before  the 
first  Monday  in  June,  1870,  to  the  Common  Council,  the  total  cost  of, 
and  amount  necessary,  to  complete  same,  and  detailed  statement  of  all 
monies  received  and  expended,  and  to  file  in  the  office  of  the  Street 
Commissioners,  maps,  profiles,  &c  ;  also  discharging  Commissioners 
from  charge  of  said  improvement.  All  further  work  to  devolve  on  the 
Common  Council. 

Act  of  April  10,  1873.  Owners  authorized  to  build  branch  canal  50 
feet  wide  and  6  feet  deep,  at  low  water,  on  1st  street,  from  main  canal 
to  Third  avenue. 

+ Brooklyn  Improvement  Company.— January  18,  1847,  Major  D. 
B.  Douglass  made  a  report  to  the  Common  Council  on  the  drainage 
and  gravitation  of  that  part  of  Brooklyn  which  lies  over  and  adjacent 
to  the  Gowanus  canal.  He  proposed  two  methods  :  first,  by  excava- 
ting one  or  more  basins  near  the  head  of  the  meadows  (near  the  infer- 


tile harbor;  and  the  sections  being  united  and  the  tanks 
depressed,  they  are  able  to  bring  it  into  a  position 
where  repairs  are  possible,  and  by  separating  the  sec- 
tions after  it  is  lowered  into  the  water,  to  set  it  at  lib- 
erty. For  vessels  of  moderate  size,  the  marine  railway 
or  the  ordinary  sectional  dock  is  preferable;  but  for  the 
largest  vessels,  the  dry  dock  has  the  advantage,  though 
it  is  very  expensive.  The  only  dry  dock  in  this  coun- 
try which  approaches  in  size  to  those  of  Messrs.  Camp 
&  Sons,  which  we  have  already  described,  and  to  those 
of  the  Anglo-American  Dry  Dock  Co.,  is  the  great 
graving  dock  of  the  Brooklyn  Navy  Yard,  which,  how- 
ever, is  only  about  two-thirds  of  the  capacity  of 
Camp's  No.  2  Dock. 

To  Brooklyn,  therefore,  belongs  the  supremacy  over 
all  other  cities  on  this  continent,  in  this  important  ad- 
junct of  a  great  commerce. 

The  aggregate  cost  of  these  basins,  canals,  and  ware- 
houses of  the  South  Brooklyn  water  front  has  been  very 
great.  Fourteen  years  ago  it  was  estimated  at  more 
than  four  millions  of  dollars  in  the  section  below  Ham- 
ilton avenue  and  Third  avenue.  Since  that  time  the 
improvements  in  docks  and  warehouses  which  have 
been  added  have  more  than  doubled  that  amount,  while 
the  warehouses,  canals  and  docks  between  that  avenue 
and  Fulton  ferry  have  cost  not  less  than  five  millions 
more;  and  the  more  than  a  mile  and  a  half  square  of 
land  filled  in  from  the  grading  and  excavations  of  these 
last  forty  years,  and  now  covered  by  vast  manufactor- 
ies, machine  works,  and  many  thousands  of  dwellings, 
has  added  to  the  first  cost  over  ten  millions  at  least,  or 
twenty -five  millions  of  cost  for  property  which  seventy- 
five  millions  could  not  now  purchase. 

But,  though  the  South  Brooklyn  improvements  have 
attained  such  magnitude,  they  constitute  by  no  means 
all  of  the  commercial  facilities  which  the  enterprise  and 
energy  of  Brooklyn  citizens  have  fashioned  to  attract 
hither  the  commerce  of  the  world. 

The  United  States  Navy  Yard. — The  United 
States  Navy  Yard,  while  owned  and  controlled  by  the 

section  of  Butler  and  Nevins  streets),  and  connecting  them  with 
Gowanus  bay  by  a  straight  channel,  sluice-gates  to  be  placed  at  the 
outlets  of  the  basins.  To  prevent  deposits,  he  proposed,  in  lieu  of 
basins,  to  construct  a  double  canal,  with  its  two  branches  parallel, 
united  by  a  semi-circle  at  the  head  of  the  meadows,  one  of  the 
branches  to  have  an  influent  gate,  opening  inward,  and  the  other  with 
an  effluent  gate,  opening  outwards.  The  flood  tide  would  open  the 
influent  gate  and  close  the  effluent,  and,  in  the  progress  of  the  flood, 
the  whole  canal  would  be  filled  with  water.  The  tide  turning  to  the 
ebb,  the  order  of  the  gates  would  be  reversed,  the  influent  closing  and 
the  affluent  opening,  and  the  whole  canal  would  be  emptied.  He  pro- 
posed to  have  the  canal  45  feet  wide  at  bottom,  81  feet  at  surface  of 
water,  and  12  feet  deep. 

The  second  plan  was  to  open  a  canal  from  Wallabout  bay  to  Gow- 
anus bay,  finding,  from  observations  of  the  tides  in  the  two  bays,  that 
a  sufficient  current  would  pass  through  to  keep  the  channel  clean. 
Both  plans  contemplated  navigable  canals  for  commercial  purposes. 
Plans  and  estimates  accompanied  the  report,  but  no  action  was  taken 
by  the  city  authorities. 

An  Act  was  passed,  April  13,  1866,  creating  the  Brooklyn  Improve- 
ment Company,  with  a  capital  of  $1,000,000— object  to  construct,  build, 
and  maintain  docks,  &c,  along  Gowanus  canal  and  land  adjacent 
thereto.  The  branch  of  Gowanus  canal  to  Fourth  avenue,  near  Fifth 
street,  was  built  by  this  company.  [Editor.] 


044 


tlTSTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Government,  and  so  not  in  all  respects  a  Brooklyn  in- 
stitution, has  yet  added  somewhat  to  our  commerce. 
In  the  busy  times  of  the  late  Civil  War,  the  numerous 
war  vessels  built  and  commissioned  from  that  Yard  re- 
quired a  very  large  commerce  to  furnish  them  with  the 
necessary  supplies  of  material  and  stores.  The  great 
dry  dock  there,  at  that  time  the  largest  in  the  country, 
was  also  put  at  the  service  of  the  war  -hips  of  foreign 
friendly  nations  which  needed  repairs.  That  unique 
construction,  the  U.  S.  Cob  Dock, whose  "true  inward- 
ness" is  still  a  matter  of  speculation,  at  least  furnished 
employment  for  hundreds  of  men  while  it  was  building, 
even  if  its  subsequent  usefulness  has  not  been  evident. 
But  across  the  channel  from  this  mysterious  construc- 
tion is  a  distinctly  useful  and  valuable  Brooklyn  im- 
provement, known  as 

Wallabout  Basin  and  Canal. — An  area  of  about 
seventy  acres  of  unproductive  salt  marsh,  adjoining  the 
Navy  Vanl.  has  been  transformed  into  an  extensive 
and  valuable  basin,  fronting  on  the  East  River.  The 
basin  has  a  depth  of  fifteen  feet  at  low  water  (and  in- 
cluding the  Kent  avenue  basin,  which  is  a  part  of  it), 
three  piers  and  seven  lines  of  wharf  or  water  front,  ag- 
gregating 4,000  feet  of  wharfage,  beside  the  Kent  ave- 
nue, or  Wallabout  Canal,  extending  from  Washington 
avenue  to  Hewes  street,  1,300  feet  farther,  of  the  same 
depth  and  a  hundred  feet  wide.  This  gives  '2,000  feet 
more  of  wharfage,  making,  in  all,  7,500  feet,  or  nearly 
one  and  a  half  miles  of  water  front,  which  has  been  of 
the  greatest  possible  value  to  the  enterprising  business 
men  of  that  section.  The  marshy  land  which  has  been 
filled  in  from  the  excavations  and  draining  required  in 
this  improvement,  is  now  covered  with  large  ware- 
houses, factories,  and  dwellings,  among  which  are  the 
immense  lumber  yards  of  Cross,  Austin  <fe  Co.,  said  to 
be  the  largest  retail  lumber  yards  in  the  United  Slates, 
and  several  others  less  extensive;  several  great  iron 
foundries,  and  other  manufactures  of  note,  ana  many 
hundred  dwellings;  while  the  Appleton  book  factory, 
Gill  it  Baird's,  and  other  stone  works,  the  Royal  Bak- 
ing I'ow.ler  Co.,  and  the  numeroofl  factories  < > 1 1  the 
streets  adjacent,  have  here  the  best  of  facilities  for 
shipping  their  products.  This  improvement  has  also 
afforded  facilities  for  a  shorter  and  swifter  connection 
between  the  eastern  and  western  districts  of  Brooklyn. 
Washington  avenue,  a  fine  thoroughfare  of  Brooklvn, 
beginning  at  the  Eastern  parkway,  where  it  leaves 
Prospect  Park,  has  been  extended  across  these  new 
made  Wallabout  lands,  and  united,  at  Broadway,  E.  1)., 
with  Franklin  street,  and  forms  an  almost  straight  line 
of  a  wide  avenue  from  Prospect  park  to  Hunter's  Point. 
From  .Myrtle  avenue  to  Hunter's  Point  a  street  rail- 
way extends  along  the  thoroughfare.  By  this  route 
the  distance  between  the  two  districts  is  shortened 
about  three  fifths  of  a  mile.  Property  all  around  this 
l>  i-iii  ha-  been  enhanced  in  value  from  ten  to  twenty 
fold. 


Another  improvement  has  been  attempted  and  made 
some  progress  at  Bush  wick  Inlet,  but  the  extensive 
piers  there,  five  or  six  in  number,  are  all  required 
by  the  sugar  and  petroleum  interests. 

Newtown  Creek*  and  Canals. — The  Brooklyn 
shore  of  Newtown  Creek  has  also  been  made  the  sub- 
ject of  extensive  improvements.  Nearly  the  whole  right 
bank,  from  the  foot  of  Clay  street  to  Mill  street,  in  the 
Eighteenth  Ward,  a  distance  of  two  and  three-fourth 
miles,  has  good  and  substantial  wharves;  and  two 
canals,  one  known  as  the  Whale  Creek  Canal,  half  a 
mile  in  length;  the  other  above  Maspeth  avenue,  and 
called  the  Newtown  Creek  Canal,  a  little  more  than  a 
mile  in  length,  to  Randolph  street,  have  been  built. 
These  furnish  transportation  facilities  to  the  centre  of 
the  Eighteenth  Ward,  and  are  of  great  advantage  to 
the  increasing  manufacturing  interests  of  that  rapidly 
growing  Ward.  Some  day  this  canal,  enlarged  to  the 
dimensions  of  a  ship  canal,  will  be  extended  through 
East  New  York  to  Canarsie  bay,  and  a  new  water 
front  of  about  seven  miles  length,  and  having  wharf- 
age to  the  extent  of  perhaps  twenty-five  miles,  will 
increase  and  nearly  double  our  present  magnificent 
commercial  facilities,  and  make  Brooklyn,  which  will 


♦The  Newtown  Creek,  from  want  of  a  flushing-tide  through  It,  Is, 
at  present,  a  nuisance,  and  rapidly  tilling  up.  The  open  or  under- 
ground canal  through  Wallabout  avenue,  from  the  head  cf  the  Walla- 
bout canal,  would,  if  cut  into  the  creek  near  the  rope-walks,  across 
Bushwick  avenue,  entirely  remove  the  stagnant  waters,  and  carry'  off 
the  sludge  thrown  off  by  the  glue  and  petroleum  factories  on  its  banks. 

The  eminent  Oov.  DeWitt  Clinton,  who  once  lived  on  the  shores 
of  Newtown  creek,  at  Maspeth,  has  placed  on  record  the  plans  of 
three  tide-water  canals  converging  into  Newtown  creek.  The  first 
from  the  Wallabout  to  Hushwick;  the  second,  from  Maspeth  dock, 
through  Winlleld  valley,  into  Flushing  creek;  the  third,  from  Dutch 
Kills,  through  Woodslde  and  Train's  meadows,  into  Flushing  bay,  at 
Jackson'9  mill,  while  the  further  idea  of  a  connection  with  Sanswick 
creek,  at  Astoria,  was  entertained.  Gov.  Clinton,  from  his  actual  ex- 
ploration over  the  large  area  above  named,  became  satisfied  that  such 
a  network  of  canals  would,  in  future  time,  become  a  necessity  for 
drainage,  each  through  its  own  region,  which  could  be  converted  into 
a  useful  boat  navigation.  Hut,  above  all,  he  was  impressed  with  the 
value  of  the  Wallabout  canal,  both  from  its  construction,  its  short- 
ness, and  Its  capability  of  Hushing  the  main,  channel  of  Newtown 
creek  with  a  strong  current  of  tide-water.  He  anticipated  that 
gradual  silting  up  of  Its  bed,  which  is  now  apparent  even  to  the  point 
of  obstruction,  with  the  grave  Interrogatory  attached  that,  "If  such 
be  the  deposit  of  the  hist  fifteen  years'  accumulation,  what  will  be  the 
result  In  the  year  WOO?  "—a  date  not  far  off. 

The  late  Mr.  Win.  Cooper,  yearsslnce,  was  impressed  with  the  value  of 
alidal  communication  between  the  Wallabout  and  Hushwick,  but. with 
ul  her  capitalists.  w  its  deterred  from  the  scheme  by  the  report  of  some 
engineer  who  opposed  It,  on  the  grounds  of  the  inequality  of  the  tide 
level  between  the  two  extreme  points;  a  theory  found  to  be  Incorrect 
with  respect  to  the  Suez  Canal,  although  urged  by  the  English  engin- 
eers with  much  pertinacity  until  finally  exploded  by  Lesseps  and  by  an 
officer  of  the  lirltish  navy,  who  ran  a  line  of  levels  from  the  Mediter- 
ranean to  the  Red  Sea. 

Newtown  creek  possesses,  by  Its  own  natural  configuration,  and  that 
of  t  he  lot  er\ enlng  space  of  low  ground  betw  een  it  and  Wallabout 
canal,  the  most  favorable  aspect  for  a  tide-water  canal.  The  grand 
design  of  preserving  the  creek  by  Hooding  out  all  Impurities  and 
deposits  by  a  thorough  passage  of  tide-water  through  the  Wallabout 
canal,  presents  a  strong  claim  from  the  absence  of  any  difficulty  to  be 
encountered  In  Its  short  route,  easy  levels,  and  soft  material  to  bo  ex- 
cavated. 

It  Is  worthy  of  note.  In  this  connection,  that  a  ship  canal  through 
Train's  meadows  was,  at  one  time,  considered  the  most  feasible  plan 
i , ,  .  icape  the  rocks  of  Hell  (late,  b>  a  pits-age  from  I  lushing  buy  into 
Newtown  creek. I  Ki'lTou.l 


THE  C  OMMER  CE  OF  BR  0  OKL  YN. 


045 


then  embrace  the  whole  of  Kings  county,  the  entrepot 
of  the  largest  commerce  and  port  in  the  world. 

The  Government  Inspection  of  Brooklyn 
Commerce. — While  the  National  Government  refuses 
to  keep  a  separate  account  of  that  part  of  the  com- 
merce of  the  port  of  New  York,  or  of  the  vessels 
which  load  and  unload  their  cargoes  at  Brooklyn 
wharves  and  docks,  it  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  they 
neglect  to  inspect  such  cargoes,  or  to  take  note  of  the 
vessels  which  arrive  or  depart  from  these  wharves  and 
docks;  although,  on  the  Custom  House  books,  the  arri- 
vals and  clearances  are  all  credited  to  the  Port  of  New 
York  only.* 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  water  front  on  the  Brooklyn 
side  is  divided  into  nineteen  inspection  districts,  each 
having  its  inspector  and  gaugers,  weighers,  foremen, 
clerks  and  workmen  ;  and  these  inspectors  are  required 
to  keep  an  account  of  all  vessels  discharging  cargoes 
in  their  respective  districts,  and  also  a  complete  and 
faithful  record  of  all  the  goods  discharged.  Every 
article  of  commerce  must  be  examined,  tested  and 
weighed  by  the  different  inspectors  and  weighers  ap- 
pointed for  that  purpose,  before  it  can  be  put  in  storage 
or  allowed  to  leave  the  dock  ;  and  the  results  of  the 
work  of  the  inspectors  are  made  known  in  reports 
daily  to  the  Barge  office,  at  the  Battery,  the  head- 
quarters of  the  Deputy  Surveyors  of  the  Port,  and  also 
to  the  Surveyor's  office,  in  the  Custom  House,  over 
which  Col.  Kibbe  presides. 

The  busy  season  in  the  Brooklyn  inspection  districts 
is  during  the  months  of  March  and  August,  at  which 
time  the  greatest  number  of  cargoes  of  sugar,  mo- 
lasses and  tobacco  are  received,  and  a  large  extra  force 
of  workmen  are  employed,  and  the  river  front  presents 
its  most  busy  phase.  But  the  long  line  of  water  front 
is  never  devoid  of  business,  or  without  active  working- 
men,  on  a  week  day.  The  most  familiar  articles  of 
commerce  to  be  found  on  the  docks  the  year  round  are 
sugar,  molasses,  coffee,  tobacco,  hides,  wool,  cotton, 
hemp,  grain,  jute,  sisal  grass,  bones,  log  and  dye 
woods,  coal,  iron,  brick,  stone,  lumber,  oil,  saltpetre, 
plumbago,  guano,  soda,  chalk,  lime,  dry  goods,  porce- 
lain and  china  ware,  green  and  dried  fruits,  etc.,  so  that 
it  is  doubtful  whether  there  is  an  article  known  to 
commerce  which  may  not  be  found  at  some  time  in  the 
year  packed  away  in  the  storehouses  of  the  third  city 
of  the  Union.  There  are  eight  or  ten  ocean  steamship 
lines  now  making  regular  trips  from  Brooklyn  piers  to 
various  foreign  ports.  These  steamships  also  carry 
saloon  and  steerage  passengers  as  well  as  cargoes,  and 
formerly  had  their  landing  places  on  the  New  York 
side  of  the  East  River. 

One  of  the  conspicuous  advantages  which  Brooklyn 
has  over  the  great  metropolis,  as  to  commercial  facili- 


*  For  many  of  these  facts  and  statistics,  we  are  indebted  to  a  very 
able  and  carefully-prepared  article  in  the  Brooklyn  Eayle  of  October 
27,  1883,  entitled,  "  Brooklyn's  Commercial  Growth  and  Progress." 


ties,  is  the  fact  of  its  warehouses  being  built  up  plumb 
to  the  water  line  and  immediately  adjacent  to  the 
wharves.  The  carrying  of  goods  to  and  from  the  stores 
is  thus  made  more  convenient,  and  at  a  considerable 
saving  to  merchants,  than  on  the  other  side,  where  the 
extra  expense  of  cartage  across  the  street  to  the  ware- 
house, and  the  annoying  interruptions  by  the  steady 
traffic  along  those  thoroughfares  are  decided  draw- 
backs. From  the  natural  situation  and  configuration 
of  Long  Island,  Brooklyn's  opportunities  for  advance- 
ment as  a  commercial  centre  are  almost  infinite,  and 
such  as  few  cities  in  the  world  possess. 

The  water  front  is  divided  by  the  Government  into 
nineteen  inspection  districts,  which,  together  with  the 
names  of  the  inspectors  for  each  district,  are  as  follows: 

First  District — All  south  of  Hamilton  avenue  bridge,  a 
distance  of  five  miles.  Considerable  quantities  of  sugar, 
chalk,  Spiegel  iron  and  wire  arrive  here.  C.  F.  Wager  is  the 
inspector. 

Second  District — From  Hamilton  avenue  bridge  to  foot  of 
Columbia  street,  including  all  the  canal  above  the  bridge. 
Vast  quantities  of  lumber,  brick,  iron,  lime,  etc.,  are  to  be 
seen  here.    A.  D.  Bennett  inspects  them. 

Third  District— Columbia  street  to  all  between  Marine 
Railway,  near  the  foot  of  Conover  street.  The  New  York 
Warehousing  Company,  at  Erie  Basin,  is  within  this  district. 
Immense  quantities  of  cotton,  saltpetre,  grain,  soda  and 
cement  are  received  at  this  point.  B.  S.  Steen  and  R. 
Britten  supervise  this  section. 

Fourth  District — Marine  Railway  to  foot  of  Walcott  street, 
which  includes  the  Merchants'  Stores.  This  is  the  great  salt 
district.    P.  Barquet  looks  after  it. 

Fifth  District— Walcott  street  to  Summit.  Woodruff's 
Stores  and  some  of  the  finest  piers  in  this  country  are  com- 
prised within  these  limits.  Rye,  peas,  malt  and  barley 
arrive  here  in  large  quantities  from  Canada.  The  inspectors 
are  J.  S.  Young  and  G.  Voges. 

Sixth  District — Summit  street  to  Hamilton  ferry.  Several 
thousand  canal  boats  are  often  laying  up  here  at  one  time. 
In  other  respects  it  is  a  duplicate  of  the  preceding  district. 
E.  Van  Zandt  and  E.  O'Shea  have  a  vigilant  eye  to  it. 

Seventh  District — Hamilton  avenue  to  Baltic  street,  includ- 
ing the  Baltic,  Union  and  Bartlett  &  Co.'s  Stores.  A  very 
busy  locality.    C.  F.  Kane  and  P.  F.  Hagan  inspect  it. 

Eighth  District — Baltic  street  to  South  ferry,  comprising 
the  Robinson's,  Congress  street  and  Columbia  Stores.  Dow's 
grain  elevators  are  here,  the  largest,  without  exception,  in 
the  known  world.  Messrs.  Peebles  and  Johnston  look  after 
it. 

Ninth  District — South  ferry  to  Joralemon  street.  Wood- 
ruff's other  stores  are  in  this  district,  in  which  considerable 
sugar  is  handled.    The  inspector  is  W.  R.  Babso  . 

Tenth  District — Joralemon  street  to  Wall.  Prentice's 
Stores.    All  sugar  trade.    William  Stewart  supervises  it. 

Eleventh  Distinct— Pierrepont's  Wall  street  Stores.  A  busy 
section.    J.  Forster  diligently  cares  for  it. 

Twelfth  District — Roberts',  Harbeck's  and  Watson's  Stores. 
One  of  the  most  important  and  busiest  on  the  front.  The 
Brazilian  line  of  steamers  landing  at  this  place  bring  large 
quantities  of  coffee.  It  is  essentially  a  coffee  district.  A. 
D.  Douglas  and  A.  Limburger  actively  superintend  it. 

Thirteenth  District — Martin's  Stores  to  Fulton  Ferry.  A 
considerable  quantity  of  hides  and  coffee  is  discharged  here. 
A.  B.  Catlin  and  H.  Walch  industriously  supervise  it. 


646 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Fourteenth  District — Fulton  to  Catharine  Ferry.  The  Em- 
pire Stores  and  tobacco  warehouse  are  included  in  the  sec- 
tion named.  Ninety  per  cent,  of  the  tobacco  trade  on  the 
front  is  done  in  the  latter  establishment.  Mr.  Van  Nostrand 
i9  the  district  inspector. 

Fifteenth  District— Catharine  Ferry  to  the  Navy  Yard 
wall.  Always  busy.  J.  L.  Hodge  is  the  inspector,  and 
being  a  clergyman,  takes  more  than  an  official  interest  in 
the  district. 

Sixteenth  District — Navy  Yard  to  Broadway,  and  from 
Broadway  to  North  Fourth  street.  This  includes  the  largest 
sugar  refineries  in  the  country.  The  inspector  is  W.  H. 
Madden. 

Serentcenth  District — North  Fourth  street  to  Bush  wick 
creek.  A  great  number  of  canal  boats  are  always  to  be 
seen  here.    A.  H.  Palmer  is  the  inspector. 

Eighteenth  District — Bushwick  Creek  to  and  all  east  of 
Newtown  Creek  Bridge.  Great  quantities  of  lumber,  bricks 
and  oil  may  be  seen  here.  J.  Conkling  and  R.  H.  Clark 
make  their  daily  tours  of  inspection  in  a  boat. 

Nineteenth  District— Hunter's  Point,  all  west  and  north  of 
Newtown  Creek  Bridge.  This  is  essentially  a  lumber  and 
oil  district.  The  inspectors,  H.  T.  Clock  and  R.  H.  Clark 
also  enjoy  a  quiet  sail  in  performing  their  respective  duties 
as  inspectors. 

Arrivals  of  Vessels  for  1880,  '81  and  '82. 


The  following  is  a  statement,  by  districts,  of  the  number 
of  arrivals  along  the  river  front  for  the  years  1880,  '81  and 
'82  respectively: 


First  

  379 

314 

307 

  494 

293 

371 

Third  

  742 

701 

355 

Fourth  

  206 

117 

319 

Fifth  

  548 

447 

286 

Sixth  

  1,030 

487 

530 

Seventh   

  635 

437 

404 

Eighth  

  1,114 

837 

227 

Ninth   

  303 

206 

454 

Tenth  

  419 

379 

391 

  262 

237 

252 

Twelfth  

  397 

306 

292 

Thirteenth  

  229 

204 

185 

Fourteenth  

  367 

346 

310 

Fifteenth  

  341 

338 

331 

Sixteenth  

  268 

309 

214 

Seventeenth   

  429 

447 

410 

  414 

822 

554 

  695 

898 

650 

Total  

  9,272 

8,125 

7,042 

It  will  be  observed  in  these  totals  that  there  is  a  successive 
decrease.  But  this  is  not  owing  to  any  special  disadvantages 
or  drawbacks  connected  with  the  harbor  facilities,  but  to 
other  and  irresponsible  causes.  This  is  shown  from  the  ap- 
pended statement  of  the  sum  total  of  arrivals  in  the  port  of 
New  York  during  the  same  period: 

1880   7,819  |  1881  6,929  |  1882  6.476 

1883.  The  district  inspectors  for  the  Brooklyn  side  of  the 
river  report  the  following  as  the  numlnjr  of  arrivals  in  their 
n-MjMTti vc  districts  for  the  iiirrent  year  up  to  ( ictohcr  1,  IHm:{: 
First,  834;  Second,  246;  Third,  407;  Fourth,  16H;  Fifth,  430; 
Sixth,  260;  Seventh,  880;  Eighth,  543;  Ninth,  858;  Tenth, 
295  ;  Eleventh,  203  ;  Twelfth,  200  ;  Thirteenth,  125  ;  Four- 
teenth, 179;  Fifteenth,  184;  Sixteenth,  196;  Seventeenth,  270: 
Eighteenth,  889;  Nineteenth,  681.    Total,  5,824. 


The  different  classes  of  sailing  vessels,  such  as  steamships, 

packet  ships,  schooners,  etc.,  are  only  included  in  the  above 
figures,  barges  and  canal  boats  being  excluded.  These  latter 
would  swell  the  figures  by  many  thousands.  Another  promi- 
nent feature  in  this  connection  is  that  hundreds  of  sailing 
craft  avail  themselves  yearly  of  Brooklyn's  excellent  harbor 
accommodations,  especially  in  the  Atlantic  Dock  and  Erie 
Basin,  after  having  received  their  cargoes  at  other  points, 
and  while  awaiting  fair  weather,  or  from  other  causes,  be- 
fore leaving  this  port.  Vessels  coming  in  empty  or  in  bal- 
last, seeking  cargoes,  or  awaiting  orders  from  their  owners, 
and  which  are  not  included  in  the  figures  just  given,  also 
take  advantage  of  the  city's  commercial  facilities.  This  is 
particularly  true  of  the  vessels  intending  to  load  with  grain. 

It  would  appear  from  the  foregoing  statistics  that  Brook- 
lyn had  a  larger  commerce  than  New  York  City,  as  she  re- 
ports a  larger  number  of  vessels.  This  is  true,  so  far  as  the 
number  of  vessels,  the  export  trade,  especially  in  grain  and 
provisions,  and  the  bulk  or  weight  of  goods  imported  is  con- 
cerned. 

As  we  have  shown  elsewhere,  of  all  heavy  goods  imported, 
and  of  most  of  the  exports,  Brooklyn  receives  and  ships 
from  66  to  76  per  cent,  of  the  whole  amount  which  enters  or 
leaves  the  port;  but  of  dry  goods,  and  other  goods  of  com- 
paratively small  bulk,  New  York  receives  about  56  per  cent., 
and  Brooklyn  about  44  per  cent.  These  goods  are  mostly, 
and  perhaps  altogether,  brought  by  steamships,  and  the  in- 
creasing number  of  ocean  steamship  lines  which  are  now 
landing  at  Brooklyn  piers,  will  soon  give  our  city  the  larger 
moiety  of  these  goods  also. 

In  addition  to  those  mentioned  in  the  preceding  ar- 
ticle, and  its  accompanying  biographies,  we  may  men- 
tion, among  shipping  merchants,  William  D.  Clyde, 
F.  M.  Lawrence  and  Ambrose  Snow;  John  H.  Ford 
and  L.  H.  Leonard,  Elevators;  William  H.  Leay- 
craft,  Port  Warden;  John  A.'  Nichols,  Quarantine 
Commissioner. 

James  McMaiion,  Shipphig  and  Transportation,  es- 
tablished in  New  York,  1861,  during  the  war  of  the 
civil  rebellion  (in  conjunction  with  his  partner,  James 
T.  Ea8ton)  ran  a  fleet  of  300  barges  between  New  York 
and  Baltimore,  Md. 

Abiel  Abbott  Low. — The  city  of  New  York,  the 
great  mercantile  metropolis  of  these  United  States,  is 
justly  proud  of  that  class  of  her  population  which  has 
given  her  that  distinction.  No  seaport  or  maritime 
city  of  any  country  can  boast  of  better  names  on  its 
mercantile  roll  than  she.  Merchant  princes  have  they 
been  called,  and  well  they  may;  not  for  the  princely 
wealth  which  many  of  them  have  accumulated,  but 
from  a  far  higher  point  of  view;  for  the  patient  indus- 
try and  far-seeing  intelligence  with  which  they  entered 
upon  and  pursued  their  life-work;  for  their  sterling 
principle  and  honesty  in  the  conduct  of  their  affairs; 
for  their  high  aims  in  the  struggle  for  success  and 
wealth;  for  their  estimate  of  wealth  itself,  sought  and 
secured,  not  as  a  selfish  end,  but  a  means;  not  merely 
as  a  boon  or  a  profession,  but  a  sacred  trust;  and,  con- 
sequently, for  their  generous  and  noble  use  of  that 
wealth  in  behalf  of  religion,  education  and  benevo- 


THE  COMMERCE  OF  BROOKLYN. 


647 


lence;  of  advanced  science;  of  the  useful  and  the  fine 
arts;  of  good  government  and  the  integrity  and  purity 
of  the  State,  and  the  elevation  of  the  whole  people;  in 
a  word,  of  whatever  bears  upon  and  tends  to  increase 
the  public  welfare.  For  all  these,  have  the  merchants 
of  New  York  furnished  illustrious  examples. 

Among  them  all,  none  is  more  deserving  of  respect- 
ful and  admiring  notice  than  Abiel  Abbott  Low.  He 
was  born  in  Salem,  Essex  county,  Massachusetts,  on  the 
7th  of  February,  1811 — the  oldest  son  among  twelve 
children  of  Seth  and  Mary  P.  Low.  His  early  educa- 
tion was  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  city,  and 
there  he  began  his  mercantile  life  as  clerk  in  the 
house  of  Joseph  Howard  &  Co.,  largely  engaged  in  the 
trade  with  South  America. 

In  1829,  he  left  Salem,  and  followed  his  father  to 
Brooklyn,  remaining  with  him  some  three  years.  Hav- 
ing attained  his  majority,  he  sailed,  in  1833,  for  Canton, 
China,  and,  on  arriving  there,  became  a  clerk  in  the 
house  of  Russell  &  Co.,  the  largest  American  house  in 
that  city,  and  of  which  an  uncle,  the  late  Wm.  H.  Low, 
was  a  partner.  In  1837,  he  was  taken  into  the  firm; 
and,  after  three  years  successful  pursuit  of  the  tea 
trade  abroad,  returned  home  in  1840,  to  prosecute  the 
same  business  here.  Hardly  thirty  years  of  age,  he 
set  about  it  at  once,  and  soon  established  himself  in 
Fletcher  street,  New  York,  and  there  laid  the  founda- 
tions of  that  which  was  destined  to  become  the  leading 
house  of  America  in  the  China  trade. 

The  business  of  the  house  was  of  rapid  growth,  and 
at  length  assumed  grand  proportions,  requiring  a 
fleet  for  its  work.  Ship  after  ship  of  the  finest  and 
most  beautiful  model  and  careful  construction,  with  a 
view  to  the  highest  speed  under  canvass,  kept  pace  with 
its  demands  ;  and  for  years  the  house  carried  on  its 
traffic  between  China  and  New  York,  without  the  loss 
of  any  of  its  ships,  previous  to  the  War  of  the  Rebel- 
lion; in  the  progress  of  which,  two — the  Jacob  Bell 
and  the  Contest — were  captured  by  rebel  cruisers,  and 
burned  at  sea.  In  1845,  Mr.  Low  had  removed  to 
South  street,  and  taken  his  brother,  Josiah  O.  Low, 
into  partnership;  and,  in  1850,  he  finally  removed  to 
31  Burling  slip,  and  took  possession  of  the  capacious 
warehouse  and  offices  which  he  had  built  for  the  per- 
manent home  of  the  house.  In  1852,  his  brother-in-law, 
Edward  H.  R.  Lyman,  was  added  to  the  firm,  whose 
style  thenceforth  became  "  A.  A.  Low  &  Brothers," 
and  so  remains  to  this  day.  For,  while  the  old  part- 
ners have  retired  from  active  participation  in  the  busi- 
ness, it  has  passed,  in  the  natural  order  of  things,  into 
the  hands  of  their  children,  and  the  oldest  son  of  the 
subject  of  this  sketch  bears  his  father's  initials. 

Mr.  Low's  whole  business  career,  while  distinguished 
by  great  success,  is  equally  so  by  the  high  estimate 
very  early  put  upon  his  business  talents  by  the  most 
experienced  of  his  cotemporaries  in  the  China  trade, 
and  their  yielding  to  him  the  foremost  place.    His  in- 


fluence in  the  New  York  Chamber  of  Commerce  has 
always  been  wholesome  and  valuable,  as  well  as  large 
and  conspicuous.  He  entered  it  in  1846,  was  elected 
its  President  in  1863,  and,  on  the  expiration  of  the 
stated  term  of  three  years,  was  re-elected  in  1866.  In 
1867,  however,  he  resigned  the  office  for  the  purpose  of 
a  voyage  round  the  world;  and,  soon  after,  left  home 
with  his  family,  and  was  absent  over  ten  months. 

In  great  crises — commercial,  financial  or  political — in 
periods  of  panic  or  actual  disaster,  he  has  the  courage 
of  his  convictions,  and  his  opinions  are  eagerly  sought 
and  freely  given.  In  the  Civil  War,  on  all  important 
questions  of  national  policy  or  duty,  his  voice  and  his 
action  were  alike  ready  and  sagacious,  clear,  patriotic 
and  determined.  Holding  no  political  or  public  office, 
from  which  he  has  resolutely  kept  himself,  but  out- 
spoken and  earnestly  loyal  to  the  Union,  he  was  often 
at  Washington  during  the  war,  on  committees  of  the 
Chamber  of  Commerce,  for  consultation  with  the  Gov- 
ernment regarding  matters  of  the  highest  import  con- 
nected with  the  war  or  the  great  commercial  interests 
of  the  nation. 

In  Brooklyn,  the  city  of  his  adoption  and  residence, 
he  is  one  of  her  most  public-spirited  and  useful  citi- 
zens. Ever  since  his  return  from  China  to  the  United 
States,  Mr.  Low  has  taken  a  lively  and  hearty  interest 
in  her  welfare.  As  his  means  have  increased,  he  has 
kept  a  constant  eye  upon  her  growth  and  prosperity; 
and  wisely  and  generously  contributed  to  the  estab- 
lishment and  support  of  all  institutions  which  tended 
to  make  that  growth  attractive  and  healthy,  and  that 
prosperity  ennobling.  Thoroughly  imbued  with  the 
spirit  of  a  firm  and  enlightened  Christian  faith,  the 
Church  has  found  in  him  a  true,  devoted,  exemplary 
friend.  Fully  appreciating  the  value  and  importance 
of  good  education  to  every  community,  and  especially 
essential  in  a  Republic,  the  public  and  private  schools 
of  the  city  for  both  sexes  are  to  him  of  highest  con- 
cern. Of  the  Packer  Collegiate  Institute,  that  noble 
school  for  female  education,  munificently  endowed  by 
a  cultivated  and  widowed  lady  of  Brooklyn  as  a  mem- 
orial to  her  late  husband,  whose  name  it  bears,  Mr.  Low 
has  been  for  many  years,  and  still  is,  President  of  its 
Board  of  Trustees,  giving  to  its  affairs  not  only  large 
and  intelligent  oversight,  but  liberally  providing  for 
its  library  and  scientific  apparatus.  At  its  Commence- 
ments, in  official  addresses  to  the  successive  graduating 
classes,  he  has  been  accustomed  to  add  to  wise  counsel, 
eloquently  and  touchingly  expressed,  a  farewell  gift  to 
each  member  of  an  elegant  copy  of  some  standard  lit- 
erary work  as  a  memento  of  personal  regard.  The 
Brooklyn  Library,  and  the  Long  Island  Historical  So- 
ciety, have  found  in  him  from  the  start  one  of  their 
most  appreciative,  active  and  munificent  patrons.  The 
City  Hospital,  the  Society  for  Improving  the  Condition 
of  the  Poor,  the  Union  for  Christian  work,  and  many 
other  benevolent  institutions,  attest  his  readiness  to  aid 


04* 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


in  the  support  of  all  well-designed  and  well-managed 
organized  charities.  In  cur  great  Civil  War,  his  loyalty 
and  patriotism,  combined  with  his  earnest  desire  that 
Brooklyn  should  prove  herself  second  to  no  other  city 
in  her  devotion  to  the  Union,  were  most  pronounced 
and  constant.  He  was  among  the  most  energetic,  liberal, 
useful  members  of  the  "  War  Fund  Committee "  (see 
page  503)  of  the  city  and  county,  which  was  organized 
in  1862,  and  which  admirably  and  efficiently  seconded 
and  helped  the  United  States  Sanitary  Commission. 
He  was  President  of  the  General  Committee  of  Citizens 
which,  in  co-operation  with  that  of  the  Woman's  Relief 
Association,  managed  and  carried  out  its  grand  result 
of  over  $400,000  at  the  Brooklyn  and  Long  Island  San- 
itary Fair  of  February,  1864.  In  the  preparation  for,  and 
progress  of  the  Fair,  Mr.  Low  took  an  active  and  prom- 
inent part;  presiding  at  and  earnestly  and  eloquently 
addressing  an  immense  and  enthusiastic  public  meeting 
at  the  Brooklyn  Academy  of  Music,  as  well  as  repeated 
meetings  of  the  General  Committee  ;  and  adding  most 
generous  contributions  of  personal  attention  and  ad- 
vice, of  time  and  money. 

It  is  wholly  unnecessary  to  dilate  upon  the  character 
of  Mr.  Low  as  a  man  and  a  citizen.  High-minded, 
high-principled,  and  of  broad,  comprehensive,  care- 
fully formed  views  of  commerce,  of  finance,  of  the 
legitimate  functions  of  government  itself,  and  its  true 
aim  and  policy;  as  a  citizen  of  a  great  republic,  ready 
to  meet  and  discharge  to  the  best  of  his  ability  every 
duty  of  a  citizen;  as  the  Christian  head  of  a  Christian 
family,  so  living  among  and  before  them  as  to  make  it 
sure  that  his  memory  and  his  example  will  be  their 
richest  treasure,  and  a  constant  motive  and  impulse  to 
their  own  high  endeavor,  Mr.  Low  stands  pre-eminent. 
Such  a  man,  such  a  merchant,  might,  indeed,  honor 
office,  but  office  could  not  honor  him.  In  his  private 
walk  he  is  the  courteous  and  cultivated  gentleman,  of 
refined,  cordial  and  unassuming  manners.  With  a 
well-selected  and  ample  library,  and  access  to  the  newest 
and  best  books,  he  is  a  large  and  discriminating  reader. 
His  extended  knowledge  shows  itself,  without  pretence 
or  ambitious  effort,  in  numerous  speeches  before  the 
Chamber  of  Commerce,  and  other  assemblies.  At  the  ban- 
quet tendered  him  by  the  members  of  the  Chamber,  on 
his  return  from  his  voyage  round  the  world  in  1866-7, 
after  giving  a  delightful  resumeof  his  experiences  on  the 
voyage,  ami  full  proof  of  his  keen  observation  in  the 
various  count  ries  he  visited,  be  closed  with  st  atesmanlike 
siiinn-st ioiiH  and  reflections  worthy  the  attention  of  the 
distinguished  company  before  him,  and  of  Congress 
and  the  nation  as  well. 

Mr.  Lou  was  first  married  in  March,  ls-11,  to  HUen 
Almira,  youngest  daughter  of  the  late  Josiah  Dow,  of 
Brooklyn,  by  whom  he  had  four  children,  two  mhis  and 
two  daughters,  all  of  whom  survive  their  mother,  of 
Messed  memory,  who  died  lifter  a  short  illness  on  the 
25th  of  January,  1850.  On  the  25th  of  February,  1851, 


he  was  again  married  to  Mrs.  Ann  B.,  widow  of  his 
brother,  the  late  Wm.  H.  Low,  and  daughter  of  the 
late  Mott  Bedell,  of  Brooklyn.  Mr.  Low's  oldest  son, 
Abiel  Augustus,  married  the  only  daughter  of  S.  Cabot 
Ward,  a  prominent  merchant  of  New  York  City;  his 
youngest  daughter  is  the  wife  of  Henry  E.  Fierrepont, 
Jr.,  of  Brooklyn  Heights;  and  his  youngest  son,  Mayor 
of  Brooklyn  for  a  second  term,  married  a  daughter  of 
the  late  Hon.  Benj.  R.  Curtis,  a  distinguished  lawyer  of 
Boston,  Mass.,  and  Judge  of  the  U.  S.  Supreme  Court. 

As  an  ornament  to  the  city,  the  elegant  and  costly 
edifice  which  Mr.  Low  erected  in  1882,  and  known  as 
The  Garfield,  on  the  corner  of  Court  and  Remsen 
streets,  deserves  mention  as  an  illustration  of  his  pub- 
lic spirit;  admirably  contrived  for  banking,  insurance, 
law  and  other  offices,  and  of  the  most  thorough  finish 
and  construction  within  and  without. 


Alexander  Ector  Orr  is  a  member  of  a  Protestant  Irish 
family  of  Scottisli  extraction,  claiming  kindred  with  the 
clan  Mac  Gregor,  who  came  to  Ireland  in  the  16th  century 
and  settled  in  the  north,  acquiring  real  estate  in  the  coun- 
ties of  Donegal,  Londonderry  and  Tyrone.  His  ancestors 
were  present,  on  the  defensive  side,  at  the  siege  of  London- 
derry, in  1688-9,  then  the  most  prominent  city  in  the  province 
of  Ulster  and  the  only  one  which  successfully  adhered  to  the 
standard  of  William  the  Third  against  his  father-in-law,  the 
dethroned  James  the  Second  of  England,  who,  up  to  that 
period,  had  been  successful  in  his  operations  in  Ireland.  His 
father,  William  Orr,  was  a  gentleman  of  private  fortune,  re- 
siding at  Strabane,  in  the  County  Tyrone,  who  died  in  1834, 
three  years  after  the  birth  of  Alexander  E.  His  mother,  who 
was  the  daughter  of  David  Moore,  Esq.,  of  Sheephill,  in  the 
count}-  of  Londonderry,  soon  after  the  death  of  her  husband, 
removed  from  Strabane  to  Londonderry  with  her  nine 
children,  of  whom  Alexander  was  the  seventh  in  order. 

It  was  originally  intended  that  a  commission  in  the  judicial 
or  military  departments  of  the  East  India  Company's  ser- 
vice should  be  his  vocation  in  life,  and  a  presentation  to  the 
company's  college  at  Addiscombe  was  procured,  where  he 
was  to  go  as  soon  as  he  had  reached  the  adequate  age  ;  but  a 
severe  injury  to  his  foot  when  a  lad  of  between  thirteen  or 
fourteen  disabled  him  for  several  years,  and  rendered  the 
fulfillment  of  that  design  impracticable. 

During  convalescence  from  this  accident,  and  when  he 
was  permitted  to  resume  his  studies,  he  went  to  reside  in  the 
family  of  the  Rev.  John  Hayden,  Archdeacon  of  the  Diocese 
of  Deny  and  Kaphoe,  at  Killaloo  Glebe,  a  short  distance 
from  the  city  of  Londonderry,  who  superintended  his  educa- 
tion; and,  as  it  was  necessary  that  he  should  be  as  much  as  pos- 
sible in  t  lie  open  air  his  lessons  were  generally  recited  on  horse- 
back when  riding  about  the  parish  with  his  reverend  preceptor. 

When  he  was  able  to  lay  aside  the  crutches  which  fie  had 
used  for  nearly  four  years,  and  had  gained  comparative 
strength,  he  visited  the  United  States,  in  the  year  1850,  for 
the  expected  benefits  of  the  sea  voyage  out  and  home,  in  a 
sailing  vessel,  owned  by  a  relative  of  the  family.  The  out- 
ward  voyage  was  a  tedious  one  (between  two  and  three 
months),  but  it  produced  the  most  beneficial  re  suits,  and  he 
landed  in  Wilmington,  North  Carolina,  a  strong  and  healthy- 
looking  young  man.  During  a  short  tour  of  a  month  (while 
the  unloading  and  re-loading  of  t he  vessel  was  taking  place), 
whieli  he  made  northward,  visiting  Kichuiond,  Washington. 
Baltimore  and  Philadelphia  (but  failing  for  lack  of  time  to 


THE  COMMERCE  OF  BROOKLYN. 


649 


reach  New  York),  he  became  so  impressed  with  the  magni- 
ficent future  that  was  in  store  for  the  United  States,  that  he 
returned  to  Ireland  fully  determined  to  make  that  country 
his  future  home,  if  the  controlling  authority  (he  being  under 
age)  would  grant  consent.  At  first,  this  was  withheld  ;  but 
subsequently  a  compromise  was  effected,  the  terms  being 
that  if  young  Orr  continued  of  the  same  mind  till  the  sum- 
mer of  the  following  year  the  objection  would  be  withdrawn. 
There  was  no  wavering  on  his  part  from  the  impressions  pre- 
viously formed;  time  had  only  served  to  confirm  them;  and, 
in  the  autumn  of  1851,  he  came  to  the  United  States  in  the 
steamship  City  of  Glasgow,  arriving  at  Philadelphia,  and 
immediately  proceeded  to  New  York.  This  vessel  was  soon 
after  lost  at  sea  and  all  on  board  perished;  she  was  never  heard 
of  after  leaving  Philadelphia  on  a  subsequent  return  voyage. 

Among  many  letters  of  introduction  which  Mr.  Orr 
brought  to  the  United  States,  was  one  to  the  banking  firm  of 
J.  &  J.  Stuart,  and  another  to  that  of  Abraham  Bell  &  Son,  of 
Park  Row.  The  senior  member  of  the  former  firm  tried  to 
dissuade  him  from  remaining  in  the  United  States,  as,  in  his 
opinion,  success  here  was  very  uncertain  and  England,  if  it 
did  not  offer  better  opportunities,  had  fewer  temptations  for 
young  men.  Mr.  Abraham  Bell,  a  genial  warm-hearted 
Quaker  gentleman,  on  the  other  hand,  urged  him  to  remain 
in  New  York,  took  a  deep  interest  in  his  welfare,  and  pro- 
cured for  him  a  situation  in  the  office  of  his  friend,  Mr. 
Ralph  Post,  a  shipping  and  commission  merchant  of  South 
street.  In  later  years,  Mr.  Orr  has  often  referred  to  the  kind 
and  encouraging  reception  he  received  from  Mr.  Bell,  whose 
warm  friendship  and  advice  influenced  his  career,  in  com- 
parison to  that  accorded  him  by  Mr.  Stuart,  who,  although 
an  Irishman,  seemed  to  have  little  confidence  in  either  the  per- 
severence  or  staying  powers  of  his  more  youthful  country- 
man. It  is  a  coincidence  that  may  be  mentioned  in  this  con- 
nection, that  many  years  afterwards  Mr.  Orr  was  elected  to 
fill  the  vacancy  in  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  a  large  foreign 
financial  institution  (having  a  branch  office  in  New  York), 
caused  by  the  death  of  Mr.  Stuart. 

Another  letter  of  introduction  which  he  presented  was  to 
the  Scotch  firm  of  Ritchie,  Bane  &  Co. ,  who  have  long  since 
passed  away.  At  his  request,  and  prior  to  obtaining  the 
situation  referred  to  from  Mr.  Post,  Mr.  Ritchie  kindly 
permitted  him  to  come  to  his  office  for  a  short  period  and 
assist  in  forwarding  some  work  that  had  fallen  behind  hand, 
thereby  enabling  him  to  obtain  a  knowledge  of  United  States 
currency  and  the  modus  operandi  of  an  American  merchant's 
counting-room.  His  instructor  was  the  book-keeper  of  the 
establishment,  who,  after  courteously  initiating  him  into 
the  mysteries  of  his  profession,  confided  to  him  the  secret 
that  he  was  studying  for  the  ministry  of  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church.  At  the  end  of  ten  days,  the  tuition  ter- 
minated, but  twenty-two  years  afterwards  Mr.  Orr  united 
with  his  colleagues  in  the  vestry  of  Christ  Church,  Brooklyn, 
in  extending  a  call  to  a  reverend  gentleman,  as  assistant 
minister  of  that  parish  (to  have  the  special  supervision  of  its 
most  important  mission),  who  proved  to  be  none  other  than 
his  American  preceptor;  each  having,  in  the  intervening 
years,  entirely  lost  sight  of  the  other. 

In  1856,  the  firm  of  Wallace  &  Wickes,  whose  office  was 
then  in  Front  street,  tendered  Mr.  Orr  the  position  of  cashier 
and  confidential  clerk,  which  was  accepted  with  the  greatest 
pleasure  on  his  part,  where  he  remained  for  nearly  two  years. 
For  the  members  of  this  firm  he  entertained  the  warmest 
friendship  and  only  severed  the  relationship,  with  their  con- 
sent and  advice,  to  accept  a  similar  position  in  the  office  of 
David  Dows  &  Co. ,  in  the  summer  of  1858,  where  a  wider 
field  was  presented  to  him. 


On  May  1st,  1861,  Mr.  Orr  became  a  partner  in  this  firm, 
and  has  been  actively  concerned  in  its  management  ever 
since.  The  founder  of  the  firm  of  David  Dows  &  Co.  was 
John  Dows,  of  Charlton,  Saratoga  Co.,  New  York,  and  it 
dates  back  to  1825,  when  the  produce  trade  of  the  United 
States  was  in  its  infancy  and  merchandise  could  only  be 
transported  in  large  volume  from  the  interior  of  the  State 
and  vice  versa,  via  the  Mohawk  and  Hudson  rivers  ;  canals, 
or  railroads  being  then  unknown.  John  Dows  died  in  1844, 
and  the  business  was  continued  by  David  Dows  and  Ira  B. 
Cary,  his  surviving  partners,  under  the  firm  name  of  Dows 
&  Cary. 

In  1854  Mr.  Cary  died,  and  David  Dows  associated  with 
himself  his  nephew,  John  D.  Mairs,  and  under  the  name  of 
David  Dows  &  Co.,  the  business  was  continued  without  in- 
terruption. This  firm  confines  its  operations  to  a  strictly 
commission  business  in  the  major  farm  products  of  the 
United  States.  Grain,  flour  and  provisions  are  the  principal 
factors,  while  cotton,  wool,  tobacco,  and  many  other  com- 
modities are  also  shipped  to  its  care. 

The  breaking  out  of  the  rebellion  gave  an  immense  im- 
petus to  the  volume  of  its  transactions,  and  as  the  war  pro- 
gressed, this  not  only  increased,  but  the  Commissary  Depart- 
ment of  the  United  States  Government  found  it  advan- 
tageous and  profitable  to  procure  its  services  in  purchasing  a 
large  part  of  the  subsistence  stores  needed  for  the  armies 
east  of  the  Alleghany  Mountains,  up  to  the  end  of  the  war. 
As  Mr.  Orr  had  direct  supervision  of  the  financial  and  pro- 
vision departments  of  the  firm,  and  was  continually  con- 
sulted by  the  Commissary  General,  reference  to  the  follow- 
ing letter  from  General  Eaton,  the  head  of  that  Department 
of  the  Armies  of  the  United  States,  may  not  be  out  of 
place  : 

Office  of  ) 
Ass't  Com. -General  of  Subsistence,  [ 
New  York,  Sept.  27th,  1864.  ) 
Messrs.  David  Dows  &  Co. : 

Gentlemen — "With  much  pleasure  I  send  you  the  following 
extract  from  a  letter,  yesterday  received  from  General  Eaton, 
Commissary-General  of  Subsistence,  U.  S.  Army: 

Office  Commissary-General  of  Subsistence,  I 
Washington  City,  D.  C  ,  Sept.  24th,  1864.  f 
Col.  H.  F.  Clark,  A.  B.  C.  &  A.  C.  G.  S..  New  York  : 

Sir — Your  letter  of  yesterday,  reporting  the  result  of  the  purchase 
of  provisions,  made  under  your  authority,  by  David  Dows  &  Co.,  has 
been  received.  These  purchases  have  been  made  with  commendable 
mercantile  skill,  and  with  the  evident  desire  to  serve  the  economical 
interests  of  the  country.  The  thanks  of  this  department  are  due 
Messrs.  David  Dows  &  Co.  for  this  service. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 
(Signed)  A.  B.  EATON,  C.  G.  S. 

I  am,  gentlemen,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

H.  F.  CLARKE. 
Col.  A.  D.  C.  &  A.  C.  G.  S. 

The  transaction  here  referred  to  covered  several  millions 
of  dollars  in  value.  It  not  only  embraced  the  purchase  of 
provisions,  but  also  the  negotiation  of  government  certifi- 
cates of  indebtedness  (with  which  in  large  measure  the 
Treasury  Department  of  the  United  States  was,  from  neces- 
sity, forced  to  pay  its  debts),  upon  a  plan  suggested  by  Mr. 
Orr,  and  which  proved  much  more  favorable  to  the  Govern- 
ment than  that  which  was  practiced  prior  to  David  Dows  & 
Co's  management.  It  was  in  some  respects  a  test  case,  which 
worked  so  well  that  it  was  continuously  followed  till  the 
close  of  the  war. 

The  policy  and  aim  of  David  Dows  &  Co.  has  always  been 
to  encourage  the  agricultural  and  commercial  development 
of  the  United  States ;  and,  as  a  means,  it  has  always  been 
identified  with  those  enterprises  which  assisted  in  opening 
up  and  utilizing  the  products  of  new  territories,  and  has 
ever  been  among  the  first  to  follow  the  pioneering  railroad 


650 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


into  the  wilderness.  Nor  has  it  forgotten  its  obligations  to 
the  city  of  New  York,  or  its  great  dormitory,  Brooklyn, 
where,  on  the  water  front  of  the  latter,  it  has  built  some  of 
the  finest  grain  warehouses  and  elevators  on  the  Atlautic  sea- 
board. It  has  done  much  to  make  the  harbor  of  New  York  the 
granary  for  the  old  world,  and  the  city  of  New  York  the  great 
grain  center  of  the  United  States.  In  all  these  matters  Mr. 
Orr  has  actively  seconded  the  indomitable  energy  and  enter- 
prise of  his  senior  partner,  Mr.  Dows,  and  has  ever  found  in 
him  a  friend  from  whom  he  could  accept  counsel,  and  whose 
example  it  was  his  aim  to  emulate.  Hence  we  find  him 
asserting,  when  opportuuity  offers,  the  commercial  su- 
premacy of  New  York,  and  advocating  and  supporting  every 
intluence  that  will  tend  to  insure  that  end.  Year  after 
year,  since  1871,  he  appeared  l>efore  committees  of  the  Leg- 
islature, urging  the  reduction  of  tolls  on  the  state  canals; 
until  in  1882,  as  chairman  of  the  New  York  Produce  Ex- 
change Committee  of  Fifty,  he  presented  the  unanswerable 
argument  of  the  Exchange  in  favor  of  "  free  canals,"  and 
made  the  demand  "that  every  toll  bar  erected  against  the 
internal  commerce  of  the  state,  and  the  interests  of  the  cities 
of  New  York  and  Brooklyn,  must  now  be  taken  down." 

In  1876  Mr.  Orr  was  appointed  by  Governor  Tilden  a  mem- 
ber of  the  commission  charged  with  the  duty  of  investigat- 
ing the  affairs  and  management  of  the  canals  of  this  state. 
His  colleagues  were  John  Bigelow.  Daniel  Magone,  Jr.,  and 
John  l».  Van  Buren.  This  commission  faithfully  fulfilled 
the  mission  entrusted  to  its  care.  It  was  organized  in  April, 
and  did  not  terminate  its  labors  till  the  spring  of  the  fol- 
lowing year.  Throu  ;h  it  a  system  of  frauds  was  discovered 
and  developed,  which  had  been  in  operation  for  many  years, 
and  was  sapping  the  moral  condition  of  the  governing 
bodies  of  the  state. 

Very  many  of  the  guilty  persons  were  brought  to  justice, 
and  made  to  refund  their  ill-gotten  gains.  Prominent  state 
officials,  who  had  either  connived  at,  or  profited  by,  these 
wrong-doings,  were  forced  to  resign,  in  order  to  avoid  judi- 
cial removal;  and  others  who  could  not  be  proved  legally 
guilty,  but  whom  the  moral  sense  of  the  community  deemed 
responsible,  withdrew  into  private  life  .as  soon  as  their  terms 
of  office  expired,  and  in  a  political  sense,  were  heard  of  no 
more. 

This  commission  was  clothed  with  extraordinary  powers. 
It  was  authorized  to  send  for  persons  and  papers,  and  arrest 
all  refractory  witnesses.  Its  expenses  were  of  necessity 
large ;  some  185,000  ;  and  yet  it  may  be  said  to  have  paid 
more  than  its  own  expenditures,  as  it  collected  from  persons 
wrongfully  and  fraudulently  receiving,  and  returned  to 
tli»-  state,  either  in  cash  or  state  certificates  of  indebtedness, 
148,000;  collected  proofs  which  enabled  the  state  to  sue  for 
hundreds  of  thousands  of  dollars,  which  had  been  wrong- 
fully or  fraudulently  paid  to  dishonest  contractors,  and 
caused  contracts  to  he  cancelled,  and  useless  construct  ions  to 
be  stopped,  widen  would  have  involved  the  useless  expendi- 
ture of  millions  of  dollars  more.  As  a  result,  the  recom- 
mendations  of  the  commission  were  adopted  by  the 
legislature;  the  pernicious  elective  offices  of  canal  commis- 
sioners wen-  abolished,  divided  responsibility  was  entirely 
eliminated  from  canal  management;  the  office  of  superin- 
tendent of  public  works,  with  a  direct  responsibility,  was 
created,  and  the  expense  of  canal  maintenance  was  reduced 
more  than  one-half. 

Mr.  Orr  has  been  identified  with  the  New  York  Produce 
Exchange  since  1809.  He  was  one  of  those  active,  earnest 
men  who,  after  many  defeats,  succeeded  in  establishing  in 
1871-2  the  organization  that  now  prevails,  and  which  since 
then  has  grown  into  such  grand  proportions,  and  promises 


such  splendid  results.  His  constant  aim  has  been  to  make 
the  Exchange  self-appreciative  and  self -asserting,  and  claim 
to  be  what  it  has  the  right  to  be,  the  great  central  commer- 
cial association  of  the  United  States.  To  insure  this,  it 
needed  a  building  worthy  of  that  aim  and  claim,  and  in 
1879  it  was  finally  decided  to  erect  one  at  a  cost  not  exceed- 
ing one  million  and  a  half  of  dollars. 

A  building  committee  was  created,  consisting  of  eight 
gentlemen,  with  full  power  as  to  location  and  character  of 
construction  within  prescribed  limits,  of  which  Mr.  Orr  was 
one,  and  he  was  at  once  elected  its  secretary.  The  commit- 
tee immediately  took  the  position  that  the  sum  named  was 
much  too  small,  and  after  many  meetings  and  controversies 
with  the  board  of  managers  and  members  of  the  Exchange, 
procured  its  increase  to  three  millions  of  dollars,  which,  in 
the  opinion  of  the  committee,  was  more  appropriate  for  the 
purpose.  The  wisdom  of  this  action  is  now  apparent.  A 
building,  creditable  to  the  Exchange  and  the  city  of  New 
York,  is  now  being  completed,  which  combines  architectural 
effect  with  all  present  and  prospective  Exchange  needs; 
and  which  will  yield  at  the  same  time  a  yearly  revenue,  to 
be  expended  in  the  interests  of  American  commerce  for  all 
time,  of  nearly  two  hundred  thousand  dollars.  To  the 
courage  and  earnest  advocacy  of  Mr.  Orr,  in  large  measure, 
is  due  these  praiseworthy  results. 

Other  Exchange  interest,  only  second  to  that  mentioned 
above,  has  received  his  careful  attention.  In  all  large  com- 
mercial bodies  differences  of  opinion  and  misunderstandings 
must,  of  necessity-,  be  frequent.  To  settle  such  by  recourse 
to  legal  tribunals  is  expensive  and  tedious,  and  owing  to  the 
admissibleness  of  technicalities  when  so  adjudicated,  very 
often  the  equities  of  the  case  are  entirely  lost  sight  of.  Mr. 
Orr  has  always  advocated  settlement  of  such  differences  by 
arbitration,  and  has  devoted  much  time  to  the  development 
of  this  system  of  mercantile  justice.  For  the  past  three 
years  he  has  been  the  chairman  of  the  arbitration  commit- 
tee of  exchange,  and  so  successful  has  that  committee  been 
in  obtaining  the  confidence  of  the  members,  that  in  its  late 
reports  to  the  board  of  managers,  the  following  statements 
are  found  : 

"It  is  the  experience  of  this  committee  that  settlement  of 
differences  between  members  of  this  Exchange  by  arbitra- 
tion, without  intervention  of  law,  is  rapidly  becoming  the 
general  rule.  Indeed,  the  prediction  is  ventured  that,  fol- 
lowing the  lead  of  intelligent  business  men,  and  guided  by 
the  influences  which  they  cannot  fail  to  exert,  the  large  cor- 
porations and  associations  throughout  the  land  that  are  de- 
pendent upon  commerce,  either  directly  or  indirectly,  for 
patronage  and  support,  will  ultimately  adopt  the  same  sys- 
tem for  adjustiug  controversies  and  solving  problems  that 
are  now  the  foundations  of  tedious  and  expensive  law  suits. 
*  *  *  In  this  association  of  three  thousand  merchants, 
the  committee  has  not  learned  of  a  single  instance  during 
the  past  two  years  where  the  law  has  been  called  upon  to  ad- 
judicate between  members." 

In  matters  of  finance,  Mr.  Orr's  opinions  are  much  re- 
spected and  his  services  sought.  He  is  vice-president  of  the 
1/.  chanics  National  Bank  of  New  York,  and  was  tendered 
the  office  of  president  after  the  resignation  of  Benj.  B.  Sher- 
man, in  iss;i,  but  declined  it  because  of  more  pressing 
obligations.  He  is  also  a  director  of  the  New  York  Produce 
Exclianije.  Hank,  and  a  director  and  member  of  the  finance 
committees  of  the  Continental  and  American  Fire  Insurance 
companies,  anil  of  several  other  kindled  institutions;  also  a 
director  of  the  Chesapeake  and  Ohio  Hail  way  Company. 

On  his  arrival  in  the  United  States,  in  1861,  Mr.  Orr  came 
to  reside  in  HrookU  n,  and  lias  continued  to  dwell  there  ever 
since.  He  thoroughly  believes  that  that  city  will  ultimately 
become  the  first  in  population,  in  mann la-Mures,  and  in  solid, 


THE  COMMERCE  OF  BROOKLYN'. 


651 


home-like  comforts,  if  the  people  will  take  advantage  of  op- 
portunities as  they  are  presented,  and  are  appreciative  of  the 
possibilities  of  the  future,  which,  in  almost  all  things  Ameri- 
can, may  be  made  to  far  surpass  the  expectations  of  the 
most  sanguine.  In  his  opinion,  from  its  advantageous  loca- 
tion and  other  favorable  conditions,  Brooklyn  cannot  be 
held  back  from  continuous  growth  and  prominence;  but 
with  moderate  taxation,  ample  water  supply,  a  thorough 
system  of  rapid  transit,  and  a  continuation  of  such  upright 
municipal  government  as  has  been  enjoyed  since  the  begin- 
ning of  1882,  together  with  its  close  identification  with  the 
financial  and  commercial  interests  of  New  York,  it  could  be 
wonderfully  helped  forward;  and,  if  it  does  not  in  all  re- 
spects rank  first,  it  will  only  be  second  to  the  great  metropo- 
lis, to  which  it  will  always  add  lustre,  and  of  which  it  really 
forms  a  part.  For  these  reasons,  he  has  always  lent  a  will- 
ing and  helpful  hand  to  found,  sustain,  or  direct  those  in- 
stitutions of  a  philanthropic,  educational,  or  refining  char- 
acter, which  are  so  essential  to  the  healthful  development  of 
all  large  cities.  He  is  a  trustee  of  the  Children's  Aid  Society, 
the  Eye  and  Ear  Hospital,  St.  John's  Hospital,  the  Packer 
Collegiate  Institute,  the  Brooklyn  City  Mission  and  Tract 
Society,  the  Long  Island  Historical  Society,  the  Art  Associa- 
tion, the  Brooklyn  Library  and  the  South  Brooklyn  Savings 
Institution,  in  which  latter,  with  its  twenty-one  thousand 
depositors,  owning  over  nine  million  dollars  of  deposits,  he 
takes  the  deepest  interest.  He  holds  that  the  savings  banks 
furnish  the  means  of  teaching,  in  the  most  direct  and  practi- 
cal manner,  the  science  of  political  economy  to  the  masses 
of  the  people.  He  believes  that  every  one  who  is  prospect- 
ively dependent  upon  his  or  her  exertions  should  be  encour- 
aged to  avail  themselves  of  this  means  of  making  future 
provision  against  "  the  rainy  day;"  and  he  makes  it  a  condi- 
tion with  those  whom  he  employs,  that  they  shall  have  an 
active  savings  bank  account;  holding  that  the  best  evidence 
one  person  can  give  another  of  intended  faithful  service,  is 
that  evidence  of  self-appreciation,  that  first  duty  which  looks 
beyond  the  needs  of  to-day,  and  makes  provision  for  the  un- 
known wants  of  to-morrow. 

In  politics,  Mr.  Orr  may  be  termed  an  independent,  al- 
though all  through  the  War  he  had  very  decided  republican 
affiliations.  He  advocates  absolute  freedom  of  action,  irre- 
spective of  party  domination,  in  the  great  national  questions 
of  the  day,  believing  that  a  man's  conscience  is  his  best 
guide;  and  he  is  strongly  opposed  to  the  introduction  of  na- 
tional politics  into  systems  of  municipal  governments.  Al- 
though he  is  not  a  "protectionist,"  as  that  term  is  generally 
understood,  he  is  equally  opposed  to  "free  trade"  in  the 
United  States,  his  views  being  that  there  should  be  a  tariff 
that  will  produce  the  needed  revenue,  and  insure,  at  the 
same  time,  the  fair  remuneration  and  elevation  of  American 
labor.  He  also  holds  that  raw  material  and  foreign  built 
ships,  except  when  the  latter  are  to  be  used  in  the  coasting 
trade  of  the  United  States,  should  be  placed  on  the  free  list. 

He  has  never  held  political  office,  except  once,  when  he 
was  elected  a  member  of  the  Electoral  College  that  cast  the 
Presidential  vote  of  the  State  of  New  York  for  Hon.  Samuel 
J.  Tilden  in  1876.  Although  of  republican  affinities,  Mr.  Orr 
was  elected  to  fill  a  vacancy  in  this  college,  because  of  his 
known  friendship  and  confidence  in  the  democratic  candi- 
date, believing  that  if  he  should  be  inaugurated,  as  he  be- 
lieved he  had  been  elected,  Mr.  Tilden  would  carry  with  him 
to  Washington  the  same  system  of  reform  that  he  had  intro- 
duced into  Albany,  when  he  was  the  honored  and  respected 
Governor  of  this  State,  in  1875-6. 

In  1882,  Mr.  Orr  was  tendered  the  nomination  of  Comp- 
troller of  the  city  of  Brooklyn  by  both  the  Republican  and 


Democratic  parties,  and  the  year  following  he  was  offered 
the  Comptrollership  of  the  city  of  New  York,  by  its  Mayor, 
Hon.  Franklin  Edson,  both  of  which  flattering  offers  he  de- 
clined because  of  his  many  business  responsibilities. 

Mr.  Orr  is  a  member  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church, 
and  one  of  the  corporators  of  the  Cathedral  at  Garden  City, 
which  Mrs.  A.  T.  Stewart  presented  to  the  diocese  of  Long 
Island.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  standing  committee  of 
the  diocese,  and  a  trustee  of  several  of  the  diocesan  charities. 
In  1856,  he  married  Juliet  Buckingham,  eldest  daughter  of 
Ammi  Dows,  Esq.  (then  senior  member  of  the  firm  of  Dows, 
Guiteau  &  Co.,  of  New  York),  who  died  in  1872.  He  subse- 
quently married  Margaret  Shippen,  daughter  of  the  late 
Nicholas  Luquer,  Esq.,  of  Brooklyn,  a  granddaughter  of  the 
late  Dominick  Lynch,  Esq.,  of  New  York,  and  a  great  great 
granddaughter  of  Chief  Justice  Edward  Shippen,  of  Pennsyl- 
vania. He  has  three  daughters,  Jane  Dows,  Mary  Moore 
and  Juliet  Ector. 

•  In  person,  Mr.  Orr  stands  about  six  feet  in  height,  but  is 
rather  slight  in  build  for  a  man  of  that  stature.  In  his  man- 
ner he  is  active  and  quick,  and  his  constitution  is  nervous 
and  vigorous.  He  is  now  fifty-two  years  of  age,  but  time 
has  not  laid  its  hand  heavily  upon  him.  He  attributes  this 
in  great  measure  to  a  principle  laid  down  early  in  life,  and 
which,  under  all  circumstances,  he  faithfully  follows  out, 
viz.,  that  when  he  leaves  his  office  he  also  leaves  his  busi- 
ness there,  and  never  allows  its  cares  and  anxieties  to  invade 
the  happiness  of  his  home.  He  believes  that  the  toils  should 
be  largely  intermingled  with  the  pleasures  of  life,  and  has 
ever  regretted  that  the  American  merchant  and  professional 
man  differs  so  much  in  this  respect  from  the  habits  of  life 
almost  universally  observed  in  the  older  countries  of  Great 
Britain  and  Europe.  It  is  indeed  a  very  true  adage  that  "all 
work  and  no  play  makes  Jack  a  dull  boy,"  and,  it  may  also 
be  added,  a  prematurely  old  man — a  condition  which  could 
easily  be  avoided  by  all  our  business  men,  if  Mr.  Orr's  prin- 
ciple was  not  the  exception  but  the  general  rule. 


Harrison  S.  Vining— a  resident  of  Brooklyn  for  the  last 
thirty  years,  and  widely  known  in  New  York  as  an  authority 
in  maritime  affairs,  and  as  the  organizer  and  head  of  the 
"H.  S.  Vining's  Bureau  of  Inspection"  for  grain-loading 
vessels;  also,  Marine  Survey er  and  Appraiser — was  born  in 
Lisbon,  Me.,  Nov.  4,  1824. 

His  early  childhood  was  passed  in  "  S.  W.  Bend,"  a  village 
of  Durham,  in  that  State,  so  called  from  a  sharp  turn  in  the 
Androscoggin  River,  at  that  picturesque  portion  of  the  town. 
When  he  was  nine  years  old,  his  parents  removed  to  Port- 
land, Me.,  in  which  city  and  the  Seminary  in  the  suburbs,  he 
received  his  education,  and  from  which  port  he  sailed  for 
many  years.  He  went  to  sea,  in  his  thirteenth  year,  with  his 
father,  who  was  captain  of  the  vessel  in  which  he  sailed. 
From  that  time,  for  three  years,  he  made  winter  voyages 
only,  spending  the  intervening  summers  at  Westbrcok  Acad- 
emy, and  at  a  private  school  in  the  city,  for  the  higher  math- 
ematics. 

The  only  books  which  he  took  with  him  to  sea,  to  beguile 
his  leisure  hours,  were  McCulloch's  Commercial  Dictionary, 
and  works  upon  Navigation  and  Astronomy,  thus  early  pre- 
paring himself  for  a  career,  both  as  a  merchant  and  a  sailor. 
At  school  he  studied  bookkeeping,  surveying,  etc. 

The  whole  science  of  Navigation  he  mastered  perfectly, 
when  very  young,  by  self-study.  He  commanded  a  fine  bark 
at  the  age  of  twenty-four.  Every  inch  a  sailor,  he  was  very 
successful  in  his  voyages,  winning  the  respect  and  confidence 
of  those  under  him  by  the  masterly  manner  in  which  he  took 


652 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


every  possible  advantage,  and  by  his  quickness  to  foresee 
and  avert  threatened  danger  and  disaster.  His  judgment  of 
the  weather  at  sea  was  remarkable. 

In  1833,  Mr.  Vining  settled  in  Brooklyn,  retiring  from  tbe 
sea,  after  seventeen  years'  experience  of  its  dangers  aud  vi- 
cissitudes. In  his  early  voyages  he  acquired  the  Spanish 
language  anil  various  dialects,  in  foreign  ports,  which  proved 
of  great  service  to  him  in  transacting  mercantile  business 
with  people  of  many  nationalities,  during  the  sixteen  years 
in  which  he  was  engaged  in  the  shipping  and  commission 
busiuess  in  New  York;  and  later,  in  the  great  enterprise 
which  has  made  him  known,  not  only  in  the  metropolis  and 
the  principal  ports  of  the  United  States,  but  in  Great  Britain 
and  the  Continent.  We  refer  to  his  connection  with  the 
grain  trade,  in  which  he  has  achieved  a  wide  popularity.  In 
L873,  ha  organized  the  "  H.  S.  Vining's  Bureau  of  Inspec- 
tion *'  for  the  grain  trade  with  Europe,  which  has  systema- 
tized and  greatly  facilitated  business  for  the  ship,  the  mer- 
chant and  the  underwriter  in  this  vast  commercial  interest. 
Up  to  the  present  time,  this  Bureau  has  inspected  and  given 
certificates  to  over  twelve  thousand  vessels  of  all  classes.  It 
is  the  largest  institution  of  the  kind  in  the  world. 

The  facilities  of  this  Bureau  for  promptness  and  dispatch 
are  remarkable.  In  1880,  the  number  of  vessels,  including 
steamships  and  sailing  vessels,  that  came  under  this  inspec- 
tion was  2,125;  316  vessels  of  all  kinds  receiving  certificates 
in  a  single  month  during  that  year. 

An  important  feature  of  this  organization  is  the  establish- 
lishment  of  a  perfect  system,  regulating  lay-days,  and  the 
draft  of  water  to  which  the  ship  should  load,  thereby  saving 
disputes  and  litigation. 

Ia  all  cases  of  arbitration  in  this  country  and  in  Europe, 
Mr.  Vining's  opinion  has  always  been  sustained. 

In  1875,  he  received  the  written  approval  of  fifty-four  in- 
surance companies  on  the  Continent,  from  Russia  to  the 
Mediterranean. 

In  the  Grain  Act  of  the  British  Parliament  for  1880,  "H. 
S.  Vining's  Bureau  of  Inspection  "  was  incorporated. 

77ie  Nautical  Gazette,  published  in  New  York,  in  its  is- 
sue of  September  13,  1879,  has  the  following:  "When  it  is 
considered  that  Mr.  Vining's  inspection  is  the  growth  of  in- 
dividual ability  and  integrity,  and  has  at  times  to  combat 
with  large  and  wealthy  corporations,  it  will  lie  seen  that  it  is 
managed  with  the  most  thorough  intelligence  and  rectitude, 
and  has  thus  commanded  the  confidence  and  secured  the 
patronage  of  the  largest  grain  shippers  in  America,  as  well 
as  many  underwriting  companies." 

Mr.  Vining  has  written  a  work,  which  is  soon  to  be  pub- 
lished, entitled,  "The  Nautical  Handlwok,"  containing  a 
complete  dictionary  of  nautical  words  and  phrases,  alphabet- 
ically arranged,  together  with  a  large  amount  of  information 
in  regard  to  ship-building,  dimensions  of  spars,  stowage,  etc., 
and  a  table  of  comparison  for  finding  the  capacity  of  ships 
for  various  cargoes. 

In  1852,  Mr.  Vining  joined  the  Masonic  l>ody  in  the  "An- 
cient Landmark  Lodge,"  of  Portland,  Me.,  of  which  Lodge 
he  is  now  a  life  member.  In  Brooklyn,  he  took  the  higher 
ili^'rw's,  and  was  Eminent  Commander  of  the  Clinton  Com- 
mandery  for  two  years,  devoting  to  it  a  lively,  energetic  in- 
terest. '  )f  the  second  year  in  which  lie  held  this  ollice,  the 
following  reeord  appears  in  the  published  proceedings  of  the 
Grand  <  oinmandery,  New  York.  1HS2  :  '  During  this  year, 
the  meetings  were  regularly  attended,  and  more  work  done 
than  in  all  the  previous  existence  of  the  body."  This  cov- 
ered a  period  of  thirty-seven  years,  from  the  time  of  its  or- 
ganization. Mr.  Vining  has  also  taken  all  of  the  "Ancient 
and  A'  •  ,  pi'  ■!  I.'itc  "  degrees,  t"  the  33d  and  last  degree,  and 


is  an  honorary  member  of  the  Supreme  Council  for  the  North- 
ern Jurisdiction  of  the  United  States  of  America,  being,  for 
1882,  the  thirteenth  on  the  list  of  living  members,  in  the  or- 
der of  admittance. 

Mr.  Vining's  activity  in  business  is  unabated.  Thorough- 
ness, steadiness  of  purpose,  and  breadth  of  aim,  still  charac- 
terize all  his  undertakings,  in  a  notable  degree.  Genial  and 
versatile,  he  finds  many  ways  to  be  helpful  to  others,  and  has 
many  friends  among  all  classes.  Eminently  useful  in  his 
day  and  generation,  may  "  his  days  be  long  in  the  land." 

Richard  Harper  Laimbeer  was  born  June  22d,  1825,  and 
has  lived  most  of  his  life  in  New  York  and  Brooklyn,  having 
removed  to  the  Sixth  Ward  of  the  last  mentioned  city  from 
New  York  in  1849,  and  since  resided  there.  His  parents  were 
William  and  Thomazine  (Harper)  Laimbeer. 

William  Laimbeer,  who  died  at  the  age  of  sixty-nine,  De- 
cember 13,  1861,  was  one  of  the  most  enterprising  business 
men  of  his  time,  and  it  may  be  of  interest  to  the  reader  of 
the  history  of  Brooklyn  to  know  that  he  was  one  of  the  num- 
ber who,  in  order  to  secure  better  communication  between 
Brooklyn  and  New  York,  signed  a  bond  to  indemnify  the 
Ferry  Company  against  possible  loss,  as  an  inducement  to 
run  a  ferry  boat  from  Whitehall  street,  New  York,  to  Ham- 
ilton avenue,  Brooklyn.  He  was  one  of  the  pioneers  in  busi- 
ness at  the  Atlantic  Dock,  and  built  the  first  stores  on  the 
North  Pier  there,  and  subsequently  others,  which,  with  other 
improvements,  constituted  a  valuable  property.  About  1853 
he  retired  from  active  business,  and  passed  the  remainder  of 
his  days  on  his  farm  at  Amsterdam,  Montgomery  countv, 
N.  Y. 

In  1845,  Mr.  R.  H.  Laimbeer  engaged  in  the  storage  busi- 
ness, occupying  the  block  of  property  and  privileges  then  be- 
longing to  his  father,  at  the  foot  of  Congress  and  Warren 
streets.  In  1848,  he  removed  to  the  Atlantic  Dock,  and  from 
that  time  until  1863,  carried  on  his  business  on  the  North 
Pier. 

In  1863,  he  removed  to  Clinton  wharf,  where,  until  1868, 
he  was  the  active  manager  of  the  business  of  the  firm  of  R. 
H.  Laimbeer  &  Co.,  consisting  of  R.  H.  Laimbeer,  A.  E.  Mas- 
ters and  L.  B.  Shaw.  In  1872,  TJie  Grain  Warehouse  Com- 
pany was  organized,  and  assumed  control  of  the  stores,  for- 
merly of  R.  II.  Laimbeer  &  Co.,  L.  B.  Shaw  and  A.  E.  Mas- 
ters, and  David  Dows  &  Co.'s  Columbia  stores,  at  the  foot  of 
Pacific  street.  Of  this  company,  A.  E.  Masters  was  presi- 
'  dent,  and  Mr.  Laimbeer  was  treasurer.  Two  years  later,  The 
Grain  Warehousing  Company  was  organized,  with  L.  B. 
Shaw  as  president,  and  R.  H.  Laimbeer  as  treasurer.  All  of 
|  its  warehouses  and  elevators  are  located  on  the  Atlantic 
Dock,  and  its  New  York  office  is  at  No.  5  Moore  street.  It  is 
probable  that  this  company  has  to-day  the  largest  capacity 
for,  and  is  doing  a  more  extensive  business  than  any  other 
single  warehousing  firm  in  the  world;  and  it  is  due  in  no 
small  degree  to  the  wise  forethought  and  admirable  manage- 
ment of  Mr.  Laimbeer  that  it  lias  assumed  its  present  status. 

The  connection  of  Mr.  Laimbeer  with  other  prominent  en- 
terprises is  well  known.  He  has  been,  since  its  organization, 
a  member  of  the  New  York  Produce  Exchange,  and  was 
formerly  a  member  of  its  board  of  managers.  He  is  vice-presi- 
dent and  director  of  the  New  York  Produce  Exchange  Dank, 
and  trustee  of  the  South  llrooklyn  Soring*  Honk.  For  some 
years  past  he  has  been  identified  with  milling  enterprises, 
and  he  is  a  director  in  the  Stamlurd  Mining  ( 'ompany  of  Cali- 
fornia, and  some  other  similar  corporations. 

May  •.'1st.  |s|s,  Mr.  Laimbeer  married  Kate.).  Radcliffe. 
(laughter  of  John  and  Susan  Radclilfe,  of  Port  Jackson,  Mont- 


THE  COMMERCE  OF  BROOKLYN. 


653 


gomery  county,  N.  Y.  They  have  a  son  and  two  daughters. 
The  son,  Richard  H.  Laimbeer,  Jr.,  is  a  lawyer,  with  his 
office  at  132  Nassau  street,  New  York. 

Mr.  Laimbeer,  from  his  youtli  up,  has  taken  a  deep  interest 
in  religious  matters,  and  early  in  life  became  a  professor  of 
religion.  At  the  age  of  eighteen,  he  was  a  trustee  with  his 
father  in  the  Hammond  Street  Presbyterian  Church  of  New 
York,  and  at  the  same  time  occupied  the  position  of  its 
treasurer.  After  taking  up  his  residence  in  Brooklyn,  he  was 
for  many  years  identified  with  the  South  Presbyterian 
Church,  at  the  corner  of  Amity  and  Clinton  streets,  and  he 
was  one  of  sixty  of  its  members  who  withdrew  to  constitute 
and  organize  the  Westminster  Presbyterian  Church,  at  the 
corner  of  First  place  and  Clinton  street.  To  the  establish- 
ment and  success  of  Westminster  Church,  Mr.  Laimbeer  has 
been  a  generous  contributor,  as  well  as  a  faithful  worker ; 
and  his  official  connection  with  it  has  continued  from  the 
first.  To  all  of  its  interests,  he  stands  in  the  relation  of  a 
willing  and  liberal  helper,  and  it  is  not  saying  too  much  to 
state  that  he  is,  and  has  been,  one  of  the  strong  pillars  of  the 
organization  which  have  been  necessary  to  its  upholding. 
Upon  all  its  means  of  grace  he  is  a  faithful  attendant. 

Politically,  Mr.  Laimbeer  is  an  ardent  Republican,  but  he 
has  long  since  withdrawn  from  active  participation  in  political 
affairs;  the  demands  of  his  business  interests,  and  the  quieter 
claims  of  church  and  home,  requiring  his  whole  time  and 
devotion.  He  is,  and  has  long  been,  a  great  employer  of  la- 
bor, and  is  in  every  sense  the  friend  of  the  workingman. 
His  life  has  been,  and  is  still,  a  very  busy  one;  and  if  he  has 
prospered  beyond  many  of  his  acquaintances,  it  is  conceded 
that  his  prosperity  is  only  the  legitimate  reward  of  enter- 
prise and  earnest  and  honest  endeavor.  He  is  such  a  citizen 
as  Brooklyn  may  well  be  proud  of,  and  one  of  a  number 
whose  improvements  along  the  Brooklyn  water  front  have 
contributed  not  a  little  toward  bringing  to  the  Brooklyn 
shore  much  of  the  business  of  the  port  of  New  York,  and 
which  wfll  remain  as  valuable  adjuncts  to  the  city's  develop- 
ment long  after  the  men  who  have  made  them  shall  have 
passed  away. 


General  Francis  E.  Pinto.— The  oldest  brick  house  in 
New  Haven.  Conn.,  is  the  old  Pinto  house,  which  was  erected 
in  the  year  1745,  of  bricks  imported  from  England.  In  that 
house,  in  the  year  1755,  was  born  William  Pinto,  of  Spanish 
descent,  who  became  the  father  of  General  Francis  E.  Pinto. 
At  the  early  age  of  thirteen,  William  Pinto  entered  Yale 
College,  and  at  his  death  was  referred  to  as  having  been  the 
oldest  graduate  of  that  institution.  At  the  time  of  the  invasion 
of  New  Haven  by  the  British,  during  the  Revolution,  he  was 
one  of  a  number  of  students  at  Yale  who  armed  themselves, 
as  well  as  time  and  circumstances  would  permit,  to  assist  in 
the  defense  of  the  town.  Two  of  his  brothers,  also,  were 
numbered  in  this  party.  One  of  them  was  made  a  prisoner 
by  the  British;  the  other  was  wounded  and  carried  to  a  place 
of  safety  by  William  Pinto,  who  took  him  up  before  him  on 
a  horse  upon  which  he  was  mounted.  Later,  William  Pinto 
was  a  member  of  the  garrison  of  the  fort  at  New  London, 
Conn.,  and  owed  the  salvation  of  his  life  to  the  fact  that  on 
the  very  morning  of  the  massacre  of  his  comrades  by  the 
British,  he  had  been  sent  with  despatches  under  orders  from 
Colonel  Ledyard.  After  the  Revolution  he  became  one  of  the 
first  New  Haven  traders  with  the  West  Indies,  and  in  time 
assumed  considerable  importance  as  a  vessel  owner.  During 
the  war  of  1812-14— the  day  before  the  historical  engagement 
between  the  Constitution  and  Guerriere— while  returning 
from  the  island  of  Trinidad  with  one  of  his  vessels  laden 


with  molasses  and  rum,  he  was  captured  with  his  crew  and 
cargo  by  the  British  ship  Guerriere.  About  sixty  of  the 
Americans  were  placed  on  board  Mr.  Pinto's  vessel,  to  be 
sent  to  the  United  States  for  exchange  for  British  prisoners 
of  war  held  there.  The  Britons  stove  in  all  but  one  of  the 
casks  of  molasses  stowed  on  the  Yankee  trader's  decks,  re- 
taining the  one  cask,  as  they  alleged,  "to  treat  the  Yankees 
with."  In  the  engagement,  a  missile  from  an  American  gun 
burst  the  molasses  cask,  the  contents  of  which  ran  out  and 
overspread  a  portion  of  the  deck  of  the  Guerriere,  rendering  it 
so  slippery  that  the  English  gunners  were  unable  to  work  their 
pieces  effectively.  It  was  stated  by  high  contemporary  au- 
thority that  this  remarkable  accident  contributed  in  no  small 
degree  to  the  victory  of  the  Constitution.  After  many  years 
of  mercantile  life,  Mr.  Pinto  retired  from  business,  and  re- 
sided in  New  Haven  until  his  death,  in  1847,  while  on  a  visit 
to  New  Orleans. 

Descended  from  a  nation  of  warriors  noted  for  conquest 
and  exploration,  the  son  of  a  father  who  took  part  in  two 
wars  in  which  his  country  was  involved,  it  is  little  wonder 
that  General  Francis  E.  Pinto  inherited  a  liking  for  military 
adventure  as  well  as  those  soldierly  qualities  which  have  en- 
abled him  to  render  service  to  his  country  in  two  later  strug- 
gles ;  service  which  has  won  for  him  the  recognition  of  his 
superiors,  and  placed  him,  at  this  time,  among  those  veterans 
whose  names  are  known  and  honored  by  a  large  class  of  the 
American  people.  Born  in  New  Haven,  June  30th,  1823,  he 
gained  the  rudiments  of  an  education  in  the  common  schools 
of  that  town,  and  as  early  as  1835  was  placed  as  a  boy  in  a  dry 
goods  store  in  New  York.  He  passed  most  of  the  time  inter- 
vening until  1846  in  the  employment  of  different  New  York 
dry  goods  merchants,  rising  to  positions  of  considerable  im- 
portance ;  ill  health  once  compelling  him  to  spend  between 
two  and  three  years  on  a  farm  in  Connecticut  and  the  summer 
of  1844  in  the  then  extremely  wild  and  picturesque  Adiron- 
dack region. 

At  the  outbreak  of  the  Mexican  war,  in  1846,  Mr.  Pinto 
volunteered  in  his  country's  service,  and  on  the  6th  of  June, 
that  year,  was  commissioned  as  second  lieutenant.  He  par- 
ticipated in  the  capture  of  Vera  Cruz,  the  storming  of  Cerro 
Gordo,  the  taking  of  Pueblo,  the  battle  of  Contreras,  the 
assault  upon  Chapultepec,  and  the  taking  of  the  city  of  Mex- 
ico, besides  taking  a  worthy  part  in  minor  engagements.  As 
interesting  incidents  of  his  experience  during  this  period,  it 
may  be  stated  that,  after  General  Sweeney  was  wounded  at 
Cherubusco,  Lieutenant  Pinto  supported  his  form  while  the 
operation  of  amputating  the  General's  arm  was  being  per- 
formed; and  that  he  saw  and  conversed  with  the  recently 
deceased  Captain  Mayne  Reid  upon  his  being  brought  into 
the  castle.after  having  been  wounded  outside  the  walls  of  Cha- 
pultepec. Before  and  at  the  time  of  the  fall  of  the  city  of 
Mexico,  Lieutenant  Pinto  rendered  some  brilliant  service, 
which  can  be  only  briefly  referred  to  in  these  pages.  The 
night  following  the  bombardment  of  Chapultepec,  he  had 
command  of  a  working  party  to  move  the  American  guns 
nearer  the  castle.  At  the  storming  of  Chapultepec,  the  next 
day,  he  placed  the  first  scaling  ladder  in  a  ditch  against  the 
wall  of  the  Castle.  A  second  ladder  was  passed  over  and  he 
caught  the  end  on  the  point  of  his  saber,  holding  it  up  until 
it  was  shoved  on  the  main  wall,  thus  bridging  the  ditch. 
Then,  assisting  the  color  sergeant  of  his  regiment,  they  as- 
cended the  ladder  together  with  the  red  flag  presented  by  the 
city  of  New  York,  which  was  the  first  American  flag  inside 
the  Castle  walls.  On  the  afternoon  of  the  same  day,  he  was 
detailed  with  a  hundred  men  at  the  gate  de  Belen  to  change 
the  location  of  the  sand-bags,  so  as  to  protect  the  American 
gunners  in  using  the  guns  of  the  Mexicans  captured  at  this 


irrSTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


gate.  This  was  a  most  difficult  and  dangerous  task.  and. 
upon  the  -uecessful  completion  of  the  work,  lie  was  honor- 
ably mentioned  in  general  orders 

Lieutenant  Pinto  was  a  member  of  the  first  military  Court 
of  Commission,  which  met  in  the  Mexican  capital,  after  its 
capitulation,  and  took  an  active  part  in  its  deliberations.  He 
was  promoted  to  a  tirst  lieutenancy  and  breveted  captain, 
at  the  close  of  the  war,  and  mustered  out  of  service  with  his 
regiment,  in  July,  1848,  after  a  little  more  than  two  years' 
service. 

Returning  to  private  life,  Mr.  Pinto  decided  to  go  to  Cali- 
fornia, then  holding  out  golden  promise  to  those  who  were 
venturesome  and  self-reliant  enough  to  seek  its  shores:  and. 
on  Christmas  day.  1848,  he  embarked  at  New  York  on  board 
the  steamer  Isthmus,  owned  by  George  Law,  for  California. 
rin  Panama.  Passing  safely  through  dangers  hv  lire  and 
storm  off  Cape  Hat teras,  the  Isthmus  reached  Havana  with 
its  supply  of  coal  about  exhausted.  On  account  of  a  report 
that  she  had  cholera  aboard,  it  was  only  with  the  utmost 
difficulty  that  the  steamer  was  enabled  to  secure  a  little  fuel 
of  most  inferior  quality:  but,  putting  in  at  Port  Royal,  this 
deficiency  was  supplied.  The  crossing  of  the  Isthmus  of 
Panama  was  effected,  and  then  Mr.  Pinto  and  his  compan- 
ions embarked  for  San  Francisco  on  the  California,  the  first 
steamer  that  made  the  voyage  up  the  Pacific  coast.  She  put 
in  at  Acapulco,  and  the  natives  fled  from  the  town,  under 
the  impression  that  she  was  a  piratical  craft.  At  Monterey 
the  discovery  was  made  that  the  vessel  was  without  coal. 
A  landing  was  effected  on  the  timbered  coast,  and  the 
able-bodied  passengers  formed  themselves  into  a  body  of  in- 
dustrious woodchoppers.  After  much  arduous  labor  had 
been  performed  in  this  cause,  a  large  number  of  sacks,  which 
had  l>een  erroneously  thought  to  contain  some  kind  of  mer- 
chandise, were  found  to  be  filled  with  coal:  and  after  this 
unnecessary,  though  not  an  altogether  unpleasant  delay,  the 
California  steamed  into  San  Francisco  Bay  on  the  28th  of 
February,  1849,  twenty-seven  days  out  from  Panama,  and  a 
little  more  than  two  months  after  Mr.  Pinto's  departure  from 
New  York.  San  Francisco  then  consisted  of  but  a  few  adobe 
houses,  but  the  spirit  of  progress  had  already  taken  root 
there,  and  it  was  the  point  of  supply  to  a  goodly  number  of 
overlanders  who  were  working  in  the  gold-fields  beyond. 
The  arrival  of  the  California  was  an  important  event.  Bon- 
fires were  lighted  in  honor  of  the  vessel  and  her  passengers 
and  the  latter  were  welcomed  to  the  hospitalities  of  the 
town. 

The  destination  of  every  Californian  emigrant  was  "to  the 
diggings,"  and  Mr.  Pinto  at  once  joined  a  party  of  five  or  six 
of  his  fellow-voyagers  and  went,  via  Stockton,  to  the  South- 
ern mines.  The  party  combined  mining  with  trading,  and 
soon  opened  a  store  of  which  they  were  joint  owners,  and  of 
which,  after  some  little  experience  in  the  mines,  Mr.  Pinto 
was  placed  m  charge.  This  business  was  closed  out  in  the 
spring  of  ls.lu,  and  Mr.  Pinto  returned  to  San  Francisco, 
where  he  met  an  old  New  York  acquaintance,  named  Martin 
Waterman,  who,  in  company  with  Rodolph  Jordan,  was  the 
proprietor  of  a  general  mercantile  business,  in  which  the  two 
induced  Mr.  Pinto  to  become  a  partner,  and  the  firm  became 
Waterman.  Jordan  &  Co.  The  same  gentlemen,  under  the 
style  of  Pinto,  Jordan  &  (Jo.,  opened  a  store  in  Stockton  two 
weeks  later.  Both  houses  were  very  successful,  and  in  the 
winter  of  Mr.  Pinto  went  to  San  Francisco  to  attend  to 

their  interests  there.  In  May.  IHol,  in  the  fire  which  de- 
stroyed most  of  the  important  portions  <>f  San  Francisco, 
their  store*  there  were  Bwept  away,  and  the  conflagration 
which  ruined  Stockton  three  days  later  burned  their  other 
establishment  at  that  place.    Upto  that  time,  it  had  not  been 


possible  to  effect  any  insurance  on  property  in  California, 
and  had  it  not  been  for  the  precaution  the  firm  had  taken  to 
build  warehouses  on  the  outskirts  of  Stockton,  in  which  con- 
siderable merchandise  was  stored,  anil  the  presence  in  San 
Francisco  bay  of  a  cargo  of  sugar  which  they  owned,  they 
would  have  been  utterly  without  recourse  ;  but.  thus  aided, 
they  were  enabled  to  rebuild  and  continue  business  at  both 
San  Francisco  and  Stockton.  In  December,  1851,  Mr.  Pinto 
came  to  New  York,  and,  on  the  6th  of  the  following  January, 
he  married  Miss  Jessie  Laimlieer,  to  whom  he  had  been  be- 
trothed prior  to  his  departure  for  California  in  1848.  Return- 
ing to  California  with  his  bride  in  the  following  March,  Mr. 
Pinto  dissolved  partnership  with  Messrs.  Waterman  and  Jor- 
dan, and,  becoming  a  partner  with  James  Baxter,  Ira  P. 
Rankin  and  Henry  Tay,  of  Boston,  opened  a  mercantile 
house  in  San  Francisco  and  another  in  Stockton.  About  a 
year  afterward  this  alliance  was  terminated  by  dissolution, 
and  a  new  firm  was  formed  by  Francis  E.  Pinto,  Henry  Tay 
and  Wilson  G.  Flint,  who  continued  the  same  business  at 
the  same  places,  but  so  unsuccessfully  that  a  separation  of 
the  partners  soon  took  place,  and  the  firm  of  Pinto,  Tay  & 
Flint  was  succeeded  by  that  of  Pinto  &  Waterman,  his  old 
partner  joining  him  in  the  enterprise.  In  the  meantime, 
Mrs.  Pinto  had  returned  to  New  York  with  her  daughter, 
and  she  remained  east  until  rejoined  by  her  husband.  The 
enterprise  of  Messrs.  Pinto  &  Waterman  was  successful,  and 
they  soon  entered  so  largely  into  the  grain  trade  that,  during 
the  year  18o3,  they  handled  more  grain  than  any  other  house 
in  San  Francisco.  In  the  spring  of  185f>  the  firm  of  Pinto  & 
Waterman  terminated  its  existence,  and  Mr.  Pinto  began  to 
settle  up  all  his  California  business,  with  a  view  to  returning 
to  New  York,  but  still  with  the  idea  that  he  might  possibly 
again  make  his  home  in  San  Francisco. 

At  this  time  occurred  an  episode  in  the  life  of  Mr.  Pinto 
which  at  once  evidenced  his  soldierly  and  daring  spirit,  and 
his  readiness  to  serve  the  public,  even  at  the  risk  of  life  itself. 
Causes  which  have  become  historical,  and  any  satisfactory 
reference  to  which  is  manifestly  out  of  place  in  this  brief 
sketch,  rendered  necessary  the  organization  of  what  was 
known  as  the  Vigilance  Committee  of  California.  It  was 
formed  early  in  1856,  and  was,  in  reality,  the  first  formal  and 
well  organized  body  for  the  protection  of  life  and  property  in 
the  Golden  State,  and  was  officially  designated  as  the  "  Mili- 
tary Department,  Committee  of  Vigilance."  The  civil  law 
was  ineffectual  to  secure  citizens  in  the  rights  of  life  and* 
property,  and,  without  any  design  other  than  the  advance- 
ment of  the  public  good,  the  Vigilance  Committee,  by  the 
action  of  the  civil  authorities,  was  brought  into  antagonism 
with  the  courts,  and  thus  occupied  a  dangerous  position, 
menaced  on  the  one  hand  by  the  lawless  class  so  numerous 
there  at  that  time,  and  on  the  other  by  the  civil  government, 
which  in  every  manner  impeded  its  action  and  crippled  its 
efficiency.  Of  this  body  Mr.  Pinto  became  a  member,  and 
was  placed  in  command  of  a  company  of  100  men.  He  was 
soon  afterward  made  major  of  a  battalion,  and  later  a  colo- 
nel of  a  regiment  of  this  semi-military,  semi-secret  organiza- 
tion, of  which  he  became  Deputy  Grand  Marshal.  When 
Colonel  Pinto  announced  his  intention  of  leaving  California, 
and  tendered  his  resignation  of  these  offices,  he  received  a 
flattering  response  from  Charles  I  Mane.  ( i  rand  Marshal  and 
j  Commander-in-chief  of  the  forces  of  the  Committee  of  Vigil- 
ance, from  which  the  following  extract  is  made. 

"*  ♦  *  You  will  permit  me  to  say  that  I  deeply  regret 
that  any  circumstances  should  render  such  a  step  on  your 
part  necessary,  and  to  add  that  it  affords  me  much  gratifica- 
i  Ion  to  bear  testimony  to  the  energy,  the  zeal,  and  the  ability 
which  has  characterized  your  every  elfort  in  behalf  of  the 
good  cause  in  which  we  are  all  engaged." 


THE  COMMERCE  OE  BROOKLYN. 


655 


About  this  time,  Colonel  Pinto  was  tendered  the  office  of 
Sheriff  of  San  Francisco,  but  refused  to  accept  the  charge, 
though  this  evidence  of  the  confidence  of  many  leading  citi- 
zens must  have  been  very  gratifying.  He  returned  to  New- 
York,  rejoining  his  family  in  July,  1856,  and  lived  in  partial 
retirement  from  business  till  the  outbreak  of  the  Rebellion  in 
1861.  When  asked  by  an  old  friend  if  he  intended  to  go  into 
the  war,  he  replied,  "I  can't  keep  out  of  it."  The  intelli- 
gence that  Fort  Sumter  had  fallen  into  traitorous  hands 
aroused  old  memories  of  the  scenes  of  war;  and  he  at  once  met 
several  kindred  spirits,  mostly  old  Californian  acquaintances, 
among  them,  Ira  P.  Rankin,  who  had  been  appointed  collec- 
tor of  the  port  of  San  Francisco,  the  postmaster  of  San  Fran- 
cisco, the  Superintendent  of  the  Mint  there,  and  Col.  Edward 
D.  Baker,  who  was  killed  early  in  the  war  at  Ball's  Bluff, 
and  the  formation  of  a  regiment  to  represent  California  was 
proposed,  discussed,  and  determined  upon.  It  was  agreed 
that  Colonel  Baker  should  command  this  regiment,  and  that 
Colonel  Pinto  should  ba  its  Lieutenant-Colonel.  Mr.  Roder- 
ick Mattheson  was  also  interested  in  the  proposed  organiza- 
tion. Dissensions  soon  arose,  which  resulted  in  the  form- 
ation of  the  regiment,  with  Mr.  Mattheson  as  Colonel  and 
Mr.  Pinto  as  Lieut. -Colonel.  It  was  known  as  the  32d  N.  Y. 
V.  I.,  and  its  field  officers  and  several  others  of  subordinate 
rank  were  all  men  who  had  been  identified  with  the  wonder- 
ful early  development  of  California.  It  went  into  camp  at 
New  Dorp,  Staten  Island,  early  in  May,  and  left  for  Wash- 
ington in  June,  via  Harrisburg  and  Baltimore,  being  one  of 
the  first  regiments  to  pass  through  the  latter  city  after  the 
disgraceful  mob  attack  there  on  the  Massachusetts  Sixth. 

At  the  first  battle  of  Bull  Run,  the  32d  was  in  reserve  on 
Centreville  Heights,  and  was  engaged  until  midnight  in 
barricading  the  roads  leading  to  Bull  Run  Creek  with  rails 
and  other  obstructions.  They  were  greatly  surprised  to 
learn  that  the  Unionists  had  been  defeated  and  were  fleeing 
toward  Washington.  Upon  reaching  the  road  to  Alexandria 
the  regiment  met  the  wreck  of  the  Federal  commissary  and 
ammunition  wagons.  The  32d  w%s,  doubtless,  the  last  regi- 
ment to  leave  that  fatal  field.  Going  into  camp  at  Fairfax 
Court-H  >use  until  daylight,  it  continued  the  retreat  to  Alex- 
andria the  following  morning,  every  man  accounted  for, 
conveying  all  of  its  disabled  men  in  an  ambulance  which 
was  found  tongueless  by  the  wayside,  and  propelled  by  will- 
ing hands  by  means  of  a  rope  attached  to  it,  and  which  Gen. 
Franklin  said  should  thenceforward  belong  to  the  regiment. 
At  West  Point,  Va.,  where,  May  7th,  1862,  the  Unionists,  un- 
der Franklin  and  Sedgwick,  defeated  a  considerable  force  of 
Confederates  under  Whiting,  the  32d  took  a  prominent  part, 
losing  two  captains  killed  and  several  lieutenants  and  a  num- 
ber of  men  killed  and  wounded,  and  was  complimented  for 
its  bravery  in  a  speech  by  General  Newton.  The  regiment 
was  more  or  less  actively  engaged  in  the  seven  days'  fight 
on  the  Peninsula,  at  Gaines'  Mills,  at  White  Oak  Swamp,  at 
Malvern  Hill,  and  at  the  second  battle  of  Bull  Run.  While 
lying  at  Harrison's  Landing,  Lieutenant-Colonel  Pinto  had 
been  detailed  to  command  the  31st  New  York,  and  was  in 
the  discharge  of  that  duty  at  the  time  of  the  last  great  battle 
named,  protecting  the  Orange  and  Alexandria  Railroad  from 
Alexandria  to  Fairfax  Court-House.  Early  in  the  morning,  it 
was  found  that  the  enemy  had  burned  a  bridge  near  there. 
Soon  afterward,  Colonel  Pinto  discovered  the  telegraph  oper- 
ator hidden  in  the  woods,  where  he  had  fled  from  his  post, 
and  telegraphed  General  Slocum  that  his  force  was  too  weak 
to  extend  his  lines  any  further  and  properly  protect  the  road. 
About  noon,  General  Shaler's  old  regiment  came  to  reinforce 
him,  and  the  following  night  the  regiment  withdrew  to 
Alexandria. 


On  the  14th  of  September,  at  the  storming  of  Crampton's 
Pass,  Colonel  Pinto  commanded  the  Union  left,  consisting 
of  the  31st  N.  Y.  and  the  95th  Penn.  The  pass  was  defend- 
ed by  Georgia  troops  under  command  of  Howell  Cobb. 
Col.  Pinto's  command  on  this  occasion  captured  captured 
more  prisoners  than  he  had  men.  During  this  engagement, 
Colonel  Mattheson  and  Major  Lemon,  of  the  32d  N.  Y.,  were 
both  mortally  wounded.  On  the  morning  of  the  17th,  the 
division  was  ordered  to  join  M'Clellan  before  Antietam.  On 
the  march,  the  32d  being  without  a  field  officer,  its  officers 
requested  of  General  Newton  that  Lieutenant-Colonel  Pinto 
be  ordered  to  assume  command  of  that  regiment,  and  he  was 
soon  at  its  bead;  and  about  noon  that  day  the  regiment  ar- 
rived on  the  field  of  Antietam,  and,  with  the  balance  of  the 
division,  was  ordered  to  support  the  batteries  on  the  right  of 
the  Union  line,  which  at  this  time  were  unsupported  on  ac- 
count of  the  severe  fighting  during  the  morning.  Scarcely 
had  Colonel  Pinto  placed  his  regiment  in  position,  when  his 
horse  was  wounded  by  a  ball  from  the  rifle  of  a  rebel  sharp- 
shooter. A  contemplated  attack  on  this  point  was  abandoned 
by  the  Confederates,  when  it  was  seen  that  the  batteries 
were  now  protected.  The  regiment  remained  on  the  skir- 
mish line  all  night  and  during  the  next  day,  in  the  course  of 
which  a  flag  of  truce  appeared  in  front  of  the  32d.  It  was 
met  by  the  Adjutant,  who  brought  to  Colonel  Pinto  a  pen- 
ciled note  addressed  to  the  Commander  of  the  Federal  out- 
posts, requesting  the  remains  of  a  certain  South  Carolinian 
Colonel  who  had  fallen  within  the  Union  lines.  Col.  Pinto 
conferred  with  Generals  Franklin,  Slocum  and  Newton, 
who  recommended  his  compliance  with  the  request.  The 
body  was  found  and  passed  through  the  picket  line  to  the 
enemy. 

Not  long  after  this,  Colonel  Pinto  declined  a  commission  as 
Colonel  of  the  31st.  in  order  to  accept  the  colonelcy  of  his 
old  regiment,  the  32d.  This  regiment,  with  Colonel  Pinto  in 
command,  participated  in  the  battle  of  Fredericksburg  the 
following  December,  crossing  the  Rappahannock  at  the 
lower  crossing  and  advancing  in  a  dense  fog,  deployed  as 
skirmishers,  till  the  enemy  were  found  in  the  hills.  At  the 
second  crossing  of  the  Rappahannock,  and  the  engagement 
which  ensued  on  the  almost  impregnable  slopes  beyond 
Fredericksburg,  where  Sedgwick's  grand  division,  consisting 
of  the  Sixth  Corps  and  a  division  of  the  Twentieth,  so 
valiantly  drove  the  Confederates  from  the  entrenchments 
covering  the  rear  of  Lee  (then  fighting  Joe  Hooker  at  Chan- 
cellorsville),  the  32d  formed  a  part  of  the  brigade  which 
crossed  at  night  in  boats  and  surprised  the  enemy's  pickets, 
and  participated  with  great  credit  in  the  engagement  at 
Salem  Heights  which  immediately  followed.  On  the  8th 
of  the  following  month,  the  regiment,  which  had  enlisted 
for  two  years,  was  mustered  out  of  service.  In  a  general 
order  issned  from  the  headquarters  of  the  Sixth  Army  Corps, 
May  23d,  1863,  General  Sedgwick  thus  referred  to  this  re- 
doubtable organization  : 

"  The  loss  of  this  gallant  regiment  from  the  service  is  a 
cause  of  much  regret  to  the  Major-General  commanding. 
The  32d  New  York  Volunteers  has  been  identified  with  the 
Sixth  Army  Corps  from  its  first  organization,  and  has  nobly 
borne  its  part  on  all  occasions,  from  its  earliest  marches 
down  to  the  last  memorable  struggle  at  Salem  Heights.  In 
Maryland  and  Virginia,  upon  many  battle-fields,  the  graves 
of  fallen  but  unforgotten  comrades  attest  the  brave  devotion 
of  the  regiment  to  the  national  cause.  These  are  memories 
of  great  deeds  of  trying  marches,  of  perils  and  fatigues,  that 
should  make  each  soldier  proud  of  his  connection  with  the 
command  and  the  army  of  which  it  was  a  part.  The  General 
commanding  the  Corps  congratulates  the  officers  and  men 
upon  their  honorable  retirement  from  the  service,  and  as- 
sures them  that  they  have  bravely  deserved  the  thanks  of 
the  country  and  the  army." 


656 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Colonel  Pinto  was  brevetted  Brigadier-General  as  a  further 
evidence  of  the  high  esteem  in  which  his  services  were  held 
by  his  superiors  in  command,  lie  retired  to  private  life,  and. 
in  October,  1863,  entered  into  business  at  the  Atlantic  Docks, 
Brooklyn,  in  the  general  storage  business.  He  is  a  Republi- 
can in  politics,  a  member  of  the  Holy  Trinity  Episcopal 
Church  of  Brooklyn,  and  a  liberal  supporter  of  religious  and 
general  charities.  As  a  business  man  he  ranks  high,  carry- 
ing on  extensive  operations  in  his  line  and  is  a  member  of 
the  New  York  Produce  Exchange.  He  will  long  have  a  place 
in  the  memory  of  the  loyal  citizens  of  Brooklyn  as  one  of 
those  Brooklynites  who  aided  in  upholding  the  starry  flag  in 
two  memorable  wars,  and  it  may  be  of  interest  to  future 
generations  to  know  that  he  was  chosen  as  a  member  of  the 
-tall  of  the  Grand  Marshal  on  the  occasion  of  the  centennial 
celebration,  in  1883,  of  the  evacution  of  New  York  by  the 
British. 


James  William  Elwell,  a  prominent  shipping  merchant 
of  New  York  City,  was  born  in  Bath,  Maine,  Augutt  27 
1820,  and  is  a  son  of  the  late  John  Elwell  and  Mary  Spnigue, 
his  wife.  Mr.  Elwell  may  be  said  to  have  inherited  his 
marked  business  ability  and  numerous  virtues  from  a  long 
line  of  sturdy  New  England  ancestors.  Paternally  he  is 
descended  from  the  Elwells  who  landed  at  Boston  in  1636, 
and  moved  to  the  neighborhood  of  Gloucester,  Mass.,  whence 
they  have  scattered  to  different  parts  of  the  country,  notably 
to  Maine,  Broome  county.  New  York,  and  Southern  New 
Jersey.  The  parent  stem  is  still  vigorous  in  Massachusetts 
and  Maine,  and  there  is  a  branch  in  Pennsylvania,  to  which 
Judge  Elwell  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  that  state  belongs. 
On  his  mother's  side  he  comes  of  even  more  ancient  stock, 
the  Spragues  dating  from  1628,  in  which  year  the  ancestors 
of  the  family  landed  at  Plymouth,  Mass.,  and  settled  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Duxbury  and  Marshfield,  in  the  same  state, 
whence  their  progeny  subsequently  scattered  to  Rhode  Island, 
Maine,  and  other  parts  of  the  country.  Mr.  Elwell's  great- 
grandfather. Payn  Elwell,  born  in  Gloucester,  Mass.,  April 
8.  1744.  was  a  worthy  citizen  of  that  town,  and  at  the  age  of 
twenty  years  married  Rebecca  Webber,  by  whom  he  had 
issue  nine  children,  five  of  them  boys.  Payn  Elwell  sur- 
vived his  wife  a  little  over  five  years,  and  died  March  20, 
1820.  His  second  son.  Payn  Elwell,  Jr.,  born  in  New  Glouces- 
ter, Maine,  August  7,  1767.  and  grandfather  of  the  subject  of 
this  sketch,  began  life  as  a  clerk  in  his  father's  store,  in  North 
Yarmouth,  Maine,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-two  was  ad- 
mitted to  partnership.  April  16,  1789,  he  married  a  Miss 
Lucy  Staph  s,  of  North  Yarmouth,  who  bore  him  a  son,  John, 
and  a  daughter.  R-l>ecca.  who  became  the  wife  of  the  Rev. 
David  M.  Mitchell,  of  Waldoboro,  Maine.  In  1807  he  re- 
moved  to  Waldoboro,  Maine  and  established  himself  inde- 
pendently in  business.  He  was  the  founder  of  the  Congre- 
gational ohorch  In  that  place,  and  throughout  life  one  of  its 
most  worthy  anil  active  members,  as  well  as  principal  sup- 
porters, and  held  the  office  of  deacon  from  1808  until  his 
death,  August  21,  1840.  John  Elwell,  his  son,  born  in  North 
Yarmouth,  Maine.  May  17,  17!)0,  received  a  good  common 
school  education,  and  then  entered  his  father's  store  as  clerk, 
carefully  saving  his  earnings  and  making  judicious  Invett- 
ineiits.  and,  with  some  assistance  from  Ins  father,  he  was 
enable.)  to  engage  in  business  on  his  own  account,  which  he 
did  in  Bath.  Maine,  in  1815,  and,  April  22,  1816,  married  the 
daughter  of  Captain  Joseph  Sprague.  of  Topsham,  Maine. 
His  business,  originally  confined  to  general  merchandise, 
gradually  hroidcncd.  until  it  caused  him  to  become  interested 
in  shipping,  and  largely  engaged  in  fitting  and  equipping 


vessels  employed  in  the  fisheries,  and  iD  shipping  their  pro- 
ducts as  well  as  lumber  to  the  West  Indies,  bartering  the 
outward  for  return  cargoes  of  salt,  sugar,  molasses,  coffee, 
and  other  West  India  commodities.  In  1831,  desiring  a  larger 
field  and  greater  facilities  for  his  enterprise,  he  came  to  New 
York  with  a  view  of  establishing  himself  permanently  in  the 
shipping  and  commission  business,  judiciously  leaving  his 
family  behind  him  until  he  had  gained  a  secure  footing. 
Owing  to  the  prevalence  of  Asiatic  cholera  in  the  city  in  1832 
he  did  not  bring  his  family  hither  until  a  year  later,  at  which 
time  he  secured  a  suitable  residence  in  the  village  of  Brook- 
lyn, Long  Island. 

James  W.  Elwell,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  and  son  of  the 
foregoing,  was  put  to  school  in  his  native  place  at  the  tender 
age  of  three  years,  and  when  nine  years  old  entered  the  Bath 
High  School  or  Academy.  In  these  days  of  exhaustive  edu- 
cation, it  may  surprise  the  reader  to  learn  that  the  charges  for 
tuition  at  this  latter  institution,  $4  a  quarter,  were  considered 
quite  high;  and  that,  in  consequence,  the  young  pupil  was 
duly  impressed  with  the  necessity  for  applying  himself  dili- 
gently to  his  studies.  In  1833.  when  the  family  removed  to 
New  York,  James  was  in  his  thirteenth  year.  The  sailing 
vessel  that  transferred  the  family  and  its  household  effects  to 
Brooklyn  was  fourteen  days  in  making  the  voyage  thither 
from  Bath.  The  wonderful  changes  in  Brooklyn  since  Mr. 
Elwell  became  a  resident  therein  may  be  inferred  from  the 
following  particulars  regarding  the  place  at  the  time  of  his 
arrival.  The  house  into  which  the  family  moved  was  situ- 
ated lietween  Fulton  and  Henry  streets,  in  Pierrepont  street, 
which  was  then  the  last  street  opened  south  of  Fulton  ferry, 
and  there  were  very  few  houses  south  of  it.  On  the  east  side 
of  Fulton  street,  Johnson  street  was  the  last  street  opened. 
Nearlyr  opposite  the  Elwells'  house  were  the  Pierrepont  corn- 
fields, and  where  the  Court-house  now  stands  a  Frenchman 
named  Duflon  kept  a  public  house,  with  which  he  had  con- 
nected a  garden,  known  as  "  Military  Garden."'  This  house 
was  the  first  stopping  place  for  travelers  leaving  the  settled 
part  of  the  village.  The  site  of  the  present  City  Hall  was  a 
pasture,  surrounded  by  a  post  and  rail  fence.  In  the  rear  of 
the  Elwells'  house  in  Pierrepont  street  was  Love  lane,  in 
which  was  the  residence  of  Hon.  George  Hall,  president  of 
the  village.  At  this  time  there  were  only  three  watchmen  in 
Brooklyn,  and  no  ferry  south  of  Fulton  street  had  then  been 
established. 

In  1833  the  elder  Elwell  formed  a  partnership  with  James 
B.  Taylor,  under  the  style  of  Elwell  &  Taylor,  at  84  Coffee 
House  Slip.  New  York  City;  and  in  the  same  year  his  son 
James  entered  the  house  as  junior  clerk,  a  part  of  his  duty 
being  to  open  the  office  at  six  o'clock  in  the  morning,  a  task 
at  which  he  was  punctual  and  reliable.  In  the  fall  of  the 
year  he  obtained  a  situation  with  James  R.  Gibson,  then  a 
dealer  in  special  produce,  including  lard,  cheese,  barley,  oat- 
meal, lime  juice  and  palm  oil,  at  143  Front  street.  By  the 
terms  of  the  agreement  young  Elwell  was  to  receive  no  sal- 
ary the  first  year,  and  but  $a0  the  second,  as  was  then  the 
custom:  but  he  impressed  his  worthy  employer  so  favorably 
that,  at  the  expiration  of  six  months,  Mr.  Gibson  handed 
him  a  check  for  $25.  saying,  "  James,  your  salary  will  be  $50 
the  first  year.  Nor  was  this  all;  for  when  the  year  expired 
no  account  was  taken  of  this  payment,  nor  of  presents  equal- 
ing $50  in  value,  and  a  check  of  $50  was  paid  as  the  year's 
salary. 

This  liberal  treatment  was  continued  while  he  remained  in 
Mr.  Gibson's  employment;  and,  while  it  reflected  the  highest 
honor  upon  the  kindness  of  heart  of  the  employer,  it  was 
none  the  less  richlv  deserve  1  bv  the  hiy,  who  proved  worthy 
of  every  Q  mfidenee.    The  duties  of  the  latter  obliged  him  to 


THE  G  OMMER  CE  OF  BR  0  O  KL  YN. 


657 


rise  before  daybreak,  and  after  breakfast,  by  candle-light,  to 
hasten  through  the  village  streets,  dimly  lighted  by  oil  lamps 
few  and  far  between,  to  Fulton  Ferry,  where  be  crossed  the 
river  on  the  old  "  double  boats  "  then  in  use,  reaching  New 
York  as  early  risers  were  giving  signs  of  awakening.  At  the 
age  of  fifteen  he  was  in  full  charge  of  his  employer's  busi- 
ness. In  those  days  the  salaries  of  clerks  were  small  in  com- 
parison with  those  now  paid,  ani  scarcely  half  the  number  of 
clerks  now  deemed  necessary  were  employed.  Copying 
presses  were  not  generally  in  use,  and  duplicate  letters,  in- 
voices, and  accounts  were  consequently  copied  by  hand.  The 
office?  and  stores  were  generally  kept  open  evenings,  when 
the  letters  were  written  and  the  business  of  the  day  entered 
and  posted  in  the  books.  Association,  even  in  a  subordinate 
position,  with  a  man  of  Mr.  Gibson's  kindly  nature  and  high 
regard  for  principle,  could  not  but  leave  its  legitimate  im- 
pression upon  a  pure-minded  youth,  and  doubtless  this  asso- 
ciation had  a  great  deal  to  do  with  the  formation  of  young 
Elwell's  character.  In  the  spring  of  1838  Mr.  Gibson  retired 
from  active  business,  and  soon  after  James,  then  a  youth  of 
eighteen,  was  taken  into  partnership  with  his  father,  the  style 
of  the  firm  being  Jolm  Elwell  &  Co.,  and  its  place  of  business 
57  South  street. 

Together,  John  and  James  W.  Elwell,  established  lines  of 
sailing  vessels  for  the  ports  of  Savannah,  Charleston,  Mobile, 
and  New  Orleans,  and,  receiving  consignments  of  vessels 
and  merchandise,  extended  their  business  of  freighting  to 
the  West  Indies,  South  America,  Europe  and  the  East 
Indies.  The  firm  of  John  Elwell  &  Co.  continued  until 
August,  1847,  when  it  was  dissolved  by  the  death  of  the 
senior  partner,  Mr.  Elwell's  father.  After  carrying  on  the 
business  in  his  own  name  for  five  years,  Mr.  Elwell  asso- 
ciated with  him  his  brother,  Charles  Frederick  Elwell,  until 
then  a  clerk  in  his  employ,  and  also  his  bookkeeper,  Thomas 
Besant,  the  firm  opening  in  January,  1852,  as  James  W.  El- 
well &  Co.  In  1854,  Mr.  Bezant  retired,  and  since  then  the 
business  has  been  carried  on  by  the  two  brothers,  who  still 
remain  in  the  premises,  No.  57  South  street,  which  have 
been  occupied  by  the  Elwells,  father  and  son,  for  nearly  half 
a  century. 

In  July,  1814,  Mr.  Elwell  married  Miss  Olivia  P.  Robinson, 
daughter  of  Benjamin  Robinson,  of  Bath,  Me.,  who  died 
February,  1851.  Three  children  were  the  issue  of  this  mar- 
riage. In  May,  1852,  he  was  again  married  to  Lucy  E.  K. 
Scinson,  of  Bath,  Me.,  daughter  of  David  Stinson.  One  son, 
who  died  in  infancy,  and  two  daughters,  Lucy  S.  and  Jane 
Reed,  both  living,  were  the  issue  of  this  marriage.  Mr.  El- 
well's mother  died  in  Brooklyn,  September,  1857.  His 
youogest  sister,  Frances,  married  the  Hon.  Henry  A.  Moore, 
County  Judge  of  Kings  County,  New  York,  an  office  he  is 
now  holding  for  the  fourth  term.  Mr.  Elwell's  career  in  life 
has  been  no  less  active  than  exemplary,  and  he  has  been 
honored  by  his  brother  merchants  with  a  very  large  number 
of  responsible  positions  and  trusts  in  mercantile  corporations 
and  associations.  He  became  connected  with  the  old  Mer- 
chants' Exchange,  in  1838,  and  is  still  an  active  member  of 
its  successor,  the  New  York  Produce  Exchange,  and  one  of  its 
Arbitration  Committee — a  court  of  equity  with  the  powers 
of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  State.  On  this  important  com- 
mittee he  has  served  five  consecutive  terms.  He  was  elected  a 
member  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce  in  1855,  and  has  served 
on  several  of  its  important  committees,  among  them  that  on 
Foreign  Commerce  and  Revenue  Laws,  of  which  he  has 
been  chairman  upwards  of  ten  years.  He  is  one  of  the 
oldest,  and,  it  need  scarcely  be  said,  most  esteemed  members 
of  this  representative  body  of  merchants.  He  was  one  of 
the  original  incorporators  of  the  Ship  Owners'  Association, 


and  also  of  the  Marine  Bank,  and  is  now  the  oldest  director 
of  the  latter.  He  has  likewise  been  prominent  in  the  or- 
ganization and  direction  of  a  large  number  of  thriving  insur- 
ance companies,  savings  banks,  and  leading  railroad  com- 
panies, many  of  the  last  named  being  among  the  principal 
avenues  of  commerce  in  the  Western  States. 

So  far  from  finding  himself  embarrassed  by  these  numerous 
and  important  trusts,  Mr.  Elwell  continues  to  give  them  bis 
closest  attention,  and  withal  finds  ample  time  to  devote  to  the 
interest  and  advancement  of  many  associations  devoted  to 
works  of  religion  and  benevolence.  For  more  than  twenty 
years  he  was  a  trustee  of  the  American  Congregational 
Union,  and  is  now  one  of  its  vice-presidents ;  and  for  the 
same  period  he  has  been  a  trustee  of  the  Seaman's  Friend 
Society,  of  New  York,  and  of  the  City  Mission  and  Tract 
Society,  of  the  City  of  Brooklyn,  and  president  of  the 
Board  of  Trustees  of  the  Clinton  Aramc  Congregational 
Church.  He  was  a  trustee  in  the  New  York  Port  Society  for 
years,  and  organized  the  Helping  Hand  Society,  of  Brooklyn, 
of  which  he  has  ever  since  been  president.  He  also  founded, 
with  several  others,  the  Home  for  Friendless  Women  and 
Children,  in  Brooklyn.  In  the  progress  and  advancement  of 
the  Brooklyn  Orphan  Asylum  he  has  taken  a  fatherly 
interest,  and  is  a  member  of  its  Advisory  Board  of  Mana- 
gers. Of  the  Fresh  Air  Fund,  one  of  the  most  worthy 
charities  of  the  city,  which  had  for  its  object  the  taking  of 
poor,  delicate,  and  sickly  women  and  children  on  short  ex- 
cursions to  the  country  and  seaside  for  the  restoration  of 
health  and  strength,  he  was,  for  a  long  time,  president,  and 
has  always  been  a  liberal  contributor.  He  is  also  a  life  mem- 
ber and  a  member  of  the  Boards  of  Advisors  of  many  of  the 
other  leading  public  charitable  and  benevolent  societies  in 
New  York  and  Brooklyn,  including  the  Mariners'  Family 
Asylum,  Staten  Island,  and  an  officer  in  several  of  them. 
He  is  also  a  trustee  of  the  Children's  Aid  Society,  and  the 
Brooklyn  Dispensary,  and  on  the  Advisory  Board  of  Mount 
Prospect  Industrial  School  Society  and  Brooklyn  Retreat  for 
Insane  Females. 

Space  does  not  permit  a  more  complete  enumeration  of 
the  various  charitable  works  with  which  he  has  been  actively 
and  responsibly  connected  ;  for  a  volume  would  be  required 
to  give  anything  lilse  a  full  account  of  the  good  work  he  has 
inaugurated,  organized  and  furthered.  From  his  purse, 
which  is  as  open  as  his  heart,  more  than  three  hundred 
churches,  missions,  Sabbath-schools,  asylums,  hospitals,  dis- 
pensaries and  homes,  have,  for  many  years,  received  sub- 
stantial aid.  In  Brooklyn  alone,  he  has  contributed  to  the 
erection  and  support  of  more  than  fifty  churches,  mission 
enterprises,  and  charitable  institutions  ;  and,  from  the  re- 
ports of  the  different  organizations  assisted,  and  with  his 
private  acts  of  benevolence  which  are  well  known,  it 
appears  that  his  charitable  benefactions  must  already  exceed 
half  a  million  of  dollars. 

Mr.  Elwell  was  always  an  old  line  Whig,  and  voted  with 
that  party  until  the  Republican  party  was  formed,  since 
which  time  be  has  not  allied  himself  with  any  political  fac- 
tion, but  has  voted  independently,  endeavoring  to  select  the 
best  men,  in  bis  judgment,  to  fill  the  official  station  for  which 
they  were  nominated ;  and,  in,  local  matters  especially,  he 
has,  at  times,  refrained  from  voting  for  certain  candidates, 
not  knowing  them  personally,  and  feeling  uncertain  as  to 
their  qualifications.  During  our  late  unfortunate  civil  war, 
he  rendered  marked  service  to  the  Union  cause,  aiding,  by 
pecuniary  assistance  and  influence,  the  organizing  and 
equipping  of  several  regiments,  as  well  as  paying  the  bounty 
for  five  substitutes  for  himself,  besides  caring  for  their  fami- 
lies during  their  absence.    At  the  great  Sanitary  Fair,  held 


658 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


in  the  city  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  during  the  war,  lie  was 
prominent  in  organizing  a  department  of  it  called  the  New 
England  Kitchen,  which  proved  a  great  success  financially. 
He  devoted  his  entire  time  to  it  for  more  than  two  weeks. 

Mr.  Elwell  was  brought  up  and  baptized  in  the  Congrega- 
tional faith,  of  which  church  denomination  his  parents  were 
members,  but  when  the  family  removed  to  Brooklyn,  N.  Y., 
there  being  no  church  of  that  denomination  there,  his 
parents  united  with  the  First  Presbyterian  church,  then 
located  in  Cranberry  street,  and  there  they  remained  atten- 
dants until  their  decease.  In  1854,  Mr.  Elwell  connected 
himself  with  the  Clinton  Avenue  Congregational  Church 
Society,  the  late  Rev.  W.  I.  Buddington,  D.D.,  pastor,  but 
did  not  become  a  member  until  January  3,  18G4,  and  at  this 
church  he  still  worships.  He  lias,  for  nearly  thirty  years, 
seated  t lie  strangers  who  attended  service,  and  welcomed  all 
who  came  to  the  House  of  God  to  worship.  During  the 
same  period  he  has  been  on  the  pew  committee,  attending 
to  their  rental.  One  rule  has  been  carried  out  by  the  trus- 
tees of  that  church,  which  is,  that  no  member  of  the 
church,  who  was  unable  to  pay  his  rent,  should  be  obliged  to 
vacate  his  pew  or  sitting,  but  should  be  permitted  to  retain 
it  until  able  to  pay.  He  has  seen  a  large  number  of  men, 
women  and  children,  who  came  to  worship,  gone,  he 
trusts,  to  worship  in  the  Temple  of  God,  in  Heaven. 

Three  of  the  characteristics  of  this  philanthropic  citizen 
and  upright  business  man  reveal  at  once  the  manliness, 
purity  and  simplicity  of  his  nature;  these  are,  his  respect 
for  t lie  aged,  his  love  for  children,  and  his  passion  for 
(lowers.  Of  unpretending  manners,  yet  dignified  appear- 
ance, he  impresses  one  above  all  with  the  .kindliness  and 
charity  of  his  heart;  anil  even  in  commercial  affairs,  he 
allows  the  freest  and  most  Christian  latitude  to  his  generous 
impulses,  and  seems  a  living  refutation  of  the  oft  repeated 
but  sordid  maxim  that  there  is  no  friendship  in  business. 


DANIEL  AMBROSE,  M.  D. 
This  gentleman  was  born  Novemlier  14,  1843,  in  the  county 
of  Limerick,  Ireland;  aud,  on  t lie  paternal  side,  belongs  to  a 
family  in  which  the  healing  art  seems  to  be  hereditary,  no 
less  than  ten  of  his  family  name  and  kinship  being,  during 
the  past  fifty  years,  in  t lie  medical  profession,  among  whom 
is  his  brother.  Dr.  J.  K.  Ambrose,  Coroner  (1883)  of  Rich- 
mond county,  N.  Y.  His  father,  Stephen  Ambrose,  died 
when  he  was  about  three  years  of  age.  Stephen  was  the  son 
of  John  Ambrose,  who,  was  a  man  noted  for  his  upright 
character.  He  died  some  fifteen  years  ago  at  a  very  advanced 
age.  He  was  the  owner  in  fee  of  his  native  place  at  Dungan- 
ville.  On  the  maternal  side.  Dr.  Ambrose  is  descended  from 
a  family  who  were,  for  centuries,  Chieftains  of  Ormond. 
They  suffered  during  the  various  wars  and  confiscations 
of  the  country,  and  were  finally  entirely  dispossessed  of  their 
patrimony  by  Cromwell,  the  fanatical  zeal  of  whose  fol- 
lower caused  them  l<>  frequently  discard  the  usages  of 
civili/.ed  warfare  in  their  treatment  of  those  whom  the  for- 
tunes of  war  placed  at  their  mercy.  The  tragic  fate  of  the 
last  who  held  out  with  the  confederated  forces  against  the 
Oroin wellian  invaders,  is  thus  told  by  Morismi,  a  contem- 
porary historian  and  eye-witness,  whose  work  "  The  Thre- 
nodia,"  was  published  at  Inspruck  in  1659. 

"  The  illustrious  Colonel  John  O* Kennedy,  a  man  of  the 
utmost  integrity,  was  slain  by  the  swords  of  the  eneiny  after 
their  faith  had  been  pledged  to  him  in  battle.  His  bead  was 
then  i  ut  ofT  and  fastened  on  a  spike  in  the  town  of  Nenagh, 

A.  D.  1651. 

••James  <  "Kennedy,  son  of  the  aforesaid  illustrious 
gentleman,  a  \<mth  of  great  hopes,   being  deluded  with 


similar  pledges  of  good  faith,  was  executed  also  at  Nenagh, 
A.  D.  1651." 

A  young  son  with  two  other  children  escaped  from  the 
general  massacre,  settled  and  prospered  in  the  neighboring 
county,  aud  from  him  James  O'Kennedy,  or  Kennedy,  as 
some  spelled  the  name,  the  maternal  grandfather  of  Dr.  Am- 
brose, was  fourth  in  descent.  He  died  in  1819,  and  was  buried 
in  the  cemetery  of  Auhid  with  many  generations  of  his 
kindred;  among  others  his  father,  and  uncle  Mark  Kennedy. 
Among  the  children  of  the  latter  was  a  son  of  the  same 
name,  Lieutenant  in  the  66th  Infantry,  who  died  young,  aud 
a  daughter  who  married  Mr.  John  White,  of  Enuis.  Their 
only  child  surviving  at  their  death,  was  a  young  lady  of 
rare  virtues,  who.  dying  at  an  early  age  at  the  commence- 
ment of  this  century,  left  upwards  of  .£30,000  to  works 
of  charity  and  benevolence.  In  Lexihan's  History  of 
Limerick  are  extended  particulars  of  the  benevolence  of 
various  members  of  the  family,  including  an  account  of  Miss 
White's  endowment  of  the  College  of  Park,  near  the  city; 
and  of  her  conversion  of  a  former  theatre  into  the  Church  of 
St.  Augustine,  which  she  presented  to  the  Fathers  of  that 
Order,  and  which,  located  on  George  street,  has  since  been 
their  house  of  worship.  There  is  a  very  handsome  monument 
erected  to  her  memory  in  the  family  burying-ground  above 
mentioned.  The  father  of  James  O'Kennedy  married  one  of 
the  McMahons  of  Court,  who  also  suffered  severely  in  the 
Penal  days.  His  grandfather  married  a  member  of  the 
Cantillon  family,  then,  and  still,  large  lauded  proprietors  in 
the  county.  Another  member  of  this  family,  a  daughter  of 
Robert  Cantillon,  married  Maurice  O'Connell,  of  Derrynane 
Abbey,  whose  younger  brother  was  the  father  of  Daniel 
O'Connell.  styled  the  "  Liberator." 

Daniel  Ambrose,  the  subject  of  this  sketch  received  a  pre- 
paratory education  at  the  best  classical  schools  in  Ireland, 
and,  in  his  seventeenth  year,  took  up  the  study  of  medicine 
in  the  medical  schools  and  hospitals  of  Dublin.  In  1864  he 
received  the  diploma  of  a  licentiate  of  the  Royal  College  of 
Surgeons  in  Ireland,  and  in  1865  was  made  a  Doctor  in  Medi- 
cine of  the  Queen's  University,  and  received  the  diploma  of 
licentiate  of  the  King  and  Queen's  College  of  Physicians  in 
Ireland.  Before  the  close  of  the  last  mentioned  year,  he 
came  to  the  United  States,  aud  located  in  Brooklyn,  where 
he  has  since  resided,  during  the  last  fifteen  years,  at  his 
present  residence,  No.  97  Second  Place.  His  success  in  his 
profession  was  rapid,  and  he  soon  obtained  a  large  and  lucra- 
tive practice.  In  1866,  he  joined  the  Kings  County  Medical 
Society,  of  which  he  is  still  a  member.  He  was  connected 
with  St.  Mary's  Hospital.  Brooklyn,  at  its  inception,  and  in 
1875  was  appointed  by  the  Commissioners  of  Charities  of 
Kings  county,  physician  to  their  Department.  The  Brooklyn 
/Ves.v,  of  June  29,  1873,  speaking  of  him,  says: 

"  Dr.  Ambrose  is  building  up  a  splendid  practice  in  Brook- 
lyn. His  thorough  European  education  and  experience, 
emphatic  though  brief,  because  the  Doctor  is  still  a  young 
man,  has  its  proper  weight,  and  it  is  sate  to  affirm  that  no 
physician  in  this  city  has  finer  prospects,  and  none  has  de- 
served them  more." 

In  1867,  Dr.  Ambrose  married  Miss  Anna  Parker,  onlj  child 
of  James  Parker,  at  whose  death,  which  occurred  when  she 
was  but  one  year  old,  she  became  the  ward  of  the  Lord 
Chancellor  of  Ireland,  and  so  continued  until  she  attained 
her  majority  ;  her  mother  being  a  daughter  of  John 
O'Connell,  of  a  very  old  and  respectable  family.  James 
Parker  was  the  son  of  Richard,  whose  father  in  the  olden 
times  was  a  very  prospeious  merchant  and  owner  of  vessels 

plying  on  the  river  Shannon.    Tin  ither  of  James  Parker 

was  Anna,  daughter  of  Thomas  Jacques,  w  ho  was  descended 
from  a  Huguenot  family,  which  emigrated  from  France  in 
the    evcntccntii  century,  and    .ettled   in    Inland.  Ibomai 


THE  COMMERCE  OF  BROOKLYN. 


659 


saw  extensive  service  in  the  British  navy,  and  fought  with 
Nelson  in  all  the  naval  battles  of  the  Mediterranean  and 
the  Nile,  and  was  engaged  in  the  famous  naval  fight  at 
Trafalgar  in  1805,  in  which  the  great  admiral  lost  his  life. 
He  was  the  son  of  Luke,  the  son  of  Isaac  Jacques,  who  was 
mayor  of  the  city  of  Limerick  over  one  hundred  years  ago, 
and  whose  monument  still  exists  in  St.  John's  Protestant 
Church  in  that  city,  of  which  church  he  and  his  family  were 
members. 

While  at  the  zenith  of  success,  in  1879,  Dr.  Ambrose  was 
obliged  to  suspend  the  active  practice  of  his  profession  on 
account  of  his  suffering  from  catarrh,  with  which  so  many 
persons  are  afflicted  along  the  Atlantic  seaboard,  and  especi- 
ally physicians,  owing  to  their  frequent  exposure  in  all  kinds 
of  weather.  Being  of  an  active  temperament,  he  could  not 
remain  idle,  and  he  associated  himself  with  his  cousin,  Mr. 
John  W.  Ambrose,  of  New  York,  whose  firm  of  Mills  & 
Ambrose  had  just  then  completed  the  contract  for  the  con- 
struction of  the  Second  Avenue  Elevated  Railroad  in  the 
city  of  New  York. 

John  W.  Ambrose  is  a  gentleman  of  rare  energy,  abil- 
ity and  executive  qualities,  and  his  indomitable  persever- 
ance, together  with  the  magnitude  of  his  works,  have  placed 
him  in  the  foremost  ranks  of  the  contractors  of  this  country, 
his  operations  having  necessitated  the  employment  of  6,000 
men  at  one  time.  Together  they  purchased,  in  December, 
1879,  the  large  tract  of  water  front  between  Twenty-sixth 
and  Twenty-eighth  streets,  Brooklyn,  and  from  the  vicinity 
of  Third  avenue  to  the  channel  line  of  Gowanus  bay,  con- 
taining about  twenty-seven  acres.  They  immediately  com- 
menced operations,  in  which  they  were  joined  about  six 
months  subsequently  by  Mr.  Robert  J.  Mills,  of  New  York 
city.  The  general  plan  or  scheme  of  these  gentlemen  em- 
braced the  establishment  of  dry  docks,  piers,  a  series  of 
warehouses,  and,  indeed,  such  other  improvements  as  the 
enterprise  would  from  time  to  time  develop.  They  built 
large  and  powerful  steam  dredges  and  scows  of  the  largest 
capacity,  for  the  purpose  of  dredging,  so  as  to  make  deep 
water,  and  carrying  the  excavated  material  to  sea,  for  which 
object  they  had  steam  tugs  of  great  towing  capacity.  April 
23d,  1882,  the  Brooklyn  Eagle  devoted  much  space  to  a  re- 
view of  this  enterprise,  saying,  among  other  things: 

"  In  short,  it  was  the  practical  rescue  by  capital  of  what 
had  hitherto  been  only  a  vast  expanse  of  water  and  swamp, 
and  its  subordination  to  the  spirit  of  progress.  Since  that 
time  one-half  of  the  property,  including  that  part  between 
Twenty-sixth  and  Twenty-seventh  streets,  or  a  little  over 
two  hundred  lots,  by  making  deep  water,  sinking  cribs  and 
building  land  behind  them,  has  been  improved.  There  is 
sufficient  water  to  allow  vessels  to  come  in  and  out,  and  the 
cribs  have  been  sunk  to  a  distance  or  depth  sufficient  to  float 
the  largest  vessels  that  come  to  this  port,  thus  anticipating 
by  a  year  or  two  the  dredging  of  the  channel  by  the  United 
States  Government.  *****  Continuing 
the  march  of  improvement  the  company  built  from  the  bulk- 
head line  to  the  external  or  pier  line,  a  distance  of  about 
700  feet,  two  pile  piers,  between  which  were  placed  two  im- 
mense sectional  dry  docks.  These  docks  are  capable  of 
lifting  the  heaviest  ships,  and  have  all  the  appliances  known 
to  modern  ship-building.  Since  their  construction  they  have 
been  in  constant  use.  The  advantages  accruing  from  the 
situation  of  the  docks  are  :  their  central  location,  abundant 
space,  immunity  from  the  depredations  of  river  thieves, 
freedom  from  the  commercial  annoyances  of  low  tides,  and 
their  constant  employment  of  large  numbers  of  men  who 
have  came  from  New  York  and  other  cities  to  reside  per- 
manently in  Brooklyn,  and  thus  contribute  to  the  bone  and 
the  sinew  of  its  working  community.  From  trustworthy 
sources  it  is  estimated  that,  owing  to  the  influx  of  popula- 
tion by  reason  of  this  great  commercial  improvement  of  the 
city,  over  half  a  million  dollars  is  distributed  annually, 
while  small  houses  in  the  vicinity  of  the  ship  yards  are  in 
the  greatest  demand  by  the  families  of  mechanics  who  have 


come  to  stay,  and  who  cou&titute  a  little  settlement  of  their 
own.  One  of  the  many  interesting  features  in  connection 
with  the  improvement  of  this  property  is  the  eight  great  tab- 
ular wells,  located  at  a  depth  of  about  60  feet,  and  which 
furnish  a  supply  of  fresh,  delicious  water,  limited  only  by 
the  capacity  of  the  pipes  sunk.  From  this  source  20,000 
gallons  of  water  per  hour  are  obtained,  and  the  supply  can 
be  increased  almost  indefinitely.  It  is  distributed  in  six- 
inch  pipes  over  a  great  part  of  the  property,  and  through 
these  are  numerous  taps  and  nozzles,  ready  at  any  time  to  be 
brought  into  requisition,  either  for  general  use  or  in  case  of 
fire  or  other  emergencies." 

The  water  has  been  analyzed  and  found  to  be  free  from 
any  substances  deleterious  either  for  drinking  purposes  or 
boiler  use,  and  it  is  worthy  of  note  in  this  connection,  that 
the  system  so  successfully  introduced  by  Dr.  Ambrose  and 
his  associates  was,  not  long  afterward,  adopted  by  the  city  of 
Brooklyn  in  furnishing  a  water  supply  to  its  rapidly  aug- 
menting population.    The  writer  in  the  Eagle  continues  : 

"  On  the  piers  and  slips  running  away  out  into  the 
water  and  inviting,  as  it  were,  the  merchantmen  of  distant 
shores  to  come  into  a  safe  and  convenient  harbor,  is  a  little 
village  of  store-houses,  blacksmith  shops,  offices  and  other 
buildings.  Probably  the  most  attractive  of  these  is  the  ele- 
gant office  occupied  as  the  business  headquarters  on  the  dock, 
which  is  built  on  pile  foundations  in  order  to  make  it  as  sub-  ' 
stantial  in  construction  as  possible.  In  imitation  of  corru- 
gated iron,  and  both  finished  and  furnished  in  hard  woods, 
it  marks  a  happy  combination  of  commerce  and  art.  From 
the  balcony  of  the  second  story  a  bird*s-eye  view  of  the  ac- 
tive, busy  scene  below  and  the  superb  water  front  is  pre- 
sented, while  a  perfect  forest  of  masts  rises  up  toward  the 
sky,  emblematical  in  its  upward  tendency  of  Brooklyn's 
commercial  future.  Along  the  4,000  feet  of  river  front  may 
be  seen  the  winter  quarters  of  numerous  yachts,  excursion 
boats  and  steamers.  Only  a  short  distance  further  off  are  a 
number  of  vessels  used  in  the  North  river  freight  trade,  one 
of  the  Old  Dominion  line  of  steamers,  and  several  vessels 
which  have  either  been  on  the  dry  docks,  or  awaiting  their 
turn  for  repairing  to  be  done.  Over  toward  the  extreme 
river  front  the  Iron  Steamboat  Company  has  leased  for  five 
years  about  700  feet  of  the  dock,  which  is  to  be  occupied  as 
a  depot  for  its  boats  in  winter,  as  a  storage  place  at  nights  in 
summer,  owing  to  the  inadequacy  of  accommodations  in 
New  York  for  that  purpose,  as  a  coaling  bunk,  and  to  take 
in  water  for  the  boilers  from  the  capacious  water  works 
already  described.  The  superintendent  of  the  company 
*****  has  his  office  on  the  dock, 
thus  bringing  to  this  city,  in  fact,  at  least  $100,000  to  be  dis- 
tributed, owing  to  the  employment  given  by  the  company 
to  representatives  of  many  families  living  in  the  vicinity. 
The  seven  great  boats  of  the  line,  named  after  the  constella- 
tions by  Rufus  Hatch,  of  New  York,  and  beginning  with 
Taurus,  "The  Bull,"  a  gentle  reminder  of  the  animals  which 
are  supposed  to  frequent  Wall  street,  in  midday,  attract  the 
eye  of  the  visitor  by  the  grace  and  symmetry  of  their  pro- 
portions. Looking  in  another  direction  may  be  seen  the 
dredging  machines  busily  at  work  in  Gowanus  bay,  lifting 
up  huge  buckets  full  of  mud  and  constructing  a  channel 
which  will  enable  the  largest  European  ocean  steamers  to 
avail  themselves  of  Brooklyn's  commercial  advantages.  The 
bay  is  being  dredged  to  a  depth  of  19  feet  at  low  water,  or 
24  feet  at  high  water,  the  contract  having  been  awarded  to 
J.  W.  Ambrose  &  Company,  who  were  the  lowest  bidders. 
It  will  cost  about  $150,000  when  completed.  *  *  *  * 
The  intention  is  to  erect  warehouses  for  the  storing  o*  grain, 
cotton,  tobacco  and  such  other  merchandise  as  may  be 
brought  to  this  post,  and  the  managers  of  the  enterprise  con- 
fidently look  forward  to  a  day  —  and  that  not  a  distant  one 
—  when  that  part  of  the  city  will  be  occupied  by  immense 
buildings  similiar  in  character  to  the  Pierrepont,  Prentice, 
Harbeck  and  Robinson  stores.  *  *  *  In  connec- 
tion with  the  improvements  stated,  notice  should  be  made 
of  the  telephonic  communication  with  New  York,  and  the 
electric  light,  which  is  placed  at  the  end  of  one  of  the  great 
piers,  thus  making  the  neighborhood  at  night  almost  as 
bright  as  day." 

On  the  first  day  of  May,  1882,  a  stock  company  was 
formed  and  incorporated  under  the  name  of  the  Brooklyn 
Water  Front,  Warehouse,  and  Dry  Dock  Company,  and 


660 


HISTORY  OF  KWGS  COUNTY. 


such  was  the  favor  with  which  the  enterprise  was  regarded 
that  the  stock  was  quickly  aud  eagerly  sought  for  by  such 
gentlemen  as  Messrs.  Radcliffe  Baldwin,  the  New  York 
agent  of  the  State  Line  of  Steamers;  John  Williams,  presi- 
dent of  tne  Fulton  Bank,  of  Brooklyn;  H.  P.  De  Graaf, 
president  of  the  Bowery  National  Bank,  of  New  York;  John 
W.  Hunter,  ex-Mayor,  and  James  Weir,  Jr.,  president  of  the 
Board  of  Aldermen,  of  Brooklyn;  David  S.  Arnott;  Richard 
Poillon,  the  eminent  ship  builder  of  New  York,  and  many 
other  prominent  capitalists  of  Brooklyn  and  New  York. 
On  the  organization  of  the  company,  Dr.  Ambrose  was 
elected  one  of  its  directors,  and  such  was  the  confidence  rer 
posed  in  him  by  his  associates  that  he  was  chosen  to  be  the 
treasurer  and  executive  officer  of  the  corporation.  This 
great  interest  has  been  a  complete  success,  and  will  iden- 
tify the  name  of  Dr.  Ambrose  with  Brooklyn  as  long  as 
the  city  shall  exist.  From  present  appearances  it  may  be 
regarded  as  the  precursor  of  a  more  gigantic  enterprise  of 
Que  same  character,  which  promises  to  dwarf,  at  no  far  dis- 
tant day,  the  water  front  improvements  of  Brooklyn  exist- 
ing at  this  time,  the  large  body  of  land  lying  immediately 
south  of  the  property  of  this  corporation,  which  has  hereto- 
fore laid  dormant  and  absolutely  unproductive,  having  re- 
cently been  purchased  by  New  York  capitalists,  some  of 
whom  have  had  their  attention  called  to  the  possibilities 
contingent  upon  the  development  of  the  property  referred  to 
by  the  success  of  the  improvements  of  Dr.  Ambrose  and  his 
associates. 

Politically,  Dr.  Ambrose  has  long  been  allied  to  the  dem- 
ocratic party,  and  on  all  questions  of  national  importance 
has  thought  and  voted  with  that  organization;  but  in 
municipal  affairs  his  politics  may  be  summed  up  in  the  state- 
ment that  he  has  the  best  interests  of  the  city  at  heart,  and 
conscientiously  supports  such  men  and  measures  as  he  be- 
lieves promise  most  on  behalf  of  the  public  good.  The 
demands  of  his  profession  and  of  his  business  interests  have 
been  so  great  upon  his  time  and  energies  that  he  has  never 
had  an  opportunity  to  drift  into  political  life ;  and,  even  had 
such  an  opportunity  presented  itself,  his  inclinations  would 
not  have  allowed  him  to  become  involved  therein.  Of  pro- 
nounced literary  tastes,  he  has  devoted  much  attention  to 
historical  and  general  reading,  aud  traveled  much,  both  in  the 
United  States  and  throughout  Europe.  As  a  gentleman 
of  education  and  a  wide  range  of  information,  socially, 
professionally,  and  in  business  circles,  he  takes  rank  among 
the  best  of  the  Brooklynites  of  this  day  aud  generation. 


Charles  Dennis. — Charles  Dennis  was  born  in  New  Lon- 
don, Conn.,  January  26th,  1821,  the  seventh  child  of  Henry 
and  Sarah  Dennis.  His  ancestors  on  the  paternal  side  were 
Henry  Dennis,  his  father,  who  was  born  in  Norwich,  Conn., 
October  SHh,  1786,  and  married  Sarah  Briggs  June  21st,  1807; 
Samuel  D<  nnis,  hi-  grandfather,  who  was  horn  in  Norwich, 
Conn.,  Ma\  Ith,  1756,  and  married  Eunice  (iallup,  October 
6th,  17s:'.:  lien jamin  Dennis,  his  great-grandfather,  who  was 
born  in  Norwich,  Conn.,  in  1722.  and  married  Thankful  Bliss, 
November  11th,  1746;  Ebenezer  Dennis,  his  great -great-grand- 
father, w  ho  was  horn  in  New  London,  Conn.,  October  23d, 
16M2,  and  married  Deborah  Kly,  of  Lynn,  Conn.,  for  his 
second  Aib  :  andOeoigc  I  lennis.  his  great -great-great-grand- 
father, who  married  Elizabeth,  relict  of  Joshua  Raymond, 
and  who  removed  from  Long  Island  to  New  London,  Conn., 
in  1680. 

Following  is  a  statement  of  Mr.  Dennis's  ancestry  on  the 
maternal  side:  Sarah  Mriggs.  his  mother,  was  born  in  New 
London,  Conn.,  April  19th,  1790;  Fiances  Smith,  his  grand- 
mother,  was   born  in   New   London,   Conn.,  July  21st, 


1765,  aud  was  married  February  14th,  1782,  to  William 
Briggs,  who  was  born  in  Dighton,  Mass.,  December  22d,  1757; 
and  Marcy  Bill,  his  great-grandmother,  who  was  born  in  New 
London,  Conn.,  in  1724,  and  married  May  11th,  1746,  to 
Dayton  Smith,  also  a  native  of  New  London,  who  was  born 
in  1725. 

Mr.  Dennis  was  educated  in  the  best  schools  of  his  native 
State;  and,  in  November,  1838,  came  to  New  York  and  en- 
tered the  employment  of  Charles  H.  Russell  &  Co.,  importers 
of  British  dry  goods,  as  a  junior  clerk.  Here  he  remained 
until  the  autumn  of  1839,  when,  not  liking  the  business,  he 
accepted  a  position  with  the  house  of  E.  D.  Hurlbut  & 
Co.,  shipping  merchants,  with  whom  he  remained  until  the 
summer  of  1842.  He  was  then  appointed  captain's  clerk 
by  Captain  S.  H.  Stringham,  then  about  to  take  the  com- 
mand of  the  United  States  razee  Independence,  the 
flagship  of  Commodore  Charles  Stewart,  commanding 
the  home  squadron.  Mr.  Dennis  made  one  cruise  in 
this  vessel,  over  the  north  and  south  Atlantic  Oceans,  the 
Caribbean  Sea  and  Gulf  of  Mexico.  Captain  Stringham  was  de- 
tached from  the  command  of  the  Independence  in  the  Summer 
of  1843,  and  was  ordered  to  the  command  of  the  Navy  Yard 
at  Brooklyn.  He  took  Mr.  Dennis  with  him,  and  appointed 
him  to  the  clerkship  of  the  commandant  of  the  yard.  Mr. 
Dennis  remained  in  that  service  until  February,  1846,  when 
he  resigned  his  appointment  to  take  a  confidential  po- 
sition in  the  house  of  Goodhue  &  Co.,  which  he  retained  un- 
til January,  1850.  Then  he  was  appointed  to  the  pursership 
of  the  steamship  Baltic,  of  the  Collins  line  of  steamers,  which 
vessel  was  being  at  the  time  fitted  for  sea;  but,  before  she 
was  ready  to  take  her  place  in  the  line,  at  the  request  of 
Messrs.  Walter  R.  Jones,  President,  and  Josiah  L.  Hale,  Vice- 
President  of  the  Atlantic  Mutual  Insurance  Company,  in 
February,  1850,  he  resigned  this  position  to  become  a  clerk 
in  the  office  of  the  corporation  named. 

In  this  clerkship  Mr.  Dennis  started  with  a  number  of 
clerks  in  more  advanced  position,  and  a  lesson  to  the  young 
men  of  this  day  can  with  profit  be  drawn  from  his  conduct. 
He  did  not  rest  content  with  merely  doing  the  work  falling 
to  his  position,  but  he  voluntarily  assisted  others  of  his  fel- 
low clerks  who  were  often  overburdened  with  their  tasks, 
thus  making  him  popular  with  them  and  rendering  him 
familiar  with  their  duties,  and  informing  him  of  the  details 
of  other  deparmentsof  the  business  than  the  one  to  which  he 
was  assigned.  He  contributed  greatly  to  relieve  the  pressure 
on  the  President.  Walter  R.  Jones,  which  was  then  peculiarly 
burdensome  from  his  failing  health,  by  markiug  on  many  of 
the  applications  the  rates  of  premium  made  familiar  to  him 
by  the  routine  work  of  his  own  duties.  This  was  deeply 
appreciated  by  the  President,  and  as  soon  as  opportunity 
came,  from  the  resignation  of  one  officer  and  the  promotion  of 
another,  the  good  President  took  care  that  he  received  his 
reward  by  causing  him  to  be  elected  third  Vice-President 
of  the  company. 

The  same  spirit  of  willingness  to  work,  and,  in  fact,  an 
anxiety  to  do  all  that  he  possibly  could,  quite  irrespective  of 
demand  upon  him,  was  continued,  and  promotion  followed 
as  a  matter  of  course,  so  that  in  February,  1855,  he  was 
elected  Second  Vice-President,  and  one  year  later  (February, 
1856)  First  Vice-President. 

It  might  be  deemed  invidious  to  have  inferred  that  the 
great  success  of  the  Atlantic  Mutual  is  due  to  Mr. 
Dennis  alone.  Not  so.  The  company  has,  ever  since 
its  first  organization,  had  a  number  of  remarkable  men 
as  officers,  and  still  has.  Its  financial  management,  the 
great  discretion  shown  in  producing  such  even  average  re- 
sults of  profits  year  after  year,  in  despite  of  disastrous  seasons 


THE  COMMERCE  01  BROOKLYN.  66l 


and  the  total  destruction  of  other  companies,  is  largely  due  to 
its  President,  Mr.  J.  D.  Jones,  who,  with  his  Secretary,  han- 
dles the  enormous  assets  of  the  company — some  $15, 000, 000 — 
investing  and  reinvesting  as  quietly  as  if  they  were  but  a 
one-hundredth  part  of  the  sum.  Any  bank  would  require  30 
to  40  clerks  to  do  the  same  work;  but  it  is  because  Mr.  Jones 
can  throw  off  the  more  laborious  detail  of  underwriting,  with 
a  certainty  that  it  is  being  well  cared  for  by  Mr.  Dennis  and 
his  aids,  which  enables  him  to  give  much  of  his  care  to  the 
other  branch.  It  is  by  the  combination  of  such  men  that 
such  results  become  possible,  and  each  in  his  own  sphere  is  a 
king.  Mr.  Dennis's  reputation  as  an  underwriter  has  ex- 
tended abroad,  and  at  one  time,  a  few  years  ago,  propositions 
were  made  him  by  a  great  London  company  to  undertake 
its  underwriting,  and  a  salary  of  £10,000  per  annum  was  of- 
fered. Similar  proposals  have  also  been  made  by  local  com- 
panies seeking  to  rival  their  great  competitor,  but  Mr.  Den- 
nis's allegiance  has  been  faithful  to  the  Atlantic,  and  that 
company  will  probably  retain  his  services  and  affections  un- 
til he  closes  his  duties  in  life.  . 

In  September,  1877,  Mr.  Dennis  was  unanimously  elected 
Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Underwriters  of  New  York, 
which  position  he  still  holds.  As  an  authority  on  all 
matters  pertaining  to  insurance,  Mr.  Dennis  takes  the 
highest  rank,  and  his  opinion  is  often  sought  upon  questions 
requiring  the  utmost  nicety  of  discrimination,  coupled  with 
the  most  thorough  knowledge  of  underwriting.  He  is  known 
as  an  industrious  man  in  the  strongest  sense  of  the  term,  and 
he  has  worked  long,  untiringly  and  with  signal  success  for 
the  advancement  of  the  company  with  which  he  is  so  prom- 
inently identified,  and  in  the  management  of  which  he  is  one 
of  the  most  active  and  most  implicitly  trusted,  and  which 
has  attained  the  proud  position  of  being  the  largest  and  most 
important  institution  of  the  kind  in  the  world.  Underwriting, 
more  than  any  other  profession,  demands  a  peculiarly  diver- 
sified talent.  The  underwriter  must  be  more  than  a  good  geog- 
rapher, for  even  the  peculiarities  of  the  harbors  must  be  famil- 
iar to  him.  He  must  be  acquainted  with  the  character  of  the 
lighters  and  small  craft  plying  therein.  He  must  know  not 
only  the  goods  which  usually  come  from  a  foreign  port,  but 
must  know  their  exact  nature,  their  susceptibility  to  damage, 
and  even  how  they  are  packed  and  secured.  He  must  be 
able  to  draw  inferences  from  the  slightest  facts  as  to  the 
character  of  masters  and  merchants,  and  equally  of  the  con- 
struction and  seaworthiness  of  vessels.  He  must  be  familiar 
with  marine  law  and  the  closest  use  of  language,  which  must 
be  in  no  instance  doubtful  or  uncertain  when  employed  in 
the  policy  of  insurance;  and  his  mind  to  admit  claims  must 
be  always  ready  to  yield  its  prejudices,  and  must  have  no 
idiosyncracies.  All  this  Mr.  Dennis  realizes  very  fully,  and 
his  good  health  and  strong  constitution  alone  enables  him  to 
stand  the  enormous  pressure  which  constant  application  to 
the  office  requires. 

Mr.  Dennis  came  to  Brooklyn  in  1838,  and  has  been  a  resi- 
dent of  the  city  ever  since,  taking  a  helpful  interest  in  its 
municipal,  religious,  educational  and  charitable  institutions. 
For  many  years  he  has  been  a  pew-owner  in  Plymouth 
Church,  and  is  regarded  by  the  friends  of  that  celebrated  or- 
ganization as  one  of  its  most  steadfast  and  liberal  supporters. 
His  charities  have  had  the  recommendation  of  being  timely 
and  bountiful;  and  it  is  said  of  him  by  one  of  Brooklyn's 
most  prominent  divines  that  "  no  man  ever  responds  more 
promptly  or  more  liberally,  according  to  his  means,  to  any 
call  on  behalf  of  charity  than  he.  To  him  the  charitable  in- 
stitutions and  many  of  the  people  of  Brooklyn  owe  much  as 
their  '  friend  in  need,'  for  his  ready  generosity  has  made  him 
truly  their  '  friend  indeed.'  " 


January  1st,  1843,  Mr.  Dennis  married  Frances  Clark, 
daughter  of  the  late  George  Clark,  of  Bath,  England,  who 
died  on  the  11th  day  of  September,  1879,  having  borne  him 
seven  children,  five  of  whom— two  sons  and  three  daughters 
—are  living.  On  the  13th  day  of  October,  1880,  he  married 
Sarah  Esther,  eldest  daughter  of  the  late  Hon.  George  R. 
Cholwell,  of  Norwalk,  Conn. 


Isaac  F.  Chapman.— The  name  of  Chapman  has  been  long 
known  in  England.  Three  brothers  of  the  name  emigrated 
to  America  about  1635,  and  were  the  progenitors  of  the 
Chapmans  of  the  United  States,  especially  numerous  in  New 
England  and  Pennsylvania,  with  a  considerable  representa- 
tion in  New  York.  The  father  of  Isaac  F.  Chapman  was 
Robert  Chapman,  who  lived  in  Damariscotta  (then  Noble- 
boro),  Maine,  early  in  the  present  century,  and  was  a  ship- 
builder, lumberman,  and  farmer,  owning  large  tracts  of  tim- 
ber land,  a  shipyard,  and  a  sawmill,  and  whose  father  was 
also  a  ship-builder  and  farmer.  Robert  Chapman  married 
Lucinda  Flint,  of  the  family  of  that  name  (many  of  the  male 
members  of  which  have  become  celebrated  as  surgeons)  and 
a  daughter  of  Dr.  Thomas  Flint,  who  was  a  surgeon  in  the 
American  service  during  the  Revolution,  serving  on  board 
privateersmen,  and  once  being  captured  and  carried  a  pris- 
oner to  England. 

Isaac  F.  Chapman  was  born  in  Damariscotta,  Maine,  April 
8th,  1812.  He  was  reared  on  the  farm,  assisting  in  the  farm- 
work  and  in  the  labors  at  his  father's  mill,  and  attending  the 
common  schools  of  the  day  and  place,  more  or  less  irregu- 
larly, until  he  was  sixteen,  when  he  entered  the  shipyard  with 
his  father,  to  learn  the  trade  of  ship-builder,  and  was  employed 
there  constantly  for  about  eight  years.  In  1837,  he  opened  a 
store  in  his  native  town,  in  the  ownership  and  management 
of  which  Mr.  Benjamin  Flint  became  his  partner  not  long 
afterward.  They  soon  built  a  bark  of  two  hundred  and 
eighty  tons,  which  they  employed  in  small  trading  opera- 
tions. In  1843,  they  removed  to  Thomaston,  Maine,  where 
they  established  a  shipyard,  and  entered  more  largely  into 
trade,  extending  their  operations  by  means  of  the  bark  Milti- 
ades,  which  they  built  three  years  later.  Their  business  in- 
creased rapidly  from  that  time  on,  requiring  other  vessels, 
which  were  built  from  time  to  time.  Since  that  date,  Mr. 
Chapman,  in  company  with  others,  has  built  and  managed 
the  following  named  vessels,  in  most  of  which  he  has  been  a 
half  or  principal  owner: — The  barks  Marmion  and  Catharine, 
1847;  the  ship  Ionian,  in  1849;  the  ship  William  Stetson,  in 
1851;  the  ship  Oracle,  in  1853;  the  ship  Isaac  F.  Chapman,  in 
1855;  the  suip  St.  James,  in  1856;  the  ship  Frank  Flint,  in 
1857;  the  ship  St.  Mark,  in  1859-60;  the  (second)  ship  Oracle, 
in  1862  (the  first  having  been  sold  in  England);  the  ship  Pacto- 
lus,  in  1864;  the  ship  St.  Charles,  in  1866;  the  ship  St.  Lucie, 
in  1868;  the  ship  St.  Nicholas,  in  1869;  the  ship  St.  John,  in 
1870;  the  schooner  C.  R.  Flint,  in  1871;  the  ship  William  R. 
Grace,  in  1873;  the  ship  St.  Paul,  in  1874;  the  ships  M.  P. 
Grace  and  Santa  Clara,  in  1876;  the  ship  St.  Stephen,  in  1877; 
the  ship  Manuel  Llaguno,  in  1879;  the  ship  L.  Shepp  (bought 
and  finished),  in  1879;  the  ship  E.  B.  Sutton,  in  1881;  the  ship 
I.  F.  Chapman,  in  1882,  and  the  ship  S.  P.  Hitchcock,  in  1883. 

In  1858,  Mr.  Chapman  removed  to  Brooklyn,  the  greatly 
increased  business  of  his  firm  demanding  his  constant  atten- 
tion in  New  York.  He  is  at  this  time  principal  owner  in 
nearly  all  of  fifteen  vessels  (with  an  average  tonnage  of  1800), 
which  he  controls,  and  which  are  engaged  in  transportation 
to  and  from  the  principal  ports  of  the  world,  trading  with 
nearly  all  civilized  nations.  The  shipyard  of  Messrs.  Chap- 
man &  Flint  was  removed  from  Thomaston  to  Bath,  Maine, 
in  1868.    In  October,  1880,  this  firm  was  dissolved,  and  the 


662 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


firm  of  L  F.  Chapman  &  Co.  was  formed,  in  1883,  by  the  ad- 
mission of  Mr.  Albert  G.  Ropes  to  an  interest  in  the  business. 
In  18G4-G."),  Messrs.  Chapman  &  Flint  built  all  of  the  houses 
on  the  east  side  of  Montague  Terrace,  in  one  of  which  Mr. 
Chapman  resides.  At  that  time  only  two  residences  had 
been  erected  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  street.  In  many 
other  ways  Mr.  Chapman  has  contributed  to  the  prosperity 
and  advancement  of  the  city  of  Brooklyn,  with  whose  general 
and  benevolent  interests  he  has,  from  time  co  time,  been 
identified.  His  family  have  been  Baptists  for  generations, 
and  he  is  an  active  and  lil>eral  member  of  the  First  Baptist 
Church  in  Pierrepont  street.  He  married  Martha  P.  Hitch- 
cock, a  native  of  Damariscotta,  Maine,  who  died  Sunday, 
November  4,  1883.  Mr.  Chapman  has  had  born  to  him  three 
children,  a  son  and  two  daughters,  the  former  having  died, 
and  the  daughters  surviving. 

The  career  of  Mr.  Chapman  has  been  that  of  a  self-made 
man.  Beginning  at  the  bottom  of  the  ladder,  he  learned 
thoroughly  all  of  the  various  details  of  his  business,  becom- 
ing familiar  with  the  successive  processes  of  converting 
growing  timber  into  seaworthy  vessels;  and  his  excellence  as 
a  ship-builder  is  attested  by  the  fact  that  no  vessel  he  has 
built  has  been  destroyed  except  by  fire.  His  success  has 
been  remarkable;  but  he  has  the  satisfaction  of  feeling  that 
it  has  been  deserved,  and  is  the  legitimate  reward  of  worthy 
exertion. 


James  McChesney,  son  of  Nathaniel  and  Mary  McChesney, 
was  born  in  the  city  of  New  York,  October  20th,  1817.  His 
paternal  ancestors  were  Norman  subjects  of  King  James  of 
Great  Britain,  Scotland.  France  and  Ireland,  called  Chesne, 
who  emigrated  to  the  Scottish  Highlands.  There  the  first- 
born male  child  originated  the  Mac  (son  of)  Chesne,  changed 
to  MacChesney,  and  became  a  chieftain  with  his  clansmen, 
under  Sir  William  Wallace.  Upon  the  capture  and  death  of 
the  latter,  McChesney  went  to  County  Tyrone,  Ireland;  and 
thence  his  descendants  emigrated  to  New  Jersey,  America, 
about  the  end  of  the  17th  or  beginning  of  the  18th  century. 
The  family  were  represented  on  the  battle  field  of  Mon- 
mouth. His  grandfather,  Robert,  was  a  Justice,  afterwards 
member  of  the  Council  (Senate)  of  New  Jersey,  also  member 
of  Congress. 

Nathaniel  McChesney,  father  of  James  McChesney,  of 
Brooklyn,  was  born  on  the  Monmouth  battle  ground,  June 
29th,  1783.  He  attended  school  but  little,  on  account  of  the 
fact  that  earl}-  in  life  he  entered  the  shop  of  his  uncle,  in 
Cranbury,  N.  J.,  to  learn  the  trade  of  wagomnaker,  and  was 
thus  shut  olT  from  educational  advantages  which  he  other- 
wise might  have  enjoyed.  He  appears,  however,  to  have  had 
an  insatiable  thirst  for  knowledge,  and  spent  all  of  the  time 
he  could  spare  from  his  work  in  reading.  The  bent  of  his 
mind  was  toward  theology  and  the  natural  sciences,  while 
history,  mechanics  and  other  useful  branches  of  knowledge 
claimed  his  earnest  attention. 

In  1804  he  came  to  New  York  and  was  installed  as  foreman 
in  the  once  famous  carriage  shop  of  John  Lawrence.  About 
1806,  he  married  Mary  Lawrence,  the  daughter,  not  of  his 
employer,  but  of  Captain  William  Lawrence,  the  first  cap- 
tain of  the  watch  and  of  the  troop  in  New  York  after  the 
close  of  the  Revolutionary  War.  About  1810  he  began  busi- 
ness for  himself  on  Franklin  street,  whence  he  removed  to 
Broadway,  opposite  Lispenard  street.  He  became  noted  :is  a 
carriage  builder,  anil  built  fine  and  costly  vehicles  for  the 
Astors  and  othi  rs  of  the  leading  families  of  New  York  at 
that  time.  Later,  he  opened  a  carriage  repository  at  No. 
440  Broadway,  and  sold  carriages  and  other  light  vehicles  for  j 
about  twenty  years.    It  is  estimated  that  he  was  for  forty  | 


years  engaged  in  manufacturing  and  selling  carriages  in 
New  York.  Mr.  McChesney  was  a  volunteer  during  the  war 
of  1812,  and  served  on  Staten  Island,  opposite  the  site  of  Fort 
Hamilton.  He  died  after  a  very  busy  and  useful  life,  July 
4th,  1847,  in  New  York,  where  lie  had  passed  most  of  the 
years  of  his  manhood.  The  issue  of  his  marriage  with  Mary 
Lawrence  was  eleven  children,  of  whom  James  McChesney 
was  the  sixth. 

James  McChesney  was  an  invalid  from  birth,  and  has  never 
been  well  a  day  since;  having  been  a  constant  sufferer  from 
inherited  neuralgia  and  dyspepsia,  and  at  times  the  victim 
of  accidents,  which  have  disabled  him  physically  for  months 
and  years.  Yet,  though  for  nearly  all  his  life  under  the  care 
of  physicians,  he  has  been  remarkably  active  in  business. 
Most  men  of  his  peculiar  physical  composition  would  never 
have  become  known  to  the  business  world;  for  it  is  so  well 
known  that  nothing  so  surely  saps  the  foundations  of  enter- 
prise as  continued  ill  health  that  the  trite  fact  does  not  re- 
quire reiteration  here.  But  it  seems  that  when  Nature  de- 
nied him  the  boon  of  good  health,  she  took  away  the  sting 
of  the  deprivation  by  endowing  him  with  unusual  enterprise 
and  perseverance,  coupled  with  a  natural  aptitude  for  busi- 
ness and  a  veritable  talent  for  financiering.  This  placed  him 
in  the  race  for  fortune  far  in  advance  of  some  of  his  more 
robust  competitors,  and  the  career  that  lay  before  him  was 
that  of  a  projector  of  important  enterprises  and  a  successful 
manager  of  large  financial  and  commercial  interests. 

Mr.  McChesney  began  to  attend  school  at  the  age  of  seven, 
and,  about  eight  years  later,  was  graduated  with  honors  from 
the  once  famous  high  school  of  Sheppard  Johnston,  on 
Broadway.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  entered  the  dry  goods 
store  of  Messrs.  Arnold,  Hearn  &  Co.,  on  Canal  street  (the 
present  firm  of  Arnold,  Constable  &  Co. ),  from  whose  employ- 
ment he  went  to  that  of  Messrs.  Ubdell,  Pierson  &  Co.,  an- 
other firm  of  once  well-known  dry  goods  merchants,  also 
located  on  Canal  street.  October  28th,  1838,  he  married  his 
cousin,  Sarah  Maria  Lawrence,  of  New  York,  who  is  still 
liviug,  and  to  whom  he  gives  all  praise  for  his  length  of  life 
and  successes.  He  was  for  a  time  associated  with  his  father  at 
his  carriage  repository  on  Broadway;  and  then  returning  to 
mercantile  business,  entered  the  store  of  James  Beck,  at  No. 
357  Broadway,  as  a  salesman.  Soon  his  talent  for  accounts 
and  a  remarkable  capacity  for  detecting  counterfeit  money 
(of  which  large  quantities  were  in  circulation,  owing  to  the 
pernicious  banking  system  then  in  vogue),  became  apparent 
to  his  employers,  and  he  was  promoted  to  a  desirable  posi- 
tion iu  their  office.  In  the  meantime,  his  father  had  retired 
from  the  carriage  business,  and  was  about  to  remove  to  a 
farm  he  had  purchased  on  Long  Island,  and  Mr.  McChesney 
accompanied  him,  removing  to  Long  Island  and  remaining 
there  seven  years.  But  it  was  not  as  a  farmer  that  Mr. 
McChesney  was  designed  to  make  his  mark,  and  his  father, 
not  less  active  than  he,  abandoned  farming  at  the  expiration 
of  six  years  and  established  a  banking,  exchange  and  com- 
mission house  in  Wall  street.  This,  at  his  death,  passed  into 
the  possession  of  James  McChesney.  who  continued  the  en- 
terprise until  1H57,  when  the  concern  became  involved  in 
the  fate  that  year  so  common  to  commercial  and  financial 
enterprises  in  all  parts  of  the  Union.  It  is  but  just  to  Mr. 
McChesney  to  state  that,  despite  the  demoralizing  tendency 
of  the  time,  he  liquidated  every  dollar  of  indebtedness,  dis- 
daining to  take  advantage  of  such  opportunities  for  com- 
promise as  were  open  to  him.  It  was  the  experience  of  his 
business  career  thus  far,  with  the  "  wild  cat"  money  then  in 
universal  use,  that  led  Mr.  McChesney  (as  is  believed,  before 
the  measure  was  proposed  by  any  one  else),  to  advocate  the 
adoption  of  notes  printed  by  the  government  and  of  uniform 


THE  C  OMMER  CE  OF  BR  O  OKL  YN. 


663 


design,  except  for  the  names  of  the  different  banks  and  the  sig- 
natures of  their  officers,  by  whom  they  should  be  issued. 
The  wisdom  of  this  plan  is  now  practically  demonstrated  in 
the  use  of  the  national  bank  notes. 

Prior  to  this  time,  in  1850,  Mr.  McChesney,  in  partnership 
with  Captain  Smith  Fancher,  had  engaged  in  the  vessel  and 
lightering  business.  Shortly  afterward,  in  1859,  was  or- 
ganized the  firm  of  Shaw,  Fancher  &  Co.,  consisting  of 
L.  B.  Shaw,  Smith  Fancher,  John  H.  Hebert,  Andrew 
Luke  and  James  McChesney.  Mr.  Hebert  withdrew  in 
1860,  Mr.  Luke  in  1864  and  Mr.  Fancher  in  1865.  The  firm 
then  became  Shaw  &  Co.,  the  partners  being  L.  B.  Shaw 
and  James  McChesney.  Mr.  Shaw  succeeded  Shaw  &  Co., 
in  May,  1871,  since  when  Mr.  McChesney  has  lived  in  com- 
parative retirement.  He  was  one  of  the  projectors  and  first 
Treasurer  of  the  New  York  Floating  Elevator  Company,  of 
whose  stock  he  is  now  one-twelfth  owner;  and  one  of  the 
originators  of  the  Excelsior  grain  stores  at  the  Atlantic  Dock, 
and  of  floating  elevators.  He  was  also  one  of  the  promoters 
of  the  New  York  Produce  Exchange,  in  the  operations  of 
which  he  takes  a  very  lively  interest;  and  the  leading  enter- 
prises of  his  day  have  always  found  in  him  a  friend  ready  to 
aid  with  wise  counsel  and  substantial  encouragement.  His 
business  acquaintance  is  very  extensive,  and  his  reputation 
for  all  those  qualities  which  go  to  compose  that  rare  product 
of  this  age,  the  honest  business  man,  is  unchallenged.  Quietly 
and  unostentatiously,  Mr.  McChesney  has  aided  his  brethren 
in  times  of  trouble,  and  no  man  in  Brooklyn  has  given  more 
according  to  his  means  to  religious  and  charitable  objects 
than  he.  His  hand  has  been  ever  open  to  the  relief  of  suffer- 
ing, and  his  leisure  time  largely  employed  in  helping  the 
sick.  The  Homoeopathic  Hospital  of  Brooklyn  owes  its  pres- 
ent standing  to  his  donation  to  educate  female  nurses.  The 
present  agricultural  and  industrial  state  of  the  Truants'  Home 
was  his  suggestion  and  met  with  his  aid.  In  1863,  during  a 
severe  illness,  he  willed  liberally  to  many  churches  and  char- 
itable institutions;  and,  on  recovering,  executed  at  once  the 
provisions  of  his  will  as  to  such  object  in  person.  Any  state- 
ment of  his  benefactions  is  unobtainable,  for  he  shrinks  from 
talking  of  his  good  deeds,  and  is  ever  reticent  about  himself; 
but  it  is  well  known  that,  in  generations  to  come,  those  inter- 
ested in  many  of  the  churches,  educational  institutions  and 
hospitals  of  Brooklyn  and  New  York,  when  they  consider  by 
what  means  they  were  established  and,  in  a  measure,  sup- 
ported during  troublous  times,  will  have  cause  to  remember 
Mr.  McChesney,  whose  chief  failing  seems  to  have  been  his 
inability  to  say  the  one  short  word  "  no,"  that  at  times 
would  have  saved  him  from  imposition  by  men  and  institu- 
tions seeking  his  aid.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  Masonic 
and  Odd  Fellows  orders,  of  the  Druids  and  of  other  organi- 
zations, with  which  he  has  many  times  been  connected  offi- 
cially. He  has  often  been  solicited  for  public  office,  but  has 
persistently  refused  all  such  honors.  Responsible  and  lucra- 
tive positions  have  been  proffered  him  by  many  important 
corporations,  which  he  has  been  obliged  to  refuse  on  account 
of  ill  health  and  various  business  connections.  Always  un- 
assuming and  self-sacrificing,  lie  has  been  a  life-long,  unob- 
trusive, non-office-seeking  democrat,  and  has  done  as  much 
for  "his  kind"  as  any  man  of  his  time  and  opportunity.  . 


Elihu  Spicer,  Jr. — This  gentleman,  who  is  familiarly 
known  as  Captain  Spicer,  is  a  son  of  Elihu  and  Jemima  (Fish) 
Spicer,  both  of  English  descent,  and  was  born  in  Groton, 
Connecticut,  April  13th,  1825.  It  is  a  fact  curious  enough  to 
be  worthy  of  note  that  Groton  was  the  native  place  of  five 
generations  of  the  ancestors,  both  on  his  father's  side  and 


his  mother's.  His  father,  who  was  formerly  a  ship  captain, 
is  still  living  there  in  his  eighty-eighth  year. 

Attending  the  public  schools  of  Groton  during  his  boy- 
hood, Captain  Spicer  went  to  sea  at  the  early  age  of  sixteen 
aboard  the  ship  John  Mintum,  Captain  Stark.  This  vessel 
was  subsequently  lost  on  the  New  Jersey  coast,  with  all  on 
board,  including  the  captain  and  his  whole  family,  except 
one  member,  who  is  now  the  wife  of  Mr.  D.  D.  Malley.  His 
advancement  was  such  that  he  became  the  second  mate  of 
the  John  Minturn,  and  in  his  twenty-fourth  year  he  took 
command  of  the  bark  Fanny,  owned  by  Charles  Mallory  and 
others,  and  employed  in  the  Mobile  line  of  packets  of  E.  D. 
Hurlbert  &  Co.  In  1850,  this  vessel,  with  Captain  Spicer 
still  in  command,  was  loaded  for  San  Francisco  by  Messrs. 
A.  A.  Low  &  Co.,  and  sailed  thence  to  China  and  back  to 
New  York.  Captain  Spicer  continued  in  the  San  Francisco, 
China  and  East  India  trade  till  1863,  when  he  retired  from 
active  connection  with  sailing  vessels,  though  retaining  an 
interest  in  some. 

At  the  time  last  mentioned,  Captain  Spicer,  in  company 
with  Mr.  C.  H.  Mallory,  engaged  in  the  transportation  busi- 
ness, and  so  successful  were  they  that  two  years  later  the 
since  well-known  house  of  C.  H.  Mallory  &  Co.  was  estab- 
lished, the  firm  consisting  then  of  Messrs.  C.  H.  Mallory  and 
Elihu  Spicer,  Jr.,  and  now  of  those  gentlemen  and  three  sons 
of  Mr.  Mallory,  who  have  since  acquired  an  interest  in  the 
business. 

Immediately  after  the  close  of  the  rebellion,  Messrs.  C.  H. 
Mallory  &  Co.  embarked  in  business  very  extensively,  and 
have  since  added  largely  to  their  facilities.  In  1866  they  es- 
tablished a  line  of  vessels  to  Galveston,  Texas;  in  1867,  a  line 
to  New  Orleans,  Louisiana;  in  1876,  a  line  to  Florida;  in  1879, 
lines  to  Brazil  and  to  Nassau  and  Cuba.  The  New  Orleans 
line  was  abandoned  in  1876;  the  Braz'lian  line  in  1882,  and 
the  Nassau  and  Cuban  lines  in  1883,  leaving  the  Galveston 
and  Florida  lines  still  in  operation.  Both  of  these  lines  are 
well  equipped  and  of  extensive  carrying  capacity,  and  the 
firm  of  C.  H.  Mallory  &  Co.  is  one  of  the  most  favorably  and 
widely  known  in  New  York,  having  long  had,  besides  the 
steamships  employed  upon  the  above-named  lines,  a  larger 
or  smaller  number  of  sail  vessels  plying  to  the  different  ports 
of  the  world,  though,  during  recent  years,  most  of  this  class 
of  craft  have  been  disposed  of,  the  firm  owning  at  this  time 
ten  steamers  running  on  the  lines  above  mentioned.  Their 
office  is  on  Pier  21,  East  River,  where  Captain  Spicer  first 
began  his  seafaring  life. 

Captain  Spicer  was  married  in  1853  to  Miss  Mary  Dudley, 
of  Mystic,  Connecticut,  who  died  in  1871,  having  borne  him 
three  children,  all  of  whom  are  dead.  His  eldest  son,  U.  D. 
Spicer,  who  was  widely  known  and  beloved  in  Brooklyn, 
died  at  the  age  of  twenty-three,  in  October,  1877. 

Captain  Spicer  has  been  a  resident  of  this  city  since  1864, 
and  takes  a  deep  interest  in  its  growth  and  prosperity.  A 
democrat  prior  to  the  late  war,  he  has  been  a  republican 
since,  though  not  by  any  means  active  as  a  politician.  He  is 
connected  with  various  commercial  interests,  among  them 
the  New  York  Chamber  of  Commerce,  the  Neiv  York  Produce 
Exchange,  and  the  New  York  Maritime  Exchange.  He  is 
liberal  in  religious  belief,  belonging  to  no  Christian  organiza- 
tion, but  sympathizing  with  what  is  good  in  all,  and  is  a  pew 
owner  and  attendant  at  Plymouth  Church. 


Joseph  J.  O'Donohue. — Few  names  are  more  generally 
known  or  highly  respected  in  Brooklyn  and  New  York  than 
that  which  heads  this  sketch.  Mr.  O'Donohue  was  born  at 
No.  40  Peck  slip,  New  York,  January  8th,  1834.     His  father 


664  HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 

I  ~ 

was  John  O'Donohue,  an  Irish  gentleman,   who  had  re-  time  past;  the  firm  having  numerous  branch  houses  and  a 

ceived  a  liberal  education  at  Dublin  and  had  established  very  extensive  foreign  correspondence. 

himself  in  New  York  as  the  proprietor  of  a  grocery  and  |  For  many  years  the  name  of  O'Donohue  has  been  closely 
ship  store.  He  subsequently  became  a  prominent  mer-  |  and  conspicuously  interwoven  with  the  history  of  Williams- 
chant  in  that  city;  reputable  for  all  that  makes  a  man  burg,  which  was,  until  his  death,  the  residence  of  John 
honorable  and  trustworthy,  and  beloved  for  a  generous  O'Donohue,  Sr.,  and,  until  1867,  that  of  Joseph  J.  O'Dono- 
charity  that  has  caused  his  name  to  be  remembered  most  hue,  and,  tp  the  present  time,  the  abiding  place  of  others  of 
gratefully  by  many  a  poor  man  whose  necessities  he  !  John  O'Donohue's  sons.  In  connection  with  plans  for 
relieved,  or  whom  he  assisted  to  obtain  a  home — -and  public  improvement  and  the  advancement  of  the  general 
such  might  be  counted  by  hundreds.  Mrs.  John  O'Don-  interest  of  that  locality,  the  name  has  been  represented  dur- 
ohue  was  a  lady  of  rare  attainments  and  such  commendable  ing  a  protracted  period  by  father  and  sons,  and  in  such  a 
Christian  virtues  as  rendered  her  a  fit  wife  for  such  a  man.  mauner  as  to  leave  its  impress  on  the  prosperity  and  present 
Her  benefactions  were  many  and  unostentatious,  and  she  is  status  of  the  entire  Eastern  District.  It  is  doubtful  if  a  more 
remembered  by  many  of  the  residents  of  the  Eastern  District  popular  young  man  than  Joseph  J.  O'Donohue  was  ever 
of  Brooklyn,  and  by  numerous  others  who  wore  so  fortunate  reared  in  Williamsburg,  where,  from  early  in  life  to  the 
as  to  know  her,  as  a  musician  of  wonderful  talent  and  pro-  present  time,  he  has  been  honored  and  trusted  as  very  few  of 
ficiency.  This  excellent  and,  in  every  way,  admirable  couple  his  fellows  have  been.  His  name  is  a  favorite  one  there,  as 
were  the  parents  of  five  sons,  all  of  whom  lived  to  be  honored  it  is  one  of  prominence  in  the  commercial  circles  of  New 
and  respected  by  their  fellow-men,  and  to  attain  prominence  York;  and  there  are  few,  indeed,  of  the  middle-aged  or 
among  the  merchants  of  New  York.  elderly  men  of  that  section  of  Brooklyn  who  do  not  regard 
At  the  early  age  of  ten  years,  Joseph  J.  O'Donohue  entered  him  as  an  old  friend,  tried  and  staunch,  enterprising  in  all 
his  father's  store,  the  business  of  the  latter  having,  before  that  promises  to  serve  the  public  welfare,  generous  to  a 
this  time,  advanced  to  the  dignity  of  a  wholesale  trade,  to  fault;  a  man  in  whom  are  combined  all  those  admirable 
learn  the  business  and  make  himself  generally  useful.  His  qualities  which  characterize  the  faithful  friend,  the  good 
brother,  James,  was  similarly  employed;  and,  in  order  that  citizen,  and  the  ready,  liberal  and  efficient  helper  of  all  de- 
they  might  not  be  kept  from  obtaining  the  rudiments  of  an  serving  causes. 

education,  the  two  brothers  were  allowed  to  attend  school  on  It  would  be  almost  superfluous  to  remind  any  resident  of 
alternate  days,  each  of  them  receiving  thus  three  days  of  Brooklyn  of  the  former  suicidal  mismanagement  of  the 
business  training  and  three  days  of  schooling  each  week,  ferry  interests  connecting  New  York  and  Brooklyn,  E.  D., 
That  the  policy  of  the  elder  O'Donohue  in  thus  early  famil-  which  was  long  a  fruitful  theme  of  discussion,  both  ver- 
iarizing  his  sons  with  the  every-day  routine  of  business  life,  bally  and  by  the  press  of  both  cities.  Elsewhere  in  these 
and  teachiug  them  the  paramount  value  of  time,  both  in  pages  may  be  found  sketches  of  the  history  of  the  several 
work  and  study,  was  not  a  mistaken  one,  is  evidenced  by  the  ferry  companies  wnich  have  from  time  to  time  been  organ- 
subsequent  successful  career  of  each  of  them.  That  the  boy  ized  to  afford  means  of  communication  between  Brooklyn 
turned  his  opportunities  to  advantage  during  the  ensuing  and  New  York;  though,  for  reasons  which  must  be  obvious  to 
five  years  is  proven  by  the  fact  that,  at  the  age  of  fifteen,  every  fair-minded  reader,  little  of  the  acrimony  and  ill-feel- 
at  a  period  when  most  boys  have  not  taken  even  the  initial  ing  of  the  past,  engendered  by  the  mismanagement  of 
steps  in  business  ways,  he  had  entire  charge  of  his  these  great  public  interests  could  be  depicted  in  this 
father's  stores;  and,  with  his  brother  James,  he  was  a  part-  work.  That  the  citizens  of  Williamsburg  had  just  griev- 
ner  in  the  firm  of  John  O'Donohue  &  Sons,  wholesale  ances  under  the  old  regime  no  one  will  deny  at  this  time, 
dealers  in  tea  and  coffee,  before  he  had  attained  to  his  ma-  That  they  were  practically  at  the  mercy  of  men  who  placed 
jority.  their  own  ends  above  the  interest  of  the  public  is  conceded 
To  the  firm  of  John  O'Donohue  &  Sons,  which  originally  by  all  who  are  informed  upon  this  subject.  The  dawning  of 
consisted  of  John  and  James  and  Joseph  J.  O'Donohue,  a  new  era  in  ferry  management  occurred  in  1858,  when 
Peter  O'Donohue,  another  son  of  John  O'Donohue,  was  ad-  Joseph  J.  O'Donohue  and  his  father,  together  with  other 
mitted  in  1801,  and  John  and  Thomas  O'Donohue,  two  j  well-known  gentlemen  and  citizens  of  Williamsburg,  organ- 
younger  sons,  in  1868.  Late  in  the  year  last  mentioned,  the  I  ized  the  Long  Island  Ferry  Company,  and  instituted  a  for- 
senior  member  of  the  firm  died,  and  the  house  has  since  midable  rivalry  against  the  Brooklyn  Ferry  Company,  of 
been  known  as  that  of  John  O'Donohue's  Sons.  John  which  the  late  George  Law  was  the  head  and  controlling 
O'Donohue  had  removed  his  stores  from  Peck  Slip  to  No.  234  spirit.  The  projectors  of  the  new  company  had  at  heart  the 
Front  street,  and  thence  to  239  Front  street.  In  1865,  the  interests  of  Williamsburg,  which  had  been  prevented  from 
stores  of  the  firm  were  removed  to  No.  88  Front  street,  i  obtaining  a  growth  and  prominence  to  which  its  location  and 
James  O'Donohue  retired  from  the  business  in  1872,  and  I  numerous  manifest  advantages  unquestionably  entitled  it,  by 
Joseph  J.  O'Donohue,  in  1880,  the  firm  now  consisting  of  a  policy  on  the  part  of  those  who  had  dictated  in  ferry  mat- 
Peter  and  John  O'Donohue  and  two  sons  of  Peter.  Novem-  i  ters,  which  has  since  been  proven  to  have  been  as  antag- 
ber  1,  1880,  Joseph  J.  O'Donohue  and  Atherton  Foster  estab-  |  onistic  to  their  own  interest  as  it  was  detrimental  to 
lished  themselves  as  importers  of  coffee  and  tea,  at  No.  101  the  interest  of  the  public.  In  1864  a  compromise  was 
Front  street.  On  account  of  ill-health.  Mr.  Foster  found  I  effected  by  which  the  two  rival  companies  were  merged 
himself  obliged  to  retire  from  active  business  life,  and  the  |  into  one,  which  was  called  the  New  York  and  Brooklyn 
partnership  was  terminated  by  mutual  consent  January  1,  Ferry  Company.  Upon  Mr.  O'Donohue's  accession  to  the 
1892.  One  year  later,  Mr.  Joseph  J.  O'Donohue.  Jr.,  beca.ne  |  presidency  of  this  corporation,  he  at  once  inaugurated  certain 
a  partner  with  his  father,  and  the  house  has  since  been  known  improvements  in  ferry  accommodation,  which  did  more  than 
as  that  of  Joseph  J.  O'Donohue  &  Son.  The  firm  takes  high  any  other  interest  has  ever  done  to  enhance  the  prosperity 
rank  among  houses  of  its  class  in  New  York,  and  is  doing  a  i  of  Williamsburg.  Boats  wore  rebuilt;  ferry-houses  were 
large  and  rapidly  increasing  trade,  which  Mr.  O'Donohue  |  enlarged  and  made  more  attractive,  externally  and  internally, 
has  seen  advance  from  $10,000  per  annum,  to  $6,000,000  per  and  vastly  more  comfortable;  fares  were  reduced;  and,  in  a 
annum,  wiih  a  yearly  average  of  fully  $1,000,000  for  some  word,  everything  was  done  that  was  dictated  by  a  liberal 


THE  COMMERCE  OF  BROOKLYN. 


665 


spirit  of  enterprise  to  improve  the  communication  between 
the  Eastern  District  of  Brooklyn  and  the  city  of  New  York. 
The  benefits  that  have  accrued  to  Williamsburg  from  Mr. 
O'Donohue's  policy  are  practically  incalculable.  All  that 
large  portion  of  Brooklyn  within  the  borders  of  the  13th, 
19th,  14th,  15th,  16th,  18th,  20th,  21st,  22d,  *3d  and 
25th  wards,  has  been  built  up  rapidly  since  the  period  of 
equitable  and  far-seeing  ferry  management  began,  and  has 
assumed  an  importance  to  which  it  would  never  have  at- 
tained under  other  conditions.  Indeed,  it  is  to  Mr.  O'Don- 
ohue,  whose  name  is  a  veritable  household  word  among 
them,  that  the  citizens  of  the  Eastern  District  give  much  of 
the  credit  for  the  many  improvements  around  them.  The 
value  of  real  estate  has  greatly  advanced  as  a  direct  result 
of  Mr.  O'Donohue's  wise  policy,  and  to  the  same  influence  is 
ascribed  the  great  increase  in  the  number  of  costly  and 
elegant  residences  within  the  territory  described  and  the 
growth  of  local  commerce  and  manufactures.  That  the 
ferry  accommodations  of  the  Eastern  District  may  be  still 
further  improved,  Mr.  O'Donohue  admits,  and  in  doing  so  is 
resolved  to  be  one  of  the  first  to  supply  any  want  for  further 
ferriage  that  may  be  seen  to  exist,  and  it  is  his  intention  at 
an  early  day  to  add  to  the  accommodations  provided  by 
the  Grand  street,  the  Houston  street,  the  Roosevelt  street, 
and  the  Division  avenue  ferries,  such  as  may  be  afforded  by 
a  new  ferry  from  Broadway,  Williamsburg,  to  23d  street, 
New  York,  of  which  he  is  the  chief  projector.  Ground  has 
been  purchased  for  the  purposes  of  this  proposed  improve- 
ment, and  it  is  confidently  predicted  that  the  ferry  will  be  in 
operation  within  a  year. 

It  was  not  alone  in  connection  with  ferry  affairs  that  Mr. 
O'Donohue  was  prominent  in  Brooklyn  during  his  residence 
there.  With  its  social,  political,  commercial  and  beneficial 
institutions  he  was  closely  identified.  While  yet  a  young 
man,  he  was  a  member  of  the  old  Fire  Department  of  Wil- 
liamsburg. He  was  a  constant  and  liberal  contributor 
toward  the  maintenance  of  the  causes  of  education  and 
Christianity,  and  even  to  this  day  continues  his  benefactions 
to  churches  without  regard  to  creed  or  denomination,  though 
he  has,  perhaps,  given  more  largely  to  St.  Peter  and  Paul's 
church,  of  which  Rev.  Father  Malone  is  pastor,  than  to  any 
other  religious  organization  in  Brooklyn.  With  this  church 
his  family  have  been  identified  for  two  generations;  and, 
speaking  of  him  on  a  certain  memorable  occasion,  almost 
twelve  years  ago,  Father  Malone  said:  "  I  have  known  Mr. 
O'Donohue  for  thirty  years,  and  he  is  one  of  five  sons,  whose 
honored  parents  before  them  I  also  knew.  He  is  a  full-blood 
American,  but  half  Irish,  and  liberal  enough  to  love  all  his 
fellow-citizens,  irrespective  of  religious  or  political  differ- 
ences." Until  his  removal  to  New  York,  Mr.  O'Donohue 
was  a  conspicuous  member  and,  a  portion  of  the  time,  chair- 
man of  the  Democratic  General  Committee  of  Kings  county, 
and  for  a  number  of  years  he  was  a  delegate  from  Kings 
county  to  the  democratic  state  convention.  He  was,  on  one 
occasion,  tendered  the  nomination  for  Alderman  for  the  13th 
Ward;  and,  later,  was  offered  the  nomination  for  Mayor  of 
Brooklyn,  but  declined  to  allow  his  name  to  be  used  in  that 
manner.  Though  a  democrat  from  his  youth  up,  Mr.  O'Don- 
ohue was  an  outspoken  supporter  of  the  war  for  the  sup- 
pression of  the  Rebellion  from  the  time  of  its  outbreak  until 
its  close;  later  advocating  such  measures  as  he  believed  would 
most  speedily  bring  to  both  North  and  South  the  benefits  of 
established  peace  and  mutual  commerce.  In  this  connection 
it  is  remembered  of  him  that  he  was  secretary  of  the  first 
"War  Meeting"  held  iu  Williamsburgh,  in  1861,  to  devise 
means  to  provide  for  the  maintenance  of  soldiers'  widows 
and  orphans  and  the  wives  and  children  of  men  who  had 


gone  to  the  front,  leaving  them  but  scantily  provided  for. 
At  various  times  he  was  identified  with  important  interests 
of  Brooklyn  of  such  a  nature  as  to  render  them  to  a  degree 
the  concern  of  the  public.  One  such  may  be  referred  to — 
the  Cemetery  of  the  Evergreens — of  which,  with  Mr.  Sylves- 
ter M.  Baird  and  others,  he  assumed  the  ownership  at  a  time 
when  the  project  languished,  and  toward  the  later  establish- 
ment of  which  he  was  in  no  slight  degree  influential. 

Since  his  removal  to  New  York  in  1867,  he  has  been  a  resi- 
dent of  the  19th  Ward  of  that  city,  and  has  been  more  or  less 
prominent  in  local  and  national  politics.  He  was  for  some 
time  a  member  and  vice-chairman  of  the  Tammany  Hall 
General  Committee.  At  the  municipal  election  of  1871  he 
was  tendered  the  nomination  for  Mayor.  In  1874  he  was 
appointed  Park  Commissioner  by  Mayor  Wickham  and 
served  as  such  until  1876,  when  he  resigned  on  account  of 
having  become  a  presidential  elector  on  the  democratic 
ticket.  Upon  his  appointment  as  Park  Commissioner,  the 
leading  newspapers  of  New  York  commented  favorably.  In 
this  connection,  one  prominent  journal  said:  "Probably  no 
appointment  made  by  the  Mayor  will  be  more  acceptable  to 
democrats  and  republicans  alike  than  that  of  Mr.  O'Dono- 
hue. He  is  universally  esteemed  as  a  man  of  high  character 
and  one  who  will  have  but  one  object  in  view  in  the  dis- 
charge of  his  duties  as  a  public  official — that  of  the  public 
good."  He  was  a  prominent  member  of  the  celebrated  Com- 
mittee of  Seventy,  organized  during  the  Tweed  regime,  and 
it  is  worthy  of  note  that  he  was  the  only  Tammanyite  se- 
lected as  a  member  of  that  body.  Beyond  his  earnest  desire 
for  the  public  good,  and  more  conspicuous  than  any  other 
principle  advocated,  Mr.  O'Donohue  has  ever  held  the  ad- 
vancement of  the  workingman;  and  it  will  not  be  soon  for- 
gotten that  in  a  speech  made  during  his  incumbency  of  the 
office  of  Park  Commissioner,  which  was  referred  to  by  the 
New  York  Herald  as  "the  sensation  of  the  occasion,"  when 
the  reduction  of  the  wages  of  the  laborers  was  being  dis- 
cussed, he  said  that  he  would  "resign  the  position  rather 
than  consent  to  the  reduction." 

Mr.  O'Donohue  is  a  trustee  of  the  New  York  Coffee  Ex- 
change and  a  member  of  the  New  York  Chamber  of  Com- 
merce and  the  New  York  Board  of  Trade  and  Transportation. 
At  different  times  he  has  been  chosen  director  of  banking, 
insurance,  railway  and  other  corporations,  and  among  his 
important  connections  at  this  time  it  may  be  mentioned  that 
he  is  a  director  in  the  Eighth  and  Ninth  Avenue  Elevated 
Railroads  of  New  York.  The  important  enterprises  with 
which  he  is  constantly  solicited,  but  firmly  refuses,  to  con- 
nect himself,  are  so  numerous  that  a  mention  of  them  would 
more  than  anything  else,  demonstrate  the  high  degree  of 
confidence  of  the  general  public  in  Mr.  O'Donohue's  integ- 
rity and  sagacity.  In  1880,  with  other  gentlemen,  he  bought 
the  stock  of  Daniel  Drew  in  the  People's  Line  of  steamers, 
plying  between  New  York  and  Albany,  in  which  he  has 
since  been  a  director  and  large  owner.  For  years  he  has  had 
a  membership  in  many  of  the  leading  clubs  of  New  York, 
and  as  a  "  club-man"  he  is  widely  known  and  very  popular. 
At  this  time  he  is  a  member  of  the  New  York  Club,  the  Man- 
hattan Club  and  other  similar  organizations. 

September  7,  1858,  Mr.  O'Donohue  married  Miss  Teresa  M. 
J.  Riley,  of  New  York.  They  have  two  sons  and  two 
daughters  living,  and  death  has  deprived  them  of  two  sons 
and  one  daughter.  Mr.  O'Donohue's  eldest  son,  Joseph  J. 
O'Donohue,  Jr.,  is  now  a  partner  in  his  father's  extensive 
business,  to  which  it  is  likely  he  will  succeed  in  due  time  : 
for  his  business  capacity  and  the  rapidity  and  thoroughness 
with  which  he  has  acquired  a  knowledge  of  the  trade,  seem 
to  give  promise  that  the  name  of  Joseph  J.  O'Donohue  will 


666 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


continue  to  be  prominently  identified  with  the  coffee  trade  of 
New  York  long  after  the  subject  of  this  sketch  shall  have 
terminated  his  connection  with  it.  Mr.  O'Douohue  has  twice 
retired  from  business,  but  his  life  has  been  so  busy  a  one  that 
he  found  it  impossible  to  remain  long  inactive.  His  first  re- 
tirement was  in  1872,  when  he  went  to  Europe,  making  a 
somewhat  protracted  stay.  On  the  evening  of  May  7, 
shortly  before  his  departure,  he  was  tendered  a  complimen- 
tary banquet  at  Delmonico's,  at  which  were  present  a  hun- 
dred well-known  citizens,  including  senators,  judges,  jour- 
nalists, physicians  and  divines.  Numerous  witty  and 
brilliant  speeches  were  made;  and  a  poem,  full  of  good 
wishes  and  breathing  the  spirit  of  friendship,  written  by  the 
late  Hugh  J.  Hastings,  of  the  New  York  Commercial  Adver- 
tiser, who  was  unwillingly  absent,  was  read  ;  and  the  oc- 
casion was,  in  all  respects,  one  to  be  long  and  pleasantly 
remembered  by  all  who  participated  in  the  pleasures  of  the 
evening.  Mr.  O'Donohue's  retirement  at  the  severence  of 
his  connection  with  the  firm  of  John  O'Donohue's  Sons, 
January  1,  1880,  was  intended  to  be  final,  and  it  was  only  to 
establish  His  son  in  the  coffee  trade,  for  which  he  had  ex- 
pressed a  preference,  that  he  sometime  afterward  re-entered 
the  trade  with  which  his  name  has  been  so  long  and  favora- 
bly identified. 

It  may  not  be  too  much  to  say,  in  conclusion,  that  Mr. 
O'Donohue  has  been,  in  everything  he  has  undertaken,  as 
uniformly  and  signally  successful  as  any  man  in  the  circle  in 
which  he  moves.  It  would  be  idle  to  suppose  that  his  suc- 
cess has  been  vouchsafed  to  him  by  "  luck,"  or  by  fortuitous 
accidents,  for  iu  this  practical  age  we  look  elsewhere  for  the 
source  of  all  worthy  achievements.  Sagacity,  foresight, 
liberality,  an  extraordinary  judgement  of  men,  and  the  de- 
served confidence  of  all  with  whom  he  had  relations,  have 
together  combined  to  aid  him  in  his  well-directed  efforts. 
In  commerce,  he  has  been  amply  rewarded.  In  politics,  his 
honors  have  been  limited  only  by  his  will  to  accept  them.  In 
society,  he  is  the  peer  of  the  most  distinguished  in  all  walks 
of  life.  His  management  of  a  great  Fair,  by  which  nearly 
$75,000  was  raised,  for  the  benefit  of  the  New  York  Found- 
ling Asylum,  and  his  success  in  establishing  various  charita- 
ble and  religious  institutions,  or  freeing  them  from  the 
incubus  of  debt,  are  simply  examples  of  the  success  which 
has  attended  htm  through  life. 


Timothy  Hoqan. — There  is  probably  no  other  citizen  of 
Brooklyn  who  has  been  so  long  and  so  prominently  identified 
with  the  shipping  and  steamship  interests  of  the  port  of  New 
York  as  the  gentleman  whose  name  heads  this  article.  His 
father  was  Michael  Hogan,  a  man  well  known  among  the 
warehousemen  of  his  time  in  Liverpool,  England,  where  Mr. 
Hogan  was  Iwrn  February  17th.  1835.  Early  in  life  he  de- 
veloped a  love  for  the  sea,  and  an  unconquerable  desire  for 
the  peril  and  excitement  of  a  seafaring  life;  and  in  1818,  at 
the  age  of  thirteen,  we  find  him  employed  B8  BO  Ordinary 
seaman  on  the  ship  St.  George,  ownerl  by  David  Ogden,  a 
merchant  of  New  York,  and  plying  between  English  ports 
and  the  metropolis  of  the  New  World.  Later,  he  was  em- 
ployed on  board  the  Margaret  K>-ans.  belonging  to  Messrs. 
N.  L.  and  G.  Greenwald,  and  commanded  by  Captain  K.  (!. 
Tinker,  who  was,  a  few  years  ago.  Captain  of  the  port  of 
New  York,  and  is  now  one  of  that  city's  wealthy  and  hon- 
ored citizens.  After  this,  he  served  on  tin-  John  li.  Skiddy 
anil  Constellation,  of  the  "  Red  Line,"  owned  by  Robert  Ker- 
mit,  holding  the  position  of  Chief  Officer  for  some  time  prior 
to  his  abandoning  a  seafaring  career  in  1H54. 

In  the  year  last  mentioned,  Mr.  Hogan  went  to  New  Or- 
leans to  bacomo  foreman  for  Messrs.  Gale  <St  Brown,  a  lead- 


ing firm  of  stevedores.  In  1858,  this  firm  was  succeeded  by 
the  firm  of  Brown  &  Hogan,  Mr.  Hogan  acquiring  the  inter- 
est of  the  retiring  partner,  Mr.  Gale,  and  becoming  the  junior 
member  of  the  firm.  A  prosperous  business  was  done  for 
some  years  prior  to  the  outbreak  of  the  rebellion,  which,  in 
common  with  nearly  every  other  branch  of  enterprise  there, 
was  suddenly  terminated  by  the  city's  being  declared  under 
blockade  June  10th,  1861.  That  was  a  memorable  time  in 
New  Orleans.  Men  with  thousands  at  stake  were  looking 
anxiously  about  for  some  means  to  bolster  up  or  retrieve 
their  failing  fortunes.  To  many  there  who.  like  Mr.  Hogan, 
had  no  sympathy  with  the  Southern  cause,  discretion  wisely 
persisted  in  proved  of  much  service  in  the  strait  in  which 
they  were  placed.  He  was  not  one  to  remain  long  inactive, 
and,  seizing  the  first  promising  oppoitunity  for  business  that 
offered,  he  was  in  JuljT  actively  engaged,  under  contract  with 
the  Confederate  government,  fortifying  New  Orleans  by 
throwing  up  earthworks  at  Chalmette.  Pass  Manshoe  and  the 
Kigolettes  on  Lake  Ponchartrain.  This  work  was  yet  un- 
completed when  Farragut  took  New  Orleans  on  the  20th  of 
April.  1802,  Butler  assuming  the  government  of  the  city 
about  ten  days  later.  Again,  through  the  vicissitudes  of 
war,  Mr.  Hogan  found  himself  without  occupation,  and  this 
time  with  a  claim  amouuting  to  many  thousands  of  dollars 
against  the  Southern  Confederacy;  which,  with  accumulated 
interest,  he  would  doubtless  find  it  hard  to  give  away  at  this 
time,  though,  had  he  chosen  to  remain  in  the  South,  he  might 
at  that  time  have  realized  considerable  from  it. 

Returning  to  New  York  in  the  summer  of  1862,  he  formed 
a  copartnership  with  Mr.  James  Pinder.  under  the  firm  name 
of  Pinder  &  Hogan,  stevedores,  which  was  dissolved  in  1869. 
This  Northern  venture  was  very  prosperous,  principally  on 
account  of  the  business  of  New  Orleans  ship  owners,  which 
Mr.  Hogan  held  and  transferred  to  the  firm  of  which  he  was 
a  member.  Many  of  these  he  had  previously  transacted  busi- 
ness for  in  New  Orleans,  disposing  of  their  wooden  vessels 
and  entering  keenly  into  the  East  India  and  Calcutta  trades 
to  New  York  and  employing  iron  ships  instead.  Irou  ships 
superseded  the  wooden  ones  rapidly,  and  for  a  number  of  years 
the  firm  had  a  monopoly  of  the  iron  ships  in  the  port  of  New 
York.  When  the  Suez  Canal  had  been  proven  a  success,  Mr. 
Hogan,  in  company  with  some  of  his  English  business  friends, 
entered  largely  in  the  building  of  the  kind  of  iron  freight 
steamers  with  compound  engines  known  as  "  tramps,"  and 
consuming  a  comparatively  small  quantity  of  coal.  At  that 
time,  and  for  a  number  of  years  afterward,  these  steamers 
were  a  very  profitable  investment:  for  their  utility  was  as 
yet  conceded  by  only  a  few  men  of  trained  judgment  and 
keen  foresight,  like  Mr.  Hogan  and  his  companions,  aud 
ship-owners  were  ordinarily  shy  to  invest  in  them;  this  fact 
insuring  them  a  practical  monopoly  in  that  department  of 
maritime  property.  The  prevailing  opinion,  which  has  since 
been  thoroughly  exploded,  was,  that  such  vessels  could  not 
cross  the  Atlantic  in  the  winter  months.  So  thoroughly  has 
this  fallacious  idea  been  removed,  that  at  this  time  seventy- 
five  per  cent,  of  the  exports  of  the  United  States  to  Europe 
is  transported  in  this  class  of  vessels.  Mr.  Hogan  was  one  of 
the  promoters  of  the  Monarch  /.nicof  steamers  from  London, 
which  was  organized  in  1880;  aud  is  connected  with  six  lines 
of  steamers  altogether,  being  an  extensive  owner  in  a  major- 
ity of  them.  Some  years  since  he  organized  the  firm  of  T. 
Hogan  iV  Sons,  the  partners  in  which  are  Timothy  Hogan 
and  his  sons,  Charles  W.  and  Jefferson  Hogan.  The  firm  is 
heavily  interested  in  floating  properly,  such  as  elevators, 
tugboats,  barges  and  other  transportation  facilities  for  har- 
bor use.  Kaeh  member  of  the  firm  owns  a  membership  of 
the  New  York  Produce  and  Maritime  Lxchanges,  advantages 


THE  COMMERCE  OF  BROOKLYN. 


667 


which  are  possessed  by  but  comparatively  few  houses. 
Messrs.  T.  Hogan  &  Sons  are  well  known  in  the  New  York 
trade  as  the  consignees  of  several  ships  from  foreign  ports, 
and  stand  high  in  the  commercial  world,  both  as  to  capital 
and  integrity. 

In  1857,  Mr.  Hogan  married  Mary  Nichols  Millward,  a  na- 
tive of  Liverpool,  who  bore  him  eight  children,  five  of  whom 
are  dead.  Arthur  F.  Hogan,  a  younger  son,  not  yet  identi- 
fied with  his  father's  business,  and  consequently  not  men- 
tioned above,  is  yet  in  school,  but  bids  fair  to  develop  all  of 
those  sterling  business  qualities  which  characterize  his  father 
and  brothers.  Mrs.  Hogan  died  in  August,  1882,  mourned 
beyond  measure  by  her  immediate  family  and  deeply  re- 
gretted by  a  wide  circle  of  friends.  Especially  has  her  help- 
ful presence  been  missed  by  those  actively  interested  in  the 
charitable  institutions  of  the  city,  who  ever  found  her  ready 
to  aid,  by  gifts  of  money,  by  her  counsel  and  by  loving  labors, 
all  deserving  objects.  In  the  Sheltering  Arms  Nursery  she 
was  especially  interested,  and  was  officially  connected  there- 


with. All  the  charitable  institutions  in  Brooklyn  were  re- 
membered at  the  time  she  made  her  will,  and  her  bequests 
to  the  Sheltering  Arms  Nursery,  St.  John's  Hospital  and 
Children's  Aid  Society  were  generous  in  the  extreme.  In 
some  of  these,  and  in  other  institutions  of  a  similar  character, 
Mr.  Hogan  has  been  and  is  also  interested,  continuing,  as  well 
as  he  may,  his  deceased  wife's  beneficence  to  the  Sheltering 
Arms  Nursery,  of  which  he  is  one  of  the  trustees.  His  fam- 
ily have  long  been  communicants  of  St.  Peter's  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church,  State  street,  toward  which  Mr.  Hogan  has 
for  years  sustained  the  relation  of  vestryman. 

Politically,  Mr.  Hogan  is  a  republican,  and  a  firm  believer 
in  the  principles  and  an  ardent  admirer  of  the  record  of  that 
party  in  all  questions  of  national  significance.  Upon  general 
issues  he  gives  it  his  best  and  strongest  support;  ut  in 
local  affairs  he  believes  in  honest  and  economical  govern- 
ment, and  invariably  supports  such  men  and  measures 
as  promise  to  secure  it,  regardless  of  party  lines  or  political 
affiliations. 


THE 


MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES 


OF 


BROOKLYN  AND  KINGS  COUNTY. 


SECTION  I.— Introductory. 

GROWTH  OF  MANUFACTURING  IN- 
DUSTRIES in  Brooklyn  and  Kings  County 
in  the  last  fifty  years. — Notwithstanding  the 
stale  and  oft-repeated  jest  that  "Kings  County, 
and  Brooklyn  especially,  was  only  New  York's  bed- 
room," the  defamers  of  the  county  have  been  com- 
pelled to  acknowledge,  for  the  last  twenty-five  or  thirty 
years,  that  the  county  made  a  very  respectable  show- 
ing in  its  manufactures.  In  1850,  when  the  popula- 
tion of  the  county  was  138,882,  its  manufactures,  as 
reported  by  the  seventh  census,  were  yielding  an  an- 
nual product  of  §14,681,093;  in  1860  its  population  had 
doubled,  being  279,122,  and  its  manufactures  had  more 
than  doubled,  the  annual  product  being  reported  in  the 
eighth  census  as  $34,241,520.  In  1870  the  population 
had  increased  less  rapidly,  owing  partly,  perhaps,  to 
the  war;  it  was  419,921,  an  increase  of  fifty  per  cent.; 
and  the  report  of  the  manufactures  of  the  county  in 
the  ninth  census  showed  an  increase  of  about  eighty 
per  cent.,  being  $60,848,673.  It  is  worthy  of  notice, 
however,  as  indicating  either  the  worthlessness  of  the 
method  of  collecting  these  statistics,  or  the  careless- 
ness of  those  who  were  appointed  to  collect  them,  that 
the  largest  industry  of  the  county — sugar  refining — 
which  ten  years  before  had  a  reported  annual  product 
of  $3,794,000,  was  not  reported  as  having  any  exist- 
ence in  1870.  In  1880  the  annual  product  of  the  eleven 
sugar  refineries  of  Brooklyn  alone  was  $59,71  1,168, 
almost  equal  to  the  entire  reported  product  of  all  man- 
ufactories in  the  county  in  1870. 

Imperfection  of  the  Census  Returns.  The 
probable  aggregate  in  1883. — The  census  of  1880 
(the  tenth;  did  not  report  the  manufactures  of  the 
•States  by  counties  until  the  summer  of  1883;  though 
it  had  made  two  previous  attempts  upon  those  of 
twenty  leading  cities,  of  which  Brooklyn  was  one;  but 
this  report  was,  after  all,  of  but  little  consequence,  as 
the  omission  of  petroleum  refining,  breweries  and  dis- 


tilleries, ship  building  and  repairing,  illuminating  gas, 
etc.,  make  its  footings  of  no  great  value.  The  total 
production  of  the  county,  according  to  the  latest  revi- 
sion of  this  census,  was  $179,188,685,  and,  fortunately, 
we  have  the  data  to  supply  these  omissions  from  official 
sources.  They  amount  in  the  aggregate  to  $24,365,106, 
making  the  entire  census  report  of  our  manufactures 
£203,533,791.  The  faults  of  the  census  methods,  never 
more  obvious  than  in  this  enumeration,  the  omissions, 
not  often  willful,  but  sometimes  clerical  errors  and  at 
others  the  results  of  gross  carelessness,  would  increase 
this  amount  to  at  least  $210,000,000;  while  the  vast  in- 
crease in  every  department  of  manufactures  since  1880 
renders  it  absolutely  certain  that  the  present  annual 
product  exceeds  $250,000,000. 

It  is  to  be  remarked,  while  giving  all  honor  and 
praise  to  the  Special  Agent  of  the  Census  Bureau  for 
Brooklyn  manufacturers,  Mr.  James  II.  Frothingham, 
whose  efforts  to  perfect  these  returns  were  unwearied, 
and  were  crowned  with  remarkable  success,  that  he 
was  greatly  hampered  and  obstructed,  not  only  by  the 
faulty  methods  of  the  census  office  blanks  and  instruc- 
tions, to  which  we  have  already  alluded,  but  by  the 
most  unwarrantable  and  absurd  assumptions  of  uni- 
versal knowledge  on  the  part  of  the  Washington 
officials,  which  often  led  them  into  grievous  blunders. 
Evidently  the  compilation  of  the  census  is  not  yet  one 
of  the  exact  sciences.  As  a  rule,  no  industry  was 
counted  which  did  not  give  an  annual  product  of  over 
$1,000.  When  we  consider  how  many  of  these  small 
industries  there  are,  which,  though  making  no  display, 
yet  give  a  moderate  income  to  those  who  conduct  them, 
we  shall  be  likely  to  coincide  with  the  opinion  of  Mr. 
Lorin  Blodgett,  who  estimates  the  total  product  of 
these  unnoted  industries,  in  Philadelphia,  in  1880,  as 
not  less  than  $15,000,000. 

When  we  add  to  these,  as  we  must,  the  other  great 
errors  of  the  census,  we  shall  see  that  Brooklyn  and 
Kings  County  have  far  more  cause  than  Philadelphia 
to  question  ils  accuracy. 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


669 


The  Comparative  Extent  of  the  Manufactures 
of  Brooklyn  and  Kings  County. — The  statistics  of 
Brooklyn  manufactures,  according  to  the  census  of 
1880,  omitting  the  breweries  and  distilleries,  were  5,281 
manufacturing  establishments,  using  $62,719,399  of 
capital,  and  having  in  their  employ  an  average  number 
of  37,878  males  above  16  years  of  age,  7,299  females 
above  15  years  of  age,  and  3,621  children  and  youth, 
a  total  average  number  of  employees  of  48,898,  while 
the  greatest  number  employed  at  any  time  in  the  year 
considerably  exceeded  70,000.  Adding  to  these  the 
persons  employed  in  the  minor  industries  not  enumer- 
ated, those  in  the  breweries  and  distilleries,  and  those 
in  manufactories  in  the  county  towns,  and  we  have  an 
aggregate  of  nearly  80,000  employees,  and  including 
those  dependent  on  them,  a  population  of  more  than 
250,000,  directly  and  indirectly  relying  on  manufactur- 
ing interests  for  a  living.  The  total  amount  paid  in 
wao-es  during  the  year  1879-80  was  stated  to  have 
been  $22,867,176;  the  value  of  the  raw  material  used, 
$130,108,417;  and  the  annual  product  (except  the  in- 
dustries specified  above,  and  minor  industries),  $179,- 
188,685.*  These  figures  show  an  apparent  increase  of 
233  per  cent,  in  manufactures,  in  the  decade  1870-1880, 
while  the  increase  of  population  had  been  only  about 
46  per  cent.,  from  419,921  to  599,495. 

There  is  every  reason  to  believe  that  the  increase 
since  June,  1880,  both  of  population  and  manufactures, 
has  been  in  a  still  more  rapid  ratio.  New  branches  of 
manufacture  have  been  introduced,  and  those  already 
established  have  been  greatly  enlarged,  some  of  the 
largest  having  been  more  than  doubled.  Brooklyn 
now  ranks  as  the  fourth  city  on  the  continent 
in  the  amount  of  its  manufactures,  only  New  York, 
Philadelphia  and  Chicago  surpassing  her  in  this 
respect;  and  from  the  best  attainable  data,  in  1883, 
6he  probably  surpassed  Chicago,  thus  making  her 
rank  that  of  the  third  city  in  the  Union  in  manu- 
factures as  well  as  population.  Kings  County  has  a 
larger  annual  product  from  her  manufactures  than  any 
State  in  the  Union,  except  New  York,  Pennsylvania, 
Massachusetts,  Illinois  and  Ohio.  Connecticut,  that 
busy  hive  of  industry,  follows  her  very  closely  in  man- 


*This  i9  the  latest  result  of  the  calculations  made  at  the  Census 
Office,  up  to  the  present  writing  (December  20th,  1883),  being  taken 
from  the  compendium  of  the  tenth  census,  Vol.  II.,  page  998.  Three 
official  statements  from  the  same  office,  which  have  preceded  it,  dif- 
fered from  it  asfollows, the  substantial  accuracy  of  each  beingvouched 
for  : 


ESTAB. 

Capital. 

Hands. 
Males. 

FTds.  H-ds. 
FmlejTths. 

Waees 
paid. 

Material 
used. 

Annual 
product. 

1  5164 

2   5089 

3   5201 

4  5281 

5  5104 

Adding  omis- 
sions from  offi- 
cii! figures. 

$M.s\>S.709 
56.621,390 
61,646.749 
62.719,399 
79,721,149 

SH.9S9 
34,920 
37,105 
37.878 
41.931 

6.891 
6.883 
7.020 
7.299 
7,500 

3.528 
3,423 
3.462 
3,621 
3.795 

$22.(I02,6S3 
21.072.051 
22,487.457 
22,867.176 
23,407,366 

tl3S,994.4S!> 
124,951,203 
129.085.091 
130.108.417 
147.2*7,654 

»1SS,573.056 
169.757.590 
177.223.142 
179.1SS.HS5 
203,553,781 

We  await  with  some  impatience  the  issue  of  the  quarto  volume  of 
the  Census  on  Manufactures,  as  these  will  undoubtedly  give  us  still 
another  version. 


ufactures  as  well  as  in  population.  What  are  the  more 
prominent  industries  which  make  up  this  vast  total  ? 

SECTION  II. 
The  Sugar  Refining  Industry. 

Vast  Extent  of  the  Business. — As  we  have 
already  intimated,  the  production  of  refined  sugar, 
molasses  and  syrup  is  much  the  largest  of  these  indus- 
tries, and,  according  to  the  census  reports,  amounts  to 
almost  one-third  of  the  whole.  As  we  shall  see,  pres- 
ently, there  is  reason  to  believe  that  it  constitutes 
about  two-fifths  of  the  whole  of  the  manufactures 
of  the  County.  It  employed,  in  1880,  according  to 
the  census,  almost  2,500  persons,  nearly  all  men,  and 
paid  out  8954,929  annually,  as  wages.  The  reported 
capital  of  the  eleven  companies  was  $10,846,000,  the 
material  used  was  $56,423,868,  and  the  annual  pro- 
duct, $59,711,168. 

While  these  figures,  though  obtained  with  great 
care,  and  as  accurately  as  possible  by  the  accomplished 
agent  of  the  census  office,  are  liable  to  some  correc- 
tion, the  census  methods  being,  in  many  respects,  mis- 
leading, yet  the  value  of  the  annual  production  does 
not  differ  very  largely  from  that  of  1881,  1882,  and 
1883,  for  these  reasons  :  the  duty  on  imported  raw 
sugar  was  materially  reduced  in  1881,  and  there  was  a 
corresponding  reduction  in  the  value  of  the  refined 
product  ;  there  has  been  a  great  increase  in  the 
production  of  adulterated  sugars,  within  three  years 
past;  a  glucose  sugar,  that  is,  one  containing  25  to  30 
per  cent,  of  glucose,  being  made  to  resemble  very 
closely  in  color,  appearance  and  weight,  the  pure 
sugar,  though  containing  only  ^  the  sweetening  power; 
this  sugar  could  be  made  for  5  cents  a  pound,  and  was 
sold  at  7  J  cents,  while  the  pure  sugar  cost  7-r  cents  to 
make.  A  reduction  in  price  followed  the  putting  of 
these  fraudulent  sugars  on  the  market.  There  was 
also  a  great  falling  off  in  production,  in  consequence 
of  the  destruction,  by  fire,  in  1881,  of  the  immense 
refineries  of  Messrs.  Havemeyer  &  Elder,  which  turned 
out  a  million  pounds  of  refined  sugar  a  day.  It  was 
highly  creditable  to  the  Brooklyn  refineries  of  pure 
sugar,  that,  notwithstanding  these  difficulties  and  ob- 
stacles, they  actually  increased  their  production  by  at 
least  thirty  per  cent.,  and  maintained  an  annual  value 
of  their  product  of  about  $60,000,000. 

This  condition  of  affairs  is  now  changed,  in  many 
respects.  The  great  refinery  and  filtering  houses  of 
the  Havcmeyers  are  rebuilt  on  a  larger  scale  than  be- 
fore, and  are  turning  out  1,200,000  pounds  of  sugar 
every  day,  with  a  capacity,  if  pressed,  of  doubling 
that  production.  The  other  sugar  refineries  are  being 
driven  to  their  utmost  capacity,  and,  taken  together, 
they  can,  and  do,  produce  five-eighths  of  all  the  refined 
sugar  made  in  the  United  States. 

The  glucose  fraud  has  been  so  thoroughly  exposed 
that  the  demand  for  glucose  sugars  is  not  on  the  in- 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


crease,  and  the  tendencies  of  both  the  raw  and  refined 
sugars  are  upward  rather  than  downward.  There  is, 
also,  a  large  and  constantly  increasing  demand  for 
sugars  for  the  export  trade.  Whether  the  Sorghum 
culture  will  soon,  or  ever,  become  so  large  as  to  dimin- 
ish our  imports,  is  uncertain  as  yet,  but  everything 
seems  to  indicate  a  prosperous  future  for  the  sugar 
trade. 

One  of  the  errors  in  the  census  methods  was  the 
great  variety  of  items  it  included  under  the  head  of 
raw  material.  All  the  boxes,  bales,  mats  and  bags  in 
which  raw  sugar  was  brought  to  the  refineries,  and  all 
the  barrels  used  in  packing  the  refined  sugar,  were 
counted  as  a  part  of  the  cost  of  raw  material  in  the 
manufacture.  The  raw  sugar  and  molasses  consumed 
could  not  have  approached  the  amount  named  in  the 
census  report,  $56, 423,808  ;  for  the  production  of  re- 
fined sugar  in  Brooklyn,  according  to  the  census,  was 
only  per  cent,  of  the  whole  production  of  the  coun- 
try, and  39  per  cent,  of  the  entire  amount  of  sugar 
imported  into,  and  produced  in,  the  United  States  in 
1879-80  (making  no  account  of  that  which  entered 
into  consumption  without  passing  through  the  re- 
fineries), was  only  $43,330,373.58,  and  yet,  that  year 
was  one  of  extraordinary  production  and  importation. 
The  amount  of  capital  invested,  and  the  number  of 
hands  employed,  were  both  very  uncertain  quantities. 
Larger  sums  than  those  specified  in  the  census  were 
invested  in  the  very  costly  plant  of  these  establish- 
ments, but  the  working  capital  cannot  be  estimated 
even  by  the  parties  themselves.  The  number  of  hands 
employed  varies  constantly.  Automatic  machinery  is 
constantly  being  introduced,  and,  while  the  capacity 
of  the  refineries  is  increasing,  the  number  of  hands  is 
stationary,  or  decreasing. 

There  are  now  thirteen  establishments  which  claim 
to  be  sugar  refineries,  in  Brooklyn  and  Kings  county. 
Of  these,  eight  are  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of 
pure  sugars,  and  most  of  them,  incidentally,  in  the 
production  of  syrups.  One  or  two  of  them  make 
syrups  a  specialty.  The  daily  production  of  these,  at 
the  present  time,  is  about  2,600  tons  of  sugar  of  the 
different  grades,  or  768,000  tons  annually.  Their  ca- 
pacity for  the  production  of  a  much  larger  quantity  is 
certain,  but  how  great  that  capacity  may  be,  depends 
on  several  particulars  :  the  quality  of  sugar  most  in 
demand  at  a  j^iven  time,  as  hard  or  soft,  of  high  or 
low  grade;  the  soft  sugars  and  those  of  low  grade  ad- 
mitting of  a  much  larger  production  than  the  hard 
and  lim  r  "-u^ars;  the  active  demand  at  an  advancing 
price,  ami  tin-  facility  for  obtaining  the  raw  sugars  in 
the quantities  needed.  It  may  be  said  with  safety, 
that,  if  all  the  circumstances  were  favorable,  the 
present  facilities  woidd  permit  of  the  annual  produc- 
tion of  not  less  than  1,250,000  tons  of  refined  sugar, 
and  a  large  quantity  of  syrup.  This  means  a  produc- 
tion of  over  $100,000,000. 


Aside  from  these,  there  are  one,  and  possibly  two, 
houses  which  manufacture  sugars  and  syrups,  largely 
adulterated  with  glucose,  and  perhaps,  also,  with  some 
chemicals  to  improve  the  color.  We  know  the  pro- 
duction of  these  sugars  and  syrups  to  be  of  very  con- 
siderable amount,  but  have  been  unable,  of  course,  to 
obtain  any  figures.  There  are  also  three  or  four 
houses  which  make  a  pure,  but  low  grade  sugar,  by 
boiling  down  molasses,  filtering  and  crystallizing. 
Their  products  find  a  ready  market  in  some  of  the 
Southern  and  Southwestern  States.  It  may  be  safely 
estimated,  then,  that  the  present  actual  production  of 
sugars  and  syrups  of  all  sorts  (including  the  glucose 
and  the  molasses  sugars),  is  between  75  and  80  million 
dollars,  and  the  possible  production,  under  the  most 
favorable  circumstances  with  the  present  facilities,  is 
not  less  than  $112,000,000.  Mr.  T.  A.  Havemeyer  is 
our  authority  for  the  statement,  which  he  had  care- 
fully verified,  that  Brooklyn  produces  five-eighths  of 
the  entire  production  of  sugars  and  syrups  in  the 
United  States. 

The  refiners  who  produce  honest  sugars,  not  adul- 
terated with  glucose,  white  clay  or  any  other  substance, 
are  justly  indignant  at  the  frauds  of  the  adulterators. 
They  claim  that  their  sugars,  when  refined,  contain  the 
hard  sugars,  one  hundred  per  cent,  of  pure  sucrose  or 
cane-sugar,  and  the  soft  sugars,  from  which  the  entire 
moisture  has  not  been  evaporated,  ninety-nine  per  cent, 
of  pure  sugar,  the  one  per  cent,  being  water  in  com- 
bination. 

The  raw  sugars  brought  hither  for  refinery,  come 
from  many  countries,,  and  are  the  product  of  many  dif- 
ferent plants,  fruits,  stalks  and  tubers.  That  which 
largely  predominates  is  produced  from  the  different 
species  of  the  sugar-cane.  We  receive  raw  sugars  from 
Louisiana,  Mississippi  and  Texas  ;  and  a  somewhat 
richer  article  from  the  sugar  canes  of  Mexico  and  Cen- 
tral America,  Cuba,  Jamaica  and  other  West  India 
Islands,  and  from  Demerara,  Venezuela,  Guiana  and 
Brazil;  the  excellent  raw  sugars  of  the  Hawaiian  isl- 
ands; the  luscious  sweets  of  the  canes  of  Java,  Sumatra, 
Borneo,  the  Malayan  peninsula,  the  Philippine  Islands, 
India  and  China;  date  sugar  and  some  sugar  cane  from 
African  ports;  beet  sugar  from  central  and  southern 
Europe;  sorghum  and  imphce  sugars  from  the  west, 
and  from  China  and  farther  India;  the  product  of  the 
sugar  yam  from  Africa,  and  in  small  quantities,  sugar 
from  cornstalks,  from  the  sap  of  the  maple,  and  even 
the  watermelon.  These  all  produce  Bucrose  or  cane- 
sugar,  while  the  glucose  is  made  by  treating  starch 
from  maize,  acorns,  the  cereals  and  potatoes  with  sul- 
phuric acid. 

We  cannot  go  into  the  details  of  the  processes,  by 
which  these  crude  and  often  very  dirty  masses  of  sugar 
arc  changed  into  the  pure  snowy  white  masses,  sent 
forth  daily,  i"  quantities  of  many  hundreds  of  tons, 
from  the  wharves  and  ducks  of  Brooklyn. 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES,  671 


Suffice  it  to  say  that  the  raw  sugar  is  dumped  into 
immense  mixing  vats  on  the  lower  floor  of  the  refinery, 
mixed  with  water  at  the  temperature  of  110°,  being 
stirred  thoroughly  the  while,  by  steam  power,  and 
after  a  time  pumped  by  steam  directly  to  enormous 
tanks  at  the  top  of  the  building,  the  acidity  corrected 
by  lime,  heated  to  200°  F,  and  run  down  through  the 
double  bag-filters  to  the  floor  below,  where  the  strained 
liquor  passes  into  the  bone-black  filters,  from  which  it 
issues  a  pure,  colorless  liquid,  which  has  parted  with  its 
impurities  to  the  bone-black,  which  no  w  has  to  be  washed 
and  re-burned.  This  liquid  is  now  drawn  into  the  res- 
ervoirs connected  with  the  immense  vacuum  pans, 
holding  each  200  barrels  or  more,  and  once  conducted 
to  them  they  are  closed,  a  vacuum  produced,  and  they 
are  boiled  by  steam  heat  at  a  temperature  of  about 
100°  F.  Having  been  grained,  it  is  drawn  and  packed 
into  iron  moulds  in  the  shape  of  an  inverted  cone, 
which  holds  about  64  pounds  of  sugar.  In  these  they 
crystallize  and  harden  for  a  week,  and  are  then  hoisted 
aloft,  the  plugs  withdrawn,  and  they  drip  and  drain  for 
24  hours,  and  after  a  solution  of  pure  white  sugar  and 
water  has  percolated  through  them  for  another  24 
hours,  they  are  taken  to  the  ovens  or  stoves  where  they 
are  baked  for  another  week  till  all  moisture  is  expelled. 
The  "  titlars,"  as  they  are  called,  then  go  to  the  mill 


*The  following  description  of  the  new  refinery,  filtering  house, 
machine  shop,  cooperage  and  railroad  depot,  and  other  buildings  con- 
nected with  the  Havemeyer  &  Elder  establishment,  we  condense  from 
the  Brooklyn  Daily  Eagle,  July  30, 1883. 

The  building,  or  buildings  rather,  for  there  are  two  of  them— a  refin- 
ery proper  and  a  filtering  house— are  the  largest  of  the  kind  on  the 
face  of  the  globe,  and,  when  supplied  with  all  the  machinery,  and  in 
full  operation,  will  have  by  far  the  largest  capacity  of  any  refinery  on 
either  continent. 

The  present  monster  structure  furnishes  an  idea  of  the  enormous 
business  done  by  Mr.  Havemeyer.  His  immense  establishments,  which 
cover  so  much  of  the  Eastern  District  river  front,  are  completed  in  all 
their  appointments,  with  the  addition  of  a  new  machine  shop,  which 
is  now  Unished.  The  establishments  of  Mr.  Havemeyer,  connected 
with  the  new  refinery,  are  bounded  by  South  Second  and  South  Sixth 
streets.  First  street  and  the  Fast  River.  On  the  east  side  of  First 
street,  running  midway  in  the  block  between  South  Third  and  South 
Fourth  streets,  is  a  great  structure  which  was  used  as  a  boiler  house 
and  for  filtering  purposes,  before  the  great  fire  a  year  and  a  half 
or  more  ago.  The  building  is  eleven  stories  high  above  ground,  and 
had  been  connected  by  an  iron  bridge  across  First  street  at  the  third 
story  with  the  burned  buildings. 

The  buildings  on  the  water  front  may  be  classed  in  this  wise  :  On 
the  block  bounded  by  South  Second  and  South  Third  streets.  First 
stieet  and  the  river,  is  the  new  refinery  and  filtering  house,  ten  and 
thirteen  stories  in  height  respectively ;  on  the  block  bounded  by  South 
Third  and  South  Fourth  streets.  First  street  and  the  river,  a  six-story 
structure  has  just  been  erected  on  the  ruins  of  the  old  building.  This 
structure  will  be  used  as  a  warehouse. 

Beside  his  great  refining  and  storage  establishments,  Mr.  Havemeyer 
controls  the  vast  cooperage  interests  covering  the  large  square  bound- 
ed by  First  and  Second  streets,  and  North  Fourth  and  North  Fifth 
streets,  which  is  familiarly  known  as  Palmer's  cooper  shop.  On  the 
north  side  of  North  Fifth  street,  and  bounded  by  First  and  Second 
streets,  and  running  midway  in  the  block  between  North  Fifth  and 
North  Sixth  streets,  is  Mr.  Havemeyer's  freight  depot,  which  he  placed 
at  the  exclusive  use  of  the  Erie  Railroad.  The  other  sugar  refiners  in 
that  section  of  the  city,  and  business  men  generally,  ship  and  receive 
freight  at  this  very  important  station  of  the  Erie  road.  It  is  said 
that  it  ranks  fourth  in  a  business  point  of  view  among  the  freight 
depots  of  the  road.  The  depot  has  become  such  an  important  one 
that  it  is  now  altogether  too  small,  but  no  doubt  Mr.  Havemeyer 
will  extend  it  and  run  the  road  a  block  further  east.  The  trains  are 
taken  to  and  brought  from  Jersey  City  on  barge  floats  several  times 
during  the  day. 

On  the  block  bounded  by  South  Fourth  and  South  Fifth  streets  is  a 
seven-story  refinery,  formerly  used  as  a  storage  house,  and  on  the 
block  south  of  this  structure  is  a  one-story  brick  building  used  for 
storage  purposes  also.  It  is  not  in  any  way  connected  with  the  build- 
ing north  of  it.  All  the  buildings  are  supposed  to  be  fire-proof,  only 
iron  and  brick  being  used  in  their  construction.  Three  of  the  build- 
ings will  be  connected  at  one  of  the  upper  stories  by  bridges. 

In  addition  to  these  great  buildings  named,  Mr.  Havemeyer  controls 
the  refinery  yet  bearing  the  name  of  DeCastro  &  Donner,  at  the  foot  of 
South  Ninth  street  and  the  establishment  at  the  foot  of  North  Third 
street.  The  latter  building  covers  a  large  block,  and  the  South  Ninth 
street  structure  is  also  of  giant  proportions. 


room,  and  are  mashed,  sawed,  ground  like  coarse  meal, 
or  powdered  like  flour.  There  are  five  grades  in  all. 
This  is  the  hard  sugar. 

The  "  soft "  sugars,  when  grained  in  the  vacuum 
pan,  are  discharged  directly  into  the  "  stock  hoppers  " 
or  receptacles  over  the  centrifugal  machines.  These 
machines,  64  feet  in  diameter,  have  spindles  suspended 
from  the  top,  the  lower  end  being  left  free  to  oscillate. 
They  run  noiselessly,  though  at  the  rate  of  1,200  revo- 
lutions a  minute,  and  through  the  perforated  periphery 
of  the  great  brass  box,  the  moisture  and  syrup  is  thrown 
out  into  the  outer  receptacle  as  completely  in  a  few 
minutes  as  it  could  be  removed  by  draining  in  a  month. 
By  the  centrifugal  process,  raw  sugar  can  be  trans- 
formed into  refined  sugar  in  from  sixteen  to  twenty- 
four  hours.  When  removed  from  the  centrifugal,  it  is 
separated  into  seven  grades  and  sent  to  market. 

Of  the  manufacturers  engaged  in  this  business,  the 
great  house  of  Havemeyers  and  Elder,  dating  from 
1857,  though  not  the  oldest,  is  very  much  the  largest, 
having  with  its  new  refinery  and  filtering  house  just 
completed,*  a  capacity  for  the  production  of  1,250,000 
pounds  of  sugar  daily  ;  while  the  house  of  DeCastro 
and  Donner,  in  which  it  has  a  controlling  interest,  can 
produce  in  its  extensive  and  well  arranged  refineries, 
1,200,000  pounds  more,  daily;  an  aggregate  of  2,450,000 


The  new  refinery  stands  upon  a  plot  of  ground,  250x150  feet,  and  con- 
sists of  the  refinery  proper,  which  is  250  feet  on  First  street  and  70  feet 
deep,  and  the  filtering  house,  which  is  250x80  feet.  The  refinery  is  ten 
stories  in  height,  or  about  110  feet  above  ground,  with  a  cellar  depth  of 
20  feet,  and  the  only  materials  used  in  its  construction  were  pressed 
brick  and  iron.  The  walls  are  four  feet  in  thicknes  at  the  bottom,  and 
two  faet  at  the  top.  The  floors  are  of  brick,  being  a  series  of  flat 
topped  arches  of  5  feet  sweep,  and  they  are  supported  by  a  labyrinth  of 
cast  iron  columns,  and  wrought  iron  beams  and  girders,  which  are 
braced  to  sixty-six  cast  iron  columns,  each  capable  of  standing  a  strain 
of  400  tons.  The  courses  and  trimmings  of  the  walls  are  of  blue  stone, 
and  the  mansard  roof  is  faced  with  black  brick.  In  or^er  to  make  the 
building  as  absolutely  fire-proof  as  possible,  all  material  of  an  inflam- 
mable nature  was  eliminated  in  its  construction.  The  entrance  arch- 
ways are  secured  with  double  iron  doors,  and  the  hundreds  of  windows 
are  supplied  with  doors  of  the  same  material. 

The  whole  premises  are  lighted  by  four  hundred  electric  lights.  No 
other  light  or  fire  of  any  kind  is  permitted  in  the  buildings,  as  the  fur- 
naces are  some  distance  back  of  both  buildings,  near  the  dock.  There 
are  hose  pipes  on  each  floor,  and  the  buildings  are  supplied  with  fire 
escapes.  It  is  claimed  that  the  temperature  can  be  kept  down  to  100 
degrees  in  warm  weather,  on  account  of  the  perfect  ventilation  given 
by  so  many  windows. 

Back  of  the  refinery,  and  separated  from  it  by  a  fire  wall,  four  feet 
thick,  is  the  filtering  house,  the  tallest  building  on  the  river  front.  The 
structure  is  80x250  feet,  and  rises  to  an  altitude  of  150  feet,  divided  into 
thirteen  stories.  In  architectural  design  it  is  similar  to  the  refinery, 
the  materials  used  being  pressed  brick  and  iron.  The  two  upper 
stories  are  of  black  brick  in  the  form  of  a  mansard  roof.  On  the  river 
side  of  the  filtering  house  is  an  immense  chimney,  10  feet  at  the  base 
and  200  feet  high.  Midway  between  the  two  buildings  is  a  large  well 
hole,  extending  to  the  roof  and  covered  with  a  skylight. 

This  shaft  gives  both  light  and  ventilation,  as  windows  and  doors 
open  into  it  from  the  several  floors.  The  windows  and  doors  can  be 
closed  easily  in  the  event  of  fire  so  as  to  prevent  the  spread  of  flames 
from  one  building  to  another. 

In  the  rear  of  the  filtering  house  is  the  boiler  house,  a  two-story 
structure  at  the  river.  It  is  built  on  piles  so  as  to  resist  the  washing  of 
the  waves  and  tides,  which  might  otherwise  undermine  th  I  building 
and  cause  a  caving  in.  Back  of  the  boiler  house  is  a  new  wharf.  These 
buildings  are  constructed  on  a  new  plan  suited  to  the  improved  ma- 
chinery, with  which  they  are  supplied.  There  are  108  cast  iron  filters,  20 
feet  high  by  9  feet  interior  diameter,  which  can  be  automatically  filled 
and  emptied,  and  there  are  six  vacuum  pans  of  16  feet  diameter,  and 
twenty-four  centrifugal  machines  of  01  feet  diameter.  The  boilers  are 
double  decked,  and  similar  to  those  of  the  Steam  Heating  Company  of 
New  York,  and  the  elevating  will  be  done  by  three  Otis  hoists.  The 
boilers  are  of  4,000  horse  power. 

The  capacity  of  the  refinery  is  about  1,250,000  pounds  of  sugar  daily. 
The  estimated  cost  of  the  buildings  and  machinery  is  $2  500.000.  The 
buildings  will  be  connected  with  the  warehouse  on  the  south  side  by 
bridges  crossing  the  street  at  the  second  and  third  stories. 

On  the  ruins  of  the  burned  building  has  been  erected  an  imposing, 
six-story,  fire-proof  structure,  180x150  feet.  From  th'a  warehouse  the 
material  is  rolled  across  the  bridges  to  the  refinery  when  required. 

Back  of  the  warehouse,  and  separated  from  it  by  a  fire-proof  wall,  is  a 
machine  shop,  180x75  feet,  of  fire-proof  construction.  It  is  sup- 
plied with  the  necessary  facilities  for  keeping  in  repair  the  enormous 
amount  of  machinery  used  in  the  refinery. 


672 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


pounds  of  sugar  aday=l,225  tons,  or  about  10,000  bar- 
rels, and  with  the  existing  demand  for  refined  sugars, 
both  for  export  and  for  home  consumption,  both  re- 
fineries are  running  nearly  up  to  their  capacity.  The 
Havemvyers  and  Elder  refinery  is  said  to  be  the  largest 
in  the  world,  and  the  two  turn  out  about  one-half  of 
the  refined  sugar  made  in  this  country. 

The  Other  Brooklyn  Refineries. — Next  in  ex- 
tent to  these  two  great  refineries,  is  that  of  the  Brook- 
lyn Sugar  Refining  Company,  an  incorporated  com- 
pany, which  has,  for  many  years,  produced  excellent 
sugars  and  syrups.  Its  capacity  is  about  600,000 
pounds  of  sugar  per  day.  Moller,  Sierck  and  Co.,  an 
excellent  house,  whose  sugars  are  of  the  very  highest 
quality,  and  command  from  |  to  £  a  cent  per  pound 
more  than  any  others,  follow,  with  a  capacity  of  about 
450,000  pounds  a  day.  Dick  tfc  Meyer,  450,000  pounds, 
and  Thomas  Oxnard,  the  Fulton  Sugar  Refinery,  and 
CharliK  Hacemeyer's,  in  Greenpoint,  are,  perhaps,  next 
in  order.  All  these  houses  make  syrups,  rather  as  an 
incidental  product,  than  as  a  specialty.  John  Mollen- 
hauer,  on  the  contrary,  makes  syrups  his  specialty,  but 
produces  a  considerable  quantity  of  sugars,  mostly,  we 
believe,  by  the  centrifugal  process.  The  Atlantic 
Sugar  House,  Crab  cfc  Wilson,  and  James  Burns,  are 
engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  good,  Low-grade  sugars 
from  molasses,  and  also  prepare  the  residuum  for  a 
variety  of  uses.  Of  Burger,  Hurlbut  &  Livingston, 
or  the  Livingston  Sugar  Refinery,  we  have  little  defi- 
nite information.  They  are  reputed  to  manufacture 
the  so-called  "grape  sugars,"  and  are  doing  a  large 
business. 


William  Dick. — A  great  portion  of  the  manufacturing  in- 
terests of  Brooklyn  are  located  north  and  east  of  the  Walla- 
bout,  while  the  immense  sugar  refineries,  the  largest  in  the 
country,  all  centre  in  that  part  of  the  city  along  the  river. 

Among  these  vast  establishments,  whose  buildings  rise  to 
lofty  heights,  cover  large  areas,  and  furnisli  employment  to 
hundreds  of  workmen,  is  the  refinery  of  Dick  &  Meyer,  situ- 
ated on  the  river  front,  at  the  foot  of  North  Seventh  street. 
The  senior  partner,  Mr.  William  Dick,  was  born  in  Hanover, 
Germany,  in  1823.  He  received  the  thorough  education 
afforded  by  the  schools  of  that  country.  He  remained  with 
his  parents  as  long  as  they  lived,  but,  after  their  death,  came 
to  America  in  1845,  whither  a  brother  had  preceded  him.  He 
landed  in  New  York  without  wealth,  with  health,  intelligence, 
energy  and  habits  of  industry  and  frugality.  The  first  busi- 
ness into  which  he  entered  was  keeping  a  small  grocery,  in 
connection  with  his  brother;  afterwards,  with  a  brother-in- 
law,  he  opened  a  flour  and  feed  store,  in  which  they  remained 
for  several  years.  Having  by  this  time  accumulated  some 
capital,  for  which  he  sought  a  more  lucrative  investment,  he 
decided,  after  consideration,  to  engage  in  sugar  refining  with 
a  partner  who  had  had  some  experience.  They  began  in  1X5H, 
at  the  corner  of  Pike  and  Cherry  streets,  in  New  York,  but  as 
their  business  grew,  they  felt  the  need  of  more  room.  Accord- 
ingly, they  erected  a  large  brick  building  in  1803.  at  the  foot 
of  Division  avenue,  and  abutting  on  the  East  river,  thus  se- 
curing the  oet*t  facilities  for  water  transportation.  The  busi- 
ness of  the  firm,  now  Dick  &  Meyer,  has  made  a  wonderful 


growth;  the  capital  invested  has  reached  $1,500,000,  while 
the  annual  product  of  the  refinery  reaches  355,000  barrels — 
about  100,000,000  lbs.  refined  sugar.  The  management  of  this 
vast  interest  is  almost  wholly  in  the  hands  of  Mr.  Dick,  a 
position  for  which  he  is  especially  well  fitted,  by  reason  of 
his  intelligence,  business  sagacity  and  capacity  for  work. 

But  Mr.  Dick  is  not  merely  the  man  of  business;  he  is  also 
the  scholar  and  the  public-minded  citizen.  He  has  been  a 
close  reader  of  history  and  literature,  as  well  as  a  careful 
observer  of  the  events  of  the  day.  The  man  whose  ability, 
integrity  and  force  have  revealed  themselves  to  his  fellow- 
citizens,  through  a  long  business  career  in  their  midst,  is 
always  sought  by  them  to  fill  positions  of  trust  and  responsi- 
bility. Mr.  Dick  is  no  exception.  He  is  connected  as  trustee 
with  the  Manufacturers'  National  Bank,  the  Charitable 
Hospital,  the  Third  Street  Dispensary,  and,  as  treasurer,  with 
the  German  Lutheran  Hospital  of  East  New  York.  When  the 
prospects  of  the  German  Savings  Bank  were  dark,  an  appeal 
was  made  to  him  to  lend  his  assistance  and  assume  its  man- 
agement. Accepting  the  Presidency,  he  restored  credit  and 
confidence,  placed  the  institution  on  a  firm  footing,  and,  at 
the  end  of  the  second  year,  left  it  prosperous,  resigning  his 
office  only  on  account  of  the  fast  increasing  demands  of  his 
own  business  upon  him  A  handsomely  engrossed  testi- 
monial from  the  Savings  Bank  authorities  attest  the  esteem 
in  which  Mr.  Dick  is  held  by  them.  Kind  and  philanthropic 
by  nature,  his  interest  in  worthy  charities  is  active,  and  his 
contributions  numerous;  while  he  is  a  warm  supporter  of  the 
Lutheran  Church  and  its  institutions. 

Retired  and  domestic  in  his  tastes  and  habits,  he  shrinks 
from,  rather  than  seeks,  publicity.  With  this  disposition,  he 
is  content  to  discharge  the  citizen's  duty  at  the  ballot-box, 
without  seeking  political  preferment ;  though  his  modesty 
cannot  conceal  the  fact  that  he  is  one  of  the  leading  influen- 
tial men  in  the  Eastern  District,  and  so  recognized  every- 
where. He  is  respected  for  his  intrinsic  worth  as  a  man, 
and  beloved  by  those  who  have  received  his  benefactions. 
He  enjoys  the  comforts  of  an  elegant  home  with  the  wife  of 
his  youth.  They  do  their  part  in  society,  and  their  house  is 
frequently  opened  to  their  large  circle  of  friends. 

Mr.  Dick  has  already  attained  to  a  great  degree  of  useful- 
ness; but  with  every  year  his  business  relations,  his  charities 
and  his  influence  expand,  so  that  the  future  alone  can  reveal 
to  what  he  may  yet  come. 


SECTION  HI. 

Relative  Importance  of  Different  Manufactures. 

The  importance  of  each  industry  is  not  to  be  judged 
by  the  aggregate  production  of  all  the  establish- 
ments, but  by  the  individual  product.  In  review- 
ing the  different  classes  of  manufactures  conducted 
in  the  county,  we  cannot  be  guided  entirely  by 
the  magnitude  of  the  annual  product.  This  may 
be  the  result  of  the  aggregation  of  the  products  of  a 
very  large  number  of  producers,  or  it  may  be,  as  m 
the  sugar  refining  industry,  the  result  of  the  immense 
production  of  a  very  few  manufacturers  of  large  capi- 
tal and  ample  appliances.  In  the  sugar  refining  busi- 
ness, the  product  averages,  according  to  the  census  re- 
turns, $5,430,000  to  each  refining  company,  and  the 
material  used  is  reported  as  $5,130,000.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  bread,  crackers,  and  other  bakery  products, 
i  which  amount  in  the  aggregate  to  *5,501,tt75,  are  pro- 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


duced  in  532  establishments,  so  that  the  average  to 
each  establishment  is  only  $10,510.  Still  smaller  is 
the  average  product  in  the  case  of  the  boot  and  shoe 
manufactures,  where,  though  the  aggregate  annual 
product  is  $1,8 19,993,  it  is  divided  among  546  estab- 
lishments, giving  an  average  product  of  only  $3,333  to 
each  manufacturer.  There  are  instances,  indeed, 
where  the  average  annual  product  is  less  than  $2,000, 
but  these  are  rather  mechanical  employments,  like 
watch  and  clock  repairing,  mechanical  dentistry,  etc., 
etc.,  than  manufacturing  in  the  ordinary  sense. 

SECTION  IV. 

Petroleum  Refining. 

The  vast  business  of  refining  petroleum  oils,  though 
conducted  and  owned  mainly  by  Brooklyn  men,  is 
carried  on  on  both  sides  of  Newtown  Creek,  the  bound- 
ary line  between  Kings  and  Queens  counties.  That 
part  of  it  usually  regarded  as  belonging  to  Kings 
county,  reported  in  the  census  of  1880,  18  refineries, 
employing  $2,675,000  of  capital,  and  2,302  hands;  pay- 
ing $974,036  in  wages;  using  $12,643,724  of  raw  ma- 
terials, and  yielding  an  annual  product  of  $15,115,293. 
Since  1880,  the  consumption  of  petroleum  oils  for  pur- 
poses of  illumination,  lubrication,  heating,  and  as  a 
fuel  for  marine,  locomotive,  and  stationary  engines, 
has  vastly  increased,  and  the  export  demand  for  the 
refined  products  of  petroleum  is  growing  at  a  rapid 
rate. 

Before  petroleum  oil,  as  the  product  of  oil  wells, 
was  known  in  this  country,  "  coal  "  or  "  rock  oil  "  was 
distilled  from  some  of  the  fatty  coals  and  bituminous 
shales  of  Kentucky,  Ohio  and  Illinois,  and  perhaps 
quite  as  extensively,  from  a  shale,  rich  in  bitumen, 
brought  to  New  York  from  Nova  Scotia.  Mr.  J.  M. 
Stearns  states  that  the  late  Dr.  Abraham  Gessner,  who 
was,  some  twenty-five  or  thirty  years  ago,  an  eminent 
practical  chemist  here,  had,  from  1855  to  1860,  a  dis- 
tillery, for  producing  this  oil  from  the  Nova  Scotia 
•shales,  located  near  Dutch  Kills,  on  the  north  bank  of 
Newtown  Creek.  The  price  of  the  coal  oil  was  high, 
and  the  business  was  profitable  for  several  years, 
though  the  processes  adopted  were  not  economical. 

The  gases  generated  in  the  distillation,  were  con- 
ducted into  a  large  iron  tube,  and  instead  of  being 
utilized,  were  burned  at  the  point  of  contact  with  the 
atmospheric  air,  that  they  might  not  contaminate  the 
air,  in  the  neighborhood.  This  immense  flame  at  night 
illumined  the  creek  and  the  surrounding  landscape. 
The  discovery  of  petroleum,  and  its  rapid  develop- 
ment in  1859-62,  made  the  distillation  of  coal  or  rock 
oil  unprofitable,  and  Dr.  Gessner  was  finally  reduced 
to  bankruptcy,  and  eventually  died  in  poverty. 

"There  were,  just  before  the  change  from  coal  oil 
to  petroleum,  two  camphene  distilleries  in  the  Eastern 
District,  EngeVs  at  the  foot  of  South  Second  street, 


and  Brundage's  at  the  foot  of  South  Fourth  street. 
After  the  change,  camphene  was  distilled  from  petro- 
leum, and  one  of  these  firms  had  a  storage  depot  on 
the  block  between  North  Third  and  North  Fourth 
streets  and  the  East  River,  in  which  was  stored  15,000 
barrels  of  crude  petroleum.  In  unloading  a  schooner, 
laden  with  this  inflammable  substance,  a  barrel  burst 
and  took  fire,  and  very  soon  communicated  with  the 
storage  sheds.  The  whole  15,000  barrels  were  set  on 
fire  and  their  contents  flowed  into  the  East  River,  and 
for  a  mile  in  extent,  the  river,  half  way  across,  was  in 
flames.  The  shipping  moored  along  the  shore  of  the 
Eastern  District,  was  in  great  peril,  but  was  towed  out 
of  danger;  but  the  pier,  where  the  fire  originated,  was 
burned.  In  about  an  hour  and  a  half  the  fiery  river  had 
burned  itself  out,  and  there  were  only  the  smouldering 
remains  of  the  petroleum  barrels  and  sheds,  to  recall 
what  might  easily  have  become  one  of  the  greatest 
conflagrations  of  the  century.  This  experience  has 
been  repeated  several  times  since  on  both  the  East  and 
North  Rivers,  notably,  during  the  present  year  (1883). 
One  beneficial  result  of  this  fire  was,  that  very  little 
petroleum  has  since  been  stored  in  barrels.  It  is  now 
mostly  stored  in  iron  tanks,  and  conveyed  by  pipes 
underground  from  the  oil  regions  to  the  refineries." 

The  Standard  Oil  Company,  which  has  refineries 
and  storage  tanks  on  both  sides  of  Newtown  Creek, 
in  Kings  and  Queens  counties,  and  also  at  Bayonne,  N. 
J.,  Buffalo,  Cleveland,  Pittsburgh,  Titusville,  Oil  City, 
etc.,  etc.,  is  by  far  the  largest  holder  of  petroleum  oils 
and  products  in  the  country.  Most  of  the  other  re- 
fining companies  purchase  their  crude  or  partially  re- 
fined oils  of  this  company,  which,  by  its  vast  capital 
and  extensive  operations,  controls  the  entire  petroleum 
trade. 

There  are  in  Brooklyn  about  21  companies  engaged 
in  the  production  of  petroleum  products;  possibly,  in- 
cluding the  very  smallest,  25  companies.  Several  of 
these  buy  the  partially  refined  oils,  and  possessing  one 
or  more  stills,  still  further  refine  them  for  special 
uses.  While  the  Standard  Oil  Company  is  the  largest 
seller  of  both  crude  and  partly  refined  petroleum; 
Charles  Pratt  &  Co.,  the  Devoe  Manufacturing  Co., 
the  Empire  Refining  Co.,  and  some  others,  also  sell 
partly  refined  oils  to  the  smaller  manufacturers. 

In  general,  it  may  be  said  that  all  the  companies 
purchase  their  crude  oil  of  the  Standard  Oil  Com- 
pany; perhaps  not  always  willingly,  but  because  its 
extraordinary  facilities  for  bringing  the  oils  to  market, 
and  its  control  over  the  whole  production  of  the  coun- 
try, enable  it  to  supply  them  at  better  terms  than 
they  can  obtain  elsewhere.  During  the  past  season, 
the  single  company  which  had  stood  out  longest,  and 
whose  production  enabled  it  to  be  a  somewhat  formid- 
able rival,  for  several  years — the  Tide  Water  Pipe 
Line, — found  its  advantage,  in  so  far  pooling  its  re- 
ceipts, as  to  become  an  ally,  if  not  a  customer  of  the 


6U 


ItTSlOBY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Standard  Oil  Company,  and  the  smaller  companies 
which  had  received  their  supplies  from  it,  are,  one  af- 
ter another,  falling  into  line. 

It  is  very  common,  when  a  great  manufacturing  or 
commercial  house,  hy  dint  of  energy,  enterprise,  and 
the  judicious  investment  of  its  means,  has  attained  to 
a  superiority  over  other  houses  in  the  same  line  of  bus- 
iness,  to  such  an  extent  as  to  make  them,  willingly  or 
unwillingly,  tributary  to  its  further  success,  to  raise 
the  cry  of  "  monopoly "  against  it,  and  thus  seek  to 
rouse  the  opposition  of  the  interested  and  the  un- 
thinking. While  mankind  are  constituted  as  they 
are,  this  cry  will  be  almost  invariably  raised  against 
successful  business  men.  Sometimes,  it  is  true,  the 
tyranny  and  grasping  disposition  of  these  business 
kings,  may  justify  a  part  of  what  is  said  against 
them  ;  but  oftener,  the  foulest  and  meanest  charges 
which  are  made  originate  entirely  in  the  envious 
brains  of  those  who  have  failed  in  the  strife  of  busi- 
ness, and  who,  if  they  had  been  successful,  would  have 
been  far  greater  tyrants  and  oppressors  than  those 
whom  they  condemn. 

The  Standard  Oil  Company  needs  no  defence  at  our 
hands;  but  a  very  small  proportion  of  its  vast  business 
is  conducted  within  the  bounds  of  Kings  county;  its 
immense  reservoirs,  tanks  and  refineries  elsewhere  are 
out  of  our  limits;  but  we  may  be  permitted  to  say, 
that  so  far  as  we  have  been  able  to  observe,  its  superi- 
ority is  due  to  the  wonderful  energy,  enterprise,  and 
business  ability  of  its  managers.  Commencing  at  a 
time  when  the  petroleum  production  and  market  were 
at  their  lowest  ebb,  they  had  the  sagacity  and  courage 
to  foresee  for  it  an  eventual  and  wonderful  success. 
While  hundreds  were  failing,  they  held  on  and  held 
out,  and  when  the  tide  changed,  and  the  export  demand 
became  large,  they  were  ready  for  it.  They  saw  their 
great  opportunity,  and  embraced  it;  and  to-day  it  is 
almost  wholly  due  to  their  exertions  that  our  petroleum 
exports  have  risen  in  about  fifteen  years  from  nothing 
to  more  than  forty  million  dollars  a  year,  and  that  re- 
fined petroleum  of  the  best  quality  is  sold  at  a  price 
which  is  within  the  reach  of  even  the  poorest.  Of 
course  this  has  not  been  accomplished  without  exciting 
the  envy  and  hostility  of  many;  and  unthinking  parties, 
ready  to  believe  the  worst  of  their  fellow  men,  have 
aided  to  spread  the  most  malicious  and  unfounded  re- 
ports, when  they  neither  knew  its  business  nor  its  man- 
agers. It  may  have  committed  some  errors,  possibly 
some  minor  wrongs;  most  great  corporations  do;  but 
that  th<-  noble-hearted  and  high-minded  Christian  gen- 
tlemen who  are  at  the  head  of  that  great  company 
have,  knowingly  or  wilfully,  attempted  to  oppress  or 
crush  others,  because  they  had  the  power  to  do  so,  we 
do  not  believe. 

Among  the  companies  which  are  most  largely  en- 
gaged in  refining  petroleum  in  Brooklyn,  two,  Charles 
I'rntt  .(•  C<>.  and  the  l)<vo<    Miinufurturiiuj  Co.,  are 


much  the  largest.  Mr.  Pratt  and  Mr.  Devoe  were  both 
originally  members  of  the  great  firm  of  Reynolds,  De- 
voe &  Pratt,  manufacturers  of  and  dealers  in  paints, 
etc.,  but  left  it  in  1867  to  engage  in  the  refining  of  pe- 
troleum. At  that  time  most  of  the  "  kerosene  "  on  the 
market  was  highly  inflammable  and  dangerous.  Fires 
and  deaths  from  its  use  were  constantly  occurring.  So 
late  as  1869,  out  of  636  samples  obtained  in  New  York 
and  Brooklyn,  from  respectable  dealers,  there  were  only 
21,  not  quite  one  in  30,  whose  flashing  point  was  above 
100°  F.  Both  Mr.  Pratt  and  Mr.  Devoe  determined  to 
produce  an  article  which  should  be  free  from  danger, 
and  while  the  Legislature  had  fixed  the  minimum  fire 
test  of  100°  F.,  below  which  it  should  be  a  misde- 
meanor to  sell  kerosene,  Mr.  Pratt,  and,  we  believe, 
Mr.  Devoe  also,  fixed  a  fire  test  about  forty  degrees 
higher  as  the  lowest  point  consistent  with  complete 
safety.  Mr.  Pratt  affixed  to  his  product  the  name  of 
"  Pratt's  Astral  Oil,"  while  Mr.  Devoe  gave  his  the 
name  of  "  Devoe's  Brilliant  Oil."  By  great  exertions 
in  making  the  merits  of  their  respective  oils  known, 
both  built  up  an  immense  business.  "  Pratt's  Astral 
Oil "  has  become  a  household  word,  throughout  our  own 
country,  and  is  very  largely  sold  in  foreign  countries. 
After  some  years  Mr.  Devoe  sold  his  interest  to  the 
Devoe  Manufacturing  Company,  and  returned  to  his 
former  business  as  a  manufacturer  and  dealer  in  paints 
and  oils.  Mr.  Pratt  constantly  enlarged  his  business, 
adding  to  it  manufactories  of  tools,  cans,  petroleum 
barrels  and  tanks,  etc.,  and  taking  in  partners,  as  his 
extended  trade  required.  He  also  formed  a  company 
called  the  Pratt  Manufacturing  Company,  to  manufac- 
ture the  sulphuric  acids  and  other  chemicals  used  in 
refining  petroleum,  both  for  his  own  company  and  for 
the  Standard  Oil  Company,  of  which  he  is  a  director. 
Of  late  years,  the  demand  for  his  "Astral  Oil "  abroad 
has  compelled  him  to  engage  largely  in  the  export 
trade.  Most  of  the  oil  shipped  to  foreign  ports  is  sent 
in  what  are  called  cases,  each  wooden  case  containing 
two  five-gallon  tin  cans,  so  packed  as  to  be  fire  and 
water  proof,  and  also  secured  against  leakage,  and  at 
the  same  time,  when  the  case  is  opened,  the  cans  can 
be  used  or  emptied  by  the  retailer  without  inconveni- 
ence. For  the  home  trade,  it  is  sold  either  in  petro- 
leum barrels,  so  prepared  as  to  be  proof  against  leakage, 
or  in  one  and  two-gallon  cans,  provided  with  a  spout 
and  cap,  which  are  largely  used  by  families.  Some- 
times, for  stores,  etc.,  the  five-gallon  cans  are  used. 

The  firm  of  Charles  Pratt  <£  Co.  are  deserving  of 
high  commendation  for  their  solicitous  care  to  send 
out  no  oil  which  was  not  above  the  point  of  perfect 
safety,  and  for  the  precautions  they  have  always  in- 
sisted upon  in  the  use  of  the  Astral  Oil.  They  are  now 
refining  it  to  a  yet  higher  test,  and  it  is  a  well  ascer- 
tained fact  that  their  Astral  Oil  will  not  explode.  They 
manufacture,  for  gas  machines,  gasoline;  a  naphtha  of 
special  grade  and  cpiality  for  street   lighting  in  small 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES.  675 


cities  and  towns;  a  benzine,  of  62°  quality,  for  manu- 
facturers' use;  a  naptha  of  70°  gravity,  and  a  deodor- 
ized naptha  of  76°  gravity,  for  vapor  stoves,  lamps, 
&c.  All  these  are  put  up  so  carefully,  and  with  such 
precautions,  as  to  insure  them  against  accident. 

The  Devoe  Manufacturing  Company  have  been  less 
active  in  supplying  the  home  market,  though  their  oil 
is  of  excellent  quality,  but  have  turned  their  attention 
mainly,  of  late  years,  to  the  export  trade,  in  which  they 
are,  we  believe,  the  largest  exporters  of  refined  petro- 
leum in  the  United  States,  their  out-put,  in  a  single 
day,  in  the  busy  season,  amounting  to  60,000  five-gal- 
lon cans,  or  30,000  cases.  The  annual  amount,  of 
course,  depends  upon  the  price  of  refined  oils  and  the 
foreign  demand,  which  last,  however,  is  constantly  in- 
creasing, in  spite  of  the  great  discoveries  of  oil  recently 
made  in  Germany,  Russia  and  the  Caucasus. 

The  other  oil  refineries  in  Brooklyn  and  Kings  county 
are  :  Rash  db  Denslow  Mfg  Co.,  the  Greenpoint  Oil 
Works,  the  Rrooklyn  Refinery,  the  Eagle  Oil  Works, 
Franklin  Oil  Works,  the  Chesebrough  Mfg  Company, 
(vaseline  and  petroleum  jellies),  James  Donald  &  Co., 
G.  F.  Gregory,  Jenney  <fi  Son,  Wilson  t£  Anderson, 
Me  Goey  <£•  King,  the  Empire  Refining  Company,  Sone 
cb  Fleming,  the  Hudson  Oil  Works,  the  Kings  County 
Oil  Works,  the  New  York  Kerosene  Gas-Light  Company, 
the  Vesta  Oil  Works  and  the  Washington  Oil  Works, 
and  perhaps  four  or  five  individual  refiners.  A  few  of 
these  do  not  report,  but  we  have  full  returns  from 
twelve  of  the  largest,  and  those  not  heard  from  can 
hardly  increase  the  following  returns  (which  are  for 
1883)  by  more  than  10  or  12  per  cent.  The  capital  in- 
vested in  the  business  by  these  twelve  companies  is 
about  $7,200,000. 

The  greatest  number  of  hands  employed  at  any  one 
time  during  the  year  was  about  3,000. 

Average  day's  wages  for  a  skilled  workman,  by  day, 
$2.50;  by  night,  $2.66;  for  an  ordinary  laborer,  by 
day,  $1.55;  by  night,  $1.70;  for  a  cooper,  $2.50;  for  a 
tinsmith,  $2.10.  Total  amount  of  wages  paid  during 
the  year,  about  $1,500,000. 

-Gallons  of  crude  petroleum  used  during  the  year, 
about  210,000,000.  Value,  from  $7,200,000  to  $9,600,- 
000  (at  average  prices  of  1883,  the  latter  sum  would 
be  nearest  the  truth.) 

Tons  of  anthracite  coal  used  during  the  year,  includ- 
ing pea  and  dust  coal,  about  84,000;  value,  about 
$210,000.  Number  of  tons  of  sulphuric  acid  used  dur- 
ing the  year,  about  18,000.  Number  of  tons  of  caustic 
soda,  about  360.  Number  of  barrels  used,  about 
2,400,000;  value,  about  $3,000,000.  Number  of  tin 
cans  made,  about  19,200,000;  value,  about  $1,800,000. 
Gallons  of  total  product  of  kerosene  exported  to 
foreign  countries  in  cans,  about  15,000,000.  Number 
of  boilers,  for  steam,  about  54.  Number  of  boilers,  not 
for  steam,  about  48.  Horse-power  used,  about  4,200. 
Annual  out-put  can  only  be  roughly  estimated  from 


the  fluctuating  price  of  the  oil,  but  can  hardly  fall  be- 
low $21,000,000. 

Adding  to  this  10  per  cent,  for  the  non-reporting 
companies,  and  we  have  a  grand  aggregate  of  $23,000,- 
000. 

Sub-section  I. — Illuminating  Gas. 

The  production  of  illuminating  gas  is  a  large  indus- 
try in  Kings  county.  There  were,  in  1880,  eight  gas- 
works in  the  county,  reporting  a  capital  (partly  nomi- 
nal) of  $9,190,000,  and  employing  in  all  25  7  men,  pay- 
ing wages  to  the  amount  of  $163,019,  using  $445,605 
of  raw  material,  and  producing  annually  illuminating 
gas  to  the  amount  of  $1,835,068.  The  introduction  of 
the  so-called  "  Water  Gas "  (which  owes  its  illumina- 
ting properties  in  part  to  its  combination  with  naphtha 
and  other  petroleum  products)  within  the  past  two 
years  has  probably  somewhat  diminished  the  amount 
of  the  production  of  the  other  illuminating  gas  com- 
panies. Their  business  has  also  been  somewhat  dimin- 
ished by  the  increasing  use  of  kerosene  as  a  means  of 
illumination,  and  by  the  introduction  into  large  stores 
and  public  buildings,  halls,  &c,  of  the  electric  light. 
The  probable  substitution  of  a  cheajier  gas  for  heating 
and  culinary  purposes,  where  less  illumination  is  re- 
quired, will,  in  the  course  of  two  or  three  years,  per- 
haps, supply  present  deficiencies. 

Since  the  spring  of  1883,  the  eight  gas  companies 
of  Brooklyn  have  been,  reduced  by  consolidation  or 
the  purchase  of  a  controlling  portion  of  their  stock  by 
the  Fulton  Municipal  Gas  Company,  which  produces 
the  so-called  water  gas.  The  independent  companies 
are  the  Fulton  Municipal,  the  Nassau  and  the  Brook- 
lyn gas  companies.  It  is  said  that  the  Brooklyn  has 
made  some  arrangement  with  the  Fulton  Municipal,  by 
which  they  are  no  longer  in  opposition.  It  is  generally 
believed  that  the  Standard  Oil  Company  backs  the 
Fulton  Municipal.  It  is  certain  that  it  furnishes.it 
with  naphtha.  The  production  of  the  gas  companies 
is  certainly  less  than  in  1880,  but  does  not,  we  judge, 
fall  below  $1,550,000.  They  are  making  strenuous 
efforts  to  supply  gas  for  heating  purposes,  but,  as  they 
have  not  reduced  the  price  per  thousand  feet,  for  this 
use,  and  heating  by  steam  pipes  laid  in  the  streets  is 
pending,  they  have  not  as  yet  met  with  quite  the  suc- 
cess they  anticipated. 

Gas-Light  Companies. — Mr.  Joseph  Spragae  has 
left  in  his  manuscript  autobiography  the  following  ac- 
count of  the  inception  of 

The  Brooklyn  Gas-Light  Company. — "In  July,  1824,  Al- 
den  Spooner  and  myself,  for  amusement,  inserted  a  notice  in 
the  Long  Island  Star  of  an  application  to  be  made  to  the 
Legislature  for  an  act  of  incorporation  for  a  company,  with 
a  capital  of  $150,000,  for  the  purpose  of  lighting  streets, 
dwellings  and  manufactories  with  gas.  We  were  desirous 
only  to  create  a  little  sensation.  It  was  received  iu  earnest, 
and  the  demand  persisted  in  that  I  should  go  to  Albany  for 
a  charter,  which  I  did,  and  the  bill  was  passed,  April  18, 
1825,  that  is  now  giving  light  to  Brooklyn.    The  stock  was 


676 


HISTORY  01  KINGS  COUNTY. 


monopolized  by  the  directors  at  ten  per  cent,  advance,  and  it 
was  amusing  to  witness  the  infatuated  dignity  over  a  worth- 
less charter,  which  was  to  them  a  rich  placer  of  gold.  Com- 
mittees were  put  in  motion,  lots  bought  for  gas-works,  plans 
and  estimates  examined.  I  then  moved  that  the  money  paid 
in  be  refunded,  and  all  operations  be  discontinued  until  the 
increase  of  Brooklyn  should  afford  a  reasonable  prospect  of 
supporting  a  gas  company,  which  suggestion  was  adopted, 
and  the  money  returned  with  interest." 

The  directors  named  in  the  act  were  Robert  Carter,  Adrian 
H.  Van  Bokkelen,  Joseph  Sprague,  William  Furman,  Jehiel 
Jagger,  Joseph  G.  Swift,  Alden  Spooner,  Fanning  C.  Tucker, 
and  Richard  V.  W.  Thorn.  Twelve  years  later,  the  company 
was  revived,  and  February  1,  1847,  elected  the  following 
directors  :  Alden  Spooner,  Joseph  Sprague,  John  Dikeman, 
Ralph  Malbone,  Tunis  Barkeloo,  Losee  Van  Nostrand,  Fan- 
ning C.  Tucker.  Jehiel  Jagger,  William  Kumbel.  Their  acts 
were  legalized  in  1850,  and  March  26.  1855,  the  company  was 
authorized  to  increase  its  capital  to  $1,000,000. 

The  gas-works  were  located  at  the  foot  of  Hudson  avenue, 
which  location  the  company  still  retains.  The  1st.  3d  and  5th 
wards  were  first  supplied  with  mains  and  pipes  for  con- 
sumers.   The  company  now  owns  80  miles  of  mains. 

In  June,  1825,  Fanning  C.  Tucker  was  elected  president ; 
James  B.  Clark  was  the  first  secretary.  The  succeeding 
presidents  have  been  Alden  Spooner,  Feb.  11,  1847,  till  his 
death,  December,  1848  ;  Robert  Nichols,  December,  1848,  to 
January,  1862;  Arthur  W.  Benson,  January,  1862,  to  January, 
1882;  James  H.  Armington,  January,  1882-4  ;  E.  Storer,  Sec- 
retary. January,  1881-4. 

The  Citizens'  Gas-Light  Company  (office,  130  Atlantic 
avenue),  was  incorporated  OctoberJ^th,  1858,  with  a  capital 
of  $1,000,000,  which  was  afterward  increased  to  $1,200,000. 
Permission  to  lay  mains  was  granted  by  the  city  in  March, 
1859.  The  company's  works  were  erected  at  the  corner  of 
Smith  and  Fifth  streets.  The  presidents  of  the  company  have 
been:  John  H.  Smith,  H.  P.  Libby,  J.  H.  Stebbins,  and  the 
present  president,  Samuel  E.  Howard. 

The  other  officers  for  1833-4  are:  Jacob  I.  Bergen,  treasurer; 
Samuel  F.  Tudor,  secretary. 

The  People's  Gas-Light  Company  (offices,  410  Myrtle 
avenue,  and  51  First  street,  E.  D.).  was  organized,  under  the 
general  law,  in  October,  1864,  with  Abraham  Meserole, 
President,  and  a  board  of  nine  directors :  Alex.  McCue, 
Chas.  J.  Lowry,  D.  M  Talmage,  Wm.  Peet,  H.  J.  Alden,  Jr., 
Abm.  Meserole,  O.  M.  Beach,  J.  B.  Craig,  and  Augustus 
Ivins.  The  capital  stock  at  first  was  $100,000.  During  six 
years  no  active  operations  were  prosecuted. 

In  January,  1870,  the  company  was  re-organized,  the  capi- 
tal stock  increased  to  $1,000,000,  and  William  L.  Husted  be- 
came President;  succeeded,  in  1871,  by  Frederic  Cromwell, 
and  he,  in  1873,  by  the  present  president,  Edwin  Ludlam. 
The  company's  works  were  commenced  in  1867,  and  com- 
pleted in  1870.  They  are  located  at  the  corner  of  First  and 
South  11th  streets.  There  are  two  gas-holders,  and  the  ca- 
pacity of  the  works  is  500,000  feet  daily.  The  present  pro- 
duction is  400,000  feet  per  day.  Forty  men  are  employed  at 
the  works,  and  fifteen  elsewhere. 

This  company  has  43  miles  of  mains,  and  supplies  the  ter- 
ritory in  the  city  east  from  Washington  avenue,  between 
I).  K  ill)  avenue.  Broadway,  and  Kent  avenue.  The  present 
directors  are  Edwin  Ludlam,  Win.  H.  Husted,  Wm.  Mar- 
shall, Win.  Peet,  II.  EL  Rogers,  Win.  Rockefeller,  Benj. 
Brewster.  Geo.  N.  Curtis,  II.  R.  Bishop.  The  officers  for 
!--.;  I  are  IS  1  win  Ludlam,  ['resident;  Wm.  IVet,  Vice  Presi- 
dent;  S.  J.  Edwards,  Secretary. 


The  Nassau  Gas-Light  Company  (office  959  Fulton  street), 
wasorgauized,  under  the  general  manufacturing  law,  Novem- 
ber 1,  1870,  with  a  paid-up  capital  of  $1,000,000.  The  first  di- 
rectors were  Henry  P.  Morgan,  Edward  D.  White,  John  J. 
Studwell,  Edwin  Beers,  Charles  J.  Lowry.  At  present,  as 
above,  adding  S.  Warren  Sneden.  Henry  B.  Morgan,  the 
present  President,  was  chosen  to  that  position  at  the  organi- 
zation of  the  company. 

The  works,  near  Washington  avenue  bridge,  on  Wallabout 
bay,  were  completed  in  1873.  There  are  two  gas-holders,  and 
the  works  have  a  daily  capacity  of  1,000,000  feet.  The  yearly 
consumption  of  gas  from  these  works  is  135,000,000  feet,  and 
the  amount  of  coal  used  is  13,000  tons.  The  district  supplied 
by  this  company  is  bounded  by  Washington  avenue  on  the 
west,  DeKalb  avenue  and  Broadway  on  the  north,  and  the 
city  boundary  on  the  south.  Fifty  men  are  employed  at  the 
works,  and  about  the  same  number  elsewhere.  The  company 
has  67  miles  of  street  mains.  The  number  of  consumers  is 
about  6,000.  The  officers  of  the  company,  1883-4,  are:  H.  P. 
Morgan.  President ;  S.  T.  White,  Secretary  ;  Frederick  S. 
Benson,  Engineer. 

The  Metropolitan  Gas-Light  Company  (office,  563  Atlantic 
avenue),  was  organized  February,  1871,  under  the  General 
Manufacturing  Act,  with  a  capital  of  $1,000,000.  It  com- 
menced business  in  January.  1872,  and  its  works,  on  Gowanus 
canal,  at  the  foot  of  Twelfth  street,  were  erected  in  1373. 
They  have  a  capacity  of  500,000  feet  daily.  Coal  gas  is  man- 
ufactured, and  in  the  manufacture,  distribution,  etc.,  of  this 
gas,  58  men  are  employed.  The  company  has  47  miles  of 
street  mains. 

Hon.  Alexander  McCue  was  the  first  president  of  the  com- 
pany. The  second  and  present  president  is  John  Williams. 
The  other  officers  for  1883-4  are  H.  H.  Rogers,  vice-president; 
C.  H.  Stoddard,  secretary  and  treasurer.  The  first  board  of 
directors  were  William  C.  Kingsley,  A.  McCue,  Edward 
Harvey,  A.  F.  Campbell,  S.  L.  Keeney,  Edgar  M.  Cullen  and 
A.  Ammerman.  The  names  of  the  present  board  are:  H.  R. 
Bishop,  H.  Beam,  J.  C.  Bergen,  Benjamin  Brewster,  A.  F. 
Campbell,  A.  C.  Keeney,  John  P.  Kennedy,  Wm.  C.  Kings- 
ley,  A.  McCue,  Wm.  Rockefeller,  H.  H.  Rogers,  John  Wil- 
liams and  Chas.  H.  Stoddard. 

The  company  owns  47  miles  of  mains,  laid  in  the  district 
bounded  by  Gowanus  canal  and  Nevins  street,  Atlantic 
avenue  and  Flatbush  avenue,  to  city  line,  to  and  inclusive  of 
New  Utrecht. 

Fulton  Municipal  Gas  Company  (office,  342  Fulton  street), 
was  organized,  under  the  general  law,  in  1879,  with  a  capital 
of  $1,500,000,  which,  in  1881,  was  reduced  to  $1,217,700.  The 
company  consisted  of  6even  corporators.  Henry  M.  Bene- 
dict has  been  president  since  its  organization,  and  Gen.  Jas. 
Jourdan  is  the  vice-president.  Walter  K.  Rossiter  is  secre- 
tary and  treasurer. 

The  works  of  the  company  were  erected  in  1879,  on  the 
corner  of  Nevins  and  DeGraw  streets.  There  are  three  gas 
holders,  ami  the  works  have  a  capacity  of  1,000,000  feet  per 
day.  Twenty-five  men  are  employed  at  the  works,  and  about 
the  same  number  elsewhere.  What  is  known  as  water  gas, 
of  a  high  Illuminating  power,  is  manufactured  at  this  estab- 
lishment. 

The  first  board  of  directors  of  this  company  were  James 
N.  Smith,  Win.  Foster,  Jr.,  Wm.  Nehwar/.waelder,  Geo.  II. 
Roberts,  Frank  F.  Jones,  P.  P.  Dickinson  and  Henry  S.  Ben- 
nett. The  present  board  are  Wm.  Rockefeller,  Benjamin 
Brewster,  Henry  II.  Rogers  Heber  R.  Bishop,  James  Jourdan, 
Henry  M.  Benedict  and  E.  C.  Benedict. 

The  company  owns  about  60  miles  of  mains,  supplying  gas 
to  the  section  of  the  city  west  of  Broad wuy. 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


677 


SECTION  V. 
Meat  Slaughtering. 

This  industry,  though  not,  as  in  Chicago,  the  lead- 
ing manufacture,  ranks  about  fifth  in  our  industries, 
and  only  New  York  and  Jersey  City,  among  our 
Eastern  cities,  give  a  larger  annual  product.  The 
census  of  1880  reports  28  establishments,  not  in- 
cluding the  retail  butcher  establishments,  having  an 
aggregate  capital  of  $1,125,000;  employing  260  hands; 
paying  out  $194,568  in  wages  annually  ;  using  $7,340,- 
450  of  materials,  and  producing  annually  $8,010,492. 
There  is  reason  to  believe  that  these  statistics,  with 
some  abatement  for  the  amount  of  material  used,  and 
a  little  advance  in  the  value  of  the  annual  product, 
represent,  pretty  nearly,  the  present  condition  of  this 
industry  at  the  present  time.  The  considerable  ad- 
vance in  the  price  of  all  meat  products  since  1880, 
would,  perhaps,  make  the  value  of  the  annual  product 
in  1883  not  less  than  nine  million  dollars;  but,  on  the 
other  hand,  slaughtering,  except  for  home  consumption, 
is  not  on  the  increase  here,  and  the  packing  of  meats, 
except  for  our  local  markets,  is  falling  off.  This  is  due 
to  several  causes;  not  only  are  beeves,  hogs,  sheep  and 
calves  reared  much  more  cheaply,  and  fattened  at  a 
lower  price,  in  the  Mississippi  valley  and  on  the  West- 
ern plains,  than  they  can  possibly  be  here,  but  the  ex- 
tensive and  complete  facilities  for  slaughtering  and 
meat-packing  at  Chicago,  St.  Louis,  Cincinnati,  Mil- 
waukie,  Louisville,  Burlington,  Davenport,  Kansas 
City,  Omaha,  and  Denver,  are  so  greatly  superior  to 
those  of  any  of  our  Eastern  cities,  as  to  discourage  en- 
terprise for  the  export  trade.  More  than  nine-tenths 
of  all  the  hogs,  and  now  full  one-half  of  the  beeves, 
and  two-fifths  of  the  mutton  and  lambs,  which  come  to 
the  New  York  and  Brooklyn  markets,  are  slaughtered 
at  the  West  and  brought  here  in  the  carcass  ;  and  of 
the  animals  slaughtered  here,  the  greater  part  come 
from  the  West. 

By  the  use  of  refrigerator  cars  and  steamships,  beef 
in  sides,  and  even  in  quarters,  and  pork  and  mutton  as 
cut  meats,  can  be  and  are  brought  here  very  largely 
from  Chicago  and  other  western  cities,  and  retailed  at 
prices  which  leave  our  home  slaughterers  no  margin 
of  profit.  The  provision  trade  is  in  even  a  worse  posi- 
tion. The  great  packing  houses  of  the  western  cities, 
buying  their  cattle,  sheep  and  hogs  at  first  hands,  and, 
by  their  admirable  arrangements  and  economies  utili- 
ing  every  portion  of  the  animal,  can  furnish  these 
packed  meats  for  export  at  prices  which  leave  no  mar- 
gin to  our  packing  houses,  and  even,  in  many  cases, 
compel  them  to  manufacture  at  a  positive  loss.  Their 
only  chance  for  profit,  except  where  reckless  specula- 
tion has  made  a  corner  in  any  of  these  products,  and 
forced  up  the  price  beyond  its  natural  average,  is  to 
put  up  then-  packed  meats  of  so  excellent  quality  as  to 
obtain  for  them  a  local  reputation  which  will  command 


an  advanced  price.  The  shipments  of  dressed  beef 
and  latterly  of  mutton  from  Texas,  in  refrigerating 
steamships,  tends  also  to  depreciate  prices  here  ;  for, 
though  the  quality  is  generally  inferior  to  that  of  the 
best  beef  and  mutton  slaughtered  here,  the  price  is 
also  materially  less. 

From  these  and  other  causes,  while  the  aggregate 
amount  of  slaughtering  and  meat-packing  has  not  in- 
creased materially,  it  has  largely  changed  hands.  The 
slaughtering  business  in  Kings  county  is,  to  a  very 
great  extent  (almost  wholly  in  the  case  of  sheep  and 
lambs),  in  the  hands  of  Hebrews.  The  leading 
slaughterers  ate  Moses  May,  Levy  <fb  May,  Isaac 
Isaacs,  I  &  J.  Levy,  Leopold  Block,  and  H.  &.  J. 
Bernstein,  for  beeves,  calves  and  hogs,  and  Aaron 
Levy,  for  sheep  and  lambs.  Other  houses  do  a  mod- 
erate business. 

In  the  meat-packing  and  provision  trade,  the  busi- 
ness, which  a  few  years  ago  was  conducted  by  enter- 
prising American  packers,  has  passed  into  the  hands  of 
equally  enterprising  Germans;  and  the  American  houses 
have  either  withdrawn  from  the  business,  or  have  suf- 
fered themselves  to  be  outdone  by  their  competitors. 
The  meat-packing  trade  here  includes  mess  beef  and 
pork,  corned  beef  and  pork,  beef,  pork  and  mutton  ; 
hams,  pickled,  smoked  and  dried,  or  otherwise  cured  : 
bacon,  shoulders,  sides,  or  middlings  of  pork  ;  tongues 
of  beeves,  sheep  and  lambs,  fresh,  pickled,  or  smoked  ; 
lard  (elsewhere  a  separate  branch  of  the  trade), 
sausages  (Bologna  and  other),  head-cheese,  tenderloins 
of  pork,  pigs'  feet,  calves'  feet,  livers,  tripe,  &c,  &c. 

In  some  of  these  packed  meats,  the  Kings  county 
packers  have  no  superiors;  this  is  especially  true  of  the 
beef  and  pork  hams,  the  bacon,  smoked  and  pickled 
tongues,  Bologna  sausages,  head-cheese,  lard,  &c,  &c. 

The  leading  meat-packers  and  provision  curers  are 
Figge  cD  Brother,  Herman  Gra/dfs,  Friedrich  Mosetter, 
H  Klumpf,  Jacob  Harman,  George  TFT  Williamson, 
D.  J.  Lavery,  and  J.  Lockitt  <Jb  Co.  Other  houses  do 
a  less  extensive  but  fair  business.  Conrad  Scherer  is 
the  largest  purchaser  of  beef  fat,  both  for  the  oleo- 
margarine and  the  soap  and  candle  trades. 


SECTION  VI. 

Foundry  and  Machine-Shop  Products. 

Under  this  very  general  and  misleading  t" tie  the 
census  office,  in  its  "Compendium  of  the  Tenth  Census," 
has  collected  a  great  number  of  industries  which  are 
deserving  of  separate  notice.  This  grouping  and  con- 
glomerating—  which  is  nearly  as  absurd  as  if  they 
had  refused  to  particularize  any  of  the  industries  of 
Brooklyn,  but  had  put  them  all  down  as  Brooklyn 
Manufacturers  — $177,223,142,  or  whatever  other  sum 
they  chose  to  put  down  —  is  obviously  an  after- 
thought. In  Mr.  Frothingham's  first  report  published 
in  the  Brooklyn  Daily  Eagle  of  July,  1881,  these  in- 


678 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


dustrics  were  placed  under  the  following  titles  :  Brass 
castings  and  finishing;  iron  castings  and  finishing; 
iron  castings  —  stoves,  heaters  and  hollow  ware;  ma- 
chine rv;  machinery — engines  and  boilers;  machinery — 
presses;  machinery — steam  pumps.  Of  these  seven  in- 
dustries, the  number  of  establishments  were  in  the 
above  order,  25,  32,  13,  65,  12,  4,  9  —  160  in  all;  and  the 
total  product,  $8,057,838. 

In  the  manufacturing  census  of  twenty  cities,  which 
was  published  in  lssi',  the  items  had  been  cut  down  as 
follows:  Brass  castings,  18;  iron  castings,  30;  ma- 
chinery, 91;  in  all  139  establishments,  and  with  a  total 
product  of  $7,349,707,  a  reduction  of  annual  product 
of  $708,131.  But  even  this  statement  did  not  quite 
satisfy  the  census  office,  and  in  the  Compendium  of  the 
Tenth  Census,  published  in  1883,  they  made  further 
changes.  "Brass  castings"  were  retained — 18  es- 
tablishments, and  with  the  same  product  as  before,  but 
the  two  items  of  iron  castings  and  machinery  were 
both  thrown  out,  and  instead  of  them  was  inserted 
foundry  and  machine  shop  products;  121  establish- 
ments, with  $4,079,250  capital;  3,890  hands;  $2,283,934 
of  wages  paid  during  the  year;  $3,146,992  of  mate- 
rials, and  $6,984,832  annual  product.  Including  the 
brass  castings,  the  whole  product  had  shrunk  $708,431, 
and  the  number  of  establishments  21.  What  further 
changes  may  be  made  in  the  quarto  volumes,  we  know 
not,  but  the  changes  we  have  shown  indicate,  clearly 
enough,  the  unreliableness  of  the  manufacturing  statis- 
tics of  the  tenth  census. 

But  the  point  we  wish  to  make  here,  is  not  so  much 
the  variations  in  the  number  of  establishments,  or  in 
the  amount  of  products,  as  the  great  defect  in  a  proper 
classification  of  these  manufactures.  Here,  included 
at  last,  under  the  head  of  Foundry  and  Machine 
Shop  Products,  are  nearly  a  dozen  different  industries, 
wholly  diverse  from  each  other,  most  of  them  using  as 
a  material,  either  iron,  cast  or  wrought,  steel,  copper 
or  brass,  but  having  hardly  anything  else  in  common. 
Here  are  houses  which  manufacture  steam  engines  of 
1200  or  1500  horse  power;  others  which  make  $25,000 
vacuum  pans;  others  which  make  steam  pumping  en- 
gines valued  at  $150,000  or  $250,000  each,  or  refriger- 
ating machines  worth  $130,000  to  $175,000  each,  and 
side  by  side  with  them  are  little  shops  doing  a  jobbing 
and  repairing  business,  whose  entire  annual  product 
did  not  exceed  $5,000  or  $8,000.  Yet  all  are  classed 
as  Foundry  and  Machine  Shop  Products.  While  we 
retain  tbil  general  heading,  though  rejecting  its  statis- 
tics, as  wholly  incorrect,  we  deem  it  altogether  neces- 
-:iry  to  any  adequate  understanding  of  the  subject  to 
divide  it  into  at  least  nine  subsections,  as  follows  : 

I.  — Sri: am  Exam  i  %, 

II.  —  Moii.Ku-,  Tanks  wi>  Gasometers. 

III.  -Sii:wi  IV Mi'iN'i  KsiiiNKs,  Stk.vm  Pumps  and 

AlU  COMPRESSORS. 


IV.  — Large  Castings,  as  Vacuum  Pans,  Centrifu- 
gal Machines,  Refrigerating  Machines,  Architect- 
ural Castings,  «fcc. 

V.  — Presses  and  Dies,  including  Drawing  and 
Stamping,  Baling,  Printing  and  other  Presses. 

VI.  — Brass  Foundries  and  Brass  Castings. 

VII.  — Wood-Working  Machines,  and  Small  Ma- 
chines of  all  sorts;  Nuts,  Bolts  and  Rivets, 

VIII.  — Ordinary  Machine  Shop  Products  and 
Kef  airing. 

IX.  — Wrought  and  Cast  Iron  Railing  and 
Fences,  and  Wire  Work. 

In  connection  with  this  last  subsection,  it  may  be 
said  that  nearly  all  the  larger  manufactories,  such  as 
the  sugar  refineries,  the  great  rope-walks,  the  petroleum 
refineries,  the  paper-hangings  manufactories,  the  porce- 
lain works,  etc.,  etc.,  have  each  a  large  machine  shop 
attached  to  their  works,  where  all  their  machinery  is 
repaired  and  many  new  machines  made.  Some  of  these 
shops  employ  a  large  force,  and  turn  out  one,  two,  or 
three  hundred  thousand  dollars  worth  of  work.  This 
is  reckoned  in  the  general  expenditures  of  the  manufac- 
tories, and  not,  as  it  should  be,  to  give  a  full  idea  of 
this  branch  of  Kings  county  industries,  with  the  ma- 
chine shop  products. 

Subsection  I. — Steam  Engines. 

There  are  no  locomotive  engine  works  in  Brooklyn  or 
Kings  county,  though  the  Long  Island  Railroad  ma- 
chine shops  repair  their  engines,  and  perhaps  have  built 
one  or  two.  The  Coney  Island  roads  have  also  repair- 
ing shops  for  their  engines,  but,  we  believe,  have  never 
attempted  to  construct  any. 

Stationary  engines  are  built  here,  and  of  great  excel- 
lence. From  1863  to  1867,  many  marine  engines  were 
constructed,  notably  those  for  several  of  the  monitors, 
and  for  ocean  steamers.  The  Continental  Iron  Works, 
the  Atlantic  Steam  Engine  Co.,  and  the  South  Brook- 
lyn Steam  Engine  Co.,  were  all  largely  engaged  in  this 
business,  employing  from  1,000  to  1,500  men  each.  We 
believe  no  marine  engines  are  now  built  in  Elinors 
county,  unless  there  may  be  one,  occasionally,  for  a 
freight  propeller  or  a  tug.  It  should  be  said,  however, 
that  Messrs.  White  it  Price  advertise  marine  engines 
as  their  specialty.  The  stationary  steam  engines  now 
built  here  are  not  generally  of  the  largest  class,  but  are 
of  very  great  merit.  The  Atlantic  Steam  Engine  Co., 
Mi  ssrs.  William  Arthur  ib  Co.,  Ferdinand  Rochow 
The  South  Brooklyn  Steam  Engine  Co.,  Messrs.  White 
<{•  I'rin,  of  Hamilton  avenue,  and  one  or  two  smaller 
houses,  are  now  the  principal  steam  engine  builders. 
Tlie  Sherrill- Roper  Air  Engine  Co.  is  building  caloric 
engines,  an  improvement  on  the  Ericsson  engine,  for 
use  where  a  moderate  power  and  at  moderate  cost  is 
required.  One  establishment  (105  Court  street)  makes 
a  specialty  of  toy  engines  for  children,  which  are  capa- 
ble of  doing  good  work  in  their  limited  capacity. 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


679 


The  best,  as  well  as  the  most  economical  and  efficient 
steam  engines  made  in  Kings  county  are  those  of  Me. 
Ferdinand  Rochow.  The  severe  competition  of  the 
Corliss,  Wright,  Harris,  and  other  large  steam  engines, 
manufactured  elsewhere,  with  our  Kings  county  engine 
builders,  has  led  most  of  them  to  turn  their  attention  to 
other  machinery,  where  the  rivalry  was  not  so  great ; 
but  Mr.  Rochow,  beginning,  in  1870,  with  a  very  small 
shop,  has  steadily  increased  his  business  till  he  is  now 
the  leading  builder  of  stationary  and  reversible  engines 
in  the  county.  He  manufactures  a  patent  compound 
engine,  which  is  capable  of  ready  adaptation  to  all 
forms  of  stationary  engines,  for  hoisting,  for  elevators, 
for  upright  and  wall  engines,  for  driving  the  machinery 
of  great  manufactories,  and  also  to  reversible  engines 
for  yachts,  propellers,  etc.  The  utility  of  the  double 
and  triple  compound  principle  in  economizing  the  con- 
sumption of  steam,  by  using  it  expansively,  has  been 
long  recognized  in  the  large  engines,  and  has  been  very 
generally  adopted  by  the  users  of  large  amounts  of  steam 
power.  The  great  merit  of  Mr.  Rochow's  invention 
is  that,  by  an  ingenious  adaptation  of  the  principle,  and 
a  new  and  simpler  arrangement  of  all  the  parts  of  the 
engine,  he  not  only  renders  this  economy  of  steam  pos 
sible  to  the  smallest  users  of  steam,  but  has  so  far  sim- 
plified the  construction  and  operation  of  the  engine, 
that  any  person  of  common  intelligence  can  operate  it, 
thus  relieving  the  manufacturer  from  the  heavy  expense 
of  employing  a  professed  engineer.  These  engines  can 
be  started  in  any  position  whatever  by  the  simple 
movement  of  the  reversing  valve,  by  giving  live  steam 
into  each  cylinder,  and  may  be  made  to  act  on  the  com- 
pound principle  by  another  simple  movement  of  the 
same  valve,  or  stopped  by  another  slight  movement  of 
it;  and  by  simple  movements  of  this  valve  it  can  be 
started,  stopped,  reversed,  and  used  alternately,  at  will, 
as  a  compound  or  non-compound  engine.  The  engine 
is  almost  absolutely  noiseless,  does  not  easily  get  out 
of  order,  and  does  the  same  work  accomplished  by 
a  non-expansive  engine,  while  it  uses  only  two-fifths 
of  the  steam.  The  present  annual  production  of  steam 
engines  is  about  $350,000,  and  the  number  of  men 
employed  about  275. 

Subsection  II. — Boilers,  Tanks  and  Gasometers, 
Brewers'  and  Distillers'  Machinery. 

For  every  steam  engine  there  must  be  at  least  one 
steam  boiler;  for  every  large  engine  there  are  usually 
from  two  to  five.  These  boilers  are  of  very  varied 
forms  and  modes  of  construction.  It  is  not  necessary, 
nor  have  we  the  space  to  go  into  a  particular  de- 
scription of  the  cylinder,  the  cylinder  flue,  the  return 
flue,  the  cylinder-tubular,  the  return-tubular,  the 
marine,  the  upright,  the  locomotive,  the  fire-engine, 
the  Root,  and  other  sectional  boilers.  We  believe 
there  is  no  variety  which  is  not  produced  by  one  or 
other  of  our  skillful  boiler  makers.  Some  are  better 


for  one  purpose  and  some  for  another;  but  such  houses 
as  the  South  Brooklyn  Steam  Boiler  Works,  Donald 
McNeil's,  Peter  J.  Donohue  &  Sons,  William  R. 
Taylor,  Christopher  Cunningham,  Farrel  Logan's  Sons, 
Charles  Collins,  Smith  Brothers,  Thomas  L.  Iliggins 
and  Thomas  J.  Reynolds,  are  capable  of  producing 
anything  in  the  shape  of  a  boiler  which  is  called  for. 

William  R.  Taylor.—" Truth  is  stranger  than  fiction." 
The  lives  of  many  of  our  business  men,  with  their  early  pov- 
erty, their  labors,  their  struggles,  and  their  triumphs,  read 
like  the  inventions  of  fancy.  If  any  man  can  be  called  self- 
made,  Mr.  William  R.  Taylor  has  a  right  to  the  name,  hav- 
ing earned  his  own  living  since  he  was  eight  years  of  age, 
and,  by  sheer  force  of  will,  raised  himself  from  penury  to 
affluence,  entirely  through  his  own  exertions. 

His  parents  were  residents  of  New  York  city  at  the  time  of 
his  birth,  in  1836.  When  he  was  five  years  old  his  father 
died,  leaving  a  wife  and  family  of  young  children  in  poor 
circumstances. 

Mrs.  Taylor  was  a  noble  woman;  one  who  possessed  more 
than  ordinary  intelligence  and  strength  of  mind.  She  accept- 
ed the  care  of  her  little  ones  as  a  sacred  trust,  teaching  them 
the  principles  of  morality  and  religion,  together  with  habits 
of  industry  and  economy. 

As  soon  as  her  son,  William  R  ,  was  able  to  take  care  of 
himself,  he  did  so,  finding  employment  of  various  kinds  in 
New  York  until  he  was  eighteen,  when  he  came  to  Brooklyn 
to  work  in  a  machine  shop.  His  chances  for  attending  school 
had  been  small,  comprising  less  than  a  year  altogether;  but 
this  disadvantage  only  spurred  him  on  to  make  up  the  de- 
ficiency in  other  ways,  by  devoting  all  his  odd  moments  to 
study.  He  speaks  humorously  of  his  struggles  alone  with 
fractions  and  the  multiplication  table  in  his  early  years. 
Though  he  commenced  at  the  very  bottom  of  the  ladder  in 
his  trade,  his  ambition  led  him  upward.  He  inherited  too 
much  of  his  mother  s  energy  and  strength  of  character  to 
tamely  remain  in  the  lower  ranks,  and  he  determined  to  be 
something  in  the  world,  if  strong  exertions  would  avail.  Apt, 
industrious  and  keenly  observant,  he  passed  up,  through  the 
various  grades  of  work  in  the  shop,  into  the  counting-room, 
until  his  courage  and  perseverance  brought  him  the  reward 
of  a  good  trade,  and  an  invaluable  experience.  It  was  not 
without  days  and  years  of  hard  labor,  sometimes  of  discour- 
agement, that  this  result  was  accomplished;  but  he  had  the 
resolution  and  the  tenacity  of  purpose  to  win.  The  effort  and 
the  discipline  developed  the  boy  into  a  man,  with  a  man's 
strength,  a  man's  brain,  and  a  man's  ambition.  After  hold- 
ing for  some  time  the  position  of  book-keeper  for  a  large 
manufacturing  firm,  he  resolved  to  start  in  business  for  him- 
self, and,  in  1866,  with  a  capital  of  $78,  he  made  the  venture. 
His  business  was  small  at  first,  of  course;  but  it  was  well  be- 
gun. Perfectly  familiar  with  every  detail  of  the  rranufac- 
ture  of  boilers,  tanks,  &c,  he  entered  into  the  work  with  all 
the  energy  of  his  nature,  and  the  fixed  determination  to  suc- 
ceed. To  such  an  one  success  is  certain.  By  degrees,  he 
was  able  to  employ  more  men,  and  to  increase  the  amount  of 
his  manufactures.  At  the  present  time,  he  is  at  the  head  of 
a  large  establishment,  with,  at  times,  125  workmen  in  his 
employ,  and  an  annual  product  valued  at  thousands  of  dol- 
lars, all  together  comprising  one  of  the  large  manufactures 
that,  combined,  form  so  great  a  proportion  of  Brooklyn's 
wealth. 

Mr.  Taylor  remarks  that  the  main  factor  in  business  suc- 
cess is  good  credit  and  keeping  up  one's  good  name.  His 


680 


HISTORY  OF  KIJSTGS  COUNTY. 


habits  have  never  been  such  as  to  cause  his  creditors  uneasi- 
ness, while  his  promptness  in  financial  matters  has  been 
noteworthy. 

Mr.  Taylor  is  rather  tall  and  strongly  built:  a  fine  specimen 
of  manhood;  his  keen  eye  and  alert  manner  indicate  his 
characteristic  quickness  and  energy.  Though  social  in  his 
tastes,  he  prefers  home  life  to  general  society,  and  his  favor- 
ite place  in  leisure  hours  is  his  own  home,  in  the  companion- 
ship of  his  wife  and  family.  They  are  attendants  upon  the 
Church  of  the  Christian  Evangel,  of  which  organization  he 
has  been  a  trustee  for  a  number  of  years.  Charitable  or  re- 
ligious institutions  have  a  cheerful  supporter  in  Mr.  Taylor. 
For  about  twenty-four  years  he  has  been  a  member  of  the 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  a  Mason  also  for  nearly  twenty  years, 
and  a  Knight  of  Honor  for  four  or  five.  His  first  votes  were 
cast  with  the  Whig  party;  subsequent  ones  with  the  Repub- 
licans. Though  mindful  of  his  duties  as  a  citizen,  he  has 
been  too  much  absorbed  in  business  to  interest  himself  great- 
ly in  politics  or  to  seek  office.  His  favorite  recreation  is 
fishing,  in  which  he  delights.  He  indulges  in  the  sport  every 
summer,  usually  spending  his  vacation  on  I/>ng  Island. 

Mr.  Taylor  had  the  assistance  of  a  partner  but  a  short 
time  in  liis  business,  and  lias  since  managed  all  its  depart- 
ments for  himself.  He  has  an  honest  pride  in  the  excellence 
of  his  manufactures  and  their  high  reputation. 

Now.  just  in  the  prime  of  life,  lie  enjoys  the  satisfaction  of 
success,  honestly  earned,  the  comforts  and  luxuries  that 
wealth  gives,  a  refined  home,  the  confidence  of  the  business 


world,  and  the  good  opinion  of  all,  with  promise  of  still 
greater  achievements  and  usefulness  and  honor  in  time  to 

come. 


But  it  is  not  alone  for  steam  engines  that  boilers 
are  wanted;  the  steam  and  the  water  heating  apparatus 
both  must  have  boilers,  and  tubular  boilers  at  that, 
for  their  effective  use.  The  hatters  especially,  in 
their  new  machinery  for  felting,  shrinking  and  dye- 
ing hats,  require  boilers  and  vats  in  which  water  is 
raised  to  and  above  the  boiling  point ;  the  petroleum 
refineries  require  boilers  of  a  peculiar  construction, 
as  well  as  tanks  for  their  oil.  Then  the  breweries 
and  distilleries  need  many  and  immense  vats,  which 
the  boiler-makers  must  manufacture;  and,  in  a  some- 
what similar  line,  there  are  the  huge  gasometers 
towering  up  heavenward,  like  the  walls  of  some  great 
Babel.  For  the  steam  and  water  heating,  A»ni/i  ti 
Co.,  Allsap  d  Hugill,  and  Hates  ti  Johnson,  furnish 
the  boilers;  for  the  hatters.  Hernard  F.  Pit  I;  for  the 
petroleum  refineries,  Henri)  Voyt  <l*  Hrothtrs,  and  we 
believe  also  t "hristopher  Cunningham  ;  for  the  brew- 
eries and  distilleries,  the  Puritan  Iron  Works,  James 
form /ins,  Hernard  F.  Pid,  etc.,  etc.;  for  the  gasome- 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


681 


ters,  the  Abendroth  &  Root  Manufacturing  Co.  It 
is  hardly  possible  to  ascertain  exactly  the  amount  of 
production  of  this  subsection.  It  cannot  be  less  than 
$1,500,000,  and  taking  the  average  of  the  last  three 
years,  would  probably  considerably  exceed  that  amount. 

Subsection  III.— Steam  Pumps,  Water  Works,  Engines 
and  Mining  Rumps, 

is  one  of  the  largest  of  these  industries.  There  are 
but  seven  of  these  manufacturers,  but  some  of  them 
have  works  of  great  extent,  and  turn  out  an  immense 
product  every  year. 

Among  these  steam  pumps  and  pumping  engines 
works,  by  far  the  largest  and  most  complete  in  all  their 
appointments  are  the  Henry  R.  Worthington  Hydraulic 
Works  in  South  Brooklyn. 

Established  nearly  forty  years  ago,  and  now  occupy- 
ing with  its  buildings  a  double  block,  250x400  feet  in 
extent,  and  several  stories  in  height,  with  a  plant  more 
complete  and  costly  than  any  other  pump  works  in  the 
United  States;  carrying  at  all  times  an  immense  stock, 
ranging  from  the  smallest  steam  pump  for  hotel  or 
factory  use  to  the  large  steam  pumping  engines  for 
mining  or  water  works  use,  and  a  great  variety  of 
water  meters,  these  vast  works  form  a  very  important 
item  in  the  great  and  manifold  industries  of  Brooklyn. 

The  success  of  these  works  has  been  so  great  that  an 
inquiry  into  the  special  characteristics  of  their  pumps 
and  pumping  engines  is  in  order.  Mr.  Worthington's 
pumps  owe  much  of  their  superiority  to  two  causes: 
the  application  to  steam  pumping  machines  of  a  modi- 
fication of  the  duplex  system  which  had  been  previ- 
ously adopted  in  steam  engines,  in  which,  by  the  use  of 
two  cylinders,  the  capacity  and  power  of  the  engine 
was  doubled,  and  the  consumption  of  fuel  or  steam 
diminished  nearly  or  quite  one-half.  This  adaptation 
of  the  duplex  steam  cylinders  to  the  pumping  of  water 
required  great  ingenuity  and  skill,  and  yet  was  accom- 
plished by  Mr.  Worthington  in  a  way  so  simple  and 
effective  that  there  has  never  been  any  necessity  for 
material  change  in  the  application  of  the  principle,  and 
but  little  in  the  details. 

As  applied  by  him,  the  duplex  steam  pump  doubles 
(in  some  of  his  pumping  engines  it  quadruples),  the 
capacity  of  the  pump,  while  it  diminishes  the  size  of 
the  pumping  engines,  and  entirely  avoids  the  shock 
and  noise  which  make  direct-acting  single  engines  so 
objectionable  and  short-lived,  and  which  have  led  to 
the  prohibition  of  their  use  by  the  Legislature  in  build- 
ings which  were  occupied,  wholly  or  in  part,  as  dwell- 
ings. This  good  result  was  greatly  aided  by  his  pecu- 
liar steam  valve  motion,  by  which  two  steam  pumps 
and  steam  cylinders  are  combined  in  one,  and  act  re- 
ciprocally upon  each  other  in  opening  and  closing  the 
steam  valves,  thus  producing  a  complete  exemption  from 
noise  or  concussive  action,  dividing  the  wear  and  doub- 
ling the  life-time  of  the  machine. 


Another  improvement  of  great  value,  introduced  by  Mr. 
Worthington  in  hydraulic  elevated  pumps,  tank  pumps, 
fire  pumps,  pressure  pumps,  mine  pumps,  and  engines  de- 
signed for  the  water  supply  of  small  cities  and  towns, 
is  found  in  his  compound  "  steam  pump,"  which  uses 
the  steam  expansively.  The  steam  having  exerted  its 
force,  through  one  stroke,  upon  the  smaller  steam 
piston,  expands  upon  the  larger  during  the  return 
stroke,  and  operates  to  drive  the  piston  in  the  other 
direction.  It  is,  in  effect,  the  same  thing  as  using  a 
cut-off  on  a  crank  engine,  only  with  the  great  advan- 
tage of  uniform  and  steady  action  upon  the  water.  It 
cannot  be  used  with  advantage  where  the  steam  pres- 
sure is  much  below  fifty  pounds;  but,  where  it  can  be 
used,  it  is  economical,  requiring  from  30  to  33  per  cent, 
less  coal  than  any  high  pressure  engine  to  do  the  same 
work.  Where  the  water  or  other  fluid  to  be  pumped 
is  gritty,  at  a  slight  advance  of  cost,  plungers  are  fur- 
nished, having  external  adjustable  packing. 

Another  of  Mr.  Worthington's  applications  of  the 
duplex  principle  is  found  in  his  "  low  service"  pumps, 
where  the  plungers  or  water  pistons  are  nearly,  or 
quite,  the  diameter  of  their  steam  pistons.  These  can- 
not feed  their  own  boilers,  but  are  furnished  with  a 
side  feed  or  plunger,  driven  by  an  arm  on  one  piston 
rod  for  this  purpose.  The  largest  regular  size  of  these 
will  deliver  from  1,145  to  2,065  gallons  of  water  or  oil 
per  minute  ;  and  for  railroad  water  stations,  oil  tanks 
and  other  places  where  fluid  is  to  be  raised  to  a  mod- 
erate height,  with  ordinary  steam  pressure,  it  proves 
greatly  superior  to  any  of  the  single  cylinder  pumps, 
requiring  plungers  of  only  two-thirds  the  size  of  the 
single  cylinders,  and  consuming  much  less  fuel,  while 
they  can,  in  an  emergency,  be  worked  at  a  higher  rate 
of  speed  than  is  possible  with  the  single  cylinder,  with- 
out great  noise  and  destructive  wear. 

The  Worthington  "  Pressure  "  pump  is  another  ap- 
plication of  the  duplex  system,  where  great  water  pres- 
sures are  to  be  worked  against.  The  diameter  of  its 
water  plungers  is  only  about  one-third  that  of  its  steam 
cylinders,  and  it  delivers  a  smaller  amount  of  fluid  per 
minute  than  the  preceding  pump,  but  raises  it  to  any 
required  height.  A  modification  of  this,  the  "Compound 
Condensing  Pressure  Pump,"  delivers  large  quantities 
of  fluid  per  minute  while  working  under  very  heavy 
pressure.  Both  pumps  are  in  great  demand  for  mine 
pumping,  and,  in  the  oil  pipe  lines,  for  delivering  at 
very  considerable  heights,  and  under  heavy  pressures, 
large  quantities  of  oil. 

A  number  of  these  compound  engines  of  from  250  to 
500  horse-power,  are  in  constant  use  on  the  Oil  Pipe 
lines,  some  of  them  being  required  to  deliver  from 
15,000  to  25,000  barrels  of  oil  per  day  against  pressures 
varying  from  1,000  to  1,500  pounds  to  the  square  inch. 
Those  employed  in  mines  are  sometimes  required  to 
do  their  work  under  water,  and  often  under  water  at  a 
high  temperature,  but  they  never  fail.    Their  quiet- 


682 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


ness  of  action  and  freedom  from  concussion  specially 
commend  them  to  the  Oil  Pipe  Companies,  who  have 
found  the  concussion  of  the  single  cylinder  pumps  very 
destructive  to  their  lines,  causing  constant  leakage. 

The  same  principle  is  also  developed  with  applica- 
tions, varying  according  to  the  service  they  are  to  ren- 
der, in  the  Worthington  Fire  Pump,  the  Brewery 
Pump,  the  Power  Pump  and  the  Steam  Pump  and 
Boiler  for  general  service. 

But  there  are  three  other  of  their  pumping  engines 
which  demand  a  somewhat  more  particular  notice. 
These  are,  1st,  the  Worthington  "  Mine "  Pump,  pat- 
ented in  1883,  which  embodies  the  results  of  nearly 
forty  years'  experience,  and  the  hest  methods  and  prin- 
ciples of  construction  of  all  parts  to  accomplish  the 
desired  purpose,  together  with  some  important  im- 
provements recently  patented.  The  plungers  of  this 
machine  work  through  central,  exterior  stuffing  boxes, 
into  four  separate  and  distinct  water  cylinders.  These 
cylinders  are  all  precisely  alike,  subdivided  as  much  as 
possible,  and  having  each  part  or  attachment  of  the  one  an 
exact  duplicate  of  the  corresponding  part  or  attachment 
of  the  other  three.  This  duplication  and  subdivision 
greatly  facilitates  renewals  or  repairs,  and  renders  it  pos" 
sible  for  only  partially  skilled  engineers  and  firemen,  to 
replace  a  broken  part  by  sending  to  the  hydraulic  works, 
and  meantime  to  maintain  a  half  or  three-quarter 
service  of  the  pumping  engine.  The  valve  areas  and 
water  passages  are  unusually  large,  so  as  to  decrease 
the  velocity  and  consequent  destructive  action  of  the 
currents  of  the  sulphurous  water,  often  encountered  in 
this  service. 

The  plungers,  piston  rods,  stuffing  boxes,  and  the  en- 
tire suction  and  force  valve  plates,  are  made  of  a  metal 
composition,  that  has  been  found  best  adapted  to 
resist  this  action;  wherever  natural  wear  after  a  time 
takes  place,  the  part  so  worn  can  be  readily  and 
quickly  replaced,  without  disturbing  any  adjacent  part. 
The  pumps  will  safely  withstand  a  working  pressure  of 
200  pounds  to  the  square  inch,  and  all  their  attach- 
ments are  especially  strengthened  with  a  view  of  meet- 
ing the  rough  usage  and  hard  work,  to  which,  in  this 
service,  they  are  liable  to  be  subjected. 

A  second  purnp  is  the  only  single  cylinder  pump 
regularly  manufactured  by  the  Worthington  hydraulic 
works.  It  was  one  of  Mr.  Worthington's  earliest 
pumps,  and  is  known  as  the  "  Worthington  Steam 
Pump  for  Wrecking,  Drainage,  and  Irrigating."  It 
has  proved  itself  admirably  adapted  for  the  work  for 
which  it  was  designed.  On  account  of  its  short  stroke 
and  large  diameter,  it  is  extremely  efficient,  running  on 
comparatively  low  pressure  of  steam,  and  with  a  very 
■mall  percentage  of  loss  from  friction  or  leakage.  It 
is  also,  in  the  highest  degree,  simple  and  durable,  with 
few  parts,  and  scarcely  any  liability  to  derangement  or 
breakage.  It  makes  more  noise  in  consequence  of  con- 
cision, than  the  duplex  pumps,  but  for  a  single  cylin- 


der pump,  is  not  specially  objectionable  on  this  ground, 
and  is  used  mostly  when  the  noise  is  not  an  annoyance. 
The  largest  regular  size,llHx33xl5,  will  discharge 
3,200  to  3,600  gallons  per  minute. 

3.  But  we  hasten  to  consider  Mr.  Worthington's 
r/uf  d\>  uvrc,  his  great  Water  Works  Pumping  En- 
gine. Of  these,  up  to  September,  1883,  he  had  built 
more  than  200,  of  a  total  contract  pumping  capacity 
of  nearly  800,000,000  gallons  in  24  hours.  The  smallest 
of  these  had  a  pumping  capacity  of  333,000  in  24 
hours,  and  from  this  capacity  they  rose  to  single  en- 
gines of  11,000,000  in  1871,  of  16,000,000  in  1873,  of 
15,000,000  in  1874,  and  of  15,000,000  in  1876,  1879, 
and  1880.  In  1880,  also,  their  largest  engines,  of 
25,000,000  of  gallons  capacity  in  24  hours  each,  were 
made  for  the  city  of  Boston.  In  1883,  they  have 
made  two  of  10,000,000  gallons  each,  and  three  for 
Philadelphia,  of  a  combined  capacity  of  37,500,000 
gallons.  Over  twenty  engines,  of  10,000,000  of  gal- 
lons capacity,  or  more,  have  been  manufactured,  and 
the  remainder  have  averaged  about  4,000,000  of  gal- 
lons in  each  24  hours.  When  it  is  considered  that 
some  of  these  engines  cost  from  $100,000  to  $150,000 
each,  the  magnitude  of  the  operations  of  this  great 
manufactory  will  be  manifest. 

These  engines  carry  out,  on  a  large  scale,  all  the  im- 
provements which  years  of  experience  had  suggested 
in  the  smaller  pumps,  and  have  many  special  improve- 
ments which  render  them  equal,  if  not  superior  to,  any 
pumping  engine  yet  built.  The  ablest  civil  engineers 
in  the  country  would  hardly  continue  to  recommend 
their  introduction,  if  there  was  any  radical  defect  in  them. 

Of  all  classes  of  the  smaller  duplex  pumps  which  we 
have  described,  and  there  are  from  fifteen  to  thirty 
sizes  of  each,  the  Worthington  Hydraulic  Works  have 
turned  out  many  thousands,  and  they  have  given  such 
general  satisfaction,  that  they  are  compelled  to  keep 
up  a  full  line  of  them  to  supply  the  constantly  increas- 
ing demand. 

They  are  also  manufacturers  of  the  Worthington 
Water  Meter,  which  twenty-five  years  of  experience 
has  proved  the  most  accurate  and  best  adapted  to  its 
purpose  of  any  in  the  market  ;  while  the  sale  of  more 
than  30,000,  at  an  average  price  of  about  $35,  sufficiently 
demonstrates  its  superiority.  They  also  manufacture 
oil  meters. 

The  statistics  of  this  great  establishment  are  as  fol- 
lows : 

Founded  in  1S45.    Occupying  at  first  a  small  shed. 

Present  area  covered  by  Hydraulic  Works:  two 
blocks;  over  100,000  square  feet. 

Amount  of  capital  invested,  in  round  numbers, 
$1,000,000. 

Number  of  hands  employed:  greatest  number  at  one 
time,  760. 

Amount  of  wages  paid  annually,  in  round  numbers, 
average  of  1880,  1881,  and  1882,  $450,000. 


TEE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


683 


Annual  product,  in  round  numbers,  say  for  either 
year  ending  July,  1880,  1881,  1882,  1883,  $1,500,000. 

Order  is  the  first  law  in  the  Worthington  Hydraulic 
Works.  In  the  tool  room,  each  of  the  myriad  tools 
has  its  appropriate  place  ;  and  if  absent,  a  check  with 
the  workman's  number,  tells  who  is  responsible  for  it. 
In  the  draughting  room,  every  drawing,  of  any  eleva- 
tion, plan,  or  separate  portion  of  a  machine  or  engine, 
is  duplicated  by  a  simple  photographic  process  which 
a  boy  can  manage.  A  Mutual  Benefit  Association,  ob- 
taining its  funds  by  a  deduction  of  ten  cents  a  week 
from  ev«ry  man's  wages,  and  the  payment  by  the  firm 
of  a  sum  equal  to  the  whole  amount  collected  from  the 
men,  provides  for  the  sick,  the  injured,  or  the  families 
of  those  deceased,  and  being  managed  by  the  men 
themselves,  prevents  all  strikes. 

The  Davidson  Steam  Pump  Company,  the  only 
other  house  in  Kings  county,  which  manufactures  steam 
pumping  engines,  is  a  comparatively  young  company, 
having  been  in  existence,  in  its  present  form,  only  three 
or  four  years.  They  manufacture  also  many  kinds  of 
steam  pumps,  such  as  boiler  feed  pumps,  tank  pumps, 
marine  pumps,  wrecking  pumps,  fire  pumps,  brewery 
pumps,  mining  pumps,  sugar-house  pumps,  railroad 
pumps,  vacuum  pumps,  air  pumps,  circulating  pumps, 
tannery  pumps,  and  hydraulic  pumps.  Of  most  of 
these  there  are  from  13  to  38  regular  sizes,  though  not 
many  of  them  are  kept  constantly  in  stock.  Most  of 
these  are  direct-acting  single  cylinder  pumps,  at  the 
steam  end,  but  differ  from  other  direct-acting  steam 
pumps,  in  having  only  one  valve — a  compound  slide- 
valve  with  cylindrical  face — in  the  steam  chest.  This 
valve  is  said  to  be  very  simple  in  construction,  not  lia- 
ble to  get  out  of  order,  become  deranged,  or  wear  out 
before  the  rest  of  the  pump.  It  is  oscillated  by  an  ob- 
lique cam,  and  does  not  depend  entirely  upon  the  steam 
admitted  to  the  end  of  the  valve-piston  for  its  action, 
the  cam  carrying  the  valve  mechanically  when  the 
pump  is  under  a  high  rate  of  speed.  It  is  claimed 
that  this  valve  arrangement  admits  of  its  being  run  at 
higher  speed  than  any  other  direct-acting  pump,  and 
renders  it  perfectly  noiseless.  The  water  end  of  these 
steam  pumps  is  also  claimed  to  be  a  new  and  simpler 
design  than  that  of  any  other  steam  pump  yet  con- 
structed, and  not  to  be  liable  to  blow  out  or  leak,  and 
to  be  readily  taken  apart  and  put  together  again.  The 
mining  pumps  are  made  with  a  double  plunger,  hori- 
zontal, and  the  two  plungers  reciprocating  in  the  same 
cylinder.  The  company  claim  for  these  a  superiority 
over  all  other  mining  pumps. 

The  water  works  pumping  engines  are  made  on  sub- 
stantially the  same  patterns,  though  some  of  them  have 
duplex  cylinders,  both  steam  and  water — but  not  with 
reciprocating  valves.  As  yet,  their  largest  pumping 
engine,  in  actual  use,  has  a  capacity  of  but  three  mil- 
lion gallons  a  day,  and  the  greater  part  of  them  range 
from  two  to  two  and  a  half  million  gallons;  but,  with 


enlarged  facilities,  they  can  probably  increase  the  ca- 
pacity to  any  desired  extent,  if  the  engines  should 
prove,  after  thorough  trial,  to  possess  the  advantages 
now  claimed  for  them. 

The  Niagara  Steam  Pump  Works,  which  manufac- 
ture the  steam  pumps  under  the  patents  of  Charles  B. 
and  John  Hardick,  are,  with  a  single  exception  (Worth- 
ington's),  the  oldest  steam  pump  manufacturers  in  Kings 
county,  and  among  the  oldest  in  the  United  States. 
They  acquired  a  high  reputation,  many  years  ago,  for 
their  Niagara  Direct- Acting  Pump,  the  first  successful 
direct-acting  steam  pump  in  the  United  States,  and 
have  since  increased  it  by  their  patent  double  acting 
steam  pump,  steam  fire  engines,  crank  pump  and  engine, 
direct-acting  agitator  and  steam  pump,  their  improved 
Niagara  vacuum  pump,  and  their  direct  and  double  act- 
ing plunger  pump.  All  their  pumps  and  pumping  en- 
gines are  distinguished  for  the  simplicity  of  their  con- 
struction, which  permits  their  being  run  by  a  man  of 
fair  intelligence,  though  he  may  not  have  been  educated 
as  an  engineer;  by  the  perfection  of  all  their  parts;  the 
efficiency  and  steadiness  of  their  action;  their  ability  to 
be  run  under  water ;  their  economy  of  fuel,  and  their 
moderate  price.  They  have  manufactured  engines  cap- 
able of  pumping  more  than  2,000,000  gallons  of  water 
in  24  hours;  but  they  have  generally  preferred  to  make 
steam  pumps  for  clearing  wrecks  of  water,  for  railroad 
tanks,  breweries,  distilleries,  tanneries,  purposes  of  irri- 
gation, for  pumping  oil  through  pipes  to  long  distances 
in  the  oil  regions,  for  fire  and  wrecking  steamers,  and 
for  plantation  duty  on  sugar  and  cotton  plantations. 
The  firm  commenced  business  in  1862,  at  23  Adams 
street,  as  Hardick  Bros.  John  Hardick  died  in  1868, 
and  Charles  B.  Hardick  was  sole  proprietor  till  18 74, 
when  he  also  died;  and  the  business  has  since  been  con- 
ducted, with  great  energy  and  success,  as  the  estate  of 
Charles  B.  Hardick,  W.  S.  Hardick,  another  brother, 
being  manager.  In  1880,  desiring  a  larger  amount  of 
room  for  their  works,  they  purchased  and  removed  to 
their  present  locality,  118-122  Plymouth  street.  The 
Niagara  steam  pumps  have  been  exhibited,  and  thor- 
oughly tested,  at  many  Expositions  in  all  parts  of  the 
world,  and  have  never  failed  to  receive  the  highest 
medals  and  other  awards.  They  have  now  22  medals, 
and  twice  that  number  of  diplomas.  One  medal  and 
four  diplomas  of  superiority  were  awarded  at  the  Cen- 
tennial, and  a  medal  at  the  Sydney,  New  South  Wales, 
Exposition  of  1880.    (See  cut  on  page  684). 

There  are  four  or  five  other  manufacturers  of  steam 
pumps,  but  none  of  them,  we  believe,  confine  them- 
selves to  this  manufacture  exclusively.  Norman  Eub- 
bard  makes  some  pumps,  but  his  works  are  to  a  con- 
siderable extent  devoted  to  repairing  pumps  and  steam 
engines. 

Messrs.  Guild  &  Garrison  make  a  specialty  of  brew- 
ers and  beer  pumps,  as  also  pumps  for  the  use  of  the 
sugar  refineries. 


684 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Wi  Hi  am  Fo  ster 
makes  a  variety  of  steam 
pumps,  as  well  as  some 
machinery  for  hatters, 
hut  his  specialty  is  the 
Excelsior  Patent  Rotary 
Pump,  for  which  he  has 
created  a  considerable 
market. 

James  Clayton  also 
makes  steam  pumps  of  a 
very  good  pattern,  hut 
his  specialty  is  "  Air 
Compressors  ;"machines 
for  compressing  air  for 
use  as  a  motor  in  driving 
rock  drills  and  water 
pumps  in  mines  and 
tunnels. 

Mr.  Clayton  also  man- 
ufactures coal  cutting 
machines,  hauling  and 
hoisting  engines,  mine 
and  other  portable  loco- 
motives, etc.,  etc.  His 
"  Compressors  "  have  a 
very  high  reputation 
in  all  parts  of  the 
country. 

This  subsection  (steam 
pumps,  etc.)  represents 
in  round  numbers  the 
employment  of  not  less 
than  1,200  hands,  the 
payment  of  annual 
wages  to  the  amount 

of  about  $850,000,  and  an  annual  product  of  about 
$2,750,000. 

Subsection  IV. — Large  Castings  and  Finishing,  both 
in  Brass  and  Iron — as  Vacuum  Pans,  Centrifugal 
and  other  Sugar  House  Machines,  Refrigerating 
Machines,  Architectural  Castings,  etc. 

This  subsection  is  very  large,  and  embraces  a  con- 
siderable number  of  our  most  extensive  foundries  and 
machine  shops.  The  manufacture  of  vacuum  pans, 
centrifugal  machines,  and  other  machines  for  making 
and  refining  sugar,  is  itself  a  very  large  business. 
A  single  sugar  refinery  in  Brooklyn  has  invested 
more  than  $600,000  in  vacuum  pans  alone,  and 
the  investment  in  centrifugal  machines,  filters,  moulds, 
etc.,  etc.,  is  probably  twice  that  amount.  The  de- 
mand for  much  of  this  su^ar-making  and  refining 
machinery  from  Louisiana  and  South  America  and 
the  West  Indies  is  constant,  though  the  vacuum  pans, 
etc.,  arc  not  of  such  immense  sizes  as  those  used  in  the 
great  refineries  here.    The  vacuum  pan,  which  here 


seldom  holds  less  than  from  two  hundred  to  four  hun- 
dred barrels  of  6ugar,  is  so  constructed  that  the  steam 
which  heats  the  covered  pan  works  an  air  pump,  which 
exhausts  the  air  to  such  an  extent  that  the  liquor  (the 
purified  sugar  solution)  boils  at  about  100°  F.  The 
centrifugal  machines  (Havemeycr  &  Elder  have  some 
sixty-four  feet  in  diameter)  by  rapid  revolution  of  a 
brass  perforated  cylinder  inside  its  periphery,  throw 
out  the  molasses  and  syrup,  and  leave  the  sugar  clean, 
white,  and  very  nearly  dry.  The  filters  are  immense 
flattened  iron  tubular  vessels,  so  constructed  as  to  filter 


THE  NIAGARA  DIRECT- ACTING  PUMP.   (See  page  683). 

the  dissolved  raw  sugars  through  bone-black  to  purify 
them. 

The  Pioneer  Iron  Works  in  South  Brooklyn  has  the 
highest  reputation  and  does  the  largest  business  in 
sugar  machinery.  They  employ  in  times  of  active 
business  from  800  to  1,200  men,  and  turn  out  more  than 
$2,000,000  worth  of  castings. 

The  South  Brooklyn  Steam  Engine  Works  also  do  a 
considerable  business  in  this  line;  and,  we  believe,  one 
of  the  Williuinsburgh  foundries. 

In  the  construction  of  Hydraulic  Presses  of  all  sorts, 
and  especially  for  the  expression  of  the  oil  from  cotton 
seed  and  linseed,  as  well  as  in  the  building  of  refrigc 
rating  machines,  the  Columbian  Iron  Works,  Messrs. 
William  Taylor  <fc  Sons,  of  whose  establishment  we 
give  an  illustration,  are  easily  foremost,  and  in  the 
latter  industry  are,  we  believe,  the  only  manufacturers 
in  the  county.  Their  extensive  works,  extending  on 
both  sides  of  Adams  street,  from  No.  25  to  No.  39,  and 
occupying  thirteen  full  city  lots,  were  started  in  1844 
by  the  present  senior  member  of  the  firm  in  Gold 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


685 


street,  near  York,  in  a  very  small  shop.  In  1845  Mr. 
Taylor  purchased  a  single  lot  on  his  present  site,  and 
erected  a  small  foundry,  to  which,  in  the  years  that 
followed,  one  lot  after  another,  and  one  building  after 
another,  was  added,  until  the  great  foundry  assumed 
its  present  proportions.  There  are  in  all  seven  or  eight 
large  buildings,  the  principal  ones  being  three  or  four 
stories  in  height,  and  having  the  following  dimensions, 
respectively:  75x52  feet,  25x52,  50x26,  and  25x44. 
The  foundry  and  erecting  shop  are  in  the  rear,  and  the 
cleaning  and  storage  shops  on  the  other  side  of  Adams 
street.  Mr.  Taylor  commenced  business  as  a  founder, 
by  casting  stoop  railings,  fences,  columns,  and  orna- 
mental work  for  house  use,  but  very  soon  began  the 
production  of  fine  machinery  fitted  and  adjusted  with 
great  care.    Circumstances  related  in  his  biography, 


breweries,  are  very  expensive ;  one,  and  that  not  the 
largest,  erected  in  a  Brooklyn  brewery,  cost  $135,000, 
but  it  saved  the  brewer  $20,000  on  the  cost  of  ice,  and 
an  amount  of  space  sufficient  to  nearly  double  the 
capacity  of  his  brewery.  These  machines,  so  far  as 
Brooklyn  is  concerned,  are  all  made  by  Messrs.  William 
Taylor  and  Sons.  The  firm  was  William  Taylor  alone, 
from  1844  to  1856;  Taylor,  Campbell  &  Co.,  from  1856 
to  1861,  the  Co.  being  his  eldest  son,  Mr.  James  A. 
Taylor;  Mr.  Campbell  went  out  in  1861,  and  Mr.  Tay- 
lor's second  and  third  sons,  Edwin  S.  and  William  J. 
Taylor,  were  subsequently  admitted  as  partners.  About 
250  men  are  employed  in  the  different  shops,  and  the 
out-put  averages  about  $1,200,000.  We  introduce  here 
portraits  and  biographical  sketches  of  Messrs.  William 
Taylor  and  James  A.  Taylor. 


COLUMBIAN  IRON  WORKS. 


which  we  append  to  this  article,  led  him  to  go  largely 
into  the  construction  of  cotton-seed  oil  hydraulic  presses, 
and  he  now  supplies  these  to  the  numerous  oil  mills  of 
the  South,  as  well  as  to  the  linseed  oil  mills  in  the  North 
and  West.  The  strength,  precision  in  working,  and  admi- 
rable finish  of  these  presses,  leave  nothing  to  be  desired. 

Within  a  few  years  past  a  demand  has  sprung  up 
among  brewers,  distillers,  meat-packers  and  hotel  pro- 
prietors for  refrigerating  machines,  which,  by  what  is 
known  as  the  "  American  process,"  produce  and  main- 
tain a  very  low  degree  of  cold,  and  on  a  large  scale,  at 
less  than  one-fourth  of  the  average  cost  of  ice,  while 
their  compact  form  enables  them  to  save  the  great 
space  heretofore  occupied  by  the  ice,  and  the  labor  con- 
nected with  the  handling  of  that  commodity.  These 
refrigerating  machines,  when  constructed  for  the  large 


William  Taylor. — The  oldest  existing  iron  manufacturing 
firm  in  Brooklyn  is  the  house  of  William  Taylor  &  Sons,  near 
the  foot  of  Adams  street;  they  are  also  the  largest  makers  of 
hydraulic  and  refrigerating  machinery  in  the  city.  The 
present  magnitude  of  their  business  interests  is  due  to  the 
ability  and  efforts  of  the  senior  member,  Mr.  William  Tay- 
lor. 

It  is  interesting  to  trace  the  career  of  a  man  who,  begin- 
ning with  no  capital  save  a  stout  heart  and  a  thorough 
knowledge  of  his  trade,  by  dint  of  his  own  exertions,  builds 
up  a  small  business  into  a  great  industry  that  gives  employ- 
ment and  a  livelihood  to  hundreds,  and  adds  thousands  to 
the  country's  material  wealth.  Such  a  man  is  a  public  ben- 
efactor, his  life  a  lesson,  and  his  example  an  encouragement. 

Mr.  Taylor  is  a  native  of  England,  born  near  Manchester 
in  1812.  In  that  manufacturing  district  the  boy's  mind  nat- 
urally inclined  to  the  mechanical  trades,  rather  than  to  agri- 
cultural or  commercial  pursuits.  Accordingly,  he  was  ap- 
prenticed at  an  early  age  to  an  iron  founder. 


6S6 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


About  six  mouths  later,  when  he  was  only  fourteen,  his 
parents  removed  to  America,  leaving  him  behind  in  the 
hands  of  a  master  who  was  harsh  at  times.  For  two  years 
the  lad  worked  steadily  on,  under  hard  treatment,  longing 
for  his  kindred  across  the  sea  ;  then  made  a  bold  push  for 
freedom  and  traversed  the  Atlantic.  After  a  short  visit  with 
his  parents  at  their  home  in  New  Jersey,  he  went  to  finish 
his  trade  as  iron  moulder,  finding  employment  in  Brooklyn, 
New  York  and  Connecticut.  His  proficiency  as  an  appren- 
tice brought  him  into  favorable  notice,  and  soon  after  he  be- 
came master  of  his  time  he  was  appointed  foreman  in  Birk- 
beck's  foundry  in  Brooklyn.  It  is  worthy  of  mention  that 
he  worked  in  New  York  upon  the  car  wheels  for  the  first 
locomotive  engine  that  was  brought  from  England  to  Amer- 
ica, and  used  in  hauling  coal  from  the  mines  in  Pennsylva- 
nia. Mr.  Taylor  next  had  charge  of  a  foundry  in  Connecti- 
cut for  a  time.  But  he  possessed  innate  qualities  that  fitted 
him  to  be  master  as  well  as  man,  while  ambition  spurred 
him  on  to  establish  himself  in  business  independently. 

Accordingly,  in  March,  1844,  he  started  in  a  small  way, 
locating  his  foundry  in  the  rear  of  a  dwelling  house  on  Gold 
street.  His  venture  proved  successful;  his  work,  carefully 
and  thoroughly  done,  was  its  own  recommendation,  and 
brought  numerous  orders.  In  the  year  following,  he  bought 
one  lot  on  Adams  street,  where  he  now  occupies  thirteen,  and 
built  there  a  small  foundry,  which  has  since  grown  into  a 
large,  complete  establishment,  with  moulding  and  machine 
shops  attached.  His  earliest  work  consisted  largely  of  house- 
castings,  pillars,  railings  and  similar  work;  but,  in  its  enor- 
mous growth,  has  changed  character,  and  he  now  makes  ma- 
chinery of  all  kinds,  especially  hydraulic  presses  for  the 
manufacture  of  cotton-seed  oil,  in  which  the  firm  has  a  large 
and  lucrative  trade  at  the  South.  Some  of  their  heaviest 
work  was  done  on  the  Sectional  Dock  in  1866,  and  on  large 
castings  for  the  Navy  Yard. 

Increase  of  business  brought  added  cares,  so  that  Mr.  Tay- 
lor in  after  years  availed  himself  of  the  help  of  three  sons, 
James  A.,  Edwin  S.  and  William  J.,  admitting  them  into 
partnership  with  himself,  under  the  firm  name,  as  it  now 
stands,  of  William  Taylor  &  Sons.  He  also  established  the 
Magnolia  Oil  Works  at  Vicksburg,  Miss.,  for  the  manufac- 
ture of  cotton-seed  oil,  with  his  two  sons,  Hubert  G.  and 
Frank  W.,  but  the  whole  establishment,  with  machinery  and 
stock,  was  burned  in  1873,  entailing  a  loss  of  over  one  hun- 
dred thousand  dollars.  This  misfortune  was  the  means, 
however,  of  building  up  a  large  Southern  trade  in  oil  presses 
and  machinery,  so  that  their  losses  have  been  more  than 
made  good. 

Mr.  Taylor  has  always  been  devoted  to  his  business,  giving 
it  his  whole  energies  and  labor  ;  how  much  of  both  is  seen 
by  comparing  the  firm's  immense  establishment  with  the 
small  foundry  from  which  it  sprung,  and  the  local  trade  of 
years  ago,  with  the  widely  extended  business  of  to-day.  His 
integrity  has  been  unquestioned  through  a  long  and  active 
business  life,  and  his  commercial  honor  is  untarnished.  He 
has  met  every  dollar  of  his  obligations,  principal  and  inter- 
est, under  all  circumstances;  which  redounds  the  more  to  his 
credit,  and  produces  well-merited  confidence,  because  assign- 
ments and  compromises  are  so  common  among  businessmen 
of  the  present  day.  One  so  strictly  faithful  to  every  engage- 
ment  cannot  fail  to  win,  as  Mr.  Taylor  has  won,  the  perfect 
confidence  and  utmost  esteem  of  his  fellow  men.  He  is  to- 
day one  of  our  most  influential  and  public-spirited  citizens, 
active  in  all  public  improvements.  His  sagacity  and  experi- 
ence are  sought  in  important  positions  of  trust.  He  has  been 
for  some  years  a  director  of  the  Lafuyettc  Insurance  Com- 
]>an)/:  in  dune,  lHr'.l,  he  was  appointed  a  trusteeof  the  Brook- 


lyn Bridge,  and  served  on  the  Finance  Committee  during  his 
term  of  office.  He  has  never  desired  or  taken,  when  solicited, 
an  active  part  in  politics,  although  upholding  the  principles 
of  the  party  of  his  choice,  which  was  formerly  the  Whig, 
latterly  the  Republican.  His  church  preferences  are  for  the 
Church  of  England;  he  is  a  communicant  and  vestryman  of 
Christ  Church.  Mr.  Taylor  has  always  been  a  close  observer 
of  men,  and  a  careful  reader  of  the  current  affairs  of  the  day. 
This  advantage,  coupled  with  excellent  business  capacity, 
has  made  him  very  successful  in  his  undertakings.  The 
fortune  that  his  enterprise  has  won  is  wisely  used  for  the 
comfort  of  his  family  and  the  happiness  of  others. 

Mr.  Taylor  has  been  blessed  in  his  family;  of  twelve  chil- 
dren born  to  him,  eleven  reached  maturity,  though  three 
have  since  died.  In  an  elegant  home  he  enjoys,  with  his 
family,  the  reward  of  his  persevering  industry.  In  his 
social  relations  he  is  genial,  kind  and  agreeable,  with  a  large 
circle  of  friends  sincerely  attached  to  him,  on  account  of  his 
worth  as  a  man  and  a  citizen.  He  was  privileged  in  April, 
1883,  to  celebrate  his  golden  wedding  amid  the  rejoicings  of 
children  and  many  friends.  Mrs.  Taylor  is  one  of  the  Stod- 
dart  family,  who  are  old  residents,  and  well  known  in 
Brooklyn. 

Many  men  of  fewer  years  than  Mr.  Taylor,  and  smaller 
fortune,  have  retired  from  active  business;  but  his  energetic 
disposition  keeps  him  still  in  his  counting-room,  where  he 
bids  fair  to  remain  for  many  years  to  come. 


James  A.  Taylor. — This  well-known  gentleman— a  mem- 
ber of  the  firm  of  William  Taylor  &  Sons,  proprietors  of  the 
Columbian  Iron  Works,  located  on  Adams  street — is  a  son  of 
Mr.  William  Taylor,  and  the  eldest  of  twelve  children.  He 
was  born  in  Hicks  street,  Brooklyn,  March  9,  1834,  and  edu- 
cated at  the  Columbia  Institute,  long  and  favorably  known 
in  this  city. 

At  the  boyish  age  of  sixteen,  Mr.  Taylor  began  to  assist 
his  father  in  the  office  of  the  works,  and  so  grew  into  the 
confidence  of  his  father,  that  in  July7,  1856,  he  was  admitted 
as  junior  partner  into  the  then  newly-formed  firm  of  Taylor, 
Campbell  &  Co. 

In  July,  1861,  Mr.  Campbell  withdrew  from  the  enterprise, 
and  the  firm  of  William  Taylor  &  Sons  was  formed  by  the 
admission  of  Mr.  Edwin  S.  Taylor ;  and  later,  Mr.  William 
J.  Taylor  became  a  partner  with  his  father  and  brother,  the 
firm  at  this  date  consisting  of  Mr.  William  Taylor,  and 
Messrs.  James  A.,  Edwin  S.,  and  William  J.  Taylor. 

Mr.  Taylor  was  married,  December  8,  1857,  to  Isabel, 
second  daughter  of  the  late  Hon.  John  A.  Cross,  of  Brook- 
lyn, a  lady  of  high  musical  and  artistic  attainments,  and  a 
devout  Christian,  well-known  for  her  unostentatious  chari- 
ties. Their  married  life  has  been  one  of  the  pleasantest, 
marred  only  by  the  death  of  a  young  daughter  and  an  only 
son,  a  bright  and  promising  boy  of  fourteen  years,  in  whom, 
and  for  whom,  they  hoped  much  that  Providence  had  de- 
creed was  never  to  be  realized.  Two  daughters  remain  to 
them,  by  their  presence  adding  to  the  comfort  and  happiness 
of  their  home.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Taylor  celebrated  their 
"Silver  Wedding,"  Decembers,  1882.  It  was  very  largely 
attended  by  the  elite  of  Brooklyn  and  New  York,  and  every- 
thing conspired  to  render  the  occasion  an  unusually  brilliant 
one.  and  long  to  be  remembered  by  the  many  who  were 
participants  in  it.  Among  the  elegant  floral  decorations, 
which  were  so  profuse  and  so  costly  as  to  excite  more  than  a 
common  amount  of  praise,  a  new  and  glistening  wedding- 
cake  stood  side  by  side  with  the  original  wedding-cake  which 
had  been  made,  and  one-half  of  it  eaten,  a  quarter  of  a  cen- 
tury before,  and  which  was  an  object  of  much  pleasant 


- 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


687 


interest  to  every  one  present.  All  except  the  first  two  years 
of  their  married  life  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Taylor  have  passed  in 
their  present  residence,  No.  106  Wilson  street,  which  Mr. 
Taylor  erected  in  1859. 

Mr.  Taylor's  interest  in  matters  of  national  and  municipal 
concern  is  such  as  every  true  and  intelligent  citizen  must 
take  in  the  public  weal;  but  though  he  is  an  earnest  Repub- 
lican, politically,  he  is  not,  in  the  usual  acceptation  of  the 
term,  a  politician,  and  has  never  been  a  seeker  of  any  office 
at  the  hands  of  his  fellow  citizens.  A  few  years  ago  be  was 
chosen  a  member  of  the  Ward  Association  of  the  19th  Ward, 
and,  while  so  serving,  was  made  chairman  of  the  finance 
committee  of  that  body.  Socially,  his  position  is  an  enviable 
one,  and  he  is  very  popular  with  the  many  who  have  the 
pleasure  of  his  acquaintance.  He  was  one  of  the  select  few 
who  constituted  the  "Windsor"  Club  of  Brooklyn,  at  its 
organization,  and  is,  at  the  present  time,  its  President. 

In  his  religious  affiliations,  Mr.  Taylor  is  an  Episcopalian. 
At  one  time  he  was  prominent  in  the  vestry  of  St.  Paul's 
Church  in  the  Eastern  District ;  and  for  all  its  various  inter- 
ests his  solicitude  is  deep  and  abiding. 

If  Mr.  Taylor  possesses  a  distinguishing  characteristic,  it  is 
probity.  In  business,  and  in  all  the  relations  of  life  his  con- 
duct is  dictated  by  a  profound  regard  for  his  own  word  and 
the  rights  of  his  fellow  men,  and  he  is  honored  and  respected 
alike  by  those  with  whom  he  mingles,  socially  and  com- 
mercially. 


Hydraulic  Presses  are  made  also  by  the  Worth- 


ington  Hydraulic  Works,  by  James  Cornelius,  of  the 
Puritan  Iron  Works,  and  by  Samuel  Jaques. 

Architectural  castings  occupy  many  of  the  larger 
foundries.  The  first  successful  builder  of  iron  build- 
ings was  and  is  a  Brooklyn  man — Mr.  H.  D.  Badger  ; 
and  although  well  stricken  in  years,  he  yet  has  his 
office  with  Messrs.  Howell  &  Saxtan.  Among  his  ear- 
liest large  contracts  was  the  rebuilding,  in  1853,  of 
Messrs.  Harpers'  grand  establishment  on  Franklin 
square  and  Cliff  street,  New  York. 

The  term  architectural  castings  includes  not  only 
iron  columns,  pillars  and  pilasters,  girders,  sills  and 
lintels,  but  fire-escapes,  sky-lights,  posts  and  cast-iron 
fences,  etc.,  etc.  The  leading  firms  in  this  business  are 
Cheney  <fi  Hewlett,  the  North  Brooklyn  iron  foundry 
of  Messrs.  J.  S.  and  F.  Simj)son ;  the  Eagle  Iron 
Works  of  Jacob  May;  Frances  S.  Hass;  Howell  & 
Saxtan  (the  senior  of  this  firm  was  our  late  Mayor); 
Daniel  Sullivan,  of  230  State  street,  established  1869, 
at  78  Smith  street;  Knight  Brothers,  and  perhaps  two 
or  three  more  ;  Brown  tfc  Patterson,  corner  of  Hope 
and  8th  streets,  E.  D.,  are  the  successors  of  James 
Ritchie,  who  established  the  business  about  1850. 
They  manufacture  piano  plates,  grates,  fenders,  corner 
pieces  and  ornamental  castings.  They  employ  a  capital 


6S8 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY 


of  $75,000,  and  an  annual  product  of  $120,000.  The 
number  of  hands  employed  in  a  busy  and  prosperous 
season  in  this  branch  of  the  business  ranges  from 
1,000  to  1,200,  and  the  annual  out-put  varies  from 
$1,200,000. 

We  append  biographical  sketch  and  portrait  of  Mr. 
D.  Y.  Saxtan,  as  belonging  to  this  branch  of  the  foundry 
and  machine  shop  industry.    (See  portrait  on  page '687). 

Daniel  Y.  Saxtan  is  a  son  of  Richard  and  Rosaimah 
(Young)  Saxtan,  and  was  born  December  13th,  1824.  at  Farm- 
ingdale.  Long  Island.  In  1825  his  parents,  with  their  family, 
removed  to  Brooklyn,  where  he  was  educated  in  the  public 
schools,  as  boys  of  his  time  were  educated;  and  at  the  age  of 
fourteen  he  was  apprenticed  to  learn  the  trade  of  blacksmith 
with  Rev.  Timothy  C.  Young,  who  had  a  sbop  at  the  foot  of 
Pearl  street.  After  acquiring  the  trade,  he  was,  for  several 
years,  a  journeyman  blacksmith.  About  1851  he  formed  a 
partnership  with  Jacob  Outwater  for  the  manufacture  of 
iron  railings,  and  their  works  were  located  in  Adams  street, 
near  Myrtle  avenue. 

In  1866  the  firm  of  Howell  &  Saxtan  was  formed,  the  part- 
ners being  ex-Mayor  James  Howell  and  Daniel  Y.  Saxtan, 
and  these  gentlemen  established  the  Central  Iron  Works,  at 
the  corner  of  Hudson  and  Park  avenues,  with  offices  in 
Adams  street.  This  firm  is  celebrated  for  the  manufacture 
of  all  kinds  of  architectural  iron  work,  making  specialties  of 
fronts,  roofs,  bridges,  domes,  capitals,  arches,  railings,  stoops, 
door  and  window  guards,  lamp  and  awning  posts,  sky  and 
area  lights,  rolling  and  folding  shutters,  and  many  other 
kinds  of  iron  work  similar  in  character.  The  reputation  of 
this  concern  for  fine  and  reliable  work  is  well  established, 
and  the  proprietors  have  a  reputation  second  to  that  of  no 
other  firm  in  the  city.  As  wire-workers,  they  may  be  con- 
sidered as  among  those  in  the  foremost  rank,  and  asevidence 
of  their  facilities  and  ability  to  cope  with  any  undertaking 
they  assume,  we  may  mention  a  few  of  the  most  prominent 
of  the  many  structures  for  which  they  have  erected  or  fur- 
nished the  iron  parts:  The  retort  houses  of  Havemeyer  &  Co., 
in  Williamsburgh;  the  Hanover  buildings  and  the  Wheeler 
buildings  (now  owned  by  Wechsler  &  Abrahams),  in  Fulton 
avenue;  the  new  Municipal  Building  of  the  city  of  Brooklyn, 
the  Armories  of  the  13th,  14th  and  23d  Regiments,  and  of  that 
of  the  47th  Regiment,  now  in  course  of  construction;  and  ex. 
Mayor  Sehroeder's  building,  and  the  Young  Men's  Christian 
Association  building,  in  Fulton  avenue. 

Mr.  Saxtan  i-  a  republican,  but  not  active  as  a  politician. 
In  religious  faith  he  is  a  Methodist,  and  he  is  a  member  of 
the  Simpson  Methodist-Episcopal  Church.  He  was  married 
September  15th,  1*45,  to  I'liebe  M. ,  daughter  of  Henry  and 
Martha  Watts,  of  Springfield,  Long  Island.  He  is  most  highly 
esteemed  both  in  and  out  of  business  circles,  and  deservedly 
so,  in  view  of  his  excellent  standing  in  the  community;  and 
it  is  due,  in  no  small  degree,  to  his  enterprise  and  thorough 
knowledge  of  the  requirements  of  the  trade  and  the  processes 
of  manufacture,  that  his  firm  takes  its  well-known  high  rank 
in  the  city.  As  a  large  employer  of  skilled  and  unskilled 
lalx>r,  Mr.  Saxtan  has  long  been  regarded  as,  in  all  import- 
ant ways,  the  friend  of  the  workingman.  As  a  self-made 
man  he  stands  Ijefore  the  youth  of  Brooklyn  in  the  light 
an  example  ol  those  who  rise  t « »  prominence  through  their 
own  exertions;  and  it  is  doing  bun  but  the  barest  justice  to 
state  that  his  success  has  been  honestly  earned. 

Let  ni  now  sum  up  as  far  as  possible  the  number 
of  hands  employed,  and  the  total  out-put  of  this  sec- 


tion. We  cannot  estimate  either  very  closely,  because 
we  have  been  unable  to  obtain  the  exact  statistics  of 
all  the  smaller  houses,  but  we  prefer  that  our  estimate 
should  be  below  rather  than  above  the  truth.  There 
are  certainly  not  less  than  4,500  men  employed  in  these 
foundries,  and  the  out-put  is  not  less  in  average  years 
than  $4,700,000. 

Subsection  V. — Presses  and  Dies,  including  Drawing 
and  Stamping,  Baling,  Printing  and  other  Presses. 

On  the  opposite  page  we  present  a  view  of  the 
present  residence  of  Mr.  E.  W.  Bliss  at  Bay  Ridge, 
overlooking  the  Bay  of  New  York.  This  elegant 
country  seat  was  formerly  occupied  by  the  late  Hon. 
Henry  C.  Murphy,  and  was  by  him  named  "  Owl's 
Head,"  from  the  old  Indian  name  of  that  locality. 

Mr.  Bliss  has  built  up  in  a  few  years  an  im- 
mense business  in  machinery  for  drawing  and  stamping 
cold,  plates  of  tin,  sheet  iron,  brass  or  copper,  in  all  the 
required  forms  for  household  or  manufacturing  use.  It 
is  well  known  to  most  housekeepers  that  the  tin  pans, 
kettles  and  pails,  which  were  formerly  cut  by  hand, 
and  laboriously  pieced  and  joined,  are  now  stamped  or 
drawn  into  shape  from  a  single  sheet  of  metal,  at  a 
much  lower  price;  but  it  is  not  so  generally  known,  ex- 
cept to  the  parties  concerned,  that  our  millions  of  tin  cans 
for  oils,  fruit,  vegetables,  meat,  oysters,  fish,  and  every- 
thing else  which  can  be  sealed  up,  are  made  by  machines 
which  will  turn  out  many  thousands  each  in  a  day. 

Mr.  Bliss's  establishment  is  the  largest  of  its  class 
in  the  world;  the  main  building,  200x50  feet,  four 
stories  in  height,  occupies  an  area  of  27,000  square 
feet.  The  buildings  and  plant  are  all  owned  by 
Mr.  Bliss,  who  has  also  invested  in  the  business 
a  working  capital  of  $350,000,  employs  from  300 
to  350  men,  nearly  all  skilled  workmen,  pays  an 
aggregate  of  $240,000  for  wages,  and  produces  an- 
nually more  than  $500,000  in  value  of  machinery,  the 
greater  part  of  it  from  patterns  invented  in  his  own 
works.  His  specialties  are  the  production  of  presses 
and  dies  for  working  sheet  metal  cold,  as  well  as  paper, 
wood  veneers,  etc.,  etc.,  and  the  furnishing  of  tools 
and  automatic  machinery  for  the  manufacture  of 
household  wares,  brass  goods,  lanterns,  lamps,  trade 
packages,  such  as  fruit,  meat,  vegetables,  fish,  provis- 
ions, game  and  other  cans;  lard,  butter,  syrup,  and 
other  cans  and  pails,  and  beyond  all  the  rest,  the  cans 
for  petroleum  oils,  which  are  in  such  great  demand. 
One  item  will  demonstrate  the  extent  of  this  branch 
of  his  business;  lie  supplied  the  Devoe  Manufacturing 
Co.  with  machines  capable  of  turning  out  60,000  five- 
gallon  cans  in  a  day. 

The  number  and  variety  of  these  presses  and  dies  is 
very  great.  His  catalogues  give  illustrations  of  more 
than  200,  and  he  is  constantly  producing  more,  either 
from  his  own  designs  or  those  of  other  manufacturers, 
which   he   makes    to   order.     Some   of   these  presses 


690 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


weigh  25  tons  or  more,  and  are  the  perfection  of  me- 
chanism for  their  purpose. 

An  industry  which  has  so  thoroughly  revolutionized 
the  vast  trade  in  tin-wares,  and  in  other  goods  pro- 
duced from  sheet  metal  and  kindred  suhstances,  de- 
serves to  have  a  record  of  its  history  made.  Under 
the  heading  of  tin-ware  manufactures,  we  have  de- 
scribed, in  part,  the  effect  of  the  new  processes  of 
drawing  and  stamping  the  sheets  of  tin  into  a  great 
variety  of  forms  upon  other  productive  industries. 
In  speaking  of  Mr.  Bliss's  establishment,  our  inquiries 
must  be  confined  to  the  history  and  progress  of  the 
construction  of  machinery  for  accomplishing  these 
purposes. 

The  whole  foundation  of  the  discovery  of  the  mode 
of  manufacturing  deep  stamped  or  pressed  ware,  had 
for  its  basis  the  ductility  of  cold  wrought  iron,  under 
slow  and  continuous  pressure.  This  quality  of  the 
wrought  or  sheet  iron,  whether  coated  with  tin  or  not, 
had  not  been  fully  discovered  till  about  1843.  It  was 
known,  indeed,  that,  by  the  use  of  the  drop  press,  it 
was  possible  to  make  shallow  dishes  of  tin  or  sheet 
iron  by  repeated  stampings,  but  the  corners  of  the  arti- 
cles so  made  were  very  prone  to  crack,  and  the  articles 
had  a  rough  appearance.  The  first  inventor  of  machin- 
ery to  accomplish  this,  who  was  successful  in  manufac- 
turing it  on  a  large  scale,  was  a  Frenchman  named  Mix, 
of  Metz,  then  in  France,  but  now  in  Germany.  He  ac- 
complished his  purpose  by  slow  pressure  with  a  power 
press,  but  he  annealed  his  sheet  iron  before  stamping 
it,  and  did  not  coat  his  plates  with  tin  till  he  had 
stamped  and  otherwise  prepared  them.  This  afterward 
proved  to  be  unnecessary.  His  process  was  a  strict 
monopoly  and  secret,  and,  while  charging  enormous 
prices  for  his  wares,  he  reaped  a  great  fortune  from 
their  manufacture.  The  secret,  however,  finally  trans- 
pired; and,  in  1856,  the  firm  of  Lalance  &  Grosjean 
started  a  factory  for  deep  stamped  tin-ware,  near  Paris. 
They  had  large  capital  and  were  enterprising,  and,  in 
1862,  established  a  branch  house  in  New  York,  which 
they  removed  the  next  }*ear  to  Woodhaven,  Long  Isl- 
and. Their  processes  were  substantially  the  same  as 
those  of  Mix.  They  met  at  first  with  very  strong  op- 
position from  the  trade,  but  finally  overcame  it,  and 
for  three  or  four  years  had  the  monopoly  of  the  pro- 
duction in  this  country.  Then  a  rival  house  sprang 
up,  but  was  finally  bought  up  by  Lalance  &  Grosjean. 
Tins  house  had,  however,  made  several  machines  which 
they  sold  to  others  before  they  were  bought  out.  The 
processes  had  been  improved,  and  slice!  tin  was  now 
used,  and  with  satisfactory  results.  But  monopolies 
do  not  flourish  well  on  our  soil,  and,  before  1870,  there 
were  eight  machines  sold  to  as  many  different  linns  for 
the  manufacture  of  the  deep  stamped  tin-ware.  New 
inventions  had  been  patented,  which  rendered  the  pro- 
ee-M-H  cheaper  and  more  satisfactory.  The  time  had  come 
for  the  development  of  the  biiMiiess  of  producing  these 


machines  and  selling  them  to  the  tin-ware  manufactur- 
ers. One  improvement  made  about  this  time  gave  a 
new  impetus  to  this  enterprise.  This  was  an  adjust- 
ment, by  screws  and  guides,  of  the  "  blank-holder."  The 
sheet  of  tin  had  hitherto  been  laid  across  the  mould, 
and  the  die  or  stamp  had  descended  upon  it  with  com- 
paratively slow,  but  irresistible,  force,  and  the  plain 
sheet  became,  under  this  force,  a  deep  dish  or  pan.  A 
rough  disk  of  metal,  even  then  known,  perhaps,  as 
a  blank-holder,  had  been  laid  over  the  plate  by  Mix 
and  his  successors,  but  the  pressure  was  uneven  and 
not  carefully  adjusted ;  and,  as  a  consequence,  the 
edges  of  the  pan  or  dish  were  wrinkled  or  corrugated  a 
little,  and  the  pan  was  not  so  smooth  and  seemly  as  those 
made  by  the  old  process,  and  was  composed  of  several 
pieces  riveted  and  soldered  together.  The  new  adjust- 
able blank-holder  was  an  annular  disk  or  ring  of  metal 
which  was  held  in  place  by  screws  and  bolts,  which 
could  be  so  perfectly  adjusted  as  to  make  the  pressure 
perfectly  uniform  over  the  whole  plate  and  prevent  the 
slightest  wrinkling  or  corrugation. 

The  spinning  lathe,  another  early  invention,  was  so 
modified  and  improved  that  it  facilitated  the  rapid  and 
perfect  finishing  of  these  goods.  In  1867,  Mr.  Bliss, 
who  had  served  as  apprentice,  journeyman,  contractor, 
foreman  and  superintendent  in  machine  shops  for  six- 
teen or  seventeen  years,  formed  a  partnership  with 
John  Mays,  of  Brooklyn,  to  manufacture  presses  and 
dies,  in  a  little  shop  in  Adams  street,  employing  six 
workmen.  The  time  was  auspicious,  and  the  partners 
were  enterprising  and  ambitious.  They  had  increased 
their  business  and  had  made  improvements  on  these 
presses,  when,  in  1871,  Mr.  James  H.  Williams  bought 
out  Mr.  Mays,  and  the  business  was  moved  to  larger 
and  better  quarters.  They  removed  again  in  1874,  and 
greatly  enlarged  their  business.  They  had  already  in- 
vented machines  for  applying  this  drawing  process  and 
other  processes  to  the  manufacture  of  cans  for  fruit, 
meats,  fish,  etc.,  and  to  the  rapidly  developing  demand 
for  petroleum  oil  cans.  In  1879,  Mr.  Bliss  purchased 
the  site  of  the  present  factory,  and  erected  their  build- 
ings, and  the  business  was  removed  thither  the  same 
year.  Four  times,  since  1879,  the  buildings  have  been 
enlarged,  and  the  business  extended  by  the  purchase  of 
other  buildings.  In  1881,  he  bought  out  Mr.  Williams' 
interest,  and  has  since  conducted  the  business  alone  ; 
and,  at  the  age  of  47,  is  at  the  head  of  one  of  the  larg- 
est machine  shops  in  the  world,  with  a  business  which 
is  increasing  with  a  rapidity  unparalleled  in  that  line  of 
industries,  and  all  this  has  been  accomplished  in  six- 
teen years,  by  pluck,  energy,  and  perseverance. 

Mr.  Bliss,  in  his  extensive  machine  shops  and  foun- 
dry, sometimes  turns  his  attention  to  other  branches  of 
the  business,  as  the  construction  of  steam  pumps,  sugar- 
house  machinery,  etc.;  but,  in  general,  his  large  force 
are  fully  employed  in  filling  his  orders,  which  come 
from  every  part  of  the  globe. 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


691 


There  are  other  machinists  engaged  in  a  moderate 
way  in  supplying  this  demand  for  drawing  and  stamping 
presses  and  dies.  Among  them  we  may  name  Robert 
Brass,  of  Scholes  street,  E.  D. ;  Oramel  C.  Carpenter, 
of  Lorimer  street,  E.  D.,  and  Messrs.  Kennedy  &  Diss, 
of  Adams  street.  Bernard  F.  Piel  also  advertises 
presses  among  his  various  machines.  The  total  annual 
product  of  drawing  and  stamping  presses  and  dies  does 
not  probably  greatly  exceed  $600,000,  and  employs, 
possibly,  425  men. 

We  can  find  no  trace  of  but  one  manufacturer  of 
cotton  presses  in  Kings  county,  viz.,  Balston  &  Son,  of 
35  Quay  street,  Greenpoint.  We  have  been  unable  to 
learn  any  particulars  of  the  extent  of  their  manufac- 
ture. 

There  were  formerly  two  manufactories  of  printing 
presses  in  Brooklyn,  the  Montague  and  the  Campbell; 
the  former  have  now  removed  to  another  city,  and 
the  Campbell  press  manufacturers  have  formed  a  joint 
stock  company,  under  the  title  of  the  Campbell  Press 
Works.  The  Campbell  press  is  one  of  the  best  and 
most  popular  of  the  modern  printing  presses,  as  dis- 
tinguished from  the  great  printing  machines  on  which 
the  mammoth  dailies  are  printed,  and  there  is  a  good 
and  constantly  increasing  demand  for  a  press  of  this 
description.  The  Campbell  Press  Works  employ  30  or 
40  men  and  turn  out  something  over  $100,000  worth 
of  presses  annually.  The  entire  annual  out-put  of  this 
subsection  may  be  safely  estimated  at  not  less  than 
$800,000,  and  about  525  men  are  employed  in  all  its 
shops. 

Among  other  manufacturers  and  dealers  in  engines, 
machinery,  &c,  we  may  mention  James  Pendlington, 
88  Elizabeth  street,  shipsmith,  steam  forging  and 
screw-bolt  manufacturing,  established  1869  (since 
his  decease,  in  1882,  the  business  has  been  managed  by 
his  step-son,  John  A.  Knowles).  Reuben  Riley,  508 
Clinton  street,  builder  of  steam-engines  and  machinery; 
came  to  Brooklyn  in  1854;  established  1866,  on  Sum- 
mitt  street;  now  located  corner  of  Richard  and  Bo  wen 
streets.  Daniel  Sanders  &  Son,  Shepard  avenue,  near 
Baltic  avenue,  engineers  and  machinists;  established 
1881,  East  New  York  ;  make  a  specialty  of  manufac- 
turing experimental  machinery. 

Subsection  VI.  —  Brass  Foundries  and  Brass 
Castings  and  Finishing. 

It  is  somewhat  difficult  to  ascertain  who,  and  how 
many  of  our  manufacturers,  should  be  included  under 
the  title  of  brass  founders.  Most  of  the  large  engine 
and  steam  pump  manufacturers  manufacture,  cast  and 
roll  the  brass  for  the  trimmings  and  bearings  of  their 
pumps  and  engines;  some  of  them,  like  the  Worthing- 
ton  Pump  Works,  manufacture  the  brass  from  the  zinc, 
copper,  etc.,  in  order  to  have  it  of  the  requisite  and 
uniform  hardness  which  they  want.  The  jobbing  and 
repairing  machine  shops,  which  use  a  good  deal  of 


brass,  purchase  it  in  sheets  or  ingots  of  the  great  man- 
ufacturers at  Waterbury,  Ansonia,  or  elsewhere,  and 
work  it  up  for  themselves.  These  last  are  certainly 
not  brass  founders,  as  the  Worthington  and  some  of 
the  others  are,  but  they  are  to  some  extent  brass  fin- 
ishers. 

Yet  aside  from  these  there  are  twenty  brass  found- 
ers and  manufacturers,  and  six  brass  finishers  in  Kings 
County,  besides  one  iron  founder,  whose  work  is  much 
more  in  brass,  bronze  and  zinc  than  in  iron,  and 
two  or  more  machinists  who  make  brass  work  a  spe- 
cialty. 

In  Mr.  Frothingham's  report  the  number  of  estab- 
lishments of  brass  castings  and  finishing  was  25;  the 
capital  invested,  $227,750;  largest  number  of  hands 
employed,  381;  amount  of  wages  paid,  $144,213;  raw 
material,  $773,125;  annual  product,  $1,059,823.  This 
probably  represented,  as  far  as  could  be  ascertained  by 
the  census  processes,  the  business  of  brass  castings  and 
finishing  in  1880.  It  does  not  fairly  represent  them  in 
1884. 

Of  the  brass  founders  and  manufacturers,  some  do  a 
general  business,  making,  casting  and  rolling  brass  for 
all  the  purposes  required,  and  finding  a  market  for 
their  goods  mainly  among  other  manufacturers,  who 
work  up  the  brass  into  such  forms  as  they  require. 
These  are  but  few,  however;  the  great  brass  foundries 
at  Waterbury  and  Ansonia,  and  their  warehouses  in 
New  York,  supplying  much  of  this  demand.  Others 
make  a  specialty  of  bronze  and  phosphor  bronze,  and 
the  great  demand  which  has  sprung  up  for  these  for 
door  knobs,  hinges,  window  fastenings,  sashes,  etc., 
etc.,  as  well  as  for  statuettes  and  ornaments,  makes 
this  manufacture  specially  important  at  the  present 
time.  Others  make  a  specialty  of  plumbers'  brass 
goods,  and  steam  engine  and  steam  pump  trimmings, 
faucets,  brass  and  copper  boilers,  valves,  stop-cocks, 
etc.,  etc.  Others  still  manufacture  registers,  screens, 
grate  trimmings,  fenders,  office  railings  and  gates, 
stamped  brass,  railroad  baggage  checks,  etc.  Still  an- 
other class  devote  themselves  to  die  sinking,  seal  en- 
graving, book-binders'  stamps,  and  to  the  manufacture 
of  printers'  rule,  and  the  strip  brass  used  in  the  cylin- 
ders for  printing  wall  papers. 

Blakeman  <&  Kerner,  of  Dunham  Place,  and  J.  O. 
L.  Bvettcher  of  First  street,  E.  D.,  are  brass  founders, 
pure  and  simple,  and  so  perhaps  are  two  or  three 
more  smaller  houses.  John  Bowie  of  the  Columbian 
Brass  Foundry,  and  his  neighbors,  the  Brooklyn 
Brass  and  Copper  Co.,  both  on  Front  street,  near  Pearl, 
make  special  castings  of  brass,  composition,  zinc  and 
lead  to  order,  fine  ornamental  castings  of  zinc,  lead 
or  brass  for  cemeteries,  and  make  a  specialty  of  phos- 
phor bronze.  F.  A.  Renton,  of  the  Greenpoint  Brass 
Foundry,  and  five  or  six  others,  manufacture  plumbers' 
brass  goods  and  brass  for  engineer  work,  and  Renton 
makes  a  specialty  of  a  patent  ejector  faucet. 


692 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


% 


WILLIAM  G.  CREAMER. 


Messrs.  James  Bailey  &  Co.,  of  Clymer  street,  E.  D., 
and  several  others,  are  die  sinkers,  makers  of  book- 
binders' and  other  stamps,  seal  presses,  brass  tools, 
etc.,  etc.,  while  the  Brass  Goods  Manufacturing  Co. 
and  the  Long  Island  Brass  Co.,  manufacture  a  general 
assortment  of  brass  goods. 

Mr.  William  G.  Creamer  of  the  "  Brooklyn  City 
Foundry,"  whose  portrait  and  biography  adorn  our 
pages,  though  down  in  the  directory  as  an  iron  founder, 
lias  more  to  do  with  brass  and  bronze  than  with  iron. 
His  establishment  on  Grinnell  street,  extending  from 
Smith  to  Court,  was  erected  in  1869.  Its  extent  is 
100x300  feet,  an  area  of  30,000  square  feet,  and  it  in- 
cludes several  large  buildings.  He  manufactures 
everything  in  the  way  of  hardware  or  metal  trimmings 
used  in  the  interior  of  railroad  cars,  the  lamps,  seat 
frames,  ventilators,  sash  trimmings,  bell-cord  lixtures, 
locks,  saloon  fixtures,  etc.,  etc. 

He  manufactures,  also,  every  description  of  registers 
and  ventilators  used  in  private  dwellings,  schools,  puh- 
lic  buildings,  etc.  He  has  furnished  these  for  the  Cap- 
itol at  Alhany,  and  the  Capitols  at  Atlanta,  Ga.,  and 
Des  Moines,  Iowa,  as  well  as  for  many  of  the  public 
school*  of  this  city,  and  other  cities,  the  Middletown 
Asylum,  etc.  But  his  finest  goods  are  in  the  line  of 
choice  hammered  brass  and  repousse  work,  minors, 
sconce*,    tables,  candlesticks,    table    tea-kettles,  etc., 


etc.  He  also  makes  fine  brass,  iron  and  bronze  cast- 
ings and  general  brass  work,  such  as  railings,  vaults, 
doors,  etc.,  etc. 

He  has  a  capital  of  $100,000  invested  in  the  busi- 
ness, employs  about  80  hands,  and  turns  out  nearly 
$250,000  worth  of  goods  annually. 


William  G.  Creamer,  the  subject  of  this  sketch  and  the 
proprietor  of  the  Brooklyn  City  Foundry,  lias  been  a  resident 
of  this  city  since  18U0.  He  was  born  in  New  Jersey,  Novem- 
ber 26th,  1821.  His  ancestors  on  his  father's  side  emigrated 
to  this  country  from  Lower  Saxon}'  about  the  middle  of  the 
last  century,  and  settled  in  Middletown,  Connecticut.  His 
grandfather  married  an  English  lady,  Lydia  Simmons.  His 
father,  the  Rev.  John  Creamer,  was  born  in  1794,  and  mar- 
ried, in  1820,  Nancy  B.  Snyder,  of  New  Brunswick,  N.  J.  She 
was  of  Holland  descent.  The  marriage  of  the  young  Meth- 
odist clergyman  was  something  of  a  romance,  and  is  per- 
haps worthy  of  a  place  in  this  sketch. 

Miss  Snyder  was  on  a  visit  to  her  uncle,  Archibald  Taylor, 
K.s(].,  a  wealthy  land  owner  of  Hunterdon  county,  N.  J. 
While  there,  she  and  her  cousin  heard  of  the  eloquence  of 
the  young  Methodist  preacher,  who  was  to  preach  in  a  barn 
a  few  miles  from  her  uncle's  residence.  The  young  ladies 
thought  it  would  l>c  worth  while  to  go  and  hear  him.  and, 
with  the  consent  of  Mr.  Taylor,  the  family  carriage  and  col- 
ored  coachman  took  them  to  the  meeting-house,  where,  of 
course,  their  appearance  attracted  some  attention  among 
the  audience.  The  young  ladies  were  much  interested  with 
the  eloquence  of  the  young  itinerant,  who  gave  notice  that 
he  would  preach  Bgftin  at  the  same  place  three  weeks  later. 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


693 


The  second  time  they  went,  the  young  minister,  attracted  by 
their  appearance,  took  pains  to  find  out  who  his  distinguished 
visitors  were,  and  a  year  or  two  afterward  was  married  to 
Miss  Snyder,  who  died  in  April,  1883,  full  of  years  and  honors, 
in  the  84th  year  of  her  age,  at  the  house  of  her  son-in- 
law,  W.  A.  Bray,  Esq.,  of  Oakland,  Cal.  The  Rev.  John 
Creamer  died  in  1836,  while  attending  Conference  in  Phila- 
delphia. 

Mr.  Creamer  was  married  at  New  Brunswick,  N.  J.,  Dec. 
29th,  1842,  to  Miss  Hattie  Molleson.  From  this  marriage 
there  were  two  sons  and  one  daughter.  The  daughter, 
Hattie,  only  survives.  She  was  married  in  1867  to  Colonel 
L.  L.  Langdon,  of  the  U.  S.  A.  In  1869,  his  oldest  son,  Ho- 
ratio, was  married  to  Miss  Chicas,  of  this  city,  and  died 
March  6th,  1882.  Two  children  survive  him.  The  youngest 
son  of  Mr.  Creamer,  Robert,  died  in  infancy  in  1850. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  late  war  for  the  Union,  Mr. 
Creamer  was  the  first  resident  of  the  Sixth  Ward  to  display 
the  old  flag  from  the  top  of  his  house  in  Second  place,  and 
there  it  remained  until  the  close  of  the  war. 

He  has  never  been  specially  active  in  local  politics,  or  even 
national  affairs,  so  far  as  immediate  participation  is  con- 
cerned; but,  at  the  same  time,  he  has  always  been  a  close 
reader  and  earnest  thinker  in  the  history  and  politics  of  his 
own  country,  as  well  as  the  world  at  large,  and  has  per- 
formed every  duty  devolving  upon  a  citizen. 

The  most  important  sphere  of  Mr.  Creamer's  active  life 
has  been  connected  with  his  inventions  and  improvements, 
and  he  is  widely  known  throughout  the  Union  by  his  nume- 
rous inventions  connected  with  railroad  car  building. 

His  first  and,  perhaps,  most  important  invention  was 
known  as  the  Creamer  safety-brake.  This  was  the  first  prac- 
tical and  successful  invention  that  gave  the  engineer  com- 
plete control  of  every  brake  of  all  the  cars  comprising  the 
train.  This  invention  was  largely  used  on  the  Hudson  River 
railroad,  New  York  Central,  Lake  Shore  and  many  others, 
and  was  ouly  lately  superseded  by  the  air-brake.  Mr. 
Creamer  himself  made  the  invention  of  an  air-brake  in  1835, 
and  filed  a  caveat  of  the  same  in  the  Patent  Office.  This 
invention  was  shown  at  the  time  to  a  number  of  railroad 
men,  but  its  use  was  discouraged,  the  safety-brake  being 
then  considered  preferable.  The  gold  medal  of  the  Ameri- 
can Institute  was  awarded  for  his  safety-brake.  His 
connection  with  railroad  affairs,  through  the  invention  of 
his  brake,  brought  to  his  attention  many  suggestions  of  im- 
provement in  the  construction  of  passenger  cars;  and,  in  the 
latter  part  of  1863,  he  iiired  a  small  room  with  steam  power 
in  John  street,  New  York,  and  commenced,  in  a  small  way, 
the  manufacture  of  car  fittings,  and  from  this  small  begin- 
ning has  grown  the  business  now  conducted  at  the  Brooklyn 
City  Foundry. 

Space  would  hardly  allow  in  detail  a  description  of  all  the 
inventions  made  and  patents  issued  to  Mr.  Creamer.  Next 
to  his  safety-brake,  his  system  of  ventilation  of  railroad  cars 
is  best  known.  More  than  a  hundred  thousand  of  his  venti- 
lators have  been  sold,  and  are  being  constantly  made.  Mr. 
Creamer  is  in  the  enjoyment  of  excellent  health,  and  is  ac- 
tively engaged  in  his  business  in  Brooklyn  and  New  York, 
and  often  tells  his  friends  that  he  does  not  intend  to  give  up 
work  as  long  as  his  life  is  useful  to  the  world,  or  until  he  is 
called  to  Greenwood. 


Messrs.  White  &  Price  machinists,  the  South  Brook- 
lyn Steam  Engine  Co.,  and  several  other  large  machine 
and  engine  shops,  do  a  considerable  business  in  brass 
casting  and  finishing. 


The  statistics  of  the  brass  foundries  and  factories  are, 
as  nearly  as  can  be  ascertained,  as  follows:  Number  of 
establishments,  27;  or,  including  Mr.  Creamer  and  the 
two  machine  shops,  30;  number  of  hands  employed, 
about  600;  wages  paid  annually,  about  $195,000;  an- 
nual product,  $1,693,000. 

Subsection  VII. —  Woodworking  Machinery,  and 
small  machines  of  all  kinds;  iron  bolts,  nuts, 
washers,  screws  and  rivets;  stoves,  heaters,  and 
cast-iron  hollow  ware. 

The  various  industries  included  in  this  subsection 
occupy  many  shops,  and  employ,  in  the  aggregate,  a 
large  number  of  hands;  but  the  amount  of  capital  in- 
vested is  not  so  large,  nor  the  out-put  of  so  great  a  value 
as  some  of  the  other  classes  of  machine  shop  work.  The 
manufacture  of  woodworking  machinery — which  was  for 
many  years  confined  to  a  few  simple  machines,  such  as 
lathes,  mortising  machines,  gang,  circular,  key  and 
jig  saws,  and  boring  machines — has  of  late  assumed  a 
new  and  larger  activity.  The  band  saw  and  the  scroll 
saw  both  work  wonders;  the  veneers  from  the  choicest 
woods  are  now  taken  off  spirally,  and  so  thin  and  per- 
fect as  to  save  the  manufacturer  one-half  the  former 
outlay  for  veneers.  The  new  mortising  machines,  the 
dove-tailing  machine,  and  the  lathes  for  irregular  forms, 
are  among  the  most  remarkable  evidences  of  human 
skill  and  ingenuity  of  modern  times.  Still  more  won- 
derful are  the  machines  for  working  in  ivory,  bone,  and 
the  softer  metals.  The  machines  for  making  the  iron 
and  steel  work  of  sewing  machines  have  reduced  the 
construction  of  these  useful  machines  to  the  finest  pos- 
sible point.  The  Singer  Manufacturing  Company  can 
calculate  the  cost  of  its  sewing  machines  to  a  fraction  of 
a  cent;  and  any  proposed  process  which  would  reduce 
that  cost  to  the  amount  of  three  cents,  would  be  adopted 
at  once,  though  it  might  involve  an  outlay  of  ten  thou- 
sand dollars,  for  three  cents  on  the  cost  of  a  sewing  ma- 
chine is  more  than  $15,000  on  their  annua1,  sales.  This 
is  true  also  of  many  other  small  machines,  of  which 
such  great  numbers  are  now  put  upon  the  market.  The 
manufacturers  of  household  hardware  use  very  many  of 
these  machines,  in  the  manufacture  of  their  articles;  and 
fluting,  pinking,  plaiting,  braiding  and  crimping  ma- 
chines, jewelers'  rolls,  macaroni  machinery,  etc.,  are 
specialties  of  several  machinists. 

The  business  directory  for  1883  puts  down  seven 
firms  as  metal  workers  or  manufacturers  of  metal 
goods.  Some  of  these  are,  we  believe,  put  down  else- 
where among  the  machinists,  but  they  themselves  make 
the  distinction.  They  are  probably  not  all  exactly  in 
the  same  line,  but  this  is  perhaps  the  best  place  in 
which  to  group  them.  So  far  as  our  information  goes, 
the  largest  of  these  houses  is  that  of  William  Lang, 
of  South  6th  and  1st  streets.  Mr.  Lang  commenced 
business  in  1S69.  He  has  invested  a  capital  of  $25,000 
in  his  business;  employs  an  average  of  100  hands;  pays 


694 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUKTT. 


out  840,000  annually  for  wages,  and  produces  annually 
about  $110,000.  At  the  commencement  of  bis  busi-  ! 
ness  Albert  Hondlett  was  assoc  iated  with  him.  Other 
houses,  reported  as  metal  workers,  are:  the  Brothers  i 
Aston,  at  230  Java  street,  and  133  Manhattan  avenue; 
the  Campbell  Mining  and  Reducing  Co.,  175  North 
10th  street  (we  are  not  certain  about  their  claim  to  a 
place  here);  William  J.  Flick,  21  Atlantic  avenue; 
Charles  J.  Hassock  db  Son,  36  Stagg  street;  James 
Smith,  65  Java  street. 

When  we  come  to  the  manufacture  of  bolts,  nuts, 
washers,  screws  and  rivets,  we  are  lost  in  admiration  of 
the  ingenuity  of  the  machines  that  produce  these  in 
such  perfection  and  in  such  vast  quantities.  Some  of 
these  screws — those  for  the  watch  manufacturers'  use — 
are  so  minute  that  they  look  like  grains  of  sand,  and 
from  four  hundred  to  five  hundred  of  them  only  weigh 
an  ounce.  Others,  like  the  jackscrews,  are  so  large  that 
it  requires  the  strength  of  several  men  to  turn  them  in 
their  sockets.  There  are  five  or  six  manufacturers  of 
screws  in  Brooklyn,  the  leading  houses  being  William 
C.  Boone  &  Son,  James  W.  lyon,  and  John  Felloics. 
Some  of  the  machinists  also  give  special  attention  to 
the  manufacture  of  screws  for  a  particular  service.  Of 
the  manufacturers  of  woodworking  machinery  there  are 
several.  Among  them  are  Stone  &  Mount,  Leonard 
TiUon,  and  others.  Most  of  these  work  for  two  or 
three  of  the  great  furniture  manufacturers,  and  are  so 
fully  employed  as  not  to  make  their  vocation  very  pub- 
lic. Among  the  manufacturers  of  small  machines  are 
Robert  Brass,  Kennedy  <k  Diss,  Frank  E.  Stevens,  J. 
J.  Patton  <fc  Co.,  Oakley  tb  Keating,  etc.,  etc. 

It  is  very  difficult  to  estimate  the  total  production  of 
the  classes  coming  under  this  subsection,  yet  we  can 
approximate  it.  The  screws,  bolts,  rivets,  etc,,  include 
not  less  than  sixteen  establishments,  and  an  annual  pro- 
duct of  not  far  from  $250,000;  the  woodworking  ma- 
chinery, five  or  six,  with  a  total  product  of  perhaps 
$125,000;  the  metal  workers,  about  200  hands,  with 
a  product  of  not  less  than  $350,000  ;  the  small  ma- 
chines, sewing  machines,  etc.,  etc.,  about  twenty,  with 
a  total  product  of  at  least  $300,000.  If  we  add  to  this 
the  fifteen  establishments  for  the  manufacture  of 
stoves,  heaters,  and  cast-iron  hollow  ware,  which  form 
a  distinct  branch  of  the  business,  we  have  a  further 
product  of  about  $475,000,  making  a  grand  total  of 
fifty-six  or  fifty-seven  establishments,  employing,  per- 
haps, 850  hands,  and  producing  about  $1,500,000. 

SuiiSKCTioN   VIII. — Minor  Machine   Shop  Products, 
and  Ri pairing. 

There  are  very  many  <>f  these  shops,  and  the  num-  I 
ber  is  constantly  increasing,  and  as  constantly  being 
diminished — increasing  from  the  enterprising  young  J 
men  who  have  learned  their  business,  set  up  for  them- 
selves in  a  small  way,  seeking  for  employment  for  the  j 
few  tools  they  have  purchased  or  made,  and  perhaps 


also  for  some  brother  journeyman  who  has  cast  in  his 
fortunes  with  them,  doing  at  first  small  jobs  in  the  way 
of  making  and  repairing,  and  as  they  win  the  confi- 
dence of  manufacturers  or  the  public,  increasing  their 
facilities  till  they  have  a  large  shop,  a  dozen  or  more 
hands,  and  constant  business.  The  ranks  of  these  en- 
terprising young  machinists  are  also  constantly  dimin- 
ished, as  one  after  another,  having  proved  his  skill  and 
executive  ability,  passes  to  the  higher  position  of  fore- 
man or  superintendent  of  some  great  foundry  or  ma- 
chine 6hop  ;  or,  in  rare  cases,  builds  up  a  large 
business  in  some  specialty  of  his  own.  There  are  not 
less  than  fifty  of  these  jobbing  and  repairing  shops  in 
Kings  county,  and  their  annual  production  ranges  all 
the  way  from  $3,000  to  $30,000.  They  employ  at  least 
175  workmen  in  all,  aud  their  total  out-put  is  not  far 
from  $275,000,  or,  counting  in  the  most  prosperous  of 
their  number,  may  reach  $300,000. 

Subsection  IX. — Iron  Fences;  Railings,  of  Wrought 
Iron,  Wire,  etc.,  and  Wire  Work  of  all  kinds. 

This  is  a  large  subsection,  including  a  great  variety 
of  products.  The  cast-iron  fences  and  posts  for  the 
steps  and  areas  of  our  city  houses,  the  graceful  or  un- 
graceful wrought-iron  fences  of  greater  length  and 
extent,  the  wire  fences,  window  guards  and  railings  of 
all  sorts,  often  elegantly  wrought  or  woven,  and,  be- 
yond these,  the  thousand  uses  to  which  woven  wire  net- 
work is  put  for  sieves,  screens,  doors,  filters,  nets,  bas- 
kets, gratings,  meat  safes,  flower  stands,  etc.,  etc.  And 
still  beyond  these  come  the  multifarious  uses  of  iron 
and  steel  wire,  of  some  of  which  we  have  had  such  ex- 
emplifications in  the  construction  of  our  beautiful 
Bridge.  The  use  of  it,  plain  and  barbed,  for  a  fencing 
material  encompasses  several  hundreds  of  thousands 
of  miles  in  the  West,  and  is  very  large  in  the  East 
also.  Wire  rope  is  not  only  used  in  bridge-build- 
ing and  in  the  traction  of  cars,  but  it  is  largely  in  de- 
mand for  the  standing  rigging  of  ships,  especially  of 
steamships;  is  greatly  preferred  for  elevators  for  mines 
and  mining  shafts,  and  for  all  kinds  of  traction  where 
great  strength  and  the  minimum  wear  from  friction 
is  required.  In  all  these  directions,  our  Kings  County 
manufacturers  are  equal  to  any  in  the  United  States. 
In  cast-iron  and  wrought-iron  fences  and  railings,  ceme- 
tery iron-work,  area  gates,  window  guards  and  gratings, 
awning  irons,  sheet-iron  doors  and  shutters,  etc.,  are 
the  houses  of  Howell  &  Saxtan,  Knight  Brothers, 
Smith  cC  Rhind,  the  Fugle  Iron  Works  of  Jacob  May, 
Howard db  Morse,  Philip  H.  Dugro and  James  Forman, 
whose  establishment,  the  Brooklyn  Wire  Works,  in 
Court  Street,  though  small,  does  excellent  work,  turning 
out,  with  a  very  few  men,  the  best  of  wire  and  orna- 
nicntal  iron  work.  The  North  American  Iron  Works, 
the  Atlas  Iron  Works,  Thomas  F.  Rowland,  Richard 
Shltdsen,  and  many  others,  are  largely  engaged,  and 
in  the  excellence  of  their  work  they  have  no  superiors. 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


695 


Annin  cb  Go.  have  a  high  reputation  for  the  excellence 
of  their  iron  pipes  and  tubes. 

The  manufacture  of  wire  cloth  of  all  descriptions, 
and  of  fine  wires,  is  a  large  industry  in  Kings  county. 
There  are  nearly  twenty  firms,  large  and  small,  of  all 
descriptions,  engaged  in  it;  but  so  great  is  the  variety 
of  purposes  to  which  it  is  applied,  that  there  is  very 
little  rivalry  among  them.  Some  confine  themselves  to 
the  weaving  of  iron  wire  cloth,  for  which  there  is  a 
large  demand  for  window  screens  and  doors,  meat  safes, 
and  the  coarser  wire  screens  for  coal,  sand,  etc.,  etc. 
Others  make  and  weave  fine  steel  wires  for  various 
uses.  Some,  instead  of  weaving  the  wires  which  they 
have  drawn,  twist  them  into  ropes  and  cords  of  varying 
size,  from  the  great  wire  ropes  or  cables  of  the  Brook- 
lyn Bridge  to  the  rigging  of  a  steamship,  or  the  more 
delicate  ropes  of  a  pleasure  yacht. 

Others,  again,  draw  and  weave  almost  exclusively 
brass  and  copper  wires  for  sieves  and  delicate  screens; 
and  one  house  makes  a  specialty  of  producing  from 
these  metals  the  Fourdrinier  wires  and  the  Fourdrinier 
wire  cloth,  so  largely  in  demand  for  the  use  of  paper- 
makers. 

This  house,  the  William  Gabble  Excelsior  Wire 
Manufacturing  Co.,  whose  extensive  works  in  Ainslie 
street  and  Union  avenue  are  depicted  on  the  following 
page,  has  had  an  interesting  history,  which  will  be 
found  in  detail  in  the  following  biography  of 

The  Brothers  Cabble. — The  Cabbie  family  are  of  ancient 
and  good  blood.  For  several  hundred  years  they  had  been 
among  the  honorable  and  esteemed  citizens  of  Frome,  an  old 
and  pleasant  manufacturing  town  of  Somersetshire,  England ; 
and  three  hundred  and  seventy -five  years  ago  their  ancestor, 
John  Cabbie,  was  granted  a  charter  by  Henry  VIII.  to  budd 
and  endow  a  chantry  in  the  parish  church  of  the  town, 
which  he  dedicated  to  St.  Nicholas.  On  the  large  and  beau- 
tiful stained-glass  window  of  the  chantry  were  depicted,  ac- 
cording to  the  custom  of  the  time,  the  Cabbie  coat  of  arms. 
Beside  the  usual  armorial  bearings,  the  principal  figure  was 
a  sea-horse  rampant,  impaling  a  text  K  and  a  bell,  the 
whole  enclosed  by  a  rope  or  cable,  a  double  play  upon  the 
family  name  ;  this  window  is  still  in  existence.  The  family 
had  continued  to  be  respectable  and  prosperous,  and  about  the 
beginning  of  the  present  century  they  had  become  dissenters, 
enrolling  themselves  among  the  Independents,  of  which 
several  .members  of  the  family  were  prominent  and  active 
communicants. 

It  was  not  far  from  the  year  1800,  that  Edward  Cabbie  went 
into  the  employ  of  Mr.  Joseph  Whiting,  a  wire  manufacturer 
of  Frome,  and  after  a  time  married  Mr.  Whiting's  daughter, 
and  at  his  death  succeeded  to  his  business.  He  was  an  able, 
intelligent  and  enterprising  man,  conscientious  and  upright 
in  his  dealings,  and  brought  up  his  family  with  great  care, 
giving  his  children  good  opportunities  of  education,  and 
training  them  thoroughly  to  business  habits.  He  died  in 
1844,  leaving  four  sons,  the  eldest  of  whom,  William  Cabbie, 
then  a  young  man  about  twenty-six  years  of  age,  inherited  his 
business,  and  was  thenceforward  to  be  the  head  of  the  family 
and  the  protector  and  father  of  the  younger  members  of  it. 
William  Cabbie,  whose  portrait  graces  our  pages,  was  no  or- 
dinary man.   He  had  been  well  educated  in  the  city  of  Bath, 


and  had  obtained  a  complete  mastery  of  the  wire  manufac- 
ture.   He  was  enterprising  and  ambitious,  but  not  rash  or 
impulsive.  He  saw  very  clearly  that  Frome  offered  no  chance 
for  such  extension  of  his  business  as  he  deemed  desirable  for 
himself  and  his  brothers,  and  he  decided  to  emigrate  to  the 
United  States,  taking  them  with  him.   The  next  year,  1845, 
he  sailed  for  New  York  with  his  family  and  brothers,  and  at 
once  began  to  look  about  for  business.    Possessing  a  fair 
amount  of  property,  and  a  large  share  of  sound  common  sense, 
he  was  not  disposed  to  risk  everything  upon  an  immediate 
start  in  business,  among  a  people  whose  ways  and  methods 
were  in  many  respects  strange  to  him.   He  was  already  mar- 
ried to  the  noble  woman  who  survives  him,  and  he  took  his 
brothers  into  his  family  and  sought  employment  for  himself 
and  his  brother  Joseph  in  the  wire  manufactory  of  Mr.  Robert 
Cocker.    He  remained  with  Mr.  Cocker  for  two  years,  and 
then  resolved  to  start  in  business  for  himself,  at  Roxbury, 
Connecticut.    His  first  venture  was  unfortunate.   It  was  too 
far  from  a  gooi  market  for  his  goods  ;  and  as  the  mill  was 
run  by  water  power,  a  great  and  continued  drought  dried  up 
the  sti-eam  which  supplied  it,  and  compelled  him  to  close  it 
for  six  months.    Disposing  of  this  property,  he  returned  to 
New  York,  and  soon  after  established  a  mill  at  Belleville, 
New  Jersey.    Here  he  remained  for  three  years,  and  then 
returned  to  New  York,  and  located  his  works  in  Gold  street. 
Soon  after  this  he  became  acquainted  with  Mr.  David  Woods, 
of  Hester  and  Elizabeth  streets,  who  was  then  at  the  head  of 
one  of  the  oldest  wire-weaving  establishments  in  the  country. 
In  1854  Mr.  Woods  made  overtures  to  Mr.  Cabbie  to  become 
his  partner.  Not  long  after,  Mr.  Woods  sold  out  his  interest  in 
the  business  to  Mr.  Cabbie,  who  thus  became  the  head  of  a 
large  and  nourishing  manufactory,  located  in  Centre,  Hester 
and  Elizabeth  streets,  and  with  a  warehouse  at  43  Fulton 
street.   He  had  taken  his  three  brothers  into  the  factory,  not 
as  partners,  but  as  workmen,  that  they  might  become  thor- 
oughly familiar  with  all  the  details  of  the  business;  and 
while  they  were  all  skilled  workmen,  the  youngest,  Elijah, 
who  was  only  a  boy  of  fifteen  when  he  came  to  this  country, 
had  developed  much  of  his  brother's  enterprise  and  executive 
ability.  In  1857  Mr.  Cabbie  removed  his  works  to  the  Eastern 
District  of  Brooklyn,  hiring  a  factory  at  Tenth  and  Ainslie 
streets.   Two  years  after,  this  factory  was  burned  down.  He 
purchased  the  site  and  rebuilt  it,  and  a  few  years  later,  de- 
siring larger  quarters,  he  bought  the  site  of  the  present 
works  on  Union  avenue  and  Ainslie  street.    In  1860,  finding 
that  there  was  a  large  demand  for  hoop-skirts,  he  built  a  new 
factory,  and  employed  five  hundred  hands  in  the  drawing, 
rolling  and  tempering  of  steel  wire,  used  in  their  manufac- 
ture.   When,  a  few  years  later,  these  garments  went  out  of 
fashion,  he  sold  the  machinery  and  replaced  it  with  iron 
looms  for  wire-weaving.    His  business  prospered,  notwith- 
standing several  disasters  by  fire. 

In  1870,  this  good,  wise  and  judicious  business  man,  es- 
teemed and  beloved  in  all  the  relations  of  life,  was  laid  on 
his  death-bed,  smitten  by  that  terrible  malady,  Bright's  dis- 
ease of  the  kidneys.  But  death  had  no  terrors  for  him. 
With  a  calm  and  humble  faith,  he  prepared  to  surrender  his 
spirit  to  the  keeping  of  the  God  who  gave  it.  He  was  mind- 
ful of  the  trust  which  his  father  had  left  to  him,  and  made 
provision  in  his  will  for  all  those,  in  any  sense,  dependent 
upon  him.  He  provided  that  a  joint  stock  company  should 
be  formed,  to  carry  on  the  business,  for  which  he  also  left 
the  necessary  capital ;  that  his  wife  and  daughter,  and  his 
three  brothers,  should  constitute  the  company,  and  that  his 
youngest  brother,  Elijah,  should  be  the  President,  his  brother 
Joseph,  Secretary,  and  E.  Cabbie,  Treasurer.  Elijah  Cabbie 
was  also  to  be  his  executor. 


696 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


The  result  proved  the  soundness  of  his  judgment  and  the 
wisdom  of  his  choice.  Mr.  Elijah  Cabhle,  whose  portrait 
graces  the  opposite  page,  assumed  the  position  to  which  he 
was  called  with  the  hearty  co-operation  and  good  will  of  all 
the  members  of  the  family,  and  a  more  united  and  happy 
family  it  would  be  hard  to  find.  He  has  devoted  his  whole 
powers  to  building  up  the  business,  with  a  persistent  earnest- 
ness and  an  untiring  fidelity  to  the  interests  of  the  family, 
which  is  as  rare  as  it  is  beautiful,  impairing  his  health  by 
his  devotion  to  the  business.  The  second  brother,  Joseph, 
died  in  1879,  a  man  of  rare  gifts  aud  talents,  with  whom 
music  was  a  passion,  and  art  a  delight.  His  son,  Joseph,  took 
his  place  in  the  company  as  Secretary,  and  several  of  the 
younger  generation  have  been  admitted,  after  thorougbtrain- 
ing,  as  shareholders  in  the  company.  Mr.  Edward  Cabbie, 
the  third  brother,  is  now  Superintendent. 


their  original  length.  After  drawing,  they  are  an- 
nealed, cleaned,  and  if  necessary  drawn  again  till 
they  have  reached  the  proper  degree  of  fineness.  They 
are  next  tested,  examined  and  classified  as  to  strength, 
temper  and  fineness.  "When  ready  for  use,  the  wire  is 
wound  off  on  spools  by  the  spooling  machine,  for  the 
warp  and  shuttles,  and  reeled  for  special  purposes  on 
hand  wheels.  These  spools  are  now  taken  by  the  weavers, 
and  the  wire  from  them  wound  upon  the  back  beam  of 
large,  ponderous,  iron  looms,  varying  in  width  from  four 
to  ten  feet,  and  weighing  from  three  to  seven  tons  each; 
then,  one  by  one,  the  threads  are  taken  through  the  hed- 
dles  or  harness,  then  through  the  reed,  which  form  the 


THE  WILLIAM  CAUDLE  EXCELSIOR  WIRE  [WORKS. 


Meanwhile,  in  these  thirteen  years,  the  business  has  trebled 
in  amount,  and  new  buildings  have  been  erected,  until  they 
cover  nearly  half  of  a  large  city-block  ;  the  manufacture  of 
Fourdrinier  wire,  and  Fourdrinier  wire-cloth,  for  the  use  of 
the  paper-makers,  is  constantly  extending,  and  the  demand, 
stimulated  by  the  excellence  of  their  goods,  more  than  keeps 
pace  with  the  supply.  Their  other  lines  of  wire  goods  are 
also  popular,  and  find  a  ready  sale. 

The  Fourdrinier  wire  cloth,  the  making  of  which  is 
the  specialty  of  these  works,  is  woven  from  very  fine 
and  perfect  brass  wire,  and  all  the  processes,  except  the 
manufacture  of  the  brass,  are  conducted  here.  In  the 
wire-drawing  rooms,  the  large  brass  rings  of  coarse 
wire  are  arranged  ready  for  the  successive  dies  through 
which  they  are  to  be  drawn,  till  they  have  attained  two 
hundred  thousand  or  three  hundred  thousand  times 


mesh  of  the  cloth,  sixty  or  seventy  threads  (as  the  case 
may  be)  to  an  inch,  these  are  tied  to  a  bar,  this  is  fas- 
tened to  a  canvas,  which  is  attached  to  the  loom,  and 
the  operation  of  weaving  then  commences  by  throwing 
the  shuttle  back  and  forth.  The  weaving  is  performed, 
as  usual  on  hand  looms,  the  shuttles  being  provided  witli 
the  bobbins  of  fine  wire.  The  wire  cloth  which  is  thus 
woven  at  the  rate  of  four  or  five  yards  a  day  by 
each  weaver,  is  carefully  inspected  by  the  Super- 
intendent; and,  if  found  perfect,  the  pieces  are  sewed 
together,  very  deftly,  to  form  an  endless  sheet,  then 
drawn  out,  stretched,  squared  and  made  true,  and  rolled 
and  boxed,  ready  for  shipment. 

Nearly  all  paper,  of  whatever  material,  is  npw  made 
on  the  Fourdrinier  machine,  and  as  the  wire  cloth  under 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


697 


its  necessary  hard  usage  requires  frequent  renewals,  the 
demand  for  it  is  constant  and  rapidly  increasing.  The 
wire  cloth  made  by  the  Cabbie  works,  is  of  such  uni- 
formly superior  quality,  that  it  is  regarded  as  the  best 
in  the  market. 

As  Mr.  Cabbie  says:  "  Our  aim  is  not  the  almighty 
dollar;  we  are  proud  of  our  work  and  of  our  name. 
Our  father's  boys  were  all  brought  up  in  the  same 
business.  We  inherited  it  from  father  and  maternal 
grandfather,  and  our  aim  is  to  make  goods  that  can- 
not be  surpassed." 

Besides  the  Fourdrinier  wire  cloth,  and  Fourdrinier 
wires,  dandy  rolls  and  cylinder  wires,  the  Cabbie  works 
also  manufacture  iron-wire  cloth  for  coal-burning  loco- 
motives, iron-wire  bolting  cloth,  and  other  grades  of 
iron-wire  cloth;  galvanized  wire  netting,  fencing,  fen- 
ders and  guards,  sieves  and  bolters,  traps,  screens, 
flower-stands,  ropes,  railings,  chains  and  settees. 

Their  buildings,  on  Union  avenue  and  Ainslie  street, 
Brooklyn,  E.  D.,  are  very  extensive.  They  consist  of 
four  buildings,  erected  around  an  open  court.  The 
loom  factory  (one  story,  brick,  100  feet  by  36  feet,  with 
slate  roof  and  lantern  skylight)  has  just  been  completed. 
The  front  on  Union  avenue  is  150  feet,  with  a  depth 
of  100  feet,  and  on  Ainslie  street,  the  front  is  92  feet, 
with  a  depth  of  100  feet.  The  main  building,  on  Union 
avenue,  is  75  feet  by  40  feet,  four  stories,  and  a  base- 
ment occupied  as  an  engine-house.  The  engine,  a  40- 
horse  power,  and  built  by  Weisbecker  &  Ray,  of 
Brooklyn,  is  named  "  James  A.  Garfield."  Here  is  the 
driving  and  heating  force  of  the  whole  establishment  ; 
for  the  whole  is  heated  by  steam. 

The  office  is  in  the  two-story  building,  on  Ainslie 
street,  a  fine  building,  with  mansard  roof,  giving  a 
third  story,  with  an  ornamental  paling  in  the  centre, 
from  which  rises  an  imposing  flag-staff. 

The  directors'  room  is  the  parlor  of  the  house  ;  it  is 
handsomely  furnished,  and  its  walls  are  hung  with 
paintings.  Adjoining  the  main  building,  on  Union 
avenue,  are:  the  machine-shop,  where  all  the  machinery 
is  made  and  repaired  ;  the  blacksmiths'  shop,  where 
the  forging  is  done,  and  the  carpenters'  shop,  where 
every  outfit  for  a  large  factory  is  at  hand.  The  build- 
ings cost  $45,000.  They  employ  now  about  105  hands, 
and  very  many  of  their  employees,  male  and  female, 
have  been  with  them  for  many  years;  it  being  a  rule  of 
tbe  establishment  to  make  but  few  changes,  which  al- 
most always  implies  faithful  workers  and  good  work. 
The  factory  is  connected  by  telephone  with  the  ware- 
house at  43  Fulton  street,  New- York. 

The  annual  amount  of  wages  paid  is  $70,000,  which, 
considering  the  number  of  women  and  boys  in  the  force, 
is,  we  think,  the  highest  pay  roll  per  capita  in  Kings 
county,  or  elsewhere.  Their  annual  out-put  at  present 
is  from  $240,000  to- $250,000,  but  they  can,  in  years  of 
active  and  prosperous  business,  nearly  double  this 
amount  with  their  present  machinery  and  appliances. 


Of  the  other  manufactm-ers  of  wire  goods,  Messrs. 
Howard  &  Morse  and  J.  II.  De  Witt  &  Son  are  both 
very  large  houses,  and  manufacture  wire  cloth  and 
almost  every  description  of  wire  work  already  enumer- 
ated, except  Fourdrinier  wires  and  Fourdrinier  wire 
cloth,  these,  as  we  have  said,  being  only  manufactured 
in  Kings  county  or  New  York  by  the  William  Cabbie 
Company.  The  out-put  of  these  two  houses  is  about 
the  same  as  that  of  the  William  Cabbie  Company.  The 
other  houses  in  the  business,  The  Brooklyn  Wire  Cloth 
Works  (Richardson  &  Hodgson),  Smith  &  Rhind, 
Josep>h  Norwood,  The  N  Y.  Wire  and  Wire  Rope 
Company,  Philip  Schmitt,  Michael  3IcCormick,  John 
3IcMxirray,  Francis  A.  Fay,  John  Jansen,  John  II. 
Schweers,  etc.,  make  almost  every  variety  of  wire  goods 
and  wire  rope.  Several  of  them  are  large  and  enter- 
prising houses,  doing  a  good  and  profitable  business; 
others  are  but  new  beginners,  but  make  excellent  goods, 
and  will  achieve  success. 

The  census  reported  in  1880,  on  "  wire  work,"  10 
establishments;  $240,778  capital;  172  hands;  $83,690 
wages;  $97,641  material,  and  $228,204  annual  product. 
As  we  have  seen,  there  are  three,  at  least,  of  the  houses 
in  the  trade  which  each  exceed  this  product.  Our 
figures  are:  17  establishments;  about  525  hands;  about 
$180,000  wages;  about  $1,050,000  annual  product. 


SECTION  VII. 
The  Manufacture  of  Steel. 

The  manufacture  of  iron  from  the  ore  is  not  one  of 
the  industries  of  Kings  County.  The  production  of 
steel  is  not  on  a  large  scale,  and  there  are,  we  believe, 
no  Bessemer  steel  works  here,  these  requiring  a  costly 
and  extensive  plant,  and  certain  facilities  for  obtaining 
ores  and  fluxes  which  do  not  exist  here.  The  census 
persistently  ignored  the  existence  of  any  steel  works 
here,  although  one  had  been  at  work  here  since  1868  or 
1869,  and  the  other  for  five  or  six  years.  The  Chrome 
Steel  Works,  Kent  avenue,  cor.  of  Keap  st,  is  deserving 
of  a  place  in  our  history,  if  there  were  no  other  reason, 
for  its  plucky  persistency  in  overcoming  all  obstacles, 
and  for  refusing  to  be  overwhelmed  or  discouraged  by 
a  lonsr  succession  of  disasters.  It  was  started  to  de- 
monstrate  the  truth  of  a  theory,  that  chromium  was  a 
<rood  and  sufficient  substitute  for  carbon  in  the  manu- 
facture  of  steel. 

The  first  experimenters,  though  good  metallurgists 
in  a  small  way,  with  crucible  and  cupel  in  the  labora- 
tory, were  not  at  home  in  the  larger  operations  of  the 
furnace,  and  met  with  technical  difficulties  and  obsta- 
cles which  were  as  unexpected  as  they  were  annoying; 
they  would  turn  out  a  number  of  ingots  of  very  supe- 
rior steel,  its  qualities  surpassing  everything  in  the 
market;  and  while  they  were  rejoicing  over  this,  and 
reckoning  their  profits,  the  very  next  batch,  selected 
from  the  same  materials,  and  made  by  the  same  pro- 


60S 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


cesses,  so  far  as  they  could  determine,  would  come  out 
with  no  cohesive  power,  and  none  of  the  qualities  re- 
quired in  steel;  and  yet  the  one  ingot  could  not  be  dis- 
tinguished by  its  looks  from  the  other.  The  reasons 
for  this  difference  could  not  be  ascertained,  and,  discour- 
aged by  long-continued  ill  success,  the  original  partners 
withdrew,  one  after  another,  till  but  one  was  left;  but 
he,  a  Scotch  Irishman,  held  on  and  held  out,  and  within 
the  last  four  or  five  years  has  succeeded,  in  part  at 
least,  in  overcoming  this  very  stubhorn  difficulty.  This 
uncertainty  of  the  tenacity  of  the  product,  had  given 
the  Chrome  steel  a  bad  reputation.  The  company  was 
a  bidder  at  low  rates  for  the  steel  »vire  for  use  on  the 
Bridge,  but  its  reputation  for  uncertain  tenacity  of  its 
steel  caused  the  bid  to  be  thrown  out.  Of  late,  the 
steel  has  been  quite  uniform  in  its  character,  but  the 
difficulty  of  insufficient  capital,  which  has  hampered  it 
from  the  first,  still  causes  it  difficulty.  The  invention 
has  proved  itself  valuable,  and  it  is  time  that  the  at- 
tention of  capitalists  was  turned  to  it.  The  out-put  is 
now,  we  learn,  from  $50,000  to  §00,000  per  annum. 

The  other  steel  manufactory  of  Brooklyn  is  that  of 
Wright  <D  Son,  in  Hancock  street,  between  Reid  and 
Patchen  avenues.     They  make  carbon  steel,  but  the 
extent  of  their  works  or  the  quality  of  the  steel  we  have 
been  unable  to  ascertain. 


SECTION  VIII. 
Saws  and  Files. 

This  is  Mr.  Frothingham's  heading,  and  his  statistics 
are:  24  establishments;  $161,900  capital;  802  hands; 
$97,047  wages;  $90,718  material;  $249,805  annual  pro- 
duct. The  census  office  assumed  that  there  was  but  one 
saw  manufacturer  in  Brooklyn  (there  were  three  at  that 
time),  remanded  him  to  the  miscellaneous  industries, 
and  inserted  Files,  12  establishments,  $25,750  capital, 
70  hands,  $29,192  wages,  $21,970  material,  $68,509  an- 
nual product.  Both  entries  are  hopelessly  wrong,  and 
only  illustrate  the  folly  of  meddling  with  statistics, 
which  the  officials  of  the  census  office  were  incapable 
of  understanding.  The  two  branches  of  business,  which 
are  intimately  connected,  have  been  carried  on  with 
many  vicissitudes,  but  the  annual  product  of  the  two  is 
not  now  less  than  $500,000,  though  there  have  been  sev- 
eral failures  within  the  last  two  years.  The  number  of 
hands  is  probably  now  not  far  from  400. 

But,  as  the  processes  of  manufacture  differ  mate- 
rially, and  the  saw  manufacturer  need  not  be,  anil  often 
is  not,  a  manufacturer  of  files,  we  will  treat  of  sairs 
first,  and  afterwards  of  file-making. 

The  manufacture  of  saws  and  files  is  not  an  old  indus- 
try anywhere  in  this  country.  It  is  not  yet  fifty  years 
since  the  English  file  manufacturers  declared  that  the 
Yankees  would  never  be  able  to  acquire  the  art  of  mak- 
ing files;  thai  the  skill  required  had  passed  f rom  genera- 
tion to  generation,  and  that  no  American  could  ever  by 


any  possibility  acquire  the  sleight  of  hand  necessary  to 
cut  files  evenly  and  perfectly.  It  is  about  forty-five 
years  since  the  manufacture  commenced,  and  for  more 
than  a  score  of  years  past  the  American  files  have 
ranked  as  high  as  any  of  English  or  French  manufac- 
t  are. 

The  saw  manufacture  has  passed  through  a  similar 
experience.  The  Sheffield  manufacturers  thought  they 
had  reduced  their  business  to  a  system  and  perfection 
which  defied  competition.  The  tempering,  toothing, 
grinding  and  finishing  a  saw  were  each  processes  re- 
quiring long  practice  and  training,  and  it  was  not  to  be 
supposed,  for  an  instant,  that  a  people  who  had  had  no 
experience  in  such  a  manufacture,  could  compete  suc- 
cessfully with  the  English  saw  works  and  their  skilled 
workmen.  But  stranger  things  than  this  have  hap- 
pened, and  it  has  come  to  pass  that,  while  we  manufac- 
tured about  $4,000,000  worth  of  saws  in  1880,  we  im- 
ported in  that  year  only  $14,475  worth,  and  exported 
in  the  same  year  $37,271  worth,  and  about  $17,000  of 
this  to  Great  Britain  and  its  colonies. 

There  are  now,  according  to  the  census  of  18S0,  89 
saw  manufactories  and  179  file  works  in  the  United 
States,  and  18  of  the  former  and  37  of  the  latter  in  the 
State  of  New  York.  We  have  no  positive  knowledge  as 
to  the  first  manufacturer  of  saws  in  this  country,  but 
among  the  earliest,  as  well  as  the  largest,  was  the  firm 
of  R.  Hoe  &  Co.,  who  afterwards  embarked  so  largely 
in  the  production  of  printing  presses.  The  early  saw 
and  file  manufacturers  found  it  desirable  to  import 
skilled  workmen,  saw-makers,  saw-grinders  and  saw- 
handlers  from  Sheffield,  to  train  their  apprentices  and 
young  workmen  in  the  difficult  processes  of  the  manu- 
facture; and  in  1848  they  invited  a  father  and  two 
sons  by  the  name  of  Peace,  experienced  and  skillful 
saw  grinders,  to  come  over  and  manage  their  saw- 
grinding  department.  They  came,  and  their  work 
gave  ample  satisfaction.  The  elder  son  remained  with 
Messrs.  Hoe  for  thirteen  years,  and  in  that  time  made 
himself  completely  master  of  all  the  processes  of  the 
trade,  something  very  rarely  attempted  in  that  business. 
In  1801  the  two  brothers  commenced  business  for  them- 
selves, at  first  in  small  quarters  in  Centre  street,  New 
York;  after  a  little,  they  removed  to  Johnstown,  N.  Y. ; 
but  in  1863  settled  finally  in  their  present  location  at 
Tenth  and  Ainslie  streets,  Brooklyn,  E.  D.  Here  they 
have,  or  at  least  the  older  brother  has,  built  up  a  fine 
business,  the  establishment  being  the  largest,  with  one 
or  possibly  two  exceptions, .in  the  United  States.  Mr. 
Peace  confined  his  industry  to  saws  alone;  but  of  these 
he  makes  every  known  variety. 

The  steel  used  is  principally  of  Pittsburgh  manufac- 
ture, and  while  its  quality  is  excellent,  Mr.  Peace  com- 
plains that  two  of  his  competitors,  who  manufacture 
their  own  steel,  are  enabled  to  use  steel  which  costs 
tin  in  only  about  one-half  the  market  value,  while  he  is 
obliged  to  use  steel  purchased  at  the  market  price,  and 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


699 


is  thus  handicapped  at  the  very  beginning  of  the  race. 
Mr.  Peace  is  a  believer  in  a  tariff  with  a  fair  degree  of 
protection  for  manufactures,  but  he  does  not  believe 
that  it  should  be  such  a  tariff  as  will  discriminate 
against  the  manufacturer. 

The  steel  used  is  rolled  at  the  rolling  mill  to  the  proper 
length,  width  and  thickness.  The  steel  for  carpenters' 
saws  is  in  square  sheets,  which  are  divided  diagonally, 
each  sheet  making  two  saws.  Being  cut  into  the  de- 
sired shape,  the  future  saws  are  toothed  and  filed  while 
the  steel  is  in  the  soft  state.  The  teeth,  which  are  of  a 
great  variety  of  forms,  according  to  the  purposes  for 
which  they  are  designed,  are,  except  in  the  more  com- 
plicated forms,  cut  by  automatic  machinery,  the  ma- 
chine for  cutting  the  teeth  of  the  carpenters'  saws  making 


on  a  hardwood  block),  and,  as  the  processes  through 
which  they  have  passed  have  somewhat  impaired  their 
elasticity,  this  is  restored,  if  need  be,  by  heating  to  the 
required  color.  They  are  next  set,  filed,  etched  and 
oiled,  when  those  saws  which  do  not  require  handles 
are  finished,  ready  for  packing.  The  carpenters'  and 
cross-cut  saws  are  transferred  to  the  saw-handler's  de- 
partment, and  the  blades  are  punched  to  receive  the 
screws  for  the  handles;  and  in  one  pattern,  which  is 
patented,  a  portion  of  the  upper  part  of  the  blade  is  cut 
out  by  a  die,  and  the  handle  fitted  to  match  this  ex- 
actly, and,  like  the  other  handles,  is  secured  firmly  in 
its  place  by  screws.  The  handles  are  made  of  beech 
and  apple  wood  principally,  though  mahogany,  rose- 
wood, cherry,  and  black  walnut  are  used  to  some  extent. 


A'lEW  OF  THE  H.  W.  PEACE  CO.'S  "VULCAN"  SAW  WORKS,  TEN'TH  AND  AIXSLIE  STREETS,  E.  D. 


1,200  teeth  per  minute.  The  burr,  or  roughened  edges, 
raised  by  shearing  and  toothing,  are  next  knocked  or 
rolled  down.  They  are  then  hardened  in  oil,  and  tem- 
pered (a  difficult  and  delicate  process),  a  particular 
shade  of  color  being  required  for  the  requisite  temper. 
After  the  tempering,  they  go  into  the  hands  of  the  saw 
makers,  to  be  hammered  on  an  anvil  as  true  as  possible; 
they  are  then  taken  to  the  grinding  shop,  where  each 
saw  is  ground  for  the  purpose  for  which  it  is  to  be 
used.  Most  of  the  saws  are  ground  on  a  machine, 
the  saw  passing  between  rollers  to  the  grindstone,  and 
passing  out  between  other  rollers  on  the  other  side. 
The  jig  and  compass  saws  are  ground  by  hand,  the 
grindstones,  in  all  cases,  being  driven  by  steam  power. 

The  saws  go  next  to  the  polishing  shops,  and,  after 
polishing,  are  blocked  (straightened  by  being  hammered 


The  logs  of  these  woods  are  first  sawed  into  boards  of 
the  proper  thickness,  and  then  thoroughly  steamed  and 
dried.  The  handles  are  then  marked  out  by  pattern< 
and  sawed  out  by  band  or  jig  saws,  burred  and  filed 
into  shape,  smoothed  by  sandbelts  and  sandwheels,  oiled 
and  polished,  and  finally  slit  and  bored  ready  to  receive 
the  blades. 

In  the  manufacture  of  saws,  the  division  of  labor 
is  carried  to  a  remarkable  extent,  not  in  the  produc- 
tion of  different  kinds  of  saws,  as  might  be  expected, 
but  in  the  different  processes  required  in  the  produc- 
tion of  the  saw.  Each  process  is  a  trade  by  itself, 
and  hardly  ever  does  a  mechanic  pass  from  one  to 
another.  The  usual  divisions  are  saw-makers,  saw- 
grinders,  saw  polishers  and  finishers,  and  saw-hand- 
■  lers;  but  even  these  are  sub-divided;  the  man  who 


700 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


hardens  and  tempers  the  saw  has  no  knowledge  of  the 
processes  of  toothing  and  tiling,  nor  of  the  smithing  and 
hammering;  so  that  there  are  three  distinct  trades  un- 
der the  head  of  saw-making;  in  saw  grinding,  the  man 
who  grinds  the  saws  on  a  machine  cannot  be  trans- 
ferred to  the  work  of  grinding  them  by  hand.  In 
the  polishing  department,  the  polisher  cannot  do  the 
setting,  tiling,  retempering  or  etching.  He  might  do 
the  graining,  which  is  effected  by  passing  the  polished 
and  finished  saw  between  hardwood  rollers. 

The  saw-handlers  have  also  several  subdivisions.  It 
is  very  rarely  the  case  that  a  man  has  made  himself  a 
master  of  all  the  processes,  as  Mr.  Harvey  W.  Peace 
has  done,  and  is  capable  of  superintending  and  direct- 
ing each  effectively.  This  is  to  be  regretted,  because 
it  is  a  business  which  can  only  be  conducted  success- 
fully by  a  man  who  is  thoroughly  familiar  with  every 
department  of  it,  and  who  has,  at  the  same  time,  the 
executive  ability  needed  in  the  buying  and  selling,  and 
the  financial  management  of  a  large  business,  and  the 
power  to  control  large  bodies  of  men  successfully. 
Without  these  qualifications,  failure  in  the  end  is  inev- 
itable. There  have  been  many  sad  examples  of  this  in 
Brooklyn,  and  the  successive  disasters  have  left  the 
Iltirr, ( )/  11'  J>i<f<x  Conijxiiiy,  Limited,  practically  alone 
in  this  industry,  their  only  competitors  now  being  some 
small  shops  which  make  only  one  or  two  descriptions 
of  saws,  and  from  their  limited  means,  the  quality  even 
of  these  lacks  uniformity. 

Harvey  W.  Peace. — Were  we  called  upon  to  name  one 
among  the  manufacturers  of  Brooklyn,  who  had,  in  early 
middle  life,  won  for  himself  a  high  and  honorable  position 
as  a  manufacturer,  solely  by  the  exercise  of  industry,  enter- 
prise, and  the  mental  abilities  which  litted  him  for  heing  a 
leader  and  employer  of  men,  our  first  tliought  would  be  of 
the  name  of  Mr.  Peace,  as  the  most  striking  exemplar  of 
the  success  which  comes  from  the  exercise  of  those  quali- 
ties. 

Harvey  W.  Peace  was  born  in  Sheffield,  England,  Aug. 
10,  1831.  His  father  and  grandfather  had  both  been  brought 
up  in  the  saw  business  all  their  lives.  When  he  was  yet 
very  young,  his  parents  removed  to  Dore,  in  Derbyshire, 
about  six  miles  from  Sheffield,  but  still  retained  their  con- 
nection witli  the  saw-works  in  Sheffield.  Mr.  Peace  ob- 
tained his  early  education  in  Dore,  but  at  the  age  of  thirteen 
began  to  work,  a  part  of  the  time,  in  the  same  manufactory 
witli  his  father  and  grandfather.  At  the  age  of  eighteen,  he 
was  a  very  skillful  saw-grinder.  At  that  time (1849),  became 
to  America  with  his  father  and  family,  the  father  having  re- 
ceived an  invitation  from  Messrs.  R.  Hoe  &  Co.,  of  New 
York,  to  take  charge  of  the  saw-grinding  in  their  extensive 
works.  In  this  establishment,  young  Peace  remained  for 
twelve  years  (except  a  trip  to  Europe,  in  18">7,  for  health  and 
recreation).  In  these  twelve  years,  be  had  become  a  eom- 
ph-tc-  ukihU  r  of  his  business,  and  with  his  industry,  temper- 
ate habits,  an«l  economy,  had  been  able  to  save  a  little  cap- 
ital, to  start  the  business  (if  saw  manufacturing  for  himself. 
Accordingly,  in  1801,  he  commenced,  in  a  small  way.  in  (  Vnt>  r 
street.  New  York,  takingayoungcrhrolherasapartncr.  Find- 
ing their  location  not  a  goo  I  one,  at  that  time  (it  was  just  at 
the  beginning  of  the  Civil  War),  they  removed,  the  next 


year,  to  Johnstown.  Fulton  county,  New  York,  where  they 
remained  about  a  year.  By  this  time,  business  —  in  some 
directions,  and  the  manufacture  of  saws  was  one  of  them  — 
had  greatly  revived,  and  was  much  better  iu  the  seaports 
than  in  the  interior.  Once  more,  therefore,  they  removed, 
and  this  time,  to  what  proved  a  permanent  location,  to 
Ainslie  street,  Brooklyn.  At  first  their  quarters  here  were 
small  and  narrow,  and  proved  so  inconvenient  that  they 
moved  to  a  better  location  on  the  same  street,  in  1867;  the 
times  were  favorable  for  the  development  of  an  extensive 
business,  and  though  averse  to  anything  like  speculative 
action,  they  went  forward,  "hasting  not  and  resting  not," 
increasing  with  each  year  the  quality  and  the  quantity  of 
their  saws,  till  one  building  was  added  to  another,  and  one 
kind  of  saws  to  another;  and  now  (with  the  exception  of 
the  file-works  of  Mr.  C.  B.  Paul,  a  friend  of  theirs,  and  one 
whose  manufacture  is  an  almost  indispensable  adjunct  to 
their  own),  they  occupy  several  lots  in  the  block  bounded  on 
two  sides  by  Tenth  and  Ainslie  streets.  They  make  every 
description  of  saws  known  to  the  trades,  and  for  such  as  re- 
quire handles  or  frames,  they  manufacture  the.-e  necessary 
attachments.  We  have  described  elsewhere  the  processes  of 
saw  manufacture,  the  four  classes  of  workmep,  the  saw- 
maker,  saw-grinders,  saw-handlers,  and  saw-finishers,  and  it 
only  remains  to  be  said  here,  that  in  all  this  great  enterprise, 
employing  a  force  of  more  than  200  men,  and  producing 
annually  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  million  dollars'  worth  of 
goods,  Mr.  Harvey  W.  Peace  has  been  the  informing  and 
controlling  spirit;  his  judicious  and  enterprising  manage- 
ments has  brought  order  out  of  confusion,  success  out  of 
threatened  disaster,  and  bis  house  has  now  but  two  rivals  in 
the  United  States  in  the  extent  of  its  production,  and  none 
in  the  quality  and  excellence  of  its  wares.  It  is  well  under- 
stood everywhere,  and  among  all  classes  of  purchasers,  that 
the  stamp  of  "  Harvey  W.  Peace  "  on  any  saw,  or  case  of 
saws,  insures  the  purchasers  that  the  goods  are  of  the  very 
best  possible  quality. 

In  his  relations  to  his  fellow  manufacturers,  Mr.  Peace  has 
always  been  kindly  and  helpful;  often  taking  large  risks,  to 
keep  them  from  disaster,  and  where  they  have  succumbed  to 
the  hardness  of  the  times,  furnishing  them  with  employment 
in  his  own  establishment  till  they  could  recover  themselves. 

In  all  the  relations  of  civil  and  social  life,  Mr.  Peace  has 
shown  himself  a  good  citizen,  a  tender  and  kind  husband 
and  father,  and  a  pleasant  neighbor.  Though  not  a  member 
of  any  church,  he  is  a  regular  attendant  on  the  Methodist 
church  —  the  church  of  his  parents.  In  politics  he  is  a  de- 
cided republican,  though  never  an  office-seeker  or  office- 
holder. He  wields  a  powerful  influence  in  his  ward,  but  has 
invariably  refused  to  be  a  candidate  for  any  public  position. 
Iu  regard  to  the  tariff,  he  favors  a  moderate  protection  of 
our  struggling  manufactures,  but  insists  that  the  duties 
should  be  taken  off  from  raw  material  which  cannot  be 
produced  here,  and  reduced  on  such  raw  material  as  is 
equally  a  product  of  our  own  and  foreign  countries;  thus 
placing  us  on  an  equality  with  foreign  manufacturers. 

Mr.  Peace,  though  heartily  American  in  feeling  and  inter- 
est, does  not  forget  that  he  first  drew  breath  in  England. 
He  is  an  officer  of  the  St.  George's  Society,  and  a  hearty  and 
cordial  friend  and  helper  of  his  countrymen.  In  other 
directions  also,  his  liberal  spirit  exhibits  itself,  and  he  is  a 
generous  giver  to  all  good  causes. 


Mr.  Peace,  and  some  of  his  skillful  workmen,  have 
designed  and  patented  many  of  the  machines  for  the 
purpose  of  grinding  the  various  kinds  of  saws,  as  well 


701 


as  for  polishing,  toothing,  handling  and  graining  saws. 
While  this  company  make  every  description  of  saws 
known  or  demanded  in  the  trade,  their  special  attention 
is  directed  to  the  higher  grades  of  carpenters'  saws, 
band  saws  (some  of  these  are  fifty-five  feet  in  length, 
and  they  vary  in  width  from  one-eighth  inch  to  six 
inches),  veneer  and  re-saw  segments,  and  cross-cut  saws. 
They  employ  from  150  to  160  hands,  and  their  produc- 
tion ranges  from  $200,000  to  $225,000  per  annum. 

Files. — There  are  a  number  of  manufacturers  of 
files  in  Brooklyn,  but  most  of  them  have  but  small  es- 
tablishments. The  largest  are  that  of  Mr.  Charles  B. 
Paul,  whose  factory  adjoins  that  of  the  Harvey  W. 
Peace  Company,  on  Tenth  and  Ainslie  streets,  and  that 
of  Mr.  E.  M.  Boynton,  on  Devoe  street,  who  was  a 
manufacturer  of  saws  as  well  as  files.  The  latter  estab- 
lishment is  now  closed.  Four  or  five  others  are  doing 
a  moderate  business  in  this  line.  The  amount  of  capi- 
tal required  is  much  less  than  that  for  the  saw  manu- 
facture; but  the  material  must  be  of  the  finest  forged 
steel,  of  the  most  perfect  temper,  and  the  cutting  done 
by  hand,  and  by  workmen  of  the  highest  skill.  There 
are,  indeed,  machine-cut  files  on  the  market,  but  for 
the  purposes  for  which  a  first-class  file  is  wanted,  they 
are  as  yet  of  very  little  worth.  There  are  many  va- 
rieties of  files  and  rasps — rat-tail  or  taper,  round,  square, 
flat,  triangular,  oval,  half-round,  cabinet,  etc.,  etc.  A 
catalogue  before  us  specifies  about  thirty  varieties,  and 
fourteen  lengths  of  nearly  all. 

The  art  of  file-cutting  is  a  very  difficult  one,  and 
only  acquired  by  long  practice.  A  large  proportion 
of  the  file-cutters  are  of  English  birth,  though  the 
younger  men  of  American  birth  are  now  doing  very 
creditable  work.  Like  the  workmen  in  the  saw  works 
the  file-cutters  adhere  very  rigidly  to  their  own  special 
division  of  the  work.  The  cutter  of  three-cornered 
files  will  not  attempt  to  cut  rat-tail  files,  or  even  half- 
round  ones,  much  less  rasps  of  any  description;  and 
the  cutters  of  these,  in  their  turn,  look  with  disdain 
upon  the  three-square  file-cutters. 

The  census  of  1880  reports  12  file  factories,  employ- 
ing 96  hands,  and  producing  $68,509  of  files  annually. 
The  report  is  both  defective  and  redundant;  redundant 
in  the  number  of  establishments,  which  does  not  ex- 
ceed eight;  and  defective  in  the  amount  of  product, 
which  considerably  exceeds  $100,000.  Mr.  Paul's  out- 
put alone  is  from  $30,000  to  $40,000;  and  Mr.  Boynton's 
was  not  much  less,  in  this  department  of  his  business. 
The  average  number  of  hands  employed  by  Mr.  Paul 
is  from  40  to  50. 

SECTION  IX. 

Stamped  or  Drawn  Wares,  Tin  and  Sheet  Iron 
Wares,  Galvanized  Iron  and  its  Ware. 

The  production  of  stamped  or  drawn  wares,  by  which 
is  meant  the  formation,  by  means  of  continuous  pres- 


sure by  a  power  press,  and  by  single  or  combined  dies 
and  blank-holders,  of  pans,  dishes,  pails,  kettles,  sar- 
dine, blacking,  spice  and  other  boxes,  and  by  combina- 
tion machines  and  dies,  fruit,  vegetable,  meat  and  fish 
cans,  petroleum  cans  and  cases,  and  the  lettering  of 
these  with  any  required  name  or  address  by  dies, 
worked  by  the  same  machines,  has  become  an  import- 
ant industry,  and  has  almost  entirely  superseded  the 
old  process  of  manufacturing  tin-ware.  In  some  of  these 
machines,  the  pan,  pail,  dish  or  can,  etc.,  come  from  the 
machine  complete;  in  others  they  require  wiring,  trim- 
ming and  finishing,  all  of  which  is  done  with  great 
rapidity  on  other  machines.  By  the  use  of  these 
machines  the  amount  of  production  can  be  increased 
one  hundred  fold  with  the  same  number  of  hands.  The 
process  of  dee})  stamping  was  first  invented  by  a  French- 
man of  Metz  (now  Mayence)  named  Mix;  it  was  con- 
siderably improved  and  introduced  into  this  country 
by  Messrs.  Lalance  &  Grosjean,  who  still  manufacture, 
in  Queens'  county,  these  and  their  enamelled  or  granite 
wares  on  a  large  scale.  Subsequent  improvements 
were  made  in  the  machines,  for  stamping  not  only  tin, 
but  sheet  iron,  brass,  zinc,  copper,  straw  and  card  board, 
leather,  etc.,  and  the  first  extensive  manufactory  of 
these  machines  was  started  in  Brooklyn  in  1867,  and 
subsequently  greatly  enlarged  by  Mr.  E.  W.  Bliss,  who 
is  now  the  sole  proprietor.  Mr.  Bliss  does  not  manu- 
facture stamped  ware  himself,  but  produces  the  ma- 
chines by  which  it  is  made.  The  leading  manufacturers 
of  stamped  wares  are  the  refiners  of  petroleum  oils,  who 
make  millions  of  cans,  of  a  capacity  of  from  one  to  five 
gallons,  for  exporting  and  transporting  their  oils;  the 
canners  of  fruits,  vegetables,  meats,  oysters  and  fish, 
whose  consumption  of  the  cans  is  immense;  and  the 
houses  which  are  engaged  in  the  production  of  house- 
hold hardware.  It  is  only  because  these  petroleum  oil 
cans,  fruit,  meat,  vegetable,  oyster  and  fish  cans  and 
boxes,  and  the  lard  pails,  etc.,  etc.,  can  be  furnished  so 
cheaply,  and  in  such  quantities,  that  the  oil  and  pro- 
vision trades  and  the  canned  goods  trade  have  been 
so  enormously  expanded  within  the  last  decade,  and 
especially  within  the  last  five  years.  These  inventions 
have  also  rendered  other  industries  largely  prosper- 
ous, which  but  for  these  products  of  the  stamping 
machines  must  have  long  since  been  abandoned  as 
unprofitable. 

It  is  not  exceeding  the  bounds  of  truth  to  say  that 
these  products  of  machines  manufactured  in  Brooklyn, 
and  almost  wholly  by  Brooklyn  manufacturers,  have 
increased  our  national  exports  to  the  extent  of  about 
fifty  million  dollars  annually. 

The  leading  manufacturers  of  stamped  and  drawn 
wares,  as  well  as  of  other  tin-wares,  aside  from  the  great 
manufacturers  who  make  cans,  pails,  etc.,  exclusively 
for  their  own  goods,  are  :  E.  Ketcham  <fc  Co.,  Fred. 
Habermann,  Silas  A.  Ilsley  &  Co.,  William  Vbgel, 
C.  J.  Hauck  cfi  Co.  and  Somers  Brothers. 


702 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Enoch  Ketcham.—  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born 
October  18th,  1818,  in  the  quiet  village  of  Pennington,  Mercer 
county,  New  Jersey.  His  parents  were  Enoch  and  Matilda 
Smith  Ketcham,  who  are  buried  in  the  cemetery  of  the  Pres- 
byterian churc  h  of  that  place,  where  also  rest  the  remains  of 
seven  successive  generations  of  the  family  name.  His  earlier 
years  were  spent  upon  his  father's  farm,  among  the  duties 
incident  to  such  a  life,  with  educational  advantages  of  the 
most  limited  nature.  Pennington  was  not  then,  as  it  is  now, 
a  noted  seat  of  learning,  and  the  only  privileges,  formerly 
given  to  the  farmer's  son,  were  a  few  weeks  in  the  distiict 
school  during  the  winter  season,  when  services  could  best  be 
spared  from  the  work  at  home.  While  yet  a  youth  Mr.  Enoch 
Ketcham  left  the  old  homestead  to  learn  the  trade  of  a  car- 
penter; and,  after  serving  a  full  apprenticeship,  worked  for  a 
while  at  Newark  and  Morristowu,  in  his  native  state.  In  1844 
he  began  his  mercantile  career  in  Cliff  street,  New  York,  enter- 
ing in  the  lowest  capacity,  and  soon  rising,  by  industry  and 
integrity,  to  a  position  in  the  firm.  In  1819  he  was  married 
to  Miss  Eliza  Van  Auken,  aud  resides  still  in  the  city  of  New 
York.  Like  his  fathers,  he  has  retained  his  connection  with 
the  Presbyterian  church,  being  now  a  member  of  the  Church 
of  the  Covenant,  corner  of  Park  avenue  and  Thirty-filth 
street. 

Mr  Ketcham  is  one  of  the  oldest  dealers  in  manufactured 
tin-wares  in  the  United  States.  When  he  began  in  1844,  and 
during  the  first  years  of  his  business  life,  nearly  all  kinds  of 
goods  for  house-furnishing  were  imported  from  abroad.  But 
few  were  made  in  this  country,  and  they  were  the  common 
wares  of  the  country  tin-shop.  He  entered  largely  into  the 
manufacture  of  such  articles,  his  house  always  occupying  a 
foremost  position,  and  he,  personally,  recognized  as  a  leader 
in  the  trade.  Of  late  years  the  methods  of  producing  these 
goods  have  been  entirely  revolutionized,  nearly  every  process 
being  wrought  out  by  elaborate  and  expensive  machinery. 
These  improvements  have  given  rise  to  various  large  estab- 
lishments for  the  construction  of  such  machines,  which  were 
entirely  unknown  before.  The  younger  men  in  the  trade 
can  hardly  appreciate  the  great  changes  that  have  transpired 
since  Mr.  Ketcham  first  undertook  the  building  of  his  fac- 
tory. 

The  firm  of  E.  Ketcham  &  Co.,  at  great  expense,  and 
with  an  enterprise  seldom  equalled  in  these  days,  constructed 
machinery  under  their  own  roof  which  can  be  had  of  dealers 
at  the  present  time  for  very  moderate  amounts.  Later  firms 
have  profited  largely  by  the  experience  which  the  firm  of  E. 
Ketcham  &  Co.  acquired  only  by  long  and  tedious  experi- 
ments.* 

In  the  year  1837,  in  company  with  some  other  persons,  Mr. 
Enoch  Ketcham  purchased  the  factory  at  the  corner  of  South 
Second  and  Twelfth  streets  in  Williamsburg,  and  organized 
the  firm  of  E.  Ketcham  &  Co.,  whose  warehouses  are  at  9G 
Beekman  and  58  Cliff  streets,  New  York.  This  building, 
which  at  that  time  was  quite  meagre  in  its  proportions,  has 
since  become  of  extensive  size.  It  is  built  in  the  form  of  a 
hollow  square,  is  five  stories  high,  and  arranged  to  accommo- 
date the  several  departments  of  which  it  is  composed.  The 
stamping  rooms  are  one  of  the  main  features  of  the  place. 
Here  articles  of  great  depth  are  formed  from  one  sheet  or 
dis<-  of  iiu- till,  without  seams  or  solder.  1 1  was  in  this  branch 
that  experiim  tits  were  firsl  put  forth,  the  earlier  efforts  pro- 
ducing vessels  of,  say,  half  an  inch  in  deptll,  and  finally 
reaching  from  seven  to  ten  inches,  so  that  all  cooking  vessels 
may  be  made  from  single  sheets  of  tin,  or  other  sheet  metal, 

•  The  render  will  find  these  procenses  very  fully  dcucrlhed  In  the  arti- 
cle on  Stamped  and  Drawn  Metallic  Wares,  and  In  that  on  Prestos 
and  I )!<•-». 


without  the  possibility  of  leaks.*  There  are  many  other  de- 
partments in  this  factory,  in  which  tin  plates  are  manipu- 
lated in  various  ways  and  shapes,  and  then  polished  to  a 
lustre  equalling  silver  in  brilliancy. 

Somers  Brothers  have  confined  themselves  to  the 
production  of  lithographed  or  decorated  cans,  boxes, 
pails,  etc.,  etc.,  in  which  they  have  a  large  trade. 

The  Somers  Brothers.  —The  brothers,  Daniel  M.,  Joseph 
L.  and  Guy  A.  Somers,  among  the  best  known  of  Brooklyn's 
manufacturers,  are.  though  not  of  an  old  Brooklyn  family, 
of  one  of  the  oldest  families  in  the  United  States.  The  name 
has  been  for  centuries  known  in  England,  aud  can  be  traced 
to  the  time  of  William  the  Conqueror. 

The  Somerses  of  America  are  descended  from  the  family  of 
John  Somers,  Lord  Chancellor  of  England  during  the  period 
of  the  War  of  the  Roses.  John  Somers,  the  first  of  the  name 
in  America,  emigrated  from  England  in  16  5,  and  settled  on 
a  large  grant  of  land  iu  New  Jersey-,  embracing  Great  Egg 
Harbor ;  Somers  Point,  a  well-known  locality,  having  been 
the  place  of  his  residence.  He  had  contracted  a  runaway 
marriage  with  a  French  lady  of  much  beauty,  highly  accom- 
plished, and  of  distinguished  social  position  in  her  native 
land.  Previous  to  this  alliance,  the  Somerses  had  been 
blonde  men  and  women,  with  light  hair.  Partaking  of  the 
personal  characteristics  of  this  lady,  her  children  aud  their 
descendants,  to  the  present  time,  have  almost  invariably  been 
dark  of  complexion,  with  the  usual  accompaniment  of  black 
hair  and  eyes. 

John  Somers  had  two  sons,  who  were  named  Richard  and 
James.  The  former  had  a  son,  named  John,  also  a  grandson 
of  the  same  name,  who  located  iu  Virginia  in  1804,  and  who 
had  a  sou  named  Joseph  R.  Somers,  who  had  three  sons  (the 
subjects  of  our  sketch)  and  a  daughter,  all  of  whom  are  resi- 
dents of  Brooklyn.  They  were  born  in  the  following  order: 
Daniel  M.,  March  20th,  1*811;  Guy  A.,  July  31st,  1842;  Joseph 
L.,  January  8th,  1844;  and  Mary  Florence,  June  1st,  1850. 
All  of  these  are  married  and  have  families. 

Col.  Richard  Somers,  of  the  war  of  Independence,  and  a 
member  of  the  Provincial  Congress  for  1775  in  Philadelphia, 
was  a  grandson  of  the  original  John  Somers,  of  New  Jeraej  . 
whose  brave  young  son,  Richard,  was  born  September  15lh, 
1778,  and  became  a  sailor,  and  rose  to  the  rank  of  lieutenant 
in  the  United  States  Navy,  and  commander  of  the  United 
States  ship  Nautilus.  In  the  Algerine  War,  before 
Tripoli,  on  the  night  of  September  4th,  1803,  he  voluntarily 
sacrificed  his  own  life  by  blowing  up  the  ship  Intrepid,  to 
prevent  its  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy. 

The  great-grandfather  of  the  Somerses  of  Brooklyn  lost 
some  ships  during  the  Revolutionary  War,  and  their  grand- 
father lost  four  vessels  by  the  fortunes  of  war  in  1812-14. 
The  Somerses  of  America  were  ship-owners  for  successive 
generations;  but,  during  the  last  half-century,  have  drifted 
into  other  lines  of  enterprise.  While  of  English  and  French 
descent,  the  Somerses  of  Brooklyn  are  thoroughly  American, 
being  of  the  sixth  generation  of  their  father's  and  of  the  iifth 
of  their  mother's  family  in  the  United  States. 

The  firm  of  Somers  Brothers  was  organized  in  1809  by 
Daniel  M..  Joseph  L.  and  Guy  A.  Somers,  who,  without  cap- 
ital or  a  local  business  acquaintance,  began  operations,  in  a 
small  way,  near  Ku  1  ton  ferry,  Brooklyn,  stamping  metal 
goods  for  manufacturers.    Gradually  increasing  their  husi- 

•  It  was  In  this  estalilishtneiil  (hat  milk  pans,  wash-howls,  dippers 
and  the  like  were  first  made  "seamless,"  since  which  lime  they  are  to 
ho  found  iu  every  city  and  hamlet  of  the  land. 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


703 


ness,  they  removed,  in  1875,  to  their  present  location,  at  the 
corner  of  Front  and  Pearl  streets,  near  Fulton  and  Catharine 
ferries.  About  this  time  Mr.  William  H.  Atkinson,  a  cousin, 
was  admitted  to  a  partnership  in  the  enterprise. 

The  manufacture  of  brass  and  nickel-plated  goods  was  in- 
troduced, and  the  business  increased  rapidly  with  each  pass- 
ing year,  as  the  products  of  the  factory  became  known  in  the 
market.  In  1878,  the  firm  began  the  manufacture  of  dec- 
orated tin  boxes,  for  use  as  packages  by  manufacturers  of 
proprietary  articles.  Although  these  goods  are  of  compar- 
atively recent  origin,  their  success  has  demonstrated  their 
great  usefulness  and  popularity  wherever  they  have  been 
introduced,  the  demand  for  a  complete  and  perfectly  finished 
package  in  tin  having  been  loDg  recognized. 

The  great  perfection  which  this  firm  has  attained  in  the 
modern  art  of  decorating  tin  has  opened  a  new  channel  for 
making  these  goods.  By  a  process  peculiar  to  themselves, 
Somers  Brothers  prepare  the  surface  of  the  tin-plate  with 
various  richly-colored  enamels  or  japans,  and  print  directly 
upon  the  surface  of  the  same  by  the  lithographic  process, 
bringing  out  the  finest  lines  with  the  greatest  clearness,  and 
giving  it  a  perfect  and  beautiful  finish.  By  their  care  and 
experience,  they  have  advanced  the  printing  to  such  perfec- 
tion, that  they  are  enabled  to  make  a  clearer  and  more  artistic 
impression  on  their  prepared  tin  than  can  be  made  by  the 
same  method  on  paper.  After  printing,  another  process  is 
employed,  which  produces  a  finely  enameled  surface.  Sev- 
eral days  are  required  to  finish  these  processes  before  the  tin 
is  ready  to  be  manufactured  into  boxes  or  other  articles;  and 
the  labels  and  other  printed  matter  are  imprinted  on  the  tin- 
plate  before  it  is  made  into  the  goods.  These  boxes  present 
such  an  attractive  appearance  that  the  public,  after  using  the 
contents,  use  them  for  general  and  household  purposes,  the 
indestructible  label  being  regarded  as  one  of  the  best  modes 
of  permanent  advertisement  that  can  be  had. 

From  a  small  beginning,  this  enterprise  has  grown  to  be 
one  of  the  most  important  in  the  city;  and  it  is,  without 
doubt,  in  the  front  rank  of  similar  enterprises  in  the  United 
States.  The  members  of  the  firm  are  practically  acquainted 
with  the  various  departments  of  their  branch  of  manufacture, 
and  give  to  its  details  their  personal  attention,  thus  insuring 
an  excellence  in  their  goods  that  they  could  not  hope  other- 
wise to  attain. 

They  have  recently  purchased  a  site  for  a  factory  on  Third 
street,  corner  of  Third  avenue,  upon  which  they  are  to  erect 
a  large  and  durable  building  for  the  accommodation  of  their 
rapidly  increasing  business. 


Other  manufacturers  who  are  doing  a  good  business 
are  :  BrooMxjn  Mfg.  Co.,  C.  W.  Butler  <b  Co.,  Lorenz 
Grussier,  Iron- Clad  Mfg.  Co.,  Peter  Michels,  August 
Nagel,  Willaim  Norris,  Robert  Schreick,  Hugh  Sul- 
livan, las.  H.  Van  Winkle,  John  Wilkens,  Reinhard 
Wenz,  and  Thomas  Heney.  It  is  somewhat  remark- 
able, and  we  fear,  not  quite  in  accordance  with  the 
truth,  that  the  census  represents  Brooklyn  as  the  only 
large  city  in  the  United  States,  which  is  extensively 
engaged  in  the  production  of  stamped  or  drawn  goods. 
New  York  is  reported  as  producing  $97,2S0  worth,  and 
Brooklyn  $1,556,829,  while  no  other  large  city  reports 
them  at  all.  It  is  probable,  however,  that  in  many 
cases  stamped  ware  is  included  under  the  head  of  "  tin, 
copper  and  sheet  iron  ware,"  though  the  manufactur- 
ing census  of  both  New  York  and  Brooklyn  have  re- 


turns under  both  titles.  The  manufacturers  of  the 
drawing  and  stamping  machines  tell  us  that  large 
houses  in  Portland,  Me.;  Wilmington,  Del.;  Baltimore, 
Md.;  Buffalo,  N.  Y. ;  St.  Louis,  Mo.;  San  Francisco, 
Cal.,  and  Portland,  Oregon,  manufacture  oil,  fruit, 
vegetable,  provision,  fish  and  oyster  cans  by  hundreds 
of  millions  by  this  process;  and  that  household  wares 
are  manufactured  largely  in  the  same  way  in  Buffalo, 
Cincinnati,  Chicago  and  St.  Louis. 

Tin,  sheet  iron,  zinc  and  copper  are  manufactured  in 
so  many  forms  that  it  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  the 
drawing  process  can  be  applied  to  them  all,  but  the 
ingenious  manufacturers  of  these  machines  have  de- 
vised the  means  for  making  almost  everything  which 
can  be  made  by  machinery;  stove-pipes  are  made  and 
riveted,  the  elbows  formed  perfectly,  kettles,  large 
pails,  wash-boilers,  steamers,  hot-air  pipes,  copper  ket- 
tles, baking  and  dripping  pans,  camp-kettles,  etc.,  etc., 
etc.,  are  all  turned  out  perfectly  by  machinery.  En- 
ameled wares  are  also  manufactured  by  machine 
methods.  The  manufacture  of  stamped  and  other  tin- 
wares  in  Brooklyn  has  nearly  doubled  since  1880.  At 
that  time  there  were  reported  of  stamped  ware  six 
establishments,  with  $870,000  capital,  employing  1,010 
hands,  paying  $394,779  wages,  using  $936,084  of  ma- 
terial, and  producing  annually  $1,556,829.'  The  tin- 
ware, copper-ware  and  sheet-iron  ware  trade,  was  repre- 
sented as  having  119  establishments  (this  must  have 
included  the  traveling  tinkers  and  dealers  as  well); 
with  $136,350  capital,  employing  284  hands,  paying 
$150,331  wages,  using  $346,867  of  material,  and  pro- 
ducing $619,134  of  these  wares.  The  aggregate  num- 
ber of  hands  then  was  1,294,  and  the  annual  jjroduct 
$2,175,963.  This  was  exclusive  of  the  production  of 
the  petroleum  companies  who  employed  in  1883  about 
1,200  hands  on  their  cans,  and  turned  out  goods  Avhich 
cost  them  about  $2,225,000;  it  was  exclusive  also  of 
the  large  packing  houses,  whose  production,  though 
very  considerable,  cannot  now  be  ascertained.  The 
present  business  in  this  line  in  Brooklyn  employs  about 
2,700  hands,  and  produces  somewhat  more  than 
$5,200,000. 

The  manufacture  of  galvanized  iron  for  building 
purposes,  and  of  galvanized  iron  wares  for  household 
and  other  uses,  as  for  leaders,  tubing,  etc.,  etc.,  prop- 
erly belongs  with  this  class  of  manufactures.  It  has 
no  separate  item  in?  the  census,  but  there  are  three  or 
four  manufacturers  who  employ  in  all  about  forty  or 
fifty  men,  and  produce  goods  to  the  amount  of  over 
$150,000. 

Intimately  connected  with  the  manufacture  of  tin- 
wares  is  the  production  of  tin  and  lead,  or  spelter  toys, 
as  well  as  the  sheet  or  cast  iron  toys,  mechanical  toys, 
as  they  are  termed,  which  in  these  days  have  so  large 
a  sale,  and  bring  so  much  pleasure  to  the  little  ones. 
The  tin,  lead  and  sheet-iron  toys  are  stamped  out  in 
halves,  by  machines  of  the  same  class  with  the  dies 


704 


II I  IS  TOR  Y  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


used  in  the  manufacture  of  tin-wares.  They  are  put 
together  and  soldered  slightly  hy  children,  and  then 
passed  along  to  receive  their  appropriate  coloring. 
These  toys,  which  are  of  Yankee  invention,  have 
largely  taken  the  place  of  the  German  toys,  once  so 
extensively  sold  here,  being  stronger,  and  better 
adapted  for  the  introduction  of  the  mechanisms  for 
producing  motion,  sound,  etc.,  and  at  the  same  time,  : 
cheaper.  They  are  largely  made  from  scrap  iron  and 
tin,  and  even  the  superabundant  cast-away  tin  cans  are 
utilized  for  the  service. 

The  principal  manufacturers  Of  tin,  lead,  spelter  and 
sheet-i»on  toys,  are  Elias  Durlach,  3fax  Miller,  and 
//  F.  Leser;  of  steam  and  mechanical  toys,  the  Union 
Toy  Manufacturing  Co.,  and  Edward  P.  Ryder. 

From  these  to  other  toys  and  games  the  transition  , 
to  wooden  toys  and  boxes,  to  dolls,  to  indestructible 
toys,   games   and   puzzles,   to   builders'   blocks,  to 
children's  and  dolls'  carriages,  and  all  other  descrip- 
tions of  toys,  is  easy  and  natural. 

Mr.  P.  Sythoff  is  easily  king  in  the  department  of 
wooden  toys  aud  boxes,  though  he  has  competitors; 
what  Messrs.  McLaughlin  Brothers  cannot  furnish  in 
the  way  of  toy-books,  indestructibles,  pictorial  illus- 
trations, puzzles  and  games,  might  well  go  unfurnished. 
Messrs.  J.  Goetzs  Sons,  Peter  Hillenbrand,  George 
Hodgelt,  and  Frederick  Scellenberger,  etc.,  manufacture 
dolls  and  a  great  variety  of  children's  toys. 

But  the  children's  benefactor  is  Crandall,  "the  in- 
imitable." His  toys  of  all  sorts,  sizes  and  conditions; 
his  dolls  that  talk,  walk,  sing,  dance,  jump  and  fly,  and 
do  everything  almost  that  a  human  being  can  do;  his 
mechanical  toys,  and  above  all,  his  velocipedes,  bicycles, 
tricycles,  quadricycles;  his  carriages  for  dolls  of  all 
conditions  and  ranks;  his  children's  carriages,  and 
everything  else  that  can  make  a  child  frantic  with  joy, 
are  not  surpassed  anywhere. 

But  Mr.  Crandall  doesn't  make  all  his  toys,  and 
what  is  worse,  those  which  he  does  make,  are  not  made 
in  Kings  County;  morc's  the  pity,  and  so  we  cannot 
place  him  as  we  would  be  glad  to  do,  among  the  Kings 
County  manufacturers.  But  we  make  up  for  that  else- 
where in  this  volume,  where  we  speak  of  him  as  a 
dealer. 

A  young  and  enterprising  house,  now  Schiralhaeli 
<C*  Obrig,  have  recently  commenced  the  manufacture 
of  children's  or  baby  carriages.  Mr.  Alexander 
Schwalbach  commenced  the  manufacture  of  baby  car- 
riages in  September,  1882,  at  131  First  Street,  near 
Broadway,  K.  I).  His  capital  was  §5,000;  he  em- 
ployed ten  men,  and  produced  $.50,000  the  first  year. 
On  the  1st  of  .May,  lss:i,  he  took  Theodore  Obng  as 
partner,  and  extended  the  business,  adding  to  it  the 
manufacture  of  reed  and  rattan  f urnit ure,  establishing 

I 

for  this  purpose  a  new  factory  at  57  Fifth  street.  The 
wood  wook  of  their  various  articles  they  manufacture 
at  Walton,  Delaware  county,  N.  Y.,  as  does  Mr.  Cran- 


SUIIWALBACH  it  OBHIU'S  FACTOKY. 


dall  also;  but  the  iron  work,  plated  work,  etc.,  and  the 
putting  together  of  their  baby  carriages  is  all  done 
here.  They  are  now  employing  100  hands,  and  pro- 
duce goods  to  the  value  of  §80,000.  Their  sales  are 
both  wholesale  and  retail.  The  firm  are  young,  enter- 
prising and  energetic  men,  of  a  high  sense  of  honor, 
and  are  bound  to  succeed. 

The  census  gave  the  statistics  of  the  manufactures 
of  toys  and  games  as  10  establishments,  388  hands, 
§332,146  annual  product.  The  number  of  establish- 
ments has  not  increased,  but  the  number  of  hands  is 
now  450,  and  the  product,  the  manufacturers  say, 
exceeds  §500,000. 


SECTION  X. 

Builders',  Mechanics'  and  Housekeeping  Hard- 
ware, and  Agricultural  and  Horticultural 
Implements  and  Machinery. 

Hardware  is  a  very  comprehensive  term,  and  in- 
cludes machines,  implements  and  utensils,  wholly  of 
metal,  partly  of  metal  and  wood,  wholly  of  the  harder 
woods,  or  partly  or  wholly  of  porcelain,  granite  wares, 
and  metal  or  metallic  earths.  Each  of  the  kinds  of 
hardware  specified  in  our  title  may  be  of  either  ma- 
terial. 

Builders'  hardware  includes  hinges,  latches,  door- 
knobs, locks,  keys,  bolts,  fasteners,  door-chains,  gong 
ami  other  door  hells,  window  catches  ami  fasteners, 
trimmings  for  blinds,  etc.,  etc.  These  may  be  of  iron, 
brass,  bronze,  and  -Mine  of  them  of  porcelain  or  stone- 
ware. Plumbers'  and  gas-fitters'  hardware  includes 
basins,  faucets,  chains,  gas-burners  and  the  simpler 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


705 


tools  of  the  trade,  but  not  what  are  known  as  Gas-fit- 
ters' and  Plumbers'  supplies.  These,  too,  are  of  por- 
celain or  enameled  ware,  and  of  bronze  or  plated 
metal.  Mechanics'  hardware  includes  the  simpler 
tools,  axes,  hatchets,  planes,  hammers,  adzes,  chisels, 
screw-drivers,  tack-hammers,  brad-awls,  squares,  com- 
passes, scales,  common  saws,  two-foot  rules,  measuring 
tapes,  etc.,  etc.  These  are  usually  of  metal  and  wood 
except  the  tapes,  and  some  of  these  are  of  steel. 

Agricultural  and  Horticultural  hardware  includes 
hoes,  rakes,  pitchforks,  spades,  shovels,  garden  trowels, 
scratchers,  harrows,  flower-stands,  flower-pots,  tree 
pruners,  saws,  trimming  knives,  hay  knives,  grass 
knives,  sickles,  scythes,  cradles,  flower  trellises,  &c,  &c. 
Except  the  flower-pots  these  are  all  of  metal  and  wood, 
or  of  wood  alone.  Housekeeping  hardware  embraces  too 
many  items  to  be  enumerated  here,  but  they  will  be  re- 
called by  our  readers.  In  this  department,  iron,  steel, 
bronze,  plated  metals,  silver,  wood  of  all  qualities  and 
degrees  of  hardness,  porcelain,  earthen  or  stone  ware, 
and  pottery  of  all  grades,  are  the  materials  of  which 
the  utensils  are  made,  and  great  ingenuity  and  inven- 
tive skill  is  displayed  in  constantly  providing  new  ar- 
ticles and  new  patterns  to  supplement  or  to  supplant 
those  already  in  use.  There  is  still  another  class  of 
hardware  goods,  not  made  for  general  use,  but  to  sup- 
ply the  manufacturers  the  parts  of  articles  they  manu- 
facture. Thus,  in  the  manufacture  of  tea-pots,  tea- 
kettles, sugar-bowls,  milk-cups,  pitchers,  drinking  cups, 
card  receivers,  etc.,  of  metal,  whether  planished  tin, 
brittania,  nickel,  or  white  metal  for  plating,  the 
handles,  noses,  spouts,  etc.,  etc.,  are  not  cast  or  moulded 
with  the  vessel,  but  are  cast  separately,  and  soldered  to 
the  vessel  very  deftly  and  delicately,  and,  if  it  is  sub- 
sequently plated,  the  seam  or  joint  is  invisible. 

All  these  descriptions  of  hardware  are  manufactured 
in  Kings  county,  although  hardly  any  two  houses  pro- 
duce the  same  kind  of  goods. 

The  builders'  hardware  is  very  much  divided.  Door- 
knobs, drawers  and  bolt-knobs,  insulators,  and  every- 
thing which  can  be  made  of  porcelain  is  manufactured 
by  the  Union  Porcelain  Works.  Bronze  hinges,  knobs, 
latches  and  trimmings  are  made  by  Charles  Mellish, 
and  we  believe  also  by  the  Ansonsia  Clock  Co.  Many 
of  the  more  ornamental  of  these  articles  in  bronze  and 
brass  are  also  made  by  Mr.  W.  G.  Creamer,  at  the 
Brooklyn  City  Foundry,  and  by  some  of  the  brass 
foundries.  The  more  common  articles,  are  made  by 
the  small  founders  and  machinists,  and  the  locks,  keys, 
gongs,  etc.,  by  the  lock  manufacturers.  Williams, 
White  cb  Co.,  Nostrand  and  Flushing  avenues,  make 
everything  in  this  line  except  the  bronze  goods.  They 
employ  about  65  hands,  and  produce  $65,000  to  $70,000 
a  year.  Farrington  cb  Whitney  are  in  nearly  the  same 
line,  and  do  about  the  same  amount  of  business.  We 
think  they  make  some  bronze  goods.  Other  manufac- 
turers are  :    Bohanan,   Brehler,   Deitz,  and  Ellis. 


The  plumbers'  hardware  comes  from  I.  Branders  cb 
Son,  J.  Conway,  G.  D.  Kimber  cb  Son,  H.  Mc Shane 
cb  Co., 'Ronalds  cb  Co.,  W.  H.  Storey,  and  B.  E  Val- 
entine, and  the  gas-burners  from  the  E.  P.  Gleason 
Manufacturing  Co.  There  is  nothing  in  the  line  of 
builders'  or  plumbers'  and  gas-fitters'  hardware,  nor  in 
any  other  department  of  the  builders' or  decorators' art, 
required  for  the  construction  of  the  finest  public  or 
private  buildings  in  Brooklyn,  which  cannot  be  fur- 
nished, of  as  excellent  quality  and  as  tasteful  form,  by 
the  manufacturers  of  Brooklyn  as  in  any  other  city  in 
the  world. 

The  mechanics'  hardware  comes  from  various  sources. 
The  saws  are  furnished  by  the  Vulcan  Saw  Works,  by 
C.  W.  Dunlap,  and  several  other  parties;  the  files  by 
C.  B.  Paul  mostly  ;  the  hammers  by  C.  W.  Dunlap, 
H.  L.  Judd  cb  Co.,  Williams,  White  &  Co.  and  others; 
the  squares,  two- foot  rules,  etc.,  by  T.  J.  Large  cb  Son. 
The  measuring  tapes  by  George  31.  Eddy  cb  Co,  etc., 
etc. 

We  will  speak  of  agricultural  and  horticultural  hard- 
ware a  little  farther  on.  The  largest  manufacturer  of 
housekeeping  hardware  in  Kings  County  is  Charles  W 
Dunlap,  whose  catalogue  shows  a  very  great  variety  of 
items.  He  confines  himself,  however,  mostly  to  those 
articles  which  are  of  iron  and  6teel  combined  with 
wood,  or  of  metal  only.  His  list  contains  275  items. 
The  tin  household  wares,  and  those  of  enamelled  or 
granite  coating,  are  furnished  by  the  tin  manufacturers, 
like  Ketcham  &  Co.,  Haberman,  Ilsley  cb  Co.,  Vogel, 
Somers  Bros.,  etc.,  etc.,  etc.;  the  hollow-ware  castings 
by  John  Sandaver,  Gedney  cb  Nungasscr,  and  other 
small  founders;  and  the  wood  hardware  by  II.  II.  Bel- 
lows, Christopher  Fitter,  George  Kessel,  William  A. 

Vredenburgh,  etc.,  etc. 

The  Hoisted  Manufacturing  Co.  are  engaged  exclu- 
sively in  casting  handles,  ears,  noses  and  spouts  to 
metal  goods  for  household  use,  a  large  business  in  itself. 

Oakley  T.  Lee  manufactures  hardware  specialties,  such 
as  gong-bells,  spiral  springs,  etc.  Several  of  the  other 
hardware  manufacturers  are  similarly  engaged. 

Suhsection  I. — Agricultural  Machinery  and  Imple- 
ments. 

This  industry,  which  at  one  time  was  a  large  one  in 
Kings  County,  has  now  nearly  ceased  here,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  greater  facilities  for  obtaining  the  wood, 
iron  and  steel  (which  are  the  principal  raw  materials 
required  in  the  manufacture)  at  points  farther  west, 
and  in  regions  easily  accessible  to  great  forests  and 
iron  mills  and  furnaces. 

The  Agricultural  Machine  Works,  in  Plymouth 
street,  were  established  by  R.  IT.  Allen,  Esq.,  in  1854, 
and  for  a  score  of  years  or  more  carried  on  a  very  ex- 
tensive business,  requiring  a  steam  engine  of  100-horse 
power  to  drive  their  machinery,  employing  250  men, 
manufacturing  not  only  mowing  and  reaping  machines, 


706 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  CO  UNIT. 


but  a  general  line  of  agricultural  implements.  But 
the  great  development  of  manufactories  for  these  ma- 
chines in  Syracuse,  Buffalo,  Batavia,  Cleveland,  Toledo, 
South  Bend,  Chicago,  etc.,  etc.,  and  the  increased  cost 
of  their  production  here,  led  Messrs.  Allen  to  remove 
their  factory,  about  five  years  since,  into  the  interior  of 
the  State,  and  rent  their  building  and  power  to  other 
parties,  for  manufacturing  horse  trucks,  wheelwright 
work,  etc.  There  are  two  or  three  other  manufacturers 
of  agricultural  implements  in  the  county,  but  their 
business  is  small  ;  the  census  reported  but  one  in  1880. 
Of  these  the  largest  is  Messrs.  Edmiston  <D  Wtddell, 
in  Brooklyn,  E.  D.  R.  GrammicJCa  Son,  whose 
works  extend  from  103  North  First  to  64  North 
Second  street,  in  the  Eastern  District,  has  also 
been  in  the  business  since  1874.  His  production  is 
about  $10,000.  Of  the  horticultural  tools,  G.  W. 
Dunlaj)  manufactures  a  full  line.  The  statistics  of  the 
hardware  manufacture  in  Brooklyn  in  the  census  of 
1880  were  34  establishments  ;  $432,550  capital  ;  441 
hands  employed;  $103,186  wages  paid;  $401,251  mate- 
rial used,  and  $750,297  annual  product.  It  is  so  diffi- 
cult to  define  what  shall  be  classed  as  hardware,  and 
there  are  so  many  firms,  a  part  of  whose  production 
may  be  classed  as  hardware  and  a  part  as  something 
else,  that  it  is  impossible  to  say  whether  these  statistics 
are  approximately  correct  or  not.  The  production  has 
certainly  not  decreased  since  1880. 

Subsection  II. — Refrigerators. 

The  general  use  of  refrigerators,  which  may  preserve 
the  ice  from  too  rapid  melting,  is  of  recent  origin.  It 
is  not  yet  fifty  years  since  the  collection  and  distribu- 
tion of  ice  for  family  use  became  a  business  sufficiently 
large  to  be  profitable.  Now  one  of  the  great  ice  com- 
panies has  its  wagons  traversing  every  street  of  Kings 
and  New  York  counties;  has  a  capital  of  over  three 
millions  of  dollars,  and  has  an  annual  income  of  be- 
tween five  and  six  millions,  and  employs  more  than 
two  thousand  men  in  distributing  the  ice.  Other  ice 
companies  do  a  smaller  but  still  a  profitable  business. 

All  of  this  vast  traffic  in  ice  creates  a  demand  for 
refrigerators,  from  the  great  refrigerating  room  of  the 
large  provision  dealers  and  hotels,  and  the  refrigerat- 
ing vats  of  the  breweries,  to  the  smaller  and  less  costly 
family  refrigerators  and  ice  chests.  Every  large  city 
has  its  refrigerator  manufactories,  and  of  a  great 
variety  of  patterns;  every  hardware  and  house  fur- 
nishing store,  has  the  agency  of  from  one  to  a  half 
dozen  manufacturers,  each  claiming  to  be  the  best. 

Refrigerators  are  of  varied  construction,  but  the 
most  effective  embody  the  following  principles,  viz.: 

(1).  The  ice  in  a  chamber  at  the  top  of  the  refriger- 
ator; (2).  A  perforated  rack  or  false  bottom  to  the 
ice  chandler;  (3).  A  guarded  entrance  of  the  outer 
air,  so  that  it  will  pass  over  and  around  the  ice  to  the 
space  under  the  rack  ;  (4).  A  drainage  on  each  side  of 


the  refrigerator,  of  the  water  from  the  melted  ice,  in 
such  a  way  that  it  will  extend  along  the  sides  and  back, 
and  keep  the  air  between  the  lining  and  outside  of  the 
refrigerator,  at  a  temperature  not  above  33°  F.,  and 
finally  be  concentrated  by  a  sloping  groove  to  the  vent 
or  outlet  ;  (5).  By  this  means  the  air  in  the  refrigera- 

I  tor  will  be  kept  constantly  dry,  and  of  a  temperature 
not  above  35°,  at  which  temperature  no  decay  or  fer- 
mentation is  possible  ;  (6).  It  is  desirable  that  the 
external  surface  of  the  refrigerator  should  be  painted 
with  a  water-proof  and  fire-proof  paint,  which  shall 
prevent  the  introduction  of  hot  air  or  moisture  through 

i  the  pores  of  the  wood. 

Such  a  refrigerator  will  be  economical  in  its  con- 
sumption of  ice;  the  cold  air  in  it  will  be  dry,  and  of 
a  temperature,  extraordinaries  excepted,  not  exceeding 

\  35°  F. ;  it  will  neither  freeze  the  articles  placed  within 
it,  which  would  impair  their  quality,  nor  convey 
moisture  to  them,  which  would  in  most  cases,  cause 
their  destruction.  The  refrigerators  in  the  markets 
approximating  to  this  standard  most  nearly,  are  those 
which  are  most  desirable;  those  departing  from  it  in 
any  essential  particular  are  to  be  avoided.  Without 
denouncing  any  manufacturer  or  any  pattern  of  refrig- 
erators, it  is  still  safe  to  say  that  two-thirds  of  those 
put  on  the  market  do  not  meet  these  requirements. 

Our  Kings  County  manufacturers,  we  are  glad  to 
say,  do  conform  to  these  principles  more  nearly  than 
any  others  within  our  knowledge.  They  are  not  per- 
fect, and  have  yet  some  faults  which  they  will  correct. 

Messrs.  Cooper  <k  McKee,  of  115-119  Gwinnett 
street,  are  the  oldest  and  largest  house  in  the  trade,  Mr. 
McKee  having  been  engaged  in  it  since  1875,  and  Mr. 
Cooper  being  previously  of  the  house  of  McGill  <fc 
Cooper.  Mr.  Jfcdi//  is  now  established  in  McKibbin 
street.  Both  houses  manufacture  many  styles  of  refrig- 
erators, but  aside  from  the  ice  chests,  give  the  prefer- 
ence to  those  having  the  ice  chamber  at  the  top.  Their 
drainage  is  very  perfect,  and  their  cupboards  are  dry 
and  sufficiently  cold  to  keep  provisions  well.  They  are 
moderately  economical  of  ice,  though  some  improve- 
ments, introduced  the  present  winter,  will  make  their 
reputation  much  higher  in  this  respect. 

The  annual  product  of  the  refrigerator  manufacture 
(exclusive  of  refrigerating  machines),  is  about  $115,- 
000;  the  number  of  hands  employed  is  about  60. 


SECTION  XI. 
Silver-Plating  and  Silver-Plated  Wares. 

The  only  item  in  the  tables  of  the  manufactures  of 
Brooklyn  put  forth  in  the  Tenth  Census,  which  can 
have  any  reference  to  the  business  of  silver-plating,  is 
the  title,  dec&ro-plating,  and  these  are  its  statistics  : 
number  of  establishments,  6  ;  capital  invested,  $10,650  ; 
hands  employed,  30  ;  annual  amount  paid  in  wages, 
$9,371;  value  of  raw  material,  $3,630;  value  of  pro- 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


707 


ducts,  $21,632.  It  is  to  be  remembered  that  tbe  term 
"  electro-plating  :'  includes  copper-plating,  and  nickel- 
plating,  and  electrotyping,  as  well  as  silver  and 
gold  plating.  The  number  of  houses  engaged  in  the 
first  three  of  these  descriptions  of  electro-plating  is  not 
less  than  ten  or  twelve,  and  one  of  the  nickel-platers 
alone,  does  more  than  five  times  the  amount  of  busi- 
ness, and  produces  five  times  as  great  a  value  of  goods 
as  the  census  assigns  to  the  whole  six  electro-platers. 

But  we  are  not  now  fighting  the  battles  of  the  nickel- 
platers,  or  copper  electro-platers,  or  electrotypers 
against  the  Census  Office  ;  we  have  only  to  consider  in 
this  place,  the  silver-platers.  Of  these,  the  Directory  of 
1882  gave  the  names  of  eight  firms;  that  of  1883  re- 
duced the  number  to  five.  Of  these  six  in  the  former 
year  and  three  in  the  latter  are  merely  re-platers  and 
repairers  in  a  small  way,  who  are  unable  to  do  any 
large  pieces,  or  even  any  small  ones,  requiring  the  use 
of  moulds  or  machinery,  but  bring  them  at  once  to  the 
large  manufactories  ;  one  is  engaged  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  door-plates,  silvered  knobs,  and  articles  of  hard- 
ware and  plumbing  necessity,  which  require  plating. 
It  is  not  absolutely  necessary  that  he  should  resort  to 
the  electro-plating  process  at  all  ;  but  as  there  is  some 
economy  in  it,  the  probability  is  that  most  of  the  arti- 
cles are  electro-plated.  The  other  house  which  is  en- 
gaged in  silver  and  gold  plating,  has  undertaken  the 
manufacture  of  that  almost  infinite  variety  of  goods, 
which,  though  they  are  not  all  hollow,  yet  are  known 
to  the  trade  as  "  hollow  wares."  These  include  ice- 
pitchers,  flagons,  wine  and  beer  pitchers,  communion 
services,  tea  services  in  great  variety,  castors,  card  re- 
ceivers, oyster  dishes,  tureens,  silver  bowls  and  cups, 
butter  dishes,  with  and  without  covers,  fruit  holders, 
etc.,  etc.,  etc.  They  make  no  flat  ware,  such  as  knives, 
forks  and  spoons,  except  the  fancy  fish  and  fruit  knives, 
and  the  spoons  for  especial  use,  such  as  sugar  spoons, 
olive,  salad  and  other  ornamental  spoons  and  wares, 
more  largely  used  in  wedding  presents  than  for  any 
more  practical  purpose.  This  house,  Messrs.  E.  G. 
Webster  &  Brother,  takes  rank  among  the  seven  or 
eight  great  manufacturers  of  silver-plated  wares  in  this 
country:  the  Meriden  Brittania  Company;  Reed  and 
Barton;  Simpson,  Hall  and  Miller;  the  Meriden  Silver 
Plate  Co.;  the  Middletown  Silver  Plate  Co.;  the  "Wil- 
cox Silver  Plate  Manufacturing  Co.,  and  we  believe 
also  one  large  house  in  Cincinnati  and  another  in 
Chicago. 


Commencing  in  a  small  way  in  New  York  city,  just  after 
the  war.  as  the  successors  of  Asa  Rogers  and  William  Dupree 
(Mr.  Rogers  being  one  of  three  brothers  whose  names  are 
thoroughly  identify  d  with  the  early  history  of  electro  plating 
in  this  country),  they  made  wares  of  such  excellence  as  to 
create  a  demand  for  their  goods  greater  than  they  could  sup- 
ply. They  removed  to  Brooklyn  very  soon,  and  after  several 
experiences  of  too  straitened  quarters,  erected  their  present 
fine  six-story  warehouse,  of  which  we  give  a  view  in 


 ! 


E.  G.  WEBSTER  &  BRO.'S  SILVER-PLATING  WORKS. 


this  page.  Messrs.  "Webster  not  only  own  the  building, 
which  occupies  about  one-half  of  the  block,  but  the  adjacent 
lots,  which  gives  them  a  complete  command  of  all  the  light 
and  air  they  need  on  each  side  of  the  building  :  a  matter  of 
great  importance  in  the  manufacture  of  silver-plated  wares. 
In  this  great  establishment  they  employ  an  average  of  135 
hands,  payiDg  annually  about  $65,000  in  wages,  and  produc- 
ing silver  and  gold  plated  wares  of  the  value  of  $275,000  to 
1300,000. 

A  tour  through  their  works  reveals  much  that  is  very  inter- 
esting in  this  manufacture.  We  begin  with  the  basement, 
where  the  raw  material,  which  is  to  be  transformed  into 
articles  of  such  beauty,  is  stored.  And  now,  before  we  look 
into  the  innocent-seeming  kettle  in  yonder  brick  furnace,  let 
us  indulge  in  a  little  philosophical  and  historical  explanation. 
In  the  early  days  of  plated  ware,  before  the  electroplating 
methods  were  discovered,  the  basis  of  all  plated  goods  for 
table  use  was  copper,  and  these  wares  were  made  mostly  in 
England,  and  exported  to  this  country.  After  a  while  a 
whiter  and  somewhat  cheaper  basis  was  sought  for,  and  this 
was  found,  at  first,  in  that  compound  of  varying  proportions 
known  as  German  silver,  or  more  recently  as  nickel  silver. 
This  is  a  compound  or  alloy  of  nickel  and  brass  in  different 
proportions.  Sometimes  tin  is  added;  generally,  in  practice, 
the  amount  of  nickel  is  small,  and  of  brass  large,  for  eco- 
nomical and  other  reasons.  For  what  is  known  as  flat  ware, 
forks,  spoons  and  knife  handles,  this  is  a  very  good  compound, 
not.  perhaps,  the  best  possible,  but  though  it  is  liable  to  the 
offensive  brassy  odor,  it  is  better  than  a  sjfter  and  more 
easily  worked  metal.  But  for  what  is  known  as  hollow  ware, 
it  was  early  seen  that  a  more  flexible  and  easily  moulded  and 
turned  metal,  which  should  be  of  the  silver  color,  would  be 
better,  and  nearly  all  the  large  manufacturers  are  now  agreed 
in  using  a  composition  known  as  Brittania  or  Albata,  whose 
composition  is  mainly  of  pig  tin,  of  the  quality  known  as 
Straits  or  Malacca  tin,  with  a  moderate  percentage  of  copper, 
and  a  still  smaller  one  of  antimony.  The  tin  is  flexible,  and 
of  a  whiteness  strongly  resembling  silver;  the  copper  gives  it 


708 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


firmness  and  body,  while  it  does  not  diminish  its  flexibility; 
and  the  antimony  hardens  it  and  makes  it  take  sharper  and 
cleaner  impressions  from  the  dies  or  moulds  which  are  used 
iu  the  ornamental  portions,  and  the  handles,  &c,  of  such  of 
the  articles  as  are  cast. 

This  composition  is  more  easily  oxidized  or  discolored  than 
silver,  but  its  color  varies  very  little  from  that  metal.  In  the 
basement  of  Messrs.  Webster's  factory  we  shall  find  kettles 
of  this  metallic  compound  melted  and  so  thoroughly  amal- 
gamated as  to  form  a  perfectly  homogeneous  mass.  From 
the  kettles  they  are  run  into  moulds,  and  come  out  in  plates 
about  10  inches  wide,  15  long  and  not  far  from  an  inch  in 
thickness.  These  plates  are  next  rolled  to  the  desired  thick- 
ness for  the  wares  which  are  to  be  made.  Those  sheets  of 
rolled  metal  which  are  to  be  made  into  waiters,  trays,  &c, 
are  subjected  to  the  stamping,  or  rather,  as  it  is  now  called, 
the  drawing  process,  and  by  dies  of  hardened  steel,  often  en- 
graved with  beautiful  decorations,  are  forced  into  the  grace- 
ful forms  iu  which  we  find  them.  When  they  are  removed 
from  the  presses  they  are  liable  to  be  warped,  but  by  a  very 
simple  but  ingenious  device  they  are  restored  to  a  perfectly 
flat  and  regular  shape.  A  metallic  table,  having  a  perfectly 
level  and  smooth  surface,  is  heated  to  a  given  temperature, 
and  upon  this  table  the  refractory  trays  are  placed,  and  by 
the  influence  of  the  heat  are  so  completely  straightened  that 
they  will  touch  the  table  at  every  point  of  their  under  surface. 

The  sheets  of  metal,  after  being  drawn  through  the  rollers, 
are  of  different  degrees  of  thickness,  according  to  the  pur- 
poses for  which  they  are  required.    If  they  are  to  be  made 
into  tea-pots,  coffee-pots,  sugar-bowls,  ice-pitchers  or  vases, 
they  are  cut  into  circular  disks,  from  10  to  15  inches  in  diam- 
eter, and  are  placed  in  lathes  revolving  with  a  speed  of  3,500 
revolutions  in  a  minute;  and  a  wooden  form  or  block  approx- 
imating to  the  general  design  which  is  desired  being  placed 
as  a  guide  in  the  lathe,  the  skilful  workman  applies  the 
metallic  disk  to  the  lathe,  and  by  the  adroit  manipulation  of 
a  tool,  somewhat  like  a  burnishing  tool,  forms  it  into  the 
required  shape,  and  with  a  beautifully  polished  surface.  The 
ring  at  the  top  is  attached  and  held  by  a  projecting  lip  of  the 
metal,  which  is  turned  down  by  the  tool.    If  it  is  to  be  em- 
bossed or  ornamented,  this  is  done  by  means  of  an  embossing 
press  with  matching  dies.    If  it  is  to  have  the  hammered 
finish,  this  is  done  by  hand,  and  both  the  embossing  and 
hammering  are  done  by  women,  and  done  admirably  well. 
The  engraved  and  chased  work  is  executed  by  men,  not  be- 
cause it  could  not  be  done  as  well  by  women,  who  possess 
the  same  artistic  skill,  but  because  these  are  not  easily  found. 
It  is  a  noticeable  fact,  that  in  the  manufactures  of  Kings 
county,  the  field  of  labor  open  to  women  is  steadily  expand- 
ing, and  that  their  wages,  for  the  higher  classes  of  work, 
are  approximating  to  those  of  men  in  the  same  positions.  A 
more  thorough  training  in  the  arts  of  design  would  result  in 
a  still  greater  enlargement  of  their  sphere  of  action.    Bui  to 
return  to  our  wares.    The  handles,  spouts,  rings,  &c,  of  the 
various  articles  of  hollow  ware  are  cast  and  soldered  on  to 
their  respective  vessels.    The  moulds  in  which  they  are  cast 
are  expensive,  and  the  patterns  are  constantly  changing. 
••  If  I  could  have  the  money  those  moulds  have  cost  me," 
said  Mr.  Webster,  as  he  opened  a  cupboard  filled  with  these 
patterns,  "  I  could  retire  from  business  on  an  ample  fortune." 
The  mould,  which  is  of  brass  or  bronze,  is  made  in  halves, 
hinged  together,  and  each  has  an  upright  tube  when  closed, 
into  which  the  molten  metal  is  poured.    The  metal  in  con- 
tact with  the  side  of  the  mould  chills  first,  and  the  moulder, 
a-  soon  as  h>'  lias  poured  in  the  metal,  tip-  the  mould  and  lets 
the  liquid  metal  in  the  centre  run  out.    Were  this  delayed 
for  two  .sei  i, iid-,,  the  handle  or  spout  would  he  solid  instead 


of  being  hollow.  When  cooled,  these  handles,  spouts,  &c, 
are  cleaned,  filed  and  trimmed,  and  then  soldered  on  the 
vessels.  The  bases  of  the  teapots,  sugar  bowls,  &c,  which 
have  been  turned  on  the  lathes,  are  also  soldered  on,  and  the 
articles  are  scoured  and  cleaned  for  the  silvering,  which  is  ap- 
plied in  a  magneto-galvanic  bath.  The  gilding  of  the  inner 
surface  of  cups,  vases,  &c,  is  performed  by  a  different  pro- 
cess, though  still  magneto-galvanic.  When  the  vessels  are 
taken  out  of  the  bath,  they  are  of  a  creamy  or  ecrii  color. 
This  is  removed,  either  by  scrubbing  or  by  scouring  upon  a 
fine  emery  wheel,  and  the  silver  surface  appears.  This  is 
burnished,  or  buffed,  or  polished  on  a  wheel,  or  by  a  particu- 
lar process  a  satin  surface  is  produced.  The  manufacturers' 
stamp  is  put  on,  and  the  thickness  of  the  plating  is  specified. 
Awhile  ago  the  purchasers  were  satisfied  with  duplex  plate; 
then  nothing  but  triplex  would  answer,  and  now  the  rage  is 
for  quadruplex  plating;  one  enterprising  house,  seeking  to 
distance  all  its  rivals,  announces  "  sextessimal  plating."  It 
does  not  matter;  all  grades  are  plunged  in  the  same  silver 
bath,  and  kept  there  for  the  same  time;  and  the  triplex  plate 
is  just  as  thick  as  the  sextessimal.  The  plated  wares  are  now 
ready  for  packing,  or  for  storing  away  in  dark  chests  till 
they  are  .ordered,  and  Messrs.  Webster  &  Brother  find  it 
difficult  to  keep  up  a  sufficient  supply  of  all  the  numerous 
articles  on  their  illustrated  catalogue  to  fill  their  orders 
promptly.  This  enormous  demand  for  articles  of  luxury, 
while  very  gratifying  to  the  manufacturers,  is  another  of  the 
many  evidences  of  the  extravagance  of  our  times,  especially 
in  our  own  country. 


A  few  words  now  of  the  electroplaters,  electrotypers, 
and  nickel-platers.  The  last-named  branch  of  the 
business  has  had  a  rapid  development  during  the  last 
three  or  four  years.  The  nickel-plated  trimmings  are 
found  in  all  buildings,  stores,  offices,  railroad  cars, 
steamboats  and  steamships.  The  very  slight  oxidization 
to  which  the  nickel  is  subject  makes  it  very  desirable 
for  many  uses;  our  five  and  three  cent  coins  are  almost 
pure  nickel,  and  the  Mexican  Government  has  decided 
recently  to  make  its  subsidiary  coin  wholly  of  it,  and  to 
issue  certificates  payable  for  duties  based  on  it.  Our 
nickel-platers  in  Kings  County  in  May,  1883,  were  five 
in  number,  and  were  all  doing  a  good  business,  em- 
ploying about  100  hands,  and  producing  in  all  over 
$100,000  of  goods.  The  other  companies  or  firms  en- 
gaged in  electroplating  or  replating  silver  and  copper, 
and  the  electrotypers,  numbered  together  eight  estab- 
lishments, employing  about  70  hands,  and  producing 
nearly  $80,000. 

We  may  safely  put  down  the  whole  business  as  pro- 
ducing more  than  $450,000. 

Having  thus  canvassed  all  the  branches  of  industry 
in  Kings  County  connected  with  the  manufacture  of 
materials  in  whole  or  in  part,  let  us  now  sum  up  the 
number  of  hands  and  the  total  annual  out  put,  so  far  as 
they  can  lie  estimated. 

A  careful  footing  makes  the  number  of  hands  em- 
ployed  14,300,  representing  more  than  57,000 dependent 
persons,  and  a  total  production  of  $_'4,S23,000. 

\Y  hen  we  consider  that  here  are  no  large  yards  for 
building  steamships,  no  great  marine  engine  or  loco- 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


709 


motive  works,  no  furnaces  for  the  production  of  pig 
iron  or  steel,  this  amount  of  production  appears  to  be 
very  large,  and  shows  the  resolute  and  persistent  in- 
dustry of  our  metal-workers. 


SECTION  XII. 

The  Manufacture  of  Paints,  Varnishes,  etc.  I. 
White  Lead  and  Its  Professed  Substitute — 
Linseed  Oil.  2.  Painters'  Colors,  Dry.  3. 
Paints  in  Colors  and  White,  Mixed  with 
Oils  or  Other  Ingredients.  4.  Varnishes. 
5.  Whiting  and  Paris  White,  and  the  Art  of 
Kalsomining. 

The  manufacture  of  paints,  varnishes,  etc.,  in  Kings 
county  does  not  include  what  are  known  as  tube  or 
artists'  colors;  for  though  one  of  the  largest  of  our 
paint  manufacturing  houses  does  produce  these,  their 
manufactory  of  them  is  in  New  Jersey.  But  all  the 
descriptions  of  paints  which  are  used  on  surfaces  of 
wood  or  iron,  or  other  metals,  and  all  kinds  of  varnishes 
used  on  wood,  metallic  or  paper  surfaces,  are  made 
here,  as  well  as  all  descriptions  of  dryers.  All  the  so- 
called  mineral  paints  are  made  or  refined  for  use  here, 
as  well  as  the  linseed  and  other  oils,  and  the  refined 
spirits  of  turpentine  which  have  so  large  a  measure  of 
use  in  all  descriptions  of  painting. 

The  whiting,  paris  white,  white  oxide  of  zinc,  glue, 
and  other  constituents  of  the  wash  known  as  kalsomine, 
alabastine,  etc.,  are  also  either  made  or  prepared  for 
use  here. 

The  subject  is  consequently  one  of  great  compass 
and  extent. 

Subsection  I. —  White  Lead. 

Let  us  take  up  each  department  of  the  manufacture 
in  its  natural  order.  With  the  exception  of  the  coarse 
paints  applied  to  rough  surfaces  of  iron,  wood  or  stone 
for  their  preservation,  which  may  be  of  coal  tar,  red 
lead,  lime,  or  other  articles,  all  paints  used  in  house 
painting  and  ornamental  work  have  either  white  lead 
or  the  white  oxide  of  zinc,  either  pure  or  adulterated, 
as  their  basis.  What  is  white  lead,  and  how  is  it  pre- 
pared ?  It  is  a  carbonate,  or  perhaps  a  carbonate  and 
a  white  oxide  of  lead  mixed,  and  is  obtained  in  the 
form  of  a  vei'y  white  and  heavy  powder.  It  mixes 
readily  with  oil,  giving  to  it  a  drying  property,  spreads 
well  under  the  brush,  and  perfectly  covers  the  surface 
to  which  it  is  applied. 

It  is  not  only  employed  alone  as  the  best  sort  of 
white  paint,  but,  as  we  have  already  said,  is  the  general 
material  or  body  of  a  great  number  of  paints,  the 
colors  of  which  are  produced  by  mixing  suitable  color- 
ing matter  with  the  white  lead.  Besides  its  use  as  a 
paint,  it  is  also  in  demand  to  a  considerable  extent  as 
an  ingredient  in  the  vulcanized  india-rubber.  To  pre- 
pare it  the  purest  pig  lead,  such  as  the  refined  foreign 


lead  and  the  metal  from  the  mines  of  the  western 
states,  is  almost  exclusively  used.  This  was  by  the 
old  methods  made  in  thin  sheets  and  these  coiled  into 
small  rolls  to  be  subjected  to  the  chemical  treatment. 
But  according  to  the  American  method  devised  by  Mr; 
Augustus  Graham,  of  Brooklyn,  and  now  generally 
adopted,  the  lead  is  cast  into  circular  gratings  or 
"  buckles,"  which  closely  resemble  in  form  the  large 
old-fashioned  shoe-buckles,  from  which  they  receive 
their  name.  They  are  six  or  eight  inches  in  diameter, 
and  the  lead  hardly  exceeds  one- sixth  of  an  inch  in 
thickness.  Ingenious  methods  of  casting  them  are  in 
use  in  the  American  factories,  by  which  the  lead  is  run 
upon  moulds  directly  from  the  furnace,  and  the  buckles 
are  separated  from  each  other  and  delivered  without 
handling  into  the  vessels  for  receiving  them.  They 
are  then  packed  in  earthen  pots  shaped  like  flower-pots, 
each  of  which  is  provided  with  a  ledge  or  three  pro- 
jecting points  in  the  inside,  intended  to  keep  the  pieces 
above  the  bottom,  in  which  is  placed  some  strong  vine- 
gar or  acetic  acid.  It  is  recommended  that  on  one  side 
the  pot  should  be  partially  open  above  the  ledge,  and 
if  made  full  all  round,  it  is  well  to  knock  out  a  piece  in 
order  to  admit  a  freer  circulation  of  vapors  through  the 
lead.  In  large  establishments  an  immense  supply  of 
these  pots  is  kept  on  hand,  the  number  at  one  of  the 
Brooklyn  works  being  reckoned  at  not  less  than  200,000. 
They  continue  constantly  in  use  till  accidentally 
broken  below  the  ledge.  Being  packed  with  the 
buckles  and  the  acid,  they  are  set  close  together  in 
rows  upon  a  bed  of  spent  tan,  a  foot  to  two  feet  thick, 
and  thin  sheets  of  lead  are  laid  among  and  over  the  pots 
in  several  thicknesses,  but  always  so  as  to  leave  open 
spaces  among  them.  An  area  is  thus  covered,  it  may 
be  twenty  feet  square  or  of  less  dimensions,  and  is  en- 
closed by  board  partitions,  which,  upon  suitable  frame- 
work, can  be  carried  up  twenty-five  feet  high  if  re- 
quired. When  the  pots  and  the  interstices  among  them 
are  well  packed  with  lead,  a  flooring  of  boards  is  laid 
over  them,  and  upon  this  is  spread  another  layer  of  tan; 
and  in  the  same  manner  eight  or  ten  courses  are  built 
up,  containing  in  all,  it  may  be,  12,000  pots  and  50  or 
60  tons  of  lead,  all  of  which  are  buried  beneath  an  up- 
per layer  of  tan.  As  the  process  of  conversion  re- 
quires from  eight  to  twelve  weeks,  the  large  factories 
have  a  succession  of  these  stacks,  which  are  charged  one 
after  another;  so  that  when  the  jjrocess  is  completed  in 
one,  and  the  pots  and  lead  have  been  removed  and  the 
chamber  is  recharged,  another  is  ready  for  the  same 
operation. 

The  conversion  of  metallic  lead  into  carbonate  is  in- 
duced by  the  fermenting  action,  which  commences  in 
the  tan  soon  after  the  pile  is  completed.  The  heat  thus 
generated  evaporates  the  vinegar,  and  the  vapors  of 
water  and  acetic  acid  rising  among  the  lead  oxidize  its 
surface  and  convert  it  externally  into  a  subacetate  of 
lead;  at  the  same  time  carbonic  acid  evolved  from  the 


710 


III  STORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


tan  circulates  among  the  lead  and  transforms  the 
acetate  into  carbonate  of  the  oxide,  setting  the  acetic 
acid  free  to  renew  its  office  upon  fresh  surfaces  of  lead. 
When  the  tan  ceases  to  ferment,  the  process  is  at  an 
end,  and  the  stack  may  then  he  taken  to  pieces.  The 
lead  is  found  in  its  original  forms,  but  of  increased 
bulk  and  weight,  and  more  or  less  completely  converted 
into  the  white  carbonate.  The  thoroughness  of  the 
operation  depends  upon  a  variety  of  circumstances; 
even  the  weather  and  season  of  the  year  having  an  in- 
fluence upon  it.  The  pieces  not  entirely  converted  have 
a  core  of  metallic  or  "blue  "lead  beneath  the  white 
carbonate  crust.  The  separation  is  made  by  beating 
off  the  white  portion,  and  this  being  done  upon  per- 
forated copper  shelves  set  in  large  wooden  tanks  and 
covered  with  water,  the  escape  of  the  fine  metallic 
dust  is  entirely  prevented  and  its  noxious  effect  upon 
the  health  of  the  workmen  is  avoided.  In  Europe, 
rolling  machines  closely  covered  are  applied  to  the 
same  purpose,  but  less  effectually.  The  white  lead 
thus  collected  is  next  ground  with  water  between  mill- 
stones to  a  thin  paste,  and  by  repeated  grindings  and 
washings  this  is  reduced  to  an  impalpable  consistency. 
The  water  is  next  to  be  removed,  and,  according  to  the 
European  plan,  the  creamy  mixture  is  next  turned  into 
earthen  pots,  and  these  are  exposed  upon  shelves  to  a 
temperature  not  exceeding  300°  until  perfectly  dry. 
Instead  of  this  laborious  method,  the  plan  is  adopted  in 
the  American  works  of  employing  shallow  pans  of 
sheet  copper,  provided  with  a  false  bottom,  beneath 
which  steam  from  the  exhaust-pipe  of  the  engine  is 
admitted  to  promote  evaporation.  These  pans  or 
"drying  kilns  "are  sometimes  100  feet  long  and  6  feet 
broad,  and  several  are  set  in  the  building  one  above 
another.  The  liquid  lead  paste  is  pumped  up  into 
large  tanks,  and  the  heavier  portion,  settling  down,  is 
drawn  off  into  the  pans,  while  the  thinner  liquid  from 
the  surface  is  returned  to  be  mixed  with  fresh  por- 
tions of  white  lead.  Beside  pans,  tile  tables  heated  by 
flues  in  the  masonry  of  which  they  are  built,  are  also 
employed.  From  four  to  six  days  are  required  for 
thoroughly  drying  the  white  lead.  This  is  the  finish 
ing  process,  after  which  the  lead  is  ready  for  packing  in 
small  casks  for  the  market. 

The  manufacture  of  white  lead,  which  was  formerly 
an  unhealthy  and  even  dangerous  occupation,  has  been 
so  much  improved  by  the  expedients  for  keeping  the 
material  wet  and  thus  preventing  the  rising  of  the  fine 
dust,  that  the  peculiar  had  disease  now  rarely  attacks 
the  workmen.  The  business  is  conducted  altogether 
upon  a  large  scale,  and  gives  employment  to  numerous 
extensive  factories  in  different  parts  of  the  country. 
Some  of  these  have  arrangements  for  converting-stacks 
that  extend  under  cover  200  feet  in  length,  and  their 
facilities  for  grinding  and  drying  are  proportionally 
extensive.  These,  and  the  time  required  for  fully  com- 
pleting the  process  and  getting  the  white  lead  ready 


for  market — which  is  from  three  to  four  months — in- 
volve the  use  of  large  capital  and  tend  to  keep  the 
business  in  few  hands. 

Very  numerous  have  been  the  substitutes  proposed  for 
white  lead  ;  baryta,  silica  (pure  or  compounded),  zinc, 
oxide  or  carbonate,  etc.,  etc.,  but  all  have  failed  some- 
where ;  and  success  is  hardly  probable  in  this  century. 

There  is  a  vastly  increasing  demand  for  pure  white 
lead,  and  the  competition  and  watchfulness  of  the  trade 
insure  the  genuineness  of  the  article  thus  warranted  by 
the  manufacturers.  For  some  years  after  the  com- 
mencement of  the  manufacture  it  was  the  custom  with 
the  manufacturers  to  sell  the  white  lead  dry  to  the 
grinders,  who  then  constituted  a  distinct  trade,  and  who 
ground  the  lead  in  oil  and  mixed  it  with  zinc,  baryta, 
and  other  substances  to  suit  their  own  purposes.  These 
grinders  sold  to  the  house  painters,  and  most  of  them 
dealt  also  in  colors,  which  the  painters  mixed,  and  thus 
obtained  the  tints  they  desired. 

This  business  is  still  transacted  to  some  extent,  but 
there  have  been  material  changes  within  a  few  years 
past.  Some  of  the  white  lead  manufacturers  now  also 
manufacture  linseed  oil  (and  this  is  particularly  the 
case  with  one  Brooklyn  manufacturer),  and  it  is  now 
their  practice  to  grind  their  white  lead  in  oil  themselves, 
and  sell  it  in  this  condition.  They  are  able  thus  to 
control  the  purity  of  their  lead.  Pails  or  kegs  of 
white  lead  thus  ground  in  oil,  and  bearing  the  brand  of 
a  firm  of  high  character,  can  be  relied  upon  as  pure. 
On  the  other  hand,  if  the  dealer  or  painter  requires  an 
article  which  contains  a  percentage  of  white  oxide  of 
zinc,  or  of  sulphate  of  baryta,  he  can  be  accommo- 
dated, but  knows  what  he  is  purchasing  exactly,  and 
receives  it  as  an  inferior  grade  and  bearing  an  inferior 
brand. 

The  grinders,  too,  have  taken  a  step  forward;  they 
now  not  only  grind  white  lead,  zinc,  etc.,  in  oils,  but 
they  also  grind,  both  dry  and  in  oils,  other  colors,  and 
mix  them  so  as  to  produce  a  great  variety  of  shades, 
every  desirable  one,  indeed,  and  furnish  them  of  uni- 
form excellence.  Some  of  them  also,  as  we  6hall  see 
further  on,  have  devised  processes  for  preventing  these 
paints  from  drying  up  in  their  cans  or  pails. 

The  result  of  these  changes  is  that  now  the  white  lead 
manufacturers  sell  their  products  either  dry  or  ground 
in  oil  to  the  large  dealers  and  the  paint  manufacturers 
only,  and  these  sell  to  the  painters. 

The  History  of  the  White  Lead  Manufac- 
ture in  Brooklyn  is  interesting.  The  manufacture 
originated  in  Holland;  was  not  introduced  into  Eng- 
land till  near  the  close  of  the  last  century,  and  was 
unknown  in  the  I'nited  Slates  until  after  the  war  of 
1812.  The  first  white  lead  works  were  established  in 
Philadelphia,  probably  between  1815  and  1820;  though 
there  is  a  tradition  that  two  previous  efforts  had  been 
made  in  that  city,  that  of  Wetherell  in  1796,  and  of 
Lewis  in  1800.    If  so,  both  had  failed  very  soon.  The 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


711 


works  of  Hinton  and  Moore,  in  Belleville,  N.  J.,  were 
founded  in  1818,  and  the  next  was  probably  that  of 
the  Brooklyn  White  Lead  Company,  founded  in  1822, 
and  incorporated  in  1825.  This  is  believed  to  have 
been  the  third  then  in  existence  in  the  United  States. 
When  it  was  incorporated  it  had  a  capital  of  $52,000. 
The  brothers,  John  B.  and  Augustus  Graham,  were 
among  the  most  active  and  prominent  of  its  founders, 
and  the  latter  was  the  inventor  of  several  important 
improvements  in  the  processes. 

In  twenty-six  years  (1851),  it  had  grown  into  one  of 
the  largest,  and  perhaps  the  largest  white  lead  manu- 
factory in  the  United  States.  It  occupied  an  entire 
block,  230x200  feet  on  Front  street,  between  Washing- 
ton and  Adams;  employed  ninety  men,  and  produced 
annually  2,500  tons  of  white  lead,  red  lead,  litharge, 
etc.,  valued  at  $425,000.  Meanwhile  other  white  lead 
works  had  been  established  in  Brooklyn.  Among 
these  were  the  Atlantic  White  Lead  Works  of  Messrs. 
Robert  Colgate  &  Co.,  and  the  Union  Works,  Front, 
corner  Bridge.  The  works  of  the  Atlantic  White 
Lead  Co.  were  established  on  Marshall  street,  near 
Gold,  in  1845,  where  they  are  still  conducted  with 
great  success.  They  were  destroyed  by  fire  in  1866, 
but  were  immediately  rebuilt. 

In  1851,  the  whole  amount  of  capital  invested  in  the 
business  was  over  one  million  dollars;  the  united  pro- 
duction from  8,000  to  12,000  tons,  and  the  annual  value 
of  the  product  from  $1,200,000  to  $1,500,000. 

It  was  publicly  stated  at  this  time  that  the  produc- 
tion of  white  lead  in  Brooklyn  exceeded  that  in  any 
other  town  or  city  in  the  United  States,  and  was  nearly 
equal  to  that  of  all  the  rest  of  the  country. 

In  1860,  the  census  officers  reported  in  Kings  county 
eight  white  lead  works,  with  $848,800  capital;  using 
$1,182,400  of  raw  material;  employing  356  hands; 
paying  $137,340  annually  in  wages,  and  producing 
annually  $2,129,500  of  white  lead  and  other  products. 
This  was  probably  an  understatement;  but  the  returns 
of  the  census,  in  1870,  of  the  manufactures  of  Kings 
county  were  palpably  wrong,  as  they  were  every- 
where else. 

There  was  no  separate  statement  of  "  white  lead,"  but 
under  the  head  of  "  paints,  lead  and  zinc,"  in  distinc- 
tion from  "  paints  (not  specified),"  we  have  the  follow- 
ing returns:  Five  establishments;  154  hands;  $433,500 
capital;  $86,592  wages;  $690,280  of  raw  material  used, 
and  $882,500  of  annual  product.  We  are  sure  that 
one  of  the  establishments  in  Kings  county  at  that  time 
exceeded  these  figures,  and  that  the  whole  number 
(there  were  four  companies  instead  of  five  at  that  time) 
more  than  doubled  it. 

But,  if  these  returns  are  grossly  inaccurate,  what 
shall  we  say  of  the  census  returns  of  1880  ?  No  entry 
of  the  white  lead  manufacture  was  permitted.  Mr. 
Frothingham  made  a  return  of  "  Paints,  Lead  and 
Zinc,"  in  which  he  gave  the  number  of  establishments 


as  28;  the  capital,  $3,352,800;  the  largest  number  em- 
ployed at  one  time  as  1,270;  the  amount  of  wages  paid 
as  $577,123;  the  raw  material  used  as  $6,769,702;  and 
the  annual  product  as  $8,442,938.  This  included  all 
the  manufacturers  of  dry  colors,  all  the  manufacturers 
of  mixed  paints,  of  which  there  were  several  specialties, 
all  the  producers  of  mineral  paints,  and  probably,  also, 
those  of  whiting,  Paris  white,  etc.,  as  well  as  the  white 
lead  manufacturers.  The  amount  of  production  was 
probably  not  very  far  from  the  truth,  though  it  was 
impossible  to  separate  in  his  tables  the  white  lead  man- 
ufacturers from  the  others.  One  of  the  white  lead 
houses  also  manufactured  linseed  oil  for  their  own  use 
and  for  sale.  Mr.  Frothingnam  had  included  this  in 
the  list  of  their  products.  The  census  office,  on  the 
pretext  that  linseed  oil  was  a  distinct  manufacture 
(which,  however,  they  only  included,  if  at  all,  among 
the  "  unspecified "  industries),  threw  out  the  words 
"lead  and  zinc,"  and  rejected,  for  no  apparent  reason, 
two  of  the  establishments,  making  their  returns  as  fol- 
lows: Paints,  26  establishments,  $2,602,800  capital,  941 
hands,  $478,376  wages  paid,  $4,023,500  raw  material 
used,  and  $5,284,201  of  annual  product.  It  is  hardly 
necessary  to  say  that  these  statistics  do  not  adequately 
represent  the  white  lead,  paint,  color  and  whiting  in- 
terest of  Kings  county,  nor  its  linseed  oil  manufacture, 
which  is  as  essential  a  part  of  the  manufacture  of 
paints  and  varnishes  as  are  the  colors  themselves.  The 
annual  product  given  by  the  Census  Office,  while  it  more 
than  covers  the  white  lead  interest,  is  far  below  that  of 
the  great  paint  manufacturers,  several  of  which  count 
their  annual  product  by  millions  of  dollars.  In  a  letter 
from  the  Census  Office,  under  date  of  March  12,  1883, 
they  state  the  annual  linseed  oil  product  of  Kings 
county  as  $3,158,737.  I  have  been  unable  to  ascertain 
the  process  by  which  they  eliminated  this  amount  from 
the  general  returns  of  the  white  lead  manufacture.  The 
manufacturers  themselves  cannot  give  any  account 
of  it,  and  it  is  certain  that  some  of  the  largest  pro- 
ducers of  mixed  paints  and  varnishes  here  do  not  ob- 
tain their  linseed  oil  from  Brooklyn  manufacturers. 
The  whole  return  is  but  another  lamentable  instance  of 
assumption  of  a  knowledge  on  the  part  of  officials  which 
they  did  not  possess,  and  demonstrates,  what  ought  to 
be  well  and  widely  known,  the  utter  worthlessness  of 
the  census  statistics  of  manufactures. 

Assuming,  however,  that  this  estimate  may  have  been 
something  more  than  a  mere  guess,  we  have  a  most  re- 
markable development  in  the  linseed  oil  manufacture 
here  in  the  last  decade.  In  1860,  the  linseed  oil  pro- 
duced in  Kings  county  was  reported  as  of  the  value  of 
$1,610,704,  only  $30,000  more  than  the  cost  of  raw  ma- 
terial and  amount  of  wages  paid.  In  1870,  it  was  $1,- 
668,000,  which  was  $301,500  more  than  the  raw  mate- 
rial and  wages.  In  1880,  $3,158,737,  or  $313,768  above 
the  cost  of  raw  material  and  the  amount  of  wa<res.  An 
analysis  of  these  returns  serves  to  show  very  conclu- 


712 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


sively  that  they  were  only  guess  work,  and  the  returns 
of  1S80  seem  to  have  been  no  better.  Only  two  estab- 
lishments are  allowed,  while  more  than  that  number  cer- 
tainly existed;  the  number  of  hands  is  given  as  335, 
when  in  1870  only  145,  less  than  one-half  that  number, 
were  reported,  yet  the  335  are  said  to  have  received  only 
$98,767  wages,  while  the  145  received  $100,000.  The 
difference,  which  is  supposed  to  indicate  the  net  profit, 
was  $313,768;  while  in  1870,  on  about  one-half  the 
annual  product,  it  was  $301,500,  or  only  $12,000  less. 
Clearly,  there  are  blunders  somewhere  in  these  re- 
turns. 

The  manufacturers  of  linseed  oil  in  Kings  county 
are  two;  one  of  them,  Robert  Colgate  ct'  Co.,  being  also 
manufacturers  and  corroders  of  white  lead;  while  the 
other,  Campbell  <D  Thayer,  manufacture  the  oil  alone. 
The  product  is  now  a  little  less  than  the  amount  stated 
by  the  Census  Office,  though  in  some  seasons  it  has  been 
considerably  more. 

There  are  only  four  houses  in  Brooklyn  which  are 
properly  manufacturers  {i.  e.,  corroders)  of  white  lead. 
These  are:  The  Brooklyn  White  Lead  Company, 
founded  in  1822;  the  Union  White  Lead  Company, 
founded  about  1S42  or  1843;  the  Atlantic  White  Lead 
and  Linseed  Oil  Company,  founded  about  1845;  and 
the  Bradley  White  Lead  Company,  founded  about 
1870.  Of  these,  the  Atlantic  AVhite  Lead  Company  is 
considerably  the  largest,  and  is,  indeed,  with  one  or 
possibly  two  exceptions,  the  largest  corroding  house  in 
the  United  States.  The  white  lead  business  has  not 
been  prospering  greatly  in  the  East  for  several  years 
past,  and  the  out-put  is  considerably  less  than  it  was  a 
dozen  years  ago.  This  is  due  to  several  causes ;  one, 
that  several  of  the  "Western  houses  are  connected  with, 
or  at  least  in  the  neighborhood  of,  the  lead  mines  of 
Missouri  and  Iowa,  or  of  the  smelting  furnaces  where 
it  is  parted  from  silver,  and  so  can  procure  their  raw 
material  cheaper  than  the  Eastern  manufacturers. 
There  has  sprung  up,  also,  a  certain  demand  for  "sub- 
limed lead"  for  painting  purposes;  this  was  first  pro- 
cured from  the  smelting  furnaces,  by  the  condensation 
of  vaporized  lead.  There  are  objections  to  this  pro- 
duct, from  its  comparative  lightness  and  bulkiness, 
from  its  lack  of  body  and  its  tendency  to  part  from  the 
oil,  and  rub  off  after  a  little  from  the  wood  or  other 
surfaces  to  which  it  is  applied;  and  its  consumption  is 
believed  not  to  be  materially  increasing,  but  it  has 
helped  to  depress  the  trade  in  the  past.  The  largest 
house  in  this  country,  one  at  Cincinnati,  started  re- 
centlv,  which  claims  to  make  15,000  tons  of  while  lead 
Annually,  has  been  producing  it  by  what  is  known  as 
the  "Shaw  process,"  i.  e.,  by  the  direct  action  of  car- 
bonic acid  gas  upon  the  lead;  but  the  result  has  been 
expensive  an<l  not  satisfactory.  The  capacity  of  the 
four  white  lead  companies  of  Brooklyn  is  about  18,000 
tons  of  white  lead,  litharge,  red  oxide  of  lead  or  glass- 
makern'  lead,  etc.,  but  the  annual  out-put  of  white  lead 


since  1880  does  not  much  exceed  12,000  tons,  or  at 
$6.75  per  hundred  pounds,  the  minimum  price  of  white 
lead  ground  in  oil,  about  $1,620,000  of  annual  product, 
as  against  $2,430,000  of  possible  out-put.  The  demand 
for  the  lead  is  increasing  rather  slowly,  but  the  numer- 
ous new  factories  springing  into  existence  increase  the 
annual  product  beyond  the  limit  of  demand,  and  it  is 
only  by  their  capacity  to  carry  heavy  stocks  of  the 
manufactured  lead  that  a  reduction  below  the  actual 
I  cost  of  production  is  prevented. 

The  manufacture  of  the  so-called  mineral  and  other 
patent  paints  which  contain  no  white  lead,  or  very 
little,  help  to  make  this  business  unprofitable.  There 
are  a  considerable  number  of  these  mineral  and  other 
paint  manufacturers,  and  their  sales  are  large,  though, 
in  the  end,  their  wares  are  not  satisfactory. 

The  other  so-called  white  lead  manufacturers,  of 
whom  there  are  four  or  five,  are  not  corroders,  but  white 
lead  grinders,  generally  in  connection  with  other  colors, 
which  they  also  purchase  and  grind,  dry  or  in  linseed 
oil. 

Subsection  II. — Painters1  Colors,  Dry. 

The  number  of  colors  now  used  by  house  and  6ign 
painters  is  very  large,  amounting  to  several  hundreds  of 
different  tints.  Some  of  these  are  produced  by  com- 
bining colors,  but  there  is  now  a  possibility  of  procur- 
ing so  many  distinct  shades  of  color  from  coal  tar,  pe- 
troleum residuum,  etc.,  etc.,  that  the  necessity  of  hand- 
mixing  of  colors  by  the  painters  themselves  has  greatly 
diminished.  Many  of  the  fine  colors  are  not  produced 
here,  but  only  ground  in  oils  or  refined  for  the  painter's 
use.  This  is  the  case  with  such  of  the  aniline  and  petro- 
line  colors,  carmine,  etc.,  as  are  used  in  painting.  There 
is  not  yet,  in  Brooklyn,  any  manufacture  of  aniline  or 
petroline  colors,  though  there  are  indications  that 
there  may  be  soon.  But  the  more  6olid,  as  well  as 
some  of  the  fanciful  colors,  are  largely  produced  here 
and  others  are  isolated  from  the  ores,  minerals,  metals, 
and  earths  with  which  they  are  combined,  and  made 
ready  for  immediate  use.  The  largest  houses  engaged 
in  the  production  of  dry  colors  are  Adolphus  B.  Ams- 
bacher,  and  Sondheim,  Alsberg  tt  Co.  There  are  three 
other  houses  which  manufacture  dry  colors,  to  a  moder- 
ate extent  ;  and  two,  or  more,  of  the  great  paint  manu- 
facturers grind  and  pack  dry  colors  as  a  part  of  their 
business.  One  of  the  houses  named  above,  though 
manufacturing  chrome,  arsenical  and  other  choice 
colors  largely,  makes  a  specialty  of  Paris  Green  (Scheele's 
green,  arsenite  of  copper),  now  so  largely  used  by 
agriculturists  for  the  destruction  of  potato  bugs,  annv 
worms,  etc.,  etc.,  as  well  as  for  an  ingredient  of 
paints,  and  for  use  on  wall  papers,  and  in  some  articles 
of  clothing. 

The  manufacture  of  dry  colors  is  said  to  exceed  a 
million  of  dollars,  but  the  manufacturers  are  very  loth 
to  give  figures. 


THE  MANUFAC1URI NG  INDUSTRIES. 


713 


Subsection  III. —  Color  ground  in  oil,  Colored  Paints, 
and  Mixed  Paints. 

Several  very  large  houses,  as  we  have  already  hinted, 
have,  within  a  few  years  past,  created  an  extensive 
business  in  grinding  colors  in  oil,  and  selling  them  in 
cans  of  various  sizes,  from  one-fourth  of  a  pound  to 
five  pounds  or  more,  guaranteeing  their  purity  and 
readiness  for  mixing  with  white  lead,  also  ground  in 
oil,  or  such  other  basis  as  the  painter  might  prefer. 

These  houses  also  mix  and  grind  these  various  colors 
with  white  lead,  and  thus  make  paints  ready  for  imme- 
diate application;  thus  greatly  facilitating  the  painter's 
work,  and  enabling  householders  who  want  but  a  small 
job  done,  to  do  it  themselves.  These  houses  generally 
purchase  their  white  lead,  or  exchange  mixed  paints  for 
it;  and  the  paints,  when  mixed,  have  always  given  ex- 
cellent satisfaction.  Among  the  leading  houses  in  this 
trade  are  John  W.  Masury  &  Son,  C.  T.  Raynolds  & 
Co.,  Wadsworth,  Martinez  &  Longman,  F.  0.  Pierce 
&  Co.,  John  D.  Prince's  Sons,  etc. 


Leonard  Eichardson,  son  of  Thomas  and  Lydia  Richard- 
son, was  born  in  Watertown,  Middlesex  county,  Massachu- 
setts, December  2d,  1832,  and  was  the  first-born  of  nine  chil- 
dren, eight  of  whom  are  living. 

Mr.  Richardson's  boyhood  was  spent  on  his  father's  farm, 
and  he  enjoyed  the  public  school  advantages  peculiar  to  the 
time  and  locality;  and  was  later  fitted  for  college  at  Phillips' 
Academy,  Andoyer,  then  under  the  management  of  Dr. 
Samuel  H.  Taylor,  for  whose  friendly  interest  and  care 
for  his  welfare  as  a  youth,  Mr.  Richardson  has  ever  cherished 
the  liveliest  feelings  of  gratitude. 

At  the  age  of  eighteen,  Mr.  Richardson  left  home,  going  to 
New  York  to  engage  as  clerk  in  the  paint  store  of  Raynolds, 
Devoe  &  Co.,  at  106  and  108  Fulton  street,  but  boarding  in 
Brooklyn  with  his  brother-in-law,  Chas.  Pratt,  Esq. ;  and  it 
has  been  in  Brooklyn  that  Mr.  Richardson  has  had  his  home 
since  that  time. 

The  business  of  the  long-celebrated  firm,  with  whose  inter- 
ests Mr.  Richardson  thus  early  identified  himself,  was  estab- 
lished in  1770  by  William  Post,  who  was  succeeded  by  Post 
&  Butler,  and  they  by  Butler  &  Raynoldp,  the  immediate  pre- 
decessors of  the  firm  of  Raynolds,  Devoe  &  Co.,  who,  in  1863, 
were  succeeded  by  Raynolds,  Pratt  &  Co.,  who  gave  place, 
in  1867,  to  C.  T.  Raynolds  &  Co.,  a  firm  composed  of  Messrs. 
C.  T.  Raynolds,  T.  B.  Hidden,  Leonard  Richardson,  E.  L. 
Molineux  and  A.  Rich.  E.  H.  Raynolds  has,  d  uring  the  pres- 
ent year  (1883),  acquired  an  interest  in  the  business,  in  which 
Mr.  Richardson's  partnership  dates  back  to  1858. 

It  was  during  the  period  of  the  interest  in  the  concern  of 
Mr.  F.  W.  Devoe  (now  of  the  firm  of  F.  W.  Devoe  &  Co.), 
that  Mr.  Richardson,  then  a  young  man,  developed  that  pecu- 
liar adaptibility  to  the  business  that  has  since  caused  him  to 
be  regarded  as,  without  doubt,  the  best  manufacturer  of 
colors  and  paints  in  this  country;  and  he  relates  that  it  was 
Mr.  Devoe  who  was  first  to  recognize  his  talent  for  this 
branch  of  the  business,  and  advance  him  therein;  and,  during 
the  many  years  of  success  which  have  followed  one  another 
into  the  past,  since  then,  Mr.  Richardson  has  never  ceased  to 
regard  Mr.  Devoe  with  that  grateful  feeling  which  he  be- 
lieves is  due  from  him  to  the  friend  of  his  youth. 

The  paint  trade  and  manufacture,  when  Mr.  Richardson's 
connection  with  it  began,  was  in  its  infancy  in  this  country, 


only  small  quantities  being  made  by  hand,  and  the  bulk  of 
the  painters'  materials  in  greatest  demand  being  imported. 
He  has  seen  its  development  into  one  of  the  leading  in- 
dustries of  the  country,  employing  thousands  of  skilled 
workmen,  and  based  on  millions  of  capital,  and  its  advance- 
ment, under  a  protective  policy,  to  a  point  where  the  import- 
ation of  painters'  materials  has  practically  ceased,  and  an 
enormous  demand,  caused  by  the  steady  development  of  the 
previously  unsettled  portions  of  the  United  States,  supplied 
almost  wholly  by  domestic  manufacturers,  among  whom  his 
firm  takes  high  rank,  both  for  the  excellence  and  quantity  of 
its  products,  which  find  a  ready  sale  everywhere. 

The  firm  of  C.  T.  Raynolds  &  Co.  have  an  extensive  paint 
and  putty  works  in  Brooklyn,  a  large  varnish  and  color  fac- 
tory at  Bergenpoint,  N.  J.,  and  an  immense  paint  and  putty 
works  in  Chicago,  with  large  stores  at  106  and  108  Fulton 
street,  New  York,  and  21  Lake  street,  Chicago. 

In  1858,  Mr.  Richardson  married  Miss  S.  Louisa  Cole,  and 
they  celebrated  the  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  their  mar- 
riage at  their  residence,  1190  Dean  street,  Brooklyn,  on 
Monday  evening,  June  25th,  1883.  They  have  two  sons  and 
a  daughter. 

Politically,  Mr.  Richardson  is  a  republican,  but  he  has 
never  been,  in  any  sense,  a  politician,  though  his  counsel 
and  advice  have  often  been  sought  by  those  high  in  author- 
ity. His  interest  in  the  clean  administration  of  public 
affairs  is  equalled  only  by  that  which  he  has  ever  taken  in 
educational  measures. 

His  family  are  members  of  the  Washington  Avenue  Bap- 
tist Church,  of  which  Mr.  Richardson  is  one  of  the  trustees, 
and  he  has  long  been  prominent  in  the  management  of  its 
finances. 

In  all  matters  pertaining  to  the  public  good,  Mr.  Richard- 
son takes  a  deep  and  abiding  interest.  His  charity  is 
bountiful,  but  never  ostentatious;  and  in  all  the  relations  of 
life  he  is  honored  beyond  a  majority  of  his  ftllows.  He  is 
widely  known  in  connection  with  important  interests  con- 
cerning the  Baptist  Church,  and  is  at  all  times  recognized  as 
a  liberal  contributor  to  the  pecuniary  needs  of  the  organiza- 
tion, and  as  a  wise  and  safe  counsellor  in  its  deliberative 
assemblies. 


A  specialty  in  this  line  is  the  mixing  of  paints  with 
gelatine,  soluble  india-rubber,  or  some  other  substance 
which  keeps  it  suspended  and  prevents  its  drying  up  or 
forming  paint  skins.  In  this  specialty  there  are  several 
houses,  each  employing  a  different  suspensory  fluid.  It 
is  the  opinion  of  the  white  lead  manufacturers,  and 
probably  they  have  good  reason  for  their  belief,  that 
these  manufacturers  of  special  paint  use  little  or  no 
white  lead  in  their  paints;  at  all  events,  only  sufficien 
to  justify  their  claim  that  they  are  partly  composed  of 
that  substance.  The  Averill  Paint  Co.,  of  which 
Messrs.  Seeley  Bros,  are  now  the  principal  proprietors, 
are  the  leading  house  in  this  specialty,  and  do  a  large 
business.  The  Ingersoll  Paint  Works,  and  several 
others,  are  smaller  in  extent.  Several  of  these  houses 
claim  to  use  a  solution  of  india-rubber  in  their  paints, 
thus  preventing,  they  say,  their  fading  or  changing 
color. 

There  are  also  houses  which  manufacture  coarser 
paints,  and  those  which  are  used  for  roofs,  for  iron 
fences,  beams  and  columns.    These  generally  use  the 


714 


HIS10RY  01  KINGS  COUNTY. 


mineral  paints,  or  red  lead,  or  paints  mixed  with  coal 
tar,  or  something  of  the  sort.  Messrs.  IT.  T>.  Johns  <(• 
Co.,  and  one  or  two  other  houses,  produce  these  paints. 

It  should  be  said,  in  regard  to  the  manufacture  of 
paints,  that  there  are  certain  underlying  principles 
which  govern  the  manufacture  of  all  genuine  and  satis- 
factory productions,  whether  as  applied  to  wood  or 
smooth  metallic  surfaces,  which  consist  of  three  constit- 
uents, viz.:  l,The  pigments;  2,  The  vehicles;  3,  The 
thinners  and  driers.* 

The  two  largest  houses  engaged  in  the  manufacture 
of  these  mixed  paints  in  Brooklyn  are  also  the  largest 
in  the  United  States,  or,  for  that  matter,  in  the  world. 
These  are:  Messrs.  C.  T.  Haynolds  efc  Co.,  who  have 
also  a  large  interest  in  the  white  lead  manufacture,  be 
in<;  stockholders  in  the  Bradley  White  lead  Co.,  which 
supplies  their  white  lead,  and  are  engaged  in  the  pro- 
duction of  whiting  and  Paris  white,  and  in  the  manu- 
facture of  artists'  (tube)  oil  colors.  Their  mixed  paints 
are  of  excellent  quality,  and  command  a  large  sale  in 
all  parts  of  the  United  States  as  well  as  abroad. 
Messrs.  John  W.  Masury  tfc  Son,  under  the  vigorous 
management  of  their  efficient  superintendent,  Mr.  Wol- 
cott,  have  rapidly  risen  to  the  first  rank  in  this  manu- 
facture. They  confine  themselves  to  paints  and  fine 
varnishes,  and  their  goods  in  both  departments  are 

*  1.  The  pigments  are  various;  generally  white  lead  (either  pure  or 
mixed  with  oxide  of  zinc,  baryta  or  prepared  chalk,  or  some  of  the 
earths)  is  the  basis.  This  should  be  always  the  case  with  white  and 
light  colors,  and  with  most  of  the  darker  ones,  from  its  body  or  cover- 
ing property. 

Other  pigments  used  in  the  mixed  or  colored  paints  are  :  Yillows.— 
Yellow  ochre,  chromate  of  lead,  gamboge,  etc. 

Red*.— Red  oxide  of  lead,  vermilion,  red  ochre,  oxides  of  iron,  red 
oxide  of  copper,  di-cbromate  of  lead,  carmine,  carmine-madder,  and 
other  lakes,  etc. 

Blue*.— Prussian  blue,  ultramarine,  smalt,  Thenard's  blue,  verditer, 
aniline  blues,  etc. 

Greens.— Verdigris,  Paris  green,  verditer,  borate  of  copper,  oxide  of 
chromium,  cobalt  green,  and  green  lakes,  and  very  often  a  mixture  of 
chrome  yellow  and  Prussian  blue,  etc.,  etc. 

Brown*.— Umber,  bole,  terra  dl  Sienna,  bistre,  sepia,  etc. 

Black*.— Lampblack,  bone-black,  anthracite,  graphite,  etc.,  etc. 

2.  The  Vehicles.— These  are  :  1.  Oils,  generally  linseed  oil,  of  late 
also,  to  a  limited  extent,  cotton-seed  oil,  nut  oil,  and  poppy  oil,  vari- 
ously prepared,  for  the  finest  work.  2.  Water,  with  glue  or  gum  added. 
The  last  are  essentially  water-colors,  and  are  mainly  used  on  interiors, 
and  for  graining  purposes. 

The  oil  paints  are  llrst  ground  with  a  small  quantity  of  raw  linseed 
oil,  to  make  the  mixture  homogeneous.  This,  as  we  have  already 
stated,  Is  now  very  largely  done  by  the  manufacturers.  About  eight  per 
cent,  of  oil  Is  added  to  white  lead,  12  or  18  per  cent,  to  zinc  white,  and 
various  proportions,  according  to  the  amount  of  body  of  the  different 
colors,  and  other  considerations.  Under  the  old  system  the  painter 
-mixed  this  for  use  wit  h  a  further  quantity  of  raw  and  boiled  Unseed  oil, 
and  colored  it,  to  any  desired  shade,  with  colored  pigments,  which  he 
obtained  either  dry  or  ground  In  oil. 

Now,  the  painter  can  obtain  his  paints,  of  the  requisite  fluidity,  and 
of  any  desired  shade  of  color,  all  mixed  to  his  hand,  ami  there  will  be 
no  variation  In  the  shade  If  he  has  to  paint  a  surface  of  ten  thousand 
or  fifty  thousand  square  feet.  The  addition  of  oil  and  colors  Is  gov- 
erned by  Oxed  rules,  and  the  oils  and  colors  are  tested  for  purity  In-fore 
being  used. 

3.  The  paints  require.  In  using,  thinner*,  which  are  generally  of  spirits 
of  turpentine  or  benzine,  and  also  ilrier*.  or  siccatives,  which  may  be, 
according  to  the  necessities  of  each  peculiar  case,  sugar  of  lead,  nitrate 
nf  lead,  sulphate  of  zinc,  verdigris,  blnoxide  of  manganese,  n  il  lead, 
Japanners'  gold  size,  and,  most  powerful  of  all,  borate  of  manganese, 
ground  In  oil.  The  paints  must  be  used  Immediately,  or  they  settle, 
and  paint  skins  form  over  them. 


of  the  very  highest  quality.  In  the  paint  department, 
they  grind  the  white  lead  and  the  colors  dry  and  in  oil, 
and  are  prepared  to  furnish  them  in  both  conditions. 
They  also  mix  their  paints  with  the  requisite  thinners 
and  dryers,  so  as  to  be  ready  for  immediate  application. 
Messrs.  Masury  &  Son  procure  their  white  lead  mostly 
from  Pittsburgh,  exchanging  their  paints  with  the 
manufacturers  for  it.  The  ran^e  of  shades  of  color 
made  by  these  houses  is  very  great,  and  the  quality  and 
color  perfectly  uniform.  They  have  elevated  the  busi- 
ness to  one  of  the  fine  arts. 

All  the  paint  manufacturers  now  put  up  their  paints 
in  cans  and  pails  of  all  the  sizes  required  by  the  large 
or  small  customers  The  competition  in  regard  to 
quality  is  as  severe  as  that  in  regard  to  price,  and  as  a 
consequence  there  is  less  adulteration  in  paints  at  the 
present  time  than  in  almost  any  other  commodities. 

Subsection  IV. —  Varnishes. 

The  manufacture  of  varnishes  is  carried  on  to  a 
greater  extent  in  Brooklyn  than  in  any  other  city  in  the 
Union,  more  than  one-seventh  in  value  of  the  whole 
production  of  the  United  States  being  made  here,  and 
the  business  has  received  a  very  great  impulse  since 
1S70.  The  statistics  of  the  census  of  1880  were:  for 
the  whole  country,  81  manufactories,  employing  §3,778,- 
100  capital  and  573  hands,  paying  6360,716  in  wages, 
using  §3,699,68-1  of  raw  materials,  and  producing  §5,721,- 
174  annually.  Of  these  the  state  of  New  York  had 
17  manufactories,  §1,395,800  capital,  143  hands,  §91,638 
wages  paid,  §1,028,705  raw  material,  and  §1,867,155 
product.  There  were  no  varnish  factories  in  New  York 
city,  but  Brooklyn  had  8,  with  §716,800  capital,  73 
hands,  §47,186  wages  paid,  §353,205  raw  material,  and 
§874,655  product.  The  present  product  for  the  whole 
country  is  believed  to  be  about  §7,500,000,  and  for 
Brooklyn  and  Kings  county,  nine  establishments,  150 
employees,  §90,000  wages,  and  an  annual  product  of 
over  $1,200,000. 

The  amount  of  varnish  imported  from  all  foreign 
countries  in  1882  was  of  the  value  of  $116,132,  and  this 
included  all  the  oriental  lacquers  and  varnishes,  as  well 
as  everything  of  European  production,  the  whole 
amount  being  less  than  one-tenth  of  the  Brooklyn  pro- 
duct alone,  and  about  one-fiftieth  of  the  entire  American 
production.  The  figures  of  1883  on  both  sides  would 
show  a  still  greater  difference. 

In  fact,  our  export  of  varnishes  has,  for  some  years, 
exceeded  the  import,  being,  in  the  year  ending  June  30, 
1882,  $187,860,  and  having  largely  increased  during 
1883. 

There  are  now  nine  manufacturers  of  varnish  in  Kings 
county,  two  having  been  added  since  18*0.  We  oaghl 
to  say,  perhaps,  a  few  words  here  in  regard  to  the  differ- 
ent kinds  of  varnishes  made. 

fixed  oil  varnishes,  which  arc  the  kind  most  largely 
used,  are  prepared  by  mixing  the  fused  gum  resins  with 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


1\5 


a  boiled  and  oxidized  linseed  oil,  at  a  temperature  of 
about  300°  F.,  and  added  gradually  with  constant  stir- 
ring. 

The  secret  of  those  varnishes  which  have  the  highest 
reputation  consists  in  the  greater  purity  of  the  oil  and 
gum  resins,  and  the  proportions  which  are  used,  rather 
than  in  any  other  ingredients.  Asphalt  is  sometimes 
used  for  black  varnishes,  and  India  rubber  or  gutta- 
percha for  the  purpose  of  giving  greater  flexibility  or 
elasticity  in  the  working  of  the  varnishes;  but  the  finest 
varnishes  are  made  from  pure  oil  and  pure  gums. 

Spirit  varnishes  are  true  solutions  of  the  gum  resins 
in  alcohol  (95  per  cent.),  or  wood  spirit  of  the  same 
strength.  The  gums  employed  are  sandarac,  mastic, 
shellac,  anime  and  copal.  There  are  also  colored  spirit 
varnishes  or  lacquers,  the  coloring  ingredients  being 
tinctures  of  gums  and  gum  resins,  and  recently  aniline 
colors.  The  spirit  varnishes  are  also  used  as  driers  for 
paints.  They  deteriorate  by  keeping,  but  as  they  are 
easily  produced,  this  is  not  of  so  much  consequence. 
They  are  not  a  staple  article,  like  the  oil  varnishes. 

Volatile  oil  varnishes  are  of  considerable  importance, 
especially  in  the  fine  arts;  they  are  prepared  from  the 
finer  gum  resins  and  the  volatile  oils,  spirits  of  turpen- 
tine being  the  usual  solvent. 

Ether  varnishes  are  ethereal  solutions  of  the  gum 
resins,  and  have  a  very  limited  application,  mostly  con- 
fined to  the  jewellers  and  photographers. 

There  are  also  a  variety  of  miscellaneous  varnishes 
made  for  particular  purposes  by  the  parties  who  have 
occasion  for  them.  These  are  not  made  by  the  varnish 
manufacturers. 

Messrs.  Valentine  &  Co.,  Messrs.  C.  C.  Reed  &  Co., 
Messrs.  J.  W.  Masury  &  Son  and  Mr.  G.  C.  Liszka  are 
the  largest  manufacturers  of  coach  and  palace  car  var- 
nishes, of  the  best  quality,  for  both  inside  and  outside 
work,  in  Kings  county.  They  also  make  lower  priced 
varnishes  for  other  purposes.  Messrs.  Valentine  &  Co. 
probably  produce  the  largest  amount,  but  the  aggregate 
value  is  about  the  same  as  that  of  the  other  houses. 
Messrs.  C.  C.  Reed  &  Co.  claim,  and,  we  believe,  with 
justice,  that  they  were  the  pioneers  in  the  manufacture 
of  fine  coach  varnishes  in  Kings  county,  and,  perhaps, 
in  the  United  States.  They  are  still  doing  a  very  large 
business. 

Messrs.  John  W.  Masury  &  Son,  under  the  leader- 
ship of  their  present  general  manager,  Mr.  Wolcott, 
have  made  a  great  advance  in  their  business,  and  are 
now,  in  the  quality  and  quantity  of  their  goods,  the 
peers  of  any  house  in  the  country. 

Mr.  Liszka  is  also  a  large  manufacturer  of  very  fine 
varnishes  for  these  purposes.  Mr.  Liszka  came  to  this 
country  from  England  in  1873.  He  had  been  appren- 
ticed to  the  varnish  business  in  England,  and  made 
himself  thoroughly  master  of  the  business,  and  brought 
from  thence  the  formulas,  under  which  he  has  produced 
most  excellent  goods.    He  believes  these  superior  to 


any  others  for  coach  work.  Mr.  Liszka  has  also  in- 
vented and  manufactures  the  "  Terebine  "  and  "  Lion 
Liquid  Dryers."  He  claims  a  capital  of  $80,000  invested 
in  the  business,  employs  30  hands,  pays  $20,000  wages, 
and  reports  an  annual  product  of  $200,000. 

Of  the  other  varnish  manufacturers  of  the  county, 
Messrs.  William  D.  Chase,  Patrick  Booden  &  Son, 
George  S.  Wood  &  Son,  as  well  as  the  more  recently 
established  houses,  Mbller  &  Schumann  and  John  F. 
Cornwell,  all  make  varnish  of  excellent  quality,  and 
the  demand  for  their  goods  is  already  large,  and  rapidly 
increasing. 

Messrs.  Booden  &  Son  give  special  attention  to  gold- 
sizing,  flock-sizing  and  bronzing  for  the  manufacturers 
of  wall  papers. 

Subsection  V. —  Whiting  and  Paris  White. 

These  articles,  for  which  there  is  a  large  demand,  are 
not  quite  identical,  though  often  used  interchangeably. 
Whiting  is  a  prepared  and  refined  chalk,  brought  from 
the  chalk  cliffs  of  England  in  a  crude  state,  or  from 
chalk  beds  in  our  own  country,  and  ground,  washed  and 
precipitated  in  a  pure  state  in  factories  here.  Paris 
white  may  be  from  the  chalk  beds  of  France  (in  the 
Paris  basin);  and  if  so,  is  somewhat  softer  than  (he 
English  or  American  article,  and  is  a  finer  and  more 
nearly  impalpable  powder  when  refined;  but  a  consid- 
erable portion  of  what  is  sold  as  the  best  Paris  white  is 
a  finely  powdered  sulphate  of  baryta,  which,  for  some 
purposes,  is  preferable  to  the  chalk. 

The  substitution  in  these  days  of  kalsomine  and  ala- 
bastine  for  the  old-fashioned  lime  whitewash  has  created 
a  great  demand  for  whiting  and  Paris  white,  while  their 
employment  for  cleaning  silver,  gold,  brass  and  copper 
has  fallen  off,  electro-silicon  and  other  articles  having 
largely  taken  their  place.  There  is  also  a  moderate  use 
of  the  prepared  chalk  (creta  preparata)  in  medicine, 
though  this  is  smaller  than  formerly.  The  kalsomine 
is  generally  a  preparation  of  whiting  or  Paris  white 
with  white  glue  for  the  walls  of  houses.  It  produces  a 
brilliant  surface,  does  not  rub  off  easily,  may  be  tinted 
of  any  required  color,  and  receives  paint  over  it  with 
advantage,  the  kalsomine  filling  the  little  cracks,  checks 
or  pin  holes  of  the  plaster.  At  first  kalsomine  w  is 
made  with  the  white  oxide  of  zinc  (and  perhaps  derived 
its  name  by  corruption  from  calamine,  the  zinc  oxide) ; 
but  it  was  very  soon  found  that  whiting  or  Paris  white 
was  equally  good,  and  very  much  lower  in  price.  Where 
the  Paris  white  is  composed  wholly  or  in  part  of  sul- 
phate of  baryta,  it  is  for  this  purpose  fully  equal  to 
the  zinc.  The  zinc  tradition  was  maintained  by  the 
kalsominers,  long  after  its  use  had  been  given  up,  to 
extort  a  higher  price  from  the  customers,  on  the  plea 
of  its  greater  cost.  The  largest  producers  of  whiting 
and  Paris  white  in  Kings  county  are  Messrs.  C.  T.  Ray- 
nolds  &  Co.,  Messrs.  Truslow  &  Co.  (more  than  forty 
years  in  the  business),  and,  after  these,  Arthur  Buel, 


716 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Phillips  ct  Ferguson  and  Conrad  Zeiger.  The  total 
product  annually  is  nearly  a  million  of  dollars. 

We  may  then  safely  bring  together  the  industries  of 
white  lead,  linseed  oil,  paints  and  colors,  dry  and  mixed, 
varnishes  and  whiting,  in  Brooklyn,  as  having  an 
annual  product,  in  1883,  of  $14,500,000,  divided  in 
about  these  proportions:  White  lead,  $2,442,000;  lin- 
seed oil,  $3,15S,000;  dry  colors,  ready  for  use,  $1,000,- 
000;  paints,  mixed  and  ground  in  oils,  ready  for  the 
trade,  $5,500,000  (this  estimate  is  probably  too  low); 
varnishes,  $1,400,000;  whiting  and  Paris  white,  $1,000,- 
000;  total,  $14,500,000. 


SECTION  XIII. 
Ropes,  Cordage  and  Twine. 

The  production  of  ropes,  cordage  and  ticine'is  a  large 
interest  in  Kings  county.  It  has  been  conducted  here 
from  almost  the  first  settlement  of  the  county.  The 
oldest  of  the  rope  walks  in  Brooklyn  was  probably 
started  by  some  members  of  the  Sands  family,  and  not 
far  from  the  time  of  the  Revolution.  It  is  certain  that 
since  1783  and  up  to  the  present  time,  the  manufacture 
of  ropes  and  cordage  has  been  constantly  carried  on  by 
some  branch  of  that  family  or  their  descendants.  We 
do  not  mean  by  this  that,  during  the  whole  of  these 
hundred  years,  the  same  ropewalk  has  been  continu- 
ously carried  on  by  the  Sands  family  or  their  descend- 
ants; but  that  there  has  been  no  time  during  that  cen- 
tury when  some  members  of  the  family,  and  often  sev- 
eral at  a  time,  have  not  been  engaged  in  the  manufac- 
ture. To  be  more  definite,  probably  the  first  rope- 
maker  in  Brooklyn  or  Kings  county,  was  the  grandfather 
or  uncle  of  Joshua  Sands.  As  early  as  1  790  a  brother 
of  Joshua  Sands  was  engaged  in  the  business,  his  rope- 
walk  extending  from  the  present  Sands  street,  which 
was  named  after  him,  to  near  Tillary  street.  In  the 
same  vicinity,  early  in  the  present  century,  were  the 
ropewalks  of  James  Ingalls,  Forbush  &  Albert,  and 
John  Seaman.  In  1803,  Major  Fanning  C.  Tucker, 
who  had  married  a  daughter  of  Joshua  Sands,  started 
another  ropewalk  on  his  own  account,  taking  a  Mr. 
March  as  his  partner.  This  was  at  first  in  the  same 
vicinity  as  the  others,  extending  back  from  what  are 
now  Fulton,  Washington  and  Adams  streets  to  the  then 
low  and  marshy  lands  at  the  north,  through  what  are 
now  Tillary,  Lawrence,  Bridge,  Duffield  and  Gold 
streets.  Several  years  later,  Mr.  R.  Sands  Tucker,  the 
son  of  Major  Tucker  and  grandson  of  Joshua  Sands 
came  into  the  firm,  together  with  other  partners,  Messrs. 
Carter,  Cooper,  Marsh,  etc.  At  the  death  of  Mr.  R. 
Sands  Tucker,  his  son,  Mr.  J.  A.  Tucker,  the  present 
Tri-asiiPT  of  t  he  Tucker  Carter  Cordage  Company, 
took  his  place.  The  company  had  removed  their  rope- 
walk to  bui). lings  at  first  erected  by  John  F.  Delaplaine, 
between  ClAMOU  and  Kent  avenues,  and  between 
Myrtle  and  Flushing  avenues,  which  they  still  occupy. 


Meanwhile,  other  ropewalks  were  started  in  Brooklyn, 
mostly  east  of  the  City  Hall.    Among  these  were  Noah 

Waterbury  and    Barberin  (probably  a  son  of  Dr. 

Barberin)  located  on  or  near  the  present  Clinton  street, 
and  extending  back  to  or  beyond  Bridge  street.  This 
was  started  in  1816.  Barberin  died  a  few  years  later, 
and  Noah  Waterbury  about  1854.  Other  ropewalks 
were  Martin's,  Nat.  Rowland's  and  Thursby's,  all  of 
them  starting  before  1825,  and  about  1828  Schermer- 
horn  &  Bancker's  and  James  Ingalls.  The  Tucker  and 
Carter  Company  is  the  only  survivor  of  those  early 
companies.  Thursby's  ropewalk  remained  in  business 
till  about  1850,  when  the  factory  became  bankrupt,  Mr. 
Thursby  having  died  before  that  time.  He  had  re- 
moved, some  years  before,  to  a  tract  near  Newtown 
creek,  between  the  present  Grand  and  Ten  Eyck  streets, 
and  extending  from  what  is  now  Waterbury  street  to 
the  canal.  It  is  the  present  site  of  part  of  the  rope- 
walk of  L.  Waterbury  &  Co. 

The  next  ropewalk  to  be  established  was  that  of 
William  Wall,  commenced  in  1830.  Mr.  Wall,  who 
had  learned  his  trade  thoroughly,  and  had  worked  for 
some  time  as  a  journeyman  with  Messrs.  Tucker  <fc 
Cooper,  purchased  from  one  of  the  old  ropemakers  a 
ropewalk  in  AVashington  street,  in  1830,  and  began 
business  in  a  very  small  way.  He  removed,  in  1836,  to 
the  site  now  occupied  by  his  sons  on  Bushwick  avenue 
and  Siegel  street,  where  there  is  now  conducted  an  im- 
mense business.  The  next  ropewalk,  which  is  still  in 
existence,  was  commenced  in  1845.  The  partners  were 
Lawrence  Waterbury,  a  son  of  Noah  Waterbury,  and 
William  Marshall.  Mr.  Marshall  was  a  practical  rope- 
maker,  had  served  his  time  in  other  ropewalks,  and  had 
been  from  1839  to  1845  a  partner  with  John  B.  Thurs- 
by, a  son  of  the  Thursby  already  mentioned,  in  a  rope- 
walk near  the  corner  of  Flushing  and  Bedford  avenues, 
and  for  a  few  months  the  foreman  of  Messrs.  Tucker 
&  Cooper.  This  ropewalk  (of  L.  Waterbury  <fc  Co.) 
was  commenced  on  and  near  its  present  location,  the 
firm  owning  the  lands  south  of  Ten  Eyck  street,  and 
leasing  those  of  Thursby,  north  of  them,  until  they  were 
sold,  when  they  purchased  them.  Mr.  Waterbury  died 
in  1879.  Mr.  Marshall  is  now  the  oldest  manufacturer 
of  ropes  and  cordage  who  is  still  actively  engaged  in 
the  business. 

There  were  probably  three  or  four  other  ropemaking 
firms,  now  and  long  since  extinct,  which  date  back  to 
a  period  between  1816  and  1830.  Among  these  were 
two,  of  whom  there  are  still  traditions — Luther  and 
Lawrence.  Both  firms  have  descendants  who  are  now 
in  the  business,  though  on  a  small  scale.  John  F.  Lu- 
ther, at  the  corner  of  Grand  and  Waterbury,  and  Law- 
rence &  Cooper,  at  Maspcth  and  Morgan,  represents 
these  two  old  firms,  and  the  latter  has  united  with  his 
also  the  name  of  Cooper,  a  nephew  of  Peter  Cooper, 
whose  glue  factorv  is  in  this  vicinity,  and  who  owned 
a  large  tract  of  land  in  this  part  of  the  Eighteenth 


THE  MANUFACTURING  IXDUSTEIES. 


717 


"Ward.  Other  houses  in  the  business  are  D.  Allen's 
Sons,  in  South  Brooklyn;  Samuel  Ludlow,  of  Rocka- 
way  avenue,  corner  Chauncey;  and  six  or  seven  others, 
mostly  in  the  Twenty-fifth  "Ward.  Most  of  these 
houses  do  not,  we  believe,  attempt  the  manufacture  of 
large  ropes,  but  confine  themselves  to  the  production  of 
bed  and  sash  cords,  clothes-lines,  fish-lines  and  the  va- 
rious kinds  of  twine  used  for  packing  purposes.  In  the 
early  history  of  ropemaking  in  this  county,  the  ropes 
were  made  by  hand,  the  strands  being  spun  and  twisted 
by  a  wheel  and  spindle  turned  by  a  stout  man  (usually 
a  negro)  but  later  by  a  horse  or  dog  power,  the  spinner 
having  a  mass  of  hetchelled  hemp  girt  round  his  waist, 
and  walking  backward  as  he  formed  the  strand,  which 
was  twisted  by  the  wheel.  The  strands,  when 
spun,  were  reeled,  and  then  by  another  and  larger 
wheel,  twisted  into  a  rope  of  such  size  as  was  required. 
For  some  purposes  the  strands  were  drawn  through 
heated  tar  before  being  twisted,  and  thus  constituted 
tarred  rope;  but  the  Manila  and  Sisal  cordage  was  not 
often  tarred.  The  tarred  rope  was  very  durable,  but 
when  it  had  at  last  worn  out,  it  was  cut  in  pieces  of  a 
few  inches  in  length  and  picked  fine,  sometimes  by 
6ailors,  sometimes  by  landsmen,  and  not  seldom  in  the 
alms-houses.  When  thus  picked  it  was  called  oakum, 
and  was  used  for  caulking  boats  and  vessels.  The 
Manila  and  other  untarred  ropes  were  better  for  some 
pvrposes,  but  they  were  stiffer  and  less  durable.  Now, 
a  portion  of  the  Manila  and  Sisal  cordage,  as  well  as 
much  of  the  Russia  hemp  is  tarred.  In  the  course  of 
time,  machines  were  substituted  for  most  of  this  hand 
work,  the  spinning  jenny  being  the  first  adopted  by  the 
manufacturers,  greatly  to  the  disgust  of.  the  band 
spinners,  who,  here  as  well  as  elsewhere,  rose  in  open 
rebellion  against  it. 

In  the  nearly  fifty  years  which  have  since  elapsed, 
the  number  and  variety  of  machines  has  been  greatly 
increased.  The  hetchelling  and  combing  of  the  fibres  of 
the  Manila,  Sisal  and  other  hemps,  is  done  by  machinery, 
and  the  laving  and  twisting  of  all  the  cordage,  and 
indeed  the  whole  production  of  the  cordage  and  small 
ropes,  is  effected  by  machines  which  greatly  facilitate 
and  increase  the  production.  The  larger  ropes  are  still 
laid  and  twisted  in  the  long  ropewalks,  which  in  some 
of  the  larger  establishments  are  from  1,200  to  1,700 
feet  in  length.  In  the  manufacture  of  Harvester  and 
other  twines,  the  whole  of  the  processes  are  carried 
forward  by  machines  invented  for  the  purpose. 

There  are  now,  in  Kings  county,  fourteen  rope  and 
twine  factories,  an  increase  of  two  since  1880.  The 
increase  in  numbers  within  a  few  years  past  has  not 
been  proportionately  as  great  as  in  amount  of  produc- 
tion. In  1870,  the  entire  production  of  cordage  and 
twine  in  the  state  of  New  York  was  reported  as 
$1,553,329,  less  than  half  the  present  product  of  either 
one  of  our  three  largest  establishments  in  Kin^s  county 
in  1883.    At  that  time  Kings  county  had  about  $630,- 


000  of  annual  product,  and  New  York  city  $421,440. 
In  1SS0,  the  census  reports  were  :  For  the  state,  37 
establishments;  $3,032,100  capital;  2,461  hands  em- 
ployed; $632,748  paid  out  for  wages;  $4,110,112  of 
raw  material,  and  $5,207,125  of  annual  product;  for 
New  York  city,  none.  For  Kings  county  or  Brook- 
lyn, 12  establishments;  $2,566,700  capital;  1,529  hands 
employed;  $380,223  wages  paid;  $3,206,319  of  raw 
material,  and  $3,915,566  of  annual  product. 

A  very  careful  and  critical  collection  of  the  statis- 
tics of  this  industry  in  18S3,  in  Brooklyn,  gives  the 
following  results  :  Number  of  establishments,  14; 
capital  (including  cost  of  plant),  $6,500,000;  number 
of  hands  employed,  over  3,500;  wages  paid,  above 
$1,250,000;  material  used,  nearly  $9,000,000,  and  annual 
product,  very  nearly  $13,000,000.  This  is  a  remarka- 
ble increase  for  three  years,  but  while  it  is  in  part  due 
to  the  imperfection  of  the  census  returns,  the  develop- 
ment of  this  industry  since  1SS0,  has  had  no  parallel 
'  in  any  other  of  the  numerous  industries  of  Brooklyn; 
and  our  figures  will  be  found  below  rather  than  above 
the  actual  product. 

The  three  large  manufactories  now  existing  in  this 
industry,  demand,  as  representative  houses,  a  some- 
what particular  description.  "We  shall  take  them  up 
in  chronological  order. 

The  Tucker  &  Carter  Cordage  Company,  which,  as 
we  have  already  said,  commenced  business  in  1803  as 
Tucker  &  March,  has  undergone,  in  these  eightv  vears, 
several  changes  of  both  its  name  and  j)ersonnel.  During 
Major  Tuckers  lifetime,  it  was  changed  to  Tucker  & 
Carter,  and  when  his  son,  Mr.  R.  Sands  Tucker,  took 
his  place,  the  firm  name  was  changed  to  Tucker,  Cooper 
&  Co.,  and,  after  Mr.  Cooper's  death,  to  Tucker,  Caiter 
&  Co.  In  1881,  it  was  incorporated  as  the  Tucker  & 
Carter  Cordage  Company,  several  other  parties  becom- 
ing stockholders  and  officers.  Mr.  J.  A.  Tucker,  the 
treasurer,  is  the  son  of  R.  Sands  Tucker  and  grand- 
son of  Major  Fanning  C.  Tucker.  This  company  ^vas 
the  first  to  introduce  the  spinning  jenny  for  spinning 
hemp,  in  the  place  of  hand  spinning,  as  already  de- 
scribed. This  change  was  first  attempted  about  1833, 
and  met  with  the  most  strenuous  opposition  from  the 
hand-spinners.  When  the  first  instalment  of  rope 
spun  on  the  jenny  was  completed,  the  enraged  spinners 

seized  Mr.   ,  who  had  charge  of  it,  and  treated  him 

to  a  coat  of  tar  and  feathers;  they  then  seized  the  hemp 
he  had  spun,  paid  the  company  for  it,  took  it  to  a  hill 
near  by,  and  burned  it  publicly.  But  the  spinning 
jenny  triumphed  after  all,  and  the  ropewalk  was  known 
for  many  years  as  "  the  steamer."  Mr.  William  Wall 
had  a  somewhat  similar  experience,  not  long  after,  at 
his  ropewalk. 

The  Tucker  &  Carter  Cordage  Company's  ropewalk 
has  always  been  a  large  one,  but  within  a  few  years 
past  it  has  been  greatly  enlarged  and  extended,  and  is 
now  one  of  the  best  appointed  and  conducted  rope- 


ri8  HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


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THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


719 


both  are  taxed  to  their  full  capacity.  The  boilers, 
which  are  rated  at  540  horse  power,  are,  by  an  ingeni- 
ous and  economical  attachment,  made  to  furnish  steam 
for  800  horse  power  of  the  engines,  the  water  being 
heated  to  300  degrees  before  it  is  admitted  to  the  boil- 
ers. They  employ,  when  running  at  their  full  capacity, 
850  hands,  and  their  entire  annual  product  is  18,000,000 
pounds  of  rope,  cordage,  Harvester  and  other  twines, 
beside  the  amount  of  bagging,  etc.,  realizing  somewhat 
more  than  three  millions  of  dollars.  Their  business  and 
capacity  has  been  doubled  since  1880. 

Next  in  order  of  time,  but,  perhaps,  of  somewhat 
cheater  extent,  and  confining  itself  wholly  to  the  man- 
ufacture of  ropes  and  cordage,  is  the  house  of  William 
WalFs  Sons.  This  great  ropewalk  was  established  in 
1830  by  William  Wall,  a  practical  ropemaker,  who  had 
served  his  time  with  an  uncle  in  Philadelphia,  and  had 
subsequently  worked  as  a  journeyman  in  Brooklyn.  He 
was  an  industrious,  intelligent  and  enterprising  man, 
and  having,  by  hard  labor,  accumulated  a  small  sum  of 
money,  he  invested  it  in  a  ropewalk  in  Washington 
street,  Brooklyn,  in  1830,  and  at  once  commenced  rope- 
making  on  his  own  account.  It  is  related  of  him  that 
he  carried  his  first  completed  lot  of  cordage  on  his  back 
to  New  York  to  find  a  market  for  it.  His  energy,  per- 
severance and  industry  soon  brought  their  reward.  His 
production  increased  with  each  year,  and  in  1835,  hav- 
ing purchased  an  extensive  tract  of  land  on  Bushwick 
road,  now  Bushwick  avenue,  between  Siegel  and  Mc- 
Kibbin  streets,  and  running  back  almost  two  thousand 
feet,  he  commenced  the  erection  of  a  ropewalk  there, 
and  in  1836  removed  thither,  and  conducted  his  busi- 
ness on  a  much  larger  scale.  He  attended  personally 
to  all  the  details,  and,  amid  great  opposition  on  the 
part  of  his  workmen,  introduced  the  spinning  jenny 
into  his  works.  The  demand  for  his  ropes  and  cordage 
constantly  increased,  and  the  quality  was  uniformly 
maintained,  so  that  Wall's  ropes  became  the  standard 
of  good  manufacture.  By  successive  additions,  his  es- 
tablishment came  to  cover  ten  acres  of  land.  Mr. 
Wall  retired  from  active  work  in  1856,  leaving  his 
business  to  his  sons,  by  whom  it  is  still  carried  on. 

The  ropewalk  (which  has  received  very  large  addi- 
tions of  machinery,  etc.,  since  187S)  is  probably  the 
longest  in  the  world,  extending  1,700  feet  in  a  direct 
line,  with  a  width  of  38  feet.  The  proprietors  have 
steadfastly  avoided  all  side  issues,  such  as  the  manufac- 
ture of  Harvester  twine,  jute  rope  or  twine,  bagging, 
or  paper.  They  confine  themselves  to  the  production 
of  ropes  and  cordage  only,  making  everything,  from  a 
24-inch  rope  to  ^-inch,  as  well  as  lath  yarns,  marlines, 
sail  twines,  and  deep-sea  fishing  lines;  and  using  solely 
Manila,  Sisal,  New  Zealand,  Italian,  Russian  and  Ameri- 
can hemp.  A  considerable  portion  of  their  cordage  is 
tarred  hemp  rigging.  In  addition  to  their  extensive 
home  trade  they  export  their  products  largely  to  China, 
Singapore,  Australia,  South  America,  the  south  of  Eu- 


rope, and  the  West  Indies.  They  use  for  driving  their 
machinery  two  Corliss  engines  of  550  horse  power  in 
all;  and  five  boilers  of  60  nominal  horse  power,  but 
capable  of  supplying  an  aggregate  of  600  horse  power, 
upon  an  emergency,  furnish  the  steam  for  them.  They 
are  fully  insured  under  the  New  England  mutual  cor- 
porations system,  which  is  described  in  detail  elsewhere 
in  this  section. 

They  employ  an  average  of  550  hands,  and  produce 
175  or  more  tons  of  rope,  etc.,  per  week,  their  annual 
production  varying  from  19,000,000  to  21,000,000 
pounds,  of  an  average  value  of  15  cents  per  pound' 
The  average  annual  product  is  now  worth  from  $2,850,- 
000  upwards,  with  a  capacity  of  over  83,200,000.  We 
add  here  portraits  and  biographies  of  Hon.  William 
Wall,  the  founder  of  the  house,  and  of  Michael  W. 
Wall,  the  present  head  of  this  extensive  manufactory. 

Hon.  William  Wall. — This  distinguished  citizen  of 
Brooklyn  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  March  20th,  1800.  His 
father  was  an  officer  on  board  a  ship  sailing  from  the  latter 
port,  but  died  when  his  son  was  nineteen  months  old.  The 
lad,  at  the  age  of  eleven,  commenced  to  earn  his  living  by 
working  for  Michael  Weaver,  his  mother's  brother,  who 
owned  a  ropewalk  in  Philadelphia,  and  there  showed  such 
industry  and  intelligence  that  he  was  regularly  apprenticed 
to  the  trade  when  he  was  fifteen.  Having  acquired  the 
knowledge  and  skill  of  a  good  ropemaker,  when  his  majority 
was  attained,  he  came  to  New  York.  Being  intelligent,  in- 
dustrious and  ambitious,  he  was  intent  on  gaining  capital, 
with  which  to  begin  business  on  his  own  account.  To  this 
end  he  worked  as  journeyman  for  several  years,  and  saved 
three  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  with  which  he  determined 
to  start  in  business  for  himself.  Having  purchased  a  rope- 
walk in  Washington  street,  Brooklyn,  he  worked  early  and 
late,  directing  the  manufacturing  and  extending  his  sales. 
It  is  related  that  he  carried  his  first  manufacture  of  cordage 
on  his  back  to  New  York  city  to  find  a  market,  a  circum- 
stance to  which  he  often  alluded  with  pride,  in  after  years, 
as  an  illustration  of  what  could  be  accomplished  from  small 
beginnings  by  persistent,  well-directed  industry.  Such  ap- 
plication and  energy  could  not  fail  of  the  success  which 
gradually  rewarded  his  efforts.  In  1836,  the  business  was 
removed  to  Bushwick,  now  in  the  Eastern  District  of  Brook- 
lyn, and  was  established  on  a  much  larger  scale.  With  his 
usual  energy,  Mr.  Wall  attended  to  all  details,  building  up  the 
largest  business  of  the  kind  in  the  country.  He  was  one  of 
the  first  to  introduce  the  spinning  jenny  in  the  manufacture 
of  cordage,  which  had  previously  been  spun  by  hand,  and 
was  enabled,  after  many  trials,  to  use  it  in  making  all  kinds 
of  rope.  His  establishment  was  extended  until  it  occupied 
ten  acres  of  ground.  In  1856  Mr.  Wall  retired  with  a  fortune, 
leaving  his  business  to  his  sons,  by  whom  it  is  still  con- 
ducted. 

Mr.  Wall  was  a  man  of  positive  opinious;  his  face  shows 
decision  of  character  and  intelligence.  Of  the  strictest  in- 
tegrity, undeviating  principles  and  untiring  energy,  he  pos- 
sessed all  the  elements  that  made  up  a  strong  man.  His  suc- 
cess in  business  was  due  to  his  own  exertions,  coupled  with 
fidelity  and  honor,  which  secured  to  him  the  esteem  and 
confidence  of  the  community.  Such  a  man  was  needed  in 
public  affairs;  accordingly,  we  find  that  he  was  called  upon 
to  fill  many  important  positions  during  the  village  history  of 
Williamsburgh,  and  after  its  incorporation  as  a  city,  such  as 


720 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Trustee,  Commissioner  of  Highways,  Supervisor,  member  of 
the  Board  of  Finance,  Commissioner  of  Water  Works  and 
Mayor.  In  these  and  all  other  places  of  trust,  he  is  entitled 
to  the  proud  distinction  of  having  been  faithful  and  incor- 
ruptible. His  election  to  the  Mayoralty  of  Williamsburgh 
occurred  in  1853,  being  the  second  incumbent  of  the  office. 
He  guarded  the  interests  of  the  city  vigilantly,  vetoing 
promptly  every  measure  that  seemed  to  him  to  savor  of  ex- 
travagance or  corruption;  and,  in  his  court,  administering 
justice  without  leniency  to  breakers  of  the  law.  During  his 
term  the  movement  began  for  consolidating  Williamsburgh 
with  Brooklyn.  Mr.  Wall  was  tendered  the  Mayoralty  of 
the  consolidated  city,  but  declined  the  honor.  In  1860,  he 
was  nominated  to  Congress  by  the  Republicans  of  the  old 
Fifth  Congressional  District,  which  comprised  wards  in  both 
New  York  and  Brooklyn,  and  was  elected  over  the  usual 
democratic  majority  of  five  thousand.  He  served  during  the 
darkest  days  of  the  war.  President  Lincoln  frequently  con- 
sulted him,  particularly  concerning  the  affairs  at  Brooklyn 
Navy  Yard  and  the  port  of  New  York;  his  practical  knowl- 
edge and  good  sense  were  of  great  use  and  highly  valued. 
He  was  a  delegate  to  the  Loyalists'  Convention  in  1866,  after 
which  he  retired  from  public  life. 

Mr.  Wall  was  a  public-spirited  man,  and  identified  with 
many  local  institutions.  He  was  one  of  the  original  eighteen 
who  started  the  Williamsburgh  Savings  Bank,  serving  for 
many  years  as  its  President.  He  was  also  one  of  the  origin- 
ators of  the  Williamsburgh  City, now  the  First  National  Bank, 
and  of  the  Williamsburgh  Dispensary.  He  served  seven 
years  as  one  of  the  Water  Commissioners  of  Brooklyn,  dur- 
ing which  time  the  whole  system  of  water  supply  was  con- 
structed, economically  and  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  citi- 
zens. 

Mr.  Wall,  though  in  later  years  a  resident  of  New  York, 
was  thoroughly  identified  with  Brooklyn  by  reason  of  his 
large  business  establishment,  his  extensive  ownership  of  real 
estate,  and  the  erection  of  the  Wall  House,  while  his  name 
will  ever  be  remembered  with  graticude  for  his  faithful  pub- 
lic services  through  many  years. 

Mr.  Wall  was  dignified  and  somewhat  reserved  in  manner, 
though  genial  in  his  social  hours;  he  had  a  kind  heart,  that 
was  easily  reached  by  the  call  of  suffering;  his  private  char- 
ities were  many,  but  unostentatious.  While  in  Congress,  it 
was  his  habit  to  visit  the  hospitals  at  Washington  every  day, 
where  his  presence  gladdened  both  the  loyal  wounded  and 
the  Confederate  prisoners  as  well,  on  account  of  his  cheering 
words  and  the  comforts  which  his  open  purse  procured. 
Though  a  strong  Union  man,  his  tender  heart  felt  for  the 
suffering  of  the  enemy's  wounded,  and  his  benefactions  were 
given  to  both  sides  even-handed.  He  was  a  true  friend  to  his 
employees,  and  almost  the  last  act  of  his  life  was  the  signing 
of  a  check  to  help  a  deserving  but  unfortunate  man. 

He  died  April  22d,  1872,  leaving  to  his  family  an  honored 
name,  and  the  record  of  a  useful,  well-spent  and  busy  life. 


Charles  Wall,  the  eldest  son  of  Hon.  William  Wall,  was 
born  in  Brooklyn,  in  1828.  He  received  his  education  in  his 
native  city  and  at  Swinburne's  Academy,  White  Plains,  New 
York,  and  spent  two  years  abroad,  chiefly  in  France,  adding 
to  the  knowledge  he  had  already  gained.  At  the  age  of 
twenty-two  he  became  a  partner  in  the  house  of  William 
Wall  &  Son,  importers  of  hemp  and  manufacturers  of  and 
wholesale,  dealers  in  cordage.  This  business  was  established 
by  Hon.  William  Wall,  and  its  history  is  fully  set  forth  in  a 
biographical  sketch  of  that  well-remembered  gentleman, 
which  appears  above.  Mr.  Charles  Wall  was  a  member  of 
this  firm,  later  called  William  Wall  &  Sons  and  William 


Wall's  Sons,  until  his  death,  in  1879,  acting  as  manager  of 
the  business  after  the  retirement  of  "Hon.  William  Wall,  and 
inventing  much  machinery,  now  used  in  the  manufacture 

of  cordage. 

Mr.  Wall  married  Miss  Eliza  Berry,  daughter  of  Evander 
Berry,  an  extensive  landowner  in  Brooklyn,  E.  D.  He  was 
one  of  the  most  prominent  manufacturers  of  his  time,  and 
his  advice  was  sought  by  manufacturers  in  all  parts  of  the 
country  upon  matters  of  importance.  In  deliberative  con- 
ventions of  manufacturers  he  was  esteemed  as  an  able  ex- 
ponent of  the  principles  governing  successful  operation  in 
the  field  they  occupied.  Politically,  he  was  a  republican; 
but  his  inclinations  did  not  lead  him  to  engage  actively  in 
political  strife  or  controversy.  He  was  known  to  all  as  the 
exemplification  of  personal  honor  and  business  probity,  and 
enjoyed,  in  the  highest  degree,  the  confidence  and  esteem  of 
all  with  whom  he  was  brought  in  contact.  In  all  the  rela- 
tions of  life  he  was  upright  and  plain-spoken,  and  his  position 
upon  any  question  with  which  he  interested  himself  was 
never  questioned  or  doubted  by  any  who  knew  him.  He 
died  in  the  prime  of  life,  mourned  sincerely  by  many,  and 
by  all  pronounced  an  honest  man,  "the  noblest  work  of 
God."  The  places  which  knew  him  once  will  know  him  no 
more  forever;  but,  in  the  memory  of  relative  and  friend  and 
business  acquaintance,  the  name  of  Charles  Wall  will  ever 
be  held  dear. 


Michael  W.  Wall.— After  the  retirement  of  their  father 
from  business,  his  sons,  Charles,  Michael  WT.  and  Frank  T., 
carried  on  the  establishment,  under  the  firm  name  of  William 
Wall's  Sons.  At  the  death  of  Charles,  the  eldest,  the  third 
son,  Michael  W.,  on  account  of  the  previous  death  of  his 
brother,  William  Wall,  Jr.,  assumed  the  management,  which 
he  still  retains.  Born  in  1839,  he  came  into  the  business  as 
clerk  in  1856,  remaining  until  the  breaking  out  of  the  war, 
when  he  joined  the  8th  Militia,  in  which  he  was  lieutenant, 
and  went  with  his  regiment  to  the  front.  He  saw  some  ser- 
vice, was  wounded,  and  came  home  a  captain,  with  an  hon- 
orable military  record.  Upon  his  return,  he  continued  his 
connection  with  the  house  as  a  partner,  after  a  time  becom- 
ing the  head  of  the  establishment.  The  capacity  of  the  works 
has  been  increased  one-third  within  the  last  four  years;  500 
men  are  employed,  and  the  manufactured  products  find  a 
ready  market  in  foreign  countries  as  well  as  in  the  United 
States. 

Though  Mr.  Wall's  residence  is  in  New  York,  his  business 
identifies  him  with  Brooklyn,  where  he  has  large  real  estate 
interests  also.  He  is  prominently  connected  with  the  New 
York  &  Brooklyn  Ferry  Company,  and  other  corporations. 
Though  he  is  still  a  young  man,  the  prosperity  of  the  firm, 
under  his  management,  and  the  prompt,  efficient  discharge 
of  his  various  duties,  indicate  that  he  has  inherited  his 
father's  business  abilities.  He  is  a  member  of  several  clubs 
in  New  York  city,  and  there,  as  well  as  in  general  society, 
his  genial  manners,  pleasant  address,  high  social  position, 
and  cordial,  kindly  disposition,  have  won  for  him  (he  hearty 
esteem  of  all  with  whom  he  is  brought  into  contact. 

Though  not  an  active  politician  in  the  sense  of  being  an 
aspirant  for  office,  he  has  always  taken  a  deep  interest  in  all 
municipal,  state  and  national  questions,  and  maintains,  with 
great  vigor,  the  principles  of  the  republican  party.  In  per- 
sonal and  mental  characteristics  he  resembles  li is  father,  and 
is  well  known  in  business  circles  as  one  of  that  class  of  ener- 
getic, capable  and  honorable  men,  whose  enterprise,  public 
spirit  and  ability  havo  made  New  York  and  Brooklyn  the 
mutropolis  of  the  western  world. 


4 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


721 


The  third  of  these  manufactories  in  the  order  of 
time,  though  the  first  in  the  extent  and  perfection  of 
its  plant,  and  the  amount  and  variety  of  its  products, 
is  the  house  of  L.  Waterbury  &  Co.,  which  is  claimed 
to  be  unrivalled  in  its  capacity  and  varied  production 
by  any  rope  and  cordage  manufactory  in  the  world. 
The  present  firm,  of  which  Lawrence  Waterbury,  a  son 
of  Noah  Waterbury,  and  William  Marshall,  a  practical 
ropemaker  since  1830,  were  the  first  partners,  was  not 
organized  till  1846.*  Their  ropewalk  was  first  estab- 
lished on  the  south  side  of  Ten  Eyck  street,  but  owing 
to  a  destructive  fire  in  1849  they  leased  the  building  of 
the  Thursby  ropewalk  adjoining,  on  the  north  side  of 
that  street,  the  proprietor  having  given  up  business. 
After  the  death  of  Mr.  Thursby,  the  property  came  into 
market,  and  Messrs.  Waterbury  &  Co.  purchased  and 
added  it  to  their  property.  Their  tract,  which  now  ex- 
tends from  Meadow  street  to  Grand  street,  and  from 
Waterbury  street  to  the  canal,  comprises  about  27  acres 
— 405  city  lots.  Soon  after  their  purchase  they  com- 
menced the  erection  of  additional  buildings,  and  a  large 
part  of  their  extensive  tract  is  covered  with  their  build- 
ings for  various  purposes.  Among  them  are:  a  rope- 
walk proper,  1,600x40  feet;  jenny  houses,  aggregating 
525x40  ft.,  and  three  stories  high,  for  preparing  and 
spinning  Manila,  Sisal,  Russian,  American  and  Italian 
hemp;  buildings  aggregating  225x44  feet,  three  stories 
high,  for  the  fine  spinning  of  jute;  paper-mill  buildings 
aggregating  400x60,  a  part  of  them  three  stories  high, 
and  part  one  story;  bagging  mills  for  the  coarse  spin- 
ning of  jute  butts  yarn,  aggregating  over  200x60  feet, 
three  stories  high;  a  large  laying  shed,  150x100,  where 
all  the  small  rope  is  made;  storage  buildings  and  large 
cellars,  capable  of  holding  several  months'  products  of 
manufactured  goods,  and  storage  sheds  having  a  capa- 
city for  many  thousand  bales  of  raw  material.  These 
last  alone  cover  several  acres. 

There  are  also  large  engine  and  boiler  houses,  stables 
for  fifty  horses,  etc.,  etc. 

Beside  these  there  is  a  large  machine  shop,  and  car- 
penter shops  adjoining,  where  much  of  the  machinery 
in  use  is  either  made  or  repaired.  Every  part  of  the 
production  which  can  be  facilitated  by  machinery  has 
its  machines  busily  at  work. 

The  bales  of  hemp  are  opened,  the  fibre  "drawn" 
over  and  over  again  into  a  "  sliver,"  the  "  sliver  "  into  a 
"  yarn,"  the  yarn  is  "  formed  "  into  a  "  strand,"  and  the 
"  strand  "  is  "  laid  "  into  a  firm  fine  cord,  or  into  a  mass- 
ive rope,  as  may  be  required. 

Other  machines  pick  the  hard  bales  of  jute  butts  to 
pieces,  then  "  card  "  them  and  spin  them  into  a  coarse 
yarn,  and  they  are  woven  into  bagging  ;  or,  for  paper, 
they  go  through  a  cutter,  and  then  into  enormous  re- 
volving cylinders  called  "  rotaries;"  then  into  "  wash- 

*  Lawrence  Waterbury  received  the  rope  factory  originally  as  a  gift 
from  his  father,  Noah  Waterbury,  in  l&U;  but  Mr.  Marshall  did  not 
come  in  as  a  partner  until  1846. 


ing"  and  "beating"  engines,  where  they  become  a  fine 
light-brown  pulp,  and  this  is  pumped  into  "  stuff 
chests"  at  the  end  of  machines  60  to  80  feet  long,  in 
which  it  is  transformed  into  paper,  dried,  calendered, 
cut,  folded  and  counted  ready  for  delivery. 

The  processes  for  making  the  Harvester  twine,  jute 
rope,  wool  twine,  etc.,  are  similar,  being  only  modifica- 
tions of  the  other  systems. 

All  the  processes  which  can  be  executed  by  ma- 
chinery are  turned  over  to  the  machines,  yet  1,400 
hands  are  required  in  the  busiest  seasons  to  superintend 
the  machines,  and  to  do  what  they  cannot. 

For  driving  all  this  machinery,  and  heating  the 
numerous  buildings,  the  following  steam  engines  are 
required:  One  pair  compound  engines  of  1,000  horse 
power,  one  pair  compound  engines  of  500  horse  power, 
one  beam  engine  of  500  horse  power,  one  pair  of  com- 
pound engines  of  100  horse  power,  one  pair  of  com- 
pound engines  of  150  horse  power,  one  beam  engine  of 
350  horse  power;  in  all,  2,600  horse  power;  and  these 
engines  are  all  driven  up  to  their  full  capacity  of  work. 
The  steam  is  furnished  by  17  boilers.  All  the  engines, 
except  one  small  pair,  are  of  Wright's  construction. 
The  small  pair,  as  well  as  the  numerous  steam  pumps, 
are  of  Knowles'  manufacture. 

The  cost  of  this  immense  plant  has  been  very  heavy, 
probably  amounting  to  more  than  $1,500,000;  but  the 
real  estate  has  more  than  quadrupled  in  value. 

Ropewalks  are  generally,  though  unjustly,  supposed 
to  be  very  liable  to  destruction  by  fire,  so  much  so,  that 
all  the  insurance  companies  rate  them  as  hazardous 
or  extra-hazardous;  yet  so  perfect  and  complete  are  the 
precautions  against  fire  in  this  great  establishment,  that 
the  New  England  Manufacturers'  Mutual  Insurance 
Companies'  Association  takes  the  risk  at  one  per  cent, 
and  pays  back  every  year  a  dividend  of  from  60  to  80 
per  cent,  of  the  premium.  What  are  these  precautions  ? 
Through  every  room  of  all  the  buildings  rows  of  pipes 
are  run  along  the  ceilings,  and  at  a  distance  of  from 
eight  to  ten  feet  apart  taps  are  inserted  with  a  large 
sprinkling  apparatus.  These  taps  have  stoppers,  com- 
posed of  soft  metal,  which  melts  at  a  temperature  of 
not  above  150°  F.,  and  as  the  pipes  are  connected  with 
the  street  water-main's  tanks,  the  moment  the  plug 
melts  they  each  throw  a  heavy  spray  over  a  space  of 
100  square  feet,  and  as  they  are  only  eight  or  ten  feet 
apart,  they  will  at  once  deluge  the  room  and  extinguish 
any  fire  originating  there.  But  lest  the  supply  from 
the  mains  should  give  out,  huge  tanks  of  water,  con- 
taining many  thousands  of  gallons,  are  constructed 
upon  the  roofs  of  the  largest  building,  and  kept  con- 
stantly filled  and  in  order,  to  be  supplied  to  pipes  and 
hose  throughout,  while  driven  wells  in  the  vicinity  of 
the  buildings  furnish  an  abundance  of  water,  which  the 
steam  fire-pumps  could  rapidly  distribute  over  each  of 
the  rooms.  This  abundant  supply  is  supplemented  by 
a  sufficient  number  of  watchmen,  whose  vigilance  is 


722 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


secured  by  the  automatic  action  of  an  electric  tell-tale 
watchman's  clock,  and  the  system  is  guarded  by  the 
frequent  visits  of  the  inspectors  of  the  insurance  com- 
pany, whose  monthly  reports  are  printed  and  distributed 
to  all  the  insuring  corporations.  This  system  is  also 
introduced  into  the  Tucker  &  Carter  Cordage  Com- 
pany's works,  and  more  recently  into  those  of  Messrs. 
William  Wall's  Sons. 

The  average  out-put  of  this  establishment  is  as  fol- 
lows: Ropes  and  cordage  (Manila  and  Sisal  hemp,  with 
some  Russian  and  a  little  American),  in  all  9,000  tons, 
at  an  average  price  of  8240  per  ton,  §2,100,000;  Har- 
vester twine  (Manila  hemp),  4,000  tons,  at  $300  per 
ton,  $1,200,000;  bagging  (mostly  from  jute  butts), 
6,240,000  yards,  at  10  cents,  $624,000;  "  Manila  "  paper 
(from  jute  butts  stock),  3,000  tons,  at  $140  per  ton, 
$420,000;  jute  rope  and  twine  (wool  twine  from  jute, 
not  jute  butts),  $120,000;  total  out-put,  $4,524,000. 

It  is  worthy  of  notice  in  our  history  that  this  house 
was  the  first  manufactory  in  this  country,  or  any  other, 
to  utilize  jute  butts.  Gunny  bagging,  which  was  made 
from  jute  raised  in  India  and  manufactured  there,  was 
fur  many  years  largely  imported  into  the  United  States, 
but  the  East  Indian  manufacturers  had  great  difficulty 
in  ridding  themselves  of  the  jute  butts,  or  lower  por- 
tion of  the  stalks  of  the  jute  (the  plant  was  brought  to 
them  pulled  up  from  the  roots),  and  the  butts  were  not 
only  supposed  to  be  worthless  for  manufacturing,  but 
were  a  positive  nuisance,  and  were  only  disposed  of  by 
compelling  their  employees  to  burn  them  in  small 
quantities  every  day.  A  shipmaster,  leaving  Calcutta 
without  a  full  cargo,  was  induced,  in  default  of  any- 
thing better,  to  take  nearly  a  hundred  tons  of  these 
jute  butts  on  board  as  ballast.  Arrived  in  New  York, 
he  found  in  Mr.  Marshall,  of  L.  Waterbury  &  Co.,  a 
customer  who  consented  to  take  it  off  his  hands.  By 
some  adaptation  of  their  machinery,  Messrs.  Water- 
bury  tfe  Co.  were  able  to  use  this  despised  fibre  for 
bagging,  and  have  gone  on  using  itever  since,  and  their 
example  has  been  followed  by  other  manufacturers,  till 
now  somewhat  more  than  40,000  tons  of  imported  jute 
butts  are  imported  annually.  Of  this  amount  Messrs. 
Waterbury  &  Co.  use  about  9,000  tons.  The  Govern- 
ment collected  a  duty  of  $6  per  ton  on  it  for  several 
years.    Last  year  the  duty  was  reduced  to  $5. 

After  these  houses  come  Lawrence  t&  Cooper,  of 
Maspeth  avenue;  Messrs.  D.  Allen's  Sons,  in  South 
Brooklyn,  and  Samuel  Ludlow,  of  Rockaway  avenue, 
whose  business,  though  <>n  a  smaller  scale,  is  still  large 
enough  to  be  profitable.  Only  the  second  of  these 
houses  makes  ropes  to  any  extent.  Mr.  Ludlow  makes 
a  specialty  of  sash  and  hammock  cords  and  clothes 
Inns.  There  are  ei'dit  or  nine  other  small  houses 
which  manufacture  no  ropes,  but  make  clothes  lines, 
baling  cord,  lath  yarns  and  twine  of  all  descriptions, 
for  all  sorts  of  customers,  for  which  there  is  a  large 
and  increasing  demand.     With  an  inexpensive  plant, 


and  the  work  so  light  that  much  of  it  may  be  done  by 
women  and  children,  these  houses  are  able  to  make  a 
comfortable  living,  though  not  to  acquire  large  fortunes. 

It  may  be  said,  in  conclusion,  that  the  production  of 
ropes  and  cordage  from  Manila  and  Sisal,  Russian,  New 
Zealand  and  American  hemp,  in  Brooklyn,  constitutes 
more  than  40  per  cent,  of  the  entire  production  of  the 
United  States;  and  that  though  embarrassed  by  the 
heavy  duty  of  $25  per  ton  of  Manila,  $15  on  Sisal 
hemp,  and  $5  on  jute  butts — all  unjustifiable  imposi- 
tions on  raw  material  which  cannot  be  produced  here — 
the  American  rope  manufacturers  can  command  the 
market  of  the  world  for  their  cordage,  underselling 
Great  Britain  in  her  own  colonies.  Of  course,  their 
goods  exported  to  foreign  countries  command  a  rebate, 
but  this  rebate  is  materially  less  than  the  duty. 

Subsection  I. — Jute  and  Jute  Butts. 

Of  over  84,000  tons  of  jute  and  jute  butts  imported 
into  the  United  States  in  1882,  more  than  one-half — 53,- 
000  tons — were  jute  butts.  The  ropewalks  of  Brooklyn 
consumed  of  this  somewhat  more  than  16,000  tons,  or 
a  little  less  than  one-third  of  the  whole  importation, 
and  of  jute  nearly  6,000  tons.  These  were  all  con- 
sumed in  the  manufacture  of  jute  rope  and  twine,  bag- 
ging and  paper. 

But  the  ropewalks  were  not  the  only  consumers  of 
jute  and  jute  butts.  Jute  is  used  in  the  manufacture 
of  the  best  qualities  of  burlaps;  in  carpets  of  the 
cheaper  class,  jute  butts  forming  the  filling  in  these; 
for  imitation  of  coarse  silk  goods;  for  imitation  hair 
switches;  and  for  wrapping  paper  of  all  grades.  The 
census  of  1880  reports  three  manufacturers  of  jute 
and  jute  goods  in  Brooklyn,  but  omits  several  small 
establishments.  The  three  establishments  specified 
were  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  carpets  prin- 
cipally. The  Planet  Mill,  the  largest  of  the  three, 
however,  made,  and  still  makes,  other  jute  goods,  be- 
side carpets;  burlaps,  and  other  goods,  being  on  its  list. 

The  number  of  jute  manufacturers  has  increased  since 
1880,  there  being  now  four  carpet  manufacturers  who 
use  this  fibre  either  for  warp  or  filling,  or  both,  and 
four  or  five  small  houses,  which  produce  other  jute 
goods.  The  amount  of  raw  material  used  in  1880  was 
reported  by  the  census  as  equivalent  to  about  7,500 
tons,  if  jute  and  jute  butts  were  used  in  equal  quan- 
tities, but  if  there  was  an  excess  of  the  latter,  as  is 
probable,  there  were  at  least  10,000  tons  in  all.  Add- 
ing this  to  the  consumption  of  the  ropewalks,  with  an 
allowance  for  the  increased  consumption  since  1880, 
and  the  entire  consumption  of  jute  and  jute  butts  in 
Brooklyn  will  be  31,000  tons,  or  three-eighths  of  the 
entire  importation.  The  consumption  of  Manila  and 
Sisal  hemp  in  this  city,  bears  just  about  the  same  pre 
portion  to  the  entire  importation  of  these  fibres. 

The  jute  manufacture  employs  over  500  hands,  and 
the  annual  product  is  now  more  than  $S00,0OO. 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


723 


Subsection  II. — Ropemaking  Machinery. 
The  existence  of  ropewalks  in  these  days  implies, 
as  it  did  not  fifty  years  ago,  the  production  of  numer- 
ous machines  for  the  manufacture  of  the  ropes,  cord- 
age and  twine.  Nearly  all  the  processes  which  at  that 
time  were  performed  by  hand  at  a  great  expenditure 
of  time  and  severe  labor,  are  now  performed  better, 
with  fifty-fold  rapidity,  and  with  a  great  saving  of 
labor,  by  machines;  while  many  descriptions  of  cord- 
age and  twines,  then  unknown,  are  now  wholly  pro- 
duced by  machinery.  Twenty,  or  even  fifteen  years 
ago,  there  were  very  few  machines  in  the  ropewalks; 
the  spinning  jenny  was  in  very  general  use,  and  there 
were  some  twisting  and  laying  machines;  but  the 
efficiency  of  the  manufacture  of  rope,  cordage  and 
twine,  has  been  almost  indefinitely  increased  by  the 
machines  invented  and  introduced  by  Mr.  John  Good, 


tion  of  the  Harvester  twine  was  ready  for  use,  when 
the  demand  for  that  article  came,  and  it  has  required 
no  changes  since. 

Mr.  Good  licensed,  some  years  since,  an  English 
house,  Samuel  Lawson  &  Sons,  of  Leeds,  to  make  the 
ropemaking  machines  under  his  patents,  paying  him 
a  royalty,  and  that  house  are  now  manufacturing 
nearly  as  large  an  amount  as  his  Brooklyn  establish- 
ment. 

Most  of  his  business  now  consists  in  the  building 
and  furnishing  of  ropewalks,  in  all  parts  of  the  world, 
with  his  machines  in  complete  running  order;  and  so 
great  is  the  confidence  of  his  patrons  in  his  integrity 
and  capacity  to  execute  these  contracts  satisfactorily, 
that  he  has  all  the  business  he  can  do,  and  at  such 
rates  as  he  demands.  The  manufacture  of  Harvester 
twine  is  becoming  a  \large  industry  at  the  west,  and 


JOHN  GOOD'S  ROPEMAKING  MACHINERY  ESTABLISHMENT. 


since  the  issuing  of  his  first  patent,  October  5,  1869. 
Mr.  Good  is  now  not  only  the  leading,  but  the  only 
considerable  manufacturer  of  ropemaking  machinery 
in  the  United  States,  and  all  of  his  machines  are  of 
his  own  invention.  In  about  thirteen  years  he  has 
built  up  a  business  which  occupies  the  finest  buildings 
for  machinists'  work  in  this  city  or  county,  covering 
an  acre  of  ground,  all  his  own  property,  and  his  busi- 
ness is  very  rapidly  increasing. 

The  complete  adaptation  of  these  machines  to  their 
work,  and  the  perfection  of  their  manufacture,  are 
really  wonderful,  and  demonstrate  the  practical  char- 
acter of  the  inventor's  genius.  While  they  are  simple 
in  construction,  they  require  no  improvement,  and  the 
shrewd  and  skillful  mechanics  who  have  made  and 
used  them,  find  no  opportunity  for  patenting  any 
modification  of  them.    The  machine  for  the  produc- 


Mr.  Good  is  shipping  more  and  more  machines  each 
year  to  western  manufacturers. 

These  machine  works  now  have  a  capital  of  $300,000 
or  more,  and  give  employment  in  a  busy  season  to  300 
hands,  paying  out  about  $100,000  in  wages,  and  pro- 
ducing about  $300,000  of  machinery.  With  his 
present  facilities,  and  his  high  reputation  as  an  inventor 
and  machinist,  there  is  no  reason  why  his  business 
should  not  be  doubled  within  the  next  five  years. 


John  Good. — The  lives  of  successful  inventors  are  always 
pleasant  and  profitable  reading,  and  it  is  a  source  of  gratifi- 
cation to  us  when  we  have  the  opportunity  of  recording 
such  a  life  in  our  pages.  The  subject  of  this  sketch,  Mr. 
John  Good,  has  been  the  architect  of  his  own  fortune,  and  it 
is  well  that  the  young  should  know  that  one  wlio,  like  many 
of  them,  spent  his  early  years  in  severe  and  scantily  re- 
quited toil,  in  the  very  prime  of  a  vigorous  and  stalwart 


724 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


manhood,  lias  attained,  by  his  inventive  genius,  his  industry 
and  sterling  integrity,  to  a  prominent  and  commanding  posi- 
tion among  the  manufacturers  of  a  great  city. 

Mr.  Good  was  born  in  Ireland  in  1840.  His  mother  came 
to  America,  when  he  was  but  seven  years  of  age,  and  settled  in 
Brooklyn,  and  here  he  and  his  elder  brother,  Michael,  acquired 
a  moderate  education  in  the  public  schools.  Both  were 
quick  to  learn,  and  keen  observers.  "When  John  was  about 
thirteen  years  old,  he  was  employed,  for  a  time  in  the 
exteu&ive  ropewalk  of  the  late  William  Wall  (now  con- 
ducted by  William  Wall's  Sons).  After  some  further  atten- 
dance at  school,  John  was  apprenticed  to  Messrs.  James 
Bulger  «fc  Co.,  machinists,  and  served  his  time  with  them, 
becoming  an  accomplished  machinist.  But  his  fondness  for 
the  ropemaking  business  still  clung  to  him,  and  he  pres- 
ently procured  a  situation  as  superintendent  of  the  rope- 
walk  of  Henry  Lawrence  &  Sons,  which  has  since  been  suc- 
ceeded by  that  of  Lawrence  &  Cooper.  Here  he  was  led  to 
study  the  possibility  of  contriving  some  method  of  lessening 
the  great  labor  of  hand-combing  and  lapping  the  Manila, 
Sisal,  Russian  and  American  hemp,  and  straightening  the 
fibres  so  as  to  fit  the  fibre  for  spinning  more  rapidly.  It  was 
the  time  of  the  war,  and  there  was  a  great  demand  for 
ropes  and  cordage,  yet  all  the  combing  was  done  by  the  old- 
fashioned  lapper.  The  problem  occupied  his  thoughts  night 
and  day,  and  at  length  he  succeeded  in  producing  a  machine 
which  would  do  the  work  automatically  and  well.  Other 
machines  followed  for  drawing  the  hemp  into  slivers  and  for 
spinning  it  into  a  fine  cord.  He  tested  these  machines  very 
thoroughly,  and,  having  secured  patents  for  them,  both 
here  and  in  Europe  (his  first  patent  bears  date  October  5, 
1869),  he  and  his  brother,  Michael,  established  a  machine 
shop  and  factory  for  manufacturing  these  machines,  for  the 
use  of  ropemakers,  at  588  and  590  Grand  street,  E.  D.,  about 
1871.  His  machines  had  received  the  first  premium— a 
medal — at  the  Fair  of  the  American  Institute,  in  1870,  and 
subsequently  were  twice  honored  with  a  medal  at  the  Paris 
Expositions  of  1874  and  1878.  In  the  latter  year,  Mr.  Good, 
having  purchased  an  acre  of  land  (somewhat  more  than  half 
a  block).  Ixwnded  by  Washington  and  Park  avenues,  and 
Hall  s  reet,  proceeded  to  erect  on  it  his  present  extensive  and 
beautiful  machine  works.  The  buildings,  a  part  of  them 
three  stories  in  height,  extend  along  the  whole  Park  avenue 
front,  of  200  feet,  and  from  50  to  100  feet  on  Washington 
avenue  and  Hall  street.  They  are  the  most  convenient,  per- 
fect, and  admirably  arranged  machine  shops  in  Kings 
county,  and  we  doubt  if  they  are  surpassed  anywhere  else 
in  this  country. 

When  the  demand  came  for  "  Harvester  Twine,"  Mr.  Good 
had  a  machine  ready  to  make  it,  and  one  so  perfect  in  its 
character  that  all  the  ropewalks  which  engage  in  that 
branch  of  manufacture  have  been  perfectly  satisfied  with 
it.  At  every  new  emergency  in  the  business  of  ropemaking. 
Mr.  Good  has  been  ready  at  once  with  a  machine  to  meet 
it.  He  has  now  machines  adapted  to  the  jute  manufac- 
ture, the  fibre  of  which  requires  a  different  method  of 
handling  from  that  employed  in  the  manufacture  of  the 
various  kinds  of  hemp.  It  is  a  characteristic  of  his  ma- 
chines that,  while  very  simple  in  construction,  they  cover 
the  whole  field,  and  leave  no  room  for  Improvement  by 
others. 

Some  years  since,  he  established  a  house  in  Leeds  for  the 
manufacture  of  his  machinery  there.  The  firm  name  there 
is  Samuel  Luwson  &  Sons,  and  they  are  working  under  a 
license  of  his  patents,  and  are  doing  about  the  same  amount 
of  business  :is  his  Brooklyn  works.  He  is  the  leading  manu- 
facturer of  ropemaking  machinery  in  the  world.    His  busi- 


ness is  now  largely  done  by  contracts.  Parties  who  are 
desirous  of  establishing  ropewalks,  in  any  part  of  the 
world,  can  contract  with  him  for  every  part  of  the  work, 
from  buying  the  land  and  erecting  the  buildings,  to  the  com- 
pletion, with  all  the  latest  and  best  machinery  in  perfect 
running  order,  and,  if  needed,  skillful  and  competent  ma- 
chinists to  superintend  the  running.  Many  of  these  estab- 
lishments, thus  built  and  furnished  by  him,  are  now  doing 
excellent  work  in  different  States;  and  he  has  acquired  so 
high  a  reputation  for  the  perfection  of  his  work  and  his 
integrity  in  dealing,  that  he  has  all  the  contracts  he  can  fill. 

SECTION  XIV. 

Paper  Hangings,  Window  Shades,  and  Fresco 
and  Ceiling  Papers. 


W.  H.  MAI  KS  &  CO.'S  PAPER-HANGINGS  M  AN  1"  IACTOK  V. 


The  manufacture  which  gives  to  each  establishment 
the  largest  annual  product  is  that  of  paper  hangings. 
The  census  reports,  in  1880,  but  three  manufactories — 
those  of  William  H.  Mairs  <fj  Co.,  Robert  Graves  &  Co., 
and  Robert  S.  Hobbs  t0  Co.  These  three  establish- 
ments were  reported  as  having  a  capital  of  $285,000; 
employing  427  hands;  paying  5?  1 75,733  of  wages;  using 
8783,753  of  material,  and  producing  $1,382,862  of 
paper  hangings,  window  shades  and  fresco  papers. 

The  number  of  these  establishments  is  now  four,  Mr. 
William  N~.  Peak  having  commenced  business  since 
1880.  At  present  these  houses  manufacture  more  than 
thirty  per  cent,  of  all  the  paper  hangings  made  in  the 
Tinted  States,  and  the  quality  of  their  finer  goods  is 
not  surpassed  anywhere.  A  few  of  their  designs  are 
based  upon  English  or  French  patterns,  though  these 
are  usually  materially  modified;  but  the  greater  part, 
and  those  of  the  most  artistic  character,  are  either  from 
designs  of  their  own  artists,  or  workmen  in  the  factor- 
ies, or  designs  made  outside  and  brought  to  them  for 
sale.  A  very  considerable  trade  lias  sprung  up  in  these 
designs,  of  which  they  require  very  many:  they  arc 
generally  brought  to  the  factories  by  men,  but  many 
are  believed  to  be  the  work  of  young  women  and  girls 
who  have  been  trained  in  the  Schools  of  Design  for 
women.  Aside  from  skill  in  the  art  of  drawing,  and 
tact  in  the  forming  of  such  combinations  as  will  pro- 
duce a  pleasing  and  graceful  effect,  there  is  needed  a 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


725 


practical  knowledge  of  the  actual  working  of*  these 
combinations;  for  designs  which  may  be  graceful  and 
beautiful  in  themselves,  will  not  always  produce  a  good 
effect  when  printed  from  the  roller  or  block.  The  de- 
mand for  these  fine  papers  is  rapidly  increasing,  and  is 
now  more  than  double  what  it  was  in  1880. 

Messrs.  W.  H.  Mairs  &  Co.  are  the  largest  manufac- 
turers in  the  United  States,  and  produce  almost  all 
grades  of  papers  and  paper  shades  of  beautiful  and  va- 
ried designs.  Their  annual  production  exceeds  nine 
millions  of  rolls,  of  eight  yards  each. 

Messrs.  Robert  Graves  &  Co.  are  next  in  the  amount 
of  production  in  Brooklyn,  turning  out  about  2,500,000 
rolls  annually,  besides  large  quantities  of  fresco  and 
ceiling  papers.  They  confine  themselves  almost  exclu- 
sively to  the  production  of  the  highest  grade  of  papers. 

Messrs.  Robert  S.  Hobbs  &  Co.,  though  third  in  the 
amount  of  their  production,  are  a  large  and  long  estab- 
lished house,  and  their  papers  rank  as  high  in  quality 
and  finish  as  those  of  any  of  the  other  houses  in  the 
trade.  We  believe  they  do  not  make  window  shades 
or  ceiling  papers.  Their  processes  of  manufacture  are 
similar  to  those  of  Messrs.  William  H.  Mairs  &  Co., 
already  described. 

Messrs.  William  M.  Peak  &  Co.  are  a  young  house, 
having  commenced  business  in  1882,  but  their  goods 
are  of  excellent  quality,  and  they  are  building  up  a 
good  trade. 

A  brief  account  of  the  processes  of  wall  paper  manu- 
facture will  be  of  interest  to  our  readers. 

Forty  or  fifty  years  ago  the  manufacture  of  paper 
hangings  in  this  country  was  confined  to  the  production 
of  plain  colored  papers  for  paper  window-shades,  and 
cheap  papers  on  a  brown  or  slate-colored  stock,  on 
which  rude  designs  were  printed  by  a  hand  press  from 
blocks,  in,  perhaps,  three  or  four  colors.  The  register 
of  these  was  imperfect,  and  the  best  patterns  would  not 
now  be  considered  fit  to  be  used  in  papering  the  plain- 
est or  roughest  shanty.  All  the  better  classes  of  paper 
hangings  were  imported  from  England  or  France;  and 
some  low-priced  papers,  but  of  better  designs  than  the 
American,  came  from  Germany. 

The  improvement  was  very  gradual  for  many  years; 
the  paper  and  printing  were  better,  though  both  were 
far  below  the  poorest  of  the  present  time.  France  sup- 
plied the  finest  papers  and  the  English  manufacturers 
followed.  A  manufacturer  of  long  experience  tells  us 
that,  so  lately  as  twelve  or  fifteen  years  ago,  they  would 
look  sadly  at  the  samples  of  English  and  French 
papers  as  they  came  in,  and  would  say,  "  Oh,  if  we 
could  only  equal  this  !  "  Now,  the  same  samples  -would 
excite  their  derision,  for  they  can  far  surpass  even  the 
highest  productions  of  the  foreign  manufacturers.  The 
first  item  in  the  manufacture  of  paper  hangings  is  the 
paper.  We  believe  none  of  the  manufacturers  make 
their  own  paper,  and  probably  they  could  not  do  so  to 
advantage.    Several  of  the  large  paper  mills  in  Sara- 


toga, Washington  and  Herkimer  counties,  and  some  of 
those  in  New  England,  run  exclusively  on  this  paper. 
It  is  mostly  made  of  old  newspaper  stock,  and  it  does 
not  require  very  great  strength  and  tenacity,  and  straw 
would  be  too  brittle,  wood-pulp  too  fine,  and  rags  too 
costly.  There  are  two  or  three  grades,  though  the 
difference  in  quality  is  not  great.  All  are  sized  at  the 
paper  mills,  and  are  furnished  to  the  wall  paper  manu- 
facturers in  rolls  of  about  1,600  yards  each.  A  house 
like  that  of  Messrs.  W.  H.  Mairs  &  Co.  will  use  from 
70,000  to  80,000  of  these  monster  rolls,  which  weigh  not 
far  from  100  pounds  each,  in  a  year — about  3,600  tons. 
In  the  basement  of  the  great  factory,  side  by  side  with 
the  stock  of  paper,  are  the  barrels  and  casks  of  colors, 
ground  in  water.  The  aniline  colors  play  an  important 
part  among  these,  and  there  ar^  also  large  quantities  of 
gold  and  silver  leaf,  and  some  of  the  Dutch  bronzes — 
with  their  appropriate  sizes. 

But  to  return  to  the  paper.  If  it  is  to  be  of  the 
grade  known  as  satin  papers,  it  is  first  passed  through  a 
grounding  machine  which  puts  on  a  coating  of  clay. 
This  is  then  reeled  up  and  passes  through  a  polishing 
machine,  so  arranged  that,  as  the  paper  passes  over  the 
cylinder,  its  surface  comes  in  contact  with  roller 
brushes  of  tampico,  running  at  great  speed,  which  gives 
it  a  fine  gloss  or  satin  finish.  This  ground  work  may 
be  of  any  desired  color,  the  clay  being  tinted  with  a 
light  cream  shade,  pale  or  deep  yellow,  buff  or  ecru, 
brown,  olive,  light  or  dark  green,  blue,  or  even  black. 

Those  papers  which  are  not  satin  finished  do  not  un- 
dergo this  process,  but  are  fed  directly  upon  the  print- 
ing machine,  the  sizing  of  the  paper  at  the  mill  where 
it  is  manufactured  being  sufficient  to  prevent  the 
colors  from  striking  through.  At  the  present  time, 
however,  all  the  better  classes  of  papers  are  satined  or 
grounded  before  printing.  In  either  casv,  as  the  paper 
passes  from  the  printing  machine  a  rod  or  lath  with 
rounded  edges,  about  a  yard  in  length,  is,  by  an  in- 
genious device,  slipped  under  the  paper  at  intervals  of 
about  16  feet,  and  drawn  up  the  inclined  rails  on 
either  side,  till  it  reaches  a  height  of  perhaps 
seven  and  a  half  feet  when  it  drops  into  a  slot  in 
the  slowly  travelling  frame,  and  the  paper  is  thus  sus- 
pended, in  loops  measuring  about  16  feet.  The  frame 
on  which  they  are  suspended,  travels  forward  slowly, 
closing  up  to  a  distance  of  perhaps  six  inches  between 
the  loops,  and  the  temperature  of  the  room  is  sufficiently 
high  to  dry  this  colored  surface  in  a  few  hours.  When 
dry,  the  paper  is  ready  for  the  printing  of  the  pattern. 
The  printing,  which  was  originally  done  from  wooden 
blocks,  usually  of  cherry  or  beech,  with  carved  figures, 
which  did  not  always  register  accurately,  is  now  mostly 
done  from  cylinders  of  maple,  the  process  of  making 
which  we  will  presently  describe.  Each  cylinder  or 
roller  prints  only  a  single  color,  and  all  of  the  pattern 
which  is  of  that  color.  The  number  of  colors  in  a  pat- 
tern may  be  anywhere  from  one  to  twelve;  and  if  gold 


HISTORY  01  KINGS  COtTNlY. 


printing  is  introduced,  the  portions  to  be  in  gold  have 
cylinders  charged  at  those  points  with  gold  size,  the 
gold  leaf  being  afterward  applied  by  another  machine. 
The  arrangements  for  registering  are  perfect;  every 
part  of  the  pattern,  on  each  roller,  fits  absolutely  into 
every  other,  and  when  the  cylinders  are  put  in  their 
places  on  the  great  printing  machine,  whatever  the 
number  of  colors,  they  are  all  printed  by  the  same 
revolutions  of  the  machine,  and  the  long  roll  of  paper 
conies  out  completed,  so  far  as  the  pattern  is  concerned. 
For  the  drying,  the  same  process  as  before  is  necessary 
of  hanging  it  in  loops,  and  when  fully  dried  it  is  lightly 
calendered,  and  then  passed  along  an  inclined  plane, 
where,  by  automatic  machinery,  it  is  cut  off  in  lengths 
of  sixteen  yards,  the  end  turned  over,  and,  by  another 
automatic  arrangement,  a  girl  is  able  to  turn  off  about 
five  rolls  a  minute,  the  outer  edge  or  end  of  the  roll 
being  folded  inward  like  a  hem.  The  rolls  are  carried 
from  this  room  to  the  receiving  room,  examined,  num- 
bered, and  after  sampling,  are  ready  for  packing. 
While  roller  or  cylinder  printing  of  wall-papers  is  the 
process  most  in  use,  some  of  the  very  finest  patterns 
are  printed  from  wooden  blocks,  with  raised  figures, 
upon  a  different  kind  of  press,  the  impressions  being 
made  on  a  fiat  surface,  instead  of  by  cylindrical  rollers, 
somewhat  after  the  style  of  the  printing  machines 
which  print  from  wood  engravings  in  colors.  The 
method  of  making  the  cylinders  or  rollers  for  printing 
the  wall-papers  merits  description.  The  cylinders, 
turned  very  smoothly  and  of  uniform  size,  have,  first, 
the  entire  pattern  pasted  or  cemented  upon  them.  This 
pattern  is  on  tracing  paper  or  cloth,  and  is  transferred 
from  the  original  design,  which  lias  the  design  drawn 
and  colored  as  it  will  appear  when  finished.  The  trans- 
fers made  by  tracing  paper  of  this  design  are  not 
colored,  but  there  are  as  many  transfers  as  there  are 
colors,  and  the  artist,  by  a  colored  tracing  pencil,  marks 
every  line  of  a  particular  color  upon  the  tracing  paper 
for  each  roller,  before  it  is  carefully  pasted  upon  the 
roller.  The  rollers  for  the  different  colors  constitute  a 
set,  each  having  that  portion  of  the  design  only  per- 
taining to  its  particular  color,  and  the  whole  number 
making  up  the  entire  pattern.  The  rollers  having  these 
patterns  of  the  design  marked  are  next  put  into  the 
hands  of  workmen,  who  work  out  the  design  by  insert- 
ing in  the  lines  brass-plates — what  the  printers  would 
call  their  brass  rule — about  one-fourth  of  an  inch  wide. 
The  brass  is  very  hard,  and  the  pieces  are  skilfully  in- 
serted, after  being  hammered  or  filed  into  shape,  so  as 
to  give  the  outline  of  a  flower,  or  vine,  or  any  other 
figure.  The  lines  are  first  cut  slightly  by  a  suitable  tool, 
and  then  the  brass  figures  are  settled  into  them  to  a 
uniform  depth  by  a  slight  tap  of  a  hammer.  The  in- 
terstices of  each  figure  are  filled  with  a  very  heavy  and 
dense  felt,  of  a  thickness  nearly  equal  to  the  elevation 
of  the  brass  figures.  When  each  roller  of  a  set  is  com- 
pleted,  the\  .ire  taken  to  a  lathe,  and  a  gauge  being 


set,  each  is  turned  down  to  precisely  the  same  diame- 
ter, a  difference  of  a  hair's  breadth  being  sufficient  to 
materially  damage  the  printing.  The  manufacture  of 
window  shades,  which  are  produced  in  large  quantities 
by  Messrs.  Mairs  <fc  Co.,  and  of  fresco  and  ceiling 
papers,  which  are  a  specialty  of  Messrs.  Graves  &  Co., 
requires  a  somewhat  different  process,  owing  to  the 
greater  width  and  different  form  of  these  papers  and 
shades.  The  shades  are  printed  on  gigantic  cylinder 
presses,  the  diameter  of  the  cylinders  being  from  15  to 
18  feet.  The  rolls  of  paper — three  feet  in  width — from 
which  the  presses  are  fed,  are  about  five  feet  in  circum- 
ference. The  ceiling  papers  are  printed,  we  believe, 
on  a  very  large  press,  but  we  are  not  familiar  with  the 
details  of  the  work. 

This  industry  has  passed  through  great  changes  in 
the  last  twenty-five  years,  not  only  in  Kings  county 
and  the  state  of  New  York,  but  throughout  the  whole 
country.  In  1860,  the  first  census  in  which  it  was 
reported,  there  were  26  establishments  in  the  whole 
country,  employing  1,294  hands,  and  $1,037,600  cap- 
ital, and  producing  goods  valued  at  $2,148,800.  These 
all  consisted  of  what  would  now  be  called  cheap 
papers. 

In  1870,  the  number  of  establishments  had  fallen  to 
19,  but  these  were  employing  860  hands,  and  $1,415,- 
500  capital,  and  produced  goods  to  the  value  of 
$2,165,510.  These  were  better  goods,  though  not  yet 
of  the  highest  quality.  In  1880  there  were  reported 
25  establishments,  employing  a  capital  of  $3,560,500 
and  2,487  hands,  and  producing  goods  valued  at 
$6,261,303.  Among  these  were  the  finest  patterns, 
equal  if  not  superior  to  any  of  the  European  papers. 
Of  these  25  paper  hangings  factories,  16  were  in  the 
state  of  New  York  (11  in  New  York  city,  3  in  Brook- 
lyn, 1  in  Staten  Island,  and  1  in  Buffalo),  6  in  Phila- 
delphia, and  3  in  New  Jersey. 

In  1870,  one-fourth  of  all  the  paper  hangings  made 
in  the  state  of  New  York  were  made  in  Kings  county, 
and  three-fourths  in  New  York  city.  About  two- 
thirds  of  all  the  manufactories,  and  more  than  one- 
half  the  wall  paper  produced  in  the  United  States  wen 
made  in  the  two  counties  of  New  York  and  Kings.  The 
statistics  of  the  census  of  the  business  in  Kings  county 
in  187<)  were:  5  establishments,  332  hands  employed, 
$300,000  capital,  $149,500  wages,  $996,000  products. 

In  1880,  there  had  been  another  change,  both  in 
Kings  and  New  York  counties;  the  production  in  the 
former,  as  we  have  already  seen,  had  increased,  though 
the  number  of  establishments  had  decreased  from  live 
to  three;  the  quality  of  the  goods  had  also  greatly 
improved. 

In  New  York  city  there  were  11  establishments; 
$196,500  capital;  1,359  hands;  $415,120  paid  in  wages; 
$2,054,104  value  of  raw  material;  $3,499,143  of  an- 
nual  products.  At  that  time  those  two  counties  liad 
three-fifths  of  all  the  manufactories,  and  produced 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


727 


four-fifths  of  all  the  paper  hangings  made  in  the 
United  States. 

Both  cities  (New  York  and  Brooklyn),  have  made 
great  progress  in  the  manufacture  of  these  goods  in 
three  years,  1880 — '83,  and  their  present  relation  to  the 
entire  production  of  the  country  is  that  of  83  to  100, 
or  five-sixths  of  the  whole.  The  number  of  establish- 
ments remains  (with  some  local  changes),  three-fifths  of 
the  whole,  but  some  of  the  establishments  in  the  two 
cities  are  larger  than  any  others  in  the  United  States 
(one,  in  Brooklyn,  is  said  to  be  the  largest  in  the 
world).  Of  the  83  per  cent,  of  production,  Brooklyn 
has  about  31  per  cent.,  and  New  York  52  per  cent., 
and  each  year  increases  largely  the  aggregate  produc- 
tion. The  actual  amount  and  value  of  the  Brooklyn 
product  for  the  year  ending  July  1,  1883,  was,  in  round 
numbers,  13,032,000  rolls,  value,  $2,175,550;  of  this 
amount  Messrs.  William  H.  Mairs  &  Co.  made  8,882,- 
000  rolls,  or  their  equivalent,  valued  at  $1,125,370. 

The  great  improvement  in  these  papers  dates  back 
only  to  1875.  There  are  yet  considerable  quantities  of 
the  cheaper  papers  manufactured,  for  there  is  a  de- 
mand for  them;  but  even  the  cheapest  have  tasteful 
designs,  and  are  superior  to  many  of  the  best  designs 
of  fifteen  years  ago.  A  small  quantity  of  the  cheaper 
qualities  is  imported  from  Germany,  where  poor  paper 
and  cheap  work  are  united,  but  the  importation  is  de- 
creasing every  year. 

William  H.  Mairs,  who  is  well  known  as  the  leading 
manufacturer  of  wall  paper  in  the  United  States,  was  born 
in  Utica,  Oneida  county,  N.  Y.,  June  29th,  1834.  His  father 
was  John  Mairs,  who,  for  twenty-five  years,  was  a  merchant 
of  Utica,  and  his  mother  was  Rachel  (Van  Deusen)  Mairs,  a 
daughter  of  James  Van  Deusen,  Esq.,  of  Leeds,  Greene 
county,  N.  Y. 

Mr.  Mairs'  grandfather,  Rev.  James  Mairs,  was  a  Scotch 
Presbyterian  clergyman,  who  came  to  this  country  from  the 
North  of  Ireland,  about  1790,  and  settled  at  Galway,  Sara- 
toga county,  N.  Y. 

On  his  mother's  side  he  is  a  descendant  of  the  seventh  gen- 
eration of  Jan  Franse  Van  Hussam,  who  came  from  Holland 
with  his  family  and  settled  at  Fort  Orange  and  Beverwyck 
(now  Albany),  as  early  as  1645,  where  he  made  several  pur- 
chases of  land;  among  others,  the  Olaverack  lands,  made 
June  5,  1662,  lying  along  the  Hudson  river,  above,  and  in- 
cluding the  site  on  which  the  city  of  Hudson  now  stands, 
which  he  bought  of  the  Indians  for  the  sum  of  five  hundred 
guilders  in  beavers,  as  recorded  in  a  book  of  deeds  in  the 
Albany  county  clerk's  office.  Mr.  Mairs,  consequently, 
comes  of  old  Knickerbocker  stock. 

In  1845,  his  father  closed  up  his  business  in  Utica,  and  re- 
moved with  his  family  to  New  York,  where  William  H. 
Mairs  received  his  education  at  the  Mechanics'  Institute. 

In  1850,  he  commenced  his  mercantile  education  in  the 
fancy  goods  trade,  in  which  his  father  and  brother  were 
then  engaged,  and  in  that  line  of  business  he  remained  seven 
years. 

Ambitious  to  start  in  business  for  himself,  when  but  23 
years  of  age,  in  1857,  he  began  the  manufacture  of  wall  pa- 
per in  a  comparatively  small  w  ay.  His  business  grew  rapidly 
and  steadily,  and  now  ranks  as  the  most  extensive  of  its 


kind  in  the  United  States.  His  immense  factory,  located  at 
the  corner  of  Sackett  and  Van  Brunt  streets,  is  five  stories 
high,  and  covers  twenty-three  lots,  extending  through  the 
block  to  Union  street ;  its  length  on  Sackett  street  is  256  feet, 
and  it  extends  200  feet  along  Union  street,  and  100  feet  on 
Van  Brunt  street.  Here  all  the  various  processes  of  wall 
paper  manufacture  are  carried  on,  affording  employment  to 
a  large  number  of  skilled  workmen.  In  the  pages  of  this 
work,  devoted  to  the  manufacturing  history  of  Brooklyn, 
these  premises  are  described,  and  further  mention  is  made  of 
Mr.  Mairs'  great  enterprise. 

On  June  13th,  1866,  Mr.  Mairs  was  married  to  Miss  Ellen 
A.,  daughter  of  Dauforth  K.  Olney,  Esq.,  of  Oatskill,  N.  Y.,  a 
prominent  member  of  the  Greene  county  bar,  and  has  a  fam- 
ily of  four  sons  and  a  daughter  named  in  the  order  of  their 
birth.  James  H.,  born  July  31st,  1867;  William  A.,  born 
January  6th,  1870;  John  D.,  born  March  2d,  1872;  Olney  B., 
born  January  31st,  1876,  and  Ella  Louise,  born  October  20th, 
1878.  Mr.  Mairs  is,  in  the  best  sense,  one  of  the  most  prom- 
inent of  the  representative  business  men  of  Brooklyn;  a 
man  of  much  enterprise,  energy  and  originality,  and  a  large 
employer  of  labor.  Taking  no  active  part  in  politics  or 
other  interests,  which  might  have  a  tendency  to  divert  his 
attention  from  his  constantly  increasing  business,  he  has  ap- 
plied himself  unremittingly  to  the  paper  manufacture  and 
trade,  with  all  the  various  details  of  which  he  doubtless  has 
a  more  thorough  acquaintance  than  any  other  man  in  the 
country,  until  his  name  and  reputation  for  fair  and  honorable 
dealing  is  known  to  the  entire  wall  paper  trade  of  the  United 
States  and  Canada. 


Subsection  I. — Paper-Making. 

There  is  not,  so  far  as  we  are  aware,  any  pajier  mill 
in  Kings  County  for  the  manufacture  of  fine  writing 
or  printing  papers;  perhaps  none  for  white  papers  of 
any  description;  though  on  this  latter  point,  we  are  not 
quite  certain.  These  papers  are  generally  made  where 
there  is  ample  water-power — good  clear  water  being  a 
necessity  for  making  clear  white  papers — and  cheap 
land,  and  extensive,  low-priced  buildings  are  also  es- 
sential. The  raw  material  is  probably  as  cheap  here  as 
anywhere. 

Straw  paper  and  paper  from  wood  pulp  are  also 
generally  made  in  the  country,  and  the  former,  espe- 
cially, in  the  west,  where  straw  is  a  drug.  But  there 
are,  certainly,  two  and  perhaps  three  manufactories  of 
paper  in  Kings  county.  One,  the  "  Manila  "  paper, 
made  of  jute  butts  by  Messrs.  L.  Waterbury  &  Co., 
we  have  already  described;  they  manufacture  10  tons 
of  it  every  24  hours,  equal  to  3,000  tons  per  year. 
Messrs.  Henry  A.  Philp  &  Co.  (H.  A.  Philp  and  M. 
B.  Carpenter),  a  house  recently  established,  are  manu- 
facturing, at  Carroll,  corner  of  Nevins  street,  both  news 
and  wall  paper.  This  paper  is  made  from  old  news- 
paper stock  and  similar  material.  The  paper  is  made 
on  Fourdrinier  machines,  and  in  large  rolls.  They 
produce  4  tons  of  the  wall  paper  in  24  hours,  equal 

I  to  about  twelve  hundred  tons  per  year.  It  is  mostly 
sold  here.  The  quantity  of  news  made  is  not  reported. 
Lowell   L.   Palmer  manufactures   "Manila'"  paper, 

I  amount  not  stated. 


728 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Another  large  paper  mill,  finely  fitted  up,  is  now 
idle. 

Subsection  II. —  Tlie  Manufacture  of  Fa?icy  and 
Colored  Papers. 

The  statistics  for  the  census  gathered  by  Mr.  Froth- 
ingham,  in  1880,  enumerate  paper  hangings  and  fancy 
papers  together — giving  6  establishments;  $597,000 
capital;  622  hands;  $237,133  wages  paid  annually;  and 
11,752,412  of  annual  product.  The  Census  Office  de- 
cided to  separate  the  two  industries,  and  gave  the 
statistics  of  the  paper  hangings  manufacture  as  3  es- 
tablishments; $285,000  capital;  427  hands;  $175,233 
wages  paid,  and  $1,382,862  of  annual  production. 

The  number  of  these  establishments  in  1880  was 
correctly  stated;  one  has  been  added  since;  but  how  far 
short  of  accuracy  they  fell  in  the  other  particulars  is 
very  clearly  shown  in  a  preceding  section. 

But,  unfortunately  for  the  accuracy  of  the  census 
returns,  they  forgot  to  put  in  the  fancy  papers  at  all  ! 
The  statistics  of  this  industry  (fancy  papers),  as  col- 
lected by  Mr.  Frothingham,  would  seem  to  have  been: 
3  establishments;  $312,000  capital;  195  hands;  $61,400 
paid  for  wages,  and  $369,550  total  annual  product.  The 
business  directory  for  1883  gives  the  number  of  manu- 
facturers of  fancy  papers  as  four.  The  other  particulars 
will,  we  think,  show  that,  though  Mr.  Frothingham 
used  all  diligence  in  collecting  his  statistics,  he  either 
failed  to  obtain  them  accurately,  or  there  has  been  a 
very  great  increase  of  the  business  within  the  past 
three  and  a  half  years. 

The  leading  house  in  this  business  is,  undoubtedly, 

Messrs.  Doty  &  McFarlan,  whose  manufactory  of  fancy 
papers,  the  largest  of  its  kind  in  the  country,  stands  at  the 
corner  of  "Willoughby  avenue  and  Walworth  street.  They 
are  the  successors  of  Doty  &  Bergen,  who  commenced  manu- 
facturing in  Brooklyn  about  1845.  This  firm  was  then  com- 
posed of  Warren  S.  Doty  and  Peter  G.  Bergen,  the  latter  of 
whom  will  be  remembered  by  old  citizens  as  a  prominent 
member  of  the  Board  of  Education,  a  brother  of  Hon.  Teunis 
G.  Bergen,  and  father  of  the  present  Justice  Garret  Bergen. 
Previous  to  1845,  Mr.  Doty  had  for  several  years  manufac- 
tured fancy  papers  in  a  small  way  in  New  York  city,  in  con- 
nection with  a  more  considerable  business  in  engraving  and 
printing;  but,  upon  the  formation  of  the  firm  of  Doty  &  Ber- 
gen,the  manufacturing  department  was  removed  to  Brooklyn, 
and  carried  on  in  a  frame  building  on  Eighteenth  6treet,  in 
the  rear  of  the  Bergen  homestead,  which  stood  at  the  corner 
of  Third  avenue  and  Eighteenth  street,  while  the  engraving 
and  printing  was  continued  in  New  York,  in  a  building 
known  as  the  old  Rigging  House,  famous  as  the  first  meeting 
house  of  the  Methodists  in  this  country. 

The  Brooklyn  manufactory,  under  the  personal  supervision 
of  Mr.  Bergen,  remained  thus,  until  a  brick  building  on  the 
opposite  side  of  Eighteenth  street,  was  built  and  occupied 
about  1858. 

Warren  S.  [)oty  died  in  November,  1855,  but  the  firm  name 
was  continued  by  previous  arrangement,  and  his  son  Ethan 
Allen  Doty  entered  at  first  as  a  clerk,  but  soon  succeeded  to 
nn  interest  in  the  profits.  The  firm  weathered  the  panics 
of  1-V,  and  1*01,  hut  found  il  dilli<ull  1 1 1  roinpete  with  im- 


portation of  foreign  goods,  and  made  but  slow  headway  un- 
til 1862,  when  Mr.  Bergen  retired,  and  the  present  firm  of 
Doty  &  McFarlan  was  constituted.  In  1864,  the  manufactory 
was  removed  to  Willoughby  avenue  and  Walworth  street, 
since  which  time  the  buildings  have  been  repeatedly  enlarged 
and  re-built,  until  now  they  occupy  a  space  100  by  200  feet, 
with  brick  buildings,  five  stories  high,  and  extensions. 

The  specialties  of  the  business  are  the  printing  of  papers 
for  trunk  linings  and  box  coverings,  and  manufacturing  of 
surface-colored  or  coated  papers  for  the  use  of  paper  box 
makers,  printers,  &c,  and  for  use  as  wrappers  of  various 
articles. 

This  keeps  in  constant  employment  about  150  hands,  while 
the  outlay  for  machinery  has  not  been  less  than  $50,000. 

The  firm  now  consists  of  Ethan  Allen  Doty,  who  entered  in 
1855,  Edward  McFarlan,  who  entered  in  1862,  James  Scrim- 
geour,  who  entered  as  a  clerk  in  1862,  and  was  admitted  to 
the  firm  in  1870,  and  Albin  Gustave  Pape,  who  entered  the 
manufactory  in  1866,  and  was  admitted  to  the  firm  in  1880. 
The  warehouse  is  at  No.  70  Duane  street,  New  York  city. 

The  firm  has  been  uniformly  prosperous  for  the  past  25 
years  ;  its  management  is  conservative,  and  its  goods  rank 
highest  in  the  market.  Its  machinery  is  of  the  latest  and 
most  approved  patterns,  while  its  buildings,  stables  and  6tock 
are  always  in  first-class  order.  Its  goods  are  distributed 
throughout  the  breadth  of  the  land,  and,  wherever  known,  en- 
joy an  enviable  reputation. 

It  has  always  led  in  the  introduction  of  novelties  in  styles 
and  colors,  as  well  as  in  adopting  the  latest  inventions  in 
machinery. 

The  house  of  Walther  tfc  Co.,  in  Tiffany  place,  is  a 
large  house  in  this  manufacture;  though  of  less  extent 
than  that  of  Doty  <fe  McFarlan;  they  manufacture  the 
same  styles  of  papers,  and  by  similar  processes.  There 
are  also  one  or  two  smaller  houses,  which  have  recently 
engaged  in  the  business. 

The  statistics  of  this  industry,  as  nearly  as  can  be 
ascertained,  are  :  capital  invested,  about  $400,000  ; 
number  of  hands  employed  about  250;  amount  of  wages 
paid  annually,  about  $90,000;  annual  product,  not  far 
from  $500,000. 

Subsection  III. — Fancy  and  Plain  Paper  Boxes. 

The  manufacture  of  these  boxes  is  closely  allied  to 
that  of  the  manufacture  of  fancy  papers.  These  boxes 
are  of  many  kinds.  The  hatters  use  immense  quanti- 
ties, some  of  them  only  of  straw-board  with  labels, 
others  of  much  more  ambitious  and  ornamental  char- 
acter. The  cheap  styles  are  used  very  largely  also  by 
the  match  manufacturers,  the  common  envelope  makers, 
the  dealers  in  small  articles  of  hardware,  and  many 
dry  groceries.  The  book  trade  requires  large  numbers. 
The  Yankee  notions  trade  requires  a  vast  number  of  a 
somewhat  better  character;  while  the  fancy  goods  and 
candy  and  confectionery  trades  take  the  best  quality. 
One  manufacturer  makes  almost  exclusively  the  boxes 
for  charlotte  russes,  with  perhaps  a  small  number  for 
cake  and  bakers'  fancy  goods.  The  fine  stationery 
trade  demands  also  many  of  the  better  class  of  boxes. 
There  are  now  in  Brooklyn  and  Kings  county  eleven 
manufacturers  of  these  goods,  one  of  whom  combines 


729 


the  manufacture  of  candies  with  that  of  boxes.  Of 
these  Mr.  Beers  Frost,  of  125  Nostrand  avenue,  is  pro- 
bably the  largest.  His  specialty  is  hatters'  boxes,  and 
he  supplies  all  the  leading  manufacturers.  He  employs 
an  average  force  of  25  hands,  pays  about  $10,000  of 
wages  annually,  and  produces  an  average  of  $30,000 
annually.  After  him,  and  producing  nearly  as  large 
an  amount  are:  Walter  W.  Wetmore;  Wm.  Herschle  and 
Son;  John  B.  JTauck  cb  Son;  White  and  Jacobson; 
and,  perhaps,  Thomas  Lenn,  the  box  and  candy  maker, 
his  combined  product  being  perhaps  somewhat  more 
than  the  others. 

Andrew  Wohlgemuth,  John  Roberts  (whose  specialty 
is  the  charlotte  russe  boxes),  Mrs.  Wilhelmina  Woer- 
ner,  Adolph  lloeffling  and  Ferdinand Berian,  are  also 
worthy  of  notice  as  manufacturers  of  boxes.  The 
census,  in  1880,  reported  12  establishments,  with  $49,- 
050  capital;  213  hands,  paying  $15,089  wages,  and  pro- 
ducing $158,826  annually.  There  have  been  some 
changes;  one  or  two  houses  have  failed,  but  the  number 
of  hands  is  now  about  230,  and  the  annual  product 
somewhat  more  than  $175,000. 


SECTION  XV. 
The  Furniture  Manufacture. 

The  furniture  trade  has  many  subdivisions.  Among 
the  wholesale  dealers,  there  are  those  who  manufacture 
only  chairs,  and  these  are  divided  into  rattan,  willow, 
bent  wood,  bent  seats,  usually,  including  also  the  per- 
forated veneer  seats,  wood  chairs  and  rockers,  and 
upholstered  chairs. 

There  are  other  classes  who  confine  themselves  to 
bed-room  sets,  chiffoniers,  tables,  etc.;  and  even  of 
these,  there  are  those  who  cater  to  the  cheap  veneered 
goods  turned  out  in  the  rough,  in  some  of  the  densely 
wooded  counties  of  New  York  or  Pennsylvania, 
where  woodland  and  water-power  are  cheap,  and 
put  together  and  finished  here  ;  others,  who  bring  their 
hard  wood,  pine  and  white  wood  lumber  from  the 
west,  and  import  their  ornamental  woods,  and  make  all 
their  work  under  their  own  supervision,  employing 
hand-work  for  the  most  part,  but  using  machinery  in 
those  delicate  and  beautiful  adjustments,  which  can  be 
effected  more  perfectly  by  machinery  than  in  any  other 
way.  These  houses  supply  all  the  best  and  some  of  the 
oheaper  houses  with  their  best  goods. 

Another  class  manufacture  only  library,  office  and 
drawing-room  furniture  ;  the  finer  office  chairs  being 
a  specialty  with  some  of  these. 

Still  another  olass  produce  only  parlor  and  boudoir 
furniture  of  various  styles.  This  involves  the  up- 
holsterers' art,  and  much  of  the  best  of  it  is  done  in 
the  larger  and  finer  retail  establishments,  which  adapt 
their  work  to  suit  their  customers.  In  these  cases, 
however,  the  division  of  labor  is  carried  so  far  that 
the  easy  chairs,  couches,  tete-a-tetes,  sofas,  lounges 


and  sofa  beds,  etc.,  are  prepared  in  the  wholesale  up- 
holstery factories,  and  only  the  covering  is  put  on  by 
the  retailer. 

The  cheaper  classes  of  upholstered  goods,  as  cheap 
sofas,  lounges,  chairs,  mattresses,  etc.,  are  all  made  in 
large  upholstering  establishments,  and  the  quality  dif- 
fers with  the  price.  Upholstery  is,  in  effect,  an  entirely 
distinct  business  from  the  other  departments  of  the 
manufacture  of  furniture,  and  when  it  is  regarded  as 
including  mattresses,  couches  and  beds  of  all  descrip- 
tions, as  well  as  window  hangings,  portieres,  and  those 
articles  more  properly  considered  as  upholstery,  it 
assumes  a  great  magnitude. 

The  increased  demand,  which  our  fast  augmenting 
wealth  and  luxury  have  created  for  the  best  of  every- 
thing in  dwellings,  business  houses,  churches,  and  all 
our  appointments  in  social  life,  is  nowhere  more  strik- 
ingly illustrated,  than  in  luxurious  furniture  and  house 
decoration.  Sixty  or  seventy  years  ago,  when  all  the 
settlements  in  Kings  County  could  not  boast  more  than 
7,000  inhabitants,  there  were  a  few  wealthy  families, 
mostly  Hollanders,  and  they  had  some  massive  furni- 
ture, mostly  brought  or  imported  from  Holland,  often 
richly  carved,  and  either  of  oak  or  dark  mahogany. 
While  most  of  this  furniture  would  be  too  cumbrous 
and  bulky  for  present  daily  use,  it  was  worthy  of  pre- 
servation for  its  elaborate  carving,  and  the  grotesque 
figures  which  were  so  skilfully  wrought  on  its  surfaces. 
These  articles  may  not  have  been — they  probably  were 
not — the  chef  d\euvres  of  Flemish  or  Dutch  art,  inas- 
much as  the  early  settlers  of  Nieuw  Amsterdam  and 
IJreuckelen  were  not  generally  of  the  most  eminent 
Dutch  families  (these  having  remained  at  home),  yet 
they  were  the  sons  or  daughters  of  burghers  who  were 
well  to  do,  and  thus  represented,  in  their  homes  in  the 
New  World,  very  fairly,  the  furniture  and  appliances 
of  the  prosperous  burghers  of  Amsterdam,  Rotterdam 
and  La  Hague.  These  old  families  were  not,  however, 
very  numerous,  and  their  descendants,  in  some  cases, 
were  too  many  to  inherit  any  very  large  share  of  their 
ancestors'  wealth.  The  large  majority  of  the  farming 
and  laboring  class,  whether  of  Dutch,  English,  Irish  or 
Huguenot  descent,  had  much  plainer  and  humbler  fur- 
niture. The  rude  bunks  or  fixed  bedsteads,  covered,  at 
first,  with  the  skins  of  wild  animals,  and  later,  having 
heaped  upon  them  the  numerous  feather  beds,  which 
every  housewife  possessed,  formed  a  bed  which  was 
considered  sufficiently  luxurious  for  anybody.  The 
other  furniture  was  equally  plain;  the  wooden,  splint  or 
rush-bottomed  chairs;  the  settle;  the  plain,  substantial 
table,  often  of  oak,  but  without  ornament,  sometimes  of 
pine,  covered  with  the  housewife's  snowy  linen;  the 
benches  and  smaller  table,  which  answered  for  a  wash- 
stand;  the  rude  shelves,  containing  a  few  books;  the 
corner  cupboard,  with  its  supjdy  of  delft  ware,  pewter 
plates  and  wooden  trenchers;  and  in  the  lean-to,  the 
pounding-barrel,   soap-barrel,  tubs  and   tub-form  or 


730 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


bench,  the  paraphernalia  of  washing  day;  while  still  in 
the  rear  was  the  leach-house,  where  the  lye  for  the  soap 
was  made,  and  the  simple  apparatus  for  making  the 
tallow-dips,  and  very  possibly,  by  their  side,  the  quilt- 
ing-bars. 

There  were  also  two  other  indispensable  articles  of 
furniture,  now  little  known;  the  big  wheel  for  spinning 
wool,  and  the  little  or  flax  wheel,  on  which  was  spun 
the  linen,  fine  and  coarse,  which  Katrina,  by  infinite 
toil,  prepared  for  her  own  future  home.  Of  musical 
instruments  there  were  at  that  time  very  few;  occasion- 
ally a  spinet  was  put  in  the  parlor,  as  the  greatest  of 
earthly  treasures,  but  its  tones  were  weak,  harsh  and 
metallic.  The  Dutch  did  not  greatly  affect  the  guitar 
or  the  bandolin,  so  delightsome  to  the  ear  of  the  Span- 
ish maiden;  and  Hans  was  fain  to  pour  forth  his  love  in 
the  notes  of  the  ear-piercing  fife,  or  the  more  tender- 
voiced  flute. 

The  change  to  the  furniture  of  the  present  time,  in 
the  families  which,  though  not  rich,  are  in  comfortable 
circumstances,  is  most  amazing.  In  the  parlors  we  find 
the  piano  generally,  and  the  cabinet  organ,  also,  in  many 
cases.  The  walls  are  hung  with  pictures  of  merit,  even 
where  they  are  not  costly.  The  walls,  so  dingy  and 
discolored  with  smoke  in  the  olden  time,  are  now  either 
frescoed  or  hung  with  tasteful  and  elegant  papers. 
Portieres  adorn  the  doors  and  arches,  and  the  mantels 
are  draped  with  lambrequins.  The  furniture  of  black 
walnut,  mahogany,  cherry  or  rosewood,  exquisitely 
carved  and  decorated,  and  finely  upholstered  with  silk 
reps,  brocade  or  plush,  mirrors,  and  some  articles  of 
bric-a-brac;  while  the  dining-room  is  supplied  with  its 
fine  extension  table,  and  with  solid  chairs,  often  ex- 
pensively trimmed  with  leather,  and  its  substantial  and 
often  costly  sideboard.  The  kitchen  and  laundry  are 
supplied  with  all  the  conveniences  for  a  most  efficient 
service;  the  range  of  the  latest  pattern,  the  hot  and 
cold  water,  the  stationary  tubs,  the  ironing  table,  the 
clothes-wringer,  and  the  patent  clothes-boiler,  all  con- 
tribute to  make  work  easy.  Ascending  to  the  boudoir 
and  sleeping  rooms,  we  find  a  revolution  so  great  that 
our  grandmothers  could  not  even  have  imagined  it  in 
their  wildest  dreams.  Bedsteads  which,  in  stately  ele- 
gance, in  perfection  and  beauty  of  carving  and  orna- 
mentation, and  the  richness  of  their  woods  (of  black 
walnut,  mahogany,  rosewood  and  cherry)  far  surpass 
the  couches  of  the  wealthiest  and  most  accomplished 
monarchs  of  two  centuries  ago;  mirrors  which  would 
once  have  been  worth  a  kind's  ransom,  and  bureaus, 
lounges,  sofas,  easy  chairs,  chiffonieres,  and  cabinets  of 
the  most  graceful  models  and  exquisite  finish,  adorn 
these  rooms,  and  replace  the  maple  bedsteads,  with 
their  constantly  breaking  cords,  their  turned  posts,  and 
their  scant  head  and  foot  boards,  the  rush  or  cane-seat 
chairs,  and  the  plain  cheap  bureau  with  a  small  mirror 
of  blown  glass,  which  were  the  outfit  of  a  guest-cham- 
ber forty  or  fifty  years  ago. 


There  is  nothing,  not  only  of  this  fine  furniture,  but 
of  that  still  more  exquisite,  inlaid  and  decorated  with 
the  finest  paintings  and  sculptures,  in  wood  or  porce- 
lain or  leather,  which  is  not  to-day  produced,  from  the 
"  rough  wood  to  the  most  complete  finish,  in  Kings 
county. 

We  are  not  now  speaking  of  the  retail  furniture 
houses,  of  which  there  are  some  hundreds,  of  all  grades, 
and  which  may  and  do  procure  their  wares  wherever 
they  can  buy  them  to  the  best  advantage,  but  of  the 
manufacturers  who  sell  only  at  wholesale. 

As  an  example  of  these,  take  the  large  house  of 
Martin  Worn  tO  Sons,  whose  immense  warehouses  and 
storage  rooms,  five  stories  high,  cover  eleven  full  city 
lots.  They  manufacture  only  the  articles  of  bedroom, 
boudoir  and  hall  furniture,  and  in  this  single  branch  of 
the  furniture  industry,  embracing  hall-stands,  bed- 
steads, bureaus,  wash  stands,  canopy  bedsteads,  side- 
boards, wardrobes,  armoires,  chiffonieres,  cribs,  etc.,  &c. 
They  employ  about  225  hands,  and  produce  goods  to 
the  value  of  $250,000  or  more.  In  their  lumber  yards 
and  sheds  we  find  the  purest  and  whitest  pine;  the  still 
finer  white  wood  (liriodendron  tidipifera),  dear  to  the 
hearts  of  all  cabinet-makers;  the  California  redwood; 
the  Oregon  cedar;  black  walnut  (juglans  cinerea),  from 
the  West;  mahogany  from  Honduras  and  the  West 
Indies;  wild  cherry;  the  beautiful  wood  of  the  cerasus 
Virginiana,  and  the  costly  veneers  of  the  French  wal- 
nut, French  and  Hungarian  ash,  mahogany,  <fcc.  All 
these  are  thoroughly  seasoned  under  cover  for  two 
years  or  more,  and  when  called  into  service  are  reduced 
to  their  prescribed  form  and  shape  with  the  utmost 
exactness  by  machinery,  which  seems  almost  capable 
of  thinking,  and  by  skilled  hand-work.  The  thicker 
veneers  are  sawed  here,  and  the  boards  to  which  they 
are  to  be  attached  having  been  planed  to  the  smoothest 
possible  surface,  they  are  glued  on  and  dried  under 
very  heavy  pressure.  When  dry  they  are  planed  and 
polished  till  all  their  beauty  is  brought  out.  Every 
joint  is  fitted  with  the  most  mathematical  accuracy. 
Those  portions,  as  fronts  of  drawers,  bedsteads,  tops 
and  fronts  of  chiffonieres,  sideboards,  hall-stands,  etc., 
which  are  to  be  ornamented,  have  the  straight  lines 
cut  by  a  machine,  and  the  leaves,  rosettes,  flowers,  etc., 
carved  by  hand;  or,  in  a  lower  grade  of  work,  these 
ornaments  are  struck  out  by  dies,  working  under  a 
pressure  of  many  tone. 

The  drawer  fronts  are  attached  to  the  sides  by  a  new 
process,  which,  in  this  establishment  at  least,  has  taken 
the  place  of  the  old  "dovetail;"  the  whole  is  done  by 
two  machines  working  reciprocally  and  most  exactly  to 
their  respective  patterns,  the  resulting  portions,  wlicn 
matched  together,  making  an  air-tight  and  very  str< tog 
joint.  These  machines,  working  on  the  end  of  the 
hard  wood,  and  cutting  to  the  depth  of  one-half  or  five- 
!  eighths  of  an  inch,  produce  half  of  a  joint  of  scallops, 
1  with  pins  below,  wrought  out  of  the  hard  wood.  The 


THE  MAN  UFA  CTURING  ~*IND  USTEIES. 


731 


scallops  come  within  one-quarter  to  one-fifth  of  an  inch 
of  the  front  of  the  hard  wood.  The  rounded  pins — 
"  dowels  "  is,  we  believe,  the  technical  term  for  them — 
are  about  one-sixth  of  an  inch  in  diameter,  and,  perhaps, 
five-eighths  of  an  inch  in  length.  The  softer  white 
wood  for  the  side  of  the  drawer  is  wrought  by  the 
corresponding  machine  into  a  scalloped  edge,  with  the 
holes  below  it,  into  which  the  dowels  fit  exactly.  So 
perfectly  is  the  work  done  that,  after  dusting,  the  two 
ends  can  be  fitted  into  each  other,  so  as  to  make  an  air- 
tight joint,  with  only  a  smart  blow  of  the  hand.  In 
practice  these  joints  are  coated  with  a  very  fluid  glue 
before  being  put  together,  in  order  to  avoid  any',pos- 


market.  Messrs.  "Worn  &  Sons'  goods  have  a  wide 
market,  going  all  over  the  country  and  to  other  lands. 

The  only  customers  of  such  manufacturers  as  these 
are  the  furniture  dealers;  for  they  sell  nothing  at  re- 
tail. This  is  equally  true  of  the  manufacturers  of  chairs 
of  all  descriptions,  of  office  and  library  furniture,  and 
generally  of  dining-room  tables  and  furniture,  of  kitchen 
furniture,  etc.  The  manufacturers  of  school,  hall  and 
church  furniture,  of  hotel,  steamboat  and  railway-car 
furniture,  on  the  contrary,  deal  directly  with  their  cus- 
tomers, whose  bills  are  generally  large;  or  take  con- 
tracts for  supplying  to  a  great  contractor  such  of  their 
goods  as  he  may  order. 


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MARTIN"  WORN"  &  SON'S  FURNITURE  WAREHOUSE. 


sible  danger  of  shrinkage.  There  are  not,  as  in  the  old- 
fashioned  dovetail,  any  sharp  points  or  corners  to  break 
or  split  off;  every  surface  is  rounded,  and  the  joint  is 
more  perfect  than  any  dovetail  joint  could  be.  These 
machines  enable  the  manufacturer  to  triumph  over  one 
of  the  most  difficult  operations  in  cabinet  work. 

The  bedstead,  bureau,  chiffoniere,  sideboard  or  other 
piece  of  furniture  is  now  ready  to  be  put  together.  It 
is  first  thoroughly  rubbed  down  and  cleaned,  and  all 
the  delicate  grooves  and  tenons  cleared  out  and  made 
ready  for  joining,  the  glue  joints  being  pressed  care- 
fully into  their  grooves,  the  pins  or  dowels  adjusted 
and  glued,  and  great  care  is  taken  to  have  every  part 
true,  so  that  there  may  be  no  twisting  in  the  drawers 
or  elsewhere.  The  largest  joints  are  often  held  firmly 
in  place  by  vises  till  they  are  thoroughly  dry.  It  is 
next  cleaned  again,  polished  and  varnished  or  shellacked, 
the  knobs  or  handles  attached,  and  it  is  ready  for  the 


Martin  Worn,  the  senior  member  of  the  firm  of 
Mar-tin  Worn  &  Sons,  extensively  and  favorably  known  as 
manufacturers  of  furniture,  etc.,  of  the  city  of  Brooklyn,  was 
born  at  Weil,  in  Schoenbucb,  Wurtemburg.  Germany,  Jan- 
uary 15,  1832.  His  father  was  Johannes  Worn,  and  his 
mother's  maiden  name  was  Anna  Ried.  His  parents  ranked 
among  the  respectable  citizens  of  Weil,  and  gave  their  son 
instruction  and  set  before  him  the  examples  so  necessary 
for  children.  It  is  pleasant  to  say  that  the  young  man  suc- 
cessfully profited  by  tliese.  When  old  enough,  he  was  placed 
at  school  in  his  native  city,  where  he  obtained  a  good  practi- 
cal business  education.  While  yet  young  he  emigrated  to 
America,  and  became  a  resident  of  the  city  of  Brooklyn, 
where,  on  April  30,  1S54.  he  was  united  by  marriage  with 
Miss  Bernhardina  Fent.  In  1862,  he  began  the  business  of 
furniture  manufacture  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  his 
present  extensive  manufactory.  Prosperity  and  success 
attended  him.  and  he  soon  became  prominent  and  highly 
esteemed  in  the  business  and  social  circles  of  Brooklyn;  and 
at  a  proper  time  he  connected  his  two  sons,  William  and 
Charles,  with  him  in  business,  under  the  firm  name  and  style 
of  Martin  Worn  &  Sons. 


732 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUXTY. 


Some  idea  of  the  extent,  importance  and  large  amount  of 
business  transacted  by  this  firm  may  be  gained  by  visiting 
their  factory,  which  occupies  Nos.  12',  129,  131,  133  Siegel 
street,  near  Humboldt,  and  their  wareroorns,  situated  at  Nos. 
103,  105,  107  and  109  Humboldt  street.  A  view  of  these 
buildings  is  seen  on  an  adjoining  page.  Such  a  visit  will  not 
only  be  interesting,  but  profitable. 

Mr.  Worn  is,  in  every  sense,  an  intelligent  and  discrimi- 
nating business  man,  with  those  other  qualifications  that 
adorn  and  make  up  the  character  of  a  good  citizen.  He  has 
never  taken  any  active  part  in  politics,  but  has  exercised  the 


high  functions  of  a  voter  in  the  best  possible  manner,  voting 
for  the  best  man,  regardless  of  political  proclivities. 

His  influence  is  always  given  to  morality  and  the  cause  of 
education;  and  while  he  is  not  connected  with  any  religious 
organization,  he  upholds  the  Protestant  faith. 

There  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Worn  six  children: 
William,  born  October  2,  1855;  Charles,  born  January  12, 
1857;  Anna,  born  July  20,  1862;  John,  born  September 
4,  1866;  Mary,  born  July  2,  1869;  Edward,  born  May  16. 
1874.  Of  these,  Messrs.  William  and  Charles  Worn  are 
married. 


One  of  our  Brooklyn  houses,  Messrs.  FinyletoH  Bros.,  \ 
whose  portraits  grace  the  opposite  page,  are  engaged 
in  a  business  of  so  varied  a  character  that  we  hardly 
know  where  to  class  them.  They  are  dealers,  at  whole- 
sale and  retail,  in  furniture,  upholstered  goods,  mat- 
tresses, stoves,  kitchen  furniture  and  utensils  and  baby 
carriages;  but  they  also  manufacture  much  of  their 
furniture,  upholstered  goods  and  mattresses  on  their 
extensive  premises,  having  a  capital  of  |60,000,  em- 
ploying about  20  men,  and  turning  out  about  160,000 
worth  of  goods  a  year. 

Patrick  .1.,  Hknry  W.  and  Mroii  S.  1'inoi.kton.— About 
the  year  1K42,  Hugh  Fingleton  came  from  Ireland  to  New 
York  city,  where  lie  engaged  in  the  tobacco  business.  In 
Ii.  inarrieil  Catharine  Moore,  also  a  native  of  Ireland. 


who  came  to  this  country  the  same  year  he  did.  About  two 
years  later  they  bought  land  on  Kosciusko  street,  built  a 
house,  and  came  to  Brooklyn  to  live.  This  section  was  then 
far  out  in  the  country,  and  settled  only  by  a  few  scattering 
fanners.  His  tobacco  business  in  New  York  proved  so  re- 
munerative that  he  was  able,  in  1862,  to  buy  a  lot  one  hun- 
dred feet  square  on  the  corner  of  De  Kalb  and  Nostrand  ave- 
nues, and  build  three  stores  thereon.  Over  these  he  finished 
a  suite  of  rooms,  into  which  he  brought  his  family  from  Kos- 
ciusko street,  but  lived  only  a  few  months  to  enjoy  his  new 
home.  He  died  January  3d,  1861,  leaving  a  wife  and  chil- 
dren as  follows:  Patrick  J.,  born  October  10th,  1854;  Hani] 
W.,  born  August  9th,  1856;  Sarah  E.,  born  May  12,  1858; 
Hugh  S..  born  March  28th,  1861.  Besides  these,  they  l<wt 
two  sons,  who  died,  one  ten  years  and  the  other  live  months 
old. 

On  the  1st  of  August,  1876,  the  three  brothers,  whose  |«>r 
traits  arc  shown  herewith— Patrick  J.,  Henry  \V.  and  Hugh  8. 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


733 


 commenced  business  in  one  of  the  stores  their  father 

built,  as  manufacturers  of  and  dealers  in  bedding.  Their 
beginning  was  careful  but  energetic,  and  in  the  following 
May  they  added  furniture  of  all  kinds,  manufacturing  the 
parlor  furniture  in  their  own  shops,  75  and  77  Kosciusko 
street.  During  the  next  autumn,  carpets  and  upholstering 
were  added  to  their  trade,  which  continued  to  grow  and  ex- 
pand till  the  original  building  proved  utterly  inadequate  for 
its  wants.  In  1878,  they  built  an  extension  45  x  60,  to  which 
repairs  and  enlargements  have  recently  been  made  to  accom- 
modate the  demands  of  still  another  department  devoted  to 
stoves,  kitchen  utensils  and  baby  carriages.  For  many  years 
their  business  has  been  the  largest  of  its  kind  between  Fulton 
street  and  Broadway.  But  over  this  fair  career  of  manly 
and  honorable  prosperity  there  came  the  dark  shadow  of 
loss  of  health  and  finally  of  life.  During  the  increased  bur- 
den of  work  and  care  consequent  upon  building  in  1878,  Pa- 
trick J.,  the  elder  brother,  took  a  deep-seated  cold,  from 
which  he  never  recovered.  It  is  the  old,  old  story.  Neither 
he  nor  his  physicians  became  alarmed  till  it  was  too  late. 
Then  travel  was  tried.  He  and  his  mother  crossed  the  ocean, 
and  visited  the  scenes  where  her  childhood  and  her  young 
womanhood  had  been  passed.  Then  he  went  to  the  Adiron- 
dacks,  to  Colorado  and  to  California,  but  that  terrible  de- 
stroyer, consumption,  was  marching  him  through  all  these 
weary  miles  only  to  the  grave.  His  last  winter  was  spent  in 
Florida,  in  company  with  his  brother,  Henry. 

The  inevitable  event  occurred  July  15,  1883.  His  remains 
were  sadly  and  tenderly  deposited  in  Holy  Cross  Cemetery, 
Flatbush,  by  a  large  circle  of  bereaved  friends. ,  His  mother's 
death,  which  occurred  January  14,  1882,  was  hastened  by  an 
insupportable  solicitude  for  the  life  of  one  so  near  and  dear 
to  her,  and  her  loss  also  hastened  his  decline.  Her  unmar- 
ried sister,  Mary  Moore,  has  for  over  twenty  years  been  a 
member  of  the  family,  almost  filling  a  mother's  place. 

The  daughter,  Sarah  E. ,  now  Mrs.  James  Lynch,  together 
with  her  husband,  live  in  the  home  family  with  the  two  re- 
maining brothers,  neither  of  whom  have  ever  married. 

The  business  is  still  prosecuted  with  energy  by  the  two 
younger  members  of  the  firm.  The  business  involves  a  cap- 
ital of  |60,000,  gives  employment  to  20  men  and  amounts  in 
current  sales  to  $50,000  per  year.  Its  conductors  have  always 
been  noted  for  unassuming,  gentlemanly  qualities,  combined 
with  intelligence,  diligence  and  enterprise. 


Subsection  I. —  Upholstering. 
In  the  upholstery  branch  of  the  furniture  manufac- 
ture there  are  different  methods  followed  from  those 
which  we  have  described  above.  There  are  upholsterers 
on  a  large  scale,  who  employ  a  considerable  number  of 
hands.  They  procure  or  make  the  frames,  which  are 
usually  of  pine,  well  veneered,  but  sometimes,  in  the 
best  goods,  of  black  walnut,  mahogany  or  cherry,  and 
veneered,  carved,  overlaid,  ornamented,  &c,  in  such  a 
way  as  will  attract  and  please  their  customers;  and 
these  are  then  upholstered,  except  the  outer  covering; 
that  is,  the  springs  are  put  in,  usually  upon  heavy  web- 
bing, tightly  drawn,  but  sometimes  on  thin  boards  or 
iron  strips.  These  are  covered  with  a  heavy,  coarse 
canvass,  and  then  the  seat  or  back  stuffed  with  hair,  or 
often  some  cheaper  material,  as  tow,  excelsior,  hay, 
curled  palm  leaf,  &c,  &c,  is  laid  upon  the  canvass, 
and  a  heavy  cotton  or  canton  flannel  is  drawn  over  it 


tightly,  and,  perhaps,  knotted  at  each  spring.  The 
under  surface  and  webbing  is  covered,  as  there  is  little 
or  no  strain,  with  colored  cambrics,  or,  perhaps,  some 
heavier  material.  These  sofas,  chairs,  &c,  thus  in  their 
undress,  are  sold  in  considerable  quantities  to  the  fur- 
niture dealers,  who  keep  samples  of  the  goods  used  for 
covering,  which  include  morocco,  book-binders'  calf, 
Russia  and  other  leathers,  hair  and  whalebone  cloth, 
broadcloth,  reps,  brocades  of  silk,  satin  or  worsted,  raw 
silk,  cotton  or  worsted  reps,  &c,  and  cover  them  as 
desired.  But  the  upholsterer  also  seeks  retail  custom, 
and  upholsters  a  single  set  as  readily  as  he  would  sell  a 
hundred  of  his  blanks  to  a  furniture  dealer. 

On  the  other  hand,  many  of  the  furniture  dealers, 
especially  those  dealing  with  the  better  class  of  custom- 
ers, though  they  do  not  attempt  to  manufacture  any 
other  descriptions  of  furniture,  (purchasing  it  or  having 
it  made  to  order  by  the  wholesale  houses)  yet  employ  a 
considerable  number  of  upholsterers,  some  of  them 
very  skillful  workmen;  and,  buying  the  frames,  have 
them  upholstered  in  their  own  establishments,  and  in 
such  way  as  their  customers  desire.  These  houses  are 
not  generally  furniture  manufacturers,  but  they  are  up- 
holsterers. 

Some  of  the  furniture  manufacturers  confine  them- 
selves to  the  manufacture  and  veneering  of  the  frames 
of  sofas,  tete-a-tetes,  divans,  easy  chairs,  etc.,  etc., 
which  they  sell  to  the  upholsterers  and  furniture  deal- 
ers; and  thus,  unlike  the  class  just  mentioned,  they  are 
not  upholsterers,  but  manufacturers  of  chair  and  sofa 
frames,  etc.  This  is  a  large  business,  and  is  constantly 
increasing,  the  frames  being  of  all  classes,  from  the 
very  poor  and  cheap  to  the  best  carved,  veneered  and 
inlaid  frames.  Messrs.  Christian  and  George  Spoerl 
are  the  largest  manufacturers  of  these  frames,  and  have 
two  houses,  one  in  Myrtle,  the  other  in  Lee  avenue. 
The  leading  upholsterers  who  do  a  large  wholesale 
business  are:  Peter  W.  Schmitt,  Rohman  &  Hillman, 
Charles  31.  Medicus,  William  Lang,  Joseph  Huhn  and 
Staudinger  <&  Goldsmith,  and  A.  &  C.  H  Baldwin,  of 
Fourth  street,  E.  D.,  who  have  a  building  30x134,  4 
stories  high,  and  employ  a  large  number  of  hands. 
Schmitt,  Lang  and  Huhn  do  some  retail  business  also, 
but,  we  believe,  the  others  do  not.  Messrs.  Lang  & 
Nau,  T.  Brooks'  successors,  J.  G.  Reither,  R.  G.  Lock- 
wood  <t*  So?i,  George  A.  Probst,  the  Cowperthwaite  Co., 
and  perhaps,  also,  the  Brooklyn  Furniture  Co.,  and  some 
others,  have  upholstery  shops,  and  do  work  for  their 
own  customers,  but  not  as  jobbers  or  wholesale  dealers. 
Among  these  upholsterers  is  a  specialist,  Mr.  Frederick 
B.  Jordan,  who  is  a  manufacturer  of  and  dealer  in  furni- 
ture draperies  and  trimmings,  such  as  lambrequins, 
mantel  draperies,  portieres,  &c,  at  155  <fc  157  Adelphi 
street,  corner  of  Myrtle  avenue.  He  commenced  busi- 
ness in  July,  1876,  with  a  capital  of  about  $8,000,  em- 
ploys from  6  to  24  hands,  pays  about  87,500  wages,  and 
his  annual  product  is  about  $60,000.    There  are  also 


734 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


many  upholsterers,  some  of  them  excellent  workmen, 
who  start  on  a  small  scale,  working  themselves  and  cm- 
ploying  one  or  two  hands,  who  do  custom  work  and  re- 
pairing, but  keep  no  general  stock  of  furniture,  or  even 
of  upholstered  goods.  In  the  course  of  a  few  years 
some  of  these  work  their  way  into  a  good  business, 
while  others  drift  back  into  the  large  upholsterers' 
shops.  But  for  this  upholstery  work,  many  of  the  larg- 
est dealers  in  furniture  would  have  no  claim  to  the 
name  of  manufacturers.  Another  class,  who  deal  alto 
gether  in  the  cheap  and  trashy  articles,  which  will  only 
hold  together  long  enough  to  reach  the  houses  of  their 
customers,  procure  their  goods  from  distant  points  in 
the  country,  where  woods  abound,  and  where  the  pieces 
which  go  to  make  up  chairs,  bureaus,  tables,  etc.,  are 
worked  out  in  the  rough,  usually  from  wood  only  part- 
ly seasoned,  often  turned  out  in  the  lathes  for  turning 
irregular  forms,  roughly  veneered,  and  sent  to  the  city 
to  be  finished,  where  glue  and  patty,  paint  and  varnish, 
conceal  the  imperfection  of  the  work.  There  are  more 
wholesale  dealers  in  this  class  of  goods  in  New  York 
than  in  Kings  county,  and  the  "Cheap  Johns"  in  the 
retail  trade  supply  themselves  very  largely  from  their 
stock.  But  two  or  three  houses  in  Brooklyn  are  en- 
gaged in  finishing  and  selling  in  quantities  these  cheap 
and  trashy  goods.  It  may  be  said,  however,  in  justice 
to  Messrs.  Rohman  and  Hillman,  and  the  Long  Island 
Furniture  Co.,  in  Myrtle  avenue,  that  if  they  finish  and 
sell  many  of  these  cheap  goods,  they  also  manufacture 
some  that  are  of  a  better  grade. 

Subsection  II. —  Chairs,  not  upholstered,  except  in 
special  cases. 

The  manufacturers  of  chairs  of  bent  wood,  veneers 
and  perforated  seats,  and  of  rattan,  willow,  etc.,  as 
well  as  those  who  make  what  are  known  as  cane-seated 
and  splint  chairs,  and  the  still  cheaper  articles  known 
as  common  wood  chairs,  rockers,  etc.,  and  iron,  galvan- 
ized iron,  and  iron  wire  or  steel  wire  chairs,  are  a  class 
by  themselves.  Each  man  or  firm  adheres  to  a  single 
description  of  chairs,  and  makes  only  that  kind,  though 
he  may  indulge  in  the  greatest  variety  of  forms.  There 
are  ten  or  twelve  of  these  manufacturers  of  chairs  and 
chair  seats'in  Kings  county,  and  some  of  the  wire- 
work  manufacturers,  as  well  as  two  or  three  of  the 
manufacturers  of  fancy  iron  castings,  may  be  added 
to  the  number.  The  chairs,  settees  and  fancy  bed- 
steads of  the  wire- workers  are  often  very  elegant  and 
useful.  The  Cabbie  Excelsior  Wire  Manufacturing 
Co.,  Messrs.  Howard  ct  Morsr,  and,  we  believe,  also 
the  Broohh/n  Win  Works  Co.,  make  a  great  variety 
of  patterns  of  these  goods. 

One  firm  makes  only  barbers'  and  dentists'  chairs; 
one  makes  opera  chairs,  of  iron,  upholstered;  two  or 
three  make  wood  and  cane-seated  chairs;  three  or  four 
make  cane-seated  chairs,  and  repair  these  and  other 
furniture;  two  are  put  down  as  chair-seat  manufac- 


turers; two  are  manufacturers  of  wood  chairs  on  a 
large  scale,  and  one  manufactures  dining-room  aud  read- 
ing-room chairs  exclusively.  There  are  also  three 
manufacturers  of  rattan  goods,  but  they  confine  them- 
selves to  baskets,  split  canes  for  seats,  etc.,  etc.  The 
rattan  chairs,  rockers,  tete-a-tetes,  lounges,  etc.,  as  well 
as  those  of  willow  ware  or  osier  of  similar  forms,  which 
are  now  so  popular,  are  wholly  manufactured  by  three 
or  four  firms  in  New  England,  and  are  so  protected  by 
patents  that  there  can  be  no  competition.  Much  of 
this  work  is  farmed  out  among  families  in  the  country 
towns,  at  a  very  low  price.  The  cane  seats  are  now 
largely  woven  by  those  firms,  and  put  in  in  such  a  wav 
as  to  be  very  perishable;  and,  in  consequence  of  their 
mode  of  constructing  them,  cannot  be  replaced,  except 
at  nearly  the  cost  of  new  chairs.  The  rush-bottomed 
chairs,  once  very  popular,  have  been  driven  out  of  the 
market  by  the  rattan  manufacturers,  who  have  bought 
up  large  tracts  of  the  marshes,  and  burned  the  rushes,  to 
prevent  their  use.  The  perforated  and  bent  wood 
veneered  chairs,  made  principally  under  Gardner's 
patents,  are  manufactured  at  his  factories  in  New  York, 
where  the  seats  are  also  sold  separately.  The  chair 
manufacture  in  Brooklyn  is  not  very  large,  although 
considerably  beyond  the  amount  of  product  set  down 
for  it  in  the  census,  $121,703.  The  real  product  of  the 
whole  eleven  or  twelve  manufacturers  is  not  far  from 
$225,000. 

Subsection  III. — The  Decoration  of  Houses,  Theatres, 
Halls,  etc.,  with  Hard-wood  Trimmings. 

This,  on  the  scale  on  which  it  is  now  conducted,  is  a 
new  industry.  Intimately  connected  with  the  finer 
grades  of  furniture  is  the  decoration  of  costly  dwell- 
ings, churches,  hotels,  halls  and  theatres,  steamships, 
steamboats  and  palace  cars,  with  hard  woods,  carved  by 
hand,  veneered  with  the  choicest  veneers,  polished,  and 
wrought  in  forms  of  great  beauty.  Some  of  these 
decorations  are  even  more  costly  than  the  finest  furni- 
ture which  our  best  artists  have  produced,  but  the  de- 
mand for  them  is  large  and  constantly  increasing. 
Among  the  houses  which  have  attained  the  highest 
rank  in  this  department  of  decorative  art,  is  the  great 
lumber  house  of  Cross,  Austin  &  Co.  They  have 
attached  a  hard- wood  department  to  their  business,  and 
are  unable  to  supply  the  demand  for  their  exquisite 
products.  Nothing  can  exceed  the  beauty  of  these 
veneers  and  richly  carved  woods;  the  panelled  and  in- 
laid doorways,  newel-posts,  rails,  window  and  mirror 
frames,  arches  and  alcoves,  have  not  been  equalled  in 
the  past,  even  in  artistic  France. 

The  White,  Potter  &  Paige  Manufacturing  Co.,  now 
passed  into  other  hands  than  those  of  its  original  found- 
ers, is  also  largely  engaged  in  the  production  of  these 
hardwood  and  cabinet  trimmings,  as  well  as  of  picture 
and  mirror  frames  and  mouldings,  hard-wood  doOrs,  and 
to  some  extent  prepared  lumber.    Their  establishment 


735 


is  a  large  one,  the  lots  which  they  occupy  including 
about  47,000  square  feet  on  Willoughby  avenue,  San- 
ford  and  Walworth  streets,  of  which  about  24,000  feet 
is  covered  with  buildings.  Some  of  these  buildings  are 
three  stories,  others  two,  and  a  part  one  story  in  height. 
The  amount  of  lumber  they  use  and  sell  in  a  year  is 
2,702,000  feet.  The  largest  number  of  hands  employed 
at  one  time  is  308;  the  amount  of  wages  paid  per  year, 
$146,500;  amount  of  sales  of  manufactured  goods, 
$322,500.  Other  hard-wood  trimmings  manufacturers 
are:  Alexander  Dug  an,  Goodwin,  Cross  &  Co.,  Downes 
<&  Turk,  in  the  line  of  picture  frames,  and  perhaps  one 
or  two  others.  The  whole  present  total  annual  out-put 
of  these  trimmings  is  a  little  more  than  $550,000. 

Subsection  IV. — Mouldings  of  Soft  and  Hard  Woods, 
Sashes,  Doo)%s  and  Blinds. 

Under  these  two  heads  the  Brooklyn  City  Business 
Directory  for  1883  enumerates  forty-four  manufacturers, 
some  of  them  large,  and  others  only  just  beginning 
business.  We  have  classed  them  together  in  this  sub- 
section, though  they  are,  as  now  conducted,  two  entirely 
distinct  branches  of  the  business.  By  "  mouldings " 
are  understood  in  the  trade  all  that  variety  (becoming 
daily  more  infinite)  of  grooved,  fluted,  rounded  and 
ornamented  headings  and  trimmings  about  doors,  win- 
dows, stairs,  ceilings,  office  rails  and  trimmings,  which 
in  these  days  make  the  builder's  work  so  largely  a  de- 
corative art.  These  mouldings  are  wrought  from  either 
hard  or  soft  woods  by  scroll,  jig  or  band  saws  in  part, 
but  principally  by  planing  knives,  each  adapted  to  make 
its  particular  moulding,  and  the  patterns  of  these  knives 
are  constantly  changed  to  satisfy  the  eager  demand  for 
variety,  the  ingenuity  of  the  best  machinists  being 
taxed  to  invent  patterns  of  new  designs. 

In  this  department  of  mouldings  the  house  of  John 
S.  Loomis  is  easily  foremost  in  Kings  county.  In  1849 
Mr.  Loomis,  a  native  of  Wyoming  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  a  practical  carpenter,  having  taken  a  fellow 
workman,  James  McCammann,  into  partnership  with 
him,  commenced  the  manufacture  of  sashes,  doors  and 
blinds,  in  a  shop  twenty-five  feet  square,  on  Tompkins 
place.  The  machinery,  which  was  run  by  horse-power, 
consisted  of  one  circular  saw,  one  mortising  machine, 
one  tenoning  machine,  and  a  small  sticker,  or  moulding 
machine,  constructed  by  themselves;  the  Fay  sticker, 
a  small  moulding  machine,  very  defective  in  its  work- 
ing, being  the  only  other  moulding  machine  then  in  the 
market.  The  business  of  the  young  firm  prospered  to 
such  an  extent  that  within  two  years  they  were  com- 
pelled to  move  to  larger  quarters.  They  purchased  a 
site  on  Wyckoff  street,  near  Smith,  where  they  ei-ected 
a  new  mill,  25x30,  and  two  stories  in  height,  and  put  in 
a  small  five  horse  power  engine  and  considerable  new 
machinery.  In  1855  the  partnership  was  dissolved, 
Mr.  McCammann  going  out.  Mr.  Loomis  resolved  to 
enlarge  his  business  and  seek  a  market  in  the  South. 


He  was  so  successful  that  in  five  years  he  sold  out  his 
sash,  door  and  blind  business,  and  devoted  himself  ex- 
clusively to  mouldings,  erecting  other  buildings  to  ac- 
commodate his  fast  increasing  trade.  In  1868,  after  a 
long  and  prosperous  career,  his  mill,  buildings  and  ma- 
chinery were  entirely  destroyed  by  fire.  Obtaining 
temporary  quarters  for  his  business,  he  immediately 
purchased  the  site  of  his  present  extensive  works  at  the 
head  of  the  Gowanus  canal,  and  in  less  than  six  months 
had  a  very  large  mill,  with  abundant  machinery,  running 
full  time.  Since  that  time  he  has  suffered  the  same  ex- 
perience of  destruction  by  fire  three  times,  viz.,  in  1870, 
1876,  and  in  August,  1881,  and  each  time  has  erected 
larger  and  more  complete  buildings,  and  has  greatlv  in- 
creased his  business.  The  destruction  in  the  fire  of 
August,  1881,  was  complete,  destroying  everything  ex- 
cept the  office  and  storage  building,  and  sweeping  away 
also  the  adjacent  sash,  door  and  blind  factory  of  Stan- 
ley &  Unckles;  yet  in  three  mouths'  time  the  present 
factory,  said  to  be  the  largest  and  in  every  particular 
the  most  complete  of  its  kind  in  the  United  States,  was 
finished  and  in  running  order.  The  present  buildings 
occupy  the  whole  front  (200  feet)  on  Nevins  street, 
from  Baltic  to  Butler,  and  extend  back  on  both  streets 
225  feet,  the  whole  space  (45,000  square  feet)  being 
covered  with  buildings,  leaving  only  the  necessary  pass- 
age ways  for  wagons  and  trucks.  The  corner  building, 
38x115  feet,  is  occupied  on  the  first  floor  and  basement 
by  the  turning,  carving  and  sawing  department.  The 
second  story  is  fitted  up  as  a  carpenters'  or  joiners' 
shop,  with  the  most  improved  labor-saving  machinery. 
Here  are  made  window-frames,  wood  mantels,  panel 
work  of  all  descriptions,  employing  a  large  force  of 
first-class  mechanics.  The  third  floor  is  used  for  storage 
and  other  purposes. 

Adjoining  on  Baltic  street  is  the  machine  shop,  where 
the  machines  used  in  the  establishment  are  made,  and 
all  necessary  repairing  is  done.  The  next  is  the  stair- 
building  shop.  Then  come  the  storage  sheds  where 
kiln-dried  lumber  is  stored  ready  to  cut,  and  on  the  rear 
we  reach  the  drying  kilns,  six  in  number,  built  of  brick 
and  extending  from  Baltic  to  Butler  streets,  a  distance 
of  200  feet,  with  capacity  for  drying  180,000  feet  of 
lumber  at  once,  and  insuring  a  constant  supply  of 
thoroughly  seasoned  lumber. 

The  remainder  of  the  ground  is  occupied  by  one 
large  mill  building  containing  13  moulding  machines, 
capable  of  producing  130,000  feet  of  worked  mouldings 
a  day  ;  3  large  planing  machines,  band,  jig,  circular 
and  other  saws,  and  the  necessary  belting  and  shafting 
for  driving  them;  in  the  centre  of  the  mill,  the  "  knife 
room,"  where  the  moulding  cutters  are  made  and  where, 
on  shelves,  each  numbered  in  order,  the  knives  or  cut- 
ters are  stored  after  their  manufacture  or  repair.  Two 
men  are  constantly  at  work  making  new  knives.  The 
shop  is  fitted  up  with  a  portable  forge,  anvils,  tanite 
emery  wheels,  etc.    In  this  same  mill  are  also  the  sand- 


730 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


papering  machines,  invented  by  Mr.  Loomis,  and  used 
exclusively  in  this  establishment.  On  these  machines  the 
mouldings  receive  the  smooth  finish  for  which  Loomis' 
mouldings  are  noted  in  the  trade.  Two  of  these  ma- 
chines now  do  the  work  of  from  GO  to  80  boys,  and  ac- 
complish it  much  more  skillfully  and  satisfactorily, 
preserving  all  sharp  corners  intact,  and  finishing  uni- 
formly, and  without  injury,  all  surfaces  and  delicate 
members  of  the  moulding. 

Mr.  Loomis  also  owns  and  occupies  a  lumber  yard 
100x225  feet,  on  the  canal,  at  the  corner  of  Carroll  and 
Nevins  streets,  for  receiving  and  piling  his  lumber,  and 
another  yard  100x100  feet,  opposite  his  mill  on  Nevins 
street,  where  he  keeps  for  sale  all  descriptions  of 


Court  from  1675  to  1687,  and  died  in  1688  at  the  age  of  66 
years.  The  son  of  Thomas  Loomis,  of  Windsor,  was  Thomas 
Loomis,  of  Hatfield,  Mass.,  born  in  1653.  His  son  was  Thomas 
Loomis,  of  Lebanon,  Conn.,  born  in  1684;  and  his  son  Lieu- 
tenant Thomas  Loomis,  also  of  Lebanon,  born  in  1714. 
Captain  Isaiah  Loomis,  also  of  Lebanon,  was  a  son  of  the 
lieutenant,  and  a  soldier  of  the  Revolution;  he  was  born  in 
1749.  Sherman  Loomis,  of  Centremoreland,  Penn.,  was  the 
son  of  Captain  Isaiah,  born  in  1787,  and  was  the  father  of 
John  Sharp  Loomis. 

In  1846,  John  S.  Loomis  went  from  Wilkesbarre,  where  he 
had  learned  his  trade  as  a  carpenter,  to  South  Carolina,  and 
was  engaged,  under  A.  W.  Craven,  in  building  the  Camden 
&  Gadsden  Railroad,  one  of  the  last  links  in  the  first  railroad 
connection  between  the  North  and  the  South.  In  1847,  he 
came  to  Brooklyn,  and  entered  the  shop  of  Thomas  Baylis, 


J.  S.  LOOMIS'  MOULDING  AND  PLANING  MILLS. 


dressed  lumber  for  the  local  trade.  Mr.  Loomis  re- 
quires annually'for  his  business  about  6,000,000  feet  of 
pine  lumber  and  750,000  feet  of  hard-wood. 

Mr.  Loomis  does  also  a  very  considerable  business  in 
the  production  of  hard  wood  trimmings  in  addition  to 
his  mouldings  manufacture.  He  employs  about  120 
hands;  paying  annually  about  $92,000  wages,  and  pro- 
ducing annually  mouldings,  <fec,  to  the  value  of  about 
$350,000. 

John  Sharp  Loomis. —The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born 
in  Centremoreland,  Wyoming  county,  Penn.,  June  12,  1825. 
He  is  of  strictly  Puritan  stock,  his  first  direct  ancestor  in  this 
country  having  been  Joseph  Loomis,  a  woollen  draper,  of 
Essex  county,  England,  who  came  to  Boston  in  1638,  and  re- 
moved to  Windsor,  in  the  Connecticut  Colony,  in  1639.  One 
of  his  five  sons  was  John  Loomis  or  Loomys,  another  Thomas 
Loomis,  lK>th  of  Windsor,  and  both  men  of  substance  and 
distinction.    Thomas  Loomis  was  a  deputy  to  the  General 


who  was  at  that  time  one  of  the  leading  builders  in  the  city. 
About  a  year  later  he  formed  a  partnership  with  James  Mc- 
Cammann,  a  fellow  workman,  and  started  a  small  mill  in 
Tompkins  place  for  the  manufacture  of  sash,  doors  and 
blinds.  Their  mill  was  only  25  feet  square,  was  run  by  horse- 
power, and  contained  a  very  few  machines. 

They  were  compelled,  by  the  increase  of  their  business,  to 
remove  to  larger  quarters  in  Wyckoff  street,  near  Smith,  at 
the  end  of  two  years,  where  they  had  nearly  three  times  as 
much  room  and  a  steam-engine  of  five  horse  power.  In  1855, 
the  partnership  was  dissolved,  Mr.  McCammann  going  out, 
and  thenceforward  Mr.  Loomis  continued  the  business  alone. 
He  now  turned  his  attention  to  the  extension  of  his  trade 
with  the  south.  He  had  added  mouldings  to  his  products, 
and  in  five  years  had  created  so  large  a  market  for  his  work 
in  the  southern  states,  that  he  sold  out  his  sash,  door  and 
blind  interest,  and  confined  himself  exclusively  to  the  manu- 
facture of  mouldings  ami  turned  work.  Notwithstanding  the 
derangement  of  business  consequent  upon  the  war,  his  trade 
constantly  increased,  and  he  was  in  the  height  of  a  prosperous 
and  growing  business,  when,  on  the  6th  of  June,  1868,  his 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


737 


mill  was  entirely  destroyed  by  fire.  He  instantly  made  tem- 
porary arrangements  for  continuing  his  business,  and  pur- 
chased the  site  which  his  present  mill  occupies,  at  the  head 
of  Gowanus  canal,  on  Nevins  street.  Here,  by  the  first  of 
December,  1868,  he  had  completed  a  very  large  manufactory, 
replete  with  every  convenience,  for  his  business.  Here  the 
increase  of  his  trade  surpassed  all  his  former  anticipations. 
It  would  seem  that  Mr.  Loomis  would  be  justified  in  calling 
his  manufactory  the  "Phoenix"  works,  for,  since  his  re- 
moval to  Nevins  street,  he  has  three  times  seen  his  buildings 
and  machinery  and  stock  destroyed  by  fire.  These  fires 
occurred  in  1870,  1876  and  in  August,  1881.  The  last  fire  was 
especially  destructive,  sweeping  away  another  factory  as 
well  as  his  own.  But  three  months  later  he  had  finished  a 
new  factory,  larger,  and  every  way  more  complete  in  all  its 
appointments,  than  any  of  its  predecessors  had  been.  Else- 
where we  describe  this  new  factory,  with  its  numerous 
buildings.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  it  is  fully  supplied  with 
machines  of  the  latest  and  most  approved  patterns,  many  of 
them  of  Mr.  Loomis'  own  invention,  and  that  the  extensive 
machine  shop  connected  with  it  is  constantly  making  addi- 
tions to  its  appliances  for  turning  out  perfect  work.  There 
are  other  moulding  and  turning  mills  in  Brooklyn,  of  great 
extent  and  capable  of  turning  out  excellent  work ;  but  none, 
in  all  respects,  equal  to  this.  He  is  now  also  occupied  quite 
largely  in  what  is  known  as  the  ' '  hard-wood  department " 
of  the  moulding  and  trimming  business.  This  consists  in 
the  manufacture  of  ornamental  door  and  window  frames, 
rails,  Newel  posts,  etc.,  etc.,  which  are  richly  veneered,  in- 
laid, carved,  etc.,  for  halls,  theatres,  opera  houses,  hotels, 


steamboats  and  private  dwellings.  The  industry  is  a  com- 
paratively new  one,  but  is  rapidly  growing. 

Mr.  Loomis'  business,  which  began  with  the  Brooklyn 
trade,  now  extends  throughout  the  eastern,  middle,  south- 
ern and  southwestern  states,  and  he  is  also  frequently  re- 
ceiving orders  from  the  West  Indies,  South  America,  Eng- 
land, Scotland,  Australia,  New  Zealand,  South  Africa  and 
other  countries. 

Mr.  Loomis  is  a  thorough-going  business  man,  and  pos- 
sesses a  genial  and  sunny  temper,  which  has  drawn  around 
him  a  host  of  friends.  His  generous  and  social  disposition; 
his  undaunted  pluck  and  self-poise  in  the  midst  of  disaster, 
his  confident  leadership  in  perilous  enterprises,  his  courage, 
hopefulness  and  perfect  self-control  amid  the  wild  and 
chaotic  excitement  of  the  great  fires  which  have  so  often  de- 
stroyed his  property;  the  quiet  firmness  and  resolution  with 
which  he  has  retrieved  his  fortunes;  and  the  constancy  of 
his  friendships,  render  him  a  man  to  be  admired  and  loved 
by  all  who  know  him. 

Mr.  Loomis'  family  consists  of  his  wife  and  three  grown-up 
sons,  two  of  whom  are  in  the  business  with  their  father.  He 
has  always  been  a  republican  in  his  political  relations,  though 
not  a  partisan.  He  was  one  of  the  original  stockholders  and 
directors  of  the  Sprague  National  Bank. 

Mr.  Loomis  has  always  held  that  the  eye  of  the  master  is 
the  best  guaranty  of  the  perfection  and  excellence  of  the 
work  which  he  offers  to  the  public;  and,  acting  on  this  con- 
viction, he  may  be  seen,  at  almost  any  hour  of  the  day,  over- 
looking, inspecting  and  directing  the  work  on  which  some  of 
his  120  workmen  are  engaged. 


738 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


The  manufacture  of  sash,  doors  and  blinds  describes 
itself.  It  is  constantly  increasing,  and  these  goods,  we 
believe,  owing  in  part  to  the  strong  competition,  are 
better  made,  and  of  more  thoroughly  seasoned  lumber, 
than  formerly.  The  trade  is  almost  entirely  local,  as 
every  city  and  large  village  has  its  factories  for  the 
production  of  these  articles,  so  necessary  for  the  build- 
er's use.  Of  late,  even  hard-wood  doors,  of  the 
best  quality,  carved  and  ornamented,  are  made  in  these 
factories.  The  census  of  1880  reported  24  of  these  es- 
tablishments with  a  capital  of  $368,350,  employing  G37 
hands,  and  paying  §190,509  wages;  using  $398,679  of 
material  and  producing  $738,722  annually.  As  the 
census  makes  no  separate  mention  of  mouldings  or 
hard-wood  trimmings,  it  is  probable  that  these  were  in- 
cluded. Now,  the  business  directory  of  1883  reports 
eight  houses  engaged  in  making  mouldings,  etc.  (there 
are  really  twelve),  and  in  the  county  38  manufacturers 
of  sash,  doors  and  blinds.  The  number  of  hands  em- 
ployed exceeds  750,  and  the  production,  aside  from 
mouldings  is  over  $1,000,000.  The  largest  houses  in  the 
business  are  Louis  liossert,  Alexander  Dugan,  Good- 
win, Cross  dc  Co.,  Stanley  <C  Unckles,  R.  F.  Whipple, 
II.  Kirk  tO  Morgenthaler,  Welsh  d'  Utile,  Long  Island 
Saw  and  Planing  Mills,  South  Brooklyn  Saw  Mills 
Company,  William  Skidmore,  etc.,  etc. 

Subsection  VI. — Mattresses,  Spring  Beds  and  Bed- 
ding. 

More  intimately  connected  with  the  furniture  trade 
than  the  hard-wood  trimmings,  or  the  mouldings  and 
the  sashes,  doors  and  blinds,  are  the  mattresses,  spring 
beds  and  bedding.  Mattresses  are  made  of  exceedingly 
various  materials.  The  material  most  valued  by  house- 
keepers is  genuine,  pure,  curled  horse-hair;  and  mat- 
tresses containing  this  article,  and  nothing  else,  always 
command  a  high  price.  There  are  many  cheaper  ma- 
terials, used  either  by  themselves,  or  to  cheapen  hair 
mattresses,  however,  which  have  a  considerable  sale. 
Deer's  hair  is  used  by  one  manufacturer  for  ship  mat- 
tresses, on  account  of  its  buoyant  quality,  as  it  is  said 
that  it  cannot  be  made  to  sink;  Russian  felt  is  used  for 
its  freedom  from  vermin;  curled  husks,  tow,  excelsior, 
shavings,  Spanish  moss,  curled  palm  leaf,  hay,  straw 
and  moss  are  also  used  in  the  cheaper  mattresses. 
There  are  also  mattresses  of  woven  wire,  of  spiral 
springs,  upholstered  and  not  upholstered,  of  coiled 
springs,  and  of  almost  every  description  of  springs,  and 
fastened  iii  :m  almost  infinite  variety  of  ways.  Then 
there  are  beds  or  mattresses  of  feathers,  of  down,  of 
nit  ton,  of  wool,  and  of  vegetable  wool  and  woolly 
plants.  Nearly  every  description  of  mattress  named 
is  manufactured  here.  The  census  reported  hut  seven 
manufacturers  of  matt resses  and  spring  beds,  employ- 
ing 36  hands  and  producing  $137,676  of  goods;  I >u t 
this  was  a  most  remarkable  undcr-cstimate.  Of  the 
hundreds  of  upholsterers  and  furniture  dealers,  there 


is  hardly  one  who  does  not  make  mattresses  of  some 
kind,  and  most  of  them  many  kinds;  while  there  are 
24  houses,  some  of  them  large,  who  make  the  manu- 
facture of  mattresses  and  spring  beds  their  sole  occu- 
pation. It  is,  of  course,  difficult,  and  perhaps  impossi- 
ble, to  come  at  any  very  near  approximation  to  the 
amount  of  business  done  in  these  goods,  but  it  is  cer- 
tainly within  bounds  to  say  that,  including  the  export 
of  special  spring  beds  and  mattresses  made  here,  the 
whole  number  of  hands  employed  is  not  under  250,  and 
the  production  above  $500,000.  The  leading  houses 
who  are  specially  engaged  in  this  manufacture  are:  the 
Brooklyn  Sjtring  Bed  Co.,  who  manufacture  woven 
wire  and  other  mattresses,  at  56  Flatbush  avenue;  they 
employ  ten  men  and  turn  out  mattresses  to  the  amount 
of  about  $50,000;  John  Wood,  of  223  Fulton  street, 
whose  business  was  estabished  in  1864,  and  who  turns 
out  about  $60,000  of  furniture  and  bedding  annually; 
William  S.  Fogg  &  Son;  the  Metropolitan  Manufactur- 
ing Company;  J.  tt  R.  Ainslie,  of  20-22  Broadway, 
E.  D.,  who  make  a  specialty  of  peculiar  metallic 
spring  mattresses  of  great  excellence,  employ  15  hands, 
and  produce  goods  to  the  value  of  about  $52,000  a  year; 
K.  C.  Bradford;  the  Metallic  Upholstering  Company; 
L.  Goodwin;  Edwin  P.  Fowler;  George  S.  Goodwin; 
L.  Dreio,  whose  house  has  been  established  for  more 
than  56  years  ;  his  business  in  this  line  is  largely 
wholesale,  and  his  customers  are  the  best  furniture 
dealers  in  Kings  County;  he  connects  feather  dressing 
and  renovating  with  his  business,  and  also  bedding  in 
general ;  Samuel  II.  Mills,  William  T.  Fish,  etc.,  etc. 

The  census  returns  of  all  branches  of  the  furniture 
and  upholstering  manufacture  are  somewhat  more  than 
$2,800,000  and  2,065  hands  employed.  Adding  for 
mouldings  and  hard-wood  trimmings,  and  the  defective 
report  of  mattresses  and  spring  beds,  and  the  very 
great  increase  of  the  business  within  four  years,  and 
we  have  an  aggregate  of  more  than  $4,500,000  in  all 
branches  of  the  business,  and  more  than  3,000  hands 
employed. 


SECTION  XVI. 
Publishing  and  Book  Manufacture. 

The  item,  "  Printing  and  Publishing,"  in  the  census 
of  1880,  is  misleading  in  many  respects.  Sixty-four 
establishments  were  reported,  with  $889,284  capital, 
employing  1,299  hands,  paying  $522,075  wages,  using 
$552,610  material,  and  producing  $1,549,743  of  books, 
papers,  pamphlets  and  job  work.  This  enumeration 
included  every  little  job  office  in  the  city;  but  it  would 
seem  to  have  omitted  the  three  great  hook  factories  ot 
Brooklyn — or,  rather,  two  of  them,  as  Messrs.  Barnes' 
factory  was  not  erected  till  1880 — for  Mr.  Froth- 
ingham's  report,  which  did  include  these,  gave  68 
establishments,  with  $994,384  of  capital,  employ- 
ing   1,448    hands,   paying    $562,613    wages,  using 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES.  739 


$496,610  of  raw  material,  and  producing  annually 
$2,062,293  of  books,  papers,  &c.  The  census  office, 
doubtless,  concluded  in  these  cases,  as  they  have  in 
many  other  Brooklyn  manufactures,  that  since  the 
goods  were  sold  in  New  York  city,  Brooklyn  was  not 
entitled  to  the  credit  of  their  manufacture.  But,  as  a 
matter  of  fact,  the  greater  part  of  the  product  of  these 
great  book  manufactories  is  shipped  direct  from  the 
factories,  by  telegraphic  and  telephonic  orders,  and 
never  enters  the  New  York  warehouses.  The  capital 
is  invested  here,  the  whole  process  of  manufacture  is 


TJie  Freie  Press  and  Hie  Brooklyn  Daily  Union,  all  do 
a  very  large  business,  and  having  job  offices  attached 
to  them,  turn  out  a  vast  amount  of  printing  annually. 
These  four  newspapers,  with  their  advertisements  and 
their  job  offices,  have  an  aggregate  production  of  not 
less  than  $700,000  annually;  adding  to  this  the  seven- 
teen or  eighteen  other  newspapers,  periodicals  and 
magazines  (not  including  the  advertising  sheets),  and 
we  have  an  aggregate  annual  production  of  not  less 
than  $1,050,000.  Of  the  other  forty-two  or  forty- 
three   printing  establishments,   some   are  connected 


D.  APPLETON  &  CO.'S  BOOK  MANUFACTORY. 


conducted  here,  and  the  perfected  product  is  stored 
here,  ready  for  shipment  to  any  point  where  it  is  needed. 
But,  though  Mr.  Frothingham's  annual  product  exceeds 
that  of  the  census  office  by  more  than  $500,000,  it  does 
not  adequately  represent  the  immense  production  of 
these  great  houses,  as  we  shall  see  presently. 

Under  this  heading,  the  census,  undoubtedly,  in- 
cludes the  printing  and  publishing  of  the  daily  and 
weekly  newspapers  and  the  monthly  publications.  We 
describe  these  more  at  length  under  the  head  of  "  The 
Press  and  Journalism."  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  The 
Brooklyn  Daily  Eagle,  The  Brooklyn  Daily  Times, 


with  book-stores  and  stationery  houses;  some  are 
jobbing  offices,  which  have  a  good  business  in  con- 
nection with  large  manufacturing,  commercial  or  busi- 
ness houses;  some  are  connected  with  banks,  insurance 
and  real  estate  offices,  and  draw  their  business  mainly 
from  them,  printing  the  advertising  sheets  which  are 
so  common,  and  other  jobbing  work.  Most  of  the  great 
manufacturing  houses  have  a  printing  office  of  their 
own.  Taking  these  all  together  (and  the  number  has 
probably  increased  since  1880  to  about  60),  and  their 
annual  production  is  not  less  than  $500,000,  and  may 
considerably  exceed  that  sum. 


740 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


But  the  production  of  the  great  book  factories  ex- 
ceeds that  of  the  newspapers  and  job  printers  together. 

The  first  of  these  in  Brooklyn  in  the  order  of  time, 
and  probably  the  largest  in  extent,  is  that  of  Messrs. 
D.  Ari'LETOx  &  Co.,  at  201-219  Kent  avenue.  The 
Messrs.  Appleton,  booksellers  in  New  York  since  1825, 
and  publishers  since  1831,  had  found  their  publications 
becoming  so  numerous  as  to  require  facilities  of  their 
own  for  the  manufacture  of  their  publications.  They 
commenced  a  bindery  in  New  York  city  in  1854,  a 
printing  office  with  eight  power  presses,  and  26  hands 
in  Franklin  street,  New  York  city,  in  1855,  and  a 
composition  and  electrotyping  department  in  Greene 
street,  New  York,  in  1864.  Mr.  Matthews  was,  and 
still  is  at  the  head  of  their  bindery;  Mr.  Dunne  at  the 
head  of  the  printing  department,  now  enlarged  to  21 
Adams  presses  and  150  hands,  and  Mr.  William  II.  S. 
Werry,  deceased  in  1875,  and  succeeded  by  his  son, 
Edward  Werry,  was  at  the  head  of  the  composition  and 
electrotyping  department,  which  originally  had  twelve 
hands,  and  now  has  more  than  100. 

In  December,  1867,  Messrs.  Appleton  erected  their 
present  book  factory  in  Kent  street  and  consolidated 
all  their  departments  under  one  building  or  series  of 
buildings.  This  is  said  to  be  one  of  the  largest  and 
most  completely  appointed  printing  and  binding  estab- 
lishments in  the  world.  The  bindery  alone  is  250  feet 
long  and  five  stories  high,  and  has  about  425  hands 
employed.  The  printing  office  and  the  composing  and 
electrotyping  rooms  occupy  another  large  building, 
and  still  another  has  been  erected  for  the  storage  of 
books,  as  well  as  extensive  vaults  for  plates.  The 
firm  now  employs  about  700  hands,  pay  out  $325,000 
annually  for  wages,  and  their  annual  product  in  this 
factory  is  between  $700,000  and  $800,000. 

They  have  a  restaurant  for  their  hands  in  the  build- 
ing, which  furnishes  meals  at  the  bare  cost;  two  sick 
benefit  organizations  have  been  organized;  there  is  an 
excellent  circulating  library  for  the  operatives,  founded 
in  memory  of  George  S.  Appleton,  deceased,  a  former 
member  of  the  firm,  and  the  Appleton  Mission,  which 
provides  religious  services  free  of  charge  to  all  who 
choose  to  attend  them. 

Messrs.  McLoufjldin  Brothers  were  the  next  of 
these  book  manufacturers  to  establish  a  large  book 
factory  in  Brooklyn.  They  had  been  for  many  years 
engaged  in  the  manufacture  and  publication  of  colored 
toy  books,  games  and  toys  in  New  York  at  first,  from 
1840  to  1850,  as  Elton  &  Co.,  and  from  1855  under  the 
present  firm  name;  but  finding  occasion  for  larger 
quarters,  they  removed  to  Brooklyn  in  1870,  and 
erected  their  present  spacious  factory  at  Smith  Eleventh 
street,  corner  of  Third.  Here  they  employ  ahout  :!"><) 
hands,  and  produce  a  very  large  amount  of  toy  books, 
colored  and  plain  games,  and  toys.  Their  business 
has  grown  steadily  from  year  to  year.  All  their  books, 
toys,  etc.,  are  Bold  in  New  York. 


The  third,  in  the  order  of  time,  of  these  great  man- 
ufactories, is  that  of  Messrs.  A.  S.  Barnes  &  Co. 
This  house  has  been  in  business  as  publishers  since 
1838,  at  first  in  Hartford,  Conn.;  afterward  in  Phila- 
delphia, and  since  1845  in  New  York  city,  where  they 
originally  occupied  a  store  and  warehouse  at  the  cor- 
ner of  John  and  Dutch  streets.  Their  quarters  be- 
coming too  strait  for  them,  they  purchased  the  five- 
story  store  and  warehouse,  on  the  corner  of  William 
and  John  streets,  in  1S68,  reserving  the  old  store  and 
warehouse,  as  well  as  a  part  of  the  new,  for  manufac- 
turing purposes.  In  1880,  they  had  outgrown  these 
quarters,  and  Mr.  Barnes  erected  their  present  large 
manufactory  in  Brooklyn,  on  the  corner  of  Liberty 
and  Nassau  streets,  75x100  feet,  and  six  stories  high. 
To  this  new  building  they  removed  their  printing 
offices,  bindery,  packing,  and  in  part,  their  storage 
rooms.  Twenty  power  presses  are  kept  continually 
running  on  the  school-books  and  other  publications  of 
the  firm,  and  most  of  their  orders  are  shipped  to  their 
point  of  destination  direct  from  the  factory.  Mr. 
Edwin  M.  Barnes,  the  third  son  of  Mr.  A.  S.  Barnes, 
is  in  charge  of  the  manufactory. 

The  number  of  hands  employed  in  all  departments 
of  the  factory  is  about  250,  andlhey  turn  out  over  a 
million  of  school-books  annually. 

These  three  manufactories  are,  we  believe,  all,  which 
are  regularly  engaged  in  the  production  of  books  in 
Brooklyn;  certainly,  they  are  all  which  are  conducted 
solely  for  the  account  of  the  publishers  who  own  them. 
Their  aggregate  production,  as  we  have  seen,  is  above 
$1,600,000,  and  the  aggregate  number  of  hands  em- 
ployed about  1,350. 

A.  S.  Barnes. — There  is,  perhaps,  no  department  of 
enterprise  and  industry,  which  has  been  more  marked 
in  its  development  within  the  past  few  years,  than  that 
of  the  publication  of  school  books. 

The  small  store,  with  some  dozens  of  spelling-books 
and  readers,  with  copy-books  and  arithmetics,  in  still 
smaller  quantities,  has  given  place  to  the  present  mam- 
moth establishment,  turning  out  from  its  immense 
power-presses,  and  well  appointed  bindery,  its  thousands 
— nay,  millions — of  volumes  yearly,  embracing  e\  BrJ 
department  of  human  learning  for  which  a  text  book  has 
been,  or  can  be,  prepared.  In  very  few  establishments 
in  the  world,  probably,  has  this  development  from  a 
small  beginning  to  a  great  enterprise,  been  more  fully 
exemplified  than  in  the  house  deriving  its  name  from, 
and  owing  its  foundation  and  great  success  to,  the 
subject  of  our  sketch. 

It  has  steadily  grown,  from  its  first  modest  quarters 
of  twelve  by  twenty  feet  square  in  Hartford,  in  1838, 
to  the  occupation  of  buildings  in  Brooklyn,  New  York 
and  Chicago,  whose  floors  may  be  measured  by  acres, 
and  the  product  of  whose  presses  goes  out  by  tons  and 
car-loads  to  every  part  of  this   and  many  foreign 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES.  741 


countries.  Alfred  Smith  Barnes,  the  founder  of  this 
establishment,  was  born  in  New  Haven,  Conn.,  Jan.  28, 
1817.  His  father,  Eli  Barnes,  was  a  native  of  South- 
ington,  Hartford  county,  and  his  mother,  Susan  Morris, 
of  East  Haven,  Conn.  Eli  Barnes  was  originally  a 
farmer,  but  subsequently  became  a  merchant  at  New 
Haven,  where  he  died  in  1827,  leaving  a  widow  and 
five  children.  Of  Mrs.  Barnes,  it  is  said  that  "she  was 
the  daughter  of  pious  parents  and  a  worthy  member  of 
a  godly  race.  In  her  widowhood  she  was  not  alone. 
She  trusted  in  pious  confidence  to  Him  who  hears  the 
prayers  of  the  afflicted,  and  pours  out  the  oil  of  gladness 
into  sorrowing  hearts  ;  her  labors  were  crowned  by  the 
highest  rewards.  Her  family  grew  up  under  her  care, 
and  under  the  influence  of  her  pure  and  earnest  life. 
She  impressed  upon  them  the  convictions  of  a  religious 
mind,  and  under  these  convictions  not  only  guarded 
them  from  evil,  but  conducted  them  to  honorable  suc- 
cesses." Alfred  was  the  second  son,  and  at  the  age  of 
1 1  years  he  was  placed  under  the  care  of  an  uncle  at 
Hartford.  He  attended  school  during  winter  and 
labored  on  a  farm  during  the  summer  months,  thus 
combining  manual  labor  and  intellectual  discipline  in 
laying  the  foundation  of  future  usefulness. 

At  the  age  of  sixteen  years  he  entered  the  store  of 
D.  F.  Robinson  &  Co.,  of  Hartford,  Conn.,  at  that  time 
one  of  the  leading  publishing  houses  of  the  country,  as 
a  clerk,  and,  at  the  same  time  became  a  member  of  his 
employer's  family.  Here  he  received  the  advantages  and 
influences  of  a  christian  home,  which,  added  to  the  teach- 
ings of  a  pious  mother,  gave  a  decidedly  religious  bent  to 
his  mind,  which  has  found  development  in  later  life  in 
an  active  connection  with  church  and  Sabbath  school, 
and  all  kindred  work,  and  laid  the  foundation  of  those 
strict  principles  of  integrity  that  have  made  his  name 
respected  in  the  business  circles  wherein  he  has  moved. 
In  1835  Messrs.  Robinson  &  Co.  moved  their  business 
to  New  York  city,  where  the  young  clerk  caught  his 
first  glimpses  of  the  methods  of  conducting  the  more 
extensive  business  of  leading  houses  in  the  metropolis, 
and  at  the  great  centers  of  trade.  This  larger  experi- 
ence was  of  great  value  to  him,  and  finally  determined 
his  partially  formed  plans  for  the  future.  In  February, 
1838,  being  then  just  21  years  old,  and  having  com- 
pleted the  term  of  his  clerkship,  he  entered  into  a 
partnership  with  Prof.  Charles  Davies,  formerly  of 
West  Point,  but  then  residing  in  Hartford.  The  first 
efforts  of  the  new  firm,  then  and  thereafter  to  be  known 
as  A.  S.  Barnes  &  Co.,  were  in  the  publication  of  Prof. 
Davies'  admirable  series  of  mathematical  works,  Prof. 
Davies  receiving  a  portion  of  the  profits  in  addition  to 
a  fixed  copyright.  The  first  quarters  of  the  new  firm 
consisted  of  a  small  room  on  Pearl  street  in  Hartford; 
and  here,  without  other  capital  than  the  intelligence 
and  tireless  energy  of  one  partner  and  the  intellectual 
ability  and  thorough  knowledge  of  this  subject  and 
training  for  his  work  on  the  part  of  the  other,  began  an 


enterprise,  that  for  at  least  one  of  them,  has  been  a 
life  work,  and  which  from  that  inconsiderable  begin- 
ning has  developed  into  the  largest  and  most  popular 
school  book  publishing  house  in  the  world.  During 
the  first  two  years  of  the  existence  of  the  firm,  Mr. 
Barnes  spent  a  considerable  portion  of  the  time  in  an 
active  canvass  of  academies,  schools  and  colleges  in  all 
parts  of  the  country,  for  the  purpose  of  introducing 
Prof.  Davies'  works.  Their  first  venture,  Davies' 
Arithmetic,  was  intended  to  be  and  was  the  precursor  of 
the  first  complete  series  of  mathematical  text  books  ever 
attempted  in  this  country,  a  series  that  has  been  extra- 
ordinarily popular,  and  even  yet  is  selling  largely,  and  is 
recognized  as  a  standard  authority.  Mrs.  Emma  Wil  lard's 
Histories  were  soon  added  to  the  firm's  list  of  publica- 
tions, and  others  gradually  followed.  In  J  840,  Mr. 
Barnes  opened  a  book  store  in  Philadelphia,  and  in  1842 
removed  the  manufacturing  department  also  to  that 
city.  In  the  new  location,  21  Minor  street,  their  busi- 
ness was  largely  increased,  and  they  added  to  their 
stock  the  publications  of  other  houses.  The  steady 
though  gradual  growth  of  the  business  finally  deter- 
mined the  firm  to  again  remove,  this  time  to  New  York 
city,  which  offered  superior  advantages  for  the  prose- 
cution of  its  work.  Their  first  store  in  that  city  was  at 
the  corner  of  John  and  Dutch  streets,  and  the  upper 
floors  were  used  for  the  printing  and  binding  of  their 
publications,  beginning  with  four  two-roller  steam 
power  presses,  and  a  moderate  outfit  for  their  bindery. 
After  a  short  time  two  more  power-presses  were  added, 
and  rooms  in  the  adjoining  building  were  rented  to  meet 
the  wants  of  their  growing  business. 

One  after  another  the  works  of  other  writers  on  edu- 
cational topics  were  added,  besides  works  of  a  miscel- 
laneous literary  character,  other  than  school-books, 
until  now  their  list  embraces  nearly  all  branches  of 
science  and  literature;  and  the  sale,  promoted  not  only 
by  the  intrinsic  merits  of  the  works  themselves,  but  by 
a  most  extensive  and  complete  system  of  agencies  and 
local  canvassers,  numbers  millions  of  copies  annually. 
In  1868  the  business  had  so  outgrown  their  original  quar- 
ters, that  they  removed  to  their  present  5-story  building 
at  John  and  William  streets.  This  property  was  pur- 
chased by  Mr.  Barnes  and  used  as  a  store  and  ware- 
house. Mr.  Barnes  also  purchased  the  Dutch  street 
corner,  where  they  had  so  long  conducted  their  busi- 
ness, using  it  exclusively  for  manufacturing  purposes. 
This  department  outgrew  their  quarters,  and  in  1880, 
he  purchased  ground  and  erected  a  building  75  feet 
front,  100  feet  deep,  and  six  stories  high,  on  the  corner 
of  Liberty  and  Nassau  streets  in  Brooklyn,  premises 
formerly  owned  by  the  First  Baptist  Church  Society. 

To  this,  they  removed  their  printing  offices,  bindery, 
packing,  and  in  part,  their  storage  rooms;  here  about 
twenty  power-presses  are  kept  continually  running  on 
the  school-books  and  other  publications  of  the  firm,  and 
from  this  point  most  of  their  production  is  shipped 


742 


77 JS TORY  OF  KWGS  COUNTY. 


to  all  parts  of  the  country.  Mr.  Barnes  for  many 
years  attended  to  the  work  of  manufacturing.  His 
sons  have  successively  followed  him,  thus  familiar- 
izing themselves  with  all  the  intricate  details  of  the 
husiness.  His  third  son,  Edwin  M.  Barnes,  is  now 
in  charge.  In  the  many  years  existence  of  the  firm 
of  A.  S.  Barnes  &  Co.,  many  changes  have  taken 
place  in  its  personnel.  Prof.  Davies'  connection  con- 
tinued about  ten  years.  In  1850  a  brother-in-law 
of  Mr.  Barnes,  Mr.  Henry  L.  Burr,  entered  the 
firm  and  continued  as  a  member  of  it  until  his  death  in 
1865.  About  this  time  Mr.  Barnes' brother,  John  C. 
Barnes,  and  his  son,  Alfred  C.  Barnes,  and,  in  1868, 
Henry  W.  Curtiss,  became  associated  in  the  business. 
Since  then  other  members  of  the  family  have  joined 
the  firm,  Mr.  J.  C.  Barnes  withdrawing  in  1867  and  Mr. 
Curtiss  in  1881.  The  firm  now  consists  of  five  of 
the  sons;  A.  C,  H.  B.,  E.  M.,  R.  S.,  and  W.  D., 
and  a  nephew,  C.  J.  Barnes,  who  is  in  charge  of  the 
Chicago  branch  of  the  house.  Mr.  A.  S.  Barnes  con- 
tinues at  the  head  of  the  business,  though  less  actively 
than  formerly,  the  burden  of  labor  ami  responsibility 
being  thrown  upon  the  younger  partners.  The  old 
firm  name,  one  of  the  oldest  in  the  country,  is  still 
retained. 

Although  generally  successful,  Mr.  Barnes  has  passed 
through  the  usual  storms  which  assail  any  long  con- 
tinued business. 

The  panic  of  1857,  and  the  breaking  out  of  the  war, 
were  especially  trying,  but  through  all  he  has  main- 
tained the  strong  and  untarnished  credit  of  the  house. 
His  well  known  probity,  as  well  as  his  industry  and 
perseverance,  gained  for  him  the  confidence  of  all,  and 
in  the  darkest  hours,  willing  hands  were  not  wanting 
to  aid  in  tiding  over  the  exigencies  of  the  moment. 
Besides  the  constant  attention  given  to  affairs  of  the 
publishing  house,  Mr.  Barnes  has  found  time  to  em- 
bark in  other  enterprises,  the  final  success  of  which 
well  attest  his  judgment  and  foresight.  One  of  the 
earliest  promoters  of  the  elevated  railway  system  of  New 
York,  he  never,  like  many  others,  lost  faith  in  its  ulti- 
mate importance,  and  his  faith  was  finally  rewarded  in 
its  successful  establishment.  The  Central  branch  of  the 
Union  Pacific  railroad  in  Kansas,  was  another  enterprise 
in  which,  after  many  years  of  delay  and  discouragement, 
his  distinguishing  characteristic,  persistency,  brought 
him  gain.  Among  the  offices  of  trust  and  responsi- 
bility which  Mr.  Barnes  has  sustained  outside  of  his 
business,  have  been  those  of  director  of  the  Hanover 
National  Bank  of  New  York,  of  the  Dime  Savings  Bank 
of  Brooklyn,  and  the  Home  Insurance  Co.  of  New  York. 
At  different  times  he  has  been,  and  still  is,  a  trustee  of 
the  Brooklyn  Collegiate  and  Polytechnic  Institute,  and 
of  the  Packer  Institute;  of  Cornell  University  at  Ithaca, 
N.  Y. ;  of  I-'isk  University  at  Nashville,  Tcnn. ;  one  of  the 
original  promoters  of  the  Adelphi  Academy  of  Brook- 
lyn, and  a  director  of  the  Bong  Island  Historical  Society. 


Mr.  Barnes' family  relations  have  always  been  of  the 
pleasantest  and  most  fortunate  kind.  His  first  wife, 
Harriet  E.  Burr,  whom  he  married  in  1841,  was,  like  him- 
self, of  Connecticut  stock;  her  father,  Gen.  Timothy 
Burr,  of  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  and  her  mother,  Miry  Chapin, 
a  daughter  of  Laertes  Chapin,  were  natives  of  Hart- 
ford, in  that  State.  This  union  was  blessed  in  Phila- 
delphia by  the  birth  of  two  children,  the  number  subse- 
quently increasing  to  ten.  Mrs.  Barnes  was  her  husband's 
companion  for  forty  years,  and  he  speaks  of  her  as  "My 
joy  and  comfort,  who  contributed  largely  to  ray  success 
in  life;  a  devoted  wife  and  mother,  and  an  earnest 
Christian,  largely  interested  and  engaged  in  works  uf 
benevolence  and  charity."  She  lived  to  see  all  her 
children  married,  and  the  birth  of  twenty-four 
grandchildren,  and  then  passed  suddenly  away,  Oct.  27, 
1881.  Mr.  Barnes  has  borne  fruit  throughout  his  life, 
in  a  constant  and  consistent  attention  to  his  religious 
duties  as  church  member,  Sabbath-school  teacher  and 
superintendent;  and,  in  many  positions  of  trust  and  re- 
sponsibility in  connection  with  churches,  charitable  in- 
stitutions and  missions,  he  has  brought  to  his  work  the 
same  earnest  energy,  and  single-heartedness  of  purpose, 
that  has  made  his  business  life  successful.  He  united 
with  Rev.  Dr.  Bushnell's  church  in  Hartford,  at  the 
age  of  seventeen.  On  going  to  New  Y'ork,  in  1835,  he 
transferred  his  church  relations  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Spring's 
(Old  Brick)  Presbyterian  church  and  became  a  Sunday- 
school  teacher  in  one  of  the  first  Mission  Sabbath- 
schools  in  New  York,  under  the  superintendence  of  .Mr. 
Albert  Woodruff.  While  in  Philadelphia  his  church 
relations  were  Presbyterian,  and  under  the  pastorate  of 
Rev.  Joel  Parker,  he  was  a  Sunday  school  teacher  at  the 
House  of  Refuge,  during  his  residence  in  that  city. 
His  first  home  in  New  Yrork  was  at  the  corner  of 
Amity  and  Macdougal  streets,  and  m  while  living 
there  the  family  worshipped  in  Dr.  Skinner's  choral 
in  Mercer  street.  When,  in  1846,  he  removed  to 
Garden  street,  Brooklyn,  he  identified  himself 
with  the  Church  of  the  Pilgrims,  Rev.  Dr.  Storn, 
again  entering  upon  Sunday-school  work  among  the 
poor.  In  1850  he  was  elected  a  deacon  in  that  church. 
In  1853  he  built  his  present  large  and  elegant  residence 
on  Clinton  avenue.  Soon  after  his  removal  thither,  he 
became  interested  in  the  establishment  of  a  new  Con- 
gregational church  on  the  corner  of  Clinton  ami  Lafay- 
ette avenues.  During  the  first  few  years  of  the  ex- 
istence of  this  church.  Mr.  Barnes  was  1 'resident  of  its 
Board  of  Trustees,  and  it  was  largely  due  to  his  energy 
and  perseverance  that  the  financial  embarrassments  ol 
the  society  were  overcome.  Resigning  this  position 
finallv,  he  became  the  superintendent  of  the  Mount 
Prospect  Mission,  established  by  his  church,  and  in  1864 
superintendent  of  t  h<*  I  Ionic  School  of  the  church,  which 
position  he  held  till  1H71.  He  was  also  for  eight  yean 
a  deacon  of  this  church.  Besides  all  these  labors,  Mr 
Barnes  has  taken  great  interest  and  participated  in 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES.  743 


the  direction  of  many  other  works  of  a  kindred  nature. 
He  is  now  President  of  the  Brooklyn  City  Mission  and 
Tract  Society,  and  of  the  "Good  Samaritan;"  Trustee  of 
the  American  Tract  Society  of  New  York,  the  American 
Missionary  Association,  and  of  the  American  Home 
Missionary  Society.  As  might  be  expected,  amidst  all 
this  complexity  of  pursuits  and  interests,  both  spiritual 
and  temporal,  his  time  has  been  occupied  so  fully  as  to 
leave  small  opportunity  for  recreation.  In  1871,  how- 
ever, he  laid  aside  all  his  business,  and  in  company 
with  his  wife  and  one  daughter  and  one  son,  spent  a 
delightful  year  in  a  tour  through  Europe,  returning  at 
its  close  to  take  up  the  scattered  threads,  with  renewed 
vigor  and  interest.  Notwithstanding  his  increasing 
years,  and  the  unusually  active  and  busy  life  he  has  led, 
Mr.  Barnes,  now  sixty-seven  years  of  age,  is  still  hale 
and  vigorous,  and  bids  fair  to  add  many  years  yet  of 
labor  to  those  which  have  already  added  honor  to  his 
name,  and  brought  him  that  well  earned  competency 
which  we  hope  he  may  long  enjoy. 

Mr.  Barnes  was  married  again  on  the  7th  of  November, 
1883,  to  Mrs.  Mary  Mathews  Smith,  formerly  a  resident 
and  teacher  in  Brooklyn,  and  more  recently  of  Piermont- 
on-the-Hudson. 


Of  the  other  publishing  houses  here,  it  is  said  that 
Lain  <&  Co.,  the  directory  publishers,  have  their  com- 
position and  electrotyping  done  in  New  York,  and  their 
press-work  in  Brooklyn.  We  believe  this  is  true,  also, 
of  the  moderate  amount  of  publishing  done  bv  W.  W. 
Swayne  <&  Co.,  and  Higgins  <&  Crowther.  On  the 
other  hand,  in  the  present  disturbed  condition  of  the 
New  York  printing  offices,  several  of  the  smaller  pub- 
lishing houses  in  New  York  are  arranging  with  our 
larger  printing  offices  here  for  the  manufacture  of  their 
books. 

It  is  safe  to  say  that  the  entire  printing,  publishing 
and  book  manufacturing  interest  in  Kings  county  has 
an  annual  production  of  not  less  than  $3,500,000,  and 
it  has  just  reached  the  point  where  its  extraordinary 
development  may  be  fully  expected.  The  census  of 
1890,  if  it  represents  this  interest  with  any  approach 
to  accuracy,  will  show  an  annual  production  of 
$7,000,000  or  more.  This  increase  will  come  by  the 
removal  of  the  book  manufacturing  of  other  large  pub- 
lishing houses  from  New  York  to  our  city;  by  the  fit- 
ting up  here  of  large  printing  offices  capable  of  taking 
any  contract,  and  not  controlled  by  the  typographical 
unions;  and  by  the  development  of  large  publishing 
enterprises  here.  In  hardly  any  of  our  larger  indus- 
tries is  the  outlook  for  a  rapid  and  healthy  growth,  in 
the  near  future,  more  promising. 

The  only  manufacturing  stationers  in  Brooklyn  are 
also  book-binders.  Of  these  the  census  reported  four, 
employing  23  hands,  and  producing  $17,691  of  work. 

The  report  is  absurdly  low.  "VVe  have  already  referred 
to  this  section  to  the  immense  binderies  of  Messrs.  D. 


Appleton  &  Co.  and  A.  S.  Barnes  &  Co.,  which  together 
employ  not  less  than  700  hands,  and  turn  out  for  their 
part  at  least  $500,000  of  work.  Mr.  Wra.  Matthews,  the 
superintendent  of  Applcton's  bindery,  we  believe,  does 
considerable  work  outside  of  the  books  of  that  house, 
and  Messrs.  Barnes'  bindery  also  does  outside  work, 
our  Illustrated  History  being  bound  there.  But  aside 
from  these  there  are  ten  book-binding  firms  in  the  city, 
some  of  them  very  large  establishments,  and  three  or 
four  of  them  making  blank  books,  and  special  books  of 
record,  and  work  for  business  firms,  a  specialty;  three 
certainly  make  a  specialty  of  binding  illustrated  and 
professional  works,  and  one  contracts  for  large  editions 
of  school-books.  The  number  of  hands  employed  in 
these  ten  establishments,  besides  those  in  Appletons' 
and  Barnes'  factories,  is  not  less  than  15(),  and  the  pro- 
duction about  $175,000.  Of  these  houses,  the  most 
prominent  are:  II.  Maine,  377  Fulton  street;  the  New 
York  Book-binding  Company,  46-48  Court  street;  The 
Brooklyn  Eagle  Bindery,  34  Fulton;  George  Kenney, 
94  Cranberry  and  170  Fulton;  E.  Walker's  Son,  South 
Portland  avenue;  Joseph  E.  Kenney,  200  Joralemon; 
Ernest  Hofner,  15  Stagg  street;  Tiebel  Bros.,  236 
Court  street;  Joseph  Ricklin,  235  Sixteenth  street;  and 
Adolph  Wentzel,  93  Harrison  avenue.  In  this  depart- 
ment, also,  there  is  an  opportunity  for  a  great  develop- 
ment of  a  business  which  is  capable  of  almost  indefi- 
nite expansion. 


SECTION  XVII. 

The  Hat  Manufacture. 

The  manufacture  of  hats  and  caps  is  a  large  business 
in  Kings  county.  The  census  for  1880,  in  its  ultimate 
revision,  gives  the  figures  as  follows  :  Hats  and  caps, 
not  including  wool  hats,*  32  establishments,  with 
$533,915  capital,  employing  1,392  hands,  487  being 
women  and  children,  paying  out  $626,504  wages  an- 
nually, using  $999,218  of  material,  and  producing  $1,- 
978,145.  Like  so  many  other  statements  of  our  manu- 
factures, this,  when  compared  with  recent  returns, 
seems  to  be  greatly  understated.  The  returns  of  three 
of  the  thirty-two  now  before  us,  give  an  aggregate  of 
$600,000  capital,  $556,000  wages,  and  $1,950,000;  and 
ten  of  the  remaining  twenty-nine  double  these  figures. 
It  is  but  fair  to  say  that  Mr.  Frothingham  found  o9 
establishments,  with  $898,590  capital,  employing  2,259 
hands;  paying  $718,694  wages;  using  $1,501,940  ma- 
terials, and  producing  $2,673,350  of  goods.  As  nearly 
as  can  be  ascertained,  the  total  figures  for  the  hat  man- 
ufacture— including  hat  materials,  but  not  including 
caps— are,  in  round  numbers,  11  establishments  (the 
others  are  dealers,  and  men  who  finish  and  revive  hats, 
but  do  not  manufacture),  having  about  $1,800,000  cap- 
ital, employing  2,500  hands;  paying  about  $2,000,000 

*  In  the  miscellaneous  or  unspecified  industries,  one  wool-hat  fac- 
tory is  set  down. 


744 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


wages;  using  about  $1,700,000  materials,  and  producing 
over  $4,500,000  annually. 

The  hat  manufacture,  as  conducted  in  Kings  county, 
may  be  divided  into  the  following  classes:  1.  Silk  /tats. 
Of  these  there  are  not  more  than  three  or  four  manu- 
facturers, and  only  one  who  is  largely  engaged  in  it; 
there  are  many  others  who  profess  to  manufacture 
these  hats,  but  they  only  finish  them,  or  perhaps  re- 
move the  silk  plush  from  old  hats  and  put  it  upon  new 
bodies,  and  iron,  dress  and  trim  it,  so  as  to  give  the 
appearance  of  a  new  hat  to  it;  but  these  are  not  manu- 
facturers. 2.  Felt  hats,  including  ladies'  felt  hats. 
These  are  made  from  the  fur  of  the  beaver,  nutria, 
hare,  muskrat,  mink,  coney,  Siberian  squirrel,  etc. 
These  hats  are  of  several  qualities;  some  only  of  the 
finest  furs,  and  the  felting  and  all  the  more  delicate  of 
the  finishing  processes  are  performed  by  hand;  others 
of  various  qualities  of  furs,  and  felted  and  finished  in 
large  part  by  machinery;  the  first  are  for  retail  trade 
in  the  cities  exclusively,  the  second  for  the  jobbing 
trade;  large  numbers  are  also  made  for  ladies'  wear,  of 
different  grades.  3.  Wool  hats.  These,  formerly 
largely  produced  here,  are  now  only  manufactured 
by  a  single  establishment;  they  are  usually  of  low 
price,  and  only  used  by  workingmen,  laborers,  farm- 
hands and  employes  of  railways,  etc.,  etc.  4.  Straw 
Huts.  These  are  manufactured  for  both  sexes,  and  are 
of  various  kinds;  some  kinds  are  imported,  as  the  Pan- 
ama, Guayaquil,  Leghorn,  and  many  of  the  Swiss 
braids;  others  are  made  in  Canada,  Michigan,  and  in 
some  of  the  southern  and  western  states,  in  the  form 
of  long  straw  braids,  which  are  sewed,  shaped  and  fin- 
ished here;  others  still  are  braided  and  entirely  made 
here;  for  gentlemen's  use  in  the  city,  the  Canadian 
Mackinaw  straw  is  the  most  popular,  though  it  is  imi- 
tated no  perfectly  that  it  is  very  difficult  to  distinguish 
them;  other  and  cheaper  braids  are  manufactured  here; 
the  straw  hats  for  ladies  are  mostly  sewn  and  finished 
in  our  Brooklyn  factories,  but  the  braids  are  from 
England,  France,  Switzerland  and  Germany,  and 
considerable  quantities  from  New  England  factories. 
5.  Caps.  This  is,  strictly,  an  entirely  different  branch 
of  business  from  the  hat  manufacture,  and  is  carried 
on  in  a  different  way.  Caps  may  be  made  of  almost 
any  sort  of  material.  The  cloth  cap  is  of  a  great  va- 
riety of  patterns  and  materials;  the  military  fatigue 
cap,  the  cadet's  cap,  the  caps  for  conductors,  messen- 
ger hoys,  etc.,  etc.,  arc  generally  of  new  and  tine  ma- 
terial. 

A  lower  grade  are  made  by  the  Jewish  clothing 
dealers  from  old  cloth  garments.  There  are  also  caps 
of  canvas,  of  straw,  of  patent  leather,  of  hair  sealskin, 
of  furs  of  various  kinds,  oftenest  of  seal,  otter  or  nu- 
tria, of  plush,  of  leather,  of  knit  woollen  goods,  of  linen, 
of  hair,  of  fine  rattan;  and  if  there  is  any  other  material, 
textile,  fibrous  or  furry,  capable  of  being  utilized  for 
caps,  it  is  PTC  Mod  into  the  service. 


The  manufacture  of  head-gear,  comprising  so  great 
a  variety  of  patterns,  materials  and  processes,  is 
necessarily  a  large  business,  employing  very  many 
hands,  and  having  great  numbers  dependent  on  it. 

We  have  taken  much  pains  to  ascertain  the  begin- 
ings  of  this  industry,  and  by  the  kind  assistance  of  Mr. 
James  W.  Peck  (the  oldest  manufacturing  hatter  in 
New  York  or  Brooklyn,  and  still  maintaining  an  inter- 
est in  the  business)  and  of  Mr.  Hosea  O.  Pearce,  late 
of  the  firm  of  Pearce  &  Hall,  but  now  retired  from 
business  with  an  ample  fortune,  we  have  been  able  to 
gather  the  following  facts: 

The  earliest  hat  manufacturers  of  whom  we  can  learn 
were  Sarles  <D  Company,  who  were  manufacturing  fur 
and  beaver  hats,  not  far  from  Fulton  ferry,  as  early  as 
1822,  and  perhaps  earlier.  The  "  Company  "  was  Mr. 
Joseph  Burroughs,  a  son-in-law  of  Mr.  Sarles.  He  died 
in  1881,  being  at  the  time  of  his  death  more  than  80 
years  of  age. 

About  1826,  Messrs.  Raymond  <(•  Taylor  were  en- 
gaged in  making  hats  on  Washington  street,  near  the 
present  approach  to  the  Brooklyn  Bridge.  The  partner- 
ship was  dissolved  before  18:?5,  and  Raymond  removed 
to  the  corner  of  Myrtle  street  (not  Myrtle  avenue)  and 
Division  street,  and  continued  in  the  business  for  sev- 
eral years.  Taylor  removed  to  Jay  street,  and,  five 
years  later,  took  in  a  Mr.  Frost  as  partner,  and  put  Bp 
a  factory  on  Classoii  avenue,  near  Flushing,  just  north 
of  the  Tucker  &  Carter  Cordage  Company's  present 
rope  walk. 

In  1832,  Mr.  James  TV.  Reck,  who  had  been  appren- 
ticed to  the  hatters'  trade  in  New  York  in  1819,  and 
subsequently  had  worked  as  a  journeyman  for  Messrs. 
Raymond  *fc  Taylor,  commenced  business  for  himself 
on  Henry  street,  near  Fulton.  Mr.  Robert  Peck,  his 
brother,  had  commenced  business  in  1829.  Silk  hats 
had  been  introduced  into  New  York  about  1825  by  an 
English  manufacturer;  but  though  he  made  great  efforts 
to  start  their  manufacture  in  that  city,  they  failed  to 
take,  and  their  production  was  given  up  for  the  time. 
It  happened  that  the  shop  in  which  Mr.  Peck  had 
learned  his  trade  in  New  York,  was  the  only  one  where 
the  manufacture  of  these  silk  hats  had  been  attended 
with  any  success.  After  Mr.  Feck  went  into  the  em- 
ploy of  .Messrs.  Raymond  &  Taylor,  in  1S27  or  1S2S, 
the  firm  were  surprised  one  day  by  the  receipt  of  an 
order  for  ''six  dozen  silk  hats."  The  New  York  man- 
ufacturers could  not  make  them,  and  the  order  had  been 
sent  over  to  Brooklyn  as  a  last  resort.  The  proprietor! 
of  the  factory  were  at  their  wits'  end.  They  did  not 
like  to  give  up  the  job,  but  they  knew  nothing  about 
silk  hats.  They  Called  up  their  hands  and  asked  them: 
Can  you  make  silk  hats?  Most  of  them  pleaded  ignor- 
ance, but  Mr.  Feck  said  he  thought  he  could:  he  had 
watched  the  process  of  the  English  manufacturer,  and 
believed  that  he  could  follow  it.  An  intelligent  Irish 
man  among  the  journeymen  said  he  had  seen  them 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


745 


made  in  England,  and  thought  he  could  help  in  the 
matter.  The  two  men  were  set  at  work,  and  in  due 
time  turned  out  the  six  dozen.  This  was  the  beginning 
of  a  large  trade.  The  silk  hat  was  then  made  on  a  fur 
body,  and  not  on  a  shellacked  muslin  body,  as  now.  It 
was  very  tall,  the  crown  being  sometimes  16  or  18  inches 
in  height,  and,  after  a  time,  very  much  bell-crowned, 
the  top  of  the  hat  over-shadowing  the  brim,  which  was 
felt,  and  comparatively  narrow.  When  Mr.  Peck  went 
into  business  for  himself,  he  very  soon  began  to  make 
silk  hats,  and  thus  early  achieved  a  fine  reputation.  His 
first  styles  were  silk  hats,  made  as  we  have  described; 
fur  hats,  of  thick  felt,  felted  and  bowed  wholly  by  hand 
(the  "  former  "  had  not  then  been  invented) ;  these  were 
of  two  kinds:  those  in  which  the  natural  nap  was 
combed  out,  so  as  to  raise  a  short  nap,  which  was  made 
very  smooth  by  combing  and  pressing,  and  those  on 
which  an  artificial  nap  was  put,  of  nutria  or  silk  plush, 
cemented  on,  and  giving  the  hat  a  rough  appearance  of 
raised  fur,  which  was  much  admired,  though  now  it 
would  be  regarded  as  horrible;  and  the  beaver  hat. 
After  some  years,  Mr.  Peck  removed  to  his  present 
location,  110  Fulton  street.  The  business  is  now  con- 
ducted mainly  by  his  son,  Mr.  Isaac  W.  Reck.  The 
manufactory  is  not  large,  but  it  is,  by  many  years,  the 
oldest  now  existing,  that  of  Messrs.  Taylor  &  Frost 
having  been  given  up  about  1860. 

A  hat  factory  was  started  by  Theodore  Murray,  in 
Middagh  street,  about  1835,  but  was  given  up  in  1845. 
The  building  is  still  standing,  but  is  used  for  other 
purposes. 

The  felting  process,  as  now  practised  by  the  use  of 
the  "  former,"  and  the  subsequent  scalding  and  shrink- 
ing of  the  felt  in  hot  water,  was  not  invented  till  1846. 
Previous  to  that  time,  the  fur,  when  picked  by  hand, 
was  "  bowed "  or  brought  to  its  place  on  a  conical 
block  by  the  use  of  an  elastic  cord  and  bow,  which  re- 
sembled in  shape  a  fiddler's  bow.  It  was  then  scalded 
and  shrunk  by  hand. 

Between  1835  and  1850  a  Mr.  Cochran,  a  manufac- 
turer of  furs,  caps,  etc.,  had  two  factories  in  the  vicinity 
of  Willoughby  and  Raymond  streets,  and  sold  hat 
materials,  pulled  fur,  etc. 

In  1851,  Mr.  John  H.  Prentice,  who  had  been  en- 
gaged in  manufacturing  hats  on  a  moderate  scale  in 
New  York  since  1848,  purchased  one  of  Cochran's 
factories,  at  Willoughby  and  Raymond  streets,  and 
went  largely  into  the  manufacture  of  felt  hats.  His 
business  wras  prosperous  from  the  first,  and  a  lucky  hit 
in  1855,  in  the  production  of  the  "  Wide  Awake  Hat," 
a  soft  felt  hat,  which  took  everywhere,  enabled  him  to 
clear  in  that  year  $100,000  or  more  on  that  article 
alone,  besides  cleaning  up  all  his  refuse  lots  of  fur. 
After  the  embarrassments  which  resulted  from  the 
great  panic  of  1857,  he  recovered  himself  speedily, 
but  soon  after  sold  out  his  business  to  his  brother, 
James  II.  Prentice,  who,  a  year  or  two  after  the  com- 


mencement of  the  war,  found  it  neccessary  to  greatly 
extend  his  factories,  in  order  to  supply  the  demand  for 
felt  hats  for  the  soldiers. 

In  1870,  Dr.  Stiles'  History  of  Brooklyn,  Vol.  III., 
p.  586,  said  :  "  Jas.  H.  Prentice's  factories  turn  out 
more  hats  than  any  other  similar  establishment  in  the 
country,  and  the  wholesale  dealers,  from  all  parts  of 
the  United  States  and  the  British  provinces,  are  chiefly 
supplied  from  the  Brooklyn  market.  Twice  a  week 
auction  trade  sales  of  hats  are  held  at  the  warehouse; 
from  300  to  1,000  cases,  each  containing  from  two  to 
six  dozen  hats,  being  sold  each  sale-day,  according  to 
the  demand  of  the  trade.  Mr.  Prentice  is  entire 
owner  of  three  hat  factories,  one  of  which  is  bounded 
by  Willoughby,  Raymond,  Bolivar  and  Navy  streets, 
an  entire  block;  another  is  on  Nostrand  avenue,  near 
Myrtle,  occupying  six  full  lots;  and  the  third  at  Nor- 
walk,  Conn.,  the  latter  being  the  smallest,  and  used 
only  for  the  purpose  of  forming  fur  hat  bodies.  Ca- 
pacity of  the  works,  1,000  dozen  hats  per  day,  and 
about  1,500  operators  are  employed.  The  sales  aver- 
age about  $3,000,000  annually." 

The  number  of  felt  hats  was  greater  than  that  now 
produced  in  Kings  county,  but  the  value  of  those  now 
made  averages  more  than  twice  as  much.  After  sev- 
eral vicissitudes  and  changes,  among  which  was  the 
turning  of  the  Nostrand  avenue  factory  into  works 
for  the  production  of  felt  skirts,  coats  and  other  goods, 
Mr.  Prentice  finally  succumbed  to  his  successive  mis- 
fortunes in  1880,  and  after  his  failure,  the  business 
in  all  his  factories  was  abandoned. 

But  the  manufacture  of  hats  did  not  cease  by  any 
means  in  Brooklyn  with  his  failure. 

In  1853,  Mr.  Hosea  O.  Pearce,  who  had  learned 
the  business  in  Danbury,  then  as  now,  a  great  centre 
of  the  hat  manufacture,  came  from  that  place,  and 
became  foreman  of  Mr.  Prentice's  factory.  In  1858, 
Mr.  Pearce  established  himself  as  a  manufacturing 
hatter  in  a  small  brick  building,  still  a  part  of  the 
present  site  of  the  large  manufactory  of  Pearce  & 
Hall.  The  firm  was  at  first  H.  O.  Pearce  &  Co.  In 
1860,  it  was  changed  to  Pearce  &  Brush;  in  1866,  to 
Pearce  &  Benedict,  and  in  1868,  to  Pearce  &  Hall. 
Mr.  H.  O.  Pearce  retired  in  1878,  and  the  business  has 
been  conducted  since  under  the  name  of  Pearce  &  Hall, 
Mr.  Henry  O.  Pearce  taking  his  father's  place.  It  is  now 
the  largest  felt  hat  manufactory  in  Brooklyn,  and  one 
of  the  largest  in  the  United  States. 

Hosea  O.  Pearce.— New  England  thrift  is  noted  the 
world  over.  A  peculiar  combination  of  industry,  enterprise, 
perseverance  and  tact,  characterizes  the  Puritans'  descend- 
ants. In  most  countries  poverty  acts  as  a  narcotic,  but  in 
ours  as  a  stimulant,  for  which  reason,  in  so  many  instances, 
the  poor  boy  becomes  the  rich  man.  An  accumulated  for- 
tune is  the  sure  indication  of  superior  qualities  in  its  ac- 
cumulator, and  a  glance  at  the  successful  self-made  men  of 
our  time,  shows  that  a  large  proportion  are  sons  of  New 
England.    Many  of  them  have  been  attracted  to  the  metrop- 


746 


I'KAKCK  \  HALI/S  II AT  1  ACTOKV. 


olis  and  her  sister  city,  aud  conspicuous  among  these  is  the 
gentleman  whose  portrait  is  herewith  presented. 

Mr.  Pearce  was  born  a  farmer's  boy  in  Danbury,  Conn.,  in 
1821.  His  father  was  a  man  of  sterling  worth,  but  not  of 
large  means,  aud  the  support  of  his  family  of  eleven 
children  was  no  light  task  in  those  days  of  hand  labor,  poor 
markets,  and  scarcity  of  money.  Consequently  the  lad 
could  look  forward  to  a  life,  not  of  ease,  but  of  labor,  and 
his  future  lay  in  his  own  hands. 

He  had  no  educational  advantages  better  than  the  com- 
mon schools,  but  he  so  well  improved  his  opportunities  there 
as  to  acquire  a  good  English  education. 

His  boyhood  was  passed  upon  the  farm,  but  at  the  age  of 
eighteen,  like  most  young  men  in  those  days,  he  was  appren- 
ticed to  a  trade,  in  his  case  the  hatters'  craft. 

At  his  majority  he  decided  to  enter  mercantile  life,  and 
with  a  capital  of  only  two  hundred  dollars,  he  opened  a  re- 
tail store  in  Carbondale,  Pa.  But  his  business  was  not  pros- 
perous, and  after  six  months'  experience,  he  closed  it  out 
and  returned  to  Danbury,  a  sadder  and  a  wiser  man.  He 
then  commenced  m iking  hats,  taking  out  work  from  the 
factories  to  be  done  at  home.  After  a  few  months  he  bought 
a  little  place  and  erected  a  small  work-room  behind  his 
dwelling  hou-»e,  where  he  continued  to  carry  on  the  trade 
for  half  a  year  longer.  Then  ambitious  to  enlarge  his  busi- 
ness, he  built  a  factory  and  commenced  the  manufacture  of 
hats  for  the  trade.  In  this  he  continued  about  ten  years, 
increasing  the  production  to  fifty  dozen  per  day.  During 
this  time,  in  his  numerous  journeys  to  New  York  for  the 
purpose  of  disposing  of  his  goods,  he  formed  an  acquaint 
ance  among  the  busiuess  men  of  the  city.  Conscious  that 
powers  were  adequate  to  larger  undertakings  than  were 
possible  in  the  country,  he  determined  to  remove  his  man- 
ufacturing interests  to  the  vicinity  of  New  York,  which  he 
did  in  1  s."»:i. 

Afterwards  he  bought  a  plot  of  ground  on  Stockton  street, 
ne.ir  V.- Man.  I  avenue,  in  tin-  city,  and  erected  a  brick  build- 
ing, 25x100 feet)  where  he  commenced  manufacturing  for  par- 


ties in  New  York.  In  1861  he  added  largely  to  his  buildings, 
aud  opened  a  store  in  New  York  for  the  sale  of  his  goods. 
The  size  and  production  of  his  factory  were  steadily  in- 
i  creased  until  the  buildings  covered  the  entire  lot,  100x250 
feet,  with  a  capacity  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  dozen  per 
day.  Mr.  Pearce  was  familiar  with  the  details  of  his  busi- 
ness, and  introduced  system  and  method  into  all  its  branches. 
Skillful  in  forecasting  the  market,  he  bought  and  sold  to 
advantage,  while  his  careful  financial  management  insured 
his  abundant  prosperity.  It  is  a  matter  of  pardonable  pride 
with  him  that  he  always  met  his  obligations  promptly,  paid 
his  workmen  at  the  end  of  the  week,  never  failed  to  pay  a 
hundred  cents  on  the  dollar,  aud  passed  with  credit  unim- 
paired through  all  the  financial  crises  that  occurred  during 
his  business  career,  although  at  times  he  had  several  hundred 
men  in  his  employ  and  disbursed  thousands  of  dollars  each 
week. 

At  length  Mr.  Pearce  determined  to  withdraw  from  active 
business,  aud  to  enjoy  the  reward  of  his  labors  free  from 
j  the  incessant  demands  of  such  large  interests.  Accordingly 
!  he  retired  in  1879,  leaving  his  business  to  his  sons  and  his 
partner,  Mr.  Charles  Hall.  Since  that  time  his  cares  have 
been  fewer,  but  his  energetic  disposition  will  not  permit 
leisure  to  degenerate  into  idleness;  accordingly,  we  find  him 
actively  superintending  his  investments. 

Mr.  Pearce  is  happy  in  his  home  and  family.  Married 
when  he  was  twenty-one,  his  household  now  consists  of  his 
wife,  two  sons  and  one  daughter.  His  church  relations  are 
with  the  East  Congregational  Society,  in  whose  affairs  he 
takes  a  deep  interest. 

When  the  present  house  of  worship  was  erected  a  few 
years  ago,  his  practical  business  ability  was  sought  and 
utilized  on  the  building  committee,  while  his  open  hand  gave 
a  large  portion  of  the  means  for  its  completion.  His  up- 
rightness, and  his  good  judgment  have  won  the  confidence 
of  the  community,  and  he  has  been  elected  trustee  of  various 
financial  institutions. 

Mr.  Pearce  is  a  man  of  strong  political  convictions;  was 
first  a  whig,  and  afterwards  a  republican,  but  has  never  been 
an  active  politician.  He  was  instrumental  largely  in  shap- 
ing the  legislation,  which  culminated  in  the  law  prohibit- 
ing the  employment  of  convict  labor  in  the  manufacture  of 
hats.  As  a  citizen  of  Brooklyn,  he  is  proud  of  her  improve- 
ment, and  has  done  much  toward  building  up  the  Twenty- 
first  ward.  Here  he  has  invested  largely  of  his  means  in 
real  estate,  anxious  to  promote  the  material  welfare  of  that 
portion  of  the  city,  and  awaiting  his  return  in  the  general 
advance.  Here  he  lives  in  an  elegant  home,  amid  the  fruits 
of  his  well-earned  success. 


Henky  O.  Pearce — an  energetic  and  successful  hat  man- 
ufacturer of  the  present  firm  of  Pearce  tV  Hall— was  born  in 
Danbury,  Conn.,  in  1845.  He  is  the  eldest  son  of  Hosea  O. 
Pearce,  whose  biography  will  be  found  above  in  these 
pages,  and  who  was  the  founder  of  the  large  manufactory 
of  which  his  son  is  now  senior  partner.  Mr.  Hosea  O.  Pearce 
removed  to  Brooklyn  with  his  family  in  the  spring  of  1853. 
The  son  was  educated  at  a  boarding  school  in  Danbury,  and 
at  tlie  (  ollegiate  and  l'oh  technic  Institute  of  Brooklyn.  At 
the  age  ol  seventeen  he  became  a  clerk  in  the  jobbing  trade 
in  hats,  and  was  so  employed  until  1808.  when  he  entered 
the  store  of  his  father  in  New  York.  In  the  spring  of  1870, 
he  began  assisting  Ins  father  in  the  management  of  the  busi- 
ness at  the  factory.  In  the  autumn  of  that  year  he  was  al- 
lowed an  interest  in  the  business,  and  was  admitted  as  a 
general  partner  in  1 M74 .  From  the  date  of  his  becoming  a 
member  of  the  linn,  he  interested  himself  in  devising  ways 


I 


IKE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


747 


for  felting  hats  by  machinery,  and  also  for  the  use  of  shaping 
machines  for  expediting  the  processes  of  the  hat  manufac- 
ture. Up  to  this  time,  although  many  efforts  bad  been  made 
to  use  machines  in  felting  or  condensing  the  forms,  as  they 
came  from  the  "  former,"  none  had  proved  successful;  the 
hats  being  shrunk  or  felted  by  hand,  and  in  very  hot,  but  not 
boiling,  water.  This  process  was  too  slow  for  an  establish- 
ment which  turned  out  from  150  to  200  dozen  hats  a  day. 
Mr.  Pearce  possessed  a  fine  mechanical  genius,  and,  aided  by 
expert  machinists,  he  patiently  experimented,  till  he  suc- 
ceeded in  producing  a  machine  which  passed  the  hats  be- 
tween rollers  and  plunged  them  in  boiling  water  after  each 
pressure  between  the  rollers.  The  motions  were  necessarily 
very  rapid,  as  in  boiling  water  the  felted  fabric  is  shrunk 
very  quickly,  and  the  product  might  easily  be  marred.  By 
the  machine,  as  finally  perfected  under  his  supervision,  the 
felting  is  performed  with  great  rapidity  and  precision,  and 
the  product  is  fully  equal  to  the  hand  felting,  while  an  equal 
quantity  can  be  produced  by  half  the  number  of  hands, 
while  these  hands  can  earn  about  25  per  cent,  more  than 
they  can  by  hand-work.  Other  machines  followed  for  di- 
minishing the  amount  of  hand  labor  without  injuring  the 
product ;  till  now  more  than  half  the  processes  in  felt-hat 


making  are  performed  by  machinery.  These  machines  have 
been  adopted  by  other  manufacturers,  and  Mr.  Pearce  is  now 
at  the  head  of  a  company  for  manufacturing  them. 

In  1878,  in  connection  with  Charles  Hall,  he  purchased  his 
father's  interest  in  the  business,  which  has  since  been  con- 
ducted under  the  firm  name  of  Pearce  &  Hall.  Mr.  Pearce 
has  been,  since  his  boyhood,  so  assiduous  in  his  devotion  to 
his  business  that  he  has  never  found  time  to  become  actively 
engaged  in  political  matters.  He  is  not,  however,  indifferent 
to  anything  affecting  the  public  welfare,  and  is  a  liberal 
supporter  of  all  worthy  objects.  He  is  president  of  the 
Bushwick  and  East  Brooklyn  Dispensary,  and  is  connected 
with  other  charitable  institutions.  In  1868,  he  was  married 
to  Miss  A.  Stevens,  of  Portchester,  N.  Y. 


In  1859,  Messrs.  Ames  &  Moulton,  who  had  been  con- 
nected with  Mr.  Prentice's  Raymond  street  factories, 
resolved  to  go  into  the  manufacture  of  hats,  and  pro- 
ceeded to  erect  a  large  hat  factory  on  Nostrand  ave- 
nue, between  Myrtle  and  Park  avenues.  The  main 
building  was  200  feet  by  25,  and  three  stories  in  height. 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


A  smaller  building  was  erected  on  the  same  premises 
30x30  feet.  The  buildings  and  machinery  were  erected 
with  great  care,  the  purpose  being  to  make  it,  in  all 
respects,  a  model  factory.  The  factory  was  put  in 
operation  in  January,  1860,  and  had  about  $  15,000  of 
stock  in  the  building  in  various  stages  of  manufacture, 
when,  on  February  3,  1860,  the  boiler  exploded  with 
great  force,  tearing  out  one  end  of  the  factory  and 
wrecking  about  one-third  of  the  large  building,  killing 
nine  persons  and  wounding  eighteen  more.  There  were 
200  hands  employed  in  the  factory,  but  only  thirty-five 
of  them  were  in  the  building  in  the  morning  when  the 
explosion  took  place.  The  factory  was  purchased  by 
Mr.  James  II.  Prentice  &.  Co.,  and  became  their  Nos- 
trum! avenue  factory. 

Mr.  Hooper,  who  had  been  a  hat  manufacturer  in 
Newark,  New  Jersey,  was  employed  in  Pearce  &  Hall's 
establishment  in  1868,  but  returned  to  Newark  after- 
ward, and,  in  1873,  started  the  present  hat  manufac- 
tory of  Hooper  di  Pnjor  on  Park  avenue.  M.  Sil- 
verman commenced  manufacturing  hats  of  fine  grades 
in  Brooklyn  in  1874,  and  the  Brooklyn  Felt  Hut  Com- 
pany and  Dtckerson  it  IiroiC7i  a  little  later,  though  that 
firm  succeeded  to  J.  D.  Bird  &  Co.  Messrs.  It.  Dunlitp 
tfc  Co.,  who  had  been  large  manufacturers  of  silk  and 
very  fine  felt  hats  for  their  own  retail  trade  in  New 
York  city,  removed  their  felt  hat  business  to  Brook- 
lyn in  1 8S0,  and  have  since  greatly  enlarged  it,  and  are 
now  just  completing  a  very  large  manufactory,  where 
they  will  have  their  silk  hats  also  made  under  the  same 
roof.  They  also  contemplate  erecting  a  factory  on  ad- 
jacent lots  for  their  straw  hat  business,  which  is  now 
conducted  in  New  York. 

An  industry  of  such  importance  deserves  some  de- 
scription of  its  processes  of  manufacture.  These  vary 
materially  with  the  different  kinds  of  hats.  The  silk 
hat,  vulgarly  known  as  "the  stovepipe  hat,"  is  made  in 
large  part  of  imported  materials;  the  frame  and  the 
brim  are  of  muslin  of  a  peculiar  manufacture,  each 
layer  stiffened  with  shellac,  and  the  whole  again 
charged  with  that  gum.  These  bodies  are  imported, 
t'i  sonic  extent,  from  Prance,  though  the  bodies  manu- 
factured here  are  equally  good.  The  covering,  of  silk 
plush  of  a  peculiar  quality,  is  also  imported  from 
Prance.  Our  silk  manufacturers  can  make  a  plush  of 
equally  good  quality,  but  there  has  been  some  ques- 
tion as  to  the  permanency  of  our  American  dyes.  The 
art  of  putting  this  on  without  any  wrinkle  or  drawing, 
and  without  showing  the  stitches  is  only  acquired  by 
considerable  practice.  Much  of  the  binding  ami  bands 
also  come  from  Prance,  though  the  American  are 
equally  good,  but  the  japanned  and  skiver  sweat  lea- 
thers arc  made  here. 

The  making-up,  pressing,  lining  and  finishing  are 
done  here.  All  the  imported  articles  pay  a  heavy  duty. 
It  was  computed  three  or  lour  years  ago  that  the  duty 
on  the  imported  materials  going  to  make  up  a  tine  silk 


hat  was  about  one  dollar.  It  is  now  somewhat  less. 
Silk  hats  are  also  made,  for  summer  wear,  of  the  same 
material  and  in  the  same  way,  but  covered  with  a 
white,  or  more  nearly,  a  pearl-grey  silk  plush,  of 
equally  fine  quality.  This  style,  which  has  been  out  of 
fashion  for  some  years,  is,  it  is  said,  likely  to  be  revived 
for  the  benefit  of  the  ultra-fashionable.  Another  style 
of  high  and  stiff  crowned  hats,  formerly  in  great  de- 
mand, is  now  seldom  seen,  except  for  ladies'  wear — 
the  beaver  hat,  as  it  was  called,  though  sometimes 
other  furs  than  that  of  the  beaver  were  used  in  its 
manufacture.  Thirty  or  forty  years  since,  a  beaver  hat 
was  the  distinguishing  mark  of  a  well-dressed  gentle- 
man. The  witty  Boston  poet,  O.  W.  Holmes,  says  in 
his  "Urania;  a  Rhymed  Lesson:" 

"  Have  a  good  hat;  the  secret  of  your  looks 
Lives  with  the  heaver  in  Canadian  brooks." 

The  fashion  may  come  around  again;  but,  meantime, 
the  fur  of  the  beaver  is  largely  utilized  in  the  felt  hat. 
It  may  have  been  with  some  prophetic  foresight  of  this 
that  the  poet  continues,  in  this  poem,  so  full  of  happy 

conceits: 

"  Mount  the  new  castor;  ice  itself  will  melt: 
Boots,  gloves  may  fail;  the  hat  is  always  felt  r 

There  are  silk  hats  of  inferior  qualities,  made  with 
pasteboard  brim  and  frame;  but  the  covering  of  these 
is  not,  we  think,  of  American  silk,  but  of  the  old  plush 
removed  from  battered  hats  of  better  quality,  and  re- 
vived and  ironed  to  give  it  the  appearance  of  newness. 
The  silk  hat,  in  its  best  estate,  is  rather  an  expensive 
luxury,  its  retail  price  ranging  from  §6  to  $10. 

2.  Felt  Hats.  As  we  have  already  stated,  there  are 
two  distinct  methods  of  making  these.  Machinery  is 
used  to  a  considerable  extent  in  both,  but  one  style  is 
known  as  "hand-made,"  and  the  other  as  machine- 
made.  The  preliminary  processes  do  not  differ  in  the 
two.  The  fur,  whether  coney,  hair,  beaver,  nutria, 
muskrat,  mink,  otter,  seal  or  whatever  it  may  be,  conies 
to  the  factory  in  masses,  which  contain  many  lumps  or 
knots,  and,  not  seldom,  considerable  dirt.  These  masses 
are  subjected  at  once  to  the  picker  and  blower — tech- 
nically called  the  "devil" — and,  by  this  powerful  and 
complicated  machine,  are  torn  into  single  hairs  and 
blown  through  perforated  cylinders  till  they  come  out 
clean,  free  from  knots,  and  only  the  finest  and  softest 
fibres  pass  into  the  loose  bat  at  the  end,  where  they 
are  coiled  up  in  tubs.  These  tubs  are  next  sent  to  the 
weighing  room,  where  the  quantity  required  for  each 
hat  is  weighed  and  put  into  a  compartment  of  a  box 
holding  the  sufficient  amount  for  a  dozen  hats.  As 
many  of  these  boxes  are  tilled  as  there  are  dozens  of 
hats  to  be  made  in  a  day.  In  the  larger  factories  this 
may  require  150  to  175  boxes.  These  are  now  ready 
to  be  put  into  the  "former."  The  "  former,"  first  sug- 
gested by  Thomas  Blanchard  of  Boston,  assumed  its 
present  form  in  1S46,  in  the  invention  of  Mr.  llenrv  A. 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


749 


Wells  of  New  York,  which  was  still  further  improved 
by  Mr.  Henry  A.  Burr,  Mr.  Yule  and  others. 

To  understand  the  office  of  th  &  former  (which  is  now 
usually  of  Yule's  latest  improved  pattern),  we  must 
remember  that  fur,  like  some  descriptions  of  wool  (the 
felting  wools),  and,  unlike  hair,  possesses  the  felting 
property,  i.  e.,  that  each  fibre  of  fur  has  little  hooks, 
beards,  notches  or  scales,  which,  under  favorable  cir- 
cumstances, interlock  with  the  other  fibres,  and  pro- 
duce the  substance  called  felt,  a  substance  which 
can  be  made  as  dense  and  firm  as  woven  cloth.  It  was 
discovered,  about  forty  years  ago,  that  if  the  fur  or 
felting  wool  was  exposed  to  a  rapidly  revolving  per- 
forated cone,  through  which  a  strong  current  of  air  was 
passing,  the  fur  would  be  attracted  to  the  surface,  and 
felted  evenly  and  uniformly.  This  felt,  of  course,  took 
the  form  of  the  cone,  and  when  the  prescribed  amount 
of  fur  was  thus  deposited  on  the  cone,  a  cloth  was 
thrown  around  it,  a  cap  of  the  same  metal  was  placed 
over  the  cone,  and  the  whole  lifted  off  and  plunged 
into  a  bath  of  water,  which  rendered  it  more  dense, 
and  another  cone  substituted  for  it  over  the  fan,  which 
repeated  the  process  for  another  hat.  After  its  plunge 
bath,  the  cone  was  lifted  out,  its  cap  taken  off,  and  the 
embryo  hat,  a  cone-shaped  rag,  stripped  off,  to  under- 
go a  further  felting  process.  Here  the  two  methods  of 
hat-making  begin  to  diverge;  the  hand-made  hats  are 
plunged  into  water  as  hot  as  can  be  borne  by  the  oper- 
ator, wrung  out,  twisted  and  plunged  again,  and  the 
process  repeated,  until  the  hats — three  or  six  of  them 
are  handled  at  once — are  shrunk  to  the  requisite  size, 
and  are  rendered  uniform  in  density.  This  process  is 
slow,  and  hard  on  the  hands  of  the  operator.  Without 
careful  supervision  or  inspection,  there  is  a  liability  to 
imperfect  work;  but  with  it,  the  felting  is  very  perfect, 
and  the  hats  remarkably  free  from  defects.  By  the 
machine  method,  the  hats — half  a  dozen  in  a  bunch — 
are  rolled  up,  plunged  into  boiling  water,  seized  by  the 
operator,  passed  between  rollers  in  different  directions, 
thrown  out,  rolled  in  a  different  way,  again  plunged 
and  passed  between  the  rollers,  the  intense  heat  of  the 
water  insuring  their  shrinking  and  felting  much  more 
rapidly  than  by  the  hand  method.  To  the  casual  ob- 
server, this  method  appears  more  certain  of  producing 
the  desired  results  than  the  hand  method;  but  experts 
say  that  there  are  liabilities  to  imperfect  felting  in  both. 
When  thus  completely  felted,  the  hats  are  placed  upon 
stretchers  to  be  dried,  and  then,  by  the  machine  method, 
they  are  shaped  by  machines.  By  the  hand  process  the 
shaping  is  deferred  till  later.  The  hats  are  next  sub- 
jected to  the  stiffening  or  shellacking  processes.  There 
are  three  of  these:  one  by  water  charged  with  gum, 
another  by  the  use  of  a  solution  of  gum  shellac,  applied 
by  rubbing  and  rolling,  till  the  whole  hat  is  saturated 
with  it;  while  a  third,  which  is  called  the  wine-stiff, 
consists  of  the  application  of  alcoholic  vapor,  some 
fine  gum  or  gum  resin  being  dissolved  in  it  in  small 


quantity.  Generally,  only  the  very  finest  and  lightest 
hats  are  subjected  to  the  wine-stiff;  but  the  water  and 
shellac  stiff enings  have  been  so  much  improved,  that 
they  are  used  on  much  of  the  fine  stock.  After  the 
stiffening,  when  again  dry,  the  hat  is  ready  to  be  dyed, 
if  it  is  to  receive  any  coloring.  Here,  again,  the  two 
methods  slightly  diverge.  In  the  hand  method,  the 
dyeing  is  done  by  hand,  in  vats  or  tubs  of  compara- 
tively small  size,  and  the  color  is  made  uniform  in  the 
hat  by  sundry  wringings  and  rubbings.  By  the  ma- 
chine method  the  hats  are  plunged,  in  large  numbers, 
into  immense  vats,  where  they  are  rolled  and  stirred 
around  in  the  boiling  dyes,  and  finally  thrown  up  bv  a 
false  bottom,  when  they  are  tossed  out  in  half  dozens 
by  the  operatives.  The  colors  employed  are  various, 
and,  in  the  fancy  colors,  the  aniline  dyes  are  much 
used.  While  the  hat  is  still  moist,  it  is  taken  to  the 
blocking  room,  where,  by  the  hand  method,  the  crown 
is  shaped  on  wooden  or  metallic  blocks,  and  thoroughly 
pressed  in  moulds,  while  the  brim  is  pressed  flat.  By 
the  machine  method  the  same  results  are  attained  by 
machines  which  press  the  hat  into  shape  very  rapidly. 
When  transferred  to  the  dyeing  room,  the  hats  blocked 
by  hand  are  subjected  to  a  h©at  of  110°  F.,  and  then 
sent  to  the  shaping  and  pressing  rooms.  The  machine 
hats  are  cooled  off  with  cold  water  on  the  blocking 
machines,  and  in  the  shaping  rooms  a  slight  nap  is  first 
raised,  the  superficial  shellac  being  discharged;  the 
curl  is  given  to  the  brim,  according  to  the  latest  style. 
In  the  hats  with  flexible  brims,  the  brim  is  wired,  and 
the  hat  is  ironed,  and  is  ready  for  the  final  finishing,  in 
which  it  is  bound,  lined,  leathered,  tipped  and  banded. 
In  the  machine  process,  the  tips  are  made  by  a  machine, 
but  the  rest  of  the  work  is  done  by  hand.  At  every 
stage  the  hats  are  carefully  inspected,  and  if  the  least 
defect  or  imperfection  is  discovered,  the  hat  is  rejected, 
and  is  sold,  generally  untrimmed,  as  a  second  quality. 
The  inspection  in  the  hand-made  hats  is  of  the  severest 
kind,  and  the  rejected  hats  form  an  important  item. 
These  are  generally  sold  to  retail  dealers  at  a  very  low 
price,  and  finished  by  them,  and  usually  have  their 
names  on  the  tips. 

When  completed,  the  hats  are  packed  in  dozens,  each 
in  its  own  box,  and  sent  to  the  warehouses  for  the  re- 
tailer or  jobber.  These  are  the  hard  or  stiff  felt  hats. 
The  soft  felt  is  made  in  considerable  quantities,  but  is 
not  so  popular  now  as  some  years  since.  The  principal 
difference  in  its  manufacture  is  that  it  has  but  a  small 
infusion  of  shellac,  is  not  shaped  with  so  much  care,  is 
not  trimmed  so  closely,  and  the  brim  is  trimmed  but 
little,  and  is  not  curled,  and  sometimes  is  not  bound. 

3.  The  straio  hats  are  of  numerous  varieties  and  pat- 
terns. They  are,  as  we  have  said,  made  up  from  the 
braids,  which  are  either  made  at  the  factories,  or  sent 
from  other  states  or  countries,  being  often  braided  by 
women  and  children  at  their  homes.  When  sewed, 
they  are  stiffened  to  a  greater  or  less  degree;  if  intend 


750 


ed  to  be  white,  they  are  partially  or  wholly  bleached, 
pressed  and  trimmed.  The  retail  prices  range  from  "75 
cents  to  $5  or  $6  for  American  goods,  and  sometimes 
reach  much  higher  prices  for  Panama,  Guayaquils  or 
other  foreign  products,  when  these  happen  to  be  in 
fashion. 

We  can  give  no  detailed  account  of  the  wool  hat 
manufacture,  nor  of  the  numberless  forms  and  styles  of 
caps.  The  fashions  and  the  processes  for  making  the 
latter,  change  from  month  to  month,  except  in  the  mili- 
tary and  naval  styles,  and  even  these  have  occasional, 
though  less  frequent,  modifications. 

The  principal  hat  manufacturers  in  Kings  county 
are  :  In  silk  hats,  Robert  Dunlap  tC  Co.,  who  have  a 
very  large  factory  on  Nostrand  avenue,  near  Park; 
James  W.  Peck  cfj  Son,  Fulton  street;  Messrs.  Balch, 
Price  cfc  Co.,  and  perhaps  one  or  two  smaller  houses. 
All  the  silk  hats  made  here  are  for  the  retail  trade,  and, 
we  believe,  exclusively  for  the  retail  trade  of  the  man- 
ufacturers themselves.  Messrs.  Dunlap  &  Co.  make 
from  85,000  to  100,000  silk  hats,  which  are  sold  in  their 
retail  stores  in  New  York,  Philadelphia,  Baltimore  and 
Chicago.    The  hats  have  a  high  reputation. 

In  felt  hats,  the  leading  manufacturers  are  Pearce  cfc 
Hall,  whose  factory  is  in  Stockton  street,  and  who  turn 
out  from  125  dozen  to  150  dozen  daily,  and,  in  the 
busy  season,  with  their  factories  elsewhere,  can  pro- 
duce 200  dozen  a  day  ;  they  use  the  machine  pro- 
cesses, and  sell  their  hats  to  jobbers  all  over  the  coun- 
try and  abroad  ;  Hooper  efc  Pryor,  on  Ellery  street, 
near  Nostrand  avenue,  whose  production  is  almost  as 
large  as  that  of  the  preceding  house,  and  of  nearly  the 
same  qualities;  they  also  sell  to  the  jobbing  trade;  The 
Brooklyn  Felt  Hat  Co.,  301  Park  avenue,  whose  spe- 
cialty is  ladies'  felt  hats,  and  whose  large  factory  has 
recently  been  burned  ;  they  manufactured,  when  full, 
about  100  dozen  ladies'  hats  a  day,  and  sold  to  the  job- 
bing trade;  R.  Dunlap  cfc  Co.,  also  have  a  large  fac- 
tory on  Nostrand  avenue,  and  make  about  48  dozen 
felt  hats  a  day  of  the  best  quality  and  highest  price, 
by  the  hand  processes,  which  are  sold  exclusively  in 
their  own  retail  stores ;  H.  M.  Silverman  <fc  Co.,  of 
100  Grand  avenue,  near  Myrtle,  who  makes  about  36 
dozen  felt  hats  daily,  of  the  best  quality,  by  the  hand 
process  ;  Dickerson  <&  Broicn,  44  Kosciusko  street, 
who  turn  out  about  24  dozen  hats  daily,  of  the  best 
quality,  and  by  the  hand  process.  The  last  two  sell, 
we  believe,  mainly  to  the  city  retail  trade. 

So  far  as  we  are  aware,  these  are  the  only  houses 
engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  felt  hats.  There  are 
others  who  buy  unfinished  hats,  and  finish  them  up  in 
such  styles  as  they  desire,  putting  in  their  own  tips  1 
and  trimmings;  but  these  are  not  manufacturers.  With- 
in tin-  last  two  or  three  years  several  manufacturers 
have  failed.  The  amount  of  capital  invested  in  the 
felt  hat  manufacture  is  somewhat  more  than  a  million 
dollars;  the  number  of  hats  turned  out,  when  running 


full,  somewhat  more  than  2,200,000  ;  the  number  of 
hands  employed  over  1,600;  the  amount  of  wages  paid 
about  $1,200,000;  the  annual  product  somewhat  more 
than  $2,700,000. 

In  straw  hats,  the  principal  manufacturers  are  :  The 
Novelty  Straw  Works  (Charles  M.  Evarts),  Park  ave- 
nue, City  Hall,  a  very  large  establishment,  employing 
350  hands  or  more,  and  turning  out  immense  numbers 
of  hats,  though  generally  of  the  cheaper  styles  ;  this 
establishment  was  burned  in  September,  1883  ;  Balch, 
Price  <b  Co.,  who  import  and  purchase  from  New  Eng- 
land and  Canada  very  choice  braids,  and  make  them  up 
in  their  own  works;  their  straw  hats  are  of  high  grade, 
but  their  manufacture  limited  ;  Robert  Dunlap  cfc  Co. 
have  a  very  large  straw  hat  factory  in  New  York, 
which  they  will  remove  to  Brooklyn  early  in  the  next 
year  (1884). 

There  are  also  four  or  five  other  straw  hat  manufac- 
turers on  a  small  scale,  three  of  them  in  South  Brook- 
lyn and  two  in  Greenpoint,  but  we  have  been  unable  to 
obtain  their  statistics. 

There  are  several  houses  engaged  in  furnishing  ma- 
terials for  hatters,  fur  of  the  coney,  hare,  rabbit,  nutria, 
mink,  muskrat,  etc.,  etc.;  the  largest  of  these  is  the 
house  of  Harper,  Hollingsworth  <t*  Derby,  in  McKibbin 
street,  who  furnish  large  amounts  of  these  furs  to  the 
hat  manufacturers. 

Of  the  one  wool  hat  factory  reported  in  the  census 
of  1880,  as  existing  in  Brooklyn,  we  have  no  knowl- 
edge, and  have  been  unable  to  learn  whether  it  is  still 
in  existence. 

The  cap  manufacture  is  carried  on  here  to  a  con- 
siderable extent,  but  there  are  no  means  of  arriving  at 
any  separate  statistics  of  it. 

Subsection-  I. — Purs  and  the  Pur  Manufacture. 

Closely  allied  to  the  manufacture  of  hats  and  other 
head  gear,  is  that  of  the  preparation  and  adaptation  of 
furs  to  the  various  purposes  of  human  wearing  ap- 
parel. This  trade,  in  all  its  branches — capture  of  the 
animals,  and  importing,  exporting,  dyeing  and  re- 
importing their  skins  and  preparing  them  for  wear — is 
a  very  large  industry. 

In  Kings  county  we  have  no  great  importers  or 
manufacturers  to  compare  with  the  Gunthers  or  some 
of  the  foreign  houses  in  the  fur  trade  in  New  York 
city,  but  our  fur  manufacturers  are,  nevertheless,  en- 
terprising as  well  as  industrious,  and  they  have  built 
up  a  good  and  substantial  business. 

All  kinds  of  furs  are  handled  by  our  Brooklyn  fur- 
riers, and  they  are  made  up  in  all  the  varieties  and 
forms  we  have  indicated.  The  census  reported  22 
manufacturers  of  dressed  furs  in  Brooklyn,  having 
$416,265  capital,  employing  4?:i  hands,  paying  out 
$137,374  wages,  using  $565,154  of  material,  and  pro- 
ducing annually  goods  of  the  value  of  *s;(oj,S04.  This 
was  probably,  m   IS80,  a  nearer  approximation  to  the 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


751 


actual  production  of  manufactured  furs  than  most  of 
the  statistics  of  Brooklyn  industries  reported  by  the 
census,  but  it  represents  it  very  imperfectly  in  1884. 
There  are  now  28  houses  in  the  trade,  all  but  one  of 
them  engaged  in  it  exclusively,  and  selling  mostly  at 
wholesale;  the  exception,  Messrs.  Balch,  Price  &  Co., 
being  also  manufacturers  of  and  dealers  in  hats,  caps, 
and  straw  goods,  and  manufacturing  their  furs  almost 
entirely  for  their  own  large  retail  trade.  The  largest 
manufacturer  of  furs  here  is,  we  think,  Mr.  James  Cas- 
sidy;  and  after  him  come  Messrs.  0.  cb  A.  Comeau  & 
Co.;  Franz  0.  Under;  J.  PladweWs  Sons;  William 
Stillwagen  ;  Merck  &  Auer  ;  Rogers  cfi  Lowery; 
Julius  Weinberg;  William  Hillman  ;  Hitchcock, 
Dermody  &  Co.;  Joseph  D.  Williams,  etc.,  etc. 
The  number  of  hands  employed  in  the  business  exceeds 
550,  and  the  production  is  about  $1,150,000,  and  would 
be  much  greater,  but  for  the  decided  fall  in  the  prices 
of  furs  within  the  past  three  years — a  fall  of  not  less 
than  fifty  per  cent,  in  sealskins  and  of  somewhat  less 
in  otter.  These  reductions  in  price  have  materially 
interfered  with  the  profits  of  the  business,  which  a  few 
years  ago  were  very  liberal. 


SECTION  XVIII. 
Drugs  and  Chemicals. 

This  title  is  a  comprehensive  one,  and  the  amount 
of  manufacturing  under  it  is  very  large.  It  includes 
the  manufacture  of  what  are  known  as  the  "  com- 
mercial acids,"  viz.,  sulphuric,  nitric  and  muriatic 
or  hydrochloric,  in  all  their  various  degrees  of  strength, 
the  production  of  other  chemicals,  such  as  alum,  blue 
vitriol  (sulphate  of  copper),  green  vitriol  or  copperas 
(sulphate  of  iron),  white  vitriol  (sulphate  of  zinc),  aqua 
ammonia,  muriate  of  tin,  tin  crystals,  and  incidentally 
sulphate  of  soda  (Glauber's  salts)  and  sulphate  of  lime 
(plaster  of  Paris),  and  other  commercial  preparations, 
which  can  be  manufactured  economically  by  artificial 
processes;  the  production  of  ammonia  and  other  nitro- 
genous compounds  for  refrigerating,  fertilizing,  medi- 
cal and  economical  purposes ;  the  productions  of  car- 
bonic acid  gas  and  some  of  the  carbonates,  and  the 
elimination  and  utilization  of  mineral,  metallic  or 
earthy  substances  from  the  crude  materials  with  which 
these  acids  are  combined;  the  whole  range  of  medical 
chemistry,  and  the  production  and  compounding  of  the 
preparations  of  the  pharmacopoeia,  whether  vegetable, 
animal  or  mineral,  completely  pure  and  in  commercial 
quantities.  Also,  the  combination  and  preparation  of 
new  remedies;  the  compounding  on  the  large  scale  of 
household  and  other  compounds  required  in  domestic 
economy,  such  as  flavoring  essences,  cream  of  tartar, 
tartaric  acid,  bicarbonate  of  soda,  sal  soda,  carbonate 
and  muriate  of  ammonia,  baking  powders,  compressed 
yeast,  bleaching  powders,  etc.,  etc.;  the  preparation 
and  putting  up  for  sale  of  all  artificial  mineral  waters; 


the  subliming  of  sulphur;  the  preparation  of  fertilizers 
and  chemical  manures. 

In  addition  to  the  manufacture  of  this  great  variety 
of  chemicals  and  drugs,  many  of  the  large  manufac- 
turers employ  chemists,  and  fit  up  laboratories  for  them 
in  their  establishments.  This  is  the  case  with  all  the 
larger  sugar  refineries,  with  the  oil  refiners,  with  the 
manufacturers  of  dry  colors,  and,  indeed,  the  larger 
paint  houses  generally,  the  manufacturers  of  cream  of 
tartar  and  baking  powders,  etc.,  etc. 

The  manufacture  of  drugs  and  chemicals  is  not  a 
new  business  here.  Several  of  the  largest  houses 
date  from  1850  or  earlier.  Among  them  such  houses 
as  Martin  Kalbfleisch,  E.  R.  Squibb,  H.  J.  Raker 
&  Co.,  Frederick  Scholes,  Daniel  H.  Gray,  &c. 
We  have  not  the  figures  for  1860  in  Brooklyn,  but  in 
1870  there  were  15  establishments,  employing  383 
hands;  having  a  capital  of  $843,000;  paying  $190,615 
wages;  using  $775,138  of  material;  and  producing 
drugs  and  chemicals  of  the  value  of  $1,799,357.  The 
manufacturing  statistics  of  1870  were  so  notoriously 
incorrect,  especially  in  the  cities,  that  this  was  un- 
doubtedly an  understatement. 

In  1880,  there  were  thirty  establishments,  employing 
a  capital  of  $3,764,550;  employing  1,177  hands  when 
full,  and  an  average  of  1,037  through  the  year;  paying 
out  $540,659  in  wages;  using  raw  material  of  the  value 
of  $3,706,449;  and  producing  goods  valued  at  $5,309,- 
396.  These  are  Mr.  Frothingham's  figures;  those  of 
the  compendium  of  the  tenth  census  differ  considerably 
from  them,  increasing  the  number  of  establishments  to 
thirty-eight,  and  diminishing  the  capital  employed  to 
$3,449,650;  the  hands  employed  to  1,104  when  full, 
with  an  average  of  961;  reducing  the  wages  paid  to 
$473,353;  the  raw  material  used  to  $3,446,549;  and  the 
annual  product  to  $4,900,338.  We  hardly  need  to  say 
that  Mi.  Frothingham's  figures  are  the  most  probable. 
But  large  as  was  the  amount  in  1880,  it  has  materially 
increased  since.  Four  cream  of  tartar  works,  two,  if 
not  three,  sulphuric  acid  works,  two  sulphur  refineries, 
one  or  two  very  large  manufactories  of  porous  or  other 
plasters,  etc.,  etc.,  have  been  added  since  1880,  and 
have  nearly  doubled  the  production.  The  great  drug- 
preparing  houses  of  E.  R.  Squibb  &  Co.  and  Fougera 
&  Co.  have  also  largely  increased  their  facilities  for 
manufacturing,  and  the  high  reputation  of  their  prep- 
arations is  constantly  enlarging  the  demand  for  them. 
It  is  to  be  noticed,  also,  that  the  great  increase  of  pop- 
ulation and  of  manufactures  creates  a  constantly-in- 
creasing demand  for  many  of  the  chemicals  required 
either  for  manufacturing  or  household  use. 

The  production  of  drugs  and  chemicals  in  Kings 
county  in  1880  was  about  forty  per  cent,  greater  than 
that  of  New  York  county  ($3,674,198),  and  is  now  fast 
approximating  to  that  of  Philadelphia  ($11,804,793), 
though  the  latter  has  hitherto  led  the  country  in  these 
manufactures. 


752 


Let  us  now  consider  for  a  little  space  the  different 
classes  of  chemical  manufacture  which  are  conducted 
here.  Beginning  with  the  production  of  the  commer- 
cial acids  and  their  compounds,  we  find  four  or  five 
houses  engaged  in  their  manufacture.  The  largest  of 
these  is  that  of  Martin  ICalbfleiscK's  Sons,  occupying 
about  twenty  acres  on  Newtown  Creek,  Brooklyn  side. 
This  house  was  first  established  in  1820,  and  now  has 
five  large  factories  in  Brooklyn  and  extensive  works  at 
Bayonne,  N.  J.,  and  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

The  production  of  sulphuric  acid,  or  oil  of  vitriol 
(the  two  terms  not  being  exactly  synonymous  commer- 
cially, sulphuric  acid  being  the  acid  which  does  not  ex- 
ceed 58°  or  60°  in  strength,  while  oil  of  vitriol  must 
come  up  to  06°  or  above),  is  the  basis  of  all  their  other 
manufactures  of  chemicals. 

They  produce  their  sulphuric  acid  by  burning  sul- 
phur under  such  conditions  that  its  vapor  unites  with 
oxygen  from  the  air  and  water  in  the  receiving  cham- 
bers, in  the  proportion  of  one  part  of  sulphur  to  three 
parts  of  oxygen.  A  smaller  proportion  of  oxygen  gives 
sulphurous  instead  of  sulphuric  acid. 

The  sulphur  used  in  these  factories  comes  mostly 
from  Sicily,  from  whence  it  is  brought  at  low  freight  or 
as  ballast.  The  sulphur  of  Utah,  Nevada  and  Califor- 
nia is  just  as  good,  but  the  expense  of  its  transportation 
is  too  great.  About  20  tons  a  day  are  used  in  all  the 
factories.  The  sulphur  furnace  has  an  iron  bed-plate 
instead  of  furnace  bars,  and  the  furnace  tires  must  be 
lighted  long  enough  to  heat  the  bed-plate  before  the 
sulphur  is  put  on  it.  The  charge  of  sulphur  is  from  60 
to  75  pounds,  and  it  requires  about  three  hours  to  burn 
off.  In  practice,  the  oxygen  is  added  in  the  leaden 
chambers  where  the  sulphur  vapors  are  condensed^ 
either  in  the  shape  of  nitrate  of  soda  or  nitric  acid. 

We  cannot  give  in  detail  the  processes,  which  differ 
in  different  establishments,  by  which  the  sulphuric  and 
nitric  acids  are  produced  and  those  by  which  they  are 
concentrated.  Steam  plays  an  important  part  in  all  the 
operations. 

Nitric  acid  and  aqua  forth  are  made  by  heating  com- 
mercial nitrate  of  soda  with  sulphuric  acid;  muriatic 
acid,  by  the  decomposition  of  common  salt  by  sulphuric 
acid;  alum,  by  burning  or  calcining  alum  stone  to  ex- 
pel a  portion  of  the  sulphurous  and  sulphuric  acid,  and 
then  lixiviating  the  mass  into  a  paste  with  hot  water, 
drawing  off,  concentrating  and  crystallizing. 

Blue  vitriol  (sulphate  of  copper)  is  produced  by  heat- 
ing either  metallic  copper  or  the  richer  copper  ores 
with  concentrated  sulphuric  acid  and  crystallizing; 
white  vitriol  (sulphate  of  zinc),  by  dissolving  either 
metallic  zinc  or  its  oxide  or  carbonate,  or  the  sulphide 
(blende)  in  dilute  sulphuric  acid  and  evaporating.  If 
the  blende  i-  used,  it  must  be  redissolvcd  in  water  and 
purified. 

Aqua  ammonia  is  made  in  a  large  iron  still,  by  mix- 
ing equal  weight  of  sal  ammoniac  or  sulphate  of  ammo- 


nium and  freshly  burned  lime  with  four  times  their 
weight  of  water,  and  applying  heat  till  the  ammonia 
gas  is  driven  off  into  the  bottom  of  a  vessel  two-thirds 
full  of  water.  The  water  absorbs  the  ammonia.  The 
gas  becomes  liquid  at  from  40°  to  58°  below  zero  Fah- 
renheit. 

Muriate  of  tin  and  tin  crystals  are  produced  by  dis- 
solving granulated  tin  in  muriatic  acid  and  evaporat- 
ing to  crystallization.  The  aqueous  solution  known  as 
"  muriate  of  tin,"  requires  the  addition  of  muriatic  or 
tartaric  acid,  or  it  throws  down  a  basic  deposit. 

The  immense  demand  for  earthenware  vessels  and 
pipes  in  this  business,  and  the  great  losses  by  break- 
age, have  led  the  house  to  establish  a  large  pottery  of 
their  own,  which  turns  out  great  quantities  of  these 
wares.  They  employ  in  their  Brooklyn  works  about 
750  men,  and  produce,  of  all  the  chemicals,  over 
$2,500,000  per  annum. 

The  Pratt  Manufacturing  Company,  which  manu- 
factures the  sulphuric  acid  and  other  chemicals  used  in 
the  refining  of  petroleum,  is  probably  the  next  largest 
producer  of  these  commercial  acids.  They  produce 
their  sulphuric  acid  from  copper  pyrites  (sulphide  of 
copper),  mostly  imported  from  Spain,  the  residual  cop- 
per ore  being  sold  to  the  smelters.  Their  production 
of  sulphuric  acid  is  about  $600,000  per  year,  and  the 
caustic  soda  used  in  the  refining  of  petroleum  is  also 
imported  by  them,  and  amounts  to  perhaps  $20,000 
more. 

There  are  three  or  four  other  manufacturers  of  com- 
mercial acids,  etc.,  in  Brooklyn,  of  which  the  two 
largest  are  Pfizer  <t  Co.  of  Bartlett  street,  and  Charles 
Kraft  of  Flushing  avenue.  The  Phenix  Company  is  also 
large.  The  total  production  of  this  class  of  chemicals  is 
not  far  from  $4,200,000,  and  the  number  of  hands  em- 
ployed about  1,350.  Some  of  these  houses  produce 
copperas  (sulphate  of  iron),  Glauber's  salts  (sulphate 
of  soda),  artificial  gypsum  (sulphate  of  lime),  and  some 
of  the  chlorides,  either  incidentally  or  as  commercial 
products. 

The  sublimation  of  sulphur  is  an  allied  industry. 
This  is  carried  on  extensively  by  Mr.  Frederick  Scholes, 
of  152  Kent  avenue,  whose  product  is  sold  wholly  by 
the  house  of  Battelle  &  Renwick,  163  Front  street, 
N.  Y.,  and  by  Mr.  Daniel  II.  Gray,  whose  factory  is 
at  25  Ninth  street,  and  his  warehouse  at  115  Maiden 
lane.  These  gentlemen,  like  Messrs.  Kalbfleisch,  obtain 
the  crude  brimstone  or  sulphur  from  Sicily,  and  con- 
duct their  processes  so  carefully  that  the  sulphurous  va- 
pors do  not  escape,  so  as  to  annoy  the  inhabitants  of 
the  neighborhood.  They  employ  about  45  hands,  and 
their  annual  product,  in  round  numbers,  is  about 
$350,000. 

Subsection  I. — Medical  Chemists. 

Next  in  importance  to  the  manufacturers  of  commer- 
cial acids,  and  hardly  second  to  them  in  the  extent  o 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


753 


their  business,  are  the  manufacturers  and  compounders 
of  medical  drugs — the  medical  chemists.  There  are 
four  or  five  of  these,  but  only  two  who  have  attained  a 
very  high  reputation  abroad  for  the  excellence  of  their 
preparations. 

Edward  R.  Squibb,  M.  D.,  has  been  engaged  in 
his  present  vocation  as  an  importer,  manufacturer 
and  compounder  of  drugs  for  wholesale  purposes 
only,  for  more  than  thirty  years,  and  no  manufacturer 
of  drugs  in  the  country  has  so  high  a  reputation  for 
thorough  knowledge,  strict  integrity,  careful  manipula- 
tion, and  the  absolute  purity  and  reliableness  of  his 
preparations.  The  physician  who  prescribes  his  prep- 
arations, knows  that  he  can  obtain  from  them  all  the 
beneficial  results  which  the  drug,  in  that  form,  can  be 
expected  to  produce;  while  those  of  his  compounds, 
which  are  sold  in  large  quantities,  are  equally  reliable. 
During  the  war,  when  a  pure  article  of  chloroform  was 
indispensable  for  the  surgeons,  the  medical  purveyors 
of  the  army  could  find  none  at  all  comparable,  for  pur- 
ity and  excellence,  to  that  of  Dr.  Squibb.  This  was 
true  also  of  his  other  preparations.  He  manufactures 
no  secret  or  patent  medicines;  and  whatever  compounds 
his  medical  skill  and  knowledge  have  led  him  to  pre- 
pare, to  facilitate  the  physician's  labors,  are  always 
put  up  with  the  formulas  in  full. 

M.  C.  Edmond  Fougera  has  followed  a  somewhat 
different  line  of  business  from  Dr.  Squibb,  being  more 
largely  an  importer  of  the  best  French  preparations, 
than  a  manufacturer,  though  his  manufactures  have 
been  of  a  very  creditable  character.  We  believe  he 
was  the  first  to  introduce  the  gelatine  capsules  now  so 
generally  used,  in  all  forms  and  of  all  sizes,  for  the  ad- 
ministration of  bitter  or  nauseous  medicines.  We  are 
unable  to  give  the  exact  details  of  the  annual  produc- 
tion (part  of  it  importation)  of  these  two  great  drug 
houses,  but  it  is  certainly  not  less  than  $600,000.  The 
number  of  hands  varies  very  greatly. 

Dr.  James  S.  Hawley,  who  has  made  a  specialty  of 
the  manufacture  of  pepsin  and  its  compounds,  and  of 
some  other  medicines/  Henry  Jackson  &  Son;  George 
J.  Jolensen;  Edward  D.  Kendall;  H.  Endeman;  God- 
frey Osaun  and  Franz  Roessler,  all  of  them  practical 
chemists,  and  engaged  in  the  production  of  some 
specialties,  also  come  under  this  class. 

Subsection  II. — Patent  Medicines. 

Following  these,  we  may  also  name  some  of  the  few 
manufacturers  of  patent  medicines  and  medicinal  pre- 
parations, whose  manufactories  are  in  Brooklyn  or 
Kings  county.  The  largest  of  these,  the  Graefenberg 
Company,  now  owned  and  managed  solely  by  Col. 
Charles  E.  Bridge,  whose  portrait  and  biography  we 
give,  was  originally  a  German  house,  and  held  some 
valuable  patents.  Under  its  present  proprietor  its  busi- 
ness has  been  greatly  extended,  and  it  is  now  very  large 
and  profitable. 


Col.  Chas.  E.  Bridge  is  descended  from  Puritan  stock. 
The  first  of  his  ancestors  in  America  was  Sir  John  Bridge,  of 
Essex  county,  England,  one  of  the  pilgrims  who  landed  from 
the  Mayflower  on  "  New  England's  rock-ribbed  coast."  One 
of  his  descendants,  who  was  Colonel  Bridge's  great-grand- 
father, married  Molly  Fry,  an  Indian  woman  of  the  purest 
type,  most  of  whose  descendants  are  characterized  by  dark 
faces  and  black  or  dark  eyes  and  hair,  the  latter  being 
straight.  The  colonel's  maternal  grandmother  was  first 
cousin  to  Daniel  Webster,  America's  celebrated  statesman 
and  orator,  who  was  a  son  of  her  mother's  sister.  Joshua 
Fisher  Bridge,  father  of  Col.  Charles  E.  Bridge,  was  born  in 
Beverly,  Mass.,  in  1822.  While  yet  a  mere  lad  he  went  to 
sea,  his  adventurous  disposition  leading  him  to  seek  a  life  of 
more  danger  and  less  monotony  than  that  of  his  landsman 
comrades.  In  1846,  at  the  age  of  twenty-four,  he  became  a 
resident  of  Brooklyn,  and  soon  found  employment  in  the  old 
proprietary  medicine  house  of  the  Graefenberg  Company, 
then  located  on  Broadway.  His  position  was  an  unimportant, 
if  not  a  menial,  one.  He  began  literally  at  the  bottom  of  the 
ladder.  If  he  had  not  been  previously  very  industrious  and 
saving,  he  could  scarcely  have  retained  his  foothold  on  the 
lower  round  at  the  beggarly  salary  he  received.  His  atten- 
tion to  the  duties  entrusted  to  him  was  such  as  to  commend 
him  to  the  good  opinion  of  his  employers,  and  gradually  he 
was  advanced  to  more  responsible  and  lucrative  positions. 
Meanwhile  he  attended  night  college,  acquiring  the  educa- 
tion which  he  felt  to  be  essential  to  his  success  in  life,  read 
medicine,  attended  lectures,  and  in  time  received  a  diploma 
as  a  physician.  Having  no  taste  for  a  general  practice,  he 
devoted  his  knowledge  to  the  benefit  of  the  Graefenberg  Co., 
in  whose  affairs  he  was  more  and  more  a  power  year  after 
year,  till,  in  1863,  he  was  enabled  to  purchase  enough  of  its 
stock  to  insure  him  a  position  as  its  general  manager.  The 
enterprise  flourished  more  remarkably  than  ever  before,  and 
six  years  later  Mr.  Bridge  was  the  sole  owner  of  its  stock, 
which  made  him  proprietor  of  an  extensive  business  many 
years  established.  He  died  in  1871,  and  all  of  the  rights, 
titles  and  privileges  of  the  Graefenberg  Company  passed  to 
the  ownership  of  the  present  proprietor,  Col.  Charles  E. 
Bridge.  Mr.  Bridge  was  married  in  1852  to  Miss  Augusta  J. 
Edmunds,  of  Plymouth,  New  Hampshire,  and  Col.  Bridge 
was  born  in  Brooklyn,  April  29th,  1853.  A  daughter  was 
born  to  them  also. 

Charles  E.  Bridge  attended  private  schools  in  Brooklyn 
until  he  was  eleven  years  old,  when  he  entered  the  Brooklyn 
Collegiate  and  Polytechnic  Institute,  passed  through  all  its 
grades,  and  graduated  therefrom  in  1867.  Later  he  attended 
a  German  school  to  obtain  a  knowledge  of  the  German  lan- 
guage, which  is  necessary  in  the  conduct  of  the  extensive 
correspondence  of  the  Graefenberg  Company  with  dealers  in 
the  German  states.  At  the  death  of  his  father  he  succeeded 
him  in  business,  having  previously  mastered  all  of  its  details 
by  several  years'  association  with  him  in  the  office;  and, 
under  his  management,  the  enterprise  has  steadily  grown, 
and  more  than  retained  its  status  as  one  of  the  oldest,  best- 
established  and  most  reliable  patent  medicine  houses  in  the 
world.  In  1873,  he  married  Miss  Margaret  P.  St.  John,  of 
New  York  city.  Their  son,  now  ten  years  of  age,  will  be  the 
last  of  his  name  in  this  branch  of  the  family,  should  he  die 
without  issue.  If  the  boy  is  to  be  spared  to  him,  it  is  the 
hope  of  Col.  Bridge  that  he  may  become  his  successor  as  the 
proprietor  of  the  Graefenberg  Company,  and,  in  time,  hand 
the  business  down  to  his  descendants,  thus  perpetuating  its 
ownership  and  management  in  the  family  and  name. 

Early  in  life  Col.  Bridge  developed  a  liking  for  military 
affairs,  and,  in  1869,  then  only  sixteen  years  old,  he  joined 


754 


"  A  "  Company  of  the  23d  Regiment.  He  filled  various  war- 
rant positions,  and  was  officially  connected  with  the  staff  of 
the  colonel  in  command,  until  he  left  the  regiment  in  1880 
to  accept  an  appointment  on  the  11th  Brigade  Staff,  which 
he  held  till  January  1st,  18JS3,  when  he  was  appointed  to  a 
place  on  the  staff  of  Governor  Cleveland,  with  the  rank  of 
colonel.  His  duties  as  an  officer  on  the  staff  necessitated  his 
studying  closely  the  various  systems  of  signaling  in  use.  He 
conceived  the  idea  that  the  United  States  army  system  could 
easily  be  employed,  by  means  of  steam  whistles,  to  communi- 
cations at  sea,  rendering  it  possible  to  signal  the  course,  the 
name  of  the  vessel  and  the  line  to  which  it  might  belong,  the 
captain's  name,  and  other  facts  of  a  similar  nature,  besides 
locating  icebergs  or  wrecks,  or  indicating  distress  of  any  kind, 
such  as  mutiny,  shortage  of  water,  leaks,  sickness,  &c.  He 
thought,  too,  that  a  regular  signal  telegraphy  might  be 
adopted  for  the  use  of  passengers,  and  for  the  apprehension 
of  criminals  on  board  of  vessels  and  en  route  for  foreign 
shores.  He  claimed  no  special  originality  in  the  scheme,  for 
it  contemplated  only  the  application  of  an  old  and  tried  sys- 
tem in  a  new  direction;  but  he  trusted  that  to  give  those 
most  interested  the  results  of  study  and  experiments  in  this 
mode  of  signaling  would  lead  to  benefit  to  the  commercial 
traveling  community,  not  only  of  America,  but  throughout 
the  world;  and  he  neither  sought  to  secure  the  system  to 
himself,  by  patent  or  otherwise,  nor  to  obtain  any  pecuniary 
benefit  therefrom.  His  experiments  met  the  approval  of 
Commodore  George  H.  Cooper,  U.  S.  N.,  commandant  of  the 
Brooklyn  Navy  Yard;  General  Edward  L.  Mohneux,  com- 
mandant 11th  Brigade,  N.  G.,  and  others,  who  have  conceded 
the  advantages  to  be  derived  from  his  proposed  application, 
and  encouraged  him  to  place  his  system  before  the  public,  for 
it  is  so  simple  and  easy  of  comprehension,  that  its  manifest 
utility  must,  before  many  years,  bring  it  into  general  use. 

Col.  Bridge  has  been  a  life-long  resident  of  Brooklyn,  and 
will,  doubtless,  reside  there  until  his  death.  Though  a  young 
man,  his  interests  are  such  that  he  has  the  prosperity  and 
progress  of  the  city  at  heart,  and  all  measures  toward  their 
advancement  meet  with  his  hearty  co-operation  and  liberal 
support. 

The  Pond's  Extract  Company  manufacture  another 
preparation  which  has  a  great  reputation  and  an  exten- 
sive sale.  The  production  of  these  two  establishments 
is  said  to  be  between  $300,000  and  $350,000.  The  other 
patent  medicine  houses,  of  which  there  are  a  dozen  or 
more,  do  a  very  moderate  business.  One  of  them,  the 
Damonia  Magnetic  Mineral  Company,  is  a  new  comer, 
and  bases  its  claims  to  public  patronage  on  its  prepara- 
tions of  an  earth  or  ore  of  iron,  and,  possibly,  chrome, 
said  to  be  magnetic,  and  found  in  Texas.  It  is  adver- 
tising largely,  but  we  know  not  with  what  success. 
Other  professed  magnetic  remedies,  like  the  Wilsonia 
and  Victoria  Clothing,  have  had  their  day,  and  have 
ceased  to  attract  public  attention. 

Subsection  III. — Mineral  Waters. 

The  preparation  of  artificial  mineral  waters,  carbon- 
ated waters,  «&c,  is  becoming  a  large  and  very  profit- 
able business.  Nearly  all  the  mineral  waters  which 
have  a  high  reputation  have  been  carefully  analysed, 
and  the  formula  thus  obtained  has  been  so  successfully 
imitated,  that  the  artificial  waters  are  recommended  by 


the  most  eminent  physicians  as  equal  or  preferable  to 
the  genuine.  There  are  now  29  or  30  of  these  manu- 
facturers of  artificial  mineral  waters  in  Kings  county, 
several  of  them  doing  a  large  business.  The  cost  of 
plant  is  not  very  heavy,  the  principal  items  being  a 
good  artesian  well  of  very  pure  water  and  a  good  sup- 
ply of  siphon  bottles.  The  formula  are  simple,  and  the 
production  of  carbonic  acid  gas,  pure,  and  of  sufficient 
quantity  to  enable  the  manufacturers  to  charge  the 
siphons,  already  filled  with  the  required  solutions,  is  all 
that  is  necessary,  in  the  hands  of  skilled  workmen,  to 
make  the  business  successful.  The  sales  are  largely  to 
druggists,  physicians,  and,  to  some  extent,  to  private 
customers.  Ilellman,  Midler  tt  Co.,  Bach  <£*  Nostra7id, 
Henry  Seyelka,  Frederick  Feltmann,  H.  &  C.  Batter- 
man,  Schneider  d'  Bro.,  Smith  <(_•  Laylon,  Mess  d~ 
Palmer,  Knobel  d'  Pope,  Sweeney  <fc  Bro.  and  Lawrence 
Maxioell,  are,  we  believe,  the  largest  of  these  manufac- 
turers. The  entire  business  is  estimated  at  about 
$400,000. 

Subsection  IV. — Mineral  Paints,  Roofing  Materials, 
and  Other  Mineral  Preparations  Produced  by 
Chemical  Processes. 

Most  of  these  houses  have  trade  secrets  which  they 
believe  to  be  valuable,  and  hence  repel  all  inquiries  in 
regard  to  the  character  and  extent  of  their  business. 
In  general,  little  can  be  learned  about  them,  except 
that  they  are  engaged  in  some  chemical  work.  There 
are  one  or  two  roofing  companies,  the  proprietors  of 
which  are  somewhat  more  communicative.  Among 
these  are  H.  W.  Johns  and  Gridley  it  Co.  of  the  Phenix 
Chemical  Works,  at  the  foot  of  39th  street.  Their 
specialty  is  a  chemically  compounded  cement  for  roof- 
ing purposes,  and  perhaps  also  for  tiling.  Of  the 
Jordan  Iron  and  Chemical  Company,  the  Manhattan 
Chemical  Company,  the  Charles  T.  White  Company, 
and  the  National  Chemical  Works,  we  have  only  been 
able  to  learn  that  they  belonged  to  this  class,  and  that 
several  of  them  were  doing  a  large  business. 

Of  course,  any  estimate  in  regard  to  the  amount  of 
this  business  can  be  only  a  guess,  and  may  come  wide 
of  the  mark.  We  prefer  an  under-estimate  to  an  exces- 
sive one,  and  are  sure  that  in  estimating  their  entire 
production,  and  that  of  others  who  may  belong  to  this 
class,  at  $500,000,  we  are  considerably  within  the  mark. 

Subsection   V.  —  Cream  of    Tartar  and  Tartaric 
Acid. — Baking  I'owders. 

Our  knowledge  of  these  chemical  manufactures  is 
more  thorough  and  complete  than  of  those  of  the  pre- 
ceding subsection.  By  the  courtesy  of  the  proprie- 
tors we  were  permitted  to  inspect  all  the  processes. 

Though  cream  of  tartar  is  a  necessary  ingredient  of 
a  good  baking  powder,  and  a  very  large  proportion  of 
that  which  is  manufactured  here  is  consumed  by  bak- 
ing powder  companies;  yet  it  is  used  for  many  other 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


755 


purposes,  in  domestic  economy,  in  medicine,  and  in 
the  arts.  Formerly  it  was  largely  imported,  but  the 
importation  has  now  ceased,  and  only  the  crude  argols, 
from  which  both  cream  of  tartar  and  tartaric  acid  are 
manufactured,  appears  among  the  imports.  We  do 
not  know  the  number  of  cream  of  tartar  companies  in 
the  United  States,  but  the  production  of  Brooklyn  is 
very  nearly,  if  not  quite,  one-half  of  all  that  is  made  in 
the  country,  yet  it  is  all  at  present  consumed  here. 

In  tracing  the  processes  which  lead  to  the  produc- 
tion of  a  complete  baking  powder,  we  find  it  necessary  ! 
to  begin  at  the  beginning.  The  principal  constituents 
of  all  baking  powders  are  bitartrate  of  potassa,  gen- 
erally known  as  cream  of  tartar,  and  bi-carbonate  of 
soda,  the  cooking  soda  of  the  shops.  There  is  in  some  of 
them  also  a  very  small  percentage  of  sesqui-carbonate  of 
ammonia,  and  in  those  which  are  of  inferior  quality,  a 
quarter  or  less  percentage  of  alum,  tartrate  of  lime, 
tartaric  acid,  &c. ;  but  the  two  ingredients,  named  at 
first,  are  the  most  important.  It  is  of  the  highest 
consequence,  that  both  the  cream  of  tartar  and  the 
bi-carbonate  of  soda  should  be,  as  nearly  as  possible, 
absolutely  pure.  Commercial  cream  of  tartar  has 
been  considered  in  the  past  as  sufficiently  pure  for 
almost  any  use,  when  it  consisted  of  95  per  cent,  pure 
bi-tartrate  of  potassa,  and  5  per  cent,  of  tartrate  of 
lime,  or  some  other  substance  inert,  or  of  no  material 
importance.  This  is  not  the  standard  to  be  reached 
by  the  best  manufacturers.  The  New  York  Tartar 
Co.  now  makes  a  cream  of  tartar  99T40  to  99^  pure, 
and  the  productions  of  the'  other  Brooklyn  companies 
is  brought  to  the  same  standard.  The  bi-carbonate  of 
soda  is  brought  up  to  an  equal  degree  of  purity. 

How  is  cream  of  tartar  made  ?  The  crude  tartar  is 
called  argols,  and  is  imported  from  France  and  Italy, 
and  in  small  quantities  also  from  Germany,  Eng- 
land and  Austria. 

The  whole  quantity  imported  last  year  was  18,- 
320,366  pounds,  and  the  custom  house  value,  $3,- 
013,376,  or  about  16  cents  per  pound.  Argols  are 
the  deposits  of  crude  tartar  in  wine  barrels,  and  con- 
sist of  tartaric  acid,  tartrates  of  lime  and  potassa,  with 
other  impurities,  and  a  considerable  percentage  of  dirt. 
As  delivered  at  the  tartar  factory,  they  are  dirty, 
greyish,  black-looking  masses,  partly  in  powder,  partly 
in  small,  rather  tough  lumps.  They  are  first  powdered 
and  then  boiled  in  immense  boilers,  and  the  alcohol 
and  other  volatile  impurities  expelled  (this  is  the  part 
of  the  process  to  which  exception  has  been  taken,  from 
its  alleged  malodorous  smells,  but  these,  though  never  so  | 
bad  as  represented,  are  now  almost  entirely  removed  , 
by  a  condensing  process).  When  boiled  it  is  filtered 
through  bone-black,  and  then  evaporated  and  crystal- 
lized. It  is  chemically  impure,  though  the  crystals  are 
white  and  clear.  It  is  next  redissolved  and  the  tar- 
trate of  lime  separated,  and  it  is  tested  for  any  other 
impurities,  which,  if  they  are  found,  are  removed,  and  it  i 


is  again  crystallized,  and  is  ready  for  use,  as  we  shall 
see  presently. 

The  tartrate  of  lime  is  treated  with  sulphuric  acid, 
and  the  tartaric  acid  is  separated,  a  sulphate  of  lime 
(gypsum  or  plaster  of  Paris),  being  formed.  The  tar- 
taric acid  being  first  purified,  is  crystallized  and  is 
ready  for  market.  There  is  a  considerable  demand 
for  it  for  a  variety  of  uses. 

But  we  will  now  follow  the  cream  of  tartar  or  bi- 
tartrate of  potassa.  There  is,  as  we  have  said,  a  large 
demand  for  this  for  culinary,  medical,  chemical,  and 
technological  purposes,  but  the  Brooklyn  tartar  com- 
panies find  an  instant  market  for  all  their  products  in 
the  Royal  Baking  Powder  Company's  factory,  and  if 
the  product  was  three  times  what  it  now  is  (as  it  soon 
will  be),  it  would  all  be  absorbed  in  that  rapidly  grow- 
ing industry.  The  crystallized  cream  of  tartar  is 
hoisted  into  the  upper  stories  of  the  factory,  where  it 
is  ground  as  fine  as  the  finest  flour  and  bolted.  It  is 
then  tested  for  impurity  again,  and  is  ready  for  the 
next  step. 

Meanwhile,  the  soda  has  been  ground  also,  its  purity 
similarly  tested,  and  the  two  are  emptied  into  the 
mixer,  a  very  ingeniously  constructed  machine,  which, 
by  its  various  motions,  thoroughly  combines  the  two 
powders,  and  so  incorporates  them  with  each  other 
that  there  is  no  possibility  of  an  excess  of  one  or  the 
other  in  any  package,  large  or  small,  of  the  compound. 
When  thus  completely  mixed,  it  is  again  tested,  and 
by  an  automatic  movement,  each  barrel  filled  with  it 
is  lowered  to  the  floor  below,  and  another  set  in  its 
place.  From  these  barrels  it  is  packed  in  boxes  of  dif- 
ferent sizes,  each  boxful  being  weighed  to  secure  the 
exact  weight,  the  covers  put  on  the  box  labelled,  and 
one,  two  or  four  dozen  packed  in  a  wooden  box,  also 
labelled.  The  demand  for  this  baking  powder  is  enor- 
mous.   Forty  tons  or  more  are  shipped  daily. 

But  the  Royal  Baking  Powder  Company  have  also 
other  lines  of  business.  They  have  gained  a  great 
reputation  for  their  flavoring  extracts — lemon,  orange, 
vanilla,  rose,  ginger,  etc. — which  are  of  undoubted 
purity  and  full  strength,  and  of  which  many  thousand 
gross  are  sold  every  year.  The  two  establishments, 
which  are  really  under  the  same  control,  employ  about 
500  hands,  and  on  the  completion  of  the  new  tartar 
factory,  will  be  able  to  produce  goods  to  the  value  of 
about  $4,000,000  annually. 

There  are  three  other  cream  of  tartar  and  tartaric 
acid  factories  in  Kings  county  beside  the  New  York 
Tartar  Company,  but  their  cream  of  tartar  product  is 
now  absorbed  by  the  Royal  Baking  Powder  Company. 
The  tartaric  acid  produced  by  all  the  companies  is  sold 
elsewhere,  the  chemical  works  of  Martin  Kalbfleisch's 
Sons  and  others  using  it,  as  do  the  color  manufacturers 
in  the  preparation  of  colors  and  mordants.  Their  pro- 
duction of  this  acid  does  not  probably  exceed  *100,000. 
There  is  now  no  other  baking  po\vder  company  in 


756 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Kings  county  except  the  Royal,  two  or  three  others 
having  removed  or  given  up  the  business.  The  census 
of  1880  reported  at  that  time  110  establishments  manu- 
facturing baking  powders  in  the  United  States,  with 
an  annual  product  of  $4,760,598.  In  the  three  and  a 
half  years  which  have  elapsed,  a  considerable  number 
of  these  have  failed  or  relinquished  the  business,  but 
the  Brooklyn  company  has  constantly  grown,  partly 
by  the  acknowledged  excellence  of  its  products  and 
partly  by  the  most  energetic  and  thorough  advertising, 
in  all  ways  and  by  all  methods,  ever  attempted  in  this 
or  any  other  country.  It  now  produces  more  than  one 
half  of  all  the  baking  powder  manufactured  in  the 
United  States. 

Let  us  now  sum  up  the  products  of  the  various  sub- 
divisions of  these  chemical  manufactures,  reserving  for 
a  separate  section  one  division,  that  of  Fertilizers  and 
Glue.  We  find,  then,  in  the  six  subsections  we  have 
described,  an  annual  product  of  about  $10,300,000  and 
the  employment  of  from  2,800  to  3,300  hands. 

SECTION  XIX. 
Fertilizers — Glue. 

The  manufacturers  of  fertilizers  is  a  somewhat  im- 
portant interest  in  Kings  county  for  several  reasons. 
There  are  but  three  or  four  houses  directly  engaged  in 
it,  but  the  product  is  large.  The  statistics  of  the  cen- 
sus of  1880  were:  Capital,  $545,000;  hands  employed, 
89,  of  whom  84  were  men;  amount  of  wages  paid, 
$.51,000;  cost  of  material,  $1,063,867;  annual  product, 
$1,252,756.  These  figures  were  below  the  present  rate 
of  production,  which  probably  now  exceeds  $1,500,000, 
but  they  were  more  nearly  correct  than  most  of  the 
statements  of  Brooklyn  industries. 

But  the  industry  is  of  special  interest  from  its  con- 
nection with  other  industries  and  mercantile  enterprises. 
It  has  direct  connection  with  the  manufacturing  chem- 
ists, from  whom  the  acids,  ammonia  and  other  chemi- 
cals used  in  the  transformation  of  different  substances 
into  effective  fertilizers  are  obtained;  with  the  slaugh- 
ter-houses, which  furnish  much  of  the  offal  which  is 
transformed;  with  the  scavengers,  whose  contributions 
of  dead  animals,  bones,  etc.,  form  an  important  con- 
stituent of  the  fertilizers;  with  the  importers  of  nitrate 
of  soda,  sulphate  and  muriate  of  potassa,  guano,  phos- 
phates, etc. ;  with  the  exporters  of  bone-black,  super- 
phosphates, etc.;  with  the  Menhaden  factories,  from 
whom  they  obtain  a  kind  of  guano,  after  the  oil  is 
taken  from  the  fish;  with  the  glue  makers,  from  whom 
they  obtain  bones  and  much  nitrogenous  matter;  with 
the  siifxar  refiners,  who  furnish  them  with  their  spent 
Immii  hlack  and  the  residuum  "f  waste  after  its  re-puri- 
fication, and  to  whom  they  sell  considerable  quantities 
of  refined  bone-black  produced  by  some  of  their  pro- 
cess! - :  i  ii' I  with  the  miners  and  quarricrs  of  phosphatic 
rock  in  South  Carolina,  from  whom  they  obtain  very 


considerable  quantities  of  these  valuable  constituents 
of  fertilizers. 

The  demand  for  fertilizers  is  very  large,  and  is  con- 
stantly increasing.  Even  the  more  intelligent  of  the 
farmers,  on  the  comparatively  new  lands  of  the  West, 
are  beginning  to  understand  the  advantage  of  restoring 
to  the  soil  the  constituents  so  largely  taken  from  it, 
and  are,  by  the  use  of  fertilizers  regaining  the  yield  of 
wheat,  corn  and  other  cereals,  which  was  so  rapidly 
falling  off.  The  first  attempt  at  manufacturing  fertil- 
izers on  a  large  scale  in  Kings  county  was  made  in 

1850,  on  Crow  Hill,  by  Swanmitel,  Pieper  &  Co.,  who 
had  a  fat-rendering  establishment,  and  ground  bone  to 
some  extent,  for  export  to  England,  for  a  year  or  two. 

The  same  year  a  Mr.  Paulsen  made  glue  and  ground 
bone  on  First  street,  Williamsburgh,  near  the  present 
site  of  the  sugar  house,  opposite  the  Cob  dock.  In 

1851,  Mr.  Charles  De  Bergh,  the  son  of  one  of  the 
partners  in  the  great  nitro-phosphate  works  in  London, 
came  to  this  country,  and  finding  that  the  sugar  refiners 
were  then  using  their  spent  bone-black  for  filling 
sunken  lots,  made  an  arrangement  with  them  to  take 
their  entire  product  of  this  article,  they  packing  it  in 
casks.  He  stored  this  in  lots  which  he  hired,  till  the 
spring  of  1852,  when  he  commenced  the  manufacture 
of  fertilizers  from  it  in  the  building  which  Mr.  Paulsen 
had  occupied  in  First  street.  He  treated  it  with 
sulphuric  acid,  and  made  a  dissolved  bone  phosphate  of 
lime,  which  he  sold  largely  in  Baltimore. 

The  same  year  (1852),  Joseph  Oechsler  established  a 
rendering  establishment  on  Crow  Hill,  and  ground 
bone  extensively.  He  found  a  moderate  market  on 
Long  Island,  but  the  greater  part  of  his  product  was 
sent  to  Philadelphia  and  the  South. 

In  1855,  Frederick  Langman  began  the  manufacture 
of  super-phosphate  of  lime  on  Crow  Hill.  His  market 
was  in  New  Jersey,  as  the  Long  Island  farmers  could 
not  be  induced  to  use  any  other  fertilizer  than  stable 
manure. 

The  first  attempt  to  utilize  the  dead  animals  from 
New  York  and  Brooklyn,  for  the  production  of 
fertilizers,  at  Barren  Island,*  was  made  in  1855,  by 
Lefferts  R.  Cornell,  who  had  obtained  a  contract  with 
the  two  cities  for  collecting  these  animals.  Their 
bones  and  dried  flesh  were  ground  and  treated  with 
acids,  etc.,  and  shipped  to  the  nitro-phosphate  company 
of  London,  that  company  sending  out  a  chemist  to 
superintend  the  manufacture.  In  1856  William  B. 
Reynolds  had  a  similar  factory  on  Barren  Island,  and 
shipped  his  fertilizers  to  various  ports  on  the  Rhine,  to 
be  used  for  grape  culture.  In  1858,  Mr.  De  Bergh, 
who  had  carried  on  his  works  on  First  street,  E.  D., 
successfully,  commenced  the  use  of  dried  meat  as  a 
source  of  ammonia,  but  the  odor  emanating  from  his 
factory  was  so  offensive,  that  the  city  authorities  com- 

•  Darren  Island  Is  a  small  Island  near  the  wrst  shore  of  .Jamaica  t'ay. 
belongliiK  tn  the  town  of  Klatlands,  In  Klnfc's  county.  * 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


757 


pelled  him  to  stop  its  use.  In  1859  the  factory  of  L. 
R.  Cornell,  on  Barren  Island,  was  burned,  and  he 
removed  to  Flatbush,  where  he  carried  on  the  business 
of  bone-burning  (for  the  sugar  refiners)  and  the  manu- 
facture of  bone-black,  for  which  he  found  a  ready 
market.  After  a  time  he  sold  out  his  establishment  to 
the  Zoanclital  Company,  who  took  the  contract  of 
removing  the  dead  animals  from  New  York  city,  and 
removed  their  works  to  Blazing  Star,  N.  J. 

In  1860,  E.  Frank  Coe  took  the  works  which  De 
Bergh  had  vacated  in  First  street,  E.  D.,  and  com- 
menced the  manufacture  of  super-phosphates  of  lime 
for  dealers  in  the  South,  and  continued  there  till  1864, 
when  he  removed  to  Hunter's  Point,  and  in  1880  to 
Barren  Island.  In  1873,  Thomas  White  commenced 
the  manufacture  of  super-phosphate  of  lime  on  Barren 
Island,  for  parties  in  the  South,  and  still  continues  in 
the  business.  The  census  does  not  report  his  establish- 
ment under  Brooklyn.  In  1880,  Mr.  Geo.  B.  Forrester 
commenced  the  manufacture  of  chemical  fertilizers  in 
Fourth  place,  South  Brooklyn.  His  fertilizers  were 
inodorous,  and  he  had  carefully  prepared  formulas  of 
combinations  required  for  each  crop  and  each  soil.  He 
had  made  these  formulas  and  tested  their  efficacy  in 
connection  with  another  house  since  1873.  These  have 
proved  effectual  in  greatly  increasing  the  production  of 
the  sandy  loams  and  other  soils  of  the  seaboard  States. 
They  have  a  very  large  sale  on  Long  Island,  in  New 
Jersey,  and  in  the  States  farther  South,  and  many  thou- 
sands of  tons  are  sent  out  yearly;  also,  other  parties, 
in  part  at  his  suggestion,  have  engaged  in  the  improve- 
ment of  Peruvian  guano  by  bringing  up  the  percentage 
of  ammonia,  which  of  late  years  had  been  seriously 
diminished  even  in  the  best  specimens.  This  required 
the  erection  of  considerable  machinery,  which  for  con- 
venience sake,  has  been  placed  in  one  of  the  large  ware- 
houses at  the  water  front,  where  the  guano  is  landed. 
Mr.  Forrester  is  the  largest  manufacturer  of  complete 
chemical  manures  in  the  country  ;  but  Messrs.  H.  J. 
Baker  &  Bro.,  of  Smith  street,  and  C.  Huntington,  who 
are  also  noticed  among  the  chemical  manufacturers, 
manufacture  fertilizers  quite  extensively.  Mr.  I.  F. 
Requa,  of  Sedgwick  street,  is  also  a  large  producer  of 
goods  in  this  line.  There  were  no  others  until  the  pre- 
sent year  (1883),  except  the  parties  on  Barren  Island, 
when  there  were  two  joint  stock  companies  started, 
mainly,  however,  to  deal  in  imported  fertilizers. 

The  Peter  Cooper  Glue  Factory  and  James  Greene, 
also  a  glue  manufacturer,  sell  their  refuse  products, 
bone,  hair,  etc.,  for  fertilizing  purposes  ;  and  Messrs. 
Adams  tfc  Munroe,  on  the  New  Lots  road,  have  a  fat- 
rendering  establishment,  and  burn  bones,  making  a 
good  article  of  bone-black  for  the  sugar  refiners.  The 
entire  business  of  producing  fertilizers  in  Brooklyn  in 
1880  was,  according  to  the  census,  three  establishments 
with  $545,000  capital,  employing  125  hands,  paying 
out  $51,000  wages,  using  material  valued  at  $1,063,867, 


and  producing  $1,252,756  annually.  The  amount  of 
the  business  has  somewhat  increased  since  that  time  ;  a 
new  house  has  started,  but  an  old  one  has  relinquished 
the  business.  The  number  of  hands  is  now  at  least 
150,  and  the  product  not  less  than  $1,500,000.  It  is 
noteworthy  also  that  there  is  less  consumption  of 
animal  waste  and  a  greater  call  for  chemical  manures. 
The  formulas  of  Mr.  Forrester  are  attracting  much 
attention  and  the  demand  for  them  is  rapidly  increasing. 

But,  aside  from  the  manufactories  of  fertilizers  in 
Brooklyn,  there  are  three  (one  of  them  a  Menhaden  oil 
factory,  which  makes  up  a  fish  guano  from  the  refuse, 
after  the  expulsion  of  the  oil,  and  two  rendering  estab- 
lishments for  the  utilization  of  dead  animals,  etc.) 
others  in  Kings  county,  two  of  them  on  Barren  Island. 
These  establishments  turn  out  about  $250,000  worth  of 
manures  yearly.  There  is,  or  was  a  short  time  since, 
also  a  small  factory  for  fertilizers  in  Flatbush,  but  we 
have  no  particulars  concerning  it.  Altogether,  it  is 
probably  not  far  from  the  truth  to  put  down  the  entire 
product  of  fertilizers  in  Kings  county  at  about  $1,800,- 
000. 


George  Boardman  Forrester,  a  leading  manufacturer  of 
chemical  fertilizers,  was  born  in  New  York  city,  March  18, 
1830.  He  was  the  son  of  James  and  Elenora  (Irwin)  Forres- 
ter. His  paternal  grandfather  came  to  this  country  from 
Scotland  in  1801.  He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of 
New  York  city,  and  in  Jenney's  Academy,  then  in  East 
Broadway,  New  York. 

Mr.  Forrester  commenced  his  business  life  early,  being,  in 
1853,  a  clerk  in  the  metal  brokerage  business,  in  1854  in  the 
iron  trade,  and  in  1855  in  business  on  his  own  account.  In 
December,  1856,  he  became  connected  with  a  manufacturing 
firm,  and  advanced  step  by  step  till,  in  1873,  he  became  part- 
ner in  the  house.  As  a  result  of  previous  study  and  experi- 
ments, he  devoted  himself,  after  his  admission  to  the  firm, 
to  the  preparation  of  chemical  manures,  from  formula?  drawn 
up  by  himself,  the  formula  being  varied  for  each  crop,  in 
accordance  with  its  demand  for  special  chemicals  as  plant 
food.  So  thorough  had  been  his  research  into  the  require- 
ments of  each  crop,  and  so  successful  were  his  manures,  in 
producing  crops  of  the  largest  quantity  and  best  quality,  that 
Forrester's  Chemical  Manures,  after  an  experience  of  eight 
or  nine  years,  have  become  very  popular  among  agricultur- 
ists everywhere.  He  also  devised  formulae  for  orange,  lemon 
and  pineapple  culture,  which  have  come  into  very  extensive 
use  in  Florida  and  other  southern  and  southwestern  states, 
and  have  greatly  added  to  the  productiveness  and  excellence 
of  these  fruits.  Like  his  vegetable  manures,  they  increase 
the  size,  quantity  and  good  quality  of  the  products  of  each 
crop  to  which  they  are  applied.  A  similar  success  has  at- 
tended his  formula  for  the  culture  of  the  sugar  cane,  which 
is  now  sold  largely.  He  has  also,  within  the  last  three  or 
four  years,  prepared  a  top  dressing  for  lawns,  and  a  fertilizer 
for  house  and  garden  plants,  both  of  which  have  already 
achieved  a  high  reputation. 

The  advantages  accruing  from  the  use  of  Mr.  Forrester's 
fertilizers  are:  that  they  are  entirely  inodorous;  they  are  much 
less  bulky  than  ordinary  manures;  they  accomplish  better 
results;  are  perfectly  certain  in  their  effect;  are  less  expen- 
sive than  the  ordinary  imported  manures,  and  give  better 
results  than  stable  manure  and  at  less  cost.    In  1880,  the 


/ 


>68 


1IIS10RY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


lirm  with  which  Mr.  Forrester  had  been  connected  for 
twenty-four  years  was  dissolved,  and  he  withdrew,  taking 
with  lain  his  formula1  and  his  business  in  fertilizers,  and  es- 
tablished himself  in  their  more  extensive  manufacture,  at 
119-125  Fourth  place,  Brooklyn,  where  he  is  now  turning  out 
immense  quantities  to  supply  the  demand  from  all  parts  of 
the  country,  his  annual  out-put  being  several  thousand  tons. 

In  pursuance  of  his  belief  that  the  highest  interests  of  the 
fanner  are  promoted  by  the  diffusion  of  intelligence,  Mr. 
Forrester  has  delivered  before  farmers'  clubs  in  different  sec- 
tions of  the  country,  several  carefully  prepared  lectures  on 
"Agriculture  and  Methods  of  Fertilization." 

Mr.  Forrester,  amid  an  active  and  exceedingly  busy  life, 
has  found  time  for  participation  in  the  duties  of  good  citizen- 
ship. Though  not  an  active  partisan,  he  is  thoughtful  and 
sound  in  his  political  convictions,  always  more  desirous  of 
an  honest  and  able  administration  of  our  city  and  state  affairs 
than  of  strict  party  success. 

Mr.  Forrester  is  a  religious  man,  and  carries  his  religious 
principles  into  his  business,  endeavoring  in  all  things  to 
glorify  the  Master  whom  he  serves.  He  united  with  the 
Cannon  Street  Baptist  Chuich  in  New  York  city  at  the  age 
of  eleven  years,  and  though  but  thirty  when  he  removed  to 
Brooklyn  in  I860,  he  had  been  a  member  of  its  Board  of 
Trustees  for  several  years,  and  had  been  successively  Treas- 
urer. Secretary  and  President  of  that  board. 

In  1866,  he  became  a  member  of  the  Tabernacle  Baptist 
Church  in  South  Brooklyn,  and  has  been  for  some  years  a 
deacon  of  that  church  and  President  of  its  Board  of  Trustees. 
In  1882,  he  was  elected  Moderator  of  the  Long  Island  Asso- 
ciation of  Baptist  Churches,  a  religious  bod}'  which  occupies 
a  very  high  rank  in  that  denomination;  and,  in  1883,  he  was 
re-elected  Moderator  of  the  same  body,  an  honor  not  hereto- 
fore conferred  in  successive  years  upon  any  other  member  of 
the  association,  minister  or  layman. 

He  was  married  in  May,  1857,  to  Miss  Emily  Maria  Brook. 


Subsection  I. —  Glue  and  Neatsfoot  Oil. 
The  manufacture  of  glue  and  gelatine,  whicli  is  now 
an  important  industry  in  this  country,  employing 
$3, 916, 750  capital  and  about  1,800  hands,  and  produc- 
ing in  1880,  according  to  the  census,  *4, 324, 072  of  glue, 
gelatine,  and  allied  wares,  was  almost  entirely  unknown 
in  this  country  till  1820.  A  glue  factory  had  been  es- 
tablished on  what  was  then  called  the  Middle  road,  in 
New  York  city,  near  or  on  the  site  where  the  Park 
Avenue  Hotel,  Fourth  avenue  and  Thirty-fourth  street, 
now  stands;  but  it  was  mismanaged,  and  the  proprietor 
was  so  deeply  in  debt  that  he  was  obliged  to  sell,  but 
had  great  difficulty  in  finding  any  one  who  would  take 
it  at  any  price.  The  location  was  then  very  far  out  of 
town,  though  since  in  the  very  centre  of  the  most  fash- 
ionable part  of  the  town;  and  there  was  very  little  de- 
mand lor  any  glue,  except  the  foreign  article,  which 
was  very  impure  and  of  poor  quality.  It  was  at  this 
time  L820)  that  Peter  Cooper,  then  a  prosperous  gro- 
cerat  Eighth  street,  between  Third  and  Fourth  avenues, 
or,  as  they  were  then  known,  the  "  Old  Boston  road  " 
and  the  "Old  Middle  road,"  finding  that  this  property 
on  Murray  Hill  could  be  bought  low,  purchased  it  for 
$2,000,  ami  immediately  commenced  the  manufacture 
of  glue,  making  a  superior  article,  and  at  one-third  the 


price  of  the  foreign  article.  Having  driven  the  foreign 
glue  out  of  the  market,  he  turned  his  attention  to  the 
production  of  refined  glue  or  gelatine.  At  that  time, 
for  cooking  purposes,  Cox,  an  English  manufacturer, 
held  the  market  with  his  "Sparkling  Gelatine,"  but 
Mr.  Cooper  produced  an  article  superior  to  his,  and  at 
a  much  lower  price,  while  he  also  supplied  a  new  de- 
mand for  gelatine  for  photographic  and  other  pur- 
poses. His  preparations,  after  a  few  years,  completely 
controlled  the  market,  and  at  the  present  time  there  are 
no  glues  or  gelatines  imported,  except  the  Russian 
isinglass,  or  fish  glue,  made  from  the  swimming  blad- 
ders of  several  species  of  fish.  This  product,  we  be- 
lieve, Mr.  Cooper  never  attempted.  It  is  now  imported 
to  a  small  amount.  Mr.  Cooper  remained  on  Murray 
Hill  till  1S45,  when,  finding  the  value  of  land  there 
rapidly  increasing,  he  purchased  a  large  tract  of  land 
in  the  north-east  part  of  Williamsburg,  extending  from 
the  Maspeth  road,  now  Maspeth  avenue,  to  Newtown 
creek,  and  a  considerable  distance  south,  and  erected 
there  extensive  buildings.  Finding,  after  some  years, 
that  the  city  corporation  might  interfere  with  his  ex- 
tensive works,  as  there  was  great  activity  in  build- 
ing in  that  vicinity,  he  removed  to  another  portion  of 
his  property,  known  as  Smith's  Island,  near  the  cor- 
ner of  Gardner  and  Maspeth  avenues,  where  his  works 
still  remain.  About  1870,  the  glue  factory  was  incor- 
porated as  "  The  Peter  Cooper  Glue  Factory."  It  has 
been  managed  for  many  years  by  bis  nephews,  Messrs. 
Charles  and  George  Cooper. 

The  products  of  the  factory  consist  of  the  common 
and  white  glue,  liquid  glues,  refined  and  common  gela- 
tines, and  a  very  superior  article  of  sparkling  gela- 
tine for  jellies,  blanc  mange,  etc.  They  also  make 
bone-black,  and  dried  flesh,  refuse,  etc.,  for  the  manu- 
facturers of  fertilizers.  Their  products  are  said  to  be 
of  the  annual  value  of  more  than  $300,000 — consider- 
ably less  than  they  were  some  years  ago,  as  an  active 
competition  in  these  manufactures  has  sprung  up  all 
over  the  country,  and  there  were,  as  we  have  said,  82 
glue  factories  in  the  United  States.  Of  these  nine  are 
in  the  State  of  New  York,  and  one  other  in  Brooklyn. 
None  of  the  others  in  New  York  are  in  any  large  city. 

Two  other  factories  in  the  United  States  are  said  to 
lie  as  large,  or  larger,  than  the  Peter  Cooper;  one  in 
Philadelphia  and  one  in  St.  Louis.  The  only  other 
glue  factory  in  Kings  county  is  that  of  Mr.  Jttmes 
(•/•(<  in ,  at  Kwen  strc?t,  corner  of  Bayard.  It  is  less 
extensive  than  the  Cooper  factory,  but  Mr.  Greene 
makes  Neatsfoot  oil  as  well  as  glue.  The  production 
of  the  two  glue  factories  is  not  far  from  $500,000. 

There  are  many  interesting  facts  connected  with  the 
glue  manufacture,  and  especially  with  the  factory  with 
which  the  honored  name  of  Peter  Cooper  is  associated, 
which  we  should  have  been  glad  to  lay  before  our  read- 
ers; but  we  regret  to  say  that  out  of  all  the  more  than 
5,'.'(i(i  manufactories  of  Kings  county,  the  present  man- 


THE  MANUJBA  C TURING  _  IND  US  TRIES. 


agers  of  the  Peter  Cooper  Glue  Factory  are  the  only 
manufacturers  who  have  persistently  and  peremptorily 
refused  us  any  information  whatever  concerning  their 
business. 


SECTION  XX. 
The  Glass  Manufacture. 

The  manufacture  of  glass  dates  hack  more  than  2,000 
years.  It  has  been  successfully  practised  by  many  na- 
tions, some  of  them  highly  civilized  and  possessing  cul- 
tivated and  artistic  tastes;  others  of  a  low  grade  of 
civilization,  and  making  only  rude  articles  for  daily 
use.  When  it  was  discovered  that  the  melting  of 
sand  with  soda  or  potash  would  produce  a  compound 
transparent  or  partially  transparent  fluid,  at  high  tem- 
peratures, and  easily  worked  at  a  moderate  heat,  which 
Could  not  only  be  cast  in  moulds,  but  blown  into  globes, 
flasks,  cylinders,  etc.,  the  more  intelligent  nations  began 
to  experiment  in  it  largely.  The  first  and  principal 
direction  of  their  experiments  was  in  the  line  of  flasks, 
bottles  and  vases,  which  should  take  the  place  of  the 
bottles  of  skin  which  were  previously  used,  and  the 
amphora?,  flasks  and  jars  winch  were  made  of  clay  and 
burned  by  the  potter's  art,  and  used  for  holding  wine 
and  other  liquids. 

Glass  was  also  employed  for  beads  and  other  or- 
namental purposes.  In  the  middle  ages  great  im- 
provements were  made  in  the  production  of  hollow 
glass  vessels.  They  were  blown  very  thin;  new  in- 
gredients were  mingled  with  the  sand  and  alkali  to 
make  the  glass  clearer,  whiter,  and  more  easily  worked; 
among  these  new  ingredients,  the  red  oxide  of  lead, 
and  other  lead  salts,  manganese,  arsenic,  borax,  etc., 
were  the  most  common.  Colors  were  introduced  into 
the  manufacture  of  glass,  and  in  the  Venetian  glass 
works,  these  were  so  combined,  by  skillful  blowing  and 
manipulation,  that  a  variety  of  colors  would  be  blended 
with  each  other,  or  appear  in  succession  or  alternation 
upon  the  surface  of  these  delicate  vessels.  In  this 
direction,  the  Venetians  of  the  fourteenth  and  fifteenth 
centuries  produced  glass  flasks,  bottles  and  vases,  etc., 
which  modern  art  has  not  been  able  to  equal;  though 
within  a  few  years  past,  the  Hon.  A.  H.  Layard,  the 
Assyrian  explorer,  and  some  other  English  art  con- 
noisseurs, have  attempted,  with  considerable  success, 
the  revival  of  this  beautiful  manufacture,  in  ils  ancient 
seat  in  the  Venetian  Archipelago.  In  more  modern  times, 
the  glass  manufactories  of  Bohemia  and  Moravia  have 
been  renowned  for  their  production  of  fanciful  articles 
of  varied  colors  in  glass,  these  articles  being  moulded 
and  the  colors  mingled  so  as  to  produce  a  very  fine 
glass.  These  articles,  boxes,  paper-weights,  etc.,  con- 
tain a  considerable  percentage  of  minium  or  red  lead, 
manganese,  etc.,  while  the  Venetian  glass  has  very  lit- 
tle of  these  ingredients,  and  is  remarkable  for  its  light- 
ness.   Plate,  cast  or  rolled  glass  has  also  been  a  very 


important  modern  product  of  glass  works,  being  used 
for  the  best  mirrors,  windows  of  stores  and  shops,  and 
of  the  finer  dwellings,  and  of  late,  for  glazing  of 
coaches,  for  small  counters  for  banks,  insurance  offices 
and  stores,  and  for  many  other  purposes.  The  best 
is  produced  in  France;  the  English  plate  glass  comes 
next,  and  it  is  manufactured,  to  a  moderate  extent,  of 
very  good  quality,  in  this  country,  while  an  inferior 
but  very  strong  article  is  manufactured  in  Germany. 
The  manufacture  of  bottles  of  all  qualities,  is  usual  I  \ 
the  first  development  of  the  glass  industry  in  s  m -w 
country.  These  are  generally  made  of  alkalies  and 
sand  only,  and  having  a  green  or  yellowish  green  color, 
or,  where  the  ingredients  are  not  very  pure,  a  dark  green 
or  black  appearance,  the  product  is  called  green  or 
bottle  glass.  Flint  glass  is  made  from  powdered  quart/, 
or  flints,  refined  potassa  or  soda,  and  usually  some  red 
lead.  This  product  is  also  called  white  glass.  Win  n 
carefully  made,  and  from  pure  materials,  the  green 
glass  becomes  so  nearly  white  as  to  answer  for  most  of 
the  purposes  for  which  flint  glass  was  formerly  used. 
Fruit  cans,  druggists'  prescription  bottles,  syphons 
for  mineral  water,  and  the  finest  bottles  for  choice 
wines,  champagne,  etc.,  are  made  from  it.  Flint  glass 
has,  however,  a  wide  field.  Druggists'  and  fancy  bot- 
tles, vases,  colognes,  and  lamp  and  gas  chimneys  and 
shades,  as  well  as  most  descriptions  of  colored  glass, 
caster  bottles,  glass  chandeliers  and  drops,  radiators, 
headlights,  etc.,  etc.,  are  from  this  kind  of  glass.  Glass 
tubing  is  also  made  from  it.  By  the  addition  of  a 
considerable  amount  of  red  lead,  and  some  arsenic  and 
manganese,  glass  suitable  for  plate  glass,  optical  glass, 
glass  for  philosophical  instruments,  etc.,  etc.,  is  pro- 
duced. Attempts  have  recently  been  made  to  use 
glass  blocks  of  large  size,  instead  of  brick  or  stone, 
for  building  purposes.  If  it  can  be  produced  on  a 
large  scale,  and  the  glass  thoroughly  annealed,  there 
seems  to  be  no  good  reason  why  it  should  not  be  suc- 
cessful. There  has  been  much  thought  and  labor  ex- 
pended within  a  few  years  past  on  processes  of  an- 
nealing, which  should  so  toughen  the  glass  as  to  make 
it  practically  unbreakable.  A  certain  measure  of  suc- 
cess has  been  attained;  the  articles  intended  to  be  an- 
nealed were  plunged,  at  first  in  cold  oil,  while  still  very 
hot,  and  the  surface  was  so  far  hardened  that  they 
might  be  thrown  about  the  room  without  breaking,  but 
if  they  chanced  to  strike  or  be  struck  by  a  sharp  me- 
tallic point,  like  the  point  of  a  nail  or  tack,  or  a  knife 
blade,  they  flew  at  once  into  ten  thousand  pieces,  the 
toughening  being  only  of  the  surface,  and  the  interior 
substance  expanding  destructively,  the  instant  the  un- 
reached it,  on  the  same  principle  with  the  Prince 
Rupert's  drops.  A  modification  of  this  process,  the 
oil  being  heated,  and  the  glass  allowed  to  cool  in  it 
gradually,  has  been  tried  with  somewhat  better  success. 

Several  attempts  have  been  made  to  make  dishes, 
plates,  statuettes,  etc.,  of  an  opaque  glass,  as  substitutes 


7G0 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


for  china  and  porcelain,  the  articles  being  hardened  in 
the  same  way;  but  these  attempts  have  proved  failures 
thus  far,  and  arc  all,  we  believe,  now  abandoned.  The 
glass  manufacture  is  a  very  extensive  one  in  this  coun- 
try. Every  description  of  glass  is  now  manufactured 
lu  re,  though  the  plate  glass  products  have  not  been  as 
satisfactory  as  some  others.  The  imports  of  glass  of 
all  kinds  now  average  about  86,600,000  a  year,  of  which 
more  than  one-half  is  plate  glass,  against  ten  millions 
more  a  dozen  years  ago.  In  1 880,  the  total  product  of  our 
American  glass  works  was  reported  as  $21, 154,571,  and 
this  was  undoubtedly  considerably  below  the  truth.  It 
is  safe  to  say  that  we  produce  four  times  as  much  as 
we  import.  Of  our  manufacture  of  glass  one-half  is 
produced  in  Pennsylvania,  mainly  in  Pittsburgh  and 
its  vicinity;  about  one-seventh  in  New  Jersey,  and  one- 
eigbth  in  New  York,  of  which  amount  Brooklyn  and 
its  immediate  vicinity  produces  more  than  two-thirds. 
Pittsburgh  is  easily  first  in  this  manufacture,  and  it  is 
doubtful  whether  Philadelphia  or  Brooklyn  comes  next, 
their  production  is  so  evenly  balanced.  New  York  city 
has  no  glass  furnaces,  and  only  Baltimore  and  St.  Louis 
among  the  other  larger  cities  are  engaged  in  the  busi- 
ness at  all,  and  they  only  in  a  moderate  way. 

In  Kings  county,  the  industry  is  of  long  standing. 
As  early  as  1764  glass  bottles  were  made  here,  a  speci- 
men bearing  that  date  and  the  name  of  the  manufac- 
turer  being  now  in  the  museum  of  the  Long  Island 
Historical  Society.  There  was,  probably,  in  Gowanus 
or  its  vicinity,  or  possibly  in  Flatbush,  a  small  glass 
furnace  from  that  time  on,  but  we  have  been  unable  to 
trace  its  history.  In  1833,  a  crown  glass  factory  was 
established  in  the  then  village  of  Brooklyn.  Of  those 
of  later  date,  the  oldest  are  believed  to  be  the  glass 
houses  of  South  Brooklyn,  probably  that  which,  with 
some  change  of  location,  is  now  owned  by  Hagerty, 
Bros.  &  Co.  Abiut  1850,  a  Mr.  Dorftiinger  established 
a  large- glass  house  on  or  near  Concord  and  Prince 
streets.  Snyder,  Storms,  Brookfield,  Dannenhoffer  and 
Iluwcr  were  engaged  in  the  business  at  different 
points  within  the  next  ten  or  twelve  years.  About 
1 .Mr.  Ilibblcr,  who  had  been  in  the  employ  of 
Dorftiinger,  purchased  the  works  at  Concord  and 
I'rince  street-,  a  brother  of  DortHinger  being  his  part- 
ner. On  the  death  of  Mr.  Dorftiinger  in  1879,  Mr. 
Ramon  took  his  place,  and  the  firm  is  now  Ilibblcr  <C 
Rau&ch.  This  is  said  to  be  the  largest  glass  works  in 
Brooklyn,  the  capital  invested  being  $1 75,000;  hands 
employed,  350  ;  wages  paid,  $20,000  ;  out-put,  $240,- 
000,  or  more.  They  manufacture  druggists'  show 
bottb  -,  glass  tubes,  plain  and  engraved  or  decorated 
globes,  lamp  and  glass  chimneys,  fine  bottles  for 
Colognes,  etc.,  caster  bottles,  and,  indeed,  almost  every - 
thing  in  the  way  of  glass  hollow  ware,  except  druggists' 
prescription  bottles  and  glass  fruit  cans.  Like  several 
of  the  other  glass  houses  of  Brooklyn,  their  most  con- 
siderable produel  is  of  glass  globes  ami  of  chimneys, 


plain,  engraved  and  decorated.  The  Greenpoint  Glass 
Works,  now  owned  and  run  by  the  E.  P.  Gleason  Man- 
ufacturing Company,  are  also  largely  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  the  finer  qualities  of  globes  and  chim- 
neys for  gas,  petroleum  oils  and  electric  lights,  as  well 
as  other  decorated  and  engraved  bottles,  vases,  etc. 
They  have  also  set  up  recently  a  furnace  for  green  glass 
wares.  A  third  house  largely  engaged  in  glass  manu- 
facture is  the  la  Bastic  Glass  Works  of  Messrs.  Er- 
nest De  la  Chapelle  <fe  Co.  This  house  have  attempted 
some  new  departures  in  the  manufacture  of  glass,  an- 
nealing their  chimneys  and  other  wares  in  oil  to  make 
them  indestructible.  After  some  failures  and  changes 
in  their  processes,  they  have  achieved  a  fair  measure 
of  success.  The  chimneys,  globes,  etc.,  are  not,  indeed, 
absolutely  unbreakable  or  indestructible,  but,  through 
the  toughening  process,  they  are  made  much  more  dur- 
able than  the  ordinary  wares;  and  they  have  60  large  a 
demand  for  their  globes  and  chimneys,  that  they  are 
importing  them  largely  in  the  unannealed  condition  to 
subject  them  to  their  processes,  in  addition  to  their  own 
production,  which  is  quite  large.  In  another  direction, 
that  of  making  plates,  cups  and  other  table  wares  of 
opalized  glass,  after  the  fashion  of  the  "  hot  cast  por- 
celain "  made  some  years  ago  in  Philadelphia,  and 
toughening  these  wares  by  their  annealing  processes, 
they  have  been  less  successful,  and  have,  we  believe, 
now  abandoned  it.  Other  large  houses  engaged  in  the 
hollow  glass  ware  manufacture  are  the  Empire  State 
Flint  Glass  Works  of  Francis  Thill  ;  he  makes  all 
kinds  of  Hint  and  colored  glass  ware,  and  has  been  in 
business  since  1857;  his  capital  is  $80,000;  number  of 
hands,  160;  wages  paid,  $75,000;  annual  product,  $175,- 
000  ;  the  Bushwick  Flint  Glass  Works  of  Messrs. 
Hrookfield  &  Co.;  the  Long  Island  Flint  Glass  Works 
of  J.  N.  Huwer;  the  Fast  Fiver  Glass  Works  of  A. 
Stenger  &  Bros.,  also  flint  glass  ;  and  the  Williams- 
burgh  Flint  Glass  Company  of  N.  Dannenhoffer. 
Most  of  these,  and  we  believe  all,  manufacture  similar 
wares  of  flint  glass  and  hollow  wares.  Two  houses — 
Hagerty  Bros.  &  Co.,  of  South  Brooklyn,  and  George 
Meyer  of  Williamsburgh — make  green  glass  wares,  and 
mainly  bottles  of  all  kinds.  There  are  also  six  or  seven 
smaller  houses  running  only  small  furnaces,  and  making 
mostly  fancy  glass  wares,  chemical,  philosophical  and 
optical  glass,  and  imitations  of  the  Bohemian  and 
Venetian  wares. 

There  are  also  nearly  a  dozen  glass  stainers,  enam- 
elers,  decorators,  and  fancy  glass  blowers,  some  of 
whom  make  a  specialty  of  stained  glass  windows  and 
decorations. 

There  are  not,  so  far  as  we  are  aware,  any  manufac- 
turers of  window  glass,  plate  glass,  or  other  fiat  glass 
wares,  or  of  druggists'  prescription  bottles,  or  glass 
fruit  cans,  in  Kings  County. 

The  entire  production,  which  in  1880  was  stated  as 
11,851,583,  employing  1,8K4  hands,  and  using  $952,750 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


761 


capital,  is  now  somewhat  larger,  though  severe  competi- 
tion has  greatly  reduced  prices.  A  rough  estimate 
makes  the  actual  production  somewhat  above  $1,600,- 
000,  and  the  number  of  hands  about  the  same  as  in 
1880. 

The  competition  has  had  the  farther  effect  of  leading 
several  of  the  larger  houses  to  investigate  new  lines  of 
manufacture,  and  the  improvement  of  those  in  which 
they  are  already  engaged,  to  the  highest  degree  of  per- 
fection. The  plant  of  a  glass  house  is  quite  expensive, 
and  the  result  in  the  present  condition  of  the  trade  is 
hardly  sufficiently  assured,  to  warrant  so  large  an  out- 
lay as  would  be  necessary  for  a  radical  change.  The 
directions  toward  which  they  are  looking  are  the  finest 
pressed  wares,  plate  glass,  glass  blocks,  and  rough  plate 
for  roofs,  floors,  etc.,  glass  mosaic  pavements  and  floor- 
ings, etc.,  etc.  Vault  lights  are  now  made  by  several 
houses  here.  The  glass  industry  is  in  some  respects  in  a 
transitional  state,  and  though  holding  its  own,  is  not 
advancing  as  rapidly  as  most  other  manufactures. — Its 
future  is,  however,  promising. 


SECTION  XXI. 

Porcelain,  Pottery,  and  Fictile  Arts. 

In  no  department  of  Brooklyn  industry,  have  the 
officers  of  the  Census  of  1880  been  guilty  of  greater 
or  more  deliberate  injustice,  than  in  the  treatment  of 
our  porcelain  manufactures.  There  are  several  small 
potteries,  in  which  the  coarser  articles  of  stone-ware, — 
jugs,  crocks,  stone  jars,  flower-pots,  etc., — are  made; 
and  these,  to  the  number  of  six,  were  duly  recorded 
under  the  head  of  "  Stone  and  Earthenware."  There 
are  also  five  or  six  establishments,  of  a  miscellaneous 
character — one  making  a  fair  article  of  encaustic  tile, 
two  or  three  others  making  draining  tiles,  and  one  or 
two,  fire  brick;  the  whole  product  of  these  latter  in- 
dustries, which  were  set  down  as  four,  was  reported  as 
amounting  to  $201,084,  and  employing  in  all  135  hands; 
while  the  stone  and  earthen  ware  men  were  credited 
with  298  hands,  and  an  annual  production  of  $194,284. 
But  the  only  manufactory  of  true  porcelain,  in  Brook- 
lyn and  on  this  continent,  the  chief  glory  of  our  manu- 
facturing industry,  in  its  development  of  high  art,  and 
its  successful  struggle  for  twenty  years  against  obsta- 
cles which  had  broken  down  every  previous  attenrpt 
to  produce  genuine  porcelain,  was  not  even  named.  And 
this  was  not  an  accidental  oversight;  the  able  special 
agent  of  the  Census  Office,  Mr.  J.  H.  Frothingham,  a 
man  of  culture  and  taste,  had  visited  the  Union  Porce- 
lain Works  at  Greenpoint,  and  was  so  deeply  im- 
pressed with  the  excellence  of  their  production,  the 
genius  displayed  in  their  manufacture,  and  the  extent 
of  the  works,  that  he  wrote  a  full  description  of  them 
to  the  Census  Office,  and  urged  them  to  give  it  a  spe- 
cial notice.  It  was  all  in  vain.  They  would  consent  to 
its  insertion,  either  under  the  head  of  "  Earthen  and 


Stone  ware,"  with  no  separate  designation,  or  under 
the  head  of  "  Brick  and  Tile,"  in  the  same  way;  but  as 
a  separate  title,  "Porcelain,"  never.  As  Mr.  Frothingham 
declined  to  class  it  under  either  of  these  misleading 
titles,  it  was  left  out,  though  there  is  reason  to  believe 
that  the  number  of  hands  was  credited  to  the  stone 
and  earthen  ware  establishments;  but  its  distinctive 
character,  and  its  products  were  entirely  omitted.  And 
yet,  at  that  time,  these  Union  Porcelain  Works  had 
been  in  existence  for  seventeen  years,  under  their  pres- 
ent proprietor;  had  an  invested  capital  of  more  than 
$250,000,  were  employing  over  200  hands  (they  employ 
more,  now),  and  were  turning  out  fine  hard  porcelain 
goods,  which  were  the  admiration  of  the  best  connois- 
seurs in  ceramics,  to  a  value  of  about  $250,000  annually. 
We  forbear  all  speculation  on  the  motive  which  ac- 
tuated the  Census  Officers  in  pursuing  such  a  course.  It 
was  one  of  the  many  sins  for  which  they  will  have  to 
answer  to  the  American  people.  Let  us  endeavor  then 
to  atone,  so  far  as  we  may,  for  this  neglect  of  the  Cen- 
sus Office,  by  giving,  as  briefly  and  clearly  as  we  can, 
the  history  and  peculiar  processes  of  manufacture  of 
the  Union  Porcelain  Works.  For  the  better  under- 
standing of  the  subject,  some  preliminary  explanation 
may  be  necessary. 

Writers  on  the  ceramic  art  divide  the  finer  produc- 
tions of  the  potters'  art  into  two  classes:  natural  or 
hard  porcelain,  and  artificial  or  soft  porcelain;  the  lat- 
ter being,  in  reality,  not  porcelain  at  all,  in  the  true 
sense  of  the  word.  The  wares  of  Sevres  and  Limoges, 
in  France,  those  of  Meissen  and  Berlin,  in  Germany,  and 
all  the  best  wares  of  China  and  Japan  are  of  natural  or 
hard  porcelain;  those  of  Staffordshire  and  the  other 
English  potteries  are  of  artificial  or  soft  porcelain.  No 
hard  porcelain  is  made  in  Great  Britain.  In  this  coun- 
try a  number  of  attempts  have  been  made  to  produce 
hard  porcelain;  among  them,  one  in  Vermont,  in  1810; 
one  in  New  York,  in  1819;  and  one  in  Philadelphia,  in 
1827  (it  is  possible  the  last  was  not  hard  porcelain); 
one  at  Egg  Harbor,  N.  J. ;  several  attempts  near  Flush- 
ing, L.  I.,  and  many  others  in  various  places,  some  25 
all  told.  All  of  these  were  unsuccessful.  The  only 
porcelain  works  that  have  ever  succeeded  in  making 
hard  porcelain  a  success  in  this  country,  are  the  Union 
Porcelain  Works,  at  Greenpoint.  There  are  manu- 
factories of  artificial  or  soft  porcelain  at  Trenton,  N.  J., 
and  some  of  the  21  potteries  there  make  dishes,  vases, 
etc.,  of  very  artistic  and  elegant  designs,  and  vie  with 
the  English  potteries  in  beauty;  there  are  also  exten- 
sive potteries  of  soft  porcelain  at  East  Liverpool,  Ohio, 
at  Cambridge,  Mass.,  and  perhaps  at  some  other  points; 
but  none  of  these  are  manufacturing,  or  attempting  to 
manufacture,  natural  or  hard  porcelain.  All  of  these 
would  be  classed  by  the  French  under  the  head  of  pate 
tendre.  What,  then,  is  the  difference,  and  why  should 
the  hard  porcelain  be  preferred  to  the  soft  ?  We  an- 
swer, the  difference  is  principally  in  the  mode  of  manu- 


762 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


facture,  the  manner  of  burning,  and  the  entire  absence 
of  boracie  acid,  lead  and  other  metallic  oxides,  or  other 
poisonous  substances  in  the  glaze  that  covers  the  sur- 
face; the  material  employed  for  the  body  of  the  ware 
is  nearly  the  same  in  both,  though  used,  in  somewhat 
different  proportions,  and  must  be,  in  the  hard  porce- 
lain, of  much  finer  quality.  Kaolin  or  porcelain  clay, 
of  the  very  best  quality,  and  the  purest  of  quartz  and 
feldspar,  are  the  constituents  of  the  body  of  natural 
porcelain,  or  China,  as  it  is  more  commonly  called.  All 
other  wares  can,  and  do,  use  more  or  less  of  the  com- 
mon cheap  ball  clay.  The  kaolin  and  feldspar  are  in 
reality  much  the  same  thing,  except  that  in  the  kaolin 
the  feldspar  has  reached  its  powdered  condition,  by  a 
process  of  nature,  which  abstracts  the  potash  and 
causes  disintegration. 

Pure  kaolin  is  the  product  of  feldspar,  which  has 
been,  by  the  processes  of  nature,  reduced  to  powder, 
while  the  feldspar  used  in  porcelain  manufacture  is 
still  as  hard  as  the  granite  rock  from  which  it  came, 
and  has  to  be  reduced  to  powder  by  crushing  and 
grinding.  The  quartz  adds  the  element  of  silica  to 
the  porcelain. 

In  the  manufacture  of  hard  porcelain,  the  kaolin, 
feldspar  and  quartz,  after  undergoing  the  processes  of 
grinding,  washing  and  de-magnetizing,  of  pressing, 
mixing,  and  kneading,  of  forming,  trimming,  and  dry- 
ing, all  of  which  we  shall  presently  describe,  are 
ready  for  their  first  baking,  which  will  bring  them  into 
the  condition,  technically  known  as  "biscuit." 

At  the  Union  Porcelain  Works,  the  moulded  and 
dried  wares  are  placed  in  single  layers,  carefully  sep- 
arated and  supported,  in  the  seggars,  and  these  Beg- 
gars carefully  placed  one  over  the  other,  are  wheeled 
into  the  upper  part  of  the  great  kilns,  where  the  heat 
is  much  less  intense  than  in  the  lower  part,  being,  as 
we  may  say,  the  waste  heat  of  the  lower  kiln.  Here, 
at  a  temperature  of  about  1,500  degrees,  they  remain 
from  thirty  to  thirty-five  hours,  and  after  their  re- 
moval from  the  kiln,  are  suffered  to  cool  for  two  or 
three  days;  when  taken  out  of  the  seggars,  they  are 
brittle  and  porous,  not  very  hard,  and  can,  if  necessary, 
be  trimmed  in  the  lathes.  They  are  now  ready  for 
the  glazing.  The  material  for  the  glaze  is  the  same  as 
for  the  ware  itself,  except  that  the  proportions  are  en- 
tirely different,  in  order  to  make  it  fluent  and  flux  at 
the  same  time  that  the  body  becomes  vitreous.  The 
glaze  must  be  reduced  to  the  most  impalpable  powder, 
and  suspended  in  large  tubs  of  water,  by  constant 
stirring.  The  biscuit  ware  is  dipped  into  this,  and 
quickly  absorbs  the  water,  leaving  the  gluing  com- 
pound in  a  nearly  dry  paste  upon  the  ware.  It  is  now 
looked  over  and  cleaned  off,  and  placed  in  shallow  seg- 
gars (which,  for  this  purpose,  arc  made  of  the  most 
refractory  clays),  great  care  being  taken  to  protect  the 
wares  from  being  warped  or  marred  in  the  seggars. 
When  thiii  carefully  placed,  they  are  put  in  the  lower 


division  of  the  kilns,  and  the  fires  urged,  until  a  heat 
of  from  4,000  to  5,000  degrees  is  obtained,  sufficient  to 
make  the  whole  of  each  piece,  glazing  and  body,  per- 
fectly homogeneous  and  vitrified.  This  heat  is  main- 
tained from  30  to  35  hours,  and  the  wares  are  suffered 
to  cool  for  three  days  before  being  taken  out. 

They  are  now  finished  wares.  They  will  not  craze, 
or  crackle,  or  stain,  whatever  may  be  the  fluid  placed 
in  them,  and  whatever  the  degree  of  heat  to  which 
they  are  subjected.  The  process  of  burning  the  soft 
porcelain  and  earthenware  is,  in  most  respects,  the  re- 
verse of  this. 

The  biscuit,  in  the  first  burning,  is  subjected  to  a  high 
heat,  perhaps  3,000  to  4,000  degrees;  the  glazing,  while 
containing  some  feldspar,  is  largely  composed  of  lead, 
borax,  etc.  It  is  applied  at  a  low  heat,  and  forms  a 
glaze,  covering  over  the  biscuit,  but  not  at  all  homo- 
geneous with  it,  and  the  ware  is  fragile,  and  sure  to 
craze  or  crackle  if  subjected  to  considerable  variations 
of  temperature.  The  process  is,  in  every  stage,  easier 
than  that  for  china  ware,  but  the  results  are  much  less 
satisfactory. 

We  recur,  now,  to  the  history  of  the  Union  Porce- 
lain Works  at  Greenpoint.  A  small  establishment, 
with  one  small  kiln,  was  started  by  a  family  of  Ger- 
mans, on  the  site  of  the  present  works,  for  the  man- 
ufacture of  door-knobs,  etc.,  as  early  as  1854.  They 
were  made  with  a  mixture  of  kaolin  and  phosphate  of 
lime,  after  an  English  formula.  They  proved  unsuc- 
cessful, and  the  works  passed  into  the  hands  of  a  stock 
company,  who  succeeded  in  inducing  Mr.  Thomas  C. 
Smith,  then  a  prosperous  architect  and  builder  in 
New  York,  to  loan  them  considerable  sums  of  money. 

The  war  came  on,  the  company  failed,  and  Mr.  Smith 
found  himself  obliged  to  take  the  factory  for  his  debt. 
Full  of  faith  and  patriotism,  even  in  that  dark  hour,  in 
his  country's  success  in  the  near  future,  Mr.  Smith  be- 
gan to  cast  about  him  for  some  way  of  utilizing  this 
factory,  in  the  prosperous  times  that  were  to  come.  In 
1863,  he  was  in  Europe,  and  embraced  the  opportunity 
to  visit  the  porcelain  factory  of  Sevres,  in  France,  and 
some  of  the  English  potteries  in  Stoke-on-Trent;  and 
when  he  had  returned  home  he  had  fully  made  up  his 
mind  to  undertake  the  manufacture  of  hard  porcelain. 
The  factory  was  put  in  thorough  repair,  new  buildings 
erected,  machinery  and  materials  procured;  and,  after 
two  years  of  experiment  and  a  heavy  outlay,  he  put 
upon  the  market  a  small  quantity  of  genuine  porce- 
lain. Finding  a  ready  market,  he  increased  his  pro- 
ductions each  vear,  and  hy  tli"  application  of  new  and 
improved  machinery,  overcame  the  numerous  and  for- 
midable obstacles  which  beset  every  step  of  his  path- 
way. Nowhere  eNe,  either  in  France  or  Germany,  in 
China  or  Japan,  had  the  manufacture  of  hard  porcelain 
been  successful  without  government  aid  and  patronage; 
hut  he  was  not  only  fighting  his  battles  without  assist- 
ance from  his  government,  but  was  threatened,  in  the 


THE  UNION  PORCELAIN  WORKS  AND  WARES. 


764 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


very  infancy  of  his  enterprise,  with  the  reduction  of 
the  duties  on  European  and  Asiatic  porcelain;  while 
his  competitors,  who  were  manufacturing  soft  porce- 
lain, were  seeking,  in  every  way,  to  damage  and  depre- 
ciate his  wares.  But  he  fought  on,  expending  over 
$_'50,000  on  buildings  and  plant;  buying  a  quarry  of 
quartz  and  feldspar,  to  be  sure  of  the  best;  building 
and  famishing  a  machine  shop,  where  he  could  produce 
his  own  machinery  and  tools;  when  he  found  a  need 
for  a  machine  which  would  do  his  work  better  than  it 
was  done,  inventing  and  manufacturing  it;  when  the 
time  came  for  producing  decorated^china,  resolving  to 
use  only  original  designs,  as  he  had  already  done  in 
the  forms  of  his  vases  and  dishes;  and,  later  on,  pro- 
curing the  services  of  an  eminent  artist  and  sculptor, 
to  aid  him  and  his  son  in  this  part  of  his  work.  Every 
year  has  witnessed  material  progress,  till  his  establish- 
ment is  known  all  over  Christendom  (better,  we  had 
almost  said,  in  Europe,  than  in  Brooklyn),  and  his 
wares  are  fully  appreciated  wherever  they  are  known. 

He  has  received  from  the  various  Expositions,  their 
highest  awards.  At  the  present  time  he  is  employing 
more  than  two  hundred  hands;  paying  liberal  wages; 
has  a  very  large  capital  invested  in  the  business  and 
plant,  and  turns  out  about  $250,000  of  his  various 
wares,  many  of  them  of  the  highest  artistic  beauty, 
each  year. 

Some  of  his  vases  are  of  exquisite  design.  One  of 
them,  which  forms  a  prominent  feature  in  our  illustra- 
tions, is  known  as  the  "  Keramos  Vase,"  and  was  sug- 
gested by  Longfellow's  beautiful  poem,  "Keramos." 
We  have  left  ourselves  but  small  space  to  speak  of  the 
processes  of  this  interesting  industry,  but  we  cannot 
wholly  omit  them.  The  kaolin,  procured  mainly  from 
Pennsylvania,  comes  in  lumps  and  powder,  and  is 
mixed  with  the  quartz  and  feldspar  (from  Mr.  Smith's 
own  quarry  at  Branchville,  Conn.),  which  has  to  be 
ground,  at  first  coarsely,  and  afterward  to  an  impal- 
pable powder.  The  combination  of  these  three  ingre- 
dients in  a  huge  vat,  with  water,  to  the  consistency  of 
a  thin  paste,  is  technically  called  "mixing  the  slip." 
Inside  the  vat,  a  vertical  shaft,  supporting  a  number  of 
radial  arms,  keeps  the  "slip "in a  state  of  constant  agi- 
tation, as  the  liquid  slowly  escapes  from  an  orifice  be- 
neath into  a  sieve.  The  sieve  is  constantly  shaken, 
and  the  "  slip  "  continues  its  sluggish  course  down  a 
short  channel,  and  between  two  sets  of  horse-shoe  mag- 
nets, some  horizontal,  some  perpendicular.  The  object 
to  be  attained  by  these  magnets  is  the  removal  of  every 
fine  particle  of  iron  which  the  mixture  may  contain 
(quartz  has  a  strong  affinity  for  iron  and  other  metals); 
every  speck  of  the  metal  retained,  however  minute,  ap- 
pearsas  a  black  spot  on  the  snowy  surface  of  the  fin- 
ished china.  After  passing  the  magnets,  the  liquid 
runs  into  a  second  sieve,  and  thence  into  a  second  vat, 
at  a  lower  level,  where  a  similar  apparatus  to  the  first 
keeps  it  constantly  in  motion.    After  passing  through 


several  of  these  vats,  the  "  slip "  is  led  into  storage 
tanks.  From  these  it  is  transferred  to  cloth  or  canvas 
bags,  placed  between  the  leaves  of  a  screw  press,  inge- 
niously contrived  to  squeeze  the  water  from  the  "slip;" 
the  material  comes  out  of  the  bags  a  heavy  dough, 
which  is  thrown  into  bins  and  kept  there  for  months  to 
ripen.  Age  improves  it,  and  the  Chinese  have  a  tradi- 
tion that  the  material  for  their  old  porcelain  was  kept 
for  a  hundred  years.  When  wanted  for  use,  this 
dough  is  sent  to  the  kneading  machine — a  very  inge- 
niously constructed  machine,  of  French  invention — 
which  kneads  and  mixes  it  quietly,  but  with  the  utmost 
thoroughness.  When  thus  kneaded,  it  is  ready  for 
moulding. 

Here  we  learned  something  which  surprised  us  ;  the 
potter's  wheel,  which,  for  more  than  three  thousand 
years,  had  been  so  fully  identified  with  all  fictile  manu- 
factures, is  now  obsolete,  and  is  abolished  from  the 
Union  Porcelain  Works.  In  its  place,  there  are  long 
tables,  before  which  a  row  of  employes  are  stationed, 
and  in  front  of  each  one  are  perpendicular  and  hori- 
zontal revolving  discs,  which  are  put  in  operation  by  a 
mere  pressure  of  the  knee  on  a  lever.  Beside  each 
operator  is  a  mass  of  the  dough,  irregularly  shaped, 
perhaps  in  the  form  of  imperfect  tubes.  The  disc,  or 
revolving  head,  being  at  rest,  the  operator  puts  upon 
it  a  mould,  the  interior  of  which  is  of  the  exact  form 
of  the  exterior  of  a  bowl,  or  cup.  Into  this  he  inserts 
one  of  his  dough  tubes,  and  the  disc  is  set  in  motion, 
the  plastic  mass  being  pushed  with  his  fingers  out 
against  the  side  of  the  cavity.  Then  a  counter-poised 
metal  blade  is  brought  down  into  the  cavity,  which  is 
so  adjusted  and  shaped  as  to  remove  exactly  enough 
material  to  leave  the  bowl  or  cup  of  the  requisite 
thickness,  and,  at  the  same  time,  to  form  its  interior. 
Sometimes  these  dishes,  or  bowls,  are  of  oval  form, 
and  an  arrangement  of  cams  enables  the  operator  to 
turn  them  out  not  quite  so  rapidly,  but  yet  with  a  fair 
amount  of  speed.  The  dish,  cup,  or  bowl,  when  re- 
moved from  the  mould,  is  set  aside  to  dry  and  be 
turned  off  and  finished,  and  is  then  ready  for  the  first 
baking.  Many  objects  do  not  require  the  revolving 
head,  and  are  pressed  into  moulds,  either  by  machinery 
or  by  the  hand  alone.  This  is  the  case  with  the  han- 
dles, ears,  noses,  etc.,  of  pitchers,  tea-pots,  sugar-bowls, 
etc.,  etc.,  as  well  as  with  most  of  the  porcelain  hard- 
ware. 

Next  comes  the  first  baking,  or  converting  the  ware 
into  biscuit.  We  have  described  this  pretty  fully, 
when  showing  the  difference  between  hard  and  soft 
porcelain,  but  a  few  words  concerning  the  kilns  and 
seggars  will  be  in  place  here.  The  kilns  are  huge 
cylindrical  structures,  fifteen  and  a  half  feet  in  diame- 
ter, and  having  two  stories,  the  lower  being  about 
eleven  and  a  half  feet,  and  the  upper  about  nine  feet 
in  height.  The  walls,  which  are  of  brick,  faced  inside 
with  tire  brick,  are  more  than  three  feet  in  ihiekness. 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


765 


When  fired,  a  kiln  uses  about  ten  tons  of  coal  to  a 
baking,  and  the  combustion  is  continued  for  thirty  to 
thirty-five  hours.  The  upper  story  is  used  for  the  first 
baking,  the  heat  being  much  less  than  that  of  the 
lower  story.  The  seggars  are  round  boxes,  made  of  a 
cheap  but  very  refractory  clay,  and  at  these  works  are 
made  with  great  care  on  the  premises,  to  insure  their 
good  quality.  In  them,  for  the  first  baking,  as  many 
articles  are  placed  as  can  be  put  in,  without  danger  of 
damage.  They  are  then  piled  into  the  kiln,  the  bottom 
of  one  seggar  serving  as  cover  to  the  one  below  it,  and 
the  piles  reaching  to  the  top  of  the  kiln.  The  surfaces 
are  separated  by  rings  of  soft  clay,  which  form  a  tight 
joint.  About  30,000  to  60,000  pieces  of  ware  may  be 
included  in  one  baking. 

We  have  also  described  the  processes  of  glazing  and 
second  baking,  to  which  these  wares  owe  their  uni- 
form excellence.  The  heat  generated  in  the  lower 
story  of  the  kiln  is  far  more  than  sufficient  to  melt 
iron,  nearly  sufficient  to  melt  platina.  Great  skill  is 
required  in  managing  the  fires,  and  they  must  be 
checked  at  a  point  when  the  glaze  is  fluent  and  the 
body  vitreous,  just  before  the  articles  themselves  melt. 
There  are  glass-stoppered  holes  in  the  sides  of  the  kiln, 
through  which  the  process  of  baking  is  watched.  The 
porcelain,  if  it  is  to  remain  white,  is  now  finished,  and 
nothing  more  is  required  except  to  sort  it  over  for  im- 
perfect pieces,  which  are  consigned  to  the  grinding 
mill  to  be  pulverized  and  made  over. 

If,  however,  the  ware  is  to  be  ornamented  with  colors 
or  gilding,  or  is  to  have  any  artistic  designs  placed 
upon  it,  the  process  known  as  decoration  is  yet  to  be 
applied  to  it.  The  decoration  is  done  by  hand.  The 
colors  used  are  formed  by  the  combination  of  certain 
metallic  oxides  and  salts,  with  certain  fluxes  which 
enable  them  to  fuse  into  colored  glasses.  The  oxides  are 
usually  those  of  chromium,  iron,  uranium,  zinc,  man- 
ganese, cobalt,  antimony,  gold,  etc.  The  salts  and  oxides 
are  ground  up  with  turpentine,  and  painted  on  in  the 
ordinary  manner.  It  is  not  until  the  heat  of  the 
furnace  has  driven  off  the  oil,  and  chemically  combined 
the  ingredients  of  the  colors,  that  the  effect  can  be 
determined,  for  the  hues  at  first  are  dingy  and  un- 
pleasant, and  give  no  idea  to  the  inexperienced  eye  of 
the  intended  effect. 

Gold  is  applied  by  dissolving  the  metal  in  aqua  regia 
(nitro-muriatic  acid);  the  acid  is  driven  off  by  heat, 
when  the  gold  remains  in  a  state  of  minute  division. 
After  the  ware  is  ornamented,  it  is  enclosed  in  a  muffle 
furnace,  an  inner  box  of  fire-brick,  which  is  so  arranged 
as  to  be  completely  surrounded  by  the  products  of 
combustion.  After  the  colors  are  developed  the  articles 
are  removed,  and  hand  burnishing  of  the  metallic  por- 
tions completes  the  manufacture.  During  the  past 
season  the  Messrs.  Smith,  having  occasion  to  erect  a 
new  building,  have  fitted  up  several  studios,  to  which 
access  may  be  had,  without  going  through  the  main 


building,  for  the  use  of  ladies  who  wish  to  try  their 
skill  in  the  fascinating  art  of  decorating  china.  Every 
facility  will  be  furnished  them  for  this  pleasant  pursuit, 
and  their  pieces  can  be  fired  at  very  short  notice. 


Thomas  C.  Smith,  the  only  manufacturer  of  hard  porcelain 
in  this  country,  was  born  in  Bridgehampton,  Suffolk  county, 
Long  Island,  in  1815.  His  ancestors,  on  the  maternal  side, 
migrated  from  Wales  to  Bridgehampton,  in  the  town  of 
Southampton,  of  which  town  they  were  the  earliest  settlers, 
a  little  more  than  two  hundred  years  ago.  His  father  died 
when  he  was  only  six  years  of  age,  and  he  was  brought  up  by 
his  widowed  mother  on  a  farm  purchased  by  his  ancestors 
from  the  Indians.  The  schools  of  Bridgehampton  were  good 
for  the  time,  and  he  enjoyed  their  advantages  until  he  was 
sixteen  years  of  age,  when  he  left  home  alone  and  came  to 
New  York  to  seek  a  place  in  which  to  learn  a  trade.  After 
various  disappointments,  he  apprenticed  himself  to  a  master 
builder,  giving  his  promise  to  serve  faithfully  as  an  appren- 
tice for  four  years.  He  kept  his  promise  to  the  letter,  and 
received  for  the  first  year  50  cents  a  day,  for  the  second,  62i 
cents,  for  the  third,  75  cents  a  day,  and  on  the  fourth  year  he 
was  to  receive  87|  cents,  but  his  employer  was  so  well  pleased 
with  his  faithfulness  that  he  voluntarily  made  his  compensa- 
tion a  dollar  a  day.  His  employer  allowed  him  to  spend  the 
months  of  January,  February  and  March  at  home,  with  his 
mother,  and  these  months  were  diligently  employed  in  school, 
in  improving  his  education. 

Before  he  was  21  years  of  age,  he  commenced  business  as  a 
master  builder,  but  hard  work  and  exposure  to  rough  wea- 
ther, brought  on  severe  sickness,  and  he  returned  to  his  home 
in  Bridgehampton  to  enjoy  a  mother's  tender  care  and  nurs- 
ing. He  suffered  from  two  successive  attacks  of  illness,  and 
while  recovering  from  these,  he  employed  all  his  leisure  mo- 
ments in  still  further  improving  his  education.  At  this  time 
his  health  was  so  completely  shattered  that  he  gave  up  the 
hope  of  being  able  to  pursue  his  trade  as  a  builder,  and  en- 
deavored to  qualify  himself  to  become  a  teacher.  In  1837  he  re- 
turned to  New  York,  without  money  and  with  impaired  health. 
Here  he  was  offered,  by  a  master  builder,  a  position  as  super- 
intendent of  buildings,  with  the  understanding  that  he  was 
to  do  only  what  his  condition  of  health  would  permit. 

He  soon  found  that  he  was  improving  in  vigor  and 
strength,  and  in  September,  1839,  again  commenced  business 
as  a  master  builder,  and  continued  in  it  with  remarkable 
success  till  1863.  At  this  time,  his  health  having  been  again 
impaired  by  protracted  overwork,  he  went  to  Europe  for  rest 
and  recovery.  He  was  in  Paris  when  the  intelligence  was 
received  there  of  the  disastrous  battle  of  Manassas,  generally 
known  as  "the  second  battle  of  Bull  Run."  Among  the 
many  failures  and  business  wrecks  which  were  caused  by  the 
outbreak  of  the  civil  war,  there  was  one  in  which  Mr.  Smith 
had  a  special  interest— a  small  porcelain  factory  at  Green- 
point,  Brooklyn,  which  was  largely  indebted  to  him,  and 
which  he  had  been  compelled  at  the  winding  up  of  its  affairs, 
to  take  in  partial  satisfaction  of  his  debt. 

Dark  as  was  the  political  horizon  of  our  country  at  this 
time — drifting,  as  it  seemed  to  many,  to  inevitable  bank- 
ruptcy and  ruin— Mr.  Smith  looked  hopefully  to  the  future, 
and  believed  that,  "  when  this  cruel  war  was  over,"  manufac- 
tures would  thrive  as  they  had  never  thriven  before,  and  that 
we  should  become  one  of  the  greatest  manufacturing  nations 
on  the  globe.  Our  history  for  the  past  twenty  years  has  jus- 
tified his  foresight.  This  conviction  of  his,  acting  upon  a  mind 
intensely  practical,  led  him  to  consider  the  possibility  of  util- 
izing the  little  porcelain  factory,  which  had  cost  him  so 


766 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


much,  and  which  was  lying  idle  and  dismantled  at  Green- 
point. 

He  began  at  once  a  critical  examination  of  the  porcelain 
manufactories  of  France,  to  which  he  was  by  good  fortune 
admitted,  and  the  earthenware  manufactories  in  Stafford- 
shire, in  England:  and,  though  he  was  convinced  that  there 
would  be  great  difficulties  to  surmount  in  finding  the  proper 
materials,  properly  prepared,  and  in  chemically  combining 
them,  yet  he  wan  strongly  impressed  with  the  idea  that  there 
was  nothing  done  there  which  could  not,  by  perseverance 
and  industry,  be  done  as  well  here.  To  a  man  of  his  strong 
will  and  fine  mechanical  genius,  and  iu  the  full  vigor  of  a 
stalwart  manhood,  nothing  seemed  impossible.  Accordingly, 
immediately  after  his  return,  he  cleared  away  the  wrtck  and 
rubbish  of  the  little  porcelain  factory,  and  liegan  the  neces- 
sary experiments,  which  would  enable  him  to  start  out  on  his 
new  and  unknown  field  of  lal>or. 

After  alxjut  two  years  of  diligent  experiment,  he  was  pre- 
pared to  j nit  uj>on  the  market  merchantable  specimens  of 
the  true,  hard,  vitreous  porcelain.  While  conducting  these 
experiments,  he  very  wisely  manufactured  the  simpler  arti- 
cles of  jiorcelain — door  knobs,  caster  wheels,  insulators  and 
other  hardware  trimmings,  for  which  there  was  an  iinme- 
•  hair  demand,  and  al  a  fair  profit  ;  but  8000  proceeded  to 
manufacture  a  general  assortment  of  China  table  ware  for 
large  hotel-,  and  later,  vase*,  plain  and  decorated,  and  the 
more  delicate  articles  of  porcelain,  which  compare  favorably 
with  the  finest  wares  of  Limoges,  Meissen  and  Berlin,  alike 
in  the  lieauty  of  their  design,  and  the  delicacy  and  tasteful- 
ness  of  their  decoration.    Every  year  has  witnessed  material 


progress  both  in  the  quality  and  quantity  of  his  wares.  The 
copying  of  European  designs  or  patterns  is  studiously 
avoided,  much  originality  is  displayed,  and  many  articles 
are  of  such  rare  artistic  beauty,  as  to  excite  the  wonder  and 
admiration  of  connoisseurs  from  all  parts  of  the  world.  The 
"Union  Porcelain  Works"  has  now  grown  to  a  vast  estab- 
lishment, owning  its  own  quarries  of  quartz  and  feldspar, 
and  mills  to  crush  and  pulverize  these  earths,  and  has  become 
a  favorite  resort  for  those  interested  in  art  manufactures.  In 
accomplishing  such  a  work  within  less  than  twenty  years, 
Mr.  Smith  has  had  difficulties  and  obstacles  to  contend  with 
which  would  have  utterly  appalled  a  man  of  less  resolute  will, 
and  of  inferior  mental  resources.  Not  least  among  these  has 
been  the  utter  indifference  of  both  the  American  government 
and  the  people  to  elForts  and  sacrifices  for  the  promotion  of 
our  national  reputation  in  industrial  art,  which  in  any  coun- 
try of  Europe  would  have  been  crowned  with  the  highest 
honors,  and  have  received  the  most  substantial  rewards.  But 

In  has  s-ii  V(/,  and  both  in  America  and  in  Kurope,  has 

acquired  a  reputation  which  will  go  on  increasing  through- 
out the  world. 

In  his  domestic  relations,  Mr.  Smith  is  singularly  happy  : 
his  son,  a  young  man  of  rare  genius,  is  associated  with  his 
father  in  business,  and  is  well  qualified  to  carry  forward  the 
work  to  still  greater  perfection.  In  the  midst  of  most  en- 
grossing business  cares.  Mr.  Smith  has  found  time  for  the 
promotion  of  great  benevolent  institutions.  He  has  been 
for  many  years  President  of  the  New  York  Ophthalmic  Hos- 
pital and  ( 'ollege,  and  is  a  zealous  promoter  of  many  other 
charitable  and  financial  institutions. 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


161 


In  politics,  Mr.  Smith  is,  from  principle,  not  from  love  of 
party,  a  decided  republican,  though  never  an  office-seeker  or 
office-holder.  He  is,  in  the  best  sense  of  the  word,  a  protec- 
tionist, believing  in  a  tariff  which  will  fully  protect  all  our 
industries,  till  the  wages  of  Europe  approximate  the  wages 
paid  for  labor  in  this  country,  and  remove  duties  from  those 
raw  materials  only,  which  have  not  been,  and  cannot  be  pro- 
duced here. 


A  word,  now,  concerning  the  humbler  branches  of 
fictile  manufacture  prosecuted  in  our  city,  which, 
though  with  one  exception,  not  specially  ornamental, 
are  in  their  way  very  useful. 

There  were  in  Brooklyn  in  the  summer  of  1883,  ten 
potteries  engaged  in  various  branches  of  the  business, 
the  most  extensive  being  the  red-ware  flower  pots, 
drain  tiles,  white  lead  pots,  etc.  Three  or  four  of  the 
number  confine  themselves  to  earthen  and  stone  ware, 
for  culinary,  chemical  and  technical  purposes,  and  two, 
we  believe,  make  sewer  pipes,  large  and  small.  There 
is  one  house  recently  started,  the  International  Tile 
Company,  which  produces  encaustic,  geometrical, 
mosaic  and  plain  tile  pavements,  of  very  fine  quality. 
Four  houses  make  fire-brick,  and  the  quality  of  their 
goods  is  such  as  to  increase  their  sales.  The  present 
statistics  of  these  manufactories  we  have  not  been  able 
to  ascertain  definitely;  if  any  reliance  can  be  placed 
on  the  census  returns,  they  probably  employ  in  all 
about  four  hundred  hands,  and  their  annual  product 
may,  perhaps,  be  safely  estimated  at  from  $424,000  to 
$450,000.  Their  business  is  generally  local,  though 
some  of  them  have  warerooms  in  New  York  city. 
There  are  not  included  in  this  statement  the  chemical 
pottery  works  of  Mr.  Chas.  Graham  in  Metropolitan 
Avenue,  which  are  devoted  solely  to  the  manufacture 
of  chemical  vessels  of  stoneware,  many  of  them  of  large 
size,  which  are  so  made  as  to  resist  the  action  of  the 
strongest  acids  ;  and  also  the  chemical  pottery  works 
attached  to  the  great  acid  works  of  Messrs.  Martin 
Kalbfleisch's  Sons,  which  have  already  been  mentioned 
in  the  account  of  those  works.  The  production  of  both 
is  large,  but  we  have  no  definite  figures  concerning  it. 


SECTION  XXII. 

Bread  and  Bakery  Products.  , 

If  the  annual  product  of  these  manufactures  were 
to  be  stated,  without  reference  to  the  number  of 
establishments  engaged  in  it,  "  Bread  and  Bakery 
Products  "  would  stand  as  about  sixth  or  seventh  of  our 
industries;  for  the  census  of  1880  reported  the  annual 
product  of  that  year,  in  Brooklyn,  as  $5,594,975,  and 
adding  in  the  bakeries  of  the  county  towns,  about 
$5,900,000.  But  this  large  amount  was  the  production 
of  562  bakeries,  and  was  an  average  of  but  about 
$10,600  to  each.  The  amount  of  capital  reported  was 
about  $1,080,000;  the  number  of  hands  employed  was 
1,361;  the  amount  of  wages  paid  about  $620,000;  and 


the  amount  of  material  used  about  $3,900,000.  The 
number  of  bakers  in  the  county,  in  May  1883,  was  622, 
and  if  their  average  production  was  the  same  it  would 
make  the  annual  product  about  $6,500,000.  Of  course 
it  i's  impossible  for  us,  without  the  power  of  govern- 
mental authority,  to  ascertain  with  entire  certainty 
whether  the  bakers  have  increased  or  diminished  their 
production  ;  but  we  know  these  facts,  viz.,  that  the 
failure  of  a  baker  is  one  of  the  rarest  events  in  our 
commercial  history;  that  most  of  them  give  evidence 
of  an  enlarged  business,  with  the  constantly  increasing 
population,  and  that  the  large  houses  have,  within  the 
past  three  years,  greatly  enlarged  their  facilities  and 
products.  The  bakers  are  divided  into  several  classes; 
one  class  devote  themselves  exclusively  or  mainly  to 
the  manufacture  of  bread,  and  generally  to  the  pro- 
duction of  three  or  four  standard  kinds,  as  the  Vienna, 
the  cottage,  the  family,  and  the  French  twist.  Most 
of  this  class,  finding  an  insufficient  outlet  for  their  pro- 
ductions in  their  local  family  trade,  supply  stores, 
restaurants  and  some  hotels  with  it,  and  if  they  make 
a  really  good  article,  soon  secure  a  good  custom  and 
make  large  profits.  Another  class  make  only  crackers, 
and  by  enterprise,  and  the  study  of  the  wants  of  the 
public,  speedily  secure  a  large  patronage.  Another 
class,  while  making  the  ordinary  kinds  of  bread, 
generally  of  fine  quality,  make  also  what  are  known  as 
the  fancy  styles  of  bread,  Queen's  rolls,  tea  biscuit, 
raised  biscuit,  French  rolls,  muffins,  buns,  etc.,  etc. 
Most  of  this  class  of  bakers  make  cake  and  pastry  also. 
Still  another  class  are  known  as  cake  bakers,  though 
they  make  some  bread,  and  most  of  them  pies  also. 
The  manufacture  of  the  best  qualities  of  cake  is  one  of 
the  fine  arts,  and  the  greatest  adepts  in  this  and  fine 
pastry,  call  themselves  pastry  cooks,  find  places  at  large 
wages  at  the  great  hotels,  and  thus  avoid  the  risks  of 
keeping  up  bakeries  for  themselves. 

The  pie  bakers  are  also  a  class  by  themselves,  and 
their  wares,  especially  in  a  county  which  has  so  large  a 
New  England  element  as  Kings,  find  ready  and  large 
sales.  Many  of  the  regular  bakers  make  from  50  to 
100  pies  daily  for  their  own  retail  trade;  but  the  pie 
bakers  proper,  have  no  shop,  and  do  not  retail  their 
goods,  but  sell  them  or  leave  them  on  commission  with 
the  better  class  of  restaurants,  with  other  bakers,  with 
grocers,  with  cheap  restaurants,  and  finally  with  liquor 
saloons.  It  is  said  that  a  pie  which  has  been  left  over 
in  turn  by  each  of  these  customers,  when  it  arrives  at 
the  liquor  saloon  is  well  nigh  a  week  old. 

Let  us  review  these  several  classes  and  so  classify 
our  manufacturers  of  bread  and  bakery  products 
according  to  their  special  vocations. 

In  the  manufacture  of  bread  only,  John  II.  Shultx  is 
unquestionably  the  foremost  baker  in  Kings  county. 
He  is  the  architect  of  his  own  fortune,  and  by  his  enter- 
prise has  built  up  an  immense  business.  He  has  no 
store;  never  retails  a  loaf  of  bread,  except  the  stale 


768 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


loaves  returned  by  his  drivers,  which  are  sold  largely 
at  a  reduced  price  to  customers  who  come  to  the  ware- 
house for  them  ;  but  his  great  ovens,  warehouses 
and  stables  cover  10  full  city  lots,  and  include 
nearly  the  whole  block  bounded  on  two  sides  by 
Harrison  avenue  and  Rut  ledge  street.  He  is  said 
to  require  for  his  bakeries  1,000  barrels  of  flour,  and 
that  of  the  best,  a  week;  to  make  up  15,600,000  loaves 
of  bread  in  a  year,  worth  nearly  *  1,1 00, 000.  He  has 
85  wagons  on  the  road,  keeps  1  So  horses  in  his  stables, 
and  pays  his  foreman,  who  is  the  man  from  whom  he 
learned  his  trade,  £20,000  a  year.  It  is  said  that  there 
is  no  bakery  on  so  large  a  scale  in  the  United  Slates. 

Next  to  Mr.  Shults  in  this  business,  though  at  a  con- 
siderable distance  below  him,  is  the  house  of  August  B. 
Herseman  cD  Gt>.,  Mr.  Herseman  having  formerly  been 
Mr.  Shults'  foreman  or  superintendent.  Mr.  Ilerseman's 
place  is  at  292  Graham  avenue.  Like  Mr.  Shults,  he 
keeps  no  retail  shop,  but  sells  his  large  product,  except 
the  stale  bread,  to  hotels,  grocers  and  restaurants.  He 
has  been  in  the  business  but  three  or  four  years,  but 
has  built  up  a  trade  of  about  $250,000,  requiring  22 
wagons  and  about  30  horses. 

Of  the  other  bread-makers,  the  Jennings  Bakery 
Company,  of  which  Mr.  Ephraim  J.  Jennings,  whose 
portrait  graces  our  pages,  is  president,  probably  does  as 
large  a  business  as  any,  except  the  National  Baking 
Co.  They,  like  most  of  those  which  follow,  do  a  re- 
tail as  well  as  a  wholesale  business.  The  Jennings 
Bakery  Company  have  eight  stores,  and  employ  30 
wagons  and  50  men;  use,  on  an  average,  120  bar- 
rels of  flour  per  week,  and  have  an  annual  out-put 
of  about  $190,000. 

Epuraim  J.  Jennings  was  born  in  Brooklyn,  August  17th, 
1849.  His  father  was  Charles  Gractan  Jennings;  his  mother 
was  Sarah  Ann  Dunning,  of  Rochester,  Kent  county,  Eng- 
land. 

Mr.  Jennings'  great  grandfather,  Jeffrey  Jennings,  was  a 
native  of  Dublin,  Irelaud;  he  married  a  sister  of  the  cele- 
brated Sir  Henry  Grattan,  who  was  also  a  native  of  Dublin. 
One  of  his  paternal  ancestors,  John  Jennings,  settled  in  Dub- 
lin about  the  year  1700.  He  was  a  man  held  in  high  consid- 
eration and  esteem,  and  when  he  went  to  Dublin  was  given, 
as  was  the  custom  in  treating  men  of  distinction,  the  freedom 
of  the  city.  It  is  supposed  that  he  came  to  America,  with 
other  members  of  the  Jennings  family,  early  in  the  eight- 
eenth century,  and,  after  remaining  a  while  in  this  couutry. 
he  returned  to  Dublin. 

The  parents  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch  left  London  and 
came  to  America  in  1838,  settling  in  Brooklyn.  His  father 
was  a  custom-house  broker  in  London.  Meeting  with  re- 
verses, he  emigrated  to  America  for  the  purpose  of  bettering 
his  fortune  Hen-  lie  became  a  manufacturer  of  ladies'  shoes. 
He  was  a  well-educated,  high-minded  and  eminently  re- 
spectable i  iti/.cn.  i  >n  In.  nettling  in  Urooklyn,  lie  became  a 
member  of  St.  Mary's  Episcopal  Church,  baring  been  reared 
in  the  faith  and  teachings  of  the  Church  of  England.  His 
daily  life  accorded  with  his  religious  principles,  and  by  pre- 
cept and  example  he  adorned  the  religion  he  professed.  He 
was  marked  for  his  courtesy  and  pleasing  manners.    For  fif- 


teen years  he  occupied  the  position  as  sexton  of  St.  Mary's 
Church. 

He  became  a  resident  of  Bethlehem,  Pa.,  in  1868,  where, 
in  1869,  he  died.  When  young  Jennings  was  five  years  old, 
he  attended  public  school  No.  4,  Classon  avenue.  When  No. 
35,  in  Walworth  street,  was  opened,  he  attended  there,  until 
No.  4  was  reorganized  with  Mr.  E.  Spafard  as  its  principal, 
and  he  continued  to  attend  here,  till  he  was  twelve  years  of 
age. 

As  he  was  thrown  on  his  own  resources  for  support,  when 
not  in  school  he  used  to  vend  the  Brooklyn  Eagle  by  way  of 
adding  to  his  income.  He  appears  to  have  been  a  close  and 
intelligent  student,  mastering  all  the  branches  taught  in  the 
school  he  attended. 

Deciding  to  engage  in  some  occupation,  he  entered  the  of- 
fice of  the  Journal  of  Commerce,  then  located  at  the  corner 
of  Wall  and  Water  streets,  New  York  city,  where  he  re- 
mained six  months.  Leaving  there,  he  began  learning  the 
business  of  printing  in  the  office  of  D.  Nicholson,  where  he 
remained  about  one  year,  when  he  accepted  an  offer  from 
Williams  &  Guion,  40  Fulton  street,  New  York,  prominently 
connected  with  the  National,  Guion  &  Co.  and  German 
steamers.  Mr.  Jennings  remained  with  this  firm  four  years, 
gaining  the  respect  and  confidence  of  the  partners  by  his 
prompt  attention  to  business.  When  his  father  removed  to 
Bethlehem,  Pa.,  the  young  man  severed  his  connection  with 
Messrs.  Williams  &  Guion,  and  went  with  the  family  to  re- 
side in  Pennsylvania.  He  united  with  his  brothers  and  sis- 
ters in  purchasing  a  home  at  Bethlehem  for  his  father.  But, 
upon  his  father's  death,  about  a  year  after  becoming  a  resi- 
dent of  Bethlehem,  this  son  returned  to  Brookljm. 

Times  being  hard  and  employment  difficult  to  obtain,  he 
engaged  in  the  lock  factory  of  Williams,  White  &  Churchill, 
until  he  received  an  offer  of  a  clerkship  in  a  bakery,  which 
induced  him  to  leave  the  employ  of  Messrs.  Williams,  White 
&  Churchill,  and  accept  the  offered  situation.  After  serving 
in  this  capacity  for  two  years,  he  started  a  small  bakery  (with 
but  one  window)  on  his  own  account,  at  265  Myrtle  avenue, 
between  Canton  and  Division  streets.  Here  he  laid  the  foun- 
dation for  his  future  success,  a  success  which  has  placed  him 
among  the  prominent  business  men  of  Brooklyn.  He  is  now 
engaged  in  the  same  business  on  an  extensive  and  prosperous 
scale. 

Mr.  Jennings  occupies  and  lias  occupied  a  prominent  posi- 
tion as  a  citizen.  When  but  fifteen  years  of  age,  he  joined 
Sprague's  First  Battalion  as  a  drummer;  but  the  drum  corps 
being  full,  he  entered  the  ranks  and  shouldered  a  musket. 
This  battalion  was  afterwards  consolidated  with  the  13th 
Regiment,  after  which  Mr.  Jennings  was  elected  to  the  rank 
of  second  lieutenant,  company  B,  now  retired  into  the  vete- 
ran service.  He  is  now,  and  for  several  years  has  been,  a 
member  of  the  New  York  Produce  Exchange.  He  ie  also  a 
director  in  the  East  Brooklyn  Savings  Bank. 

Mr.  Jennings  was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Alice  S. 
Walker,  at  Dr.  Tyng's  Church,  Stuy  vesant  square,  New  York, 
June  lid,  1*7:',.  Mrs.  Jennings  is  a  granddaughter  of  Edward 
Walker,  a  prominent  publisher  and  binder  of  New  York  city. 

Mr.  Jennings  is  a  member  of  St.  Matthew's  Episcopal 
Church,  Brooklyn,  having  always  adhered  to  the  tenets  of 
the  church  in  which  he  was  reared. 

He  has  never  been  a  politician,  but  has  always  endeavored 
to  \<>te  for  those  men  who  would  best  fulfil  the  duties  of  the 
offices  to  which  they  were  to  be  elected. 

Mr.  Jennings  is  still  a  young  man,  honorably  identified 
with  the  young  business  men  of  Brooklyn,  than  which  no 
abler  representatives  of  the  business  interests  of  the  times 
exist  in  any  other  city. 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES.  769 


It  is  no  affectation  to  say  that  to  their  abilities  and  accom- 
plishments their  beautiful  city  is  largely  indebted  for  the 
commanding  commercial  position  it  has  attained. 


The  other  leading  bakers  who  sell  their  bread  at 
wholesale  and  retail  are:  Richter  Pros.,  Valentine 
Lambert,  Horace  W.  Stearns,  Perhacs  &  Dahn, 
Rudolph  C.  Backer,  John  Kenny,  John  L.  Patch, 
etc.,  etc.  Nearly  all  of  these  have  several  stores, 
and  from  two  to  ten  wagons,  and  most  of  them 
are  doing  a  business  ranging  from  $20,000  to  $40,000  a 
year.  The  National  Raking  Co.,  already  mentioned, 
is  a  New  York  as  well  as  a  Brooklyn  company,  and  has 
an  original  method  of  doing  business.  Mr.  Samuel 
Howe,  of  New  York,  is  president.  The  company  has 
45  stores,  of  which  35  are  in  New  York,  and  10  in 
Brooklyn.  We  do  not  know  the  details  of  the  man- 
agement of  the  New  York  stores,  but  the  Brooklyn 
stores  are  all  run  by  the  same  rule.  Each  has  four 
bakers;  uses  40  barrels  of  flour  a  week;  each  has  the 
same  number  of  wagons  (four,  we  believe) ;  all  make 
cake  as  well  as  bread,  and  their  out-put  is  nearly  21,- 
000  barrels  of  flour  a  year,  which  produces  a  value  of 
about  $625,000  per  annum  in  bread  and  cake. 


The  cracker  bakers,  though  few  in  number,  do  a  large 
business.  The  directory  for  1883  names  only  three; 
but  one  of  these,  the  great  house  of  Hetficld  &  Ducker, 
is  one  of  the  largest  cracker  manufactories  in  the  United 
States.  Their  large  manufactory,  75  by  125  feet,  and 
five  stories  in  height,  has  all  the  machinery  and  appli- 
ances necessary  for  the  prompt  production  of  every 
description  of  crackers  and  ship-bread.  The  house  was 
founded  in  1844  by  Miles  Swaney,  on  the  corner  of 
Pearl  and  Nassau  streets.  In  1857,  it  came  into  the 
hands  of  David  K.  Ducker,  a  son  of  William  Ducker, 
who  was  for  many  years  a  local  Methodist  preacher, 
connected  with  the  Sands  Street  M.  E.  Church.  Mr. 
D.  K.  Ducker  had  been,  for  some  years,  engaged  in  the 
flour  business,  opposite  their  present  cracker  factory, 
prior  to  1857.  In  1861,  the  business  was  removed  to 
its  present  location.  Mr.  C.  R.  Hetfield,  originally  from 
Scotch  Plains,  N.  J.,  came  to  Brooklyn  in  1857,  and  in 
the  year  1865  became  a  partner  with  Mr.  Ducker.  The 
firm  was  D.  K.  Ducker  <fc  Co.  till  1879,  and  then 
changed  to  its  present  title  of  Hetfield  &  Ducker.  Mr. 
D.  K.  Ducker  died  in  1876,  and  William  M.  Ducker, 
his  son,  became  connected  with  the  business  at  that 
time,  and  an  equal  partner  from  1879.    In  1882,  R.  W. 


770 


HIS  TOR  Y  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


HI'TFIELD  &  DUCKEK'S  CKACKEK  MANUFACTORY. 


Steele,  a  native  of  Jamaica,  L.  I.,  who  had  been  in 
their  employ  for  fifteen  years,  was  given  an  interest  in 
the  business. 

From  1844  to  1S57,  their  largest  production  was 
about  30  barrels  of  flour  a  week  ( 1 ,560  barrels  per  year), 
and  they  employed  5  or  6  men.  Since  1857,  it  has 
grown  steadily,  till  it  now  consumes  150  barrels  of  flour 
per  day,  equal  to  900  barrels  per  week,  or  46,800  barrels 
per  year;  gives  employment  to  over  200  hands,  and  turns 
out  from  13,000,000  to  15,000,000  pounds  of  crackers 
and  ship-bread  in  the  year,  of  a  value  of  more  than 
$1,500,000.  They  send  their  goods  all  over  the  world, 
and  there  is  but  one  opinion  of  the  excellence  of  the 
manufacture. 

Danid  Canty,  of  532  Grand  street,  E.  D.,  is  also  a 
cracker  baker  of  fair  reputation,  who  has  been  engaged 
in  the  business  about  eighteen  years,  and  makes  excel- 
lent goods.  He  uses  about  3,600  barrels  of  flour  in  a 
year,  employs  10  hands,  and  sends  out  six  delivery 
wagons.  His  out-put  is  probably  something  like 
$100,000. 

Louis  P.  Voyel,  of  174  Twelfth  street,  is  also  a 
cracker  baker;  but  we  have  not  been  able  to  obtain 
any  particulars  of  his  business. 

The  fancy  bread  bakers  are  very  numerous,  and  sev- 
eral of  them  have  achieved  an  excellent  reputation. 
The  best  houses  are  also  cake  bakers.  James  Morton 
was,  for  a  long  time,  at  the  head  of  this  class,  and 
Anehrson  <D  Co.,  White  <l*  Co.  (the  successors  of 
Kernan  &  Co.),  Thomas  Swain/,  of  241  Court  street, 
and  his  son,  7/uodore  .1.  Sioanf/,  of  634  Bedford  avenue, 
etc.,  etc.,  are  among  the  most  prominent  members  of  it. 

The  rake-bakers  are  also  very  numerous,  and  of  every 
degree  of  excellence.  Many,  and,  perhaps  all,  of  those 
we  have  named  as  fancy  bread  bakers,  have  also  a  high 
reputation  for  their  cake;  but  there  are  also  many 
others,  who  conduct  their  business  on  a  smaller  scale, 


who  have  a  high  local 
reputation  for  their  cake. 
Many  of  these  bakers 
have  an  annual  produc- 
tion not  exceeding  §10,- 
000;  but  their  cakes  are 
not  the  worse  for  that. 
To  name  some  of  these 
might  seem  invidious, 
since  those  of  equal  merit 
who  were  omitted  might 
deem  themselves  wronged. 
From  careful  inquiry,  we 
judge  that  the  number  of 
these  cake  bakers,  of  ex- 
cellent local  reputation, 
exceeds  40. 

The  pastry  cooks  and 
cake  makers  attached  to 
the  great  hotels  and  first- 
class  restaurants,  as  well  as  the  caterers,  of  whom  there 
are  five  or  six,  are  a  class  by  themselves;  and  while 
they  are  really  very  highly  skilled  as  bakers,  they 
do  not  affiliate  with  the  bakers  generally.  Of  these, 
W.  D.  C.  Boygs,  J.  T.  Benson,  G.  JV.  Swain,  Jr., 
Win.  Vines,  and  Miss  Emily  Murray,  and  the  chefs  of 
Dieter's,  Hubel's,  Gage's,  the  Wall  House,  the  Pierre- 
pont  House,  Thompson's,  etc.,  etc.,  are  those  best  known 
to  the  public. 

It  remains  to  speak  of  the  pie  bakers.  Of  the  ten 
or  twelve  of  these,  the  Brooklyn  Pie  Baking  Co.  and 
the  Metropolitan  Pie  Bakery  are  the  largest;  John 
Kobbe  is  the  manager  and  principal  proprietor  of 
the  former,  and  John  Albohn  of  the  latter.  Edwin 
Chenoiceth,  Jacob  Enners,  F.  Gramlich,  Valentine 
Guthy,  Caspar  KoesUr,  Henry  leutz,  Thomas  Lindsay, 
Anton  Miltner  and  Louis  Volz,  are  also  largely  en- 
gaged in  this  business.  It  is  worthy  of  notice,  that 
while  the  pie,  in  all  its  dyspepsia-producing  varieties,  is 
essentially  a  Yankee  institution,  yet  all  these  pie  bakers, 
with  a  single  exception,  are  Germans. 

But  these  pie  bakers  do  not  enjoy  a  monopoly  in 
the  manufacture  of  pies.  Very  many  of  the  fancy 
bread  and  cake  bakers  also  make  pies  for  their  cus- 
tomers, and  the  quality  of  these  often  surpasses  those 
of  the  professional  pie  makers. 

Summing  up  now  the  bread  and  bakery  products, 
we  find  that  in  the  wholesale  bread  and  the  cracker  de- 
partments alone,  the  annual  product  of  not  more  than 
nine  or  ten  houses  exceeds  $4,000,000,  and  the  number 
of  hands  they  employ  is  about  650.  Of  the  remain- 
ing 61  J,  probably  more  than  forty  do  a  business  of 
$20,000  or  more,  and  employ  at  least  eight  hands  each, 
making  an  aggregate  of  not  less  than  $850,000,  and 
•  125  hands;  one  hundred  and  fifty  produce  $10,000  or 
more,  and  employ  at  least  four  hands  each,  aggregating 
about  $1,500,000  and  600  hands;  of  the  remainder,  not 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


771 


less  than  250  produce  $5,000  or  more,  and  employ  two 
or  three  hands  each,  aggregating  $1,250,000  and  about 
600  hands,  and  the  remaining  162  do  a  business  of  from 
$2,000  to  $3,000  each,  and  employ  not  more  than  one 
hand  beside  their  own  labor.  The  aggregate  for  these 
would  be  about  $400,000  and  162  hands.  This  would 
make  a  grand  aggregate  of  $8,000,000  annual  product, 
and  the  employment  of  2,337  hands.  We  think  no 
one  who  has  gone  carefully  over  the  ground,  as  we 
have,  can  doubt  the  substantial  accuracy  of  these 
figures. 

Subsection  I. —  Confectionery. 

Intimately  connected  with  the  bakery  business  is  that 
of  the  manufacture  and  sale  of  confectionery.  Some 
of  the  fancy  bread  and  cake  bakers  are  confectioners 
also,  and  many  of  the  confectioners  deal,  in  a  moderate 
way,  in  cakes  and  comfits  as  well.  The  census  of  1880 
reported  104  confectionery  manufactories  in  Brooklyn, 
having  $236,235  capital,  employing  228  hands,  paying 
$79,477  wages,  and  producing  $822,843  annually. 
There  were  eight  confectioners  also  in  the  county 
towns,  making  112  in  all,  and  giving  a  total  product  of 
about  $866,000.  We  doubt  if  all  these  were  really 
manufacturing  confectioners,  but  as  they  probably  in- 
cluded the  ice  cream  manufacturers,  of  whom  there 
are  a  considerable  number,  the  number  may  not  be 
overstated.  The  Brooklyn  directory  for  1883  gives  the 
names  of  505  confectioners  and  ice  cream  manufac- 
turers, but  we  know  thart  more  than  one-half  of  these 
are  dealers  in  confectionery  only.  It  would  probably 
be  much  too  large  an  estimate  to  put  down  the  manu- 
facturing confectioners  as  200.  Some  of  these  do  a 
large  business.  Among  these,  the  largest  house  is 
Mason,  Au  &  Zollinger,  of  83  Fulton  street;  while 
James  Duckworth  &  Son, Huyler,  James  S.  Buchanan, 
Henry  Josenhans,  Henry  M.  Crowell,  F.  C.  Smith,  L. 
D.  Fleming  &  Co.,  Herman  Giese,  Charles  Mollen- 
hagen,  George  T.  Riley  (who  is  also  a  fancy  baker), 
George  E.  Stevens,  Frederick  Schlobohm,  are  all  large 
manufacturers;  and  among  the  ice  cream  makers,  who 
are  not  general  confectioners,  are  J.  M.  Horton  (who, 
in  addition,  makes  a  specialty  of  Charlotte  Russet), 
Thomas  Denham,  Dixon  &  Wilson,  Peter  Arnaud, 
and  Robert  Re  id. 

The  present  confectionery  and  ice  cream  manufac- 
ture in  the  county  employs  more  than  500  hands  and 
produces  over  $1,150,000  annually. 


SECTION  XXIII. 

Distilleries  and  Breweries. 

The  distilling  and  brewing  industries  of  Kings  county 
are  of  great  extent,  and  their  production  of  very  large 
amount. 

The  census  of  1880  does  not  report  these  industries 
under  the  head  of  Manufactures  of  Twenty  Cities,  nor 


under  the  county  statistics,  reserving  them  for  its  gen- 
eral and  State  statistics  of  distilled  and  malt  liquors, 
which  were  kept  separate  from  other  manufactures. 
They  do  not  distinguish  between  the  distilleries  and  the 
breweries.  By  personal  application  to  the  census  office, 
we  have  been  able  to  obtain  the  following  statement  of 
the  manufacture  in  Kings  county,  in  manuscript : — 
Liquors  distilled  and  malt  liquors — 42  establishments; 
capital,  $3,888,500;  average  number  of  hands  employed, 
1,102;  wages  paid,  $547,594;  raw  material  used,  $2,- 
814,792;  annual  products,  $4,993,772.  We  have  tried 
to  check  these  by  the  reports  of  the  Internal  Revenue 
Office,  but,  as  the  revenue  district  includes  Queens  and 
Richmond  counties  as  well  as  Kings,  and  the  largest 
distillery  in  the  United  States  has  part  of  its  works  in 
Queens  and  part  in  Kings  (and,  we  believe,  also,  one  of 
its  distilling  houses  in  New  York  city),  we  have  been 
unable  to  make  any  very  satisfactory  comparison  of 
their  figures  with  those  of  the  Census  Office.  We  have 
encountered  other  difficulties  also.  Both  the  distillers 
and  brewers  are  wholly  opposed  to  giving  any  statistics 
of  their  business  for  publication.  The  census  did  not 
make  any  distinction  between  them,  though  they  had 
the  legal  power  to  obtain  it;  and  the  task  of  securing 
these  returns,  when  attempted  by  a  private  citizen,  is 
almost  hopeless. 

We  have,  by  persistent  and  protracted  effort,  suc- 
ceeded in  obtaining  information  which  satisfies  us  that 
the  capital,  the  number  of  hands,  and  the  annual  pro- 
duction are  each  much  greater  than  they  were  stated 
to  be  in  the  Census  report;  and  that,  if  they  were  not 
understated  then,  there  must  have  been  a  wonderful 
and  extraordinary  increase,  within  the  last  three  and  a 
half  years,  of  which  we  can  find  no  evidence. 

Our  returns  from  the  Distilleries  are  not  so  full  as 
we  could  wish.  There  are  eight  of  them,  of  whom  two 
are  reported  as  having  offices  in  New  York  city.  They 
are  all  of  large  size,  but  the  Ridgewood  Distilling  Co., 
which  is,  we  believe,  Gaff,  Fleischmann  &  Co.'s  Kings 
County  Distillery;  Edward  Kane's  extensive  distillery 
in  South  Brooklyn;  Oscar  King  tC"  Son,  on  First  street; 
E.  D.  Fischer  Bros.,  in  Third  avenue;  H  &  If.  Reiners, 
in  Stagg  street,  and  John  L.  Hasbrouck  &  Co.,  in 
Front  street,  are  the  largest. 

Most  of  them,  and  perhaps  all,  are  engaged  princi- 
pally in  the  production  of  high  proof  alcohol,  or  "  high 
wines,"  as  they  are  called,  for  which  there  is  a  large 
market  for  chemical,  medical  and  manufacturing  pur- 
poses, as  well  as  for  export.  Much  is  sent  to  France, 
and  a  part  of  it,  in  the  present  depressed  condition  of 
the  wine  production  there,  comes  back  to  us,  after  a 
year  or  so,  duly  doctored,  and  bearing  the  inscriptions, 
"Pure  Old  Cognac,"  or  "S.  O.  P.  Brandy,  1838,  1848, 
or  1858,"  or  some  other  dates  from  thirty  to  fifty  years 
old.  Whiskey  is  not  made  to  any  considerable  extent, 
as  it  can  be  produced  so  much  more  cheaply  in  the 
grain  growing  regions  of  the  West,  and  genuine  rum, 


772 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


gin  and  brandy  can  be  made  more  profitably  in  other 
sections  than  here.  The  production  of  these  eight  dis- 
tilleries cannot  be  ascertained  very  definitely,  but  from 
the  best  information  we  can  gather,  we  conclude  that 
they  employ  between  400  and  500  hands,  and  that 
their  annual  product  is  not  less  than  $1,700,000,  and 
perhaps  reaches  two  million  dollars. 

In  regard  to  the  Breweries,  our  knowledge  is  more 
definite,  though  obtained  with  the  greatest  difficulty. 

There  were  in  Kings  county,  in  January,  1884,  thirty- 
five  breweries.  One  or  two  had  failed,  and  two  or 
three  had  changed  hands  during  the  preceding  year. 
Of  these,  eight  manufacture  ic<  i**  bur,  a  very  mild 
beer,  containing  only  from  4  to  G  per  cent,  of  alcohol, 
and  classed  by  the  saloon  keepers  among  the  tempi  r- 
anct  drinks.  Weiss  beer  is  always  sold  in  bottles,  con- 
taining a  little  more  than  a  wine  pint.  The  retail  price 
per  bottle,  the  bottles  being  returned,  is  five  cents. 
The  wholesale  price  is,  we  believe,  about  35  cents  per 
dozen.  The  whole  production  is  not  far  from  4,500,000 
bottles  a  year,  and  the  annual  product  may  have  a  value 
of  #150,000.  Of  the  eight  manufacturers,  Henry 
Deventlud  is  the  largest,  his  production  exceeding  a 
million  of  bottles  a  year.  Anton  Manuel  follows;  and 
the  two  Marquurdt*,  F.  W.  Witte,  H.  Immen,  John 
M  nniiKji  r  and  II'.  (iunth  r  succeed  in  about  the  order 
we  have  named. 

Of  the  remaining  27  breweries,  seven  manufacture 
ale  of  varying  quality,  one  of  the  seven  making  lager 
bier  also,  and  twenty  manufacture  lager  bier  exclusive- 
ly. The  prices  of  both  the  ale  and  lager  bier  vary 
within  certain  limits,  according-to  their  quality;  but, 
on  investigation,  we  find  that  $8  per  barrel  of  30  gal- 
lons is  a  fair  average  price.  Our  returns  show  that  the 
annual  production  of  the  27  breweries  does  not  vary 
much  from  981,000  barrels,  being  rather  over  than  un- 
der that  amount.  This  would  give  an  aggregate  pro- 
duction of  $7,848,000,  and  adding  the  weiss  beer — 
$150,000 — a  total  sum  of  $7,998,000,  or,  in  round  num- 
bers, $8,000,000. 

This  is  an  enormous  advance  on  the  Census  reports  ; 
for,  adding  our  lowest  estimate  of  the  distillery  pro- 
duct, which  is  undoubtedly  too  low,  we  have  a  grand 
total  of  $9,600,000  as  against  the  $4,993,772  of  the 
Census — just  about  double.  Astonished  at  this  result, 
we  have  consulted  the  men  who,  from  the  nature  of 
their  business  intercourse  with  the  brewers,  were  most 
likely  to  be  well  informed  in  regard  to  their  produc- 
tion, and  the  answer  has  been  in  all  cases  that  our  fig- 
ures were  too  low.  We  have  checked  off  the  produc- 
tion of  each  brewery  very  carefully,  but  with  the  same 
result.  We  cannot,  then,  doubt  the  correctness  of  our 
estimate. 

There  are,  probablv,  two  reasons  for  this  difference: 
one,  that,  despite  the  authority  with  which  the  agents 
of  the  census  were  armed,  they  were  often  deceived  in 
regard  to  the  production  of  manufacturers,  and  were 


particularly  liable  to  be  deceived  in  this  matter,  where 
the  products  were  sure  to  be  heavily  taxed;  the  other 
that,  by  the  introduction  of  new  methods  and  appli- 
ances, of  which  the  refrigerating  machine  was  the  most 
important,  the  capacity  of  the  breweries  has  been 
greatly  increased,  and  their  expenses  in  the  manufac- 
ture reduced.  The  ale  and  lager  bier  of  Kings  county 
have  always  borne  a  high  reputation,  and  that  of  some 
of  its  breweries  is  not  surpassed  anywhere.  This  fact 
has  led  to  an  increased  demand  for  their  products  from 
other  cities  and  states,  and  this  demand  has  been  met 
by  a  larger  manufacture.  The  increase  in  production 
has,  perhaps,  with  our  rapidly  augmenting  population, 
caused  a  greater  home  consumption,  but  much  of  the 
new  product  has  been  consumed  in  other  states  and 
cities. 

The  leading  brewers  of  Brooklyn  are  the  Williams- 
burgh  Brewery,  lager,  about  80,000  barrels  a  year; 
Warren  G.  Abbott,  ale  and  lager,  and  S.  Liebmann's 
Sons,  lager,  each  about  75,000  barrels.  These  are  fol- 
lowed very  closely  by  Otto  Huber,  H  B.  Scharmami 
it  Co.,  Obermeyer  <C  Liebmann,  the  Boulevard  Gar- 
den Brewery  and  N.  Seitz's  Son,  whose  portrait  and 
biography  grace  our  pages.  Mr.  Seitz  has  a  very  fine 
brewery,  with  all  the  latest  and  best  appliances.  He 
employs  about  50  men,  sends  out  22  wagons,  and  keeps 
twice  that  number  of  the  gigantic  Norman  horses, 
which  brewers  so  much  affect,  and  his  lager  bier  has  a 
very  high  reputation. 

Nicholas  and  Michael  Seitz. — Nicholas  Seitz,  a  native  of 
Bavaria,  came  to  America  in  1843,  and  was  employed  for 
nearly  three  years  by  F.  &  M.  Schaeffer,  brewers,  of  New 
York.  In  1846,  he  established  a  brewery  on  Thirteenth 
street,  New  York,  and  carried  on  a  measurably  successful 
business  there  for  a  year  and  a  half.  During  the  year  1848, 
he  removed  to  Williamsburg,  and  began  brewing  at  the 
corner  of  Maujer  and  Waterbury  (late  Remsen)  streets.  His 
business  flourished,  and  subsequently  he  removed  to  a  place 
directly  across  Maujer  street,  and  later  to  the  site  of  the 
brewery  now  owned  by  his  son,  Michael  Seitz. 

The  buildings  now  in  use  by  Mr.  Seitz,  his  father  began  to 
erect  in  1866.  The  establishment  is  very  large  of  its  kind, 
occupying  nineteen  lots  lying  on  Waterbury  street,  and  be- 
tween Mau  jer  and  Teu  Eyck  streets.  In  1871,  Mr.  Seitz  trans- 
ferred the  business  to  his  sons,  Michael  and  Joseph,  and  his 
sou-in-law,  Frank  X.  Bill.  In  January,  1873,  Michael  aud 
Joseph  Seitz  purchased  the  interest  of  Mr.  Bill,  and,  five 
years  later,  Michael  Seitz  bought  the  share  of  his  brother, 
Joseph,  and  has  since  been  sole  proprietor. 

Nicholas  Seitz  married  Catherine  Staid,  of  New  York,  and 
she  bore  liim  seven  children,  named,  in  the  order  of  their 
nativity,  Michael,  Joseph,  John,  Catharine,  Theriasia,  Anna 
and  Mary,  all  of  whom  are  living  except  John,  Catharine  and 
Anna. 

Michael  Seitz.  eldest  child  of  Nicholas  and  Cat  harine  (Stahl) 
Seitz,  was  horn  in  New  York,  October  16th,  1844,  and  re- 
moved  to  Williamsburgh  with  his  parents,  where  he.  early 
in  life,  attended  the  public  schools,  to  which  his  educational 
advantages  were  limited.  When  he  was  about  fourteen 
years  of  age,  he  began  to  assist  about  the  work  in  the  brew- 
ery; and,  when  he  was  only  seventeen,  his  father  !>eing  sick, 


773 


he  assumed  and  creditably  discharged  the  duties  of  foreman. 
On  the  recovery  of  his  father,  he  was  placed  in  charge  of  the 
brewery  as  superintendent,  and  so  continued  up  to  and  most 
of  the  time  since  he  became  proprietor.  Mr.  Seitz's  early  and 
long  acquaintance  with  the  details  of  brewing  renders  him 
one  of  the  most  expert  lager  beer  manufacturers  in,  or  in  the 
vicinity  of,  New  York.  The  products  of  his  brewery  find  a 
ready  market  and  a  large  sale,  and  his  already  very  extensive 
business  is  constantly  increasing. 

In  August,  1878,  Mr.  Seitz  married  Elizabeth  Huwer,  ol 
Williamsburg,  and  they  have  three  children,  named  Mary. 
Michael  and  Anna. 


Other  brewers,  of  nearly  the  same  rank,  are:  Joseph 
Burger,  Charles  Lipsius,  Ferdinand  Miuich,  all  lager; 
The  Beavy  and  Britton  Brewing  Company,  William 
Ulmer  and  Ochs  cO  Behnert,  each  lager;  while  Henry 
Kiefer,  Leonard  &  Eppig,  Joseph  Fallert  and  Charles 
Frese,  each  lager,  and  Howard  &  Fuller,  ale,  produce 
somewhat  less,  though  still  large  manufacturers.  Of 
those  whose  production  ranges  from  $150,000  to  $200,- 
000  per  year,  there  are  the  Budweiser  Brewing  Com- 
pany and  Metzler  Brothers,  lager;  and  the  Bong  Island 
Brewing  Company,  George  Malcom  and  Streeter  & 
B<  uison,  ale.  Two  others  produce  not  more  than 
$100,000  a  year.    One  of  these  makes  lager  and  the 


other  ale.  The  whole  product  is  fearful  to  contem- 
plate—nearly a  barrel  and  a  half  of  beer  for  every 
man,  woman  and  child  in  the  county.  It  should  be 
said,  indeed,  that  not  less  than  one-half  of  this  great 
product  is  sold  to  other  markets  than  ours;  but,  on  the 
other  hand,  considerable  quantities  of  beer  and  ale  are 
brought  here  from  New  York,  Newark,  Chicago,  St. 
Louis,  Milwaukee,  and  from  Great  Britain  and  Ger- 
many. 

The  census  statistics  are  equally  in  fault  in  regard  to 
the  number  of  hands  employed  in  the  manufacture. 
The  rule  is  that,  including  the  drivers  of  wagons,  por- 
ters, etc.,  as  well  as  the  workmen  engaged  directly  in 
brewing,  the  allowance  should  be  two  hands  for  every 
thousand  barrels  of  annual  product.  The  weiss  beer 
men  exceed  this  proportion,  but  the  largest  ale  and 
lager  brewers  have  brought  their  machinery  to  such 
perfection  that  they  do  not  quite  come  up  to  it.  Eight- 
een hundred  is,  however,  a  low  estimate  of  the  entire 
force  employed  by  the  brewers;  and  this,  with  the  500 
hands  in  the  distilleries,  gives  2,300  as  the  entire  num- 
ber of  hands  in  the  distilleries  and  breweries  of  Kings 
county — a  little  more  than  double  the  number  reported 
by  the  census. 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


SECTION  XXIV. 
Rubber  and  Elastic  Goods. 

The  manufacture  of  rubber  and  elastic  goods,  though 
of  considerable  amount,  and  embracing  many  varieties 
of  these  goods,  has  not  attained  to  the  magnitude 
which  it  has  reached  in  the  States  of  Massachusetts, 
New  Jerscv,  Rhode  Island  or  Connecticut.  It  is  note- 
worthy, however,  that  this  manufacture  is  one  which 
attains  its  highest  productiveness  in  small  cities  and 
towns  rather  than  in  the  large  cities.  Only  four  of  the 
cities  of  over  100,000  inhabitants  report  manufactories 
of  rubber  goods  in  the  census.  These  four  are:  Boston, 
$1,095,000  of  product;  New  York,  $1,037,768;  Brook- 
lyn, $922,857;  and  Chicago,  $35,600.  New  Brunswick, 
N.  J.,  Waterburv  and  Colchester,  Conn.,  two  or  three 
of  the  smaller  cities  and  to.vns  of  Massachusetts,  as 
Maiden,  Springfield,  Andover  and  East  Hampton,  and 
the  small  towns  of  Rhode  Island,  produce  the  greater 
part  of  the  rubber  goods  in  the  United  States.  The 
reported  production  of  New  York  city  was  only 
$115,000  more  than  that  of  Brooklyn,  and  left  almost  a 
million  for  the  production  of  the  smaller  cities  and 
towns  of  the  state. 

The  actual  production  of  rubber  goods,  in  Brooklyn 
and  Kings  county,  is  considerably  larger  than  is  reported 
in  the  census,  as  we  have  found  was  the  case  with  many 
other  manufactures.  The  census  figures  are  :  6 
establishments;  $298,837  capital;  273  hands;  $120,885 
wages  paid;  $664,335  of  material  used,  and  $922,857 
of  annual  product. 

The  directory  gives  the  names  of  twelve  establish- 
ments, of  which  one  and  probably  two  or  three  are 
only  dealers  in  rubber  goods,  but  there  are  certainly 
nine  and  possibly  ten  manufacturers.  Of  these,  Mr. 
Francis  EL  Holton  seems  to  have  been  the  pioneer. 
Mr.  Holton,  whose  portrait  graces  our  pages,  and 
whose  biography  will  be  found  below,  removed  from 
Boston  to  Brooklyn  in  1856,  and  after  starting  a  rubber 
factory  iu  New  York,  in  that  year,  removed  it  to 
Brooklyn  in  1860,  and  commenced  here  the  manufacture 
of  surgical,  medical  and  stationery  articles  of  rubber. 
In  1870,  Mr.  C.  li.  Dickinson  became  his  partner,  and 
in  1874,  bought  his  interest  in  the  business,  and  has 
since  conducted  it  at  660  and  662  Atlantic  avenue, 
Brooklyn.  Mr.  Holton  immediately  started  another 
rubber  factory  in  New  York  city,  and  in  1*77  removed 
that  to  the  foot  of  Adams  street,  Brooklyn.  Both 
establishments  are  now  doing  a  large  business,  Mr. 
Holton  employing  about  one  hundred  hands,  and  turn- 
ing out  more  than  $200,000  of  goods  annually,  while 
Mr.  Dickinson's  number  of  hands  and  out-put  are  about 
the  same  Meanwhile  other  houses  have  gone  into  other 
branches  of  the  manufacture  of  rubber  goods  and  with 
remarkable  success. 

The  ftutfa  J'l  rc/m  <in</  Rubin  r  Manufacturing 
Company,  of  55  Franklin  avenue  and  23  Park  Place, 


N.  Y.,  is  a  very  large  manufactory  and  turns  out 
immense  quantities  of  rubber  belting,  packing  and 
hose,  car  springs,  vulcanized  rubber  fabrics,  etc.  It 
employs  about  150  men,  and  its  annual  out-put  is  about 
$300,000. 

Bachrach  Brothers,  of  Leonard  and  Devoe  streets, 
E.  I).,  are  largely  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  rubber 
clothing  and  gossamer  goods,  as  are  also  the  Johnson 
Rubber  Works,  of  Flushing  avenue,  cor.  Steuben,  and, 
we  believe,  also,  the  A.  II.  iSniit/t  Manufa during 
Company,  of  74  and  76  Ninth  street.  Mr.  Eugene 
DoJtert;/,  of  444  First  street,  E.  D.,  makes  hard-rubber 
goods  of  all  descriptions;  and  the  other  two  are,  we 
believe,  in  some  branch  of  the  rubber  or  gossamer 
goods,  in  a  moderate  way.  The  rubber  toy  ballons  are, 
it  is  said,  manufactured  by  some  of  these  houses,  and 
possibly  other  toys.  No  rubber  shoes,  boots,  or  arctics 
are  made  here,  nor,  so  far  as  we  can  ascertain,  the 
rubber  or  gutta  percha  plates  for  dentists'  use,  nor  the 
larger  car  springs. 

The  entire  number  of  hands  employed  in  the  rubber 
manufacture  at  the  present  time  is  estimated  at  about 
550;  the  amount  of  wages  paid,  about  $260,000,  and 
the  total  out- put,  about  $1,325,000. 


Francis  H.  Holton,  President  of  the  F.  H.  Holton  Rubber 
Company,  was  l>orn  in  Northfield,  Mass.,  November  17th, 
1831.  His  parents  were  Luther  and  Marcia  (Mixer)  Holton. 
The  American  branch  of  the  family  of  Holton  is  descended 
from  one  of  the  name  who  emigrated  from  Ipswich,  in  Eng- 
land, in  1630,  and  located  near  Hartford,  Conn.,  whence 
Francis  H.  Holton's  ancestors  removed  to  Northfield  in  1735. 

Mr.  Holton's  educational  advantages  were  very  limited,  as 
may  lie  judged  from  the  fact  that  he  began  his  business 
career  at  the  age  of  thirteen,  when  he  went  to  Boston  aud 
was  employed  in  the  shoe  and  rubber  store  of  his  uncle. 
Samuel  Holton,  in  finishing  for  the  market  the  crude  rubber 
shoes  imported  for  the  American  trade  before  they  were 
superseded  by  those  made  under  the  Goodyear  patents. 

In  1856,  Mr.  Holton  removed  to  New  York  and  was  em- 
ployed as  a  clerk  by  a  Broadway  firm  dealing  in  rubber 
goods:  but  he  soon  resigned  his  position  and  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  druggists'  and  stationers'  specialties  in  rub- 
ber, opening  a  factory  on  Broadway,  near  Thirty-seventh 
street. 

In  1860,  Mr.  Holton  removed  his  busiuess  to  Brooklyn, 
where  he  had  taken  up  his  residence  in  1856.  In  186S,  Mr. 
William  Gray  became  his  partner,  and,  in  1870,  sold  his 
interest  in  the  enterprise  to  Mr.  Charles  B.  Dickinson,  who, 
in  1874,  bought  the  entire  business  of  Mr.  Holton. 

At  this  time  Mr.  Holton  established  a  factory  in  New  York, 
and  in  1877  removed  it  to  Brooklyn,  locating  at  his  present 
site  at  the  foot  of  Adams  street. 

Tbe  business  has  grown,  from  one  employing  five  or  six 
bands  in  1860,  to  such  proportions  that,  in  1883,  from  eighty 
to  one  hundred  hands  find  constant  employment.  The 
demand  for  the  wares  produced  at  this  establishment  is  so 
meat  that  it  exceeds  the  capacity  for  production,  principally 
owing  to  the  fact  that  the  large  factory  now  in  use  is 
inadequate  to  the  necessities  of  the  business;  and,  with  a 
view  to  fully  meeting  the  requirements  of  the  trade  as  to 
quantity,  Mr.  Holton  contemplates  a  speedy  removal  to  more 
commodious  and  advantageous  quarters. 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


The  enterprise  of  Mr.  Holton  is,  in  some  sense,  antecedent 
to  any  similar  one  in  the  city,  and  though  the  development 
of  the  rubber  interest  and  improvements  in  rubber  manu- 
facture have  perhaps  exceeded  those  of  any  others,  Mr. 
Holton  has  not  only  kept  abreast  of  the  times,  but  has  led 
some  of  his  competitors  in  numerous  valuable  features  of 
the  industry. 

In  1854,  Mr.  Holton  married  Hannah  Maria  Blake,  of 
Boston,  and  has  had  four  children,  three  of  whom  are  dead, 
the  oldest,  Francis  H.  Holton,  Jr.,  now  assisting  him  in  the 
conduct  of  this  important  business. 


SECTION  XXV. 

Manufactured  Tobacco,  Cigars,  Cigarettes 
and  Snuff. 

The  manufacture  of  tobacco,  for  chewing,  smoking 
and  snuffs,  not  including  cigars  or  cigarettes,  is  a  large 
industry,  although  conducted  in  only  ten  establish- 
ments. These  ten  factories  have  a  capital  of  $1,059,- 
890;  employ  941  hands  (with  an  average  force  of  601); 
pay  out  $198,770  wages;  use  of  the  raw  tobacco,  $931,- 
250;  and  produce  annually  $2,302,703.  Some  of  the 
figures  of  the  Census  Office  differ  slightly  from  these, 
but  the  aggregates  are  the  same.  New  York  county, 
from  17  establishments,  produces  $4,320,972,  not  quite 
twice  as  much.  The  manufacture  of  cigars  and  cigar- 
ettes is  not  very  large  in  Kings  county,  being  carried 
on  in  the  small  way  by  numerous  producers  (341  es- 
tablishments, employing  923  hands  and  producing 
$977,480  dollars  worth  of  these  goods);  but  in  New 
York,  though  many  of  the  individual  factories  are 
small,  the  aggregate  production  is  very  great;  761  es- 
tablishments with  a  capital  of  $5,858,448,  employing 
16,988  hands  and  paying  out  $6,066,455  for  wages, 
using  $8,805,147  of  raw  materials  and  producing  cigars 
and  cigarettes  to  the  value  of  $18,347,108.  As  these  re- 
turns are  those  of  the  Internal  Revenue  offices,  they  are 
not  probably  overstated.  The  great  difference  in  the 
production  of  the  two  counties  is  said  to  be  due  to  two 
causes,  viz.,  that  five  or  six  of  the  largest  establish- 
ments conduct  their  manufacture  on  an  immense  scale, 
many  hundreds  of  operatives  being  employed  on  the 
production  of  a  single  brand  of  cigars  or  cigarettes,  and 
the  aggregates  being  sufficient  to  supply  the  jobbing 
and  retail  demand  of  a  large  part  of  the  country,  and 
a  considerable  export  demand  in  addition;  and  in  the 
second  place,  that  the  smaller  manufacturers,  in  order 
to  compete  with  the  larger,  farm  out  the  manufacture 
to  families  and  small  companies  of  operatives,  in  Brook- 
lyn, East  New  York,  Flatbusb  and  elsewhere,  they 
furnishing  the  tobacco,  and  the  work  being  done  often 
in  hall  bedrooms,  or  living  rooms  in  tenement  houses, 
hovels  and  shanties;  and  the  finished  but  unstamped 
and  unlabeled  cigars,  often  fresh  from  rooms  reeking 
with  filth  and  disease,  are  delivered  at  the  factory, 
where  they  will  receive  the  name  of  some  famous 
brand,  and  are  put  upon  the  market.    The  cigars,  etc., 


made  in  this  way,  are  produced  at  lower  cost  than  those 
made  in  larger  establishments,  but  command  nearly  the 
same  prices.  New  York  is  credited  with  their  produc- 
tion, while  they  are  actually  manufactured  in  Kings 
county.  Since  the  reduction  of  the  revenue  tax,  a  large 
number  of  these  operatives  have  emigrated  from  New 
York  to  Kings  county,  an  undesirable  addition  to  the 
population.  The  quantity  of  cigars  and  cigarettes 
produced  in  New  York  county  is  more  than  one-fourth 
of  the  entire  quantity  produced  in  the  whole  country, 
while  the  manufacture  of  tobacco  in  other  forms,  in 
New  York  and  Kings  counties  together  is  less  than 
one-eighth  of  the  whole  amount  in  the  country.  The 
leading  houses  in  the  production  of  chewing  and  smok- 
ing tobacco  and  snuff,  in  Kings  county,  are  :  William 
Haslam  &  Son ;  the  Kehlbeck  Manufacturing  Co./ 
Buchanan  andLyall/  Abram  Aschner  &  Son;  Lipman 
Arensbcrg;  Sebastian  H.  Appel /  Gabriel  Schwager  / 
Charles  Vogeler  ;  August  Pape,  etc.,  etc.  Morris 
Ilirsch,  though  a  large  dealer  in  chewing  and  smoking 
tobacco  and  snuff,  does  not  manufacture  these  articles 
very  largely;  confining  his  manufacturing  mostly  to 
cigars,  in  which  he  takes  the  lead  in  Kings  county. 
Mr.  Hirsch  is  a  native  of  Austria,  born  in  1842,  and 
is  a  practical  cigar-maker,  having  served  an  apprentice- 
ship at  the  business  in  New  York  city,  and  subsequently 
conducted  his  cigar-making  in  West  street,  New  York, 
till  1868,  when  he  bought  out  the  long-established  cigar 
factory  of  J.  J.  Blair,  at  53-55  Fulton  street,  which  he 
still  continues.  He  enqjloys  about  50  cigar-makers  and 
contemplates  enlarging  his  place,  that  he  may  extend 
his  business.  He  manufactures  over  two  millions  of 
cigars,  and  purchases  many  thousands  beside,  for  his 
three  stores.  His  annual  production  exceeds  $150,000, 
and  his  sales  are  much  larger. 

Among  the  other  leading  cigar-makers  are:  JBdrned 
Brothers,  of  18  Broadway,  E.  D.,  whose  factory  is 
25x75  feet  and  four  stories  high,  and  who  employ  35 
hands  or  more  and  produce  cigars  to  the  amount  of 
about  $120,000  ;  Roque  Mtentt  &  Sou,  of  89  Fulton 
street,  who  are  retailers  of  cigars  and  tobacco,  but  have 
a  factory  at  the  rear  of  their  store,  in  which  they  em- 
ploy from  ten  to  fifteen  hands,  and  turn  out  from  $35,- 
000  to  $40,000  per  annum  ;  Andrew  Boitel,  of  474 
Fifth  avenue,  also  a  retailer,  but  who  has  a  cigar  fac- 
tory in  rear  of  his  store,  where  he  employs  a  number  of 
hands  in  the  manufacture  of  fine  cigars;  the  Eckford 
Cigar  Manufactory,  53  Greenpoint  avenue,  E.  D. ; 
Charles  H.  Eggert  <6  Bro.,  of  Kingston  and  Atlantic 
avenues;  Morris  M.  GrodjinsJci,  of  425  Fulton  street; 
Edwin  A.  Hathaway,  of  129  Grand  street;  John  N. 
Grunewald,  of  Court  street;  Herman  Seidenberg,  401 
Fulton  street,  etc.,  etc. 

The  business  directory  reports  727  cigar  dealers  and 
manufacturers,  and  123  tobacconists,  or  850  in  all  ; 
not  more  than  one-half  of  these  are  manufacturers,  to 
any  considerable  extent  ;  this  would  be  an  increase  of  74 


770 


establishments  over  i8so.  The  425  employ  not  less 
than  -2,800  hands,  pay  about  $613,000  wages  and  turn 
out  over  $4,300,000  of  tobacco,  cigars  and  snuff  an- 
nually; the  amount  having  materially  increased  since 
the  reduction  of  the  tax. 


SECTION  XXVI. 
Watches  and  Clocks. 

Si'usection  I. —  Watch  Coses. 

This  manufacture  produces  a  large  amount  from  a 
few  establishments,  but  the  cost  of  material  is  so  great 
that  the  margin  of  profit  is  not  large.  The  census  of 
ISM)  reported  only  t  establishments  in  Brooklyn,  with 
an  investment  of  $150,585  as  capital,  employing  295 
hands,  paying  $249,810  wages,  using  $7 1 7,1 77  of  mater- 
ial, and  producing  annually  $1,109,146  of  watch  cases, 
gold,  silver  and  nickel. 

We  must  confess,  that  we  have  very  little  confidence 
in  these  figures.  In  1870  there  were  no  watch  case 
manufacturers  reported  in  Kings  county,  though  some 
of  our  manufacturers  have  been  here  more  than  twenty 
years.  The  Brooklyn  Business  Directory  for  1883-4, 
gives  the  names  of  nine,  some  of  whom  have  been  in  busi- 
ness here  for  eight  or  ten  years  or  more  to  our  personal 
knowledge.  Three  or  four  may  possibly  have  started 
since  1880.  The  names  of  these  manufacturers  of 
watch  cases  are:  The  Rrookb/n  Watch  Cos>  Co.; 
.Tomes  A.  Curlier;  Courvoisier,  Wilcox  &'  Co.;  Jean- 
not  <C*  Shiebler;  Martin  &  Tlorimont;  Jobs  M>  ,,<  go,/ ; 
Charles  Schwitter;  Thode  &  Co.,  and  Gustave  Wille- 
m in.  In  1870  the  census  reported  33  establishments 
in  New  York  city,  producing  $1,754,500  of  watch 
cases.  The  census  of  1880  reports  none  in  that  city, 
although  the  great  house  of  Robbins  &  Appleton,  the 
New  York  branch  of  the  Waltham  Watch  Co.,  turn  out 
about  $2,000,000  worth  of  watch  cases  annually  from 
their  factory  in  Bond  street,  and  two  or  three  other 
large  manufacturers  are  known  to  us  personally.  The 
wonder  is  that  several  of  the  Brooklyn  manufacturers, 
who  have  offices  in  New  York,  were  not  reckoned  as 
New  York  manufacturers. 

There  are  two  or  three  difficulties  in  the  way  of  the 
production  of  watch  cases,  which  go  far  to  make  the 
business  unprofitable.  The  largest  producers  of  watches 
in  this  country,  as  far  as  their  very  extensive  works 
will  permit,  prefer  to  case  their  own  watch  movements, 
because,  especially  with  stein-winders,  there  is  required 
BO  nice  an  adjustment  of  the  watch  to  the  case,  that 
even  a  slight  variation  in  the  size,  or  in  the  fitting  of 
the  stem,  might  result  speedily  in  a  broken  main-spring 
or  a  derangement  of  the  action  of  the  watch.  One  of 
the  great  companies  (the  Elgin),  it  is  true,  makes  no 
cases;  but  it  is  by  no  means  certain  that  the  reputation 
of  its  watches  has  not  been  impaired  thereby.  The 
foreign  watches,  which  are  sent  here  as  movements  to 


be  cased,  are  of  later  years  (especially  the  Swiss  and 
French  watches)  of  so  variable  sizes,  that  it  is  rarely  the 
case  that  a  case  here,  unless  made  expressly  for  it,  fits 
it  exactly. 

Then  there  is  the  large  amount  of  capital  required, 
and  the  fierce  competition  in  all  styles  of  cases,  which 
has  reduced  the  profit  to  a  very  narrow  margin.  The 
demand  for  these  cases,  especially  for  the  silver  and 
nickel,  and  to  some  extent  for  the  gold,  is  very  large 
and  constantly  increasing,  but  when  the  manufacturers 
and  the  importers  of  cheap  movements  are  advertising 
them  in  nickel  cases  at  $5  retail,  and  in  silver  (not  very 
pure  silver,  we  presume),  at  from  $6  to  $8,  if  the  move- 
ments have  any  value  in  money,  it  may  readily  be  im- 
agined that  there  is  not  a  very  large  profit  left  for  the 
watch  case  maker.  The  cold  cases  do  not  offer  a  much 
larger  precentage  of  margin.  Gold  watches  for  men's 
use  (only  8  or  10  karats  fine,  it  is  true),  are  offered  as 
low  as  $20,  with  movements  that  will  go  for  a  time  (if 
they  are  carried),  and  perhaps  for  even  a  smaller  sum, 
at  retail  ;  while  ladies'  gold  watches  at  $15  to  $20,  are 
very  abundant.  The  catering  for  these  cheap  and  worth- 
less wares  is  demoralizing,  and  not  all  our  manufactur- 
ers will  engage  in  it. 

There  are,  of  course,  honest  watch  movements,  and 
honest  gold  and  silver  cases  in  which  they  are  fitted, 
and  our  Brooklyn  watch  case  manufacturers  do  their 
fair  share  in  making  them,  but  we  fear  it  is  true,  as  we 
were  told  by  a  watch  manufacturer  in  New  York,  that 
there  are  fifty  cheap  watches  and  watch  cases,  to  one 
good  one. 

The  industry  in  Brooklyn,  as  nearly  as  can  be  ascer- 
tained, employs  about  450  workmen,  pays  about  $355,- 
000  wages,  uses  over  $1,100,000  material,  and  produces 
about  $1,560,000  of  watch  cases.  We  doubt  if  the  net 
profits  of  the  manufacturers  exceed  six  per  cent. 

Subsection  II. — The  Making    and   Repairing  of 
Watches  and  Jewilrg. 

Perhaps  we  should  make  this  title,  "The  Repairing 
of  Watches  and  Jewelry,"  dropping  the  idea  of  "mak- 
ing "  either  watches  or  jewelry  entirely.    There  are 

\  certainly  no  manufactories  of  watches  here,  on  any 

\  scale,  large  or  small;  and  there  are  no  large  manufac- 
tories of  jewelry.  A  single  house  in  the  Eastern  Dis- 
trict, The  Reg  del  and  Schxoi  ibold  Manufacturing  Co. 
have,  within  two  years  past,  made  an  attempt  on  a 
small  scale  to  manufacture  some  articles  of  jewelry, 
mainly,  we  believe,  for  their  own  retail  sales.  A  few 
of  the  repairing  shops  may  produce  some  articles  of 
jewelry  of  special  construction  for  customers,  but  this 
is  hardly  manufacturing.  The  census  of  1880  giTtl 
us  the  following  statistics  on  this  subject:  "Watch 
and  clock  repairing,"  109  establishments;  $82,668  oap- 

\  ital;  152  hands  employed;  $70,171  wages  paid;  $53,319 
materials,  and  $221,723  annual  product.    This  W  simply 

I  absurd. 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


The  number  of  dealers  in  watches  and  jewelry,  to 
which  some  of  them  add  silverware  and  optical  goods, 
is  much  larger  than  this — 177,  according  to  the  busi- 
ness directory  of  1883-84,  or,  making  allowance  for 
duplicated  names,  about  169.  But  not  one  of  these 
can  properly  be  called  a  manufacturer  of  either 
watches  or  jewelry.  Many  of  these  are  large  estab- 
lishments, and  do  a  fine  business;  but  they  are  mer- 
chants and  dealers,  not  manufacturers.  Not  twenty  of 
them  are  capable  of  taking  a  fine  watch  to  pieces  and 
repairing  it  successfully,  and  very  many  are  incapable 
even  of  cleaning  or  repairing  the  finer  descriptions  of 
clocks.  The  repairing  of  jewelry  is,  in  the  best  houses, 
attended  to  on  the  premises,  but  many  of  the  shops 
send  their  repairing,  if  it  is  at  all  difficult,  to  repair 
shops  on  the  back  streets,  or  in  private  dwellings  where 
a  skillful  though  not  prosperous  workman  attends  to 
it.  Watch  cleaning  and  repairing  (generally  the 
insertion  of  a  duplicated  piece  for  a  broken  one,  in  the 
American  watches),  is  also  conducted  in  these  out-of- 
the-way  repair  shops.  The  manufacture  and  sale  of 
optical  goods,  especially  of  spectacles,  eye  glasses,  and 
opera  glasses,  is  also  a  part  of  the  business  of  some  of 
these  dealers  in  watches  and  jewelry;  but  the  manu- 
facture, except  of  the  gold  frames,  is  generally  exe- 
cuted by  the  opticians,  of  whom  there  are  ten  or  eleven 
in  the  county. 

The  whole  estimated  product  of  the  manufacture 
and  repair  of  watches,  jewelry,  and  optical  goods,  so 
far  as  they  can  be  recognized  as  manufacturing  indus- 
tries, does  not  probably  vary  much  from  the  census 
footings,  which  are  certainly  large  enough;  but  the 
number  who  are  entitled  to  the  name  of  manufacturers, 
even  in  this  small  way,  does  not  exceed  thirty  at  the 
most. 

Subsection  III. —  Clocks. 

In  Mr.  Frothingham's  preliminary  report  of  the 
census  of  Brooklyn  manufactures,  he  specifies  among  the 
miscellaneous  industries,  two  clock  factories,  but,  in 
accordance  with  the  rule  of  the  census  office,  gives  no 
separate  statement  of  their  statistics.  As  he  after- 
wards explained  to  the  writer,  one  of  these  was  a  very 
small  enterprise,  which  was  soon  abandoned;  while  the 
other  was  the  large  and  extensive  manufactory  of  the 
Ansonia  Clock  Co. 

Since  1880,  there  has  been  no  attempt  to  establish 
any  other  clock  factory  in  Kings  county,  so  that  this 
remains  the  only  manufactory  of  its  class  in  the  city 
or  county. 

The  manufacture  of  clocks  in  the  United  States  is 
an  industry  of  considerable  amount,  but  the  number 
of  manufactories  is  small.  The  census  reports  22 
establishments,  having  a  capital  of  $2,474,900;  employ- 
ing 3,940  hands,  paying  §1,622,693  wages;  using 
$1,908,411  of  material,  and  producing  clocks  annually 
of  the  value  of  $4,110,267.    Of  these,  15  were  in  Con- 


necticut (but  only  five  of  these  were  of  considerable 
size),  the  whole  reporting  $1,816,400  capital;  employ- 
ing 2,576  hands;  paying  $1,206,073  wages;  using 
$1,386,361  material,  and  producing  annually  clocks 
valued  at  $3,016,717.  It  is  safe  to  say  that  more  than 
nine-tenths  of  this  product  was  from  the  five  leading 
factories. 

New  York  reported  four  establishments,  with 
$625,000  capital;  employing  1,292  hands;  paying 
$382,620  wages;  using  $508,650  of  material,  and  pro- 
ducing  $1,037,350  in  value,  of  clocks.  We  are  unable 
to  ascertain  where  the  other  three  factories  in  the 
State  of  New  York  are  or  were;  but  as  the  published 
statement  of  the  Ansonia  Clock  Co.  at  that  time  was 
that  their  capital  was  $1,000,000;  the  number  of  hands 
employed,  1,325;  and  the  annual  production  upwards 
of  one  million  dollars,  there  does  not  seem  to  have 
been  much  left  for  the  other  three  companies. 

Of  the  other  three  factories  not  in  New  York  or 
Connecticut,  one  is  or  was  in  Newark,  and  one,  or 
possibly  two  in  Boston,  but  as  the  aggregate  product 
of  the  three,  according  to  the  census,  could  not  have 
exceeded  $56,200,  they  were  too  small  to  be  of  much 
consequence. 

The  Ansonia  Clock  Company  was  originally 
established  at  Ansonia,  Conn.,  being  one  of  several 
enterprises  growing  out  of  the  Ansonia  Brass  and 
Copper  Company,  of  Messrs.  Phelps,  Dodge  &  Co., 
and  maintained  by  the  capital  of  that  great  house.  It 
was  organized  as  a  separate  company  in  1877,  but  the 
stockholders  were  partners  or  heads  of  departments  in 
the  Phelps,  Dodge  &  Co.  house.  Soon  after,  however, 
there  was  consolidated  with  it  the  interest  of  Mr. 
Henry  J.  Davies,  a  successful  manufacturer  of  clocks 
and  specialties  in  New  York  city,  and  the  new  company 
went  into  operation  in  January,  1878,  at  Ansonia. 
Their  business  so  greatly  increased  that  at  the  end  of 
the  year  it  was  deemed  necessary  to  erect  another  and 
much  larger  factory,  and  it  was  decided  to  build  this  in 
Brooklyn,  where  the  company  had  purchased  a  site, 
consisting  of  an  entire  block  on  Twelfth  and  Thirteenth 
streets  and  Seventh  avenue.  The  immense  factory 
erected  here  was  finished  and  occupied  in  May,  1879, 
and  its  appointments  were  of  the  best  in  every  respect. 
They  were  employing  1,175  hands  here  and  150  more 
at  Ansonia,  where  the  first  stages  of  the  manufacture 
were  prepared,  and  were  turning  out  about  3,000  clocks 
a  day,  when  their  factory  in  Brooklyn  was  burned  to 
the  ground,  October  27,  1880.  It  was  immediately 
rebuilt,  with  a  greater  amount  of  room,  and  all  the 
latest  improvements  of  machinery  and  appliances,  and 
the  entire  force  at  Ansonia  was  transferred  to  Brook- 
lyn. The  company  claims  that  it  is  now  the  largest 
|  clock  factory  in  the  world.  They  turn  out  3,000  clocks 
in  a  day,  of  all  kinds,  and  are  also  engaged  in  the 
j  manufacture  of  bronze  figures  and  in  the  production  of 
I  those  cut  and  engraved  bronze  and  brass  casings  for 


lis 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


their  clocks,  heretofore  produced  only  in  France.  In 
the  quality  of  their  clocks  as  time-keepers,  justice 
compels  us  to  say  they  have  not  yet  quite  attained  to 
the  excellence  of  some  of  the  other  eminent  clock 
manufacturers.  They  may  do  so  in  time;  there  seems 
to  be  no  good  reason  why  they  should  not. 


SECTION  XXVII. 
Leather :— Dressed  Skins  and  Skivers;  Belting, 
etc.;  Saddlery  and  Harness;  Trunks  and 
Valises;  Leather  Goods;  Leather  Decora- 
tions. 

Leather  and  its  manufactures,  other  than  those  of 
boots  and  shoes,  are  not  correctly  represented  in  the 
census  of  1880  on  Brooklyn  manufactures.  The  only 
entries  there  are:  Leather — Dressed  Skins :  20  establish- 
ments; $691,650  capital;  563  hands;  $248,932  wages; 
$1,258,407  material  ;  $1,755,144  annual  product. 
Saddlery  and  Harness:  88  establishments;  $105,877 
capital;  185  hands;  $73,437  wages;  $151,848  materials; 
$300,425  annual  product.  Trunks  and  Valises:  7 
establishments;  $89,800  capital;  93  hands;  $32,138 
wages;  $88,249  material;  $146,344  annual  product. 

Mr.  Frothingham  had  another  item,  Leather  Goods: 
11  establishments;  $138,075  capital;  120  hands;  $34,782 
wages;  $244,800  material  used,  and  $341,367  annual 
product.  His  other  items  agreed  with  those  of  the 
Census  Office,  and  they,  in  their  supreme  wisdom,  struck 
out  Leather  Goods  entirely,  as  unworthy  of  notice.  We 
should  say  that  the  item  Leather — Dressed  skins,  had,  in 
Mr.  Frothingham's  report,  the  title  leather — Morocco, 
but  with  the  same  figures  as  that  of  the  census  office, 
as  were  both  the  other  items,  Saddlery  <n,<f  Harness 
and  Trunks  <md  Valises.  We  have  then,  in  the  census 
report,  the  following  aggregates  of  the  leather  manu- 
facture, aside  from  boots  and  shoes,  in  Brooklyn:  115 
establishments;  $887,327  capital;  841  hands;  $354,507 
wages;  $1,498,504  material,  and  $2,201,913  of  annual 
product.  Adding  Mr.  Frothingham's  item  of  Leather 
Goods,  we  have  126  establishments;  $1,025,402  capital; 
961  hands;  $389,289  wages;  $743,304  material,  and 
$2,543,280  of  annual  product. 

We  have  said  that  these  statistics  of  the  census,  even 
with  Mr.  Frothingham's  added  items,  failed  to  give 
correctly  the  real  facts  in  regard  to  this  industry.  The 
number  of  establishments  may  or  may  not  be  correct; 
we  think  that  compared  with  the  present  it  is  too  large; 
but  the  other  items  might  safely  be  doubled  without 
coming  up  to  the  present  production  and  business  of 
the  various  branches  of  this  great  industry.  Then,  also, 
it  gives  no  adequate  idea  of  the  great  variety  and  the 
distinct  brandies  of  the  business.  The  term  "dressed 
skins"  does  not  apply  to  anything  like  all  the  leather 
manufacture!  <>f  Brooklyn.  There  are  a  few  tanner* 
in  the  county,  but  they  do  but  little,  and  that  mostly  in 
tanning  and  dressing  sheep-skins.  To  tliem  the  "dressed 


skins"  description  might  apply.  There  is  not,  so  far  as 
we  can  learn,  any  sole  leather  manufactured  in  the 
county,  and  very  little  heavy  harness  leather.  Neither 
is  there  much  morocco,  in  the  ordinary  sense  of  the 
word.  The  largest  manufacturers  produce  skivers, 
hatters'  linings  and  leathers,  book-binders'  leather, 
sheep-roan,  calf,  Cape  and  Turkey  morocco,  kid,  for 
shoe-makers'  and  glovers'  use,  calf,  also  for  shoe-makers' 
use,  and,  to  some  extent,  shoe  uppers,  and  some  goat  and 
other  skins  for  boots  and  shoes.  Several  of  these 
establishments  are  very  large,  and  their  products  go  all 
over  the  world.  Their  merits  are  such  as  to  secure  for 
them  a  constant  demand  ;  though  most  of  the  local 
dealers  prefer  to  purchase  these  goods  in  the  New 
York  market,  often  buying  what  has  been  sent  over 
there,  from  Kings  county,  rather  than  deal  with  the 
manufacturers  directly.  There  are  half  a  dozen  of 
these  large  manufacturers,  not  one  of  whom  would 
acknowledge  that  his  business  was  the  manufacture  of 
"  dressed  skins."  But  there  are  a  number  of  others,  to 
whom  the  epithet  is  still  more  inapplicable.  There  has 
sprung  up  in  connection  with  the  great  expansion  of 
the  boot  and  shoe  trade,  though  wholly  distinct  from 
it  and  carried  on  independently,  a  large  business  in  the 
manufacture  of  shoe  uppers  and  boot  tops.  These 
manufacturers  neither  tan  nor  dress  leather.  Some  of 
them  deal  in  leather,  jobbing  in  a  small  way;  but  their 
principal  business  is  the  production  of  shoe  uppers  and 
hoot  tops.  Others  again  manufacture  the  soles  and 
insoles  of  boots  and  shoes;  and  some,  though  perhaps 
none  in  Kings  county,  from  the  scraps  of  leather  and 
hemp  and  cement,  produce  a  compound  called  leathcrobl, 
which  is  largely  used  for  insoles  and  for  the  outer  soles 
of  cheap  shoes,  and  is  coming  to  be  employed  consider- 
ably by  the  book-binders. 

Still  another  class  manufacture  embossed  and  stamped 
leather,  for  furniture  and  decorative  purposes.  This 
work  properly  belongs  to  fine  arts,  but  it  is,  neverthleas, 
Leather-working. 

Others,  still,  manufacture  from  leather,  and  either 
partially  or  wholly  from  leather  produced  in  Brooklyn, 
fancy  leather  goods,  trunks,  valises,  portmanteaus, 
satchels,  ladie  s'  reticules,  purses  and  pocket-books.  This 
is  also  a  leather  manufacture,  but  is  very  inadequately 
represented  under  "trunks  and  valises"  in  the  census. 

There  are,  still  further,  the  large  saddlery  and  har- 
ness trade,  which  as  being  more  obvious  to  the  enumera- 
tors, is  probably  a  little  more  accurately  represented. 

Let  us  consider  these  different  branches  of  the  great 
leather  industry  in  their  order  and  we  will  afterward 
sum  up  the  totals  of  the  various  leather  manufacturers. 

SunsK<  tion  I. — Skirers. 
The  manufacture  of  skivers  *  (and  of  sheep,  calf  and 
-oat  skins,  connected  with  it,  in  some  establishments), 

•  "Skivers"  arts  the  "  pelt*"  (i.e.,  skins  of  certiiln  breeds  of 
sheep),  w  hich  have  been  split  once  or  twice.  The  split  nklns  of  larger 
aiilmalsaro  called  "  splits  '  or  split  leather. 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


779 


has  many  subdivisions.  There  are  hatters'  leather; 
book-binders'  skivers,  book-binders'  roan;  library  sheep; 
American  calf;  French  calf;  American  morocco;  cape 
morocco  ;  goat  skin  or  turkey  morocco  ;  Russia  for 
books,  pocket-books,  etc.  (this  is  a  split  cowhide); 
pocket-book  and  reticule  leather,  and  linings  ;  some  of 
the  former  are  of  alligator  skin;  shoe-linings;  shoe- 
uppers  of  calf  skin,  sheep  or  goat  skin,  kid  and  pebble 
goat,  and  sheep-skin  morocco,  for  ladies'  shoes, 
<fec,  &c. 

For  the  book-binders'  use,  the  slivers  are  better  than 
the  entire  skin;  will  last  as  long;  look  as  well  or  better 
than  the  whole  skin;  are  put  on  more  easily  and  neatly 
and  render  the  book  lighter,  while  they  cost  only  a  little 
more  than  half  as  much. 

The  Russia  leather,  now  manufactured  here,  though 
from  a  different  class  of  skins,  and  by  a  different 
process,  is  also  split  for  many  purposes  for  which  it  is 
used.  The  goat  skins,  for  book-binders'  use,  are  not 
split,  the  leather  being  usually  not  quite  so  thick  as  the 
sheep  or  calf  skins;  and,  as  much  of  it  is  used  for  what 
is  known  as  half  binding,  a  somewhat  thicker  material 
is  required. 

Genuine  goat  skin  being  the  most  costly  material 
used,  both  in  book-binding  and  shoe-making,  a  cheap 
substitute  for  it  is  very  largely  manufactured  from 
sheep  skin,  which,  when  neatly  grained  and  new,  is  an 
excellent  imitation,  not  to  be  easily  detected,  except  by 
experts,  but  the  leather  is  softer  and  less  durable. 

The  book-binders'  calf  is,  through  late  improvements, 
produced  of  a  quality  equal  to  the  best  English. 

Skivers  are  also  largely  used  for  linings  of  boots  and 
shoes,  in  the  boot  and  shoe  trade,  and  for  linings,  parti- 
tions, &c,  in  the  fancy  leather  goods  trade. 

Skivers  are  not  produced  in  this  country,  but  are 
imported  from  England.  The  reasons  of  this  are  not 
far  to  seek.  A  sheep  skin,  to  split  well,  must  be  from 
a  coarse-wooled  sheep  of  large  size  and  must  have 
considerable  thickness,  so  as  to  admit  of  being  easily 
divided.  The  South  Down,  Leicestershire,  Lancashire, 
Lincolnshire  and  other  large-framed  sheep  are  suitable 
for  this  purpose;  their  wool  is  a  combing,  not  a  felting 
wool.  The  South  American  sheep  and  many  of  the 
Australian  sheep  belong  to  the  same  class.  The  pelts  of 
Canadian  sheep  are  also  very  well  adapted  to  the  pur- 
pose of  splitting.  The  sheep  of  the  United  States,  be- 
ing generally  reared  for  their  wool,  do  not  furnish 
skins  tit  for  the  production  of  skivers. 

The  machine  for  splitting  sheep  skins  is  an  English 
invention,  and  still  protected  by  an  English  patent, 
while  those  for  splitting  larger  hides  or  skins  are  of 
American  invention.  Both  do  their  work  exceedingly 
well,  but  the  English  machine  is  the  more  delicate  of 
the  two. 

The  skins,  deprived  of  their  wool  and  dried,  but  not 
tanned,  are  shipped  from  England  to  the  manufacturers. 
They  are  first  put  into  a  brine  or  pickle  to  soften  them, 


then  washed  and  plunged  in  vats  filled,  or  partly  filled, 
with  an  infusion  of  Sicilian  sumac.  In  this  solution 
they  are  kept  for  48  hours,  being  frequently  handled, 
and  when  taken  out  they  are  completely  tanned.  The 
Sicilian  sumac  proves  much  better  in  practical  working 
than  the  Virginian  or  any  other  American  sumac,  both 
as  containing  its  tannin  in  a  more  readily  soluble  con- 
dition, and  as  possessing,  in  a  higher  degree  than  most 
other  articles  yielding  tannin,  the  mordant  property 
which  makes  the  colors,  with  which  the  skins  are  subse- 
quently dyed,  fast.  The  other  articles  used  in  tanning 
heavier  skins,  such  as  the  mezquite  bark,  hard-hack, 
the  Australian  wattle,  or  the  infusions  or  extracts  of 
oak,  hemlock  and  other  barks,  do  not  answer  as  good  a 
purpose  for  these  skins.  Occasionally,  when  the  Sicilian 
sumac  is  scarce  and  high,  some  terra  japonica  is  mixed 
with  it  in  the  vats,  but  the  result  is  not  so  good.  After 
being  drawn  from  the  sumac  vats,  the  tanned  skins  are 
hung  up  and  exposed  to  the  pure  air,  that  they  may  be 
oxygenized,  or,  as  some  of  our  chemists  would  say, 
"ozoned."  They  are  next  brushed  by  a  rapidly  revolv- 
ing brush,  to  remove  all  dust,  and  are  now  ready  for 
the  coloring,  which  is  applied  in  shallow  tubs,  a  dozen 
or  more  skins  being  placed  in  each  tub,  which  contains 
always  the  same  color.  The  colors  are  logwood  and 
other  blacks,  some  combined  with  iron,  redwood,  Brazil 
wood,  fustic,  madder,  and  for  the  more  delicate  tints 
of  red,  blue,  purple,  &c,  the  aniline  colors.  They  are 
handled  constantly  in  these  dye  tubs,  and,  when  colored, 
are  rubbed  down  with  a  broad  piece  of  hardwood,  all 
the  superfluous  color  discharged,  and  the  6kins  are  piled 
upon  a  bench  or  horse,  and  are  removed  to  the  drying- 
room,  where  each  skin  is  stretched  to  its  full  tension 
upon  an  upright  drying  board,  and  dried  by  steam  heat, 
some  hundreds  or  thousands  of  skins  being  subjected  to 
this  process  at  once.  The  heat  is  increased  gradually 
to  about  110°  or  120°  F.  They  are  next  taken  to  the 
polishing  and  marking  room.  The  polishing  is  done 
by  a  burnisher  driven  by  steam  power  over  a  sloping 
surface.  They  are  now  generally  divided  into  halves; 
and  if  intended  for  the  book-binder  or  for  shoe  linings, 
&c,  they  are  ready  to  be  packed,  unless  the  book-binder 
desires  to  have  them  lined  or  marked.  For  the  hatters' 
use,  as  well  as  for  linings  of  reticules,  &c,  &c,  however, 
they  still  require  to  be  lined,  ruled  or  checked.  For  these 
purposes,  they  are  put  upon  large  cylinders,  and  creased, 
lined  or  checked  by  the  appropriate  tool,  which  is 
moved  forward  automatically  at  each  revolution  from 
jfo  to  of  an  inch,  according  to  the  design  to  be 
worked  out.  When  this  process  is  completed,  they  are 
ready  to  be  packed  for  the  market. 

The  leading  manufacturers  of  skivers  are  the  great 
house  of  J.  S.  Rockwell  <&  Co.,  who  occupy  nearly  the 
whole  block  bounded  by  Flushing  and  Classon  avenues, 
Wallabout  street  and  the  Williamsburgh  road.  Then- 
buildings  on  this  large  tract  are  four  stories  in  height, 
and  have  700  feet  front  by  40  feet  width.    Their  large 


780 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


and  powerful  engines  receive  their  steam  from  four 
boilers,  consuming  1,000  tons  of  coal  annually.  They 
use  about  300  tons  of  Sicilian  sumac  annually,  as  well 
as  other  tanning  materials.  The  house  have  also  two 
tanneries  in  Broome  County,  N.  Y.,  known  as  the 
"  Yorkshire  tanneries,"  and  the  leather  and  skins  pro- 
duced there  are  all  tanned  with  hemlock  bark.  The 
sumac  is  used  for  tanning  split  sheep  skins  or  skivers. 
The  dealers  in  these  skins  there  are  known  as  "  fell- 
mongers."  We  have  already  explained  why  these  are 
preferred,  as  well  as  the  treatment  they  undergo  to  make 
them  finished  skivers.  The  split  skins  are  divided  into 
"  fleshes  " — the  side  next  the  flesh,  and  "  grains  "  or 
"  skivers  " — the  side  next  the  wool.  The  house  use 
also  a  considerable  number  of  these  large  sheep  skins 
whole  (not  split)  which  are  technically  known  as 
"  roans;"  goat,  kid,  calf  and  other  skins,  and  some  kip 
and  horse  hide,  are  also  tanned  by  this  great  establish- 
ment at  its  tanneries  in  Broome  county. 

Their  specialties  are  book-binders'  and  hatters' skivers, 
as  well  as  linings  of  boots  and  shoes,  roans,  calf,  goat 
and  other  bookbinders'  leather,  and  some  kip  and  calf 
for  the  boot  and  shoe  trade. 

They  employ  275  hands,  and  turn  out  from  1,200  to 
1,500  dozen  finished  skins  per  week,  or  about  930,000 
skins  a  year,  besides  other  leather.  Their  total  out-put 
exceeds  $1,500,000  a  year,  and  has  done  so  for  many 
years.* 

Mr.  Elihu  Dwiyht,  whose  works  are  also  on  Flushing 
avenue,  is  engaged  in  nearly  the  same  lines  of  goods 
with  Messrs.  Rockwell  &  Co.,  though  he  confines  him- 
self mostly  to  two  classes  of  skivers,  the  "  grains  "  for 
hatters'  leathers,  and  the  "fleshes"  for  childrens'  shoes 
and  shoe  linings.  He  turns  out  from  125  to  150  dozen 
finished  skins  a  week,  but  in  busy  seasons  can  increase 
his  production  to  225  to  250  dozen  weekly.  He  em- 
ploys from  30  to  40  hands.  Irederick  Horst  also  manu- 
factures skivers,  but  mainly  for  shoe  and  boot  linings. 
//  Jf.  Warren  <t"  Son,  Ma  inure  S.  Kcrri<j<tn,  Janus 
Chman  <fc  Co.,  and  George  F.  Sullivan,  tan  and  dress 
entire  sheep  skins  for  shoe  makers'  and  book-binders  'use. 
There  are  also  a  number  of  small  houses  who  manufac- 
ture a  few  entire  skins,  and  sell  them  to  the  speculating 
dealers. 

Messrs.  James  Clunan  <£■  Co.,  Adolph  Fleischauer, 

•  Thin  hon.se  wm  started  In  18M  (seventy  years  ago),  at  Colcbrook, 
Litchfield  Co.,  Conn.,  by  Theron  Rockwell,  father  of  the  late  J.  S. 
Bookwall  In  1*38,  J.  S.  Rockwell  came  to  New  York,  an  the  repre- 
sentative of  the  house,  and  the  next  year  was  admitted  Into  partner- 
ship, the  firm  being  Theron  Rockwell  &  Co  Theron  Rockwell  died  In 
1848.  The  Brooklyn  fMtOiy  was  built  in  1866i  on  Wallahout  street,  and 
has  since  been  four  times  enlarged.  Mr  J.  S.  Rockwell  was  a  man  of 
ureal  executhe  ability,  and  w  ide  and  far  reaching  enterprise.  The 
business  greatly  prospered  under  bis  wise  management  lie  died  Jan- 
uary 3,  IHT'.i,  and  the  next  year  his  wife  and  daughter  ibis  only  child), 
died.  B.O.  Mass,  a  partner,  died  In  February.  |KS|  ;  and  .Mr.  (ieorge 
Whiting,  a  brother  In-law  and  partner,  died  Nov.  2.r>,  1883.  There  are 
now  none  of  the  original  linn  of  .1.  S.  Rockwell  \  Co.  surviving,  except 
Mr.  John  T.  Roc  kwell,  a  brother  of  J.  S.  Rockwell.  Mr.  S.  A  Smith 
In  the  Superintendent  of  the  factory,  and  Mr.  W.  L.  B.  Story,  tumoral 
Manager. 


the  Gain  lirotliers,  and  William  Gainer,  are  reported 
as  tanners,  and  probably  all  do  something  in  the  way 
of  tanning  and  dressing  sheep  and  goat  skins,  and,  per- 
haps, also  calf  skins.  There  are  very  few,  if  any,  cow 
or  horse  hides  tanned  in  the  county,  and,  it  is  said,  no 
glove  leather  of  any  description. 

The  total  number  of  manufacturers  and  dressers  of 
skivers  and  entire  sheep  skins,  and  the  small  tanners, 
aggregates  not  over  18;  the  amount  of  capital  is  un- 
certain, but  certainly  exceeds  $1,200,000;  the  number 
of  hands  is  not  less  than  025;  the  amount  of  wages 
paid  is  about  $330,000,  and  the  total  product  not  far 
from  $2,800,000. 

Suusection  II. — Bcltiiuj  and  Lace  Leather. 

Of  the  22  manufactories  of  leather  belting  and  hose 
in  the  State  of  New  York,  whose  annual  product  is 
reported  in  the  census  as  $2,305,139,  only  two  are  in 
Kings  county,  and  the  belting  factory  of  one  of  these 
has  been  only  removed  into  the  county,  from  New 
York,  in  the  spring  of  188-1.  The  lace-leather  factory 
of  that  house  has  been  here  for  some  years.  The  other 
belling  factory  has  been  here  for  several  years.  We 
are  doubtful  if  either  of  them  manufacture  hose,  though 
in  the  list  of  miscellaneous  industries  of  Brooklyn, 
"belting  and  hose"  are  named. 

The  two  houses  were  Messrs.  Charles  A.  Schieren  <t" 
Co.,  of  Kith  street  and  Third  avenue,  and  Stej>/<>  n 
Ballard  &  Co.,  26  First  street,  E.  D.,  but  the  latter 
sold  out  their  factory  January  1,  1884. 

In  New  York  city  there  are  eleven  belting  and  hose 
factories,  whose  united  production  is  $1,099,729.  One, 
if  not  two,  of  these,  properly  belong  to  Brooklyn. 

Messrs.  Schieren  <C*  C'o.'s  works  were  established  in 
New  York  in  1868,  and  now  rank  as  fine  of  the  largest 
and  most  extensive  belt  manufactories  in  the  United 
States.  They  have  branch  houses  in  Boston  and 
Philadelphia,  and  have  special  agents  at  New  Orleans, 
San  Francisco,  and  Hamburg,  Germany,  and  repre- 
sentatives in  every  large  manufacturing  district, 
in  our  own  and  other  countries.  Their  belting  is 
shipped  to  almost  every  part  of  the  globe. 

Their  leather  belting  is  known  as  the  "Bull  Brand,'" 
and  has  attained  a  high  reputation  for  its  excellence. 
It  is  made  from  pure  oak-tanned  leather,  tanned  in 
those  regions  in  Pennsylvania,  Maryland  and  West 
Virginia,  where  the  best  oak  bark  is  to  be  obtained. 
None  but  domestic  steer  hides  are  used.  After  the 
leather  is  tanned  it  is  brought  to  their  New  York 
factory,  and  the  solid  part  curried  and  cut  up  into 
belting;  the  balance  (offal)  is  used  for  shoe  purpose* 
The  house  used  about  40,000  hides  in  1883.  The 
Brooklyn  works  were  at  first  established  only  for  the 
purpose  of  tanning  and  preparing  lace-leather,  which  is 
used  for  sewing  belting  together.  They  were  establiflhe  I 
in  1879,  and  are  the  only  works  of  the  kind  in  the  <  it\ 
id    Brooklyn  or  its  vicinity,  and  have  met  with  great 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


781 


CHARLES  A.  SCHIEREN   &  CO.'S  MAXUFACTOR Y. 


success.  For  the  production  of  lace  leather  peculiar 
material  and  special  processes  are  required.  The  hides 
for  this  purpose  are  imported  from  Calcutta,  and  being 
so  near  the  great  Brooklyn  docks,  they  can  obtain  them 
without  expensive  inland  transportation.  When  re- 
ceived, they  require  very  careful  handling.  They  are 
first  unhaired  with  lime,  and  then  laid  away  in  tan-vats, 
filled  with  a  strong  solution  of  gambier  (a  variety  of 
catechu),  until  they  are  thoroughly  tanned;  after  tan- 
ning they  are  finished  with  neats-foot  and  castor  oils, 
which  make  the  skins  very  pliable  and  tough.  The 
lace-leather  works  are  erected  on  a  new  and  improved 
plan,  and  are  considered  as  models.  They  employ  only 
skilled  mechanics,  who  earn  high  wages.  The  pro- 
prietors, who  are  all  Brooklyn  men,  have  been  so  much 
gratified  with  the  success  of  this  manufactory,  that 

*The  present  firm  of  Chas.  A.  Schleren  &  Co.  was  formed  in  1882,  and 
consists  of  Charles  A.  Schieren,  Jacob  R.  Stine,  and  Fred.  A.  M. 
Burrell. 

Chas.  A.  Schieren,  the  founder  of  the  business,  was  born  in  Germany, 
and  came  to  Brooklyn  in  1856.  He  was  U  years  of  age  the  very  day  that 
he  landed  with  his  parents  in  this  country.  He  had  received  a  good  com- 
mon school  education,  and  applied  himself  studiously  to  master  the 
English  language,  which  he  accomplished.  He  was  at  first  engaged 
with  his  father  in  the  cigar  business:  but  had  formed  a  dislike  to  it, 
and  after  attaining  his  majority,  obtained,  in  18*54,  a  situation  as  sales- 
man in  the  leather  belting  establishment  of  Phil.  F.  Pasquay.  at  25 
Spruce  street,  New  York.  By  close  application  and  energy  he  soon 
acquainted  himself  with  the  business,  especially  the  making  of  leather 
belting,  so  that  when  his  employer  died,  in  1S66.  he  was  placed  at  the 
head  of  the  concern.  The  administrators  did  not  wish  to  continue 
the  business,  and  it  was  sold  to  other  parties,  with  whom  he  staid 
until  April.  186S,  when  he  founded  the  present  house  with  a  very 
moderate  capital,  the  savings  of  the  four  years'  salary,  and  built  up.  in 
a  comparatively  short  time,  one  of  the  leading  leather  belting  houses 
in  this  country.  He  continued  alone  until  April,  1882.  Mr.  Schieren, 
aside  from  business,  gave  much  of  his  time  and  means  to  Sunday- 
schools  and  charitable  organizations.    He  was  a  member  of  the 


I  they  propose,  in  the  near  future,  to  remove  their  New 
I  York  leather  belt  factory  to  the  same  site,  and  their 
new  buildings  for  that,  together  with  the  present  lace- 
leather  factory,  will  cover  an  acre  of  space.* 

Messrs.  IStej)h>n  Ballard  &  Co.,  of  26  First  street, 
E.  D.,  the  only  other  house  engaged  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  belting  in  Kings  county,  sold  out  their  entire 
business  on  the  first  of  January,  1884,  to  the  Union 
Belting  Company.  They  had  been  a  long  time  in  the 
business,  employed  28  hands  and  reported  an  annual 
out  put  of  $220,000.  We  believe  their  successors  in- 
tend to  enlarge  the  works,  but  their  plans  have  not  yet 
been  made  public. 

The  leather  belting  business  in  Kings  county,  for 
1883,  may  be  summed  up  as  employing  about  125  hands 
and  vielding  a  product  of  from  $700,000  to  $750,000. 

f  

Brooklyn  S.  S.  Union  for  10  years,  and  served  several  years  as  Chair- 
man of  Anniversary  Committee,  or  Grand  Marshal  of  the  May  parade. 
He  represented  the  Lutheran  interest  in  that  board,  and  is  yet  an 
active  member  of  St.  Matthew's  English  Lutheran  Church,  and  through 
his  liberality  placed  that  congregation  upon  a  solid  financial  basis, 
lie  was  Superintendent  of  the  Sunday  school  several  years,  also  had 
charge  of  a  mission  school  for  five  years,  and  only  ill-health  compelled 
him  to  withdraw  from  his  cherished  work. 

Jacob  R.  Stinc  was  born  near  Plainfield,  X.  J.,  and  came  to  New  York 
in  1845,  and  engaged  in  the  leather  trade,  and  was  associated  with  his 
brother  in  the  morocco  business;  but  for  the  past  10  years  has  been 
associated  with  Mr.  Schieren  in  several  capacities,  until  1882,  when  he 
entered  into  partnership  with  him. 

Mr.  Stine  is  also  an  active  worker  in  the  Nostrand  avenue  M.  E. 
Church,  and  has  been  treasurer  of  the  congregation  for  several  years; 
he  is  also  an  ardent  worker  in  the  Sabbath  school. 

Fred.  A.  Af.  Burrell  was  born  in  Northampton  County,  Pa.,  and  came 
to  Brooklyn  in  1875.  His  father,  the  late  Rev.  J.  Ilgen  Burrell,  was 
pastor  of  St.  Matthew's  English  Lutheran  Church.  He  entered  the 
employ  of  Mr.  Schieren  in  1877,  and  by  his  energy  and  fidelity  worked 
his  way  up  to  chief  clerk,  and  received  an  interest  in  the  firm  in 
|  1882. 


782 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Si  i:-Krnt>N  III.  —  Saddl,  ry  and  II inters- Making. 

This  branch  of  the  leather  manufacture,  like  the 
boot  and  shoe  trade,  includes  a  large  number  of  man- 
ufacturers whose  individual  products  are  small,  and  their 
number  of  employes,  few.  The  census  report  of  88  es- 
tablishments, with  185  hamls  (248  as  the  largest  num- 
ber at  one  time),  and  an  annual  product  of  #300,425, 
gives  less  than  i  hree  hands,  and  not  quite  #3, 400  of  an- 
nual product  to  each  establishment.  The  number  of 
saddle  and  harness  makers  is  somewhat  larger  than  the 
truth,  for  there  were  only  75  in  1882,  of  whom  7  had 
dropped  out  in  1S83,  though  15  new  ones  had  taken 
their  places,  making  the  latter  year  number  83. 

Two  other  facts  indicated  very  clearly  that  the  busi- 
ness w  a-  of  small  extent  ;  there  were  only  three  firms 
in  1882,  all  the  rest  being  individual  shops;  of  these, 
two  were  brothers,  who  were  in  partnership,  and  one  of 
these  gave  up  business  at  the  end  of  the  year  ;  in  1883, 
there  were  but  two  firms,  and  two  of  the  shops  had  wo- 
men for  proprietors,  though  the  business  is  a  heavy 
one  and  not  as  appropriate  for  female  labor  as  some 
others.  Judging  from  the  names,  three-fourths  of  the 
whole  were  of  foreign  birth  and  of  nine  or  ten  dif- 
ferent nationalities. 

There  is  a  moderate  demand  for  saddles,  and  a  very 
steady  one  for  harness  and  repairs;  but  the  business  is 
not  one  which  offers  a  chance  of  a  large  success,  even 
to  an  enterprising  man,  unless  he  can  find  an  outlet  for 
his  products  beyond  the  bounds  of  the  city  and  county; 
and  this  business  is  monopolized  by  the  large  manufac- 
turers of  Newark,  N.  J.,  New  Haven  and  Hartford, 
Conn.,  and  New  York  city.  The  southern  trade  in  saddles 
and  harness  is  large,  though,  it  has  not  increased  so 
rapidly  as  that  of  the  west.  The  greater  part  of  this 
is  supplied  from  the  eastern  cities,  but  our  Kings 
county  manufacturers  have  not  made  any  progress  in 
commanding  it. 

The  largest  houses  in  this  business  here  are  said  to  be 
Jordan  Brothers,  of  63  Lafayette  avenue,  and  Herring 
and  Camp,  of  26  Flatbush  avenue,  but  we  doubt  whe- 
ther either  house  has  an  annual  outlet,  exceeding  #25,- 
000  or  #30,000.  James  Van  Vleit,  of  1751  Fulton 
avenue,  and  George  W.  Bungay,  Jr.,  432  Fifth  ave- 
nue,  also  do  a  fair  local  business.  The  census  state- 
ment of  the  product  of  this  business,  #300,425,  was  pro- 
bably not  far  out  of  the  way. 

Si  ns ei  i  ion  IV. —  Trunks,  Portmanteaus,  Y<dises, 
Satrhels,  Ri'tiriih  s  <n,<l  Faia-g  Luitlit  r  Goods. 
This  subsection  might,  perhaps,  with  propriety,  be 
divided,  inasmuch  as  the  manufacture  of  trunks,  port- 
manteaus, valises,  etc.,  is  entirely  distinct  from  that  of 
fancy  leather  goods,  the  latter  including  not  only  the 
finer  qualities  of  the  ladies'  reticules,  pocket  books, 
and  purses,  hut  ladies'  belts  and  girdles,  leather  fans, 
jewel  cases,  opera-glass  cases,  toilet  boxes,  shaving 
••a-'--,  surgeons'  and   physicians'  pocket   eases,  etc.,  etc. 


The  census  reported  seven  manufacturers  of  trunks, 
valises,  etc.  The  technical  name  for  valises,  satchels, 
reticules,  <fcc,  is  "  bags."  The  business  directory,  for 
1SS3,  reports  fifteen,  hut  a  careful  inquiry  reveals  the 
following  facts  in  regard  to  them.  Ten  of  the  fifteen 
do  not  manufacture,  but  purchase  their  stock  in  New 
York  or  elsewhere.  Three  of  these  keep  one  or  pos- 
sibly two  men  in  their  stores,  who  repair  trunks  and 
bags  ;  and  one  of  these  and  perhaps  two,  manufacture 
in  a  small  way  elsewhere,  but  not  in  Kings  county. 
One  has  removed  his  factory  to  New  York  city.  One 
is  a  "bag  "  maker  and  does  not  make  or  sell  trunks. 
Three  manufacture  trunks,  but  not  bags.  All  retail 
these  goods,  though  one  of  the  trunk-makers  and  the 
"  bag  "  maker  also  sell  their  goods  at  wholesale. 

Of  the  three  trunk-makers,  Mr.  James  M.  Spear  is 
much  the  largest,  having  a  factory  at  327  Adams  street, 
besides  his  retail  store  at  31 1  Fulton  street.  He  employs 
about  40  men  or  in  the  busiest  time,  50.  The  other 
houses,  in  their  workmen  for  repairing  and  all,  probably 
make  up  the  93  or  thereabouts  reported  in  the  census. 

The  other  two  trunk  manufacturers,  Messrs.  Hand 
a n, 1  Plant,  and  Mr.  George  W.  McCarthy  do  a  smaller 
business  than  Mr.  Spear,  but  are  fair  and  honorable 
manufacturers.  The  annual  product  of  the  trunk  man- 
ufacture as  conducted  in  Kings  county  does  not  pro- 
bably exceed  #125,000  and  including  the  "bag"  man- 
ufacturer, Mr.  D.  S.  Hammond,  who,  besides  his  fac- 
tory, 28  Cumberland  street,  has  ware-rooms  at  108 
Chambers  street,  New  York,  does  not  probably  mudfc 
exceed  #150,000. 

There  has  been  a  materially  increased  consumption 
of  these  goods  here,  within  three  years  past,  especially 
in  the  line  of  travelling  bags,  satchels,  reticules,  tfce. ; 
but  the  increase  has  not  been  in  their  production  here, 
but  in  the  abundant  supply  furnished  from  other  mar- 
kets, especially  from  Newark,  N.  J.,  which  has  very 
large  manufactories  of  every  description  of  leather 
goods,  and  also  from  New  York  city,  which  has  large 
trunk,  bag,  and  pocket-book  factories. 

Of  the  pocket-book  manufactories,  some  of  whom 
also  manufacture  the  fashionable  bags,  reticules,  &c, 
now  so  much  worn  by  ladies,  we  find  it  impossible  to 
<jain  any  very  definite  information.  The  census  do«s 
not  give  any  report  of  them;  the  business  directory  for 
l^s::  .rives  the  names  of  twelve,  all  either  Germans  or 
Scandinavians,  but  there  are  probably  twice  the  num- 
ber. None  of  them  are  located  on  business  streets,  but 
have  their  workshops  in  their  dwellings,  and  these  on 
those  streets  where  rents  and  property  are  very  low,  and 
as  thev  do  not  require  a  large  stock  of  the  raw  material, 
or  much  machinery,  their  work  is  often  done  in  hall 
bedrooms,  and  much  of  it  by  children's  lingers.  Mr. 
Frothingham's  report,  thrown  out  entirely  by  the  Cen- 
sus Office,  of  120  hands  and  #34  1,367  annual  product, 
was  certainly  not  above  the  mark.  There  remains  one 
establishment,  not  noted  in  the  Census,  that  of  Mes-is. 


783 


C.  H.  Walker  &  Co.,  leather  embossers,  to  be  noticed. 
Messrs.  Walker  &  Co.  have  not  been  long  in  the  busi- 
ness, but  they  make  all  descriptions  of  stamped  and  em- 
bossed leather  for  the  decoration  of  furniture,  and  up- 
holstery trimmings,  chair  coverings,  etc.  They  use  for 
these  purposes  the  finer  qualities  of  sole  leather,  Russia 
leather,  French  and  American  calf  skins,  etc.,  etc.  Their 
leather  is  mostly  American,  though  little,  and  perhaps 
none  of  it,  of  Brooklyn  production.  Their  work  is  ar- 
tistic and  tasteful,  and  finds  a  ready  sale  among  the 
finer  upholsterers  of  New  York  city.  The  embossing  is 
in  gold  and  colors  as  well  as  plain.  They  also  emboss 
to  some  extent  silk  velvets,  plushes,  mohairs,  etc.  They 
employ  ten  or  twelve  hands,  and  their  out-put  is  not  less 
than  $50,000  and  is  rapidly  increasing. 

Subsection  V. — Leather,  Shoe-uppers  and  Linings. 

There  are  eight  or  ten  houses  who  are  engaged  in  the 
production  of  boot-legs  and  shoe-uppers  and  linings. 
They  are  not  shoe-makers;  very  few,  if  any,  of  them 
could  make  a  shoe  if  they  tried,  but  they  have  their 
patterns  of  all  the  sizes,  and  all  the  breadths  of  each 
size.  Most  of  them  furnish  their  own  material,  and  cut, 
trim  and  line  these  uppers  and  boot-legs  for  the  shoe 
manufacturers,  furnishing  them  of  any  required  quality 
at  so  much  per  dozen  or  hundred.  The  cutter  is 'gener- 
ally a  man  and  a  skilled  workman,  but  several  girls  are 
employed,  who  paste,  trim,  bind  and  stitch  these  up- 
pers. These  houses  are  all  Germans,  and  the}'  gener- 
ally add  to  their  income  by  dealing  in  a  moderate  way 
in  sole  and  upper  leather,  morocco  and  skivers.  Their 
leather  may  be,  and  some  of  it  doubtless  is,  manufac- 
tured in  Brooklyn,  but  they  procure  it  always  in  New 
York.  The  amount  of  the  out-put  of  these  houses  can 
only  be  roughly  estimated,  for  a  German  manufacturer, 
whether  large  or  small,  has  the  greatest  possible  aver- 
sion to  giving  figures  in  regard  to  his  business.  In  New 
York,  the  Census  Office  recognized  this  business  as  "boot 
and  shoe  uppers,"  and  reported  18  establishments  with 
a  product  of  $180,702,  or  about  $10,000  each.  The  boot 
and  shoe  manufacturers,  who  are  the  sole  purchasers  of 
these  articles,  say  that  the  estimate  is  too  low,  and  that' 
those  shops  average  not  less  than  $15,000  each.  This 
would  give  a  total  out-put  of  $150,000  or  more,  aside 
from  the  trade  in  sole  and  upper  leather,  which  is  not 
manufacturing,  and  is  therefore  not  within  the  scope 
of  our  inquiries.  They  employ  about  50  hands.  Let 
us  now  sum  up  the  total  production  of  leather  and 
-  leather  goods,  except  boots  and  shoes,  so  far  as  that 
production  belongs  to  Kings  county.  We  find  the 
footings  of  production  of  all  these  classes,  $4,740,792, 
and  of  the  number  of  hands  employed,  1,150. 

SECTION  XXVIII. 
The  Boot  and  Shoe  Manufacture. 

The  manufacture  of  boots  and  shoes  is  a  large  in- 
dustry in  Kings  county;  and  while  the  54G  establish- 


ments reported  in  the  census  must  include  not  less  than 
500  small  shops,  doing  only  custom  work  and  repairing, 
and  having  an  annual  product  of  not  more  than  $1,000 
to  $2,000,  and  some  of  them  even  less  than  $1,000,  there 
are  a  considerable  number   of   large  manufacturers 
whose  annual  products  make  up  the  greater  part  of  the 
grand  aggregate  of  $1,819,993.    The  inventions  of  the 
past  twenty  years  have  completely  revolutionized  the 
business  of  shoe-making.  American  leather  is  now  fully 
equal  to  French,  English,  or  Russian  leather,  in  beauty, 
durability,  and  finish;   while  its  price  is  materially 
lower  than  the  foreign  article  at  the  present  time,  and 
the  machines  for  making  boots  and  shoes  have  reached 
such  perfection  that  the  finest  and  most  durable  shoes 
can  be  furnished  at  prices  which  would  have  been  im- 
possible twenty  years  ago.    The  machines  for  making 
and  crimping  boot  legs  and  uppers,  the  cutting,  stamp- 
ing, sewing,  fitting  and  buttonhole-making  machines, 
the  pegging  machines,  and  above  all  the  McKay  sole- 
sewing  machine,  and  its  successors,  have  brought  about 
this  revolution.    Most  of  these  machines  are  now  free, 
tbe  patents  having  expired  from  two  to  five  years  since; 
but  the  boot  or  shoe  is  not  now,  except  in  the  rural 
districts,  made  by  one  man;  the  journeyman  shoe-maker, 
with  his  "kit"  of  tools  on  his  back,  looking  for  a  job, 
either  in  a  shoe-maker's  shop  or  doing  the  shoe-making 
and  repairing  for  the  farmer's  family,  is  not  now  a 
recognized  mechanic;  the  division  of  labor  has  been 
carried  so  far  in  this  business,  that  there  are  very  few 
men  under  35  years  of  age  who  could  cut,  fit  and  finish 
a  boot  or  shoe,  from  the  uncut  leather  to  the  final 
touches,  to  save  their  lives.    As  a  consequence,  the 
journeyman  shoe-maker  must  either  consent  to  devote 
his  whole  time  to  producing  a  particular  part  of  the 
boot  or  shoe,  content  himself  with  being  a  repairer  or 
cobbler,  turn  his  attention  to  some  other  business,  or 
join  the  great  army  of  tramps.    As  shoe-makers  are, 
beyond  most  other  mechanics,  intelligent  and  thought- 
ful men,  they  generally  adopt  the  first  or  third  of  these 
alternatives.    Moreover,  the  boot  or  shoe  is  not,  now, 
to  any  great  extent,  even  in  what  are  called  hand-made 
shoes,  a  hand  product.    In  the  large  establishments, 
and  even  in  those  smaller   ones   of  which  we  have 
already  spoken,  as  manufacturers  of  boot-legs  and  shoe- 
uppers,  the  boot-legs  ami  the  uppers  are  struck  out  with 
great  precision,  in  quantities,  by  guillotine  knife  dies 
which  are  prepared,  for  each  size  or  half  size  and  every 
width,  and  then,  after  trimming,  shaving  and  pasting 
which  is  done  by   hand,  they   are   stitched,  bound, 
seamed,  and  if  they  are  to  be  buttoned,  the  button  holes 
are  made  by  machines;  they  are  stamped  and  pressed 
into  shape  by  machines;  the  further  lining,  trimming, 
straps  and  every  part  is  fitted  by  machinery;  the  soles, 
insoles,  welts  (where  welts  arc  used)  are  pressed,  solidified 
and  prepared  by  machines,  and  pegged  or  sewed  by 
machines  at  such  speed  that,  from  GOO  to  800  pairs  can 
be  completed  in  a  day  by  each  machine.    The  fine  work 


784 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  C0UX7Y. 


done  by  the  McKay  machine  and  its  improvements,  on 
ladies'  shoes,  and  the  best  grades  of  men's  boots  and 
shoes,  is  really  superior  to  the  best  hand-work.  There 
are  no  better  boots  or  shoes  made  than  those  of  the 
Burts,  Mundell,  Edwards,  Taskers,  the  Harding  Co., 
the  Whitehouse  Shoe  Co.,  Geo.  A.  Smith  and  other 
manufacturers;  and  keen  competition  has  reduced  the 
price  of  these  excellent  goods  to  a  very  reasonable 
figure. 

The  other  machines  employed  in  the  manufac- 
ture greatly  facilitate  the  production  of  line  goods. 
Even  the  pegged  boots  and  shoes  made  by  the  best 
pegging  machines  are  superior  in  finish,  and  perhaps 
equal  in  durability,  to  the  sewed  boots  and  shoes  of 
forty  years  ago.  But  below  these,  there  are  large 
quantities  of  inferior  boots  and  shoes  made  by  ma- 
chinery, largely  by  convict  labor,  of  cheap  and  poor 
material,  the  soles  frequently  of  leatheroid,  or  paper, 
in  part,  and  the  uppers  of  refuse  leather,  or  cloth. 
They  are  sold  at  very  low  prices,  but  nothing  so  utterly 
worthless,  can  ever  be  really  cheap.  Qf  course,  great 
quantities  of  this  trash  are  sold  in  Kings  county,  but> 
except  some  of  the  boots  and  shoes  made  at  the  peni- 
tentiary, and  there  by  a  Massachusetts  firm,  they  are 
not,  to  any  considerable  extent,  produced  here. 

The  manufacture  of  boots  and  shoes  for  the  wholesale 
trade,  has  only  lately  been  largely  conducted  here. 
Until  recently,  many  of  the  manufacturers  have  had  a 
good  retail  and  custom  trade,  and  their  first  object  was 
to  supply  that,  though  in  certain  styles  they  have  done  a 
fair  jobbing  business.  This  is  the  case  with  Messrs. 
E.  D.  Burt  cb  Co.,  who,  beside  being  the  agents  for  the 
sale  of  E.  C.  Burt's  ladies  shoes  and  Henry  Burt's 
gentlemen's  boots  and  shoes,  manufacture  also  largely 
on  their  own  account,  both  for  their  own  sales,  and  for 
a  jobbing  trade;  with  MundeU  ct  Co.,  F.  E'licnnh  ct 
Co.  and  the  Harris  Flexura  Shot  Co.,  who  make  shoes 
of  special  patterns  or  patents,  and  do  a  jobbing  as  well 
as  a  retail  business.  Messrs  //  ct  R  II.  Taxker  have 
large  salesrooms  in  Brooklyn  and  Jersey  City  and  in 
addition  to  their  fine  retail  trade,  manufacture  not  only 
for  their  own  sales,  but  for  wholesale  trade.  We  think, 
however,  that  their  factory  is  not  in  Kings  county.  The 
Hardin;/  Shoe  Co.  and  the  Whitehouse  Shoe  Co.,  both 
have  factories  as  well  as  retail  stores,  but  we  think 
their  factories  arc  elsewhere.  The  shoe  stores  generally, 
except  those  mentioned  above,  do  very  little  in  the  way 
of  manufacturing,  though  most  of  the  larger  ones  have 
from  two  to  a  dozen  men  employed  on  repairs  or 
special  custom  work.  There  are,  however,  many 
manufacturers  who  are  not  also  retailers;  perhaps  the 
largest  of  these  are  linnnan  ami  K'llij,  whose  factory 
is  on  Grand  and  South  First  streets.  K.  I).,  and  is  four 
stories  in  height;  they  employ  200  hands,  run  150 
machines  by  steam  power,  and  turn  out  over  300,000 
pairs  of  shoes  in  a  year,  representing  an  out-put  of  at 
least  $40o,ooo  ;  they  commenced    business    in  1878. 


Maurice  Ryan,  of  9-17  Hope  street,  E.  D.,  commenced 
business  in  Brooklyn  in  1880;  he  confines  himself  to 
the  manufacture  of  women's  and  children's  shoes,  em- 
ploys 125  hands,  pays  wages  annually  to  the  amount 
of  §62,000,  has  a  capital  of  $35,000,  and  an  annual  pro- 
!  duct  of  $225,000.  Robert  Dix  &  Son,  in  the  Pond's  Ex- 
tract Building,  146  First  street,  E.  D.,  were  established  in 
1853  in  North  Second  street,  removed  to  New  York  in 
1867,  and  returned  to  Brooklyn  in  May,  1 883 ;  they  make 
exclusively  ladies' and  children's  fine  shoes,  employ  125 
hands,  pay  *75,000  wages,  and  have  an  annual  product 
of  $150,000  or  more.  Smith  ct  Martin,  Tenth  and 
Ainslie  streets,  E.  D.,  are  large  manufacturers  of  ladies', 
misses' and  children's  shoes;  they  commenced  business 
in  1868  as  J.  Smith  &  Son,  succeeded  by  Smith  &  Mar- 
tin, January,  1880;  they  have  a  capital  employed  in  the 
business  of  $30,000,  employ  50  hands,  pay  *21.000  in 
wages,  and  produce  annually  1 100.000,  or  more. 

Michael  Doirliny,  established  in  lsGO,  near  Pineapple 
street,  as  M.  &  P.  Dowling,  removed  to  New  York,  and 
returned  to  Brooklyn  in  the  summer  of  1883;  he  makes 
ladies'  and  children's  shoes  of  medium  grade;  employs 
35  hands;  his  annual  product  is  about  $70,000.  IF////"/// 
Loicrie  A  Son,  in  Pond's  Extract  Building,  146-150 
First  street,  E.  D.,  removed  to  Brooklyn  from  N.  Y.  in 
May,  1 883,  make  only  ladies'  fine  shoes;  employ  25  hands; 
pay  about  $12,000  wages;  out-put  $50,000  or  more. 
George  A.  Smith,  349  Adams  street,  makes  women's  and 
children's  shoes,  very  fine  work;  he  commenced  business 
in  New  York,  in  1869,  as  one  of  the  firm  of  Hamilton, 
Pratt  tfe  Co.,  and  is  now  the  only  representative  of  the 
firm;  came  to  Brooklyn  in  1883;  he  employs  60  hands,  and 
produces  annually  over  $100,000  of  goods.  He  had  14 
years'  experience  with  E.  C.  Burt,  before  starting  for 
himself.    Baker  ct  Ferguson,  of  1123  Broadway,  E. 

D.  ,  and  Hatfield  &  Rumph,  of  1125  Broadway,  E.  D., 
both  nearly  opposite  Grove  street,  manufacture  in  a 
moderate  way.  They  employ  about  15  hands  each, 
and  have  an  out-put  of  $30,000  to  $35,000  each. 

James  White,  28  and  30  Adelphi  street,  has  been 
manufacturing  in  Brooklyn  since  1874;  he  makes 
women's  and  misses'  shoes;  employs  100  hands;  uses 
steam  engine,  15  horse  power;  production  $150,000  or 
more;  he  came  from  England  in  1855.  Among  man- 
ufacturers of  ladies',  misses,  and  children's  shoes,  are: 
Wm.  StntKz,  Hi  and  18  Dunham  Place,  E.  D.,  who 
employs  steam  power  and  40  hands;  business,  $100,000. 
John  Funis,  584  Grand  street,  E.  D.,  established  1865; 
employs  100  hands;  annual  sales  $100,000;  weekly 
wages  $800.  Other  manufacturers  are:  Wm.  Nagk , 
17  South  Third  street,  E.  I).,  employs  50  hands,  and 
business  $40,000;  Hammond  A'  On;  rs,\\\\  Fourth  street, 

E.  D.,  employ  50  hands,  and  do  a  business  of  about 
$8o(ooo.  /y.  Hooper,  loo  South  Sixth  street,  25  hands; 
doing  a  business  of  $30,000.  James  Walsh,  established 
I  Hit;,  in  North  Seventh  street;  employs  25  hands;  busi- 
ness,  $»o,ooo.  ./.   IF.  M<Cabc,  191  Fulton  street,  cstab- 


 ^r^>   ^ 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


785 


lished  1884;  30  hands;  does  a  business  of  $40,000  per 
year.  George  &  Fitzgerald,  50  Fulton  street;  started 
1852  in  Grand  street,  E.  D.,  moved  to  present  location 
in  1877;  employ  32  hands,  and  do  a  business  of  §30,000 
yearly  in  boys'  and  youths'  shoes.  Mayer  &  Newman, 
227  Ellery  street;  established  1883,  employ  10  hands, 
with  an  average  output  of  §12,000. 

The  Bay  State  Shoe  Co.,  or  their  successors,  who 
have  large  labor  contracts  at  the  penitentiary,  also 
turn  out  a  very  large  amount  of  work,  mostly  pegged, 
and  of  the  cheaper  qualities.  There  are  one  or  two 
other  firms  who  are  engaged  in  manufacturing  heavy 
work  for  laborers  and  for  the  southern  trade. 

Aside  from  these,  there  are,  perhaps,  fifteen  or  twenty 
shoe-makers  who  do  only  custom  work  and  by  measure. 
Most  of  them  have  some  specialty,  one  making  boots 
for  horse  jockeys,  &c. ;  another,  boots  for  telegraph 
linemen;  another,  boots  which  fit  anatomically;  another, 
special  boots  and  shoes  for  the  lame,  for  deformed  feet, 
or  those  encumbered  with  bunions  or  nodes;  others,  for 
persons  with  tender  feet,  etc.,  etc.  Most  of  these  do 
also  ordinary  custom  work.  They  employ  usually  from 
three  to  ten  workmen,  and  some  of  them  gain  a  reputa- 
tion in  their  specialties,  and  acquire  a  moderate  fortune. 
Yet  these  very  men  are  no  exceptions  to  the  rule  which 
we  laid  down,  in  the  commencement  of  this  article;  they 
do  not  manufacture  the  shoes  or  boots  throughout  in 
their  workshops.  They  may  show  a  customer  pieces  of 
calf  skin  or  morocco,  from  which  he  may  select  the 
quality  he  desires  to  have  made  into  the  shoes  he  orders; 
but  that  leather  or  morocco  is  carefully  matched  at  the 
factories  for  shoe  uppers;  the  soles  are  bought  all  pre- 
pared, and  while  he  shapes  and  stretches  the  boot  or 
shoe  according  to  the  required  form,  on  his  own  or  his 
customer's  last,  the  chances  are  99  out  of  100  that  the 
boots  or  shoes  are  sewed  on  a  McKay  Sole  Sewing 
Machine,  and  finished  on  some  other  machine.  Boots 
or  shoes  cannot  be  made  wholly  by  hand,  or  by  one 
man,  without  loss,  even  though  at  a  large  advance  from 
ordinary  prices. 

The  directory  gives  the  names  of  652  boot  and  shoe 
makers  and  manufacturers,  as  distinguished  from  boot 
and  shoe  dealers,  in  the  county,  an  increase  of  a  little 
more  than  100  since  1880.  The  statistics  of  Brooklyn 
alone  then  were  546  establishments;  §311,835  capital; 
1,194  hands  (1,496  largest  number  employed  at  one 
time);  §502,834  paid  in  wages;  $852,168  of  material, 
and  §1,819,993  of  annual  product.  The  increase  in  the 
number  of  establishments,  the  large  product  from  those 
establishments  which  were  not  then  in  existence,  or,  at 
most,  only  jusc  starting,  and  the  greatly  increased  pop- 
ulation, warrant  the  belief  that  the  business  is  now, 
at  least,  30  per  cent,  larger  than  in  1880;  and,  if 
any  dependence  can  be  placed  upon  the  census  statis- 
tics, would  lead  to  the  conclusion  that  the  present  num- 
ber of  hands  is  not  far  from  1,800;  the  amount  of  wages 
paid  about  $656,000;  the  amount  of  material  used  about 


$1,120,000,  and  the  annual  product  not  far  from  $2,357,- 
700.  Our  belief  is,  from  a  careful  examination,  that 
the  total  out-put  considerably  exceeds  these  figures, 
though  there  has  been  a  very  decided  decline  in  prices 
within  the  past  three  years.  That  the  business  might 
be,  and  ought  to  be,  much  larger  than  it  is,  is  our  firm 
conviction;  for  Brooklyn  and  Kings  county  are  very 
favorably  situated  for  manufacturing  boots  and  shoes 
on  a  large  scale.  In  this  connection,  we  give  the  bio- 
graphy and  portrait  of  Mr.  Alanson  Trask,  founder 
of  the  Bay  State  Shoe  and  Leather  Manufacturing 
Company,  above  referred  to,  and  who  has  been,  for  fifty 
years,  an  esteemed  resident  of  Brooklyn. 

Alansox  Trask  is  a  liueal  descendant  of  Captain  William 
Trask,  who  was  at  Naumkeag  (now  Salem,  Mass.),  when  John 
Endicott  arrived  from  "Weymouth,  England,  in  1628,  by  the 
ship  Abigail,  with  a  colony  of  Puritan  emigrants.  Captain 
Trask  was  of  great  assistance  to  Endicott  in  those  ear]}-  days 
of  privation  and  hardship.  An  early  writer  has  said:  "  Cap- 
tain William  Trask  was  to  the  Massachusetts  Colony,  what 
Captain  Miles  Standish  was  to  the  Plymouth  Colony." 

On  October  19th,  1630.  William  Trask  was  made  a  freeman; 
in  1636  he  was  chosen  captain,  and  from  1635  to  1639  he  re- 
presented Salem  in  the  General  Court.  In  1637,  he  com- 
manded the  expedition  against  the  Pequot  Indians,  the  vali- 
ant Richard  Davenport  being  his  lieutenant.  Captain  Trask"s 
will  bears  date  May  15th,  1666,  and  he  died  not  long  after- 
wards, and  was  buried  under  arms,  leaving  two  sons  and 
three  daughters. 

Alaxson  Trask  is  of  the  sixth  generation  from  Captain 
William  Trask.  He  was  born  in  Millbury,  Worcester  county, 
Mass..  in  1808,  and  came  to  New  York  in  1829.  In  1833,  he 
was  married  to  Sarah  E.  Marquand.  and  in  1834  took  up  his 
residence  in  Brooklyn,  where  he  has  since  lived. 

In  the  year  1833,  he  went  into  the  jobbing  business  of  boots 
and  shoes,  in  New  York  city,  as  a  member  of  the  firm  of 
Wessons  &  Trask,  which  was  subsequently  changed  to  A.  & 
A.  G.  Trask.  He  did  business  some  fifteen  years  in  Maiden 
Lane,  and  then  removed  to  Warren  street.  The  manufacture 
of  boots  and  shoes  was  begun  about  1865.  Mr.  Alanson  Trask 
was  instrumental  in  organizing  the  Bay  State  Shoe  and 
Leather  Manufacturing  Company.  This  firm  had  manufac- 
tories in  several  States  of  the  Union,  and  it  has  grown  to  be 
the  most  important  company  of  the  kind  in  this  country. 

At  the  time  of  Mr.  Trask's  removal  to  Brooklyn,  the  city 
was  a  village,  and  he  has  watched  its  growth  with  the  great- 
est interest,  and  aided  in  its  development,  during  the  past 
half  century.  He  identified  himself  with  its  benevolent  and 
charitable  institutions,  and  was  early  connected  with  the 
City  Tract  Society  (afterwards  the  Brooklyn  City  Mission 
and  Tract  Society),  the  Brooklyn  Disjjensanj,  the  Home  for 
Friendless  Women  and  Children,  the  Old  Men's  Home,  and 
the  Brooklyn  Young  Men's  Christian  Association.  He  has 
for  some  time  been  prominently  connected  with  the  Brook- 
lyn Dime  Savings  Bank. 

SECTION  XXIX. 
Window  Blinds  and  Shades. 

The  census  of  1880  gives  the  following  statistics, 
under  the  title  "  Window  Blinds  and  Shades :"  Estab- 
lishments, 12;  capital,  $294,450;  hands,  140;  wages, 
$82,171;  material,  $224,722;  annual  product,  $475,805. 


786 


HISTORY  OP  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Mr.  Frothingham's  preliminary  report,  with  more  re- 
gard to  tbe  facts,  gave  the  following  statistics:  Estab- 
lishments, 3:  capital,  $278,000;  number  of  bands,  163; 
wages,  $71,799;  material,  $204,705;  annual  product, 
$437,850. 

Tbere  are,  at  least,  four  different  articles  known 
under  tbe  names  of  window  blinds  and  shades,  viz.: 
Fii^t,  tbe  wooden  slat  blinds,  either  inside  or  outside 
of  our  windows,  and  which  form  one  item  of  the  "  sash, 
doors  and  blinds,"  so  extensively  manufactured  over  all 
tbe  Northern  States:  these  are  decidedly  tiot  what  this 
item  in  the  census  could  have  meant.  Second,  the 
wire-cloth  screens  or  shades,  not  properly  called  blinds, 
so  commonly  used  in  windows  in  summer.  We  do  not 
think  these  could  have  been  intended  by  the  Census 
Office,  and  yet  we  cannot  be  certain.  They  come  prop- 
erly under  "wire  work "  and  "woven  wire"  in  this 
work.  Third,  the  window  shades  and  curtains  of  the 
wall-paper  manufacturers,  which  might,  perhaps,  by 
courtesy,  be  called  window  blinds,  inasmuch  as  they 
keep  out  tbe  light.  These  are  treated  of,  under  "  Wall 
Papers  and  Paper  Hangings."  Fourth,  "  window  shades  " 
proper,  curtains  of  white  Hollands,  or  of  colored  linen, 
or  of  cloth  painted  in  oils,  with  gilt  bands  or  stripes; 
<>r  with  stripes  of  other  bright  oil  colors;  or  landscapes 
in  oil;  or  water-colors,  India  ink,  &c. ;  of  graceful' 
and  artistic  designs,  and  either  transparent  or  opaque. 
These  last  are  probably  what  the  Census  Office  intended ; 
but  if  so,  they  were  wide  of  the  mark,  as  to  the  number 
of  the  establishments  or  the  extent  of  the  business. 

There  are  indeed,  not  twelve,  but  at  least  sixty  es- 
tablishments, which  manufacture  the  white  and  col- 
ored Hollands  curtains,  and  deal  in  tassels,  shade  and 
picture  cord,  etc.,  etc.  This  is  an  item  in  the  business 
of  every  upholsterer,  carpet  dealer,  painters'  shop,  and 
most  of  the  furniture  dealers,  but  is  only  one  item  of 
a  multifarious  business,  and  cannot  be  severed  from  their 
other  business.  It  would  be  much  more  appropriate  to 
single  out  window  hangings  and  drapery,  one  item  of 
the  upholsterers'  business,  and  give  tbe  statistics  of  it 
as  a  distinct  business.  The  directory  puts  down  thir- 
teen or  fourteen  of  these  window  shade  men,  some  of 
them  carpet  dealers,  some  upholsterers,  and  others 
painters,  but  it  might  have  just  as  easily  increased  the 
number  to  fifty. 

There  are,  however,  two  firms,  and  so  far  as  we  have 
been  able  to  ascertain,  only  two  in  the  county,  who 
manufacture  the  "  transparent  and  opaque  window 
shades,  of  which  we  have  spoken.  These  are  Jay  C. 
WnmpU  &  Co.,  of  121  Fourth  avenue,  and  Arv/rew 
/>''/•/•/<  of  Hicks  street,  between  Warren  and  I  Bal- 
tic streets  (until  the  night  of  Feb.  26,  18*4,  when  his 
factory  and  its  content-,  were  destroyed  by  lire). 

The  idea  which  these  shades  were  intended  to  de- 
velop was  that  of  a  curtain,  which  should  exclude  the 
•.trolly  sunlight,  and  yet  should  present  to  the  eye  both 
I  l  oin  tin    inside  and  outside,  a  pleasing  and  artistic 


view,  a  landscape,  or  noted  church,  abbey,  or  public 
building,  either  in  colors  or  mezzotint,  and  one  which 
would  be  durable  as  well  as  beautiful.  This  idea  was 
worked  out  from  observation  and  protracted  experi- 
ment, by  Mr.  Jay  C.  Wemple,  beginning  in  1840,  with 
the  cotton  cloth  dipped  in  glue  water,  and  with  rude 
designs  drawn  on  it  with  India  ink,  and  gradually  per- 
fected by  giving  the  cloth  used  a  coating  of  oil,  tur- 
pentine and  beeswax,  which  made  it  firm,  yet  trans- 
lucent, and  yet  gave  a  basis  on  which  oil  colors  could 
be  painted  or  printed.  By  the  application  of  a  mod- 
ified chromotype  process,  these  curtains  can  now  be 
made  of  exquisite  designs,  in  black  and  white  or  in 
colors,  and  with  or  without  gold  bands,  and  at  prices  so 
reasonable  as  to  be  within  the  reach  of  persons  in  very 
moderate  circumstances. 

The  industry  did  not  emerge  from  its  experimental 
stage  until  after  1845,  and  for  the  next  twenty  years 
its  growth  was  moderate,  but  it  is  now  a  well  estab- 
lished and  constantly  improving  and  increasing  busi- 
ness. Mr.  Wemple  has  now  a  capital  of  $200,000 
invested  in  it,  employs  from  150  to  200  hands,  and  re- 
ports an  annual  production  of  over  $300,000.  His 
only  competitor,  Mr.  Andrew  Barricklo,  was  formerly 
in  Sedgwick  street,  but  bis  factory  there  was  burned 
about  four  years  ago,  tbe  materials  used  being  very 
inflammable;  he  then  removed  to  Hicks  street,  where 
he  has  just  been  burned  out  again.  His  goods  are  of 
the  same  quality  with  Messrs.  Wemple  &  Co.'s,  but 
his  production  was  not  so  large,  though  it  was  increas- 
ing. He  employed  about  90  hands,  and  turned  out 
from  $180,000  to  $200,000  of  goods  annually.  Both 
firms,  we  believe,  made  also  those  articles — lampshades, 
with  designs  printed  on  this  prepared  cloth — which 
have  attracted  so  much  attention.  They  also  furnished, 
where  desired,  the  white  and  colored  Hollands  for  cur- 
tains, with  all  fixtures,  table  oil  cloths,  etc.,  etc.  These 
two  establishments,  then,  employ  about  250  hands, 
and  produce  not  less  than  $500,000  of  goods — larger 
amounts,  both  in  employees  and  products,  than  the 
census  attributes  to  its  mythical  twelve  manufacturers 
of  "  window  blinds  and  shades." 

The  amount  of  production  of  the  while  and  colored 
Hollands  curtains,  fixtures  and  trimmings,  cannot  be 
definitely  ascertained,  but  we  may  approximate  it  in 
this  wise:  There  are  not  less  than  60  bouses  who 
make  this  an  item  of  their  business;  if  each  house 
averaged  only  a  set  of  these  shades  a  week  (a  set  is 
from  15  to  20  curtains,  according  to  the  size  of  tlie 
house),  this  would  amount  to  $30  to  $40  a  week  —  to 
$1,560  to  $2,080  a  year,  or  for  the  whole,  from  $94,000 
to  $124,000  a  year.  This  is  undoubtedly  below  the 
actual  product.  This  would  give  for  the  window 
blinds,  curtains  and  shades  of  these  materials,  an  ag- 
gregate of  $600,000  or  more. 

Lace  curtains  and  the  lambrequins,  -ilk  hangings, 
tassels,  ami  metallic  or  gilt-wood  mountings,  and  bands 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


181 


for  them,  as  well  as  for  mantel  draperies,  portieres, 
etc.,  belong  to  the  upholsterers'  art,  and  have  been 
treated  of  under  upholstery.  Of  the  other  window 
blinds,  shades  and  curtains,  we  have  treated  under 
their  appropriate  heads. 


SECTION  XXX. 
Cooperage. 

Cooperage  is  an  important  manufacture.  The  census 
statistics  give  42  establishments,  with  $913,700  capital, 
employing  1,547  hands,  paying  $595,010  in  wages,  using 
$1,583,987  of  raw  material,  and  producing  $2,937,262 
of  barrels,  casks,  &c.  The  number  of  establishments  is 
the  same  as  is  reported  in  the  Brooklyn  Directory  for 
1882,  but  as  far  as  we  can  ascertain  these  are  all  inde- 
pendent cooper  shops,  some  of  them  doing  a  large  busi- 
ness, but  not  connected  with  the  large  sugar  refineries, 
distilleries,  and  breweries,  which,  for  the  most  part, 
manufacture  their  own  barrels,  casks  and  kegs.  The 
cooperage  department  of  Havemeyer  &  Elder's  refinery 
alone,  has  a  capacity  for  the  production  of  8,000  sugar 
barrels  a  day,  and  actually  produces,  in  ordinary  sea- 
sons from  4,000  to  5,000  barrels  daily;  and  De  Castro 
&  Dormer,  the  Brooklyn  Sugar  Refining  Co.,  Mol- 
ler,  Sierck  tb  Co.,  the  Livingston  Steam  Refinery,  and 
the  Hamilton  Avenue  Refinery,  probably  produce  at 
least  10,000  barrels  more,  every  working  day.  The 
great  distilleries  and  breweries  require  casks  and  kegs 
of  peculiar  form  and  construction,  and  they  prefer  to 
make  them  on  the  premises.  These  three  industries,  and 
the  petroleum  refiners,  are  the  largest  consumers  of 
barrels,  casks  and  kegs,  and  it  would  be  a  very  low 
estimate  which  put  their  united  production  below 
$2,000,000.  The  flour  trade  does  not  use  so  many  bar- 
rels as  formerly;  a  large  proportion  of  its  products  are 
put  up  in  stout  paper  bags  of  different  capacities,  and 
but  a  small  part  of  the  barrels  they  use  are  new;  teams 
in  their  employ,  visiting  all  the  bakeries,  the  larger 
groceries,  etc.,  and  buying  all  the  flour  barrels  they  can 
find,  at  a  standard  price  of  18  or  20  cents  per  barrel: 
these  are  repaired  in  the  cooper  shops,  and  made  to  do 
good  service  in  the  flour  trade.  The  provision  trade 
use  a  good  many  barrels,  but  the  lard,  hams,  bacon, 
&c,  are  put  up  in  tins  or  in  boxes,  and  hence  the  com- 
parative demand  for  barrels  is  less  than  formerly.  The 
fruit,  potato  and  vegetable  trade  use  many  barrels, 
though  these  branches  of  trade  are  not  so  extensively 
carried  on  in  Kings  county  as  in  the  fruit  districts; 
but  most  of  their  barrels  are  old  flour  barrels,  and  not  al- 
ways coopered.  Cider  barrels,  soap  barrels,  lime,  plaster 
and  hydraulic  cement  barrels,  are  not  manufactured  to 
any  considerable  extent  in  Kings  county,  as  the  expense 
of  transportation  requires  them  to  be  produced  nearer 
the  places  where  they  are  used.  We  conclude,  then, 
that  including  the  barrels,  etc.,  manufactured  by  the 
large  manufacturers   for  their  own  use,  the  annual 


production  of  cooperage  cannot  fall  below  $4,600,000. 
The  Superintendent  of  Havemeyer  and  Elder's  cooper- 
age establishment  is,  or  was,  Mr.  Lowell  M.  Palmer.  Of 
the  independent  coopers,  Paul  Weidmann,  whose  por- 
trait graces  the  following  page,  is,  we  believe,  consider- 
ably the  largest;  the  others  who  are  most  noteworthy 
are:  Patrick  Dalton,  381  Third  street,  E.  D. ;  Brennan 
&  Colligan,  349  Fifth  street,  E.  D.;  Stephen  F. 
Shortland  &  Brother;  Henry  Ahlborn,  N.  db  H 
CDonnell,  J.  &  W.  Mattison  (kegs  of  all  sorts); 
Paulsen  &  Eger,  North  11th  and  3d  streets  ;  John 
Carver,  112  South  2nd  street;  Michael  Becker;  Henry 
Heims;  Dillons  Sons;  R.  A.  Robertson  &  Co.;  II. 
Waydell  <£•  Co.;  B.  F.  Briggs;  James  Coughlnn,  72 
North  13th  street;  Samuel  Wandett,  65  North  Third 
street;  M.  H.  Duane,  698  Willoughby  avenue;  Peter 
Bennett,  245  Van  Brunt  street,  etc.,  etc. 

Most  of  the  larger  coopers,  aside  from  their  manufac- 
ture of  barrels,  half  barrels  or  kegs,  manufacture  or  deal 
in  sugar  shooks,  casks  and  staves,  heading  and  hoops, 
and  some  of  them  make  a  specialty  of  repairing  second- 
hand barrels. 


Paxil  Weidmann,  well  and  widely  known  in  connection 
with  the  cooperage  interest  in  Brooklyn,  was  born  in  Nieder- 
auerbach,  near  Zweibrucken,  Rhein  Pfalz,  Bavaria,  May  15, 
1830,  and  came  to  America  in  March,  1852,  and  was  employed 
about  six  months  by  a  brewer  in  New  York.  Later  he  worked 
about  a  year  in  one  of  the  old  Williamsburgh  breweries,  and 
for  a  year  as  a  cooper  in  Cincinnati  and  vicinity.  Returning 
east,  he  was  employed  in  New  York  and  Williamsburgh  as  a 
journeyman  cooper  until  1859,  when  he  opened  a  small 
cooper's  shop  of  his  own  in  the  rear  of  an  old  building  on 
North  First  street,  near  Second.  A  few  years  later  he  re- 
moved his  then  greatly  increased  business  to  South  Twelfth 
street,  where  the  Havemeyer  sugar  refinery  now  is,  and  it 
was  located  there  till  the  property  embracing  his  site  was 
purchased  by  the  Havemeyers,  and  converted  to  their  use. 
He  then  purchased  the  lot  on  North  First  street, where  he  had 
first  begun  business  on  his  own  account,  and  occupied  en- 
tirely the  buildings,  one  room  of  which  had  previously  been 
sufficient  for  the  demands  of  his  business.  Later,  he  removed 
to  North  First,  between  Second  and  Third  streets,  where  he 
had  a  large  establishment  for  the  time,  but  which  his  grow- 
ing business  necessitated  his  abandoning,  on  account  of  lack 
of  room  and  other  facilities,  which  he  obtained  in  1874,  at  his 
present  location  on  North  Third  street,  where  he  bought  a 
large  factory,  to  which  he  was  compelled  to  build  an  addition, 
and  near  which  he  has  erected  other  buildings,  until  he  novv- 
bas  one,  100x125  feet,  six  stories  high;  one,  50x125  feet,  two 
stories  high,  and  another,  100x125  feet,  four  stories  high,  ad- 
jacent to  which  is  a  capacious  yard.  His  business,  which  af- 
fords employment  to  many  workmen,  is  one  of  the  largest  of 
its  kind  in  the  city,  and  in  its  management,  Mr.  Weidmann  is 
assisted  by  his  sons,  Paul  Weidmann,  Jr.,  and  Frederick 
Weidmann.  Mr.  Weidmann  married  Susan  Diehl,  a  native 
of  Bavaria,  but  a  resident  of  New  York,  by  whom  he  has  two 
children  living.  While  yet  working  as  a  journeyman  cooper, 
Mr.  Weidmann  established  a  small  fancy  6tore  which  his 
wife  managed  thirteen  years,  thus  aiding  him  to  put  his  enter- 
prise on  a  firm  footing,  which  insured  its  after  success.  His 
wares  include  new  sugar,  flour  and  syrup  barrels,  half-bar- 
rels, kegs,  &c,  and  he  deals  extensively  in  sugar  shooks, 


788 


mSTORY  01-  KINGS  COUNTY. 


second-hand  barrels  and  casks  and  staves,  heading  and 
hoops.  His  factory  and  warehouse  are  located  at  85  to  10!) 
North  Third  street,  and  91  to  104  North  First  street,  and  he 
has  a  vard  and  wharf  at  the  foot  of  North  Sixth  street. 


SECTION  XXXI. 

Clothing:  Men's;  Women's;  Shirts. 

The  clot/tiny  trwlc,  in  its  various  branches,  is  a  very 
large  industry  in  Kings  county  ;  large,  not  only  in  the 
amount  made  for  our  Brooklyn  manufacturers,  hut  still 
larger  in  the  amount  produced  here  for  New  fork 
houses. 

We  are  at  loss  to  understand  the  clothing  statistics 
furnished  by  the  census.  The  compendium  of  the  tenth 
censu-  slates  the  number  id'  establishments  engaged  in 
manufacturing  men's  clothing  as  :!Js.  If  this  number 
wa-  meant  to  include  all  the  tailors,  it  was  altogether 
too  small;  for  they  number  710  in  the  city  and  about 
24  in  the  county  towns,  or  740  in  all.  Bui  it  is  not 
usual  to  count  every  tailor,  or  indeed,  the  tailors  gene- 
rally, as  manufacturers;  though,  in  a  sense,  a  part  of 
them  are  so.  If,  on  the  contrary,  it  was  intended  to 
include  all  the  manufacturers  of  ready-made  clothing, 
it  was  very  much  loo  large,  lor,  including  all  the  deal- 
en  in  ready-made  clothing,  there  are  only  ISO]  and  of 


these,  less  than  one-half  manufacture  their  goods  here, 
whatever  they  may  do  elsewhere.  Several  of  the 
larger  of  these  houses  have  their  factories  and  cutting 
shops  elsewhere,  and  the  goods  are  only  brought 
here  to  be  sold.  This  is  especially  true  of  such  houses 
as  Baldwin,  A.  J.  Nutting  &  Company,  and  many 
others.  Some,  of  course,  do  manufacture  here,  and  a 
larger  number  than  is  generally  supposed.  The  largest  of 
these  is,  undoubtedly,  Smith,  Gray  ct  Co.,  whose  ex- 
tensive stores,  factories  and  warehouses  occupy  so 
large  a  space  on  Broadway  and  Fourth  street,  E.  D., 
and  .Manhattan  and  Greenpoint  avenues,  Greenpoint. 
In  their  specialty  of  boys'  and  children's  clothing, 
this  house  is  the  largest,  as  it  was  the  first,  in  the 
United  States.  It  is  now  fifty  years  since  the  present 
senior  partner  of  this  firm — whose  portrait  and  bio- 
graphy are  among  the  most  precious  contributions  to 
t  he  gallery  of  worthies  in  our  work — commenced  the 
business  of  making  boys'  clothing  in  New  York  city, 
prompted  thereto  by  his  firm  conviction  that  such  gar- 
ments, if  properly  made,  would  find  a  ready  sale,  lie 
was  himself  an  accomplished  tailor,  cutter  and  fitter, 
and  his  goods  were  soon  largely  in  demand.  Mr.  Allen 
Gray,  the  second  partner  of  the  present  linn,  added  to 
the  popularity  of  this  branch  of  business  by  originating 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


789 


the  best  set  of  graded  patterns  for  boys' clothing,  which 
had  ever  been  produced.  Mr.  Smith  removed  several 
times  in  New  York  and  had  built  up  in  twenty-seven 
years  of  active  and  honorable  toil  a  very  extensive 
wholesale  trade,  largely  with  the  south  ;  when,  at  the 
commencement  of  the  late  civil  war,  he  found  himself 
subjected  to  the  loss  of  many  hundreds  of  thousands  of 
dollars,  by  the  indisposition  and  in  many  cases,  the  in- 
ability of  his  southern  customers  to  pay,  he  with- 
drew from  business,  gathering  together  the  wreck  of 
his  fortune.  It  is-  not  often  the  case  that  a  man,  past 
fifty  years  of  age,  who  has  lost  so  large  a  fortune,  suc- 
ceeds in  retrieving  his  fortune  and  winning  a  still 
larger  one;  but  this  was  one  of  the  rare  exceptions.  In 
1864,  in  partnership  with  his  brother-in-law,  Mr.  Allen 
Gray,  Mr.  Smith  opened  a  retail  clothing  store  of  small 
extent  on  Fourth  street,  Williamsburgh.  But  so 
popular  had  their  goods  been,  before  the  war,  that  old 
customers  rallied  round  them  and  besought  them  to 
manufacture  boys'  clothing  for  them.  And  so  it  hap- 
pened, that  before  the  close  of  the  war  in  1865  they  had 
been  compelled  to  establish  a  manufactory  on  Broadway, 
E.  D.,  and  removed  their  retail  store  to  that  street  in  1868. 
Each  enlargement  only  opened  the  way  for  another,  and 
in  addition  to  a  branch  factory  at  Greenpoint,  48x100, 
and  four  stories  high,  and  buildings  on  Broadway, 
100x100,  seven  stories  in  height,  they  built  an  im- 
mense factory  in  Fourth  street,  and  are  now  about 
erecting  another  imposing  and  extensive  structure  on 
the  corner  of  Broadway  and  Fourth  street,  E.  D.  They 
have  now  three  departments  of  their  manufactures,  the 
wholesale  trade,  the  retail  trade,  and  custom  work. 
Over  3,000  adults  are  on  their  pay-roll;  and  their  weekly 
disbursements  for  wages  alone  reach  $30,000  or  more, 
making  more  than  $1,600,000  for  wages  annually. 
Their  annual  production  is  probably  greater  than  that 
of  any  other  firm  of  manufacturers  in  Brooklyn,  except 
the  great  sugar  refiners  and  perhaps  one  or  two  of  the 
petroleum  houses.  They  do  not;  by  any  means,  confine 
themselves  to  boys'  and  children's  clothing,  but  make 
and  maintain  a  full  line  in  all  departments  of  their  busi- 
ness. The  present  firm  consists  of  five  partners,  the  in- 
fusion of  younger  blood  having  increased  its  efficiency. 


Edwaro  Smith. — One  of  the  representative  self-made  men 
of  Brooklyn  is  Mr.  Edward  Smith,  resident  at  No.  99  Bedford 
avenue.  A  son  of  Gershom  B.  and  Temperance  (Sheffield) 
Smith,  he  was  born  in  Norwalk,  Conn.,  December  19th, 
1816,  and  his  early  life  was  spent  on  his  father's  farm. 

As  subsequent  events  have  proved,  Mr.  Smith  was  not 
intended  by  nature  to  be  an  agriculturist,  and  he  seems  to 
have  recognized  this  as  a  fact  at  a  very  tender  age;  for,  when 
only  fifteen  years  old,  he  left  home  and  secured  a  situation  as 
errand  boy  in  a  New  York  grocery  store,  and  was  employed 
in  that  and  other  humble  capacities,  with  different  grocery 
firms  in  that  city,  for  about  two  years.  Next  he  solicited  his 
father  to  permit  him  to  learn  the  tailors'  trade,  and  was 
apprenticed  to  a  tailor  of  Ridgefield,  Conn.  At  the  expira- 
tion of  a  year  his  instructor  went  out  of  business,  and  young  I 


Smith,  having  in  that  short  time  acquired  a  considerable 
knowledge  of  the  trade,  returned  to  New  York  and  worked  as 
a  journeyman  until  1832,  when  he  was  compelled  to  leave  the 
city  on  account  of  the  outbreak  of  the  cholera.  Just  at  this 
point  in  his  career  he  had  engaged  a  competent  person  to 
instruct  him  in  the  art  of  cutting,  but  was  prevented  from 
learning  by  his  sudden  departure  for  home.  But,  nothing 
daunted,  he  daily  practiced  the  drafting  of  clothing,  and  in 
a  short  time  obtained  a  good  theoretical  knowledge  of 
cutting. 

After  the  abatement  of  the  plague,  Mr.  Smith  returned  to 
New  York,  and,  though  he  had  never  yet  actually  cut  a 
garment,  engaged  as  cutter  with  a  firm  for  whom  lie  had 
formerly  worked  as  a  journeyman,  and  filled  the  position 
successfully  and  satisfactorily.  In  January,  1833,  with  the 
assistance  of  his  father,  he  went  into  business  as  a  clothier 
on  Chatham  street,  between  Pearl  and  Baxter  streets,  and  in 
conducting  his  trade  soon  discovered  that  there  was  a 
lack  of  boys'  clothing  in  New  York;  and,  believing  that  neat 
and  well-made  garments,  in  various  sizes,  for  boys,  would 
meet  with  a  ready  sale,  he  got  up  an  assortment  of  such 
goods,  and  was  so  successful  with  it  that  he  continued  in  this 
line  and  became  the  first  manufacturer  of  boys'  clothing  of 
any  prominence  in  the  city.  In  1836,  he  removed  his 
establishment  to  Fulton  street,  and,  about  1843,  requiring 
more  room,  to  William  street,  below  Maiden  Lane,  where  he 
embarked  quite  successfully  in  the  wholesale  trade.  For 
some  years  the  trade  of  the  city  had  been  gradually  concen- 
trating on  the  west  side,  and  about  1847  Mr.  Sm:th  removed 
his  business  to  Barclay  street,  at  the  corner  of  Church.  Five 
years  later  he  located  on  Warren  street,  and,  after  two  years, 
removed  thence  to  Broadway,  near  Leonard  street.  From 
this  time  on  his  business  rapidly  assumed  larger  proportions, 
growing  steadily  until  1861,  when  he  retired  on  account  of 
embarrassments  arising  from  the  unsettled  condition,  caused 
by  the  war  for  the  union,  of  a  southern  trade  which,  during 
years  of  unabated  growth,  had  attained  to  hundreds  of  thou- 
sands of  dollars. 

In  1864,  Mr.  Smith  resumed  business,  on  a  limited  scale,  in 
Williamsburgh,  in  company  with  his  brother-in-law,  Mr. 
Allen  Gray,  opening  a  retail  store  on  Fourth  street.  So 
popular  had  been  Mr.  Smith's  goods  among  his  former 
customers  that  many  of  them  solicited  the  new  firm  to  man- 
ufacture for  them  their  stock  of  boys'  clothing.  The  demand 
for  their  work  increased  so  rapidly  that  before  the  close  of 
the  war,  the  firm  established  a  manufactory  on  Broadway, 
Williamsburgh,  and  removed  their  store  to  that  street  in 
1868.  In  1870,  they  built  and  occupied  their  present  large 
Broadway  store.  Their  extensive  store  in  Greenpoint  was 
opened  in  their  then  new  building  in  1877.  In  1881,  the  firm 
first  occupied  their  extensive  factory  on  Fourth  street,  in 
connection  with  which  there  is  a  third  store. 

It  is  with  just  pride  that  Mr.  Smith  refers  to  the  fact  that 
he  was  the  projector  of  what  is  now  the  largest  manufactory 
of  boys'  clothing  in  the  United  States,  and  probably  in  the 
world.  At  this  time,  the  firm  of  Smith  &  Gray  consists  of 
Messrs.  Edward  Smith,  Allen  Gray,  W.  G.  H.  Randolph, 
Willard  F.  Smith  and  Warren  E.  Smith,  the  two  last 
mentioned  being  sons  of  the  senior  member;  and  the  active 
members  are  Messrs.  W.  G.  H.  Randolph,  who  superintends 
the  purchase  of  materials  and  the  manufacture  of  stock; 
Willard  F.  Smith,  who  supervises  the  retail  department  of 
the  business,  and  Warren  E.  Smith,  travelling  and  wholesale 
representative  of  the  house.  As  large  as  are  Messrs.  Smith  & 
Gray's  facilities  for  manufacture,  they  are  not  sufficient  to 
supply  the  immense  demand  for  their  goods,  and  the  firm 
has  recently  purchased  the  Washington  Hall  property,  at  the 


TOO 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


corner  of  Broadway  and  Fourth  street,  and  will  soon  erect 
upon  it  a  large  six-story  building,  with  iron  front,  for  occu- 
pancy as  a  store  and  factory,  where,  with  enlarged  facilities, 
they  will  concentrate  their  business  and  engage  more  exten- 
sively than  ever  before  in  the  manufacture,  and  in  both  the 
wholesale  and  retail  trade  in  clothing;  their  wholesale  trade, 
as  heretofore,  to  be  confined  chiefly  to  boys'  clothing,  while 
in  their  retail  department  they  will  carry  a  large  stock  of 
both  men's  and  boys'  clothing  of  all  descriptions.  .  In  all 
Brooklyn  there  is  not  a  more  useful  business.  Not  less  than 
3,000  hands  find  daily  employment  with  Messrs.  Smith  & 
(;ray.  who  disburse  thousands  of  dollars  weekly,  which  goes 
to  aid  the  general  prosperity  of  the  city  by  its  gradual  distri- 
bution through  all  of  the  various  avenues  of  trade. 

Mr.  Smith  has  been  twice  married,  and  has  three  sons  and 
three  daughters.  He  is  no  politician,  but  takes  a  lively 
interest  in  all  matters  of  national  or  municipal  importance, 
and  he  has  been  a  willing  and  liberal  contributor  to  various 
charitable  objects  and  toward  many  useful  improvements. 

Next  to  Smith,  Gray  &  Co.,  though  with  a  long  inter- 
val between,  is  the  house  of  McKeon  &  Todd,  110-116 
Broadway,  corner  4th  street,  E.  D.;  men's,  boys'  and 
children's  clothing.  This  firm  was  established  in  1878; 
gives  employment  to  1,500  persons.  Mr.  McKeon  was 
formerly  with  Smith,  Gray  &  Co.,  jobbers  in  New 
York.  Mr  .Todd  started  in  the  business  some  18  years 
ago.  31.  Rosenberg  cb  Son,  43  and  45  Fulton  street, 
established  in  1868,  erected  their  present  fine  building 
in  1878,  and  the  firm  name  was  changed  January, 
1882,  to  A.  Rosenberg;  they  employ  3  cutters  and 
25  hands,  and  have  an  annual  out-put  of  from  $75,000  to 
$100,000.  Adolph  Ketchum,  266  and  210  Fulton  street, 
manufactures  men's,  boys'  and  children's  clothing; 
they  were  established  at  No.  260,  in  1866,  employ  200 
hands,  and  sell  largely  at  wholesale;  Mr.  Ketchum 
is  an  Austrian,  and  came  to  the  United  States  in 
1856. 

Next  in  order  come  the  tailors,  those  large  houses 
which,  confining  themselves  exclusively  to  custom  work, 
are  yet  doing  a  comparatively  large  business,  exclusively 
in  supplying  suits  made  to  measure.  Most  of  these  men 
are  dealers  also,  keeping  on  hand  an  assortment  of 
choice  goods  for  the  use  and  wear  of  their  customers, 
which  they  make  up  themselves;  in  other  words,  they 
are  "merchant  tailors."  We  have  seen  that  Smith, 
Gray  &  Co.,  like  some  other  of  the  large  clothing 
houses,  keep  up  a  large  custom  department,  and  do  a 
fine  business  with  customers  of  the  best  class.  A  large 
house  like  this  has  a  manifest  advantage  over  the  small 
"merchant"  tailors,  in  being  able  to  obtain  a  greater 
variety  of  suit  goods,  and  at  much  lower  prices.  It 
was  formerly  said  of  Brooks  Brothers,  and  some  of  the 
other  manufacturers  of  very  fine  clothing,  that  their 
goods  were  of  such  excellent  quality,  and  so  admirably 
made,  that  many  of  the  "  merchant  tailors,"  who  had 
rich  Southern  customers,  would  take  their  orders  for 
complete  suits,  to  be  delivered  the  next  day;  allow  them 
to  select  their  cloths,  take  their  measure,  and  then  go  to 
these  great  houses,  match  the   £oods,  applying  their 


measures  and  buy  the  goods  ready  made,  and  send 
them  with  the  bill,  on  which  a  very  large  profit  was 
made,  to  the  customer  at  the  time  appointed.  The  cus- 
tomers of  our  Brooklyn  tailors  would  hardly  be  satis- 
fied with  such  an  arrangement;  and  though  it  might 
sometimes  prove  successful,  the  risk  would  be  very 
great. 

We  think  James  B.  Healy,  of  205  Montague  street, 
is  probably  entitled  to  the  leading  place  among  our 
"  merchant  tailors."  He  has  been  in  business  for  20 
years,  has  a  large  store  and  stock,  uid  keeps  35  tailors 
employed  constantly  in  custom  work.  His  out-put  is 
very  large,  though  we  cannot  give  the  exact  figures. 
Godfrey  Rossberg,  of  282  and  284  Fulton  street;  D. 
Pgzer,  of  385  Myrtle  avenue;  and  Robert  Rajihael,  of 
404  Fulton  street,  probably  follow;  while  James  Porter, 
of  288  Fulton  street;  William  Strauss  (&  Co.,  431  Grand 
street;  Wstiu  ib  Kreinbrink,  of  141  Flatbush  avenue; 
William  Voss,  32  Myrtle  avenue;  J.  V.  Duberitell,  of 
333  and  335  Fulton  avenue;  R.  tfc  J.  Donahue,  of  331 
Washington  street;  1>.  E.  Johnston,  of  36  Fifth  avenue; 
//  P.  Hansen,  of  00  Bond  street;  and  Friedrieh  Kron, 
of  744  Fulton,  are  all  doing  a  large  custom  business. 
Many  of  the  tailor  shops  connected  with  the  cheap 
clothing  trade  also  do  a  large  amount  of  business,  the 
greater  part  of  which  is  in  the  hands  of  Germans  and 
Hebrews.  We  are  unable  to  give  any  estimate  of  the 
amount  of  this  business. 

The  remainder  of  the  business  of  making  and  repair- 
ing men's  clothing  is  conducted  in  small  tailors'  shops, 
where  the  tailor  does  his  work  himself,  with  usually 
one  or  two  women,  or,  possibly,  a  single  male  appren- 
tice or  journeyman  to  assist  him.  Most  of  these  estab- 
lishments do  not  turn  out  more  than  $2,000  or  $2,500 
worth  of  work  in  a  year,  and  many  even  less  than 
$2,000.  It  is  very  difficult  to  make  anything  like  a  cor- 
rect estimate  of  the  number  of  hands  actually  employed, 
or  the  amount  of  goods  produced  by  the  manufacturers 
of  men's  clothing.  We  have  seen  that  one  house  em- 
ploys nearly  three  times  as  many  hands  as  the  census 
allows  to  the  whole  328;  and,  inferentially,  that  its 
annual  product  is  greater  than  that  of  the  whole  amount 
reported  by  the  census.  From  as  careful  a  review  as 
it  is  possible  to  make  of  this  great  business,  we  should 
place  the  number  of  employees  at  about  5,000,  and  the 
annual  produc  t  at  about  $7,300,000.  We  are  sure  that 
this  is  rather  below  than  above  the  mark. 

SuBSEcrioN  L —  H 'omen's  Clothing. 

We  come  next  to  the  consideration  of  the  manufac- 
ture of  Women's  Clothing.  While  this  branch  of  the 
clothing  manufacture  has  been  greatly  extended  and  in- 
creased since  1880,  the  census  statistics  are  not  quite  as 
hopelessly  wrong  as  in  men's  clothing.  The  census 
officers  report  25  establishments,  with  $157,425  capital. 
615  hands,  $180,4so  wages,  $300,223  material,  $71 1,249 
Annual  prod  not. 


I 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


791 


All,  or  nearly  all,  of  our  large  dry  goods  firms  are 
engage  \  very  extensively  in  the  production  of  these 
goods;  Messrs.  Wechsler  cb  Abraham,  who  lead  in  the 
business,  employing  300  or  more  hands,  and  turning 
out  every  year  more  than  $300,000  of  these  goods.  F. 
W.  Diet,  of  Boerum  street,  E.  D.,  manufactures 
women's  rnd  children's  wear,  employing  45  hands,  and 
doing  an  annual  business  of  nearly  $60,000.  he  was 
recently  burned  out,  but  is  commencing  again.  F. 
Loeser  Co.;  Journeag  &  Burnham;  J.  O'Brien; 
Wechsl  r  &  Bro.,  T.  K.  Horton,  S.  B.  Jones,  C.  31. 
West,  1.  D.  Matthews  &  Son,  F.  P.  Sargent,  and  others 
in  thr  Western  District,  and  five  or  six  firms  in  the 
East  rn  District,  are  also  largely  engaged  in  the  pro- 
du  tion  of  these  goods.  There  are  also  many  firms 
-nnich  make  this  their  sole  business;  and  when  we  add 
to  these  the  dressmakers  and  cloak  and  suit  makers  who 
have  shops  and  stores,  or  employ  help  at  their  own 
homes  in  the  manufacture  of  these  goods,  we  shall  find 
the  number  of  establishments  largely  increased.  Of 
the  559  dress  and  cloak  makers  in  Brooklyn,  not  less 
than  one-fifth  (112)  "take  in  work,"  as  the  phrase  is; 
i.  e.,  make  the  goods  which  are  brought  to  them,  or 
which  they  furnish,  at  their  own  homes,  shops  or  stores; 
and  nearly  all  of  these  employ  some  assistants,  in  sev- 
eral instances,  within  our  knowledge,  from  10  to  20. 

The  range  of  this  business,  which  now  includes,  as 
the  "  men's  clothing"  does  not,  all  articles  of  femi- 
nine underwear,  as  well  as  dresses,  suits,  and  cloaks, 
has  caused  it  to  make  great  progress  from  year  to 
year.  Before  the  war  it  was  impossible  to  purchase  a 
bride's  complete  trousseau  from  any  manufacturer.  A 
few  articles  might  be  picked  up  imported  from 
European  or  Mexican  nunneries,  and  the  rest  was  made 
by  persons  specially  employed  for  that  purpose,  or  by 
the  bride  herself.  Now  it  would  be  hard  to  find  a 
bride,  of  whatever  station  in  life,  who  did  not  purchase 
every  article  needed  from  the  manufacturer  or  dealer. 
And  this  is  true  to  a  great  extent  also  of  dresses, 
cloaks  and  suits,  as  well  as  of  every  description  of 
lingerie,  not  only  for  women's  use,  but  for  the  cloth- 
ing of  infants  and  young  children. 

The  division  of  labor,  in  the  manufacture  of  these 
goods,  has  been  carried  to  a  great  extent.  Some 
houses  make  only  ladies'  collars  and  cuffs,  and  one  of 
our  Brooklyn  manufacturing  houses  (J.  C.  Roach  tfc 
Co.)  employ  100  hands  on  this  manufacture  alone. 
Six  or  eight  houses  manufacture  only  embroideries  and 
laces  for  the  trimming  of  ladies'  and  children's  cloth- 
ing, and  not  far  from  200  hands  are  employed  in  this 
work  only,  aside  from  all  the  imported  laces  and  Ham- 
burg edgings,  Coventry  rufflings,  and  the  similar  trim- 
mings made  elsewhere  and  sold  here.  Four  houses 
are  engaged  exclusively  in  plaiting,  fluting  and  other 
trimming  work,  done  by  machinery  on  these  goods. 

The  11,000,000  and  more  of  sewing  machines  sold 
every  year  in  this  country,  are  not  purchased  for  fam- 


ily use  to  any  great  extent,  but  for  manufacturing 
purposes,  directly  or  indirectly;  many  sewing  women 
purchasing  their  own  machines  to  do  work  for  the  man- 
ufacturers at  their  homes. 

We  conclude  then  that  the  number  of  establishments 
must  be  multiplied  by  five  at  least,  i.  e.,  that  there  are 
from  130  to  135  of  them.  The  number  of  hands  em- 
ployed cannot  be  less  than  1,800;  the  amount  of  wages 
paid  is  doubtful — not  less,  certainly,  than  $400,000,  and 
probably  considerably  more — and  the  total  production 
more  than  $2,100,000.  Of  this  product,  full  four- 
fifths  is  manufactured  by  not  over  16  large  houses,  and 
the  remainder,  probably,  by  the  smaller  establish- 
ments. 

Subsection  II. — Shirt*  and  Shirt  Fronts. 

The  census  statistics  of  shirt-making  are  as  follows: 
Establishments,  25;  capital,  $97,300;  hands,  304; 
wages  paid,  $105,723;  material  used,  $260,511;  annual 
product,  $439,060.  The  directory  for  1883  reports  45 
firms,  of  which,  however,  3  have  gone  out  of  business, 
3  others  have  their  factories  out  of  Kings  county,  and 
hence  are  not  manufacturers  here,  but  dealers;  13  are 
small  establishments  making  a  few  shirts,  or  night 
shirts,  to  eke  out  the  resources  of  thread  and  needle  or 
fancy  goods  stores,  and  cannot  fairly  be  reckoned  man- 
ufacturers. 

The  Keep  Manufacturing  Co.,  the  Harding  Manu- 
facturing Co.,  the  agents  of  the  "  Arcade"  and  the 
"  Monarch  "  shirts,  and  some  others,  do  no  manufac- 
turing here,  but  are  simply  dealers.  Most  of  the 
"  gentlemen's  furnishing  goods  "  stores  have  particular 
brands  of  shirts,  of  which  they  are  agents,  and  as 
these  are  put  up  with  their  labels  on  the  boxes,  they 
pass  for  Brooklyn  manufacturers,  when,  in  fact,  they 
are  not  manufacturers  at  all. 

Still  the  manufacture  of  shirts  and  shirt  fronts  is  a 
good  business  here,  both  in  the  wholesale  and  the  cus- 
toms trade.  It  is  not  as  extensive  as  the  factories  of 
New  York,  Philadelphia,  or  even  Baltimore,  Chicago 
or  Newark,  and  probably  Troy.  But  it  exceeds  in 
these  products  any  of  the  other  large  cities  of  the 
Union. 

The  shirts  manufactured  here  are  generally  of  very 
good  quality,  whether  made  for  the  wholesale  or  tiie 
custom  trade.  Tin  Sun  Manufacturing  Co.,  of  68 
Broadway,  E.  D.;  George  W.  Ault,  of  767  Fulton 
street;  H.  N.  Burclick  &  Co.,  of  45  South.  Fifth  street, 
E.  D.;  Gersim  &  Simons,  63  Atlantic  avenue;  J.  C. 
Duffee  &  Co.,  50  Fourth  street,  E.  D. ;  Robert  Smeaton, 
123  Atlantic  avenue;  James  Sample,  Jr.,  145  Fulton 
street;  Henry  Siedenbrrg,  454  Fulton  street;  Milton 
E.  Smith,  393  Fulton  street;  Thomas  Bros.,  517  Ful- 
ton street,  and  J.  A.  Johnson,  352  Fulton  street,  are  the 
principal  manufacturers  for  wholesale  trade.  Some  of 
these  undoubtedly  take  orders  from  dealers  in  furnish- 
ing goods,  to  make  up  custom  goods  for  them,  which 


HISTOH Y  OF  KIXGS  COUNTY. 


will  be  sold  in  the  name  of  the  dealer;  but  most  of 
their  work  is  for  the  jobbing  houses.  Most  of  the 
large  dry  goods  houses  deal  in  shirts,  but  with  one  or 
two  exceptions,  they  are  not  made  here. 

The  manufacturers  who  make  up  shirts  only  for 
their  own  customers,  and  who  sell  their  goods  to  the 
wearers,  and  not  to  dealers,  are  not  so  many;  the  lead- 
ing house  in  this  business  is  that  of  Ithamar  Dubois, 
of  328  Fulton  street,  whose  portrait  and  biography  we 
are  glad  to  present  to  our  readers  as  that  of  an  es- 
timable, enterprising,  honest  and  high-minded  manu- 
facturer. He  has  been  engaged  in  his  present  busi- 
ness since  1801.  There  are  no  shirt  manufacturers  in 
this  country  whose  good*  have  a  better  reputation  for 
excellence  of  quality  or  perfection  of  fit  than  those  of 
Ithamar  Dubois,  and  those  who  deal  with  him  once 
are  sure  to  do  so  again.  Mr.  Dubois  employs  a  large 
force  in  the  manufacture  of  his  goods,  and  his  annual 
product  is  said  to  be  larger  than  that  of  any  other 
custom  manufacturer,  either  in  Brooklyn  or  New  York. 


Ithamar  Dc  Bois,  well  and  widely  known  as  manufacturer 
of  and  dealer  in  gentlemen's  fine  shirts  and  furnishing  goods, 
at  No  328  Fulton  street,  Brooklyn,  is  of  French  Huguenot 
extraction,  and  successive  generations  of  his  family  have 
lived  in  America  during  the  past  two  hundred  years.  Three 
brothers  of  the  family  were  the  emigrants,  and  their  descend- 
ants are  now  numerous  throughout  the  Union,  and  especially 
so  on  Long  Island,  up  the  Hudson  river  and  in  New  Jersey. 
Mr.  Du  Bois's  father,  the  Rev.  A.  C.  Du  Bois,  was  formerly 
well  known  in  western  New  York,  where  he  was  instrumental 
in  planting  and  building  up  Presbyterian  churches,  which 
yet  remain  as  monuments  to  his  zeal  in  the  Christian  cause, 
and  is  now  living  at  an  advanced  age  in  California,  where 
one  of  his  sons  is  a  distinguished  physician,  and  another  is 
in  tbe  United  States  government  employ.  His  mother,  who 
was  Mehitabel  Sumner,  a  native  of  North  Adams,  Mass., 
died  in  1875. 

Mr.  Du  Bois  was  born  in  Allegany  county,  N.  Y.,  where 
bis  father  was  then  laboring  in  the  ministry,  in  1830.  In 
1844,  the  family  removed  to  the  Western  Reserve,  in  Ohio, 
following  westward  the  course  of  the  Star  of  Empire.  The 
youth  was  a  student  in  such  public  schools  as  that  section  of 
the  country  then  afforded,  and  later  at  the  old  Milan  academy 
at  Milan,  Ohio.  At  the  age  of  seventeen  he  became  a  school 
teacher,  an  avocation  in  which  he  was  remarkably  success- 
ful, instructing  many  scholars  niucb  older  than  himself. 
Tbree  years  he  was  thus  employed,  and  that  they  were  three 
years  of  mental  discipline  and  advancement  is  evidenced  by 
the  fact  that  during  the  third  year  he  was  principal  of  a 
union  scliool  at  Tiffin,  Ohio.  Relinquishing  the  text-book 
and  the  ferrule,  Mr.  Du  Bois  embarked  in  the  book  and  sta- 
tionery trade  at  Plymouth,  Ohio,  in  1850,  in  which  he  con- 
tinued until  1857,  when  he  d imposed  of  his  business  and  re- 
moved to  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  to  become  manager  of  the  store 
of  ( 'barl'-H  II.  Liti  !<•,  a  dealer  in  paints  and  artists'  supplies, 
on  Atlantic  streat,  a  poiition  which  he  held  until  his  func- 
tions were  assumed  by  a  gentleman  who  bought  an  interest 
in  lb  ■  hiniiiff,i  '»f  Mr.  Little,  abjut  the  time  of  the  outbreak 
of  the  IteMlion. 

In  partnership  with  Mr.  N.  L.  Huntington,  Mr.  Du  Bois 
established  a  factory  and  store  on  Fulton  street,  within  two 
doors  of  his  present  location,  for  the  manufacture  and  sale 


of  fine  shirts  and  furnishing  goods.  It  may  be  interesting  to 
note  that  these  gentlemen  were  the  pioneers  in  their  line  in 
Brooklyn,  there  having  been  previous  to  that  time,  no  stores 
in  the  city  where  such  goods  were  handled,  and  a  market 
for  them  having  yet  to  be,  in  a  great  measure,  created.  In 
January,  18(i(i,  Mr.  Huntington  withdrew  from  the  business, 
and  since  that  time  Mr.  Du  Bois  has  been  proprietor.  Under 
the  latter's  management  it  was  more  than  doubled  during 
the  three  years  succeeding  the  former's  retirement,  and  it 
has  been  gradually  augmented  to  its  present  proportions  as 
the  leading  enterprise  of  its  class  in  the  city,  the  sign  of  the 
gold  shirt  having  become  familiar  to  Brooklyuites  as  one  of 
the  landmarks  on  Fulton  street.  Mr.  Du  Bois's  specialty  is 
fine  custom  shirts,  in  which  department  he  lias  no  superior, 
either  in  New  York  or  Brooklyn.  His  store  is  the  centre  of 
a  large  local  trade,  his  customers  living  on  either  side  of  the 
East  river,  and  he  supplies  many  regular  purchasers  through- 
out the  Union,  especially  in  New  York  and  Pennsylvania. 

Mr.  Du  Bois  has  long  been  identified  with  the  Presby- 
terian church,  under  the  influences  of  which  he  was  born 
and  reared,  and  very  prominent  in  all  measures  calculated 
to  advance  the  general  interests  of  that  denomination,  as 
well  as  of  those  of  congregations  of  which  he  has  from  time 
to  time  been  a  member,  as  an  instance  of  which  may  be 
mentioned  the  fact  that  he  was  prominently  connected  with 
the  Memorial  Presbyterian  church  of  this  city  since  its  or- 
ganization, having  for  many  years  served  as  one  of  its  ruling 
elders.  His  earnest  devotion  to  this  church  has  been  fur- 
ther proven  by  the  fact  that  he  has  materially  contributed 
to  its  establishment  and  growth,  and  his  prominence  in  con- 
nection with  its  Sunday  school  and  mission  work,  and  his 
performance  of  the  duties  of  its  organist  and  music  al  con- 
ductor, until  recently,  during  a  period  of  eleven  years.  He 
is  president  of  the  Bryant  Literary  Society,  and  all  measures 
toward  public  enlightenment  and  the  dissemination  of  gen- 
eral knowledge  have  a  staunch  supporter  in  him. 

The  political  history  of  Mr.  Du  Bois,  has  been  one  un- 
marked by  any  changes  of  party  affiliations.  He  was  one 
of  the  pioneer  Republicans,  and  he  points  with  pride  to  the 
fact  that  his  first  vote  cast  in  a  presidential  election  was  for 
John  P.  Hale,  and  his  second  for  John  C.  Fremont,  and 
that  he  has  voted  for  each  successive  Republican  candidate 
for  the  presidency,  including  the  last.  While  taking  an  earn- 
est and  intelligent  interest  in  public  affairs,  lie  is  not,  and 
has  never  been,  an  active  politician. 

In  1852,  Mr.  Du  Bois  married  Miss  Adaline  P.  Brink,  of 
Plymouth,  Ohio,  and  has  a  sou  and  three  daughters.  The 
son,  Mr.  William  S.  Du  Bois,  was  for  several  years  in  busi- 
ness with  his  father,  but  latterly  has  resided  in  California, 
where  he  is  interested  in  the  manufacture  of  plows  and 
wagons.  Viola  C,  Mr.  Du  Bois's  eldest  daughter,  is  the 
wife  of  J.  Freeman  Atwood,  M.  D.,  of  Brooklyn.  Lillian 
Alice,  and  L'dith  Louise,  his  younger  daughters,  reside  at  his 
home,  adding  to  the  peace  and  comfort  of  his  declining 
years. 

Other  custom  manufacturers  of  good  reputation  are: 
Ira  Pereyo,  629  Atlantic  avenue;  Henry  Smtaton,  of 
114  Atlantic  avenue;  William  P.Johnston,  307  Fulton 
street;  Wtdttr  A.Phelan,  103  Broad  way,  E.  I). ;  and  If /try 
Jarvis,  168  Fourth  street,  E.  D.,  etc.,  etc.  As  nearly  as 
we  can  ascerl  ain,  t  he  present  condit  ion  of  the  shirt  manu- 
facture in  Kings  county  is  about  as  follows:  Establish- 
ments, 30;  wholesale,  '22;  custom,  8;  number  of  hands, 
about  450;  wages  paid,  $160,000;  total  out-put,  $320,000. 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


703 


The  grand  total  of  the  clothing  and  shirt  manufac- 
ture is,  then,  about  7,850  hands,  and  very  nearly  $10,- 
000,000  of  annual  production. 

SECTION  XXXII. 
Measuring  Tapes  and  other  Instruments  of 
Precision. 

The  first  thought  of  the  reader  of  this  work  will 
probably  be,  "  Measuring  Tapes  !  What  a  small  and 
trifling  article  to  make  a  special  section  of,  in  an  account 
of  the  manufactures  of  Kings  county."  But  the  reader 
would  be  wrong,  for  measuring  tapes,  and  the  other  in- 
struments of  precision  belonging  to  this  manufacture, 
are  really  articles  of  great  importance  and  extensive 
use,  requiring  a  large  manufactory  and  the  use  of  a 
very  considerable  capital  for  their  production. 

Mr.  George  M.  Eddy,  whose  portrait  and  biography 
appear  in  connection  with  this  article,  is  the  only  manu- 
facturer of  these  goods  in  Kings  county,  and,  perhaps, 
the  only  manufacturer  of  them  on  a  large  scale  in  the 
United  States. 

As  his  biography  states,  he  came  to  New  York,  from 
Massachusetts,  in  1845,  and  commenced  this  manufac- 
ture under  circumstances  of  great  difficulty.  He  had 
no  acquaintance,  and  very  little  capital,  and  but  scanty 
knowledge  of  the  business  which  he  had  undertaken. 
The  instruments  of  measurement,  which  had  been  de- 
rived from  Great  Britain,  were  many  of  them  inaccu- 
rate; and  these,  such  as  they  were,  were  mostly  imported; 
skilled  mechanics,  such  as  were  required  for  this  work, 
were  few  in  number,  and  not  easily  induced  to  enter 
into  the  employ  of  a  new  beginner  in  a  new  enterprise. 
Then,  also  of  the  materials  to  be  used,  the  tape  had  to 
be  specially  woven  for  the  purpose,  the  leather  prepared 
especially  for  this  use;  and  the  services  of  the  brass 
founder  and  finisher,  of  the  metal  spinner,  the  saddler 
and  leather  stitcher,  the  painter,  and  above  all  the 
printer,  must  be  called  into  requisition  to  produce  the 
goods.  Special  machinery  of  new  designs  was  required 
and  built  for  some  of  the  processes  of  the  manufacture; 
of  these  machines,  the  continuous  cylinder  printing  ma- 
chine, which  now  prints  the  tapes  in  continuous  lengths 
of  400  feet  per  minute,  was  the  most  important  and 
valuable. 

The  first  of  these  printing  machines  was  constructed 
in  the  shops  of  the  Messrs.  Hoe  &  Co.,  and  the  principle 
involved  in  it  was  subsequently  developed  into  the 
great  cylinder  printing  presses  of  that  famous  firm, 
which  throw  off  their  30,000  newspapers  per  hour. 

At  that  time  there  was  but  one  wholesale  hardware 
store,  Messrs.  Clark  &  Wilson,  of  Piatt  street,  New 
York  city,  through  which  the  American  manufacturer 
could  dispose  of  his  goods;  the  other  houses  dealing 
exclusively  in  imported  and  mostly  English  hardware, 
which  they  claimed  was  very  far  superior  to  any  which 
could  be  made  here.  What  are  now  our  great  cities, 
were  mostly  provincial  towns,  an  1  the  markets  were 


GEO.  M.  EDDY  &  CO.'S  MANUFACTORY. 


limited.  There  were  comparatively  few  railroads,  and 
transportation  was  slow  and  difficult. 

But,  notwithstanding  all  these  difficulties,  Mr.  Eddy 
pressed  forward  resolutely,  determined  to  achieve  suc- 
cess. He  established  his  business  at  first  in  New  York 
city,  in  very  contracted  quarters,  but  in  1851  removed 
to  larger  premises,  at  45  Gold  street,  N.  Y.,  where,  for 
some  years  he  did  a  thriving  business.  The  panic  of 
1857,  and  the  commencement  of  war  in  1861,  reduced 
the  business  to  a  low  ebb.  In  1862,  it  was  removed 
to  Terry ville,  Conn.,  and  in  1865  to  Brooklyn,  and  the 
next  year  to  its  present  spacious  location,  345  to  353 
Classon  avenue,  built  expressly  for  its  purpose,  which 
occupies,  with  the  dwelling-houses  of  the  proprietor  and 
his  sons,  eight  full  city  lots  of  25  by  100  feet,  or 
20,000  square  feet. 

In  this  large  establishment  are  manufactured  every 
variety  of  measures  for  which  there  is  a  demand,  from 
the  one-foot  pocket  spring  tape  to  the  500-feet  steel 
tape.  The  pocket  spring  tapes  are  of  many  varieties, 
styles  and  designs.  There  are  also  measures  specially 
adapted  to  the  use  of  tailors,  shoe-makers,  dress-makers, 
etc.,  etc.,  as  well  as  those  adapted  to  the  use  of  survey- 
ors, engineers,  iron-workers,  bridge-builders,  farmers, 
plumbers,  carpenters,  and  mechanics  generally. 

There  is  a  large  and  increasing  demand  for  steel 
tapes  for  accurate  measurement.  A  woven  tape,  how- 
ever carefully  made  and  protected,  is  liable  to  many 
variations;  but  a  steel  tape,  if  carefully  graduated,  is 
subject  only  to  variations  of  temperature  which  are 
easily  adjusted.  These  steel  tapes  have  become  indis- 
pensable to  the  surv  eyor,  engineeer,  architect,  dock  and 
bridge  builders,  iron  and  pipe  manufacturers,  etc.,  etc. 


704 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


The  business  has  grown  and  increased  with  the 
growth  and  prosperity  of  the  country,  until  the  goods 
made  by  George  M.  Eddy  &  Co.  are  widely  and  favor- 
ably known  in  our  own  and  foreign  lands. 

During  the  nearly  forty  years  of  his  business  life  in 
New  York,  Brooklyn  and  Terryville,  Mr.  Eddy  has 
had  several  different  associates  in  business,  the  firms 
having  been  suecessh  ely,  G.  M.  &T.W.  Eddy,  from  1846 
to  1851;  Eddy  &  Wells,  1851-1854;  Eddy  &  Hinchman, 
1854-1858;  Eddy  &  Wellington,  1858-1861;  1862-1865, 
the  Eddy  Manufacturing  Company,  at  Terryville,  Ct., 
Bfessra.  Ives  «fe  Upson  being  the  partners;  from  1865  to 
1870,  Geo.  M.  Eddy  alone;  his  brother,  W.  P.Eddy, 
became  a  partner  in  1870;  and  the  firm  now  consists  of 
the  two  brothers,  G.  M.  &  W.  P.,  and  Messrs.  John  G. 
Jk  W.  HL  Eddy,  sons  of  Geo.  M.  Eddy.  The  firm  have 
a  capital  of  $  100,000;  employ  50  hands;  pay  out  an- 
nually about  $25,000  wages,  and  their  average  annual 
product  is  about  $80,000. 

Geo.  M.  Eddy  was  born  in  the  town  of  Dudley,  Worcester 
county,  Mass.,  October  4th,  1818.  He  was  the  son  of  John 
Eddy,  Jr.,  a  native  and  life-long  resident  of  that  town  ;  and 
was  the  eldest  of  eight  children;  all  of  whom  lived  to  ma- 
turity. 

His  father  was  a  farmer  and  a  man  of  much  prominence 
in  town,  county  and  state  affairs,  holding  office  more  than 
fifty  years,  as  colonel  of  militia,  representative  to  the  Legis- 
lature for  years,  justice  of  the  peace,  chairman  of  the  board 
of  selectmen  of  the  town  ;  of  the  board  of  trustees  of  Nichols 
Academy;  and  of  the  board  of  assessors. 

His  grandfather,  a  native  of  Gloucester,  Rhode  bland, 
and  one  of  the  earliest  settlers  of  the  town,  was  a  man  of 
enterprise,  who,  from  a  wilderness,  turned  the  forest  into 
productive  fields,  built  houses,  barns  and  mills;  planted  or- 
chards and  mulberry  trees,  and  was  the  first  to  introduce 
the  culture  of  silk  worms  and  the  production  of  silk  in  that 
section  of  country.  During  the  first  invasion  of  Rhode  Island 
by  the  British,  in  1776,  he  raised  a  company  of  100  men  for 
the  defence  of  Newport. 

He  married  Deborah  Winsor,  daughter  of  .John  Winsor.  a 
distinguished  Baptist  clergyman,  whose  grandmother  was 
the  youngest  daughter  of  Roger  Williams,  the  founder  of 
Rhode  Island,  and  whose  grandfather  was  one  of  the  twenty 
associate.-,  of  Roger  William--  in  the  purchase  of  Providence 
from  the  native  Indians. 

The  Eddy  family  are  of  Saxon  origin,  and  trace  their 
genealogy  to  John  and  Samuel  Eddy,  who  came  from  Eng- 
land in  the  ship  Handmaid,  and  arrived  at  Plymouth. 
Mass.,  Octol)er  29th,  1630;  an  account  of  the  voyage  being 
given  in  Winthrop's  History  of  New  England.  They  were 
the  sons  of  William  Eddie,  the  curate  of  the  church  of 
Saint  Dunstan,  Cranbrook,  county  of  Kent,  England,  from 
1591  to  1616.  Samuel  was  one  of  the  original  purchasers  of 
Middlctmro.  Mass..  where  some  of  his  descendants  stdl  reside. 

Jonathan  Eddy.  hi>  grandson,  held  a  military  commission 
under  the  Governor  of  Massachusetts,  raised  men.  and  served 
in  the  French  war  in  Canada,  and  afterwards  resided  in 
Nova  Scotia,  until  the  breaking  out  ot  the  Revolution,  when 
h."  joined  the  \  merican  arm  v  at  Cambridge,  March  27.  1776 
(see  Washington's  letter  to  Congress  of  that  date).  He  held 
;i  •  xumissioii  a--  colonel,  and  commanded  at  the  battle  of 
Mae  him,  Province  of  Maine.    Massachusetts  granted  him 


lands  on  the  Penobscot  river  after  the  war — township  No.  10, 
afterwards  named  Eddington—  in  recognition  of  his  military 
services.  In  1800,  Congress  granted  him  1,280  acres  of  land 
in  the  Chillicothe  district,  Ohio,  for  distinguished  military 

service. 

John  Eddy.  Jr..  the  father  of  George  M,  married  Nancy 
Merritt,  a  descendant  from  Henry  Merritt,  one  of  the  first 
settlers  of  Scituate,  Mass.,  as  early  as  1626.  Savages  N.  E. 
Genealogical  Dictionary  says:  "  Henry  Merritt  lived  in  Sci- 
tuate, where  his  wife  joined  the  church  in  April,  1637.  He 
died  the  last  of  March,  1653." 

Thus,  on  both  the  paternal  and  maternal  side,  he  traces  his 
ancestory  to  the  earliest  settlers  of  Massachusetts  and  Rhode 
Island.    John  Eddy,  Jr.,  died  in  December,  1867. 

Geo.  M.  Eddy  received  the  rudiments  of  education  at  the 
district  school  and  afterwards  at  Nichols  Academy  in  his 
native  town.  He  was  an  apt  scholar,  foremost  in  his  classes, 
and  received  the  commendation  of  his  instructors.  While  at 
the  Academy,  he  walked  daily  three  miles  to  and  from  his 
father's  residence.  He  early  developed  a  taste  for  mathema- 
tics and  mechanics;  and  in  his  boyhood,  all  the  leisure  time 
spared  from  his  books  and  studies  was  spent  in  his  father's 
workshop,  constructing  various  mechanical  devices,  among 
which  was  a  complete  water-mill,  which  was  placed  in  a 
neighboring  brook,  for  the  amusement  of  the  l>oys  of  the 
neighborhood.  Although  he  never  learned  any  mechanical 
trade,  this  experience  gave  him  a  knowledge  of  the  use  of 
tools,  which,  as  Benjamin  Franklin  wrote  of  himself,  has  been 
of  service  to  him  throughout  his  business  career,  and  a 
stimulus  to  invention  and  construction  of  machines,  useful 
in  his  business. 

In  1834,  at  the  age  of  16,  he  entered  the  store  and  post 
office  of  the  Hon.  William  Hancock,  in  his  native  town,  as 
clerk,  where  he  remained  for  three  years.  The  contrast  be- 
tween the  postal  facilities  in  those  days  and  at  present,  is  re- 
markable. There  were  then  four  rates  of  postage,  based  on 
the  old  Spanish,  silver  currency,  from  6J  to  25  cents,  according 
to  distance,  and  while  a  letter  is  now  sent  throughout  the 
United  States  for  two  cents,  the  postage  was  then  25  cents  for 
more  than  500  miles.  The  mails  were  conveyed  in  post 
coaches  and  the  through  mail,  from  New  York  to  Boston  by 
way  of  Hartford,  was  carried  through  the  tow  n.  The  hour 
of  arrival  of  the  southern  mail  was  three  o'clock  in  the  morn- 
ing, and  it  became  a  part  of  his  duty  to  be  up,  and  receive 
and  assort  the  mail,  which,  in  the  winter,  was  a  cold  task, 
while  the  driver  of  the  coach  sat  shivering  on  his  box.  and 
the  impatient  passengers  were  scolding  at  the  delay,  inside. 
The  President's  message,  at  the  opening  of  Congress  in  1836, 
was  carried  through  the  town  by  express  riders  on  horseback 
and  the  town's  people  assembled  at  the  post  office  to  see  then 
pass.  For  two  winters  he  had  exclusive  charge  of  the  post  office, 
Mr.  Hancock  being  a  member  of  the  Legislature  at  Boston. 

In  1837,  he  went  to  the  adjoining  town  of  Thompson, 
Conn.,  where  he  remained  but  a  few  months  before  he  was 
prostrated  by  a  fever,  taken  home,  and  for  a  time  given  up 
as  past  hope,  but  finally  recovered. 

During  the  next  year  and  a  half,  be  taught  school  in  the 
neighboring  towns,  and,  in  1839.  entered  the  employment  of 
Samuel  Slater  &  Sons,  extensive  manufacturers  of  cottonand 
woollen  goods,  in  the  neighboring  town  of  Webster,  as  book- 
keej>er. 

In  1840,  he  made  his  first  journey,  visiting  New  York  city, 
thence  to  Albany,  and  by  stage  through  the  state,  visiting  the 
principal  towns  to  ButTalo.  then  the  largest  city  west  of 
New  York,  returning  home  by  way  of  the  Erie  Canal, 
travelling  the  whole  length  of  it  in  a  line  boat,  occupying  a 
whole  week  from  Buffalo  to  Albany,  a  leisurely  and  delight- 


THE  MA  ISfXTFA  (JTTJRTNG  INDUSTRIES. 


ful  way  of  travelling.    Returning  home,  he  engaged  in  can-  I  made  a  powerful  impression  never  to  be  forgotten  by  those 

vassing  for  various  publications,  and  afterwards  was  em-  who  heard  him. 

ployed  by  a  publishing  house  in  Boston,  as  canvasser  and  '  Returning  to  New  York  in  the  fall  of  1844,  he  engaged  as 

collector,  travelling  throughout  the  New  England  states  for  a  traveler  and  canvasser  for  the  then  celebrated  publisher  of 

three  years  in  that  capacity.  fashions,  Genio  C.  Scott.    In  that  capacity  he  was  engaged 

In  the  spring  of  1844,  he  came  to  New  York  and  engaged  for  a  year,  and  in  traveling  among  the  tailors,  his  attention 

to  travel  for  a  New  York  publisher;  went  to  Maryland,  was  called  to  the  want  of  correct  measures  (which  were  then 

Virginia,  and  western  Pennsylvania,  but  finding  the  business  all  imported),  and  the  question  occurred  to  him,  why  not 

unremunerative,  returned  to  Philadelphia.  make  them  in  this  country?  and  with  very  little  means  he 

There  from  the  6th  to  the  10th  of  May  he  witnessed  the  set  about  devising  and  constructing  machines  to  produce 

native  American  and  Irish  riots,  in  which  thirty  houses  and  them,  and  the  question  was  soon  answered  with  an  encour- 

three  churches  were  burned,  fourteen  persons  killed,  and  aging  affirmative. 

many  wounded.  The  veteran  General  Cadwalader  finally  I  From  that  small  beginning,  encountering  many  discour- 
took  command  of  the  military,  declared  the  city  under  mar-  agements  and  difficulties  during  the  earlier  years,  but  prose- 
tial  law,  dispersed  all  crowds,  established  a  patrol  of  all  the  cuted  with  determination  and  perseverance,  the  business  has 
principal  streets,  and  put  down  the  mob.  The  year  1844  was  grown  and  expanded  to  dimensions  undreamed  of  at  that 
one  of  great  political  excitement,  there  being  three  parties,  time,  until  every  kind  of  measure,  demanded  by  all  classes 
Whig,  Democratic,  and  Native  Americans.  In  June  of  that  and  occupations,  under  the  English  metre,  and  other  systems 
year  he  went  to  the  Whig  National  Convention  at  Baltimore,  of  the  countries  of  Europe,  is  made  by  the  firm  of  Geo.  M. 
which  nominated  Clay  and  Frelinghuysen  for  President  and  ;  Eddy  &  Co.  From  that  time  he  found  the  occupation  of  his 
Vice-President,  and  there  for  the  first  time  saw  Daniel  life,  and  it  bids  fair  to  be  that  of  his  successors  for  genera- 
Webster,  and  heard  him  make  a  speech  supporting  the  nom-  !  tions  to  come.  At  his  manufactory,  the  largest  variety  and 
ination,  although  he  was,  undoubtedly,  disappointed  and  probably  the  largest  quantity  of  measures  are  produced,  to 
chagrined  (as  he  expected  to  receive  the  nomination);  he  \  be  found  in  any  establishment  in  the  world,  with,  perhaps. 


706 


HIS  TO  RY  OF  KING S  CO  UNTY. 


one  exception.  For  a  description  of  the  business,  see  page 
793  of  this  history. 

In  December.  184.").  he  married  Mary  E.  Tenney,  of  New 
York,  who  has  borne  him  six  children,  three  of  whom  sur- 
vive, and  two  of  whom,  viz..  John  G.  and  Wm.  H.,  together 
with  his  brother.  Wm  P..  constitute  the  firm.  His  sons  re- 
ceived a  business  education  previously  to  entering  the  firm, 
and  are  favorably  known  in  social  and  military  circles  in 
Brooklyn,  and  hold  commissions  as  officers  of  the  47th  regi- 
ment. 

In  politics,  he  has  always  been  identified  with  the  Repub- 
lican party,  from  its  formation,  but  has  never  been  active  as 
a  politician,  nor  aspired  to  or  held  political  office.  In  re- 
ligion, he  has  always  been  an  attendant  at  the  Presbyterian 
church,  although  not  a  member,  but  has  been  identified  with 
the  Classon  avenue  Presbyterian  church  (formerly  Dr. 
Duryea's),  from  its  establishment.  His  social  connections 
have  been  with  the  business  men  of  the  large  cities,  and  lie 
is  as  well  known  among  the  elder  merchants  of  Philadel- 
phia and  Boston,  as  among  those  of  New  York  and  Brooklyn. 

SECTION  XXXIII. 
Lumber— Packing  and  other  Wood  Boxes. 

"  Lumber  in  the  rough,"  as  sawed  boards,  slabs  and 
plank,  not  planed,  or  in  any  way  changed  from  its 
original  condition,  is  not  an  article  of  manufacture,  so 
far  as  Kings  county  is  concerned,  since  it  is  all  brought 
here  in  that  condition  from  Canada,  Michigan,  Maine, 
Minnesota  or  elsewhere.  The  men  who  only  sell  it  in 
this  condition,  are  lumber  (balers,  not  lumber  manufac- 
ture rs,  and  should  be  assigned  a  place  among  our  largest 
dealers  or  merchants. 

But  our  larger  lumber  dealers,  almost  without  ex- 
ception, have  saw  and  planing  mills  connected  with 
their  lumber  yards,  and  prepare  matched  and  planed 
boards,  and  tongued  and  grooved  plank,  mortised  tim- 
bers, doors,  mouldings,  and  other  wood-work,  ready  for 
the  carpenter's  use,  while  some  of  them  make  a  specialty 
of  wood  boxes  for  packing  and  other  purposes;  and 
others  work  up  the  hard  woods  into  various  forms.  It 
is  only  in  these  connections  that  we  can  here  regard 
lumber  as  a  manufacturing  industry,  though,  if  we  were 
writing  of  any  of  the  great  lumber  States,  we  must 
number  the  products  of  their  great  saw  mills  among 
the  manufactures  of  the  State, 

The  census  takes  the  same  view  of  this  subject  which 
we  have  done,  giving  these  two  items — aside  from 
"  sash,  doors  and  blinds,"  which  we  have  already  treated: 
"  Lumber,  planed.**  12  establishments,  £076,. r>00  capital, 
580  hands,  1230,827  wages,  $1,271,317  material— that 
is,  lumber;  $1,707,821  annual  product;  and  "Boxes, 
wooden,  packing,"  7  establishments,  $!t!»s,.*i00  capital, 
602  hands,  $243,812  wages,  $1,286,630  material,  and 
*  1 ,767,6 10  annual  product.  The  two  items,  it  will  be 
seen,  are  very  nearly  eipial,  and  together  amount  to 
$3,47">,4(J 1  of  annual  product. 

The  Directory  does  not  give  us  much  assistance  of 
value  in  regard  to  this  matter.  The  lumber  dealers, 
the  saw  and  planing  mills,  the  packing  box  makers,  and 
I  he  sash,  door  and  blind  manufacturers,  are  mingled 


in  hopeless  confusion.  Visits  to  many  of  the  leading 
lumber  establishments  have  cleared  op  some  of  the 
difficulties.  Of  the  lumber  dealers,  Charles  E.  Rogers 
ct'  Co.  are  the  largest  in  the  wholesale  trade,  and  Cross, 
Austin  tfc  Co.  the  largest  in  the  retail  trade.  Jacob  T. 
E.  Litchfield  <0  Co.,  Julian  Ross  <k  Co.,  Southard  dfc 
Co.,  Frederick  W.  Starr,  B>crsiic  Resstguie,  Hoisted 
Brothers,  etc.,  etc.,  are  also  very  large  lumber  dealers. 
Nearly  all  of  these  have  saw  and  planing  mills,  and 
manufacture  their  lumber,  in  part,  for  builders'  use. 
Some  of  them  have  moulding  mills,  sash,  door  and 
blind  factories,  or  hard  wood  trimmings  departments  in 
connection  with  their  lumber  yards.  Of  these,  we 
have  already  spoken,  under  "  Furniture."  There  are  also 
moulding  mills,  saw  and  planing  mills,  some  of  them 
with  hard  wood  trimmings  departments,  and  one  large 
box  maker,  who  are  dealers  in  lumber  to  a  considerable 
extent.  Among  these  may  be  named  John  S.  Loomis, 
White,  Potter  <&'  Paige  Manufacturing  Company, 
Goodwin,  Cross  db  Co.,  Charles  A.  Rogers  cfe  Co., 
Charles  EL  Reynolds,  H.  E.  Pickett,  Alexander  <&  Ellis, 
South  Brooklyn  Sato  JIM  Co.,  long  Islam/  Saw  and 
Planing  JIM  Co.,  and  Oscar  F.  Havoley.  The  last 
named,  while  he  is  the  largest  box  maker,  also  sells 
about  6,000,000  feet  of  lumber. 

Among  the  packing  box  makers,  Mr.  Oscar  F.  Haw- 
ley,  of  whose  large  establishment  we  give  a  view,  is  un- 
doubtedly chief,  and  his  works  are  probably  more  ex- 
tensive than  any  other  in  the  country. 

The  magnitude  of  Mr.  Hawley's  business  entitles  him 
to  a  somewhat  full  description.  The  Ilawley  family 
have  been  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  packing 
boxes  in  New  York  and  Brooklyn  for  about  forty-four 
years.  The  father  of  the  present  manufacturer,  O.  F. 
Ilawley,  Sr.,  was  by  trade  a  carpenter,  in  New  York, 
and  commenced  making  packing  boxes  as  a  part  of  his 
business  in  1840,  at  first  in  New  street,  and,  afterward, 
also  in  Gold  street,  New  York,  Messrs.  Foster  & 
Lowerre  being  his  partners  at  different  times  till  1861, 
In  1858,  they  had  removed  to  their  new  mill,  128 
Church  street,  corner  Thomas,  New  York,  five  storic  - 
high,  still  retaining  their  (iold  street  place,  but  selling 
that  in  New  street.  In  1861,  Mr.  Ilawley,  Sr.,  and  C. 
Corley  were  the  proprietors,  and  O.  F.  Ilawley,  Jr., 
was  in  the  employ  of  the  firm,  beginning  at  the  large 
wages  of  two  dollars  per  week.  He  remained  in  the 
factory  for  four  years,  passing  through  every  depart- 
ment and  working  at  every  machine  in  the  works,  till 
he  had  mastered  the  business  in  all  its  details;  and  then 
for  four  years  more,  had  charge  of  the  lumber  \  aid, 
which  the  firm  had  maintained,  since  1 84."),  on  Thirteen  I  li 
avenue,  corner  West  Twelfth  street,  New  York.  The] 
bought  what  is  known  as  the  "  product  of  the  log," 
and,  using  the  coarser  lumber  for  their  boxes,  sold  the 
better  grades  for  commercial  purposes. 

In  1  s To,  Mr.  O.  F.  Ilawley,  Jr.,  became  a  member  of 
thi'  firm,  which  then  consisted  of  ( ).  F.  Ilawley,  Sr., 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


797 


O.  F.  HAWXEY'S  MANUFACTORY. 


William  H.  Wright  and  O.  F.  Hawley,  Jr.  About 
this  time  there  began  to  be  some  falling  off  in  the  de- 
mand for  packing  boxes  from  the  dry  goods  jobbing 
houses,  many  of  the  jobbers  removing  to  the  West, 
and  the  goods  being  sent  to  them  in  the  original  pack- 
ages, and  distributed  by  them  from  Chicago,  St.  Louis, 
and  other  points,  in  packing  boxes  made  there.  But  a 
new  business  was  found  in  the  manufacture  of  petro- 
leum oil  cases  for  export.  These  cases  were  of  pecu- 
liar construction,  and  each  held  two  five-gallon  cans  of 
petroleum  oil.  The  demand  for  these  increased  so  fast 
that  in  1873  the  firm  of  O.  F.  Hawley  &  Co.  resolved 
to  move  their  box  factory  to  Brooklyn,  and  put  up 
machinery  for  manufacturing  these  goods.  Their  new 
location  was  on  Rodney,  Ross  and  Keap  streets,  and 
Kent  avenue  and  the  Wallabout  canal.  At  this  time 
they  were  manufacturing  over  3,000  boxes  a  day,  a  very 
decided  advance  from  the  50  boxes  a  day  with  which 
they  had  begun.  At  their  new  works  in  Brooklyn,  they 
had  made  provision  for  making  3,000  oil  boxes  and 
1,000  of  the  other  sizes  daily,  but  the  demand  for  the 
oil  boxes  increased  beyond  their  capacity  to  supply 
it,  and  a  new  firm  and  new  buildings  were  required 
to  extend  it.  The  new  firm  was  known  as  Hawley, 
Johnson  &  Wright,  and  consisted  of  O.  F.  Hawley,  Sr., 
a  special  partner,  and  his  sons,  O.  F.,  Jr.,  and  E.  C. ; 
Russell  Johnson  an  old  lumber  merchant,  and  William 
H.  Wright.  The  increase  in  the  oil  business  in  1877, 
had  brought  the  demand  for  oil  cases  up  to  8,000  a 
day,  and  about  3,000  other  packing  boxes  were  re- 
quired. The  firm  expired  by  its  own  limitation  in 
1877.  6.  F.  Hawley,  Sr.,  and  W.  H.  Wright  retired; 
Russell  Johnson,  and  E.  C.  Hawley,  as  R.  Johnson  & 


Co.  took  the  Brooklyn  business,  and  O.  F.  Hawley,  Jr. 
the  New  York  business,  at  40  Gold  street,  and  the 
lumber  yard  was  removed  to  Corlear's  Hook,  N.  Y.  On 
the  20th  of  August,  1879,  the  Brooklyn  mill  was  burned 
down,  and  on  the  23d  of  August,  O.  F.  Hawley,  Sr., 
died  very  suddenly,  aged  59  years. 

R.  Johnson  &  Co.  re-built  the  Brooklyn  mill,  and 
sold  out  their  interest  in  it  to  O.  F.  Hawley,  Jr., 
April  1,  1880,  who  has  since  conducted  the  business, 
both  in  New  York  and  Brooklyn  alone.  Both  mills 
have  been  thoroughly  overhauled,  and  new  and  com- 
plete labor-saving  machinery  put  in  throughout.  The 
oil  cases  are  made  almost  entirely  by  machinery;  the 
nailing  them  together  being  accomplished  entirely  by 
machines,  and  wire  nails  being  used  in  the  place  of  cut 
nails.  Three  machines  constitute  a  set  for  the  oil 
cases,  and  turn  out  the  boxes  complete.  Four  sets  are 
now  running  with  a  capacity  for  turning  out  18,000 
of  these  cases  in  a  day.  Boxes  for  other  purposes  are 
also  made  to  the  extent  of  2,500  to  3,000  daily,  and  there 
is  also  an  immense  business  done  in  "  shooks,"  that  is, 
boxes  ready  to  be  nailed  together,  but  packed  in  parts 
to  save  room  in  shipping.  These  are  sent  to  different 
parts  of  our  own  country,  and  all  over  the  globe. 

The  value  of  the  lumber  used  for  boxes  by  Mr. 
Hawley  is  $750,000  a  year;  and  they  sell  of  lumber,  not 
needed  for  this  purpose,  6,000,000  feet  per  year.  The 
trade  in  oil  cases  when  the  export  demand  is  active, 
amounts  to  over  one  million  dollars  a  year;  in  other 
boxes  and  shooks,  to  over  half  a  million.  He  prints  his 
own  labels,  trade  marks  and  circulars,  in  colors  or  plain 
as  required;  uses  $30,000  worth  of  nails  annually;  em- 
ploys two  hundred  men  and  boys  and  ten  or  fifteen 
clerks,  etc.,  in  his  offices;  pays  $140,000  annually  in 
salaries  and  wages,  and  has  a  working  capital  of  $250,- 
000.  The  manufacture  of  oil  cases  is  too  large  a  busi- 
ness to  be  done  by  one  firm,  and  several  of  the  great 
petroleum  refiners,  have  their  own  manufactories  for 
making  both  these  and  the  five-gallon  oil  cans  which 
are  packed  in  them.  In  a  busy  season  of  export,  the 
demand  from  the  Brooklyn  refineries  alone,  amounts  to 
between  50,000  and  60,000  cases  a  day;  one  house 
(Devoe  Mfg.  Co.)  using  from  25,000  to  30,000,  and 
another  (Charles  Pratt  &  Co.),  from  15,000  to  18,000. 
Both  these  houses,  we  believe,  make  most  of  their  own 
cases. 

Aside  from  these,  the  other  packing-box  makers  in 
Brooklyn  and  Kings  county  are:  Rogers  &.  Co.,  Bond 
and  Third  streets;  James  H.  Dykeman,  501  Union 
street;  A.  B.  Dobbs  <&  Co.,  128  Freeman;  Jeremiah 
Close,  350  S.  3d;  Edward  C.  Smith,  420  Oakland, 
Reeves  &  Church,  127  Greene,  with  an  office  also  in 
N.  Y.,  E.  II.  Barnes  &  Co.,  26  Court  street,  and  works 
also  at  Oswego,  N.  Y.  and  Zephaniah  Wood,  325  Ewen 
street.  The  total  number  of  hands  employed  in  box- 
making  considerably  exceeds  1,200,  and  the  total  out- 
put cannot  be  less  than  $5,000,000. 


798 


Suuseotiox  I. — Skip  Timber  and  Lumber. 

The  achievements  of  the  eminent  and  patriotic  ship- 
builder, surveyor  of  shipping,  and  civil  and  military  en- 
gineer, Mr.  James  D.  Leary,  whose  steel  portrait  graces 
the  opposite  page,  and  whose  biography  will  be  read 
with  deep  interest  by  all,  have  been  so  various,  and  all 
of  them  of  such  service  to  the  city,  to  commerce,  and 
to  the  nation,  that  we  have  been  at  a  loss  to  decide  in 
which  connection  he  would  be  most  fitly  placed.  He 
might  have  been  appropriately  honored  under  "Com- 
merce," to  which  his  services,  both  as  surveyor  for  the 
British  Lloyds,  and  as  the  builder  of  some  of  the 
staunchest  steamships  from  our  port,  and  very  many  of 
the  best  government  vessels,  fully  entitled  him;  his 
great  deeds  in  connection  with  naval  and  military  en- 
gineering would  have  given  him  a  place  with  the  most 
eminent  of  our  engineers;  he  might  have  taken  rank 
with  our  other  great  ship-builders,  for  he  is  the  peer  of 
the  most  eminent  of  them — and  if  we  have  elected  to 
place  him  as  a  dealer  in  and  a  manufacturer  of  ship 
timber  and  lumber,  it  is  only  because  we  could  place 
him  there  without  a  competitor,  for  the  honor  which  is 
due  to  hirfl.  His  extensive  yards,  at  North  Fourth  and 
First  streets,  are  stocked  with  the  best  timber  and  lum- 
ber for  ship-building  purposes  to  be  found  anywhere; 
and  those  who  have  bad  occasion  to  build  or  thoroughly 
repair  their  vessels,  have  always  found  that  his  ship- 
yard and  lumber  yard  could  furnish  the  best  lumber 
and  the  best  hands  for  the  work  required. 

Mr.  Leary  reports  that  he  commenced  his  present 
business  in  1867;  that  he  has  invested  in  it  a  capital  of 
$100,000;  employs  225  hands;  pays  about  $150,000  for 
wages;  and  has  an  annual  production  of  $450,000,  of 
which  the  sales  of  lumber  amount  to  $75,000  annually. 


James  D.  Leary. — There  is  not  in  Brooklyn  a  more  exten- 
sively or  more  favorably  known  citizen  than  James  D.  Leary; 
and  there  are  few  of  his  contemporaries,  an  account  of  whose 
lives  would  be  more  interesting  to  the  general  reader,  or 
more  encouraging  to  the  rising  generation,  as  showing  that 
perseverance,  unyielding  energy  and  undeviating  fidelity  to 
a  life  purpose,  together  with  personal  honor  and  commercial 
integrity,  will  ultimately  win  their  legitimate  rewards. 

A  son  of  Daniel  and  Catharine  (Stack)  Leary,  James  D. 
I>eary  was  born  in  Montreal,  Canada.  September  25th.  1837. 
He  attended  a  private  school  there  during  his  childhood  and 
boyhood.  In  1852,  he  came  to  Williamsburgh.  and  began  to 
serve  an  apprenticeship  of  four  years  at  the  trade  of  ship- 
builder with  his  uncle,  Thomas  Stack,  who  was,  lor  many 
years,  one  of  the  leading  ship-builders  of  the  city  of  Brook- 
lyn, as  now  bounded,  with  a  ship-yard  between  where  is  now 
the  foot  of  North  Fourth  street  and  tin;  foot  of  North  Sixth 
street.  At  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  apprenticeship,  dur- 
ing a  portion  of  which  he  attended  night  schools,  Mr.  Leary 
wa-  made  I. .reman  <>l  Ins  uncle's  ship-yard,  and  held  that 
position  until  l*l'pt'>.  when  he  established  a  ship-yard  at  the 
foot  of  North  Thirteenth  street. 

The  same  aptitude  for  his  chosen  work,  and  the  character- 
istic diligence  and  thoroughness  which  had  rendered  him  a 
very  valuable  assistant  in  his  uncle's  business,  insured  his 


success  when  he  embarked  in  the  same  line  of  enterprise  on 
his  own  account,  and  his  business  thrived,  even  beyond  his 
expectations.  In  1871,  he  removed  to  the  foot  of  North  Sixtli 
street,  and  occupied  the  former  ship-yard  of  Mr.  Stack,  who 
had.  a  few  years  previously,  withdrawn  from  business.  Here 
he  has  since  built  many  vessels  of  all  kinds,  and,  for  years, 
has  given  constant  employment  to  from  100  to  225  men.  In 
1876,  he  bought  the  lumber  yard  and  mill  formerly  owned  by 
the  Williamsburg  Mill  and  Lumber  Company,  and  has  since 
manufactured  lumber  very  extensively,  both  for  consump- 
tion at  his  ship-yard  and  for  the  general  market. 

The  excellence  and  durability  of  Mr.  Leary's  work,  and  the 
fidelity  and  promptness  with  which  he  fulfilled  all  contracts 
awarded  to  him,  many  years  ago  brought  him  to  the  attention 
of  those  who  looked  after  the  shipping  interests  of  the  United 
States  Government,  and  during  the  late  war  his  services 
were  secured  to  superintend  the  keeping  in  order  of  twenty- 
seven  steamers  in  the  United  States  service;  aud,  during  a 
portion  of  the  period  of  the  Civil  War,  he  was  Assistant 
Superintendent  of  Construction  of  the  United  States  Revenue 
Marine;  and  at  the  close  of  the  war  he  built  a  revenue  cutter 
at  Tonawauda,  N.  Y.,  for  use  on  the  upper  lakes. 

Even  while  yet  a  foreman  in  the  employ  of  Mr.  Stack,  his 
power  to  successfully  manage  heavy  contracts  had  been 
recognized  by  that  gentleman,  with  whom  he  was  a  silent 
partner  in  a  government  contract  of  considerable  import- 
ance, and  was  the  active  manager  of  the  building  of  between 
forty  and  fifty  vessels  thus  constructed.  If  any  further 
evidence  of  his  ability  to  perform  brilliant  achievements  as  a 
ship-builder,  or  of  his  right  to  take  rank  among  the  foremost 
ship-builders  of  the  United  States,  was  thereafter  necessary, 
it  was  forthcoming  in  the  signal  success  with  which  he  ful- 
filled the  important  contracts  above  referred  to.  That  his 
fame,  long  since,  reached  foreign  shores,  may  be  inferred  from 
the  fact  that  he  was  for  nine  years  the  only  surveyor  in  New 
York,  for  Lloyd's  Register  of  British  and  Foreign  Shipping, 
his  duties  being  to  keep  all  British  and  other  vessels,  classed 
in  Lloyd's,  up  to  the  standard  required  by  the  rules.  It  de- 
volved upon  him,  in  this  capacity,  to  visit  all  vessels  dam- 
aged, or  supposed  to  be  damaged;  to  see  all  necessary  repairs 
properly  made,  and  to  certify  to  all  bills  for  the  same.  A 
higher  compliment  than  was  paid  to  Mr.  Leary  for  honor  and 
integrity,  by  his  appointment  to,  and  long  continuance  in 
this  position,  can  scarcely  l>e  imagined  hy  one  who  has  an 
idea  of  the  inducements  to  dishonest}-  and  bad  faith  with  his 
employers,  which  are  made  to  its  incumbent,  from  time  to 
time,  by  vessel  owners,  to  whom  a  delay  for  repairs,  neces- 
sary when  the  lives  of  their  seamen  are  considered,  but  not  de- 
sirable to  themselves,  often  means  a  loss  of  thousands  of  dol- 
lars, beyond  the  actual  expense  incurred  in  putting  their  ves- 
sels in  condition,  and  by  unscrupulous  ship-builders,  who  are 
ever  ready  to  avail  themselves  of  the  surveyor's  favor  in 
attempts  to  obtain  more  than  an  equitable  price  for  services 
rendered. 

Mr.  Leary  has  also  been  awarded  many  extensive  contracts 
by  the  United  States  Government,  other  than  such  as  natur- 
ally belonged  to  his  regular  business;  and  he  has  built,  in 
various  places,  piers,  dikes  and  gun-pits,  besides  doing  con- 
siderable dredging;  he  has  also  constructed  all  of  the  gun- 
beds  in  use  for  heavy  ordnance,  in  all  of  the  United  States 
fortifications,  from  Maine  to  California  New  York  being 
the  great  purchasing  depot  of  supplies  for  the  United  States 

\rinv,   Mr    Leary,   Icr  successive  administrations,  from 

1868  to  1880.  held  the  contract  for  all  of  the  local  transporta- 
tion, incident  to  the  purchase  and  distribution  of  the  supplies 
to  the  various  military  posts  in  all  parts  of  the  Union,  em- 
ploy ing  many  men  and  teams.    From  |s?:i  to  1SM2,  he  was 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


790 


extensively  engaged  in  the  wholesale  and  retail  coal  trade  in 
New  York,  during  a  greater  part  of  the  time  supplying  all  of 
the  public  schools  and  station  houses,  and  all  of  the  govern- 
ment posts  and  fortifications  about  New  York,  and  several  in 
other  parts  of  the  United  States. 

Mr.  Leary  was  married  September  28th,  1859,  to  Mary  C, 
daughter  of  James  Fallon,  a  builder  and  dealer  in  brown 
stone  and  marble,  long  well  known  in  Brooklyn,  by  whom 
he  has  had  eight  sons  and  one  daughter,  four  of  whom  are 
living:  Daniel  J.,  aged  22  years;  Sylvester,  aged  16;  George, 
aged  14;  and  Marie  C,  aged  4.  Daniel  J.,  a  graduate  of  Co- 
lumbia College,  is  a  civil  and  mining  engineer,  and  is  now  in 
charge  of  the  engineering  and  contracting  department  of  his 
father's  business.  Sylvester  and  George  are  students  at  the 
Polytechnic  Institute.  Marie  C.  is  a  bright  Lttle  miss,  who 
christened  the  "  City  of  Gloucester,"  the  last  steamer  built  by 
her  father,  launched  May  22d.  1883.  Thorough  man  of  busi- 
ness as  he  is,  carefully  looking  after  even  the  details  of  his 
immense  enterprises;  wide  as  is  his  acquaintance  with  public 
men,  and  numerous  and  pressing  as  are  the  demands  for  his 
presence  abroad,  Mr.  Leary  finds  his  greatest  happiness  in 
his  home,  where,  in  the  companionship  of  wife  and  children, 
he  passes  the  hours  of  rest  which  follow  his  days  of  care 
Though  he  is  not  one  to  refer  boastfully  to  his  achievements, 
he  is  entitled  to  regard  them  with  pride.  Setting  out  on  the 
journey  of  life  as  an  humble  but  earnest  apprentice,  he  has — 
as  the  result  of  his  business  capacity,  his  perseverance  and 
the  honorable  policy  which  he  has  always  pursued  toward 
all  with  whom  his  numerous  enterprises  have  brought  him  in 
contact — attained  to  a  position  among  the  most  prominent 
men  of  the  Brooklyn  of  his  day  and  generation. 

We  think  we  are  fully  justified  in  estimating  the 
number  of  hands  employed  in  the  manufactures  of  this 
section  at  about  2,300,  and  the  total  annual  production 
at  more  than  $9,000,000. 


SECTION  XXXIV. 
Carriages,  Cars,  Wagons  and  Trucks. 

The  census  of  1880  gives  the  following  statistics 
concerning  these  industries:  Carriages  and  wagons — 
90  establishments;  $484,350  capital;  492  hands;  $289,- 
155  wages;  $328,425  material;  $829,492  annual  pro- 
duct. Cars,  railroad,  street  and  repairs — 7  establish- 
ments; $61,774  capital;  92  hands;  $65,329  wages; 
$59,266  material,  and  $137,055  product.  To  any  one 
acquainted  with  the  statistics  of  the  manufactures  of 
our  city  and  county,  these  figures  bear  on  their  face 
the  evidence  of  their  inaccuracy. 

The  directory  for  1883  numbers  110  of  all  classes, — 
carriage  builders,  wagon  and  truck  builders,  and  wheel- 
wrights; but  the  wheelwrights  are  for  the  most  part 
blacksmiths,  with  whom  the  ironing  of  wheels  is  an 
incident  of  their  work,  or  they  are  finishers  of  wheels, 
which  have  been  manufactured  in  the  rough  at  some 
hamlet  in  the  wooded  districts,  and  sent  here  to  be 
finished.  There  are  four  axle  and  spring  makers  in 
Brooklyn;  whether  they  make  the  patent  or  other  hubs 
also  we  are  not  certain,  but  they  have  a  better  claim  to 
the  title  of  wheelwrights  than  any  of  the  25  or  30 
who  claim  that  name. 


The  wagon  and  truck  makers  are  also,  many  of  them, 
originally  blacksmiths,  who  have  added  the  manufac- 
ture of  strong  and  heavy  wood-work  to  the  iron  por- 
tions of  the  trucks  and  heavy  wagons  which  they 
made  at  first.  Of  one  of  these  it  is  expressly  noted 
that  he  is  a  skillful  horse-shoer  ;  yet  he  has  adver- 
tised as  a  wagon  maker  for  17  years. 

A  few  of  these  manufacturers  do  make  very  good 
wagons  and  trucks,  and  their  grocery  wagons,  milk 
wagons  and  bread  carts,  are,  through  the  painters' 
skill,  made  very  attractive. 

Among  these,  Mr.  Joseph  F.  Clark,  whose  specialty 
is  grocers',  bakers'  and  other  business  wagons,  employs 
about  20  workmen,  and  has  an  establishment  covering  7 
or  8  city  lots,  in  Concord  street.  William  Conrady  makes 
trucks,  and  his  skill  as  a  blacksmith  enables  him  to 
produce  those  which  will  stand  heavy  wear;  he 
started  in  Ridgewood,  in  1867,  and  did  not  remove  to 
Brooklyn  till  1880;  his  place  is  in  Marion  street^  A. 
W.  Shadboldt  &  Son,  68  Flushing  avenue;  in  1853 
the  senior  member  of  the  firm  commenced  the  manufac- 
ture of  trucks  and  heavy  wagons  on  Norfolk 
street,  New  York  city.  He  began  on  a  small  scale, 
but  enlarged  bis  business  continually,  and  ten  years 
later  removed  to  Brooklyn,  locating  first  in  Concord 
street,  and  in  1866,  at  68  Flushing  avenue.  In  1873, 
he  erected  a  new  shop,  and  added  a  20-horse  power 
steam  engine  to  drive  the  machinery.  Soon  after  his 
son  was  admitted  to  partnership,  other  additions  were 
made  to  the  buildings  from  time  to  time,  and  greater 
facilities  provided  for  manufacturing.  Their  product 
averages  about  $100,000  iD  value  annually,  giving  em- 
ployment to  25  men. 

Several  of  the  carriage  builders  make  wagons  also. 
Among  these  are  Hand  &  Fallesen,  of  Third  avenue, 
and  22d  street,  who  employ  14  men,  pay  about  $8,500 
for  wages  and  salaries,  and  turn  out  $13,500  of  work; 
Joseph  Statler,  of  Forest  place,  between  4th  and  5th 
avenues,  and  who  started  in  Fort  Hamilton,  in  1876  ; 
Robert  Jones,  corner  of  Nassau  and  Bridge  (first  at  133 
Nassau,  in  1865,  the  firm  being  then  Jones  &  Burke. 
He  came  to  his  present  location  in  1880),  employs  35 
men;  specialty,  business  wagons;  yearly  turn-out,  $75,- 
000.    This  is  one  of  the  oldest  firms  in  the  city. 

Of  the  carriage  makers  proper,  John  Curley,  of  242 
State  street,  is  probably  the  largest;  he  has  an  exten- 
sive factory,  and  turns  out  a  large  amount  of  excel- 
lent work.  William  B.  Davis,  of  16-20  Henry  street, 
is  also  a  successful  manufacturer.  Coe  tfc  Merritt,  of 
242  Bedford  avenue,  established  in  1855  on  South 
Seventh  street,  erected  their  present  building  in  1876; 
they  employ,  on  an  average,  30  hands,  and  turn  out 
$50,000  worth  of  carriages  annually.  James  E.  Wheeler, 
of  131  Third  street.  Duhamel  &  Singer,  of  169  Clymer 
street,  employ  16  hands,  pay  nearly  $10,000  for  sal- 
aries and  wages,  and  produce  annually  nearly  $20,000. 
Reynolds  tk  Elliott,  371  and  373  Pacific  street;  Cal- 


800 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


vin  Witty,   of  53  and  57  Flatbush  avenue;  Augus 
Kanemuit.  m;  M.mi  ro-c  ;l\  nine;  Joseph  E.  Cavanagh,\h 
Flatbush  avenue;  Hand  <C  Fallese?>,  Third  avenue  and 
22d  street,  etc.,  etc.,  are  other  manufacturers  of  car- 
riages with  a  fair  reputation 

There  are  no  great  houses  in  this  business  like  the 
Brewsters,  Flandreaus,  and  others  of  New  York,  or  the 
extensive  carriage  works  of  New  Haven,  Conn.,  and 
Newark,  N.  J.;  but  these  houses  suffice  for  our  local 
business  and  repairing. 

We  do  not  think  from  careful  inquiry  that  the  busi- 
ness is  increasing  in  Kings  county,  and  from  the  best 
information  we  can  obtain,  believe  the  census  report 
decidedly  beyond  the  actual  production.  We  should 
hardly  place  that  product  higher  than  $$00,000,  or  at 
the  most,  £850,000. 

We  can  find  no  railroad  or  street  cars  manufactured 
in  the  county,  unless  some  of  the  railroad  repair  sbops 
of  some  of  the  Coney  Island  roads,  or  the  Long  Island 
road,  may,  in  the  stress  of  summer  travel,  have  built 
some  of  the  second-class  or  cheap  cars.  There  are 
at  these  shops,  as  also  at  the  terminal  stables  and  car- 
houses  of  the  street  railroads,  places  for  repairing  the 
cars,  and  the  great  number  of  them  which  need  repair- 
ing, as  well  as  the  motors  and  snow-scrapers,  would  be 
very  likely  to  require  an  expenditure  of  nearly  the 
amount  specified  by  the  census,  though  this  is  rather 
an  outlay  on  the  part  of  the  roads,  than  a  manufactur- 
ing product. 

Subsection  I. — Axles  and  Carriage  Springs. 

The  F  W.  Wurster  Foundry,  Spring  and  Axle 
Works,  located  near  the  foot  of  Broadway,  at  the 
corner  of  1st  and  South  6th  streets,  Brooklyn,  E.  D., 
must  be  ranked  among  the  most  vigorous  and  produc- 
tive manufacturing  enterprises  in  the  city.  Their 
rapid  growth  from  so  recent  an  origin  is  remarkable. 
Mr.  Wurster  first  commenced  here  in  1875,  with  a 
foundry,  having  received  his  mechanical  training  in  a 
mowing  machine  manufactory.  This  he  continued  for 
about  three  years,  when,  feeling  a  capacity  and  desire 
for  more  and  larger  business,  he  began  making  axles 
with  one  trip  hammer,  and  a  few  men.  Successful  in 
this,  he  enlarged  in  buildings  and  machinery,  and  em- 
barked  actively  in  the  new  department  of  making  steel 
springs.  The  three  co-ordinate  branches  developed  so 
fast,  individually  and  collectively,  that  their  demands 
for  more  buildings  and  greater  facilities,  some  became 
imperative,  resulting  in  the  erection,  in  1880,  of  the 
large  and  imposing  building  shown  in  the  accompany- 
ing cut.  Mr.  Wurster  had  previously  rented,  but  now 
purchased,  the  premises  he  occupied,  of  David  Jones, 
a  large  brewer  of  New  York.  The  new  building  has 
a  total  frontage  of  250  feet,  standing  100  feet  on  1st 
street,  ami  150  on  South  0th  street.  It  is  six  stories 
high,  and  has  all  possible  adaptations  of  construction 
and  machinery,  to  make  it  what  it  is,  a  model  of  its 


F.  W.  WUBSTEB'8  FOUNDRY. 

kind.  Besides  this,  Mr.  Wurster  leases  an  adjoining 
building  on  1st  street,  150  feet  long,  making  his  front- 
age 250  feet  on  this  street.  Then  his  foundry  in  the  rear 
is  75x200  feet,  in  which  all  kinds  of  casting  for  build- 
ing and  heavy  machinery  is  done.  Nor  is  this  all. 
The  spring  shop  is  50x150  feet  in  dimensions,  where 
everything  in  demand,  from  a  light  buggy  spring,  up 
to  the  weightiest  truck  spring,  is  made.  Two  steam 
engines,  one  of  50,  and  the  other  of  150  horse  power, 
furnish  the  motive  propulsion  required.  Four  trip- 
hammers, innumerable  machines,  and  a  force  of  200 
men,  are  the  fashioning  and  perfecting  forces,  by  which 
10  tons  of  pig  iron,  8  tons  of  refined  wrought  iron,  and 
:i  tons  of  the  best  steel,  are  transferred  into  castings, 
axles,  and  springs,  every  twenty-four  hours.  Their 
annual  sales  are  large.  There  is  no  similar  establish- 
ment in  Brooklyn. 

Jan.  1st,  1884,  Mr.  Wurster  received  into  copartner- 
ship his  able  assistant,  Mr.  C.  W.  Sehluchtner,  who 
had  been  his  salesman  for  the  previous  five  years. 

Mr.  Wurster,  with  the  assistance  of  a  superintend- 
ent, and  three  foremen,  attends  to  the  mechanical  direc- 
tion and  details,  and  the  finances,  while  Mr.  Sehluchtner 
gives  his  time  to  buying  the  raw  material,  and  selling 
the  manufactured  product.  Mr.  Wurster,  who  has 
lived  in  the  19th  ward  of  Brooklyn  since  about  1860, 
is  but  32  years  old,  and  his  partner  is  but  27  years  old. 

With  a  record  of  such  achievements,  so  early  in 
life,  they  have  only  to  preserve  their  powers  of  body 
and  mind,  and  a  most  satisfactory  future  is  assured. 


SECTION  XXXV. 
Grinders  and  Wholesale  Dealers  in  Coffees, 
Spices  and  Teas. 

The  large  stores  along  the  river  front,  between 
Fulton  and  Wall  street  ferries,  receive  three-fourths  of 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


801 


the  coffee  imported  into  the  United  States,  including 
all  whole  cargoes,  and  a  portion  of  that  in  mixed  car- 
goes. Steamers  now  do  more  of  the  carrying  trade  in 
coffee  than  sailing  vessels.  Coffee  from  Arabia  and 
the  East  Indies  comes  mostly  in  300-Lb.  sacks,  while 
that  from  South  America  and  Mexico  is  in  bags  called 
"pickles,"  containing  131i  lbs.  each.  The  exact  value 
of  the  coffee  imported  at  the  Brooklyn  stores  cannot 
be  accurately  ascertained,  but  would  be  about  three- 
fourths  of  the  annual  importation,  which  for  1883  was 
valued  at  $42,050,513,  about  14,000,000  less  than  for 
1882.  Coffee  which  becomes  "rusty,"  or  discolored, 
by  the  sea  voyage,  and  thereby  damaged  in  appearance 
more  than  in  quality,  is  "  polished  "  here  by  rapid  revo- 
lution in  cylinders,  which  restores  its  original  color, 
but  renders  it  more  shiny,  hence  the  name.  The  New 
York  &  Baltimore  Coffee  Polishing  Company,  are  en- 
gaged in  this  business,  also  a  few  other  firms. 

Seven-ninths  of  the  tea  imported  islanded  at  the  stores 
between  Catherine  Ferry  and  Grand  street.  Its  value 
in  1883  was  $17,302,849,  as  against  $19,382,102  in  1882. 
The  manufacture  of  teas  here  occupies  a  number  of 
firms.  Two-thirds  of  the  tea  (the  Report  on  Commerce 
and  Navigation  says  about  one-fifth)  imported  comes 
across  the  Pacific  to  San  Francisco,  thence  overland. 
The  duty  on  tea  and  coffee  was  removed  July  1,  1882. 

Under  the  head  of  spices  are  included  cinnamon, 
cloves,  nutmeg,  mace,  ginger,  pepper,  mustard  and 
allspice,  which  were  imported  in  1883  to  the  amount 
of  $1,550,289.  Nearly  all  of  these  are  landed  at  the 
stores  between  Fulton  and  Wall  street  ferries.  Several 
firms  are  engaged  in  packing,  grinding  and  preparing 
them  for  market. 

The  first  among  the  Brooklyn  firms  who  handle 
coffees,  spices  and  teas,  are  the  Ariosa  Coffee  Works 
(Charles  &  John  Arbuckle),  at  the  foot  of  Adams  and 
Jay  streets.  They  first  established  in  1870,  in  Water 
street,  New  York,  where  they  were  burned  out,  and 
then  came  to  Brooklyn  in  1881.  Their  factory,  six 
stories  high,  foot  of  Adams  street,  was  supplemented 
in  1884,  by  a  large  one,  nine  stories  high,  at  foot  of 
Jay  street.  They  have  always  dealt  in  coffees,  teas 
and  spices;  but,  in  1883,  they  added  a  general  whole- 
sale groceries  department.  They  employ  500  hands, 
48  roasting  cylinders  in  operation  each  day,  and  32  all 
night,  each  cylinder  of  copper,  with  300  lbs.  capacity, 
and  taking  35  minutes  to  roast;  2,500  sacks  of  coffee, 
of  130  lbs.  each  are  roasted,  and  12  car-loads  of  ground 
goods  shipped  daily.  They  import  coffees  from  all 
countries  where  they  are  grown,  and  do  a  business  of 
$8,000,000  per  year.  William  Waring's  Brooklyn 
Coffee  dt  Spice  Mills,  at  74  Fulton  street,  was  estab- 
lished (by  Cornelius  Van  Cott,  brother  of  Judge  Joshua 
M.  Van  Cott),  at  Hicks  street,  about  1839;  was  at  46 
Fulton  street  for  21  years,  then  located  at  48  Fulton; 
then  in  Nassau,  and  since  1854  at  its  present  locality. 
The  Germania  Coffee  &  Spice  Mills  (ot  Wiscbman  &  I 


Bohn),  at  78  Fulton  street,  was  established  in  1852,  at 
No.  25,  same  street,  and  have  been  10  years  in  their 
present  location.  They  employ  16  hands,  a  12-horse 
power  steam  engine;  roast  1,500,000  lbs  per  year; 
business  amounting  to  $190,000  annually.  Mr.  Bohn 
entered  the  firm  in  1879.  We  present,  herewith,  the 
portrait  and  biography  of  the  senior  partner. 

Hermann  Wischmann. — A  prominent  member  of  that  class 
of  energetic  men  who  are  engaged  in  mercantile  life  in  this 
city,  and  who  constitute  such  an  important  factor  in  Brook- 
lyn's commercial  importance,  is  Mr.  Hermann  Wischmann. 
Like  many  others  who  have  built  up  large  business  interests 
here,  Mr.  Wischmann  is  an  adopted  citizen  of  this  country, 
having  been  born  August  18,  1831,  in  the  Kingdom  of  Han- 
over, now  a  part  of  Prussia.  His  father  was  a  farmer,  living 
near  the  Baltic  sea-coast,  who  gave  his  son  the  educational 
advantages  which  were  afforded  by  the  village  school,  as 
conducted  under  the  well  known  and  thorough  German 
system.  The  lad  lived  quietly  at  home,  until  he  was  seven- 
teen years  of  age,  never  having  traveled  far,  or  seen  a  city. 
Two  brothers  had  preceded  him  to  America,  and  their  letters 
awoke  in  him  the  desire  to  leave  the  quiet  farm  life,  to  see 
something  of  the  world,  and  to  try  his  fortunes  in  the  United 
States.  He  accordingly  took  passage  for  America,  arriving 
in  New  York,  as  so  many  others  have  done,  poor  in  purse 
but  rich  in  hope,  ambition  and  energy.  His  stay  in  the  city 
extended  over  three  years,  during  which  time  he  was  em- 
ployed as  clerk  in  the  grocery  business.  Then  came  an  op- 
portunity to  invest  in  an  undertaking  which  promised  welt, 
and  he  put  his  savings  into  the  New  York  Submarine  Wreck- 
ing Company,  an  organization  which  was  formed  for  the 
purpose  of  raising  sunken  vessels.  The  Company  did  not 
succeed,  and  recovered  neither  sunken  ships  or  sunken  cap- 
ital, so  Mr.  Wischmann  lost  his  all,  and  was  forced  to  begin 
again  at  the  bottom  of  the  ladder.  Notwithstanding  the  ebb 
in  his  fortunes,  he  took  unto  himself  a  wife,  whose  acquaint- 
ance he  had  made  in  South  Brooklyn,  while  duck-shooting  in 
the  Bay.  Casting  about  for  something  to  do,  he  remarked 
upon  the  crowds  of  people  daily  passing  over  Fulton  Ferry, 
and  reached  the  conclusion  that  a  dining  saloon  on  the 
Brooklyn  side,  near  the  Ferry,  would  be  remunerative.  He 
therefore  opened  such  an  establishment  at  No.  25  Fulton 
street,  beginning  in  an  humble  way,  but  gradually  enlarging 
his  accommodations  as  he  was  able.  At  the  end  of  six  years 
he  had  accumulated  some  capital,  and,  what  was  better,  had 
won  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  all  who  knew  him.  An 
advantageous  offer  was  made  him  at  this  time,  to  go  into  the 
coffee  trade  as  clerk  in  Waring's  house,  where  he  remained 
four  years,  giving  such  satisfaction  that  a  share  in  the  busi- 
ness as  partner  was  offered  him,  of  which  offer  he  availed 
himself.  The  firm  relation  existed  for  ten  years,  when  lie 
decided  to  start  in  business  for  himself,  having  acquired  the 
necessary  experience  and  some  capital.  He  bought  and  re- 
built the  stand  at  78  Fulton  street,  with  Mr.  Hohorst  as  his 
partner,  who  remained  for  only  a  year,  however.  By  close 
attention  to  his  business,  and  good  management,  Mr.  Wisch- 
mann was  able  to  increase  his  operations  year  by  year,  add- 
ing to  his  place  of  business,  putting  in  a  steam  engine  and 
requisite  machinery,  until  the  small  store  of  a  few  years 
since  has  become  a  large  wholesale  establishment,  dealing  in 
coffees,  teas  and  spices,  employing  a  number  of  men  and 
horses,  and  turning  out  many  thousands  of  dollars'  worth  of 
manufactured  products  annually.  Early  in  his  business 
life  he  adopted  the  motto,  "  Pay  as  you  go,"  which  has 
I  proved  as. advantageous  in  his  case  as  it  universally  does. 


802 


No  man  achieves  success  in  mercantile  life  by  accident,  or 
accumulates  property  without  faithful,  persistent  labor.  The 
winner,  where  many  are  losers,  must  combine  industry,  en- 
terprise and  intelligence  with  business  tact ;  at  the  same  time 
he  must  be  known  to  men  to  be  honest  and  reliable  in  his 
dealings.  These  qualities  distinguish  Mr.  Wischman, 
and  have  brought  him  not  only  wealth,  but  also  the 
esteem  of  men  for  his  integrity  and  manhood.  His 
interest  in  the  affairs  of  the  city  leads  him  to  favor  those 
measures  that  would  tend  to  the  public  good,  and  to  oppose 
strongly  all  forms  of  dishonesty  in  municipal  matters,  though 
he  takes  no  part  in  politics  beyond  voting,  and  that  the  Re- 
publican ticket,  generally.  He  is  fond  of  reading,  and  well 
posted  in  the  current  events  of  the  day.  AtFable  in  manners, 
lus  courtesy  is  genuine,  springing  from  a  kind  heart,  that 
does  much  in  charity  towards  relieving  the  misfortunes  of 
others.  His  church  connections  are  with  the  German  Lu- 
theran Church,  in  Henry  street,  of  which  organization  he 
baa  been  treasurer  for  a  number  of  years.  Always  fond  of 
society,  he  has  been  a  member  of  several  social  organizations 
and  a  military  company;  he  is  also  a  member  of  Joppa  Lodge 
of  Free  Masons. 

His  time  is  still  mostly  devoted  to  his  large  business, 
which  he  oversees  for  himself,  although  receiving  the  assist- 
ance of  a  younger  partner  in  carrying  out  the  d  tails.  Mr. 
Wischiuann  is  to  be  congratulated  upon  having  won,  by  his 
own  exertions,  a  competence  and  a  good  name,  both  among 
business  men  and  in  society  at  large. 


The  firms  of  Packard  cfc  James  (the  portrait  and  bio- 
graphy of  the  junior  partner,  Hon.  Dancin  R.  James, 
will  be  found  at  page4l6a),  of  93  Furman street;  E.  li. 
Durkee  &  Co.,  263  Water  street,  do  each  an  annual 
business  approaching  $500,000  each,  and  employ  some 
50  men;  Win.  Burling,  124  Kent  avenue,  established 
at  22  Raymond  street,  employs  5  hands,  roasts  about 
$100,000  annually;  Von  Glahn,  Iiischoff  &  Co.,  es- 
tablished 1882,  came  from  Tompkins  avenue,  corner  of 
Park  avenue  They  roast  some  30,000  lbs  per  month, 
and  their  sales  amount  to  $500,000  per  year.  They 
make  a  specialty  of  wholesale  groceries,  and  do  an  an- 
nual business  of  $100,000  in  potatoes.  The  Von  Glahn 
Bros,  commenced  the  milk  business  nine  years  ago 
with  only  $250  capital.  J.  Weidemei/er,Jr.,  J.J.  iS/iy- 
der,  Henri/  Watson,  and  the  Sain  Tea  cf*  Coffee  Co., 
also  conduct  large  concerns. 

A  few  of  the  foregoing  houses  have  offices  in  New  York 
city.  A  large  part  of  the  coffee  handled  by  these  firms  is 
also  roasted  by  them.  After  being  sorted  and  picked 
over,  the  green  coffee  runs  through  pipes  into  cylindri- 
cal iron  roasters,  which  are  constantly  revolving  within 
a  heated  furnace;  each  cylinder  contains  from  150  to 
.'too  pounds  of  coffee,  which,  after  being  roasted,  is  run 
into  large  cooling  trays  with  double  gauze  bottoms, 
through  which  a  blower  draws  a  current  of  cold  air. 
The  smaller  houses  roast  5,000  lbs.  per  day,  and  the 
larger  ones  proportionally  more.  S/>i<-<s  are  ground 
and  put  in  pound  and  half  pound  packages;  spices  of 
all  kinds  have  been  admitted  to  I  he  ports  of  the  I  'uiied 
Btatel  duly  free,  since  duly,  1888. 

Lq  Connection  with  this  department  of  Brooklyn  In- 


dustries, we  present  the  portrait  and  biography  of  Mr. 
<S.  M.  Beard,  a  long  and  well  known  resident  of  our 
city,  although  his  business  interests  are  more  strictly 
associated  with  New  York  city. 


Sylvester  M.  Beakd.  —This  gentleman,  one  of  the  best 
known  and  most  highly  respected  residents  of  Brooklyn, 
E.  D.,  was  born  Dec.  11th,  1810,  a  sou  of  Samuel  and  Arter- 
cretia  (Wooster)  Beard.  His  paternal  grandfather  was  an 
American  soldier  iu  the  Revolution,  and  lived  in  the  house 
in  which  his  son  Samuel  lived  after  him,  and  in  which 
Sylvester  M.  Beard  was  born.  Iu  1822.  Samuel  Beard 
disposed  of  the  old  family  homestead  in  Huntiugton, 
Coun.,  and  removed  with  his  family  to  Oxford,  Che- 
nango county,  N.  Y.,  where  Sylvester  M.  Beard  passed 
his  time  on  his  father's  farm  until  1840,  in  the  meantime  re- 
turning to  Huntington,  Conn  ,  his  native  place,  and  marry- 
ing Miss  Lucy  M.  Cummings. 

In  1840.  Mr.  Beard  came  to  New  York  and  soon  engaged 
in  the  grocery  trade,  in  partnership  with  his  brother-in-law, 
William  A.  Cummings,  under  the  firm  name  of  Beard  & 
Cummings.  In  1844,  these  gentlemen  changed  their  trade  to 
one  in  tea.  coffee  and  spices,  in  which  they  embarked  in  a 
small  way  near  the  foot  of  East  Hous  on  street.  Two  years 
afterward  they  bought  the  store  and  mill  of  William  Pren- 
tice, in  Front  street,  their  offices  baiug  located  at  279  Front 
street.  Their  business  was  prosperous,  and  steadily  in- 
creased, until  their  sales  aggregated  about  $1,01)0,000  per 
annum.  In  1860,  the  firm  changed  its  organization  some- 
what, and  was  known  as  that  of  Beards  &  Cummings  until 
1872,  when  it  became  Beard,  Sons  &  Co.  After  some  inter- 
mediate changes  it  became  known  as  the  house  of  Fits- 
pa  trick  &  Case,  Mr.  Beard  having  an  interest  in  the  busi- 
ness, which  has  assumed  such  proportions  that  for  some 
years  past  it  has  not  unfrequently  reached  an  annual  ag- 
gregate of  $7,000,000  to  $8,000,000  and  has  amounted  to 
$12,000,000  in  a  single  year.  The  store  and  offices  of  this 
house  were  removed  to  128  Front  street  iu  1861,  and  thence 
in  1862  returned  to  27!)  Front  street,  whence  they  were  re- 
moved, in  1879,  to  numbers  5,  7  and  9  James  slip.  This 
important  commercial  enterprise  is  extensively  known  in 
New  York,  and  throughout  the  principal  business  centres  of 
the  United  States.  Its  history  in  detail  would  be  an  inter- 
esting one,  as  showing  how,  from  a  small  beginning,  an  im- 
mense enterprise  may  be  built  up  by  the  judicious  and  per- 
sistent application  of  those  cardinal  principles,  without 
which  no  success,  however  slight  in  degree,  can  be  attained. 
To  Mr.  Beard  is  due,  iu  no  small  degree,  the  credit  of  this 
gratifying  success. 

Elsewhere,  iu  these  pages  extended  reference  is  made  to 
the  beautiful  Cemetery  of  the  Evergreens.  With  the  his- 
tory of  this  celebrated  burial  place,  the  name  of  Mr.  Beard 
is  inseparably  linked.  At  the  organization  of  its  first  asso- 
ciation in  1852.  he  was  one  of  the  original  stockholders. 
Through  the  trying  years  of  its  early  history,  he  was  one  of 
its  staunchest  supporters,  and  when,  in  1872,  difficulties  of 
long  duration  culminated  in  its  sale  by  legal  process,  he  be- 
came the  purchaser,  and  through  his  influence  a  stock  com- 
pany was  organized,  under  a  special  act  of  the  Legislature, 
to  take  charge  of  its  interests,  with  William  A.  Cummings 
as  president,  Sylvester  M.  Beard  as  Yice-President,  and 
Winchester  Brit  ton  as  \ttorne>  .  Since  that  time,  during  the 
more  prosperous  years  of  its  history,  in  which  it  has  taken 
rank  among  the  leading  cemeteries  of  New  York  and  Brook- 
Ivn,  Mr.  Beard  has  been  active  in  its  management,  ami  he  is 
its  present  Vice-l'resident. 


J 


803 


Mr.  Beard  was  one  of  the  projectors  of  the  Metropolitan 
Life  Insurance  Company,  of  New  York,  and  has  been  one  of 
its  directors  from  its  organization.  He  was  one  of  the 
originators,  and  has  from  the  first  been  a  director,  of  the 
Brooklyn  Cross-Town  Railroad  Company.  He  was  one  of 
the  organizers  of  the  Ross  street  Presbyterian  church;  was 
its  first  treasurer,  and  one  of  its  first  trustees.  From  time 
to  time  through  his  busy  career,  he  has  been  prominently 
identified  with  other  commercial,  religious  and  charitable 
interests  of  Brooklyn  and  New  York.  He  first  came  to 
Brooklyn  to  reside  in  1845,  nearly  forty  years  ago,  and  in 
1852  built  his  residence,  No.  10  Bedford  avenue.  It  is  prob- 
able that  he  has  clone  more  than  any  other  man  to  improve 
his  part  of  the  city,  and  large  sums  have  been  expended  by 
him  to  that  end.  He  is  widely  known  as  an  honest,  up- 
right, Christian  gentleman,  and  his  home  is  one  of  the  most 
hospitable  in  the  city. 

SECTION  XXXVI. 
Marble  and  Stone  Work. 

The  census  statistics  of  this  industry  are :  92  estab- 
lishments; capital  invested,  $738,300;  hands  employed 
731  ;  annual  amount  of  wages  paid,  $54,858;  $554,- 
084  material;  $1,320,234  annual  product.  It  is  safe  to 
say  that  this  estimate  is  not  more  than  half  the  truth, 
considering  the  steady  increase  of  those  who  build  fine 
houses  and  decorate  them  expensively,  and  that  our 
cemeteries  exhibit  a  wealth  of  monumental  expense  and 
taste,  far  in  excess  of  former  years.  The  great  improve- 
ment, of  late  years,  in  stone  decoration  has  called  forth 
some  very  handsome  and  artistic  work  in  stone  applied 
to  building  purposes.  The  new  building  of  the  Dime 
Savings  Bank  is  an  example  of  this,  as  are  several 
lately  erected  in  the  better  parts  of  the  city. 

The  Italian  marble  is  purchased  from  the  importer  in 
the  rough,  and  dressed  at  the  yards.  The  dark  grey 
Quincy  granite,  from  Quincy,  Mass.,  is  dressed  at  the 
quarries,  and  polished  here  at  the  yards.  This  process, 
formerly  done  by  hand,  is  now  performed  by  machin- 
ery. The  stone  is  laid  horizontally  on  a  heavy  table, 
over  which  swings  a  vertical  revolving  shaft,  terminat- 
ing in  a  circular  disk,  12  to  18  inches  in  diameter, 
which  is  in  contact  with  the  stone.  Sand  and  water 
are  the  first  dressing,  afterwards  disks  of  emery  and 
felt  are  used.  Marble  is  polished  in  the  same  way,  ex- 
cept the  mouldings,  where  hand  rubbers  are  used. 
Large  spherical  or  oval  surfaces  are  smoothed  by  close- 
fitting  rubbing  tools,  pushed  forward  and  back  by 
machinery.  Marble  is  sawed  by  power  drag-saws. 
The  larger  firms  rough-dress  their  granite  at  the 
quarries,  thus  saving  in  the  cost  of  transportation. 

We  may  divide  the  subject  into  stone  yards  (i.  e.,  for 
the  preparation  of  building  and  flagging,  or  paving- 
stone),  and  marble  and  granite  works,  monuments,  *fec. 

The  35  firms  who  deal  in  building  stone,  handle 
brown  stone,  freestone,  marble,  granite,  and  blue  lime- 
stone, mostly.  The  increasing  amount  of  building 
every  year,  leads  to  a  corresponding  increase  in  the 
quantity  of  work  called  for. 


Among  the  stone  yards,  which  are  grouped  along 
the  water-line  of  the  Wallabout  district,  is  that  of 
GUI  &  llaircl,  who  are  the  largest  firm  of  stone  cut- 
ters in  the  city,  owning  two  yards  on  Wythe  avenue, 
corner  Keap  street,  each  200  feet  square,  and  a  large 
yard  on  05th  street,  New  York,  which  is  soon  to  be  re- 
moved to  105th  street.  They  deal  mostly  in  brown 
stone,  which  is  quarried  at  Portland,  Conn.;  also  in 
blue  stone,  from  Pennsylvania.  The  stone  is  shipped 
here  in  the  rough,  and  dressed  by  machinery  as  far  as 
practicable.  A  gang  of  saws  supplied  with  water  and 
chilled  shot  separates  the  stone  into  slabs,  each  of  which 
is  then  smoothed  by  friction  on  horizontal  iron  plates 
some  12  feet  in  diameter.  Saws  with  diamond  points 
are  also  used.  The  carving  and  decorating  is,  of  course, 
done  by  hand.  This  firm,  iu  the  summer,  gives  em- 
ployment to  ISO  men  in  Brooklyn,  and  about  the  same 
number  in  New  York.  Their  annual  production 
amounts  to  $200,000.  Their  portraits  adorn  our  pages, 
and  their  biographies  are  appended  to  this  section; 
//  P.  Christmas,  Wythe  avenue;  C.  Rutledge  and 
Matthias  Bindrim,  his  partner;  Henry  Kemp,  Wash- 
ington avenue,  near  Wallabout  bridge;  Julius  Bin- 
drim, 470  Flushing  avenue,  and  Charles  S.  Lynans, 
172  Flushing  avenue.  James  I).  Haul-in  <(.•  Jam,* 
Ross,  corner  of  Bond  and  Carroll  streets,  from  a 
small  beginning  in  1873,  at  corner  of  President  and  Bond 
streets,  now  do  a  large  business  in  free-stone  for  build- 
ings; John  Barney,  Third  avenue  and  Union  street,  es- 
tablished 1867  (firm  of  Barney,  Morton  and  Cauda),  on 
Gowanus  Canal,  foot  of  Bond  street,  deals  largely  in  blue 
stone  from  Albany,  and  along  the  Hudson  River,  and 
has  supplied  the  Mercantile  Library,  and  many  other 
prominent  Brooklyn  edifices  ;  he  handles  $60,000 
worth  of  stone  annually.  Citrran  &  Cooper,  Third 
street,  near  Third  avenue,  commenced  in  1866  with 
hand  labor  alone,  and  have  now  a  large  establishment, 
replete  with  all  the  necessary  machinery;  they  deal 
largely  in  free-stone.  Thomas  U.  Dixon,  Baltic  street, 
corner  Third  avenue,  deals  in  brown,  Dorchester  and 
Ohio  stone;  established  1849,  Hamilton  avenue,  South 
Brooklyn.  William  Bradley  &  Son,  free-stone,  Nevins, 
corner  of  Butler  street,  established  1868;  capital,  $60,- 
000;  annual  product,  $80,000.  James  McLaren,  at  foot 
of  Court  street,  free-stone  cutting,  established  1873; 
employs  an  average  of  40  men;  capital,  $45,000; 
annual  amount  of  product,  about  $70,000.  A.  D. 
Baird,  130  Hewes  street;^.  H.  Anderson,  24  Second 
street;  JJtirns  &  Johnson,  Third  avenue;  E.  &F.  Conk- 
lin,  Fourth  avenue  and  St.  Mark's  place,  15  years  in 
business;  S.  Dean  cfc  Bro.,  140  Second  street  ;  C.  P. 
Hommel,  Grand  street;  Peter  Lyman,  Clinton  avenue; 
J.  MePherson,  Court  street;  J.  W.  Moran,  Hamilton 
avenue;  J.  W.  Osborne,  77  Penn  street. 

The  marble,  or  monumental  works,  are  naturally  found 
in  the  neighborhood  of  the  cemeteries,  for  which  our  city 
is  noted.  In  the  vicinity  of  Greenwood  are  the  establish- 


804 


iiK-nts  of  David  S.  Arnott,  John  S.  Dalot,  John  Wade, 
John  Wilson,  Thomas  Pitbladdo,  Carl  Peterson  (211 
25th  street,  granite  and  marble,  established  1877,  by 
Janson  &  Peterson;  number  of  employes  7;  amount 
annually  paid  for  salaries, *4, 500;  amount  of  annual  sales, 
*lo,UO0). 

James  Sharkey,  dealer  in  monumental  granite 
and  marble,  25th  street,  near  Greenwood,  is.  also  an 
importer  of  fine  statuary,  with  annual  sales  to  the 
amount  of  $550,000,  employing  some  75  men.  Before 
the  abolition  of  the  Morrill  tariff  and  the  imposition  of 
thirty  per  cent,  duty  on  imported  marble,  a  large  export 
trade  was  done  to  the  West  Indies  and  Mexico,  but  the 
high  duty  had  the  effect  of  driving  all  this  trade  to 
other  countries.  The  total  amount  of  capital  invested 
in  this  branch  of  business  is  about  8400,000;  Ouchter- 
loney  tic  Tandy,  have  been  in  business  since  1852,  and 
in  their  present  location  since  1858;  their  establishment 
has  furnished  many  of  the  most  exquisite  monuments 
in  Greenwood,  and  forms  one  of  the  attractions  of  this 
locality.  The  above  are  all  on  Fifth  avenue,  near  24th 
and  25th  streets.  In  fact,  the  streets  which  approach 
the  main  entrance  to  Greenwood,  seem  to  pass  through 
a  forest  of  granite  shafts  and  sculptured  figures;  espe- 
cially is  this  true  of  the  upper  end  of  25th  street,  where 
di  alers  in  granite  and  monumental  work  have  located 
side  by  side. 

Prominent  among  these  establishments  is  that  of  Mr. 
John  J.  Green,  237  Twenty -fifth  street,  near  5th  avenue. 
.Mr.  Green  is  a  native  of  New  York.  In  1835,  when  a 
young  man,  he  began  to  learn  the  art  of  monumental 
stone  cutting,  and  in  due  time  became  a  proficient.  In 
October,  1854,  desiring  to  start  in  business  for  himself, 
he  joined  with  two  other  young  men,  John  Farrell  and 
William  Holden,  in  opening  a  granite  yard.  An  old 
blacksmith  shop  stood  at  the  corner  of  Third  avenue 
and  25th  street,  of  which  the  owner,  Mr.  Hatfield,  gave 
the  young  men  the  use  by  way  of  encouragement.  The 
three  parties  had  but  $75  a  piece  for  their  start,  but 
they  worked  hard  and  gradually  built  up  a  good  busi- 
ness; they  were  able  to  take  a  more  eligible 
location  on  36th  street,  and  also  to  buy  out  the  stock 
of  Edwards'  yard  to  manufacture  and  dispose  of  it. 
After  working  together  three  years,  Mr.  Holden  retired 
from  the  firm,  leaving  Mr.  Green  and  Mr.  Farrell  to 
continue.  The  latter  died  in  1861,  since  which  time 
the  former  has  carried  on  the  business  alone,  which  he 
removed  in  that  year  to  its  present  location  on  25th 
street,  near  5th  avenue.  His  establishment  covers  six 
lots,  and  contains  a  large  stock,  mostly  of  Quincy 
granite,  with  some  fine  monuments,  worth  about  $25,- 
000.  An  average  number  of  twenty  men  is  required 
to  carry  on  the  work  of  the  establishment.  Mr.  Green 
has  done  his  share  in  the  great  improvement  visible  in 
mortuary  sculpture  during  the  last  twenty  years.  His 
■on  now  produces  original  designs  for  the  father's  use, 
some  of  whieh  possess  great  artistic  merit. 


JOHN  J.  GREEN'S  MONUMENTAL  WORKS. 


In  the  Eastern  district  we  find  many  firms,  the  more 
important  of  which  are  Alexander  Eschenbach,  338 
South  Twelfth  street;  Patrick  R.  Carrcll,  272  Division 
avenue;  Jordan  &  Son,  corner  of  Division  avenue 
and  Tenth  street;  Ji.  Cocro/Vs  Sons,  Bushwick  avenue; 
Jno.  Benisch,  E.  N.  Y. ;  Thos.  Ellson,  Broadway; 
Thomas  McLaughlin,  204  Flatbush  avenue,  and  around 
the  entrance  to  the  Cemetery  of  the  Evergreens,  on 
Conway  street,  near  Broadway;  John  Moriarty,  John 
Murphy,  and  Conrad  Noll;  Garity  Bros.,  Meeker 
avenue,  corner  of  Gardiner  street,  have  their  quarry  and 
workshops  at  West  Quincy,  Mass.,  established  1870, 
and  give  constant  employment  to  40  hands. 

Among  other  firms  we  may  mention  Jno.  Klein,  9th 
avenue;  B.  JI.  Kelley,  Reed  avenue;  A.  Leckiy.  Van 
Brunt  street  ;  F.  McDonald,  822  Atlantic  avenue  ;  H. 
Mi- Knight,  Macon  street;  McGrayne's  Sonx,  6<»1 
Pacific  street;  J.  Ryan,  Flatbush  avenue;  Scott  <t 
Smith,  150  Court  street. 


Romnson  Gill  was  born  at  Oatley,  Yorkshire,  Eng- 
land, December  17th,  1829,  and  came  to  America  in 
1851,  at  the  age  of  twenty-two,  having  previously 
learned  the  stone-cutters'  trade,  at  whieh  he  was  em- 
ployed in  New  York  and  Brooklyn  for  about  two 
years.  In  partnership  with  his  brother,  Edward  (Jill. 
In'  established  a  -tone  yard  at  the  corner  of  Ken!  ave 
nuc  and  Rodney  street,  Brooklyn.  Edward  Gill  dyin.n  in 
1 853,  the  entire  business  fell  into  the  hands  of  Mr.  Robin- 
son Gill.  In  1862,  Mr.  Gill  removed  to  Troy,  N.  Y. 
and  was  in  business  there  until  18(i9.  In  the  meantime, 
in  ls60,  in  company  with  Charles  Peacock,  he  estab- 
lished a  stone  yard  at   Boston,  Mass.,  which  was  sue- 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


805 


cessfully  operated  by  Messrs.  Gill  and  Peacock  for  four 
years.  In  1866,  Mr.  Gill  formed  a  co-partnership  with 
Mr.  Andrew  D.  Baird,  under  the  firm  name  of  Gill  & 
Baird,  and  they  established  their  present  stone  yard 
at  the  corner  of  Wythe  avenue  and  Keap  street.  Mr. 
Baird  had  learned  the  business  with  Mr.  Gill,  and  hav- 
ing been  for  a  considerable  time  in  his  employ,  managed 
the  concern  during  the  next  two  years,  when  the  busi- 
ness having  largely  increased,  and  Mr.  Gill's  interests 
at  Troy  not  promising  satisfactorily  for  the  future, 
he  returned  to  Brooklyn  to  give  his  undivided  atten- 
tion to  the  affairs  of  Messrs.  Gill  &  Baird  in  that  city. 

Long  practically  acquainted  with  all  the  details  of 
their  business,  Messrs.  Gill  &  Baird  advanced  it  to 
more  than  double  its  former  magnitude,  introducing, 
from  time  to  time," various  improvements,  until  their 
yard  was  supplied  with  every  modern  facility  in  the 
line.  In  1879,  the  firm  established  a  second  yard  on 
Sixty-fifth  street,  New  York,  Mr.  Gill  taking  entire 
charge  of  the  same.  So  long  has  been  Mr.  Gill's  busi- 
ness career,  and  so  extensive  has  his  trade  become,  that 
he  cannot  but  be  reckoned  as  among  the  oldest  and  best 
known  men  in  his  line  in  New  York  and  Brooklyn,  and 
his  record  is  that  of  an  honorable,  straightforward 
man  of  business,  who,  by  the  exercise  of  energy, 
tact  and  perseverance,  aided  by  courtesy  and  fair  deal- 
ing, has  made  himself  an  enviable  place  in  the  city  of 
his  adoption. 

An  ardent  Republican,  Mr.  Gill  takes  a  deep  and 
abiding  interest  in  the  measures  of  that  party,  though 
he  is  not  in  the  usual  acceptation  of  the  term  a  politi- 
cian. His  standing  in  business  circles  has  led  to  his 
identification  with  various  commercial  enterprises  and 
public  improvements,  and  at  this  time  he  is  a  director 
of  the  Commercial  Bank  and  the  Dime  Savings  Bank 
of  Brooklyn,  and  of  the  Brooklyn,  Flatbush  and  Coney 
Island  Railroad  Company.  He  was  married,  February 
25th,  1856,  to  Hannah  Thorpe,  of  Brooklyn. 

Anckew  D.  Baird  was  born  at  Kelso,  Scotland, 
October  14th,  1839.  His  parents  were  Andrew  and 
Ellen  (Lindsay)  Baird.  In  1853,  he  came  to  the  Uni- 
ted States  with  his  father's  family,  and  located  in  that 
portion  of  Brooklyn  in  which  he  has  since  resided  al- 
most continuously. 

Andrew  Baird,  Sr.,  was  a  stone-mason,  and  early  in 
life  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  apprenticed  to  the 
same  trade  in  the  stone  yard  of  Robinson  Gill,  at 
Wythe  avenue  and  Keap  street,  where  he  thoroughly 
mastered  the  stone-cutters'  department  of  the  stone- 
masons' work,  at  which  he  was  employed  until  the  out- 
break of  the  late  i-ebellion. 

May  18,  1861,  Mr.  Baird  went  out  as  a  private  sol- 
dier in  the  Seventy-ninth  New  York  Highlanders,  a 
regiment  largely  made  up  of  Scotchmen,  which  was  in 
the  field  without  intermission  from  the  first  fight  at 
Bull  Run  to  the  surrender  of  Lee  at  Appomattox.  It 


is  due  to  Mr.  Baird  to  state  that  the  records  show  that 
he  was  at  his  post,  and  doing  his  duty  in  every  engage- 
ment in  which  his  regiment  participated.  At  the  first 
battle  of  Bull  Run,  he  was  promoted  on  the  field  from 
corporal  to  sergeant  for  bravery,  and  at  the  second  Bull 
Run  fight  his  prowess  was  rewarded  by  his  promotion 
from  a  second  lieutenancy  to  a  captaincy.  At  Chantilly, 
where  the  brave  Kearney  fell,  he  was  severely  wounded, 
and  still  carries  in  his  arm  a  rebel  bullet  as  a  memento 
of  that  fight.  He  was  wounded  also  at  Blue  Springs, 
and  at  the  final  terrific  struggle  before  Petersburg. 
While  his  regiment  lay  in  front  of  Petersburg,  he  re- 
ceived a  commission  as  major  and  brevet  lieutenant- 
colonel,  by  special  orders  from  the  war  department,  for 
gallantry  on  the  field,  and  meritorious  conduct  in  camp, 
and  he  commanded  the  regiment  as  lieutenant-colonel 
and  brevet  colonel  in  the  final  campaign.  At  a  regi- 
mental dinner,  in  which  he,  with  many  of  his  former 
comrades,  participated,  long  after  the  war,  his  health 
was  proposed  by  Colonel  Morrison,  who  referred  to  him 
as  the  only  soldier  in  the  regiment  who  had  been 
twice  promoted  on  the  field  for  bravery  in  action. 

At  the  close  of  the  war,  Mr.  Baird  returned  to 
Brooklyn  and,  in  1865,  he  was  married,  and  two  sons 
and  a  daughter  have  been  born  to  him.  In  1866,  he 
formed  a  copartnership  with  his  former  friend  and 
employer,  Robinson  Gill,  in  the  ownership  of  the  stone 
yard  where  he  had  served  his  apprenticeship  to  the 
stone-cutters'  trade.  He  has  since  that  time  been  an 
active  and  enterprising  man  of  business,  and  to  his 
efforts  is  attributable  in  no  small  degree  the  success  of 
the  well-known  firm  of  Gill  &  Baird,  whose  business  is 
elsewhere  referred  to  more  particularly. 

Those  patriotic  convictions  which  impelled  Mr.  Baird 
to  brave  the  terrors  of  the  field  of  strife,  early  attached 
him*  to  the  principles  of  the  Republican  party,  and  a 
steadfast  Republican  he  is  and  has  been  ever  since  he 
attained  to  an  age  to  take  an  interest  in  governmental 
affairs.  Especially  is  he  devoted  to  what  he  regards  as 
the  best  interests  of  Brooklyn,  and  both  in  his  ward 
(the  nineteenth)  and  throughout  the  city  his  strength 
in  the  councils  of  his  party  is  felt  and  recognized. 
During  a  period  of  six  years,  embracing  three  consecu- 
tive terms,  closing  with  the  sessions  of  1882-'3,  he  repre- 
sented the  Nineteenth  Ward  in  such  an  able  and 
effective  manner,  that  even  those  who  oppose  him  po- 
litically give  him  credit  for  the  possession  of  the  rare 
combination  of  qualities  which  befit  him  for  a  party 
leader — honesty,  ability,  tact  and  unflinching  opposi- 
tion to  trickery  and  rascality. 

Did  space  permit,  we  might  refer  to  many  of  his 
public  acts,  while  thus  in  the  service  of  his  fellow-citi- 
zens, which  have  demonstrated  his  unswerving  integrity, 
and  his  uncompromising  devotion  to  the  welfare  of  the 
city.  His  retirement  on  account  of  the  pressing 
demands  of  his  increasing  business,  was  referred  to 
with  regret  by  people  of  all  classes,  who  have  learned 


806 


HISTORY  01  KINGS  COUNTY. 


to  regard  the  public,  weal  as  safe  in  bis  bands,  and  tbe 
conduct  of  municipal  affairs  as  likely  to  be  better  for 
bis  counsel  and  aid. 

SECTION  XXXVII. 
Fire    Brick   and  Tile. 

Tbe  census  has  Brick  and  Tile,  but  includes  under 
it  some  pottery  -which  does  not  belong  to  it.  There 
are  about  twelve  concerns  in  the  United  States  engaged 
in  the  manufacture  of  clay  retorts,  used  in  the  genera- 
tion of  coal  gas,  and  so  satisfactory  is  the  quality  of 
the  domestic  article,  that  the  importation  of  such  ap- 
paratus has  almost  entirely  ceased.  Cast-iron  retorts 
were  discarded  years  ago,  being  found  inferior  to  those 
made  of  clay. 


retort  factory,  ninety  by  two  hundred  feet,  one  story; 
fire-brick  factory,  one  hundred  by  one  hundred  and 
seventy-five  feet,  two  stories;  engine  and  boiler  rooms, 
and  carpenter  shop,  seventy-five  by  one  hundred  feet, 
two  stories;  storehouse,  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 
feet  square,  one  story;  office  building,  twenty  by  thirty 
feet,  two  stories.  The  ground  floors  are  all  paved  with 
stone  flagging,  and  the  entire  works  are  as  nearly  fire- 
proof as  possible,  but  further  protection  is  secured  by 
means  of  a  powerful  steam  pomp.  Ample  accommo- 
dations are  provided  for  a  large  number  of  horses  and 
wagons,  and  the  open  spaces  between  the  buildings  are 
utilized  for  the  storage  of  clay  and  other  materials. 

The  best  retort-clay  comes  from  New  Jersey,  whence 
it  is  shipped  by  the  company  directly  to  their  wharves. 


BROOKLYN  CLAY  BBTOBT  AND  FIRE  URICK  WORKS. 


One  of£the  largest  establishments  of  this  kind  is  the 
Iironkh/n  Clay  Retort  and  Fire  Brick  Works,  of 
which  Messrs.  Edward  D.  White  &  Co.  are  the  pro- 
prietors. The  location  of  tbe  works  is  in  South 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  near  the  Erie  Basin.  The  premises 
include  about  fifty  city  lots,  situated  on  Van  Dyke, 
Elizabeth,  Richards  and  Partition  streets,  with  a  front- 
age of  five  hundred  and  fifty  feet  on  the  first-named 
street,  six  hundred  and  ten  on  the  second,  seven 
hundred  and  twenty-five  on  the  third,  and  two  hundred 
and  thirty-seven  on  the  fourth.  The  dock  has  a 
frontage  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet,  and  the  slip 
is  two  hundred  and  thirty  feet  long,  with  a  depth  of 
eighteen  feet  of  water  at  low  tide. 

The  dimensions  of  the  principal  buildings,  solidly 
constructed  of  stone  and  brick,  are  as  follows:  gas 


After  being  crushed  in  mills,  it  is  properly  tempered, 
thoroughly  mixed,  pressed  in  moulds,  dried  and  fired  in 
kilns. 

The  kilns  are  of  large  dimensions  and  the  most  im- 
proved construction.  The  chimney  connected  with  the 
retort  kilns  is  seventy-five  feet  high;  that  from  the 
fire-brick  factory  is  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet  high. 
The  machinery  is  driven  by  an  engine  of  75  horse- 
power, and  steam  is  employed  for  heating  purposes. 
The  full  complement  of  hands  is  about  seventy-live. 

The  gas  retorts  from  these  works  are  of  the  best 
possible  quality,  and  they  are  used  in  all  parts  of  the 
country,  orders  being  received  from  the  most  distant 
sections. 

The  fire  brick  are  of  all  the  various  shapes  required 
in  rolling  mills,  cupolas,  foundries,  forges,  lime  and 


I 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


807 


cement  kilns,  etc.  Besides  these,  the  production  includes 
all  kinds  of  slabs  and  tiling  for  the  lining  of  ovens, 
stoves,  grates  and  furnaces. 

The  business  of  this  concern  was  established  in  1854 
by  the  late  Mr.  Joseph  K.  Brick,  who  purchased  a 
considerable  tract  of  land  near  the  Erie  Basin,  and 
gradually  built  up  the  works  to  their  present  proportions. 
He  was  the  first  manufacturer  of  clay  retorts  in  this 
country.  After  his  death,  in  18G7,  the  business  was 
continued  by  his  partner,  Mr.  E.  D.  White,  until  1877, 
when  the  present  firm  of  Edward  D.  White  &  Co,  was 
formed  by  the  admission  of  Mr.  Ira  N.  Stanley,  who 
had  been  interested  in  the  business  for  twenty  years; 
the  estate  of  Mr.  Brick  retaining  an  interest  in  the  busi- 
ness. Mr.  Stanley  is  a  practical  gas  engineer,  thoroughly 
conversant  with  all  the  details  connected  with  gas 
works,  and  his  able  superintendence  has  widely  extended 
the  reputation  of  the  works. 

Joseph  Keasbey  Brick  was  born  at  Woodstown,  Salem 
county,  N.  J. ;  in  early  life  was  dependent  upon  the  labor  of 
his  own  hands  for  support,  and  his  opportunities  for  school 
instruction  were  quite  limited.  From  his  boyhood,  however, 
his  desire  for  knowledge,  both  practical  and  scientific,  was 
very  great,  and  he  improved  every  opportunity  to  acquire  it. 
While  employed  in  Philadelphia,  during  several  years,  the 
Franklin  Institute  found  him,  after  his  daily  toil,  a  constant 
visitor.  In  various  departments  of  science  he  was  a  student 
all  his  life. 

In  that  department  of  practical  and  scientific  work  to 
which  he  mainly  devoted  himself  in  after  life,  namely,  that 
of  the  construction  and  management  of  gas  works,  he  was 
regarded  as  an  authority.  Many  of  the  improvements  now 
in  common  use  in  gas-making  were  first  proposed  by  him, 
notably  the  introduction  of  the  fire-clay  retort.  The  city  of 
Brooklyn  is  indebted  to  him  and  his  associates  for  the  first 
introduction  of  gas.  In  1848-'9,  the  works  of  the  Brooklyn 
Gas  Light  Company  were  erected  under  his  superinten- 
dence; and,  for  many  years  he  was  engineer  and  until  his 
decease,  and  a  Director  of  that  company.  The  Gas  Works 
at  Buffalo  were  erected  under  his  oversight  about  the  same 
time.  From  this  time  he  was  sought  for  as  Consulting  En- 
gineer, and  his  judgment  was  relied  upon  in  gas  work  all 
over  the  country. 

When  water  was  first  introduced  into  the  city  of  Savannah, 
Ga. ,  the  work  of  distribution  was  done  under  his  superinten- 
dence, and  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  public  authorities. 

To  all  his  undertakings  he  brought  untiring  energy.  No 
work  was  satisfactory  to  him  unless  it  was  the  best  that 
could  be  done.  In  the  latter  years  of  his  life  he  traveled 
much  in  this  country  and  in  Europe;  and,  being  a  man  of 
taste,  of  well-trained  mind,  and  a  close  observer,  he  gathered 
stores  of  most  valuable  information,  which  he  took  pleasure 
in  imparting  to  others.  He  died  at  Hot  Springs,  Ark. ,  Aug. 
7,  1867;  his  children  died  in  infancy.  Mrs.  Brick  is  a  resi- 
dent of  Brooklyn,  living  at  corner  of  Lafayette  and  Vander- 
bilt  avenues. 

John  Cooper,  413  Oakland  avenue,  estab.  1868;  makes 
the  fire-brick  for  the  Union  Porcelain  Co.'s  ovens;  em- 
ploys about  50  men.  John  G.  L.  Boettcher,  foot  of 
Olymer  street,  manufactures  fire-brick  and  tile;  The 
International  Tile  Co.,  Third  street,  near  Hoyt,  manu- 
factures encaustic  tile  for  floors,  mural  decorations,  &c, 

SECTION  XXXVIII. 
Silk  and  Lace  Goods ;  Mixed  Textiles ;  Woolen 
and  Cotton  Manufactures  ;  Knit  Goods. 

The  manufacture  of  silk  and  silk  goods  is  reported 
by  the  census  of  1880,  in  Brooklyn,  as  follows  :  15  es- 


tablishments; $559,335  capital;  707  employes;  $231,135 
wages;  $443,135  material;  $853,480  annual  product. 
Like  most  of  the  census  reports,  it  was  both  redundant 
and  defective.  The  original  return  by  Mr.  William  C. 
Wyckoff,  the  accomplished  Secretary  of  the  Silk  Asso- 
ciation of  America,  and  special  agent  of  the  Census 
Office,  on  silk  manufactures,  differed  from  this  in 
several  particulars.  Mr.  Wyckoff  reported,  "silk  goods 
and  mixed  textile  fabrics,  21  establishments;  $080,500 
capital;  1,199 hands;  $290,299  wages;  $598,543  material; 
$1,102,576  annual  product.  The  Census  Office  sepa- 
rated as  they  had  a  perfect  right  to  do  (though  the 
exercise  of  that  right  was  very  unwise),  the  mixed  tex- 
tiles from  the  silk  and  silk  goods,  but  they  had  no  right 
to  increase  the  number  of  silk  establishments  from  10 
to  15,  since  Mr.  Wyckoff's  facilities  for  ascertaining  all 
the  facts  in  regard  to  the  silk  manufacture  were  much 
greater  than  theirs  could  possibly  be.  Their  report  of 
mixed  textiles  was:  11  establishments;  $338,300  capital; 
259  hands;  $99,430  wages;  $263,097  material;  $423,239 
annual  product.  Adding  the  two  returns  together  we 
have  26  establishments  ;  $897,625  capital  ;  966  hands  ; 
$330,565  wages ;  7 06 ,2 3 2  material ;  $  1 , 2 7 6, 7 1 9  ann ual  pro- 
duct; a  result  which  it  will  be  seen  differs  at  every  point 
from  Mr.  Wyckoff's,  and  gives  $174,143  larger  product. 
We  have  said  that  these  returns  were  both  redundant 
and  defective — redundant  in  the  number  of  silk  factories, 
of  which  there  were  not  then,  and  are  not  now,  more 
than  10  in  Brooklyn.  In  1881,  the  Textile  Directory 
reported  14  establishments  large  and  small  in  Brook- 
lyn, but  of  these,  four  were  small  shops,  manu- 
facturing hat  cord,  or  braids  and  gimps,  in  a  very  small 
way,  all  of  whom  gave  up  the  next  year,  and  of  the  re- 
maining ten,  two  had  failed  before  1883,  though  two 
others  had  taken  their  places.  The  return  was  defec- 
tive, because  the  manufacture  of  silks,  aside  from  mixed 
textiles,  produced  more  than  a  million  of  dollars  an- 
nually. Of  the  silk  and  silk  lace  manufacturers,  there 
are  now  only  two  (there  were  four  in  1881).  Of  these, 
the  Jennings  Lace  Works  (A.  G.  Jennings  &  Sons) 
is  the  oldest  and  much  the  largest.  We  give  a  view  of 
their  works  on  the  opposite  page,  and  a  portrait  and 
biography  of  Mr.  A.  G.  Jennings  herewith. 

The  history  of  these  works  is  very  interesting. 
About  1867,  Mr.  Jennings,  an  enterprising  business 
man,  with  ample  capital,  for  which  he  sought  oppor- 
tunity of  investment,  found  a  small  establishment  in 
Jersey  city,  with  very  little  capital,  trying  to  make  silk 
hair  nets,  which  were  then  the  fashion.  After  some 
negotiations,  Mr.  Jennings  purchased  the  little  factory, 
and  commenced  the  manufacture  of  the  silk  nets  on  a 
somewhat  larger  scale.  In  May,  1868,  he  removed  the 
business  to  Park  Place  and  Barclay  street,  New  York 
city,  and  added  largely  to  his  machinery  and  facilities, 
and  commenced  making  laces  as  well  as  hair  nets. 

In  1871,  the  lace  works  were  removed  from  New 
York  to  the  corner  of  Park  avenue  and  Hall  street, 


808 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


A.   (i    JENNIXCS   ,Y.   SONS'    LACE  WOKKS.* 

Brooklyn,  where  Mr.  Jennings  had  erected  a  large  and 
commodious  factory,  specially  adapted  for  the  business 
of  manufacturing  silk  laces  in  all  its  branches,  from  the 
raw  silk  to  the  dyeing  and  finishing  the  lace  perfect 
for  the  use  of  the  consumer. 

Since  that  time  the  business  has  been  yearly  extended 
and  improved,  both  in  the  variety  and  quality  of  laces 
made  ;  new  machinery  imported  ;  many  more  persons 
employed,  many  of  whom,  skilled  in  the  various  branches 
of  the  art  of  making  fine  laces,  were  brought  over  from 
Europe  at  his  expense. 

The  Jennimjs  Lace  works,  as  they  are  called  now, 
give  employment  to  some  six  hundred  persons,  paying 
out  $175,000  yearly  for  labor,  producing  an  average  of 
$000,000  per  annum,  with  a  capacity  of  twice  that 
amount.  A  large  part  of  the  employ6s  in  this  estab- 
lishment are  women  and  girls,  and  the  proprietors  are 
very  careful  in  regard  to  their  morals  and  manners, 
encouraging  them  in  well-doing.  We  have  not  seen,  in 
any  establishment  in  Kings  county,  neater,  more  cheer- 
ful or  more  intelligent  hands. 

Within  a  few  years  some  other  parties  in  this  state 
have  commenced  to  make  laces  from  the  yarn,  but  to 
A.  G.  Jennings  is  awarded,  very  generally,  the  credit  of 
establishing  in  this  country,  on  a  sure  basis,  the  impor- 
tant business  of  manufacturing  lace  goods.  What  has 
been  accomplished  is  the  result  of  much  thought,  care 
and  labor,  and  in  this  he  has  been  materially  assisted  by 
his  sons,  particularly  his  son,  Warren  P.  Jennings,  the 

Superintendent  of  the  works. 

In  regard  to  quality,  their  goods  greatly  surpass  the 
foreign  goods,  and  are  sold  at  a  lower  price.  One 

•The»e  work*  are  now  being  enlarged  1))'  the  erection  of  another 


great  cause  of  this  is  that  they  conduct  all  the  de- 
partments of  the  work  on  their  own  premises.  At 
Nottingham,  the  head-quarters  of  the  English  lace 
trade,  laces  are  woven  by  small  manufacturers,  owning 
but  one  or  two  looms,  are  then  sold  to  the  finisher,  who, 
after  finishing  them,  sells  them  to  the  large  jobber,  and 
he  in  turn  to  his  English  and  foreign  customers.  Thus 
there  are  three  profits  to  be  made  on  the  English  goods 
before  they  come  into  the  hands  of  the  American  im- 
porter and  jobber.  At  St.  Gall,  the  manufacturing  is 
managed  in  much  the  same  way.  Messrs.  Jennings  & 
Sons  buy  their  silk,  ready  thrown,  of  the  throwster  ; 
but  all  the  other  processes,  such  as  making  the  patterns 
for  the  laces,  weaving  them  on  the  lace  looms,  introduc- 
ing his  new  designs  by  means  of  the  Jacquard  appara- 
tus, dyeing,  making  up,  finishing  and  putting  up  the 
goods  for  the  market,  are  performed  in  the  manufactory. 

Lace  machinery  is  very  costly.  The  looms  are  gener- 
ally imported  from  Europe,  and  cost  from  $6,000  to 
$10,000  each.  A  single  set  of  Jacquard  card  patterns 
for  the  Jacquard  looms,  to  make  one  design  for  figured 
lace,  costs  from  $60  to  $500  each.  And  there  are  re- 
quired for  elaborate  patterns  from  1,500  to  10,000  per- 
forated cards. 

Of  the  disk  bobbins  used  on  the  lace  looms,  Messrs. 
Jennings  &  Sons  use  over  100,000. 

It  has  always  been  a  grievance  to  Mr.  Jennings,  and 
justly  so,  that  the  Government  prevented  him  from 
making  cotton  lace,  which  is  now  largely  imported,  and 
so  greatly  undervalued  that,  really,  the  nominal  duty  is 
no  protection  to  the  American  manufacturer;  while  the 
very  fine  cotton  thread,  Nos.  150  to  300,  which  is  spun 
in  England,  from  Sea  Island  cotton,  is  not  made  here, 
and  is  indispensable  for  its  manufacture.  This  fine  cot- 
ton is  charged  with  a  duty  of  from  60  to  100  per  cent., 
which  is  prohibitory.  If  this  duty  could  be  reduced  to 
not  more  than  10  per  cent.,  the  Swiss  mulls  and  fine 
cotton  laces,  for  which  we  pay  now  from  $10,000,000  to 
$12,000,000,  might  be  made  here  of  a  quality  fully 
equal  to  the  imported  goods. 

At  the  present  time,  Messrs.  Jennings'  works  are  not 
running  at  anything  like  their  full  capacity.  Fashion 
has  much  to  do  with  this.  Spanish  lace,  of  which  tin  \ 
have  been  obliged  to  carry  a  large  stock  to  meet  the 
demand,  is  now  going  out,  and  Escurial  and  other  hu  es 
are  slowly  coming  in  ;  and,  until  the  demand  for  the 
latter  is  fully  established,  it  is  necessary  to  go  slowh . 

Abraham  GorLD  Jennings.— The  Jennings  family  is  one 
of  the  oldest  in  England.  When  William  the  Conqueror 
ascended  the  English  throne,  though  lie  confiscated  some  of 
the  great  fiefs  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  nobles,  he  did  not  touch 
the  lands  of  any  of  the  tenants  holding  feudally  under 
them  ;  and  as  the  Jennings  family  were  men  of  "  peace  and 
plenty,"  having  no  desire  for  political  preferment,  or  liking 
for  the  glory  gained  by  civil  conflicts  and  strifes,  they  re- 
mained undisturbed  by  the  great  convulsions  of  the  country 
which  resulted  from  the  conquest  of  it  by  William  of 
Normandy. 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


809 


For  six  hundred  years,  they  remained  among  the  gentry 
and  commoners  of  England,  wealthy,  industrious,  and  in- 
fluential agriculturists  and  manufacturers,  loyal  to  their 
country  and  its  rulers,  but  without  ambition  for  place  and 
preferment. 

At  length,  in  the  contest  which  led  to  the  dethronement 
and  execution  of  Charles  the  First,  to  one  branch  of  the 
family,  that  of  Cambridgeshire,  in  the  persons  of  Sir  John 
Jennyns,  his  son,  Richard  Jennings,  of  Sandridge,  and  the 
daughters  of  the  latter,  there  came  the  preferment  to  which 
they  had  been  so  long  indifferent.  The  eldest  and  youngest 
daughters  of  Richard  Jennings  were:  Frances,  "  La  Belle 
Jennings,"  Duchess  of  Tyrconnel,  the  most  beautiful  and  the 
purest  woman  of  the  courts  of  Charles  II.  and  James  II. ,  and 
Maid  of  Honor  to  the  successive  Queens  of  those  courts; 
and  Sarah  Jennings,  the  famous  Duchess  of  Marlborough; 
and  the  intimate  friend  and  counsellor  of  Queen  Anne. 

Richard  Jennings  left  no  male  heirs,  and  hence  there  are 
none  of  his  lineal  descendants  now  bearing  the  name  of  Jen- 
nings, though  there  are  very  many  of  his  father's,  and  other 
families  of  that  name.  From  some  one  of  these,  the  subject  of 
this  notice  claims  descent.  His  earliest  ancestor  here, 
Joshua  Jennings,  was  born  in  England  about  1620-1625,  and 
came  to  Hartford,  Conn.,  about  1645-1647,  and  removed  to 
Fairfield,  Conn.,  before  1656.  He  was  married  at  Hartford, 
December  23d,  1647,  to  Mary  Williams,  of  that  town,  and  by 
her  had  nine  children,  from  the  seventh  of  whom,  Isaac 
Jennings,  he  traces  his  lineage.  There  were  in  all  four  gene- 
rations of  the  name  of  Isaac  Jennings;  the  third  of  that 
name  had,  for  his  fourth  child,  Abraham  Gould  Jennings, 
(better  known  as  Captain  Gould  Jennings),  born  in  1781, 
and  one  of  the  most  remarkable  men  of  Fairfield  county; 
a  brave,  grand,  noble  man,  in  all  the  relations  of  life  ; 
a  man  who  feared  God,  but  knew  no  other  fear;  who 
loved  his  country  intensely,  and  manifested  that  love  in  its 
time  of  peril.  His  mother  was  Abigail  Gould,  a  daughter  of 
Col.  Abraham  Gould,  one  of  the  heroes  who  fell  in  the  Revolu- 
tionary war.  His  wife  was  Anna  Burr,  a  daughter  of  Peter 
Burr,  one  of  the  leading  citizens  of  Fairfield,  and  a  woman 
of  rare  intelligence  and  elevation  of  character.  To  this  pair, 
were  born  ten  children,  of  whom  the  seventh  is  the  sub- 
ject of  this  notice,  Abraham  Gould  Jennings,  who  was  born 
in  Fairfield,  Conn.,  August  28,  1821.  His  early  education 
was  received  in  the  schools  of  his  native  town,  and  under 
the  influences  of  a  cultured  and  refined  home  life.  In  1836, 
he  came  to  New  York,  and  became  a  clerk  in  the  store  of  his 
brother-in-law,  Mr.  J.  S.  Pierson,  then  a  manufacturer  and 
wholesale  dealer  in  clothing.  His  character  for  zeal  and 
diligence  in  business  was  so  marked,  that,  in  1844,  Mr.  Pier- 
son  took  him  into  partnership,  and  they  remained  as  partners 
till  1857,  when  Mr.  Pierson  sold  out  his  interest  to  Mr.  Henry 
D.  Wheeler,  and  the  firm  was  thenceforward  Jennings, 
Wheeler  &  Co.  In  1845,  Mr.  Jennings  had  visited  Charles- 
ton, South  Carolina,  and  established  a  branch  of  their  busi- 
ness, which  was  continued  until  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil 
War,  Mr.  Jennings  and  Mr.  Pierson  going  to  Charleston, 
alternately,  every  season.  The  partnership  with  Mr.  Wheeler 
was  dissolved  in  1861,  and  Mr.  Jennings  continued  his  busi- 
ness in  New  York  during  the  war,  but  on  a  very  moderate 
scale.  In  the  fall  of  1865,  he  visited  the  south,  and  looked 
up  his  old  customers,  some  of  whom  owed  him  large  sums. 
Many  of  them  were  scattered,  many  dead,  and  all  the  survi- 
vors greatly  impoverished. 

Meanwhile,  he  was  looking  for  some  other  legitimate  busi- 
ness, in  which  to  establish  himself.  He  found  this,  in  a 
small  lace  factory  in  Jersey  City,  as  we  have  elsewhere  nar- 
rated.   He  purchased  this  small  factory,  with  its  few  lace 


machines,  in  the  autumn  of  1867,  and  by  diligent  study  of  the 
business,  in  all  its  details,  and  by  his  decided  enterprise, 
made  himself  master  of  it  and  extended  it,  both  as  to  the 
variety  and  quantity  of  the  goods  made,  as  rapidly  as  the 
demands  of  the  trade  required  and  his  means  would  justify. 

In  the  spring  of  1868,  he  removed  his  works  to  Barclay 
street  and  Park  Place,  New  York  city,  and  having  won  the 
confidence  of  the  trade,  still  further  extended  his  business. 
In  1870,  he  went  over  to  England  and  studied  the  business 
there,  purchasing  lace  machines,  which  could  not  then  be 
built  here,  and  bringing  back  with  him  skilled  operatives, 
designers  and  draughtsmen.  His  eldest  son  has  visited 
Europe  repeatedly  and  has  made  himself  very  thoroughly 
familiar  with  every  step  of  the  processes  of  lace  making  by 
machinery,  and  with  the  complicated  machines  which  are 
used  in  its  manufacture. 

In  1871,  he  purchased  the  site  of  his  present  works,  and 
erected  his  large  factory  thereon,  which  has  been  repeatedly 
enlarged,  and  is  now  known,  all  over  the  country,  as  the 
"Jennings  Lace  Works."  Though,  perhaps,  not  the  very 
first  manufacturer  of  lace,  in  this  country,  by  machinery,  he 
deserves  the  credit  of  having  been  the  first  to  conduct  it  on  a 
large  scale,  and  to  make  it  one  of  our  great  industries. 
Others  have  followed  in  his  wake,  but  none  have  equalled 
him  in  the  extent  and  excellence  of  their  production.  He 
acknowledges,  in  this  matter,  the  assistance  he  has  received 
from  his  eldest  son  and  partner,  Mr.  Warren  Pierson 
Jennings,  who,  by  his  designs  and  inventions  of  new  meshes, 
new  fabrics,  and  improvements  in  the  Jacquard  looms,  has 
greatly  improved  and  facilitated  the  manufacture.  Mr. 
Jennings  has  been  very  happy  in.his  family.  He  was  married 
in  April,  1851,  to  Miss  Cecilia  M.  Douglas,  daughter  of  J.  P. 
Douglas,  Esq.,  of  New  York  city,  and  of  the  seven  children 
which  have  been  the  issue  of  this  marriage,  five  survive — 
three  sons  and  two  daughters.  The  eldest  daughter  was 
married  in  1876.  Of  the  eldest  son  we  have  already  spoken. 
The  second  son,  Oliver  Taylor  Jennings,  has  also  been  a 
partner  since  1883.  For  five  years  previous  to  that  time  he 
had  been  in  charge  of  a  large  property  of  4,000  acres  of  min- 
ing, agricultural  and  timber  lands — "The  Glades,"  Hall 
county,  Georgia, — owned  by  his  father,  where  he  had  laid 
the  foundations  of  a  flourishing  settlement. 

Mr.  Jennings  united  with  the  Presbyterian  Church  under 
the  pastoral  care  of  Rev.  I.  S.  Spencer,  D.  D.,  in  1839,  and 
has  been  actively  engaged  in  Sunday  school  instruction  since 
that  time.  He  speaks  in  high  terms  of  the  benefits  which  he 
received,  intellectually  and  spiritually,  from  Dr.  Spencer's 
preaching  and  teaching.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the 
Clinton  avenue  Congregational  church  since  1873.  Mrs. 
Jennings  is  a  member  of  the  same  church,  and  being  like- 
minded  with  her  husband,  has  been  very  useful  and  active  in 
all  church  work.  Mr.  Jennings  has  been  through  life  a  close 
student,  and  his  knowledge  of  the  Scriptures  is  both  thorough 
and  profound.  Some  years  since,  he  compiled  and  published 
a  small  volume,  The  Last  Days  of  Christ;  or,  an  Account  of 
the  Great  Atonement.  He  has  a  very  large  and  choice 
library,  and  a  remarkable  collection  of  early  editions  of  the 
Scriptures. 

He  has  never  been  an  active  politician,  or  an  office-seeker  or 
office-holder.  His  early  sympathies  were  with  the  Webster 
or  old  line  Whigs  ;  since  the  war,  he  has  often,  though  not 
always,  voted  with  the  Democrats. 

In  all  the  circles  of  trade  and  business,  Mr.  Jennings  has 
the  reputation  of  being  an  energetic,  industrious,  persever- 
ing, honest  and  straightforward  man,  of  large  sympathies, 
and  of  genial  temper.  He  may  be  impulsive,  but  he  is  sure 
to  be  just. 


810 


Of  the  other  silk  manufacturers,  only  Lowenstein  & 
Keyser  make  lace  to  any  extent.  They  are  understood 
to  have  given  up  the  manufacture  of  trimming  laces, 
though  they  have  a  stock  on  hand,  and  are  importing 
some.  Their  principal  product  now  is  silk  mitts.  Their 
product  does  not  probably  exceed  $150,000,  and  their 
present  force  of  operatives  is  said  not  to  be  large. 

Henry  Soar  makes  hair  nets,  and  perhaps  some  Not- 
tingham lace  in  a  small  way. 

Cobley  Bros,  manufacture  belt  ribbons,  and  those 
dress  trimmings  which  are  wholly  of  silk.  Their  es- 
tablishment is  not  very  large. 

August  Moll,  J.  S.  Steinbom  and  J.  Naul,  manufac- 
ture braids  and  cords;  Jacob  Will,  hat  cords;  William 
Reitmeyer,  fringes  and  dress  trimmings  on  a  large  scale; 
The  Manchester  Gimp  Co.,  Furniture  gimps.  Messrs. 
G.  L.  Kelty  &  Co.,  S.  McLure,  and  A.  Maynard  &  Co., 
are  manufacturers  of  upholstery  trimmings,  furniture 
coverings,  and  curtain  materials,  cords,  gimps,  tassels, 
fringes,  etc. ;  McLure  makes  also  dress-trimmings;  E. 
Estberg,  makes  shade-tassels  and  cords.  The  last 
four  are  all,  we  believe,  doing  a  large  business.  Messrs. 
Kelty  &  Co.,  and  McLure  certainly  are,  but  their  pro- 
ducts for  the  most  part  belong  to  the  class  of  mixed 
textiles,  as  they  contain  cotton,  linen,  worsted,  woolen 
or  jute  in  combination  with  silk.  The  combined  statis- 
tics of  the  two  classes  would  show  about  1,350  hands, 
and  a  total  out-put  exceeding  $1,600,000. 

Subsection  I. — Woolen  and  CottonGoods;  Knit  Goods. 

The  production  of  these  goods  in  Kings  county  is 
not  large.  In  woolen  goods,  we  find  two  houses,  both 
now  defunct,  James  H.  Prentice  and  W.  E.  Doubleday, 
who  were  formerly  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  felted 
skirts;  A.  Moll,  braids,  whom  we  have  already  noticed 
under  silk  goods;  Messrs.  J.  <[;  //  Hutchinson,  manu- 
facturers of  coir  and  wool-bordered  mats,  already  men- 
tioned under  "  Mats  and  Matting;"  the  Planet  Carpet 
Mills,  which  mingle  a  very  little  wool  with  a  great  deal 
of  jute,  and  which  are  already  noticed  under  "Jute  and 
Jute  Butts;"  and  that  mythical  wool-hat  factory,  alluded 
to  under  "Hats  and  Caps."  Messrs.  Jennings  <£•  Sons 
also  manufacture  what  they  call  "  Pearl  Lace  Shawls, 
Nubias,"  etc.,  in  fine  worsted,  and  have  introduced 
many  new  improvements  and  inventions  in  these  goods. 

Of  "knitting  works,"  there  are  7  houses  named  in  the 
directory,  of  which  one  certainly,  and  possibly  two,  are 
defunct,  and  the  others  very  small,  except  the  Island 
City  Knitting  Mills  in  South  Fifth  street,  E.  D. 

The  cotton  manufacture  is  a  little  larger,  reporting 
four  or  five  establishments,  of  which  the  Union  Print 
Works,  of  Johnson  and  Union  avenues,  ami  Joseph  T. 
IVrkins  .cotton  bagging,  and  possibly  the  limit  Bag- 
ging Co.,  are  the  largest.  Goodman  <(•  Mayer  batting, 
and  Louis  Mayer,  cotton  goods,  are  also  named.  The  en- 
tire out-put  of  thewoolcn,  cotton  and  knit  goods  manu- 
factures can  hardly  exceed  $400,000. 


SECTION  XXXIX. 
Soap  Manufacture. 

The  soap  production  of  Brooklyn  is  heavy.  Charles 
S.  Higgins's  is  the  largest.  The  cut  on  the  opposite 
page  represents  his  soap  works.  The  business  was 
started  in  1842  by  Win.  O.  Higgins  (since  deceased), 
father  of  the  present  proprietor.  Necessarily,  as  is 
the  case  with  all  new  undertakings,  the  business  was 
started  in  a  very  small  way,  and  at  that  time  the 
facilities  in  the  way  of  machinery  was  very  meagre. 
The  cjuantity  of  soap  then  manufactured  was  small. 
The  demand  for  soaps  of  Charles  S.  Higgins's  make 
has  steadily  increased,  and  at  the  present  time  the  fac- 
tory covers  about  20  full  city  lots.  The  factory  is  sup- 
plied with  the  newest  and  best  machinery,  enabling  the 
proprietor  to  produce  millions  of  pounds  of  soap  per 
year.  Within  the  past  two  years  the  manufacture  of 
toilet  soaps  have  been  added  to  the  business. 

The  manufacturer  next  in  rank  is  Thomas  Gill, 
manufacturer  of  patent  borax  soaps,  223  to  229  Kent 
avenue;  office,  No.  14  Park  place,  New  York.  .Mr. 
Gill,  who  was  previously  a  dry  goods  jobber  in  New 
York,  commenced  making  soap  at  No.  55  Atlantic 
avenue,  in  1874.  In  1880,  he  moved  to  Kent  avenue, 
where  a  steam  engine  and  sixteen  hands  now  turn  out 
20,000  pounds  per  day,  amounting  to  §250,000  a  year. 
His  indignation  was  early  aroused  by  the  impure  ma- 
terial and  the  adulterations  so  largely  used  in  many 
cases  in  the  production  of  this  household  necessity, 
and  he  prides  himself  in  using  no  kinds  of  grease  but 
pure  tallow,  in  any  of  his  products,  from  the  laundry 
to  the  finest  toilet  soaps. 

John  H.  Doscher  and  Karl  R.  Kichner,  corner  of 
Raymond  and  Boliver  streets,  are  extensive  manufac- 
turers of  laundry  and  toilet  soaps,  and  dealers  in 
starch,  candles  and  sal  soda.  They  have  $115,000  cap- 
ital invested;  employ  40  workmen  at  a  cost  of  $30,000 
per  year,  and  do  an  annual  business  of  $200,000.  The 
establishment  dates  back  to  1860. 

James  A.  Barnett  tfc  Co.,  82  Wallabout  street,  com- 
menced the  manufacture  of  Soap  in  1878.  They  use 
steam  power;  employ  12  hands,  and  turn  out  a  produc- 
tion of  $80,000  per  year. 

Brewster,  Rutherford  <fc  Co.,  46  Kent  avenue,  were 
entirely  "  too  busy "  to  give  any  attention  to  our 
repeated  inquiries  for  information. 

SECTION  XL. 

Musical  Instruments. 

The  census  statistics  are:  1.  Musical  instruments  and 
materials  (not  specified),  9  establishments;  $13,500 
capital;  46  hands;  $20,543  wages;  $56,483  materials; 
$102,724  annual  product.  2.  Musical  instruments,  organ* 
and  materials;  4  establishments;  §7,700  capital;  8  hands; 
$6,139  wages;  $4,237  materials;  $18,076  annual  product. 
8.  Musical  instruments,  pianos  and  materials,  11  estab- 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES.  811 


CHARLES  S,  HIGGINS'  SOAP  MANUFACTORY. 


lishments;  $195,775  capital;  124  hands;  $68,984  wages; 
$122,810  materials;  $252,983  annual  product — a  total  for 
all  of  178  hands,  and  $373,783  annual  product. 

The  manufacture  of  musical  instruments  is  a  large 
and  constantly  growing  interest  in  this  city.  In  the 
manufacture  and  repairs  of  pianos,  11  firms  are  engaged, 
with  an  aggregate  capital  of  $350,000;  200 hands;  $12,- 
000  annual  wages;  consuming  materials  worth  $14,000, 
and  turning  out  an  annual  product  of  $400,000.  The 
largest  manufacturer  is  F.  G.  Smith,  successor,  in  1867, 
to  W.  B.  Bradbury,  whose  factory  is  on  Raymond 
street,  corner  of  Willoughby.  Within  the  compara- 
tively few  years  since  American  makers  commenced 
the  manufacture  of  piano-fortes,  a  separate  trade  in  the 
various  different  parts,  such  as  the  action,  iron  frames, 
strings,  and  wood-work  has  grown  up.  Piano  man- 
ufacturers can  buy  these  various  parts  cheaper  and 
better,  in  general,  than  they  can  make  them.  Mr. 
Smith  brings  his  cases  from  his  factory  in  Leominster, 
Mass.  Here  they  are  polished  and  finished,  the  iron 
frame  and  action  inserted,  the  strings  put  on  and 
adjusted  and  the  instrument  tuned.  The  pull  of  the 
strings  of  a  concert  grand  being  equal  to  about  1 7  tons, 
the  frames  must  necessarily  be  made  solid  and  strong 
to  resist  it.    The  iron  bed-plate  under  the  strings  is 


screwed  fast  to  maple  plank,  three  or  four  inches  in 
thickness,  into  which  the  tuning  pins  are  sunk.  The 
sounding  board,  of  deal  or  spruce,  is  just  beneath  the 
strings  in  the  grand  and  square  instruments,  and  behind 
in  the  uprights. 

The  "  action  "  consists  of  the  keys,  the  felt-covered 
hammers  which  strike  the  strings,  and  a  series  of  felt 
dampers  which  fall  on  the  strings  to  stop  the  vibra- 
tions when  the  keys  are  released.  These  main  parts 
are  similar  in  all  pianos.  Mr.  Smith  has  some  $300,000 
invested  in  the  business  and  gives  employment  to  120 
men.  Besides  the  manufacture  of  instruments  he  also 
has  a  department  for  repairing. 

The  establishment  of  G.  W.  Held,  Jr.,  114  Liv- 
ingston street,  is  also  well  worthy  of  notice. 

This  gentleman  happened  to  be  the  only  one  of  seve- 
ral brothers  that  "  took  "  to  the  occupation  of  the  father. 
The  special  business  of  the  father  was  the  repairing 
and  tuning  of  pianos.  He  was  for  years  in  the  employ 
of  the  Steinways  and  Weber,  in  New  York,  and  after- 
wards in  the  same  business  in  this  city.  The  son  can 
remember  his  liking  for  the  same  occupation  when  he  was 
a  lad  of  only  eight  years,  and  this  liking  was  encouraged 
and  confirmed  in  after  years  by  the  father's  careful 
and  efficient  instruction.     He    used  to  employ  the 


812 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


CHAS.  W.  HtXDS  PIANO  WAIiKUOOMS. 


leisure  time  between  school  hours  in  assisting  his 
father,  and  thus  became  familiar  with  all  branches  of 
the  work  while  at  an  early  age.  While  still  in  his  teens 
he  was  connected  with  prominent  establishments  in  the 
metropolis,  and  was  depended  upon  to  perform  work 
not  often  entrusted  to  so  young  a  craftsman. 

In  1865,  he  commenced  business  on  his  own  account 
in  Brooklyn,  at  163  Atlantic  avenue.  In  1870,  his 
place  was  located  on  Joraleinon  street,  upon  the  spot 
on  which  the  Municipal  Building  now  stands.  For  the 
past  ten  years  he  has  been  commodiously  situated  at 
114  Livingston  street,  corner  of  Boerum  Place.  The 
sign  is  inscribed,  "  Chas.  W.  Held,  Jr.,  Piano  Tuning 
Establishment."  It  is  notable  that  this  was  the  first 
sign  of  the  kind  ever  exhibited  in  this  city,  and  this 
still  remains  the  only  place  in  Brooklyn  at  which  piano 
repairing  is  made  a  specialty.  The  concentration  of 
his  attention  upon  a  particular  line  of  work,  a  natural 
fitness,  to  which  is  added  the  valuable  practical  ex- 
perience of  years  of  study  and  labor,  and  the  enthusiasm 
of  a  man  who  loves  his  calling,  have  led  to  success. 
Additions  to  his  space  have  been  made  of  necessity, 
from  time  to  time,  to  accommodate  a  constantly  grow- 
ing business;  and  within  a  year  the  entire  first  floor  of 
the  building,  which  is  double  its  original  size,  has  been 
thrown  into  one  room  for  the  exhibition  of  pianos  and 
organs.  The  Krauich  and  Bach  pianos,  for  which  he 
is  agent,  are  especially  and  personally  selected  by  him 
for  his  Brooklyn  patrons.  The  advantage  of  such  a 
selection  by  a  conscientious  expert,  is  too  obvious  to 
call  for  comment.  Tin-  second  and  third  floors  are 
occupied  as  repair  shops. 


An  enviable  reputation  has  been  acquired  for  this 
establishment,  by  strict  attention  to  the  old  adage  that 
"  Whatever  is  worth  doing  at  all,  is  worth  doing  well." 
When  an  instrument  is  taken  for  repairs,  it  is  never 
suffered  to  leave  the  shop  until  restored  to  perfect 
order  and  put  in  a  condition  to  remain  so  for  years. 
This  is  no  easy  task.  In  fact,  it  is  more  difficult  to 
repair  an  instrument  than  manufacture  a  new  one.  A 
thorough  knowledge  of  the  greatly  varying  methods  of 
construction  in  instruments  made  twenty  years  ago,  or 
recently,  is  absolutely  required  to  repair  them  success- 
fully. The  strain  of  the  wires  upon  modern  pianos  is 
equal  to  a  pressure  of  from  thirty  to  forty-five  thou- 
sand pounds,  or  an  average  force  of  one  hundred  and 
eighty  pounds  to  each  wire.  One  needs  little  me- 
chanical genius  to  understand  that  the  accurate  adjust- 
ment of  a  net-work  of  wires  at  such  a  tension,  is  work 
only  for  a  skilled  hand  and  an  able  ear  to  detect  the 
slightest  discord.  Pianos  are  often  sent  back  to  the 
makers  to  be  repaired,  but  an  expert  is  seldom  found 
to  manipulate  them  at  the  manufactories.  The  reason 
of  this  is  found  in  the  fact  that  each  part  of  the  man- 
ufacture has  its  special  workers,  and  it  is  rare  indeed 
that  one  is  met  with  familiar  with  all  of  the  eight  or  ten 
distinct  branches,  as  a  successful  repairer  must  be. 

Other  piano  manufacturers  are  Jacob  Bros.,  55  Bush- 
wick  avenue,  J.  Schuladcn,  133  N.  1st  street,  and 
William  Wall,  656  DeKalb  avenue. 

Church  organs  are  built  by  the  following  firms : 
Ri  uben  Midmer,  97  Steuben  street,  J.  31.  Mandeville, 
417  Atlantic  avenue,  Edward  Ilechinger,  110  Trout- 
man  street,  E.  R.  lake,  529  Grand  street,  C.  J.  O'Rielhj, 
470  Baltic  street,  G.H.  Whitten,  37  DeKalb  avenue.  The 
aggregate  of  capital  is  $30,000;  there  are  35  men  em- 
ployed, earning  $18,000,  and  manufacturing  instruments 
of  the  value  of  $40,000.  The  work  of  Brooklyn  organ 
builders  ranks  high,  though  it  is  not  an  old  established 
industry  in  the  city.  With  the  exception  of  the  metal 
work,  the  process  of  manufacture  is  carried  on  by  each 
builder  in  his  own  place.  The  foundation,  the  bellows, 
is  a  large  oblong  box,  with  top,  bottom  and  middle 
partition  of  wood,  sides  and  ends  made  of  leather,  to 
be  flexible.  The  "windways"  conduct  the  air  up  to  a 
large  wind  chest,  into  which  the  various  pipe  are  set. 
A  valve  below  each  pipe  is  drawn  down  by  the  key. 
admitting  wind  into  the  pipe;  a  "lip"  in  an  opening  in 
the  side  of  the  pipe  causes  the  column  of  air  to  vibrate 
and  give  a  sound  proportioned  to  the  size  and  length 
of  the  tube.  Various  "stops"  or  mechanical  arrange* 
ments  admit  the  wind  to  the  different  sets  of  pipes, 
some  wood,  some  metal.  Generally  at  the  top  of  the 
instrument  is  the  "swell,"  enclosed  in  a  box  with 
shutters  in  front,  which  can  be  opened  and  closed  at 
will  to  vary  the  volume  of  sound.  Light  wooden  rods  and 
wires  connect  the  keys  with  their  corresponding  pipes. 

Brooklyn  also  has  several  makers  of  guitars,  banjos, 
tambourines,  drums,  and  the  smaller  musical  instru- 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


813 


merits.  One  of  the  oldest  is  George  Velsor  <fb  Sons, 
122  Grand  street,  established  1852,  who  has  12 
employees,  and  whose  annual  sales  are  $30,000;  George 
Cloos,  of  39  Stagg  street,  established  18G5,  has  10  em- 
ployees, manufactures  and  sells  about  $10,000  worth 
annually.  Other  makers  are:  W.  H.  Cornell,  26 1  Grand 
street;  F.  Gretsch,  379  Broadway;  Hosens  cb  Bro.,  94 
Grand  street;  H.  Lawrence,  235  Ainslie  street;  A.  L. 
Ludwig,  166  4th  street,  E.  D.;  R.  H: Mayland  and  E. 
J.  Stanley,  24  Myrtle  avenue;  A.  Pfaendler,  683  Broad- 
way; E.  Schoen,  93  Graham  avenue;  G.  P.  Mein, 
drums,  253  Fourth  street,  E.  D.,  and  W.  Schultz,  194| 
Fulton  street. 

The  12  establishments  have  a  capital  of  $20,000, 
employ  60  hands,  earning  $30,000,  and  manufacturing 
goods  worth  $150,000  annually. 

SECTION  XLI. 
Roofing  and  Roofing  Materials. 

The  census  statistics  are:  29  establishments;  $82,975 
capital;  199  hands;  $98,443  wages;  $160,974  material; 
$447,259  annual  product.  This  business  has  grown 
very  rapidly  in  the  past  four  years.  There  are  now  60 
firms  manufacturing  roofs  and  roofing  material  in 
Brooklyn.  The  largest  number  make  the  gravel  or 
tarred  paper,  coal  tar  and  gravel  roofs;  some  substitute 
asphalt  for  the  tar;  others  use  cement,  and  others  still 
plastic  slate.  Two  or  three  firms  make  the  last  a 
specialty;  three,  and  perhaps  four,  use  tin  only;  three 
use  slate,  and  sometimes  tin;  one  uses  a  compound  of 
asbestos.  Besides  these  60,  there  are  agents  of  several 
New  York  houses  who  do  business  in  Brooklyn.  The 
builders  of  speculation  houses  generally  prefer  the 
gravel  roofs,  but  they  are  very  poor  roofs,  and  very 
heavy.  The  leading  gravel  roofers  are  :  Chas.  S.  Buell; 
Comins  &  Evans;  Anglo-American  Roofing  Company; 
Empire  Roofing  Works;  Long  Island  Improved  Roof- 
ing Company ;  Brooklyn  Roofing  Company ;  David 
Fitzgerald;  New  York  Roofing  Company;  E.  M. 
Shute;  Ellery  cb  Garrison,  520  DeKalb  avenue,  roofers 
and  manufacturers  of  Ellery's  India  Rubber  Paint, 
established  at  New  York  in  1857,  etc.,  etc. 

The  cement  men  are  Hamilton  Roofing  and  Cement 
Company,  Comins  cb  Evans. 

Plastic  slate,  Polhemus  cb  Matthews,  Edward  Van 
Orden  cb  Co. 

Tin  and  slate,  John  Davis,  William  Martin,  James 
White,  T.  Vincent,  E.  M.  Shute,  etc.,  etc. 

There  are  about  350  hands,  and  the  out-put  exceeds 
$1,000,000  in  all  kinds  of  roofs. 

SECTION  XLII. 

Dyeing  and  Cleaning— Carpet  Cleaning. 

The  census  gives:  20  establishments;  $23,250  capital; 
4S  hands;  $22,349  wages;  $178,667  material;  $236,007 
annual  product.    This  leaves  out  the  carpet  cleaning 


by  machinery  entirely,  and  gives  a  false  impression  in 
regard  to  cleaning  of  garments.  The  value  of  the 
clothing,  goods  or  carpets  to  be  cleaned  or  dyed  is  not 
a  part  of  the  manufacture,  and  should  not  be  counted. 
There  are  59  dyers,  bleachers  and  scourers  in  Brooklyn, 
and  their  entire  capital  in  their  legitimate  business  does 
not  amount  to  over  $60,000,  and  their  receipts  for  their 
work  may  be  $200,000.  They  employ  about  112  hands. 

There  are  18  carpet  cleaners,  of  whom  6  are  com- 
panies, using  steam  and  machinery  for  cleaning.  One 
calls  itself  the  Open  Air  Carpet  Cleaning  Company. 
The  rest  do  their  carpet  cleaning  with  a  stick,  ami  there 
are  50  more  at  least  who  clean  carpets  in  the  same  way. 
The  carpet  cleaning  companies  have  large  establish- 
ments, and  make  money.  One  of  these  claims  to  have 
cleared  over  $100,000  last  year.  This  was  the  New 
York  Patent  Steam  Carpet  Beating  Company.  Several 
clean  by  steam,  and  two  use  naphtha  or  benzine. 

A.  P.  Stevens  cb  Co.,  247-251  Willoughby  street, 
established  1871;  capital,  about  $10,000;  average  num- 
ber of  hands,  20;  wages  annually  paid,  about  $6,000. 


SECTION  XLHI. 
Flouring  and  Feed  Mills. 

The  manufacture  of  flouring  and  grist  mill  products 
has  long  maintained  a  good  position  here,  notwithstand- 
ing many  misfortunes,  accidents  and  failures.  It  is  a 
business  conducted  on  very  close  margin,  and  the  vary- 
ing price  of  grain  and  flour  renders  the  profits  some- 
what precarious.  It  is  not  materially  increasing,  either 
in  Kings  or  New  York  county,  the  western  flour  from 
the  immense  mills  of  Minneapolis,  St.  Paul,  Chicago, 
and  St.  Louis,  competing  so  strongly  with  the  eastern 
products  as  to  make  the  profits  very  small.  According 
to  the  census  of  1880,  the  net  profit  in  that  year  could 
not  have  exceeded  three  per  cent. 

The  statistics  of  1880  for  the  county  were  :  Nine  es- 
tablishments, employing  $662,500  capital  and  170 
hands,  paying  out  $98,655  wages,  using  $2,615,270  of 
raw  material,  and  producing  flour,  etc.,  to  the  value  of 
$2,806,503.  New  York  nearly  doubled  these  figures, 
her  establishments  numbering  15,  and  her  product 
$6,267,669,  with  a  margin  of  profit  of  about  8  per  cent, 
net.  The  figures  for  Kings  county  in  1870  were:  Five 
establishments,  138  hands,  $645,000  capital,  $94,000 
wages,  $2,475,700  annual  product. 

There  are  but  two  fiouring  mills  in  Brooklyn  ;  each 
does  a  large,  prosperous  business.  The  largest  is  at  the 
foot  of  Fulton  street,  and  is  owned  and  run  by  the 
Jewell  Milling  Company.  Theodore  E.  Jewell  and  F. 
E.  Smith  bought  this  mill  in  1855,  and  operated  it  in 
partnership  till  the  death  of  Mr.  Jewell,  in  1864,  when 
his  sons,  Herbert  S.  and  Edward  M.,  took  charge  of 
the  business,  as  Jewell  Brothers,  till  1880.  At  this 
time  the  present  company  was  organized.  The  officers 
are:  II.  \V.  Slocuin,  President ;  G.  P.  Sheldon,  Ireas- 


814 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


urer ;  E.  M.  Jewell,  Secretary ;  H.  S.  Jewell,  Man- 
aging Director.  Four  large  boilers  furnishsteam  to  a 
550  horse  power  engine,  one  of  the  finest  in  the  State. 
Roller  process  machinery  was  adopted  in  1880.  1,000 
barrels  of  flour  and  75,000  pounds  of  fevd  are  ground 
every  2  1  hours.  The  working  force  is  65  hands,  and 
the  yearly  production  is  about  $2,000,000.  The  mill 
was  burned  in  1861,  and  again  in  1864,  at  which  latter 
time  the  present  mill  was  built.  Tn  1881,  the  engine- 
house  was  shattered  by  a  boiler  explosion,  but  was 
at  once  replaced  with  new  building  and  new  machinery. 
This  property  includes  the  Jewell  dock,  noted  as  the 
landing  for  summer  excursion  boats,  and  part  of  the 
Pennsylvania  Annex  slip.  On  the  dock  is  also  an 
elevator  that  handles  two  and  one-half  million  bushels 
of  grain  per  year. 

The  other  flouring  mill  is  near  the  foot  of  Broad- 
way, E.  D.,  and  is  owned  and  operated  by  Tonjes, 
Mailer  &  Co.  It  was  built  in  1869  by  Tonjes,  Hoeft 
it  Co.,  who  conducted  the  business  till  the  death 
of  Mr.  Hoeft,  in  1876,  when  Mr.  Moller  became  a 
partner,  and  the  present  firm  was  formed. 

In  1881,  the  mill  was  thoroughly  refitted,  including 
the  addition  of  machinery  for  the  Hungarian  New 
Process  System.  A  steam  engine  of  250  horse  power, 
and  50  men,  are  the  working  force  that  manufacture 
600  barrels  of  flour  per  day,  which,  with  the  feed, 
make  an  annual  production  of  $1,250,000.  This  linn 
make  a  specialty  of  preparing  flour  for  tropical  coun- 
tries, and  their  products  go  largely  to  South  America, 
the  West  Indies,  <fcc  ,  &c. 

Marsh,  White  &  Co.,  proprietors  of  the  Manhattan 
Mills  and  Elevator,  at  the  foot  of  North  5th  street,  do 
the  largest  mill  and  feed  business  in  Brooklyn,  and 
probably  the  largest  in  the  State.  They  were  first 
established  in  New  York,  and  came  to  Brooklyn  in  1874. 
They  use  steam  engines  of  250  horse  power,  which 
drive  5  run  of  stone  and  their  grain  elevator,  which 
handles  5,000  bushels  per  hour.  They  employ  60 
hands,  grind  2,500  bags  of  feed  daily,  which  is  less 
than  one-quarter  of  what  passes  through  their  establish- 
ment to  their  customers  each  24  hours,  the  total 
product  of  their  annual  business  being  over  $3,000,000. 

The  other  members  of  the  firm  are  John  II.  Fort  and 
George  T.  Bowler.  They  own  800  feet  of  water  front 
on  the  East  river. 

The  extensive  elevator,  mills,  and  feed  establishment 
of  .S'.  W.  Bowne,  on  Gowanus  canal,  near  Hamilton 
avenue,  originated  with  S.  W.  Bowne  it  Co.  in  IS67. 
At  first  they  made  hay  ami  straw,  leading  articles,  but 
since  the  completion  of  the  mills  and  elevator,  Indian 
meal,  feed,  and  oats  have  come  to  the  front.  To  drive 
the  elevator  and  three  run  of  stone,  100  horse  power  of 
steam  i-  required.  Twenty-live  (25)  hands  are  cm- 
ployed,  an>l  5  on  bugs  of  meal  are  ground  daily.  The 
sales  for  the  past  year  have  been  $750,000.  In  the 
spring  of  1883,  William  Bowne  retired  from,  the  firm, 


leaving  his  brother,  S.  W.  Bowne,  sole  proprietor.  Mr. 
Bowne  owns  250  feet  frontage  on  the  canal,  on  which 
he  is  constantly  building  and  adding  improvements. 

There  are  in  Brooklyn  several  mills  that  grind  corn 
and  the  coarse  grains  for  meal  and  feed.  The  Walla- 
bout  Mills  and  Elevators,  at  the  foot  of  Taylor  street, 
are  among  the  foremost.  They  were  established  bv 
John  A.  Byers,  the  present  proprietor,  in  1872.  An 
engine  of  225-horse  power  and  50  men  are  kept  in  con- 
stant employment,  and  the  business  is  extensive. 

Shaw  <C  IVuesdell  have  a  similar  establishment  on 
Second  street  and  Gowanus  canal.  It  was  built  bv 
Mr.  Shaw  in  1881,  and  run  by  Sergeant  &  Shaw  till 
May  1,  18s:i,  when  Mr.  Sergeant  was  succeeded  by 
Mr.  Truesdell.  Sufficient  steam  power  to  operate  3 
run  of  stone  and  the  elevators,  and  a  force  of  20  hands, 
are  the  executive  agencies  of  a  business  that,  though 
but  three  years  old,  aggregates  a  half  million  dollars 
per  year. 

D.  D.  Mangum,  at  the  foot  of  Degraw  street, 
started,  in  1872,  a  mill  for  grinding  corn  for  family 
use  and  for  horse  feed.  He  has  4  run  of  stone,  em- 
ploys 20  hands,  making  30,000  pounds  of  corn  meal 
per  day  ;  annual  products,  8125,000.  His  specialty  is 
grinding  feed  for  street  railroad  horses. 

SECTION  XLIV. 

Brooms,  Brushes,  etc. 

The  census  statistics  are:  33  establishments;  $69,375 
capital;  210  hands;  $59,372  wages;  $06,074  material 
$207,792  annual  product.  The  directory  gives  13 
broom-makers,  and  35  brush-makers,  of  whom  one 
makes  only  brush  backs. 

SECTION  XLV. 
Mats,  Matting  and  Rugs. 

The  census  of  1880  reports,  in  Brooklyn,  7  establish- 
ments for  the  manufacture  of  Mats  and  Matting,  with 
$193,650  capital,  265  hands  (297  as  the  largest  number 
employed  at  one  time),  $1 16,029  paid  as  wages,  using 
material  valued  at  $203,427,  and  producing  $385,340 
annually. 

The  Business  Directory  for  1882  reported  14  distinct 
firms,  and  that  for  1883  reported  12  firms,  not  includ- 
ing,  in  either  case,  a  manufacturer  of  wood  matting. 

Neither  report  was,  probably,  quite  correct;  though, 
in  regard  to  the  number  of  establishments,  the  directory 
was  nearer  right  than  the  census;  and  the  census  was 
also  wrong  in  its  other  statistics. 

Mats,  matting  and  rugs  may  be  of  various  material, 
and  the  material  of  which  they  are  composed  settles 
the  question  whether  they  are  imported  or  manufac- 
tured here.  The  mats  and  rugs  of  sheep  skin,  Angora 
goat  skin,  or  skins  of  other  animals,  which  used  to 
be  entirely  imported,  are  now  mostly  manufactured  here. 
Chinese  and  Japanese  matting,  which  is  made  from 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


815 


a  grass  or  straw  found  in  those  countries,  is  always, 
if  of  good  quality,  an  imported  article.  The  cheap 
labor  of  those  countries  gives  them  the  advantage  in 
articles  where  labor  is  the  great  item  in  the  pro- 
duction. 

But  the  mats  and  matting  and  the  door-mats  of  coir, 
cocoa  fibre,  agave,  Sisal  and  Tampico,  though  a  few  of 
them  were  formerly  imported,  are  now  made  entirely 
here,  though  of  imported  material.  This  branch  of 
manufacture  is  carried  on  very  extensively  in  Kings 
county,  the  largest  manufacturer  of  it  in  the  United 
States  being  found  here. 

Wood  matting  is  also  made,  here,  to  some  extent,  by 
a  single  manufacturer.  We  believe  that  rope  mats  and 
matting  are  also  produced  here,  at  least  in  the  peniten- 
tiary; but  our  information  on  that  subject  is  not  posi- 
tive. For  many  years  this  branch  of  mat  and  matting 
manufacture  has  been  considered  the  perquisite  of  the 
blind  asylums  and  homes. 

The  principal  product  of  this  class  of  goods,  made 
here,  is  that  manufactured  from  coir  and  cocoa  fibre, 
and  it  has  been  carried  to  great  perfection.  The 
founder  of  this  business  in  the  United  States  was  Mr. 
Edmond  Greenland,  a  native  of  England,  who  emi- 
grated to  the  United  States  when  ten  years  of  age,  and 
who  established  a  small  factory  for  its  production  in 
Kosciusko  street,  in  1855,  but  removed  his  factory  to 
143  Spencer  street  in  1875,  to  obtain  larger  quarters, 
though  he  retained  also  the  old  factory  in  Kosciusko 
street  till  1881,  doing  a  part  of  his  work  there.  His 
material  was  wholly  imported  from  Calcutta. 

The  American  Cocoa  Matting  Company  was  formed 
by  Joseph  Wild  &  Co.,  in  1875.  From  about  that  date 
there  has  been  a  very  marked  improvement  in  its  goods. 
The  mats  are  now  made  with  the  initials,  date  or  num- 
ber of  the  house  or  office,  interwoven  in  bold  and  plain 
letters  on  their  surface,  as  a  protection  against  thieves. 
They  are  far  superior  to  any  other  goods  of  the  kind 
manufactured  either  in  Europe  or  the  United  States. 
Mr.  Edmond  Greenland  died  in  August,  1883,  at  the  age 
of  62  years,  but  his  business  is  still  carried  on  with  great 
energy  by  the  surviving  partners.  The  company  employ 
more  than  150  hands.  Their  annnal  product  is  some- 
what more  than  $250,000,  and  is  rapidly  increasing. 

Joseph  Wild  &  Co.,  have  two  factories,  Nos.  202  to 
218  Kosciusko  street,  in  which  they  make  crumb  cloths, 
felt  and  woven  druggets,  established  1882;  also,  sheep 
skin  and  Lapland  rugs,  established  1877.  These  fac- 
tories together  employ  90  hands,  with  an  out-put  of 
$150,000  a  year. 

Another  of  the  members  of  the  Greenland  family, 
Frank  or  Francis  Greenland,  is  engaged  in  the  same 
manufacture  at  60  Gold  street,  near  Water  street. 
Here  also  are  made  all  the  varieties  of  mats,  matting 
and  rugs  from  Calcutta  coir  and  cocoa  fibre.  They  em- 
ploy 80  hands,  and  turn  out  about  $125,000  worth  of 
goods. 


J.  &  II.  Hutchison,  mat  and  rug  manufacturers,  404 
North  Second  street,  E.  D.,  started  in  1854.  John 
Hutchison  came  from  Scotland  in  1833,  where  lie  had 
been  a  carpet  manufacturer.  He  continued  in  the  busi- 
ness he  had  chosen  here,  till  his  death  in  1877.  Since 
then  his  son  Hugh  has  been  sole  proprietor.  He  em- 
ploys 65  men,  25-horse  steam  power,  and  is  the  largest 
wool-border  mat  maker  in  the  United  States.  He  was 
the  first  in  this  country  to  shear  mats  by  machinery. 
Two  years  ago  he  introduced  the  manufacture  of  fancy 
rugs,  from  imported  China  goat  skins.  His  business 
the  past  year  has  exceeded  $90,000.  Mr.  Hutchison 
has  always  been  an  inventor,  and  much  of  the 
machinery  in  his  factory  owes  its  efficiency  to  his 
skill  of  construction  or  modification.  Other  manu- 
facturers in  the  same  line  are  :  Thomas  Brown  & 
Co.,  138  South  Fourth  street;  Cowley  Bros.,  461  Lori- 
mer  street;  Richard  D.  Crottey,  Jr.,  503  Marcy  ave- 
nue; William  Doggrell,  864  Hancock  street  and  86 
Harvard  avenue;  Thomas  McKenna,  Conselyea  street; 
C.  Humboldt;  R.  H.  NutCs  Son  &  Co.,  18  Water 
street;  Bernard  Sharkey,  204  Middlelon  street,  and 
two  or  three  smaller  shops. 

Samuel  Lewis,  14-18  Lorimer  street,  is,  so  far  as  we 
are  aware,  the  only  manufacturer  of  wood  matting  for 
kitchens,  bath  rooms,  railroad  cars,  ferry  boats,  saloons, 
etc.,  etc.,  in  Brooklyn.  He  commenced  business  in 
1870;  has  a  capital  of  $15,000;  employs  12  hands;  pays 
about  $5,000  wages;  his  annual  product  is  $20,000,  or 
more. 

We  can  only  estimate  roughly  the  entire  product  of 
this  industry.  The  firms  or  companies  we  have  named 
must  employ  not  less  than  360  hands,  and  their  annual 
product  must  reach  at  least  $750,000. 


SECTION  XLVI. 
Plumbing  Materials  and  Gas  Fixtures. 

There  are  seven  manufacturers  of  plumbing  materials 
whose  factories  are  in  Brooklyn,  viz.,  Brandeis  &  Son, 
established  1859,  by  the  senior  partner  (a  native  of 
France),  who  have  a  large  factory,  with  steam  power 
and  60  to  80  hands,  and  do  not  only  an  extensive 
domestic  trade,  but  their  operations  extend  over  many 
foreign  countries;  J.  Conway,  Geo.  D.  Kimber  &  Son; 
Wm.  H.  Storey;  Ronald  &  Co.,  a  large  house;  Henry 
Mc Shane  &  Co.,  and  B.  E  Valentine.  The  whole 
seven  probably  do  a  business  of  about  $600,000;  of 
which  Ronald  &  Co.  and  Brandeis  <Sb  Son,  do  much 
the  largest  share. 

The  census  statistics  of  plumbing  and  gasfitting  are  : 
216  establishments;  $352,890  capital;  691  hands;  $377,- 
195  wages;  $701,530  material;  $1,399,092  annual  pro- 
duct. We  must  not,  however,  put  much  faith  in  these 
statistics.  Plumbers  in  general  could  not  if  they  would, 
and  would  not  if  they  could,  tell  exactly  what  they 
pay  for  material  or  what  their  annual  product  ift.    It  is 


8  IB  HISTORY  OF 


as  likely  to  be  $3,000,000  as  anything  less.  Some  of 
them  do  their  work  on  contracts  altogether — what  is 
called  new  work.  Some  do  only  repairing,  or  old  work. 
Some  attend  to  gas-fitting  only.  Some  to  sewers  and 
sewer  connections  only. 

Gas  fixture  manufactures  are  not  in  the  census,  but 
ought  to  be.  There  are  four  houses,  of  which  the  W. 
C.  Vbsbery  Manufacturing  Company,  275  State  street, 
is  much  the  largest,  and  the  third  largest  in  the  United 
States,  in  this  line.  It  was  established  in  1805,  and 
incorporated  as  a  company  in  1881;  employs  large 
steam  power  and  200  hands,  and  manufactures  some  of 
the  finest  and  most  artistic  work  in  the  country;  their 
products  finding  a  large  sale  abroad  as  well  as  at  home. 
The  others  are  May  <(•  Barren,  225  State  street,  Sea- 
man tb  Nichol,  05  Boerutn  street,  and  Richard  Triyye, 
fl  Flatbush  avenue. 

SECTION  XLVII. 

Photographic  Materials. 

There  are  only  two  houses  here  who  manufacture 
photographic  materials,  sensitized  paper,  etc.,  viz., 
William  IT.  Letris,  121  Manhattan  avenue,  E.  D.,  and 
Tucina  II.  Wilcox,  236  Fulton  street.  The  census 
statistics  of  photographing  are:  35  establishments; 
$88,950  capital;  84  hands;  $37,455  wages;  $26,685 
material;  $141,047  product.  Photography  itself,  in 
Brooklyn,  we  have  classed  among  the  arts,  in  connec- 
tion with  our  chapter  on  Art  in  Brooklyn. 


SECTION  XL VIII. 
Dentists'  Materials — Mechanical  Dentistry. 

There  are  four  manufacturers  of  dentists'  materials, 
one  of  whom,  E.  Jlayott,  84  Pearl  street,  Brooklyn, 
makes  only  dental  instruments.  The  other  three  are  the 
S.  S.  White  Dental  Manufacturing  Co/n/iany,  313  Ful- 
ton street,  a  very  large  house;  A.  J.  Nickolds,  235 
Washington  street,  ami  luhrartl  luarsiny,  101  Iloyt 
street. 

Some  of  the  dentists  manufacture  their  own  tools 
and  plates,  but  none  of  them  make  teeth.  The  S.  S. 
White  t'lanjiaiiy  make  them  for  the  whole  country. 

The  statistics  of  mechanical  dentistry  in  the  census 
are:  67  establishments;  $50,200  capital;  41  hands; 
$17,741  wages;  $28,521  material;  $137,271  annual 
product.  The  directory  has  175  dental  linns;  but,  as 
the  dentists  who  do  less  than  $3,000  a  year  are  very 
few,  many  doing  *15.noo  t<>  *25,nnn,  the  census  estimate 
must  In-  very  far  wrong. 

SECTION  MAX. 

Art  Products. 

There  is  not  much  to  be  said  about  this.  We  have 
7">  artist*  in  Brooklyn,  hut  not  all  of  them  make  any 
art  products.   There  arc  five  dealers  in  artists'  materials. 


78  COUNTY. 


M.  J.  BEELIG. 

some  of  whom  make  them.  One — Charles  Mellish. 
of  22  Flatbush  avenue — manufactures  bronzes;  another 
— Joseph  A.  Stall,  a  Swiss,  at  588  Grand  street,  E.  D. 
— manufactures  church  statuary,  etc.,  commenced  in 
1866;  capital,  about  $0,500;  annual  product,  $2,000- 
$3,000.  The  Art  Establishment  of  Mr.  Seeliy,  115-121 
Manjer  street,  Williamsburgh,  is  a  most  interesting 
collection  of  objects  of  artistic  interest. 

M.  J.  Seelig,  founder  of  the  Art  Establishment,  was 
born  ])eeeml>er  25th,  1809,  at  Annaberg,  in  Saxony.  Asa 
child,  he  often  visited  the  family  of  a  wood-turner,  in  which, 
near  Christmas,  various  play-things  were  made,  not  only 
from  such  materials  as  a  turner  uses,  but  also  from  plastic 
materials.  Here  the  boy  made  his  first  attempts  at  model- 
ing, and  also  became  very  fond  of  carving.  Following  this  in- 
clination, he  learned  the  turners'  trade,  and  after  finishing 
his  apprenticeship,  visited  Switzerland,  finding  in  Berne  con- 
genial employment  in  carving  decorated  flower-baskets. 

In  the  spring  of  1828,  he  went  to  Italy,  and  visited  the  art- 
collections  of  the  principal  cities,  Genoa,  Florence,  Rome, 
&c,  feeling  special  interest  in  the  sculptures,  and  devoting 
most  of  his  leisure  time  to  carving  in  ivory. 

On  account  of  frequent  attacks  of  fever,  he  returned  home, 
where  he  soon  recovered,  and  then  went  to  Warsaw.  The 
revolution,  which  occurred  in  1830.  and  in  which  he  was 
wounded,  drove  him  from  this  city,  after  he  had  spent  six 
weeks  in  the  hospital. 

Returning  to  Saxony  and  visiting  Dresden,  he  received 
from  Councillor  Bottcher,  Director  of  Art  Collections,  per- 
mission to  model  in  the  Mengs  Museum,  under  the  direction 
of  the  Mint-engraver,  Konig. 

Six  months  later,  he  entered  the  atelier  of  Professor  Riet- 
sehel,  and  at  the  same  time  became  a  pupil  in  the  Art 
\cadeniy,  thereby  becoming  entitled  to  attend  the  lectures 
on  anatomy  and  art  history,  and  to  model  in  the  Art  Hall. 

There  were,  at  that  time,  in  Rietschel's  atelier,  the  monu- 
ment of  Kiug  Augustus  and  several  other  important  works. 

After  a  four  years' sojourn  in  Dresden,  he  went  to  ProfMM 
Sehwanthaler,  in  Munich,  where  some  of  the  most  important 
of  the  works  of  art.  which  now  adorn  the  city,  were  in  pro 
Kress,  and  was  engaged  upon  the  statuary  and  other  decora- 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


817 


tions  of  the  Pinakothek,  the  Glyptothek,  the  Walhalla,  the 
Royal  Palace,  &c. 

In  the  year  1839,  Professor  Semper,  who  had  charge  of  the 
building  of  the  new  theater,  called  him  to  Dresden  and  gave 
him  commissions  for  various  ornaments  and  figures,  among 
them  the  great  Gothic  fountain  on  Post-Office  Square. 

On  the  discovery  of  galvano-plastic  by  Jacobi  in  Peters- 
burg, Mr.  Seelig  applied  himself  with  great  zeal  to  this  art, 
and  succeeded  in  producing  the  first  important  work  of  this 
kind,  namely,  a  life-size  statue  of  the  heavy-robed  Muse, 
Melpomene,  and  received  from  the  Industrial  Fair  in  Dres- 
den the  first  prize,  the  grand  gold  medal,  of  the  value  of 
twenty-five  ducats. 

A  prize  of  five  hundred  thalers  had  been  offered  in  Prus- 
sia, but  it  was  refused  to  Mr.  Seelig  on  the  ground  that  he  was 
not  a  Prussian. 

After  a  long  series  of  experiments,  he  discovered  a  material 
for  moulds,  which  resists  the  action  of  alkaline  solutions,  and 
hence  is  adapted  to  the  manufacture  of  gold  and  silver  orna- 
ments. 

By  the  use  of  this  invention,  he  produced  the  beaker  which 
General  Bewlaqua  received  as  a  present  from  the  Commit  mil 
Guard. 

He  also  furnished  to  Baron  Hackwitz,  in  Berlin,  the  form 
(mould)  for  the  shield  of  Achilles,  which,  by  the  king's  re- 
quest, the  Baron  had  undertaken  to  produce  from  silver,  as  a 
present  to  Queen  Victoria. 

On  the  perfection  of  this  process  depended  its  sale,  at  the 
price  of  two  thousand  thalers.  It  fully  answered  all  require- 
ments, but  only  the  first  payment,  500  thalers,  was  received, 
as  Baron  Hackwitz  was  ruined  by  the  Berlin  revolution. 

In  addition  to  his  labors  in  gold  and  silver,  he  gave  much 
attention  to  bronze  and  zinc  castings. 

The  unsuccessful  revolution  of  1849,  in  which  he  conscien- 
tiously took  part,  closed  his  career  in  Europe. 

Arriving  in  New  York  in  1851,  he  established  himself 
in  Williamsburgh,  and  applied  himself  exclusively  to  the 
production  of  zinc  statuary  and  ornamentation,  for  the  two- 
fold reason  that  no  similar  establishment  existed  there,  and 
that  his  method  was  far  superior  to  the  usual  ones. 

In  the  year  1852.  he  received  the  gold  medal  for  an  alto- 
relievo  zinc  casting  at  the  Castle  Garden  Fair  ;  and  soon 
thereafter  numerous  commissions  for  decorations  for  the 
Crystal  Palace  and  for  dwellings  and  business  houses. 

Labormg  under  the  disadvantages  of  a  want  of  acquaint- 
ance with  the  country  and  the  English  language,  his  business 
was  not  very  remunerative;  he  became  involved  in  a  lawsuit 
with  an  agent,  which  lasted  for  five  years;  then  came  tin 
disastrous  years,  1857-8,  and  not  till  1861  were  the  conditionf- 
again  such  as  to  infuse  life  into  such  undertakings  as  his. 

At  this  time,  he  produced  two  figures  intended  as  garden 
decorations,  namely,  "Spring  "and  "Autumn."  These  were 
very  favorably  received,  and  the  artist  was  cheered  at  finding 
his  new  home  as  appreciative  of  beauty  as  is  the  old  Father- 
land. 

Under  the  influence  of  this  stimulus,  his  models  increased 
from  month  to  month  and  year  to  year,  until  his  establish 
ment  is  a  veritable  museum,  containing  not  only  original 
conceptions,  but  also  copies  of  the  most  celebrated  statues  of 
antiquity. 

SECTION  L. 
Awnings  and  Tents  and  Sail  Making. 

The  directory  has  29  of  these,  including  flags,  ban- 
ners, awnings,  tents,  decorative  flags,  sails,  horse, 
wagon,  express  and  truck  covers.    J.  Spencer  Turner, 


Cobb  &  Co.,  Fred.  Curren,  Christopher  Luhrs,  R. 
Went,  Charles  Kessel  and  Robert  D.  Thornton  <£•  Co., 
are  said  to  be  the  largest;  also  Wm.  II.  lothrop,  46 
Court  street.  The  census  statistics  are  :  12  establish- 
ments; $7,200  capital;  22  hands;  $9,319  wages;  $14,- 
559  material;  $35,843  annual  product.  If  this  product 
were  multiplied  by  5  it  would  be  very  near  the  truth. 

John  Spencer  Turner  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  March 
3d.  1830,  and  removed  to  Chicago,  with  his  father's  family,  in 
1835.  He  attended  such  public  schools  as  were  in  vogue 
there  at  that  time,  and  at  the  age  of  fifteen  or  sixteen  en- 
tered the  service  of  Messrs.  Payson  &  Rabb,  sail  makers  and 
ship  chandlers.  He  speedily  became  an  expert  sail  cutter, 
and  within  two  years  had  been  advanced  to  the  position  of 
chief  cutter  and  foreman  of  the  sail  department  of  their 
business.  In  this  special  department  he  was  soon  admitted 
to  a  partnership,  having  come  to  be  regarded  as  the  best 
sail  cutter  west  of  New  York,  and  having  obtained  control 
of  a  not  inconsiderable  trade.  In  time,  Mr.  Parson  sold  his 
interest  in  the  house  to  Mr.  Gilbert  Hubbard,  who,  with  Mr. 
Rabb,  continued  the  business  under  the  firm  name  of  Gil- 
bert Hubbard  &  Co.  At  the  death  of  Mr.  Rabb,  Mr.  Turner 
was  enabled  to  purchase  his  interest  in  the  business  on  such 
favorable  terms  that  he  soon  thereafter  became  a  full  part- 
ner in  the  concern,  the  name  of  the  firm  remaining  un- 
changed. 

Now  it  was  that  Mr.  Turner's  conspicuous  business  capacity 
was  for  the  first  time  made  available.  Gradually  the  man- 
agement of  the  affairs  of  the  firm  passed  almost  entirely 
into  his  hands.  He  was  more  pushing  and  progressive  than 
either  of  his  partners,  and  his  enterprise  and  popularity  with 
the  trade  was  such  that  the  business  subsequently  assumed 
proportions  of  which  the  old,  conservative  owners  had 
scarcely  dreamed,  Mr.  Turner  securing  profitable  contracts 
from  the  United  States  Government,  at  the  outbreak  of  the 
Rebellion,  for  the  manufacture  and  delivery  of  tents,  wagon 
covers,  and  other  similar  army  supplies. 

In  the  meantime,  Mr.  Turner  had  formed  a  favorable  ac- 
quaintance with  the  old  New  York  house  of  Theodore  Pol- 
hemus  &  Co.,  dealers  in  cotton  duck  and  similar  goods, 
whose  customer  he  had  been  on  behalf  of  his  firm  for  many 
years,  and  soon  after  the  close  of  the  war  overtures  were 
made  to  him  to  remove  to  New  York,  and  thenceforth  de- 
vote his  business  ability  and  energies  to  the  extension  of  its 
already  large  operations.  He  consented,  and  in  1867,  he  be- 
came a  member  of  the  then  reorganized  firm  of  Brincker- 
hoff,  Turner  &  Polhemus.  At  the  death  of  Mr.  Theodore 
Polhemus  the  firm  became,  and  has  since  been  known  as, 
Brinckerhoff,  Turner  &  Co. 

Mr.  Turner  is  also  a  member  and  the  President  of  the 
Greenwoods'  Company,  proprietors  of  extensive  cotton  mills 
at  New  Hartford,  Conn.,  and  he  is  doubtless  one  of  the  most 
widely  known  men  in  his  branch  of  trade  in  the  United 
States. 

Busy  as  has  been  the  life  of  Mr.  Turner,  he  has  yet 
found  time  to  inform  himself  in  history,  in  political  econ- 
omy, and  in  the  sciences,  to  a  degree  that  renders  him  the 
peer,  limited  as  were  his  early  educational  advantages,  of 
those  who  are  regarded  as  foremost  in  these  departments  of 
knowledge.  His  convictions  made  him  a  Republican  early 
in  the  history  of  that  party;  and  the  affairs  of  his  country, 
his  State  and  the  city  of  his  residence,  have  a  fully  recog- 
uized  claim  upon  his  time  and  all  that  is  best  in  his  thoughts 
and  investigations.  Yet  he  is  not,  and  has  never  been  a 
politician,  as  the  term  is  usually  applied,  though  his  counsel 


8 1  -  HISTOR  Y  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


is  often  sought  1)}*  those  high  in  authority  and  he  has  re- 
peatedly refused  the  nomination  for  places  of  trust  and 
honor,  at  one  time  refusing  to  stand  as  the  nominee  of  his 
party  for  the  Mayoralty  of  Brooklyn,  though  strongly  urged 
to  do  so  by  those  whose  support  would  have  been  likely  to 
secure  his  election. 

Mr.  Turner  married  Miss  Cornelia  Eddy,  daughter  of  Dr. 
John  Eddy,  of  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  who  has  borne  him  five 
children,  four  of  whom  are  living.  He  is  a  member  and 
regular  attendaut  upon  the  services  of  the  Strong  place  Bap- 
tist church.  As  a  business  man,  as  a  citizen,  and  as  a 
Christian  gentleman,  he  has  ever  enjoyed  the  respect  of  all 
who  have  known  him  in  a  more  than  ordinary  degree. 

SECTION  LL 
Kindling  Wood. 

This  is  rather  a  large  industry,  though  carried  on,  in 
part,  in  connection  with  coal  yards,  and  sometimes  with 
Hash,  door  and  blind  factories.  The  census  statistics 
arc:  28  establishments;  $211,900  capital;  290  hands; 
*1U;,!»::J  wages;  $27<;,'.to7  material;  *ls:(,:w;s  annual 
product.  The  directory  has  but  :.'•">  establishments,  but 
several  of  them  are  very  large.  The  National  ( 'lutnical 
Won, I  Treatment  Co.  (Dr.  Sqiiihb's  Co.)  does  a  business 
of  nearly  $200,000.  Tielelce,  Miller,  Frost,  etc.,  do  a 
large  business;  Fmil  liaelmann ;  also  several  of  the 
coal  men  do  a  large  business  in  wood.  The  product 
is  very  near  $600,000. 


SECTION  LII. 

Refrigerating  and  Artificial  Ice  Machines. 

There  is  only  one  establishment  in  Kings  county 
which  is  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  these  ma- 
chines— the  Mixer  and  Byrnes  Improved  Ice  and  Re- 
frigerating Machine.  It  is  solely  the  invention  of 
these  gentlemen,  and  may  be  described  as  an  "  Am- 
monia-Compression Machine,"  the  peculiar  features  of 

j  which  consist  in  the  oil  or  liquid  piston  used  in  com- 
pressing the  gas,  which  makes  the  most  complete  and 
only  perfect  compression  which  has  been,  or  is  likely  to 
be,  used  for  gas;  showing  by  indicator  card,  the  com- 
pression of  over  ninety-nine  per  cent,  of  all  the  gas 
taken  into  the  cylinder;  and  in  this  machine  only,  at 
each  stroke  of  the  pump,  a  small  quantity  of  oil  (the 

'  oil  specially  prepared  for  this  machine  being  always 

|  used)  is  passed  through  with  the  gas,  cooling,  per- 
fectly lubricating  all  parts  of  the  pump,  and  effectually 
sealing  the  valves  and  piston  against  leakage,  and 
escape  or  return  of  the  gas. 

From  their  extended  and  successful  experience,  these 
gentlemen  have  been  able  not  only  to  thoroughly  com- 
prebend  and  meet  the  wants  of  the  trade,  but  to  nun- 

,  bine  in  their  improved  machine,  all  the  desired 
requisites,  and  at  a  greatly  reduced  cost,  as  compared 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES.  819 


with  that  of  the  original  machines,  which  they  placed 
in  breweries. 

The  Mixer  and  Byrnes  machines  have  been  intro- 
duced in  many  of  the  largest  breweries  of  New  York, 
Brooklyn,  Newark  and  Philadelphia.  In  Brooklyn,  the 
following  very  large  breweries  have  already  introduced 
them,  and  others  are  intending  to  do  so  the  coming 
season  :  Otto  Huber,  Ferdinand  Milnch,  S.  Lieb- 
mann's  Sons,  H.  B.  Scharmann,  Claus  Lipsius, 
and  N.  Seitz's  So?i.  The  last  named  brewer  is  re- 
ferred to  in  section  XXIII.  of  this  work — "  Breweries," 
— as  having  introduced  this  machine  with  great  ad- 
vantage to  his  business. 

The  great  advantages  offered  by  these  machines  to 
brewers,  are:  The  great  saving  in  the  consumption  of 
ice,  and  in  the  space  hitherto  devoted  to  its  storage, 
which  can  now  be  utilized  in  enlarging  their  business ; 
the  ability  to  command  a  much  lower  temperature  than 
can  be  produced  with  ice,  and  consequently  more  rapid 
production  of  the  ale  or  beer;  and  finally,  far  greater 
cleanliness  than  was  possible  with  the  use  of  ice. 

The  leading  brewers  are  so  fully  satisfied  of  these 
advantages,  that,  after  careful  investigation,  they  have 
introduced  the  machines,  notwithstanding  their  con- 
siderable cost,  and  in  every  case  they  have  been  more 
than  satisfied  with  the  results  produced  by  their  use. 
Breweries  use  machines  ranging  from  30  to  100  horse 
power. 

These  machines  (the  smaller  sizes)  are  also  adapted 
for  artificial  ice-making,  and  for  all  purposes  for  which 
a  low  temperature  is  demanded,  such  as  provision  pack- 
ing, refrigerating  steamships,  and  the  provision  rooms 
of  the  great  hotels,  etc. 

For  these  purposes  the  machines  may  be  from  two 
horse  power  upwards.  Messrs.  Mixer  and  Byrnes  are 
genial  and  well  educated  gentlemen,  and  they  take 
great  pleasure  in  exhibiting  these  machines  to  any  vis- 
itors who  take  an  interest  in  mechanical  processes  and 
are  curious  to  observe  the  ingenious  methods  by  which 
any  desired  degree  of  cold  can  be  obtained.  One  of 
their  machines  can  be  seen  in  operation  at  their  office 
and  works,  Nos.  6  and  8  Water  street,  Brooklyn,  and 
its  mode  of  action  will  be  freely  and  fully  explained 
by  the  proprietors  to  any  intelligent  visitors. 


Miscellaneous  Manufactures  and  Industries. 

These  are  "legion;"  their  enumeration  would  fill  a 
volume  larger  than  ours.  Among  them  we  can  only 
enumerate,  as  showing  their  variety  and  scope: 
Morocco  Machinery,  Win.  H.  Hughes.  Lace 
Machinery,  Merrill  Bros.,  26  First  street,  E.  D.  Bolts, 
Greenpoint  Bolt  Works,  63  and  65  Freeman  street,  and 
Gaskell,  Greentie  &  Co.  Zinc  Wash-boards,  H.  H.  Bel- 
lows, Kent  avenue.  Spiral  Sprint/  Hinyes,  Lorenzo 
Rommer,  84  Pearl  street.  Cigar  Boxes,  Brehm  Bros.,  i 
212-214  First  street,  E.  D.    Ivory  Working,  Billiard  I 


Balls,  etc.,  W.  A.  Brooks,  10  Atlantic  avenue.  Under- 
takers'' Supplies,  Baird  <fc  Smith,  12  Boerum  Place. 
Corsets,  Patrick  J.  Menahan,  19  Ralph  street.  Pic- 
ture Frames,  Art  Novelties,  etc.,  Downes  &  Turk,  66 
Fourth  street;  F.  J.  LeCourt,  jr.,  50  Fourth  street; 
O.  W.  Young,  50  Front  street.  Artists'  Materials,  W. 
H.  Brownell.  Sparing  Beds,  J.  Ainslie,  20  Broad- 
way; C.  II.  Bradford,  99  Broadway,  and  E.  P.  Fowler, 
61  Greenpoint  avenue,  E.  D.  Scales  and  Weights  of 
all  kinds,  Chas.  Reinhardt,  72  Stagg  street,  E.  D., 
established  1873.  Briartcood  Pipes  and  Smokers'1 
Articles,  Thos.  Krader's  Sons,  7  and  9  McKibben  street. 
Sporting  Goods,  John  R.  Barton  (Fish  Hooks  and 
Tackle),  13  Adams  street;  Herman  H.  Kiffe,  318  Ful- 
ton street;  Edward  H.  Madison,  564  Fulton  street; 
Geo.  C.  Marsters,  389  Fulton  street;  Frank  E.  Mor- 
gan, 450  Grand  street;  E.  J.  Stowell,  86  Broadway; 
Peter  Toy,  350  Fulton  street.  Tobacco,  Ciyars,  etc.; 
L.  Biederman,  New  Lots;  Buchanan  &  Lyall,  346 
Carroll  street;  Daniel  A.  Bradley,  65  Bond  street; 
Henry  Mentanus,  239  Flatbush  avenue;  Samuel  Turl, 
275  Broadway;  W.  B.  Yredenburg,  104  Court  street; 
G.  Schlueter,  238  Duffield  street.  Oil  Cloth  (four 
firms).  Resin  Oil  (three  establishments).  Liquorice 
Paste  and  Stick,  Young  &  Smylie,  180-186  First 
street,  E.  D.,  and  S.  Y.  &  F.  P.  Scudder,  114  John 
street.  Honey  and  Map>le  Syrup,  E.  A.  Walker,  135 
Oakland  avenue.  Tin  Toys,  E.  Durlach  (see  page  704), 
282-286  Penn  street,  established  1880,  average  hands 
employed,  125;  20  horse  steam  power;  annual  product, 
about  §100,000  ;  is  the  only  toy  factory  in  the  county. 
Tinware,  William  Yogel,  45  South  Ninth  street,  Axle 
Grease,  John  J.  Hardy,  788  Third  avenue.  Rubber 
Goods,  A.  H.  Smith,  74  Ninth  street  and  61  Leonard 
street,  N.  Y. 

Sewing  Machines. — L.  Roeder,  145  Scholes  street. 

Mineral  Waters. —  George  Russell,  373  Bridge  street; 
William  Wenholfer,  329  Ewen  street;  H.  Minck,  43 
Beaver  street. 

Surgical  Instruments. — George  Tiemann  &  Co.,  81 
Boerum  street. 

Thermometers. —  J.  T.  Large  &  Son,  118  Powers 
street. 

Show-cases. — N.  &  P.  Scott,  6  De  Kalb  avenue. 

Baskets. — Sebastian  Selig,  139  Montrose  avenue. 

Designers  and  Makers  of  Art  Furniture. — Lang  & 
Nau,  262  Fulton  street.  The  business  was  established 
in  1871,  at  No.  294  Fulton  street,  by  the  present  firm, 
where  they  rapidly  built  up  a  large  patronage.  In 
1879,  they  removed  to  262  Fulton  street,  a  large  four- 
story  corner  building,  50  feet  front  by  125  deep.  The 
firm  are  wholesale  and  retail  dealers  in  furniture  of 
every  kind,  and  give  special  attention  to  interior  decora- 
tions. They  are  designers  and  makers  of  special  sets 
and  pieces  of  all  descriptions  and  in  all  woods.  Their 
warerooms  contain  the  newest  and  most  elegant  de- 
signs, upholstered  with  the  richest  stuffs.    The  firm 


HIS  TOR  Y  OF  KING  S  CO  UNTY. 


makes  a  specialty  of  fitting  up  offices  with  elaborate  or 
plain  fixtures.  A  sample  of  their  work  is  the  well- 
appointed  counting-room  of  the  Brooklyn  Eagle. 
Messrs.  Lang  &  Nau  were  leaders  in  the  movement 
that  took  form  a  few  years  since,  which  applies  the 
principles  of  art  to  household  decoration,  and  preserves 
harmony  in  design  and  coloring  throughout.  In  this 
departure  the  firm  has  been  remarkably  successful, 
and  deserves  credit  for  its  enterprise. 

I'mbnllas. — Charles  E.  Smith,  170  Fulton  street. 

"Buttons. — .lames  II.  Ruggles,  25  Water  street;  John 
Kvans  (pearl),  170  North  Fourth  street. 

Chemists. — Henry  Jackson  tfc  Son,  10;i  Raymond 
street. 

Printing  Ink. — Win.  I).  Wade,  902  Dean  street  and 
117  Fulton  street,  N.  Y. 

Vinegar. — II.  Krummelt &  Balcke,  1228  Myrtle  ave- 
nue; John  Schlegel,  130  Twenty-second  street. 

Snuff. — William  N.  Moenoh,  20  Humboldt  street. 

Whiting. — Leonard  Richardson,  120  John  street; 
Conrad  Zeiger,  208  North  Ninth  street. 

Starch. — John  Harnett,  1094  Flushing  avenue. 

Rattan, — L  J.  Solomon  &  Sons,  Go  Milton  street. 

Woixlii,  Wan. — H.  II.  Bellows,  Devoe  street,  cornel- 
Leonard  street. 

Cork.—  Truslow  &  Co.,  214-220  Plymouth  street. 

Preserved  Fruit. — E.  A.  Walker,  137  Oakland  street. 

Baby  Carriages. — Christian  Hays  &  Co.,  38  Ainslie 
street. 

Brushes. — John  Frank  &  Son,  87  Johnson  avenue. 


James  Binns,  deceased,  was  a  sturdy  and  worthy  repre- 
sentative of  the  best  class  of  Brooklyn  manufacturers.  He 
was  one  of  many  Englishmen,  who,  having  devoted  their 
earlier  years  to  a  patient,  thorough  mastery  of  some  me- 
chanical industry  in  their  native  land,  and  then  choosing 
America  for  its  wider,  freer  opportunities,  have  spent  here 
their  mature  years,  in  the  successful  pursuit  of  their  avoca- 
tions and  their  fortunes.  He  was  born  in  Yorkshire,  Eng- 
land, Feb.  28,  1817.  His  father  was  an  engineer,  who  gave 
him  a  fair,  common  school  education,  and  then  apprenticed 
him  to  learu  the  trade  of  wheelwright  and  machinist,  in 
Lancashire. 

Soon  after  this  term  of  service  was  accomplished,  he 
hurt  his  hand,  while  engaged  as  a  journeyman,  so  severely, 
that  the  heroic  surgeons  of  that  day,  Incoming  discouraged 
with  the  alow  healing  operations  of  nature,  decided  to  cut 
it  off.  The  very  day  set  for  the  operation,  the  swelling 
hurst,  saving  a  hand  thai  afterward,  with  its  worthy  male, 
founded  a  business  and  carved  a  fortune. 

On  the  17th  of  August,  ls|u,  he  married  Elizabeth  Worm- 
old,  who  was  born  May  1st,  1820    Two  years  later,  they 

wisely  d  led  that  a  young  couple,  with  good  health  and 

good  habits,  and  a  determination  to  win  an  honorable  dis- 
tinction b\  honest  work  and  intelligent  thrift,  could  do  bet- 
ter in  the  New  World  than  in  the  old.  and  accordingly  left 
England  April  15th,  1842.  arriving  in  New  York  the  14th  of 
the  following  month.  For  the  first  two  years  Mr.  Minus 
worked  part  of  the  lime  in  New  York,  and  the  rest  of  (he 
time  in  Brooklyn,  doing  \vhate\er  jobs  offered  in  the  line  of 
his  trade.    He  could  turn  his  hand  to  most  anything,  mak- 


ing three-wheeled  velocipedes  one  winter  in  the  former 
city.  In  1844,  he  settled  on  Walworth  street,  near  Flushing 
avenue,  Brooklyn,  where  he  leased  two  lots  for  three  years, 
and  then  six  additional  lots;  all  of  which  he  bought  ten 
years  later,  paying  $500  for  each.  During  all  these  years 
this  husband  and  wife  were  devoted  to  each  other,  and  to 
the  stern  duties  by  which  they  conquered  all  difficulties. 
When  they  lived  on  Spencer  street,  Mr.  Binns'  shop  for 
several  months  had  no  roof  and  no  windows,  oiled  papers 
being  the  substitute  for  the  latter. 

Many  an  evening  Mrs.  Binns  held  a  tallow  caudle  for  her 
husband  to  work  by.  It  is  well  for  the  present  generation 
to  know  that  many  a  prosperous  business,  that  moves  so 
easily  now,  had  its  foundations  laid  in  such  toilsome  begin- 
nings. Among  the  hist  pieces  of  machinery  made  by  Mr. 
Binns,  were  shell  wheels  for  distilleries,  cast  wheels  with 
wooden  cogs.  Then  he  turned  his  attention  to  the  ma- 
chinery used  by  rope-makers,  and  was  the  first  man  in  this 
country  to  manufacture  it.  Among  his  first  patrons  were 
Tbursby,  Waterbury,  Lawrence  and  Wall— names  then,  and 
most  of  them  still,  prominent  in  that  immense  branch  of 
business,  for  which  Brooklyn  has  always  been  distinguished. 
There  is  rope  machinery  still  running  in  Bush  wick  that  was 
made  at  his  shops.  Portable  steam  engines  constituted 
another  branch  of  his  business,  during  much  of  the  time  he 
was  working  for  the  rope-makers. 

The  first  shop  he  put  up  was  during  the  first  five  years' 
lease,  previous  to  1850.  After  that  he  kept  adding  what  was 
needed  until  the  present  capacious  buildings  have  been 
erected  to  meet  growing  wants  for  room.  He  built  his 
dwelling-house  in  1872. 

When  the  war  came  on,  so  many  of  his  men  enlisted,  that 
he  had  to  give  up  making  rope  machinery,  and  never  re- 
sumed it.  The  next  line  of  work  he  turned  his  attention  to, 
was  the  repairing  of  street  cars,  and  other  fixtures  pertain- 
ing to  horse  railways.  In  this,  as  in  everything  else  he  under- 
took, complete  success  rewarded  his  efforts.  He  was  a 
thorough  mechanic,  and  at  the  same  time,  a  good  organizer 
and  manager.  Seated  in  his  house,  he  could  detect  the  least 
derangement  in  the  various  shops  from  the  report  brought 
to  his  ears  by  the  running  of  the  machinery.  As  many  a 
Brooklynite  well  knows,  this  section  of  the  old  Wallabout 
of  thirty-five  years  ago  has  been  so  transformed  by  improve- 
ments that  few  old  landmarks  remain.  Then,  the  water 
used  to  come  up  to  where  Mr.  Binns'  blacksmith  forge  now 
is.  Even  since  the  war,  children  have  rowed  in  boats  from 
Flushing  to  Myrtle  avenues.  William  Marshal  and  Jolin 
Thursby's  rope-walk  was  located  where  Moore's  foundry 
now  stands. 

About  five  years  after  his  arrival  in  this  country,  Mr.  Binns' 
father  and  mother  and  three  brothers,  George,  Richard  and 
Charles,  left  England  and  settled  in  Brooklyn,  where  the 
latter  still  live.  The  mother  died  in  1N49  and  the  father  in 
1855.  The  children  born  to  James  and  Elizabeth  Binns  have 
been  three  sons.  William  .).,  David  W.  and  Henry,  and  four 
daughters,  Mary  Ann.  Maria.  Martha  M.  and  Emma  E.  Of 
these,  four  have  died,  the  survivors  being  Martha,  Emma 
and  1  »a\  id.  The  father  w  as  taken  from  his  family,  and  from 
the  sphere  of  his  usefulness,  at  the  age  of  65,  breathing  his 
last  April  8th,  1882.  That  terrible  scourge,  Bright's  disease 
ol  the  kidneys,  snatched  him  away  while  apparently  in  the 
prime  of  his  maturity,  enjoying,  in  undiminished  quantity 
and  quality,  the  full  degree  of  his  robust  mental  and  physical 
powers.  The  positions  of  responsible  trust  lie  tilled  at  the 
time  of  his  death  atte  st  his  public  and  private  worth.  In 
each  of  the  following  railroad  companies  he  was  a  director: 
East  New  York  and  Mroadway;  Van  Brunt  Street  and  Rrfc 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


821 


Basin;  New  Williamsburg  &  Flatbush;  Atlantic  Avenue, 
and  the  North  Hudson  County  of  N.  J.  The  latter  two  cor- 
porations adopted  resolutions  of  respect  and  personal  regard, 
which  were  printed  in  appropriate  form,  signed  by  the  re- 
spective officers,  and  presented  to  the  family  of  their  deceased 
friend.  Mr.  Binns  was  also  an  officer  in  the  Commercial 
Bank  of  Brooklyn,  which  body  gave  the  following  expression 
to  their  feelings,  at  a  meeting  held  April  11th,  1882: 

"  Whereas,  it  has  pleased  Almighty  God,  in  His  wise  provi- 
dence, to  remove  from  our  midst,  by  death,  our  highly 
esteemed  friend  and  associate,  Mr.  James  Binns,  late  Vice- 
President  of  this  Bank,  we,  the  surviving  members  of  the 
Board  of  Directors,  do  place  on  record  and  express  our  deep 
emotion  at  this  sad  bereavement; 

"  Therefore,  be  it  resolved,  that  in  the  death  of  James  Binns 
we  have  lost  a  most  faithful  friend  and  counsellor;  one  who 
was  ever  ready  to  give  a  helping  hand  to  all  proper  objects; 
a  man  of  the  strictest  integrity;  averse  to  craft  and  over- 
reaching; full  of  candor  and  ingenuousness;  kind  to  his 
neighbors;  hospitable  to  strangers;  honest  and  open-hearted; 
devoid  of  pride  and  hypocrisy,  and  a  man  who  entertained 
malice  toward  none,  and  who  had  a  constant  regard  to  honor 
and  probity. 

(Signed)      "  Thos.  D.  Hudson,  President. 
"John  J.  Vail,  Cashier." 

The  foregoing,  with  added  expressions  of  regard  for  the 
deceased,  and  condolence  to  his  household,  were  most  beau- 
tifully embossed  on  successive  tablets,  which  were  enclosed 
in  rich  covers  that  bear  the  inscription  "  In  Memoriam,"  and 
presented  to  his  family.  To  live  a  life  that  produces  such  a 
reputation  is  the  richest  legacy  any  one  can  leave  to  those 
who  come  after. 

His  mind  was  clear  and  peaceful  to  the  end.  He  was  broad 
and  independent  in  his  religious  views,  belonging  to  no 
church.  In  politics,  he  always  acted  with  the  Republican 
party  after  its  organization.  His  son,  David,  trained  from 
boyhood  in  all  the  details  of  his  father's  craft,  continues  the 
large  business  intact,  with  most  satisfactory  results.  In  1877, 
he  made  a  trip  to  England,  which  was  extended  to  Paris,  be- 
ing gone  eleven  months  from  home.  During  this  time,  he 
experienced  great  satisfaction  in  comparing  the  scenes  that 
met  his  eyes  with  those  his  fancy  had  painted  from  descrip- 
tions so  often  heard  from  his  parents'  lips,  of  their  island 
home,  of  its  green  fields,  its  quiet  villages,  its  opulent  cities, 
and  its  teeming  industries,  the  story  of  which  forms  the 
brightest  page  in  the  history  of  civilization. 

Mrs.  Binns  is  blessed  with  health,  to  enjoy  with  her  family, 
at  the  old  homestead,  the  results  of  the  prosperity  she 
so  nobly  bore  her  half  of  the  care  and  toil,  during  all  these 
eventful  years,  in  helping  to  create. 


Addenda. 

Herewith  we  append  a  number  of  manufactures  re- 
ceived too  late  for  insertion  in  their  proper  places  in 
the  foregoing  pages. 

Glass  Works — The  Eureka  Glass  Annealing  Works, 
on  Gold  street,  near  Tillary,  were  first  established  in 
1878,  at  90  Raymond  street,  then  removed  to  79  Adams 
street,  and  from  there  to  their  present  location.  The 
firm  commenced  as  the  Weyer  Annealing  Company, 
formed  for  the  purpose  of  annealing  glass  by  the 
Weyer's  process,  in  which  the  glass  is  heated  to  about 
800  degrees  in  a  solution  of  potash.  Mr.  Lucas  is 
the  superintendent.    Only  one  other  firm  in  the  city 


uses  the  process,  which  is  quicker  and  cheaper  than 
the  old  method  of  annealing  in  ovens.  Glass  Moulds/ 
Anthony  Kribs,  212  Concord  street,  commenced  1877; 
capital,  §5,000;  wages,  §2,000;  annual  product,  $10,000; 
S.  J.  Pardessus,  1208  Pacific  street,  manufacturer  and 
importer  of  glass,  established  at  9  and  1 1  Park  Place, 
N.  Y.,  inventor  of  ventilating  apparatus  and  fire  tower 
and  fire  escape.  Otto  Goetz,  218  Meserole  street,  also 
manufactures  glass. 

Sash,  Door  and  Moulding. — R.  F.  Whipple,  20  and 
22  Bergen  street,  employs  thirty-five  hands,  using 
about  three-quarters  of  a  million  feet  of  seasoned  lum- 
ber annually,  manufacturing  in  pine  and  hard  woods  all 
descriptions  of  interior  finish  for  city  and  country 
dwellings.  The  business  was  started  by  Richard 
Whipple,  in  1836,  and  continued  by  R.  &  S.  R.  and  R. 
&  N.  M.  Whipple,  in  connection  with  the  building  and 
contracting  business,  until  1875,  when  the  manufactur- 
ing part  was  assumed  by  R.  F.  Whipple,  at  266  Court 
street.  Burned  out  in  the  fall  of  1879,  he  moved  to  his 
present  large  factory  a  few  months  after,  to  which  in  the 
fall  of  1883,  was  added  an  extension,  nearly  doubling  its 
capacity.  Sash  and  Blinds:  W.  H.  Hall,  695  Quincy 
street;  Young  &  Girard,  Greenpoint  avenue,  cor.  Java 
street;  Wm.  H.  Bierds,  President  street,  corner  Third 
avenue;  Elias  T.  Eddy,  1  Hope  street ;  R.  B.  Fergu- 
son, 250  Hewes  street.  Sash:  H.  Kirk,  278-282  Schermer- 
horn  street;  C.  A.  Lindsay,  88  Schermerhorn  street; 
Stanley  &  Unckels,  Butler  street  ;  C.  Stein,  168  Stagg 
street.  Mouldings,  H.  E.  Fickett  <fc  Co.,  3d  street  near 
Third  avenue;  Hugh  Tollner,  Classon,  corner  Park  ave- 
nue; Henry  Werner,  88  Schermerhorn  street. 

Hardware  and  Souse  Furnishing  Goods,  &c. — 
Robert  Blohm,  758  Third  avenue;  S.  E.  Burtis,  135 
Myrtle  avenue;  S.  W.  Cornell,  12H  Court  street; 
Alanson  Carter,  530  Fulton  street;  W.  &  J.  Dixon,  29 
Atlantic  avenue.  C.  W.  Dunlap  &  Co.  (see  page  705). 
The  present  firm  was  started  about  1848,  in  Northamp- 
ton, Mass.,  and  organized  as  a  stock  company  in  1869,  Mr. 
Dunlap  being  a  stockholder.  Jan.  1,  1873,  Mr.  Dunlap 
bought  out  the  other  interests,  and  started  the  business 
in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  The  firm  manufactures  a  line  of 
house-keeping  hai-dware  and  small  garden  tools.  They 
have  twenty  employees  or  thereabouts.  Estimated 
sales,  $50,000  annually.  They  have  been  located  at 
249  Plymouth  6treet  for  the  past  twelve  years.  Mr. 
Dunlap  was  born  in  Hartford,  Conn.,  but  has  been  a 
resident  of  Brooklyn  for  forty  years.  Joseph  Edwards} 
101  Flatbush  avenue;  N.  Langler,  299  Adams  street; 
Wm.  Marlow,  Jr.,  335  Manhattan  avenue;  Fred. 
Schluchtner,  Atlantic  avenue;  H.  L.  Young,  451  Ful- 
ton street;  C.  H.  Tiebout,  31  Grand  6treet;  J.  Totten, 
188  Grand  street;  T.  B.  Willis  &  Bros.,  94  and  96 
Court  street;  Van  Brunt  Wyckoff,  622  Third  avenue; 
Moses  Kessel,  183  Broadway. 

Silver-Plated  Ware. — Henry  Schade,  58  and  60  Ains- 
lie  street;  fifty  hands;   capital,  -$50;000;  came  from 


S22 


IfT STORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Germany  to  New  York,  1847;  employs 
steam  and  forty  horse  power  boiler;  uses 
about  twenty-five  horse  power. 

Fancy  Metal  Goods. — William  Lang, 
corner  Flint  and  South  Sixth  streets,  es- 
tablished 1869,  by  William  Lang  and  A. 
Howlett.  Capital  employed,  $20,000;  num- 
ber of  employe's,  about  100;  amount  paid 
annually  for  salaries,  $42,000;  value  of 
annual  products,  $110,100. 

JTats. — Ilannahan  &  Purdy,  50  Third 
street,  E.  D. 

Water  Meters.— J.  0.  Kelly,  205  Penn 
street. 

Button-Hole    Much  in  ex.  —  Rudolph 
Spahn,  20.5  Bushwick  avenue. 

Rolli  r  Skali-s. — James  J.  McCormick, 
315  North  Third  street. 

Steam  Presses — Norman  Hubbard,  93 
Pearl  s'reet.  About  1853  Mr.  Hubbard 
commenced  business,  with  a  partner,  under  the  firm 
name  of  Hubbard  it  Whittaker.  In  1873,  the  firm  was 
changed  to  Hubbard  &  Aller.  This  arrangement  lasted 
two  vcars,  when  Mr.  Aller  retired.  The  firm  manu- 
factures general  machinery.  Its  specialty  is  the  Niagara 
steam  pump.  Steam  engine  boilers  arc  also  a  part  of 
their  manufacture.  The  Brooklyn  water-works  engine 
No.  3  was  built  by  Mr.  Hubbard,  and  is  now  giving 
excellent  satisfaction  at  Ridgewood.  The  amount  of 
capital  invested  is  $80,000.  About  forty  men  are  em- 
ployed, and  the  annual  products  amount  to  $15(1,000. 

Steam  Fittings — T.  J.  Alsor  served  fourteen  years 
with  the  Benton  Tube  Works  Company,  rising  in  their 
employ  from  an  apprentice's  place  to  that  of  foreman 
and  overseer.  In  July,  1881,  he  opened  an  establish- 
ment for  himself  at  92  Pearl  street,  where  he  now  em- 
ploys twenty  or  more  men.  Being  a  thorough  and 
practical  steam  fitter,  he  has  the  patronage  of  several  of 
the  largest  manufacturing  establishments  in  the  city. 
Hi-  specialty  i-  the  manufacture  of  a  vertical  tube 
boiler  for  steam  heating  purposes,  which  presents  a 
large  surface  to  the  fire  and  generates  steam  rapidly. 
It  being  his  own  invention,  he  has  a  laudable  pride  in 
its  success. 

Heating  Ajjpuratus  for  Green-houses,  etc. — John  A. 
Scollary,  74  and  70  Myrtle  avenue,  born  at  Dundee, 
Scotland;  established  1858,  Brooklyn;  iron  foundry  at 
Red  Bank,  N.  J.,  where  their  own  casting  is  done. 

Shan,    If  nihil/   Aji/nimtus. — Alsopp  «fc   Ilugill,  92 

P< iarl  street;  Annul  &  Co.,  13  Adams  street. 

finilirs.  —  William  McAdam,  00  Milton  street. 

Machinists. — Lewis  «fc  Fowler,  8  Columbia  Heights; 
.lames  IJrady,  257  Water  street:  John  Fresse,  208 
Montrose  avenue;  Peter  Gardiner,  l::2  Leonard  street; 
.la-  llardie,  127  Water  street;  John.!.  Haves.  We-t,  cor. 
Kent;  F.  Bernard  Piel,  48  Humboldt  street;  Ridley  A 
Cowley,  Richards,  cor.  Brown;  Daniel  Sanders,  Shep- 


F.   HOCHOWS  PATENT  COMPOUND  STEAM   EN ( I  IN  E.     i  See  page  OT'J.)  * 


paid  aveuue;  Wood  &  Co.,  01  North  street;  White  it 
Price,  303  Hamilton  street. 

Machinery  for  Hoisting-engines,  Machinery  for 
Tow-boats,  Steam  Yachts,  etc. — Gibson  &  Elsesser, 
foot  of  Court  street. 

Iron  Foundries. — Burr  &  Richmond,  South  Ninth 
street;  W.  II.  Davis,  02  Rutledge  street;  James 
Mitchell,  50-04  Water  street;  William  Mullow,  313 
South  Third  street  ;  Paulson  &  Eger,  North  Eleventh, 
corner  Third  street ;  Steel  &  Metcalf,  Seabring,  near 
Richards  street;  J.  Schweizer,  54  Metropolitan  avenue; 
J.  A.  Slatt,  558  Grand  street ;  J.  S.  &  G.  F.  Simpson, 
26-30  Rodney  street;  Thomas  Terry's  Sons,  26  Powers 
street;  Charles  Vogt,  516  First  street;  J.  F.  Out  water, 
78  South  street. 

Iron  Railings,  Fences,  etc. —  James  Demai,  101 
Wyckoff  street  ;  James  Gorman,  30  Flatbush  avenue; 
J.  Dennemann,  005  Bushwick  avenue  ;  Philip  Degro, 
132  Ten  Eyck  street. 

Brass  Founders. —  William  Stieglitz,  37  Loriruer 
street;  William  Lang,  136  First  sttvet,  E.  D. 

Saw  and  File  Makers. — In  addition  to  the  Boynton 
Saw  <fc  File  Co.,  36-42  Devoe  street;  and  C.  B.  Paul,  1-7 
10th  street  (named  on  page  701),  are,  Stanley  Oliver,  93 
Ten  Eyck  street;  and  Geo.  Proctor,  318  First  street, 
E.  D.    For  E.  M.  Boynton's  biography  see  page  825. 

Agricultural  Tools  and  Imjili  nu  nts. — Richard  Gram- 
mich,  103  North  First  street;  J.  G.  Pollard,  141  Ray. 
mond  street;  Dies,  mill  jacks,  contractors*  tools,  etc.,  es- 
tablished 1837  by  Simmons  Pollard;  annual  product 
about  $7,000. 

Iron  Cans. — The  Iron-Clad  Can  Manufacturing  Co., 
929  Flushing  avenue  and  22  Cliff  street,  N.  Y. 

Locks. — D.  Brehler,  Hush  wick  ave.,  cor.  Scholcs. 

Caulking  Irons. —  John  Carver,  44  North  Third 
street. 

Witt  Manufacturer. — M.  Drew,  1 7 1  Fulton  street) 


THE  MANUFACTURING  INDUSTRIES. 


823 


Pottery. — John  Bedum,  Bush  street,  near  Hamilton 
avenue. 

Cracker  and  Biscuit  Bakery. — Daniel  Canty,  532 
Grand  street,  established,  1860,  on  opposite  side  of 
street,  by  Hamilton  Waddell,  who  was  succeeded  by 
Mr.  Canty.  In  1871,  a  new  factory  was  erected  and 
furnished  with  new  and  improved  machinery,  reel 
ovens,  &c. ;  has  facilities  for  baking  200  barrels  of 
floor  per  week;  has  six  teams  and  about  thirty  hands. 

Self -leavening  Elour,  etc. — Nassau  Manufacturing 
Co.,  22  Doughty  street,  and  7  Vine  street,  incorporated 
May  1878;  B.  F.  White,  president;  G.  E.  Goldsmith, 
treasurer ;  F.  A.  Marsh,  manager. 

Carriages. — James  E.  Wheeler,  131  3d  street;  J.  P. 
Bernius,  670  Third  avenue  ;  James  Campbell,  72  Kent 
street;  A.  Kolbrieser,  5  Johnson  avenue  ;  John  Lime, 
49  Bergen  street ;  M.  Marlborough  &  Sons,  470  Cler- 
mont avenue  ;  Chris.  Nielson,  745  Third  avenue  ;  T.  S. 
Potter  &  Co.,  270  Court  street  ;  Sullivan  Bros.,  341 
Pacific  street;  John  Field,  127  25th  street. 

Trucks. — James  Baird,  647  Grand  street. 
Wagons. — Donnigan  &  Nielson,  745  Third  avenue  ; 
John  N.  Schnell,  272  Hayward  street ;   T.  Shick  & 
Sons,  518  North  2d  street. 

Box  Manufacturers. — A.  B.  Dobbs  &  Co.,  128  Free- 
man street  ;  Reeves  &  Church,  127  Greene,  and  129 
Pearl  street,  N.  Y.;  Wood  &  Son,  325  Ewen  street. 

Paper  Box  Manufacturers. — Beers  &  Frost,  125 
Nostrand  avenue  ;  Thomas  Lynn,  60  Troutman  street ; 
And.  Wohlgemuth,  89  Leonard  street. 

Pump  Manufacturers. — Murdock  Bros.,  Bedford  ave. 

Boats. — John  F.  Munson,  foot  55th  street ;  Walters 
&  Gorman,  foot  55th  street  ;  James  Lennox,  Third 
avenue,  corner  24th  street;  A  Stillwell,  Fort  Hamilton. 

Braids,  Worsteds,  dec. — Among  the  many  improve- 
ments in  the  manufacture  of  textile  fabrics  during  the 
past  ten  years,  that  in  braids  and  cords  is  marked,  as 
an  examination  of  the  establishment  of  August  Moll, 
Nos.  235  to  245  Lynch  street,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  will  tes- 
tify. Mr.  Moll  was  born  in  Barmen,  Germany,  where, 
in  the  year  1851,  he  was  established  as  a  mechanical  in- 
ventor. In  1853  he  erected  a  factory  for  the  manufac- 
ture of  braids  in  that  city,  which  he  continued  until 
1863,  when  he  came  to  the  United  States. 

In  1866  he  again  started  in  this  business  on  First 
avenue,  New  York  city,  and  remained  there  until  1870, 
when  he  removed  to  Brooklyn,  and  began  manufactur- 
ing on  the  premises  now  owned  and  occupied  by  him. 
In  1883  he  built  the  factory  represented  in  the  ac- 
companying cut,  which  is  of  brick,  120  feet  front 
on  Lynch  street,  44  feet  deep  and  four  stories  high, 
with  basement.  A  40  horse  power  steam  engine  is 
used,  and  65  hands  are  employed  making  silk,  mo- 
hair, worsted,  linen  and  cotton  braids,  cords,  etc., 
the  annual  product  being  $100,000.  Mr.  Moll  is 
the  only  manufacturer  of  these  goods  in  Brooklyn,  and 
from  the  many  improvements  and  inventions  made  by  ! 


AUGUST  MOLL'S  MANUFACTORY. 

him  in  the  mechanical  department,  he  is  enabled  to  pro- 
duce a  quality  of  work,  which,  for  regularity,  smooth- 
ness of  finish,  evenness  and  correctness  of  pattern,  and 
cost  of  production,  is  unequalled  in  the  world.  His 
machinery  is  the  best,  the  wheels  being  made  of  the 
finest  wrought-iron  and  steel.  The  invention  of  much, 
and  the  improvement  of  all  of  it,  is  his  work.  Mr. 
Moll's  father  was  a  farmer,  but  the  son  at  an  early 
age,  evinced  a  fondness  and  natural  taste  for  mechanics, 
which  by  development  have  given  him  his  present 
marked  success.  He  has  two  brothers  in  Barmen,  both 
manufacturing  braids. 


THE  E.  M.  BOYNTON  SAW  &  FILE  CO. 

34,   36.   30.   40  &  42  OEVOE  ST. 

BROOKLYN. 


The  Atlantic  Harbor  Company  [Limited)  is  an  as- 
sociation organized  April  20,  1880,  and  incorporated 
under  the  general  laws,  for  the  purpose  of  holding  and 
improving  real  estate,  and  for  the  construction  of 
wharves,  docks,  buildings,  break-waters  and  piers,  and 
renting  and  selling  the  same.  The  capital  stock  is 
$35,000,  in  shares  of  $25  each.  The  primary  object  is 
the  construction  of  a  harbor  for  yachts.  The  stock- 
holders are  members  of  the  Atlantic  Yacht  Club,  and 
number  about  45.  The  association  Ov\rns  a  considerable 
tract  of  South  Brooklyn  water  front.  The  first  officers 
were  H.  H.  Hogins,  President;  Latham  A.  Fish,  Treas- 
urer, and  John  L.  Marcellus,  Secretary.  The  present 
officers  are  John  D.  Morgan,  Latham  A.  Fish,  and 
John  L.  Marcellus. 


824 


tlTSTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Downing  &  Laxcrcncc's  Marine  Hail- 
ways  <C  Ship  Yard,  on  Gowanus  Canal,  ex- 
tending from  Court  to  Clinton  street. 

Up  to  January,  1878,  there  was  seven  feet 
of  water  over  all  the  space  occupied  hy  this 
yard.  That  winter  was  so  open  that  out- 
door work  was  interrupted  only  two  days  and 
then  hy  high  winds.  The  location  was,  hy 
some  persons,  said  to  he  away  out  in  a  conn- 
try  mud-hole:  and,  as  business  had  been  re- 
markably dull  during  the  previous  two  years, 
the  movement  was  ridiculed  as  being  worthy 
of  no  support  unless  by  lunatics.  Prophets 
were  in  abundance;  but  a  few  months  were 
allowed  for  the  existence  of  the  firm,  such  a 
large  capital  being  required,  and  but  a  small 
amount,  comparatively,  was  visible.  The 
theorists  were  soon  proven  in  error,  and  the  suc- 
cess of  the  enterprise  was  a  fixed  fact.  On 
May  20th,  ls78,  the  first  railway  was  put  in 
operation,  and  two  years  later  the  second  was 
completed,  and  in  five  years  1,400  vessels,  of 
1,400  tons  register  and  under,  have  been  taken 
out  of  the  water. 

Thirty  tons  of  chains  are  in  use  for  hauling 
purposes.  The  machinery  weighs  90  tons. 
The  cradles  are  230  and  280  feet  respectively, 
and  weigh  :50i>  tons  each.  The  tracks  rest 
their  entire  length  of  0(50  feet  upon  piles,  and 
are  perfectly  fair  throughout.  The  locality 
only  required  a  start  to  make  it  desirable  for 
business  purposes.  Machine  and  blacksmith 
shops  soon  sprang  up  alongside.  In  addition 
to  the  Ridgewood  water,  a  2-inch  pipe-well 
was  driven  to  a  depth  of  47  feet,  and  a  co- 
pious supply  of  excellent  water  was  obtained; 
this  is  used  to  wash  vessels  and  fill  tanks  and 
boilers.  A  steam  saw,  the  telephone,  fire  tele* 
graph,  wrecking  pump,  hydraulic  jacks  ami 
every  necessary  facility  has  been  provided. 
All  these,  in  a  land-locked  harbor,  where 
winds  and  currents  have  but  little  effect,  ren- 
ders this  place  very  attractive  for  vessel! 
needing  repairs. 


•A  irtjry  Manufacturers. —  Wirth  liros.,  92  Broadway, 
K.  I).;  began  1866.  The  elder  brother  had  been  ap- 
prenticed to  the  trade  in  1850,  and  first  commenced 
business  at  No.  !)6,  afterwards  removing  to  present 
location.    Jacob  Weis,  I  < » 4  Montrose  avenue,  estab- 


lished 1876,  at  lit!  McKibbin  street;  employs  ;>  hands. 
Henry  A.  Phillips,  s|:s  Willoughby  avenue,  agent 
for  the  Monumental  Bronze  Co.,  of  Bridgeport^ 
Conn.,  served  during  the  Rebellion  as  a  member  of  the 
47th  Regiment,  N.  V.  S.  Volunteers. 


BiO  GRAPIIY  OF  EBEN  MO  ODY  BO  YNTON. 


825 


EBEN   MOODY  BOYNTON. 


Mr.  Boynton  was  born  in  the  township  of  Harrisville, 
Medina  county,  Ohio,  July  23,  1840.  His  father  and  mother 
were  natives  of  Newburyport,  Mass.,  his  mother  Abigail 
Moody,  being  a  descendant  of  Rev.  William  Moody, 
one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Newbury,  who  landed  there  in 
1635.  The  Moody  family  has  been  famous  for  learning, 
patriotism,  intellectual  force  and  public  influence.  There 
were  many  distinguished  clergymen  of  the  name,  one  of 
whom  was  made  President  of  Harvard  College,  which  posi- 
tion he  resigned  for  the  more  agreeable  one  of  pastor  of  the 
old  South  Church,  Boston,  where  he  maintained  the  rights  of 
the  colonies,  and  laid  the  foundation  of  British  hatred  that 
afterward  desecrated  that  sacred  temple  of  civil  and  religious 
freedom  by  stabling  therein  the  horees  of  the  British 
soldiery.  A  century  previous,  Caleb  Moody,  an  ancestor  of 
the  subject  of  this  sketch,  greatly  distinguished  himself  in 
the  legislature  of  Massachusetts  Bay  by  opposing  the  sur- 
render of  the  charter  of  New  England  to  Sir  Edmund  An- 
dros,  urging  revolution  rather  than  submission.  For  this 
course,  he  was  imprisoned  by  Sir  Edmund,  but  subsequently 
released  through  an  uprising  of  the  people,  who  confined 
Andros  in  Mr.  Moody's  place,  and  reimbursed  the  latter  for 
the  sufferings  he  had  endured  in  behalf  of  the  people's 
chartered  rights  and  liberties. 

Alfred  Boynton,  father  of  Eben  Moody  Boynton,  was  de- 
scended from  a  son  of  Sir  Matthew  Boynton,  who  came  to 
Newbury  Byfield  in  1636,  and  took  up  a  large  grant  in  com- 
pany with  the  family  of  Lieutenant-Governor  Dummer,  the 
founder  of  Dummer  Academy.  The  famous  deacon  of  that 
church,  for  fifty  years,  was  Joshua  Boynton,  a  son  of  the 
first  settler  of  the  name.  This  worthy  man,  who  was  also  chair- 
man of  the  Board  of  Control  of  Dummer  Academy,  died  at  the 
age  of  ninety-seven.  Another  member  of  the  family  was 
associate  teacher  at  Rowley  with  Rev.  John  Phillips,  the  an- 
cestor of  the  founder  of  Phillips'  Academy,  who  was  edu- 
cated at  Dummer,  the  oldest  founded  academy  of  Massachu- 
setts. The  last  surviving  pupil  of  Master  Moody,  the  great 
uncle  of  the  subject  of  this  article — Enoch  Boynton — was 
famous  for  having  introduced  the  silk  culture  into  New 
England,  and  for  his  inventive  abilities.  He  died  about 
twenty-eight  years  ago,  at  the  age  of  ninety. 

Eben  Moody  Boynton  came,  at  the  age  of  thirteen,  from 
his  birthplace  on  the  Western  Reserve,  in  Ohio,  to  the  home 
of  his  ancestors,  in  Newbury,  and  was,  for  a  short  time,  an 
inmate  of  Enoch  Boynton's  family,  and  a  great  favorite 
with  the  old  gentleman,  who  predicted  a  bright  future  for 
the  young  log-cabin  boy.  Educated  in  the  schools  of  New- 
bury, and  Phillips'  Academy,  Andover,  Mass.,  he  subse- 
quently taught  a  high  school  in  Amesbury,  where  he  became 
acquainted  with  John  G.  Whittier,  the  poet.  Requiring  a 
more  active  life,  he  went  into  the  shipment  of  black  walnut 
lumber  from  southern  Michigan,  where  lie  first  perceived  the 
need  of  improvement  in  saw  teeth.  He  first  suggested  the 
"M"-cutting  teeth  to  his  brother,  Alfred  Boynton,  who  was  in 
his  employ,  and  whose  hook  and  gauge-tooth  Lightning  saw 
was  supposed  to  be  the  principal  element  in  the  first  inven- 
tion, though  it  afterward  proved  too  complicated  for  the 
low  state  of  skill  among  those  using  saws.  Yet  it  was  the 
first  practical  cutting  saw  ever  known  in  the  history  of  saw 
manufacture  for  cross-cutting.  Subsequently,  Eben  Moody 
Boynton  obtained  patents  on  the  several  improvements  now 
in  use  for  simple  "M"-shaped  teeth,  slightly  retreating,  which 


have  been  found  greatly  superior  to  the  former  projecting 
plough-shaped  teeth.  These  saws  have  proved  a  great  suc- 
cess, and  Mr.  Boynton  has  manufactured  several  millions  of 
them,  which  have  been  sold  throughout  the  world.  They  are 
the  first  practical  and  scientific  gain  ever  made  in  the  cut- 
ting points  of  saw-teeth,  providing,  as  they  do,  the  front  cut 
of  a  hand-saw,  cutting  both  ways  by  means  of  a  two-pointed 
"M  "-tooth,  perforating  the  wood  in  opposite  directions 
as  drawn  back  and  forth,  the  two  points  of  the  "  M  "  dressed 
and  set  to  cut  in  line,  and  occupying  the  same  space  as  the 
old  pyramidical  single  tooth,  the  cutting  being  thrown  upon 
the  outer  surface  of  the  l,M,"  the  two  parts  of  which  cut  and 
clean  simultaneously  with  unexampled  speed  and  simplicity. 

The  difficulty  of  introducing  any  new  mechanical  inven- 
tion or  improvement  without  capital,  experience  and  skilled 
labor,  is  well  known,  and  the  intense  opposition  of  the  manu- 
facturers of  saws,  the  numerous  infringements  of  the  Boyn- 
ton patents,  and  the  protracted  sui  s  at  law  to  maintain  them, 
are  matters  of  historic  interest.  Perhaps  the  most  ingenious 
among  many  imitations  of  the  Boynton  saws  was  one  pat- 
terned after  the  ancient  "M  "-tooth,  of  the  Netherlands  of 
1682,  which  was  discovered  during  the  infringement  suits. 
This  tooth  had  one  poiat  set  one  way  and  one  the  other,  and 
being  sharpened  on  the  inside,  instead  of  on  the  outside  of  the 
"M,"  was  consequently  not  as  good  as  the  ordinary  "V"-tooth, 
though,  to  the  unskilled  workman,  the  saws  so  made  so 
closely  resembled  the  Lightning  saw,  that,  by  its  use,  unprin- 
cipled manufacturers  and  dealers  were  frequently  able  to 
check  the  enormous  demand  that  was  growing  for  the  Light- 
ning saw,  this  worthless  imitation  being  often  palmed  off  upon 
purchasers  with  the  verbal  statement  that  it  was  the  same 
saw.  Except  for  this,  the  Lightning  saw  would  have  come 
into  universal  use,  since  it  cost  no  more  to  manufacture  it 
than  inferior  saws,  and  its  supremacy  in  speed  and  ease  of 
cutting,  durability,  simplicity  and  practical  utility,  are  un- 
questioned by  scientific  men  the  world  over. 

At  the  Centennial  Exhibition,  held  in  Philadelphia  in  1876, 
a  public  test  of  cross-cut  saws  was  ordered  by  the  committee 
of  examination  to  be  made  before  the  Commissioners  of  all 
nations,  at  which  Dom  Pedro,  the  Emperor  of  Brazil,  was 
present;  and  beside  him,  holding  the  watch,  was  Mr.  Corliss, 
the  famous  engine  builder.  A  twelve-inch  stick  of  solid 
gum-wood  was  sawed  off,  in  precisely  six  seconds,  with  a 
hand  cross-cut  saw,  four  and  one-half  feet  long,  drawn  by 
the  two  Boynton  brothers,  Alfred  and  Charles.  Many  of 
the  principal  saw  manufacturers  of  the  world  were  present 
and  expressed  astonishment  at  what  they  saw,  and  it  ha? 
never  since  been  attempted  to  match  that  record.  All  com- 
petition the  world  over  has  been  distanced  by  the  Boynton 
saw  in  every  public  test,  at  various  State  fairs,  at  the  Ameri- 
can Institute  fairs,  New  York,  at  the  National  Centennial 
Philadelphia;  and  at  the  great  Exposition  of  the  South  Seas 
at  Sydney,  Australia,  in  1879,  the  first  award  was  given 
without  further  test,  upon  the  world-wide  fame  and  record 
known  to  the  Commissioners  of  all  nations  represented  there. 
It  is  unnecessary  to  say  that  the  Lightning  saw  has  always 
received  the  first  medals  and  awards  wherever  exhibited. 
Each  saw  bears  a  $500  challenge  that  the  Lightning  saw  is 
the  fastest  saw  in  the  world,  and  no  competitor  has  ever  dared 
to  publicly  contest  against  either  the  tool  or  the  time  recorded. 

Mr.  Boynton  has  been  awarded  some  fifteen  patents  relat- 
ing to  saw  teeth,  saw  frames,  saw  handles,  saw  sets  and  saw 


ITISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


files,  as  well  as  to  compartment  ships  and  railways.  In  1867 
he  purchased  the  side-wheel,  120-horse  power  steam  tug,  the 
"Charles  L.  Mather,"  of  New  York,  and  ran  it  to  Newbury  - 
port,  and  began  experimenting  to  open  the  Merrimack  River 
for  navigation  to  Lawrence,  Mass.  He  sent  to  Lowell  the  tirst 
scow-load  of  coal  ever  received  by  water  at  the  harbor 
of  Newburyport,  from  the  Philadelphia  &  Reading  coal 
steamers ;  towed  it  to  Lawrence,  and  passed  it  through 
the  canal,  to  Gen.  B.  F.  Butler,  at  Lowell,  Mass.  Mr. 
Boynton  has  since  expended  over  $50,000  from  the  rev- 
enues of  his  saw  business  in  opening  up  the  navigation  of 
the  Merrimack,  with  a  view  to  giving  cheaper  coal  and  lum- 
ber freights  and  water  transportation  to  the  large  manufac- 
turing cities  on  its  banks,  where  about  500,000  tons  of  coal 
are  used  annually,  and  manufactures  aggregating  $100,000,- 
000  annually  are  produced.  The  improvements  of  the  chan- 
nel, and  the  delivery  of  $80,000  worth  of  coal  by  water, 
caused  the  railways  to  reduce  their  freights  in  carrying  coal 
to  one-half  the  former  charge,  on  the  plea  of  competition. 
An  opposition  so  formidable  has  thus  far  prevented  sufficient 
capital  being  embarked  to  complete  an  enterprise  fraught 
with  so  much  benefit  to  the  300,000  people  engaged  in 
manufacturing  near  the  summer  home  of  Mr.  Boynton; 
thoughtful  men  predict  that  the  measure  must  ultimately 
prove  a  great  success.  The  transportation  of  coal  by  steam 
upon  the  Merrimack,  as  far  as  Haverhill,  Mass.,  was  first  be- 
gun by  Mr.  Boynton  and  associates  in  1861,  and  has  been  a 
constant  success  ever  since,  all  the  coal  to  Haverhill  and  the 
lower  towns  being  now  received  by  water,  an  indication  of 
the  result  which  enlarged  channels  and  facilities  will  give  to 
the  great  manufacturing  cities  above  Haverhill  in  the  near 
future.  In  order  to  admit  the  deeper  draft  coal  steamers,  and 
open  the  port  for  foreign  commerce,  Mr.  Boynton  first  pro- 
posed to  the  United  States  Government  the  construction  of 
jetties  at  the  mouth  of  the  Merrimack,  in  a  letter  addressed 
from  his  store  in  New  York,  of  which  the  following  is  a  copy  : 

"  Office  of  E.  M.  Boynton,  ) 
New  York.  Nov.  18th,  1879.  J" 
"  Hon.  George  W.  McCrary,  Secretary  of  War, 

Washington,  D.  C. 
"  Dear  sir:— I  want  a  preliminary  survey  of  the  mouth  of 
the  Merrimack  River,  near  Newburyport.  It  is  desired  to  ex- 
tend the  narrow  channel  between  Plum  Island  and  Salisbury, 
continuing  it  in  the  same  width  out  to  twenty-five  feet  depth 
in  the  sea.  By  driving  double  rows  of  piles  and  forming 
jetties,  the  shifting  sands  that  obstruct  the  harbor  will  be 
prevented,  and  the  confined  channel  instead  of  spreading 
like  a  fan  as  it  now  does,  and  changing  in  every  storm,  will 
be  rendered  as  deep  as  it  is  between  Plum  Island  and  Salis- 
bury, where  for  half  a  mile  it  averages  thirty-five  feet  in 
depth. 

Coal  steamers  of  one  thousand  tons  arrive  and  depart 
twice  each  week  at  great  peril,  bringing  about  one  hundred 
thousand  tons  of  anthracite  coal  this  year.  About  five  bun- 
dred  thousand  tons  are  used  in  the  valley,  the  population  of 
which  is  nearly  half  a  million  people.  About  one  hundred 
millions  of  dollars'  worth  of  products  are  sent  away  an- 
nually, and  it  is  desirable  that  the  coal  and  lumber,  corn 
and  cotton,  in  which  the  entire  country  is  interested,  shall 
have  free  access.  The  government  has  already  accomplished 
much  in  river  improvements,  which  goes  for  naught  unless 
the  harbor  be  rendered  accessible.  I  will  furnish  steamers 
and  men,  and  pay  all  the  expense,  if  you  will  request  Gen- 
eral Thom  to  meet  me  and  make  the  preliminary  survey.  1 
The  i -<>ast  surve\  furnishes  the  principal  data  needed.  1  have 
consulted  General  Thorn,  who  is  alive  to  the  vast  import- 
ance of  the  interests  involved  and  the  pressing  need  of  im- 
mediate action.  With  great  respect,  1  remain 
"  Yours,  very  truly, 
(Signed)  "  "  K.  M.  Boynton." 

Although  this  plan  was  at  first  objected  to  on  t>ehalf  of 
the  government  by  Oeneral  George  Thorn,  Colonel  of  En- 
gineers  U.  K.  A.,  on  the  ground  of  the  magnitude  of  the  | 
cos i  of  the  necessary  boring,  sounding,  surveys  and  current  1 


observations,  undaunted  by  the  prospect  that  on  account  of 
these  objections  the  work  would  be  delayed  for  years,  and 
the  refusal  of  the  "War  Department  to  accept  his  offer  to  pav 
for  preliminary  surveys,  Mr.  Boynton  next  procured  copies 
of  the  surveys  of  the  United  States  Navy  of  1851  and  of 
1878,  and  on  February  16th,  1879,  he  forwarded  copies  of 
the  same,  showing  the  changes  of  sand  at  the  hart>or 
bar,  and  giving  the  data  necessary  for  appropriations. 
Ten  days  later  the  Secretary  of  War  forwarded  to  Mr. 
Boynton  the  approval  of  General  Thorn  and  of  the 
War  Department,  of  his  project  for  constructing  jet- 
ties at  Newburyport,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Merrimack, 
estimating  the  cost  of  granite  work  as  not  to  exceed 
$600,000,  and  an  appropriation  was  secured,  after  one  rejec- 
tion, by  the  committee,  of  $50,000  to  begin  the  work.  The 
adoption  of  Mr.  Boynton's  plan  was  complete,  and  over 
$100,000  has  since  been  expended,  and  granite  jetties  ex- 
tend respectively  five  hundred  feet  from  the  southern  shore 
and  fourteen  hundred  feet  from  the  northern  shore,  and  are 
to  be  extended  four  thousand  and  twenty-five  hundred  feet 
respectivel}*,  thus  compressing  the  immense  waters  of  the 
Merrimack  and  tidal  currents  by  a  harbor  in  the  ocean,  with 
an  entrance  one  thousand  feet  wide.  This  is  the  first  work 
of  the  kind  in  the  section,  and  its  completion  will  be  a  mon- 
ument of  granite,  as  enduring  as  the  continent,  to  Mr.  Boyn- 
ton's labors  in  behalf  of  the  Merrimack  valley  and  the  an- 
cient historic  city  of  Newburyport. 

In  1877,  Mr.  Boynton  was  selected  by  Messrs.  George 
Opdyke,  William  Orton,  Peter  Cooper,  Wallace  P.  Groom, 
John  Williams,  and  other  members  of  the  Executive  Com- 
mittee of  the  New  York  Board  of  Trade,  to  represent  the 
city  of  New  York,  at  the  meeting  of  the  Association  of 
Chambers  of  Commerce  of  Great  Britain,  at  Westminster 
Palace  Hotel,  London,  in  February  of  that  year. 

The  courtesies  received  at  our  Centennial  by  the  Commis- 
sioners of  the  British  Association  mentioned,  led  to  the  invi- 
tation, in  reponse  to  which  Mr.  Boynton  was  commissioned, 
and  he  was  the  first  to  take  part  as  a  delegate  from  the 
United  States  in  that  distinguished  body.  He  participated 
actively  in  debate  during  three  days'  sessions. 

Speech  of  Mr.  E.  M.  Boynton,  of  Nero  York,  at  the  Dinner 
r/iven  by  the  Association  of  Chambers  of  Commerce  of 
the  British  Empire,  at  the  Westminster  Palace  Hotel, 
L-indon.  England,  February  21st,  1877,  Ix>rd  Salisbury 

Presiding. 

His  experience  of  England  was  a  succession  of  surprises. 
On  his  first  night  here  he  had  been  permitted  a  seat  on  the 
floor  of  the  Parliament  House,  and  listened  to  the  very  in- 
structive debate  on  Indian  finances,  trade,  and  resources. 
And  here  we  listen  to  the  noble  Lord  Salisbury,  who  was  the 
delegated  absolute  ruler  of  that  wonderful  land.  Solomon 
in  all  his  glory  ruled  less  than  ten  millions  of  people; 
Xerxes  never  fifty  millions;  imperial  Rome,  scarce  ever 
a  hundred  millions;  and  at  my  side  is  a  Christian  Gov- 
ernor-General of  India,  who  rules  absolutely  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  millions,  ten  thousand  miles  away.  It  crushes 
a  Republican  to  think  of  such  personal  responsibility. 
What  it  would  be  to  feel  it  he  did  not  know;  hut  he  was 
sure  that  the  Bible,  which  Queen  Victoria  gave  as  the  secret 
of  England's  greatness  must  be  his  guide,  and  that  God  his 
helper,  to  succeed  in  meeting  his  responsibility.  He  was 
glad  to  know  that  not  one  of  the  sixty  thousand  Englishmen 
in  India  could  strike  the  poorest  native  without  liability  to 
answer  before  a  magistrate  to  English  law. 

America  is  free.  They  had  some  civil  troubles,  from  al<ol- 
ishing  an  ancient  institution — slavery— in  fifteen  States.  The 
work  of  freedom  it  took  England  six  hundred  years  to  ac- 
complish has  l>een  completed  in  the  past  twelve  years. 
Statesmanship  was.  however,  springing  up  in  those  States: 
the  love  of  peace  and  pride  of  country  found  new  expres- 
sion recently  where  least  expected.  Neither  execution  nor 
confiscation  followed  their  war.  in  which    three  million 


82  V 


soldiers  sincerely  battled.  No  right  hands  of  the  conquered 
were  severed  on  the  scaffold;  all  would  now  shield  the  na- 
tion's honor  if  threatened  from  abroad;  while  their  Presi- 
dent slept  securely  without  soldier  or  sentinel. 

Mr.  Boynton  did  not  wonder  at  our  pride  of  country,  this 
beautiful  land,  filled  with  such  memories  as  cluster  round 
Westminster  Abbey.  Yet  the  poets,  statesmen,  heroes, 
scholars  and  history  of  Britain,  were  shared  by  their  children 
in  America.  His  ancestors  came  from  Britain  to  Massachu- 
setts two  and  a  half  centuries  ago,  yet  more  and  more  was 
England  honored  in  New  England  and  the  United  States  — 
your  great  dead  men  walk  and  breathe  the  air  of  America. 
The  church  and  the  school  were  abroad  in  his  country,  and 
the  masters  of  English  literature  were  read  quite  as  much 
there  as  are  here  Longfellow  and  Whittier  and  Bryant  and 
Holmes.  We  have  no  such  grand  antiquities  of  human 
hands  in  America;  but  if  any  here  present  landed  at  Halifax, 
they  might  ride  in  one  direction  four  thousand  miles,  en 
route  to  their  Pacific  states  —visit  New  York,  the  com- 
mercial port  of  the  continent,  and  other  large  young  cities 
— crossing  wide  states  and  prairies  of  limitless  fertility  — 
sweep  on  swift  palace  trains  over  many  mountain  ranges 
higher  than  the  Alpine  passes  trod  by  Hannibal  and  Napo- 
leon. Yet  they  had  a  few  antiquities.  When  Adam  was 
young  their  great  California  redwood  trees  had  sprouted. 
(Applause).  When  the  morning  stars  sang  the  song  of  crea- 
tion, their  Niagara  joined  in  the  chorus.  (Applause).  Eng- 
land owned  the  Canadian,  we  the  American  half  of  that 
four  thousand  feet  wide  of  mingled  falling  waters.  And,  as 
he  had  often  looked  at  the  blended  mountain  of  spray  that 
rose  to  the  clouds  from  Niagara,  the  sun-blaze  on  its  fore- 
head, linking  the  rainbows  round  its  throne,  was  to  him  a 
symbol  of  perpetual  peace  between  England  and  America; 
to  promote  such  peace  and  reciprocity  and  good-will  should 
ever  be  the  object  of  his  life.  (Applause). 

Mr.  Boynton  received  invitations  to  many  cities  and  towns 
in  Great  Britain,  and  was  presented  to  her  Majesty,  Queen 
Victoria,  and  the  Royal  family  at  Buckingham  Palace.  His 
speeches  at  London  and  afterward  at  the  Plymouth  meeting 
attracted  great  attention,  and  he  received  thirty  invitations 
which  he  could  not  accept. 

After  visiting  France  and  Italy,  and  examining  various 
engineering  works  of  harbor  and  river  improvements,  Mr. 
Boynton  returned .  He  was  tendered  a  dinner  by  the  New 
York  Board  of  Trade,  which  he  declined.  He  received 
the  thanks  of  the  President,  Hon.  George  Opdyke,  in 
tones  of  highest  eulogy.  In  sad  contrast,  Mr.  Boynton, 
with  Messrs.  Francis  B.  Thurber  and  John  F.  Henry,  after- 
ward constituted  a  committee  to  draft  eulogies  upon  the  life 
and  character  of  President  Opdyke  upon  his  death,  which 
occurred  June  12, 1880.  December  15th,  following,  as  delegate 
of  the  Board  of  Trade  to  Washington,  Mr.  Boynton  took  a 
prominent  part  in  the  discussion  of  important  measures,  and 
introduced  the  chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Commerce, 
Messrs.  Reagan  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  and  Beck 
of  the  Senate,  at  the  banquet  held  December  17th. 

Mr.  Boynton  was  at  that  time  contesting  member  of  Con- 
gress versus  George  B.  Loring,  from  the  famous  Sixth  Mas- 
sachusetts Essex  county  district.  He  had  reluctantly  per- 
mitted his  name  to  be  used  as  that  of  an  Independent  and 
National  candidate,  and  supposed  that  he  had  been  defeated 
by  less  than  one  hundred  votes;  but  the  discovery  of  a  much 
larger  number  of  illegal  votes  led  General  Butler  and  Hon. 
Caleb  Cushing  to  believe  Mr.  Boynton  elected,  and  it  took 
two  years  to  decide  the  matter.  He  refused  to  make  any 
terms  with  either  of  the  old  parties,  and  therefore  was  pre- 
vented from  obtaining  the  seat  to  which  these  able  coun- 
selors, and  such  men  as  General  Weaver  (a  minority  of  the 
committee),  General  Regan,  and  Alexander  H.  Stephens, 
declared  him  entitled. 

The  question  was  not  finally  decided  until  just  before  the 
inauguration  of  President  Garfield,  thus  giving  Mr.  Boynton 
two  years  of  Congressional  observation,  which  has  proved 
of  great  value  to  him,  and  had  the  effect  of  thoroughly  dis- 
gusting him  with  politics. 

Mr.  Boynton  took  part  in  the  inauguration  of  President 
Garfield,  as  his  last  political  act,  and  has  since  devoted  him- 
self to  literature  and  farming.  He  sold  out  his  patents  in 
1882  to  an  incorporated  company  at  36  Devoe  street,  Brook- 
lyn. They  were  valued  at  $300,000;  having  the  preceding 
year  under  his  own  management,  earned  $63,000  gross  and 
$30,000  net  profits,  and  whatever  discouragements  in  manu- 


facturing or  losses  may  hereafter  occur,  the  Lightning  saws 
up  to  that  date  had  been  an  unquestioned  success  the  world 
over.  The  cutting  of  wood  with  cross-cut  saws  by  farmers, 
and  the  saving  of  fuel  because  the  short-sawed  blocks  are  so 
easily  split,  it  is  computed  by  the  American  Agriculturist,  in 
speaking  of  this  saw,  that  it  causes  a  saving  of  $50,000,000 
or  more  annually  in  the  United  States  alone,  which  is  largely 
due  to  the  improvements  introduced  by  Mr.  Boynton.  The 
sale  of  cross-cut  saws  has  increased  twenty-fold  in  the  United 
States  since  he  began  his  public  experiments,  the  saws  super- 
seding the  use  of  axes,  which  wasted  all  tough  and  knotty 
timber,  to  say  nothing  of  chips  and  the  loss  of  time  in  cutting. 
The  waste  of  fuel  was  thirty  per  cent.,  now  saved  by  the  use 
of  saws. 

Mr.  Boynton  was  nominated  for  member  of  Congress  by 
the  Democratic  party  in  Essex  county,  in  1880,  in  a  district 
which,  with  one  exception,  has  been  almost  unanimously  Re- 
publican, (since  the  days  when  Rantoul  and  Choate  and 
Custiing  represented  it),  yet  Mr.  Boynton  received  about  2,000 
more  votes  than  had  previously  been  necessary  to  elect;  the 
largest  vote  ever  given  a  Democratic  Congressional  can- 
didate in  that  district.  It  being  presidential  year,  the  Re- 
publican party  prevailed,  although  many  Republicans  pre- 
ferred Mr.  Boynton;  and  his  opponent's  native  city,  Newbury- 
port,  though  overwhelmingly  Republican,  gave  Mr.  Boynton 
a  large  majority,  showing  how  high  was  the  estimation  in 
which  he  was  held  by  his  neighbors  and  townsmen.  Extracts 
are  annexed  from  a  Congressional  speech  of  Hon.  Mr.  Boyn- 
ton, which  has  been  pronounced  to  contain  the  best  defense  of 
the  Fourteenth  Amendment  to  the  Constitution  which  has 
ever  been  given,  and  it  is  predicted  that  the  extension  of 
suffrage  by  Massachusetts  in  conformity  therewith,  is  only  a 
question  of  time.  We  copy  from  the  Congressional  Record : 

"Men  of  Massachusetts,  dare  you  take  this  responsibilitj- ? 
Loring  has  quoted  young  Ohio,  the  daughter  of  Massachu- 
setts; Ohio  does  not  do  this  deed  of  disfranchising  weakness 
and  wickedness.  Iowa  does  not  perform  this  infamy:  Maine 
does  not  disfranchise  her  people.  New  Hampshire,  adjoining 
Massachusetts,  with  a  similar  people  in  every  respect,  does 
not  find  it  necessary.  Shall  Massachusetts  dim  the  lustre  of 
her  heroes,  go  back  upon  the  teachings  of  her  history,  give 
the  lie  to  her  professions  ?  Shall  she  act  the  part  of  those 
rulers  in  Judea,  who,  when  Jesus  was  crucified,  would  not 
enter  the  judgment  hall  for  fear  of  being  defiled,  yet  when 
the  stern  and  bloody  Roman  governor  said,  "  I  find  no  fault 
in  him,"  cried  out  "  Let  him  be  crucified!  Give  us  Barrabas, 
the  robber! 

"  Men  of  Massachusetts,  shield  not  yourselves  behind  your 
illustrious  names.  As  well  might  Loring,  petitioning  for 
national  appointment,  go  to  the  gravestones  of  our  ancient 
Salem  for  names  to  secure  it  as  to  seek  to  answer  the  points 
of  law  and  fact  in  this  case  by  taking  refuge  behind  the  his- 
tory, the  fame,  and  the  glory  of  our  ancient  Commonwealth. 
Massachusetts  is  not  that  little  space  between  the  hills  of 
Berkshire  and  the  sands  of  Barnstable;  she  is  now  fifteen  mil- 
lion of  descendants,  whose  warehouses  are  in  every  portion 
of  the  Republic  from  Maine  to  San  Francisco;  it  is  the  liberty- 
loving  men  of  America,  it  is  the  ideas  that  come  down  to  us 
from  the  scaffold  of  Sidney,  from  the  words  of  Locke  in  his 
exile,  from  the  pilgrims  and  Puritans,  from  John  Hancock, 
Adams,  Warren,  from  James  Otis,  insisting  that  taxation 
without  representation  is  tyranny,  speaking  for  universal 
manhood  suffrage  in  the  old  cradle  of  liberty.  I  adjure  you 
by  all  her  immortals  and  by  the  kindred  revolutionary  heroes 
of  Virginia,  by  the  Sumters  and  Marions  of  South  Carolina, 
by  every  battlefield  of  the  Revolution,  by  the  liberty  won  in 
our  last  sad,  fratricidal  strife,  that  you  be  true  to  your  official 
oaths,  be  true  to  the  genius  of  American  liberty  and  manhood 
suffrage,  and  true  to  the  destiny  of  this  the  great  master  re- 
public of  our  world. 

"  You  stand  at  the  dividing  line  between  a  free  and  a  re- 
stricted ballot.  Beside  you  are  vast  syndicates  and  giant 
corporations  that  urge  you  to  disfranchise  the  people;  that 
urge  you  to  make  the  people  weak  and  helpless;  that  urge 
you  to  take  from  millions  of  citizens  of  the  United  States 
their  lawful  rights  and  erect  an  empire." 

*********** 

"The  United  States  Census  of  1880  shows  that  from  the 
same  population  three  men  voted  in  Maine  and  New  Hamp- 
shire, Ohio  and  Indiana,  where  only  two  voted  in  Massachu- 
setts, in  a  population  of  similar  intelligence  and  employment. 
If  Maine,  that  up  to  1820  shared  and  illustrated  the  history 
of  Massachusetts,  safely  gives  equality,  why  caanot  the 


\ 


II I  ST  OR  Y  01  KINGS  COUNTY. 


mother  State?  Does  it  dim  the  splendor  or  retard  the  success 
of  Ohio  because  she  does  not  refuse  a  vote  to  the  poorest  f reed- 
man  in  her  borders?  Have  we  not  in  America's  three  hundred 
thousand  free  schools,  academies  and  colleges,  security  that 
intelligence  shall  rule,  without  making  the  poor  and  the 
unfortunate  tremble  at.  the  loss  of  his  manhood  suffrage." 
*********** 

"  Had  the  equality  proclaimed  in  our  immortal  Declaration 
of  Independence  been  real,  a  million  men  would  not  have  died 
to  write  freedom  in  the  Constitution.  Two  hundred  thousand 
black  men  fought  for  their  liberty.  The  colored  people  alone 
outnumtier  our  nation  when  it  won  independence.  You  legis- 
late for  our  fifty  millions  of  to-day,  for  the  five  hundred  mil- 
lions that  will  celebrate  our  next  centennial.  No  power  can 
compel  you  to  do  justice  and  keep  your  oath  at  freedom's  al- 
tar. Will  you  refuse  and  dim  the  splendor  of  the  hero-crim- 
soned flag  that  is  destined  to  gather  in  all  the  States  of  the 
New  World — destined  to  teach  law  and  liberty,  peace  and 
fraternity  to  all  mankind.  That  flag  is  alike  for  the  lowly 
and  the  strong;  touching  earth,  it  sweeps  the  stars. 

"  The  uncounted  generations  that  have  come  and  gone,  the 
slow  advance  of  freedom  through  sixty  centuries,  the  mis- 
takes that  have  darkened  history,  warn  us  vigilantly  to  guard 
the  summit  of  man's  liberty,  our  Constitution  so  dearly  won. 
The  morning  gilds  our  mountain  heights  of  freedom;  when 
surpassed  by  noon  it  shall  only  make  the  men  that  held  their 
passes  immortal." 

Mr.  Boynton  expects  to  give  great  attention  to  the  railway 
problem  in  the  near  future,  and  is  confident  that  the  new 
bicycle  trains  he  has  invented  will  permit  a  possible  attain- 
ment of  speed  that  will  carry  them  across  the  continent, 
with  perfect  safety  and  great  economy,  in  a  single  day,  and 
render  the  use  of  sleeping-cars,  or  stoppages  for  sleep  and 
rest,  unnecessary,  while  they  will  admit  of  the  automatic 
handling  of  grain  and  coal  without  the  use  of  elevators.  We 
have  traced  Mr.  Boynton's  inventions  in  saws  until  they 
have  passed  from  his  bauds  into  the  control  of  a  corporation, 
and  his  enterprise  in  improving  the  Merrimack  river  and 
harbor,  which  is  now  superseded  by  government  action  that 
it  is  believed  will  ensure  its  final  and  complete  success. 
There  are  two  other  inventions  of  great  importance  relating 
to  the  construction  of  compartment  ships.  His  experience 
in  running  the  rapids  of  the  Merrimack,  below  Lawrence, 
with  scows,  and  his  recognition  of  the  danger  of  their  sink- 
ing, when  pierced,  and  thus  obstructing  the  channel,  as  well 
as  becoming  a  total  loss,  led  him  to  invent  a  system  of  plank 
partitions  dividing  the  scows  lengthwise  and  crosswise  into 
compartments  six  feet  square,  these  partitions  bolted  to- 
gether taking  the  place  of  knees  with  greater  economy  of 
construction,  supporting  the  decks  upon  which  the  railway 
tracks  and  sixteen  cars  rest,  and  rendering  the  sudden  sink- 
ing of  scow  and  cargo  impossible. 

It  is  believed  a  similar  structure  for  fishing  vessels  and 
passenger  steamers  would  prevent  much  loss  of  life  and 
effectually  prevent  the  shifting  of  cargoes.  The  compart- 
ments would  need  to  be  larger  than  those  described  above  in 
large  vessels;  but.  as  access  is  provided  to  each  of  them  from 
the  centre,  the  filling  of  any  one  of  them  with  water  would 
not  endanger  the  others.  These  compartment  scows  proved 
a  great  success  where  the  sinking  and  destruction  or  other 
scows  was  inevitable.  Mr.  Boynton's  railway  patents  of 
1880  and  1881,  embracing  some  fifteen  diagrams,  have  not  yet 
l>een  brought  into  public  use.  Many  subordinate  improve- 
ments connected  with  them  are  in  progress.  All  combined, 
are  designed  to  take  the  place  of  the  present  railway  in 
carrying  passengers  and  grain,  coal  and  rolling  freights. 

An  inch  board  twelve  inches  wide,  turned  edgewise,  is 
theoretically  twelve  times  as  strong  as  when  lying  flatwise, 
and  it  is  certainly  no  heavier.  His  plan  embraces  the  con- 
struction of  railway  carriages,  with  great  vertical  depth  and 
narrowness,  which  shall  be  likewise  light  and  strong.  He 
constructs  essentially  a  bicycle  train,  with  wheels  two  or 
three  times  larger  than  the  present  railway  wheels,  designed 
at  each  revolution  of  the  drive  wheel,  to  double  or  treble  any 
rate  of  railway  speed  hitherto  attained,  by  the  size  of  the 
wheels  and  the  lightness  of  the  narrow  train.  The  bicycle 
train  is  planned  to  run  on  a  single  rail,  clasped  between 
U<  ssemer  steel  plates,  below  which  the  groove  and  track  are 
connected  with  a  corresponding  groove  and  track  overhead, 
upheld  by  trestle  wheels  above  the  cars,  the  contrivances 
overhead  keeping  the  train  vertical  and  giving  it  the  pre- 
cision in  transit  through  this  open  trestle  tunnel  of  a  bullet 
in  a  gun-barrel.    While  the  train  cannot  leave  the  track,  it 


is  designed  to  be  of  such  lightness,  narrowness,  depth  and 
strength,  that  it  can  be  carried  over  cities  and  outside  of 
bridges  with  little  expense  and  wonderful  directness.  Acci- 
dent is  rendered  impossible,  as,  with  one  wheel  below  and  one 
in  each  end,  the  lower  edge  of  the  car  of  steel  glides  within  an 
inch  of  the  bottom  rail  and  groove  so  that  if  a  wheel  should 
break,  the  narrow  steel  bottom  of  the  car  would  simply  slide 
in  a  steel  groove  until  the  train  should  be  stopped.  The  form 
of  the  car  l>eiug  elliptical,  similar  to  the  structure  in  which  it 
ruus,  with  a  drive-wheel  fifteen  to  eighteen  feet  in  diameter, 
the  train  being  only  one-fifth  the  weight  of  the  railway 
trains  now  in  use,  the  locomotive  could  be  propelled  by  much 
less  steam  than  is  now  employed  running  the  train  at  three 
times  the  speed  of  one  of  our  fastest  express  trains.  The 
cars  riding  upoa  one  wheel  of  six  feet  diameter  at  each  end, 
no  more  turns  would  bo  made  and  no  heating  of  spindles 
would  occur.  If  electricity  should  be  employed  for  the  pro- 
pulsion of  the  bicycle  trains,  the  large  drive-wheels  could  be 
dispensed  with,  and  lighter  structures  used. 

It  is  estimated  that  the  cost  of  constructing  such  a  rail- 
way, with  its  rolling  stock,  would  not  be  greater  than  the 
present  cost  of  railways,  as  it  would  be  built  on  single  posts, 
occupying  no  more  space  than  telegraph  poles:  the  structure 
is  also  patented  to  carry  telegraph  and  telephone  wires  above, 
always  accessible  for  repair,  the  strong  and  frequent  support 
of  which  would  render  the  interruption  of  telegraphic  servioe 
in  connection  with  the  railroad  impossible.  The  bicycle  train 
could  also  be  used  over  the  tracks  of  the  present  Pacific 
Railway,  using  one  of  the  inner  tracks  and  coupling  against 
a  groove  rail  twenty  feet  above  in  a  manner  similar  to  that 
previously  described ;  but  a  complete  structure  of  steel,  or 
wood,  and  a  track  of  steel  to  fit  it,  are  recommended  by  Mr. 
Bovnton  as  best  realizing  his  plans. 

Distinguished  engineers  have  given  the  patents  their 
highest  approval,  and  it  is  believed  that  Mr.  Boynton's  in- 
vention is  destined  to  make  a  revolution  in  rapid  transit. 
The  bicycle  train,  it  is  thought,  would  cover,  without  any 
more  turns  of  the  wheels,  or  any  greater  expenditure 
of  force  than  are  now  necessary,  the  distance  between 
Boston  and  New  York  in  ninety  minutes,  or  that  between 
New  York  and  Philadelphia  in  thirty  minutes.  Each 
car,  instead  of  riding  upon  sixteen  wheels,  and  weighing 
ten  to  twenty  tons,  as  now,  would  be  suspended  between 
two  wheels,  one  at  each  end,  dispensing  with  fourteen 
wheels,  eight  axle-trees,  and  five-eighths  of  the  weight. 
Like  the  bicycle,  which  is  the  simplest  form  of  motion  for 
wheeled  vehicles,  it  would  be  free  from  all  liability  to  acci- 
dent and  susceptible  of  a  much  higher  rate  of  speed  than 
has. been  attained  by  any  other  style  of  car. 

The  cars  are  designed  to  be  made  wide  enough  for  the 
seating  of  two  persons  only.  The  traction  could  be  increased 
by  pressure  of  the  guide-wheel  against  the  overhead-wheel, 
enabling  the  locomotive  to  climb  grades,  and,  with  the  West- 
inghouse  brake,  to  regulate  the  speed,  little  grading  would  he 
required.  It  must  be  seen,  also,  that  no  more  right  of  way 
would  be  necessary  than  for  the  construction  of  a  telegraph 
line.  All  obstruction  by  cattle,  snow,  or  the  crossing  of 
other  roads,  would  be  obviated  by  the  peculiar  construct  urn 
of  the  road.  Its  narrowness  would  permit  its  support  "ii 
brackets  among  rocks  and  mountains,  and  if  tunneling  weft 
required,  the  tunnel  need  be  no  wider  than  a  miner's  drift. 

It  is  thought  that  this  plan  of  Mr.  Boynton's  solves  the 
problem  of  a  through  line  traversing  North  and  South 
America,  as  it  seems  the  best  for  railroad  construction  in  ill 
climates,  and  through  varying  sections  of  country.  Mr. 
Boynton  will  give  his  attention  to  this  great  question  here- 
after: and  being  still  a  young  man,  should  his  life  he  spared, 
he  will,  during  the  next  twenty  years,  try  to  work  out  results 
of  importance  in  the  lines  of  invention,  and  mechanical  and 
commercial  progress.  His  patents  have  heretofore  proven 
of  an  original  and  practical  character,  and  his  more  daring 
and  radical  designs  are  believed  to  contain  the  elements  if 
greater  triumphs  than  he  has  to  this  time  achieved. 

Mr.  Boynton's  articles  in  the  public  press,  quarter!]  ie 
views  and  periodicals,  and  his  public  speeches  and  addresses, 
would  till  a  volume.  1 1  is  originality .  vigor  and  eloquence 
have  given  him  a  national  fame:  while  his  inventions  ■ 
saws,  tools,  ships  and  railways  have  added  much  to  the 
wealth  and  progress  of  the  arts  in  which  he  is  engaged  Bi 
is  a  man  loved  by  bis  friends  and  feared  by  his  eneini  - 
his  individuality  and  outspoken  methods  of  procedure 
arouse  envy  and  antagonism,  while  his  courtesy  to  his  op 
ponents  has  frequently  won  tributes  of  praise  from  hm 
ad  versaries. 


825a 


NATHAN  BARNEY. 


Benjamin  Barney,  grandfather  of  Nathan  Barney,  the  sub- 
ject of  our  present  sketch,  was  a  New  Englander.  The  family 
were  scattered  during  the  great  struggle  for  independence, 
and  finally  settled  in  the  Wyoming  Valley,  Luzerne  county, 
Pa.  Benjamin  had  three  sons,  John,  Charles  and  Nathan: 
two  daughters,  Elizabeth  and  Clarissa.  Elizabeth  married 
Noah  Wadhams,  and  Clarissa  married  Wm.  C.  Enos;  and 
Nathan  married  Miss  Hannah  Carey,  daughter  of  John 
Carey,  of  Careytown,  near  the  city  of  Wilkesbarre, 
Luzerne  county,  Pa.  The  early  historian  speaks  of  Mr. 
Carey  as  a  man  of  ' '  herculean  frame,  marvelous  strength 
and  great  personal  courage.  He  enlisted  under  Captain 
Durkee  in  the  Revolutionary  War,  and  served  with  dis- 
tinction throughout  the  war;  was  at  the  Wyoming  mas- 
sacre, and  escaped  death.  It  is  recorded  of  him  that  when 
eighteen  years  of  age,  when  the  early  settlers  of  the  valley 
were  suffering  for  food,  he  went  on  foot  over  the  mountains 
in  the  severe  cold  of  winter  to  Easton  for  flour."  They  had 
nine  children — six  sons  and  three  daughters — of  which  two 
sons  and  one  daughter  are  still  living.  Nathan,  Jr.,  our  pres- 
ent subject,  was  born  in  Careytown,  Dec.  25th,  1819,  where 
he  farmed  with  his  father  until  1833,  when  the  farm  was  sold, 


and  the  family  emigrated  to  the  town  of  Bloomington. 
McLean  county,  Illinois.  Shortly  after  this  he  was  ap- 
pointed postmaster,  in  which  capacity  he  served  until  his  re- 
turn to  Wdkesbarre  in  1842.  where  he  conducted  a  school 
successfully  for  three  years:  was  accountant,  salesman,  mer- 
chant, and  city  auditor  until  1850,  when  he  accepted  a  position 
in  the  firm  of  Belford.  Sharpe  &  Co.,  coal  miners,  of  Summit 
Hill,  Carbon  county,  Pa.,  and  remained  with  them  until  the 
close  of  their  contract.  We  nest  find  him  with  Messrs.  Pop- 
ham  &  Co.,  Coal  Merchants,  corner  4th  street  and  Broadway, 
N.  Y.  city,  where  he  spent  two  years  in  the  retail  coal  trade: 
and  went  to  Mauch  Chunk,  Carbon  county.  Pa.,  to  a  position 
in  the  office  of  the  Lehigh  Coal  and  Navigation  Co.,  where 
he  spent  three  years,  and  returned  to  New  York  city 
again,  as  agent  for  the  same  company,  where  fifteen 
years  were  spent  in  and  about  Trinity  Building,  the  great 
coal  center  of  that  day.  Soon  after  the  consolidation 
of  the  coal  interests,  the  New  York  papers  (the  Herald 
and  Times  especially)  took  up  the  garbage  question,  and 
agitated  it  for  several  years,  insisting  that  the  present  sys- 
tem of  unloading  boats  at  sea  would  ruin  the  harbor,  fill 
up  the  channel,  and  make  Coney  Island  a  very  undesir- 


826" 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


No.  L' 


No.  2.  No-  »• 

al>le  bathing-place  for  the  millions  of  people  attracted  there 
for  health  and  recreation  during  the  summer  months,  as 
much  of  the  decomposing  material  was  thrown  upon  the 
surface  of  the  water,  to  be  driven  upon  the  adjacent  shores 
by  the  winds  and  waves.  Mr.  Barney  (then  Street  Commis- 
sioner, for  the  year  1880,  of  Bayonne  city,  N.  J.)  at  once  solved 
the  difficult  problem  by  inventing  the  Automatic  Dumping 
Boat,  which  is  now  in  successful  operation  in  the  city  of  New 
York. 

Mr.  Barney  has  invented  quite  a  number  of  useful  things, 
and  may  be  classed  among  the  successful  inventors  of  the 
day.  He  was  elected  first  President  of  the  Barney  Dumping 
Boat  ( 'o. ,  and  served  two  years  in  that  capacity.  Is  secre- 
tary of  the  company  at  this  time,  and  one  of  the  board  of 
directors.  He  was  twice  married,  and  has  one  son  by  his  first 
wife,  and  four  son8  and  one  daughter  by  his  second  marriage. 
Resides  at  101  Hancock  street  in  this  city. 

Mr.  Barney  was  originally  an  old  line  Whig;  since  then 
has  been  a  Republican.  He  belongs  to  no  church.  Mr.  Bar- 
ney's great-grand  father  and  Commodore  Joshua  Barney,  of 
Lake  Erie,  were  brothers. 

The  Barney  Automatic  Dumping  Boat  has  overcome  all  the 
(lillicultie-  heretofore  attending  the  dumping  of  streel  sweep- 
ings, garbage,  refuse  material  and  ashes,  at  sea.  The  boats 
now  in  use  are  110  feet  long,  28  feet  wide,  and  when  loaded 
draw  94  feet  of  water,  with  a  capacity  of  about  SOO  tons. 
They  are  built  with  sharp  lw>ws  and  rounded  stems,  with 
rudder,  and  are  able,  with  j>erfect  safety,  to  go  to  sea  in  the 
heaviest  weather;   being   fitted  with  bulwarks  to  protect 


No.  4. 

the  men  and  keep  off  the  sea.  These  vessels  are  constructed 
with  bulla  or  pontoons  which  extend  their  entire  length;  they 
are  secured  at  both  ends  and  in  the  middle  with  heavy 
bridges,  fastened  at  the  sides  by  strong  hinges  to  the  pon- 
toons. The  carrying  space  is  between  the  pontoons  which 
slope  downward  from  their  upper  and  outward  edge,  inward 
toward  the  keel,  where  they  meet.  The  storage  room  extends 
nearly  from  end  to  end  of  the  vessel,  and  is  V  shaped.  The 
entire  space  is  comprised  in  one  compartment,  90  feet  long. 
By  reference  to  the  cuts  of  boat,  the  principle  will  be  readily 
understood. 

Cut  No.  1  shows  a  longitudinal  view  of  the  vessel,  light, 
with  three  bridges,  one  at  each  end  and  one  in  the  center, 
where  the  man  stands  when  the  load  is  to  be  dumped. 

Cut  No.  2  shows  end  view  {how  of  boat  and  water  line, 
when  loaded). 

Cut  No.  8  is  a  cross-section  of  boat  showing  the  load  in 
place,  between  the  pontoons,  and  the  tension  rods  which  hold 
the  lloats  together  at  the  bottom  when  loaded. 

These  rods  are  secured  to  the  friction  beams  on  the  bridges, 
the  lower  ends  secured  to  bolts  passing  through  the  hulls  as 
shown;  each  bridge  has  a  set  of  these  tension  rods. 

Cut  I  shows  the  boat  after  ill-1  load  is  dumped  and  whih 
being  held  open  by  the  man  on  center  bridge,  to  allow  the 
space  to  be  thoroughly  w  ashed.  When  open,  a  clear  space  is 
shown  from  stem  to  stern,  the  sides  of  sloping  well  being 
nearly  vertical. 

The  vessel  being  closed  and  locked,  is  loaded  and  towed  to 
sea.  When  she  arrives  at  the  dumping  ground,  the  man  in 
charge  unlocks  the  fastening  on  the  middle  bridge,  then  by 


BIOGRAPHY  OF  NATHAN  BARNEY,  ETC. 


82  7a 


turning  the  wheel  the  catches  on  all  three  bridges  are  simul- 
taneously released  by  this  one  man  on  the  center  bridge;  the 
hinges  that  hold  the  upper  part  of  the  pontoons  together,  al- 
low the  two  lower  parts  of  the  hulls  to  swing  apart,  and  the 
load  passes  into  the  water  between  them  and  below  the  surface. 

The  pontoons  work  automatically,  opening  and  closing  as 
soon  as  released.  The  two  forces  are  here  utilized — the  grav- 
ity of  the  load  opens  the  boat,  and  the  displacement  closes 
her.  The  movement  is  about  one-eighth  of  the  circle  or  one- 
sixteenth  to  each  pontoon.  The  mechanical  contrivance  by 
which  the  pontoons  are  held  together,  opened  or  closed,  is 
simple  and  effective.  The  water  coming  up  between  the  pon- 
toons saturates  the  load  aud  forces  the  air  out,  so  that  when 
the  boat  is  opened  it  passes  out  quickly  and  in  a  body,  the 
light  and  heavy  material  together,  nothing  being  left  to  drift 
ashore. 

With  these  boats  there  is  no  possibility  of  the  shore  along 
our  watering-places  being  littered  with  garbage  and  other 
material,  defiling  the  water  and  destroying  the  bathing 
grounds.  The  material  can,  if  necessary,  in  summer,  be  taken 
ten  miles  to  sea,  and  there  placed  at  the  bottom. 

Two  men  are  all  that  are  required  to  manage  one  of  these 
vessels,  carrying  750  cubic  yards  of  material;  smaller  boats 
may  with  perfect  safety  be  handled  by  one  man.  The  load 
can  be  dumped  and  the  boat  thoroughly  washed  in  five 
minutes.  These  vessels  may  be  built  of  any  required  size, 
from  one  hundred  tons  to  one  thousand. 

The  city  of  New  York  has  been  using  these  boats  for  o\-er 
twelve  months,  with  perfect  success;  during  that  time  they 
have  never  failed  to  perform  their  work,  and  at  a  saving  of 
nearly  50  per  cent,  over  the  old  method.  These  boats  have  been 
thoroughly  tested  at  sea  in  heavy  as  well  as  light  weather, 
and  have  proved  perfect  under  all  circumstances. 


The  scows  now  in  use  under  the  various  street  cleaning 
departments  carry  their  loads  on  deck,  and  are  therefore  top- 
heavy  and  dangerous  in  a  sea-way;  they  require  twenty  to 
thirty  men  on  each  scow  to  unload,  occupying  three  or  four 
hours  in  the  work,  the  dry  garbage  covering  the  surface  of 
the  water  for  miles.  During  this  time  the  tugs  are  detained 
at  considerable  expense.  If  the  weather  is  at  all  rough,  the 
laborers  will  not  go  outside,  as  there  is  great  danger  of  their 
being  washed  overboard.  With  the  common  deck'  scows, 
there  is  no  certainty  of  having  the  material  removed  when 
collected.  The  Barney  Dumping  Boat  overcomes  this  diffi- 
culty, and  promptly  removes  the  material  out  of  harm's 
way. 

A  tug  with  four  of  the  Barney  boats  in  tow  can  make 
better  time  than  with  two  of  the  present  scows.  Briefly,  the 
advantages  of  these  boats  areas  follows: 

First, — Cheapness  of  construction  for  the  amount  of  work 
accomplished,  time  and  labor  saved. 

Second. — Economy  in  operation.  Two  men  can  dump  the 
load,  wash  the  boat  clean  and  close  her  in  five  minutes. 

Third. — Submerging  of  the  load.  The  load  enters  the  water 
six  feet  below  the  surface,  leaving  no  trace  behind. 

Fourth. — Their  seaworthy  qualities.  These  boats  can  go  to 
sea  in  almost  any  kind  of  weather,  the  load,  from  the  keel  up, 
serving  as  ballast. 

Fifth. — The  simplicity  of  the  machinery  and  the  ease  with 
which  it  can  be  worked  even  by  unskilled  hands.  There  is 
i  no  machinery  below  the  water;  should  any  repairs  be  neces- 
j  sary,  the  work  can  be  done  without  docking  the  boat. 

Sixth. — It  presents  a  complete  solution  of  the  problem  of 
disposing  of  a  city's  refuse  or  any  other  material  to  be  dumped 
|  in  the  sea. 


CHARLES  FELTMAN. 


The  frequenters  of  Coney  Island  during  the  summer 
season  will  recognize,  in  the  portrait  opposite,  the 
features  of  one  of  the  most  energetic  purveyors  for 
public  enjoyment  and  accommodation,  to  whom  that 
"  Pleasure   City  by  the   Sea "  is   largely  indebted 


for  its  present  wonderful  growth  and  popularity. 
Mr.  Feltman's  most  interesting  biography,  and  a 
full  description  of  his  well-known  and  favorite  hotel 
(The  Ocean  Pavilion),  will  be  found  on  page  199  of 
this  work. 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


ISAAC    A.  KETCHAM 


Isaac  A.  Ketch  am,  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  is  the  inventor  and 
patentee  of  a  number  of  new  devices,  two  of  which  were  for 
regulating  torpedoes  or  submarine  batteries,  which  are  used 
by  the  U.  S.  Government,  and  were  hailed  as  a  new  era  in 
naval  warfare.  The  accompanying  cut,  taken  from  Harpers' 
Weekly,  Oct.  1,  1864,  represents  the  first  iron-clad  torpedo- 
boat  built  by  the  U.  S.  Government,  on  Mr.  Ketcham's  plan. 
It  was  named  the  Aieji<  Era,  and  was  used  on  the  James  River, 
and  other  places,  for  clearing  harbor  obstructions.  So  for- 
midable was  the  little  ship  that  she  could,  with  impunity,  de- 
posit her  shells  under  the  obstructions  to  be  removed,  under 
the  guns  of  the  enemy.  Her  officers  were  confident  in  her 
power  to  destroy  all  the  monitors  afloat,  without  injury  to 
the  little  craft,  which  did  not  carry  a  gun.  The  second  in- 
vention was  a  device  by  which  an  endless  cable  is  used  for 
adjusting  torpedoes  or  batteries  across  channel-ways  for 
harbor  protection.  A  letter  to  Mr.  Ketcham,  dated  February 
8,  l*i;:t.  and  sent  from  on  board  of  the  flagship  of  the  Missis- 
si|.pi  Si|iiailron,  by  direction  of  Admiral  Pol  ler,  in  replv  to  a 
letter  ottering  to  join  him.  and  put  both  the  inventions  in 
practice,  stated  that  the  rebels  were  using  the  endless  cable, 
and  that  the  land  forces  had  to  be  used  to  clear  the  banks  of 
the  rivers  before  he  could  move  his  fleet;  adding  that  he 
could  not  use  either  invention  without  the  consent  of  the 
Navy  Department.  The  endless  cable  lor  adjusting  tor- 
pedo's, was  recommended  in  connection  with  the  Timbey 
Battery,  better  known  as  rotary  battery,  as  used  on  the 
monitors  for  the  protection  of  New  York  harbor. 

In  1881,  Mr  Ketcham  failed  in  his  attempt  to  secure  from 
the  Secretary  ol  the  Navy  an  investigation  into  the  merits 
ol  the  above  inventions.  In  |.stt2.  when  the  rebel  imn-clnd 
Arkansas  was  moving  in  the  western  waters,  a  similar  at- 
tempt failed;  be  then  made  application  for  letters  patent, 
which  he  received  in  October.  1862.  Tired  of  applying  t" 
the  Navy  Department,  on  October  21.  |Nl!2.  he  addressed 
President  Lincoln,  who  immediately  referred  it  to  the  Navy 
Department.  On  the  89th,  he  received  a  reply,  stating  that 
the  invention  would  be  examined;  but  the  matter  rested 


UNITED  STATES  TORPEDO  BOAT,  "NEW  EHA." 

A,  Arm.      B,  Basket.     C,  Torpedo.     1).  lMlot-llouse.     E,  Smoke-Stack. 
P,  Ventilator. 

until  April  1,  1863.  Despairing  of  any  attention  in  that 
quarter,  he  notified  the  governors  of  New  York,  Massachu- 
setts, Rhode  Island,  and  other  States,  from  whom  he  received 
kind  acknowledgments,  referring  him  to  the  U.  S.  govern- 
ment. He  then  addressed  another  letter  (March,  1863)  to  the 
President,  with  drawings,  stating  that  if  he  did  not  receive 
a  reply  in  ten  days  from  the  date  of  the  letter,  he  should  dis- 
pose of  his  invention  to  other  parties.  April  1,  1863,  he  re- 
ceived the  following  report: 

"  The  Commission  has  had  under  consideration  Mr. 
Ketcham's  inventions,  and  report  as  follows  as  to  the  first: 
As  the  tiring  of  a  gun  under  water  had  not  been  ad\  an- 
tageously  demonstrated,  they  recommend  no  further  action; 
and  as  to  the  second,  the  use  of  the  endless  cable  had  some 
novelty  in  it,  aud  recommend  no  further  action. 

"  Signed,  Gideon  Weu.ks. 

"  Secretary,  U.  S.  N." 

The  first  patent  was  for  a  method  of  advancing  a  torpedo 
or  battery  through  the  side,  bow,  or  stern  of  a  vessel,  beneath 
the  water-line,  by  the  use  of  a  sliding  shaft  to  be  exploded 
while  held  ofF,  after  being  detached  from  the  shaft  by  some 
suitable  device.  As  shown  in  the  above  cut,  there  is  no  gun 
used.  The  second  was  for  the  use  of  an  endless  cable,  across 
channel- ways,  running  from  inside  of  fortifications,  to  adjust 
torpedoes  to  a  suitable  position.  Soon  after  the  investiga- 
tion, a  government  commission  recommended  the  building  of 
a  ship  to  be  armed  with  one  of  Mr.  Ketcham's  inventions,  as 
verified  by  three  engineers.  Their  verifications,  attached  to 
a  petition,  were  presented  to  Secretary  Welles  in  person,  by 
Mr.  Ketcham,  after  the  death  of  President  Lincoln.  Mr. 
Welles  refused  to  entertain  the  subject.  After  his  removal, 
they  were  received  by  Secretary  Boris,  who  had  promised  to 
investigate  the  matter,  but  the  investigation  has  never  been 
held.  On  March  24,  1870.  the  Hon.  John  G.  Schumaker, 
M.  C.,  from  Brooklyn,  introduced  a  bill  in  Congress,  granting 
Isaac  A.  Ketcham  compensat ion  for  t be  use  of  his  patent  b\ 
the  C  S.  government,  which  was  referred  to  the  Committee 
on  Naval  A  flairs,  and  ordered  to  he  printed.  The  last  effort 
was  made  in  1SS3,  asking  a  hearing  by  President  Arthur, 
which  was  referred  to  Secretary  Chandler:  and  after  a  num- 
ber of  evasive  replies,  he  reported  that  he  had  no  other  report 
to  make  than  the  one  made  in  1*70.  Mr.  Ketcham  never  re- 
ceived nor  heard  of  such  report. 

Mr.  Isaac  A.  Ketcham  was  horn  in  1827.  in  Huntington, 
L.  1.,  and  was  the  onlv  son  of  John  and  Charry  Ketcham 
lie  married  the  second  daughter  of  Mr.  Thomas  S.  Hobhins, 
Huntington.  Both  his  own  and  his  wife's  ancestors  were 
among  the  lirst  settlers  of  Long  Island.  They  have  two 
the  oldest.  George  1'.,  a  physician  in  good  standing,  a  gradu- 
ate of  Lone  Island  College  Hospital;  the  youngest,  W  arren 
A.,  an  artist  by  nature. 

It  is  proper  to  add  that  the  name  of  the  government  tor 
pedo  boat  "New  Kra  "  was  afterwards  changed  to  "Strom- 
boli,"  and  later  to  "  Spuy tendny vil."  Mr.  Ketcham  feels  thai 
he  has  itilfered  much  and  long,  after  his  large  outlay  in  tune 
and  money,  by  the  government's  delay,  but  is  confident  that 
justice  w  ill  be  done  to  his  invention  and  claim. 


BIOGRAPHY  OF  WILLIAM  IB  VINE  PBESTON. 


829a 


WILLIAM   IRVINE  PRESTON. 


In  tracing  the  career  of  prominent  men,  it  is  our  desire  to 
conduct  our  narrative  with  equal  truth,  delicacy  and  de- 
corum, to  avoid  undue  panegyric  on  one  side,  and  the  danger 
of  disguising  those  real  talents  and  adornments  which  our 
subjects  actually  possess,  for  fear  of  incurring  the  charge  of 
adulation. 

There  are  certain  characters  not  easily  described  ;  there 
are  others  so  transparent  that  their  portrayal  is  a  felicitous 
task.  It  is  with  the  mental  as  with  facial  portraits — some  of 
which  easily  elicit  the  abilities  of  the  painter,  causing  his 
pencil  to  move  naturally  and  truthfully  over  the  canvas,  its 
every  touch  bringing  out  the  life-like  expressions  of  a  counte- 
nance, until  it  stands  before  him  the  exact  representation  of 
the  original. 

In  many  respects,  the  character  we  are  about  to  portray 
belongs  to  this  class  ;  it  is  the  career  of  an  ardent,  strong, 
determined  mind,  intent  on  attaining  success  by  untiring 
diligence,  by  the  exercise  of  those  traits  which  adorn  the 
character  of  an  intelligent  and  conscientious  business  man, 
who  attains  wealth  and  prominence  in  the  legitimate  chan- 
nels of  business  and  commerce,  instead  of  those  wild  specu- 
lations which,  at  best,  are  but  little  removed  from  gambling, 
and  whose  fluctuations  and  revulsions  often  terminate  in 
sudden  ruin. 

William  Irvine  Preston  was  born  at  Cato,  Cayuga  Co. , 
N.  Y. ,  September  3,  1828.  He  was  a  son  of  Andrews  and  Eliza 
Ann  (Ferris)  Preston.  His  father  was  a  native  of  Pomfret, 
Conn.,  born  November  29,  1788,  and  was  the  son  of  Samuel 
and  Louisa  (Abbot)  Preston. 

Mr.  William  I.  Preston's  great-grandfather,  Jacob  Preston, 
was  born  March  7,  1733,  and  the  name  of  one  of  his  children, 
who  was  a  Tory  in  the  Revolutionary  War,  has  never  been 
mentioned  in  the  annals  of  the  family. 

The  father  of  William  I.  Preston  early  in  life  removed  from 
Connecticut  to  Ira,  Cayuga  Co.,  N.  Y.;  and,  after  several 
years'  clerkship,  he  entered  into  a  copartnership  with  Hon. 
Augustus  F.  Ferris,  for  many  years  one  of  the  judges  of  the 
Court  of  Common  Pleas  of  Cayuga  Co. ,  in  a  general  mercan- 
tile business  in  the  village  of  Cato. 

The  firm  of  Ferris  &  Preston  existed  for  many  years, 
drawing  its  patronage  from  every  part  of  northern  Cayuga 
Co.  Perhaps  no  mercantile  establishment  was  more  suc- 
cessful in  gaining  and  retaining  the  unlimited  confidence  of 
all  classes  of  people  in  that  part  of  the  State  than  this. 

The  junior  member  of  the  firm,  Mr.  Preston,  possessed  a 
mind  naturally  qualified  to  enter  easily  into  the  details  of 
public  and  private  business  affairs.  He  was  influential  as  a 
politician;  and,  in  recognition  of  his  marked  abilities,  his 
upright  character  and  other  popular  attainments,  he  was 
chosen  by  the  electors  of  Cayuga  Co.  to  represent  them  in 
the  State  Legislature  for  the  years  1827,  1835  and  1840. 
While  lie  was  active  in  politics  he  was  not  aggressively  so, 
and  retained  in  a  large  degree  the  respect  of  his  political 
opponents. 

It  is  said  that  a  man's  true  popularity  begins  at  home 
with  his  neighbors,  where  he  is  best  known.  Taking  this  for 
a  criterion,  Andrews  Preston's  popularity  was  of  a  true  and 
substantial  type.  The  equitable  traits  of  his  character  were 
indicated  by  the  frequency  with  which  he  was  chosen  the 
arbitrator  in  all  neighborhood  disputes,  and  selected  as  the 
village  counsellor  and  conveyancer,  drawing  with  remark- 
able accuracy  and  skill  all  papers  usually  drawn  by  lawyers. 

He  was  united  in  marriage  to  Eliza  Ann,  daughter  of 
Judge  Ferris,  the  senior  member  of  the  firm.  There  were 
born  to  this  marriage  eleven  children,  of  whom  William 
Irvine  is  the  third.  There  are  living  at  the  time  of  this  writ- 
ing only  Mr.  Preston  and  one  sister,  Mabel  A,,  now  a  resi- 
dent of  Buffalo,  N.  Y.  An  elder  brother,  George  H.  Preston, 
became  a  wealthy  and  honored  merchant  of  Buffalo,  and 
died  in  that  city  June  22,  1881. 

The  first  fifteen  years  of  Mr.  Preston's  life  were  spent  in 
the  village  school  at  Cato.  He  was  an  adventurous,  daring 
and  generous  youth,  and  early  became  a  leader  of  the  boys 
in  the  village.  This  often  led  him  into  many  difficulties  ;  he 
was  dubbed  by  the  villagers  "General  Put,"  after  the 
intrepid  General  Putnam,  a  sobriquet  which  he  retained  long 
after  reaching  his  majority.  Many  anecdotes  are  related  of 
his  narrow  escapes  from  the  careless  use  of  small  cannon;  of 


many  instances  when  his  face  and  hands  were  severely 
burned  with  powder;  of  his  falling  into  a  cauldron  of  lye. 
which  took  the  skin  from  his  entire  body.  On  one  occasion 
young  Preston,  as  the  champion  of  the  village  boys,  in  a 
contest  with  the  country  boys,  was  soundly  thrashed  by  the 
leader  of  the  latter. 

At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  was  sent  to  a  high  school  at 
Victory,  N.  Y.,  of  which  school  Rev.  J.  C.  Vandercook  was 
principal.  After  remaining  there  one  year  he  entered  Red 
Creek  Academy,  where  he  completed  his  education. 

In  1843  Mr.  Preston's  father  removed  to  Red  Creek  and 
established  himself  as  a  merchant.  Although  young  Preston 
was  but  sixteen  .years  of  age  he  successfully  took  charge  of 
the  business  for  his  father,  accompanied  him  to  New  York 
when  he  went  to  purchase  goods,  and  was  there  introduced 
to  many  prominent  wholesale  merchants  with  whom  his 
father  dealt,  and  whose  friendship  and  confidence  he  always 
retained.  At  a  later  period  he  became  a  business  partner 
with  his  father,  and  it  is  pleasant  to  relate  that  the  mercan- 
tile standing  of  Andrews  Preston  under  the  name  of  "A 
Preston  &  Son,"  was  never  marred  by  a  dishonorable  act  or  a 
failure  to  pay  their  debts.  What  the  latter  did  he  did  with  his 
might,  determined  on  a  successful  issue.  His  habits  were 
methodical  and  he  attended  carefully  to  every  detail  of 
business.  But  his  mind  is  of  that  scope  that  whatever  he 
undertakes  must  have  magnitude. 

In  1847  he  united  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  at 
Red  Creek.  His  devotion  to  his  religious  duties  were  marked 
and  exemplary,  and  he  was  soon  called  upon  to  take  charge 
of  the  Sunday-School  as  its  Superintendent,  and  the  manner 
in  which  he  discharged  the  duties  of  this  position  highly  dis- 
tinguished him  and  led  to  the  most  pleasing  results.  He 
seemed  peculiarly  qualified  to  blend  instruction  with  delight. 
Mr.  Preston  attained  his  majority  Sept.  3,  1849,  and  in  the 
following  spring  was  elected  by  the  Democratic  party  Clerk 
of  the  town  of  Wolcott,  and  the  following  year  he  accepted 
the  position  of  Postmaster.  He  was  elected  Supervisor  of 
the  town,  and  at  the  end  of  his  term  he  refused  to  accept  any 
further  political  honors. 

In  1851  Mr.  Preston  disposed  of  his  business  in  Red  Creek 
and  moved  to  Auburn,  where  he  entered  the  Hardware  busi- 
ness in  the  firm  of  Ferris  &  Preston. 

On  October  21,  1851,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Laura 
L.,  daughter  of  the  Rev.  Ruben  Reynolds,  a  distinguished 
Methodist  minister  then  stationed  at  Cleveland,  Oswego 
County,  N.  Y. 

At  Auburn  he  united  with  the  North  Street  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  taking  an  active  interest  in  all  its  affairs, 
was  appointed  class  leader,  and  elected  a  trustee.  He  was  a 
great  favorite  in  the  Sunday  School,  was  elected  its  Superin- 
tendent, discharging  its  duties  until  he  removed  from  the 
city  in  1853.  Being  very  fond  of  music  he  used  his  influence 
to  advance  the  musical  interests  of  the  Church.  At  this 
time  instruments  of  music  were  almost  unknown  in  Metho- 
dist churches.  Through  Mr.  Preston's  influence  a  melodeon 
was  purchased  and  placed  in  the  church.  The  morning  it 
was  first  used  old  father  Cherry  came  early  to  Church,  taking 
his  seat  near  tbe  pulpit.  As  the  singing  began  he  caught 
the  sound  of  the  melodeon  and  indignant  at  the  innovation, 
he  marched  down  the  aisle,  exclaiming  in  a  loud  voice,  strik- 
ing the  floor  with  his  heavy  cane,  "I  cannot  and  will  not 
stand  the  growling  of  that  bull-dog." 

Mr.  Preston  had  many  friends  in  the  church  who  were 
ready  to  aid  in  its  good  work ;  among  these  was  a  dear 
friend,  Wm.  J.  Moses,  whose  liberality  and  Christian  devo- 
tion gave  him  the  reputation  of  "always  giving  more  than 
he  ought."  When  Mr.  Preston  severed  his  relation  with  this 
church  he  was  the  recipient  of  many  testimonials  of  respect 
from  his  brethren  and  sisters  in  it,  and  from  the  Sunday 
School,  many  of  which  are  still  carefully  treasured  by  him, 
especially  a  beautiful  Bible. 

After  remaining  in  the  hardware  business  some  time,  he 
transferred  his  interest  to  his  partner,  and  returned  to  Red 
Creek,  where  he  again  successfully  entered  into  the  mercan- 
tile business.  The  integrity  and  rare  business  qualities  of 
Mr.  Preston  attracted  the  attention  of  F.  T.  Carrington,  Esq., 
an  extensive  and  wealthy  grain  dealer  of  Oswego,  N.  Y., 
I  who  in  1854  invited  him  to  become  his  partner,  which  invi- 


830a 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


tation  was  accepted,  and  the  firm  of  Carrington  &  Preston 
was  organized.  It  did  an  extensive  commission  business  at 
Oswego,  and  between  the  grain  ports  of  Lakes  Erie,  Michigan 
and  Ontario,  and  the  City  of  New  York. 

At  Oswego  Mr.  Preston  connected  himself  with  the  First 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  was  soon  made  a  trustee 
a  steward,  class-leader,  and  Sunday-School  Superintendent. 
The  Society  was  in  debt  and  for  a  long  time  was  subjected 
to  a  severe  struggle  for  existence.  Among  other  difficulties 
to  which  the  church  was  subjected  was  the  intrusion  of  the 
slavery  question  amongst  its  members.  Rut  through  the  for- 
tunate appeal  of  Mr.  Preston  that  the  brethren  remain  loyal 
to  the  Church — that  it  was  thoroughly  anti-slivery ;  that  the 
attempt  to  establish  an  independent  society,  which  was  pro- 
posed by  some,  would  be  attended  with  great  evil  and  result 
m  the  entire  destruction  of  the  society — the  evil  was  averted  ; 
all  divisions  and  disputatious  vanished,  and  the  church 
moved  on  under  the  blessings  of  God  to  great  prosperity,  and 
now  ranks  as  one  of  the  strongest  churches  in  the  confer- 
ence. A  chapel  was  erected  in  the  southern  portion  of  the 
city  which  the  friends  of  Mr.  Preston  desired  to  name  the 
"Preston  Chapel,"  but,  as  he  would  not  consent  to  this,  it 
was  finally  called  the  Fifth  Street  Chapel. 

Mr.  Preston's  business  career  at  Oswego  must  form  a  very 
pleasing  period  in  his  life :  it  brought  him  many  friends 
among  the  merchants,  and  among  all  business  circles  he  was 
honored  and  respected.  As  an  evidence  of  this  he  was 
elected  President  of  the  Hoard  of  Trade,  and  while  devoting 
himself  to  his  business,  keeping  the  affairs  of  the  firm  in 
honorable  prosperity,  he  was  enabled  to  give  proper  attention 
to  all  the  duties  devolving  upon  him  as  a  public-spirited  and 
enterprising  citizen. 

When  the  Southern  Rebellion  broke  out  he  stood  foremost 
among  those,  who,  with  voice,  money  and  influence,  pro- 
posed to  sustain  the  Government  in  its  efforts  to  crush  it 
out.  He  visited  every  part  of  the  county  of  Oswego,  making 
patriotic  appeals  to  the  people  from  the  rostrum,  in  urging 
young  men  to  volunteer  m  the  service  of  the  old  flag.  His 
stirring  speeches  produced  a  dee])  and  successful  impression 
wherever  he  went,  and  many  recruits  to  the  army  were 
secured  through  his  influence.  Many  thrilling  incidents 
might  be  related  which  attended  Mr.  Preston's  advocacy  of 
the  cause  of  the  Union,  but  space  will  not  permit  us.  When 
the  Draft  took  place  Mr.  Preston  himself  was  summoned  as  a 
soldier;  but,  after  a  medical  examination,  his  physical  con- 
dition was  found  to  lie  such  as  to  unfit  him  for  the  duties  of 
the  field.  When  the  1  Kith  Regiment  of  New  York  Volun- 
teers was  ready  to  march  for  Washington,  Mr.  Preston  was 
delegated,  by  the  Hoard  of  Trade  and  the  citizens  of  Oswego, 
to  present  its  commander,  Col.  De  Witt  C.  Littlejohn,  a 
sword  and  a  caparisoned  horse.  His  presentation  speech  was 
impressively  eloquent,  and  was  listened  to  by  a  vast  audience 
with  emotions  difficult  to  describe.  It  was  one  of  those 
effusions  which  aroused  feelings  of  patriotism  in  the  hearts 
of  all,  and  stirred  the  soldier  to  deeds  of  valor.  We  cannot 
refrain  from  inserting  the  speech  entire,  as  an  existing  speci- 
men of  the  eloquence  and  patriotic  ardor  of  its  author.  Mr. 
Preston  spoke  as  follows  : 

"  Col.  Littlejohn  :  The  Hoard  of  Trade  of  this  city,  of 
which  you  are  an  honored  member,  have  prepared  a  testi- 
monial for  presentation  to  you,  as  a  slight  token  of  their 
appreciation  of  your  services,  in  behalf  of  our  varied  in- 
terest. You,  sir,  came  among  us  and  made  this  city  your 
home  in  1839,  having  just  entered  upon  your  majority. 
Entering  into  the  active  pursuits  of  trade  and  commerce, 
your  honest  independence  and  unflinching  firmness  brought 
you  liefore  the  people,  and  in  1N|:S  you  were  called  to  a  posi- 
tion of  importance  and  trust  in  the  municipal  government, 
and  subsequently  elected  to  the  highest  of  municipal  honors, 
which  position  you  have  been  called  again  and  again  to 
fill. 

"  In  1  sr>:!  you  represented  this  district  in  the  legislature,  and, 
that  eventful  session,  the  unjiistness  of  the  enactment  mak- 
ing appropriations  for  the  Erie  and  not  for  the  Oswego  <  anal 
was  exposed,  and  you  snatched  from  the  rude  hand  of  usur- 
pation the  violated  system  of  internal  improvements:  and  the 
amendment  to  the  ( 'onstitution,  appropriating  flO.OOO.Oiii) 
for  the  completion  of  the  Erie,  was  not  allowed  to  be  pre- 
sented to  the  jHiople  for  ratification  until  the  Oswego  ('anal 
w:is  also  therein  provided  for. 

"  This  great  principle  of  carrying  on  the  public  works  of  the 
State,  each  canal  to  In-  equitably  provided  for,  and  in  such 
ratio  that  all  should  lie  completed  at  the  same  time,  was  not 


established  until  after  great  struggle  and  unflinching  firm- 
ness on  your  part;  and  that  principle  so  faithfully  and  so 
successfully  urged  by  you  upon  the  State  at  that  time  has 
been  the  basis  of  all  subsequent  legislation,  and  to  you,  sir, 
do  we  feel  we  are  indebted  for  the  inauguration  of  that 
system  which  has  given  us  to-day  the  enlarged  Oswego 
Canal  with  seven  feet  of  water,  the  rich  benefits  of  which  we 
are  now  enjoying,  and  which  we  trust  will  be  handed  down  a 
precious  inheritance  to  future  generations. 

••  Since  which  distinguished  services  you  have  again  and 
again  represented  us  in  the  Legislature;  and  in  brief,  for 
seven  years,  during  the  progress  of  the  work  of  enlargement 
of  the  State  canals,  aud  during  the  hard-fought  battles  with 
the  Western  portions  of  t  he  State,  in  which  it  was  sought  to 
engraft  the  specious  doctrines  of  discrimination  on  the  policy 
of  the  State,  you  ably  and  faithfully  advanced  and  protected 
our  interests. 

"You  have  been  largely  identified  with  the  trade  aud  com- 
merce of  Oswego,  and  while  you  were  pursuing  its  peaceful 
avocations,  extending  and  enlarging  trade  and  its  facilities, 
you  rarely  contemplated  that  these  canals — these  great  thor- 
oughfares of  the  country,  were  also  the  nation's  fortifica- 
tions— since,  if  not  the  deposits  of  military  resources,  they 
enable  us  to  bring  to  rapid  action  the  military  resources  of 
the  country.  They  are  better  than  any  fortifications,  because 
they  serve  the  double  purposes  of  peace  and  war.  They  dis- 
pense in  a  great  degree  with  fortifications,  since  they  have 
all  the  effect  of  that  concentration  at  which  fortifications 
aim. 

"  And  if.  by  one  of  those  awful  and  terribledispeusations  of 
Providence,  this  Government  should  be  unhappily  dismem- 
bered, here,  in  this  noble  work  would  traces  of  its  former 
existence  aud  glory  be  found  on  which  to  pour  out  our  affec- 
tions and  tears,  as  the  remnant  of  God's  chosen  people  may 
now  be  found  weeping  around  the  relics  of  their  former 
greatness. 

"  It  has  required  strong  motives  and  powerful  efforts  in  a 
nation,  prone  to  peace  as  is  this,  to  break  through  its  habits 
and  encounter  the  difficulties  and  privations  of  this  civil 
war;  but,  as  the  clarion  trump  of  strife  has  sounded  fiercer 
and  fiercer  still,  the  Administration  has  awakened  to  its  fear- 
ful and  awful  magnitude,  and  no  sooner  is  the  call  for 
600,000  men  sent  forth  flashing  with  electric  light  through 
the  country  than  it  is  seen  blazing  and  coruscating  through 
every  city  and  hamlet  of  the  loyal  states. 

"Like  the  Eastern  magician,  the  President  invoked  volun- 
teers with  a  voice  of  power,  and  the  shouts  of  answer- 
ing spirits,  like  the  murmurs  of  subterranean  waters,  went 
up  from  every  hill  and  plain  and  valley  of  our  beloved 
country,  and  to-day  we  anticipate  a  million  of  patriots  are 
marshalling  in  defeuse  of  our  common  country. 

"Nations,  like  men,  fail  in  nothing  which  they  boldly 
attempt,  when  sustained  by  virtuous  purpose  and  (inn  reso- 
lution. At  the  call  of  our  country,  in  this  her  hour  of  peril, 
you  have  cast  aside  the  pen,  closed  the  counting-room,  taken 
lip  the  sword,  buckled  on  the  armor,  and  in  the  short  ami 
unparalleled  space  of  ten  days  raised  a  regiment  of  gallant 
men.  who  are  eager  to  re-cue  our  country  f  rom  the  hands  of 
treason,  and  demonstrate  to  the  monarchies  and  crowned 
beads  of  Europe  that  this  first  great  experiment  of  self- 
government  is  not  a  failure,  but  that  it  has  within  itself  the 
moral  and  physical  power  to  maintain  and  defend  its  free 
institutions,  and  transmit  them  untarnished  to  posterity. 

"  You  have  made  great  sacrifices  to  meet  your  country's 
call:  and,  in  offering  your  services  and  your  life  upon  the 
altar  of  our  common  country,  you  add  a  still  more  glorious 
wreath  of  laurels  around  that  name  which  Oswego  has  ever 
delighted  to  honor. 

"Colonel,  in  behalf  of  the  Hoard  of  Trade,  allow  me  to 
present  you  this  sword  as  a  memento  of  their  high  esteem 
and  appreciation  of  your  services,  and  a  pledge  of  our  confi- 
dence in  your  bravery  and  that  of  your  command. 

"  And  also  allow  me  to  present  to  you,  in  the  name  and  on 
Hie  behalf  of  our  fellow-townsman  and  noble  patriot,  Mr. 
Theodore  Irwin,  this  beautiful  horse,  all  caparisoned  and 
equip] led  for  the  war. 

"  And.  as  you  are  soon  to  leave  us  with  your  command  for 
scenes  of  carnage  and  blood,  you  will  carry  with  you  the  earn- 
est prayers  of  warm  hearts  that  Cod  will  protect  and  bless 
you  ami  these  noble  men  whom  you  will  lead  to  battle.  Anil 
"when  the  war  is  ended  and  our  country  again  enjoying  the 
blessings  of  pe  ace,  it  shall  be  said  of  you,  ill  the  language  of 
a  departed  sage.  '  Honor  to  those  w  ho  shall  lill  the  measure 
of  their  country's  glory.'  " 


BIOGRAPHY  01    WILLIAM  IRVINE  PRESTON. 


831* 


Mr.  Preston  has  never  had  any  ambition  for  office;  he  is 
and  always  has  been  a  Democrat,  as  his  father  was  before 
him,  who  was  in  former  days  a  "  Hunker  Democrat."  He  is 
conscientious  but  firm  in  his  political  opinions.  During  the 
Rebellion  he  was  a  ' '  War  Democrat "  of  the  strongest  and 
most  influential  kind.  In  1860  he  was  nominated  by  the 
Democrats  of  Oswego  as  their  candidate  for  Mayor;  notwith- 
standing his  persistent  refusal  to  accept  the  nomination  he 
yielded  to  the  ardent  solicitations  of  his  friends,  who  believed 
that  such  was  his  popularity  that  he  could  be  elected,  not- 
withstanding his  opponent  was  Hon.  Henry  Fitzhugh,  one  of 
the  most  popular  men  in  the  city.  The  canvas  was  hotly 
contested,  and  resulted  in  the  election  of  Mr.  Fitzhugh  by 
the  small  majority  of  289.  Mr.  Preston  was  subsequently 
nominated  as  the  Democratic  candidate  for  Member  of  As- 
sembly; his  opponent  in  this  canvas  was  Hon.  D.  C.  Little- 
john.  Although  Mr.  Preston  ran  largely  ahead  of  his  ticket, 
he  was  defeated.  "While  his  abilities  are  such  as  must 
have  commanded  great  influence  in  the  Legislature,  or  any 
public  position,  he  is  too  frank  and  outspoken  to  be  a  suc- 
cessful politician.  As  he  has  never  concealed  his  aversion  to 
office-holding  and  to  the  platitudes  of  the  mere  politician,  he 
has  voluntarily  been  kept  from  the  unsatisfactory  position  of 
the  place-hunter. 

Upon  his  leaving  for  his  new  home,  the  Oswego  Board  of 
Trade,  at  a  meeting  held  May  18th,  1865,  took  cognizance  of 
the  fact  in  a  series  of  resolutions,  of  which  the  following 
form  a  part. 

"  Resolved,  That  this  Board,  in  the  departure  of  Mr.  Pres- 
ton from  our  city,  loses  one  who  has  by  his  frank,  upright 
business  habits,  won  the  confidence  of  our  entire  business 
community. 

"  Resolved,  That  in  having  daily  business  transactions  with 
him  as  a  member  of  the  late  firm  of  Carrington  &  Preston, 
extending  through  many  years,  we  have  ever  found  him  ad- 
hering strictly  to  the  rules  of  commercial  integrity. 

"Resolved,  That  in  the  grain  commission  trade  in  which  Mr. 
Preston  has  been  engaged,  large  transactions  are  made,  in- 
volving the  transfer  of  property  valued  often  at  thousands  of 
dollars,  merely  by  the  word  of  mouth;  yet,  in  all  this,  of  him 
it  can  truly  be  said,  '  His  word  was  as  good  as  his  bond.' 

"  Resolved,  That  to  his  new  home  he  will  take  the  kind  re- 
membrance of  each  member  of  this  Board,  and  his  best 
wishes  for  his  success  in  his  new  and  enlarged  commer- 
cial relations." 

One  of  the  pleasantest  relations  of  Mr.  Preston  with  the 
citizens  of  Oswego  was  his  connection  with  the  fire  depart- 
ment of  that  city,  and  perhaps  one  of  the  most  gratifying 
tributes  of  respect  paid  to  him,  upon  his  departure,  was  ten- 
dered in  a  series  of  resolutions  by  the  Eagle  Hook  and  Ladder 
Company  of  that  city,  of  which  he  was  a  member. 

He  also  received  many  testimonials  of  respect  from  the 
Church,  the  Sunday-Schools  and  the  various  societies  with 
which  he  was  connected. 

Mr.  Preston  was  made  a  Master  Mason  in  Cato,  on  the 
recommendation  of  his  father,  and  afterwards  a  Royal  Arch 
Mason  in  David's  Royal  Arch  Chapter,  No.  34,  of  Auburn;  and 
was  created  a  Sir  Knight  in  Salem  Town  Commandery,  No. 
16,  of  Auburn.  He  was  one  of  the  Charter  members  of  Fron- 
tier City  Lodge,  No.  422,  Oswego,  N.  Y. ;  also  of  Lake  Ontario 
Chapter,  No.  165,  Oswego,  and  First  Eminent  Commander  of 
Lake  Ontario  Commandery,  No.  32,  and  at  this  time  is  a 
member  of  Clinton  Commandery,  No.  14,  K.  T.,  Brooklyn, 
N.  Y. 

In  1865  Carrington  &  Preston  retired  from  business,  and 
Mr.  Preston  came  to  New  York  City,  to  engage  in  the  same 
line  of  business  as  a  partner  in  the  old  established  firm  of  H. 
D.  Walbridge  &  Co.,  commission  merchants  in  grain,  flour 
and  provisions,  of  the  New  York  Produce  Exchange. 

His  relation  with  H.  D.  Walbridge  &  Co.,  continued  till 
April  1870,  when  the  firm  was  dissolved  and  Mr.  Preston 
succeeded  to  the  business.  He  purchased  the  property  No. 
12  Bridge  street,  corner  of  Whitehall,  New  York,  in  1870, 
and  his  business  office  has  been  here  since  he  came  to  New 
York.  His  offices  are  near  the  new  Produce  Exchange  and 
the  care  of  his  large  business  is  largely  shared  by  his  nephew, 
Mr.  Andrews  Preston. 

After  residing  in  New  York  about  six  months  Mr.  Preston 
removed  to  Brooklyn,  and  about  the  year  1867  purchased  the 
residence  of  Mr.  John  D.  McKenzie  on  Pierrepont  street, 
now  known  as  Nos.  69  and  71  Pierrepont  street.  He  had  the 
house  overhauled  and  modernized,  and  it  is  at  present  his 
pleasant  home. 


He  has  built  up  an  extensive  trade,  and  has  what  may  be 
well  termed  a  first-class  patronage.  His  prosperity  is  the  re- 
sult of  his  thorough  knowledge  of  the  business  and  close  at- 
tention to  the  promotion  of  the  interests  of  his  correspond- 
ents. As  a  reputable  progressive  merchant  he  has  no  superior. 
He  is  an  active  member  of  the  New  York  Produce  Exchange, 
and  generally  popular  on  the  floor.  He  takes  a  deep  interest 
in  the  fviture  welfare  of  the  trade  of  New  York,  was  foremost 
in  urging  on  the  Board  of  Managers  the  absolute  necessity  of 
establishing  a  system  of  grading  of  grain,  and  thus  cheapen- 
ing the  terminal  expense,  so  as  to  enable  the  western  shippers 
to  send  their  consignments  to  New  York  instead  of  the  other 
seaboard  markets.  Some  of  the  leading  houses  opposed  the 
scheme;  but,  after  a  three  days'  argument  in  which  Mr.  Pres- 
ton was  the  leading  advocate  of  the  system,  the  measure  was 
adopted.  The  results  in  augmented  receipts  of  grain  which 
followed  the  new  departure  have  demonstrated  its  wisdom, 
and  the  grain  merchants  of  New  York  accorded  to  him  the 
honors  due  his  labor,  zeal  and  ability.  His  views  of  public 
duty  are  broad,  comprehensive  and  liberal.  No  man  can  ap- 
preciate more  thoroughly  than  he  the  resources  of  our  coun- 
try and  the  possibilities  of  its  future.  Mr.  Preston  is  a  close 
observer  of  men,  and  is  able  to  form  a  very  correct  estimate 
of  character.  Thirty  years  of  experience  in  the  grain  trade 
has  taught  him  to  carefully  watcli  the  financial  state  of  the 
country  and  to  govern  his  trade  and  commercial  relations  so 
as  to  avoid  the  loss  and  ruin  which  have  shipwrecked  so 
many  fortunes.  His  name  has  often  been  suggested  for  office 
in  the  Exchange,  but  he  has  universally  declined,  preferring 
the  solid  honors  which  he  has  won  on  the  floor  as  a  member 
to  the  glare  of  official  position.  Mr.  Preston  has  also  been 
for  many  years  a  member  of  the  Chamber  of  Commerce,  and 
has  been  identified  with  the  American  Bible  Society  ;  the 
Missionary  Society  of  the  M.  E.  Church ;  the  New  York 
Historical  Society  ;  Long  Island  Historical  Society;  Brooklyn 
City  Bible  Society;  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Association, 
and  is  a  regular  contributor  to  the  various  benevolent  and 
charitable  institutions  of  Brooklyn.  He  is  also  a  director 
and  most  efficient  member  of  the  discount  committee  of  the 
Fulton  Bank  of  Brooklyn. 

He  connected  with  the  Sands  Street  M.  E.  Church  in  1867, 
and  in  1882  he  transferred  his  membership  to  the  Sea  Cliff 
M.  E.  Church,  having  accepted  the  office  of  President  of  the 
Sea  Cliff  Association,  for  the  express  purpose  of  aiding  in  ex- 
tricating that  corporation  from  its  financial  troubles.  That 
work  is  about  completed.  When  it  is,  Mr.  Preston  will  per- 
manently retire  from  office. 

Aside  from  his  long  years  of  Church  work  in  the  Society  of 
which  he  was  a  member,  he  has  done,  perhaps,  no  more 
profitable  religious  work  than  that  which  is  connected  with 
the  "  Brooklyn  Church  Society"  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  chartered  May  24th,  1878.  The  scope  of  this  corpora- 
tion is  broad;  the  great  good  it  has  accomplished,  and  the  de- 
mands made  upon  it,  indicate  the  hold  it  has  upon  the  sym- 
pathy and  confidence  of  the  various  Methodist  Societies  in 
Brooklyn.  Mr.  Preston  is  interested  in  the  success  of  the 
Syracuse  University,  of  which  his  friend,  Rev.  Chas.  N.  Sims, 
D.D.,  is  Chancellor.  The  New  York  East  Conference  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  has  elected  him  trustee  of  the 
University  for  several  years. 

Believing  that  the  true  source  of  permanent  wealth  lies  in 
the  judicious  and  conservative  investment  of  surplus  money 
in  productive  real  estate,  Mr.  Preston  has,  from  time  to  time, 
made  investments  in  real  estate  in  Brooklyn,  New  York  and 
other  places,  till  he  is  now  quite  a  large  owner,  which  is  giv- 
ing him  a  fair  return  in  rentals.  He  has  one  only  child,  a  son 
now  about  sixteen  years  of  age,  and  he  desires  to  secure  to 
him  realty;  a  solid  substantial  basis  of  wealth. 

In  1854  Mrs.  Preston  adopted  Louise  M.  Becker,  a  favorite 
niece  (the  young  daughter  of  her  sister,  Mrs.  Becker),  who 
shared  the  comforts  and  affection  of  their  home  as  a  daughter. 
Miss  Becker  was  lovely  in  character  and  of  great  personal 
beauty,  and  her  goodness  won  all  hearts.  On  Nov.  24,  1861, 
she  was  married  to  Mr.  James  D.  Macfarlane,  a  nephew  of 
Hon.  Wm.  F.  Allen,  Judge  of  the  Court  of  Appeals,  also  a 
nephew  of  Fred'k  T.  Carrington,  Esq.  Mrs.  Macfarlane  died 
March  4,  1869,  leaving  a  daughter  (Kate  Preston)  and  a  son 
(William  Carrington)  who  always  receive  a  warm  welcome  at 
the  Preston  home. 

Such  is  the  character,  such  the  career  of  Wm.  I.  Preston. 
Through  all  the  sharp  collisions  and  unexpected  revulsions  of 
commercial  life,  he  has  moved  steadily,  successfully  reaching 
his  present  exalted  position  with  an  untarnished  reputation, 
and  with  much  promise  of  still  higher  prosperity  and  honor. 


882* 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


ROBERT  SPEIR. 


Roheiit  Speir,  now  one  of  tho  oldest  and  most  respected  residents 
of  Brooklyn,  and  father  of  Dr.  S.  Kleet  Speir,  was  born  in  the  city  of 
New  York,  December  9,  1805.  His  father's  name  was  also  Uobcrt  Speir; 
he  was  born  at  Glasgow,  Scotland,  February  28,  1773,  and  very  early  in 
life  removed  to  New  York,  where  he  became  a  successful  business 
man,  attaining  a  high  position  in  mercantile  and  social  circles.  He 
was  one  of  the  first  Importers  of  Merino  sheep  into  this  country;  he 
was  also  a  large  Importer  of  leaf-tobacco  and  seal-skins,  and  many 
other  staple  articles. 

One  of  his  friends  once  said  to  him  :  "  Mr.  Speir,  I  should  like  to 
know  what  articles  there  are  that  you  don't  deal  In  ?"  It  is  certain, 
however,  that  in  whatever  business  he  engaged,  or  whatever  articles 
he  dealt  In,  all  tended  to  his  advantage  and  led  to  wealth. 

With  an  Iron-like  constitution,  with  an  energy  that  never  Sagged, 
with  abilities  that  no  vicissitude  of  business  weakened,  with  a  probity 
and  honor  that  presided  over  all,  he  was  long  Identified  with  the  busi- 
ness interests  of  New  York  city.  It  Is  said  that,  until  his  last  illness, 
Mr.  Speir  was  never  laid  up  a  day  from  sickness. 

Very  characteristic  of  him  was  the  manner  of  his  retiring  from  ac- 
tive business  life.  He  had  always  said  that  he  would  retire  from  busi- 
ness when  seventy  years  old.  What  he  supposed  was  his  sixty  ninth 
birthday  arrived,  and  bis  friends  called  to  congratulate  him.  Among 
the  number  was  an  old  friend,  who  told  him  that  he  was  seventy  years 
old  Instead  of  sixty-nine  as  he  supposed.  Mr.  Speir  disputed  it  for  a 
moment,  and  then  called  to  his  clerk  to  make  a  calculation  ami  see 
what  his  age  really  was.  The  clerk  said  he  made  It  seventy;  whereupon, 
Mr.  Spier  turned  to  his  son,  Robert,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  and 
said:  "  Robert,  write  out  a  dissolution  of  co  partnership  and  put  It  in 
the  morning  papers;  say  In  It  that  Robert  Speir,  Jr.,  will  continue  the 
business."  Mr.  Speir  then  stepped  to  his  safe,  turned  the  key.  and  said, 
"  good  day,  gentlemen,"  and  went  home,  having  retired  from  active 
business  on  the  day  he  had  promised  himself. 

Mr.  Itobert  Spclr  was,  and  Is,  a  large  property  owner  on  Myrtle 
avenue,  having  paid  taxes  there  for  forty  years.  Mr.  Speir  built  two 
brown-stone  houses  in  Montague  street,  and  otherwise  was  active  In 
Brooklyn  Interests. 

His  son  Robert,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  Inherited  very  many  of 
the  finalities  of  his  father.  After  receiving  a  good  education,  he 
entered  Into  business  with  his  father.  He  brought  to  his  occupation 
rare  business  talents  ami  industry,  united  with  habits  free  from  the 


excesses  which  often  beset  young  men  in  New  York  entering  into 
business,  under  prosperous  circumstances  which  usually  prevent  self- 
reliance,  and  destroys  stimulants  to  activity.  It  Is,  perhaps,  needless 
to  add,  that  his  business  relation-  with  his  father  were  both  pleasant 
and  prosperous.  In  182(i,  Mr.  Spelr's  father  removed  to  Brooklyn  and 
erected  a  house  in  Willow  street,  now  near  Clark  street. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  united  by  marriage,  In  1833,  to  Miss 
Hannah  S.  Fleet,  daughter  of  Samuel  Fleet,  of  Brooklyn.  Four  chil- 
dren were  born  to  them;  two  sons  and  two  daughters.  The  Fleet 
family,  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  respected  on  Long  Island,  Is  more 
fully  described  In  another  part  of  this  work.  Mr.  Samuel  Fleet  became 
a  resident  of  Brooklyn  In  1820. 

Very  soon  after  removing  to  Brooklyn,  Robert  Speir,  whose  bio- 
graphy we  are  sketching,  united  with  the  First  I'rosbytorlan  Church,  of 
Brooklyn,  then  situated  in  Cranberry  street.  Rev.  Joseph  Sandford 
was  Its  flrst.  Dr.  Van  Dyke,  Its  present  pastor.  The  church  edifice  in 
which  Mr.  Sandford  preached,  stood  on  the  site  now  occupied  by  Ply- 
mouth Church,  Rev.  Henry  Ward  Beeeher,  pastor.  The  present 
church  stands  on  the  corner  of  Remsen  and  Clinton  streets.  Through 
all  t  he  years  of  Mr.  Speir's  membership  with  this  church— something 
over  fifty  years— he  has  been  an  active,  conscientious,  useful  and  highly 
esteemed  member,  and  his  relations  with  It  at  the  present  time,  we  do 
not  hesitate  to  say,  are  not  only  pleasant  and  agreeable  In  a  secular 
point  of  view,  but  profitable  and  hopeful  in  a  spiritual  sense. 

Mr.  Speir  has  never  mingled  in  politics  to  the  extent  of  bocomlng  Hn 
ardent  partisan.  He  believes  that  the  best  men  should  be  elected  to 
otllco  regardless  of  every  other  consideration,  and  this  belief  is  the 
basis  of  his  politics. 

Few  men  are  bettor  acquainted,  from  observation,  with  the  history 
of  Brooklyn  for  the  first  half  century  than  he.  In  his  youth,  as  a  resi- 
dent of  the  city  of  New  York,  he  knew  Brooklyn  as  a  small  hamlet, 
situated  tin  and  about  the  bluir.s,  hills  and  rolling  lands  that  over- 
looked tho  I'.ast  river.  He  has  seen  It  emerge  from  that  condition  to  a 
thriving  and  beautiful  village,  and  from  that  to  the  third  city  In  the 
nation.  With  the  men  of  prominence,  w  ho,  through  the  long  past, 
helped  to  make  the  city  of  Brooklyn  what  it  Is,  he  enjoyed  a  pleasing 
acquaintance;  and  now,  at  a  green  old  age,  In  the  enjoyment  of  men 
tal  and  physical  faenlt  ics  as  \  igorous  as  in  the  active  period  of  Ids  life, 
surrounded  by  his  children  ami  by  numerous  other  friends,  ho  Is  ineet- 
'ng  tho  rewards  of  a  useful  ami  well-spont  llfo. 


THE 

ARCHITECTS,  BUILDERS  AND  REAL  ESTATE  AGENTS 

OF 

BROOKLYN. 


WE  hear  much  in  these  days  of  the  growth  of 
Chicago,  the  Queen  City  of  the  Lakes,  and  are 
often  told  that  it  surpasses,  in  the  lightning- 
like rapidity  with  which  it  has  attained  its 
present  magnitude,  any  city  of  ancient  or  modern  times. 
Perhaps  this  is  true;  but  Brooklyn,  which,  as  a  city,  is 
not  more  than  five  or  six  years  older  than  the  Lake  City, 
has  advanced  with  equal  but  more  uniform  speed,  and 
is  to  day,  in  all  its  material  interests,  the  larger  city 
of  the  two. 

The  little  city  which,  not  quite  fifty  years  ago,  ex- 
tended from  the  Wallabout  Bay  to  a  point  a  little  be- 
low the  present  South  Ferry,  occupying  for  most  of  the 
distance  only  some  very  humble  sheds  and  wooden 
shops  and  warehouses,  and  extended  back  from  the 
East  River,  at  Fulton  and  South  Ferries,  not  more  than 
a  half  mile  at  any  point,  was  but  little  larger  than  the 
village  which,  about  the  same  time,  began  to  stretch 
back  on  either  side  from  the  mouth  of  the  Chicago 
River.  Both  have  made  a  wonderful  growth  in  these 
fifty  years;  and  the  race  between  them  for  the  rank  of 
the  third  city  of  the  Union,  though  a  close  one,  and 
tasking  all  the  energies  of  each,  is  yet  free  from  bitter- 
ness. Chicago  has  grown  spasmodically,  Brooklyn 
more  steadily  and  uniformly.  She  has  taken  no  step 
backward;  and  the  town  which,  in  1834,  had  hardly 
one  and  a  half  square  miles  of  closely  built  houses,  has  j 
now  about  34  miles  of  densely  populated  houses  and 
factories,  with  numerous  churches,  school-houses,  the- 
atres, halls,  and  vast  warehouses  ;  and,  like  her  neigh- 
bor on  the  Lakes,  is  to-day  pushing  forward  with  more 
energy  than  ever  before  to  occupy  the  lands  whose  vir- 
gin soil  is  yet  unbroken,  Her  water  front  now  reaches 
from  the  heights  of  Bay  Ridge,  which  overlook  the 
lower  bay,  to  and  along  Newtown  creek,  a  distance 
of  twenty-five  miles,  as  the  water  lines  run,  and  from 
the  river  front  eastward  to  East  New  York,  Ridge- 
wood  and  Newtown,  an  average  of  about  six  miles,  and 
with  a  capacity  for  extension  to  Montauk  Point  and 
the  east  end  of  Long  Island,  a  hundred  miles  away. 


Of  this  tract  of  more  than  fifty  square  miles,  full  three- 
fourths,  excluding  Prospect  Park,  Greenwood  Ceme- 
tery, the  east  side  lands,  and  some  tracts  to  which  the 
title  is  clouded,  are  densely  built  up,  and,  for  the  most 
part,  with  solid  brick  or  brown  stone  buddings,  though 
with  a  considerable  percentage  of  frame  dwellings  in 
the  eastern  and  south-eastern  portions. 

The  assessment,  for  the  purposes  of  taxation,  of  the 
real  estate  of  Brooklyn,  makes  the  value  of  real  estate 
in  1883,  in  round  numbers,  $283,000,000.  This  is, 
according  to  the  law,  70  per  cent,  of  the  actual  value, 
which  would  give  the  full  actual  value,  at  forced  sale, 
at  about  $405,000,000.  The  appraised  market  value 
would  undoubtedly  exceed  this  by  fifty  millions.  But 
the  assessment  expressly  excludes  all  city,  county  and 
federal  property,  all  school-houses,  churches,  and  insti- 
tutions of  public  charity  and  beneficence;  and  these 
would  be  underestimated  at  fifty  millions  more — so 
that  in  the  city  of  Brooklyn  we  have  real  estate  of  the 
value  of  $500,000,000. 

It  is  not  easy  for  the  ordinary  mind  to  comprehend  a 
sum  so  vast.  The  long  row  of  ciphers  convey  only  a 
vague  impression  of  an  unknown  amount.  But  let  us 
analyze  it  a  little.  According  to  the  census  of  1880, 
there  were  62,233  dwellings  having  an  average  popula- 
tion of  9.11  to  each  dwelling.  The  three  years  which 
I  have  elapsed  since  that  census  was  taken  have  added 
somewhat  more  than  12,000  to  the  number,  and  each 
year  shows  a  large  increase  over  its  predecessor.  Many 
of  these  12,000  buildings  are  flats,  containing  from  four 
to  eight  dwellings  each.  It  is,  therefore,  within  the 
limits  of  truth  to  estimate  the  present  number  of  dwell- 
ings in  the  city  at  75,000,  and  comparing  the  average 
values  of  dwellings  in  all  principal  cities,  we  find  $3,000 
a  low  estimate  for  each  dwelling.  This  gives  $225,- 
000,000  as  the  value  of  dwellings  alone. 

Our  manufactories  number  about  5,400  establish- 
ments ;  some  of  them  very  rude  and  cheap,  a  much 
larger  number  of  a  value  ranging  from  $25,000  to 
$150,000,  and  more  than  one  hundred  ranging  from 


830 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


$200,000  to  $2,000,000.  One  of  our  assessors,  who  is 
very  thoroughly  versed  in  the  valuation  of  this  de- 
scription of  property,  assures  us  that  the  real  estate 
portion  of  "the  plant"  of  the  Brooklyn  manufactories 
(».  e.,  the  land  and  buildings)  considerably  exceeds  two 
hundred  million  dollars.  The  machinery  contained  is, 
we  believe,  generally  classed  as  personal  property, 
though  not  taxed  as  such. 

Next  come  the  warehouses,  on  or  near  the  water 
front.  It  is  very  difficult  to  estimate  the  value  of  these. 
There  are  more  than  two  hundred  and  fifty  of  them; 
and  one,  said  to  be  the  largest  in  the  world,  is  reported 
to  have  cost  $2,500,000.  Many  others  are  large,  lofty 
and  costly  buildings.  Mori'  than  fifty  per  cent,  of  the 
imports,  and  nearly  75  per  cent,  of  the  exports  from 
the  port  of  New  York,  pass  through  them  every  year. 
From  the  best  information  we  have  been  able  to  gather, 
we  should  place  their  value  at  not  far  from  sixty  mil- 
lions. There  remain  the  icholesale  and  retail  stores — 
such  of  them  as  are  not  also  dwellings  or  manufactor- 
ies, of  which  the  number  and  value  is  considerable— at 
a  rough  estimate,  not  far  from  ten  millions  ;  the  rail- 
road depots  and  stations,  ferry  houses,  etc.,  perhaps 
about  five  millions;  the  churches  and  missions,  about 
270  in  number,  are  estimated  at  about  twelve  millions; 
the  hospitals,  dispensaries,  orphan  and  other  asylums, 
homes,  etc.,  etc.,  not  less  than  ten  millions;  the  schools 
and  academies,  public  and  private,  not  far  from  twelve 
millions;  the  libraries,  museums,  art  galleries  and  halls, 
three  millions;  and  the  public  buildings,  at  about  six 
millions.  Here  we  have  an  aggregate  of  about  520 
millions.  Now,  of  these  buildings,  with  the  increased 
value  of  the  real  estate  connected  with  them,  more  than 
four-fifths  of  the  erection  and  increase  has  accrued 
since  1854,  the  date  of  the  consolidation  of  Brooklyn 
and  Williamsburg. 

Our  own  architects,  builders  and  real  estate  dealers 
have  been  the  prime  factors  in  effecting  this  immense 
accession  to  the  city's  wealth.  A  portion  of  the  capital 
which  has  formed  the  basis  of  it  has  come  from  other 
cities  and  states,  but  the  greater  part  has  been  from 
the  accumulations  of  the  toil  of  our  own  citizens.  The 
demand  for  building  materials  has  led  to  the  establish- 
ment of  many  manufactures  connected  with  building, 
and  now  every  item  required  in  the  construction  and 
finishing  of  the  most  costly  and  elegant  dwelling,  or 
public  or  private  building,  is,  or  can  be,  produced  in 
Brooklyn,  and  of  a  quality  unsurpassed  anywhere. 

We  might,  indeed,  come  somewhat  nearer  to  our  own 
time,  and  review,  with  somewhat  fuller  and  more  defi- 
nite information,  the  condition  of  the. city  in  1B54,  after 
its  consolidation  with  Williamsburg,  when  its  popula- 
tion had  reached  about  150,000,  and  its  geographical 
extent  was  the  same  as  it  is  to-day.  Nearly  thirty  years 
h  uc  since  then,  and  iis  population,  it'  a  census 

were  to  be  taken  in  this  autumn  of  1883,  would  not  fall 
short  of  700,000  souls.    Its  material  advancement  has 


been  even  more  rapid  than  its  growth  in  population. 
At  that  time  the  assessed  valuation  of  real  estate 
in  the  consolidated  city  was  $69,014,645.  Then,  as 
now,  the  rate  at  which  real  estate  was  appraised  for 
taxation  was  supposed  to  be  about  70  per  cent.  Add- 
ing the  other  30  per  cent. — $20,704,393 — we  have  $89,- 
719,038  as  the  market  value,  or  value  at  forced  sale.  The 
additional  $10,281,962  required  to  make  up  the  $100,- 
000,000  would  probably  have  fully  covered  the  value 
of  the  city  buildings,  churches  and  schools  then  exist- 
ing in  the  consolidated  city. 

We  have,  then,  as  we  have  already  shown,  an  in- 
crease in  the  value  of  real  estate  alone,  in  this  city,  in 
thirty  years,  of  more  than  $400,000,000— a  rate  of  in 
crease  which  not  even  the  most  enterprising  of  western 
cities  has  equalled. 

There  was  then,  it  is  true,  the  City  Hall,  but  no 
Court-House,  only  a  beer  garden  where  it  now  stands  ; 
no  Municipal  Building;  no  Academy  of  Music,  or  other 
music  hall  of  sufficient  dimensions  to  permit  the  pre- 
sentation of  opera,  oratorio,  or  grand  concert ;  no 
Academy  of  Design;  no  theatres  for  our  amusement- 
loving  citizens,  who  must  for  music  or  the  drama  go  to 
the  great  city  across  the  river,  to  which  they  then  fur- 
nished only  lodging  room.  There  was  no  Brooklvn 
Library;  no  Historical  Society,  with  its  rich  collections 
of  antiquities,  and  its  ample  supply  of  historical  work- 
There  was,  indeed,  the  Graham  Institute,  with  its  small 
but  useful  library,  a  solitary  hospital,  a  dispensary,  a 
single  orphan  asylum,  the  Graham  Institute  for  aged 
and  indigent  women,  the  church  charity  foundation, 
then  just  organized;  these  were  the  charitable  institu- 
tions of  the  time,  and  only  one  of  these  was  as  well 
housed  as  now. 

There  were,  at  that  time,  according  to  Mayor  George 
Hall,  whose  inaugural  address  as  Mayor  of  the  con- 
solidated city  is  still  preserved,  113  churches  in  the 
city,  of  all  denominations,  the  greater  part  having 
either  church  edifices  or  chapels,  though  a  few  wor- 
shipped in  temporary  buildings  afterwards  sold  or 
abandoned. 

Some  of  the  church  edifices  were  stately  and  beauti- 
ful buildings;  most  of  these  were  then  recently  erected 
The  Church  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  Grace  Church,  the 
Church  of  St.  Charles  Borromco,  the  Church  of  tlx 
Pilgrims,  Strong  Place  Uaptist  Church,  the  First  Pres- 
byterian Church,  in  Henry  street,  the  First  Presby- 
terian Church,  in  Clinton  street,  and  the  Pacific  street 
.Methodist,  being  the  most  conspicuous  examples  ;  hut 
the  greater  part  were  plain  but  generally  substantial 
buildings,  of  brick  or  wood.  In  the  thirty  years  which 
have  passed,  not  less  than  200  church  edifices  have 
been  erected,  including  those  which  were  then  unfin- 
ished, and  the  very  considerable  number  which  ha\< 
been  rebuilt,  either  on  the  old  sites  or  on  others.  The 
quality  of  the  new  buildings  has  been  as  remarkable  as 
their  number.    Very  few  of  them  have  been  frame 


ARCHITECTS,  B  UILDERS  AND  REAL  EST  A  TE  A  GENTS. 


831 


buildings;  the  greater  part  were  of  stone,  or  of  brick, 
with  stone  trimmings.  A  considerable  number  are 
among  the  most  beautiful  church  edifices  in  the  United 
States.  Among  these  we  may  name  the  Church  of  the 
Holy  Trinity,  now  completed  by  the  addition  of  a 
beautiful  and  graceful  spire  of  great  height ;  the  new 
St.  Ann's ;  St.  Peter's  (Episcopal^  ;  the  chapel  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  Cathedral;  the  renovated  and  enlarged 
Church  of  the  Pilgrims  ;  the  Central  Congregational 
Church;  the  Tabernacle  (Presbyterian);  the  Lafayette 
avenue  and  the  Classon  avenue  Presbyterian  Churches; 
the  Reformed  (Dutch)  Church,  in  Bedford  avenue, 
E.  D. ;  the  Summerfield,  First  Place,  Simpson,  and 
Seventh  avenue  Methodist  churches,  and  St.  Paul's 
Methodist,  E.  D.  ;  the  Washington  avenue,  Strong 
Place,  and  Pierrepont  street  Baptist  churches;  and  the 
Emmanuel  Baptist  chapel.  The  valuation  of  these 
churches,  which,  in  1854,  was  not  quite  a  million  dol- 
lars, now  exceeds  twelve  millions. 

In  public  buildings,  the  increase  and  the  costliness 
and  beauty  has  been  equally  manifested  ;  the  Court 
House,  the  Municipal  Building,  the  Raymond  street 
Jail,  the  Penitentiary  and  Alms-house,  the  Insane  Hos- 
pital, and  the  City  Hospital,  are  all  buildings  worthy 
of  a  great  city  ;  while  the  Academy  of  Music,  the 
Academy  of  Design,  the  Brooklyn  Library,  the  His- 
torical Society  building,  Music  Hall,  and  the  five  or  six 
theatres,  are  all  buildings  which  are  not  surpassed  for 
their  several  purposes.  The  stately  buildings  for 
banking  and  insurance  houses,  and  offices,  which  sur- 
round the  City  Hall,  like  the  Garfield,  the  Dime  Sav- 
ings Bank,  now  in  process  of  erection,  the  Phoenix 
Insurance  and  the  Continental  Insurance  building,  are 
worthy  examples  of  the  combination  of  beauty  and 
utility.  Not  less  remarkable  are  our  great  collegiate 
schools,  the  Packer  Institute,  the  Polytechnic  and  the 
Adelphi  Academy. 

Of  Hospitals  and  Asylums,  we  have  now  more  than 
a  score,  and  near  lyas  many  Dispensaries.  Most  of  these 
are  in  their  own  buildings,  and  some  of  them,  build- 
ings in  which  architectural  beauty  is  allied  with  the 
most  complete  arrangements  for  comfort,  convenience 
and  restoration  to  health. 

The  building  of  the  great  warehouses  along  the 
river  and  water  front  has  been  almost  wholly  the  work 
of  the  last  thirty  years.  In  solidity  and  strength,  as 
well  as  in  capacity,  they  surpass  the  far-famed  London 
Docks.  One  of  them  (Dows'  stores),  at  the  foot  of 
Pacific  street,  is  said  to  have  no  equal  in  extent,  ca- 
pacity, and  all  the  appliances  for  the  rapid  transfer- 
ence of  grain  to  and  from  the  vessels  which  lie  at  its 
docks,  in  the  world.  The  bricks  and  mortar  put  into 
these  250  great  warehouses,  are  sufficient  to  build  an 
ordinary  city. 

The  great  manufactories  are  also,  for  the  most  part, 
the  work  of  the  last  thirty  years.  The  vast  sugar  re- 
fineries, ten  and  twelve  stories  in  height,  with  walls 


which  would  withstand  the  bombardment  of  even 
modern  ordnance,  covering  many  acres  of  ground  and 
turning  out  a  hundred  million  dollars  worth  of  sugar  and 
syrups  annually;  the  immense  petroleum  refineries,  the 
monster  foundries  and  machine  shops,  and  the  great 
rope-walks,  wall  paper  factories,  the  extensive  paint 
works,  white  lead  works,  glass  factories,  porcelain 
works,  and  factories  of  all  sorts,  have  taxed  the  builders' 
resources  to  the  utmost.  Not  less  than  180  million 
dollars  has  been  put  into  these  buildings  during  the 
past  thirty  years,  an  average  of  $6,000,000  a  year. 

We  have  purposely  left  to  the  last  the  dwelling 
houses,  of  which  about  60,000  have  been  erected  since 
1854,  and  the  number  is  constantly  increasing.  While 
wealthy  citizens  have  erected  many  beautiful  and 
costly  residences  for  their  own  use,  the  habit  has  pre- 
vailed, ever  since  Brooklyn  began  to  grow,  of  erecting 
houses  "  on  speculation,"  as  it  was  called.  A  builder, 
an  architect,  or  a  real  estate  dealer,  obtained  a  tract  of 
land  consisting  of  from  two  to  a  hundred  lots — 25x100 
feet — often  paying  only  a  small  percentage  of  the  value 
of  the  land,  and  having  made  his  plans  for  a  block  of 
buildings,  ranging  from  12  to  20  feet  in  width,  applied 
to  banks,  savings  banks,  insurance  companies,  or  private 
capitalists,  for  a  builder's  loan  sufficient  or  nearly  suf- 
ficient to  enable  him  to  build  houses  of  the  style  he  in- 
tended. The  security  for  this  loan  was  a  first  mortgage 
on  the  buildings  to  be  erected.  The  temptation  was,  to 
build  these  houses  for  the  smallest  possible  sum  con- 
sistent with  an  appearance  sufficiently  attractive  to  in- 
sure their  sale.  The  buildings  might  be  frame,  brick, 
brown  stone,  or  marble,  according  to  the  supposed  wants 
of  the  vicinity,  and  the  probable  means  of  the  pur- 
chasers. At  first,  these  houses,  especially  in  the  out- 
lying wards, — which  then  included,  in  the  Western 
District,  much  of  the  territory  east  and  south  of  the 
City  Hall ;  and  in  the  Eastern  District,  most  of  the 
region  east,  and  part  of  that  west  of  Bedford  avenue, 
and  most  of  Greenpoint,  and  the  region  north  of  Broad- 
way— were  mostly  frame,  and  oftener  than  otherwise  of 
two  stories  and  basement,  with  balloon  frames  and  flat, 
roofs.  The  modern  improvements  were,  very  few  of 
them,  introduced,  the  present  sewerage  system  not  hav- 
ing been  perfected,  and  sewers  only  built  on  the  great 
thoroughfare,  and  the  Ridgewood  water  not  being  in- 
troduced. These  houses  were  generally  well  built  for 
the  time,  but  the  profit  was  sufficient  to  induce  many 
who  had  had  no  experience  or  practical  knowledge  to 
engage  in  it,  and  some  of  them  disastrously.  In  some 
instances,  capitalists  furnished  the  money,  employing 
builders  to  do  the  work,  and  when  the  houses  were  fin- 
ished, holding,  and  selling  or  renting  them.  The  compe- 
tition soon  led  to  the  erection  of  better  houses,  of  brick, 
brown  stone  or  marble.  Some  of  these  were  three 
stories  in  height,  though  the  majority  were  still  but  two 
stories  and  basement.  As  the  sewers  were  constructed, 
and  the  Ridgewood  water  introduced  into  the  streets, 


832 


HISTORY  0*  KINGS  COUNTY. 


the  inevitable  plumber  began  to  introduce  his  pipes 
and  fixtures,  and  decay  and  disease  soon  visited  the 
new  houses.  But  the  constantly  increasing  competition 
led  to  new  improvements,  and  swell  or  angle  fronts  of 
brown  stone.often  only  a  veneer  of  stone,  three  stories  and 
a  mansard  roof,  elegant  fixtures  for  the  wash-basins, 
stationary  tubs,  finely  furnished  kitchens  and  dining 
rooms,  hard-wood  doors,  stairs  and  floors,  elaborately 
carved  stairways  and  newel  posts,  bronze  door-knobs, 
hinges,  locks,  etc.,  etc.,  took  place  of  the  earlier  and 
plainer  finishing.  There  was,  in  most  cases,  consider- 
able slighting  of  the  work  which  was  not  intended  to 
be  seen.  The  prices  of  these  showy  dwellings  went 
constantly  higher  and  higher,  till  the  classes  who  had 
hitherto  purchased  them,  mainly  young  and  enterpris- 
ing business  men,  who  had  but  little  ready  money,  but 
good  prospects  ahead, — found  themselves  unable  to 
purchase  these  expensive  houses,  even  though  the  first 
payments  were  but  small.  There  was  a  demand  for  a 
cheaper  class  of  houses  which  should  yet  be  sufficiently 
tasteful  and  elegant  to  satisfy  the  cultivated  tastes  of 
the  purchasers. 

This  demand  has  been  partially  met  in  several  ways. 
The  greater  part  of  these  houses  had  been  20  feet  in 
width  and  of  varying  depth  from  30  to  50  feet.  Some 
builders  resorted  to  the  plan  of  making  them  narrower 
— three  houses,  16§  feet  each  in  width,  on  two  city  lots, 
or  fifty  feet — some  even  narrowed  them  to  12  or  14 
feet,  with  the  miminum  depth.  Others  built  brown 
stone  houses  of  the  regulation  width,  20  feet,  but  only 
two  stories  and  basement,  sagely  remarking  to  the  pur- 
chasers that  it  would  be  very  easy  for  them,  by  and  by, 
when  they  wished,  to  put  on  a  third  story,  not  mention- 
ing the  fact  that  the  walls  were  too  thin  to  make  this 
possible,  under  the  existing  building  laws.  Others, 
desirous  of  furnishing  more  room,  made  their  houses 
two  stories  in  front  and  three  stories  in  the  rear. 

None  of  these  plans  proved  perfectly  satisfactory; 
there  was  a  great  rage  for  brown-stone  veneers  on  the 
front,  though  the  best  brick  is  in  all  respects  a  better, 
safer  and  more  durable  material.  Within  the  past 
three  or  four  years  a  great  demand  has  sprung  up  for 
apartment  houses,  or,  as  they  are  less  euphoniously 
called,  flats.  In  the  eastern  wards  of  the  "Western  Dis- 
trict, as  well  as  in  the  region  west  of  the  Park,  these 
buildings  have  gone  up  by  hundreds.  They  are  of  all 
grades  -good, had  and  indifferent;  a  few  with  elevators 
and  skylights,  interior  courts,  and  all  the  latest  im- 
provements, including  that  very  doubtful  improvement, 
the  tyrant  janitor — but  the  rent  of  these  was  as  much, 
or  more,  than  that  of  a  neat  and  coin  fort  able  house. 
Others  had  dumb  waiters,  narrow  and  stuffy  dark  rooms 
in  the  centre,  and  comparatively  few  conveniences. 
Some,  even  poorer  than  these,  very  soon  degenerated 
into  tenement  houses.  The  imposing  exterior  of  these 
flats  had  much  to  do  with  their  temporary  popularity, 
but  the  business  has  been  overdone.    The  Eastern  Dis- 


trict— Williamsburg — has  not  been  so  extensively  "  flat- 
tened "  as  the  Western  District,  but  its  immense  fac- 
tory population  has  required  a  much  larger  number  of 
tenement  houses,  and  these  are  of  all  kinds  except  the 
best. 

While  the  great  enterprise  in  the  erection  of  dwell- 
ings, manufactories,  warehouses,  school  edifices, 
churches,  halls,  theatres  and  public  buildings,  has  called 
in  a  vast  addition  to  our  population,  and  has  increased, 
and  will  still  increase,  our  wealth  and  prosperity  as  a 
city,  its  first  effect  was  to  greatly  increase  our  taxation. 
The  territory  of  our  city  was  so  large,  and  the  building 
up  of  the  streets  with  outlying  wards  so  rapid,  that  it 
necessitated  enormous  expenditure  in  the  construction 
of  sewers,  the  laying  of  water  pipes,  and  the  grading 
and  paving  of  the  new  streets.  Prospect  Park  and  the 
other  parks,  as  well  as  the  Sackett  street  or  Eastern 
Parkway  and  the  Ocean  Parkway,  and  the  Bridge, 
have  also  come  into  these  thirty  years,  and  have,  with 
the  other  outlays,  made  the  taxation  in  some  of  the 
past  years  very  heavy.  These  extraordinary  expenses 
are  now  among  the  reminiscences  of  the  period  of  our 
city's  adolescence,  and  the  taxation  is  not  now  as  heavy 
as  in  many  other  cities.  The  present  year  it  is  about 
2.58  per  cent,  on  the  assessed  valuation. 

It  remains  for  us  now  to  speak  of  the  architects, 
builders  and  dealers  in  real  estate,  to  whom  we  are  in- 
debted for  this  extraordinary  growth  and  development 
of  our  material  resources. 

The  rapid  development,  whose  history  we  have 
sketched,  has  of  necessity  brought  to  the  surface  great 
numbers  of  persons  and  firms,  who  have  found  in  it  the 
opportunity  for  profitable  employment,  and,  in  many 
cases,  for  the  acquisition  of  wealth.  The  directory  for 
the  year  1883-84  gives  the  names  and  addresses  of  41 
architects  whose  business  is  mostly  in  Kings  county; 
of  325  real  estate  agents;  of  21  dealers  in  builders' 
materials,  besides  28  proprietors  of  stone  yards,  and  a 
very  considerable  number  of  marble  workers,  who  con- 
fine themselves  to  marble  and  tiling  for  public  and 
private  buildings;  of  334  carpenters  and  builders  and 
building  firms;  of  100  masons,  who  were  also  general 
builders;  of  18  master  plasterers  and  decorative  plas- 
terers; of  264  master  house  painters,  and  of  212  mas- 
ter plumbers  and  gas-fitters.  In  all,  there  were  1,843 
firms  or  persons  who  carried  on  business  on  their  own 
account,  who  were  engaged  in  pursuits  connected  with 
the  erection  and  sale  of  public  and  private  buildings. 

If  we  take  into  the  account  the  employees  of  these 
1,313  firms,  we  shall  have  an  aggregate  of  not  less  than 
15,000  persons  connected  with  the  house  building  trades 
and  professions.  And  to  this  number  should  also  be 
added  the  manufacturers  aixl  dealers  in  paper  hangings, 
30  in  number;  the  manufacturers  of  iron  work  for 
houses,  of  whom,  in  all  branches,  there  are  about  78 j 
and  the  brass  founders  who  make  a  specialty  of  house 
furnishings,  of  whom  there  are  24,  and,  with  their  em- 


ARCHITECTS,  BUILDERS  AND  REAL  ESTATE  A  GENTS. 


833 


ployees,  we  shall  have  to  add  at  least  another  thousand 
to  the  number.  All  this  is  irrespective  of  the  furnish- 
ing of  the  houses  and  public  buildings,  as  well  as  of  the 
lumber  trade  and  the  work  in  hard  woods,  which  is  a 
distinct  branch  of  the  business.  It  would  undoubtedly 
be  a  fair  estimate  to  say,  that,  including  the  furnishing, 
at  least  25,000  persons  were  directly  connected  with 
the  building  interests  of  this  city,  and  that  100,000 
more  were  dependent  upon  these. 

The  Architects  of  Brooklyn. — Let  us  take  up 
some  of  these  classes  somewhat  in  detail,  and  thus  gain 
a  better  idea  of  the  growth  of  this  interest  within  the 
past  forty  or  fifty  years.  We  will  begin  with  the 
architects.  The  number  of  these  was,  in  May,  1883, 
forty-one,  and  perhaps  we  should  add  to  them  the 
Beventy-one  surveyors,  whose  office  is  to  lay  out  the 
city  lots,  the  streets,  etc.,  and  to  make  plans  for  the 
sewers,  water  mains,  etc.,  all  adjuncts  of  building  in 
the  city.  The  number  of  these  classes  is  not  so  large 
as  it  would  be,  if  many  of  the  master  builders  were 
not,  or  did  not  believe  themselves  to  be,  competent  to 
make  out  complete  plans  for  dwelling-houses.  Gener- 
ally, it  is  only  the  larger  and  more  costly  dwellings — 
the  banking  and  insurance  houses,  the  finest  buildings 
for  offices,  and  the  public  or  semi-public  buildings, 
like  churches,  theatres,  opera  houses,  hospitals,  asy- 
lums, etc.,  and  the  city  or  county  buildings,  together 
with  the  finest  of  the  great  warehouses  and  manufac- 
tories— for  which  the  services  of  an  architect  are  re- 
quired. It  is  safe  to  say  that  there  was  not,  fifty  years 
ago,  sufficient  business  in  the  then  village  of  Brooklyn 
to  give  full  employment  to  even  one  architect;  in  the 
rare  instances  in  which  architectural  drawings  were  re- 
quired, the  services  of  a  New  York  architect  were 
sought  for.  Even  thirty  years  ago,  the  consolidated 
city  (Brooklyn  and  Williamsburg)  only  supplied  busi- 
ness for  three  or  four,  and  even  these  supplemented 
tln  ir  Brooklyn  business  by  what  they  could  obtain  in 
New  York  city.  They  had,  for  the  most  part,  offices 
in  New  York,  and  much  of  the  drafting  was  done 
there.  We  have  been  unable  to  obtain  the  names  of 
all  those  early  architects,  among  them  was  Keller, 
whose  plans  possessed  great  merit;  Field,  who  also 
maintained  a  very  high  position;  both  of  these  are 
now  deceased;  E.  L.  Roberts,  who,  though  having  an 
office  in  New  York,  and  doing  a  large  business  there, 
was  also  the  designer  and  architect  of  many  of  our 
finest  churches.  Other  eminent  New  York  architects 
came  to  Brooklyn,  and  made  the  designs  for  some  of 
our  finest  buildings. 

At  the  present  time,  the  Brooklyn  architects  have  a 
very  high  reputation.  Some  of  them  are  officers  of 
the  American  Institute  of  Architects,  and  nearly  all 
take  rank  with  architects  of  New  York  and  other  cities. 
The  names  of  Roberts,  who,  though  not  now  a  resi- 
dent of  Brooklyn,  is  still  reckoned  one  of  its  most  skill- 
ful and  successful  architects;  of  the  late  Richard  S. 


Hatfield,  Vice-President  of  the  Institute  of  Archi 
tects,  and  of  his  son,  one  of  the  ablest  of  our  younger 
architects;  of  the  two  Glovers,  of  Montague  street  ; 
of  Wm.  A.  Mundell;  of  William  H.  Gaylor,  who  is 
a  successful  builder,  as  well  as  a  fine  architect  (see 
Biography,  page  580);  of  Amzi  Hill,  Samuel  Curtiss, 
Thomas  Meroein,  John  Mumford,  architect  of  the 
new  Seney  Hospital;  Frederick  Weber*  and  Dud- 
ley Blanchard,  of  the  East  District;  Thos.  F.  Hough- 
ton; J.  H.  Doherty,  office  280  Flatbush  avenue, 
corner  Prospect  Place  ;  real  estate  ;  established  ten 
years  ago  above  address;  actively  engaged  in  building, 
in  neighborhood  of  Prospect  Park  ;  of  firm  of  J. 
Doherty  &  Son  ;  Theobald  Engelhardt,  14  Fayette 
street,  architect;  established  1877,  in  Brooklyn  ;  for- 
merly with  father  in  the  carpenter  business  ;  had 
charge  of  the  building  of  the  school  and  gymnasium 
of  the  Williamsburgh  Turn  Verein ;  among  promi- 
nent buildings,  erected  the  new  malt  house  of  S.  Lieb- 
mann's  Sons,  the  dry  goods  store  of  H.  Battermann, 
Broadway,  Flushing  and  Graham  avenue,  Hebrew 
Orphan  Asylum,  384  and  386  McDonough  street,  M. 
May's  Sanitary  Abbatoir,  Johnson  avenue  plank-road, 
etc.  ;  and  a  score  of  others  of  less  note,  though  not, 
perhaps,  of  less  ability,  will  occur  to  the  minds  of  our 
readers. 

The  Dealers  in  Builders'  Materials  come  next 
in  logical  order.  Of  these,  including  the  proprietors 
of  stone  yards,  there  are  forty-nine  in  all.  There  were 
a  few  brick  houses  and  possibly  three  or  four  stone 
ones  in  1834,  but  the  number  then  building  was  not 
sufficient  to  make  it  profitable  for  one  man  to  give  his 
whole  time  and  capital  to  dealing  in  building  mate- 
rials. In  1854,  the  amount  of  building  was  larger, 
and  three  or  four  dealers  along  the  water  front  were 
receiving  the  brick  from  the  Hudson  River  brick  yards, 
the  Philadelphia  brick  brought  through  the  Morris 
Canal  and  by  coasting  vessels,  the  Westchester  mar- 
ble, the  Connecticut  River  brown  stone,  the  Quincy 
granite  and  lumber  from  Maine,  from  Williamsport, 
Penn.,  from  Albany  and  the  north  woods,  and  perhaps 
a  little,  also,  from  Michigan  and  Canada.  The  lumber 
dealers,  it  should  be  noticed,  number  now  thirty-eight 
firms,  in  addition  to  the  forty-nine  already  enumerated. 
But  the  building  increased  very  rapidly  from  that  time 
forward.  The  number  of  new  buildings  erected  annu- 
ally rose  from  300  in  1855  to  3,539  in  1867,  and  3,307 
in  1868.  In  1869  and  1870  the  number  exceeded  4,000, 
and  continued  very  large  till  1873.  After  this  there 
was  a  lull,  but  in  1880  the  number  began  to  rise  again, 
reached  1,989  in  1881,  2,376  in  1882,  and  will  probably 
exceed  4,000  in  1884.  These  are  all  new  buildings, 
aside  from  repairs  and  building  additional  stories  upon 
dwellings,  of  which  a  great  deal  is  done  every  year. 
In  1868,  of  the  3,307  buildings  erected,  375  were 
brown  stone  fronts,  775  brick  (the  two  making  only 
one-third  of  the  whole);  1,915  were  frame  dwellings; 


834 


IIISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


L 


there  were  also  3  stone,  7  brick  and  9  frame  church 
edifices,  1  brick  school-house;  41  brick  and  24  frame 
buildings  for  manufacturing  purposes;  7  brick  and  10 
frame  stores,  and  140  buildings  of  a  miscellaneous  char- 
acter. The  total  value  of  these  buildings  was  stated 
at  $3,315,200.  In  1882,  the  fire  limits  had  been  ex- 
tended beyond  Tompkins  avenue  on  the  east,  and  al- 
most to  the  Penny  bridge  on  the  south,  and  in  the 
Eastern  District  to  Graham  avenue.  We  have  before 
us  the  report  of  the  Commissioner  of  Buildings  of  the 
buildings  erected  for  the  eleven  months  ending  Novem- 
ber 30,  issl.  There  were  ],*G7  new  buildings  erected 
in  these  eleven  months,  and  1,930  in  the  whole  twelve. 
Of  these  1,867,  1,157  were  of  brick,  579  of  them  with 
brown  stone  fronts;  710  were  frame,  and  of  these  20 
we  re  erected  in  violation  of  the  law  within  the  fire 
limits.  This  was  almost  a  reversal  of  the  proportions 
of  1H6N,  but  the  difference  in  cost  was  still  more 
marked.  The  cost  of  the  l.stJT  was  *9,|  15,232,  and  of 
the  whole  number  of  buildings  in  the  year  1881  (1,939) 
was  $9,498,347.  This  increase  of  value  was  still  more 
remarkable  in  Issj.  There  were  2,370  buildings 
erected,  and  the  estimated  cost  was  $10,380,203.  In 
I w^l,  the  rage  for  apartment  house!  had  but  just,  be- 


gun; there  were  339  dwellings  intended  for  from  two 
to  four  families.  In  1S82  the  number  had  largely  in- 
creased, so  that  the  2,370  buildings  of  the  year  really 
represented  more  than  3,500  dwellings.  In  1883,  these 
buildings  have  been  going  up  everywhere-  On  a  sin- 
gle street  (Bedford  avenue)  the  number  of  apartments 
finished  this  year  exceeds  500,  while  Nostrand  avenue 
has  nearly  as  many.  These  are  all  of  fine  brick,  from 
fifty  to  eighty  feet  in  depth  and  four  or  five  stories 
high.  The  greater  part  have  brown  stone  fronts.  <  M 
course,  this  immense  impulse  which  the  building  trade 
has  received  creates  a  vast  demand  for  building  mate- 
rials. Some  of  the  dealers  are  selling  their  fifty,  eight  \ 
or  a  hundred  million  bricks,  and  lime  and  cement  in 
proportion;  the  stone  yards  are  turning  out  their  hun- 
dreds of  thousands  of  square  feet  of  Ashlar,  and  their 
thousands  of  tons  of  foundation  stones;  and  the  lumbar 
dealers  are  fast  stripping  the  North  and  Northwesl  ol 
their  timber  trees,  one  firm  alone  (Cross,  AuSTTJ  A 
Co.)  having  sold  the  last  year  22,000,000  square  feet 
of  lumber.    The  leading  houses  in  the  line  of 

Builders'  and  Masons'  Materials  (aside  from 
lumber  dealers)  are:  II.  S.  Christian,  of  South  Brook- 
lyn; H.  F.  Burroughs  &  Co.,  of  the  Eastern  District; 


ARCHITECTS,  BUILDERS  AND  REAL  ESTATE  AGENTS. 


835 


Beard  &  Kimpland,  Hobby  &  Leeds  and  John  Mor- 
ton &  Sons,  all  of  South  Brooklyn;  Joseph  H.  Col- 
ter, of .  Washington  and  Plymouth  streets;  Walter 
T.  Klots  &  Bro.  and  Charles  H.  Reynolds,  both  of 
the  Eastern  District. 

H.  S.  Christian,  the  well-known  dealer  in  builders'  mate- 
rials (whose  portrait  appears  on  the  opposite  page),  was  born 
in  Farsund,  Norway,  December  4th,  1824,  and  is  a  son  of  Sea- 
ver  and  Martha  (Thomas)  Christian.  His  father  was  a  ship- 
builder. Mr.  Christian  attended  the  schools  of  his  native 
place  until  he  had  attained  the  age  of  fifteen,  when  he  entered 
upon  a  seafaring  life,  which  he  pursued  until  he  was  twenty- 
two.  There  seems  to  have  been  no  necessity  for  him  to  under- 
take the  toils  and  suffer  the  dangers  and  deprivations  of  the 
sailor,  but  he  chose  the  career  from  an  innate  liking  for  it,  and 
to  this  day  states  that  he  is  not  sorry  that  he  did,  though  his 
days  and  nights  before  the  mast  and  on  the  quarter-deck  are 
of  the  distant  past.  His  father  and  mother  having  died,  he 
made  New  York  his  home  after  he  was  seventeen  years  old, 
and,  upon  leaving  the  sea,  he  entered  as  a  clerk  the  drug  store 
now  of  Messrs.  Schieffetin,  located  in  William  street,  but  then 
in  John  street,  where  he  remained  two  years. 

From  that  time  on  until  1863,  Mr.  Christian  was  employed 
by  different  firms  in  various  branches  of  trade.  September 
1st,  that  year,  he  purchased  the  business  of  Hiram  Travers, 
dealer  in  builders'  materials,  located  on  land  owned  by  the 
Union  Ferry  Company,  between  Degraw  and  Sackett  streets, 
Brooklyn,  and  five  years  later  removed  to  his  present  loca- 
tion on  Second  street  and  Gowanus  canal.  He  has  been  very 
successful,  gradually  increasing  his  trade,  until  he  ranks 
with  the  leading  dealers  in  his  line  in  the  city,  employing  a 
large  number  of  men  throughout  the  year. 

In  May,  1849,  Mr.  Christian  married  Elmira  E.  Stuart,  a 
native  of  New  York.  They  have  resided  in  Brooklyn  since 
the  Spring  of  1858,  and  have  a  home  characterized  by  taste- 
fulness,  elegance  and  comfort,  at  No.  251  President  street. 

Mr.  Christian  has  been  a  member  of  the  Masonic  order 
since  1863,  and  has  twice  been  master  of  his  lodge.  He  is 
also  a  Knight  Templar.  For  the  past  thirty-five  years  he  has 
been  connected  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and 
for  twenty-five  years  a  member  of  the  First  Place  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church.  He  has  held  all  of  the  various  offices  of 
the  organization  in  turn,  and  has  long  been  an  earnest  laborer 
in  the  Sunday-school  cause,  having  been  Superintendent 
of  the  First  Place  Methodist  Episcopal  Sunday-school  three 
years. 

Politically,  Mr.  Christian,  a  former  Whig,  has  been  a  re- 
publican since  the  organization  of  the  party  in  1856.  Though 
not  an  office-seeker  nor  an  active  politician  in  the  usual 
acceptation  of  the  term,  he  takes  a  deep  interest  in  all  pub- 
lic affairs,  desires  the  welfare  of  the  whole  people,  and  be- 
lieves it  can  be  secured  only  by  honest  administration. 


Horace  F.  Burroughs  (see  portrait  on  following  page),  a 
successful  and  highly  respectable  business  man  of  Brooklyn, 
was  born  in  that  city,  Sept.  26th,  1828.  His  father,  Thomas 
Burroughs,  was  born  at  Newtown,  Queens  county,  L.  I. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch,  having  lost  both  of  his  parents 
when  he  was  about  four  years  of  age,  left  Brooklyn  when 
he  was  about  six  years  old  and  went  to  reside  on  a  farm  at 
Quogue,  in  the  town  of  South  Hampton,  L.  I.  Here  he  re- 
mained, attending  school  a  portion  of  the  time,  until  he  was 
about  sixteen  years  old.  The  young  man  conceived  a  great 
foadne3s  for  a  seafaring  life;  accordingly,  at  the  age  of  six- 


teen, he  shipped  on  board  the  bark  Roanoke,  then  about  sail- 
ing on  a  whaling  voyage  from  Greenport,  L.  I.,  in  1844. 
It  was  a  great  undertaking  for  a  boy  of  his  age,  but  he 
courageously  and  determinedly  encountered  the  dangers  and 
privations  of  "a  life  on  the  ocean  wave,"  and  successfully 
made  the  voyage. 

In  their  route,  they  stopped  at  the  Azores,  or  Western 
Islands,  Cape  De  Verde  Islands,  the  Falkland  Islands,  off  the 
coast  of  Patagonia,  where  the  ship  spent  the  season  in  catch- 
ing whales.  On  its  return  home,  stopped  at  the  Island  of  St. 
Helena. 

This  voyage  occupied  one  year,  and  was  highly  success- 
ful. In  1845,  he  again  shipped  on  board  the  Roanoke,  on 
another  whaling  voyage,  sailing  from  the  same  port. 

The  vessel  doubled  Cape  Horn;  sailed  along  the  coast  of 
Chili,  stopping  at  the  island  of  Juan  Fernandez,  famous  as 
being  the  place  of  Alexander  Selkirk's  exile.  From  here  the 
Roanoke  sailed  for  the  Sandwich  Islands,  where  it  remained 
two  weeks,  giving  young  Burroughs  an  opportunity  to  see 
much  of  those  islands.  Leaving  there,  the  ship  sailed  for  the 
coast  of  Kamtschatka,  where  was  the  principal  whaling 
ground. 

This  was  the  extent  of  the  voyage,  the  return  home  being 
over  the  same  route.  Reaching  the  Sandwich  Islands,  where 
they  remained  for  a  time,  they  then  sailed  for  the  Southern 
Pacific,  stopping  at  many  of  its  islands  on  the  way.  Again 
doubling  Cape  Horn,  they  pursued  their  way  homewards, 
stopping  at  the  Falkland  Islands,  Rio  Janeiro  and  other 
ports,  arriving  safely  at  home  in  1847,  after  an  absence 
of  two  years. 

Young  Burroughs,  it  will  thus  be  seen,  spent  three  years 
in  following  the  seas.  Although  it  was  a  life  of  danger, 
adventure  and  hardship,  it  was  one  of  interest  and  instruc- 
tion, imparting  to  him  knowledge  and  experience  of  great 
practical  value,  which  he  could  have  learned  in  no  other 
place  or  way. 

The  year  after  his  return  from  his  last  voyage  (1847),  he 
spent  in  coasting  between  New  York  and  Charleston,  S.  C. 
New  York  and  Philadelphia,  and  New  York  and  Boston;  so 
that  really  he  spent  about  four  years  in  a  seafaring  life. 

Leaving  this,  he  commenced  the  carpenter  business,  at 
which  he  worked  four  years  in  Brooklyn  and  Newtown. 
This  brings  his  life  down  to  the  year  1852,  when  he  began 
the  business  of  dealing  in  building  material.  To  this  business 
he  has  successfully  devoted  the  last  thirty-one  years  of  his 
life,  and  he  is  still  successfully  engaged  in  it.  His  present 
place  of  business  is  at  Nos.  2-14  Taylor  street,  and  at  Kent 
avenue,  near  Hooker  street,  and  junction  of  Grand  street 
and  Metropolitan  avenue,  Newtown  Creek. 

It  will  thus  be  seen  that  Mr.  Burroughs  conducts  a  large 
and  extensive  business  concern,  one  of  the  most  important 
in  Brooklyn. 

The  profitable  and  honorable  manner  in  which  he  conducts 
his  business,  together  with  his  promptitude  and  reliability, 
identifies  him  in  a  commendable  degree  with  the  rapidly 
growing  interests  of  Brooklyn. 

Mr.  Burroughs  was  married  in  1852,  to  Ann  Maria  Van 
Nostrand,  of  Brooklyn.  There  have  been  born  to  this  mar- 
riage four  children — two  sons  and  two  daughters — to  wit: 
William  Van  Nostrand,  Horace  Franklin,  Mary  Louisa  and 
Adele. 

He  is  not  a  politician  in  any  sense  of  the  word,  but  always 
votes  for  whom  he  considers  the  best  man,  making  fitness 
for  office,  honor  and  integrity  in  a  candidate  of  higher  im- 
portance than  the  party  he  belongs  to.  Mr.  Burroughs  is  an 
attendant  of  Plymouth  church. 

On  the  whole,  few  men  in  the  city  of  Brooklyn  attend 


836 


HISTORY  01  KINGS  COUNTY. 


more  closely  to  their  own  business  than  Mr.  Burroughs. 
The  results  flowing  from  this  industrious  attention  are  suc- 
cess and  prosperity. 


John  Morton. — William  Morton  (see  portrait  on  opposite 
page),  was  one  of  two  sous  of  a  linen  manufacturer  of  Ire- 
land, who  came  to  America  while  yet  young  men.  He  lo- 
cated in  Westchester  county,  N.  Y.,  and  there  married  Miss 
Chloe  Teed,  a  native  of  the  town  of  Souiers.  They  had 
four  children,  one  of  whom  was  John  Morton,  the  subject 
of  this  sketch,  who  was  born  in  Somers,  April  15th,  1814. 
When  he  was  about  four  years  old  his  father  removed  to 
Croton  Landing,  in  the  town  of  Cortlandt,  where  he  for 
some  years  plied  his  trade  of  weaver,  later  buying  a  farm 
in  that  vicinity,  on  which  he  lived  until  1N47.  when  he  died, 
his  wife  surviving  him  only  five  years. 

During  the  earlier  years  of  his  boyhood  young  Morion 
assisted  his  father  and  attended  the  public  school  at  Croton 
Landing.  At  thu  age  of  seventeen  he  entered  the  store  of 
his  brother,  George  Morton,  at  Croton  Landing,  as  a  clerk. 
Three  years  later  he  opened  a  store  on  his  ou  n  account  at  the 
l'urman  dock,  three  miles  above  Croton  landing,  where  he 
remained  in  trade  only  about  a  year.  In  partnership  with 
his  brother,  William  Morton,  he  next  established  a  store  at 
Croton  Lauding,  in  which  he  a  few  years  later  bought  his 


brother's  interest,  continuing  the  business  alone  for  about  a 
year,  when  he  sold  out  the  enterprise,  and,  buying  a  sloop 
engaged  in  the  transportation  of  brick  from  Croton  to  New 
York  and  Brooklyn.  In  the  course  of  time  his  business  in- 
creased, necessitating  the  purchase  of  a  second  sloop,  and  in 
1852  Mr.  Morton  removed  to  Brooklyn,  and,  in  partnership 
with  John  Jones,  entered  upon  the  sale  of  builders'  materials 
at  the  foot  of  Amity  street.  Continuing  in  the  same  line,  in 
company  with  John  M.  Canda,  in  1853  he  removed  his  l  u>i- 
ness  to  the  foot  of  Pacific  street. 

In  1806,  Messrs.  Morton  &  Cauda  purchased  the  property 
on  Carroll  street  and  Gowanus  canal,  now  owned  by  Messrs. 
Morton  iV  Sons,  and  established  a  branch  yard  there  under 
charge  of  Mr.  Canda.  In  1870.  the  entire  business  of  the  firm 
was  removed  to  the  last  mentioned  site,  and,  in  1878,  Mr. 
Cauda  withdrew  from  the  enterprise,  and  the  firm  of  Morion 
A  Canda  was  succeeded  h\  that  of  John  Morton  A:  Son.  hy 
the  admission  of  Mr.  Albert  Morton  to  a  partnership  with  Iub 
father.  In  1H78,  John  C.  Morton,  a  younger  son  of  the  senior 
member  of  the  linn,  became  interested  in  the  business,  und 
the  style  of  the  firm  has  since  been  John  Morton  ft  Son». 
This  business,  which  Mr.  Morton  began  on  a  limited  wile, 
has  grown  to  be  one  of  the  largest  of  its  kind  in  the  city 

Politically.  Mr.  Moiton  has  been  a  life-long  adherent  to  the 
principles  of  the  Republican  party,  but  he  has  never  been  in 


ARCHITECTS,  BUILDERS  AND  REAL  ESTATE  AGENTS. 


any  ordinary  sense  a  politician.  In  1846,  he  was  married  to 
Adaline  E.  Clark,  of  Croton,  Westchester  county,  N.  Y.,  who 
died  in  1879.  He  has  two  sons  and  two  daughters  living,  and 
the  family  are  highly  respected. 


The  largest  dealers  in  building  stone  are  Gill,  Baird 
&  Co.  (see  page  803,  chapter  on  Manufactures), 
Henry  Kemp,  H.  S.  Christian,  the  Bindrem  Brothers, 
and  the  Garity  Brothers.  These  are  all  in  the  East- 
ern District.  There  are,  also,  in  South  Brooklyn,  Burns 
&  Johnson,  E.  &  J.  Conklin,  Curran  &  Cooper, 
Thomas  H.  Dixon,  James  McDonald,  George  Seckey, 
John  W.  Moran,  and  James  McPherson.  Nicholas 
Ryan,  1,557  Smith  street,  sand  and  gravel;  established 
1859,  at  present  location. 

Lumber  Dealers. — Among  the  leading  houses  are: 
Cross,  Austin  &  Co.,  Charles  E.  Rogers  &  Co.,  The 
White,  Potter  &  Paige  Manufacturing  Co.,  Oscar 
F.  Hawley,  R.  G.  Phelps  &  Co.  (both  of  Kent  av- 
enue), Beers  &  Ressiguie,  Alexander  &  Ellis, 
Charles  G.  Covert's  Sons,  Halsted  Brothers, 
Hardy  &  Voorhees,  James  D.  Leary,  Jacob  T.  E. 
Litchfield  &  Co.,  Robert  A.  Robertson  &  Co., 
Julian  Ross  &  Sons,  James  Wall  and  Elbert 
Venty. 

The  Carpenters  and  Masons,  who  are  also 
Builders,  come  next.     "  There  were   Kings  before 


Agamemnon,"  the  poet  tells  us,  and  there  were  builders 
and  masons  and  carpenters  here  when  Brooklyn  was 
yet  a  village,  and  they  were  considerably  numerous  in 
1854,  when  the  two  cities  were  consolidated.  Some  of 
the  most  eminent  of  those  who  reared  for  themselves 
monuments  in  brick  and  mortar,  in  stone,  in  frame  and 
lath  and  plaster,  are  gone  to  their  rest,  but  a  goodly 
number  of  the  earlier  representatives  of  the  trade  yet 
remain,  though  for  the  most  part  they  have  withdrawn 
from  active  participation  in  building,  and  in  some 
cases,  are  busying  themselves  in  dealing  in  real  estate, 
either  of  their  own  or  others'  building. 

Among  those  who  have  departed,  we  may  name 
Jacob  Rapelye  and  the  late  Daniel  Chauncey;  and 
among  the  older  living  were  Ex-Mayor  Booth,  John 
French,  Michael  Chauncey,  William  H.  Noe,  Wil-* 
liam  H.  Hazzard,  Thomas  D.  Eadie,  and  Maurice 
Freeman  (now  Maurice  Freeman's  Sons,  John  J.  <fc  M. 
C,  286  and  288  Warren  street,  builders  ;  established, 
1870,  in  Brooklyn,  as  Maurice  Freeman  &  Son  ; 
since  changed  to  the  above  firm  ;  natives  of  Brook- 

lyn). 

Of  those  now  actually  engaged  in  building  operations, 
we  may  mention  especially  Elbert  Snedeker,  Bern- 
ard Gallagher,  J.  Linikin,  John  D.  Anderson,  and 
George  W.  Brown. 


838 


HISTORY  Of  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Elbert  Snedeker.— This  gentleman  js  by  birth,  a  Long 
Islander,  born  in  the  town  of  Oyster  Bay.  April  16,  183(i.  He 
comes  of  an  old  Dutch  family,  whose  descendants  may  l>e 
found  at  various  points  on  the  Island.  His  father  was  a  far- 
mer, and  intended  his  son  for  the  same  occupation.  When 
the  lad  was  thirteen,  the  family  removed  to  the  township  of 
Flushing,  where  there  were  better  educational  advantages, 
which  he  supplemented  by  several  terms  at  the  Jamaica 
Academy.  His  education  fitted  him  to  enjoy  a  more  active, 
adventurous  life  than  a  farm  afforded,  while  his  tastes  natur- 
ally led  him  to  a  mechanical  calling.  Therefore,  in  his 
eighteenth  year,  he  came  to  Brooklyn  to  learn  the  builders' 
trade,  securing  a  position,  and  remaining  for  several  years. 
During  this  time,  he  devoted  his  evenings  and  leisure  hours 
to  the  study  of  architecture,  in  which  he  made  such  progress 
as  to  qualify  himself  to  be  an  architect.  Though  he  did  not 
choose  to  make  this  his  profession,  it  proved  to  be  of  the 
greatest  advantage  in  his  subsequent  building  operations. 
At  the  age  of  twenty-four,  he  began  building  by  contract; 
one  of  the  many  who  have  contributed,  in  this  way,  to  the 
city's  material  growth;  one  of  the  few  who  have  been  able  to 
acquire  and  retain  a  competence.  To  be  a  successful  builder, 
requires  a  rare  combination  of  talents.  Such  an  one  needs 
to  be  systematic;  a  practical  workman,  familiar  with  the 
smallest  details;  able  to  oversee  and  direct  large  numbers  of 
men;  to  exercise  good  judgment;  to  foresee  and  prepare;  to 
be  a  skillful  financier  and  good  executive. 

The  eminence  which  Mr.  Snedeker  has  attained  in  his 
avocation,  proves  him  to  possess  abilities  beyond  the  ordin- 
ary. Beginning  poor  and  unknown,  he  has  gradually  won 
fortune  and  reputation.  Churches  and  large  buildings  have 
been  his  specialty.  His  handiwork  is  to  be  seen  in  many 
parts  of  Brooklyn.  He  built  the  well-known  Oriental  Hotel 
at  Manhattan  Beach,  by  far  the  largest  and  finest  at  Coney 
Island.  This  immense  structure  was  built  in  90  working 
days,  without  accident  or  in  jury  of  any  kind:  a  remarkable 
accomplishment,  considering  the  number  of  men  employed 
and  the  hurry  in  its  erection. 

Mr.  Snedeker  was  also  one  of  the  contractors  for  Mr.  A.  A. 
Low's  building,  the  "  Garfield,"  and  of  Morgan  Hall,  at  Wil- 
liamstown,  Mass.,  built  for  ex-Governor  Morgan;  also  of  the 
new  Metropolitan  Opera  House,  the  largest  building  of  the 
kind  in  New  York  city.  Other  similar  undertakings  testifiy 
to  Mr.  Snedekers  capabilities  and  reputation  as  a  builder. 

Now  just  in  his  prime,  his  past  success  justifies  the  predic- 
tion of  a  prosperous  future.  As  occasion  offers,  he  buys  and 
builds  on  vacant  lots  for  investment.  Naturally  retiring  in 
disposition,  he  is  not  one  to  thrust  himself  into  notice;  but 
his  worth  is  known  and  esteemed  by  a  large  business 
acquaintance.  When  the  Mechanics  &  Traders'  Exchange 
was  organized,  Mr.  Snedeker  was  one  of  the  foremost  in  its 
formation,  has  since  been  prominent  in  its  affairs,  and  now 
holds  its  presidency,  having  been  elected  to  succeed  ex- 
Mayor  Howell.  The  financial  institutions— the  Commercial 
Bank  and  the  Montauk  Insurance  Company— have  chosen 
him  in  their  respective  Hoards  of  Directors.  In  his  domestic 
life.  Mr.  Snedeker  is  equally  fortunate.  He  married  Miss 
Baton,  November  8th,  1H5H,  who  has  lieen  a  devoted  wife  and 
mother.  Three  daughters  and  two  sons  have  been  born  to 
them;  the  youngest  son  died  when  two  years  old;  the  eldest, 
a  young  man  of  great  promise,  at  the  age  of  twenty -three. 

The  family  are  all  members  of  the  Central  Congregational 
Chun-h  ol  Brooklyn,  and  their  handsome  house  on  Greene 
avenue  is  a  refined,  cultured.  Christian  home.  Amid  a  press 
ing  mass  of  business.  Mr.  Snedeker  finds  time  for  social  and 
literary  recreation,  keeping  abreast  of  the  times  in  scientific 
IMtding,  study,  thought;  is  quick  to  adopt  improvement*  in 


his  occupation;  and,  in  fine,  is  an  energetic  worker,  an  hon- 
orable business  man,  a  sympathetic  friend,  and  a  true  gen- 
tleman. 


Bernard  Gallagher,  one  of  the  best  known  contractors 
and  builders  in  this  city,  was  born  in  county  Tyrone,  in  the 
north  of  Ireland,  June  :29th,  1838,  and  is  a  son  of  Owen  and 
Rosannah  Gallagher.  His  mother's  family  name  was  Mana- 
han.  He  came  to  America  with  his  parents,  in  June,  1845, 
and  located  in  Williamsburgh.  where  he  attended  such  public 
schools  as  were  then  in  existence  until  he  was  thirteen  years 
old. 

At  that  early  age,  he  was  apprenticed  to  learn  the  trade  of 
rope-maker,  and  was  so  employed  during  the  following  three 
years.  He  next  turned  his  attention  to  acquiring  thecarpen- 
ters'  trade,  serving  two  years'  apprenticeship  with  Owen 
McCarrau,  father  of  Assemblyman  Patrick  J.  McCarran.  and 
four  years  with  William  II.  Noe,  on  Schermerhorn  street. 
He  worked  as  a  journeyman  carpenter  a  year,  and,  in  the  fall 
of  1861.  at  the  age  of  twenty -three,  engaged  in  the  business 
as  a  carpenter  and  builder,  iu  which  he  has  continued  to  the 
present  time. 

Since  then  it  is  probable  that  he  has  erected  more  public 
buildings  than  auy  other  contractor  or  firm  of  contractors, 
within  the  same  period,  in  the  state.  Prominent  among 
them  may  be  mentioned  the  Thirty-second  Regiment  armory, 
on  Bushwick  avenue  and  Stagg  street;  the  Twenty-third  Regi- 
ment armory,  on  Clermont  avenue;  and  the  Fourteenth  Regi- 
ment armory,  on  Portland  avenue;  the  Kings  County  Savings 
Bank,  on  Broadway,  at  the  corner  of  Fourth  street;  the 
Dime  Savings  Bank,  on  Broadway,  at  the  corner  of  Second 
street;  the  Kings  County  Fire  Insurance  Company's  build- 
ing, on  Broadway,  near  Third  street;  the  Inebriate  Home,  at 
Fort  Hamilton;  the  Queens  County  Court  House,  in  Long  Is- 
land City;  the  Madock  building,  Nos.  234  and  235  Broadway, 
New  York;  the  new  Fulton  Market,  New  York;  Haverly's 
Brooklyn  Theater,  and  many  other  large  and  well-known 
structures;  and  at  present  is  engaged  in  the  erection  of  the 
new  Washington  Market,  New  York. 

Mr.  Gallagher  is  a  Democrat  politically,  but  has  never  been 
an  office-seeker  nor  an  active  politican.  The  confidence  of 
the  public  in  him  is  such  that  he  might  have  been  the  re- 
cipient of  more  than  one  political  honor  had  he  consented  to 
become  such.  He  held  the  office  of  Commissioner  of  Fires 
and  Buildings,  1877-79,  a  position  for  which  his  intimate 
acquaintance  with  building  in  all  its  departments  eminently 
fitted  him. 

July  25th,  1866,  Mr.  Gallagher  married  Miss  Mary  V... 
second  daughter  of  George  B.  McGrath.  of  Brooklyn.  They 
have  five  daughters  and  two  sons.  Mr.  Gallagher's  career 
has  been  one  that  may  well  be  emulated  by  young  men 
starting  out  on  the  journey  of  life — one  of  integrity,  per- 
severance, systematic  and  earnest  labor  and  the  success  which 
follows  all  honest,  well-directed  endeavor. 


JOHN  D.  ANDERSON  was  born  at  Brooklyn,  N  .V..  April. 
1888;  the  place  of  his  birth  was  what  is  now  the  corner  of 
I'lirman  and  Joralemon  streets.  At  that  time  this  part  of  the 
city  was  open  to  the  East  River,  being  the  original  bluA 
along  the  Brooklyn  shores,  standing  out  bold  and  abrupt, 
in  strange  contrast  with  the  fine  terraces  and  beautiful 
grounds  into  which  they  have  since  l>een  transformed. 

Mr.  Anderson,  iu  his  youth,  witnessed  this  gradual,  but 
sure  transformation,  and  a  transformation  quite  as  striking, 
by  which  Brooklyn  emerged  from  a  comparatively  small 
settlement  to  a  large,  elegant  and  still  rapidly  increasing 


* 


ARCHITECTS,  BUILDERS  AND  REAL  ESTATE  AGENTS. 


commercial  city.  In  much  of  this  he  has  been  an  important 
actor,  in  following  his  avocation  as  an  enterprising,  success- 
ful master  builder. 

His  father  was  James  Anderson,  a  native  of  Edinburgh, 
Scotland.  He  was  a  man  of  much  energy,  intelligence  and 
purity  of  character;  a  gunsmith  by  occupation,  highly 
skilled  in  his  art.  His  mother,  a  native  of  Dublin,  Ireland, 
was  a  woman  of  strong  mental  qualities,  well  endowed  in 
every  respect  to  discharge  the  duties  of  wife  and  mother, 
which  she  did  in  a  most  exemplary  manner. 

The  parents  of  Mr.  Anderson  emigrated  to  this  country 
about  eighteen  months  before  his  birth,  and  settled  in  the 
city  of  New  York.  His  father  conducted  a  manufactory  of 
muskets  for  the  government,  in  Pearl  street,  New  York, 
but  his  life  was  suddenly  terminated  by  being  thrown  from 
a  carriage,  while  his  son,  of  whom  we  are  writing  was  yet 
very  young. 

When  old  enough  young  Anderson  was  sent  to  a  public 
and  then  to  a  private  school  in  Brooklyn.  When  he  was 
about  eight  years  of  age,  a  distinguished  landscape  painter 
by  the  name  of  Newbury,  living  in  Fulton  street,  was  so 
pleased  with  the  bright  intelligence  of  the  boy  that  he  per- 
suaded his  mother  to  let  him  live  with  him,  promising  to 
teach  him  the  art  of  landscape  painting.  Some  time  after 
this,  Mr.  Newbury  was  called  to  Niagara,  for  the  purpose 
of  painting  a  view  of  the  great  cataract.  He  was  very  anx- 
ious to  have  young  Anderson  accompany  him;  but  the  mother 
feeling  she  could  not  part  with  her  son.  and  be  separated 
from  him  by  what  was  then  considered  to  be  an  immense 
distance — much  greater  than  the  distance  now  is  from  San 
Francisco  to  Brooklyn— she  decided  to  keep  her  son  at  home. 

After  his  father's  death,  his  mother  married  Mr.  Daniel  F. 
McCarty  who,  it  seems,  treated  young  Anderson  with  all  the 
affection  of  a  father.  From  him  the  young  man  derived  his 
first  knowledge  of  his  future  avocation.  After  working 
with  his  step-father  for  some  time,  he  entered  the  service  of 
Warren  W.  Sneden,  a  master  builder  of  Brooklyn,  from 
whom  he  learned  all  the  art  and  mystery  of  his  calling. 

In  those  days,  builders  did  the  whole  work  in  constructing 
edifices,  and  young  Anderson  learned  the  whole  art  of  con- 
structing buildings  from  the  foundation  upwards,  including 
the  art  of  modeling  plaster  ornaments,  mantles,  and  the 
adornments  of  fire-places,  and  putting  them  up. 

At  the  present  time,  this  ornamental  work  has  developed 
into  a  separate  business;  it  will  therefore  be  seen  that  Mr. 
Anderson  is  practically  skilled  in  every  department  of  his 
calling. 

He  continued  with  Mr.  Sneden  about  four  years,  then 
served  one  year  with  Mitchell  and  Campbell,  master  builders 
of  Brooklyn.  He  was  now  regarded  as  a  competent  and 
thorough  workman,  and  as  such  followed  his  trade  in  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  State  for  some  time,  and  then  commenced 
business,  to  a  limited  extent,  as  a  master  builder. 

The  first  building  of  any  importance  that  he  superintended 
in  the  erection,  is  still  standing  in  Fulton  street,  opposite 
Pierrepont  street,  Brooklyn.  It  is  a  large,  commodious  and 
substantial  building.  After  the  erection  of  this  structure,  Mr. 
Anderson's  abilities  were  fully  recognized,  and  his  business 
rapidly  increased.  The  building  of  churches,  other  pub- 
lic buildings,  stores  and  private  residences,  were  soon  placed 
under  his  superintendence.  Among  these  were  the  Old 
Ladies'  Home  of  the  Church  Charity  Foundation;  Dr.  Scud- 
der's  church,  in  Hancock  street,  near  Bedford  avenue;  First 
Baptist  church,  corner  of  Pierrepont  and  Clinton  streets 
(a  splendid  edifice),  and  the  Methodist  chapel  in  Seventh 
avenue,  New  York  city.  Finally  he  has  superintended  the 
building  of  fourteen  elegant  churches   in  Brooklyn  and 


elsewhere.  He  built  the  Eastern  District  Hospital,  one  of 
the  most  imposing  buildings  in  that  District;  also  the  railroad 
depot,  at  the  junction  of  DeKalb  and  Central  avenues,  one 
of  the  most  complete  depots  in  the  United  States,  having 
all  modern  improvements,  among  which  is  an  immense  ele- 
vator for  hoisting  open  cars  to  the  third  story  for  storage 
during  the  Winter. 

Valentine  &  Co.'s  immense  varnish  factories— known  all 
over  the  world— were  constructed  by  Mr.  Anderson. 

As  he  has  been  a  master  builder  in  Brooklyn  for  over 
twenty-five  years,  there  are  few  parts  of  the  city  that  do 
not  exhibit  specimens  of  the  taste,  skill  and  energy  with 
which  he  has  prosecuted  his  business.  One  of  the  pleasant 
results  to  himself  in  all  this  is  the  accumulation  of  a  very 
handsome  fortune,  which  he  enjoys  with  liberality,  and 
with  unassuming  comfort.  He  is  now  engaged  in  building 
several  elegant  edifices,  among  which  is  the  Dime  Savings 
Bank  building,  on  the  corner  of  Court  and  Remsen  streets. 

It  is  a  singular  circumstance,  that  Mr.  Anderson  built  the 
chapel  of  the  Church  of  the  Redeemer,  formerly  a  portion 
of  the  main  church,  and  that  subsequently  his  second  mar- 
riage took  place  in  it,  and  his  only  daughter  living  by  that 
marriage  was  the  first  child  baptized  in  it. 

Mr.  Anderson  was  reared  in  the  faith  of  the  Protestant 
Episcopal  church;  in  early  life,  and  until  he  attained  his 
majority,  he  attended  Calvary  church  in  Pearl  street.  He  is 
now,  and  has  been  for  some  years,  a  constant  attendant  at 
the  Church  of  the  Redeemer. 

In  April,  1859,  he  was  united  by  marriage  to  Miss  Ellen 
Wayland,  of  Flatbush,  New  York.  In  March,  1872,  he  suf- 
fered a  great  domestic  calamity  in  the  loss  of  his  wife. 

He  was  married  the  second  time  to  Miss  Elizabeth  Wright, 
of  Brooklyn,  August  5,  1873.  He  was  again  deeply  afflicted 
by  the  loss  of  his  second  wife,  who  died  March  29,  1883. 

By  his  first  marriage  he  had  three  children  (sons),  all  liv- 
ing. His  oldest,  William  D.  Anderson,  is  a  master  builder, 
engaged  in  business  with  his  father;  his  second  son,  George 
W.  Anderson,  is  a  promising  young  architect  of  Brook- 
lyn, and  his  youngest  son,  John  F.,  is  at  school.  By  his 
second  marriage  he  had  six  children,  of  which  but  two  are 
living,  Mary  Louisa,  and  Charles  Leonard. 

Mr.  Anderson  is  an  active  and  enthusiastic  member  of  the 
order  of  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  having  passed  to  high 
degrees.  He  believes  "  Masonry  super-adds  to  our  other  ob- 
ligations the  strongest  ties  of  connection  between  it  and  the 
cultivation  of  virtue,  furnishing  the  most  powerful  incentive 
to  goodness;  that  wherever  a  Mason  goes  he  will  find  a 
friend  in  every  brother,  if  he  conducts  himself  well,  and  will 
be  shielded  against  want  and  protected  against  oppression." 

In  politics,  Mr.  Anderson  has  always  been  a  Democrat, 
but  never  a  very  ardent  partisan;  never  an  office-seeker; 
never  troubling  others  with  his  political  views.  If  he  has 
ever  failed  to  vote  the  whole  ticket  of  his  party  it  was  be- 
cause he  believed  in  so  doing  he  was  sustaining  the  best 
men,  and  thereby  securing  the  best  interests  of  society.  On 
the  whole,  he  is  a  highly  respected  citizen;  noted  for  his 
sound  sense,  general  intelligence,  well  balanced  judgment, 
his  skill  and  success  in  his  avocation,  and  for  that  geniality 
which  renders  him  a  pleasing  companion. 


George  W.  Brown.— Brooklyn's  extraordinary  growth 
may  be  attributed,  in  great  measure,  to  the  enterprise  of  her 
builders,  that  class  of  shrewd,  far-seeing  men,  who,  with 
faith  in  the  city's  future,  invested  their  means  in  real  estate, 
erecting  houses  and  business  places  for  the  people,  even  in 
advance  of  the  actual  demand.  Their  buying  and  building 
has  determined  the  lines  of  the  city's  expansion,  and  the 


840 


HISTORY  01  KINGS  COUNTY. 


class  of  their  buildings  has  largely  influenced  the  character 
of  the  incoming  population. 

In  the  foremost  rank  of  builders  stands  Mr.  George  W. 
Brown.  Like  the  majority  of  those  who  have  been  success- 
ful business  men  in  the  city,  he  was  born  and  bred  in  the 
country.  He  is  a  native  of  Columbia,  Lancaster  county,  Pa., 
born  September  18th,  1825.  On  the  maternal  side,  he  is  de- 
scended from  the  Minnich  family,  who  were  noted  in  that 
region  for  their  superior  qualities.  His  mother  was  a  woman 
of  remarkable  spirit,  energy,  perseverance  and  thrift,  with 
more  than  ordinary  intellect  and  common  sense.  Her  child- 
ren inherited  her  characteristics  largely,  but  none  to  a  greater 
degree  than  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  When  a  boy,  he  at- 
tended school  until  he  was  twelve,  when  he  took  a  clerkship 
in  Halderman's,  a  well-known  store  in  those  parts.  Though 
he  performed  his  duties  faithfully,  they  were  irksome  to  him. 
He  desired  a  more  stirring,  out-of-door  life,  with  larger  oppor- 
tunities for  gain.  Accordingly,  he  left  the  store  at  the  end 
of  two  years,  and  set  up  in  business  for  himself  as  a  news- 
dealer, being  the  first  to  introduce  into  his  native  place  the 
Philadelphia  Public  Ledger  and  other  papers  of  the  day.  He 
was  a  natural  money-getter,  and  never  without  money  in  his 
pocket. 

Ambitious  for  a  wider  field,  in  1842,  he  came  to  Brooklyn, 
where  an  elder  brother  had  established  himself  as  a  builder, 
and  was  apprenticed  to  him.  After  serving  his  time,  he  first 
secured  a  contract  for  putting  up  the  fronts  of  buildings;  then 
erected  houses  for  sale  on  lots  bought  of  John  Tread  well,  who 
had  great  confidence  in  him,  and  assisted  him  in  various 
ways. 

He  built  the  first  houses  on  Fulton  avenue  in  1849,  at 
the  corner  of  Hanover  Place.  By  assiduous  labor  and  shrewd 
enterprise  he  steadily  pushed  his  fortunes,  succeeding  where 
others  failed.  He  has  erected  100  houses  on  Fulton  avenue 
alone,  and  one-fourth  of  a  mile  of  dwellings  on  Lafayette 
avenue,  besides  numbers  in  other  good  parts  of  the  city.  He, 
like  many  others,  in  earlier  days  invested  largely  in  vacant 
lots,  owning,  up  to  the  year  1857,  about  GOO,  in  different  parts 
of  the  city.  The  crisis  of  that  year  swept  away  his  accumu- 
lations, and  left  him  almost  penniless.  Nothing  daunted,  he 
commenced  again  with  renewed  energy  and  zeal,  opening  a 
real  estate  office  for  a  few  years,  and  carrying  on  the  busi- 
ness of  building  in  a  small  way  as  he  was  able.  His  added 
years  and  experience  contributed  to  his  success,  and  he 
steadily  .acquired  a  fortune  the  second  time. 

Mr.  Brown  was  the  first  to  introduce  into  Brooklyn  the 
present  system  of  building  in  fiats,  of  which  he  has  erected  a 
large  number,  and  on  some  of  the  best  streets,  Clinton  and 
Washington  avenues,  Joralemon  and  other  streets.  In  later 
years  he  has  extended  his  operations,  until  he  can  now 
count  over  HOO  houses  in  the  city  of  Brooklyn  of  his  own 
building;  while,  it  is  said,  his  name  is  attached  to  more  con- 
veyances of  real  estate  than  that  of  any  other  man  in  Kings 
county.  In  the  way  of  exchange  for  Brooklyn  property,  he 
has  acquired  large  landed  interests  in  New  Jersey,  Virginia 
and  the  West.  He  owns  the  Braddock  House  in  Alexandria, 
\  built  in  1733  of  material  brought  from  Europe,  famous 
as  the  head-quarters  of  General  Braddock,  when  George  Wash- 
ington was  hi i  aid;  also  where  the  thirteen  colonial  governors 
met  to  concert  measures  for  the  support  of  the  Braddock 
campaign.  The  Riverside  Hotel,  in  Chicago,  has  also  come 
into  his  possession. 

Mr.  Brown  is  a  very  active  business  man.  keeping  a  watch- 
ful eye  and  linn  hand  over  all  his  diversified  interests;  his 
success  is  largely  due  to  his  directness  of  purpose  and  his 
self-reliance,  pressing  on  in  the  course  which  his  own  judg- 
ment dictated,  without  seeking  the  advice  of  others;  and,  in 


most  cases,  he  met  with  better  results  than  divided  counsels 
or  faltering  steps  could  have  secured. 

Mr.  Brown  is  a  great  lover  of  horses,  of  which  he  has 
owned  and  driven  many  during  the  last  35  years,  among 
them  some  notable  trotters.  He  now  knows  of  but  two  men 
who  drive  on  our  pleasure  roads  who  commenced  when  he 
did. 

In  person  Mr.  Brown  is  rather  below  the  medium  height, 
and  spare;  but  his  keen  eye  and  quick  movements  indicate 
more  than  ordinary  ability  and  mental  force. 

He  has  been  twice  married:  in  1849,  to  Miss  Dickinson,  who 
lived  but  a  few  years;  again,  in  1860,  to  a  Miss  Webb,  of 
Brooklyn.  His  family  consists  of  a  son  and  two  daughters. 
His  home  is  one  of  the  most  elegant  in  the  city,  a  triumph  of 
the  builders'  art.  The  family  are  attendants  of  St.  James' 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church. 

To  politics  Mr.  Brown  devotes  little  time;  in  former  days 
he  was  a  Henry  Clay  Whig,  and  now  votes  with  the  Demo- 
cratic party.  As  a  man,  Mr.  Brown  is  genial,  progressive 
and  charitable ;  as  a  citizen,  he  is  public-spirited,  and  has 
contributed  much  to  the  development  and  improvement  of 
the  city;  while  in  business  circles  he  is  well  liked  and  re- 
spected. 

O.  Davis  Thompson',  339  Madison  street,  architect  and 
builder;  established  at  Strafford  Co.,  N.  H.,  1858;  came 
to  Brooklyn  in  1868,  and  soon  located  at  375  Gates 
avenue,  building  9  substantial  dwelling-houses  on  the 
block,  and  many  others  on  the  neighboring  streets  and 
avenues  ;  located  at  339  Madison  street,  in  1880.  E. 
N.  Day,  151  State  street,  established  about  30  years 
ago,  on  Douglass,  near  Smith  street.  George  Daman, 
88Luqueer  street,  established,  1864,  on  Atlantic  avenue; 
among  other  works,  he  built  the  large  wooden  building 
and  tower,  put  up  by  J.  L.  Haigb,  William,  corner 
Iinlay  streets,  wherein  all  the  wire  for  the  Brooklyn 
Bridge  cables  was  made.  John  Guilfoyle  <fc  Son, 
180  High  street,  mason  and  builder  ;  established,  1854, 
in  Brooklyn  ;  among  the  many  buildings  erected  by 
this  firm  are  the  Kings  County  Alms-house  and  the 
Inebriates'  Home. 

John  Lee,  James  Campbell,  George  W.  Brandt, 
Joseph  W.Campbell,  James  Rodwell,  John  M.  Fab- 
hell,  William  II.  Tunison,  P.  F.  O'Brien,  H.  Bx* 
DELL,  William  Taylor,  Thomas  B.  Rutan,  James 
Asmimki.i)  &  Son,  Michael  J.  McL.u  <;iii.in,  Gi:ok<;k 
F.  Chapman,  and  many  others,  have  won  a  high  rep- 
utation for  skill  and  integrity  in  the  erection  of  pub- 
lic buildings,  warehouses,  and  private  dwellings. 


JOHN  Lee. — Among  the  many  builders  of  Brooklyn,  John 
l^ee  is  conspicuous  both  for  the  quality  and  quantity  of  work 
he  has  executed.  He  was  born  in  Ireland,  Octolier  18th, 
1834,  and  is  an  American  citizen  by  adoption,  haviug  come 
to  the  United  States,  when  a  mere  lad,  with  his  fathers 
family.  His  father  was  Daniel  Lee.  and  the  maiden  name 
of  his  mother,  who  is  still  living  at  the  advanced  age  of 
eighty-seven,  wns  Lucy  Murray.  She  is  passing  her  declin- 
ing years  as  an  inmate  of  the  house  of  her  daughter. 

In  1S50,  Mr.  Lee  began  to  serve  an  apprenticeship  totiM 
carpenters'  trade  with  the  once  well-known  builders,  T.  V. 
I  and  J.  V.  Porter,  who  were  located  at  No.      Hoyt  street. 


ARCHITECTS,  BUILDERS  AND  REAL  ESTATE  AGENTS. 


841 


Mr.  Elbert  Snedeker  was  also  an  apprentice  with  this  firm 
during  the  greater  portion  of  Mr.  Lee's  term  of  service,  and 
the  two  youths  formed  a  friendship  which  has  remained  un- 
broken to  the  present  time.  Mr.  Lee  completed  his  appren- 
ticeship at  the  age  of  twenty-one,  and  untd  1860  was 
employed  by  the  Messrs.  Porter  and  others,  from  time  to 
time  undertaking  contracts  in  connection  with  Mr.  Snedeker, 
with  which  they  were  so  successful,  and  about  which  they 
were  in  such  good  accord,  that  they  mutually  determined  to 
enter  into  a  formal  partnership  and  begin  business  as  builders 
on  their  own  account.  In  1861,  the  firm  of  Snedeker  &  Lee 
was  formed,  and  existed  until  1875,  during  which  period  they 
were  very  successful,  and  gained  a  reputation  among  the 
business  men  of  Brooklyn  which  has  been  of  great  value  to 
each  of  them  since.  Since  the  date  last  mentioned,  Mr.  Lee 
has  continued  building  with  such  success  that  his  standing 
among  the  builders  of  Brooklyn  is  first-class,  erecting 
numerous  important  buildings  for  business  purposes,  and 
many  elegant  residences  in  the  city  and  elsewhere.  At 
present  he  is  engaged  in  extensive  building  operations  at 
Utica,  N.  Y.,  for  the  New  York,  West  Shore  and  Buffalo 
Railroad  Company. 

In  1857,  Mr.  Lee  married  Miss  Jane  M.,  daughter  of 
William  Griswold  Watrous.  Three  sons  have  been  born  to 
them,  named  William  Griswold  Lee,  Charles  Henry  Lee  and 
John  Lee,  Jr.  The  latter  died  March  30th,  1882,  aged  ten 
years. 

William  Griswold  Lee,  the  elder  of  the  two  sons 
living,  assists  his  father  in  his  business,  and  his  younger 
brother,  Charles  Henry  Lee,  is  a  young  architect  who 
promises  to  make  his  mark  in  his  profession  at  uo  distant 
day. 

Georue  W.  Brandt,  a  well-known  contractor  and  builder, 
residing  and  having  his  office  at  164  Fifty-fifth  street,  is  a 
son  of  Henry  U.  and  Elizabeth  (Kellam)  Brandt.  His  father, 
still  living  at  an  advanced  age,  is  a  book-binder,  and  for 
niany  years  prior  to  his  removal  to  Brooklyn  plied  his  trade 
in  New  York. 

Mr.  Brandt  was  born  in  ^jew  York,  April  22, 1849,  received 
the  foundation  of  his  practical  education  in  the  public 
schools  of  that  city;  and,  at  the  age  of  fourteen,  became  a 
clerk  in  a  gentlemen's  furnishing  goods  store,  where  he  was 
employed  until  the  age  of  seventeen,  when  he  apprenticed 
himself  to  learn  the  builders'  trade  with  Manee  &  Gifford, 
once  prominent  builders  of  Brooklyn.  Three  years  later  he 
became  a  journeyman  carpenter,  and  was  employed  as  such 
till  1875,  when  he  began  business  for  himself  as  a  contractor 
and  builder,  at  his  present  location. 

In  the  winter  of  1876  and  1877,  Mr.  Brandt  built  the  east- 
ern entrance  to  Greenwood  Cemetery,  and  the  Sunday-school 
building  of  Christ  Episcopal  Church,  at  Third  avenue  and 
Sixty-eighth  street.  He  later  built  the  moveable  platform 
in  the  receiving  vault  at  Greenwood,  and  repaired  and  re- 
modeled nearly  all  of  the  old  buildings  at  the  cemetery.  He 
has  also  erected  many  fine  residences,  some  of  the  most  at- 
tractive of  which  he  designed. 

A  skillful  workman,  and  a  practical,  pushing  man  of  busi- 
ness, Mr.  Brandt  has  combined  the  elements  necessary  to 
success  in  any  field  of  enterprise,  and  built  up  a  business  and 
obtained  a  reputation  second  to  those  of  no  other  contrac- 
tor and  builder  in  his  section  of  the  city.  A  resident  of 
Brooklyn  since  the  age  of  sixteen,  he  has  become  widely 
known  and  respected.  His  marked  success  he  attributes  in 
no  small  degree  to  his  proficiency  as  a  designer  and  his  apti- 
tude in  grasping  the  ideas  of  those  wishing  special  or  fine 
designs. 


October  26,  1871,  Mr.  Brandt  married  Miss  Maria  Gill,  a 
native  of  Woodlawn,  Ireland,  then  a  resident  of  New  York, 
who  has  borne  him  three  sons  and  two  daughters,  one  of 
whom  is  dead.  A  Republican  politically,  Mr.  Brandt  has 
not  been  an  active  politician,  devoting  his  time  to  the  hard 
study  which  has  enabled  him  to  achieve  that  degree  of  suc- 
cess which  has  been  vouchsafed  him. 


James  Rodwell,  mason  and  builder  and  real  estate  oper- 
ator, whose  office  is  at  No.  45  Broadway,  and  his  residence 
at  No.  89  Division  avenue,  is  one  of  the  oldest  and  best,  as 
well  as  most  favorably  known,  residents  of  the  Eastern 
District,  where  he  has  lived  since  boyhood,  and  with  the 
interest  of  which  he  has  long  been  prominently  identified. 
He  is  a  son  of  John  and  Frances  (Hall)  Rodwell,  and  was 
born  near  London,  England,  January  5th,  1823,  and  accom- 
panied his  parents  to  America  in  1831,  locating  in  New  York, 
where  his  father,  who  was  a  builder,  pursued  his  avocation 
until  183-J,  in  which  year  the  family  removed  to  the  then 
village  of  Wilhamsburgh. 

Mr.  Rodwell  attended  a  public  school  in  New  York  for  a 
short  time,  his  educational  advantages  having  been  limited 
to  a  lamentable  degree.  From  the  time  he  was  ten  years  of 
age  until  he  was  twenty  he  worked  with  his  father,  assisting 
him  more  and  more  as  he  advanced  in  strength,  judgment 
and  a  knowledge  of  the  trade.  For  two  years  more  he  was 
employed  on  "journey  work*'  by  different  parties,  and, 
while  thus  engaged,  was  married  to  Elizabeth  D.  Woodward, 
a  native  of  New  Jersey,  in  October,  1844.  Not  long  after 
this  event,  he  engaged  in  business  as  a  builder  on  his  own 
account,  and  has  continued  without  interruption  to  the  pres- 
ent time,  operating  more  and  more  extensively  from  year 
to  year  as  he  grew  in  favor  with  the  public.  He  has  built 
three  extensive  sugar  refineries;  St.  Mary's  Catholic  Church, 
at  the  corner  of  Remsen  and  Leonard  streets;  the  Church  of 
St.  Vincent  de  Paul,  on  North  Sixth  street,  near  Fourth 
street;  All  Souls  Universalist  Church,  on  South  Ninth  street, 
near  Fourth  street;  the  office  of  the  Wilhamsburgh  Gas 
Company,  on  South  Second  street,  near  Fourth  street;  the 
Catholic  Female  Asylum  for  Orphans,  at  the  corner  of  Gates 
and  Willoughby  avenues;  St.  John's  College,  at  the  corner  of 
Willoughby  and  Lewis  avenues;  a  large  oil  storehouse  at 
Hunter's  Point  for  W.  H.  Schieffelin  &  Co.,  of  New  York; 
and  many  other  large  buildings,  beoides  hundreds  of  stores, 
offices  and  dwellings  in  Brooklyn  and  elsewhere,  and  is  now 
erecting  the  Forty-seventh  Regiment  Armory,  at  the  corner 
of  Marcy  avenue  and  Lynch  street.  In  connection  with  his 
building  operations  he  deals  largely  in  real  estate. 

The  confidence  with  which  Mr.  Rodwell  is  regarded  may 
be  best  expressed  by  the  statement  that  he  is  a  director  of 
the  Manufacturers'  National  Bank,  of  the  Kings  County 
Savings  Bank,  and  of  the  Williamsburgh  Fire  Insurance 
Company,  all  commercial  institutions  of  high  standing.  He 
is  also  Vice-President  of  the  Cypress  Hills  Cemetery  Asso- 
ciation, and  is  prominently  identified  with  other  well-known 
institutions.  From  1874  to  1877  he  held  the  office  of  Fire 
Commissioner  of  the  city  of  Brooklyn.  Politically,  Mr. 
Rodwell  is  a  Democrat,  and  he  has  always  been  a  deeply 
interested  but  not  conspicuous  participant  in  political  events 
as  they  have  passed.  He  is  noted  for  his  unostentatious 
friendliness  to  true  men  of  all  classes,  irrespective  of  wealth 
or  social  position,  and  lives  in  the  calm  and  sensible  enjoy- 
ment of  the  proceeds  of  a  busy  life.  His  first  wife  died  in 
November,  1877,  leaving  two  daughters.  He  was  married  to 
Miss  Caroline  E.  White,  formerly  of  Connecticut,  April  30th, 
1883.  He  and  his  family  are  members  of  Christ  Church 
(Episcopal)  of  Williamsburgh. 


842 


HISTORY  01  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Joseph  W.  Campbell. — Prominent  among  the  many  men 
of  Brooklyn  who  have  attained  to  positions  of  honor  through 
their  own  unaided  efforts,  is  Mr.  Joseph  W.  Camphell,  of  No 
315  Carlton  avenue.  His  parents  were  Aaron  T.  and  Phebe 
(Mitchell)  Campbell,  and  he  was  born  at  Morristown,  New 
Jersey,  August  11,  1819,  and  removed  to  Brooklyn,  with  his 
father's  family,  in  1826.  He  learned  the  builders'  trade  when 
young,  and  since  1840  has  been  prominently  identified  with 
the  building  interests  of  Brooklyn. 


Patrick  F.  O'Brien  was  born  in  the  year  183!),  near  Manor 
Hamilton,  County  Leitrim,  Ireland.  His  parents  dying  when 
he  was  quite  young,  he  was  brought  up  by  his  grandparents, 
and  received  his  education  at  the  parish  school,  anil  learned 
his  trade  in  his  native  place. 

He  came  to  America  in  1848,  locating  in  Brooklyn,  and  first 
obtained  work  on  the  City  Hall,  which  was  then  in  the  course 
of  erection,  as  a  journeyman  carpenter,  with  Mr.  Leonard 
Cooper,  the  contractor,  with  whom  he  remained  in  that 
capacity  for  three  years,  when,  on  the  death  of  Mr.  Cooper's 
foreman,  he  was  offered  the  position,  which  he  filled  two 
years.  At  this  time,  having  purchased  some  lots,  he  engaged 
in  business  for  himself  in  a  small  way,  building  three  cot- 
tages of  his  own.  At  that  time  there  were  scarce! y  any  houses 
in  the  vicinity  of  Skillman  street  at  its  junction  with  Myrtle 
avenue,  and  people  in  that  neighborhood  were  obliged  to  go 
to  and  from  the  ferry  in  stages,  no  car  lines  having  been 
built  in  the  city.  From  this  beginning,  having  secured  shops, 
Mr  O'lirien  began  to  do  a  general  contracting  business, 
building  public  institutions,  churches,  schools,  residences, 


manufactories  and  many  dwellings.  Among  the  many 
churches  built  by  him  may  be  mentioned  the  Church  of  the 
Holy  Redeemer,  St.  Anne's  Roman  Catholic  Church,  West- 
minster Presbyterian  Church,  {ft.  Agnes'  Roman  Catholic 
Church,  and  the  Church  of  the  Holy  Family,  in  Brooklyn, 
besides  many  in  New  York,  including  the  Church  of  the 

;  Transfiguration  and  St.  James'  Roman  Catholic  Church,  and 
the  Church  of  the  Sacred  Heart  at  West  Point.  He  also 
built  the  beautiful  convent  and  other  buildings  of  the  Sisters 
of  Mercy  in  Brooklyn,  and  the  chapel  and  convent  of  the 
Sisters  of  St.  Joseph  at  Flushing,  Queens  county,  and  a  large 
number  of  public  school  buildings,  including  those  of  Brook- 
lyn Schools  Nos.  3,  7,  13,  15,  16,  23,  25,  28,  41,  42  and  43,  be- 

j  sides  many  wings  and  alterations  to  such  structures.  >t. 
Patrick's  Academy  and  St.  Auue's  Schools  are  buildings 
put  up  by  Mr.  O'Brien,  as  were  also  the  Cochrane  building, 
and  many  others  of  the  fine  business  houses  which  ornament 
the  city;  many  expensive  residences  on  Columbia  Heights, 
and  in  other  parts  of  the  city:  and  some  beautiful  residences 
on  Long  Island,  among  them  those  of  Hon.  R.  O'Gonnan, 
Cornelius  Deverand  John  W.  Harper,  at  Sands' Point,  where, 
for  many  years,  Mr.  O'Brien  had  a  summer  residence. 

Mr.  O'Brien  has  dealt  heavily  in  real  estate,  and  built  some 
fine  buildings  as  an  individual  investment  on  Bedford  and 
Clermont  avenues,  and  on  Hewes  and  other  of  the  l>est 
streets  in  the  city.  He  continues  in  business  with  una  hated 
energy,  being  of  such  an  active  temperament  that  it  would 
lie  next  to  impossible  for  him  to  remain  idle  for  any  length 
of  time.  Me  was  one  of  the  organizers,  and  for  many  years 
president  of  the  (ilobe  Marble  Mills  (  ouipauy  of  this  city, 
which,  at  one  time,  practically  controlled  the  marble  busi- 


ARCHITECTS,  BUILDERS  AND  REAL  ESTATE  AGENTS. 


843 


ness  of  Brooklyn.  His  connection  with  the  Nassau  National 
and  East  Brooklyn  Banks  is  well  known  to  those  acquainted 
with  the  history  of  the  commercial  interests  of  the  city. 

In  1877,  Mr.  O'Brien  made  a  trip  to  Rome  with  the  Irish- 
American  Pilgrimage,  in  the  steamship  City  of  Brussels, 
which,  owing  to  a  broken  shaft,  consumed  39  days  in  the 
passage  from  New  York  to  Queenstown,  and  was,  for  a  time, 
by  many  thought  to  have  been  lost  at  sea.  This  event  was  a 
source  of  great  anxiety  to  Mr.  O'Brien's  family  and  friends, 
until  intelligence  of  his  safety  reached  them.  Leaving  his 
fellow  pilgrims  at  Rome,  Mr.  O'Brien  made  an  extended  tour 
on  the  Continent,  and  visited  his  old  home  in  Ireland. 

Mr.  O'Brien  was  married,  in  1856,  to  Miss  Anne  Hughes, 
daughter  of  an  old  and  respected  resident  of  Brooklyn,  and 
the  marriage  was  blessed  with  four  children,  two  sons  and 
two  daughters.  Mrs.  O'Brien  promises  to  live  to  a  ripe  old 
age,  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  comforts  and  luxuries  of  the 
beautiful  home  her  husband  has  provided  for  her. 

In  religion,  Mr.  O'Brien  is  a  Roman  Catholic,  and  has  long 
been  connected  with  charitable  objects  in  the  city.  He  was 
one  of  the  founders,  and  for  many  years  the  treasurer,  of  St. 
Mary's  Hospital,  and  has  been  a  trustee  of  St.  Patrick's 
Church  since  its  foundation.  Though  a  staunch  Democrat, 
and  often  asked  to  accept  public  positions,  he  never  mingled 
in  politics  nor  held  any  office.  He  is  a  man  of  wide  acquaint- 
ance, and  is  held  in  the  highest  esteem  by  all  who  know  him. 
A  noted  patron  of  education,  he  has  given  his  children  fine 
educational  advantages,  of  which  he  was  himself  deprived 
when  young.  He  is  known  as  a  kind  and  indulgent  husband 
and  father,  a  true  friend,  and  a  man  of  public  spirit  and  gen- 
erous impulses;  and  those  near  and  dear  to  him  rejoice  that 
his  robust  health  and  fine  physique  indicate  that  many  more 
years  of  usefulness  have  been  allotted  to  him. 

Thomas  B.  Rutan  was  born  in  Newark,  N.  J. ,  February 
10th,  1837,  and  is  a  son  of  Henry  A.  and  Harriet  (Burnet) 
Rutan.  He  removed  to  Brooklyn,  with  his  parents,  in  1845, 
and  his  father,  a  builder,  carried  on  his  business  there  until 
his  retirement,  and  died,  at  the  age  of  sixty-three,  July  1st, 
1873. 

Mr.  Rutan  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Brooklyn, 
and,  at  the  age  of  fourteen,  began  to  learn  the  trade  of 
builder  with  his  father,  serving  an  apprenticeship  of  five 
years.  From  its  expiration  until  1862,  he  worked  as  a  jour- 
neyman carpenter  and  builder.  In  September,  1862,  he  en- 
listed in  Company  A,  139th  New  York  Volunteers,  was 
mustered  in  as  a  sergeant  and  served  as  such  till,  in  the  fall 
of  1864,  he  was  detailed  as  a  sharpshooter  and  served  as  one 
until  mustered  out  of  service  at  the  close  of  the  war. 

Returning  north,  Mr.  Rutan  went  to  Bridgeport,  Conn., 
and  worked  at  his  trade  about  nine  months,  again  tak- 
ing up  his  residence  in  Brooklyn  at  the  expiration  of  that 
time  and  engaging  in  business  as  a  builder  on  his  own  ac- 
count, in  which  he  has  continued  very  prosperously  to  the 
present  time,  being  among  the  prominent  men  of  the  city  in 
his  line,  and  having  erected  some  of  the  largest  buildings  in 
Brooklyn. 

Mr.  Rutan  is  a  staunch  Democrat,  and  has  long  been  an 
active  politican,  but  never  an  office-seeker,  or  an  office- 
holder. 


John  J.  Frost,  574  Franklin  avenue,  builder 
and  contractor;  established  1866.  Edward  Freel, 
484  Lafayette  avenue,  builder  and  contractor ;  es- 
tablished 1859. 


Edward  Freel. — This  well-known  gentleman,  one  of  the 
most  prominent  of  the  contractors  of  Brooklyn,  is  a  son  of 
Edward  and  Elizabeth  Freel,  and  was  born  in  Ireland  in  1829. 
When  he  was  about  ten  years  old,  with  his  mother  and 
others  of  his  family,  he  came  to  America,  his  father  having 
preceded  them  by  a  few  months,  to  found  for  them  a  home 
in  the  new  world.  The  family  lived  in  East  Brooklyn  some 
years,  and  then  moved  to  Eighteenth  street,  in  the  section  of 
the  city  known  as  Gowanus.  Young  Freel  attended  the  pub- 
lic schools  during  his  boyhood,  and  at  the  early  age  of  four- 
teen was  apprenticed  to  the  once  well-known  Stephen 
Haynes,  to  learn  the  trade  of  bricklayer,  attending  night 
schools  as  opportunity  afforded.  After  acquiring  his  trade, 
he  worked  as  a  journeyman  mason  in  New  York  and  Brook- 
lyn and  vicinity,  rising  after  a  few  years  to  the  position  of 
foreman,  and  as  such  he  found  employment  in  different 
places,  until  he  began  to  take  small  contracts  on  his  own  ac- 
count. In  1859,  he  was  appointed  to  be  one  of  the  inspectors 
of  the  Brooklyn  Water  Works,  serving  in  that  capacity  till 
sometime  in  1860,  when  he  relinquished  the  position  to  en- 
gage more  largely  in  contracting  than  he  had  done  before. 
Since  that  date  he  has  done  an  extensive  and  increasing  busi- 
ness, and  has  erected  many  large  buildings  in  and  about  New 
York  and  Brooklyn,  both  private  and  public,  among  them 
the  Kings  County  Jail,  D.  Appleton  &  Co.  's  printing  house  and 
bindery  on  First  street,  and  numerous  elegant  residences  and 
business  blocks.  He  has  also  constructed  much  sewerage,  and 
performed  other  important  public  contracts  in  New  York 
and  Brooklyn,  and  is  now  constructing  the  water- works  of 
the  town  of  New  Lots.  He  has  opened  and  improved  several 
streets  in  the  city,  and  done  much  toward  the  public  im- 
provement in  many  quarters,  and  is  the  owner  of  much  real 
estate  in  many  advantageous  localities. 

In  1859,  Mr.  Freel  married  Miss  Catharine  Murray,  of  New 
York.  They  have  two  sons  and  a  daughter.  Edward  F. 
Freel,  the  eldest  son,  is  regularly  employed  in  his  father's 
business;  and  the  younger  son,  Francis  J.  Freel,  though  yet 
in  school,  renders  valuable  assistance  therein.  In  a  quiet 
way,  Mr.  Freel,  who  is  a  staunch  Democrat,  is  interested  in 
politics,  but  though  he  has  repeatedly  been  proffered  places 
of  honor  and  trust,  he  has  refused  to  accept  them,  partly  be- 
cause his  tastes  do  not  incline  him  to  active  participation  in 
political  affairs,  and  partly  because  he  has  thought  best,  in 
the  days  of  his  prosperity,  to  give  to  his  business  the  same 
undivided  time  and  attention  which  contributed  so  largely 
to  establishing  it,  and  increasing  it  to  its  present  enviable 
proportions.  Mr.  Freel,  with  his  family,  are  identified  with 
the  Roman  Catholic  Church,  of  which  he  has  ever  been  a 
willing  and  a  liberal  supporter. 


John  S.  Frost  was  born  in  Plymouth,  Devonshire,  Eng- 
land, July  23,  1830,  a  son  of  Richard  and  Ann  (Shepard) 
Frost.  His  father  was  steward  on  a  vessel  in  the  service  of 
the  East  India  Company,  the  duties  of  his  position  keeping 
him  absent  from  home  most  of  the  time,  and  was  lost  at  sea 
in  1843.  The  family  moved  to  the  city  of  London  when  John 
S.  Frost  was  three  years  old,  and  there  he  passed  his  boy- 
hood and  attended  school.  His  mother  married  George  H . 
Grandfield,  who  brought  the  family,  consisting  of  himself 
and  Mrs.  Grandfield,  and  John  S.  Frost  and  a  half  brother  of 
the  latter,  to  the  United  States  in  1849,  locating  in  Brooklyn, 
but  shortly  removing  to  Germantown,  Pa. 

John  S.  Frost  did  not  accompany  the  other  members  of 
the  family  to  Pennsylvania,  choosing  rather  to  remain  in 
Brooklyn  and  learn  the  trade  of  bricklaying  and  plastering, 
which  he  accomplished  under  competent  instruction,  and  was 
afterward,  foreight  or  nine  years,  in  the  employ  of  Mr.  John 


844 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


French,  afterward  Building  Commissioner  of  the  city  of 
Brooklyn.  In  1863,  he  embarked  in  business  as  a  contractor 
and  builder  on  his  own  account,  in  which  he  was  very  suc- 
cessful. During  the  past  ten  years  he  has  been  engaged  in 
speculative  building  and  in  real  estate  operations,  his  im- 
provements in  the  portion  of  the  city  known  as  Bedford  hav- 
ing been  quite  extensive. 

Mr.  Frost's  interest  in  public  affairs  is  such  as  must  be  felt 
by  all  true  citizens  :  and  as  a  politician  he  is  quiet  rather 
than  active,  though  his  influence  in  his  section  of  Hrooklyn 
is  by  no  means  small.  He  favors  the  Republican  view  of 
matters  political,  and  has  served  the  Ninth  Ward  as  a  mem- 
ber of  its  Republican  Association,  with  which  he  has  been 
for  some  years  and  is  now  connected.  He  is  a  member  of 
Atlantic  Lodge  No.  50,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  with  winch  he  has  been 
identified  since  1852,  and  of  which  he  has  served  as  Noble 
Grand. 

In  April,  1854,  Mr.  Frost  married  Miss  Sarah  h.  Whitney, 
a  native  of  Northamptonshire,  England,  but  at  that  time  a 
resident  of  Brooklyn.  The  family  are  connected  with  the 
New  York  Avenue  Methodist  Kpiseopal  Church,  of  which 
Mr.  Frost  has  been  one  of  the  trustees  since  its  organization. 
He  united  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  at  the  age 
of  fourteen,  and  has  ever  since  been  an  active  and  consistent 
member  of  that  denomination,  having  served  officially  in 
connection  with  several  church  organizations. 

It  is  ns  a  self-made  man  that  Mr.  I -Yost  takes  rank  among 
his  contcmj>oraries  in  this  city.    His  reputation  is  that  of  an 


honest  and  thorough-going  business  man,  and  in  all  of  the 
relations  of  life  he  has  won  the  esteem  of  those  who  know 
him  best. 


T.  B.  Jackson,  424  Clinton  avenue,  builder;  es- 
tablished 1854.  David  Jenkins  (Jenkins  &  Gillie), 
366-72  South  5th  street,  E.  D.,  carpenter  and  buil- 
der ;  established  1872  ;  from  no  capital  invested, 
business  has  increased  to  $100,000;  first  firm  of  builder* 
in  Brooklyn  to  make  use  of  the  telephone.  Cakpwi  i.i 
<fc  Hawkins  (Charles  W.  and  Henry  S.),  15  LaWtOD 
street,  builders  ;  established,  1880,  144  Devoe  street  : 
erected  Reformed  Episcopal  church,  corner  Keep  street 
and  Marcy  avenue,  and  the  Janes  M.  E.  church,  corner 
Reid  avenue  and  Monroe  street.  Am;  am  Rl  rAN,  Wl 
Putnam  avenue,  mason  and  builder  ;  established  ist35. 
John  Rome,  334  Schermerhorn  street,  carpenter  and 
builder. 


John  Rome.— In  Dumfriesshire,  Scotland,  near  the  village 
of  Annan,  on  the  banks  of  Solway  Firth.  John  Rome  wax 
horn  in  1815,  the  eldest  son  of  a  large  family  of  children 
His  ancestry  on  his  mother's  side  belonged  to  the  family  ot 
the  Grahams,  descendants  of  the  numerous  and  powerful 
clan  of  that  name,  who  are  prominent  in  the  annals  of 
Scottish  history,  while  the  family  of  the  Romes  lived  on  the 


ARCHITECTS,  BUILDERS  AND  REAL  ESTATE  AGENTS. 


845 


border  for  many  years.  His  father  was  a  farmer,  a  man  of 
excellent  character,  highly  respected  in  Annan,  but  not 
wealthy.  He  found  the  support  of  his  family  from  the  farm 
to  be  difficult,  and  therefore  decided  to  emigrate  to  the 
newer  country,  where  the  soil  made  more  generous  returns 
for  the  labor  expended  in  its  cultivation,  and  the  conditions 
of  life  were  more  favorable  for  the  industrious  poor  man.  So 
in  1820,  he  sailed  for  New  York  with  his  wife  and  little 
family,  landing  there  on  Christmas  Day.  The  first  year  he 
rented  a  farm  in  Oyster  Bay,  but  the  next  year,  1822,  he 
bought  a  tract  of  land  in  the  town  of  Huntington,  where  he 
lived  during  the  remainder  of  his  life.  The  farm  lay  near 
the  hamlet  of  West  Hills,  the  highest  land  on  Long  Island, 
and  there  his  son  John,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  grew  up, 
assisting  his  father  during  the  season  in  out-of-door  work, 
and  attending  the  district  school  for  three  months  in  the 
winter.  Affairs  prospered  with  the  family  until  the  loss  of 
their  house  by  fire,  in  1831,  entailed  additional  labor  and 
some  privation,  while  replacing  what  had  been  destroyed. 
When  a  young  man,  Mr.  Rome  showed  a  good  degree  of 
mechanical  ingenuity  and  aptness  in  the  use  of  tools,  making 
all  the  wooden  implements  needed  on  the  farm,  and  even 
being  employed  upon  buildings  that  were  in  process  of  con- 
struction in  the  neighborhood.  With  his  taste  inclining  in 
this  direction,  and  ambitious  to  excel,  he  studied  what  books 
upon  architecture  and  building  he  could  procure,  uniting 
theory  with  practice,  until  he  was  able  to  successfully  plan 
and  build  several  houses  in  the  vicinity.  As  his  younger 
brothers  grew  up  and  took  their  part  in  assisting  in  the  farm 
work,  Mr.  Rome  felt  that  he  ought  not  to  stand  in  the  way 


of  their  advancement,  but  rather  to  seek  new  fields  of  labor. 
With  his  practical  knowledge  of  building,  natural  aptness, 
good  judgment  and  industrious  habits,  he  felt  confident  of 
making  a  living,  at  least,  at  the  carpenter's  vocation.  In 
1844  he  came  to  Brooklyn  and  found  work,  at  first  by  the 
day,  until  his  savings  had  given  him  a  little  capital.  After 
a  time,  he  happened  in  at  a  sale  of  real  estate  at  an  auction 
room  in  New  York,  where  two  lots  on  Schermerhorn  street, 
in  this  city,  were  under  the  hammer  and  going  at  a  figure 
within  his  means.  Confident  that  city  lots  in  Brooklyn 
would  increase  greatly  in  value,  he  bought  the  property,  and 
it  proved  to  be  the  "  flood  tide  "  in  his  affairs  that  led  him  on 
to  fortune.  He  built  two  houses,  which  sold  advantageously, 
paving  the  way  for  future  investments  of  a  similar  kind. 
By  faithful,  honest  work,  done  under  his  personal  super- 
vision, he  acquired  a  reputation  for  thoroughness  and 
excellence  in  construction,  so  that  his  houses  sold  readily  at 
remunerative  prices.  He  has  continued  in  this  business  of 
buying,  building  and  selling  for  many  years,  erecting  many 
first-class  residences  in  various  parts  of  the  city,  building 
into  his  work  the  honest  faithfulness  of  his  Scotch  ancestry, 
and  gaining  for  himself  a  good  name,  of  which  any  man 
might  well  be  proud. 

The  lack  of  educational  advantages  in  his  youth  he  made 
up  by  learning  of  his  younger  brothers  and  sisters  as  they 
studied  at  home,  and  by  a  course  of  careful  reading  in  leisure 
hours;  when  he  was  sixteen  he  applied  for  and  obtained  the 
office  of  librarian  of  the  school  district,  and  read  with  eager- 
ness the  well  selected,  though  small,  collection  of  books  thus 
placed  in  his  charge.   The  love  of  good  reading  has  always 


846 


HISTORY  01  KINGS  COUNTY. 


t>een  a  characteristic  of  him,  while  a  close  observation  of  men 
and  things  has  given  him  that  practical  knowledge  which  is 
preferable  to  mere  book  education. 

As  a  citizen,  Mr.  Rome  is  one  of  the  intelligent,  thinking, 
l>etter  class,  who  constitute  the  safeguard  of  the  body  politic 
and  who  make  up  enlightened  public  opinion.  Well  informed 
on  the  topics  of  the  day,  he  lives  up  to  his  convictions  of 
right,  expressing  his  preferences  at  the  polls,  generally  favor- 
ing the  Democratic  side,  but  not  entering  into  the  details  of 
politics  or  taking  any  active  part  in  caucuses  and  primaries. 
He  thinks,  with  Sam  Slick,  that  there  are  "  cleaner  things  to 
handle  and  pleasanter  to  smell."  As  might  be  supposed 
from  his  Scotch  descent,  he  is  an  attendant  upon  the  Presby- 
terian Church,  and  a  staunch  supporter  of  religious  and 
charitable  institutions.  His  business,  his  reputation  and  his 
fortune  have  grown  apace,  while  he  is  as  generous  in  the  use 
of  money  as  he  is  honorable  in  its  acquisition.  Still 
actively  engaged  in  the  duties  of  his  calling,  he  manifests 
all  the  enterprise  and  energy  of  his  earlier  years,  with 
additional  knowledge,  skill  and  caution,  gained  from  ex- 
perience. 

Mr.  Rome  is  tall,  broad-shouldered  and  robust  in  person, 
the  weight  of  years  resting  lightly  upon  him.  In  a  hand- 
some home  he  enjoys  with  his  family  the  rewards  of  his 
industry,  and  among  men  he  is  valued  for  his  honor,  integrity 
and  manhood. 

BtTRDBTT  Strykkr,  S60  Jay  street,  builder  and 
carpenter;  established  1834;  joined  the  Volunteer 
Fire  Department  of  Brooklyn,  1827  ;  elected  assistant 
engineer,  1836  ;  elected  chief  engineer,  1839  ;  served 
10  years;  elected  Fire  Commissioner  of  Western  Dis- 
trict, 1858  ;  served  9  years  ;  served  1  year  as  Collector 
of  3d  ward,  and  4  years  as  Alderman  for  4th  ward. 
II.  M.  Smith,  Van  Siclen  avenue,  E.  N.  Y.,  mason  and 
builder;  established  1857.  Stillman  Soule,  412  Gates 
avenue,  carpenter;  established  1882;  direct  descendant 
of  a  Pilgrim,  who  landed  at  Plymouth,  1620.  Morris 
A  mxover,  39  DeKalb  avenue,  carpenters  and  builders; 
established,  1868,  corner  DeBevoise  place.  Tiikodork 
W.  Swimm,  389  Putnam  avenue,  builder  and  real 
estate  ;  established,  1882,  394  Gates  avenue  ;  native  of 
Michigan  ;  came  to  Brooklyn  in  his  16th  year  ;  served 
his  apprenticeship  as  carpenter  with  Mr.  William  M. 
Thomas,  in  a  shop  on  Livingston  street,  where  the 
Court-house  now  stands.  Lewis  J.  Ward,  248  South 
5th  street,  carpenter  ;  grandson  of  Lawrence  Brower, 
who  kept  the  old  Black  Horse  Tavern,  on  the  site  of 
the  Brooklyn  Theatre.  James  P.  Miller,  299  Sumner 
avenue,  carpenter  and  builder;  established,  1849,  at  60 
Wyckoff  street.  Thomas  B.  Watson,  363  Atlantic 
auenue,  mason  and  plasterer;  established,  1866,  at  196 
Pacific  street,  succeeding  his  father  at  that  time;  was  a 
member  of  the  Brooklyn  Fire  Department  ;  assistant 
foreman  Kureka  Hose  Company,  No.14;  member  Pacific 
I  lose  Company,  No.  1  I;  Master  of  Long  Island  Lodge, 
No.  382,  three  years  in  succession,  and  Alderman,  3d 
ward,  1883.  Among  others  in  this  line  are,  also,  An- 
iuckw  Miller,  1,527  Pacific  street,  established  1856  ; 
Emus  II.  BmOTTTj  56  and  58  Poplar  street,  who 


carries  on  the  business  ;  established  on  Henry  street, 
near  Clark,  1839,  by  his  father,  John  O.  Burnett; 
moved  to  present  location  in  1846;  partnership  formed, 
1857;  the  father  retired  1868;  he  came  originally  from 
Elizabeth,  N.  J.,  in  1824,  and  was  foreman  for  D.  Val- 
entine, whom  he  succeeded,  in  1829. 


James  Weaver. — The  late  James  Weaver  was  a  son  of 
Benjamin  and  Mary  (Engle)  Weaver,  and  was  born  in  New 
York  in  September,  1814,  and  in  infancy  removed  to  Brook- 
lyn with  his  parents.  He  was  reared  and  educated  in  the 
city  where  he  afterwards  became  so  well  known;  and,  in 
company  with  his  brother,  William  Weaver,  built  and  oper- 
ated for  a  short  time  the  old  Weaver  sash  and  blind  factory, 
on  Nassau  street.  The  building  is  yet  standing,  but  has 
been  converted  to  other  uses. 

Retiring  from  that  enterprise,  Mr.  Weaver  began  specula- 
ting in  real  estate,  was  very  successful,  and  came  to  be  recog- 
nized as  an  authority  on  all  questions  of  values  arising  in 
Brooklyn  real  estate  transactions.  He  was  long  the  owner 
of  the  valuable  plot  at  the  corner  of  Court  and  Reinsen 
streets,  on  which  the  building  of  the  Dime  Savings  Bank  has 
recently  been  erected.  Having  amassed  a  competency,  he 
retired  from  active  business,  but  was  afterward  identified 
with  banks,  insurance  companies  and  other  corporations.  At 
the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  June  22,  1881,  he  was 
director  of  the  Nassau  Iusurance  Company. 

He  married  Anna  Katharine  Willis,  daughter  of  Leonard 
Willis,  of  New  York.  They  had  one  son,  James  E.  Weaver, 
who  married  the  youngest  daughter  of  Mayor  Kalbfleisch, 
and  died  at  the  age  of  thirty. 

Early  in  life,  Mr.  Weaver  was  an  old  line  Whig,  but  in  the 
transitions  in  political  matters  which  marked  the  period  in 
which  he  lived,  he  became  a  Democrat,  and  so  continued  un- 
til his  death.  But  he  was  in  no  sense  a  politician;  and, 
though  often  solicited  to  do  so,  resolutely  refused  to  be  iden- 
tified with  political  movements  of  any  kind.  In  private  life 
he  had  numerous  warm  friends,  numbering  among  them 
many  of  the  most  prominent  men  of  New  York  and  Brook- 
lyn. He  was  known  in  business  circles  as  a  man  of  uncom- 
promising integrity.  His  death  was  deeply  regretted  by 
all  who  knew  him. 


John  H.  O'Rourke.— The  name  of  O'Rourke  has  for  half  a 
century  or  more  been  known  in  modern  Brooklyn.  In  1830, 
about  the  time  of  the  first  general  influx  of  Irish  emigrants 
into  the  then  small  city,  Patrick  O'Rourke  arrived,  and  not 
long  afterward  opened  a  blacksmith  shop  in  Jay  street,  near 
High,  which  was  burned  in  1832.  Later,  Mr.  O'Rourke  be- 
came a  contractor,  and  as  such  was  for  many  years  favor- 
ably known  in  Brooklyn.    He  died  in  1879. 

John  H.  O'Rourke,  son  of  Patrick  and  Mary  O'Rourke,  was 
born  in  February,  1840,  in  Dean  street,  near  Court,  in  an 
old  farm-house  which  was  at  that  time  his  father's  residence, 
and  was  torn  down  only  a  year  or  so  ago.  He  attended  the 
public  schools,  thus  gaining  the  rudiments  of  a  practical  edu- 
cation, and  at  the  age  of  nineteen  began  to  learn  the  brick- 
masons' trade  with  James  Ashfield.  He  was  thus  employed 
about  three  years,  and  was  then  ready  to  trust  his  fortunes 
to  his  skill  as  a  workman. 

From  1861  to  1864,  Mr.  O'Rourke  was  attached  to  the  en- 
gineer corps  of  the  department  of  the  ( Julf  and  served  in 
Florida,  working  on  government  fortifications.  Returning 
to  Brooklyn,  he  resumed  operations  in  his  line;  ami.  in  18W, 
w. is  appointed  sup  [-intending  mason  for  the  1'ark  Commit" 


ARCHITECTS,  BUILDERS  AND  REAL  ESTATE  AGENTS. 


847 


> 


sion,  a  position  of  responsibility,  which  he  filled  with  credit 
till  1871. 

Mr.  O'Rourke  now  became  a  contractor,  and,  in  1872,  built 
the  Thirteenth  Regiment  Armory,  a  structure  which  will 
long  remain  as  a  monument  to  his  skill.  Since  that  date  he 
has  erected  numerous  churches,  public  buildings,  stores, 
warehouses,  business  blocks,  public  school  buildings  and 
residences,  and  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  enterprising 
men  in  his  line  in  this  city. 

Though  a  Democrat,  Mr.  O'Rourke  has  always  been  too 
busy  to  become  an  active  politician,  though  in  a  quiet  way 
he  has  much  influence  in  his  ward,  and  his  name  has  been 
more  than  once  mentioned  in  connection  with  places  of  pub- 
lic trust.  In  1872,  he  married  Miss  Agnes  Lennan,  of  New 
York. 


Frederick  Herr.— The  family  of  Herr  originated  in 
Saxony.  Christian  Herr,  great-grandfather  of  the  subject 
of  this  sketch,  was  in  Bavaria  with  the  German  army  early 
in  this  century,  and,  falling  in  love  with  a  native  woman, 
married  her,  and  remained  in  Bavaria  during  his  life,  found- 
ing the  Bavarian  branch  of  the  family.  One  of  his  sons, 
Johannes,  was  Frederick  Herr's  grandfather,  and  Frederick 
Herr's  father  bore  the  same  Christian  name,  and  married 
Magdalena  Boell,  who  had  three  sons  and  a  daughter,  of 
whom  Frederick,  the  youngest,  was  born  in  Bavaria,  March 
28,  1829. 


Young  Herr  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm,  and  received 
the  rudiments  of  his  education  in  a  Catholic  school,  in  his 
native  town.  At  the  age  of  ten,  he  entered  a  Protestant 
school,  in  a  neighboring  village,  and  remained  there  three 
years.  Later,  he  was,  for  two  years,  a  student  in  a  higher 
school,  at  another  town,  about  eight  miles  distant  from  his 
home.  After  he  left  this  school,  his  father  kept  him  busy 
on  the  farm  for  the  greater  part  of  a  year,  desiring  that  he 
should  become  a  thorough  farmer  and  take  charge  of  the 
place,  thus  relieving  his  father  of  many  cares.  But  the  boy 
was  bent  on  becoming  a  merchant,  and,  after  vainly  trying 
to  enter  upon  a  commercial  career  in  his  native  land,  re- 
solved to  emigrate  to  America,  a  project  which  was  long 
opposed  by  his  father,  but  which  he  put  into  execution  when 
he  was  only  sixteen. 

Young  Frederick  Herr  arrived  in  New  York  with  a  capital 
of  only  five  francs,  and  this  he  paid  out  for  his  first  night's 
lodging  in  America,  to  a  German  farmer,  at  Broadway  and 
Forty-second  street  (a  locality  then  far  beyond  the  city 
limits).  The  following  morning  he  hired  out  to  his  enter- 
tainer, and  for  two  months  assisted  him  about  his  market- 
gardening,  receiving  for  his  services  $3.50  per  month,  and 
his  board.  During  this  period,  as  he  learned  long  after- 
ward, the  youth  was  not  so  friendless  as  he  seemed  to  him- 
self to  be.  His  father  had  forwarded  money  for  his  use,  if 
needed,  to  the  German  Consul,  with  instructions  to  employ 
a  suitable  person  to  keep  an  eye  on  Frederick,  and  assist  him 


S4S  HTSTORY'lOF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


in  the  time  of  need  if  he  showed  a  disposition  to  go  to  the 
bad  or  fell  into  difficulties  of  any  kind.  Leaving  the  scene 
of  his  first  labors  in  America,  Frederick  crossed  over  to  Wil- 
liamsburg, and  was  employed  for  three  months,  at  $6  per 
month,  and  board,  by  another  market-gardener,  on  Broad- 
way, near  Maujer  street. 

Next  we  find  the  young  emigrant  in  Houston  street,  New 
York,  learning  the  trade  of  baker,  and  later,  during  a  period 
of  seven  years,  he  was  a  clerk  in  a  grocery,  at  the  corner  of 
Grand  street  and  Goerck.  Here  he  saved  some  money,  and, 
in  18o7.  established  a  bakery  in  Brooklyn,  on  Bridge  street, 
near  York.  He  continued  successfully  in  this  business  for 
six  years,  amassing  the  beginning  of  his  present  fortune, 
then  engaged  in  the  real  estate  business,  in  which  he  has  con- 
tinued to  the  present  time.  In  1872,  he  began  building,  and 
has  since  combined  the  two  businesses.  He  employs  fifty 
carpenters  and  other  laborers,  and  builds,  on  an  average, 
from  twenty  to  thirty  dwellings  a  year,  confining  his  opera- 
tions chiefly  to  the  16th,  18th,  21st  and  25th  wards. 

Mr.  Ilerr  is  prominently  identified  with  many  of  the  lead- 
ing interests  of  his  part  of  the  city.  He  is  a  trustee  of  Bush- 
wick  Savings  Hank,  treasurer  of  St.  Mark's  Lutheran  school, 
located  at  the  corner  of  Evergreen  and  Jefferson  streets,  and 
manager  of  the  Eastern  District  Disjiensary,  a  charitable 
institution,  on  Myrtle  avenue,  near  Throop. 

Mr.  Herr  was  married,  in  1H.">7,  to  Miss  Mary  Lauth,  a 
(ierman  lady-resident  in  Brooklyn,  who  died  in  1874,  leaving 
two  sons  named  Charles  and  John,  one  of  whom  is  fitting 
lnm.ielf  to  become  a  carpenter  and  builder,  wbile  tlie  oilier 
if  studying  architect  lire,  ,md  who  will  worthily  succeed  their 


father  upon  his  retirement.  November  24,  1882,  Mr.  Herr 
was  married  to  his  present  wife,  who  was  Miss  Meta  Gieseler, 
of  Brooklyn. 


JOHN  Doherty  was  born  in  county  Donegal.  Ireland, 
sixty-seven  years  ago,  a  son  of  Roderick  and  Annie  (Lynch) 
Doherty.  Many  generations  of  his  ancestors  had  been  Iwrn. 
had  lived  aud  had  died  in  the  same  locality.  Receiving  a 
meagre  education  in  his  native  place,  Mr.  Doherty  came  to 
America  in  1837,  located  in  Brooklyn  and  began  business  life 
as  a  contractor  and  builder.  Gradually  he  extended  his 
operations,  speculating  in  real  estate  more  and  more  as  time 
passed,  until  at  this  time  he  owns  city  property  in  nearly  all 
parts  of  Brooklyn.  In  Brooklyn  alone  he  has  built  four  hun- 
dred to  five  hundred  houses,  and  at  different  times  lie  has 
erected  many  in  New  York  and  elsewhere. 

Mr.  Doherty's  business  career  has  been  a  remarkably  sue 
cessful  one,  and  though  its  period  has  been  marked  by  numer- 
ous financial  crises,  he  has  never  compromised  a  debt  and  has 
never  had  a  lien  upon  any  one  of  the  many  buildings  he 
has  put  up,  and  no  judgment  has  ever  been  obtained  against 
him.    His  most  conspicuous  characteristic  lias  Keen  inn  iel<l 
ing  integrity,  and  no  man  has  a  better  reputation  for  accord- 
ing to  all  mankind  that  which  is  justly  due  from  him. 
Whether  in  his  relations  with  real  estate  owners,  with  deal- 
ers in  builders'  materials  or  with  thousands  of  employes,  the 
same  straightforward  course  has  ever  characterized  him 
In  every  relation  of  life  he  is  known  as  the  Creator's  noblest 
work — an  honest   man.      It   is  probable  that  few  men  in 
Brooklyn   have  done  more  than  Mr.   I  loberty  to  extend  il» 


ARCHITECTS,  BUILDERS  AND  REAL  ESTATE  AGENTS. 


849 


visible  limits,  to  build  it  up  and  to  make  it  desirable  as  a  city 
of  homes.  It  is  estimated  that  the  houses  he  has  built  and 
owned,  and  the  lots  on  which  they  stand,  constitute  an  as- 
sessable addition  to  the  tax  budget  of  the  city  of  over  $130,- 
000.  Go  where  one  may  within  the  city  limits,  few  blocks 
will  be  passed  that  do  not  contain  houses  built  by  Mr. 
Doherty,  and  they  are  especially  numerous  on  "  the  hill," 
in  Eighth  avenue  and  Berkeley  Place,  where  he  has  operated 
extensively  during  the  past  few  years.  Mr.  Doherty  was 
married,  May  7th,  1846,  to  Miss  Elenor  Gelston,  of  New  York, 
who  has  borne  him  five  children — two  sons  and  three 
daughters.  Politically,  Mr.  Doherty  is  a  Democrat  in  opinion, 
and  takes  a  deep  interest  in  all  questions  affecting  our  re- 
publican institutions,  but  he  is  not,  as  the  term  is  ordinarily 
applied,  a  politican,  and  has  resolutely  refused  to  become  a 
candidate  for  office,  though  often  strongly  urged  to  permit 
his  name  to  go  on  the  ticket,  preferring  to  devote  all  of  his 
time  and  attention  to  his  large  and  increasing  business. 


Daniel  McCabe,  one  of  Brooklyn's  best  known  real  estate 
operators  and  general  business  men,  was  born  in  County 
Carlow,  Ireland,  in  1832,  and  came  to  America  at  the  age  of 
twelve.  He  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Brooklyn, 
and  at  the  age  of  twenty  began  to  speculate  in  real  estate, 
buying  and  selling  building  lots  and  residences  in  different 
parts  of  the  city,  a  business  in  which  he  has  continued  to 
the  present  time.    Formerly  he  was  prominently  identified 


with  the  building  interests  of  the  city.  In  1865,  he  built  the 
first  brown  stone  houses  erected  on  Fulton  street,  between 
Washington  avenue  and  St.  James's  Place,  and  later  bought 
largely  between  Franklin  and  Classon  avenues.  He  now 
owns  and  leases  many  buildings  throughout  the  city,  the 
majority  of  them  being' located  on  Fulton  street  and  Myrtle 
avenue.  These  enterprises  of  Mr.  McCabe's,  while  projected 
and  prosecuted  primarily  for  private  gain,  have  inured  greatly 
to  the  benefit  of  the  city  and  the  public  at  large.  Mr. 
McCabe  has  also  been  long  interested  in  movements  having 
the  general  development  and  improvement  of  the  city  for 
their  primary  object.  He  was  conspicuous  among  those  who 
first  encouraged  rapid  transit  for  Brooklyn;  was  one  of  the 
organizers  of  the  Fulton  Bank,  of  which  he  was  for  some 
years  a  director  and  is  at  present  a  stockholder;  he  served 
about  six  years  gratuitously  as  the  president  of  the  Park 
Savings  Bank,  and  managed  the  creditable  winding  up  of  its 
affairs  so  often  referred  to  in  these  days  of  doubtful  banking 
transactions,  and  has  been  for  more  than  twenty  years  a 
director  of  the  Nassau  Fire  Insurance  Company.  In  his 
political  affiliations  Mr.  McCabe  is  a  Democrat,  but  he  has 
ever  been  too  busy  to  interest  himself  actively  in  politics. 
During  the  administration  of  Mayor  Kalbfleisch,  he  was  for 
some  years  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Education. 

Mr.  Robert  Thomas  has  been  a  citizen  of  Williamsburg 
during  the  past  forty-four  years,  and  has  seen  that  section 


S50  HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


of  Brooklyn  grow  from  a  country  village  of  4,000  population 
to  its  present  important  proportions.  He  is  a  son  of  Robert 
and  Mary  (Heaman)  Thomas,  and  was  born  August  16th, 
1828,  at  Torrington,  Devonshire,  England,  wher^  his  father, 
a  carpenter  and  builder,  lived  until  1831,  when,  with  his 
family,  he  emigrated  to  America,  locating  in  New  York,  the 
subject  of  this  sketch  being  at  that  time  eight  years  of  age. 

Mr.  Thomas  enjoyed  only  brief  and  meagre  educational 
advantages,  after  his  arrival  in  New  York  attendiug  a 
private  school  kept  by  a  Mr.  Lockwood,  in  Wooster  street, 
until  he  reached  the  age  of  thirteen,  when  he  became  a  clerk 
in  the  grocery  store  of  Krilton  &  Young,  at  the  corner  of 
Greene  and  Amity  streets.  At  the  age  of  fifteen,  he  was 
apprenticed  to  George  Higgins,  on  Frankfort  street,  between 
Cliff  and  Jacob  streets,  to  learn  the  manufacture  of  archi- 
tectural wrought-iron  work  and  of  tools  for  use  by  manu- 
facturing jewelers  and  silversmiths,  where  he  remained  five 
years,  becoming  master  of  both  branches  of  industry. 

In  1*14,  Mr.  Thomas  removed  to  Williamsburg  and  opened 
a  shop,  in  the  line  of  his  former  employer,  on  South  Fourth 
street,  where  he  was  measurably  successful  until  1849,  when, 
having  kcome  a  victim  of  the  then  prevalent  "gold  fever," 
he  went  to  California,  delving  with  indifferent  success  in  the 
mill'  -  of  thai  region  from  May  to  September  of  the  year 
mentioned,  and  losing  his  left  eye  by  an  accident  while 
blasting.  Returning  to  Williamsburg,  he  again  embarked  in 
his  former  business,  his  shop  being  on  Broadway,  near 
Fourth  street,  and  from  1851  to  1H58  was  so  energetic  and 
successful  that,  during  the  last  mentioned  year,  he  was 
enabled  to  Inn  the  establishment  of  (Jeorge  Higgins,  his  once 
employer,  which  had  some  years  before  been  removed  to 


Williamsburg,  where  Mr.  Higgins  had  long  had  a  branch 

shop. 

Mr.  Thomas  continued  in  business  very  successfully  until 
the  spring  of  1877,  when  he  retired  from  active  life,  and  has 
since  been  carrying  on  a  desultory  and  speculative  trade  in 
houses  and  lots  in  his  section  of  the  city,  until  within  the  past 
two  years,  during  which  he  has  taken  a  prominent  part  in  the 
management  of  the  educational  affairs  of  the  city,  having  been 
appointed  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Education  of  the  city  of 
Brooklyn,  in  1882,  for  a  term  of  three  years.  Politically,  lie 
was  formerly  a  Whig  and  is  now  a  Republican.  With  his 
family,  he  is  identified  with  the  South  Fourth  street  Presby- 
terian church.  In  1847,  he  was  married  to  Judith  Maujer,  a 
niece  of  Daniel  Maujer's,  who  died  in  May,  1851,  leaving  a 
daughter,  who  is  now  Mrs.  Albert  Weaver.  In  1*56,  he  was 
married  a  second  time,  to  Miss  Hannah  Arnot,  of  Orange 
county,  N.  Y.,  by  whom  he  has  one  daughter.  He  is  often 
pointed  out  as  one  of  the  numerous  men  in  Brooklyn  whfl 
have  successfully  waged  the  battle  of  life  against  many 
disheartening  disadvantages. 


Benjamin  T.  Lynch.— Andrew  Lynch  settled  where  Pater- 
son,  New  Jersey,  now  is,  in  1798,  and  for  many  years  after 
ward  was  the  proprietor  of  a  cotton  mill  on  the  Passaic 
River.  He  and  his  wife  both  died  during  the  years  1H14  and 
1815,  and  one  of  their  sons,  Thomas  Lynch,  then  a  mere 
youth,  came  to  Brooklyn  in  1S20.  and  for  a  time  was  em- 
ployed in  a  rope-walk  bounded  by  Bridge,  Tillary,  Pearl  and 
Concord  Btreets.  In  1825,  he  opened  a  grocery  at  the  conn  r 
of  Bridge  and  Tillary  streets,  and  for  fort)  \  cars  carried  on  a 
successful  business  there,  which  for  many  years  before  I"' 


ARCHITECTS,  BUILDERS  AND  REAL  ESTATE  AGENTS. 


851 


relinquished  it,  was  one  of  the  most  extensive  in  the  city. 
He  gradually  engaged  in  real  estate  transactions,  and  became 
one  of  the  heaviest  operators  in  the  city.  During  his  busi- 
ness career  and  his  retirement,  which  dated  from  1865,  he 
was  the  friend  and  associate  of  the  most  prominent  Brook- 
lynites  of  his  time.  He  died  in  1873,  the  death  of  his  wife, 
whose  maiden  name  was  Mary  Lynch,  having  occurred  in 
1852. 

Two  of  the  sons  of  Thomas  Lynch  are  among  the  best 
known  business  men  of  the  Brooklyn  of  to-day.  David  T. 
Lynch,  the  younger  of  the  two,  is  a  popular  lawyer  and 
merchant,  being  the  proprietor  of  the  business  of  the  White- 
house  Shoe  Company,  and  is  widely  known  and  respected  in 
business  circles. 

The  other,  Benjamin  T.  Lynch,  an  extensive  real  estate 
operator,  was  born  in  Brooklyn,  February  7th,  1841;  was  ed- 
ucated at  private  schools,  and  learned  the  real  estate  busi- 
ness in  the  office  of  his  father,  where  he  was  employed  from 
an  early  age.  At  the  death  of  their  father,  Benjamin  T. 
and  David  T.  Lynch  became  the  owners  of  his  real  estate  in 
Brooklyn  and  vicinity,  and  to  the  valuable  interests  involved 


in  its  management,  Benjamin  T.  Lynch  has  since  given  his 
attention. 

Fearless  and  independent  politically,  Mr.  Lynch  has  long 
had  the  best  interests  of  the  growing  city  at  heart,  and  has 
given  a  cordial  support  to  many  measures  looking  toward  its 
development  and  improvement.  He  is  a  director  and  the 
secretary  of  the  Brooklyn  Underground  Railway  Company, 
and  a  stockholder  in  several  commercial  institutions  of  a 
high  character. 

To  the  Masonic  fraternity  he  is  well  known,  being  a  mem- 
ber of  United  States  Lodge,  No.  20?,  F.  and  A.  M. ;  Nassau 
Chapter,  No.  109,  R.  A.  M.,  and  Clinton  Commandery,  No. 
14,  K.  T.,  and  he  is  also  identified  with  several  other  so- 
cieties. 


We  have  already  explained  the  methods  usually 
adopted  in  erecting  buildings  "  on  speculation."  The 
results  generally  were,  that  the  houses  first  erected  by 
a  builder,  were,  as  a  rule  well  built,  but  if  the  sales 
were  dull,  or  there  was  strong  competition,  and  a  con- 


852 


HISTORY  01  KINGS  COUNTY. 


sequent  yielding  of  prices,  the  builder  usually  lost 
money,  or  made  very  little,  on  his  first  houses  ;  but 
this  did  not,  as  a  rule,  deter  him  from  continuing  to 
build  "  speculation  houses."  There  was  an  excitement 
akin  to  that  of  gambling  about  the  business,  which  led  to 
further  ventures,  and  in  these,  by  economizing  here  and 
there,  using  poorer  lumber  or  inferior  bricks,  or  poorer 
quality  of  the  brown  stone,  where  these  would  be  out  of 
sight,  making  the  party  walls  lighter  and  less  perfect, 
cutting  down  upon  the  plumbing,  using  inferior  mortar 
and  cement,  lighter  timber,  and  the  cheap  factory-made 
doors,  sash  and  blinds,  they  generally  succeeded  in 
making  a  moderate  and  sometimes  a  large  profit.  The 
houses,  once  off  their  hands,  gave  them  no  further 
concern.  But  this  triumph  of  fraud  and  greed  was 
after  all  generally  short-lived.  The  intensity  of  the 
competition  in  these  buildings  led  constantly  to  new 
improvements,  which,  when  once  introduced,  were 
always  insisted  upon  by  the  wide-awake  buyer,  whose 
wits  were  sharpened  by  the  points  he  gathered  in  his 
travels  among  the  builders  who  had  houses  for  sale  ; 
whatever  was  the  novelty  just  then  in  vogue  it  must 
be  had  in  every  new  house  ;  whether  it  were  hard 
wood  doors,  stairs  and  wainscoting,  three  stationary 
washtubs  instead  of  two,  bronze  door  and  window 
trimmings,  cedar  closets,  massive  window  guards  and 
iron  storm  doors,  mansard  roofs,  with  or  without  gilt 
railings,  extra  finishing  in  the  dining  rooms,  superb 
bath  rooms,  deadened  walls  or  sanitary  plumbing,  it 
must  be  had.  As  these  things  constantly  enhance  the 
price,  the  shrewder  builders  managed  to  make  some 
money,  as  there  were  still  chances  for  slighting  the 
work  where  the  frauds  would  not  be  readily  discovered. 
But  very  many  of  the  weaker  men  in  the  business  went 
to  the  wall,  ami  it  was  mainly  from  among  these  that 
the  shortdived  cry  for  cheaper  houses  of  narrow  width, 
two  stories  in  front  and  three  in  rear,  or  of  cheap  brick 
and  mastic  fronts,  was  started.  The  rage  for  these  did 
not  last. 

The  erection  of  "flats"  or  apartment  houses  was, 
for  the  most  part,  begun  and  promoted  by  the 
real  estate  dealers  and  agents.  It  required  a  larger 
amount  of  capital  than  most  of  the  builders  had  at 
command,  as  the  flats  were  usually  put  up  in  large 
blocks,  and  in  those  best  constructed,  with  an  inner 
court,  or  at  least  a  lighted  central  stairway  and  ele- 
vator shaft.  They  were  not  built  to  be  sold,  but  to  be 
rented,  and  hence  it  was  desirable,  especially  in  the 
best  class,  thai  the\  should  be  well  and  substantially 
built. 

That  this  business  has  been  overdone,  we  fully  be- 
lieve.  It  was  inevitable  in  the  nature  of  things;  for, 
when  fierce  competition  and  a  large  amount  of  capital 

Making  profitable  investment  were  factors  in  the  un- 
dertaking, over-production  could  not  but  follow.  Still, 
so  rapid  is  the  growth  of  our  city,  and  so  great  the 
demand  for  dwellings  of  respectable  appearance,  that 


it  will,  probably,  be  some  time  before  the  unwisdom  of 
much  of  this  style  of  building  will  be  fully  manifest. 
Of  course  the  cheaper  classes  of  flats  will  depreciate 
most  rapidly. 

Of  the  apartment  houses  of  Brooklyn,  that  of  Mr. 
Fol  gera,  on  the  corner  of  Clinton  and  Atlantic  streets, 
is  perhaps  in  point  of  convenience,  finish,  etc.,  the  best 
examp  le. 

A  still  more  interesting  development  in  this  class  of 
dwelling  is  that  of  improved  roorkin;/ men's  homes,  a 
form  of  building  investment  which  has  for  its  basis 
the  philanthropic  object  of  providing  homes  cheap  and 
healthful  and  convenient,  in  every  economic  and  sani- 
tary feature,  for  those  of  very  moderate  means.  The 
houses  erected  with  this  design  in  London  by  the  Pea 
body  Fund,  by  Sir  Sydney  Waterlow,  the  London  Im- 
provement Co.,  etc.,  have  proved  a  great  success  in 
elevating  the  home-life  of  the  laboring  classes.  We 
are  glad  to  know  that  Brooklyn  has  in  Mr.  White's 
enterprise  (a  description  of  which  we  give  from  the 
April,  1884,  number  of  Harper's  Magazine),  similar 
houses  in  ivery  respect,  both  of  construction  and  suc- 
cess, worthy  to  be  compared  with  these  English  enter- 
prises. 

Mr.  Alfred  T.  White  commenced  his  work  in  1876, 
and  in  some  respects  his  experiments  have  been  even 
more  successful  than  any  in  London.  The  first 
"Home  Buildings,"  with  forty  dwellings  and  five  stores( 
on  Hicks  street,  Brooklyn,  five  minutes'  walk  from 
South  Ferry,  were  opened  February,  1877,  and  were 
immediately  filled.  A  second  adjoining  block,  facing  on 
Baltic  street,  without  any  stores,  was  opened  Octo- 
ber, 1877.  Three  "Tower  Buildings,"  on  the  next  block, 
very  much  finer  in  appearance  than  their  neighbors,  were 
opened  in  1878  and  1870,  the  five  aggregating  218  dwell 
ings  (1  of  6,  25  of  5,  147  of  4,  45  of  3  rooms),  and  15 
stores,  housing  about  1,000  people.  Each  of  these  dwell- 
ings has  living-room  and  scullery  as  well  as  bed-rooin<. 
it  being  a  cardinal  principle  (as  in  the  Waterlow  build- 
ings in  London)  that  each  family  shall  have  even 
requisite  within  its  own  private  domain.  Each  family 
has  also  a  storage  bin  for  coal,  etc.,  in  the  basement. 

The  floors  are  planned  alike  from  bottom  to  top, 
which  permits  a  considerable  saving  by  the  duplication 
of  materials.  The  buildings  are  of  plain  red  brick  ; 
slate  stairways  wind  up  a  shaftway,  inclosed  in  a  solid 
wall,  opening  out-of-doors  upon  balconies,  where  each 
tenant  has  a  separate  entrance,  and  they  terminate  on 
a  flat,  gravelled  roof  for  clothes  drying  and  for  play. 
In  the  "Tower  Building,"  three  shaftings  constitute  tin 
tower  by  which  means  an  (dement  of  beauty  is  intro- 
duced which  the  "  Home  Buildings"  lack. 

The  cost  of  the  first  " Home  Building "  is  givai  M 

about  $7,000  for  the  four  lots  of  land,  and  s.w,   f<>i 

the  building  itself.  The  average  price  of  dwellini:- 
throughout  the  buildings  is  $1.!>;J  per  week  for  four, 
and  111. 48  for  three  room  dwelling;  the  lowed  prim, 


ARCHITECTS,  BUILDERS  AND  REAL  ESTATE  AGENTS. 


853 


$1.50  and  $1.30,  these  last  being  on  the  top  floor,  whence 
tencents  is  added  each  floor  downward. 

Each  tenant  is  given  an  account  card  for  the  year, 
with  the  rules  and  space  for  his  weekly  payments.  Of 
these  prices  there  is  a  discount  of  ten  cents  per  week 
to  those  who  pay  four  weeks  rent  at  a  time  in  advance, 
which  one-fourth  of  the  tenants  have  done  regularly, 
and  there  is  a  second  rebate  of  ten  per  cent,  to  tenants 
who,  by  remaining  the  full  year,  from  1st  of  May  to 
1st  of  May,  save  to  the  building  the  wear  and  tear  of 
removals. 

The  buildings  have  nevertheless  earned  a  gross  rev- 
enue of  thirteen  per  cent.,  of  which  in  round  numbers 
two  per  cent,  goes  for  taxes,  two  per  cent,  for  repairs, 
one  per  cent,  for  expenses,  while  the  net  eight  per  cent, 
has  been  used — two  per  cent,  for  improvement  and  ex- 
tension, and  six  per  cent,  for  dividends.  Here  is  a 
prospect  for  wise  capitalists. 

Among  the  features  of  these  buildings  are  a  free 
reading-room  and  lending  library,  and  free  baths;  the 
home-sense  of  the  tenants  is  also  encouraged  by  per- 
mitting each  to  choose  his  own  wall-paper  within  cer- 
tain limits  of  cost.  No  rooms  remain  unlet.  There  is 
always  a  long  list  of  applicants  in  advance  for  any  va- 
cancy. 

The  remarkable  feature  of  Mr.  White's,  miniature 
city  is,  however,  the  two  blocks  of  dwelling-houses 
known  as  "  Warren  Place." 

On  a  plot  of  land,  112  feet  frontage  on  Warren  and 
Baltic  streets  and  running  through  200  feet  from  street 
to  street,  this  private  way,  with  a  tiny  green  its  whole 
length,  has  been  laid  out,  and  on  either  side  thirty-four 
little  brick  houses  of  two  and  three  stories  have  been 
,  built. 

A  cartway  for  ash-carts,  grocery  wagons,  etc.,  runs 
in  the  rear  of  each  set. 

The  two-story  and  basement  houses  are  ll|x32  feet, 
and  have  six  rooms  each. 

They  cost  but  $1,100  each,  exclusive  of  land,  and  they 
rent  for  $18  per  month.  They  are  pretty  and  have 
every  convenience. 

By  this  experiment,  Mr.  White  has  shown  that  even 
on  city  lots  costing  $4,000  for  25x100  feet,  such  dwell- 
ing can  be  profitably  rented  for  about  $250  a  year.  It 
is  not  yet,  however,  the  pre-millennial  age,  and  capital 
still  prefers  the  drifting  sands  of  Wall  street  to  this 
building  on  a  rock. 

Among  the  best  known  builders  of  the  city  we  may 
mention  the  following  : 

Abram  Allen  146  Pierrepont  street. 

Jno.  D.  Anderson  ;  ..225  Raymond  street. 

James  Ashfield  244  Grand  avenue. 

Adams  &  Donaldson  ....  178  So.  Portland  avenue. 

Lewis  Acor  374  Tompkins  avenue. 

Richard  C.  Addy  592  Willoughby  avenue. 

S.  F.  Bartlett  209  Clymer  street. 

W.  0.  Booth  253  Carleton  avenue. 


J.  W.  Booth  121  Freeman  street. 

Henry  J.  Brown   1378  Fulton  avenue. 

P.  F.  Burns  624  Grand  avenue. 

Geo.  W.  Brown  728  Fulton  street. 

Stephen  J.  Burrows  236  Ainslie  street. 

H.  B.  Banta  2  7  Bergen  street. 

E.  H.  Burnett  58  Poplar  street. 

Chester  Bedell  337  Smith  street. 

Daniel  Brown  Fulton  &  Portland  avenues. 

O.  J.  Buckley,  Jr  404  Bridge  street. 

Jno.  K.  Buhner  2 13  Adelphi  street. 

A.  K.  Buckley  ISO  Kosciusko  street. 

Elbert  Brush  38  North  Oxford  street. 

Hiram  Bush  S47  Gates  avenue. 

Geo.  W.  Brandt  L64  55th  street. 

Jno.  J.  Brennan  151  Lee  avenue. 

Alex.  Barnie,  Jr  377  Gold  street. 

Patrick  F.  Burns  624  Grand  avenue. 

Beard  &  Kingsland  Hamilton  ave.  n.  Clinton  st. 

Marvin  Croas  41  Bedford  avenue. 

Jno.  Clarke  1119  Greene  avenue. 

Geo.  B.  Colyer  359  16th  street. 

Wm.  Corrigan  223  11th  street. 

Thos.  Corrigan  310  10th  street. 

John  Cregier  709  Greene  avenue. 

Francis  Curran  21  St.  Felix  street. 

C.  Cameron  ............ .135  Washington  avenue. 

P.  J.  Carlin  549  Clinton  avenue. 

Parmenas  Castner  162  Prince  street. 

Peter  Concannon  156  Wythe  avenue. 

Geo.  Cook  201  Ft.  Greene  place. 

J.  W.  Campbell  315  Carleton  avenue. 

Coles  &  Goodfellow  Gravesend. 

P.  Carlin  &  Sons   440  Van  Buren  street. 

Chas.  H.  Cardwell  15  Lawton  street. 

Geo.  Damen  88  Luqueer  street. 

Jas.  J.  Doig,  Jr  24  Franklin  street. 

T.  S.  Denike  S29  Herkimer  street. 

Gilbert  De  Revere  663  Greene  avenue. 

J.  Demott   270  Schermerhorn. 

C.  Dietrich  27  Boerum  place. 

Thos.  Donlon  157  Pierrepont  street. 

Jas.  W.  Dearing  434  Henry  street. 

John  Denithorne  843  Dean  street. 

E.  H.  Day  151  State  street. 

James  Duffy  284  16th  street. 

C.  M.  Detlefsen.  165  Van  Dyke  street. 

Jesse  M.  Folk  205  Nassau  street. 

Wm.  Flannagan  46  Berkeley  place. 

John  S.  Frost  574  Franklin  avenue. 

D.  H.  Fowler   360  Waverly  avenue. 

Maurice  Freeman's  Sons.  .286  Warren  street. 

A.  A.  Fardon  119  Carleton  avenue. 

Edw'd  Freel  484  La  Fayette  avenue. 

John  Guilfoyle  ISO  High  street. 

B.  Gallagher  217  South  9th  street. 

Thos.  Green   195  6th  avenue. 


8:>  4 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


John  Gordon  248  Cumberland  street. 

Thos.  Gibbons  00  Clymer  street. 

Win.  J.  Gillmore  234  Division  avenue. 

Henry  P.  Gerst  276  South  9th  street. 

Win.  Green  506  Clinton  street. 

Thos.  E.  Greenland  254£  Kosciusko  street. 

II.  Grastnan  807  Willoughby  avenue. 

Fred.  Herr   778  Broadway.  ' 

W.  H.  Hazzard  21 1  Sohermerhorn  street. 

Wra.  E.  Hart  300  Navy  street. 

Henry  Harteau  554  Washington  avenue. 

President  Metropolitan  Plate  Glass  Insurance  Co.:  es- 
tablished 1873,  in  Brooklyn;  Meml>er  of  the  Board  of 
Education  La  1840;  Alderman  for  the  11th  Ward  in  1852 
'3:  Originator  of  the  Wallahout  lm])rovement,  and  the 
extension  of  Washington  avenue;  re-elected  as  Member 
of  the  Board  of  Education,  in  1871:  First  President  of 
Mechanics'  and  Traders'  Exchange. 

Richard  H.  Heasman  904  Madison  street. 

Mansfield  Hunt  137  South  5th  street. 

Jacob  Hart  

T.  B.  Jackson..   424  Clinton  avenue. 

C.  A.  Jackson. . .   34  Halsey  street. 

W.  E.  Jackson  34  Halsey  street. 

C.  L.  Johnson  158  Bedford  avenue. 

W.  J.  Kerigan  258  Pearl  street. 

J.  P.  Kinney  418  3d  street. 

Jos.  I.  Kirby  73  Gates  avenue. 

P.  J.  Kelly  138  Dean  street. 

William  Kohlmeyer  318  South  1st  street. 

John  Lee  210  State  street. 

James  Lennox  128  23d  street. 

Benj.  Linikin  21G  Greene  avenue. 

Chas.  Long  383  11th  street. 

Long  &  Barnes  114  Clermont  avenue. 

James  Lock  000  Willoughby. 

Wm.  Lamb  200  Rodney  street. 

Thos.  Lamb,  Jr  234  Rodney  street. 

James  R.  Lawrence  230  Park  place. 

Leonard  Bros  735  Bergen  street. 

D.  W.  L.  Moore  131  Colyer  street. 

John  Monas  92  Park  place. 

D.  T.  McFarlan  GG2  Gates  avenue. 

Morris  &  Seelover  39  DeKalb  avenue. 

Martin  <fe  Lee  440  Clermont  avenue. 

Henry  McQuilkin  102  Walworth  street. 

Peter  Modest  387  Marion  street. 

John  Magilligan  50  Berkeley  place. 

John  J.  Mills  490  Gates  avenue. 

Andrew  Miller   1527  Pacific  street. 

James  1'.  .Miller  299  Summer  avenue, 

Wm.  EL  Maxwell  591  Carroll  street. 

E.  II.  Moubray  317  7th  street. 

P.  Mulledy  570  Quincy  street. 

John  McXamcc   477  Kent  avenue. 

M.  Myers  88H  DeKalb  avenue. 

.las.  II.  Mason  L'77  Carlton  avenue. 

Thos.  J.  Nash  89  Butler  street. 


Daniel  B.  Norris  259  Clifton  place. 

P.  F.  O'Brien  104  Bedford  avenue. 

John  II.  O'Rourke  119  38th  street. 

George  Phillipps  177  Hancock  street. 

George  Perkins  204  DeGraw  street. 

Robert  Payne  340  Willoughby  avenue. 

Charles  B.  Piper   88  North  Oxford  street. 

Herman  Phillips  289  Jefferson  street. 

Samuel  J.  Peden  399  Marcy  avenue. 

John  V.  Porter  184  Park  place. 

John  J.  Quin   409  Macon  street. 

S.  M.  Randall  571  Lorimer  street. 

John  Rome  334  Sohermerhorn  street 

Daniel  Ryan   733  Third  avenue. 

James  Roper  109  Halsey  street. 

Myron  C.  Rush  329  Franklin  avenue. 

William  J.  Ryder  128  Quincy  street. 

T.  A.  Remsen  913  Atlantic  avenue. 

F.  B.  Rutan  175  Monroe  street. 

James  Rodwell  89  Division  avenue. 

John  F.  Ryan  187  Hewes  street. 

John  C.  Rustin  79|  Clermont  avenue. 

T.  W.  Rollins  35  South  Oxford  street. 

A.  Rutan  (Mason)  957  Putnam  avenue. 

John  linger  258  Moore  street. 

John  Rawson  219  Clymer  street. 

W.  C.  Russell  58  Hancock  street. 

Elbert  Snedeker  391  Greene  avenue. 

Howard  J.  Smith  478  Clermont  avenue. 

J.  N.  Smith  371  LaFayette  avenue. 

John  Stafford  53  Dean  street. 

J.  E.  &  J.  EL  Stevenson.  .14  Hoyt  street. 

C.  L.  Smith  157  South  8th  street. 

C.  P.  Skelton,  Sr  1011  DeKalb  avenue. 

Jos.  Simms  201  Fort  Greene  place. 

L.  W.  Seaman,  Jr  2  Fort  Greene  place. 

Thomas  Stone  471  State  street. 

W.  Schepper  126  Carleton  avenue. 

John  Smith  178  Chauncey  street. 

F.  Sloat  349  Tompkins  avenue. 

James  Shannon   87  Clermont  avenue. 

Stillman  Soulc  427  Gates  avenue. 

Peter  Sullivan  389  Lewis  avenue. 

John  C.  Sawkins  Flatbush. 

C.  B.  Sheldon  302  5th  street. 

Matthew  Smith  248  Lorimer  street. 

J.  P.  Seeley  130  LaFayette  avenue. 

Wm.  M.  Thomas  362  9th  street. 

Jas.  A.  Thompson  300  Lexington  avenue 

Jas.  H.  Townsend  00  Putnam  avenue. 

Arthur  Taylor  164  Lewis  avenue. 

Rulof  Van  Brunt  134$  11th  street. 

J.  M.  Van  Wicklen  217  South  4th  Street 

Peter  W.  Voorhees  460  Carlton  avenue. 

S.  C.  Whitehead  190  Halsey  street. 

Wm.  V.  Williamson  380  Dean  street. 

Win.  S.  Wright  233  Cumberland  street. 


ARCHITECTS,  BUILDERS  AND  REAL  ESTATE  AGENTS. 


855 


Smith  Wood  698  Gates  avenue. 

James  Williamson  626  Gates  avenue. 

David  Weild  358  Gates  avenue. 

C.  W.  Williams   557  Broadway,  E.  D. 


Benjamin  C.  Miller. — A  farm-house  in  the  township  of 
Somers,  Westchester  county,  N.  Y. ,  was  Mr.  Miller's  birth- 
place. He  was  horn  May  10th,  1832,  the  fourth  in  a  family 
of  eight,  of  whom  five  are  still  living.  His  father,  Joseph 
Miller,  now  eighty  years  of  age,  is  as  erect  in  stature  and 
firm  in  step  as  is  Mr.  Miller  himself  to-day.  His  mother 
died  many  years  ago. 

The  little  red  school-house  in  which  Mr.  Miller,  with  the 
other  youth  of  the  neighborhood,  received  what  was  then 
deemed  ample  instruction  for  a  farmer's  son,  stood,  until 
very  recently,  about  a  mile  from  the  old  homestead,  but  has 
now  been  replaced  by  a  more  pretentious  building. 

At  the  age  of  seventeen,  having  until  then  employed  his 
time  in  farming,  Mr.  Miller  went  to  New  York  to  begin  life 
for  himself.  There  he  engaged  in  different  kinds  of  employ- 
ment, raising  himself  step  by  step  from  one  position  to 
another,  and  gradually  accumulating  a  little  capital.  He 
came  to  Brooklyn  in  January,  1861,  and  two  months  later 
joined  his  father  and  uncle,  R.  &  J.  Miller,  in  their  business 
of  raising  and  moving  houses.  Under  his  management  the 
business  has  had  uninterrupted  prosperity,  having  succeeded 
his  father  and  uncle  as  sole  proprietor  in  1867.  His  son  is 
now  associated  with  him  as  partner. 

Mr.  Miller  has  been  engaged  in  some  large  undertakings, 
both  in  this  city  and  elsewhere.  Noteworthy  were  the  rais- 
ing of  blocks  of  houses  on  Flatbush  avenue  when  the  street 
grade  was  elevated  twelve  feet  at  Fifth  avenue;  also  the 
moving  of  blocks  of  buildings  when  Fourth  avenue  was 
widened  and  graded.  At  Yonkers,  N.  Y.,  he  was  sent  for  to 
assist  in  widening  several  streets,  and  his  services  have  been 
in  request  at  Baltimore,  Md.,  and  other  cities  in  a  similar 
way.  In  the  spring  of  1883,  the  Bathing  Pavilion  at  Brigh- 
ton Beach,  Coney  Island,  a  building  450  feet  long,  three 
stories  in  height,  and  built  on  piles,  had  to  be  moved  200 
feet  back  from  the  beach,  on  account  of  the  encroachment 
which  the  tides  had  made  upon  it  during  a  long  and  stormy 
winter.  The  surf  was  continually  beating  among  the  piles 
on  which  the  structure  rested,  a  constant  menace  to  its  sta- 
bility and  to  the  workmen  who  might  be  employed  in  re- 
moving it.  Mr.  Miller  received  the  contract  for  the  difficult 
undertaking  in  preference  to  all  others,  although  his  estimate 
of  its  cost  was  much  higher  than  that  of  any  competitor. 
His  well-known  skill  and  integrity  were  an  assurance  of  suc- 
cess, impossible  as  the  removal  was  pronounced  to  be  by 
many  who  were  even  more  experienced  than  he.  The  pa- 
vilion now  stands  on  its  new  foundations,  illustrating  his 
ingenuity  and  daring  enterprise. 

In  person,  Mr.  Miller  is  of  commanding  height,  with  a 
finely  proportioned  muscular  frame.  His  blue  eye  is  keen 
and  frank  like  that  of  one  who 

"  Looks  the  whole  world  in  the  face, 
For  he  fears  not  any  man." 

His  clear  complexion  denotes  the  man  of  perfect  health, 
and,  with  his  light-brown  hair,  bespeak  his  Saxon  origin. 

Like  his  parents,  Mr.  Miller  is  a  member  of  the  Society  of 
Friends,  and  his  life  has  been  a  fair  exponent  of  the  firm- 
ness of  principle  and  uncompromising  straightforwardness, 
which  are  the  Quakers'  characteristics.  As  is  well  known, 
this  is  the  oldest  temperance  society  in  the  world.  Its  prin- 
ciples have  had  no  stronger  advocate  than  Mr.  Miller,  who 
by  voice  and  example  has  done  continuous  service  for  the 


cause  of  reform.  Possessing  a  character  of  bonhomie,  and 
fond  of  social  enjoyment,  the  temptation  has  often  been 
strong  in  him  to  join  in  the  convivial  intoxication  to  which 
as  a  man  of  the  world,  he  has  been  often  bidden,  but  he  has 
never  swerved  from  the  path  of  absolute  temperance.  In 
order  to  induce  others  to  espouse  the  same  cause,  he  entered, 
some  years  ago,  the  Order  of  the  Good  Templars,  and  has 
since  held  the  highest  positions  within  the  society  with 
honor  and  credit. 

To  the  work  of  reforms  he  has  brought  the  same  enthu- 
siasms and  energy,  which  have  distinguished  all  his  under- 
takings, and  he  has  always  been  a  trusted  counselor  of  his 
fellow  laborers. 

In  his  twenty-third  year,  Mr.  Miller  married  Miss  Laura  F. 
Marshall.  Five  children  were  born  to  them,  of  whom  three 
are  living. 

Notwithstanding  a  press  of  business  cares,  Mr.  Miller 
keeps  himself  well  informed  on  the  current  events  of  the 
day.  As  a  Republican  he  takes  an  active  interest  in  political 
affairs,  though  never  seeking  office. 

In  short,  Mr.  Miller  is  one  of  the  many  self-made  men  of 
whom  our  country  furnishes  so  many  notable  examples. 
His  present  position  and  acquirements  are  due  entirely  to 
his  own  efforts.  His  aptness  and  quickness  have  enabled 
him  to  copa  successfully  with  difficulties,  while  his  energy, 
courage  and  perseverance  have  given  him  the  victory  over 
all  obstacles,  and  made  him  one  of  the  prominent  business 
men  of  the  day. 

Chester  Bedell  was  born  near  Morristown,  N.  J.,  August 
6,  1814.  His  father  and  grandfather  were  both  natives  of 
Morristown.  The  latter,  Isaac  Bedell,  served  the  American 
cause  as  a  soldier  during  the  Revolutionary  struggle,  receiv- 
ing two  serious  wounds,  one  of  which  was  so  peculiar  as  to 
be  of  interest  to  the  general  reader.  Mr.  Bedell  received  a 
ball  between  the  bones  of  his  leg  just  below  the  knee.  The 
wound  was  of  such  a  nature  that  the  missile  could  not  be 
extracted,  and  it  remained  embedded  in  the  sufferer's  leg  for 
fifty  years,  but  gradually,  though  he  was  not  aware  of  it, 
working  down.  One  day  a  horse  kicked  Mr.  Bedell's  leg, 
just  above  the  ankle,  and,  through  an  opening  thus  made 
in  the  flesh,  the  ball  came  out  having  traversed  nearly  the 
whole  length  of  the  leg  below  the  knee.  It  was  given  by  Mr. 
Bedell  to  his  son,  John  K.  Bedell,  father  of  Chester  Bedell, 
and  by  him  to  Chester  Bedell,  his  eldest  son,  who,  some 
years  ago,  deposited  it,  with  its  curious  history,  in  the  corner- 
stone of  the  Carroll  Park  Methodist-Episcopal  Church,  in 
Brooklyn. 

John  K.  Bedell  was  a  farmer  and  school  teacher  at  Morris- 
town, N.  J.  He  married  Anna  Jones,  who  is  living  with  her 
son,  William  J.  Bedell,  at  Morristown,  having  reached  the 
advanced  age  of  eighty-nine  in  August,  1883.  Her  husband 
died  at  Morristown  more  than  twenty  years  ago.  Chester 
Bedell  lived  on  his  father's  farm  until  he  was  about  seventeen 
years  old,  when  he  was  apprenticed  to  J.  S.  Frost,  of  Morris- 
town, to  learn  the  trade  of  stone-mason,  bricklayer  and 
plasterer.  He  removed  to  Brooklyn  in  1833,  and  was  em- 
ployed as  a  journeyman  at  his  trade  for  about  two  years. 
In  1835,  he  began  business  on  his  own  account  as  a  builder, 
in  which  he  has  continued  successfully  to  the  present  time, 
having  erected  about  1,500  buildings  in  Brooklyn  and  New 
York,  and  elsewhere,  among  them  the  Pearl  street  House,  in 
New  York,  the  Arcade  Building,  in  Elizabeth,  N.  J.,  a  large 
number  of  stores  on  Atlantic  Dock,  and  some  large  build  • 
ings  in  Charleston,  S.  C.  His  office  is  at  337  Smith  street, 
where  he  carries  on  a  limited  real  estate  business  in  connec- 
tion with  his  building  operations. 


856 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY.  • 


< 


In  1838,  Mr.  Bedell  was  married  to  Miss  Amy  S.  North,  a 
Long  Island  lady,  who  has  home  him  seven  children,  three 
of  whom  are  dead.  One  son,  William  Forrest  Bedell,  M.D., 
of  265  Sackett  street,  and  three  daughters  are  living.  Mr. 
Bedell  and  members  of  his  family  are  identified  with  the 
Carroll  Park  Methodist-Episcopal  church,  the  house  of  wor- 
ship of  which  was  erected  by  Mr.  Bedell,  more  than  one-half 
the  expense  having  been  borne  by  him,  and  the  balance  by 
Mr.  Henry  DuBois  and  William  J.  Bedell,  of  Morristown, 
N.  J.,  a  farmer  and  former  builder,  who  learned  his  trade  in 
Brooklyn  with  his  brother,  Chester.  In  politics,  Mr.  Bedell, 
formerly  a  "  Clay  Whig,"  has  long  espoused  the  cause  of  the 
Republican  party,  though  he  is  not,  nor  has  he  been  active 
as  a  polititian.  He  is,  in  the  best  sense  of  the  term,  a  self- 
made  man.  I  lis  lib- has  been  a  busy  and  a  useful  one.  He 
is  a  gentleman  of  genial  presence  and  agreeable  manners, 
and  many  there  arc  who  are  proud  to  call  him  friend.  In  all 
of  the  best  interests  of  humanity  he  takes  a  lively  interest, 
and  his  helpful  charity  has  made  itself  practically  manifest 
on  many  occasions  when,  in  time  of  need,  he  has  shown 
himself  "a  friend  indeed."  At  the  age  of  almost  three- 
s' ore  and  ten,  he  appears  much  younger,  and  preserves  all 
of  his  mental  and  most  of  his  physical  vigor. 


Edwin  H.  Burnett. — The  family  of  Burnett  in  America 
is  both  an  old  and  an  honorable  one.  Thomas  Burnett,  of 
Lynn.  Mass.,  is  the  earliest  of  the  name  from  whom  Edwin  II. 
Burnett  is  able  to  trace  his  descent.  He  removed  to  South- 
ampton, L.  I.,  about  1643,  and  had  sons  named  John,  Aaron. 
Lot,  Joel.  Dan,  Mordecai,  and  Matthias.  Mordecai  removed 
at  an  early  date  from  Southampton.  L.  I.,  to  Klizabethtown, 
New  Jersey.  He  was  the  son  of  Thomas  Burnett  by  Ins 
second  wife,  Mary  Pierson,  and  was  born  while  his  father 
was  yet  a  resident  of  Lynn,  Mass.,  where  he  married  her  in 
1663.  It  is  thought  that  he  became  a  resident  of  New 
Jersey  about  Hi!M).  as  subsequent  to  that  date  he  soon  l>e- 
came  prominent  in  local  affairs. 

Dr.  Ichabod  Burnett,  son  of  Dan,  was  born  at  Southamp- 
ton, L.  I.,  about  1684,  and  removed  with  his  father  to  Kliza- 
bethtown,  N.  J.,  about  16!H).  He  had  two  sons,  William  and 
Ichabod.  l>oth  of  whom  became  physicians.  The  latter  died 
in  his  twenty-fourth  year.  Dr.  William  Burnett  removed  to 
Newark  and  distinguished  himself  as  a  patriot  during  the 
Revolution.  He  was  the  father  of  Judge  Jacob  Burnett  of 
Cincinnati.  Dr.  Ichabod  Burnett  died  at  ElizaU-thtown, 
N.  J.,  at  the  age  of  ninety,  in  1774. 


ARCHITECTS,  BUILDERS  AND  REAL  ESTATE  AGENTS. 


851 


Edwin  H.  Burnett's  father,  John  0.  Burnett,  and  his 
mother,  Julia  Ann  (Higgins)  Burnett,  were  both  natives  of 
Lyons'  Farms,  N.  J.  They  removed  to  Brooklyn  not  long 
after  their  marriage,  where  their  son  was  born  February 
25th,  1829.  He  was  educated  partially  in  the  public  and 
partially  in  private  schools  in  Brooklyn,  and  at  the  age  of 
sixteen  became  a  clerk  in  a  grocery  store ;  but  having  a 
taste  for  his  father's  trade,  that  of  carpenter,  he  two  years 
later  devoted  himself  to  its  acquisition,  studying  architec- 
tural drawing  at  the  old  Apprentices'  Library  on  Washing- 
ton street.  He  passed  some  years  in  his  father's  service,  and 
at  the  age  of  about  twenty-five  became  his  partner.  A  few 
years  afterward  his  father  retired,  and  Mr.  Burnett  has 
since  been  conducting  an  extensive  and  growing  business, 
during  the  period  of  which  he  did  the  carpenter  work  for 
Dr.  Squibb's  residence  and  laboratory,  on  Columbia  Heights, 
and  was  the  architect  and  builder  of  the  Nottingham  Lace 
Works,  at  the  corner  of  Hall  street  and  Park  avenue,  be- 
sides erecting  numerous  fine  residences  and  business  struc- 
tures of  various  kinds,  his  residence  and  shops  being  located 
at  Nos.  58  and  GO  Poplar  street.  Formerly  an  old  line  Whig, 
Mr.  Burqett  is  now  a.Democrat,  but  not  an  active  participant 
in  political  affairs.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Dutch  Reformed 
Church  of  Flatbush,  L.  I. 

In  1851,  he  married  Catharine  H.  McChesney,  of  Mon- 
mouth county,  N.  J.,  and  has  two  daughters,  named  respec- 
tively, Virginia  Lee,  and  Ella  Stewart  Burnett. 


Lindsay  James  Wells,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was 
born  in  Dublin,  Ireland,  December  22,  1822.  His  father, 
James  Wells,  was  a  native  of  England,  and  his  mother, 
whose  maiden  name  was  Mary  Holmes,  was  born  in  Scot- 
land. Their  family  consisted  of  four  sons  and  two  daughters. 
Young  Wells,  having  received  a  liberal  academical  education, 
entered  the  Royal  Irish  Academy,  where  he  studied  two 
years;  and,  having  received  the  highest  prize  for  architec- 
tural drawing  (which  drawing  is  still  in  his  possession),  he 
entered  the  office  of  Mr.  Isaac  B.  Farrell,  an  architect  and 
civil  engineer  of  high  standing  in  the  city  of  Dublin,  where 
he  served  a  five  years'  apprenticeship.  He  then  became 
assistant  to  Mr.  James  B.  Farrell,  a  prominent  civil  engineer 
in  the  West  of  Ireland,  who  was  engaged  in  improving  Wex- 
ford Harbor  and  other  large  engineering  works,  remaining 
with  him  two  years.  He  then  decided  to  join  his  eldest 
brother,  also  a  civil  engineer,  believing  that  America  would 
offer  a  better  field  for  the  beginning  of  an  active  life  than 
his  native  country.  He  therefore  crossed  the  Atlantic,  and 
located  in  Brooklyn  early  in  May,  1848.  His  professional 
ability  was  soon  remarked,  so  that,  in  the  following  Novem- 
ber, he  was  tendered  the  position  of  Civil  Engineer  to  the 
Trustees  of  Green-Wood  Cemetery,  which  he  accepted,  and 
has  filled  for  nearly  forty  years  with  honor  to  himself  and 
satisfaction  to  the  corporation.  To  his  instrumentality 
largely  are  due  the  beauties  that  have  made  Green-Wood 
world-renowned.  His  judgment  and  skill  helped  to  originate 


858" 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


and  elaborate  the  plan  of  laying  out  the  grounds  :  his  good 
taste  assisted  in  preserving  and  enhancing  its  natural  beau- 
ties ;  his  science  aided  in  forming  the  wonderful  system  of 
walks  and  drives,  glades  and  lakes,  that  make  Green-Wood  a 
terrestrial  paradise,  a  triumph  of  landscape  engineering. 
Mr.  Wells  has  shown  the  highest  art  to  conceal  art,  so  that 
difficulties  have  been  overcome,  obstacles  removed,  and 
natural  advantages  improved,  to  produce  charming  effects, 
yet  without  .artificiality. 

Aside  from  his  busy  professional  career,  Mr.  Wells  has  also 
done  much  work  in  connection  with  benevolent  and  religious 
enterprises.  He  has  been  instrumental  in  founding  four 
churches  in  Brooklyn,  viz.:  the  First  Place  M.  E.  Church,  the 
Warren  Street  M.  E.  Church,  the  Park  Congregational 
Church,  and  the  Church  of  the  Covenant.  He  is  now  an 
active  member  of  the  Park  Congregational.  He  was  a 
charter  meml>er  and  is  now  a  director  and  the  treasurer  of 
the  "  Prospect  Heights  Dispensary." 

Mr.  Wells  married  Miss  Eleanor  Bridges,  of  Brooklyn. 
May  25,  1852,  and  the  issue  of  that  marriage  was  two  sons, 
James  L.  and  Charles  B.,  and  two  daughters,  Mary  Eleanor 
(Scott)  and  Emma  L.  After  many  years  of  domestic  happi- 
ness, Mrs.  Wells  died,  February  7,  1877.  Mr.  Wells  again 
married,  in  1883,  Miss  Susan  H.  Pierce,  of  Massachusetts. 

A  large  circle  of  friends  hold  Mr.  Wells  in  the  highest  es- 
teem for  his  manliness  and  worth. 


Real  Estate  Dealers  and  Agents.  —  It  re- 
mains that  we  speak  of  the  real  estate  dealers  and 
agents,  who  have  become  so  numerous  as  almost  to 
form  a  distinct  guild  in  our  city.  In  the  period  of  its 
village  life,  Brooklyn  had  no  need  of  real  estate  agents. 
If  a  man  built  or  bought  a  house  which,  for  any  cause, 
he  desired  to  sell,  the  natural  purchaser  was  either 
some  neighbor  or  new-comer,  who  was  desirous  of  buy- 
ing, and  the  transaction  was  between  man  and  man, 
without  the  intervention  of  a  middle-man.  If  land  was 
to  be  sold  for  building  purposes,  the  seller  was  cither  a 
farmer  who  saw  profit  in  disposing  of  a  part  of  his 
farm,  and  who  offered  it  at  a  price  which,  in  most 
cases,  speedily  brought  purchasers.  In  the  very  begin- 
ning of  the  present  century  there  seems  to  have  been 
but  one  man  in  the  town  of  Brooklyn  who  engaged  in 
what  might  be  called  a  real  estate  business.  This  was 
John  Jackson,  who  engineered  the  purchase  of  the  site 
of  the  present  United  States  Navy  Yard,  and  who  put 
up  a  number  of  small  houses  in  its  vicinity  for  workmen 
and  persons  of  small  means.  Thirty  years  later,  after 
the  city  organization  in  1834,  some  enterprising  men  of 
wealth,  who  had  earlier  purchased  considerable  tracts 
for  country  seats,  foreseeing  dimly  that  Brooklyn  was 
to  be  some  day  a  great  city,  laid  out  streets  through 
their  estates  and  offered  building  lots  for  sale,  general  I  y 
Under  certain  conditions  or  covenants.  Among  the 
earliest  of  these  were  Mr.  Hk/.kki .mi  B.  Pi  kkrei-ont, 
whose  services  in  building  up  and  improving  the  city 
are  elsewhere  recorded  in  this  work  ;  the  brothers,  Au- 
gustus and  John  B.  Graham,  Joshua  Sands,  Major 
I'asmm;  ('.  Ti  i  k  i.u  and  his  son,  U.  Sands  Tikker, 
Jkkkmiaii  Johnson,  several  members  of  the  Poi.hkmi  s 
Sad   RAFKLTK  families,  Mr.  Packer,  and  later,  Mr. 


John  H.  Prentiss.  Some  of  the  original  holders  of 
farms  came  reluctantly  into  this  movement,  which  has 
brought  large  fortunes  to  their  descendants.  Among 
these  were  the  Polhemus,  Joralemon,  Remsen,  Lefferts. 
Johnson,  Jackson  and  other  families.  These  proper- 
ties are  now  very  thoroughly  distributed,  and  anions 
those  most  active  in  their  distribution  have  been  Gen. 
Jeremiah  Johnson,  Jr.,  Hon.  J.  Carson  Brevoobt, 
who  married  into  one  of  the  Lefferts  families,  .Mr. 
Theodore  Polhemus,  and  other  parties  connected 
by  birth  or  marriage  with  these  old  families.  Of 
course,  this  laying  out  of  streets  and  offering  of  build- 
ing lots  for  sale,  or  erecting  buildings  on  them,  wen 
real  estate  transactions  on  a  large  scale  ;  but  the  men 
who  did  this  business  were  the  owners  of  the  lands  they 
offered,  and  did  not  act  in  any  respect  as  middle-men. 
A  real  estate  dealer  or  agent  to-day  may  own  the 
buildings  or  lots  he  offers  for  sale  ;  though,  as  a  rule, 
he  does  not,  but  acts  as  agent  for  the  owners.  He  may 
— and  in  the  case  of  the  flats  or  apartment  houses,  as  we 
have  explained,  he  often  does — own  the  houses  he  offer* 
to  rent;  but  it  is  not  necessary  to  his  calling  that  be 
should  own  any  of  them.  He  does  very  often,  if  be 
has  capital,  or  can  command  the  capital  of  others, 
make  building  loans  to  builders  and  take  mortgages  on 
the  buildings  they  are  erecting  as  his  security.  But  it 
is  of  the  nature  of  his  business  that  in  most  cases  be 
should  act,  directly  or  indirectly,  as  the  agent  of  other-, 
and  thus  be  a  middle-man.  We  have  been  unable  to 
ascertain  who,  in  the  sense  we  have  defined,  was  the 
first  real  estate  agent  in  Brooklyn.  Whoever  he  was, 
he  had  his  office  probably  either  near  Fulton  Ferry,  or 
in  the  young  and  growing  village  of  the  Wallabout,  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  United  States  Navy  Yard,  and  his 
or  their  business — for  there  may  have  been  four  or  Its 
encased  in  the  vocation — must  have  been  limited  with- 
in  very  narrow  bounds. 

In  1849,  Mr.  Sylvester  Hondlow,  a  native  of  Mon- 
treal, and  at  that  time  forty-one  years  of  age,  removed 
to  Brooklyn,  and  commenced  business  as  a  real  estate 
agent.  He  was  enterprising  and  honest.  Very  soon, 
probably  in  1850,  he  removed  his  office  to  MontSgM 
street,  and  thenceforward  transacted  his  business  there 
until  his  death,  in  February,  1878.  When  he  made  tbi- 
removal,  Mr.  II.  B.  Pierrepont — who,  as  we  have  seen, 
was  himself  one  of  the  most  enterprising  and  hopeful 
of  the  citizens  of  Brooklyn — said  to  him:  "Mr.  Bond 
low,  arc  you  crazy?  There  certainly  can  never  he  any 
hope  of  building  up  a  good  real  estate  business  so  fur 
from  the  center  of  business!"     But  Mr.  Hondlow 

thought  differently,  and  the  events  proved  the  so  1 

ness  of  his  judgment.  Within  ten  years  Holy  Trinity 
Church  was  finished,  the  Academy  of  Music  was  built: 
horse  railroads  were  running  in  all  directions  south, 
south-east,  east,  north-east  and  north  ;  the  new  Court- 
house was  projected,  the  great  Atlantic  and  Kris  ba- 
sins were  under  way,  churches  and  schools  were  erected 


ARCHUECTS,  BUILDERS  AND  REAL  ESTATE  AGENTS. 


859 


in  great  numbers  one,  two,  three  and  four  miles  to  the 
east,  and  Brooklyn  had  more  than  doubled  its  popula- 
tion. Mr.  Hondlow  was  in  a  position  to  take  advan- 
tage of  this  rapid  growth,  and  a  full  tide  of  fortune 
poured  in  upon  him.  Of  course  there  were  numerous 
competitors  for  this  business.  Among  them  were  Mr. 
Jn.ius  Davenport,  Messrs.  D.  &  M.  Chauncey,  and 
a  little  later,  Nicholas  Cooper,  whose  son,  like  Mr. 
Davenport's,  is  now  associated  with  him;  Martin  Brien  ; 
Mr.  H.  Ma<  omiser,  now  deceased,  whose  son  continues 
his  business;  Rev.  H.  A.  Spaford;  William  Morgan, 
now  deceased,  whose  son  continues  his  father's  busi- 
ness; Mr.  William  O.Sumner;  Mr.  W.  Knowlton, 
deceased,  whose  son  continues  the  business,  and  many 
others.  Later,  others  came  into  the  business,  some  of 
them  with  large  capital  or  indomitable  enterprise,  and 
these  have  generally  succeeded,  though  many  who 
have  attempted  the  business  with  insufficient  knowl- 
edge, influence  or  capital  have  failed.  Among  the 
most  enterprising  of  the  later  men  are  Mr.  Leonard 
Moody,  whose  biography  is  found  elsewhere  in  these 
pages,  Mr.  James  C.  Eadie,  Mr.  Paul  C.  Grening, 
the  younger  Davenports,  Messrs.  Macomber  &  Rich- 
ardson, Mr.  Charles  W.  Knowlton,  Messrs.  Charles 
A.  Seymour  &  Co.,  William  Morgan's  Son,  Wyckoi  k 
Bros.,  Messrs.  N.  H.  &  H.  T.  Frost,  T.  W.  Swensox 
&  Son,  and  a  host  of  others.  There  are,  as  we  have 
already  said,  three  hundred  and  twenty-five  real  estate 
agents  in  the  city.  A  considerable  number  of  the 
most  eminent  of  the  real  estate  dealers  are  among  the 
citizens  whom  Brooklyn  has  cause  to  honor,  and  whose 
portraits  and  biographies  adorn  our  pages. 

Jacob  Rapelye. — Mr.  James  Riker,  in  his  Annals  of  Neio- 
town,  says,  with  regard  to  the  Rapelye  family,  that  "  they 
seemed  to  have  retained  the  characteristic  gaiety,  tact  and 
intelligence  of  their  French  origin,  combined  with  the  good 
sense,  economy  and  neatness  of  their  Dutch  progenitors."  It 
is  certain  that  this  observation  is  strictly  true  as  applied  to 
the  subject  of  our  sketch,  Jacob  Rapelye,  who  was  born 
Sept.  19,  1788. 

After  having  received  such  limited  education  as  was  af- 
forded at  that  time  by  the  country  schools  near  his  father's 
residence,  in  Newtown,  Long  Island,  Jacob  became  a  clerk 
in  the  city  of  New  York  at  the  age  of  sixteen,  and,  accord- 
ing to  the  custom  of  the  time,  was  bound  as  an  apprentice 
to  serve  his  time  as  such.  During  the  period  of  his  clerk- 
ship, keenly  sensible  of  the  necessity  of  a  better  education, 
he  applied  himself  closely  to  study,  and  endeavored  to  fit 
himself  for  higher  walks  in  life.  At  the  age  of  twenty-one, 
he  was  appointed  to  a  desk  in  the  United  States  Bank,  but  he 
found  the  position  distasteful;  and,  upon  the  declaration  of 
the  war  of  1812,  he  obtained,  from  Governor  Daniel  D. 
Tompkins,  a  commission  as  First  Lieutenant  of  Artillery. 
Under  it  he  did  active  duty  with  his  fellow  citizens  in  the 
defence  of  New  York  City.  Upon  the  12th  of  December, 
1812,  James  Madison,  President  of  the  United  States,  ap- 
pointed him  First  Lieutenant  of  the  United  States  Volun- 
teers. In  this  capacity,  he  served  in  New  York  City,  at 
Sandy  Hook,  and  upon  the  Canada  line.  He  was  Adjutant 
to  G^asral  Izard ;  the  general  and  regimental  order  books 


kept  by  him  are  still  extant,  and  bear  witness  to  the  neatness 
and  systematic  habits  which  formed  part  of  his  character. 

Soon  after  the  close  of  the  war,  Mr.  Rapelye  removed  to 
Charleston,  South  Carolina,  and  entered  into  business  there. 
In  July,  1816,  he  was  appointed  Deputy  Secretary  of  State  of 
the  State  of  South  Carolina.  On  the  9th  of  September,  1818, 
he  married  Elizabeth,  youngest  daughter  of  Gilbert  Van 
Mater.  Mr.  Van  Mater  lived  near  what  is  now  known  as 
No.  21  Fulton  street,  Brooklyn,  and  held  a  lease  from  the 
corporation  of  the  city  of  New  York  for  the  ferry  between 
that  city  and  Brooklyn. 

In  1819,  Mr.  Rapelye  became  a  member  of  a  co-partner- 
ship, to  which  a  brother  of  Governor  Bennet,  of  South  Caro- 
lina, also  belonged.  The  firm  name  was  Napier,  Rapelye  & 
Bennet,  and  the  firm  carried  on  a  very  extensive  and  suc- 
cessful business.  During  his  residence  in  Charleston,  Mr. 
Rapelye  was  placed,  by  the  Governor  of  the  State,  upon  a 
committee  appointed  to  investigate  the  negro  insurrection 
which  was  then  in  progress,  and  report  upon  its  causes,  ex- 
tent, and  purposes.  The  insurrection  had  obtained  formida- 
ble proportions,  and  according  to  a  writer  of  the  day,  an 
entire  people  was  never  more  thoroughly  alarmed  than  were 
the  people  of  Charleston.  The  committee's  report  showed 
that  from  six  to  nine  thousand  negroes  were  engaged  in  a 
plot  to  seize  the  arsenals,  fire  the  city  in  several  places,  and 
make  a  universal  massacre  of  the  white  inhabitants.  The 
report,  however,  was  drawn  up  in  such  a  manner  as  to  pro- 
duce a  powerful  effect  in  allaying  the  excitement  which  pre- 
vailed in  Charleston. 

About  the  year  1825,  Mr.  Rapelye  returned  to  Brooklyn, 
and  soon  after  entered  into  business  with  Mr.  Charles  Hoyt. 
He  labored  for  the  widening  and  improvement  of  Atlantic 
avenue,  and  for  the  establishment  of  the  ferry  from  the  foot 
of  that  avenue  to  New  York.  In  1837,  he  contrived  a  ma- 
chine, which  was  intended  for  sweeping  the  streets  of  New 
York.  Upon  its  trial,  he  was  glad  to  escape  under  cover  of 
the  dust  raised  by  his  own  machine,  from  the  hands  of  an 
infuriated  mob,  who,  believing  that  its  use  would  take  the 
bread  out  of  their  mouths,  destroyed  it.  Afterwards,  in 
connection  with  Mr.  Cornelius  J.  Bergen  and  Alexander 
Bergen,  Mr.  Rapelye  took  an  active  part  in  the  opening  and 
improvement  of  that  part  of  South  Brooklj-n  which  is  in  the 
neighborhood  of  Carroll  Park.  In  1833,  he  purchased  a  farm 
of  96  acres  in  Newtown,  L.  I.,  and  gave  it  the  name  of 
Laurel  Hill ;  he  erected  a  house  and  resided  in  it  until  his 
death,  which  occurred  August  21,  1867,  in  the  79th  year  of 
his  age.  He  left  surviving  him  a  widow,  five  daughters  and 
two  sons.  Of  the  latter,  the  eldest,  Gilbert  Van  Mater 
Rapelye,  is  a  resident  of  Staatsburg,  Dutchess  county,  and 
the  youngest,  Augustus  Rapelye,  resides  in  this  city. 

"While  Mr.  Rapelye  displayed  great  energy,  and  a  bold  and 
enterprising  spirit  in  all  his  business  undertakings,  he  had 
much  refinement  of  taste  and  fondness  for  simple  pleasures, 
his  sense  of  humor  was  keen,  his  repartee  was  quick,  and  he 
loved  mirth  and  drollery.  His  kindly  disposition  made  him 
charitable  and  benevolent,  and  he  was  noted  for  his  social 
qualities  and  hospitality.  As  a  kind,  gentle  and  loving 
father,  he  is  endeared  to  the  memory  of  his  children.  As  a 
staunch  Episcopalian,  he  did  much  to  promote  the  building 
of  St.  Luke's,  and  the  first  St.  John's  and  Emmanuel 
churches  of  this  city;  his  religious  views  were,  nevertheless, 
broad  and  liberal. 



Leonard  Moody  was  born  September  28,  1839,  in  the  vil- 
(  lage  of  East  Pittston,  which  nestles  among  the  mountains  of 
Maine,  within  sight  of  the  Kennebec  river,  and  on  the  banks 
I  of  the  Eastern  river.    He  stayed  on  his  father's  farm  until 


860 


HISTORY  01  KINGS  COUNTY. 


he  was  12  years  of  age,  when  he  went  to  sea,  and,  after  four 
years  of  life  before  the  mast,  he  returned  to  East  Pittston 
and  purchased  a  farm,  which  still  remains  in  his  possession. 
In  1857,  he  went  to  Virginia  to  deal  in  white  oak  timber,  for 
use  in  building  ships,  and,  after  remaining  there  two  years 
in  pursuit  of  his  business,  lie  once  more  repaired  to  Maine, 
on  the  Penobscot  river,  near  Canada,  and  stayed  there  until 
the  first  call  for  volunteers  for  the  defense  of  the  Union, 
when  he  hurried  to  Fortress  Monroe. 

After  McClellan  made  his  famous  retreat,  Mr.  Moody 
helped  to  raise  the  21st  Maine  Regiment,  and  with  them  came 
to  New  York  on  the  way  to  the  front.  He  was  discharged 
in  1863  on  account  of  fever  contracted  in  the  Virginia 
swamps. 

Subsequently,  he  met  Miss  Marianna  Henrietta  Quantin, 
a  lady  of  Frencli  descent,  the  daughter  of  Henri  Quantin,  an 
importer  of  French  commodities,  and  was  united  in  mar- 
riage with  her,  in  New  York  city,  in  1864.  He  visited  his 
native  State  on  his  bridal  tour,  and  concluded  to  settle  there 
on  his  farm.  In  January,  1869,  desiring  a  larger  field  of 
action,  he  returned  to  New  York,  and,  seeing  that  Brooklyn 
was  to  be  the  great  place  in  the  future,  he  engaged  in  the 
real  estate  business,  opening  an  office  in  Flatbush  avenue. 

After  years  of  toil  and  attention  to  business,  he  is  now 
able  to  stand  as  the  most  successful  real  estate  operator  in 
the  city,  leasing  houses  to  over  one  thousand  of  the  citizens 
of  Brooklyn.  Under  his  supervision  was  built  the  largest 
apartment  house  in  the  city,  called  "  The  Fougera,"  which 
brings  in  an  annual  rental  of  over  $60,000. 

Mr.  Moody  also  selected  the  site  for  the  Federal  Building, 
in  Brooklyn,  which  has  been  accepted  by  the  commissioners 
appointed  by  the  United  States  government. 

Although  refusing  to  accept  any  gift  of  a  political  charac- 
ter from  his  adopted  city,  he  is  known  as  a  power  in  the  Re- 
publican party,  and  takes  an  active  part  in  political  councils 
and  in  the  performance  of  his  duty  as  a  citizen. 


James  C.  Eadie. — A  distinctive  feature  of  Brooklyn,  and 
one  of  which  her  citizens  are  justly  proud,  is  the  high  char- 
acter, as  a  rule,  of  the  men  who  constitute  her  business 
circles.  No  city  is  richer  in  men  of  education,  save  Boston, 
perhaps,  and  none,  without  exception,  numbers  more  busi- 
ness men  of  refinement,  social  standing  and  character.  No 
city  can  show  a  more  happy  union  of  employment  and  cul- 
ture, or  a  larger  proportion  of  men  who  are  "  fervent  in  busi- 
ness" and  at  the  same  time,  social  and  refined,  cultivating 
the  amenities  of  life.  An  excellent  representative  of  the  Brook- 
lyn men  of  affairs  and  of  society  is  he  whose  name  heads  this 
sketch.  No  gentleman  is  a  better  man  of  business,  and  no 
business-man  is  a  more  thorough  gentleman  in  all  his  rela- 
tions; and  as  such,  no  man  is  more  widely  or  favorably 
known  in  his  section  of  the  city  than  he. 

Mr.  Eadie  is  a  native  of  Scotland,  born  in  Hogganfield  Cot- 
tage, near  Glasgow,  in  the  year  1841.  He  comes  of  good 
ancestry,  and  those  of  his  family  still  residing  in  Glasgow 
and  its  vicinity,  occupy  high  positions  in  social  circles.  His 
father  was  a  man  of  ability,  by  trade  a  bleacher,  the  old 
bleachery  being  still  in  existence;  but  he  died  when  his  son 
was  five  months  old.  The  latter  received  his  education  in  the 
Collegiate  School  of  Glasgow,  and  on  arriving  at  a  suitable 
age,  was  placed  as  a  boy  in  the  Bank  of  Scotland  in  that  city. 

By  the  death  of  his  mother,  in  1856,  he  w.-ih  left  alone  with 
"all  the  world  before  him  where  to  choose."  Ambitious  for 
his  future  and  hoping  for  a  more  active  and  enterprising 
career  in  the  New  World,  he  embarked  for  the  Dominion  of 
Canada,  in  April,  1H.">s,  locating  at  ( 'linton.  with  Geo.  Brown, 
for  a  couple  of  years.    The  far-reaching  inlluence  of  the 


metropolis  drew  him,  as  it  has  drawn  so  many  other  young 
men,  and  there  he  sought  a  beginning  for  his  life-work, 
which  was  then  an  uncertain,  untried  experiment.  His  first 
situation  was  with  Samuel  Sneden,  a  ship-builder,  at  Green- 
point  ;  a  year  later,  he  went  into  the  tobacco  brokerage 
business,  for  a  time,  and  did  well.  Foreseeing  that  the  rapid 
growth  of  Brooklyn  made  it  a  desirable  field  for  the  real 
estate  business,  he  opened  an  office  at  43  Broad  way,  E.  D.,  in 
1869. 

As  yet  unacquainted  with  the  details  of  the  business,  much 
spirit,  determination  and  energy  were  requisite  to  enable 
him  to  gain  a  foot-hold.  But  these  essential  qualities  he  had 
in  large  measure,  united  with  a  kindly  manner  which  would 
not  permit  him  to  treat  anyone  except  with  courtesy;  in  con- 
sequence, he  soon  became  known  and  liked,  prospering  in  a 
financial  way,  and  held  in  yet  greater  esteem  for  his  many 
good  qualities.  In  1873,  his  office  was  removed  to  45 
Broadway,  which  has  since  become  as  well  known  a  location 
as  any  in  the  city.  It  is  elegantly  and  tastefully  fitted  up, 
and  is  the  scene  not  only  of  large  real  estate  transactions 
but  also  of  many  pleasant  reunions  of  the  Burns  Asso- 
ciation, and  of  other  social  gatherings  at  which  Mr.  Eadie 
has  entertained  his  friends.  Among  these  guests  have  been 
several  Mayors  of  the  city;  William  Cullen  Bryant,  Bayard 
Taylor,  John  G.  Saxe,  and  other  literary  men;  Rev.  Henry 
Ward  Beecher,  and  other  eminent  divines;  the  foremost  in 
the  professions;  notable  people  from  abroad,  as  well  as  local 
celebrities.  Mr.  Eadie  also  has  a  large  number  of  letters  of 
friendship  from  distinguished  men  in  Great  Britain  and 
America,  very  interesting  in  themselves  and  in  the  associa- 
tions connected  with  them. 

Mr.  Eadie  has  always  been  loyal  to  the  land  of  his  birth. 
Years  ago  he  was  a  prime  mover  in  organizing  the  "Burns 
Association,"  at  first  an  organization  for  the  purpose  of 
caring  for  worthy  and  needy  Scotchmen  in  this  city,  and 
helping  them  to  employment,  as  well  as  with  the  object  of 
preserving  the  traditions  and  national  honor  of  "Auld 
Scotia."  It  is  still  most  flourishing,  under  the  presidency  of 
Mr.  Eadie,  who  has  occupied  that  office  for  twenty  years, 
and  annually  celebrates  the  birthday  of  Roltert  Burns,  with 
a  "  feast  of  reason  (and  of  the  old  Scottish  dishes)  and  a 
tlow  of  soul."  Mr.  Eadie  was  also  one  of  the  originators  of 
the  Empire  Club,  so  well  known  in  the  eastern  part  of  the 
city.  He  was  likewise  one  of  the  foremost  in  organizing,  and 
the  first  and  only  Treasurer  of  the  Long  Island  Life  Saving 
Association,  whose  beneficent  work  is  mentioned  elsewhere 
Mr.  Eadie  has  often  visited  his  old  home  on  the  other  side. 

I  so  that  he  is  welcomed  there  by  numbers  of  relatives  and 
friends  who  are  among  the  l>est  people.  His  departure  on 
such  an  excursion  in  June,  1873,  was  made  the  occasion  of  a 
farewell  dinner,  given  in  his  honor  by  some  two  hundred  of 
his  friends,  which  was  a  brilliant  gathering.  They,  with 
the  47th  Regiment  full  band,  also  accompanied  him  down 
the  New  York  Bay,  in  the  steamer  too.  Fletcher,  to  wish  him 
ban  voyage.  This  incident,  unexpected  and  unsolicited,  an 
honor  not  before  bestowed  on  a  private  citizen,  testifies 
to  the  esteem  and  regard  in  which  Mr.  Eadie  is  held  in 
the  community.  He  owes  none  of  this  kindly  feeling  to 
political  or  interested  motives,  inasmuch  us  he  lias  never 
cared  to  take  an  active  interest  in  politics,  beyond  depositing 
his  ballot  in  behalf  of  good  government,  bul  it  is  ■  s|«.n 
taneous  tribute  to  manly  worth.  Like  all  good  citizens,  he 
favors  the  cause  of  education.  Possessing  a  fine  litarary 
taste,  he  has  accumulated  a  choice  collection  of  the  belt 

1  books;  and  is  also  a  liberal  patron  of  art,  music  mid  the 
drama.    ( tccasional  conversaziones  at  his  parlors  are  musical 

J  and  literary  treats,  which  his  friends  are  delighted  to  attend. 


ARCHITECTS,  BUILDERS  AND  REAL  ESTATE  AGENT*. 


861 


In  person,  Mr.  Eadie  is  tall  and  well  built,  with  features 
of  the  Scottish  type,  as  his  portrait  shows.  This  sketch 
would  be  incomplete  without  mention  of  Mr.  Eadie's  busi- 
ness ability,  his  shrewdness  and  farsightedness,  which  have 
been  a  source  of  great  practical  benefit,  not  only  to  himself, 
but  to  the  Eastern  District,  in  investing  and  inducing  others 
to  invest  in  real  estate;  and  has  built  up  that  section  of  the 
citv,  drawing  population,  and  thus  adding  to  the  material 
wealth  and  prosperity. 

Says  an  intimate  friend,  Rev.  Newton  Maynard,  D.  D. : 
•'  I  do  not  know  a  more  upright  and  honorable,  cultured  and 
kind-hearted  man,  or  a  more  polished  gentleman  of  the  old 
school,  than  Mr.  Eadie.  He  is  universally  liked  here  and 
looked  up  to  as  a  friend  by  all.  Though  not  a  church  mem- 
ber, he  contributes  liberally  of  time  and  means  to  help  church 
work,  in  which  his  practical  aid  is  of  much  advantage. 
When  any  worthy  organization  is  to  be  started  or  helped,  no 
one  is  more  public-spirited  than  he  to  assist,  and  no  one  so 
ready  to  entertain  friends  or  public  guests.  He  is  the  very 
prince  of  hosts.  Mr.  Eadie  is  modest  and  unassuming  withal, 
not  thinking  of  himself  more  highly  than  he  ought,  but  pre- 
fers to  let  his  acts  speak  rather  than  his  own  words.  He 
exerts  a  strong  influence  for  good  here,  not  only  in  the  way 
of  business,  but  also  socially;  always  on  the  side  of  religion, 
good  morals  and  refinement." 


William  O.  Sumner,  a  sue  ;essf  ul  and  prominent  gentle, 
man  in  Brooklyn  business  circles,  whose  real  estate  office  is 
at  No.  68  Broadway,  was  born  in  the  town  of  S'ockbridge, 
Madison  county,  N.  Y.,  in  1843.  Mr.  Sumner's  father,  after 
whom  he  was  named,  was  a  native  of  Gilead,  Tolland  count}-, 
Conn.,  son  of  Rev.  Henry  P.  Sumner,  one  of  the  Surnners  of 
Massachusetts.  When  a  young  man  he  removed  to  Stock- 
bridge,  N.Y.,  where  he  married  Adaline  C,  daughter  of  John 
H.  Warren  of  that  town,  who,  with  his  son,  Wm.  O  ,  and  two 
daughters,  survive  him.  Mr.  S.  was  one  of  the  influential 
men  of  the  town.  As  a  citizen  he  was  generous  and  public- 
spirited.  He  was  a  man  of  extensive  reading,  and  on  local 
history  was  regarded  as  an  authority.  In  politioal  affairs  he 
took  a  deep  and  intelligent  interest;  he  was  no  office-seeker, 
although  for  several  years  Postmaster  at  Munnsville.  He 
died  at  Munnsville,  in  his  adopted  State,  in  July,  1883,  at  the 
age  of  79. 

Young  Mr.  Sumner,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  having  re- 
ceived his  education  in  the  schools  of  Madison  county,  en- 
gaged in  the  book  trade  for  a  time,  but  in  1867  removed  to 
Brooklyn.  For  about  two  years  he  was  in  the  mercantile 
business,  and  then  opened  a  real  estate  and  insurance  office  on 
Broadway,  near  4th  street.  His  good  character  made  friends, 
and  his  manner  of  dealing  rapidly  built  up  a  large  business, 
which  assumed  such  dimensions  after  a  few  years  that  he 
was  compelled  to  give  up  the  insurance  department,  and  his 
branch  office  in  New  York,  and  confine  his  attention  to  real 
estate  and  investments  exclusively.  He  published  the  first 
Real  Estate  Journal  in  the  Eastern  District. 

Mr.  Sumner  has  become  one  of  the  best  known  men  in  the 
city.  He  is  a  member  of  the  New  York  Board  of  Trade,  also  of 
the  Long  Island  Historical  Society,  the  Williamsburgh  Benevo- 
lent Society,  the  Brooklyn  Civil  Service  Reform  Association;  A 
director  of  the  Brooklyn  Library,  The  Eastern  District  Hos. 
pital  and  Dispensary, and  formerly  of  the  Dime  Savings  Bank. 
A  gentleman  of  literary  tastes  and  habits,  Mr.  Sumner  is 
prominently  connected  with  the  leading  literary  and  musical 
societies.  His  church  relations  are  with  Plymouth  Church. 
Though  not  an  office-holder  or  office-seeker,  he  is  a  politician 
in  the  best  sense;  believing  it  to  be  every  man's  duty  to  pro- 
mote the  public  welfare.    He  is  a  Democrat  of  the  inde- 


pendent type,  and  is  active  in  interesting  business  men  in 
political  affairs,  in  this  respect  inheriting  his  father's  temper- 
ament and  qualities.  A  man  of  untiring  energy,  always 
earnest  in  promoting  charitable  interests,  his  benevolence  is 
widely  felt.  He  is  also  a  zealous  friend  of  education,  and 
is  amongst  those  practical  and  careful  observers  who  believe 
there  is  room  for,  and  that  the  public  needs  demand,  radical 
improvements  and  reforms  in  this  department;  and  that,  in 
the  administration  of  its  affairs,  the  fullest  liberality  within 
reason  is  true  economy.  It  is  to  such  citizens  as  Mr.  Sumner, 
deeply  interested  in  all  that  affects  the  welfare  of  the  com- 
munity in  which  they  dwell,  and  alert  to  render  it  such  per- 
sonal services  as  their  influence,  means  and  time  may  enable 
them,  that  the  city  is  indebted  for  its  vigorous  growth  and 
prosperity. 

Nicholas  Cooper  was  born  in  Brooklyn  in  1829,  in  an  an- 
cient farm  house,  on  the  old  turnpike,  leading  from  old 
Brooklyn  to  Flatbush,  which  was  torn  down  at  the  time  the 
improvements  of  Prospect  Park  was  begun,  the  property  on 
which  it  stood  now  being  included  within  the  borders  of  that 
famous  pleasure  ground.  Here  he  was  reared,  working  on 
the  farm,  as  his  ancestors  had  done  before  him,  generation 
after  generation.  Richard  Cooper,  his  father,  lived  and  died 
in  Flatbush.  His  mother,  a  daughter  of  John  Blake,  one  of 
the  earliest  settlers  of  New  Utrecht,  was  born  in  the  old 
house  which  is  now  the  parsonage  of  the  old  Dutch  Church 
of  New  Utrecht. 

Of  an  active  temperament,  and  having  a  strong  desire  for 
mercantile  pursuits,  young  Cooper  found  farm  life  distasteful 
to  him.  At  the  age  of  sixteen  he  apprenticed  himself  for 
three  years  to  learn  a  trade  at  which  he  was  employed  a  year 
after  having  served  his  time,  and  then  opened,  opposite  the 
City  Hall  (then  in  course  of  erection),  a  store,  which  soon  be- 
came extensively  known  as  the  N.  Cooper  house-furnishing 
and  toy  emporium.  His  first  sale  was  of  one  dozen  clothes 
pins  for  two  cents.  He  continued  the  business  for  19  years, 
his  few  closing  sales  aggregating  many  thousand  dollars. 

Having  disposed  of  his  business,  Mr.  Cooper  determined  to 
retire  from  active  life;  but  he  soon  found  time  hanging  so 
heavily  on  his  hands  that  he  opsned  a  real  estate  office. 
Having  seen  Brooklyn  grow  from  City  Hall  eastward,  and 
knowing  the  value  of  real  property,  he  felt  confident  of  suc- 
cess, which  he  has  won.  He  has  ever  been  eager  to  improve 
the  city  and  advance  its  general  interests.  As  a  merchant, 
conscious  of  the  insufficiency  of  the  old  style  many-paned 
windows  to  display  goods,  he  was  the  first  in  Brooklyn  to  in- 
troduce a  plate-glass  front,  which  rendered  his  establishment 
an  object  of  interest  to  all  visitors.  He  has  since  put  in 
many  of  them,  and  has  been  one  of  those  foremost  in  making 
improvements  in  the  business  portions  of  the  city.  Aware 
of  the  beauty  of  Flatbush  and  its  desirability  as  a  place  of 
suburban  residence,  he  early  determined  to  open  that  section 
for  building  purposes.  Negotiating  for  large  farms,  he  cut 
streets  through  them  and  made  other  improvements,  which 
resulted  in  numerous  and  advantageous  sales  to  home  seekers 
and  the  development  of  what  must  now  lie  regarded  as  one 
of  the  most  attractive  portions  of  Brooklyn.  Diamond  street, 
the  only  paved  street  in  that  locality,  was  laid  out  and  im- 
proved by  Mr.  Cooper,  who,  in  1880,  formed  the  Flatbush 
Water  Company,  which  supplies  water  to  the  town  and  also 
to  the  county  buildings. 

Never  seeking  notoriety  as  a  public  man,  Mr.  Cooper,  in  a 
quiet  way,  has  been  in  more  than  one  sense  a  public  bene- 
factor, and  long  after  he  shall  have  closed  his  earthly  career, 
the  improvements  he  has  made  in  the  City  of  Churches  will 
stand  as  monuments  to  his  memory. 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


JiUDS  Davenport.— Tlie  branch  of  the  Davenport  family 
in  America,  to  which  the  subject  of  this  sketch  belongs, 
trace-  it-  descent  in  an  unbroken  line  from  <  >rinus  de  1  >aunc- 
porte,  who  was  born  in  England  in  1086,  and  who  assumed  the 
local  name  of  Dauneporte  or  Devonport,  a  sequestered  towu- 
Bhip  in  the  Hundred  of  Northwich,  county  of  Chester.  The 
family  in  Kngland  included  many  who  were  eminent  in  their 
time  a«  clergymen,  members  of  parliament,  sheriffs  and 
mayors.  Prominent  among  the  clergy  was  Rev.  John 
Davenport.  t>orn  in  Coventry  in  1597,  educated  at  Oxford, 
who  preached  with  great  acceptance  iu  Loudon,  but  by  the 
p«-i>c(  lit  ion  of  Archbishop  I  .and  wis  driven  with  the  Puritans 
to  America  in  1(537.  He  was  one  of  the  little  band  that 
founded  the  colony  of  New  Haven  in  1638,  and  was  its  first 
pastor.  To  him  Connecticut  is  largely  indebted  for  her  com- 
mon schools  and  colleges.  His  energy,  probity,  devotion  to 
duty  and  religious  zeal  have  been  inherited  by  his  descendants, 
iind  have  enabled  the  members  of  the  Davenport  family  to 
take  the  commanding  position  which  they  have  enjoyed  in 
the  communities  where  they  have  resided. 

Mr.  Julius  Davenport,  whose  jxirtrait  is  given  herewith,  is 
the  son  of  William  and  Abigail  Davenport,  and  was  born  in 
New  Canaan,  ft.,  May  2«tli.  1*2 1  Hi-  father,  horn  in  1781, 
lived  in  New  Canaan  and  in  Brooklv  n.  and  die!  June  lit,  1-H60, 
in  his  7!»th  \  ear.  w  idely  honored  and  revered.  Mr.  Daven- 
|M>rt*s  mother  was  Abigail  Hcnedict,  a  w  oman  of  great  force  of 


character,  blended  with  mildness  and  gentleness.  Her  death 
occurred  in  1830.  Mr.  Davenport  received  his  education  in 
the  common  schools  of  his  native  place,  and  at  the  New  Ca- 
naan Academy,  under  Prof.  Thacher.  of  Yale.  At  the  age  of 
seventeen  he  began  life  for  himself  by  engaging  in  teaching 
school.  He  taught  live  years  in  Connecticut  and  then 
removed  to  Brooklyn,  where  for  ten  years  he  was  Principal 
of  a  private  school. 

On  the  fourth  of  June,  1846,  he  married  Miss  Mary  A. 
Hates,  of  New  York,  and  their  family  consists  <>(  two  sons 
and  one  daughter. 

At  the  close  of  his  engagement  as  Principal.  Mr.  Daven- 
port entered  the  real  estate  and  insurance  business  on  Fulton 
street,  corner  of  Oxford;  and  from  small  beginnings,  by  his 
energy  and  industry,  he  ha-  built  up  a  large  and  prosperous 
business. 

In  1S50.  w  hen  that  portion  of  the  city  contained  many  va- 
cant lots,  he  erected  the  handsome  building  which  he  now 
occupies,  on  the  north-east  corner  of  Fulton  and  Oxford 
streets.  Among  business  men.  Mr.  Davenport  is  every- 
where known  and  esteemed  for  his  sagacity,  enterprise  and 
upright ne--.  I  le  has  been  connected  w  ith  t he  Clinton  Avenue 
(  oiign  i tional  Church  for  over  30  years,  and  has  tilled  the 
otliee  of  Deacon.  1  le  is  know  n  as  a  public-spirited  citizen, 
and  as  a  warm  friend  and  liberal  supporter  of  educational, 
charitable  ami  religious  institutions. 


ARCHITECTS,  BUILDERS  AND  REAL  ESTATE  AGENTS. 


863 


Among  the  best  known  Real  Estate  Brokers,  we  may 
nention  the  following: 

Jeorge  L.  Ayers  109  Flatbush  avenue. 

Real  estate;  established  1867. 

Thomas  C.  Abbott  Coney  Island. 

T.  B.  W.  Bennett  525  Fifth  avenue. 

Daniel  Bradley  92  Bridge  street. 

k.  P.  Bailey  11  Sands  street. 

J.  C.  Bradey  203  Montague  street.  , 

].  Burrill  289  Ninth  street. 

L.  E.  Brown  126  Herkimer  street. 

L.  0.  Brown  (Brown  Bros.). 40  Fifth  avenue  and  1187 

Fulton  street. 
Real  estate,  insurance  and  building;  established  1878; 
succeeded  his  father  in  building  business  in  1882. 

Martui  Breen  236  Baltic  street. 

L.  Bluraenau  161  Smith  street. 

W.  H.  Barker  189  Montague  street. 

E.  D.  Bushnell  207  Berkeley  place. 

I.  H.  Carry,  Jr  196  Fulton  street. 

Samuel  D.  Clark  113  Franklin  street. 

F.  W.  Carruthers  1357  Fulton  street. 

G.  S.  Carpenter   1273  Fulton  street. 

Ralph  L.  Cook   810  Fulton  street. 

Real  estate  broker;  established  1868,  under  the  firm 
name  of  Candee  &  Cook,  Mr.  Cook  succeeding  to  the  bus- 
iness in  1878,  at  the  death  of  Mr.  Candee. 

Stephen  Clark  278  Manhattan  avenue. 

C.  W.  C.  Dreher  Wyckoff  avenue,  near  Ful- 
ton avenue,  E.  N.  Y. 

Real  estate  and  insurance;  commenced  business  in  the 
Post  Office  building,  removing  to  the  above  address  in 
1872;  founder  of  a  German  weekly  newspaper,  the  East 
New  York  Laterne;  member  of  the  Board  of  Education. 

A.  B.  Davenport  367  Fulton  street. 

Julius  Davenport  Oxford  and  Fulton  streets. 

(See  Biography,  page  862.) 

E.  P.  Day  55th  street  and  Third  avenue. 

J.  H.  Doherty  280  Flatbush  avenue. 

J.  V.  Dorland  Broadway  and  4th  street. 

George  Damen  88  Luqueer  street. 

James  C.  Eadie  45  Broadway,  E.  D. 

Norris  Evans  &  Son  391  Bedford  avenue. 

Norris  Evans  449  Bedford  avenue. 

Real  estate;  born  1824,  Brooklyn;  established  1877,  391 
Bedford  avenue. 

Edward  Egolf .  *  123  11th  street. 

Real  estate;  established  1873,  at  13  Willoughby  street; 
was  Supervisor  of  the  22d  Ward  from  1877  to  1881. 

Jos.  J.  Eiseman  Bushwick  ave.  and  Grand  st. 

Ernest  J.  Eiseman  527  Grand  street. 

Clarence  C.  Fleet  Bushwick  ave.  and  Grand  st. 

II.  T.  Frost  302  Henry  street. 

Paul  C.  Grening  363  Fulton  street. 

Wm.  Gubbins  20  Seventh  avenue. 

E.  Grening  1161  Fulton  avenue. 

John  J.  Hardy  788  Third  avenue. 

Henry  Hauselman  106  Graham  avenue. 


James  P.  Hall  &  Son  349  Franklin  avenue. 

Real  estate  and  insurance;  established  1867,  on  Mon- 
tague and  Fulton  streets,  under  the  firm  name  of  Hall  & 
Fowler,  Mr.  Hall  succeeding  the  firm  in  1870,  when  he 
removed  to  his  present  address. 

Edward  T.  Hunt  179  Montague  street. 

J.  M.  Hildreth  726  Fulton  avenue. 

H.  Hauselman  160  Graham  avenue. 

Andrew  Harrison  1107  De  Kalb  avenue. 

John  F.  James  189  Montague  street. 

Real  estate;  established  1866,  at  365  Fulton  street;  in 
1871,  formed  a  partnership  with  Wyckoff  &  Little,  at  203 
Montague  street,  Mr.  Little  retiring  from  the  firm  soon 
after,  when  the  firm  became  Wyckoff  &  James;  in  1874, 
Mr.  James  became  sole  proprietor,  removing  to  his 
present  location. 

Harry  O.  Jones  171  Schermerhorn  street. 

Ira  A.  Kimball  346  9th  street. 

Real  estate;  established  1867. 

E.  C.  Litchfield   Ninth  avenue  and  3d  sti'eet. 

H.  S.  Lansdell  328  9th  street. 

E.  B.  Litchfield   180  Congress  street. 

D.  W.  LaFetra  219  Montague  street. 

B.  T.  Lynch ....   16  Court  street. 

Miller  &  Molloy  East  New  York. 

Charles  R.  Miller  17  "Willoughby  street. 

Richard  Marx  16  Court  street. 

Wm.  Mackey  456  Fulton  street. 

John  B.  Morgan  85  Broadway,  E.  D. 

George  Powers  540  State  street. 

George  W.  Palmer  New  Lots. 

Francis  P.  Pike  167  Stirling  place. 

George  H.  Pendleton  316  Cumberland  street. 

Henry  A.  Phillips  843  Willoughby  avenue. 

Noyes  G.  Palmer  East  New  York. 

Francis  E.  Rogers  480  Grand  street. 

"Wm.  Stevenson  196  Fulton  street. 

Wm.  O.  Sumner  120  Broadway,  E.  D. 

Theodore  Swimm   394  Gates  avenue. 

Wm.  Taylor  65  Cambridge  place. 

John  Thompson  712  DeKalb  avenue. 

E.  W.Van  Voorhees  (N.  Y.) .  129  East  36th  street. 
E.  H.  Winchester  82  11th  street. 


Among  the  best  known  Real  Estate  and  Insurance 
Agents,  we  may  mention  the  following: 

David  E.  Austin  Now  in  New  York. 

Charles  A.  Bryan  349  Atlantic  avenue. 

H.  Blatchford  203  Montague  street. 

Wm.  M.  Cole  20  Nassau  street. 

W.  L.  Candee  13  Park  Row,  N.  Y. 

Stephen  Crowell  195  Broadway,  N.  Y. 

Geo.  A\r.  Chauncey  207  Montague  street. 

A.  H.  Creah  204  Keap  street. 

Jas.  J.  Darling  155  Broadway,  N.  Y. 

Charles  Dennis  164  Montague  street. 

Edmond  Driggs  279  Washington. 


864 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Gustav  Detloff  New  Lots. 

Chas.  H.  Dutoher  Court  st.  cor.  Montague 

S.  K.  Fessenden  204  Montague  street. 

Daniel  F.  Fernakl  26  Court  street. 

Samuel  Grierson  10  Clark  street. 

Alfred  Hodges  9  Bedford  avenue. 

John  C.  Jacobs  181  Montague  street. 

Benj.  Lewis  181  Montague  street. 


John  K.  Oakley  217  Montague  street. 

st.  |  Willoughby  Powell  376  3d  street. 

J.  A.  S.  Simonson  201  Montague  street. 

Jno.  S.  Saal  151  Leonard  avenue. 

A.  B.  Thorn  202  Montague  street. 

C.  A.  Townsend,  137  Rem  sen  street. 

E.  B.  Vanderveer  Flatbush. 


CHESTER   D.   BURROWS,  Jr. 


Chester  D.  Burrows,  Jr.,  is  a  son  of  Chester  D. 
Borrows,  once  a  prominent  mason  and  builder  of  New 
York  city.  He  was  born  in  New  York,  January  1st, 
1843,  and  removed  to  Williamsburg  with  his  father's 
family  in  1856,  and  was  educated  in  the  public  schools 
of  Brooklyn. 

In  1S60,  Mr.  Burrows  began  his  business  career  as 
salesman  in  a  grocery  store  in  Williamsburg.  He  was 
then  only  seventeen  years  of  age,  but  developed  an 
aptitude  for  the  trade  which  was  remarkable  in  one  so 
young.  Two  years  later,  at  the  age  of  nineteen,  he 
engaged  in  business  on  his  own  account,  opening  a  gro- 
cery store  and  embarking  in  a  trade  which  must  have 
proved  successful  had  he  not  been  so  seriously  ill  at 
the  end  of  six  mouths  that  he  was  obliged  to  abandon  it. 

Soon  after  his  recovery,  Mr.  Burrows  engaged  with 
Henry  Wood  &  Son,  pork  packers,  of  Jersey  city,  as 
a  clerk,  and  was  in  their  employ  two  years  and  a  half. 
Returning  to  Wiljiamsburg  he  was  connected  with  the 
firm  of  Oakley  &  Co.,  also  in  the  pork  trade,  until  1869, 
and  in  August  of  that  year  he  opened  a  pork  packing 
establishment  on  his  own  account  at  the  corner  of 
Tenth  and  North  First  streets,  Brooklyn,  E.  D.  In 
October,  1874,  he  removed  to  the  corner  of  Maujer  aud 
Leonard  streets,  where  he  had  just  erected  the  large 
building  which  he  has  since  occupied. 


Mr.  Burrows  began  business  with  little  means  and 
largely  upon  borrowed  capital,  a  hazardous  undertaking 
always,  but  one  in  which  his  more  than  common  busi- 
ness ability  rendered  him  even  more  than  ordinarily 
successful,  and  at  this  time  his  trade  is  one  of  the 
heaviest  in  his  line  in  Brooklyn.  An  account  of  his 
early  struggles  and  ultimate  success  would,  if  presented 
in  detail,  be  of  much  interest  to  the  general  reader  and 
serve  as  an  encouragement  to  young  men  just  emhark- 
ing  upon  a  business  career,  but  such  an  account  is  not 
within  the  scope  of  a  sketch  like  this.  Wherever  Mr. 
Burrows  is  known  in  the  world  of  commerce  his  name 
is  honored  and  his  integrity  unquestioned.  Be  is  a 
member  of  the  New  York  Produce  Exchange  and  at 
the  Maritime  Exchange,  and  at  different  times  has  heeii 
more  or  less  prominently  identified  with  various  inter- 
ests and  institutions  public  in  their  character. 

Mr.  Burrows  is  a  republican  and  an  interested  though 
not  active  politician.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Fir>t 
Reformed  Church  of  Brooklyn,  of  which  Rev.  K  B. 
Porter,  D.D.,  is  pastor,  and  has  been  superintendent  of 
the  Sunday  school  and  Mission  school  connected  there- 
with. He  is  a  Freemason  of  fifteen  years'  standing,  and 
a  member  of  Oltman  Lodge,  F.  &  A.  M.,  No.  405.  Be 
was  married  November  6th,  1867,  to  Emily  P.,  daugh- 
ter of  Schuyler  C.  Phillips,  of  Brooklyn. 


THE 

Johnson  Street  Federal  Building  Site. 


Submitted  by  Mr.  LEONARD  MOODY,  and  accepted  by  CHARLES  J.  FOLGER,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 


'VTTHEN  it  was  ascertained  that  the  site  suggested  for  the  new 
V V  Federal  Building,  on  Myrtle  avenue,  could  not  be  taken, 
as  the  appropriation  was  not  sufficiently  large  to  pay 
for  the  property,  Mr.  Leonard  Moody,  on  January  31st,  1884, 
went  to  Washington  and  submitted  to  Secretary  Folger  a  new  site 
on  Washington  and  Johnson  streets.  At  that  time  there  were  nine 
sites  being  pressed  upon  the  Secretary  for  selection  ;  large  poli- 
tical influence  was  brought  to  bear  upon  him  to  select  the  Dutch 
Church  site,  and  also  the  one  at  the  corner  of  Fulton  and  Flat- 
bush  avenues,  both  of  which  were  *  considered  undesirable. 
After  fourteen  days  of  hard  labor,  Mr.  Moody  succeeded  in  secur- 
ing the  adoption  of  the  Johnson  street  site,  as  will  be  seen  by  the 
following  letter  : 

Treasury  Department,  ) 
Office  of  the  Secretary,  >- 
Washington,  D.  C,  Feb.  16,  1884. ) 

To  Leonard  Moody, 

Real  Estale  Agent,  Brooklyn  N.  Y.: 
Sir, — I  have  decided  to  select  as  a  site  for  the  public  building 
to  be  erected  in  your  city,  the  property  offered  by  you,  at  four 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars  ($450,000),  consisting  of  one 
hundred  and  ninety-seven  (197)  feet  on  Washington  street, 
two  hundred  and  thirty-five  (235)  feet  on  Johnson  street,  and 
one  hundred  and  ninety -seven  (197)  feet  on  Adams  street.  In 
approving  this  location  it  is  upon  the  unqualified  condition  that 
the  Government  shall  receive  a  clear  and  perfect  title  to  the 
property  described,  at  a  price  not  to  exceed  in  any  event  the 
amount  named  above. 

Very  respectfully  yours, 

CHAS.  J.  FOLGER, 

Secretary. 

Now  that  the  Federal  building  controversy  is  at  an  end,  and  the 
location  is  as  much  a  certainty  as  anything  can  be  in  a  world  of 
uncertainties,  the  story  of  a  project  which  has  given  rise  to  untold 
bitterness  and  exasperation  will  be  read  with  interest.  It  might 
make  the  record  more  complete  to  trace  back  the  enterprise  to 
the  days  of  the  Commission,  but  the  leading  facts  concerning  it 
are  still  fresh  enough  in  the  public  mind  to  make  repetition  rather 
dreary.  The  point  at  which  the  project  became  really  interest- 
ing, and  began  to  arouse  many  animosities,  was  reached  when  the 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury  found  himself  confronted  with  a  prob- 
lem very  difficult  of  solution.  None  of  the  sites  recommended 
by  the  Commission  came  within  his  financial  reach,  and  the  iron- 
clad phraseology  of  the  law  left  him  no  discretion.  Secretary 
Folger  was  incorruptible,  sensitive  and  well-meaning.  He  has 
never  been  able  to  straighten  out  the  literal  and  stereotyped 
twist  which  many  years  upon  the  Bench  gives  to  the  most  elastic 
minds,  and  he  saw  nothing  in  his  interpretation  of  the  act  but 
absolute  obedience  to  its  letter.  Where  other  men  might  have 
detected  between  the  lines  a  spirit  perhaps  less  arbitrary  than 
the  actual  reading,  he  could  see  nothing  but  words  rigid  and 
precise,  and  the  possibility  of  impeachment  in  the  presence  of 
any  attempt  to  stretch  them.  He  faced  the  situation  as  any 
lawyer  would,  threw  out  of  court  the  Commissioners'  recom- 
mendations, and  looked  about  him  for  a  site  which  would,  in 


cost,  come  well  within  the  half  a  million  which  he  had  to  spend. 
In  parenthesis,  it  may  be  said  here  that  his  purposes  were  un- 
diluted in  their  purity.  He  meant  to  do  for  Brooklyn  the  best 
that  for  the  money  could  be  done,  and  the  only  men  who  have 
criticised  either  his  motives  or  his  actions  at  this  end  of  the  line 
have  been  those  who  had  excellent  reasons  for  hostility  to  the 
Johnson  street  selection.  That  Mr.  Folger  hesitated  and  wavered 
and  gave  many  evidences  of  indecision,  is  no  more  apparent 
than  that  in  everything  he  did  his  intentions  were  above 
reproach.  Those  who  think  otherwise  are  either  able  to  see  dis- 
honesty in  honor,  or  are  not  able  to  see  rectitude  in  any- 
thing not  a  source  of  profit  to  themselves.  No  man  went  to 
Washington  to  say  a  word  against  the  site  which  has  been 
chosen,  who  had  not  more  than  an  ordinary  interest  in  the  sale 
of  some  other  property. 

Leonard  Moody,  the  real  estate  man,  spent  fourteen  days 
in  Washington  in  February.  He  went  at  a  time  when  Folger 
was  perfectly  in  the  dark,  and  only  with  the  object  of  discussing 
the  situation  with  the  Secretary.  He  had  never  met  Folger  in  his 
life,  and  did  not  know  Bell.  Folger  soon  made  up  his  mind 
that  Moody  was  the  man  he  wanted.  Moody  was  for  any  site — 
and  a  commission  upon  its  purchase.  He  talked  over  the 
situation  generally  with  the  Secretary,  and  ventured  the  sugges- 
tion  that,  for  the  money,  the  Johnson  street  property  was  far 
ahead  of  competing  locations.  It  was  within  a  stone's  throw  of 
one  of  the  sites  recommended  by  the  Commission ;  was  almost  as 
much  a  focus  of  travel  as  the  City  Hall  itself,  and  faced  a  thor- 
oughfare destined,  he  submitted,  to  be  widened,  and  then  to 
become  the  greatest  artery  of  the  city.  With  the  widening  only 
a  very  thin  slice  would  divide  it  from  Fulton  street,  and  its  ad- 
vantage over  the  church  site  was,  that  the  latter  is  a  little  out  of 
the  general  line  of  travel,  while  the  Johnson  street  property  is 
literally  in  it.  Fourteen  days  of  constant  hammering  brought 
Secretary  Folger  to  a  determination.  He  told  Mr.  Moody  to  go 
back  to  Brooklyn,  promising  him  to  write  to  him  on  the  subject 
as  soon  as  it  became  apparent  that  the  property  could  be  had  for 
$450,000.  Mr.  Moody  hadn't  been  home  a  week  before  he  re- 
ceived a  letter  which  announced  that  the  Secretary  had  selected 
the  Johnson  street  property.  It  was  dated  February  16th,  and  from 
that  moment  the  matter  was  virtually  settled.  Mr.  Moody  now 
undertook  to  hand  the  ground  over  to  the  Government  at  the 
stipulated  figure,  and  Bell  and  Congressman  James  were  let  into 
the  secret.  It  is  just  as  well  at  this  point  to  say  a  word  for  the 
consolation  of  those  who  went  to  Washington  under  the 
delusion  that  the  matter  was  not  disposed  of,  and  that  some 
other  site  might  still  be  chosen.  If  the  selection  had  been  made 
known  outside  of  the  circle,  which  included  only  four  men,  the 
value  of  the  Johnson  street  property  would  have  doubled  on  the 
spot.  Nothing  but  inviolable  secresy  could  have  prevented  an 
inflation  great  enough  to  burst  the  balloon.  Mr.  Moody  had  a 
big  job  on  his  hands,  finding  himself  in  a  situation  which  ren- 
dered it  necessary  that  $450,000  in  ready  money  should  be  at 
once  available.  In  his  search  for  a  capitalist  he  naturally  turned 
toward  the  man  who  owned  the  Tillary  street  end  of  the  block, 
and  who  would  be,  more  than  any  one  else,  interested  in  the  con- 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


summation  of  the  project.  There  is  not  the  least  doubt  that  Mr. 
Liebmann's  property  is  really  worth  a  $100,000  more  than  it  was 
bef'Ti  th<  Secretary  wrote  the  U  tter,  and  us  yet  ho  knew  noth- 
ing of  what  had  happened.  Mr.  Moody  applied  to  the  dry  goods 
man,  pointed  out  the  benefits  certain  to  accrue  in  the  event  of 
such  a  purchase,  and  asked  him  if  he  would  sign  a  contract 
agreeing  to  buy  the  site  and  hand  it  over  to  Mr.  Moody  for 
$450,000,  no  matter  at  what  cost  to  himself.  Mr.  Liebmann 
asked  for  a  day  to  think  it  over.  On  the  following  morning  he 
announced  that  he  would  go  ahead.  There  were  eighteen 
owners  to  deal  with,  and  the  great  point  was  to  keep  every  one 
of  them  in  ignorance  of  the  real  reason  for  purchasing  their 
property.  Accordingly,  every  man  who  was  approached  was  told 
that  Mr.  Liebmann  simply  had  some  improvements  of  his  own 
in  contemplation.  At  any  moment  the  secret  might  leak  out, 
and  every  hour  might  be  worth  a  thousand  dollars.  There  was 
no  time  for  dickering,  and  yet  it  would  not  do  to  seem  to  be 
over  anxious.  People  are  hard  to  deal  with  under  such  condi. 
tions,  and  most  of  them  had  a  weakness  for  consulting  lawyers. 
With  the  best  manipulation,  Federal  Building  suspicions  could 
not  be  averted,  but  there  could  be  no  turning  back  when  once 
the  start  was  made.  Some  incidents  which  would  bear  elabora- 
tion made  the  matter  lively.  At  the  closing  stages  the  work 
became  more  difficult.  The  friends  of  one  of  the  owners  se- 
cured some  reliable  information,  and  Moody  knew  it  would  be 
communicated  without  delay  and  send  up  the  price  without 
ceremony.  He  jumped  into  a  carriage  and  told  the  driver  not 
to  spare  his  horse.  It  was  the  telephone  and  a  horse  in  com- 
petition, however,  and  the  animal  was  left  very  far  behind,  the 
superiority  of  the  telephone  costing  Mr.  Liebmann  an  additional 
three  thousand  dollars.  In  six  days  the  dry  goods  man  and  the 
real  estate  dealer  hurried  nervous  women  and  grasping  men  into 
bargains  good  for  the  seller  and  better  for  the  buyer,  and  involv- 
ing an  expenditure  of  $465,000.  This  is  $15,000  in  excess  of 
the  price  the  Government  will  pay,  so  that  Uncle  Sam  has  noth- 
ing to  complain  about.  It  was  an  excellently  managed  affair,  in 
which  the  courage  and  judgment  of  Mr.  Liebmann  came  as 
prominently  to  the  front  as  the  activity  and  business  capacity  of 
the  real  estate  man.  The  facts  are,  that  the  Secretary  wanted  a 
site  and  was  willing  to  pay  $450,000,  and  that  Mr.  Moody  dis- 
played his  ability  to  accommodate  him,  when  the  talk  of  other 
men  ended  in  the  intangible.  The  Government  would  have  had 
a  fine  time  of  it  making  such  a  purchase.  Mr.  Moody  was 
animated  by  the  prospects  of  a  commission,  and  Liebmann  by 
the  certainty  of  a  rise  in  the  price  of  his  property.  It  needed 
just  such  incentives  as  these  to  render  possible  the  consum- 
mation of  such  a  well-devised  business  enterprise. 

Nothing  is  more  natural  than  that  the  Inspector  and  other 
officials  should  have  wished  to  be  identified  with  a  matter  of  so 
much  importance  in  theirown  district,  and  it  could  not  have  been 
otln  rwise  than  gallin  :  t»  them  to  lie  in  ignorance  of  what  w  as 
going  on,  when  others  claimed  to  know  all  about  it.  The  fact 
is,  that  they  hadn't  the  remotest  idea  of  what  was  in  the  air. 

There  is  not  very  much  moro  to  be  told.  It  is  officially  de- 
clared that  the  matter  is  closed,  so  that,  of  course,  it  is  settled 
now  to  nil  intents  and  purposes.  It  was  not  an  agreeable  thing 
to  tiring  rival  real  estate  men  here  when  they  hadn't  a  ghost  of  a 
chance,  or  to  permit  delegations  to  flood  the  Treasury  Building 
with  useless  arguments,  but  there  was  no  alternative— to  be 
secret  was  to  be  successful.  The  affair  lias  a  comic  side,  thanks 
to  the  opposition  parties  and  the  Dutch  Church  people.  The 
latter  slept  as  peacefully  as  children  while  the  real  work  was 
being  done,  but  when  the  battle  had  been  lost  and  won,  though 
they  didn't  know  it.  they  became  delightfully  energetic  and  in- 
dustrious. The  trouble  with  the  Dutch  Church  people  was  that 
they  thought  they  held  the  key  to  the  situation,  and  could  afford 
to  display  a  good  deal  of  indifference.  As  for  the  gallant  cap- 
tain, he  was  the  most  famous  man  in  Washington.  He  can  in- 
dulge in  more  sonorous  vituperation  to  the  square  inch  than  a 


dozen  major-generals.  He  was  going  to  see  about  this  thing. 
He  wouldn't  have  it.  He  would  have  the  matter  thoroughly  in- 
vestigated and  generally  shown  up.  He  would  not  tolerate  it  if 
he  knew  himself.  Some  things  he  might  possibly  stand,  but  this 
never !  So  it  went  on,  Mr.  Grace  taking  his  revenge  in  twenty- 
page  communications,  remarkable  for  nothing  but  very  much 
bad  temper  and  very  little  style.  It  is  a  fact  that  but  for  Lieb- 
mann's bold  operations  and  Moody's  remarkable  adroitness  the 
Federal  Building  enterprise  would  have  dragged  drearily  through 
indefinite  years,  and  the  people  of  the  city  generally  are  well 
i  satisfied  with  the  choice. 

The  selection  of  this  site  excited  the  opposition  to  such  an  ex- 
tent that  they  demanded  a  Congressional  investigation.  The 
history  of  this  is  given  in  the  following  speech  by  Hon.  Darwin 
11.  James  : 

"Mr.  Speaker, — The  question  of  the  selection  of  a  sit*  for  a 
public  building  at  Brooklyn  has  occupied  the  attention  of  this 
House  to  some  extent  this  session,  because  of  charges  of  collu- 
sion between  the  sellers  of  certain  pieces  of  real  estate  ami  tin- 
officers  of  the  Government,  whereby  an  exorbitant  price  was  to 
be  paid  for  an  undesirable  piece  of  property.  These  charges 
were  made  in  writing,  were  general  in  character,  and  were  not 
made  by  residents  of  Brooklyn,  but  originated  in  this  city  an  i 
were  worked  up  in  the  lobby  of  this  House.  They  were  ne\.  r  en- 
titled to  the  consideration  which  they  received— in  fact,  were  not 
entitled  to  any  consideration  whatever,  and,  in  my  judgment, 

|  never  would  have  received  any  except  that  a  reputable  daily  paper 
or  two,  notably  the  New  York  Journal  of  Commerce,  thinking  there 
must  be  some  truth  in  the  reiterated  charges,  called  upon  Con- 
gress in  a  leading  editorial  to  investigate.  This  editorial  was 
sent  to  members  of  the  House,  and  resulted  in  the  drafting  of  a 
resolution  providing  for  an  investigation.  These  charges  were 
all  traceable  to  this  city,  where  there  seemed  to  be  a  head- 
quarters from  which  scurrilous  articles  were  sent  to  joarnals 
in  New  York,  charging  collusion  and  fraud,  and  in  several  in- 
stances mentioning  the  names  of  Congressmen  who  were  said  to 
be  aiders  and  abettors  of  the  thieves.  These  charges  were  out- 
rageous and  slanderous  in  character,  and  were  put  forth  hy 
selfish  and  disappointed  persons  for  selfish  ends,  and  the  names 

i  of  upright  and  honorable  men  were  held  up  to  the  gaze  of  the 
public  as  those  of  thieves  and  rogues.  Not  only  were  corruption 
and  collusion  charged  in  these  newspaper  articles,  but  other  arti- 
cles of  a  different  character  got  into  the  journals,  giving  a  po- 
litical turn  to  the  matter,  so  that  the  'fraud'  in  the  purchase 
of  the  site  for  the  public  building  at  Brooklyn  became  a  matter 
of  national  political  importance.  It  affords  a  remarkable  illus- 
tration of  what  a  few  unscrupulous  persons  can  accomplish  when 
they  diligently  set  themselves  about  it.  Having  access  to  certain 
public  journals,  they  use  them  to  traduce  honorable  men,  creat- 

'  ing  a  public  sentiment  against  them  and  the  work  in  which  they 
are  engaged,  and  they  even  force  upon  this  House  of  Kejires.  nta- 

,  tives  an  investigation  of  a  Government  transaction  which  Ml 
absolutely  honest,  and  entered  upon  after  deliberate  and  careful 
consideration.  In  my  remarks  upon  this  floor  on  April  IMi 
when  the  question  of  an  appointment  of  a  committee  to  investi- 
gate was  under  consideration,  I  said,  'So  far  as  the  purchase  of 
the  site  for  the  public  building  at  Brooklyn  is  concerned.  I  have 
no  reason  to  doubt  that  every  transaction  in  connecti"ti  with  it 
has  been  upright  and  honest.'  To  show  that  my  words  were 
founded  on  reason,  I  quote  from  the  report  of  the  Committee  on 
l'ublic  Buildings  and  Grounds,  as  published  in  the  Record,  on 
page  5H7C:  'Every  opportunity  was  offered  for  the  introduction 
of  evidence  to  sustain  the  charges,  and  we  unhesitatingly  report 
that  there  has  not  boon  introduced  before  us  a  scintilla  of  evi- 
dence which  in  the  slightest  degree  reflects  upon  the  int.  grily  ol 
the  Secretary  of  tho  Treasury,  upon  the  supervising  architect,  or 
any  other  officer  of  the  Government.  We  therefore  recommend 
tho  passage  of  tho  following: 

'  Besolvod,  That  tho  charges  of  corrupt  or  collusive  action  on 


THE  JOHNSON  STREET  FEDERAL  BUILDING  SITE. 


867a 


he  part  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  or  of  some  of  his  sub- 
irdinates,  in  connection  with  the  selection  and  purchase  of  a  site 
or  a  Federal  building  in  the  city  of  Brooklyn,  have  not  been 
lustained.' 

This  finding  of  the  committee  disposes  of  the  charge  of  collu- 
ion  and  fraud.  It  was  a  charge  which  never  should  have  been 
nade,  for  which  there  never  was  an  occasion,  but  which,  having 
ieen  made,  should  never  have  been  considered,  because  it  was 
lot  made  by  responsible  parties.  The  matter  of  the  desirabil- 
ty  of  the  site,  and  the  price  agreed  to  be  paid  for  the  same, 
ire  subjects  which  are  not  reported  upon  by  the  committee, 
ilthough  evidence  was  taken  under  these  heads,  for  the  reason 
,hat  the  resolution  under  which  the  committee  acted  did  not 
•equire  it.  The  House,  therefore,  on  June  5,  recommitted  the 
•eport,  with  instructions  to  investigate  these  matters,  and  espec- 
ally  the  purchase  of  the  plot  from  William  A.  Husted.  As  to 
he  desirability  of  the  site  selected,  there  is,  of  course,  a  diver- 
sity of  opinion.  Both  at  the  first  and  second  hearings  before 
he  committee,  abundant  evidence  was  forthcoming  for  and 
igainst  the  choice.  Some  of  the  most  conscientious  and  careful 
3itizens  testified  on  either  side  of  the  question.  My  own  choice 
was  for  the  selection  of  some  other  site.  The  other  members 
ot  the  House  from  Brooklyn  preferred  another  site,  the  one 
known  as  the  Butch  Church  site.  Secretary  Folger  preferred 
the  Boeruni  place  site,  which  he  himself  looked  at.  The  Commis- 
sioners appointed  by  the  honorable  Secretary  selected  as  their 
choice  the  corner  of  Washington  street  and  Myrtle  avenue;  the 
citizens  who  gave  consideration  to  the  subject  generally  ac- 
cepted the  decision  of  the  Commission,  although  there  were 
many  who  were  locally  prejudiced  in  favor  of  other  sites.  The 
mass  of  the  people,  as  well  as  the  Brooklyn  Congressmen,  agreed 
that  the  building  should  be  near  the  City  Hall.  The  question 
of  a  suitable  place  for  the  Federal  Building  was  under  consid- 
eration as  early  as  1868,  when  a  commission  was  appointed  to 
select  one.  For  about  sixteen  years  this  matter  has  been  more 
or  less  under  discussion.  Sites  which  were  offered  to  the 
Commission  at  that  time — desirable  sites  fronting  on  the  City 
Hall  square — have  in  several  cases  been  built  upon  with  sub- 
stantial edifices,  and  have  long  been  out  of  the  market.  There 
were  left,  however,  three  sites  which  could  be  purchased,  or 
procured  by  condemnation,  any  one  of  which  would  have  been 
acceptable  to  a  large  number  of  people.  The  Dutch  Church 
property  could  have  been  purchased  for  two  hundred  and  sev- 
enty-five thousand  dollars.  This,  with  the  Court  street  front, 
would  have  furnished  a  site  which  would  have  satisfied  many; 
but  the  Court  street  front  could  not  have  been  purchased  at  less 
than  three  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars,  if  it  could  have 
been  purchased  at  any  price.  It  might  have  been  condemned, 
but  it  is  doubtful  if  it  could  thereby  have  been  acquired  at  a 
lower  price.  The  Secretary  construed  the  law  literally,  holding 
that  he  could  only  acquire  the  property  through  purchase.  I 
consider  that  the  price  of  this  site  was  $625,000.  The  Boerum 
place  site,  preferred  by  the  Secretary  and  recommended  by 
Supervising  Architect  Hill,  in  all  probability  would  have  cost 
over  $800,000.  It  contained  several  plots  which  the  owners  did 
not  offer  and  did  not  wish  to  sell  at  any  price.  On  this  plot  is 
the  Long  Island  Savings  Bank  building,  for  which  $140,000  is 
demanded.  The  other  site  alluded  to  is  the  one  at  the  corner 
of  Washington  and  Myrtle  avenue,  the  one  selected  by  the 
Commission.  This  site  could  have  been  purchased  at  $600,000 
at  the  time  the  Commission  selected  it,  as  the  parties  advocating 
its  selection  had  options  for  nearly  all  the  plots,  the  figures  ag- 
gregating about  $600,000.  At  this  present  time  it  is  doubtful  if 
the  property  could  be  purchased  at  even  $850,000.  It  will  thus 
be  seen  that  the  Secretary  was  shut  up  to  two  courses  :  Either 
to  do  nothing,  or  to  accept  a  site  not  so  desirable  as  those  men- 
tioned, as  the  cost  of  any  one  of  them  would  have  consumed  the 
larger  part  of  the  appropriation  for  site  and  building.  The  Sec- 
retary decided  to  wait,  but  the  citizens  of  Brooklyn  were  urging 


action  and  pressing  him  to  come  to  some  decision.  As  early  as 
January  9  the  Brooklyn  members  of  Congress  called  in  a  body 
upon  him  and  insisted  upon  something  being  done.  At  this  in- 
terview it  was  arranged  that  Supervising  Architect  Bell*  and 
myself  should  visit  Brooklyn  to  examine  the  various  sites  men- 
tioned, as  well  as  other  sites,  and  report.  The  visit  was  made  on 
January  18.  Various  sites,  in  addition  to  those  which  were  gen- 
erally discussed,  were  looked  at.  The  Johnson  street  site  was 
not  considered  on  that  day,  although  it  was  incidentally  noticed 
in  passing.  On  the  following  day  Mr.  Bell  examined  it  alone 
somewhat  carefully,  I  having  returned  to  Washington  the  pre- 
vious night.  Nothing  definite  resulted  from  the  visit  except  the 
confirmation  of  the  Secretary  in  the  opinion  that  the  most  de- 
sirable sites  were  unattainable,  and  the  securing  of  diagrams 
of  various  plots,  together  with  their  assessed  valuation.  The 
Johnson  street  property  was  offered  to  the  Secretary  about  Feb- 
ruary 1  by  Mr.  Leonard  Moody,  a  responsible  real  estate  dealer, 
at  the  sum  of  $450,000,  and  on  February  9  the  supervising  archi- 
tect made  a  written  report  to  the  Secretary  recommending  it  as 
a  suitable  site.  This  property  is  situated  one  block  north  of  the 
site  selected  by  the  Commission,  and  is  about  200  feet  from  the 
present  Post  Office.  The  plot  is  197  feet  on  Washington  and 
Adams  streets,  and  235  feet  on  Johnson  street.  It  is  on  the 
highest  ground  in  that  part  of  the  city,  and  one  block  from  the 
City  Hall  plaza.  Washington  street  is  the  direct  thoroughfare  to 
and  from  the  Bridge,  and  is  destined  to  become  a  great  artery. 
The  New  York  Post  Office  and  United  States  Court-rooms  are 
but  a  short  distance  from  the  New  York  Bridge  landing,  about 
as  near  as  the  Johnson  street  site  is  to  the  Brooklyn  Bridge 
landing.  Washington  street  has  seen  many  changes.  Not 
many  years  ago  it  was  the  place  of  the  residence  of  the  wealthy. 
Then  the  tide  of  fashion  set  in  another  direction,  and  the  prop- 
erty gradually  sank  to  a  low  price.  Within  a  few  years  property 
facing  on  it  has  been  purchased  by  far-seeing  individuals,  who 
held  it  for  an  advance  which  was  sure  to  come,  as  it  was  to  be 
the  outlet  to  the  Bridge.  I  refer  to  this  fact  as  a  reason  for  the 
diversity  of  views  as  to  valuations  on  the  Washington  street 
lots.  The  price  at  which  it  was  offered  seemed  excessive,  but  the 
testimony  of  the  witnesses  examined  shows  that  no  other  plot 
of  the  same  size,  within  the  same  distance  of  the  City  Hall, 
and  equally  desirable,  could  have  been  purchased  at  so  low  a 
figure.  The  purchase  was  managed  with  much  ability.  The 
Secretary  gave  an  order  as  follows.  [See  Secretary's  letter,  page 
865a.] 

Mr.  Moody  secured  the  assistance  of  Mr.  Herman  Liebniann, 
a  partner  in  one  of  the  most  reputable  business  firms  in  Brook- 
lyn, to  enable  him  to  carry  the  proposition  through,  as  he 
(Moody)  was  not  strong  enough  financially  to  undertake  so  large 
an  operation.  The  Liebmanns,  for  there  are  two  of  them 
(brothers),  occupy  a  large  retail  store  running  through  from 
Fulton  to  Washington  street,  and  own  about  half  of  the  block, 
the  southerly  half  of  which  was  offered  to  the  Government.  It 
will  be  seen  that,  if  the  sale  could  be  effected,  the  adjoining 
property  of  the  Liebmanns  would  be  greatly  benefited.  It  was 
for  this  reason  that  they  consented  to  purchase  the  lots,  some 
thirteen  in  number,  and  turn  them  over  to  Moody.  Mr.  Liebniann 
proceeded  quietly  to  buy,  the  sellers  knowing  nothing  about 
the  purpose  for  which  he  was  buying;  but,  unfortunately  for 
him,  before  all  the  lots  had  been  taken,  and  before  certain  leases 
had  been  gotten  rid  of,  it  got  into  the  public  journals  that  the 
property  was  being  acquired  for  the  Government,  the  result  of 
which  was  that  prices  rapidly  advanced.  At  this  juncture,  Mr. 
Liebmann  would  have  withdrawn  had  he  not  already  purchased 
so  many  lots  that  he  was  forced  to  carry  through  what  he  had 
undertaken,  and  the  result  was  that  he  paid  $501,082.50  for  what 
the  Government  was  to  pay  $450,000  for.  Meantime,  he  has 
been  losing  in  interest,  at  six  per  cent.,  seventy-five  dollars  per 


*  Mr.  Bell,  in  the  interim,  had  succeeded  Mr.  Hill  as  Supervising  Architect. 


SGSa 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


day,  while  this  examination  progressed,  besides  being  subjected 
to  many  other  expenses  and  annoyances,  not  the  least  of  which 
was  that  of  being  published  in  the  papers  as  a  thief  and 
scoundrel." 

Here  Mr.  James  quoted  the  report  of  the  Investigating  Com- 
mittee, showing  that  the  transaction  was  above  reproach,  and 
continued  : 

"I  have  no  question  but  that,  had  it  been  known  that  the  pur- 
chase was  being  made  for  the  Government,  the  cost  would  have 
reached  six  hundred  thousand  dollars.  One  lot,  22x100  feet  on 
Washington  street,  was  purchased  by  Mr.  Liebmann  from  a 
Mrs.  Titus  for  thirty  thousand  dollars,  on  which  ten  per  cent, 
was  paid  and  an  agreement  duly  signed.  When  it  became 
known  that  the  lot  was  to  go  to  the  Government,  Mrs.  Titus 
tendered  back  the  ten  per  cent,  and  the  agreement,  and  stated 
that  she  had  sold  under  misapprehension  ;  that  the  property 
was  worth  more,  and  that  she  would  not  execute  the  deed.  A 
suit  is  now  in  court  to  compel  compliance  with  the  contract,  but 
meantime  the  Secretary  has  relieved  Mr.  Moody  from  conveying 
it  and  the  corresponding  lot  on  Adams  street,  so  that  the  Gov- 
ernment plot  will  be  175x235  feet,  and  the  total  cost  will  be 
i*ms..">iMi  Thi  public  building  ia  to  be  used  For  the  general 
Post  Office,  for  the  United  States  District  Court,  and  for  the  office 
of  the  Collector  of  Internal  Revenue.  February  9,  the  Supervis- 
ing Architect  filed  his  report  with  the  Secretary,  recommending 
the  purchase  of  the  Johnson  street  site.  On  February  16,  the 
Secretary  sent  the  order  to  Mr.  Moody  to  purchase  it.  During 
the  week  intervening,  the  pressure  on  the  Secretary  to  purchase 
other  sites  was  intensified,  and  at  one  time  he  had  nearly  con- 
cluded to  purchase  the  Dutch  Church  property  without  the 
Court  street  front.  Presuming  that  I  knew  the  president  of  the 
Board  of  Trustees,  he  requested  that  I  write  asking  him  to  com- 
municate with  him  direct,  as  to  price  and  terms,  which  was 
done.  Against  this  plan  the  Supervising  Architect  filed  written 
objections.  The  size  of  this  plot  is  1-15  feet  on  Joralemon  street, 
running  through  to  Livingston  street  310  feet.  On  this  street 
the  frontage  is  HO  feet.  After  taking  off  forty  feet  on  each  side 
for  an  open  space,  as  the  law  requires,  the  plot  left  would  have 
been  very  unsuitable.  With  high  walls  on  either  side,  at  a  dis- 
tance of  only  forty  feet,  the  light  would  have  been  shut  out  from 
the  lower  story.  It  would  have  afforded  insufficient  accommo- 
dation, particularly  for  the  United  States  courts  and  attendant 
offices.  The  business  is  so  large  that  two  court-rooms,  two  jury 
rooms  and  other  extra  rooms  are  required;  besides, the  architect 
would  have  no  opportunity  for  architectural  display  in 
planning  the  edifice.  The  city  of  Brooklyn  is  growing  with 
astonishing  rapidity.  Its  population  is  seven  hundred  thousand, 
and  in  a  very  few  years,  at  its  present  rate  of  increase,  it  will 
reach  one  million  inhabitants.  Probably  no  other  city  in  the 
United  States  is  making  more  rapid  progress.  It  should  have  a 
public  building  commensurate  with  its  importance.  If  any  mis- 
take has  been  made,  it  is,  perhaps,  that  a  much  larger  sum  was 
not  available  under  the  law,  so  that  the  Secretary  could  have 
selected  such  a  site  as  would  have  entirely  satisfied  himself,  and 
in  so  doing  he  would,  beyond  doubt,  have  satisfied  the  larger 


part  of  the  citizens.  The  Johnson  street  site  is  the  best  attainable 
with  the  means  at  his  disposal,  and  is  desirable  because  of  its 
proximity  to  the  City  Hall  and  other  city  and  county  offices,  its 
accessibility  to  New  York  by  way  of  the  Bridge  and  Fulton  F  rn  , 
and  its  close  proximity  to  Wall  Street  Ferry.  It  is  within  one  block 
of  the  business  centre,  upon  a  street  which  must,  in  the  nature  of 
things,  become  the  great  avenue  from  Brooklyn  to  New  York. 
The  business  of  the  Post  Office  is  undoubtedly  the  most  import, 
ant  to  the  general  public,  although,  under  the  existing  m  m,  m 
of  collecting  and  delivering  of  letters  by  carriers,  it  is  not 
visited  so  much  as  it  otherwise  would  be,  except  for  purchase  of 
stamps,  money  orders,  etc.  I  append  a  report  of  the  postmaster 
for  the  year  1883.  The  business  of  the  United  States  Courts  is 
very  large,  in  some  branches  of  law,  notably  admiralty  snits, 
one-fifth  of  all  that  are  brought  to  court  in  the  United  States 
being  tried  in  Brooklyn.  I  append  statistics  from  the  annual 
reports  of  the  Attorney-General.  The  Internal  Revenue  office 
located  here  is  one  of  the  largest  and  best  managed  districts  in 
the  country,  and  was  visited,  in  the  month  of  May,  by  eleven 
thousand  people  for  the  transaction  of  business,  its  receipts 
aggregating  three  millions  per  annum.  It  may  not  be  improper 
for  me  to  state  that  I  have  had  no  personal  interest  in  the  selec- 
tion of  any  particular  site.  My  action  has  been  guided  bv 
reasons  which  seemed  to  me  to  be  wise  at  the  time.  The  Honor- 
able Secretary  himself  drew  my  attention  to  it.  I  objected  to 
considering  it,  and  advised  the  selection  of  the  property  at  the 
corner  of  Adams,  Willoughby  and  Pearl  streets,  and  he  requested 
me  to  ascertain  its  cost.  It  was  found  to  be  about  $050,000.  It 
was  then,  after  having  exhausted  every  desirable  site  near  the 
City  Hall,  and  when  the  Secretary  had  decided  to  buy  the  Dutch 
Church  property  alone,  without  the  Court  street  front,  that  I  held 
it  to  be  far  preferable  to  buy  the  Johnson  street  property ." 

The  statistics  alluded  to  by  the  Congressman  show  that 
Brooklyn  is  well  favored  with  Government  litigation,  and  that 
its  Internal  Revenue  business  is  not  far  behind  that  of  any 
revenue  district  in  the  country. 

The  result  of  the  Congressional  investigation  showed  that 
there  was  no  foundation  for  the  charges  made,  and  that  the 
purchase  was  as  honorable  and  legitimate  a  business  transaction 
as  was  ever  consummated,  and  that  Mr.  Moody  deeded  the  pr  |  • 
I  erty  to  the  United  States  Government  June  20,  1884,  receiving 
therefor  a  check  for  $408,500. 

Mr.  Moody  went  home  from  Washington  after  five  monti  - 
fight,  which  he  will  probably  recollect  as  long  as  he  remembers 
anything.    The  weight  of  the  load  he  has  had  to  carry  can 
appreciated  only  by  those  familiar  with  the  phases  of  legislation 
He  displayed  qualities  of  endurance,  and  especially  for  deli' 
and  effective  manipulation,  which  surprised  veteran  legislators 
and,  what  is  more  remarkable  than  anything  else,  when  tin 
forces  he  had  to  deal  with  are  considered,  is  the  fact  that  he  ha* 
won  his  fight  without  soiling  his  fingers.  The  opposition  pertie 
were  beaten  at  every  point.    They  had  all  the  advantages  whid 
|  are  presented  where  a  single  objection  may  block  legislation  in 
|  definitely,  but  they  were  outgeneraled  to  the  last,  thanks  to  Mr 
Moody's  tact,  skill  and  perseverance,  and  the  justice  of  his  cans' 


(For  tbo  above  wo  are  largely  indebted  to  the  columns  of  tho  Brooklyn  Eagle.) 


UNITED  STATES  INTERESTS 


IN 


Kings  County 


POST  OFFICE,  NSYY  YSRD;  FORTS,  INTERNAL 
REVENUE,  Etc.,  Etc. 


BY 


Editor. 


THE  U.  S.  POST  OFFICE  IN  BROOK- 
LYN.— Joel  Bunce  was  the  first  and  (in  1819) 
Thomas  W.  Birdsall,  the  second  postmaster  of 
Brooklyn,  the  office  being  in  their  store  at  the 
corner  of  Front  and  Fulton  streets.  He  was  succeeded 
by  Erastus  Worthington,  a  native  of  Colchester,  Ct., 
who  was  for  several  years  connected  with  the  Lony 
Island'Star.  His  intelligence,  activity,  courteous  and 
winning  manners,  and  his  enthusiastic  love  of  music, 
made  him  a  favorite  in  Brooklyn  society.  He  was  a 
stationer  and  bookseller  ;  and,  during  his  incumbency, 
the  office  was  removed  to  Fulton  street,  nearly  op- 
posite Hicks.  In  1S24  the  office  was  held  by  Mr.  Ben- 
nett, then  by  Mr.  S.  E.  Clements,  "  an  eagle-nosed 
Southerner  and  active  politician;"  and  later  by  Joseph 
Moser,  whom  we  have  noted  on  page  116.  In 
1829,  Adrian  Hegeman  kept  the  office,  in  connec- 
tion with  books  and  stationery,  in  Fulton  street, 
near  Hicks,  and  served  twelve  years.  In  1841,  the 
iate  George  Hall  (ex-Mayor)  was  appointed  post- 
master, and  the  office  being  inadequate  to  the  popu- 
lation, was  removed  from  Fulton  street  to  a  small  room 
in  Hicks  street,  opposite  Doughty.  It  remained  there 
a  few  weeks  and  was  then  removed  to  a  new  building, 
twelve  by  twenty-five  feet,  put  up  for  the  purpose,  in 
Cranberry  street,  between  Fulton  and  Henry.  At  this 
time  the  whole  force  of  the  office  consisted  of  the  post- 
master, one  delivery  and  marking  clerk,  who  acted  as 
assistant  postmaster,  and  had  in  addition  a  small  sta- 
tionery stock,  which  he  found  plenty  of  time  to  attend 
to,  and  the  mail  messenger,  Benjamin  Richardson,  who 
took  the  mail  twice  daily  to  New  York,  and  was  the 
only  letter-carrier  of  the  village,  and  like  many  other 
historic  personages  survives  in  the  memory  of  many, 
owing  to  a  highly  gifted  dog  which  always  accompa- 


nied him.  This  benevolent  quadruped  entered  with 
spirit  on  the  business  of  letter-carrying  and  evinced  a 
remarkable  relish  for  the  virtuous  shins  of  our  ancient 
citizens  of  thirty  years  ago. 

During  Mr.  Hall's  reign  the  gross  receipts  of  the 
office  amounted  to  less  than  $5,000  a  year.  In  1845, 
Mr.  Henry  C.  Conkling  succeeded  Mr.  Hall,  and  the 
office  was  removed  in  Fulton  street  to  between  High 
and  Nassau.  During  his  term,  in  1848,  the  large  fire 
occurred  in  this  city,  and  the  post  office  was  burned 
down.  All  matter  belonging  to  it,  however,  was  saved 
and  removed  to  a  place  of  security,  and  the  office  was 
opened  in  a  rear  room  of  the  Appentices'  Library,  on 
the  corner  of  Cranberry  and  Henry  streets.  Here  it 
remained  only  a  short  time,  and  was  then  removed  to 
No.  6  Court  street,  in  Montague  Hall.  The  business 
gradually  increased,  and  the  office  now  boasted  three 
clerks  and  six  letter-carriers.  In  1849,  Mr.  Conkling 
was  succeeded  by  Gold  S.  Silliman,  Esq.,  in  whose 
reign  nothing  particular  occurred,  the  business  pro- 
ceeding quietly  and  increasing  with  the  population. 
Three  more  carriers,  however,  were  added  to  the  force. 
In  1853,  Mr.  Silliman  was  succeeded  by  Daniel  Van 
Vooriiis,  Esq.,  and  the  office  was  again  removed  to  337 
and  339  Fulton  street.  Here  it  remained  some  five 
years,  and  in  1857  Mr.  Van  Voorhis  was  succeeded  by 
Mr.  William  H.  Peck,  and  the  office,  which  now  em- 
ployed about  twenty  carriers  and  five  or  six  clerks, 
migrated  to  Montague  street,  near  Fulton.  In  1861, 
George  B.  Lincoln  became  postmaster  and  held  the 
office  over  five  years.  By  this  time  the  business  had  so 
greatly  increased  that  it  had  some  ten  clerks  and  thirty 
carriers.  It  was  during  Mr.  Lincoln's  term  that  the 
money  order  department  was  opened,  and  several  re- 
forms were  also  made  to  facilitate  business. 


866 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Geor<;e  Burt  Lincoln  was  born  at  Hardwick, 
Mass.,  in  1817;  left  his  father's  farm  for  a  country 
store  when  fifteen  years  of  age;  and,  at  the  age  of 
twenty-one,  in  183S,  commenced  business  on  his  own 
account  in  New  York  city.  lie  early  became  interested 
in  National  politics,  and  in  184:?,  while  residing  in  .Mas- 
sachusetts, he  joined  the  old  "  Liberty  Party,"  and  was 
a  member  of  the  Faneuil  Hall  Convention,  which  first 
nominated  Henry  Clay  for  the  Presidency.  In  1852, 
he  became  a  resident  of  Brooklyn,  and  active  among 
the  anti-slavery  voters  of  the  city.  An  earnest  worker 
in  the  Fremont  campaign  of  1850,  he  was,  in  the 
words  of  Gov.  Cullom,  of  Illinois,  "  among  the 
first  to  name  Abraham  Lincoln  as  the  next  candidate 
of  the  Republican  party,  and  did  much  to  bring  about 
his  nomination." 

He  was  the  first,  also,  in  one  of  his  vigorous  politi- 
cal letters  to  the  press,  to  tell  the  story  of  Uncle  Abe's 
having  been  a  rail-splitter  —  a  circumstance  which, 
though  in  itself  insignificant,  furnished  to  the  Repub- 
lican party  the  most  powerful  political  war-cry  of  that 
campaign. 

Hon.  Leonard  Swett,  of  Illinois,  who  headed  the 
Republican  electoral  ticket,  always  affirmed  that  it  was 
Mr.  George  B.  Lincoln  who  first  gave  courage  to  the 
people  of  that  state  to  believe  that  their  favorite  could 
be  elected. 

In  the  first  dark  hour  of  the  Rebellion,  when  Wash- 
ington was  threatened,  Mr.  Lincoln  volunteered  (the 
only  representative  of  Brooklyn),  and  bore  arms  in 
the  celebrated  "  Clay  Guard,"  until  the  arrival  of 
troops  from  the  North.  Appointed,  by  his  great  name- 
sake, postmaster  of  Brooklyn,  Mr.  Lincoln  was  fore- 
most in  the  support  of  the  government,  and  in  assist- 
ing and  providing  for  the  comfort  of  the  troops  enter- 
ing upon,  or  returning  from  the  field.  In  186-4,  he  was 
a  delegate  to  the  Baltimore  Convention,  which  nom- 
inated Andrew  Johnson  as  Vice-President;  and,  in 
1865,  was  re-appointed  postmaster  of  Brooklyn,  at  the 
urgent  request  of  many  of  its  first  citizens.  In  1868, 
he  was  appointed,  by  Gov.  Fenton,  a  member  of  the 
Metropolitan  Sanitary  Commission,  of  which,  shortly 
after,  he  became  the  President,  an  office  which  he  held 
until  the  abolition  of  that  commission  in  1870  (see 
page  561). 

It  was  during  his  presidency,  and  largely  through 
his  strenuous  endeavors,  that  the  slaughter-houses  were 
driven  from  the  city  limits  of  New  York  and  Brook- 
lyn, ami  that  business  confined  to  the  improved  al>. 
batoirs  in  Jersey  City. 

The  eldest  of  Mr.  Lincoln's  sons.  (Jeoige  B.,  Jr., 
was  Adjutant  of  the  67th  Reg't.  N.  Y.  S.  V.,  and  en- 
gaged in  most  of  the  battles  of  the  Potomac  Army; 
and  was  subsequently  on  Gov.  Fenton's  military  staff. 
The  youngest,  Frederick  S.,  w  as  for  some  time  a  mas- 
ter's mate  in  the  navy,  and  subsequently  appointed  to 
the    I'nited   Slates   Naval  Academy.    Their  mother, 


Mrs.  Lincoln,  rendered  comfort  and  valuable  service, 
both  in  the  hospitalities  of  her  own  home,  and  in  the 
army  hospitals,  to  the  defenders  of  the  Union. 

In  1866,  Mr.  Lincoln  was  succeeded  by  Thomas  Kis- 
sella,  Esq.,  who  was  nominated  by  President  Johnson, 
but  not  being  confirmed  by  the  Senate,  was  succeeded  on 
May  1st,  1867,  by  Col.  Samuel  II.  Roiserts,  and  the  post 
office  was  once  more  removed  to  its  present  location  in 
AVashington  street.  The  present  office  xvas  erected  and 
occupied  within  twenty-nine  days  after  its  commence- 
ment. In  1868,  Colonel  Roberts  was  succeeded  by 
Anthony  F.  Camphell,  Esq.,  and  in  May,  1869,  ex- 
Mayor  Samuel  Booth,  Esq.,  became  postmaster,  serv- 
ing until  1874. 

During  the  year  last  mentioned  the  post  office  at 
Williamsburgh,  of  which  C.  C.  Talbot,  Esq.,  was  post- 
master, and  the  post  office  of  Greenpoint,  of  which 
Samuel  S.  Free,  Jr.,  was  postmaster,  were  consoli- 
dated with  the  main  office  of  Brooklyn.  Mr.  Booth 
retired  from  the  postmastership  and  C.  C.  Talbot,  Esq., 
was  made  postmaster  of  the  consolidated  offices.  Janu- 
ary 1st,  1878,  Col.  James  McLeer  was  appointed  post- 
master and  has  served  continuously  since.  When  he 
became  postmaster  he  found  the  office  a  mere  appen- 
dage to  the  New  York  department.  Nearly  all  the 
mails  despatched  from  Brooklyn  were  sent  to  that  office, 
where  they  were  overhauled  and  forwarded  to  their 
destination.  Col.  McLeer  failed  to  understand  why 
this  should  be  the  case.  He  concluded  that  the  third 
city  of  the  Union,  within  easy  reach  of  the  termini  of 
the  great  railways  of  the  country,  should  not  be  com- 
pelled to  rely  on  the  New  York  office  for  the  dispatch 
of  its  mails.  Thoroughly  determined  to  secure  inde- 
pendence for  the  Brooklyn  office,  quietly,  but  with 
characteristic  energy,  he  applied  himself  to  the  work 
He  found  that  the  people  of  Brooklyn  were  compelled 
to  wait  for  the  delivery  of  the  great  Southern  mailt 
until  1 1  o'clock  in  the  morning.  Under  the  old  system 
this  city--  the  scat  of  the  1' ni ted  States  I )ist rid  Courts, 
with  a  vast  jurisdiction,  the  United  States  Revenue 
Office,  having  vital  business  relations  with  the  whole 
of  Bong  Island  and  Richmond  County,  and  collecting 
from  the  industries  of  those  counties  nearly  four  mil- 
lions of  dollars  a  year — was  compelled  to  await  its 
mails  from  Washington  and  the  great  cities  of  the 
Atlantic  seaboard  until  they  underwent  the  slow  pro- 
cess of  filtration  through  the  New  York  office.  Colonel 
Mid. eei-  proposed  that  thi-  should  cease  and  that  these 
important  mails  should  be  delivered  at  the  Brooklyn 
office  direct  from  the  railway  depots  of  Jersey  City, 
thus  enabling  him  to  receive  and  deliver  them  at  " 
A.  M.  Here  the  Annex  boat  was  brought  into  requisi- 
tion, and  through  its  agency  so  manifest  an  improve 
meiit  was  secured  that  it  was  soon  extended  to  the 
West  and  Southwest  mail  routes;  so  that  now  all  mailt 
for  the  Atlantic  and  Gulf  states  and  for  many  of  the 


UNITED  STATES  INTERESTS. 


867 


Western  States  are  dispatched  and  received  direct,  to 
great  saving  of  time  and  the  decidedly  better  security  of 
the  mails.  The  postmaster  gradually  applied  this  sys- 
tem to  the  Eastern,  Northern  and  Western  mails, 
making  up  pouches  or  packages  direct  for  the  various 
railway  post  offices  and  railway  route  agents,  thus  secur- 
ing direct  dispatch  without  loss  of  time  through  the 
New  York  office.  This  whole  matter  of  receiving 
and  dispatching  mails  is  now  conducted  as  independ- 
ently at  the  office  in  Washington  street  as  it  is  at  any 
first-class  office  in  the  country.  And  it  is  controlled 
solely  by  the  postmaster  and  the  Superintendent  of  the 
Railway  Mail  Service,  whose  office  is  in  New  York 
city.  Very  little  Brooklyn  mail,  except  some  for  the 
Northwest,  is  now  handled  at  the  New  York  post  office. 
Col.  McLeer  also  instituted  numerous  much-needed  im- 
provements in  the  collection  and  delivery  of  the  mails, 
which  he  has  perfected  to  such  a  degree  as  to  render  both 
branches  of  the  post  office  work  very  effective.  When 
he  became  postmaster  there  were  only  thirty-eight 
clerks  and  eighty-nine  carriers,  and  about  14,000,000 
pieces  of  mail  were  handled  by  the  office  annually.  At 
this  time  (1884)  fifty-five  clerks  and  one  hundred  and 
forty-one  carriers  are  employed.  The  city,  for  facili- 
tating mail  distribution,  is  divided  into  five  districts. 
The  main  office  embraces  all  that  part  of  the  city  west 
of  Bedford  avenue,  south  of  Flushing  avenue  and  east 
of  Macomb  street  and  Gowanus  canal  ;  Williamsburgh 
station  embraces  all  that  part  of  the  city  lying  east  and 
north  of  Flushing  avenue  and  Broadway  and  west  of 
the  Manhattan  Railway  and  Meeker  avenue  ;  Green- 
point  station  embraces  the  whole  of  the  Seventeenth 
ward;  Van  Brunt  station  embraces  all  that  part  of  the 
city  lying  west  of  Macomb  street ;  Brevoort  station 
embraces  all  that  part  of  the  city  lying  east  of  Bed- 
ford avenue  and  south  of  Broadway  and  Flushing 
avenue. 

The  assistant  postmaster  is  Col.  Charles  B.  Morton  ; 
the  superintendent  of  Williamsburgh  station  is  William 
B.  Hopkins;  the  superintendent  of  Brevoort  station  is 
Louis  Baur  ;  the  superintendent  of  Greenpoint  station 
is  Edward  Brooks ;  the  superintendent  of  Van  Brunt 
station  is  Edward  P.  McManus;  the  chief  clerk  is  Col. 
William  H.  DeBevoise;  the  superintendent  of  mails  is 
William  H.  Cunningham  ;  the  superintendent  of  car- 
riers is  William  B.  Maas  ;  the  superintendent  of  the 
money  order  branch  is  Barrett  V.  A.  Lyon,  and  the 
superintendent  of  the  registry  branch  is  Thomas  M. 
K.  Mills. 

The  annual  report  of  postmaster  McLeer,  for  the 
year  1883,  recently  issued,  shows  that  during  the  year 
the  total  number  of  pieces  received  and  dispatched  was 
75,586,445.  The  total  postal  receipts  for  the  year 
amounted  to  $352,296.54,  being  an  increase  of  $34,220.- 
86  over  the  previous  year.  The  money  order  business 
reached  the  sum  of  $1,504,090.02.  The  increase  over 
1882  was  $168,728.57. 


Colonel  Jamks  McLeer,  Postmaster  of  Brooklyn, 
was  born  in  Brooklyn  in  December,  1840.  The  out- 
break of  the  civil  war,  in  1861,  found  him  a  student  in 
the  law  office  of  the  lamented  General  Philip  S.  Crooke, 
awaiting  the  attaining  of  the  majority  that  would 
entitle  him  to  admission  to  the  bar,  for  which  he  had 
already  passed  a  successful  examination.  But  the 
demands  of  country  and  the  impulses  of  patriotism 
proved  stronger  than  the  promise  of  a  successful  pro- 
fessional career;  and  the  call  to  arms  found  Col. 
McLeer  among  the  first  to  enroll  himself  in  the  ranks 
of  Company  C,  of  the  Fourteenth  Regiment,  which  was 
mustered  into  service  for  the  period  of  the  war  by 
General  McDowell,  May  23d,  1861.  The  young  soldier, 
now  beginning  his  active  military  career,  was  one  of 
the  first  detachment  of  Union  troops  which  crossed  the 
Potomac  to  the  Virginia  shore,  and  took  possession  of 
the  grounds  in  the  vicinity  of  Arlington  House,  to 
which  point  the  regiment  subsequently  followed  and 
went  into  camp.  On  the  16th  of  July  the  offensive 
campaign  against  the  Confederacy  opened,  the  forward 
march  was  begun,  and  on  the  21st,  the  Fourteenth  had 
reached  Centreville.  On  this  date  occurred  the  fateful 
battle  of  Bull  Run,  in  which  engagement  the  Four- 
teenth received  its  "  baptism  by  fire."  Crossing  Bull 
Run  at  Sudley's  Ford,  the  regiment  went  into  action 
and  unintermittingly  fought  for  four  hours  and  a  half, 
but  was  at  length  forced  to  retire,  the  enemy  being  re- 
inforced by  the  arrival  of  fresh  troops.  Three  times 
during  the  engagement  the  regiment  occupied  the  spot 
opposite  the  Henry  House,  whose  character  is  fittingly 
described  by  the  designation  of  "slaughter  pen,"  on 
the  third  occasion  re-capturing  the  guns  of  Rickett's 
battery,  but  afterward  being  obliged  to  abandon  them 
for  lack  of  support.  During  one  of  these  charges 
Colonel  McLeer  was  seriously  wounded  in  the  head  and 
right  arm.  He  remained  in  the  hospital,  most  of  the 
time  delirious,  for  many  weeks.  Before  his  wounds 
were  finally  healed,  however,  he  insisted  upon  rejoining 
his  regiment,  under  the  stimulus  of  the  intelligence  of 
a  forward  movement  about  to  be  undertaken  by  the 
Union  forces,  and  participated  in  all  the  engagements 
and  the  terrible  marches  and  countermarches  of  the 
campaign  in  Virginia,  of  1862,  up  to  and  including  the 
battle  of  Grovetown,  in  which  engagement  Colonel 
McLeer  was  again  so  severely  wounded  that  his  escape 
from  death  seems  well-nigh  miraculous.  The  battle 
occurred  on  the  29th  of  August,  the  Fourteenth  occupy- 
ing the  left  of  the  first  line  of  the  Union  forces,  which 
extended  from  the  Warrenton  road  to  a  belt  of  woods 
just  beyond  the  left  of  the  regiment.  Col.  McLeer, 
while  in  the  act  of  firing  his  rifle,  received  a  shot  in  the 
left  arm,  just  above  the  elbow,  tearing  the  flesh, 
shattering  the  bone,  and  causing  it  to  fall  useless  at  his 
side.  Recovering  quickly  from  the  shock,  with 
wonderful  nonchalance  he  said,  "Well,  I'll  have  one 
more  shot,  anyway;"  and  with  his  right  arm  alone  he 


868 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Colonel  JAMES  McLEEK. 


brought  the  piece  to  his  shoulder,  aimed  and  fired.  But 
as  the  bullet  sped  from  the  barrel,  a  second  shot 
shattered  his  right  leg,  and  caused  him  to  fall  helpless 
to  the  ground.  While  thus  grievously  wounded,  the 
.  tide  of  battle  ebbed  and  flowed  over  the  place  where 
Colonel  MoLeer  lay.  Time  after  time  the  enemy 
charged  in  mass,  in  lines  three  and  four  deep,  stumbling 
over  the  wounded  until  it  seemed  as  if  the  little  life 
remaining  in  their  mutilated  forms  would  lie  trampled 
out  of  them.  To  these  succeeded  the  stragglers — the 
prowling  coyotes  of  every  battle-field — robbing  the 
wounded  and  rifling  the  bodies  of  the  dead  of  valuables 
and  clothing.  The  young  soldier  felt  that  he  was 
•lying;  the  shock  of  the  double  wound  had  been  very 
_rreat;  he  was  gradually  growing  weaker  from  loss  of 
blood,  and  aH  night  began  to  settle  down  over  the 
terrible  scene,  he  felt  that  his  time  had  come.  Suddenly 
the  thought  suggested  itself,  that  if  he  could  stop  the 


profuse  bleeding  from  the  arm  he  might  possibly  live 
through  the  night;  and  taking  his  handkerchief  from 
his  pocket,  and  inserting  one  corner  in  his  tee  th.  In 
succeeded  eventually  in  tying  it  around  the  wounded 
arm,  and  partially  quenching  the  flow  of  blood.  During 
the  night,  with  others,  he  was  removed  by  a  soldier  ti 
the  Thirteenth  New  York  Volunteers,  to  a  place  of 
shelter  in  the  woods.  With  the  break  of  day  the  battle 
recommenced.  Quick  ami  fast  the  shells  began  to  play 
|  around  the  group  of  wounded  men,  of  which  Colonel 
McLeer  was  the  central  figure,  cutting  off  the  bran  COM 
above  their  heads  and  dropping  in  dangerous  proximity 
to  their  retreat.  In  this  emergency  it  was  determined 
to  endeavor  to  signal  the  battery  that  there  were  wounded 
in  that  part  of  the  wood;  and  one  of  the  Fourteenth  :»< 
cordingly  ripped  off  the  leg  of  his  red  pantaloons,  which 
was  held  up  by  one  of  the  less  seriously  wounded  of  the 
number  in  hopes  of  attracting  attention.    To  this  day 


UNITED  STATES  INTERESTS. 


869 


Colonel  McLeer  is  unaware  as  to  whether  the  signal  was 
understood  or  not;  but  the  fact  remains  that  the  direc- 
tion of  the  fire  of  the  battery  was  almost  immediately 
changed;  and  to  this  incident  the  survivors  of  that  night 
attribute  their  escape  from  almost  certain  death. 
Throughout  the  day  the  battle  raged  backward  and  for- 
ward, the  wounded  lying  close  to  the  ground  to  escape 
the  bullets  which  flew  past  them  almost  constantly, 
until  late  in  the  afternoon,  when,  with  others,  Col. 
McLeer  was  found  and  removed  to  an  old  stone  house; 
the  half  of  a  shelter  tent,  held  at  either  corner  by  a 
soldier,  being  made  to  do  duty  as  a  stretcher.  Here  a 
student  surgeon  insisted  upon  amputating  Col.  McLeer's 
wounded  leg  and  arm,  much  against  the  Colonel's  will; 
and  it  is  possible  that  had  he  not  been  driven  off  by 
rebel  missiles  he  would  have  done  it,  nolens  volens. 
Reaching  the  hospital,  under  the  promise  that  his  leg 
would  be  saved  if  possible,  Colonel  McLeer  submitted 
to  the  amputation  of  his  arm.  Thanks  to  his  splendid 
physical  condition,  after  the  lapse  of  within  a  few  days 
of  a  year,  Colonel  McLeer  was  discharged  from  the 
hospital,  his  leg  saved,  but  helpless  as  an  infant;  in 
which  condition  he  was  brought  home,  and  so  continued 
for  nearly  two  years.  On  the  return  of  the  Fourteenth 
to  Brooklyn,  he  was  carried  to  a  carriage  and  rode  in 
the  procession  on  the  occasion  of  the  enthusiastic  recep- 
tion which  was  extended  the  regiment  on  its  arrival 
from  the  seat  of  war. 

The  subsequent  military  record  of  Colonel  McLeer 
is  too  recent  to  require  recapitulation  here.  Upon  the 
reorganization  of  the  Fourteenth  as  a  National  Guard 
regiment  he  was  elected  First  Lieutenant  of  Company 
C,  being  afterward  appointed  Quartermaster  on  the 
staff  of  Colonel  Fowler,  and  subsequently  promoted 
Major,  Lieutenant-Colonel,  and  Colonel  of  the  regiment, 
which  latter  position  he  still  holds. 

In  1865,  Colonel  McLeer  was  elected  City  Auditor  on 
the  Republican  ticket.  In  1869,  he  was  a  candidate  for 
Street  Commissioner  and,  as  was  conceded,  was  elected, 
but  did  not  serve.  In  1873,  he  was  appointed  United 
States  Pension  Agent  for  the  district  of  Long  Island, 
with  the  addition  of  the  payment  of  all  the  naval 
pensions  for  the  state  of  New  York,  and  served  until 
1875,  when  the  office  was  consolidated  with  that  of 
New  York.  On  his  retirement  from  this  position,  he 
received  a  very  complimentary  letter  from  the  United 
States  Treasury  Department  upon  the  exceptional 
correctness  of  his  accounts.  He  was  appointed  Post- 
master of  Brooklyn  by  President  Hayes,  in  December, 
1877,  and  entered  upon  the  duties  of  his  office  January 
1st,  1878.  A  comparison  of  the  present  condition  of 
the  post  office  with  that  of  the  past  shows  clearly  how 
much  those  who  send  and  receive  letters  in  Brooklyn 
are  indebted  to  his  zeal,  industry  and  intelligence. 
Only  those  who  have  a  special  interest  in  the  receipt 
and  distribution  of  letters  in  Brooklyn  can  have  even  a 
faint  idea  of  the  radical  changes  and  marked  improve- 


ments which  have  taken  place  in  the  postal  service 
during  the  two  years  of  Col.  McLeer's  administration 
just  past.  The  number  of  those  familiar  with  its 
organization  and  practical  operation  is  comparatively 
limited,  but  the  results  achieved  have  already  made 
themselves  very  widely  felt. 

Colonel  McLeer  has  been  actively  identified  with  the 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic  from  its  institution, 
having  been  one  of  the  charter  members  of  the  first 
Post  instituted  in  Kings  county — Post  4.  He  has  held 
the  office  of  Post  Commander,  was  on  the  staff  of 
General  Sickles  when  the  latter  was  Department  Com- 
mander, and  has  been  a  delegate  to  every  State  Conven- 
tion of  the  Grand  Army  in  New  York.  He  has  been 
very  active  in  the  promotion  of  the  benevolent  work  of 
the  soldiers'  aid  societies,  and  has  given  largely  of  his 
time  and  means  to  assist  disabled  veterans  and  the 
widows  and  orphans  of  deceased  soldiers  to  secure 
pensions,  without  other  fee  or  reward  than  the  con- 
sciousness of  accomplishing  an  act  of  Christian  charity. 

Assessment  and  Collection  of  Internal  Rev- 
enue in  Kings  County. — Under  the  law  creating  the 
offices  of  Assessor  and  Collector  of  Internal  Revenue, 
Kings  county  was  divided  into  two  districts  corres- 
ponding with  its  congressional  districts;  the  Second  In- 
ternal Revenue  District  consisting  of  the  sixth,  eighth, 
ninth,  tenth,  twelfth,  fourteenth,  sixteenth,  seventeenth 
and  eighteenth  wards  of  Brooklyn,  and  the  outlying 
townships  of  the  county;  and  the  Third  District  con- 
sisting of  the  first,  second,  third,  fourth,  fifth,  seventh, 
eleventh,  thirteenth,  fifteenth,  nineteenth  and  twen- 
tieth wards  of  Brooklyn.  In  March,  1871,  Kings, 
Queens,  Suffolk  and  Richmond  counties  were  consti- 
tuted the  First  Internal  Revenue  District  of  the  State 
of  New  York.  May  20,  1873,  the  office  of  Assessor 
was  abolished;  the  entire  local  business  since  then  has 
been  transacted  in  the  office  of  the  Collector. 

The  offices  of  Assessor  and  Collector  in  the  Second 
and  Third  Districts  were  established  in  1862.  The  suc- 
cessive Assessors  in  the  Second  District  were  Johx  Wil- 
liams, James  R.  Alibax  and  Albert  G.  Allen  ;  the 
successive  Collectors  were  Alfred  M.  Wood,  R.  S. 
Torrey  and  James  Freelaxd.  The  successive  As- 
sessors in  the  Third  District  were  William  E.  Robix- 
sox,Thomas  Wellwood,  Samuel  T.  Maddox,  Michael 
Scaxlax  and  James  Jourdax  ;  the  successive  Collec- 
tors were  Hexry  C.  Bowex,  H.  Callicat,  E.  T.  Wood 
and  Gordox  L.  Ford.  The  Assessors  of  the  First  Dis- 
trict, after  the  consolidation,  and  until  the  abolition  of 
the  office,  were  James  Jourdax  and  Oliver  T.  Leach; 
the  Collectors  have  been  James  Freelaxd  and  (since 
January,  IS 80)  Rodxey  C.  Ward.  The  Internal 
Revenue  offices  have  been  located  most  of  the  time  in 
the  Hamilton  building,  on  Court  street,  Brooklyn.  The 
organization  of  the  department  in  he  First  District,  in 
January,  1884,  was  as  follows:  Rodney  C.  Ward,  Col- 


870 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


lector ;  Edward  B.  Fowler,  Chief  Deputy  Collector; 
Oliver  C.  Patterson,  Cashier;  Alexander  II.  Doty,  Dep. 
uty-  Collector  and  Bond  Clerk  ;  Robert  Anderson  and 
Dora  B.  Robinson,  Book-keepers;  John  Q.  A.  Strachan, 
Clerk  and  Messenger;  Granville  W.  Harman,  Chief  of 
Pivirion  Deputies;  Philander  J.  Hawkins,  Charles  H. 
Baylis,  Samuel  S.  Ayraar,  Charles  R.  Phillips,  Charles 
E.  Bostwick,  William  M.  Rome,  Enoch  Jacobs,  Eben- 
ezer  II.  Disbrow,  Edward  E.  Bowen,  Charles  Schurig, 
Samuel  Bowden,  Robert  J.  Morgan,  Charles  O'Donnell, 
Win.  P.  Pickett,  and  W.  B.  Dugan,  Divisio7i  Deputies  ; 
William  H.  Whitlock,  Chief  of  Spirit  Department; 
John  A.  Biggs,  John  H.  Burleson,  Jacob  David,  George 
A.  Eden,  Samuel  V.  French,  Myles  McLaughlin,  G.  W. 
Middleton,  H.  M.  Craft,  Samuel  T.  Waterhouse,  James 
Woodhead,  United  States  Gangers  ;  T.  F.  Bloomfield, 
James  B.  Collins,  Robert  S.  Cooke,  M.  Fitzgerald, 
John  A.  Gardner,  Jr.,  Joshua  A.  Garrison,  James 
Greenwood,  Lemuel  C.  Nodine,  Elias  W.  Thompson, 
and  William  Josiah,  United  States  Storekeepers. 

The  Navy  Yard  is  located  upon  Wallabout  bay, 
on  lands  originally  forming  a  portion  of  the  old 
Remsen  estate,  purchased,  in  1781,  by  Mr.  John  Jack- 
son and  his  brother,  Samuel.  John  Jackson's  portion 
having  a  good  water-front,  he  established  a  ship-yard, 
where  he  built  a  large  merchant  ship,  the  Canton;  and 
afterwards  a  small  frigate  for  the  United  States,  called 
the  John  Adams,  which,  after  doing  good  service  in 
the  war  of  1812-14,  was  burned  by  its  commander, 
September,  1814,  off  the  Maine  coast,  to  escape  cap- 
ture by  the  enemy.  In  1800,  the  Secretary  of  the 
Navy,  having  his  attention  called  to  this  ship  yard  as 
being  well  adapted  for  a  first-class  navy  yard,  ap- 
pointed agents  to  effect  its  purchase,  but  they  gave  a 
preference  to  Bennett's  Point,  Newtown  creek.  Joseph 
Bennett,  the  owner,  refusing  to  sell,  Mr.  Jackson, 
February  7,  1801,  sold  his  property  for  $40,000  to 
the  United  States  government,  which  took  possession 
on  the  23d  of  that  month.  Later  (1824)  the  United 
States  purchased  the  piece  of  land  now  occupied  by 
the  Naval  Hospital,  from  the  widow  and  other  heirs 
of  Martin  Schenck.  This  addition  contained  about 
thirty-five  acres,  and  the  price  paid  for  it  was 
$7,650. 

By  these  two  purchases,  the  government  became  pos- 
sessed of  the  land  on  the  east  and  also  on  the  west  side 
of  the  Wallabout,  and  needed  only  to  obtain  the 
intervening  plot  of  ground  in  order  to  make  the  site 
of  the  navy  yard  complete.  August  14,  1848,  Fred- 
erick Griffin  and  his  wife,  Catharine,  conveyed  to  the 
United  States,  in  consideration  of  the  sum  of  $285,000, 
all  the  land  between  the  former  purchases  of  the  gov- 
ernment and  bounded  on  the  water  side  by  low  water 
mark,  and  on  the  city  side  by  Flushing  avenue.  March 
I.  1  h(J7,  the  government  bought  of  William  Ituggles 
and  others,  for  *'.»o,ooo,  an  irregular  piece  of  land, 
with  its  water-front  situated  on  the  northerly  corner  of  I 


the  yard,  lying  at  the  foot  of  Little  street.  The  total 
price  paid  for  all  of  these  purchases  was  $426,707.50. 

This  property  was  originally  but  a  waste  of  mud- 
flats, swamps  and  creeks,  excepting  only  the  hill  on  the 
western  side,  upon  which  the  Commandant's  house 
now  stands,  and  that  on  the  eastern  side  where  the 
hospital  is  located.  High  water  then  reached  the  point 
about  where  the  lower  end  of  the  building  known  as 
that  of  Provisions  and  Clothing  now  stands,  and  thence, 
in  a  circular  line,  as  far  as  the  foot  of  Sands  street. 
From  Sands  street,  along  the  present  navy  yard,  a-  far 
as  Flushing  avenue,  and  thence  as  far  as  Clinton  ave- 
nue, extending  into  the  present  City  Park,  was  a  large 
mill-pond,  empty  at  low  water  ;  from  thence  along 
Flushing  avenue  to  the  hospital  hill,  down  the  bay  and 
near  the  line  of  Washington  avenue,  there  was  no  solid 
ground.  The  present  Kent  avenue  basin  was  on  the 
line  of  what  is  known  as  Schenck's  creek.  A  toll-bridge 
spanned  the  mill-pond  mentioned,  from  Sands  street  to 
Flushing  avenue,  near  Hampden  street;  its  locality  be- 
ing now  solid  ground  within  the  precincts  of  the  Navv 
Yard. 

Along  the  front  of  the  Navy  Yard  extends  Wallabout 
bay,  where,  during  the  Revolutionary  war,  the  British 
prison-ships  were  moored,  and  where,  for  eight  years 
(1776-84)  the  British  ships  wintered.  The  horrors 
committed  on  board  those  prison-ships  are  matters  of 
history.  On  the  beach  of  the  bay,  as  well  as  in  the 
ravine,  near  Remsen's  dock,  were  buried  those  patriots 
who  fell  victims  to  the  British  cruelty  which  prevailed 
on  board  the  old  Jersey  and  other  prison-ships;  till 
the  whole  length  of  the  6hore  in  front  of  the  vessels 
was  one  vast  graveyard,  in  which  the  interment-  wen 
made  so  carelessly  that  the  incoming  tide  often  washed 
out  the  remains,  scattering  the  bones  to  bleach  in  the 
sun  along  the  low  beach.  The  old  Jersey,  the  most 
noted  of  the  prison-ships,  is  thought  to  have  been 
moored  near  where  the  northern  part  of  ship-house 
No.  1  is  now  built.  Fully  11,000  persons  are  supposed 
to  have  perished  on  board  the  old  Jersey  alone. 
What  the  aggregate  mortality  of  all  the  prison-ships 
was,  will  never  be  known.  In  September,  187s,  work- 
men, while  digging  to  plant  an  anchor,  near  the  north- 
ern corner  of  ship-house  No.  1,  exhumed  portions  of 
two  skeletons,  the  skulls  of  which  were  iu  a  state  of 
good  preservation,  the  teeth  being  perfect,  and  which 
were  reinterred  at  Fort  Greene. 

The  Navy  Yard  is  enclosed  on  the  land  side  by  a 
high  wall,  within  which  are  the  various  mechanic  ihope 
required  in  building  and  repairing  vessels;  a  large  and 
costly  dry-dock  ;  large  buildings  to  cover  ships  of  WU 
in  process  of  construction,  extensive  lumber  ware- 
house-., several  marine  railways,  and  immense  stores  >>l 
ammunitions  of  war.  Upon  an  eminence,  a  little  to  tin 
eastward  of  the  yard  proper,  is  a  II.  S.  Marim  Fiospi 
tal  for  the  care  of  the  sick,  aged  or  disabled  seamen 
belonging  to  the  navy.      This  building,  which  is  faced 


UNITED  STATES  INTERESTS. 


871 


with  white  marble,  presents  a  fine  architectural  ap- 
pearance. Adjoining  it,  in  the  rear,  a  small  but  taste- 
ful graveyard  offers  a  quiet  resting  place  to  those  who 
die  in  the  hospital.  In  appropriate  juxtaposition 
with  the  hospital  is  an  extensive  laboratory  for  the 
manufacture  of  medicines  for  the  navy.  The  chemical 
and  mechanical  arrangements  of  this  laboratory  are 
remarkably  adapted  to  their  use;  the  laboratory  being 
the  only  institution  of  the  kind  possessed  by  any  govern- 
ment. The  grounds  belonging  to  the  hospital  estab- 
lishments comprise  some  thirty-five  acres.  Upon  Park 
avenue,  a  little  south  of  the  Navy  Yard,  are  extensive 
Marine  Barracks,  etc.  The  Naval  Lyceum,  estab- 
lished in  1833  by  officers  of  the  navy,  is  a  literary  in- 
stitution, which  has  a  decidedly  interesting  history  of 
its  own.  It  has  a  library  and  museum,  both  of  which 
are  prized  and  contributed  to  by  friends  of  the  navy  in 
all  parts  of  the  world. 

The  first  officer  ordered  in  charge  of  the  Navy 
Yard  appears  to  have  been  Lieutenant  Jonathan 
Thorne,  who,  according  to  the  records  of  the  Navy 
Department,  was  in  charge  from  1801  to  1806,  during 
which  period  nothing  was  done  to  improve  the  pro- 
perty. Captain  Isaac  Chauncey  came  in  1806  and  re- 
mained six  years.  The  residence  of  the  Commandant 
was  built  during  his  supervision,  in  1806  and  1807  and, 
in  1811,  it  was  damaged  by  fire  and  repaired.  Other  im- 
provements were  the  stone  embankments  to  the  terraces 
contiguous  to  the  house,  which  work  was  paid  for  by  the 
proceeds  of  the  sales  of  chips.  The  erection  of  six 
brick  buildings  was  also  begun.  These  buildings  were 
designed  for  store-houses  and  offices,  and  in  one  of  them 
was  a  large  room  fitted  up  for  and  set  apart  as  the 
chapel  of  the  yard,  in  which  religious  services  were 
held  on  Sundays.  These  buildings  were  at  the  foot  of 
Main  street,  and  were  torn  down  in  1868.  Captain 
Samuel  Evans  took  command  in  1812,  and  was  the 
Commandant  until  his  death  in  1824. 

Up  to  this  time  the  government  had  done  but  little 
to  improve  the  property,  which  was  recognized  as  a 
naval  station,  but  was  not  yet  called  a  Navy  Yard. 
The  war  with  England  occurring  during  this  period, 
made  busy  times  during  1812-14,  more  than  one 
hundred  vessels  having  been  fitted  out  for  sea,  supplied 
with  stores,  etc.  During  1815,  the  frigate  Fulton  was 
built,  the  first  war  steamer  ever  constructed  by  any 
nation,  a  thirty-gun  vessel  of  2,000  tons  burthen,  built 
upon  a  plan  submitted  by  Robert  Fulton,  and  able  to 
throw  both  hot  water  and  hot  iron.  She  made  her 
trial  trip  under  command  of  Captain  David  Porter, 
father  of  Admiral  Porter,  and  was  destroyed  while  ly- 
ing at  anchor  off  the  Navy  Yard,  in  1828,  by  the  explo- 
sion of  her  magazine,  by  which  accident  one  officer  and 
forty-seven  of  her  crew  lost  their  lives.  In  1820,  the 
Ohio,  a  seventy-four-gun  ship,  was  launched,  which 
was  modelled  by  Henry  Eckford,  and  was  regarded  as 
a  fine  vessel.    She  was  still  in  existence  at  a  very 


recent  date,  used  as  the  receiving  ship  at  Boston.  The 
construction  of  the  frigate  Savayinah  was  begun  in 
1822,  but  she  was  not  launched  until  thirty  years  later. 
These  vessels  have  been  mentioned  as  having  been  th 
earliest  built  at  this  station. 

After  the  death  of  Commandant  Evans,  and  during 
the  remainder  of  the  year  1824,  the  yard  was  in  charge 
of  Captain  Rogers.  In  January,  1825,  Captain  Isaac 
Chauncey  was  a  second  time  ordered  in  command, 
remaining  until  the  latter  part"  of  1833,  when  he  was 
made  one  of  the  Navy  Commissioners.  In  1827,  a 
fence  was  built  along  the  line  of  the  yard,  near  the 
foot  of  Sands  street.  It  was  claimed  that  it  had  been 
constructed  upon  private  property,  and  the  man  who 
claimed  the  ownership,  and  some  other  persons,  began 
to  pull  it  down.  The  Commandant  was  sent  for  and 
expostulated  vainly  with  the  mob.  The  marines  were 
summoned,  but  were  restrained  from  employing  force 
in  dealing  with  the  rioters.  The  affair  was  exciting 
but  bloodless,  and  the  title  of  the  government  was  at 
length  conceded.  Captain  Charles  G.  Ridgely  was 
in  command  from  July,  1833,  to  November,  1839. 
During  this  period,  the  Lyceum  building  was  begun, 
all  the  rooms  of  which,  except  the  upper  floor,  are 
occupied  as  offices;  the  United  States  Naval  Lyceum 
using  the  balance  of  the  building  as  a  library,  museum 
and  reading-room. 

From  November,  1839,  to  June,  1841,  Captain  James 
Renshaw  was  in  command.  In  the  year  last  men- 
tioned, the  construction  of  the  stone  Dry  Dock  was 
begun,  which  was  a  stupendous  work,  ably  planned 
and  built.  Its  site  was  determined  by  Colonel  Baldwin, 
in  1826,  but  efficient  work  was  not  commenced  until 
1841.  It  was  subsequently  prosecuted  under  the 
charge  of  several  engineers,  as  follows  :  Prof.  Edward 
H.  Courtenay,  August  1,  1841,  to  August  1,  1842;  from 
which  date  until  October,  1844,  it  was  suspended.  On 
the  11th  of  that  month,  it  was  resumed  by  General 
William  Gibbs  McNeil,  who  had  charge  until  April  1, 
1845;  William  P.  Sanger,  from  April  1,  1845,  to  June 
23,  1846  ;  William  J.  McAlpine,  from  June  23,  1846, 
to  October  1,  1849  ;  General  Chas.  B.  Stuart,  from 
October  1,  1849,  to  August  30,  1851.  The  main  cham- 
ber is  two  hundred  and  eighty-six  feet  long,  by  thirty- 
five  feet  wide  at  the  bottom,  and  three  hundred  and 
seven  feet  long,  by  ninety-eight  feet  wide  at  the  top  ; 
depth,  thirty-six  feet,  the  walls  being  of  fine  cut 
granite.  The  masonry  foundations  are  four  hundred 
by  one  hundred  and  twenty  feet,  resting  upon  piles 
driven  forty  feet  into  the  earth,  the  intermediate  space 
being  filled  to  a  depth  of  two  feet,  with  a  mass  of  con- 
crete, composed  of  pebbles,  broken  granite  and  cement. 
Timbers  one  foot  square  are  next  dowelled  to  the  heads 
of  these  piles,  between  which,  concrete  is  again  filled 
in.  A  plank  floor,  four  hundred  by  one  hundred  feet, 
covers  these  timbers,  on  which  rests  another  course  of 
timbers  and  concrete,  and  over  this,  first,  a  course  of 


872 


stone  nagging,  twenty  inches  thick,  and  second,  the 
floor  proper,  of  tine  cut  granite,  the  whole  hed  from 
the  surface  of  the  floor  to  the  bead  of  the  piles  being 
nine  feet  in  thickness.  The  piles  upon  which  this  dock 
rests  are  nine  thousand  in  number,  the  first  one  having 
been  driven  on  the  26th  of  January,  1847,  and  the  last 
on  the  12th  of  May,  1848.  The  dock  can  be  emptied 
by  steam  pumps  in  four  and  one-half  hours.  The  total 
cost  of  this  great  work  was  §2,113,173.  There  seemed 
to  be  at  one  period  a  commencement  of  a  controversy 
between  the  town  of  Brooklyn  and  the  United  States 
government  as  to  the  title  of  the  latter  to  the  land,  or 
a  portion  of  the  land,  possessed  by  it.  It  was  never 
brought  to  any  determined  issue,  nor  is  there  any  evi- 
dence that  the  citizens  of  Brooklyn  were  actuated  in 
their  claims  by  ill-will  to  the  government,  or  by  any 
other  motive  than  a  simple  desire  to  have  their  char- 
tered rights  respected. 

Four  vessels  were  launched  during  the  administration 
of  Commander  Rlnsiiaw,  one  of  them  the  brig  Somers, 
which  afterwards  became  so  notorious  on  account  of 
the  hanging  from  her  yard-arm  of  Midshipman  Spencer 
and  two  of  her  crew  for  an  alleged  attempt  at  mutiny. 
Captain  M.  C.  Perry  was  in  command  from  June, 
1841,  to  March,  1843;  and,  during  this  period,  only  one 
vessel — the  ill-fated  Albany — was  commenced.  After 
his  retirement,  Commander  Joshua  Sands  assumed 
temporary  command.  Captain  Silas  Strixgham  was 
the  commander  from  June  15th,  1843,  to  September, 
1846,  and  worked  earnestly  for  the  improvement  of  the 
yard.  He  was  a  resident  of  Brooklyn,  and  is  well  re- 
membered by  many  of  the  older  citizens  at  this  time. 
Captain  Isaac  McKkkver  was  in  command  until  Octo- 
ber, 1849,  and  was  followed  by  Captain  William  B. 
Salter,  who  remained  until  October,  1852.  During 
this  time  the  stone  Dry  Dock  was  finished  and  also  one 
of  the  finest  structures  in  the  yard — the  large  granite 
building  which  contains  the  boilers  and  machinery  of 
the  pumping  engine  of  the  dock.  During  the  term  of 
service  of  Captain  Ciiarlks  Bookman — from  October, 
1852,  to  October,  1855 — many  improvements  were  made 
in  the  yard;  and  the  Niagara,  a  steam  frigate  built 
under  the  superintendence  of  the  late  George  Steers 
from  his  own  models,  was  launched.  This  vessel  was 
afterward  employed  in  laying  the  first  Atlantic  cable 
and,  as  an  old  hulk,  is  -till  existing  at  Boston.  Captain 

Assam  Bioslow  commanded  for  sixteen  months  fol- 
lowing Captain  Boorman's  retirement,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded b\  Captain  Lai  ijknck  Ki  vrnev,  who  remained 
until  October,  1858. 

From  November,  185N,  to  November,  1861,  S.  L# 
BsSSZa  commanded.  During  the  latter  part  of  this 
officer's  administration  party  spirit  ran  high  ami  civil 
war  began.  Tlx-  Navy  Yard,  from  its  Commanding 
position  over  the  waters  of  the  bay,  with  it-  valua- 
1,1,-  stores  ol  munitions  of  war,  was  marked  by  those  in 
the  Southern  interest  for  seizure  and  use  against  the 


United  States  Government.  Fortunately  for  the  mal- 
contents no  attack  was  made.  The  yard  authorities 
had  been  apprised  of  their  intentions  and  any  attempt 
to  carry  them  into  execution  would  have  been  fatal  to 
those  making  it.  From  October  25th,  1861,  until  May 
1st,  1865,  during  the  busiest  years  of  the  civil  war, 
when  the  Navy  Yard  was  worked  to  its  uttermost  ca- 
pacity, Rear- Admiral  Hiram  Pali. ding  was  in  com- 
mand. During  a  portion  of  this  period  the  wharves 
were  never  left  without  vessels  lifting  for  sea  and  pre- 
paring for  blockade  duty,  and  the  sound  of  hammers 
was  heard  by  day  and  night.  Four  hundred  and  -i\- 
teen  vessels  were  purchased  from  the  Commercial  Ma- 
rine and  fitted  out  as  cruisers.  During  1861  there  were 
employed  daily  an  average  of  1,650  men,  at  an  expense 
for  the  year,  for  labor  only,  of  $679,000.  In  1862  the 
average  daily  employment  for  labor  was  3,970  persons, 
at  an  expenditure  of  more  than  $2,000,000.  The  aver 
age  during  1863  was  5,135  laborers,  at  a  cost  of 
$2,874,000  for  the  year.  During  1864  the  roll  had  in- 
creased until  at  one  time  there  were  over  6,000  persons 
employed  ;  but  the  average  that  year  was  5,390  and 
the  year's  wages  $3,735,000.  During  1S05,  no  less  than 
5,000  persons  were  employed  daily,  at  a  cost  of  *  :,!»5l'.- 
000. 

Rear-Admiral  Ciiarlks  Bell  came  to  the  command 
of  the  Navy  Yard  May  1st,  1865,  continuing  until 
June  30th,  1868.  Rear-Admiral  Gordon  succeeded 
him,  remaining  until  October,  1870.  Rear-Admiral 
Melanctiion  Smith  was  the  next  commander.  He 
was  succeeded  in  June,  1872,  by  Vice-Admiral  O.  C. 
Rowan,  who  remained  till  September,  1876.  During 
this  period  the  convenient  building  for  the  use  of  re- 
cruits was  erected  on  the  Cob  Dock.  On  the  lower  floors 
are  bath-rooms,  barber  shops,  etc.,  while  above  an  ;i 
library  and  reading-room  and  a  hall  which  is  used  as  a 
chapel  and  for  amateur  performances.  September  1st. 
1876,  Commodore  Nicholson  took  command.  Berrmg 
until  May  1st,  1880,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Rear 
Admiral  George  H.  Cooper,  who  gave  place  to  Com- 
modore John  II.  Ursiu  u,  the  present  Commandant, 
April  1st,  1882.  Various  noticeable  improvement  - 
have  been  made  under  the  administrations  of  the  three 
commandants  last  mentioned  and  the  condition  of  the 
Navy  Yard  is  as  good  at  this  time,  in  all  respects,  as  it 
has  been  at  any  time  for  years. 

May  23d,  1870,  the  United  States  Government  red.  I 
to  the  city  of  Brooklyn  a  strip  of  land  on  the  north 
cast  side  of  its  property,  since  forming  the  street  that 
fronts  on  Kent  avenue.  The  question  of  disposing  <>f 
the  Navy  Yard  in  Brooklyn  and  establishing  one  els. 
where  has  been  discussed  for  some  time  past;  but  it  i- 
n.it  probable  that  this  step  will  soon  be  taken.* 

United  States  Forts— Four  Hamilton.  MBMd 
after  the  illustrious  Alexander  Hamilton,  is  situated 

•  From  an  address  before  the  L.  I.  Hist.  Society,  by  Commodore 

NlCiloijto.N,  imiIiIIhIkhI  In  Hronhlwi  Ailvnnc 


UNITED  STATES  INTERESTS.  873 


in  the  extreme  south-western  portion  of  Long  Island, 
in  the  town  of  New  Utrecht,  in  N.  Lat.  40°  37'  18", 
Long.  3°  1'  15"  east  from  Washington;  and,  by  its 
pivotal  position,  commands  the  channel  and  the  en- 
trance into  the  Narrows.  From  it,  views  of  Staten 
and  Coney  Islands,  and  the  shores  of  New  Jersey  are 
obtained,  and  before  its  frowning  walls  the  fleets  of  the 
world  must  pass  in  gaining  the  harbor  of  New  York. 

In  1808,  DeWitt  Clinton,  then  Mayor  of  New  York 
city,  was  instrumental  in  obtaining  from  the  state  of 
New  York  an  appropriation  of  $100,000  for  the  forti- 
fication of  the  city;  and,  as  President  of  the  Board  of 
Commissioners,  was  appointed  to  superintend  the  ac- 
complishment of  this  important  military  work  at  this 
locality  and  in  other  portions  of  the  bay.  A  structure 
was  erected  and  a  few  light  guns  mounted  immediately 
thereafter,  and  continued  in  use  until  1824,  when, 
under  the  direction  of  General  Bernard,  a  distin- 
guished French  engineer,  employed  by  the  United 
States,  the  present  fort  was  built.  Fort  Hamilton  is 
of  permanent  granite  masonry,  quadrangular  in  form, 
one  face  of  which  is  for  water  defence,  and  the  others 
for  land.  It  is  surrounded  by  dry  ditches,  and  a  re- 
doubt, 200  yards  in  advance,  on  the  land  side,  is  de- 
signed to  prevent  a  landing  of  the  enemy  on  the  beach 
between  the  fort  and  Bath,  and  also  to  oblige  him  to 
establish  his  batteries  at  a  greater  distance  in  case  of 
a  siege.  It  is  completely  defiled  from  the  neighboring 
hills,  which  might  otherwise  be  occupied  by  an  enemy 
to  advantage. 

By  an  act  passed  November  27,  1827,  entitled  "An 
i  act  to  invest  in  the  United  States  of  America  the  ex- 
clusive jurisdiction  of  certain  lands  in  the  town  of 
New  Utrecht,  in  the  county  of  Kings,  and  for  other 
purposes,"  60  acres,  1  rood  and  6  perches  of  land  in 
one  parcel,  and  16|  acres  contiguous  thereto,  were 
ceded  to  the  United  States,  and  by  an  ajct  amendatory 
of  the  above  act,  passed  April  17,  1826,  an  additional 
parcel,  containing  17  acres,  14  perches  and  105  yards 
of  land,  was  ceded  ;  the  entire  cession  being  "  for  the 
erection  of  fortifications  on  the  said  tract." 

In  1859,  it  was  deemed  expedient  that  the  several 
statutes  of  this  state  relating  to  its  territorial  limits 
i  and  divisions  should  be  consolidated  and  arranged  in 
appropriate  chapters,  titles  and  articles,  and  that  the 
language  thereof  should  be  simplified;  and  an  act  con- 
cerning the  territorial  limits  and  divisions  was  passed, 
in  which  the  boundaries  of  the  Fort  Hamilton  tract 
were  carefully  given,  corresponding  (with  the  exception 
of  a  small  parcel  in  the  south-east  portion  of  the  origi- 
nal grant,  exchanged  in  1852  for  a  parcel  in  the  north- 
west part,  then  belonging  to  George  S.  Gelston)  in  all 
i  nspects  to  those  of  1824  and  1826,  and,  at  the  present 
day,  the  boundaries  remain  the  same,  it  being  part  of 
the  old  Denyse  estate. 

In  1843,  that  part  of  the  Fort  commanding  the 
channel   mounted  14  casemate  and  26  barbette  32- 


pounders  ;  and  32  casemate  guns  of  large  calibre  ;  32 
and  26  pounders  were  distributed  along  the  land  sides, 
which  also  admit  of  musketry  defence;  in  addition  to 
which,  there  were  18  guns  of  similar  calibre  for  the 
defence  of  the  ditches.  At  present,  there  are  mounted, 
twenty-six  15-inch  smooth  bore  Rodman  guns,  and  one 
monster  of  20- inch  bore;  there  are,  also,  a  number  of  dis- 
mounted guns  in  readiness  for  mounting  in  case  of  an 
emergency.  There  are  no  rifled  guns  in  the  Fort.  In 
modern  times,  but  two  20-inch  guns  have  been  cast  in 
the  United  States,  or  elsewhere,  one  of  them  being 
already  referred  to,  and  the  other  now  lying,  dis- 
mounted, on  the  wharf  at  Governor's  Island.  Its 
weight  is  116,497  lbs.;  the  weight  of  15-inch  guns 
averaging  a  little  less  than  50,000  lbs.  It  was  mounted 
in  1862,  and  since  then  has  been  fired  about  sixteen 
times.  A  record  of  the  number  of  times  a  heavy  gun  is 
fired  is  kept  by  military  authorities,  the  object  being 
to  ascertain  the  length  of  its  working  life.  Previous 
to  the  present  commander's  assignment  to  this  post,  this 
was  not  done  here.  From  the  official  record  kept  by  him 
of  its  firing,  we  find,  dated  October  15, 1883,  as  follows: 
"Weight  of  ball,  1,080  lbs.;  weight  of  powder,  200 
lbs.;  8°  elevation;  range  in  yards,  3,114;  internal  pres- 
sure registered  8,500  lbs.  per  square  inch  ;  line  shot  at 
floating  target,  3,336  yards  ;  ball  fell  short  about  200 
yards."  And  record  of  November  1,  1883,  as  follows  : 
"Weight  of  shot,  1,080  lbs.;  weight  of  powder,  150 
lbs.;  14°  elevation;  range,  3,328  yards;  with  11,000  lbs. 
per  square  inch,  internal  pressure;  fired  at  deviation  to 
the  left  of  2.8  yards."  Each  firing  of  this  monster 
costs  the  government  $160.  It  is  doubted  by  military 
men  whether  cannon  of  such  large  calibre  will,  in  the 
emergencies  of  war,  excel  as  much  in  effectiveness  as 
in  size. 

The  fort  proper,  the  "  walled  enceinte  "  in  military 
parlance,  is  not  armed,  and  is  only  used  as  quarters. 
It  is  customary  for  the  government  to  change  every 
five  years  the  districts  of  the  five  artillery  regiments. 
The  present  commanding  officer,  and  also  of  Fort 
Wadsworth,  is  Col.  John  Hamilton,  to  whom  we  are 
indebted  for  many  of  the  facts  recited  in  this  article. 
His  predecessor  was  General  Gustavus  Adolphus  De 
Russy,  of  the  Third  Artillery.  Col.  Hamilton  came 
from  McPherson  Barracks,  Atlanta,  Ga.  His  command 
is  the  Fifth  Artillery  Regiment,  of  which  he  has  at 
Fort  Hamilton  three  companies  of  foot  batteries,  and 
one  light  artillery  battery,  making  a  total  of  only  250 
men.  The  company  of  light  artillery,  comprising  65 
men,  5  officers,  50  horses  and  4  guns,  under  Major  Ran- 
dolph, is  denominated  a  peace  allowance  as  a  school 
instruction. 

The  regimental  band  of  the  Fifth  Artillery  is  com- 
posed of  two  men  from  each  company  and  a  drum- 
major,  under  the  able  leadership  of  Prof.  Wiegand. 

The  annual  cost  of  the  maintenance  of  this  post  is 
about  $125,000. 


874 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Fort  Lafayette  is  situated  on  the  easterly  side  of 
the  Narrows,  at  the  entrance  into  the  Bay  of  New  York, 
and  upon  the  reef  known  as  Hendricks'  Reef.  It  is 
separated  from  Fort  Hamilton  by  a  shallow  channel. 

The  deed  of  cession  describes  it  as  30  acres,  2  roods 
and  4  perches  of  land,  covered  with  water;  and  in  the 
General  Act  of  1859,  finally  settling  the.  territorial 
limits  and  jurisdiction  of  New  York  state,  the  descrip- 
tion, of  the  cession  of  1812  was  adopted,  and  so  remains 
up  to  the  present  day. 

The  erection  of  the  fort  was  begun  the  same  year,  it 
being  made  of  solid  free-stone  masonry.  At  its  com- 
pletion on  account  of  its  peculiar  shape,  it  was  called 
Fort  Diamond. 

At  that  time  it  was  the  only  means  of  defence  we 
had  at  the  entrance  of  the  bay;  and  from  its  parti- 
cularly advantageous  position,  in  an  attempt  of  the 
enemy  to  affect  a  landing,  it  would  have  been  our  chief 
aid  in  repelling  him. 

During  the  visit  of  General  Lafayette  in  1824,  it 
was  re-christened,  and  has  ever  since  borne  the  name  of 
that  true  friend  of  liberty.  In  1843,  the  battery  con- 
sisted of  73  guns  in  three  tiers;  the  lower  42,  the  mid- 
dle 32,  and  the  upper  24  pounders.  During  the  late  war, 
it  was  used  principally  as  a  place  of  safe-keeping  of 
prisoners  of  state,  being  under  the  command  of  Colonel 
Burke.  In  1868,  it  was  dismantled  and  the  guns  re- 
moved to  the  adjoining  forts.  The  first  of  December, 
1868,  in  midday,  while  the  roof  was  being  repaired, 
the  interior  caught  on  fire  and  the  fort  was  rendered 
useless;  and,  to-day,  this  once  famous  and  now  historic 
fortress  is  fast  crumbling  in  decay,  its  naked  walls  re- 
sounding not  with  military  life,  but  doing  humble  duty 
as  a  storehouse.  It  is  under  the  charge  of  the  com- 
manding officer  of  Fort  Hamilton. 

Across  the  channel  and  directly  opposite  Fort  Hamil- 
ton, on  Staten  Island,  stands 

Fokt  Wadswoktii. — From  its  position,  it  commands 
more  perfectly  than  does  Fort  Hamilton,  the  channel  and 
entrance  of  the  narrows,  and  during  a  foreign  invasion, 
it  would  be  our  greatest  protection. 

Its  area  of  about  90  acres  was  purchased  from  New 
York  February  10th,  1818,  by  the  United  States,  and 
by  them  its  territorial  jurisdiction,  so  far  as  affecting 
state  rights,  was  transferred  to  the  State  of  New  York 
in  1827. 

There  are  five  auxiliary  water  batteries, — Richmond, 
Tompkins,  Hudson,  North  and  South  Batteries.  Tomp- 
kins was  built  in  1812;  the  others  were  begun  in  1861. 
Port  Wadsworth  was  named  after  the  lamented  Gene- 
ral J aiiies  S.  Wadsworth,  of  western  New  York,  who 
lost  his  life  in  the  memorable  seven  days'  battle  of  the 
Wilderness.  It  was  commenced  in  I  827  and  finished 
in  1869.  It  has  20,  and  Richmond  9  eight-inch  mounted 
rilled  guns.  There  is  now  stationed  there,  under  the 
command  of  Colonel  Closson,  one  foot  battery  of  artil- 
lery as  a  guard— denominated  the  Wadsworth  Guards. 


The  narrows  between  Forts  Hamilton  and  Wads- 
worth are  one  and  one-fourth  miles  wide,  being  about 
six  miles  from  the  Castle  Garden  and  twelve  miles  from 
Sandy  Hook.* 

Hon.  William  H.  Lyon,  U.  S.  Indian  Commissioner. 
— In  this  gentleman,  Brooklyn  possesses,  as  a  resident, 
not  only  a  representative  of  the  highest  mercantile 
circles,  but  a  representative  of  one  the  most  important 
interests  of  the  General  Government. 

By  Act  of  Congress,  approved  April  10,  1869,  the 
President  of  the  United  States  was  authorized,  at  his 
discretion,  to  organize  a  Board  of  Indian  Commis- 
sioners, to  consist  of  not  more  than  ten  persons,  to  be 
selected  by  him  from  men  eminent  for  their  intelli- 
gence and  philanthrophy,  to  serve  without  pecuniary 
compensation;  who  may,  under  his  directions,  exercise 
joint  control  with  the  Secretary  of  the  Interior  over 
the  disbursement  of  the  appropriations  made  for  main- 
taining the  peace  among,  and  with,  the  various  trihes, 
bands  and  parties  of  Indians,  and  to  promote  civiliza- 
tion among  said  Indians;  bring  them,  where  practica- 
ble, upon  reservations  ;  relieve  their  necessities,  and 
encourage  their  efforts  at  self-support. 

From  the  inauguration  of  the  so-called  Peace  Policy 
with  the  be<rinnin<>;  of  President  Grant's  first  adminis- 
tration,  until  the  present,  the  progress  in  civilization 
among  the  Indian  tribes  has  been  marvellous;  and  the 
labor,  time  and  zeal  given  to  this  work  by  the  Board  of 
Indian  Commissioners,  cannot  be  measured  by  dollars 
and  cents.  The  practical  business  men  of  the  Board 
created  a  revolution  in  the  purchase,  inspection,  trans- 
portation, delivery  and  distribution  of  Indian  supplies. 
The  old  corrupt  system  of  making  awards  to  favorite 
political  contractors  was  abolished,  and  the  same  prin- 
ciples and  rules  on  which  honest  trade  among  indi- 
viduals rests,  were  adopted  by  the  Board  of  Indian 
Commissioners.  Gen.  Grant  was  fortunate  in  selecting 
competent,  experienced  men,  of  national  reputation  for 
ability,  integrity  and  philanthropy.  Among  the  Com- 
missioners have  been  Felix  R.  Brunot,  of  Pittsburgh  : 
George  II.  Stuart,  of  Philadelphia;  Robert  Campbell, 
of  St.  Louis;  John  Y.  Farwell,  of  Chicago:  (ieiier.il 
Clinton  B.  Fisk,  of  St.  Louis;  General  H.  II.  Sibley, 
of  St.  Paul  ;  General  George  H.  Stoneman,  of  Cali- 
fornia ;  Gov.  D.  H.  Jerome,  of  Michigan  ;  Kdward  8. 
Tobey,  of  Boston  ;  William  E.  Dodge,  and  William 
II.  Lyon,  of  New  York. 

When,  in  1876,  Hon.  Zachariah  Chandler,  I  he  Secre- 
tary of  the  Interior,  was  requested  by  President  Grant 
to  select  a  practical  business  man  in  the  city  of  Nc« 
York  as  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Indian  Commis- 
sioners, he  chose  William  II.  Lyon.  The  government 
and  the  Indians  are  to  be  congratulated  upon  this  most 
fortunate  selection.  Mr.  Lyon  was  assigned  to  the 
Purchasing  Committee  immediately,  and   for  many 

•  Furnished  by  Henry  I).  Kingsbury,  Esq. 


UNITED   STATES  INTERESTS. 


875 


years  has  served  as  its  chairman,  giving  to  the 
business  of  the  Government  the  same  measure  of 
devotion  that  had  made  him  one  of  the  most  success- 
ful merchants  in  the  city  of  New  York.  The  bus- 
iness of  the  Government's  Indian  Warehouse  in 
New  York  received  from  Mr.  Lyon  the  same  con- 
scientious attention  that  he  had  given  his  private 
affairs.  The  best  article  for  the  purpose,  at  lowest 
possible  price,  was  the  one  rule  governing  him  and  his 
associates.  These  methods  stampeded  the  "  shoddy  " 
contractors,  and  now  the  best  merchants,  millers,  manu- 
facturers, and  cattle  dealers  in  the  country,  compete  by 
hundreds  for  the  contracts.  Mr.  Lyon's  visits  to  Chi- 
cago, St.  Paul,  St.  Louis,  Denver  and  San  Francisco,  in 
the  interest  of  the  Government's  purchases,  established 
at  those  great  centres  the  same  careful,  honest  methods 
that  governed  in  New  York.  His  visitations  among 
the  northwestern  tribes  have  contributed  largely  to- 
wards securing  justice  for  the  Indians,  schools  for 
Indian  children,  and  industrial  education  in  its  broadest 
sense.  The  Government  was  wise  in  establishing  the 
Board  of  Indian  Commissioners,  and  most  fortunate  in 
securing,  as  members  thereof,  gentlemen  of  the  ability, 
experience  and  character,  of  Hon.  Wm.  H.  Lyon. 

Mr.  Lyon  is,  at  present,  Chairman  of  the  Purchasing 
Committee,  which  is  credited  with  having  saved  the 
Government  millions  of  dollars  in  the  purchase  of  In- 
dian annuity  goods,  supplies,  etc.,  since  this  Board  was 
established.  In  former  years,  the  purchases  were  so 
conducted  that  certain  contractors  were  sure  to  get  the 
awards.  Last  year  354  bids  were  received  and 
awards  were  made  to  145  different  parties;  and,  under 
the  present  management,  those  persons  are  considered 
the  lowest  bidders  who  give  the  best  value  in  goods  at 
the  price,  and  such  invariably  get  the  contracts.  Dur- 
ing several  summer  vacations,  Mr.  Lyon,  as  a  member  of 
this  Board,  has  visited,  and  held  councils  with,  the  fol- 
lowing Indian  tribes:  Chippewas  and  Pembinas,  in 
Northern  Minnesota;  Sioux,  Mandans,  Arickarees  and 
Gros  Ventres,  in  Dakota;  Poncas,  in  Nebraska;  Utes,'in 
Colorado  ;  Northern  Araphoes  and  Cheyennes,  Ban- 
nocks and  Shoshones,  in  Wyoming;  the  Pi  Utes,  in 
Nevada,  and  the  Mountain  and  Yellowstone  River 
Crows,  in  Montana. 

We  have  spoken  of  Mr.  Lyon  in  his  public  capacity ; 
let  us  now  consider  him  in  his  personal  relations,  as  a 
merchant  and  as  the  senior  and  founder  of  one  of  the 
most  prominent  importing  and  jobbing  houses  in  Fancy 
Goods  in  this  country. 

He  was  born  at  Holland,  Hampden  Co.,  Mass.,  Octo- 
ber 18th,  1819  ;  and  (as  was  also  Gen.  Nathaniel  Lyon, 
killed  at  the  Battle  of  Wilson's  Creek,  Mo.,  in  the  late 
war)  is  descended  from  William  Lyon,  one  of  the  early 
English  settlers  of  Massachusetts,  and  who  located,  in 
1635,  at  Roxbury.  At  the  age  of  14,  Mr.  Lyon  was 
sent  to  Hartford,  Conn.,  to  attend  school,  with  the  pur- 
pose of  ultimately  studying  law.     But,  after  leaving 


school,  he  went  to  Wayne  Co.,  N.  Y.,  and  was  for  some 
time  engaged  in  teaching  ;  the  last  two  years  as 
Principal  of  the  Clyde  High  School.  It  was  while  he 
was  in  charge  of  this  school,  that  Prof.  Morse  first  put 
his  telegraph  in  operation  between  Washington  and 
Baltimore.  The  subject  of  telegraphy  greatly  in- 
terested Mr.  Lyon;  and,  in  the  course  of  some  experi- 
ments which  he  made,  he  invented  a  printing-telegraph; 
or,  rather,  he  demonstrated,  by  means  of  a  model  which 
he  constructed,  that  pen  and  ink,  or  type  and  ink, 
could  be  used  in  the  conveying  of  messages  by  the  tele- 
graphic wire.  Mr.  Lyon,  strange  as  it  may  seem,  never 
pressed  his  claim  as  a  scientific  discoverer,  or  ever  took 
any  means  to  secure  to  himself  the  honor  or  benefits  of 
this  discovery.  Yet  it  became,  no  doubt,  the  basis  of 
a  theory  which  has  since  been  utilized. 

The  Clyde  Eagle,  of  July  11,  1844  (Vol.  1.,  No.  9), 
has  a  two  column  editorial,  headed  "  The  Electro 
MagneticTelegraph  Improved,"  in  which  was  the  follow- 
ing :  "  With  this  machine  Mr.  Lyon  is  able  to  write 
with  pen  and  ink  with  the  same  facility  that  Professor 
Morse  scratches  characters  upon  paper  with  points  of 
steel."  This  editorial  was  copied  into  the  New  York 
Commercial  Advertiser,  Evening  Post,  and  Boston 
Traveller,  and  journals  of  lesser  note. 

A  card,  in  a  subsequent  number  of  the  same  paper, 
says  :  "  We  have  seen  Mr.  Lyon  perform  experiments 
with  his  machine  for  writing  with  pen  and  ink  on 
Professor  Morse's  system  of  Electro  Magnetic  Tele- 
graph, and  take  pleasure  in  saying  that  it  worked  to 
our  perfect  satisfaction,  and  displays  no  small  share  of 
ingenuity.  The  inventor,  Mr.  Lyon,  explained  to  us 
his  intended  improvement  by  which  he  will  be  enabled 
to  convey  intelligence  by  means  of  the  real  letters  of 
the  alphabet  as  readily  and  speedily  as  Morse  can  make 
his  scratches  with  steel."  This  was  signed  by  seven 
prominent  residents  of  the  place. 

About  this  time  he  changed  his  mind  in  regard  to 
studying  law,  and  decided  that  a  mercantile  profession 
would  be  more  to  his  taste. 

In  1845,  Mr.  Lyon  came  to  Newr  York,  and  engaged 
in  the  wholesale  dry  goods  business.  In  1847,  he  changed 
from  dry  goods  to  what  was  then  termed  the  Yankee 
Notion  and  Fancy  Goods  business,  which  he  has  con- 
tinued successfully  up  to  the  present  time.  He  very 
early  began  the  importation  of  goods  for  his  trade,  and 
was  among  the  first  of  our  merchants  to  visit  Europe  for 
the  purpose  of  securing  a  better  assortment  of  Fancy 
Goods  than  could  be  procured  from  the  Newr  York  im- 
porters. 

In  1848,  after  having  completed  his  orders  and  selec- 
tions in  England,  he  proposed  going  to  France,  but  was 
prevented  from  so  doing  by  the  revolution  then  in  pro- 
gress there.  While  waiting  in  Belgium,  he  learned  of  the 
Might  of  Louis  Phillippe  to  England,  and  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  provisional  government  of  the  French 
republic  under  Lamartiue.     He  left  immediately  for 


876  ITISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


France,  and  was  the  first  American  merchant  to  enter 
Paris  after  the  insurrection.  Everything  was  in  confu- 
sion, business  prostrated,  and  the  commission  houses  and 
manufacturers  had  large  stocks  of  goods  on  hand,  which 
they  were  very  anxious  to  turn  into  money.  Mr.  Lyon 
bought  largely,  at  very  low  price,  and  also  made  plans 
for  future  shipments,  many  of  which  arrangements  con- 
tinued to  this  day.  He  afterwards  extended  his  con- 
nections to  all  the  leading  manufacturing  centres  of 
Europe,  until  few  houses  are  better  known  throughout 
the  commercial  world. 

Mr.  Lyon  first  commenced  business  in  1845,  at  No. 
16i>  Pearl  street,  New  York,  then  the  wholesale  jobbing 
centre,  where  he  remained  until  the  business  began  to 
move  towards  Broadway;  when,  in  1851,  he  moved  to 
4  Dey  street,  near  Broadway,  and  afterwards,  in  1860,  to 
No.  19  Cortlandt  street. 

The  business  steadily  increasing,  larger  quarters 
were  needed,  and,  in  1864,  the  firm  of  Win.  H.  Lyon  it 
Co.,  removed  to  No.  371  Broadway,  where  they  re- 
mained until  1870,  when  they  changed  their  location  to 
the  spacious  warehouse  which  they  now  occupy,  Nos. 
483  and  485  Broadway,  a  store  50  feet  on  Broadway, 
running  the  entire  block,  200  feet  to  Mercer  street.  The 
basement  and  several  floors  cover  a  space  of  50,000  square 
feet  devoted  to  the  display  of  their  extensive  stock. 

In  all  these  nearly  forty  years,  his  house  has  kept  in 
the  van  of  progress.  They  import  goods  from  Europe, 
China,  India,  and  Japan,  and  their  sales  extend  not 
only  to  every  State  in  the  United  States  from  Maine  to 
California,  but  also  to  Mexico,  West  Indies,  South 
America,  and  Canada. 

Mr.  Lyon  has  been  a  member  of  the  New  York 
Chamber  of  Commerce  for  many  years ;  is  a  di- 
rector in  the  Brooklyn  Life  Insurance  Company,  and 
has  been  Chairman  of  its  Executive  Committee  since 
the  organization  of  the  company. 

He  was  one  of  the  incorporators  of  the  New  Eng- 
land Society  of  Brooklyn,  and  a  director  since  its 
organization.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Long  Island  His- 
torical Society;  also  of  the  Oxford  Club,  and  one  of 
its  directors. 

In  1878,  while  absent  in  California  on  Indian  busi- 
ness, he  was  nominated  for  Congress  in  the  Fourth 
District  on  the  Republican  ticket.  This  district  has 
always  been  strongly  Democratic,  but  Mr.  Lyon's 
OSndidacy  reduced  the  usual  majority  about  one-half, 
which  strongly  attested  his  personal  popularity  among 
his  fellow-citizens. 

In  1  K79,  his  name,  contrary  to  his  wishes,  was  brought 
before  the  Mayoralty  Convention,  and  on  the  regular 
ballot  lacked  but  a  few  votes  of  a  majority.  In  the 
next  contest  for  the  mayoralty  nomination  his  name  was 
prominently  mentioned,  but  he  peremptorily  declined 
to  allow  it  to  be  used. 

Mr.  Lyon  is  a  gentleman  of  imposing  figure  and 
commanding  appearance.    Although  his  attention  has 


always  been  given  strictly  to  his  business  engagements, 
he  has  found  time  for  social  enjoyment  and  public 
duties;  his  congenial  temperament  enabling  him  fully  to 
enjoy  life,  as  he  journeys  through  it.  His  energy  and 
business  ability  have  contributed  much  not  only  to  the 
business  progress  of  New  York,  but  of  other  portions 
of  our  country.  Many  years  ago,  he  invested  largely  in 
property  at  Lake  City,  on  Lake  Pepin,  Minnesota, 
where  he  built  the  principal  hotels  and  stores  of  the 
place,  and  where  the  main  avenue  is  named  after  him. 
This  property  he  still  holds,  together  with  much  other 
real  estate  in  Minnesota,  Iowa,  and  Dakota.  He  is  a 
large  owner  of  real  estate  in  this  city,  on  New  York 
avenue,  where  he  resides,  and  where  he  has  recently 
built  several  elegant  dwelling-houses,  which  greatly 
improve  that  section  of  the  city. 

United  States  District  Judge.— It  is  the  duty  of 

the  District  Judge  to  preside  at  trials  for,  or  motions 
concerning,  violations  of  the  United  States  Statute- 
in  his  district.  The  present  Judge,  Cuarles  L.  Www 
dict,  was  appointed  on  the  organization  of  the  Cowt, 
in  March,  1865,  and  has  continued  to  serve  from  th.it 
time,  Without  interruption,  up  to  the  present. 

He  also  presides  over  the  Circuit  Court  of  t'n 
United  States  for  the  southern  district  of  New  York. 
The  Circuit  Courts  being  held  in  New  York,  and  tin 
District  Courts  in  Brooklyn.  Courts  are  held  monthly, 
except  in  July  and  August.  The  judicial  matters  un- 
der his  charge  are  divided  into  four  branches,  namely: 
Jury,  Admiralty  and  Equity  cases  and  Criminal  Trial-. 

Samuel  T.  Jones  served  as  Court  Clerk  from  IMI  to 
1873,  from  which  time  to  1875,  Edward  B.  Hush  ; 
was  acting  Clerk.  In  1875,  B.  Lincoln  Benedict  \*;i- 
appointed,  which  position  he  now  holds. 

United  States  District  Attorney.— The  duties 
of  this  officer  are  to  prosecute  all  violations  of  Unite  ! 
States  Statutes,  committed  in  his  district,  which  coin 
prises  four  counties — Kings,  Queens,  Richmond  and  Suf 
oik.  The  first  District  Attorney  appointed  in  this  dist  n  I 
was  Benjamin  D.  Silliman,  in  1S05,  who  resigned  in 
1866,  and  was  succeeded  by  General  BkhjaMOI  F. 
Tracy,  who  was  succeeded  by  Asa  W.  Tennm,  thi 
present  incumbent,  19th  February,  1873. 

The  United  States  Commissioner.-  B 
are  mainly  to  issue  warrants  for  arrests  in  criminal  cases, 
to  preside  over  the  U.  S.  Commissioner's  Court,  and  lie 
is  also  Chief  Supervisor  of  Elections  for  the  htfen 
District  of  New  York. 

John  J.  Allen  is  the  present  Commissioner,  and  I 
was  appointed  by  Judge  Benedict  September  28,  1874. 
Under  the  administration  of  Gen.  Benjamin  P.  Tracy, 
as  U.  S.  District  Attorney,  Mr.  Allen  was  the  Assistant 

The  United  States  Marshal's  Office  for  th< 
Eastern  District  of  New  York,  is  located  in  a  iuiUbl< 
building,  on  the  corner  of  Montague  and  CMnUM 
streets.'  Brooklyn,    New    York.      This    district  <"<" 


UNITED  STATES  INTERESTS. 


877 


prises  Long  and  Staten  Islands,  and  also  has  jurisdic- 
tion over  the  waters  of  New  York  county.  The  office 
was  organized  here  in  March,  18G5,  the  first  Marshal 
being  Anthony  F.  Campbell,  who  was  appointed  that 
year,  and  served  up  to  1867,  when  he  resigned,  his 
deputy,  Feancis  L.  Dallon,  succeeding  him.  Mr. 
Dallon  served  until  1871,  when  Samuel  R.  Harlow 
was  appointed  by  President  Grant,  and  until  March, 
1883,  Mr.  Harlow  continued  in  charge  of  affairs.  In 
that  month  the  present  incumbent,  Major  Augustus 
C.  Tate,  received  the  nomination  by  President  Arthur 
for  a  term  of  four  years,  and  has,  since  then,  had 
charge  of  the  office. 

It  is  the  duty  of  a  United  States  Marshal  to  secure  the 
arrest  of  any  person  or  persons  engaged  in  counter- 
feiting United  States  legal  tender,  smuggling,  the 
illicit  manufacture  of  whiskey,  or  purloining  of  United 
States  property;  and,  on  proper  notification,  to  arrest 
and  detain  thieving  or  embezzling  post-office  officials 
or  clerks;  also  to  see  that  no  dangerous  explosives, 
such  as  dynamite,  are  shipped  to  foreign  ports,  for 
improper  use.  The  Marshal  of  this  district  is  now 
acting  under  an  order  of  the  government,  dated  12th 
March,  1884,  relative  to  the  shipping  of  dynamite. 


There  is,  yearly,  more  money  involved  in  the  cases 
issuing  from  this  office,  than  in  all  other  courts  of 
Kings  county  combined. 

One-fourth  of  the  admiralty  business  of  the  United 
States  is  done  here. 

A  marshal  cannot  be  removed  save  by  death,  resig- 
nation, or  for  cause. 

Augustus  C.  Tate  was  born  in  New  York  City,  Janu- 
ary 6,  1835,  and  received  the  rudiments  of  an  education  in 
the  public  schools  of  that  city.  When  fourteen  years  old 
he  went  to  the  "Charlotte  Academy,"  in  Delaware  county, 
New  York,  for  further  instruction,  staying  there  three 
years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  returned  to  New  York 
City,  and  was  engaged  with  his  father,  William  Tate, 
in  the  dry  goods  business.  At  the  breaking  out  of  our 
late  war  Mr.  Tate,  then  twenty-six  years  of  age,  was  one  of 
the  first  to  respond  to  his  country's  call,  and  enlisted  as  a 
private  in  the  12th  New  York  State  Militia,  April  19th,  1861, 
and  was  promoted  to  color  sergeant  two  days  later.  He 
served  three  months;  and  then  re-entered  service  as  Cap- 
tain of  the  131st  New  York  Volunteers,  August  20, 
1862,  for  a  term  of  three  years,  and  September  8,  1863, 
was  promoted  to  Major,  which  position  he  held  at  the  time 
of  his  honorable  discharge  in  1865.  In  1863  he  was  sent 
to  New  York  with  a  detachment,  to  quell  the  famous  "  draft 
riots,"  but  before  he  reached  the  city  the  disturbance  was 


878 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


practically  over.  Major  Tate  participated  in  most  of  the  im- 
portant battles  of  the  south-west,  and  also  the  stirring  events 
of  the  Shenandoah  Valley  campaign,  under  General  Sheridan. 
September  1,  1865,  as  a  reward  in  part  for  his  meritorious 
services  and  gallant  conduct,  he  was  appointed  to  an  inspec- 
torship in  the  New  York  Custom  House,  which  he  held 
until  March,  1883.  From  1869  to  1873  he  was  aid  to  Sur- 
veyor Alonzo  B.  Cornell.  In  March,  1883,  on  the  recom- 
mendation of  General  U.  S.  Grant  and  the  Republican  or- 
ganization of  Kings  county,  he  was  appointed  United  States 
Marshal  for  the  Eastern  District  of  New  York,  which  oflice 
he  now  holds.  Mr.  Tate,  since  the  formation  of  the  Republi- 
can party,  has  ever  been  a  hard-working,  consistent  member. 
He  was  secretary  of  the  Soldiers'  National  Convention,  held 


at  Chicago  in  1868,  when  General  Grant  was  first  nomi- 
nated for  President.  He  was  also  president  of  the  first 
Grant  Club  organized  in  Brooklyn  in  the  year  1867.  and 
during  the  Presidential  campaigns  of  1868  to  1880,  was 
General  of  the  Boys  in  Blue.  He  is  Past  Commander  of 
Devlin  Post,  No.  148.  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  and 
member  of  Kings  County  Republican  General  Committee, 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Hanson  Place  M.  E.  Church  of  this 
city. 

Mr.  Tate  is  a  man  of  firm  convictions,  positive  in  all  his 
actions,  and  to  these  essential  attributes  much  of  his  success 
in  public  life  can  be  traced.  His  friendships  are  lasting,  and 
in  his  contact  with  the  public,  his  courteous  and  genial 
manners  win  for  him  the  kind  regard  of  all. 


Gen.   ALFRED  CUTLER  BARNES. 


Gen.  Alfrkd  Cutler  Barnes,  eldest  son  of  the 
founder  of  the  well-known  publishing  firm  of  A.  S. 
Barnes  &  Co.,  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  on  the  27tl>  of 
October,  1842.  His  father  removed  to  New  York  in 
1845,  and  to  Brooklyn  in  1846.  Here,  while  residing  in 
Garden  street,  the  boy  commenced  his  school  life,  first 
with  the  Misses  Pinkham,  in  Henry  street;  afterwards 
with  Prof.  B.  W.  Dwight,  the  well-known  classical 
scholar  in  Livingston  street.  When  the  Collegiate  and 
Polytechnic  institute  was  open  in  1855,  Alfred  became 
one  of  its  first  pupils.  In  the  summer  of  1857,  he  attended 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Fox's  boarding  school,  in  Ashland,  X.  Y., 
where  he  graduated  as  valedictorian,  but  returned  to 
the  Polytechnic  in  the  fall.  Entering  his  father's  office 
during  the  long  vacation  of  1858,  with  the  intention  of 
entering  Yale  College  in  the  autumn,  young  Barnes  be- 
came enamoured  of  business,  and,  commencing  as  mail- 
ing clerk,  he  steadily  rose  to  the  head  of  the  jobbing  de- 
partment, where  he  enjoyed  excellent  advantages  for 
travel  and  commercial  acquaintance  in  the  line  of  his  busi- 
ness. In  1865,  after  the  death  of  his  uncle,  Mr.  Burr,  he 
was  admitted  into  the  firm  as  a  partner;  and  gradually 
assumed  the  chief  executive  management  of  the  busi- 
ness, which,  with  his  father's  valued  advice,  he  has  since 
maintained.  In  the  conduct  of  the  business,  Mr.  Barnes' 
views  are  conservative,  following  the  traditional  policy 
of  the  home,  viz.,  of  only  publishing  the  best  class  of 
books,  relying  on  their  merit,  and  upon  honorable 
methods  of  business  for  success. 

As  a  youth,  Mr.  Barnes  possessed  decided  literary  and 
forensic  taste,  which  he  found  opportunity  of  gratifying 
in  the  meetings  and  debates  of  the  "  Webster  Literary 
Society,"  formed  in  1856,  and  of  which  he  was  twice 
President.  His  pen  also  found  congenial  scope  in  the 
Iubiciitii,n<d  Ihdletin,  which  he  established  and  person- 
ally edited  until  it  was  superseded  by  the  National 
'I'nirliirs  Monthly.  His  controversial  articles  in  this 
journal,  especially  a  series  of  papers  <>n  the  methods  of 
teaching  German,  called  forth  by  a  sharp  attack  upon 


Dr.  Worir.an's  text-books,  attracted  much  favorable 
criticism.  Barnes's  Brief  History  of  the  United  States, 
the  most  successful  single  book  ever  published  by  the 
house,  was  especially  the  enterprise  of  A.  C.  Barnes. 
Under  his  administration,  also,  the  firm  has  published, 
among  other  important  works,  the  Magazine  of  Ameri- 
can History,  The  International  Review,  Mrs.  Lamb's 
History  of  New  York  City,  Fickli/Cs  Mathematics,  the 
New  National  Readers,  Sill's  Grammar,  Steele's 
Scietitifc  Rooks,  etc.  By  the  book  trade  at  large, 
Mr.  Barnes  has  been  variously  honored.  His 
first  appearance  at  a  Trade  Convention  in  July, 
1874,  was  followed,  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year, 
by  his  election  as  president  of  the  newly  organized 
"  Central  Booksellers'  Association,"  comprising  all 
the  trade  in  New  York  city  and  its  vicinity.  A 
frequent  and  conspicuous  attendant  upon  the  annual 
general  Trade  Conventions  and  the  gatherings  of  the 
Stationers'  Board  of  Trade,  his  abilities  as  a  practical 
business  man,  and  his  gifts  as  a  most  agreeable  "after- 
dinner  speaker,"  were  brought  into  frequent  demand. 
Of  fine  personal  presence,  engaging  manners,  excellent 
conversational  powers  and  tact,  and  clear,  alert  and 
logical  in  his  thoughts  and  powers,  he  is  universally 
recognized  as  a  leader  among  the  younger  school  of 
publishers. 

Inheriting  the  military  tastes  of  his  maternal  grtnd- 
i  father,  Gen.  Timothy  Burr  (a  commissary  general  of  the 
I  Western  Army  of  the  United  States,  in  the  war  of  1812), 
Mr.  Barnes,  in  1860,  being  then  just  18  years  of  age,  joined 
Company  "  C,"  of  the  7th  Regiment,  N.  Y.  S.  N.  G.;  and 
!  almost  before  he  had  emerged  from  "the  awkward 
squad,"  in  which  its  neophytes  are  trained,  the  war  of 
the  Civil  Rebellion  broke  out.  He  was  one  of  the  num- 
ber, on  that  memorable  day,  April  19th,  1861,  who  tilled 
the  ranks  of  that  splendid  regiment  as  it  swept  down 
Broadway,  amid  such  patriotic  excitement  as  that  great 
thoroughfare  has  never  before  or  since  w  itm  ssed,  "' 
rout,  for  Washington.     W  hen,  in   1862,  th«  28d  Ke-i- 


BIOGRAPHIES  OF  BROOKLYN  CITIZENS. 


879 


ment  was  organized,  Mr.  Barnes  joined  Company  "  E,"  by 
transfer  from  the  7  th  Regiment.  In  1863,  he  was  made 
"  Left  General  Guide  "  of  the  regiment,  with  the  rank  of 
sergeant.  In  the  same  year,  also,  he  accompanied  his 
regiment,  in  its  response  for  a  call  for  troops,  to  check 
the  rebel  advance  in  Pennsylvania,  which  advance  ended 
in  the  memorable  battle  of  Gettysburg.  In  May,  1864, 
Sergeant  Barnes  was  elected  First  Lieutenant  of  his 
company,  receiving  his  commission  from  Gov.  Seymour. 
In  1867,  his  term  of  service  having  expired,  he  re- 
signed and  remained  for  nine  years  inactive.  In  the  in- 
terval, he  was  elected  Vice-President  of  the  civil  organi- 
zation known  as  the  23d  Regiment  Veteran  Association, 
of  which  eventually  he  became  President.  October  23d, 
1876,  he  was  elected  Major  of  the  regiment,  receiving 
from  his  "vet"  associates  a  very  beautiful  sword.  In 
this  capacity  he  served  with  his  regiment  in  the  "railroad 
riots"  of  1877.  At  Corning,  with  a  command  of  one 
hundred  men,  and  "  mounted  on  the  engine,  revolver  in 
hand,"  he  ran  his  train  through  an  excited  mob  of  rioters 
whom  he  awed,  in  the  language  of  the  official  report  of 
the  Inspector-General  of  the  State,  by  his  "  indomitable 
pluck  and  energy."  A  full  account  of  this  interesting 
expedition,  written  by  Major  Barnes  himself,  appeared  in 
the  National  Guardsman,  June,  1878.  As  President  of 
the  Regimental  Court  he  instituted  many  improvements 
in  the  old  methods  of  conducting  trials;  was  also  Presi- 
dent of  the  Council  of  Officers ;  and  was  notable  as  a 
drill  officer,  especially  in  battalion  drills.  As  such  he 
was  given  command  of  the  23d  Regiment  Cadet  Corps, 
the  first  of  its  kind  in  the  National  Guard,  which  was 
organized  October,  1877,  and  which,  under  his  careful 
handling,  developed  excellent  material  for  a  new  com- 
pany (H)  in  the  regiment  proper.  When  the  command 
of  the  Second  Division  of  the  N.Y.S.N.G.  was  vacated  by 
the  death  of  Major-Gen.  Dakin, 187  9,  Major  Barnes  found 
himself  a  prominent  candidate  for  the  position,  backed 
by  many  eminent  military  men  and  senators.  A  political 
dead-lock,  however,  prevented  any  appointment  at  that 
time.  In  December,  of  that  year,  however,  Major 
Barnes  was  appointed  by  Gov.  Cornell  as  General  In- 
spector of  Rifle  Practice  upon  his  staff,  and  received  a 
commission  (dated  January  1st,  1880)  as  Brigadier-Gen- 
eral in  the  National  Guard. 

Gen.  Barnes'  idea  of  rifle  range  practice  was  that  a 
general  average  of  excellence  should  be  sought,  rather 
than  the  superlative  excellence  of  a  few.  The  con- 
sequence was  a  gradual,  but  striking,  improvement 
of  the  State  "figure  of  merit"  in  rifle  practice  (from 
18  to  47  in  three  years).  He  cut  down  the  individual 
practice  classes  from  three  to  two;  introduced  target 
firing  in  ranks;  insisted  upon  theoretical  armory  drills 
to  prepare  for  the  field;  issued  sharp-shooters'  silver 
bars,  etc.,  etc.  Creedmoor  and  all  other  of  the  State 
rifle  ranges  were  under  his  supervision;  and  he  was  one 
of  the  party  of  staff  officers,  designated  by  Gov.  Cornell 
for  the  purpose,  who  selected  the  site  for  the  perma- 


ment  State  camp  at  Peekskill,  where  he  superintended 
the  construction  of  the  fine  range  there  established. 
At  the  close  of  Gov.  Cornell's  administration,  Gen. 
Barnes  was  succeeded  by  Gen.  C.  F.  Robbins,  who  has 
complimented  his  predecessor  by  retaining  the  practice 
system  almost  without  change. 

Republican  in  politics,  Gen.  Barnes  was  first  a  dele- 
gate, in  1876,  to  the  Second  District  Congressional  Con- 
vention of  New  York  State,  from  the  Twentieth  Ward, 
of  which  Ward  Association  (of  2,500  members)  he  was 
subsequently  twice  elected  president.  In  1877,  he  was 
chairman  of  the  Senatorial  Convention  for  the  Second 
District;  as  he  was  also  of  the  ward  delegation  to  the 
City  Convention  of  1878;  and  again  in  1879  a  delegate 
to  the  Third  District  Senatorial  Convention;  and  in  1880 
chairman  of  the  Congressional  Convention  of  the  Third 
District.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the  New  York  State 
Republican  Convention  of  1881,  and  prominently  named, 
in  1882,  as  candidate  for  Congress  in  the  Second  Con- 
gressional District,  as  also  for  Comptroller  of  the  city  of 
Brooklyn,  but  he  declined  to  permit  his  name  to  be  used. 

In  the  important  local  campaign  of  1881,  Gen.  Barnes 
took  a  very  active  part.  By  the  personal  request  of 
Mr.  Seth  Low  (then  president  of  the  Young  Republican 
Club),  he  accepted  the  chairmanship  of  the  citizens' 
mass  meeting  at  the  Rink,  which  nominated  Ripley 
Ropes  for  the  mayoralty.  The  regular  Republican 
Convention  nominated  Gen.  Tracy.  Subsequently  both 
candidates  appeared  before  a  great  assemblage  in  the 
Academy  of  Music,  at  which  Gen.  Barnes  also  presided, 
and  withdrew  in  favor  of  Seth  Low,  who  was  then 
nominated  and  triumphantly  elected. 

Gen.  Barnes  was  appointed  a  trustee  of  the  East 
River  Suspension  Bridge,  June  8,  1879,  and  has  since 
received  two  re-appointments,  viz.,  in  1881  and  1883. 
He  prepared  a  description  of  the  great  structure,  which 
was  published  with  illustrations,  and  had  a  wide  circu- 
lation. He  has  been  for  several  years  a  director  of  the 
Brooklyn  Library,  on  Montague  street,  and  is  now  its 
vice-president. 

Gen.  Barnes  was  one  of  the  principal  founders  of  the 
Oxford  Club,  which  was  organized  at  his  residence  in 
1880,  and  was  its  first  president,  which  office  he  held, 
by  re-election,  for  two  subsequent  terms.  He  was  also 
one  of  the  committee  of  eminent  gentlemen  appointed 
by  the  Governor  of  the  State  of  New  York  to  receive 
the  French  and  German  military  delegates  to  the  great 
National  centennial  celebration  of  the  surrender  of 
Yorktown,  during  the  summer  of  1881 ;  and  the  military 
arrangements  of  that  reception  were  under  his  especial 
charge.  In  November,  1883,  he  was  unanimously  ten- 
dered the  colonelcy  of  the  Thirteenth  Regiment,  which 
he  was  obliged,  owing  to  other  duties,  to  decline; 
under  great  pressure,  however,  he  subsequently  recon- 
sidered, and  was  elected  to  the  position  March  28th, 
1884.  With  his  commission  as  Colonel,  his  rank  of 
Brigadier-General  was  also  renewed  by  brevet. 


880 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Gen.  Barnes  is  a  member  of  Lafayette  Post  of  the 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic;  a  director  (from  its  or- 
ganization) of  The  Metropolitan  Plate  Glass  Insurance 
Co.,  of  the  Peal  Estate  Trust  Co.,  the  Tehuantepec 
Railway,  the  Stationers'  Hoard  of  Trade,  and  one  of 
"the  council"  of  the  Hamilton  Club;  also  a  mem- 
ber of  The  Art  Association,  The  Ion;/  Island  Histori- 
cal Society,  The  New  Enejland  Society,  and  of  the 
Brooklyn  Citizots''  League;  is  a  director  of  the  Brook- 
lyn City  Hospital,  and  was  president,  for  a  year,  of  the 
Brooklyn  H>mef>r  Consumfttires;  also,  lie  has  been  a 
member  of  the  Hoicard  Literary  Association;  of  the 
Euterpe  Musical  Sociable  (of  which  he  was  president, 
1878-9).  When,  in  1S69,  the  Adelphi  Academy,  orig- 
inally a  private  school,  was  purchased  by  a  number  of 
citizens  and  placed  under  a  board  of  trustees,  Gen. 
Barnes  was  (and  is)  one  of  that  board,  and  for  several 
years  acted  as  its  secretary. 

Gen.  Barnes'  church  connections  have  been  with  the 
Church  of  the  Pilgrims,  under  the  Rev.  Dr.  Storrs,  and 
with  the  Clinton  Avenue  Congregational  Church,  un- 
der the  pastorates  of  Drs.  Lansing,  Budington,  and 


McLeod.  He  has  always  been  active  in  Sunday-school 
and  mission  work,  and,  in  1874,  was  elected  superin. 
tendent  of  the  Willoughby  Avenue  Mission  School,  which 
he  served  in  that  capacity  for  four  years.  In  1882,  he 
was  unanimously  elected  superintendent  of  the  Clinton 
Avenue  Church  Sunday-school,  but  declined.  He  has 
also  been  on  the  musical  committee  of  the  Clinton  Ave- 
nue Congregational  Church  for  many  years. 

On  the  27th  October,  1863,  his  twenty-first  birthday, 
Mr.  Barnes  was  married,  in  Dr.  Cuyler's  Church,  to 
Josephine  E.  Richardson,  daughter  of  H.  A.  Richard- 
son, Esq.  The  young  couple  dwelt  at  first  at  No.  9 
Lefferts  street,  but  in  November,  1866,  purchased  the 
house,  182  Cumberland  street  (Washington  Park), 
where  they  have  ever  since  resided.  Their  children 
are:  Harriet  J.,  born  1864;  Mary  Grace,  born  1867, 
died  1873;  and  Alfred  Victor,  born  1870. 

Gen.  Barnes  has  made  two  extended  tours  in  Europe 
with  his  family,  in  1873  and  1883.  In  1870,  he  visited 
California,  and  published  his  observations  in  a  series  of 
papers  for  the  New  York  Home  Journal,  entitled  "  On 
the  Pacific  Rail,"  over  the  signature  of  "  Barnacle." 


EDWIN  BULKLEY. 


Edwin  Bulkley,  the  son  of  Andrew  and  Sarah  Dimon 
Bulkley,  was  born  at  Southport,  Conn.,  December  2d,  1817, 
and  was  a  descendant  of  the  Rev.  Peter  Bulkley,  who  settled 
in  Concord,  Mass.,  in  1635,  being  obliged  to  leave  England  on 
account  of  his  non-conformity  to  the  requirements  of  the 
English  Church,  and  who  was  of  the  tenth  generation, 
from  Robert  Bulkley,  who  was  born  in  the  reign  of  King 
John. 

About  1642,  several  of  the  sons  of  the  Rev.  Peter  Bulkley 
settled  in  Fairfield  county,  of  which  Southport  is  one  of  the 
towns.  Most  of  Mr.  Bulkley's  early  ancestors  were  engaged 
largely  in  the  shipping  business,  at  a  time  when  American 
ships  held  the  supremacy  on  the  high  seas.  His  grandfather, 
Eleazer  Bulkley,  in  the  year  1788,  founded  the  firm  of  E. 
Bulkley  &  Sons,  which  continued  in  business  iu  New  York 
nearly  three-quarters  of  a  century. 

At  an  early  age,  leaving  his  native  town,  he  came  to  isew 
York,  where,  after  a  few  years  of  business  experience  as  a 
clerk,  in  1838,  at  the  age  of  twenty-one,  in  connection  with 
Hiram  (Jookin  and  Jeremiah  L.  Cross,  he  founded  the  whole- 
sale paper  house  of  Cross,  Bulkley  &  Gookin.  He  continued 
in  the  paper  business  until  his  death.  The  linn  name  changed 
to  Bulkley,  Dunton  &  Co.  in  the  year  1865,  and  has  been  so 
known  since,  his  two  sons,  after  his  death,  taking  his  place 
in  the  firm. 

In  the  year  1865,  in  connection  with  the  late  Colonel  Alvah 
('rocker,  of  I-'itehburg,  Mass.,  and  other  capitalists,  he  started 
the  then  small  village  of  Turner's  Falls,  which,  by  the  devel- 
opment of  its  unsurpassed  water  power  and  natural  advan- 
tages, has  since  hecomc  a  thriving  town. 

Besides  In-ing  instrumental  in  founding  the  Montague 
Paper  ( 'niiqun  v  and  K«  ith  Paper  ( 'ompany,  in  that  place,  he 


was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the  John  Russell  Cutlery  Com- 
pany and  the  Crocker  National  Bank,  all  of  which  undertak- 
ings were  carried  to  a  successful  completion.  He  was  also 
largely  interested  in  other  undertakings,  principally  in  New- 
England,  among  them  the  Winnipisiogee  Paper  Company, 
at  Franklin,  New  Hampshire,  and  the  Russell  Paper  Com- 
pany, at  Lawrence,  Mass.,  of  both  of  which  he  was  President 
for  many  years,  and  several  other  mills,  to  all  of  which  he 
devoted  the  untiring  energy  and  steadfast  endeavor  charai  - 
teristic  of  the  man. 

He  came  to  Brooklyn  to  reside  in  the  year  1846.  He  was. 
till  the  time  of  his  death,  a  prominent  member  of  the  I  hurcli 
of  the  Pilgrims,  and  always  gave  liberally  of  his  means  to 
the  different  charitable  organizations  and  educational  insti- 
tutions of  the  city. 

As  a  man,  he  was  of  a  quiet  disposition,  obtaining  a  degree 
of  pleasure  and  en  joyment  in  his  home  circle  which  other* 
are  accustomed  to  seek  vainly  in  public  life.  He  was  re- 
markable for  his  fine  judgment  in  selecting  skillful  workmen 
or  men  to  fill  positions  of  trust;  and,  in  timesof  financial  un- 
certainty, his  practical  expenditure  of  time  and  means  were 
often  more  helpful  than  the  pleasurable  theories  often 
advanced  by  others  of  less  characteristic  decision  and  energy. 
In  the  latter  years  of  his  life  he  suffered  from  a  stroke  of 
paralysis,  whic  h  resulted  in  his  death,  at  his  old  homestead 
at  Southport,  July  7th,  1881,  at  the  age  of  63. 

He  left  a  widow  and  six  children— two  sons  and  tPV 
daughters.  At  the  time  of  his  death,  besides  U-ing  director 
and  officer  in  the  si  veral  large  corporations  in  his  OWU  DM 
I  of  business,  he  was  a  director  of  the  Bank  of  North  America, 
the  Standard  Fire  Insurance  Co.  and  the  Southport  National 
Bank. 


tr- 


r 


BIO  GRAPHIES  OF  BR  0  OKL  YN~  CITIZEN'S. 


881 


HENRY   C.  HULBERT. 


Henry  C.  Hclbert,  at  present  senior  member  of  the  firm 
)f  H.  C.  Hulbert  &  Co.,  New  York  City,  and  for  over  30 
.ears  a  resident  of  Brooklyn,  is  a  descendant  of  Lieutenant 
[liomas  Hulbert  (or  Hurlbut),  the  ancestor  of  the  Hurlbut 
'auiily  of  Connecticut,  and  who  is  said  to  have  been  bora  in 
England,  in  1598,  and  emigrated  to  this  country  in  1630.  In 
1636.  he  was  an  officer  of  the  first  company  that  garrisoned 
;he  fort  at  Saybrook,  Conn. ;  served  and  was  wounded  m  the 
Pequot  war,  and  later,  settled  in  Wether sfield,  Conn.,  where 
le  died,  about  1673,  aged  75  years.  From  his  second  son, 
John,  born  1638,  and  who  settled  in  Middletown,  Conn.,  and 
:hrough  his  third  son,  Ebenezer,  born  1638,  and  his  son, 
Ebenezer  2d  *  who  died  in  1777,  and  his  son,  Amos,  born  in 
1752.  and  died  at  Lee,  Mass.,  in  1835,  and  his  son,  Amos  Geer 
Hulbert,  born  in  1799.  at  Weathersfield,  Conn.,  and  now  liv- 
ing, at  the  age  of  85,  at  Lee,  Mass.,  was  descended  Henry 
Car  '.on  Hulbert.  and  two  daughters,  Maryette,  who  died  at 
ige  o  4  years,  and  Julia,  who  married  Dr.  E.  Wright,  and  is 
■low  residing  at  Lee,  Mass. 

Henry  C.  Hclbert  was  born  at  Lee,  Mass.,  December  19, 
1831,  and  attended  the  old  Lee  Academy  until  13  years  of 
ige.  He  then  began  his  mercantile  career  in  his  native  place 
by  entering  the  general  store  of  Wdliam  Taylor.  After  six 
months  he  returned  to  school  at  the  Lee  Academy,  where  he 
remained  until  he  was  16  years  'of  age.  Early  in  1848,  he  re- 
mtered  the  store  of  William  Taylor  as  junior  clerk.  In  May, 
the  same  year,  he  obtained  a  position  in  the  dry  goods  store 
Df  Plunkett  &  Hulbert,  at  Pittsfield,  Mass.,  then  accounted 
the  largest  dry  goods  establishment  in  Berkshire  county, 
where  he  remained  for  three  years,  serving  in  turn  as  errand 
boy,  salesman,  and.  the  last  year,  having  been  carefully  in- 
structed in  accounts,  acted  as  book-keeper  and  cashier. 

*  Ebenezer  2d,  was  a  large  property-holder  and  shipping  merchant  in 
Chatham,  or  Portland,  Middle  Haddam,  Conn.  He  tracel  back  the 
family  to  England,  and  found  the  true  spelling  of  the  name  was 
Hulbert.  He,  at  that  time,  adopted  the  ancient  form,  which  has 
been  continued  by  his  descendants. 

His  mother  was  Cynthia  Bassett,  a  descendant  of  the  family  of 
Bassett  and  Dymoke,  both  early  settlers  of  Plymouth,  Mass., 
and  who  migrated  from  Cape  Cod,  Mass.,  to  Lee,  Mass.,  about  1770. 
She  was  a  descendant  of  Sir  William  Bassett,  who  landed  at  Ply- 
mouth, Mass.,  in  1021.  Her  mother's  maiden  name  was  Hannah 
(daughter  of  Sylvanus  and  Thankful)  Dymoke,  cousins;  thereby  being, 
as  she  was  very'  proud  of  claiming,  "  a  double  Dymoke,"  a  descendant 
of  the  very  ancient  and  honorable  family  of  Dymoke,  in  which  was 
vested  the  hereditary  championship  of  the  King  and  Queen  of 
England. 

The  office  of  Royal  Champion  is  a  very  ancient  one.  It  was  insti- 
tuted by  William  the  Conqueror;  and,  since  1377,  has  been  attached  to 
the  manor  of  Scrivelsby,  then  held  by  the  Marmion  family.  There 
being  no  male  descendant,  a  Tournament  was  called,  the  successful 
Knight  to  marry  Margery-,  the  daughter,  and  continue  the  office.  Sir 
John  DeDymoke  was  the  fortunate  Knight,  and  his  descendants  have 
since  held  the  honorable  position  to  the  present  time,  through  some 
twenty  generations.  The  late  Sir  Henry  Dymoke,  Bart.,  acted  at  the 
coronation  of  William  the  IV.  and  Queen  Victoria. 

The  office  Is  attached  to  the  Lord  of  the  Manor  of  Scrivelsby,  which 
is  held  by  the  ancient  tenure  known  as  "grand  sergeantry,"  in  which 
one  holds  lands  of  the  King  by  service  which  he  has  to  perform. 
The  service  by  which  Scrivelsby  is  held,  is  that  the  Lord  thereof  shall 
be  the  King's  Champion.  The  duty  of  the  Champion  being  "at  the 
coronatton  of  the  King  or  Queen  of  England,  when  the  Sovereign  is  at 
dinner  to  ride  cap-a-pie  Into  Westminster  Hall,  and  by  the  proclama- 
tion of  a  herald  make  a  challenge  that  "if  any  man  shall  deny  the 
King  or  Queen's  title  to  the  Crown,  he  is  there  to  defend  it,"  and 
he  throws  down  his  gage.  This  being  done,  the  King  or  Queen  drink 
to  him  and  send  him  a  covered  gilt  cup,  full  of  wine,  which  the 
Champion  drinks,  having  the  cup  for  his  fee. 


During  the  last  year  of  his  clerkship  at  Pittsfield,  he  had  a 
great  desire  to  try  his  fortune  in  New  York,  to  which  his 
father  strongly  objected.  Neither  the  offer  of  capital  to  em- 
bark in  business  in  his  native  town,  nor  the  representation 
that  only  three  out  of  a  hundred  succeeded,  deterred  trim 
from  his  project,  his  reply  being  that  he  intended  to  be  one 
of  the  three.  To  quiet  the  boy,  his  father  bid  him  go  and 
see  what  he  could  do,  feeling  there  was  but  a  slight  chance 
of  his  procuring  a  situation. 

On  a  stormy  day,  in  February,  1851,  having  procured 
letters  of  recommendation  and  introduction  to  the  firms  of 
Cyrus  W.  Field  &  Co.,  and  White  &  Sheffield,  he  started  for 
New  York  in  search  of  employment.  The  next  morning,  un- 
expectedly, he  met  Mr.  Edward  S.  May,  of  the  firm  of  E.  & 
S.  May,  paper  manufacturers,  of  Lee,  who  accompanied  him 
to  the  warehouse  of  Cyrus  W.  Field  &  Co. ,  then  a  power  in 
the  paper  trade. 

Upon  his  introduction  to  Mr.  Field  by  Mr.  May,  and  the 
presentation  of  his  letters,  Mr.  Field,  with  his  characteristic 
promptness  and  suavity,  said:  "I  have  no  place  for  you.  I 
know  your  father.  You  are  of  good  stock,  and  if  you  need 
New  York  references,  refer  to  me." 

He  did  not  find  it  necessary  to  call  on  Mr.  Field  again;  for, 
with  Mr.  May,  he  proceeded  to  the  office  of  White  &  Shef- 
field, then  a  leading  house  in  the  trade,  where,  after  a  few 
moments'  conversation,  he  was  requested  to  call  at  12  M. 
Prompt  to  the  minute  he  entered  the  office,  and,  during  the 
conversation  which  ensued,  Mr.  Sheffield  asked  him,  "what 
is  your  intention  in  coming  to  New  York  ?  "  The  reply  was 
promptly  made:  "  If  you  give  me  a  position  in  your  house,  I 
intend  to  make  myself  so  useful  that  you  will  give  me  an 
interest  in  your  concern."  Pleased  with  the  boy's  evident 
honesty  and  determination,  he  made  him  a  proposition  to 
come  for  a  salary  of  $400  per  annum. 

He  returned  the  next  day  to  Lee.  consulted  with  his  father, 
accepted  the  position,  and,  after  arranging  his  matters  in 
Pittsfield,  on  March  17,  1851,  with  $10  given  him  by  Ins 
father,  and  $5  by  his  mother,  with  a  tearful  request  that 
if  he  needed  money  at  any  time,  to  send  to  her,  but  which, 
fortunately,  he  never  found  it  necessary  to  do,  he  started 
forth,  determined  to  work  his  way  upward  without  assistance, 
if  industry  and  perseverance  could  accomplish  it.  Determined 
to  live  within  his  income,  he  (with  a  boy  from  his  native  town) 
engaged  board  in  Willoughby  street,  Brooklyn,  occupying  an 
attic  bed-room,  with  only  three  light  of  glass  in  a  sliding 
window,  one  chair,  and  small  wash-stand.  He  soon,  how- 
ever, managed,  with  his  friend,  to  obtain  a  larger  room  at  a 
moderate  price,  but  always  managed  to  live  within  his  in- 
come, and  save  a  little.  On  the  19th  of  March  he  entered  the 
employ  of  White  &  Sheffield  as  office  and  outside  boy. 

Although  the  youngest  clerk  in  the  house,  Mr.  Hulbert  w raa 
not  long  in  making  his  usefulness  felt.  While  in  Pittsfield  he 
had  been  accustomed  to  being  at  the  store  from  7  A.  M.  until 
10  to  11  o'clock  at  night,  and  the  hours  of  from  8  A.  M.  to  6 
P.  M.  seemed  short  to  him.  He  was  the  first  one  at  the  store 
and  the  last  one  away.  Having  no  acquaintances,  he  was 
early  to  bed;  and  in  the  morning,  refreshed  and  ready  for  his 
day's  work,  brought  to  his  business  all  the  energy  of  a  New 
England  boy,  willing  to  work  in  any  department  where  he 
could  be  of  use  to  bis  employers. 

In  December  the  same  year,  the  l>oi>k-keeper  and  cashier 
was  taken  sick,  and  the  firm  were  discussing  how  and  wliat 


882 


HISTORY  OF  KING S  COUNTY. 


should  l>e  done  to  keep  up  the  work  and  get  out  the  semi- 
annual ac  count  of  sales.  Young  Hull>ert.  hearing  the  conver- 
sation, volunteered  to  do  the  work.  His  offer  was  received 
with  incredulity  at  first;  the  idea  that  the  youngest  boy  could 
fill  the  place  of  the  highest  salaried  man  in  their  employ 
seemed  absurd:  hut  as  nothing  better  could  be  done,  he  was 
bid  to  try  and  see  what  he  could  do.  and,  it  must  be  added, 
with  his  experience  as  book-keeper  and  cashier  at  Pittstield, 
he  proved  himself  competent,  and  the  work  was  done  to  the 
entire  satisfaction  of  all  concerned;  and  from  this  time  on  he 
was  pushed  forward,  acting  as  most  needed  by  the  firm,  in 
selling,  buying,  negotiating,  etc. 

Soon  after,  a  misunderstanding  having  arisen  between 
White  &  Sheffield  and  Cyrus  W.  Field  &  Co.,  the  feeling  ran 
so  high  that  the  latter  returned  unanswered  the  letters  of  the 
former.  Mr.  Sheffield  directed  Mr.  Hulbert  to  take  a  letter  in 
person  to  Mr.  Field  and  settle  the  matter.  Entering  Mr. 
Field's  office  and  presenting  Mr.  Sheffield's  letter  to  Mr. 
Field,  the  latter  read  it  and  passed  it  to  his  partner,  who, 
having  read  it.  returned  it  to  Mr.  Field,  who,  without  a  word, 
directed  his  confidential  clerk  to  return  the  same  to  White  & 
Sheffield.  Mr.  Hulbert,  who  had  hitherto  kept  silent,  sug- 
gested at  this  point  that  a  settlement  was  no  doubt  desired  by 
all  parties,  but  that  it  could  never  be  reached  by  returning 
letters  unanswered.  "Are  you  empowered  to  settle  this  mat- 
ter." asked  Mr.  Field,  sharply.  Mr.  Hulbert  replied  he  was. 
and  forthwith  entered  into  the  discussion,  which  resulted  in 
settling  the  affair  to  the  satisfaction  of  his  employers,  and 
from  this  time  he  was  entrusted  with  many  matters  requiring 
careful  and  delicate  manipulation.  He  advanced  rapidly  in 
the  trust  and  confidence  of  his  employers,  and  so  valuable 
did  he  become,  that  January  1st,  1855,  less  than  four  years 
from  the  time  he  obtained  his  position  as  youngest  boy,  he 
was  given  an  interest  in  the  profits  in  lieu  of  a  salary.  Jan- 
uary 1st,  1856,  at  the  age  of  24  years,  he  was  admitted  a 
partner  in  the  concern,  the  firm  name  being  changed  to  J.  B. 
Sheffield  iV.  Co..  thus  fulfilling  his  promise  made  Mr.  Sheffield, 
in  1851.  that  he  intended  to  make  himself  so  valuable  they 
would  give  him  an  interest  in  their  'firm. 

September  13th,  1854,  at  the  age  of  22  years,  Mr.  Hulbert 
was  married  to  Miss  Susan  R.  Cooley  (step-daughter  of  Wm. 
Porter,  Esq.,  Attorney -at-Law',  of  Lee,  Mass.  He  was  then 
on  a  salary  of  $1,000  per  year  and  was  worth  less  than  $300. 
but  he  had  no  fear  of  his  ability  to  furnish  a  good  support. 
Two  years  later  Mrs.  Hulbert  became  a  confirmed  invalid, 
unable  to  even  turn  herself  in  bed.  and  for  three  years  re- 
mained in  this  most  helpless  condition,  and  it  was  over  seven 
y  ear-  before  she  was  restored  to  full  health  again.  The  ex- 
penses incurred  taxed  the  pluck  and  resources  of  the  young 
merchant  to  the  extreme,  and  though  the  panic  of  1857  swept 
away  a  portion  of  his  profits,  he  managed  to  preserve  his 
financial  credit  intact. 

During  the  crisis  of  1857  he  went  West,  and  rendered  im- 
portant services  to  his  bouse  by  making  settlements  and 
opening  new  accounts;  his  office  knowledge  enabling  him  to 
form  a  just  estimate  of  the  financial  condition  of  his 
customers. 

On  January  1.  1858,  the  term  of  the  co-partnership  of  J.  B. 
Sheffield  &  Co.  expired,  and  Mr.  Hull>ert  declined  to  renew 
it ,  although  offered  fifty  per  c  ent,  advance  on  his  former 
interest.  In  March,  18.>.  .,  settlement  with  J.  B.  Sheffield 
\  Co.  having  Ix'en  effected,  he  formed  a  new  co-partnership 
with  his  cousin.  Milan  Hulbert,  of  Boston,  as  general  partner, 
and  Otis  I)aniell.  o(  the  same  place,  as  special  partner.  The 
name  of  the  new  firm  wis  H.  C.  <V  M.  Hulbert.  its  capital 

>-  -I   an. I  the  principal  bu-ino-s  it  proposed  to  carry 

on  was  the  -ale  of  paper  makers'  supplies,  the  sale  of  paper 


being  only  a  secondary  object.  H.  C.  Hulbert  was  then  onlv 
26  years  old.  Immediately  on  the  formation  of  the  firm  he 
went  to  Europe  to  make  connections  for  purchasing  paper- 
makers'  materials,  and  succeeded  in  obtaining  valuable  exclu- 
sive agencies,  which  the  house  retains  at  the  present  day 
He  returned  in  October,  1858,  and  opened  a  house  at  B9  Join 
street.  Thus  began  the  firm  of  H.  C.  &  M.  Hulbert.  whic! 
enjoyed  a  prosperous  and  honorable  career  to  the  time  ,.t  i,„ 
dissolution  in  1872. 

At  the  time  of  Lincoln's  election  Mr.  Hulbert  was  in  Eng- 
land, and  the  news  reached  Liverpool  the  day  af  ter  h,  had 
sailed  for  New  York.    It  was  not  until  the  steamship  armcl 
off  Sandy  Hook,  and  a  pilot  had  brought  some  paper-  • 
board,  that  he  l>ecame  aware  of  the  fact.    Mrs.  Hulbert.  «l, 
was  standing  l>eside  him  as  be  glanc  ed  over  the  paper-,  asked 
him  what  was  the  matter.    "  Nothing,"  he  replied, 
that  there  is  the  biggest  kind  of  a  panic  in  New  York." 
During  the  crisis  of  1857,  Cyrus  W.  Field's  partner-  suspender 
while  he  was  on  the  way  from  Liverpool  to  this  city,  and  the 
recollection  of  that  circumstance  at  this  time  not  unnaturalh 
caused  Mr.  Hulbert  the  gravest  anxiety.    When  the  ship 
reached  her  pier  the  first  representative  of  his  house  that  hi 
met  was  a  small  boy.    "Well  Johnny,"  said  he,  what  is  the 
news?''    •-Oh,  nothing,  sir,"  replied  the  boy,  "  except  every- 
body's  'busting.'"     "What!  have  we  'busted,'  Johnm 
"Oh,  no,  sir  !    We  ain't  that  kind."    Mr.  Hulbert  said  aiv 
wards  that  the  relief  afforded  by  the  1m>v's  answer  was  inei 
pressible.  Going  from  the  steamer  direct  to  the  A-tor  H"ii»e 
and  leaving  his  wife  with  the  remark  that  he  might  not  be 
home  until  late,  he  went  to  bis  warehouse,  and,  before  leaving, 
made  himself  fully  acquainted  with  the  exact  rondil 
every  detail  of  the  firm's  finances,  and  the  next  day  was  at 
his  post  planning  and  arranging  the  alfairs  of  the  firm.  The 
house  never,  even  during  the  trying  times  of  1861 
any  financial  aid  from  its  special  partner,  or  asked  a  final 
favor  from  any  of  its  creditors. 

At  this  time,  H.  C.  &  M.  Hull>ert  were  doing  bu-i  wit! 

Goodwin  &  Sheldon,  paper-makers,  near  Hartford.  Soim 
their  paper  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  old  Hartford  Bank, 
which,  takinga  sudden  fit  of  uneasiness,  -cut  t..  iin|uin 
the  Hulberts,  of  Leonard  Church,  who  had  been  president  «f 
the  Lee  Bank,  at  Loo.  Mass..  but  had  afterward  removed  t" 
Hartford.    Mr.  Church  replied,  "I  do  not  know  how  much 
money  they  have  :  but  I  know  the  boys  and  tin  -t  •  k  \\-> 
come  from,  and  if  you  have  any  of  their  paj>er  that  you  dool 
want.  I  will  take  it.  less  interest."    The  hank,  it  is  in 
to  add,  did  not  part  with  the  paper. 

Goodwin  &  Sheldon  eventually  failed,  owing,  among  otbi  rs 
H.  C.  &  M.  Hulbert  and  David  Leavitt.  well  km 
as  the  president  of  the  American  Exchange  Bank,  who  wa-  a 
connection  of  Mr.  Goodwin.    Mr.  Hulbert  had  >-■< 
claim  by  a  special  agreement,  but  when  he  met  Mr.  N  c  H 
in  Hartford,  for  the  purpose  of  effecting  a  settlemel 
latter  disputed  the  validity  of  this  agreement.   Mr.  HulU  n 
said  he  was  willing  to  leave  the  matter  to  the  decision 
their  lawyers,  so  tin-  party  adjourned  to  Mr.  Hull- it 
in  the  hotel,  where  the  legal  gentlemen  proceeded  to  arpie 
the  question.    Mr.  Hullx'rt's  lawyer  cited  a  proc. 
Mr.  I/cavitt's  lawyer  declared  was  not  in  a  parallel  case.  Tin' 
former  began  to  argue  that  it  was  a  parallel  .  a-e.  wln-i  M: 
Hulbert  suddenly  interrupted  him  by  saying  :   "Allow  me  to 
suggest  that  you  ask  one  question,  and  that  is.  in  whml  n  -'  • 
the  parallel  does  not  hold  ':"    His  lawyer  saw  atone  tin  :nh  ' 
lage  to  l'c  gained  by  pressing  thai  question,  ind  the  othei 
side,  finding  that  it   wa-  not   a-  ea-y  to  demon-trad-  a-  t 
deny,  yielded  within  three  minute  s.    Mr.  Hulberl  there! 
got  his  money.    This  transaction  greatly  pleased  Mr  1>- 


BIOGRAPHIES  OF  BROOKLYN  CITIZENS. 


883 


notwithstanding  that  he  lost  money  by  it;  and  returning  to 
New  York  in  the  same  train  with  Mr.  Hulbert,  he  said : 
"Hulbert,  do  you  get  as  much  accommodation  as  you  want 
at  the  American  Exchange  Bank  ?  " 
"Not  always,"  replied  Mr.  Hulbert. 

"  Well,"  said  Mr.  Leavitt  (who  was  its  former  president), 
' '  if  tins  don't  treat  you  liberally  let  me  know  and  I  will  see 
you  are  well  cared  for." 

On  May  1,  1861,  the  firm  moved  from  83  John  street  to  13 
Beekman  street,  where  it  remained  for  twenty  years.  On 
January  1,  1862,  Mr.  Daniell  sold  out  his  interest  in  the  busi- 
ness to  the  general  partners,  on  the  most  liberal  terms,  giving 
them  three  years,  to  pay  in  installments  without  requiring 
any  security  whatever.  Notwithstanding  that  the  firm  sus- 
tained heavy  losses  from  the  panic  of  1861,  Mr.  Daniell  re- 
ceived, in  addition  to  his  original  capital,  a  handsome  share 
of  profits. 

On  the  first  of  January,  1872,  Milan  Hulbert  withdrew 
from  the  firm.  H.  C.  Hulbert  then  took  into  partnership 
Joseph  H.  Sutphin  and  George  P.  Hulbert,  and  the  name  of 
the  firm  was  changed  to  H.  C.  Hulbert  &  Co.  Both  of  these 
young  gentlemen  had  been  clerks  in  the  house  from  boydiood, 
and  the  latter  was  a  cousin  of  the  head  of  the  firm.  George 
P.  Hulbert  died  before  the  close  of  1872,  and  the  other  part- 
ners have  continued  under  the  same  firm  name.    Up  to  this 


date  the  credit  of  the  house  ranks  as  high  as  that  of  any  firm 
in  the  trade. 

Mrs.  Hulbert  died  in  August,  1882,  leaving  two  daughters, 
one  of  whom,  Susan  C,  is  the  wife  of  Mr.  Jos.  H.  Sutphin 
(Mr.  Hulbert's  only  partner);  the  younger  daughter,  Caroline 
Beardsley  Hulbert,  was  born  October  5,  1870. 

Mrs.  Hulbert  was  for  many  years  the  treasurer  of  the 
Brooklyn  Industrial  School  and  Home  for  Destitute  Children, 
in  which  she  always  took  a  deep  interest.  Mr.  Hulbert  is 
also  one  of  its  avdisors. 

Mr.  Hulbert  has  never  sought  office  or  allowed  his  name  to 
be  used  except  with  the  strongest  and  best  corporations  in  the 
country'. 

He  has  been  for  many  years  a  director  in  the  Importers' 
and  Traders'  National  Bank  of  New  York.  He  is  one  of  the 
trustees  of  the  South  Brooklyn  Savings  Bank.  He  is  also 
one  of  the  directors  of  the  Pullman  Palace  Car  Co.,  as  well 
as  of  several  other  companies. 

January  1,  1880,  Mr.  Hulbert  shook  off  the  cares  of  busi- 
ness, which  he  had  borne  for  nearly  thirty  years,  and,  with 
his  family,  started  on  a  pleasure  trip  for  England,  Egypt, 
Palestine,  Athens,  Constantinople  and  the  Continent,  return- 
ing to  New  York  in  September  the  same  year,  since 
which  time  he  has,  as  usual,  been  managing  his  various  in- 
trests. 


AARON  D.  FARMER. 


Aaron  D.  Farmer. — There  are  in  the  United 
States  nearly  10,000  newspapers,  and  probably  twice 
that  number  of  printing  offices  for  the  production  of 
every  class  of  printing,  from  a  business  card  to  an 
encyclopedia;  and  in  every  one  of  these  offices,  to  every 
printer  employed  th  erein,  the  name  of  the  firm  of 
Farmer,  Little  &  Co.,  is  as  a  household  word.  This 
house  was  established  in  1810;  and,  in  the  early  part  of 
this  century,  was  owned  by  Elihu  White,  and  located 
at  the  corner  of  Lombard  and  Thames  streets,  New 
York. 

Aaron  D.  Farmer,  the  senior  member  of  the  firm 
now,  and  for  many  years  past,  the  owner  of  this  time- 
honored  enterprise,  was  born  in  Bolton,  Tolland  county, 
Conn.,  in  January,  1816. 

In  1830,  he  came  to  New  York,  and  entered  Elihu 
White's  type  foundry,  then  located  as  above  stated, 
where  his  efficiency  in  the  manufacturing  department 
was  recognized,  and  he  was  made  manager  of  the 
same.  Charles  T.  White  &  Co.  were  the  successors  of 
Elihu  White,  and  were  superseded,  in  1857,  by 
Farmer,  Little  &  Co. 

Of  the  present  members  of  the  house  it  can  be  said 
that  they  are  all  active  workers  and  practical  men  in 
their  trade;  the  senior  member  of  the  firm  having  been 
for  more  than  half  a  century  continuously  connected 
with  the  business,  to  numerous  details  of  which  he 
still  gives  his  personal  attention,  though  past  the  age 


at  which  a  less  active  man  would  have  relinquished 
his  cares  to  younger  heads  and  hands. 

Mr.  Farmer  is  exceedingly  strong  and  well  pre- 
served, mentally  and  physically,  and  the  enterprise  of 
his  younger  years,  the  influence  of  which  contributed 
not  a  little  to  the  growth  and  prosperity  of  his  cel- 
ebrated house,  seems  to  be  unimpaired  by  the  passage 
of  time.  He  is  a  Republican  in  political  faith,  though 
in  no  sense  of  the  term  a  politician,  and  has  for  many 
years  been  an  attendant  upon  the  services  of  old  St. 
Anne's  church,  and  a  liberal  supporter  of  its  various 
interests.  He  married  Sarah  Burns,  of  New  York, 
and  has  two  daughters  and  a  son.  The  latter,  Mr. 
William  W.  Farmer,  is  a  member  of  the  firm  of 
Farmer,  Little  &  Co.,  and  from  early  youth  has  accus- 
tomed himself  to  the  various  processes  of  type  manu- 
facture, and  is  now  practically  conversant  with  the 
entire  range  of  knowledge  in  this  special  department- 
surpassed,  perhaps,  by  his  father  only,  who  is  often 
called  upon  by  type  founders  of  long  experience  as  an 
expert  in  many  nice  questions,  which,  from  time  to 
time,  arise  concerning  type  and  its  manufacture. 

The  firm  of  Farmer,  Little  &  Co.  employ  from  two 
hundred  to  two  hundred  and  seventy-five  hands,  and 
make  all  descriptions  of  plain  and  ornamental  types, 
borders,  rules,  dashes  and  ornaments,  besides  making 
their  own  tjrpe-casting  machines,  steel  punches,  mat- 
rices, and  other  necessary  appointments  to  a  first-class 
type  foundry. 


884 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


DANIEL  C.  ROBBINS. 


Daniel  C.  Robbins,  of  the  well-known  firm  of 
McKesson  &  Robbins,  wholesale  druggists  and  manu- 
facturing chemists,  was  born  at  Roslyn,  New  York,  in 
the  year  1815.  He  engaged  in  the  drug  business  as  an 
assistant  in  an  apothecary  establishment  in  the  year 
1826,  and  continued  in  this  pursuit  until  April  1st,  1833, 
when  an  arrangement  was  made  with  the  firm  of  Olcott 
A:  McKesson,  who  had  commenced  the  wholesale  or 
jobbing  trade  in  Maiden  Lane,  New  York,  in  the  month 
of  January  previous.  Mr.  Robbins,  while  engaged  in 
this  establishment,  continued  his  studies  in  pharmacy; 
and  graduating  in  the  New  York  College  of  Pharmacy 
in  the  year  1836,  was  admitted  into  partnership  with 
Charles  M.  Olcott  and  John  McKesson  in  the  year  1841. 
The  new  firm  took  the  title  of  Olcott,  McKesson  &  Co., 
and  commenced  business  by  purchasing  the  stock  and 
good  will  of  David  Pratt,  the  successor  of  the  old  house 
of  Warren,  Pratt  &  Co.;  and  in  the  following  year  they 
purchased  the  premises  and  building  at  127  Maiden 
Lane,  to  which  they  removed  on  the  1st  of  May,  1842. 

The  warehouse,  with  stock  and  fixtures,  was  entirely 
destroyed  by  fire  on  the  2d  of  July,  1850,  but  the 
premises  were  rebuilt  within  a  few  months,  and  a  new 
partnership  established  by  the  same  partners,  under  the 
firm  name  of  Olcott,  McKesson  <fe  Robbins. 

Mr.  Charles  M.  Olcott,  the  senior  partner,  died  in 
August,  1853,  and  the  business  was  continued  by 
McKesson  &  Robbins,  which  has  continued  to  be  the 
firm  title  of  the  house.  Mr.  Geo.  B.  Gilbert,  Mr.  Olcott's 
assistant  in  the  financial  department  of  the  business, 
was  admitted  as  a  partner  in  January,  1854.  John 
McKesson,  Jr.,  was  admitted  in  18G5,  William  Hull 
Wickham  in  1870,  and  Charles  A.  Robbins,  son  of  D. 
C.  Robbins,  in  1876,  all  of  whom  had  been  previously 
connected  with  the  house  as  assistants  in  various 
capacities.  To  keep  pace  with  the  progress  of  trade, 
and  to  meet  the  requirements  of  an  increasing  business, 
Messrs.  McKesson  »t  Robbins  built,  in  1855,  a  large 
business  warehouse,  which  is  situated  on  Fulton  street, 
near  William  street.  The  building  is  a  brick  structure 
with  a  front  on  Fulton  street  of  50  feet,  and  comprises 
Nob.  91  and  93  Fulton  street,  and  80,  82  and  84  Ann 
street,  with  an  area  of  a  little  over  50  by  120  feet, 
with  5  stories  in  front  on  Fulton  street  and  6  stories  in 
the  rear  on  Ann  street,  with  basement  and  vaults  and 
subcollar,  making  a  total  of  50,000  square  feet  of  floor 
room  on  the  premises. 

As  this  main  building  in  time  came  to  be  wholly 
required  for  the  display  of  stock  and  for  the  execution 
of  orders,  the  storage  of  goods  was  mainly  accomplished 
in  three  other  and  separate  buildings.  From  the  incon- 
venience arising  from  this  want  of  concentration  of 


stock,  and  the  necessities  of  an  increasing  business,  the 
firm  built,  in  1879,  an  adjoining  building,  50  by  120 
feet,  thus  doubling  their  former  space. 

The  principal  part  of  this  additional  extension,  50  by 
120  feet,  is  now  occupied  by  extensive  apparatus  for  the 
manufacture  of  chemical  and  pharmaceutical  prepara- 
tions. In  addition  to  their  extensive  importing,  dis- 
tributing and  manufacturing  business,  McKesson  Jc 
Robbins  are  considerable  exporters  to  Central  and  South 
America  and  the  West  India  Islands,  and  other  foreiga 
countries. 

The  firm  has  kept  up  with  the  progress  of  the  trade, 
and  with  every  improvement  in  the  practice  of  phar- 
macy, as  well  as  in  mercantile  business.  They  have 
aimed  to  place  themselves  at  the  head  of  their  profession, 
and  their  success  in  these  endeavors  is  generally  admit- 
ted. They  are  largely  engaged  in  the  manufacture 
of  well-known  medicinal  and  officinal  specialties  which 
are  widely  used  and  approved.  They  were  the  first  to 
introduce  into  general  use  the  capsulation  of  quinine 
and  other  medicinal  drugs,  whereby  the  prescriptions  of 
physicians  have  been  rendered  less  obnoxious  without 
interfering  with  their  efficacy;  while  such  a  perfect  divi- 
sion and  combination  of  materials  is  effected  that  every 
capsule  or  pill,  as  these  are  frequently  called,  is  abso- 
lutely certain  to  contain  the  actual  amouut  in  the 
formula. 

The  importance  of  this  can  be  readily  appreciated 
where  active  poisons  are  prescribed,  and  it  ha-  aim—: 
revolutionized  the  dispensing  of  medicines.  In  inn 
cantile  transactions  in  the  purchase  of  crude  drugs,  the 
same  care  and  foresight  has  been  manifested;  and  this 
distinguished  house,  which  is  the  growth  of  half  a  cen- 
tury of  steady  application  and  development,  i 
superior  facilities  and  a  most  enviable  reputation  when- 
ever known.  Indeed,  it  would  be  difficult  to  point  Ml 
any  important  locality  where  it  is  not  known,  because 
the  drug  trade  is  the  least  circumscribed  of  all  pur-nits. 
All  the  most  important  remedies  in  the  crude  or  nat- 
ural form  are  indigenous  to  special  countries;  as,  f<>r 
example,  quinine,  one  of  the  most  important  of  all 
remedies,  is  the  product  of  the  cinchona  tree,  which 
only  grows  at  a  high  elevation,  while  it  is  the  -pcci.il 
remedy  for  the  depressing  malarial  diseases  which  pre 
vail  in  low  countries.  In  this  connection  it  may  he  said 
that  the  science  and  the  practice  of  medicine  is  similar 
in  all  civilized  countries,  as  a  constant  exchange  of 
remedies  and  of  collective  experience  take-  place. 
The  profession,  also,  of  medicine,  while  it  may  not  1»« 
said  to  hold  a  superior  place  among  other  profession*, 
really  one  of  the  most  important,  because  il  cannot  he 
circumscribed  by  any   future  progress.    Wars  may 


BIOGRAPHIES  OF  BROOKLYN  CITIZENS. 


885 


cease,  the  practice  of  Law  may  be  greatly  limited,  and 
the  work  of  the  teacher  of  the  race  improve,  or  the 
cultivation  of  its  powers  become  less  difficult,  and  there- 
fore  Less  important;  but  the  province  of  the  physician 
will  never  be  less  needful,  for  all  the  great  problems  of 
birth  and  life  and  death  can  never  be  diminished;  they 
can  only  be  more  appreciated  as  civilization  advances. 
Among  the  truths  which  pertain  to  human  life,  none 
is  better  understood  among  intelligent  observers  than 
the  fact  that  as  all  the  savage  races  disappear  when 
placed  in  contact  with  civilized  life,  the  continuance  of 
civilized  life  is  hardly  possible  without  the  care  of  medi- 
cal science  and  those  sanitary  provisions  which  increase  in 
importance  with  the  increase  of  population  everywhere. 


Mr.  Robbins  was  married,  and  became  a  resident  of 
Brooklyn,  in  the  year  1846.  lie  has  the  good  fortune 
to  be  surrounded  with  all  those  attractions  for  which 
Brooklyn  is  justly  famous  as  a  city  of  model  American 
homes.  He  is  an  old  and  highly-esteemed  citizen,  and 
has  always  evinced  a  warm  interest  in  the  growth  and 
development  of  the  city  where  he  resides.  He  is  an 
able  contributor  to  the  literature  of  his  profession;  and 
has  earned  a  degree  of  learning,  experience  and 
literary  ability  in  the  improvement  of  his  profession, 
and  in  the  discussion  of  commercial  questions  in  which 
the  public  is  greatly  interested,  which  gives  him  a 
deserved  reputation  in  the  business  circles  of  the 
metropolis  as  well  as  in  the  country  at  large. 


LEWIS  T.  LAZELL. 


Mr.  Lewis  T.  Lazell,  senior  member  of  the  well- 
known  firm  of  Lazell,  Marsh  &  Gardiner,  wholesale 
dealers  in  drugs  and  druggists'  supplies,  at  No.  10 
Gold  street,  New  York,  and  for  many  years  a  resident 
of  Brooklyn,  is  descended  from  Huguenot  stock,  and 
was  born  in  Bellingham,  Massachusetts,  February  19, 
1825. 

The  first  of  the  name  of  Lazell,  in  America,  came  to 
Hingham,  Massachusetts,  in  1037.  The  family  re- 
mained in  that  State,  and  many  of  the  name,  in  succes- 
sive generations,  lived  in  the  vicinity  of  Hingham,  and 
of  Bridgewater.  Joshua  Lazell,  great-grandfather  of 
Lewis  T.  Lazell,  lived  at  Bellingham,  Massachusetts, 
was  a  soldier  in  the  American  cause  in  the  Revolution, 
and  was  at  Boston  at  the  time  of  the  battle  of  Bunker 
Hill,  but  is  thought  not  to  have  participated  in  that 
historical  engagement. 

Joshua  Lazell  had  children  named  Warren,  Daniel, 
John,  Lavinia  and  Elias.  John,  one  of  these,  removed 
to  Ohio,  and  became  a  judge,  and  was  known  as  a 
prominent  man  in  his  time.  Daniel  was  a  farmer  at 
Bellingham,  and  was  a  leader  among  the  Baptists  of 
that  locality,  long  holding  the  office  of  deacon  of  the 
old  Bellingham  Baptist  Church.  He  died,  leaving 
children  named  Warren,  Jonathan  E.,  Nathan,  Lorinda 
and  Caroline.  Jonathan  E.  Lazell  became  a  Baptist 
clergyman,  and  at  one  time  was  pastor  of  the  First 
Baptist  Church  of  Brooklyn.  Warren  Lazell  passed 
his  early  life  on  a  farm,  and  later  became  a  New  Eng- 
land schoolmaster.  He  married  Miss  Sophia  Thurber, 
and  not  long  afterward,  when  Lewis  T.  Lazell,  his  eld- 
est child,  was  an  infant,  removed  from  Bellingham  to 
Worcester,  where  he  became  known  as  a  school  teacher, 
and  later  as  a  bookseller. 

Lewis  T.  Lazell  was  educated  in  the  public  schools 
of  Worcester;  and,  in  1830,  at  the  age  of  fourteen,  be- 
came a  clerk  in  the  book-store  of  Clarendon  Harris,  who 
is  still  living,  and  a  highly  esteemed  resident  of  that 


city.  Soon  afterward,  Warren  Lazell  became  the 
owner  of  another  book-store;  and,  in  1842,  his  son  began 
to  assist  him  in  the  conduct  of  his  business.  He  was 
then  seventeen  years  of  age.  Two  years  later  he  went 
to  Troy,  New  York,  and  for  a  year  was  employed  in  a 
factory  there.  In  1845,  at  the  age  of  twenty,  he  re- 
turned to  Worcester,  where  he  associated  himself  with 
an  apothecary  named  David  Scott,  Jr.,  and  engaged  in 
the  drug  trade. 

Five  years  after  thus  beginning  the  career  in  which 
he  was  destined  to  make  the  business  success  of  his 
life,  Mr.  Lazell  purchased  the  interest  of  his  partner, 
Mr.  Scott,  and  continued  the  business  as  sole  proprietor 
until  1855;  when  he  removed  to  New  York,  in  company 
with  Mr.  Edward  H.  Marsh,  a  former  clerk  in  his  em- 
ploy, and  bought  the  jobbing  trade  of  Haskell,  Merrick 
&  Bull,  at  No.  10  Gold  street,  where  he  has  since  been 
located;  his  partners  in  the  transaction  being  Mr.  Marsh 
and  Mr.  Freneau  Hunn,  a  former  employe  of  Messrs. 
Haskell,  Merrick  <fc  Bull.  Mr.  Hunn  retired  from  the 
firm  on  account  of  ill-health,  in  January,  1860,  and 
died  not  long  afterward.  At  the  date  mentioned,  Mr. 
Warren  B.  Gardiner  became  a  member  of  the  firm,  and 
the  house  then  became  known  as  that  of  Lazell,  Marsh 
&  Gardiner.  Mr.  Gardiner  retired  in  January,  1881, 
and  the  business  has  since  been  continued  under  the 
same  firm  name.  Mr.  Alfred  N.  Andrus  became  a 
partner  in  the  concern  in  July,  1883.  This  business, 
which  Mr.  Lazell  and  his  associates  began  on  a  small 
scale,  has,  despite  the  periods  of  financial  distress 
through  which  it  has  passed,  been  very  successful,  and 
having  been  enlarged  and  increased  five-fold,  the  trade 
of  the  firm  now  extends  to  all  parts  of  the  Union. 

Politically,  Mr.  Lazell  is  a  Republican,  but  the  de- 
mands of  his  business  have  been  so  unremitting  upon  his 
time  and  energies,  that  he  has  never  had  an  opportu- 
nity to  devote  more  than  passing  attention  to  public 
affairs,  though  taking  the  interest  of  an  earnest  and 


886 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


well-informed  citizen  in  all  questions  affecting  our  na- 
tional existence  or  the  public  prosperity.  In  religious 
belief  he  adheres  to  the  faith  of  his  family,  and  has 
long  been  a  member,  and  for  twenty-five  years  a  trus- 
tee, of  the  Pierrepont  Street  Baptist  Church  of  Brook- 
lyn, lie  married  Miss  Kllen  Stone,  second  daughter  of 
Daniel  Stone,  Ksij.,  of  Worcester,  Massachusetts,  and 
has  four  daughters. 

Among  sportsmen,  Mr.  Lazcll  has  a  wide  and  envi- 
able reputation;  and  he  has  long  been  an  ardent  and  in- 


defatigable disciple  of  Isaac  Walton,  and  is  recognised 
as  an  enthusiastic  angler,  lie  was  one  of  the  founders 
of  the  Ognossoc  Angling  Association,  of  Franklin 
county,  Maine;  and  spends  the  month  of  September 
each  year,  fishing  amid  the  solitudes  of  the  Pine  Tree 
State.  An  earnest,  devoted  adherent  to  any  cause  ll(. 
espouses,  he  is  regarded  by  those  interested  in  thiselsb 
and  by  others  with  whom  he  has  been  brought  in  contact 
in  connection  with  business,  social,  religious,  charitable 
or  public  interests,  as  at  once  generous  and  helpful. 


JEREMIAH  J.  RAPPFLYEA 


The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  the  youngest 
child  of  Folkert  Rappelyea  and  Agnes  De  Bevoise, 
his  wife.  lie  was  born  February,  15th,  1813, 
in  the  old  Rappelyea  house,  built  by  his  great-grand- 
father and  situated  on  Cripple  Bush  Boad,  "Walla- 
bout.  He  was  educated  in  the  small  red  school-house 
situated  on  the  same  road  at  a  point  where  Flushing 
avenue  now  crosses  Lee  avenue;  and  which  was  liic 
same  building  in  which  his  uncle  and  guardian,  Gen. 
Jeremiah  Johnson,  started  a  Sunday  school  in  the  year 
1  S:;n,  which  was  the  beginning  of  the  famous  Lee  Avenue 
Sunday  School.  In  this  same  red  school-house  was 
afterwards  held  one  of  the  largest  and  most  flourishing 
public  schools  in  the  city,  presided  over  by  the  late 
Samuel  C.  Barnes,  and  known  as  No.  4.  After  receiv- 
ing a  common-school  education,  he  entered  the  grocery 
store  of  Balph  Malbonc.  which  then  occupied  the  point 
new  or  lately  occupied  by  the  Long  Island  Savings 
Bank. 


He  there  become  .acquainted  with  most  of  tit 
prominent  down-town  people,  such  as  Domonie  John- 
son, Bergen  Stryker,  and  others.  lie  was  employed 
there  some  time  as  clerk,  until  his  guardian  thought  it 
better  that  he  should  return  to  the  farm,  ami  there  lie 
remained  until  he  moved  from  the  old  house:  being  the 
last  Kappelyea  who  lived  there,  as  it  was  shortly  after- 
wards torn  down  on  account  of  its  age.  During  hit 
residence  in  the  old  house,  he  married  Ann  Pilling. 
They  then  moved  with  their  three  children  to  the 
house  he  had  built  on  the  upper  portion  of  his  farm, 
where  he  led  a  quiet  farmer's  life.  He  was  ;i  member 
of  the  Brooklyn  Iloree  Guards,  until  trouble  arose  in 
regard  to  foreigners  in  the  ranks;  when  he  took  skies 
with  the  foreigners,  Hilliard,  Dobson,  McLeer,  Pilling 
and  others,  and  helped  form  the  Washington  Horse,  <>f 
which  company  he  was  made  First  Lieutenant,  the  only 
public  office  he  ever  held.  He  died  May  6th,  1868,  in 
his  fifty-fifth  year. 


Cc-/ 


HISTORY 

OF  THE 

MEDICAL  PROFESSION 

OF  THE 

City  of  Brooklyn, 

1822-1884. 

by  ff.  4r*t^. 


[N  pages  414  to  418,  we  recorded  the  History  of 
the  Medical  Profession   in  Kings  County,  from 
its  earliest  known  beginnings  to  the  formation, 
in  1822,  of  the  Kings  County  Medical  Society. 
Ve  now  proceed  to  trace  the  history  of  this  So- 
icty,  and  the  profession  generally,  down  to  the  pres- 
nt  time.* 

Kings  County  Medical  Society.  — In  1837  the 
ociety  ordered  three  hundred  copies  of  their  by-laws 
Tinted.  It  may  be  stated,  in  passing,  that  evidence  ex- 
sts  indicating  that  in  1822,  and  again  in  1829,  the 
ociety  had  its  constitution  printed.  At  this  last  date 
here  were  thirty-six  active  members  belonging  to  the 
ociety.  In  1836  the  Code  of  Ethics  of  the  State  Soci- 
ly  was  adopted,  and  in  1848  the  code  of  Ethics  of  the 
American  Medical  Association.  From  its  formation,  in 
822,  till  the  repeal  of  that  power  by  the  Legislature 
n  1881,  the  Kings  County  Society  conferred  sixteen 
icenses  to  practice  medicine. 

Among  the  many  men  who  have  belonged,  and  now 
>elong,  to  the  profession,  there  are  but  very  few  who 
lave  violated  their  faith  as  physicians  and  their  honor 
is  men.  The  vast  majority  have  followed  their  calling 
n  the  full  spirit  of  its  nobility;  have  met  and  combat- 
ed disease  and  death  without  fear  and  without  pre- 
umpuon;  and  many,  far  more  than  can  be  estimated, 
lave  not  only  given  their  time  and  strength  in  work,  in 
nedical  charities,  but  have  contributed  as  well  the 
lard-earned  fees  obtained  from  wealthier  patients  for 
he  relief  of  pain  and  suffering  in  the  homes  of 
)Overty  and  woe.  Faithfully  working  in  their  chosen 
ields  of  labor  till  the  hour  came  for  their  departure, 


'  Medical  Society  of  the  County  ov  Kings.— Officers  and  com- 
(tteea  far  1888:  G  G.  Hopkins,  M  D.,  233  Lafayetto  avenue,  1'rcsidcnl; 
■  L.  Colton,  M.D.,  130  Montague  street,  Vice-President ;  R.  M.  Wyckoff, 
I.D.,  .MCJ  Clinton  avenue,  Secretary;  E.  H.  Squibb,  M.D.,  38  Doughty 
•treet,  Assistant  Secretary .;  J.  It.  Vanderveer,  M.D.,301  Carlton  avenue, 
Vreasurcr ;  T.  It.  French,  M.D.,  109  Clinton  avenue,  Librarian.  Censors  ■ 
\  Hutchins,  M.D.;  C.  Jewett,  M.D.,  J.  S.  Wight,  M.D.;  G.  R.  Fowler, 
«  D.;  n.  F.  Westbrook,  M.D.  Delegates  to  the  Medical  Society  of  the 
ftatt  of  Sew  Fork  (1882  to  1885) ;  Drs.  J.  C.  Shaw,  C.  Jewett,  T  R. 
renoh,  E.  N  Chapman,  Q.  G  Hopkins,  J.  A.  McCorkle,  S.  Sherwell, 
.  li  Hunt,  J.  Byrne,  H.  F,  Westbrook,  G.  W,  Baker,  L.  S.  Pilcher. 


they  have  left  but  small  record  of  their  toil  behind 
them  as  individuals.  In  a  profession  where  disease  and 
death  are  the  enemies  that  must  be  met,  many  have 
contracted  the  contagion  which  they  were  seeking 
to  overcome,  and  have  died  in  harness.  In  a  busi- 
ness that  is  not  over  lucrative,  most  of  its  followers 
have  reached  their  end  poor,  and  left  their  families 
without  competence.  While  their  individual  records 
are  not  voluminous,  their  work  in  the  abstract  has  small 
need  of  a  historiographer.  The  limits  of  this  work 
render  it  impossible  to  mention  more  than  the  few  of 
those  who,  by  their  abilities  either  in  discovery  or  by 
their  contributions  to  medical  literature,  have  become 
leaders  in  the  profession;  but  leaders  in  any  cause  are 
useless,  unless  sustained  by  the  rank  and  file  ;  while 
leaders  direct,  armies  fight  battles.  Among  the  few 
names  that  may  be  mentioned  is  that  of 

Dr.  Mathew  Wendell,  first  Vice-President  and  sixth 
President  of  the  Society  He  came  to  Brooklyn,  from  his 
birthplace,  Albany:  having  been  a  student  with  Dr.  Hyde, 
of  Bethlehem,  N.  Y.  He  became  a  licentiate  in  1804,  and, 
entering  into  partnership  with  Dr.  Charles  Ball,  in,  or  about 
1806,  he  opened  an  office  at  the  corner  of  Sands  and  Fulton 
streets.  The  Doctor  was  a  practitioner  in  the  days  when  Calo- 
mel, Jalap  and  blood-letting  prevailed;  and,  when  it  is  said 
that  he  was  a  conscientious  man,  a  statement  that  he  believed 
in  the  efficacy  of  that  treatment  is  unnecessary.  Dignified, 
courteous,  and  with  great  natural  ability,  to  which  he  had 
added  by  study,  he  obtained  and  retained  a  large  practice. 
For  many  years  he  was  Health  Officer  of  the  city,  and,  in 
hours  of  pestilence,  as  well  as  quiet,  displayed  keen  executive 
ability.  The  end  of  his  life  was  somewhat  sad.  He  exceeded 
the  allotted  age  of  man  by  some  eleven  years.  Under  the 
long-continued  strain,  his  mind  had  weakened,  and  he  be- 
came a  devotee  to  the  form  of  gambling  known  as  "policy." 
His  end  came  from  cancer  of  the  stomach,  in  July,  18(50. 


Dr.  Adrian  Vanderveer,  born  in  Flatbush,  December  21, 
1796,  was  the  great-grandson  of  Cornelis  Vanderveer,  who 
settled  in  the  village  in  1683.  At  an  early  age  he  was  sent  to 
Erasmus  Hall  Academy,  where  he  was  prepared  for  college; 
and,  when  16,  entered  Columbia  College,  graduating  with 
a  very  creditable  record  in  1816.  He  studied  medicine  at  the 
College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  New  York,  being  also  an 


8S8 


office  student  of  the  late  eminent  surgeon.  Dr.  Wright  Post. 
In  1819,  at  the  age  of  twenty-three,  lie  graduated  as  M.  D., 
and  entered  upon  a  practice  which  ere  long  extended  over 
the  whole  of  Kings  county.  At  the  organization  of  the 
Medical  Society,  he  was  elected  secretary  of  that  body, 
and  became  its  seventh  president,  holding  that  office 
during  the  years  1837-38.  It  is  not  unworthy  of  note 
that  he  and  Dr.  T.  W.  Henry  were  the  only  members 
of  the  saciety,  at  its  organization,  who  were  graduates 
from  a  medical  college,  the  other  members  being  licen- 
tiates. In  the  epidemic  of  Asiatic  cholera  in  1832,  Dr. 
Vanderveer  was  appointed  Health  Officer  of  Flatbush.  In 
1838,  he  abandoned  general  practice  ani  confined  himself  to 
a  special  branch  of  the  profession,  contemporaneously  with 
Dr.  Sabine,  of  New  York.  Tnis,  of  course,  aroused  some  op- 
position from  his  medical  brethren  ;  but,  persevering  in  his 
ideas,  be  eventually  accomplished  great  success,  patients  vis- 
iting him  from  all  over  the  country  aud  from  abroad.  He 
also  received  a  large  numb 31  of  letters  from  distinguished 
Euglish  and  Continental  surgeons  aud  physicians,  seeking  ad- 
vice in  his  speciality,  and  informing  him  of  the  marked  suc- 
cess of  his  method  in  the  cases  they  had  sent  to  him  for  treat- 
ment. His  success  was,  indeed,  remarkable;  and  it  is  to  be  re- 
gretted that  no  record  of  his  cases  was  kept,  aud  that  he  never 
published  anything  on  the  subject.  With  an  office  at  Flat- 
bush  aud  another  in  Brooklyn,  it  was  almost  impossible  for 
him  to  attend  to  all  who  applied  to  him.  Long  before  office 
hours,  a  line  of  carriages  was  in  waiting  in  front  of  his 
office;  and  from  his  Brooklyn  office  he  was  seldom  able  to 
return  until  long  after  midnight.  Had  he  not  been  possessed 
of  an  iron  constitution,  as  well  as  uutiring  energy  and  an  in- 
domitable will,  be  could  not  have  accomplished  his  work. 
But  twelve  years  of  this  labor  ended  in  an  attack  of  paralysis 
in  1850;  and,  though  he  rallied  from  it,  and  assoc  iated  with 
him  his  nephew  and  student,  Dr.  John  R.  Vanderveer,  yet 
he  was  ultimately  compelled  to  relinquish  practice  entirely. 
He  died  July  5,  1857,  in  his  sixty-first  year.  In  1832,  he  was 
medical  adviser  to  the  village  Board  of  Health;  in  1825,  with 
Rev.  Dr.  Strong,  he  organized  the  Reformed  Church  Sabbath 
School:  was  its  superintendent  for  nearly  thirty  years,  aud 
an  elder  for  many  years.  He  was  a  thorough  Bible  student, 
well  versed  in  theological  lore;  and  especially  interested  in 
horticulture,  his  garden  being  filled  with  rare  and  beautiful 
plants  fn>m  all  climes.  He  was  a  man  of  remarkable  de- 
cision, clear  intellect  and  sound  judgment.* 

Contemporary  with  Dr.  Vanderveer,  for  many  years, 
was 

Dk.  John  Barkea  Zaukiskie.  sou  of  Rev.  JohnL.  Zabriskie 
and  Sarah  Rarrea  de  la  Montagnie,  born  at  Greenbush,  N.  Y., 
April  20,  1805:  removed  with  his  parents,  at  the  age  of  six. 
to  Millstone,  N.  J.  H"  was  prepared  for  college  by  a  private 
tutor;  and,  when  sixteen,  entered,  as  junior,  Union  College, 
where  his  father  had  been  a  member  of  the  first  class  which 
graduated  in  1797.  At  college  he  became  intimately  ac- 
quainted with  Hon.  John  A.  Lott  ;  and,  at  the  close  of  his 
OOllege  course,  began  the  study  of  medicine  in  the  office  of 
Dr.  Wm.  IfoKeesiclc,  attending  two  courses  of  lectures  at  the 
College  of  Physic  ians  and  Surgeons,  New  York.  He  became 
a  licentiate  of  the  New  Jersey  Medical  Society  in  1H>7.  but  no! 
being  satisfied  with  this  license,  lie  took  a  final  course  of  lec- 
tures ami  graduated  from  the  rniwrsilv  of  Pennsylvania. 
April  Oth.  1887.  He  began  practice  in  New  York  city.  but.  in 
1*30,  when  Dr.  Isaac  I.  Ba|»elyea  moved  to  Brooklyn,  Za- 
briskie took  his  place  in  New  Lots,  where  his  peculiar  tal- 
ents, affable  m  iii'iers  and  remarkable  professional  skill  soon 
brought  him  into  an  extensive  practice  in  the  county,  al- 
though the  field  was  already  occupied  by  eminent  physicians. 


Iu  1829,  he  became  a  member  of  the  Kings  County  Media 
Society.    He  held  at  different  times  the  office  of  secretan 
censor  (1832),  delegate  to  the  State  Medical  Society  (1830 
and  president  of  the  County  Society  in  1839.  Deepl 
engaged  as  he  was  in  professional  duties,  he  found  tun 
to  devote  to  the  public  weal.    Iu  1847;  he  was  superii 
tendent  of  the  Flatbush  School  District,  which  at  that  Unit 
and  till  1852,  included  the  present  New  Lots  ;  and  it  wt 
one  of  his  acts  that  created  School  District  No.  3,  euibra. 
ing  the  territory  of  Cypress  Hills  and  East  New  York.  II 
was  a  man  of  peculiarly  diversified  talent,  and  his  hour*  i 
relaxation  were  devoted  to  the  scientific  pursuits  of  ihum 
botany,  horticulture,  etc.  He  was  interested  in  photogapln 
and  to  >k  pictures  by  the  camera  long  before  it  came  mi 
general  use;  he  experimented  with  electricity  and  gal  vaakm 
aud  left  many  "plaster  casts  of  groups  aud  medallions  of  In 
own  modelling.    He  was  a  frequent  contributor  to  the  4 
ican  Journal  of  Medical  Sciences  (vol.  xii.,  1340):  early  discox 
ered  the  virtues  of  Sanicula  Marilandica  iu  the  treatment  u 
chorea  (S:.  Vitus'  Dance);  was  appointed  by  the  Km; 
County  Medical  Society  to  prepare  a  paper  on  the  lleiica 
Topography  of  Kings  County  "  (see  Trans.  N.  Y.  Sla1<  .1/. 
Soc,  1832);  was  physician  in  charge  of  the  Kings  Count 
Alms-house  ;  member  of  the  Flatbush  Board  of  Health, aud 
trustee  of  the  Erasmus  Hall  Academy  ;  an  elder  in  the  Bi 
formed  Church,  and  at  one  time  surgeon  of  the  211st  Regi 
ment,  N.  Y.  State  Militia.    No  man  in  the  town  was  wt<b 
known,  more  g -nerally  respected  and  deeply  lamented.  II 
died  in  his  forty-third  year  (1850).  from  contagious  dix  .i*. 
which  he  had  contracted  in  his  professional  labors.* 

We  have  already  spoken  of  Dr.  Francis  II.  Dubois 
of  New  Utrecht.  In  1S32,  his  son,  James  E.  Dubois 
graduated  from  the  New  York  College  of  PhymUi 
and  Surgeons  and  joined  the  father  in  practice.  Afn 
his  father's  death  in  1834,  James'  practice  was  to. 
large  for  the  attention  of  one  physician,  but  ha  ci, 
tinned  alone  till  1S48,  when  he  took  Dr.  BkuIU 
partnership.  This  arrangement  lasted  but  two  yean 
when  Dr.  Berier's  health  broke  down.  In  1859,  Di 
John  Luni.ow  Crank  took  the  place  left  vacant,  an- 
this  last  partnership  was  continued  till  Septembu 
1850,  when  it  was  dissolved  by  the  death  of  both  Di 
Dubois  and  Dr.  Crane,  within  a  few  hours  of  esc 
other,  from  yellow  fever  contracted  at  the  bedsidl  o 
patients  in  the  epidemic  of  that  year.  Then  followe 
Dr.  Carpenter,  who  had  removed  from  Fori  Hamilto 
to  New  Utrecht.  Dr.  Huhhakd  was  the  first  rend*  i 
physician  of  Gravesend,  from  about  1855  to  1865,  wh( 
he  removed  to  Red  Hank,  N.  J .  Dr.  R.  L.  VahKuh 
settled  at  Gravesend  in  1803,  a  recent  graduate  tt  tk 
L.  I.  College  Hospital,  and  has  secured  the  cntnc  oonl 
deuce  of  the  community.  In  ls8(>.  Dr.  .1  vmks  F.  Moi 
«iAN  came  from  Jersey  City  and  settled  at  Sbeepthca< 
Hay,  and  is  doing  well  there.  In  1 JS7 7  or  '78 1  Di 
Gam. t  v  settled  in  Gravesend  for  about  t\\"  ycara 

In  the  name  of  Dr.  Gkoruk  GlLKIIXAN,  tht  cM< 

residents  of    Brooklyn   will  recogniz*  <    vhO  *l 

known  to  all  by  reputation,  and  endeared  to  nun*  b 
friendship. 

•  In  these  ■keleuea  we  hate  l>i>en  Indebted  t<>       •  "  **■ 
Fletbuih;  end  to  l>r  P.  L.  Schknck'h  "  ZabrUkir  llwiiiwalead." 


889 


George  Gilfillan,  born  in  Ireland  in  1797,  early  chose  medi- 
:ine  as  bis  field  of  labor,  and  began  preparation  for  that  study 
iy  acquiring  a  thorough  classical  education.  Ere  he  could 
[iter  the  Medical  School  at  Glasgow,  however,  his  father  met 
with  such  severe  business  reverses  as  changed  all  the  family 
,]  i  i  George,  with  an  elder  brother,  came  to  America  to 
pegin  the  struggle  for  sustenance.  Still  following  his  predi- 
ection  for  the  medical  profession,  George  became  a  clerk  in  a 
Irug  stoic,  situated  on  the  corner  of  Sands  and  Jay  streets,  de- 
ermining  to  remain  there  until  he  had  accumulated  sufficient 
ueans  to  ]  >erinit  study  and  graduation  from  the  New  York  Col- 
ege  of  physicians  and  Surgeons.  During  the  cholera  epidemic 

i  1832  tlif  physicians  of  Brooklyn  were  too  few  in  number  to 
lopefully  combat  the  disease.  Dr.  George  Gilfillan  left  the 
Irug  store,  and  though  not  yet  a  graduate,  joined  in  the  at- 
empl  to  stay  the  plague.  For  his  voluntary  risk  of  life  in 
his  labor  tor  others  he  received  the  public  thanks  of  Drs. 
iVendell  and  Ball.  His  conduct  brought  him  into  prominence, 
ml  when  h''  graduated  two  years  later  he  at  once  entered 
ipon  a  large  practice.  At  first  he  located  on  the  corner  of 
lands  ami  Jay  streets,  later  moving  to  the  corner  of  Main 
ad  York  streets,  where  he  continued  in  practice  almost  till 
In  close  of  his  life.  Dr.  Gilfillan  was  a  member  of  the  Kings 
!ounty  Medical  Society,  and  a  life  member  of  the  Long  Island 
listorical  Society.  He  never  married.  He  died  in  1879  at  the 
ipe  age  of  82  years. 

It  may  not  be  amiss  to  jiause  for  a  moment  and  view 
he  field  and  conditions  of  medical  practice  in  the 
h-ooklyn  of  1841.  Remsen  street  was  not  open  be- 
ond  Henry,  and  but  two  houses  stood  near  its  ter- 
mination. From  the  junction  of  Henry  and  Remsen 
treats  an  unbroken  view  over  cultivated  fields  could 
>e  had  as  far  as  Washington  street.  The  settled  sec- 
ions  of  the  city  were  about  Fulton  and  Catherine 

ii  i  ies.  Within  this  small  area  the  First  Presbyterian 
Ihureh,  Dr.  Cox's,  on  Orange  street;  Second  Presby- 
erian,  Dr.  Spencer's,  on  Clinton  street;  the  First  Bap- 
ist  Church,  in  Nassau  street ;  the  First*Ref  ormed  Church, 

little  west  of  the  present  location;  the  East  Baptist, 
Dr.  E.  E.  L.  Taylor's,  then  at  the  corner  of  Barbarin 
Lawrence)  and  Tillary,  and  a  German  church  in  Henry 
treet,  furnished  spiritual  consolation  to  the  inhabitants; 
hile  their  physical  ills  were  attended  to  by  Drs.  Wen- 
ell,  George  Gilfillan,  Rowland  Willsher,  Van  Sin- 
eren,  Rapelye,  Garrison,  Fanning,  Hyde,  F.  W.  Ost- 
inder,  W.  G.  Hunt,  King,  Marvine,  Mason,  Cooke, 
IcClellan  and  Benjamin.  Not  a  single  public  build- 
ig  existed,  and  the  total  population  reached  but  five 
nd  twenty  thousand. 


Charles  h.  Goodrich  was  born  in  Pittsfield,  Mass.,  in 
graduated  from  the  Pittsfield  Medical  College  in  1827, 
ml  began  practice  in  Troy,  N.  Y.  Some  years  later  he  re- 
moved to  Brooklyn.  In  1847-48-49,  and  again  in  1858-59, 
e  was  connected  with  the  Health  Department,  either  as 
[ealth  Officer  or  President.  In  1852  he  was  appointed  United 
tates  Consul  at  Lyons,  France,  by  President  Fillmore.  On 
i*  return  to  America  he  again  resumed  active  practice  in 
looklvn,  and  remained  engaged  in  his  professional  work  till 
ie  outbreak  of  the  war.  He  then  went  to  the  front  as  sur- 
'""  of  102(1  Regiment,  New  York  Volunteers,  and  remained 
U  the  close  of  hostilities.    After  the  war  Dr.  Goodrich  never 


resumed  practice,  but  lived  quietly  in  Brooklyn  till  his  death 
in  1883.  He  was  a  member  and  at  one  time  vice-president  of 
the  New  York  State  Medical  Society,  but  never  joined  the 
County  Society. 


Charles  E.  Isaacs,  born  in  1811,  graduated  from  the  Uni- 
versity of  Maryland  in  1832.  Almost  his  first  labor  in  profes- 
sional life  was  the  medical  oversight  of  the  Cherokee  tribe  of 
Indians  in  their  transfer  across  the  Mississippi,  a  duty  to 
which  he  was  assigned  by  President  Jackson.  In  1841  he 
formed  one  of  fifty  candidates  who  sought  admission  into  the 
United  States  Army  Medical  Staff.  Of  this  number  but  six 
passed  the  examination,  and  Dr.  Isaacs  stood  first  among  the 
six.  He  resigned  from  the  service  in  1845,  and  joined  with  Dr. 
Wm.  H.VanBuren  in  establishing  a  private  medical  school  in 
New  York  city.  In  1847,  he  began  private  practice  in  Youngs- 
town,  N.  Y.,  with  Dr.  T.  G.  Catlin.  Six  months  later  he  was  ap- 
pointed Deputy  Health  Officer  of  Staten  Island,  but  resigned 
the  position  within  a  month  and  returned  to  Dr.  Catlin.  In 
1848  he  was  chosen  Demonstrator  of  Anatomy  to  the  College 
of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  of  New  York,  a  position  which  he 
filled  to  his  own  honor  and  the  great  benefit  of  the  school  In 
1857  Dr.  Isaacs  removed  to  Brooklyn  and  there  remained  till 
his  death  in  1860.  Shortly  thereafter  he  delivered,  by  request,  a 
course  of  lectures  on  surgical  anatomy,  at  the  Brooklyn  City 
Hospital,  which  was  received  with  great  favor.  He  con- 
tributed many  articles  to  medical  and  a  few  to  general  litera 
ture;  one  on  the  "Structure  and  Function  of  the  Kidneys'' 
being  translated  and  republished  in  France  and  Germany. 
He  was  an  active  member  of  the  Kings  County  Medical  So- 
ciety ;  one  of  the  founders  and  successively  president  and 
vice-president  of  the  N.  Y.  Pathological  Society  :  an  active 
member  of  the  N.  Y.  Academy  of  Medicine,  and  Consulting 
Surgeon  to  the  Kings  County  hospital.  By  the  profession  he 
was  considered  "  the  first  living  anatomist  in  the  world." 
Malaria,  the  seeds  of  which  were  sown  in  his  system  during 
bis  army  service,  constantly  crippled  the  energy  and  dimmed 
the  brightness  of  what  would  otherwise  have  been  a  splendid 
professional  life;  but  it  did  not  diminish  the  sweetness  of  his 
most  lovable  disposition,  nor  the  charms  of  a  cultivated  ami 
refined  mind. 


De  Witt  Clinton  Enos  was  born  in  Madison  county,  N.  Y., 
in  1820.  Obtaining  his  preliminary  education  at  the  De 
Ruyter  Institute,  he  began  the  study  of  medicine  with  Dr. 
James  Whitford,  of  De  Ruyter,  and  graduated  from  the 
New  York  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  in  1845. 
For  a  time  he  practiced  in  New  York  City,  but  removed 
to  Brooklyn  in  1849.  Dr.  Enos  was  one  of  the  Visiting 
Surgeons  to  the  Brooklyn  City  Hospital  and  held  the 
chair  of  Anatomy  at  the  Long  Island  College  Hospital. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Kings  County  Medical  Society, 
and  was  president  of  that  body  in  1863.  He  was  also 
a  member  of  the  New  York  Academy  of  Medicine  and 
of  the  N.  Y.  Pathological  Society.  He  wrote  a  number  of 
monographs,  chiefly  on  surgical  topics.  His  death  occurred 
December  14,  1868,  from  obstruction  of  the  coronary  arter- 
ies. 


Richard  Cresson  Stiles  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  in  1830; 
took  the  degree  of  A.B.  at  Yale,  in  1851,  and  three  years  later 
that  of  M.D.  from  the  University  of  Pennsylvania.  In  Eu- 
rope he  continued  his  studies  for  three  years  longer.  On  his 
return  to  this  country  lie  was  elected  to  the  chair  of  Physi- 
ology in  the  University  of  Vermont,  and  shortly  after  to  the 
same  chair  in  the  Berkshire  Medical  College  at  PittsfieLt, 
Mass.  In  the  term  of  1861.  '62,  he  was  lecturer  on  Physiology 


890 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


at  the  N.  Y.  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons.  In  18G2  he 
entered  the  army  as  a  surgical  volunteer,  and  was  assigned 
to  tin*  charge  of  the  military  general  hospital  at  Pittsburg, 
Penn.  The  next  year  he  joined  Hancock's  corps  in  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac  as  Surgcon-in-Chief  of  Caldwell's  Division. 
In  1804  he  came  to  Brooklyn  and  was  appointed  Resident 
Physician  to  the  Kings  County  Hospital,  which  position  he 
held  till  18G(i.  when  he  was  appointed  at  first  Registrar  of 
Vital  Statistics,  and.  later.  Salutary  Superintendent  for  the 
Brooklyn  District  of  the  Metropolitan  Health  Department. 
He  remained  in  the  Health  Office  till  the  Metropolitan  Board 
was  abolished  by  the  Legislature  of  1870.  While  there  he 
called  public  attention  particularly  to  the  defective  ventila- 
tion of  Public  buildings,  such  as  schools,  theaters,  etc..  and 
es]>ecially  to  the  condition  of  tenement  house  hygiene, 
muting  with  Rev.  Dr.  Bellows.  Dr.  Klisha  Harris,  and  Dr. 
Stephen  Smith,  of  New  York,  in  the  agitation  of  this  sub- 
ject. Entering  with  his  usual  ability  into  the  investigation 
of  the  Texas  cattle  disease,  his  discovery  of  the  parasite 
which  caused  that  malady  gave  him  a  widespread  scientific 
reputation:  and  Professor  Hallier,  of  Jena,  named  the  fungus 
Coniotliecium  Stilesianum,  in  honor  of  the  discoverer.  Like 
many  others.  Dr.  Stiles  overworked  himself,  and  shortly  after 
leaving  the  Health  Department  his  constitution  yielded  to 
the  undue  strain  which  hail  been  put  upon  it.  Efforts  to  re- 
lieve his  ills  proved  fruitless,  and  he  died  at  Chester,  in  his 
native  State,  in  1873.  at  the  untimely  ageof  forty-three  years. 


N.  Gerhard  Hi  tchison,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Marshall. 
Saline  county,  Mo.,  June  3d,  1853.  He  was  the  son  of  Dr. 
Joseph  C.  Hutchison  and  Mrs.  Susan  B.  Hutchison  of  Brook- 
lyn, N.  Y.  His  grandfather,  on  his  father's  side,  Avas 
Dr.  Nathaniel  Hutchison,  of  Booueville,  Mo.,  and  on  his 
mother's  side,  the  Rev.  Amzi  Benedict,  whose  wife  was  the 
daughter  of  (ien.  Solomon  Cowles,  of  Farmiugton,  Conn. 
His  preparatory  studies  were  pursued  in  the  Brooklyn 
Polytechnic  Institute,  and  at  Stuttgart,  in  Germany,  where 
he  was  fitted  for,  and  entered  into,  the  Real  Schule.  After 
his  return,  in  1871,  he  was  a  private  pupil  of  Prof.  Plymp- 
ton,  of  the  Polytechnic  Institute,  and  in  1872  he  began  the 
study  of  medicine  in  his  father's  office. 

In  the  spring  of  1873,  he  attended  tne  course  of  lectures 
given  in  the  Long  Island  College,  and  in  the  autumn  of  that 
year  entered  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  in 
New  York,  where  he  graduated  in  1875,  and  received  his 
diploma  of  Doctor  of  Medicine.  After  graduation  he  was 
for  a  short  period  one  of  the  Assistant  Physicians  in  Kings 
County  Hospital,  at  Flatbush,  L.  I.  He,  also,  in  1871,  made 
two  voyages,  as  an  assistant  surgeon,  on  board  of  one  of 
the  steamers  of  the  White  Star  Line,  from  New  York  to 
Liverpool. 

In  the  summer  of  1875,  he  opened  an  office  in  Brooklyn, 
and  began  the  practice  of  medicine.  He  was  soon  ap- 
pointed Attending  Surgeon  to  the  Brooklyn  Orthopedic  In- 
firmary, Assistant  Surgeon  to  St.  Peter's  Hospital,  aud  also 
\ssistant  Surgeon  to  the  Twenty-third  Regiment. 

His  success  as  a  practitioner  was  speedily  assured.  He 
evinced  great  enthusiasm  for  t he  profession  of  his  choice: 
gave  himself  to  the  study  of  his  cases;  published  a  very 
creditable  essay  upon  one  of  them,  and  was  distinguishing 
himself  by  energy  and  fidelity. 

Ilisla-^t  patient  was  a  child  suffering  from  diphtheria, 
upon  whom  he  performed  the  operation  of  tracheotomy. 
He  Ix-stowed  u]k>ii  the  case  constant  attention,  and  was 
unremitting  in  his  Watchfulness  night  and  day.  Con- 
tracting the  disease,  however,  himself,  he  experienced   it  in 

its  most  aggravated  form;  and  after  four  days  of  intense 


suffering,  he  died  on  the  10th  day  of  April,  1877.  Just 
before  the  last,  he  called  for  tracheotomy,  in  the  last  words 
he  ever  spoke,  and  it  was  performed  for  him  by  Dr.  Rush, 
more,  in  the  hope  of  affording  him  temporary  relief. 

The  funeral  services,  held  at  his  father's  residence,  on 
12th  of  April,  were  conducted  by  his  pastor,  (he  Rev.  Win 
Ives  Budington,  I).  D. ;  and  the  interment  took   place  in 
Greenwood  on  the  same  day. 

His  grave  is  on  South  wood  avenue,  at  the  intersection  « i 
Oakvvood  and  Dell  avenues.  The  headstone  bears  the  in- 
scription, •'  Faithful  unto  death." 

.  Charles  H.  Giberson  was  born  at  Bath.  New  Brunswick, 
in  1833.  He  studied  at  the  country  school  at  his  home;  lat.  i 
at  the  Florence  school  at  Woodstock,  the  Seminary  at  Fred- 
eric .>n.  an<l  the  training  school  at  St.  Johns.  At  the  age  of 
sixteen  years  he  was  engaged  in  teaching,  and  continued 
that  occupation  at  intervals  during  his  studies.  In  is;,;  |„. 
began  the  study  of  dentistry,  and  received  a  diploma  from  a 
Boston  dental  college. 

Having  long  been  interested  in  medical  science,  he  bftJBU 
the  study  of  that  subject  with  Dr.  Hiram  Dow.  of  Frederic- 
ton,  and  graduated  from  the  University  of  Vermont  in  the 
spring  of  1801.  On  coming  t>  New  York  to  continue  liL 
studies,  he  w  as  appointed  one  of  the  staff  of  Charity  Hospi- 
tal, and  served  in  that  institution  till  his  appointment  M 
Assistant  Surgeon  in  the  United  States  Navy  in  October, 
1861.  Dr.  Giberson  remained  in  the  navy  seven  vears, 
serving  through  the  civil  war,  during  three  year-  of  which 
he  was  with  Farragut's  squadron  on  the  Mississippi 

In  November,  18(>8,  hi'  resigned  his  position  and  began  flu 
practice  of  his  profession  in  Brooklyn.  For  a  lime.  Dr.  (hi. 
crson  served  in  the  out-door  department  of  the  Long  Uand 
College  Hospital,  and  subsequently,  for  several  year-.  <>\\  tl<. 
surgical  staff  of  St.  Mary's  Hospital  for  Women.  In  IBM, 
he  was  appointed  Attending  Surgeon  to  the  Brooklyn  Cirj 
Hospital,  and  held  that  position  till  his  death.  Hcwiiom 
of  the  founders,  the  first  president,  and  man}  years  Seep 
tary  of  the  Brooklyn  Pathological  Society,  and  the  Br* 
meeting  of  that  body  was  held  in  his  office. 

In  1872.  he  was  orator  of  the  Kings  County  Medical  Bo- 
ciety  at  its  semi-centennial  anniversary.  For  four  yean  Ik 
was  delegate  from  the  Kings  County  Medical  Society  to  tin 
New  York  State  Medical  Society,  and  in  1878  was  elected  ;i 
permanent  member  of  the  latter.  He  contributed  nani 
articles  to  medical  literature,  on  both  surgical  and  medical 
topics. 

On  the  evening  of  April  14,  187!».  he  was  stricken  with 
peritonitis,  and  died  from  that  disease  five  days  later. 

It  is  not  alone,  however,  by  the  labors  of  it-  individ- 
ual members  that  the  Kings  County  Society  DM 
progressed  in  the  nobler  duties  of  an  advancing 
profession.  As  a  body,  it  has  accomplished  much  for 
the  furtherance  of  scientific  aims  and  charitable  deeds. 

The  Society's  Medical  Library  and  Publica- 
tions.— In  September  18 (i 7,  a  committee,  composed  id 
Drs.  C.  L.  Mitchell,  J.  C.  Hutchison,  J.  T.  Conkliag,  8, 
Fleet  Speir  and  W.  W.  Reese,  reported  a  resolution 
favoring  the  creation  of  a  public  reference  ItbrW)  "I 
medical  literature,  by  the  purchase  of  standard  medi 
cal  works,  on  condition  that  the  Long  Island  Histori- 
cal Society  add  a  similar  amount  to  the  funi  MM 
assume  the  charge  of  the  nucleus  thus  formed  phj 
i  sicians  desirous  of  availing  themselves  of  iU  beiietii- 


THE  MEDICAL  PR  OFESSION. 


891 


T-=gS=^  =^  r  "  =  =  = 

o  become  members  of  the  society.  Through  the  efforts 
nainly  of  Drs.  Euos,  Mitchell  and  Reese,  this  plan  was 
idopted.    $1,000  was  collected  and,  with  a  similar 
tmoiwt  from  the  Historical  Society,  expended  in  the 
mrchasc  of  medical  works.    In  1869,  Mrs.  D.  C.  Enos, 
be  widow  of  Dr.  De  Witt  C.  Enos,  who  had  died 
uddenly  at  the  close  of  1868,  gave  her  iate  husband's 
ibrary,  consisting   of   815  bound   and   74  unbound 
'olumes,  together  with  a  number  of  pamphlets,  to  the 
tfedical  Department  of  the  library,  which  by  1870,  had 
noreased  to  1570  volumes.    Apart  from  this  collection, 
he  Society  had  for  years  held  some  books  as  the  nucleus 
»f  a  free  medical  library;  but  the  effort  to  increase 
he  number  was  not  pushed  with  vigor,  till  four  or  five 
ears  ago.     At   that  time  the  work  was  begun  in 
arnest  ;  subscription  lists  were  circulated  among  the 
uembers  for  their  aid  ;  the  appeal  was  generously 
oswered,  and  a  goodly  number  of  books  and  journals 
rore  bought.     In   1878,  Dr.  Samuel  Hart  gave  his 
ibrary  to  the  Society,  and  added   materially  to  the 
olleotion.    The  exchange  list  of  the  Proceedings  is 
Iso  of  excellent  aid  ;  the  most  valuable  medical  jour- 
als  are  constantly  on  file  and  open  for  reference  to 
nembers  of  the  society,  and  are  in  constantly  increasing 
use  by  a  large  number  of  readers. 
Another  of  the  Society's  methods  of  advancing  medi- 
al thought  is  the  monthly  publication  of  the  papers 
ead  and  discussed  in  that  body.    This  work  was  agi- 
ated  by  some  of  the  most  active  members  as  early  as 
s75,  and  took  form  by  the  issue  of  the  first  number  of 
he  Proceedings  in  March,  1879.  From  the  start,  its  cir- 
ulation  has  been  1,000  copies,  and  its  exchange  list  now 
lumbers  122  journals.    On  March  3d,  1870,  a  party  of 
nedical  men  met  at  the  office  of  one  of  their  number,  to 
onsider  the  advisability  of  organizing  a  Pathological 
lociety.    With  the  idea  of  securing  the  co-operation  of 
he  Kings  County  Medical  Society,  the  then  President 
f  that  organization,  Dr.  R.  C.  Stiles,  was  requested  to 
nnounce  the  intention  at  the  next  regular  meeting  and 

0  invite  all  interested  to  join  in  a  meeting  to  be  held 

1  the  rooms  of  the  Board  of  Health,  then  in  the  County 
Jourt-mouse  on  March  22,  1870.  Eleven  physicians 
iet  on  the  22d,  and  resolved  to  organize  as  the 
"athological  Section  of  the  Medical  Society.  The 
leetings  of  the  Society  were  held  in  various  places  ;  at 
be  office  of  Dr.  Charles  Giberson,  one  of  its  founders, 
t  Dr.  R.  C.  Stiles'  office,  and  later  at  the  Eye  and  Ear 
lospital.  Its  transactions  were  at  first  published  in 
ie  -V  ) .  Medical  Journal y  for  a  time  after  its  origin 
ley  were  published  in  the  Proceedings ;  then  for  a 
me  they  had  no  regular  publication  ;  but  at  present 
re  again  published  in  the  Proceedings.  ~  The  section 
OW  has  a  membership  of  eighty  and  a  fine  pathological 
mseum  which  is  stored  in  the  Long  Island  College 
lospital.  ;  The  Annals  of  Anatomy  and  Surgery  is 

monthly  journal,  devoted   to  Surgery  and  Surgical 
Uatomy,  edited  and  published  by  Drs.  L.  S.  Pilcher 


and  G.  R.  Fowler.  It  was  established  under  tiie  title 
of  The  Annals  of  the  Anatomical  and  Surgical  Society, 
in  January,  1880,  for  the  purpose  of  recording  the  scien- 
tific work  of  the  Anatomical  and  Surgical  Society  of 
Brooklyn,  an  association  then  active  but  now  nearly 
defunct;  but  in  1881  it  was  transferred  to  its  present 
editors. 

While  thus  steadily  advancing  the  scientific  st  udy  of 
medicine,  the  Society  had  found  time  for  other  good 
deeds.  On  the  24th  of  April,  18G1,  it  resolved  to  render 
gratuitous  professional  services  to  the  families  of  vol- 
unteers in  the  service  during  their  absence,  and  this 
duty  was  faithfully  observed  during  the  four  years  that 
followed,  and,  to  the  widows  and  orphans  of  volunteers, 
for  a  still  longer  period.  After  the  second  battle  of 
Bull  Run,  a  number  of  the  most  eminent  members  of 
the  profession  volunteered  to  go  to  the  front  and  ren- 
der the  professional  services  so  much  needed  at  that 
time.  When  Chicago  was  swept  by  the  fire  of  1871, 
the  Kings  County  Medical  Society  raised  $1,338  for  the 
relief  of  the  medical  men  of  that  afflicted  city,  by  the 
voluntary  subscriptions  of  its  members  ;  again,  in  1878, 
when  many  of  our  southern  cities  were  stricken  by  the 
yellow  fever  epidemic,  the  society  raised  $547  for  the 
relief  of  the  families  of  medical  men  who  were  among 
its  victims.  At  its  foundation,  the  society  had  nine 
members  ;  at  the  last  annual  meeting,  three  hundred 
and  sixtyr  active  members,  and  now  nearly  four 
hundred. 

The  Epidemics  which  have  visited  Kings 
County. — Brief  mention  has  already  been  made  of  the 
carty  epidemics  that  brought  death  to  some  of  the  inhabi- 
tants and  terror  to  all  residents  in  the  County;  it  remains 
to  dwell  more  fully  on  the  topic.  As  early  as  1680, 
small-pox  was  introduced  into  the  province  of  New 
York  and  swept  off  many  colonists.  Time  and  time 
again  it  re-appeared,  till,  in  1739,  the  disease  was  so 
prevalent  that  the  Provincial  Assembly  adjourned,  first 
to  Greenwich  village,  and  later  sine  die,  to  avoid  spread- 
ing the  contagion.  In  1702  a  new  disease,  described 
as  similar  to  the  plague  and  believed  to  have  been  yel- 
low fever,  was  brought  to  New  York  in  a  vessel  from 
St.  Thomas,  and  this  malady  gained  such  a  firm  hold, 
that  official  action  by  Governor  Geo.  Clinton,  placing 
vessels  from  southern  ports  in  quarantine  became  ne- 
cessary in  1743.  In  1755  and  1769  a  disease  called 
Angina,  was  prevalent  on  Long  Island.  It  was  not 
until  1804,  however,  that  a  systematic  record  was  kept 
of  epidemic  diseases.  In  that  year,  yellow  fever  was 
introduced  into  Kings  county,  the  first  case  occui-ring 
on  August  22d.  Seventeen  were  stricken  with  the 
disease,  and  of  these  six  died.  Again  yellow  fever 
gained  a  hold  in  the  county  in  1809.  The  population 
of  Brooklyn,  when  its  force  was  spent  at  that  time,  was 
4,500.  The  disease  lasted  during  the  greater  part  of 
three  months;  twenty-eight  died  from  the  fever  and 
none  of  these  exceeded  thirty  years  of  age. 


S02 


As  early  as  1822,  the  Hoard  of  Trustees  of  Brooklyn 
village  passed  an  ordinance  imposing  a  fine  of  $25 
upon  any  one  who  should  bring  a  sick  person  into  the 
city  limits,  without  a  written  permit  from  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  Hoard;  or  who  faih  d  to  report  to  him  within 
six  hours  of  iis  outbreak  any  sickness  of  a  transient 
guest,  within  Brooklyn,  from  August  1st  to  Novem- 
ber 1st.  In  spite  of  tins,  the  summer  of  1823  brought 
another  outbreak  of  yellow  fever;  and,  bathe  population 
of  some  8,000,  nineteen  were  taken  sick,  and  ten  died 
of  the  disease.  The  year  following  (1824),  the  Legisla- 
ture passed  an  act  establishing  a  Health  Department, 
and  under  it,  as  has  already  been  mentioned,  J.  G.  T. 
Hunt  was  appointed  Health  Officer,  at  an  annual  salary 
of  $200.  No  epidemic  attacked  the  city  from  1823  till 
1832.  In  the  latter  year,  Asiatic  cholera  made  its 
appearance  in  the  early  part  of  July,  and  lasted  for 
fourteen  weeks,  reaching  its  climax  during  the  third 
week.  The  number  of  deaths  from  the  disease  was  274 
in  a  population  of  1  7,000.  Cholera  occui  red  again  dur- 
ing the  summer  of  1840,  beginning  early  in  June.  It 
lasted  seventeen  weeks,  reaching  its  climax  during  the 
tenth  week,  and  swept  off  050,  out  of  a  population  of 
00,000.  Once  again  in  1854,  this  dread  epidemic  made 
its  periodical  appearance  in  Brooklyn,  the  first  ease  oc- 
curringon  May  29th,  in  the  5th  Ward,  at  255  John  street. 
It  lasted  three  and  twenty  weeks,  i  cached  its  height 
on  the  ninth  week,  and  swept  away  (>7*  people  out  of  a 
population  of  150,000.  During  this  epidemic  a  chol- 
era hospital  was  opened  on  Lafayette  Avenue,  under  the 
charge  of  Dr.  J.  ('.  Hutchison  ;  1  To  patients  were  ad- 
mitted to  it,  and  of  these  97  died.  In  all  these  epi- 
demics of  cholera,  the  highest  death  rate  was  in  adults, 
between  thirty  and  forty  years  of  age.  In  1S5G,  yellow 
fever  again  appeared  in  Kings  county,  brought  prob- 
ably by  infected  material  thrown  overboard  from  the 
fever-stricken  ships  lying  at  anchor  in  quarantine, 
from  within  a  few  yards  of  Long  Island,  across  to  the 
St:iten  Island  shore.  Its  ravages  were  confined  almost 
entirely  to  the  sth  Ward  ;m<l  the  Hay  Ridge  Shore  to 
Fort  Hamilton  ;  seventy-four  people  were  attacked 
within  the  limits  of  Brooklyn,  and  of  these  thirty-nine 
died.  It  was  in  combatting  this  epidemic,  that  Drs. 
Dubois  and  Crane  of  New  Utrecht  lost  their  lives. 

From  1S-J4  to  Ism;,  the  Department  of  Health  existed 
as  created  by  the  legislative  act  of  the  former  year. 
In  1S0G,  the  Metropolitan  Health  Department  was  cre- 
ated and  Brooklyn  was  made  a  district;  but  this  system 
was  tOO  OUmbrOUB  to  be  effective,  and  it  was  abolished 
by  the  Legislature  of  1870.  Since  that  time,  the  city 
of  Hrooklyn  lias  been  under  the  care  of  its  own  Health 
Department  in  all  sanitary  matters. 

Among  the  medical  men  connected  with  the  Health 
Department  since  the  time  of  Dr.  Hunt,  have  been  Drs. 
(  lias.  S.  Goodrich,  Matthew  H'<  ndell.  'J'.  L  Mason,  J. 
T.  Oonkling,  R.  OrOMOB  Stiles,  Henry  It.  Stiles,  James 
Crane,  Andrew  Ottenon,  and. I.  II.  Raymond. 


Of  the  living  physicians  who  have  aided  medical  pro- 
gress in  this  county,  only  brief  mention  can  he  made  ; 
and  in  selecting  from  the  many  eminent  names  the  few 
that  can  be  noticed,  we  must  be  guided  entirely  by  the 
services  they  have  rendered,  and  the  honors  they  have 
received. 

Samukl  G.  Armour,  was  born  in  Washington  county,  Pa, 
lie  graduated  from  Franklin  College,  Ohio,  in  1839,  waning 
a  distinguished  competitive  honor  in  that  institution,  while 
quite  young,  lie  received  the  title  of  LL.  D.,  from  that  in- 
stitution in  1872.  He  completed  his  medical  studies  at  t bo 
Missouri  Medical  College  of  St.  Louis.  In  1S47.  soon  after  liif 
graduation,  he  delivered  a  special  course  of  lecture!  i 
Physiology,  at  the  Rush  Medical  College  in  Chicago;  am 
since  then  has  been  a  professor  in  the  Ohio  Medical  CoUegi 
of  Cincinnati,  the  Missouri  Medical  College,  the  University 
Michigan,  and  now  holds  the  chair  of  "  Principles  and  Prac- 
tice of  Medicine"  at  the  Long  Island  College  Hospital,  o! 
w  inch  he  is  Dean  of  Faculty.  In  the  course  of  a  bus]  pro- 
fessional life,  Dr.  Armour  has  found  leisure  to  contribufa 
many  valuable  pajMTS  to  medical  literature,  and  ranks  ren 
high  hoth  as  a  writer,  lecturer  and  practitioner. 


Ikniel   Avkks.    a    native   of   New   York,   after  taking 

the  degr  f  A.  B.   at  Princeton  College,  graduated  from 

the  Medical  Department  of  the  New  York  University 
1st:!.    After  serving  a  term  on  the  house  staff  of  Belli  u,. 
Hospital,  he  removed  to  Brooklyn  in  is}.").     He  was 
of  the  founders  of  the  Brooklyn  City  Hospital,  and  was  a  n-  I 
ing  surgeon  at  that  institution,  from  18415  to  IMS.  Wit 
others  he  joined  in  the  organization  of  the  Long  Island  <  lolli  _■' 
Hospital,  and  was.  until  188->.  Professor  of  Surgical  Patkfllog} 
and  Clinical  Surgery  there.    During  the  Civil  War.  Dr.  Aj  ri 
served  as  a  medical  director  or  corps  surgeon.  In  1870,  BBWae 
appointed  consulting  surgeon  to  St.  Peter's  Hospital ;  tad  is, 
at  present,  one  of  the  incorporators  of  the  Senev  Hospital.  I' 
1S.->(5,  the  degree  of  LL.  D.  was  conferred  upon  him  bj  W« 
levan  University. 

Alexander  J.  C.  Skene  was  l>orn  in  Scotland  :  (tallied 
medicine:  graduated  from  the  Long  Island  College  Husp. 
tal  in  180:!.  and  served  in  the  army  during  the  Civil  WTai 
and.  at  its  close,  returned  to  Brooklyn  anil  began  privsti 
practice.  Entering  upon  the  field  of  Gynecology  an  lii> 
special'  study,  he  has  added  much  to  the  literature  of  tint 
subject,  hoth  hy  monographs  and  more  extended  works;  sni 

as  one  of  the  visiting  physicians  and  Professor  of  ( \y  xdngl 

in  the  Long  Island  College  Hospital,  he  has  given  Ixith  tl  ri  I 

cal  and  clinical  instruction.  He  was  President  of  the  Km.- 
County  Medical  Society,  1871  "70:  he  is  a  member  of  lheN<  » 

York  Academy  of  Medicine. 

Chari.es  Jewett  was  horn  in  Maine.    He  was  educated  al 
Bowdoin  College,  receiving  his  lirst  degree  in  ISlil.  and  V.M 
in  1807.    For  several  years  after  his  graduation,  he  WIS  i 
gaged  in  teaching  the  Physical  Sciences  at  Coo|>crHtnwn,  ^  V 
In  1871,  he  graduated  M.D.  from  the  College  of  PhysiotaBi  M 
Surgeons.  N.  V..  and  settled  in  Brooklyn.  He  was  ProfaW 
Physical  Sciences  in  the  Adelphi  Academy:  has  been  a  In. 
contributor  to  medical  periodicals:  President  of  Kings!  tonnl 
Medical  Society.  1880-1883  ;  since  1880.  Professor  ol  Obstotri 
and  I  (iseases  of  Children,  in  the  L)iig  Island  College  Hospit 
and  in  charge  <>r  the  Department  of  OlxOetric*  in  Hie  mm 
institution  ;  Physiciiin-in-Chicf  of  Department  of  Children'* 
Diseases  in  St.  Marx  's  Hospital,  and  a  memlier  ot  (■«  n'  " 
York  Acadcmv  of  Medicine. 


THE  MEDICAL  PROFESSION. 


893 


Lewis  S.  Pilcher  was  born  in  Michigan.  He  took  the  de- 
gree of  A.B.  from  the  Michigan  University,  in  1862.  Enter- 
ing the  army,  he  served  through  the  war;  and,  at  its  close, 
entered  the  Medical  Department  of  the  Michigan  University, 
from  which  he  graduated  in  1866.  The  following  year,  he 
became  an  assistant  surgeon  in  the  U.  S.  Navy,  remaining  in 
the  service  till  1872.  when  lie  resigned,  and  settled  in  Brook- 
lyn in  private  practice.  From  that  time  till  1882.  he  lectured 
on  Anatomy  at  the  Long  Island  College  Hospital.  Dr. 
Pilcher  lias  contributed  several  monographs  to  medical  litera- 
ture, his  most  important  articles  being  on  Fractures  at  the 
Wrist  Joint.  Croup  and  Tracheotomy,  and  a  "  Treatise  on  the 
Treatment  of  Wounds."  He  was  appointed,  with  Dr.  Purdy, 
of  New  York,  to  superintend  the  building  of  the  Seney  Hos- 
pital, and  is  one  of  the  Board  of  Managers  of  that  institution. 

JABVE3  S.  Wight  was  born  in  New  York.  After  taking 
his  degree  in  Arts  at  Tuffs  College.  Mass..  in  1861.  lie  gradu- 
ated M.D.  from  the  Long  Island  College  Hospital  in  1864. 
Till  the  close  of  the  war.  he  served  as  an  assistant  surgeon  in 
the  army.  Returning  to  Brooklyn,  in  186.").  he  held,  for  some 
time,  the  chair  of  Materia  Medici  in  the  Long  Island  College 
Hospital.  Later,  he  became  one  of  the  Visiting  Surgeons  to 
that  institution,  and  occupied  the  chair  of  Surgery  and  Clinical 
Surgery.  He  has  contributed  many  articles  to  medical  journals. 


Among  the  older  physicians  who  have  gained  prominence 
in  th<'  profession,  but  of  whom  space  forbids  an  extended  no- 
tice,  stand  the  names  of  JOHN  BALL,  W.M.  H.  THAYER,  C.  R. 
McClellan,  I.  H.  Barber,  and  Alex.  Cochran,  of  Brooklyn; 
J.  L.  Andrews,  of  East  New  York;  H.  L.  Bartlett  and  J.  L. 

'.AURisKiE,  of  Flatbush  :  S.  J.  Brady,  C.  H.  Schi-pps,  and  L. 
W.  Palmer,  of  the  Eastern  District,  and  R.  E.  Van  Gieson, 

f  Greenpoint.  Of  these.  Dr.  Bartlett  is  Attending  Physician 
to  the  Penitentiary,  and  a  Consulting  Surgeon  to  the  Kings 
County  Hospital:  Dr.  Brady,  a  Visiting  Surgeon  to  the  Eastern 
District  and  St.  Catherine's  Hospitals,  and  Dr.  Zabriskie.  Con- 
sulting Physician  to  the  Kings  County  Hospital.  Among  those 
who  have  been  prominent  in  the  Department  of  Health, 
stand  the  names  of  B.  A.  Segur,  Andrew  Otterson,  J.  T. 
COMBING,  Jas.  Crane,  and  J.  H.  Raymond,  as  Commis- 
sioners, and  James  Watt,  F.  H.  Stuart,  and  R.  M.  Wyokoff, 
as  Registrars. 


Dr.  A.  N.  Bell  graduated  from  the  Jeffer  son  Medical  Col- 
lege, in  Philadelphia,  in  1842.  For  many  years  he  was  in 
the  Medical  Department  of  the  United  States  Navy.  After 
se  ttling  in  Brooklyn,  be  was  for  a  long  time  a  Visiting  Physi- 
cian to  the  Brooklyn  City  Hospital.  He  has  been  one  of  the 
State  Quarantine  Commissioners,  and  for  some  years  the 
editor  of  the  Sanitarian. 


Among  the  younger  members  of  the  profession  who  have 
gained  prominence  in  s,  e-ial  work,  stand  the  names  of  Drs. 
Frank  W.  Rockwell  and  Geo.  R.  Fowler,  in  Surgery. 
The  former  is  Visiting  Surgeon  to  St.  Johns,  and  Chief  of 
Department  of  Genito-Urinary  Surgery  at  St.  Mary's  Hospi- 
tal: the  latter  Chief  of  Department  of  Fractures  and  Dis- 
locations at  St.  Mary's  Hospita'.  and  the  most  earnest  advo- 
cate «>f  antiseptic  Surgery  among  our  surgeons.     In  the 


field  of  Nervous  Diseases,  Drs.  L.  C.  Gray  and  John  C.  Shaw 
are  eminent.  Dr.  Gray  for  a  long  time  lectured  on  this 
subject  at  the  Long  Island  College  Hospital,  and  is  now  Pro- 
fessor of  Nervous  Diseases  at  the  New  York  Polyclinic,  and 
Chief  of  the  Department  of  Mental  and  Nervous  Diseases 
and  Electro-Therapy,  at  St.  Mary's  Hospital.  Dr.  Shaw  is 
Superintendent  of  the  Kinffs  County  Insane  Asylum. 


Drs.  Samuel  Sherwell  and  T.  R.  French  have  devoted 
their  attention  to  Diseases  of  the  Throat  and  Nose.  The 
former  is  Visiting  Physician  to  the  Brooklyn  City  and  Eye 
and  Ear  Hospitals:  the  latter  Consulting  Laryngotomist  to 
St.  Mary's  Hospital. 


Drs.  J.  S.  Prout  and  A.  Mathewson  were  both  largely 
instrumental  in  founding  the  Eye  and  Ear  Hospital,  and 
both  are  Attending  Surgeons  to  that  institution.  Dr.  Prout 
was  President  of  the  County  Medical  Society  in  1879.  Dr. 
Mathewson  is  Chief  of  the  Department  of  Diseases  of  the 
Eye  and  Ear  at  St.  Mary's  Hospital.  Among  those  who 
have  taught  medical  classes,  or  are  still  engaged  in  that 
work,  are  Drs.  B.  F.  Westbrook,  J.  A.  McCorkle,  and 
J.  D.  Rushmore.  Dr.  Westbrook.  for  many  years,  taught 
Anatomy  at  the  Long  Island  College  Hospital,  and  is 
now  Chief  of  Department  of  Diseases  of  the  Thorax 
in  St.  Mary's  Hospital.  Dr.  McCorkle  was  for  many 
years  chemist  to  the  "~oard  of  Health,  and  is  now  Professor 
of  Materia,  Medica  a  and  a  Visiting  Physician  to,  the  Long 
Island  College  Hospital;  while  Dr.  Rushmore  holds  the  Chair 
of  Surgery  in  the  Long  Island  College  Hospital,  and  is  At- 
tending Surgeon  to  the  Brooklyn  City,  St.  Peter's,  and  the 
Eye  and  Ear  Hospitals.  All  of  these  met  have  contributed 
many  articles  on  their  specialties  to  medical  lit  -rature. 


George  G.  Hopkins  graduated  from  the  University  of 
Pennsylvania,  1868.  He  is  Visiting  Surgeon  to  St.  John's, 
and  has  been  recently  elected  one  of  the  Council,  and  a  Con- 
sulting Surgeon  to  the  Long  Island  College  Hospital,  and  is 
now  President  of  the  Kings  County  Medical  Society. 

The  following  authorities  have  been  consulted  : 
Stiles'  History  of  Brooklyn;  Early  Settlers  of  Kings 
County,  by  T.  G.  Bergen;  Documents  relating  to  the 
Colonial  History  of  the  State  of  Neto  York,  and 
Documentary  History  of  the  State  of  New  York,  by 
E.  B.  O'Callaghan;  Thompson's  History  of  Long 
Island;  Minutes  of  Common  Council  of  Brooklyn; 
Revolutionary  Incidents  of  Suffolk  and  Kings  Coun- 
ties,  by  Henry  Onderdonk,  Jr. ;  Proceedings  of  the 
Kings  County  Medical  Society;  The  Biographical 
Dictionary  of  Physicians;  papers  by  Drs.  Toner, 
Hutchison,  Schenck,  and  others.  Dr.  Lewis  S 
Pilcher  has  also  rendered  us  much  valuable  assist- 
ance. Above  all,  we  arc  under  obligations  to  Dr.  R.  M. 
ATyckoff,  who  cheerfully  gave  the  use  of  his  valuable 
notes  on  the  Medical  History  of  the  County  to  assist  in 
this  work. 


894 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


MEDICAL  BIOGRAPHIES. 


JOSEPH  CHRISMAN  HUTCHISON,  LL.D. 

A  leader,  not  only  in  the  professional  circles  of  his  adopted 
city,  but  foremost  among  those  surgeons  whose  attainments 
have  reflected  credit  upon  the  American  name,  is  Joseph 
Chrisman  Hutchison.  His  father,  Dr.  Nathaniel  Hutchison, 
of  Scotch-Irish  extraction:  his  mother.  Mary  Chrisman.  a  na- 
tive <>f  Virginia,  wen-  residents  of  Old  Franklin,  Howard 
county,  Mo.,  where  he  was  born,  February  22,  1827.  lie 
studied  at  the  University  ot  Missouri,  and  commenced 
his  medical  studies  at  the  medical  department  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania,  er joying,  me inwhile,  the  valuable 
private  instruction  of  Drs.  (ierhard  aud  Peace.  Graduating 
M.I).,  in  1*4*.  he  passed  four  years  in  practice  in  his  native 
state,  and,  in  1S53,  came  to  Brooklyn,  where  he  has  since  re- 
mained, and  where  he  has  acquired  that  reputation  which 
now  crowns  his  long  and  active  career.  Of  the  honors 
which  his  profession  can  confer.  Dr.  Hutchison  has  had  an 
ample  share.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Kings  County  Medical 
Society,  of  which  he  was  President  in  1*64  ;  of  the  New 
York  State  Medical  Society,  of  which  he  was  President  in 
1867  and  1S6S  ;  of  the  New  York  Pathological  Society,  Presi- 
dent in  1871  ;  Fellow  of  the  New  York  Academy  of  Medi- 
cine, and  its  Vice-President  in  ISO!).  ls;o  and  1871:  an  hon- 
orary member  of  the  Connecticut  and  New  Jersey  State 
Medical  Societies ;  corresponding  member  of  the  Boston 
(Jynccological  Society;  a  delegate  from  the  American  Medi- 
cal Association  to  the  International  Medical  Congress  of  18(17. 
at  Paris:  ami  to  that  of  the  British  Medical  Association,  at 
Edinburgh,  in  1875  ;  a  delegate  from  the  N.  Y.  State  Medical 
Society  to  the  International  Medical  Congress  of  1876,  at 
Philadelphia;  and  to  that  at  London,  in  1881.  He  is  also  an 
honorary  member  of  the  New  Jersey  State  Medical  Society  ; 
and,  in  18*0,  received  the  degree  of  LL.D.  from  his  Alma 
Mater,  the  University  of  Missouri. 

The  field  in  which  Dr.  Hutchison  has  especially  gained  his 
laurels  is  that  of  operative  surgery,  and  his  record  is  full  of 
notable  cases.  During  the  cholera  epidemic  of  1854.  he  was 
Physician-in-charge  of  the  Brooklyn  Cholera  Hospital;  he 
has  been,  since  1 8.17,  Surgeon  to  the  Brooklyn  City  Hospital, 
and,  for  a  number  of  years.  Surgeon-in-Chief  of  the  Brook- 
lyn Orthopedic  Infirmary,  of  which  he  was  the  founder.  He 
i~  also  Consulting  Surgeon  to  the  Kings  County,  St.  John's, 
and  St.  Peter's  Hospitals.  In  1N54.  '55  and  '56,  he  was  Lec- 
turer on  Diseases  of  Women  in  the  medical  department  of 
the  I'niversity  of  the  City  of  New  York  ;  from  1860 to  1S67, 
Professor  of  Operative  and  Clinical  Surgery  in  the  Long 
Island  ( 'ollege  Hospital,  resigning  the  chair  in  the  latter  year.  1 
In  1^7:1.  '71  and  '75.  he  was  Health  Commissioner  of  the  city 
of  Brooklyn,  and  the  confidence  with  which  he  is  regarded 
by  the  meml>ers  of  his  profession,  causes  his  opinion  and 
experience  to  be  sought,  also,  in  all  matters  pertaining  to 
the  sanitary  and  medical  interests  of  the  city. 

He  has  been  a  diligent  writer,  as  well  as  worker;  and. 
among  some  of  his  more  Important  publications,  may  Ik?  i 

mentioned  I  ho«e  on  "Dislocation  ()f  the  Femur  into  the 
Ischiatic  Notch  "  (dissection);  a  "  Treatise  on  Physiology  and  | 
Hygiene,"  for  school  use;  "Acupressure,"  a  Prize  Hssay  of 
the  New  York  State  Medical  Society  ;  "  lectures  on  Ortho- 
pedic.surgery,"  delivered  al  the  (  ollege  of  Physicians  ami 
Burgeons,  N.  Y  .  published  1HH0;  reports  on  "The  Removal 
of  the  I'ppcr   Maxillary  and  Malar  Bones,  without  External  1 


Incision  ;"  Kxcisioii  of  the  Kntire  Tina;"  "Ligation  of  the 
External  Iliac  Artery,  for  Femoral  Aneurism  ;"  on  "  liapi.l 
Lithotrity;"  on  the  "  Treatment  of  Femoral  Aneurism  by 
Laying  Open  the  Sac  "  (method  of  Antyllus).  etc..  etc. 

Dr.  Hutchison  married,  in  1849,  Susan  H..  daughter  of 
Rev.  A.  aud  Martha  tCowles)  Benedict,  of  Farmington,  Conn. 
They  have  had  four  children,  of  whom  the  eldest  was  N.  tier 
hard  Hutchison,  M.D.,  whose  biography  will  be  found  00 
page  N90.  His  death  at  the  very  outset  of  his  career,  was  a 
great  sorrow  and  loss,  both  to  his  parents  and  his  profession: 
mitigated  only  by  the  splendid  example  which  it  furnished, 
of  heroic  sacrifice  to  professional  duty. 


SAMUEL  FLEET  SPEIR,  M.I). 

S.vMl  Kl.  Fl.KKT  Srr.lK.  M.  1)..  a  prominent  physic  ian  nt 
Brooklyn,  was  Inirn  in  that  city.  April  !>.  1S:?S.  His  parent  - 
were  Robert  and  Hannah  (Fleet)  Speir.  His  lather.  Robert 
Speir.  was  a  native  of  New  York,  and  for  many  yean  was 
successfully  engaged  in  that  city  in  mercantile  pursuits:  and. 
having  acquired  a  competence,  retired  from  active  businetv 
in  1856.  His  mother,  nee  Hannah  S.  Fleet,  was  a  daaghtei 
of  Samuel  Fleet,  who  came  to  Brooklyn  from  Suffolk  count) 
Long  Island,  in  ism  and  erected  what  for  many  yean  iran 
known  as  the  "  Fleet  Mansion."  located  on  the  coi  ner  of  I'ul 
toe  and  Cold  streets.  This  homestead  has  ln-eu  rcphuvd  liv 
a  block  of  substantial  stores,  which  were  erected  by  tin 
•  Meet  Estate,"  and  is  now  in  the  business  centre  of  the  city, 
which  has  grown  from  a  population  of  five  thousand  in  1819, 
to  over  a  half  a  million  in  lss:i  (see  engraving,  page  SS15). 

Samuel  Fleet,  the  grandfather  of  S.  Fleet  Speir,  KM  I 
lineal  descendant,  in  the  fifth  generation,  from  Captain 
Thomas  Fleet,  who  w  as  the  American  ancestor  of  the  Fleet 
family,  and  who  came  to  this  country  about  1650,  and  settled 
at  Northport.  near  Huntington.  Lmg  Island.  The  English 
patronymic  was  Fleetwood,  the  latter  part  of  the  name  ho 
ing  been  dropped  by  Captain  Thomas  Fleet  on  his  arrival  in 
this  country.  His  father  was  Sii  William  Fleetwood  an  ad 
miral  in  the  English  navy,  and  a  person  of  prominence  in  hi 
day.  A  brother  of  Captain  Thomas  Fleet  (or  Fleetwood),  v. 
Charles  Fleetwood,  who  died  at  Stoke-Newington,  England, 
in  165(2,  occupied  a  large  share  of  public  attention  during bn 
lifetime.  In  1645,  he  was  a  member  of  Parliament,  and  mm 
one  of  a  body  of  commissioners,  appointed  to  treat  with  tin 
king.  He  subsequently  became  an  adhereet  of  Oliver  <'r>»m- 
well.  and  took  an  active  and  leading  part  during  the  'lav-  ol 
the  Protectorate,  lxith  in  military  and  civ  il  ;'tfairs.  He  in  n 
ried  for  a  second  wife  the  widow  of  I  ret  on,  who  »  as  ,c  daiigh- 

ter  of  Ci  w.ll.    Captain  Thoma>  Fleet,  previous  to  coming 

to  this  country,  was  an  officer  in  the  British  navv  and  pos- 
sessed of  ample  means.    He  became  one  of  tl  riginal  pat 

en  tees  of  Huntington.  Long  Island,  and  greatly  increased  lu 
fortune  after  locating  at  that  place.  His  descendants  month 
natives  of  Suffolk  and  Queens  counties,  arc  a  numerous  bsdy, 
and  have  during  the  past  two  centuries  been  extensive  land 
holders  in  these  localities. 

Samuel  Fleet  Speir  obtained  his  education  at  the  Polytecli 
nic  Institute  of  Brooklyn,  and  also  under  the  guidance  "I  > 

private  tutor. 

Electing  to  follow  the  profession  of  medicine,  he  bajM  BW 
studies  |M  itaining  thereto  in  1N57:  and,  at  tin  name  fctoe. 
matriculated  in  the  Medical  Department  of  the  I  uneisitv 


THE  MEDICAL  PROFESSION. 


895 


ew  York,  from  which  he  was  graduated,  in  1860,  with  the 
ighest  honors,  being  the  winner  of  the  "  Mott  Gold  Medal " 
rid  the  "  Van  Buren  Prize."  He  became  also  the  recipient 
of  the  "  "Wood  Prize.'"  of  Bellevue  Hospital.  Desiring  to  still 
further  perfect  himself  in  the  knowledge  of  his  profession,  he 
repaired  to  Europe,  where  he  spent  some  eighteen  months  at- 
tending the  various  hospitals  and  cliniques,  thus  acquiring 
much  valuable  information  both  in  medicine  and  surgery,  The 
use  of  Plaster  of  Paris  splints  was  brought  to  his  notice  dur- 
ing this  time:  and  Dr.  Speir.  recognizing  the  vast  importance 
>f  their  application  to  the  thousands  of  the  wounded  in  our 
War  of  the  Rebellion,  then  at  its  height,  hastened  home,  and 
in  the  latter  part  of  1862,  at  the  request  of  the  United  States 
Sanitarv  Commission,  he  visited  the  Army  of  the  Potomac, 
md  lor  several  months,  and  particularly  at  the  Battle  of 
Seven  Pines,  rendered  valuable  service  in  superintending  'he 
ipplving  of  Plaster  of  Paris  splints  to  the  wounded,  by  which 
their  transportation  or  removal  was  accomplished  with  much 
less  goffering  and  a  greater  degree  of  safety. 

In  t st;:;.  he  returned  to  Brooklyn  and  entered  upon  the 
practice  of  his  profession.  The  year  following  he  again  vis- 
ited Europe  for  the  purpose  of  perfecting  himself  in  the  de- 
partments  of  ophthalmology  and  otology.  Upon  his  return, 
in-  abilities  in  these  specialties  were  recognized  by  the  trus- 
tee of  the  Brooklyn  Eye  and  Ear  Infirmary,  and  his  services 
were  secured  as  surgeon  to  that  institution. 

A  large  and  increasing  practice,  both  in  medicine  and  sur- 
gt  ry,  through  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century,  combined  with 
an  eager  desire  and  a  ready  power  to  keep  pace  with  the  won- 
derful progress  which  has  been  made  in  his  profession  during 
tlii>  period,  has  placed  Dr.  Speir  in  the  foremost  rank  of 
practitioners  in  Brooklyn. 

Devoted  t>>  Ins  calling,  he  has,  from  the  period  of  his  en- 
trance to  the  profession,  notwithstanding  the  labors  inciden- 
tal to  a  large  family  practice,  found  time  to  contribute  to  its 
literature,  various  papers  of  note  and  value.  In  1863.  bis  spe- 
cial  experience  in  a  number  of  cases  of  jaundice  caused  him 
to  arrive  at  conclusions  at  variance  with  the  then  accepted 
theories,  pertaining  to  this  sickness.  He  promulgated  these 
views  in  a  monograph  on  the  "  Pathology  of  Jaundice,"  and 
was  awarded  a  gold  medal  for  the  same  by  the  American 
Medical  Association,  in  1864.  In  1871,  he  contributed,  through 
the  Medical  Gazette  of  New  York,  a  valuable  series  of  papers 
on  the  "  Use  of  the  Microscope  in  the  Differential  Diagnosis 
of  Morbid  Growths,"  with  a  new  method  for  determining  the 
diagnosis,  prognosis,  and  treatment  of  cancers  and  tumors. 
The  subject  was  one  of  much  interest,  and  the  views  ad- 
vanced by  Dr.  Speir  in  his  writings  evinced  much  study  and 
careful  research,  as  also  the  ability  of  the  thorough 
adaptation  of  means  to  ends. 

Iu  this  same  year  (1871)  he  introduced  to  the  profession  "a 
new  method  of  arresting  surgical  hemorrhage  by  the  artery 
constrictor."  This  appliance  was  designed  for  the  instanta- 
neous and  hermetic  closure  of  arteries,  without  the  use  of 
ligature,  or  other  foreign  substance,  being  left  in  the  wound. 
The  plans  in  vogue  at  that  time  for  the  arrest  of  arterial  hem- 
orrhage, were  ligature,  acupressure  and  torsion.  The  method 
employed  and  suggested  by  Dr.  Speir,  combined  the  advan- 
tages of  each  of  the  old  methods  of  procedure,  and  has  proven 
beneficial  where  neither  of  the  previous  applications  could  be 
used  equally  as  well.  His  essay  on  this  sub  ject  secured  to  him 
the  "  Merritt  H.  (  ash  Prize  !  awarded  by  the  New  York  State 
Medical  Society.  The  plan  of  procedure  lias  also  been  embod- 
ied in  the  works  on  surgery  of  Professors  Gross  and  Hamilton, 
and  also  Bryant,  of  Guy's  Hospital,  London. 

Dr.  Spier's  learning  and  skill  in  bis  profession  has  at  various 
tunes  been  utilized  by  his  associates,  in  the  procuring  of  his 


services  for  the  several  institutions  connected  with  the  pro- 
fession in  Brooklyn.  He  has  served  as  Physician.  Curator,  and 
Microscopist  to  the  Brooklyn  City  Hospital,  and  is  at  present 
surgeon  of  that  institution.  He  has  also  served  as  Surgeon  to 
the  Tumor  and  Cancer  Department  of  the  Brooklyn  City  Dis- 
pensary. The  Long  Island  College  Hospital  has  enjoyed  his 
services  as  Demonstrator  of  Anatomy. 

He  has  been  identified  with  the  various  societies  pertaining 
to  bis  profession,  and  is  a  prominent  member  of  the  American 
Medical  Association,  also  of  the  New  York  State  Medic  al  So- 
ciety; a  member  of  the  New  York  Pathological  Society, 
Kings  County  Medical  Society,  and  the  New  York  Medical 
Journal  Association:  a  fellow  of  the  Mew  York  Academy  of 
Medicine:  and  be  was,  by  invitation,  a  member  of  the  "  Inter- 
national Medical  Congress  "  which  was  held  in  Philadelphia 
in  1876. 

Thus,  while  on  the  prof essional  side,  full  attainments,  intel- 
ligence, a  ready  capacity  for  business  and  patient  investiga- 
tion have  placed  Dr.  Speir  at  the  head  of  bis  profession,  bis 
prudential  qualities,  liberal,  civic  and  social  relations  in  do- 
mestic life;  the  cultivation,  manners  and  bearing  of  a  gentle- 
man by  intuition,  render  him  a  favorite  in  the  society  of 
Brooklyn.  It  is  no  affectation  to  say  that  no  member  of  his 
profession  maintains  a  more  enviable  position  in  that  society. 

It  has  been  said  by  a  popular  French  writer,  with  mu<  h 
truth,  "that  professions  are  narrowing;  that  when  too  closely 
followed,  they  contract  instead  of  expand  the  intellect:  so  that 
outside  of  professional  knowledge  many  lawyers,  physicians 
and  clergymen  dwarf  their  minds  by  too  close  confinement  to 
the  subtleties  and  technicalities  of  their  profession."  Hence, 
distinguished  professional  men  of  all  ages,  have  liberalized 
and  enlarged  their  minds  by  seeking  other  fields  of  intellec- 
tual culture,  and  by  directing  their  attention  to  matters  of 
relaxation  from  the  strain  and  confinement  of  their  calling. 

Dr.  Speir  seems  to  take  this  view  of  professional  life,  and 
relieves  the  tedium,  labor  and  confinement  of  his  large  prac- 
tice by  directing  his  attention  to  other  studies  and  other  sub- 
jects. As  one  of  the  outcomes  of  this,  be  is  the  proprietor  of 
one  of  the  most  attractive  country  seats  on  Long  Island.  His 
tasteful  cottage,  surrounded  by  a  shrubbery  that  the  English 
naturalist  Sbenstone  might  have  envied,  stands  on  a  gentle 
elevation  overlooking  the  lower  bay  of  New  York,  which  is 
said  to  rival  in  beauty  the  Bay  of  Naples.  Further  down  in  the 
opening  ocean  is  seen  the  fine  beach  of  Coney  Island,  with  its 
magnificent  structures;  while  opposite,  far  over  the  waters, 
appears  the  fertile  country  of  the  Jerseys. 

Dr.  Speir  has  given  his  attention  largely  to  the  cultivation 
of  domestic  and  exotic  flowers  and  shrubs.  The  exotic  s, 
nourished  and  sustained  in  winter  in  commodious,  well-ap- 
pointed conservatories,  are  transferred  to  his  grounds  in  the 
latter  days  of  spring,  giving  them  a  sort  of  oriental  beauty. 
As  one  wanders  through  these  grounds,  thus  embellished,  he 
can  easily  imagine  himself  in  some  tropical  clime  almost  as 
delightful  as  the  Hesperides. 

Dr.  Speir  has  also  devoted  his  attention  to  the  raising  of  the 
rarest  species  of  dogs.  In  his  kennels  can  be  found  the  finest  and 
most  valuable  of  the  canine  tribe,  some  of  them  being  almost 
priceless.  He  has  also  a  fine  stud  of  horses,  and  a  choice  herd 
of  Alderney  cattle:  and  last,  but  not  least,  he  cultivates  a  lux- 
urious vegetable  and  fruit  garden. 

In  this  delightful  retreat,  Dr.  Speir,  like  Pliny  the  younger, 
in  his  villa  on  the  banks  of  the  Mediterranean,  spends  much  of 
his  time  during  the  heated  summer  months:  although  it  is 
distant  six  or  seven  miles  from  his  town  residence,  a  pleasant 
and  easy  route  by  rail  renders  his  office  readily  accessible;  his 
professional  arrangements  are  such  that  none  of  his  numerous 
patients  are  neglected,  and  his  practice  is  uninterrupted 


S9l> 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Near  his  country  scat  is  that  of  his  father,  quite  as  pleasant 
ami  attractive  as  that  of  the  son. 

In  18(59,  Dr.  Speir  was  married  to  Frances  S.,  daughter  of 
Peter  Hegeiuan  of  New  York,  with  whom  his  marriage  re- 
lations have  heen  pleasant  and  happy. 

As  a  friend.  Dr.  Speir  is  sincere  and  undeviating:  his  un- 
pretending manners  and  fine  conversational  powers  rentier 
him  an  attractive  an<l  instructive  companion.  As  a  citizen, 
lie  is  sedulous  to  ad vance  the  interests  of  the'eommunity  in 
which  lie  lives. 

As  he  has  not  yet  passed  the  limits  of  middle  life,  with  the 
pleasing  surroundings  we  have  descriltcd.  he  has  every  reason 
to  anticipate  a  long  anil  prosjierous  future. 

ALEXANDER  HUTCHINS.  A.M.,  M.D. 
Alexander  Hutchins.  A.M..  M.D..  was  horn  in  New  York 
dty,  January  24.  1835.  and  is  descended  from  New  England 
ancestry.  After  a  preliminary  course  at  the  I'eekskill 
Academy,  he  entered  Williams  College,  in  1853.  took  the 
Greek  oration  in  the  junior  year,  and  graduated  with  the 
valedictory  honors.  August  5.  1857.  In  1862,  he  took  the  ad 
cundem  decree  of  Master  of  Arts.  He  studied  medicine  in 
the  Harvard  Medical  School,  and  received  the  degree  of 
Doctor  of  Medicine  from  the  New  York  Medical  College,  in 

1860.  At  the  same  time  were  awarded  to  him  the  Van 
ArUen  prize  and  a  special  degree  in  the  department  of  Toxi- 
cologieal  Chemistry.  On  the  day  after  his  graduation,  Dr. 
Hutchins  was  appointed  Surgeon  of  the  Star  of  the  West, 
one  of  the  New  York,  New  Orleans  and  Havana  steamers,  a 
position  which  lie  held  four  months.  Later,  he  was  appointed 
House  Surgeon  in  the  Blackwell's  Island  Hospital,  and.  in 

1861.  received  the  appointment  of  Interne  of  Rellevue  Hos- 
pital. New  York.  In  July.  1861,  he  was  commissioned  a 
Surgeon  in  the  United  States  Navy,  and  served  in  the  Brook- 
lyn Naval  Hospital,  on  the  United  States  steamship  Wyan- 
dotte, on  the  Harriet  Lane,  flagship  of  the  Potomac  flo- 
tilla, and  afterward  on  the  Massachusetts,  supply  ship  to 
the  Atlantic  squadron,  till  July,  1863.  when  ill-health  ren- 
dered his  resignation  necessary. 

August  31.  1863.  Dr.  Hutchins  hegan  private  practice  at 
796  DeKalh  avenue,  Br<x>klyn.  and  soon  afterward  hecame  a 
iiu'iiiIkt  of  the  Medical  Society  of  Kings  County,  and.  since 
18<>8.  has  been  continuously  connected  with  it  officially,  fill- 
ing t  he  office  of  President  during  three  successive  terms  (1876- 
1878).  He  w  as  instrumental  in  founding  the  Proceedings,  the 
official  organ  of  the  society,  and  in  establishing  the  society's 
reading-room  and  library.  He  is  Visiting  Physician  to  the 
Brooklyn  Hospital:  Consu Hi ng  Physician  to  St.  Mary's  Hos- 
pital and  the  East  Brooklyn  and  Bushwick  Dispensary.  He 
became  a  prominent  nieinlier  of  the  Medical  Society  of  the  State 
of  New  York,  in  1874.  served  some  years  on  the  committee  on 
by-laws,  was  awarded  the  Merritt  H.  Cash  prize  for  1875.  on 
"School  Hygiene,  with  reference  to  the  physiological  rela- 
tion-, of  age  and  sex  to  mental  ami  physical  education."  and 
was  elected  President  of  that  society  in  1883.  He  is  also  a 
member  of  the  American  Academy  of  Medicine.  I)r. 
Hutchins'  principal  contributions  to  medical  literature  have 
been  pa|M-rs  on  "Nitrate  of  Amyl."  "  Jalxirandi."  "  Apocy- 
DOm  <  'annahinum  "  "Forced  Alimentation."  "  The  Parturient 
Dose  of  Ergot,"  ami  ••Calcium  Salicylate  in  the  Serous  Diarr- 
hu-jis  of  Infants." 

The  doctor  has  iM'en  connected  with  St.  Matthew  's  Protes- 
tant Episcopal  Church  since  1863.  is  Sii|>crintcmlcnt  of  its 
Sunday-School,  and  a  menilier  of  its  vestry,  ami  for  many 
years  has  la-en  one  of  the  managers  of  the  Brooklyn  Sundfl  .  • 
School  Union.  He  is  one  of  the  trustees  and  the  Secretary  of 
the  Kant  Brooklyn  Savings  Bunk.     lb-  was  married,  in  18('..!, 


to  Mary  F.  Pelton.  of  Poughkeepsie.  N.  Y..  and  lias  three 
daughters  and  three  sons. 


Du.  HOMER  L  BABTLETT. 

Dr.  HOMER  L.  Bartlett  was  bom  in  Jericho.  ( hittanden 
county,  Vermont.    His  father's  name  was  Elias.    He  was  i 
wealthy  and  highly  intelligent  New  England  farmer,  ami 
descendant  of  Dr.  Josiah  Bartlett.  of  Revolutionary  inimui i 
His  mother's  name  was  Eliza  Whcelock.  a  descendant  ..f  ||„ 
Rev.  Eleazar  Whcelock.  an  early  missionary  to  the  Indians 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  received  his  early  education  al 
an  academy  in  his  native  village,  and  lateral  the  Acadenr 
of  Bakersfield.  N.  V..  then  under  the  care  of  J.  S.  S| >.-■  lit in 
a  most  successfid  anil  painstaking  educator.  At  school  hi 
was  noted  for  his  proficiency  in  mathematics  and  the  Mfaral 
sciences,  and  esjK-cially  for  his  facility  in  writing  and  spcak- 
ing.  In  the  weekly  debates  of  the  "  Debating  Society  con- 
nected with  the  institution,  he  was  considered  ■  me  of  tin-  fore- 
most champions.  He  had.  in  common  with  most  New  Eng- 
land youths.  l>een  accustomed  from  his  childhood  to  the 
practice.  His  father,  being  the  possessor  of  lar^e  landnj 
property,  was  anxious  that  his  sons  should  Ik-  farmers  like 
himself,  but  only  the  eldest  yielded  to  his  wish,  Horner  and 
his  younger  brother.  Edwin,  both  determining  to  keep  tip  tin 
family  name  of  a  •"race  of  doctors."  Accordingly,  after  hav- 
ing acquired  sufficient  knowledge  of  the  classics  to  natter 
the  technicalities  of  the  profession,  he  commenced  theatadj 
of  medicine  in  the  office  of  his  early  friend  and  fainih  physi- 
cian, Dr.  J.  Hamilton,  in  his  native  village.  Shortly  after 
this.  Dr.  Hamilton  removing  to  Albany.  N.  Y..  Ins  itndenl 
accompanied  him.  remaining  one  year:  in  the  rneantimi 
attending  a  course  of  lectures  in  the  Albany  Medical  Oolkgi 
He  had  prev  iously  attended  a  course  of  medical  lectures  in 
the  College  of  Woodstock,  Vermont.  At  the  conclusion  of 
his  year  in  Albany,  by  the  advice  of  his  former  preceptor,  hi1 
went  to  New  York  and  entered  the  office  of  Professor  WiUard 
Parker,  then  in  the  zenith  of  his  splendid  career.    Bare  hi' 

found  ample  opportunity  for  acquiring  Imth  the  tl  retical 

and  practical  branches  of  his  profession,  and  enthusiaatioalh 
he  embraced  them.    In  the  winter  of  185 1  -'55,  he  attended 
his  third  course  at  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons, 
N.  Y..  and  graduated  from  this  admirable  institution  in  1855, 
in  company  with  Drs.  Henry  D.  Noyes.  George  F  Shiadj 
Edward  W.  I^amliert.  and  other  men  now  prominenl  in  the 
profession.    After  his  graduation,  he  received  the  ap|R)inl- 
inent  of  Assistant  Physician  to  the  Kings  County  Hospital,  it 
Flatbush.  L.  I.,  then  under  the  care  of  Dr.  Them  is  Turner, 
one  of  the  best  read  and  most  efficient  su|H-rintendeiits  tli.it 
institution  has  ever  possessed.    During  his  term   f  w  n  Ice,  in 
addition  to  his  usual  duties  in  the  Hospital,  he.  in  connection 
with  Dr.  1).  B.  Simmonds — afterwards  medical  misfflODafJ  t< 
Japan  -arranged  a  complete  anatomical  cabinet,  besides  pn 
serv  ing  numerous  pathological  specimens.    Just  before  the 
close  of  his  service,  he  contracted  erysijjelas  of  tin-  fait-  and 
head,  which  nearly  proved  fatal,  ami  obliged  him  to  go  hOOM 
for  the  summer  to  recruit  his  strength.    In  tin-  autumn  at 
1856.  he  returned  to  New  York.  and.  by   the  advice  of  I'lel 
Parker,  opened  an  offiee  in  Eighty-sixth  street.    Ben  ben 
mained  one  week,  w  hen  he  was  sent  for  to  take  the  plaol  ol 
Drs.  DuIhus  and  Crane,  who  had  just  die. I  in  N'ew  I  iih  hi  id 
yellow  fever.    This  call  coming  to  him  like  the  voice  of  God 
he  did  not  feel  at  liberty  to  decline  it.    Consequently,  «tth 
out  delay  or  hesitation,  he  closed  his  office  in  Yorkville  and 
removed  to  New  Utrecht,  although  the  fever  Wilt  -I'll  p"  v  1 
lent.    There  he  remained  until  the  follow  ing  spring,  »  hi  B 
removed  to  Flatbush.  where  he  still  resides.    ( >n  his  return  I 
Flatbush,  in  the  spring  of  1857,  he  was  made  <  onsultinj  Pb)  ; 


897 


anto  the  Kings  County  Hospital,  by  the  advice  of  Dr.  Tur- 
which  position  lie  still  holds.  He  is  also  Physician  to  the 
tags  County  Penitentiary.  He  originated  the  Health  Board 
'  the  town  of  Flatbush,  of  which  he  was  Health  Officer  for 
velve  years.  He  was  also  largely  instrumental  in  securing 
Police  Board,  of  which  he  was  the  first  president.  He  is  a 
ember  of  the  Kings  County  Medical  Society;  a  permanent 
ember  of  the  American  Medical  Association,  of  which  he 
as  a  delegate  to  the  Medical  Congress  held  in  London, 
i^ust.  1861;  and  member  of  the  Physicians'  Mutual  Aid  As- 
ciatioB.  Like  many  professional  men,  Dr.  Bartlett  has  car- 
■il  his  researches  beyond  (lie  strict  domain  of  his  profession- 
pmsuits.  At  one  time  he  devoted  much  time  and  study  to 
(•(■masonry.  He  was  Master  of  his  own  Lodge  for  three 
mis.  in  the  meantime  contributing  papers  and  giving  lec- 
ivs  >>n  various  subjects  connected  with  Masonry. 
In  literary  pursuits.  Dr.  Bartlett  is  no  tyro.  For  many 
ars  he  has  been  a  frequent  contributor  to  the  daily  papers, 
well  as  to  medical  journals,  and  is  the  author  of  a  series  of 
Sketches  of  Long  Island,"  some  of  them  strictly  historical, 
die  others  are  romances  from  old  legends.  In  1859,  Dr. 
rtlett  was  married  to  Margaret  Strong  Scott,  daughter  of 
■nry  Scott,  Esq.,  of  Cooperstown,  N.  Y.,  who  died  in  187(5, 
iving  four  children. 

Dr.  Bartlett's  residence  in  Flatbush,  of  which  we  give  an 
graving,  is  named  "  Fenimore,"  after  J.  Fenimore  Cooper, 
■  novelist,  a  neighbor  and  a  life-long  friend  of  the  Scott 
nilv. 


DR.  CORNELIUS  OLCOTT. 

Jr.  Cornelius  Olcjtt,  M.  D..  a  prominent  citizen  and 

ysician  of  Brooklyn.  N.  Y.,  was  born  in  Jersey  City,  New 
.rsey,  on  the  21st  day  of  January,  1828.  He  comes  of 
!  old  and  honorable  English  family,  members  of  which 

ancient  tinie3  held  high  rank  under  the  Crown,  and  is  a 
I  eal  descendant  of  Thomas  Olcott,  one  of  the  first  settlers 
'  Hartford,  Conn.  It  is  weli  known  to  every  one  en- 
|ked  in  genealogical  research,  that  much  confusion 
I  wailed  iu  early  Colonial  times  as  to  the  orthography  of 
]>per  nam38.  This  confusion,  or  rather  irregularity. 
'  s  not  peculiar  to  any  class,  but  seems  to  have 
I  'ii  more  or  leas  general,  for  even  those  two  distinguished 
1 W  Englanders,  Endicott  and  Winthrop,  appear  to  have 
i  lulged  in  more  than  one  style.  The  present  spelling  of  the 
l  ne  of  Olcott,  is  that  which  was  adopted  by  the  founder  of 
t  American  family  now  bearing  it;  as  is  sufficiently  proved 
1  his  autograph,  appended  to  a  legal  document  executed  in 
Irtford,  Conn.,  April  22d,  1650  (and  preserved  in  the 
t  onial  records)  and  by  the  initial  T.  O.  on  his  seal,  a  wax 
i  session  of  which,  affixed  to  the  will  of  Timothy  Hyde— a 
&  ndson  of  the  first  Thomas  Olcott— was  discovered  in  1815. 
-  iording  to  the  learned  Col.  Henry  S.  Olcott,  the  American 
rne  Olcott  is  a  more  modern  form  of  the  English  name 
-'  ock,  variously  spelled  by  the  New  England  settlers.  In 
t  United  Kingdom  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland  there  are 
ijbral  families  of  this  name,  all  of  whom  bear,  as  a  crest,  a 
Mfc  m  some  cases  represented  as  crowing,  in  others  as 
»at  ^vith  the  motto  Vigilate— be  watching);  probably  in 
aisiou  to  the  name,  which  some  say  is  of  Saxon  origin  and 
lived  from  culd  (German  aid,  alt)  meaning  old.  and  coc. 
"ining  a  male  bird.  In  a  work  entitled  "  Derivations  of 
utv  N"aiues."  by  the  late  Rev.  Dr.  Win.  Arthur  (father  of 
tl  President  of  the  United  States)  the  name  is  said  to  come 
m  Hal  or  Al,  a  nickname  for  Henry:  and  Cock,  a  termiu- 
ma  meaning  little,  or  diminutive,  the  same  as  at  or  kin; 
i  e  Hal  or  Al.    The  lirst  member  of  the  family  of  whom  a 

mte  account  has  come  down  to  his  descendants,  was  the 


distinguished  Dr.  Alcock,  Lord  Chancellor  of  England  under 
Henry  VII. — a  man  who  shed  lustre  on  not  only  the 
name  of  his  family,  but  on  the  entire  country.  Accord- 
ing to  Rose's  Biographical  Dictionary,  published  in  London 
in  1848,  Lord  Chancellor  John  Alcock  was  born  at  Bevelny, 
Yorkshire.  He  completed  his  education  at  ( 'ambridge,  and 
at  this  University  took  the  degree  of  Doctor  cf  Laws.  In 
rapid  succession  he  was  Dean  of  Westminster,  Bishop  of 
Rochester,  Worcester,  and,  in  1486,  he  succeeded  Morton  in 
the  See  of  Ely.  His  secular  advancement  was  equally  rapid ; 
in  1462  he  was  made  Master  of  the  Rolls;  in  1470,  a  Privy 
Councillor  and  Ambassador  to  the  ( 'ourt  of  Castile,  a  Com- 
missioner to  treat  with  the  Scotch  Commissioners,  Lord 
President  of  Wales:  and  in  1472  he  was  made  Lord  Chancellor 
by  Henry  VII.  His  skill  in  architecture  was  so  eminent  that 
the  King  appointed  him  Comptroller  of  the  Royal  works  and 
buildings.  His  Episcopal  palaces,  especially  that  of  Ely, 
were  improved  by  his  taste.  He  founded,  in  1486,  a  school 
at  Kingston-upon-l  lull.  Iu  1496,  he  founded  Jesus  Col- 
lege at  Cambridge,  and  appropriated  to  its  use  a  house  for- 
merly occupied  as  a  nunnery  (that  of  St.  Rhodegund ).  Bo 
was  as  distinguished  for  his  virtues  as  for  his  learning  and 
abilities.  He  died  at  Wisbeach,  October  1st,  1500,  and  was 
buried  in  a  beautiful  chapel  in  Ely  Cathedral,  built  by  him- 
self. He  wrote  various  works  in  Latin,  of  a  religious  charac- 
ter, and  a  little  treatise  entitled,  in  allusion  to  his  own  name, 
"  Galli  Cantis  ad  Confrates  Siios." 

In  1707,  another  of  the  family,  named  Nathan  Alcock,  is 
mentioned  as  an  eminent  scholar.  He  was  educated  primar- 
ily in  Lancashire:  afterward  studied,  at  Edinburgh,  and  sub- 
sequently at  Leyden,  in  Holland,  under  Boerhaave,  Gaubins, 
Albinus  Gravesand.  He  took  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Medi- 
cine in  1737:  and.  in  1741,  he  was  instituted  Master  of  Arts 
of  Jesus  College,  Cambridge.  Thomas  Olcott,  the  founder  of 
the  American  family  under  consideration,  an  ancestor  of  the 
subject  of  this  sketch,  was  a  native  of  England,  and  was 
born  in  the  early  part  of  the  seventeenth  century.  It  is  sup- 
posed by  some  authorities  that  he  came  to  America  with  Rev. 
Thomas  Hooker,  in  the  ship  Griffin,  which  left  Holland  in 
July,  1633,  and,  after  a  passage  of  eight  weeks,  reached  New 
England  September  4th  following.  Some  two  hundred  pas- 
sengers came  by  this  vessel.  Governor  Winthrop  records  the 
event  in  the  following  terms  : 

"  Mr.  Hooker  arrived  from  England  with  John  Cotton  and 
Mr.  Stone,  also  Ministers,  September  4th,  1633,  and  many 
other  men  of  good  estates.  They  got  out  of  England  with 
great  difficulty,  all  places  being  belaid  to  have  taken  Mr.  Cot- 
ton and  Mr.  Hooker,  who  had  long  been  sought  for,  to  have 
been  brought  into  the  High  Commission."' 

These  emigrants  settled  at  Newtown,  now  Cambridge, 
Mass.  Mr.  Hooker,  being  of  an  independent  turn  of  mind, 
probably  seeking  to  escape  rivalry  with  Cotton,  formed  a  com- 
pany of  men,  women  and  children  from  Newtown  and  other 
settlements  on  the  seaboard  of  Massachusetts,  and,  in  June, 
1635,  moved  westward  to  plant  a  new  colony  on  the  banks  of 
the  Connecticut  River.  According  to  the  belief  of  Nathaniel 
Goodwin,  set  forth  in  the  preface  to  the  first  edition  of  his 
valuable  genealogical  work,  entitled  "  The  Descendants  of 
Thomas  Olcott,  one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Hartford,  Conn, " 
Thomas  Olcott.  from  whom  sprang  the  Connecticut  branch 
of  the  Olcotts,  was  a  member  of  this  very  company,  and  one 
of  the  original  settlers  at  Hartford,  then  called  by  the  In- 
dians Suckiaug,  but  named  Newtown  by  the  new-comers 
from  the  place  of  their  residence  in  Massachusetts,  and,  in 
February,  1637,  changed  to  Hartford.  Col.  Olcott,  who 
edited  a  revised  edition  of  Oood  win's  work,  says,  in  his  pref- 
atory remarks,  that  there  were  two  men  in  the  Massachusetts 


898 


niSTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


colony  of  the  fame  name,  one  of  whom  reached  the  country 
about  1(530,  and  settled  in  Boston,  while  the  other  did  not 
come  until  several  years  later,  and.  in  Hi:!"),  settled  in  Hart- 
ford. It  is  likely  that  the  last  named,  who  was  the 
younger  of  the  two,  adopted  the  selling  ••Olcott,"  since 
preserved  h\  '.i^  descendants  to  avoid  confusion  with 
his  namesake  and  |<ossi!>le  relative.  The  Hartford  settler 
had  heen  educated  in  trade  in  Europe,  and  brought 
with  him  to  the  new  world,  the  experience  and  fruits 
of  successful  enterprise.  In  common  with  Edward  Hopkins, 
Richard  Lord.  William  Whiting  and  others,  he  engaged  in 
trade,  for  which  the  ( 'onnecticut  was  supposed  to  afford 
great  facilities,  especially  in  the  traffic  in  furs.  He  "  first 
located  himself  on  the  east  side  of  the  public- (now  State 
House  square,  in  Hartford.  Subsequently  he  purchased 
one  of  tin-  lots  assigned  to  Edward  Hopkins,  in  the  original 
distribution  of  the  town  among  the  first  settlers.  This 
lot  comprised  the  whole  square  fronting  on  Main  street, 
and  bounded  by  l'earl.  Trumbull  and  Asylum  streets.  On 
t  he  soul  li-east  coi  ner  he  e recti  d  a  dwelling  for  his  own  occu- 
pation, which  continued  in  the  possession  of  the  family  for 
several  generations."  Thomas  ( llcott  wasa  man  of  excellent 
standing  in  Hartford,  ami.  in  1  ti!(>,  was  one  of  the  two  con- 
stables of  the  place.  He  died  in  1654,  at  the  age  of  46  years, 
probably,  as  it  would  seem  from  the  records,  while  on  a  visit 
of  business  to  Virginia.  He  disposed  of  his  property  by  will 
on  his  death-bed.  His  estate,  which  was  a  large  one  for  those 
days,  aggregated  nearly  £1,600.  He  left  a  widow  ,  three  sons 
and  two  daughters.  Mrs.  Olcott.  whose  baptismal  name  w  as 
Abigail,  proved  fully  equal  to  the  management  of  the  estate 
and  family  left  in  her  sole  charge  by  the  death  of  her  husband. 
She  bought,  let  and  sold  lands,  loaned  money  on  mortgage 
security,  made  contracts  for  delivering  goods,  and.  from  all 
accounts,  carried  on  her  husband's  business  "like  one  to  the 
manor  born."  She  died  May  2<>.  1698,  aged  78  years,  and 
was  buried  with  her  husband,  in  the  public  burying  ground 
in  the  rear  of  the  Centre  Congregational  Church.  Hartford. 
In  this  burial  place  stands  a  plain  but  massive  shaft  of  stone, 
erected  ■•  In  Memory  of  the  first  Settlers  of  Hartford." 
whose  names,  including  that  of  Thomas  Olcott  (here  spelled 
Alcott)  are  chiseled  in  its  surface. 

The  sons  of  Thomas  Olcott,  who  were  farmers,  resided  at 
Hartford,  and  were  all  men  of  consideration  in  the  colony. 
Thomas,  the  eldest,  was  admitted  a  freeman  May  'JO,  H55X, 
and  Samuel,  the  second  sou,  on  May  12,  16T>4. 

The  grandfather  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  .John 
Easton  Olcott  (bom  July  24,  17  lit),  son  of  Thomas  Olcott  of 
Stratford,  Conn.,  and  his  first  wife  Sarah  East  n,  daughter 
of  .John  Easton  of  Hartford.  He  was  lineally  descended  from 
Thomas  Olcott  and  of  the  sixth  generation  of  the  came  in 
America,  and  married  Hannah  Sands  of  Hempstead,  Long 
Island.  For  some  time  after  his  marriage  he  resided  at  Strat- 
ford, Conn.,  but  subsequently  loth  he  and  his  wife  removed 
to  Cornwall.  Conn.,  where  they  died.  Their  oldest  son.  John 
Sands  .  ■!  i .  Iiorn  in  t  he  last  named  place,  removed  to  II  in!- 
son,  N.  Y.,  hut  -ill. -i  qucntly  went  to  Jersey  City,  then  known 
.i-  I'auliis  Hook,  where  he  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of 
cordage,  and  I. mil  the  I i r - :  two  rope-Walks  in  the  State  of 
New  Jersey.  One  of  his  brothers.  Joseph  IL,  located  as  a 
planter  in  Louisiana  and  died  there  during  the  first  war  of 
the  Civil  War.  Another  brother,  Id  v.  James  S.  Olcott, 
was  the  first  ordained  clergyman  who  officiated  in  Jersey  t  'ity, 
and  it  was  through  his  instrumentality  that  the  lirst  church 
edifice  i  l)ii |.  | i  Reformed  i.  was  etc.  led  in  that  city.  He  mar- 
ried Sarah  ItatcheL  r.  of  England,  and  had  nine  children 
eight  sons  and  one  daughter.  Sands  olcott,  one  of  these 
.oris,  went   to  New  Hope,  I'enn..  and  established  extensive 


manufactories.  He  was  a  born  inventor,  and  expended  sev- 
eral fortunes  in  carrying  on  his  plans  and  experiments.  One 
of  his  projects,  undertaken  with  the  hope  of  competing  with 
the  foreign  productions,  was  a  manufacture  of  linen  from 
Max  grown  in  New  Jersey.  All  the  machinery  used  in  1 10 - 
work  was  of  his  own  invention.  At  one  time  he  ha.l  Bvi 
large  factories  in  successful  operation  in  New  Hope,  and  alsu 
the  largest  rope-walk  in  the  country.  Two  of  his  inventions 
have  become  widely  known — the  "  Equalizer,"  for  prodnoiDE 
uniformity  in  thread,  used  in  nearly  every  cotton  factor] 
and  the  "  Walking  Jack,"  extensively  employed  in  the  man- 
ufacture of  rope. 

The  youngest  of  these  sons,  Dr.  CORNELIUS (  Ilcott,  of  Btook 
lyn,  w  hose  portrait  appears  in  connection  with  this  sketch, 
received  his  early  education  at  the  academies  of  N.  u  Bon 
I'enn.,  and  Lamliertsville,  N.  J.  He  returned  to  Jersey  '  it> 
in  184:1.  and  soon  afterwards  began  the  study  of  medicke. 
Having  finished  the  prescribed  course  of  training,  ba  \c- 
graduated  in  1849  at  the  University  of  New  York,  with  tl, 
diploma  of  Doctor  of  Medicine.  He  established  himself  in 
Brooklyn  in  March  of  the  same  year,  and  devoting  bimst  If 
with  great  earnestness  to  perfecting  Ins  knowledge  of  >nrger\. 
soon  acquired  such  a  mastery  of  this  department  as  gave  him 
great  reputation  both  with  the  medical  profession  and  tin 
general  public.  As  a  volunteer  surgeon  he  served  in  the 
Federal  army  under  McClellau  at  Fortress  Monroe,  and  innl.  i 
Grant  in  the  Fredericksburgh  campaign.  Since  the  war  • 
has  devoted  himself  to  general  practice  in  the  ( 'ity  of  Brook 
lyn,  and  has  earned  a  name  as  a  family  physician  and  asm- 
geon  of  eminence  scarcely  second  to  any  other  in  tin  Stati 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Kings  County  Medical  Society,  ami 
i  takes  a  deep  interest  in  all  that  pertains  to  his  chosen  calling 
In  November,  1874,  Dr.  Olcott  performed  with  signal  stK  o  - 
the  difficult  operation  in  midwifery,  technically  known  as  tin' 
"Caesarian  section."  An  account  of  this  surgical  operation, 
the  first  successf  ul  one  of  the  kind  ever  reported  in  llrooklt/ii 
or  New  York,  originally  appeared  in  the  American  • 
of  Obstetrics  and  Diseases  of  Ho  men  and  Children,  April. 
1*79.  It  was  subsequently  republished  in  pamphlet  form.  In 
surgical  cases  requiring  more  than  ordinary  skill.  Ins  sen  >■  ■  - 
are  in  continual  request  by  his  brothers  in  the  mi  dieal  pre 
fession  in  Brooklyn  and  vicinity,  and  he  has  performed  with 
marked  success  nearly  all  the  more  difficult  ojierations  of  the 
present  day. 

Dr.  Olcott  was  the  original  pioneer  settler  of  (irceliwe.. 
Lake,  and  it  is  mainly  throMgh  his  efforts  that  this  Iteautifnl 
resort  has  been  made  what  w  now  is.  In  IStiii,  l.ein_-  attra<  li 
by  the  possibilities  of  the  spot,  he  purchase  I  an  e\tei 
tract  of  land  at  the  lake  and  built  a  cottage  anil  U-gan  .'tin  i 
improvements.    The  sheet  of  water  now  known  .i-  (irrt-i 
w  ood  Lake  is  partly  of  artificial  construction,  soma 
hundred  acres  of  land  having  been  Hooded  after  having  been 
|  cleared  of  trees.    At  the  time  Dr.  Olcott  became  ■  prop  rtj 
owner  at  the  lake,  the  stumps  of  these  trees  projected  aboti 
its  surface,  but  he  determined  to  get  rid  of  thew  unafajatb 
objects,  and  having  first  drained  the  lake,  through  tin 
operation  of  President  Randolph  of  the  Morris  and  I  - 
Canal,  he  had  the  objectionable  stumps  sawed  olf  close totb< 
roots.    This  undertaking— one  of  no  slight  magnitude  am 
conducted  entirely  under  his  supervision  and  at  his  OWi  ai 
pense. 

« fbserving  the  success  of  Dr.  I  tlcott's  plan,  the  cii»  

Lake  Railroad  Company  (which  had  previously 
several  ways  to  remove  the  slumps  in  another  par)    I  11 
lakei,  subsequently  adopted  it.  with  the  happicHl  effect     I  »' 
change  wrought  by  this  pro.  ceding  w  as  remark..!  -  uti 
the  lalo  .  winch   had    lierelol  ore  -eeined     to   the  .  aMial  0b> 


THE  MEDICAL 


server— to  possess  no  special  charm,  speedily  became  noted 
for  its  beauty.  In  a  short  time  pleasure-seekers  and  tourists 
began  to  be  attracted  to  it ;  and  with  a  view  to  its  further 
development,  a  number  of  prominent  and  wealthy  citizens 
of  Now  York  and  New  Jersey  originated  the  Greenwood 
Lake  Association,  of  which  Dr.  Olcott  became  president. 
The  combined  efforts  of  this  club  resulted  in  very  elaborate 
improvements.  Besides  building  an  elegant  club-house  at 
Warwick  Woodlands,  the  Association  lias  stocked  the  lake 
with  fish;  and,  with  a  view  to  attracting  game,  has  planted 
wild  rice  through  the  swamps  and  low-lands  of  the  region. 
The  lake,  which  is  900  feet  above  tide-level,  is  situated 
partly  in  Orange  county,  N.  Y.,  and  partly  in  Passaic  county, 
N.  J.:  and  the  Greenwood  Lake  Association  has  secured 
from  the  Legislatures  of  both  States  game  privileges  cover- 
ing an  area  of  nearly  50,000  acres  of  mountain  land.  This 
region  is  now  pronounced  one  of  the  most  attractive  and 
healthful  in  the  country.  Its  development  has  been  rapid, 
and  as  a  select  summer  resort  it  gives  promise  of  becoming 
in  time  a  powerful  rival  of  some  of  the  most  noted  watering 
places  of  the  present  day.  It  is  due  to  Dr.  Olcott  to  state 
that  the  opening  of  this  region,  and  the  impetus  given  its 
development  was  largely  the  result  of  his  foresight,  enter- 
prise and  energy;  and  that  its  present  condition  and  future 
prospects  are  based  upon  operations  in  which  he  is  the  mov- 
ing spirit.  One  of  the  recent  results  of  the  development  of 
I  his  place  has  been  the  founding  there  of  the  American  In- 
stitute of  Christian  Philosophy,  organized  to  promote  the 
broad  and  liberal  discussion  of  theological  questions;  the 
object  being  to  counteract  the  effect  of  the  teachings  of 
Spencer,  Mill,  Huxley,  and  others. 

The  President  of  the  Institute  is  the  Rev.  Charles  F. 
Deems,  of  New  York  city,  and  Dr.  Olcott  has  been  con- 
nected with  it  since  its  inception.  Dr.  Olcott  possesses  a 
great  share  of  the  modesty  that  generally  accompanies 
superior  merit.  He  is  a  man  of  broad  culture  and  profound 
l  bought,  and  thoroughly  versed  in  all  the  important  sub- 
j  >cts,  which,  during  the  last  two  or  three  decades  have  oc- 
cupied the  attention  of  the  ablest  thinkers  and  writers, 
lie  is  an  intelligent  patron  of  the  fine  arts,  and  in  his  ele- 
gant  home,  in  one  of  the  most  aristocratic  parts  of  Brooklyn, 
are  to  be  found  many  beautiful  specimens  of  painting  and 
statuary,  some  of  which  are  of  great  value.  A  man  of 
large  heart  and  kindly  sympathies,  he  is  esteemed  in  the 
community  in  which  he  resides,  scarcely  less  for  his  unosten- 
i  atious  character  than  for  his  professional  learning  and  skill. 

Dr.  Olcott  married  Miss  Katherine  M.  Van  Duzer,  daugh- 
ter of  James  B.  Van  Duzer,  Esq.,  and  Letitia  Van  Winkle, 
bis  wife,  of  New  York.  Three  children  were  born  to  this 
marriage  —  Philip  Gordon,  who  died  in  infancy;  Charles 
Augustus,  and  Ida  Lillian. 

Charles  Augustus  Olcott  adopted  the  profession  of  his 
father,  and  was  graduated  in  1875,  at  the  Bellevue  Hospital 
Medical  College,  with  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Medicine. 
He  is  now  Surgeon  to  the  Fire  Department  of  Brooklyn, 
and  is  associated  with  his  father  in  general  practice.  Miss 
Ida  Lillian  Olcott,  an  accomplished  young  lady  of  rare 
mental  qualities,  although  not  adopting  literature  as  a  life 
work,  signalized  herself  at  the  early  age  of  sixteen  by  a 
literary  attempt  as  remarkable  as  it  was  successful.  This 
was  nothing  less  than  the  giving  to  the  English-speaking 
public  a  translation  of  a  work  entitled,  La  Morale  Nella 
Vilosojia  Positiva,  from  the  pen  of  Prof.  Giacomo  Barzel- 
lotti,  of  Florence,  the  American  edition  of  which,  under 
the  title  of  "Ethics  of  Positivism,"  she  edited  with  entire 
satisfaction  to  the  learned  Italian  author,  who  compliments 
her  labors  in  his  preface  to  that  edition  in  terms  of  unquali- 


profession:  soo 


fled  praise.  She  was  led  to  this  effort,  extraordinary  foroaeof 
her  years,  through  reading  in  one  of  Herbert  Spencer's  works, 
that  that  eminent  psychologist  regretted  Professor  Bar- 
zellotti's  book  had  not  been  translated  into  English;  and  mas- 
tering difficulties  that  would  have  discouraged  at  the  outset 
a  much  older  and  more  experienced  person,  brought  the 
translation  successfully  tlirough  the  press,  in  her  extreme 
youth  braving  criticism,  from  which,  however,  the  merit  of 
her  labor  effectually  shielded  her.* 

THOMAS  P.  NORRIS,  M.  D. 

Thomas  P.  Norris,  M.  D. — Few  men  in  Kings  county 
have  been  brought  more  conspicuously  before  the  public 
than  Dr.  Norris. 

He  is  conspicuous  not  only  as  a  physician  and  surgeon,  but 
as  a  politician  and  civilian  who  has  discharged  the  duties  of 
several  official  positions  with  marked  ability:  who  has  dis- 
tinguished loimself  as  a  logical,  erudite  and  elegant  writer, 
whose  productions  have  been  justly  and  widely  commended. 
As  a  statistical  writer,  we  do  not  hesitate  to  say  he  stands 
pre-eminent,  as  his  contributions  in  that  department  of 
writing  for  the  New  York  Tribune,  the  Brooklyn  papers,  and 
many  of  the  leading  magazines,  fully  illustrate. 

Thomas  P.  Norris  was  born  December  23d,  1831,  at  the 
town  of  Rush,  fourteen  miles  from  the  city  of  Dublin,  Ire- 
land. He  came  from  an  old  and  very  respectable  family  in 
that  part  of  the  country.  His  father  ranked  among  the  most 
noted  master  builders  and  contractors  of  his  time;  he  was  a 
man  of  great  purity  of  character,  intelligent,  of  strong  feel- 
ings, and  a  sympathetic  nature.  He  fell  a  victim  to  the 
great  cholera  epidemic  in  1832,  leaving  a  widow  and  six 
children,  of  whom  Dr.  Norris  was  the  youngest.  His  mother, 
before  her  marriage,  was  a  Miss  Rogers,  of  Rogerstown,  Ire- 
land, a  descendant  of  o'ne  of  those  old  aristocratic  families 
who  are  strongly  attached  to  their  homestead  by  virtue  of 
the  laws  of  primogeniture.  She  was  a  lady  of  unusual 
intelligence  and  force  of  character.  After  the  death  of  her 
husband,  the  guidance  and  management  of  her  six  children 
imposed  a  great  responsibility  upon  her,  which  she  discharged 
with  praiseworthy  success.  As  she  possessed  in  her  own 
right  considerable  property,  and  received  from  her  husband's 
estate  a  handsome  allowance,  she  possessed  the  means  of 
rearing  and  educating  her  children  respectably.  A  few  years 
atter  the  death  of  her  husband  she  emigrated  to  the  United 
States  with  her  family,  and  settled  in  the  city  of  New  York. 

Young  Norris  was  immediately  placed  at  the  parish  school 
of  St.  Patrick's  Cathedral,  where  he  evinced  a  decided  love 
of  study,  and  where  he  showed  great  proficiency  as  a  scholar. 
Having  attained  the  age  of  fourteen,  he  entered  a  large  drug 
house  in  the  city  of  New  York,  where  he  became  a  proficient 
in  Materia  Medica,  which  prepared  him  to  commence  his 
medical  studies. 

In  the  meantime  he  wa?  forming  his  plans  for  the  future, 
and  with  great  industry  studying  for  the  inedical  profession. 
In  the  winter  he  attended  lectures  at  the  medical  school  of 
the  New  York  University,  graduating  in  the  spring  of  1854; 
besides  the  regular  diploma,  he  received  a  degree  of  "Honor," 
which — to  use  the  language  of  the  certificate — "was  given  in 
consideration  of  his  having  pursued  a  fuller  course  of  medical 
studies  than  is  usually  followed  by  students."  Not  long 
after  receiving  his  degree,  ho  was  appointed  Examin- 
ing Surgeon  in  the  United  States  Army,  for  North-western 
Ohio,  and  at  once  entered  upon  his  professional  duties.  Ho 

*The  publishers  acknowledge,  with  the  highest  gratification,  the 
obligations  they  are  under  to  a  gifted  and  accomplished  friend  of 
the  subject  of  the  foregoing  admirably  written  biography,  for  its  con- 
tribution to  the  History  of  King  County. 


BISTORT  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


ilevoted  himielf  to  them  so  intensely  that  his  health  became 
impaired,  ami  h>  was  compelled  to  reiign;  after  which  he 
went  to  Brooklyn,  the  home  of  his  wife.  Not  long  after  this 
she  died.  Her  death  was  soon  al  ter  followed  by  that  of  his 
mother. 

He  was  prosperom  and  successful  in  his  profession,  and 
had  attained  a  position  so  eminent,  and  an  influence  as  a 
practitioner  an  1  as  a  citizen  so  extensive,  that  he  was  ap- 
pointed to  superintend  the  Marshals  in  taking  the  United 
States  Cjnsus  for  Kings  county,  a  trust  which  he  discharged 
so  satisfactorily  that  he  received  the  thanks  of  United  States 
Sup  -rintendent  Kennedy.  It  was  during  the  discharge  of 
these  duties  tliat  he  first  exhibited  his  rare  statistical  abili- 
ties, in  compiling  numerous  tables  of  statistics  relating  to  the 
various  interests  of  Kings  county.  These  were  apart  from 
the  regular  tables,  and  have  often  been  referred  to  as  matters 
•  if  authority.  Dr.  S.iles,  in  his  valuable  History  of  Brooklyn, 
embodied  many  of  these  tables  in  his  work.  These  produc- 
tions were  published  in  most  of  the  leading  journals.  Their 
merits  were  so  thoroughly  appreciated  that  they  brought  Dr. 
Norris  prominently  and  favorably  before  the  public. 

To  use  the  language  of  the  liroohh/n  Kmjle,  "  Dr.  Norris  is 
.-.liable  and  accomplished  statistician,  lie  knows  all  about 
Brooklyn,  and  can  describe  almost  everything  it  contains; 
indeed,  he  ha  done  so."'  The  /-.>/<//<•  might  have  said  the 
HUOfl  of  I).-.  Norris  in  regard  to  the  city  of  New  York. 

Hi"  u  a  *  nominated  by  t  he  I'nionists  for  ( 'oroner  and  elected 
bv  a  large  majority.  In  the  discharge  of  the  duties  of  this 
ollice  he  exhibited  such  high   professional  abilities,  united 

with    h  judicial  acumen,  that  he  soon  stood  prominent 

among  the  coroners  of  tin  state.  There  were  several 
terrible  accidents  within  his  jurisdiction,  the  investigation  of 


which  required  the  highest  abilities  and  learning.  Aiuon„' 
these  was  the  explosion  of  the  United  States  gunboat     ( 'In 
nango,"  in  April,  1864,  while  on  her  trial  trip,  whereby  tbirtj 
persons  lost  their  lives.    The  investigation  of  this  explosion 
before  Coroner  Norris,  was  long,  close  and  interesting.  It 
involved  the    consideration  of    many  abstruse,  scientifl 
questions.    The  charge  of  Dr.  Norris  to  the  jury  was  one  of 
the  ablest  and  most  exhaustive  judicial  and  scientific  pro 
duetions  on  record.    It  was  subsequently  published,  with  the 
other  proceedings,  by  Messrs.  Hurd«Y  Houghton,  of  New  York 
in  book  form,  liuding  a  welcome  place  in  the  best  law  nd 
scientific  libraries  in  the  state  and  nation.    The  inquiry  into 
another  terrible  explosion — Lhat  of  a  coal-oil  still,  led  lo 
another    long   and    interesting     investigation    before  l»r. 
Norris,  as  coroner,  which  for  a  long  time  attracted  public 
interest. 

In  1874,  he  was,  without  any  previous  know  ledge  or  solici- 
tation on  his  part,  nominated  and  elected  Commissioner  ol 
Charities  for  Kings  County  to  fill  an  unexpired  term  of  OM 
year;  he  was  afterwards  elected  for  the  full  term  of  three 

years. 

Dr.  Norris  brought  to  this  ollice  most  admirable  qualifi- 
cations, rendered  practical  and  profitable  by  the  adminis- 
tration of  his  duties  as  Coroner.  During  the  time  he  bald 
this  otlice,  I'JOO.u  to  a  year  was  saved  to  the  county.  Sub 
sequently,  he  successfully  engaged  in  an  effort  to  improTeW 
condition  of  the  insane  of  the  county.  His  labors  in  that  di- 
rection aroused  much  public  attention,  and  wore  liighl) 
commended  by  the  press  and  the  people. 

In  the  fall  of  1S74,  Dr.  Norris  was  elected  Su|K'rintendenl 
of  the  I'oor  of  Kings  County,  entering  upon  his  rlutiei  Jam) 
ary  1,  1875,  and  discharging  the  duties  of  that  ollice  during  I  !«• 


THE  MEDICAL  PROFESSION. 


901 


years  1875,  '76  and  '67.  He  took  an  important  part  in  the  Con- 
vention of  the  Superintendents  of  the  Poor  held  at  Pough- 
keepsie,  June  8th  and  9th,  1875;  in  that  held  at  Saratoga, 
June  13th  and  14th,  1876;  and  in  that  held  at  Binghamton, 
June  12th  and  13th,  1877.  His  speech  at  the  Convention  at 
Poughkeepsie,  on  the  subject  of  "Out-door  Relief  to  the  Poor," 
was  highly  commended.  He  was  elected  Chairman  of  the 
Convention  held  at  Binghamton,  June,  1877.  The  records  of 
those  conventions  bear  creditable  evidence  of  Dr.  Norris' 
ability  as  a  parliamentarian.  We  have  already  alluded  to 
hiui  as  a  writer,  to  which  we  may  add  that  his  productions 
are  numerous,  and  are  read  with  avidity  and  profit. 

As  Dr.  Norris  is  comparatively  a  young  man;  his  expe- 
rience, his  learning,  his  well-matured  mind  and  the  esteem  in 
which  he  is  held  by  the  citizens  of  Brooklyn,  give  promise  of 
future  usefulness  and  distinction. 


Dr.  GEORGE  WACKERHAGEN. 
Dr.  George  Wackerhagen  was  born  at  Albany,  N.  Y., 
October  28th,  1845.  The  name  of  Wackerhagen  consists  of 
two  German  words,  "Wacker,"  vigorous,  brave;  and  "  ha- 
gen,"  to  hedge,  or  a  hedge.  His  father  was  George  Augustus 
Gerard  Wackerhagen,  a  native  of  Hanover,  Germany,  and 
a  nephew  of  Rev.  Dr.  Augustus  Wackerhagen,  a  distin- 
guished scholar  and  minister  of  the  Evangelical  Lutheran 
Church. 

The  genealogy  of  the  Wackerhagen  family  can  be  easily 
traced  back  several  hundred  years,  forming  an  interesting 
history  for  the  various  high  public  official  positions  in  church 
and  state  which  its  members  have  held.  The  Wackerhagen 
domain  at  one  time  composed  a  portion  of  what  is  now  the 
city  of  Hanover,  Germany.  Dr.  Wackerhagen"s  grandfather, 
Charles  Wackerhagen,  was  engaged  in  diplomatic  services, 
and  later  was  Postmaster-General  of  Harborg.  The  doctor "s 
great-uncle,  George  Wackerhagen,  for  whom  he  was  named, 
was  a  distinguished  character  in  Germany.  He  was  born  in 
1778,  and  when  14  years  of  age  he  entered  the  Hanoverian 
Army  as  a  cadet ;  he  was  engaged  in  active  service  in  Fland- 
ers for  nine  years  ;  was  captured  by  the  French  in  1801  ;  after 
his  release  he  entered  the  University  of  Gottingen,  where 
he  completed  his  studies.  He  afterwards  entered  the  Anglo- 
German  Legion  which  formed  a  part  of  the  English  army  in 
Spain.  This  Legion  was  under  the  command  of  the  celebra- 
ted Sir  John  Moore.  He  entered  this  service  with  the  rank  of 
Captain  and  was  soon  promoted  to  Major.  He  was  a  personal 
friend  of  the  Duke  of  Wellington.  At  the  siege  of  Bay- 
onne  he  commanded  a  battalion  of  German  and  English. 
During  the  siege,  the  French  broke  out  of  their  works,  attack- 
ing his  position  ;  but,  in  spite  of  their  repeated  attacks,  he 
maintained  his  position  until  the  enemy  were  largely  re-en- 
forced, and  Major  Wackerhagen  being  left  almost  alone,  and 
severely  wounded  in  two  places,  ordered  the  remainder  of  his 
troops  to  retire,  and  sank  senseless  to  the  ground.  The  enemy, 
seeing  their  object  was  unattainable,  retired,  taking  with  them 
a  few  prisoners,  among  whom  was  Major  Wackerhagen. 
After  his  discharge  from  captivity,  he  was  promoted  to  the 
rank  of  Lieut. -Colonel,  and  his  subsequent  history  was  hon- 
orable and  distinguished. 

When  old  enough,  Dr.  Wackerhagen  entered  Trinity  School 
on  the  Hudson,  where  he  obtained  a  thorough  practical  edu- 
cation. Early  in  life  he  had  evinced  a  decided  love  for 
the  study  of  medicine.  On  completing  his  classical  studies 
he  immediately  commenced  preparing  to  enter  a  profession 
for  which  he  seemed  by  nature  especially  qualified.  We 
find  him  giving  his  attention  to  the  study  of  medicine  at 
the  early  age  of  fifteen.    While  pursuing  it,  the  rebellion 


broke  out,  and  the  young  student,  imbued  with  a  high  spirit 
of  patriotism,  enlisted  as  a  private  in  the  IT.  S.  V.  S.  The 
Rebellion  had  then  been  in  progress  a  year.  He  soon  became 
a  well-drilled,  brave  and  competent  soldier.  In  his  first  en- 
gagement the  battalion  to  which  young  Wackerhagen  be- 
longed began  to  retreat,  when  he.  by  his  bravery  and  pres- 
ence of  mind,  arrested  the  flight  of  his  fellow-soldiers,  restored 
order,  and  in  due  time  they  captured  the  breastworks  from 
behind  which  the  rebels  were  pouring  a  destructive  fire.  A 
number  of  prisoners  taken  by  the  regiment  added  largely  to 
its  laurels  and  to  those  of  young  Wackerhagen.  He  was 
then  but  seventeen  years  of  age.  Dr.  Wackerhagen  was  at 
the  siege  of  Port  Hudson,  where  he  was  attacked  by  illness 
which  incapacitated  him  from  active  duty  for  a  time.  On 
his  recovery  he  was  detailed  as  apothecary  at  the  U.  S.  G. 
Hospital  at  Baton  Rouge,  where  he  continued  the  study  of 
medicine  with  such  success  that  upon  examination  he  was  con- 
sidered entirely  competent  for  hospital  steward  in  the  regular 
D".  S.  Army,  to  which  place  he  was  duly  appointed  by  the 
Secretary  of  War.  In  1866,  desirous  of  attending  medical 
lectures,  he  tendered  his  resignation,  which  was  accepted, 
and  he  took  his  first  course  of  lectures  at  the  University  of 
the  City  of  New  York.  He  pursued  his  studies  and  attended 
lectures  until  1869,  when  he  graduated  at  the  College  of  Phy- 
sicians and  Surgeons,  and  entered  at  once  upon  active  prac- 
tice in  the  city  of  Brooklyn,  where  he  has  continued  down 
to  the  present  time.  His  success  was  assured  from  the  be- 
ginning of  his  medical  career,  and  though  still  a  young  man, 
he  has  made  his  way  to  the  front  rank  of  his  profession  in 
surgery. 

Dr.  Wackerhagen  is  an  able,  thoughtful  and  vigorous 
writer,  and  has  largely  enriched  the  literature  and  learning 
of  his  profession  with  the  productions  of  his  pen. 

The  following  are  among  his  contributions  to  the  New 
York  Medical  Journal,  which  gained  for  their  writer  much 
credit  in  and  out  of  the  profession:  "Case  of  Posterior 
Angular  Curvature  of  the  Spine,  with  Paralysis  of  the  Lower 
Extremities,  complicated  with  Permanent  Muscular  Contrac- 
tions." This  appeared  in  August,  1874.  In  October,  1874, 
he  contributed  an  article  on  "A  New  Method  of  Applying 
Plaster  of  Paris  for  Fracture  of  the  Bones  of  the  Leg."  This 
was  his  own  discovery  and  has  proved  eminently  successful. 

Another  communication,  contributed  by  him  to  that  jour- 
nal appeared  in  the  September  number,  entitled,  "  An  im- 
proved Method  of  obtaining  Support  for  Fractured  Bones  of 
the  Extremities." 

In  January,  1875,  there  appeared  in  the  New  York  Medical 
Journal  an  able  and  thoughtful  article  from  the  pen  of  Dr. 
Wackerhagen  on  "  Free  Incisions,  with  Drainage-Tube,  vs. 
Paracentesis,  in  the  Treatment  of  Pyothorax."  Many  cases 
are  referred  to  in  this  article  which  came  under  the  doctor's 
own  observation. 

In  November,  1880,  he  wrote  an  article  entitled,  "A 
Convenient  and  Rapid  Method  of  Removing  Plaster  of  Paris, 
when  applied  in  the  Form  of  a  Continuous  Roller,"  for  the 
same  journal.  In  April,  1881,  he  read  a  paper  before  the 
Kings  County  Medical  Society  entitled  "  A  Case  of  Plastic 
Surgery;  Ligation  of  Femoral  Artery  for  Popliteal  Aneur- 
ism;  Re-section  of  the  Hip- Joint."  This  production  was 
highly  commended. 

Space  will  not  permit  us  to  mention  all  the  productions  of 
his  pen.  In  October,  1872,  Dr.  Wackerhagen  invented  an  in- 
strument which  has  afforded  much  satisfaction  to  the  medi- 
cal profession.  This  was  a  vaginal  speculum.  He  is  also  the 
inventor  of  other  appliances  and  instruments  used  in  surgical 
operations, wluch  have  met  with  the  unqualified  approbation 
of  the  profession. 


902 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Dr.  Wackerhagen  is  a  member  of  the  Kings  County  Medi- 
cal Society;  of  the  Brooklyn  Pathological  Society,  and  of  the 
New  York  City  Pathological  Society.  He  is  Consulting  Sur- 
geon to  the  Southern  Dispensary  and  Hospital,  to  which  place 
he  was  appointed  May  2,  1881.  He  was  united  by  marriage 
to  Miss  Elizabeth  B.  Hazlett.  of  Brooklyn.  October  25,  1875. 
It  will  be  seen  that  Dr.  Wackerhagen  is  a  man  of  unwearied 
industry,  extensive  mental  resources,  and  ardently  attached 
to  his  profession,  which  he  adorns  in  practice)  in  theory,  and 
with  his  pen. 

GEORGE  RYERSON  FOWLER. 

George  Ryersox  Fowler  was  born  in  the  city  of  New 
York  on  the  twenty-fifth  day  of  Deceml)er.  1848.  His  father, 
Thomas  W.  Fowler,  a  carpenter  by  trade,  and  his  mother, 
Sarali  Jane  Carman,  were  both  born  on  Long  Island,  their 
ancestors  being  among  the  earliest  settlers  of  the  island. 
When  eight  years  of  age  his  parents  removed  to  Jamaica 
L.  L,  where  his  father  became  a  master  mechanic  of  the 
Long  Island  Railroad.  The  circumstances  of  the  parents 
were  such  as  to  allow  their  son  only  a  public  school  educa- 
tion, of  which  be  availed  himself  at  the  town  school. 

It  was  the  early  desire  of  the  father  that  his  son  George 
should  become  versed  in  all  technical  knowledge  pertaining 
to  railroad  management.  With  this  end  in  view,  when  the 
boy  had  passed  the  different  grades  taught  at  the  town  pub- 
lic school  at  the  age  of  thirteen,  he  placed  him  in  the  local 
office  of  the  company  by  which  he  was  himself  employed  to 
learn  telegraphy,  and  to  become  familiar  with  the  general 
duties  of  a  station  agent.  Here  he  remained  for  upwards  of 
a  year,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he  was  entered  as  an  ap- 
prentice in  the  machine  shop  of  the  company.  Loug  prior 
to  this  the  boy  had  evinced  a  taste  for  anatomical  study,  but 
agreeable  to  his  father's  wishes  he  served  a  regular  appren- 
ticeship with  the  company;  and  when  "out  of  his  time,"  as 
it  was  then  called,  at  the  age  of  eighteen,  he  left  its  employ 
to  follow  his  own  plans  for  life.  About  this  time  he  made 
the  acquaintance  of  Mr.  Clarence  Sterling,  of  Bridgeport, 
Conn.,  an  amateur  astronomer  and  earnest  scientific  worker, 
then  engaged  in  a  manufacturing  business.  He  succeeded  in 
making  an  arrangement  with  the  latter  gentleman  whereby 
the  knowledge  previously  acquired  in  the  machine  shop 
could  be  made  available  for  the  furtherance  of  Mr.  Sterling's 
business,  at  the  same  time  allowing  him  opportunities  for 
scientific  study.  In  this  latter  he  found  an  encouraging 
friend  in  Mr.  Sterling. 

After  a  year  of  hard  work  he  found  himself  in  possession  of 
sufficient  funds,  saved  from  his  own  earnings,  to  enable  him 
to  matriculate  at  theBcllevue  Hospital  Medical  College,  New 
York,  and  U'gin  a  course  in  medicine.  In  the  meanwhile 
his  parents  had  removed  to  Brooklyn,  and  with  them  he 
made  his  home  during  his  student  life. 

In  the  late  Dr.  John  W.  Hamilton,  who  had  served  during 
the  War  of  the  Rebellion  as  an  Assistant  Surgeon  in  the 
I'nited  States  Navy,  he  found  a  warm  friend,  who 
thoroughly  appreciated  the  aspirations  of  the  young  student, 
and  who  encouraged  him  in  every  way. 

At  the  close  of  the  college  season,  he  found  himself  again 
without  funds.  Here  his  mechanical  education  and 
knowledge  of  telegraphy  both  proved  of  incalculable  value 
to  him:  for  he  was  offered,  and  at  once  accepted,  a  position 
with  William  Pitt  Phelps,  a  manufacturer  of  improved 
printing  telegraph  instruments,  in  the  Eastern  District  of 
Brooklyn. 

What  with  this  engagement  anil  a  short  period  subse- 
quently with  Mr.  Sterling  at  Bridgeport,  he  managed  to 
earn  the  money  needed  to  complete  his  course  at  Bellevue, 


from  which  institution  he  graduated  with  the  degree  o 
Doctor  in  Medicine,  in  February,  1871. 

Immediately  upon  receiving  his  diploma.  Dr.  Fowler  e 
tered  upon  the  duties  of  his  profession  in  the  Eighteentl 
Ward,  a  comparatively  new  portion  of  the  city  of  Brooklyn 
He  subsequently  removed  to  the  Twenty-first  Ward.  Hi 
mechanical  knowledge  led  him  into  a  fondness  for  the  sur 
gical  portion  of  his  profession,  and  ample  opportunity  wa 
soon  afforded  him  for  following  out  his  desire  to  devot. 
himself  as  much  as  possible  to  the  practice  of  that  branch 
In  the  year  following  his  graduation  he  was  appointed  upoi 
the  staff  of  the  Central  Dispensary,  which  position  he  heli 
I  for  two  years;  and  then  only  resigned  on  account  of  the  dis 
tance  from  his  office  to  the  Dispensary,  and  his  conseuuen 
inability  to  do  justice  to  the  work  of  the  institution. 

In  1878,  he  was  commissioned  as  one  of  the  medica 
officers  of  the  14th  Regiment,  N.  G.  S.  N.  Y,  upon  th. 
staff  of  Col.  James  McLeer.  In  the  same  year  the  Brook 
lyn  Anatomical  and  Surgical  Society  was  organized,  ol 
which  society  he  was  one  of  the  founders.  He  was  ele<  t.- 
its  first  Secretary,  and  two  years  afterwards  became  it.' 
President. 

As  the  society  grew,  a  journal  for  the  publication  of  it* 
scientific  work  was  established,  with  the  title,  "  Annals  ol 
the  Anatomical  and  Surgical  Society."  Of  this  he  wat 
associate  editor:  and  when,  a  year  later,  a  wider  scope  w 
planned  for  the  journal — it  being  purposed  to  make  it  an 
exponent  of  work  in  its  special  field  wherever  done— Dr. 
L.  S.  Pilcher  and  Dr.  Fowler  became  its  editors;  the  name  of 
the  journal  l>eing  changed  to  the  "Annals  of  Anatomy  and 
Surgery." 

Upon  the  organization  of  the  Bushwick  and  East  Brook- 
lyn Dispensary,  in  1878,  he  was  appointed  its  first  visiting 
surgeon:  and,  upon  the  complete  organization  of  its  medical 
staff,  he  was  chosen  by  the  latter  body  as  its  presiding  officer. 
In  1880,  he  was  elected  a  delegate  to  the  American  Medical 
Association  from  the  Medical  Society  of  the  County  of 
Kings:  in  the  same  year  he  became  a  permanent  member  of 
the  former. 

In  1882,  by  a  unanimous  vote,  he  was  appointed  by  the 
Board  of  Commissioners  of  Charities  and  Correction  of 
Kings  County,  Consulting  Surgeon  to  the  Kings  County 
Hospital  at  Flatbush.  As  a  part  of  the  resolution  by  which 
this  appointment  was  made,  a  clause  was  inserted  directing 
a  reorganization  of  the  consulting  staff,  and  a  conversion  of 
the  same  into  a  visiting  staff,  which  the  latter  hospital 
lacked.  The  latter  measure  met  with  some  opposition  on 
the  part  of  certain  members  of  the  consulting  staff,  as  at 
first  constituted,  and  in  the  following  year,  by  a  majority 
of  one,  the  Board  rescinded  the  resolution. 

In  1883,  he  was  appointed  Surgeon-in-Chief  to  the  Depart- 
ment of  Fractures  and  Dislocations  of  St.  Mary's  General 
Hospital,  Brooklyn.  One-third  of  the  general  surgery  of 
this  institution  was  also  assigned  to  his  care.  During  the 
same  year  he  served  as  one  of  the  Board  of  Censors  of  the 
Medical  Society  of  the  County  of  Kings;  and,  in  1^4.  he  «a> 
elected  a  delegate  from  the  same  body  to  the  New  York 
State  Medical  Society. 

In  1*7:1,  be  married  Louise  R.  Wells,  the  youngest  daughter 
of  the  late  James  Wells,  a  prominent  and  highly  reflected 
citizen  of  Norristown,  Penn.,  and  for  a  numl>er  of  years 
Sheriff  of  Montgomery  county,  of  this  union,  four  chil- 
dren were  born  :  Russell  S.,  George  R.,  Florence  <!.,  anil 
Royal  II..  the  second  son  dying  in  infancy. 

lb  became  n  coi  unicanl  oi  the  Protestanl  Eptoooptl 

church  in  I*?-',  and  for  several  years  served  upon  the  vestry 
I  of  St.  Matthew's  church  of  that  denomination. 


TEE  MEDICAL  PROFESSION. 


903a 


EDWARD  C.  MANN,  M.  D. 


This  gentleman,  who,  though  still  young,  has  achieved 
a  very  enviable  position  in  his  profession,  especially  in 
the  department  of  Psychology,  is  a  native  of  Braintree, 
Mass.,  where  he  was  born  April  21,  1850.  He  traces  his 
descent,  in  a  direct  line,  from  Richard  Man,  one  of  the 
original  "  Mayflower  pilgrims  "  of  1620;  and  who  lived 
near  "Mann  Hill,"  in  Scituate,  Mass.,  early  in  1655. 
Dr.  Mann's  grandfather,  the  Rev.  Cyrus  Mann,  was, 
during  a  long  and  useful  life,  a  Puritan  clergyman; 
and  was  settled  in  the  pastorate  of  Westminster,  Mass., 
for  a  period  of  twenty-six  years.  His  father,  Dr. 
Cyrus  S.  Mann,  is  a  physician  of  over  forty  years'  prac- 
tice, sixteen  of  which  have  been  spent  in  Brooklyn. 

It  maybe  said,  with  pardonable  pride,  of  the  Mann 
family  in  England  that  various  individuals  of  the  name 
were  honored  with  the  royal  favor  on  several  occasions, 
and  in  successive  reigns.  They  filled  important  offices 
under  government,  and  secured  the  public  confidence 
by  their  fidelity  to  the  trusts  imposed  upon  them,  their 
steady  loyalty  and  firm  attachment  to  civil  order,  in  op- 
position to  insurrection  and  revolution.  For  many 
years  the  king's  private  secretary  was  selected  from  this 
family. 

Dr.  Edward  C.  Mann,  the  subject  of  our  sketch, 
was  educated  mostly  under  private  tutors;  and  gained 
his  professional  education  at  the  College  of  Physicians 
and  Surgeons,  New  York  city,  and  Long  Island  College 
Hospital,  in  this  city,  graduating  from  the  latter 
as  Doctor  of  Medicine  in  June,  1870.  After  some 
years  of  hospital  practice  in  New  York,  mostly  in  the 
field  of  Mental  and  Nervous  Diseases,  he  located  in 
that  city,  pursuing  his  specialty  with  much  energy  and 
devotion. 

In  1876,  he  commenced  the  preparation  of  a  work  on 
thissubject,  entitled  A  Manual  of  Psychological  Medi- 
cine, which  fully  occupied  all  the  leisure  allowed  him 
by  his  professional  duties,  until  1883,  when  it  was 
issued  from  the  press  of  P.  Blakiston  &  Son,  medical 
publishers,  of  Philadelphia.  Believing  that  Psycho- 
logical, or  Mental  Medicine,  should  occupy  a  position 
as  an  authoritative  science,  Dr.  Mann,  in  this  work,  has 
bent  all  his  energies  to  its  elaboration;  and,  in  the 
opinion  of  such  judges  as  Profs.  Skene  and  Armor  of 
this  city;  Prof.  Da  Costa,  of  Philadelphia;  Prof.  Flint, 
of  New  York,  and  many  other  eminent  physicians  who 
tendered  him  their  congratulations  on  the  completion 
of  his  work,  he  has  achieved  a  decided  success.  In  a 
letter  from  one  of  these  gentlemen,  which  we  have 
seen,  it  is  said:  "  Your  book  seems  to  me  of  great  value, 
and  well  calculated  not  only  to  bring  deserved  honor 


to  yourself,  but  also  to  the  name  of  American  medi- 
cine." 

In  addition  to  this  work,  Dr.  Mann  has  contributed 
to  various  medical  journals  the  following  valuable 
papers,  viz. :  to  the  London  Journal  of  Psychological 
Medicine  and  Mental  Pathology,  "The  Brain,  in 
Health  and  Disease;"  "The  Psychological  Aspect  of 
the  Guiteau  Case"  (1878);  "Codification  of  the  Com- 
mon Law  as  to  Insanity"  (1877);  "State  Medicine  and 
its  Relation  to  Intemperance  and  the  Inebriate;" 
"  Psychological  Aspect  of  the  Laros  Case,  on  the  trial 
of  Allan  C.  Laros,  at  Easton,  Pa.,  for  the  murder  of 
his  father  by  poison  ;  the  defence  being  based  upon 
the  allegation  of  Epileptic  Insanity;"  "On  the  Treat- 
ment of  Blindness  and  Deafness  resulting  from 
Cerebro-Spinal  Meningitis,  by  the  constant  current  of 
Electricity"  (1881);  "  Intemperance  and  Dipsomania  as 
related  to  Insanity"  (1876);  in  the  Journal  of  Nervous 
and  Mental  Diseases,  "The  Pathology  and  Morbid 
Histology  of  Chronic  Insanity  "  (1877) ;  in  the  Alienist 
and  Neurologist  (1882),  "A  Case  of  Multiple  Abscess 
of  the  Brain,  etc. ; "  in  the  Medico-Legal  Journal 
(1883),  "A  Plea  for  Lunacy  Reform;"  in  the  Quar- 
terly Journal  of  Inebriety,  "A  Plea  for  a  Medical  Ju- 
risprudence of  Inebriety  to  keep  pace  with  the  con- 
clusions of  science  respecting  this  disease"  (1884); 
"The  Pathology  of  Inebriety"  (1883),  and  "Some 
Practical  Points  relating  to  the  Treatment  of  Ine- 
briety" (1883);  in  the  Am,  Psychol.  Journal,  1884, 
"The  Psychological  Aspects  of  the  Rowell  Trial;" 
and  other  papers  upon  Inebriety,  the  Nature  and 
Effects  of  Opium,  the  Opium  Habit,  on  Brain-tissue 
Degeneration  and  Mental  Disease  as  a  result  of  over- 
stimulation of  the  brain  in  school-children  ;  and  on 
various  diseases  of  the  centric  nervous  syrstem. 

Dr.  Mann  holds  views  in  regard  to  the  much 
mooted  subject  of  inebriety,  which  are  in  advance 
of  those  generally  accepted  by  the  public  and  by  the 
profession. 

In  a  work  recently  completed,  but  not  yet  published, 
on  Disease  of  Inebriety,  he  presents  a  phase  new  to 
literature,  and  of  the  greatest  practical  and  scientific 
importance,  viz.,  its  medico-legal  relations.  A  modi- 
fied responsibility  is  claimed,  in  this  work,  for  those 
whose  inebriety  depends  upon  a  neurotic  constitution 
inherited  from  their  ancestors  ;  and  a  careful  medical 
examination  is  claimed  for  those  who  commit  overt 
acts  during  the  continuance  of  this  disease,  which 
affects  the  intellect,  manners,  temper,  disposition, 
habits  and  character.    Dr.  Mann,  as  a  close  student  of 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


904a 


mental  science  and  inebriety,  expresses  himself  most 
energetically  as  to  the  necessity  for  a  co-operative 
public  sentiment,  as  a  practical  aid  in  stemming  the 
great  and  growing  tide  of  these  diseases.  He  insists  j 
upon  the  necessity  of  the  early  recognition  and  repres- 
sion of  the  first  signs  of  these  diseases,  which  threaten 
family  deterioration. 

Upon  the  important  topics  that  have  occupied 
the  attention  of  those  interested  in  the  welfare  of 
the  insane,  Dr.  Mann  has  taken  an  advanced  po- 
sition ;  and,  in  concert  with  a  few  of  his  medico-legal 
friends,  has  been  endeavoring  to  bring  about  some  radi- 
cal changes  in  the  condition  of  our  laws  relating  to 
those  mentally  diseased.  His  professional  labors  are 
earnest  and  enthusiastic  in  his  chosen  specialty.  Al- 
though the  held  of  his  labors  is  more  particularly  in 
New  York,  his  home  is  in  Brooklyn,  and  his  family 
reside  here. 

Dr.  Mann  is  a  member  of  the  N.  Y.  County  Medical 
Society;  the  N.  Y.  Medico-Legal  Society,  where  his 
clear  and  incisive  papers  frequently  elicit  sharp  discus- 
sion from  both  the  doctors  and  lawyers  there  assem- 
bled; the  Am.  Association  for  the  Cure  of  Inebriates; 
the  National  Association  for  the  Protection  of  the  In- 
sane and  l'reventioji  of  Insanity;  of  the  Am.  Numis- 
matic and  Archaeological  Societies,  and  a  Fellow  of  the 
Am.  Geographical  Society. 

Dr.  Mann  was  married,  November  10,  1870,  to  Miss 
B.  Busteed,  of  New  York,  neice  of  Hon.  Richard 
Kelly,  President  Fifth  National  Bank,  of  that  city  ; 
and  they  have  three  children.  Himself  and  family  are 
connected  with  the  P.  E.  Church  of  the  Reformation. 


<  YRUS  S.  MANX,  M.  D. 
Cyrus  S.  Mann,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Worcester 
countv,  Mass.;  was  a  member  of  the  Class  of  '41  at 
Dartmouth  College,  but  was  obliged  to  terminate  his 
course  of  study  on  account  of  ill-health.  He  received 
his  degree  of  M.  D.  at  Harvard  University,  in  1843  ; 
and,  in  1858,  was  a  member  of  the  Massachusetts  Leg- 
islature. In  1863  he  went  from  Newton,  Mass.,  to 
Louisiana,  as  one  of  the  surgeons  of  the  31st  Mass. 
Volunteers.  In  1868  he  located  in  Brooklyn,  where, 
for  a  time,  he  was  connected  with  the  Board  of  Health 
as  Sanitary  Inspector,  and  where  he  now  resides  in  the 
enjoyment  of  a  good  practice. 


RICHARD  M.  WTCKOFF. 
Richard  M.  WtOKOFF,  born  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y., 
February  1 1,  1839,  was  educated  in  part  in  that  city, 

and  in  part  in  Marietta,  Ohio;  graduated  from  Amherst 
College,  in  1859;  studied  medicine  and  graduated 
from  Bellevue  Hospital  Medical  College  in  1864;  was 


appointed  interne  at  Charity  and  Bellevue  Hospitals, 
and  was  among  those  who,  while  on  duty  at  the  latter 
institution,  contracted  typhus  fever;  was  Acting  As- 
sistant. Surgeon  on  the  hospital  transport  steamer 
|  S.  H.  Spaulding  in  1865.  Shortly  after  the  end  of  the 
war  he  located  in  Brooklyn  for  the  practice  of  his 
profession.  In  1870,  he  was  elected  Secretary  of  (he 
Medical  Society  of  the  County  of  Kings,  in  which 
position  he  remained  until  January,  1884.  He  was 
one  of  the  attending  physicians  at  St.  Peter's  Hospital 
in  1875,  and  Secretary  of  the  Medical  Council  of  that 
hospital.  He  was  made  a  permanent  member  of  the 
Medical  Society  of  the  State  of  New  York  in  188o, 
after  due  service  as  delegate;  was  elected  Vice-Pnsi 
dent  N.  Y.  Med.  Hist.  Society  in  1882.  In  sanitary 
matters  of  Brooklyn,  he  has  been  attached  to  several 
health  administrations,  beginning  with  the  Metropolitan 
Department  in  1868,  Sanitary  Inspector  in  1  ^ 7 J. 
Register  of  Vital  Statistics  in  1878,  Secretary  and 
Deputy  Commissioner  of  Health  in  1882. 


ARTIH'  K  MATHEWSON,  M.  D. 
Arthur  Mathewson,  M.D.,  a  native  of  Connecticut, 
graduated  at  Yale  in  1858,  and  from  the  Medical  De- 
partment of  the  University  of  New  York  in 
tered  the  United  States  Navy  as  Assistant  Surgeon 
immediately  after,  and  served  during  the  war  in  naval 
hospitals  and  in  the  squadrons  of  Farragut  and  Porter, 
being  present  at  the  engagements  of  New  Orleans. 
Vicksburg,  and  others.  Having  attained  the  rank  ol 
Surgeon  in  the  regular  service,  he  resigned,  ami  in 
1867  settled  in  Brooklyn,  devoting  himself  from  that 
time  to  the  specialties  of  diseases  of  the  eve  and  ear. 
and  spending  a  year  in  Europe  in  the  study  of  time 
branches  ;  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Brooklyn 
Eye  and  Ear  Hospital  in  1868,  and  has  ever  Bince  been 
one  of  its  surgeons;  is  also  Surgeon  to  St.  Mary's  Hos- 
pital, and  Surgeon  of  Long  Island  College  Hospital, 
and  has  been  Lecturer  on  Diseases  of  the  Ear  in  that 
college,  and  on  Diseases  of  the  Eye  and  Ear  in  the 
Yale  Medical  School. 

JOHN  D.  HI  SIIMOHE. 

John  D.  Rushmork,  graduate  of  College  of  Phy-i- 
cians  and  Surgeons,  New  York,  1S70;  Attending  Phy- 
sician to  Brooklyn  Hospital,  St.  Peter's  Hospital,  and 
Eye  and  Ear  Hospital;  Professor  of  Surgery,  Long 
Island  College  Hospital;  Member  of  the  Neil 
and  of  the  American  Ophthalmological  and  Ot "logical 
Societies;  of  the  American  Otological  Society,  N'« 
York  State  Medical  Association,  and  American  Surgi 
cal  Association  ;  Permanent  Member  of  New  Y<>rk 
State  Medical  Society,  and  American  Medical  Associ 
ation. 


THE  MEDICAL  PROFESSION. 


903 


EDWARD  SEAMAN  BUNKER,  M.D. 

Edward  Seaman  Bunker,  the  elder  of  the  two  sons  of 
Alexander  Coffin  Bunker  and  Mary  Powell  Seaman,  was 
born  in  Jerusalem,  Long  Island,  August  16,  1840,  at  the  old 
Seaman  homestead,  the  spot  where  the  first  white  man's 
house  in  tbat  township  was  built  by  Captain  John  Seaman, 
just  two  hundred  years  before  ;  Dr.  Bunker  being  eighth  in 
descent  from  that  settler,  of  Anglo- Danish  blood.  Two 
other  founders  of  the  family,  in  this  country,  were  George 
Bunker  (the  son  of  a  Huguenot  refugee,  in  England,  whose 
name  of  Boncoeur  became  Anglicized  into  its  familiar  form) 
and  John  Howland,who  came  over  in  the  Mayflower,  with  Gov- 
ernor Carver.  Howland  came  very  near  putting  an  end  to 
his  liDe  on  the  voyage,  as  he  is  mentioned  in  Bradford's  His- 
tory as  "  being  with  a  seele  of  ye  ship,  thrown  into  the  sea 
but  was  hald  up  by  ye  top-saile  halliards,  which  hung  over- 
board and  with  a  boat  hooke  and  other  means  got  into  ye 
ship,"  and  his  life  saved  to  become,  according  to  Bradford, 
"a  profitable  member  both  of  ye  church  and  comonewealthe," 
being,  for  some  years,  Governor's  Assistant.  He  married  Eliza- 
beth Tillie,  a  maiden  who  was  his  fellow  passenger  in  the 
Mayflower,  and  who  was  left  an  orphan  by  the  death  of  both 
father  and  mother  soon  after  the  eventful  landing  at  Ply- 
mouth. The  legend  on  the  modern  tombstone  of  John  How- 
land,  on  Burial  Hill,  at  Plymouth,  to  the  effect  that  his  wife 
was  Governor  Carver's  daughter,  was  believed  by  his  descend- 
ants, until  Governor  Bradford's  book  (which  records  also  the 
Tillie  marriage)  informed  us  that  Governor  Carver  brought  no 
children  to  America.  Some  of  John  Howland's  (ten)  children 
went  to  Nantucket,  and  from  there  to  Long  Island. 

Among  the  noted  members  of  the  doctor's  family,  in 
early  days,  were  Thomas  Macy,  the  first  white  man  who 
lived  in  Nantucket ;  and  whose  exit  from  Salisbury  and 
residence  on  that  Indian-inhabited  island,  are  explained  and 
celebrated  by  Whittier  in  the  poem  of  "The  Exiles."  He 
fled  for  his  life  in  an  open  boat,  for  the  odious  crime  of  har- 
boring Quakers. 

"Far  round  the  bleak  and  stormy  cape, 
The  venturous  Macy  passed, 
And  on  Nantucket's  naked  isle, 
Drew  up  his  boat  at  last." 

It  may  be  of  interest  to  say  that  Thomas  Macy's  grand- 
son was  the  first  Quaker  in  Nantucket. 

Other  well-known  ancestral  names  are  Tristam  Coffin,  one 
of  the  original  purchasers  of  Nantucket ;  Captain  Seaman, 
patentee  of  the  town  of  Hempstead,  Long  Island ;  Adrian 
Onderdonk,  author  of  several  Dutch  books  on  the  Early  Con- 
dition of  the  Settlers  ;  Robert  "Williams,  patentee  of  Oyster 
Bay  ;  Thomas  Powell,  of  the  Bethpage  purchase,  prominent 
in  government  councils,  until  he  refused  to  take  the  neces- 
sary oath  of  office,  "  having  scruples  ; "  Edmund  Titus,  and 
Mary  Willets,  widely  known  as  a  preacher  among  Friends, 
and  nearer  our  own  time,  Ardon  Seaman,  his  maternal 
grandfather,  is  well  remembered  on  Long  Island  as  a  noted 
Quaker  preacher  and  vivacious  guest  at  the  "  Monthly  Meet- 
ing" dinner  table. 

In  fact,  the  doctor  has  every  claim  to  the  distinction  of 
"  birthright  Quaker  ;  "  numbering  among  his  ancestry  most 
of  the  prominent  early  Friends  of  Long  Island  and  Nantucket. 

He  was  educated  at  home,  under  the  loving  and  intelligent 
care  of  the  most  devoted  of  parents,  until  the  age  of  fifteen. 
The  judicious  training  of  the  family  circle  laid  the  founda- 
tion of  those  systematic  habits  of  study  which  have  made 
him  an  accomplished  scholar. 

At  fifteen  he  entered  advanced  classes  in  the  Brooklyn 
Collegiate    and    Polytechnic    Institute,  from    which  he 


graduated  in  1857,  and  where  he  remained  for  ten  years  as 
teacher  of  Latin  and  Greek.  During  the  years  of  his  devo- 
tion to  school  work,  Dr.  Bunker  founded  the  Adelphi  Acad- 
emy. 

He  was  indue  d,  however,  to  abandon  the  narrower 
limits  of  teaching  for  the  study  of  medicine,  graduating  with 
high  honor  as  valedictorian  of  the  class  of  1871,  at  Bellevue, 
under  the  immediate  instruction  of  his  father's  early  friend 
and  mother's  relation,  the  late  James  R.  Wood,  M.D.  He  was 
appointed,  soon  after,  Physician  to  the  Central  Dispensary 
and  Clinical  Assistant  to  the  Professor  of  Gynecology  in  Long 
Island  College  Hospital,  where  he  was  afterward  Lecturer  on 
Midwifery,  and  in  1875  called  to  the  chair  of  Obstetrics.  In 
1879  he  was  made  Professor  of  Pathology  and  Histology,  a 
position  for  which  he  was  admirably  fitted  by  a  severe  course 
of  study  in  1876,  under  the  greatest  living  pathologist,  Vir- 
chow,  in  Berlin;  where,  as  an  enthusiastic  American  student, 
he  won  the  notice  and  friendship  of  his  chief,  as  well  as  of 
such  men  as  Kuster,  Senator,  Gravitz  and  Von  Langenbeck. 
His  observations  and  experiences  abroad  prompted  him  on 
his  return  to  work  vigorously  to  secure  the  permanent 
establishment  of  a  chair  of  pathology  in  the  medical  institu- 
tions of  this  country  ;  and  it  is  due,  in  a  great  measure,  to 
his  earnest  efforts,  that  the  teachings  of  that  special  depart- 
ment are  to-day  obligatory  upon  the  medical  student. 

Dr.  Bunker  has  been  a  frequent  and  able  contributor  to  the 
various  periodicals  of  the  day,  and  has  served  on  the  editorial 
staff  of  both  literary  and  scientific  publications.  Among 
numerous  dissertations  on  subjects  of  interest  in  his  pro- 
fession may  be  mentioned,  "Earth  Dressings  in  Small-pox," 
"  Perineoraphy,"  "  Veratrum  Viride  in  Puerperal  Eclamp- 
sia," and  "The  Touchstone  of  Professional  Worth,"  a  brilliant 
address  delivered  before  the  college  facidt}'  and  their  friends. 
His  most  notable  contribution  to  medical  literature,  how- 
ever, was  an  original  theory  of  the  "Genesis  of  Inflamma- 
tion," a  paper  which  attracted  wide  attention. 

Varied  contributions  in  prose  and  verse,  to  more  popular 
journals,  show  great  originality  of  thought  and  fancy,  and 
justify  the  strong  leaning  which  the  doctor  had  at  one  time 
to  the  profession  of  literature. 

He  has  occupied  many  positions  of  trust  since  engaging  in 
the  practice  of  medicine  in  Brooklyn;  Surgeon  to  St. 
Mary's  Hospital,  to  the  Sheltering  Arms  Nursery,  to  the 
Lucretia  Mott  Dispensary,  etc.  For  several  years  he  has 
been  Assistant  Surgeon  to  the  Twenty-third  Regiment  of  the 
National  Guard. 

His  only  brother,  Robert,  a  lad  of  uncommon  promise, 
died  at  the  age  of  fifteen.  He  married,  in  1860,  Alice  Loines, 
daughter  of  John  Loines,  Esq.,  of  Brooklyn.  Of  their  four 
children,  three  are  living;  the  eldest,  Lucy,  having  died  in 
infancy.  Phoebe  was  born  in  1863,  Harold  in  1869,  and  Alice 
in  1879. 

Although  widely  known  as  one  of  the  leading  physicians 
of  Brooklyn,  the  doctor  is  still  an  eager  student,  acting  on 
his  own  statement  to  the  young  men  who  look  to  him  for 
instruction — "The  doctor  who  has  ceased  to  grow  is  lit  to  be 
buried."  He  is  a  cool  and  skilful  operator,  with  an  uncom- 
mon knowledge  of  the  chemistry  of  medicine,  and  of  the 
delicate  and  complex  instruments  which  later  years  have 
brought  as  aids  to  diagnosis  and  treatment.  Perhaps  the 
chief  factors  in  his  professional  success  have  been,  not  alone 
erudition  and  ready  wit,  but  a  faculty  for  generalization  and 
a  broad  humanity.  "  His  success,"  as  Dr.  Holmes  said  of  a 
more  renowned  practitioner,  "has  been  won  without  special 
aid  at  starting,  by  toil,  patience,  good  sense,  pure  char- 
acter and  pleasing  manners;  won  in  a  straight,  up-hill  ascent, 
without  a  breathing  space." 


904 


J II STORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


THOM  AS  1ADINGT0N  SMITH,  M.  P.,  U.  S.  N. 

Tlie  ancestry  of  the  subject  of  this  biography  were  of  Scotch 
origin,  and  settled  in  Essex  county,  N.  J.,  about  1080.  His 
father,  Jonas  Smith,  a  well-to-do  farmer,  was  a  public-spirited 
man  and  an  earnest  Whig,  who  took  an  active  part  in  the  af- 
fairs of  his  township  and  county.  His  mother  was  a  daughter 
of  Col.  Thomas  Ward,  who  won  his  military  title  in  the  service 
of  his  country.  Soon  after  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary 
War,  Jonas  Smith  and  Peninnah  Ward  were  married.  Their 
sou  Thomas,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  born  August  3, 
1800,  at  their  home  in  Orange,  New  Jersey.  He  received  his 
early  education  at  the  Orange  Academy  and  from  a  private 
tutor,  with  a  view  to  engaging  in  the  study  of  medicine, 
which  was  the  profession  of  his  early  choice:  insomuch  that, 
at  the  age  of  seventeen,  lie  was  regularly  entered  as  a  medi- 
cal student  with  Dr.  Samuel  Hayes,  of  Newark.  Three  years 
later,  in  1820,  he  went  to  New  York,  studying  there  with  Dr. 
J.  Kearney  Rodgers,  an  eminent  physician  of  that  day,  one 
of  the  founders  of  the  New  York  Eye  and  Ear  Infirmary.  In 
tlie  infancy  of  this  institution,  Pr.  Smith  was  a  student  and 
assistant,  and  holds  its  certificate,  dated  1823. 

He  had  previously  entered  the  College  of  Physicians  and 
Surgeons,  which  was  then  in  Barclay  street,  and  received 
the  degree  of  M.  P.  in  1822.  Shortly  afterwards,  he  returned 
to  his  home  in  Orange,  practicing  his  profession  there  for  a 
time;  but,  in  1824,  he  returned  to  New  York  and  opened  an 
ollice  in  Greenwich  street,  near  Murray. 

Possessing  a  constitution  which  was  never  very  strong,  his 
health  became  somewhat  impaired,  so  that  lie  sought  the  ad- 
vantages to  be  derived  from  a  sea  voyage,  and  applied  to  the 
Navy  Pepartment  for  an  appointment  as  surgeon,  which  was 
granted  January  3,  1828.  Meanwhile  he  was  commissioned 
Surgeon  of  the  83d  Regiment,  S.  N.  Y.,  by  Governor  PeWitt 
Clinton,  April  10,  1827.  His  commission  as  Surgeon's  Mate 
(now  called  assistant  surgeon)  bears  date  March  25, 1828,  and 
is  signed  by  President  John  Quincy  Adams.  He  was  as- 
signed to  duty  on  board  the  frigate  Hudson,  under  Comman- 
der John  Ord  Creighton,  for  the  Brazil  station.  In  August, 
ls:io,  while  on  that  station,  he  was  appointed  Acting  Surgeon, 
and  ordered  to  the  sloop  Vandalia;  returned  to  the  United 
States  in  Pecemlier,  1831,  and  was  ordered  to  the  receiving 
ship  Fiiniklin,  at  New  York,  and  continued  on  duty  three 
years.  Puring  this  period  occurred  the  visitation  of  the 
Asiatic  cholera,  which  disease,  hitherto  unknown  in  this 
country,  Pr.  Smith  was  called  on  to  face  for  nearly  three 
months:  during  a  portion  of  the  time  he  was  compelled  to 
be  on  duty  night  and  day.  In  September,  18:54,  he  was  or- 
dered to  the  schooner  Boxer,  fitting  for  sea  at  Norfolk.  He 
sailed  from  that  place  early  in  November,  encountering  a 
terrific  gale  off  the  coast.  Although  she  received  some  dam- 
age, the  Boxer  continued  on  her  cruise  to  the  Pacific  station. 
Dr.  Smith  was  commissioned  Surgeon  by  President  Andrew 
Jackson,  February  7,  1*:>7.  In  December,  is;',s,  he  joined  the 
frigate  Mm  i  ilon  in n ,  for  the  "West  India  station.  In  the  sum- 
mer of  1*10,  the  squadron  sailed  north,  touching  at  Boston, 
Portland  and  Eastport :  on  the  return,  the  Kric,  to  which  he 
hail  been  transferred,  was  put  in  ordinary  at  Boston,  and  the 
officers  detached.  In  April,  1842,  he  was  ordered  to  the 
frigate  Cdikjiiss.  anil,  in  July,  sailed  for  the  Mediterranean 
station,  where  he  continued  until  December,  1841$,  when  the 
ship  was  ordered  to  the  lira/.ils.  While  there,  the  Buenos 
Ayres  fleet  seized  all  American  merchant  vessel  which  was 
endeavoring  to  run  the  blockade  w  ith  a  cargo  of  beeves,  us  a 
-p.  i  iil.it  ion  of  the  famous  1'.  T.  Barnuin,  but  the  commander 
of  the  < 'nni/rrss  demanded  and  wcurcJ  her  release.  Dr. 
Smith  returned  to  the  United  Stated  in  March,  L845.  In  1840, 
u.i    on  I  lie  receiving    hiji  I'cnnsylcania,  :it   Norfolk,  Ya.; 


was  attached  to  the  Navy  Yard,  New  York,  from  1847  to 
1840,  and  on  the  board  for  the  examination  of  c  andidates  for 
promotion  and  admission  into  the  medical  corps  of  the  navy. 
In  August,  1850,  he  joined  the  sloop  Saratoga  and  sailed  for 
the  coast  of  China.  Commodore  Perry  arriving  and  taking 
command,  the  Saratoga  was  made  one  of  the  Japan  expedi- 
tion. Surgeon  Smith  was  appointed  Fleet  Surgeon  and  or- 
dered to  the  flagship  Susquehanna,  where  he  continued  until 
March,  1854,  when  he  was  detached  to  joined  the  Saratoga  to 
return  to  the  United  States,  where  he  arrived  the  first  of  the 
following  September.  He  was  immediately  ordered  to  the 
Navy  Yard,  New  York,  and  c  ontinued  there  on  duty  uutil 
Maj  I,  1858.  On  the  9th  of  April,  1859,  he  received  orders 
for  the  Constellation,  as  Fleet  Surgeon  of  the  African  squad- 
ron under  Commodore  Inman,  and  sailed  in  July  for  Ma- 
deira and  the  west  coast  of  Africa  ;  returned  from  thai 
squadron — invalided  on  account  of  his  eyes — to  the  United 
States,  August  28,  1861;  took  charge  of  the  Naval  Hospital, 
New  York,  from  January,  1862,  until  December,  1865;  was 
placed  on  leave  until  May  20,  1860,  when  he  was  put  on  duty 
at  the  Navy  Yard,  New  York,  where  he  continued  until  1870, 
when,  with  other  retired  officers,  he  was  put  off  duty,  lit 
March,  1871,  he  was  commissioned  as  Medical  Director  in  the 
Navy,  with  a  relative  rank  of  Commodore. 

Since  his  retirement  from  active  sen  ice  in  the  Navy,  Dr. 
Smith  has  enjoyed  his  otium  cum  dignitate  in  his  pleasant 
home  in  Brooklyn.  Always  a  persevering,  diligent  student, 
the  high  position  which  he  occupied  in  his  profession  for  so 
many  years  was  only  the  fitting  reward  of  his  attainments. 
His  acquirements  outside  of  his  profession  are  varied  and  ex- 
tensive, as  evidenced  by  a  choice  collection  of  rare  and 
standard  authors.  Thus,  possessed  of  a  well-stored  mind, 
broadened  by  travel  and  keen  observation,  the  Doctor  is  a 
most  interesting  companion,  and  his  home  abound-  in  sou- 
venirs of  his  world-wide  travels.  Naturally  modest  and  re- 
tiring in  disposition,  his  gifts  and  graces,  his  many  good 
qualities  as  a  man,  are  little  known  outside  his  immediate 
circle  of  friends,  which  includes,  however,  many  of  the  best 
people  of  the  city.  His  marriage  with  Frances  Bowen  Lathrop 
was  celebrated  in  April,  1S:!;S;  her  death  occurred  in  March, 
1842.  In  1846,  he  married  Harriett  Bacon,  daughter  of  the 
late  Robert  Bacon,  of  Winc  hester,  Mass.,  the  issue  of  which 
marriage  was  one  daughter,  Eleanor  F.,  who  died  in  Man  h. 
1877,  aged  29  years. 

The  Doctor  and  his  exc  ellent  wife  are  attendants  at  Grace 
Churc  h,  on  the  Height?,  and  arc  given  to  good  works  and 
charitable  deeds.  Though  now  retired  from  active  life  the 
Doctor  takes  a  quiet  but  deep  interest  in  naval,  municipal 
and  national  affairs.  Valuing  his  pri\ ilege  as  a  citizen  to 
assist  in  securing  good  government  for  city  and  nation,  he 
uses  his  influence  and  his  ballot  in  behalf  of  administrate 
reform  and  purity. 

FERDINAND  W.  OSTRANDER,  M.  P. 
Ferdinand  W.  Ostrander,  M.  P.,  of  No.  95  Clark  street, 

Brooklyn,  was  born  on  Chcrrv  street,  New  York  city,  JuM 
4,1804.  His  lather.  Dr.  Ezekiel  O.  Ostrander,  and  mothar, 
Sarah,  we  re  then  living  there,  his  mother  dying  during  Ml 
infancy.  When  but  tluvc  years  of  age,  he  was  taken  to  lire 
with  hi-  maternal  grand-parents,  William  and  Sarah  (  reed,  of 
Jamaica,  L.  I  ,  with  whom  he  stayed  lor  seven  veai>,  return- 
ing at  the  end  of  that  lime  to  his  lather,  then  residing 
at  Newtown,  ),.  I.  He  then  attended  Walsh's  Grammar 
Sc  hool,  Pearl  street,  New  York  city,  for  one  and  one-half 
years;  returned  to  Jamaica,  and,  for  a  period  of  liv  yearn 
we  find  the  vo.ing  man  a  pupil  in  the  aea  leinv  of  ProfeSfT 
Kightenbiirgh.    After  finishing  his  cour-e  at  I  he  academy. 


I 


TEE  MEDICAL  PROEESSION. 


905 


he  pursued  for  two  years  the  studies  preparatory  for  admis- 
sion to  a  medical  college;  and,  on  reaching  his  twentieth 
year,  entered  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  of  New 
York,  remaining  there  three  years;  and  then,  by  the  aid  of 
friends,  sec  ured  his  diploma  from  the  New  York  State  Medi- 
cal Association.  The  young  physician,  in,  the  year  1828, 
Marled  in  the  work  of  his  profession,  locating  on  Cranberry 
street,  corner  of  Willow,  where  he  continued  his  practice  until 
[847  when  he  removed  to  his  present  home,  95  Clark  street. 

Dr.  Ostrander  was  married  to  Sarah  A.  Wright,  in  October, 
1888,  the  issue  of  their  marriage  being  five  children,  three 
daughters  and  two  sons,  four  of  whom  are  now  living.  One 
son,  JohnW.,  is  associated  with  him  in  the  practice  of  medi- 
cine, and  the  other,  Charles,  is  engaged  in  business  in  New 
York  city. 

Before  the  incorporation  of  Brooklyn  as  a  city,  Dr.  Ostran- 
der,  for  a  year  or  more,  was  Health  Physician  of  the  village. 
In  the  unusually  long  duration  of  Dr.  Ostrander's  practice— 
fifty-six  years— he  has  witnessed  many  changes  in  the  prac- 
tice of  physic  and  surgery,  and  the  growth  of  his  city.  When 
he  began  his  life's  work,  Brooklyn  was  but  a  village  of  8,000 
inhabitants,  and  the  only  paved  street  was  Fulton,  from  the 
Ferry  up  to  Main.  Where  the  City  Hall  now  stands  was  a 
tavern,  kept  by  one  Duflon,  which  was  the  centre  for  all 


merry-makings.  Though  a  student  of  the  celebrated  College 
of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  where  he  listened  to  the  teach- 
ings of  the  great  Alexander  Stephens,  he  lias  not  been  bound 
witli  iron  bands  in  the  treatment  of  disease.  Whatever  ex- 
perience has  taught  him  was  wisest  and  best,  he  has  fol- 
lowed; and  to  this  exercise  of  common  sense,  more  than  all 
else,  can  his  success  as  a  healer  of  disease  be  ascribed.  In  his 
Ions  life  as  a  physician — -the  longest  of  any  other  consecutive 
practitioner  in  the  county — he  has  seen  most  of  his  cotempo- 
raries  laid  in  their  graves,  among  which  might  be  mentioned 
Drs.  Ball,  Wendell,  Vandeveer,  Dubois,  Edmunds,  Cole, 
Fanning,  Garrison  and  Joseph  G.  T.  Hunt;  William  G.  Hunt, 
of  this  city,  being  the  only  cotemporary  now  living. 

Dr.  Ostrander,  when  young,  fell  from  a  horse,  receiving 
an  injury  to  his  right  arm,  which,  in  a  measure,  interfered 
with  the  practice  of  surgery.  From  this  fact,  to  which  may- 
be added  a  natural  bent,  he  early  confined  himself  to  physic 
and  obstetrics.  In  politics  Dr.  Ostrander  is  a  Republican, 
and  is  a  member  of  Grace  Episcopal  Church. 

Dr.  Ostrander  is  truly  a  representative  of  the  old  school  of 
gentlemen — courteous,  affable  and  dignified,  with  the  neces- 
sary and  invaluable  faculty  of  inspiring  the  confidence  of  his 
patients;  and  his  success,  professionally  and  pecuniarily,  is 
the  just  result  of  a  life  fitly  spent. 


Rise  and  Progress  of  Homceopathic  Medicine 

IN 

KINGS  COUNTY. 


By 


The  wonderful  growth  of  the  new  school  of  medicine 
in  the  United  States  has  no  better  exemplification  than 
its  history  in  the  county  of  Kings.  Its  advocates  look 
with  laudable  pride  upon  its  achievements  in  forty  years; 
and  gladly  note  the  Dumber  and  standing  of  its  repre- 
sentative men,  the  wealth  and  intelligence  of  its  sup- 
porters, and  the  nature,  number  and  variety  of  its  public 
and  semi-public  institutions,  as  compared  with  the  like 
features  of  its  old  and  more  venerable  sister,  the  old 
school. 

In  the  year  1825,  homceopathic  medicine  came  to 
America  in  the  person  of  Doctor  Hans  B.  Gram,  who 
settled  in  New  York.  In  1833  the  first  attempts  were 
made  to  translate  its  text-books  into  English,  but  not 
until  1836  and  1838  was  this  done  so  as  to  attract  pro- 
fessional attention  to  their  merits  ;  whence  it  is  fair  to 
recognize  1840  as  the  commencement  of  its  almost 
universal  extension. 

In  that  year  (1840),  Dr.  Robert  Rosman,  from  Hud- 
son, N.  Y.,  and,  a  few  months  later,  Dr.  David  Baker, 
froia  New  York  city,  recent  converts  and  hearty  ad- 
vocates of  the  new  art,  located  themselves  in  promi- 
nent positions  in  the  city  of  Brooklyn,  and  commenced 


their  labor  of  hope.  They  were  typical  men,  each  well 
adapted  to  the  rank  he  selected  in  the  social  scale — 
Rosman  on  the  Heights,  and  Baker  in  Myrtle  Avenue, 
where  each  drew  around  him  much  of  the  best  elements 
of  the  class  he  addressed. 

In  the  following  year  (1841),  Dr.  George  Coxe,  of 
Williamsburgh  (then  not  incorporated  with  Brooklyn), 
a  physician  of  eighteen  years'  standing,  avowed  bis 
convictions  of  the  "better  way,"  and  boldly  faced  the 
consequences,  as  they  might  come,  from  his  professional 
associates  and  from  his  patients.  They  came  :  hate, 
contempt  and  ridicule  from  the  former,  of  course — it 
is  the  lot  of  all  who  proclaim  and  sustain  newly  dis- 
covered truth — and  fear,  then  hope,  love,  admiration 
and  increased  confidence,  as  time  went  on,  from  the 
latter. 

In  two  years  more  (1843),  Drs.  Rosman  and  Baker, 
in  Brooklyn,  were  joined  successively  by  Drs.  A. 
Cooke  Hull  and  R  P.  Wells,  the  former  in  partner- 
ship with  Rosman,  the  latter  preferring  to  stand  alone. 
To  the  patient  and  successful  labors  of  these  five  gen- 
tlemen, homoeopathy  owes  much,  very  much,  of  the  ex- 
cellent consideration  it  has  since  enjoyed  ;  for,  by  them 


906 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


were  formed  the  first  impressions  of  the  public  respect- 
ing the  new  mode  of  treatment  ;  ami  of  course,  in  some 
measure  the  acceptance  of  the  physicians  who  followed. 

Prosperity,  hut  not  peace,  was  the  lot  of  the  pioneers. 
Their  successes  were  such  as  could  not  fail  to  draw 
upon  them  the  attention,  and  soon  the  envy  and  jealousy, 
of  some  who  were  quick  to  see  that  honncopathic  ex- 
tension meant  allopathic  decadence. 

The  law,  then  as  now,  required  every  physician  to 
he  a  member  of  the  County  Medical  Society  where  he 
resided  ;  hut  it  also  allowed  the  society  to  reject  by 
ballot  unworthy  applicants.  Just  here  the  antagonistic 
physicians  saw  their  opportunity.  Dr.  Rosman  had 
been  admitted  at  once.  The  danger  of  the  heresy  hail 
not  manifested  itself  when  he  applied  ;  but  three  years' 
experience  and  two  additional  capable  physicians  were 
not  to  be  brooked.  Drs.  Hull  and  Wells  were  summoned, 
as  the  law  required,  to  apply  for  membership  of  the 
County  Medical  Society.  They  complied,  and  were 
promptly  rejected,  because  they  were  honncopathists. 
Dr.  Well8took  it  coolly,  and  turned  his  back  on  the  entire 
society.  Dr.  Hull  preferred  testing  the  right  of  the  so- 
ciety to  reject  him,  knowing  that  he  had  complied  with 
every  legal  requirement,  and  began,  on  principle,  a  suit 
at  law  for  his  rights.  He  won.  The  society  appealed 
through  sixteen  successive  years  till  the  highest  court 
was  reached.  The  doors  were  then  reluctantly  but  court- 
eously thrown  open  to  him.  Too  late  !  He  declined  the 
honor  that  he  contemned,  and  soon  took  his  seat  as 
President  of  the  Iloitm'opathic  County  Medical  Society, 
which  more  enlightened  legislation  had,  by  this  time, 
called  into  being. 

Dr.  A.  Cooke  Hull,  born  in  Utica,  N.  Y.,  August  2d, 
1818,  was  the  son  of  a  distinguished  surgeon,  Dr.  Amos  G. 
Hull  ;  was  educated  at  Union  College,  and  graduated  in  1840, 
at  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  of  New  York  city. 
Removing  to  Brooklyn  in  the  following  year,  he  commenced 
practice  as  a  Homo-opathist,  and  was,  at  various  periods, 
partner  with  Drs.  John  F.  Gray  (his  brother-in-law),  the  late 
Robert  Rosman,  the  late  John  Barker,  Dr.  J.  F.  Talmadge, 
and,  at  the  time  of  his  death,  with  Dr.  A.  E.  Sumner.  His 
qualities  both  of  heart  and  intellect  soon  won  for  him  a  signal 
success  in  securing  the  confidence  and  patronage  of  our 
most  cultured  and  accomplished  citizens  in  all  professions 
and  all  the  walks  of  life.  It  is  our  province,  however,  to 
speak  more  particularly  of  his  varied  labors  in  extra-pro- 
fessional spheres,  of  the  suggestive  brain,  the  helping  hand, 
the  guiding  taste,  which  assisted  at  the  inception,  progress, 
and  ultimate  success  of  nearly  every  institution  and  public 
enterprise  which,  within  the  past  quarter  Of  a  eentury.  has 
erowncd  the  city  of  Brooklyn  with  l>eneficent  and  far- 
reaching  influences.  Upon  his  monument,  as  upon  that  of 
the  architect  of  St.  Paul's,  at  London,  buried  under  the 
matchless  dome  <>f  his  own  creation,  might  well  be  inscribed, 
Circumspice  te,  "Look  around  thee."  Dr.  Hull's  public 
memorial  will  lx-  found  in  the  history  of  the  Atlteun  um.  the 
I'liilharmonic  Society,  the  Art  Aasocitition,  the  Kimjs  County 
Homo  opathic  Society,  the  Historical  Socirty,  the  Academy  of 
Mnxie.  the  llrooklyti  Club,  all  of  which  efforts  were  inaugu- 
rated by  him  and  his  intimate  friends.    He  performed  his 


professional  duties  to  the  best  of  his  skill  and  science;  and 
then,  often,  when  he  should  have  sought  rest  for  the  morrow, 
he  gave  his  time  and  energies  to  the  public  enterprises  of  the 
city.  This  was  his  recreation,  in  preference  to  parties  and 
the  usual  social  amusements.  He  died,  July  3d,  1868,  at  Cats- 
kill,  N.  Y.,  honored  as  a  man,  beloved  and  useful  as  a  phy- 
sician, and  respected  as  a  public-spirited,  far-seeing  citizen. 

But  to  return.  After  the  advent  of  Dr.  Wells,  n,, 
name  of  prominence  appears  in  the  annals  till  we  omu 
to  that  of  Carroll  Dunham,  whose  various  attain 
ments  and  high  scholarship  have  won  for  him  a  Baro- 
pean,  as  well  as  American  reputation.  Though  his  mat 
achievements  were  effected  after  leaving  the  county  of 
Kings,  yet  Brooklyn  is  proud  to  have  claimed  him  from 
1849  to  1856,  when  his  health  obliged  him  to  move  to 
Newburgh-on-the-IIudson. 

By  1850,  Brooklyn  and  Williamsburgh  boasted  four- 
teen honncopathic  physicians;  all  respectable;  all 
regularly  educated;  all  in  good  social  positions;  all  daily 
proving,  by  their  successes,  their  intelligence  and  abilin 
to  cope  with  the  sicknesses  of  the  day.  They  were 
quite  the  peers  of  corresponding  men  in  the  old  Bohool, 
yet  they  were  ignored  where  they  could  be  ignored, 
and  ostracised  whenever  ostracism  could  be  made  to 
reach  them.  In  its  collective  capacity,  the  Medical 
Society  refused  permission  to  consult  with,  or  in  am 
other  way  to  countenance  them.  No  one  dared  (then 
is  hardly  an  exception  known)  to  confer  with  them  even 
informally,  lest  the  offender  be  reported  to  the  society 
and  be  censured.  It  is  marvelous  at  this  day,  when 
the  relations  between  the  schools  are  so  different,  thai 
such  bitterness  and  such  folly  should  have  obtained. 
Of  personal  comment,  detraction,  and  vituperation,  it  is 
not  fitting  to  speak  ;  but  of  public  acts,  let  a  sm^K 
instance  be  cited,  to  show  the  animus  of  the  day. 

In  1854,  a  notable  effort  was  made  to  injure  honnco- 
pathy  by  proving  malpractice  against  one  of  it-  physi- 
cians. In  that  year  the  child  of  a  wealthy  merchant  in 
Brooklyn  died  in  the  hands  of  a  honncopathic  physician, 
under  circumstances  that  could  be  explained  in  differ- 
ent ways.  The  afflicted  relatives  were  persuaded  to 
ask  for  a  legal  investigation,  and  the  coroner  of  the  day. 
a  bitter  partizan  of  the  old  school,  conducted  the  en- 
quiry. A  formidable  array  of  Brooklyn  and  New 
York's*  most  prominent  physicians  endeavored  to  r-. 
tablish  that  the  child  died  from  neglected  intermittent 
fever  and  congestion  thence  resulting.  The  defence 
presented  the  history  of  the  ease;  showed  that  the  ofcill 
had  subsided  steadily  till  it  was  a  men'  nothing,  «  hen  die 
mumps  was  contracted  from  the  mother  and  pretested 
the  premonitory  symptoms.  Then  instead  of  the  fKO 
tids  swelling  as  usual,  the  disease  struck  upon  the  brain, 
causing  congestion,  convulsions,  hemorrhage  and  death. 
The  Coroner,  leading  the  prosecution,  denied  the  p"sf: 
bility  of  such  retrocession  of  the  mumps,  when  the  de 

•  Drs.  Wllliird  Piirker,  .to*.  M.  Smith,  Jamea  It.  Wood,  ami  AloatO 

•  'link  from  New  York. 


THE  medical  profession; 


007 


ence  read  from  their  own  old  school  authorities, 
Schcenlein  and  Rokitansky,  that  such  retrocession  was 
mssible  ;  and  proved  themselves  very  probably  right, 
ml  far  better  read  in  the  profession  than  any  who  had 
>een  called  to  confront  them.  The  jury  imputed  no 
ault  to  the  attending-  physician,  and  the  old  school 
vas  baffled. 

The  vigor  of  "  Young  Physic,"  as  homoeopathy  has 
m  .11  jocosely  called,  was  apparent  in  the  early  estab- 
ishment  of  a  Pharmacy  devoted  exclusively  to  the 
aanufacture  and  sale  of  its  medicines.  This  was  un- 
[ertaken  in  1850,  and  located  in  Court  street,  near  the 
_'ity  Hall.  At  the  time  there  were  but  eight  recog- 
lized  physicians  to  give  it  countenance;  and  seeing 
hat  each  of  these  gentlemen  dispensed  his  own  medi- 
sines,  it  would  seem  as  if  Mr.  J.  T.  P.  Smith  was  either 
cry  rash  to  open  a  store  with  but  eight  reliable  cus- 
omers,  or  else  very  "enterprising"  in  his  expectations 
if  the  growth  of  homoeopathy.  The  event  proved  that 
ie  was  enterprising;  for  in  four  years  he  found  not 
inly  permanency,  but  he  was  under  the  necessity  of 
snlarging  his  quarters  to  meet  the  enlarged  demand  on 
lis  services. 

Between  1850  and  1855,  thirty  new  homoeopathic 
ihysicians  took  up  their  residences  in  the  two  districts, 
iow  consolidated  as  one  city;  and  it  was  during  this 
ustrum  that  the  first  "  new  departure "  for  homoeo- 
lathy  was  instituted.  By  it  the  new  school  was  to  as- 
i  i  t  its  claims  in  public,  as  it  had  heretofore  done  in 
irivate;  and  the  poor,  like  the  rich,  should  know  of  its 
■xcellenccs. 

Under  the  guardianship  of  Mr.  Edward  W.  (the 
'ather  of  Dr.  Carroll)  Dunham,  President  /  John  N. 
Taylor,  Vice-President ;  Alfred  S.  Barnes,  Treas- 
m  r;  Theodore  Vietor;  Edward  Corning,  and  others 
if  equal  standing,  was  incorporated,  in  1852,  "The 
i  > kooklyn  Homoeopathic  Dispensary,"  Mr.  J.  T.  P. 
Smith,  proprietor  of  the  pharmacy,  furnishing  its 
•ooms  and  acting  as  its  Secretary.  The  history  of  this 
nstitution  is  especially  interesting  by  reason  of  its 
narked  success,  and  of  the  important  sequences  grow- 
ng  out  of  one  portion  of  its  life.  Located  in  Court 
itreet,  near  the  City  Hall,  it  was  accessible  only  to  the 
ihysicians  of  the  Western  District,  who  with  an  unpre- 
cedented unanimity  gave  their  services  to  its  mainte- 
lance.  The  records  of  the  first  six  months  show  the 
ittendance,  in  pairs,  of  Doctors  A.  C.  Hull  and  G.  V. 
^ewcomb;  Robert  Rosman  and  R.  C.  Moffat;  S.  S. 
tuy  and  Carroll  Dunham;  O.  R.  King  and  J. 
Suyant;  John  Barker  and  B.  C.  Macy.  The  next 
car  shows  twenty,  viz.:  the  above,  with  J.  P.  Dins- 

,roRE,  Zimmerman,  Jno.  Turner,  H.  May,  F.  G. 

Johnson,  A.  C.  Burke,  E.  A.  Lodge,  S.  B.  Doty,  J. 
iMffin  and  Henry  Minton,  all  the  then  recognized 
ihysicians  in  the  district  but  one.  It  was  maintained 
wholly  by  private  contributions,  the  city  withholding 
ts  aid  till  a  later  season.    Its  success,  shown  by  the 


appreciation  and  confidence  of  the  sick  poor,  may  be 
inferred  from  the  number  of  patients  treated.  Each 
year  from  1853  to  1861  showed  an  increase  of  more 
than  25  per  cent,  over  the  preceding:  the  first  year, 
304;  the  last  named,  3,218  !  A  remarkable  progress, 
when  the  difficulties  of  its  incipiency  are  considered. 
In  four  years  (1857)  enlarged  accommodations  became 
necessary,  and  the  institution  was  moved  to  the  corner 
of  Court  street  and  State,  Dr.  Frank  Bond  becoming 
Resident  Physician. 


Dr.  Joel  Bryant,  was  born  in  Northport,  L.  I.,  Novem- 
ber 10,  1813;  spent  the  first  few  years  of  his  professional  life 
in  his  native  village,  and  came  to  Brooklyn  in  October,  1850. 
Here  he  was  actively  engaged  in  practice — although  under 
almost  insuperable  conditions  of  physical  infirmity — until  his 
death,  Nov.  20th,  1868. 

He  was  a  graduate  of  the  Pennsylvania  Medical  College, 
and  the  author  of  several  treatises  on  Homoeopathy,  among 
which  was  the  excellent  work  on  the  practice  of  this 
school,  known  as  "  Bryant's  Pocket  Manual." 


Daniel  D.  Smith,  M.  D.,  born  in  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  Dec. 
16,  1807;  died  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  March  17th,  1878.  Under 
the  tuition  of  his  father,  who  was  a  clergyman,  and  also  a 
practitioner  of  the  Thompsonian  school,  extensively  known 
and  respected  throughout  the  New  England  States,  young 
Daniel  began  to  visit  the  sick  and  practice  the  healing  art  at 
the  early  age  of  eighteen.  He  afterwards  attended  lectures 
at  the  Massachusetts  Medical  College,  in  Boston,  from  which 
he  graduated,  and  practiced  several  years  in  Gloucester  and 
Boston.  About  1841,  he  was  attracted  by,  and  finally 
adopted,  the  Hahnemanian  theory  of  cure,  and  in  1848  re- 
moved to  New  York  State.  For  nine  years  he  occupied  the 
chair  of  Chemistry,  Physiology  and  Obstetrics  in  the  Homoeo- 
pathic Medical  College  of  New  York,  and  proved  a  most 
successful  teacher.  1)1  health  finally  obliged  him  to  remove 
to  Spring  Valley,  Rockland  county,  N.  Y,,  where  he  prac- 
ticed for  ten  years,  and  was  instrumental  in  organizing  the 
Homoeopathic  Medical  Society  of  that  county.  Then  finding 
that  he  could  no  longer  bear  the  exposure  of  a  country  prac- 
tice, he  removed  to  Brooklyn,  where  he  subsequently  died. 
He  was  a  member  of  Plymouth  church;  an  excellent  physi- 
cian, a  ready  and  eloquent  speaker,  a  fine  musician,  a  me- 
chanical genius,  and  a  pure-hearted  man. 


Henry  E.  Morrill,  M.  D.,  a  native  of  Boston,  Mass., 
born  December  29th,  1813;  a  pupil  of  Philips'  Academy,  at 
Andover,  and  at  Amherst  College,  Mass.  After  leaving 
college,  he  taught  for  several  years  in  the  south;  studied 
medicine  at  Cincinnati  and  in  Philadelphia,  where  he  grad- 
uated in  1840,  at  the  age  of  twenty-seven. 

After  practicing  for  several  years  in  Ohio,  he  removed  in 
1847  to  Brooklyn,  to  engage  in  the  drug  trade;  became  in- 
terested in  Homoeopathy;  and,  in  1858,  resumed  practice  as 
a  thorough-going  Homoeopathist.  He  soon  became  very 
popular,  and  drew  around  him  a  large  clientage  and  many 
friends.  In  all  the  relations  of  life,  he  was  a  Christian- 
unostentatious — distrustful  of  his  own  powers — but  respected 
by  all,  both  as  man  and  physician. 


Dr.  John  Barker,  of  whom  it  used  to  be  said  that  lie 
was,  "  next  to  Henry  Ward  Beecher,  the  most  popular  man 
in  Brooklyn,"  was  born  in  Wallingford,  Conn.,  but  passed 
most  of  his  youth  in  Ohio,  where  he  commenced  the  study 


908 


HISTORY  01  KINGS  COUNTY. 


of  his  profession  at  the  age  of  about  twenty-two,  under  the 
guidance  of  Dr.  Friend  Cook,  a  relative  by  marriage.  He 
attended  one  course  of  lectures  at  Cleveland,  and  one  or 
more  at  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons.  New  York, 
being  at  the  time  a  pupil  of  Dr.  A.  L.  Sayre.  Ill  health  sent 
him  to  Wisconsin  before  his  graduation;  and,  in  1849,  he 
went  to  California,  from  which,  after  two  years  he  returned 
with  renewed  health,  and  graduated  at  the  New  York  Col- 
lege of  Physicians  and  Surgeons.  Having,  While  in  Cali- 
fornia, embraced  the  tenets  of  Homoeopathy,  he  at  once 
took  up  its  practice,  in  Brooklyn,  in  1853,  in  partnership 
with  Dr.  A.  Cooke  Hull;  but  in  1854,  severed  this  connection, 
and  entered  upon  a  career  with  a  success  which  was  uni- 
form and  quite  remarkable  Indeed,  for  several  years  before 
his  death,  he  enjoyed  a  larger  and  choicer  practice  than  any 
physician  in  Brooklyn,  of  whatever  school.  He  died  April 
lMli.  P  lraving  behind  him  a  memory  still  green  in  the 
hearts  of  his  patients,  friends  and  surviving  professional 
brethren, 

A  notable  and  "-ratifying  evidence  of  the  public  ap- 
preciation of  honueopathy  requires  mention  here,  if  the 
chronology  of  the  school  is  to  be  maintained.  It  is  to 
be  found  in  the  extensive  distribution  and  sale  of 
honueopathic  remedies  on  the  counters  of  the  old-school 
druggists  themselves.  As  early  as  1858,  the  third  year 
of  the  society,  the  secret  preparations  of  Dk.  F.  Hum- 
phreys were  advertised  and  Bold  tinder  the  name  of 
" Homoeopathic  Specifics."  These  were  followed  in 
1875  by  counter  cases  of  legitimate  honueopathic  medi- 
cines, put  out  by  Boericke  <fc  Tafel,  of  New  York, 
Philadelphia,  Baltimore,  New  Orleans,  San  Francisco 
and  Chicago,  the  leading  homoeopathic  pharmacists  of 
America.  So  great  is  the  demand  for  these  goods  at 
the  present  time,  that  there  is  hardly  a  respectable 
apothecary  of  the  old  school  in  the  country  who  does 
not  consider  them  part  of  his  necessary  stock  in  trade. 
This  carrying  the  war  into  Africa,  naturally  gave  great 
umbrage  to  the  old-school  physicians,  but  their  remons- 
trances were  met  by  the  reply  that  "  they  are  in  de- 
mand; and  we  would  just  as  lief  sell  them  as  any  other 
quack  (sic)  medicines  I" 

A  Homoeopathic  County  Medical  Society  or- 
ganized.— The  centennial  anniversary  of  Hahnemann's 
birth  occurred  in  April.  1  s.55,  and  was  commemorated  by 
social  gatherings  of  his  admirers  all  over  the  country. 
Tho*e  of  llrooklyn  resulted  in  the  institution  of  regu- 
lar meetings  for  professional  discussions,  reports,  inter- 
change-, etc.,  etc.  Ii  was  a  rial  ural  outcome  of  the 
wants  of  twenty-nine  active  and  painstaking  phy- 
sicians. ItS  Organization  was  the  simplest  possible.  No 
name  but  "meetings"  was  allowed;  no  officer  but 
secretary,  who  was  at  the  same  time  treasurer,  and,  if 
he  chose,  reporter.  This  formic--  a--oeiation  lived 
two  years,  and  died  in  giving  birth  to  the  County 

Homoeopathic  Medical  Society. 

Thus,  at  the  meeting  of  the  association,  September 
8,  1*57,  Dr.  Moffat  -tated  that  "  several  honueopathic 
physicians  of  unquestioned  respectability  had  been  an- 
noyed by  receiv  ing  a  printed  -ummon-  to  appear  before 


the  Kings  County  Medical  Society  (allopathic).  They 
were  required  to  show  their  diplomas,  that  the  society 
might  have  evidence  of  their  right  to  practice  medi- 
cine; threats  were  expressed  that  in  case  of  disregard- 
ing the  warning  herewith  conveyed,  etc.,  etc.,  etc 
However  some  of  us  might  choose  to  disregard  these 
mandates,  there  were  still  others,  and  especially  novi- 
tiate- in  our  ranks,  who  might  be  greatly  disturbed  by 
them.  *  *  *  We,  as  Ilonneopathists,  are  author- 
ized to  form  our  own  county  societies,  that  would  be 
in  all  legal  respects  the  peers  of  those  now  existing 
*  *  *  With  a  view  to  bringing  the  matter  in  ,|u, 
form  before  the  meeting.  Dr.  E.  T.  Richardson,  sec- 
onded by  Dr.  IT.  Minton,  moved,  That  it  is  expedient 
to  form  a  'Kings  County  Homeopathic  Medical  Si- 
ciety."  Thus  was  initiated  the  second  public  demon- 
stration of  the  new-school;  and  so  heartily  was  it 
seconded  and  carried  into  effect,  that  on  the  l.'th  of 
November  of  the  same  year  (1S">7),  the  present  "Ho 
McsoPATHic  Medical  Society  of  the  Cointy  or 
Kings"  was  legally  instituted,  Dr.  Robebt  Ro-mw 
the  pioneer  homoeopathic  physician  of  Brooklyn,  being 
its  first  President.  Its  membership  was  at  once  t  went  \ 
nine,  and  embraced  every  recognized  homoeopathic 
physician  in  the  county. 

Thus,  in  seventeen  years,  Homoeopathy  had  passed 
from  non-existence  to  full  legal  status  and  recogni- 
tion. Its  adherents  felt  proud  of  their  achievements; 
and  considered  them  sure  indications  of  the  perma- 
nence as  well  as  of  the  acceptance  of  the  school  in 
Brooklyn. 

A  commendable  ambition  possessed  the  minds  of  tin- 
society.  All  desired  the  furtherance  of  the  school,  and 
counseled  as  to  the  best  means  of  effecting  it.  Sum. 
urged  the  possession  of  power  and  place,  and  advocated 
the  persistent  claiming  of  appointments  in  the  gift  of 
the  city  and  state  authorities  as  rights.  Others,  and 
these  were  notably  the  seniors  and  the  graver  mind-, 
said,  "  Our  real  strength  lies  in  our  sick-rooms.  .Main 
tiply  these  ;  make  more  cures  ;  and  very  likely  later, 
but  far  more  surely,  we  will  be  called  on  to  discharge 
larger  and  more  responsible  duties."  The  wiser  MM) 
sels  prevailed,  and  as  a  whole  the  professors  of  llonnru- 
pathy  pursued  their  business  interests  in  a  quiet  and 
unobtrusive  way,  that  was  at  once  the  source  and  evi 
dence  of  their  strength.  The  meetings  of  the  societ] 
were  invaluable  to  its  members.  It  gave  them  i.ij>ri(- 
du-corps  and  served  as  an  exchange.  Novitiat.  -  W  n 
welcomed,  encouraged,  supplied  with  information,  tMO 
were  made  to  feel  the  force  of  brotherhood.  Thai 
seven  more  years  of  patient  labor  passed  on,  and  by 
1864  no  less  than  eighty-five  Honueopathic  physician* 
had  taken  tip  their  abodes,  for  longer  or  shorter  tunc, 
in  Kings  county. 

Tlt>     IlmiioojHilhir    Medical    Society    of  A'":-' 
Count!/,  thus  organized,  was  afterwards  incorpoWlW 
under  the  general  law  to  further  professional  «l* 


THE  MEDICAL  PROFESSION. 


909 


course,  and  advance  Homoeopathy.  It  first  numbered 
29  members  ;  now  it  has  80.  The  first  officers  were  : 
R.  Rosman,  M.D.,  Pres.;  S.  C.  Handford,  M.D.,  Vice- 
Pres.;  B.  C.  Macy,  M.D.,  Rec.  Sec;  E.  T.  Richardson, 
M.D.,  Cor.  Sec;  J.  P.  Duflin,M.D.,  Ireas;  Drs.  P.  P. 
Wells,  A.  Cooke  Hull,  S.  S.  Guy,  Censors.  The  suc- 
leeding  Presidents  were  as  follows  :  P.  P.  Wells,  A.  C. 
[lull,  A.  Wright,  E.  T.  Richardson,  W.  Wright,  R.  C. 
Moffat,  J.  Barker,  A.  C.  Burke,  H.  Minton,  J.  B. 
Elliot,  W.  L.  R.  Perrine,  R.  C.  Moffat,  H.  E.  Morrill, 
W.  S.  Senile,  W.  M.  L.  Fiske,  G.  V.  Newcome,  H.  M. 
Lewis,  E.  Hasbrouck,  Charles  S.  Bonnell.  The  present 
Board  is  as  follows  :  Drs.  Charles  S.  Bonnell,  Pres.; 
W.  W.  Blackman,  Vicc-Pres.;  John  L.  Moffat,  Rec. 
Sec;  A.  B.  Campbell,  Cor.  Sec;  Hugh  H.  Smith,  R.  C. 
Moffat,  Necrologists.  Meetings  of  the  Society  are  held 
it  44  Court  street,  on  the  first  Tuesday  of  the  month. 

The  Gates  Avenue  Homoeopathic  Dispen- 
sary was  established  and  incorporated  in  186V,  by 
certain  benevolent  laymen  and  physicians,  residents 
of  "the  Hill,"  in  behalf  of  the  poor,  who  could 
not  go  as  far  as  Court  street  for  help.  Rooms 
were  hired,  and  a  dispensary  with  the  title  as  above 
established,  where  Gates  avenue  diverges  from  Ful- 
ton. With  a  medical  staff  of  nine  physicians  and 
surgeons,  and  a  board  of  seven  trustees,  as  appears  by 
the  latest  circular  issued,  the  number  of  patients  for 
the  year  ending  September  30,  1879,  was  3,249,  and  of 
visits  made  to  homes,  241.  Present  Officers:  R.  D.  Bene- 
dict, President  (since  the  organization);  Peter  Not- 
man,  Treasurer;  Volney  Aldridge,  Secretary;  J.  L. 
Keep,  M.D.,  Peter  Milne,  Jr.,  Eugene  D.  Berri,  Wm. 
B.  Boorum.  Medical  Staff  (from  organization):  Drs. 
Sam'l  Talmage,  F.  E.  Robinson,  W.  S.  Terhune,  W. 
H.  Vyse,  Geo.  C.  Jeffery,  S.  H.  Keep,  D.  M.  Brown, 
Wm.  E.  Wamsley,  Ed.  Everitt,  E.  J.  Whitney,  J.  H. 
Osborn,  G.  W.  Newcomb,  H.  M.  Lewis,  S.  E.  Stiles, 
Wm.  C.  Bryant,  J.  L.  Monmonier,  A.  R.  Jarrett. 
Consulting  Staff'  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  (from 
organization):  Drs.  J.  L.  Keep,  J.  F.  Talmage,  M. 
Bryant,  A.  E.  Sumner,  J.  B.  Elliott,  G.  H.  R.  Bennett. 
Surgeon  Dentists  (from  organization):  E.  H.  Stelle, 
Edson  W.  Smith,  C.  H.  Glover,  M.  E.  Elmendorf,  J.  C. 
Monroe.  Present  Medical  Director,  J.  L.  Keep,  M.D. 
House  Physician,  Samuel  Talmage,  M.D. 


John  Lester  Keep,  M.  D.— The  Keep  family  has,  for  the 
past  quarter  of  a  century,  been  somewhat  prominently  iden- 
tified with  Homoeopathy  in  the  city  of  Brooklyn.  The 
father,  Dr.  Lester  Keep,  came  here  in  I860,  from  Fair  Haven, 
Conn.,  and  soon  acquired  a  very  excellent  practice;  and  his 
two  sons,  John  L.  and  S.  Hopkins,  commenced  their  profes- 
sional career  here. 

John  Lester  Keep,  the  subject  of  our  sketch,  was  born  at 
Fair  Haven,  Conn.,  March  18th,  1838;  received  his  early  edu- 
cation at  the  schools  of  that  pleasant  town,  and  later  at 
Thetford  Academy  (Vermont);  and  finished  with  a  three  years' 
course  at  the  Collegiate  and  Commercial  Institute  of  New 


Haven,  Conn.,  a  semi-military  school,  conducted  by  Gen. 
Wm.  H.  Russell. 

Plans  for  a  college  course  at  Yale  were  defeated  by  ill- 
health;  and  during  the  winter  of  1856  to  '57,  Mr.  Keep  taught 
school  at  Branford,  in  his  native  State.  The  summer  and 
autumn  of  1857  was  spent  by  him  in  the  Bahama  Islands, 
in  attendance  upon  his  father,  who  was  then  in  poor  health; 
and  it  was  during  this  time  that  he  commenced  reading 
medicine.  During  the  following  winter  and  spring,  he  was 
in  Key  West,  Florida,  pursuing  his  studies  and  practicing 
some,  as  opportunities  offered.  In  the  autumn  of  1858,  he 
commenced  lectures  at  the  Hahnemann  Medical  College  of 
Philadelphia,  from  which  he  graduated  March  2d,  1860.  Re- 
turning immediately  to  Brooklyn,  he  entered  practice,  in 
partnership  with  his  father,  at  the  corner  of  Gates  and 
Vanderbilt  avenues.  In  1862,  he  served  awhile  as  surgeon 
on  one  of  the  old  "  Black  Ball  Line"  packets. 

In  1865,  he  attended  another  course  of  lectures  at  the  New 
York  Homoeopathic  Medical  College,  and  graduated  Feb- 
ruary 28th,  1866.  In  1860  he  became  a  member  of  the 
Kings  County  Homoeopathic  Medical  Society,  of  which  he 
was  subsequently  secretary  for  two  years  or  more,  resigning 
in  1870.  He  joined  the  American  Institute  of  Homoeopathy 
in  1867;  and  was  the  chief  promoter  of  the  Gates  Avenue 
Homoeopathic  Dispensary,  established  in  1867,  taking  med- 
ical charge  of  it  for  some  years.  He  is  also  a  member  of 
the  medical  staff  of  the  Brooklyn  Homoeopathic  Hospital. 

Dr.  Keep  was  appointed  Assistant  Surgeon  of  the  13th 
Regiment,  N.  G.,  S.  N.  Y.,  December  1st,  1868  (his  commis- 
sion being,  we  believe,  the  first  ever  issued,  in  this  State,  to 
a  Homoeopathic  physician);  was  promoted  surgeon  of  the 
Fifth  Brigade,  December  14th,  1869,  and  resigned  February 
28th,  1872;  was  re-commissioned  surgeon  of  same  brigade, 
November  8th,  1875;  promoted  surgeon  of  Second  Di- 
vision, N.  G.,  S.  N.  Y.,  March  18th,  1880,  and  was  honored 
for  "  long  and  faithful  service,"  with  the  brevet  of  Colonel, 
March  14th,  1883.  He  is  still  in  service,  on  the  staff  of  Ma- 
jor-General  James  Jourdan,  commanding  Second  Division, 
N.  G.,  S.  N.  Y. 

In  1877,  Dr.  Keep  removed  to  his  present  elegant  residence, 
at  460  Clinton  avenue,  and  is  in  the  full  enjoyment  of  a  large 
and  successful  practice.  Alert,  genial,  and  with  hosts  of 
friends  and  patients,  his  life-work  stretches  before  him,  sun- 
lit with  the  rays  of  hope  and  useful  endeavor. 


William  M.  L.  Fiske,  M.D.,  is  descended  not  only  from  one 
of  the  earliest  and  most  honorable  New  England  families, 
tracing  its  pedigree  to  Symond  Fiske,  Lord  of  the  Manor  of 
Stradhaugh,  parish  of  Laxfield,  county  of  Suffolk,  England, 
who  lived  in  the  reigns  of  Kings  Henry  IV.  and  VI.,  (from  A. 
D.,  1399,  to  A.  D.,  1422),  but  from  a  line  of  able  and  in  some 
cases  celebrated  physicians  extending  through  several  gener- 
ations. Phineas  Fiske,  an  emigrant  from  old  England  to 
New  England,  who,  with  his  sons  James,  John  and  Thomas, 
settled  at  Wenham,  Mass.,  was  the  pilgrim  father  of  the  fam- 
ily of  Fiske  in  America.  Dr.  John  Fiske,  son  of  John  Fiske, 
son  of  Phineas  Fiske,  was  a  celebrated  physician  of  Wenham, 
Mass.,  and  New  Milford,  Conn.  The  first  four  graduates  of 
Yale  College  were  his  descendants.  The  renowned  scholar  and 
divine.  Rev.  Phineas  Fiske,  was  his  first  son.  Ebenezer,  the  an- 
cestor of  Dr.  William  M.  L.  Fiske,  was  his  second  son,  and 
John  and  Benjamin,  were  his  third  and  fourth  sons  respec- 
tively. Ebenezer  Fiske  was  his  father's  executor  and  become 
possessed'of  the  homestead  at  Milford,  and  died  at  the  resi- 
dence of  his  son  Ebenezer,  in  New  Milford,  in  1747.  Dr. 
Fiske's  great-grandfather,  Ichabod  Ebenezer  Fiske,  was  born 
in  New  Milford  the  same  year.    His  father  removed  to  Wal- 


910 


HIS  TOE  Y  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


lingford,  Conn.,  soon  after,  and  subsequently  to  Stoughton, 
where  he  died  in  1790.  Iehabod  Ebenezer  Fiske  graduated 
from  Yale  College  in  1770,  was  married  in  1773,  and  became 
an  eminent  preacher  and  scholar,  and  was  the  author  of  a 
system  of  Grammar  which  in  its  time  attracted  much  atten- 
tion. For  some  two  years  prior  to  his  death  in  1S10,  he  was 
Rector  of  the  Episcopal  Church  of  St.  Mary's  parish,  Georgia. 

The  father  of  Dr.  William  M.  L.  Fiske  was  Almond  D. 
Fiske,  who  was  employed,  ami  well  versed,  in'  the  trade  in 
stoves  at  the  age  of  nineteen,  and  became  a  manufacturer 
and  inventor  of  note;  making  many  improvements  in  stoves 
and  projecting  the  now  ubiquitous  and  universally  used  base- 
burner,  which,  however,  was  not  perfected  until  after  his 
death.  He  was  the  first  t<»  introduce  the  steam  engine  for 
use  in  foundries,  setting  one  up  in  his  own  foundry,  at  New- 
town, L.  I.,  about  1S45,  which  was,  for  a  time,  an  object  of 
considerable  curiosity  to  numerous  visitors.  Mr.  Fiske  also 
invented  the  now  celebrated  Fiske  Metallic  Burial  Case,  of 
which  he  was  the  manufacturer  until  his  death,  in  1851.  On 
hi- mother's  side,  Dr.  Fiske  is  descended  from  an  old  and 
highly  respectable  family,  of  AlUiny,  N.  Y.  Harvey  Ray- 
mond, his  grandfather,  removed  from  Albany  to  New  York 
altout  1830,  and  hccaine  an  intimate  of  Daniel  Webster's, 
and  other  distinguished  men  of  the  day.  His  daughter, 
Phebe  Ann  Raymond,  married  Almond  D.  Fiske.  Their  son, 
William  M.  L.  Fiske,  was  born  in  New  York,  May  10,  1841. 
His  parents  subsequently  removed  to  Newtown.  Long  Island, 
where  bis  lather  owned  a  farm,  which  included  most  of  the 
present  village  of  Wintield.  There  Dr.  Fiske  received  the 
rudiments  of  his  education  at  a  private  school.  After  his 
father's  death,  the  family  removed  to  Chazy,  Clinton  county. 
N.  Y.,  and  later,  he  attended  the  Bakersfield  (Vt.)  Academy, 
and  theCbamplain  Academy,  in  Clinton  county,  N.Y.,  where 
he  prepared  for  college  and  began  the  study  of  medicine.  Cir- 
cumstances, over  which  he  had  no  control,  seemed  to  necessi- 
tate at  least  a  temporan  abandonment  <>f  his  plan  of  obtain- 
ing a  collegiate  education  and  pursuing  his  medical  studies; 
and  be  went  t<>  New  York,  and,  during  an  interval,  was  em- 
ployed in  com  rcial  pursuits.   After  a  time,  an  opportunity 

presented  itself  for  his  resumption  of  the  study  of  medicine; 
and,  in  1859,  he  became  a  student  at  the  New  York  Medical 
College.  At  the  opening  of  the  new  Bellevue  Hospital  Medi- 
cal College,  Dr.  Fiske  was  one  of  the  first  to  enter  as  a  stu- 
dent there,  following  Prof.  R.  Ogden  Doreinus,  formerly  Pro- 
fessor of  Chemistry  in  the  New  York  Medical  College,  who 
transferred  his  influence  and  services  from  the  New  York 
Medic  al  College  to  the  new  Bellevue  Hospital  Medical  Col- 
lege. Not  Ion-  afterward.  Dr.  Fiske,  after  passing  a  competi- 
tive examination,  was  appointed  one  of  the  medical  physi- 
cians of  Blaekwell  s  Island  Hospital,  there  being  a  vacancy 
on  the  Bellevue  stall,  and  served  as  such  for  eight  months. 
In  1862,  in  the  interim  between  the  second  and  third  courses 
of  lectures,  he  made  application  for  appointment  upon  the 
medical  -tall  of  the  47th  Regiment,  N.  Y.  Volunteers;  but, 
there  being  no  vacancy,  be  enlisted  in  Company  A  of  that 
regiment,  as  a  private  soldier.  After  a  month's  service  in 
the  ranks,  he  was  appointed,  by  General  Morris,  to  act  as 
steward  at  the  convalescent  hospital,  at  Fort  McHenry;  and, 
a  few  week's  later,  became  acting  assistant  post  surgeon  in 
charge  of  the  post  hospital,  ami  served  in  such  capacity  until 
the  expiration  of  his  regiment's  three  months"  term  of  enlist- 
ment, "hen.  with  his  comrades,  he  was  mustered  out  of 
service.  Returning  t<>  New  York,  he  again  entered  the  new 
Bellevue  Hospital  Medical  College,  and  graduated  in  its 
second  graduating  class— that  of  1N63.     Immediately  aftei 

his  graduation.  I  ntered  his  name  as  a  student  with  I  >r. 

Allx-rt  Wright,  ol  Brooklyn,  and  l»egan  the  study  of  Homo  - 


opathy,  and,  in  1864,  graduated  from  the  New  York  Homoe- 
opathic College.  He  was  a  few  months  in  private  practice; 
then,  after  passing  an  examination  before  the  Board  of  Ex- 
aminers, stationed  in  New  York,  he  was  appointed  actinu 
assistant  surgeon  in  the  United  States  Army,  and  served  u 
such  until  the  close  of  the  war. 

After  the  war,  Dr.  tiske  practiced  his  profession  two  vears 
at  Aurora.  Illinois,  whence  he  removed  to  Rochester,  X.  y 
After  a  Ave  years'  residence  there,  at  the  earnest  solicitation 
of  his  old  preceptor,  Dr.  All>ert  Wright,  he  abandoned  an  in- 
creasing practice,  and  returned  to  Brooklyn  to  become  Dr, 
Wright's  partner;  a  relation  which  continued  till  the  death. i 
Dr.  Wright,  in  1874,  the  added  opportunities  for  a  surgical 
practice  in  no  small  degree  influencing  him  to  make  the 
change.  Since  the  death  of  Dr.  Wright,  he  has  continued 
practice  in  Brooklyn,  E.  D..  bis  residence  and  office  being  el 
No.  12  Bedford  avenue. 

Dr.  Fiske  associated  himself  with  the  chair  ol  surgen  in 
the  Brooklyn  Honneopathic  Dispensary,  w  hich  was  f onnetii 
maintained  on  Atlantic  avenue.  Upon  the  institution  of  the 
Brooklyn  Honneopathic  Hospital  he  became,  and  still  con- 
tinues, one  of  the  surgeons  on  its  staff:  and,  upon  the  death 
of  Dr.  Sumner,  in  1882,  was  unanimously  elected  In-  suc- 
cessor, as  President  of  the  Stair  and  Medical  Director  of  the 
hospital.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  and  organizers  of  the 
Brooklyn,  E.  D.,  Home  opathic  Dispensary,  and  is  a  train 
of  that  institution.  He  was  one  of  the  organizers  aii'l 
lecturers  of  the  Training  School  for  Nurses  of  the  Brook  I  \n 
Maternity  and  of  the  Honxeopathie  Hospital,  and  continent! 
his  services  until  compelled,  reluctantly,  to  relinquish  them 
on  account  of  his  large  and  constantly-increasing  practice. 
He  is  a  member  and  an  ex-Presidtut  of  the  Brooklyn  Homoe- 
opathic Society,  a  member  and  an  ex- Vice-President  of  lis 
New  York  State  Honneopathic  Society,  and  a  member  ot  the 
American  Institute  of  Honueopathy. 

The  career  of  Dr.  Fiske  has  been  a  remarkably  succt  ■  M 
one,  but  its  success  has  not  been  easily  won.  It  is  the  legiti- 
mate reward  of  that  patient,  hopeful  industry  and  self-denial 
which  are  the  foundation  stones  of  all  advancement  in  any 
walk  of  life,  in  any  business  or  profession;  and  he  has  brought 
to  bear  upon  his  fortunes  the  influences  of  an  integrity  and  a 
steadfastness  of  purpose  which,  had  his  mind  inclined  to 
theology,  the  law  or  commercial  pursuits,  would  have  made 
him  as  eminent  as  a  clergyman,  an  attorney  or  a  merchant 
as  he  has  become  in  his  chosen  profession.  A  lover  of  Ins 
fellow  men  and  a  believer  in  human  liberty  and  human  pro- 
gress, he  has  been  a  life-long  adherent  to  the  principles  of 
true  Republicanism,  but  helms  never  been  an  active  politi- 
cian. A  Presby  terian,  he  has  been  for  thirteen  years  an 
active  member  and  trustee  of  the  Boss  street  Presl>\  terian 
Church.  He  was  married  October  11th,  1865,  to  Miss  Julia 
P.  Sage,  of  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  who  has  borne  him  four  sons. 

Dr.  Fiske  was  for  a  number  of  years,  and  until  compelled 
to  go  to  Florida  on  account  of  ill  health,  the  meteorological 
reporter  at  Rochester,  N.  Y..  for  the  Smithsonian  Institute  ut 
Washington,  D.  C. ;  and,  after  his  removal  to  Florida,  In' 
established  the  meteorological  station  at  San  Mate,  in  that 
State. 

The    Brooklyn    Homoeopathic  Dispensary 

was  incorporated  December  5,  1852,  mainly  through 
the  benevolent  enterprise  and  energy  of  Mr. 
Edward  W.  Dunham  ;  the  trustees  for  the  firs!  year  1» 
ing  E.  W.  Dunham,  J.  G.  Arnold,  John  N.  Taylor, 
John  A.  Davenport,  S.  I\  Church,  Ed.  Corning,  Thee 
dore  Victor,  A.  G.  Allen,  A.  S.  Barnes  ;  from  wlmin 


■I 


* 


THE  MEDICAL  PROFESSION. 


911 


were  chosen  E.  W.  Dunham,  President;  John  N.  Tay- 
lor, Vice-President;  Alfred  S.  Barnes,  Treasurer;  to 
these  were  added  J.  T.  P.  Smith,  of  the  Pharmacy,  as 
Secretary.  Rooms  were  procured  at  No.  50  Court 
street,  and  opened  to  the  public  January  2,  1853.  Dr. 
B.  C.  Macy  became  resident  physician,  and  ten  of  the 
Homoeopathic  physicians  of  Brooklyn  (increased  after 
the  first  six  months  to  twenty)  volunteered  their  services; 
a  very  handsome  representation  of  the  practitioners  of 
that  school  of  medicine,  of  whom  there  were  only 
twenty-five  at  that  time  in  the  Western  District  of  the 
city.  About  the  year  1857  larger  quarters  became  ne- 
cessary  ;  and  the  institution  was  moved  from  No.  50  to 
83  Court  street,  Dr.  Frank  Bond  becoming  resident 
physician.  In  1859,  aid  was  first  received  from  the  City 
and  State;  and,  in  1865,  the  trustees  were  enabled,  by 
the  generosity  of  the  citizens  of  Brooklyn,  to  purchase 
the  three-story  and  basement  brick  building,  No.  186 
Atlantic  street,  which  was  thoroughly  and  admirably 
fitted  up  for  the  purposes  of  a  dispensary. 

After  a  time,  however,  the  career  of  the  insti- 
tution, at  first  so  flourishing  and  so  gratifying 
to  those  interested,  seemed  to  receive  a  check. 
Wherever  the  fault  lay,  the  trustees,  under  the  presi- 
dency of  Charles  A.  Townsend,  Esq.,  were  dissatisfied  ; 
and  accepting  the  resignation  of  the  then  resident 
physician,  entrusted  the  management  to  Doctor 
Albert  E.  Sumner,  who  had  but  recently  (1863)  re- 
moved to  Brooklyn,  and  (while  interne  of  St.  Peter's 
Hospital)  given  indications  of  fitness  for  the  extraordi- 
nary career  he  subsequently  filled.  Under  his  admin- 
istration a  new  and  more  central  location,  at  178 
Atlantic  street,  was  occupied,  and  an  entire  reorgani- 
zation of  the  institution  effected.  The  patients  were 
assigned  to  separate  departments,  as  the  eye  and  ear, 
the  throat  and  chest,  etc.,  etc.,  and  special  physicians 
appointed  over  each.  The  departments,  at  first  four, 
but  afterwards  seven,  were  furnished  with  all  the  in- 
struments and  appliances  required  ;  the  apothecary's 
department  fully  supplied  with  medicines;  and  a  pro- 
fessional library,  belonging  to  the  institution,  presented 
every  requisite  for  study  and  for  reference,  needed  by 
the  attending  physicians.  The  success  was  all  that  the 
limits  of  the  building  would  allow.  In  1864  the  num- 
ber of  patients  was  1,824;  in  1869,  it  was  10,260.  The 
state  official,  whose  business  it  was  to  examine  all  in- 
stitutions receiving  aid  from  the  State,  reported  the 
Brooklyn  Homoeopathic  Dispensary  the  second  most 
perfect  in  the  State  in  equipment,  in  management,  and 
in  service.  February  9,  1871,  the  name  was  changed 
to  the  Brooklyn  Homoeopathic  Dispensary  and  Hospi- 
tal, thus  allowing  them  to  care  for  indoor  as  well  as 
outside  patients.  (See  History  of  Brooklyn  Homoeo- 
pathic Hospital.) 

A  Homoeopathic  Hospital. — With  the  success  of  the 
Dispensary  the  friends  of  Homoeopathy  felt  that  the 
time  for  a  hospital  had  come.    The  trustees,  under 


Charles  A.  Townsend,  Esq.,  President,  conferred 
with  their  friends  and  with  the  physicians  of  the  Dis- 
pensary; and,  later,  with  the  physicians  of  the  city  gen- 
erally. From  these  they  received  assurances  of  sym- 
pathy and  hearty  service,  and  taking  Dr.  Sumner  into 
their  counsel,  they  laid  their  plans  energetically  and 
wisely.  It  was  incorporated  in  1871,  under  the  present 
name,  with  powers  to  conduct  a  hospital.  A  Charity 
Ball,  February,  1871,  at  the  Academy  of  Music,  gave 
the  would-be  hospital  its  first  substantial  "lift;"  fol- 
lowed, as  it  was,  by  the  equally  attractive  Charity  Balls 
of  succeeding  years,  by  which  its  funds  have  been 
steadily  augmented.  In  1872  the  premises  previously 
occupied  by  the  Protestant  Orphan  Asylum,  in  Cum- 
berland street,  near  Washington  Park,  were  purchased 
at  a  cost  of  $37,500,  and  after  such  alterations  as  were 
essential,  they  were  formally  opened  as  the 

Brooklyn  Homoeopathic  Hospital,  on  March  15, 
1873,  with  only  ten  beds  ;  and  the  first  patient  was  re- 
ceived on  the  3d  of  March  following.  Its  officers 
were:  Chas.  A.  Townsend,  Pres.;  David  M.  Stone, 
Vice-Pres.;  John  P.  Atkinson,  Treas.j  James  R. 
Cowing,  Sec'y;  and  W.  W.  Goodrich,  Counsel,  with 
some  twenty  others  of  Brooklyn's  first  citizens  as 
Trustees.  Its  medical  staff  consisted  of  ten  physicians 
and  three  surgeons  under  the  presidency  of  Doctor 
Sumner.  From  the  first  the  internal  administration  of 
the  hospital  was  entrusted  to  Sister  Mildred,  whose 
high  administrative  powers  and  untiring  zeal  more  than 
justified  the  anticipations  of  every  friend  of  the  enter- 
prise. In  1875,  the  annual  Charity  Balls  were  replaced 
by  annual  Fairs,  held  at  the  Academy  of  Music,  and 
which  socially,  as  well  as  financially,  have  pi^oved  uni- 
formly successful.  Its  success  was  complete  from  the 
first,  and  its  prosperity  so  great  that  the  enlarge- 
ment of  the  premises  became  a  duty.  In  1874-'75  an 
addition,  23  x  50  feet,  four  stories  high,  including  base- 
ment, was  made  at  one  end,  in  which  a  children's  ward 
of  sixteen  beds,  was  located;  and,  in  five  years  more, 
(1880-'81),  a  wing,  102x25  feet,  also  four  stories  high, 
including  basement,  at  the  other.  The  Atlantic  street 
Dispensary  was  transferred  in  1875  to  the  first-named 
portion,  where  it  is  still  carried  on;  presenting,  as  be- 
fore, seven  departments,  each  with  its  corps  (1,  2,  or  3, 
according  to  the  size  of  the  clinique)  of  attending 
physicians  or  surgeons. 

Adopting  the  more  advanced  ideas  of  the  day,  a 
Training  School  for  Nurses  was  formed  in  1879.  It 
has  achieved  an  enviable  i-eputation,  some  of  its  gradu- 
ates being»among  the  foremost  of  that  growing  class 
of  most  useful  women.  Its  number  of  students  so  far 
is  twenty-two,  of  whom  eight  have  graduated. 

The  esprit-du-corps  of  the  medical  staff  provided  and 
furnished  an  ambulance  service  complete;  the  services 
of  which  were  accepted  by  the  Board  of  Health.  The 
wagon  (most  perfect  in  all  its  equipments,  of  the  three 
employed  in  the  city)  was,  together  with  horse,  harness, 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


stable  and  fittings,  quietly  procured  (in  1880)  by  the 
physicians  and  friends  of  the  hospital,  at  a  cost  of 
$2,000,  and  a  further  outlay  of  about  $800  a  year  for 
maintenance.  It  is  in  telephonic  communication  with 
Police  Headquarters,  and  is  provided  with  a  surgeon  and 
assistant,  appointed  by  the  Board  of  Health,  which  has 
also  assigned  to  it  the  Central  District,  a  most  import- 
ant and  extensive  field  of  service. 

Associated  with  the  hospital,  for  farthering  its  inter- 
ests, is  a  Ladies'  Aid  Society,  consisting  of  sixty-eight 
of  Brooklyn's  best  representatives,  largely  wives  of 
the  trustees.  Its  province  is  to  conduct  entertain- 
ments, fairs,  etc.,  the  proceeds  of  which  are  added  to 
the  voluntary  contributions  by  which  mainly  the  hos- 
pital is  sustained. 

To  the  first  of  January,  1883  (nine  years  and  ten 
months),  there  have  been  admitted  to  the  wards  of  the 
hospital  2,353  patients. 

Dr.  Albert  E.  Sumxer  was  the  originator  of  this 
hospital,  and  its  medical  director  until  his  death  in 
1882  ;  C.  A.  Townsend  was  its  President  ;  the  Sister 
Mildred  its  Lady  Superintendent,  and  S.  E.  Stiles, 
M.  D.,  its  Resident  Physician  from  January,  1871,  to 
1884. 

The  government  of  the  hospital  is  vested  in  forty- 
six  trustees,  the  officers  being  still  those  named  at  its 
opening.    (See  above). 

The  hospital  medical  and  surgical  staff,  under  the 
presidency  of  Dr.  W.  M.  L.  Fiske,  consists  of  thirteen 
physicians  and  seven  surgeons. 

The  dispensary  medical  and  surgical  staff,  under  the 
superintendency  of  Dr.  C.  L.  Boxnell,  consists  of  ten 
physicians  and  six  surgeons. 


Albert  E.  Sumner,  A.  M.,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  Hartford, 
Conn.,  Nov.  28,  1840,  his  father  being  Hiram  F.  Sumner,  a 
well-known  and  highly  esteemed  publisher  of  that  city. 
Young  Sumner  entered  Trinity  College,  Hartford,  and  com- 
pleted his  studies  at  the  New  York  University  Medical 
Department.  After  graduation  he  became  Physician  to  the 
Home  for  Incurables,  New  York  cit3*;  served  during  the 
Civil  War  for  eighteen  months,  as  Surgeon  in  the  United 
States  Navy,  and  then  associated  himself  with  the  late  Dr.  A. 
Cooke  Hull,  and  rapidly  gained  success  in  his  practice.  He 
was,  for  a  time,  interne  at  St.  Peter's  Hospital:  then  became 
Medical  Director  of  the  Brooklyn  Dispensary,  out  of  which 
grew  the-Homoopathic  Hospital,  with  which  Dr.  .Sumner's 
name  is  imperishably  connected  as  that  of  its  originator. 
He  was  also  identified  with  the  Maternity;  was  a  member  of 
the  American  Institute  of  Homoeopathy;  of  the  New  York 
State  and  the  Kings  County  Homeopathic  Medical  Socie- 
ties; and  a  trustee  of  the  Homoeopathic  State  Insane  Asylum 
at  Middletown,  N.  Y. 

"As  a  physician  he  stood  very  high:  as  a  diagnostician, 
he  was  clear  and  accurate;  in  prognosis,  prompt  and  reliable: 
in  treatment,  self-reliant  and  very  successful.  But  the  real 
clue  to  his  brilliant  professional  success  was  his  buoyant, 
genial  nature,  which  characterized  each  feature  and  move- 
ment, and  inspired  confidence  and  hope  in  every  sick  room 
which  he  entered. 


"In  his  daily  intercourse  with  patients  and  friends,  or  even 
with  strangers,  brain  and  heart  both  seemed  alert  with  sym- 
pathy, and  instinct  with  courage.  He  possessed  tact  with- 
out dissimulation,  and  energy  without  rashness.  Had  he 
not  been  an  admirable  physician  he  would  have  been  an  ad- 
mirable politician  of  the  better  sort.  Indeed,  few  physicians 
have  so  clear  an  idea  as  he  had  of  the  real  dignity  of  their 
professional  standing,  and  its  power  for  promoting  the  l*?st 
interests  of  society.  Dr.  Sumner  was,  in  the  best  sense,  a 
"  society  doctor,"  because  he  recognized  not  only  the  op|*>r- 
tunity,  but  the  duty,  which  his  profession  imposed  upon  him 
to  promote  and  mould  all  those  various  social  influence! 
which  tend  to  the  conservation  and  the  welfare  of  the  com- 
munity. 

"It  was  this  feeling,  together  with  the  natural  genial  im- 
pulse of  his  disposition,  which  made  him  foremost  in  even 
public  improvement,  and  which  linked  his  earnest  labors  as 
well  as  his  name,  with  the  fortunes  of  so  many  medical, 
literary  and  social  institutions  in  Brooklyn.  To  all  these 
movements,  his  "push,"  his  indomitable  pluck,  his  experience, 
and  wide  social  acquaintance  and  influence,  rendered  him 
invaluable.  AVhen  we  look  at  the  results — much  of  which 
could  not  have  been  accomplished  without  him — we  can 
scarcely  believe  that  they  were  compassed  within  a  ]>eriod  of 
barely  twenty  years.  That  corner  building,  on  Clinton  ami 
Joralemon  streets,  where  he  succeeded  the  lamented  Hull— is, 
indeed,  between  the  two,  identified  with  nearly  all  the  in- 
stitutions and  enterprises  which  have  beautified  and  adorned 
the  city,  within  the  past  quarter  of  a  century.  Hull's  man- 
tle, in  this  respect,  fell  worthily  upon  Sumner's  shoulders. 
The  traditions  of  the  house  were  handed  from  one  to  tlx 
other.  During  both  lives,  it  was  the  very  cradle  of  Brook- 
lyn's later  intellectual  and  social  growth." 

New  Homoeopathic  Organizations. — The  opening 
of  its  third  decade  demonstrated  the  hold  Ilomu'o- 
pathyhad  upon  the  public  mind,  by  the  hearty  interest 
of  its  advocates.  In  the  year  1871,  three  of  its  noblest 
and  most  successful  charities  were  initiated,  viz.:  the 
Brooklyn  JIat<  rnity,  the  Hoiim'opathic  Hospital,  and 
the  Brooklyn  Nursery.  Of  the  second  we  have  just 
spoken;  the  first  and  third  must  needs  have  briefer, 
but  not  less  interesting  mention.  They  are  each  the 
work  of  ladies,  and  each  is  maintained  and  managed 
by  ladies  exclusively.  Their  names  announce  their  re- 
spective purposes. 

The  Brooklyn  Maternity  (first  called  "The  Brook- 
Ilomceopathic  Lying-in  Asylum")  was  projected  in  I  > 70 
to  repress  infanticide,  by  providing  an  asylum  during 
confinement,  and  Ilomu  opathic  care  for  the  unfortunate 
and  for  the  respectable  poor  as  well.  The  unfortunate 
were  to  be  restored,  if  possible,  and  to  be  helped  to 
recover  their  sense  of  self-respect.  The  success  "I  the 
institution  was  beyond  expectation.  The  enlarging 
numbers  of  patients  demanded  large  accommodations, 
large  means,  and  more  co-workers.  Such  were  the 
wisdom  and  assiduity  of  the  ladies,  and  such  is  the 
munificent  charity  of  Brooklyn,  that  their  needs  wire 
supplied  and  their  work  sustained,  aided  by  Dr.  A.  m 
Sumner,  who  was  their  Medical  Director,  in  addition 
to  his  great  labors  at  the  hospital.  This  first  Hoard  of 
officers  consisted  of  Mrs.  R.  ( '   Moffat,  Mrs.  A.  Ihirtis, 


THE  MEDICAL  PROFESSION. 


913 


tfrs.  C.  E.  Arbuckle,  Mrs.  W.  T.  Coole,  Mrs.  Tobias 
iew,  Miss  M.  A.  Downs.  In  the  second  year  they 
eft  their  three-story  wooden  premises,  on  the  cor- 
ler  of  Lawrence  and  Willoughby  streets,  and  bought 
he  large  double  mansion,  46  and  48  Concord  street, 
vhere  their  inestimable  labors  have  been  wrought.  In 
.ddition  to  the  Lying-in,  a  Nursery  (i.  e.  a  baby  board- 
ng)  department  became  necessary;  then,  of  necessity, 
i  Childs'  Hospital,  that  the  sick  might  be  properly  iso- 
ated;  and  the  ladies  felt  that  the  circle  of  their  work 
vas  complete.  But  no!  It  was  soon  seen  and  felt  that 
he  opportunity  to  establish  a  Training  School  for 
nonthly  Nurses  was  too  good  to  be  overlooked,  and 
jreat  was  the  work,  filled  as  were  their  hands  already; 
ret  their  hearts  were  too  large  to  forego  the  opportu- 
ty.    So  the 

New  York  State  Training  School  for  Nurses, 

he  first  in  America,  was  incorporated  and  insti- 
uted,  a  short  time  before  Bellevue,  in  1873.  The 
itatistics  of  the  Maternity  are  marvelous;  no  public 
nstitution,  and  few  private  practitioners,  have  sur- 
jassed  them.  Patients  have  been  brought  into  its 
,vards  from  the  slums  of  the  city,  from  the  streets, 
n  the  very  throes  of  labor,  with  diseases  variously 
;omplicating  the  condition  that  warranted  their  admis- 
sion; yet,  out  of  787  confinements  (the  whole  number 
is  shown  by  the  twelfth  annual  report,  1883),  there 
lave  been  but  ten  deaths,  and  not  one  during  labor- 
3f  its  great  successes  in  restoring  the  unfortunate, 
;his  is  not  the  place  to  speak.  From  the  Training 
School  sixty  capable  and  accomplished  nurses  have 
seen  graduated,  and  their  reputation  is  such  that  the 
school  has  no  superior. 

The  administration  of  the  Maternity  has  been  by  a 
board  of  forty  lady  managers.  The  office  of  First 
Directress  has  been  filled  by  Mrs.  R.  C.  Moffat  (five 
^ears,  Mrs.  H.  W.  Sage  (three  years),  Mrs.  George 
m  annari}  (three  years)  ;  Secretary,  Mrs.  Tobias  New 
(seven  years),  Mrs.  G.  Stannard  (one  year),  Mrs.  G. 
W.  Gilbert  (three  years),  and  of  Treasurer,  Mrs.  W. 
T.  Coole  (two  years),  Mrs.  Robert  Shaw  (nine 
pears).  The  Medical  Staff  consisted  of  eight  physi- 
cians, including  a  resident,  all  appointed  annually.  The 
present  officers  are  Mrs.  George  Stannard,  First  Di- 
rectress; Mrs.  J.  Howard,  Second  Directress;  Mrs. 
N.  Y.  Beers,  Third  Directress;  Mrs.  George  W.  Gil- 
bert, Secretary;  Mrs.  Robert  Shaw,  Treasurer. 

The  Brooklyn  Nursery,  the  third  product  of 
the  same  year  (1871),  sprang  into  existence  by  the  de- 
termination of  some  earnest  ladies  who  hoped,  under 
the  greatly  lessened  infant  mortality  of  pure  Homoeo- 
pathic treatment,  to  found  an  asylum  for  "poor,  desti- 
tute and  friendless  children  not  over  three  years  of 
age.  It  provided  a  permanent  home  for  these,  and 
'a  temporary  home,  where  children  can  be  placed  by 
the  day,  week,  or  month,"  while  their  parents  pursued 
their  regular  vocations.   The  exceeding  charity  of  this 


work  speaks  for  itself.  It  enlisted  at  once  a  hearty 
body  of  workers,  whose  efforts  have  been  sustained  by 
liberal  contributions  pecuniarily,  and  by  professional 
services  from  corps  of  sympathizing  Homu'opathic 
physicians.  Its  eleventh  annual  report  presents  the 
names  of  forty  managing  ladies,  with  Mrs.  E.  B.  Rol- 
lins, First  Directress ;  Mrs.  D.  Hustace,  Treasurer  ; 
and  Mrs.  H.  F.  Aten,  Secretary,  and  the  names  of  ten 
physicians,  who  form  the  medical  staff.  No  statistics 
are  submitted  in  the  annual  report. 

The  Homoeopathic  Pharmacies. — The  "mis- 
sionary" aid  rendered  by  these  in  the  extension  of  the 
new  school  is  so  great  as  to  vie  with  that  of  the  physi- 
cians themselves,  and  they  cannot,  on  that  account,  be 
overlooked.  They  were  established  in  the  following 
order.  It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  they  are  de- 
voted almost  exclusively  to  the  manufacture  and  sale  of 
homoeopathic  medicines,  etc.,  excluding  the  fancy  arti- 
cles that  form  so  large  a  portion  of  stock  in  the 
apothecaries'  shops  of  the  old  school. 

1.  Mr.  J.  T.  P.  Smith,  in  1850,  in  Court  street,  near 
the  City  Hall.  Although  in  other  hands,  it  is  still  in 
existence. 

2.  Mr.  L.  H.  Smith,  in  1868,  opened  the  second  at 
106  Court  street,  and  is  now  at  73,  in  the  same  street. 

3.  Mr.  J.  O.  Noxosr,  like  his  predecessors,  clinging- 
close  to  the  City  Hall,  opened  the  third  pharmacy  in 
1869,  under  very  favorable  auspices,  at  323  Washing- 
ton street.  In  May,  1873,  he  moved  to  444  Fulton 
street,  where  he  still  conducts  the  largest  homoeopathic 
pharmacy  in  the  county. 

4-5.  Two  transient  and  unsuccessful  efforts  were 
made  in  1875  by  Mr.  St.  Charles  and  by  Mr.  Tilton. 

6.  In  the  same  year,  1875,  Mr.  Somers  made  a  suc- 
cessful effort  in  the  Eastern  District,  locating  in  Fourth 
street.  He  died  in  1880,  and  the  establishment  was 
closed. 

7.  In  1876,  Mr.  C.  T.  Hurlburt,  a  Homoeopathic 
pharmaceutist  of  New  York,  established  a  branch,  also 
in  Fourth  street.  This  is  still  successfully  maintained 
in  the  hands  of  Mr.  P.  J.  Hoyt. 

The  E.  D.  Homoeopathic  Dispensary  Associa- 
tion provides  for  the  Homoeopathic  poor  of  the  Eastern 
District  in  a  building  constructed  especially  for  its  use 
at  Nos.  194  and  196  South  Third  street.  The  existence 
of  this  charity  is  mainly  due  to  the  efforts  of  the  late  Dr. 
William  Wright,  one  of  the  first  practitioners  in  this 
part  of  the  city.  He  was  ambitious  for  the  extension 
of  the  school,  and  he  felt  that  the  poor  of  the  Eastern 
District  ought  to  have  all  the  advantages  that  could  be 
provided.  The  co-operation  of  his  fellow  practitioners 
and  of  some  of  Brooklyn's  best  citizens  was  secured, 
and  together  in  1872,  they  succeeded  in  obtaining  an 
organization  March  6th,  and  an  incorporation  March 
14th,  1872,  with  the  following  incorporators  :  William 
Wright,  M.  D.,  Samuel  Godwin,  Edward  A.  Jones, 
I  James  Hall,  S.  C.  Hanford,  M.  D.,  Silvester  Tuttel, 


OH 


HISTORY  01  KINGS  COUNTY. 


James  A.  Bradley,  Andrew  B.  Hodges,  William  H. 
Hanford,  M.  D.,  William  M.  L.  Fiske,  If.  P.,  George 
Nichols,  M.  D.,  John  Young,  M.  D.,  Carl  von  der  Luhe, 
M.  D.,  Mary  C.  Brown,  Iff.  D.,  Alice  Boole  Campbell, 
Iff.  I).,  Augustas  von  der  Lube,  M.  D.,  James  A.  Falkner, 
Silas W.  Brainerd,  James  H.Ward,  M.D.,  Demas  Strong. 

The  first  officers  were  :  William  Wright,  M.  D., 
Pn  sident;  James  A.  Falkner,  Secretary,  and  William 
E.  Horwill,  Treasurer.  The  dispensary  is  located  in 
the  elegant  new  building  at  194  and  190  South  Third 
street.  Prosperity  and  a  constantly  enlarging  area 
attended  upon  faithful  and  successful  service;  and,  upon 
the  completion  of  their  present  quarters,  their  former 
rooms  were  abandoned  for  their  present  quarters, 
erected  specially  for  their  use. 

Officers  and  Trustef.s  :  James  Hall,  Pr<s.;  Hon. 
Demas  Strong,  George  Nichols,  M.  D.,  Vice-Presidents; 
William  F.  Horwill,  Treas.;  Samuel  S.  Martin,  Secy.; 
James  Hall,  Demas  Strong,  George  Nichols,  M.  D., 
William  E.  Horwill,  W.  M.  L.  Fiske,  M.  D.,  Albert  M. 
Kalbrleisch,  George  V.  Tompkins,  George  L.  A.  Martin, 
George  B.  Hooton,  Samuel  S.  Martin,  E.  C.  Wads- 
worth,  Trustees. 

Albert  Wright,  M.  D.,  born  in  Cambridge,  Washington 
county,  N.  Y.,  April  14.  1804.  and  died  December,  1S74,  was 
one  of  a  farmer's  nine  children;  pursued  his  medical  studies 
under  Dr.  Jonathan  Dow,  of  White  Creek,  and  graduated 
from  the  Vermont  Academy  of  Medicine,  in  1831.  Until 
1849.  he  practiced  according  to  the  methods  of  the  old  school, 
mostly  in  Granville.  X.  Y.,  and  then,  removing  to  New  York 
city,  took  up  Honveopathy  under  the  friendly  direction  of 
Dr.  John  F.  Gray  and  other  pioneer  practitioners  of  that 
school.  He  shortly  removed  to  Williainsburgh;  was  one  of 
the  original  incorporators  of  the  Kings  County  Homoeo- 
pathic Medical  Society,  in  1857.  of  which  he  was  president 
in  1860  and  1800,  and  which  he  frequently  represented  in 
the  State  Society.  He  was  an  uncompromising  believer  in 
Homeopathy;  yet,  by  virtue  of  his  dignity  and  honesty  of 
purpose,  commanded  the  respectful  recognition  of  his  pro- 
fessional neighbors  of  the  old  school.  He  was  an  eminently 
religious  man,  a  Presbyterian;  but  always  unostentatious 
and  uncontroversial. 


The  Brooklyn  Woman's  Homoeopathic  Hos- 
pital and  Dispensary,  the  latest  Homoeopathic  char- 
ity, is  at  534  Myrtle  avenue.  Opened  in  June,  1881, 
as  a  "  Woman's  Dispensary,"  but  enlarged  and  incor- 
porated under  the  above  title  in  April,  1883.  Though 
yet  in  its  earlier  stages  it  has  treated  2,180  patients 
during  the  last  year,  and  will  prove  its  claim  to  the  confi- 
dence and  liberal  support  of  the  public  by  the  faithful- 
ness and  the  success  of  its  work.  Its  special  plea  for 
favor  rests  in  that  it  is  the  only  institution  where  women 
(and  children)  can  be  treated  exclusively  by  women, 
female  physicians  only  being  allowed.  It  was  pro- 
jected by  Dr.  Acsks  C.  Victor,  whose  efforts  were 
supported  by  Drs.  Alice  B.  (  ami  kki.i.,  Ida  B.  Hunt, 
Gi:oi:<;ia  A.  Cassikv,  Hbi.kn  \  S.  Lassen,  Mary  C.  and 
Harriet  E.  Brown,  and    Eanny    K.  Coi>i>in<;ton. 


These  pbysicians  have  called  to  their  aid  an  efficient 
board  of  managers,  also  ladies,  whose  officers  are 
Mesdames  D.  L.  Everitt,  Pres.;  C.  A.  Greene,  Vice- 
Pres.;  E.  Smith,  Secy.,  and  W.  H.  Dakin,  TVeaa 

The  Literature  of  Homoeopathy.  —  Brooklyn'* 
contributions  have  been  such  as  to  show  both  profes- 
sional scholarship  and  practical  usefulness.  The  mono- 
graphs of  Dr.  P.  P.  Wells,  on  Rmitim  in  Medicine, 
Diarrhea,  Dysentery,  Rhetnnatism,  Pneumonia,  In- 
/■/•/, i  ittent  Fever,  Typhoid  Fever,  What  is  Homoeo- 
pathy? and  Scarlet  Fever,  rank  deservedly  high  in  the 
profession.  The  last  two  have  been  translated  into 
German  and  Italian,  and  enjoy  an  European  reputa- 
tion. Besides  these  are  numerous  minor  Essavs,  Vv<\- 
ings,  Dissertations,  etc.,  etc.,  from  his  pen,  that  hare 
welcome  place  in  the  magazines  of  the  school.  Dr. 
Bryant's  Pocket  Manual,  Underwood's  Disease*  of 
Childhood,  and  Therapeutics,  and  his  Materia  Medici 
of  Differential  Potency.  Dr.  Minton's  Dom 
Physician;  Uterine  Th>  /•■>/•■  "h'.-s,  .ni  l  // 
Journal  of  Obstetrics  and  Diseases  of  Wbmm  ' 
Children  (quarterly) ;  Searle's  A  New  Form  of  Ner- 
vous Disease,  with  an  Essay  on  Frythroxylon  Coca. 

The  above  are  some  of  the  publications  thus  tar;  Inn 
Lectures,  Reports,  Communications,  Essays,  Proving-. 
Dissertations,  etc.,  etc.,  all  the  various  forms  of  medical 
utterances,  of  various  authorship,  are  presented  in  pam- 
phlet form  or  in  magazine  articles  too  numerous  for  m  B- 
tion.  With  so  numerous  and  so  respectable  a  laity,  with 
charitable  institutions  so  varied  and  so  creditable,  it  ii 
easy  to  infer  that  Homoeopathy  has  advanced  in  aoeept- 
ance  and  favor  with  the  public  so  as  to  be  in  all  reepeetc 
socially,  as  well  as  legally,  the  peer  of  the  rival  school. 
The  obloquy  and  acrimony  with  which  it  was  form 
regarded  are  wholly  things  of  the  past.  In  privat. 
life  there  are  mutual  courtesies  and  tolerance  such  as  ob- 
tain between  gentlemen  of  differing  religious  creeds. 
In  public  life  the  Homn?opathist  is  as  readily  appointed 
to  office,  if  his  claims  be  as  well  supported,  as  hi>  rival 
In  some  of  our  semi-public  charities,  notably  in  the 
Home  for  Consumptives  and  in  the  service  of  the  Bel 
side  Home,  physicians  of  both  schools  work  ridfl  bj 
side,  the  patient  being  allowed  to  select  under  trfco* 
care  he  will  place  himself. 

David  A.  Gorton,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  the  town  of  May- 
field,  Fulton  county,  New  York,  November  22d,  1888.    Ba  ii 
a  son  of  John  and  Joanna  (Sheldon) Gorton,  amid.  -  sadtdi 
his  father's  side  from  Samuel  Gorton,  the  first  -  it  lei  ■: 
Warwick,  R.  I.,  and  on  his  mother's  side  from  John  i:<>p  r- 
the  martyr,  illustrious  progenitors  who  have  a  record  in  In* 
lory,  and  to  whom  the  world  is  largely  indebted  for  it*  i  ivi 
and  religious  liberty.    Samuel  Gorton  w;us  l>oni  in  (iorMi 
England,  about   icon,  and  was  self-educated  to  a  more  than 
ordinary  degree.     Prior  to  Hi:"!,  when  lie  settled  in  boston. 
Mass.,  he  was  a  clothier  in  London.    He  became  in i  el »td 
controversy  on  religious  questions,  removed  to  l'ly  im-ut  Ii  and 
|„.,-aI,ie  a  preacher;  and.  though  hied  in  the  church  of  but 
land,  soon  developed  such  radical  views  that  a  charge  "f 


THE  MEDICAL  PROFESSION. 


915 


heresy  was  brought  against  him,  and  he  was  banished  from 
the  colony.  With  a  few  followers,  he  went  to  Rhode  Island, 
then  recently  settled  by  exiles  from  Massachusetts  Bay,  but 
soon  got  into  trouble  for  opinion's  sake,  and  found  an  asylum 
with  Roger  Williams  in  Providence,  about  1641.  We  do  not 
propose  fully  to  enter  into  the  career  of  the  elder  Gorton,  but 
simply  to  say  that  his  sense  of  justice  and  fair  play,  the  rights 
of  man  involving  the  relations  of  the  religious  sects,  and,  in 
turn,  their  relations  with  their  Indian  neighbors,  kept  him 
busy  with  disputations  with  his  puritanical  neighbors  in  the 
Massachusetts  colony.  So  inflexible  was  his  purpose  and  so 
zealous  was  he  of  his  rights  to  an  independent  judg- 
ment, that  he  was  frequently  brought  in  conflict  with 
the  authorities,  civil  and  religious;  was  tried  for  heresy 
at  Boston,  and  came  near  suffering  martyrdom  for 
opinion's  sake.  His  latter  years  were  spent  in  peace  and  quiet, 
and  he  had  lived  to  realize  all  the  rights,  civil  and  religious, 
for  which  he  had  contended. 

It  may  not  be  uninteresting,  also,  to  note  in  this  connection 
that  the  elder  Gorton  discharged  many  important  civil 
offices,  and,  on  Sundays,  used  to  preach  to  the  colonists  and 
Indians.  He  died  in  Rhode  Island  in  the  latter  part  of  1677. 
During  his  active  career  he  wrote  and  published  many  con- 
troversial works,  among  them  the  following  :  "  Simplicity*s 
Defence  against  Seven-headed  Policy;"  "An  Incorruptible 
key  composed  of  the  CX  Psalme;"  "Salt-marsh  returned  from 
the  Dead;"  "  An  Antidote  again  the  common  Plague  of  the 
World,"  and  "  Certain  copies  of  Letters  ;"  and  at  his  death 
left  an  unfinished  commentary  on  a  part  of  the  Gospel  of  St. 
Matthew.  His  life  by  J.  M.  Mackie,  in  Sparks'  American 
Biography,  is  an  interesting  and  valuable  contribution  to  our 
early  history.  John  Rogers,  the  martyr,  was  born  about  1500  ; 
was  a  graduate  from  Cambridge  and  became  an  English 
clergyman,  and  later  assisted  Tyndale  and  Coverdale  in  trans- 
lating the  Scriptures  into  English,  translating  the  Apocrypha 
unaided,  and  correcting  the  whole  for  the  press.  He  was  the 
author  of  a  number  of  theological  works.  His  career  was 
full  of  vicissitudes,  incident  to  the  unsettled  religious  status 
of  the  time;  and  finally,  having  incurred  the  hostility  of  the 
Catholics,  he  was,  after  much  persecution  and  long  imprison- 
ment, burned  at  the  stake  at  Smithfield,  February  4th,  1555. 
Several  of  his  grandchildren  removed  to  the  American  colo- 
nies and  from  one  of  these  is  Dr.  Gorton  descended. 

Dr.  Gorton  was  reared  on  his  father's  farm  in  Fulton  Co. ,  N. 
V..  and  attended  such  public  schools  as  were  then  in  vogue  in 
that  section.  At  the  age  of  sixteen  he  was  apprenticed  to  his 
uncle,  John  Sheldon,  to  learn  the  trade  of  carriage-maker; 
but,  becoming  dissatisfied  with  his  prospect  of  success  in  a 
mechanical  career,  he  ran  away,  two  years  later;  and  not 
long  afterwards  began  to  gratify  an  inclination  he  had  for 
some  time  felt  to  become  a  physician  by  studying  medicine, 
reading  without  a  perceptor  for  two  or  three  years.  At  the 
age  of  twenty  he  entered,  as  a  student,  the  office  of  Dr 
Charles  W.  Adams,  an  old  school  practioner  at  New  Wood- 
stock, Madison  county,  N.  Y.,  where  he  remained  about  four 
years,  acquiring  a  knowledge  of  Anatomy,  Physiology, 
Pharmacy,  old-school  Therapeuties  and  Chemistry.  Becoming 
skeptical  of  the  scientific  position  of  old-school  Therapeutics, 
while  observing  the  effect  of  its  medication  in  his  tutor's 
practice,  he  began  the  investigation  of  other  methods.  About 
this  time  he  made  the  acquaintance  of  Dr.  R.  T.  Trail,  of  New 
York,  who  was  waging  a  relentless  warfare  against  the  old 
school  of  physic,  and  began  a  course  of  study  under  his  direc- 
tion. At  the  age  of  twenty-four  he  entered,  as  a  student,  the 
New  York  Hygeic-Therapeutic  College,  which  had  been 
founded  by  Dr.  Trail,  and  which  had  just  received  its  charter 
from  the  Legislature,  and  was  graduated  therefrom  in  1858.  It  ' 


is  worthy  of  note  that  this  institution  was  the  first  medical 
institution  in  this  country  to  open  its  doors  to  women  on  the 
same  terms  as  to  men ;  and  its  faculty  the  first  to  openly 
espouse  the  cause  of  medical  education  for  woman,  and  fight 
for  her  position  and  advantages  in  the  hospitals  of  New  York, 
Dr.  Gorton  became  associated  with  Dr.  Trail  in  this  work, 
and  in  the  year  of  his  graduation,  1858,  was  appointed  Pro- 
fessor of  Chemistry  and  Physics,  a  position  which  he  filled 
for  two  years,  during  which  time  he  was  also  House  Physician 
to  the  Infirmary  in  connection  with  the  College,  Curator  of 
the  College  and  Secretary  of  its  faculty.  During  this  period, 
he  wrote  much,  and  spoke  often  in  defense  of  hygienic  medi- 
cation, and  concerning  the  evils  of  drug  medication.  The 
study  of  Hahnemann's  Organon  of  Medicine  led  him  to  the 
adoption  of  Homoeopathy  in  1860;  and  to  his  resignation  from 
his  position  in  the  New  York  Hygeic-Therapeutic  College 
early  in  that  year.  Soon  afterward  he  removed  to  Newburgb, 
N.  Y.,  and  took  a  practice  there,  then  recently  vacated  by 
Dr.  Carroll  Dunham.  There  he  engaged  in  active  work, 
meanwhile  diligently  studying  the  Homoeopathic  Materia 
Medica  and  the  practice  of  that  system.  During  his  resi- 
dence in  Newburgh,  he  began,  under  tutors,  a  study  of  the 
classics,  and  ancient  and  modern  languages,  continuing 
until  1869,  when  he  removed  to  Brooklyn. 

His  literary  career  may  be  said  to  have  fairly  begun  after 
his  coming  to  Brooklyn,  though  he  had  previously  been  a 
contributor  to  the  American  Hom<ropatltic  Review.  Now  he 
became  a  regular  contributor  to  the  United  States  Medical 
and  Surgical  Journal  and  the  National  Quarter}//  Review; 
of  which  latter  publication  he  became  editor  in  1876,  having 
been  one  of  the  chief  contributors  since  1873,  writing  the 
heavier  articles. 

Among  Dr.  Gorton's  contributions  to  the  National  Quar- 
terly Revieio  may  be  mentioned:  "The  Responsibility  of  Gov- 
ernment for  the  Public  Health,''  "The  Decline  and  Rise  of 
Civil  Marriage,"  "  The  ^Etiology  of  the  Atmosphere,"  "  The 
Atheistical  Aspects  of  Physical  Science,"  "The  Monism  of 
Man,"  "Matter,  Life  and  Mind,"  "  The  Relation  of  Physical 
States  to  Mental  Derangement,"  "The  National  Interest  in 
the  Labor  Question,"  "The  Ethics  of  Civil  Governments," 
"  Physiology  of  Lunar  Light,"  "  The  Physics  and  Metaphy- 
sics of  Light,"  "The  Natural  and  Supernatural,"  "Divine 
and  Human  Agency."  The  department  of  "Reviews  and 
Criticisms"  of  the  periodical  was  mostly  written  by  him. 
From  this  work  Dr.  Gorton  withdrew  in  1880,  his  health  pre- 
senting to  him  the  alternative  of  either  retiring  from  prac- 
tice, or  taking  a  less  active  part  in  literature.  Besides  his 
contributions  to  periodical  and  medical  literature  above  re- 
ferred to,  he  has  written  a  book  entitled  "  The  Drift  of  Medi- 
cal Philosophy,"  and  another  entitled  "Principles  of  Mental 
Hygiene,"  both  of  which  have  been  issued  by  well-known 
publishing  houses  and  were  well  received  by  the  public.  He 
is  now  a  contributor  to  the  New  York  Medical  Times  and  the 
Homoeopathic  Journal  of  Obstetrics,  and  has  written  many 
articles  on  political  economy  and  kindred  topics. 

Politically,  Dr.  Gorton  is  a  liberal  Republican,  and  his  sym- 
pathy is  wholly  with  the  struggling  classes.  Political  econ- 
omy has  long  claimed  bis  earnest  attention,  he  having  some 
time  since  become  a  student  of  James  Mill,  John  Siuart  Mill, 
Adam  Smith  and  Ricardo.  Like  his  historically  celebrated 
progenitors,  he  is  strong  in  his  belief  and  is  willing  to  suffer 
if  need  be,  for  opinion's  sake.  His  religious  convictions  are 
strong,  and  he  is  of  the  Unitarian  faith. 

In  1855  Dr.  Gorton  married  Maria  F.,  daughter  of  Horatio 
S.  and  Harriet  (Betts)  Graham,  of  Delta,  N.  Y.,  by  whom  he 
has  had  three  children:  Hattie,  born  in  1855,  Eliot  born  in 
1863,  and  Annie,  born  in  1868. 


916 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


S.  T.  BiKDSALL,  M.  D.,  was  horn  in  New  burgh.  Orange 
county,  X.  Y.,  December,  loth,  1S4").  His  parents  were  mem- 
Ikts  of  the  Society  of  Friends,  and  his  great-great-grandfather 
was  a  ine-revolutionary  settler  of  Westchester  county.  Dr. 
Birdsall's  father  owned  and  operated  a  farm  in  Orange  county, 
and  the  Subject  of  tliis  sketch  was  reared  as  a  farmer  boy,  mow- 
ing, hoeing  and  holding  the  plow  until  he  was  eighteen  years 
old,  assisting  his  father  during  the  spring,  summer  and  fall, 
and  attending  a  country  school  during  the  winter  months. 

After  completing  a  course  of  study  at  Oakwood  Seminary, 
in  Cayuga  county,  N.  Y..  young  Bird  sail  went  to  New  York 
city  in  1st;.-),  and  began  the  study  of  medicine  in  the  office  of 
Dr.  W,  M.  Pratt.  After  attending  a  course  of  lectures  at  the 
New  York  Homcvopathic  Medical  College,  and  another  at  the 
College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  he  went  to  Philadelphia 
in  the  fall  of  1867.  and  in  the  following  February  graduated 
from  the  Homieopathic  Medical  College  of  Pennsylvania,  now- 
known  as  the  Hahnemann  College,  as  the  "  honor"  man  of  liis 
class,  receiving  the  entire  vote  of  the  Faculty  for  the  degree 
of  Doctor  of  Medicine. 

During  lsfis  lie  returned  to  New  York  and  took  the  degree 
of  M.D.  from  the  New  York  Honueopathic  Medical  College, 
soon  afterwards  entering  into  partnership  with  his  former 
preceptor,  Dr.  Pratt.  He  was  married  in  June,  ISO!),  to  Miss 
S.  Josephine,  daughter  of  D.  S.  Haviland.  Esq.  of  Glens  Falls, 
N.  Y.  In  1871,  Dr.  Birdsall's  partnership  with  Dr.  Pratt  ter- 
minated, and  he  opened  an  office  in  Brooklyn  as  an  adjunct 
to  his  New  York  practice.  Hs  practice  in  Brooklyn  increased 
so  rapidly  that  he  deemed  it  best  to  remove  to  that  city,  and 
in  the  spring  of  1874,  he  located  at  the  corner  of  Bedford  and 
Lafayette  avenues,  where  he  has  remained  to  this  time, 
conducting  a  large  general  practice,  and  making  a  specialty 
of  Gynecology.  Dr.  Birdsall  is  a  member  of  the  Kings  County 
Homoeopathic  Medical  Society,  a  permanent  member  of  the 
New  York  State  Homoeopathic  Medical  Society,  and  a  member 
of  the  American  Institute  of  Homu'opathy.  Owing  to  the 
extent  and  the  arduous  demands  of  his  private  practice,  the 
Doctor  has  never  associated  himself  with  the  management 
of  any  public  hospital  or  dispensary. 


John  Fueling huysen  Talmage,  A.  M.,  M.  D.—  This  ac- 
complished physician,  so  named  after  his  mother's  brother- 
in-law.  Gen.  John  Frelinghuysen,  was  born  March  11th, 
is:?:},  at  his  father's  pleasant  hillside  home,  "Mont  Yerd," 
near  Somerville,  N.  J. 

His  father,  Thomas  Talmage,  a  farmer,  was  one  of  a  fam- 
ily of  twelve,  all  of  whom  lived  to  maturity,  served  well 
their  generation  in  various  spheres  of  activity,  and  died  in 
the  fellowship  of  the  Christian  church.  One  of  these  was 
Samuel  K.  Talmage,  D.  D.,  president  of  Oglethorpe  Univer 
sity,  Georgia;  another  was  the  father  of  four  sons,  who 
became  clergy  men,  viz.:  James;  John,  a  distinguished  mis- 
sionary in  China;  Goyn,  and  T.  DeWitt,  the  widely  known 
and  popular  pastor  of  the  Brooklyn  Tabernacle. 

John  F.  Talmage's  lniyhood  was  passed  on  his  father's 
farm,  with  all  the  advantages  afforded  by  the  happy  home 
circle,  and  the  excellent  society  in  which  his  parents  moved. 
His  early  education,  commenced  at  the  village  academy, 
wa-  completed  under  the  invaluable  personal  tuition  of  his 
pastor,  Rev.  T.  W.  Chambers.  I).  D..  himself  a  pupil  of  Dr. 
Alexander  McClelland,  whose  tact  and  method  of  instruc- 
tion be  was  able  to  follow  in  his  own  teaching. 

In  lsf'l.  young  Talmage  entered  an  Sophomore  at  Rutgers 
College,  New  Brunswick,  N.  ,1.;  and  was  duly  graduated  in 
|K.V_>,  under  the  presidency  of  the  late  venerable  Theodore 
Krelinghu  vHen.  Porn  time,  after  leaving  college,  he  occu- 
pied the  chair  of  Ancieut  Languages  in  a  (now  extinct)  col-  i 


lege  in  Alabama,  and  while  in  that  State  became  first  ac- 
quainted, by  practical  observation,  with  the  tenets  of 
Homoeopathy.  This  also  revived  in  him  an  already  half- 
formed  resolution  to  select  medicine  as  his  life  profession. 
Pursuing  his  medical  studies  for  six  months  with  Drs.  Bur- 
ritt  &  Gillson,  in  Huntsville,  Ala.,  he  came  north  and  at- 
tended a  course  of  lectures  at  the  Medical  Department  of 
the  New  York  University. 

In  the  following  summer  he  made  the  acquaintance  of  tin 
late  Dr.  A.  Cooke  Hull,  of  Brooklyn,  whose  office  he  en- 
tered as  a  student.  Pursuing  Ins  studies,  with  all  the  advan- 
tages offered  by  the  eminent  abilities,  extensive  practice, 
and  personal  sympathy  of  his  accomplished  in  tractor,  be 
made  raj >id  progress,  and  graduated  in  the  spring  ..f  is:,;i 
from  the  University  Medical  College.  After  a  further  |htk«1 
of  time  spent  in  enjoying  the  advantages  of  Dr.  Hull's 
office,  he  was  by  him  taken  into  partnership— a  relation 
which  existed  for  about  twelve  years.  After  Dr.  Hull's 
death,  in  1808,  Dr.  Talmage  naturally  succeeded  v>  th, 
larger  portion  of  his  practice,  and  so  rapid  was  the  increase 
of  his  clientage,  that,  in  1870,  he  felt  obliged  to  seek  relief 
from  the  strain,  by  associating  with  him  in  practice,  his 
brother,  Dr.  Samuel  Talmage,  also  a  graduate  of  the 
University  Medical  School. 

In  1803,  Dr.  Talmage  married  Miss  Maggie  A.,  youngest 
daughter  of  Thomas  Hunt,  Esq.,  one  of  the  merchant 
princes  of  New  York.  Graceful,  winning,  and  attractive  in 
person  and  manner,  warm  in  her  affections,  delicate  and  yet 
strong  in  her  enthusiasm  for  whatever  she  valued,  she  was 
well  fitted  to  be  a  favorite,  as  she  was,  in  society  at  large: 
but  it  was  as  daughter,  as  sister,  as  the  wife  early  married 
and  tenderly  cherished:  as  the  mother,  conscientious  and 
faithful,  far-sighted  and  wise  in  her  solicitudes,  that  -he 
remains  in  the  memory  of  her  family  and  friends.  Her 
death,  July  7th,  1881,  was  most  deeply  felt  by  them :  as 
also  by  the  various  charitable  interests  in  which  she  was 
interested. 

Ever  since  Dr.  Talmage  entered  upon  professional  lite, 
bis  practice  has  proved  so  increasingly  exacting,  as  to  pre- 
clude the  possibility  of  much  active  effort,  on  his  part,  in 
the  various  medical  and  public  charities,  enterprises-,  etc..  "f 
the  day.  Yet  he  has  had  his  share  of  such  labors,  being  at 
one  time  Physician  of  the  Brooklyn  Orphan  Asylum ;  al 
another,  in  charge  of  the  Department  of  Diseases  of  Women 
at  the  Biooklyn  Honueopathic  Dispensary:  Consulting  Physi- 
cian of  the  Brooklyn  Nursery,  and  Visiting  Physician  of  the 
Biooklyn  Honueopatliic  Hospital:  and,  more  lately.  Surgeon 
of  the  Eleventh  Brigade,  N.  G.,  S.  N.  Y. 

From  the  same  reason,  as  above  stated.  Dr.  Talmage  has 
not  made  frequent  or  large  contributions  to  the  medical  lit- 
erature of  the  day,  and  they  have  generally  been  in  the  form 
of  clinical  observations.  But,  at  the  time  of  the  last  v  isita 
tion  of  Asiatic  cholera  to  this  country,  in  1*60.  he  issued 
early  in  the  spring,  a  printed  circular  of  hints  and  sugges- 
tions for  the  use  of  his  patients;  which,  though  intended  onh 
for  private  circulation,  found  its  way  into  the  press,  when 
it  was  largely  reprinted  with  most  fa\ orahle  commendation. 

Still  in  the  prime  of  a  vigorous  manhood.  Dr.  Talmage  is 
as  full  as  ever  of  professional  work;  his  practice  is  i  hieth 
among  the  most  cultured  and  refined  families  of  tlweitv  ;  :unl 
ho  enjoys  an  enviable  social  position,  the  result  of  a  conntantl> 
growing  appreciation  of  his  signal  ability.  Skill  in  diagnosis, 
prognosis  and  therapciit  ics.  together  w  it  h  sound  judgment,  un 
remitting  attention  to  his  patients  and  fidelity  to  trvA  ■« 
honor,  characterize  his  professional  record,  and  justify  lbs 
remark  of  an  eminent  Kdinhurgh  physician,  thai  "in  M 
overcrowded  profession  there  is  always  room  for  brains. 


THE  MEDICAL  PROFESSION. 


917 


History  of  the  Eclectic  School  of  Medicine 


IN 


BROOKLYN. 


The  Eclectic  School  of  Medicine  in  Brook- 
lyn. D.  E.  Smith,  M.  D.,  was  the  pioneer  of  Eclec- 
tic Medicine  in  Brooklyn,  in  the  spring  of  1847;  being 
followed  within  two  years  by  Drs.  B.  J.  Stow  and  H. 
E.  Firth,  and  later  by  Samuel  W.  Frisbie  and  others. 
Of  these,  Dr.  Win.  W.  Hadley  was  the  first,  and  H.  S. 
Firth  the  second,  in  the  present  eastern  District.  They 
met  with  much  opposition  from  the  so-called  "  regular" 
school  ;  and,  finally,  October  1st,  1856,  organized  the 
Eclectic  Medical  Society  of  Kings  County,  of  which 
Drs.  D.  E.  Smith,  Wm.  W.  Hadley,  A.  E.  Jackson, 
William  Barker,  and  H.  E.  Firth,  were  among  the 
earliest  and  most  active  members.  The  Brooklyn  Eclec- 
tics were  also  members  of  the  New  York  and  Brook- 
lyn Medical  and  Pathological  Society,  which  met  semi- 
monthly in  New  York  City,  where  they  also  had  a 
chartered  medical  school,  entitled  The  Metropolitan 
Medical  College.  In  May,  1861,  the  Eclectic  Society 
of  Kings  County  was  reorganized  and  incorporated 
as  The  Brooklyn  Academy  of  Medicine;  and,  March 
15,  1806,  became  auxiliary  to  the  Eclectic  Medical  So- 
ciety of  the  State  of  New  York,  which  had  been  char- 
tered in  April  of  the  preceding  year,  taking  the  place 
of  the  former  State  Botanic  Society.  Of  this  State 
Society,  Drs.  D.  E.  Smith  and  Wm.  W.  Hadley,  of 
Brooklyn,  were  among  the  corporators;  and  since  then 
Drs.  Hadley,  D.  E.  Smith,  H.  E.  Firth,  and  H.  S. 
Firth,  in  the  order  named,  have  been  its  Presidents  ; 
Dr.  D.  E.  Smith,  having  been  also  for  8  years  its  Treas- 
urer. Among  the  incorporators  of  the  Eclectic  Medi- 
cal College  of  the  City  of  Neio  York,  in  1865, 
Brooklyn  had  three  representatives,  viz.,  Prof.  Wm. 
W.  Hadley,  Frank  W.  Taber,  Esq.,  and  D.  E.  Smith. 
It  was  in  this  College  that  Dr.  Hadley  held  the  chair 
of  Materia  Medica.  He  also  delivered  two  courses  of 
lectures  in  the  Central  Medical  College,  at  Syracuse, 
N.  Y.,  in  1849  and  '50.  He  came  to  Brooklyn  in  1856, 
and  until  his  death,  December  19,  1869,  rendered  dis- 
tinguished services  to  his  profession,  not  only  as  a 
college  lecturer,  but  as  editor  of  the  New  Yo7'k  and 
Brooklyn  Medical  and  Pathological  Journal.  Both 
the  Eclectic  Medical  College  and  the  U.  S.  Medical 
College  are  now  in  active  operation  ;  the  latter  broad 
and  liberal  in  its  scope,  and  fully  equipped  for  its  work 
ot  instruction  in  the  science  of  medicine  and  surgery. 

There  are  now  about  45  eclectic  practitioners  in 
Brooklyn,  enjoying  their  full  share  of  practice  and 
public  favor. 

Brooklyn  Academy  of  Medicine  was  first  organ- 
ized in  1856,  under  the  name  of  the  "Eclectic  Medical 


Society  of  the  County  of  Kings,"  with  eight  members  ; 
incorporated  under  its  present  name  in  1861,  and  re-in- 
corporated 1865,  for  the  following  purposes  :  To  inves- 
tigate all  methods  of  medical  practice,  without  preju- 
dice, and  to  adopt  the  best  remedies  for  or  means 
of  curing  disease,  and  alleviating  the  sufferings  of 
humanity,  and  that  without  regard  to  the  source  of 
methods,  remedies  or  means ;  and  further,  to  associate 
together  for  the  promotionof  the  objects  here  indicated, 
and  for  mutual  improvement  in  the  science  of  medicine. 

In  May,  1866,  it  became  auxiliary  to  the  Eclectic 
Medical  Society  of  the  State  of  New  York.  The  first 
officers  were:  D.  E.  Smith,  M.  D.,  Pres.;  H.  E.  Firth, 
M.  D.,  Vice-Pres.;  J.  T.  Burdick,  M.  D.,  Sec;  B.  J. 
Stow,  M.  D.,  Treas.  Presidents,  since  its  organization: 
1861,  Dr.  D.  E.  Smith;  1862,  Dr.  S.  W.  Frisbie;  1863, 
Dr.  J.  T.  Burdick;  1864,  Dr.  W.  W.  Hadley;  1865, 
Dr.  Robert  S.  Newton  ;  1866,  Dr.  D.  E.  Smith  ;  1867, 
Dr.  II.  S.  Firth  ;  1868,  Dr.  W.  W.  Hadley  ;  1869,  Dr. 
J.  Y.  Tuthill  ;  1870,  Dr.  H.  C.  Cooper  ;  1871,  Dr.  H. 
S.  Firth  ;  1872,  Dr.  H.  E.  Firth  ;  1873,  Dr.  J.  E.  Dan- 
elson  ;  1874,  Dr.  C.  B.  Tucker;*  1875,  Dr.  Napoleon 
Palmer  ;  1876,  Dr.  B.  F.  Chapman  ;  1877,  Dr.  Chas.  E. 
Griswold  ;  1878,  Dr.  S.  M.  Hersey  ;  1879,  Dr.  B.  J. 
Stow  ;  1880,  Dr.  H.  S.  Firth  ;  1881,  Dr.  Lewis  P. 
Grover  ;  1882,  Dr.  G.  P.  Carman.  The  present  Board 
of  Officers  is  comprised  of  William  Barker,  M.  D., 
who,  as  Vice-President,  succeeded  H.  E.  Firth,  Presi- 
dent,  at  the  latter's  death,  June  4, 1883;  H.  B.  Smith,  Pec. 
Sec;  L.  B.  Firth,  Cor.  Sec;  D.  E.  Smith,  Treas. 
Present  Board  of  Censors  ;  J.  E.  Griswold,  M.  D. ;  G. 
A.  Cassidy,  M.  D. ;  H.  S.  Firth,  M.  D. ;  George  P.  Car- 
man, M.  D. ;  Lewis  P.  Grover,  M.  D. 

The  Brooklyn  Eclectic  Dispensary  was  estab- 
lished by  the  Brooklyn  Academy  of  Medicine,  Sep- 
tember 2d,  1868,  and  duly  incorporated  May  10,  1869. 
Joshua  P.  Powers,  President;  H.  E.  Firth,  Secretary ; 
D.  E.  Smith,  Treasurer.  It  was  located  at  236  Myrtle 
Avenue,  until  its  removal,  May,  1881,  to  its  present  lo- 
cation, 144  Prince  street.  Mr.  Powers  died  in  March, 
1877,  and  was  succeeded  by  the  present  President, 
Frank  W.  Taber,  Esq.  The  dispensary  is  maintained 
by  a  small  appropriation  from  the  city,  and  by  do- 
nations from  the  benevolent.  Cases  treated  from  its 
organization  up  to  October  1,  1882,  107,671.  During 
the  year  commencing  October  1st,  1882,  and  ending 
September  30,  1883,  6,087  patients  received  treatment; 
8,130  prescriptions  were  dispensed,  and  165  gratuitous 
visits. 


*  Did  not  serve. 


918 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Dennis  E.  Smith,  M.  D. — This  prominent  and  well-known 
physician  was  horn  in  Bethlehem,  Pa.,  Dec.  15,  1819.  l>eing 
the  youngest  of  a  family  of  two  sons  and  three  daughters. 
When  he  was  but  two  years  old  his  father  died,  leaving  his 
household  in  straitened  circumstances. 

The  educational  advantages  of  those  days  were  meagre, 
aud  the  lad  was  able  to  enjoy  only  one  term  of  school;  but 
witli  "  true  grit"  he  determined  to  have  an  education  at  any 
sacrifice.  He  therefore  devoted  his  spare  hours  to  study  and 
reading,  and  in  a  few  years  had  taught  himself  not  only  the 
English  branches,  but  Latin  also,  thus  early  evincing  the  en- 
ergy and  perseverance  which  have  so  distinctly  marked  his 
subsequent  career.  This  habit  of  study  he  has  retained 
through  all  his  riper  years,  and  thus  has  reared  a  firm  super- 
structure of  learning  upon  the  foundation  so  well  laid  in  his 
youth. 

He  earh-  desired  to  become  a  physician,  having  inherited 
a  love  of  the  profession  from  his  father,  who  was  a  physician 
before  him.  At  the  age  of  fourteen  he  borrowed  and  eagerly 
read  the  medical  works  of  neighboring  physicians;  when  six- 
teen he  was  much  troubled  about  his  lack  of  means  to  obtain 
a  professional  education,  but  he  believed  in  the  truth  of  the 
old  Latin  proverb — "Viam  inveniam  aid  faciam" — so  he  reso- 
lutely acquired  the  necessary  sum  by  the  toil  of  his  hands 
and  the  sweat  of  his  brow.  He  entered  his  name  as  a  student 
with  Dr.  Wooster  Beach  of  New  York  City,  who  was  then 
an  eminent  physician  and  the  founder  of  the  Eclectic  School 
of  Medicine.  Eclecticism  in  medicine  is  a  philosophy  of  se- 
lection of  remedies  based  upon  the  principle  of  choosing  only 
that  which  is  proved  to  be  safe  and  good.  It  adopts  in  prac- 
tice whatever  is  found  most  beneficial,  and  changes  remedies 
according  To  circumstances  by  the  light  of  acquired  knowl- 
edge. 

In  1846  Dr.  Smith  graduated  from  the  Reformed  Medical 
College  of  New  York;  a  few  years  later  the  honorary  degree 
of  M.  D.  was  conferred  upon  him  by  the  Pennsylvania  Medi- 
cal University  of  Philadelphia.  In  1847  he  located  in  Brook- 
lyn, on  York  street,  in  the  Fifth  ward,  being  the  first  eclectic 
physician  to  settle  in  Brooklyn.  Here  he  remained  in  the 
active  practice  of  his  profession  for  seventeen  years;  here  he 
is  still  honored  and  revered,  while  the  memory  of  his  faith- 
ful service  and  charitable  deeds  still  remains  in  many  a  hum- 
ble home.  In  1848  he  married  Miss  Joanna  Y.  Baldwin,  of 
Newark,  N.  J.,  a  lady. well  suited  to  be  a  poor  man's  wife. 
Of  their  five  children  a  son  and  two  daughters  are  still  living. 

In  April,  1864,  Dr.  Smith  removed  to  a  newer  part  of  the 
city,  then  recently  built  up,  purchasing  the  house  No.  131 
Fort  Greene  place,  where  he  still  resides.  In  March,  1869, 
he  buried  his  wife.  In  July,  1873,  he  married  Miss  Jane  R. 
Bradley,  of  New  Haven,  Conn.,  with  whom  he  is  still  living. 

Dr.  Smith  has  always  loved  and  honored  his  profession. 
He  was  a  pioneer  in  the  new  school,  and  the  first  in  the  City 
of  Brooklyn  to  plant  the  stakes  and  stretch  the  lines  of  eclec- 
ticism over  the  field  before  occupied  by  the  old  school.  His 
"  eminent  services  have  been  promptly  recognized  by  his  pro- 
fessional brethren,  and  he  has  been  largely  and  intlucntially 
connected  with  medical  associations.  He  was  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  Eclectic  Medical  Society  of  the  County  of 
Kings,  in  1856,  and  has  been  chosen  its  president  at  two  dif- 
ferent times.  This  society  has  since  been  incorporated  as 
the  Brooklyn  Academy  of  Medicine.  Ever  since  its  forma- 
tion, twenty-six  years  ago,  it  has  held  instructive  monthly 
meetings,  af  which  pap»r-  on  medical  topics  are  read,  and  in- 
teresting ■  >-•  s  reported  and  described.  It  now  numbers  forty 
meiiilM-rs. 

Dr.  Smith  was  one  of  the  seven  physicians  who  signed  the 
call  to  the  eclectic  practitioners  of  the  state  to  moot  in  the 


Senate  chaml>er  at  Albany,  October  10,  1863,  to  organire  a 
State  Eclectic  Medical  Society.  Eighty-nine  physicians  re- 
sponded, and  the  society  was  organized  with  theo  fllowing 
officers:  Robert  S.  Newton.  M.  D.,  of  New  York.  President: 
Elisha  S.  Preston,  M.  D.,  of  Rochester,  Vice-President;  James 
T.  Burdick,  M.  D.,  of  Brooklyn,  Recording  Sec'y:  Jacob  Van 
Yalkenburgh,  M.  D.,  of  Charleston  Four  Corners.  Correspund- 
ing  Sec'y,  and  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  from  Brooklyn, 
was  chosen  Treasurer,  to  which  office  he  was  re-elected  nine 
successive  years,  and  in  1877  he  was  elected  its  President. 
He  was  one  of  the  incorporators  of  the  Eclectic  Medical  Col- 
lege of  New  York,  chartered  April  -2.  lSt>">.  and  was  its  vice 
president  many  years. 

Dr.  Smith  and  Dr.  H.  E.  Firth  were  foremost  in  organizing 
the  Brooklyn  Eclectic  Dispensary  in  1S68,  for  the  gratoitOM 
treatment  of  the  city  poor  by  the  eclectic  method  of  treataad 
The  institution  was  incorporated  May  10.  I860.  Dr.  Smith 
was  elected  its  first  treasurer  and  has  l>een  kept  in  that  re- 
sponsible (M)sition  ever  since.  He  has  also  lieen  one  of  its 
visiting  physicians  from  the  first,  charitably  giving  his  time, 
means  and  medical  skill  to  the  healing  of  the  poor,  without 
fee  or  hope  of  reward. 

At  the  National  Eclectic  Medical  Association  held  in  Chi- 
cago, 111.,  in  1870,  Dr.  Smith  was  elected  a  permanent  mem- 
ber. He  was  one  of  the  projectors  of  the  United  States  Med- 
ical College  in  New  York  city,  incorporated  May  j\  -> 
and  also  a  trustee  since  that  time.  This  is  one  of  the  most 
liberal  institutions  in  the  country,  and  aims  to  teach  its  stu- 
dents all  that  is  known  in  medicine  anil  kindred  science-. 

Dr.  Smith  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity  and  has 
attained  the  Royal  Arch  Degree.  In  1862,  he  was  Master  of 
the  Long  Island  Lodge,  and  held  that  office  two  m ooeaati  i 
years.  He  officiated  as  Senior  Deacon  at  the  laying  of  Hh 
corner  stone  of  the  County  Court-house.  Dr.  Smith  has  l»een 
a  faithful  and  consistent  memlierof  the  Methodist  Epiaoopal 
church  about  forty-two  years.  He  first  attended  the  old  York 
street  church,  and  was  a  member  of  the  building  committal 
which  erected  the  present  substantial  brick  edifice  in  !*.V.;. 
He  has  been  an  honored  trustee  of  the  church  fortwenty-ftvt 
years.  Illumined  by  the  light  of  his  early  Christian  man- 
hood forty  j  ears  ago.  his  pathway  through  life  has  been  like 
that  of  the  just,  which,"  shineth  more  and  more  unto  th,  f$f 
feet  day." 

Dr.  Smith  has  been  a  very  successful  physician  and  has 
been  favored  with  a  large  and  lucrative  practice.  He  can 
number  among  his  patrons  many  of  the  leading  citizens  of 
Brooklyn  in  wealth  and  influence.  He  excels  in  diagnosis,  and 
is  careful  and  effective  in  treatment.  He  possesses  an  ener- 
getic and  persevering  nature,  of  great  executive  ability.  \  .  t 
kindly  and  courteous  withal. 

Dr.  Smith  is  an  author  also.  He  published,  in  a  l>ook 
of  336  pages,  entitled  "Leaves  from  a  Physician's  Journal," 
whic  h  comprises  sketches  of  ac  tual  scenes  and  incidents  n  In* 
own  practice,  and  not  mere  pictures  of  fancy.  It  has  bMB 
highly  commended  by  the  critics.  He  is  also  the  author  of 
the  following  monographs  ii|K>n  professional  topic?,  all  of 
which,  as  well  as  others  not  mentioned  here,  have  l>c<  n  pub 
lished  in  the  different  yearh  transactions  of  the  Slate  or 
I  National  Society: — 

Pn<  iiiiiiinia.  Its  Pathology  and  Treatment :  Mai  m  tfft  BaW 
mosii,  Its  Properties  and  Uses;  IsSimilia  Siniilibii.i  '  trantui 
a  Law  of  Cure?  The  Use  of  sKscitlus  //./)/>< 
Hemorrhoids;  Axrhpias  Tubcmsa.  Its  Use  in  I'l.  ims\  .  '  > 
era.  Its  History,  Pathology  and  Cure;  Cholera  Infantum  twi 
How  to  Treat  it  Successfully;  Biliary  Calculi.  The  <  m- - 
and  treatment;  Spcrmtdorrlin  a,  and  it--  KlTec  t*  upon  the 
Community;  The  1'athology  and  Treatment  of  Convulsion*. 


THE  MEDICAL  PROFESSION. 


919 


Division  Surgeon  U.  R.  K.  P. ;  President  of  Eclectic  Medical  Society  of  the  City  and  County  of  New  York. 


The  Tfierapeutic  Action  of  Remedies;  Olive  Oil  in  the  Treat- 
ment of  Biliary  Calculi:  Chorea;  Eriodyction  Glutinosum;  The 
History  and  Uses  of  Eucalyptus  Globulus;  Auxiliaries  in  the 
Treatment  of  Phthisis  Pulmonalis. 


William  Henry  Bowlsby,  M.  D.,  of  East  New  York,  comes 
of  a  family  remarkable  for  longevity.  He  was  born  at 
Ballston,  Saratoga  county,  N.  Y.,  March  2d,  1828.  His 
paternal  grandfather,  George  W.,  for  years  kept  the  hotel 
on  State  street.  Albany,  where  many  of  the  Assemblymen 
boarded.  He  lived  to  the  advanced  age  of  ninety-four  years; 
his  death,  even  then,  resulting  not  from  sickness,  but  from 
injuries.  His  grandmother,  who  was  a  member  of  the  Stiles 
family,  reached  eighty-eight  years,  and  his  mother  eighty- 
two  years;  while  his  father,  Moses  Stiles  Bowlsby,  though  a 
man  of  strong  constitution,  died  when  only  forty-three  years 
of  age,  of  typhoid  fever. 

In  1838.  his  parents  moved  to  Michigan;  his  father,  a 
civil  engineer,  being  engaged  in  the  construction  of  the 
Michigan  Southern  Railroad.  He  worked  for  some  months 
with  one  of  the  surveying  parties  (Henri  L.  Stuart,  late  of  the 
\ .  Y  Tribune,  was  also  a  member  of  the  party),  and  for  the 
next  six  years  worked  on  his  father's  farm,  going  to  school 
in  the  winter.  His  evenings  on  the  farm  were  employed  in 
teaching,  with  his  brother  and  sister,  the  adult  neighbors, 
mostly  Canadian  French,  to  read  and  write  English.  About 
this  time  his  tastes  for  the  healing  art  received  their  first  im- 
pulse, through  his  association  with  a  person  named  Conklin, 
who  was  well  versed  in  the  medical  properties  of  roots  and 


herbs.  By  the  death  of  his  father,  in  1843,  young  Bowlsby 
was  thrown  upon  his  own  resources,  and  not  liking  the  farm 
he  took  up  art,  for  which  he  had  hereditary  talent,  and  as  a 
landscape  and  portrait  painter  achieved  fair  success. 

In  1850,  he  founded  the  Hudson  Sentinel,  a  paper  still 
published  under  another  name.  Selling  the  Sentinel,  he 
engaged  in  daguerreotyping  and  photographing,  though  he 
still  continued  his  medical  studies,  graduating  in  Philadel- 
phia in  1863. 

During  the  following  year,  desiring  to  see  something  of 
the  war,  he  took  a  trip,  as  a  guest  of  his  old  friend,  Gen.  G.  A. 
Custer,  down  the  Potomac  and  Shenandoah  Valley.  At  the 
close  of  the  war  he  attended  a  course  of  lectures  in  New 
York,  and  finally  established  himself  in  Brooklyn.  Soon 
after,  he  accepted  the  chair  of  Female  Diseases,  also  of  Dis- 
eases of  the  Heart  and  Lungs  in  the  Homoeopathic  Dispen- 
sary and  Hospital  in  Brooklyn.  He  received  a  very  flatter- 
ing testimonial  from  Dr.  E.  A.  Sumner,  the  Medical  Super- 
intendent. 

In  1868,  he  received  a  diploma  from  the  Eclectic  College 
of  New  York,  and  in  the  same  year  opened  a  new  dispensary, 
of  which  he  was  made  Medical  Superintendent.  In  1876, 
he  was  appointed  Health  Officer  of  the  town  of  Flatlands, 
(which  includes  Barren  Island,  the  island  being  given  upas 
a  place  for  the  manufacture  of  phosphates),  one  of  the  most 
important  districts  in  the  state.  Until  the  doctor's  appoint- 
ment, much  trouble  had  been  experienced  from  the  making 
of  this  unsavory  necessity,  but  under  his  conciliatory  ad- 
ministration the  manufacturers  willingly  complied  with  his 


920 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


reasonable  requests:  and.  as  a  result,  this  island,  having  over 
1,000  population,  is  no  longer  an  unhealthy  place,  inspiring 
the  disgust  of  passers  by,  but  is  comparatively  healthful. 
On  account  of  other  duties  he  resigned  this  position  in  1883. 
He  is  an  honorary  member  of  the  British  Medical  Associa- 
tion, and  several  other  medical  societies,  state  and  local, 
and  is  examiner  for  the  Endowment  Rank  of  the  Knights  of 
Pythias,  and  also  for  life  insurance  companies.  He  has 
twice  tilled  the  office  of  Vice-President,  and  in  1882  was  elected 
President,  of  the  Eclectic  Medical  Society  of  the  City  and 
County  of  New  York.  In  187S.  on  the  organization  in  Brook- 
lyn of  Division  Xo.  3.  Knights  of  Pythias,  the  office  of 
surgeon  to  the  rank  for  the  lirst  time,  was  created,  the 
doctor  being  appointed,  and  still  holding  the  position. 


During  his  proprietorship  of  the  Hudson  Sentinel  he  mar- 
ried Cornelia  E.  Van  Aken,  of  Hudson,  by  whom  he  has  six 
daughters.  In  1873,  he  removed  from  Brooklyn,  purchasing 
his  present  home.  In  the  line  of  surgery,  he  has  operated 
with  entire  success  in  a  peculiarly  difficult  case  of  strangu- 
lated hernia;  also  in  removing  an  entire  breast  for  caH8f  r. 
Dr.  Bowlsby  is  also  a  regularly  constituted  Examiner  in 
Lunacy. 

As  a  physician,  he  is  kind  and  sympathetic:  as  a  surgeon, 
judicious,  conscientious  and  feeling,  while  firm  and  fearless; 
and  to  these  necessary  requisites  are  due,  in  a  great  measure, 
his  professional  and  pecuniary  success. 

In  politics  and  religion  he  is  a  liberal;  acting,  in  politic-, 
with  the  Greenback  party,  being  a  prominent  ruemlier. 


LIST  OF  PHYSICIANS  AND  SURGEONS. 


In  addition  to  those  whose  biographies  are  given  in  the  foregoing  pages,  and  in  the  following  chapter  on 
Mediad  Institutions,  we  may  also  mention,  as  among  the  Physicians  and  Surgeons  at  present  engaged  in  active 
practice  in  the  city  of  Brooklyn  and  in  Kings  county: 


Andrews,  John  S  New  Lots. 

Archer,  Henry  A  Ill  S.  Oxford  street. 

Arnold,  John  II  Flatbush. 

Ashwood,  E.  P  L.  L  College  Hospital. 

Aten,  Henry  F  34  Hanson  place. 

Born  Liv.  Co.,  N.  Y.,  1829;  Grad.  Western  Reserve 
Coll.,  Cleveland.  O.,  1*54  ;  practiced  at  Dedham,  Mass., 
ls.Vl  to  1  *(}."►,  during  which  time  lie  was  a  member  .Mass. 
Med.  Soc.  ;  removed  to  Brooklvn  18(55 ;  Asst.  Surg. 
U.  S.  A.,  at  2d  Bull  Run,  and  Asst.  Exam.  Surg,  of  Ex- 
empts, Norfolk  Co.,  Mass.;  specialty,  Gynecology. 

Baker,  Geo.  W  48  Bedford  avenue. 

Born  N.  Y.  State.  1837  ;  grad.  1862  from  Union  Coll., 
and  subsequently  Coll.  of  Phys.  and  Surg.;  located  in 
Brooklvn  1*65  ;  Asst.  Surg,  at  Stanton  and  llarewood 
Hospitals,  Washington,  D.  C. ;  member  of  Kings  Co. 
Med.  Soc. 

Baker,  Jennie  Van  Holland. 

Wife  of  Milo  P.  Baker,  Jr.;  born  Williamsburgh,  1851; 
ed.  and  grad.  N.  Y.  Med.  Coll.  for  Women.  1882,  re- 
ceiving the  gold  medal  for  the  year;  member  Kings  Co. 
Med.  Soc. 

Baker,  Rich.  C  97  4th  st.,  Brooklyn,  E.  D. 

Born  Margeretville.  Del.  Co.,  N.  Y.,  18.52;  grad.  Ft.  Ed- 
ward Coll.  Inst,  about  1S70:  and  Med.  Dept.  Univ..  Citv 
of  N.  Y.;  loc.  Bklyn.,  1875;  att.  Phys.  St.  Cath.  Hasp, 
and  Bklyn.,  K.  I).,  Ilosp.  and  Disp. ;  chair  Dermatology 
in  both;  specialty,  Dermatology  ;  Douse  Phys.  Colored 
Home  Hosp.,  N.  Y.,  1*74  to  1875  ;  has  been  mem.  Kings 
Co.  Med.  Soc. 

Bayles,  Havens  B  494  3d  avenue. 

Born  Port  Jefferson.  L.  I..  1867  :  grad.  Coll.  Phys.  and 
Surg.,  is?!);  loc  Brooklyn.  May.  I^T'.l:  has  been  Re*.  Surg. 
City  Hosp.,  Bklyn.,  and  Asst.  Phys.  Skin  and  Throat 
Dept.,  Bklyn.  Eye  and  Ear  Hosp. 

Beardsley,  Win.  E  115  Clymer  street. 

Bennett,  PL  320  Warren  street. 

Bennett,  Jos.  B  1!>8  Columbia  street. 

Bennett,  N.  K. 

Born  Warwick,  R.  L,  1831:  educated  Prov..  R.  Lj  was 
ordained  to  the  ministry,  A'esterly,  R.  L,  1869;  after  14 
years  pastorate  in  1st  Baptist  ( 'hurch.  removed  to  Bklyn. 
in  1*7:1.  for  the  study  of  med.;  memb.  Kings  Co.  Hoc. 
1874;  Apolh  E  I ».  Inq>.  foi  two  and  a  half  years,  resign- 
ing position  onlv  to  gain  time  for  lectures  in  coll.;  grad. 
N.  V.  Horn.  Coll'.,  1*77;  mem.  Am.  Inst  Horn.  1881. 


Bennett,  Win.  H   188  Sixth  avenue. 

Blaisdell,  Silas  C  126  Sixth  street,  E.  D. 

Bonnell,  Charles  L. 

Born  in  Brooklyn,  X.  Y..  1833  ;  grad.  Weslevan  1  Di- 
versity, A.B..  18(18:  and  A.M..  1871:  studied  med.  at  Col- 
lege of  Phys.  and  Surg..  N.  Y.,  and  Hahnemann  Med 
Coll.,  Phila.;  grad.  M.D.  at  latter.  1871  ;  connected  with 
Brooklyn  Horn.  Hosp.  Disp.  11  years;  nienih.  Med  Start. 
Brooklvn  Maternity,  and  Lect.  N.  Y.  State  Training 
School  for  Nurses  from  1873  to  1878:  also  mem.  of  lied 
and  Surg.  Staff  of  B.  Horn.  Hosp..  and  Lecturer  in  its 
Training  School;  Sec.  Kings.  Co.  Horn.  Med.  Soc.  1877- 
*7!);  Pres.  1S82;  re-elected  lss3;  permanent  mem.  of  Horn, 
Med.  Soc.  of  State  of  N.  Y. 

Bronson,  Chas.  II  402  Pacific  street. 

Brush,  George  W  2  Spencer  place. 

Buchaca,  E  168  Clinton  street. 

Barnard,  Henry  W  384  Jay  street. 

Campbell,  Alice  Boole  114  S.  3d  street,  E.  I). 

Born  N.  Y.  City,  1836;  grad.  N.  Y.  Med.  ColL  and 
Hosp.  for  Women.  1867;  loc.  Bklyn..  April  19,  186T:  Oor, 
Sec.  of  Board  <>!'  Trustees  of  her  Alma  Mater,  and  also 
of  Kings  Co.  Horn.  Soc;  one  of  the  founders  of  E.  D. 
I  lorn.  Disp.,  and  of  Myrtle  Avenue  Dispensary  for 
Women  and  Children. 

Cantrell,  Bobt.  B  53  McDonough  street. 

Capron,  W.  J.  B  East  New  York. 

Cardwell,  George  A  96  Marcy  avenue. 

Carreau,  Joseph  A  203|  Bergen  street. 

Chace,  David  E  274  Bridge  street. 

( lhapin,  Edward. 

Born  in  Canandaigua.  X.  Y..  1*17:  grad.  <•-« 
Normal  School.  1S71:  grad.  Horn.  Med.  Coll..  187!!  also 
served  as  Asst.  and  Apoth.  N.  Y.  Ophth.  Hosp.;  oneveu 
Res.  Phys.  Five  Points  House  of  Industry:  Res  Phj» 
B.  Maternity  :  also  at  one  time  mem.  of  Stall,  and  Lei  i 
in  same  institution:  mem.  of  State  and  Co.  Bom  Med 
Soc;  also  connected  with  Disp.  of  Brooklyn  Hoap  At 
tending  Phys.  Seaside  Home.  Coney  Island. 

(  lark,  Joseph  E  340  Clinton  street 

Colton,  E.  G  311  Fulton  street. 

Conroy,  Wrn.  E  586  Franklin  avenve. 

Born  Brooklvn.  ls.Vi  :  grad.  Columbia  Coll.,  1875,  ud 
Coll.  Phvs.  and  Surg.,  1HH0;  loc  Bklvn.  1879;  House 
Sui    .  St!  IVtcrV  Ilosp.,  BrookUn.  I*7M  '7!». 


THE  MEDICAL  PROFESSION.  921 


Conway,  John  F  388  Bedford  avenue. 

Corbin,  Job  043  Gates  avenue. 

Corcoran,  Jeremiah  J  409  Kent  avenue. 

Cort,  Lottie  A  88  Taylor  street,  E.  D. 

Born  N.  Y.  City.  1860  ;  rem.  Bklvn.  1870  ;  grad.  N.  Y. 
Med.  Coll.  and  Hosp.  for  Women,  1883. 

Crane,  James  163  Clinton  street. 

Health  Commissioner. 

Cruikshank,  Wm.  J  340  Jay  street. 

Darling,  Orlando  Gardiner,  688  Gates  avenue. 

Born  Smithtown,  L.  I.,  1832;  ed.  at  Col.  Coll..  and  grad. 
Castleton  Med.  Coll.,  Vt.,  1857;  practised  at  Smithtown 
until  1875,  when  he  removed  to  Brooklyn. 

DeSzigethy,  C.  A.  H  201  Clinton  street. 

DeLa  Vergne,  Mrs.  E. 

Born  in  Hempstead,  L.  I.,  1830  ;  grad.  Hydropathic 

Coll.  (at  that  time  the  only  one  open  to  women  in  N.  Y. 

city),  1855 ;  practiced  in  N.  Y.  four  years ;  since  that 

time,  practiced  in  Brooklyn. 

Denison,  Rial  N   170  6th  avenue. 

Deining,  D.  P. 

3'Homergue,  Louis  178  Washington  street. 

lower,  Andrew  J  380  Union  street. 

Born  Ireland  1845;  grad.  Queen's  Coll.,  Cork,  1863,  and 
Bellevue  Hosp.  Med.  Coll.,  1878  ;  loc.  Brooklyn,  1873; 
Visiting  Phys.  to  St.  Mary's  Hosp.,  Dept.  of  Diseases  of 
Women:  mem.  Kings  Co.  Med.  Soc,  and  of  Pathologi- 
cal Soc. 

)ugan,  Edward  H  164  S.  4th  street,  E.  D. 

hipre,  Josephine  A  34  Schermerhorn  street. 

illiot,  Joseph  B. 

Born  Sharon,  Conn.,  1821;  grad.  Yale  Coll.,  1843;  Asst. 
Phys.  State  Lunatic  Asylum,  Trenton,  N.  J.,  for  several 
years. 

firth,  Henry  S  203  S.  5th  street,  E.  D. 

Born  at  Salem,  N.  J.;  grad.  Petersburgh  (Va.)  Med. 
Coll.;  practiced  in  New  York,  1849  to  1863,  when  he  rem. 
to  Bklvn:  has  been  Pres.  of  Eclectic  Med.  and  Path.  Soc. 
of  N.  Y. ;  of  N.  Y.  State  Eclectic  Med.  Soc,  1882;  four 
times  Pres.  of  Bklyn.  Acad.  Med.  (Eclectic) ;  is  a  fre- 
quent contributor  to  the  medical  press  of  his  school. 

firth,  Lambson,  B  144  Prince  street. 

Bora  at  Salem,  N.  J.,  1846  :  grad.  N.  Y.  Eclectic  Med. 
Coll.,  1868;  House  Surgeon  Bklyn.  Eclectic  Disp.,  May, 
1869  to  present  time;  Cor.  Sec.  Bklyn.  Acad.  Med. 

'leet,  Wm.  T  128  Second  place. 

'lick,  Otis  C   58  Concord  street. 

'lint,  Mrs.  D.  M.  N  200  Joralemon  street. 

ord,  Nathaniel  514  Henry  street. 

Born  at  Jefferson.  Me.,  Jan.  11,  1814;  ent.  Bowdoin 
Coll.  1830,  left  in  1832  (sophomore)  owing  to  ill  health  ; 
grad.  Med.  Dept  of  Bowdoin,  May,  1836;  practiced  at 
Hampden,  Me..  Nov.,  1836,  to  May,  1837,  Alna,  Me.,  Ap'l, 
1837,  to  July,  1854,  when  he  rem.  to  Brooklyn;  was  sev- 
eral years  Pres.  Board  of  Trustees  and  Consulting  Sur- 
geon of  Southern  Disp.  and  Hosp. ;  memb.  K.  Co.  Med. 
Soc;  served  as  volunteer  surgeon  several  weeks  at  Fred- 
ericksburg, Va.,  under  the  U.  S.  Chr.  Com.;  specialty, 
Obstetrics. 

rench,  Thomas  R  469  Clinton  avenue, 

allagher,  Thomas  420  Manhattan  avenue. 

arside,  Wm.  B  372  Adelphi  street. 

Born  at  Harrison,  Ohio,  Feb.  11,  1835;  grad.  Phvsio- 

Med.  Coll.  of  Ohio,  1858 ;  grad.  N.  Y.  Horn.  Med.  Coll. 

1868;  practiced  at  Harrison,  O.,  at  Lexington,  Mass.; 

rem.  to  Brooklyn  1868  ;  Phvs.  Bklvn.  Horn.  Disp.  (Dep't 

Diseases  of  Women),  1868^1872;  Atten.  Phvs.  Bklyn. 

Horn.  Hospital,  eight  years,  resigned  in  1881  ;  memb. 

Med.  Staff  Bklyn.  Maternity,  1872-1884;  Med.  Director  of 


same,  Jan.  1881-'84;  conn,  with  N.  Y.  State  School  for 
Training  Nurses,  1873-1882,  as  Lecturer  on  Physiology, 
and  since  1882,  on  Labor  and  its  Accidents;  memb.  K. 
Co.  Horn.  Med.  Soc.  ;  Am.  Inst.  Horn.;  Assist.  Surg.  4th 
Reg.  Ohio  Reserve  Militia,  while  in  the  field,  during  the 
Civil  Rebellion:  specialty,  Gynecology. 

Gillette,  Fidelio  B  128  Calyer  street. 

Born  at  Friendship,  N.  Y.,  Oct.  30,  1833;  grad.  Union 
Acad.,  Cumberland.  N.  J.,  1853;  grad.  M.D.  Univ.  Penn. 
1856;  Asst.  Deputy  Health  Officer  (special)  Port  of  N.  Y., 
1857  to  1859;  practiced  Davistown,  N.  J.,  1859-1862; 
Plainfield,  N.  J.,  1872-1879;  rem.  to  Brooklyn.  Feb..  1879; 
memb.  Union  Co.  (N.  J.)  Med.  Soc. ;  City  Physician  Plain- 
field,  N.  J.:  Co.  Phys.  Union  Co.,  N.  J.,  1876-'77  ;  Asst. 
Surg.  9th  N.  J.  V.  August  20,  1862;  Surg.  Feb.,  1865;  A. 
A.  Surg.  U.  S.  A.  Sept.,  1865,  to  June  1,  1872. 

Gleavy,  John  J  391  Dean  street. 

Born  in  Brooklyn,  1850  :  grad.  Bellevue  Hosp.  Med. 
Coll.,  1872;  Visiting  Phys.  Cent.  Disp.  187<}-'73  ;  memb. 
K.  Co.  Med.  Soc. 

Goff,  Emma  109  Fourth  street,  E.  D. 

Gray,  Landon  Carter  Ill  State  street. 

Green,  Frank  B  200  Sixth  avenue. 

Griggs,  Stephen  C  143  Lefferts  place. 

Born  at  Pomfret,  Conn.,  1819;  student  for  three  years 
at  Brown  Univ.  ;  grad.  Med.  Dept.  N.  Y.  Univ.  1849; 
practiced  Danielsonville,  Conn.,  1850-'60  ;  when  he  came 
to  Brooklyn  ;  has  been  Phys.  to  Home  of  Friendless  Chil- 
dren, Orphan  Asylum;  Consulting  Phys.  to  Central  Disp. 

Griswold,  Charles  E  412  Gold  street. 

Born  at  Quincy,  111.,  March  24,  1846  ;  student  for  three 
years  at  Quincy  Coll. ;  grad.  Eclectic  Med.  Coll.,  N.  Y., 
1873;  grad.  U.  S.  Med.  Coll.,  1878,  of  which  he  is  Prof. 
Mat.  Med.  and  Therap. ;  Pres.  Brooklyn  Acad.  Med.  for 
ten  years;  commenced  practice  in  B.  May  1,  1873;  enl. 
Co.  "B,"  11th  Reg.  Minn.  Inf.  Vol.,  August,  1864,  made 
Sgt.  Sept.,  1864;  disch.  July  17,  1865. 

Hallam,  Albert  C   56  Bedford  avenue. 

Born  Watertown,  Conn.,  June  22,  1844;  grad.  Yale 
Med.  Coll.,  1866;  located  in  Brooklyn  Jan.,  1866. 

Hands,  Wm.  C  128  India  street. 

Hanford,  Samuel  C  178  South  Fifth  street. 

Born  Greenfield,  Saratoga  Co.,  N.  Y.,  May  27,  1822; 
studied  at  Poultney  (Vt.)  Acad.  ;  grad.  Med.  Dept.  N.  Y. 
Univ.  1846  ;  located  in  Brooklyn,  1845  ;  Consult.  Ph  vs. 
Bklyn.,  E.  D.,  Disp.;  memb.  Co.  and  State  Societies; 
specialty,  Medical  Electricity. 

Hanford,  Wm.  H  93  Division  avenue 

Born  Saratoga  Springs,  N.  Y.,  August  10,  1824;  grad. 
Med.  Dept.  N.Y.  Univ.,  1846  ;  grad.  Cleveland,  O.,  1853  ; 
located  Brooklyn,  E.  D.,  1849:  memb.  N.  Y.  State  and 
K.  Co.  H.  Med.  Soc's,  and  Am.  Instit.  Horn. 

Hasbrouck,  Everitt. 

Born  New  Paltz,  N.  Y.,  1840  :  studied  med.  at  N.  Y. 
Horn.  Med.  Coll.  and  at  L.  I.  Hosp.  Coll.:  grad.  M.  D. 
1865;  practiced  in  Ulster  Co.  until  1869;  was  Town  Clerk 
of  Plattskill,  1867  and  1868:  was  an  original  memb.  and 
first  Sec.  Ulster  Co.  Horn.  Med.  Soc.  from  its  org.  until 
his  rem.  to  Brooklyn,  in  1869  :  is  a  mem.  (since  1869)  K. 
Co.  Horn.  Soc;  Rec.  Sec  1870-1877;  Pres.  for  three  years 
from  1879:  permanent  member  N.  Y.  S.  Horn.  Med.  Soc, 
1873;  2d  Vice-Pres.  1879;  1st  Vice-Pres.  1880  and.  1882; 
Pres.  in  1883;  mem.  American  Instit.  Horn.,  1875;  Paed- 
ological  Sec.  1881. 

Henderson,  Alvin  C  164  North  Sixth  street. 

Hess,  Henry  S  188  Bushwick  avenue. 

Hersey,  S.  M  291  13th  street. 

Hill,  Isaac  E  435  Union  street. 

Hubbard,  Frederick  H. .  .52  Monroe  street. 

Born  Newark,  O.,  1847:  grad.  N.  W.  Union  Coll.  1864  : 
grad.  Bellevue  Hosp.  Med.  Coll.  and  Eclectic  Coll  ,N.Y.. 
1878;  Phys.  to  Dominican  Convent.  N.  Y.  city.  1878-'79  : 
located  in  Brooklyn  1880;  served  as  private  two  years  in 
52d  111.  Regt. ;  has  published  Tlie  Opium  Habit  and  Alco- 
holism, 1881. 


922 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Jacobi,  August  247  Ewcn  street. 

Born  at  Rudolstadt,  Germany,  1838;  grad.  Coll.  of  that 
town  1859;  grad.  M.D.,  Gottingen,  1862:  located  Brooklyn, 
1*72. 

Kissam,  Daniel  W  112  Prospect  street. 

Lansdell,  II.  S  7th  avenue  and  9th  street. 

Little,  William  A  443  Bedford  avenue. 

Lung,  Jesse  B  20  Utica  avenue. 

Born  at  Rush.  Pa..  June  5,  1837;  grad.  Coll.  Phys.  and 

Surg  .  Keokuk,  Iowa,  1877;  located  at  Brooklyn,  1862; 

served  as  private  for  three  months  in  Civil  Reh.;  Phys. 

to  Howard  Colored  Orphan  Society  for  eight  years;  Phys. 

Truant  Home,  four  years;  memb.  K.  Co.  Med.  Soc. 

Malonc,  Kdward  ill  So  nth  Second  street. 

Born  Ireland,  1832  ;  grad.  St.  John's  Coll.,  1852;  grad. 
Med.  Dept.  Univ.  N.  Y.  1858 ;  practiced  New  Haven, 
Conn.,  1859;  loc.  in  B.  1860;  conn,  with  Blackwell's  Isld. 
Hosp.  and  Williamsburgh  Disp.  1860  to  1865;  served  1863 
as  Surg,  on  Staff  11th  Brig.  N.  G.  S.  N.  Y. 

Matheson,  A.  Ross  337  Union  street. 

Mathewson,  Arthur  139  Montague  street. 

McAulay,  E.  A  90  5th  street. 

McCorkle,  John  A  264  Clinton  street. 

McKinney,  Susan  S  178  Ryerson  street. 

Wife  of  Rev.  W.  G.  McKinney,  a  former  Miss,  to  the 
freed  men  in  North  Carolina;  Born  Brooklyn,  1847;  grad. 
N.Y.  Med.  Coll  for  Women,  1870  (the  first  colored  lady 
graduate  in  America);  practiced  and  had  an  office  in 
Bklyn.  and  N.Y.  since  1870;  mem.  Kings  Co.  Horn.  Med. 
Soc.  since  1879;  mem.  Horn.  Med.  Soc.  State  N.  Y.;  mem. 
Med.  Staff  Woman's  Hosp.,  N.  Y. ;  mem.  Med.  Staff  of 
Woman's  Hosp. & Disp.,  Bklyn.,  and  Treas.  of  the  Staff. 


Mead,  Byron  E  428  State  street. 

Mears,  John  258  Grand  avenue. 

Merritt,  W.  P  40S  Ninth  avenue. 

Merritt,  John  ....   22  Lafayette  place. 

Miller,  P.  H. 

Miller,  Francis  H  Penn  ave.,  East  New  York. 


Born  Brooklvn,  1858:  House  Surg.  St.  Peter's  Hosp., 
1877-1878 ;  grad.  Med.  Dept.  N.  Y.  Univ.  1879,  aud  lo- 
cated Brooklyn. 

Minton,  Henry. 

Bom  Dover,  N.  J.,  1831;  grad.  Horn.  Med.  Coll.,  Pa., 
1853;  one  of  the  originators  Horn.  Disp.;  volunteer 
Surg.  "  Battle  of  the  Wilderness,"  1866;  founder  of  the 
Brooklyn  l.\  ing-in  Asylum.  1*71.  now  the  "  Iloiu.  Mater- 
nity," Pres.  of  its  Med.  Staff,  1871;  rec'd  honorary  degree 
A.M.,  Blackburn  Univ.,  111.,  1873;  always  a  liberal  con- 
tributor to  med.  soc.  and  journals;  ex-Pres.  Horn.  Med. 
Soc,  Co.  Kings  ;  ex- Vice -Pres.  State  Horn.  Med.  Soc.  N. 
Y. ;  senior  mem.  Am.  Inst.  Horn.;  author  of  Treatise  on 
Disease*  of  Women  and  Children,  1865 ;  of  Lterine 
Therapeutics.  1883;  also  editor  of  Horn.  Journal  of  Ob- 
stetrics and  Diseases  of  Women  and  Children ;  Visiting 
Phys.  Brooklyn  Horn.  Hosp. 

Muncie,  E.  II  03  Livingston  street. 

Born  Babylon,  L.  L,  1852;  grad.  N.  Y.  Eclectic  Coll., 
1*7():  located  in  Brooklyn.  1**0. 

Moffat,  John  L  17  Sohermerhorn  street. 

Born  Brooklyn,  1858;  B.  S.,  Cornell  Univ.,  1873;  M.D. 
N.  Y.  Horn.  Med.  Coll.  (first  prize  for  general  standing), 
1877;  O.  et  A.  Chir,  N.  Y.  Opth.  Hosp.  Coll.,  1881;  Atten. 
Phys.  Bklyn.  Horn.  Hosp. Disp.  sine.'  1*77:  1*7*  and  1*70, 
Visiting  1'hvs.  to  Seaside  Home  for  Children;  1*78.  Lect. 
on  Anat.  to  the  Nat.  Acad,  of  Design  ;  1*78  to  18*3,  At- 
tending Phys  Brooklyn  Mat.,  and  Lect.  on  the  Care  of 
Children  to  the  N.  Y.  Stale  Training  School  for  Nurses  : 
A-so.-iale  (INNih.  and  Fellow.  1**2.  X.  Y.  Medieo-Ohirur- 
gieal  Soc;  member  American  Institute  Horn,  since  1**1; 
member  Am.  Horn.  Optha.  Otholo.  Soc.  since  1881;  1882, 
Attend.  Phys.  Brooklyn  (late  Garfield)  Home  for  Con- 
sumptives. 

Moffat,  Reuben  (!   17  Schertnerhorn  street. 

Morrisey,  William  P  140  Milton  street. 


Mortimer,  William  115  Lorimer  street. 

Murray,  John  O'K  941  Herkimer  street. 

Mustoe,  J.  F  7th  street,  E.  D. 

Newman,  Robert  P  263  Washington  street. 

North,  Nelson  L  108  Ross  street. 

Born  Elba,  N.  Y.,  April  20.  1830;  grad.  Coll.  Phvs.  and 
Surg.  N.  Y.  City;  located  in  Brooklvn  March.  1854:  Phy* 
to  Williamsburgh  Disp.,  1854-57;  Consult.  Pins,  to  sum. 
1857-1865;  Consult.  Phys.  to  Indust.  Home,  1*71:  meinK 
Am.  Med.  Assoc.  1865-70;  Surg.  Metrop.  Police,  1861  "69 
Surg.  Board  of  Enrolment  3d  Dist.  N.Y.,  1863-T4  ,  memb. 
N.  Y.  Acad.  Med.,  Kings,  Co.  Med.  Soc,  etc.;  has  puK 
lished  Theory  of  Cause,  Course  and  Treatment  of  Iwhn 
motion,  1867;  Resume'  of  Epidemic  Cholera,  1865,  ami 
several  papers  of  value  in  the  Medical  Recant  and  oth. : 
professional  journals. 

Olcott,  CO  104  Bedford  avenue. 

Ormiston,  Robert  117  South  Elliott  place. 

Born  in  St.  Lawrence  Co.,  N.  Y.;  grad.  Univ.  Penn 
1858;  located  in  Brooklyn  1859;  connected  with  Brook! \ 
Hospital  since  1870  ;  Bklyn.  City  Disp.  for  twelve  years 
memb.  K.  Co.  Med.  Soc,  and  with  13th  Regt.  X.  G.  8.  N. 
Y.  during  all  its  service. 

Owen,  Edward  W  539-541  Grand  street.  K.  D. 

Born  in  England;  grad.  Castleton  Med.  College  V; .. 
June,  1846  ;  practiced  in  N.  Y.  City  and  N.  J.;  located 
in  Brooklyn,  1856  ;  Asst.  Surg.  16th  N.  Y.  Heavy  Artil- 
lery, one  year's  service  in  Va. ;  memb.  Phys.  Mutual  Aid 
Assoc.  of  N.  Y. 

Pal  mer,  A.  Judson  463  Bedford  avenue. 

Palmer,  Ernest   155  Clinton  street. 

Palmer,  Lucius  M  93  Fourth  street,  E.  D. 

Palmer, Warren  B. 

Born  Keyport,  N.  J.,  1857;  Grad.  Albany  Med.  Coll.. 
1880;  Appointed  Surgical  Clinic  Horn.  Disp.,  Brooklvn. 

E.  D.,  1880;  which  chair  he  still  holds. 

Pardee,  Ward  C. 

Born  Seneca  Falls,  N.  Y.,  1837;  graduated  Med.  Dep. 
Univ.  N.  Y.  City;  Grad.  Horn.  Med  Coll.,  Penu.. 
1860;  practiced  until  1862  in  N.  Y.  city;  rem.  to  Monti  - 
rey,  Mex.;  practiced  two  years;  returned  1*66  to  practice 
in  Bklyn. ;  member  Kings  Co.  Horn.  Med.  Soc. 

Pendleton,  Edward   112  Fourth  street,  E.  D. 

Born  Stonington.  Conn.,  1834;  grad.  Med.  Dep't  Univ. 
N.  Y..  1869;  located  iu  B.,  1869;  memb.  K.  Co.  Med.  Soc.: 
was  Hosp.  Steward,  47th  Reg't,  X.  Y.  Vols. 

Plyinpton,  Harry  151  Macon  street. 

Prendergast,  Patrick  J.  .  .518  Henry  street. 

Prout,  Jonathan  S  167  Clinton  street. 

Born  at  Washington,  D.  C,  1856;  where  he  grad.  M.  1' 
at  Nat.  Med.  Coll.;  practiced  in  St.  Loui-.  Mo.:  served 
during  Civil  War.  as  a  leg.  med.  officer,  ami  Mirg-in 
Chief  of  division  in  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee.  In  ls'>,;. 
located  in  B. :  has  served  on  stall'  of  B.  Central  Disp.:  fer 
several  vi  s.  Surg.  B.  Eye  and  Bar  Hosp  :  nieinh.  <  'on- 
suit.  Staff  Iv.  Co.  Hosp.:  lect'd  for  some  years  ml..  I  Coll 
Hosp..  and  is  memb.  of  its  special  stall':  nieinh.  of  K.  d 
Med.  Soc.  ill  winch  he  has  held  different  otfii  es  pernu 
nent  memb.  X.  Y.  State  Med.  Soc.  of  B.  Path,  tl.e  N  'i 
&  Am.  «  >pht  halmologi.  al  and  other  societies:  ha-  heen  :i 
contributor  to  several  med.  journals. 

Randolph,  William  II ....  179  Herkimer  strei  I. 

Born  Middletown,  N.  Y.,  1840;  grad.  M.  D.,  Univ.. 
Mich..  1*62:  located  in  B.  1*66:  Bos.  Phvn.  B.  City  Hosp 
l862-'8;  Act.  Ass.  Surg.  U.  S.  A.,  1863-'tS5. 

Uankine,  Isabellc  M  176  Taylor  street. 

Kappold,  Julius  C   750  Flushing  avenue. 

Born  Murchardt,  Wurt eiiilnirg.  Germany.  1 
Latin  School  of  M..  1*51:  grad.  Med    Disp  Inn  .  S  ^ 
1*61;  located  in  B..  since  Dec.  1*5:!;  memh  K  Co..W 
Soc,  since  1874  ;  Asst.  Surg.  28th  Regt  N.  O.  8.  F.  V. 
1*61;  Asst.  Surg,  and  Surg..  52 d  Beg  N.  V.  Vol*..  W 
'01.  Nov.,  '63. 


THE  MEDICAL  PROFESSION.  923 


{aymond,  Joseph  H  173  Joralemon  street. 

Born  in  B.  1845;  grad.  Wms.  Coll.,  1866;  grad.  L.  I. 
Coll.  Hosp..  1868;  Coll.  Phys.  and  Surg.  N.  Y.  city.  1869; 
commenced  practice  in  B.,  1872;  Visiting  Phys.  St.  Peter's 
Hosp.,  1876  and  '77;  Prof.  Phys.  L.  I.  Coll.  Hosp.  since 
1874;  member  K.  Co.  Med.  Soc.  since  1872;  Commissioner 
of  Health  since  1882. 

lead,  Henry  N  541  Henry  street. 

tockwell,  Frank  W   6  Lafayette  avenue. 

Born  Valatie,  N.  Y.,  1843;  grad.  Amherst  Coll.,  1865; 
grad.  Coll.  Phvs.  and  Surg.,  N.  Y.,  1868;  located  in  B., 
1869:  Phys.  K.  Co.  Hosp.,  1868-9;  lecturer,  L.  I.  Coll. 
Hosp.,  1874-'5;  Phys.  to  Sheltering  Arms  Nui>ery, 
lSTl-'80;  Surg.  St.  John's  Hosp.  since  1873;  Surg.  St. 
Mary's  Hosp.  since  1882;  Consult.  Surg.  Lucretia  Mott 
Disp.,  and  to  Hosps.  for  women  and  children;  also  to 
Sheltering  Arms  Nursery;  Pres.  Path.  Soc.  1877-  79: 
memb.  K.  Co.  Med.  Soc;  perm.  memb.  N.  Y.  State  Med. 
Soc;  specialty,  Surgery. 

tockwell,  George  V  65  Downing  street. 

Losman,  John  G  70  Pierrepont  street. 

Loss,  Frank  H  122  Sands  street. 

Born  Cadiz,  O.,  1856;  ed.  Neelv  Normal  College;  grad. 

Bellevue  Med.  Coll.,  N.  Y.,  1880;  memb.  K.  Co.  Med. 

Socy. 

Loss,  John  H  750  Union  street. 

BornN.  Y.  City.  1822;  grad.  Coll.  Phys.  and  Surg.,  N. 
Y.,  1847;  practiced  N.  Y.  city  and  New  Orleans;  located 
in  B..  1868;  Med.  Exam.  N.  Y.  Eclec  Life  Ins.  Co., 
1872-3;  not  now  in  practice. 

lotton,  Otto  20  Hanson  place. 

earle,  William  S. 

Born  Bradford,  Mass.,  1833:  grad.  Hamilton  Coll.  Clin- 
ton, N.  Y.,  1855;  grad.  1859  Univ.  Penn. ;  located  in  Troy 
for  ten  years,  removed  to  Brooklyn,  1869,  where  he 
has  since  remained;  Pres,  State  Board  Exam,  in  Med. 
State,  N.  Y. ;  Surg.  Bklyn.  Horn.  Hos. ;  member,  Horn. 
Soc.  State  N.  Y.,  fellow  of  Medico-Chirurgical  Soc  N. 
Y.;  hon.  mem.  St.  Horn.  Med.  Soc,  Conn.;  Author  of 
work  entitled.  A  New  Form  of  Nervous  Diseases,  and 
an  Essay  on  Erythroxylon  Coca. 

haw,  John  C  177  Schermerhorn  street. 

herfy,  J.  W  703  Fourth  avenue. 

immons,  Daniel  97  Lee  avenue. 

Born  Port  Elizabeth,  N.  J.,  1843;  removed  to  N.Y.  city  in 
youth;  1861,  enl.  in9th  N.Y.S.M..  (83d  N.Y. Vols.) in  army 
of  the  Potomac;  disabled  by  gun-shot  at  first  battle  of 
Fredericksburg,  Va. ;  on  recovery,  was  in  hosp.  service 
two  years:  was  then  detailed  for  duty  in  War  Dept  ,  ser- 
ving until  close  of  war;  resumed  studies  in  1869,  aud 
grad.  N.  Y.  Horn.  Med.  Coll.  1872;  has  since  practiced  in 
N.  Y.  and  Brooklyn,  E.  D.,  having  offices  in  both 
cities;  mem.  N.  Y.  and  K.  Co.  Med.  Societies;  State  Horn. 
Med.  Soc,  and  Am.  Inst.  Horn. 

vene,  Alex.  C  167  Clinton  street. 

nith,  George  H  Greene  avenue,  cor.  Reid. 

lell,  Isaac  K   131  Wilton  street. 

>encer,Wm.  E   182  Schermerhorn  street. 

Born  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  1860:  grad.  Burlington,  (Vt.) 
Coll.,  1876:  grad.  L.  I.  Coll.  Hosp.,  1880:  Ambulance  Surg. 
L.  I.  Coll.  Hosp.,  1880-82;  was  conn,  with  City  Hosp.  part 
of  1879;  Dem.  Histology,  L.  I.  Coll.  Hosp.;  Dep.  Child- 
ren's Diseases  B.  City  Disp. :  memb.  K.  Co.  Med.  Soc. 

.  Clair,  R.  Wallace  667  Willoughby  avenue. 

Born  N.  Y.  City,  1842:  grad.  Bellevue  Hosp.  Med.  Coll  , 
1874;  Attend.  Phys.  and  Exam.  Surg.  Order  Germania,  in 
N.  Y.  and  Staten  Island,  1875-'78;  enl.  1861  in  130th  N. 
Y.  Vols. ;  served  as  hosp.  steward  and  tel.  operator,  and 
scout;  made  several  ascensions  with  Prof.  Low  in  his  bal- 
loon over  Richmond,  Va ,  was  four  times  severely 
-  woundei;  disch.  from  hosp.,  1864;  located  in  B.  1879. 

Afford,  Frederick  E  187  Bedford  avenue. 


Stevhens,  Anna  195  Marcy  avenue. 

Born  N.  Y.  Citv,  1846;  grad.  Women's  Free  Med.  Coll., 
N.  Y.,  1876;  practiced  Winfield,  L.  L;  located  B.,  1879; 
memb.  B.  Acad.  Med. 

Stiles,  S.  Edward  51  Greene  avenue. 

Born  N.  Y.  City,  1844;  grad.  L.  I.  Coll.  Hosp.,  1870; 
Res.  Phys  B.  Homceop.  Hosp.,  for  ten  years;  now  At- 
tending Physician  to  same;  memb.  N.  Y.  State  and  K. 
Co.  Horn.  Med.  Societies;  memb.  Microscopical  Soc :  lo- 
cated in  Bkyn.,  1870. 

Stuart,  Francis  H  123  Joralemon  street. 

Born  Logansport,  Ind.,  1846:  grad.  Dartmouth  Coll. 
1871;  and  hon.  degree  from  Hamilton  Coll. :  grad.  L.  I. 
Coll.  Hosp.,  1873;  located  B.,  1874:  Phys.  St.  Peter's 
Hosp.,  1874-'75;  Adj.  Surg.  L.  I.  Coll.  Hosp..  1876-79, 
and  now  Adj.  Phys  10  same,  and  Lect.  on  Obstetrics: 
was  Registrar  of  Vital  Statistics,  Board  of  Health,  1875- 
'78;  memb.  K.  Co.  Med.  Soc:  memb.  Anat.  and  Surg.  Soc, 
of  which  he  was  the  first  Vice-Pres.  and  now  Pres.:  has 
pub.  Operations  on  the  Perinaiuni.Use  of  Forceps:  Obstet- 
rics of  William  Harvey,  and  other  papers. 

Sullivan,  John  D  9  Decatur  street. 

Born  N.  Y.  State,  1841;  grad.  Springfield,  Mass.,  Eng. 
et  Class  Instit.,  1865;  grad.  Med.  dep.  Univ.,  City  of  N. 
Y.  1867:  House  Phys.  Charity  Hosp.,  N.  Y.,  April,  1867 
-'68:  Res  Phys.  Fever  Hosp.,  Apr.  1868-  69;  Atten.  Phys. 
St.  John's  Hosp.  for  boys  since  1869;  is  Visiting  Surg.  St. 
Mary's  Gen.  Hospital;  memb.  K.  Co.  Med.  Soc,  located  in 
B.,  April,  1869. 

Swalm,  William  F  118  Lafayette  avenue. 

Born  N.  Y.  city,  1837;  grad.  Coll.  Phys.  and  Surg.,  N. 
Y.  city,  1859;  conn,  with  B.  City  Disp. :  Eye  and  Ear  Inf. 
(dep.,  heart,  throat  and  lung  diseases);  memb  K.  Co.  Med. 
Soc :  Asst.  Surg.  14th  Reg.  N. G.S.N. Y. ;  was  taken  prisoner 
at  Bull  Run;  in  charge  of  Gen.  Hosp.,  Wheeling,  Va., 
1862; mustered  out  with  the  15th  N.Y.  Surg.,  1865;  Surg.- 
General  of  State  of  N.  Y.,  bv  appt.  of  Gov.  Robin-on,  for 
unexpired  term  of  Dr.  Austin  Flint,  Jr. 

Sweeny,  James  192  North  6th  street,  E.  D. 

Swift,  William  54  Lefferts  place. 

Talmage,  Samuel. 

Born  Somerville.  N.  J.,  1831;  ed.  S.  Acad.;  teacher  at 
Bound  Brook,  Peapack  and  Rawson:  grad.  Med.  dept. 
Univ.,  N.  Y.,  1870;  located  B.;  was  House  Phvs.  Gates 
ave.  Horn.  Disp.,  187U-1880;  is  Consult.  Phys.  B.  Nursery; 
memb.  K.  Co.  Horn.  Med.  Soc. ,  and  Del.  to  State  Soc. 

Terhune,  James  J  171  Adelphi  street. 

Born  1844,  Bergen  Co.,  N  J. ;  grad.  L  I.  Coll.  Hosp., 
1875;  (licentiate  from  Eclectic  Soc.  1871,  in  which  yr.  he 
located  in  B.);  served  as  private  3d.  N.  J.  Cavalrv,  and 
22d  N.  J.  Vols.,  for  2i  yrs. 

Terry,  Charles  H  540  Washington  avenue. 

Thallon,  William  M   167    Clinton   and   816  St. 

Mark's  avenue. 

^orn  B.,  1858;  grad.  A.  B.,  B.  Polytech.  1877;  grad. 
Coll.  Phys.  and  Surg.,  N.  Y.,  1880:  memb.  K.  Co.  Med. 
Soc,  and  of  B.  Path.  Soc 
Tucker,  Harrison  A   393  Clinton  street. 

Born  Norton,  Mass.,  March  18.  1832;  grad.  Penn.  Med. 
Univ.  (Phila.).  1865;  practiced  Foxboro,  Mass.,  1858-64: 
located  B.,  1864;  Trustee  Eclectic  Disp.  since  1879,  and  V. 
Pres.,  1883;  memb.  B.  Acad.  Med.  since  1874. 

Ticknor,  Martin  A. 

Born  Westfield,  Mass.:  entered  Amherst  Coll.  1844:  on 
account  of  ill-health  did  not  grad.;  studied  and  practiced 
dentistry  several  years  in  Northern  N.  Y.,  but  being 
threatened  with  amaurosis,  was  obliged  to  abandon  it: 
studied  med.  and  grad.  N.  Y.  Univ.  1S54;  in  same  year 
rec'd  ad  eundem  degree  of  M.  D.,  Berkshire  Med.  Coll., 
Mass.;  mem.  Mass.  Med.  Soc:  settled  in  Saratoga  Co.,  N. 
Y.;  Vice-Pres.  of  Med.  Soc.  of  that  Co.  In  1863,  loss  of 
eyesight  compelled  his  removal  to  Schenectady,  N.  Y. ; 
after  a  few  months'  seclusion  was  able  to  resume  practice; 
1857  rem.  Brooklyn,  where,  despite  severe  and  repeated 
illnesses,  he  has  maintained  a  successful  practice. 


924 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Turner,  Joseph  Mott  413  Henry  street. 

Born  Cazenovia,  N.  Y.,  Nov.  8,  1817;  grad.  Hamilton 
Coll.  1838;  practiced  Vernon.  N.  Y.,  1841-1844;  grad. 
Transylvania  Univ..  Ky. :  located  B.,  Nov.,  1844;  memo. 
K.  Co.  Med.  Soc. :  Fell.  Am.  Acad.  Med.;  hon.  memb. 
Lexington  Med.  Soc,  Ky. 

Tulhill,  James  Y  100  Ft.  Greene  place. 

Born  Kingston,  N.  Y..  1841;  grad.  Bellevue  Hosp.  Med. 
Coll.  18<>4;  practiced  Dover's  Plains,  N.  Y:.  18<i4-'67;  lo- 
cated B.,  18(57;  memb.  Med.  Legal  Soc,  N.  Y. 

Tuthill,  S.  B  430  Lewis  avenue. 

Valentine,  John  F  150  Noble  street. 

Born  N.  Y.  city.  1856:  grad.  Coll.  Pbys.  &  Surg.  N.Y., 
1879;  located  B.,  1879;  Visit.  Surg.  St.  Cath.  Hosp.,  and 
X'isit.  Phys.  Wmsburgh  Disp.  and  Hosp.  Clinic  Diseases 
of  Child. ;  Surg,  (rank  of  Major)  32d  Reg.  N.  G.  S.  N.  Y. 

Vanderhuhe,  Margaret ....  98  Fifth  street,  E.  D. 

Vanderveer,  John  R  301  Carlton  avenue. 

Born  Newtown,  L.  L,  1829:  grad.  Univ.  City  N.  Y. 

1850.  and  M.  D.  from  same  1*52:  practiced  Flatbusli,  L. 

I.,  1852-53;  when  located  in  B.:  Treas.  K.  Co.  Med.  Soc, 

1879-  1883. 

Van  Home,  Jacob  P  12  Third  avenue. 

Van  Ness,  John  45G  Bedford  avenue. 

Wade,  James  D  252  South  Ninth  street. 

Born  N.  Y.  city  1838;  grad.  Med.  Dept.  N.  Y.  Univ. 
1865;  located  in  B.  that  yr.;  memb.  K.  Co.  Med.  Soc; 
enl.  as  private,  afterwards  commanded  Co.  F,  87th  U.  S. 
(col.)  Inf.  2  yrs. ;  served  in  Louisiana  and  Texas. 

Ward,  James  H  60  Bedford  avenue. 

Watts,  Alfred  J  661  Bedford  avenue. 

Weeks,  Joshua  R  173  Sands  street. 

Born  N.  Y.  citv,  1856:  grad.  Med.  Dept.  Univ.  City  N. 
Y.  1877;  located  B.,  1878. 

Waters,  E  281  Raymond  street. 

Wemmell,  A.  A. 

Born  N.  Y.  city,  1844;  ed.  Warwick  Inst.,  Orange  Co., 
N.  Y. ;  studied  at  N.  Y.  Homoeop.  and  N.  Y.  Eclectic 
Med.  Coll.:  grad.  latter,  1875;  founded  Horn.  Disp.  of 
East  N.  Y.,  1876  ;  Health  Officer  of  East  N.  Y.,  1880-82; 
Surgeon  for  L  I.  K.  P.:  Police  Surg,  for  New  Lots,  etc. 

Westbrook,  Benj.  F  74  Clinton  street. 

Born  St.  Louis,  Mo  ;  rem.  to  N.  Y.  Citv,  where  he  at- 
tended the  Coll.  of  the  City  of  N.  Y.;  grad.  L.  I.  Coll. 
Hosp..  1874;  and  served  ;is  House  Phys.  and  Surg.:  has 
been  Lect.  on  Surg.  Path,  and  Lect.  Anatomy,  and  At- 
tending Phys.  Hosp. :  resigned  as  Lect.  on  Anat.,  1SN3: 
app.  Visiting  Phys.  to  St.  Peter's  Hosp..  18H0.  hut  oIh 
liged,  from  illness,  to  relinquish  it  in  a  few  months;  in 

1880- '81  was  Atten.  Phys.  Sheltering  Arms  Nursery;  in 
1*7*,  lM-came  the  Pathologist  to  St.  Mary's  Hosp.  for 
Women,  and.  on  the  org.  of  the  St.  Mary's  Gen.  Hosp.. 
became  one  of  its  Medical  Board;  Phys. -in-chief  to  the 
Dept.  Dis.  of  the  Chest;  lias  published  a  paper  on  the 
Anatomy  of  the  Kncejihalou  i  Annals  of  Anato.  and  Surg. 
Soc  of  U  i;  (1*79)  a  paper  <>n  the  Trent mart  of  Asthma 

/■roc.  K.  Co.  Mot.  So,-.);  (1880)  with  Dr.  Paul  H. 
Kretzschnian,  on  Chronic  Empyema  and  Amyloid  Degen- 
eration (/Yoc.  of  K.  Co.  Med.  Soc);  (1882)  on  Abstraction 
Of  Blood  from  the  Rigid  Heart  [N.  Y.  Med.  Record); 
(18*3)  a  lecture  on  Dyspn<ea  (  Arch,  of  Med.,  vol.  X.,  Nos. 
2  and  3);  1 1**1 1  a  lecture  on  ( 'ough  <is  a  Symptom  of  Dis- 
ease (Am.  Jo.  of  Xc'iral.  and  I'sych.);  besides  numerous 
contributions  to  the  proceedings  of  societies,  reviews, 
etc.;  is  also  author  of  the  article  on  the  Anatomy  of  the 
Hesjiiratori/  Organs,  in  the  te.\t-l>ook  of  Histology,  edited 
l>\  Dr.  Satterthwaite,  of  New  York;  Jan.,  1881,  was 
elected  President  of  the  11.  I'ath.  Soc. 

Wlicedon,  Thos.  J  54  Concord  street. 

Horn  Baltimore,  Md.;  grad.  Univ.  Maryland:  grad.  M. 
D.,  same  Univ. ;  connected  with  Bd  of  Health.  Bklyn; 
was  in  charge  < if  Marine  Hosp..  Baltimore,  1*69;  Surg, 
in  Navy  during  late  war;  located  B.,  1872. 


White,  G.  Rankine  380  Ninth  street. 

Born  Scotland,  1839;  grad.  Ediu.,1863;  located  same 
yr.  in  B. ;  memb.  Kings  Co.  Med.  Soc. 

Wieber,  George  181  South  Fifth  street. 

Wight,  Jarvis  S  115  Pacific  street. 

Born  Centre ville.  N.  Y.,  1834:  grad.  Tuft's  Coll.  A.  B 
1861,  and  A.  M.  1882:  grad.  L.  I.  Coll.  Hosp.  l*i;i:  Vsm 
Surg.  U.  S.  A.  1865;  loc;  Brooklvn  1866;  in  L.  I.  Coll 
Hosp.  Prof.  Mat.  Med.,  1870-'74;  Prof.  Surg,  ami  Clinical 
Surg.  1874-'81:  Prof.  Operative  and  Clinical  Surg.  1888  '3 
and  Visit.  Surg.  Vol.  18th  Reg.  N.  G.  S.  N.  Y.:  Rffltp 
Steward  and  Asst  Surg. :  has  pub.  a  work  on  Myodyn- 
amics,  and  some  75  original  articles,  lectures  and  sown 
tific  papers:  specialty,  Surgery. 

Williams,  May  S  395  Sixth  avenue. 

Willis,  Harrison  695  Lafayette  avenue. 

Wiltman,  Charles  686  Flushing  avenue. 

Woodruff,  Harlow  L.  D. .  .755  DeKalb  avenue. 

Bom  East  Pike,  N.  Y..  1845;  grad.  Med.  Dept.  Umv 

N.  Yr.,  1870;  located  B.  1871. 

Wray,  Geo.  B  13  Debevoise  street. 

Wunderlich,  Fred'k  W. . .  145  State  street. 
Young,  Charles  F   326  Classon  avenue. 

Born  England,  1834;  grad.  L.  I.  Coll.  Hosp.,  186S; 

memb.  K.  Co.  Med.  Soc. 

Zabriskie,  J.  L  Flatbush. 

Zelhoeffer,  Charles  175  South  Fourth  Btreet 


ADDENDA. 

Bradford,  R.  A  595  Fulton  street. 

Bodkin,  D.  G  92  Sands  street. 

Birdsall,  A.  H  544  Bedford  avenue. 

Cook,  Charles  133  Pacific  street. 

Candidus,  Panteleon  288  S.  9th  Btreet. 

Freeman,  John  80  Hanson  place. 

Gray,  Landon  Carter 

Born  in  N.  Y.  city;  ed.  academically:  and  at  Columbia 
Coll.,  and  thence  to  Univ.  of  Heidelberg  for  two  ytus  . 
took  a  course  at  the  Columbia  Law  School;  stud.  med.  a( 
Bell.  Hosp.  Med.  Coll.,  grad.  1873:  appt.  Phya  N.  1 . 
Disp.;  loc.  Brooklyn  1875:  held  dept.  Nervous  ami  Men- 
tal Disease  in  the  Out  Door  Department.  I..  I.  Cell. 
Hosp.;  Lect.  on  Anat.  and  Phys.  of  the  Nervoiu  DjltBin; 
Lect.  on  Mental  and  Nervous  1)  sease  ;  res.  in  1888,  U  d 
became  Prof,  of  Mental  and  Nervous  Disease  in  the  N  A 
Polyclinic  Med.  School;  is  Phys.  in-Chief  Dept  Kenl 
and  Nerv.  Dis.,  St.  Mary's  Hosp.;  memb.  K.  ('<>  Mi  I 
Soc:  K.  Co.  Path.  Soc;  N.  Y.  Neurol.  Soc;  Am.  Neurol 
Soc;  Editor  Am.  Jour,  of  Neurology  and  I'sychiatry 
author  of  The  Tendon- Rejle.r :  its  Physiology  and  its 
Prevalence;  the  Physiological  Anatomy  of  the  Hp 
Cord  and  the  Motor  Tract  of  the  Cerebrum,  etc..  etc.,  etc. 

Hunt,  William  G  101  Pierreponl  street. 

Hunt,  J.  H  627  Bedford  ave  

Hutchinson,  Alex    796  DeKalb  avenue. 

Hyde,  Joel  W  

Born  Westbrook.  Conn..  March  20.  1*3!):  son  <>l  Re 
Win.  A.  Hyde,  a  Congregational  clergyman  of  Bomedii 
tinction  :  picparatnrv  ed.  at  Monson  and  Nortliamptoi 
Mass.:  grad.  Yale  Med.  School,  in  l*<il.  having jprevi 
ously  stud,  in  the  Acad.  1  >ept .  of  the  coll. ;  served  during 
the  war  of  the  Hebellion  as  a  Medical  and  Stall  ' >tli>  >  ' 
at  one  tune  had  full  charge  of  the  Point  Lookout  Brigade 
Hosp.:  after  the  war.  came  to  Bklyn.  ;  *  years  Attend 
Phys.  Bklvn.  City  dipli.  Asylum  :"  ISSO   elected  menil 
Council  of  L.  I.  Coll.  Hosp.,  and  Sec  of  the  inslitutloi 
1**2.  app.  Chief  to  the  Dept.  Oh-tel.,  SI    Mary'.-  <  i.  n 
Hosp. 

For  others,  see  Addenda  at  end  of  VbkmUt 


THE 


HOSPITALS,  DISPENSARIES 

AND 

-   SEMI-MEDICSL  INSTITUTIONS 

OF 

Kings  County  and  Brooklyn." 


THE  BROOKLYN  CITY  HOSPITAL.— 
So  far  as  known,   the   first  proposition  to 
establish  a  hospital   in   this  city   was  made 
by  Dr.  Isaac  J.  Rapelyea,  in  his  inaugural 
address,  delivered  July  13th,  1835,  when  President 
of  the  Kings  County  Medical  Society.    A  memorial 
and  petition  from  that  society  was  presented  to  the 
Common  Council  on  the  25th  of  the  same  month,  but 
without  immediate  results.    In  1839,  public  attention 
was  sharply  called  to  the  need  of  a  hospital,  by  an  ac- 
cident in  Fulton  street,  near  City  Hall,  in  which  a  gentle- 
man from  Buffalo  had  his  leg  broken.    There  was  no 
place  to  which  he  could  be  carried,  for  care  and  treat- 
ment, except  the  alms-house,  four  miles  distant.  Hon. 
Cyrus  P.  Smith  witnessed  the  accident,  and  he,  with 
Mr.  Robert  Nichols,  had  the  stranger  conveyed  to  a  pri- 
vate house  near  by,  and  cared  for  at  their  expense. 
Their  active  efforts  to  establish  a  hospital  met  with 
ipathy  and  discouragement.    At  first  they  attempted 
mly  to  engage  physicians  and  surgeons  to  attend  such 
oatients  as  should  be  taken  to  a  house  owned  by  Mr. 
Smith  in  Adams  street,  near  Johnson,  which  afforded  ac- 
;ommodationsfor  only  ten  or  twelve  patients.  Through 
he  efforts  of  Mr.  J.  M.  Perry  and  others,  the  Common 
Council  passed  an  ordinance  August  5th,  1839,  appro- 
mating  $200  per  annum  to  the  support  of  the  hospital 
bus  established.    On  the  2d  of  September  following,  a 
taff  of  physicians  and  surgeons  was  appointed,  and 
he  institution  was  organized,  with  a  body  of  rules  for 
ts  management.    It  was  thus  continued  until  1844 
vhen  the  appropriation  from  the  city  ceased,  being 
hen  considered  not  warranted  by  the  city  charter.  But 
he  need  of  such  an  institution  was  by  this  time  appar- 
Qt  to  all.    The  matter  was  brought  before  the  citizens 
f  Brooklyn,  in  December,  1844,  by  the  Society  for  Im- 
roving  the  Condition  of  the  Poor.    A  large  public 
leeting  was  held  February  17th,  1845,  and  a  committee 
ppointed  to  secure  the  incorporation  of  a  hospital, 
'be  act  of  incorporation  was  passed  by  the  Legislature 
n  the  8th  of  May  following,  naming  the  following  per- 
ms as  trustees  :  Robert  Nichols,  Henry  E.  Pierrepont, 


Cyrus  P.  Smith,  Peter  C.  Cornell,  John  Greenwood, 
Joseph  W.  Harper,  William  S.  Packer,  Edward  W. 
Dunham,  Augustus  Graham,  Henry  Sheldon,  Edgar 
Hicks,  George  Hall,  Edgar  J.  Bartow,  Hosea  Webster, 
Abiel  A.  Low,  Alfred  Edwards,  Elisha  D.  Hurlburt, 
George  S.  Howland,  Patrick  Mullen,  Nicholas  Luqueer, 
Joseph  L.  Hale,  John  H.  Smith. 

This  board  took  immediate  steps  to  raise  means  for 
the  purchase  of  grounds  and  the  erection  of  the  neces- 
sary buildings.  At  this  early  period  Augustus  Graham, 
Esq.,  manifested  his  interest  in  the  work  by  a  donation 
of  $5,500. 

In  October,  1846,  a  frame  dwelling  in  Jackson  street 
(now  Hudson  avenue),  near  Willoughby,  was  purchased 
of  Mr.  Thomas  Titus  for  $2,600.  This  small  building 
bore  the  sign,  "Brooklyn  City  Hospital."  Repeated 
and  persistent  efforts  were  made  to  interest  the  public 
and  secure  aid  for  enlarging  these  temporary  accommo- 
dations, but  with  poor  success.  At  length  a  better  day 
dawned.  July  4,  1848,  Augustus  Graham,  Esq.,  whose 
heart  was  in  the  work,  gave  bonds  and  mortgages 
amounting  to  $25,000  for  an  endowment  fund,  on  con- 
dition that  the  citizens  of  Brooklyn  should  contribute 
an  equal  amount.  The  trustees  appealed  to  the  public 
for  contributions,  but  with  little  or  no  response  for  two 
years,  when  the  new  city  charter  went  into  effect, 
which  allowed  to  the  City  Hospital  the  sum  of  $2,000 
annually.  Inspired  by  this,  the  twelve  or  thirteen 
trustees  present  at  a  stated  meeting  of  the  board,  Octo- 
ber 21,  1850,  started  a  subscription  with  about  $11,000, 
to  which  the  public  added  only  some  $4,000.  Mr. 
Graham  gave  $2,000  more,  and  generously  waived  the 
condition  annexed  to  his  gift  of  $25,000  in  1848. 

In  the  meantime,  thirty-seven  suitable  lots  had  been 
purchased  on  the  high  ground  adjoining  Fort  Greene 
(now  Washington  Park),  and  in  the  latter  part  of  1850 
the  first  sod  was  removed  from  the  site  by  Mr.  Graham. 
He  laid  the  corner-stone  of  the  new  hospital  building, 
June  11,  1851,  with  appropriate  ceremonies. 

*For  Homoeopathic  and  Eclectic  Institutions  seethe  history  of  these 
schools. 


026 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Fearing  that  the  lots  on  the  southern  line  of  the  hos- 
pital grounds,  fronting  on  De  Kalb  avenue,  would  be 
occupied  by  buildings  preventing  the  circulation  of  air, 
the  trustees  raised  among  themselves  money,  and  pup- 
chased  and  enclosed  these  twenty  lots  with  an  iron 
railing  and  a  plantation  of  trees. 

The  edifice  is  of  brick,  with  stone  trimmings.  The 
main  building  is  52  feet  wide  and  the  same  in  depth, 
and  four  stories  in  height.  To  this  have  since  been 
added  two  wings,  71  feet  long,  56  feet  deep,  three  stories 
high;  also  an  extension  of  .10  feet  in  length  and  the 
same  height  in  the  rear.  The  center  building  was  com- 
pleted and  opened  for  the  reception  of  patients  April 
29,  1S.V2.  The  building  stands  on  high  ground  on 
Raymond  street,  north  of  De  Kalb  avenue.  The  large 
lawn  is  smoothly  graded  down  to  the  street  and  neatly 
kept. 

The  interior  arrangements  of  the  City  Hospital  are 
as  complete  as  scientific  construction  can  make  them. 
Particular  attention  was  given  in  building  to  secure 
perfect  warming,  ventilation  and  drainage.  The  hos- 
pital has  accommodations  for  200  patients,  all  the  beds 
being  at  one  time,  during  the  war  of  the  rebellion, 
fully  occupied. 

The  airy  situation  of  the  hospital  has  rendered  it 
\n  v  healthful,  and  for  many  years  the  United  States 
Marine  Department  made  it  a  receptacle  for  sailors, 
giving  a  good  support  to  the  institution.  After  the 
Government  had  erected  a  marine  hospital  for  the  care 
of  its  sailors,  the  withdrawal  of  this  support  threw  on 
its  trustees  the  necessity  of  a  renewal  of  their  private 
contributions.  The  large  majority  of  its  patients  are 
sent  to  it  by  the  public  authorities  of  Brooklyn,  an  an- 
nual payment  of  $4,000  being  made  from  public  funds; 
but,  by  the  accounts,  this  payment  has  never  amounted 
to  more  than  the  one-third  or  the  one-half  of  the  cost  of 
maintaining  these  patients. 

For  a  number  of  years  the  State  appropriated  several 
thousand  dollars  annually  to  this  institution,  and  the 
amount  was  faithfully  used  by  the  trustees  in  improv- 
ing and  enlarging  the  hospital  accommodations. 

In  1872  the  trustees  erected  a  brick  three-story 
building  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  hospital  grounds,  near 
the  main  building,  for  an  Orthopedic  Hospital,  and  for  a 
Home  for  Trained  Nurses.  Means  for  this  improve- 
ment was  received  from  the  county,  for  eleven  lots  sold 
(1877)  for  the  enlargement  of  the  jail.  A  number  of 
private  apartments,  well-furnished,  for  pay  patients, 
wi  re  added,  which  have  been  well  patronized. 

In  1874  the  aid  from  the  State  was  withdrawn.  An 
appeal  to  the  public  for  funds  met  with  scanty  re- 
sponse*. There  were  some,  however,  who  contributed 
securities  in  trust,  retaining  the  income  during  their 
life,  the  principal  sum  to  revert  to  the  use  of  the  hospi- 
tal after  their  death.  About  $15,000  was  thus  given 
by  Mr.  Thomas  S.  Stook,  and  a  considerable  sum  by 
Hobi  rt  Niehol-.  Ks<|.,  under  similar  conditions. 


The  hospital  has  a  children's  ward,  where  diseased, 
deformed  and  crippled  children  are  treated.  Adjoining 
this  is  the  lying-in  ward. 

In  consequence  of  the  name  of  Brooklyn  City  Hos- 
pital in  the  charter,  and  because  of  the  authorities  con- 
tributing to  its  support  and  sending  patients  to  it,  the 
impression  prevailed  in  the  public  mind  that  the  hos- 
pital was  a  city  pauper  institution,  and  indebted  for  its 
maintenance  to  public  support,  instead  of  being  a 
private  institution,  established  and  maintained  bv  its 
charitable  trustees.  This  belief  deprived  it  of  pecuniary 
aid  from  individuals  and  from  bequests.  An  appeal 
was  made  to  the  Legislature  and  the  word  "-City  "  was 
stricken  out  and  Brooklyn  Hosj>ital  is  now  its  name. 

Many,  also,  believed  that  an  endowment  would  he 
received  from  the  Union  Ferry  Company  in  couae- 
quence  of  a  clause  inserted  in  the  By-Laws  of  tin 
Ferry  Company,  in  1844,  by  the  then  lessees  of  the 
ferries,  Messrs.  LeRoy  and  Pierrepont,  requiring  that, 
at  the  winding  up  of  the  lease,  and  payment  to  tin 
stockholders  for  their  stock  at  par,  that  any  surplus 
should  be  paid,  as  a  free  gift,  to  the  Brooklyn  Hos- 
pital. 

When,  in  1854,  the  ferry  company  was  dissolved,  it 
was  found,  on  a  valuation  of  its  property  by  commis- 
sioners, that  there  was  not  a  surplus.  The  lessees  then 
transferred  their  lease  to  a  corporation,  formed  under 
the  general  laws  to  constitute  corporations,  to  estab- 
lish and  run  ferries.  Connected  with  this  charter  the 
trustees  also  executed  a  certificate  of  incorporation, 
containing  an  agreement  to  pay  ten  per  cent,  dividend! 
to  stockholders,  and  the  par  value  of  their  stock  at  tin 
termination  of  the  corporation,  in  1890,  and  any  swr 
plus  of  assets  that  might  then  remain,  was  to  be  paid 
as  a  free  gift  to  the  Brooklyn  Hospital.  The  words 
free  gift  were  inserted  by  the  counsel  of  the  lessees  to 
prevent  the  hospital  having  any  claim  on  this  appro- 
priation of  the  surplus. 

A  difference  of  opinion  arose  among  the  trustees  of 
the  ferry  and  the  trustees  of  the  hospital,  as  to  tin 
legal  bearing  of  this  clause,  which  had  been  made  in 
good  faith  by  the  ferry  company.  It  was  referred  to 
eminent  council,  who  generally  agreed  that  under  tin 
Act  of  Incorporation,  the  ferry  company  had  a  right 
to  run  ferries  only,  and  the  certificate  attached  to  the 
charter  was  not  binding.  Still,  as  a  legal  contest  was 
threatened,  and  ;i  claim  made  by  the  hospital  I'm- *U>i>.- 
000,  a  compromise  was  made,  and  £75,000  paid  by  the 
ferry  company,  on  receiving  a  release  from  the  hospital 
of  all  further  claim  on  the  ferry  surplus,  if  any  should 
remain  on  the  termination  of  the  charter. 

In  the  classes  of  patients  received,  no  distinction  is 
made  as  regards  color  or  nationality.  Not  only  charity 
patients  are  treated,  but,  by  a  special  provision  inserted 
in  the  articles  of  incorporation,  there  are  private 
wards  set  apart  where  those  who  wish  can  have  special 
care  and  nursing  at  moderate  charges. 


HOSPITALS,  DISPENSARIES,  ETC. 


927 


The  hospital  staff  of  physicians  and  surgeons  has 
included  some  of  the  most  eminent  men  in  the  medical 
profession,  and  a  high  standard  of  excellence  is  still 
maintained. 

Officers  :  P.  C.  Cornell,  President  and  Treasurer,' 
Elias  Lewis,  Jr.,  Vice-President ;  Henry  P.  Morgan, 
Secretary  j  C.  V.  Dudley,  Superintendent ;  Drs.  J.  C. 
Hutchison,  D.  E.  Kissam,  S.  Fleet  Speir,  J.  D.  Rush- 
more,  Staff  of  Surgeons;  Drs.  Robert  Ormiston,  Alex. 
Hutchins,  Arthur  R.  Paine,  Samuel  Sherwell,  Staff  of 
Physicia?is/  James  Crane,  M.  D.,  Consulting  Physi- 
cian. 

Robert  Nichols,  born  in  1790,  in  New  York  city  ;  edu- 
cated in  Connecticut;  at  the  age  of  15  became  a  mercantile 
clerk;  and  at  18  was  apprenticed  to  the  bakers'  trade,  and,  for 
a  short  time,  carried  it  on  inBrooklyn,  but  was  burned outin 
1811  and  never  i-esumed  the  business.  In  December,  1812,  he 
became  captain's  clerk  in  the  Brooklyn  Navy  Yard.  In  1813, 
by  authority  of  Commodore  Lewis,  he  opened  a  recruiting 
rendezvous  for  seamen,  for  the  gunboat  flotilla,  in  New  York 
harbor,  and  was  made  purser  of  the  flotilla.  In  April,  1814, 
his  connection  with  the  flotilla  ceased,  and,  hearing  of  a  Col. 
De  La  Croix,  who  had  opened  a  military  school  in  New  York 
city,  Mr.  Nichols,  together  with  Chas.  I.  Doughty,  Joseph 
Dean,  and  other  young  men,  inspired  by  martial  ardor, 
formed  a  military  association,  waited  upon  the  colonel  and 
arranged  with  him  to  have  a  drill  master  sent  to  Brooklyn, 
to  exercise  them  in  the  manual  of  arms.  Such  was  their 
assiduity  and  attention  to  the  instructions  of  their  drill  mas- 
ter, that  when,  five  months  later,  the  militia  was  ordered  into 
service  at  Fort  Greene,  the  companies  commanded  by  these 
young  men  were  more  thoroughly  disciplined  than  others 
upon  the  ground.  The  year  1814  was  passed  by  Mr.  Nichols 
in  the  discharge  of  onerous  public  duties  ;  was  Secretary  to 
Commodore  Lewis  ;  kept  open  his  rendezvous,  where  he  re- 
cruited over  a  thousand  seamen;  and,  a  portion  of  the  time, 
commanded  a  company  in  camp,  on  Fort  Greene,  from 
which  he  was  not  absent  for  a  single  night,  for  nearly  three 
months.  His  company  (the  5th,  of  64th  regiment,  22d  brig- 
ade, N.  Y.  S.  Infantry),  was  esteemed  the  best  drilled  in 
this  division  of  the  army.  In  August,  1815,  he  was  ap- 
pointed Adjutant  of  the  3d  Regiment  of  detailed  infantry, 
destined  for  service  on  the  Canadian  frontier,  but  the  force 
was  finally  not  called  upon  ;  Brigade  Quartermaster  of  22d 
Brigade,  April  12,  1816  ;  Lieutenant  Colonel,  March  4,  1817  ; 
Colonel,  with  rank,  from  July  19th  (in  place  of  Col.  Joseph 
Dean,  resigned),  August  23,  1823  ;  Brigadier  General,  44th 
Brigade,  March  27,  1827. 

In  1821,  Mr.  Nichols,  with  Andrew  Mercein,  Augustus 
Graham,  Joseph  Moser,  George  Hall,  and  other  good  men, 
became  a  pioneer  in  the  Sunday-school  movement  in  the  vil- 
lage. With  them,  also,  as  well  as  Thomas  Kirk,  F.  C.  Tucker 
and  George  S.  Wise,  he  was,  in  1823,  active  in  the  founding  of 
the  Apprentices'  Library,  of  which  he  was  the  first  secretary. 
In  1824,  he  and  other  directors  of  the  library,  made  the  first 
radical  movement,  in  this  village,  in  the  temperance  cause, 
by  agreeing,  among  themselves,  to  refrain  from  offering 
liquors  to  visitors,  when  visiting  each  others  houses. 

The  interest  which  he  ever  felt  in  the  proper  education  of 
youth,  led  him  to  co-operate  in  every  effort  for  the  estab- 
lishment of  public  schools.  In  1826,  he  was  a  school  com- 
missioner, and  took  an  active  part  in  the  organization  of  the 
public  school  system.  He  also  was  active  in  the  establishment 
of  the  Brooklyn  Savings  Bank,  of  which  he  was  first  account- 


ant, keeping  its  books  gratuitously  for  one  year.  The 
Apprentices'  Library  building  having  been  sold,  and  the  books 
for  some  time  packed  away  out  of  sight,  the  society  was  re- 
organized by  Mr.  Nichols'  untiring  efforts  in  its  behalf, 
and  he  was  made  Vice-President.  It  was  shortly  after 
placed  on  a  permanent  basis,  by  the  liberality  of  Mr. 
Augustus  Graham,  upon  whose  demise,  in  1852,  Mr. 
Nichols  was  elected  President,  and  his  name  was  always  to  be 
found  on  its  working  committees.  In  1842,  also,  he  was 
Treasurer  of  .the  City  Library  Association  ;  and,  in  1844,  was 
concerned  in  the  organization  of  the  Society  for  Improving 
the  Condition  of  the  Poor,  out  of  which  subsequently  grew 
the  Brooklyn  City  Dispensary.  Of  the  former  society,  he 
was  Chairman  of  the  Executive  Committee,  and  of  the  Dis- 
pensary, Vice-President  in  1847,  and,  during  the  following 
year,  President.  Of  the  Brooklyn  City  Hospital,  he  was 
offered  the  presidency,  but  declined  in  favor  of  others.  He 
accepted,  however,  the  office  of  Vice-President,  which  he 
held  until  1849  ;  was  Treasurer  from  1849  to  1852,  and  Vice- 
President  from  1852  until  the  time  of  his  decease.  He  ever 
considered  bis  share  in  the  establishment  of  this  great 
charity,  as  the  proudest  honor  of  his  life,  and  neither  age  or 
ill-health  had  power  to  abate  his  interest,  or  his  efforts  in  its 
behalf.  To  within  a  short  time  of  his  death,  his  visits  there 
were  regularly  paid  ;  and,  in  his  will,  he  devised  the  sum  of 
$9,000  to  the  institution.  The  Brooklyn  Gas  Light  Company, 
chartered  as  early  as  1824,  had  been  dormant.  In  1848,  on 
the  death  of  its  former  President,  Colonel  Alden  Spooner, 
Mr.  Nichols  was  elected  to  that  office.  From  that  time  for- 
ward, it  enjoyed  an  unusual  degree  of  success.  At  the  close 
of  1861,  when  his  health  failed,  he  attempted  to  resign  his 
office.  His  wish  being  overruled  by  the  directors,  he  reluc- 
tantly consented  to  retain  his  position,  but  refused  to  receive 
the  salary  for  the  last  half  year. 

In  private  life,  he  was  the  light  of  the  household  ;  his  very 
presence  there  was  an  atmosphere  of  cheerfulness.  Much  of 
his  time  was  devoted  to  the  instruction  and  rational  amuse- 
ment of  his  children,  to  whom  his  clear  good  sense  and 
amiable  temper  eminently  fitted  him  as  a  counsellor  and 
friend.  Even-tempered,  calm  in  his  utterances,  averse  to 
personal  gossip,  never  speaking  ill  of  any  one,  he  always  bore 
misapprehension  on  the  part  of  others  with  patience  and 
courtesy. 

On  the  10th  of  February,  1862,  Mr.  Nichols  died,  leaving  to 
the  city  a  rich  heritage  of  good  works,  and  to  the  young,  for 
whom  he  labored,  an  example  worthy  of  imitation. 

St.  Peter's  Hospital,  occupying  a  large  portion 
of  the  block  bounded  by  Henry,  Warren,  Hicks  and 
Congress  streets,  was  projected  by  Rev.  J.  Fransioli, 
of  St.  Peter's  church.  In  the  execution  of  his  design, 
he  enlisted  the  services  of  a  number  of  the  Sisters  of 
the  Poor  of  St.  Francis,  who  devote  themselves  ex- 
clusively to  the  gratuitous  care  of  the  poor  and  sick.* 
In  1864,  they  opened  the  hospital  in  the  double  dwell- 

*  The  order  of  the  Sisters  of  the  Poor  of  St.  Francis  was  founded 
and  organized  by  the  late  Rev.  Mother  Francisca  Schervier,  at  Aix- 
la-Chapelle,  in  Rhine,  Prussia,  about  the  year  1845,  and  as  the  title  in- 
dicates, for  the  sole  object  of  caring  for  and  relieving  the  poor,  either 
at  their  homes  or  when  sick  in  hospitals;  according  to  the  rule  of  the 
ancient  order  of  St.  Francis,  the  great  lover  of  voluntary  poverty,  and 
faithful  imitator  of  the  Saviour  who,  when  on  earth,  chose  to  be  poor 
for  our  sakes. 

They  were  first  called  to  the  United  States  in  1858,  by  the  Most  Rev. 
John  Purcell,  Archbishop  of  Cincinnati,  from  which  place  they  spread; 
having  now  eleven  hospitals  under  their  charge  in  different  States 
east  and  west— one  of  these,  St.  Peter's  Hospital,  Brooklyn. 


928 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Ing-house  at  the  corner  of  Hicks  and  Congress  streets, 
and  in  the  first  year,  besides  receiving  a  number  of 
patients  they  gave  a  temporary  home  to  more  than  two 
hundred  children  of  soldiers  who  were  away  in  the 
war. 

In  1865,  the  building  was  entirely  devoted  to  hos- 
pital purposes,  and  91  patients  received;  in  1866,  the 
hospital  was  incorporated;  in  1S69  and  1870,  the  ad- 
joining houses  in  Congress  street  were  purchased  and 
opened  for  the  admission  of  patients,  but  the  accom- 
modations are  not  sufficient  for  the  demand.  The 
Sisters  visit  the  homes  of  the  sick  poor,  and,  to  the 
extent  of  the  capacity  of  the  hospital,  receive  the  sick, 
or  those  suffering  from  injuries  and  accidents,  regard- 
less of  creed  or  color;  the  only  conditions  of  admis- 
sion being  sickness,  poverty,  and  a  vacant  bed  in  the 
wards. 

The  recent  purchase  of  property  in  Henry  street 
accommodates  thirty  beds  for  the  reception  of  chronic 
cases.  The  hospital  now  contains  150  beds,  and  has 
treated  15,000  charity  patients  up  to  July,  1883.  The 
field  of  this  hospital  is  the  whole  city  and  surrounding 
country,  and  it  is  mainly  dependent  upon  charitable 
contributions  for  support,  which  the  Sisters  solicit 
from  door  to  door. 

St.  Catharine's  Hospital. — This  institution  was 
originallv  intended  only  for  the  members  of  the  Church 
of  the  Most  Holy  Trinity  on  Montrose  avenue.  Lots 
were  bought  in  1867  on  Busbwick  avenue  and  Johnson 
street  plank  road,  adjoining  the  present  depot  of  L.  I. 
R.  R.  This  location  proving  unfit  for  the  purpose, 
twenty-three  city  lots  on  the  old  "Thursby  estate" 
on  Busbwick  avenue  were  secured,  and  the  hospital 
organized  June  17,  1870. 

The  old  Thursby  homestead  was  arranged  to  receive 
patients,  and  thirty  beds  at  first  used,  in  charge  of  the 
Sisters  of  St.  Dominic.  The  need  of  larger  accom- 
modations was  soon  felt,  and  a  new  building  com- 
menced in  1874;  finished  in  1876.  It  is  of  brick,  with 
stone  trimming,  is  172  feet  long,  and  about  40  feet 
wide.  It  contains  all  the  modern  improvements,  with 
accommodation  for  130  charity  patients  and  eight 
private  wards.  A  further  enlargement  is  contemplated. 
Twelve  hundred  patients  have  been  treated  since  the 
opening  of  the  hospital.  Its  originators  were  the 
Very  Rev.  31.  .May.  Y.  C,  and  the  Yen.  Superior 
Sister  Saraphina  Stainer,  O.  S.  D.  The  institution  is 
mainly  supported  by  voluntary  contribution. 

(J<»ts>tlt!ii<i  /'/ii/siria/is  :  Heinrich  Liiwenstein,  M. 
D.;  Heinrich  Riedel,  M.  I).  Directing  PhyttekUM : 
Jakob  Font,  M.  D.j  Earl  Zellhoffer,  M.  I).;  William 
Moitrier,  M.  D.;  J.  G.  Winklemann,  M.  I).  Directing 
Surgeons:  Samuel  J.  Brady,  M.  1).;  Heinrich  .1. 
Bease,  ML  D.;  .las.  Feeley,  M.  I).;  Jno.  F.  Valentine, 

M.  D.  JJmti.it:  Dr.  August  Orosch.  /'/ii/xirinitx  : 
(,.  Schmeker,  M.  D.j  Chas.  G.  Eohler,  M.  D.j  Hein- 
r'u-li   .1.   Hesse,  M.  !>.;  .Fas.  I,.  Kort right,  M.  I).;  Aug. 


ST.  CATHARINE'S  HOSPITAL. 

L.  Hardrich,  M.  D.;  C.  Fulda,  M.  D.:  R.  C.  Baker, 
M.  D.;  Geo.  R.  Cutter,  M.  I).    E.  H.  Wilson,  Houte 

Surf/eon. 

The  Long  Island  College  Hospital  occupies 

the  block  bounded  by  Pacific,  Henry  and  Amity 
streets,  in  the  southern  part  of  the  city,  with  its  main 
front  on  Henry  street.  It  combines  a  Hospital,  a  Dis- 
pensary, a  Medical  School,  and  a  Training  School  for 

Nurses. 

The  absence  of  an  institution  devoted  to  the  treat- 
ment of  diseases  in  a  part  of  the  city  which  ma 
making  rapid  strides  of  progress,  induced,  in  the  fall 
of  1857,  a  number  of  public-spirited  citizens  to  meet, 
in  order  to  discuss  the  proper  steps  to  overcome  tin 
want  of  such  an  institution,  which  was  felt  every  day 
more  and  more.  An  organization,  under  the  name  of  tin 
"St.  John's  Hospital,"  was  decided  on,  and  at  once  called 
into  existence.  On  the  5th  of  November,  1  s "> 7 ,  this 
new  organization  took  charge  of  what  had  been  th« 
German  Dispensary,  which  then  occupied  rooms  in  No. 
147  Court  street,  in  this  city.  On  the  23d  December, 
1857,  a  Hospital  was  opened,  the  name  of  which  was 
changed  shortly  afterwards  to  that  of  the  Long  Islaml 
College  Hospital.  Under  this  name,  a  charter  was  ob- 
tained from  the  Legislature  of  1S5S.  As  the  rooms 
formerly  occupied  by  the  Dispensary  were  entirely  in- 
adequate to  the  purposes  of  the  new  organization,  steps 
were  soon  taken  to  obtain  more  suitable  quarters,  and 
negotiations  entered  into  for  the  purchase  of  the 
"  Perry  Mansion,"  a  handsome  private  residence,  0001 
pying  the  above  block,  and  consist ing.  in  addition  I" 
large  grounds,  of  a  brick  building,  two  stories  and 
basement  high,  with  two  wooden  wings,  used  as  con- 


HOSPITALS,  DISPENSARIES,  ETC. 


929 


servatories,  and  a  number  of  minor  out-buildings.  The 
negotiations  led  to  a  successful  issue,  and  to  the  pur- 
chase of  the  property,  in  February,  1858.  As  soon  as 
the  necessary  changes  to  adapt  the  buildings  to  their 
new  purposes  were  made,  the  Long  Island  College  Hos- 
pital moved  into  its  new  quarters,  where  it  has  continued 
its  work  ever  since.  The  Medical  College,  however, 
was  not  fully  organized  until  1860,  when  the  first  full 
course  of  lectures  was  given,  at  the  close  of  which  21 
students  graduated. 

The  Long  Island  College  Hospital  occupies  to-day  a 
very  prominent  position  among  similar  institutions  of  this 
country;  it  rests  on  a  firm  and  substantial  basis;  and,  so 
far  as  human  foresight  goes,  there  is  every  prospect  of 
success  for  long  years  to  come.  The  institution,  how- 
ever, has  not  reached  its  present  prominent  position 
without  great  struggles;  and  its  doors  would  be  closed 


The  Long  Island  College  Hospital  could,  therefore 
scarcely  fail  to  attract  public  attention,  and  to  receive 
from  its  friends  the  necessary  assistance  to  carry  on 
the  good  work.  But  when  the  war  had  been  brought 
to  a  happy  close,  when  public  and  private  hospitals 
overflowed  no  longer  with  wounded  soldiers,  and  when 
the  great  number  of  surgeons  discharged  from  the 
army  had  to  find  their  practice  in  civil  life,  and  the 
prospects  of  young  men  devoting  themselves  to  the 
medical  profession  became,  in  consequence,  less  bril- 
liant, the  Long  Island,  with  other  institutions,  felt 
sorely  the  great  reaction  through  which  the  country 
passed.  Its  managers  were  soon  involved  in  a  severe 
struggle  to  obtain  the  necessary  means  for  its  support. 
It  was  then,  when  the  crisis  of  its  existence  arrived, 
and  the  layimanagers  were  ready  to  give  up  the  fight 
as  hopeless,  that  a  few  members  of  the  Council,  equally 


LONG  ISLAND  COLLEGE  HOSPITAL. 


to-day,  if  it  had  not  been  for  a  few  courageous,  self- 
sacrificing  men,  who,  when  everybody  else  was  ready 
to  withdraw  from  the  field,  took  up  the  struggle  almost 
single-handed,  and  showed  what  faith  in  a  good  wrork 
can  do,  when  assisted  by  great  intelligence  and  a  thor- 
ough knowledge  of  the  aims  to  be  attained.  During 
the  years  of  the  Civil  War,  the  great  demand  for 
surgeons  and  nurses  on  the  part  of  the  government 
increased  enormously  the  call  on  all  medical  schools. 
The  Lon  glsland  College  Hospital  profited,  with  others, 
by  this  condition  of  affairs;  it  was  also  one  of  the  first 
private  hospitals  on  which  the  government  called  for 
assistance  when  its  own  hospitals  were  overflowing  with 
sick  and  wounded  soldiers.  It  commenced  to  receive 
them  immediately  after  the  seven  days'  fight,  on  the 
Peninsula,  before  Richmond;  and,  from  that  time  till 
the  close  of  the  war,  there  was  always  a  considerable 
number  of  government  beneficiaries  within  its  walls. 


impelled  by  enthusiasm  for  their  profession,  and  by 
love  for  their  suffering  fellow-beings,  stepped  forward 
and  offered  to  continue  the  work  at  their  own 
individual  expense  and  risk.  These  men  were  Drs. 
Theodore  L.  Mason,  Wm.  H.  Dudley,  and  Chauncey 
L.  Mitchell.  Dr.  Mason's  connection  with  the  insti- 
tution was  terminated  only  by  his  death,  a  few  years 
ago,  while  Drs.  Dudley  and  Mitchell  are  still  members 
of  the  Council.  Their  offer  was  accepted  ;  they  took 
charge  of  the  entire  management  of  both  hospital  and 
school;  and,  by  the  successful  manner  in  which  they 
carried  through  the  task,  proved  themselves  the  bene- 
factors of  the  human  race.  By  inspiring  others  with 
at  least  a  part  of  that  enthusiasm  by  which  they  were 
animated,  they  succeeded  in  raising  among  themselves 
and  their  friends  a  sufficient  amount  of  capital  to  pay 
off  the  entire  debt  ;  they  obtained  from  the  city  of 
Brooklyn  assistance  in  the  shape  of  an  annual  appro- 


so 


IirSTOEY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


priation  for  the  Hospital  and  Dispensary,  and  matters 
began  soon  to  mend. 

In  1868,  it  was  found  necessary  to  increase  the  means 
which  the  institution  possessed  to  do  its  work.  In 
that  year,  a  new  three-story  wing,  32x65  feet,  was 
erected  on  the  grounds  fronting  on  Pacific  street,  in- 
tended principally  for  female  patients.  The  faith 
shown  by  its  erection  did  not  prove  a  false  one  ;  pros- 
perity followed  the  hard  struggles  of  previous  years. 
In  1870,  the  wooden  buildings  fronting  on  Amity  street 
were  supplanted  by  the  erection,  in  their  place,  of  a 
three-story  building,  128  feet  long,  by  32  feet  wide.  The 
western  part  of  this  building  contains  three  large, 
splendidly  lighted  and  ventilated  wards  for  the  hos- 
pital, each  30x50  feet,  with  the  necessary  bath-rooms 
attached  ;  in  the  eastern  part,  there  is  an  amphitheatre 
for  the  use  of  the  school,  with  a  seating  capacity  of 
300;  a  dissecting  room,  a  number  of  professors' rooms, 
etc.  The  demand  which  the  ever-increasing  popularity 
of  the  hospital,  and  the  daily  wider-spreading  reputa- 
tion of  the  college  created,  obliged  the  addition,  in 
1874,  of  another  story  to  the  greater  part  of  the  Amity 
street  wing,  in  order  to  make  room  for  a  new  dissect- 
in  g  hall. 

In  1875,  the  frame  gate-building  on  Pacific  street 
was  replaced  by  a  brick  building,  32x40  feet,  contain- 
ing a  janitor's  residence,  a  smoking  room  for  the  pa- 
tients, and  a  number  of  isolating  wards.  But  the 
greatest  improvement  was  reserved  for  the  summer  of 
1881,  when  the  two  one-story  wooden  wings,  which 
formed  the  connec  ting  link  between  the  centre  build- 
ing and  the  brick  buildings,  on  Pacific  and  Amity 
streets,  were  removed;  and,  in  their  place,  were  erected 
two  three-story  brick  buildings,  with  an  additional 
story  on  the  centre  building,  and  two  four-story  towers 
on  the  Henry  street  front.  These  towers  contribute, 
in  a  large  degree,  to  the  convenience  of  the  interior 
arrangements,  and  perhaps,  to  a  still  greater  extent,  to 
the  appearance  and  the  beauty  of  the  whole  line  of 
buildings. 

These  different  improvements  cost  more  than  $100,- 
000;  and  the  Long  Island  College  Hospital  is  to-day, 
in  proportion  to  its  size,  one  of  the  best  arranged  hos- 
pitals and  colleges  in  the  land.  The  improvements 
supply  an  additional  lecture-room,  well  lighted  and 
ventilated,  seating  300  students  ;  a  chemical  labora- 
tory, fitted  up  with  the  latest  improvements,  and 
another  devoted  to  histological  researches;  a  number 
of  recitation  and  operating  rooms,  and  a  suite  of 
chambers  intended  for  the  private  086  of  the  mem- 
bers of  the  faculty.  In  the  Hospital  proper  we  find  a 
new  surgical  ward,  42x30  feet,  to  be  used  principally 
for  the  treatment  of  the  large  number  of  accident  cases 
brought  daily  to  the  hospital  from  the  neighboring 
docks  and  factories  ;  a  medical  ward,  40x40  feet, 
accessible  on  all  four  sides  to  the  direct  action  of  the 
air;  also  a  number  of  small  private  rooms  for  the  use 


of  patients  who  desire  greater  isolation  and  privacy 
than  the  general  wards  afford.  The  Long  Island 
Hospital  has  thus  supplied  a  place  where  a  stranger, 
falling  sick  in  this  city,  need  have  no  fear  that  he 
will  be  on  that  account  deprived  of  all  the  comforts 
which  he  would  enjoy  at  home.  We  also  find  in 
the  hospital  new  offices  and  reception  rooms  for  the  use 
of  the  Regent  and  the  Warden;  a  reception  room  for 
patients,  who  apply  merely  to  have  wounds  dressed, 
but  are  not  so  much  injured  as  to  make  their  stay  in 
the  hospital  a  necessity;  a  laundry  and  kitchen, 
with  ample  store-rooms  and  dining-rooms.  On  the 
ground  floor  of  the  wing  north  of  the  center  building, 
on  Pacific  street,  is  the  Dispensary,  containing  two  large 
waiting  rooms  for  patients;  separate  toilet  rooms  for 
men  and  women;  a  room  for  the  dispensing  of  drills, 
and  twelve  private  consulting  rooms,  each  one  fronting 
on  the  outside  of  the  building  and  enjoying  a  moat 
ample  supply  of  light  and  air.  Gentlemen  of  promi- 
nence in  their  profession  attend  daily  in  these  rooms, 
and  treat  not  only  the  ordinary  medical  and  surgical 
complaints,  but  also  all  the  special  branches  of  medical 
science. 

The  Hospital  proper  now  contains  175  beds;  diseases 
of  all  kinds  are  received,  with  the  only  exception  of 
those  of  a  contagious  or  infectious  character,  and  of 
diseases  of  the  mind,  when  the  same  are  not  the  direct 
result  of  a  diseased  condition  of  the  body.  If  Hie 
Hospital  excels  on  account  of  any  one  branch,  it  is  for 
the  great  number  of  surgical  cases,  especially  cases  of 
a  capital  character,  which  it  treats.  That  portion  of 
Brooklyn  in  which  it  is  situated  contains,  perhaps,  a 
greater  number  of  warehouses,  factories  and  docks,  than 
any  other  part  of  Brooklyn  or  New  York;  the  factories 
are  filled  with  the  most  complicated  machinery;  at  the 
docks  vessels  are  always  discharging  or  loading:  and,  as 
a  necessary  consequence  of  these  industries,  numerous 
and  serious  accidents  to  life  and  limb  happen  daily;  it 
can  not,  therefore,  excite  wonder  that  the  surgeons  of 
the  institution  find  in  its  immediate  neighborhood  an 
enormous  field  for  their  activity  and  skill.  The  Dumbtr 
of  cases  treated  in  the  hospital  in  1883  was  2,557. 

In  the  Dispensary,  nearly  15,000  persons  are  treaty! 
in  the  course  of  the  year,  who  pay  between  25,000  and 
30,000  single  visits.  There  is  no  charge  for  medical 
attendance  in  any  part  of  the  Dispensary;  the  only  on 
dition  of  admittance  to  its  benefit  is,  that  the  person 
applying  are  in  want  of  medical  advice  and  can  in  no 
other  way  obtain  it. 

The  Medical  College  connected  with  the  Hospital  was 
the  first  in  this  country  to  introduce  clinical  teaching 
at  the  bedside  of  the  patient;  this  method  of  teaching 
has  continued  ever  since  one  of  its  most  distinguishing 
features;  and  t  he  close  connect  ion  between  hospital  and 
college  has  enabled  the  managers  to  mature  and  elabo* 
I  rate  the  original  plan  to  an  extent  which  is  deemed  un- 
i  equalled  by  any  other  school  in  this  country.    W  ith 


HOSPITALS,  DISPENSARIES,  ETC. 


931 


this  method  of  teaching,  in  later  years,  the  graded 
system  of  instruction  has  been  united;  a  great  step  in 
advance,  as  it  enables  the  junior  student  to  confine 
himself  to  the  primary  branches,  whilst  the  senior 
classes  can  devote  their  time  to  the  higher  studies. 

There  are  two  terms  each  year;  the  "Preliminary 
Term,"  principally  intended  for  less  advanced  students, 
commences  at  the  end  of  September  and  closes  with  the 
beginning  of  the  "  Regular  Term,"  which  now  opens 
on  the  2d  of  January  each  year  and  continues  for  five 
months;  the  number  of  students  at  the  regular  term  of 
the  winter  of  1882-83,  was  154;  the  number  of 
graduates,  54.  Since  the  beginning  of  the  school  the 
number  of  graduates  is  893,  and  they  are  now  found 
not  only  in  all  parts  of  the  United  States,  but  also  in 
the  adjacent  and  even  distant  foreign  countries. 

On  account  of  the  great  number  of  accidents  happen- 
ing in  the  neighborhood,  the  Board  of  Health  stationed 
an  Ambulance  Surgeon  in  the  Long  Island  College 
Hospital,  when  the  ambulance  system  was  first  intro- 
duced in  Brooklyn.  A  number  of  physicians  and 
surgeons  are  also  permanently  stationed  at  the  hospital, 
who,  in  addition  to  their  other  duties,  are  ready  at 
any  time  of  the  day  or  night  to  take  charge  of  severe 
cases  which  are  taken  there,  and  prescribe  for  them, 
until  the  regular  visiting  staff  can  be  summoned. 

In  order  to  derive  the  fullest  benefit  from  the  great 
improvements  made  two  years  ago,  the  managers  intro- 
duced, on  their  completion,  the  system  of  trained 
nurses,  and  opened  a  school  where  this  class  of  nurses 
can  receive  a  thorough  education  by  practical  instruc- 
tion at  the  bedside,  and,  also,  by  lectures  delivered  by 
the  professors  attached  to  the  college.  There  is  but 
one  other  training  school  in  this  country — in  the  city  of 
Cincinnati — where  a  similar  close  connection  between 
hospital  and  college  places  at  the  disposal  of  the  man- 
agers so  complete  a  corps  of  instructors  and  lec- 
turers, of  thorough  training  and  long  experience  in 
the  profession  of  teaching.  At  the  head  of  the  Train- 
ing School  of  the  Long  Island  College  Hospital  a 
graduate  of  one  of  the  leading  New  York  schools,  of 
long  experience  in  her  profession,  has  been  placed. 
The  school  furnishes  at  present  a  sufficient  number  of 
competent  nurses  for  the  requirements  of  the  hospital; 
and  also  sends  them  out  for  employment  in  such 
private  families  as  may  have  occasion  to  avail  them- 
selves of  their  services. 

The  Long  Island  College  Hospital  received,  formerly, 
a  small  annual  appropriation  from  the  state  ;  but  this 
was  cut  off,  when  the  new  Constitution  forbade  the 
appropriation,  by  the  Legislature,  of  moneys  to  pri- 
vate corporations.  The  Hospital  receives,  from  the 
city  of  Brooklyn,  $4,000  ;  the  Dispensary,  $1,500  per 
annum;  all  other  expenses  beyond  these  two  amounts,  so 
far  as  they  are  not  covered  by  the  moderate  income 
derived  from  pay  patients,  are  borne  by  the  managers 
and  their  friends. 


The  management  of  the  institution  is  in  the  hands 
of  a  Board  of  Regents,  consisting  of  25  members, 
divided  in  five  classes,  each  class  serving  for  five 
years.  In  all  professional  matters,  the  "  Council," 
consisting  of  not  less  than  four,  and  not  more  than  ten 
members,  who  hold  their  appointment  during  good 
behavior,  act  as  an  advisory  board  to  the  Regents. 
There  is  also  a  Faculty  of  the  Hospital  and  a  Faculty 
of  the  College,  who  form,  with  the  Council  in  their 
respective  departments,  a  "Joint  Board,"  and  submit  to 
the  Regents  such  plans  for  the  improvement  of  the 
institution,  as  they  may  jointly  mature,  but  no  changes 
or  additions  can  be  made  unless  approved  and  ordered 
by  the  Regents.  The  Regents  have  also  the  power  to 
grant  and  confer  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Medicine, 
upon  the  recommendation  of  the  Council  and  Faculty 
of  the  College. 

The  first  Board  of  Officers  consisted  of  Samuel 
Sloan,  Pres.;  Samuel  W.  Slocum,  Vice-Pres./  Cornelius 
Dever,  Treas.;  C.  N.  Bovee,  Sec.  Samuel  Sloan  con- 
tinued President  until  March  28,  1864,  when  he  re- 
signed ;  and  Theodore  Polhemus,  Jr.,  was  elected  in 
his  stead.  On  the  death  of  Mr.  Polhemus,  he  was  suc- 
ceeded, in  May,  1865,  by  Joseph  Ripley,  who  continued 
in  the  presidency  until  May,  1866,  when  he  resigned, 
on  his  removal  from  Brooklyn ;  and  was  succeeded  by 
John  J.  Van  Nostrand.  The  latter  acted  till  April, 
18*75,  when  he  resigned;  he  was  followed  by  Thomas 
H.  Rodman,  who  still  occupies  the  position. 

The  present  Officers  are:  Thos.  H.  Rodman,  Pres.; 
Reuben  W.  Ropes,  Vice-Pres. ;  Francis  E.  Dodge, 
Treas.;  Wm.  J.  Osborne,  Sec;  Wm.  H.  Dudley,  M.  D. 
President  of  the  Collegiate  Department ;  Professor 
Samuel  G.  Armor,  M.  D.,  LL.  D.,  Dean  of  the  Faculty  ; 
Professor  Jarvis  S.  Wight,  M.  D.,  Registrar. 

Council:  William  H.  Dudley,  M.  D.,  Pres.;  Chaun- 
cey  L.  Mitchell,  M.  D.;  George  G.  Hopkins,  M.  D.; 
John  L.  Zabriskie,  M.  D.,  Joel  W.  Hyde,  M.  D.,  Sec. 

The  Long  Island  College  Hospital,  and  the  Long 
Island  College  Hospital  Dispensary,  form  but  one  cor- 
porate body,  and  have,  therefore,  but  one  set  of  officers. 

Dr.  Theodore  Lewis  Mason,  was  born  in  Cooperstown, 
in  this  State,  in  1803.  After  a  thorough  classical  education, 
under  the  tuition  of  his  grandfather,  lie  began  his  medical 
education  at  the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  New- 
York,  studying  under  the  preeeptorship  of  Dr.  David  Hosaek, 
and  took  his  degree  in  1825.  For  seven  years  he  practiced  at 
Wilton,  Conn.,  then  he  removed  to  New  York  city,  where  he 
remained  for  two  years,  and  in  1834  moved  to  Brooklyn, 
where  he  began  the  labor  that  will  endear  his  name  as  long 
as  charitable  work  shall  be  recorded.  He  entered  into  partner- 
ship with  Dr.  George  Marvin,  which  lasted  for  thirteen  years. 
When  Dr.  Mason  first  came  to  Brooklyn,  no  provision  existed 
for  the  sick  poor  ;  he  prepared  a  memorial  to  the  Common 
Council,  urging  some  action  on  their  part  in  the  matter,  in 
conformity  with  a  clause  in  the  city  charter  on  the  subject  : 
unsuccessful  at  that  time,  he  again  pressed  the  matter,  when 
the  Hon.  Cyrus  P.  Smith  became  Mayor  in  1839,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  persuading  the  Common  CouncU  to  donate  a  small 


932 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


suin  for  the  support  of  a  city  hospital.  This  institution  was 
called,  from  its  location,  the  Adams  Street  Hospital.  Dr. 
Mason  w  as  made  Senior  Surgeon  and  President  of  a  Board  of 
Managers,  who.  by  their  enthusiasm  in  the  matter,  demon- 
strated the  utility  of  the  hospital.  But  a  change  in  tlx-  city's 
administration  put  a  stop  to  the  work,  and  the  institution  was 
closed.  The  good  accomplished  by  this  attempt  was  not  lost 
however,  and  Dr.  Mason  was  consulted  by  charitable  citizens. 
\\  ith  a  \  iew  to  the  organization  of  a  new  hosjutal  ;  the  liber- 
ality of  a  private  citizen  rendered  the  plan  feasible  and  the 
lal>or  was  l>egun.  Dr.  Mason  was  influential  in  the  framing 
of  the  charter  and  selection  of  the  Board  of  Directors  and 
medical  staff  of  the  new  institution.  As  Senior  Surgeon  lie 
la!x>red  in  this  hospital  work  till  failing  health  compelled  his 
resignation.  As  time  passed,  and  the  growth  of  Brooklyn 
U'caine  an  assured  fact,  several  of  the  leading  physicians  of 
tin-  city,  among  whom  was  Dr.  Mason,  conceived  and  carried 
out  the  idea  of  establishing  a  hospital  and  medical  school, 
and  in  18">8  the  Long  Island  College  Hospital  was  organized. 
Dr.  Mason  was  elected  president  of  the  collegiate  department, 
and  by  successive  re-election  held  that  ofHce  until  within  a 
year  of  his  death;  in  all,  a  period  of  one  and  twenty  years. 
Early  identified  with  the  movement  to  effect  a  change  in  the 
then  defective  sanitary  regulations  of  New  York  city  and 
Brooklyn.  Dr.  Mason  was  a  mend>er  of  a  committee  of  the 
"Citizen-'  Association  of  New  York."  that  visited  the  Legis- 
lature of  1864  to  advise  and  aid  in  the  effort  to  secure  the 
Metropolitan  Board  of  Health.  But  perhaps  the  greatest 
lal«>r  of  his  life  was  the  vindication  of  his  belief  that  inebri- 
ety i-  a  disease.  His  attention  was  called  to  the  subject  early 
in  his  professional  career,  and  he  spoke  and  wrote  almost 
constantly  on  the  subject.  Among  his  many  monographs  on 
the  topic,  one  address — Inebriety  a  Disease — was  published  and 
circulated,  not  alone  here,  but  in  other  States  and  countries, 
and  in  Great  Britain  was  largely  quoted  in  favor  of  the  es- 
tablishing of  inebriate  asylums  there.  By  his  efforts  the  Ine- 
briate Home  for  Kings  County  was  chartered  in  I860,  and  until 
In-  death  he  was  President  and  Consulting  Physician  of  that 
institution.  He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  American 
Association  for  the  Cure  of  Inebriates,  was  elected  President 
of  that  IhmIv  in  187">.  and  held  the  office  for  several  years. 
Dr.  Mason  was  a  member  of  the  Kings  County  Medical  Soci- 
ety from  1834  till  his  death,  and  was  its  president  in  1842-'43; 
a  permanent  member  of  the  State  Medical  Society  ;  of  the 
American  Medical  Association  :  of  the  International  Medical 
Association,  held  in  Philadelphia  in  1876.  and  a  Resident 
Fellow  of  the  New  York  Ac  ademy  of  Medicine.  He  was  one 
of  the  founders,  a  lite  member  and  director,  of  the  L.  I.  His- 
torical Society,  ami  in  1874  was  elected  Vice-President  of  the 
American  Colonization  Society.  His  long  and  useful  life  ended 
February  12,  1882,  by  an  attack  of  pneumonia. 


W'M.  IlENKY  Di'DLKY,  M.  D.,  of  Brooklyn,  was  born  in  Ire- 
land in  Octol>er,  1811,  of  Fnglish  parents;  his  father  was 
Sheldon  Dudley;  his  mother,  Elizabeth  Kvans  Dudley.  His 
early  education  having  been  completed  in  his  native  country, 
he  chose  the  medical  profession  for  the  pursuit  of  his  life,  and 
entered  the  Royal  College  of  Surgeons  in  Dublin  in  1831.  i 
Graduating  from  there  in  1833,  his  desire  to  see  the  world  in- 
duced him  to  accept  a  government  appointment  in  the  West 
Indies,  and  he  left  in  the  same  year  for  Jamaica,  where  he 
was  appointed  Health  Officer  and  Surgeon  to  the  Marine 
Hospital  at  Port  Maria.  Whilst  holding  that  ollice  he  was 
elected  a  fellow  of  the  Kings  ( "ollege  of  Physicians  and  Sur- 
geons of  Jamaica.  During  In-  slay  in  the  i-land  he  married 
Emily  W  Fitzgihbon  ;  in  1H41  he  came  with  his  wife  on  a 
visit  to  this  country,  and  decided  soon  after  on  permanently  i 


remaining  here,  where  he  had  made  himself  acquainted  wit 
the  much  greater  opportunities  presented  for  the  practice  o 
his  profession.  In  1842  Dr.  Dudley  received  a  diploma  froD 
the  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  in  New  York ;  ii 
1843  he  settled  in  Brooklyn,  and  made  that  city  his  permanen 
home. 

In  18")1  he  was  elected  one  of  the  Curators  of  the  New  Yorl 
Medical  College,  and  served  in  that  capacity  for  several  years 
he  was  also  elected  a  permament  member  of  the  Medica 
Society  of  the  State  of  New  York,  and  took  an  active  part  ii 
the  establishment  of  the  Long  Island  College  Hospital;  and 
later  iu  that  of  the  St.  John's  Hospital,  of  which  orgauizatiei 
he  has  been  from  the  beginning  the  professional  adviser  ol 
the  Executive  Committee. 

In  1859  his  wife  died;  he  married  again  (in  1861),  Charlott> 
G.  Duckwitz,  of  Brooklyn,  by  whom  he  has  three  children 
one  daughter  and  two  sons,  the  elder  of  whom  has  chosen 
the  profession  of  his  father,  while  the  second  is  studying  foi 
the  law. 

Ever  since  coming  to  this  country,  Dr.  Dudley  has  steadfastly 
declined  to  be  a  candidate  for  any  office  for  which  medical 
men  are  generally  chosen,  or  even  to  accept  a  nomination  for 
a  position  strictly  within  the  medical  profession,  when  his 
doing  so  might  interfere,  in  the  least,  with  his  private  prac- 
tice. Hisaxiom  was  always,  that  he  belonged  to  his  patient*, 
and  that  anything  which  tended  to  divert  his  attention  from 
them  to  other  matters  or  other  pursuits,  was  an  injustice  to 
those  who  placed  their  health  and  their  well-being  in  his 
care.  When  we  consider  this  leading  principle  of  his  life,  we 
are  not  astonished  at  the  great  and  rare  success  which  be 
has  achieved  as  a  practitioner;  nor  do  we  wonder  at  the  low 
and  veneration  which  is  felt  for  him  by  those  whose  fami- 
lies he  has  visited  in  the  dark  hours  of  sickness,  giving  them 
not  only  the  benefit  of  the  great  resources  of  his  profession, 
but  becoming  to  them  a  friend,  such  as  is  never  more  needed 
than  in  the  hours  of  sickness  and  adversity.  If  Dr.  Dudley 
has  deviated,  in  one  thiug,  from  his  great  principle  of  liv- 
ing only  for  his  patients,  it  is  in  his  connection  with  the  Long 
Island  College  Hospital.  He  took  a  leading  part  in  its  organi- 
zation at  a  time  when  his  ordinary  pursuits  were  perhaps  not 
sufficient  to  divert  his  mind  from  a  great  loss  he  had  sus- 
tained. He  was  one  of  the  original  nienihers  of  the  Council, 
and  was  also  elected  to  the  Board  of  Regents,  when  a  change 
in  the  charter  made  medical  men  eligible  thereto.  In  1881, 
on  the  resignation  of  Dr.  Theodore  L.  Mason,  he  was  elected 
President  of  the  Collegiate  Department  and  he  fills  that  posi- 
tion to  this  day.  From  the  day  when  the  institution  was  called 
into  existence  to  the  present  moment,  Dr.  Dudley  has  not 
only  largely  contributed  to  its  financial  support,  but  he  has 
also  watched  over  it  and  its  inmates  with  a  fatherly,  never 
failing  and  never-tiring  care.  And,  if  the  Long  Island  <  ollege 
Hospital  is  to-day  in  a  flourishing  condition,  and  a  great  future 
before  it.  it  is  principally  owing  to  him.  He  never  despaired 
in  the  darkest  hour,  and  never  lost  his  faith  iu  the  final  suc- 
cess of  a  work  which  has  almost  become  a  part  of  himself. 


Chatjncky  L.  Mitchell,  A.M.,  M.  D— In  the  long  list  of 
Brooklyn's  eminent  physicians,  no  name  stands  higher  than 
that  of  Chauncey  L.  Mitchell.  For  nearly  forty  years,  from 
a  time  w  hen  the  city  scarcely  had  outgrow  n  its  village  stai:>'. 
until  it  stands  third  in  the  Union  in  population,  with  corres- 
ponding  accessions  in  wtalth.  intelligence  and  w  hateve  r  goes 
to  make  up  a  great  community,  he  has  pursued  here  bil 
chosen  piolession,  with  untiring  industry,  unflagging  teal, 
and  rare  success. 

Dr.  Mitchell  was  born  in  New  Canaan,  iu  the  Stale  of  Con- 
necticut, on  the  20th  of  November,  1813.    He  IB  of  Puritan 


HOSPITALS,  DISPENSARIES,  ETC. 


933 


descent;  his  ancestors  from  Halifax,  England,  landed  in  Bos- 
ton, August  17th,  1635,  and  have  been  residents  of  this 
country  nearly  two  centuries  and  a  half.  His  father,  Minott 
Mitchell,  was  an  able  and  accomplished  lawyer,  and  for  many 
years  a  leader  of  the  Bar  of  Westchester  county,  New  York. 
His  mother,  Eliza  Leeds  Silliman,  was  a  member  of  the  Con- 
aecticut  family  whose  name  appears  so  often  and  so  honor- 
ably in  the  literary  and  scientific  history  of  the  country.  It 
may  have  been  due  to  hereditary  tendencies  in  the  direction 
of  intellectual  activity,  acquired  from  both  the  paternal  and 
the  maternal  side,  that  the  subject  of  this  sketch  could  read 
fluently  at  the  age  of  three  years,  and  that  at  the  age  of  seven 
he  was  studying  Latin.  He  was  sent  to  the  New  Canaan 
(Connecticut)  Academy,  where  he  prosecuted  the  studies  pre- 
paratory for  entering  college,  until  their  near  completion,  at 
the  age  of  twelve  years.  Two  more  years  were  passed  at 
other  like  institutions,  and  the  next  four  in  studying  law 
under  his  father's  supervision.  Having  arrived  at  a  suitable 
age,  his  academic  studies  were  revised  under  a  private  tutor, 
such  others  as  were  necessary  were  completed,  and  he  en- 
tered the  junior  class  in  Union  College  in  1831.  His  standing 
in  all  departments  during  his  collegiate  life  was  among  the 
first,  and  at  the  end  of  the  course  he  was  appointed  class 
orator.    He  was  honorably  graduated  in  1833. 

Of  the  learned  professions,  for  one  of  which  his  father  had 
designed  him,  he  selected  that  of  medicine;  and  the  wisdom 
of  the  choice  is  fully  proved  by  a  conspicuous  success,  which 
could  have  been  achieved  only  with  the  aids  of  a  singular 
mental  adaptiveness  to  the  work,  no  less  than  the  special 
training  which  he  brought  to  it. 

In  order  to  secure  this  training,  for  which  a  liberal  educa- 
tion had  furnished  a  broad  foundation,  he  began  the  study  of 
medicine  and  surgery,  and  was  matriculated  at  the  College  of 
Physicians  and  Surgeons  of  the  city  of  New  York.  The 
thoroughness  and  zeal  which  have  characterized  his  whole 
career,  especially  marked  this  period  of  it.  He  studied  under 
Professor  Joseph  M.  Smith,  whose  intelligent  and  stimulating 
instruction  perhaps  never  met  with  heartier,  more  sympa- 
thetic, or  more  fruitful  co-operation.  An  economist  of  time 
and  a  niggard  of  recreation,  the  student  found  his  chief 
pleasure  in  books  and  demonstrations;  and  early  morning  and 
late  night  found  him  at  his  work.  In  this  early  experience, 
and  these  severe  labors,  such  as  few  care  to  encounter,  and 
fewer  still  are  able  to  bear,  the  future  practitioner,  with 
patient  painstaking,  marked  out  the  lines  of  his  remarkable 
professional  success. 

When  Dr.  Mitchell  was  a  student,  the  opportunities  for  sci- 
entific education  in  this  country  were  far  more  limited  than 
they  now  are.  Therefore,  after  he  had  received  his  degree 
from  the  New  York  College  of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  in 
1836,  he  resolved,  in  conformity  with  his  purpose  of  equip- 
ping himself  as  completely  as  possible  for  his  life  work,  to 
continue  his  studies  abroad.  Accordingly,  in  1837,  after  a 
full  term  of  service  as  walker  and  resident  physician  in  the 
New  York  Hospital,  he  sailed  for  Europe.  The  next  two 
years  were  spent  in  England  and  on  the  Continent,  most  of 
the  time  in  Paris,  where  he  improved,  to  the  full,  the  teaching 
}f  the  great  professors  gathered  there,  and  of  the  then  un- 
equalled school  of  the  French  hospitals. 

Upon  his  return  to  the  United  States  in  1839,  he  began 
practice  in  the  city  of  New  York.  He  also  formed  a  connec- 
tion with  the  Northern  Dispensary,  then  located  in  Fourth 
street,  where  he  was  associated  with  Dr.  Cammann  in  the 
lepartment  of  Diseases  of  the  Heart  and  Lungs  Not  long 
after  he  was  invited  to  the  Professorship  of  Obstetrics  in  the 
Castleton  (Vermont)  Medical  College.  The  duties  of  this 
position  were  in  the  direct  line  of  the  specialty  which  had 


engaged  his  attention  in  Europe.  The  chair  which  he  filled 
successfully  until  1845,  enabled  him  not  only  to  share  his 
acquired  knowledge  with  others,  but  to  push  his  special  sci- 
entific investigations  still  further. 

In  1844,  Dr.  Mitchell  transferred  his  practice  from  New 
York  to  Brooklyn,  where  he  rapidly  rose  to  eminence  among 
his  local  contemporaries. 

The  more  important  part  of  the  history  of  Brooklyn  has 
been  made  during  Dr.  Mitchell's  life  and  work  in  it.  Almost 
all  of  its  public  institutions  of  significance  and  value  have 
been  born  and  have  matured  within  his  observation,  and  to 
the  establishment  and  maintenance  of  some  of  them,  he  has 
contributed  time,  labor  and  money,  unostentatiously  but  lib- 
erally. For  many  years  he  has  been  a  member  of  the  Kings 
County  Medical  Society,  serving  for  three  terms  as  its  Presi- 
dent, and  been  always  actively  concerned  in  its  advancement. 
He  is  a  member  also  of  the  New  York  Academy  of  Medicine; 
of  the  Physicians' Mutual  Aid  Association,  and  of  the  Society 
for  the  Relief  of  the  Widows  and  Orphans  of  Medical  Men. 
He  belonged  to  the  first  Board  of  Visiting  Physicians  of  the 
Brooklyn  City  Hospital,  and  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the 
Brooklyn  Dispensary  and  of  the  Long  Island  College  Hos- 
pital. He  is  still  a  member  of  the  Council  of  the  latter  and 
of  its  Board  of  Regents.  He  is  a  consulting  physician  of  St. 
John's  Hospital,  and  of  the  Home  for  Aged  Men.  He  has 
represented  the  Kings  County  Medical  Society  in  the  State 
Medical  Society;  was  a  delegate  to  the  National  Convention, 
which  formed  the  American  Medical  Association,  and  for 
several  years  represented  in  the  latter  the  Kings  County 
Medical  Society.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  American 
Academy  of  Medicine. 

Dr.  Mitchell  was  among  the  original  members  of  the  Long 
Island  Historical  Society,  and  is  still,  as  he  has  been  for  years, 
one  of  its  trustees. 

While  he  has  long  been  a  conscientious  and  consistent  pro- 
fessor of  religion,  he  lays  more  stress  upon  a  practical  Chris- 
tian life,  and  is  a  severe  and  critical  judge  of  his  own  conduct 
in  that  relation.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Church  of  the  Pil- 
grims (Dr.  Storrs,  Pastor),  and  was  one  of  its  founders. 

As  in  professional,  so  in  political  affairs;  Dr.  Mitchell  comes 
to  his  conclusions  after  mature  deliberation,  and  his  convic- 
tions, when  formed,  are  strong  and  earnest.  He  is  not  a 
politician,  but  is  an  attentive  observer  of  the  affairs  of  the 
City,  State  and  Nation,  and  has  decided  opinions,  to  which, 
upon  occasion,  he  gives  expression  with  intelligence  and 
candor.  He  is,  however,  above  all  things  a  professional  man, 
and  the  steadfastness  with  which  he  has  put  his  chosen  call- 
ing before  other  interests,  largely  explains  his  mastery  of  it. 
His  methods  are  conservative  and  cautious,  rather  than  radi- 
cal or  innovating,  but  he  is  fully  abreast  of  the  learning  of 
the  time,  and  his  patients  never  fail  to  get  the  benefit  of  later 
studies  and  discoveries. 

Among  his  friends,  Dr.  Mitchell  is  a  cultivated  and  com- 
panionable man;  and,  as  a  citizen,  he  is  generous,  public- 
spirited  and  influential. 

He  has  been  thrice  married;  in  1843,  to  Caroline  L. ;  daugh- 
ter of  B.  F.  Langdon,  Esq.,  of  Castleton,  Vt. ;  in  1857,  to 
Frances  E.,  daughter  of  Benjamin  Wright,  Esq.,  of  Rome, 
Oneida  county,  N.  Y. ;  and,  in  1875,  to  Kate  M.,  daughter  of 
J.  M.  Van  Cott,  Esq.,  of  Brooklyn.  N.  Y. 


St.  Mary's  General  Hospital,  under  the  charge 
of  the  Sisters  of  Charity,  St.  Mark's  avenue,  between 
Rochester  and  Buffalo  avenues,  is  the  outcome  of  a  less 
pretentious  institution,  namely,  St.  Mary's  Female 
Hospital,  incorporated  in  1868,  and  first  located  at  247 


034 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


ST.  MARY'S  GENERAL  HOSPITAL. 


Clinton  street.  The  plot  of  ground  on  which  the 
building  stands — being  an  entire  block,  with  a  frontage 
on  St.  Mark's  avenue  of  700  feet,  and  running  along 
Buffalo  and  Rochester  avenues  225  feet  to  Prospect 
place — was  purchased  by  Right  Rev.  Bishop  Loughlin, 
in  1878.  The  corner-stone  was  laid  on  October  18th, 
1879;  and  the  present  structure,  the  western  wing — 
(about  one-third  the  entire  building),  extending  105  feet 
on  St.  Mark's  avenue  and  225  feet  in  the  direction  of 
Prospect  place — was  formally  thrown  open  to  the 
public  on  December  17th,  1882;  though  owing  to  nu- 
merous applications,  it  was  found  necessary  to  admit 
many  patients,  principally  surgical,  during  the  three 
or  four  weeks  preceding. 

The  hospital,  as  it  now  stands,  can  accommodate 
from  250  to  300  patients.  The  architect  was  P.  C. 
Keely. 

The  incorporators,  constituting  the  Board  of  Trustees, 
are:  Right  Rev.  Bishop  Loughlin,  Rev.  E.  J.  O'Reilly, 
Jno.  D.  Keiley,  Jr.,  John  J.  Kiernan,  Dr.  John  Byrne 
and  James  Clyne,  together  with  three  members  of  the 
order  of  St.  Vincent  de  Paul,  all  of  the  city  of  Brooklyn. 

In  the  fall  of  1882,  the  present  structure  being  near 
completion,  the  Trustees  confided  to  Dr.  John  Byrne 
the  responsible  duty  of  effecting  such  a  professional 
organization  as  he  deemed  most  consistent  with  a 
thoroughly  practical  working  of  the  institution,  and 
one  worthy  the  largest  hospital  in  the  city. 

To  this  end  Dr.  Byrne  summoned  to  his  aid  a  num- 
ber of  the  leading  physicians  and  surgeons  of  Brook- 
lyn, to  whom  he  submitted  his  views,  the  main  novelty 
of  which  consisted  in  his  proposition  to  make  this  a 
hospital  of  specialties,  and  thus  not  only  the  better 
promote  the  interests  of  suffering  humanity,  but  supply 
a  long-felt  want,  and  at  the  same  time  meet  the  cordial 
approval  of  the  entire  profession. 

The  result  of  repeated  conferences  was  the  nomina- 
tion of  the  following  gentlemen,  who  constitute  the 
present  faculty,  and  whose  appointments  were  duly  ap- 
proved and  continued  by  the  Board  of  Trustees  : 

Consulting  Staff. — Surgeons:  Jarvis  S.  Wight, 
M.  D.;  John  S.  Andrews,  M.  I).  Physicians :  Alex. 
Hutehins,  M.  D. ;  Avery  Segur,  M.  D. ;  Edward  Malone, 
M.  D.j  William  Wallace,  M.  D. 

Faculty  of  tub  Hospital. — John  Byrne,  M.  D.,  M 
R.  C.  S.  Ed.,  Dep.  of  (fyneoology  and  President  of  Che 




Faculty.  Frank  E.  Rockwell,  M.  D.,  Dep.  of  Genito 
Urinary  Surgery;  Samuel  Santoire,  M.  D.,  Dep.  o 
Diseases  of  the  Joints  ;  Charles  Jewett,  M.  D.,  Dep.  o 
Diseases  of  Children  ;  George  R.  Fowler,  M.  D.,  Dep 
of  Fractures  and  Dislocations ;  Benjamin  F.  West 
brook,  M.  D.,  Dep.  of  Diseases  of  the  Thorax;  Geor^, 
R.  Kuhn,  M.  D.,  Dep.  of  Diseases  of  the  Abdomimi 
Viscera;  Joel  Wilbur  Hyde,  M.  D.,  Dep.  of  Obstetrics 
Landon  Carter  Gray,  M.  D.,  Dep.  of  Mental  and  N\  r 
vous  Diseases  and  Electro-Therapy,  and  Secrttary 
the  Faculty:  Arthur  Matthewson,  M.  D.,  Dep.  of  Dis 
eases  of  Eye  and  Ear  ;  William  E.  Griffiths,  M.  D. 
Dep.  of  Diseases  of  the  Skin. 

Associate  Visiting  Staff. — J.  C.  Schapps,  M.  1). 
J.  C.  McEvitt,  M.  D. ;  Walter  J.  Corcoran,  M.  D. ;  Geo 
R.  Westbrook.M.  D.;  G.  V.  P.  Convery,  M.  D.;  J.  A 
Ray,  M.  D.;  Herbert  S.  Williams,  M.  D.;  Louis  Kuhn 
M.  D. ;  Glen  D.  Butler,  M.  D. ;  John  D.  Sullivan,  M.  D. 
Charles  H.  Terry,  M.  D.;  A.J.  Dower,  M.  D.;  Johr 
Harrigan,  M.  D. ;  Joseph  E.  Smith,  M.  D. ;  Isaac  H 
Piatt,  M.  D.;  Charles  H.  Johnson,  M.  D.;  J.Y.  McGai 
M.  D.;  Joseph  A.  Kene,  M.  D.;  W.  J.  Brandt,  M.  D.: 
J.  F.  O'Connell,  M.  D.;  Thomas  A.  Joye,  M.  D.;  Job 
Corbin,  M.  D.;  A.  W.  Ford,  M.  D. 

Thomas  R.  French,  M.  D.,  Consxdting  Laryngologist ; 
Alexander  H.  P.  Leuf,  M.  D.,  Pathologist ;  Joseph  II. 
Hunt,  M.  D.,  Curator  and  Microscopist. 

Resident  Staff. — C.  E.  Dority,  M.  D.;  F.  G.  Curtis, 
M.  D.;  F.  E.  Tieste,  M.  D.;  B.  J.  Hammill,  M.  D. 

St.  Mary's  Hospital  is  non-sectarian  in  the  strictest 
sense  of  the  term,  neither  creed  nor  color  being  an 
obstacle  to  admission;  and,  while  there  are  a  large  num- 
ber of  well-furnished  private  rooms  for  both  sexes,  and 
wards  for  patients  whose  means  permit  of  a  mod- 
erate compensation  for  board  and  treatment,  yet  the 
average  proportion  of  free  patients  is  not  less  than 
80  per  cent.  It  is  supported,  thus  far,  wholly  by 
voluntary  contributions.  A  commodious  ward  bis 
been  set  apart  for  children's  diseases.  There  is  also  an 
efficient  ambulance  service. 

The  clinical  work  of  the  hospital,  both  medical  and 
surgical,  is  open  to  the  entire  profession.  It  is  in  Don- 
temptation  to  organize  an  out-door  department  to  meet 
the  wants  of  this  out-lying  district,  so  soon  as  the 
necessary  means  can  be  provided. 


John  Byrne,  M.  D.,  M.  R.  C.  S.  E.,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y  . 
born  at  Kilkeel.  in  the  county  of  Dow  n.  Ireland,  October  lit. 
1825.    His  father,  Stephen  Byrne,  who  was  an  extensive 
successful  merchant,  sent  his  son,  at  an  enrly  a^e.  l»*a«l 
ine;  classical  seminary  al  Belfast.    In  In-  thirteenth  year  K 
lieeame  the  pupil  of  a  celebrated  classical  and  niathemiilie.il 
preceptor,  Uov.  William  Craig,  a  Moravian  minister,  m  hil 
native  town.    Having  thus  received  a  thorough  preliminary 
education,  he  commenced  the  study  of  medicine  as  a  pupil  of 
Dr.    Daniel    Murray,  a  prominent  general  practitioner,  in 
Belfast.    He  matriculated  at  the  Royal  institution  of  Ibtl 
city  in  1842,  where  ho  completed  his  first  "  annus  medfcJM, 
comprising,  in  addition  to  practical  pharmacy  and  chemistry, 


R  Bobson,  Fab. 


/0* 


HOSPITALS,  DISPENSARIES,  ETC. 


935 


lectures  on  anatomy  and  physiology,  hospital  attendance, 
and  dissections;  such  course  being  recognized  and  required 
by  the  curricula  of  the  various  British  colleges.  During  the 
succeeding  five  years,  his  professional  studies  were  pursued 
in  the  Universities  of  Dublin,  Edinburgh  and  Glasgow,  the 
last  session  having  been  spent  in  Edinburgh,  where  he  grad- 
uated in  1846.  His  professional  career  opened  by  an  appoint- 
ment to  the  charge  of  a  temporary  fever  hospital  in  his  native 
country,  during  an  epidemic  of  typhoid  in  1846-'47.  His  se- 
lection for  the  discharge  of  the  duties  attached  to  this  respon- 
sible position,  was  based  mainly  on  his  unusually  large  hos- 
pital experience,  amounting  to  over  four  years'  actual 
attendance.  By  the  introduction  of  important  sanitary  mea" 
sures,  and  the  systematic  general  management  of  this  in- 
stitution, the  mortality  during  his  service  was  remarkably 
reduced,  so  much  so  as  to  call  forth  flattering  commendations 
from  British  government  officials,  and  a  handsome  testi- 
monial from  the  local  public  authorities.  He  emigrated  to 
the  United  States,  and  settled  in  Brooklyn  in  1848. 

In  1853,  with  a  view  to  enlarge  his  professional  associations, 
lie  graduated  at  the  New  York  Medical  College,  then  located 
in  East  Thirteenth  street.  He  was  one  of  the  originators  and 
active  founders  of  the  Long  Island  College  Hospital  in  1856. 

An  extensive  general  practice  of  fifteen  years  found  him  in 
1860  eminently  qualified  to  adopt  any  one  of  various  depart- 
ments of  medicine  or  surgery  as  a  specialty,  and  he  selected 
diseases  of  women  as  the  branch  most  congenial  to  his  tastes. 

In  1868,  through  the  assistance  of  a  few  charitable  and  pub- 
lic-spirited citizens,  and  the  co-operation  of  the  Sisters  of 
Charity,  he  organized  St.  Mary's  Female  Hospital  in  Dean 
street,  to  which  he  was  appointed  Surgeon-in-Chief,  which 
position  he  still  holds.  Within  a  few  years,  however,  the 
accommodations  having  been  found  entirely  inadequate  to 
the  increasing  demands  of  that  class  of  sufferers  for  whose 
special  benefit  the  institution  was  established ,  the  construc- 
tion of  St.  Mary's  General  Hospital  was  decided  on,  and  the 
building  commenced  in  1879. 

On  account  of  the  widespread  reputation  obtained  by  the 
former  institution,  through  his  untiring  efforts  and  the  active 
co-operation  of  his  professional  associates,  the  incorporators 
and  trustees  of  the  new  enterprise  entrusted  to  him  the  or- 
ganization of  its  present  medical  and  surgical  staff. 

He  is  the  author  of  several  able  papers,  and  numerous  peri- 
odical contributions  on  subjects  connected  with  gynecology, 
besides  monographs,  prominent  among  which  may  be  men- 
tioned, "  Besearches  and  observations  on  Bel  vie  Haematocele  " 
(1862);  "Clinical  Notes  on  the  Electric  Cautery  in  Uterine 
Surgery"  (1872);  "Amputations  and  Excisions  of  the  Cervix 
Uteri,"  etc.  (1877). 

He  has  given  considerable  attention  to  the  science  of  elec- 
tro-physics, and  to  his  experimental  researches  in  this  depart- 
ment the  profession  is  indebted  for  the  very  complete  gal vano- 
^autery  apparatus  which  bears  his  name. 

He  is  a  fellow  of  the  New  York  Academy  of  Medicine; 
member  and  late  president  of  the  New  York  Obstetrical  So- 
siety;  fellow  of  the  American  Gynecological  Society;  late 

linical  Frofessor  of  Uterine  Surgery  in  the  Long  Island 
Allege  Hospital;  member  of  the  American  Medical  Asso- 
:iation;  member  of  the  New  York  State  and  Kings  County 
VIedical  Societies;  Surgeon-in-Chief  to  St.  Mary's  Female 
3ospital,  and  Surgeon-in-Chief  to  department  of  Gynecology, 
md  President  of  the  Faculty  of  St.  Mary's  General  Hospital. 


The  Methodist  Episcopal  Hospital. — Upon  the 
iigh  land  on  the  block  between  Sixth  and  Seventh 
treets  and  Seventh  and  Eighth  avenues,  stands  this 


new  hospital,  which  Mr.  George  I.  Seney  presented  to 
that  denomination.  The  central  building  fronts  on 
Sixth  street,  and  is  92  by  156  feet,  and  four  stories  in 
height;  the  architecture  is  that  of  the  Renaissance;  the 
material  is  mainly  brick,  laid  in  black  mortar,  with 
trimmings  of  brown  stone.  It  is  entirely  fire-proof. 
Its  cost  is  $300,000.  The  hospital  is  intended  to 
accommodate  about  300  patients.  There  will  be  two 
2-story  pavilions,  one  on  each  of  the  main  buildings, 
and  40  feet  distant,  to  be  used  as  wards.  There  will 
also  be  six  smaller  detached  buildings,  including  a 
mortuary  chapel,  dissecting-room,  engine-house,  etc., 
which  are  not  yet  (1884)  built.  The  buildings  are  con- 
structed on  the  most  approved  plan,  and  in  accordance 
with  the  latest  discoveries  in  science  and  medicine. 

St.  John's  Hospital. — See  our  sketch  of  The 
Church  Charity  Foundation. 

The  Brooklyn  Eye  and  Ear  Hospital  was 
established  April  15th,  1868,  at  the  corner  of  Wash- 
ington and  Johnson  streets,  by  a  number  of  benevolent 
citizens.  Its  success  exceeded  their  most  sanguine  ex- 
pectations, more  spacious  accommodations  were  soon 
needed,  and  the  fine  brick  building,  No.  190  Washing- 
ton street,  having  been  purchased  and  fitted  up  for  the 
reception  of  patients,  was  opened  on  the  20th  of  April, 
1869. 

It  was  established  as  a  purely  benevolent  institution. 
Year  by  year  its  work  increased,  till,  in  1881,  larger 
accommodations  were  found  indispensable,  and  the 
Juvenile  High  School  building,  100  Livingston  street, 
was  purchased  at  a  cost  of  $47,500  and  converted  into 
a  hospital. 

Since  the  establishment  of  this  hospital  more  than 
40,000  cases  have  been  treated,  and  this  work  has  been 
wholly  gratuitous.  Clinical  instruction  has  been  given 
daily  in  this  institution,  to  such  medical  students  as  have 
chosen  to  avail  themselves  of  it. 

S.  B.  Chittenden  was  President  of  the  hospital  from 
its  establishment  until  1882.  The  present  officers  are: 
E.  R.  Squibb,  President;  C.  D.  Robbins,  Vice-President ; 
A.  D.  Wheelock,  Treasurer;  F.  H.  Colton,  M.  D., 
Secretary;  Chas.  Meyer,  Superintendent. 

Brooklyn  Home  for  Consumptives. — Early  in 
the  summer  of  1881,  half  a  dozen  philanthropic  ladies 
and  gentlemen  of  Brooklyn  sent  out  a  call  to  the 
benevolent  people  of  the  city  to  meet  in  the  parlors  of 
Plymouth  Church,  to  consider  the  great  need  of  a  home 
for  consumptives.  It  had  been  found  that  the  doors  of 
all  hospitals  were  closed  against  this  class  of  sufferers, 
and  that  the  alms-house  alone  was  accessible  to  them. 
Certain  cases  of  peculiar  need  appealed  to  the  hearts  of 
the  few  who  issued  the  call,  and  who  were  gladdened 
by  the  response  of  about  fifty  persons,  mostly  ladies, 
from  various  churches  in  the  city.  This  meeting  was 
followed  by  others  of  increased  numbers,  resulting  in  a 
speedy  and  permanent  organization.  It  was  resolved 
not  to  limit  this  new  enterprise  by  making  an  asylum 


936 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


for  one  class  only,  but  to  found  one  home  in  the  city 
whose  doors  should  be  broad  enough  to  admit  any  one, 
irrespective  of  creed,  color,  sex  or  nationality;  and 
further,  not  to  restrict  it  to  consumptives  only,  but  to 
admit  to  its  consolations  such  other  sick  as  might  be 
unable  to  find  entrance  elsewhere.  Therefore,  in  due 
time,  the  society  was  incorporated,  under  the  name  of 
the  Garfield  Memorial  Home,  with  a  charter  wherein 
the  declared  object  was  to  provide  a  comfortable  home 
for  invalids,  especially  consumptives. 

An  ordinary  dwelling  house  on  Washington  avenue 
was  rented  by  the  society  in  August,  1881.  A  matron 
was  secured,  one  nurse  and  one  steward.  The  house 
was  soon  filled;  and,  from  the  very  first,  need  was  felt  of 
more  room.  In  April,  1882,  the  trustees  purchased  the 
building  now  occupied,  at  No.  219  Raymond  street, 
where  there  are  beds  for  twenty-nine  patients,  each  fitted 
witli  a  wire  woven  mattress  and  hair  mattress  above. 
This  seemed  a  real  necessity,  so  emaciated  is  this  class, 
and  often  long  confined  to  their  beds.  To  most  of  them 
such  a  luxury  was  beyond  anything  hoped  for.  Food 
of  the  most  nutritious  kind  is  furnished,  the  one  item 
of  milk  amounting  to  thirty  or  forty  quarts  per  day. 

It  is  just  to  say  that  this  institution  owes  its  exist- 
ence to  Rev.  S.  B.  Halliday.  For  a  long  time  he  gave 
not  only  his  money  but  himself  to  it.  Without  his 
efforts  it  would  not  have  been.  The  Fruit  and  Flower 
Mission  have  remembered  it  with  their  pleasing  charity. 
Several  persons  have  furnished  rooms  in  the  building; 
and,  in  one  case,  Dr.  Scudder's  Church  has  furnished 
an  entire  ward.  The  physicians,  who  represent  both  the 
Homoeopathic  and  Allopathic  schools  of  medicine,  have 
rendered  their  services  gratuitously,  and  religious 
services  have  been  held  regularly  at  the  home. 

Keith  Home,  for  Nervous  and  Mental  Diseases,  No. 
883  St.  Mark's  avenue,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. — May  1,  1874, 
Mrs.  Lydia  Keith,  who  had  been  for  several  years  an 
instructor  in  the  Massachusetts  School  for  Feeble- 
minded Persons,  opened  a  home  at  the  corner  of  Madi- 
son street  and  Tompkins  avenue,  for  the  care  and  treat- 
ment of  feeble-minded  persons,  and  those  who  suffer 
from  nervous  diseases.  The  new  home  had  accommo- 
dations for  six  patients.  Dr.  Jerome  Walker,  a  spe- 
cialist in  the  diseases  of  children,  was  made  consulting 
physician.  In  1876,  Dr.  John  C.  Shaw,  a  specialist  in 
nervous  and  mental  diseases,  was  also  made  a  consult- 
ing physician;  and,  in  1878,  the  institution  was  removed 
to  its  present  location.  During  the  first  five  years,  24 
patients  were  treated  at  the  Home.  In  1879,  the  Some 
was  removed  to  its  present  location,  and  entitled  the 
Keith  Home.  In  ISSO,  a  license  to  receive  insane  pa- 
tients was  granted  to  Mrs.  Keith,  by  Dr.  John  Ordro- 
naux,  the  State  Commissioner  in  Lunacy. 

In  May,  1880,  Dr.  Archibald  Campbell,  formerly  of 
the  Flat  hush  Insane  Asylum,  was  appointed  resident 
physician  of  the  Home,  Drs.  Walker  and  Shaw,  still 
acting  is  consulting  physicians.    Since  then,  the  Home 


has  received  cases  of  acute  and  chronic  insanity  of  a 
mild  type,  and  also  patients  suffering  from  nervous  af- 
fections. The  capacity  of  the  Home  was  limited  to  15 
patients,  and  none  but  females  are  received.  It  is  not 
a  benevolent  institution;  derives  no  pecuniary  aid  from 
any  city,  county  or  state  fund ;  and,  therefore,  does  not 
receive  any  "charity"  or  indigent  patients. 

During  the  past  four  years,  35  patients,  mostly  incur- 
able, have  been  admitted.  Present  Board  of  Omens: 
Mrs.  Lydia  Keith,  Manager;  Archibald  Campbell, 
M.  D.,  Resident  Physician  ;  Jerome  Walker,  M.  D.. 
and  John  C.  Shaw,  M.  D.,  Consulting  Physicians, 

The  Brooklyn  City  Dispensary  (incorporated 
March  5,  1850),  commenced  operations  August  10th, 
1846,  at  first  in  the  old  Jackson  house,  in  Hudson 
street,  near  Lafayette  street;  and, a  few  years  after,  ob- 
tained the  use  of  one  of  the  basement  rooms  of  tin 
City  Hall,  where  they  remained  until  the  city  officials, 
having  a  wholesome  dread  of  contracting  some  con- 
tagious disease,  agreed  to  pay  the  rent  of  the  institu- 
tion if  removed  to  some  other  place.  The  back  com- 
pound ing-room  of  Bailey's  drug  store,  No.  269  Wash- 
ington street,  was  its  next  refuge;  then  the  first  floor 
of  No.  107  Pineapple  street,  the  whole  of  which  was 
finally  absorbed  by  its  increasing  demands;  and,  finally, 
by  the  exertions  of  the  president,  Thomas  Clarke,  ami 
the  trustees,  sufficient  money  was  raised  to  purchase 
and  furnish  the  premises  on  Tillary  street,  between 
Fulton  and  Washington  streets.  This  building — of 
brick,  25  by  45  feet  in  size,  most  admirably  arranged 
and  equipped  for  its  specific  uses,  and  attended  daily 
by  an  energetic  and  faithful  corps  of  experienced  phy- 
sicians and  surgeons,  with  a  resident  apothecary,  full 
set  of  instruments,  apparatus,  etc. — presents  a  most 
striking  contrast  with  the  condition  of  the  institution 
when  living  here  and  there,  in  basements  and  hired 
houses;  when  the  attending  physicians  were  obliged  t<> 
use  their  own  private  cases  of  instruments,  and  often 
pay  for  medicines  themselves;  when  the  patients  wen 
all  sent  to  some  convenient  drug  store,  where  the  drag- 
gist  \vas  allowed  five  cents  for  each  prescription  made 
up  for  them;  when  Mr.  Arthur  W.  Benson,  I!.  W. 
Delamater  and  others  of  the  trustees,  carried  on  the 
dispensary,  for  months  at  a  time,  out  of  their  own  pri- 
vate means.  The  City  Dispensary  has  trained  many 
prominent  physicians  for  the  useful  positions  which 
they  afterward  occupied  in  the  public  estimation. 

In  1883,  there  were  8,995  different  persons  who  re- 
ceived gratuitous  medical  treatment  at  the  dispensan 
— 5,741  females  and  3,254  males,  4,614  being  native!  <>f 
the  United  States — to  whom  14,338  prescriptions  for 
medicine  were  supplied  free  of  charge. 

Teustkks:  John  .1.  Studwell,  Robert  S.  I  hissing. 
Alexander  Forman,  Aaron  L.  Rcid,  John  M.  Knox,  Jr., 
Samuel  Rowland,  Chas.  E.  Bell,  Jr.,  John  N  Qafek, 
Charles  M.  Field,  Frank  Lyman,  Frederick  (  romwell. 
J.  II.  Armington,  Alexis  C.  Smith,  W.  W.  HeoihtV, 


HOSPITALS,  DISPENSARIES,  ETC.  937 


Charles  Griffen,  R.  S.  Bussing,  Jr.,  John  D.  Chase, 
James  W.  Elwell,  George  I.  Seney,  William  M. 
Thomas,  Henry  Rowland,  Arthur  W.  Benson,  George 
W.  Mead,  Thomas  Clark,  Jr.,  Frank  S.  Benson. 

Officers,  1884  (all  of  whom  have  served  con- 
tinuously for  sixteen  years):  William  W.  Henshaw, 
Pres.;  Aaron  L.  Reid,  First  Vice-Pres.;  John  N.  Quirk, 
Second  Vice-Pres.;  Robert  S.  Bussing,  Sec;  John  J. 

Studwell,  Treas. 
Medical  Staff:  Dr.  J.  B.  Jones,  department  for 

treatment  diseases  of  females;  Dr.  W.  F.  Swalm  and 
Dr.  John  Merritt,  heart,  throat  and  lungs;  Dr.  N.  A. 
Robbins  and  Dr.  E.  A.  Lewis,  surgical  cases;  Dr.  F. 
Hoyt  and  Dr.  L.  Criado,  nervous  and  digestive  diseases; 
Dr.  W.  E.  Spencer  and  Dr.  L.  McPhail,  diseases  of 
children;  Dr.  A.  W.  Brewster,  eye  and  ear  diseases; 
Dr.  A.  Haslett,  skin  diseases;  Dr.  N.  A.  Robbins,  (this 
department  established  in  1857)  teeth  and  vaccination. 
Dr.  N.  A.  Robbins,  Apothecary . 

The  Brooklyn  Central  Dispensary  was  opened 
August  1st  at  Flatbush  avenue,  near  Nevins  street,  and 
incorporated  August  7th,  1855.  Its  founders  were  : 
Josiah  West,  Jas.  Van  Dyck,  Wm.  Swift,  Wm.  B. 
Dodge,  Thos.  L.  Magagnos,  Wm.  H.  Hallock,  Alex. 
H.  Curtenden  and  D.  Tompkins  Gray.  It  was  subse- 
quently removed  to  its  present  location,  312  Raymond 
street.  It  is  doing  a  good  work,  and  is  managed  by  a 
Board  of  Trustees  comprising  (1882-'3)  Jos.  S.  Spin- 
ney Col.  M.  Bennett,  W.  B.  Maddox,  Jas.  Rorke,  Wm. 
E.  Hines,  John  H.  Ireland,  N.  H.  Clement,  Hugh  Boyd, 
Theophilus  Olena,  Lowell  Talbott,  George  V.  Brower, 
Dr.  Isaac  H.  Barber,  Edward  Daly,  Wm.  J.  Gelston, 
Benjamin  Liniken,  George  L.  Morse  and  Nathaniel 
Beggs. 

Officers  (1882) :  Wm.  E.  Hines,  Pres.;  Dr.  Isaac  H. 
Barber,  First  Vice-Pres.;  Geo.  L.  Morse,  Second  Vice- 
Pres.;  N.  H.  Clement,  Treas. j  George  V.  Brower,  Sec. 

Woman's  Dispensary  and  Hospital,  48  Debe- 
voise  place,  near  DeKalb  avenue,  was  organized  in 
October,  1881,  and  incorporated  1882.  Mary  A.  Dixon 
Jones,  M.  D.,  in  her  extensive  practice,  observing  the 
great  and  general  suffering  of  women  who  could  com- 
mand the  best  medical  skill,  and  surround  themselves 
with  every  comfort  that  love  and  money  could  supply, 
was  led  to  consider  how  intolerable  were  the  sorrows  and 
burdens  of  the  many  poor  women  of  the  city,  burdened 
with  the  same  physical  ills,  and  yet  wholly  unable  to 
command  medical  help,  or  one  of  the  many  comforts 
which  go  to  alleviate  the  sufferings  of  their  more  fa- 
vored sisters. 

Dr.  Jones  tried  to  secure  a  bed  in  the  New  York 
Woman's  Hospital  for  a  needy  Brooklyn  woman,  in 
May,  but  could  not  be  accommodated  until  the  next 
October.  Impressed  by  these  and  other  similar  cases, 
of  the  great  necessity  for  such  a  refuge  for  women  in 
Brooklyn,  Dr.  Jones  became  a  leader  and  most  earnest 
worker  in  the  establishment  of  this  organization. 


When  the  institution  was  first  organized,  a  dispen- 
sary was  opened  at  81  Raymond  street,  and  was  well 
patronized.  Many  most  pitiful  cases  needed  imme- 
diate hospital  accommodations;  and  it  became  more 
and  more  evident  that  such  must  be  provided,  either 
by  renting  or  purchasing  a  more  suitable  house.  To- 
ward the  close  of  the  year  an  opportunity  offered  to 
purchase  a  four-story  brick  house,  with  basement, 
having  twenty-four  rooms,  at  48  Debevoise  place. 

On  the  10th  day  of  January,  1883,  the  first  patient 
was  admitted.  It  is  one  of  the  special  objects  of  this 
Hospital  to  take  poor  women  and  restore  them  to  health 
and  to  capabilities  of  labor.  The  Board  of  Managers 
see  the  necessity  of  making  yet  more  extended  ar- 
rangements for  the  accommodation  of  these  sick  people. 
The  Mission  of  the  Dispensary  and  Hospital  is  to  help 
suffering  women  and  children.  During  the  past  year 
over  1,500  visits  of  the  sick  have  been  made  to  the 
Dispensary. 

Medical  Board. —  Consulting  Staff:  J.  H.  Hobart 
Burge,  M.  D.,  Frank  W.  Rockwell,  M.  D.,  John  Byrne, 
M.  D.,  Arthur  Mathewson,  M.  D.,  Surgeons  ;  Landon 
Carter  Gray,  M.  D.,  Francke  H.  Bosworth,  A.  M., 
M  D.,  James  Watt,  M.  D.,  Prof.  B.  F.  Dawson, 
M.  D.,  Physicians  ;  Attending  Physicians  :  Mary  A. 
Dixon  Jones,  M.  D.,  W.  B.  Mathewson,  M.  D.,  A.  H. 
P.  Leuf,  M.  D.,  Charles  N.  D.  Jones,  B.  S.,  M.  D. 
Dispensary  Physicia?is  :  Mary  A.  Dixon  Jones,  M.  D., 
Wm.  B.  Mathewson,  M.  D.,  A.  H.  P.  Leuf,  M.  D.,  John 
C.  Lester,  M.  D.,  Chapin  Minard,  M.  D.  The  Dispen- 
sary is  open  daily  for  the  reception  of  patients.  The  dis- 
pensary building  is  in  most  thorough  repair.  The  wards 
have  been  remodeled.  Since  January,  1883,  one  thou- 
sand patients  have  been  attended  to,  at  the  Dispensary. 
Oeficers  (1883)  :  Mrs.  E.  M.  Sandford,  Pres.;  Mrs 
Mary  Lewis  and  Mrs.  C.  N.  Hoagland,  Vice-Pres. ;  Mrs. 
Geo.  Stannard  and  Miss  M.  D.  Jones,  Secretaries; 
Mrs.  P.  A.  Resseguie,  Treas. 

The  Lucretia  Mott  Dispensary  and  Infirmary } 
No.  315  Atlantic  avenue,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  was  organ- 
ized October  31,  1881,  and  soon  after  incorporated,  to 
afford  medical  and  surgical  treatment  of  women  and 
children,  by  women  physicians.  It  first  numbered 
seven  members;  now  seventeen.  Its  Trustees  were  : 
Mrs.  R.  H.  Manning,  Mrs.  J.  A.  Goodenough,  Mrs.  E. 
A.  Bourquin,  Mrs.  Anna  C.  Field,  Mrs.  E.  G.  Williams, 
Dr.  Aaron  Wright  and  Dr.  E.  S.  Bunker.  The  work 
of  the  dispensary  has  largely  increased  and  met  with 
great  success.  Officers  (1883):  Dr.  Aaron  Wright, 
Pres.;  Mrs.  R.  H.  Manning,  Vice-Pres.;  Mrs.  E.  G. 
Williams,  Sec.;  Mrs.  J.  A.  Goodenough,  Treas.;  Mr. 
Nathan  Comstock,  Counsel. 

Eastern  District  Dispensary. — In  1851,  Captain 
Samuel  Grove,  a  philanthropic  gentleman,  agitated  the 
question  of  establishing  a  dispensary  in  Williamsburg. 
A  few  moderately  successful  meetings  were  held,  and 
a  small  sum  of  money  was  collected.    The  result  of 


93  S 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUKTY. 


l lie  meetings  was  that  the  lower  rooms  of  the  frame 
building  on  the  north-east  corner  of  South  First  and 
Fifth  streets,  were  rented,  and  Dr.  Hardcastle  opened 
tlie  Williamsburg  Dispensary  on  the  1st  of  September, 
1851.  The  first  physicians  who  treated  patients  at  the 
dispensary  were  C.  II.  Schapps,  E.  N.  Colt,  T.  Marseills 
and  B.  F.  Bassett.  Captain  Grove  remained  president 
of  the  Dispensary  Association  until  the  time  of  his 
death. 

After  the  annexation  of  Williamsburg  to  Brooklyn, 
the  name  of  the  dispensary  was  changed  by  substitut- 
ing "  Eastern  District  "  for  ""Williamsburg."  Captain 
Grove  was  an  honest,  earnest  worker;  but  it  was  left 
for  ex-Senator  Strong,  who  has  been  president  of  the 
trustees  for  many  years,  to  build  up  and  enlarge  the 
institution,  and,  consequently,  increase  its  usefulness. 
To  the  ability  and  tact,  combined  with  energy,  which 
he  brought  to  bear  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties  as 
executive  officer,  much  of  the  success  of  the  institution 
is  due.  After  the  first  few  years  of  its  existence,  the 
building  became  too  small  to  accommodate  the  large 
number  who  applied  for  relief. 

In  1860,  the  three-story  brick  building  at  No.  165 
Fourth  street  was  leased  from  the  city  at  a  nominal 
rent,  and  was  modestly  fitted  up.  After  a  lapse  of 
several  years,  a  hospital  department,  containing  eight 
or  ten  beds,  was  fitted  up  on  the  second  floor  for  the 
reception  of  accident  patients.  Dr.  Samuel  Brady  was 
the  head  surgeon,  and  he  yet  retains  that  position.  An 
ambulance  was  also  attached  to  the  institution,  and  the 
young  surgeon,  with  the  steward,  occupied  the  upper 
floor,  where  the  cooking  was  done  also.  With  the  in- 
crease of  manufacturing  industries  on  the  water  front, 
including  sugar  and  oil  refiners,  the  number  of  acci- 
dents to  workingmen  also  increased  to  such  a  large  ex- 
tent, that  the  building  was  altogether  too  small  to 
accommodate  them.  Most  of  the  patients  had  to  be 
taken  to  the  City  and  Long  Island  College  Hospitals, 
until  St.  Catharine's  Hospital,  on  Bushwick  avenue 
(one  of  the  finest  as  well  as  the  most  useful  of  Brooklyn 
hospitals),  was  established.  The  Eastern  District  pa- 
tients were  then  taken  there. 

Several  years  ago,  Mr.  Strong  succeeded  in  impress- 
ing the  trustees  of  the  Eastern  District  Hospital  with 
the  necessity  of  a  larger  building,  suited  to  the  grow- 
ing population  and  the  consequent  increase  of  the  num- 
ber of  pat  tents. 

Ground  was  purchased  as  a  site  on  South  Third 
street,  below  Fourth  street;  and,  after  much  discussion 
and  many  delays,  the  present  handsome  building  was 
erected.  The  new  structure  was  built  on  a  rather 
Unique  plan,  and  it  is  claimed  to  be  the  most  commo- 
dious hospital  in  Brooklyn.  The  main  building,  front- 
ing on  South  Third  street,  is  three  stories  in  height, 
and  the  two  wings  connected  with  it  are  two  stories 
high  each.  On  the  ground  Moors  of  the  wings  the  sev- 
eral clinics  and  the  apothecary's  room  are  located;  and 


the  second  floors,  as  well  as  a  floor  in  the  main  build- 
ing, are  devoted  to  hospital  purposes.  There  are  about 
forty  beds  in  the  building.  There  is  a  room  for  each 
clinic,  and  the  physicians  attend  for  an  hour  at  the 
same  time. 

During  the  thirty-two  years  that  Dr.  Hardcastle  has 
been  connected  with  the  institution,  he  has  faithfulh 
and  well  discharged  his  duties  as  apothecary  and  den- 
tist. He  has  spent  a  lifetime  in  the  service  of  the  in- 
stitution. 

The  Southern  Dispensary  and  Hospital  wis 

first  projected  by  an  association  of  individuals  in  1873. 
In  1874,  it  was  incorporated  under  the  above  title, 
though  the  hospital  department  was  never  established. 
The  dispensary  was  first  located  on  the  corner  of 
Sackett  and  Court  streets,  in  rooms  over  a  store.  Attn 
its  incorporation  it  was  removed  to  its  present  location 
at  the  corner  of  Court  street  and  Third  place. 

Nathaniel  Ford,  M.  D.,  was  the  first  President;  fol- 
lowed, in  succession,  by  Edward  P.  Ingersoll,  D.  D., 
James  Wall,  M.  D.,  and  the  present  President.  Benja- 
min Richardson. 

At  first,  the  dispensary  was  maintained  by  contribu- 
tions from  a  few  citizens.  Since  its  incorporation  it 
has  had  an  annual  appropriation  from  the  state  of 
$1,000,  and  this  has  defrayed  its  expenses.  Officers 
(1883):  B.  Richardson,  Pres.;  H.  E.  Dubois,  Vice- 
Pres.;  M.  D.  Lawrence,  Sec.;  David  T.  Trundv,  Tr>m. 
Trustees  :  B.  Richardson,  II.  E.  Du  Bois,  B.  II.  Buell, 
Rev.  E.  J.  O'Reilly,  M.  D.  Lawrence,  John  Bennett, 
Theodore  Ritter,  E.  W.  Mascord,  W.  L.  Harris,  David 
T.  Trundy,  Olaf  F.  Anderson,  Fred.  Webster,  John  R. 
Wilmarth,  John  R.  Greason  and  N.  B.  Gardner. 

Bushwick  and  East  Brooklyn  Dispensary.  N 
942  Myrtle  avenue,  is  the  result  of  the  consolidation  el' 
two  incipient  organizations,  the  history  of  which  is  a> 
follows  :  June  15,  1876,  a  few  citizens  met  in  St.  Bar- 
nabas' Church,  Bushwick  avenue,  to  consider  the  qa*» 
tion  of  the  establishing  of  a  dispensary  in  the  eastern 
part  of  the  city.  A  committee  of  six,  appointed  lo 
prepare  a  plan  for  a  permanent  organization,  presented 
a  report  at  a  meeting  held  Feb.  2,  1877,  which  report 
was  adopted  ;  and  the  "  Bushwick  I  >i«pciisar\  Ass<»eia- 
tion  "  was  thereupon  resolved  into  existence.  Standing' 
committees  on  finance  and  charter  were  appointed,  and 
subscriptions  to  the  amount  of  ninety  dollars  MM 
made. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  first  Sunday  in  NVn ember, 
1877,  Dr.  F.  L.  Tetamore,  and  a  few  friends,  opened 
rooms  on  DcKalb,  near  Nostrand  avenue,  for  a  MitfMM 
Sabbath  School.  Shortly  after,  they  lilted  up  I  num- 
ber  of  beds,  where  destitute  young  men  could  find 
lodgings.  Places  of  employment  for  such  were  sought, 
and  in  some  instances  found;  and,  besides  these  hem  * 
olent  undertakings,  the  establishing  of  a  dispeMMj 
was  planned,  and  actually  began  the  work  ol  miniitet" 
ing  to  the  sick  poor  on  December  10th. 


HOSPITALS,  DISPENSARIES,  ETC. 


939 


The  medical  staff  consisted  of  the  following  :  Dr. 
Williams,  President;  Dr.  Hunt,  Secretary,  and  Messrs. 
Fowler,  Sizer,  Hamilton,  Crutchley,  King  and  Evans. 
The  work  grew  so  rapidly  upon  them  that  the}'  cast 
about  to  ohtain  a  more  perfect  organization;  and,  in 
seeking  persons  to  become  incorporators  of  the  "  East 
Brooklyn  Dispensary,"  they  learned  of  the  steps  which 
had  already  been  taken  for  the  formation  of  the  "  Bush- 
wick  Dispensary."  This  resulted  in  a  preliminary 
conference,  at  the  house  of  John  M.  Phelps,  of  a  few 
friends  of  each  organization.  On  the  evening  of  Feb. 
13,  1S78,  a  more  general  meeting  of  the  friends  of  both 
organizations  was  held  in  the  chapel  of  St.  Matthew's 
Church,  which  resulted  in  the  consolidation  of  both 
dispensaries  under  the  name  of  Bushwick  and  East 
Brooklyn  Dispensary.  At  subsequent  meetings  offi- 
icers  were  elected,  and  a  constitution  and  by-laws 
adopted.  A  charter  meantime  had  been  obtained,  and 
the  medical  staff  had  reorganized  ;  an  apothecary  had 
been  secured,  and,  on  March  1,  1878,  the  dispensary 
was  opened  at  942  Myrtle  avenue,  with  the  following 
Officers  (1879-'80):  Nicholas  Wyckoff,  Pres.;  Darwin 
R.  James  and  Hosea  O.  Pearce,  Vice- Presidents;  Jud- 
son  C.  Watson  and  John  S.  Norcross,  Secretaries; 
Frederick  Herr,  Treas.  Officers  (1882-83) :  Henry  O. 
Pearce,  Pres.;  John  L.  Nostrand,  First  Vice-Pres.; 
Frederick  Herr,  Second  Vice-Pres.;  Eugene  F.  Barnes, 
Bee.  Sec;  William  Valentine,  Cor.  Sec;  A.  Howell 
Topping,  Treas. 

The  Brooklyn  Sanitarian  Hospital  and  Dis- 
pensary, 103  Lawrence  street,  was  the  outgrowth  of 
the  labors  of  T.  S.  Wilcox,  M.  D.,  and  was  organized 
with  seven  members,  December  6th,  1S79  (incorporated 
nine  days  later),  for  the  care  of  the  sick  and  destitute. 

The  first  managers  were:  George  Wilson,  John 
Francis,  T.  S.  Wilcox,  M.  D.,  Col.  Thos.  Carroll,  Robt. 
L.  Garretson,  F.  M.  Wilcox  and  Wm.  H.  Tintle.  The 
house,  103  Lawrence  street,  was  purchased,  hospital 
beds  supplied,  and  a  dispensary  opened  January  1st, 
1880,  in  charge  of  Dr.  Wilcox,  who  has  since  been  House 
Physician  and  General  Superintendent.  A  donation  of 
$1,000  from  Dr.  T.  S.  Wilcox  was  accepted. 

After  an  unsatisfactory  effort  to  organize  a  medical 
staff  from  the  different  schools  of  practice,  a  resolution 
was  unanimously  adopted  by  the  board,  declaring  the 
practice  in  this  hospital  to  be  that  of  the  Homoeopathic 
school;  with  discretionary  powers  by  the  resident 
physician  to  use  such  remedies  as  in  his  judgment 
should  be  most  beneficial  to  each  particular  case. 

The  first  Officers  were:  George  Wilson,  President; 
John  Francis,  Vice-President;  Thomas  Carroll,  Treas- 
urer; Frank  M.  Wilcox,  Secretary;  Robert  L.  Garrett- 
son,  Counselor.  The  succeeding  presidents  were : 
Joseph  E.  Weeden,  1880;  Rev.  J.  Hyatt  Smith,  1881; 
Dr.  William  Harris,  18S2;  Rev.  B.  F.  Reeve,  1883. 
The  other  Officers  for  1883  areas  follows:  Win.  S.Ford, 
Vice-President;  Rev.  G.  DeB.  Stoddard,  Secretary; 


Wm.  P.  Walsh,  Treasurer;  A.  L.  Martin  and  Jlenry  A. 
Hine,  Counselors;  Miss  Melissa  M.  Balcom,  Matron  and 
Manager  since  the  opening  of  the  institution.  The 
Board  now  numbers  26  members. 

Ninety-seven  cases  were  treated  in  the  hospital  in 
1883,  and  3,470  in  the  dispensary,  at  a  total  cost  of 
$2,099  j1^.  A  peculiar  feature  of  the  hospital  is  the 
privilege  that  a  patient  can  be  attended  by  his  own 
physician  while  in  the  hospital,  this  being  the  only  in- 
stitution in  Brooklyn  in  which  such  a  jtrivilege  is 
allowed. 

Medical  and  Surgical  Staff:  Samuel  Eden,  M.  D., 
Surgeon  ;  N.  A.  Robbins,  M.  D.,  Assistant  Surgeon ; 
G.  C.  Hamilton,  M.  D.,  C.  H.  Bronson,  M.  D.,  William 
Barker,  M.  D.,  H.  G.  Treat,  M.  D.,  and  Henry  Riedt, 
DD.  S.,  Dental  Surgeon. 

This  active  and  useful  institution  has  never  received 
a  dollar  from  the  city,  except  its  pro  rata  share  of  the 
excise  moneys,  amounting  to  between  three  and  four 
hundred  dollars  yearly.  The  balance  of  its  support 
comes  from  jjrivate  sources. 

There  are  ten  patients  at  present  in  the  house,  which 
has  but  ten  regular  beds,  with  means  of  extemporising 
as  many  more  extra.  Estimates  are  being  made  to 
enlarge  this  hospital  at  once  to  double  its  present 
capacity. 

The  Brooklyn  Diet  Dispensary. — In  Decem- 
ber, 1875,  a  few  ladies  and  gentlemen  met  by  appoint- 
ment in  the  parlors  of  Mrs.  George  Stannard,  to  con- 
sider and  discuss  the  question  of  relief  for  the  sick 
poor.  They  decided  to  organize  a  society  under  the 
name  of  the  Diet  Relief  Association.  Although  they 
collected  only  a  little  more  than  fifty  dollars,  they 
went  forward,  feeling  confident  that  the  money  would 
come  when  the  nature  of  the  work  should  be  under- 
stood. At  a  subsequent  meeting,  held  on  the  12th  of 
January,  1876,  a  constitution  was  agreed  upon,  and 
the  name  was  changed  to  the  Brooklyn  Diet  Dispen- 
sary Association,  which  is  suggestive  of  the  object, 
viz.,  to  dispense  to  the  sick  poor  such  diet  as  their 
physicians  may  prescribe,  and  furnish  it  to  them  free  of 
charge.  Their  first  principle  of  action  was  economy  in 
expenditure  and  promptness  in  payment,  the  aim  being 
to  do  the  most  good  with  the  least  money.  The  next 
principle  was  freedom  from  sectarianism,  both  in 
theology  and  medicine.  They  resolved  to  make  no 
distinctions  of  creed,  color,  school,  or  nationality;  to 
ask  only,  "  Is  the  patient  worthy  of  aid,  and  in  need 
of  it?"  A  room  was  hired  at  49  High  street,  and  the 
first  "  diets  "  were  issued  on  the  17th  of  January,  1870, 
One  of  the  first  rules  adopted  in  regard  to  diets  was, 
"  All  definite  orders  of  physicians  must  be  filled." 

From  a  modest  beginning  the  work  has  increased  to 
a  well-organized  society,  incorporated  under  the  laws 
of  the  state  in  1877,  and  acknowledged  to  be  indis- 
pensable to  the  completeness  of  a  perfect  system  of 
charity  in  any  large  community. 


940 


EISTORY  01  KINGS  COUNTY. 


It  has  matured  so  rapidly  that,  although  just  entering 
upon  the  eighth  year  of  its  existence,  it  has  organized 
three  branches,  all  of  which  are  in  successful  opera- 
tion. The  M<i !n  dispensary  being  at  21  DeKalb  av- 
enue; the  East  branch  at  574  Gates  avenue;  the  South 
at  293  Sackett  .street,  and  the  )\ri/li<imslu/r</h  branch  at 
194  Conselyea  street. 

Each  branch  is  in  charge  of  a  directress  and  a 
matron,  both  of  whom  are  under  the  control  of  the 
board  of  managers.  A  visitor  is  employed  by  the 
board  to  call  upon  those  who  receive  diets;  and  if,  in 
any  case,  a  doubt  as  to  character  exists,  it  is  reported 
to  the  Investigating  Committee,  who,  after  further 
visitation  and  inquiry,  decide  on  its  merits,  and,  if 
found  unworthy  of  aid,  the  patient  is  cut  off  from  the 
list  and  the  doctor  is  notified  of  the  result. 

The  society  has  in  the  past  year  (1883),  reached  3,059 
patients,  which  called  for  10,347^  pints  of  beef  tea, 
1,312  pints  of  mutton  broth,  30,428  eggs,  25,123$ pints 
of  milk,  and  other  delicacies  suitable  for  a  sick  room. 
The  sales  of  beef  tea  have  amounted  to  $530.95. 

Officers  (1882-'83):  Mrs.  Geo.  Stannard,  President; 
Mrs.  F.  B.  Fisher,  Vice-President;  Hon.  J.  W.  Hunter, 
Treasurer;  Mrs.  J.  P.  Dike,  Assistant  Treasurer;  Mrs. 
R.  B.  Fithian,  Recording  Secretary;  Mrs.  H.  J. 
Stevenson,  Corresponding  Secretary;  Mrs.  J.  L.  Far- 


ley, Directress  Main  Dispensary;  Mrs.  J.  O.  Bedell, 
Directress  East  Brooklyn  Dispensary;  Mrs.  H.  Jessop, 
Directress  South  Brooklyn  Dispensary;  Mrs.  W.  R. 
Taylor,  Directress  Williamsburg  Dispe?isary. 

(Omitted  from  Its  proper  place  on  page  800.) 
Wm.  K.  Bitowx  was  born  in  Boston  in  1807.  Deciding  on 
medicine  as  a  profession  lie  graduated  from  Dartmouth  (Han- 
over Medical  College)  in  1829.  For  a  time  he  practiced  in  Port- 
land, and  then  tried  Philadelphia;  but,  dissatisfied  with  hU 
attainments,  he  went  to  Europe  early  in  1840,  and  studied  fat 
sonic  tunc  under  Vclpeau,  Andral  and  Dubois.  Returning  in 
December,  1841,  he  came  to  Brooklyn,  and  located  on  tin 
corner  of  Henry  and  Kcinscn  streets,  afterward  removing  to 
Henry  and  Montague,  where  he  remained  in  practice  for  two 
ami  thirty  years.  In  the  earlier  years  of  his  professional  life 
he  preferred  surgery;  and,  as  early  as  1830,  while  in  Portland, 
he  tied  the  carotid  artery.  Shortly  after  removing  to  Brook- 
lyn he  was  called  out  of  town  one  night,  to  treat  a  girl  whoa 
legs  had  been  crushed  by  a  train  on  the  Long  Island  Railroad 
Time  w  as  valuable  and  instruments  lacking.  With  a  pockfll 
knife  and  meat-saw,  by  the  light  of  a  lantern,  and  with  ■ 
brakeman  for  an  assistant,  he  successfully  performed  the 
operation  of  ainputat  inn.  He  held  the  love  and  esteem  of  lii> 
patients  during  the  many  years  of  his  life.  In  his  lcisun 
hours  he  amused  himself  by  the  study  of  insect  life,  hut  In 
left  little  literary  record  of  his  work.  Dr.  Brown  was  long  a 
member  of  the  County  Medical  Society  and  of  the  New  York 
Academy  of  Medicine.  An  injury  to  his  head,  caused  by  a 
fall  from  a  horse  car,  eventually  caused  his  death  in  1879. 


PHARMACEUTICAL  ASSOCIATIONS,  ETC. 


The  Kings  County  Pharmaceutical  Society 

was  organized  in  1877.  Its  object  is  the  elevation  of 
the  standard  of  qualification  among  pharmacists,  and 
the  protection  alike  of  the  profession  and  the  public 

The  first  President  was  George  Close,  followed  in 
succession  by  L.  E.  Nicot,  William  De  Forest,  Edward 
A.  Say  re,  and  the  present  President,  Robt.  Blacke;  the 
other  Okfickks  for  1883-4  are:  L.  D.  Sheets  and  John 
Madhmald,  Vice- Pr> side/its,  Charles  R.  Paddock,  Sec. 
and  Treas. 

The  Brooklyn  Board  of  Pharmacy,  was  or- 
ganized July  19,  1879,  and  incorporated  under  chapter 
502,  N.  Y.  laws  of  that  year.  Its  object  is  to  restrict 
the  sale  of  medicine  and  poisons  to  competent  pharma- 
cists, and  to  examine  and  register  the  same.  It  is  com- 
posed of  five  members,  two  of  whom  are  physicians, 
and  three  pharmacists.  The  first  Oi'KlOBBS  were:  G.  M. 
Baker,  M.  I).,  Pres.;  L.  E.  Nicot,  Sec.  Present  Offi- 
^krs  :  Wm.  P.  De  Forrest,  Pres.;  L.  E.  Nicot,  Sec. 

Among  the  prominent  pharmaceutists  of  Brooklyn, 
we  may  mention  the  following: 

Albert  Black   204  Bridge  street, 

Established  1K.VI;  member  of  Common  Council  seven 
years,  serving  as  president  two  terms. 


Louis  E.  Nicot  07  Union  avenue. 

Druggist;  established  1871 ;  member  of  Board  of  Edu- 
cation from  iss-.1  to  INST:  elected  Examiner  and  Secre- 
tary of  "Kings  County  Hoard  of  Pharmacy."  1871* :  re- 
elected 18S2:  was  President  Kings  County  Pharmaceuti- 
cal Society;  now  represents  Fifth  Congressional  District 
in  New  York  Republican  State  Committee. 

Richard  Lauer  305  Pacific  street. 

Importer  of  drugs:  established  1804.  in  New  York: 
Supervisor,  1880-'81 ;  Excise  Commissioner,  1882-'88. 

Thomas  M.  Lahey  140  Smith  street. 

Apothecary;  established  1854,  in  New  York;  removed 
to  Brooklyn  1857;  graduate  of  Queens  College,  Gal  way, 
Ireland,  1851. 

Hermann  A.  Miller  '-'04  Columbia  street. 

Druggist;  established  is.')!).  Brooklyn. 

George  S.  Phillips  39  Fleet  place. 

Pharmacist:  established  1S.1I;  fust  colored  man  i  -tali- 
lished  as  u  druggist  in  Brooklyn. 

J.  C.  Ubert  Division,  corner  Lee  avenue. 

Druggist:  established  1SS3.  in  Brooklyn;  born  1883,  in 

Wisconsin. 

Van  Brunt  Wyokoff  022  Third  avenue. 

Drills,  paints,  oils,  hardware,  etc.;  born  Ma\  25tli. 
1820,  in  Wyckoir  Homestead:  established  1858,  at  128  TMw 
avenue,  removing  from  their  to  present  address. 


THE 


PROFESSION  OF  DENTISTRY 


IN 


Kings  County  and  Brooklyn, 


IT  is  our  intention  simply  to  place  before  our  readers 
a  purely  local  history  of  dentistry  in  Kings  county 
from  its  birth,  about  fifty  years  ago,  up  to  the 
present  time.  Its  beginnings  being  entirely  the 
aggregated  results  of  the  individual  labors  of  its  earlier 
practitioners,  we  are  naturally  led,  at  first,  to  the  con- 
sideration of  the  lives  of  these 
Pioneers  of  Dentistry  in  Kings  County. — 
Hezekiah  N.  Stratton  was  born  in  Phillipston,  Mass.,  in 
July,  1822;  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  came  to  Brooklyn,  and 
under  the  careful  tuition  of  Dr.  George  Wood,  studied  dent- 
istry for  three  years.  He  then  opened  an  office  at  139  Atlan- 
tic avenue,  above  a  confectionery  and  bakery  store,  estab- 
lished by  his  brother  a  short  time  before.  Here  Dr.  Stratton 
practiced  for  twelve  years,  at  the  end  of  which  time,  a  fine 
and  costly  residence  was  finished  at  the  corner  of  Clinton 
and  Pacific'  streets,  where  he  added  another  twelve  years  to 
his  active  professional  life,  and  died  "  in  the  traces,"  Feb  15, 
1869.  Dr.  Stratton's  initiation  into  dentistry  is  worthy  of 
mention,  as  being  thoroughly  characteristic  of  the  man. 
Early  in  1843,  a  conversation  between  himself  and  Dr.  Geo. 
Wood  was  interrupted  by  the  entrance  of  a  patient.  After  a 
very  short  absence,  Dr.  Wood  returned,  saying  quietly, 
"  There's  a  dollar  quickly  earned."  "  So  soon,"  cried  young 
Stratton;  then,  after  a  moment's  thought,  "  this  is  the  busi- 
ness for  me."  The  words  were  prophetic;  it  was  the  business 
for  him.  Men  of  his  stamp  are  rarely  met  with.  He  combined 
a  marked  intellectual  ability  and  energy  with  a  noble  heart 
and  frank,  genial  temperament.  His  charities  were  number- 
less ;  for  many  years  he  gave  his  services  gratuitously  to  the 
six  hundred  orphans  in  St.  Paul's  Parish,  on  Court  street ; 
to  the  Convent  attached  to  St.  James'  Church  on  Jay  street, 
and  the  Cloistered  Nuns  at  the  Villa  de  Sales,  at  Bath,  L.  I. 
Attending  his  funeral  were  the  representatives  of  many  char- 
ities in  which  he  had  been  actively  interested. 


George  A.  Cooper  was  born  in  Lexington,  Ky.,  in  1822, 
and  commenced  the  practice  of  dentistry  in  Brooklyn  in 
1845,  after  several  years  of  practical  training:  he  died  at 
his  residence  in  Adelphi  street,  in  1870.  His  professional  in- 
tegrity was  unimpeachable,  and  the  enviable  reputation  ac- 
corded him  by  his  brothers  in  the  profession,  flattering 
though  it  was,  fell  far  short  of  his  deserts. 


George  Wood  was  born  at  Groton,  Mass.,  July  24,  1813. 
At  the  age  of  sixteen,  after  having  learned  the  masons'  trade 


at  Groton,  he  came  with  his  parents,  brothers  and  sisters,  to 
Brooklyn,  where  the  family  settled  in  the  Fifth  Ward.  Here 
he  soon  obtained  employment  as  clerk  in  a  grocery  store, 
over  which  the  Wood  family  lived.  Two  years  passed  in 
this  laborious  occupation,  when  an  opportunity  was  offered 
to  George  by  his  elder  brother  Charles,  who  was  practicing 
in  New  Hampshire,  to  study  dentistry  with  him.  The  offer 
was  accepted,  and  for  a  year  the  brothers  traveled  about  the 
New  England  States  together;  when  George  returned  to 
Brooklyn,  and,  thinking  the  grocery  business  more  lucrative 
than  dentistry,  opened  a  store,  to  which  he  devoted  himself 
for  four  years.  In  the  meantime,  the  love  for  the  profession 
which  he  had  abandoned  grew  stronger,  and  ultimately 
forced  him  into  the  office  of  Martin  K.  Bridges,  with  whom 
he  studied  one  year.  Then,  on  Fulton  street,  near  Concord, 
he  opened  a  modest  office  and  began  a  professional  career  of 
unprecedented  success.  Dr.  George  Wood  has  been  so  va- 
riously spoken  of  and  criticized  by  the  press  and  his  profes- 
sional brethren,  that  a  correct  estimate  of  the  man  is  perhaps 
impossible.  Such  names  as  charlatan,  quack,  etc. ,  have  fre- 
quently been  applied  to  him,  let  us  hoj>e,  unjustly.  All, 
however,  acknowledge  him  to  have  been  a  very  remarkable 
man.  His  will  was  indomitable,  and  his  self-reliance  and 
assurance  inspired  him  with  a  courage  almost  heroic.  His 
practice  for  many  years  was  purely  experimental;  his  mode 
of  treatment  severe  ;  and  in  the  mechanical  branch  his  suc- 
cess was  not  phenomenal.  "  Hit  or  miss"  seemed  to  be  the 
motto  of  this  reticent  and  unsocial  man,  who  never  spoke 
thoughtlessly,  and  had  no  intimacies. 


James  E.  Miller  was  born  January  7,  1820,  in  the  town 
of  Somers,  Westchester  county,  N.  Y.,  and  his  early  years 
were  passed  on  his  father's  farm,  situated  in  the  heart  of  the 
Quaker  district.  He  received  his  education  at  the  district 
academy  of  his  native  village;  and,  being  of  an  ambitious 
and  industrious  temperament,  came  to  Brooklyn  in  1839, 
when  quite  a  young  man,  and  accepted  an  offer  from  Wil- 
liam Healy,  a  brother  Quaker,  to  teach  in  the  school  under 
the  Friends'  meeting  house,  corner  of  Clarke  and  Henry 
streets.  Here  he  remained  six  months,  when  he  opened,  on 
his  own  responsibility  entirely,  a  school  on  Fulton  street,  op- 
posite Pierrepont.  While  engaged  in  this  occupation,  a  little 
incident  occurred  which  shaped  the  course  of  his  future  life. 
Happening  to  require  the  services  of  a  dentist,  he  consulted 
Dr.  Martin  K.  Bridges,  who  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the 
profession  in  this  city.  As  young  Miller  was  seated  in  the 
operating  chair,  the  thought  of  studying  dentistry  found  ex- 
pression in  the  words  :  "  Why  can't  I  do  this?"    He  made  a 


942 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


proposition,  which  was  accepted,  and  early  in  the  morning, 
and  in  the  afternoon  after  his  duties  as  tutor,  he  would  re- 
pair to  his  instructor,  in  whose  office  he  speDt  the  balance  of 
his  time,  paying  from  his  slender  earnings  for  the  privilege. 
He  soon  made  rapid  strides  in  his  chosen  work,  and  opened, 
in  the  spring  of  1842,  an  office  in  Squire's  Buildiug,  on  Atlantic 
avenue,  between  Hicks  and  Henry  streets.  Here  he  remained 
for  three  years ;  thence  moved  to  pleasanter  quarters  on 
the  corner  of  Pacific  and  Henry  streets,  where,- for  ten  years, 
a  very  successful  practice  rewarded  his  efforts.  In  1855,  the 
Doctor  moved  to  the  corner  of  Henry  and  State  streets,  and 
lived  there,  or  in  the  immediate  vicinity,  until  June  6,  1883, 
when  he  died  of  pneumonia,  in  the  sixty-fourth  year  of  his  age. 
He  was  associated  in  business,  at  different  periods,  with  Dr. 
Charles  Miller,  Dr.  D.  H.  Mumford,  the  late  Dr.  Carlton 
Jones,  Dr.  H.  G.  Mirick,  Dr.  C.  D.  Cook,  Dr.  Charles  H. 
Haskins,  Dr.  E.  H.  Miller,  and,  at  the  time  of  his  death,  with 
Dr.  Charles  C.  Allen.  Probably  no  one  man  in  the  city  had 
a  larger  or  wider  circle  of  friends.  People  came  to  him  from 
all  parts  of  the  country  for  advice  and  counsel,  which  was 
freely  given,  without  money  and  without  price.  Dr.  Miller 
was  active  in  many  public  reforms,  especially  in  reference  to 
cruelty  to  animals ;  was  a  vegetarian  in  the  very  strictest 
sense  ;  a  religious  revolutionist  of  marked  type  ;  a  great 
reader  and  deep  thinker ;  erratic  at  times,  and  dogmatic 
generally,  but  always  generous-hearted,  high-principled,  and 
of  sterling  character.  Many  years  ago  he  severed  his  rela- 
tions with  the  Society  of  Friends,  whose  distinctive  dress, 
however,  he  continued  to  wear.  His  funeral  services  were 
conducted  in  accordance  with  the  rites  of  that  sect. 


Martin  Kinsley  Bridges  was  born  in  Hardwick,  Mass., 
August  1,  1800.  The  early  years  of  his  life  were  spent  on  a 
farm,  in  the  northern  part  of  Vermont,  near  the  border  line 
of  Canada.  Here,  during  the  spring,  summer,  and  autumn, 
he  worked  as  a  farmer,  and,  in  the  winter,  attended  the  dis- 
trict school  in  Craftsbury,  three  miles  away.  At  the  age  of 
eighteen,  prompted  by  the  nomadic  spirit  which  never  wholly 
left  him,  he  moved  to  Moriah,  a  small  town  in  the  heart  of 
the  iron  district  of  Essex  county,  N.  Y.,  bordering  Lake 
Champlain.  Here  young  Bridges  obtained  employment  in 
the  country  store  of  the  place,  which  position  he  held  for  two 
years,  when  an  opportunity  was  given  him  to  take  charge  of 
one  of  the  small  lake  steamers  plying  between  Port  Henry 
and  St.  Albans.  One  season  on  the  water  satisfied  him  that 
his  time  might  be  better  employed,  and  he  removed  to 
Watertown,  N.  Y.,  accepting  there  a  clerkship  in  a  general 
store.  This,  however,  did  not  long  satisfy  his  ambitious  na- 
ture ;  and,  when  a  better  opportunity  offered  itself,  he  gave 
way  to  the  impulse  of  his  roving  disposition  and  went  to  Put- 
land,  Vt.  There  he  was  employed  by  a  certain  Mr.  Page, 
who.  in  addition  to  the  country  store  of  the  place,  owned  a 
small  factory,  to  which  the  hero  of  this  sketch  had  access, 
and  made  use  of  the  opportunity  ottered  to  develop  his  taste 
for  mechanics,  which  was  recognized  in  him  at  an  early  age. 
Here,  too,  he  was  enabled  to  attend  the  Rutland  Academy 
for  three  terms,  securing  to  himself  a  Hobd  educational 
foundation,  for  which  he  never  ceased  to  be  grateful.  He 
remained  in  this  place  eight  years,  was  married,  and  buried 
his  only  son  there.  Here,  too,  the  thought  of  dentistry  as  a 
profession  was  suggested  to  him,  and  he  spent  his  hard- 
earned  dollars  in  the  purchase  of  books  which  treated  of  the 
subject,  bought  a  few  instruments,  made  many  himself, 
and  began  studying  in  a  quiet  experimental  way.  He  had 
always  been  an  adept  with  tools,  and  was  possessed  of  in- 
ventive genius  of  no  mean  order,  which  stood  him  in  good 
stead  in  this  new  venture. 


In  1836,  he  went  to  Saugerties,  where  he  remained  one 
year  in  the  office  of  Hiram  B.  Lathrop,  an  experienced  prac- 
titioner. In  the  fall  of  1837  he  came  to  Brooklyn,  where,  at 
the  corner  of  Fulton  and  Hicks  streets,  he  opened  a  modest 
office.  Thus  far,  the  practical  results  of  his  untiring  labors 
and  years  of  study  were  discouraging.  Presently,  however, 
all  was  changed  ;  the  ability  of  the  man  was  at  last  recog- 
nized and  acknowledged  ;  his  practice  grew  marvellously. 
At  this  time,  Brooklyn  could  not  claim  40,000  inhabitants; 
the  Heights  were  scattered  masses  of  barren  rocks,  rudelv 
fenced  in  :  and,  about  two  hundred  yards  from  the  doctor's 
office,  a  pair  of  bars  adorned  the  roadside,  through  which 
the  cows  from  the  Packer  farm  were  driven  to  and  from 
pasture.  For  many  years  Dr.  Bridges  occupied  the  unpre- 
tentious quarters  in  which  he  first  settled  ;  then,  moving 
with  the  tide  of  civilization,  opened  offices  at  (old  number: 
109  Henry  street,  where,  in  September,  1853,  lie  died,  young 
in  years  comparatively,  but  old  in  the  experiences  of  a  life 
that  had  been  full  of  changes,  both  of  place  and  fortune. 
The  immediate  cause  of  his  death  was  brain-softening, 
superinduced  by  overwork.  For  many  years  Tlte  Dental 
Mirror,  published  for  gratuitous  circulation,  was  edited  bv 
him:  an  interesting  sheet  largely  made  up  of  quotations  per- 
tinent to  the  subject  of  dentistry,  and  of  advertisements. 
The  benevolent  disposition  of  the  man  is  clearly  set  forth  in 
this  quotation,  which  appears  conspicuously  on  The  Mirrw 
for  1843:  "Two  hours  in  each  week-day,  from  seven  to  nine 
o  clock  in  the  morning,  are  devoted  to  the  service  of  the  per 
without  charge." 

In  1841,  he  became  a  member  of  the  American  Society  of 
Dental  Surgeons,  and,  for  many  years,  was  the  only  repre- 
sentative in  the  Society  from  Kings  county.  His  charitable 
nature  was  largely  developed  ;  he  was  actively  interested  in 
many  prominent  benevolent  societies ;  gave  freely  his 
thought,  time  or  money,  as  the  demaud  might  be  :  and  died 
regretted  alike  by  rich  and  poor  :  his  friends  were  legion : 
foes,  he  had  none. 


John  Scott  was  born  in  Wyoming  county,  N.  Y.,  Septem- 
ber 4,  1813.  As  a  boy,  he  was  precocious,  and  evinced  an 
earnest  desire  for  knowledge.  He  began,  at  seventeen,  the 
study  of  medicine  aud  dentistry,  in  New  Haven,  where  he 
remained  several  years;  and,  at  the  age  of  twenty-two,  hav- 
ing given  up  the  study  of  medicine,  began  the  practice  of 
dentistry  in  Seymour,  Conn.,  where  he  remained  until  1840. 
At  about  this  time,  the  necessity  for  a  collegiate  course  wa« 
largely  felt  by  the  profession.  Young  Scott,  recognizing  the 
desirability  of  such  a  course,  went  to  the  Philadelphia  I>ental 
College,  where  he  graduated  in  1843;  and,  an  opportunity 
offering  itself  the  following  year,  he  came  to  Brooklyn  and 
opened  an  office  at  193  Atlantic  avenue,  near  Court  street 
Here  he  took  the  practice  of  Dr.  Hammond,  who  was  in- 
fected with  the  gold  fever,  and  had  gone  to  California,  e  ban, 
a  few  years  later,  he  died,  regretted  by  many  on  both  sides 
of  the  continent.  The  house  in  which  Dr.  Scott  had  located 
was  quite  pretentious  for  those  days;  the  parsonage  of  the 
Pacific  Street  Methodist  Church  was  next  door  ;  and  a  long 
row  of  high-stoop  brick  houses  opposite,  gave  an  air  of  IB 
questioned  elegance  to  the  neighborhood.  The  year  folic" 
ing  the  advent  of  I  >r  Scott,  the  lirst  line  ol  street -cars  in 
Brooklyn  was  introduced  on  Court  street,  or  Fulton  street 
the  clumsy  stages  Btill  rattled  along,  and  the  tunnel  under 
Atlantic  avenue  was  still  a  thoroughfare.  In  1849,  l>r.  Bootl 
moved  to  2<>7  Fulton  street,  near  Tillary:  and,  six  years  later, 
purchased  a  house  at  -'">7  Washington  street,  where  the  last 
twenty  years  of  his  busy  life  were  spent,  and  where  he  'bed. 
January  21,  1S83.    Dr.  Scott  was  one  of  the  organ  users  of 


THE  PROFESSION  OF  DENTISTRY. 


943 


the  Brooklyn  Dental  Society  ;  he  was  a  man  of  considerable 
mental  and  physical  power,  social  to  a  fault,  and,  like  many 
others  of  similar  temperament,  earned  and  lost  several  com- 
petences. Up  to  the  time  of  his  death,  he  continued  in  the 
practice  which  circumstances  would  not  allow  hirn  to  relin- 
quish. 

A  history  of  dentistry  cannot  be  written  through 
biographical  sketches  of  individual  practitioners,  how- 
ever conspicuous  they  may  have  been  in  the  profession. 
It  is  only  through  a  careful  study  of  its  societies  and 
associations  that  we  can  gain  a  satisfactory  knowledge 
of  the  growth  of  the  profession  among  us,  and  of  its 
wonderful  development,  within  the  past  twenty-five 
years,  from  a  trade  to  a  profession.    To  this  end  we 
must  direct  our  attention  to  facts  bearing  on  the  ques- 
tion of  organization.    In  the  primary  stages  of  Ameri- 
can dentistry,  the  profession  (if  such  we  may  be  per- 
mitted to  call  it)  was  peculiar,  but  not  singular,  in  the 
fact  of  its  strong  conservatism.    This  state  is  common 
to  all  bodies  numerically  small  and  scientifically  de- 
ficient, as  were  the  pioneers  in  the  profession.  Under 
such  conditions,  it  is  almost  invariably  the  case  that 
processes  and  agencies  are  jealous^  guarded  in  secrecy; 
and  the  approach  of  inquiry  and  investigation  is  viewed 
with  a  watchful  and  forbidding  eye.    Knowledge  that 
is  possessed  under  such  conditions  is  naturally  regarded 
as  the  property,  and  for  the  benefit  of  the  individual 
alone.    The  dental  horizon  began  to  clear  about  the 
year  1837,  when  was  instituted  in  New  York  city  an 
association  of  dentists  under  the  title  of  the  New  York 
Society  of  Dental  Surgeons.  This  body  was  short-lived; 
we  have  no  records  of  its  doings,  objects,  or  date  of  be- 
ginning or  ending.    It  was,  however,  the  father  of  all 
future  organizations  throughout  the  country.  The  seed 
so wn  by  Dr.  Horace  H.  Harden  in  1837,  has  borne  an 
extraordinary  return,  not  alone  in  the  number  of  so- 
cieties scattered  over  the  land  (the  total  membership 
of  which  to-day  is  more  than  seventeen  thousand) ;  but 
in  the  standing  of  these  bodies  of  representative  men. 
The  scientific  ability,  local  prestige  and  reputation  for 
probity  and  diplomacy,  which  was  possessed  by  these 
men,  was  recognized,  however,  at  Albany,  in  1868,  when 
the  Dental  Bill  was  framed,  presented  to  the  Legisla- 
ture, fought  for,  and  passed. 

In  the  fall  of  1853,  at  the  office  of  Dr.  H.  N.  Strat- 
um, was  organized  in  Brooklyn 

"  The  Long:  Island  Association  of  Dental  Sur- 
geons"— the  first  dental  society  organized  in  Kings 
county.  The  preamble  is  terse  and  epigrammatic,  viz. : 
"This  society  is  organized  for  the  improvement  and 
elevation  of  dental  science,  and  the  establishment  of  a 
proper  sentiment  of  respect  among  dental  practitioners." 
The  Constitution  provided  that  "  the  Examining  Com- 
mittee shall  have  been  practicing  dentists  in  good  stand- 
ing for  at  least  five  years;"  that  "the  yearly  subscrip- 
tion shall  be  three  dollars,  payable  in  advance;"  that  a 
member  might  be  expelled,  "  providing  always,  the  ac- 


cused shall,  after  an  impartial  hearing,  have  failed  to 
exculpate  himself ;"  that  "  the  Treasurer  should  give  se- 
curity for  the  trust  reposed  in  him;"  that  "members  of 
the  association  shall  not  take  students  for  a  less  term 
than  two  years,  &c."  The  first  board  of  officers  of  this 
association  was  as  follows,  in  the  order  named:  D. 
IL  Mirick,  Recording  Secretary;  G.  A.  Cooper,  Corres- 
ponding Secretary;  James  E.  Miller,  Treasurer;  Martin 
K.  Bridges,  Librarian.  Examining  Committee :  J. 
Branique,  J.  P.  Fredericks,  and  James  E.  Miller.  Execu- 
tive Committee,  B.  S.  Lyman,  A.  H.  Griswold  and  C.  B. 
Hammond.  The  organization  was  of  a  purely  social 
nature;  a  light  repast  was  eaten,  amid  jocular  repartee 
and  good-natured  merriment.  Later  on,  however,  the 
dinners  grew  more  pretentious,  more  elaborate;  notably 
those  given  by  Dr.  Stratton,  who,  at  this  time  occupied 
rooms  above  the  baking  establishment  conducted  by 
his  brother  on  Atlantic  avenue.  Disaffection  among  the 
simpler-minded  or  perhaps  less  fortunate  members  fol- 
lowed this  innovation;  and,  as  nothing  was  done  to  pro- 
mote the  "  Science  of  Dentistry,"  the  society  adjourned 
sine  die  after  an  existence  of  about  two  years. 

Services  of  Brooklyn  Dentists  in  the  Civil  War. 
— During  an  interval  of  several  years,  dentistry  lan- 
guished throughout  the  country;  organization,  except 
for  "  the  rank  and  file  "  was  scarcely  thought  of;  the 
shadow  of  a  great  war  was  upon  us;  local  interests  were 
forgotten;  the  nation's  safety  was  the  engrossing  theme. 
Dr.  F.  W.  Dolbeare,  inspired  with  feelings  worthy  the 
cause,  devoted  his  time  and  energies  to  mustering  troops 
for  the  159th  New  York  Volunteers,  which  regiment( 
under  command  of  General  E.  L.  Molineux,  joined 
General  Banks  at  New  Orleans,  and  met  with  fatal  dis- 
aster at  Bayou  Teche,  Louisiana. 

Dr.  J.  P.  Fredericks  served  as  Commissary  at 
Washington,  and  later  on  at  New  Orleans;  and,  shortly 
after  the  war,  died,  regretted  in  social  and  military 
circles.  Dr.  Geo.  W.  Brush,  in  1861,  then  eighteen 
years  of  age,  joined  the  48th  New  York;  he  was  soon 
made  Second  Lieutenant  and  commissioned  to  the  2d 
South  Carolina,  afterwards  known  as  the  34th  United 
States  Colored  Troops;  this  regiment,  together  with 
many  others,  was  organized  by  General  Hunter,  who 
commissioned  white  officers,  by  order  of  Secretary  of 
War,  to  take  charge  of  them,  and  educate  the  colored 
troops,  not  alone  in  the  art  or  artfulness  of  war,  but  in 
reading,  writing  and  spelling.  The  spelling-book  kept 
company  in  the  belt  with  the  bayonet  and  pistol;  and, 
so  eager  were  these  dusky  pupils  for  knowledge,  that 
the  night  was  turned  into  day  by  huge  camp  fires, 
about  which  they  clustered,  anxiously  scanning  the 
mysterious  ciphers  of  the  alphabet  by  the  uncertain 
light.  Dr.  Brush  graduated  from  the  ranks  at  the 
close  of  the  war,  at  the  age  of  twenty-two,  a  Captain. 

In  writing  up  the  War  Record  of  Kings  county 
dentists,  we  are  pleased  to  give  space  to  Dr.  E.  H. 
Dickey,  who  served  with  the  First  New  Jersey  Light 


944 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Artillery,  Battery  "  B,"  a  Newark  organization  of  no 
mean  notoriety.  During  his  eighteen  months  of  active 
service,  Dr.  Dickey  attended  to  the  needs  of  the  men 
professionally.  Upon  a  stump,  or  any  other  conveni- 
ent substitute  for  a  dental  chair,  the  patient  was  seated, 
the  instruments  were  scattered  ready  at  hand  upon  the 
ground,  and,  surrounded  by  a  hundred  or  more  in- 
terested spectators,  the  work  of  torture  began.  The 
Doctor  tells  his  army  experiences  with  pardonable  pride; 
he  served  his  country  actively;  his  professional  know- 
ledge was  very  largely  augmented,  and  into  his  purse 
fell  day  by  day  from  ten  to  fifteen  bright  gold  dol- 
lars. 

l>r.  ("has.  II.  Biddi.k  enlisted  August,  lSiii',  in  Com- 
pany "  D"  of  the  139th  New  York  State  Volunteers; 
with  this  regiment  he  served  through  the  war,  and  was 
honorably  discharged  in  July,  1865,  unscathed  and  a 
Corporal. 

Dr.  C.  L.  Bisbke's  war  experiences  are,  no  doubt, 
similar  to  those  of  Dr.  Biddle  ;  he  having  joined  Com- 
pany "  C  "  of  the  139th  New  York  State  Volunteers  at 
the  outbreak  of  the  rebellion.  After  three  long  years 
of  varying  fortune,  a  period  crowded  with  incidents 
(never  other  than  interesting  when  narrated  by  the 
doctor),  upon  his  discharge,  and  return  to  Brooklyn, 
he  began  at  once  the  study  of  dentistry  with  Dr.  Mi- 
rick. 

These  few  names,  whose  army  service  we  have  re- 
corded, are  all  among  the  profession  in  Kings  county 
who  participated  actively  in  the  late  War  of  the  Re- 
bellion. 

In  1861,  a  desire  for  co-operative  union  among  all 
the  professions  was  felt.  In  dentistry,  this  found  ex- 
pression and  definite  shape,  in  the  spring  of  that  year, 
at  the  residence  of  Dr.  D.  W.  Allen  in  West  Eleventh 
street,  New  York  city,  at  which  place  was  organized 
(by  Dr.  W.  H.  Atkinson,  who  had  come  but  recently 
from  Cleveland,  Ohio) 

The  New  York  Dental  Society. — This  associa- 
tion, after  it  was  instituted,  met  in  the  Cooper  Fnion, 
ami  was  not  in  any  sense  local.  It  stretched  its  gene- 
rous arms  across  both  the  North  and  East  rivers  to 
sister  cities,  gathering  within  its  hospitable  embrace  all 
those  who  chose  to  accept  the  principles  shadowed 
forth  in  its  constitution.  Among  the  members  of  this 
socict  \  were  many  Brooklyn  practitioners,  who,  one  year 
later  with  kindliest  feelings,  but  because  of  greater  con- 
venience, thought  it  advisable  to  withdraw  to  Brooklyn ; 
where,  at  the  office  of  Dr.  O.  E.  Hill,  then  at  L'76  Ful- 
ton street,  was  organized,  on  the  twelfth  day  of  .June, 
1802, 

The  Brooklyn  Dental  Association,  with  the 

following  Boa  nit  of  Officers:  W.  C.  Parks,  President; 
A.  II.  Haw.  -,  Virr- l>rixi<hnt ;  John  Allen,  Tnasurer; 
Win.  15.  Hurd,  Secretary.  The  original  membership 
of  this  society  was  thirteen;  composed  chiefly,  strange 
as  ii  inav  seen,  of  New  York  dentists.      This  number 


was  not  materially  augmented  during  the  short  and  un- 
eventful life  of  the  association,  covering  as  it  did  a 
period  of  perhaps  four  years,  through  the  last  half  of 
which  it  languished,  and  ultimately  died  from  sheer 
neglect.  This,  no  doubt,  arose  from  the  fact  that  the 
time  of  the  members  of  the  society  became  too  fully 
occupied,  professionally,  to  allow  them  opportunity  to 
attend  properly  the  duties  incumbent  upon  them. 

The  year  following  the  dissolution  of  the  above 
society  marks  a  new  epoch  in  dental  good-fellowship 
in  Kings  county;  for,  at  the  house  of  Dr.  Geo.  A.  Mills, 
113  Henry  street,  was  organized,  on  the  fourteenth  day 
of  December,  1867, 

The  Brooklyn  Society  of  Dental  Science  and 
Art — Firsl  Officers:  II.  G.  Mirick,  President;  Chas.D. 
Cook,  Vice-President;  E.  L.  Childs,  Recording  Seen- 
tary;  Win.  Jarvis,  Jr.,  Corresponding  Secretary;  I.  ( 
Monroe,  Treasurer.  Considerable  dissatisfaction  was 
felt  among  the  members  of  this  organization,  became 
of  the  length  and  pretentiousness  of  the  name,  which 
was  changed  on  January  4,  1809,  to 

The  Brooklyn  Dental  Society,  by  which  it  is 
now  known.  During  the  first  year  of  this  societv  tin 
State  Dental  Law  went  into  effect,  a  fact  due  (not  a 
little)  to  perfect  organization  and  unanimity  of  purpose 
among  the  members.  At  this  time  all  were  workers  ; 
the  minds  of  the  society  were  pregnant  with  new  pro- 
jects; visionary  formulas  took  shape;  experimental  ideas 
were  advanced  and  developed;  the  leaven  of  the  whole 
society  was  a  keen  desire  to  elevate  the  beneficent  as 
well  as  social  and  scientific  side  of  the  profession 
After  many  lengthy  and  exhaustive  discussions  at  the 
regular  and  special  meetings,  an  entirety  novel  and  very 
praiseworthy  enterprise  was  started,  namely  a  D<  ntal 
Infirmary,  which  was  opened  at  L'60  Washington  street 
on  the  morning  of  January  10th,  1870.  The  time  of 
the  members  was  so  apportioned  that  each  devoted  one- 
half  a  day  a  month  to  the  charitable  venture,  thus  in- 
suring the  attendance  of  one  or  more  experienced  prac- 
titioners at  all  times.  For  two  years,  this  infirmary 
was  supported  almost  entirely  by  the  Brooklyn  Dental 
Society;  after  which  time,  the  expenses  having  largely 
increased,  the  Legislature  was  asked  to  contribute  $1,500 
annually,  from  the  funds  set  aside  for  State  Infirmaries. 
This  request  was  acceded  to;  and,  for  two  year- 
longer,  the  worthy  poor  were  treated  gratuitously  ; 
clinics  were  held  daily;  much  experimental  work  was 
done,  lint,  through  lukewarinness,  lack  of  interest  or 
some  other  inexplicable  cause,  the  greatest  monument 
that  the  Brooklyn  Dental  Society  ever  reared  t<>  it* 
honor,  succumbed  to  circumstances.  Thus  died  the 
only  Dental  Infirmary  ever  founded  in  the  United 
States. 

The  Society  was  duly  incorporated  under  the  Lawn 
of  the  State  of  New  York,  February  17,  1m>9;  Un- 
official documents  filed  at  Albany,  April  5th,  ls,;;i 
Shortly  after  this,  the  Code  of  Ethics  of  the  American 


THE  PROFESSION  OF  DENTISTRY. 


945 


Dental  Association  was  adopted.  Nothing  of  special 
moment  occurred  until  March  13,  1882,  when,  in  con- 
junction with  the  Kings  County  Medical  Society,  a 
Library  and  Reading  Room  was  established  at  Ever- 
ett Hall,  No  398  Fulton  street.  The  original  society 
numbered  but  twelve;  the  present  membership  is  forty- 
rive.  Officers  :  James  H.  Race,  Pres.;  J.  B.  Brown, 
Vice-Pres.;  L.  G.  Wilder,  Rec.  Secy.;  W.  H.  Johnston, 
Cor.  Sec.;  F.  C.  Walker,  Treas.;  W.  M.  Ramsdell, 
librarian. 

The  Presidents  of  this  organization,  bothas  the  Brook- 
lyn Society  of  Dental  Science  and  the  Brooklyn  Dental 
Society,  have  been  as  follows  :  H.  G.  Mirick,  1867-'8  ; 
C.  D.  Cook,  1868-'9  ;  O.  E.  Hill,  1869-'70  ;  G.  A.  Mills, 
1870-1  ;  A.  II.  Brockway,  1871-'2  ;  William  Jarvie, 
Jr.,  1872-'3  ;  W.  T.  Shannon,  1873-'4  ;  William  E. 
F.lmendorf,  1874-'5  ;  W.  H.  Atkinson,  1875-'6  ;  H.  G. 
Mirick,  1876-'7;  O.  E.  Hill,  lS77-'8  ;  C.  D.  Cook,  1878- 
'80;  J.  E.  Monroe,  1S80-'1;  A.  H.  Brockway,  1881-'2. 

On  December  17,  1867,  in  response  to  an  informal  call, 
a  convention  of  delegates,  representing  the  several  den- 
tal societies  of  the  State,  met  at  Utica,  N.  Y.,  to  confer 
as  to  the  advisability  of  securing  from  the  Legislature 
a  law  regulating  the  practice  of  dentistry.  A  law  was 
finally  drafted  and  presented  to  the  Legislature  April 
7th,  1868,  and  passed.  The  passage  of  the  bill  was 
largely  due  to  the  efforts  of  the  Brooklyn  Dental  So- 
ciety which  was  very  actively  represented  at  Albany. 

This  law  secured  the  perfect  organization  of  the  den- 
i  tal  profession,  and  its  legal  recognition ;  and  gave  "  The 
■  Dental  Society  of  the  State  of  New  York,"  authority  to 
issue  legal  diplomas  to  all  applicants  who  should  be 
found  worthy.  On  application  made  by  the  Dental  So- 
ciety of  the  State  of  New  York  the  ensuing  winter,  an 
amendment  was  passed,  giving  to  the  Society  the 
authority  to  confer  with  its  diploma  the  degree  of 
;  "  Master  of  Dental  Surgery  "  (M.D.S.),  in  evidence  that 
its  possessor  has  not  only  passed  the  rigid  and  thorough 
examination  of  the  Board  of  Censors  in  compliance 
with  the  law,  but  is  qualified  for  and  actually  engaged 
in  regular  and  successful  practice. 

In  March,  1878,  a  Mr.  Garvin,  a  resident  politician  of 
the  famous  Sixth  Ward  of  New  York,  introduced  into 
the  Assembly  an  amendment  to  section  9  of  the  dental 
law  passed  April  7,  1868,  necessitating  all  dentists  to  be 
college  graduates,  and  to  hold  diplomas  testifying  to 
that  fact.  This  was  clearly  a  stroke  at  the  dental  pro- 
fession, the  majority  of  whose  older  and  more  promi- 
nent practitioners  had  made  themselves  proficient 
through  early  apprenticeships  and  long  years  of  active 
experience;  these  men  were  recognized  masters  of  their 
profession,  yet  had  never  been  subjected  to  qualifying 
examinations,  or  received  diplomas  from  any  society, 
board  or  college.  Owing  to  the  vigorous  opposition  of 
dentists  from  all  parts  of  the  state,  the  bill  failed  to 
pass.  In  May,  1878,  at  the  annual  meeting  of  the 
Dental  Society  of  the  State  of  New  York,  a  bill  was 


unanimously  endorsed,  and,  through  Senator  Lippit,  in- 
troduced before  the  Legislature,  where  it  became  a  law 
June  20,  1879.  (Chap.  540  of  the  Laws  of  that  Session), 
which  provided  that: 

"  It  shall  be  unlawful  for  any  person  to  practice  Dentistry 
in  the  State  of  New  York  for  fee  or  reward,  unless  he  shall 
have  received  a  proper  diploma,  or  certificate  of  qualification 
from  the  State  Dental  Society,  or  from  the  faculty  of  a  repu- 
table dental  or  medical  college,  recognized  as  such  by  said 
society;  provided  that  nothing  in  this  section  shall  apply  to 
persons  now  engaged  in  the  practice  of  Dentistry  in  the  State 
of  New  York,  and  that 

"Every  person  practicing  Dentistry  within  this  State  shall, 
within  sixty  days  after  the  passage  of  this  act,  register  in  the 
office  of  the  clerk  of  the  county  where  located. 

In  order,  also  to  protect  those  already  in  practice, 
through  neglect  or  ignorance  of  the  above  enactment, 
another  law  (Chap.  376,)  was  passed  May  26,  1881, 
affording  them  a  further  opportunity  for  registration. 

Section  1.  Any  person  wTho  was  engaged  in  the  regular 
practice  of  dentistry  within  this  state  on  the  twentieth  day 
of  June,  eighteen  hundred  and  seventy-nine,  and  who  was 
entitled  to  registration  as  a  dentist  as  provided  by  the  third 
section  of  chapter  five  hundred  and  forty  of  the  laws  of 
eighteen  hundred  and  seventy-nine,  entitled  '"An  act  to  reg- 
ulate the  practice  of  dentistry  in  the  state  of  New  York,"  but 
who  failed  to  cause  his  name  to  be  registered  as  therein  pro- 
vided, and  who  shall  make  and  file  with  the  clerk  of  the 
county  in  which  he  registers,  his  affidavit  to  the  affect  that 
he  was  so  engaged  in  such  practice  of  dentistry  and  so  enti- 
tled to  registration,  may,  within  sixty  days  after  the  passage 
of  this  act,  cause  his  name,  office  and  post-office  address  to 
be  registered  in  the  county  clerk's  office  in  the  manner  pro- 
vided in  said  third  section  of  said  act,  and  such  registration 
shall  have  like  force  and  effect  as  if  made  within  the  time 
prescribed  by  said  section  of  said  act.  Any  person  who  shall 
wilfully  make  and  file  a  false  affidavit  for  the  purpose  of  pro- 
curing such  registration  shall  be  subject  to  conviction  and 
punishment  for  perjury. 

§  2.  Every  person  hereafter  authorized  to  practice  den- 
tistry within  this  state  shall,  before  commencing  to  practice, 
register  in  the  clerk's  office  of  the  county  where  he  intends  to 
commence  the  practice  of  dentistry,  in  a  book  to  be  kept  for 
that  purpose,  bis  name,  office  and  post-office  address,  together 
with  the  name  of  the  society,  college  or  other  authority  from 
which  he  has  received  his  diploma  or  certificate  of  qualifica- 
tion to  practice  dentistry. 

§  3.  The  clerk  of  any  county  shall  be  obliged,  upon  the 
payment  to  him  of  the  sum  of  twenty-five  cents,  to  make  the 
registry  of  any  person  provided  for  in  the  second  section  of 
this  act,  which  sum  the  clerk  is  entitled  to  collect  and  receive 
from  the  person  registering. 

§  4.  This  act  shall  take  effect  immediately. 

Kings  County  Dental  Society.— The  Dental  Law 
provides  that  the  State  shall  be  divided  into  eight  dis- 
tricts, in  each  of  which  shall  be  organized  a  society 
under  the  jurisdiction  of  The  Dental  Society  of  the 
State  of  New  York."  Under  this  provision  Kings  county 
is  embraced  in  the  Second  District  Society,  which  in- 
cludes the  following  counties,  viz:  Richmond,  Suffolk, 
Queens,  Kings,  Westchester,  Orange,  Rockland,  Put- 
nam and  Dutchess.  The  County  Society  was  organized 
on  the  seventh  day  of  April,  1868.    The  first  Officers 


040 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


were:  W.  B.  Hard,  President;  G.  A.  Mills,  Vice-Presi- 
i.l i  at ,  Win.  Jarvie,  Jr.,  Recording  (Secretary;  EL  G, 
Mi  lick,  Treasurer;  L.  S.  Straw,  Corresponding  Secre- 
tary. Thirty-eight  members  were  enrolled  at  this  meet- 
ing, and  the  present  membership  is  sixty-five.  Officers: 
E.  EL  Dickey,  President;  W.  A.  Campbell,  Vice-Presi- 
dent; Jno.  J.  Pitts,  Recording  Secretary;  L.  G.  Wilder, 
Treasurer j  F.  C.  Walker,  Corresponding  Secretary;  F. 
\Y.  Dolheare,  librarian.  The  society  has  practically 
demonstrated  since  the  beginning  of  its  existence  the 
wisdom  of  organization,  and  the  benefits  that  invaria- 
bly follow  in  the  wake  of  co  operative  union  and  har- 
mony. 

Dr  .G.  F.  Reese,  has  discovered  and  patented  a  com- 
position for  making  artificial  dentures  ;  many  advan- 
tages are  claimed  for  this  foundation  by  the  inventor. 
Dr.  Thos.  O.  Oliver  is  known  to  the  profession 
through  his  plastic  fillings  of  French  alloy,  amalgam, 
and  gutta  percha,  all  of  which  rank  high  in  excellence. 
Dr.  A.  N.  CHAPMAN  has  recently  invented  an  in- 
genious device  for  fastening  artificial  teeth  to  the 
plate.  Dr.  W.  K.  North  all,  one  of  the  pioneer  den- 
tists of  Brooklyn,  discovered  and  introduced  the  use  of 
arsenic  for  the  devitalization  of  the  pulp  in  the  tooth, 
and  generously  advertised  his  discovery,  the  importance 
of  which  was  immediately  recognized,  and  the  use  of 
arsenic  for  the  purpose  named  became  universal.  The 
most  valuable  invention  claimed  for  Kings  county  is 
that  made  by  Dr.  A.  J.  Watts,  who  discovered  and 
patented,  in  L858,  a  method  by  which  gold  can  be  crys- 
tallized, and,  in  that  state,  used  with  far  better  results 
for  all  dental  purposes  than  in  the  foil.  Many  and  ex- 
tremely various  were  the  tests  applied  to  the  new  form 
of  gold,  all  of  which  resulted  favorably,  thus  demon- 
strating practically  the  merits  of  the  discovery.  Ob- 
jections were  thus  almost  immediately  overcome,  and 
the  profession  generally  endorsed  and  used  crystal,  or 
spone  gold,  as  it  was  at  times  called.  With  its  intro- 
troduction  a  new  era  was  opened  in  dentistry,  in  the 
restoring  with  gold  of  broken  and  lost  portions  of  (and 
occasionally  even  whole  crowns  of)  teeth;  the  value  of 
this  invention  cannot  be  over-estimated. 

Something  like  an  approximate  idea  of  the  vastness 
of  the  profession  and  its  extraordinary  growth  may  be 
had  from  the  following  facts  :  One  hundred  years  ago 
the  United  States  was  possessed  of  but  one  dentist,  an 
Englishman,  John  Woofcndale  by  name,  who  remained 
in  tliis  country  less  than  two  years,  when  he  returned 
home.  In  1873,  there  were  12,000  dentists  in  America. 
Now  there  are  17,000.  Brooklyn  to-day  claims  193 
active  practitioners.  The  consumption  of  gold  for 
professional  purposes  is  enormous.  It  is  variously  esti- 
mated thai  from  one  to  three  tons  is  used  annually  in 
packing  the  teeth  of  the  American  people.  A  certain 
Kingfl  county  statistician  recently  prophesied,  after 
careful  mat  hemat  ical  deduct  ion,  that,  in  the  t  went  y -first 
century,  all  the  gold  in  the  country  will  be  in  the 


graveyards.  We  acknowledge  our  indebtedness  to  Drs. 
O.  E.  Hill,  D.  H.  Mirick  and  C.  D.  Cook  for  the 
very  generous  assistance  they  rendered  the  compiler  of 
the  above  historical  sketch. 


Dr.  George  \V.  Fraim.— The  name  Fraim  was  originally 
spelled  Fraime.  By  different  branches  of  the  family  in 
America  it  is  now  variously  spelled  Fraime,  Fraim,  and 
Frame.  Three  brothers  of  the  name,  all  English  Quakers, 
came  to  America  in  the  latter  part  of  the  seventeenth  een- 
fcury,  one  of  them  locating  in  what  is  now  Chester  county, 
Pa.,  another  on  Long  Island,  N.  Y.,  and  the  third  elsewhere 
in  the  then  sparsely  settled  country,  presumably  in  western 
Pennsylvania.  The  family  of  Hoffnagle  was  very  early  in 
Lancaster,  Pa.,  where  one  of  the  name  purchased  property 
which  was  conveyed  to  him  directly  from  William  ami 
Thomas  Penn.  A  portion  of  the  property  mentioned  was  the 
plot  known  as  the  old  Fraim  homestead,  in  Lancaster,  the 
families  of  Hotf  nagle  and  Fraim  having  intermarried,  and 
which  was  continuously  in  possession  of  ancestors  and  rela- 
tives of  Dr.  George  W.  Fraim  until  about  fifteen  years  ago. 
Members  of  both  families  mentioned  were  participants  in 
the  wars  of  the  Revolution  and  of  1812-14,  bearing  arms  in 
defence  of  American  liberty;  and  it  is  not  without  a  sense  of 
just  pride  that  Dr.  Fraim  points  to  the  fact  that  he  is  de- 
scended from  patriot  stock. 

Dr.  George  W.  Fraim  was  born  at  the  old  homestead  in 
Lancaster,  Pa.,  above  mentioned,  April  14th,  1834,  and  is, 
accordingly,  about  fifty  years  old  at  this  time.  He  received 
the  rudiments  of  his  education  in  the  common  schools  of  Lin- 
caster,  and,  later,  graduated  from  the  old  Franklin  Acadeun 
of  that  place,  since  merged  in  the  Franklin  and  Marshall  Col- 
lege. While  yet  young,  he  entered,  as  a  student,  the  office 
of  Dr.  John  Waylan,  of  Lancaster,  a  dentist,  who  was  in  bfa 
day  one  of  the  most  successful  and  c  elebrated  in  the  United 
States.  Graduating  in  dentistry  in  18.">7,  he  at  once  began  to 
look  about  for  a  suitable  place  in  which  to  settle  and  practice 
his  profession.  He  stopped  a  short  time  in  Pittsburgh.  Pa., 
and  removed  thence  to  Philadelphia.  From  Philadelphia,  in 
18")!l,  he  came  to  Brooklyn,  where  he  has  resided  continuously 

since,  having  his  office  on  Fulton  street,  between  I"  ord 

and  Johnson  streets,  and,  since  1S7S,  at  No.  301  Fulton  street. 

In  his  profession,  Dr.  Fraim  has  ever  been  a  leader  and  an 
innovator,  never  a  passive  imitator,  and  always  abreast  if 
not  in  advance  of  the  times.  All  departments  of  dentistn 
have  received  his  careful  attention,  and  all  of  its  details 
have,  in  his  hands  and  under  his  conscientious  study,  been 
so  improved  as  to  combine  to  the  advancement  of  the  whole. 
To  the  literature  of  his  profession  he  has  devoted  much 
thought  and  care,  and  in  all  assemblages  of  dentists  at  which 
he  has  been  present,  he  has  been  recognized  as  an  authority 
upon  all  subjects  relating  to  the  profession.  A  man  of  gen- 
erous impulses,  be  has  done  more,  probably,  than  ain  other 
one  old  practitioner  in  Brooklyn  to  aid  young  men  of  promise 
to  acquire  a  thorough  know  ledge  of  dentistry,  and  establish 
them  firmly  in  its  practice.  These  young  men  haw  Urn 
successively  his  pupils,  bis  partners,  and  later,  when  they 
were  endeavoring  to  establish  independent  practices,  the  oh- 
jeetsof  his  most  careful  solicitude,  and  often  of  a  IiUt.iIii  \ 
without  which  some  of  them  would  have  found  it  most  diffi- 
cult to  succeed.  Among  the  many  w  hom  he  has  at  different 
times  so  assisted,  have  been  several  of  bis  nephews  from 
which  fact  is  derived  the  familiar  inscription  on  his  signs  of 
"  Fraim  &  Nephews."  It  is  probable  that  Dr.  Fraim's  dental 
I i bran  is  one  of  the  largest  and  most  complete  in  the  coun 
try.    He  has  traveled  extensively  in  Europe,  and  states,  with 


THE  PROFESSION   OF  DENTISTRY. 


947 


evident  pride,  that  in  no  country  is  dentistry  on  so  high  a 
plane  as  in  the  United  States,  especially  as  regards  its  litera- 
ture and  mechanical  appliances,  and  useful  and  important 
discoveries. 

In  1863,  Dr.  Fraim  married  Miss  Mary  Leviness,  who  died 
within  a  year  thereafter.  He  was  again  married,  in  1864,  to 
Miss  Helen  Spencer,  who  died  in  November,  1877,  leaving 
one  son,  who  is  still  living. 

Kindly  and  generous  in  his  impulses,  Dr.  Fraim  is  liberal 
and  charitable  in  his  estimate  of  his  fellow-men,  willing  to 
recognize  truth  in  whatever  guise  it  may  come,  and  hating 
hypocrisy  and  shams  of  all  kinds  with  a  hatred  that  amounts 
to  an  abomination.  In  politics,  he  is  what  may  be  aptly 
termed  a  conservative  Democrat.  There  is  no  question 
worthy  the  notice  of  any  thoughtful  citizen,  involving  the 
welfare  and  prosperity  of  the  Union  and  the  world  at  large, 
that  does  not  receive  his  studious  consideration  ;  but  he  is 
not,  as  men  are  usually  styled,  a  politician.  He  has  never 
had  any  desire  for  public  office,  and  the  demands  upon  him 
of  his  profession  have  been  so  exacting  as  to  leave  him  no 
time  to  mingle  in  other  men's  scrambles  for  place;  and,  even 
had  his  life  been  one  of  leisure,  the  inclination  to  so  engage 
would  still  have  been  wanting.  His  career  has  been,  and,  so 
long  as  his  life  is  spared,  will  be,  a  busy  one,  profitable  not 
alone  to  him,  but  to  his  fellows,  and  wholly  devoted  to  the 
profession  he  has  so  long  adorned. 

The  following  from  the  Brooklyn  Sunday  Eagle,  of  Octo- 
ber 23,  1881,  is  a  most  fitting  life  sketch  of  Dr.  Salmon 
Skinner : 

"An  old  resident  of  this  city,  and  one  who  was  entitled  to 
be  designated  as  a  pioneer  Brooklynite,  though  not  born 


here,  died  Wednesday,  the  12th  inst.,  in  the  house  on  the 
south-west  corner  of  Henry  and  Montague  streets.  He  was 
a  man  of  strong  character,  remarkable  natural  ability,  and 
fine  literary  attainments ;  and  all  who  knew  the  late  Dr. 
Salmon  Skinner  in  his  prime,  were  impressed  with  the  con- 
viction that  he  possessed  no  small  share  of  that  indescribable 
and  indefinable  gift  generally  designated  as  genius.  He  was 
always  an  originator,  never  an  imitator;  and  disregarding 
beaten  tracks,  old  plans  of  action  and  well-worn  lines  of 
thought,  would  always  strike  out  fresh  trails,  that,  in  practi- 
cal mechanics  alone,  resulted  in  many  brilliant  successes. 
He  was  born,  March  6,  1818,  in  Coeymans,  Albany  county, 
this  state,  and,  while  young,  received  a  thorough  education 
in  the  common  schools. 

"  When  quite  a  young  boy,  his  health  not  being  robust,  he 
was  obliged  to  leave  school,  and,  at  the  early  age  of  14,  he 
shipped  on  board  a  whaler,  and  went  on  a  voyage  round 
Cape  Horn,  to  cruise  in  search  of  oil  and  bone  in  the  Pacific 
Ocean.  On  his  return,  Ms  health  was  so  much  improved 
that  he  decided  to  give  up  a  sea-faring  life;  and,  while  wait- 
ing to  find  an  opening  in  life,  he  made  the  acquaintance  of 
President  Martin  Van  Buren,  who  ever  afterward  remained 
his  warm  and  steadfast  friend.  Young  Skinner's  adoption 
of  the  profession  of  a  dentist  was  the  result  of  a  casual  sug- 
gestion made  by  a  female  relative.  He  had  saved  up  $250 
from  the  pay  he  received  on  board  the  whaler,  anel  with  that 
money  he  proceeded  to  Philadelphia  and  paid  it  over  to  the 
then  leading  dentist  of  that  city,  in  order  to  be  instructed  in 
the  mysteries  of  the  profession  he  had  decided  to  adopt.  At 
that  time,  nearly  half  a  century  ago,  the  science  of  dent- 
istry was  in  its  infancy.  The  merits  of  vulcanized  rubber 
as  material  for  plates,  were  unknown.    The  only  substance 


94S 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


DH.  SALMON  SKINNEK'S  RESIDENCE,  CORNER  HENRY  AND 
MONTAGUE  STREETS, 
Erected  13-13,  and  occupied  by  him  In  18-16. 

then  used  for  that  purpose  was  gold,  and  the  instruments 
used  were  exceedingly  clumsy  contrivances,  when  compared 
with  those  of  the  present  day.  The  pupil  soon  acquired  all 
the  knowledge  his  instruction  was  able  to  impart,  and  he  had 
not  been  in  Philadelphia  many  mouths  before  he  was  able  to 
give,  instead  of  receive,  instruction;  for  the  reason  that  his 
remarkable  mechanical  and  inventive  genius  then  developed 
itself.  He  returned  to  the  city  of  Hudson,  in  this  state, 
where  he  opened  an  office  and  commenced  the  practice  of 
his  profession.  His  success  was  so  immediate  and  great  that 
before  he  reached  his  twenty-first  year,  he  had  made  enough 
money  to  pay  for  the  building  of  two  houses;  and  had  also 
accumulated  sufficient  capital  to  enable  him  to  remove  to 
Brooklyn.  He  came  to  this  city  forty  years  ago,  and  located 
in  a  house  on  the  corner  of  Hicks  and  Cranberry  streets. 
Brooklyn  at  that  time  was  merely  a  village.  The  lady  who 
rented  the  house  to  Dr.  Skinner  said  she  desired  to  Leave  it 
because  it  was  too  much  in  the  city,  and  she  wanted  to  move 
out  into  the  suburbs.  She  moved  out  to  the  corner  of  John- 
son and  Fulton  streets,  which  was  a  portion  of  the  suburbs 
of  Brooklyn  in  those  days.  Dr.  Skinner's  Brooklyn  friends 
and  patrons  at  that  time  were  such  men  as  Rev.  Dr.  Broad- 
head,  Rev.  Dr.  Bethune,  Rev.  Dr.  Cox,  James  Freeland, 
Henry  Sheldon,  Peter  Hoffman,  and  others  whose  names 
will  always  be  remembered  in  connection  with  the  rise  and 
progress  of  the  city.  Dr.  Skinner  did  not  remain  for  any 
great  length  of  time  on  the  corner  of  Hicks  and  Cranberry 
streets  ;  but,  like  his  landlady,  moved  out  into  the  suburbs 
and  commenced  to  practice  his  profession  in  the  house  on  the 
corner  of  Montague  and  Henry  streets,  then  called  Montague 
place.  That,  and  the  two  ail. joining  houses,  were  the  only 
buildings  then  erected  there.  Rev.  Henry  Ward  Beecher 
was  just  beginning  his  wonderfully  successful  career,  and 
preached  in  a  small,  white  frame  building,  supported  on  brick 
pillars,  and  located  about  two  hundred  yards  away  from  the 
house  where  I  >r.  Skinner  had  hung  his  shingle  out. 

"The  Wall  Street  Ferry  had  not  then  been  established. 
Montague,  and  other  streets  in  that    neighborhood,  were 

little  better  than  comm  lilt  road-,  and  the  majority  of  the 

people  i.f  IWookhn  lived  almost  within  shouting  distance  of 
the  Fulton  Ferry. 


"Dr.  Skinner  experienced  no  difficulty  in  building  up  a 
good  practice,  and  his  reputation  as  a  skillful  dentist  spread 
so  fast  and  far,  that  he  had  not  been  settled  in  Brooklvn 
many  months  before  he  had  rendered  professional  service-  to 
almost  every  prominent  man  in  the  county.  They  ever 
afterward  remained  his  warm  friends,  and,  for  the  next 
twenty-five  years,  no  man  in  the  county  had  a  wider  or 
more  influential  circle  of  friends.  He  was  then  a  constant 
attendant  at  the  church  of  his  friend,  Rev.  Dr.  Bethune : 
and  when  the  project  was  first  entertained  of  building  the 
Reformed  Church,  on  the  Heights,  Dr.  Skinner  was  one  of 
the  first  and  most  liberal  supporters  of  the  enterprise. 

"His  practice  increased  so  rapidly,  that  he  was  obliged  to 
employ  a  number  of  assistants,  and  had  often  as  many  as 
eight  students  under  his  care.  Many  of  the  most  prominent 
and  successful  dentists  in  this  and  other  cities  graduated 
from  his  office.  Dr.  Skinner  was  often  called  upon  to  test  if  \ 
as  an  expert,  and,  on  one  such  occasion,  when  asked,  'an 
you  a  graduate  of  any  college?'  he  replied,  with  considera- 
ble warmth:  '  why,  the  colleges  graduated  from  me.'  After 
many  years'  close  and  hard  work,  the  doctor's  health  became 
impaired,  and  he  was  ordered  to  the  island  of  Cuba  to  re- 
cuperate. Mr.  James  Gordon  Bennett,  the  founder  of  tin 
New  York  Herald,  who  was  a  warm  personal  friend  of  Dr. 
Skinner,  engaged  him  to  act  as  the  special  correspondent  of 
that  journal,  and  his  letters  from  Cuba,  over  the  mm  di 
plume  of  'Amigo,'  attracted  wide  attention,  not  only  on  ac- 
count of  the  great  literary  ability  displayed,  but  also  l>\ 
reason  of  the  intelligent  and  comprehensive  manner  in 
which  the  affairs  of  that  portion  of  the  Spanish  possession- 
were  treated.  His  friendly  relations  with  Mr.  Bennett  wer 
maintained  up  to  the  time  of  that  gentleman's  death,  and  his 
son,  the  present  proprietor  of  the  Herald,  was  one  of  the 
doctor's  most  steadfast  adherents.  In  politics,  the  late  Dl 
Skinner  was  a  Democrat  of  the  most  pronounced  type,  and 
year  in  and  year  out,  for  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  century,  he 
was  always  elected  a  delegate  to  the  different  National  and 
State  conventions.  His  last  active  participation  in  political 
affairs  was  at  the  Charleston  Convention,  in  1860.  Dr.  Skin- 
ner was  the  inventor  of  a  fire-escape,  which  is  now  in  use  in 
many  of  the  large  cities  in  the  eastern  states;  and  all  who 
have  been  in  the  habit  of  visiting  the  American  Institute 
Fair,  will  doubtless  remember  seeing  a  gas  cooking-stove  of 
his  invention,  the  burners  of  which,  unlike  other  stoves,  an 
on  the  top  instead  of  underneath.  It  was  while  engaged  in 
exhibiting  his  stove,  and  explaining  its  merits,  that  he  con- 
tracted the  cold  which  resulted  in  his  death. 

"One  of  the  enterprises  with  whic  h  the  name  of  the  de- 
ceased will  always  be  connected,  is  the  Cypres-  Hills  Ceme- 
tery, of  which  he  was  one  of  the  originators,  and  it  is  there 
that  he  was  buried." 


Dr.  David  Salmon  Skinner.— It  is  a  fallacious  thought 
that  the  death  of  one  of  intrinsic  worth  is  an  irreparable 
loss.  As  in  nature,  annihilation  is  impossible,  so  n  ih 
of  the  mental  outcome  of  a  truly  original  man.  1 1  > — 
thought  will  find  embodiment.  Often  years  pass  before 
this  is  proven:  the  good  seems  to  have  been  extinguished  with 
the  death:  but  Dr.  Salmon  Skinner  left  one  in  whom  the 
speedy  realization  of  the  aspirations  of  his  better  nature  was 
obtained. 

Dr.  David  Salmon  Skinner,  the  subject  of  this  biographi- 
cal sketch  was  bom  in  Brooklyn,  on  the  corner  of  Hi<  k-  and 
Cranbern  streets,  on  the  20t li  of  October.  ISIl.and  lias  re 
sided  in  Brooklv  n  almost  continuously  ever  sinc  e.  Ili-edma 
t ion  \\  as  received  fn mi  such  well-known  instructor-  a  -  LyflMB 
Cobb,  of  spelling  book  fame;  .lames  Monteith,  the  compiler  of 


THE  PROFESSION   OF  DENTISTRY. 


949 


various  school  works;  and  Professor  Sedgwick,  the  eminent 
astronomer;  and  the  attention  he  then  gave  to  his  studies  has 
been  of  great  value  ever  since,  for  his  culture  and  refinement, 
joined  to  most  genial  manners,  have  always  been  the  "  Open 
Sesame"  to  the  friendship  and  admission  of  the  charmed 
circles  of  the  best  society.  At  the  breaking  out  of  the  Rebel- 
lion, although  a  comparatively  young  man,  he  took  an  active 
interest  in  all  military  affairs,  and  was  for  a  short  time  asso- 
ciated with  the  lamented  Ellsworth.  He  assisted  in  raising  a 
company  for  the  Xew  York  Legion,  U.  S.V.,  and  then  served 
in  the  Quartermaster's  Department  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley 
for  a  short  time.  Dr.  Skinner  joined  the  famous  Seventh 
Regiment,  N.  G.,  S.  N.  Y.,  in  1863,  and  served  with  them  in 
the  Draft,  Election  and  Orange  Riots,  being  complimented 
by  a  letter  from  his  company  for  his  services  in  the  last-named 
and  most  bloody  encounter  with  the  mob.  He  was  elected  a 
life  member  of  the  Veteran  Association,  and  still  takes  a  deep 
interest  in  all  the  public  and  private  affairs  of  the  active  regi- 
ment. 

When  21  years  old  he  joined  the  order  of  Free  and  Accepted 
Masons,  and  has.  with  characteristic  thoroughness,  attained 
the  highest  rank,  but  lately  entering  the  thirty-third  degree; 
and  in  a  few  months  will  be  elected  to  life  membership  in  his 
lodge,  as  he  will  then  be  a  veteran  in  that  institution.  The 
confidence  reposed  in  his  integrity  and  good  judgment  has 
been  manifested  by  his  election  to  various  high  offices,  at  dif- 
ferent times,  by  companies  and  associations  with  which  he 
was  connected;  and,  although  proffered  nominations  for  polit- 


ical offices,  he  has  always  declined  the  honor,  preferring  to  re- 
main in  private  life,  and  give  that  attention  to  the  profession 
of  dentistry  that  his  large  and  influential  practice  requires. 
The  Doctor,  at  an  early  age,  evinced  decided  journalistic  abil- 
ity, and  for  many  years  has  edited  the  society  and  dramatic 
departments  of  some  of  our  leading  papers,  his  articles  being 
notable  for  their  crispness,  pungency  and  analytical  acumen. 
As  a  dentist,  he  takes  the  highest  rank,  it  being  his  constant 
effort  to  do  the  best  work  in  liis  profession:  and  his  patrons, 
among  our  most  cultured  and  wealthy  people,  have  secured  to 
him  a  fine  competence. 

In  private  life,  he  is  truly  an  enjoyable  man,  fond  of  all  re- 
fining enjoyments;  a  steady  patron  of  the  music  and  arts, 
and  one  with  whom  conversation  is  both  a  pleasure  and 
profit. 

Among  the  prominent  dentists  of  Brooklyn  we  may 
mention  the  following: 

Charles  W.  Harreys,  108  4th  street,  E.  D. 

Established  1867,  86  4th  street.  In  1877,  removed  to 
present  address,  110  4th  street. 

C.  A.  Marvin,  D.D.S.,  169  Clinton  street. 

Established  1853  ;  president  of  various  local  Dental 
Societies  ;  was  Member  District  Board  of  Censors  ;  Pres. 
State  Dental  Society;  Professor  of  Mechanical  Dentistry 
in  New  York  College  of  Dentists,  four  years  ;  and  con- 
nected with  N.  Y.  Odontological  Society  from  its  organ- 
ization. 


THE  HISTORY 


(  )F 


HIGHER  EDUCATION,  PRIVATE  SEHDDLS,  Etc. 


IN 


BROOKLYN. 


EARLIER  PRIVATE  SCHOOLS  IN 
KINGS  COUNTY.— The  earlier  begin- 
nings  of  Education,  both  in  its  public  and  pri- 
vate form,  in  Brooktyn  and  Williamsburgh, 
have  been  already  sufficiently  stated  in  our  chapter  on 
the  History  of  Education  in  Kings  County  (pages  409 
to  418),  and  in  the  History  of  the  Department  of  Public 
Education,  by  Hon.  T.  G.  Bergen,  Esq.  (pages  609  to 
618);  as  well  as  in  the  histories  of  the  several  county 
towns  presented  in  this  volume. 

In  dealing,  however,  with  the  private  schools  which, 
since  the  beginning  of  the  present  century,  have  flour- 
ished within  the  limits  of  the  present  city  of  Brooklyn, 
we  have  a  larger  subject  than  we  are  able  to  compass 
within  the  space  allowed  to  us.  Their  number  has  been 
extraordinary;  their  merits  and  demerits  we  do  not  feel 
competent  to  discuss. 

A  few  names  stand  clearly  out  in  the  memories  and 
approval  of  the  oldest  inhabitants.  Foremost  among 
them  was  John  Beynon,  whose  school  was  located 
on  Nassau  street,  near  the  northwest  corner  of  that 
street  and  Washington  street — then  a  pleasant  tree- 
shaded  neighborhood  of  dwellings.  Beynon  is  char- 
acterized as  "a  freethinker,  a  great  admirer  of  Thomas 
Paine,  but  an  excellent  scholar  and  good  teacher,  al- 
though he  possessed  a  hot  temper  and  not  much  suavity 
of  manner."  He  was  considered  as  an  estimable  citizen; 
was  a  member  of  the  Society  for  the  Prevention  and 
Suppression  of  N  ice  in  the  \><\w\  of  Brooklyn,  formed 
in  1815;  and  it  was  at  his  school-house  that  the  meeting 
was  called  by  Messrs.  Snow,  Mercein,  Herbert  and 
others,  in  1816,  which  resulted  in  the  establishment  of 
the  Brooklyn  Sunday  School  I'nion  ;  so  that,  despite 
his  "  freethinking  "  tendencies,  we  must  consider  Beynon 
to  have  been  one  of  the  solid,  law-abiding  citizens,  and 
respected  by  the  best  men  of  the  village. 

He  was  succeeded,  at  his  death,  by  the  Rev.  Samui  i. 
Si.Aiii  uv,  formerly  his  assistant,  ami  who  patched 
up  an  old  meeting-house  (which  originally  belonged 
to   the   "Independents,"  afterwards  to  the  Episcopa- 


lians), which  adjoined  the  northerly  side  of  the  burial 
ground  of  St.  Ann's  Episcopal  Church  (and  which  is 
now  covered  by  the  block  of  stores  called  "  St.  Ann's 
Buildings),  and  used  it  as  a  school-room.  Here  he  kept 
a  classical  and  English  school  of  great  excellence,  in 
which  many  of  our  oldest  citizens  received  their  edu- 
cation. Mr.  Seabury  was  a  fine  scholar,  a  strict  dis- 
ciplinarian, and  a  thorough  teacher.  He  was  widely 
esteemed  for  his  scholastic,  theological  and  editorial 
abilities.  John  Swinhurnk,  his  assistant,  was  also  a 
conscientious,  methodical  teacher,  and  an  excellent  dis- 
ciplinarian. He  afterwards  conducted  a  classical  sem- 
inary of  high  reputation,  at  White  Plains,  N.  Y. 

Of  a  later  date  (1840-60?)  was  Mr.  B.  W.  D  WIGHT, 
who  kept  a  school  on  the  south  side  of  Livingston  stri  ct, 
between  Sidney  place  and  Clinton  street.  About  1846, 
it  was  the  principal  school  of  the  city,  and  Mr.  D.  is 
characterized  by  Gen.  A.  C.  Barnes  "as  well  remem- 
bered for  his  brisk  ways,  his  lectures  to  the  boys  on  tin 
practical  subjects  of  life,  and  for  his  long,  lithe  bamboo 
stick,  tipped  with  a  button,  for  thumping  the  crania  of 
inattentive  or  mischievous  pupils  in  the  remote  corner* 
of  the  school-room.  He  had,  also,  a  trick  of  seizing  of- 
fending youth  by  the  hair,  gently  twitching  it  at  first, 
and  inquiring  if  the  process  hurt.  Repeating  the  act 
with  gradually  increasing  force,  until  tears  of  agony 
stood  in  the  victim's  eyes,  he  would  assure  him  that  the 
teacher  was  a  still  greater  sufferer  from  the  high  crimes 
committed  by  those  under  his  charge.  Prof.  Dwigbt 
made  classical  study  a  prominent  feature  of  his  curri- 
culum. Prof.  I).  P.  Ilolhrook  was  his  first  assistant, 
and  greatly  endeared  himself  to  the  boys  l>y  his  gentle 
manners  and  patient  faithfulness  as  a  teacher." 

JULIUS  R.  Pomekoy  for  several  years  kept  a  j>rivat< 
school  for  boys,  at  tio  Henry  street.  He  was  succeeded 
by  his  brother  Daniel,  and  the  school  was  removed 
to  a  small  building  in  Willow  street,  near  Pierrc|i<>nt. 

A.  B.  Morehouse's  school  for  young  ladies  in  Clin- 
ton street,  near  Sackett,  was  very  popular  for  many 
years  in  South  Brooklyn. 


ED  UGA  TIONA  L  INS  Til  UTIONS. 


051 


Among  other  private  schools,  which  will  occur  to 
the  minds  of  many  Brooklynites  of  recent  generations, 
were  the  lawrence  Institute  for  young  ladies  in  John- 
son street,  kept  by  the  Misses  Lawrence;  and  Prof. 
J.  C.  Ovekhiser's  school,  in  the  Hamilton  Building, 
which  was  chiefly  a  fitting  school  for  college  for  young 
men. 

The  Packer  Collegiate  Institute. — The  first  en- 
dowed institution  for  female  education,  in  the  State  of 
New  York,  was  the  Albany  Female  Academy.  It  was 
founded  by  Chancellor  Kent,  John  V.  Henry,  Gideon 
Hawley  and  others,  in  1811,  and  incorporated  in  1821. 
A  similar  institution  was  subsequently  founded  in  the 
metropolis,  under  the  name  of  Rutgers  Female  Insti- 
tute— now  Rutgers  College. 


attendance  of  pupils  six  hundred.  On  January  1st  of 
that  year  the  school  building,  with  its  library,  chemi- 
cal and  astronomical  apparatus,  natural  history  collec- 
tions, etc.,  was  destroyed  by  fire.  Before  the  flames 
were  extinguished,  the  use  of  rooms  in  the  Brooklyn 
Institute  was  tendered  and  accepted,  and  the  school 
was  not  interrupted  for  an  hour.  Within  three  days, 
and  while  the  smoke  from  the  ruins  was  still  ascending, 
Mrs.  Harriet  L.  Packer  addressed  a  communication  to 
the  trustees,  stating  that  her  late  husband,  William  S. 
Packer,  had  desired  to  found  an  educational  institu- 
tion, and  that  she,  as  his  representative,  proposed  to 
carry  out  his  wishes.  She  therefore  offered  to  re-estab- 
lish the  institution  on  a  more  permanent  and  solid  basis; 
and  dedicate  it  for  all  time  to  the  advancement  of  fe- 


PACKER  COLLEGIATE  INSTITUTE.  JORALEMON  STREET,  BROOKLYN  HEIGHTS,  N.  Y. 


In  1844  the  Brooklyn^  Female  Aeademyjwas  founded 
by  a  number  of  the  citizens  of  this  city,  and  incorpo- 
rated by  an  Act  of  the  Legislature  during  the  same  year. 
It  was  modelled  on  a  plan  similar  to  the  others;  and  A. 
Crittenden,  A.  M.,  who  had  been  during  twenty  years 
at  the  head  of  the  Albany  Female  Academy,  became 
its  first  principal. 

Two  brick  buildings  were  erected  on  Joralemon  street, 
between  Court  and  Clinton;  the  main  one,  in  which 
were  all  the  school  apartments,  was  75  by  100  feet  and 
four  stories  in  height;  the  other,  a  boarding  house,  was 
50  feet  square  and  also  four  stories  high.  The  Acad- 
emy  was  formally  opened  May  4th,  1846.  Its  career 
was  prosperous  until  1853,  when  its  revenue  from  tui- 
tion alone  had  reached  $20,000  per  annum,  and  its  daily 


male  education  in  the  higher  branches  of  Art  and  Sci- 
ence, on  condition  that  the  stockholders  would  transfer 
their  ownership  in  the  Brooklyn  Female  Academy,  to 
found  a  similar  institution  for  the  education  of  young 
men.  She  wrote:  "What  I  contemplate  in  this  is  to 
apply  $G5,000  of  Mr.  Packer's  property  to  the  erection 
of  an  institution  for  the  education  of  my  own  sex  in  the 
higher  branches  of  literature,  in  lieu  of  that  now  known 
as  the  Brooklyn  Female  Academy."  The  condition 
which  she  imposed  was  accepted  by  the  trustees;  and 
the  corporators  consented  to  transfer  their  interest  to  a 
school  for  boys,  under  the  title  of  the  Brooklyn  Col- 
legiate and  Polytechnic  Institute. 

The  Institution  was  chartered  by  the  Legislature, 
under  the  name  of  the  Packer  Collegiate  Institute.  In 


952 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


a  subsequent  letter,  Mrs.  Packer  expressed  her  thanks 
for  the  honor  conferred  on  the  memory  of  her  husband, 
in  giving  his  name  to  the  institution,  and  proposed  to 
add  $20,000  to  her  former  donation,  to  further  aid  the 
trustees  in  the  erection  of  a  building  which  should  be  a 
token  of  the  refined  and  elevated  influences  to  be  found 
within  its  walls.  This  sum  of  $20,000  was  never  called 
for. 

The  erection  of  the  present  building,  on  the  site  of 
the  one  destroyed,  was  at  once  commenced;  and  it 
was  formally  opened  on  the  9th  of  November,  1854.  It 
exceeds  the  former  one  in  size  by  one-third,  and,  with 
the  grounds,  has  an  estimated  value  of  $200,000.  This 
edifice,  in  the  beauty  of  its  architectural  design,  and  in 
the  convenience  of  its  arrangements,  is  not  surpassed 
by  any  college  edifice  in  the  country.  It  has  a  tower 
for  the  support  of  a  telescope,  resting  on  a  deep  foun- 
dation, and  surmounted  by  a  revolving  dome.  Its 
chapel  is  of  the  early  English  style  of  Gothic  architec- 
ture, and  has  a  seating  capacity  of  1,000.  It  has  a  lec- 
ture room,  laboratory,  cabinet,  library,  gymnasium,  etc., 
etc. 

The  endowment  of  this  school  by  its  liberal  patron 
was  made  on  the  express  condition  that  all  profits  aris- 
ing therefrom  should  be  faithfully  applied  to  its  further 
improvement,  and  for  enlarging  and  improving  its  facil- 
ities for  instruction. 

There  are  ten  Packer  scholarships,  determined  by  the 
faculty;  eight  endowed  scholarships,  and  ten  grammar- 
school  scholarships,  the  incumbents  of  which  are  se- 
lected, by  competitive  examination,  from  among  the 
graduates  of  the  Central  Grammar  School  of  Brooklyn. 
In  1882,  gratuitous  instruction  was  given,  which,  at 
regular  tuition  rates,  would  have  amounted  to  more 
than  $3,000. 

Aid  has  been  received  by  this  institution,  from  the 
State  of  New  York,  to  the  amount  of  more  than  $30,000. 
The  present  endowment  is  about  $42,500. 

The  Presidents  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  have  been: 
John  Skill  man,  George  "Wood,  Scth  Low,  G.  G.  Van 
Wagener,  and  the  present  President,  A.  A.  Low,  who 
has  held  the  position  since  1858. 

Auonzo  Obittendkn,  A.  M.,  Ph.  U.,  was  President 
of  the  Institute  from  its  beginning  until  his  death, 
January  23,  1883.  He  was  born  in  Richmond,  Berk- 
shire county,  Mass.,  April  7,  1801.  At  an  early  age 
lie  entered  Union  College,  and  was  noted  for  the  assid- 
uity and  devotion  with  which  he  pursued  his  studies, 
lie  graduated  in  the  class  of  1824,  and  went  to  fill  a 
responsible  position  in  the  Albany  Female  Academy. 
Subsequently  appointed  principal  "l"  thai  institution, 
he  remained  until  1845,  when  he  took  charge  of  the 
Un.oklyn  Female  Academy,  which  was  burned  Janu- 
ary I,  I  *."><).  Through  Prof.  Crittenden's  promptness 
thfl  school  was  re-established  almost  immediately.  The 
growth,  prosperity  and  advancement  of  "Packer" 
engrossed  Prof.  Crittenden's  time  and  attention,  and 


was  the  principal  6tudy  of  his  life.  Nearly  twenty 
thousand  pupils  from  all  parts  of  the  Union  have  there 
been  educated.  Some  idea  may  be  formed  of  the 
vast  influence  of  such  an  institution  and  such  a 
man.  He  attained  the  highest  rank  and  distinc- 
tion as  an  upright,  skillful  educator  and  adminis- 
trator. Alert,  punctual,  judicious  and  firm  in  his 
headship,  he  directed  numerous  and  accomplished 
teachers,  kindled  the  studious  zeal,  and  won  the  affec- 
tionate confidence  and  regard  of  his  pupils.  He  also 
found  time  to  assist  struggling  genius  and  to  encour- 
age talent.  Many  a  young  man  owes  to  his  thought- 
fulness  and  generosity  the  word  which  has  helped  him 
on  to  success.  Prof.  Crittenden  was  a  member  of  the 
Church  of  the  Pilgrims,  and  as  an  educator,  citizen 
and  man,  was  respected  and  esteemed  wherever 
known. 

Professor  Darwin  G.  Eaton  was  chosen  Presi- 
dent of  the  Faculty  in  place  of  Professor  Alonzo 
Crittenden,  deceased,  but  was  compelled  to  decline  be- 
cause of  poor  health.  Prof.  Eaton  has  been  connected 
with  the  Packer  Institute  since  1851,  or  a  period  of 
thirty-one  years,  and  has  occupied  the  chair  of  higher 
mathematics  and  natural  sciences  with  peculiar  ability. 
His  ripe  scholarship  and  excellent  financial  knowledge, 
as  well  as  his  reputation  as  a  scientist  and  chemist,  are 
known  all  over  the  Union;  and  his  laboratory  is  said  to 
be  one  of  the  most  complete  in  existence.  His  lectures 
and  researches  in  astronomy  have  also  been  delightful 
contributions  to  both  scientific  and  general  knowledge, 
and  have  won  the  commendation  of  the  most  eminent 
specialists. 

Prof.  Truman  J.  Backus,  LL.  D.,  the  present  Prat- 
ident,  was  graduated  from  Rochester  University  in 
1804,  and  held  the  chair  of  English  Literature  and 
Belles-lettres  in  Vassar  College  for  the  first  sixteen 
years  of  its  existence.  He  also  re-wrote  Shaw's  Man- 
ual of  English  Literature,  the  well-known  text-hook. 
He  is  one  of  the  leading  educators  of  the  day,  and 
prominent  in  the  lecture  field. 

Board  of  Trustees,  1883. — A.  A.  Low,  Peter  C. 
Cornell,  Arthur  W.  Benson,  Joshua  M.  Van  Cott,  R. 
P.  Buck,  S.  B.  Chittenden,  Henry  P.  Morgan,  Bryan 
H.  Smith,  Taskcr  H.  Marvin,  William  S.  Packer,  A.  S. 
Barnes,  Ripley  Ropes,  Henry  Sanger,  A.  1>.  Haylis; 
the  Mayor  of  the  City  of  Brooklyn,  ex-qfficio;  iVw- 
ident,  A.  A.  Low;  IVeasurer,  Abram  B.  Baylis.  .Ir  : 
Secretary,  Henry  1*.  Morgan. 

William  S.  Pack  Kit  was  born  in  Albany  county,  in 
the  year  1800.  He  was  left  at  an  early  age  entirely  de- 
pendent on  himself,  but  this  was  only  a  stimulus  to  ex- 
ertion, and  he  was  noted,  even  in  boyhood,  for  his 
energy,  self-reliance  and  perseverance.  In  early  man- 
hood, he  established  himself  in  the  fur-trade  in  Albany, 
and  founded  the  house  of  Packer,  Prentice  A  Co.,  after- 
wards removed  to  New  York.    His  rare  sagacity,  his 


EDUCATIONAL  INSTITUTIONS. 


953 


strict  integrity  and  his  readiness  to  help  younger  men, 
who,  like  himself,  had  their  own  way  to  make,  gave 
him  an  enviable  reputation  among  men. 

On  retiring  from  business  in  1840,  he  came  to  Brook- 
lyn to  reside,  and  from  that  time  thoroughly  identified 
himself  with  this  city,  entering  heartily  into  all  plans 
for  public  improvement.  A  man  of  broad  views,  he 
believed  in  the  future  of  Brooklyn,  and  devoted  time, 
influence  and  money,  to  aid  in  establishing  institutions 
for  the  good  of  the  people.  He  was  one  of  the  founders 
of  the  Brooklyn  City  Hospital  and  of  the  Brooklyn 
Female  Academy,  and  contributed  liberally  to  the 
building  of  various  churches.  The  population  of 
Brooklyn  at  that  time  was  less  than  40,000.  The  vil- 
lage character  still  belonged  to  it,  though  it  had  been 
organized  under  the  form  of  a  city  government  a  few 
years  before. 

All  the  important  institutions  and  public  works, 
,  which  have  since  been  commenced  or  accomplished 
here,  were  then  still  in  the  future,  and  the  residence 
in  the  place  of  a  man  like  Mr.  Packer,  who,  though 
modest  and  unobtrusive,  had  foresight,  courage,  en- 
terprise, and  influence  with  men,  and  who  used  his 
means  with  intelligent  liberality,  was  therefore  a 
matter  of  public  importance.  It  opened  before  him  a 
quite  unusual  opportunity  of  usefulness,  which  he 
gladly  improved,  and  his  energetic  public  spirit,  with 
that  of  others  with  whom  he  was  associated,  has  had 
its  worthy  and  splendid  memorial  in  the  subsequent 
development  of  the  city.  He  died  at  the  close  of  1850, 
and  the  Packer  Collegiate  Institute  opened  in  1854, 
was  built  by  his  widow  with  the  desire  of  associating 
his  name  with  some  permanent  public  good. 

Brooklyn  Heights  Seminary,  136,  138  and  140 
Montague  Place. — This  institution  for  the  education  of 
:  young  ladies  was  established  by  Prof.  Alonzo  Gray, 
LL.  D.,  in  1851;  and,  nine  years  later,  passed,  on  his 
death,  into  the  hands  of  the  present  principal  and  pro- 
prietor, Charles  E.  West,  M.  D.,  LL.  D.,  formerly  the 
Principal  of  the  well-known  Rutgers  Female  College, 
in  New  York  city,  during  its  palmiest  days. 

Dr.  West  has  devoted  himself  for  some  forty  years 
,  to  the  important  subject  of  female  education,  studying 
the  matter  in  all  its  branches  and  bearings,  and  ascer- 
taining, by  a  comparison  of  the  systems  of  instruction 
employed  in  America  and  Europe,  the  most  suitable 
methods  to  be  adopted  in  carrying  out  his  aim.  By 
close  application,  and  by  giving  himself  over  altogether 
to  his  subject  with  commendable  zeal,  he  has  succeeded 
in  accomplishing  his  purposes. 

The  seminary  is  situated  in  one  of  the  most  eligible 
streets  in  Brooklyn,  near  the  East  River,  and  within  a 
few  minutes  of  New  York.  The  edifice  is  seventy- 
five  feet  front,  sixty-three  in  depth,  and  five  stories  in 
height.  The  school-rooms  are  large  and  well  ven- 
tilated.   The  remainder  of  the  building  is  occupied  as 


a  residence  for  the  principal  and  for  the  accommoda- 
tion of  young  ladies  from  abroad. 

The  seminary  is  divided  into  two  departments, 
junior  and  senior,  each  of  which  is  subject  to  subdi- 
vision. The  course  of  study  comprises  mathematics, 
science,  and  English,  ancient  and  modern  languages;  and 
the  pupils  also  enjoy  the  benefit  of  the  excellent  library, 
and  choice  art-collections  accumulated  by  Prof.  West 
[whose  modesty  alone  has  placed  an  insuperable  bar  in 
the  way  of  our  speaking  of  him,  and  of  his  works,  in 
the  manner  which  we  desire. — Editor.] 

The  Brooklyn  Collegiate  and  Polytechnic  In- 
stitute,— After  the  burning  of  the  Brooklyn  Female 
Academy  in  1853,  and  the  generous  desire  of  Mrs. 
Packer  to  found  and  endow  an  institution  in  its  stead,  for 
the  higher  education  of  women,  the  insurance  received 
on  the  burned  building,  and  the  sale  of  its  site,  con- 
stituted a  fund  to  be  returned  to  the  stockholders,  or, 
with  their  consent,  to  be  transferred  to  an  institution 
for  the  higher  education  of  boys  and  young  men.  A 
few  days  after  the  fire,  Messrs.  James  How,  Dr.  J.  S. 
Thorne,  Edward  Anthony,  Cyrus  P.  Smith,  Luther  B. 
Wyman  and  John  H.  Prentice,  held  a  meeting  at  the 
house  of  the  latter  and  selected  the  first  Board  of 
Trustees  of  the  Brooklyn  Collegiate  and  Polytechnic 
Institute. 

At  a  subsequent  meeting,  held  April  3, 1853,  Messrs. 
L.  B.  Wyman,  George  S.  Howland,  R.  S.  Tucker,  J. 
E.  Southworth,  Isaac  H.  Frothingham,  John  T.  Mar- 
tin, H.  R.  Worthington,  D.  S.  Landon,  C.  S.  Baylis, 
J.  C.  Brevoort,  J.  S.  T.  Stranahan,  S.  B.  Chittenden, 
James  How,  and  J.  O.  Low,  were  chosen  Trustees,  to 
which  Board,  H.  B.  Claflin,  J.  L.  Putnam,  and  Chas. 
R.  Marvin,  were  shortly  afterwards  added.  January 
20th,  1854,  Isaac  H.  Frothingham  was  chosen  Presi- 
dent of  the  Board;  Josiah  O.  Low,  its  Secretary;  John 
T.  Martin  having  been  previously  chosen  Treasurer. 

January  31st,  1854,  the  present  site  of  the  institute 
on  Livingston  street,  103  feet  wide  by  150  feet  deep, 
was  purchased,  and  soon  the  erection  of  a  suitable 
building  was  commenced. 

About  the  middle  of  September  following  the  insti- 
tute was  opened,  with  the  following  Faculty: 

John  H.  Raymond,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  President;  Geo. 
W.  Collord,  Latin  and  Greek;  Richard  S.  Smith, 
Mathematics;  Chas.  S.  Stone,  Natural  Sciences; 
Jean  Gustave  Keetels,  French  and  German;  R.  R. 
Raymond,  Rhetoric  and  English;  E.  C.  Seymour, 
Principal  of  Acad.  Department ;  John  C.  Overhiser 
and  Nathan  Ballard,  Instructors. 

Dr.  Raymond,  who  left  the  Polytechnic  to  accept 
the  Presidency  of  Vassar  College  (which  position  he 
held  till  the  time  of  his  death),  was  succeeded  by 
David  H.  Cochran,  Ph.  D.,  one  of  the  most  thorough 
teachers  and  accomplished  scientists  of  the  day. 

Brooklyn  Juvenile  High  School. — This  school 
was  organized  in  May,  1854,  by  Misses  A.  S.  Dobbin 


954 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


and  S.  EL  Rogers,  at  189  Washington  street,  opposite 
the  Brooklyn  Institute.  It  slowly  but  steadily  increased 
in  □  ambers,  until  its  accommodations  became  entirely 
too  small,  and  the  principals,  in  1865,  purchased  three 
lots  of  ground  on  Livingston  street,  near  Court,  and  at 

once  t  imenced  the  erection  of  a  large  and  commodious 

building,  forty-six  feet  front  by  seventy-eight  feet 
deep,  and  three  stories  high.  This  building  was  opened 
for  the  reception  of  pupils,  in  April,  1866;  and  one  year 
afterward,  finding  their  play-ground  too  limited,  they 
purchased  two  lots  of  ground  running  through  to 
Schenuerhorn  street.  The  entire  cost  of  the  grounds 
and  building  was  #48,600.  The  school  was  designed, 
especially,  for  the  thorough  instruction  of  boys  under 


T.  J.  Ellinwood  became  a  partner  with  Mr.  Lockwood, 
and  the  new  edifice  was  opened  for  use,  February  4th, 
186S;  the  old  quarters  being  kept  as  a  preparatory  de- 
partment. 

The  academy  progressed  rapidly;  and,  its  importance 
being  appreciated  by  the  citizens  of  the  neighborhood 
where  it  was  located,  a  movement  was  inaugurated  by 
Mr.  Lockwood  to  place  it  upon  the  firm  and  enduring 
basis  of  a  public  endowment  and  incorporation.  In 
June,  1S69,  therefore,  the  property  was  sold  to  Messrs. 
William  S.  Woodward,  Buckley  T.  Benton,  Alfred  S. 
Haines  and  others,  for  the  sum  of  8 100,000,  and  in 
August  following  the  property  was  dedicated  to  the 
use  and  benefit  of  the  public.    The  institution  was  duly 


A DELPHI  ACADEMV 


twelve  years  of  age,  in  the  rudiments  of  an  English 
education. 

The  Adelphi  Academy,  Lafayette  avenue,  corner 
of  Hall  street,  was  started  at  336  (old  number) 
Adelphi  street,  in  February,  1863,  by  Aaron  Chadwick 
and  Edward  S.  Hunker,  both  of  whom  had  been  long 
eonneeted  with  the  Hoi ytcehnic  Institute.  They  sold 
out,  shortly  after,  to  Mr.  J.  Lockwood,  who  opened  in 
September.  with  eleven  pupils;  and  so  rapid  was 

the  Lrrowth  of  the  school  thai  larger  quarters  were  found 
at  Nos.  338  and  340  Adelphi  street,  and,  on  the  23d  of 
July,  1867  (the  pupils  at  that  time  being  over  three 
hundred),  the  corner-stone  of  a  large  and  elegant 
school  building  was  laid  at  the  corner  of  Lafayette  ave- 
nue and  St.  James  place.  During  the  same  summer,  Mr. 


incorporated,  with  a  Board  of  twenty-four  Trustees,  l»r. 
Budington,  President.  Disagreements  with  the  DM 
Board  of  Trustees  led  to  the  resignation  of  Mr.  Lock- 
wood,  who  was  succeeded  by  Col.  Homer  B.  Sprague  as 
Principal,  from  October  10,  1870  to  1875,  followed  by 
Prof.  Stephen  G.  Taylor,  Ph.  I).,  to  1883.  The  Bohod 
has  collegiate,  academic,  preparatory,  art  and  music  d«- 
part  incuts,  with  a  spacious  room  for  physical  exercii* 
The  building  consists  of  the  main  edifice  and  two 
wings.  The  western  wing  was  erected  in  1871,  at  an 
expense  of  #40,0111),  which  was  donated  for  the  purpose. 
The  eastern  wing  was  built  in  1S79,  through  ih- 
liberality  of  Messrs.  Charles  Pratt  and  H.  W.  Wheek* 
The  basement  is  fitted  up  as  a  calisthcnium  and 
gymnasium. 


EDUCATIONAL  INSTITUTION'S. 


955 


The  curriculum  of  study  embraces  the  branches 
usually  taught  in  primary,  preparatory,  academic,  and 
collegiate  institutions;  and  both  sexes  are  admitted  to 
all  the  grades  of  instruction. 

The  Principals  of  this  academy  have  been:  John 
Lockwood,  till  May,  1870;  Col.  Homer  B.  Sprague,  from 
September,  1870,  to  June,  1875;  Stephen  G.  Taylor, 
from  September,  1875,  to  June,  1883,  and  A.  C.  Perkins, 
Ph.D.,  the  present  principal.  The  average  attendance 
has  come  to  be  730. 

In  1873,  the  Adelphi  annual  course  of  lectures  was 
inaugurated,  and  it  has  ever  since  been  maintained. 

Lockwood's  Academy  (for  both  sexes),  139  and 
141  South  Oxford  street. — Mr.  John  Lockwood,  after 


set  on  foot  looking  to  the  establishment  of  an  institu- 
tion that  would  meet  the  wants  of  Catholics  in  this  re- 
spect. The  foundations  of  the  College  of  St.  John  the 
Baptist  were  laid  in  the  summer  of  1868,  and  the  build- 
ing was  opened  for  educational  purposes  Sept.  5,  1871. 
Rev.  J.  T.  Landry,  C.  M.,  was  first  President,  serving 
from  the  opening  until  January,  1876.  Rev.  P.  M. 
O'Regan,  C.  M.,  succeeded  him,  and  held  the  position 
until  September,  1877,  when  Rev.  A.  J.  Myer,  C.  M., 
was  appointed.  Rev.  J.  A.  Hartnell,  C.  M.,  followed 
him  in  January,  1882,  and  still  fills  the  office. 

This  institution,  the  only  Catholic  institution  in  the 
diocese  possessing  the  privileges  of  a  university,  has  al- 
ways enjoyed  a  high  reputation  for  the  thoroughness 


ST.  JOHN'S  R.  C.  COLLEGE,  WILLOUGHBV  AVENUE,  CORNER  OF  LEWIS  AVENUE. 


his  retirement  from  the  Adelphi  Academy,  of  which  he 
was  the  founder,  was  requested,  at  a  public  meeting, 
by  a  resolution  unanimously  adopted,  to  open  another 
school  in  the  neighborhood,  to  be  conducted  on  the 
same  principles  which  had  given  such  prosperity  and 
fame  to  the  Adelphi  Academy;  and  the  present  name 
was  then  proposed.  Agreeably  to  that  invitation,  and 
with  all  but  two  of  his  former  grade  teachers,  he 
opened  the  school,  which,  within  three  years,  reached 
an  aggregate  attendance  of  375  pupils.  It  is  Mr.  Lock- 
wood's  intention  to  secure  its  incorporation. 

St.  John's  College.— One  of  the  principal  objects 
Bishop  Loughlin  had  in  view  in  calling  the  priests  of  the 
Congregation  of  the  Mission  into  his  diocese,  was  to 
afford  Catholic  youth  facilities  for  a  higher  education. 
Accordingly,  soon  after  their  arrival,  measures  were 


of  its  training  in  the  higher  branches  of  education.  To 
keep  their  colleges  on  a  level  with  the  best  colleges  of 
the  state;  to  fit  young  men  for  a  successful  and  honor- 
able career  in  business,  in  professional  pursuits,  or  in 
the  holy  ministry,  has  been  the  constant  aim  of  those 
connected  with  this  institution. 

The  Brothers  of  St.  Francis'  Monasteri/have  founded 
and  now  conduct  several  educational  institutions  in 
Brooklyn,  which  well  deserve  mention. 

St.  Francis  of  Assisi  founded  three  orders  during  the 
early  part  of  the  13th  century,  the  first  called  of  Friars 
Minors,  who  were  principally  priests;  the  second  called 
of  Poor  Clares  for  women;  and  the  third  order  for 
men  and  women.  The  Brothers  in  Brooklyn  belong  to 
the  Third  Order,  whose  primary  object  is  to  instruct 
youth  in  the  principles  of  their  religion,  and  in  the 


956 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


branches  of  education  proper  for  business,  and  for  the 
learned  profession. 

The  first  house  of  the  order  in  this  country  was  es- 
tablished at  Loretta,  Pa.,  where  the  Brothers  conduct  a 
college,  and,  in  connection  with  it,  several  schools.  The 
Brooklyn  house  was  commenced  in  1858.  In  1859,  a 
building  on  Baltic  street,  near  Court,  was  purchased  for 
a  school,  and  a  place  of  residence  for  the  Brothers.  It 
had  been  previouly  used  for  a  short  time  as  a  public 
school,  and  also  as  a  place  of  worship.  This  became 
known,  from  that  time,  as  St.  Frauds'  Academy,  and  it 
formed  the  nucleus  of  the  monastery  and  college  which 
takes  its  place.  It  has  a  frontage  of  125  feet  on  Baltic 
street,  and  extends  through  the  block  to  Butler  street. 

Although  Catholic  education  is  not  yet  systematised 
throughout  the  Union,  it  is  virtually  established ;  and 
the  rapidity  of  its  growth,  and  its  successful  develop- 
ment and  results,  seem  from  a  Catholic  standpoint,  to 
be  phenomenal.  Notwithstanding  the  comparative 
poverty  of  its  supporters,  yet,  owing  to  their  generosity, 
the  Brothers  have  been  able  to  make  great  improve- 
ments both  in  the  appearance  of  the  college  and  in  the 
efficiency  of  its  working. 

In  1871  Bro.  Jerome,  the  present  superior,  who  had 
been  about  five  years  at  the  head  of  affairs,  extended 
and  raised  the  old  building,  and  added  a  new  wing 
larger  than  the  old  one,  with  the  additions,  and  had  the 
name  changed  to 

St.  Francis'  College,  a  title  by  which  it  has  since 
been  known.  The  course  of  studies  pursued  embraces 
the  mathematics  in  their  various  departments,  English 
Literature,  Rhetoric,  Mental  and  Natural  Philosophy, 
Chemistry,  Physiology  and  Anatomy.  The  modern 
languages  are  joined  to  the  classical  in  the  collegiate 
course,  and  to  the  commercial  in  the  business  course. 
Music,  Physical  Culture  and  Elocution  are  made  special- 
ties. The  number  of  students  attending  the  college  at 
present  is  250;  more  than  two-thirds  of  this  number  are 
day  scholars,  the  remainder  are  boarders.  The  build- 
ings and  ground  cost  about  $115,000,  and  the  apparatus 
and  library  about  $10,000  more.  The  philosophi- 
cal and  chemical  instruments  are  of  the  most  improved 
kind:  a  good  supply  of  standard  works  on  science  and 
history  is  supplemented  by  a  number  of  well-approved 
volumes  on  fiction;  these  supply  the  more  advanced 
-Indents  all  the  information  they  require,  while  suitable 
reading  matter  is  also  provided  for  the  younger. 

The  Franciscan  Brothers  in  Brooklyn  conduct,  be- 
sides St.  Francis'  College, 

St.  Leonard's  Academy. — Early  in  the  vacation 
of  1880,  Bro.  Fidelis,  with  the  approbation  and  encour- 
agement of  the  most  prominent  residents  of  the  East- 
ern District,  succeeded  in  obtaining  a  location  for  a 
dwelling  and  school  at  190  South  Fourth  street.  It 
opened  with  'id  hoys,  but  the  number  steadily  increased 
to  75,  and  the  classes  increased  from  two  to  four.  In  the  j 
spring  of  1882  every  available  space  was  utilized  to  I 


meet  the  growing  demands  for  admission.  In  April  of 
that  year  a  more  spacious  building  was  purchased,  and 
the  present  location,  a  lot  adjoining  Nos.  138  and  140 
South  Fourth  street,  was  purchased.  The  site  is  healthy 
and  exceedingly  respectable  ;  the  play -grounds  afford 
most  ample  means  of  recreation  to  the  pupils'  hours  of 
recess.  Another  large  building  is  now  in  course  of 
construction  which  will  contain  all  the  recent  improve- 
ments, both  Banitary  and  educational,  of  the  first-class 
college.  As  the  primary  object  of  the  academy  is  to 
impart  a  thorough  commercial,  scientific  and  clas- 
sical education,  the  religious  belief  of  all  is  dulv 
re6peeted.  The  course  embraces  all  the  branches 
of  both  a  business  and  collegiate  education.  A 
rigid  examination  in  all  these  studies  is  exacted  be- 
fore the  honors  of  the  Academy  are  received.  This 
institution  is  one  of  the  finest  and  most,  thorough  of  its 
kind  in  the  city. 

Besides  those  mentioned,  the  Brothers  conduct  two 
other  academies  and  seven  parish  schools  in  the  citv. 
They  will  be  mentioned  in  the  order  in  which  tlu  v 
were  opened  : — 

St.  Peter's  Academy,  Hicks  and  Warren  st 
was  given  to  the  Brothers  in  September,  1870.  Rev. 
Father  Fransioli,  Pastor.    Pupils,  700. 

St.  Patrick's  Academy,  on  Kent  avenue,  near 
Myrtle,  was  built  by  the  Rev.  Father  Fitzpatriek  in 
1S70.  The  Brothers  took  charge  of  it  the  following 
year.    The  number  of  pupils  is  875. 

St.  Joseph's  School,  in  connection  with  the  church 
of  that  name,  is  situated  on  Dean  street,  near  Yan- 
derbilt  avenue.  The  number  of  pupils  (male)  is  500. 
It  was  built  by  Father  O'Neil,  and  had  been  a  few  yean 
in  operation  before  the  Brothers  took  charge  in  ls">0. 

School  of  Our  Lady  of  Mercy,  in  Debevoise plao 
built  by  Rev.  Father  McKenna.    The  Brothers  took 
charge  in  1861,  at  its  completion.     The  number  of 
pupils  is  450. 

St.  Mary's  School,  "  Star  of  the  Sea." 
son  and  Court  streets,  was  built  by  the  Rev.  Father 
Cassidy  in  1868.    The  Brothers  took  charge  of  it  im- 
mediately. Pupils,  530. 

St.  John's  School.  2 1st  street,  near  Fifth  avenue, 
was  opened  by  the  Brothers  in  February,  1870,  by 
Rev.  Hugh  Maguire,  Pastor.    Number  of  pupils,  8M 

St.  Charles'  School,  Sydney  place,  was  taken  in 
September,  1870  ;  Rev.  Dr.  Freel  being  Pastor.  This, 
as  well  as  the  last  school,  was  in  operation  before  that 
time.    Number  of  pupils,  350. 

St.  Anne's,  on  Front  street  and  Cold,  built  by  Rev. 
Father  Gleason,  in  1873.  The  Brothers  have  charge  <>l 
it  since  that  time.    The  number  of  pupils  is  500. 

In  ISS2,  the  Brothers  went  to  the 

School  of  the  Assumption,  in  York  street,  near 
Jay.    The  number  of  pupils  is  300. 

In  these  schools,  a  business  course  is  given;  in  St 
Patrick's  and  St.  Peter's  Academies,  elocution,  musi< 


ED  UCA  TIONAL  INSTITUTIONS. 


957 


and  a  few  other  extras  are  added.  Most  of  the  others 
have  one  or  more  of  these  branches  taught. 

The  Brothers  have  two  outside  branches,  one  in 
Rondout,  N.  Y.,  and  the  other  in  Minnesota. 

Academy  of  the  Visitation,*  B.  V.  M.,  209  Clin- 
ton avenue,  was  founded  by  Bishop  Loughlin  in  1855, 
and  in  1863  was  incorporated  as  the  "Female  Institute 
of  the  Visitation." 

For  more  than  twenty  years  the  Sisters  pursued  the 
work  of  education  in  their  first  home  on  Johnson  street, 
corner  of  Pearl  street.  In  May,  1880,  the  Institute  was 
removed  to  the  residence  known  as  the  "  Halsey  Home- 
stead," 209  Clinton  avenue,  where  a  flourishing  school 
for  young  ladies  is  maintained. 


ACADEMY  OF  TFIE  VISITATION. 


The  new  building,  now  in  course  of  erection,  is  of 
Jersey  free-stone,  with  a  frontage  of  220  feet;  the 
chapel  is  in  the  centre,  with  the  convent  and  academy 
on  either  side.  Designed  in  all  the  simplicity  of  monas- 
tic mediaeval  art,  it  presents  an  exterior  at  once  pleas- 
ing and  imposing,  and  will  add  another  feature  of  in- 
terest to  a  neighborhood  already  unrivalled  in  Brooklyn. 

The  Academy  of  the  Visitation,  Villa  de  Sales, 
was  established  in  1864,  at  Bath,  and,  in  1865,  it  was 
removed  to  Parkville;  in  1869,  it  was  incorporated 
under  the  above  title.  In  1877-8,  a  large  brick  build- 
ing was  erected  for  the  use  of  the  institution. 

St.  Francis  de  Sales  Institute,  on  Summer  street, 
between  Stone  and  Rockaway  avenues,  was  opened 
by  the  Sisters  of  St.  Joseph,  September,  1877,  as  a 
home  and  school  for  boys.  The  Sisters  who  reside  here 
also  teach  the  church  school  attached  to  St.  Francis  de 
Sales  Church,  on  Broadway. 

St.  Joseph's  Academy,  834  Pacific  street;  estab- 
lished about  1878;  in  charge  of  the  Sisters  of  St.  Joseph. 

St.  Agnes'  Academy,  396  Sackett  street.  Full 
academic  course,  under  the  direction  of  the  Sisters  of 
St.  Joseph. 

*  The  Order  of  the  Visitation  was  founded  by  St.  Francis  de  Sales, 
Bishop  and  Prince  of  Geneva  The  first  house  of  the  institute  was  at 
Annecy,  in  Savoy.  The  institute  was  erected  into  a  regular  monastic 
order  in  1018  by  Pope  Paul  V.  The  order  rapidly  extended,  so  that  in 
less  than  60  years  from  the  first  foundation,  there  were  130  monasteries. 
The  introduction  of  the  Order  of  the  Visitation  into  the  United  States 
was  due  to  the  Most  Rev.  Leonard  Neal,  Archbishop  of  Baltimore,  and 
Miss  Alice  Lalor.  The  first  monastery  of  the  Visitation  in  this  country 
was  founded  at  Georgetown,  Md.,  December  28, 1816. 


Deane's  Academy,  418  Carleton  avenue. — Prof. 
Alfred  T.  Deane  taught  in  the  Bermudas  for  twenty- 
five  years.  Coming  to  Brooklyn  about  1870,  he  opened  a 
school  for  the  usual  educational  branches,  with  primary 
department  and  special  department  for  penmanship. 

The  College  Grammar  School,  Hamilton  Build- 
ing, was  organized  September,  1849,  by  Rev.  E.  B. 
Tuttle.  There  are  five  departments,  viz. :  preparatory; 
junior,  senior,  or  business  class;  classical  and  scientific. 
The  Rev.  Levi  Wells  Hart,  A.  M.,  of  Yale  College,  is 
the  present  Principal.  Physical  culture  is  secured  by 
gymnastic  appliances  and  military  drill. 

The  Athenaeum  Seminary  for  Young  Ladies 
and  Girls;  established  1869.  Geo.  N.  Bigelow,  A.  M., 
Principal. — Has  three  departments,  viz. :  preparatory, 
sub-collegiate  and  collegiate.  Mr.  Bigelow  was  for 
many  years  head  of  the  State  Normal  School, 
Framingham,  Mass.,  and  is  thoroughly  acquainted  with 
the  school  systems  and  methods  of  instruction  in  vogue 
in  this  country  and  Europe. 

Greene  Collegiate  Institute,  for  young  ladies  and 
children,  277  Vanderbilt  avenue,  was  established  by 
the  Carmen  Sisters  (so-called),  in  1863,  and  was  for  a 
long  time  located  on  Clermont  avenue,  between  De 
Kalb  and  Franklin  avenues.  It  was  removed  to  277 
Vanderbilt  avenue,  where  it  now  is,  four  years  ago. 
It  has  always  been  a  school  of  superior  reputation, 
the  three  Carmen  Sisters  conducting  it  with  very  fine 
success.  In  1883,  it  was  purchased  by  the  present 
proprietor  and  principal,  Rev.  Harris  R.  Greene,  A.  M., 
and  now  has  sixty-five  or  seventy  pupils,  ranging  from 
five  to  twenty  years  of  age.  It  offers  a  full  and  com- 
plete course  of  study — preparatory,  academical,  colle- 
giate— and  has  an  excellent  corps  of  teachers. 

Brooklyn  Preparatory  School,  Music  Hall;  estab- 
lished 1879,  by  Prof.  C.  H.  Carpenter.  Dr.  S.  G.  Tay- 
lor became  co-principal  in  1883.  Five  grades  of  instruc- 
tion, including  primary  and  intermediate  departments. 

Friends'  School,  in  Friends' Meeting  House,  Scher- 
merhorn  street;  established  about  twenty  years  ago, 
under  the  care  of  the  Society  of  Friends. 

Charles  C.  Taylor,  163  Clymer  street. 

Nassau  Institute,  429  Classon  avenue;  established 
1867;  has  collegiate,  academic,  primary  and  kinder- 
garten departments.  Misses  M.  R.  Hotchkiss  and  K. 
L.  Maltby,  principals. 

Stern's  School  of  the  Languages,  177  and  178 
Montague  street;  established  1880,  as  a  branch  of  Prof. 
Sigmon  M.  Stern's  school  in  New  York  city. 

Clinton  Avenue  Institute,  corner  of  Greene  street; 
established  about  1876.  Mrs.  J.  T.  Graham  and  Miss 
J.  \V.  Chandler,  principals. 

The  Misses  Crawford's  School,  28  First  Place; 
established  1871;  separate  primary  department. 

Miss  Whitcomb's  School,  191  Clinton  street;  col- 
legiate and  primary  departments,  and  special  courses 
of  study. 


958 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


St.  Luke's  Academy,  163  Carlton  avenue.  Rev. 

J.  H.  Raden,  director.  English,  French  and  German 
instruction,  and  kindergarten  department. 

Prospect  Heights  Institute,  448  5th  street;  es- 
tablished 1876.  Mrs.  Carter,  principal.  Instruction 
in  English,  modern  languages  and  music. 

Prospect  Heights  Juvenile  High  School,  56  St. 
Mark's  avenue.  Miss  Hall,  Principal.  Established  1883. 
Kindergarten  department. 

Christiansen  Institute,  207  Schermerhorn  street; 
established  in  1872,  360  State  street,  by  Mrs.  G.  C. 
Stacker  (nee  Christiansen),  Principal.  Primary  and 
intermediate  departments. 

Mrs.  C  P.  Lane's  School,  479  Classon  avenue; 
established  1883.  Primary  and  intermediate  depart- 
ments. 

J.  Deghuee's  Institute,  170  Pacific  street.  Eng- 
lish, German  and  French  school  for  boys. 

Adelphi  Institute,  182  Adelphi  street.  Primary 
school  for  boys  and  girls.    Miss  E.  Miller,  Principal. 

Miss  Round  s  Young  Ladies'  School,  525  Clin- 
ton avenue.  Primary,  intermediate  and  academic  de- 
partments. 

Miss  S  M.  Kennedy's  French  and  Euglish 
School,  211  Carroll  street;  established  about  1874. 

St.  Francis'  College,  Baltic  street,  near  Court. 
Classical,  scientific  and  commercial  departments.  Board- 
ing and  day  school. 

Mrs.  Harvey's  School,  148  Pierrepont  street.  Pri- 
mary department  for  boys  and  girls. 

Cheneviere  Institute,  153  Schermerhorn  street; 
opened  in  1865.  Prof.  W.  A.  Flamm.  English, 
French  and  German  boarding  and  day  school  for 
voung  ladies  and  children. 

Brooklyn  Hill  Institute,  350  Washington  avenue. 
Boarding  and  day  school  for  young  ladies.  Prepara- 
tory and  collegiate  course.  Mrs.  S.  C.  Baker,  princi- 
pal. 

Mrs.  C  Whittaker's  School,  33  Lincoln  place;  es- 
tablished 1879.    Kindergarten  department. 

Prospect  Park  Institute,  110  Prospect  place. 
Scientific  and  classical  departments.  R.  D.  Dodge, 
Principal. 

Chadwick  and  Pye's  Preparatory  School  for 

boys,  42  Court  street;  established  several  years. 

Irving  Academy,  established  1872.  Academic 
and  primary  departments.  English,  French  and  Ger- 
man taught. 

R.  Heinmann's  German  and  English  day  school, 
110  Hoyt  street. 

Miss  Hartt's  School  and  Kindergarten,  333  Adel- 
phi street. 

Mrs.  Roberts'  German-American  day  school  for 
young  ladies  and  children,  154  Montague  street.  Five 
departments,  including  kindergarten. 

Miss  A.  Zarn's  German,  English  and  French  In- 
stitute, for  young  ladies  and  children,  171  Warren  street. 


Madame  Giraud's  French  and  English  school  for 
young  ladies  and  children,  399  Gates  avenue. 

Miss  Cuthbert's  School;  young  ladies  and  chil- 
dren, 126  High  street. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ferris'  Boarding  School  for  ohfl- 
dren,  749  Bushwick  avenue. 

Bedford  Institute,  for  young  ladies  and  children, 
241  McDonough  street.    M.  Purdy,  Principal. 

Mrs.  Maynes'  Art  Institute  and  Kindergarten, 
63  St.  Felix  street. 

Mrs.  F.  W.  Dixon,  school  for  boys  and  girls,  39 
Schermerhorn  street. 

Mme.  E.  Simonson's  German,  English  and 
French  School;  young  ladies  and  children;  254  Warren 
street.    Kindergarten  department. 

Miss  Forbes'  School  for  young  ladies  and  ohi] 
dren,  174  Macon  street. 

Mr.  Dunne's  School  for  boys,  Athenaeum  Build- 
ing; established  1876. 

Mrs.  Edwin  S.  Adams,  119  Quincy  street.  Primijrj 
and  intermediate. 

The  Brooklyn  Froebel  Kindergarten;  estab 
lished  in  autumn  of  1877,  in  Fulton  street,  and  removed 
to  76  Montague  street  a  year  after;  for  the  last  ten 
years  it  has  been  located  at  its  present  place,  210  Clin- 
ton, south-west  corner  of  Atlantic  street.  It  is  con- 
ducted by  the  Misses  M.  and  E.  F.  Sharpe. 

Miss  Mynens'  German,  English  and  French  School 
for  young  ladies  and  children,  193  State  street;  estab- 
lished 1869. 

E.  M.  H.  School  for  Boys,  2  Lafayette  avenue. 
Prof.  Cole,  Principal. 

Miss  E.  F.  Sievwright's  School  for  boys  and 
girls,  624  Lafayette  avenue. 

Miss  Wilson's  English,  German  and  Fn  b<  I 
School,  for  young  ladies  and  children,  386  Waverly  ave. 

Brooklyn  Conservatory  of  Music,  No. 
street. — In  1866,  Professor  J.  W.  Groschel  founded 
this  institution,  which  is  now  under  the  management  of 
Miss  Louise  Groschel  and  Mrs.  S.  Groschel  Chadu  k, 
his  daughters. 

The  course  of  instruction  embraces  all  branchei  "t 
music,  both  theoretical  and  practical,"  private  and  in 
classes,  including  piano,  cultivation  of  the  voice,  violin, 
violoncello,  harmony  and  composition. 

Columbia  Conservatory  of  Music,  Bedford  vn- 
nue  and  Fulton  street. 

Mollenhauer's  College  of  Music,  73  Livii 
street;  established  1868. 

The  Business  Coller/cn,  which  form  so  marked  :i  fea- 
ture of  modern  education,  and  which  are  devoted  l" 
the  especial  training  of  those  who  are  preparing  for 
liusiness,  <<v  commercial   careers,   are  four    in  BUI 
bcr,  viz: — 

Browne's  Business  College,  804  Fulton  street; 
established  1800  ;  contains  business,  preparatory  and 


ED  UCA  TIONAL  INSTITUTIONS. 


959 


writing  departments,  under  the  care  of  its  Principal, 
T.  R.  Browne,  A.  M. 

Wright's  Business  College  and  Eclectic 
Academy,  Broadway,  corner  of  Fourth  street,  Brook- 
lyn, E.  D.— Established  1873,  by  Henry  C.  Wright,  its 
present  Principal,  is  the  largest  private  educational 
institution  in  the  Eastern  District  of  Brooklyn,  and  has 
between  three  and  four  hundred  students  annually. 
The  studies  pursued  are  arranged  in  three  divisions — 
commercial,  classical  and  academic. 

Kissick's  Business  College,  192-4  Fulton  street. 
Business,  classical  and  mathematical  departments. 

The  Bryant  and  Stratton  Business  College,  Charles 
Claghorn,  principal  and  proprietor,  was  established  in  the 
fall  of  1861,  in  the  Hamilton  Building,  its  present  location. 
The  windows  overlook  the  open  park  surrounding  the  City 
Hall,  thus  securing  to  the  spacious  study-rooms,  with  their 
high  ceilings,  the  purest  air  and  the  best  light. 

The  design  of  the  institution  is  to  fit  young  men  for  what- 
ever duties  may  come  to  them  in  business,  commercial,  or 
professional  life;  and,  although  the  instruction  is  special,  and 
has  reference  to  certain  attainments  as  preparatory  to  cer- 
tain positions  and  labor,  the  entire  course  of  training  aims  at 
symmetrical  development,  and  is  calculated  to  strengthen  the 
mental  powers  and  give  a  broad  and  substantial  culture. 

The  association  of  business  colleges  originating  with 
Messrs.  Bryant  &  Stratton,  and  re-organized  under  the  title  of 
the  International  Business  College  Association,  comprises 
the  most  extended  and  complete  effort  of  this  kind  in  the 
world.  The  association  comprises  not  less  than  forty  sep- 
arate and  distinct  institutions  in  the  United  States  and  Can- 
ada, having  a  representative  in  all  the  largest  commercial 
cities  on  the  continent,  extending  from  Portland  to  San 
Francisco,  and  from  New  Orleans  to  Montreal.  This  is  a 
co-working  association  in  an  important  sense,  although  each 
school  thereof  is  entirely  independent  as  to  its  own  manage- 
ment, and  dependent  for  its  support  on  its  own  patronage. 

The  studies  pursued  in  these  colleges  are,  first,  book-keep- 
ing in  all  its  ramifications  and  applications;  commercial 
law,  as  covering  every  phase  of  personal  rights  and  busi- 
ness customs;  commercial  arithmetic ;  commercial  corres- 
pondence; political  economy;  civil  government,  and  in  sev- 
eral schools  the  modern  languages,  particularly  French, 
German  and  Spanish. 

The  plan  of  intercommunication,  as  between  the  different 
colleges  of  the  association,  was  in  a  great  measure  developed 
by  the  proprietor  of  the  Brooklyn  College,  and  the  extent  to 
which  correspondence  is  carried  on  between  the  students  in 
these  colleges,  may  be  better  understood  when  it  is  stated 
that  no  less  than  one  hundred  letters  are  daily  received  by 
the  Brooklyn  College  from  the  nearer  institutions,  namely: 
New  York,  Boston,  Albany,  Trenton,  Philadelphia  and  Bal- 
timore. These  letters  contain  shipments  of  goods— repre- 
sentative merchandise  in  the  shape  of  cards,  with  the  kind 
and  quantity  of  goods  printed  thereon— to  be  sold  on  ac- 
count of  the  shipper,  or  joint  account  of  the  shipper  and 
the  consignee,  or  to  fill  orders  of  purchase  from  the  person 
to  whom  shipped;  also  account  sales  of  consignments,  which 
have  been  sent  and  sold,  with  the  returns  in  the  way  of  drafts, 
checks,  or  current  money;  and,  in  fact,  embracing  all  the 
details  in  every  direction,  characteristic  of  business  corres- 
pondence and  business  transactions  between  leading  houses 
in  the  large  cities.  This  affords  a  most  excellent  opportu- 
nity for  criticising  the  work  of  the  student,  and  has  the  ad- 


vantage of  promoting  wholesome  competition  between  the 
students  of  the  separate  institutions,  and  in  every  way 
serves  to  liberalize  and  quicken  the  mind  and  prepare  the 
aspirant  for  that  wider  field  of  usefulness  which  awaits 
him. 

The  daily  routine  of  the  College  is  as  follows:  The  sessions 
are  held  five  days  of  the  week,  commencing  at  nine  in  the 
morning  and  closing  at  two  in  the  afternoon.  The  students 
are  expected  to  be  prompt  and  regular.  The  first  hour  of  the 
morning  is  devoted  to  lessons  in  writing,  with  the  exception 
of  a  few  minutes  given  to  roll  call ;  brief  lectures  or  hints 
from  the  professors,  and  sometimes  readings  and  recitations 
by  the  students.  Great  stress  is  put  upon  writing.  There  is 
a  severely  practical  character  to  the  writing  practised  in  this 
College,  which  will  compare  favorably  with  the  established 
styles  of  the  best  business  houses  anywhere.  The  institution 
has  a  constant  and  increasing  demand,  from  merchants  and 
others,  for  clerks  and  accountants,  owing  principally  to  the 
fact  that  nowhere  else  can  one  be  so  sure  of  finding  well- 
trained  business  writers.  In  the  College  proper  there  are  two 
departments:  one  the  initiatory  or  theoretical;  the  other  the 
advanced  or  practical.  In  the  first  department,  the  theory  of 
accounts  is  thoroughly  taught  in  a  series  of  exercises  adapted 
to  that  end,  and  presenting  every  phase  and  bearing  of  busi- 
ness affairs;  of  gains  and  losses;  of  adjustments  between 
partners;  and  all  the  intricate  questions  and  applications 
which  are  so  apt  to  trouble  the  brain  of  a  neophyte. 

In  connection  with  the  study  of  accounts  in  this  depart- 
ment, the  other  branches,  viz.,  arithmetic,  commercial  law, 
modern  languages,  etc.,  are  carried  on  pari  passu.  From 
three  to  six  months  are  spent  in  these  preliminary  studies, 
when  the  student  is  advanced  to  the  practical  department. 
This  department  is  simply  a  miniature  business  world.  Very 
little  teaching  is  done  here.  The  student  is  supposed  to  have 
received  his  theoretical  education,  and  to  have  entered  upon 
business  life,  where  his  theories  are  to  be  put  in  practice.  In 
the  practical  department  he  begins  as  a  small  merchant;  is 
furnished  with  capital  sufficient  for  his  business,  and  is  in- 
structed generally  how  to  proceed.  The  details  of  his  trans- 
actions he  is  expected  to  carry  out  himself.  A  thorough 
working  bank  is  in  operation,  and  he  must  negotiate  his 
loans,  make  his  collections,  and  keep  his  deposits  therein. 
He  conducts  his  business  to  its  conclusion;  declares  gains  or 
losses;  closes  up  his  books,  and  holds  his  capital  for  some 
other  department  of  trade. 

He  thus  goes  on  from  one  sort  of  trade  to  another,  until 
he  has  covered  the  leading  business  enterprises  of  the  coun- 
try. He  is  then  advanced  to  a  position  in  a  large  jobbing 
house,  where  he  is  made  familiar  with  all  the  routine  of  pur- 
chasing and  selling,  and  all  the  details  requisite  in  real  busi- 
ness. He  fills  here  all  positions,  from  the  lowest  subordinate 
to  the  highest  or  manager's  position .  He  is  then  advanced 
to  the  merchandise  emporium  or  general  agency,  which  holds 
the  key  to  the  entire  workings  of  the  business  community, 
and  gives  a  practical  illustration  of  the  laws  of  supply  and  de- 
mand. He  passes  regularly  through  the  transportation  office, 
where  he  gets  a  practical  idea  of  the  rates  of  transportation, 
and  the  minute  details  and  manipulations  required;  through 
the  various  kinds  of  commission  and  shipping  houses  and  post 
office;  through  the  bank,  where  all  his  previous  knowledge  is 
tested  by  the  severest  financial  calculations  and  applications. 
He  commences  as  a  runner;  is  advanced  to  the  positions  of 
collection  clerk,  bill  clerk,  discount  clerk,  receiving  teller, 
paying  teller,  individual  book-keeper,  general  book-keeper 
and  cashier.  The  transactions  in  the  bank  are  as  complete 
and  perfect  as  those  in  any  actual  working  institution,  as  it 
is  the  financial  agent  of  the  entire  business  community,  re- 


900 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


ceiving  deposits,  paying  out  on  checks,  discounting  paper, 
collecting  paper,  and  regulating  all  the  financial  matters  be- 
tween the  students  of  the  College  where  he  is  located  and 
those  of  corresponding  institutions.  As  the  final  test  to  his 
proficiency,  he  is  put  in  charge  of  all  the  offices  as  general 
superintendent,  and  is  made  responsible  for  the  entire  work- 
ings of  the  community;  while  in  the  practical  department, 
which  occupies  from  six  to  nine  months,  and  often  a  year, 
the  student  is  in  constant  correspondence  with  the  students 
in  the  co-working  institutions  of  the  other  cities,  as  before 
intimated.  The  practical  department  bears  the  aspect  of  an 
industrious,  thriving,  ambitious  business  community.  Each 
student  is.  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  a  business  man,  and  I 
regards  himself  thus;  he  forgets  that  he  is  a  mere  pupil,  but 
assumes  and  feels  the  dignity  of  his  position,  as  one  who  is 
managing  his  own  affairs :  his  attitude  and  conversation  are 
business  like;  he  has  no  thought  of  his  transac  tions  being 
other  than  real;  and,  for  all  purposes  of  training,  the  system 
is  as  thorough  and  severe  as  could  be  adopted  in  connection 
with  real  life. 

Charles  Claghorn,  the  proprietor  and  presid- 
ing genius  of  the  Bryant  &  Stratton  Business  Col- 
lege of  Brooklyn,  was  born  in  Williamsburg,  Mass., 
November  13th,  1836.  His  ancestors  were  Scotch,  and 
many  of  them  were  noted  as  ship-builders  and  seamen. 
A  branch  of  the  original  family  came  to  America,  and 
settled  at  Martha's  Vineyard,  previous  to  the  beginning 
of  the  eighteenth  century.  Col.  George  Claghorn,  an 
uncle  of  Mr.  Claghorn's,  was  the  builder  of  the  frigate 
"Constitution,"  known  historically  as  "  Old  Ironsides," 
and  also  of  the  first  American  whaler  that  doubled 
Cape  Horn.  She  was  a  vessel  of  185  tons  burthen,  was 
named  the  Rebecca,  and  was  commanded  by  Captain 
Cornelius  Grinnell,  father  of  the  late  Moses  II.  Grin- 
nell. 

When  quite  a  young  man,  and  while  being  employed 
during  the  day,  Mr.  Claghorn  organized  a  class  of  com- 
panions for  mutual  improvement  during  leisure  eve- 
nings, giving  special  attention  to  penmanship  and  book- 
keeping. Forming  the  acquaintance  of  a  government 
clerk  who  had  formerly  been  stationed  at  Harper's 
Ferry,  Va.,  as  an  accountant,  Mr.  Claghorn  went  under 
his  practical  tuition,  with  such  success  that  lie  soon  ac- 
quired the  rudiments  of  a  good  business  education, 
which  was  finished  at  the  Bryant  &  Stratton  Business 
College  at  Albany,  of  which  he  enjoyed  the  distinction 
of  having  been  the  first  student  to  enter.  He  became 
so  proficient  in  keeping  accounts  that,  when  he  after- 
war. Is  caught  tin-  then  prevalent  western  fever,  and 
went  to  Illinois  to  seek  his  fortune,  he  was  able  to  se- 
cure and  retain  a  good  position  as  clerk  in  a  general 
frontier  store. 

Mr.  Claghorn,  however,  soon  embarked  in  business 
for  himself,  and  during  the  period  of  its  cont inuance 

In-  M  rvieeH  as  an  ae<  ntant  were  ill  frequent  demand. 

One  call  to  which  he  responded  was  from  Mr.  M.  L 
Sullivant,  who  owned  a  farm  in  Illinois  of  'JO, 000  acres, 
all  under  cultivation.  On  this  farm  the  proprietor  kept 
2,500  head  of  cattle,  and  at  the  same  time  (during  the 


late  war)  the  United  States  Government  had  3,000  head 
of  horses  pasturing  there.  One  hundred  horses  were 
employed  in  working  the  farm,  and  it  was  a  part  of  the 
duty  of  the  young  accountant  to  keep  a  record  of  all 
these  animals,  each  by  its  name,  stating  on  what  sec- 
tion of  land  each  was  employed  each  day,  the  amount 
of  work  done,  and  other  pertinent  facts.  At  night  h. 
bad  to  call  the  long  roll,  and  the  foreman  of  each  of 
the  several  gangs  of  teamsters  and  workmen  came  to 
him  and  rendered  his  report.  These  facts  are  men- 
tioned to  show  the  immense  scale  upon  which  farming 
was  carried  on  in  the  West,  as  well  as  to  indicate  one 
of  the  influences  which  tended  to  give  Mr.  Claghorn 
the  broad  and  liberal  views  on  general  matters  which 
are  characteristic  of  him. 

After  a  varied  and  valuable  experience  in  basUMM 
life  in  the  West,  with  his  health  impaired  by  constant 
application,  yet  with  all  the  energy  which  has  usee 
manifested  itself  so  conspicuously,  Mr.  Claghorn  came 
to  New  York  in  1865,  and  became  a  partner  with  Mr. 
S.  S.  Packard,  in  the  management  of  the  Commercial 
college  there,  his  practical  experience  in  business  affairs 
ensuring  the  success  of  the  enterprise  with  which  he 
connected  himself. 

The  aim  of  the  proprietors  of  the  New  York  Col- 
lege to  place  business  education  on  a  higher  plane  than 
it  had  before  occupied,  to  broaden  its  scope,  to  make 
a  larger  place  for  it  in  the  educational  field,  and  to 
make  the  college  itself  superior  to  all  other  institu 
tions  in  the  same  line  of  work,  having  been,  to  a  great 
extent,  realized,  it  was  deemed  desirable  to  secure  tin 
Brooklyn  College,  provide  it  with  equal  facilities,  the 
same  course  of  study  and  methods  of  discipline,  ami 
to  make  the  two  institutions  co-operative  in  work  ; 
accordingly,  the  purchase  was  made,  and  the  college 
was  taken  possession  of  by  Mr.  Claghorn,  in  February, 
1875,  who  entered  on  the  duties  which  he  has  prose- 
cuted with  increasing  success  year  by  year. 

Mr.  Claghorn  comes  of  the  good  old  New  England 
stock,  and  is  a  fair  representative  of  its  virtues  ami  it- 
peculiarities.  His  father  was  born  in  Bryant's  town 
of  Cummington,  Mass.,  and  bad  the  rugged  experience 
of  those  who  had  to  scratch  a  subsistence  out  of  the 
stony  soil  of  that  hilly  country.  He  was  a  captain  of 
militia,  and  a  soldier  for  a  brief  space  in  the  war  of 
1812.  His  family  were  reared  in  the  humblest  anil 
most  frugal  way,  and  the  boys  early  developed  a  talent 
for  work.  Charle  s  was  the  ambitious  boy,  and  when 
he  sought  for  broader  fields  lie  took  with  him  tin 
habits  of  industry  and  thrift  that  had  marked  hi-  earh 
training.  He  inherits  a  hopeful  nature,  and  braveh 
encounters  obstacles  that  would  discourage  more  timid 
souls.  He  has  also  the  rare  faculty  of  making  other 
people  see  through  his  eyes,  ami  bis  optimism  is  cor. 
tagious. 

He  has  a  particular  hold  on  young  men,  and  the 
I  confidence  which  he  inspires  he  holds  through  all 


EDUCATIONAL  INSTITUTIONS. 


961 


vicissitudes.  His  pupils,  whom  he  always  makes  his 
friends,  never  "  go  back "  on  him,  and  he  is  able, 
through  their  loyalty,  to  hold  his  own  in  the  midst  of 
competition,  and  through  his  own  loyalty  to  the  right 
to  keep  himself  and  his  institution  at  the  head. 

He  is,  above  all  things,  practical,  and  this  order  of 
mind  is  stamped  upon  his  methods  of  instruction. 
His  aim  seems  ever  to  be  to  have  his  pupils  carry 
away  with  them  those  substantial  acquirements  which 
he  knows  to  be  immediately  available  in  business;  and 
if  they  get  the  essentials  of  business  training,  he  does 
not  trouble  himself  much  about  the  non-essentials. 

In  politics,  Mr.  Claghorn  is  a  Republican.  He  is 
one  of  the  trustees  of  the  Brooklyn  Revenue  Reform 
Club.  He  takes  a  deep  interest  in  Brooklyn  and  its 
development,  and  especially  in  the  city's  various  chari- 
table objects  and  institutions.  He  was  married  at  In- 
dianapolis, Indiana,  in  1862,  to  Martha  S.  Holliday,  of 
that  city.    He  is  a  member  of  Plymouth  Church. 


Among  the  leading  educators  of  this  city  may  be 
mentioned  the  following  : 

J.  Q.  Allen  1611  Pacific  street. 

E.  Bush  239  Hewes  street. 

T.  R.  Browne  304  Fulton  street. 

Geo.  M.  Bigelow  Atlantic  street,  c.  Clinton  st. 

Chas.  H.  Carpenter  1 7*7  Fort  Greene  place. 

Jas.  Cruikshank  206  South  Oxford  street. 

Chas.  Claghorn  44  Court  street. 

Bryant  &  Stratton's  Business  College. 

C.  T.  Clow  Union  ave.,  n.  South  Third  st. 

Richard  Crony  City  Hall. 

Clerk  of  the  Board  of  Education. 

John  K.  Dunn  173  Atlantic  avenue. 

L.  Dunkley,  Jr  165  Adelphi  street. 

E.  R.  Duyckinck  South  Fourth,  n.  Seventh  st. 

A.  T.  Deane  418  Carleton  avenue. 

D.  G.  Eaton  170  Joralemon  street. 

Packer  Institute. 

Benjamin  Edson  83  St.  Mark's  place. 

Eliza  Ford  Fifteenth  st.,  n.  Fourth  ave. 

C.  Warren  Hamilton  East  New  York. 

School  Commissioner   for  the  County  Towns,  and 
Author  of  the  History  of  New  Lots  in  this  work. 

Alfred  E.  Ives  14  Clinton  place. 

W.  M.  Jelliffe  196  Sixth  avenue. 

M.  C.  Lawrence  198  Madison  street. 

L.  F.  Lewis  116  Fort  Greene  place. 

James  Priddy,  Principal .  .  996  LaFayette  avenue. 

Evelina  L.  Petty  113  Rutlege  street. 

S.  M.  Sprole  668  Carroll  street. 

Tatian  Brothers   256  Pearl  street;  250  Jay  st. 

M.  F.  Vallette,  Principal,  199  Spencer  street. 
Chas.  E.  West,  Principal,  138  Montague  street. 

A.  Whigham  Flatbush. 

W.  A.  Kissick  192  Fulton  street. 


Anna  J.  Moore  Clinton  and  Myrtle  avenues. 

Kate  E.  Mc Williams  4  Bedford  avenue. 

Principal. 

G.  A.  F.  North  Wyckoff  av.,n.  Atlantic  av. 

Peter  Rouget  402  Pacific  street. 

C.  Rounds  525  Clinton  avenue. 


With  schools  for  dancing  Brooklyn  is  well  supplied. 
C.  H.  Rivers'  Academy,  175  Court  street. 


Charles  H.  Kivers. — That  the  future  of  a  nation  depends 
upon  its  youth  is  an  established  truism.  A  land  in  which  the 
children  are  reared  in  ignorance  and  vice,  be  it  slowly  or 
rapidly,  inevitably  ends  in  futility.  No  sound  idea  can  come 
from  a  brain  fed  by  an  unsound  body.  It  is  one  of  the  grati- 
fying signs  of  the  times  that  the  attention  paid  to  the  physical 
and  mental  development  of  our  young  is  steadily  increasing; 
the  food  they  should  eat,  the  physical  exercise  they  should 
take,  and  the  hours  devoted  to  study  or  to  play,  are  carefully 
planned  and  laid  out  by  physiologists  and  specialists.  There 
is  no  part  of  the  education  of  a  human  being  more  difficult  to 
attain,  or  more  valuable  when  acquired,  than  that  expressed 
by  the  term,  fine  manners.  No  single  acquisition  is  so  ready 
a  passport  to  the  best  circles  in  commercial,  professional  or 
socia  Uife.  The  history  of  the  past  records  no  time  when 
dancing,  properly  conducted,  has  not  been  thought  a  valu- 
able auxiliary  in  forming  correct  deportment. 

The  teaching  of  dancing,  in  the  hands  of  one  thoroughly  im- 
bued with  the  true  spirit  of  his  art,  means  vastly  more  than 
the  mere  mechanical  correctness  of  step,  or  easiness  of  move- 
ment. He  understands,  that  while  temporary  pleasure  is  the 
superficial  result  usually  sought  by  the  pupil,  that  beyond 
this,  intrusted  to  his  care,  is  the  bodily  and  mental  health, 
and  in  a  large  degree  the  molding  of  the  habit  of  thought, 
mode  of  speech,  and  maimer  of  carriage  of  the  scholar.  In  a 
large  degree  the  essential  qualifications  for  a  teacher  of 
"  dancing  and  deportment"  are  possessed  by  Mr.  Charles  H. 
Rivers,  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 

Mr.  Rivers  was  born  in  the  town  of  Newburgh,  Orange 
county,  New  York,  January  20th,  1830.  His  father,  Ebene- 
zer,  was  born  at  Riverhead,  Long  Island,  and  resided  there  for 
many  years;  and  his  mother,  Elizabeth,  was  born  in  New- 
burgh, living  there  until  her  decease,  aged  84  years.  At  16 
years  of  age,  being  naturally  ambitious  to  earn  his  own  way 
through  life,  he  began  as  clerk  in  the  dry -goods  establishment 
of  Burns  &  Owen,  New  York  city;  then  to  Brink  &  Russell, 
Canal  street,  and  finally  with  Arnold  &  Constable,  Canal 
street,  of  the  same  city;  when,  in  1852,  owing  to  failing  health, 
and  acting  under  the  advice  of  his  physician,  he  threw  up  this 
closely  confining  business,  came  to  Brooklyn,  and  in  what  was 
then  called  the  "White  House,"  Nos.  283  and  285  Fulton 
street,  commenced  his  present  profession.  In  1854,  he  changed 
to  Montague  Hall,  where  the  Phoenix  building  now  stands, 
which  was  then  the  principal  dancing  hall  in  the  city,  re- 
mained there  one  year,  and  the  five  years  next  ensuing  was 
in  the  Halsey  Buildings,  355  Fulton  street.  In  1862,  he  re- 
moved to  Schermerhorn  street,  corner  Court,  and  in  1867, 
came  to  his  present  fine  location,  No.  175  State  street,  corner 
Court.  Mr.  Rivers  has  been  eminently  successful  in  his  chosen 
profession.  He  has  charge  of  the  departments  at  Packer  and 
Nassau  Institutes,  besides  many  kindergartens  and  private 
societies.  The  average  yearly  attendance  of  scholars  at  his 
rooms  is  500,  and  he  instincts  200  privately  during  the  same 
time;  and  teachers  of  dancing,  from  the  principal  cities  of  the 
states,  come  to  him  during  the  summer  months  for  additional 
instruction. 


962 


HISTORY  01  KINGS  COUNTY. 


The  secret  of  Mr.  Rivers'  success  is  two-fold — natural  fitness 
and  indefatigable  energy.  As  a  father,  he  realizes  the  import- 
ance of  correct  moral  precepts,  mental  and  physical  growth, 
and,  as  a  man  of  the  world,  knows  the  advantages  of  an  easy 
address.  His  efforts  have  been  well  rewarded,  as  his  patrons 
comprise  the  best  of  our  people.  Mr.  Rivers  lias  a  family  of 
eight  children,  three  of  whom— Charles  II..  Jr.,  of  Buffalo.  N. 
Y.,  Harry  F.,  of  New  York  city,  and  Wm.  Pitt,  of  Brooklyn- 
are  engaged  as  teachers  of  dancing:  the  balance,  with  his  es- 
timable wife,  m'e  Maria  II.  Philips,  whom  he  married  in  IN.V>, 
are  enjoying  the  pleasures  of  a  comfortable  home  in  Brooklyn. 

S.  Baron's,  177  Montague  street,  established  1868. 
J.  T.  Uris  &  Son,  611  Fulton  street. 
Weinlander's,  232  Carroll  street. 
Prof.  W.  A  French's,  182  Gates  avenue. 


Frank  Dodworth's,  198  Washington  street,  i 
branch  of  the  well-known  school  in  New  York  city. 

Riding  Academy. — This  institution  was  established 
in  March,  1866,  by  an  association  of  gentlemen  who 
were  interested  in  horseback  riding.  A  large  brick 
building  was  erected  at  470  Pacific  street,  covering 
six  lots,  and  fitted  up  with  amphitheatre,  waiting 
rooms  and  stables.  In  18S0  it  was  enlarged.  In  1881, 
the  controlling  interest  was  secured  by  Alexander  da 
Gerlach,  who  has  since  retained  the  management. 
Some  40  horses  are  used,  and  lessons  are  given 
throughout  the  year.  The  very  best  people  are  pa- 
trons of  the  school,  which  annually  teaches  a  large 
number  of  pupils. 


FISH  CULTURE  ON  LONG  ISLAND. 


By  EUGENE   G.  BLACKFORD, 

y.  Y.  State  Fish  Commissioner. 


BROOKLYN  MARKETS.  Etc. 


FEW  localities  of  equal  size  offer  to  the  lover  of 
field  sports  so  many  inducements  for  excursions, 
away  from  the  incessant  turmoil  and  routine  of 
city  life,  in  search  of  "  fin  and  feather,"  as  do 
the  waters,  woods  and  fields  of  Long  Island.  This  is 
especially  true  for  those  who  find  their  enjoyment  in 
gathering  from  the  depths  "  off  shore  "  specimens  of 
those  choice  and  delectable  food-fishes — the  striped  and 
sea-bass,  the  bluefish,  the  Spanish  mackerel,  the  sheeps- 
head,  weakfish,  etc.,  etc. ;  and  the  Island  has  been  cele- 
brated, even  from  those  much  belauded  "  good  old  col- 
ony times,"  for  that  prince  of  fine  fish-fellows,  the 
brook  trout.  In  fact,  the  Island  seems  to  have  been 
especially  designed,  in  the  primitive  ordering  of 
things,  as  a  grand  fish  domain,  since  its  form  is  a 
very  excellent  diagrammatic  representation  of  a  fish, 
with  head  seemingly  bent  on  searching  out,  with 
fish  inquisitiveness,  the  secrets  of  our  metropolitan 
harbor  and  city;  and  the  entire  coast-line  is  ragged 
with  bays  and  inlets,  some  small  and  some  of  vast  ex- 
tent, into  which  flow  the  waters  from  numerous  streams 
which  arise  along  the  central  portion,  or  ridge,  of  the 
Island,  and  which  extend  from  thence  into  the  sea 
along  either  side.  These  inlets  and  bays  offer  rich 
feeding  grounds  for  the  hordes  of  sea-fishes  which 
wander  along  the  coast,  and  afford  fine  camping  locali- 
ties for  the  luscious  oyster;  and  the  streams  and  lake- 
lets, with  their  abundance  of  crustacean,  vegetable  and 
insect  life,  present  unrivalled  facilities  for  the  growth 
of  fresh-water  species.  The  Island,  as  a  whole,  may 
be  considered,  almost  literally,  a  vast  spring  bed.  It 
is  composed  principally  of  sand  and  loam,  with  a 
sufficient  quantity  of  clay  and  boulder  drift  ;  and 
the  water  from  the  ocean,  which  is  forced  in  upon 
all  sides,  with  steady  and  great  pressure,  rises 
among  the  little  particles  of  rock  debris,  to  meet 
the  accumulated  deposits  of  fallen  rain,  and  then 
bubbles  out  in  countless  rills  and  rivulets  of  soft  water, 
of  crystal  purity  and  almost  icy  coldness,  which  form 
the  feeders  of  the  Island  streams.    The  requisite  con- 


ditions— an  abundant  supply  of  cold  water  and  plenty 
of  food — are  thus  seen  to  exist  for  the  maintenance 
and  growth  of  trout,  as  well  as  other  fish,  and  so 
abundant  and  palatable  is  the  food,  and  so  excellent  the 
water,  that  among  gourmands  the  trout  of  Long  Island 
rank  as  the  first  of  their  species.  During  the  early 
history  of  the  Island,  these  streams  were  free  to  all 
who  wished  to  cast  their  lines  in  such  pleasant  places, 
and  the  fish  themselves  were  somewhat  favored  in  be- 
ing allowed,  for  the  most  part,  free  access  to  the  sea; 
but  later  the  best  fishing  was  in  the  neighborhood  of 
private  or  semi-private  streams,  or  ponds  formed  by 
damming  the  streams,  and  thus  enclosing  or  caging  a 
large  or  small  number  of  fish.  These  fish  were  thus 
prevented,  to  a  certain  extent,  from  escaping,  and  were 
maintained  in  the  ponds  by  transplanting  from  outside 
waters  and  by  natural  breeding.  The  fishing  in  these 
localities  was  confined  either  to  the  owners  of  the  adja- 
cent property,  who,  in  most  cases,  were  also  the  owners 
of  the  ponds  or  streams,  or  a  certain  sum  was  demanded 
for  the  privilege  of  trying  one's  skill  in  enticing  the 
wily  prey  from  its  quiet  abode.  Some  of  these  pre- 
serves, and  the  streams  fiowing  from  them  into  the  sea 
— and  which,  in  most,  if  not  all,  cases  could  not  be 
guarded  against  the  fly  or  worm  of  whomsoever  wished 
to  fish  them — have  in  the  past  attained  almost  world- 
wide celebrity;  and  few  of  our  old-time  veterans  of  the 
rod  but  feel  the  anglers'  thrill,  and  fight  again  their 
piscatorial  battles,  when  Snedecor's  and  Carman's,  or 
the  ponds  near  Patchogue,  Moriches  and  Smithtown 
are  mentioned.  But  those  days  of  sport  soon  passed 
away.  Trout  are  among  the  very  first  of  our  fishes 
to  disappear  before  the  advance  of  civilization.  This 
is  due  to  two  facts:  first,  they  are  a  very  desirable  table 
fish,  and  are  accordingly  much  sought  after  by  every 
man  or  boy  who  can  wield  either  a  split  bamboo,  a 
wire  snood,  or  the  proverbial  pole  and  line,  with  a  bent 
I  pin  at  the  end,  as  instrument  of  capture;  and,  secondly, 
\  the  clearing  up  of  the  land  destroys  their  lurking 
|  places,  transforming  the  dark,  deep  holes,  or  pools, 


964 


HIS10RT  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


through  which  the  water  is  wont  to  flow  with 
a  quiet  swirl,  into  mud  holes  ;  the  rippling  water 
reaches  into  bare  sand-bars,  and  lets  the  full  glare 
of  day  in  upon  the  hitherto  6emi  secret  recesses 
of  the  pathway  of  the  brooklet.  From  these  causes 
the  ponds  and  streams  gradually  lost  their  attractions 
for  the  angler,  until  after  Messrs.  Remy  and  Gehin,  of 
France,  in  1849,  and  Messrs.  Garlick  and  Ackley,  of 
Cleveland,  Ohio,  in  1853,  had  demonstrated  the  prac- 
ticability of  propagating  the  trout  by  artificial  means, 
and  thus  maintaining  by  human  aid  the  supply  which 
the  fish  themselves,  unassisted,  could  not  do.  Under 
natural  conditions,  about  five  per  cent,  of  eggs  as 
laid  by  the  parent  fishes  may  bring  forth  young  fish, 
and  this  is  oftentimes  a  large  percentage;  but  by  the 
new  method  it  was  found  to  be  possible  to  hatch  from 
the  ova,  taken  by  hand  from  the  fishes  themselves  and 
impregnated  artificially,  as  high  as  40  to  50  per  cent, 
of  young;  and  by  feeding  these  artificially-bred  young- 
sters with  proper  kinds  of  food,  and  keeping  them  in 
large  and  carefidly  constructed  ponds,  it  was  possible 
to  raise  a  goodly  share  of  them  to  maturity. 

A  new  era  seemed  thus  to  open  to  the  lovers  of  the 
trout.  Ponds  which  had  become  depleted  by  over- 
fishing were  again  brought  into  service,  and  new  ponds 
were  formed  all  over  the  country.  Long  Island  was 
inoculated  from  end  to  end  with  the  new  doctrines  of 
"ponds'  rights,"  and  "rights to  trout;"  Brooklyn,  Ros- 
lvn,  Foster's  Meadows,  Oyster  Bay,  Cold  Spring, 
Smithtown,  Sag  Harbor,  Brook  Haven,  Patchogue, 
Islip,  Babylon,  Freeport,  and  Hempstead,  each  had 
their  hatcheries  and  preserves,  and  furnished  grand 
and  beautiful  specimens  of  the  toothsome  favorite;  and 
probably  the  largest  trout  ever  taken  on  Long  Island, 
belongs  to  this  period  of  trout  enthusiasm.  It  was 
taken  in  Smithtown  river  about  1869,  and  weighed  six 
pounds.  But  for  successful  trout  raising,,  there  must 
be  something  more  than  money  with  which  to  build 
ponds,  and  cold  water  to  fill  them;  and  with  rare  ex- 
ception, the  ponds  instituted  during  the  time  of  the 
trouting  fever,  caused  by  brilliant  illusions  as  to  the 
great  profits  which  must  necessarily  accrue  from  arti- 
ficial trout  breeding,  were  abandoned,  because,  as 
they  were  managed,  it  was  found  that,  from  a  market 
point  of  view,  they  could  not  be  made  to  pay,  and 
most  of  those  who  went  into  the  undertaking  had  no 
other  end  in  view  than  the  dollars  and  cents  to  be 
gained  by  the  venture,  and,  being  ignorant  of  the  prac- 
tical details  of  this  kind  of  culture,  of  course  did  not 
gather  any  great  harvest. 

There  was  no  difficulty  in  hatching  the  fish  and  in 
raising  them,  but  it  cost  more  in  the  majority  <>f  cases 
to  get  them  into  condition  for  market  than  they 
brought  when  there.  This  was  due  largely  to  a  lack 
of  the  right  kind  of  experience  and  a  close  study  of 
natural  methods  of  growth  in  connection  with  the  par- 
ticular localities  where  the  propagation  was  undertaken. 


A  very  marked  instance  of  this  is  to  be  found  in 
connection  with  the  breeding  preserves  of  the  South 
Side  Sportsman's  Club,  near  Islip.  The  club,  during 
the  earlier  period  of  the  trout-breeding  excitement,  ob- 
tained possession  of  the  old  and  famous  establishment 
of  Snedecor's  on  the  Connetquot  river,  and  after  trying 
for  some  time,  but  without  much  evidences  of  success, 
to  breed  trout  in  large  numbers,  they  called  for  as- 
sistance upon  Mr.  Seth  Green,  who  had  been  doing  a 
good  deal  of  work  in  this  direction  in  the  western  part 
of  the  state,  near  Rochester.  Mr.  Green  came  on  and 
inspected  the  river  and  ponds,  and  told  the  members 
what  must  be  done  to  attain  success.  He  also  fur- 
nished them  with  a  man  supposed  to  be  capable  of  at 
complishing  the  desired  result.  But  the  result  was  no 
more  satisfactory  than  before,  until  Messrs.  Benkarl, 
Rowland,  Redmond  and  Clark,  as  the  executive  com- 
mittee of  the  club,  took  the  matter  into  their  own 
hands,  engaged  a  new  man,  who  knew  very  little  about 
fish  work,  but  could  and  did  do  just  as  the  committee 
desired  him  to,  and  from  that  time,  which  was  about 
the  year  1879,  the  success  of  the  undertaking,  from  a 
practical  as  well  as  a  sporting  point  of  view,  has  been 
remarkable.  It  is,  perhaps,  the  most  successful  effort 
of  the  kind  in  the  annals  of  trout  culture.  The  club, 
of  which  the  late  Recorder  Hackett  was  a  permanent 
member,  now  controls,  including  what  it  owns,  about 
five  thousand  (5,000)  acres  of  territory,  with  from 
five  to  six  miles  of  ponds  and  streams.  The  prop- 
erty includes  commodious  club-houses,  stables,  kennels, 
hatching  and  breeding  houses,  and  careful  attention 
has  been  given  to  the  California  or  Rainbow  trout  as 
well  as  to  the  eastern  variety,  and  the  club  finds  that, 
of  the  two,  the  Western  form,  is,  if  anything,  prefi Ta- 
ble to  the  Eastern,  for  both  food  and  sport,  since  i: 
grows  faster,  is  quite  as  fine  in  flavor,  and  is  fully  as 
gamey  when  subjected  to  the  tantalizing  mercies  of  the 
angler's  delicate  tackle. 

There  are  now  in  the  ponds  of  the  club,  trout  of 
four  and  five  pounds  in  weight,  which  were  hatched  on 
the  premises  from  eggs  received  from  the  I  nitnl 
States  Fish  Commission  four  years  ago,  and  so  abuml 
ant  has  been  the  supply  of  fish  that  some  years  the  cluh 
has  sent  as  many  as  three  thousand  (3,000)  pounds  to 
market.  These  sales  represent  the  surplus  fish  ovei 
and  above  those  needed  to  supply  the  demands  of  tin 
100  ardent  and  enthusiastic  fishermen  who  form  the 
club.  The  club  has  also  been  quite  successful  in  rai* 
ing  the  Kennebec  and  land-locked  varieties  of  the  sal- 
mon, although,  as  yet,  very  little  time  or  attention 
has  been  given  in  these  directions. 

Here,  then,  is  a  very  striking  example  of  an  old  MM 
celebrated  stream,  failing  to  meet  the  expectations  ami 
requirements  under  one  kind  of  management,  but.  under 
another,  yielding  rich  results.  The  gentlemen  ol  U>e 
executive  committee  deserve  great  credit  for  working 
out  this  problem  to  so  satisfactory  an  ending,  and  the 


FISH  CULTURE  ON  LONG  ISLAND. 


965 


Club  is  to  be  congratulated  on  possessing  an  executive 
committee  competent  to  show  to  the  world  of  fish-cul- 
turists,  in  so  gratifying  a  manner,  what  can  be  accom- 
plished when  good  sense,  judicious  feeding  and  soft 
water  are  combined  in  the  manipulation  of  trout  eggs 
and  the  management  of  the  growing  fish.  Such  a  com- 
bination of  conditions,  when  they  can  be  found  to- 
gether, are  very  desirable  in  all  efforts  in  fish  culture; 
and,  of  the  three,  soft  water  has  more  to  do  with  suc- 
cess in  trout  propagation  than  is  generally  supposed; 
for,  even  as  "a  soft  answer  turneth  away  wrath,"  soft 
water,  other  things  being  conceded,  turneth  out  fish. 

Some  attention  has  also  been  given  upon  the  Island 
to  other  species  of  fish  than  those  belonging  to  the 
salmonidse  family.  Among  these  fishes,  the  black  bass 
has  been  most  prominent,  because  it  undoubtedly  ranks 
next  to  the  trout,  among  inland  fishes,  as  a  game  species, 
and  for  table  use.  Most  of  the  bass  which  have  been 
introduced  have  been  placed  in  the  ponds  and  lakelets 
of  the  centre  and  eastern  end  of  the  Island,  and  the 
fish  thus  transplanted  have  been  left  to  take  care  of 
themselves,  since  the  black  bass  does  not  need  human 
interference  in  its  domestic  arrangements,  as  it  is  one 
of  the  comparatively  few  species  of  fish  that 
guards  its  nest  and  eggs,  during  the  breeding  season, 
against  outside  intruders;  and,  accordingly,  a  much 
larger  percentage  of  young  hatch  out  than  with 
the  trout,  which  leaves  its  eggs,  after  they  are 
deposited,  largely,  if  not  entirely,  unprotected  from 
the  tender  mercies  of  its  many  enemies.  In  some, 
at  least,  of  the  cases  of  the  fish  thus  introduced,  the  re- 
sults have  been  very  satisfactory.  In  Lake  Ronkon- 
koma,  the  small-mouthed  variety  of  the  black  bass  was 
introduced  about  1874,  and  during  the  past  year  (1883) 
great  numbers  have  been  taken  with  hook  and  line,  and 
much  sport  has  thus  been  afforded.  Some  of  the  fish 
thus  taken  weighed  as  high  as  five  to  eight  pounds,  and 
the  last-mentioned  one  (that  which  weighed  eight 
pounds)  is  now  represented,  by  its  prepared  skin,  in 
the  Museum  of  the  Long  Island  Historical  Society  in 
Brooklyn. 

At  Montauk  Point,  some  of  the  ponds  contain  white 
perch,  which  afford  fair  fishing;  and  the  German  carp 
has  been  introduced  at  various  points  upon  the  Island 
within  the  past  year  or  two.  The  especial  value  of  this 
last-named  fish  is  its  rapid  growth,  and  the  little  care  re- 
quired in  its  cultivation.  It  is  largely  a  vegetable  feeder, 
and  will  live  in  localities  where  few  other  kinds  of  fish 
will  thrive,  such  as  semi-stagnant  ponds,  ditches,  &c, 
where  there  is  a  moderate  depth  and  little  motion  in  the 
water,  moderate  temperature,  mud  and  vegetation.  In 
favorable  situations,  they  have  been  known  to  attain  to 
a  weight  of  five  or  six  pounds  in  one  season.  Very 
little  interest  has  been  manifested,  until  within  a  year 
or  two,  in  the  preservation  and  increase  of  the  food 
species  of  the  coast  waters.  This  has  been  due  largely 
to  the  fact  that  most  of  the  fishermen  resent  any  inter- 


ference with  what  they  consider  their  vested  rights — 
the  privilege  of  gathering  indiscriminately,  and  at  all 
seasons,  from  the  vast  supplies  of  the  ocean,  and  liberty 
to  make  use  of  those  implements  of  capture,  by  means 
of  which  they  can  the  most  readily  circumvent  their 
prey  and  fill  their  vessels  and  pockets. 

Many  of  the  men  and  some  intelligent  ones,  too, 
claim  that,  whatever  may  be  the  case  with  the 
fresh-water  species,  it  is  utterly  impossible  for  man,  by 
any  means  at  his  disposal,  to  materially  diminish  the 
number  of  fishes  which  swarm  the  ocean.  This  ques- 
tion is  one  which  does  not  admit  of  hasty  generaliza- 
tion; it  requires  a  vast  amount  of  careful,  systematic 
study  before  a  safe  conclusion  can  be  reached.  Espe- 
cially is  this  true,  in  view  of  the  fact  that  certain  species, 
after  apparently  having  been  fished  out,  will  suddenly 
appear  in  incredible  numbers,  and  it  may  even  happen 
that,  during  most  of  a  season,  the  catch  of  some  particular 
fish  will  be  so  light  that  the  entire  time  spent  in  fishing 
seems  thrown  away,  when  suddenly  the  waters  will  be 
actually  alive  with  this  particular  species,  and  in  a 
short  time  the  catch  will  nearly  compensate  for  months 
of  idleness. 

But  even  admitting  this  to  be  true,  statistics  show  that 
it  pertains  almost  entirely  to  those  species  which  spawn 
in  the  open  sea,  and  not  to  those  which  come  into  the 
bays,  inlets  and  rivers  of  the  country  to  deposit  their 
ova;  and  it  is  very  probable  that  extended  statistics 
would  show,  and  perhaps  may  be  made  to  do  so  in  the 
future,  that  much  of  the  irregularity  of  the  catch,  and 
the  consequent  irregularity  of  profit,  is  due  to  an  actual 
diminution  of  the  "  off-shore  "  fishes,  consequent  upon 
indiscriminate  and  wasteful  fishing.  This  is  the  view 
of  some  at  least  of  those  who  advocate  the  necessity 
of  the  artifical  propagation  of  the  sea-fishes;  and  many  of 
the  fishermen  are  forced  to  admit  to-day  that  they  can- 
not make  the  money  or  catch  the  number  of  fish  they 
could  years  ago.  Those  species,  which  are  of  parti- 
cular interest  to  the  people  of  Long  Island,  because 
quite  common  in  our  waters,  and  hence  more  especially 
worthy  of  careful  attention,  are  the  striped  bass,  the 
Spanish  mackerel,  the  blue-fish,  the  cod,  the  flounder 
and  the  oyster. 

In  the  spring  of  the  year,  large  striped  bass,  of  from 
30  to  50  pounds  in  weight,  are  caught  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Freeport ;  and,  in  the  fall,  specimens  are  taken  off 
Montauk  Point,  weighing  sometimes  as  much  as  75 
pounds.  About  1871,  8,000  pounds  of  these  fish  were 
taken  at  a  single  haul  at  Montauk;  and  in  1881,  4,000 
pounds  were  taken  at  a  single  haul  at  the  same  place. 
In  July  and  August,  Spanish  mackerel  are  taken  in  con- 
siderable quantities  in  Gravesend  and  the  Great  South 
Bays.  But  where  formerly  five  to  ten  thousand  pounds 
could  be  taken  per  day,  one  hundred  pounds  per  day 
now  in  Gravesend,  and  twenty-five  or  thirty  pounds  per 
day  in  the  Great  South  Bay,  would  be  a  good  yield.  In 
the  spring,  flounders  are  taken  at  vai'ious  points  along 


906 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


the  south  coast,  although  the  principal  gathering  point 
is  at  Amagansett,  at  the  eastern  end  of  the  island.  The 
Long  Island  flounder  is  considered  much  superior  to 
those  from  other  points,  and  it  has  not  been  uncommon 
in  past  years  to  receive  at  New  York,  through  the 
agency  of  the  Long  Island  Rail  Road,  ten  tons  of  floun- 
ders per  day.  Cod-fish  are  taken  along  the  entire  south 
coast  of  the  island,  from  the  1st  of  November  until 
severe  cold  weather  and  storms  prevent  farther  fishing. 
This  is  one  of  our  most  valuable  food-fishes,  and  off 
Rockaway  as  many  as  twenty  tons  have  been  taken  in  a 
single  day.  Blue-fish  are  spring  and  summer  fishes,  and 
afford  great  sport  in  their  season,  when  there  are  any 
in  the  water  to  be  taken.  The  following  synopsis  of  blue- 
fish  catching  in  the  Great  South  Bay,  is  taken  from 
Forest  and  Stream  of  August  9,  1883.  "  1877-78,  fish- 
ing 7  times,  catch  194  fish,  average  28  fish  each  day; 
1879,  9  times,  catch  470  fish,  average  52  each  day;  1880, 
7  times,  catch  267  fish,  average  38  each  day;  1881,  8 
times,  catch  56  fish,  average  7  each  day;  1882,  6  times 
and  no  fish."  The  above  records,  as  will  be  seen,  per- 
tain more  particularly  to  fish  upon  the  south  side  of 
the  Island,  but  some,  if  not  all  of  these  fish,  were 
formerly  abundant  on  the  north  side  of  the  island; 
but  as  a  rule  they  are  absent  or  very  scarce  there 
at  present.  Just  what  has  caused  this  scarcity,  and 
what  are  the  reasons  for  the  growing  rarity  and  irregu- 
larity of  the  fishes  all  around  the  island,  may  be  ques- 
tions which  might  receive  numerous  answers,  as  cer- 
tainly many  causes  have  been  in  operation  during  the 
past  decade  or  longer,  tending  in  this  direction;  but 
there  seems  to  be  no  question  that  some  effort  should  be 
made  to  remedy  the  evil.  The  Commissioners  of  Fisher- 
ies of  the  State,  or  at  least  one  of  them,  came  to  this  con- 
clusion some  time  ago,  and  in  1881,  Mr.  Fred  Mather 
was  sent  to  look  over  the  island  for  a  place  which  would 
be  suitable  for  the  prosecution  of  such  work  as  in  all 
likelihood  would  be  required  to  be  done  at  a  sea-side 
hatchery.  Mr.  M.  reported  upon  a  location  at  Cold 
Spring  on  the  north  shore  of  the  island,  and  in  1882, 
the  Commissioners  made  arrangements  to  locate  a 
hatching-house  there.  This  has  now  been  in  operation, 
with  Mr.  Mather  as  superintendent,  since  January, 
1883,  but  only  very  recently  has  any  work  been  under- 
taken upon  the  sea  fishes.  This  work  will,  however, 
without  doubt,  be  carried  on  somewhat  extensivelv 
this  coming  season  and  more  vigorously  in  future 
years,  as  arrangements  have  now  been  made,  whereby 
salt-water  is  brought  directly  from  Cold  Spring  harbor 
into  the  hatching-house.  Something  will  also  unques- 
tionably he  done  in  the  direction  of  oyster  propagation, 
since  the  oysters  of  Long  Island  waters  form  one  of  our 
most  valuable  sources  of  food  supplies;  and  their  exter- 
mination is  merely  a  question  of  time,  if  nothing  is  done 
to  prevent  the  waste  and  protect  the  extensive  oyster 
hols.  Perhaps  the  only  effort  ever  made  on  Long 
bland  by  a  private  individual  in  the  direction  of  the 


cultivation  of  any  of  the  sea  fishes,  was  made  last  season 
(1882)  by  Mr.  Donnelly  of  Gravesend.  He  caught 
about  75  small  striped  bass  and  placed  them  in  a  Urn 
pen  constructed  in  one  of  the  streams  flowing  into 
Gravesend  Bay.  For  a  time,  nothing  was  seen  of  them; 
and  finally,  thinking  they  had  escaped  in  some  manner 
from  the  pen,  a  seine  was  dragged  in  the  enclosure,  and 
at  the  first  haul  some  40  of  the  bass  were  taken,  when 
it  was  found  that  there  had  been  an  average  increase  in 
weight  of  about  ^  of  a  pound.  This  was  very  gratifying 
to  Mr.  D.,  as  the  fish  were  very  small  when  thev  were 
penned,  and  it  offers  an  instructive  example  for  others 
who  have  the  opportunity  of  caging  this  fine  fish. 
Very  interesting  results  may  be  expected  if  Mr.  D.  is 
able  to  keep  them  until  they  arc  large  and  old  enough 
to  breed. 

It  may  not  be  out  of  place  to  notice  here  the  oc- 
currence of  white-bait  along  the  shores  of  the  Island,  ui 
especially  at  Gravesend  Bay.  This  delicate  little  titbit 
was  first  brought  to  the  attention  of  the  fish-loving 
public  by  Mr.  E.  G.  Blackford  in  187^,  and  was  served 
in  this  country  at  a  special  white-bait  dinner  at  tin 
Manhattan  Hotel,  Coney  Island,  on  May  15th,  1878. 

It  is  now  regularly  placed  on  sale  at  the  Fulton 
Market  in  New  York,  during  the  spring  months,  and 
meets  with  a  ready  sale. 

Fish  culture  on  Long  Island  can  boast  thus  far  of 
success,  only  in  the  direction  of  the  propagation  of  trout 
and  black  bass,  with  excellent  intentions  in  more  ex- 
tended fields.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that,  during  the  next 
decade,  the  most  sanguine  anticipations  for  success  in 
these  progressive  efforts  may  be  more  than  realized. 


Ei  OENeG.  BLACKFORD.  New  York  State  Fish  Commissioner. 
— Our  times  have  originated  a  class  of  men,  limited  in  mmi- 
l>er,  j>eculiar  to  American  enterprise  and  intelligence.  While 
actively  engaged  in  business  pursuits,  they  have  applied  a 
know  ledge  and  experienee  therein  obtained  to  purposes  of 
the  highest  public  iin]K>rtanee.  No  person  stands  more  prom- 
inent and  more  useful  in  this  class  than  Eugene  (i.  Black- 
ford, one  of  the  Fish  Commissioners  of  the  State  of  New 
York,  and  the  leading  fish  dealer  in  the  city  of  New  York. 

First  and  always  a  business  man.  he  is  also  conspicuous 
for  his  efforts  in  scientific  and  practical  pisciculture  (or  Bah- 
culture).    He  has  applied  his  intelligence  with  great  («>mfM 
hensiveness  to  the  study  of  fish  and  their  pro]>agatioii  hi 
artific  ial  means;  and,  at  the  same  time,  with  rare  enterprise, 
has  sought  a  supply  of  every  variety  of  wholesome  f i  — '  = 
food  for  the  markets  and  our  tables.    Scientific  men  ami  in- 
stitutions look  to  him  lor  information,  statistics,  ami  s|« 
mens,  ami  through  his  business,  he  makes  the  same  know 
of  immediate  and  practical  U'liefit  to  the  |*ople.    It  is  sel- 
dom that  two  such  relations  as  this  can  exist,  and  w  hen  the) 
do,  the  individual  who  creates  them  is  certain  toU'of  marked 
and  unusual  character. 

Eugene  (i.  Blackford  was  l>orn  at  Morristown,  N.  J.,  \"- 
8.   183!».    His  father,  (iilU-rt  L.  Blackford,  was  a  CTfkf 
builder  at  that  place,  ami  finally  removed,  w  ith  his  famih 
to  New  York,  and  entered  into  other  business.     Both  a 
grandfather  ami  a  great-grandfather  of  our  subject  were 
Baptist  ministers.    He  was  an  infant  w  hen  his  father  re 


FISH  CULTURE  ON  LONG  ISLAND. 


967 


k > \  .  (I  to  New  York,  and  his  entire  career  has  been  passed 
i  this  city  and  Brooklyn. 

At  the  age  of  fourteen  he  went  into  the  office  of  Captain 
sa  W.  Welden,  in  South  street,  who  conducted  a  ship- 
rokerage  business.  The  old  gentleman  sought  to  give 
ugene  a  commercial  education,  and  was  much  distressed 
lien  be  accidentally  discovered  that  the  youngster  kept  in  a 
•cret  place  certain  materials  and  appliances  for  chemical 
cperiments.  In  fact,  Eugene  had,  even  then,  a  love  for 
•ience,  and  especially  chemistry,  and  continued  to  turn  his 

tention  so  much  in  that  direction  that  he  was  declared  by 
ie  old  captain  unfit  for  a  business  life,  and  discharged, 
bout  this  time  Eugene  also  took  some  lessons  in  water- 
>lor  painting.    He  was  three  years  and  a  half  in  the  employ 

Captain  Welden. 

However,  he  found  that,  whatever  tastes  of  this  nature  he 
light  have,  be  would  be  obliged  to  follow  some  business 
xupation.  He  passed  several  years  as  a  freight  clerk,  con- 
acted  with  the  Hartford  steamboats,  and  then  served  with 
ie  Camden  and  Amboy  Railroad  Company.  After  this  he 
as  two  years  with  A.  T.  Stewart,  at  the  great  store,  corner 
Broadway  and  Chambers  street.  Mr.  Blackford  attrib- 
tes  much  of  his  success  in  business  to  the  training  he  re- 
■ived  in  Mr.  Stewart's  establishment. 

His  next  employment  was  as  book-keeper  for  Middleton, 
arman  &  Co.,  fish  dealers  in  Fulton  Market.  When  he  left 
ieni  he  began  business  for  himself  in  the  market,  and  he 
as  continued  it  up  to  tliis  time.  He  began,  rather  unexpect- 
Uy  to  himself,  by  having  a  stand  offered  to  him  on  very 
ivorable  terms.  He  had  only  one  hundred  and  ten  dollars  in 
ish,  but  he  was  allowed  to  pay  for  the  stand  at  his  convenience. 
He  at  once  threw  his  whole  energy  and  tact  into  the  busi- 
ess.  From  one  stand  it  has  grown  to  thirteen,  doing  an 
innense  retail  business,  under  the  sole  name  of  Eugene 
.  Blackford.  Opposite  the  market,  in  Beekman  street,  is  the 
I'm  of  Blackford  &  Co.,  wholesale  fish  dealers  andcommis- 
on  merchants;  at  barge  7,  foot  of  West  Tenth  street,  is 
;ill  another  firm— Blackford  &  Stringham,  wholesale  and 
;tail  dealers  in  oysters  and  clams.  Blackford  &  Co.  are 
,rents  for  the  Chalker  Shad  Co.,  and  the  Dennison  Shad  Co., 
E  Say  brook,  Conn.,  and  receive  a  large  part  of  the  catch  of 
ie  Connecticut  river.  The  Blackford  Fish  Company,  E.  G. 
lackford,  treasurer,  lease  five  mUes  of  the  shore  at  Mon- 
luk,  Long  Island,  and  fish  are  sent  daily  to  Fulton  Market. 
For  many  years  the  Fulton  Market  was  in  a  most  dilapi- 
ated  condition,  from  absolute  age  and  decay.  Largely 
irough  the  efforts  of  Mr.  Blackford  an  appropriation  of 
180,000  was  obtained  to  rebuild  the  structure,  which  is  now 
umpleted.  The  building  occupies  an  entire  block,  and  is 
)6  feet  by  171  feet  and  161  feet,  and  in  its  remodeled  form  is 
q  imposing  building  of  brick.  The  building  is  considered 
ne  of  the  best  and  cheapest  public  edifices  ever  erected  in 
ew  York. 

At  the  corner  of  South  and  Beekman  streets,  Mr.  Black- 
ed has  fitted  up  the  most  magnificent  series  of  fish  stands, 
trices,  etc.,  to  be  seen  in  the  world.  The  purchase  of  the 
ight  in  the  stands  and  fixtures  represents  an  outlay  of 
wenty-two  thousand  dollars.  Entering  from  the  general 
larket,  you  are  struck  by  a  large  mirror  of  plate-glass,  occu- 
ying  a  window  twenty  feet  high.  On  each  side  are  win- 
ows  of  stained  glass,  containing  numberless  handsome  de- 
igns of  aquatic  flowers,  fishes,  and  amphibious  beasts.  At 
onvenient  places  are  tanks  of  glass  and  Portland  marble, 
ontaining  live  brook  trout  and  other  choice  fish  and  plants, 
n  some  fish-hatching  jars  are  shown  young  trout,  and  the 
are  and  strange  axolotl  from  the  aquaria  of  M.  Carbonnier, 
"aris,  though  of  Mexican  parentage. 


The  stands  for  the  display  of  fish  have  marble  tops,  and  are 
otherwise  elaborately  finished.  All  the  upper  finishing  is  in 
hard  wood  and  glass,  and  the  elegant  offices,  cooling-room, 
and  other  apartments  are  all  finished  in  the  same  manner. 
Taste,  art  and  utility  have  all  been  applied  here,  literally 
"  without  regard  to  expense."  In  such  a  place  as  this  out? 
sees  and  appreciates  fish  as  in  no  other,  and  it  is  also  one  in 
which  you  at  once  conclude  that  the  proprietor  is  a  man  of 
both  refined  taste  and  large  liberality. 

One  of  the  fine  towers  of  the  building  is  also  leased  by 
Mr.  Blackford,  and  will  be  prepared  for  advanced  research 
in  all  departments  relating  to  fish.  He  has  one  of  the  best 
libraries  on  this  subject  ever  collected,  and  it  will  be  placed 
here  for  the  use  of  all.  Models  and  paintings  of  rare  fish 
and  everything  useful  for  the  student  of  ichthyology,  will 
form  parts  of  the  collection. 

Few  persons  realize  the  value  of  the  sea  and  inland  fish- 
eries. Those  of  the  entire  world  reach  an  aggregate  of  one 
hundred  and  twenty  millions  of  dollars.  In  1873,  the  sea 
fisheries  of  the  United  States  were  reported  at  over  eleven 
millions  of  dollars,  and  the  value  of  the  mackerel,  herring, 
shad,  white  fish,  oysters,  etc.,  sold  in  the  coast  and  lake  mar- 
kets of  the  United  States  is  over  seven  millions.  The 
amount  of  fish  sold  in  Fulton  Market,  from  March,  1879,  to 
March,  1880,  was  something  over  thirty-four  millions  of 
pounds.  The  sales  at  this  port  have  now  reached  forty-five 
millions  of  pounds,  and  the  sales  at  Fulton  Market  are 
ninety  per  cent,  of  the  whole.  During  the  year  1880,  Mr. 
Blackford's  statistics  show  the  sale  in  the  New  York  markets 
of  1,330,000  shad.  The  total  amount  of  Hudson  River  shad 
sold  was  445,000,  about  half  of  the  entire  catch  of  the  river. 
In  two  years  there  were  53,609,000  young  shad  placed  in  this 
river  alone  by  the  State  Fish  Commissioners. 

As  we  have  stated,  Mr.  Blackford  is  the  leading  dealer. 
In  his  ice-vaults  can  be  seen  tons  upon  tons  of  frozen  fish 
that  he  can  keep  perfectly  fresh  for  years.  He  has  a  freez- 
ing station  in  Canada,  where  the  salmon  are  frozen  as  fast 
as  they  are  caught.  They  are  then  packed  in  refrigerator 
cars,  and  sent  to  New  York.  Shad  and  pompano  do  not 
keep  well.  Spanish  mackerel,  according  to  Mr.  Blackford, 
•'the  best  fish  in  the  world,"  are  frozen — each  wrapped  in  a 
separate  piece  of  paper.  Frogs  come  mainly  from  Canada. 
Two  hundred  pounds  of  frogs'  legs  are  often  sold  daily  at 
Mr.  Blackford's  stands.  In  the  eel  tanks  10,000  pounds  of 
eels  can  be  seen  at  one  time,  which  fish  is  now  raised  for 
market.  Mr.  Blackford  sells  all  the  terrapins  he  can  obtain, 
and  is  the  largest  receiver  of  green  turtles,  of  which  piles  in 
a  frozen  condition  can  be  seen  in  his  vaults. 

He  introduced  the  salmon  from  the  Restigouche  riser,  the 
catch  of  which  he  largely  controls,  and  sells  in  Fulton  Mar- 
ket, in  forty -eight  hours  after  they  are  caught.  He  imports 
sole  and  turbot  in  the  refrigerators  of  ocean  steamers  from 
England.  He  holds  the  opinion,  however,  that  the  fish  of 
the  American  waters  are  the  best  that  swim. 

In  November,  1881,  a  very  extraordinary  catch  of  striped 
bass  was  made  by  the  Blackford  Fishing  Company,  at  Mon- 
tauk  Point,  L.  I.  Some  4,000  pounds  of  fish  were  captured 
(the  larger  proportion  weighing  from  50  to  75  pounds  each), 
while,  perhaps,  as  many  more  escaped  from  the  nets. 

In  August,  1881,  Mr.  Blackford  received  the  first  live  gou- 
ramie  ever  received  in  the  United  States,  having  been  sent  by 
M.  Carbonnier,  of  Paris.  The  color  of  this  fish  is  a  beautiful 
blue,  with  yellow  spots.  It  was  sent  immediately  to  Professor 
Baird,  Secretary  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution.  Later  Mr. 
Blackford  received  a  black  bass  from  Georgia  which  weighed 
fifteen  pounds.  It  was  sent  to  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  to 
be  preserved  in  the  shape  of  a  plaster  cast.   In  January,  1882, 


968 


BISTORT  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


lie  received  from  Bremen  two  tin  cans  containing  sixty  bine 
carp. 

Some  of  the  American  fish  introduced  to  the  New  York 
public  by  Mr.  Blackford  have  become  popular.  Among  these 
is  the  red  snap]>er  from  Florida.  This  fish  has  received  its 
scientific  name  from  him,  as  will  appear  by  the  following  let- 
ter: 

••  Washington,  May  19,  1878. 

"  My  Dear  Mr.  Bi.ackford  : 

"You  will  be  surprised  to  hear  that  the  red  snapper  has 
never  been  scientifically  descril>od.  I  had  suspected  it  for 
some  time,  and  a  thorough  examination  by  Dr.  Bean  and 
myself  confirms  it.  We  have  been  looking  for  a  namesake 
for  you.  and,  if  you  consent  to  lie  godfather,  this  beautiful 
fish  shall  be  Lutjanus  lilackfordii — Goodect  Beau.  I  am  glad 
to  have  a  share  in  such  a  memorial  of  your  services  to  ichthy- 
ology. 

"Yours  sincerely, 

"  J.  Brown  Goode." 

Mr.  Blackford  was  the  first  to  discover  that  we  had  in 
American  waters  a  li-li  identical  with  the  famous  English 
white-bait.  In  187.")  he  first  conceived  the  idea  of  his  grand 
April  trout  exhibition,  which  now  annually  draws  crowds  to 
behold  the  display,  many  coming  from  distant  parts  of  the 
L'nited  States.  Specimensof  trout  from  distant  countriesand 
many  of  our  States,  and  of  cultivated  trout  from  all  the  lead- 
ing fish  culturists  and  fish  commissioners  of  the  United  States, 
are  displayed.  The  last  exhibition  cost  Mr.  Blackford  $2,500, 
besides  a  great  deal  of  labor.  A  beautiful  and  highly  artistic 
invitation  to  the  "Grand  Opening  of  the  Trout  Season"  is 
issued  by  Mr.  Blackford.  The  exhibition  lasts  three  days,  and 
is  considered  one  of  the  "  sights"  of  New  York. 

It  was  in  1872  that  Mr.  Blackford  began  to  give  attention  to 
the  history  and  propagation  of  fish.  He  then  made  the  ac- 
quaintance of  Professor  Baird,  of  the  Smithsonian  Institu- 
tion, and  who  became  United  States  Commissioner  of  Fish 
and  Fisheries  in  1871.  The  American  Fish  Culturists'  Asso- 
ciation was  organized,  of  which  he  liecarne  a  prominent 
member,  and  has  for  seven  years  been  the  treasurer.  At 
the  annual  meetings  important  papers  are  read,  and  the  Asso- 
ciation has  accomplished  much  for  fish  culture.  "White-bait 
in  American  Waters*-  was  the  title  of  a  paper  read  by  Mr. 
Blackford  at  the  annual  meeting,  March  25,  1879.  An  annual 
fish  dinner  also  takes  place,  and  at  the  one  held  in  the  Cen- 
tennial grounds,  Octol>er  6,  1876,  the  menu  included  some 
fifty-eight  varieties  of  fish  from  all  parts  of  the  globe.  Mr. 
Blackford  undertook  the  immense  work  of  collecting  and 
preparing  the  fish.  The  first  line  of  the  bill  of  fare  reads: 
"  Green  Turtle,  a  la  Blackford."  He  was  also  in  charge  of 
the  fish  exhibit  at  the  Centennial. 

We  may  mention  that  Mr.  Blackford  is  a  great  caterer  for 
fish  dinners,  whereat  he  can  also  make  a  good  "after-din- 
ner" speech.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Ichthyophagous 
( 'lub,  which  lias  an  annual  dinner  composed  of  fish  strange 
to  the  palate  as  well  as  that  of  an  edible  kind.  Here  are 
some  of  the  former  from  a  menu  before  us:  "Consomme,"  of 
shark-tin  a  la  chinoise;  Razor  clams  farcis,  a  la  Nelson  :  Tar- 
telett-  of  horse-shoe  crab*,  a  la  Belle  llelene,"  etc  ,  etc. 

In  May,  1879,  Mr.  Blackford  was  appointed  by  Governor 
Robinson  one  of  the  four  Fish  Commissioners  for  the  State  of 
New  York,  He  has  served  with  a  great  deal  of  zeal  and  use- 
fulness. The  twelfth  annual  report  has  just  In-en  sent  to  the 
Legislature.  The  state  hatching-house  is  at  Caledonia,  and 
i^  in  a  flourishing  condition.  The  operations  in  shad-hatch- 
ing on  the  Hudson  River  usually  commence  about  May  15, 
and  the  work  is  continued  until  atnmt  the  1st  of  July.  A 
fishing  camp  is  established  at  some  point  Im-Iow  Albany. 
The  netting  must  be  done  in  the  night  time,  as  shad  never 
spawn  in  the  daylight.    It  is  hojM-d  this  year  to  turn  olf  from 


6,000,000  to  8,000,000  of  fry.  Under  a  law  passed  by  the 
Legislature  in  1879,  Commissioner  Blackford  was  appointed 
a  committee  to  examine  the  streams  of  Long  Island,  and  tr 
take  reasonable  steps  for  the  propagation  of  trout.  Aftei 
much  search,  Commissioner  Blackford  secured  eight  acres  at 
Cold  Spring  at  the  nominal  rent  of  one  dollar  a  year  for  ten 
years.  At  a  meeting  of  the  commissioners  held  January  11 
1882.  a  resolution  was  passed  to  establish  a  hatchet  \  at  » 
Spring,  and  appropriating  $3,000  to  equip  and  conduct  it 
under  the  direction  of  Commissioners  Blackford  ami  Ro<>sc 
velt. 

In  February.  1882,  an  interesting  experiment  of  stripping 
the  cod-fish  of  the  spawn  was  made  at  Fulton  Market.  V 
Blackford  suggested  the  matter  to  Professor  Baird,  and  took 
efficient  means  to  carry  the  plan  to  success.  Two  employe) 
of  the  United  States  Commission  came  from  Washington  foi 
the  work,  which  was  under  the  personal  supervision  of  M: 
Blackford.  By  March,  over  eleven  millions  of  eggs  had  bet  i 
obtained  and  forwarded  to  Washington.  After  hatching;  Um 
fish  were  placed  in  the  water  near  Fortress  Monroe. 

Mr.  Blackford  collected  and  shipped  one  hundred  am 
thirty  tons  of  exhibits  to  the  International  Fishery  ExIiiM 
tion  held  in  Berlin  in  1880.  He  received  a  silver  medal  f« 
his  own  exhibit,  as  he  did  at  the  Centennial.  He  sent  a  tint 
exhibit  for  the  Fish  Exhibition  which  opened  in  Ediatwgl 
Scotland,  April  12,  1882.  We  could  give  many  other  partit  u 
lars  of  Mr.  Blackford's  efforts  in  behalf  of  the  fish  interest; 
generally,  but  space  will  not  permit  it. 

He  was  married  at  the  age  of  twenty-one  to  Miss  France; 
L.  Green,  of  New  York,  and  has  three  children.  Their  mar 
ried  life  has  been  a  very  happy  one.  He  was  baptised  an> 
married  by  the  same  clergyman,  the  late  Rev.  Ira  R.  Stew 
ard.  He  joined  a  Baptist  church  at  an  early  period,  and  i; 
now  a  prominent  member  of  the  Washington  Avenue  Bap 
tist  Church  of  Brooklyn.  During  1876,  1877,  and  1878  In 
was  president  of  the  Sunday-School  Association  of  the  East 
ern  District  of  Brooklyn.  He  acted  as  grand  marshal  of  tin 
largest  Sunday-school  parade  in  the  world,  being  composes 
of  25,000  children  and  teachers  in  solid  column.  He  has  re 
sided  in  Brooklyn  for  many  years.  He  is  also  a  liberal  frn  n 
of  the  Howard  Mission  and  Home  for  Little  Wanderers 
New  York. 

Mr.  Blackford  is  of  an  erect  and  full  figure.  His  head  i 
large  and  his  features  are  refined  and  expressive.  His  manner 
are  easy,  self-possessed  and  sincere.  To  be  a  gentleman  i 
natural  to  him,  and  he  appears  as  one  under  all  circum 
stances.  No  man  comes  more  in  contact  with  oppositt 
classes  of  his  fellow-men,  and  no  one  can  better  adapt  him 
self  to  each  individual.  He  is  frank,  courteous,  and  fjood 
natured,  always  showing  that  consideration  for  others  whn  I 
commands  it  toward  himself.  His  kindness  of  heart,  c  ■ 
his  constant  desire  to  please  and  oblige,  endear  him  to  tlmst 
who  know  him  intimately,  and  impress  the  most  casual  a. 
quaintance.  In  the  world  he  is  pre-eminently  a  popoltt 
man  with  the  high  and  the  humble:  while,  in  bis  piinti 
walks,  he  is  beloved  for  manifold  virtues  and  thoughtfn 
evidences  of  personal  regard.  In  his  home  he  extends  a  I 
eral  hospitality,  brightened  by  his  own  cheerful  nature,  an 
made  charming  by  his  surroundings  of  comfort  and  I  u  \  iw  > 

His  life,  yet  in  its  full  vigor,  has  been  remarkable  for  il 
well-directed  efforts  and  success.  No  matter  where  you  se< 
him  be  is  found  a  busy  and  useful  man.  Alert  in  all  privati 
enterprise,  and  eager  to  promote  the  public  good,  he  has  mad' 
integrity  and  morality  the  rule  of  his  whole  career 

Benjamin  W.  West,  Commission  Men  bant,  of  No.  I  Ful 
ton  Fish  Market.  New  York  cit\,  was  born  at  Ixiig  brain  I 


FISH  CULTURE  OiST  LONG  ISLAND. 


969 


Monmouth  county,  N.  J.,  Sept.  15th,  1835.  Mr.  West's 
father,  Elisha,  as  well  as  his  paternal  grandparents,  were 
residents  of  the  same  county,  his  father  for  many  years 
keeping  a  hotel  there.  During  the  early  period  of  his  life 
ie  received  a  common  school  education,  and  when  thirteen 
pears  old  came  to  New  York  to  help  his  father,  wdio,  with 

is  partner,  Mr.  Wooley,  had  a  fish  stand  in  Fulton  Market. 

lenjamin  made  the  trip  in  a  charcoal  schooner,  and  landed 
it  the  foot  of  Gouverneur  street.  His  pay  was  twenty  shil- 
ings  a  week,  out  of  which  sixteen  shillings  went  for  board. 

he  young  man  worked  hard,  sleeping  in  the  office  the  fore- 
>art  of  the  night,  the  latter  part  of  which  was  always  de- 

oted  to  work ;  and  his  wages  gradually  increased,  until  in 
1853,  he  was  earning  seven  dollars  per  week.  Then  only 
eighteen  years  old,  he  resolved  to  consummate  the  most  im- 
)ortant  event  in  the  history  of  any  man  or  woman — to  take  a 
>artner  for  life  in  the  great  struggle  for  a  place  in  the 
anks  of  successful  men;  so,  in  November,  1853,  he  mar- 

ied  Sarah  W.  Conk,  whose  age,  by  a  striking  coincidence, 

orresponds  exactly  with  his  own. 

The  following  spring,  Mr.  West  formed  a  partnership  with 
T.  Pearsall,  the  firm  name  being  J.  Pearsall  &  Co.  This  ar- 
angement  lasted  but  one  year,  when  Mr.  Pearsall  sold  his 
nterest  to  Madison  Benjamin,  at  which  time  (1855),  the 
•reseat  firm  name  of  Benjamin  &  West  was  established, 
tlr.  Madison  Benjamin  died  in  1876,  when  his  brother, 
'ulaski,  took  his  place  in  the  firm. 
Mr.  West  was  a  charter  member  of  the  Fulton  Fish- 
ongers'  Association,  organized  in  1869  ;  and,  with  the  ex- 
eption  of  the  first  two  years  of  its  existence,  has  been  its  Secre- 
ary.   The  business  of  this  firm  has  had  a  remarkable  growth. 


They  have  purchasing  agents  in  Portland,  Oregon;  Boston, 
Mass. ;  Richabucto,  British  Provinces,  and  other  fish  centres, 
and  own  many  vessels  besides  those  that  hail  t6  them.  The 
statistics  showing  the  bulk  handled  in  this  world-renowned 
market  are  astonishing,  and  to  Mr.  West  we  are  indebted  for 
the  following  statement  of  facts:  From  March  1st,  1878,  to 
March  1st,  1879,  there  was  handled  under  the  roof  of  Fulton 
Market,  as  follows:  33,529,960  pounds  of  weighed  fish; 
2,317,763  mackerel,  sold  by  the  piece;  661,594  shad,  sold 
by  the  piece,  and  46,451  gallons  of  scallops;  and  for  March 
1st,  1879,  to  March,  1st,  1880,  35,278,186  pounds  weighed  fish: 
3,827,324  mackerel  sold  by  the  piece;  953,439  shad,  sold  by  the 
piece,  and  36,445  gallons  of  scallops.  One-fourth  the  fish  sold 
in  the  market  are  cod-fish. 

There  is  not  only  a  greater  variety  of  fish  handled  than  in 
any  other  market  in  the  world,  but  more  pounds  are  sold, 
and  money  received  therefor,  than  any  other  in  the  United 
States. 

The  cities  of  New  York,  Brooklyn,  Jersey,  Newark,  Phila- 
delphia, all  draw  their  supplies  from  this  focal  point.  A 
daily  fish-train,  under  the  supervision  of  this  market,  runs 
from  Boston  to  New  York  via  the  New  England  Railroad, 
for  the  transportation  of  its  supplies. 

There  are  one  thousand  sail  of  vessels  off  the  coasts  of 
Maine,  Massachusetts  and  the  Provinces,  each  employing 
ten  to  fifteen  men,  engaged  in  the  fisheries,  and  seventy-one 
vessels  are  now  being  constructed. 

There  are  seventy  vessels  owned  and  run  exclusively 
by  this  market.  Fish  ai-e  not  so  plentiful  as  thirty  years 
ago,  and  it  is  Mr.  West's  theory  that  the  fish,  being  of  a  shy 
nature,  are,  by  the  many  steamers,  constantly  plying  our 


970 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


waters,  frightened  from  their  olden  haunts;  hut  any  alarming 
diminution  of  the  supply  i>  a  problematical  question  of  the 
future. 

Three-quarters  of  the  glol>e  is  inhabited  by  the  tinny  tribe, 
and  our  fast-increasing  railroad  facilities  solve  the  question 
of  transportation  from  hitherto  inaccessible  points:  even 
now,  salmon  from  Oregon  are  offered  for  sale  in  Fulton 
Market,  only  seven  days  after  shipping. 

Benjamin  W.  West  has  been  successful.  Gifted  natur- 
ally with  a  body  capable  of  much  strain;  a  mind  acute, 
resolute  and  comprehensive,  and  with  clear  judgment,  his 
selection  of  his  calling  was  particularly  fortunate,  illustrating 
well  the  famous  apothegm  of  Napoleon: 

"  The  tools  to  the  man  that  can  use  them." 

In  business  life  be  has  but  one  idea— the  completion  of  a 
well-done  day's  work.  In  private  life  none  more  than  he 
enters  with  zest  into  healthy  enjoyments.  Either  at  his  fine 
home.  No.  128  St.  Mark's  avenue.  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  or  liis 
cottage.  "West  Liwn,"  Long  Branch,  life  presents  to  him 
and  bis  estimable  wife,  only  its  happy  side.  Their  married 
life  has  l>een  blessed  with  the  advent  of  two  children,  Sarah 
Lillian,  born  July  34th,  1854,  and  Frank  M..  born  July  3d,  1859. 
The  former  was  married  June  5th,  1872,  to  Albert  M.  Rogers, 
and  the  latter  was  married  April  16th,  1879,  to  Ada  M.  Funk. 

Samuel  Leon  Storer  was  born  19th  February,  1843,  on 
Prospect  street,  Brooklyn.  N.  Y.,  and,  during  the  early  years 
of  his  life,  attended  the  public  schools  of  that  city.  When 
16,  he  came  to  Fulton  Market,  and  began  work  for  s<6  per 
week,  his  duties  being  to  sweep  the  office  and  run  errands ; 
being  thus  employed  by  the  firms  of  Kingsland  &  Comstock, 
H.  C.  Rogers  &  Co.,  and  Geo.  F.  Rogers.  In  1867,  Mr.  Storer 
started  in  the  fish  business  for  himself,  occupying  quarters 
on  the  old  Fulton  Fish  Market  grounds,  where  he  staid  until 
1869,  when  the  present  market  was  erected  by  the  Fulton 
Fish-Mongers'  Association,  of  which  he  became  a  charter 
member.    He  has  from  that  time  occupied  Stand  No.  16. 

Mr.  Storer's  father,  William  B. ,  was  from  1821  to  1863,  the 
year  of  his  death,  a  well  known oysterman  of  Fulton  Market; 
and  his  mother,  nee  Annie  Rankin,  is  now  living  in  Brook- 
lyn. In  1863,  Mr.  Storer  was  married  to  Miss  Carrie  E.  De- 
lano, who  was  a  worthy  helpmate  during  their  years  of 
wedded  life.  In  March,  1882,  he  suffered  the  great  bereave- 
ment of  her  death.  Mr.  Storer's  two  sons,  Willie  B.  and  Alba 
C,  aged  respectively  16  and  14,  bright  and  active  lads,  are 
now  attending  Dr.  Holbrook's  Military  Academy,  at  Sing 
Sing.  In  addition  to  the  Fulton  Market  stand,  Mr.  Storer 
owns  the  North  River  Fish  and  Game  Co.,  Pier  24,  North 
River,  and  is  a  partner  of  the  firm  of  Geo.  B.  Weaver  &  Co., 
Stand  Nos.  310and  311,  Washington  Market — doing,  with  his 
different  places,  the  largest  fish  business  in  the  city.  His 
houses  for  cold  storage  are  at  No.  226  Front  street,  New  York 
city.  For  1:5  years  he  has  been  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Direct- 
orsof  the  Fulton  Market  I  ish -Mongers'  Association,  and  is  now 
its  Vice-President  anil  its  heaviest  stockholder.  He  also  owns 
a  dozen  fishing  smacks,  which  are  constantly  engaged  plying 
the  waters  to  supply  the  increasing  demands  of  his  customers; 
and  is  the  President  of  the  East  River  Chemical  company. 

Mr.  Storer  is  made  on  a  generous  scale,  physically  and 
mentally.  His  physique  is  unusually  fine,  being  6  feet  1$ 
lie  In  -  in  height,  ami  weighing  232  lbs.,  with  not  an  ounce  of 
superfluous  lle.-.h.  His  brain  is  active,  and  his  judgment 
quick  in  maturing,  and  remarkably  accurate.  His  eminent 
unices*,  with  these  endowments,  could  hut  be  ex  peeled.  His 
love  for  hunting  and  fishing  does  not  lessen  with  increasing 
years  and  added  business  interests;  hut  he  enters  into  these 
ennobling  sports  with  as  much  zest  as  a  quarter  of  a  century 


ago.  His  impulses  are  all  generous,  which,  with  his  genial 
manners,  make  him  a  most  companionable  of  men. 


Samuel  B.  MiLLEK,  wholesale  commission  fish  dealer.  No. 
7  Fulton  Market,  New  York  city,  was  born  at  Hempstead. 
Queens  county,  Long  Island.  March  13th,  1820.  His  ia 
ther  was  a  weaver;  but,  in  1827,  came  to  Fulton  Market, 
and  from  then  until  18.r)l,  the  year  of  his  death,  was  engaged 
in  the  fish  trade.  When  but  13  years  of  age,  Mr.  Miller  ram, 
to  this  market  and  began  work  for  his  father,  with  whom  I,, 
staid  two  years.  At  the  expiration  of  this  time,  the  ambitious 
lad  made  oath  "  never  to  work  for  wage  again  for  a  manoa  the 
land,"  and  boldly  struck  out  for  himself  as  a  dealer  in  fish. 

This  occupation  he  has  followed  ever  since;  and,  April  1st. 
1884,  completed  his  fifty-first  year  as  a  fish  merchant.  In 
1851,  his  brother  Charles — a  prominent  citizen  of  Brooklyn, 
who,  at  the  time  of  his  decease,  in  October,  1873,  was  an  Al 
derman  of  that  city,  representing  the  First  Ward— became  a 
partner,  remaining  in  the  firm  until  his  death.  In  that  year 
Mr.  Miller  gave  an  interest  in  his  business  to  his  two  sons. 
Ernest  M.  and  Clarence  T.,  which  they  still  retain:  though 
the  original  firm  name — S.  B.  Miller — remains  unchanged. 

Mr.  Miller  was  married  in  1841  to  Miss  Mary  Ann  Van 
Mater,  by  whom  he  had  seven  children,  five  of  them— time 
daughters  and  two  sons — now  living.  Mr.  Miller  is,  in  a  cer- 
tain sense,  the  Father  of  the  Fulton  Fish  Market,  being  tin 
oldest  dealer  there,  and  has  seen  the  commencement  of  the 
business  career  of  every  other  member.  He  is  rich  in  rem  i- 
niscences  connected  with  this  famous  market.  From  him  ire 
learn  that,  while  now  there  are  about  one  hundred  and  fifty 
varieties  of  eatable  fish  sold  in  thi>  Market.  tift\ M  ar- 
there  were  but  six  or  eight.  Oysters  were  then  a  stain 
article.  Prices  averaged  about  as  now.  The  old  market  was 
merely  a  platform,  and  the  marketmen  were  forced  to  trans 
act  their  dealings,  in  all  weather,  without  covering.  In 
1869,  the  fish  dealers  of  the  market  secured  a  charter  from 
the  state  of  New  York,  empowering  the  Commissioners  of 
the  Sinking  Fund  of  New  York  city  to  lease  the  bulkhead  and 
one-half  the  slip  to  the  "Fulton  Market  Fish-Mongers'  Associa- 
tion,'' for  the  purpose  of  building  and  sustaining  a  public 
market.  A  stock  company  was  formed  with  a  capital  of 
$200,000 — Mr.  Miller  being  a  charter  member— and  the  bulk- 
head leased  for  ten  years,  paying  therefor  $5,0lM)  annually. 
The  cost  of  the  present  ten-year  lease  being  si;.. "din  yearly  .  tin- 
present  building,  at  a  cost  of  .sl35,000,  was  elected.  Tin' 
building  is  193x64  feet,  with  193  feet  water  front,  and  is  en- 
tirely over  water,  being  supported  by  274  spiles,  and  is  one  of 
the  strongest  frame  edifices  in  the  state.  Annual  rentals  are 
paid  by  all  members;  250,000  lbs.  fish  are  daily  handled  there. 

Mr.  Miller  is  a  man  possessing  many  necessary  qualitica 
tions  to  success.  His  ability  to  endure  long  physical  strain 
is  remarkable;  while,  coupled  with  this  is  a  keen,  far-seen. _ 
mind  and  strict  integrity.  He  expects  the  same  of  his  fellow- 
men  :  and,  while  positive  and  quick  in  his  business  life,  he  - 
a  most  genial  man.  He  has  the  rare  faculty  of  inspim  _ 
both  affection  and  respect  in  all  with  whom  he  come*  in 
contact:  and  we  are  glad  to  note  that  his  financial  mi<<  .  -- 
has  been  commensurate  with  his  intrinsic  worth.  He  has  for 
13  years  been  President  of  the  Fish-Mongers'  \ssoriation. 

In  politics,  Mr.  Miller  acted  with  the  Whigs  until  tin 
breaking  out  of  our  late  war,  from  which  time  he  has  l«ena 
memlier  of  the  Democratic  party.  In  voting  for  cit  y  "llhers. 
it  is  the  man  he  seeks  to  honor,  not  the  party.  Mr  Mill  ' 
while  still  a  hard  worker,  is  not  unmindful  of  the  phi- 
ltres of  those  m  ar  and  dear  to  him,  and  a  few  y  cars  sir." 
elected  a  line  summer  villa  at  Fssex.  Conn.,  at  which  hi.i 
lani«ly  pass  the  summer  months. 


BR  0  OKL  YN  MARKETS. 


971 


BROOKLYN 


"  From  time  immemorial,"  as  will  be  seen  by  reference 
to  Stilks'  History  of  Brooklyn,  the  lower  end  of  old 
Ferry  (now  Fulton)  street  was  largely  occupied  by  the 
butchers  who  slaughtered  and  dressed  their  beeves,  and 
transported  them  to  New  York  in  row-boats  or  "  peria- 
guas."  For  the  first  quarter  of  the  present  century, 
the  old  public  market  stood  here  near  the  middle  of  the 
street,  as  described  on  pages,  107  to  110  of  this  History. 

Prior  to  1826,  there  was  no  public  market  for  the 
sale  of  meats,  fish  or  vegetables  in  Brooklyn.  Those  pur- 
chasing, bought  direct  from  the  farmers,  who,  with  their 
immense  carts,  gathered  on  the  commons,  near  what  is 
now  York  street.  In  1826,  the  village  fathers  caused 
the  erection  of  a  building,  suitable  for  the  sale  of  these 
uecessities  ;  and,  in  1827,  it  was  completed.  It  was 
located,  with  frontage,  on  York  street,  and  bounded  by 
James,  Mercein  and  Garrison  streets,  and  Avas  generally 
known  as  the  James  Street  Market.  27  butchers,  2 
fishermen  and  10  women  hucksters  were  engaged  there. 
Of  the  former,  the  names  of  such  old  citizens  as  Jas. 
Titus,  Jno.  F.  Garrison,  Jno.  Furnley,  Jno.  Doughty, 
Samuel  Talbert,  David  Reynolds,  Edward  Crummey, 
Henry  Crummey  and  Leonard  Klein  are  familiar.  Of 
these,  Henry  Crummey  and  Mr.  Klein  are  alone 
living.  Mr.  Crummey  still  follows  the  same  business, 
and  is  the  oldest  butcher  in  the  county.  The  occu- 
pants of  the  stands  leased  them  of  the  village,  and  also 
paid  a  nominal  sum  for  a  license.  It  was  illegal  for 
meat  to  be  sold  at  any  other  place  in  the  village.  The 
meat  consumption,  as  shown  by  the  following  state- 
ment, was  light : 

Average  weekly  slaughter,  beeves   40 

"  "  "        hogs   35 

"  "        sheep  and  lambs   90 

"  "  "        veal,  in  season   20 

The  market-men  used  to  buy  their  supplies  at  the 
Bull's  Head,  on  the  Bowery,  near  Bayard  street,  New 
York  city;  the  cattle  mainly  coming  from  Putnam, 
Dutchess  and  Westchester  counties.  In  1873,  the 
market  was  torn  down  to  make  way  for  the  Bridge. 

Thirty  years  ago  an  average  of  50  wagon  loads  of 
vegetables,  during  the  season,  came  daily  to  the  York 
street  market.  AVhen  the  farmers  were  driven  to  find 
new  quarters,  the  lower  end  of  Fulton  street  proved  to 
be  the  most  central  location,  and  still  is.  Last  year 
(1883),  over  a  hundred  loads  found  sale  daily  in  this  and 
the  contiguous  streets.  In  early  times  a  charge  of 
10  cents  for  each  wagon  was  collected  by  clerks  ap- 
pointed for  that  purpose.  Among  these  were  Pat 
Ward  and  Mr.  Herron.  In  1882,  this  charge  was  in- 
creased to  25  cents.    Matt  Malloy  was  appointed,  and 


MARKETS. 


still  continues  to  be,  the  collector  for  the  district  em- 
braced in  the  Second  Ward,  and  the  matter  seems  to  be 
in  charge  of  the  alderman  of  that  Ward. 


(Copt  of  Market  Ticket.) 

1 

33456789      10  11 

13 

CO 

MARKET  REVENUE  RECEIPT. 

Cv 

© 

M 

CO 

Paid  25c,  18§4. 

CS 

£1 

Fulton  Street,  York  Street,  and  the  adjoining 

CO 

corners,  Brooklyn. 

Cl 

CR 

t  - 

Keep  is  Sight  until  Leaving  the  Market. 

-J 

92 

So        tS       £2        22       12       02  01 

81 

The  crowd  in  Fulton  street  is  getting  so  great  that 
market  wagons  are  not  allowed  there  during  the  busy 
hours;  and  the  owners  cannot  understand  why  they 
are  not  allowed  to  use  the  space  under  the  arches  of 
the  bridge,  where  ample  accommodations  could  easily 
be  made. 

The  Atlantic  Market,  built  about  1830,  was  at  the 
foot  of  Atlantic  avenue,  the  water  coming  under  the 
building.  In  1846,  this  was  sold  to  the  Union  Ferry  Co., 
and  is  now  used  by  them  as  an  Engine  House.  In  1848, 
premises,  north-west  corner  of  Atlantic  avenue  and 
Hicks  street,  were  rented,  the  dimensions  being  25  feet 
wide  by  150  feet  deep,  and  eight  meat  and  two  vegetable 
stands  were  opened. 

The  two  vegetable  stands  were  kept  by  Mrs.  McCar- 
roll  and  Mrs.  Watson,  the  latter  of  whom  is  now  alive, 
aged  81  years.  There  was  also  one  fish  stand,  run  by  Luke 
McLaughlin,  who  was  succeeded  by  Hugh  McLaugh- 
lin, ex-Register.  In  1849-'50,  the  present  market,  south- 
east corner  of  Atlantic  avenue  and  Hicks  street,  was 
erected  by  Jacob  Frost,  and,  March  8th,  1850,  was 
opened.  Richard  Dunn,  of  this  city,  bought  the  first 
pair  of  cattle  killed  for  this  market,  and  sold  the  first 
pound  of  beef  retailed  there.  The  weight  of  the  cattle 
was  1,500  pounds  and  the  cost,  $108.  There  were  32 
stands,  occupied  in  part  by  Messrs.  Dorset,  Lowery, 
Mclntyre,  McMannis,  Bennett,  Curry,  Xevins,  Fisher, 
Weeks,  Oswald,  Bumpford,  Hawes,  Dwyer,  Mackie, 
Martin  and  Dunn.  The  completion  of  the  L.  I.  R.  R., 
from  Greenpoint  to  the  foot  of  the  avenue,  in  1844, 
made  it  the  central  point  for  sale  and  purchasing  of 
meats  and  farm  products. 

In  1859,  the  property-owners  concerned,  by  purchase, 
got  steam  removed  from  the  street,  and  the  railroad  was 
changed,  in  1862,  to  Hunter's  Point.  The  sales  at  this 
market,  owing  to  the  opening  of  so  many  private  ones, 
as  the  city  grew,  are  not  so  large  as  formerly.  There  was 


972 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


no  change  in  the  mode  of  conducting  business  until 
1883,  when  one-half  of  the  market  was  leased  to  the 
Brooklyn  Beef  Company. 

The  Brooklyn  Beef  Company,  Commission  Mer- 
chants in  Chicago  Dressed  Beef,  Atlantic  Market, 
Nos.  74  and  76  Atlantic  street,  received  its  first  invoice 
of  beef,  and  opened  to  the  public,  August  13th,  1883. 
The  cattle  are  slaughtered  at  Chicago,  by  G.  F.  &  E.  C. 
Swift,  whose  daily  business  is  1,500  head.  Their 
manager  in  this  city  is  W.  H.  Noyes,  to  whom  we  are 
indebted  for  those  facts.  He  reports  the  results 
satisfactory  in  all  respects.  After  allowing  for  escape  of 
animal  heat,  the  carcases  are  shipped  in  refrigerator  cars 
to  this  city,  the  trip  taking  three  days.  The  first  week 
they  engaged  in  business  here,  they  sold  100  head  of 
cattle;  the  second,  200  head;  and  are  now  selling  300 
head  weekly.  In  February,  1884,  they  opened  a  branch 
at  Williamsburg,  which  now  has  a  trade  of  200  head 
weekly. 

There  are  killed  in  Brooklyn,  weekly:  1,150  head  of 
cattle,  average  weight,  750  lbs.;  3,500 head  of  sheep  and 
lambs;  600  calves,  from  March  to  July:  200  calves, 
from  July  to  December;  75  calves,  from  December  to 
March.  A  large  portion  of  the  city's  consumption  is 
purchased  in  the  New  York  city  markets.  No  hogs 
to  any  amount  are  slaughtered  in  Kings  county. 

Brooklyn  has  long  felt  the  need  of  a  public  market, 
where  its  retail  trade  can  be  furnished  with  those  sup- 
plies of  provisions  for  which  it  is  yet  so  largely  depend- 
ent upon  the  city  of  New  York.  The  great  bulk  of 
the  Long  Island  produce  is  to-day,  as  it  has  been  for 
years,  passing  directly  past  the  doors  of  the  Brooklyn  re- 
tailers and  consumers,  and  over  the  ferries  to  New  York, 
simply  because  it  finds  no  suitable  place  here,  where  it 
can  be  received  and  held  for  distribution  among  our 
own  community.  Brooklyn  desires  to  be,  and  naturally 
is,  the  depot  for  the  sale  of  large  and  valuable  island 
products;  and  its  population  could  probably  dispose  of 
it  all,  with  the  proper  management.  Yet  it  goes 
over  to  New  York,  passing  by  the  very  doors  of  those 
for  whom  it  is  really  designed,  and  who  are  obliged  to 
follow  it  and  then  purchase  it  in  a  very  deteriorated 
condition,  and  at  a  largely  enhanced  price.  Brooklyn's 
citizens  thus  lose,  also,  the  benefits  of  the  trade  which 
would  naturally  result,  if  the  farmers  had  the  op- 
portunity of  spending  among  them  the  money  received 
from  the  sales  of  this  produce.  The  Prospect  Park 
Commissioners,  in  I860,  urgently  recommended  that 
the  City  Park,  in  the  Wallabout,  bounded  by  Park  and 
Flushing  avenues,  and  Navy  and  Park  streets  (always  a 
desolate,  unattractive  place,  and  eminently  unsuitable 
for  the  purposes  of  public  recreation),  be  converted  into 
a  public  market. 

Within  the  past  year,  there  has  been  a  renewed  agi- 
tation by  marketmen,  retailers  and  others,  and  in  the 
public  press  of  Brooklyn,  in  regard  to  the  establishment 
of  a  public  market  in  this  locality,  which  shall  be  com- 


mensurate with  the  wants  of  this  great  city.  In  an 
article  discussing  the  project,  the  Eagle  says: 

"  If  the  city  is  to  have  a  market  it  becomes  important  to 
know  what  Long  Island  farmers  are  likely  to  bring  there  to 
sell.  The  dairies  would  send  3,000,000  quarts  of  milk,  1,000,- 
000  pounds  of  butter,  and  only  a  small  quantity  of  cheese. 
The  articles  could  be  greatly  increased.  Suffolk  count \- 
dairy  interests  are  hardly  worth  mentioning,  but  they  could 
be  made  to  exceed  these  of  Queens  without  much  efforts  in 
the  preparation  of  pasture  lands.  There  are  in  Queens  7,500 
cows,  and  15,000  acres  of  pasture.  Suffolk,  on  the  other  hand, 
has  50,000  acres  of  pasture  land  and  only  9,000  cows.  That  is 
at  the  rate  of  five  and  a  half  acres  to  each  cow.  It  needs  Inn 
the  addition  of  stock  in  Suffolk  to  increase  the  milk  supply  to 
6,000,000  quarts  and  the  butter  supply  in  a  corresponding 
ratio.  In  the  vegetable  line,  these  two  counties  market  an- 
nually 5,000  bushels  of  peas,  2,000  bushels  of  beans,  and 
Kings  county  produces  about  as  much  more.  Potatoes  form 
the  staple  crop.  The  yield  of  Kings  county  farms  is  aUmt 
600,000  bushels:  of  Queens,  800,000,  and  Suffolk  475,000  bush- 
els. The  orchards  yield  338,000  bushels  of  apples,  and  20,000 
gallons  of  cider  are  manufactured.  The  grapes  sent  to  mar- 
ket weigh  200,000  pounds.  Kings  county  farmers  do  not  en- 
gage extensively  in  poultry  breeding,  but  this  is  an  extensive 
industry  in  the  other  counties.  Queens  markets  $75,000 
worth,  sending  800  lambs  and  3,500  poultry  and  $60,000  worth 
of  eggs;  Suffolk,  $85,000  worth  of  poultry  and  $10,000  worth 
of  eggs.  The  quantity  of  dressed  meat  sent  from  farms  to 
market  is,  in  Suffolk,  1,000  lambs  and  11,000  swine.  A  good 
many  more  are  slaughtered  for  home  consumption.  To  these 
crops  are  to  be  added  such  other  products  as  cabbage.  ]tar- 
snips,  carrots,  celery,  beets,  spinach,  rhubarb,  asparagus, 
cauliflower,  tomatoes,  turnips  and  corn.  A  great  hay  mar- 
ket would  be  an  important  feature  of  the  "Wallabout  system. 
The  city  could  secure  honest  weight;  for  consumers  are  l>eing 
swindled  at  the  rate  of  three  hundred  pounds  to  every  ton. 
Stablemen  insist  on  beiug  feed,  and  the  speculator  takes 
double  the  sum  out  of  the  pocket  of  the  purchaser.  Then' 
does  not  appear  to  be  any  secret  about  it.  Kings  county 
does  not  produce  half  as  much  hay  as  is  consumed.  (Queens 
has  50,000  tons  of  hay  to  spare  every  year,  and  Suffolk.  6V 
000  tons.  Suffolk  is  more  essentially  a  hay-growing  district. 
It  costs  less  to  produce  hay  and  market  it  than  any  other 
croj).  Brooklyn  gets  nearly  the  entire  crop.  Kingshas  11,1  In 
acres  in  farms;  Queens  has  1 17.080  acres;  and  Suffolk.  l.~>li,760 
acres,  with  250,000  acres  waiting  to  l>e  tilled.  The  gross  sales 
annually  are:  Kings,  $1,000,000;  Queens,  $3,125,000;  Suffolk, 
$1,600,000.  It  will  be  seen  that  those  three  agricultural OOKB- 
ties  can  furnish  the  products  of  a  market  business  represent- 
ing $5,825,000  anuually.  It  is  claimed  that  the  preeent 
yield  can  be  increased  six-fold.  The  above  synopsis  doeB  n<>i 
include  the  fisheries.  The  product  of  the  ocean  and  bay,  not 
including  oyster*,  is  estimated  at  half  a  million  dollars  an- 
nually. A  great  part  of  these  products  would  find  their  WSJ 
to  the  Wallabout.  The  oyster  industry  represents  a  million 
dollars  a  year,  but  only  a  small  part  of  the  oyster  crop  would 
go  to  the  Wallabout.  During  the  winter  season  the  cod-fish 
catch  amounts  to  hundreds  of  tons,  but  taking  the  bad- 
ness the  year  round,  and  calculating  the  various  s|«cies,  it 
is  safe  to  say  that  the  li*h  market  is  equal  to  250  tona  a 
week. 

The  market  fee  in  New  York  is  25  cents  per  day  for  each 
wagon,  and  the  farmers  of  Long  Island  pay  into  the  muni- 
cipal treasury  over  $100,0(MI  each  year.  A  business  of  $10,000,- 
000  could  1k«  carried  on  in  a  market  at  the  Wallabout,  within 
two  \ears  from  the  date  of  its  establishment." 


THE 


CHARITABLE  INSTITUTIONS 


OF 


Kings  County  and  Brooklyn. 


Brooklyn  Orphan  Asylum. — In  the  summer  of  1832,  the 
ty  was  visited  by  the  cholera;  and,  among  the  disastrous 
nsequences  to  be  laid  to  its  account,  was  the  homeless  con- 
tion  of  a  number  of  children  whose  parents  died  of  the 
pidemic.  Their  forlorn  state  excited  the  sympathy  of  some 
)od  people,  who,  after  consultation,  proceeded  to  act  in  the 
alter  by  organizing,  on  the  17th  of  May,  1833,  the  Brooklyn 
rphan  Asylum,  the  first  institution  of  its  kind  in  the  city, 
rnong  the  ladies  engaged  in  the  work  wTere  Mrs.  Charles 
ichards,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Davison,  Mrs.  Phoebe  Butler  and 
rs.  P.  W.  Radcliffe. 
ley  were  aided  by  the 
ev.  Dr.  Cutler,  who  had 
lat  year  taken  charge 
,'  St,  Ann's  Church, 
ldge  Radcliffe,  Adrian 
an  Sinderen,  Esq., 
idge  Lefferts,  and  other 
mtlemen.  The  first 
sidence  of  the  Society 
as  the  old  Jackson 
>use,  on  the  Heights, 
stood  on  the  bank,  a 
;tle  north  of  the  line  of 
ierrepont  street,  and 
as  entered  from  Willow 
reet  by  a  lane  bordered 
ith  Lombardy  poplars, 
iat — passing  by  a  vege- 
-ble  garden,  lying 
here  the  roadway  of 
□lunibia  Heights  runs 
led  around  to  the  west 
de  of  the  house.  It 
as  a  Dutch  mansion, 
le  lower  part  of  stone, 
ie  upper  of  scalloped 

ooden  shingles,  low-pitched  and  some  60  feet  in  length,  and 
as  of  ante-Revolutionary  "War  date.  The  front,  with  its 
iree  entrance  doors,  was  toward  the  river,  and  of  the 
iterior  there  are  still  relics  in  some  blue  and  white  tiles 
ana  the  fire-places,  preserved  by  a  family  in  the  neighbor- 
aod. 

The  affairs  of  the  Asylum  at  this  time  were  in  charge  of  a 
Jard  of  thirty-five  ladies,  who  superintended  domestic  mat- 
•rs,  while  seven  well-known  gentlemen  acted  in  the  capacity 
"  Advisory  Board.    Fourteen  boys  and  twelve  girls  consti- 


BROOKLYN   ORPHAN  ASYLUM. 


tuted  the  family  during  the  first  year  ;  $837.69  paid  the  bills, 
and  one  cow  supplied  milk  for  the  household.  It  seems  as  if 
the  managers  of  fifty  years  ago  had  an  easy  task,  but  there 
are  more  to  bear  the  heavier  burden  of  to-day.  The  Asylum 
has  now  a  host  of  friends,  who  give  to  it  systematically. 
The  boys,  objects  of  solicitude  in  this  generation,  were  gener- 
ally so  in  that.  It  was  as  difficult  to  keep  them  busy,  when 
tempted  to  roll  down  the  bank  to  get  at  the  river  (Furman 
street  not  then  being  opened),  as  it  is  to  keep  their  success- 
ors from  scaling  the  wall,  to  reach  the  ponds  near  by. 

"Times  are  changed," 
but  neither  boj's,  nor 
other  of  the  chief  prob- 
lems in  managing,  are 
changed  with  them. 

In  1839,  the  main  part 
of  the  Cumberland  street 
building,  long  occupied 
by  the  Society,  was  com- 
pleted ;  in  1851  it  was 
added  to,  affording  then 
accommodation  for  130 
children. 

Dr.  Cox  and  Mr.  Gough 
lectured  for  the  cause ; 
Fanny  Kemble  read,  and 
Jenny  Lind  sang  for  it. 
Once  a  month  Dr.  Bud- 
dington  preached  the 
children  a  sermon, which 
they  unfeigned  ly  en- 
joyed. Now  and  again 
they  had  the  delight  of 
a  picnic,  or  Christmas 
treat,  or  anniversary 
feast,  where  the  aim  of 
their  entertainers  evi- 
dently was  to  ascertain  how  much  cake  the  orphans  could  eat. 

The  population  of  Brooklyn,  numbered  in  1833  at  20,000, 
gained  apace,  and  the  necessity  of  a  still  larger  Asylum  long 
pressed  on  the  Managers,  who  had  to  deny  many  worthy  ap- 
plicants. At  length  the  matter  was  taken  in  hand,  and  a 
number  of  lots  were  secured  at  the  corner  of  Atlantic  and 
Kingston  avenues.  On  December  1st,  1870,  the  corner-stone 
of  the  present  building  was  laid,  and  vigorous  efforts  in  be- 
half of  the  enterprise  were  made  thenceforward  by  all  con- 
nected with  it.  The  ladies  developed  new  talent  as  financiers; 


074 


IIISTORY  01  KINGS  COUNTY. 


the  gentleman  gave  and  asked  others  to  follow  the  example. 
It  was  not  easy  to  provide  for  the  heavy  expense  incurred, 
and  yet  it  was  punctually  done.  Every  exigency  was  met, 
every  dollar  paid  when  it  was  due.  The  work  was  carried  in 
this  prudent  way  to  its  conclusion;  and  on  "  oi>ening  day," 
June  15th,  1S72,  the  Society  was  relieved,  by  the  kindness  of 
a  watchful  benefactor,  from  a  mortgage,  its  only  remaining 
liability.  The  building  stands  in  the  center  of  the  grounds, 
and  is  regarded  as  a  model,  not  only  of  exterior  architectural 
beauty,  but  of  taste  and  adaptation  in  its  interior  arrange- 
ments. Its  cost  was  $210,000;  it  has  ample  accommodation 
for  400  orphans,  but  additional  room  is  already  needed.  The 
institution  is  supported  by  an  endowment,  bequests,  and 
specific  donations,  and  by  contributions  from  the  charitable. 

During  the  half  century,  four  ladies  have  filled  the  office 
of  Directress  :  Mrs.  Charles  Richards,  Mrs.  Phcel>e  Butler, 
Mrs.  James  L.  Morgan,  and,  for  the  past  twenty  years,  Mrs. 
John  B.  Hutchinson,  whose  care  for  the  children's  welfare  in 
body  and  soul  takes  no  rest.  It  is  estimated  that,  from  the 
l>eginning,  the  Ayslum*s  aid  has  been  given  to  nearly  5,000 
children,  through  whom  its  influence  is  now  sown  broadcast 
in  the  land.  Many  of  them  have  returned  to  their  friends 
and  been  heard  of  no  more.  A  number  are  known  to  have 
l>een  useful  and  resj>ected  in  the  various  departments  of  life, 
from  preachers  and  teachers  down  to  the  humblest  vocations. 
One  of  the  boys,  so  crippled  that  he  was  limited  in  his  exer- 
tions for  a  livelihood  to  selling  papers,  did  this  in  an  honest 
way  that  gained  him  favor,  and  enabled  him  to  lay  by  $700, 
which  at  his  death  he  left  to  the  Asylum,  with  the  words, 
"  To  the  Orphan  Asylum  I  am  indebted  for  all  that  I  am  and 
all  that  I  have;  it  has  been  both  father  and  mother  tome.*' 
With  those  placed  in  homes  selected  for  them,  correspond- 
ence, as  far  as  practicable,  is  maintained  by  the  Chairman 
of  the  Adoption  and  Indenture  Committee,  and  frequent 
letters  come,  telling  of  contentment  and  gratitude. 

The  Officers  for  1884  are  as  follows  :  First  Directress,  Mrs. 
J.  B.  Hutchinson;  Second  Directress,  Mrs.  Anna  C.  Field; 
Recording  Secretary,  Mrs.  P.  P.Sherwood;  Corresponding 
Secretary.  Miss  V.  Sampson:  Treasurer,  Mrs.  Peter  Palmer. 
The  Board  of  Advisors  consists  of  Hon.  S.  B.  Chittenden,  J. 
B.  Hutchinson,  Abraham  Wyckoff,  Franklin  "Woodruff,  C. 
M.  Field,  Jonathan  Ogden,  A.  EL  Dana,  J.  G.  Morgan,  F.  A. 
Crocker,  J.  W.  Elwell,  J.  W.  Mason  and  J.  L.  Truslow.  The 
Board  of  Finance  consists  of  Messrs.  J.  W.  Mason,  A.  H. 
Dana  and  J.  W.  Elwell.  The  Counsel  for  the  association  is 
A.  H.  Dana. 

The  Brooklyn  Bureau  of  Charities  was  organized  in  1879 
with  tbe  following  officers :  Seth  Low,  President;  Alfred  T. 
White,  Secretary;  Darwin  R.  James,  Treasurer. 

The  objects  of  this  Society  are: 

1.  To  secure  the  OO-operation  of  the  benevolent  societies, 
churches,  and  individuals  of  Brooklyn,  that  they  may  work 
with  an  understanding  of  the  exact  conditions  and  needs  of 
every  case. 

2.  To  obtain  and  diffuse  knowledge  on  all  subjects  con- 
nected with  the  relief  of  the  i>oor,  so  that  all  relief  may  be 
of  the  kind  be>t  adapted  to  the  needs  of  each  case,  and  ad* 
ministered  in  the  best  possible  manner. 

3.  To  encourage  thrift,  self-dependence  and  industry 
through  friendly  intercourse,  advice  and  sympathy,  and  to 
aid  the  poor  t<>  help  themselves  rather  than  to  help  them  by 
.- 1 1  hi-,  r.u-iii^  tli  -tii  a-  >|>  ••■■lily  a->  possible  abo\ e  the  need  of 
relief. 

I.  To  prevent  imposition,  and  to  diminish  vagrancy  and 
pauperism  and  their  attendant  evils. 

This  Society  soaks  to  aid  all  benevolent  societies,  churchcM 
an  1  in  lividii.il*  to  attiin  tha  highast  aims  of  charity  and 


thereby  the  truest  welfare  of  the  poor.  It  neither  solicits 
or  receives  funds  for  the  purpose  of  alms-giving. 

The  Society  consists  of  the  following,  e.v-officiis:  The  Mins- 
ters of  all  Churches,  the  Mayor,  the  State  Commissioner  of 
Charities  for  Kings  County,  the  Commissioner  of  Charities 
of  Kings  County,  the  Heads  of  City  Departments,  and  Cap- 
tains of  Police  Precincts  ;  of  the  officers,  managing  boards 
and  agents  of  all  charitable  organizations,  and  all  physicians 
who  are  connected  with  dispensaries,  or  do  gratuitous  service 
among  the  poor.  Membership  is  obtained  by  any  who  con- 
tribute to  the  support  of  the  Bureau.  District  Confowuuet 
are  established  in  each  Ward  with  an  Executive  Commit  t  . 
who  keep  a  register  of  all  needy  cases  in  their  district,  and 
assist  in  visiting  and  relieving  the  poor.  Mr  Low  was  suc- 
ceeded as  President  by  Alfred  T.  White. 

The  Officers  for  1883-'84  are  as  follows:  Manly  A.  l'ulaml. 
President;  I.  H.  Gary,  Jr.,  Rcc.  Secretary;  Darwin  R  Janet, 
Treasurer  ;  Geo.  B.  Buzelle,  Gen'l  Secretary ;  M.  Bennett.  E 
D.  Berri,  J.  O.  Carpenter.  I.  11.  Gary,  Jr.,  S.  B.  Chittenden, 
Jr.,  G.  B.  Forrester,  D.  R.  James,  D.  A.  Kendall,  F.  T.  King, 
M.  A.  Ruland,  A.  F.  Smith,  F.  F.  Underbill,  J.  D.  Wells, 
D.D.,  A.  T.  White,  Executive  Committee. 

Evangelical  Home  for  the  Aged. — The  friends  of  the  Ger- 
man Evangelical  Aid  Society  determined  to  build  a  home  fur 
the  aged.  They  bought  14  city  lots  on  the  south-west  earner 
of  Bushwick  avenue  and  Fairfax  street.  They  rented  the 
house,  No.  79  Himrod  street,  for  their  immediate  use,  and 
the  corner-stone  of  the  new  Home  was  laid  Octol>er  16, 1882, 
On  the  19th  of  February,  188:!,  the  new  building  v 
pied.  The  house  is  large  and  well  suited  to  the  wants  of  the 
Society.  It  now  contains  43  inmates.  Those  desirous  of  en- 
tering the  Home  as  inmates  are  required  to  pay  $">00,  if  able 
If  not  able,  they  pay  according  to  their  means;  the  majority 
being  received  entirely  without  money.  The  institution  i> 
supported  by  the  charitable  among  the  German  Evangelical 
Churches.  The  Officers  for  1883-'4  are  as  follows:  Rev.  J.  JJ. 
Wagner,  President;  Rev.  J.  Weber,  Secretary;  of  the  Board 
of  Managers,  Mrs.  M.  A.  Miller  is  First  Directress;  Mrs.  M 
Wied,  Second  Directress;  Mrs.  E.  Hehr  and  Mrs.  M.  Krapf, 
Secretaries;  Mrs.  P.  Achterrath,  Treasurer. 

The  Brooklyn  Home  for  Aged  Men. — In  1877,  Mrs.  Mary 
G.  Brinkerhoff,  Mrs.  J.  G.  Wilbur  and  Mrs.  Mary  E.  Whiten 
found,  in  what  had  purported  to  be  a  Faith  Home  for  eld 
men,  in  Grand  avenue,  near  Atlantic,  seven  aged  men  in  i 
suffering  condition.  They,  with  five  others  who  became  in- 
terested in  the  work,  cared  for  these  men  during  five  month; 
at  their  own  expense.  In  1878,  they  became  incorjiorati-d 
under  the  above  name.  Soon  after  their  incorporation,  Mr 
Frederick  Marquand  presented  to  the  Society  the  undivided 
half  of  the  house  in  which  the  Home  was  established  - 
State  street.  This  house  was  valued  at  $10,000.  To  it  the* 
men  were  removed,  and  others  have  been  added,  till  it  i«  m  » 
quite  full.  Its  present  capacity  is  twenty.  Mrs.  Mar]  0 
Brinkeihoff  was  the  first  President,  followed  by  the  present 
President,  Mrs.  Lucien  Birdseye.  The  other  Ofhi  kk-  fa 
lSS3-*4are:  Mrs.  H.  W.  Wheeier,  Mrs.  John  Winslow,  I 
Presidents;  Mrs.  A.  F.  Kibbe,  Mrs.  J.  II.  William-.  Si 
tariis;  Mrs.  J.  N.  Bergen,  Treasurer. 

The  Brooklyn  Association  for  Improving  the  Conditior 
of  the  Poor  (10*  Livingston  street)  was  formed  in  1841.  Tin 
Presidents  of  the  Society,  up  to  the  present  time,  have  bert 
Seth  Low,  1843-V32;  John  H.  Brower,  j>ro  tern,  Stephei 
Crowell,  1854-'56;  George  Hall,  1857-  02;  R.  W.  Ropes,  18* 
to  1884.  The  General  Agents,  during  the  same  period 
have  been:  Stephen  Crowell,  1843- '52  ;  Samuel  (i  .Am- I 
1853;  Luther  Fames,  1854-60;  Rev.  Samuel  Mavliss.fr.  ' 
1861  to  October  12,  1876,  when  David  II.  Hawkins  was  elected 


CHARITABLE  INSTITUTIONS. 


975 


Mr.  Hawkins  died  in  Spring  of  1879,  and,  on  October  13th  of 
that  year,  Albert  A.  Day  was  elected,  and  continues  to  fill 
the  office.  This  Association  aims  to  improve  the  condition  of 
the  poor,  morally  as  well  as  physically,  by  relieving  their 
immediate  necessities,  and  by  giving  them  such  advice,  re- 
lief or  encouragement  as  the  several  cases  seem  to  require. 
Accordingly,  it  usually  excludes  from  its  benefits  those  of 
intemperate,  or  confirmed  vicious,  or  indolent  habits  ;  those 
who,  from  disease,  imbecility,  old  age,  or  other  causes,  are 
likely  to  be  permanently  dependent  (such  persons  would  be 
better  cared  for  in  various  public  institutions),  as  well  as  such 
;is  are,  or  ought  to  be,  provided  for  by  relatives,  churches 


men  of  wealth  and  influence,  each  of  whom  has  a  district 
containing  from  fifty  to  a  hundred  families,  which  he  can- 
vasses thoroughly  during  the  months  of  November,  Decem- 
ber and  January.  The  work  of  distribution  is  carried  on 
through  an  experienced  corps  of  paid  Ward  agents  (under 
the  superintendence  of  the  General  Agent),  who  visit  each 
applicant  and  investigate  the  case  before  giving  an  order  for 
assistance. 

The  Association  has  its  own  storehouses,  and  purchases  the 
supplies  disbursed  at  wholesale.  The  Thirty-fifth  Annual 
Report  shows  such  disbursements  made,  at  a  cost  of  8^  per 
cent,  of  the  value  of  the  goods  disbursed.    From  six  to  eight 


FIRST  BUILDING  OF  THE  ASSOCIATION.   (In  rear  of  present  one).  THE  PRESENT  BUILDING,  108  LIVINGSTON  ST. 


or  other  associations  with  which  they  may  be  connected ; 
recent  emigrants  (who  properly  come  under  the  care  of  the 
Commissioners  of  Emigration);  and  those  whose  long-con- 
tinued poverty  render  them  unquestionably  fit  subjects  for 
the  Superintendents  of  the  Poor.  In  fact,  it  aims  to  confine 
its  labors,  as  nearly  as  possible,  to  those  whose  poverty  is 
caused  by  temporary  reverses,  which  they  may  rise  above; 
and  those  whose  condition  may  be  elevated  by  judicious 
Assistance  and  advice.  The  society  has  no  permanent  fund, 
but  depends  entirely  upon  annual  contributions.  The  collec- 
tions are  made  by  voluntary  unpaid  solicitors,  usually  well- 
known  residents  of  the  district  where  they  solicit,  and  often 


thousand  families  are  assisted  each  year.  During  the  past 
six  years,  a  very  thorough  and  accurate  system  of  business, 
in  all  the  details  of  this  work,  has  been  inaugurated  and  is 
now  maintained.  The  last  Annual  Report  shows  a  disburse- 
ment for  the  current  year  of  over  $29,000. 

The  original  Officers,  in  1843,  were:  Seth  Low,  Pres.; 
C.  P.  Smith,  John  Greenwood,  Henry  C.  Murphy,  William 
Rockwell,  Henry  N.  Conklin,  Vice-Presidents;  Abraham 
Halsey,  Treas.;  James  How,  Rec.  See.;  Stephen  Crowell, 
Cor.  Sec.  and  Gen.  Agt.,  office,  Brooklyn  Institute,  Wash- 
ington street;  with  a  Board  of  Managers,  consisting  of  five 
representatives  from  seven  Wards,  and  eight  elected  members. 


9?6 


HISTORY  01  KINGS  COUNTY. 


THE  CKAIIAM  INSTITI'TION. 


The  Brooklyn  Society  for  the  Relief  of  Respectable  Aged 
Indigent  Females,  more  popularly  known  as  the  Old  Ladies' 
Home  (or  more  familiarly  as  the  Graham  Institution),  and 
designed  for  the  l>enefit  of  poor  gentlewomen  who  had  been 
unfitted,  by  previous  culture  and  refinement,  to  accept  will- 
ingly the  public  asylum  provided  by  the  State  for  the  poor 
indiscriminately,  was  first  suggested  in  1M50.  At  a  public 
meeting,  held  at  Rev.  Dr.  S.  H.  Cox's  church,  in  January, 
1851,  the  project  took  a  definite  form;  a  building  site,  corner 
of  Washington  and  DeKalb  avenues,  valued  at  $4,000,  was 
presented  by  Mr.  .John  R  Graham,  and  it  was  calculated  that 
a  proper  building  would  be  completed  within  sixteen  months 
from  that  time  ;  Mr.  Graham  offering,  during  the  meantime, 
to  furnish  relief  at  their  own  homes,  to  all  applicants  for  ad- 
mission. The  co-operation  of  twenty-six  different  (orthodox) 
congregations  was  secured,  and  the  enterprise  was  thus 
placed  on  an  unsectarian  basis.  A  charter  was  obtained,  the 
building  commenced,  and  the  corner-stone  was  laid  on  the 
1st  of  July,  1851.  The  architect's  report,  read  on  that  oc- 
casion, stated  that  the  edifice  would  accommodate  ninety  old 
ladies,  and  would  contain  a  chapel,  hospital,  committee- 
rooms,  etc.,  at  a  probable  cost  of  $22,000:  Mr.  Graham  pledg- 
ing himself  for  it-  completion  in  ls,y>,  and  the  amount  to  be 
raised  by  personal  application  to  the  citizens  of  Brooklyn. 
The  Society  failing,  however,  to  raise  the  sum  within  the 
stipulated  time,  Mr.  Graham,  with  his  accustomed  liberality, 
assumed  the  responsibility  of  the  undertaking,  and  carried  it 
on  to  completion,  at  a  cost  of  $211,044. 05.  lie  then  presented 
it  to  tin- Society,  and  it  was  dedicated  to  its  beneficent  uses 
on  the  2fith  of  October.  1852.  Mr.  Graham's  original  gift  to 
this  Society  was  $111. 044. 95,  together  with  his  time,  labor,  ami 
many  smaller  but  valuable  aids  to  its  success.  It  was  his  re- 
|>eate<llv  avowed  intention  to  build  handsome  dwellings  upon 
t  be  t  wo  side  lots,  and  give  the  rents  of  the  same,  yearly,  to 
the  institution :  and  also,  to  free  the  building  from  debt,  by 
an  already  prepared  deed  to  that  effect.  But  whilst,  with  pen 
in  band,  calling  upon  his  clerk  to  hand  him  this  deed,  death 
closed  his  lingers  in  its  icy  grasp.  This  left  the  managers 
under  very  discouraging  circumstances,  struggling  through 
each  year,  as  licst  they  could,  with  scarce  a  hope  left  for  the 
relief  of  the  institution,  afld  dependent  upon  the  uncertain 
support  of  public  charity.  In  the  year  1855,  it  was  thought 
Im  s(  to  appeal  t<>  t  be  public,  through  the  pastors  of  the  dif- 
ferent churches  represented  by  the  management,  for  the 


means  wherewith  to  cancel  the  mortgage  and  its  accumu- 
lated interest.  This  plan  proved  entirely  successful,  and  the 
institution,  since  that  time,  has  been  crowned  with  success 
sufficient  to  promise  its  permanent  and  honorable  position 
as  one  of  the  most  valuable  charities  of  Brooklyn.  In  1 862 . 
the  sum  of  $5,000,  given  by  the  estate  of  the  late  Win,  H. 
Gary,  furnished  a  nucleus,  which,  with  additions  of  variouj- 
sums  from  individuals,  both  living  and  deceased,  formed  a 
permanent  fund,  the  interest  of  which  was  applied  to  thi 
support  of  the  inmates.  With  the  exception  of  $1,500  from 
the  State  Legislature,  no  aid  was  received  from  any  puhli, 
body  ;  annual  subscriptions  and  donations  have  been  its  de- 
pendence. 

The  Presidents  of  the  institution  have  been:  Mrs.  Dr.  Ooi 
Mrs.  Lansing,  Mrs.  Buckley,  Mrs.  J.  S.  T.  Stranahan.  Mr- 
Webster,  and  Mrs.  David  M.  Stone. 

The  other  Officers  are  as  follows:  Mrs.  Theo.  Polhemus, 
Jr.,  Vice- J 'resident ;  Mrs.  W.  II.  Smith,  Mrs.  J.  Arthur  Hurr. 
Secretaries ;  Mrs.  A.  C.  Washington,  Treasurer. 

The  Flower  and  Fruit  Charity  was  organized  May.  1874. 
"to  distribute  fruits,  flowers  and  other  delicacies,  with  suit- 
able reading  matter,  personally,  among  the  sick  poor  in  hos- 
pitals, asylums  and  their  own  homes."  It  numbered  about 
twenty  members  originally,  which  is  the  present  aver- 
age. 

The  first  OFFICERS  were:  Miss  Badger.  President:  Mrs.  J.  II 
Lester,  Jr.,  Vice-President;  Miss  A.  Mali,  Secretary.  Even 
Monday,  from  9  to  11  o'clock,  the  ladies  meet  in  the  basement 
of  the  Brooklyn  Library  building,  arrange  the  contributed 
(lowers  in  small  bouquets,  and  carry  them,  with  fruit,  maga- 
zines or  newspapers,  to  the  hospitals  for  distribution.  At  I  liriM 
mas,  the  inmates  of  all  the  hospitals  are  presented  with  carls 
and  oranges,  while  the  wards  are  decorated  with  greens. 
The  charity  is  supported  entirely  by  voluntary  contribu- 
tions of  money  and  supplies,  and  the  work  performed  bj 
ladies. 

Its  Officers  for  188:S-'4  are:  Miss  A.  Mali,  President:  Miss,!. 
Duckwitz,  Vice-President;  Miss  ('.  Lane,  Secretary:  Miss  Kate 
Crane,  Treasurer. 

Faith  Home  for  Incurables.— In  1871,  Mrs.  Kennedy,  of 
New  York,  opened  an  asylum  for  incurables  of  both  sexes  in 
Harlem.  This  was  soon  afterward  removed  to  Grand  avenue, 
near  Atlantic,  in  Brooklyn,  and  subsequently  to  tin  corn,  i 
of  Putnam  and  Grand  avenues.  In  April,  1*75.  Mrs.  Ken- 
nedy transferred  this  charity  to  Mrs.  Rev.  William  E.  Martin 
and  by  her  it  was  soon  transferred  to  Misses  E.  F.  and  A.  II 
Campbell.  In  1877,  it  was  removed  to  Lexington  avenue 
near  Franklin,  where  it  remained  three  years.  In  Novem- 
ber, 1878.  the  institution  was  incorporated  under  its  present 
name,  which  sufficiently  indicates  its  object. 

The  institution  has  been  supported  wholly  by  voluntary 
unsolicited  contributions.  In  1H?6,  a  donation  of  seven  dol- 
lars was  made  toward  a  building  fund.  In  1SS1.  this  fun  I 
had  increased  to  $8,000,  about  $4,000  of  which  was  a  l.g-io. 
In  the  spring  of  that  year,  Mr.  A.  S.  Barnes  donated  to  tin 
home,  land  on  the  corner  of  Classon  avenue  and  Park  place, 
and  superintended  the  erection  of  the  elegant  and  coin 
modious  building  which  stands  there.  In  addition  to  bis 
donation  of  the  land,  he  paid  about  $17,000  toward  the  ON  i 
tion  of  this  structure,  which  cost  about  $82,000.  01  Bda. 
about  $7,000  were  donated  by  others.  The  home  has  accom- 
modations for  fifty  patients.  Most  of  the  rooms  in  the  insti 
tution  have  been  furnished  by  individuals  or  chunhe*. 
and  they  are  named  after  those  furnishing  them.  The 
Officers  for  IKSIl  '4  are  Rev.  (ieo.  F.  Pentecost.  I'nsidml 
.lames  M.  Ham,  Treasurer;  S.  B.  Childs.  M.  1»..  Ncr./on/ 
Emily  F.  Campbell  and  Abby  H.  Campbell,  Manager*. 


CM  A  RITA  BLE  INSTITUTIONS. 


97? 


THE  BROOKLYN  NUKSERY. 


The  Brooklyn  Nursery.— In  the  spring  of  1871,  Mrs.  E.  B. 
Jllins,  Mrs.  H.  F.  Aten,  Mrs.  Charles  Rushmore,  Mrs.  W.  G. 
iwrence,  Mrs.  A.  G.  Houghton  and  Mrs.  L.  W.  Seaman, 
ith  a  few  others,  interested  themselves  in  forming  a  tem- 
>rary  home  for  infants  and  young  children  of  working  people, 
here  they  would  receive  kind  care  during  working  hours, 
house  in  Adelphi  street  was  secured,  an  Industrial  School 
tablished,  and  a  charter  granted  the  Institution  as  The 
latbush  Avenue  Industrial  School  and  Xursery.  Soon  after, 
e  Industrial  School  was  discontinued,  and  a  new  charter 
anted  to  The  Brooklyn  Nursery.  In  June,  1871,  the  institu- 
»n  was  opened.  130  children  were  cared  for  during  the  first 
>ar.  The  first  Officers  were:  Mrs.  E.  B.  Rollins.  First  Direc- 
ess;  Mrs.  M.  Graham,  Second  Directress:  Mrs.  G.  W. 
loxander,  Third  Directress;  Mrs.  Charles  Rushmore,  Treas.; 
rs.  W.  F.  Swalm,  Rec.  Sec;  Mrs.  H.  F.  Aten,  Cor.  Sec. 
nee  years  later,  the  Nursery  was  removed  to  larger  quar- 
ra  at  No.  188  Prospect  place.  In  1883,  the  house  was  sold 
lots  purchased  on  Herkimer  street,  near  Kingston  avenue, 
here  the  corner-stone  of  the  new  building  was  laid  Septem- 
«r  14th,  1883.    This  building  is  substantially  constructed,  on 


the  plan  of  the  letter  T.  with  a  front  of  52  feet  on  Herkimer 
street,  and  a  wing  45  by  58  feet  in  the  rear.  It  is  faced  with 
pressed  bricks,  relieved  by  bands  of  terra  cotta;  is  four  stories 
in  height,  with  a  basement  containing  the  culinary  and 
laundry  apparatus.  The  first  floor  is  used  as  the  parlor,  recep- 
tion and  E ewing  room:  the  upper  floors  are  occupied  by  dormi- 
tories, matron's  room,  and  lavatories.  Special  attention  has 
been  paid  to  ventilation  and  precautions  against  fire.  The 
cost  of  the  building  was  about  $30,000.  The  Officers  for 
1883-'4  are  as  follows:  Mrs.  E.  B.  Rollins,  First  Directress; 
Mrs.  G.  C  Wood.  Second  Directress;  Mrs.  D.  D.  Barker,  Third 
Directress;  Mrs.  D.  Hustace,  Treasurer;  Miss  J.  Thompson, 
Recording  Secretary;  Mrs.  H.  F.  Aten.  Corresponding  Secre- 
tary. 

Brooklyn  Benevolent  Society. — The  late  Cornelius  Heeney, 
Esq.,  gave,  for  charitable  purposes,  151  lots  of  land  lying  be- 
tween Hicks,  Columbia,  Congress  and  Henry  streets,  in  the 
city  of  Brooklyn.  He  directed  that  the  income  from  this 
property  should  be  expended  for  the  relief  of  the  poor,  one- 
fifth  for  fuel,  one-tenth  for  clothing  for  poor  children  attend- 
ing school,  $250  for  a  teacher  for  poor  children,  and  the  re- 


978 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


iuainder  for  the  maintenance  and  education  of  poor  orphan 
children,  from  four  to  fourteen  years  of  age. 

In  1845,  the  Benevolent  Association  was  formed,  for  the 
purpose  of  carrying  out  the  provisions  of  the  trust.  The 
devise  yields  from  I'™, 000  to  $25,000  per  year,  which  is  ap- 
portioned among  the  poor  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church 
principally.  The  Officers  for  1882-83  are  Rt.  Rev.  John 
Ixmghlin,  Pres.;  Conolly  Roddy,  Treas.;  John  MeGreevey, 
Sec'y.  The  Standing  Committee  is  Andrew  Dougherty, 
Chairman ;  Kiernan  Egan,  Jno.  MeGreevey,  Hon.  W.  H. 
Martha.    William  Kelly,  Agent. 


THE  BAPTIST  HOME. 

The  Baptist  Home,  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  was  incorporated 
by  an  act  of  the  Legislature,  passed  April  9,  1869.  The  es- 
tablishment of  this  Home  was  first  urged  by  Alexander 
McDonald,  with  whom  Francis  D.  Mason  co-operated  actively 
and  efficiently.  These  gentlemen  contributed  $25,000  toward 
the  building  fund,  but  neither  lived  to  see  the  commence- 
ment of  the  building.  The  object  of  the  Home,  as  set  forth 
in  its  charter,  is  to  furnish  "an  institution  where  the  deserv- 
ing infirm  and  needy  members  of  the  Baptist  churches  of 
the  city  of  Brooklyn  *  *  *  may  be  provided  with  a  com- 
fortable home,  support,  and  employment,  medical  and  other 
necessary  care,  with  the  religious  and  church  privileges 
which  they  have  l>een  accustomed  to  enjoy  as  members  of 
their  respective  churches."  The  corner-stone  of  the  Home 
was  laid  October  22,  1873,  and  the  building  was  dedicated 
June  22,  1875.  It  is  three  stories  in  height,  with  basement 
and  pavilion.  It  is  1 12  feet  in  front,  on  Greene  avenue  (corner 
of  Throop),  and  has  an  average  depth  of  about  45  feet  ;  the 
cost  was  $81,500.  The  current  expenses  of  the  Home  are 
defrayed  by  contributions  from  churches  and  individuals. 
Edward  Adams  bequeathed  to  the  Home  $5,000,  and  Mrs. 
Sarah  A.  Bertine,  $15,000.  Officers  (1883-'84) :  Wm.  Rich- 
ardson, Pres.;  Fred*k  C.  Linden,  Treas.;  Geo.  B.  Forrester, 
Sec'y. 

The  Church  Charity  Foundation  of  Long  Island. — This, 
as  the  name  imports,  is  a  foundation  on  which  to  build  sev- 
eral institutions  for  different  classes  of  beneficiaries  to  which 
the  charity  of  the  church  may  be  extended.  Its  origin  is 
due  to  the  late  Rev.  Francis  Vinton,  D.I).,  when  rector  of 
Grace  Church,  on  the  Heights  (to  whom  had  fallen  the 
charge  of  three  orphan  children  of  a  communicant  of  his 
parish);  and  a  few  noble-minded  and  generous  ladies,  among 
whom  were  Mrs.  Richards,  Mrs.  I'icrrepont.  .Mrs.  Hastings, 
and  others.  These  ladies,  in  1M50,  rented  a  small  building  in 
l/ivf  lane  (which  had  been  occupied  by  Harry,  once  a  slave 
of  Samuel  Jackson),  and  there  gathered  a  few  aged  women, 
supplying  their  wants  from  day  to  day,  and  watching  over 


them  with  affectionate  care.  This  enterprise  enlisted  the 
interest  of  others,  and  led  to  the  holding  of  a  meeting,  on 
the  Gth  of  February,  1851,  in  the  church  of  the  Holy  Trinitv 
at  which  steps  were  taken  for  the  organization  of  the  Church 
Charity  Foundation,  which  was  incorporated  under  the  gen- 
eral act,  April  14,  1852. 

The  charity  contemplated,  1st,  the  establishment  of  a  home 
for  aged  indigent  jiersons,  at  first  of  females,  but  in  course 
of  time,  of  aged  men  and  aged  married  couples ;  2d,  an 
orphan  house,  for  the  protection,  support,  and  education  of 
indigent  orphan  and  half-orphan  children,  and  such  other 
children,  without  distinction,  as  shall  have  been 
left  in  a  destitute  and  unprotected  condition:  3d. 
the  establishment  of  &  hospital  and  inftrwtan  f  r 
the  sick  and  helpless  ;  4th,  a  training  house  for  the 
instruction  in  nursing  of  the  sick,  of  such  minister- 
ing women  as  may  desire  to  work  for  the  affieted, 
not  only  in  the  departments  of  this  foundation,  bal 
in  other  charitable  or  penal  institutions  of  the  city, 
among  the  poor  in  their  abodes,  and  in  cases  of 
contagious  disease,  or  in  times  of  ]>estilence:  .">th.  I 
home  and  bethel  for  seamen  and  boatmen,  ami  fan 
families.  Besides  these,  a  provision  is  made,  au- 
thorizing the  receiving  and  executing  of  any  trust 
for  charitable  uses  ;  it  being  intended,  under  li  ii 
comprehensive  arrangement,  to  enable  any  benefac- 
tor to  establish  charities  and  supply  wants,  not  at 
the  time  of  the  organization  of  the  society  parti- 
cularly foreseen,  but  which  the  future  growth  of 
the  city  might  render  desirable,  and  a  ri]>er  experi- 
ence in  benevolence  might  discover  and  provide  for.  In  1857, 
the  Society  purchased  23  city  lots,  at  the  corner  of  Alliany  ave- 
nue and  Herkimer  street,  and,  in  1858-'59,  erected  thereon  a 
house  and  chapel,  of  sufficient  capacity  for  25  aged  ]>eople  and 
40  orphans.  For  the  first  twelve  years,  the  care  of  this  num- 
ber was  the  work  of  the  Society. 

In  1871,  a  separate  house  for  the  aged,  of  both  sexes,  was 
erected.  This  was  120x45  feet,  four  stories  in  height.  About 
the  same  time,  a  dispensary  for  the  poor  was  opened,  fol- 
lowed, in  a  few  months,  by  an  embryo  hospital,  which  wa- 
established  in  the  new  home.  In  1873,  a  separate  honss, 
35x70  feet,  was  erected  for  a  hospital,  which  was  o]iened  "n 
St.  John's  day  (December  27th)  of  that  year,  and  was  nanie.i 
St.  Jolm's  Hospital.  The  grounds  were  enlarged  by  the  pur- 
chase of  35  additional  lots,  and,  in  1877,  was  commenced  the 
erection  of  a  larger  building,  140  feet  on  Atlantic  avenue,  by 
95  feet  on  Albany  avenue,  and  five  stories  high.  This  build- 
ing  was  completed  at  an  ex j tense  of  $90,000.  It  is  massive 
and  elegant,  and  contains  140  beds.  Herein  are  provided  til 
most  skillful  physicians  and  surgeons,  the  personal  care  of 
devoted  deaconesses,  and  the  consolations  of  the  church, 
where  services  in  a  chapel  opening  into  every  ward,  are 
heard  by  all.  A  resident  physician  and  a  chaplain  ar>  I 
included  in  the  stall  of  workers. 

This  latest  addition  to  the  equipment  of  the  Long  Island 
Church  stands  in  complete  working  order,  rising  grandly  ... 
the  intersection  of  the  broadest  avenue  in  our  city,  and  I 
rapidly  developing  thoroughfare,  with  its  massive  basement 
of  smoothly-dressed  sandstone,  its  lofty  walls  of  tine  bn  k 
its  ample  lights  for  rooms  or  wards,  its  great  window  : 
stained  glass,  with  its  wide  and  high  corridors,  it*  sunn\  ;iii'l 
elegant  private  rooms,  its  clean  and  capacious  wards,  it' 
manifold  appliances  for  comfort  and  health,  and  it-  -pacious, 
convenient  and  handsome  chapel,  altogether  oinstitutnuj  » 
Hospital,  pronounced  by  experienced  observers  as  unsur- 
passed in  its  adaptation  to  its  purjtoses  by  any  similar  insti- 
tution in  the  country. 


CHARITABLE  INSTITUTIONS. 


979 


ST.  JOHN'S  HOSPITAL,  ON  THE  CHURCH  CHARITY  FOUNDATION. 


980 


HIS10RY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


The  construction  of  the  Hospital,  including  its  furniture, 
has  added  not  less  than  $1 12,000  to  the  previously  existing 
possessions  of  the  Foundation  ;  and  competent  persons  esti- 
mate that,  as  it  stands,  finished,  fitted,  and  furnished,  it 
could  Ix1  replaced  for  not  less  than  $150,000. 

The  endowments  consist  of  amounts  variously  contributed 
and  permanently  invested  for  the  purposes  of  the  Founda- 
tion. General  endowment,  $66,119;  hospital  endowment, 
$12,127.93;  total,  $78,246.93.  The  real  property  of  the 
Foundation  is  valued  at  $268,000 ;  to  this  add  the  endow- 
ments, $8,246,937,  and  legacies  to  he  received,  $7,500,  gives 
as  total  amount  of  assets,  $353,746.93.  The  significance  of 
these  ligures  cannot  be  overlooked.  The  united  charities, 
from  a  feeble  beginning,  have  accumulated  at  the  rate  of 
$10,000  a  year,  for  more  than  thirty  years.  And,  in  addi- 
tion to  this,  the  annual  contributions  for  expenses  approx- 
imate a  sum  equal  to  the  unincumbered  value  of  the  property. 

From  its  very  beginning,  this  work  has  drawn  to  itself  such 
interest  and  liberality  as  to  stamp  it  unmistakably  with  the 
seals  of  necessity  and  popularity.    For  five  years  the  Hos- 


ing the  last  nine  years,  the  beneficiaries  of  the  Founda- 
tion have  averaged:  aged  people  50;  orphans,  80;  sick,  25. 

Its  first  Presidents  were :  Rev.  Francis  Vinton,  D.D., 
who  served  three  years;  Rev.  W.  H.  Lewis,  D.D.,  who 
served  four  years;  Rev.  Thomas  Guion,  D.D.,  who  served 
three  years;  and  Rev.  A.  N.  Littlejohn,  D.D.,  who  served  by 
election  until  his  connection  to  the  bishopric  of  L.  I.,  in  1869; 
since  which  he  has  been  President,  ex-offieio. 

Officers  in  1884  were:  Rt.  Rev.  N.  Littlejohn,  Pres.: 
Charles  Hall,  D.  D.,  Vice-Pres.;  Carlos  A.  Butler,  Esq..  Scc'y; 
and  Edwin  Beers,  Treas. 

The  Brooklyn  Children's  Aid  Society. — This  Society  was 
originated  at  the  house  of  Hon.  S.  B.  Chittenden,  on  tin 
evening  of  January  13,  1866.  Its  objects  are  :  "  The  protec- 
tion, care  and  shelter  of  friendless  and  vagrant  youth:  fur- 
nishing them  with  food,  raiment  and  lodging:  aiding  and 
administering  to  their  wants;  providing  them  with  occupa- 
tion: instructing  them  in  moral  and  religious  truth,  and  in 
the  rudiments  of  education;  and  endeavoring  to  make  them 
virtuous  and  useful  citizens." 


THE  NEWSHOVS"    HOME  OF  THE  IlllOOKLYN  CHILDREN'S  AID  SOCIETY'. 


pital  work  has  been  supported  by  the  income  from  its  endow- 
ments, and  the  contributions  to  its  purposes.  It  has  also 
attracted  for  building  purposes,  in  the  same  period  of  five 
years,  at  the  annual  rate  of  $20,000.  Further,  it  has  received 
by  voluntary  contributions,  often  of  the  most  affecting  asso- 
ciations, the  furniture,  and  even  the  decorations  of  offices, 
rooms  and  wards,  to  the  value  of  more  than  $12,000.  Its 
absolute  freedom  from  debt  has  enabled  the  Foundation  to 
have  its  first  consecrated  chapel  on  unincumbered  ground. 
As  might  beex]>ected,  nucha  spontaneously  developed  energy 
has  exerted  .  llects  instantly  appreciable  upon  the  older 
activities  by  its  side.  Beds  in  the  Orphan  House  have  been 
generously  endowed;  and  large  sums  have  been  devised,  by  a 
will  now  in  probate,  to  each  of  the  three  great  works  of  the 
Institution,  which  bequests  are  known  to  have  been  prompted 
by  the  unflagging  persistence  shown  by  the  prosecutors  of 
the  enterprise  in  behalf  of  the  sick  and  wounded. 

The  foundation  ha*  always  maintained  an  excellent 
priman  school  for  the  orphans,  and  it  has  a  chaplain  to  care 
for  the  spiritual  and  moral  welfare  of  the  inmates.  Dur- 


The  foremost  citizens  of  Brooklyn  have  served  on  the 
Board  of  Trustees,  and  the  story  of  the  Society  is  one  of  con- 
stant and  vigorous  growth.  Win.  A.  Lawrence,  as  general 
superintendent,  organized  the  work;  and  the  generous  u'lfts 
of  Frederick  Marquand,  Chauncey  Rose,  H.  B.  Clatlin,  S.  B. 
Chittenden,  and  many  others,  with  the  most  careful  business 
management,  have  kept  the  Society  above  pressing  want.  It 
has  constantly  reached  out  for  more  work,  year  by  year.  Its 
first  institution,  The  Xeivsboys'  Home,  61  Poplar  street,  was 
opened  September  1st,  1M66.  The  special  relief  department 
began  work  June  1st.  1867,  furnishing  homes  and  work  for 
children.  Two  Industrial  Schools  organized  the  same 
year. 

By  September  1st,  1867,  another  Home  was  in  full  operation 
at  139  Van  Brunt  street,  South  Brooklyn. 

Within  another  year,  the  Newsboys'  Home  proved  too 
small,  and  the  ad  joining  house  and  lot,  57  Poplar  street, 
were  bought  and  fitted  up.  During  the  same  year— OtoU-r 
21,  1868— the  Sewing-machine  School  for  girls  was  organized, 
and  has  boon  in  successful  operation  ever  since. 


CHARITABLE 


The  departments  of  work  conducted  up  to  1872  were  :  Two 
Newsboys'  Homes;  a  Special  Relief  Department;  Sewing- 
Machine  School,  two  Industrial  Schools,  and  two  Night- 
Schools  for  Boys.  In  the  summer  of  1872,  Mr.  Lawrence  or- 
ganized and  carried  out  a  series  of  excursions  for  mothers 
and  children  to  the  sea-shore. 

On  April  1st,  1873,  Mr.  Lawrence  resigned  the  general 
superintendence  of  the  Society,  and  Richard  D.  Douglass 
was  appointed  to  the  position. 

The  picnics  for  mothers  and  children  were  continued  dur- 
ing the  summer  of  1873,  under  the  care  of  Mr.  Wm.  Kirkby, 
the  work  having  largely  increased.  Mr.  Douglass  assumed 
the  conduct  of  the  " Fresh  Air  Fund  Excursions"  in  1874, 
and  carried  them  on  each  summer,  until,  in  1876,  by  the 
munificence  of  Alfred  T.  White,  who  presented  a  new  build- 
ing, fully  furnished,  to  the  Society,  the  Seaside  Home  for 
Children  was  opened  at  Coney  Island.  From  the  small  be- 
ginnings of  two  or  three  mothers,  sent  to  the  sea-shore  to 
board  for  a  few  days  for  the  benefit  of  their  babies'  health, 
the  work  has  assumed  the  proportions  indicated  by  the  fol- 
lowing statistics  :   (See,  also,  page  197). 


NO. 

NO. 

NO. 

YEAR. 

WEEKS 

CHILDREN 

MOTHERS 

TOTALS. 

OPEN. 

RECEIVED. 

RECEIVED. 

10 

619 

214 

833 

13 

1,601 

565 

2,166 

13 

1,921 

648 

2,569 

13 

2,423 

805 

3,228 

13 

2,821 

1,051 

3,872 

3.152 

1,083 

4.235 

13 

3,168 

1,202 

4,370 

13 

3.383 

1,218 

4,601 

Total  

19,088 

6,786 

25, ^74 

On  January  1st,  1881,  the  Society,  in  addition  to  its  other 
<vork,  established  a  Day  Nursery  for  young  children,  in  con- 
nection with  the  Industrial  School,  in  Van  Brunt  street. 
This  Society  owes  much  of  its  success  to  the  untiring  efforts 
;>f  William  A.  Lawrence,  general  superintendent  for  the  first 
seven  years  of  its  life,  and  William  Kirkby,  who  was  super- 
ntendent  of  the  Newsboys'  Home  from  its  foundation  till 
July  4th,  1880,  when  the  Master  called  him  to  a  higher  ser- 
vice. 

The  following  gentlemen  have  served  as  Presidents  of  the 
■society : — Hon.  S.  B.  Chittenden,  James  R.  Taylor,  Dwight 
Johnson,  Henry  R.  Jones,  Charles  A.  Denny,  James  P.  Wal- 
ace  and  Michael  Snow.  General  Superintendents:  Wm. 
Appleton  Lawrence,  from  1866,  for  seven  years;  Richard  D. 
Douglass,  from  1873  to  the  present  time,  ten  years.  Super- 
ntendent  of  Newsboys'1  Home,  Wm.  Kirkby,  from  September 
st,  1866,  to  his  decease,  July  4th,  1880 ;  since  which  time 
tfrs.  Wm.  Kirkby  has  been  in  charge. 

i  The  Van  Brunt  Street  Home  was  maintained  for  boys  un- 
il  1867,  when  it  was  found  best  to  concentrate  work  at  Pop- 
ar  street,  and  at  the  same  time  enlarge  the  Industrial 
ichool.  E.  Whitney  conducted  this  Home  as  Superintend- 
nt  up  to  the  date  of  closing  the  Home,  as  a  lodging  house 
or  boys.  Miss  M.  H.  Robinson  continues  to  serve  as  Princi- 
>al  of  the  Industrial  School. 

The  breadth  and  scope  of  the  work  of  this  Society  is  best 
hown  by  the  following  statistics,  which  represents  only  a 
>art  of  the  work  done  by  the  Brooklyn  Children's  Aid  So- 
iety,  from  the  commencement  of  its  work,  September  1st, 
866,  to  November  1, 1883,  a  period  of  17  years  and  2  months  : 
,194  children  sent  to  good  homes  in  the  country;  6,160  chil- 
ren  sent  to  good  homes  in  the  city;  7,581  girls  taught  on 
he  sewing  machine  ;  10,334  boys  taken  in  from  the  streets  ; 
6,011  mothers  and  children  sent  to  the  Seaside  Home;  37,018 
rticles  of  clothing  distributed  to  children;  558,593  lodgings 


INSTITUTIONS.  981 


furnished  to  street  boys;  1,611,036  meals  furnished  to  the 
hungry;  $60,129.93  received  from  the  boys,  in  part  payment 
for  their  food  and  shelter. 

The  Society  has  erected  a  new  Newsboys'  Home  during  the 
past  year,  and  it  is  regarded  by  many  as  the  model  Home  for 
this  kind  of  work.  A  cut  of  this  building  appears  at  the  head 
of  this  notice. 

The  Convent  of  the  Sisters  of  Mercy  was  founded  by 
the  Order  of  the  Sisters  of  Mercy,  and  incorporated  March 
8th,  1865.  It  is  located  on  Willoughby  avenue,  between 
Classon  and  Graham  avenues.  The  objects  of  the  Order  of 
the  Sisters  of  Mercy  are  to  provide  for  and  educate  orphan 
and  destitute  children  ;  to  visit  the  sick  in  their  homes,  and 
convicts  in  prisons  and  jails  ;  and  to  establish  and  maintain 
hospitals,  infirmaries  and  other  charities. 

This  convent  was  commenced  in  1862,  and  completed  in 
1863.  It  was  built  of  brick,  with  a  height  of  four  stories,  a 
front  of  160  and  a  depth  of  26  feet ;  with  wings  from  either 
end  extending  to  the  rear,  each  135  feet.  The  rooms  are 
large  and  airy,  and  the  building  is  well  suited  to  its  pur- 
poses, having  a  capacity  for  200  inmates,  and  school  accom- 
modations for  more  than  600  pupils.  The  institution  is  sup- 
ported by  receipts  from  a  select  school,  by  the  labor  of  its 
inmates,  by  donations,  and  by  aid  from  the  city.  Its  prop- 
erty is  estimated  to  be  worth  about  $140,000. 

Home  for  the  Aged,  in  charge  of  TJie  Little  Sisters  of  the 
Poor. — This  order  was  founded  at  St.  Servan,  in  Brittany,  in 
1840,  by  Abbe  le  Pailleur,  a  young  priest.  The  work  was 
commenced  by  two  laboring  girls,  aged  respectively  18  and 
16,  who  devoted  themselves  to  the  care  of  the  aged  and  in- 
firm poor.  From  this  modest  beginning  the  order  spread 
till,  in  1880,  it  numbered  188  houses,  22  of  which  were  in 
America.  The  first  house  in  this  country  was  opened  in 
Brooklyn. 

In  1868,  Rev.  Ernst  M.  Lelievre  made  the  necessary  arrange- 
ments for  the  establishment  of  an  institution  here,  and  on  the 
13th  of  September,  seven  Little  Sisters  took  possession 
of  three  adjoining  houses  at  608  DeKalb  avenue,  capable  of 
sheltering  about  forty  old  people.  In  about  eighteen  months 
they  secured  a  plot  of  ground  on  the  corner  of  Bushwick 
and  DeKalb  avenues,  and  commenced  the  erection  of  one 
wing  of  the  present  Home.  By  the  aid  of  an  appropriation 
from  the  Legislature  in  1870,  they  were  enabled  to  build  the 
central  part,  containing  the  chapel,  and  afterwards  the  east- 
ern wing. 

The  building  is  of  brick,  three  stories  in  height,  180  feet 
long  by  72  deep;  well  supplied  with  cooking  and  laundry 
fixtures,  with  accommodations  for  275  old  persons,  which 
number  is  kept  quite  full. 

Every  day  two  Sisters  call  at  the  various  hotels,  restau- 
rants, and  private  houses,  collecting  broken  victuals,  coffee 
groivnds,  tea,  old  clothing,  etc.  The  butchers,  grocers  and 
provision  dealers  contribute  largely  to  the  support  of  the 
Home. 

A  branch  Home  has  been  established  on  Fifth  avenue,  at 
the  corner  of  21st  street,  where  a  new  building  is  in  process 
of  construction,  similar  to  the  one  on  DeKalb  avenue. 

Convent  of  the  Good  Shepherd  (the  Order  of  the  Sisters 
of  the  Good  Shepherd).  The  Order  was  first  established  in 
1561  at  Angers,  in  France,  by  the  venerable  John  Eudes,  and 
was  introduced  into  the  United  States  in  1843.  The  object  of 
the  order  is  the  reformation  of  fallen  women  and  the  pre_ 
servation  of  young  girls  in  habits  of  virtue.  After  reclama . 
tion,  if  they  desire,  they  are  admitted  to  the  Order  of  the 
Sisters  of  St.  Mary  Magdalen,  and  live  in  retirement.  The 
institution  also  provides  for  unmanageable,  vicious  children, 
and  for  orphans.    The  house  was  established  in  Brooklyn, 


982 


BISTORT  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


May  8th,  1868,  in  a  brick  building  on  Henry  street,  near 
Atlantic.  In  May,  1872,  -they  removed  to  the  corner  of 
Atlantic  and  East  New  York  avenues.  In  1872,  a  new  and 
larger  building  was  commenced  at  the  corner  of  Dean  street 
and  Roekaway  avenue,  which  is  now  occupied  by  the  Sisters 
and  a  large  number  of  inmates.  The  grounds  occupied  by 
the  establishment  comprise  an  entire  square.  At  this  house, 
man}-  who  desire  to  reform  present  themselves;  others  are 
placed  in  it  by  friends,  or  by  the  authorities.  Schools  for  the 
younger  inmates  are  constantly  maintained.  Fifty  sisters 
are  here  at  present  engaged  in  this  good  work. 

The  Female  Employment  Society. — This  beneficent  organ- 
ization was  originated  in  March,  and  incorporated  April  10,  in 
1854,  for  the  purpose  of  giving  remunerative  employment  to 
poor  women.  It  originally  numbered  sixoflicers  and  thirty- 
four  managers,  which  number  has  since  been  retained.  The 
first  Board  of  Officers  was  composed  of  Mrs.  Luqueer,  Mrs. 
A.  A.  Low,  Mrs.  Catlin,  Mrs.  M.  F.  Odell,  Mrs.  P.  Romeyn, 
and  Miss  M.  Lord.  Mrs.  Low  has  been  the  President  from 
the  first. 

The  Society  owns  the  building,  No.  93  Court  street  (its 
head-quarters),  and  gives  employment  to  many  poor  women 
at  more  remunerative  rates  than  they  would  obtain  else- 
where. Aside  from  the  sale  of  the  work  manufactured  by 
these  poor  women,  the  association  is  supported  by  charity. 
Free  instruction  is  given  in  needle- work  and  in  the  use  of  the 
sewing  machine.  Cases  of  sickness  and  destitution  among 
the  employees  receive  prompt  attention.  The  Offickrs  for 
1883-'84  are:  Mrs.  A.  A.  Low,  Pres.;  Miss  Peet,  Vice-Pres. ; 
Mrs.  William  Brooks,  Sec;  Miss  Star,  Asst.  Sec;  Miss  A.  A. 
Bidell,  Treas.;  Miss  Baltzell,  Asst.  Treas. 

The  Good  Samaritan. — While  travelling  in  Norway,  in 
1873,  Mr.  M.  S.  Beach  observed  the  practical  working  of  an 
association  for  supplying  food,  ready  cooked,  to  the  poor,  at 
the  lowest  possible  price,  and  conceived  the  idea  of  establish- 
ing a  similar  enterprise  here.  After  his  return,  the  matter  was 
considered  by  Mr.  Beach  and  several  other  benevolent  citi- 
zens, among  whom  were:  A.  S.  Barnes,  F.  A.  Schrceder,  D.  D. 
Wickes,  Alexander  Ager,  Alanson  Trask,  John  S.Ward,  Tas- 
ker  H.  Marvin,  S.  V.  White,  A.  P.  Strout,  James  E.  Kelsey, 
Robert  Foster  and  S.  N.  Stebbins.  The  result  was  the  organi- 
zation on  the  25th  of  January,  1877,  of  an  association  under 
the  above  name.  The  object,  as  set  forth  in  the  original 
articles  of  Association,  was  to  furnish  food  and  lodging  to 
the  needy  at  the  lowest  possible  price. 

The  house  was  first  opened  at  35  Willoughby  street,  and  in 
the  following  May  was  removed  to  45,  in  the  same  street.  In 
1880  the  present  building  was  erected,  by  the  subscribers  to 
the  Samaritan,  on  the  corner  of  Willoughby  and  Jay  streets. 

The  Association  is  now  established  on  a  sound  financial 
basis,  and  during  the  year  1881,  the  Nassau  Branch  was  es- 
tablished on  the  corner  of  Nassau  and  Washington  streets. 

This  institution  supplies  a  great  desideratum.  The  poor 
are  here  furnished  with  food  and  shelter,  at  prices  barely  re- 
munerative, without  feeling  that  they  are  the  recipients  of 
charity.  It  is  a  significant  fact  that  the  example  of  t  he  found- 
ers of  this  establishment  is  being  followed  elsewhere,  A.  S. 
liar  he-  is  I'rcsidrnt  of  the  Associate  >n.  The  other  <  >FFICKRS  for 
1883-'84  are:  S.  N.  Stehbins,  Vice-Pres.;  F.  D.  Blake,  Sec'y; 
Moses  S.  Beach,  Treas. 

The  Greenpoint  Home  for  the  Aged  was  incorporated  Nov. 
20,  1882,  with  the  following  Managers:  Mrs.  S.  E.  Dougherty, 
Mrs.  E.  A.  Clarke,  Mre.  A,  F.  Cornell,  Mrs.  H.  V.  Church, 
Mi-  M.  I.  Shatter,  Mrs.  C.  Broad,  Mrs.  M.  Fl.  Barnbart,  Mrs. 
L  EL  Broad,  Mrs.  E.  H.  Corwith,  Mrs.  J.  E.  VanWoort,  Mrs. 
J.  G.  Manson,  Mrs.  S.  Clarke.  Miss  A.  Anderson,  Mrs.  S.  C. 
Finkol,  Mrs.  E.  M.  Taylor,  Mrs.  S.  A.  Calkin,  Mrs.  E.  F. 


Briggs,  Mrs.  M.  A.  Bradley,  Mrs.  L.  E.  Jenkins  and  Mrs.  A. 
S.  Nutting.  Of  these,  Mrs.  E.  Finkel  v^as President ;  Mrs.S. 
E.  Dougherty  and  Mrs.  J.  H.  Broad,  Vice-Presidents ;  Mrs.  G. 

E.  Bradley,  Mrs.  J.  S.  Ogilvie.  Secretaries;  Mrs.  E.  D.  Church, 
Treasurer ;  and  this  board  of  officers  has  since  been  re-elected. 
The  organization  originally  numbered  22,  which  has  since 
been  increased  to  40.  May  1st,  1882,  the  house  at  G9  Dupont 
street  was  rented,  and  formally  opened  June  15th;  it  now 
contains  9  inmates  with  accommodations  for  as  manv  more. 

German  Ladies'  Association. — The  German  element  of  our 
population  is  mostly  self-supporting,  but  occasionally  a  case 
deserving  of  charity  is  found.  In  1874,  an  association  «a- 
formed  among  the  German  ladies  of  the  Western  District,  for 
the  purpose  of  aiding  poor  Germans.    Its  President  was  Mrs. 

F.  A.  Dreyer,  and  Vice-President  Mrs.  H.  Stryhing.  The  as- 
sociation added  to  its  numbers  until  it  now  luus  150  nieml<ers. 
In  1877,  it  was  incorporated.  It  is  entirely  a  voluntary  work, 
and  depends  upon  contributions  for  support.  It  aims  to  help 
the  needy  only  until  they  can  help  themselves.  Its  members 
visit  personally  the  families  in  their  respective  districts,  anil 
give  help  as  needed.  Over  5,000  cases  have  been  reached 
since  the  association  began  its  work.  The  present  Officers 
are:  Mrs.  H.  Stryhing,  Pres.;  Mrs.  B. Wester mann,Fi'ce-Pr«<., 
Mrs.  W.  Pohnayder,  Rec  Sec;  Mrs.  P.  Lichtenstein,  Sec. 

The  Helping  Hand. — In  the  winter  of  1871,  several  ladies, 
mostly  of  the  Clinton  Avenue  Congregational  Church, 
formed  a  relief  association  to  aid  temporarily  the  worthy 
poor. 

An  investigating  committee  was  appointed,  and.  after 
several  efforts,  an  organization  perfected  July  24,  1871.  Its 
objects  were:  1st.  To  establish  a  charity  foundation.  2d.  To 
improve  the  condition  of  the  poor.  3d.  To  instruct  women 
in  useful  employment.  4th.  To  give  temporary  relief  in 
cases  of  need.  5th.  To  establish  evening  and  industrial 
schools.  6th.  To  distribute  contributions.  The  first  Tkcstees 
were:  Stephen  Ballard,  Colin  Campbell,  J.  T.  Durvea,  Richard 
B.  Duane,  James  W.  Elwell,  H.  H.  Lamport,  Curtis  L  North, 
E.  B.  Rollins,  J.  S.  Stearns,  Edmund  Titus,  Wm.  H.  Smith, 
Henry  G.  Richardson,  James  Willson.  The  first  Board  of 
Officers  were:  Jas.  W.  Elwell,  Pres.;  H.  B.  Spehnan,  John 
French,  Mrs.  H.  M.  Scudder,  Mrs.  II.  Dickinson,  Mrs.  H. 
Dollner,  Vice- Pres. ;  Andrew  Smith,  Rec.  Sec;  Miss  Meacham. 
Cor.  Sec;  H.  H.  Lamport,  Treas.  In  1874,  the  Helping 
Hand  added  a  Dispensary  to  its  other  aids,  with  Dr.  Scudder 
as  the  first  physician  in  charge.  Since  his  decease,  Dr. 
Archibald  Campbell  has  held  the  position.  The  Officers 
for  1883-84 are:  Jas.  W.  Elwell,  Pres.;  A.  S.  Barnes,  Rev.  T. 
B.  McLeod,  Hon.  J.  F.  Pierce,  Vice-Pres.;  J.  F.  Anderson, 
Jr.,  Rec  Sec;  Miss  M.  A.  Berry,  Cor.  Sec;  Mrs.  A.  P.  Strout. 
Treas.  The  Trustees  are:  J.  W.  Elwell,  A.  S.  Barnes,  J.  F. 
Anderson,  Jr.,  J.  F.  Pierce,  D.  D.  Ives,  F.  G.  Smith.  A.  P. 
Strout,  W.  T.  Gregg,  J.  Mix,  C.  D.  Wood,  Rev.  E.  J.  Haynea. 

The  Officers  of  the  Board  of  Managers  for  1883-'84  are: 
Mrs.  J.  F.  Fierce,  Pres.;  Mrs.  W.  T.  Hemmenwav,  Via  -Pre*. 
Mrs.  W.  F.  Swalm,  Mrs.  I.  N.  Thatcher,  Secretaries;  Mrs.  A 
Strout,  Treas. 

The  Home  for  Friendless  Women  and  Children  of 
Brooklyn.  In  1868,  Mrs.  Catharine  Durvea  Elwell  became 
interested  in  three  poor  women  in  the  Raymond  Street  Jail, 
who  had  been  punished  for  crimes  growing  out  of  intem- 
perate habits  ;  and,  on  their  discharge,  for  the  sake  of  pn 
serving  them  from  a  relapse  into  intemperance  ami  from  idle 
habits,  she,  with  three  of  her  friends,  determined  to  main- 
tain them  until  occupation  and  homes  could  be  found  for 
them.  Finally,  rooms  were  taken  on  Canton  street,  near  the 
Jail,  Mr.  James  Elwell  paying  the  rent  for  six  month*,  and 
the  four  friends  contributing  the  necessary  furniture.  This 


CHARITABLE  INSTITUTIONS.  983 


TEMPORARY  HOME  FOR  FRIENDLESS  WOMEN  AND 
CHILDREN. 


xperiment  proved  so  encouraging  that,  before  long,  eight 
Tomen  and  two  children  were  added  to  the  little  family  on 
'anton  street.  In  May,  1869,  the  infant  Society  rented  a 
mall  frame  house  on  Bergen  street,  to  "establish  a  refuge 
:>r  all  who  desired  to  reform,  and  offer  them  opportunities 
d  lead  a  better  life."  156  women  and  69  little  children  were 
heltered  in  1869.  A  few  months  later,  the  Society  was  in- 
onnally  organized:  Mrs.  J.  P.  El  well,  Pres.;  Miss  Meacham, 
■ec.  The  first  annual  meeting  was  held  April  4.  1870,  in 
)r.  Cuyler's  church.  That  same  month,  a  larger  house  on 
Sergen  street  was  taken  and  rapidly  filled.  In  that  year,  400 
romen  and  children  were  admitted,  and  more  than  48,000 
aeals  furnished,  but  the  pecuniary  condition  of  the  Society 
i-as  discouraging.  It  was  sustained  solely  by  the  bounty  of 
riends.  The  need  of  more  system  became  apparent.  Accord- 
ingly the  Society  was  incorporated  April  28,  1870,  by  the 
ollowing  corporators  :  Elvira  C.  Jackson,  Catharine  Duryea 
:i\vell,  Carrie  E.  Brett,  Sarah  M.  Trask,  Martha  B.  Cutting, 
Carrie  McDonald,  Lizzie  G.  Meacham,  Elizabeth  L.  Rosnian, 
'laria  W.  Heaton,  Stella  Mitchell,  Sarah  S.  Cooper,  Adriana 
xenung,  Ann  E.  Martin,  Sarah  B.  Baylis,  Urania  B.  Hum- 
•hrey,  Laura  C.  Douglass,  Elizabeth  W.  Wyckoff,  Letitia  W. 
Vllis,  Mary  E.  Hartt,  Allitta  Duryea,  Ellen  Woolsey,  Abigail 
iulkeley,  Mary  S.  Delamater,  Janet  Tiney,  Ella  C.  Knowl- 
on,  Ann  Brown,  Sara  A.  Pryor,  A.  J.  Eaton,  Harriet  L. 
'acker,  Mary  White,  Frances  M.  Allen,  Margaret  S.  Barnes, 
larriet  Sheldon,  Mary  L.  Stone,  and  Caroline  O.  Bogart. 
!10,000  was  appropriated  by  the  State,  $19,000  more  col- 
ected,  and  the  present  home  on  Concord  street  was  pur- 


chased for  $30,000,  and  was  furnished  and  occupied  May,  1871. 
Since  that  time  it  has  been  filled  to  its  utmost  capacity,  with 
an  annual  average  of  about  600  inmates.  More  than  10,000 
different  women  and  children  have  been  sheltered  by  the 
home  since  its  organization. 

The  Officers  for  1883-"84  are  as  follows:  Mrs.  W.  S.  Packer, 
Pres.;  Mrs.  D.  S.  Landon,  First  Vice-Pres.;  Mrs.  S.  V.  White, 
Second  Vice-Pres. :  Mrs.  D.  G.  Eaton,  Treas.;  Mrs.  J.  S.  T. 
Stranahan,  Mrs.  John  D.  Rushmore. 

The  Brooklyn  Howard  Colored  Orphan  Asylum. — This 
charity  grew  out  of  the  need  that  was  felt,  by  the  freed 
women  who  came  North,  of  homes  for  their  children.  By 
the  advice  of  Gens.  O.  O.  Howard  and  C.  H.  Howard,  an  as- 
sociation was  formed  in  1866,  in  New  York,  which  was  after- 
wards removed  to  Brooklyn,  aDd  incorporated,  September  7, 
1 868,  under  the  above  name.  The  buildings  are  situated  on 
Dean  street,  near  Troy  avenue,  where  the  Society  owns  sev- 
eral lots.  There  are  accommodations  for  about  100  children. 
A  day-school  and  a  Sunday-school  are  maintained.  The 
Officers  for  1883-'84  are:  Mrs.  L.  A.  Cooper,  First  Directress ; 
Mrs.  A.  Gladiator,  Second  Directress;  Mrs.  M.  Augusta 
Johnson,  Treas.;  Mis3  F.  Richards,  Miss  G.  Cooper,  Secre- 
taries; Rev.  W.  F.  Johnson,  Supt.  and  Gen.  Agent. 

The  Home  Association  for  Working  Women  and  Girls 
was  first  organized,  in  1879,  as  a  voluntary  society,  mainly 
through  the  efforts  of  Miss  Mary  Lewis,  Mrs.  John  McLeod, 
Mrs.  Helen  B.  Partridge,  Mrs.  C.  Benson,  Mrs.  Geo.  Stannard, 
and  Miss  Carrie  Pratt.  The  object  of  the  association  is  the 
furnishing  of  a  homelike  boarding-place  for  working  women 
and  girls  at  a  price  proportioned  to  their  wages.  The  associa- 
tion was  incorporated  in  1879,  and  in  its  work  it  has  been 
very  successful.  Its  location  has  been  several  times  re- 
moved to  enlarge  its  accommodations.  It  is  now  (1884) 
located  at  No.  175  Hall  street.  Mrs.  Helen  D.  Parsons  was 
President  from  the  incorporation  of  the  association  until 
1882,  when  Mrs.  H.  D.  Partridge  was  elected;  the  other  Offi- 
cers for  1883-'84  are:  Mrs.  Geo.  Stannard,  Vice-Pres.;  Mrs. 
Jas.  H.  Taft,  Jr.,  and  Miss  Etta  Adams,  Secretaries ;  Miss 
Mary  E.  Lewis,  Treas. ;  Miss  C.  A.  Pratt,  Auditor. 

Sheltering  Arms  N  ursery. — In  April,  1870,  Mrs.  Rev.  J.  A. 
Paddock  conceived  the  idea  of  affording  to  the  poor  mothers 
of  St.  Peter's  (P.  E.)  congregation,  facilities  for  pursuing 
their  daily  labor  by  providing  a  place  where  their  infants 
could  be  cared  for  during  the  day.  The  experiment  was 
made,  and  it  gave  promise  of  success.  In  October  of  the 
same  year,  ladies  from  the  different  parishes  met  and  or- 
ganized, at  first,  a  day  nursery.  A  house  in  Pacific  street,  was 
rented,  and  the  nursery  established  there.  During  the  next 
year  the  society  was  incorporated  under  the  above  title,  and 
permanent  inmates  were  received.  In  the  same  year,  larger 
quarters  were  procured  in  Warren  street.  Thence  the 
nursery  was  removed,  successively,  to  Atlantic  avenue,  Lex- 
ington avenue;  and,  in  1877,  to  its  present  quarters,  157  Dean 
street,  near  Hoyt.  A  building  was  purchased  here,  at  a  cost 
of  $13,000.  In  1880,  this  was  burned  out,  but  at  once  rebuilt. 
In  1878,  it  became  a  diocesan  charity.  It  has  passed  through 
many  vicissitudes  and  discouragements,  but  its  permanence 
and  usefulness  have  become  well  assured.  The  object  of  this 
charity  is,  not  to  encourage  idleness,  but  to  aid  those  who 
are  willing  to  labor  for  their  support.  The  first  Officers 
were:  Mrs.  Rev.  Dr.  John  A.  Paddock,  Pres.,  1870-'81;  Mrs. 
D.  L.  Dodge,  Vice-Pres.;  Mrs.  C.  L.  Caswell,  Sec'y;  Mrs.  A. 
Hallett,  Treas.  Present  Officers  :  Mrs.  John  A.  Nichols, 
Pres.  Lady  Managers:  Mrs.  William  B.  Kendall,  Vice-Pres.; 
Mrs.  Henry  C.  Hardy,  Sec'y;  Mrs.  John  Norton,  Treas.  About 
fifty  infants  and  small  children  are  now  in  the  institution, 
which  has  a  permanent  fund  of  $50,000  for  its  support. 


984 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


HEBREW  ORPHAN  ASYLUM. 


The  Hebrew  Orphan  Society  of  Brooklyn  originated  from 
a  gathering  of  charitable  Hebrews  to  provide  a  home  for  or- 
phans from  Brooklyn.  An  organization  was  perfected  and 
the  society  incorporated  in  August,  1878.  A  house  was 
rented  on  the  corner  of  Stuyvesant  avenue  and  McDonough 
street.  The  asyluui  was  opened  for  the  reception  of  orphans 
January  7,  1879,  and  sixteen  children  received.  Before  the 
expiration  of  two  years  the  need  of  larger  accommodations 
was  felt,  and  at  a  meeting  April  17,  1881,  it  was  resolved  to 
purchase  grounds  on  McDonough  street,  near  Stuyvesant  av- 
enue, 120  by  200  feet,  for  the  sum  of  $12,500.  The  trustees 
resolved  to  erect  a  new  building,  70  by  100  feet,  of  which  the 
corner-stone  was  laid  June  26,  1883.  It  is  of  brick,  with  stone 
trimmings,  and  three  stories  in  height.  The  managers  have 
deemed  it  a  wise  policy  to  educate  the  children  in  the  neigh- 
boring public  school.  The  asylum  owes  much  to  the  efforts 
of  Ernst  Nathan,  who  lias  been  its  J 'resident  from  the  first. 
The  other  Officers  for  1883-'4  are:  S.  Goodstein,  Vice- 
I^rexitlent;  G.  Merzbach,  Secretary,  and  M.  Bruckheimer, 
Treasurer. 

The  Hebrew  Benevolent  Society  <»f  Brooklyn,  E.  D.,  was 
organized  June  21,  1*0*.  with:!!!  members,  and  was  designed 
to  assist  the  poor  and  needy  through  a  well-regulated  system 
of  relief.  All  applications  are  investigated  h\  a  committee, 
and  the  worthy  are  assisted  with  food,  clothing  and  fuel.  Its 
first  Officers  were:  M.  Kessel,  Pres. ;  Moses  May,  1 7ce-/Ye«.; 
Isaac  Strauss,  See. ;  Philip  Strauss,  Cash.;  S.  Kaufman,  A. 
Nova,  M.  Benjamin,  N.  Bernstein,  S.  Moog,  A.  11.  Sonn, 
Dim-torn.  The  society  has  meetings  semi-annually;  the 
committee  on  relief  and  charity  meet1-  every  month.  The 
society  derives  its  income  from  the  dues  of  members  and 
voluntary  contributions  from  the  charitable.  The  OFFICERS 
for  1884  are  as  follows:    M.  Kessel,  Pres.;  M.  May,  Vice- 


I  Pres.;  H.  Stettheimer,  Sec.;  Philip" Strauss,  Cash.;  X.  Bern- 
stein, I.  Igelheimer,  D.  Urlach,  D.  Wollmar,  L  WeflriMg, 

Directors. 

The  Brooklyn  Industrial  School  Association  and  Home 

for  Destitute  Children  (No.  217  Sterling  place,  between  Flat- 
bush  and  Vanderbilt  avenues),  was  organized  in  1*54,  ami 
incorporated  in  1857.  Its  object  is  to  form  and  support  in- 
dustrial schools,  and  to  establish  and  maintain  a  home  for 
destitute  children  in  the  city  of  Brooklyn.  The  small  houst 
in  Concord  street,  in  which  the  children  were  first  gathered 
by  the  Association,  alforded  too  limited  accommodation, tad 
fourteen  lots  of  ground  were  purchased  on  what  is  now  Sti  ■ 
ling  place,  although  at  time  of  purchase  there  were  no  |>ave<l 
streets  and  no  buildings  in  that  immediate  vicinity. 

In  18G1  the  Home  for  Destitute  Children  was  erected  at  a 
cost  of  about  $15, (Kill.  In  1*74  a  wing  was  added  to  tin- 
building  to  be  used  for  hospital  purposes.  In  1**0  the  work 
had  so  far  outgrown  t he  utmost  capacity  of  this  Home,  for 
the  accommodation  of  applicants,  as  to  render  it  m ■ces*an 
to  remodel  the  entire  building.  This  was  done,  and  a  m  « 
wing  was  added;  the  whole  being  ready  f  or  occupation  in  MN< 

In  accordance  with  the  plans  of  the  architect,  it  is  pro- 
posed at  some  future  time  to  erect  a  new  westerly  wing  in 
place  of  the  old  one.  which  was  allowed  to  remain  for  want 

of  funds.    When  this  change  shall  have  been  made  the  I  

pleted  building  will  appear  as  one  of  the  finest  in  the  cttj  ■  ; 
Brooklyn.  As  it  stands  on  an  eminence  commanding  a  vn ■« 
of  Prosjiect  Park,  and  also  of  the  Bay  of  New  York,  it  i»  a 
prominent  object.  The  situation  is  both  airy  and  healthful. 
I  and  peculiarly  suitable  as  a  home  for  the  little  ones  «  ho  ■  I  A 
the  pure,  fresh  air  which  this  site  furnishes. 

Six  Industrial  Sel,<it>ls  have  been  established  and  Mipl-ort."! 
'  by  this  association.    They  are,  at  present  date,  in  the  locale 


CHARITABLE  INSTITUTIONS. 


985 


SCHOOL  AND  HOME  FOR  DESTITUTE  CHILDREN- 


^es  here  given,  and  their  order  of  establishment  is  as  follows: 
No.  1,  Concord  street,  opposite  junction  of  Prince  street;  No. 
2.  Fourth  street,  near  Smith  street;  No.  3,  in  the  Home,  Ster- 
place,  between  Flatbush  and  Vanderbilt  avenues;  No.  4, 
No.  391  Van  Brunt  street;  No.  5,  Throop  avenue,  between 
Myrtle  and  Flushing  avenues;  No.  6,  Franklin  avenue,  near 
Myrtle  avenue. 

In  these  schools  the  children  receive  an  elementary  course 
if  instruction  and  good  moral  and  religious  training.  A 
;uit  of  new  clothing  is  provided  for  every  child,  and 
linner  is  given  daily  in  their  respective  schools.  This  pro- 
vision is  made  so  as  to  enable  the  children  to  attend,  for  none 
ire  admitted  who  have  sufficient  clothing  and  food  prepared 
oj  their  parents;  and  no  child  who  can  attend  the  public 
school  is  allowed  to  remain  here.  The  children  are  taught 
;o  sew  by  ladies  who  visit  the  schools  for  that  purpose:  every 
ichool  is  under  the  supervision  of  a  committee  from  the 
joard  of  managers.  The  children  in  the  Home  building  are 
;hose  whose  parents  cannot,  for  various  reasons,  provide  a 
shelter  for  them.  In  some  cases  their  relations  pay  a  nom- 
nal  board  toward  their  support.  Some  of  the  children  are 
surrendered  to  the  association,  and  others  are  taken  entirely 
>n  charity.  The  older  children  assist  in  the  light  work  of  the 
louse,  and  thus  become  familiar  with  the  ordinary  routine 
•)f  household  labor.  The  girls  are  taught  to  sew;  and 
'  kitchen  garden  "  instruction  has  been  introduced,  so  as  to 
)repare  them  to  take  places  for  domestic  service. 

The  work  is  supported  by  the  voluntary  contributions  of 
>enevolent  persons.  Managers  are  appointed  from  the  vari- 
ous churches,  and  contributions  are  taken  up  by  the  man- 
agers in  their  respective  churches.  Nearly  every  Protestant 
hurch  in  Brooklyn  is  represented  by  one  or  more  managers 
a  the  Home.  The  board  at  present  consists  of  about  one 
mndred  and  fifty  ladies.  An  annual  fair  adds  to  the  rev- 
enues of  the  association.  The  Presidents  have  been,  in  suc- 
cession: Mrs.  Fisher  Howe,  Mrs.  Jesse  Smith  and  Mrs.  J. 
■lerwin;  the  latter  is  still  the  President  of  the  Board. 

Orphans  and  half-orphans  are  not  received  in  the  Home 
or  Destitute  Children,  but  are  referred  to  the  Orphan  Asy- 
um,  this  being  an  arrangement  made  to  distinguish  the 
pork  of  the  two  institutions.  The  Industrial  School  work, 
iowever,  is  the  distinctive  feature  of  this  charity,  and  its 
■enevolence  is  distributed  throughout  the  whole  city  by  the 
chools,  which  are,  as  to  locality,  widely  separated  from  each 
>ther.  This  has  always  been  a  favorite  charity  in  the  city, 
d  its  growth  has  been  very  rapid. 


The  Industrial  School  and  Home  of  Brook- 
lyn, E.  D.* — Previous  to  1854,  a  voluntary  asso- 
ciation for  the  care  of  poor  children  existed 
among  the  local  churches  in  Williamsburgh. 
In  February,  1854,  Mrs.  Harriet  Brown,  im- 
pressed by  the  degraded  condition  of  poor  chil- 
dren, and  anxious  for  their  reformation,  per- 
sonally solicited  the  sum  of  $600,  and  called  a 
meeting  of  friends  in  the  parlors  of  the  New 
England  Congregational  Church,  Feb.  20th. 

The  organization  of  the  society  was  per- 
fected, with  Mrs.  Brown  as  chairman.  It  was 
determined  to  have  a  school  in  the  old  North 
American  Hotel,  on  North  Second  street,  be- 
tween Fourth  and  Fifth  streets.  The  session 
commenced  March  7th,  1855,  with  eleven 
pupils,  Mrs.  Fister  being  the  teacher.  Mrs. 
Van  Houghton  was  the  first  matron. 

In  1860,  the  association  was  incorporated  for 
the  following  purposes  :  "To  cause  the  chil- 
dren of  the  school  to  receive  elementary 
English  instruction;  to  teach  habits  of  neatness  and  order; 
to  instruct  in  domestic  duties;  to  provide  food  and  clothing, 
and  procure  places  of  employment  for  the  children  when 
they  arrive  at  a  suitable  age." 

The  nine  Trustees  for  the  first  year  were:  James  Hall,  Rob- 
ert Dunken,  George  Ricard,  John  Broach,  Isaac  M.  Haly, 
Richard  B.  Hunt,  John  A.  Brady,  M.  D.,  Joseph  H.  Van  De 
Water,  and  George  W.  Edwards.  Some  years  later,  the 
Home  was  removed  to  the  old  public  school  building,  corner 
of  Fifth  and  South  Third  streets. 

In  1866,  an  appeal  was  made  to  the  Legislature  for  aid. 
The  first  directress,  Mrs.  Lyons,  fought  a  brave  battle  in  the 
interest  of  the  school.  She  was  a  leading  spirit;  not  only  in 
this  institution,  but  in  all  works  of  charity  and  public 
spirit,  her  sympathies  were  quickest  and  her  hand  strongest. 
She  asked  others  for  nothing  which  she  herself  was  not 
willing  to  give.  She  led  where  she  desired  others  to  follow. 
During  the  war  for  the  Union,  she  gave  to  the  stricken 
soldier  the  same  systematic  and  vigorous  aid  as  here  to  the 
child  of  poverty  and  want.  She  had  taken  this  institution 
into  her  heart  of  hearts,  and  voluntarily  went  to  Albany 
to  secure  the  needed  appropriation  for  this  institution. 


INDUSTRIAL  SCHOOL  AND  HOME,  E.  D. 

"While  she  used  no  artifice,  no  unworthy  or  undignified 
methods,  she  omitted  no  proper  effort  that  could  con- 
tribute to  her  success.  She  knew  the  members  personally, 
and  literally  sat  down  before  and  in  the  Capitol  until  the 
bill  was  passed  and  signed  by  the  Governor,  giving  the 

*  By  Geo.  H.  Fisher,  Esq. 


986 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


school  $10,000,  uj)on  condition  thai  an  equal  sum  be  raised 
l>v  private  subscription,  which  was  duly  fulfilled.  Mr. 
George  Ricard  presented  four  lots  in  North  Second  street,  on 
which  to  erect  a  new  building;  but,  iu  18G9.  the  plan  was 
chaDged;  the  Pease  estate,  in  South  Third  street,  was  pur- 
chased, and  the  large  substantial  building  occupied.  In 
1877— '78,  a  wiog,  costing  $32,000,  was  added  totbe  Home,  the 
funds  for  which  were  raised  principally  through  the  elTorts 
of  the  lad\-  managers. 

The  association  now  numbers  about  450  life  members.  The 
first  Board  of  Officers  was:  Richard  B.  Hunt,  Pres.;  Geo. 
W.  Edwards,  Sec  .;  John  Broach,  Treas.  The  succeeding 
presidents  have  been  :  Nicholas  WyckofT  and  Benjamin  "Wil- 
son. The  first  directresses  have  been:  Mrs.  Robert  Duncan, 
.Mrs.  E.  Lyon,  and  Mrs.  B.  H.  Howell. 

The  Officers  for  18S3-'84  are:  Board  of  Trustees— Ben- 
jamin W.  Wilson,  Pres.;  Lewis  P.  Nostrand.  Vice-Pres.; 
George  H.  Fisher,  See.;  John  Broach,  Treas.;  Benjamin  H. 
Howell,  Cornelius  L.  Johnson,  George  B.  Cole,  John  T.  Wood- 
ruff, Edward  S.  Seeley.  Board  of  Managers — Mrs.  B.  H. 
Howell,  First  Directress;  Miss  S.  F.  Snow,  Second  Direct- 
ress: Miss  J.  A.  S.  Schapps,  Rec.  Sec;  Mrs.  L.  L.  Kortright, 
Cor.  Sec;  Mrs.  J.  D.  Wade,  Treas. 

The  Industrial  Restaurant  and  Training  School  was  or- 
ganized in  1H78,  mainly  through  the  efforts  of  Mrs.  A.  Ten- 
ney.  The  aim  of  its  managers  was  to  provide  a  remedy  for 
street  begging,  by  furnishing  work  to  be  done  on  the  prem- 
ises, to  men,  women  and  children,  for  meals,  cooked  food  to 
carry  home,  groceries,  clothing  and  coal. 

The  work  furnished  for  men  has  been:  sawing,  splitting 
and  delivering  wood.  The  work  for  women  and  children 
has  been:  house  cleaning,  laundrj-  work,  sewing  and  rug- 
making. 

A  fair  amount  of  labor  only  has  been  required,  and  people 
have  been  urged  and  aided  to  find  work  outside.  An  appli- 
cant to  the  institution  is  allowed  to  work  three  hours  per 
day,  for  which  he  receives  payment  at  the  rate  of  ten  cents 
per  hour  in  meals,  or  food  to  carry  home. 

A  weekly  visitor  is  sent  to  poor  families  to  relieve  their 
wants,  provide  them  with  work,  and  see  that  the  children 
attend  some  school. 

The  restaurant  cares  for  children  during  the  day  while  the 
mother  goes  out  to  work;  loans  money  on  furniture;  pur- 
chases coal  at  reduced  rates  for  the  poor;  lodges  men  at  10 
cents  per  night;  a  free  evening  reading-room,  free  baths, 
and  washing,  in  exchange  for  work.  It  also  teaches  the 
proper  way  to  perform  work. 

In  1882,  the  Industrial  Restaurant  moved  to  its  present 
site,  No.  112  Lexington  avenue.  It  is  supported  entirely  by 
•  •harity;  an\  person  paying  •">  cents  per  week  Incomes  a  mem- 
ber of  the  association,  and  is  entitled  to  send  all  applicants 
for  aid  to  the  restaurant. 

The  Offi.-krs  for  1**3  s|  are:  Mrs.  A  Tenney,  Pres.;  Mrs. 
H.  W.  St.  John,  Vice-Pres.;  Mrs.  George  L.  Carrington, 
Sec;  Mrs.  M.  B.  Ross,  Treas. 

The  Orphan  Home  of  the  Church  of  the  Holy  Trinity 
was  established  in  1*»>I,  ami  soon  afterwards  incorporated,  for 
the  purpose  of  maintaining  and  educating  orphans,  from 
the  congregation  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  of  the 
Holy  Trinity.  There  are  about  30  inmates  at  the  present 
time.  The  first  Officers  ware:  Very  Rev.  M.  May,  J.  Bert- 
ges,  J.  Zi miner,  and  J.  Rabcr. 

The  Board  is  the  same  for  1883-'84,  with  the  addition  of  F. 
J.  Berlenlx-auer  and  L.  (Iroeser. 

St.  Phebe's  Mission,  at  NO.  10  Lafayette  street,  was  or- 
ganized in  the  spring  of  I  and  adopted  a  constitution 
May  oOth.     Its  object  is  to  minister  to  the  necessities  of  the 


sick  and  the  destitute;  especially  to  the  inmates  of  the  County 
buildings  at  Flatbush,  of  the  Penitentiary,  the  City  Jail,  and 
the  Naval  and  City  Hospitals.  To  this  end,  women  workers 
and  trained  nurses  are  engaged,  who  are  known  as  St.  Phebe 
Associates.  During  the  past  year,  over  1,000  visits  were 
made  to  these  various  institutions  by  the  Sisters.  The  Mis- 
sion is  supported  entirely  by  charity.  The  first  Board  of 
Managers  was  as  follows  :  Miss  Harriette  Low,  Mrs.  A.  A. 
Seaman,  Miss  C.  King,  Mrs.  Hugh  Allen,  Mrs.  Augustus 
Ivins.  Miss  Peck,  Mrs.  Samuel  Cox,  Mrs.  F.  B.  Carter, 
Mrs.  Alexander  Hutchins,  Mrs.  Washburne.  The  Officers 
have  been  and  are  as  follows:  Miss  Harriette  Low,  Pres.; 
Mrs.  Augustus  Ivins,  .Sec;  Miss  Cornelia  King,  Treas.  The 
present  Board  of  Managers  is  as  follows  :  Miss  Harriette 
Low,  Miss  King,  Mrs.  Seaman,  Mrs.  Ivins,  Mrs.  A.  Hutchins, 
Mrs.  S.  Cox,  Mrs.  Peck,  Mrs.  Stoddard,  Mrs.  Van  Nostrand 
Mrs.  Jenkins,  Mrs.  Snively,  Mrs.  Conklin  and  Mrs.  Wood- 
ard. 

The  Christian  Union  for  Chinese  Work. — This  organiza- 
tion has  for  its  object  the  education,  elevation  and  protection 
of  the  Chinese  residents  in  our  city.  The  rooms  of  the  so- 
ciety are  located  at  991  and  993  Fulton  street,  and  are  open 
every  week-day  afternoon  and  evening,  with  religious  ser- 
vices on  Sunday  evening.  On  Monday  afternoon,  there  is  a 
Union  school  session  at  the  Moravian  Church,  Jay  street,  near 
Myrtle  avenue.  The  President  of  the  society  is  Mr.  Andrew 
A.  Smith,  who  has  been  very  active  in  assisting  the  Chinese  in 
their  business  affairs;  seeking  redress  for  them  when  robbed 
and  abused  by  civilized  Americans,  and  in  many  other 
ways  endeavoring  to  impress  them  with  the  idea  that  Chris- 
tianity means  something.  The  other  Officers  of  the  so- 
ciety are  :  H.  E.  Pease,  Vice-Pres. ;  Rev.  E.  S.  Walle,  Sec; 
W.  D.  Gleason,  Treas.  The  Trustees  are:  Messrs.  A.  S. 
Barnes,  S.  L.  Parsons,  A.  D.  Matthews,  Charles  Tremaine, 
Miss  Shirley,  Mrs.  Wyman,  Miss  Pleier,  Mrs.  Relph,  Mrs.  Dr. 
Sizer,  Mrs.  Simmons,  Mrs.  Culbertson,  and  Mrs.  Harris. 

The  First  Brooklyn  Woman's  Christian  Temperance 
Union  was  organized  early  in  1874,  and  incorporated  in 
1880.  It  is  connected  with  the  New  York  State  organization 
as  well  as  the  Woman's  National  Christian  Temperance  Union. 
Its  Officers  are  as  follows:  K.  E.  Cleveland,  Pres.;  Miss  M. 
E.  Winslow,  Cor.  Sec;  Mrs.  Myra  J.  Denley,  Rec  Sec;  Mrs. 
Mary  L.  Jacobs,  Treas. 

A  hall  seating  400,  at  the  corner  of  Fulton  and  Jay  streets, 
is  the  headquarters  of  the  Union,  with  branches  in  different 
parts  of  the  city.  The  Union  provides  pleasant  and  attractive 
reading  rooms,  where  meetings  are  held  every  evening  and 
on  Sunday  afternoons.  Sunday  evening  temperance  matt' 
ings  are  held  in  the  theatres  and  places  of  amusement.  The 
work  of  the  Union  includes  the  visitation  of  families,  reliev- 
ing distress,  circulating  temperance  literature,  and  gathering 
children  into  schools.  Regular  visits  are  paid  to  the  liay- 
mond  street  Jail  and  to  the  Kings  County  Penitentiary,  and 
the  families  of  prisoners  are  cared  for  when  necessary.  Work 
among  children  is  carried  on  by  means  of  two  flourishing 
schools,  numbering  about  300  pupils.  The  Union  hasexpended 
in  its  work,  since  March,  1874,  $21,252.  Mrs.  Mary  C.  Johnson 
was  its  President  for  the  first  eight  years. 

The  Christian  Rescue  Temperance  Union  originated  in 
the  weekly  meetings  of  a  few  children  to  promote  the  cause 
of  temperance,  and  assist  poor  families  in  the  neighborhood. 
An  organization  was  formed  June  15,  1S79.  at  19(i  15th  street, 
South  Brooklyn,  with  six  members.  The  membership  in 
.  l  eased  so  rapidly,  and  the  society  did  so  much  good,  that  it 
was  incorporated  in  August,  1N82,  with  a  view  to  erect  a  hall 
and  reading-room.  It  now  consists  of  about  HO  adult  mem- 
bers and  1,500  youths  and  children.    Weekly  meetings  are 


CHARITABLE  INSTITUTIONS. 


987 


held  for  business  and  instruction.  They  are  carefully  trained 
in  vocal  and  instrumental  music,  and  give  occasional  con- 
certs to  raise  funds  for  current  expenses  and  charity.  Some 
fifteen  families  have  been  supported  each  winter,  and  large 
quantities  of  provisions  distributed  at  Christmas.  The  so- 
ciety publishes  a  weekly  paper — "Our  Banner."  A  gospel 
temperance  prayer  meeting  is  held  every  Sunday  by  the  mem- 
bers. The  first  Board  of  Officers  comprise  the  following 
names:  Mrs.  J.  Duer,  Mrs.  Updegrove,  Mrs.  Seabury,  Mrs. 
Simpson,  Mrs.  Cleverley,  Mrs.  Stevens,  Mr.  C.  G.  Johnston, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Duncome.  The  Officers  first  chosen  have  been 
retained  in  office  and  are  as  follows:  Adult  Department — C. 
Q.  Johnston,  Pres.;  William  Cleverley  and  G.  P.  Spooner, 
Secretaries ;  William  Whitehead,  Treas.  Young  People's  De- 
partment—Mrs. J.  Duer,  Pres.;  Mrs.  J.  Johnston,  Sec  ;  C.  G. 
Johnston,  Treas. 

The  Sailors' Coffee-House  Company.— This  is  an  association 
which  grew  out  of  a  desire  to  benefit  sailors  by  establishing 
a  cheap  and  good  hotel,  conducted  on  temperance  principles, 
for  the  accommodation  of  sea-faring  men  when  on  shore 
The  following  philanthropic  citizens  procured  its  incorpora- 
tion January  21st,  1880:  George  L.  Pease,  Ferdinand  Van 
Sicklen,  Edward  H.  Litchfield,  Wm.  G.  Low,  Thomas  D. 
Williams,  H.  E.  Pierrepont,  Jr.  A  stock  company  was 
formed  with  a  capital  of  $20,000.  The  buildings  241  and  243 
York  street,  adjoining  the  Navy  Yard,  were  rented,  and  an 
eating  and  lodging  house  opened.  Prices  were  fixed  as  low 
as  expenses  would  warrant,  and  still  the  work  is  partly  car- 
ried on  by  voluntary  aid.  The  Officers  for  1883-'«4  are: 
William G.  Low,  Pres.;  George  L.  Pease,  Secy.;  H.  E.  Pierre- 
pont, Jr.,  Treas. 

The  Woman's  Work  Exchange  and  Decorative  Art  So- 
ciety of  Brooklyn  (formerly  known  as  The  South  Brooklyn 
Employment  Society)  originated  in  efforts  made  in  1872-73,  by 
a  philanthropic  gentleman  connected  with  the  Sunday-school 
of  Christ  Church,  in  Clinton  street,  near  Harrison,  to  find  work 
for  his  Bible  class;  particularly  for  a  crippled  girl  who  had 
no  means  of  livelihood.  At  first  a  small  circle  were  interested 
in  his  projects,  but  afterward  many  of  the  ladies  connected 
with  Christ  Church  promoted  and  sustained  the  endeavor. 
Later  in  the  movement,  other  churches  in  South  Brooklyn 
assisted  it  under  this  name  with  contributions,  until  there 
was  an  organization  which  had  rooms  at  the  corner  of  Clinton 
and  Warren  streets,  and  gave  employment  to  seamstresses 
and  also  trained  classes  of  girls  in  needle-work. 

The  first  Board  of  Officers  consisted  of  Mrs.  Nehemiah 
Knight,  Pres.;  Miss  R.  Da  Costa,  Vice-Pres.;  Miss.  I.  E. 
Buckmaster,  Treas.;  Miss  M.  I.  Adams,  Sec;  Mrs.  A.  Thomp- 
son, Directress. 

In  1878-'79,  the  Woman's  Work  Exchange,  for  the  sale  of 
articles  of  use  or  beauty,  which  should  be  made  by  women 
who  wished  to  dispose  of  them,  was  established  and  united 
with  the  S.  B.  E.  Society;  and  the  two  societies,  under  the 
same  Board  of  Management,  took  up  their  abode  at  122  At- 
lantic street,  where  they  still  remain. 

The  first  Board  of  Officers,  after  the  union  of  the  two  so- 
cieties, was  as  follows:  Mrs.  Mary  L.  Clapp,  Pres.;  Miss  Re- 
becca Da  Costa,  Vice-Pres.;  Miss  M.  I.  Adams,  Treas.;  Mrs. 
Gordon,  L.  Ford,  Cor.  Sec;  Miss  M.  H.  Post,  Pec  Sec. 

In  1883,  the  South  Brooklyn  Employment  Society  passed  out 
of  existence,  and  the  name  of  the  association  was  changed  to 
The  Woman's  Work  Exchange  and  Decorative  Art  Society  of 
Brooklyn,  which  represents  its  present  aim  and  function. 
The  Society  has  grown  from  a  handful  of  members  to  a  large 
and  devoted  fellowship;  and  paintings,  decorated  china, 
needle-work,  embroidery,  pickles,  preserves  and  cake,  are 
placed  in  thair  room?,  and  sold  for  the  advantage  of  the  con- 


signors. These  articles  cover  a  wide  range  of  ingenuity,  in- 
dustry and  aesthetic  taste,  and  the  intentions  of  the  Society 
seem  to  meet  the  public  approval  and  patronage.  There  are 
also  painting  and  drawing  classes  under  the  wing  of  the 
Decorative  Art  Society,  which  foster  talent  and  encourage 
good  work. 

The  Business  Women's  Union  was  organized  by  the 
Brooklyn  Women's  Club,  and  incorporated  Nov.  7,  1871.  Its 
object  was  to  provide  a  home  for  self-supporting  women  of 
good  character,  at  the  lowest  possible  rates,  and  to  establish  a 
bureau  of  information.  The  first  Officers  and  Managers 
were:  Mrs.  Annie  C.  Field,  Pres.;  Mrs.  Charlotte  A.  Clarke, 
Vice-Pres.;  Miss  Kate  Hillard  and  Miss  Laura  F.  Beecher, 
Secretaries;  Mrs.  Mary  H.  Holley,  Treas.  Mrs.  S.  M.  Parsons, 
Mrs.  L.  A.  Potts,  Miss  A.  Coleman,  Miss  S.  M.  Glover,  Mrs. 
H.  Brigham,  Mrs.  R.  Bunker,  Mrs.  C.  E.  Chambers,  Mrs.  S. 
Eppendorf,  Mrs.  M.  A.  Howland,  Mrs.  M.  E.  Rowley,  Mrs. 
J.  M.  Wilson,  Mrs.  M.  F.  Hines,  Mrs.  C.  C.  Dike,  Managers. 
The  first  Board  of  Advisors  was:  Rev.  A.  P.  Putnam,  H.  B. 
Claflin,  J.  Willetts,  F.  Woodruff,  M.  S.  Beach.  A  boarding 
house  was  opened  at  No.  80  Willoughby  street  hi  1871,  as  a 
home  for  self-supporting  women.  The  demand  for  larger 
accommodations  determined  the  society  to  purchase  the 
property,  which  was  done  for  $15,000.  $22,000  more  was 
spent  in  alterations,  which  fitted  the  house  to  receive  about 
50  boarders. 

From  the  beginning,  the  house  has  paid  its  current  ex- 
penses. The  rate  for  permanent  boarders  is  from  $3.75  to 
$5.25  per  week.  A  Women's  Employment  Bureau  has  also 
been  established  in  connection  with  the  Home.  The  present 
board  (1883-'84)  consists  of  Mrs.  A.  C.  Field,  Pres.;  Mrs.  C.  A. 
Clarke,  Vice-Pres.;  Mrs.  W.  V.  Tupper,  Cor.  Sec;  Mrs.  S.  M. 
Glover,  Rec  Sec;  Mrs.  A.  Forman,  Treas.  Mrs.  S.  M.  Par- 
sons, Mrs.  M.  E.  Rowley,  Mrs.  J.  Sterns,  Auditors.  Mrs.  R. 
H.  Manning,  Mrs.  M.  A.  Howland,  Mrs.  R.  Bunker,  Mrs.  M. 
U.  Lewis,  Mrs.  S.  Ellinwood,  Mrs.  A.  Coggeshall,  Mrs.  M. 
Chapman,  Mrs.  L.  Fisk,  Mrs.  T.  E.  Jewell,  Mrs.  M.  H.  Holley, 
Mrs.  L.  F.  Beecher,  Miss  J.  Keese,  Mrs.  C.  Wood,  Managers; 
The  Advisory  Board  is  as  follows:  C.  A.  Field,  H.  B.  Claflin, 
R.  H.  Manning,  C.  C.  Dike,  A.  Forman. 

The  Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Animals  — 
Through  the  efforts  of  Henry  Bergh,  the  New  York  Society 
for  P.  C.  T.  A,  was  incorporated  April  10,  1866,  by  a  number 
of  the  best  citizens  of  that  city.  Its  objects  were  stated  "to 
be  the  providing  of  effective  means  for  the  prevention  of 
cruelty  to  animals  throughout  the  United  States,  the  enforc- 
ing of  all  laws  for  the  protection  of  animals,  and  the  procur- 
ing the  punishment  of  all  persons  violating  such  laws." 
From  this  beginning,  branch  organizations  have  been  estab- 
lished in  37  states  and  territories,  and  Canada.  The  Society 
now  numbers  over  500  members.  The  first  OFFICERS  were  : 
Henry  Bergh,  Pres.;  J.  T.  Hoffman,  Peter  Cooper,  D.  D. 
Hicks,  W.  H.  Aspinwall,  Marshall  O.  Roberts,  H.  W.  Bel- 
lows, James  Brown,  George  T.  Trimble,  Moses  Taylor,  and 
H.  B.  Claflin,  Vive-I'res'ts.  The  Society  was  vested  with  full 
power  to  carry  out  its  specific  objects,  and  has  been  most 
successful  in  securing  humane  treatment  to  animals,  not 
alone  in  our  large  cities,  but  throughout  the  country.  Hos- 
pitals for  diseased  animals,  and  an  ambulance  service  for 
disabled  ones,  are  now  numbered  among  our  city  institu- 
tions. The  Brooklyn  Agency  of  above  Society  was  started 
October  31,  1881,  with  J.  R.  Pye,  Superintendent.  During 
the  first  year,  301  ariests  were  made,  271  convictions  secured, 
871  disabled  animals  relieved  from  labor,  and  429  humanely 
destroyed. 

The  Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Children. 

— On  December  13,  1880,  a  number  of  gentlemen  met  at  the 


988 


TTTSTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


resilience  of  Mr.  H.  B.  Claflin,  for  the  purpose  of  organizing 
a  society  for  the  care  of  helpless  children.  Within  two 
weeks  an  otlice  was  opened  at  19!)  Montague  street,  the 
above  name  given  to  the  Society,  and  active  operations  were 
begun.  In  the  first  ten  months.  361  complaints  were  lodged 
at  the  office,  and  160  children  rescued  from  misery.  The  first 
Officers  were:  Henry  R.  Jones,  Pres.:  H.  B.  Claflin  and  W. 
B.  Leonard,  Vice-Pres1  ts.;  Alexander  Munn,  Sec;  and  Geo. 
S.  Pease,  Trcas.  The  same  Ijoard  of  officers  have  been  con- 
tinued to  the  present  time.  During  the  year  ending  October, 
1883,  653  complaints  were  lodged  at  the  Society's  office,  by 
citizens,  or  the  police,  and  344  children  removed  from  brutaj 
parents  or  guardians,  and  placed  in  homes  or  institutions; 
189  cases  were  prosecuted,  and  177  convictions  obtained.  The 
aim  of  the  Society  is  to  prosecute  those  who  abuse  little  ones: 
who  send  children  into  the  street  to  beg:  who  would  force 
^irls  into  lives  of  degradation;  who  would  place  their  offspring 
in  situations  dangerous  to  health;  who  maliciously  commit 
friendless  waifs  to  jail,  or  who  attempt  to  debauch,  dissipate, 
or  in  any  way  wrong  the  most  helpless  of  our  race. 

Zion  Relief  Association  (Home  for  Aged  and  Infirm  of 
Zion  Church). — This  organization  was  perfected  December  7, 
1869,  to  afford  a  free  home  to  the  aged  poor  of  Zion  A.  If. 
E.  Church  of  New  York,  and  to  others,  upon  such  terms  as 
the  trustees  should  recommend.  September  20,  1872,  the 
trustees  of  Zion  Church  were  authorized  to  purchase  prop- 
erty for  the  erection  of  such  a  home,  and  soon  after  bought 
the  property  on  Dean  street,  between  Albany  and  Troy  av- 
enues, for  $4,800,  and  expended  $2,350  for  alterations  and 
repairs.  Accommodations  were  provided  for  fifteen  inmates, 
which  number  has  since  increased  to  twenty-one. 

Visiting  Committee  of  the  State  Charities'  Aid  Associa- 
tion for  the  Kings  County  Institutions. — A  central  organiza- 
tion, known  as  the  State  Charities'  Aid  Association,  formed 
in  May,  1872.  having  its  office  in  New  York  City,  has  for  ita 
objects — 1.  To  promote  an  active  public  interest  in  the  New 
York  State  Charities.  2.  To  make  the  present  pauper  system 
more  efficient,  and  introduce  reforms.  In  connection  with 
this  organization,  local  visiting  committees  are  formed  iu  the 
various  counties  in  the  State.  In  June,  1873,  a  preliminary 
meeting  was  held  at  the  Mercantile  Library,  in  Brooklyn,  to 
organize  a  local  visiting  committee  for  the  public  institutions 
of  Kings  county,  at  which  Mrs.  Stranahan  presided.  At  an 
adjourned  meeting,  October  14,  a  constitution  and  by-laws 
were  adopted.  The  first  Officers  were:  Mrs.  J.  S.  T.  Stran- 
ahan, Pres.;  Mrs.  Wm.  Ives  Buddington,  First  Vice-Pres.; 
Mrs.  A.  C.  Field,  Second  Vice-Pres.;  Mrs.  Gordon  L.  Ford, 
Cor.  Sec.;  Mrs.  Elliston  L.  Perot,  Rec.  Sec. 

Committees  were  appointed  on  Infants'  Wards,  on  Hospi- 
tals, and  on  Alms-houses.  The  work  of .  the  committee  has 
been  productive  <>(  much  good  since  the  year  of  its  organiza- 
tion. Public  attention  has  been  directed  to  the  unfortunate 
condition  of  the  public  wards,  and  abuses  corrected.  The 
Board  of  State  Charities  is  supported  entirely  by  volunteer 
contribution,  and  the  arduous  duty  devolving  upon  the  vari- 
ous committees  in  Kings  county  have  been  performed  as  a 
labor  of  love.  Mrs.  Stranahan  has  been  the  President  since 
1878.  Officers,  1883-'4,  are  as  follows:  Mrs.  J.  S.  T.  Stran- 
ahan. I'ri's.;  Mrs  Fisher  Howe,  First  Vice- 1 'res.;  Mrs.  D.  C. 
Bobbins.  Second  \'ice-l'res. ;  Mrs.  John  Vanderbilt,  Cor.  Sec: 
Mi—  I  Jura  Itoliinson,  !:■<■  See.-,  \lr>.  David  Morrison,  Asst. 
Sec;  Miss  Lillie  Brown,  Treas. 

Protestant  Episcopal  Mission  to  the  Public  Institutions. — 
In  i860,  Mrs.  Fellows,  the  wife  of  a  disabled  presbyter  of  the 
Ohurch,  lie^an  to  visit  the  city  jail,  hospitals,  etc.,  with  her 
husband,  who  performed  sueh  duties  as  required  a  clergy- 
man.   April  I.  1*119,  Mrs.  Fellows  was  appointed  by  the  Mis- 


sionary Committee  of  the  new  Diocese  of  Long  Island  to  be 
"  Missionary  in  Charge  and  to  the  prisons  and  public  institu- 
tions in  Kings  county,"  with  a  stipend  of  $400.  A  month 
before,  she  had  been  appointed  Missionary  to  the  City  Hospi- 
tal and  jail,  with  a  salary  of  $150.  May  23,  1871,  she  was  re- 
appointed. At  the  same  time.  Miss  Eliza  J.  Coakley  was  ap- 
pointed "  Missionary  to  the  public  institutions  at  Flatbush." 
After  1872,  Mrs.  Fellows  continued  her  work,  though  her 
salary  was  no  longer  paid  Testimony  to  her  faithful  ser- 
vices can  be  found  in  the  reports  of  the  Missionary  Commit- 
tee. Since  1872,  the  Missionary  Committee  has  devoted  $400 
annually  to  this  work  among  the  public  institutions. 

The  Hospital  Saturday  and  Sunday  Association. — It  wm 
the  custom  in  New  York  and  Loudon  to  take  collections  on 
the  last  Saturday  and  Sunday  of  the  year,  iu  public  places, 
in  l>ebalf  of  the  hospitals.  In  December,  1881,  Messrs.  Wm. 
G.  Low,  I.  H.  Frothingham,  and  Wm.  M.  Richards,  were 
appointed  a  committee  by  the  City  Hospital,  to  introduce  the 
custom  into  Brooklyn.  An  organization  was  formed,  and  a 
constitution  adopted  May  16,  1882,  having  for  its  object  "  to 
draw  out  benevolent  gifts  for  hospital  purposes,  by  bringing 
the  claims  of  these  charities  simultaneously  before  the  public; 
to  stimulate  personal  donations  and  church  collections  on 
appointed  days  ;  to  obtain  and  distribute  the  gifts  of  those 
who  aid  the  general  object  of  hospital  charity."  It  com- 
prised the  following  gentlemen,  viz.:  Mr.  William  G.  Low, 
Mr.  Isaac  H.  Frothingham,  and  Mr.  William  M.  Richards, 
for  the  Brooklyn  City  Hospital;  Mr.  Thomas  H.  Rodman,  for 
the  Ij)ng  Island  College  Hospital;  Mr.  Charles  A.  Towusend, 
Mr.  David  M.  Stone,  and  Hon.  William  W.  Goodrich,  for  the 
Homceopathic  Hospital  ;  Dr.  R.  C.  MotFat,  for  the  Homoeo- 
pathic Maternity ;  Mr.  Aaron  Field,  for  the  Brooklyn  Home 
for  Consumptives  ;  Mr.  William  H.  Fleeman,  Mr.  Alexander 
E.  Orr,  and  Mr.  Carlos  A.  Butler,  for  St.  John's  Hospital ; 
Mr.  J.  W.  Yandewater,  Hon.  Geo.  H.  Fisher,  and  Hon.  Sigis- 
mund  Kaufmann,  for  the  Eastern  District  Hospital;  Hon. 
Samuel  Booth,  Mr.  Alfred  T.  White,  Mr.  Demas  Strong.  Mr. 
John  N.  Stearns,  and  Mr.  Thomas  W.  Hynes,  for  the  Bureau 
of  Charities;  together  with  the  following:  Mr.  Lorin  Palmer, 
Mr.  Bernard  Peters,  the  Rev.  William  A.  Snively,  D.  D.,  the 
Rev.  Charles  A.  Tibballs,  the  Rev.  J.  C.  Ager,  the  Rev.  C. 
Cuthbert  Hall,  his  Honor,  the  Mayor  of  the  City  of  Brooklyn, 
the  Postmaster  of  the  City  of  Brooklyn,  and  the  Resident 
Member  of  the  State  Board  of  Charities;  and  such  other 
gentlemen  as  may  hereafter  be  elected  by  a  two-thirds  vote. 

First  Officers:  William  G.  Low,  Pres.;  Alfred  T.  White, 
Vice-Pres.;  C.  Cuthbert  Hall,  Sec;  William  M.  Richards, 
Treas.  William  G.  Low  (ex-officio),  Alexander  E.  Orr, 
Thomas  II.  Rodman,  William  W.  Goodrich,  George H.  Fisher, 
Frecutire  <  'om  m  iltee.  The  Mayor  of  the  City  of  Brooklyn 
(ex-officio),  the  Postmaster  of  the  City  of  Brooklyn  (cv-offieio), 
the  Resident  Member  of  the  State  Hoard  of  Charities  (ex- 
officio),  Bernard  Peters,  Charles  A.  Townsend,  Carlos  A. 
Butler,  Aaron  Field,  Distributing  Committee. 

The  first  collection,  December,  1882,  amounted  to  $4,351.22; 
in  1883,  it  reached  nearly  $6,000.  Officers  for  1884:  Wil- 
liam G.  Low,  Pres.;  William  II.  Fleeman,  Vice-Pres.;  C. 
Cuthl>ert  Hall,  Sec;  W.  M.  Richards,  Treas.  Executive 
Committee :  William  G.  Low,  A.  E.  Orr,  Thomas  H.  Rod- 
man, William  W.  Goodrich,  and  John  W.  Yandewater. 
Distributing  Committee:  The  Mayor  of  the  city,  the  Post- 
master, the  Resident  Member  of  the  State  Board  of  Charities, 
and  Messrs.  Bernard  Peters.  Charles  A.  Townsend.  Carlos  A. 
Butler,  and  Aaron  Field. 

The  Brooklyn  Indian  Association  was  organized  Decem- 
ber 4,  1882,  in  the  Lafayette  avenue  Presbyterian  chuToh. 
Its  object  is  :  1st.  to  awaken  Christian  public  sentiment  to 


CHA  RITA  BLE  INS TITUTIONS. 


989 


the  abolition  of  all  oppression  of  Indians  within  our  national 
limits,  and  to  the  granting  them  the  same  protection  of  law 
that  other  races  enjoy  among  us ;  2d,  to  aid  educational 
and  mission  work  for  and  among  Indians. 

The  general  lines  of  work  pursued  are,  as  in  the  parent 
society,  the  circulation  of  literature  adapted  to  the  Asso- 
ciation's object;  the  circulation  of  memorials  to  Congress  on 
behalf  of  Indians ;  the  securing  popular  meetings  and  arti- 
cles in  the  press  which  shall  promote  the  growth  of  right 
sentiment  concerning  our  national  and  individual  duty  to 
Indians,  and  the  adoption  of  such  other  measures  as  seem 
fitted  to  further  the  ends  desired. 

The  number  of  members  has  increased  from  IT  to  60.  The 
names  of  the  first  Officers  are:  Mrs.  A.  B.  Smith,  Pres.: 
Mrs.  M.  W.  Huntington,  Sec;  Mrs.  L.  H.  Conklin,  Treas.; 
Mrs.  F.  A.  Iderstine,  Mrs.  J.  Hamblet,  Mrs.  C.  C.  Woolworth, 
Mrs.  William  Moses,  Mrs.  J.  H.  Burtis,  Vice-Pres'ts.  A  num- 
ber of  public  meetings  have  been  held,  under  the  auspices  of 
the  society,  which  have  been  addressed  by  those  who  thor- 
oughly understand  the  present  condition  and  means  of  the 


The  Inebriates'  Home  for  Kings  County,  office  401  Pearl 
street  (see  page  563a),  was  incorporated  by  an  act  of  the 
legislature,  on  May  9,  1867. 

The  object  was  to  devise  means  for  the  saving  and  redemp- 
tion of  those  addicted  to  the  use  of  intoxicating  liquors;  and 
to  afford  an  asylum  for  them,  where  they  would  be  removed 
from  the  ordinary  temptations  of  life,  and  receive  medical 
and  humane  treatment.  It  was  found  by  experience  that  the 
commitment  of  inebriates  to  jail  not  only  did  no  good,  but 
great  harm  both  to  the  drunkard  himself,  and  ultimately  to 
society.  The  degradation  of  the  prison  seemed  to  dispel 
all  hopes  of  a  reformation.  These  facts  being  laid  before 
the  legislature,  the  act  of  incorporation  was  secured,  and 
twelve  per  cent,  of  the  excise  tax,  and  all  of  the  fines  paid 
i  in  the  county  for  infringement  of  the  excise  law,  were  set 
apart  for  its  use. 

A  block  lying  between  Fourth  and  Fifth  avenues,  and  54th 
and  55th  streets,  was  purchased  ;  a  temporary  home  secured 
at  the  corner  of  Bushwick  avenue  and  Chestnut  street,  and 
operations  were  commenced  on  the  10th  of  October,  1867. 


OCEAN    VIEW  OF  "THE   INEBRIATES'   HUME,"   FORT  HAMILTON 


Western  Indians.  The  result  has  been  manifested  in  an  in- 
creasing public  opinion  favoring  a  change  in  the  Indian  ques- 
tion. The  present  Officers  are:  Mrs.  George  Stannard.  Pres.; 
Mrs.  M.  W.  Huntington,  Sec;  Mrs.  J.  B.  Gilbert,  Treas.; 
Mrs.  M.  A.  Berry,  Mrs.  S.  L.  M.  Prentice,  Mrs.  Geo.  Watson, 
Mrs.  Annie  C.  Field,  Mrs.  D.  R.  James,  Mrs.  W.  H.  Smith, 
Mrs.  Woodbridge  Xearing,  Yice-Pres'ts. 

The  Wayside  Home  is  an  association  formed  March  5, 
1880,  by  a  number  of  benevolent  ladies,  for  the  purpose  of 
providing  a  home  for  homeless  women,  and  for  helping  them 
to  procure  employment.  It  commenced  with  15  members, 
and  now  numbers  35.  The  first  Officers  were  as  follows: 
Mrs.  E.  F.  Pettengill,  Pres.;  Mrs.  Annie  C.  Field,  Vice-Pres.; 
Miss  C.  E.  Coffin,  Sec;  Mrs.  C.  W.  Shepherd,  Asst.  Sec;  Mrs. 
E.  F.  Lawson,  Treas. 

The  Association  was  duly  incorporated,  and  secured  a  com- 
fortable house  at  No.  352  Bridge  street.  The  accommoda- 
tions are  hardly  sufficient,  and  efforts  have  already  been  be- 
gun to  secure  more  commodious  quarters.  The  officers  for 
1883-'84  are  the  same  as  given  above. 


During  the  first  two  years,  there  were  received  261  patients, 
including  41  re-admissions,  and  27  patients  so  re-admitted. 
Of  these,  160  were  men,  and  101  women.  Of  the  whole 
number,  25  were  boarders,  the  others  being  admitted  to  the 
benefits  of  the  institution  free;  though  some  have  contributed 
by  labor  to  defray  the  cost  of  their  support.  The  total  cost 
of  maintenance,  including  all  house  expenses  and  salaries  of 
officers,  was  $47.77  for  each  person. 

By  an  amended  charter,  the  grant  of  twelve  per  cent,  of 
the  excise  money  was  withdrawn,  and  an  annual  grant  of 
$10,000  substituted.  The  want  of  a  new  and  improved  build- 
ing was  severely  felt.  The  suni  of  $200,000  was  provided  out 
of  the  receipts  under  the  excise  law,  for  the  construction  of 
such  a  building,  which  was  converted  into  TJ.  S.  bonds.  The 
site  was  removed,  from  the  position  previously  indicated,  to  a 
place  near  Fort  Hamilton,  known  as  "  Beautiful  View,"  on 
the  Ridgeside  road,  where  far  superior  advantages  and  accom- 
modations could  be  obtained.  First  Presiden ts  :  Hon.  Geo. 
Hall,  Hon.  Jas.  S.  T.  Stranahan,  Theodore  L.  Mason,  M.  D., 
Geo.  G.  Herman,  Esq.    Officers,  1884,  are  as  follows  :  Geo. 


900 


HISTORY  OT  XmOS  COUNTY. 


G.  Herman,  Esq.,  Pres.;  Hon.  Win.  M.  Thomas,  Treas. ;  Capt. 
Joseph  W.  Richardson,  Sec.  Hon.  Wm.  M.  Thomas  and  Ceo. 
G.  Herman,  Esq.,  Trustees. 

The  Truant  Home  of  the  City  of  Brooklyn  (Juvenile 
House  of  Industry)  was  established  in  1854,  under  "  an  Act 
to  provide  for  the  care  and  instruction  of  idle  and  truant 
children,"  passed  in  April,  1853.  It  was  at  one  time  located 
in  the  old  Penitentiary,  on  the  Clove  road;  hut  the  J.  T. 
Snediker  Hotel  property,  on  the  Jamaica  plank  road,  near 
Jamaica  village  (eleven  acres),  was  purchased  at  a  cost  of 
$25,000,  and  in  the  rear  of  this,  a  large  brick  building,  three 
stories  in  height,  was  erected  for  school  purposes  and  dormi- 
tories. The  hotel  was  used  as  a  cooking  and  dining  place,  and 
residence  of  the  operatives.  On  two  sides  of  the  school  building, 
was  erected  a  high  fence,  enclosing  a  play-ground  of  about  an 
acre.    No  changes  have  since  been  made  in  these  buildings. 

This  Home  was  established  for  the  purpose  of  restraining, 
educating,  and,  if  possible,  reclaiming  idle  and  vagrant  chil- 
dren. To  this  Home  vagrant  children  were  committed  by 
magistrates,  on  complaints  by  parents  or  others.  Here  they 
were  kept  during  periods,  varying  from  one  to  five  or  more 
years. 

After  the  passage,  by  the  Legislature,  of  the  Compulsory 
Education  Law  in  1874,  the  Board  of  Education  in  Brooklyn 
organized  the  Bureau  of  Attendance,  which  consists  of  a 
superintendent  and  six  agents,  whose  duty  it  is  to  see  that 
the  provisions  of  the  law  are  carried  out.  The  children 
found  by  these  officers  in  the  condition  of  vagrants,  or  non- 
attendants  at  school,  are  committed  to  the  Home,  where 
their  education  and  well-being  are  looked  after.  Since  the 
establishment  by  this  Bureau  of  Attendance  of  schools,  one  in 
the  eastern  and  one  in  the  western  district  of  the  city,  where 
a  portion  of  the  non-attendants  at  other  schools  are  sent,  the 
commitments  to  the  Home  by  this  Bureau  have  been  fewer 
than  l>efore.  The  average  number,  through  this  Bureau  and 
by  the  police,  is  more  than  two  hundred  annually.  The  super- 
intendent and  teacher  for  1883-'4  is  Joseph  Wagner. 

The  St.  Joseph's  Institute  for  the  Improved  Instruction  of 
Deaf-Mutes  was  established  at  Fordham  in  the  fall  of  1869. 
During  the  first  years  of  its  existence  the  institution  was  sup- 
ported mainly  by  the  exertions  of  its  lady  directresses;  for, 
as  is  generally  the  case,  the  parents  of  the  pupils  were,  for 
the  most  part,  poor,  and  could  contribute  but  little  toward 
their  support. 

In  the  spring  of  1874  was  ojtened  in  Brooklyn  a  branch 
house,  for  the  puqiose  of  offering  to  the  numerous  deaf-mutes 
of  that  city  the  advantages  of  a  day  school.  As  the  house  at 
I'ordhain  was  at  thai  time  considerably  crowded  (the  addi- 
tion not  having  yet  l>een  built),  some  of  the  larger  girls  were 
removed  to  the  branch  house  at  Brooklyn.  Others,  who  had 
entered  the  school  as  day  pupils,  now  asked  to  be  admitted 
as  ]M'rmanent  inmates,  and  the  house  (a  rented  one)  was  soon 
found  to  l>e  too  small.  After  mature  deliberation,  it  was 
deemed  ad visablt  to  purchase  one  which  should  Insufficiently 
large  to  accommodate  some  50  or  00  inmates.  The  large 
and  elegant  residence  of  Mrs.  Christina  Jones,  No.  510  Henry 
street,  was,  about  this  time,  purchased.  A  few  weeks  after 
this,  an  act  was  pas-ed  by  which  the  institution  was  empow- 
ered to  receive  count  v  pupils  :  two  years  later  the  institution 
was  placed  upon  the  same  footing  with  similar  institut  ions 
in  the  state. 

Roman  Catholic  Orphan  Asylum  Society  of  the  City  of 
Brooklyn  w as  founded  in  1*29.  Mr.  Peter  Turner,  to  w  hose 
zeal  the  Society  wa.>  deeply  indebted  for  its  success,  was 
cho-.cn  first  President,  holding  the  position  for  three  years 
(the  longest  term  allowed  by  the  const  it  ill  ion  >,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Dr.  J.  S.  Thorn.    On  May  0,  lHIjJ,  the  Society  was 


incorporated  by  the  Legislature,  under  the  title  of  The  Ro- 
man Catholic  Orphan  Society  in  the  Village  of  Brooklyn; 
the  names  mentioned  in  the  act  l>oing  those  of  J.  Sullivan 
Thome,  Thomas  Mooney,  John  Sweeney,  Peter  Turner  and 
Charles  Brady.  The  charter  was  applied  for,  at  this  time,  in 
order  that  the  Society  might  receive  a  legal  transfer  of  a 
house  and  lot  offered  to  the  Society  by  the  Rev.  John  Walsh; 
and  in  this  house,  188  Jay  street,  the  first  asylum  was  opened 
and  placed  in  charge  of  the  Sisters  of  Charity.  Some  years 
after.  Mr.  Cornelius  Heeuey  generously  donated  to  this  So- 
ciety ten  lots  of  grolmd  on  Congress  street;  and,  at  his  death, 
in  1848,  bequeathed  the  income  of  the  greater  portion  of  his 
large  estate  for  the  support  of  the  orphans.  The  donation  of 
lots  enabled  the  Society  to  build  their  first  asylum,  that 
fronting  on  Congress  street  (now  known  as  St.  Paul's  Indus- 
trial School),  for  male  children,  and  the  one  fronting  on 
Clinton,  on  the  same  lots,  for  females.  In  1851,  an  addition 
was  made  to  the  Female  Asylum,  doubling  its  size,  at  a  cost 
of  $5,000;  and,  in  1858,  a  further  addition  of  a  building.  155 
by  25  feet,  and  five  stories  high,  at  a  cost  of  $15,000,  con- 
necting with  the  Male  Asylum  on  Clinton  street.  In  1858,  a 
new  building  was  erected  for  males,  corner  Willoughby  and 
Bedford  avenues,  at  a  cost  of  about  $27,000,  and  accommo- 
dating 350  children.  The  building  had  a  front  of  120  feet, 
and  two  wings,  72  feet  deep,  and  the  grounds  attached  com- 
prised 14  acres.  This  building  was  destroyed  by  fire,  Nov.  9, 
1862,  248  children  being  asleep  within  its  walls  when  the  fire 
broke  out,  and  a  snow  storm  raging  without.  Three  children 
perished  in  the  flames.  The  children  were  immediately  re- 
moved; the  girls  to  the  building  on  Clinton  and  Congress 
streets,  and  the  boys  to  a  house  on  the  corner  of  Jay  and 
Chapel  streets,  which  had  been  previously  occupied  by  the 
Sisters  of  Mercy. 

The  Board  of  Managers,  though  their  means  and  sources  of 
income  were  at  this  time  very  limited,  then  purchased  the 
grounds  bounded  by  St.  Mark's  place,  Albany  and  Troy  ave- 
nues, and  Warren  street,  one  of  the  most  elevated  and 
healthy  locations  in  the  city.  On  these  grounds,  in  1868, 
they  commenced  the  erection  of  the  presenl  Asylum,  now 
known  as  "St.  John's  Home  for  Boys."  It  is  a  massive  struc- 
ture, four  stories  high,  and  solidly  built  of  blue-stone.  It 
is  170  feet  front,  with  wings  each  170  feet  deep,  and  three 
stories  above  the  basement  in  height.  St.  John's  Home  WM 
opened  in  1870,  under  the  charge  of  the  Sisters  of  St.  Joseph. 
There  are  now  in  this  institution  over  700  orphan  boy-,  who 
are,  in  a  great  measure,  dependent  upon  the  charitably 
disposed  public  for  maintenance  and  support.  It  has  accom- 
modation for  800  boys,  and  is  valued  at  $200,000. 


Cornelius  Heeney,  a  native  of  Queens  County,  Ireland, 
came  to  America,  in  17*1,  being  then  about  20  years  old.  The 
vessel  in  which  he  sailed  was  wrecked  on  the  Delaware 
coast,  and  passengers  and  crew  were  rescued  by  oyster  boats 
plying  their  vocation  in  the  bay.  The  oyster-men  however, 
demanded  a  dollar  a  head  for  their  services,  which  amount 
Heeney  did  not  have.  It  was  promptly  given  hini  by  a 
Quaker  fellow-passenger,  who  would  not  give  bis  name  i  which 
young  Heeney  enquired,  with  a  view  to  ultimate  repayment), 
simply  saying,  "whenever  thou  seest  a  fellow  creature  in 
want  of  a  dollar,  as  thou  art  now.  give  it  to  him,  ami  then 
wilt  have  repaid  me."  a  circumstance  w  hich  made  a  lasting 
impression  upon  Mr.  H. 'a  mind.  Mr.  Heeuey  first  found  em- 
ployment in  Philadelphia,  and  then  in  New  York,  where  he 
entered  the  store  of  a  Mr.  Backhouse,  where  John  Jacob  Astor 
then  served  as  a  porter.  In  course  of  time,  Mr.  B.  retired 
from  business,  and  sold  out  to  Messrs.  Heeney  and  Astor. 
This  partnership  was  dissolved  after  a  few  years,  and  Mr. 


CHARITABLE  INSTITUTION'S. 


991 


Heeney  entered  the  fur  business  on  his  own  account,  and 
amassed  a  considerable  fortune.  In  order  to  secure  a  debt  of 
$30,000,  he  took  a  large  property  in  South  Brooklyn,  which 
rose  on  his  hands  to  a  value,  at  the  time  of  his  death,  of  over 
$200,000.  This  he  subsequently  made  his  summer  residence. 
He  lived  and  died  a  bachelor,  yet,  by  his  disposition,  was 
peculiarly  adapted  for  domestic  enjoyment,  affable  in  dis- 
position, fond  of  joke  and  repartee,  warm-hearted  and  social. 
His  doors  were  ever  open  to  a  friend  and  acquaintance,  and 
never  closed  on  the  needy  and  unfortunate.  His  house  was 
ever  filled  with  orphan  children,  whom  he  educated  and 
provided  for;  and  many  of  his  female  proteges  married  into 
most  respectable  families  in  New  York  and  Brooklyn,  where 
their  descendants  now  occupy  enviable  positions  in  society. 
His  Brooklyn  property  contained  a  fine  orchard,  and  during 


mas,  also,  he  used  to  collect  all  the  poor  children  in  the 
vicinity,  and  give  to  each  a  cake  and  piece  of  silver.  Though 
rarely  mingling  in  politics,  he  onced  served  a  term  as  mem- 
ber of  the  Assembly  of  the  State,  and  many  anecdotes  are 
related  concerning  his  shrewdness  and  good  nature.  To  the 
Brooklyn  Roman  Catholic  Orphan  Asylum,  he  gave,  in  1829, 
an  endowment  of  $18,000;  about  the  same  time  he  generously 
extended  a  helping  hand  to  St.  Paul's  Cathedral  in  New  York; 
donated  the  ground  for  St.  James's  and  St.  Paul's  churches, 
Brooklyn;  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
Half  Orphan  Asylum  of  New  York,  and  contributed  largely 
to  several  of  the  charitable  associations  of  that  city.  Al- 
though his  Brooklyn  property  increased  hi  value  with  almost 
fabulous  rapidity;  yet,  at  his  death,  3d  of  May,  1848  (at  the 
age  ofj  ninety- four  years),  his  estate  was  worth  little  more 


ST.  JOHN'S  MALE  ORPHAN  ASYLUM. 


the  active  years  of  his  life,  he  was  in  the  habit,  every  summer, 
of  marshaling  the  little  orphan  children  of  the  New  York 
Orphan  Asylum,  and  marching  with  them  through  Broad- 
way and  across  the  river  to  the  orchard,  where  he  had  men 
employed  to  shake  the  trees  and  pull  cherries,  apples  and 
each  kind  of  fruit  in  its  season,  while  the  children  ate  and 
played  on  the  grass.  He  also  purchased  wood  and  distributed 
it  to  the  poor,  gratuitously  giving  to  each  what  they  could 
carry;  and  he  took  a  humorous  delight  in  seeing  the  loads  they 
would  assume,  it  being  their  custom  to  divest  themselves 
of  a  portion  of  the  burden  as  soon  as  some  intervening  fence 
or  other  obstruction  concealed  them  from  his  view,  in  order 
to  return  for  more ;  his  enjoyment  of  the  artifice  being  in- 
creased by  the  knowledge  he  had  of  its  performance,  and  the 
efforts  to  hide  what  he  instantly  connived  at.     At  Christ- 


than  $15,000.  It  is  estimated,  however,  that  his  donations 
and  expenditures  for  benevolent  purposes,  during  his  life- 
time, was  not  far  short  of  $100,000.  His  residuary  estate 
(after  proper  provision  made  for  relatives  and  friends),  was 
devised  as  follows:  The  annual  income  of  one-fifth,  to  be  ap- 
propriated every  year  towards  supplying  the  poor  of  Brook- 
lyn with  fuel  during  winter.  The  annual  income  of  one-tenth , 
to  be  appropriated  towards  supplying  poor  children  in  Brook- 
lyn, who  go  to  school,  with  shoes,  and  with  such  other 
articles  of  clothing  as  are  absolutely  necessary  for  their 
health  and  comfort  during  the  winter.  The  sum  of  $250 
annually  for  employment  of  a  teacher  to  instruct  poor  chil- 
dren in  Brooklyn  in  the  elements  of  an  English  education. 
The  residue  to  the  Brooklyn  Catholic  Half  Orphan  Asylum;  a 
portion  to  be  expended  in  erecting  additional  buildings.  If 


00'.' 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


anything  intervened  to  prevent  the  fulfillment  of  this  be- 
quest, it  was  to  go  to  the  New  York  Catholic;  Orphan  Asy- 
lum. By  a  codicil  to  this  will,  after  the  incorporation  of  the 
Brooklyn  Benevolent  Society,  all  the  residuary  estate  was 
(fiven  to  tliat  association.  Some  lots  in  New  York,  adjoining 
the  New  York  Catholic  Orphan  Asylum,  were  given  to  that 
institution,  after  the  death  of  parties  to  whom  he  devised 
them  as  legatees. 


St.  Joseph's  Female  Orphan  Asylum,  located  at  the  corner 
of  Willoughby  and  Sumner  avenues,  is  also  under  control  of 
the  Orphan  Asylum  Society,  and  in  the  immediate  charge  of 
the  Sisters  of  Charity.  In  the  summer  of  1S6S>  the  corner- 
stone was  laid,  and  it  was  fully  completed  in  October,  1873, 
when  280  children  were  transferred  to  it  from  St.  Paul's  Fe- 
male Orphan  Asylum,  in  Congress  street.  The  present  num- 
ber is  about  725.  It  is  a  very  commodious  and  handsome 
huilding,  five  stories  in  height,  with  a  front  on  Willoughby 
avenue  of  224  feet,  and  a  width  of  02  feet.  It  is  constructed 
of  Philadelphia  brick  and  brown-stone  trimmings.  In  the  rear 
is  a  chapel,  102  by  43  feet.  The  building  is  heated  by  steam, 
and  has  all  the  modem  improvements  for  institutions  of  this 
kind.  This  Asylum  is  under  the  care  of  the  Sisters  of  Char- 
ity. It  has  ample  play-grounds  for  the  children,  who  now 
number  about  (500.  A  day-school,  for  the  children  of  the 
neighborhood,  has  a  daily  attendance  of  about  200.  The 
asylum  is  valued  at  $150,000 

St.  Paul's  Industrial  School. — This  institution  is  self-sus- 
taining, and  contains  at  the  present  time  about  300  inmates, 
who  are  educated  in  all  household  duties,  and  in  needle-work 
of  every  kind.  Estimated  value  of  building  and  grounds, 
$150,000. 

The  Right  Reverend  Bishop  of  the  Diocese  is  President 
of  the  Society,  and  is  well  and  ably  assisted  by  Mr.  J.  M. 
Shanahan,  First  Vice-President,  and  Mr.  Theophilus  Oleua, 
Second  Vice-President ;  Andrew  Walsh,  Treas.;  M.  E.  Moore, 
Sec;  P.  J.  O'Connor,  Asst.  Sec.  The  present  Board  of  Direc- 
tors consists  of  Messrs.  L.  P.  Bodkin,  Arthur  E.  Marsh,  John 
Cunningham,  John  McDermott,  J.  H.  Newman,  Daniel 
Bradley,  James  Cassidy,  Wm.  Murtha,  Bernard  McCaffrey, 
Arthur  McGerald,  Thos.  Horan,  Chris.  Greay,  Wm.  Bishop, 
Thos.  Green,  Jas.  McDonnell. 

St.  Vincent's  Home,  of  the  city  of  Brooklyn,  for  the  care 
and  instruction  of  poor  and  friendless  boys,  was  incorpo- 
rated in  July,  1869,  by  the  following  gentlemen,  who  were 
also  the  first  managers:  Right  Rev.  John  Loughlin,  Very 
Rev.  John  F.  Turner,  Rev.  Francis  J.  Friel,  Richard  Ternan, 
John  Lane,  Maurice  Fitzgerald,  Thomas  Code,  Thomas 
Johnson,  Francis  Curran,  Thomas  Horan,  Matthew 
Boylan,  Charles  J.  O'Reilly,  Patrick  H.  Quinn,  Thomas 
O'Brien,  Jr.,  Bernard  Bogen.  James  K.  O'Mahony,  Charles 
MeConnell.  Thomas  Halpin,  Michael  Lowry,  James  Orinond, 
Michael  Philbin,  Michael  Kirwin,  John  M.  Farrell,  William 
Orr.  William  Blown  ami  Thomas  Farrell. 

Tlw  object  (,('  tl io  society  is  to  provide  a  home  lor  the  care, 
and  Christian,  moral  and  mental  instruction,  of  friendless 
and  destitute  boys;  to  rescue  them  from  evil  ;issociations; 
provide  a  home  and  lodging-house  for  them;  establish  an 
evening  and  Sunday  school,  and  to  provide'  teachers  for  their 
benefit  and  instruction;  and  to  lodge  and  instruct  as  mans 
lKjys  an  ]M>s-,ib|e,  in  order  that  they  may  be  protected  and 
shielded  from  the  vice- i,|  evil  associations,  qualified  to  dis- 
charge the  dutit-.  of  useful  and  respectable  citizens,  anil  en- 
able lli, hi  |<i  earn  an  holiest  and  honorable  livelihood. 

In  Mill,  the  present  house,  No.  ?  Poplar  street,  and  that  in 
its  rear.  No.  10  Vino  street,  with  the  space  between  the  two 
for  a  play-around,  were  purchased  at  a  co.st  of  $15, 000,  and 


the  buildings  altered  and  adapted  to  the  society's  purpose. 
The  institution  is  under  the  care  of  a  Board  of  Managers, 
composed  of  prominent  Roman  Catholic  clergymen  and  lay- 
men, and  the  work  of  the  institution  is  largely  done  by  the 
St.  Vincent's  Home  Ladies'  Society,  whose  Officers  (1884) 
are:  Mrs.  Hugh  McLaughlin,  Pres.;  Mrs.  E.  Brophy,  Mrs.  J. 

E.  Dallon,  Secretaries;  Miss  M.  A.  Strain,  Treas.  The  Home 
is  under  the  direct  superintendence  of  Rev.  Maurice  Hickey, 
and  nearly  3,000  boys  have,  thus  far,  enjoyed  its  lienefits. 

Rooms  for  Voluntary  Relief  Work  (No.  59  Smith  street, 
near  Schennerhorn). — This  is  a  private  charity,  organized 
and  mainly  carried  on  by  Mr.  Geo.  T.  Clark.  In  his  efforts  to 
aid  the  deserving  poor,  Mr.  Clark  investigated  their  condition 
thoroughly,  so  that  he  soon  found  himself  asked  to  distribute 
the  benefactions  of  others.  Therefore,  about  the  year  1868, 
he  established  rooms  where  contributions  of  food,  clothing 
and  furniture  might  be  received  and  whence  they  might  be 
distributed.  He  also  opened  a  shop  where  repairs  are  made 
to  cast-off  shoes  and  clothing  by  those  who  would  otherwise 
be  out  of  employment  and  earning  nothing.  The  shop  pro- 
fits pay  the  expenses  of  the  charity;  so  that  money  contribu- 
tions go  wholly  to  the  poor.  Mr.  Clark  also  maintains  an 
Employment  Bureau. 

The  Williamsburgh  Benevolent  Society  meets  every  Sat- 
urday at  the  school-house  of  the  Williamsburgh  Turn  Verein, 
61  Meserole  street,  for  the  purpose  of  helping  the  worth; 
poor.  After  investigation,  money,  groceries,  shoes,  meat, 
etc.,  are  given  to  the  deserving  poor,  averaging  about  40 
cases  per  week.  A  larjje  Christmas  celebration  in  gifts  is 
made  annually  for  700  children.  The  Society  was  organized 
in  187i  by  eight  gentlemen  of  Brooklyn,  who  had  previously 
maintained  several  orphans  by  the  proceeds  of  cigar  tips  sent 
to  Europe  to  be  manufactured  into  snuff.  The  number  of 
members  has  increased  to  132,  with  the  following  Officers  : 

F.  V.  Voigt,  Pres.;  M.  Lindhorn,  Vice-Pres.;  J.  Amthor,  Rec 
Sec.;  F.  Huene,  Cor.  Sec;  M.  Grossarth,  Treas. 

The  Emerald  Association  was  organized  in  January,  1888, 
in  the  Second  Ward  Hotel,  on  the  corner  of  York  and  Pearl 
streets.  The  first  Officers  were  :  J.  Colgan.  Pres.;  J.  How- 
ard, Secy.;  and  W.  Hughes,  Treas.  The  chief  object  of  tins 
association  is  to  aid  in  the  support  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
Orphan  Asylum;  the  total  ainouut  thus  far  raised  and  pre- 
sented by  this  society  to  that  worthy  charity  is  $40,000.  The 
present  OFFICERS  are:  J.  C.  Kelly,  Pres.;  B  .Leary  and  J.  S. 
Donovan,  Vice-Presithnts;  T.  F.  Skelley  and  W.  H.  Kiernan. 
Secretaries  ;  and  J.  Hanley,  Treas.  The  annual  ball  given  bj 
this  association  is  the  recognized  event  of  the  season  among 
socially-inclined  Roman  Catholics. 

The  German  Roman  Catholic  "Orphan  Home"  (of  Hblj 
Trinity),  Graham  avenue,  near  Montrose,  was  started,  in  1861. 
by  Rev.  M.  May.  for  the  maintenance  and  education  of  or- 
phans con uected  with  the  German  Church  of  the  Holy  Trinity. 
Father  May  was  the  first  President,  and  still  holds  the  oilier. 
The  other  Officers  were:  John  Bertger,  Vice-Pres.;  Jacob 
Tinier,  Sec  :  John  Raber,  Cashier:  John  Maerr,  Asst.  See,  The 
same  Board  continued  until  1883,  when  F.  J.  Berlcal  alh  lie 
came  \'ic-Pres.,  and  Luiis  Gfiaeren,  Asst.  Sec.  The  number 
of  members  of  the  Society  is  twenty-five.  The  orphans  were 
first  cared  for  in  a  dwelling-house  procured  for  the  purjiose  ; 
afterwards  the  present  brick  structure,  50  by  50,  was  erected, 
at  a  cost  of  $15,000.  About  50  children  are  supported  in  the 
Home,  and  150  in  all  have  been  maintained  since  the  institu- 
tion was  opened.  The  county  of  Kinp-;  now  pays  for  the 
support  of  340  orphan  wards,  who  are  distributed  in  the  dif- 
ferent houses  maintained  by  the  Sisters  of  St.  I  linic 

one  in  Amity  ville,  Suff.  Co.,  one  in  the  18th  Ward.and  one  in 
Astoria.  L.  I.—  there  living  no  room  in  the  main  Home 


THE 


ECCLESIASTICAL  ORGANIZATIONS 


OF  THE 


CITY  OP^  BROOKLYN 


THE  (DUTCH)  REFORMED  CHURCH. 


THE  FIRST  CHURCH  OF  BROOKLYN,  as  has 
been  stated  in  the  Ecclesiastical  History  of  the 
County  of  Kings  (page  337),  terminated  its  collegiate 
relations  with  the  other  congregations  of  the  Dutch 
Town,  in  the  year  1802;  and  Rev.  John  Barent  Johnson,  of 
Albany,  was  called  to  its  pastorate,  but  died  in  March,  1803, 
at  the  age  of  thirty-four.  He  was  one  of  the  most  eloquent 
and  popular  preachers  of  the  Dutch  Church  at  that  time.  Of 


FIRST  REFORMED  CHURCH  OF  BROOK LY 


courteous  manners,  an  amiable  and  generous  spirit,  he 
mingled  freely  with  all  classes  of  people,  and  was  au  admira- 
ble pastor.  "  He  left  an  excellent  name  behind  him,  and  his 
gifts  and  graces  were  gratefully  remembered  " 

March  4th,  1807,  the  consistory  determined  to  erect  a  new 
stone  edifice,  and  the  comer-stone  was  laid  about  the  15th  of 
May,  by  the  Rev.  Peter  Lowe.  The  building  was  completed 
(at  a  cost  of  $13,745.53)  and  dedicated  December  23d,  1807; 


it  stood  on  the  south  side  of  the  lane  now  known  as  Jorale- 
mon  street,  somewhat  back  from  the  site  of  the  present 
church,  and  was  a  very  substantial  and  heavy  looking 
building. 

The  next  Pastor  was  Rev.  Selah  Strong  Woodhull,  D.  D. 
During  his  charge,  the  trustees  of  this  church  secured  its 
incorporation  December  18th,  1814,  with  the  following 
officiary  :    Elders,  Fernandus  Suydarn,  Walter  Berry,  Jere- 

 miah  Johnson,  John  Lefferts.  Deacons, 

Jeremiah  Brower,  Lambert  Schenck, 
Abraham  De  Bevoise,  Abraham  Rem«en. 
Mr.  Woodhull  in  1825,  became  a  professor 
in  the  Theological  Seminary  at  New 
Brunswick,  and  also  in  Rutger's  College, 
but  died  Feb.  27,  1826. 

His  successors  were:  Revs.  Ebenczer 
Mason,  1826;  Peter  P.  Rouse,  Oct.  13, 
1828;  Maurice  W.  Dwight,  1833.  The 
congregation  had  then  so  increased  that 
the  consistory  resolved  to  erect  the 
present  building.  It  was  built  by  Lafever 
&  Gallard,  architects,  under  the  following 
building  committee:  Jeremiah  Johnson, 
Leffeit  Lefferts,  Samuel  Smith,  John  S. 
Bergen,  John  Skilhnan,  Garret  Bergen, 
Theodoras  Polhemus  and  John  Schenck. 
The  corner-stone  was  laid  on  the  22d  of 
May,  1834,  by  the  senior  elder,  Abraham 
A.  Remsen,  and  the  edifice  was  finished 
and  consecrated  on  the  7th  of  May,  1835. 
When  so  far  completed  that  the  congre- 
gation could  worship  in  it,  the  old  one 
was  taken  down.  The  pew  owners  in 
the  old  church  were  allowed  the  cost  of 
their  pews  in  sittings  in  the  new  building. 

It  is  an  elegant  and  spacious  building, 
with  an  imposing  colonnade  of  eight 
columns  on  both  front  and  rear. 

In  May,  1843,  Gen.  Jeremiah  Johnson 
resigned  the  secretaryship  of  the  church, 
which  office  he  had  held  for  the  space  of  fifty  years.  May 
1st,  1855,  Mr.  Dwight  resigned  the  pastorship  of  the  church, 
although  he  remained  in  the  congregation,  preaching  a  part 
of  the  time  for  them,  until  his  death. 

The  subsequent  Pastors  were:  Revs.  Acmon  P.  Van  Giesen, 
installed  Nov.  4,  1855;  Alphonso  A.  Willetts,  D.  D.,  June, 
1860;  Joseph  Kimball,  D.  D.,  installed  Nov.  21,  1865,  died 
December,  1874;  Henry  R.  Dickson,  October,  1875,  died 


994 


IIISTOR  Y  OF  KINGS  CO  UNTY. 


March,  1877;  David  N.  Vanderveer,  September,  1878,  to  the 
present  time. 

A  few  years  ago  this  church  established  a  mission  in 
Wyckoff  street,  near  Third  avenue.  Lots  were  purchased, 
and  a  chapel  was  erected  at  an  expense  of  about  $ 18,000. 
The  mission  and  the  school  have,  from  the  first,  been  pros- 
perous. 

It  is  noteworthy  that  this  church  has  still  in  use  a  por- 
tion of  a  communion  service,  which  was  presented  by  Maria 
Baddia,  in  1634.  The  original  Dutch  records  of  the  church, 
made  by  Dominie  Selyns  in  16G0,  are  still  preserved. 

The  Ref.  Prot.  Dutch  Church  of  Bushwick,  was  organ- 
ized in  1651;  part  of  the  communion  service  bears  the  date 
1708.  aud  there  is  also  a  receipt  for  a  church  bell,  dated  1711. 
The  first  edifice  was  of  octagonal  form,  with  a  very  steep 
roof  terminating  in  an  open  belfry,  the  whole  resembling  a 
hay-stack  (see  page  387).  The  congregation  furnished  them- 
selves with  benches  and  chairs  until  1795,  when  a  gallery  was 
erected  and  the  ground  floor  furnished  with  pews. 

The  people  of  Bushwick  constituted  a  part  of  the  col- 
legiate church,  and  were  ministered  to  by  the  Pastors  of  the 
five  Dutcli  towns,  Revs.  Freeman  and  Antonides  being  the 
first,  and  preaching  here  alternately  every  third  Sabbath. 
Rev.  Peter  Low  was  installed  in  1787  as  a  collegiate  Pastor, 
with  Rev.  Martinus  Schoonmaker  of  Flatbush*  Rev.  Dr. 
John  Bassett  succeeded  him  in  1811.  The  present  church 
edifice  was  erected  in  1829;  remodeled  in  1876.  In  1878,  a  new 
Sabbath-school  building  was  erected,  seating  1,200  scholars. 

Rev.  Stephen  H.  Meeker  was  installed  Pastor  in  1824,  aud 
served  until  1876.  He  was  the  son  of  Benj.  Meeker;  was 
born  in  Elizabethtown,  N.  J..  Oct.  17,  1799,  grad.  Columbia 
Coll.,  1821;  licensed  to  preach  in  1824.  He  was  succeeded 
by  Rev.  Henry  A.  Powell,  1876-'83,  and  Rev.  Robert  II.  Barr, 
1883-'84.  The  present  membership  of  the  church  is  464,  and 
the  Sabbath-school  numbers  1,200. 

The  Second  or  Central  Reformed  Church  (Church  on  the 
Heights),  commenced  in  1836  as  a  mission  in  the  Lyceum,  un- 
der Rev.  John  Garretson.  March  3d,  1837,  by  the  authority 
of  the  Classis  of  Long  Island,  a  church  of  eleven  members 
was  organized:  it-  first  consistory  being  Jacob  Tallman  and 
Walter  Bicker,  elders,  and  Cornelius  C.  Stryker  and  Joseph 
Hegeman,  deacons.  In  November,  1837,  Mr.  Garretson  re- 
signed. 

In  February,  1838,  a  call  was  extended  to  Mr.  Henry  P.  Tap- 
pan,  which  was  accepted;  but  his  examination  not  being  sus- 
tained in  the  unanimous  opinion  of  the  Classis,  a  schism  oc- 
curred, from  which  originated  the  Fifth  Presbyterian  church. 
In  June,  1839,  the  consistory  purchased  lots  for  $9,750,  on 
Henry  street,  near  (  lark,  on  which  they  proceeded  to  erect 
an  edifice  now  occupied  by  the  (Zion)  German  Evangelical 
Lutheran  congregation),  the  corner-stone  of  which  was  laid 
September  Kith,  The  building  was  completed  in  May 

following,  at  a  cost  of  $14,740,  and  dedicated  June  3d,  1840, 
the  sermon  being  preached  by  the  Rev.  Jacob  Brodhead, 
I >.  />.,  who,  the  same  month,  was  called  to  the  pastorate,  the 
duties  of  which  he  accepted  in  April,  1841.    He  resigned  in 

< »'  tober,  I* |ii,  at  which  time  the  congregat ion  numbered  <  

hundred  and  thirty  families  and  two  hundred  and  thirty 
communicants,  and  the  church  debt  had  been  reduced  from 
$2:1,000  to  al>out  $1»,0<M).  Ontbe  19th  of  January,  1*47.  the 
/.■•  <  I/,,  afterwards  Dr.  MnUulm  X.  McIaihh  was  called, 
but  resigned  in  July,  1819,  and  was  followed  by  the  cele- 
brated iter.  Dr.  George  W.  Bcthune. 

November  vMth.  |s.*,i),  the  corner-stone  of  a  larger  and 
more  imposing  house  of  worship  was  laid,  on  Pierrepont 
street,  near  Monroe  place.  This  edifice  was  afterward  known 
as  the  ( 'I  i  urc  1 1  on  the  1 1  eights,  ami  the  church  w:is  reorgan- 


ized under  that  name.  Dr.  Bethune's  ministry  was  a  period 
of  great  prosperity  and  activity  in  this  church,  there  l>eing 
200  families  in  attendance  and  445  members  in  communion, 
whose  contributions  during  his  pastorate  amounted  to  nearly 
$15,1,000,  in  addition  to  which  were  three  mission-school 
enterprises  (viz.,  the  Bethesda  and  Myrtle  avenue  schools, 
and  Summit  street  chapel  and  school),  besides  a  flourishing 
home  school  and  Bible  class. 

Ministry:  Revs.  John  Garretson,  1836-'37;  Jacob  Brodhead, 
1840-'46;  Geo.  W.  Bethune,  D.  D.,  1847-60:  James  EeOt, 
D.  D.,  1860-'67;  Zachanj  Eddy,  D.  D.,  1867-'72;  Jos.  7>i;//is. 
D.D.,  1872-'77;  S.  S.  Mitchell,  D.  D.  1877-80;  Rev.  Alfred 
J.  Hut  ton,  1881-84. 

The  church  was  renovated  and  refitted  in  1875. 

The  Bedford  Avenue  Reformed  Church,  formerly  the 
Fourth  Street  Reformed  Dutch  Church,  near  South  Second, 
was  the  first  of  that  denomination  erected  in  the  village  of 
Williamsburgh,  and  the  third  within  the  limits  of  the  present 
city  of  Brooklyn.  The  village  was  then  confined  mostly  to 
the  lower  parts  of  Grand  and  North  Second  streets;  its  only 
house  of  worship  was  a  Methodist  chapel  on  North  Second: 
the  old  Reformed  Church  in  Bushwick  accommodated  the  de- 
nomination for  many  years.  At  length  the  immediate  and 
prospective  necessity  for  a  new  church  was  felt,  and  meas- 
ures were  taken  to  erect  a  chapel  on  Fourth  street,  near 
South  Second,  the  corner-stone  of  which  was  laid  Septeml>er 
28,  1828,  by  John  A.  Meserole  (a  patriot  of  the  Revolution, 
and  a  most  generous  donor  to  the  enterprise),  with  appropri- 
ate exercises  by  Dr.  Brodhead,  of  New  York,  and  the  Revs. 
Jacob  Schoonmaker,  of  Jamaica,  and  S.  H.  Meeker,  Pastot 
of  the  congregation. 

The  house  was  dedicated  July  26,  1829;  sermon  by  Dr. 
Brodhead.  from  II  Cor.,  vii.  16.  Peter  Wyckoff.  Peter  Mese- 
role, Abraham  Meserole,  Abraham  Boerum  and  James  M. 
Halsey  were  chosen  trustees.  Immediately  upon  its  organi- 
zation, the  church  obtained  the  services  of  Rev.  James  Den- 
arest,  who  served  for  the  first  six  months  as  a  missionary, 
and  partly  at  the  charge  of  the  Board  of  Domestic  Missions. 
His  congregations  were  small  at  lirst,  as  the  church  edifice 
was  remote  from  the  village;  Fourth  street  being  then  but  a 
farmers"  lane,  rough,  uneven,  and  studded  here  and  than 
with  stumps  and  trees  of  the  original  forest.  Mr.  Demurest 
labored  with  great  fidelity  and  success  for  nearly  ten  years, 
resigning  in  May,  1839,  and  was  followed  in  October  bj  Bar. 
William  Howard  Van  Dorn. 

In  the  winter  of  1848-*9  the  church  was  enlarged,  repaired 
and  modernized,  largely  at  the  expense  of  Messrs.  Abraham 
Meserole,  Abraham  Boerum,  Nicholas  Wyckoff.  and  others. 
In  18-19,  Mr.  Van  Dorn  resigned,  and  Rev.  Job  Halsey  served 
as  stated  supply.  November  18,  1849,  Rev.  Elbert  S.  Porter 
w  as  called  to  the  pastorate  which  he  resigned  in  1883,  after  a 
long  and  useful  service  of  thirty-four  years. 

In  July,  1865,  the  old  church  edifice  on  Fourth  street  was 
sold  aud  a  number  of  lots  bought  on  Bedford  avenue,  corner 
of  Clymer  street,  on  which  was  erected  a  large  and  elegant 
edifice  of  brick,  with  stone  facings.  It  is  in  some  respect - 
the  mosi  complete  and  perfect  in  its  appoint ments  of  anj  in 
the  city,  and  was  dedicated  October  17,  1869. 

Dr.  ELBERT  S.  Porthu  has  been  identified  with  the  later 
growth  of  the  Eastern  District  as  much  as  any  other  one 
man.  lie  is  a  native  of  Hillsboro,  Somerset  county,  N.  J-. 
aud  was  at  school  at  Ovid,  N.  Y.;  at  a  grammar  school  in 
Kroome  street.  New  York,  and  at  Soniervillc  Academy,  N.  J.; 
grad  from  Princeton  Coll.,  in  1839,  and  from  the  New  Hi  un- 
wick  Theol.  Seiu.  three  \  ears  later.  His  first  cbatge  w  as  at 
Chatham,  Columbia  Co..  N.  V.,  where  he  gathered  a  congre- 
gation, organized  a  church,  and  a  handsome  edifice  w  as  built. 


ECCLESIASTICAL  ORGANIZATIONS. 


905 


In  the  autumn  of  1849,  Dr.  Porter  accepted  a  call  to  the 
First  Eeformed  Church  of  Williamsburgh,  and  commenced 
his  long,  active  and  useful  pastorate.  In  addition  to  his 
church  work,  he  was  editor  of  the  Christian  Intelligencer  for 
sixteen  years,  and  always  a  prolific  writer  for  the  press;  he 
wrote  voluminous  letters  from  Europe,  in  1879,  for  publica- 
tion, and  on  his  return  delivered  an  interesting  series  of  lec- 
tures. A  contemporary  said  of  him:  "Dr.  Porter  is  emi- 
nently a  prophetic  writer,  exerting  a  great  influence.  All 
his  faculties  are  under  good  discipline  and  control.  He 
knows  just  where  and  when  to  strike  to  annihilate  an  adver- 
sary." He  has  also  written  numerous  poems  and  hymns  of 
high  literary  quality. 

"Dr.  Porter's  intellect  is  both  comprehensive  and  subtle, 
logical  and  poetical;  he  is  broad  in  his  views,  and  outspoken, 
yet  cautious  and  politic;  doctrinal,  yet  rhetorical;  a  conserva- 
tive progressive,  and  a  progressive  conservative.  The  value 
of  his  words  is  seen  in  the  frequency  with  which  he  has  been 
called  upon  to  speak  upon  public,  educational,  religious  or 
charitable  topics." 
He  resigned  his  charge  in  October,  1883. 
The  Third  or  South  Reformed  Dutch  Church  (at  Gowanus), 
formerly  located  on  the  corner  of  Forty-third  street  and  Third 
avenue,  had  its  inception  at  a  meeting  held  June  27,  1838. 
The  building,  situated  about  a  mile  south  of  the  village,  was 
completed  and  dedicated  on  the  24th  of  June,  1840.  Minis- 
try:  Rev.  C.  C.  Van  Arsdale  (supply),  1840;  Rev.  Samuel  M. 
Woodbridge,  1841-51;  Rev.  J.  M.  Rowland,  1852-3;  Rev.  John 
H.  Manning,  1854-73. 

From  May,  1842,  to  January,  1850,  services  were  held  by 
the  Pastor,  Rev.  S.  M.  Woodbridge,  alternately  in  this  church 
and  in  the  North  Church  of  Gowanus,  on  Third  avenue,  be- 
tween Twentieth  and  Twenty-first  streets,  and  which  had 
been  purchased  by  the  consistory,  in  May,  1842,  from  the 
Fourth  Presbyterian  Church  of  Brooklyn.  (See  sketch  of 
North  Dutch  Reformed  Church.) 

The  South  Reformed  Dutch  Church  lost  a  large  portion  of 
its  members  and  supporters  during  the  yellow  fever  of  1856, 
and  it  seemed  at  one  time  as  if  its  very  existence  must  be 
abandoned,  but  the  few  who  were  left  rallied  to  its  support, 
and  it  became  again  prosperous.  Subsequent  Pastors  :  Rev. 
Henry  V.  S.  Meyers,  1874-'81;  Rev.  A.  D.  W.  Mason,  1881-'4. 
The  church  building  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1363,  and  a  new 
edifice  commenced  at  the  corner  of  Third  avenue  and  Thirty- 
second  street,  the  chapel  of  which  was  used  for  worship  the 
same  year.  The  church  was  completed  in  1875.  It  is  a 
brick  structure,  with  a  seating  capacitvT  of  350,  and  has  a 
chapel  and  Sunday-school  room  in  the  rear.  The  Society 
has  a  parsonage  on  Third  avenue,  between  Forty-second  and 
Forty-third  streets. 

The  Fourth  Reformed  Dutch  Church  was  organized  Nov. 
11,  1840,  at  the  Wallabout.  Rev.  Peter  S.  Williamson  was 
Pastor,  from  April  to  October,  1841.  The  congregation  being 
feeble,  and  enjoying  only  occasional  supplies,  the  enterprise 
was  abandoned  about  the  close  of  1842,  but  the  church  was 
not  regularly  dissolved  by  Classis  until  October  13, 1844,  when 
the  only  member  (and  he  an  elder)  was  dismissed  by  the 
Classis,  on  his  own  request,  and  joined  the  Wallabout  Church . 
and  the  North  Dutch  Reformed  Church  became  extinct. 

The  Middle  Reformed  Protestant  Dutch  Church,  corner 
of  Harrison  street  and  Tompkins  place,  was  org.  in  1846, 
with  sixteen  members,  in  a  room  on  the  corner  of  Smith  and 
Butler  streets.  John  V.  N.  Talmage  served  as  a  stated 
preacher  until  the  first  regular  Pastor,  Rev.  Peter  D.  Oakey, 
commenced  his  labors  in  March,  1847.  During  that  year  the 
congregation  erected  a  church  edifice  on  the  corner  of  Court 
and  Butler  streets,  a  plain  brick  structure,  costing  about 


$10,000.  Subsequent  Pastors:  Rev.  Jas.  R.  Talmage,  1850-2; 
Rev.  Nicholas  E.  Smith,  D.  D.,  1853-69.  In  1853,  lots  were 
purchased,  and  the  present  church  edifice  commenced,  the 
corner-stone  of  which  was  laid  July  30,  1855.  The  structure 
is  of  brick,  in  the  Norman  style  of  architecture,  with  two 
towers  in  front,  the  principal  one  being  180  feet  in  height. 
The  building  has  70  feet  front  on  Harrison  street,  and  ex- 
tends 96  feet  on  Tompkins  place,  the  audience-room  having 
a  clear  space  of  64  feet  in  width.  It  has  galleries,  and  its 
estimated  capacity  is  1,500  persons.  The  exterior  is  trimmed 
with  brown  stone,  the  lecture-room  adjoining  being  fronted 
with  blue  marble;  cost,  about  $32,000.  Other  pastors  :  Rev. 
Edward  P.  Ingersoll,  D.  D.,  1869-83;  Rev.  Wm.  H.  Ford, 
1883-'4.  The  church  buildings  were  renovated  and  refitted 
between  the  years  1872  and  1875,  at  an  expense  of  about 
$10,000.  The  Sunday-school  rooms  were  wholly  changed, 
and  they  are  now  as  convenient  and  pleasant  as  any  in  the 
city. 

A  mission  was  established  in  October,  1847,  in  the  vicinity 
of  Clinton  and  Washington  avenues.  A  division  soon  oc- 
curred, and  two  small  buildings  were  erected,  one  on  Wash- 
ington avenue,  near  Fulton,  and  the  other  on  Clinton  ave- 
nue.   Their  cost  was  about  $1,300. 

Rev.  Edward  P.  Ingersoll.  D.D.  (Williams  Coll.,  1877),  was 
born  in  Lee,  Mass.,  May  6,  1834  — a  descendant  of  Rev.  Jona- 
than Edwards.  In  1837,  bis  parents  removed  to  Oberlin, 
Ohio,  where  he  resided  until  he  bad  partially  passed  through 
college,  when  he  returned  to  Massachusetts  and  completed 
his  college  course  at  Williams.  After  graduating  at  the 
Law  College  at  Cleveland,  he  was  admitted  to  the  Bar,  and 
practiced  three  years.  Desirous  of  entering  the  ministry,  he 
entered  Andover  Theological  Seminary,  and,  in  Dec,  1863, 
was  ordained  and  installed  over  the  First  Congregational 
Church,  Sandusky,  Ohio.  In  1868  he  accepted  a  call  to  In- 
dianapolis. The  Middle  Reformed  Church,  of  this  city,  ex- 
tended a  call  to  him  in  Dec,  1869.  His  labors  in  this  field 
have  been  crowned  with  abundant  success.  Dr.  Ingersoll 
has  a  very  attractive  delivery,  and,  though  his  pulpit  utter- 
ances are  mainly  extempore,  they  show  pure  thought 
and  earnest  Christian  spirit.  His  genial,  whole-souled  man- 
ners make  him  a  welcome  guest  in  the  homes  of  his  people. 

Washington  Avenue  Protestant  Reformed  Dutch  Church, 
on  the  corner  of  Washington  and  Gates  avenues,  was  organ- 
ized about  1848,  and  a  building,  30  by  46  feet  in  size,  and 
costing  some  $14,000,  was  erected.  The  first  Pastor  was  Rev. 
A.  Elmendorf,  who  was  called  in  1848.  In  1850,  a  Mr.  Good- 
man was  called,  and  the  corner-stone  of  a  new  edifice  was 
laid  in  1850;  but,  in  1851.  the  church  broke  up,  and  the  eelifice 
was  sold  to  the  Baptists  for  an  amount  sufficient  to  pay  all 
debts  and  leave  a  handsome  surplus. 

The  Greenpoint  Reformed  Church  was  organized  May, 
1848,  with  eight  members,  by  a  committee  from  the  North 
Classis,  of  Long  Islanel.  Its  first  Consistory  comprised 
David  Swalm  and  William  H.  Guest,  elders,  and  Dr.  Isaac 
K.  Snell,  deacon.  It  held  its  first  services  in  a  small  room, 
over  the  grocery  store  of  Elder  Swalm.  The  first  church 
was  built  in  1850,  in  Java  street,  on  land  given  for  the  pur- 
pose by  Mrs.  Magdalena  Meserole,  the  foster-mother  of  the 
church.  The  growth  of  the  church  was  such  that  the  edifice 
erected  was  not  large  enough  to  meet  the  wants  of  the  con- 
gregation; and,  after  a  few  years,  a  new  church  edifice,  62 
by  95  feet,  was  built  on  Kent  street,  in  1869,  and  dedicated 
January  30,  1870.  The  front  is  of  Philadelphia  pressed  brick, 
trimmed  with  Ohio  and  Connecticut  stone,  and  is  of  the 
Rbeno-Romanesque  architecture,  of  the  sixteenth  century. 
The  westerly  tower  is  55  feet  high,  surmounted  by  a  mansard 
roof,  with  crestings.  The  easterly  tower  is  75  feet  high,  with 


906 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


GREENPOINT  REFORMED  CHURCH. 

belfry,  at  present  surmounted  by  an  octagonal  mansard  roof. 
The  tower  is  intended  for  a  spire  175  feet  high.  The  church 
has  a  seating  capacity  of  800  persons,  and  cost,  with  land, 
about  $60,000. 

In  1S80,  a  chapel,  45  by  100  feet,  seating  1,000  persons,  was 
erected,  on  land  adjoining  the  church,  for  Sunday-school 
and  prayer-meeting  purposes.  It  has  lecture-room,  church 
parlor,  and  six  class-rooms,  with  a  gallery  divided  to  accom- 
modate eight  bible-classes,  and  an  infant-school  department, 
capable  of  seating  200  children  ;  also  kitchen,  &c.  It  cost, 
with  furniture,  not  including  the  ground  on  which  it  stands, 
$17,000. 

The  church  has  had  six  Pastors  :  Rev.  John  W.  Ward,  1H49 
-'54;  Rev.  Goyn  Talmage,  D.  D.,  1855-62;  Rev.  George  H. 
Peeke,  1863-'65;  Rev.  A.  P.  Van  Giesen.  D.  D.,  1866-'67;  and 
Rev.  Alexander  McKelvey,  1867-'72;  Rev.  Lewis  Francis, 
1873-'84. 

The  membership  of  the  church  is  882;  communicants,  436; 
scholars  on  the  roll  of  the  church  and  mission  schools,  1,022. 
The  entire  cost  of  the  churches  and  chapel  has  been  paid, 
save  a  bonded  debt  of  $5,000  on  the  chapel. 

Reformed  Dutch  Church  (of  North  (Jowanus). — The  prop- 
erty of  this  church  was  first  purchased  from  the  Fourth 
Presbyterian  Church  of  Brooklyn,  by  the  consistory  of  the 
South  Reformed  Dutch  Church,  in  May,  1842.  The  congre- 
gations of  the  South  and  North  Reformed  Churches  were 
under  the  charge  of  the  same  Pastor  till  January.  1850,  when 
the  union  was  dissolved  by  the  <  'lassis.  and  the  North  ( 'hurch 
Congregation  was  organized,  and  purchased  the  property 
from  the  South  Church. 

In  May,  1*51,  the  Rev.  N.  P.  Pierce,  D.  D.,  was  installed 
as  Pastor. 

Early  in  18P(!»,  the  property  owned  by  the  church  on  Third 
avenue,  near  Twenty -first  street,  was  sold,  and  a  new  church 
edifice  erected  on  Twelfth  street,  between  fourth  and  Fifth 
avenues.  It  is  a  brick  building,  55  by  H5  feet  in  size,  and  its 
cost  was  about  "ftl'i.UOO. 

\t  that  time  the  corporate  title  was  changed  to  "The 
Twelfth  Street  Reformed  Church  of  Brooklyn."  Mr.  Fierce 
tied  cm  a.  count  of  ill  health,  ill  1*74,  and  the  present 
Pastor,  Rev.  Uriah  D.  Gulick,  was  installed  Sept.  30,  1875. 


The  North  Reformed  Church  (Clermont  avenue),  organ- 
ized May  15,  1851,  owes  its  origin  to  the  efforts  of  its  first 
pastor.  Rev.  Anthony  Elmendorf,  D.  D.,  who  was  installed 
July  11th,  1852.  Four  lots  of  ground  were  presented  to  the 
church  by  the  heirs  of  Jeremiah  V.  Spader,  and  a  church 
edifice  was  erected  in  1855,  at  a  cost  of  $20,000.  Pastors. 
Revs.  A.  Elmendorf,  D.  D.,  1852-'65;  W.  Tillotson  Euyard, 
1865-73;  Alex.  R.  Thompson,  D.  D.,  1873-84. 

The  church  has  been  prosperous.  It  has  a  large  member- 
ship and  a  nourishing  Sunday  school. 

Reformed  Protestant  Dutch  Church  of  South  Bushwick. 
— Nov.  6th,  1851,  a  petition  was  presented  to  the  North  Classis 
of  L.  L,  from  the  inhabitants  of  Bowronville  and  vicinity, 
praying  for  the  organization  of  a  Dutch  church  in  that  lo- 
cality. 

Messrs.  Andrew  J.  Johnson  and  William  Ten  Eyck,  received 
on  their  certificates  of  dismission  from  the  Reformed  Church 
of  Bushwick,  were  constituted  a  consistory  for  the  new- 
organization. 

Soon  after,  nine  persons  were  received,  mostly  from  the  Re- 
formed Church  of  Bushwick,  and  the  Rev.  J.  S.  Himrod 
was  appointed  missionary  to  take  charge  of  the  new  enterprise. 

The  organizing  membership  all  came  from  the  old  Bush- 
wick Church;  but  the  organization  came  about  through  the 
efforts,  principally,  of  the  Rev.  E.  S.  Porter,  D.  D. 

Steps  were  at  once  taken  to  obtain  a  suitable  house  of  wor- 
ship. Land  for  this  purpose  was  given,  at  the  intersection 
of  their  farms  on  the  old  Bushwick  Road,  by  the  brothers, 
Andrew  and  Abram  Stockholm,  Nov.  19,  1851.  This,  when 
the  town  of  Bushwick  was  consolidated  with  Brooklyn, 
came  at  the  corner  of  Bushwick  avenue  and  Himrod  street. 
Money  for  the  purpose  of  building  was  raised  among  the 
residents  in  the  vicinity,  and  a  sum  presented  by  the  Col- 
legiate Dutch  Church  of  New  York.  The  corner-stone  of 
the  church  was  laid  by  James  De  Bevoise,  Sept.  6,  1852,  and 
the  building  consecrated  February,  1853.  This  building  then 
erected  is  the  one  in  use  now.  It  is  a  frame  structure,  45  by 
65  feet. 

The  Rev.  J.  S.  Himrod,  who,  up  to  this  time,  had  been 
acting  as  the  missionary  of  Classis,  was,  iu  February,  1854, 
installed  as  the  Pastor  of  the  church.  He  remained  in  that 
capacity  until  October,  1859.  The  other  Pastors  have  been 
as  follows:  Rev.  Denis  Wortman,  D.  D.,  June  16,  1860.  to 
Oct.  19,  1863;  Rev.  Chester  Hartranft,  D.  D.,  July  10,  1««4. 
to  Oct.  2,  1866;  Rev.  Hy.  V.  Voorhees,  Aug.  11,  1867,  to 
April  21,  1S0!I;  Rev.  Geo.  D.  Hulst,  July  4,  1869,  who  is  still 
Pastor. 

During  the  early  part  of  the  year  1881,  a  very  beautiful 
and  commodious  Sunday-school  building,  40  by  80  feet,  was 
erected.    It  was  dedicated  on  the  17th  of  July,  1881. 

The  Sunday-school  was  organized  soon  after  the  church 
(Mr.  James  De  Bevoise,  superintendent),  and.  till  the  church 
building  was  completed,  met  in  a  private  house  in  Ralph 
street,  near  Bushwick  avenue.  Since  then  the  following 
have  been  superintendents:  Silas  Tuttle,  Daniel  Eldredge, 
Richard  Hamilton,  James  II.  Hart,  Peter  Kinscy  and  Ceo. 
F.  Booth. 

Rev.  Gkoroe  D.  Hi  i.st.  born  in  Brooklyn,  1846;  grad.  Rut- 
gers Coll.  1866;  Rutgers  Theo.  Sem.  1869;  located  IVklyn 
1869-  84;  Pres.  L.  I.  and  B'klyn  Entomological  Societies, 
1S70  '*;!;  contrib.  to  ontoino.  journals;  author  of  Moiuxjrapli 
on  (irnus  Cdtocola,  1*83. 

The  German  Reformed  Protestant  Dutch  Church  of  New 
Brooklyn,  Herkimer,  near  Howard  avenue,  was  organized 
October,  1852.  by  twenty-eight  persons.  They  were  supplied 
by  Ernest  Nchrepfcr  till  January  1st,  1853.  Pastors:  Revs. 
Mr.  Pfleter,  1853-'55;  C.  Dickhaut,  1855-'67;  H.  C.  Heyser, 


ECCLESIASTICAL  ORGANIZATIONS. 


997 


1867-69;  C.  F.  C.  Snekow,  1870-'79;  Jacob  Weber,  1879-'84. 
November  22d,  1854,  a  church  edifice  (costing  about  $5,500), 
of  Gothic  style,  was  dedicated,  and,  in  1868,  a  parsonage 
was  erected  and  repairs  made  upon  the  church. 

A  parochial  school,  in  connection  with  the  church,  has 
been  maintained  since  the  latter's  organization.  Instruction 
is  given  in  both  English  and  German. 

This  church  has  a  flourishing  Sunday-school,  and  the  ser- 
vices in  both  church  and  Sunday-school  are  conducted  in 
the  German  language.  This  church  is  not  only  free  fiom 
debt,  but  it  has  a  bank  account  to  its  credit. 

East  Reformed  Dutch  Church  (situated  on  Bedford  avenue, 
near  Jefferson  street)  was  organized  Feb.  15,  1853;  Rev. 
John  W.  Schenck  was  installed  as  pastor;  the  church  edifice 
was  raised  in  March,  1854,  and  dedicated  July  16.  Ministry: 
Revs.  Jacob  West,  1856-'68;  S.  F.  Farmer,  18C8-'72;  J.  H. 
Carroll,  1872-'76;  P.  E.  Kipp,  1877-'79. 

In  1879,  it  was  reorganized  under  the  name  of  Bedford 
Reformed  (Dutch)  Church.  Rev.  Walter  T.  Griffin  became 
pastor  in  1881. 

A  new  church  edifice  was  erected  in  1875,  on  the  corner  of 
Bedford  avenue  and  Madison  street,  two  blocks  north  from 
the  original  building.    Its  cost  was  $140,000. 

The  Lee  Avenue  Reformed  Dutch  Church.— The  first  ser- 
vices in  connection  with  the  enterprise,  which  afterwards 
became  known  as  the  Lee  Avenue  Reformed  Dutch  Church, 
were  held  in  1852,  in  a  small  frame  cottage  belonging  to 
Barnet  Johnson,  situated  on  the  corner  of  Bedford  ave.  and 
Hewes  st. 


COTTAGE   WHICH   WAS    THE    BIRTHPLACE    OF    THE  LEE 
AVENUE  REFORMED  CHURCH. 

Near  the  close  of  his  life,  General  Jeremiah  Johnson  had 
expressed  a  desire  that  a  church,  of  the  denomination  to 
which  he  had  always  been  attached,  should  be  built  on 
his  homestead  farm.  His  sons,  in  connection  with  several 
families  in  the  neighborhood,  sought  the  co-operation  of  the 
Board  of  Domestic  Missions  of  the  Reformed  Dutch  Church, 
in  organizing  the  new  enterprise. 

In  May.  1853,  it  was  determined  to  erect  a  chapel,  and  the 
building  now  standing  on  Lee  ave.  was  commenced  on  land 
generously  donated  by  Barnet  Johnson  and  the  heirs  of  the 
late  James  Scholes.  The  corner-stone  was  laid  with  appro- 
priate services,  August  3,  1853,  by  the  Hon.  Benjamin  D. 
Silliman;  and,  on  April  9, 1854,  the  beautiful  chapel  was  ded- 
icated by  the  Rev.  George  W.  Bethune,  D.  D. 

On  May  2,  1854,  the  church  was  organized  with  thirteen 
members  by  the  North  Classis  of  Long  Island,  and  the  Rev. 
W.  W.  Halloway  was  its  Pastor  until  1859.  His  ministry 
was  very  successful,  and  during  his  pastorate,  the  chapel 


LEE  AVENUE  REFORMED  (DUTCH)  CHURCH. 


was  enlarged  to  double  its  original  size.  Rev.  John  McClel- 
lan  Holmes  was  installed  Pastor  November  6,  1859.  New 
life  and  vigor  was  immediately  infused  throughout  the  en- 
tire enterprise,  the  building  was  crowded  to  excess,  and  the 
erection  of  a  large  and  commodious  church  became  a 
necessity. 

Barnet  Johnson  and  the  heirs  of  the  late  James  Scholes 
having  made  another  large  gift  of  land  for  the  site,  the  work 
was  commenced  on  the  first  of  March,  1860,  and  the  corner- 
stone was  laid  on  the  11th  day  of  the  following  June,  by  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Van  Franken,  of  New  Brunswick,  N.  J.  The 
church  auditorium  was  dedicated  Dec.  10,  1860,  the  Rev. 
George  W.  Bethune,  D.  D.,  preaching  a  memorable  dis- 
course. Rev.  Mr.  Holmes  was  compelled,  by  impaired 
health,  to  relinquish  his  charge  in  1864. 

The  subsequent  Pastors  were:  Rev.  A.  A.  Willits,  D.  D., 
1865-'67;  Rev.  W.  W.  Hicks,  1867-'69;  Rev.  J.  H.  Carroll, 
D.  D.,  1869-71;  at  the  close  of  his  pastorate,  the  church 
reached  a  very  low  ebb;  it  was  torn  by  dissensions  and  re- 
duced by  withdrawals;  and  the  hopes  and  plans  of  the  gen- 
erous donors  of  the  land  on  which  the  buildings  stood  were 
entirely  defeated  by  the  church  changing  its  denominational 
relation  and  becoming  the  Lee  Avenue  Congregational 
Church. 

The  Lee  Avenue  Sunday-school,  which  afterwards  became 
famous  throughout  the  land  and  the  world,  was  organized 
in  1853,  with  John  N.  Stearns  as  its  Supt.  for  18  months;  suc- 
ceeded by  Jeremiah  Johnson,  Jr.,  soon  after  the  new  church 
was  occupied.  The  prospects  were  not  encouraging;  the 
neighborhood  was  sparsely  populated;  there  were  no  dwell- 
ings in  the  vicinity;  the  land  was  cultivated  by  market 
gardeners;  open  fields  everywhere  met  the  eye.  The  average 
attendance  in  January,  1855,  was  50;  in  January,  1856,  700 
scholars  and  70  teachers  were  enrolled  on  the  Sabbath-school 
registers.  In  January,  1857,  the'school  had  1,000  scholars 
and  90  teachers;  on  the  7th  of  October,  1860,  when  the  new 
Sabbath-school  was  opened,  2,000  children  and  180  teachers. 

In  May,  1866,  Jeremiah  Johnson,  Jr.,  who  had  been  the 
superintendent  of  the  school  almost  from  its  inception,  in 
consequence  of  removal  to  Rahway,  New  Jersey,  resigned 
his  position;  and  was  succeeded  by  Franklin  H.  Lummus, 
who  successfully  performed  its  duties,  and  was  continued  as 
superintendent  until  nearly  the  time  when  the  church 
changed  its  denominational  relationship. 

Bethany  Chapel,  on  Hudson  avenue,  near  Myrtle,  first 
established  as  Myrtle  Avenue  Mission,  in  Myrtle  Hall,  in 
1853,  was  soon  removed  to  a  larger  room,  on  the  corner  of 
Myrtle  avenue  and  Navy  street.    It  was  maintained  by  the 


098 


IIISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Church  on  the  Heights  till  1868,  when  it  was  united  with 
Bethesda  Mission,  and  the  name,  Bethany,  was  given  to 
the  united  missions.  The  present  chapel  was  dedicated,  May 
29,  1870.  It  is  a  hrick  structure,  50  by  80  feet  in  size,  with  a 
seating  capacity  of  400.    Its  total  cost  was  $26,000. 

The  pastors  of  this  Mission  have  been  :  Rev.  Alfred  Myers; 
and  Rev.  Jacob  Whitehurst,  who  was  born  at  Macclesfield, 
Eng.;  grad.  Brooklyn  High  School,  1876;  studied  Bklyn. 
Lay  College,  1871-'75;  Missionary  with  Ch.  of  Our  Saviour, 
1872-'75;  located  at  Brooklyn,  July,  1876. 

The  chief  interest  of  this  Mission  has  centred  in  its  Sunday- 
school,  which  now  numbers  350.  At  one  time  it  published  a 
periodical  called  The  Bethany  Tidings. 

The  German  Evangelical  St.  Peter's  Church  (Reformed), 
Union  ave.  and  Scholes  st.  This  church  was  commenced  by 
the  Rev.  C.  A.  J.  Pohle,  of  Bautzen,  Saxony,  in  October, 
1853,  in  the  lecture-room  of  the  Old  Bushwick  Reformed 
Dutch  Church.  On  Christmas  of  the  same  year,  he  cele- 
brated the  Lord's  Supper  with  21  communicants. 

During  the  winter,  they  bought  the  old  church,  a  small 
frame  building,  together  with  two  lots  on  the  corner  of  Union 
ave.  and  Scholes  St.,  from  the  So.  3d.  St.  Methodist  Ep.  Con- 
gregation, for  |2,300.  The  date  of  the  dedication  of  this 
church  is  not  given;  but,  on  Easter  Sunday,  1854,  they  cele- 
brated the  Lord's  Supper  in  this  building,  with  54  persons, 
among  these  being  six  children,  who  bad  been  confirmed  the 
Sabbath  previous.  Mr.  Pohle  died,  Nov.  22,  1859,  and  the 
Rev.  J.  A.  Ph.  Zapf  succeeded  him,  and  was  pastor  of  this 
church  till  March,  1863.  Rev.  Henry  Hennick  was  called  to 
the  pastorate,  in  June,  1863,  and  left  in  March,  1865.  The 
congregation  divided  on  the  calling  of  a  minister,  and  when 
the  majority  called  the  Rev.  J.  A.  Reidenbaeh,  in  April,  the 
minority  left  the  church. 

The  church  was  now  in  a  deplorable  condition,  weak  and 
distracted;  a  mortgage  of  $2,400,  a  floating  debt  of  $1,500, 
the  members  poor,  and  the  pastor  inexperienced  and  helpless. 
Seeing  that  it  must  unite  with  some  ecclesiastical  body 
which  could  assist  it,  or  succumb,  the  congregation  resolved, 
unanimously,  to  join  the  Ref.  Dutch  Church.  The  North 
Classis  of  L.  I.  was  convened  on  the  22d  of  January,  1866; 
received  it  formally  as  a  member  of  its  body  ;  and  at 
once  assisted  it  in  its  pecuniary  trouble.  Mr.  Reidenbaeh, 
the  Pastor,  was  not  received,  but  the  Classis  permitted  him 
to  continue  his  labors,  and  assisted  him,  through  the  Board 
of  Domestic  Missions. 

By  the  advice  of  Classis,  the  present  Pastor,  Rev.  John 
Martin  Wagner,  of  Flonheim,  in  the  Palatinate,  a  graduate 
of  Rutgers  College,  and  the  Seminary  of  New  Brunswick, 
N.  J.,  was  installed  by  the  North  Classis  of  L.  I.,  on  Decem- 
ber 30,  1860,  and  is  thus  the  first  regularly  installed  pastor  of 
this  church.  A  fund  was  started  for  a  new  church,  and,  in 
1880,  the  present  commodious  church  building  was  erected. 
This  structure,  a  mixture  of  ancient  and  modern  architec- 
ture, has  a  front  of  52  feet  on  Union  ave.,  and  100  feet 
length  on  Scholes  st.,  of  Pliila.  brick  and  Ohio  stone,  with  a 
tower  on  the  corner,  150  feet  high,  with  two  bells. 

The  audience-room  has  a  raised  floor  and  circular  seats  ; 
the  organ  loft,  with  the  choir,  is  above  and  behind  the  pulpit: 
witli  a  gallery  in  front  of  the  church,  seating  about  900 
jiersons. 


The  cost  of  the  building  was  near  $25,000.  The  church 
was  dedicated  on  the  2d  of  January,  1881.  The  basement  is 
high  and  pleasant,  with  a  large  hall  for  Sunday-school,  &c, 
a  room  for  the  parochial  school,  and  large  parlor  for  meet- 
ings and  social  gatherings. 

The  church  has  460  members,  the  two  Sabbath-schools  have 
about  700  children  on  their  rolls,  and  the  parochial  school 
averages  100  scholars. 

Centennial  Chapel  First  R.  D.  Church  — Feby.  21,  1MB, 
a  Mission  S.  S.  was  org.  on  the  cor.  of  Fulton  and  Adams 
sts.,  and  contiuued  for  two  years;  out  of  it  grew  the  present 
Centennial  Chapel.  The  originators  were  the  late  Dr.  T.  L. 
Mason  and  Sam*l  Stewart ;  also,  A.  J.  Beekman,  Henry  M. 
Curtis,  J.  R.  Lott,  A.  R.  Gray,  L.  V.  D.  Hardenbergh,  and  a 
number  of  others.  The  corner-stone  of  the  present  chapol 
was  laid,  Nov.  10,  1871,  and  the  first  service  was  held  in  De- 
cember of  the  same  year.  The  Rev.  J.  G.  Bass  held  evening 
service  there  during  that  year.  Ministry:  Revs.  A.  N.  Wyck- 
off,  1873-'6;  D.  N.  Westveer,  1877:  J.  H.  Colton,  D.D., 
1878-'84.  At  the  present  time,  the  church  has  a  meml>crship 
of  about  200;  the  S.  S.  numbers  600,  including  orficere  and 
teachers;  the  whole  a  growing  work  and  in  a  prosperous 
condition.  The  Sups,  of  the  S.  S.  have  been  Messrs.  Geo.  E. 
Brinkerhoff,  Abram  J.  Beekman,  Henry  W.  Brewer,  deceased, 
and  C.  C.  Shelley.  The  building  is  of  brick  and  stone,  and 
was  built  at  a  cost  of  $19,000,  including  lots. 


The  following  clergymen  of  the  Reformed  Church  are  resi- 
dents of  the  city  or  county  : 

Rev.  Jacob  West,  D.D.,  born  1818,  at  Berne,  N.  Y.j  grad. 
|  Rutgers  Coll.,  1842:  Rutgers  Theol.  Sem.,  1845;  Cor.  Bee. 
Board  Dom.  Missions,  since  1868;  previous  locations,  Middle- 
burgh,  N.Y.,  1845-52;  Piermont,  N.  Y.,  1852-6;  frequent  con- 
tributor to  press:  settled  in  B'klyn.,  April,  1856. 

Rev.  Alfred  De  W.  Mason,  born  in  Brooklyn,  1855:  grad. 
Amherst  Coll.,  1877;  and  Theol.  Sem.,  New  Brunswick,  N.  J., 
1880;  located  Locust  Valley,  L.  I.,  1880-'82;  Brooklyn,  1882-'4. 

Rev.  John  M.  Wagner,  born  in  Flonheim,  Germany,  1820; 
grad.  Rutgers  Coll.,  1853,  and  New  Brunswick  Theol.  Sem., 
1856;  located  Silver  Creek,  111.,  1856-'61;  WestLeyden,  N.  Y, 
1862-'63;  Melrose,  N.  Y.,  1863-'6;  B'klyn.,  1866-'84.  Pros. 
Germ.  Evang.  Home  for  Aged,  1879-84. 

Rev.  John  A.  Lansing,  born  in  Watervliet,  N.  Y.;  grad. 
Union  Coll.,  1842,  and  New  Brunswick  Theo.  Sem.,  1845;  was 
Pres.  Phi  Beta  Kappa  Soc,  and  Vice-Pres.  Union  Coll. 
Alumni  Ass'n;  located  at  Saratoga,  1845-'48;  Bethlehem,  N. 
Y.,  1848-'60;  Catskill,  l860-'66;  Sec.  Board  of  Publication. 
1866-'75;  Chaplain  Amer.  Union  Chapel,  Rome,  WW 
author  of  Ministerial  Support,  1854. 

Rev.  R.  G.  Strong  is  Pastor  of  the  Reformed  Church  in 
Flatbush,  and  was  born  in  Flat  bush,  1837;  grad.  Univ.  City 
of  New  York,  1855,  and  New  Brunswick,  N.  J.,  Theol.  Sem., 
1858;  ord.  1860;  located  at  Flatbush,  1858-'61;New  Baltimore, 
N.  Y.,  1861-9;  select  school,  Flatbush,  1870-'9;  Prin.  Kr:i- 
mus  Hall  Academy,  1879-'84. 

Rev.  A.  P.  STOCKWEi.Lis  Pastor  of  the  Reformed  Churoil  in 
Gravesend,  and  was  born  in  lladley,  Mass.,  1S37;  grad.  Am 
herst,  1862,  and  Union  Theol.  Sem.,  1865;  located  Pleasant 
I  Plains,   N.  Y.,   1865-69;  Millbrook,   1869-72;  Gravesend, 
!  1872-84, 


ECCLESIASTICAL  ORGANIZATIONS. 


999 


PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL  CHURCHES. 


Episcopal  Churches.  —  During  one 
hundred  and  twenty-five  years,  the  Re- 
formed Dutch  Church  maintained  un- 
disputed sway  in  the  town  of  Brooklyn. 
When  the  Episcopal  Church  first  made 
a  beginning  here  is  not  certain.  Tradi- 
tion asserts  that  it  was  established  here 
as  early  as  1766;  but  the  statement  is  not 
substantiated  by  any  reliable  data. 
Probably  Episcopal  services  were  occa- 
sionally conducted  here  according  to 
circumstances  or  convenience,  but  no 
records  of  these  remain.  As  early  as 
1774,  a  proposition  was  made  to  erect 
a  church  by  lottery,  "conformable  to 
the  doctrines  of  the  church  of  England." 
The  project  probably  failed.  It  is 
known  that,  from  about  1778  to  the 
close  of  the  Revolution,  the  Rev.  James 
Sayer  was  stationed  here;  and,  that,  in 
the  spring  of  1784,  Rev.  George  Wright 
held  regular  services  in  the  house  of 
Garret  Rapelje  on  Fulton  street,  a  short 
distance  above  Front;  and  that,  in  the 
same  year,  the  congregation  removed  to 
the  barn  of  John  Middagh,  at  the  corner 
of  Henry,  Fulton  and  Poplar  streets  (see 
engraving  on  p.  Ill),  and  subsequently 

to  an  old  British  barrack  at  the  corner  of  Middagh  and  Fulton 
streets.  Not  long  afterward,  a  house  that  had  been  erected 
for  Mr.  Mattuck,  an  independent  preacher,  came  into  the 
hands  of  some  of  Mr.  Wright's  parishioners,  and  was  conse- 
crated by  Bishop  Provost,  April  23d,  1787.  The  parish  was,  by 
act  of  the  legislature,  incorporated  as  ' '  The  Episcopal  church 
of  Brooklyn,"  with  the  following  trustees  :  John  Cornell, 
Matthew  Gleaves,  Joshua  Sands,  Joseph  Sealey,  John  Van 
Notsrand,  Aquila  Giles  and  Henry  Stanton.  Mr.  Wright  was 
succeeded,  in  1789,  by  Rev.  Elijah  D.  Rattoone,  and  he  by 
Rev.  Ambrose  Hull.  Next  came  Rev.  Samuel  Nesbitt  in 
1793. 

On  the  22d  of  June,  1795,  the  church  was  reorganized  and 
incorporated  by  the  name  of  St.  Ann's  Church,  a  title  which 
it  is  said  to  have  "tacitly  received  some  years  before,"  in 
compliment  to  Mrs.  Ann  Sands,  who,  with  her  husband  (Mr. 
Joshua  Sands),  had  been  its  most  liberal  donor. 

In  1798,  the  Rev.  John  Ireland  succeeded  to  the  rectorship, 
and  during  his  charge,  the  stone  church  was  built  on  the 
ground  given  by  Mr.  and  Mr.  Sands,  at  the  corner  of  Sands 
and  Washington  streets.  It  was  consecrated  by  Bishop  Ben- 
jamin Moore,  on  the  30th  of  May,  1805. 

Subsequent  Rectors:  Revs.  Henry  James  Feltus,  1807-  14, 
John  Prentiss  Kenley  Henshaw,  1814-17 ;  Hugh  Smith, 
1817-18. 

Rev.  Henry  Ustick  Onderdonk  became  Rector  in  November, 
1819,  and  continued  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties,  until  his 
election  and  consecration  as  Assistant  Bishop  of  Pennsylvania, 
in  October,  1827.  The  church  edifice  being  considered  unsafe 
for  further  use,  in  consequence  of  the  damages  done  to  its 
walls  by  the  powder-mill  explosion  of  1808,  measures  were 
taken  for  the  erection  of  a  new  building.  March  31st,  1824,  the 
corner-stone  of  a  new  church  was  laid,  and  the  church  was 
consecrated,  July  30,  1825. 


THE  SECOND  ST.  ANN'S  CHURCH  EDIFICE. 

In  1826,  a  new  parsonage  was  built,  where  Clark  street 
now  enters  Fulton  street,  and  nearly  opposite  to  the  old  Epis- 
copal burying  ground. 

Other  Rectors  were:  Rev.  Charles  Pettit  Mcllvaine,  from 
1828  to  1832,  when  he  was  elected  Bishop  of  Ohio;  Rev.  Ben- 
jamin Clark  Cutler,  1853  till  his  death  in  1863. 

Among  the  first  acts  under  his  rectorship,  was  the  estab- 
lishment of  a  Second  Sabbath-School,  from  the  overflow  of  the 
original  one.  In  August,  1833,  with  a  small  number  of  chil- 
dren, it  was  held  for  a  time  in  the  gallery  of  the  church;  then 
in  several  other  places,  until  it  was  finally  established,  in 
1 837,  in  a  second  story  which  was  added  for  the  purpose,  to 
the  building  occupied  by  School  No.  1.  In  1839,  was  built  the 
third  rectory,  a  substantial  brick  house,  located  in  the  church 
yard,  fronting  Sands  street,  and  first  occupied  in  the  spring 
of  1840.  In  September,  1841,  &  parish  library  was  opened  to 
the  free  use  of  the  congregation.  In  the  year  1833,  the  mem- 
bers of  St.  Ann's  inaugurated  an  orphan  asylum,  which  has 
since  efficiently  but  noiselessly  performed  its  appropriate 
work;  and  also  an  education  society,  which  had  many  years 
of  usefulness. 

Mr.  Charles  Bancroft  became  Assistant  Pastor  in  May,  1844. 
Rev.  Lawrence  H.  Mills  became  Rector,  in  March,  1864,  a  year 
after  the  death  of  Mr.  Cutler.  Steps  were  soon  afterward 
taken  toward  the  erection  of  a  new  church  and  chapel,  on 
the  corner  of  Clinton  and  Livingston  streets.  The  chapel 
was  opened  April  7th,  1867.  On  the  30th  of  May,  1867,  the 
present  Rector,  Noah  Hunt  Schenck,  D.  D.,  was  inducted  into 
the  rectorship,  and  on  the  5th  of  June,  in  the  same  year,  the 
corner-stone  of  the  present  church  edifice  was  laid.  The 
house  was  opened  for  worship,  October  20th,  1869.  A  chime 
of  nine  bells,  each  with  an  appropriate  inscription,  was  pre- 
sented as  an  Easter  offering,  in  1869,  by  the  Senior  Warden, 
Thomas  Messenger,  Esq. 


1000 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


PRESENT  [ST.  ANN'S  CHUltCH  EDIFICE. 

The  church  was  consecrated,  free  from  debt,  on  Ascension 
Day.  is7'.i.  Sittings  were  made  perpetually  free  by  the  con- 
dition which  Mr.  R.  Fulton  Cutting  imposed,  when,  in  1878, 
he  donated  $70,000  to  complete  the  extinction  of  the  church 
debt. 

The  total  cost  of  the  church  was  :S375,000.  Additional  ex- 
penditures, interest,  etc.,  have  swelled  the  amount  to  half  a 
million.    The  seating  capacity  of  the  church  is  1,700. 

On  Ascension  Day,  1881,  a  memorial  window  was  placed 
in  the  chancel,  by  the  ladies  of  the  congregation,  to  the 
memory  of  Mrs.  Cutting. 

A  mission,  called  St.  Ann's  House,  has  been  established  in 
Prospect  st.,  near  the  site  of  the  old  St.  Ann's  Church.  It  is 
conducted  by  the  Brotherhood  of  St.  Ann's;  connected  with 
this  is  a  day  nursery,  conduc  ted  by  the  parish  guild.  Its 
work  is  the  care  of  infants  while  their  mothers  are  at  labor 
for  their  support. 

St.  Ann's  has  (July,  1883)  676  communicants,  and  365  Sun- 
day-school scholars. 

Rev.  Noah  Hunt  Schenck,  D.D.,  born  in  Pennington,  N.  J., 
1825;  grad.  Princeton  Coll.,  1844.  Admitted  to  the  bar,  1847; 
practiced  Trenton,  1848,  and  Cincinnati,  1849-'51 ;  grad.  Gam- 
bier  (O.)  Theol.  Sem.,  1853;  ord.,  1853;  located  Troy  and 
Hillsborough,  O.,  1853-'55;  Gambier,  O.,  1855-'57:  Chicago, 
1857-  60;  Baltimore,  1860-'67;  St.  Ann's,  Bklyn,  1867-  84;  was 
Chaplain,  Kenyon  Coll.,  1855-67;  of  St.  Nicholas  Soc,  1871 
-'Hi;  author  of  pub.  sermons,  addresses,  and  lectures. 

St.  John's  Church,  corner  of  Washington  and  Johnston 
streets,  was  erected  in  1826.  This  parish  owes  its  origin 
and  maintenance,  during  many  of  its  earlier  years,  to  the 
foresight  and  liberality  of  its  lirst  Rector,  the  Rev.  Evan  M. 
.Johnson.  The  edifice,  built  h\  bun  at  bis  own  expense,  on  bis 
own  land,  and  for  several  years  generously  furnished  to  the 
congregation  free  of  cost,  was  lirst  opened  for  divine  service 
September  24th,  IMJ'l;  and  for  a  few  months  he  was  assisted 
in  the  services  by  the  Rev.  John  A.  Hicks.      On  Easter  day, 


1827,  there  were  nineteen  communicants.  On  the  16th  of 
July  following,  the  church  was  consecrated  by  Bishop  Hobart. 
The  attendance  continuing  to  increase,  it  was  considerably 
enlarged  and  improved  in  1832,  and  purchased  by  the  con- 
I  gregation.  In  1835,  Rev.  Jacob  "W.  Diller  became  Assistant 
Minister;  and,  in  1841,  the  Rev.  Stephen  Patterson  officiated  in 
the  same  relation,  followed  by  the  Rev.  Caleb  S.  Henry,  D.D., 
in  1842.  A  few  years  later,  quite  extensive  repairs  and  im- 
provements were  made  in  the  church.  In  July,  1847,  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Johnson  withdrew,  after  more  than  twenty  years  of 
faithful  service  w  ithout  remuneration.  His  successors  were 
Rev.  Samuel  R.  Johnson,  D.  D..  1847-  50;  Rev.  N.  A.  Oke- 
son,  D.D.,  1851-52;  Rev.  Thomas  T.  Guion,  D.  D.,  1853-62. 

The  renovation  and  re-fitting  of  the  church  edifice  wa> 
completed  in  1862.  Other  Rectors  :  Rev.  George  F.  Seymour 
D.D.,  1863-'67,  aided  by  Rev.  Henry  A.  Spaffard,  Aaaht 
ant  Minister  of  the  parish,  and  Rev.  Alexander  Burgee, 
D.D.,  1867-'69. 

In  1868,  the  old  building,  on  the  corner  of  Washington  and 
Johnson  sts.,  was  sold  and  the  corner-stone  of  a  new  chapel 
was  laid  at  the  corner  of  Seventh  ave.  and  St.  John's  place, 
on  the  15th  of  June,  1869.  This  chapel  is  of  red  sandstone, 
and  has  about  four  hundred  sittings.  A  rectory  of  the  same 
material  adjoins  it.    The  cost  of  both  was  about  $40,000. 

Rev.  R.  E.  Terry  was  Rector,  1869-'74,  when  the  present 
Rector,  Rev.  Thomas  S.  Pycott,  was  called.     The  parish  is 
quite  prosperous.    St.  John's  has  (July,  1883)  350  coninmni- 
|  cants  and  193  Sunday-school  scholars. 

St.  Paul's  Free  Church  was  the  offspring  of  St.  Ami's. 
Rev.  Thomas  Pyne  (who  was  mainly  instrumental  in  com- 
mencing and  forwarding  this  work)  was  engaged  as  mission- 
ary. During  the  first  year  of  its  existence,  services  were 
held  in  the  public  school-room  in  Middagh  street,  under  the 
direction  of  a  committee  of  gentlemen  who,  with  but  a  sin- 
gle exception,  were  connected  with  St.  Ann's  Church.  The 
Sabbath-school,  also,  was  conducted  by  teachers  drawn 
mostly  from  St.  Ann's  congregation.  In  1834,  a  building  in 
Pearl  street,  now  Concord,  was  purchased  and  refitted  for 
this  church.  The  Rev.  T.  S.  Brittain  became  Rector  iu  June. 
1S35.  The  enterprise  was  maintained  wholly  by  voluntary 
contributions,  and  it  languished  until,  in  1839  or  '40,  the  edi- 
fice was  sold,  and  services  were  suspended  till  a  reorganiza- 
tion was  effected,  under  the  name  of  Calvary  Church,  with 
Rev.  W.  H.  Lewis,  Rector.  During  some  years  the  parish 
was  prosperous.  John  J.  Fish,  D.  D.,  succeeded  Mr.  Lewis, 
but  left  in  1849.  The  parish  was  not  prosperous  after  Mr. 
Fish  resigned,  and,  in  1861,  it  ceased  to  exist. 

Trinity  Church  was  organized  in  March,  1835.  Eight  lots 
were  donated  on  Clinton  avenue,  between  Atlantic  and  Ful- 
ton avenues,  by  George  W.  Pine,  and  a  stone  edifice,  no  by 
45,  erected.  The  Rectors  of  the  church  were,  in  suc- 
cession, Revs.  D.  V.  M.  Johnson,  Dr.  Thos.  W.  Coit  and  R. 
C.  Shimeall.  In  1841.  the  parish  having  become  embarrassed, 
public  worship  was  discontinued,  aud  the  church  was  sold: 
but  w  as  purchased,  and  the  services  were  revived  by  thecon- 
gregation  of  St.  Luke's. 

Christ  Church,  corner  of  Clinton  and  Harrison  streets,  had 
its  inception  in  the  labors  principally  of  the  members  of  St. 
Ann's  parish.  The  parish  was  organized  and  recognized  in 
the  diocese.  May  IS,  is:t.">.  Services  were  lirst  held  in  18117. 
in  a  chapel  on  the  corner  of  Court  and  Pacific  streets,  where 
the  pulpit  was  temporarily  supplied  by  Rev.  C.  S.  Henry, 
I'red.  ('.Goodwin.  Prof.  Turner  ami  Kingston  (ioddard.  Mr. 
Goddard  became  Kector  in  1S3S,  and  was  succeeded  by  the 
Rev.  Dr.  John  Seely  Stone  in  1841. 

The  corner  stone  of  t  be  new  church,  on  the  corner  of  Clin- 
ton and  Harrison  streets,  was  laid  June  26,  1841,  and  the 


ECCLESIASTICAL 


church  was  consecrated  July  28th,  1842.  The  cost  of  the 
structure  alone  was  $33,000. 

Rectors:— Rev.  E.  H.  Canfield,  D.  D.,  1853-68  ;  Rev.  Lucius 
W.  Bancroft,  D.  D.,  in  1869-'84.  In  1856,  the  chapel  and 
Sunday-school  accommodations  were  enlarged  to  nearly 
double  their  previous  capacity,  at  a  cost  of  about  $25,000. 

In  1861,  a  Mission  Chapel  was  built  on  the  corner  of  Clinton 
and  Luqueer  streets,  and  organized  as  the  Church  of  Our 
Saviour  in  1867.  Another  very  successful  mission,  Christ 
Church  Chapel,  on  Red  Hook  Point,  is  now  supported  by 
Christ  Church,  under  the  charge,  successively,  of  Revs.  Wil- 
liam Hyde,  Carlos  E.  Butler,  Charles  H.  Tucker,  and  William 
Hyde  again.  It  has  (July,  1883)  177  communicants  and  560 
Sunday-school  scholars.  Revs.  Wm.  B.  Bodine,  E.  L.  Stod- 
dard, C.  H.  Nicholson,  A.  B.  Carver  and  Bishop  Falkner 
have  been  Assistant  Ministers  under  Dr.  Bancroft. 

The  church  not  only  has  no  debt,  but  has  a  surplus  in  its 
treasury.  It  has  (July,  1883)  519  communicants  and  352 
Sunday-school  scholars. 

St.  Mary's  Church  commenced  as  a  Sunday-school,  on 
Classon  avenue,  at  the  Wallabout,  in  1836.  Here  Rev.  D.  V. 
M.  Johnson  held  afternoon  services  during  about  6  months. 
In  1837,  Mr.  Joseph  Hunter  became  Superintendent  of  the 
school,  and  lay-reader  to  a  small  congregation.  In  that  year 
a  small  edifice  was  erected,  and  the  church  called  St.  Mary's 
was  organized.  The  church  was  consecrated  Feb.  1,  1840, 
and  enlarged  in  1841.  During  the  first  six  years,  Revs.  John 
Messenger,  Mr.  Hunter  (who  had  taken  deacon's  orders), 
Thomas  T.  Guion  and  John  A.  Spooner  had  charge.  Rev. 
John  W.  Shackleford  became  Rector  in  Nov.,  1849.  In 
1856,  Rev.  Mr.  Johnson,  the  father  of  the  church,  became 
Rector,  and  ground  for  a  new  church  edifice  was  pur- 
chased on  Classon  avenue  near  Myrtle.  The  corner-stone  was 
laid  in  1858,  and  the  church  was  opened  the  next  year.  The 
cost  of  church  and  grounds  was  $32,000,  and  the  sittings  were 
made  free.    A  rectory  was  soon  added. 

In  1864,  the  church  debt  was  extinguished,  and  the  building 
was  consecrated.  Ground  was  purchased,  and  a  rectory  was 
built  near  the  church,  and  the  entire  property  is  free  from  debt. 

In  1873,  a  chapel  was  erected  at  the  corner  of  Park  avenue 
andSkillman  street,  and  this  was  enlarged  in  1881. 

Two  day-schools  are  maintained  in  the  parish;  one  at  the 
school-room  of  the  church,  the  other  at  the  branch.  The  be- 
nevolent work  of  this  parish  is  efficiently  sustained  by  its 
members.  Rev.  Dr.  Johnson  is  still  the  Rector;  Rev.  Alonzo 
E.  Diller,  Asst.  Min.  St.  Mary's  has  (July,  1883)  506  com- 
municants and  681  Sunday-school  scholars. 

Emmanuel  Church,  in  Sidney  place,  was  incorporated  in 

1841,  and  a  neat  brick  edifice  was  finished  and  consecrated  in 

1842.  Rev.  Kingston  Goddard  was  the  first  Pastor,  followed 
in  1844  by  Rev.  Francis  Vinton,  D.  D.  A  large  and  costly 
church  was  built  a  few  years  later.  A  new  organization 
under  the  name  of  Grace  Church,  was  effected  in  1847;  the 
building  was  sold,  and  another  edifice  was  erected  on  the  cor- 
ner of  Hicks  street  and  Grace  Court. 

Calvary  Free  Church,  on  Pearl  st.,  near  Concord,  was 
purchased  by  Mr.  Edgar  J.  Bartow,  on  the  dissolution  of  St. 
Paul's  congregation,  about  1840.  Mr.  Barlow  refitted  and 
furnished  the  church  at  his  own  expense,  and  invited  Rev. 
Wm.  H.  Lewis  to  take  the  pastoral  charge,  which  he  held 
until  June,  1847.  Subsequently,  the  accommodations  were 
enlarged  by  Mr.  Barlow,  at  his  own  expense.    Rev.  John 

ish»  D.,  became  Rector  after  Mr.  Lewis;  but,  in  1849,  he 
resigned,  and  in  1861  the  parish  ceased  to  exist. 

Calvary  Church  may  be  well  considered  the  parent  church 
of  the  Holy  Trinity,  as  not  only  a  large  portion  of  the  con- 
gregation, but  its  founder,  Rector,  organist,  choir  and  sexton, 


OR  GANIZA  TlOfrS.  1001 


all  became  connected  with  the  latter,  in  the  same  rela- 
tions. 

St.  Luke's  Church,  on  Clinton  avenue,  was  a  reorganization, 
Dec.  14, 1841  (and  incorporated  27th  same  month),  from  the  ele- 
ments of  Trinity  Church,  and  occupied  the  same  edifice.  It  was 
in  charge  of  Rev.  D.  V.  M.  Johnson,  of  St.  Mary's  Church, 
until  April,  1842,  when  the  Rev.  Jacob  W.  Diller  was  called 
to  the  rectorship,  the  church  then  having  26  communicants. 
The  church  edifice  was  enlarged  by  the  extension  of  the  nave 
and  the  addition  of  two  transepts,  in  1853,  at  an  outlay  of 
$15,000.  In  the  spring  of  1869,  the  pew  system  was  abolished, 
and  St.  Luke's  began  its  career  as  a  free  church. 

In  1878,  Rev.  Jas.  W.  Sparks  was  called  as  Assistant  Minis- 
ter. In  December,  1 879,  on  account  of  the  infirmities  of  the 
Rector,  who  had  ministered  to  the  congregation  during 
thirty-eight  years,  his  resignation  was  accepted,  and  he  was 
retired  as  Rector  emeritus,  with  a  suitable  competency.  A 
call  was  at  once  extended  to  Rev.  George  R.  Vandewater, 
and  he  enlered  on  his  pastoral  duties,  Feb.  1,  1880.  Easter  of 
that  year  was  signalized  by  the  cancellation  of  the  bonded 
debt  of  the  church,  and  the  inception  of  a  firm  resolve  that 
from  thenceforth  its  ground  and  structures  should  be  free, 
in  every  sense  of  the  word.  On  June  28,  of  that  year,  the 
steamer  Seawanhaka,  on  which  the  Rev.  Dr.  Diller  was  a 
passenger,  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  New  York  harbor,  and 
the  venerable  Rector  emeritus  perished  in  the  flames. 

During  the  years  1880  and  1881  a  chancel  extension  was 
erected — solid,  substantial  and  impressing— having  five  hand- 
some stained-glass  windows,  and  covering  a  beautiful  marble 
altar  and  reredos,  as  well  as  a  fine  tablet  "  in  memoriam"  of 
the  late  Rev.  Father  Diller.  A  new  organ  chamber  and  a 
new  organ  (the  third  largest  in  the  city)  have  been  added  ; 
also,  a  new  bell  of  2,000  pounds  weight.  A  new  chapel  has 
been  erected,  and  the  Parish  Hall,  on  Vanderbilt  avenue,  has 
been  repaired  and  improved.  The  total  expense  of  these  im- 
provements was  $43,500.    The  church  is  free  from  debt. 

Rev.  Joseph  Reynolds,  Jr.,  is  Assistant  Minister,  and  the 
church  has  (July,  1883)  812  communicants  and  394  Sunday- 
school  scholars. 

Rev.  Jacob  W.  Diller,  D.  D.,  born  in  Lancaster,  Pa.,  Sept. 
9,  1810,  was  educated  at  the  Flushing  Institute,  and  was  or- 
dained deacon  April,  1834,  at  St.  George's  Church,  Flushing. 
A  year  later,  he  was  advanced  to  the  priesthood,  and  served 
as  assistant  in  St.  John's,  Brooklyn,  for  three  years.  He 
then  went  to  Middlebury,  Vt.,  remaining  four  years.  In 
1842,  he  was  called  to  St.  Luke's  Parish,  Brooklyn,  at  its  or- 
ganization. St.  Luke's  was  then  a  little  chapel,  standing  in 
a  cornfield,  on  the  extreme  outskirts  of  Brooklyn.  Dr.  Diller 
worked  hard  and  spared  not  himself  in  the  cause  t  f  his  Mas- 
ter. Through  his  labors  the  church  was  greatly  increased 
and  a  new  edifice  erected.  His  life  was  suddenly  terminated 
July  2,  1880,  by  the  burning  of  the  Seawanhaka,  on  which 
he  was  a  passenger.  His  life  was  a  pure  exemplification  of 
piety,  charity,  doctrine  and  devotion.  His  profound  earnest- 
ness for  the  temporal  and  spiritual  good  of  his  people  en- 
deared him  to  them  in  a  wonderful  way. 


Rev.  George  R.  Van  De  Water,  born  in  Flushing,  L.  L, 
1854 ;  grad.  Cornell  Univ.  1874,  and  Gen.  Theol.  Sem.,  N.  Y., 
1877;  is  a  trustee  of  Theo.  Sem.;  located  at  Oyster  Bay,  L.  I., 
1876-'80;  Brooklyn,  1880-'84. 

St.  Thomas'  Church  was  organized  in  1843  as  a  free  church, 
by  Rev.  John  F.  Messenger.  He  was  followed  by  Rev.  R.  H. 
Bourne,  1846-'51,  and  he,  by  Rev.  Wm.  F.  Walker,  1851-52; 
Rev.  John  Frederic  Schroeder,  1853.  In  1853,  the  church 
edifice  was  sold  to  a  German  Catholic  society  for  $4,500. 


1002 


HISTORY  OF  KIXGS  COUXTY. 


THE  CHl'KCH  OF  THE  H<  >LY 


ECCLESIASTICAL  ORGANIZATIONS. 


1003 


The  congregation  of  St.  Thomas  removed  to  Bridge  street 
for  a  time,  but  eventually  separated. 

The  Church  of  the  Holy  Trinity.— The  erection  of  this 
noble  and  expensive  edifice  was  wholly  the  work  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Edgar  J.  Bartow.  He  not  only  supervised  the  design, 
but  hired  much  of  the  labor  by  the  day.  It  is  believed  that 
the  cost  of  the  church  and  chapel  was  about  $175,000.  The 
chapel  was  opened  June  7,  1846,  and  the  church,  April  25, 
1847,  by  Bev.  W.  H.  Lewis,  D.  D.,  who  was  invited  to  take 
charge  of  the  church  by  Mr.  Bartow.  The  parish  was  duly 
organized  Nov.  27,  1851.  Dr.  Lewis  was  called  to  the  rector- 
ship, and  Rev.  T.  Stafford  Drowne  elected  Assistant  Minister, 
having  served  in  that  capacity  since  Nov.  1,  1848.  In  1856, 
the  congregation  purchased  the  church  (not  completed)  for 
1100.000.  It  was  consecrated  September  23d  of  the  same 
year. 

Dr.  Lewis  resigned  the  rectorship  in  1860,  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  the  Rev.  A.  N.  Littlejohn.  The  debt  of  the  con- 
gregation was  nearly  extinguished;  the  tower  and  spire  were 
completed  at  a  cost  of  $65,000;  the  rectory  was  re- purchased, 
and  very  large  sums  were  annually  contributed  for  benevo- 
lent purposes. 

Upon  being  consecrated  Bishop  of  Long  Island,  January 
27,  1869,  Dr.  Littlejohn  retired  from  the  rectorship;  and  was 
succeeded,  March  1st,  1869,  by  the  present  Rector,  Charles  H. 
Hall,  D.  D. ;  Rev.  Harry  O.  Lacey,  Assist.  Min.  The  clergy 
connected  with  the  church  as  assistant  ministers  during  the 
first  rectorship  were:  Rev.  T.  Stafford  Drowne,  November 
16th,  1848,  to  May  7th,  1858;  Rev.  Henry  T.  Gregory  for  a 
short  time,  followed  by  Rev.  Cornelius  B.  Smith,  who  con- 
tinued to  February  1st,  1860.  When  Dr.  Littlejohn  assumed 
the  rectorate,  the  Rev.  N.  W.  Taylor  Root  w*)s  assistant  for 
a  few  months,  succeeded  by  Rev.  John  C.  Middleton  from 
October  21st,  1860,  to  Easter  1863.  In  the  following  October, 
Rev.  John  H.  Rogers  became  assistant,  after  whose  with- 
drawal in  1865,  temporary  services  were  rendered  by  the  Revs. 
J.  D.  Fhilip  and  Charles  H.  Van  Dyne  in  1866.  Early  in 
1867,  the  Rev.  Benjamin  B.  Newton  was  appointed  Assistant 
Minister.  The  church  has  (July,  1883)  750  communicants 
and  231  Sunday-school  scholars. 

In  1871,  a  mission  was  established  by  this  church  in  Myrtle 
avenue.  In  1875,  this  was  transferred  to  the  old  St.  Ann's 
church  building  in  Washington  street;  and,  when  this  was 
demolished  by  the  Bridge  Company,  in  1879,  the  church  edi- 
fice of  the  First  Reformed  Presbyterian  Society  in  Duffield 
street,  between  Myrtle  and  Willoughby  avenues,  was  pur- 
chased and  refitted  at  an  expense  of  $25,000,  and  it  is  now  the 
Chapel  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  under  the  charge  of  Rev.  William 
Short.  It  has  (July,  1883)  190  communicants  and  306  Sunday- 
school  scholars. 


Edgar  John  Bartow,  born  on  the  29th  of  April,  1809,  at 
FishkUl,  N.  Y.,  was  a  son  of  Augustus  Bartow,  of  Pelhani 
Manor.  Westchester  Co.,  N.  Y.,  and  a  descendant  of  Gen. 
Bertaut,  of  Brittany,  a  French  Protestant,  who  fled  to  Eng- 
land some  tune  before  1672.  The  different  branches  of  his 
family  in  England  and  this  country  were  early  distinguished 
for  their  attachment  to  the  Episcopal  Church,  and  their  efforts 
to  extend  it;  and  many  of  the  name  have  been  connected 
with  its  ministry. 

On  the  death  of  his  father,  Mr.  Bartow's  family,  in  1816, 
removed  to  New  York  city:  and,  in  1830,  took  up  their  resi- 
dence in  Brooklyn,  and  were  members  of  St.  Ann's  parish, 
Mr.  Bartow  filling,  at  different  times,  the  position  of  teacher, 
librarian  and  secretary  of  the  Sunday-school.  On  the  13th 
of  November,  1838,  he  was  married  to  Harriet  Constable,  a 
daughter  of  Mr.  Hezekiah  B.  Pierrepont,  of  Brooklyn,  a  per- 


son of  kindred  tastes,  who  shared  in  a  remarkable  degree 
his  unostentatious  and  liberal  spirit. 

Mr.  Bartow's  business,  from  youth,  was  the  manufacture 
of  paper;  and,  during  his  more  prosperous  days,  he  devoted 
his  means  and  influence  with  Christian  fidelity  to  all  the  in- 
terests of  the  church,  and  especially  to  every  local  organiza- 
tion or  object  in  which  he  could  be  useful.  For  years  after  the 
Church  of  the  Holy  Trinity  was  opened,  he  liberally  aided  the 
congregation  of  Calvary  Church  in  maintaining  their  services, 
presenting  the  use  of  the  building;  and  no  one  in  this  com- 
munity contributed  more  towards  relieving  the  necessit:es  of 
the  poor.  In  secular  matters  he  was  also  identified  with 
every  movement  that  concerned  the  progress  and  improve- 
ment of  Brooklyn. 

He  took  a  warm  interest  in  the  laying  out  of  streets,  in 
the  erection  of  houses  and  public  buildings,  and  was  instru- 
mental in  establishing  the  Montague  Street  Ferry,  having 
built,  at  an  outlay  of  over  $45,000,  the  stone  archways  and 
inclined  plane  from  the  Heights  to  the  river. 

In  politics,  although  not  an  active  participator,  he  was  in 
his  sympathies  a  Democrat,  and  in  1846  was  chosen  by  that 
party  as  its  candidate  for  Mayor;  but  he  declined  the  honor, 
although  he  would,  beyond  a  doubt,  have  been  elected. 
Thoroughly  retired  and  domestic  in  his  tastes  and  habits, 
fond  of  the  congenial  society  of  a  few,  whom  he  knew  in- 
timately and  loved,  he  shrank  as  far  as  possible  from  public 
notice  and  commendation. 

His  wife  died  in  1855 ;  and,  in  1860,  Mr.  Bartow  married 
Caroline,  daughter  of  Col.  John  M.  Gamble,  U.  S.  M.,  of 
Morristown,  N.  J.  He  continued  to  reside  in  Brooklyn  (al- 
though his  business  avocations  called  him  frequently  to  Nor- 
wich, Conn.,  to  superintend  the  operations  of  the  Chelsea 
Manufacturing  Company,  of  which  he  was  president),  until 
his  death,  on  the  6th  of  September,  1864. 


Rev.  Charles  H.  Hall,  D.D.,  born  1820,  at  Augusta,  Ga.; 
grad.  Yale,  1842,  and  gen.  Theol.  Sem.,  1844;  Rector  at  Hunt- 
ington, L.  I.,  West  Point,  N.  Y.,  Johnisland,  So.  Ca.,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C. ;  located  Brooklyn,  March  1,  1869;  author  of 
Notes  on  the  Gospels,  2  vols.  Protestant  Ritualism,  Church 
of  the  Household,  Spina  Christi,  Valley  of  the  Shadow,  and 
published  sermons. 


Grace  Church,  Brooklyn  Heights,  was  organized  (See  Em- 
manuel Church)  May  3d,  1847,  with  Rev.  Dr.  Francis  Vinton, 
first  Rector.  The  corner-stone  of  the  new  edifice  on  Hicks 
street  and  Grace  court  was  laid  June  29th,  1848,  and  on 
Christmas  Day,  1848,  it  was  opened  free  from  debt.  It  was 
consecrated  June  29th,  1849.  Dr. Vinton  wassucceeded  on  his 
resignation  (to  become  Assistant  Minister  in  Trinity  Church, 
New  York)  in  1855,  by  Rev.  Jared  B.  Flagg,  and  he  by 
Rev.  Eugene  Hoffman,  in  Feb.,  1864;  followed  by  Rev.  Ben- 
jamin H.  Paddock,  D.  D.,  in  May,  1869.  The  present  Rec- 
tor William  A.  Snively,  S.  T.  D.,  succeeded  Dr.  Paddock  in 
1874.  Rev.  Henry  T.  Scudder  is  Assistant  Minister.  Grace 
Church  has  (July,  1883)  360  communicants  and  300  Sunday- 
school  scholars.  It  has  a  parish  school,  and  also  supports 
Grace  Chapel,  in  High  street,  near  the  Navy  Yard. 


Rev.  William  A.  Sxively,  S.  T.  D.,  born  in  Greencastle, 
Pa.,  1833;  grad.  Dickinson  Coll.  Pa.,  1852;  tutor  Dick.  Coll., 
1853-'5;  S.  T.  D.,  Columbia,  1875;  located  Pittsburgh,  Cincin- 
nati, Albany,  Brooklyn,  1874-'84;  author  of  Oberammergau 
Passion  Play,  1881;  Cathedral  System,  1879;  Genealogical 
Memoranda,  1883;  Active  in  the  U.  S.  Sanitary  Com. 


1004 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


GHACE  OTURCH,  BROOKLYN  HEIGHTS.     (See  previous  page.) 

Protestant   Episcopal  Church   of  the   Reformation. — A 

parish  under  this  name  was  organized  September  20,  1847, 
by  the  labors,  and  under  the  pastoral  charge,  of  the  Rev. 
Thomas  S.  Britton,  in  the  vicinity  of  Atlantic  street,  in 
South  Brooklyn.  Services  were  first  held  in  a  school-room 
on  the  corner  of  Henry  and  Atlantic  streets.  Mr.  Britton, 
however,  abjured  Episcopacy,  in  1848,  and  united  himself 
with  the  Brooklyn  Presbytery,  and  the  church  became  extinct. 

Grace  Church  Chapel  (St.  Michael's  Church),  was  com- 
menced in  1847  by  the  Rev.  Evan  M.  Johnson,  in  a  room  in 
Marshall  street,  near  the  Jackson  ferry,  where  meetings  were 
first  held  in  September  of  that  year.  He  was  successful,  and 
soon  leased  from  the  city,  for  ten  years,  the  "  Eastern 
Market."  in  High  street,  and  first  held  services  there  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1848.  Soon  an  addition  of  40  by  50  feet  was  built. 
Rev.  Wm.  F.  Webbe  was  Assistant  Rector  from  1849  to  1809. 
The  church  was  incorporated,  and  a  parsonage  worth  about 
$3, 500,  was  erected.  A  new  church  edifice  and  rectory,  of 
brick,  were  erected  in  ISOli,  on  High  street,  near  (iold;  the 
same  that  is  now  occupied  as  Grace  Church  Chapel. 

In  1870,  the  property  was  purchased  by  Bishop  Littlejohn, 
and  placed  under  the  pastoral  charge  of  Rev.  William  M. 
Willian.  In  March,  1871,  Grace  Church,  Brooklyn  Heights, 
purchased  this  church  property,  continuing  the  services  of 
Rev.  Mr.  Willian  till  his  resignation,  June  15,  1875.  He  was 
succeeded,  in  September,  by  Rev.  H.  L.  Tighe,  as  Assistant 
Minister  of  <  irace  Church,  Brooklyn  Heights,  in  charge  of 
(irace  ( 'biirch  ( 'hapel. 

Under  the  administration  of  Mr.  Tighe,  a  very  large  amount 
of  work  has  been  accomplished,  and  the  wisdom  of  the 
founder  in  planting  the  church  in  this  locality  has  been 
demonstrated,  (irace  ( 'hapel  has  (July,  1**3)  10S  communi- 
cants and  301  Sunday-school  scholars. 

St.  Peter's. — This  parish  was  commenced  about  the  year 
1847,  by  a  few  individuals  who  worshiped  at  first  in  a  large 
bri<  k  building  in  Powers  street,  under  the  pastoral  charge  of 
Rev.  William  Staunton.  The  parish  was  regularly  organized 
M  i  ■.  |s,  1H|M_  ;,m|  t|„.  congregation,  which  subsequently  wor- 
sbi|H-d  in  a  brick  building,  in  Atlantic  street,  near  Nevins 
street,  gradually  increased  in  numbers  and  strength. 


In  1849,  Rev.  John  Stearns  became  Rector  ;  and,  in  June, 
1850,  the  corner-stone  of  a  church  was  laid  at  the  junction  of 
Atlantic  and  Rond  streets.  Mr.  Stearns  resigned  in  the  spring 
of  1855,  and  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  John  A.  Paddock;  and.  in 
1856,  the  congregation  requiring  a  larger  house,  a  new  struc- 
ture was  erected  on  State  street,  near  Bond.  It  was  opened 
in  Jany.,  1857.  and  consecrated,  after  the  extinguishment  of 
the  debt,  in  1865.    Its  total  cost  was  about  $45,000. 

Rev.  Mr.  Paddock,  in  1880,  was  consecrated  a  Bishop,  and 
the  present  Hector.  Rev.  Charles  A.  Tibbals,  was  called  early 
in  1881.  An  elegant  and  commodious  rectory,  the  gift  of  a 
single  parishioner,  was  built  in  1874.  St.  Peter's  Church  has 
(July,  1883)  356  communicants,  and  382  Sunday-school 
scholars. 

A  Mission  School  was  commenced  by  members  of  the 
parish,  in  March,  1859,  and  a  chapel  was  afterward  erected 
in  Wyckoff  street,  near  Boud,  where  the  school  has  since 
been  held. 

Rev.  Charles  A.  Tibbals,  born  at  Suffield,  Ct.,  1&53;  grad. 
Yale  College,  1872;  Theo.  Sem.,  1874;  located  Red  Bank,  X. 
J..  1878-81;  Bklyn.,  1881. 

St.  Paul's  Church,  Clinton,  corner  of  Carroll  street.  This 
parish  was  organized  on  Christmas  Day,  1849,  under  the 
pastoral  charge  of  the  Rev.  Isaac  P.  Labagh.  The  original 
church  edifice,  built  in  1850,  consisted  of  a  nave,  tower  and 
spire.  Transepts  were  added  in  1852,  making  it  cruciform, 
with  a  recessed  chancel.  In  June,  1858,  the  Rev.  T.  Stafford 
Drowne  became  Rector.  The  steady  growth  of  the  congrega- 
tion rendered  necessary  a  second  enlargement  of  the  build- 
ing in  1860. 

The  corner-stone  of  the  present  church  edifice  was  laid 
June  27,  1867,  and  the  church  was  first  occupied,  September, 
1869.  It  is  of  Greenwich  blue-stone,  with  Ohio  and  Jersey 
free-stone  trimmings.  It  is  145  by  72  feet,  and  60  feet  in 
height.  It  has  a  seating  capacity-  of  1.000,  and  the  cost,  with 
the  site,  was  $150,000.  A  stone  chapel  stands  in  the  rear  of 
the  church,  85  by  34  feet  in  size.    Its  cost  was  $4,000. 

This  church  was  the  first  in  Brooklyn  to  introduce  a  sur- 
pliced  choir.  Dr.  Drowne  resigned  his  rectorship  on  the  28th 
of  September,  1875,  to  become  the  Secretary  of  the  Diocese 
of  Long  Island;  and  was  succeeded,  February  1,  1877,  by  the 
present  Rector,  Rev.  Warren  C.  Hubbhrd.  Rev.  C.  Ellis 
Stevens  is  Assistant  Minister.  St.  Paul's  Church  has  (July, 
1883)  335  communicants  and  225  Sunday-school  scholars. 

Rev.  Warren  C.  Hubbard,  born  in  Brooklyn,  1847  :  grad. 
Syracuse  Univ.,  1S71:  and  in  Theol.,  Seneca  Falls,  X.  Y., 
1873;  located  Seneca  Falls,  1873-'77;  Brooklyn,  1877-  84. 

St.  Mark's  Church,  formerly  in  Fleet  street,  was  the  re- 
sult of  a  missionary  effort  undertaken  by  the  Church  of  the 
Holy  Trinity  in  the  year  1850,  aided  and  encouraged  by  the 
hearty  sympathy  and  liberality  of  the  other  Episcopalian 
congregations  of  the  city. 

A  plain  substantial  edilice  was  erected,  the  exjiense  <>f 
which  was  defrayed  wholly  by  free-will  offerings.  It  was 
opened  October  6th,  1850,  Rev.  Francis  Peck  becoming  its 
first  Rector. 

Originally  established  as  a  free  church,  and  sustained 
chiefly  by  the  parish  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  it  was,  in  1856, 
thrown  upon  its  own  resources,  and  resorted  to  the  renting  of 
the  pews  for  its  necessary  support. 

Rectors:— Revs.  Edmund  Embury.  1859:  Thomas  G.  Carver, 
1859-'61;  F.  Cornell,  1861-9.  In  is.yj,  the  congregation  sold 
their  church  edifice  ami  erected  a  new  building  on  DcKalh 
avenue,  opposite  Fort  Greene.  This  they  sold,  in  1865,  and 
purchased  the  church  previously  occupied  by  the  congre- 
gation of  the  Messiah,  in  Adelphi  street,  near  DcKalh 
avenue. 


EC  CLESIA STICAL  OR  GANIZA  TIONS. 


1005 


Rev.  William  T.  Fitch  was  Rector  from  1869-75,  and  Rev. 
Spencer  S.  Roche,  1875-'84.  St.  Mark's  Church  has  (July,  1883) 
390  communicants  and  309  Sunday-school  scholars. 

Church  of  the  Redeemer. — This  parish  was  org.  April  14, 
1853,  and  incorporated  in  the  following  December.  The 
original  hoard  of  trustees  were:  Messrs.  F.  A.  Huntington, 
Wm.  H.  Beare,  John  D.  Cocks,  W.  Cooper,  A.  H.  Washburne, 
J.  C.  Pelham,  Frederick  Lacey  and  William  Poole.  These 
also  constituted  the  first  vestry,  with  the  addition  of  Messrs. 
R.  Ford,  Jr.,  and  Thomas  Rawlings. 

Having  leased  a  hall  over  the  old  butcher's  shop,  on  the 
corner  of  Fulton  avenue  and  Elm  place  (since  destroyed  by 
fire),  the  congregation,  which  was  largely  drawn  from  St. 
Peter's  parish,  began  its  work  under  the  pastoral  care  of 
the  Rev.  D.  W.  Tolford.  Shortly  after  this  the  Rev.  D.  P. 
Sanford  assumed  the  rectorship,  Nov.  13,  1S53.  He  wrote  in 
the  parish  records  :  "  At  this  time  the  number  of  communi- 
cants was  about  thirty-five.  The  attendance  had  been 
fluctuating,  owing  to  the  want  of  a  settled  pastor,  and  to  the 
uncertainty  of  the  permanence  of  the  congregation."  At  the 
first  celebration  of  the  Holy  Communion  there  was  forty-four 
communicants,  and  just  one  year  from  that  time  there  were 
seventy-four,  with  a  congregation  numbering  over  two 
hundred.  On  May  20,  1854,  a  receipt  was  given  for  the  first 
payment  on  the  lots  of  ground  purchased  by  the  parish,  on 
the  corner  of  Fourth  ave.  and  Pacific  st.  The  price  was 
$9,500,  but  Mr.  W.  B.  Loyd  deducted  $2,500  as  his  subscrip- 
tion. On  this  ground  a  brick  chapel,  35  by  80  feet,  was 
erected,  also  a  bell  tower,  9  by  9  feet,  and  about  GO  feet  high. 
The  builders  were  Messrs.  Walton  and  F.  D.  Norris,  the 
architect  being  Mr.  G.  Wheeler.  The  contract  price  was  $8,- 
700,  and  ground  was  broken  about  Sept.  1,  1854.  On  Sept. 
27,  1854,  the  parish  was  admitted  to  union  with  the  Diocesan 
Convention  of  New  York.  The  chapel  was  first  opened  for 
divine  service  on  Easter  Eve,  1855,  the  sermon  being  preached 
by  the  Rt.  Rev.  H.  J.  Whitehouse,  Bishop  of  Illinois;  and  the 
next  day  being  Easter,  the  Rt.  Rev.  Horatio  Potter,  Bishop  of 
New  York,  administered  the  rite  of  Holy  Confirmation  to 
eleven  persons.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Sanford  resigned  his  position 
on  the  first  Sunday  after  Easter,  1858.  The  Rev.  Charles  S. 
Putnam  succeeded  him  on  the  first  Sunday  of  July  following, 
but,  from  illness,  he  resigned  the  rectorship  May  24,  1859. 
The  parish  has  placed,  through  the  generosity  of  Mr.  C.  P. 
Burdett,  a  beautiful  memorial  window  to  record  his  faithful 
ministry.  The  Rev.  Edward  Jessup  succeeded  in  August, 
1859.  He  labored  for  a  number  of  years,  extinguishing  the 
old  indebtedness  of  nearly  $14,000,  and  continually  accumu. 
lating  money  for  the  erection  of  a  new  church  edifice. 

On  April  24,  186  >,  the  corner-stone  of  a  new  stone  church 
was  laid  by  the  Rev.  Bishop  of  the  Diocese,  Horatio  Potter, 
D.D.,  LL.D.  On  the  third  Sunday  in  October,  the  old  brick 
building  was  temporary  abandoned,  and,  on  Christmas  day, 

1865,  the  main  body  of  the  new  church  was  opened  for  ser- 
vice; the  unfinished  choir  and  chancel  being  partitioned  off. 
On  the  fifth  Sunday  after  Trinity,  being  the  6th  day  of  July, 

1866,  all  things  being  at  length  in  readiness,  and  the  screen  re- 
moved, the  entire  structure  was  formally  opened  for  worship 
and  service  of  Almighty  God.  The  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  Quintard, 
of  Tennessee,  officiated  and  preached. 

The  contract  price  for  the  new  church  was  $23,000,  the 
total  amount  expended  for  furniture  and  building  was  $31,- 
500,  and  the  architect  was  Mr.  P.  C.  Keeley,  of  Brooklyn. 
The  edifice  is  of  blue  gneiss  stone,  in  the  early  English  style, 
with  lateral  porches,  and  buttresses  of  stone.  The  interior  is 
exquisitely  polychromed,  at  a  cost  of  $1,700,  and  is  a  work  of 
the  choicest  decorative  art.  The  altar  and  font  are  of  white 
Caen  stone,  beautifully  carved;  and  the  organ  was  built  by 


Johnson,  of  Westfield,  Mass.  The  seating  capacity  is  from 
650  to  700,  there  being  154  pews. 

Rev.  Ferris  Tripp  was  associated  with  Mr.  Jessup  as  Assist- 
ant Minister,  from  1869  to  1872.  Mr.  Jessup  was  buried  from 
the  church  on  the  3d  of  May,  1872;  and  in  October,  1872,  a 
mural  tablet  was  placed  in  the  church,  to  his  memory. 
Rev.  Wm.  A.  Leonard  was  his  successor;  and  he  entered  on 
his  duties  May  5,  1872. 

In  the  summer  of  1874,  the  old  brick  building,  being  the 
original  church  built  in  1855,  was  torn  down;  and  a  new 
stone  chapel  and  bell-tower  erected,  at  a  cost  of  $15,000,  in- 
cluding furniture  and  a  fine  chapel  organ.  This  building 
seats  500.  It  has  also  a  beautiful  study  for  the  Rector,  a 
vestry  and  a  music  room.  There  are  five  memorial  windows 
of  stained  glass  placed  in  its  walls;  and  it  opens  into  the 
church  proper  by  glass  doors.  The  present  income  from  the 
pew  rental  of  the  parish  is  $8,000,  which  more  than  meets  all 
current  expenses. 

The  Parish  Working  organizations  are  the  following :  In- 
dustrial School  for  Girls;  Mission  School  for  Boys;  Mothers'1 
Meetings:  Parish  Guild,  for  all  ladies  of  the  parish;  Benevo- 
lent Association,  an  organization  which  receives,  on  the 
first  Sunday  of  the  winter  months,  money  pledged  for  assist- 
ing the  worthy  poor. 

The  Rev.  Wm.  A.  Leonard  resigned  the  rectorship  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1881,  and  the  Rev.  Geo.  Williamson  Smith,  S.  T.  D., 
officiated  as  Rector,  Sept.  1,  1881,  to  July  1,  1883;  and  Rev. 
Charles  R.  Treat,  from  Sept.  1,  1883,  to  the  present  time.  Rev. 
Ferris  Tripp  is  Assistant  Minister.  The  church  has  (July, 
1883)  625  communicants  and  528  Sunday-school  scholars. 

The  Brotherhood  of  the  Church  of  the  Redeemer  maintains 
a  library  and  free-reading  room,  on  Atlantic  avenue,  between 
4th  and  5th  avenues;  and  assists  the  Rector  in  Parish  work. 

Day  Nursery,  500  Warren  st.  Owing  to  the  removal  of  the 
Sister  in  charge,  on  account  of  ill  health,  the  Day  Nursery 
suspended  operations  in  November,  1881,  until  a  suitable  per- 
son can  be  obtained  to  take  charge  of  it. 

A  summary  of  items  for  the  past  28  years  gives  the  follow- 
ing result :  Baptisms,  960;  Confirmations,  636;  Marriages, 
252;  Burials,  572.  As  near  as  can  be  calculated,  the  money 
raised  in  the  Parish  for  all  purposes,  amounts  to  $200,000. 

The  Church  of  the  Messiah,  Greene  ave.,  cor.  Clermont, 
was  org.  August  22d,  1850,  under  the  rectorship  of  the  Rev. 
William  H.  Newman,  with  twenty  communicants. 

Rev.  Robert  J.  Walker  was  Rector,  from  June,  1851,  till 
June,  1858;  Rev.  Octavius  Perinchief,  1858-59;  Rev.  George 
E.  Thrall,  1859-'69:  Rev.  Richard  B.  Duane,  D.D.,  1869-'72; 
Rev.  Charles  R.  Baker,  1873-'84. 

The  first  edifice  was  erected  in  1852,  and  was  enlarged  in 
1859,  at  a  total  expense  of  more  than  $8,000.  In  1863,  the 
edifice  being  found  too  small  for  the  congregation,  the 
vestry  purchased  a  large,  unfinished  brick  structure,  upon 
the  corner  of  Greene  and  Clermont  avenues,  originally 
erected  for  the  Presbyterians,  and  capable  of  seating  a  thou- 
sand persons.  The  sum  paid  was  $25,000,  and  the  comple- 
tion of  the  edifice  cost  $64,000  additional.  It  has  a  seating 
.capacity  of  1,120.  In  1878,  all  indebtedness  was  extinguished. 
The  Church  of  the  Messiah  has  (July,  1883)  790  communicants, 
and  280  Sunday-school  scholars. 

Rev.  Charles  R.  Baker,  born  in  Medford,  Mass.,  1842; 
grad.  Friedrich  Wilhelm  Univ.,  Berlin,  and  Epis.  Theol. 
School,  Cambridge,  1872;  located  Brooklyn,  1873-'84. 

Emmanuel  Church  originated  in  Ascension  Church,  in  1853. 
Rev.  William  O.  Lamson,  Rector.  The  corner  stone  of  a 
building  was  laid  at  the  corner  of  Third  place  and  Smith  St., 
in  1853,  the  congregation  worshiping  in  a  hall  at  the  corner 
of  Court  and  Sackett  sfs.    On  November  27,  1864,  the  organi- 


1006 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


/at  inn  w  as  changed  to  the  Free  Church  of  the  Good  Angels, 
and  the  Rev.  John  II.  Hobart  Brown  was  elected  Rector.  In 
1857,  the  church  was  organized  under  its  present  name,  aiul 
occupies  an  elegant  Gothic  structure  of  brown  stone  on  the 
corner  of  Smith  and  President  sts.,  seating  700,  and  costing 
over  $30,000. 

Rectors  :  Rev.  Win.  O.  Lamson,  1853-'7;  Rev.  Edward  De 
Zeng,  1857-  60:  Rev.  Thos.  Powell,  with  Rev.  Edmund  Em- 
bury as  associate,  1860-'l;  Rev.  Henry  Greenleaf,  D.  D.,  who 
died  m  1862:  Rev.  Henry  B.  Wallbridge.  D.  D..  1869-'84. 

In  1870,  the  church  was  enlarged  by  the  addition  of  tran- 
septs. In  1874,  an  addition  was  made  in  front,  and  in  1878, 
a  recess  chancel  w  as  added  in  the  rear.  The  seating  capacity 
is  now  al>out  950. 

In  1874,  pew  rents  were  abolished,  and  the  seats  have  since 
continued  free.  Rev.  Geo.  F.  Cushnian,  D.  D.,  is  Assistant 
Minister. 

Emmanuel  Church  has  (July,  1883)  241  communicants  and 
214  Sunday-school  scholars.    It  has  also  a  Parish  school. 

The  Church  of  Our  Saviour,  as  a  mission  chapel  from 
Christ  Church,  held  its  first  service,  Nov.  22,  1857,  in  a  car- 
penter's shop  on  Nelson  st.,  west  of  Court,  with  five  mem- 
l>ers.  Rev.  James  S.  Barnes  was  appointed  minister,  and 
served  till  1865 ;  a  Sunday-school  was  started,  which  soon 
increased  to  150  scholars.  After  a  few  months,  some  of  the 
members  of  Christ  ( 'lnirch,  seeing  the  importance  of  the 
work,  opened  a  subscription  list,  which,  with  generous  help 
from  the  parent  church,  soon  amounted  to  $14,000.  The  lot 
at  the  corner  of  Clinton  and  Luqueer  streets  was  given  by 
Mrs.  Luqueer,  and  the  present  building  was  soon  erected, 
with  seats  to  be  forever  free. 

Rev.  Wm,  M.  Postlethwaite  was  the  next  Minister  in 
charge,  and,  during  his  term  of  over  four  years,  the  chapel 
lH'caine  an  independent  church.  Rev.  Mr.  Booth  succeeded 
as  Rector,  and  was  in  charge  for  over  eight  years.  The  pres- 
ent Minister,  Rev.  H.  M.  Stuart,  took  charge  in  May,  1880. 
The  Church  of  Our  Saviour  is  (July,  1883)  without  a  Rector  ; 
has  200  communicants  and  -100  Sunday-school  scholars. 

St.  Andrew's  Church,  New  York  ave.,  corner  of  Herkimer 
st.,  commenced  services  in  a  temporary  building,  under  the 
pastoral  care  of  Rev.  Richard  S.  Adams,  who  subsequently 
became  Rector.  The  corner-stone  of  the  church  edifice  was 
laid  March  23,  1859,  and  the  parish  organized  in  the  fol- 
lowing September.  In  March,  1869,  Rev.  Charles  Higbee  be- 
came Rector.    The  parish  has  since  ceased  to  exist. 

St.  Matthew's  Protestant  Episcopal  Church,  Throop  ave., 
corner  Pulaski  -t..  w  as  org.  as  the  "  Free  Church  of  St. 
Matthew,"  May  25,  1859.  Services  had  occasionally  been 
held  in  a  school-room  on  the  south-west  corner  of  De  Kalb 
and  Man  \  a\es.;  and  a  Sunday-school  had  been  organized, 
with  some  25  children,  under  the  supervision  of  Mr.  Bailey 
J.  Hathaway.  It  was  not.  however,  until  the  spring  of  1859 
that  MM-vier^  were  regularly  conducted,  and  then  by  Rev.  U. 
V.  M.  .Johnson,  L>.  I)..  Rector  of  St.  Mary's  (  hurch,  in  the 
lion.si  ..I  Mr.  I'rank  Chichester,  on  Lafayette  ave.,  near 
Tompkins.  Soon  after,  a  church  organization  was  perfected. 
I  >n  the  7th  of  June,  I860,  Mr.  J.  J.  Rapelye  gave  four  lots, 
i  .geih.-r  |imi  f.  «  t  sipiare,  on  the  south-east  corner  of  Throop 
ave.  and  Pulaski  st.,  as  a  building  site  for  a  now  church. 
The  corner-stone  was  laid  July  2,  1859,  and  on  Feb.  10,  1S61, 
the  completed  i  dif'u  e  was  opened  for  worship.  Its  cost  was 
ibool  |10,000.  The  Rectors  in  charge  were  :  Rev.  Isaac  l-'ul- 
Urton  Cox,  1860;  Rev.  James  Thomson,  1861-8;  Rev.  C.  S. 
Williams,  1868-'76;  Rev.  Charles  Wm.  Turner,  1876-*84.  A 
flourishing  Sunday-school  of  :'.<M>  members  is  maintained.  Its 
lir-t  KiperintenjdeXll  was  Rev.  J.  Hoyt  Smith,  who  was  suc- 
'••II  b\   \le\.  Hiitchins,  M.  I  >.,  the  present  superintendent. 


In  May,  1868,  the  free  system  was  abandoned,  and  the  pews 
were  rented.  In  consequence,  the  name  of  the  parish  was 
changed  to  St.  JfaWieics  Protestant  Episcopal  Church:  and 
has  (July,  1883)  175  communicants  and  292  Sunday-school 
scholars. 

Rev.  Chas.  William  Turner,  born  in  London,  Eng.,  1844; 
grad.  St.  Mark's  Coll.,  Lond.,  1864;  located  at  Anglican  Mis- 
sion, Hawaii,  1866;  San  Francisco,  1869;  Oakland,  1871;  L.  I. 
City,  1874;  Brooklyn,  1876. 

Church  of  the  Atonement,  5th  ave.,  cor.  17th  st.,  was  in- 
corp.  Feb.  1st,  1864.  A  church  edifice  was  erected  on  t In- 
comer of  5th  ave.  and  17th  st.,  and  opened  Sept.  7th,  1865. 
Rev.  Joseph  1).  Phillip  was  at  first  in  pastoral  charge.  Sul>- 
sequent  Rectors:  Rev.  Lea  Luqueer,  1865-66;  Rev.  E.  F. 
Remington.  1866-'68;  Rev.  William  Hyde,  1868-'76;  Rev. 
James  Chrystal,  1876-'77;  Rev.  Alfred  J.  Barrow,  1877-  79; 
Rev.  Wm.  M.  Willian,  1879-'81;  and  Rev.  Albert  C.  Bunn, 
M.  D.,  1881-'84. 

In  1878,  the  interior  of  the  church  was  altered  and  re- 
arranged. The  Church  of  the  Atonement  has  (July,  1883) 
345  communicants,  and  330  Sunday-school  scholars. 

Rev.  Albert  C.  Bunn,  M.  D.,  bom  1845,  at  Cape  Vincent, 
N.  Y. ;  grad.  Hobart  Coll.  and  Med.  Dept.  Univ.  of  Buffalo; 
five  years  Med.  Missionary  of  Amer.  P.  E.  Mission  at  Wu- 
chang, China.  Studied  theol.  with  Rev.  Geo.  Williamson 
Smith,  S.  T.  D.,  Pres.  Trinity  Coll.;  ordained  1882;  Pastor 
at  Queens,  L.  L;  located  at  Brooklyn,  September,  1881. 

The  Church  of  the  Reformation  was  founded  by  Rev. 
Darius  Brewer,  an  independent  missionary,  who  held  re- 
ligious services  Dec.  2,  1866,  in  a  small  upper  hall,  at  the 
corner  of  Classon  and  Fulton  aves. ;  and,  on  the  18th  of  Feb- 
ruary following,  a  church  was  organized,  with  Rev.  Mr. 
Brewer  as  Pastor.  In  1874,  Mr.  Brewer  was  succeeded  by 
the  present  Rector,  Rev.  J.  Bacchus. 

In  April,  1867,  lots  on  Gates  ave.,  near  Classon,  were 
purchased  at  a  cost  of  $8,280;  and  by  July  14th,  the  church 
edifice  was  so  far  completed  that  services  were  held  in  it. 
It  was  a  wooden  structure,  40  by  80  feet,  and  finished  in 
every  respect  in  a  most  tasteful  and  thorough  manner,  at  a 
cjst,  exclusive  of  site,  of  $8,964.11. 

During  the  past  eight  years  the  church  building  has  been 
improved  by  the  addition  of  two  transepts,  two  parlors,  and 
a  robing-room,  and  the  enlargement  of  the  chancel  and 
lecture-room.  A  rectory,  adjoining  the  church,  has  also 
been  purchased. 

The  Church  of  the  Refomiation  has  (July,  1883)  420  com- 
municants, and  364  Sunday-school  scholars. 

All  Saints'  Church,  worshiping  in  Military  Hall,  5th  ave  , 
near  9th  street,  was  organized  Aug.  4th,  1867;  and,  until  the 
following  Christmas  Day,  carried  on  by  lay  effort.  At  that 
time  the  Rev.  Wm.  D'Orville  Doty,  began  his  lal>ors.  Seven 
lots  of  land,  at  the  corner  of  7th  ave.  and  7th  st.  wen-  pur- 
chased of  Isaac  Henderson,  Esq.  The  comer-stone  of  a 
chapel  was  laid  by  Bishop  Littlejohn,  May  30th,  186!t.  It 
was  a  brick  structure,  35  by  30  feet,  with  868  sittings. 

This  chapel  was  enlarged  in  1880;  its  seating  capacity  in- 
creased to  450,  and  the  interior  wholly  changed.  Mr.  Doty 
was  succeeded  in  the  rectorship  in  1871,  by  Rev.  Josephs. 
Jeuckes,  Jr.;  and  he,  in  1872,  by  Rev.  Charles  H.  Bixhy. 
The  present  Rector,  Rev.  Melville  Boyd,  succeeded  Mr.  Uixby 
in  June,  1876.  During  the  rectorship  of  Mr.  Boyd  the 
church  debt  has  l>een  nearly  extinguished. 

All  Saints' Church  has  (.July,  1883)  325  communicants  and 
850  Sunday-school  scholars. 

St.  James'  Church,  Lafayette  ave.,  corner  of  St.  James 
place.  This  parish  was  originated  by  some  members  of  St. 
Luke's  congregation,  living  in  its  more  immediate  vicinitj, 


EC  CLESIASTICA  L 


and  was  organized  on  the  25th  of  May,  1868,  and  admitted 
into  union  with  convention  on  the  29th  of  September,  1869. 
The  present  Rector,  Rev.  Charles  W.  Homer,  previously  As- 
sistant Minister  of  St.  Luke's,  was  called  to  the  rectorship 
on  the  29th  of  May,  1868. 

A  handsome  chapel  was  erected,  and  twice  enlarged,  dur- 
ing the  year  1868.  It  was  also  twice  enlarged  between  1870 
and  1875,  and  it  has  now  a  seating  capacity  of  1,200.  St. 
James'  Church  has  (July,  1883)  751  communicants  and  767 
Sunday-school  scholars. 

St.  Stephens'  Church  was  first  a  mission  of  St.  Andrews, 
formed,  in  August,  1867,  for  the  greater  convenience  of  resi- 
dents in  the  eastern  part  of  St.  Andrew's  parish.  The  parish 
of  St.  Stephens  was  erected  in  1868,  with  a  promise  on  the 
part  of  its  officers  that  they  would  "  oppose  the  erection  of  a 
church  west  of  Rochester  avenue." 

A  church  edifice  was  built  in  1868,  and  opened  for  worship 
Feb.  21,  1869,  on  the  corner  of  Patchen  avenue  and  Jefferson 
street.  It  is  a  wooden  structure,  with  300  sittings,  which, 
from  the  first,  have  been  free.  The  expenses  of  the  church 
have  been  defrayed  from  weekly  voluntary  offerings. 

Rev.  William  Schouler,  Jr. ,  became  Rector  in  May,  1868 ; 
Rev.  James  A.  Bradin,  in  June,  1872  ;  Rev.  Joseph  A.  Nock, 
in  February,  1875;  and  the  present  Rector,  Rev.  Thos.  J.  Cor- 
nell, M.  D.,  in  April,  1881.  St.  Stephens'  Church  has  (July, 
1883)  120  communicants  and  170  Sunday-school  scholars. 

St.  George's  Church  was  organized  October  24th,  1869. 
The  church  edifice  is  of  wood,  40  by  80  feet,  and  located 
on  Greene  avenue,  betw.  Marcy  and  Tompkins  avenues, 
fronting  on  Tompkins  Park,  and  its  cost,  with  the  site,  was 
$27,000.  The  church  owes  its  existence  largely  to  the  labors 
of  Rev.  Alvah  Guion  (deceased),  who  was  its  first  Rector. 
He  was  sticceeded  by  Rev.  Charles  H.  Babcock,  who  was  fol- 
lowed by  the  present  Rector,  Rev.  Frederick  B.  Carter.  The 
church  maintains  a  Ladies'  Parish  Aid  and  Missionary  So- 
ciety, an  Industrial  School,  St.  George's  Brotherhood,  a 
Parish  Missionary  Committee,  and  an  association  called 
"  Friends  of  the  Sick."  St.  George's  Church  has  (July,  1883) 
290  communicants  and  343  Sunday-school  scholars. 

Rev.  Frederick  B.  Carter,  born  in  Brooklyn,  1850;  studied 
Col.  Coll.  ;  grad.  Gen.  Theol.  Sem.,  1873;  located  W.  Islip, 
L.  I.,  1873-'75;  Brooklyn,  1875-'84. 

The  Church  of  the  Good  Shepherd  was  first  amission  of 
the  Church  of  the  Holy  Trinity.  It  was  organized  as  a  sep- 
arate parish  in  1870.  The  present  church  edifice,  on 
McDonough  st.,  near  Stuyvesant  ave.,  was  erected  in  1871, 
with  a  seating  capacity  of  300.  In  1874,  it  was  enlarged,  and 
transepts  were  added,  and  it  has  now  600  sittings.  The  total 
cost  of  the  building  and  site  was  about  $24,000.  The  parish 
is  very  prosperous.  Rev.  Henry  Betts  Cornwall.  D.  D..  has 
been  Rector  since  1871.  The  Church  of  the  Good  Shepherd 
has  (July,  1883)  325  communicants  and  238  Sunday-school 
scholars. 

The  Chapel  of  the  Church  Charity  Foundation,  under  the 
charge  of  Rev.  Thos.  W.  Brown,  Chaplain,  has  (July,  1883) 
80  communicants  and  76  Sunday-school  scholars. 

Church  of  the  Mediator. — A  few  friends  of  Rev.  Wm.  H. 
Reid  rented  the  Juvenile  Academy  in  "Washington  street, 
transformed  it  into  a  church,  which  was  opened  in  April. 
1869,  and  org.  with  E.  S.  Blomfield  and  Chas.  SeldeD. 
Church  Wardens.  It  afterwards  occupied  the  old  St.  Ann's 
Church  building,  which  has  since  been  taken  down  to  make 
way  for  the  East  River  Bridge.  In  1873,  the  congregation 
purchased  from  the  Central  Congregational  Society,  for 
$30,000,  their  church  edifice  on  the  corner  of  Ormond  place 
and  Jefferson  st.  In  May,  1875,  services  were  discontinued, 
and  the  property  was  transferred  to  the  former  owners.  In 


ORGANIZATIONS.  1007 


November  of  the  same  year  the  building  was  rented,  and 
services  were  resumed.  In  May,  1876,  they  were  again  dis- 
continued, and  were  not  resumed  till  February,  1880,  when 
the  present  Rector,  Rev.  J.  W.  Sparks,  was  called.  In  No- 
vember, 1881,  the  building  was  again  purchased  from  the 
Central  Congregational  Society,  for  $15,000.  It  is  a  brick 
structure,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  800. 

Rev.  William  H.  Reid  became  Rector  at  the  organization 
of  the  Society,  and  resigned  in  February,  1874.  In  March  of 
the  same  year,  Rev.  L.  Van  Bokkelen  was  called,  but  within 
a  month  left  the  parish  in  an  embarrassed  condition.  In 
July,  1874,  Rev.  T.  F.  Cornell,  M.  D.,  was  called.  He  re- 
signed in  May,  1875,  and  was  succeeded  in  the  following  Oc- 
tober by  T.  Stafford  Drowne,  D.  D.  He  resigned  in  May, 
1S76,  and  the  church  was  closed  till  February,  1880.  The 
present  condition  of  the  parish  is  prosperous. 

St.  Mark's  P.  E.  Church,  4th  st,,  cor.  South  5th,  the  old- 
est Episcopal  parish  in  Williamsburgh,  was  org.  1837,  with 
four  communicants,  by  Rev.  Wm.  Morris,  afterwards  Rector 
of  Trinity  school.  N.  Y.  At  Easter,  1838,  Rev.  Samuel  C. 
Davis  succeeded,  the  communicants  then  numbering  twelve; 
and  during  his  ministry,  a  brick  chapel  was  erected  at  the 
rear  of  the  present  church  edifice. 

In  October,  1839,  there  being  then  18  commtinicants,  and  a 
Sunday-school  of  30  scholars  and  6  teachers,  the  Rev.  Sam- 
uel M.  Haskins  became  the  Rector;  and,  by  May,  1841,  a  stone 
church,  45  by  90  feet,  was  completed  and  consecrated.  It  is 
in  the  Tudor  Gothic  style,  and  seats  550  people.  The  con- 
gregation steadily  increased  with  the  growth  of  the  city. 
In  1846,  it  colonized  Christ  Chunk,  and  the  Rector  of  St. 
Mark's  inaugurated  (with  help  from  Trinity  Church,  New 
York)  missionary  efforts  at  Williamsburgh,  and  at  Maspeth, 
resulting  finally  in  the  establishment  of  a  church  at  the  lat- 
ter place,  tinder  care  of  Rev.  Wm.  Walsh;  and  at  Williams- 
burgh, in  1848,  of  St.  Paul's,  under  the  rectorship  of  Rev. 
Geo.  W.  Fash. 

In  1846,  also,  Dr.  Haskins  organized  St.  James1  (colored) 
congregation,  which  was  aided  by  St.  Mark's  congregation, 
until  they  could  do  for  themselves.  Ascension  Church, 
Greenpoint,  in  1847;  Calvary  Church,  in  1848,  were  all  es- 
tablished by  Dr.  Haskins'  labors  and  the  aid  of  Trinity 
Church;  the  debt  of  his  own  church  cancelled,  and  its  size 
and  adornment  greatly  increased  in  1854.  Communicants 
(July,  1883),  452;  Sunday-school  numbered  308. 


Rev.  Samuel  M.  Haskins,  D.  D.,  was  born  at  Water- 
ford,  Oxford  county,  Maine,  on  the  29th  of  May,  1813. 
He  graduated  at  Union  College  in  183G,  and  at  the 
General  Episcopal  Theological  Seminary,  Xew  York, 
in  1839.  He  was  ordained  deacon  in  the  Episcopal 
Church  in  June,  1839,  and  priest  at  the  chapel  of  St. 
Mark's,  Williamsburgh,  in  July,  1840,  by  Bishop 
Onderdonk.  He  was  called  to  the  rectorship  of  St. 
Mark's  in  October,  1839,  and  has  held  his  high  office 
there  for  forty-four  years.  This  church,  which  was 
nursed  into  strength  and  usefulness  by  the  patient, 
earnest  efforts  of  Dr.  Haskins,  has  enjoyed  the  ad- 
vantage of  his  care  and  love  throughout  its  whole 
interesting  history.  It  is  the  parent  of  all  the  other 
Episcopal  Churches  in  this  section  of  Brooklyn,  which 
now  number  six  flourishing  parishes. 

St.  Mark's  Church  was  organized  as  a  missionary 
enterprise  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Davis,  in  October,  1837,  on 


1008  HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


the  outskirts  of  what  was  then  the  village  of  Williams- 
burgh.  He  was  the  first  Rector,  but  left  the  parish 
in  JIa\  or  Juno,  18:59.  When  Dr.  Ilaskins  was  called, 
services  were  held  in  a  small  white-washed  brick  build- 
ing, in  the  midst  of  a  cornfield.  His  first  sermon  was 
preached  on  the  twenty -first  Sunday  after  Trinity, 
1839,  to  a  congregation  of  fourteen  families  and 
eighteen  communicants.  There  was  no  other  parish 
between  Astoria  and  Brooklyn;  yet  the  population  was 
small,  and  sparse  fields  and  orchards  covering  a  large 
portion  of  the  present  populous  city.  The  steady  in- 
crease of  the  congregation  made  a  larger  church  neces- 
sary. Time  lots  were  obtained  on  the  corner  of 
Fourth  and  South  Fifth  streets,  and  a  stone  building 
erected,  all  at  a  cost  of  nearly  seventeen  thousand 
dollars — a  large  sum  for  a  feeble  congregation  in  those 
days — leaving  a  debt  of  six  thousand. 

In  .May,  I  Ml,  the  church  was  consecrated.  The 
congregation  steadily  increased,  until  in  1846,  a  new 
organization,  under  the  name  of  Christ  Church,  was 
formed  and  entirely  made  up  of  families  from  St.  Mark's. 

A  scries  of  missionary  services,  commenced  by  Dr. 
Ilaskins  in  the  same  year,  in  the  eastern  portion  of  the 


town,  resulted  in  the  organization  of  St.  Paul's  Church, 
which  was  received  into  the  convention  in  1848.  These 
were  followed  by  others,  until  six  parishes  now  attest 
the  zeal  and  liberality  of  the  mother  church,  and  the 
faithful  labors  of  Dr.  Ilaskins.  The  original  debt  was 
|>aid  in  1853;  at  the  same  date  the  church  was  enlarged 
by  the  addition  of  a  proper  chancel  and  choir,  and  an 
increase  to  the  nave  of  about  two  hundred  sittings. 
It  was  also  beautified  by  several  memorial  windows. 
A  Sunday-school  room  was  added  in  1855. 

In  1860,  further  important  additions  were  made  to 
the  church,  and  other  memorial  windows  added.  The 
site  of  the  church  is  now  in  the  older  portion  of  the 
city,  and  with  its  plain  substantial  exterior,  and  the  im- 
provements made  in  the  interior,  it  has  a  very  neat  and 
tasteful  appearance,  and  looks  as  should  the  venerable 
cradle  of  so  many  rich  and  powerful  parishes.  Six 
ministers,  now  preaching  from  Christian  pulpits,  were 
originally  connected  with  the  Sunday-school.  In  forty- 
four  years  the  church  has  been  closed  but  two  Sundays, 
and  during  the  same  time,  Dr.  Ilaskins  has  seldom 
been  absent,  except  for  his  summer  vacation  of  four  or 
five  Sundays. 


ECCLESIASTICAL  ORGANIZATION'S. 


1009 


Dr.  Haskins  received  his  degree  of  D.  D.  from  Union 
College  in  1802.  His  publications  consist  of  a  num- 
ber of  occasional  sermons.  He  is  of  the  average 
height,  and  well  proportioned,  and  walks  with  an  erect 
figure  and  an  active  step.  His  head  is  large,  with  a 
face  of  marked  intellectuality  and  amiability;  the 
features  are  large,  but  regular;  the  face  shows  decision 
and  force  of  character;  there  is  a  kindness  in  the  eye 
and  a  good-natured  smile  about  the  mouth,  which 
are  expressive  of  gentle  and  noble  traits  of  character. 
His  manners  are  those  of  the  true  gentleman,  tender, 
considerate  and  kind,  that  always  win  the  heart.  With 
cheerfulness  and  smiles,  kind  words  and  genial  actions, 
he  lias  thus  made  himself  popular,  not  only  among  his 
own  people,  but  in  social  and  public  life  generally.  He 
is  well  described  in  those  words  in  which  Cowper  por- 
trays the  model  preacher. 

"  In  doctrine  uncorrupt;  in  language  plain, 
And  plain  in  manner;  decent,  solemn,  chaste, 
And  natural  in  gesture;  much  impress'd 
Himself,  as  conscious  of  his  awful  charge, 
And  anxious  mainly  that  the  flock  he  feeds 
May  feel  it  too;  affectionate  in  look 
And  tender  in  address,  as  well  becomes 
A  messenger  of  grace  to  guilty  men." 

Seeing  him  in  the  pulpit,  the  living  impersonation 
of  this  portrait  is  brought  vividly  before  you.  His 
clear,  positive  faith  in  the  doctrines  he  proclaims,  and 
his  equally  clear  and  positive  language;  his  unpretend- 
ing, circumspect  and  solemn  manner;  his  ease  and 
grace  of  delivery  and  gesture;  his  evident  sense  of 
the  obligations  of  his  position;  his  tender  appeals  to 
the  unconverted;  his  affectionate  looking  from  face  to 
face  of  those  who  are  his  sheep,  all  appear  in  most 
striking  reality.  He  is  not  looking  for  popular  ap- 
plause, but  he  is  anxious  to  do  his  whole  duty  as  a 
preacher  of  the  glad  tidings  of  salvation. 

He  is  not  seeking  to  exalt  himself  and  his  talents; 
but  he  is  pleading  with  his  whole  mind  and  heart  to 
save  those  in  guilt  and  peril.  He  is  eloquent;  his 
words  flow  with  fluency  and  beauty;  he  is  Btrong  in 
argument,  and  inspired  with  faith;  but  none  of  this 
is  intended  to  awaken  an  emotion  personal  to  himself. 
His  language,  tone  and  manners  will  not  allow  you  to 
escape  from  a  knowledge  of  this  fact,  and  it  gives 
great  additional  power  and  effectiveness  to  his  preach- 
ing. 

In  this  day  of  worldly  ambition  and  of  selfishness  in 
the  pulpit,  as  well  as  out  of  it,  you  can  but  be  drawn 
nearer  to  the  man  who  shows  himself  entirely  free 
from  them,  and  thoroughly  devoted,  with  humility  and 
seriousness  of  spirit,  to  the  work  of  the  Master. 

Dr.  Haskins  has  labored,  from  early  manhood  to  the 
decline  of  life,  in  one  parish.  In  that  time  he  has  seen 
a  great  city  grow  up  about  him,  with  the  manifold 
changes  and  trials  it  has  brought  to  his  parish.  He 
has  seen  the  little  seed  of  his  nursing  and  watering 


grow  into  the  tall  tree  of  religious  power,  and  he  has 
seen  its  goodly  boughs  severed  one  after  another,  until 
the  ancient  trunk  is  all  that  remains.  Venerable  with 
age,  hoary,  but  not  decayed,  it  still  stands  where  it 
was  first  planted  in  the  vineyard  of  the  Lord,  and  its 
faithful  husbandman  will  guard  it  until  he,  too,  falls 
to  his  rest  beneath  its  holy  shade. 


Christ  Church,  E.  D. — This  parish,  originally  organized  as 
"  Christ  Church,  Williamsburgh,"  in  the  summer  of  1846, 
maintained  services  for  nearly  a  year  in  the  Reformed  Dutch 
consistory  room,  Fourth  st.  In  September,  1846,  Rev.  Chas. 
Reynolds  accepted  a  unanimous  call  to  the  parish,  which  at 
that  time  numbered  only  thirteen  communicants.  Within 
four  months,  a  small  but  neat  edifice  was  erected  on  the 
south-east  corner  of  South  Sixth  and  Fifth  sts.  This  proved 
too  small  for  the  congregation,  and  an  eligible  plot  of 
ground  on  Bedford  ave.,  a  few  rods  outside  of  the  Williams- 
burgh limits,  being  proffered  to  the  vestry  by  Messrs.  Jacob 
and  B.  B.  Boerum,  in  the  spring  of  1844,  the  parish  of  Christ 
Church,  Williamsburgh,  was  dissolved,  and  at  the  same 
meeting,  that  of  Christ  Church,  North  Brooklyn,  organized. 
The  corner-stone  of  a  church  edifice  was  laid  on  Ascension 
Day,  1849,  and  the  edifice  opened  for  divine  service  in  the 
following  September.  A  subsequent  enlargement  was  made 
in  the  summer  of  1851,  at  which  time  the  number  of  com  - 
municants was  ninety,  and  the  Sabbath-school,  under  the 
superintendency  of  Samuel  Reynolds,  in  a  very  flourishing 
condition.  Mr.  Reynolds'  ministry  here  closed,  May  6, 1855, 
and  on  the  following  Sabbath,  Rev.  A.  H.  Partridge  assumed 
the  rectorship.  He  found  the  congregation  occupying  a 
poor  building,  and  about  $6,000  in  debt.  Through  his  exer- 
tions the  debt  was  paid,  and  a  commodious  chapel  erected 
on  the  rear  of  the  lot  at  a  cost  of  about  $7,500,  with  a  capa- 
city of  seating  350  to  400  persons.  The  old  building  was 
then  taken  down  and  sold;  and,  by  the  first  of  January, 
1863,  a  new  and  elegant  brown-stone  church,  in  the  geomet- 
rical decorated  Gothic  style,  was  erected  and  occupied  by 
the  congregation.  This  edifice,  which  is  125  feet  long  by  75 
feet  wide,  with  two  towers  in  front,  will  seat  1,200  persons  ; 
with  stained-glass  windows,  organ,  and  of  elegant  internal 
finish  and  decoration.  It  cost  $35,000,  and  is  an  ornament 
to  the  city. 

In  1868,  this  parish  purchased  a  suitable  and  commodious 
house  for  a  rectory. 

After  a  long  and  useful  pastorate,  Dr.  Partridge  died  April 
8th,  1883,  and  was  succeeded  by  the  present  Rector,  Rev. 
James  H.  Darlington.  There  were  400  communicants  and 
450  Sabbath-school  scholars  (July,  1883). 

Rev.  Alfred  Hinsdale  Partrldge  was  born  at  Hatfield, 
Mass.,  Dec.  14,  1811.  He  belonged  to  the  celebrated  D wight 
family  of  Hatfield,  and  was  a  descendant  in  the  eighth  gen- 
eration from  Deacon  Cotton  Partridge.  He  first  studied  in 
the  Academy  at  Hadley,  and  then  entered  the  General  Theo- 
logical Seminary,  New  York,  and  grad.  in  June,  1838.  He 
was  made  a  deacon  at  St.  Mark's  Church,  New  York,  July 
1st,  1838,  and  a  presbyter  at  St.  Matthew's  Church,  Bedford, 
N.  Y.,  July  20,  1839. 

At  the  latter  church,  he  was  assistant  to  the  Rev.  Samuel 
Nichols  for  one  year,  but  at  the  end  of  that  time  was  him- 
self called  to  the  rectorship,  and  held  that  position  for  16 
years.  While  there,  his  great  activity  is  shown  by  the  fact 
of  his  organizing  three  new  churches  in  as  many  different 
neighboring  villages,  holding  the  initiatory  services  under 
the  trees.    In  May,  1855,  he  was  called  as  Rector  of  Christ 


1010 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Church,  North  Brooklyn.  The  church  had  been  organized 
in  1846,  being  an  offshoot  of  St.  Mark's;  and,  when  Dr. 
Partridge  came,  worship  was  held  in  a  small  frame  build- 
ing moved  from  South  Sixth  st.  to  its  present  site,  and 
called  Christ  Church  in  the  Fields.  This  Mas  afterwards 
sold  for  just  $  100. 

Twenty-eight  years  seem  a  long  time  to  remain  in  the 
rectorship  of  one  church,  but  it  is  a  short  time  in  which  to 
accomplish  such  great  results  as  Dr.  Partridge  accom- 
plished. 

The  rapid  settlement  of  the  neighborhood,  and  its  selec- 
tion as  a  place  of  residence  by  a  superior  class  of  people,  the 
general  esteem  in  which  the  Hector  was  held,  and  his  liberal 
and  evangelical  views  with  regard  to  church  matters,  drew 
many  who  had  formerly  been  members  of  other  congrega- 
tions to  unite  with  Christ  Church.  After  28  years'  faithful 
service,  Dr.  Partridge  died  April  8,  1883. 

Rev.  James  H.  Darlington,  born  in  Brooklyn,  1836;  grad. 
Qniv.  New  York,  A.  B.,  1877;  A.  M.,  Princeton,  1879;  and 
Princeton  Theol.  Sem.,  1880;  memb.  N.  Y.  Acad,  of  Sciences, 
1877;  located  in  Brooklyn,  1881;  author  ol  lectures  on  A mer. 
Literature,  pamphlet  on  Church  Government,  etc.;  Rector 
Christ  Ch.  since  May  l6t,  1883. 

St.  Paul's,  E.  D.— In  the  year  1846,  the  Rev.  S.  M.  Haskins, 
Rector  of  St.  Mark's,  having  obtained  assistance  from  Trin- 
ity Church,  New  York,  and  other  sources,  conceived  the 
project  of  commencing  Sunday-schools  and  regular  church 
services,  once  a  Sabbath,  in  the  upper  part  of  Grand  street, 
Williamsburgh,  and  in  the  neighboring  village  of  Maspeth. 
From  this  beginning,  both  this  church  and  St.  Saviour's, 
Maspeth,  date  their  existence.  The  Rev.  Wm.  Walsh,  for  a 
time,  took  charge  of  both  stations,  but  subsequently  devoted 
himself  to  the  church  at  Maspeth,  which  was  first  built.  He 
was  succeeded  in  Williamsburgh  by  the  late  Rev.  George  W. 
Fash,  at  that  time  associated  with  Mr.  llaskins  in  the  man- 
agement of  St.  Mark's  parochial  school.  On  the  8th  of  May, 
1848,  St.  Paul's  Parish,  Williamsburgh,  was  duly  organized, 
and  Mr.  l  ash  elected  its  first  pastor.  Services  until  May, 
L850,  were  held  in  a  school-room  over  a  drug  store  in  Grand 
street,  one  door  from  the  corner  of  Graham  ave.  In  1849. 
two  lots  of  ground  were  purchased  by  the  parish,  on  the  cor- 
ner of  South  2d  and  12th  streets  and  Union  ave.  In  May, 
1850,  the  congregation  removed  to  more  commodious  quar- 
ters in  Franklin  Hall,  corner  of  Graham  ave.  and  Remsen  st  , 
and  contracted  for  the  erection  of  a  house  of  worship.  But, 
becoming  financially  embarrassed,  and  compelled  to  vacate 
their  previous  quarters,  they  met  in  the  basement  of  the  Lu- 
theran Church,  corner  of  Graham  ave.  and  Wyckoff  st., 
where  their  wants  were  supplied  from  Sabbath  to  Sabbath 
by  various  clergymen.  April  30th,  1861,  the  Rev.  Henry 
Floy  Roberts  was  elected  Rector,  and,  by  his  exertions,  the 
building  project  was  revived,  the  edifice  completed  at  a  cost  of 
$1,200,  and  opened  for  public  worship  on  Thanksgiving  Day, 
Not.  22,  1851,  although  it  remained  during  the  winter  uu- 
plastcred;  and,  not  until  Christmas  was  it  warmed  and  made 
comparatively  comfortable  by  a  $20  stove.  In  1852,  by  the 
help  of  Trinity  Church,  New  York,  St.  Paul's  was  free  from 
debt,  and  the  building  completed.  In  July,  1H54.  Mr. 
ltol>erts  resigned  his  charge,  and  the  Rev.  Edmund  Embury 
entered  upon  the  rectorship,  Sept.  1st,  but,  in  consequence 
of  ill-health,  resigned  in  April,  1866.  He  was  succeeded, 
October,  1856,  by  Rev,  Wm.  A.  Maybin.  Meanwhile  the 
church  had  been  enlarged  by  the  addition  of  a  chancel,  and 
had  been  newly  and  tastefully  furnished.  The  parish  now 
received  from  Mr.  ISarnel  Johnson  a  gift  of  live  lots,  valued 
at  nvar  f 5,000,  on  the  corner  of  Penn  and  Man  y  aves  ,  on 
which  the  corner-stone  ol  a  new  edifice  was  laid  Sept.  5th, 


1860,  and  the  church  opened  for  divine  service  on  Advent 
Sunday,  Nov.  23d.  1861.    Its  cost  was  $24,760. 

The  Rectors  since  1862  are  as  follows :  Revs.  John  W. 
Clark,  1862-3;  David F.  Lumsden,  1863-T>;  F.  C.  Wainwright, 
1865;  Ed.  R.  Atwill,  1865-'7;  Wm.  A.  Maybin,  1867-'70;  Dr. 
Fox,  1870-'l;  Newland  Maynard,  1871-4. 

In  1866,  the  floating  debt  was  paid  off  through  the  liWral- 
ity  of  sister  churches  in  New  York  and  Brooklyn;  and  the 
free-seat  system,  which  had  been  in  force  since  1853,  was 
abolished.  In  July,  1883,  there  were  225  communicants  and 
294  children. 

Rev.  Newland  Maynard,  D.  D.,  born  1839,  in  Toronto. 
Ont.;  grad.  Upper  Canada  Coll.  and  Berkeley  Theol.  Inst. 
Ct.,  1869;  located  St aten  Island,  1871;  author  of  25  Lectures 
on  Foreign  Lands:  elected  1879  Fellow  of  Royal  Hist.  Soc.  of 
(Jt.  Britain;  ree'd  gold  medal  for  lectures  on  Sacred  Art  and 
Mediaeval  Architecture. 

St.  James'  Church,  E.  D.  (colored),  was  commenced  in 
1846,  and  worshiped  first  in  a  small  building  in  .South  Third 
st.,  near  Ninth  st. ;  later  (about  1855),  they  moved  to  Fourth 
st.,  near  South  Eighth,  at  which  time  the  Rev.  S  muel  V. 
Berry  (colored)  was  their  Rector.  Afterwards  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Monroe  (colored)  became  Rector,  who  resigned,  however,  in 
May,  1859,  and  went  to  Africa.  During  this  year,  the  frame 
building  in  Remsen  st.,  latterly  used  by  this  congregation, 
was  purchased  for  them  by  the  Convocation  for  Church  Ex- 
tension in  Kings  County.  For  a  time,  the  services  were  kept 
up  by  the  neighboring  clergy,  and  by  lay  reading.  The 
church  was  afterwards  sold,  the  congregation  disbanded, 
and  the  money  appropriated,  by  order  of  the  Bishop,  to  a 
colored  church  in  South  Brooklyn. 

Calvary  P.  E.  Church,  E.  D.,  South  Ninth  and  Eighth 
streets,  organized  Jan.  23,  1849,  owed  its  existence  in  a  great 
measure  to  the  Rev.  Charles  Reynolds  (at  that  time  Rector  of 
Christ  Church),  and  to  Mr.  William  G.  Dunn,  the  senior  war- 
den. To  meet  the  spiritual  destitution  of  the  northern  part 
of  Williamsburgh,  the  use  of  Lexington  Hall,  corner  of  Crand 
and  Third  streets  was  secured,  services  were  held,  and  a 
church  established  in  that  part  of  the  village.  After  a  time 
Rev.  Mr.  Payne's  services  were  engaged,  and  Odd  Fellows" 
Hall,  corner  of  North  First  and  Third  streets,  was  secured  as 
the  place  of  assembling.  Rev.  Robert  J.  Walker  was  his  suc- 
cessor, followed  by  the  Rev.  B.  F.  Taylor,  and  he  by  Rev. 
George  Timlow.  In  1851,  lots  were  purchased  on  North 
Fifth  street,  and  in  the  following  year  a  small  church  edifice 
erected,  which  was  consecrated  on  April,  16,  1853,  by  lhshop 
Wainwright.  Rev.  Samuel  W.  Sayres  was  Rector  from  Sept. 
1852,  to  October  15,  1856.  His  successor  was  the  Rev.  John 
P.  Bailsman;  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Henry  F.  Roberts, 
who  resigned  on  May  1,  1H60,  after  a  service  of  two  years.  In 
July,  1860,  the  Rev.  Francis  Peck  entered  upon  his  duties  as 
Rector;  and  during  the  early  part  of  his  administration  a  step 
vital  to  the  welfare  of  the  parish,  was  its  removal  from  North 
Filth  street  to  its  present  location,  where  a  commodious 
church  edifice  and  a  better  neighborhood  laid  the  foundation 
of  future  success.  Mr.  Peck  resigned  the  Rectorship  in  Feb- 
ruary. ISS'J.  alter  nearly  twenty-two  years  faithful  service, 
and  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  II.  R.  Harris,  in  April  of  tin 
same  year.  The  church  had  (July,  188;$)  300  communi- 
cants. 

The  Sunday-school,  which  was  established  in  the  early  his- 
tory of  this  church,  had  for  its  first  superintendent.  Mr.  Win. 
G.  Dunn.  Present  number  of  scholars,  460;  volumes  in  li- 
brary, 675. 

Rev.  Francis  Peck  was  succeeded  in  1882,  by  the  present 
Uector,  Rev.  II.  Richard  Harris.  In  July,  1888,  there  were 
30  communicants  and  460  Sunday-school  scholars. 


ECCLESIASTICAL  ORGANIZATION'S. 


1011 


Church  of  the  Ascension  (Greenpoint).  In  the  fall  of  1846, 
tev.  John  W.  Brown,  of  Astoria,  Rev.  Chas.  Reynolds,  of 
Ihrist  Church,  North  Brooklyn,  and  Rev.  John  C.  Brown,  ar- 
anged  for  the  holding  of  divine  service  in  Greenpoint,  ac- 
ording  to  the  ritual  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  church.  In 
)ctober,  the  first  service  was  celebrated  by  Rev.  John  C. 
Jrown,  in  the  parlor  of  Mr.  David  Provost's  residence.  Under 
Ir.  Brown's  guidance  as  a  missionary,  a  room  was  forthwith 
dred,  supplied  with  furniture  from  Astoria,  and  services 
vere  regularly  commenced.  December  20,  1846,  the  parish 
vas  organized,  and  incorporated  Sept.  28,  1847.  In  the  sum- 
ner  of  1847,  the  services  were  conducted  by  Rev.  Michael 
>chofield,  who  had  recently  become  associated  with  Rev.  J. 
(V.  Brown  of  Astoria,  and  a  flourishing  Sabbath-school  was 
ilso  gathered  under  Mr.  Wm.  Mulligan,  a  layman  of  Astoria. 
\fter  a  few  months,  Mr.  Schofield  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev. 
3enry  Bartow,  who  resigned  in  1848.  The  Rev.  Robert  J. 
talker,  was  next  appointed,  in  November,  1848,  resigning  in 
March,  1850,  in  order  to  devote  his  whole  attention  to  Cal- 
vary church,  Williamsburgh,  where  he  had  already  been  of- 
Iciating  in  addition  to  his  Greenpoint  duties.  In  May,  1850, 
;he  Rev.  Thomas  Clark  was  called  to  the  rectorship  at  Green- 
point, which  he  filled  until  his  death  in  August,  1852.  Dur- 
ing his  time,  the  congregation  worshiped  in  the  Sabbath- 
school  room  of  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church  in  Java  street,  and 
in  the  house  of  Mr.  Charles  Cartlidge,  Franklin  street.  The 
Rev.  Edward  C.  Babcock,  A.  B.,  deacon,  entered  on  his  duties 
as  Rector  on  the  31st  of  October,  1852,  the  services  being  at  that 
time  held  at  Mr.  Cartlidge's  house,  and  the  congregation 
numbering  about  thirty  persons.  A  Sabbath-school  was  com- 
menced; and  the  first  communion  was  administered  on  Sun- 
day, November  28,  1852,  by  the  Rev.  C.  Reynolds,  to  thirteen 
persons. 

About  this  time,  also,  three  lots  of  ground,  eighty- 
five  feet  front  by  one  hundred  feet  deep,  on  the  north  side  of 
K  Street,  midway  between  Franklin  and  Union  avenues, 
were  secured  at  a  cost  of  $1,500.  On  the  30th  of  January,  1853, 
the  congregation  met  for  the  first  time  in  Odd  Fellows'  Hall, 
in  K  street,  east  of  Union  avenue,  where  they  continued  to 
worship  until  October  following.  On  the  5th  of  July,  1853, 
the  corner-stone  of  a  lecture  and  Sabbath-school  room  was 
laid.  It  was  opened  for  worship  on  Sunday,  October  23, 1853, 
at  a  cost,  for  land,  building  and  furniture  of  about  $4,500.  The 
pews  in  the  early  part  of  1855,  were  voted  free  by  the  vestry. 
Mr.  Babcock  resigned  November  1st,  and  died  in  December 
of  the  same  year.  The  Rev.  Merrit  H.  Wellman,  entered 
upon  his  duties  as  Rector  January  1st,  1857;  his  salary  being 
assumed  by  the  joint  action  of  the  vestry,  the  missionary 
committee  of  the  diocese,  and  the  New  York  Pastoral  Aid 
Society. 

In  the  fall  of  1858,  through  efforts  of  the  parish  and 
the  liberality  of  outside  friends,  an  excellent  organ  was  pro- 
cured, the  building  was  ornamented  and  furnished,  and  a  small 
balance  of  debt  cancelled.  With  the  close  of  1860,  the  church 
ceased  to  receive  assistance  from  the  Pastoral  Aid  Society, 
and  that  derived  from  the  Missionary  Society  was  also  much 
rediiced,  the  vestry  being  now  able  to  assume  a  larger  pro- 
portion of  the  debt.  The  parish  made  a  steady  and  healthful 
progress,  during  the  rectorship  of  Mr.  Wellman,  who  re- 
signed on  May  1st,  1863.  Rev.  Francis  Mansfield,  was  the 
next  Rector,  officiating  first  on  the  28th  of  June,  1863.  The 
congregation  having  largely  increased,  a  new  edifice  became 
necessary,  and  the  corner-stone  of  a  permanent  church  was 
laid  on  the  north  side  of  the  chapel,  on  the  23d  of  March, 
1865.  The  church  was  completed  at  a  cost  of  $20,000,  and 
opened  for  divine  service  on  the  16th  of  September,  1866.  It 
is  a  Gothic  structure  of  correct  proportions  and  pleasing  ef- 


fect, with  open  roof,  and  organ  chamber  adjoining  the  chan- 
cel, designed  by  Mr.  Henry  Dudley;  and  is  filled  with  a  large 
and  flourishing  congregation.  Rev.  Thos.  W.  Haskins  suc- 
ceeded Mr.  Mansfield;  and  Rev.  C.  Ellis  Stevens  subse- 
quently became  Rector;  followed  by  the  present  incumbent, 
Rev.  A.  Whittaker.  In  July,  1883,  there  were  168  communi- 
cants and  345  Sunday-school  scholars. 

Rev.  C.  Ellis  Stevens,  born  1853,  in  Boston,  Mass. ;  grad. 
Univ.  Penn.,  and  Berkeley  Divin.  Sch.,  Ct.,  1875;  located 
Bklyn.,  1876;  is  a  Miss.  Sec'y.  of  P.  E.  Ch.,  in  U  S.;  was  as- 
soc. Ed.  of  Living  Church. 

St.  John's  Church,  E.  D.,  was  incorporated  in  1851,  and 
admitted  into  union  with  convention  on  the  24th  of  Septem- 
ber of  the  same  year.  The  Rev.  Benj.  F.  Taylor,  then  a 
missionary  in  Williamsburgh,  was  called  to  the  rector- 
ship. This  parish  did  not  succeed  in  erecting  a  church  edi- 
fice, and  the  congregation,  never  numerous,  becoming  scat- 
tered, the  Rev.  Mr.  Taylor  withdrew  in  1854,  and  further  ef- 
forts under  this  organization  were  abandoned. 

Grace  Church,  E.  D. — At  the  urgent  request  of  several 
friends,  the  Rev.  Alvah  Guion,  in  April,  1853,  visited  the 
Third  Ward  of  Williamsburgh,  one  and  a  half  miles  back 
from  the  ferries,  having  an  industrious  population  of  about 
1,800  souls,  among  whom  no  Episcopal  church  had  been  es- 
tablished, and  no  place  for  public  worship  except  a  small 
temporary  building  put  up  by  the  Baptists.  Mr.  Guion  de- 
termined, in  reliance  upon  Divine  favor,  that  a  free  Episco- 
pal church  should  be  established  in  this  section,  amid  this 
growing  population.  He  established  his  residence  in  their 
midst,  hired  two  rooms  with  folding-doors  on  the  first  floor 
of  No.  243  Lorimer  street,  and  on  Sunday,  May  15,  1853, 
preached  a  sermon  to  a  congregation  of  five  souls;  and  on  the 
following  Sabbath  a  Sunday-school  was  commenced  with 
one  scholar.  After  a  year's  hard  labor  he  had  secured  a  valu- 
able plot  of  land  on  Conselyea  st. ,  near  Lorimer,  on  which 
to  esect  a  church,  as  a  free  gift  from  Messrs.  Charles  M. 
Church,  John  Skillman  and  Joseph  H.  Skillman,  on  the  con- 
dition that  a  church  worth  $5,000  should  be  erected  thereon 
within  two  years.  He  had  also  collected  a  little  over  a  fifth 
of  the  above  amount.  The  plans  for  the  church  edifice  were 
prepared  under  his 'own  direction;  and  he  also,  singly  and 
alone  (every  member  of  the  vestry,  from  inability,  indiffer- 
ence, or  want  of  faith  in  its  ultimate  success,  having  refused), 
assumed  the  entire  responsibility  of  the  enterprise.  His  zeal, 
faith  and  labors  were  finally  rewarded  with  success.  On  the 
8th  of  January,  1856,  the  church  was  fully  completed;  and, 
on  the  10th  of  April,  1856,  formally  consecrated  as  a  free 
Episcopal  church.  Grace  Church  is  92  feet  by  44,  being  cal- 
culated to  seat  500  persons;  and,  with  all  its  accessories,  fix- 
tures, etc. ,  is  an  example  of  how  neat,  comfortable  and  com- 
modious a  church  may  be  built,  even  in  a  city,  for  a  compar- 
atively small  sum.  Mr.  Guion  continued  the  Rector  of  this 
parish  until  the  spring  of  1868,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  the 
Rev.  William  S.  Chadwell.  The  vestry,  at  the  time  of  the 
consecration  of  the  edifice,  were  Messrs.  Jonathan  James 
and  James  S.  Guion,  Wardens;  Dwight  Woodbury,  Henry  S. 
Samuels,  Edward  W.  Townsend,  Richard  Sealey,  Erasmus  D. 
Brown,  David  B.  Cunningham,  Geo.  K.  Brooks  and  Wm.  T. 
Anderson,  Vestrymen.  Mr.  Chadwell  was  succeeded  by  Rev. 
Joseph  Beers;  and  he  by  Mr.  Coan. 

St.  Barnabas  Chapel,  E.  D. — Services  were  commenced 
early  in  1869,  by  the  Rev.  Henry  A.  Dows,  now  in  charge  of 
this  mission,  in  a  building  rented  for  the  purpose  on  the 
north-west  corner  of  Evergreen  ave.  and  Jefferson  st.  Church 
on  Evergreen  ave.,  between  Chestnut  and  Stockholm  sts., 
opened  for  Divine  service,  Dec.  12,  1869,  *  Afterwards  dis- 
continued. 


1012 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


The  following  Clergymen  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church  are  residents  of  the  city: 

Rev.  Robert  Bayard  Snow-den,  l>orn  in  New  York,  1833; 
grail.  Williams  Coll.  18."">4,  and  Union  Theol.  Sem.,  1859;  lo- 
cated in  California.  1865-'70;  in  Conn.,  1870-'75;  Fort  Ham- 
ilton, 1876;  was  editor  of  The  Church  Magazine,  1876-'77;  is 
contributor  to  papers. 

Rev.  Henry  H.  Loring,  A.  M.  (Hohart),  born  in  Berkshire 
Co.,  Mass. ;  admitted  to  the  bar,  1856;  grad.  Gen.  Theol. 
Sem.,  New  York.  1858;  trustee  of  same,  1867-76;  Prof.  He- 
|,rew  ami  Bil>.  Interp.  Kansas  Theol.  School.  TopekB;  editor 
church  paper:  is  on  staff  of  The  Churchman,  N.  Y. ;  located 
Fayetteville,  N.  Y. ;  Olean,  N.  Y.,  Brownsville,  Pa.,  and 
Topeka,  Kan.:  translator  and  editor  of  Germ.  Theol.  mono- 
graphs: came  to  B'klyn,  1871*. 

Rev.  John  Greenwood  Bacchus,  horn  in  Chestertown, 
Md.,  1846;  grad.  Kenyon  Coll.,  1870;  Cambridge  Theol.  Sem., 
1873;  alumnus  lecturer  at  Theol.  Sem.:  located  B'klyn,  1873. 

Rev.  L  Barnwell  Campbell,  born  in  Beaufort,  S.  C. , 
1815;  grad.  Nassau  Hall,  Princeton,  1835;  and  Prot.  Epis. 
(leu.  Theol.  Sem.,  1839;  located  Charleston,  S.  C,  1840-'58; 
New  York,  1867-  68;  B'klyn,  1868-'84;  did  missionary  service 
in  late  war,  at  Williamston,  S.  C. 


Rev.  J.  A.  Aspinwall,  born  in  New  York.  1840;  studied  in 
France  and  Germany;  grad.  Theol.  Gambier  (O.)  Coll.,  18€4; 
located  Bay  Ridge,  L.  I.,  1864-'84. 

Rev.  W.  G.  McKlNNEY,  born  in  Charleston,  S.  C.  1826;  lo- 
cated Buffalo,  Brooklyn,  Charleston  and  Cleveland;  did 
missionary  work  in  La.  and  N.  C. ;  author  of  My  Early 
ligious  Impressions:  Walter  and  the  Prize  Lottery;  Archi- 
bald and  Elvira:  The  Commandments  Kept;  Faith  and 
Works,  etc. 

Rev.  Dan  Marvin,  Jr.,  born  in  New  York,  1843;  grad. 
Columbia  Coll.,  1863;  studied  P.  E.  Gen.  Theol.  Sem.,N  Y  ; 
was  adjunct  Prof.  Creek,  Racine  Coll.,  "Wis.;  located  St. 
Peter's  Chapel,  B'klyn,  1X76-  77;  Asst.  Min.  Ch.  of  Messiah. 
1877-79;  Ch.  of  Holy  Communion,  Norwood,  N.  J.,  1883-'&J 
and  Prin.  Lafayette  Acad.,  B'klyn. 

Rev.  Joseph  Reynolds,  horn  in  Baltimore,  1854;  studied  a; 
Univ.  of  Va. :  grad.  Gen.  Theol.  Sem.,  1877;  is  chaplain  Mon- 
tauk  Lodge,  F.  A.  M.;  chap.  5th  Md.  N.  G.:  located  Balti- 
more, 1878-79;  Harford  Co.,  1879-'80;  B'klyn,  1880-'84. 

Rev.  Paulus  Moort,  born  in  St.  Croix,  1850;  grad.  St. 
Augustine  Inst.,  Raleigh,  N.  C,  and  P.  E.  Theol.  Sem.. 
Phila.,  1882;  located  New  York:  destined  to  work  in  Lil>eria. 
A  frica. 


RT.  REV.  abram  newkirk  littlejohn,  d.d. 

Bishop  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Diocese  of  Long  Island. 


Bishop  Littlejohn  is  a  native  of  Central  New  York, 
having  been  born  in  Montgomery  county,  December 
13th,  1824.  His  early  education  was  obtained  in  his 
native  county;  and,  in  1841,  he  entered  Union  College, 
where  he  graduated  with  honor  in  1845.  Entering  at 
once  upon  a  course  of  theological  study,  lie  received 
deacon's  orders  from  the  lit.  Rev. William  II.  DeLancey, 
Bishop  of  the  Diocese  of  Western  New  York,  at  Au- 
burn, N.  Y.,  on  the  18th  of  March,  1848.  He  entered 
upon  the  clerical  duties  at  St.  Ann's  Church,  Amster- 
dam, immediately;  and,  after  continuing  there  a  year, 
removed  to  Mcriden,  Conn.,  where  he  officiated  for  a 
period  of  ten  months.  On  the  10th  of  April,  1850,  he 
was  called  to  the  rectorship  of  Christ  Church,  Spring- 
field, Mass.,  where  he  was  ordained  priest,  November  10, 
1850,  and  where  he  remained  a  little  more  than  a  year. 
In  July,  1851,  he  succeeded  Rev.  Samuel  E.  Cooke, 
I ).!)..  m  Rector  of  St.  Paul's  Church,  New  Haven. 
Though  yet  a  young  man,  not  quite  twenty-seven  years 
o|  aire,  w  lien  In  entered  upon  this  large  and  important 
field  of  labor,  he  soon  gave  evidence  of  remarkable 
intellectual  abilities.  His  sympathy  with  progress 
and  with  the  friends  of  higher  intellectual  culture,  es- 
pecially among  the  young  men,  was  so  evident  and 
hearty,  that  he  attracted  in  large  numbers  the  young 
men  of  the  city  into  his  congregation;  and,  at  the  same 
time,  his  own  scholarship  was  so  broad  and  thorough, 
and  his  ability  as  a  speaker  and  writer  so  eminent,  that 
he  was  in  gn  at  demand  as  a  lecturer  and  orator.  In 
1853,  he  was  invited  to  give  the  opening  lecture  of  a 


course  in  Philadelphia,  by  bishops  and  clergymen  of 
the  Episcopal  church,  on  topics  connected  with  theo- 
logical science.  The  subject  assigned  him,  and  which 
he  discussed  with  masterly  ability,  was,  "  The  Philos- 
ophy of  Religion."  These  discourses  were  subsequently 
published,  with  an  introductory  essay  by  Rt.  Rev, 
Alonzo  Potter,  D.  D.,  LL.  I).,  Bishop  of  Pennsylvania, 
and  constitute  a  valuable  contribution  to  the  literature 
of  the  Church.  He  had  already  been  for  several  years 
Lecturer  on  Pastoral  Theology  at  the  Berkeley  Divinity 
School,  Middletown,  Conn.,  and  he  continued  to  sus- 
tain this  relation  to  that  school  of  the  prophets,  in  ad- 
dition to  the  duties  of  his  rectorship,  during  his  resi- 
dence in  New  Haven,  a  period  of  ten  years.  In  185*;. 
before  he  had  completed  his  thirty-second  year,  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania  conferred  on  him  the  hon- 
orary degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity.  In  January,  1858, 
when  yet  but  thirty-three  years  of  age,  he  was  unani- 
mously elected  President  of  Ilobart  College,  Geneva, 
X.  Y.  This  honor  he  respectfully  declined.  In  tin- 
spring  of  18(10  he  was  called  to  the  rectorship  of  the 
Church  of  the  Holy  Trinity  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

Tlie  position  w  as  one  of  peculiar  responsibility  and 
anxiety,  and  a  man  of  less  moral  courage  would  have 
declined  to  leave  a  congregation  so  strongly  attached 
to  him  as  that  of  St.  Paul's,  and  one  in  every  re-po  t  K 
pleasant,  for  the  trials  and  severe  labors  which  he  well 
knew  would  be  inevitable  in  his  new  position.  Tin 
Church  of  the  Holy  Trinity,  originally  erected  in  llTg< 
part  through  the  inunilicence  of  one  of  its  const iturnl 


ECCLESIASTICAL 


members,  and  through  his  subsequent  misfortune  in 
business  so  heavily  mortgaged  that,  in  1856,  it  was 
with  the  greatest  difficulty  rescued  from  falling  into 
the  hands  of  the  Roman  Catholics,  on  a  foreclosure  sale 
for  a  mortgage  debt  of  $100,000,  was  still  staggering 
under  an  incumbrance  of  $65,000,  and  was  as  yet  in- 
complete. It  was  a  magnificent  edifice,  well  worthy  to 
become  eventually,  when  completed,  the  cathedral 
church  of  a  future  diocese ;  but  the  congregation  which 
worshiped  in  it  were,  neither  in  wealth  or  numbers, 
quite  strong  enough  to  bear  so  heavy  a  burden. 

But  the  young  and  brave-hearted  New  Haven  Rector 
saw  in  this  persistent  determination  to  "  fight  it  out  on 
that  line  "  which  actuated  the  members  of  the  parish  of 
the  Holy  Trinity,  the  possibilities  of  a  magnificent 
future;  and,  stipulating  that  the  debt  should  be  reduced 
$10,000  before  he  entered  upon  his  duties  among  them, 
he  threw  his  whole  heart  into  the  work  of  building  up 
the  parish.  The  cheerfulness  of  his  spirit,  the  rare 
courage  with  which  he  addressed  himself  to  his  work, 
the  halo  of  enthusiasm  with  which  he  surrounded  it,  as 
a  work  done  for  Christ,  and  the  eloquence  and  fervor  of 
his  preaching,  attracted  a  constantly-increasing  audience 
to  the  services  of  the  church.  There  were  yet  dark  days 
to  be  encountered.  The  financial  depression  of  1861 
and  1862  made  it  a  difficult  matter  to  raise  money  even 
for  the  payment  of  the  interest  on  the  still  heavy  debt; 
but,  when  a  time  of  greater  financial  prosperity  came, 
and  his  congregation  was  strengthened  by  the  addition 
of  numerous  men  of  wealth  and  generous  hearts,  he  re- 
newed his  efforts  to  throw  off  the  burden  of  debt  which 
had  so  long  crippled  the  energies  of  the  church.  In 
January,  1863,  $20,000  of  the  debt  was  paid,  and  the 
income  of  the  church  having  more  than  doubled,  and 
being  in  excess  of  the  amount  necessary  to  defray  the 
current  expenses,  Dr.  Littlejohn  proposed  the  establish- 
ment of  a  sinking  fund,  which  has  already  greatly  di- 
minished, and  will,  ere  long,  completely  obliterate  the 
original  debt.  Meantime,  fully  convinced  that  the  chari- 
ties which  began  at  home  should  not  end  there,  he  incul- 
cated both  by  precept  and  example,  that  wise  liberality, 
in  the  support  of  all  the  benevolent  institutions  of  the 
church,  which  should  demonstrate  that  they  did  not 
live  to  themselves  alone,  but  unto  Him  who  had  re- 
deemed them.  On  the  Western  frontier,  in  Bellevue,  Ne- 
braska, the  parish  of  the  Holy  Trinity  erected  a  church 
edifice  named  after  itself,  where  the  emigrants  from  our 
Eastern  States  could  worship  God  as  they  had  done  in 
the  land  of  their  fathers.  In  the  newer  portion  of  this 
city,  just  where  the  advancing  wave  of  population  has 
reached  its  shores,  on  Fulton  avenue,  near  Schenectady 
avenue,  it  has  established  a  Free  Chapel.  A  Classical  and 
Commercial  School  for  Boys,  with  religious  as  well  as 
secular  instruction,  has  been  established,  and  is  in  a  flour- 
ishing condition.  The  Church  Orphan  Asylum,  the  Home 
for  Aged  Women,  and  the  other  local  church  charities, 
and  the  Missionary,  Educational,  and  Church  Extension 


ORG  A  NIZA  TIONS.  1013 


Societies,  have  received  largely  of  their  bounties  through 
all  these  years. 

Aside  from  the  engrossing  cares  of  his  large  parish, 
and  the  parochial  and  financial  duties  which  have  occu- 
pied him  there,  he  has,  from  his  first  coining  to  Brook- 
lyn, been  prominently  connected  with  the  missionary 
work  of  the  church,  as  a  member  of  the  Domestic  Com- 
mittee of  the  Board  of  Missions;  he  is,  likewise,  a  trus- 
tee of  St.  Stephen's  College,  and  of  the  General  Theo- 
logical Seminary  of  New  York;  a  member  of  the  Execu- 
tive Committee  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Freedmen's 
Commission;  a  director  of  the  Society  for  the  Increase 
of  the  Ministry;  a  member  of  the  Executive  Committee 
of  the  Sunday-school  Union  and  Church  Book  Society; 
a  director  of  the  Long  Island  Historical  Society;  Presi- 
dent of  the  Homes  for  the  Aged  and  Orphan  on  the 
Church  Charity  Foundation,  and  Vice-President  of  the 
Kings  County  Convocation  for  Church  Extension.  He 
has  also  been  a  frequent  contributor  to  the  American 
Quarterly  Church  Review,  and  has  reviewed  with  great 
ability  in  its  pages,  "  Sir  James  Stephens'  Lectures  on 
the  History  of  France,"  "Cousin's  History  of  Modern 
Philosophy,"  "The  Character  and  Writings  of  Cole- 
ridge," "The  Poems  of  George  Herbert,"  and  " Miss 
Beecher's  Bible  and  the  People."  He  has  also  published 
numerous  occasional  discourses  and  addresses. 

In  1866,  Dr.  Littlejohn  laid  before  the  parish  his  pur- 
pose to  complete  the  Church  of  the  Holy  Trinity  with 
a  spire.  The  site  of  the  church  (on  the  Heights)  is  ele- 
vated about  64  feet  above  the  surface  of  the  bay.  He 
proposed  to  build  a  spire  of  stone  from  the  summit  of 
the  tower  already  erected,  to  a  height,  including  the 
metal  cross  with  which  it  should  terminate,  of  284  feet 
from  the  ground.  He  was  successful  in  raising  the  sum 
necessary  for  its  completion  ($55,000).  This  spire  is 
the  most  conspicuous  object  which  greets  the  eye  of 
the  voyager  as  he  comes  up  the  lower  bay,  and  is,  by  al- 
most a  hundred  feet,  higher  than  any  other  spire  in 
either  New  York  or  Brooklyn.  On  the  19th  of  Decem- 
ber, 1867,  commemorative  services  were  held  in  the 
Church  of  the  Holy  Trinity  on  the  occasion  of  the  com- 
pletion of  this  great  work.  In  connection  with  this  ser- 
vice, it  was  stated  that  the  contributions  of  the  parish 
to  benevolent  purposes  (including,  of  course,  the  church 
debt  and  the  spire),  during  Dr.  Littlejohn's  rectorship 
(of  somewhat  less  than  eight  years),  had  been  $260,000, 
and  that  there  had  been  in  that  time  680  communicants 
added  to  the  church. 

At  the  General  Convention  of  1869,  the  formation  of 
three  new  dioceses  in  New  York  was  authorized,  and 
they  were  organized  in  the  autumn  of  that  year.  Dr. 
Littlejohn  was  elected  Bishop  by  two  of  these,  that 
of  Central  New  York,  and  that  of  Long  Island; 
but  chose  the  latter,  as  that  with  which  he  was  best  ac- 
quainted, and  in  which  he  could  be  most  useful.  His 
ordination  and  consecration  to  this  office  took  place  on 
the  27th  of  January,  1866. 


1014 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


In  the  fifteen  years  of  his  Episcopate,  Bishop  Little- 
john  has  admitted  to  the  Communion  of  the  Church  in 
Confirmation,  nearly  20,000  persons;  has  ordained  to 
the  Diaconate  and  Priesthood  about  100  clergymen; 
has  consecrated  a  large  number  of  churches,  and  has 
established  three  Diocesan  schools  of  high  grade,  over 
all  which  he  maintains  an  active  supervision.  Under 
his  administration  as  President  c.r -officio  of  the  Church 
Charity  Foundation,  St.  John's  Hospital  has  been 
built  at  a  cost  of  $120,000,  and  other  departments  of 
the  foundation  have  been  greatly  enlarged,  and  all  of 
them  strengthened  by  substantial  additions  to  the  per- 
manent endowments.  In  1872,  Bishop  Littlejohn  was 
appointed  Bishop  in  Charge  of  all  Protestant  Episcopal 
Churches  on  the  Continent  of  Europe.  This  appoint- 
ment he  has  held  ever  since,  thus  adding  to  his  work  in 
the  Diocese  of  Long  Island,  a  considerable  jurisdiction 
abroad;  the  latter  requiring  an  official  visitation  every 
two  or  three  years.  In  1878,  he  attended  the  Lambeth 
Conferences,  held  in  Lambeth  Palace,  London.  One 
hundred  bishops,  from  all  parts  of  the  world,  were 
present,  and  the  sessions  were  under  the  Presidency  of 
the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury. 

In  1879-1880,  he  delivered  a  series  of  lectures  to  the 
clergy,  subsequently  published    in  a    volume  entitled 


"  Conciones  ad  Clerum,"  which  has  now  reached  its 
third  edition.  In  November,  1880,  he  delivered  before 
the  University  of  Cambridge,  England,  a  series  of  dig- 
courses  on  "Individualism,"  published  immediately 
after  at  the  University  Press.  In  acknowledgment  of 
this  service,  the  University  conferred  upon  him  the  de- 
gree of  LL.D.  During  the  spring  of  188H,  the  Bishop 
delivered  a  course  of  lectures  at  the  General  Theologi- 
cal Seminary  of  New  York,  on  "  the  Christian  Ministry 
at  the  Close  of  the  Nineteenth  Century."  These  lec- 
tures are  now  in  the  press.  Besides  these,  the  Bishop 
has,  during  the  last  25  years,  contributed  many  elabor- 
ate  articles  to  reviews  and  periodicals,  and  published 
many  addresses  and  charges  delivered  to  the  clergy  at 
the  Annual  Conventions  of  his  Diocese.  He  has,  for 
many  years,  acted  as  Chairman  of  the  Domestic  Com- 
mittee  of  the  Board  of  Missions  of  the  P.  E.  Church, 
having  charge  of  Home  Missions  in  all  parts  of  tin- 
country. 

lie  is  an  official  visitor  of  Ilobart  College,  Geneva. 
N.  Y.  ;  Trustee  of  St.  Stephen's  College,  Annamhh . 
N.  Y.  ;  also  a  Trustee  of  Columbia  College,  in  tin 
city  of  New  York,  and  ex-otticio,  a  Trustee  of  tin 
General  Theological  Seminary  in  New  York. 


REFORMED  EPISCOPAL  CHURCHES. 


March  1st,  1874,  the  services  of  the  Reformed  Ejiisrojxil 
Church  were  inaugurated  in  Brooklyn  by  Rev.  W.  H.  Reid; 
Bishop  Geo.  David  Cummins,  D.  D.,  preaching  the  sermon. 
Since  that  time  Mr.  Reid  lias  organized  three  churches  in  the 
city,  all  of  which  are  in  a  flourishing  condition. 

The  Church  of  the  Atonement  (R.  E.)  was  organized  on 
the  19th  of  Septeml>er,  1875,  with  160  members.  Its  tirst 
place  of  worship  was  a  hall  over  the  Kings  Co.  Bank,  corner 
of  Broadway  and  Fourth  sts.,  E.  D.  In  1878-'9,  the  society 
erected  a  church  building  of  brick,  with  Nova  Scotia  stone 
trimmings,  and  in  the  Romanesque  style,  on  the  corner  of 
Keap  st.  and  Marcy  ave. 

Rev.  W.  H.  Reid  was  the  fint  Rector,  followed  by  the  Rev. 
Yelverton  Peyton  Morgan;  and,  in  1877,  by  Rev.  Y.  P.  Hunt-  I 


ington.  On  April  1(1.  1SS2,  the  present  Pastor,  Rev.  William 
Henry  Barnes,  was  installed  as  Rector.  A  large  ami  success- 
ful Sunday-school  is  attached  to  the  church. 

The  Church  of  the  Redemption  i  K.  K.^  was  organized  :it 
Greenpoint  in  187(5,  by  Rev.  Mr.  Reid.  The  congregation 
hired  a  church  building  in  Java  st.,  from  a  Reformed  (Dutch i 
church.  Rev.  F.  E.  Dager  became  rector.  The  society  are 
preparing  to  build  a  house  of  worship. 

The  Church  of  the  Reconciliation  (R.  E.)  was  organized 
by  Rev.  \V.  H.  Reid.  the  present  Rector,  December  Pi,  Is". 
Its  first  place  of  worship  was  the  old  South  Brooklyn  church, 
corner  of  Clinton  and  Amity  sts.  In  February,  lssi,  tin' 
congregation  removed  to  a  church  edifice,  on  the  corner  nf 
I  Gates  ave.  and  Irving  place. 


THE  SOCIETY   OF  FRIENDS. 


Friends'  Meeting  House. — The  < hthodox  Friends 
in  Brooklyn  have  their  place  of  worship  on  the  north- 
east corner  of  Lafayette  and  Washington  EV 68.  Their 
'•  mectim.'  house  "  is  a  plain  three-story  brick  building, 
40  feet  in  width  by  77  feet  in  length,  fronting  on 


Lafayette  avenue.  It  was  built  in  1868,  the  ground, 
100  feet  square,  having  been  purchased  two  year* 
before. 

The  main   room   of  the  tirst   story  is  i  1  by  the 

"  Bible  School,"  and  will  seat  250.    The  main  room  on 


ECCLESIASTICAL  OR GANIZA TIONS. 


1015 


econd  floor  is  used  for  the  meetings  for  worship.  This 
oom,  including  the  gallery,  will  seat  350,  and  the  par- 
ol- on  the  third  floor,  100. 

The  Brooklyn  meeting  is  one  of  several  constituting 
•  New  York  Monthly  Meeting,"  to  which  this  property 
,nd  that  used  by  those  meetings  belong. 

The  Society  of  Friends  had  its  origin  in  England, 
letween  1644  and  1664,  through  the  preaching  of 
Jeorge  Fox  and  his  coadjutors.  While  the  funda- 
uental  principles  of  Christian  faith  are  held  by  them 
u  common  with  all  evangelical  denominations,  they 


entertain  certain  distinguishing  views.  They  believe 
the  practice  of  war  to  be  inconsistent  with  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  gospel,  and  that  Christ  enjoined  against 
all  oaths.  They  do  not  observe  the  outward  ordinances 
— water-baptism,  and  the  partaking  of  bread  and 
wine — believing  the  one  baptism  and  the  true  com- 
munion of  the  gospel  dispensation  to  be  spiritual. 
They  believe  that  the  Head  of  the  Church  bestows 
spiritual  gifts  freely,  without  distinction  of  sex,  and 
that  such  gifts  should  be  freely  exercised.  Many  of 
their  ministers  are  women. 


CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCHES. 


Independent  Congregational  Church. — On  the  18th 
)f  Sept.,  1785,  an  "Independent  Meeting  House"  was 
;rected,  and  a  congregation  regularly  incorporated 
vvith  the  following  officers:  John  Matlock,  Pastor, 
ind  George  Wall,  Assistant;  John  Carpenter,  Treas.; 
3eorge  Powers,  Sec;  William  Benton,  Robert  Steath, 
Barnard  Cordman,  John  Emery,  and  William  Hinson, 
Trustees.  Their  place  of  worship  stood  on  what  was 
the  old  Episcopal  burying  ground  in  Fulton  st.  Its 
members  disagreed  among  themselves,  and  the  build- 
ing; finally  came  into  the  possession  of  some  Episco- 
palians worshiping  in  Brooklyn  under  the  care  of 
Rev.  Geo.  Wright,  and  it  was  consecrated  by  Bishop 
Provost.  Such  was  the  untimely  end  of  what  may  be 
called  the  first  Congregational  Church  of  Brooklyn. 

The  Church  of  the  Pilgrims  (Henry  street,  corner 
of  Remsen)  was  organized  December  22d,  1844,  with 
71  members.  Arrangements  for  this  had  been  in 
progress  during  some  months.  The  corner-stone  of 
the  church  was  laid  July  2,  1844;  its  completion  was 
retarded  by  unforeseen  circumstances,  but  it  was 
dedicated  May  12th,  1846.  Its  cost,  first  estimated 
at  $25,000,  reached  $65,000. 

In  June,  1846,  Rev.  Richard  S.  Storrs,  Jr.,  received 
a  call  to  the  pastorate,  and  was  installed  in  the  fol- 
lowing November.  All  indebtedness  was  removed 
from  the  church  in  1848,  and  a  basis  for  permanent 
prosperity  secured.  In  1869,  an  addition  was  made 
to  the  building,  increasing  the  capacity  of  the  audi- 
ence-room to  1,300;  and  making  ample  arrange- 
ments for  Sunday-school,  committee  rooms,  etc. 

The  Navy  and  Warren  Street  Missions  were  largely 
aided  by  this  clmrch.  The  last  was  removed,  in  1878, 
to  cor.  Henry  and  Degraw  sts.,  where  an  elegant 
chapel,  now  known  as  the  Pilgrim  Chapel,  in  the 
Italian  Gothic  style,  was  erected,  costing  $35,000,  and 
occupied  for  worship  Dec.  16,  1878.  Its  school  is 
emphatically  a  model  in  organization  and  equipments 
numbering  more  than  1,000. 

In  June,  1847,  nine  members  of  this  church  united 
with  others  in  the  formation  of  Plymouth  Church. 

The  church  has  been  peculiarly  fortunate  in  retain- 
ing Rev.  Dr.  Storrs  as  its  Pastor,  during  all  its  exis- 
tence thus  far. 


CHURCH  OF  THE  PILGRIMS,  HENRY  STREET,  COU.  REMSEN. 


1016 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


REV.  RICHARD  SALTER  STORRS,  D.  D.,  LL.  D. 

Pastor  of  the  Church  of  the  Pilgrims. 


The  doctrine  of  Heredity,  as  a  factor  in  the  evolution  of 
Intellect,  and  as  largely  controlling  the  choice  of  a  man's 
profession  or  occupation,  finds  a  signal  example  in  the  ances- 
try of  this  eloquent  divine,  who,  in  his  own  person,  repre- 
sents the  fourth  generation  of  an  unbroken  line  of  Congre- 
gational ministers.  His  father,  t he  late  Rev.  Richard  S.  Storrs, 
of  Brain  tree,  Mass.,  was  for  more  than  half  a  century  the 
honored  aud  beloved  Pastor  of  the  Congregational  Church  of 
that  town.  His  grandfather,  also  the  Rev.  Richard  S.  Storrs, 
was  for  nearly  forty  years  the  Pastor  of  the  Congregational 
Church  at  Long  Meadow,  Mats.  His  great-grandfather,  the 
Rev.  John  Storrs,  was  for  many  years  Pastor  of  the  Congre- 
gational Church  at  Southold,  L.  L,  and  afterward  returned 
to  his  native  place,  Mansfield,  Conn.,  where  he  died. 

In  the  maternal  line  of  his  father's  ancestry,  Ur.  Storrs 
also  derives  from  the  Rev.  Richard  Mather,  the  first  Pastor 
of  the  Dorchester  (Mass.)  Church:  and  is  connected  with  the 
Williams  and  Edwards  families,  both  eminent  in  the  minis- 
terial annals  of  New  England. 

Dr.  Storrs,  therefore,  may  well  claim  that  his  vocation  is 
a  hereditary  diadem. 

Richard  Salter  Storrs  was  born  in  Braintree,  Mass.,  in 
1821.  The  Adams  family  were  neighbors  of  his  parents,  and 
with  the  (juincys  and  John  Hancock,  helped  to  render  the 
historic  township  a  somewhat  famous  locality.  Young 
Storrs'  preliminary  education,  aside  from  that  which  he  re- 
ceived from  his  father's  tuition,  was  obtained  (1834-'."))  in  the 
then  quite  celebrated  Academy  at  Monson,  Mass.  Thence  he 
went  to  Amherst  College,  where  he  graduated  in  1839.  at  the 
age  of  eighteen,  and  the  youngest  member  of  his  class.  His 
first  choice  for  a  profession  was  the  law;  and.  with  that  pur- 
j>ose,  he  studied  for  some  months  in  the  office  of  the  eloquent 
Rufus  Choate.  But  home  associations,  ancestral  bias,  ami 
his  own  deepening  religious  convictions,  finally  turned  him 
into  the  paths  of  theological  study;  and,  in  1841,  he  entered 
Audover  Theological  Seminary.  Compelled,  after  a  time, 
by  ill  health,  to  suspend  his  studies,  he  accepted  a  tutorship 
in  Williston  Seminary,  at  East  Hampton,  Mass.;  but  subse- 
quently resumed  his  course  at  Andover.  In  1845,  he  gradu- 
ated from  the  Seminary,  and  was  ordained  Pastor  over  a 
Congregational  Church  in  Brooklme.  Mass.,  where  he  re- 
mained for  a  year.  Meanwhile,  in  184o,  he  married  Miss 
Mary  Elwell  Jenks.  of  Andover. 

In  November,  1H40,  at  the  age  of  twenty-five  years,  he 
came  to  Brooklyn,  and  was  installed  as  Pastor  of  the  Church 
of  the  Pilgrims,  the  pioneer  church  of  that  denomination  in 
this  city.  And  in  this  congregation  his  whole  great  life-work 
has  l>een  accomplished.  Though  often  urged  to  accept  other 
important  charges,  he  has  preferred  to  remain  in  this  city, 
in  the  steady  performance  of  his  duties  towards  the  people 
of  hi-  early  choice.  Hi-  congregation,  as  i-  well  known,  has 
for  many  years  been  numerous,  wealthy,  strongly  attached 
to  its  I'a-tor.  and  accustomed  to  devise  liberal  things.  Com- 
pri-ing  a  membership  of  marked  intellectual  ability,  high  so- 
cial influence  and  financial  strength,  it  has— both  by  its  In- 
n.i  <•  impulse-,  and  by  the  direction  which  its  Pastor  has  given 
a  .levelo|H-d  the  characteristic  of  systematic  benevolence  to 
a  degree  not  often  attained  by  congregations.  Its  influence 
upon  tbe  growth  of  Congregationalism,  of  Missions,  of  Fiee- 


dom,  and  of  every  good  word  and  work,  has  over  be«n  de- 
cided and  unquestioned. 

In  this,  the  Church  of  the  Pilgrims  but  reflects  the  wide 
sympathies,  the  catholicity  of  spirit  and  the  judicious  labors 
of  its  Pastor.  For  the  past  thirty-eight  years  he  has  repre- 
sented a  broad  and  unsectarian  Christianity,  and  has  been  to 
many  of  the  oldest  families  on  the  Heights  the  Pastor,  the 
moral  teacher  and  example  of  undeviating  integrity,  no 
man's  enemy,  but  never  swerving  from  tbe  right  lineof  duty 
to  be  any  man's  friend.  Many,  baptised  by  him  in  iufancv. 
have  been  married  by  him  in  their  days  of  love  and  gladness, 
and  commended  by  him  to  God's  mercy  in  the  hour  of  death. 
He  has  stood  by  the  graves  of  those  whose  cradles  were 
blessed  by  his  ministry.  Gray-headed  men  and  women  be- 
hold him  still  in  the  full  strength  of  his  manhood,  who  wel- 
comed him  when  a  mere  stripling  to  his  now  famous  pulpit. 
One  can  hardly  conceive  of  a  church  with  such  a  name  hav- 
ing any  but  a  New  England  Pastor  ;  aud  Dr.  Storrs  is  still  a 
New  England  man  to  the  backbone;  although  his  thoughts, 
like  other  men's,  have  been  "widened  with  the  proa 
the  suns."  He  believes  to  this  day  in  the  ideal  of  the  Puri- 
tans, a  Commonwealth  based  on  Christianity,  not  less  than 
he  believes  in  the  distinctive  principle  of  Congregationalism, 
that  "any  body  of  Christians,  associated  together,  and 
statedly  meeting  for  the  worship  of  God  and  the  administra- 
tion of  Christian  ordinances,  constitutes  a  Christian  church, 
is  to  be  regarded  as  such,  aud  is  possessed  of  all  the  power* 
and  privileges  incident  thereunto."  Loving  New  England 
as  tbe  home  of  his  fathers  and  the  scene  of  his  early  life, 
while  others  traverse  the  seas  aud  bring  back  the  gods 
of  other  lands  into  the  American  Pantheon,  Dr.  Storrs 
spends  his  summer  holidays  on  the  Island,  or  in  New  l  ug 
land. 

The  record  of  the  thirty-eight  years,  during  which  Dr. 
Storrs  has  filled  the  pulpit  of  this  church,  comprises  the  his- 
tory of  Brooklyn;  the  growth  of  its  churches,  libraries, 
schools  and  hospitals;  the  transformation  of  nearly  a  w  hole 

j  county  into  a  populous  city;  the  connecting  of  this  city 
with  the  great  metropolis  across  the  river,  by  a  magnificent 
bridge;  the  passing  away  of  an  old  era,  and  the  grafting  in 
of  new  life,  through  emigration  from  all  lands;  the  ebb  and 
flow  of  old  and  new  enterprises;  the  inception  and  success- 
ful foundation  of  literary,  artistic,  scientific  and  religious 

I  centres — which  all  go  to  make  up  a  great  city.  No  man  ha.* 
more  thoroughly  inwoven  his  life  with  that  of  the  commu- 
nity in  which  he  dwells  than  Dr.  Storrs;  and  the  rounded 
periods  of  his  golden  eloquence  have  added  the  crowning 
grace  to  most  of  the  events  of  civic  importance  which  have 
signalized  Brooklyn's  growth. 

He  has  been  a  Director  of  the  Long  Island  Historical 
Society  from  its  organization,  and  the  Chairman  of  its  Kxecii 
tive  ( 'omniittee  until  his  going  to  Euiope  in  1871.    Upon  his 

1  return,  in  1873,  he  was  elected  its  President,  w  inch  offlef  he 
still  retains.  He  is  also  a  Trustee  of  the  Brooklyn  Eye  and 
Ear  Hospital. 

His  oratorical  and  public  efforts,  in  spoken  as  well  as  writ- 
ten productions,  are  always  remarkable.  His  words  are 
felicitously  chosen;  his  imagery  grand  in  conception  and 
without  a  flaw;  his  diction  stately  and  polished,  yet  infu»ed 


ECCLESIASTICAL  ORGANIZATIONS. 


1017 


with  energy  and  warmth.  For  a  peculiar  quality  of  sus- 
tained eloquence,  which  never  for  an  instant  forgets  the 
dignity  of  his  theme,  he  surpasses — in  the  opinion  of  the 
best  judges — any  living  orator.  Wherever  the  English  lan- 
guage is  spoken,  his  speeches  are  treasured  as  pearls  of 
price,  and  his  solid  attainments  in  literature,  as  well  as  his 
broad  sympathy  with  all  that  is  best  in  the  domains  of  Re- 
ligion, Art,  Science  and  Thought,  is  recognized. 

Dr.  Storrs'  contributions  to  literature — in  the  form  of  ser- 
mons, orations,  lectures,  etc.,  have  been  numerous  and  valua- 
ble ;  though  not,  as  yet,  collected  in  permanent  form.* 

That  his  sympathies  are  not  confined  to  the  circle  of  his 
own  denomination,  nor  even  of  Protestantism,  is  well  at- 
tested by  the  fact  that  so  great  a  Catholic  theologian  as  Car- 
dinal Newman  wrote  to  him  a  few  years  since,  in  connection 
with  an  address  on  Roman  Catholicism,  delivered  before  the 
Evangelical  Alliance  in  New  York,  by  Dr.  Storrs,  thanking 
him  for  his  kindly  spirit,  his  wish  to  be  impartial,  and  to  do 
generous  justice  to  Catholics;  and  asking  if  he  could  wonder 
that  so  many,  like  himself,  had  taken  refuge  in  Catholicism 
when  he  looked  at  the  endless  discords  of  Protestantism.  No 
higher  compliment  could  be  paid  to  one  of  the  foremost  of 
Protestant  controversialists,  by  the  greatest  living  defender 
of  Roman  Catholicism,  than  such  acknowledgment  of  his 
learning,  candor  and  magnanimity. 

No  greater  evidence  of  the  appreciation  and  affection  in 
which  he  is  held  by  his  people,  and  the  community  in  which 
he  dwells,  could  be  found,  than  in  the  substantial  testimonial 
presented  to  Dr.  Storrs,  on  November  19,  1881,  on  the  com- 
pletion of  the  thirty-fifth  year  of  his  pastorate.  This  was  in 
the  form  of  a  certificate  of  deposit  for  $35,000  (being  $1,000 
for  each  successive  year  of  his  ministry  among  them),  pre- 
sented to  him  by  the  members,  and  former  members,  of  his 
flock.  This  magnificent  gift  was  induced  by  no  necessity  in 
the  circumstances  of  the  revered  recipient  (who  has  always 
enjoyed  an  ample  salary);  but  by  a  strong  sense,  on  their 
part,  of  the  obligations  under  which  his  parishioners  felt  to 
him,  for  his  life-long  services  to  them. 

In  the  few  pertinent  remarks  with  which  Dr.  Storrs  re- 
ceived this  touching  expression  of  love,  he  said: 

"A  man  stands  pretty  much  on  his  own  feet  in  this  world, 
and  you  and  I  understand  each  other;  we  have  always 
done  that  remarkably  well,  and  I  believe  we  do  now.  I  un- 
derstand perfectly  that  you  intend  me  to  receive  this  as  a 
means  of  utter  quietness  of  mind,  in  time  to  come,  concern- 
ing worldly  affairs,  as  a  fresh  inspiration  to  the  work  which 
I  have  tried  to  do  before,  and  which  I  shall  try  to  do  better 
and  better  as  long  as  I  live  among  you  ;  and  in  that  spirit 
and  with  that  feeling  I  accept  it,  certainly  with  heartfelt 


*  Among  those  which  have  been  published,  we  may  especially  men- 
tion:—A  Sermon,  delivered  before  his  own  congregation,  December, 
1850,  during  the  Fugitive  Slave  Law  agitation,  on  The  Obligation  of 
Man  to  Obey  the  Civil  Law,  its  Ground  and  Extent;  an  Address,  at  the 
Amherst  College  Commencement,  1853,  on  The  True  Success  of  Human 
Life;  an  Oration  at  the  Semi-Centeunial  of  Monson  Academy,  1854,  on 
The  Relations  of  Commerce  to  Literature;  a  Discourse  before  the  So- 
ciety for  Promoting  Collegiate  Education,  Providence,  K.  L,  1855,  on 
Colleges  as  a  Power  in  Civilization;  Character  in  the  Preacher,  Theol. 
Seminary,  Andover,  1856;  an  Oration  on  The  Puritan  Scheme  of  National 
Growth,  before  the  N.  F.  New  Eng.  Soc,  1857;  Sermon,  The  Law  of 
Growth  in  the  Kingdom  of  God,  Young  Men's  Chr.  Assoc.,  1858;  ''Tilings 
fVhich  are  Not  "—the  instruments  of  Advancing  God's  Kingdom,  before 
the  Am.  Bd.  Com.  Foreign  Miss.,  1861;  The  Preaching  of  Christ  in 
OlMes,  before  the  Y.  M.  Chris.  Assoc.,  1864;  Orations  in  Commemora- 
tion of  President  Lincoln,  Brooklyn,  june  ],  ]g65,  and  at  the  unveiling 
of  the  Linooln  Statue  in  Prospect  Park,  1869;  Discourse,  The  Aim  of 
Christianity,  for  those  who  Accept  it,  Princeton  Theol.  Sem,  1867;  Ser- 
mon before  the  Ancient  and  Hon.  Artillery  Co.  of  Boston,  1868;  Dis- 
course, Union  Theol.  Sem.,  1869,  The  Incarnation,  and  the  System  which 
Stands  upon  it;  Address  before  the  Evangelical  Alliance,  New  York, 


gladness  and  gratitude.  I  will  treasure  it;  I  will  try  to  use 
it  aright;  I  will  try  to  leave  it  to  those  who  come  after  me, 
that  they  may  also  remember  the  church  to  which  I  have 
ministered  so  long.  I  am  reminded  as  I  stand  in  these  rooms, 
which  have  sacred  and  tender  memories  connected  with 
them,  and  as  I  look  into  the  faces  of  some  here  present,  faces 
which  I  have  seen  wet  with  tears  and  clouded  with  agony, 
that  there  is  an  impulse  here  from  those  whom  we  do  not 
see  but  who  are  still  tenderly  beloved;  I  feel  that  there  is  a 
touch  of  celestial  hands  upon  this  gift.  It  comes  to  me  con- 
secrated by  most  holy  and  tender  memories  of  my  ministry 
among  you  in  the  thirty-five  years  that  have  passed.  I  shall 
speak  of  it  with  you,  by  and  by;  I  shall  speak  of  it  with  you 
again  when  we  reach  that  state  where  all  earthly  possessions 
have  ceased  to  be  of  interest  to  us,  but  where  the  affections 
that  we  have  cherished  toward  each  other  on  earth  shall  be 
consummated  and  made  immortal.  It  comes  to  me  with 
surprise,  when  I  think  of  it,  that,  with  the  single  exception 
of  a  clergyman  of  the  Episcopal  church  in  the  Eastern  Dis- 
trict, I  am  the  oldest  settled  pastor  in  Brooklyn  to-day.  And 
I  think,  with  the  single  exception  of  Dr.  Bellows  in  New 
York,  there  is  none  there  whose  pastoral  term  equals  my 
own.  I  pray  that  the  blessing  of  God  may  rest  upon  these 
clerical  brethren  present,  upon  the  churches  to  which  they 
minister,  upon  all  the  churches  of  our  land,  and  upon  the 
city  of  our  common  regard,  which  sweeps  out  so  widely  from 
year  to  year  that  it  has  grown  in  rny  ministry  from  65,000 
to  600,000  inhabitants;  which  never  had  so  bright  a  future 
opening  before  it  as  it  has,  I  think,  at  this  very  hour.  I 
pray  that  God's  blessing  may  abide  upon  it.  I  cannot  hon- 
estly say  that  I  wish  I  was  again  25  years  old,  for  that  would 
be  to  blot  out  an  immense  amount  of  happiness,  at  home 
and  in  public,  and  of  joyful  work  and  service,  and  to  cut  me 
off  from  many  of  the  most  intimate  and  tenderest  attach- 
ments of  my  life;  but  I  can  honestly  say  that  if  I  were  25 
years  old  again,  and  an  opportunity  were  given  me,  there  is 
no  city  in  the  country  to  which  I  would  go  so  soon  as  to 
Brooklyn,  and  there  is  no  church  in  the  country  to  which  I 
would  go  so  soon  as  to  the  Church  of  the  Pilgrims.  I  pray 
that  God's  blessing  may  rest  upon  it,  and  upon  the  city,  and 
upon  you  all,  and  upon  all  associated  with  us." 

As  a  minister  of  Christ,  as  a  citizen,  and  as  a  lover  of  his 
fellow-men,  it  may  be  truly  said  that  Dr.  Storrs,  in  hi*  life- 
service  in  Brooklyn,  has  followed  the  injunction  contained 
in  the  verse  selected  by  him  as  the  text  (I  Corinthians,  iv.,  2) 
of  bis  first  sermon  to  the  church  over  which  he  still  presides: 
"Moreover,  it  is  required  in  stewards,  that  a  man  be  found 
faithful." 


1873,  on  The  Attractions  of  Romanism  for  Educated  Protestants; 
Oration  before  the  New  York  Historical  Society,  1875,  The  Early 
American  Spirit,  and  the  Genesis  of  it;  Oration,  July  4, 1876,  in  New  York 
city,  The  Declaration  of  Independence,  and  the  Effect  of  it;  Oration  be- 
fore the  Phi  Beta  Kappa  Society,  Harvard  College,  1880,  The  Recogni- 
tion of  the  Supernatural  in  Letters  and  Life;  John  Wickliffe,  and  the 
First  English  Bible,  New  York  Academy  of  Music,  1880.  Nor  must  we 
overlook  his  brilliant  address  at  the  opening  of  the  New  York  and 
Brooklyn  Bridge,  May,  1883;  or  his  addresses  before  the  Long  Island 
Hist.  Society,  on  Libraries  in  Europe  (without  notes),  and  upon  the 
Life  and  Services  of  Gen.  O.M.  Mitchell,  neither  of  which  have  been 
published. 

Of  lectures,  Dr.  Storrs  has  delivered  several  courses;  in  1855,  one  of 
six,  on  the  Graham  Foundation,  on  Tlie  Constitution  of  the  Human 
Soul;  two  on  Russia  and  France,  and  their  Long  Duel,  in  1878,  delivered 
in  Brooklyn,  New  York  and  Boston;  one,  of  eight  lectures,  before 
Princeton  Theol.  Sem.,  in  1879,  on  St.  Bernard,  His  Times  and  His  Work 
(to  be  published);  and  ten  lectures  on  the  Divine  Origin  of  Chris- 
tianity, Indicated  by  its  Historical  Effects,  before  the  Union  Theol. 
Sem.,  New  York,  and  the  Lowell  Institute,  Boston,  1880  (now  in  press). 

Dr.  Storrs  received  the  degree  of  D.  D.  from  Union  College  in  1853; 
from  Harvard  College  in  1859;  and  that  of  LL.  D.  from  Princeton  in 
1874. 


1018 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


The  Free  Congregational  Church  was  constituted  Juno 
16,  184o,  by  a  vote  of  the  Free  Presbyterian  Church,  worship- 
ing on  the  corner  of  Tillary  and  Lawrence  streets,  by  which 
the)  resolved  to  change  their  platform,  In  the  month  of 
September  they  gave  a  call  to  the  Rev.  Isaac  N.  Sprague,  of 
Hartford,  Conn.,  to  l>eeome  their  Pastor,  which  he  accepted. 
This  church  merged  in  the  organization  from  which  origin- 
ated the  State  Street  Congregational  Church. 

Plymouth  Church. — The  ground  upon  which  Plymouth 
Church  stands  was  purchased  in  1823,  for  the  erection  of  an 
edifice  for  the  use  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church.  At 
that  time  Brooklyn  Heights  were  cultivated  fields,  and  Un- 
church thus  built  was  remote  from  the  settled  portion  of 
Brooklyn,  the  population  of  which  was  less  than  10,000.  A 
lecture-room,  including  a  Sabbath-school  room  and  study, 
was  attached  i<>  the  rear  of  the  church,  fronting  Orange 
street,  in  1831. 


of  the  society.  June  14,  1847,  the  church  unanimously 
elected  Henry  Ward  Beecher  as  Pastor;  he  commenced  his 
pastorate  on  Sunday,  Oct.  10,  1847,  and  on  Thursday,  Nov. 
11,  was  publicly  installed. 

The  church  was  so  damaged  by  lire,  Jan.  13,  1849,  that  it 
was  determined  to  rebuild,  which  was  done;  and  the  new- 
edifice  was  tirst  occupied  in  January,  1850. 

It  is  noteworthy  that  when  the  congregation  were  deprived 
by  fire  of  their  place  of  worship,  the  church  buildings  of 
nearly  all  the  neighboring  societies  were  generously  offered, 
and  these  otters  were  gratefully  accepted  for  a  period  of 
two  months.  A  lot  on  Pierrepont  street  was  ottered  for  the 
purpose,  by  Lewis  Tappan,  Esq.,  and  on  this  a  temporary 
bouse  of  worship  was  erected  in  the  short  space  of  thirty 
days.  Here  the  congregation  worshiped  till  the  completion 
of  their  new  edifice. 


IM.V.MOt  Til  (  111  lu  ll 


In  1840,  John  T.  Howard,  then  a  member  <>f  the  Church 
of  the  Pilgrims,  obtained  the  refusal  of  the  premises,  which 
were  lor  Bale,  at  the  price  of  $20,000.  and  the  contract  was 
completed  on  June  11,  1840.  The  purchase  money  ($9,500, 
the  rest  lM-ing  on  mortgage)  w.h  furnished  by  Henry  C. 
Bowen,  Seth  B.  Hunt,  .John  T.  Howard,  and  David  Hale, 
and  paid  on  Sept.  !),  1840.  The  tirst  meeting  of  those  interested 
in  tlx;  establishment  of  this  church,  was  held  at  the  house 
of  Henry  C.  Bowen,  May  0,  1857,  and  was  attended  by  David 
Hale,  of  New  York,  Jira  Payne,  John  T.  Howard,  Charles 
Rowland,  David  (irillin,  and  Henry  C.  Bowen.  of  Brooklyn. 
On  Sunday  morning.  May  10,  IH47,  divine  service  was  com- 
menced by  Kev.  Henry  Ward  Beecher,  then  Pastor  of  the 
Second  Presbyterian  Church  in  Indianapolis. 

On  Friday  evening,  June  11,  1847.  twenty-one  |>ersons 
umt.d  in  the  formation  of  the  new  church.  On  Sunday 
evening,  Juno  18,  1847,  the  church  was  publicly  organized, 
ami  Tlu:  Plymouth  Church  was  adopted  as  the  corporate  name 


The  church  building  is  105  foot  long,  80  feet  broad,  and  43 
feet  from  floor  to  ceiling;  seating  in  the  pews  and  choir  gaUerj 
about  2,100  persons;  w  hile,  with  the  seats  by  the  walls  and  Ifl 
the  aisles,  it  accommodates  about  2,800.  There  has  never  hcen 
the  least  e.uise  for  regret  that  the  budding  was  made  so  large 

Until  1857,  visitors  were  provided  with  ordinary  chain  "i 
stools  in  the  aisles.  But,  in  that  year,  the  present  fixe  I  stall 
seats,  attached  to  the  pews,  were  invented  and  introduce! 
into  the  church. 

The  lecture-room  built  at  the  same  time,  was  HO  by  50  feet 
on  the  outside:  with  a  school  room  above  it.  01  bj  .'I  feat, 
and  parlors  of  the  same  size  for  the  social  circle.  In  1899, 
these  parlors  were  added  to  the  school  room  ;  but,  even  then, 
the  accommodations  were  so  deficient  that,  in  1862,  an  en- 
tirely now  lecture-room  and  school-room  were  erected.  A 
new  organ  was  purchased  for  the  (  lunch  in  IS00.  at  an  ex- 
pense of  $22,000.  Itev.  Mr.  Beecher  has  continued  in  the 
pastorate  until  the  present  time. 


ECCLESIASTICAL  OR GANIZA  TIONS. 


1019 


REV.   HENRY  WARD  BEECHER. 


Rev.  Henky  Ward  Beeches. — Although  Brooklyn 
ranks  but  third  among  the  cities  of  the  Union  in  point 
of  population,  for  many  years  the  "  City  of  Churches  " 
has  stood  indisputably  first  in  respect  to  pulpit  talent. 
The  fame  of  her  great  preachers  has  spread  over  the 
civilized  world.  Among  her  galaxy  of  brilliant  names, 
one  of  the  first,  brightest  and  farthest-shining  is  that 
of  Rev.  Henry  Ward  Beecher.  For  forty  years, 
Sunday  after  Sunday,  year  after  year,  eager  thousands 
have  crowded  the  streets  leading  to  the  plain  brick  edi- 
fice, Plymouth  Church.  Within,  arose  and  stood 
upon  the  platform  the  imposing  form  of  a  man,  tall 
and  erect,  inclining  to  be  stout;  with  hair  pushed 
plainly  back,  once  dark  brown,  now  silvery-white;  a 
full,  smooth  face  that  is  gentle  and  peaceful  in  repose, 
but  mobile,  varying  with  every  emotion ;  a  mild  blue 
eye  that  will  never  grow  old,  that  shines  with  love, 
flashes  with  scorn,  dances  with  merriment  or  dilates 
with  feeling,  even  as  the  mountain  lake  mirrors  the 
sunshine,  the  cloud  or  the  storm.  Such  the  figure  of 
Henry  Ward  Beecher,  familiar  to  thousands;  such  the 
face,  now  mellowed  by  the  softening  influences  of  time, 
from  which  the  man's  soul  speaks  out  his  love  of 
humanity,  of  justice  and  of  God. 

Litchfield,  Conn.,  the  ancestral  home  of  the  Beechers, 
was  the  place  of  his  birth,  which  occurred  June  24th, 
1813.  He  was  the  third  son  of  Rev.  Lyman  Beecher, 
who  occupied  the  pulpit  of  the  Congregational  Church 
there,  and  was  afterwards  president  of  Lane  Theologi- 
cal Seminary,  near  Cincinnati,  a  famous  man  in  his 
time. 

The  child  of  parents  eminent  for  godliness,  brought  up 
in  a  family  who  were  the  creatures  of  an  atmosphere 
as  unworldly,  as  religious  as  not  often  comes  into  the 
world.  The  fact  of  his  being  a  minister  was  settled 
from  his  birth,  and  under  this  impression  of  destiny  he 
grew  up.  Accordingly,  he  was  sent  to  Amherst 
College,  graduating  in  1834,  and  then  studied  theology 
under  his  father,  in  Lane  Theological  Seminary. 

A  sensitive,  blundering,  imaginative,  good-natured, 
mischievous,  unstudious  boy,  he  represents  himself  to 
have  been ;  but  his  sight  must  have  been  quick  for  nature, 
whether  in  the  fields  and  woods,  or  after  birds  and  ani- 
mals, or  among  his  fellows.  His  school  and  college 
days  did  not  seem  to  be  notable  for  anything,  save  that 
at  college  he  paid  especial  attention  to  the  arts  of  elo- 
cution. That  Mr.  Beecher  is  an  easy  master  of  these 
arts  is  patent  to  every  one  who  has  heard  him  speak; 
though  it  may  be  said,  in  passing,  that,  favorite  as  he 
is  on  lecture  platforms  all  over  the  land,  he  is  never 
heard  at  his  best  out  of  Plymouth  Church,  his  own 
pulpit-platform;  and  the  lofty  themes  which  he  there 


treats,  inspire  him  and  fill  him  with  a  power  over  his 
three  thousand  auditors  that  he  gets  and  gives  nowhere 
else. 

His  first  charge  was  a  little  Presbyterian  church  at 
Lawrenceburgh,  Ind.,  where  he  eked  out  the  scant 
salary  by  tilling  a  farm,  remaining  from  1837  to  1839. 
In  the  latter  year,  he  settled  in  Indianapolis.  There 
was  a  more  suitable  field  for  the  abilities  which  had 
already  manifested  themselves  in  the  young  minister, 
so  that  he  came  to  be  heard  of  in  other  States.  Mean- 
while he  had  tried  his  hand  at  editing,  first  a  journal  in 
Cincinnati,  in  1837,  and  a  few  years  later,  an  agricul- 
tural publication  in  Indianapolis;  his  articles  in  the 
latter  were  afterwards  published  as  "  Fruit,  Flowers 
and  Farming." 

In  1847  he  was  in  New  York,  speaking  at  meetings 
in  behalf  of  the  American  Home  Missionary  Society, 
and  was  invited  to  preach,  May  17th,  for  the  newly  or- 
ganized Plymouth  Church  in  Brooklyn,  which  he  did, 
both  morning  and  evening.  At  the  close  of  the  services, 
the  church  felt  that  their  future  Pastor  had  been  thus 
providentially  sent  them,  and  unanimously  elected  him 
to  that  office  June  14th,  1847.  He  accepted,  and  com- 
menced his  pastorate  Sunday,  October  10th,  1847.  As 
soon  as  he  came  to  Brooklyn,  he  began  to  write  for  the 
Independent,  and  was  its  editor  from  1861  to  1863. 
His  signature — a  star — made  the  title  for  a  volume 
called  the  "  Star  Papers."  From  1870  to  1880,  he  was 
the  editor  of  the  Christian  Union.  For  twenty-five 
years  his  sermons  have  been  printed  in  the  Plymouth 
Pulpit.  He  is  the  author  of  "  Lectures  to  Young 
Men,"  "  Life  Thoughts,"  "  Yale  Lectures  on  Preach- 
ing," "  Industry  and  Idleness,"  "  Sermons  on  Liberty 
and  War,"  "Eyes  and  Ears,"  "  Norwood,"  "Plymouth 
Hymns  and  Tunes,"  and  many  fugitive  pieces. 

Mr.  Beecher  is  a  rapid  but  not  easy  writer.  He  com- 
plains that  he  feels  the  bondage  of  the  pen,  and  never 
can  evolve  his  thoughts  so  clearly  or  so  well  on  paper 
as  he  can  when  "  thinking  on  his  le^s."  But  he  does  a 
vast  deal  of  writing  for  all  that,  and  there  are  few  men 
who  have  so  large  an  amount  of  current  printed  matter 
constantly  setting  forth  the  labors  of  their  minds.  He 
preaches  every  Sunday  two  sermons,  which,  not  written 
out,  but  thought  out  in  his  study,  come  fresh  and  alive 
from  his  lips,  and  are  phonographically  reported  for 
publication,  week  by  week,  in  Plymouth  Pulpit.  This 
would  be  a  tremendous  test  of  the  fruitfulness  of  any 
man's  mind  in  extempore  talk,  and  yet  the  test  is  tri- 
umphantly borne — witness  the  thousands  who  hear 
him,  and  the  many  other  thousands  who  read  him 
throughout  America,  England,  and  the  islands  of  the 
I  sea.    But  he  also  has  his  Friday  night  prayer-meeting 


1020 


HISTORY  01  KINGS  COUNTY. 


to  lead,  at  which  his  familiar  "  lecture-room  talks  "  on 
themes  of  Christian  experience  bring  immediate  help  to 
manv;  and  these  again  are  taken  down  as  they  issue 
from  his  mouth. 

Such  abundance  can  not  come  from  any  mind  or 
any  genius,  however  great,  unless  it  be  one  stored  with 
great  wealth  of  material  from  without.  This  is  Mr. 
Beecher's  case,  however;  for  in  addition  to  his  constant 
and  careful  study  of  mankind  and  the  affairs  of  the 
world,  he  is  an  omnivorous  reader  of  good  books,  and 
has  an  ever-growing  library  of  the  best  literature  in 
every  possible  direction.  He  is  a  great  lover  of  art, 
and  lias,  besides  books  and  histories  in  that  department, 
a  choice  collection  of  paintings  and  engravings.  His 
love  of  flowers  and  out-door  nature  finds  food  on  his 
little  model  farm  at  Peekskill,  N.  Y.  And  indeed, 
whatever  is  the  realm  from  which  he  draws  an  illustra- 
tion, it  will  generally  be  found  that  he  knows  what  he 
is  talking  about,  and  has  learned  it  by  observation  or 
study.  He  is  not  a  superficial  talker  or  thinker;  he  goes 
to  the  roots  of  things. 

His  early  labors  and  an  experience  of  severe  poverty, 
privation,  and  double  work  of  farming  and  preaching 
during  ten  years  in  the  West,  developed  in  him  very 
fully  the  natural  courage,  toughness  of  backbone  (both 
physical  and  moral),  independence  of  opinion  and  free- 
dom of  utterance  that  have  characterised  his  more  emi- 
nent years.  Since  the  day  when,  in  1847,  he  came  to 
be  Pastor  of  the  newly-formed  "  Plymouth  Church  " 
in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  he  has  been  a  living,  growing 
power  in  the  land.  The  pulpit,  the  press,  the  lecture- 
platform,  the  political  arena,  the  social  gatherings  of 
public  bodies,  the  focal  points  of  all  great  developments 
of  public  sympathy  or  discussion  or  action,  have  been 
made  not  only  brilliant  with  his  genius,  but  hot  with 
the  ardor  of  his  earnestness. 

The  foundation  principle  of  Mr.  Beecher's  public  ca- 
reer seems  to  be  the  worth  of  man,  as  a  beloved  child  of 
God ;  he  believes  that  this  earth,  with  all  its  human  in- 
stitutions, its  civilizations,  its  states,  its  ecclesiastical 
organizations  and  their  forms  of  ordinances,  were  made 
and  developed  by  God  for  man,  to  serve  as  man's  edu- 
cators, as  instruments  of  man's  instruction,  and  eleva- 
tion not  necessarily  that  man  may  be  "happy"  here, 
but  that  he  may  be  fitted  to  live  and  work  for  God  after 
he  had  left  this  little  school-house,  which,  like  the  lesser 
-■■lion!  house  of  the  hoy,  seems  the  all-important  thing 
just  now. 

Seeking  always  the  best  means  of  inspiring  individ- 
ual men  to  train  themselves  toward  the  perfect  man- 
hood set  forth  in  the  example  of  Jesus  Christ,  Mr. 
Keeehcr  is  peculiar  among  preachers  for  his  eager  fol- 
lowing up  of  the  scientific  developments  of  the  day; 
promptly  accepting  such  portions  or  principles  of 
science  as  seem  to  him  fairly  established  by  investiga- 
tors, and  making  good  use  of  them  in  his  philosophy 
and  teaching.     lie  finds  no  danger  in  the  general  line 


of  reasoning  based  on  the  observations  of  believers  in 
the  theories  of  development  of  higher  forms  of  life  out 
of  lower  forms;  because  the  two  gaps  which  the  ma- 
terialists do  not  bridge, — the  change  from  mineral  to 
vegetable,  and  from  vegetable  to  animal  life,  and  still 
more  notably  the  introduction  of  the  soul  into  the  high- 
est type  of  animal,  man, — these  chasms,  impassable 
to  the  careful  foot  of  science,  are  crossed  by  him  with 
the  clear-seeing  eye  of  faith,  which  discerns  the  Creator 
there.  And  so,  using  the  real  advances  of  science  as 
steps  over  which  he  is  constantly  leading  his  people,  he 
devotes  an  unusual  amount  of  attention  to  expounding 
the  intimate  connection  of  the  material  and  spiritual 
realms  as  different  parts  of  the  same  universe.  A  favor- 
ite quotation  of  his  is  the  thirteenth  verse  of  the  fourth 
chapter  of  Ephesians,  which  indeed  seems  a  fair  epito- 
me of  the  aim  of  his  teaching:  "Till  we  all  come  in 
the  unity  of  the  faith,  and  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Son 
of  God,  unto  a  perfect  man,  unto  the  measure  of  the 
stature  of  the  fullness  of  Christ."  To  him,  religion  is 
the  science  of  growth  unto  perfect  manhood. 

It  is  apparently  with  this  idea  in  mind  that  Mr. 
Beccher  gives  so  much  time  and  effort  to  preaching 
about  morality,  how  to  live,  how  to  work,  how  to  treat 
one's  neighbors,  how  to  act  in  relation  to  questions  of 
great  public  interest  ("  politics  "  as  it  is  called),  how  to 
regulate  and  use  in  their  proper  way  the  passions 
(which,  he  says,  are  the  steam-power  and  effective- 
ness of  life  if  rightly  and  naturally  made  use 
of),  how  to  get  out  of  bad  habits  and  into  good 
ones — how,  in  short,  to  apply  to  practical  every- 
day life  the  truths  of  God's  word  and  God's  uni- 
verse. These  topics  share  his  attention  with  such 
higher  themes  as  prayer,  "  the  preciousness  of  Christ," 
"  the  hidden  life,"  "  the  power  of  love,"  "human  ideas 
of  God,"  "the  way  of  coming  to  Christ" — titles  which 
we  find  in  the  contents  of  the  second  series  of  his  Ply- 
mouth Pulpit  sermons;  yet  all,  even  of  these,  embrace 
and  enfold  the  same  characteristic  central  idea,  that 
the  whole  of  man  is  to  be  trained,  that  from  the  physi- 
cal he  may  grow  to  the  enjoyment  and  use  successively 
of  his  affcctional,  social,  intellectual,  moral,  and,  lastly, 
spiritual  manhood. 

The  central  idea  of  his  whole  career  as  a  public 
speaker  and  w  riter  seems  to  be  the  incitement  of  AND 
to  self-government  and  to  the  training  of  their  whole 
nature,  by  the  help  of  faith  and  love  in  Christ  Jesus, 
toward  the  perfect  manhood  of  immortality  with  God. 

On  all  public  questions  Mr.  Beecher's  voice,  through 
his  whole  career,  has  given  forth  no  uncertain  sound; 
it  was  lifted  up  against  the  curse  of  slavery;  in  favor  of 
the  maintenance  of  the  Union;  in  behalf  of  the  home- 
less veterans  of  this  State;  in  support  of  the  temperance 
cause;  to  aid  reform  in  politics  and  governmental 
poliov.  From  all  the  land  the  eyes  of  men  have  turned 
t<>  him  as  to  a  leader,  and  his  influence  has  moulded 
public  opinion  as  perhaps  few  others  has  done. 


ECCLESIASTICAL  ORGANIZATIONS. 


1021 


my  later  years,  and  when  under  great  pressure  and  sor- 
row, that  raised  a  strong  sea,  my  strength  and  courage 
all  came  from  this  view — Christ  loves  me,  He  will  hide 
me  in  His  pavilion  till  the  storm  is  passed.  The  sweet- 
ness of  life  is  as  much  dependent  on  the  love  of  Christ 
as  the  landscape  is  on  the  sun  to  bring  out  its  lights 
and  shadows.  I  never  believed  so  much  in  the  Gospel 
as  to-day.  My  faith  in  it  has  never  been  shaken,  ex- 
cept in  the  ideals.  I  was  never  so  sure  as  now  of  its 
truth." 


Since  1868,  Rev.  S.  B.  Halliday  has  been  Assistant  Pastor. 
He  was  born  in  Morristown,  N.  J.,  1812  ;  was  Pastor  of 
CoDgl.  Ch.  at  Lodi,  N.  Y. ;  author  of  Little  Street  Sweepers, 
Winning  Souls,  etc. 


No  sketch  of  Mr.  Beecher's  life  would  be  complete 
without  mention  of  his  visit  to  England  in  1863.  His 
public  addresses  there  enlightened  the  English  people 
as  to  the  real  issues  and  principles  at  stake  in  our  civil 
struggle,  and  helped  powerfully  to  turn  the  tide  of 
popular  feeling  there  against  the  recognition  of  the 
Confederacy  as  a  belligerent  power.  In  so  doing,  he 
incurred  obloquy,  even  danger  of  personal  violence;  but 
his  voice  rang  as  clear  in  defense  of  the  Union  as  it  had 
in  his  own  country.  For  years  he  had  pleaded  from 
pulpit,  platform  and  press  for  the  liberation  of  the 
slave,  in  the  days  when  to  be  an  abolitionist  was  to  be 
an  outcast.  His  denunciations  of  intemperance  and 
the  traffic  in  strong  drink  have  grown  with  his  growth, 
and  strengthened  with  his  strength. 

On  the  celebration  of  his  seventieth  birthday,  June 
25,  1883,  the  love  and  respect  which  his  fellow-citizens 
entertained  for  Mr.  Beecher,  led  to  a  great  popular 
gathering  at  the  Academy  of  Music,  with  addresses 
of  congratulation  from  prominent  citizens,  and  letters 
of  like  tenor  from  eminent  men  in  all  parts  of  the  land. 
No  better  resume  of  his  life  can  be  given  than  from  his 
own  words  on  that  occasion: 

"  The  inspiration  which  has  made  the  force  of  my 
whole  life  I  found  in  a  vision  of  the  love  of  God  in 
Jesus  Christ.  It  has  grown  larger  and  larger  with  the 
sympathy  which  is  natural  to  my  constitution,  compas- 
sion of  God,  manifestations  of  God  in  Jesus  Christ,  that 
side  of  God  which  is  great,  holy,  beautiful,  showing 
Him  to  have  compassion  on  the  ignorant,  and  on  them 
that  are  out  of  the  way.  I  have  tried  to  have  compas- 
sion like  Christ.  The  less  worthy  the  object,  the  more 
it  was  needed.  I  went  right  upon  the  side  of  the  dumb 
and  needy,  without  consideration.  I  think  it  most  he- 
roic for  a  man  with  standing  and  influence  and  ability 
to  give  himself  to  them.  I  thank  God  I  had  a  desire 
to  work  for  His  glory,  when  to  do  it  was  to  earn  scoff- 
ings  and  abuse  and  threats.  When  Kossuth  brought 
Hungary  to  us,  my  soul  burned.  The  wrongs  of 
Greece  made  my  heart  kindle.  Nearly  all  the  nations 
of  the  world,  all  under  the  sword  of  the  soldier  or  the 
ban  of  harsh  governments,  have  aroused  my  sympathy 
and  effort.  I  did  not  go  into  these  because  they  were 
humanities  or  specious  philosophies,  but  because  it  was 
Christian,  that's  all.  I  did  it  for  humanity  because  I 
loved  Christ.  In  my  preaching  it  has  been  the  same. 
I  have  attacked  governments,  institutions,  anything: 
never  a  denomination  or  a  body  of  ministers.  I  have 
preached  against  the  principles  involved  in  all,  and  in 
my  own  denomination  as  much  as  in  others.  I  have 
preached  for  the  deliverance  of  souls,  for  clearer  light, 
for  a  plainer  path,  that  the  stumbling  blocks  might  be 
removed.  These  things  I  have  changed  in,  only  to 
grow  more  intense  and  emphatic  :  first,  the  universal 
sinfulness  of  mankind,  so  that  it  is  necessary  every- 
where for  men  to  be  born  again  by  the  Spirit,  necessary 
for  a  lift  to  be  given  to  human  nature  above  its  animal 
nature,  and  this  only  by  the  Spirit  of  God  ;  second,  I 
believe  in  conversion  and  the  effectual  influence  of 
the  Spirit  of  God;  third,  I  believe  with  ever-growing 
strength  in  the  love  of  God  in  Jesus  Christ.  I  know 
that  Christ  loves  me,  and  that  I  shall  go  where  He  is. 
By  grace  am  I  saved,  say  I.    The  feeling  has  grown  in 


PLTMOUTH  CHURCH  BETHEL. 

Plymouth  Church  Bethel,  No.  15  Hicks  st.  The  Bethel 
Mission  Sabbath-School  was  started  in  1841  by  Captain  A.  B. 
Clark  and  a  Mr.  Wadswdrth,  on  Main  st.,  near  Catharine 
ferry,  in  a  former  stable,  which  was  fitted  up  for  mission  pur- 
poses. The  Superintendents  were,  in  succession,  John  P. 
Ehvell,  Albert  Woodruff,  Richard  J.  Thorno,*Mr.  Anderson, 
I.  N.  Judson,  Rev.  G.  W.  Coan,  afterward  Missionary  at 
Cromaish,  Persia,  J.  P.  Montgomery,  Andrew  A.  Smith,  H. 
W.  [Law,  S.  R.  Stone,  M.  T.  Lynch,  R.  S.  Bussing,  Thos.  H. 
Bird,  George  A.  Bell,  Thos.  J.  Tilney.  I.  S.  SignorJJ.  H. 
Loyd,  L.  W.  Manchester,  and  the  present  Superintendent,  C. 
S.  Van  Wagoner. 

In  1855,  a  room  over  the  Market,  on  James  st  .  was  leased; 
in  1858,  the  Mission  removed  to  Poplar  Hall,  on  Poplar  st., 
and,  in  1859.  to  rooms  on  Fulton  st.,  opposite  Front.  In  July, 
1866.  the  Mission  was  taken  under  the  auspices  of  Plymouth 
Church;  and,  in  1867-68,  the  Bethel  was  erected,  at  a  cost, 
including  ground,  building  and  furniture,  of  about  $75,000. 
Mr.  Geo.  Bell  was  particularly  active  in  the  building  project, 
and  to  him  much  of  its  success  was  due. 

The  new  building  was  first^occupied  in  October,  1868.  It 
is  entirely  free  from  incumbrance,    The  Mission  has  a  fine 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


reading-room,  well  supplied  with  the  leading  papers  and 
magazines,  and  an  excellent  lihrary. 

Warren  Street  Mission  Church.— In  184.")  or  16.  a  Mission 
Sunday-school  was  commenced  in  Freeman's  Hall,  corner  of 
Amit\  and  Columbia  sts..  South  Brooklyn;  and,  in  1852,  a  few 
benevolent  and  enterprising  Christian  gentlemen,  prominent 
among  whom  were  Messrs.  Albert  Woodruff,  K.  W.  Ropes, 
and  A.  V.  Wheelock,  purchased  three  lots  of  ground  on 
Warren  st..  between  Hicks  and  Columbia  sts.,  on  which  they 
commenced  the  erection  of  a  neat  and  commodious  chapel, 
capable  of  accommodating  from  4(H)  to  500  persons.  In  order 
to  enable  them  to  hold  the  property,  these  gentlemen,  on  the 
1st  of  February.  1858,  effected  a  legal  organization,  assuming 
the  name  of  the  Warren  Street  Mission.  The  building, 
which,  together  with  the  lots,  cost  about  $9,000,  was  finished 
in  November,  1852.  free  of  all  debt.  On  March  20,  1854.  a 
church  of  thirty  persons  was  formed.  Rev.  Samuel  Bayliss 
was  first  Pastor;  followed,  in  1806,  by  Rev.  J.  Emory  Round. 
The  church  prospered;  a  new  church  building  was  erected  at 
the  corner  of  Henry  and  Degraw  sts.,  in  1878.  Rev.  J.  Os- 
t rander  is  Pastor. 

The  Clinton  Avenue  Congregational  Church.  Clinton  ave., 
corner  of  Lafayette  ave.,  was  org.  Nov.  18,  1847.  Its  first 
years  were  full  of  discouragement;  but  the  energy  of  its 
founders,  and  of  its  first  Pastor,  Rev.  Dirck  C.  Pausing,  D.D. 
(installed  in  March,  1848),  were  crowned  with  success. 
August  4.  1*54,  ground  was  broken  for  the  erection  of  a 
large  and  commodious  edifice  on  the  corner  of  Clinton  and 
I.afavette  aves.  On  the  24th  of  October,  in  that  vear.  the 
corner-stone  was  laid,  and  the  main  building  completed  and 
dedicated  in  December,  1855  ;  the  chapel  adjoining  being  fin- 
ished in  September,  1856.  The  cost  of  this  spacious  and 
beautiful  edifice,  which  is  of  the  Romanesque  style  of  archi- 
tecture, including  ground,  was  ahout  $60  000:  and  it  occupies 
a  prominent  position  in  one  of  the  finest  and  best  built 
neighborhoods  of  Brooklyn. 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Lansing  resigned  in  December,  1855;  and  was 
succeeded,  Dec.  19,  1855,  by  Rev.  Wm.  Pes  Budmgton, 
D.D.  who  had,  for  some  time  previous,  discharged  the 
principal  duties  of  the  pastorate. 

The  present  Pastor,  Rev.  Thomas  B.  M<  Leod.  commenced 
his  ministry  December  21,  1879,  and  was  installed  January 
20,  1880. 

The  church  has  established  t  wo  Mission  School* ;  one  on  the 
corner  of  Atlantic  and  Orand  aves.,  and  another,  originally 
located  on  Myrtle  ave.,  corner  of  Steuben  st.,  but  afterward 
on  Qrand  ave  ,  south  of  Myrtle. 

The  Mount  Prospect  Mission  Sabbath-School  was  org. 
July  4,  1852,  by  Rev,  Harvey  Newcombe,  at  an  open-air 

i  t ing  of  children  and  others,  under  a  tree  on  the  corner 

of  Pacific  st.  and  Vanderbilt  ave.  A  small  dilapidated 
garret  room  was  hired,  and  on  the  appointed  Sabbath  about 
ninety  Children  met  then'.  The  next  week.  B  milk  stable 
and  two  lots  of  ground  on  the  north  side  of  Dean  street. 
U'tween  Vanderbilt  and  Underbill  aves.,  were  bought  of  Mr. 
s.  |i  Walters.  Silas  Davenport  was  elected  the  first  super- 
intendent, succeeded  by  \.  S.  Barnes  in  18.VJ,  and  S.  Iv  War- 
ner in  1*55.  The  school  occupied  the  premises  in  Dean  street 
till  September,  I860,  when  the  uncomfortable  building  became 
too  straitened  lor  the  purposes  of  the  school,  and  the  school- 
In  in  i-  of  the  lln))C  I  ',.,..»,   Mission    com  need  almost  simul 

laneously  with  the  Ml.  Prospect  Mission,  but  located  in  an 
adjoining  neighborhood,  known  as  .Jackson's  Hollow i,  in 
Van  Burcn  st.,  having  been  destroyed  by  fire.  .Mine.  |s58,  it 
was  thought  desirable  to  unite  t lie •  two  schools,  for  the  pur- 
l«we  of  building  up  a  s|j||  more  prosperous  enterprise  in  that 

pari  of  the  city.    Accordingly,  a  desirable  lot,  00  by  M  feet. 


was  purchased  on  the  south-west  coi  ner  of  Atlantic  ave.  and 
Grand  ave.,  on  which  a  two-story  building,  40  by  05,  was 
erected,  at  a  cost,  including  the  furniture,  of  $8,389,  designed 
to  be  occupied  jointly  by  the  United  Sabbath-school  and  the 
Mount  Prospect  Industrial  School  (opened  Nov.*  10,  1857),  the 
upper  Moor  being  fitted  for  a  Sabbath-school,  and  the  lower 
floor  for  the  week-day  exercises  of  the  Industrial  School. 
The  building  w  as  dedicated,  with  appropriate  exercises,  Sept. 
18,  1859. 

The  name  of  the  united  schools  was  changed  to  the  Atlan- 
tic Arc.  Sabbath-School  org.  Sept.  24.  and  Mr.  S.  E.  Warner 
was  elected  superintendent,  and  Alfred  Wicks,  Sec.  A  Miss. 
Soc.  was  org.  Nov.  6  and  Dec.  4,  1859;  preaching  services 
were  commenced  by  different  pastors.  Rev.  Anson  Gleason. 
a  veteran  missionary  among  the  Indians,  labored  from  May. 
1864,  to  Nov.,  1806,  and  was  followed  by  Rev.  Franklin  Noble, 
son  of  U.  S.  Chaplain  Noble,  of  the  Brooklyn  Navy  Yard. 

Grand  Avenue  Chapel.— This  orig.  1861,  in  a  "Mothers' 
Meeting,"  estab.  by  some  ladies  of  the  Clinton  Avenue  Con- 
gregational  Church,  to  improve  the  condition  of  the  poor  in 
••  Jackson's  Hollow."  Afterwards  a  room  on  Myrtle  ave.  and 
Steuben  st.  was  hired,  and  a  Sunday-school  started,  known  m 
the  '•Steuben  St.  Mission  School."  The  first  session  was  held 
Nov.  24,  1861,  attended  by  eight  teachers  and  fifty  scholars. 
Supts. :— Messrs.  A.  Gilbert,  1861-2:  S.  Harris,  1862:  L  T 
Smith,  1863-'4;  E.  P.  Maltby,  1865-'9;  S.  L.  Parsons,  186!i -'74: 
A.  C.  Barnes,  1874-'8;  S.  W.  Johnson,  1878-'9 ;  Jas.  Mitchell. 
1879-'84.  In  1867  a  chapel  was  completed  and  occupied  at  the 
corner  of  Willoughbv  and  ("rand  aves. 

Under  the  superintendence  of  Mr.  E.  P.  Maltby,  a  chapel  was 
erected  on  the  west  side  of  Orand  ave..  near  Myrtle,  and  wa« 
dedicated  in  March,  1867.  During  two  years,  preaching  was 
sustained  there,  chiefly  by  ministers  from  the  City  Mission. 
Pastors  in  charge  :  Rev.  Dr.  Waterbury  and  Rev.  Moseley  H. 
Williams,  1879-*70.  This  chapel  proving  insufficient  for  the 
w  ants  of  the  mission,  in  1882,  a  fine  brick  edifice,  with  brown- 
stone  trimmings,  was  completed,  which  has  a  frontage  Of 
56  feet  on  Willoughbv  ave.  During  all  these  years  the  school 
has  been  prosperous,  and  it  has  now  an  average  attendance 
of  850  teachers  and  scholars. 

The  Church  of  the  Covenant  was  organized  here  in  1888. 
The  school  is  still  continued  under  the  superintendence  of 
James  Thorp.    (See  page  1026). 


Rev.  William  Ives  Bi  j>in<;ton,  D.  D.  (Amherst  Coll.).  was 
born  in  New  Haven,  April  21,  1815.  He  entered  Yale  Col- 
lege, where  he  was  known  as  a  painstaking  student,  facile 
and  strong  with  bis  pen,  and  ambitious  for  fidelity  and  mas- 
tery, lie  graduated  in  ls:||,  anil  devoted  three  years  to  the 
ologieal  study  iii  New  Haven,  and  graduated  at  AndotCT. 
April  22,  1S|0,  he  was  ordained  and  installed  Pastor  of  th< 
First  Congregational  Church,  Charlestown,  Mass.,  where  J* 
remained  fourteen  and  one-half  years.  For  a  brief  period 
he  served  the  Western  Presbyterian  Church  of  Philadelphia, 
until  called  to  Brooklyn.  April  22,  1855,  he  was  installed 
over  the  Clinton  A  ve.  ( "ongregat  ioiial  Church  of  thiseih 
I  le  brought  the  ripe  experience,  t  he  symmetrical  culture,  and 
the  dee]i  consecration  which  were  needed  in  the  successor  of 
the  venerated  Dr.  Lansing.  During  the  24  years  of  his  nun 
istry,  tin  grow  th  of  t he  church  was  slow,  steady  and  sure 
The  preacher  sought  to  conserve  everything  substantial,  >•* 
sential,  central,  in  pure  theology  and  church  jMility:  wbilt 
conceding  every  rational  demand  of  science  and  of  the 
•  hanging  time.  He  identified  himself  with  every  moveflMDf 
of  real  progress.  His  intellect  w  as  strong  ami  incisive,  anil 
bis  character  positive.  Though  all  might  not  agree  with  bin 
conclusions,  thej  confessed  the  honest)  of  his  conviction* (MM 


EC CLESIA  S TICAL  OR  GANIZA  TIONS. 


1023 


the  vigorous  logic  with  which  he  reached  them.  He  left  an 
impress  not  only  upon  the  intelligent  and  loving  people  of 
his  charge,  in  whose  affection  he  is  enshrined,  but  also  upon 
the  city  of  his  chosen  labors  for  a  quarter  of  a  century.  In 
the  pulpit  he  was  always  serious,  scholarly,  forcible,  intense. 
Upon  the  platform  he  kindled  and  inspired.  In  social  life  he 
was  exceedingly  genial  and  courteous.  As  a  leader  he  dis- 
played wonderfid  tact  and  courage.  As  a  clerical  friend  and 
advisor,  his  kindly  offices  were  prompt  and  grateful,  and  his 
counsels  wise  and  judicious.  His  unaffected,  fervent  sym- 
pathy with  the  afflicted  made  him  a  rare  comforter  to 
wounded  souls.  In  the  words  of  one  of  his  own  grateful 
nock,  "  he  made  the  sorrows  of  others  so  much  his  own  that 
it  affected  his  health  and  spirits,  as  though  the  sorrow  had 
been  a  personal  one."  Nor  was  he  less  one  with  his  people 
in  their  joys.  Compelled  by  ill  health,  he  resigned  his  pulpit 
in  1878,  and  died  November,  1879. — Brooklyn  Advance. 


The  Mayflower  Mission  originated  under  the  name  of 
Navy  Mission,  and  was  known  by  that  title  until  after  its 
formal  adoption  by  Plymouth  Church.  Its  name  was  changed 
to  the  "  Plymouth  Mission,"  in  November,  1872,  and  to  the 
"Mayflower  Mission  of  Plymouth  Church,"  May  1,1874.  It  was 
established  in  the  vicinity  of  the  Navy  Yard,  in  1844,  and  until 
June,  1871,  occupied  a  building  in  Front  street,  corner  of 
Green  lane.  In  1867,  it  was  adopted  by  the  Church  of  the 
Pilgrims,  which,  however,  abandoned  it  in  the  spring  of  1870. 
Prom  that  time  until  January,  1871,  it  was  sustained  in- 
dependently by  a  few  of  its  faithful  teachers. 

At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Society  of  Plymouth  Church 
in  January,  1871,  the  mission  was  re-adopted  by  this  church. 
In  May  of  the  same  year,  the  building  of  the  Third  Presby- 
terian Church  in  Jay  street  (between  Sands  and  High  streets) 
was  purchased  for  its  use  for  the  sum  of  $12,000,  and,  in  June, 
it  was  occupied  by  the  mission.  During  the  spring  of  1872, 
the  trustees  expended  about  $13,000  in  alterations,  which 
made  the  building  one  of  the  best  adapted  and  most  attract- 
ive for  the  purpose  to  be  found  in  the  city.  This  property  is 
also  wholly  free  from  incumbrance  and  debt. 

The  Superintendents  in  charge  of  the  mission  since  its 
adoption  by  this  church  have  been  :  Messrs.  C.  A.  Van  Wag- 
enor,  S.  F.  Strong,  George  A.  Bell  and  H.  B.  White.  Mr.  Bell 
took  charge  in  February,  1872,  and  Mr.  White  in  April,  1873. 

A  reading-room  has  been  opened,  well  supplied  with  papers 
and  magazines. 

Bedford  Congregational  Church.— December  5th,  1848, 
was  commenced  the  erection  of  a  framed  edifice,  thirty  by 
forty  feet,  on  the  corner  of  Pacific  street  and  Clove  road,  at  a 
cost  of  $2,300.  August  3d,  1849,  the  church  was  organized,  with 
twelv  e  enrolled  members.  It  was  once  known  as  the  Pacific 
Street  Congregational  Church,  but  its  present  title  is  as  above. 

Among  the  clergymen  who  have  labored  here  the  following 
are  remembered  :  Revs.  Thos.  S.  Brittan,  Dickinson,  Henry 
D.  Parker,  Dr.  B.  R.  Hall,  E.  Carpenter,  H.  B.  Elliot,  Greene, 
R.  G.  Hutchings,  Cyrus  Hamlin  and  (at  present),  Hugh  Smith 
Carpenter.  Probably  there  have  been  others,  but  definite 
data  for  the  history  of  this  church  could  not  be  obtained. 

The  State  Street  Congregational  Church.— The  persons 
originally  uniting  in  this  organization,  were  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  Brooklyn,  who,  desiring  the 
establishment  of  a  Methodist  church  with  the  Congregational 
form  of  government,  formed  a  new  religious  society,  June 
5th,  1859,  known  as  the  Pint  Congregational  Church  of  the 
City  of  Brooklyn. 

The  Second  Congregational  Church,  at  the  comer  of  Law- 
rence and  Tdlary  streets,  was  purchased,  and  regular  reli- 
gious services  held  therein  until  January  1st,  1859. 


In  October,  1858,  the  society  purchased  the  lots  in  State 
street,  near  Hoyt,  and  erected  a  neat  and  commodious  church 
edifice.  The  entire  cost  of  the  enterprise,  ground,  building, 
and  furniture,  was  $30,000.  The  corner-stone  was  laid  No- 
vember 19th,  and  on  the  17th  of  April,  1859,  the  lecture-room 
was  occupied;  the  church  itself  being  dedicated  on  the  30th 
of  June  following.  At  a  special  meeting  of  the  church  and 
society,  held  January  9th,  1861,  the  name  of  the  State  Street 
Congregational  Church  of  Brooklyn  was  unanimously 
adopted. 

Pastors:  Revs.  John  C.  Green,  1848-'53:  James  T.  Bell, 
1853-56;  Washington  Gladden,  1860;  Newton  Heston,  1861- 
'64;  W.  W.  Hicks,  1864-'66;  C.  A.  Harvey,  1866-'69;  Maxwell 
P.  Gaddis,  1869-71;  Isaac  C.  Meserve,  1871-74. 

October  5th,  1874,  this  church  was  consolidated  with  the 
Elm  Place  Congregational  Church,  to  form  the  Union  Con- 
gregational Church  of  Brooklyn. 

The  South  Congregational  Church. — Messrs.  Henry  C. 
Bowen,  John  T.  Howard,  and  James  Freeland,  procured  lots 
at  the  corner  of  Court  and  President  streets,  upon  which  they 
erected  an  edifice  for  a  lecture  room,  Sabbath-school  room, 
and  pastor's  study;  which  was  opened  for  public  worship,  in 
Feb.,  1851. 

The  church  having  been  organized  24th  of  March,  1851,  a 
meeting  was  held  on  the  31st,  in  the  chapel,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  organizing  a  religious  society,  and  the  "  South  Con- 
gregational Church"  was  adopted  as  the  corporate  name 
of  the  society. 

Rev.  William  Marsh  was  installed  as  Pastor  June  10,  1851; 
followed  in  succession  by  Rev.  Dauiel  Marsh,  Jan.  16,  1854;  and 
Rev.  Rufus  W.  Clark,  who  was  installed  April  14, 1857,  in  the 
new  church  edifice  which  was  then  completed  for  public  wor- 
ship. Mr.  Clark  was  succeeded,  in  1863,  by  Rev.  Edward 
Taylor,  and  he  by  the  Rev.  Henry  M.  Storrs,  D.  D.  In  1874, 
i he  present  Pastor,  Rev.  Albert  J.  Lyman,  succeeded  Dr. 
Storrs. 

About  1873,  this  church  established,  and  has  since  main- 
tained, a  ynission  school  in  Fourth  street,  near  Smith,  in  a 
hired  room.  Supts. :  Charles  A.  Parsons,  S.  S.  Markles,  and 
Andrew  C.  Bain. 

The  Elm  Place  Congregational  Church,  Elm  place,  near 
Fulton  avenue,  was  organized  in  1853,  by  the  members  of  the 
former  Bridge  Street  and  Fulton  Avenue  churches;  the  latter 
church  being  a  short-lived  secession  from  the  Bridge  Street 
Church.  At  about  the  same  time  the  parent  church  was  also 
disbanded,  and  from  both  arose  this  organization. 

Early  in  the  history  of  the  society,  four  lots  had  been  pur- 
chased on  Elm  place,  near  Fulton  avenue,  and  a  small  brick 
edifice  erected  thereon.  Soon  the  auditorium  of  the  Poly- 
technic Institute  was  occupied  in  the  winter  and  spring  of 
1859.  Meanwhile,  a  building,  called  the  Brooklyn  Tabernacle, 
was  erected  in  the  rear  of  the  corner  of  Hoyt  street  and  Ful- 
ton avenue,  at  an  expense  of  $9,000;  five  years  later  this 
building  reverted  to  the  owner  of  the  ground,  in  payment  of 
the  rent.  An  edifice  was  therefore  erected  on  the  site  of  the 
chapel,  on  Elm  place,  at  a  cost  of  $50,000;  which  was  con- 
secrated in  May,  1864.  Within  two  years  after  its  dedication, 
the  debt  was  extinguished. 

Pastors  :  Rev.  Samuel  D.  Cochrane,  1854-56;  Rev.  Mr. 
Alvin  Bartlett,  1858-68;  Rev.  Henry  Powers,  1869-71;  Rev. 
Isaac  Clark,  1871-74. 

October  5th,  1874,  this  church  was  consolidated  with  the 
State  Street  Congregational  Church,  to  form  the  Union  Con- 
gregational Church  of  Brooklyn. 

Union  Congregational  Church  was  organized  Oct.  5th, 
1874,  by  the  consolidation  of  the  Stale  Street  and  Elm  Place 
Congregational  Churches.    The  first  place  of  worship  was  the 


1024 


HISTORY  OF  KWGS  COUNTY. 


Kim  Place  Church  edifice.  ;ui<l  the  house  in  Suite  street  was 
rented  toother  congregations.  In  June.  1880,  the  house  in 
Kim  place  was  burned,  and  the  congregation  removed  to  the 
edilice  in  Stale  street,  where  they  have  since  worshiped. 

In  April,  1ST"),  Joseph  Wild,  D.  D.,  became  pastor  of  Union 
Church.  He  resigaed  in  September,  1880,  and  in  December 
Of  the  same  year,  the  present  pastor,  N.  Everett  Smith, 
D.  D.,  enters  I  on  his  duties. 

Central  Congregational  Church,  Orinond  pluce,  S.  E.  cor- 
Jef  ferson  st.  The  original  church  edifice,  in  Orinond  place, 
otvupied  by  this  society,  was  erected  in  the  year  1853,  by 
Mr.  H.  L.  Crook,  a  large  holder  of  land  in  this  neighborhood, 
with  the  intention  of  selling  it  below  cost  to  some  Protestant 
religions  association. 

This  house  was,  in  Fell.  1854,  rented  for  two  years  to 
Messrs.  Win.  T.  Cutter,  Thos.  W.  Abbott,  and  C.  N.  Kinney. 
On  the  -7th  Nov..  1*51,  a  church  of  H  members  was  or- 
ganized and  Kev.  Henry  W.  Parker  engaged  to  supply  the 
pulpit,  as  the  Central  Congregational  Church.  At  the  ex- 
piration of  the  lease,  the  congregation,  being  unable  to  com- 
plete the  purchase,  removed  to  the  Van  Buren  Street  Mission 
School  house,  where  the  attendance  dwindled  to  30  indi- 
viduals. At  length,  however,  being  largely  aided  by  the 
Plymouth  Church,  and  the  Church  of  the  Pilgrims,  the 
^society  purchased  the  property;  and,  Nov.  16,  185(i,  the  house 
was  re-opened. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Parker,  having  removed  to  another  field  of 
labor,  the  pulpit  was  occupied  by  temporary  supplies,  until 
the  Kev.  J.  Clement  French  was  installed  as  Pastor,  on  the 
5th  of  March,  1857. 

In  1*03,  the  church  was  thoroughly  renovated,  both  within 
and  without,  and  a  new  organ  placed  in  the  gallery,  all  at  a 
cost  of  about  $6,000.  Two  years  later,  the  house  and  lot. 
No.  13  Orinond  place,  adjoining  the  c  hurch,  was  purchased 
for  a  parsonage.  In  May,  1867,  the  building  was  provided 
with  galleries,  and  the  basement  was  extensively  improved, 
at  a  cost  of  several  thousand  dollars. 

The  Sabbath-school,  estab.  May  7,  1853,  under  charge  of 
Mr.  Win.  T.  Cutter  and  0.  N.  Kinney,  shared,  of  course,  the 
vicissitudes  of  the  church,  and  is  now  strong  and  prosper- 
ous, and  doing  good  missionary  work.  Oct.  19,  1865,  a 
Society  was  formed  in  it,  "The  C.  C.  Ch.,  S.  S.  Miss.  Soc," 
which  prosecuted  its  designs  effectively  for  several  years. 

In  ISO?,  a  few  members  of  the  ch.  bought  ground  and 
erected  a  building,  cor.  Marcy  ave.  and  Monroe  st.,  and 
opened  it  as  a  Miss.  School.  After  five  years  they  surren- 
dered its  charge,  and  it  has  since  grown  into  the  Washington 
.\>;  .  Baptist  Church,  one  of  the  most  flourishing  in  the  city. 

In  1872,  the  present  house  on  Hancock  st.,  near  Franklin 
ave  .  was  erected,  a  I  a  total  cost,  including  site,  organ,  and 
furniture,  of  $1 10,000.  It  is  150  by  96  feet,  with  1,850  sit- 
tings. The  church  on  Oriuoud  place  was  sold,  in  1873,  to  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church  of  the  Mediator. 

In  1*74.  a  new  building.  60  by  9*  feet,  for  Sunday-school, 
lecture-room,  parlors,  etc.,  was  erected  on  ground  adjacent 
to  the'  church,  at  a  cost  of  $41,000.  In  1877,  the  Society 
owed  a  debt  of  $01,000,  w  hu  h  was  extinguished  within  two 
years. 

Pastor  Itevs  Ib  nn  W.  Parker.  1 85-1  .".7 :  Justus  Clement 
French,  1*57  '70;  Henry  Martyn  Scudder.  D.  1).,  1871-82; 
A.  J.  V.  Hehrends,  I).  I)..  1*23  \*4. 


Kev.  Hi  mo  Maktyn  Sri'UDKK,  M.I).  (Coll.  of  Phvs.  & 
Surg.,  N.  Y.),  D.  D.,  was  born  Feb.  5,  1*22,  at  Panditenpo. 
I  list.  ,IalTr<  a,  i  ej  Ion,  where  his  father,  Kev.  Dr.  John  Scud- 
der. was  a  missionary.  He  came  to  the  United  States  in 
1- was  prepared  for  college  at  St:»mwich,  Conn.,  graduated 


from  Univ.  of  City  of  New  York,  and  from  Union  TheaL 
Sem.  He  was  ordained  by  the  Third  Presbytery  of  New  York, 
and  was  appointed  by  the  Amer.  Board  of  Com.  Foreign 
Missions  a  missionary  to  Madras,  and  soon  after  his  arrival, 
in  addition  to  his  missionary  work,  commenced  the  study  of 
medicine  in  the  Med.  Coll.  of  .Madras,  and  after  graduating, 
opened  a  hospital  and  dispensary  in  Madras,  which  is  still  in 
successful  operation.  He  attained  so  much  eminence  there  as 
to  receive  the  honorary  degree  of  M.  D.  from  the  N.  Y,  Coll. 
of  Phys.  &  Surg.,  but  made  his  gratuitous  services  there  -ul>- 
sidiary  to  his  missionary  work.  His  health  failing,  he  re  - 
turned to  the  United  States  in  1858,  and  after  a  pastorate  of 
some  years  in  New  Jersey,  accepted,  in  1864,  a  call  to  the 
Howard  Presbyterian  Church  in  San  Francisco,  where  he  re 
mained  till  1*71,  when  he  was  called  to  the  Central  Cong'] 
Church  in  Brooklyn.  Dr.  Scudder  has  been  through  life  an 
indefatigable  student.  His  attainments  in  natural  and 
physical  science  entitle  him  to  rank  with  the  first  scientists 
of  the  present  time,  his  linguistic  knowledge  including  a 
complete  mastery  of  many  of  the  oriental  languages.  II. 
has  published  but  little,  regarding  bis  duties  to  his  congrega- 
tion as  paramount:  but  his  few  published  works  show  that 
he  is  one  of  the  ripest  scholars  of  our  time. 


Rev.  A.  J.  F.  BEHRENDS,  D.  D.,  born  in  Holland,  1839:  grad. 
Denison  (O.)  Univ.,  1862,  and  Rochester  (N.  Y.)  Theo.  Sem.. 
1866;  was  Trustee  of  Denison  Univ.,  and  Rochester  Theo. 
Sem.;  is  Commissioner  of  Foreign  Missions,  and  Vice  Pres. 
of  Am.  Miss.  Assn.;  previous  locations  :  Yonkers,  N.  V.. 
1865-'73;  Cleveland,  O.,  1873-'76;  Providence,  R.  L,  1876  11 ! 
author  of  published  sermons;  came  to  Brooklyn.  March,  Iss:}. 


Rochester  Avenue  Congregational  Church  originated  in 
a  Sunday-sc  hool,  commencing  in  August,  1859,  in  a  building 
on  the  coiner  of  Patc  hen  ave.  and  Chauncey  st.,  which  re- 
moved, May  1,  1860,  to  the  basement  of  the  German  Lutheran 
Church,  on  Herkimer  st.  March  21,  1860,  a  soc  iety  was  org. 
called  The  Rochester  Avenue  Mission.  Subsequently,  a  cha|>el 
was  erected  on  the  south-east  corner  of  Roc  hester  ave.  and 
Herkimer  St.,  and  occupied  March  17,  1861.  This  chapel  was 
eularged  in  1865.  In  1881,  it  was  again  enlarged.  The  audi 
torium  was  reseated  to  hold  100.  and  newly  furnished. 

A  society  termed  "The  Christian  Brotherhood  of  the  Rocbl  > 
ter  Avenue  Mission,''  was  organized;  but,  in  1S60,  was  changed 
to  a  church  of  the  Congregational  order,  and  assumed  the 
name  of  "Church  of  the  Mediator,"  which  was  changed  to  t  kg 
Rochester  Avenue  Congregational  Church,  in  April,  1881. 

During  the  first  two  or  three  years,  the  pulpit  of  the  kttfr 
sion  was  supplied  by  volunteers.    In  Oct.,  1863,  Rev.  Bishop 
Kaulkner  became  Pastor,  and  continued  after  the  organiai 
tion  of  the  new  church.    In  November,  1879,  he  WU  M 
ceeded  by  .lames  (1.  Roberts,  D.  D. 

Puritan  Church.— In  Dec.  1863,  several  teachers  ol  the 
Wallabout  Pres.  Ch.  commenced  a  new  S.  S.  enterprise  m 
a  store,  712  Myrtle  ave.;  whic  h,  with  the  preaching  aarviat  - 
held  there,  resulted  July  17,  1805.  in  the  org.  of  the  East 
Brooklyn  Cong.  Ch.  In  Oc  t.  follow  ing,  land,  cor.  of  De  Kaft 
ave.  and  Walworth  st..  was  leased  for  ten  years,  ami  a  t(  D) 
porary  house  of  worship  erected  (hereon.  Kev  (  has.  Hall 
Kverest  was  chosen  pastor,  and  installed  Ma\  I *••'••'•■  °" 
June  29,  1865,  the  present  church  name  was  adopted,  .lime. 
1868.  the  present  site,  cor.  Lafayette  and  Marcj  avea.,  mm 
pun-based,  and  a  new  building  erected  and  ded.  Max  ('•  1871. 
The  burden  assumed  in  the  erection  of  this  new  building,  and 
the  financial  panic  of  1*;:!.  great  ly  embarrassed  the  Hociety, 
and  retarded  the  development  of  its  original  plans.  Ill  fcV 
eresl  resigned  I'd-..  1*77.     His  successors  have  been:  lie  vs. 


EC CLESIA  STIGAL  OR  GANIZA  TIONS. 


102;) 


CENTRAL  CONGREGATIONAL  CHURCH,  ORMOND  PLACE, 


1026 


HISTORY  01  KINGS  COUNTY. 


PURITAN  CHURCH. 

H.  E.  Field,  1877-81;  Samuel  Calcord,  1881-'3;  Edward  P. 
Ingersoll,  1883-'4.  The  S.  S.  is  large  and  flourishing; 
socially  notable  for  its  large  classes  of  young  ladies.  \V.  W. 
Shumway,  Supt. 

Rev.  Edward  P.  Ingersoll  was  born  in  Lee,  Mass., 
1834;  grad.  Williams,  1855,  and  Andover  Theol.  Sem.,  1863; 
was  Pres.  General  .Synod  Ref.  Ch.,  1882;  previous  locations: 
Sandusky,  0.,  1863-'8;  Indianapolis,  1868-'70;  B'klyn,  1870-83. 

Fifth  Avenue  Congregational  Church. — Open  air  preach- 
ing was  commenced  in  1863  by  Rev.  Newton  Ileston,  under 
the  patronage  of  Mr.  Lindsay  J.  Wells.  A  Sunday-school 
and  prayer-meeting,  were  at  the  same  time  established  by  Mr. 
Wells,  in  a  store  at  the  corner  of  12th  st.  and  Fifth  ave.  A 
church  was  org.  June,  1866. 

In  Sept.,  1865,  Mr.  Wells,  on  his  own  responsibility,  com- 
menced the  erection  of  a  tabernacle  at  the  corner  of  Fifth 
ave.  and  Eighth  st.  This  was  completed  at  a  cost,  including 
the  lots,  of  $3,500,  and  dedicated  in  January,  1866.  In  the 
winter  of  1867-8,  a  portion  of  the  members  withdrew  and 
commenced  worship  on  Third  st..  near  rifth  ave.,  under  the 
name  of  Park  Congregational  Church.  In  i860,  the  two 
churches  were  reunited  under  the  latter  name,  and  com- 
menced the  erection  of  a  chapel  at  the  corner  of  Sixth  ave. 
and  Seventh  st.  The  Rev.  H.  H.  McFarland  was  engaged  as 
a  supply,  and,  in  April,  1868,  the  Rev.  Frank  Russel  became 
Pastor,  continuing  after  the  reunion. 

The  clia|«'l  was  completed  in  the  latter  part  of  1870,  at  a 
»  ■ »— t .  including  site  for  a  church,  of  about  $40,000.  The  so- 
ciety is  free  from  debt.  Pastors  :  Rev.  Frank  Russell,  1868- 
'74;  Thos.  1{.  Sheer.  1877-81;  John  W.  Malcolm,  1881-4. 

First  Congregational  Church  (K.  D.)  was  organized  .May 
2s,  lsU!.  by  eight  seceding  members  (,|  the  first  Presbyterian 
Church.  It  happened,  one  Sabbath,  in  the  latter  church, 
that  a  colored  man  took  a  seat  near  the  centre  of  the  house, 
and  was  straightway  requested  by  the  sexton  to  take  a  seat 
bai  k  next  to  t he  door.  This  transaction  specially  impressed 
Samuel  Wild,  a  member  of  the  church,  with  the  heinousness 
of  practising  emit  in  the  house  of  (Sod;  and  he  forthwith 
procured  two  lots  of  land  at  the  S.  W.  corner  of  11th  and  S. 
::d  -i-.,  i 1 1 » >i i  which  he  erected,  chiefly  with  his  own  means, 
t  he  chapel  now  known  as  "Kishop's  ( "hapel."  and  occupied,  at 
present,  by  the  African  Methodist  congregation.  The  enter- 
prise, though  not  a  success,  as  the  world  counts  success, 
tilled  an  otliee,  in  its  day,  as  an  exponent  of  the  principles  of 
rigid  antj  slavery  ism.    The  Itov.  Samuel  S.  Jocelyn  minis- 


tered to  this  church  until  the  close  of  the  War  of  the  Civil  Re 
bellion.  It  was  then  disbanded,  its  white  members  unitinj 
with  the  New  England  Congregational  Church ,  itscolorei 
members  a  filiating  with  the  colored  congregation  thai  ha 
since  occupied  its  chapel. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Jocelyn  died  Aug.,  1879,  in  the  fulness  o 
years,  honored  by  all,  even  those  who  had  differed  mos 
from  his  opinions,  for  the  purity  of  his  life,  the  piety  o 
his  walk  and  conversation,  and  the  courageousness  of  hi 
principles. 

The  New  England  Church.  —  A  meeting  prelimin.n 
to  the  formation  of  this  church  was  held  at  the  \\»u- 
of  Dr.  Edwin  N.  Colt,  No.  41  Fourth  st.,  March  18,  1851 
April  5th,  public  worship  was  commenced  at  Central  Ball 
cor.  of  5th  and  So.  1st  sts.,  under  the  ministration  of  Mt 
Thomas  K.  Beecher;  and,  on  the  21st  of  the  same  month 
an  ecclesiastical  society  was  org.  The  New  England  ( !oa*n 
gational  Church  was  org.  May  26,  1851,  and  Mr.  Beecher,  o 
the  26th  of  June  following,  was  ordained  as  Pastor.  Afte 
January  7,  1853,  when  the  Central  Hall  was  destroyed  by  fin 
the  church  worshiped  in  "The  Odeon,"  in  5th,  betw.  So.  J 
and  So.  4th  sts.,  until  the  completion  of  the  lecture-room  . 
the  church  edifice  in  So.  9th  st.,  in  July,  1853.  In  Septan 
her,  1852,  the  society  purchased  three  lots,  on  the  north  siii 
of  So.  9th  st.,  between  5th  and  6th  sts.,  on  which  the  comei 
stone  of  the  present  church  edifice  was  laid,  Jaunan  1 
1853;  and  the  building,  completed,  was  dedicated  on  t he  82 
of  the  next  December. 

The  years  1858  and  1866  are  thankfully  remenil>ered  a 
years  of  special  divine  favor,  in  which  large  mmit>ers  Wei 
added  to  the  church. 

The  successive  Pastors  have  been  :  Thomas  K.  Dooohei 
June  25,  1851,  to  May  16,  1854 ;  Henry  B.  Elliott,  NovemN 
9,  1854,  to  November  19,  1855;  William  R.  Tompkins,  Ootoh 
9,  1856;  Leonard  W.  Bacon,  installed  Mar.  30,  1S<>"» :  comci 
Apr.  7,  1870;  John  Henry  Brodt,  installed  Sept.  27.  1871 
council,  Sept.  27, 1872;  John  H.  Lockwood,  installed  Jane  H 
1873;  resignation  accepted,  Nov.  15,  1878;  council.  Dec,  i 
1878;  Rufus  Piercy  Hibbard,  installed  May  28,  1879. 

The  Church  of  the  Covenant  was  org.  in  186s,  hut  tl 
real  history  of  the  enterprise  begins  with  the  establisluini 
of  a  Sunday-school  in  1852,  held  under  an  apple  tree,  an 
then  in  a  stable.  Mr.  Silas  Davenport  was  among  the  pii 
neers  of  the  mission.  The  neighborhood  had  been  \  isited  I 
Rev.  Harvey  Newcomb.  and  the  first  gathering  was  in  tl 
oi>en  air,  Sunday,  July  4,  1852,  not  far  from  the  junction  i 
Vanderbilt  and  Atlantic  aves. ,  then  an  open  field.  A  gaT 
in  a  small  building  was  used  one  Sunday,  and  then  the  ban 
This  was  the  birthplace  of  Mt.  Prospect  Mission  Sena 
(See  page  1022). 

In  1864,  Kcv.  Anson  (Sleason  began  his  labors  here  by  im 
tatiou  of  the  Clinton  Ave.  Church,  and  remained  about  t« 
years  and  a  half.  Quite  a  number  were  converted,  some  ■ 
whom  joined  that  church. 

Mr.  (Sleason  was  followed  by  Rev.  Franklin  Noble,  m  00 
nection  with  whose  labors  a  church  was  organized  .'an.  - 
|si;s,  of  seven  males  and  ten  females.  A  council.  March 
|8(>s,  recognized  the  new  church.  Worship  was  cent  inn. 
at  the  hall,  cor.  of  Atlantic  and  tSrand  aves.,  until  1871  .«'" 
a  c  hapel  was  erected  on  the  cor.  of  Baltic  street  and  Ckis* 
avenue.  This  was  occupied  for  four  years,  when  the  coup 
gation  removed  to  their  present  sanctuary.  This,  a  tast'  fi 
brown-stone  ami  brick  chapel,  was  erected,  at  a  cost.  incluxi 
of  land,  of  over  $17,00(1.  It  has  a  seating  capacity  of  4c 
When,  by  pecuniary  embarrassment,  the  society  were  anal 
to  meet  their  liabilities,  Mr.  A.  S.  Karnes  In-came  theown 
of  the  property,  giving  them  the  use  of  the  building,  U 


ECCLESIAST1  GAL 


as  always  been  an  unwearied  helper  of  the  church  and 
unday-school;  as  he  has  also  been  of  other  similar  enter- 
n'ses  on  "  the  Hill." 

Rev.  Anson  Gleason,  born  in  Manchester,  Conn.,  1797; 
>acherto  Choctaw  Indians,  Miss.,  1823-'31;  to  Mohegans, 
332-48;  was  Dist.  Sec'y  Amer.  Board  of  Com.  for  Foreign 
lissioDs,  1848-51;  Missionary  to  Seneca  Indians,  Western 
r.  Y.,  1851-61;  was  City  Missionary,  Rochester,  1862;  Utica, 
863;  Brooklyn,  1864-'83. 

Rev.  Franklin  Noble  has  been  associated  with  Father 
deason  in  the  Atlantic  Ave.  Mission,  and  served  the  church 
hat  he  was  instrumental  in  forming  until  May  25,  1874.  His 
uccessors  have  been  :  Revs.  R.  S.  Underwood,  from  June, 
874,  to  Nov.  28,  1875;  E.  P.  Thwing,  April,  1876,  to  1880; 
Vm.  Mackay,  1880;  and,  at  present, Wm.  H.  Ingersoll. 

Rev.  Edward  Payson  Thwing,  M.  A.  (Harv.),  Ph.  D., 
orn  Aug.  25,  1830,  at  Ware,  Mass.  He  grad.  Harvard,  1855: 
t  Andover  Theol.  Sem.,  1858;  located  Portland,  Me.,  1858- 
52;  Quincy,  Mass.,  1862-7;  has  preached  in  Europe,  and  for 
everal  months  at  Tolmer's  Square  Church,  London;  Pastor 
three  years)  of  the  Church  of  the  Covenant,  Brooklyn;  was 
»rof.  of  Vocal  Culture,  Gorham  Sem.,  Me.,  1870-4;  of  Sacred 
thetoric  in  Tabernacle  Free  Coll.,  which  post  he  retained 
our  years — 1874-8;  lectured  at  Training  College,  Boston,  two 
\  inters,  and  Bethany  Institute,  New  York;  author  of  "  Drill 
3ook  in  Vocal  Culture  and  Gesture;"  "Outdoor  Life  in  Eu- 
•ope;"  "Bible  Sketches,"  1854;  "Memorial  of  Thomas 
rhwing,"  1867;  "Hand-book  of  Illustrations;"  "  Facts  of 
Tobacco;"  "Persian  Queen,"  a  Hymn  Book;  "Standard 
Hymns  ;"  member  of  N.  Y.  Acad,  of  Sciences,  Victoria  In- 
stitute, Philosophical  Society  of  Gt.  Britain;  contributor  to 
magazines  and  the  religious  press  many  years. 

The  present  Pastor,  Rev.  William  H.  Ingersoll,  was  born 
at  Rochester,  1837;  grad.  Columbia  Coll.,  1860;  Att.  Union 
Theol.  Sem. ;  author  of  Art  Christ,  and  Love  and  Law  in  Re- 
ligion; located  in  Brooklyn  since  1850. 

Lee  Avenue  Congregational  Church  was  org.  Sept.  30, 
1872,  by  the  members  who  had  formerly  composed  the  Lee 
Ave.  Reformed  Dutch  Church,  the  latter  transferring  their 
realty,  personal  property  and  membership  to  the  former. 
Rev.  Theodore  J.  Holmes  was  installed  as  Pastor  Sept.  30, 
1872,  and  served  two  years.  The  vacant  pulpit  was  then 
supplied  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Edward  Eggleston,  who  had  been 
a  Methodist  minister  in  the  West,  but  who  was  then  occupied 
with  literary  work.  In  1874,  Dr.  Eggleston  accepted  the 
pastorate  on  condition  that  the  church  became  independent. 
His  creed  was  summed  up  in  the  words  "Christian  En- 
deavor." He  made  his  church  unique  in  its  independence. 
The  Endeavor  Club  and  the  Shooting  Galleiy  in  the  Church 
Parlor  became  famous  throughout  the  land.  Dr.  Eggleston's 
pastorate  was  dissolved  in  1879,  and  after  a  brief  term  of  ser- 
vice by  Mr.  McKinley,  of  Minnesota,  Rev.  Wilbur  F.  Crafts 
accepted  a  call ;  the  independent  attitude  of  the  church  was 
given  up,  and  it  returned  to  Congregationalism.  Thus,  in 
the  brief  space  of  eight  years,  for  the  third  time,  the  relations 
of  the  church  were  altered.  A  creed  was  adopted,  and  a 
council  was  called  to  install  the  new  pastor,  who  allied  him- 
self with  the  Manhattan  Congregational  Association.  Liber- 
alism  and  orthodoxy  did  not,  however,  assimilate  under  Mr. 
Crafts'  pastorage,  and,  after  many  dissensions,  the  former 
withdrew  and  left  the  latter  in  possession. 

Shortly  after  the  withdrawal,  Mr.  Crafts  himself  resigned. 
On  April  2,  1883,  a  call  was  extended  to  Rev.  Henry  A. 
Powell,  of  the  old  Bushwick  Reformed  Church,  which  was 
accepted,  and  Mr.  Powell  was  installed  April  25,  1HS3. 

With  three  denominational  changes  in  eight  years,  with 
constant  dissensions  and  divisions  in  the  church,  it  is  not  sur- 


OR  GANIZA  TIONS.  1027 


prising  that  the  great  work  in  the  Sunday-school  was  serious- 
ly interfered  with  ;  whole  classes — teachers  and  scholars  in- 
cluded—left, and  at  one  time  it  seemed  as  if  the  whole 
school  would  be  disbanded.  On  October  29,  ]H82,  when  all 
was  discord  and  confusion,  Jeremiah  Johnson,  Jr.,  was  again 
elected  to  the  superintendency.  He  has  brought  order  out  of 
chaos,  and  the  prospects  for  the  future  are  very  flattering  ; 
already  the  school  numbers  1,500  scholars  and  150  teachers, 
and  is  i-apidly  increasing.  The  Lee  Ave.  Congregational 
Church  has  good  reasons  for  encouragement,  owning  a  prop- 
erty' worth  $150,000,  but  slightly  encumbered,  and  its  audito- 
rium thronged  at  each  service. 

Rev.  Henry  A.  Powell  was  born  in  Chatham,  N.  Y.,  1851; 
grad.  1873  from  Union  College,  and,  three  years  later,  took 
a  degree  from  the  theological  seminary  connected  with  that 
institution.  Mr.  Powell  has  had  brilliant  success ;  was 
admitted  to  the  Bar,  but  he  has  no  intention  of  giving  up  the 
ministry.  He  studied  law  while  taking  a  course  in  English 
history  at  the  New  York  University  ;  is  a  practical,  common 
sense  man,  and  a  forcible  speaker.  While  orthodox  in  belief, 
he  is  not  bigoted. 

Lewis  Avenue  Congregational  Church. — In  1873,  Messrs. 
John  H.  Burtis,  James  Williamson,  and  Rev.  Donald  McLaren, 
organized  a  Sunday-school  on  the  corner  of  Yates  ave.  (now 
Sumner)  and  Gates  ave.  Grace  Chapel  was  erected  and 
opened  in  Nov.,  1874,  on  Lewis  ave.  and  Monroe  st.;  and 
here,  in  August,  1875,  Grace  Presbyterian  Church  was  org., 
and  Rev.  C.  E.  Lawrence  became  Pastor.  He  was  followed, 
in  1876,  by  Rev.  Mr.  Lucas,  and  he,  in  1877,  by  Rev.  James 
Hall;  during  whose  pastorate  the  church  adopted  the  Con- 
gregational form  of  government,  and  assumed  its  present 
name.  Revs.  J.  Chalmers  Easton  ;  Mr.  Boyd,  and  G.  W. 
Plack,  have  since  been  Pastors. 

Rev.  G.  W.  Plack  was  born  in  Altoona,  Pa.,  1856;  grad. 
Lafayette  Coll.,  1879;  Union  Theol.  Sem.,  1882;  settled  in 
B'klyn  May,  1882. 

Nazarene  Congregational  Church  (colored),  was  org.  July 
20th,  1873,  with  twenty  members,  mostly  from  the  South. 
The  first  place  of  worship  was  a  hall  at  Fulton  ave.  and  Cum- 
berland st.  They  afterward  removed  to  a  hall,  at  Fulton  and 
Clermont  aves.;then,  in  May,  1880,  to  the  Athenseum  Hall, 
corner  of  Vanderbilt  and  Atlantic  aves.  The  American 
Missionary  Association  sent  supplies  to  this  church  till 
1877,  when  Rev.  Robert  F.  Wheeler  was  called ;  and  has, 
since  1878,  been  commissioned  by  the  Am.  Home  Miss. 
Society. 

Tompkins  Avenue  Congregational  Church. — The  Tomp- 
kins Avenue  Congregational  Society  was  org.,  and  trustees 
chosen,  July  6th,  1875,  and  the  church  established  on  the 
16th  of  the  same  month  by  twenty  members. 

The  Presbyterian  Church  edifice,  corner  of  Tompkins  ave. 
and  McDonough  street,  was  sold  on  foreclosure,  July  9,  1875, 
and  the  trustees  of  the  Tompkins  Avenue  Society  obtained 
possession  from  the  purchasers.  In  April,  1881,  the  church 
and  society  purchased  this  church  property  for  ^40,100,  which 
was  at  once  paid,  leaving  the  church  free  from  debt. 

January  1st,  1876,  Rev.  Charles  D.  Helmer  became  pastor; 
died  1879  ;  followed  by  Rev.  Samuel  M.  Freeland,  1879;  Rev. 
Geo.  F.  Pentecost,  1880-84.  This  church  has  dismissed 
nearly  100  members  to  other  churches,  and  has  now  a  mem- 
bership of  450.  In  Sept.,  1881,  it  opened  a  mission  in  Ellery 
street,  where  services  have  since  been  regularly  held. 

In  May,  1882,  Mr.  Pentecost  commenced  street  preaching 
in  the  21st  Ward,  and  systematic  visitation,  and  soon  a  mis- 
sion was  established;  lots  were  purchased  on  the  corner  of 
Park  and  Marcy  Aves.,  and  a  frame  church  erected,  seating 
800,  costing  nearly  $10,000. 


1028 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Rev.  Georoe  F.  Pentecost  was  horn  in  Albion,  111.,  Sept. 
23,  1842.  When  he  was  quite  young  his  father  died,  and 
the  lad  was  apprenticed  to  a  printer;  he  emigrated  to  Kau- 
-a>.  and  was  appointed  to  a  position  in  the  Governor's  office; 
and  afterwards  to  l>e  Clerk  of  the  U.  S.  Dis.  Court,  which 
jKisition  he  filled  by  proxy,  being  under  age;  returning  to 
Kentucky  he  was  converted  in  1860,  and  the  following  year 
entered  the  College  of  Georgetown,  Ky.  Soon  after  he  en- 
listed in  a  Kentucky  cavalry  regiment,  as  chaplain,  with  the 
rank  of  captain.  Desirous  to  devote  his  life  to  the  ministry, 
he  preached  in  Green  Castle,  Kvansville,  Ind.,  Covington, 
Ky. 

In  1*67,  he  supplied  the  First  Baptist  Church,  during  the 
summer,  and  accepted  a  call  from  the  Hanson  Place  Bap- 
tist Church,  in  Dec,  1869;  three  years  later,  he  assumed 
charge  of  the  Warren  Avenue  Church  in  Boston.  In  follow- 
ing years  he  held  Bible  readings  and  evangelistic  services  in 
many  of  the  cities  of  New  England. 

In  lsso.  In-  was  called  to  the  Tompkins  Avenue  Oongrega- 
tional  Church  in  this  city.  His  profound  study  of  the  bible; 
his  clear,  concise  expositions  of  biblical  truth;  his  vigor, 
earnestness  and  strength  have  made  him  a  very  successful 
Pastor.  His  Sunday  afternoon  services  at  the  Academy  of 
Music  were  productive  of  great  good  to  the  thronged  au- 
diences. 

The  East  Congregational  Church  was  org.  1*77,  with 
fifty  members,  mostly  from  Puritan  Church.  Their  first 
place  of  worship  was  Liberty  Hall,  corner  of  Gates  and  Nos- 
trand  aves.  In  1878.  a  church  edifice,  seating  400,  was 
erected  at  the  corner  of  Tompkins  ave.  and  Kosciusko  street. 
The  first  Pastor  was  Rev.  George  C.  Miln;  he  was  succeeded 
in  1881,  by  Rev.  W.  C.  Stiles,  who  resigned  in  1883,  leaving 
the  church  at  present  without  a  Pastor.  The  pulpit  is  sup- 
plied by  Rev.  J.  Hyatt  Smith. 

The  Scandinavian  Free  Mission  Church,  org.  lS7!t,  is  a 
Congregational  Society,  and  originated  in  a  mission  that  had 
been  under  the  charge  of  Rev.  John  P.  Swanstrom  during 
many  years.  Its  place  of  worship  is  a  chapel  on  Pacific  St., 
between  I  toy  t  and  Smith  sts. 

Rev.  Swanstrom  has  been  the  missionary  in  charge  since 
the  organization  of  the  society,  assisted  at  times  by  others. 

The  First  Identity  Church. — This  congregation  was  or- 
ganized in  November,  lsso.  The  following  preamble  to  the 
resolutions  adopted  by  the  church  at  its  organization,  ex- 
l»iv— i •-  t  he  |>eeuliar  belief  of  its  members  concerning  the 
identity  of  the  lost  tribes  of  Israel  and  the  Anglo-Saxons, 
which  led  to  the  establishment  of  the  society  and  the  adop- 
tion of  the  name : 

"Whereas,  We  are  of  the  firm  conviction  that  the  i>eople 
now  known  as  the  Anglo-Saxons  are  the  House  of  Israel  ; 
that,  as  such,  the  prophecies  and  other  references  to  the  House 
of  Israel,  in  the  Old  anil  New  Testaments,  refer  to  them." 

This  congregation  worships  in  Music  Hall,  Flatbush  ave. 

The  Pastor  is  Rev.  G.  W.  Greenwood, 

Union  Congregational  Church,  East  New  York,  org.  May 
17,  1**3,  by  some  from  the  Brownsville  Congregational 
(  hutch,  and  others  \\  ho  had  commenced  a  Presbyterian  mis- 
sion. Thirty  members  entered  the  church  by  letter,  and  in 
three  weeks  there  were  eight  conversions.  The  members 
of  the  new  church  unanimously  called  as  their  Pastor  the 
I'ev.  ( 'iirtis  Graham,  and  he  accepted  the  call.  He  had  Iteen 
a  successful  lawyer,  but,  after  being  coin  cited,  left  the  bar 
for  the  pulpit.  He  preached  in  Saybrook,  Conn.,  lirst  in  the 
Methodist  Kpiseopal  Church.  In  1*57.  he  was  transferred  to 
K.in-as,  where  he  was  sent  to  the  legislature,  to  represent 
the  Free  Soil  element.  He  had  a  very  exciting  ex|>erieii<  e, 
but  stoutly  maintained  bis  position;  and,  while  in  the  legis- 


lature, had  a  bill  passed  founding  the  Highland  University 
and  a  Methodist  University  in  the  southern  part  of  the  State. 
He  became  a  trustee  of  both  institutions.  President  Lincolu 
subsequently  appointed  him  a  chaplain  in  the  army.  After 
the  war,  he  preached  in  Easthamptonand  Narragansett,  but, 
owing  to  a  throat  trouble,  was  compelled  to  retire  for  a  time 
from  the  ministry. 

The  land  has  been  presented  to  them  by  Mr.  Gilbert  S. 
Thatford.  He  has  also  given  quite  a  sum  of  money  toward 
the  building  fund. 

The  new  church  is  located  on  Orient  ave.,  near  Liberty. 
It  is  a  frame  structure,  one  and  a  half  stories  high,  very  or- 
namental and  attractive  in  design  and  finish.  It  is  35  feet 
front  and  40  deep.  The  interior  is  finished  in  hard  wood, 
and  supplied  with  the  most  modern  church  furniture.  It  fa 
one  of  the  neatest  churches  in  the  town,  and  cost  about 
$5,000.  The  Officers  are :  Trustees,  G.  S.  Thatford,  E.  A. 
Wooley,  H.  S.  Stewart,  J.  D.  Glover,  Robert  Dixon,  John 
Paton,  N.  W.  Woolsey,  Edwin  B.  Clayton  and  James 
McCracken;  Cleric,  Chas.  H.  Hayward;  Auditor,  Charka 
Schwicker;  Treasurer,  Frederick  Schwicker;  Deacons,  John 
Paton,  William  Bishop.  Hamilton  Van  Sickle,  Alpheus  Lewi-. 
Charles  Wanser,  Abraham  De  Graff  and  E.  A.  Stewart. 

First  Congregational  Church  of  Brownsville. — The  church 
is  located  at  Brownsville,  a  small  but  growing  settlement  in 
the  south-western  corner  of  the  town  of  New  Lots.  It  i>  the 
only  church  there;  the  next  nearest  church  l>eing  the  new- 
one  nearly  two  miles  north-east  of  it.  It  was  started  iu 
June,  1866,  when  meetings  were  held  in  members'  houses. 
In  1867,  the  members  decided  to  build  a  church.  At  thh 
meeting,  held  at  the  residence  of  Mr.  G.  S.  Thatford.  he  an 
sented  them  four  lots  on  which  to  build.  City  Missionary. 
M.  H.  Mowery,  who  preached  for  them,  raised  $2,000  to 
build  the  church;  the  Congregational  Union  gave  $.">00  more 
With  additional  money,  subscribed  by  the  members,  the 
church  was  built;  and,  when  dedicated,  May  31,  1869,  it  mat 
free  of  debt.  The  Rev.  L.  S.  Davison  was  Pastor  one  year: 
Rev.  I.  C.  Lockwood  served  one  year;  Rev.  C.  H.  l'atinell, 
who  followed,  remained  eight  years  ;  Rev.  A.  H.  Kirklan.:. 
who  was  converted  in  the  Plymouth  Bethel  (became  a  letter 
carrier,  and  finally  a  minister),  followed,  and  preached  two 
years;  he  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  Newman  Wright  ;  tin 
Rev.  Curtis  Graham  followed.  There  was  trouble  anions  the 
members,  and,  although  he  was  a  good  Pastor,  he  could  net 
amicably  heal  over  the  difficulty.  There  was  finally  a  sepa- 
ration. He  went  with  the  seceders,  who  combined  with  tin 
Presbyterians,  and  formed  a  new  church,  which,  under  his 
care,  is  progressing  finely.  The  church,  after  he  left,  in 
searching  for  a  Pastor,  met  the  Rev.  F.  H.  Decker,  wb 
preached  for  them  so  successfully  that  they  called  him, 

Union  Mission  Chapel. — Iu  1*62.  several  persons  in  tf»< 
Eastern  District  established  a  Sunday-school  for  poor  chil- 
dren on  the  corner  of  South  Eleventh  and  Second  sts..  in  nil 
unoccupied  store.  The  school  was  afterwards  removed  to 
106  North  Third  st.  Mr.  J.  T.  Dill  has  been  superintendent 
for  twenty  years.  Religious  services  have  been  held.  an. i 
clothing  distributed  to  needy  children.  In  May.  1**3.  tin 
brick  building  at  No.  155  North  Second  st.  was  purchased, 
and  an  extension  will  be  built  in  the  rear  for  chapel  an  I 
school  purposes.  Trustees:  Rev.  J.J.  White,  Pres.;  John  M 
Stearns,  frens..  Rev.  V  W  Wells,  Dr.  (  auldwell,  J.  T  Dili 
(i.  II.  Codwell.  F.  Roberts,  E.  D.  Forman,  <;.  W.  Kelaey 

The  Central  Congregational  Church,  (see  page  1024),  bj  the 
advice  of  Dr.  Scudder,  estab.  a  Mission  in  the  86th  Ward.  M 
Kalph  a\e.,  near  Fulton  st..  for  the  purpose  of  carrying  on 
missionary  work  among  the  poor  people  in  thai  oelgjlboi 
hood.    George  A.  Bell  took  charge  of  the  Mission,  and  made 


EC CLESIA STICAL  OR  GANIZA  TIONS. 


1029 


a  grand  success  of  the  work.  The  parent  church  voted  the 
sum  of  |15,(X)0  to  purchase  land  upon  which  to  erect  a 
church  edifice,  as  well  as  the  Sunday-school  Mission.  The 
land  was  secured.  It  is  a  plot  100  feet  square,  on  the 
corner  of  Ralph  ave.  and  Chauncey  st. 

The  work  of  erecting  the  new  building  was  commenced, 
and  the  new  church  was  ready  for  occupancy  at  the  close 
of  1883.  It  is  a  frame  building  of  the  Gothic  order  of  archi- 
tecture, with  all  the  necessary  accommodations,  and  erected 
of  the  best  material ;  finished  in  an  attractive  style,  and 
with  seatings  for  800  people.  Those  who  are  acquainted 
with  the  field  predict  that  a  magnificent  work  will  be  accom- 
plished here;  and  that,  in  the  course  of  five  years,  a  church 
will  be  firmly  established  that  will  be  nearly  equal  in  size  to 
the  parent  church. 

The  New  York  and  Brooklyn  Congregational  Association 
was  the  outgrowth  of  another  organization,  known  as  the 
Manhattan  Congregational  Association,  which  was  formed 
in  November.  1841.  at  the  Study  of  the  Broadway  Tabernacle, 
Rev.  E.  W.  Andrews  then  Pastor. 

This  Association  continued  until  the  Spring  of  1816,  when 
the  New  York  and  Brooklyn  Association  was  organized  at  the 
Broadway  Tabernacle,  March  16. 1846.  There  were  present  at 
this  meeting  Rev.  Messrs.  Dirk  C.  Lansing,  Joseph  Harrison. 
George  B.  Cheever.  George  Turner,  William  W.  Wallace. 
Richard  S.  Storrs.  John  Marsh,  Isaac  N.  Sprague,  Amzi 
Camp.  Luke  S.  Stoutenburg,  and  Joseph  P.  Thomson. 

No  annual  or  semi-annual  meeting  has  been  omitted  from 
the  date  of  its  organization  until  the  present  time.  At 
twenty-six  of  the  sessions  of  this  Association,  young  men 
have  been  examined  in  their  preparation  and  fitness  for  the 


ministry,  and  recommendations  have  been  issued  to  one 
hundred  and  sixty-three  persons,  two  have  been  conditioned, 
and  four  rejected. 

The  Association  has  put  upon  its  record  hearty  expressions 
of  active  sympathy  with  the  many  societies  and  causes  of 
benevolence  and  Christian  work  ;  and  obituary  resolutions 
on  the  occasion  of  the  death  of  ten  of  its  members. 

Its  meetings  have  been  interesting  and  profitable  ;  many 
times  uniting  with  a  conference  called  by  the  church  at 
which  they  have  been  held;  and  they  have  ever  been  pro- 
motive of  Christian  fellowship  among  the  churches  and 
fraternal  regard  among  its  members. 

The  following  are  Congregational  clergymen  residing  in 
Brooklyn  : 

Rev.  Edward  Beecher,  D.  D.,  was  born  1803,  at  East 
Hampton,  L.  L;  grad.  Yale,  1822;  studied  theol.,  New  Haven 
and  Andover.  Mass. :  was  tutor  Yale,  1823-6;  Pres.  Illinois 
Coll.,  1830-'44;  located  Boston,  1826-'30,  1844-  55;  Galesbury. 
111..  1855-'T0:  author  of  pamphlets  and  books:  History  of 
Lovejoy  Mob  at  Alton.  III.,  Conflict  of  Ages,  Papal  Conspir- 
acy. Concord  of  Ages,  and  others;  located  in  Brooklyn, 
1870. 

Rev.  Williams  Howe  Whittemore,  born  in  Bolton,  Ct., 
'■  1800:  grad.  Yale  Coll.,  1825,  and  Yale  Theol.  Sem.,  1829;  lo- 
i  cated  Rye,  N.  Y.,  1829-'32;  Charlton,  Mass.,  1833-'6;  South- 
bury.  Ct.,  1836-'50;  PriD.  Sem.  in  New  Haven,  3  yrs. ;  Agent 
Nat.  Ereedmen's  Relief  Assn.;  located  Brooklyn,  1868. 

Rev.  Archibald  Ross,  born  in  Prince  Edward  s  Island, 
1857:  grad.  Queen's  Coll.,  Kingston,  1874;  located  Wolfe  Isl- 
and, Ont.,  1872-5:  Brooklyn,  1876-'84;  author  of  pamphlets 
and  newspaper  articles. 


METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCHES. 


Sands  Street  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. — The  pioneer 
of  Methodism  here  was  Thomas  Webb,  a  captain  in  the 
British  army,  who  began  to  preach  "in  his  own  hired 
house."  near  the  barracks  in  New  York,  as  early  as  1766.  He 
preached  the  first  Methodist  sermon  ever  heard  in  Brooklyn, 
about  1768.  He  was  then  about  44.  and,  because  of  his  in- 
juries, was  retired  on  full  pay;  but  devoted  himself  wholly  to 
the  work  of  the  ministry.  Brooklyn  at  that  time  contained 
fewer  people  than  Jamaica,  and  New  York's  population  num- 
bered 20,000.  A  stormy  period  of  twenty  years  followed, 
during  which  the  Revolutionary  war  was  fought.  Nothing 
is  known  of  Methodism  in  Brooklyn  during  this  period.  In 
1787,  another  Methodist  preacher  appears — the  Rev.  Wood- 
man Hickson.  There  were  only  about  204  Methodists  on 
Long  Island  at  that  time.  Coming  up  to  Sands  street,  in 
front  of  where  the  church  now  stands,  he  secured  a  table, 
mounted  it  and  preached  the  second  Methodist  sermon  in 
Brooklyn. 

A  class  was  soon  formed,  and  thus,  about  100  years  ago.  the 
foundation  of  Methodism  was  laid  in  this  city.  In  May, 
1794,  the  old  Sands  Street  Church  was  organized  at  the  resi- 
dence of  Peter  Cannon.  The  same  year  the  first  Board  of 
Trustees  was  elected,  viz  :  John  Garrison,  Thomas  Van  Pelt, 
Burdett  Stryker,  Isaac  Moser,  Richard  Everett  and  Stephen 
Hendrickson.  In  September,  they  bought  of  Joshua  Sands 
the  lot  on  which  this  edifice  now  stands,  and  completed  a 
church  the  following  year.  At  that  time  the  only  other 
churches  in  Brooklyn  were  St.  Ann's,  dedicated  1787,  and  the 
old  Dutch  Church,  dedicated,  1666.     In  June,  the  Brooklyn 


Methodists,  who  had  been  under  the  care  of  the  New  York 
Methodists,  became  a  separate  society,  with  a  pastor  of  their 
own.  The  congregation  numbered  twenty-three  white  people 
and  twelve  colored.  Joseph  Totten  became  their  Pastor. 
Bishop  Asbury,  the  only  Methodist  Bishop  then  in  America, 
iu  October,  occupied  the  pulpit.  In  his  diary  of  1796,  he 
wrote  :  I  went  over  to  Brooklyn,  where  we  have  a  small  so- 
ciety. I  had  a  very  few  hearers  except  those  who  came 
from  the  city  (New  York).  I  administered  the  sacrament. 
We  had  some  life."  Under  Mr.  Totten's  ministry  of  one  year 
the  membership  increased  from  35  to  39.  He  was  succeeded 
by  Mr.  Phoebus  who  remained  two  years,  during  which  time 
the  membership  increased  to  81.  Among  the  earliest  Meth- 
odists was  Hannah  Stryker,  wife  of  Burdett  Stryker,  one  of  the 
first  trustees.  She  was  the  first  one  in  the  church  who  died. 
Half  a  dozen  uneventful  years  passed,  save  that  the  congrega- 
tion steadily  increased.  In  1804,  under  the  pastorate  of  Cyrus 
Stebbins,  the  church  was  enlarged.  At  this  time  there  be- 
came associated  with  the  church  a  name  destined  to  become 
widely  known,  that  of  Harper — Joseph  Harper,  grandfather 
of  the  original  Harper  Brothers,  who  came  from  England,  in 
1740.  He  was  elected  a  trustee  in  1800.  His  home  literally 
became  the  home  of  the  Sands  street  ministers.  As  he  would 
not  name  a  price  for  their  board,  a  special  committee  of  the 
church  fixed  it  at  $3  25  a  week.  The  iuterests  of  the  church 
were  better  looked  after,  when  Joseph  Harper  became  trustee. 
We  find  on  the  records  the  following  resolutions  : 

"  Resolved,  That  there  shall  be  a  new  set  of  steps  erected  at 
the  front  door. 


1030 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


"  Resolved,  That  the  sexton  be  instructed  to  have  the 
church  open  and  caudles  lighted  at  least  a  quarter  of  an  hour 
before  the  meeting  begins,  and  to  see  that  the  boys  make  no 
disturbance;  also,  that  on  dark  nights  when  there  is  a  public 
meeting  to  light  the  lamp  at  the  church  door." 

Considering  the  fact  that  the  sexton  only  received  $35  a 
year  and  a  grave-diggers  perquisites,  it  was  hardly  to  be 
wondered  thai  In-  sometimes  grew  careless.  The  church 
prospered  even  way.  The  membership  in  1808  was  360. 
Financially,  they  were  situated  so  as  to  be  able  to  tender  to 
Joshua  Sands  $100  still  due  him  on  the  church  lot.  He  for- 
gave the  debt,  and  they  were  able  to  put  the  money  back  in 
the  treasury.  In  1809,  they  raised  sufficient  money  to  build 
a  parsonage.  They  wished  to  buy  a  strip  of  land  on  High 
street  for  this  purpose  from  Mr.  Sands.  He  surprised  them 
by  making  a  present  of  it  to  them.  Though  an  Episcopalian, 
hi  i  name  will  ever  be  connected  with  the  history  of  the 
church  he  so  grandly  befriended.  In  1810,  it  was  resolved  to 
build  a  new  church.  The  edifice  then  was  30x60,  with  an 
end  gallery  for  colored  people.  It  had  been  lengthened  once, 
and  the  brethren  wished  to  lengthen  it  again. 

The  pastor,  Rev.  William  Thatcher,  opposed  this,  saying 
he  could  easier  raise  $3,000  to  build  a  new  church  than  $1,400 
for  enlargement.  His  counsel  prevailed,  and  thus  came  into 
existence  the  "Old  White  Church.  "  Its  dimensions  were  42x70, 
with  three  galleries.  It  cost  $4,200.  Bishop  Asbury  saiil  it 
was  an  elegant  house.  The  church  had  not  been  generous  to 
its  pastors,  and  when  Mr.  Thatcher  was  going  away  he  said  : 
"  You  are  in  the  habit  of  paying  $350  a  year  to  a  married 
preacher.  New  York  pays  $500,  and  let  me  tell  you,  no  man 
has  paid  so  much  to  support  your  preacher  this  year  as  Wil- 
liam Thatcher."  The  brethren  had  evidently  not  intended  to 
be  parsimonious,  for  they  voted  $400  for  their  next  preacher 
and  made  up  a  purse  of  $G0for  Mr.  Thatcher.  In  1821,  under 
the  pastorate  of  Lewis  Pease,  the  membership  was  nearly 
doubled,  becoming  401.  In  1829,  when  Noah  Lecings  was 
pastor,  again  there  was  a  notable  work  of  grace  wrought. 
Among  the  converts  were  thirty-five  sailors,  who  requested 
their  grog  to  be  stopped.  In  1837,  duriug  the  ministry  of  the 
Rev.  W.  II.  Norris,  many  were  converted,  the  membership 
reaching  057.  It  became  necessary  to  erect  a  larger  building. 
January,  1844,  a  brick  church  (00x80)  was  dedicated.  It  was 
a  Hue  building  and  elegantly  situated,  for  Sands  street  was 
then  the  thoroughfare  upon  which  resided  the  wealthy  aud 
intellectual  people  of  Brooklyn.  Brooklyn  then  had  a  popu- 
lation of  60,000  and  had  been  a  chartered  city  for  ten 
years. 

The  church  continued  to  prosper.  A  new  parsonage  was 
built.  Dark  days  were  approaching;  $18,000  were  expended, 
of  which  $10,000  were  still  due.  Sunday  morning,  August 
11.  1818,  four  years  after  the  dedication,  the  congregation 
assembled,  not  to  worship,  but  to  gaze  saldy  upon  the  ruins  of 
their  church,  which  had  been  destroyed  by  lire.  The  lire 
mint  'I  seven  blocks.  They  were  disheartened,  but  the  Pastor, 
llev.  V.  II.  Morris,  said  "Rebuild."  Under  his  zealous 
le  idership  the  people  rallied.  A  building  committee  was  im- 
ne-diati  l\  appointed.  Upon  it  were  David  Coope,  Nathaniel 
Boiinell,  Jacob  Bn.u  n,  Warren  Richmond,  .J.  J.  Studwcll. 
The  present  edifice,  the  same  size  as  the  former,  was  erected. 
From  that  time,  thirty-four  years,  the  church  has  continually 
prospered.  It  is  the  mother  church  of  Brooklyn  Methodism 
ami  literal  mother  of  several  Methodist  churches.  In  1819. 
the  official  board  assessed  the  colored  people  $10  a  quarter 
I  >r  the  Mipport  of  the  church.  Four  months  after,  it  became 
apparent  the\  would  accede.  In  lsju,  they  formed  a  church 
o|  their  own.  In  1N'_>:{,  the  York  Street  Church  was  or- 
ganized. 


SANDS  ST.  M.  E.  CHUHi'll. 


In  1831,  the  Washington  street  society  was  organized. 
Kadi  assumed  a  portion  of  the  consolidated  debt  which  was 
$18,500;  Washington  street  taking  $10,000;  York  street,  $3,000; 
Sands  street,  $5,500.  Hanson  place  Church  was  also  born 
in  Sands  street — a  committee' being  appointed  in  1836  to  see 
if  ground  suitable  for  a  meeting-house  could  be  obtained. 
Numerous  other  churches  throughout  the  city  owe  much  to 
Sands  street.  During  the  past  twenty-five  years  it  has  con- 
tributed $700  to  the  Tract  Society,  $700  to  the  Sunday-School 
Union,  $300  to  the  Educational  Society.  $700  to  the  Women's 
Foreign  Missionary  Society,  $400  to  the  Freedman's  Aid  So- 
ciety, $1,000  to  the  Church  Extension  Society.  $3,000  to 
the  Bible  Society,  $3,000  to  worn-out  preachers,  $53,000 
to  Parent  Missionary  Societies  —  an  average  of  $7,000  s 
y<  ar. 

Ministry:  1795,  Joseph  Tottcn;  1796,  David  Buck;  1797, 
Jos.  Totten;  1798,  And.  Nichols;  1799,  Cyrus  Stebbins:  lHOO-'Ol, 
David  Buck;  1802,  Peter  Jayne;  1803,  Ezekiel  Canfield; 
1804,  Cyrus  Stebbins;  1805,  E.  Cooper;  1S00,  E.  Cooper,  S 
Thomas;  1807,  Elijah  Woolsey,  J.  Wilson;  1808,  Daniel  Os- 
trander;  1809,  Reuben  Hubbard;  18 10-1 1 .  Wm.  Thatcher; 
1812-'13,  Lewis  Pease;  1814,  Sam.  Merwin;  1815,  Nathan 
Emory;  1816-'17,  Jas.  Crawford;  1S18,  Wm.  Rose;  1819-*90, 
Wm.  McCaine;  1821-22,  Lewis  Pease;  1823-'24,  Win.  boss; 
1825,  T.  Burch;  1*26.  T.  Burch,  S.  L.  Stillman;  is?7.  S. 
lAickey,  S.  L.  Stillman;  1*2S.  S.  Luckey,  L.  Landon;  188*. 
Noah  Levings;  1830,  Jas.  Covel,  Jr.;  1831,  John  C.  Greene; 
1832-'34,  Thos.  Birch:  1835-'36-"37;  Barth.  Creagh;  1837-38- 
39,  W.  H.  Norris;  1839,  Fitch  Reed;  1840-,4t,  P.  C.  Oakley: 
1842-'43,  L.  W.  M.  Vincent:  1SII-45,  H.  F.  Pease:  ls4()-47, 
Nathan  Bangs;  1848-"49,  W.H.  Norris;  1850-51,  J. W.B.Wood; 
1852-53,  H.  T.  Fox;  1854-'55,  L.  S.  Weed;  1856-'57,  Jno. 
Miley;  1859,  J.  B.  Hagany;  1860-61,  B.  H.  Nadel;  1868-1; 
L.  S.  Weed;  1864-66,  Chas.  Fletcher;  1867,  E.  G.  Andrews; 
1868,  H.  B.  Elkins;  1868-70,  Rev.  Geo.  De  La  Matyr;  1871-3, 
Rev.  Geo.  F.  Kettell;  1874,  Rev.  F.  P.  Tower;  1875-7,  ReT. 
Geo.  Taylor;  1878-'80,  Rev.  Lindsay  Parker;  1881-3,  Rev. 
J.  S.  Breckenridge;  1883-'4,  Rev.  L.  R.  Streeter. 

The  First  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  (E.  D.  I,  better 
known  as  the  South  Second  Street  Methodist  Kpiscopal,  1  In 
first  ecclesiastical  organization  in  the  village  of  Williamf- 
burgh,  and  the  second  in  the  old  town  of  Bushwick,  ws* 
formed  about  18(H).  Its  first  house  of  worship  was  erei  led  in 
isos,  on  the  old  Williamsburgh  and  Jamaica  turnpike  (now 
North  2d,  cor.  5th);  was  repaired  in  1S-.M,  and  occupied  until 
I  he  present  building  «  a-  completed. 

The  colored  congregation,  now  at  cor.  South  3d  ami  11th 
Bis.,  worshipped  in  the  old  building  for  some  time,  bid  shod 
L848  it  was  burned. 

In  1*37.  the  foundation  of  the  present  spacious  brick  church 
was  laid,  on  South  2d  St.,  between  5th  aud  6th.    Tin-  church 


ECCLESIASTICAL  ORGANIZATIONS.  1031 


as  org.  in  August,  1838;  its  first  trustees  were  David  Gar- 
■t,  Henry  E.  Bodwell,  Geo.  W.  Pittnian.  John  L.  Gray, 
mon  Richardson,  and  James  Sparkman.  The  building  was 
xlicated  Jan.  8th,  1840,  when  there  were  about  fifty  com- 
lunicants. 

In  1842,  this  church  first  received  a  regular  appointment 
:  a  preacher  in  charge  from  the  annual  Conference  ;  having 
reviously  belonged  to  the  Williamsburgh  circuit,  consisting, 
ith  it,  of  the  Newtown,  the  Cross  Roads  and  the  Wallabout 
lurches,  with  one  minister  in  charge  of  all  four  churches, 
uch  has  been  the  rapid  increase  of  the  congregation,  that 
1  the  Methodist  churches  of  the  Eastern  District  of  Brook- 
n  (with  the  exception  of  St.  John's)  have  since  been  colon- 
•ed  from  it.  Notwithstanding  this  mother  church  has  sent 
ut  so  many  successful  colonies,  it  continues  full.  The  build- 
lg  was  unroofed  in  the  great  storm  of  1853,  but  was  repaired 
nd  enlarged,  making  it  one  of  the  largest  Methodist  churches 
i  this  part  of  Brooklyn. 

In  May,  1868,  the  society  purchased  the  present  parsonage 
djoining  the  church  for  $6,500.  In  1875,  the  entire  interior 
f  the  church  was  refitted;  and  was,  in  part,  remodeled, 
.-ith  an  entire  change  of  the  front,  making  three  en- 
rances  instead  of  one:  also  adding  a  wing  on  the  west,  with 
fine,  large  infant-class  room  capable  of  seating  300  scholars. 
>ver  this  room  is  situated  a  large  double  parlor  with  folding 
oors.  The  expense  of  this  improvement  was  about  §12,000. 
n  1883,  the  Sunday-school  room,  infant-class  room,  class 
ooms,  etc.,  were  again  refitted,  newly  painted,  walls  and 
eilingfl  frescoed,  floors  carpeted,  etc.,  at  an  expense  of 
'1,000,  making  it  now  one  of  the  pleasantest  and  most  com- 
nodious  Sabbath-school  and  lecture  rooms  in  the  Eastern 
District,  with  a  large  and  prosperous  school.  The  present 
•hurch  membership  is  about  650. 

Ministry:  Rev.  Dr.  Coville,  Wm.  K.  Stopford,  1836-'37; 
iich  Seaman  and  James  Rawson,  1838;  Wm.  Thatcher  and 
fames  Rawson,  1839;  John  LeFevre  and  C.  Ross,  1840-  41: 
Senry  F.  Roberts.  1842-43;  Paul  R.  Brown,  1844-'45;  John 
U.  Pease,  1846;  Edwin  L.  James,  1847-48;  W.  F.  Collins, 
lS49-'50;  R.  H.  Loomis,  1851;  Harvey  Husted,  1852-53; 
U.  Miley,  1853-'55;  John  S.  Mitchell,  1856-'57;  M.  L. 
Scudder,  1858-'59:  Rufus  C.  Putney,  1860-'61;  James  W. 
Borne,  1862-63;  C.  B.  Sing,  1864-'66;  Wm.  H.  Boole, 
1867-'69;  G.  L.  Taylor.  1870;  J.  A.  Roche,  1871-73;  J. 
Pegg.  Jr.,  1874-76;  John  Parker,  2d,  1877-  79;  A.  J.  Wyatt; 
1880-'81;  Wm.  H.  Boole,  1882-83.  The  present  Board 
of  Trustees  are:  Chas.  S.  Potts,  Peter  Harkness,  Benj. 
Potter,  Nath'l  Washburn,  John  C.  Wolf,  Dan'l  C.  Driver, 
Chas.  W.  Johnson,  W.  H.  Bradford,  Philip  D.  Schaefer, 
with  Rev.  W.  H.  Boole,  President  of  the  Joint  Board  of 
Trustees,  Stcicards  and  Leaders,  and  John  R.  Schryver, 
Secretary. 

York  Street  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  is  the  child  of 
Sands  Street  Church,  the  congregation  of  which  had  so  in- 
creased that,  in  1823,  during  the  pastorate  of  the  eloquent  I 
William  Ross,  it  was  found  necessary  to  erect  another  house  I 
of  worship.    This,  a  neat,  framed  building,  forty-two  by 
fifty-five  feet,  with  a  small  gallery,  was  built  by  Gamaliel  ] 
King  and  Joseph  Moser,  at  a  cost  of  §5,000,  and  was  dedi- 
cated April  6th,  1824,  by  the  venerable  Bishop  George,  who 
was  assisted  in  the  remaining  services  of  the  day  by  the 
sainted  Summerfield  and  Rev.  John  Hannah,  a  delegate 
from  the  British  Conference;  thirteen  candidates  for  the 
ministry  being  also  ordained  by  the  bishop  on  the  same 
occasion. 

Among  the  original  members  were :  Andrew  Mercein,  Joshua 
Rogers,  John'  Cole  and  Benjamin  Prince.  In  1828,  a  par- 
sonage was  erected  near  the  church,  and  the  congregation  | 


continued  under  the  watchful  eye  and  careful  nursing  of  its 
devoted  parent  until  it  attained  its  twelfth  year,  1835,  when 
it  was  "  set  off"  and  "  set  up"  for  itself. 

The  church  building  was  altered  and  enlarged  in  1835;  and, 
in  1851,  a  large  and  substantial  brick  building  was  erected,  at 
a  cost  of  $13,000.  In  1853,  the  ground  was  donated  by  Rutson 
Suckley  and  sister,  on  which  a  lecture- room  and  school 
building  were  erected.  The  Sunday-school  was  org.  1832,  in 
a  room  on  the  corner  of  Prospect  and  Charles  streets.  Mrs. 
Charles  Carpenter  (wife  of  the  pastor)  and  Mrs.  Bethnel 
Rogers,  gathered  in  the  children  from  the  neighborhood. 
There  were  70  present  at  the  first  meeting.  The  first  superin- 
tendent was  George  Booth,  popularly  known  as  Father 
Booth.  The  female  superintendent  was  Miss  Catherine 
Nichols. 

Ministry:  1825-'26,  Stephen  L.  Stillman;  1827-28,  Seymour 
Landon;  1829-30,  James  Covel;  1831-'32,  Charles  Carpenter; 
1833-'34,  John  Luckey;  1835-36,  Raphael  Gilbert;  1837-38, 
J.  L.  Gilder;  1839-'40,  E.  G.  Griswold;  1841-'43,  Seymour  Lan- 
don, second  term;  1843,  John  Poisall;  1844-'45,  Buel  Goodsell; 
1846-'47,  PhineasRice;  1848-'49,  William  C.  Hoyt;  1850-'51, 
Joseph  Law;  1852-53,  J.  L.  Gilder,  second  term;  1854-'55, 
George  Woodruff;  1856-57,  Charles  Kelsey;  1858-'59,  John  E. 
Searles;  1860-61,  Elisha  Sands;  1862-"63,  William  H.  Boole; 
1864,  Rufus  Putney;  1865-"66-"67,  Stephen  Rushmore;  1868-69, 
Charles  Backman;  1870-'71-'72,  James  V.  Saunders;  1873-74, 
Charles  W.  Fordham;  1875-'76-'77,  J.  L.  Gilder,  third  term; 
1878-'79-'80,  A  .C.  Stevens;  1881-82,  Duncan  McGregor. 

Washington  Street  M.  E.  Church  (Washington  street,  be- 
tween Concord  and  Tillary  streets)  was  erected  in  1831,  at  a 
cost  of  $15,000,  and  was  set  off  as  a  separate  station  in  1835. 
It  was  then  on  the  outskirts  of  the  city,  which  has  since 
grown  around  it  until  it  has  become  the  centre  of  a  dense 
population,  and  the  parent  of  several  of  the  most  flourishing 
churches  of  the  community. 

Ministry  (since  it  became  a  separate  charge  in  1835):  Revs. 
Stephen  Remington.  1835-'7;  J.  B.  Stratten,  Robert  Seney, 
1837-8  and  1847-48;  James  Floy,  D.  D.,  1841-2;  James 
Sewell,  1842-43:  Charles  W.  Carpenter,  1845-'46;  Daniel 
Curry,  D.  D.,  1849-50;  John  Crawford,  1851-52;  John  Kenne- 
day,  D.  D.,  1852-54  (two  terms);  Robert  M.  Hatfield,  1854-57; 
Charles  Shelling.  1856-'57;  Jno.  Kenneday,  1858-'59;  M.  L. 
Scudder,  1860;  F.  S.  De  Hass,  1861-'62;  W.  F.  Watkins,  1863 
-'65;  A.  S.  Hunt,  1866-'68;  1869-70-71,  C.  E.  Harris;  1872- 
'73-'74,  John  E.  Searles;  1875-'76-'77,  Daniel  Goodsell;  1878- 
'79,  D.  O.  Ferris;  1880-'83,  R.  T.  McNichol. 

The  church  and  chapel  are  valued  at  $75,000;  the  parsonage 
(No.  265  Washington  street),  at  $10,000. 

African  Wesleyan  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  (colored), 
in  the  village  of  Brooklyn  (Regular  Line).  The  beginnings  of 
this  church  originally  located  on  High  street  near  Bridge, 
have  been  noted  in  the  history  of  the  Sands  Street  Church. 
On  the  18th  of  January,  1818,  it  was  incorporated  under  the 
above  title.  Trustees :  Peter  Cruger,  Israel  Jemison, 
Cassar  Sprong,  Benjamin  Cruger,  John  E.  Jackson,  Min- 
istry, (as  far  as  known):  Rev.  Stephen  Dutton,  in 
charge  1823;  Samuel  Todd,  in  charge  from  1829  to  1837: 
Richard  Williams,  in  1837-38;  Wm.  Moore,  in  1839- 
'40;  John  Spencer,  1841-42;  Edmund  Cosby,  in  1842-'43; 
William  Moore,  in  1844-'45;  Ely  N.  Hall;  1850-'51;  Israel 
Paterson,  1854;  William  Gardner,  1855;  James  Campbell, 
1856;  James  Morris  Williams,  1857;  Abraham  Crippen,  1858; 
Rev.  Spekes,  1859:  Richard  Cain,  1860;  James  Morris  Wil- 
liams, 1863;  D.  Doyle,  1866;  Nelson  Turpin,  1867;  William 
Winder,  1869:  Mowbray,  1872;  James  Morris  Williams.  1873; 
Theophilus  Stewart,  1875;  John  F,  Thomas,  1877;  John  F. 
Stansberry,  1880-'82. 


io;?2 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


In  1854,  the  church  property  on  High  street  was  sold,  and 
the  present  house  of  worship  on  Bridge  street,  between  Myrtle 
avenue  and  Johnson  street,  was  purchased  from  a  Presby- 
terian society  for  $12,000. 

DeKalb  Avenue  M.  E.  Church. — The  first  efforts  leading 
to  the  formation  of  this  society  and  to  the  building  of  its 
church  were  a  prayer-meeting,  called  by  Mr.  J.  B.  Keyes,  and 
held  at  the  house  of  Mr.  .John  Rol>b,  in  Flushingavonue,  near 
Classon,  in  the  fall  of  1836.  The  first  sermon  was  preached 
June  18,  is 57.  in  the  new  school-bouse  in  Classon  avenue, 
and,  on  the  same  day,  the  Sabbath-school  was  organized  with 
eight  members. 

In  the  fall  of  1S40  a  church  was  begun  in  Franklin  avenue, 
below  Park,  and  the  society  became  a  part  of  the  Williams- 
burg and  Bush  wick  circuit.  In  1841,  the  church  became  a 
separate  station,  with  Rev.  Marvin  Richardson  as  Pastor.  He 
was  followed  by  Rev.  B.  Story,  under  whose  labors  the  so- 
ciety prospered  very  much. 

In  1846,  the  station  was  called  East  Brooklyn,  and  Ezra 
Whitney  became  Pastor.  The  Pastors  following  were:  David 
Osborne,  William  Gothard,  Joseph  Henson,  S.  W.  King, 
Buel  Goodsell,  Julius  Field  and  Joseph  Law.  Through  the 
labors  of  Mr.  Law  and  the  earnest  co-operation  of  the  mem- 
bership, the  present  church  was  built,  and  dedicated  in  1N5(>. 
In  1864,  part  of  the  membership  withdrew  and  formed  a  mis- 
sion in  Tompkins  avenue,  which  afterward  became  a  pros- 
perous church. 

Pastors  since  1856:  Revs.  J.  S.  Inskip,  1857-58;  G.  Dunbar, 
1858-'60;  A.  H.  Mead,  l860-'62;  R.  C.  Putney.  1862-63;  G.  L. 
Gilbert,  1864;  J.  W.  Leek,  1865-'68;  D.  O.  Ferres,  1868-71;  W. 
H.  Wardell,  l*871-'73;  W.  P.  Corbitt,  1873;  S.  H.  Platts,  1874- 
"77;  C.  W.  Millen,  1877-80:  John  Parker,  1880-83;  Wm. 
Burt,  1883-'84. 

The  church  is  now  united  and  prosperous;  membership 
about  600,  class-meetings  well  attended,  and  Sabbath-school 
numbers  500. 

The  Johnson  St.  (old  Centenary)  M.  E.  Church  (Johnson, 
cor.  of  Jay)  originated  in  the  dissatisfaction  of  a  large  por- 
tion of  the  Washington  street  congregation  with  the  ap- 
pointment of  a  preacher  to  that  station  in  1838.  In  1830,  a 
new  society  was  organized,  and  a  church  erected  on  Johnson 
St.,  cor.  of  Jay,  80  by  50  feet,  for  $8,000,  which  was  finished 
and  occupied  in  1840.  It  received  its  name  of  The  Centenary 
Club  from  the  date  of  its  commencement,  that  year  being 
the  centenary  of  Methodism.  In  1868,  the  corporate  name 
was  changed  to  Johnson  St.  M.  K.  Church. 

Ministry :  1840,  Benjamin  Griffen;  1841,  Jarvis  Z.  Nichols; 
1842-'3,  James  Young;  1844-'5,  John  M.  Pease;  1846.  J.  C. 
Green;  1847,  B.  Griffen  ;  1848-9,  J.  Law;  1850-'51,  J.  G. 
Smith;  1852,  Geo.  Brown;  1853-'4,  C.  H.  Whitecar;  1855-'6,  J. 
S.  Inskip;  1857-8,  Heman  Bangs;  1859,  J.  Law;  1860-61,  T. 
D.  Stevenson;  1862-'3,  Chas.  E.  Glover;  lH64-'5-'6,  William 
McAllister:  1867-'8-'9,  J.  E.  Searles;  1870-'l,  F.  W.  Ware: 
1872-'3-'4,  Francis  C.  Hill;  1875-'6,  James  L.  Hall;  1877-8, 
Wm.  EL  Russell;  1879-80,  Geo.  Lansing  Taylor;  1882,  Barna- 
bas F.  Reeve. 

Rev.  Barnabas  F.  Reeve,  bom  at  Southampton,  N.  Y. ; 
grad.  <  'on  co  rd  ( N.  1 1.  >  Biblical  Institute:  I'rin.  I'ranklinvillo 
(L.  L)  Academy,  I860  '6;  preached  at  Orient,  L.  L,  1866-'9: 
Clinton, Ct.,  1H69-71;  Amityville,  1871-4;  Patchogue,  1874-'7; 
Brooklyn,  1*77-9;  East  New  York,  1879-81;  Johnson  street, 
B'klyn,  lHMl-'4. 

Mount  Zion  African  Protestant  Methodist  Church  was 
org.  June  is,  1*42.  and  incorporated  in  1844,  under  William 
Harden,  a  blind  colored  preacher,  who  supplied  it  till  his 
death,  in  1*17.  The  organization  then  broke  up,  its  member- 
ship mostly  uniting  with  the  African  M.  E.  Ch.  in  High  at. 


The  first  place  of  worship  was  a  rope-walk,  and  after  that 
was  burned  they  met  in  private  houses. 

Eighteenth  St.  (Sixth)  M.  E.  Church.— The  first  M  R 
services  in  this  part  of  the  city  were  held,  in  1836,  by  local 
preachers  in  a  private  house;  the  use  of  an  unoccupied  Re- 
formed Church  on  Third  ave.  was  offered  them,  and  a  class 
was  formed,  in  which  were  Hamilton  Reeves,  David  Downs, 
their  wives,  and  others.  After  the  use  of  the  church  wasde- 
uied  them,  they  met  in  the  kitchen  of  a  Mr.  Parker,  near  the 
junction  of  Hamilton  and  Prospect  aves.  Here  the  church 
was  organized  in  the  fall  of  1840.  Rev.  William  McAllister 
organized  a  Sunday-school,  with  six  scholars  and  one  teacher, 
A  small  chapel  was  budt  on  18th  st.,  near  3d  ave.,  in  1S42. 
which  was  supplied  by  local  preachers  until  1845,  when  the 
Conference  placed  Rev.  L.  Saulsbury  in  charge.  In  tbM 
three  lots  on  the  south-west  corner  of  18th  st.  and  5th  a\. 
were  purchased,  and  the  little  church  was  removed  to  the 
new  site.  In  June,  1855,  two  additional  lots  were  purchased 
on  18th  st.,  and  one  on  5th  ave.  The  corner-stone  of  the 
new  church  was  laid  Sept.,  1855,  the  church  dedicated  April 
6,  1856.  In  1881,  it  was  decided  to  build  a  new  church  in 
18th  st.  The  last  services  in  the  old  church  were  held  June 
4,  1882.  The  corner-stone  of  the  new  church  was  laid  Aug. 
1,  1882.  The  church  is  a  frame  edifice,  about  50  by  80  feet, 
and  cost  about  $22,000.  Ministry:  L.  Saulsbury,  184); 
Henry  Hatfield,  1846;  Eben  Heberd,  1847-'8;  Henry  D. 
Latham,  1849-50;  George  Taylor,  1851-2;  William  B.  Hoyt. 
1853-'5;  M.  N.  Olmstead,  1856-7;  Joseph  Henson,  1868  " 
Sam.  W.  King,  1860-1;  Stephen  Rushmore,  1862-3:  Albert 
Nash,  1864-5;  George  A.  Hubbell,  1866-'8;  Calvin  B.  Ford, 
1869-71;  Ichabod  Simmons,  1872-'4;  Rufus  C.  Putney.  1875 
-6;  Robert  W.  Jones,  1877-9;  W.  Warner  Clark,  1880-'2;  Jno, 
Johns,  1883-'4. 

The  Pacific  St.  M.  E.  Church.— In  Oct.,  1844,  a  few  Meth- 
odists of  South  Brooklyn  purchased  the  church  edifice  for- 
merly occupied  by  the  South  Presbyterian  Church,  in  Pacific, 
bet.  Court  and  Clinton  sts.  The  first  sermon  was  preached 
by  Rev.  Dr.  George  Peck,  then  editor  of  the  Quarterly  Re- 
view, Oct.  13th,  and  on  Sunday  following  (20th)  the  church 
was  organized,  as  the  fifth  separate  Methodist  station  in  the 
city,  with  40  members.  On  the  18th  of  May,  1S51.  the  con 
gregation  removed  to  its  present  beautiful  edifice,  at  the  <  or 
ner  of  Pacific  and  Clinton  sts.  It  is  of  brown-stone,  in  the 
Romanesque  style,  and  with  a  most  attractive  interior 
Ministry:  Revs.  George  Peck,  D.  D.,  Luther  Peck,  1845;  \ 
M.  Osborn,  D.  D.,  1846-'7;  W.  R.  Stopford,  181H-'Q;  John 
Kenneday,  D.  D  ,  1850-'l;  John  Miley,  D.  D.,  1852  '8;  I!.  B. 
Foster,  D.  D.,  1854-5;  John  Kenneday,  D.  D.,  1856-  7;  W.  11 
Milburn,  1858-"9-60;  J.  H.  Perry,  D.  D.,  1861;  M.  R.  Vincent 
and  F.  S.  De  Haas,  1864-'5;  Dr.  Sewell,  1866-'7-'8;  Charle- 
Fletcher,  1869-'70-'71;  W.  S.  Studley,  1872-'3-'4;  A.  S.  Hunt 
1875-'6-'7;  W.  W.  Clark,  1878;  M.  B.  Chapman,  1879-"80;  T. 
Stephenson,  1882-3 

Carlton  Avenue  i Simpson)  M.  E.  Church,  cor.  WUlougfcbj 
and  ( 'lermont  Aves.  This  congregation  was  org.  as  the  Eighth 
M.  E.  Church,  February,  1845.  Though  called  in  DOBOT 
of  Bishop  Simpson,  this  Church  has  inner  relinquished 
its  corporate  name  of  "The  Eighth  M.  E.  Church.' 
During  the  following  summer  a  small  building  wat- 
erected  on  Carlton,  north  from  Myrtle  ave.  On  the 
21th  of  September,  1851,  the  corner-stone  of  a  new 
church  edifice  was  laid.  This  building,  located  on  Carlton 
ave.,  south  from  Myrtle,  was  constructed  mOtUj  Ol 
materials  from  the  old  York  Street  M.  E.  Church,  ot 
wood,  with  brick  basement,  42  by  97  feet,  costing  ahetit 
$10,000,  and  was  then  under  the  pastoral  charge  of  the  Re' 
Nicholas  White.    Ministry:    |K49.  R,  Seney;  1852-58.  &  i 


EC CLESIASTICAL  OR  GA NIZA  TIONS. 


103.3 


SIMPSON  M.  E.  CHURCH. 

Seaman;  1854,  J.  H.  Perry;  1855-'56,  J.  W.  B.  Wood;  1857-'58, 
Geo.  A.  Hubbell;  1859,  Cbas.  E.  Harris;  1860,  C.  Kelsey; 
1861-62.  J.  A.  Rocbe;  1863-'65,  Francis  C.  Hill;  1866-'67- 68,  G. 
L.  Taylor;  1869,  Rev.  John  Parker:  1870-'l-'2,  Richard 
Meredith:  1873-'4-'5,  Wesley  R.  Davis;  1876-'7-'8,  C.  N. 
Sims;  1879-'80-'81,  James  S.  Chadwick;  1882-'3,  Henry  Baker. 

Grand  Street,  or  Second  M.  E.  Church  ("Gothic 
Church'").  E.  D.,  cor.  Grand  and  Ewen;  organized  Sept.  4, 
1845,  with  ten  members.  First  Trustees:  Lemuel  Richard- 
son, Daniel  Maujer,  John  F.  Luther.  Robert  G.  Thursby, 
Isaac  HendersoD.  Charles  Maujer.  The  corner-stone  was 
laid  Dec.  4.  1845,  and  the  edifice  dedicated  Nov.  26,  1846. 
Ministry:  1846-'47,  W.  R.  Stopford;  1848,  John  J.  Matthias; 
1849,  Samuel  Meredith;  1850-51,  Wm.  C.  Hoyt;  1852-'53, 
John  Crawford;  1854,  J.  W.  B.  Woo);  1865-'66,  Seymour 
Landon:  1857,  Abm.  S.  Francis;  1858-'59,  Chas.  T.  Mallory; 
1860,  D.  A.  Goodsell;  1861-62,  F.  Bottome;  1865,  Geo.  Tay- 
lor; 1866-'68,  J.  B.  Merwin;  1869-70,  George  C.  Dunbar: 
1871-'72-'73',  C.  S.  Wing;  1874,  R.  C.  Putney;  1875-'76,  W.  J. 
Robinson;  1877-'78,  M.  L.  Scudder;  1879-'80,  L.  P.  Perry; 
1881-82,  J.  B.  Merwin. 

Rev.  John  B.  Merwin,  D.  D..  born  at  Albany,  1812;  grad. 
Augusta  Coll.  (Ky.),  1832;  located  in  Brooklvn,  1866-'70,  and 
1881-'83. 

Zion  African  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  E.  D.,  was  org. 
in  1832.  by  Thomas  Wilson,  in  his  own  house  in  3d  st. ,  between 
North  4th  and  North  5th  sts.  From  there  the  infant  church 
of  twelve  members  removed  to  a  hired  room  in  North  4th 
St.,  between  3d  and  4th  sts.   There  Rev.  John  Churchill  was 


employed  as  the  first  regular  preacher.  He 
also  taught  the  first  day-school  for  colored 
children  in  the  village.  The  next  removal  was 
to  the  old  Methodist  Church  building,  on  the 
corner  of  North  2d  and  5th  sts.  The  church 
then  cnme  under  the  care  of  the  Zion  Confer- 
ence. 

In  1844,  on  two  lots  of  ground  in  North  2d 
st.,  between  Union  ave.  and  Lorimer  st.,  the 
first  church  building  owned  by  the  congrega- 
tion was  erected.  The  corner-stone  was  laid 
in  1845;  the  building  was  a  plain  wooden  struc- 
ture, unpainted,  and  never  quite  finished.  In 
1850,  the  church  building  was  removed  to  De»  <^e 
st.,  and  destroyed  by  a  heavy  wind  before 
was  placed  on  the  foundation.  The  church 
was  rebuilt,  but  was  burned  in  1863. 

In  1865,  a  church  building  on  South  3d  st., 
corner  of  11th  st.,  was  purchased  for  S3. 000, 
and  it  was  decided  to  build  a  new  edifice,  the 
corner-stone  of  which  was  laid  Nov.  5,  1882; 
and  the  church  was  dedicated  Feb.  11,  1883. 
The  first  Board  of  Trustees  consisted  of  Samuel 
Ricks,  Thomas  Wilson,  Samuel  Wilson.  Philip 
Groomer,  Jacob  Fields,  Oliver  Fields,  and 
David  Bush.  The  Pastors  of  the  church  have 
been:  Revs.  J.  Churchill,  T.  Eato,  J.  Chester, 
B.  N.  C.  Worrick,  P.  Lee,  J.  Spince,  P.  Coster. 
G.  Treadwell.  J.  P.  Thompson,  E.  Matthews,  J. 
'Sf^ivSfl  Wtlls.  w-  Marshall,  M.  Manning.  W.  Pitts, 
ll  I .        -  D.  Kenneday.  P.  Hawkins,  J.  C.  Biddle.  N. 

Stubbs.  J.  Thomas,  H.  M.  Wilson,  and  the 
present  Pastor,  Rev.  George  E.  Smith.  There 
are  90  members  of  the  church,  and  140  scholars 
in  the  Sim  day- school. 

The   Bethel   African   M.  E.  Church  was 
organized  about  1847,  a  house  of  worship  was 
built,  on  the  corner  of  Dean  st.  and  Schenectady 
ave.    It  was  a  small  wooden  building,  capable  of  seating 
about  two  hundred. 

In  1868,  it  was  demolished,  and  the  present  church  build- 
ing erected.  It  is  a  wooden  structure,  with  a  brick  base- 
ment, and  it  has  about  600  sittings.     Its  cost  was  §600. 

The  Pastors  of  this  church  have  been:  Revs.  Edward  C. 
Africanus.  J.  P.  Campbell.  Jeremiah  Thoinas,  William  H. 
Ross,  Geo.  W.  Ware,  J.  Morris  Williams.  William  M.  Wat- 
son, William  Rogers.  Edward  Thompson.  William  Moore,  D. 

Dorrell,  Geo.   W.  Johnson,   Francis  Parker,    Study, 

Charles  Green.  John  Frisbee,  J.  J.  Mowbray,  John  Thomas, 
and  the  present  Pastor,  William  L.  Hunter. 

North  Fifth  Street  M.  E.  Church.— In  1847.  a  Sunday- 
school  was  org.  in  the  public  school,  in  North  2d  st.,  with 
W.  P.  Coleman,  Supt.  Soon  after,  a  church  of  40  persons, 
chieflv  from  South  2d  St.  M.  E.  Church,  was  org.  and  placed 
under  the  care  of  Rev.  S.  H.  Clark,  of  the  Greenpoint 
Church. 

In  1848,  a  frame  tabernacle  was  erected  in  4th  st.,  between 
North  5th  and  North  6th  sts.  The  present  church  edifice  on 
North  5th,  near  4th  st.,  a  substantial  brick  structure,  48  by 
75  feet,  seating  500  persons,  with  well  appointed  audience- 
room,  lecture  and  class  rooms,  was  erected  in  1850.  The 
first  Trustees  were:  D.  B.  Betts.  H.  O.  Austin,  H.  Bodwell, 
R.  Bonsai.  W.  Johnston,  W.  P.  Coleman,  J.  Briggs,  R.  White, 
and  J.  J.  Cox.  The  church  is  prosperous,  free  from  debt, 
and  sustains  a  flourishing  Sunday-school.  Ministry:  Revs. 
S.  Meredith,  1849-'ol;  E.  S.  Heberd,  1851-'53;  C.  Gorse, 
1853-'o5:  J.  Wildey,  1855-'56;  C.  T.  Mallory,  1856-'58;  M. 


1034 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Staples,  1858-'60;  J.  D.  Bouton,  1860-'f>2;  S.  W.  King,  1862-'63; 
H.  F.  Pease,  1863-'64;  W.  F.  Collins,  1864-'65:  E.  S.  Heberd, 
1865-'67;  W.  Platts,  18G7-'70;  S.  W.  King,  1870-'72;  G.  Hol- 
lis,  1872-75;  C.  P.  Corner,  1875-'77;  W.  P.  Estes,  1877-'80; 
W.  W.  McGuire,  1880-'82;  S.  H.  Smith.  1882-  84. 

First  M.  E.  Ch.  of  Greenpoint,  Union  ave.,  near  Java  at, 
E.D.,  commenced  from  prayer  and  class  meetings  held  by  three 
laymen,  Ben  j.  Downing,  Chas.  Huff,  and  one  other.  It  was 
org.  in  winter  of  1847-'48,  by  Mr.  S.  H.  Clark,  who  was  Pas- 
tor for  two  years;  during  which  time  the  present  site  was 
purchased,  a  frame  edifice  erected,  and  a  lecture-room  in 
basement  finished  for  use.    Ministry:  1850,  Harvey  Husted; 

1852,  Julius  Fields  ;  1853-'54,  Geo.  Hollis  ;  1855-56,  William 
Gothard  ;  1857-58,  Seymour  Landon  ;  1858-'C0,  Buell  Good- 
sell ;  1861-'R2,  Geo.  Taylor ;  18(53.  John  F.  Booth;  1865-'67, 
Henry  Asten;  1862-'69,  John  W.  Leek;  1870-71,  R.  C.  Putney; 
1872-73-74,  W.  W.  Clark;  1875,  G.  A.  Hubbell;  1876-77-78, 
J.  W.  Barnhart;  1879-80,  W.  P.  Corbit ;  l881-'82,-83,  C.  E. 
Miller  ;  1871-72,  C.  E.  Harris  :  1873-74.  T.  H.  Burch  ;  1875- 
76,  J.  S.  Breckenridge  ;  1877,  S.  H.  Piatt :  1878-79-'80,  W. 
H.  Simonson;  1881-82-S3,  W.  D.  Thompson. 

In  1864,  the  congregation  had  so  increased  that  a  large 
colony  swarmed  to  form  the  church  known  as  the  Greenpoint 
Tabernacle;  yet,  in  1809,  there  had  been  in  the  congregation 
a  twenty-fold  increase  in  20  years. 

The  First  Place  M  E.  Church  originated  from  a  survey 
made  in  South  Brooklyn,  in  1849,  by  Mr.  Charles  Bridges, 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Washington  St.  M.  E.  Sunday- 
School,  for  a  position  eligible  for  opening  a  Sunday-school. 
Some  Baptists  in  that  part  of  the  city  united  with  the  move- 
ment for  some  months;  and,  when  it  was  finally  deemed  best 
that  it  should  be  a  Methodist  school,  the  Baptists  amicably 
withdrew  and  formed  the  nucleus  of  the  present  Strong 
Place  Baptist  Church. 

Church  services  were  held,  and,  early  in  1850,  a  society- 
was  organized.  Ixjts  were  purchased  on  Hicks  st.,  corner  of 
Summit.  A  church  edifice  was  erected,  but  it  was  subse- 
quently sold  for  $7,000.  Lots  were  purchased  on  the  corner 
of  Henry  and  Summit  sts.,  and  a  church  edifice,  53  by  75 
feet,  with  a  parsonage,  was  erected.  As  the  lots  faced  First 
place,  the  church  was  incorporated  under  the  name,  "First 
Place  M.  E.  Church.  The  lecture-room  was  dedicated  Janu- 
ary 13,  1856,  and  the  church,  September  14  of  the  same  year. 

The  cost  of  the  entire  church  property  was  $ 34,000.  To 
Messrs  Win.  I'.,  Barber  and  Isaac  Henderson  the  church  is 
largely  indebted  for  its  financial  success. 

Ministry:  1*50,  Rev.  S.  M.  Clark;  1851,  Rev.  Gad.  S.  Gilbert; 

1853,  Rev.  Wm.  F.  Collins;  1854,  Thomas  H.  Burch  ;  1856, 
Rev.  Joseph  H.Rylance;  1858,  Geo.  C.Robinson;  1859-'61,  Rev. 
George  Taylor;  1861-2,  Rev.  Charles  E.  Glover;  1862,  Rev.  R. 
11  Hatfield;  1863-'66,  Rev.  Alberts.  Hunt;  1866-'69,  Rev.  John 
A.  Roche;  1K69-72,  Rev.  Wm  H.Thomas;  1872-75,  Rev.  Albert 
S.  Hunt:  1875,  Rev.  John  W.  Barnhart:  1876,  Rev.  Chas. 
M.  Giftin;  1877,  Rev.  Wellesley  W.  Bowdish  ;  1880,  John 
E.  Cookman,  D.  D.;  1882-'84,  Rev.  W.  W.  Bowdish. 

Rev.  W.  W.  Bowdish,  D.  D.,  born  in  Fulton,  N.  Y.J  grad. 
Wes.  Univ.;  was  Prof,  in  B'klyn  Lay  College;  located 
B'klyn  and  New  York,  1866-'83. 

St.  John's  M.  E.  Church  (formerly  known  as  Third,  or 
S>uth  Fifth  st.),  E.  D.,  was  colonized  from  the  First  M.  E. 
Church  of  Williamsburgh,  and  was  organized  May  0.  1849; 
its  first  t  rustces  1  icing:  James  I ).  Spark  man.  Nathaniel  Briggs, 
Dr.  S.  Wade,  Thomas  Lewis,  William  Y.  Hemniingway, 
fJilln  rt  l'..tter,Wm.  Morgan,  <  ie...  W.  Smith,  and  (ieo.  I).  Hub- 
Karri.  Cround  was  purchased  on  the  corner  of  Fifth  and  South 
Fifth  sts.,  the  Rev.  ]•).  L.Janes  placed  in  temporary  charge  of 
the  society,  and  services  held  in  the  lecture-room  of  the  Re- 


formed Dutch  Church,  corner  of  Fourth  and  Second  sts.,  until 
the  completion  of  their  building.  It  was  dedicated  July  96 
1850,  by  Bishop  Morris.  The  congregation  increased  and 
prospered,  so  that,  in  April,  1866,  it  was  decided  to  erect  a 
new  building,  and  lots  were  secured  for  the  purpose  on  tin- 
corner  of  Bedford  ave.  and  Wilson  st.  At  a  meeting  of  the 
trustees,  held  on  the  18th  of  the  same  month,  it  was  resolved 
to  call  the  church  the  St.  John's  Methodist  Episcopal  Church, 
and  a  large  sum  of  money  was  contributed  toward  its  erec- 
tion. This  building  was  dedicated  April  3,  1808.  the  sermon 
being  delivered  by  the  venerable  Bishop  Janes.  The  new 
edifice  is  built  in  the  decorated  Gothic  style  of  the  18th  cen- 
tury, of  Belleville  brown-stone,  and  has  a  frontage  of  100 
feet  on  Bedford  av.,  including  20  feet  of  parsonage.  It  ex- 
tends a  depth  of  167  feet  on  Wilson  st.,  including  lecture- 
room,  etc.  There  are  five  entrances  from  the  outside,  three 
on  Bedford  ave.  and  two  on  Wilson  st.;  and  two  towers,  one 
ending  in  a  spire,  180  feet  high.  The  audience-room  is  95 
feet  in  length,  68  feet  in  width,  and  44  feet  in  height:  with 
140  pews  on  the  main  floor,  and  62  in  the  gallery.  The  pews 
are  of  black  walnut,  and  capable  of  accommodating  one 
thousand  one  hundred  and  fifty  persons.  There  are,  alao, 
five  class-rooms,  one  Bible  class-room,  a  lecture  room,  seating 
about  four  hundred  persons  :  parlors,  kitchen,  closets,  etc. 
The  Sabbath-school  room,  which,  including  the  infant-class 
room,  seats  more  than  one  thousand  children,  is  the  hand- 
somest in  the  city,  and  a  model  of  elegance  and  convenience, 
The  school  has  a  fine  library  and  organ,  and  is  very  flourish- 
ing. The  windows  are  of  stained  glass,  and  the  interim  at 
the  structure,  the  audience-room,  is,  at  night,  lighted  hy 
glass  jets,  arranged  in  a  dome,  similar  to  that  in  the  HoOM 
of  Representatives,  at  Washington.  The  choir  is  in  the  rear 
of  the  pulpit,  in  a  recess,  around  which  are  triple  column- 
from  which  the  ceiling  springs  in  rich  ribbed  work.  etc.  Be- 
tween these  columns  are  the  organ  pipes.  Altogether  the 
church  is  one  of  the  most  complete  in  the  city.  The  cod 
is  from  $225,000  to  $230,000.  The  parsonage  adjoining  the 
church,  on  Bedford  ave.,  is  a  neat,  brown-stone  dwelling, 
built  in  the  same  manner  as  the  church. 

Ministry:  Revs.  E.  L.  Janes,  1849-  50;  B.  Creagh.  1851- 
'52,  F.  W.  Bill,  1853-'54  ;  H.  J.  Fox,  1855-'56;  E.  L.  Janes, 
1857-'58  ;  W.  S.  Studley,  1859-'60  :  A.  S.  Hunt,  1861-62  :  C. 
D.  Foss,  1863-'64  ;  C.  H.  Payne,  1865-'67  ;  E.  G.  Andrews. 
1868-'69-70;  J.  A.  M.  Chapman,  1871-73-77-78:  H.  W.  War- 
ren, 1874-76;  J.  O.  Peck,  1878-'80 ;  Wm.  V.  Kelley,  1881 
-'84. 

Rev.  Wiluam  V.  Kelley,  D.  D.  (Wes.  Univ.),  born  in 
Plainfield,  N.  J.,  1843  ;  grad.  Wesleyan  Univ.,  1865  ;  Prot 
Math,  and  Sciences  in  Pennington  Sem.,  1866 ;  Pastor,  burl 
ington,  N.  J.,  1867;  Camden,  N.  J.,  1868;  New  Brunsw  ick.  N. 
J.,  1870;  Buffalo,  1873;  Phila.,  1874;  Newark,  1878;  Brooklyn 
1881 -'84. 

This  church  has  been  aptly  styled  '•  The  School  of  the 
Bishops,"  three  of  its  Pastors,  Foss,  Andrews,  and  Warren, 
having  become  Bishops,  while  Bishop  Harris  was  once  one 
of  its  class-leaders;  and  Rev.  Dr.  Payne,  under  whose  influ- 
ence the  present  edifice  was  erected,  is  President  of  a  Western 
Methodist  ( 'ollege. 

Fleet  Street  M.  E.  Church,  corner  of  Fleet  and  La- 
fayette streets,  originated  in  the  action  of  certain  membflH 
of  the  Sands  street  and  Washington  street  M.  I'..  churches, 
at  a  meeting  in  the  early  part  of  March,  1850.  During  the 
same  month,  land  was  purchased  for  $4,000,  and  the  ereottOB 
of  an  edifice,  fifty  by  seventy  feet,  and  two  stories  high,  c.mi- 
menced.  The  congregation  w  as  organized  in  May.  1*50,  and 
the  new  brick  lecture-room  was  dedicated  in  September  of 
the  same  year. 


ECCLESIASTICAL  ORGANIZATIONS. 


1035 


1036 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


l'LEET  STKKI 


In  June,  1852,  the  Rev.  R.  Of.  Hatfield  was  appointed  Pastor, 
and  the  church  edifice  commenced.  It  was  completed  and 
occupied  in  the  early  part  of  1853,  at  a  total  cost,  exclusive  of 
ground,  of  $27,000.  In  May,  1854,  the  Rev.  J.  S.  Inskip  was 
appointed  Pastor ;  and  was  followed,  May,  1855,  by  the 
Rev.  Dr.  James  H.  Perry;  April,  1867,  by  Rev.  William 
Lawrence;  April,  1859,  by  Rev.  C.  D.  Foss;  April,  1861,  by 
Rev.  J.  F.  Booth;  April,  1863,  by  Rev.  R.  M.  Hatfield  (second 
term);  April,  1865,  by  Rev.  B.  M.  Adams;  1868-'9-'70,  S.  H. 
Pratt;  1871-'2-'3,  B.  M.  Adams  (second  term) ;  1874-'5-'6, 
W.  C.  Steele;  1877-'8-'9,  J.  Simmons;  1880-'l,  JohnPegg,  Jr.; 
1883-'4,  Rev.  J.  Pullman. 

In  1859,  the  parsonage  was  erected  and  the  lecture-room 
enlarged  for  Sunday-school  purposes.  In  1872,  thorough 
repairs  were  made  on  the  church  and  lecture-room,  costing 
about  if 4, 000.  The  value  of  church,  chapel  and  parsonage 
with  furniture  and  ground  is  estimated  at  $80,000,  free  of  debt. 

Rev.  Joseph  Pullman,  D.  D.,  born  in  Ireland,  1839;  grad. 
Wesleyan  Univ.,  1863;  previous  locations,  New  York,  New 
Haven,  Ct.,  came  to  Brooklyn,  April,  1882. 

Summerfield  M.  E.  Church. — Early  in  1851,  Messrs.  Robert 
Ibbotson,  James  DeGray,  J.  H.  Havens  and  Daniel  J.  Darling 
united  in  erecting  a  church  on  the  corner  of  Washington  and 
Greene  avenues,  at  a  total  cost,  including  furniture,  of 
$5,800. 

The  present  church  was  erected  in  1856,  and  ded. 
Feb.  22d,  1857.  Its  entire  cost,  including  the  parson- 
age and  two  additional  lots,  was  about  $40,000;  the 
property  being  now  worth  $75,000.  The  seating  capacity  '8 
1,000.  The  efficient  services  of  Rev.  J.  M.  Reed  in  superin- 
tending the  election  of  tlio  church  are  remembered. 

Ministry :  Revs.  ('has.  Fletcher,  lN51-*52;  David  Osborn, 
1853  '51;  John  M.  Reed,  1855-*56;  William  S.  Studley,  1857- 
'58;  George  R.  Crook,  1859-'60;  Thos.  J.  Osborn,  1861;  Chas. 
B.  Sing,  1862-'63;  Levy  S.  Weed,  1864-  65;  E.  L.  Janes,  1866; 
J.  M.  Buckley,  1867-68;  William  S.  Studley,  1869-'70-'71;  J. 
M  Buckley,  1872-*73-'74;  Albert  H.  Wyatt,  1875;  Geo.  F. 
Ketell,  1876-'77-*78;  C.  M.  Sims,  1879-'80;  W.  L,  Phillips, 
1881-83. 

Rev.  W.  L  PiiiM-ifs  was  born  in  Troy,  1850;  grad.  Wes- 
le\an  1'niv..  1*72;  studied  B  >slc>n  Thco.  School;  located  So. 
Yarmouth.  Mass.;  Fall  River;  New  Bedford;  Brooklyn. 
1881-'84. 

St.  Paul's  M.  E.  Church  was  formerly  known  as  the  Wit- 
Hum  St.  M.  ]■'..  Church.     Its  buildings  ha\ ing  liceu  sold,  the 


society  was  partially  disbanded,  being 
without  a  pastor.  In  April,  1879,  the 
Rev.  W.  W.  Bowdish,  D.  D.,  Pastor  First 
Place  M.  E.  Ch.,  was  appointed  to  look 
after  the  society.  He  met  with  them  in 
private  houses  until  the  present  place  of 
worship  was  secured  and  fitted  up  for 
Divine  services.  On  the  1st  of  Mav, 
the  Hall  on  Van  Brunt  street  was 
opened. 

The  Sunday-school  was  org.  May  4t!i. 
with  an  attendance  of  about  60,  the  pas- 
tor acting  as  superintendent.  Jas.  Boyd 
soon  became  supt.;  under  his  direction 
the  Sunday-school  prospered  greatly  and 
in  membership  increased  to  250.  Too 
great  honor  cannot  be  given  to  him  for 
-      •  his  devotion  to  this  work.     During  tlx 

first  year,  the  pulpit  was  supplied  by 
students  from  Drew  Theological  Semi- 
nary who  contributed  much  towards  the 
success  of  the  work.  At  the  close  of  the 
year,  62  members  in  full  connection  and  20  probationer- 
were  reported. 

Rev.  Wm.  Burt  was  appointed  as  Pastor  in  April,  1880.  He 
remained  three  years  doing  efficient  work.  At  the  close  of 
his  pastorate,  he  reported  117  full  members  and  19  proba- 
tioners. The  Rev.  Millard  F.  Compton  succeeded  as  Pastor 
in  April,  1883.  The  church  has  been  a  great  blessing  to  this 
part  of  Brooklyn.  Statistics  cannot  represent  the  work  of 
this  heroic  baud  of  Christians.  It  is  situated  in  the  12th 
Ward  of  the  city  of  Brooklyn,  upon  emphatically  missionary 
ground.  The  work  is  among  the  men  who  follow  our  canals; 
sailors:  the  men  employed  in  the  Atlantic  Dock,  the  Erie  Basin 
and  the  ship-yards  and  factories  that  line  the  shore  of  the 
j  12th  Ward. 

The  congregation  worship  at  present  in  a  "  hired  room  "  on 
Van  Brunt  st.  The  society  expects  to  build  a  church,  in  the 
near  future,  on  their  property,  corner  of  Richards  and  Sullivan 

streets. 

Warren  Street  M.  E.  Church.— Prior  to  ia52.  a  small 
room,  for  religious  meetings  was  fitted  up  at  313  Baltic  St., 
by  Caleb  Leverich.  In  1852,  he  set  apart  the  upper  stories  of 
three  contiguous  houses,  in  Butler  st.,  for  the  use  of  tlw 
llcdding  Mission,  which  was  established  during  that  year. 

In  1853,  the  mission  was  united  with  that  of  lin  ks  st. 
1  but,  on  the  formation  of  the  Hicks  Street  Church,  it  was  left 
alone;  and,  in  1855,  it  removed  to  the  old  Reformed  Dutch 
Church,  on  the  corner  of  Court  and  Butler  sts. ;  soon  after 
ward,  to  a  hall,  cor.  of  Court  and  Sackett  sts.;  and  in  MB, 
to  the  parlor  of  a  house  on  Warren  st. 

In  1859,  the  church  was  incorporated  under  its  present 
name,  and  the  site  of  the  present  church  building,  on  War 
I  ren  st.,  was  purchased  for  $7,150.  The  corner-stone  of  the 
church  building  was  laid  Nov.  lOtli,  1859,  the  basement  wa> 
dedicated  June  24th,  I860,  and  the  audience-room  July  14th 
1861.    Its  cost  was  about  $22,750. 

In  1869,  it  was  renovated  and  refurnished  at  an  expense  of 
$2,600.  It  is  a  brick  structure.  While  the  society  was  I 
mission  it  was  supplied  by  the  Local  Preachers'  Association, 
and  Matthias  E.  Willing,  1852,  William  F.  Collins,  1&53,  Al- 
l>ert  Nash,  1854-  55;  Joseph  Palmer,  1856-*57,  officiated. 

The  first  Pastor,  after  the  organization  of  the  church,  was 
Joseph  Law;  succeeded  by  Revs.  John  Mitchell,  1861;  A  brain 
S.  Francis,  1802  '63;  Elisha  Sands.  186t-'65;  Wellesley  W. 
Mowdish,  1866-  67-  68;  George  A.  Hubbell,  1869-'70-'71;  Bd- 
win  F.  Dudley.  1872:  J.  V.   Saunders.  1873;  John  Parker. 


ECCLESIASTICAL  ORGANIZATIONS. 


1037 


!74-'75-'76;  C.  W.  Gallagher,  1877-'78-'79;  Spencer  H.  Bray, 
580;  A.  Stevens,  1881;  A.  S.  Kavanagh,  1882-'83. 
Summerfield  M.  E.  Mission,  Park  ave.,  bet.  Spencer  and 
,'al  worth  sts.,  is  the  continuation  of  the  East  Brooklyn  First 
fission  Sabbath-school  and  Society,  founded  in  Oct.,  1851, 
v  the  Eev.  Harvey  Newcomb.  The  first  building  occupied 
f  it  was  an  academy  building  in  Skillman  st. 
In  1853,  the  society  was  org.,  and  lots  purchased  on  Park, 
ve.,  bet.  Spencer  and  Walworth  sts.,  where  a  wooden  chapel 
-as  built,  and  opened  first  in  Feb.,  1861.  This  was  enlarged 
i  1869,  and  will  now  accommodate  300  people. 
From  its  foundation  to  1874,  it  was  conducted  by  workers 
liiefly  from  the  Franklin  Avenue  Presbyterian  Church, 
•uring  nearly  the  whole  of  this  time,  the  Sabbath-school, 
rhich  was  its  chief  feature,  was  superintended  by  Mr.  John 
'.  Cook,  of  that  church. 

In  1874,  it  was  relinquished  to  the  M.  E.  Ch.,  a  society  of 
■hich  denomination  was  org.  in  it,  largely  by  the  labors  of 
tie  late  Rev.  A.  S.  Francis,  in  recognition  of  which,  the 
hurch  that  was  formed  was  called  the  Francis  M.  E.  Church, 
linistry:  Revs.  Brower,  1877;  Nathan  Hubbell,  1878;  J. 
'ilkinton,  1880;  J.  S.  Whedon,  1881.  W.  Platts,  1883. 

In  the  spring  of  1883,  the  organization,  which  had  strug- 
led  under  great  difficulties  in  its  history,  was  taken  under 
he  care  of  the  Summerfield  M.  E.  Church  of  Washington 
ve.,  and  its  name  changed  to  its  present  style,  the  Summer- 
ield  Mission.  Its  present  Pastor  is  the  Rev.  William  Platts. 
ts  membership  is  60.  The  membership  of  the  Sabbath- 
chool  is  200. 

The  South  Third  M.  E.  Church,  cor.  Union  ave.,  E.  D., 
vas  org.  1854,  by  members  from  the  old  South  2d  Street 
Church.  Ministry:  1854-'55,  A.  S.  Francis;  1856,  L.  C. 
Cheney;  1857,  Daniel  Curry;  1858-'59,  Sam.  W.  King;  1860-'61, 
r.  S.  Peck;  1863,  Benj.  Pillsbury;  1864-'65,  J.  S.  Inskip; 
866-'68,  A.  C.  Eggleston;  1869-'70-'71,W.T.  Hill;  1872-'73-'74, 
?.  W.Ware;  1875-'76,  I.  Simmons;  1877-'78-'79,  W.  C.  Steele; 
880-'81-'82,  A.  S.  Graves;  1883,  F.  Brown. 

The  First  German  M.  E.  Church  of  Brooklyn,  was  org. 
n  1855,  with  about  25  members.  They  worshiped  first  in  a 
private  house  in  Atlantic  street. 

In  1857,  the  present  house  of  worship  was  built  on  Wyckoff 
street,  bet.  Smith  and  Hoyt  sts.  It  is  a  brick  building,  with 
500  sittings.  The  church  is  now  called  the  Wyckoff  Street 
M.  E.  Church. 

The  Pastors  of  this  church  have  been  Rev.  J.  W.  Freind, 
1858-'59;  Frederick  F.  Zimmerman,  1860-61;  Henry  Rasten- 
leick,  1862-63;  Frederick  Bonn,  1864;  William  H.  Kurth, 
1865-'66-'67;  Francis  G.  Gratz,  1868;  F,  Rey,  1869;  George 
Abele,  1870-'71;  Christian  F.  Grimm,  1872-'73-'74;  Jacob 
Wolff,  1875-'76-'77;  C.  Jost,  1878-'79-'80;  C.  A.  Brockmeier, 
1881. 

The  New  York  Ave.  M.  E.  Church  originated  in  a  prayer 
meeting  which  was  established  in  the  latter  part  of  1855,  on 
the  old  Clove  road,  near  the  present  Eastern  Parkway,  by 
John  McKillop,  a  local  preacher,  and  his  wife.  Meetings 
were  at  first  held  in  a  private  house;  but,  in  March,  1856,  a 
house  was  hired  for  a  temporary  chapel.  In  June  of  the 
same  year  a  clmrch  organization  was  effected,  under  the 
name,  "Nathan  Bangs  M.  E.  Church."  A  plain  church 
building  was  erected  on  what  is  now  Nostrand  ave. ,  between 
Butler  and  Douglass  sts.,  and  ded.  in  March,  1857.  Its  cost 
was  $4,376.  In  1873,  the  property  of  St.  Andrew's  P.  E. 
Church,  on  New  York  ave.  was  purchased  for  $13,500,  and 
the  present  name  adopted. 

In  the  latter  part  of  1880,  the  building  was  thoroughly  ren- 
ovated and  enlarged,  and  a  chapel,  90  by  24  feet,  erected. 
The  seating  capacity  of  the  church  is  about  500. 


While  the  church  was  known  as  the  Nathan  Bangs  Church, 
it  was  served  by  the  following  Ministers  :  1857-'8,  Rev.  S.  H. 
Piatt;  1859-'60,  A.  S.  Hunt;  1861,  A.  C.  Eggleston;  1862-'3 ; 
W.  F.  Hatfield;  1864.  John  McKillop  (local  preacher);  1865-'6, 
H.  P.  Shepherd;  1867-'8,  John  McKillop;  1869,  A.  S.  Francis, 
1870,  to  April.  1873,  D.  McMullen.  Stibsequent  Ministry :  H. 
B.  Hibben  and  D.  H.  Hanebergh,  till  April,  1874;  1874-'5-'6, 
G.  L.  Westgate;  1877,  T.  R.  Slicer,  J.  T.  Gracey;  1878-'9-'80, 
D.  A.  Goodsell;  1881,  L.  S.  Weed,  D.  D.;  1873,  N.  G.  Chee- 
ney. 

Hanson  Place  M.  E.  Church,  Hanson  place,  cor.  of  St. 
Felix  st. ,  was  first  Dean  St.  M.  E.  Church,  which  was  reorg. 
January  3,  1858,  under  its  present  name.  In  that  year  a 
very  neat  and  commodious  church  edifice  was  erected,  and 
dedicated  by  Bishop  Janes  Jan.  3,  1858.  When  it  was 
opened,  there  were  but  seventy  members  of  the  church. 
There  are  now  1,100.  Pastors:  Rev.  Joseph  Law;  1859-60, 
James  H.  Perry;  1861-2,  Cyrus  D.  Foss;  1863-'4-'5,  G.  W. 
Woodruff;  1866-'7-'8,  W.  F.  Watkins;  1869-'70-'l,  A.  S.  Hunt; 

1872-  '3-'4,  Emory  F.  Haynes;  1875-'6-'7,  Geo.  E.  Reed;  1878 
-'9-80,  J.  M.  Buckley,  D.  D. ;  1881-'2-'3,  J.  O.  Peck,  D.  D. 

In  1872,  the  church  was  taken  down  and  a  larger  edifice 
erected  on  the  same  site;  and  the  new  house  was  dedicated, 
also,  by  Bishop  Janes,  on  the  first  Sunday  in  January,  1873. 
This  building  is  faced  with  Philadelphia  brick,  and  trimmed 
with  Ohio  free-stone.  The  auditorium  is  of  the  amphitheatre 
form,  and  has  two  galleries.    Its  seating  capacity  is  1,500. 

At  the  rear  of  the  church  is  a  Sabbath-school  room  and 
chapel,  with  accommodations  for  1,000,  and  with  the  usual 
class-rooms,  etc.  The  Christian  Union  connected  with  the 
church  numbers  180  members,  and  presents  attractive  pro- 
grammes at  its  semi-monthly  meetings.  Officers,  1883-'4  : 
R.  E.  Selmes,  Pres. ;  E.  M.  Travis,  Vice-Pres. ;  Chauncey  W. 
Browne,  Rec.  Sec;  Louise  Gilbert,  Cor.  Sec;  Chas.  R.  Ran- 
dall, Treas. 

Rev.  J.  O.  Peck,  D.  D.,  born  in  Groton,Vt. ;  grad.  Amherst, 
1862;  author  of  published  sermons;  located  at  No.  Amherst, 
1860;  Chicopee  Falls,  1861;  Chelsea,  Mass.,  1862-3;  Lowell, 
1864-'6;  Worcester,  1867-'9;  Springfield,  1870-'2;  Chicago, 

1873-  '5;  Baltimore,  1875-'8;  Brooklyn,  1878-'83. 

Janes  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  Reid  ave.,  cor.  Mon- 
roe st.,  had  its  origin  as  Janes  Mission,  in  a  Sunday  School 
organized  in  a  private  house  in  June,  1858,  by  Daniel  Noith- 
rup,  of  Washington  Avenue  Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

Ebenezer  Willson  and  wife,  of  Nathan  Bangs'  Church  on 
Clove  road  (now  New  York  Avenue  Church),  afterward  hired 
a  house  on  the  cor.  of  Patchen  ave.  and  Madison  st.,  where 
the  Sunday-school  was  continued  with  class-meeting,  prayer- 
meeting  and  occasional  preaching.  The  building  was  desig- 
nated by  a  white  flag  by  day,  and  a  lantern  by  night. 

The  pi-eaching  was  for  several  years  provided  by  the  Local 
Preachers'  Association  of  Brooklyn,  prominent  among  whom 
was  Rev.  John  McKillop,  of  Nathan  Bangs'  Church.  Rev. 
Job  G.  Bass,  a  local  preacher,  was  acting  pastor  for  about 
two  years.  During  his  ministry  lots  were  bought  on  the 
south-east  cor.  of  Reid  ave.  and  Monroe  St.,  and  a  frame 
church  erected  (36x60  feet),  at  a  cost  of  $3,600. 

The  first  Board  of  Trustees  were:  Jabez  Ross,  John  W. 
Brush,  Gilbert  Draper,  David  B.  Morehouse,  John  McKillop, 
Ebenezer  Willson  and  William  Taylor. 

The  church  was  ded.  by  Bishop  Janes,  Nov.  20,  1859.  A 
year  afterwards,  Rev.  Charles  Packman  was  appointed  to 
take  charge  of  the  church,  which  then  consisted  of  eleven 
members  and  twelve  probationers.  He  remained  until  the 
spring  of  1862. 

The  Pastors  succeeding  him  were:  Rev.  A.  C.  Eggleston, 
1862;  Rev,  Wra.  H-  Simonsou,  1863-'4-'5;  Rev.  Henry  C. 


1038 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Glover,  1866-'7-'8;  Rev.  Wm.  H.  Russell,  1871-'2-'3;  Rev.  J. 
H.  Stansberry,  1874-'5-'6;  Rev.  Geo.  L.  Thompson,  1877-'8-'9: 
Rev.  L  Simmons,  1880-'l-'2;  Rev.  Robt.  W.  Jones,  1883-'4. 
In  1868,  a  Sunday-school  room  was  added,  and  the  audito- 
rium improved. 

New  lots  were  bought  on  the  south-west  cor.  of  Reid  ave. 
and  Monroe  St.,  in  1882,  for  $4,100.  Plans  wore  drawn  for  a 
new  church  in  June,  1883,  by  Mr.  John  Welch,  architect, 
90x6;)  feet,  of  brick  with  stone  trimmings,  to  cost  $30,000, 
with  a  seating  capacity  for  1,000  persons. 

The  Sunday-school,  which  was  really  the  mother  of  the 
church,  has  kept  in  advance  of  her  interests  and  now  num- 
bers 600  scholars. 

Its  superintendents  have  been  Daniel  Northrup,  Ebenezer 
Wilson,  Gilbert  Draper,  Peter  Backman,  Wm.  A.  Fitch, 
Samuel  B.  Terry,  Allen  R.  Jollis,  J.  T.  McFall,  Alfred  E. 
Pearsall,  H.  C.  Stoothoff,  Charles  L.  Potter,  Hiram  Bedell, 
James  II.  Mcintosh. 

Rev.  Robt.  W.  Jones,  born  in  Bethlehem,  Pa. ;  grad.  Wes- 
leyan  Univ.,  1871;  located  in  Cochranville,  1862-3;  Enter- 
prise, Pa.,  and  Philadelphia,  1864-'5;  Windsor,  Ct.,  1868-'70; 
Hartford,  Ct.,  1871-'3;  Norwalk,  Ct.,  1874-'6;  B'klyD,  1877-'9; 
Flushing,  L.  I.,  1880-'2;  B'klyn.  1883-'4. 

Rev.  Job  Gardiner  Bass,  born  1816,  in  Charleston,  S.  C, 
was  Chaplain  90th  N.  Y.  Vols.,  1861-5;  of  Seaman's  Friend 
Soc.  two  years;  of  Kings  Co.  Jail  and  Penitentiary,  1867-84; 
located  B'klyn,  1855. 

Nostrand  Avenue  M.  E.  Church. — A  mission  was  estab- 
lished, in  1860,  at  the  residence  of  Ebenezer  Wilson,  on 
Quincyst.,  near  Nostrand  ave.  In  1861,  it  was  removed  to 
a  building,  erected  for  the  purpose  by  Mr.  Wilson,  on  Gates 
ave.,  near  Nostrand. 

In  June,  1862,  the  mission  was  org.  as  the  Gates  Ave.  M.  E. 
Ch.  Having  again  outgrown  its  accommodations,  it  was  re- 
org.,  in  1865,  under  its  present  name.  A  place  of  worship 
was  erected  on  the  corner  of  Quincy  st.  and  Nostrand  ave., 
which  was  occupied  in  April,  1867. 

In  1876,  a  parsonage  was  built ;  and,  in  1881,  the  present 
edifice  (see  opposite  page)  was  completed,  at  a  cost  of  $31,750. 
The  total  value  of  the  church  property  is  $70,000.  The  seat- 
ing capacity  is  1,225.  The  acoustic  arrangement  of  the  audi- 
torium is  one  of  the  best  in  the  country. 

Ministry:  Re\<.  Stephen  Rnshniore,  1*61;  S.  M.  Hammond 
(1st  Pastor  appointed  by  the  conference),  1865-'68-'67;  R.  S. 
Rust,  1868-W  ;  C.  E.  Glover,  1870-'71-'72  ;  M.  Griffin,  1878- 
'74-75;  James  Pullman.  1876-77-78;  Geo.  W.  Woodruff. 
D.  D.,  1879-'80;  Geo.  E.  Reed,  1881-83. 

Rev.  Geo.  E.  Reed,  born  at  Brownville,  Me.,  1846;  grad. 
Wesleyan  Univ.,  1869;  and  Boston  Theol.  Sem.;  located  at 
Fall  River,  Mass.,  Stamford,  Ct.,  and  Bklyn.,  1875-'78-'81- 83. 

Fleet  Street  Bethel  (colored)  Af.  M.  E.  Church  was  an 
otrshoot  from  the  Wesleyan  African  M.  E.  Church,  Bridge 
at.,  about  1x61.  In  that  year,  the  church  edifice  of  St. 
Mark's  Church  (Episcopal),  was  purchased  at  $6,500.  The 
c  ongregation  was,  from  the  first,  numerous.  The  first  Pastor 

u  .i-  I.Vv.  now  I'.ishop)  R.  H.  <  'ain.  followed,  ill  ISO,'),  by  Rev. 
Joshua  Woodlvn,  and  he,  in  succession,  by  Revs.  Theodore 
Gould  (now  Business  Manager  of  A.  M.  E.  Book  Concern),  in 
|s6s;  Robert  J.  Way  man,  1871;  J.  B.  Murray.  1874 ;  U.  T. 
BchafTer,  1877;  EL  H.  Lewis,  1881-'82;  Geo.  Dardis,  1883.  In 
|ss]  the  church  was  enlarged,  renovated,  and  refitted,  at  an 
.  \  pcnsc  of  $  1. 000. 

During  the  pastorate  of  Rev.  J.  B.  Murray,  the  Metro- 
politan Mission  was  established,  l>\  a  portion  of  the  members 
of  this  society. 

Greenpoint  Tabernacle  was  commenced  isr>4,  by  members 
of  the  M  K.  <'h.  <>/  Green point,  under  the  leadership  of  Rev. 


J.  F.  Booth.  In  January,  1870,  a  new  and  commodious 
building  was  dedicated.  It  is  of  brick,  massive  in  ap]>ear- 
ance,  surmounted  by  a  high-peaked  roof,  is  90  feet  in  length, 
by  60  feet  wide,  with  a  large  extension  containing  class- 
rooms, infant-class,  and  church  parlors.  The  church  affords 
1,100  seats,  with  standing  room  for  200  more;  while  the  base- 
ment seats  700  persons.  Value  of  real  estate  and  building, 
about  $80,000.  It  is  a  prosperous  church,  with  a  very  large 
Sunday-school,  and  exerts  a  wide  influence  in  the  neighbor- 
hood where  it  is  located.  Ministry:  1864,  J.  F.  Booth  ;  1866- 
'67,  D.  A.  Goodsell;  1869-'70-'71,  Freeman  P.  Tower;  1872, 
C.  E.  Harris ;  1873-'74,  T.  H.  Burch  ;  1875-'76,  J.  S.  Brecken- 
ridge  ;  1877,  S.  H.  Piatt ;  1878,  J.  W.  Barnhart ;  1879-*80,  W. 
H.  Simonson;  1881-82-  83,  W.  D.  Thompson. 


THE  WILLOUGHBT  AVENUE  M.  E.  CHURCH. 


The  Tompkins  (or  Willoughby)  Avenue  M.  E.  Church.- 

In  1865,  many  members  of  DeKalb  Ave.  M.  E.  Churrli 
were  dissatisfied  with  the  Pastor  sent  them  by  conference, 
the  Rev.  Gad  Smith  Gilbert,  and,  on  March  16,  forty-two  of 
his  adherents  withdrew  and  organized  John  Wesley  .V.  K. 
Church,  but  were  incorporated  as  the  "Tompkins  Ave.  M.  I 
Cliurch." 

Lots  on  the  north-west  corner  of  Tompkins  and  Willoughby 
avenues  were  secured,  and  a  Tabernacle,  costing  $1,900,  was 
immediately  erected  and  occupied  ten  days  later.  Rev.  Gad 
Smith  Gilbert  became  the  first  Pastor.  -The  corner-stone  of 
the  present  edifice  was  laid  April  25th,  1867.  On  August  2, 
1868,  it  was  dedicated  by  Bish.  Janes.  In  1872,  a  chapel  was 
added.  These  are  frame  structures  in  the  modern  gothi* 
style,  with  stained-glass  windows.  They  occupy  land  front- 
ing 100  feet  on  Tompkins  ave.,  and  120  on  Willoughby  ave. 
The  church  is  75  by  60  ft.  in  size,  with  galleries  on  three 
sides  and  a  seating  capacity  of  1,200.  The  chapel  is 33  ft.  wide 
by  60  ft.  dee]>.  The  entire  cost  of  buildings  and  land  was 
$16,169.84. 

On  Aug.  6,  1868.  a  numl)er  of  the  members,  who  wen'  di- 
satisfied  with  the  conference  appointment  of  pastor,  withdrew 
and  held  their  first  service  as  the  Greene  Ave.  M.  E.  1  'hureh 

The  Wesley  Church  became  more  and  more  inrolv»d  In 
debt.    The  membership  increased  to  230.  The  Sabbath-school 

numbered  270. 


EG CLESIASTICAL  OR  GAN1ZA  TIONS. 


1039 


1040 


mSTOEY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Ministry  as  follows  :  1865,  Rev.  Gad  Smith  Gilbert;  186(5- 
'69,  Rev.  Francis  C.  Hill;  1869-'71,  Rev.  J.  W.  Barnhart; 
1871-'74,  Rev.  C.  B.  Ford;  1874-'77,  Rev.  Frederick  Brown; 
1877-79,  Rev.  J.  H.  Stansbury.  In  1879,  the  debt  was 
nearly  $40,000. 

In  March,  1879,  the  property  was  sold  under  foreclosure, 
and  purchased  by  the  Williainsburgh  Saviugs  Bank  for 
$15,000.  Subsequently,  Miss  Anna  Oliver  contracted  with 
the  bank  for  its  purchase  for  $14,000.  The  first  thousand 
was  paid  by  voluntary  contributions  from  four  men  and 


the  New  York  East  Conference.  It  was  decided  to  postpone 
the  raising  of  the  purchase  price  until  the  church  should 
have  demonstrated  its  ability  to  continue.  The  church  and 
donors  of  the  first  thousand  requested  Miss  Oliver  to  hold 
the  property  in  her  name.  This  she  reluctantly  consented 
to  do,  at  the  same  time  declaring  that  she  held  it  for  the 
church. 

A  bill  was  sought  from  the  Legislature  to  vest  the  title  to 
the  property  in  the  following  Board  of  Trustees  :  Rev.  \Yni. 
H.  Warren.  D.  D.,  Pres.  Boston  University;  Rev.  J.  E.  I.ati- 


two  women.  A  storm  of  persecution  burst  over  this 
woman's  enterprise.  Miss  Oliver  is  a  graduate  of  the  School 
of  Theology  of  the  Boston  University,  with  degrees  of  A. 
M.  and  B.  D.,  and  a  license  to  preach  from  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  in  Boston. 

Religious  services  commenced  under  the  new  rvt/imc  the 
first  Sabbath  in  April,  and  about  two  weeks  later  a  church 
organization  was  effected  in  accordance  with  the  doctrines 
and  discipline  of  the  M.  E.  Church,  known  as  the  Willoughby 
Avenue  M.  E.  Church,  but  which  was  never  recognized  by 


mer,  D.D.,  Dean  of  M.  E.  Sch.  Theol.  Boston  Univ. ;  Rev.  L.  T. 
Townsend,  D.  D.,  Dean  Chat.  Theol.  Inst.;  Samuel  B.  Terry; 
Mrs.  Harriet  Skidmore,  Sec.  W.  F.  M.  S.  of  M.  K.  Church, 
and  J.  C.  Tal>er,  M.  D.    The  bill  did  not  pass  in  three  yeare. 

Prominent  official  members  of  the  church  were :  GilbtH 
E.  Currie.  Samuel  B.  Terry,  Hester  A.  Chasty,  Cornelia  (1 
Mitchell,  Wm.  M.  Parrish.  ti.  II.  Hinds,  (i.  P.  McClelland. 
Mary  P.  Tracy,  Helen  M.  Weekes,  J.  B.  Whitby,  K.  U.  Cad 
doo,  D.  Lawson,  Laura  E.  Peden,  Caroline  Aspinall,  Martha 

Dibble.  .).  IyeoiKlld. 


ECCLESIASTICAL  ORGANIZATIONS. 


1041 


The  principles  of  the  church  were  :  1.  No  debts  to  be  con- 
tracted. 2.  No  money  to  be  raised  by  means  of  fairs,  festi- 
vals, or  any  similar  projects.  3.  No  distinction  of  sex  to  be 
made  in  any  of  the  offices  or  work  of  the  church. 

These  principles  were  immediately  put  to  the  severest  test, 
for  the  church  was  stripped  of  every  article  of  furniture, 
gas  fixtures,  reflectors  and  furnaces,  and  the  buildings  were 
much  out  of  repair.  The  young  society,  at  first  of  eight 
members,  used  only  the  money  voluntarily  contributed  by 
the  congregation  that  gathered.  They  refurnished,  gradu- 
ally, the  church  and  chapel,  and  repaired  the  buildings. 

Meanwhile,  the  church  became  thoroughly  organized  in 
every  department,  with  Sabbath-school,  prayer-meetings, 
class-meetings,  young  people's  societies  and  meetings,  and 
children's  service.  A  temperance  organization  secured  about 
400  signatures  to  the  pledge  in  four  years;  and  is  still  in  exist- 
ence, having  recently  canvassed  the  Ward  and  obtained  more 
than  1,100  signatures  against  renewing  liquor  licenses. 

The  Sabbath-school  was  org.  Aug.  24,  1879,  with  150  mem- 
bers, and  increased  to  280.  In  the  spring  of  1882,  on  the 
completion  of  her  three  years'  pastorate,  which  is  the  full 
Methodist  term,  Miss  Oliver  resigned.  The  church  would 
not  accept  her  resignation,  and,  in  the  fall,  made  a  move  to- 
ward the  erection  of  a  parsonage.  However,  in  March,  1883, 
Miss  Oliver  again  sent  in  her  resignation,  giving  as  her  only 
reasons  that  they  were  not  recognized  by  their  own  denom- 
ination— the  M.  E.  Church — and  the  consequences  which  flow 
from  a  want  of  recognition. 

The  church  voted  to  disband,  and  also  directed  their  Pas- 
tor to  sell  the  church  property,  as  she  held  it  only  for  them; 
and  to  appropriate  to  herself  the  excess  over  $13,000  yet  un- 
paid. They  likewise  directed  her  to  sell  the  furniture,  the 
proceeds  to  be  devoted  to  the  poor  of  the  church.  She  de- 
clined to  dispose  of  the  sacred  edifice  for  business  purposes. 
It  was  finally  sold  for  $18,000  to  the  Brooklyn  Reformed 
Presbyterian  Church;  the  congregation  was  disbanded,  and 
the  larger  part  of  the  Sunday  school  united  with  the  East 
Congregational  Church. 

Embury  M.  E.  Church,  Herkimer  street,  corner  of  Schenec- 
tady avenue,  began  Dec.  10th,  1865,  when  twenty-seven  per- 
sons assembled  at  the  house  of  Mr.  James  Dundas,  corner  of 
Fulton  and  Howard  avenues,  and  listened  to  a  sermon  by 
Rev.  J.  G.  Bass.  On  the  same  day  a  Sunday-school  was  org. 
with  five  officers  and  teachers,  and  ten  scholars. 

The  first  board  of  trustees  was  elected  April  6th,  1866.  The 
church  edifice  was  dedicated  June  9th,  1867,  by  Bishop 
Janes. 

It  was  enlarged  in  the  autumn  of  1876.  The  church  num- 
bers 275  and  the  Sunday-school  300. 

Ministry:  1867-'68-'69,  Thomas  Stephenson;  187r-'71-'72, 
S.  A.  Seaman;  1873-'74,  Isaac  J.  Lansing;  1875-'76-'77,  Charles 
E.  Miller;  1878-'79-'80,  Charles  Bachman;  1881,  Charles  W. 
Millen. 

Grace  M.  E.  Church.— The  Seventh  Avenue  M.  E.  Church 
was  org.  about  1866,  by  members  of  the  Hanson  Place  Society. 
The  first  place  of  worship  was  a  small  wooden  chapel  at  the 
corner  of  what  was  then  Butler  street  and  Seventh  avenue. 
In  1869,  a  chapel  of  brick,  with  stone  front,  98  by  56  feet  in 
size,  was  erected  on  the  same  site. 

Grace  Church  was  organized  Jan.,  1878;  bought  the  chapel 
formerly  owned  by  the  Seventh  Ave.  Church  on  Sterling 
place;  afterwards  five  lots,  corner  Seventh  ave.  and  St.  John's 
place  were  purchased;  a  new  church  erected  and  dedicated 
Jan.  21,  1883,  at  a  total  cost  of  about  $80,000.  The  building 
is  of  light  drab  stone  with  terra  cotta  trimmings,  in  the  Gothic 
style  of  the  13th  century;  the  auditorium  is  60  by  90  feet, 
v.  ith  600  sittings.    The  Sunday-school  room  is  34  by  94  feet, 


and  adjoins  the  church,  the  two  opening  together.  The  in- 
terior trimmings  of  the  church  are  in  ash  and  cherry,  with 
fine  frescoes  in  the  Gothic  style.    (See  opposite  page). 

Ministry:  1867,  G.  A.  Hall;  1868-'69-'70,  C.  M.  Giffen;  1871-'2, 
E.  E.  Andrews;  (now  Bishop);  1873-'74-'75,  Dr.  Wild;  1876-'7, 
Emory  J.  Haynes;  1878-79-80,  John  S.  Breckenridge; 
1881-'82,  George  P.  Mains;  1882-'4,  J.  R.  Thompson. 

Trustees,  1882-'84:  George  Copeland,  Pres.;  M.  J.  Goode- 
nough,  Treas.;  J.  C.  Haddock,  Sec;  J.  H.  Stevenson,  W.  H. 
B.  Pratt,  M.  D.,  J.  N.  Kenyon,W.  E.  Smith,  Jr.,  C.  M.  Brown, 
Thos.  Atkinson. 


CENTRAL  M.  E.  CHURCH. 


Central  M.  E.  Church. — This  Society  was  org.  by  Rev.  E. 
L.  Janes,  in  April,  1867,  and  commenced  its  services  in  the 
building  on  South  Fifth  street,  near  Fifth,  formerly  occupied 
by  the  Society  now  constituting  the  St.  John's  Church  on 
Bedford  ave.  The  original  valuation  of  the  church  property, 
including  the  Parsonage,  was  $33,000.  The  membership  at  the 
beginning  was  about  130,  and  the  names  of  the  original  Trus- 
tees were:  James  A.  Bradley,  John  S.  Shelley,  James  H. 
Briggs,  William  H.  Hanford,  John  Gay,  Daniel  Maujer,  Jr. 
Its  successive  Pastors,  after  Rev.  E.  L.  Janes,  have  been: 
Rev.  Benj.  M.  Adams,  Rev.  Spencer  Bray,  Rev.  Dr.  J.  L. 
Peck,  Rev.  B.  M.  Adams,  Rev.  Dr.  Thos.  Burch,  Rev.  Dr.  F. 
S.  DeHass,  Rev.  Dr.  J.  E.  Cookman.  The  present  member- 
ship is  about  five  hundred,  with  a  Sunday-school  of  five  hun- 
dred scholars  on  register. 

Its  classes  and  prayer-meetings  are  large  and  spiritual. 

Rev.  John  E.  Cookman,  D.  D.,  born  1836,  at  Carlisle,  Pa.; 
grad.  Philadelphia  College,  1854,  and  at  School  of  Theology, 
Boston  University;  previous  locations,  New  York,  Boston, 
Poughkeepsie;  settled  in  Brooklyn,  April,  1880. 

Leonard  Street  M.  E.  Church,  Leonard,  cor.  Conselyea, 
org.  in  November,  1867,  in  a  room  at  the  cor.  Skillman 
and  Leonard,  which  was  dedicated  Dec.  8th.  The  church 
was  incorporated  as  the  Hatfield  M.  E.  Church  ;  and  its 
corner-stone  was  laid  in  October,  1868.  The  edifice  is  a 
frame  structure,  62  by  75  feet;  seats  600;  cost  about  $10,500, 
and  was  ded.  Feb.  14,  1869.    Ministry:    Revs.  H.  Hatfield, 


10  1-2 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


1868;  J.  L.  Hall,  1869-"71;  H.  C.  Glover,  1872-'3;  W.  H. 
Russell,  1874;  S.  C.  Keeler,  1876-'7;  J.  C.  Thomas,  1877;  G. 
II, .His.  IS71  '9;  II.  Baker,  (880;  W.  Hamilton.  1S81-3.  The 
church  has  130  members;  the  Sunday-school,  300. 

The  Mariner's  Church  (M.  E.)  was  established,  as  the 
Dame  indicates,  for  the  benefit  of  sea-faring  men.  The  first 
church  edifice,  cor.  President  and  Van  Brunt  sts.,  was  dedi- 
cated June  2,  18G7.  This  building  was  occupied  about 
twelve  years.  In  1879,  a  lot  on  Van  Brunt  st.,  between 
President  and  Carroll  sts.,  was  purchased ;  the  present 
house  of  worship  was  erected  thereon,  and  dedicated,  Feb. 
1,  1880. 

A  Sunday-school  was  organized,  at  an  early  date,  under 
the  supervision  of  the  Pastor.  The  present  Superintendent 
is  William  B.  Hoyt.  Rev.  Edmund  O.  Bates  has  been  Pastor 
from  the  beginning  to  the  present  time. 

Rev.  Edmund  Ooden  Bates,  born  in  Westchester  Co. ,  1808; 
joined  Me.  E.  Conf.  1837;  located  at  various  places;  at  Wil- 
liam Street  Bethel,  1855-'62;  Chaplain  Amer.  Seamen's 
Friend  Soc.  1863-'84;  located  Brooklyn,  1855-84. 

Greene  Avenue  M.  E.  Church  was  org.  Sept.  6th,  1868, 
with  30  members.  It  was  an  offshoot  from  the  Wesley  M.  E. 
Church  of  Tompkins  avenue.  The  first  place  of  worship  was 
a  building  on  the  corner  of  Lafayette  and  Tompkins  ave. 
The  present  church  edifice,  on  Greene  aj'enue,  near  Tomp- 
kins, was  erected  in  the  summer  of  18(!9.  It  has  a  seating 
capacity  of  400,  and  its  cost  was  about  $7,000.  A  parsonage 
adjoining  the  church  was  erected  in  1874,  at  a  cost  of 
$4,500. 

Ministry:  Revs.  A.  H.  Mead,  1868-'9-'70;  C.  Kelsey,  1871-'2; 
G.  A.  Hubbell,  1873-'4;  F.  W.  Ware,  1875-'6;  C.  E.  Harris, 
1877-8;  Geo.  F.  Ketell,  1879;  Marcus  D.  Buell,  1880-'l;  J. 
W.  Barnhart,  1882-'3. 

Rev.  John  W.  Barnhart,  born  in  Marlborough,  N.  Y. ; 
grad.  Wes.  University,  1861;  Pres.  Fairmount  Female  Coll., 
1862-6;  located  Sag  Harbor,  1867-8;  B'klyn,  1869-71;  New 
York,  1872-'4;  B'klyn,  1875-8;  New  Haven,  1879-80;  Sag 
Harlmr,  1881;  B'klyn,  1882-*3. 

The  Swedish  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  first  a  part 
of  the  work  of  the  New  York  Bethel  Association.  During 
many  years  class-meetings  and  prayer-meetings  were  held 
among  the  Swedes  at  their  residences.  About  1868,  a  small 
chapel  was  erected  on  Pacific  street,  near  Flat  bush  ave., 
and  preaching  was  furnished  from  the  Bethel  Mission. 
In  1871,  the  present  church  edifice  was  erected  on  Dean 
st.,  near  5th  ave.  It  is  a  brick  building,  with  a  seating 
capacity  of  500.  In  the  same  year  a  church  organization, 
under  the  New  York  East  Conference,  was  effected. 

Rev.  Albert  Ericson  was  the  first  Pastor,  succeeded  in  1880 
by  the  present  Pastor,  Rev.  A.  J.  Anderson. 

Cedar  St.  M.  E.  Church  grew  out  of  a  Sunday-school  in 
Evergreen  ave.,  near  DeKalb.;  org.  in  1871,  with  8  teachers 
and  twenty  scholars,  and  C.  W.  Cook,  Supt.  The  following 
winter  they  removed  to  Mr.  Brundige's  store,  on  Rroadway, 
and  were  known  as  the  "Broadway  Mission."  There  the  first 
Minister,  Rev.  Mr.  Pease,  commenced  preaching.  Soon 
after,  he  hired  a  church  building  in  Kosciusko  st.,  and  re- 
moved the  society  there.  He  was  followed  a  year  later  by 
Rev.  John  Perrine,  1872-3;  Rev.  R.  P.  ( 'liristopher,  1873-5. 
During  his  pastorate,  the  society  took  steps  towards  purchas- 
ing their  present  building  from  the  Protectant  Methodists. 
Tb"  building  was  pun-based  for  about  $2,61)0;  soon  after,  the 
Rev.  A.  I!.  Sanford  (1876)  was  appointed  the  Pastor.  The 
society  incorporated  under  the  name  of  the  Cedar  St.  M.  /•-'. 
Church,  and  removed  to  their  present  home  and  place  of 
WOfmhip,  the  first  Sunday  in  July,  1876.  The  school  now 
numlx  red  about  150  scholars. 


Ministry:  Revs.  Mr.  Sanford,  1876-'7;  R.  K.  Diossy,  1877-'8: 
C.  K.  True,  1878;  W.  C.  Wilson,  1878-'81;  Wm.  Platts,  1881-3. 
C.  P.  Corner,  1883-'84. 

The  school,  from  its  small  beginning,  has  gained  in  num- 
bers, and  now  has  (1883)  an  average  attendance  of  325.  The 
church  is  a  wooden  building,  seating  about  350.  In  1883,  a 
new  infant-class  room  and  lecture-room  were  built. 

Rev.  Charles  P.  Corner,  born  1834,  in  Ontario,  Can.;  at 
Victoria  Univ.,  1857-'8;  was  at  Baldwin's,  L.  I.,  I860-';; 
Rockaway,  1868-'70  ;  Rockwell  Centre,  1871-2  ;  Thornaston, 
1873-4;  Bklyn.,  1875-'6;  New  York.  1877-'8-'9  ;  Greenwich. 
Ct.,  1880;  City  Island,  N.  Y.,  1881-'2;  Bklyn.,  1883. 

Carroll  Park  M.  E.  Ch.  was  org.  in  the  Spring  of  1878,  its 
principal  originators  and  largest  contributors  being  Henry 
Du  Bois,  Chas.  Bedell,  and  W.  J.  Bedell.  While  building, 
they  worshiped  in  a  store  on  Smith,  near  Carroll  st.  The 
church  was  ded.  by  the  late  Bp.  Janes,  Dec.  22,  1872.  It  i> 
of  brick,  with  Nova  Scotia  stone  trimmings,  and  is  40  by  71 
feet  deep,  with  an  L  across  the  rear,  25  by  52  feet,  contain- 
ing class-rooms  and  parlor  for  social  meetings.  Its  cost  was 
about  $30,000,  and  it  seats  about  450  persons. 

Ministry :  1873-'4,  Revs.  L.  S.  Weed;  1875-'6,  W.  W.  Bow- 
dish;  1877,  R.  C.  Putney;  1878-'9,  A.  B.  Sanford;  1880,  W.  C. 
Blakeman  ;  1881,  H.  H.  Beale ;  1882,  W.  H.  Simonson ;  1883, 
Jno.  L.  Gilder  (till  his  death).  Membership,  100;  with  an 
average  of  150  in  the  Sunday-school. 

Forty-Fourth  Street  M.  E.  Church.— A  Mission  was  or- 
ganized April  24, 1874,  in  South  Brooklyn,  and  rooms  secure,! 
in  39th  st.,  between  3d  and  4th  aves.,  where  the  first  session 
was  held,  May  17,  with  11  teachers  and  21  children  present 
Isaac  S.  Bogart  was  elected  Superintendent.  Soon  after, 
preaching  services  were  instituted,  and  a  room  on  40th  6t.  se- 
cured. 

About  the  1st  of  January,  1876,  it  was  accepted  as  a  Mis- 
sion by  the  18th  M.  E.  Church,  and  the  Pastor,  R.  C.  Putney, 
preached  there  on  Thursday  evenings.  In  the  following 
year,  two  lots  in  44th  st.,  near  4th  ave.,  were  secured. 
April  2,  1877,  Rev.  Jesse  Povey  was  authorized  by  the  Quar- 
terly Conference  to  take  charge  of  the  Mission.  A  frame 
building,  25  by  50  feet,  was  erected  in  the  fall  of  18;?,  which 
was  dedicated  October  14,  1877.  The  congregation  and 
Sunday-school  increased,  and  the  church  building  wa- 
lengthened  to  85  feet,  in  January,  1881.  March  31,  1880,  five 
stewards  were  appointed,  and  the  church  became  an  inde- 
pendent organization.  The  first  Trustees  were:  J.  Bradshaw , 
J.  Bedell,  H.  L.  Spicer,  F.  Purdy,  and  L.  N.  llaskins.  Rev. 
J.  Povey  was  followed  as  Pastor,  April  17,1881,  by  Hcv 
N'athan  Hubbell,  who  remained  two  years,  and  was  tt 
'■ceded  by  Rev.  George  Dunbar,  April  10,  1883. 

Rev.  John  Johns  was  born  in  England,  1835  ;  preached  in 
England,  1856-'72,  and  in  New  York,  1873-'9;  came  to  Brook- 
lyn, April,  1888. 

Zion  M.  E.  Church,  corner  of  South  Third  and  Eleventh 
streets,  was  dedicated  Feb.  12,  1884.  The  new  building  is  con- 
structed of  brick  and  is  a  substantial  edifice.  It  has  been 
erected  for  the  use  of  the  Zion  M.  E.  Church,  of  which  Kev. 
George  E.  Smith  is  the  Pastor.  The  new  structure  is  without 
a  steeple,  though  its  front  is  relieved  by  ornamental  brick 
work.  A  large  vestry  extends  under  the  entire  building, 
with  class-rooms  anil  kitchen  and  all  modern  church  ap- 
pliances. The  audience-room  has  a  seating  capacity  of  al»>ul 
live  hundred.  At  the  coming  of  the  present  Pastor  to  the 
•hurehlluvsocicty  was  found  to  be  incumbered  with  a  debt, 
while  the  church  building  was  in  a  static  of  dilapidation  that 
made  it  almost  unsafe.  The  Pastor  set  himself  to  work  at 
once.  The  various  churches  were  enlisted  in  a  union  fair. 
»  1,1,1,  was  held  in  tie-  b  isem  mi  t  of  what  i-  now  the  Lee  ave. 


EC CLESIASTICAL  OR  GANIZA  HONS. 


1043 


l  

Lcademy  of  Music,  which  proved  successful  enough  to  pay 
ff  the  entire  debt.  A  new  church  was  at  once  proposed, 
building  committee  of  leading  citizens  was  selected,  and  a 
igorous  canvass  inaugurated.  One  gentleman  generously 
ave  $1,000,  and  an  anonymous  benefactor  in  the  Eastern 
Hstrict  gave  $5,000,  conditioned  on  the  whole  amount  being 
aised.  The  cost  of  the  church,  embracing  the  adjoining 
iarsonage,  was  $10,400,  and  it  was  dedicated  free  of  debt. 

Zion's  Chapel. — This  chapel  is  attached  to  the  Zion  Home 
'or  the  Aged  and  Infirm  on  Dean  St.,  between  Albany  and 
>oy  aves.  Both  organizations  are  under  the  care  of  A.  M. 
3.  Zion  Church  of  New  York  city.  The  lots  were  bought 
Jept.  20,  1872,  and  such  alterations  made  in  the  buildings  as 
o  adapt  them  for  use  as  a  Home  and  a  chapel.  Rev.  John 
3.  Smith  was  the  first  Chaplain,  and  was  succeeded  by  Rev. 
3.  M.  Wilson,  and  he  in  turn  by  Rev.  Abram  Anderson,  who 
vas  followed  by  Rev.  T.  Williams,  the  present  incumbent. 

The  Norwegian  Bethel  Ship  Mission  of  the  M.  E.  Church 
vas  originally  the  Scandinavian  M.  E.  Bethel  Ship  Mission  of 
s'ew  York.  About  1875,  the  Bethel  Ship  was  moored  at  the 
bot  of  Harrison  street,  Brooklyn;  and  services  were  held 
here  till  February,  1879,  when  the  place  of  worship  was  re- 
noved  to  a  hall  on  the  corner  of  Van  Brunt  and  President 
streets.  In  1881,  a  new  church  building  was  erected  on  the 
site  of  this  hall,  at  an  expense  of  $16,000.  This  house  was  a  I 
lonation  to  the  mission,  from  Edwin  Mead  of  New  York.  The 
present  name  was  adopted  in  1881. 

The  Pastors  of  this  Mission,  since  the  removal  of  the  Bethel 
Ship  to  Brooklyn,  have  been:  Revs.  O.  B.  Peterson,  B.  Jo- 
iiansen  and  the  present  Pastor,  Christopher  Freeder.  The 
principal  work  of  the  Mission  is  among  Morwegian  sea- 
men. 

Sheepshead  Bay  M.  E.  Church. — The  certificate  of  incor- 
poration of  a  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  at  Sheepshead  Bay 
was  fded  in  the  County  Clerk's  office  Aug.  9,  1883.  Trustees 
and  incorporators  are:  Supervisors  John  G.  McKane.  Alan- 
son  Tredwell,  Obadiah  S.  Aumack,  James  McKane  and  John 
Colwell.  The  presiding  officers  for  the  first  year  are:  Alan- 
son  Tredwell  and  Obadiah  S.  Aumack. 


METHODIST  (NON-EPISCOPAL)  CHURCHES. 

The  First  Methodist  Protestant  Church,  being  the  third 
ecclesiastical  organization  in  Williamsburgh,  originated  in 
the  withdrawal  of  thirty-five  members  from  the  existing 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  of  the  place.  It  was  organized 
in  1833,  at  a  meeting  held  in  the  residence  of  Brown  Suttle, 
on  North  Second  st.  The  first  Board  of  Trustees  was:  Fred- 
erick Dickerman,  John  Snyder,  Benjamin  Doxey,  Peter  Mer- 
rit  and  Stephen  Baker.  A  small  but  comfortable  wood  edi- 
fice was  erected  and  dedicated  in  the  autumn  of  1833;  which 
was  replaced  in  1850  by  a  brick  structure,  45  by  70  feet,  with 
lecture-room.  Rev.  Ruel  Hanks  was  installed  Pastor  in  1835, 
followed  by  the  Revs.  William  H.  Johnson,  P.  K.  Whitsel, 
J.  J.  Smith.  Samuel  Henderson,  William  Millar,  and  the 
present  Pastor,  Rev.  R.  Woodruff.  The  membership  of  the 
church  has  been  small,  but  is  now  increasing,  while  the  Sun- 
day-school is  flourishing. 

Rev.  Robert  Woodruff,  born  in  Elizabeth,  N.  J.,  1809; 
circuit  preacher  in  Meth.  Prot.  Church  over  40  years;  located 
Brooklyn,  1879. 

The  Fourth  Methodist  Prot-rstant  Church  was  organized 
in  September,  1879,  with  14  members.  The  Rev.  F.  Kratz 
became  Pastor  in  October,  1879;  succeeded  in  March,  1880, 
by  the  present  Pastor,  Rev.  Thomas  Buller. 

The  first  place  of  worship  was  Greenwood  Hall,  on  Fifth 
are.,  near  Ninth  st.;  then  a  Btore  on  Fifth  ave.,  bet.  Tenth 


and  Eleventh  streets.  The  present  church  edifice  is  on  the 
corner  of  Fifth  ave.  and  Eighth  st. 

The  First  Free  Methodist  Church  of  Brooklyn  was  org. 
in  April,  1874,  mainly  through  the  exertions  of  Joseph  Mac- 
key,  who  purchased  the  house  of  worship  of  the  North  Dutch 
Reformed  Church  for  $18,000. 

In  October,  1878,  the  church  was  reorganized  under  the 
name,  Brooklyn  Free  Methodist  Church.  In  1881,  a  new 
church  building  was  erected  on  Sixteenth  st.,  bet.  Fourth 
and  Fifth  aves.  It  is  a  framed  structure,  with  a  seating  ca- 
pacity of  400,  and  its  cost,  including  site,  was  $5,000. 

Ministry,  since  1874 :  Revs.  James  Matthews,  Thos.  La 
Due,  William  Gould,  George  Ekin  and  Fred.  Wurster. 

Rev.  Fred.  Wurster  born  in  Freudenstadt,  Germany, 
1841;  grad.  Theol.  at  Phil.,  1879;  located  New  York  and 
Brooklyn,  1883-4. 


PARK  AVENUE  PRIMITIVE    METHODIST  CHURCH. 


Park  Avenue  Primitive  Methodist  Church,  cor.  N.  Elliott 
place.  The  congregation  formerly  worshiped  in  the  frame 
structure  on  Bridge  St.,  which  they  sold  in  1872,  and  built 
the  handsome  brick  church,  48  by  80  feet,  on  Park  ave., 
which  they  completed  in  1873,  at  a  cost  of  $40,000,  includ- 
ing site  and  adjoining  parsonage.  Ministry:  Revs.  Fred.  Bell, 
1872-'6 ;  Joseph  Odell,  1876-'80  ;  J.  Finch,  1880-'3  ;  E.  Hum- 
phries, 1883-4.  The  church  system  has  no  bishops  or  pre- 
siding elders,  but  is  governed  by  the  Annual  Conference  and 
Executive  Committees ;  it  maintains  an  itinerant  ministry, 
but  pastorates  are  not  strictly  limited  to  three  years.  The 
congregation  numbers  about  300,  and  the  Sunday  school  the 
same.    E.  L.  Frost,  Supt. 

The  Brooklyn  Primitive  Methodist  Church  has  existed 
since  1839.  In  church  government  it  is  entirely  democratic, 
and  all  matters  of  progress  and  discipline  are  settled  by  the 
will  of  the  people.  The  church  is  situated  in  Bridge  st.,  bet. 
Concord  and  Tillary  sts.  It  is  a  wood  frame  building,  the 
inside  plain  and  neat,  and  the  religious  devotions  are  ener- 
getic and  lively.  All  the  seats  in  the  church  are  free.  No 
further  information  concerning  this  church  could  be  ob- 
tained. 

Orchard  Primitive  Methodist  Church,  Oakland  st.,  near 
Nassau  ave.,  was  commenced  by  a  few  earnest  Christians, 


■ 


1044 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


who  rented  a  store-room,  cor.  of  Oakland  st.  and  Nassau  ave., 
and  org.  a  Sunday-school  July  4,  1874,  with  the  following 
Officers:  Supt.,  Thos.  Butler  :  Asst., W.  J.  Hoyt;  Treas., 
Jas.  H.  Whitehorne;  Sec,  Jas.  H.  Bennett.  Preaching  ser- 
vices were  instituted  the  same  month.  In  May,  1875,  a 
church  organization  was  effected,  and  the  following  ap- 
pointed Trustees:  Thomas  Butler,  Jas.  H.  Whitehorne,  C. 
Montross,  James  H.  Bennett,  W.  J.  Morrison,  Jacob  Weiss, 
Abraham  Gamble,  John  Davis,  Atkins  Storer. 

Ministry:  Rev.  Thos.  Butler,  1877-9;  J.  A.  McGraham, 
1879-'82;  W.  H.  Yarrow,  1882-'4. 

In  1877,  two  lots  were  leased  on  Nassau  ave.,  and  a  neat 
one-story  church,  35  by  00  feet,  was  erected  and  paid  for. 
In  l*s3.  two  lots  were  purchased  on  Oakland  st..  and  the 
church  building  moved  on  to  the  same,  raised  12  feet,  and  a 
commodious  lecture-room  built  under  it.  A  neat  parsonage 
house  was  also  erected. 

The  membership  at  the  last  conference  numbered  103,  and 
the  congregations  are  improving.  There  is  a  good  Sunday- 
school,  numbering  150,  in  excellent  working  order. 

Rev.  William  H.  Yarrow  born  in  London,  Eng.,  1830: 
located  London  till  Sept.,  1876;  Shepardvale,  Pa.,  1876-'8: 
Hazleton,  Pa.,  1878-82;  B'klyn,  1881-4;  author  of  Theology 
Made  Easy:  History  of  Primitive  Methodism;  Life  and  I Forts 
of  Charles  Spurgeon. 

Protestant  Methodist  Church,  originated  in  a  schism 
which  took  place  among  the  Primitive  Methodists  in  1839. 
The  secession  first  assumed  the  style  of  Wesleyan  Methodists, 
and  hired  the  building  that  had  been  erected  by  the  Primi- 
tive society,  and  sold  for  the  debt  with  which  it  was  encum- 
bered. The  preacher  of  the  original  society  went  with  the 
secession.  For  a  while  the  new  organization  appeared  to  pros- 
per, and  numbered  nearly  one  hundred  members.  They 
purchased  a  lot  of  ground  on  Kent  st.,  on  which  they  erected 
a  church  edifice,  which  they  occupied  from  1841  to  1845, 
when  it  was  sold  to  the  Roman  Catholics. 

It  is  understood  that  the  society  is  dissolved.  Fred.  W. 
Holland  was  Pastor,  1839-40;  George  Parsons,  1841-2;  Wm. 
Birch,  1844-'5. 

Metropolitan  Mission  (Independent  African  M.  E.  Church) 
was  organized  May  2*th,  1*7*.  with  60  members,  most  of 
whom  had  been  members  of  the  Fleet  Street  A.  M.  E.  Church. 
The  congregation  first  worshiped  in  the  Brooklyn  Lyceum, 
Washington  street.  In  September,  1879,  they  purchased  from 
St.  Matthew's  (Evangelical  Lutheran)  Church  their  house  of 
worship  on  Atlantic  avenue,  between  Third  and  Fourth  ave- 
nues, for  $8,000.  It  is  a  brick  structure  with  a  seating  ca- 
pacity "f  50<>.  The  church  prospered,  and  now  numbers 
300  members.  Rev.  J.  B.  Murray  has  been  Pastor  from  the 
time  of  its  organization. 


The  following  M.  E.  Clergymen  reside  in  the  city: 

Rev.  I.  Simmons,  born  1*31,  in  Duxbury,  Mass.;grad.  Wes. 

Univ.  1*60;  studied  Concord  Bib.  Inst. ;  stationed  Lynesbury. 

Conn  .  l*i>o  r,j;  New  Haven,  isfr.'  '<!»;  Bridgeport,  1*64 -'66: 

Birmingham,  1866  '69;  Norwalk,  l*69-'72;  Brooklyn,  1*72- 

XI:  is  Presiding  Klder  of  New  York  Kast  Conference. 

Rev.  Gk.<>.  A.  BALL,  horn  New  Castle,  N.  Y.,  1X37:  grad. 

Wesleyan  Univ  ,  1*67;  Pastor  7th  Ave.  If.  EL  Ch.,  l866-'67; 

State  Secy  V.  M.<\  A.,  1*76;  Special  Agt.  U.S.  Christ.  Coin., 

one  and  a  half  years. 

Hev.  Wilbkrt  C.  Bi. \Ki.MAN,  born  at  Bridgeport,  Conn.. 
1*17;  grad.  Wesleyan  Univ.,  1876;  located  at  Rockland,  Ct., 
1*77:  Whitestone,  I,.  I.,  l*7*-'79:  Brooklyn,  I860;  Parkville. 
L.  L,  1881-'82;  Brooklyn,  1888-'84. 

Rev.  Ai  onz.  »  V.  Kklleck,  born  in  New  York,  1*00;  has 
Ih-cii  80  yean  ill  Itinerant  mini-It  \  :  located  Bklyn,  1877. 


Rev.  James  Porter,  A.  M.  (Wes.  Univ.,  1847),  D.  D. 
(McKendrix  Coll.  1856),  was  born  in  Middleboro,  Mass.,  1806; 
was  trustee  Wesleyan  Univ.,  1855-71;  Overseer  Harvard; 
Trustee  Concord  Theol.  Sch. ;  author  of  Compendium  of 
Methodism,  1851;  Spirit  Rappings,  1853;  History  of  Method- 
ism, 1876;  and  many  other  pub.  works;  located  N.  E.  Con- 
ference, 1830-'60;  Local  Sec 'y.  Nat.  Temp.  Soc,  till  1881;  came 
to  Bklyn,  1864. 

Rev.  E.  Humphries  was  born  in  England,  1853;  studied 
theol.  with  Rev.  E.  Millward,  Eng. ;  is  Publisher  and  Gen.  Sec. 
of  Conference;  previous  locations,  Shamokin,  Pa.,  1*T4-'7H: 
Mahauoy,  1876-'78:  Tamaqua,  1878-'83;  came  to  B'klyn,  1888. 

Rev.  McClintic  R.  Barnitz.  ord.  as  Bapt.  Min.,  at  Sag 
Harbor,  1866;  Agt.  Amer.  Bible  Union,  1868-78;  settled  over 
l*th  St.  M.  E.  Ch.,  1883. 

Rev.  William  Burt,  born  in  England,  1852;  grad.  Wes. 
Univ.,  1879";  Madison  Theol.  Sem.,  1*81;  located  B'klyn,  April, 
1880. 

Presiding  Elders  of  the  M.  E.  Church  in  Brooklyn  and  the 
Long  Island  District:— 1785,  Thomas  Chew;  1786,  John  Tun- 
nel; 1787,  Thomas  Foster;  1788,  Henry  Willis;  1789,  Freeborn 
Garrettson:  1790,  Thomas  Morrell;  1791,  Robert  Cloud;  17W 
-'3,  Jacob  Brush;  1794,  Freeborn  Garrettson;  1795,  George 
Roberts;  1796.  Freeborn  Garrettson,  Sylvanus  Hutchinson: 
1797-'9,  Sylvester  Hutchinson;  1800-3,  Freeborn  Garret ; 
1804-'6,  William  Thatcher;  1807-'10,  Joseph  Crawford;  1811 
-'14,  Freeborn  Garrettson;  1815-18,  Samuel  Merwin;  1819, 
Nathan  Bangs;  1820-'3,  Peter  P.  Sandford;  1824-7,  Labati 
Clark;  1828-'31,  D.  Ostrander;  1832-5,  Samuel  Merwin;  1836 
-9,  D.  Ostrander;  1840-  3,  S.  Martindale;  1844-  7.  J.  J.  Mat- 
thias; 1848-'50,  Labau  Clark;  1851-4,  Seymour  Landon;  185.*) 
-'8,  Buell  Goodsell;  1859-'61,  Wm.  H.  Norris;  1862.  Wm.  H. 
Norris;  1863,  John  Kennaday.  »  L.  I.  South  Di'sf..— 1864, 
Daniel  Curry;  1865-'7,  B.  Pillsbury;  1868-'71,  E.  E.  GriswoU; 
1872,  T.  G.  Osborne;  1873-5,  Chas.  Fletcher;  1876,  A.  B. 
Graves.  L.  I.  North  Dist. .— 1864-'5,  H.  F.  Pease:  1866,  N. 
Mead;  1867-'8,  H.  Bangs;  1869-70,  J.  B.  Merwin;  1871,  H.  F. 
Pease;  1872-'5,  C.  B.  Sing;  1876,  J.  L.  Peck.  N.  Y.  Dist.:- 
1877-8,  J.  L.  Peck;  1879-'80,  J.  W.  Beach;  1881-'2,  Thos.  H. 
Burch;  1883-'4,  Benj.  M.  Adams.  Brooklyn  Dist.:—\*"  '.>. 
A.  S.  Graves;  1880-'l,  G.  F.  Kettell;  1882,  W.  T.  Hill;  1881  '4 
Ichabod  Simmons.  In  1800,  the  M.  E.  population  of  the 
U.  S.  was  64,894,  with  287  preachers.  Brooklyn  statistics 
for  1883:— Churches,  39;  Church"  menders,  12,885;  Sunday- 
schools,  91;  Sunday-school  scholars,  19,832:  Yalueof  Chun  fees, 
$1,367,700. 

List  of  M.  E.  Preachers  in  L.  I.  Circuit,  from  1784  [till 

1845:— 1784,  Philip  Cox;  1785,  Ezekiel  Cooper;  1786.  Thomas 
Ware;  1787,  Peter  Moriarty;  1788,  Robert  Cloud;  17*9,  Wm. 
Phudnis,  John  Lee;  1790,  David  Kendall;  1791,  Wm.  l'lm-bu-. 
Benj  Abbott;  1792,  John  Ragan,  James  Boyd;  1793,  Joseph 
Totten,  Geo.  Strebeck;  1794,  E.  Cooper,  L.  MeCombs;  lT'.'V 
Joseph  Totten;  1796,  John  Clark,  Jacob  Rickhow.  David 
Buck,  Wm.  Phoebus;  1797,  Andrew  Nichols,  .Joseph  Totten 
Wm.  Pluvbus;  1798,  Andrew  Nichols;  1799,  Cyrus  StehMat, 
Jas.  Campbell.  John  Wilson:    1800,  David  Buck:  1*01  % 

♦The  churches  were  all  In  the  Lonjr  Island  District  until  1864,  when 
they  were  dhided  Into  the  Lo?i(/  hiatal  South  ami  Lonfl  Wand  V»  ' 
I  >i-trlcts,  the  former  containing  the  Sands  st.,  York  st..  Washington 
>t  .Johnson  st..  Pacific  st.,  First  place.  Carroll  Park.  Warren  st ,  Wll 
Ham  St.,  Isth  st.,  7th  ave.,  Hanson  place,  Fleet  st  .  New  York  ave  . 
Kmhury,  Nostrand  ave.,  (ireene  ave.,  Janes  Swedish  Miss.,  Norwegian 
Miss.  The  latter  contained  Summerlleld,  Simpson,  l'nrk  ave.,  Mlw  • 
l)e  Kalb  ave.,  Tompkins  ave.,  Hroadway,  St.  John  s,  Central,  South 
2nd.  South  :ird,  Gothic,  Cook  st.,  North  ftth,  Leonard  st..  St  Mark  - 
MIm.,  (iroenpoltit.  First,  Taliernaclo  and  Orchard  Miss.  In  1«T7.  tlio 
former  were  made  part  of  the  New  York  District,  the  latter  tbl 
Brooklyn  District. 


EC CZESIA STICAL  OR  GANIZA  TIONS. 


1045 


David  Buck,  Peter  Jayne;  1801,  Billy  Hibbard;  1802,  John 
Finnegan;  1803,  Ezekiel  Canfield;  1804,  Cyrus  Stebbins; 
1805-6,  Ezekiel  Cooper;  1806,  Samuel  Thomas;  1807,  Elijali 
Woolsey,  John  Wilson;  1808,  Daniel  Ostrander;  1809,  Reu- 
ben Hubbard;  1810-11,  William  Thacher;  1812-13,  Lewis 
Pease;  1814,  Samuel  Merwin;  1815,  Nathan  Emory;  1816-17, 
Joseph  Crawford;  1818,  William  Ross;  1819-20,  Alexander 
McCaine;  1821-22,  Lewis  Pease;  1823-"4,  William  Ross;  1825 
-6,  Thomas  Burch;  1826-7,  S.  L.  Stillman;  1827-'28,  Samuel 
Luckey;  1828,  S.  Landon;  1829-'30,  Noah  Levings,  James 
Covel;"  1831-2,  John  C.  Green,  Charles  W.  Carpenter;  1832, 
J.  Tackaberry;  1833-4,  Thomas  Burch,  J.  Kennaday,  J. 
Luckey;  1835-'6,  B.  Creagh,  1st  ch.  ;  R.  Gilbert,  2dch.  ;  1835, 
S.  Remington,  3d  ch.;  1836,  J.  B.  Stratten,  3d  ch.;  1837-8, 
Wm.  H.  Morris,  1st  ch.  ;  J.  L.  Gilder,  2d  ch.  ;  Robert  Seney, 
3d  ch.;  1839,  Fitch  Reed,  1st  ch.;  1839-40,  E.  E.  Griswold, 
2d  ch.  ;  1839,  Benjamin  Griffen,  3d  ch.  ;  1840,  Peter 
C.  Oakley,  1st  ch. ;  James  Floy,  3d  ch. ;  Benjamin  Griffen, 
Centenary  ch. ;  J.  Le  Fevre,  C.  Foss,  Williamsburgh  and 
Newtown;  1841,  Peter  C.  Oakley,  1st  ch. ;  Seymour  Landon, 
2d  ch. ;  James  Floy,  3d  ch. ;  Jarvis  Z.  Nichols,  Centenary 
ch.;  J.  W.  Le  Fevre,  Charles  B.  Sing,  Williamsburgh;  1842,  L. 
M.  Vincent,  1st  ch.  ;  S.  Landon,  2d  ch.  ;  James  Sewell,  3d 


ch. ;  J.  Youngs,  Centenary  ch. ;  H.  F.  Roberts,  Williams- 
burgh; M.  Richardson,  Bushwick  and  Wallabout;  1843,  L. 
M.  Vincent,  1st  ch. ;  J.  Poisal,  2d  ch.;  J.  Sewell,  3d  ch.;  J. 
Youngs,  Centenary  ch. ;  H.  F.  Roberts,  Williamsburgh  ch. ; 
O.  States,  Wallabout  ch.;  1844-5,  H.  F.  Pease,  Sands  street 
ch.  ;  B.  Goodsell,  York  street  ch. ;  C.  W.  Carpenter,  Wash- 
ington street  ch. ;  J.  M.  Pease,  Centenary  ch. ;  O.  Starr, 
Ebcnezerch.;  Paul  R.  Brown,  Williamsburgh;  A.  F.  Beach, 
Bushwick. 

The  names  of  ministers  in  years  following  1845  will  l>e 
found  in  the  sketches  of  the  respective  churches. 

M.  E.  Churches  in  the  New  York  District  of  the  N.  Y. 
East  Conference,  1884: — Summerfield,  Francis,  Cook  street, 
Cedar  street,  St.  John's,  Central,  So.  2d  street,  So.  3d  street 
"Gothic,"  No.  5th  street,  Leonard  street,  St.  Luke's,  First 
(Greenpoint)  Tabernacle. 

M.  E.  Churches  in  the  Brooklyn  District  of  N.  Y.  East 
Conference,  1883: — Sands  street,  York  street,  Washington 
street,  Pacific  street,  Johnson  street,  First  place,  St.  Paul's 
Mission,  Carroll  park,  Warren  street,  18th  street,  44th  street, 
Grace,  Hanson  place,  Fleet  street,  DeKalb  avenue,  Simpson, 
New  York  avenue,  Embury,  Nostrand  avenue,  Greene 
avenue,  Janes,  Swedish  Mission,  Norwegian  Mission. 


ROMAN   CATHOLIC  CHURCHES. 


The  history  of  the  Roman  Catholics  of  Brooklyn,  as  a 
body,  begins  in  the  second  decade  of  the  present  century. 
Before  that,  the  Catholics  of  Brooklyn  were  compelled,  for 
religious  worship,  to  cross  the  East  river,  to  attend  St. 
Peter's  Church,  in  Barclay  st.,  New  York,  the  first,  and  long 
the  only  Catholic  church  in  that  city.  The  present  Cardinal 
of  New  York,  the  Most  Rev.  John  McCloskey,  is  a  native  of 
Brooklyn,  and  remembers  the  time  when  he,  as  a  boy,  thus 
crossed  to  the  neighboring  city.  The  Rev.  John  Power, 
Pastor  of  that  church  previous  to  1822,  caused  mass  to  be 
celebrated  occasionally  here,  in  such  rooms  as  could  be  ob- 
tained. It  is  said  that  mass  was  first  celebrated  in  Brooklyn, 
at  the  residence  of  Mi-.  William  Purcell,  on  the  north-east 
corner  of  York  and  Gold  sts.,  by  Rev.  Philip  Larissey. 

Among  the  clergy  who  ministered  to  the  Catholics  of 
Brooklyn  in  these  early  days,  were  :  Revs.  Mich.  O'Gorman, 
Patrick  Bulger,  McCauley,  and  McKenna,  the  latter  of  whom 
died  and  was  buried  in  Brooklyn. 

When,  on  Jan.  7,  1822,  a  meeting  was  held  to  consider  the 
erection  of  a  church,  it  was  found  by  a  careful  census  of 
the  Catholics  in  the  village,  that  only  70  were  able  to  help, 
either  in  money  or  labor.  Mr.  Cornelius  Heeney  offered  lots 
on  the  corner  of  Court  and  Congress  sts.,  as  a  site;  which, 
however,  were  declined  as  being  too  far  out  of  the  village. 

St.  James'  Church. — March  2,  1822,  eight  lots  were  pur- 
chased on  the  corner  of  Jay  and  Chapel  sts.,  §400  being  paid 
in  cash,  and  $300  more  secured  by  a  mortgage.  The  ground 
was  blessed  by  Rev.  Mr.  Bulger,  April  25th.  Just  two 
months  later,  a  building  committee  was  appointed;  and,  not- 
withstanding the  difficulties  attending  the  work,  the  edifice 
was  so  far  completed  that  it  was  dedicated  under  the  name 
of  St.  James,  August  28,  1823.  The  building  cost,  including 
fences,  $7,118.16.  A  school  was  at  once  established,  but  for 
some  time  all  efforts  to  secure  a  resident  Pastor  failed. 

The  Clergy  of  the  church  from  its  organization  have  been  : 
1825-32,  Revs.  John  Farnan,  Pastor  ;  1832-42,  John  Walsh, 
Pastor:   1836-'7,  P.  Dougherty  ;   1839,  Philip  Gillick  ;  1840, 


Patrick  Danaher  ;  1841,  J.  McDonough  ;  1842-47,  Charles 
Smith,  Pastor;  1845-6,  Jerome  Nobriga ;  1847-8,  Patrick 
McKenna;  1848-'52,  Jas  McDonough,  Pastor  ;  1849,  Eugene 
McGuire;  1849-52,  John  Quinn. 

At  this  time,  the  Roman  Catholic  churches  on  Long  Island 
had  so  increased  from  the  small  beginning  at  St.  James',  that 
the  Holy  See  formed  the  island  into  a  Diocese,  and  the  Very 
Rev.  John  Loughlin,  then  Vicar-General  of  New  York,  was 
appointed  Bishop  of  Brooklyn.  He  was  consecrated  October 
3,  1853,  and  made  St.  James'  Church  his  cathedral. 

Clergy:  1852-'7,  Revs.  Eugene  Cassidy,  Rector ;  1852-4, 
Samuel  A.  Mulledy ;  1856-7,  Thomas  W.  McCleery,  D. 
Whelan  ;  1857-9,  Thomas  Walsh  ;  1857-'60,  John  F.  Turner  ; 
1857-8,  Bartholomew  Gleason  ;  1859-60,  Robert  McGuire  ; 
1859-60,  Robert  V.  Moyce  ;  1864,  Joseph  Giraud ;  1864-'6, 
Francis  J.  Freel,  D.  D. ;  1865-8,  Thomas  J.  Gardner,  D.  D. ; 
1867-8,  Eugene  McSherry  ;  1870,  Michael  Hickey  ;  1872-3, 
John  Kelly;  1872,  P.  Sheridan  ;  1873-'78,  P.  F.  OHara;  1877- 
'78,  M.  J.  Murray  ;  1877,  Richard  Foley  ;  1878,  Ed.  McCabe, 
John  GDonohue;  1879-83,  James  T.  Woods;  1879,  M.  McCabe; 
1879,  Wm.  Dougherty  ;  1879,  John  Joseph  Mallon  ;  1880-"3, 
Jas.  F.  Mealia,  Jas.  H.  Mitchell.  The  parish  has,  from  an 
early  date,  maintained  a  school  for  boys. 

Bishop  Loughlin  has  secured  a  fine  site  for  a  cathedral  on 
Lafayette  ave. ,  between  Carlton  and  Vanderbilt  aves. ,  and  is 
now  erecting  a  splendid  church,  which  will  be  the  finest 
ecclesiastical  structure  on  Long  Island.* 


*The  corner-stone  was  laid  with  much  pomp  and  ceremony,  by  the 
Rt.  Rev.  Bishop  Loughlin,  on  the  21st  of  June,  IStiS  ;  and  an  address 
was  delivered  by  the  Most  Kev.  Archbishop  McCloskey,  of  New  York, 
in  the  course  of  which  the  speaker  thus  alluded  to  his  own  earlier 
recollections  of  Brooklyn:  "And  well  may  you  rejoice  on  the  day  and 
on  the  occasion  which  is  to  be  ever  memorable  to  the  Catholics  of  this 
city  and  of  this  diocese,  a  day  which  recalls  so  many  memories,  such, 
in  part  at  least,  as  were  awakened  in  the  hearts  of  old  :  for  many  there 
are  who  had  hardly  hoped  to  see  this  day.  Of  that  number  I  can  men- 
tion one,  and  it  is  he  who  now  addresses  you.  His  first  and  earliest 
memories  aro  here,   lie  first  saw  the  light  >f  heaven  and  breathed  the, 


1046 


niSTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


St.  Paul  s  Church,  Court,  cor.  Congress  st.  The  plot  of 
ground  originally  offered  by  Cornelius  Heeney,  Esq.,  to  St. 
James',  became,  in  time,  the  site  of  the  second  Roman 
Catholic  church  in  the  city  of  Brooklyn.  In  183(1,  the  church 
of  St.  Paul  was  erected  here.  It  was  a  substantial  brick 
building.  72  bj  138  feet,  and  cost  about  (30,000 ;  the  land 
lieing  then  valued  at  $8,000  more. 

The  Pastors  and  Clergy  of  this  church  have  been  :  Revs. 
Bit  hard  Waters,  1838-'40  ;  Nicholas  O'Donnell,  O.  S.A., 
is  10-7  ;  Jame3  O'Donnell,  O.  S.  A.,  1840-4  ;  William  Hogan, 
1845-'8;  Joseph  A.  Schneller,  1848-'60;  Hippolyte  De  Luynes, 
S.  J.,  1849-  50  ;  Joseph  Regan,  1851-3  ;  Timothy  Farrell,  1852 

3  ;  John  Curoe.  1852  ;  John  McShane,  1854-7  ;  M.  O'Reilly, 

ia54-"5  ;  B.  Allaire,  1857-8;  Peter  C.  Fagan,  1858-'60  ;   

McGerrish,  1862-3;  Robert  J.  McGuire,  1863-'80 ;  V.  Dallis, 
1863-'5  ;  P.  Reddy,  P.  McGuire,  John  R.  McDonald,  1863-'4  ; 
Ed.  O'Reilly,  1870-'3  ;  Wm.  Lane,  1870-3  ;  Jno.  McCart  v, 
1873  :  Henry  J.  Zimmer,  1873  ;  Wm.  Connolly,  1874 ;  Peter 
Maguire,  1875 ;  John  Hogan,  1877-8  ;  John  Loughran,  D.  D., 
1877;  Philip  J.  Kinney,  1877-9  ;  J.  J.  Marvin,  1878-'80;  Wm. 
Giles,  1879-'81 ;  Wm.  J.  Lane,  1880-83  ;  M.  S.  Boylan,  1881- 
'82;  Wm.  J.  Hill,  1882-4;  Peter  H.  Plunkett,  1882;  Edwd. 
M.  Gannon,  1883-'4. 

A  school  was  early  established  in  connection  with  this 
church,  and  it  was  regularly  maintained.  The  boys  and  girls 
are  under  the  Sisters  of  Charity. 

Church  of  the  Assumption  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary, 
York  and  Jay  sts.  Corner-stone  laid  October  27,  1831,  by 
Rev.  Father  Farnham,  as  an  independent  Catholic  Church, 
who  afterwards  abandoned  his  undertaking.  It  remained 
unfinished  for  many  years,  when  it  was  finally  purchased  by 
Bishop  Hughes,  in  1840,  who  placed  it  in  charge  of  Rev.  D. 
W.  Bacon.  He  completed  it,  and,  on  June  10,  1842,  it  was 
dedicated  under  the  above  title.  Father  Bacon  remained  its 
Pastor  until  1855,  when  he  was  consecrated  First  Bishop  of 
Portland.  During  his  pastorate,  he  was  assisted  by  the  fol- 
io wing  clergy  men:  Revs.  P.  McKenna,  I844-'5;  Hugh  Maguire, 
1845-'6;  J.  Viera,  1851-'2;  B.  Farrell,  1852-3,  when  the  present 
Pastor,  Rev.  William  Keegan,  became  assistant,  and  suc- 
ceeded Father  (now  Bishop)  Bacon.  His  assistants  have 
been :  Revs.  P.  Bradley,  P.  Kelly,  Benjamin  Allaire,  P.  V. 
Moyce,  Gaudentius  Ballcstrini,  Thos.  Farrell,  T.  Reid,  1865; 
Owen  O'Brien,  1869-'75,  when  the  present  assistant,  Rev.  C. 
J.  Gallagher,  was  appointed.  The  Very  Rev.  W.  Keegan 
was  appointed  Vicar-General  of  the  Diocese,  in  1880;  but  still 
retaias  his  position  as  Pastor,  and  still  resides  at  the  parochial 
residence,  cor.  of  Jay  and  York  sts.    He  lias  built  a  mag- 


breath  of  life  In  what  was  then  hut  the  little  village  of  Brooklyn.  He 
well  remembers  the  day  when  there  was  neither  Catholic  church  nor 
chapel,  neither  priest  nor  nltar,  within  all  these  surroundings.  He 
i  jmembcrs  when,  as  a  youth,  when  Sunday  morning  came,  he,  as  one 
of  a  happy  group,  wended  his  way  along  the  shore  to  what  was  then 
cal.cd  HUtks'  ferry,  to  cross  the  river,  not  In  elegant  and  graceful 
steamers  as  now,  but  In  an  old  anil  dingy  horse-boat ;  going,  led  by  the 
hand  of  tender  and  lovk  g  parents,  to  assist  at  the  sacrifice  of  mass  In 
the  old  brick  church  of  St.  Peter's,  In  Barclay  st.  How  little  could  he 
then  have  dreamed  ever  to  have  witnessed  a  spectacle  such  as  this;  to 
have  stood  hero  In  the  capacity  In  which  lie  now  stands,  in  such  a 
presence;  to  soo  the  foundations  laid  and  the  corner-stone  blessed  and 
i-(l:ise.  -rated  by  .1  bishop  of  Brooklyn,  surrounded  by  prelates  from 
other  sees  ami  dioceses,  by  a  numerous  clergy  from  far  and  near,  and 
by  such  a  mi -I  and  Innumerable  concourse  of  people,  brought  together 
to  take  part,  as  It  were.  In  the  beginning  of  such  a  glorious  work;  a 
work  which  Is  to  rear  Itself  1 1 1  >  !n  grand  and  goodly  proportions  before 
the  eyes  of  men,  and  stands  a  monument  of  your  Catholic  faith,  your 
Catholic  generosity,  and  your  Catholic  zeal  ;  stands  as  a  monument, 
tno,  of  Catholic  genius.  Catholic  architectural  taste  and  skill,  and  to 
be  hi  I'll-  .  I  'inked  upon,  as  It  w  III  be,  a>  adding  a  newer  beauty,  and 
another  glory,  .ind  another  honor,  and  another  source  of  pride  to 
what  is  already  the  renowned  city  of  churches." 


niticent  school,  a  hall  for  the  young  men  of  the  parish;  and, 
at  present,  there  is  nothing  wanting  to  complete  all  the  de- 
sideratum of  a  well  furnished  parish.  The  venerable  thurcli 
has  been  recently  provided  with  a  new  roof,  and  the  interior 
decorated  in  a  most  artistic  and  devotional  style. 

The  Very  Rev.  William  Keegan,  Vicar-General 
of  the  R.  C.  I)iocese  of  Brooklyn. — The  story  of  a  life 
devoted  to  duty  in  the  heart  of  a  great  city,  can  be 
neither  romantic  nor  exciting,  unless  under  very  excep- 
tional circumstances.  Novelists  may  indeed  thrill 
their  readers  with  the  imaginary  exploits  of  imaginary 
characters,  discovered  active  in  the  routine  of  ordinary 
experience;  but  when  for  the  eye  of  fertile  fancy  we 
substitute  the  observation  of  plain  common  sense,  it  is 
found  that,  even  as  navigable  rivers  have  few  falls, 
perilous  straits  or  whirlpools  to  be  described,  the  careers 
of  men  who  carry  forward  the  abiding  work  of  society, 
are  rarely  marked  by  amazing  incidents.  Moral  and 
material  forces  have  at  least  this  in  common — that  they 
operate,  as  a  rule,  steadily,  rather  than  by  unexpec  ted 
manifestations.  Perseverance,  rather  than  audacity, 
progress  effected  step  by  step,  and  without  any  of  the 
noise  of  battle,  rather  than  a  series  of  leaps  and  bounds, 
mark  the  records  of  the  men  who,  upon  the  whole, 
have  in  settled  states  of  society  been  helpful  to  their 
day  and  generation.  By  this,  of  course,  no  reflection 
is  cast,  so  to  speak,  upon  the  valuation  of  the  thunder 
storm.  It  is  both  sublime  and  serviceable.  But  the 
chief  debt  of  the  farmer,  none  the  less,  is  to  the  rain  that 
falls  in  due  season,  and  the  winds  that  are  never  rude. 

The  very  reverend  gentleman,  whose  work  and 
character  are  in  this  sketch  outlined,  rather  than 
described,  falls  within  the  unromantic  category 
just  alluded  to  ;  the  category  of  those  who  by  pa- 
tience, peace,  good  will,  charity  and  an  unwaver- 
ing faith  in  justice,  make  the  world  better  by  liv 
ing  in  it.  This,  however,  we  need  hardly  say,  does 
not  involve  a  trivial  or  negative  outcome.  On  the  con- 
trary, if  the  result  be  duly  weighed,  we  shall  see  that 
the  need  of  an  unostentatious  labor  is  an  imposing  fab- 
ric, made  all  the  more  enduring  by  the  quiet  sincerity 
of  the  builder.  Emerson,  referring  to  the  Abbeys  of 
England,  says  :  "they  grew  as  grows  the  grass,''  and 
so,  too,  has  the  growth  of  the  structure,  in  which  Vicar* 
(ieneral  Keegan  has  been  concerned,  gone  on. 

In  1853,  when  he  was  ordained,  there  were  in  the 
diocese  of  Long  Island  but  14  Roman  Catholic 
Churches,  ami  14  priests.  ( )ne  parish  school  alone  rep- 
resented the  system  of  parish  education,  destined  to 
reach  the  proportions  already  attained.  There  was  HO 
Catholic  asylum,  nor  any  Catholic  hospital.  To-day 
there  are  00  churches,  3  7  chapels  and  stations,  whew 
mass  is  celebrated  ;  100  priests;  75  parish  schools;  20 
academies  and  select  schools;  '1  colleges  and  1  seminary, 
10  asylums  and  t  hospitals 

When  his  work  began  in  Brooklyn,  the  Catholio 
population  of  the  diocese  numbered   not  more  than 


ECCLESIASTICAL 


26,000.  The  number  is  now  over  22G,000.  This,  as- 
suredly, is  an  impressive  tale  told  in  few  words. 
Had  this  been  wrought  by  the  sword,  historians  would 
have  been  swift  to  give  the  narrative  to  the  world;  and 
the  world  would  have  treated  the  record  with  the  skep- 
ticism reserved  for  whatever  transcends  ordinary  ex- 
perience. But,  due  as  it  is  to  the  unremitting  efforts 
of  men  and  women,  well  content  to  have  their  deeds 
unheralded  and  unsung,  no  other  weapons  than  those 
befitting  gentle  minds,  it  is  accepted  as  if  it  were  an 
outcome  of  nature,  as  familiar  as  the  rising  of  the  sun, 
or  the  rounding  out  of  the  moon.  If  the  statistics 
before  us  speak  to  any  purjwse  with  clearness,  it  is  to  the 
effect  that  in  no  other  field  has  the  Catholic  Church  in 
modern  times  gathered  honor,  power  and  confidence 
more  rapidly,  and  by  methods  more  amiable,  than  in 
the  diocese  of  Brooklyn. 

What  Father  Keegan's  part  has  been  in  this  cannot 
be  told.  Nor  to  him,  or  to  anyone  alone,  is  the  credit 
due;  though  indeed,  if  comparisons  were  in  order, 
special  commendation  could  be  given  to  those  who, 
more  than  their  fellows,  have  been  distinguished  for 
their  zeal,  skill  and  unwearving  toil. 

The  record  answers  our  purpose  in  illustrating  the 
magnitude  of  the  task  in  which  the  subject  of  our 
sketch  has  been,  with  others,  engaged  heart  and  hand, 
and  as  to  which  he  can  properly  say:  "All  of  which  I 
saw,  and  part  of  which  I  was."  It  also  indicates  the 
variety,  complexity  and  importance  of  the  interests, 
which  must  be  mastered  and  managed  by  the  mind, 
which  demand  the  attention  of  the  Vicar-General  of 
Long  Island  diocese. 

If  the  Very  Reverend  Wm.  Keegan  was  the  most 
commonplace  of  men  (instead  of  being,  as  he  is, 
distinguished  for  breadth  of  mind,  large  sympathies, 
and  that  art  of  arts,  the  art  of  ruling  without  seeming 
to  command),  there  would  be  reason  enough  for  writing 
about  him,  in  the  fact  that  over  a  quarter  of  a  million 
Catholics  look  to  him  as  the  right  hand  of  their  vener- 
able and  justly  celebrated  Bishop. 

So  far  as  dates  go,  here  is  the  biography  of  the  Vicar- 
General  : 

In  the  year  1824,  he  was  born  in  Kings  County, 
Ireland;  a  county  by  name,  at  least,  significant  of  the 
field  in  which  he  was  destined  to  make  a  name  in  the 
world.  While  yet  a  child  his  parents  emigrated  to 
the  United  States,  and  fixed  their  abode  in  the  city  of 
Brooklyn,  in  the  year  1842,  where  the  boy  William 
soon  began  the  work  of  fitting  himself  for  his  chosen 
calling.  The  family  came  here  to  remain,  and  it 
still  is  represented  in  the  citizenship  of  Brooklyn,  as 
well  as  in  the  priesthood.  After  a  course  of  prepara- 
tory education,  William  entered  the  Jesuit  College, 
then  but  recently  established  at  Fordham,  New  York, 
and  was  duly  graduated  from  it  in  1849,  having  made 
a  record  for  scholarship,  and  the  other  qualities  which 
secured  for  him,  at  the  hands  of  the  college  authori- 


OR  GA  NIZA  Tl  ONS.  1 04 1 


ties,  a  teaehership  in  the  institution.  As  a  teacher 
he  remained,  until  1853;  pursuing  meantime,  with  ardor 
and  profit,  the  theological  studies  in  which  he  still  de- 
lights, and  upon  which  he  has  been  recognized  as  an 
authority  in  the  provincial  councils  of  the  church.  In 
the  year  1853,  he  was  ordained  by  Cardinal  Bedini, 
then  Papal  Nuncio  to  the  United  States;  and,  almost 
immediately  thereafter,  was  appointed  to  the  assistant 
pastorate  of  the  Church  of  the  Assumption,  at  York 
and  Jay  streets,  Brooklyn. 

When  Father  Bacon,  Pastor-in-Chief  of  the  Assump- 
tion Church,  was  consecrated  Bishop  of  Portland, 
Maine,  in  1855,  Father  Keegan  was  promoted,  and  has 
continued  from  then  until  the  present  time  in  charge  of 
the  parish.     In  1880,  he  was  appointed  Vicar-General. 

Although  the  life  of  Father  Keegan  lias  been  spent 
in  the  discharge  of  his  priestly  duties,  and  for  the  wel- 
fare of  his  people,  yet  snatching  a  moment  now  and 
then  from  this  never-ending  work,  he  has  composed  a 
few  lectures  and  addresses,  which  are  rare  gems  of  wit 
and  eloquence,  and  can  be  read  at  all  times  with  plea- 
sure by  the  lovers  of  true  and  genuine  English  litera- 
ture. > 

On  the  16th  of  October,  1878,  occurred  the  twenty- 
fifth  anniversary  of  his  ministry,  and  likewise,  almost,  of 
his  pastorship.  The  event  was  made  the  occasion  of  a 
Jubilee;  and,  whether  at  the  mass  of  the  morning, 
where  were  assembled  the  bishops  and  priests  of  the 
diocese,  or,  in  the  more  popular  demonstration  of  the 
evening,  where  were  gathered  all  the  civic  dignitaries 
of  Brooklyn,  the  men  of  letters  and  of  social  standing, 
the  address  of  the  congregation  but  expressed  the  gen- 
eral verdict — "  Surely  no  words  can  frame  a  more 
glowing  eulogy,  a  nobler  panegyric,  than  this  assem- 
blage." Hon.  James  Howell,  then  Mayor,  abandoned  a 
birthday  celebration  in  his  own  home  that  he  might 
unite  with  his  fellow-citizens  in  this  personal  tribute  to 
Father  Keegan.  Hon.  Thomas  Kinsella,  editor  of  the 
Brooklyn  Eagle;  Mr.  Andrew  McLean,  the  present 
editor  of  the  Eagle;  Mr.  George  M.  Nichols,  Alder- 
man at  Large;  Mr.  Dewey,  editor  of  the  Union;  Mr. 
Barclay  Gallagher,  agent  of  the  Western  Associated 
Press;  Corporation  Counsel  De  Witt,  Police  Com- 
missioner John  Pyburn;  Controller  Burrell;  Alder- 
man Murtha  and  Assemblyman  Clancy  ;  Doctors 
Bodkin,  Young  and  Griffin;  Colonel  David  T.  Lynch, 
Mr.  P.  J.  Regan,  President  of  the  St.  Patrick  Society, 
and  its  other  officers,  were  all  present;  and  many  other 
notables  ;  while  a  great  number  of  the  reverend  clergy 
occupied  chairs  within  the  sanctuary.  The  Brooklyn 
Eagle,  in  an  editorial  upon  this  jubilee,  used  the  fol- 
lowing language: 

"  It  is  difficult  to  estimate  the  influence  which  such 
a  man  must  exert,  placed  as  Father  Keegan  has  been, 
in  twenty-five  years.  The  men  and  women  who  have 
been  brought  directly  under  his  influence  are  numbered 
by  tens  of  thousands.  To-day,  there  are  gentlemen 
distinguished  in  all  the  walks  of  life,  who  received  from 


1048 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUXTY. 


hiru  their  earliest  lessons  in  manly  duty,  coupled  with 
their  first  introduction  to  English  education.  In  hun- 
dreds of  households  the  matrons  were  girls  subject 
to  Ins  guidance  years  ago.  It  needs  a  very  mean  soul 
to  take  other  than  delight  in  the  proof  that  opportuni- 
ties so  vast  have  been  used  as  becomes  a  priest,  a  citi- 
zen, a  friend  and  a  neighbor." 

The  programme  opened  with  a  procession'  march, 
dedicated  to  Father  Keegan,  the  music  being  furnished 
by  Professor  William  H.  Nolan's  orchestra.  This  was 
followed  by  "  Gloria  "  (Twelfth  Mass),  by  Mozart,  Mr. 
Thomas  Ward  officiating  at  the  organ,  and  a  full  choir 
assisting.  The  Rev.  Father  Malone  then  followed  in  an 
address,  in  which  he  especially  dwelt  upon  Father  Kee- 
gan's  remarkable  ability  in  the  guiding  and  education 
of  young  men.  Rev.  Henry  ('.  Gallagher,  who  was 
trained  to  the  priesthood  by  Rev.  Father  Keegan,  was 
the  next  speaker;  expressing  the  obligations  of  the 
vounger  clergy  to  Father  Keegan  for  the  spiritual 
training  which  they  had  received  at  his  hands.  The 
Heavens  are  Telling"  was  then  excellently  rendered 
by  the  choir,  after  which  an  address  from  the  congre- 
gation to  their  pastor  was  read  by  Rev.  Charles  J. 
Gallagher,  as  follows: 
"  Reverend  and  Dear  Father  Keegan : 

"  On  this  the  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  your  elevation  to 
the  priesthood,  and,  it  may  he  said,  the  twenty-fifth  year  of 
your  pastorate,  the  congregation  of  the  Church  of  the  As- 
sumption united  this  morning  with  the  venerable  Bishop  and 
the  reverend  clergy  at  a  mass  of  jubilee  and  thanksgiving. 
To-night  we  again  meet  to  offer  our  congratulations  on  this 
happy  day.  and  to  give  you  thanks  for  the  many  favors 
which  we  have  received  at  your  hands. 

"  This  morning  we  returned  thanks  to  Heaven  for  the  zeal- 
ous pastor;  to-night  we  thank  the  prudent  counsellor,  the 
faithful  friend,  the  kind,  indulgent  father. 

"  You  are,  in  yourself,  in  your  life  and  labors,  an  epitome  of 
Catholicity  in  Brooklyn — its  foundation,  its  progress,  its  full 
and  grand  development.  As  a  boy,  you  assisted  at  the  first 
mass  celebrated  in  this  church:  as  a  priest,  here,  on  this  al- 
tar, was  offered  your  first  mass;  and  here,  first,  your  pastor- 
ate commenced,  which  long  may  Heaven  to  us  continue. 

"Standing  thus  as  it  were  by  the  cradle  of  Catholicity,  you 
guided  its  steps  in  infancy,  watched  over  its  youth,  guarded 
and  directed  it  in  its  progress;  and  whatever  there  is  now  in 
its  maturer  years  which  finds  favor  in  the  sight  of  Heaven  or 
commands  the  admiration  of  men,  is  largely  due  to  your  ear- 
nest, zealous  and  untiring  ministration. 

"  Words — fervent  and  heartfelt  though  they  be — can  do  but 
faint  justice  to  such  a  life.  The  children  in  your  schools,  the 
young  men  in  your  halls,  the  thousands  that  crowd  this  sacred 
edifice  on  eacli  recurring  Sabbath,  apeak  more  eloquently 
than  any  words  of  your  entire  devotion  to  tbe  duties  of  your 
;ii  red  calling  and  of  the  many  claims  you  have  to  our  love 
and  reverence. 

"To  you  l>elongs  the  credit  of  erecting  the  first  building  dc- 
voted  to  the  education  of  the  ( 'atholic  children  of  this  city. 
There,  education  and  religion,  hoth  in  their  highest  develop- 
ment, are  found  to  he  not  antagonistic,  hul  mutually  self- 
Hiistainmg  and  elevating. 

"  Assumption  Hall  is  another  monument  to  your  priestly 
zeal  and  prudent  forethought.  There  the  youth  who  has  left 
school  and  entered  upon  the  hat  tie  of  life,  is  not  only  aff<  irded 
every  facility  for  Helf-impro\  ement ;  hut  has  likewise  oppor- 


tunities to  form  acquaintances  agreeable  and  beneficial.  If 
to  the  average  youth,  the  path  of  duty  may  seem  rugged  and 
uninviting,  what  greater  inducement  to  perseverance  unto 
the  end  than  the  assurance  of  good  company  and  cheerful 
converse  on  the  way. 

"  But,  while  ever  zealous  among  your  own,  while  ever  anx- 
ious to  promote  their  real  spiritual  and  temporal  welfare, 
your  lahors  have  not  been  circumscrihed  by  any  mere  paro- 
chial boundary  line.  Any  appeals  made  to  you  were  ever 
promptly  answered  by  the  generous  hand  responsive  to  the 
warm  heart.  One  instance  out  of  many:  the  Star  of  the 
Sea — a  church,  which,  as  far  as  mere  human  adornment  can 
attain,  is  not  unworthy  the  grand  and  solemn  purposes  of  its 
erection. 

"  But  why  speak  your  praises  in  the  presence  of  those  who 
know  you  so  well?  to  this  congregation,  to  whom  your  worth 
as  a  man,  your  fidelity  as  a  friend,  your  zeal  as  a  priest,  are 
familiar  as  household  words;  to  those  young  clergymen  here 
present,  who,  walking  faithfully  in  j'our  footsteps  in  their 
youth,  are  now  endeavoring  to  emulate  your  many  virtual; 
to  the  reverend  clergy,  your  co-laborers,  who,  knowing  now, 
even  in  this  period  of  comparative  quietude,  the  trials  and 
difficulties,  the  obstacles  and  discouragements  which  the  COO* 
scientious  pastor  has  to  encounter  and  overcome,  can  alone 
truly  estimate  what  trials  and  difficulties  you  overcame,  with 
what  obstacles  and  discouragements  you  were  surrounded; 
to  our  venerable  and  venerated  Bishop,  who  so  soon  himself 
will  have  completed  the  twenty-fifth  year  of  his  episcopate. 
His  presence,  surrounded  by  his  clergy,  at  the  mass  of  the 
jubilee  this  morning,  showed  that  he  is  fully  satisfied  with 
you  as  a  priest  and  pastor;  his  presence  here  to-night,  joining 
with  the  laity  in  their  congratulations,  proves  the  high  per- 
sonal esteem  and  regard  he  entertains  for  you. 

"Nor  is  this  knowledge  of  your  great  worth — your  many 
virtues — confined  to  those  associated  with  you  in  the  sacred 
ministry,  nor  to  the  members  of  your  congregation.  Your 
good  name  and  fair  fame  have  spread  far  and  wide,  and  to- 
night a  whole  city — its  highest  olficials,  its  social  leaders,  its 
men  of  letters — come  here,  and  deem  it  no  derogation  to  of- 
ficial position,  to  literary  rank,  tosocial  standing,  to  join  with 
the  humblest  Catholic  in  grateful  testimony  to  one  who  has 
been,  in  his  holy  calling,  the  good  and  faithful  servant  of  his 
Master. 

"Surely,  no  words  can  frame  a  more  growing  eulogy,  a 
nobler  panegyric,  than  this  assemblage. 

"  On  the  tomb  of  Sir  Christopher  Wren,  the  architect  of  St. 
Paul's,  is  this  inscription:  Si  quarts  nioiiiinientum  cirenmspic. 
So,  in  a  similar  spirit  and  with  equal  truth,  may  it  be  said  of 
you,  reverend  sir,  that  no  greater  nor  grander  tribute  can  1» 
paid  to  these  last  twenty-live  years  of  your  life,  than  to  see 
you  here  to-night  surrounded  by  so  manv  grateful  hearts, 
warm  friends  and  sincere  well  wishers." 

At  the  close  of  this  address,  a  handsome  purse,  con- 
taining it),  was,  amid  the  applause  of  the  congrega- 
tion, presented  to  Father  Keegan. 

This  interesting  ceremony  over,  the  Te  Deiini  was 
rendered  with  tine  elfect.  At  its  close  the  Rev.  Father 
Keegan  thus  addressed  the  congregation: 

"  My  dear  Friends :  There  have  been  so  many  ni  l  i.  li 
pleasant  things  said  of  me  to-day,  and  during  this  evening, 
that  I  am  at  a  loss  how  to  respond  to  them.  I  never  thought 
for  a  moment  that  I  could  be  painted  in  such  brilliant  colore 
as  the  wordini  of  \  our  address  has  just  presented  me.  V"ii 
might,  in  framing  if,  have  had  some  more  wort  In  subject 
before  your  imagination,  fori  assure  you  1  cannot  discover 
in  it  a  ve.-tige  of  the  original.    It   is  not  necessary  that  1 


ECCLESIASTICAL  ORGANIZATIONS. 


should  now  go  through  the  formality  of  expressing  my  thanks 
to  you  upon  this  memorable  occasion,  and  human  language 
could  not,  at  this  moment,  convey  to  you  the  gratitude  that 
swells  within  my  bosom.  This  is  the  most  important,  as  it 
will  be  the  most  cherished,  event  of  my  whole  life.  I  can 
only  hope  and  wish  that  my  character  were  half  what  your 
address  has  so  elegantly  expressed,  and  that  my  life  had  been 
such  as  to  merit  the  munificent  offering  which  you  have  just 
presented  me.  It  is  true  that  we  have  spent  together  many 
happy  years,  the  best  and  most  precious  period  of  our  exist- 
ence. 

"  Twenty-five  years  of  unbroken  friendship  and  undimin- 
ished confidence,  betwten  priest  and  people,  is  something  of 
which  any  man  might  well  be  proud.  We  have  worked  to- 
gether, we  have  consulted  together,  and  we  have  knelt  and 
prayed  at  the  same  altar.  And  I,  at  least,  am  not  anxious  to 
sever,  at  this  moment,  the  golden  link  that  has  bound  us  so 
long  in  such  harmony  and  love.  We  all  have  had  our  faults; 
wo  have  made  many  false  steps.  But  wre  have  endeavored, 
to  the  best  of  our  abilities,  to  perform  the  work  and  the  duties 
assigned  to  us.  We  may  have  been  thought  rash  in  many  of 
our  enterprises,  in  trying  to  educate  and  cultivate  the  minds 
of  the  youth  of  this  parish.  But  let  me  tell  our  outside 
friends,  who,  this  evening,  have  honored  us  with  their  pres- 
ence, that  we  have  never  entered  upon  any  good  work  when 
failure  was  possible. 

' '  During  this  quarter  of  a  century,  I  say  it  with  pleasure, 
I  never  appealed  in  vain  to  this  congregation.  We  are,  in 
deed,  very  few  in  number,  and  our  means  are  limited.  But 
a  united  congregation — a  people  with  one  heart  and  one  mind 
— is  able  to  surmount  every  difficulty ;  and  we  always  received 
every  kindness  from  our  many  friends  outside  of  the  Parish 
of  the  Assumption.  We  have  had  the  sanction  and  confi- 
dence of  ens  to  whom  we  shall  ever  look  with  the  most  pro- 
found veneration  and  respect,  one  who,  under  God,  has  been 
the  mainstay  of  all  our  ambition;  who  never  yet  cast  a  frown 
or  uttered  a  harsh  word  toward  us,  no  matter  what  faults 
we  might  have  committed.  Our  beloved  Bishop  has  buoyed 
us  up,  and  always  cheered  us  by  his  kind  and  fatherly  advice. 
We  have  had  the  sympathy  and  good  wishes  of  our  brethren 
of  the  priesthood;  for,  I  must  say  it  in  all  honor  to  that  dis- 
tinguished body  of  gentlemen,  that  no  angry,  or  unkind,  or 
bitter  expression  has  ever  escaped  the  lips  of  either  young  or 
old  towards  me. 

"  But.  my  dear  friends,  it  would  be  too  tedious  for  me  to 
dwell  at  length  upon  the  various  topics  alluded  to  in  your 
kind  address.  I  can  only  hope  that  the  bond  of  friendship 
may  be  yet  more  firmly  cemented  as  we  advance  in  years. 
And,  if  God  spares  us,  we  shall  start  again  with  renewed  en- 
ergy, and  renewed  zeal,  in  the  cause  which  we  all  have  so 
much  at  heart. 

"I  will  now  merely  thank  you,  one  and  all,  in  the  name 
of  the  Assumption  congregation.  I  thank  you,  brethren  of 
the  priesthood,  in  the  name  of  our  venerated  and  beloved 
Bishop;  and  the  laity  at  large,  I  thank  in  the  name  of  its 
chief  civic  officer,  the  people's  choice  of  ruler,  His  Honor, 
Mayor  Howell." 

The  exercises  were  brought  to  a  close  with  the  bene- 
diction by  Bishop  Loughlin.  As  the  congregation 
slowly  dispersed,  the  choir  rendered  the  "  Hallelujah 
Chorus,"  and  the  orchestra  performed  a  grand 
march. 

The  jubilee  at  the  church  was  supplemented  by  a 
splendid  banquet  at  the  pastoral  residence,  to  which 
over  one  hundred  persons  had  been  invited.    The  long 


tables  were  loaded  down  with  substantials,  and  the 
hospitality  was  generous  in  the  extreme.  Bishop 
Loughlin  presided,  and  was  supported  on  his  right  by 
Mayor  Howell,  and  on  his  left  by  Mr.  Thomas  Kinsella. 
The  speeches  were  by  Bishop  Loughlin,  Mr.  Thomas 
Kinsella,  Mayor  Howell,  Henry  C.  De  Witt,  Esq.,  Rev. 
Fathers  Keegan  and  Fransioli,  Mr.  Geo.  M.  Nichols, 
Felix  Campbell,  Arthur  Crooks,  Vice-President  of  the 
St.  Patrick  Society,  and  David  T.  Lynch. 

Mr.  Andrew  McLean  offered  the  following  "  Tribute 
in  Verse,"  which  was  loudly  applauded.  Songs  were 
sung  by  Messrs.  Fitzharris  and  Thomas,  and  after  an 
evening  memorable  for  its  wit,  eloquence  and  kindly 
associations,  the  company  dispersed. 

When  basking  in  the  calm  pure  light 

Of  gentle  hearts  and  kindly  deeds — 
Of  souls  that  ever  tend  aright 

Through  all  the  shifting  shades  of  creeds, 
We  feci  the  joy  the  soldier  feels 

When,  resting  at  the  battle's  close, 
The  uprolled  cloud  of  smoke  reveals 

Strange  allies  where  he  counted  foes. 

'Tis  well  for  us  a  generous  power 

Makes  dilTerence  fade  and  manhood  rise; 
That  not  the  most  impatient  hour 

Will  pass  unless  some  discord  dies"; 
That  distance  renders  harshness  sweet, 

And  time  makes  dull  the  edge  of  strife; 
That  every  wrong  grows  obsolete, 

And  charity  is  Lord  of  life. 

To-night  I  count  my  difference  naught 

On  any  subtle  schoolman's  theme; 
I  banish  wholly  from  my  thought 

The  questions  jarring  minds  esteem. 
And  stand  'mid  friends  who  love  you,  sire, 

To  blend  with  theirs  my  friendly  mood; 
To  own  with  them  how  deeds  inspire 

That  blossom  into  stainless  good. 

A  thousand  little  children  fair. 

Who  cannot  plead  with  Heaven  in  vain; 
To-night  send  with  their  evening  prayer 

For  thee  a  pure  beseeching  strain  ; 
A  thousand  matrons,  trouble-tried, 

But  cheered  by  hopes  that  baffle  woe, 
Kneel  by  the  crib  and  cradle-side 

To  speed  the  prayers  that  trembling  go. 

Youths  round  us  here  with  ardent  look 

Bent  on  the  Future's  mystic  face, 
Attest  thy  kindly  past'ral  crook 

And  patient,  tireless  teaching  grace  ; 
I  know,  too,  strong  men  at  their  toil. 

From  strangling  passion  lifted  free, 
Who,  standing  fast  on  honest  soil, 

Do  in  their  manhood  honor  thee, 

But  as  the  beacon  on  the  hill 

That  lights  some  shepherd  to  his  spouse, 
May  guide  a  hundred  feet  from  ill 

Unthought  of  in  the  shepherd's  house, 
The  annals  cannot  tell,  dear  friend, 

How  many  lives  thy  goodness  praise  ; 
'Tis  only  known  the  beams  you  send 

Have  lighted  countless  darkened  ways. 

Nor  can  it  matter  much  to  one 

Who  lives  for  good  because  he  must,  , 
If,  like  the  radiant-hearted  Sun 

Who  shines  on  all  the  stellar  dust,  * 
He  hear  not  of  the  flowers  that  long 

A  thankful  incense  to  return  ; 
Xor  of  the  birds  that  in  their  song 

To  chant  his  gifts  with  music  burn. 


1050 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Yet,  well  It  Is  that  lifter  years 

Of  labor  In  a  noble  cause, 
Sonic  noble,  generous  fruit  appears— 

Some  echo  conies  of  ritrlit  applause, 
To  prove  that  he  who  sows  tho  seed 

For  other  hands  to  reap  and  hind. 
Math  greater  glory  in  the  deed 

Than  any  selllsh  soul  shall  find. 

1  fain  would  add  with  furtive  hand 

Some  trifling  token  to  the  mass. 
Built  high  by  those  who  understand, 

The  father  thoughts  that  through  you  pass, 
Sonic  token  that  shall  only  say, 

As  chancoeyes  choose  to  turn  it  o'er. 
He  swept  somo  nilsts  of  hate  away 

And  made  men  trust  each  other  more. 

Rev.  Henry  A.  Callagher,  Rev.  Charles  J.  Gallagher 
and  Rev.  David  A.  I  lie-key,  the  three  clergymen  who, 
in  their  youth,  were  altar  boys  in  the  Church  of  the 
Assumption,  surprised  Father  Keegan  with  new  furni- 
ture for  his  bedroom.  The  Sisters  of  Charity  of  St. 
Joseph  and  of  the  Visitation,  and  the  Little  Sisters  of 
the  Poor,  each  made  elegant  presents.  Dr.  John  S. 
Thome  sent  a  picture  of  high  value  and  richly  framed. 
The  Moral  offerings  were  many  and  handsome. 


St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul's  Church.  Second  street,  near 
South  2d,  E.  D. — The  lirst  mass  celebrated  in  Williamshurgh 


(about  1838)  was  in  a  stable  on  Grand  street,  west  of 
Third,  by  Rev.  Dougherty,  of  St.  Mary's  Church  in  New 

York. 

The  tirst  church  erected  in  Williainsburgb  was  St.  Mary's, 
corner  North  Eighth  and  First,  org.  1841,  and  undercharge 
of  Rev.  Mr.  O'Donnell.  In  1844,  Rev.  Sylvester  Malone  took 
charge  of  St.  Mary's,  and  soon  set  about  building  a  new 
church.  The  corner-stone  of  tho  Church  of  Saints  Peter 
and  Paul  was  laid  May  11th;  1847,  and  the  church  was  dedi- 
cated in  May,  1848.  Rev.  Sylvester  Malone  has  been  its 
Pastor;  with  the  exception  of  part  of  1881  and  1882,  when 
be  was  abroad,  and  his  place  was  supplied  by  Rev.  Mr. 
Gallagher. 

Clergy:  Rev.  Jno.  N.  Campbell,  1870-'78;  Rev.  John 
Fagan,  1870-'74;  Rev.  Henry  Gallagher,  1875-"8:S;  Rev. 
Michael  Killahy,  1879;  Rev.  Hugh  Ward,  1881-84. 

While  Father  Malone  has  held  in  strict  regard  the  disci- 
pline and  order  of  tho  Roman  Catholic  Church,  in  respect  to 
the  order  and  relation  of  its  priesthood,  he  hasever  recognized 
the  duties  growing  out  of  the  progressive  civilization  of  the 
age.  And  while  enforcing  religion  on  the  consciences  of  his 
people  by  the  logic  of  its  power,  be  has  been  careful  that  the 
claims  of  religion  and  of  his  church  should  not  enroach  on 
the  civil  rights  of  the  citizen,  either  to  restrict  or  control  his 
duty  to  the  State. 

The  community  of  Williainsburgb  owe  a  debt  of  gratitude 
to  Father  Malone  for  suppressing  the  turbulent  spirit  of  his 
people  during  the  draft  riots  in  New  York. 


REV.    SYLVESTER  MALONE. 

l'astor  of  St.*.  J'rtrr  and  I'mil's  U.  < '.  Church. 


Father  MaloXE,  as  he  is  called  (not  alone  by  his  parish- 
ioners, after  the  manner  of  Catholics,  but  also  by  the  whole 
body  of  non-Catholics  in  the  city,  in  which  for  forty  years 
he  has  labored  with  grand  purpose  as  tine  man  and  true 
priest),  was  born  in  the  inland  town  of  Trim,  about  twenty 
miles  from  the  city  of  Dublin,  County  Meath,  Ireland,  May 
8th,  A.  D.  1821. 

All  the  conditions  environing  his  early  life,  from  bis  birth 
onward,  naturally  led  to  the  adoption  by  him  of  an  intellec- 
tual pursuit,  and  to  forming  and  developing  him  into  the 
broad,  strong,  earnest,  hard-working,  intellectual  and  Chr's- 
tian  man  he  is  known  to  be. 

His  whole  family  had  a  bent  for  the  higher  callings  and 
duties  of  life.  His  father  was  a  country  merchant  in  Trim, 
but  also  discharged  the  functions  of  a  civil  engineer  and  sur- 
veyor. His  mother  was  possessed  of  line  executive  ability 
and  strong  intellect  both  possessed  in  large  degree  by 
Father  Malone.  She  died  only  recently,  at  the  age  of  ninety- 
four  years,  with  unimpaired  faculties.  It  is  said  of  her  that 
sin-  was  the  wise  counsellor  of  the  country  people  through- 
out a  ■/idfl  circuit.  One  of  his  brothers  now  follows,  in 
tho  old  town,  his  father's  profession  as  an  engineer;  and 
another  has  Ix-cn  a  'fading  physician  in  Brooklyn  for  many 
\  cars. 

At  an  early  age,  (lie  sub  ject  of  this  sketch  was  entered  as  a 
student  of  mathematics  and  classics  in  the  Academy  of  Prof. 
Matthew  Carroll,  a  non-Catholic,  and  a  Fellow  of  Trinity 
College  This  gent  If  man  wa  i  one  of  the  most  accomplished 
and  erudite  instructors  of  youth  of  that  day.  If  results  may 
taken  as  determining  fitness,  t lie  stiff essful  careers  of  his 


then  pupils  servo  to  clearly  prove  that  he  was  admirably 
qualified  in  his  vocation. 

These  pupils  were  divided  as  to  religious  opinions  and 
creeds.  Many  of  the  Catholics  entered  professional  life; 
some  became  missionaries  in  the  colonies  of  Great  Britain; 
one  is  still  Bursar  in  the  College  of  Maynooth.  Of  the  non- 
Catholics,  several  achieved  distinction  in  the  civil  service 
of  Great  Britain,  in  India;  and  one.  Dr.  James  Hanhury, 
was  recently  Chief  of  the  Medical  Staff  with  the  English 
army  in  Egypt. 

Of  his  term  at  this  Academy,  and  of  his  observations  and 
experiences  at  this  period  of  his  life,  Father  Malone  has  im- 
pressively written  in  a  letter  to  a  friend  : 

"  My  early  life  was  toned  by  association  with  non-Catho- 
lics. The  kindliest  feeling  was  cultivated  among  people  who 
followed  different  religious  beliefs.  The  Catholic  priest  and 
the  Protestant  minister  walked  arm-in-arm  through  the  pul>- 
lic  streets  of  the  town.  No  doubt  such  an  example  waa  a 
powerful  agency  for  harmony  and  peace.  Its  influence,  on 
iMtth  sides,  was  calculated  to  destroy  prejudice  and  inspire 
confidence  among  citizens  of  the  same  nationality.  To  this 
I  lovingly  turn  as  the  school  that  has  fitted  me  for  the  proper 
appreciation  of  what  citizens  owe  each  other  in  America, 
where  religion  is  left  as  an  individual  interest  which  no  one 
has  the  right  to  interfere  with." 

All  the  good  of  those  days  that  touched  him  found  in  bin 
a  heartily  .sympathetic  anil  responsive  subject  for  its  inthi- 
ence.  The  impressions  then  made  upon  him  were  deep  ;ui<l 
abiding.  Nurtured  by  such  parents,  aided  by  his  happy  asso- 
ciations, he  formed  habits  and  purpiscs,  and  made  for  him- 
self an  ideal,  neither  of  which  h;is  ever  Ix  en  abandoni  d.  1  hi 
the  contrary,  each  h;us  l>een  strengthened  and  confirmed 


ECCLESIASTICAL  ORGANIZATIONS. 


1051 


ith  his  growth.  His  preliminary  preparation  and  experi- 
oce  had  made  him  ready  to  accept  the  opportunity  soon  to 
e  offered  to  him  for  entering  the  priesthood. 
Iu  1838,  Rev.  Andrew  Byrne,  Pastor  of  St.  James*  Catholic 
hurch  in  the  city  of  New  York,  was  in  Ireland,  seeking 
oung  men  desirous  of  entering  the  Catholic  priesthood,  for 
le  American  Mission.  This  priest,  a  few  years  later,  was 
evated  to  the  new  Bishopric  of  Little  Rock,  Arkansas; 
ad  died  during  the  war,  regretting  the  sad  state  of  the 
)untry  he  loved  so  much.  With  him,  young  Malone,  then 
1  his  seventeenth  year,  sailed  for  the  United  States,  land- 
lg  in  Philadelphia.  The  first  acquaintance  he  made  there 
as  with  a  friend  of  his  companion,  Bishop  Kenrick,  who, 
iter  on,  was  transferred  to  Baltimore,  created  Archbishop 
f  that  See,  and  thereby  Primate  of  America.  From  Phil- 
lelphia,  Sylvester  soon  came  to  New  York.  He  was  at 
uce  presented  to  Archbishop  Hughes,  and,  by  his  advice, 
:itered  the  temporary  seminary  at  Le  Fargeville,  Jeffer- 
>n  comity,  N.  Y.  After  one  year's  study  there,  he  entered 
t.  John's  Seminary,  Fordham,  where  he  completed  his 
nurse  of  studies  and,  on  August  loth,  1844,  was  ordained 
priest  of  the  diocese  of  New  York  by  its  present  Arch- 
ishop,  His  Eminence  Cardinal  McCloskey,  who  was  then 
xuljutor  to  Bishop  Hughes.  This  was  the  first  ordina- 
on  of  a  priest  by  him,  and  Father  Malone  claims  the  honor 
f  having  been  the  first  priest  so  ordained.  Immediately 
fter  his  ordination,  Father  Malone  was  sent  on  the  mission 
i  Williamsburgh,  where  he  has  ever  since  remained. 
Into  the  then  scattered  village  of  Williamsburgh,  having  a 
opulation  of  only  ten  thousand,  of  whom  not  mere  than 
ve  hundred  were  Catholics,  if,  in  fact,  there  were  so  many, 
ather  Malone  came  on  a  Saturday  night  in  September  fol- 
nving. 

There  and  then  was  begun  in  reality  the  sacred  work  to 
•hick  his  life  had  been  devoted,  and  immersed  in  which  it 

as  to  be  filled  out.  And  who  shall  say  that  he  was  not  well 
quipped  for  it  ?  He  was  robust  in  constitution  and  health, 
ubued  with  piety,  zealous  in  purpose — that  purpose  being 
f  the  loftiest — untiringly  industrious,  admirable  in  energy, 

holly  self-reliant,  resolute,  well-educated,  studious  and  in- 
?llectually  well  balanced. 

Quickly  perceptive,  judicially  calm  and  searching  in  all 
is  mental  processes,  he  at  once  apprehended  the  nature  and 
inge  of  the  duties  devolving  upon  him,  and  correctly  esti- 
lated  the  difficulties  to  be  overcome.  How  onerous  the 
jrmer,  how  grave  the  latter,  can  be  discerned  at  this  time 
illy  by  those  of  his  flock  who  can  recollect  the  events  of  that 
eriod,  and  who  remember  the  humble  little  parish  church 
f  St.  Mary's  and  its  young  Pastor. 

His  first  sermon  was  almost  prophetic  of  what  was  to  be 
he  most  controlling  influence  in  his  life.  Of  that  sermon, 
'ather  Malone  in  his  farewell  address  to  his  people,  on 
lay  29,  A.  D.  1881,  prior  to  his  departure  for  Europe,  said: 

"  The  first  sermon  I  preached,  as  I  remember,  was  on  char- 
cy.  its  principles  and  teachings;  and  I  have  tried  to  make 
his  virtue  the  star  guiding  me  in  my  course  of  life,  as  I  was 
ailed  to  minister  to  not  only  the  physical  wants  of  depend 
nt  members  in  society;  but  still  more  to  be  charitable  in 
ford  and  thought,  to  those  who  were  not  seen  to  worship  at 
he  same  altar  with  me." 

How  completely  the  prophecy  has  been  fulfilled.  St. 
■lary's  parish  comprised  all  the  territory  bounded  by  Hallet's 
love  on  the  north,  Middle  Village  on  the  east,  Myrtle  ave. 
>n  the  south,  and  the  East  River  on  the  west.  From  these 
eraote  points  Catholics  found  their  way  to  the  services  of 
he  church  in  the  little  wooden  building  surrounded  by  the 
,'raves  of  their  kindred,  at  North  8th  and  2d  st.,  almost 
he  northerly  line  of  Old  Williamsburgh.    The  old  church 


building  has  been  razed,  but  the  church-yard,  with  its 
memorial  stones  testifying  to  that  past  and  dead  genera- 
tion, is  still  a  landmark. 

To  these  points,  too,  toiled  Father  Malone  in  his  ministra- 
tions to  the  sick  and  dying;  for  in  those  days,  he  had  no 
assistant  in  the  care  of  the  parish. 

Those  were  busy  days  for  him.  When  he  took  charge  of 
St.  Mary's,  it  was  burdened  by  a  debt  of  $2,300.  Father 
Malone  immediately  set  himself  to  the  payment  of  it,  and  in 
two  years  he  rejoiced  with  his  people  in  having  paid  off  the 
entire  sum. 

Meantime,  there  had  been  a  gradual  and  steady  increase  in 
the  number  of  worshipers  at  St.  Mary's,  but  not  till  his 
people  had  been  freed  from  the  oppression  of  the  debt, 
would  he  permit  his  mind  to  dwell  on  the  project  of  build- 
ing a  new  church  edifice,  and  in  the  Thirteenth  Ward.  Nor 
did  he,  until  the  way  before  him  seemed  to  be  reasonably 
favorable  for  its  successful  execution. 

Ways  and  means  were  subjects  of  serious  consideration 
for  him.    In  the  address  already  referred  to  he  spoke  thus: 

"  It  was  then  only  we  conceived  the  idea  of  a  new  church; 
but  to  accomplish  this  in  a  Ward,  where  as  yet  none  of  the 
Catholic  people  seemed  to  have  found  homes,  was  thought 
by  many  a  rash  undertaking.  It  was  my  judgment  that  the 
location  was  well  selected  and  convenient  for  the  Catholics 
of  the  14th,  as  well  as  those  of  the  13th  Ward,  which  were 
the  only  settled  sections  of  Williamsburgh." 

He  did  not  advert  to  the  fact  that  the  land  for  the  new 
church  was  not  obtained  without  difficulty.  Anti-Catholic 
prejudice  was  feverish  and  aggressive  in  its  assertion,  and 
the  proposal  to  erect  a  Catholic  Church  in  the  13th  Ward, 
was  unfavorably  considered  by  the  holders  of  that  prejudice. 
But  land  was  purchased;  the  title  to  it  secured  by  a 
friend  of  the  church  and  Pastor,  and  on  a  day,  bright  in  the 
memories  of  Father  Malone,  and  those  of  his  old  flock  who 
survive  (May  11th,  A.  D.  1847),  the  corner-stone  of  the 
present  Saints  Peter  and  Paul's  Church,  was  laid  by  Arch- 
bishop Hughes.  The  superstructure  was  speedily  forwarded 
to  completion,  and  one  year  later  was  dedicated  by  the  same 
prelate. 

In  the  address,  already  quoted,  Father  Malone  said  further: 
"  I  may  here  state  that  we  never  collected  a  cent  to  help 
us  in  our  then  great  undertaking,  save  only  from  the  people 
who  were  immediately  benefited  by  the  erection  of  the 
church.'' 

It  was  the  first  church  built  in  the  diocese  of  New  York,  in 
the  Gothic  order  of  architecture.  The  architect  was  Mr.  J. 
J.  Kelly. 

For  five  years,  from  1844  to  1849,  Father  Malone  had  la- 
bored unceasingly.  A  period  of  rest  came  to  his  labor  that 
almost  proved  final.  In  the  latter  year,  in  the  discharge  of 
his  duty,  he  attended  a  woman,  from  whom  he  contracted  a 
virulent  disease,  that  carried  him  far  within  the  shadow  of 
death.  There  is  almost  cynical  irony  in  what  followed.  The 
woman  was  soon  after  murdered  by  her  husband,  and  for  it 
he  was  executed.  Scarcely  convalescent,  Father  Malone 
was  prostrated  by  cholera;  the  scourge  of  ship  fever  at- 
tacked his  weakened  system;  and  finally  he  was  burned  out 
of  house  and  home,  losing  in  the  fire  his  library,  manu- 
scripts, and  the  whole  of  his  worldly  possessions. 

He  had  been  ten  years  ordained;  had  removed  the  debt  of 
the  old  church,  erected  the  new  one,  the  parochial  school, 
and  the  handsome  pastoral  residence;  had  inaugurated  the 
Academy  of  the  Sisters  of  St.  Josepli;  established  a  church 
library;  organized  a  literary  association  of  the  young  men 
of  his  parish,  many  of  whom  have  become  prominent  and 
successful  in  professional  and  businejs  life,  and  had  gathered 
around  him  a  large  and  loving  congregation,  when,  in 
1854,  he  visited  Europe;  chiefly  to  witness  the  grand  assem- 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUXTY. 


bly  of  the  Bishops  of  the  whole  world,  then  convened  at 
IJoiir,  by  the  late  Pope  Pius  IX.,  to  proclaim  the  dognia  of 
t ho  Immaculate  Conception,  and  to  be  present  at  the  making 
of  the  proclamation. 

During  his  absence  in  Europe,  political  and  religious 
prejudices  became  much  embittered  in  "\Villiamsburgh,  as 
elsewhere,  and  induced  acts  of  physical  violence.  In  No- 
vember of  that  year,  a  mob  attacked  the  church  and  en- 
deavored to  destroy  it  by  fire,  or  to  wreck  it.  It  was  saved 
by  the  prompt  and  resolute  action  of  the  civic  and  military 
authorities,  who  guarded  it  for  several  days,  and  until  the 
ilanger  to  it  had  passed,  almost  as  much  from  personal  re- 
gard for  Father  Maloue,  who  had  already  made  his  impress 
as  a  good  citizen,  as  from  convictions  of  duty. 

Returning  in  1855,  Father  Malone  bent  himself  anew  to 
his  work,  but  the  next  few  following  years  were  un- 
marked by  any  event  of  special  significance  in  his  pas- 
torate. 

It  was  not  until  the  dreadful  coming  of  the  Rebellion  that 
his  power  and  energy  were  fully  put  forth  and  wrought 
with.  During  the  dark  days  and  years  of  its  continuance, 
no  man  did  more  in  his  place,  and  of  his  ability,  to  contrib- 
ute to  the  maintenance  of  the  Union  and  the  success  of  its 
anus.  By  voice  and  pen  in  his  daily  mingling  with  the  people; 
from  the  pulpit;  from  the  platform;  every  where  that  opportu- 
nity afforded,  he  declared  for  the  cause  of  the  nation,  cheered 
and  encouraged  the  loyal,  reproved  and  discouraged  the  dis- 
1<  ryaJL  Heaided  largely  in  the  success  of  the  Sanitary  Fair  for 
the  soldiers  in  field  and  hospital,  and  donated  one-quarter  of 
his  small  salary  to  th'J  fund  for  soldiers'  wive3and  children. 
When  rumor  came,  oa  that  memorable  April  Saturday  after- 
noon, that  rebels  were  alxmt  to  fire  on  Sumter,  the  Hag  that 
symbolized  the  unity  of  the  nation  was,  by  his  direction, 
thrown  to  the  breezo  from  the  spire  of  Sts.  Peter  and  Paul's 
Church,  and  astonished  the  eyes  of  early  church-goers  next 
morning.  It  was  the  first  flag  displayed  on  a  church  in  the 
United  States  at  the  beginning  of  the  long  struggle,  and  was 
afterwards  carried  to  the  front  by  Williamsburgh  men. 

With  an  eloquent  address,  citizens  presented  to  Father 
Malone  a  flag  to  replace  it.  This  one,  often  afterwards,  from 
the  spire  of  Sts.  Peter  and  Paul's,  signaled  victory  to  the 
people — never  more  welcomely  than  on  the  1st  day  of  Jan- 
uary, A.  D.  1863.  All  the  previous  night  bad  been  passed  in 
anxious  waiting  for  news  of  the  result  of  the  three  days'  fight- 
ing at  Murfreesboro.  It  came  at  last  through  the  dark  and 
stormy  morning  of  that  day,  and  the  flag  went  up  to  its  place 
with  fervent  gratitude  to  God,  in  symbol  that  the  nation  had 
won,  what  Father  Malone  believes  the  philosopher  in  history 
will  find  to  have  been,  the  most  radically  decisive  battle  of  the 
war.  It  was  in  symbol  also  that  African  slavery  in  the 
United  State3  went  to  its  death  on  that  day,  and  that  four 
millions  of  freemen  had  been  raised  out  of  that  death. 

At  the  close  of  the  war,  Father  Malone,  being  in  need  of  re- 
spite from  his  arduous  duties,  made  a  journey  through  the 
South  with  his  friend,  Rev.  Thomas  Farrell,  of  St.  Joseph's 
Church,  New  York,  since  deceased.  He  fully  studied  the 
condition  of  affairs  there,  and  expressed  his  views  on  it  in 
able  letters,  then  published.  After  his  return  from  the  South, 
he  resumed  lii—  active  work  in  the  care  of  his  parish,  and 
c  ontinued  it  with  all  his  old-time  vigor  and  ability  until,  in 
lie  was  compelled  to  take  entire  rest,  and  seek  change 
,:  seem- and  climate.  The  necessity  for  his  doing  so  had 
long  In-en  manifest — he  was  overworn — but  lie  yielded  to  it 
n  Inctently,  and  only  under  the  imperative  orders  of  his 
physician.  In  taking  leave  of  hi  people,  in  his  far. 'well  ad- 
dress liefore  quote  I,  h"  stated  some  of  the  results  of  his  labors 
in  his  thirty-seven  \  ears'  pastorate.    Ten  thousand  discourses 


(he  might  have  added  hundreds  of  addresses  on  civic  occa- 
sions) ;  eighteen  thousand  baptisms;  three  thousand  live  hun- 
dred marriages:  half  a  million  penitents  prepared  for  com- 
munion; five  thousand  applicants  prepared  for  confirmation 
and  first  communion;  one  thousand  converts;  all  debt  on  the 
church  and  parochial  school  paid,  and  the  debt  on  the  pare 
chial  house  and  St.  Joseph's  Academy  reduced  to  a  small  sum 
Referring  to  Catholic  growth  and  expansion  in  the  interim 
particularly  alluding  to  four  churches  that  had  been  built,  he 
continued: 

"  And  twelve  churches  besides,  where  the  English  tongue 
is  spoken  by  Priests  and  people.  All  these  find  good  snpnorl 
on  territory  where  I  stood  alone,  the  representative  of  Catho- 
lic interests  in  the  early  years  of  my  ministry.  Within  the 
same  area  there  has  sprung  up  seven  other  churchee  u 
which  the  language  spoken  by  a  thrifty  and  hard-working 
race  is  that  of  Fatherland." 

He  paid  high  tribute  in  his  eloquent  address  to  his  eon- 
Catholic  fellow  citizens,  and  to  his  adopted  country;  teuderlv 
advised  his  deeply-moved  congregations,  and  concluded  in 

these  words: 

"  And  finally,  may  you  live  in  charity  with  all  your  fellow- 
citizens;  though  you  have  necessarily  to  differ  with  niam 
in  religious  belief,  and  may  or  may  not  agree  in  your  ju<l^- 
ments  of  men,  and  in  those  questions  that  are  con6tantiv  ,T 
curring  in  civil  life.  There  is  one  thing  which  will  ever  die 
tinguish  you — charity — loving  God  above  all  things,  atel 
loving  your  neighbor  for  Christ's  sake." 

He  had  come  to  them  thirty-seven  years  before  in  the  sign 
of  charity,  and  in  that  sign  he  departed.  A  few  days  later 
he  sailed.  His  tour  was  an  extended  one,  embracing  Eng- 
land, Ireland,  Scotland,  Continental  Europe,  Egypt  and  the 
Holy  Land.  Letters  from  his  Bishop,  Cardinal  McCloskev. 
the  United  States  Secretary,  and  other  leading  men,  brought 
him  into  intimate  association  with  our  ministers,  diplomat.-, 
and  the  leading  men  abroad,  and  his  reception  was  as  cor- 
dial and  enjoyable  as  it  was  deserving,  in  all  his  journey- 
ings. 

Probably  no  incident  or  experience  of,  or  in  them  all,  so 
much  affected  him,  or  will  be  so  enduring  to  his  memory,  U 
will  be  that  of  the  celebration  by  him  of  mass  on  Mount  Cal- 
vary.    He  returned  to  his  people  early  in  September,  1882. 
and  again  took  up  his  work.     His  welcome  home  bj  the 
whole  community  was  earnest  and  grateful.     His  first  ad- 
dress indicated  that  he  had  looked  on  in  Europe  and  alae> 
where  with  intelligent  appreciation  of  men  and  events.  EL  r 
it  may  be  remarked,  that  he  made  voluminous  notee  of  o 
servation  and  comment  on  both,  and  that  he  may  hemftei 
arrange  them  for  use  and  reference.     They  may  well  he 
teemed,  by  those  who  know  him,  as  valuable. 

This  address  was  in  part  a  criticism  on  the  separation  abroad 
of  priests  and  people.    He  deplored  it,  and  argued  for  a  mon 
(dose  identification  of  the  clergy  with  the  every-day  life 
the  people  everywhere. 

The  address  provoked  some  adverse  criticism,  and 
him  an  opportunity  to  restate  his  position  with  greater  m 
phasis. 

Sincerely  believing  in  the  people,  he  argues  that  their  a 
vancement  will  lift  the  clergy  to  a  higher  place.  Benque1 
were  tendered  to  him.    The  leading  newspapers  emitaii  ' 
warm  expressions  of   affectionate  regard.     Extract*  fron 
one  of  these  will  suffice  to  express  the  tone  of  all: 

"Upon  all  occasions  in  the  pulpit  he  has  enforced  strong 
the  brotherhood  of  man  as  man.  and  the  sacred  duty  "t  "In 
dience  to  law  and  public-spirited  citizenship.  He  is  rinoert  h 
attached  to  his  adopted  country,  and  no  voice  during  the  re 
hellion  was  more  patriotic  than  his.  No  word  ever  Bttero 
by  him  has  ever  given  offence  to  Protestants,  many  ofwhoi 
are  to  be  found  occasionally  among  his  Sunday  congregation 
drawn  thither  by  esteem  for  the  man.    .    .    .    In  dayi  lik 


EC  CLESIA  STICAL 


our  own,  when  there  has  been  so  much  ecclesiastical  disturb- 
ance in  many  of  the  countries  of  Europe,  it  is  refreshing  to 
tind  an  irreproachable  priest,  who  has  consistently  exhibited 
in  his  own  career  the  true  modus  vivendi  between  Church 
and  State.  His  has  been  the  loyal  and  spiritual  Catholicism, 
which  has  characterized  so  many  illustrious  American 
Catholics.  Like  the  late  Archbishop  Bayley,  he  has  always 
been  recognised  by  Americans  as  thoroughly  in  accord  with 
the  fundamental  principles  of  the  Republic.  'Handsome  is 
that  handsome  does,'  is  his  estimate  of  human  con- 
duct; and  he  would  neither  detract  from  virtue,  because 
he  found  it  in  those  of  a  different  belief,  nor  white- 
wash crime  because  it  was  done  by  those  of  his  own  reli- 
gion."' 

Never  a  self-seeker.  Father  Malone  has  not  sought  prefer- 
ment to  higher  office  in  the  church,  but  has  serenely  abided 
in  his  sphere  as  a  parish  priest  with  the  people  he  has  guided 
from  infancy  to  mature  age,  and  they  are  very  dear  to  him. 

In  May,  1852,  at  the  age  of  thirty-one,  he  attend'  d  the 
First  Plenary  Council  of  the  Church  in  the  United  States,  at 
Baltimore.  On  the  suggestion  of  Archbishop  Hughes,  he 
was  appointed  Theologian  in  that  council  to  Bishop  Reynolds, 
then  Bishop  of  Charleston,  S.  C.  Later,  he  prepared  and  de- 
livered the  address  to  Bishop  Loughlin  of  Brooklyn,  on  be- 
half of  the  priests  of  his  diocese,  accompanying  the  pre- 
sentation to  him  of  a  purse  to  defray  his  expenses,  on  the  oc- 
casion of  his  first  visit  to  Rome.  In  1866,  he  attended  the 
Second  Plenary  Council,  held  at  Baltimore,  as  Theologian 
to  the  same  Bishop. 

On  the  30th  of  October,  1878,  the  twenty-fifth  anniversary 
of  the  consecration  of  Bishop  Loughlin,  he  prepared  and  pre- 
sented the  address  of  congratulation  to  him  of  the  priests  of 
Brooklyn  on  the  event.  Though  brief,  it  contained  an  inter- 
esting and  permanently  valuable'  view  of  the  growth  of  the 
church  in  its  spiritual  and  material  interests  in  the  diocese, 
and  was  an  eloquent  testimony  to  the  Bishop's  administra- 
tion. He  has  been  for  many  years  a  member  of  his  Bishop's 
council. 

In  politics,  Father  Malone  has  been  a  member  of  the  Re- 
publican party  since  its  organization,  and  has  given  to  it 
hearty  support.  He  never  acted  with  the  Democratic  party. 
His  love  for  his  kind,  his  eagerness  for  human  progress, 
would  not  permit  acceptance  by  him  of  its  policy  or  methods. 
These  were  uncongenial  to  him,  and  in  his  view  obnoxious 
to  just  principles  of  government,  and  therefore  dangerous  to 
the  well-being  of  the  nation. 

His  affection  for  his  native  land  has  caused  him  to  take  ac- 
tive interest  in  the  movement  by  the  Land  League  to  amelio- 
rate her  condition. 

The  following  extract  from  one  of  his  addresses  from  the 
pulpit,  in  reference  to  it,  will  serve  alike  to  define  his  position 
on  this  point,  and  his  clear,  strong  style: 

"A  people  have  the  right  to  inhabit  their  own  land,  and  to 
inherit  all  the  benefits  and  happiness  of  living  wdiich  may 
come  to  them  in  it.  When  this  is  denied  to  a  people,  every 
one  should  give  his  aid  to  them  in  putting  off  the  misgovern- 
ment  which  allows  and  continues  such  a  condition  of  affairs. 
On  that  account  I  am  with  the  present  Land  League  move- 
ment. I  believe  in  it  and  look  upon  it  as  the  most  promising 
movement  that  has  yet  stirred  the  thoughts  of  men  every- 
where for  justice  to  that  land.  But  I  go  no  further  than  the 
agitation  of  the  Land  League  question  on  its  merits.  Those 
who  counsel  and  call  for  an  uprising  with  arms  are  not  those 
who  seek  the  proper  and  most  effective  way  to  arouse  the 
people  to  the  justice  of  the  questions  embodied  in  the  Land 
League  movement.  Be  wary  of  those  people.  Agitate  the 
question  on  its  merits,  and  the  great  press  of  the  country 
will  make  known  the  justice  of  the  cause,  and  move  a  speedy 
rectification  of  the  wrongs.  Whatever  is  done,  be  careful 
that  you  do  nothing  to  interfere  with  your  line  of  duty  as 
citizens  of  America.  Exaggerated  statements  and  exagger- 
ated threats  only  prove  detrimental  to  your  positions  as  citi- 
zens and  detrimental  to  the  cause  you  would  see  advanced. 


OR  GANIZA  TION~S.  1 05 3 


"I  have  no  word  of  approbation  for  any  movement  that 
contemplates  an  appeal  to  armed  force.  Agitate  the  ques- 
tion, create  a  moral  sympathy  for  the  oppressed  of  Ireland, 
and  your  movement  will  accomplish  what  an  appeal  to 
force  would  not — success. 

"  We  here  in  America  must  not  do  anything  which  will 
bring  this  country  into  complications  with  a  friendly  govern- 
ment: and  we  must  ignore  those  who  hope  by  fire-crackers 
to  make  a  stand  against  cannon,  rifles,  and  all  the  improved 
implements  of  destruction  in  the  hands  of  a  strong  govern- 
ment. When  we  become  citizens  of  this  great  country — 
Frenchmen,  Germans,  Spaniards  and  Irishmen — we  swear 
allegiance  to  it,  and  for  it  we  must  ever  be  ready,  even 
against  the  country  we  have  left,  to  fight,  and  fight  to  con- 
quer." 

In  physique,  Father  Malone  is  of  full  average  height  and 
corpulent.  He  has  a  large,  symmetrical  head,  and  a  strong 
face  that  in  repose  is  very  grave,  but  lights  up  on  occasion 
with  rare  brightness.  Dignified  in  manner,  without  being 
austere,  he  has  in  large  measure  the  faculty  of  putting  one 
at  ease. 

He  is  a  close  student  and  keeps  in  line  with  the  leading 
thought  and  thinkers  of  the  day.  A  thinker  in  the  best 
sense,  superficial  men  have  no  use  for  him.  He  has  a  very 
complete  working  library.  There  is  not  a  book  in  it  for 
show,  and  he  knows  his  books  as  old  friends. 

Being  a  man  of  refined  and  cultivated  tastes,  he  is,  as  may 
well  be  expected,  a  patron  of  the  arts,  and  he  is  at  once  a 
generous  and  discriminating  one.  He  has  always  caused  a 
high  standard  of  excellence  to  be  maintained  in  the  musical 
services  of  Sts.  Peter  and  Paul's;  and  is  a  warm  admirer 
of  fine  painting  and  sculpture  which  he  studies  with  critical 
acumen  and  appreciation. 

In  private  life  he  is  genial,  unostentatious,  simple  and  tem- 
perate. To  one  who  should  know  him  there,  it  would  n  )t  be 
difficult  to  believe  of  him,  as  he  has  stated,  that  retirement 
would  be  more  congenial  to  his  natural  and  acquired  habits. 

The  worn  and  weary  priest  has  always  found  in  his  house 
a  place  of  rest  and  bountiful  hospitality.  To  young  men  he 
has  freely  given  with  a  parent's  generosity  and  tenderness. 
His  beneficence  has  helped  forward  many  such  in  their 
chosen  pursuits,  more  especially  to  the  priesthood.  To  the 
unfortunate,  the  dependent,  the  shiftless  and  the  weak,  he  is 
as  a  loving  brother,  a  strong  staff,  a  wise  helper  and  a  merci- 
ful chider;  and  he  can  be.  to  the  wilfully  corrupt,  the  sternly 
reproving  judge.  There  is  no  weakness  in  his  gentleness — 
no  hardness  in  his  resoluteness — no  mere  obstinacy.  All 
true  himself,  he  has  a  wide-reaching  detestation  of  shams. 
His  pulpit  addresses  are  wholly  extemporaneous.  In  them 
all  mere  display  of  rhetoric  is  studiously  avoided.  Uttered 
with  definite  aim  and  objects,  they  are  practical,  rich  in 
pregnant  suggestion,  argumentative  and  logical;  but  they  are 
always  attractive,  persuasive,  and  hold  closely  the  attention 
of  his  hearers,  so  rife  are  the)-  with  the  genius  of  his  person- 
ality, fine  manhood  and  true  priestly  character. 

Often  eloquent,  he  is  always  felicitously  so  in  his  funeral 
discourses.  These  latter  would  serve  as  excellent  models  in 
statement  of  matter  and  in  style. 

But  it  is  in  his  altar  talks  with  his  people,  that  his  fine 
mind  and  hearty  and  cultivated  powers  are  best  revealed  to 
them,  and  by  which  they  are  most  closely  drawn  to  him.  He 
exercises  in  these  talksa  never- weakening  charm. 

With  greater  significance  and  force  than  even  he  used  them 
in  his  address  to  his  Bishop,  on  the  latter's  twenty-fifth  aimi- 
versary,  might  his  people  deliver  to  him  the  testimony  held 
in  these  words : 

"  They  cannot  but  look  up  to  their  Priest  as  one  most  ex- 
emplary in  his  devotion  to  his  sacred  office:  ever  at  his  post; 
always  accessible  to  every  member  of  his  flock,  young  or  old. 
high  or  lowly,  who  claimed  his  fatherly  ear  or  sympathy; 


1054 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


always  most  willing  to  give  to  everyone  the  benefit  of  his 
couusels,  and  tlu>  light  of  his  own  experience. 

When  we  sax  devotion  to  your  high  and  sacred  office,  we 
nie.iu  fidelity  to  its  duties  in  the  strictest  sense.  Thus  has  the 
light  of  your  example  been  a  guide  to  all.  priests  and  people. 
Thus  ha<  the  infiuenceof  yourcharacterservedtoform others 
to  pr.e-itlv-  fervor  and  apostolic  zeak  We  now  look  hack  over 
these  pregnant  forty  years,  and  finding  in  your  life  and  labors 
so  much  to  be  grateful  for  to  the  Eternal  Shepherd  of  souls, 
we  come  in  this  presence  to  pay  to  you,  who  have  been  so  long 
our  good  Shepherd,  the  homage  of  our  congratulations  aud 
our  gratitude.  May  God  brighten  the  remaining  years  of 
your  most  useful  life." 


German  Church  of  the  Holy  Trinity. — This  church,  Mon- 
trose avenue,  near  Ewen  street  (E.  D.),  was  established  in 
July,  1841,  for  the  German  Catholics.  It  was  rebuilt  in  1853, 
the  corner  stone  having  Injeu  laid  by  Archbishop  Hughes, 
June  39,  iu  that  year.  The  site  and  edifice  were  obtained  at 
the  sole  excuse  of  first  Pastor,  Rev.  John  Raffeiner,  who 
directed  it  till  his  death,  July  17,  1861. 

The  church  proving  inadequate  to  the  wants  of  the  con- 
gregation, in  1882,  the  foundation  was  laid  for  an  elegant 
stone  edifice  in  the  Gothic  sty  le  of  the  13th  century,  which 
lias  a  front  of  75  feet  ou  Montrose  avenue,  by  a  depth  of  180 
feet.  This  new  church,  which  is  not  yet  completed,  will  be 
finished  in  the  finest  style,  and  will  cost  $250,000.  The  fami- 
lies iu  the  parish  number  about  900.  The  schools  in  connec- 
tion with  the  church  contain  1,700  scholars.  The  boys  are 
taught  by  lay-teachers,  and  the  girls  by  the  Sisters  of  St. 
Dominic. 

OUrgy:  1.  Very  Rev.  John  Raffeiner,  V.  G.  Pastor,  1841 
-61;  assistants,  John  Raffeiner,  Jr.,  1848-'49;  Rev.  John 
Rauferisen,  1849-'59;  Rev.  ICaurua  Bamsauer,  1850-'5l;  Rev. 
Frederic  Jung,  1851-52:  Rev.  Casper  Metzler,  1853;  Rev. 
Joseph  Huber,  1853-'56  ;  Rev.  Alois  Enders,  1856-T>7;  Rev.  P. 
Albrecht,  1857-59;  Rev.  Michael  May,  1859-'61:  Rev.  John 
Hauptman,  1859-'61.  2.  Rev.  M.  May,  Pastor,  1861-83;  as- 
sistants, Rev.  John  Hauptman,  1861-'63;  Rev.  Anthony 
Arnold,  1862-'66;  Rev.  Joseph  Ulrech,  1865-66;  Rev.  Gustav 
Kamerer,  1866-'69;  Rev.  Peter  Deaffenbach,  1869-75;  Rev. 
P.  J.  Schwarg,  1869-'75;  Rev.  C.  Muller,  1870-'74;  Rev.  J. 
F.  Hanselman,  1877-80;  Rev.  F.  X.  Pauletigi,  1877-79;  Rev. 
J.  B.  Willman,  1877;  Rev.  Geo.  Feser,  1880-'83;  Rev.  Geo. 
Kaupert,  1831-84. 

Rev.  Michael  May,  born  in  Bavaria,  1826;  came  to  Brook- 
lyn Ma\  30,  1*59,  as  assistant  to  Father  Raffeiner  at  Holy 
Trinity;  appointed  Pastor,  July,  1862;  founded  Ch.  of  An- 
nunciation, 1862;  built  parish  schools  later,  St.  Nicholas' Ch., 
and  All  Saints  Ch. ;  built  an  Orphan  Asylum,  St.  Catharine's 
Hospital,  and  new  church,  1881-83,  of  stone,  88  feet  by  170, 
and  70  feet  in  height,  with  two  towers,  200  feet  high;  cost 
$200,000. 

St.  Patrick's  Church — This  church,  cor.  of  Kent  and 
Willoughby  avenues,  was  the  first  R.  C.  Church  in  East 
Brooklyn.  It  was  commenced  in  1*4*  by  the  Rev.  Hugh 
MoGuire,  and  was  for  some  years  known  as  the  Wallabout 
Church.  It  was  dedicated  in  honor  of  St.  Patrick,  August 
3d,  1856. 

Clergy:  Revs.  Hugh  McGuire,  1848-'60;  Patrick  O'Neill, 
L853-'64;  John  Dowling,  1854  '55;  Henry  O'Neil.  1851  'B8j 
Pete*  C.  Fagan,  1863-I1I;  F.dxvard  Fit  /.pat  rick.  1*70-  72:  J. 
i  onion,  1*70;  Francis  Lennon,  l*7o  '71;  John  Purcell,  1*71 
-'72;  John  McColluni,  1*72-  75;  Thomas  Taafe,  Pastor,  from 
1*73  to  present  time:  Andrew  OVoimcll,   1*73   ^7;  M.  S. 

Boylan,  1877;  Henrj  J.  /immer.  1*77  '7ii;  Jno.  McCloekey, 
1*7*  *:t;  Win.  (iiles,  i*r*;  M.  Goodwin,  1*79:  .las.  Bobier, 
l*so  '*.!  James  Ta  ife,  l**o  XS;  K  j.  McGoldrick,  I**.'  "83; 
Thoinns  A.  MacCaffrey,  1883. 


liev.  James  Taafe,  born  at  Dromard,  Ireland;  grad.  Clou- 
gowes  Wood  College,  1872;  studied  at  Coll.  de  Ste.  Marie, 
Toulouse,  aud  S.-m,  St.  Sulpice,  Paris:  ordained  1878:  app. 
curate  in  Brooklyn,  1879. 

Church  of  St.  Charles  Borromeo.— The  Episcopal  Church 
on  Sydney  place  was  purchased  by  the  Roman  Catholics  in 
1851;  and  the  Rev.  Charles  Constantiue  Pise,  then  Pastor  of 
St.  Peter's  Church,  in  Barclay  street,  New  York,  was  seal 
over  by  Archbishop  Hughes  to  take  charge  of  the  new  church 
and  parish.  Dr.  Pise  was  a  gentleman  of  the  most  refined 
tastes  and  scholarly  attainments,  and  he  soon  gathered  to  his 
church  a  congregation  of  the  elite  of  the  Catholic  population 
of  the  city.  Dr.  Pise  died  in  1*66,  and  his  successor.  Dr.  Freel, 
purchased,  at  a  cost  of  $25,000,  grouud  adjoining  the  church 
and  pastoral  residence  for  a  church  site.  In  1868,  the  eld 
church,  with  its  valuable  organ,  its  superb  frescoes  and  fine 
collection  of  music,  was  burned.  Measures  were  at  once  in- 
stituted to  build  a  new  church  which  is  130  feet  iu  length  bj 
75  in  width,  and  cost  about  $70,000.  The  walls  of  the  old 
church  were  turned  into  St.  Philomena's  School  on  Sidney 
place.  It  is  a  somewhat  remarkable  fact  that  ou  one  occasion 
the  Rt.  Rev.  Levi  Silliman  Ives,  as  Episcopal  Bishop  of  North 
Carolina,  ordained  in  this  church  the  Rev.  Douald  Macleod, 
as  a  minister  of  the  Episcopal  Church;  and  that,  not  man] 
years  after,  they  met  again,  both  Roman  Catholics,  in  this 
church,  which  had  also  like  them  become  Roman  Catholic. 

Clergy:  Rev.  C.  C.  Pise,  D.  D.,  1851-66;  Rev.  Joseph  Frau- 
sioli,  1857-  59;  Rev.  David  O'Mullane.  1863-64;  Rev.  F.  J. 
Freel,  D.  D.,  1866-81;  Rev.  Thomas  F.  McGivern,  1866-'71; 
Rev.  Jas.  Doherty,  1870:  Rev.  Chas.  Hubert,  1872;  Rev.  Jas. 
S.  Duffy,  1873-78;  Rev.  Ignatius  O'Rrien,  1874;  Rev.  Deafe 
A.  Tivenan,  1875;  Rev.  Thomas  Ward,  1875-'84;  Rev.  Jere- 
miah Brosnan,  1878-'83.    Dr.  Freel  died  in  March.  1884. 

St.  Joseph's,  Pacific  street,  near  Vanderbilt  avenue,  i-  a 
brick  edifice,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  fifteen  hundred.  It 
was  erected  in  1853,  and  afterwards  enlarged.  There  are  large 
schools  connected  with  it;  the  boys'  school  of  600  pupils 
under  the  care  of  the  Franciscan  Brothers,  and  the  girls' 
school  with  450  children  in  attendance  conducted  by  tin 
Sisters  of  St.  Joseph. 

Clergy  :  Rev.  P.  O'Neill.  1858-  67;  Rev.  Edward  Corcoran, 
1867-83.  Assistant  Pastors  :  Rev.  Peter  Kearney,  1867  '7-'; 
Rev.  William  O'Donnell,  1870-71;  Rev.  P.  J.  McGlinchey, 
1*76:  Rex.  Patrick  McNamara,  1871 -'74;  Rev.  James  O'Rourke, 
1873-'75;  Rev.  Bernard  McHugh.  l*74-'75:  Rev.  Johu  Hogan. 
1875;  Rev.  Thos.  S.  Reilly,  1875-'78;  Rev.  John  Loughran, 
1879-'81;  Rev.  C.  J.  Curtin,  1881-83;  Rev.  P.  J.  McGlinchey, 
1882-84. 

St.  John's  Church,  21st  St.,  was  org.  about  the  \  car  1*4<>. 
aud  a  wooden  edifice  erected.  For  several  years  there  win  no 
settled  Pastor.  Rev.  Peter  McLoughlin  was  Pastor  in  1858  '■>; 
Rev.  Francis  McKeon.  1*56  '57;  Rev.  J.  McCovern.  l*57-'«0; 
Rev.  Hugh  McGuire,  l*60-'73;  and  the  present  Pastor.  Rev. 
James  OBeirue,  since  1*73.  The  Assistant  Pastors  have  been: 
liev.  Peter  Daly,  liev.  John  McGuire,  Rev.  Michael  11k  key. 
Rev.  Patrick  Mulligan,  and  Rev.  Bernard  A.  Plunkett.  The 
church  building  was  enlarged  in  1*72,  and  noxx  has  a  seating 
capacity  of  1.2*0.  Near  the  church  is  a  convent  of  the  Bisttn 
of  St.  Joseph,  erected  by  Father  O'Beirne  in  l*7ii.  TWO 
schools  are  maintained:  one  for  boys,  under  the  charge  of 
the  Franciscan  Brothers,  and  one  for  girls,  under  the  SistH 
of  St.  Joseph.  The  average  attendance  at  t hese  schools  is IKMI. 
The  church  properly  is  valued  at  #60.000. 

Rev.  James  n'BElKNE.  bom  in  Ireland,  1*22:  grad.  St.  Pal 
rick's  Coll..  Maxnooth.  1*5',';  located  Flushing,  L.  I.,  1*5:!  T8; 
B'klyn,  1*73  *f;  Rev.  Bernard  A.  Plunkett,  died  Nov.  Mfc 
succeeded  by  Bex.  Michael  A.  Naughtoil. 


EC CLESIA S TICAL  OR  GANIZA  TIONS. 


1055 


Church  of  the  Immaculate  Conception. — This  church,  sit- 
lated  on  the  corner  of  Maujer  and  Leonard  streets,  was  com- 
iienced  in  1853,  the  corner-stone  having  been  laid  August  1st. 
t  was  a  substantial  brick  structure,  on  a  solid  stone  foundation, 
I  tret  by  102.  The  interior  is  neatly  and  tastefully  deco- 
ated,  and  the  altar  and  organ  are  both  fine.  Including  the 
>t,  the  church  cost  $30,000.  Clergy:  Rev.  Peter  McLaughlin, 
853-54;  Rev.  Anthony  Farrelly,  1854-'55;  Rev.  A.  Bohan, 
855  -'64;  Rev.  John  R.  McDonald,  1864-'78;  Rev.  William  Mc- 
lloaky,  1866-'67;  Rev.  Thomas  Shanley,  1867-69;  Rev.  Flor- 
nce  McCarthy,  1870;  Rev.  T.  Reynolds,  1871;  Rev.  M.  Nevin, 
S72-  75;  Rev.  M.  Brennan,  1872-75;  Rev.  James  Woods, 
877-  78;  Rev.  John  Crimmins,  1879-'83;  Rev.  M.  F.  Murray, 

879-  '83;  Rev.  A.  J.  O'Rourke,  1883-'84. 

Church  of  St.  Boniface. — In  1853,  the  Episcopal  Church  of 
■t.  Thomas,  cor.  of  Willoughby  and  Bridge  streets,  was  pur- 
hased  by  a  German  Catholic  congregation,  and  was  dedi- 
ated  to  Roman  Catholic  worship,  under  the  above  title,  Jan. 
9,  1851.  Its  Pastors  have  been:  Rev.  M.  Ramsauer,  1855-6; 
lev.  B.  Keller,  1857-58;  Rev.  Joseph  Bruncmann,  185S-59. 
lev.  John  G.  Hummell,  1859-'64;  Rev.  Michael  J.  Decker, 
sG4-"68;  Rev.  W.  Oberschneider,  1868-69;  Rev.  F.  Eariffi, 
870;  Rev.  P.  DeBerge,  1871-75;  Rev.  P.  Schwarz,  1877;  Rev. 
.  B.  Wittman,  1878-84. 

There  are  two  flourishing  schools  connected  with  the 
hurch. 

St.  Benedict's  Church  (German),  Fulton  avev  near  Ralph, 
s  a  handsome  brick  edifice,  137  by  65  feet,  built  in  1874,  at  a 
ost  of  $60,000.  The  church  was  organized  in  1852,  and  wor- 
hiped  first  in  a  building  on  Herkimer  st.,  which,  since  the 
ie\v  church  was  completed,  has  been  used  as  a  school-house, 
inder  the  charge  of  the  Sisters  of  Christian  Charity.  Its 
'astors  have  been:  Revs.  M.  Ramsauer,  1855-6;  B.Keller, 
856-'8;  A.  Enders,  1857-'8;  Joseph  Tuboly,  1858-'63;  T.  Al- 
a-edit,  1861-2;  F.   Klosterbauer,   1863-'73  ;   M.  Koehren, 

874-  '5;  Henry  Zimmer,  1875-6;  Ignatius  Zeller,  1877-83; 
Michael  N.  Wagner,  S.  T.  L.,  1881-'4. 

St.  Mary's  Star  cf  the  Sea.— This  church,  Court  st.,  cor. 
if  Luqucer,  was  erected  chiefly  through  the  exertions  of 
lev.  Mr.  Bacon,  afterwards  Bishop  of  Portland.  It  is  one  of 
he  largest  church  edifices  in  the  city,  having  a  seating  capa- 
ity  of  nearly  2,000.  It  was  dedicated  April  29,  1855.  The 
utcrior  was  frescoed,  and  the  spire  finished  in  1872.  Father 
3acon  was  succeeded  as  Pastor  by  Revs.  James  McGinnis, 
rom  1855  to  1857;  Eugene  Cassidy,  from  1857  to  1876;  Law- 
ence  Toner,  Curate  in  charge,  1876-'7;  and  the  present  Pas- 
or.  Henry  O'Loughlin,  1877-83.  The  Assistant  Clergy  have 
teen:  Revs.  J.  McKenna;  Stephen  Cassidy;  J.  M.  Reilly; 
fohn  Heffernan,  1871;  Florence  McCarthy,  1872-3;  Felix 
)'Callaghan,  1872-4;  Daniel  Shcehy,  1874;  Lawrence  Toner, 

875-  3;  Peter  O'Neill,  1875;  Peter  McGuire,  1877-81;  Michael 
•ennisoa,  1S7S;  Ed.  Wm.  Dulles,  1879-'80;  Joseph  Kilpatrick, 

880-  1;  P.  Kenny,  1881. 

St.  Marys  Parochial  School  was  established  in  1855,  and 
vas  kept  in  the  chapel,  and  in  the  basement,  till  1868,  when 
he  present  brick  structure  was  erected,  through  the  exer- 
ions  of  Father  Cassidy.    The  average  attendance  is  1,000. 

St.  Francis'  Church,  Putnam  ave.,  near  Bedford,  was 
tarted  in  1857  as  a  German  church,  Rev.  Bonaventure  Keller 
>eing  its  Pastor  for  two  years.  The  building  is  of  brick,  75 
iy  25  feet.  So  many  of  its  German  parishioners  removed 
hat  it  was  closed  for  five  yeais.  In  1866,  services  were 
igaio  commenced,  with  Rev.  N.  Balleis,  O.  S.  B.,  as  Pastor, 
vho  still  continues  in  charge. 

The  property  was  devised  by  its  owner,  Father  Keller,  to 
he  Orphan  Asylum  of  Holy  Trinity  Church,  and  is  still  held 
n  trust  for  that  institution. 


Church  of  the  Visitation  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary. — 
This  church,  on  Ewen  and  Van  Brunt  sts.,  was  begun  in 
1854,  and  dedicated  Oct.  29,  1855.  A  handsome  building, 
about  75  by  90  feet,  of  blue-stone,  was  commenced  in  18H0, 
and  finished  the  following  year,  except  the  towers.  Clergy  : 
Revs.  Timothy  O'Fariell,  1854-69;  John  Cummings,  1865-'6; 
Isaac  Miguely  Diaz,  1868-9;  T.  OTarrell,  187C-7;  T.  Rej  - 
nolds,  1870;  E.  McCarty,  1871-4;  Florence  McCarthy,  1874; 
Hugh  Hand,  1875-83;  M.  Riordan,  1877-81;  John  M.  Kiely, 
1878-81;  Wm.  J.  Lane,  1881-4. 

Church  of  Our  Lady  of  Mercy,  Debevoise  place,  near  De 
Kalb  ave.  The  parish  was  formed  and  the  first  church  dedi- 
cated in  1857.  The  present  edifice  was  erected  in  1857  and  '8, 
of  brick,  with  lime-stone  trimmings,  in  the  mixed  Gothic 
style.  It  is  150  feet  deep' and  65  feet  in  width,  and  has  seat- 
ing accommodations  for  1,900  persons.  The  exterior  of  the 
building  is  plain,  but  the  inttrior  is  in  remarkable  contrast. 
It  cost  about  $70,000,  and  was  dedicated  Feb.  7,  1869.  Clergy: 
Revs.  John  McCarthy,  1857-8;  John  McKenna,  1858-'6S; 
Bernard  Gerrety,  1859-60  ;  Martin  Carroll,  1865-8 ;  M.  J. 
Goodwin,  1867-8;  Thomas  Taafe,  186£-';2;  James  Mc El roy, 
1868-77;  J.  McNamee,  1870-4;  M.  Ricrdan,  187C-'5;  F.  O'C:  1- 
laghan,  1875-'84;  J.  Coughlin,  1875-7;  J.  Galvin,  1877-8;  P. 
McNamara,  S.  T.  D.,  1878-84;  T.  McGivern,  1878;  James 
Donohoe,  1877-81;  Felix  O'Callaghan,  1882-4. 

Rev.  Patrick  J.  McNamara,  born  in  Ireland,  1844;  grad. 
St.  Francis  Xavier's  Coll,  New  York,  1867 ;  St.  Marys  Theol. 
Sem.,  Baltimore,  1870;  located  B'klyn,  1870-4  ;  East  New 
York,  1874-'7;  B'klyn,  1877-'84. 

Tlie  Society  of  the  Holy  Name  has  been  connected  with  the 
church  about  seven  years.  James  Donohoe,  Spiritual  Direr- 
tor. 

Church  of  St.  Anthony. — About  the  year  1857,  a  church 
with  this  title  was  commenced  on  India  st.,  by  the  exertions 
of  Rev.  John  Brady,  and  was  finished  in  the  year  following. 
Its  Clergy  have  been:  Revs.  John  Brady,  1857-72;  A.  J. 
Dorris,  1871-2;  W.  J.  Lane,  187C-9;  C.  Farrelly,  1873-5;  W. 
Connolly,  1875;  J.  J.  Mouin,  1877;  E.  Smith,  1877-80;  John 
Loughran,  D.  D.,  1878-83;  B.  Plunkett,  1879;  Michael  J. 
Murphy,  1880-'3;  John  Hogan,  1880;  E.  W.  Dullea,  1881;  J. 
O'Reilly,  1881;  John  F.  Baxter,  1882-C-4;  Wm.  J.  Hamilton, 
1883.  r 

St.  Peter's  Church. — Thirty-five  years  ago  that  part  of 
South  Brooklyn,  between  Amity  and  Sackett  streets,  Henry 
street  and  the  river,  was  occupied  by  a  rough  population  with- 
out church  privileges  in  their  midst.  The  Rev.  Joseph  Frans- 
ioli,  a  native  cf  Ticino,  Switzerland,  having  seen  the  needs  of 
the  district,  requested  that  a  parish  be  set  off  embracing  that 
district;  which  was  accordingly  done  in  April,  1859,  and 
Father  Fransioli  appointed  to  undertake  the  great  work  of 
christianizing  the  people.  A  stone-yard,  corner  of  Hicks  and 
Warren  sts.,  was  purchased,  and  after  long  and  persistent  ef- 
forts the  church  was  completed  and  dedicated  Nov.  4, 1860,  at  a 
total  cost  of  $65,000.  The  congregation  numbered  about  3,  COO, 
and  has  since  largely  increased.  In  1866,  Father  Fransioli 
built  the  Academy  which  adjoins  St.  Peter's  Church,  at  a 
cost  of  $60,000,  where  1,300  children  annually  receive  free  in- 
struction. During  the  war  he  purchased  a  house,  corner  of 
Hicks  and  Congress  sts. ,  as  a  home  for  the  children  of  soldiers 
and  for  orphans.  Afterwards  a  larger  building  was  erected, 
and  the  whole  made  into  a  hospital  known  as  St.  Peter's 
Hospital,  which  has  accomplished  a  great  work  during  its 
existence.  In  1878,  the  Bacar  estate  was  purchased,  which 
gave  to  the  church  the  whole  of  the  block;  and  all  the  build- 
ings thereon  were  devoted  to  charity.  A  few  years  later 
Father  Fransioli  secured  the  chapel  on  Warren  st.,  formerly 
a  mission  of  the  Church  of  the  Pilgrims,  and  instituted  special 


1056 


BISTORT  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


s,'i  \  ioe3  for  the  Italians.  A  brick  building  60  by  70  ft.  is  in 
i-oni-r  of  erection  for  the  use  of  the  different  young  men's 
societies  attached  to  St.  Peter's  Church.  A  handsome  build- 
in-;.  00  by  100  ft.,  at  12- 16  Warren  st..  has  been  erected  for 
library,  school  and  kindergarten  use.  The  influence  of  the 
church  and  its  surrounding  institutions  has  completely 
(•banned  the  character  of  the  population  of  that  portion  of  the 
city,  and  great  credit  is  due  to  Father  Fransioli  for  his  long 
and  arduous  labors.  He  is  still  at  his  jM>st  enjoying  the  rever- 
ence and  affection  of  the  entire  community.  The  Assistant 
Clergy  have  been  as  follows:  Revs.  A.  Geraud,  1860-62;  L. 
Strain,  1862-63;  A.  J.  Dorris,  1863-'66;  M.  J.  Goodwin, 
1866-67;  W.  Gualco,  1867-'68;  J.  H.  Pollard,  1867-73;  J.  A. 
Oasella,  lM69-'70:  J.  HcHeel,  1869-'74;  M.  Murphy,  1870-'74; 
P.  A.  Walsh,  1873-'82;  EL  McCarty,  1874-'76 ;  J.  Bobier, 
1*75-  78;  M.  Nevin,  1877-81;  M.  J.  Malone,  1876-'81;  M.  J. 
Boylan.  tS79-'80;  M.  Galvin,  1881-'84;  M.  L.  O'Connell, 
lH76-'84. 

St.  Anne's  Church. — August  21st,  1860,  ground  was 
broken  for  the  erection  of  a  Roman  Catholic  Church  on  the 
S.  W.  corner  of  Front  and  Gold  streets.  It  was  a  brick  edi 
Bee,  80  feet  by  122,  with  a  tower  130  feet  high.  It  was  erected 
under  the  superintendence  of  Mr.  P.  C.  Keeley,  and  cost 
(15,000,  exclusive  of  the  site.  Clergy:  Rev.  Bartholomew 
Gleeson,  1863-'75;  Thomas  Shanley,  O.  S.  H.,  1866-67;  Wil- 
liam MeCloskey,  1887-72;  J.  Kelly,  1871;  E.  Smith,  1877;  J. 
McMeel,  1878-83;  B.  McHugh.  1878-'83;  Jas.  Durick.  18S2-83. 

St.  Vincent  de  Paul. — In  1863,  a  church  of  this  name  was 
l>egun  on  North  6th  street,  near  5th,  under  the  direction  of  the 
Rev.  Bernard McGorisk.  Rev.  David  O'Mullane,  with  his  as- 
sistant, Michael  Moran,  began  preparations  for  erecting  a  new 
editice.    The  corner-stone  of  the  new  building  was  la  d  July. 

1868.  The  church  U  Gothic,  68  by  156  feet,  of  Belleville  gray- 
stone,  with  Ohio  stone  trimming.    It  was  dedicated  Oct.  17, 

1869,  and  cost  about  $130,000.  Clergy:  Revs.  Bernard  Mc- 
Gorisk, 1863-'66;  David  O'Mullane,  1865-72;  Michael  Moran, 
L88S-<86;  Thomas  McNally.  1866-'67;  John  Crimmins,  1867-9; 
M.  Farelly,  1870-'80;  J.  O'Rourke,  1871;  M.  Carroll,  1873-'84; 
T.  Adams,  1874-'75-'76;  J.  Growney,  1881  ;E.  McCalie,  lS80-'4; 

John  T.  Woods,  1883;  born  in  Brooklyn,  1860;  graduated  St. 
John's  College.  Brooklyn,  1SS0:  and  Theo.  Sem..  Our  Lady  of 
Angels,  Niagara,  1883;  located  in  Brooklyn,  Dec,  1883-  84. 

Rev.  Martin  Carroll,  born  in  Ireland,  1841,  grad.  Coll.  of 
Our  Lady  of  Angels,  Niagara,  1*01:  Pres.  Alumni  Assoc.;  lo- 
cated Brooklyn.  1865-'84. 

Rev.  E.  J.  McCabk,  born  in  B'klyn,  1853;  grad.  Seton  Hall 
Coll.,  N.  J..  1874;  and  Theol.  Sem.,  Our  Lady  of  Angels, 
Niagara,  1*77;  located  B'klyn,  l*77-'*4;  founder  and  editor 
of  The  Catholic  Youth. 

Church  of  the  Annunciation,  B.  V.  M..  is  a  German  church 
at  the  corner  of  North  Fifth  and  Seventh  streets.  The  first 
church  erected  in  1st;:;  by  R,.\\  John  Ilauptmann.  gave  place 
in  1*70,  to  a  handsome  edifice  of  brick,  125  by  65  feet,  built 
at  a  cost  of  $65,000  and  $70,000  for  the  lots.  Rev.  Mr.  Haupt- 
mann  is  still  Pastor.  There  is  a  large  school  attached;  also  a 
convent  of  the  Sisters  of  St.  Dominic.  Tin-  <  'Icrgy  have  been 
a-  follows:  Rev.  J.  Ilauptmann.  l*70-'*f;  H.  /.immer.  1*74 -'5; 
L  Schaffer,  l*77-'79;  B.  F.  Kurtz,  1**0-'*I;  W.  Guhl, 
1*73. 

St.  Stephen's  Church. — Soon  after  tin*  formation  of  this 
pari->b  in  1*00.  a  church  on  <  'am ill  street,  near  Hicks,  was 
purchased  from  the  Episcopalians,  and  lots  on  Hicks  street, 
l»  t  ween  ( 'a mill  and  Summit,  were  bought  for  future  building 
purposes.  In  a  few  years  the  erect  inn  of  a  new  church  at  the 
comer  of  Summit  and  Hicks  was  commenced.  In  July,  Is;:!. 
the  corner-slot..  «  ■  >  l.i I  :i ml  the  dedication  occurred  in  <  >ct.. 
1878.     The  edifice  is  built  of  brick,  with  Belleville  free-stone 


trimmings,  and  in  the  Modern  Gothic  style.  Its  dimension-, 
are  166  feet  in  length  by  78  in  width.  Its  spire  is  225  feet  in 
height,  Furmounted  by  a  cross,  which  is  often  illuminated  at 
night.  The  old  church  is  used  for  schools  in  which  there  in 
S00  children  taught  by  the  Sisters  of  charity.  Pastors:  Rev 
O.  J.  Dorris.  1866-69;  James  Moran,  l*09-'72;  Edward 
O'Reilly,  l*72-'*4.  The  assistants  have  been:  Rev.  I„„,|v 
Rhatigan,  1867-70;  N.  Doran.  1*70-83;  Ja*.  McMeel,  ]s; 
O.  O'Brien,  1877-83. 

St.  Nicholas'  Church  (Germain,  cor.  ol  Rowers  and  Oliv.  i 
sts.,  E.  D.,  is  a  brick  structure,  100x40  feet.  The  corner 
stone  was  laid  in  1865,  and  the  church  dedicated  May  lSUi 
1866.  The  congregation  was  organized  by  the  Very  1;> 
M.  May,  of  the  Most  Holy  Trinity  Church.  In  1877,  tt>. 
church  was  enlarged.  There  are  two  schools  connected  with 
the  church,  under  the  charge  of  the  Sisters  of  St.  Domini. 
Pastors:  Rev.  C.  Peine,  1866-  77;  Rev.  J.  P.  Hoffmann. 
l*77-'*3.  Assistant  Clergy:  Revs.  F.  Bariffi,  lNK*-'9;  L 
Fuchs.  lS69-'72;  J.  P.  Hoffmann.  1872-  84;  M.  J.  MicbeU. 
l*77-'84. 

Rev.  John  P.  Hoffmann,  born  in  New  York.  1*4*;  -m  i 
St.  Francis  Xavier's  Coll.,  1*07,  and  Sem.  of  Our  Lad\  i  • 
Angels,  Niagara,  1872;  located  B'klyn,  1*72-84. 

St.  Francis  de  Sales',  Broadway,  near  Hull  Bt„  K.  D, 
built  in  1H75;  is  of  brick,  100x40  feet. 

Pastors:  Revs.  Mr.  Lenneuf,  1875-'6:  E.  H.  Ponil. 
1876-'*4.  Clergy:  Revs.  J.  M.  Miller,  1873-'5;  F.  Ouichet.  :. 
1873-'9:  T.  Vaudray,  1S73;  A.  Kohlxio.  1S77:  T.  L\i> 
1878-'9j  E.  H.  Porcile,  S.  P.  M..  1882-"3;  H.  Barker.  8,  P.  M 
1882-  3;  Patrick  F.  Carr,  1882-'3:  A.  Galland,  1882-:!;  Willi;,, 
J.  Smith,  S.  P.  M.,  188a 

Church  cf  St.  John  the  Baptist.— Rev.  E.  M.  Smith 
the  Congregation  of  the  Mission,  was  sent,  in  the  spring  ol 
1*6*.  to  Brooklyn,  to  establish  a  house  of  his  order. 

A  large  plot  of  ground  was  secured  on  Lewis  and  \\>. 
loughby  aves.,  and  a  small  cottage  situated  thereon  servi 
as  a  residence  for  the  Pastor.    One  of  its  small  rooms  wt 
fitted  up  as  a  chapel.    Mass  was  said  for  the  first  time  . 
July  12th,  1868.    Ten  or  twelve  persous  from  the  spareeh 
settled  neighborhood,  constituted  the  first  congregation. 

On  the  same  day  the  foundation-stone  of  the  prswi 
church  was  laid.  During  the  following  Septenilvr,  R<^ 
John  Quigley,  C.  M.,  took  charge  of  the  parish;  the  chart 
was  dedicated  Aug.  29th,  1869.  This  church  being  designet 
as  temporary  only,  is  a  plain,  wooden  structure,  with  a  ■  kl 
ing  capacity  of  800.  Pastors:  Rev.  K.  M.  Smith.  Q  N 
J.  Quigley,  C.  M..  Sept.,  1*6*.  until  his  death  in  Jan.,  W7S 
E.  M.  Smith,  C.  M.,  Jan.,  1872,  to  Sept.,  1873;  P.  V.  Byn  i 
C.  M.,  Sept.,  1*73,  to  Jan..  1876:  J.  J.  Maloney,  C.  M  .  Jan. 
1876,  to  Sept.,  1877;  A.  J.  Myer,  C.  M.,  Sept.,  1877,  to  M> 
1882;  Rev.  J.  A.  Hartutt.  C.  M. 

A  parochial  school  for  jjrirls,  under  the  rare  ol'  t In-  Sister 
of  Charit3%  is  at'aehed  to  the  church.  The  attendance  i 
about  250. 

Chur  h  of  All  Saints  (German).— Soon  after  the  formatu/ 
of  the  parish.  Rev.  M.  May  commenced  the  erection  1 
church  on  Thornton  st.,  near  Throop  ave.,  which  wssded 
cated  on  the  last  day  of  1*67;   the  building  is  "f  It 
49x94  feet.    Rev.  Anthony  Arnold  was  appointed  ftrsl  P 
for.  and  came  to  the  charge  on  the  first  day  of  Jan., 
which  position  he  still  occupies.    The  Assistant  Chrgyh*- 
lieen  as  follows:    Revs.  Alfred  Kreutzer,  John  s.  amatl 
Amman,  C.  Eisolay,  1876~'81;  Bernard  Kurtz.  1881  "81  Th 
basement  of  the  church  is  occupied  by  a  school  for  boyi 
behind  the  church  is  a  girls'  school,  lxflh  conducted  by  lb 
Dominican  Sisters,  and  containing  700  scholars.    Aboul  ■< 
Catholic  families  reside  in  the  parish.    The  church  PWW 


ECCLESJA  STIGAL 


lot  on  Throop  ave.  and  Thornton  st.,  100x147  feet,  on  which 
a  handsome  new  structure  will  be  built  in  the  near 
future. 

Rev.  Anthony  Arnold,  born  in  Bavaria,  1831;  grad.  St. 
Vincent's  Coll.,  and  Theol.  Sem.,  Pa.;  previous  location  at 
Holy  Trinity.  Bklyn,  1863-'8. 

Church  of  Our  Lady  of  Victory. — In  1868,  the  site  for  a 
new  Roman  Catholic  Church  was  obtained  on  Throop  ave., 
between  Macon  and  McDonough  sts.,  and  a  temporary  frame 
■itructure,  70x40  feet,  erected  and  dedicated  July  26,  1868. 
In  1883,  this  was  replaced  by  a  handsome  stone  structure  in 
the  Gothic  style,  and  of  larger  dimensions.  A  flourishing 
M'hool  is  maintained  by  the  church.  Rev.  P.  Creighton, 
Pastor,  1868-84. 

Church  of  the  Nativity. — The  parish  was  organized  Sept., 
1*71,  and  Rev.  M.  J.  Moran  appointed  Pastor.  Fifteen  city 
lots,  on  the  south-east  corner  of  Classon  ave.  and  Madison 
st..  were  purchased  Dec.  27,  1871,  for  $30,000. 

First  mas?  was  celebrated  March  17,  1872,  in  the  house  that 
is  now  the  parochial  residence.  The  new  church  was  com- 
menced April  22,  1872,  and  dedicated  Oct.  20  cf  the  same 
vcar.  It  is  of  brick,  with  seating  capacity  of  600,  at  a  cost, 
including  furnishing,  of  about  $35,000.  Clergy:  Revs.  M. 
Moran,  1871-84;  M.  Hickey,  1873-5;  W.  McGinnis,  1877-'84; 
W.  J.  McGuire,  1881-'4;  P.  J.  Kenney,  1881-4. 

St.  Bernard's  Church  (German)  was  formed  about  the 
year  1872.  The  congregation  met  in  the  Temperance  Hall 
on  Hamilton  avenue,  for  a  couple  of  years,  when  1Jie  brick 
building,  40x85  feet,  on  the  corner  of  Hicks  and  Rapelye 
streets,  was  purchased  and  fitted  up  for  a  church,  with 
school-rooms  below.  Rev.  John  J.  Ammann  has  been  the 
Pastor  since  its  beginning.  Four  hundred  children  are 
taught  in  the  schools. 

Rev.  John  J.  Ammann,  born  in  New  York,  1840;  grad.  St. 
Francis  Xavier's  Coll.,  1868;  St.  Mary's  Baltimore,  1872; 
located  Bklyn,  1872-84. 

Church  of  the  Nativity,  Madison  avenue,  near  Classon,  is  a 
brick  edifice,  100  feet  by  40,  erected  in  1872,  through  the 
labors  of  Rev.  M.  J.  Moran,  who  still  continues  to  officiate  as 
Pastor.  The  other  Clergy  are  :  Revs.  M.  Hickey,  1873-'75; 
W.  McGinnis,  1877-81;  W.  McGuire,  1882-83;  P.  Kenney, 
l*82-'83. 

Church  of  St.  Louis  (French),  McKibben,  near  Leonard,  is  a 
wooden  structure,  75x45  feet,  erected  in  1869.  Rev.  Jules 
Jollon  has  been  its  Pastor  from  1869.  Services  in  French  and 
English  are  held  and  a  French  and  German  school  is  con- 
nected with  the  church. 

St.  Vincent's  Chapel  is  attached  to  St.  Vincent's  Home  for 
Boys,  at  7  Poplar  street,  and  was  established  in  1872,  for  the 
benefit  of  the  inmates  of  the  Home,  by  Rev.  Maurice  Hickey, 
its  present  Pastor. 

St.  Augustine's  Church  was  organized  in  1870,  with  about 
eighteen  members,  and  Rev.  Lewis  J.  Rhatigan,  Pastor. 
Messrs.  Bennet,  Dougherty  and  Rorke  were  chiefly  in- 
strumental in  procuring  its  organization.  Services  were  at 
first  held  at  the  residence  of  the  Pastor,  in  "Warren  street. 
The  present  church  edifice,  on  the  corner  of  Fifth  avenue  and 
Bergen  street,  was  dedicated  March  19th,  1871.  It  is  a  brick 
structure,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  eight  hundred,  and  its 
cost,  including  site,  was  $43,000.  In  1873,  a  parsonage  was 
erected,  at  a  cost  of  $12,000.  Father  Rhatigan  died  in  1874, 
and  was  succeeded  by  the  present  Pastor.  Rev.  Edward  "W. 
McCarty.  Under  his  wise  financial  management,  the  debt 
on  the  church  and  parsonage  has  been  nearly  discharged. 
The  other  Clergy  have  been  :  Revs.  J.  E.  Bobier,  1873-4; 
D.  J.  Sheehey,  1875-*83;  D.  Hickey,  1878-'83;  James  F. 
Crowley,  18S3. 


OR  GANIZA  TIONS.  1 05  7 


Church  of  St.  Leonard  of  Port  Maunce- In  1871,  Rev.  J. 
J.  Raber  was  appointed  to  the  charge  of  this  parish,  then 
newly  formed.  In  the  same  year,  a  church  was  commenced 
on  Hamburg  street,  corner  of  Jefferson,  and  dedicated  the 
year  following.  It  is  a  substantial  frame  structure,  97  by  50 
feet,  finely  decorated  inside,  with  a  beautiful  painting  of  the 
Madonna  and  child  in  the  center  of  the  ceiling,  and  the  four 
evangelists  in  the  corners,  also  a  fine  painting  of  St.  Leonard 
above  the  altar.  The  parish  now  contains  about  400  fami- 
lies. 

The  schools  connected  with  the  church  contain  some  600 
children,  and  are  in  charge  of  the  Sisters  of  St.  Dominic. 
New  buildings  will  soon  be  erected.  There  is  also  an  Orphan 
Asylum,  with  80  inmates,  occupying  a  handsome  brick  build- 
ing near  the  church.  Father  Raber  has  been  the  Pastor  from 
first,  and  by  arduous  labors  has  built  up  and  paid  for  the 
lots  and  buildings. 

Church  of  the  Sacred  Heart. — In  1871,  Bishop  Loughlin 
established  the  parish  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  in  that  portion  of 
Brooklyn  which  is  bounded  by  Ryerson  and  Canton  sts.,  and 
Flushing  and  Myrtle  aves.,  appointing  Rav.  Thos.  F.  McGiv- 
ern,  Pastor.  A  chapel  was  opened  in  Vanderbilt  ave.,  Dec.  3, 
1871.  About  the  same  time  nine  lots  extending  from  Cler- 
mont ave.  to  Adelphi  st.,  near  Park  ave.,  were  purchased,  to 
which  three  more  were  afterwards  added,  at  a  total  cost  of 
$20,500. 

The  erection  of  a  church  was  soon  commenced,  its  corntr- 
stone  being  laid  May  10,  1874.  In  May,  1875,  Rev.  Mr. 
McGivem  resigned,  and  Rev.  John  A.  McCulluin  was  ap- 
pointed pastor.  He  hastened  the  work  on  the  new  church, 
occupying  it  for  divine  service  in  three  weeks  after  assuming 
the  pastorate,  finishing  it  for  dedication  June  24,  1877.  It  i-i 
a  brick  edifice,  64x137  feet,  handsomely  frescoed  within,  and 
possesses  a  very  fine  painting  of  the  Sacred  Heart.  The  As- 
sistant Pastors  have  been:  Rev.  John  F.  Nash,  Rtv.  Chas.  F. 
Wightman,  1882;  Rev.  P.  O'Mallon,  1883.  The  girls'  Sunday- 
school  is  taught  by  the  Sisters  of  Mercy,  and  the  boys'  by 
lay  superintendent  and  teachers.  There  is  no  day-school  at 
present,  but  it  is  the  intention  to  erect  one. 

St.  Cecelia's  Church. — This  parish  was  organized  iu  1*72, 
and,  in  the  year  following,  a  frame  edifice,  a1  out  50x80  feet, 
erected  on  North  Henry  and  Herbert  sts.  The  congregation 
increased  rapidly,  now  numbering  some  300  families.  Rev. 
Florence  McCarthy  was  Pastor  from  1872-83,  when  ho  was 
succeeded  by  Rev.  Jame3  Taaffe. 

St.  Alphonsus'  is  a  German  church  in  Kent  ave.,  near 
Manhattan,  built  in  1873,  of  wood',  at  a  cost,  including  site, 
of  $21,000.  Rev.  "W.  Guhl  has  been  the  pastor  since  trie  form- 
ation of  the  parish.  The  number  of  families  is  nearly  500. 
There  is  a  large  school  attached,  which  is  taught  by  the  Do- 
minican Sisters. 

Church  of  the  Transfiguration: — The  parish  was  formed  in 
1874,  with  Rev.  John  Fagan  its  first  Pastor.  Lots  were  se- 
cured at  the  corner  of  Hooper  st.  and  Marcy  ave.,  and  the 
erection  of  the  present  church  was  commenced ;  meanwhile 
services  were  held  in  a  carpenter's  shop  on  Hooper  st.  The 
church  was  finished  in  1875;  it  is  of  brick,  40x75  feet,  and  is 
intended  to  be  used  for  schools  after  a  larger  church  shall 
bo  built  on  the  corner  adjoining.  Father  Fagan  died  i..  1379, 
and  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Wm.  J.  Hill,  now  of  St.  Paul's, 
and  he  in  turn  by  the  present  Pastor,  Rev.  Jno.  M.  Kiely, 
who  came  to  the  parish  in  February,  1S81.  Rev.  D.  A.  Tive- 
nan  was  assistant  from  1877-81.  The  Catholic  population  of 
the  parish  is  4,000  souls. 

Rev.  John  M.  Kikly,  born  in  Ireland,  1847;  grad.  Mt.  Mel- 
leray  Coll.,  18G4;  grad.  Theol.,  Dublin,  1869;  located  in 
B'klyn,  1869;  St.  James'  Church;  Ch-irch  of  Visitation;  is 


1058 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


contributor  to  relig.  journals;  published  sermons  and  lec- 
tures. 

Church  of  the  Holy  Name. — The  parish  was  founded  by 
Bishop  Loughliu,  March  15,  1ST8.  A  building  on  the  corner 
of  18th  st.  and  11th  ave.,  called  McCann's  Stable,  was  the 
only  av  ailable  place  of  worship.  I  w  this  humble  abode  the 
first  service  was  held  March  1*78,  and  continued  on  every 
Sunday  until  the  following  December.  In  the  meantime  at- 
tention was  given  to  the  purchase  of  laud  and  the  erection 
of  a  church.  The  site  was  secured  April  29,  1878,  at  a  cost  of 
$6,000,  by  Mr.  John  Collins,  Park  place,  who  paid  and  pre- 
sented the  first  $10,)  of  the  purchase  money.  The  following 
day,  May  1,  work  was  commenced;  August  11,  the  corner- 
stone was  laid:  December  25,  same  year,  it  was  completed 
and  occupied. 

The  present  church  edifice,  situated  on  the  cor.  of  9th  and 
Prospect  aves.,  is  of  brick  and  stone,  and  has  a  seating 
capacity  of  over  one  thousand  people.  It  was  erected  by  the 
present  Pastor.  Rev.  Thomas  S.  O'Reilly,  who  is  the  first  and 
only  one  since  the  foundation  of  the  parish.  The  market 
value  of  church  proi>erty  in  this  parish,  including  church, 
parochial  house  and  grounds,  is  about  $40,000. 

BeV.  Thomas  S.  O'Reilly,  born  in  Ireland,  1844;  grad.  Mt. 
Melleray  Coll.,  1865,  and  Theol.  Sem.,  Our  Lady  of  Angels. 
1871;  located  in  Flatbush.  1871-4;  Bklyn.,  1874- '84. 

Church  of  the:  Holy  Family  (German).  About  the  year 
1876,  Rev.  F.  Henselmann  gathered  a  congregation  in  a  hall 
at  the  corner  of  27th  st.  and  Fourth  ave.  In  June,  1830,  the 
corner-stone  was  laid  for  a  new  frame  structure,  90  by  45 
feet,  on  13th  st.,  near  Fourth  ave.,  which  was  completed  in 
the  following  year.  There  is  a  flourishing  school  attached, 
in  charge  of  the  Sisters  of  St.  Dominic.  Rev.  Mr.  Hensel- 
mann continues  in  the  pastorate. 

St.  Patrick's  Church,  at  Fort  Hamilton,  was  established 
as  a  mission  in  1849.  Services  were  first  held  in  the  residence 
of  Peter  J.  Murphy,  on  United  States  ave.,  between  Lafay- 
ette and  Church  sts.,  and  afterwards  in  a  new  barn  on  Third 
ave.,  near  Shore  road.  In  1852,  a  frame  church  was  built  on 
the  corner  of  Stewart  ave.  and  Lafayette  st.,  with  a  seating 
capacity  of  350.  Rev.  J.  McLaughlin  was  Pastor  during  the 
first  year,  when  he  was  removed.  Rev.  Mr.  McKeon,  of  St. 
John's  Church.  Gowanus,  performed  pastoral  duties  until 
Marcli  10,  1854,  when  Rev.  Mr.  McGuire  succeeded  as 
Pastor.  , 

He  built  a  Pastor's  residence  adjoining  the  church.  His 
deatii  occurred  in  1856.  Rev.  Cornelius  J.  McCarney  was  the 
next  Pastor,  and  was  succeeded,  ia  1H61,  by  the  present  in- 
cumbent, Rev.  John  Tanzer.  There  is  a  school  connected, 
which  is  under  the  care  of  the  Sisters  of  St.  Dominic. 

St.  Michael's  Church  was  established  in  November,  1 S7-1. 
The  first  place  of  worship  was  a  private  house  on  Third  ave. 
In  1*76,  the  present  church  edifice  was  erected  an  the  corner 
of  Fourth  ave.  and  42d  st.  It  is  a  wooden  structure,  with  a 
seating  capacity  of  900  to  1,000.  Rev.  M.  J.  Dickie  was  the 
Pastor  about  three  months,  in  1875,  and  Rev.  J.  P.  O'Connell, 
I fmm  1*76  to  tin;  present  time  ;  Rev.  J.  J.  McCusker, 
Assistant  Pastor,  from  1M7K-X1. 

St.  Theresa's  Church  was  organized  March  29,  1874,  under 
the  present  Pastor,  Rev.  Joseph  McNamee.  Ground  on  the 
corner  of  Under  st.  and  Chisson  ave.  was  purchased,  in 
\pril  of  the  same  \  ear  ;  and,  in  the  following  August,  the 
corner-stone  of  the  present  church  edifice  was  laid.  The 
building  was  ojiencd  for  divine  service  in  February,  1*75. 
In  September,  ls;r,t  R.y.  | ..  ,|.  (iiicrin  became  Assistant 
I'astor,  in  which  capacity  he  still  continues. 

St.  John's  Chapel,  of  the  new  Roman  (  'atholic  ( 'athcdral 

of  Brooklyn,  Is  situated  on  CSlanaonl  ave.,  bet.  Lafayette  and 


Greene  axes.  It  is  of  dark,  rough-dressed  stone,  with  light 
trimming,  and  is  97  feet  long  by  38  wide.  It  was  opened  for 
divine  service  December  27,  1*78.  It  is  the  largest  of  the  six 
chapels  which  will  adorn  the  future  Cathedral  of  Brooklyn— 
a  cathedral  which,  in  size,  will  lie  unequalled  by  any  church 
yet  erected  on  this  continent:  and  in  artistic  beauty,  impress- 
iveness,  and  ecclesiastical  utility,  will  be  without  a  modem 
peer.  The  first  Priest  appointed  to  the  charge  of  St.  John's 
Chapel  was  the  Rev.  Patrick  F.  O'Hare,  who  is  assisted  by 
Rev.  I.  L  Mallen  and  Rev.  Martin  I.  Loftus. 

St.  Agnes'  Church. — This  parish  was  formed  in  1*:^. 
and  placed  in  charge  of  Rev.  Janu  s  Duffy.  The  congrega- 
tion increased  rapidly;  it  first  worshiped  in  a  small  frame 
structure  on  Hoyt  St.,  near  Sackett,  where  lots  had  been 
secured  for  church  purposes. 

The  corner-stone  of  the  new  church  was  laid  by  Bisho) 
Loughlin  in  the  spring  of  1881.  It  is  a  massive  Gothic  structure 
of  brick,  brown-stone  and  polished  marble,  and  located  cm  the 
!  north-east  corner  of  Hoyt  and  Sackett  streets.  The  interior 
dimensions  are  73.J  feet  wide  and  180  feet  long,  and  from  the 
ground  to  the  tower  the  height  is  130  feet.  Seven  large 
arched  windows  on  each  side,  a  rose  window  in  the  front, 
and  three  grand  windows  in  the  chancel,  provide  an  ample 
supply  of  light,  through  stained-glass  panes,  which  were 
made  in  Munich.  The  entire  cost  of  the  structure  was  $135.- 
C00,  and  the  grand  organ,  built  by  the  Jardines,  cost  $20,000 
more.  The  parish  is  a  very  large  one,  and  the  money  for  the 
building  was  raised  before  work  was  begun.  Rev.  James  S. 
Duffy  is  Pastor;  Rev.  M.  T.  Kilahy,  Assistant. 

Rev.  Michael  T.  Kilahy,  born  in  Brooklyn,  1854:  grad. 
St.  Francis'  Coll.,  Brooklyn,  1873,  and  Niagara  Theol.  Sem.. 
1877;  located  B'klyn,  1878^'84. 

St.  Bridget's  Church. — The  parish  was  org.  OctoN  i  Mfe 

1882,  and  Rev.  Father  McCloskey  placed  in  charge.  Lots 
were  secured  on  Linden  st..  near  Myrtle  ave.,  and  the  corner- 
stone of  a  church  laid  June  17,  1883;  first  service,  Christmas, 

1883.  It  is  a  frame  Btructure,  90  by  50  feet,  with  vestry  and 
basement,  and  seating  600.    The  basement  is  used  fora  par. 
chial  school.    The  cost  of  the  building  was  aliout  $16,000. 

St.  Ambrose's  Church.  — In  the  eailypartof  lss;!  a  num- 
ber cf  prominent  Catholic  families,  f.  eling  that  a  church  wm 
necessary  in  their  neighborhood,  met,  after  the  appointment 
of  the  Rev.  D.  J.  Sheehy,  formerly  Curate  of  St.  Augustine  - 
Church,  Fifth  ave.,  as  their  Pastor,  in  a  private  dwelling  in 
Kosciusko  street,  where  services  were  regularly  held.  The 
congregation  increased  rapidly,  ami  it  was  finally  deeflSSd 
wise  to  select  other  quarters,  and,  accordingly,  a  very  desir- 
able site,  comprising  150  feet  on  Kosciusko  street,  200  feel  SB 
Tompkins  ave.,  and  50  feet  on  DeKalb  ave.,  was  purchased, 
and  a  handsome  little  Gothic  building,  which  cost  U-twceii 
$5,000  and  $6,000,  was  erected.  A  flourishing  Sundaj  -  hool 
is  established. 

Rev.  D.  J.  Shkkiiy  still  remains  Pastor.  He  was  liom  in 
Ireland,  1850;  grad.  Mt.  Melleray  Coll..  1S6.*.  and  Niagara 
Coll.,  1H73:  located  Brooklyn.  1873-'*!. 


The  following  Roman  ('atholic  Clergymen  reside  in  BroOS 

Lyn: 

Rev.  Thomas  Adams,  lorn  in  Ireland,  grad.  Coll.de  1"- 
Nobles  Irlandescs,  Salamanca.  Spain,  and  «rd.  1896;  I" 
caled  Ballymena,  1S''>6  '72;  B'klyn,  l87.'-'76;  author  of  Moral- 
ity of  ih<-  Irixii  Land  League. 

Rev.  M.  J.  N  ation,  born  in  France,  1X18;  ord.  1861;  «BJ 
Prof,  in  Sem..  and  Asst.  1'iicst  in  France:  located  B'klyn, 
1*72.  in  (  barge  of  Home--  for  Aged  of  Little  Sisters  of  0M 
Poor,  in  U.  S.  A. 


ECCLESIASTICAL  ORGANIZATIONS. 


1059 


THE   Very    REV.  JOHN  LOUGHLIN, 

Bishop  of  the  R.  C.  Diocese  of  the  City  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 


A  little  more  than  thirty  years  ago,  in  Oetoher,  1853,  the 
city  of  Brooklyn  was  raised  to  the  dignity  of  an  Episcopal 
See.  On  the  30th  of  that  month,  Very  Rev.  John  Loughlin, 
then  Vicar-General  of  New  York,  was  consecrated  first 
Bishop  of  Brooklyn.  The  ceremony  of  consecration  was 
performed  in  St.  Patrick's  Cathedral  by  Archbishop  Bedini, 
the  Pope's  Nuncio,  assisted  by  six  bishops,  and  the  consecra- 
tion sermon  was  preached  by  Archbishop  Hughes.  On  the 
9th  of  November,  Bishop  Loughlin's  installation  took  place. 
The  Catholics  of  Brooklyn  made  the  occasion  a  gala  day, 
and  turned  out  en  masse,  to  welcome  him  who  was  hereafter 
to  be  their  spiritual  director.  Catholic  societies  paraded, 
banners  waved,  bands  played,  and  over  one  hundred  priests 
were  present.  Catholic  writers  termed  ii  a  great  day  for 
Brooklyn. 

It  is  entirely  unnecessary  for  us  to  refer,  at  any  length,  to 
the  great  administrative  ability  of  Right  Rev.  Bishop  Lough- 
lin. The  condition  of  the  Catholic  Church  in  his  diocese  to- 
day speaks  plainer  than  any  written  words,  of  the  work 
that  the  Bishop  has  done.  A  plain,  unassuming  man,  gifted 
not  with  ability  alone,  but  also  endowed  with  sound,  prac- 
tical common  sense,  to  a  degree  that  fen-  men  are;  he  has 
labored  for  the  honor  of  God  and  the  glory  of  his  church, 
and  his  labors  have  been  abundantly  blessed  with  great 
fruits. 

Upon  the  advent  of  Bishop  Loughlin,  the  episcopal  resi- 
dence of  the  diocese  was  fixed  at  St.  James',  where  it  has 
since  been.  He  entered  immediately  upon  the  duties  of  his 
high  position.  The  spiritual  affairs  of  the  diocese  were  then 
circumscribed.  The  number  of  churches  in  the  diocese 
could  be  almost  counted  on  the  fingers  of  a  single  hand. 
Since  his  coming,  the  average  of  new  parishes  created  has 
been  over  one  for  each  year;  and  the  Bishop  has  fairly  earned 
the  title  of  the  "Church  Builder." 

Bishop  Loughlin  was  born  in  Albany,  N.  Y. ;  was  educated 
at  Ernmettsburgh,  Md.,  and  was  then  appointed  Assistant  to 
the  Bishop  of  the  city  of  New  York.  When  we  have  stated 
these  facts,  and  presented  the  following  resume  of  the  con- 
dition of  his  diocese,  after  his  thirty -one  years'  administra- 
tion of  its  spiritual  and  temporal  affairs,  we  have  written 
his  biography.    Words  can  do  no  more. 

When  he  came  to  Brooklyn,  the  churches  of  St.  James, 
St.  Patrick,  St.  Paul,  and  of  the  Assumption,  comprised 
the  bulk  of  the  Roman  Catholic  membership  of  the  city. 
It  is  true  there  were  a  few  other  scattered  congregations, 
but  they  were  generally  insignificant  in  point  of  numbers; 
the  great  bulk  of  the  people  having  clustered  in  the  lower 
part  of  the  city. 

By  1856,  seven  new  and  fine  churches  had  been  erected 
and  dedicated;  besides  one  in  Queens  county;  and,  in  the 
same  year,  the  corner-stones  of  another  one  in  Queens 
county,  and  one  in  Greenpoint,  were  laid.  The  work  thus 
vigorously  carried  on  in  the  early  years  of  Bishop  Loughlin's 
administration  has  never  been  allowed  to  stop,  and  to-day  is 
being  as  earnestly  prosecuted  as  ever  in  the  history  of  the 
diocese. 

Catholic  societies  of  all  kinds  have  also  grown  and  pros- 
pered with  the  church  in  Brooklyn,  and  have  done  much  in 
the  various  parishes  in  which  they  are  situated,  to  asssist 
then-  respective  Pastors.     Almost  every  church  has  its 


"  Holy  Name,"  and  its  "St.  Vincent  de  Paul's  "  Society;  and 
both  of  the?e  societies  have  effected  great  good.  In  addition 
to  these,  there  are  numerous  other  societies  having  various 
aims  and  objects,  and  all  doing  good  in  their  respective 
fields.  The  Young  Men's  Literary  Societies  in  Brooklyn  num- 
ber about  fifteen,  and  have  an  aggregate  membership  rang- 
ing from  1,200  to  1,500.  Most  of  them  affiliate  with  a  Na- 
tional  Union  of  all  the  Catholic  Literary  Societies  in  the 
United  States.  The  President  of  this  National  Union  is  a 
Brooklyn  clergyman,  Rev.  J.  H.  Mitchell,  of  St.  James' 
Cathedral. 

Temperance  societies  exist  in  many  parishes  of  the  city. 
Those  two  beneficial,  organizations,  the  Catholic  Knights  of 
America,  and  the  Catholic  Benevolent  Legion,  both  very  strong 
in  Brooklyn,  have  the  unqualified  approval  of  the  Bishop.  The 
Knights  have  eight  branches  in  Brooklyn;  the  Legion  seven- 
teen councils.  Both  are  in  a  flourishing  condition.  Other 
societies  of  lesser  importance  our  lack  of  space  compels  us 
to  refrain  from  mentioning.  Bishop  Loughlin  has  not  been 
slow  to  approve  of  good  societies;  but  he  has  steadily  refused 
to  encourage  any  whose  aims  were  not  thoroughly  Catholic. 

The  increase  of  opportunities  for  Catholic  education,  in 
Brooklyn  has  kept  pace  with  the  growth  of  the  church. 
That  every  Catholic  child  in  his  diocese  should  be  provided 
with  a  Catholic  education  has  always  been  Bishop  Lough- 
lin's earnest  desire. 

Upon  his  arrival  in  Brooklyn  there  were  but  two  Catholic 
schools  in  this  city;  one  attached  to  the  Church  of  the  As- 
sumption, and  the  other  to  St.  James'  Church.  The  Chris- 
tian Brothers  of  New  York  were  invited  to  take  charge 
of  the  new  school.  The  desire  for  Catholic  education  was 
so  great  even  then  that  the  school  was  overcrowded  on  the 
opening  day.  The  Brothers  are  still  in  charge,  and  fully  sus- 
tain their  reputation  as  educators  of  Catholic  youth.  Very 
many  of  their  pupils  have  become  prominent  in  mercantile 
or  public  life;  and  not  a  few  have  been,  and  are  to-day, 
zealous  priests,  exercising  their  ministry  in  this  diocese  and 
elsewhere. 

At  the  invitation  of  the  Bishop,  the  Sisters  of  St.  Joseph 
came  to  Brooklyn  iu  August,  1855.  In  September  of  the 
same  year,  the  Sisters  of  Mercy,  and  the  Sisters  of  the  Vis- 
itation also  came;  and  in  1858,  Bishop  Loughlin  applied  for 
a  few  Francisco u  Brothers  to  ass'st  in  the  work  of  Catholic 
education.  Two  Brothers  came  in  May  of  that  year,  and 
aided  by  the  Bishop,  they  multiplied  in  numbers,  and  be- 
came prosperous  and  flourishing.  Their  headquarters  is  the 
Monastery  of  St.  Francis  of  Assissi,  in  Butler  street.  They 
are  now  educating  about  5,000  children  in  this  diocese  each 
year.  To-day  there  is  scarcely  a  chun.  h  that  has  not  a 
school  adjoining.  Church  and  school  have  been  simultane- 
ously erected,  and  we  can  say,  without  fear  of  contradiction, 
that  to-day  no  city  in  this  broad  land  has  better  facilities 
for  Catholic  education  than  Brooklyn.  These  schools,  as  a 
rule,  are  well  attended.  In  the  diocese  there  are  73  paro- 
chial schools,  18  academies  and  select  schools,  and  2  col- 
leges. The  parochial  schools  are  attended  by  9,173  boys  and 
9,825  nirls:  the  aggregate  attendance  being  18,997.  The  se- 
lect schools  are  attended  by  2,030  scholars,  of  whom  1,6X0 
arc  girls,  and  350  boys.  St.  Francis'  College  is  attended  by 
225  pupils,  and  St.  John's  by  185.    Bv  this  it  will  be  seen 


1060 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


that  the  total  number  of  scholars  attending  Catholic  schools 
of  all  kinds  in  this  city  is  21,437. 

For  thirty  years  Bishop  Loughlin  has  lived  in  this  com- 
munity; and,  during  that  time,  his  life  has  been  as  simple 
and  open  as  that  of  the  least  of  his  flock.  His  heart  has  al- 
ways lieen  with  his  people,  aud  his  door  has  ever  stood  open, 
that  the  meanest  and  most  wretched  of  them  might  come  to 
him  for  the  relief  not  to  he  elsewhere  found.  He  found  the 
C  atholics  of  Brooklyn  few  in  number  and  weak  in  resources. 
To-day,  in  90  churches  and  37  chapels  and  stations,  150  priests 


minister  to  the  spiritual  needs  of  200,000  Catholics;  in  nearly 
100  schools  and  colleges  more  than  20,000  children  are  being 
carefully  instructed;  and  within  the  confines  of  his  diocese, 
four  hospitals  aud  sixteen  asylums  stand  with  their  do<  us  open 
to  the  poor,  the  sick,  and  the  unfortunate.  Deeds  are  more 
eloquent  than  words,  and  the  administration  of  Bishop 
Loughlin  has  l>een  big  with  deeds.* 


♦We  acknowledge  our  indebtedness  to  The  Calhoiie  Ksamincr  of 
October  6,  1883. 


REFORMED   CATHOLIC  CHURCHES. 


The  movement  of  late  years  to  return  to  the  primitive 
Christianity  which  recognizes  the  Bible  as  the  ouly  authority 
in  religious  matters,  instead  of  the  decrees  of  councils,  found 
a  number  of  adherents  in  Brooklyn.  Its  mission  is  to 
reach,  with  Bible  truths,  the  Roman  Catholic  element.  In 
this,  success  has  been  achieved  by  not  becoming  identified 
with  any  particular  denomination,  but  by  standing  aloof, 
and  as  ex-Roman  Catholics,  still  retaining  the  name  and 
character  of  Catholic;  thus  having  a  greater  influence, 
.-peaking  more  directly  to  Roman  Catholics.  During  the 
past  two  years  of  this  church  in  Brooklyn,  GO  persons  have 
identified  themselves  with  the  First  Reformed  Catholic 
Church.  This  church  is  under  no  episcopal  jurisdiction 
whatever,  but  conducted  on  a  purely  congregational  basis. 

Rev.  E.  H.  Walsh,  of  New  York,  formerly  a  Trappist 
monk  in  the  Church  of  Rome,  formed  the  First  Independent 
Catholic  Church  in  this  city,  Sept.  26th,  1881,  in  Bridge  St., 
between  Tillary  and  Concord. 

Rev.  J.  F.  McNamee  was  the  Pastor  in  charge  until  March, 
188:5,  when  he  took  a  portion  of  the  church  and  established 
a  congregation  in  Central  Hall,  known  as  the  First  Reformed 
Catholic  Church.  At  the  same  time  Rev.  Mr.  Walsh  came 
to  Brooklyn  and  took  charge  of  the  Bridge  street  church, 
which  was  incorporated  in  October,  1883. 


Rev.  J.  V.  McNamara  has  charge  of  the  Independent  Re- 
formed Church,  which  holds  it  meetings  in  Everett  Hall,  and 
was  organized  in  June,  1883. 
Jan.  7,  1884,  a  branch  was  org.  at  Masonic  Hall,  Grand  st.. 
I  for  the  Eastern  District,  of  which  Father  McNamee  i> 
Pastor. 

These  churches  are  all  the  outgrowth  of  a  movement  that 
took  form  about  six  years  ago,  and  which  throws  off  from 
church  organization  everything  of  human  origin,  aud  aims 
to  return  to  the  Apostolic  form,  and  to  the  simplicity  of  the 

Gospel. 

Rev.  Jas.  F.  McNamee,  born  in  Ireland,  1837;  grail,  (  oil. 
de  Beaucamps.  Lille.  1870;  located  Newark,  1881;  Brooklyn. 
1881. 

Rev.  Edmund  H.  Walsh,  born  in  Ireland,  1853;  was  in 
Bridge  St.  Ch.,  and  in  Ind.  Cath.  Ch.,  Harlem,  N.  Y..  from 
Sept.    to    Nov.,   1881;    Ind.   Cath.   Ch.,    Brooklyn,  Nor,, 

1881-84. 

Rev.  Charles  F.  Gaegax,  born  at  Fairfax  C.  H.  Ya.. 
1837;  grad.  Mt.  St.  Marys  Coll.  (Md.),  1875,  and  New  York 
Theol.  Sell.,  1880;  located  Newark,  New  York,  Hartford. 
Boston,  1879-'83;  lecturer,  Gen.  Miss,  and  Gen.  Sec  y.  Ind. 
Cath.  Ch. 


PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCHES. 


First  Presbyterian  Church  (New  School). — The  ground 
u|Kin  which  the  Plymouth  Church  now  stands  was  purchased 
in  1*22,  by  John  and  .Jacob  M.  Hicks,  for  the  erection  of  an 
edifice  for  the  use  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church.  The 
population  of  Brooklyn  was  then  less  than  teu  thousand, 
and  the  church  located  in  the  midst  of  cultivated  fields, 
and  far  out  from  the  settled  portion  of  the  village.  It  was  or- 
ganized with  ten  members.  In  the  Presbytery  of  New  York, 
March  loth,  1*22.  and  incorporated  l  the  13th  c*  the  same 
month.  The  new  organization  was  admitted  to  connection 
with  the  Presbytery  of  New  York,  April  10,  1*22;  and  on  the 
Kith  of  the  same  month,  the  corner-stone  of  a  substantial 
church  edifice  wan  laid.  This  building  was  ninety  feet  in 
depth,  by  fift\-tive  feet  in  width.  A  lecture-room,  including 
a  Sabbath-school  room  and  study,  was  attached  to  the  rear 
of  the  church,  fronting  upon  Orange  street,  in  1961,  The 
first  Pastor  was  Rev.  Joseph  Sanford.  installed  Oct.  bitli. 
1-.;,  and  dismissed  .Ian.  1  1.  1*20.     lie  w  a «  succeeded  by  Rev. 


Daniel  Lynu  Carroll,  installed  March,  1820,  and  dismissed 
July  0,  1833.  The  pulpit  then  remained  vacant  nearly  two 
years:  until,  on  the  8th  of  May.  1837,  the  Rev.  Samuel  ton- 
son  Cox,  D.  I).,  was  installed  as  Pastor.  In  November.  » 
the  division  of  the  Synod  of  New  York  was  follow,  .!  bj  .i 
corres| Minding  division  of  the  membership  of  this  church. 
Aliout  forty  families,  including  three  elders  and  nearh  one 
hundred  members,  claiming  to  be  the  legitimate  represents 
ti"es  of  the  original  founders  of  the  church,  in  thcirreli 
gious  opinions  and  sentiments,  preferred  to  retain  I  heir  COO 
nection  with  the  Presbytery  of  New  York  (which  remained 
attac  hed  to  the  Old  School  Synod  and  General  Assembly 
and  asserting  themselves  to  be  the  First  Preshj  terian  <  hurcli 
of  Brooklyn,  withdrew  from  Dr.  Cox's  charge.  The  Pastor, 
seven  elders,  and  aboul  five  hundred  and  tift.\  members,  W 
knowledge  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Presbyten  of  Brooklyn, 
continued  on  the  even  tenor  of  their  way.  On  the  88th  ol 
July,  1840,  the  corner-stone  <>f  the  present  elegant  house  of 


ECCLESIASTICAL  ORGANIZATIONS. 


1061 


worship  was  laid;  the  edifice  being  first  opeDed  for  service 
on  the  6th  of  June,  1847.  The  old  church  in  Cranberry  street 
had  been  sold,  in  June,  1846,  for  the  sum  of  $20,000,  to 
parties  who  subsequently  conveyed  it  to  Plymouth  Church. 

The  Rev.  William  Hogarth,  D.  D.,  was  installed  as  Pastor 
on  the  loth  of  March,  1855.  On  the  20th  of  March,  1860,  the 
Rev.  Charles  S.  Robinson.  D.  D.,  was  installed,  and  resigned 
March,  1868.  He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Norman  Seaver, 
D.  D.,  installed  December  1st,  1869.  Dr.  Seaver  resigned 
in  1876,  and  was  succeeded,  in  April,  1877,  by  the  present 
Pastor,  Rev.  C.  Cuthbert  Hall. 

Second  Presbyterian  Church  (Old  School)  was  organized 
by  the  Presbytery  of  New  York,  October  25th,  1831,  from  a 
colony  of  the  First  Church,  consisting  of  thirty-one  members. 
They  first  erected  a  lecture-room  on  Adams  street,  near 
Concord,  which  was  opened  May  1st,  1832.  During  the  years 
of  1*33  and  '34,  a  brick  church  edifice,  of  the  Grecian  Doric 
order,  one  hundred  and  three  feet  by  seventy-five,  was 
erected  on  Clinton  street,  near  Fulton,  at  a  cost  of  about 
$24,000,  and  $4,000  for  the  ground.  It  was  dedicated  May 
4th,  1834;  a  lecture-room  was  subsequently  built,  on  an 
adjoining  leased  lot,  at  a  cost  of  $6,000:  the  old  one,  in  which 
they  had  first  worshiped,  having  been  disposed  of  for  $8,000. 

Pastors  :  Ichabod  S.  Spencer,  D.  D.,  March  23d,  1832,  till 
his  death,  Nov.  23,  1854,  aged  fifty-six  years;  Willis  Lord, 
D.  D.,  1854  to  Aug.,  1859;  Dr.  Nathaniel  West,  1860-67. 

In  July,  1870,  this  church  and  the  Third  Presbyterian 
Church  were  consolidated;  and  the  united  society  retained 
the  name,  Second  Presbyterian  Church,  the  house  in  Clinton 
street  continuing  to  be  the  place  of  worship.  Rev.  J.  M. 
Green,  Pastor  of  the  Third  Church,  continued  as  Pastor  of 
the  consolidated  church  till  1873,  in  which  year  Rev.  A. 
Crosby  was  called. 

In  Sept.  1877,  a  lecture-room,  church  parlor  and  vestry 
room  were  fitted  up  in  the  church  building,  and  reduced  the 
seating  capacity  of  the  auditorium  from  1,100  to  900.  In 
Dec  1882,  this  church  was  consolidated  with  the  Clinton 
Street  Church,  and  the  two  Pastors,  Revs.  H.  J.  Van  Dyke 
and  A.  Crosby,  retained  as  Collegiate  Pastors. 

Third  Presbyterian  Church  (New  School). — In  the  spring 
of  1831,  a  few  members  of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church 
(Rev.  Dr.  Carroll,  Pastor)  commenced  a  mission  Sabbath- 
school  in  the  upper  room  of  a  dwelling-house,  cor.  Nassau 
st.  and  Hudson  ave.,  then  Jackson  st.  In  January,  1833,  a 
framed  building  was  erected  at  153  Nassau  st.,  nearly  oppo- 
site Stanton  st.,  for  a  school  and  for  occasional  religious 
meetings.  April  13,  1835,  the  Third  Presbyterian  Church 
was  there  org.,  with  34  members,  and  Rev.  Rollin  S.  Stone 
was  installed  as  first  Pastor.  Mr.  Stone  resigned  in  1837, 
and  the  congregation  removed  to  Classical  Hall,  in  Wash- 
ington st.,  near  Concord.  Rev.  William  Beale  Lewis  was 
installed  Pastor  Oct.  10,  1837;  and  a  church  edifice  was 
erected  in  Jay  St.,  between  Sands  and  High,  in  1840.  Mr. 
Lewis  resigned  in  Oct.,  1848;  Rev.  Daniel  P.  Noyes,  installed 
April,  1849,  resigned  Sept.,  1854;  Rev.  William  S.  Karr,  in- 
stalled Sept.  28th,  1854,  resigned  Nov.  15,  1867.  Rev.  Joseph 
M.  Greene  was  installed  May  12th,  1868. 

July  5th,  1870,  this  church  was  consolidated  with  the 
Second  Presbyterian  Church,  Clinton  st.,  and  Mr.  Greene  be- 
came the  Pastor  of  the  united  congregation. 

Tabernacle  Presbyterian  Church  (formerly  Central,  Old 
School),  Schermerhorn  st.,  near  Nevins  st.  July  19.  1834, 
the  Prince  St.  Mission  School  was  established  under  the 
direction  of  the  Second  Presbyterian  Church,  then  under  the 


pastoral  charge  of  Rev.  Ichabod  Spencer.  That  school,  of 
which  John  Morris,  senior  Elder  of  the  church,  was  the  first 
Superintendent,  and  C.  C.  Mudge  the  last,  resulted  in  a 
church  organization  April  13,  1847.  After  worshiping  for 
a  time  in  a  school-room  in  Prince  St.,  the  building  at  the  cor- 
ner of  Willoughby  and  Pearl,  formerly  occupied  by  the  Fifth 
Presbyterian  Church,  was  purchased.  This  was  sold  in  1853, 
and  a  frame  building  on  the  corner  of  State  and  Nevins  sts. 
was  erected  and  first  occupied  April  30  of  the  same  year. 
The  corner-stone  of  a  permanent  edifice  was  laid  on  Scher- 
merhorn st.,  near  Nevins,  which  was  dedicated  Dec.  10,  1854, 
at  a  cost  of  about  $30,000.  Rev.  Nathaniel  C.  Locke  was  the 
first  Pastor;  succeeded  April  13,  1851,  by  Rev.  Edson  Rock- 
well. He  resigned  in  1868,  and  was  succeeded  by  the  present 
Pastor,  Rev.  T.  DeWitt  Talmage.  who  was  installed  March 
23,  1869.  The  church,  by  reason  of  controversies,  was  nearly 
extinct  at  the  time  Mr.  Talmage  was  called  to  its  pastorate. 
In  1870,  a  church  edifice,  called  the  Tabernacle,  was  erected 
on  the  same  block  with  the  one  erected  in  1874.  This  build- 
ing had  a  seating  capacity  of  3,000;  it  was  destroyed  by  fire 
December,  1872.  The  present  Tabernacle  was  erected  in  1873, 
and  dedicated  Feb.  22,  1874.  It  is  in  the  Gothic  style,  built 
of  brick,  with  stone  trimmings,  and  has  a  seating  capacity  of 
5,000  at  the  ordinary  services.  The  auditorium  has  the 
amphitheatre  form,  and  its  acoustic  properties  are  excellent. 
The  membership  of  the  church  exceeds  3,100,  while  the  Sun- 
day-school contains  nearly  2,000. 


TABERNACLE  ORGAN. 


The  organ  is  one  of  the  largest  in  the  country.  A  series  of 
"  fifteen-cent  admission  *' popular  organ  concerts  were  org. 
during  the  winter  of  1883-'84  by  Mr.  Henry  Eyre  Browne, 
the  organist  of  the  Tabernacle,  partly  to  defray  the  expenses 
of  certain  improvements,  and  partly  to  afford  the  people  of 
Brooklyn  first-class  music  at  reasonable  prices.  At  these 
concerts  appeared  many  of  the  best  vocalists  in  New  York 
and  Brooklyn.  At  each  concert  were  produced  five  different 
pieces,  without  repetition  of  a  single  selection,  a  record  never 
before  made  by  any  organist  in  this  country  ;  and  the  music 
performed  has  always  been  of  the  classical  order.  These  con- 
certs had  an  average  attendance  of  2,000  persons,  and  proved 
a  great  success,  both  musically  and  financially.  The  singing 
at  the  services  is  assisted  by  a  male  quartette  and  led  by  a 
cornet 


1062  HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


REV.  THOMAS   DEWITT  TALMAGE,   D.  D. 


Thomas  Dkwitt  Taxmaok,  D.  D.,  was  bom  at 
Bound  Brook,  N.  .1.,  January  7,  1832,  the  youngest  of 
a  family  of  live  girls  and  seven  boys,  lie  was  reared 
iu  a  Christian  home,  from  whieh  three  brothers  pre- 
oeded  him  in  the  Christian  ministry.  His  preparatory 
education  was  acquired  in  the  common  schools,  and  at  the 
Academy  in  New  Brunswick.  He  then  went  through  a 
thorough  course  of  reading  for  the  law,  whic  h  was  first 
his  chosen  profession;  but,  feeling  it  a  duty  and  a  priv- 
ilege to  preach  the  Gospel,  he  entered  the  New  York 
University,  took  a  degree  of  A.  B.,  with  the  class  of 
1853;  and,  three  years  later,  graduated  from  the  Theo- 
logical Seminary  in  New  Brunswick,  N.  J.  His  first 
charge  was  at  Belleville,  N.  J.,  where  he  preached  for 
three  years  to  one  of  the  oldest  societies  in  the  State; 
and  was  then  called  to  Syracuse,  N.  Y.  After  a  pas- 
torate there  of  three  years  also,  where  his  preaching 
grew  tonic  and  free,  as  the  preacher  learned  humanity 
and  his  own  heart,  he  went  to  the  Second  Reformed 
Dutch  Church  in  Philadelphia.  He  attracted  large  con- 
gregations, and  his  preaching  was  fruitful  in  spiritual 
results,  during  his  seven  years'  stay  in  that  city. 
There  his  powers  became  "  set;  "  he  had  the  courage 
of  his  convictions,  and  realized  his  duty  and  mission  in 
the  world  to  preach  the  Gospel  in  his  own  way,  and  to 
compel  men  to  listen  and  to  heed.  The  church  was 
not  to  him  a  select  few,  in  organization  a  monopoly, 
but  it  was  meant  to  be  the  conqueror  and  transformer 
of  the  world,  and  his  the  responsibility  of  arousing  and 
leading  his  people  in  the  gr<:at  conflict.  He  also  ac- 
quired wide-spread  fame  as  a  lecturer,  being  invited, 
far  and  near,  to  occupy  the  platform.  Meanwhile,  the 
Central  Presbyterian  Church  in  Brooklyn  was  without 
a  pastor,  and,  by  reason  of  controversies,  had  dwindled 
to  nineteen  voting  members;  these  signed  a  call  to  Mr. 
Talinage  to  become  their  Pastor.  At  about  the  same 
time,  invitations  came  to  him  from  churches  in  Chicago 
and  San  Francisco.  He  came,  however,  to  Brooklyn, 
and  was  installed  .March  22,  1S09.  The  old  Central 
Presbyterian  edifice,  on  Schermerhorn  strict,  mar 
Nevins,  a  cramped,  brick  rectangle,  capable  of  holding 
twelve  hundred,  was  used  until  it  became  evident  that 
a  larger  house  must  be  provided.  In  1*70,  he  laid 
before  the  trustees  of  t lie  church  his  plan  for  a  new 
edifice.  The  plan  was  accepted,  and  an  iron  structure 
erected,  with  raised  seats,  the  interior  curved  like  a 
horse-shoe;  the  pu.pit,  a  platform  bridging  the  ends. 
It  was  dedic  ated  in  September,  187<i,  and  accommo- 
dated three  thousand  persons,  but  within  the  first  year 

was  enlarged  to  accommodate  five  hundred  more.  The 

spiritual  growth  of  the  church  kept  pace  with  its  in- 
crease in    numbers.      But  on   the  2  2d   of  September, 


1872,  the  Tabernacle  was  destroyed  by  fire.  When  Dr. 
Talinage  arrived  on  the  scene,  his  characteristic  re- 
mark was — "Well,  the  Tabernacle  never  was  large 
enough,  now  the  people  throughout  the  country  will 
help  us  build  a  more  roomy  structure."  While  tin 
fire  was  still  burning,  arrangements  for  the  future  wen 
discussed,  and  the  sympathy  of  others  was  shown  1>\ 
the  generous  offer  of  several  churches  for  the  use  of 
the  Tabernacle  congregation,  but  tin-  Acadcim  of 
Music  was  secured  as  a  temporary  place  of  worship.  A 
new  and  larger  Gothic  structure  of  brick  and  brown 
stone,  cathedral-like  above,  amphitheatre-like  below, 
was  dedicated  February  22d,  1874.  It  holds  I'm 
thousand  as  easily  as  one  person,  and  all  can  hear  an. I 
see  equally  well.  Dr.  Talmage's  ideal  in  the  plan  WM 
that  of  a  great  family  gathered  around  the  hearth- 
stone. Even  this,  the  largest  church  building  in  thu 
country,  is  now  insufficient  to  accommodate  the  thou- 
sands who  throng  to  attend  its  services. 

Next  to  a  free  church,  dispensing  a  free  gospel,  Dr. 
Talinage  had  at  heart  the  enlistment  of  laymen  in 
Christian  work;  he  was  anxious  to  arouse  and  direct 
the  dormant  energy  of  the  church  to  the  work  of  evan- 
gelizing the  world.  To  this  end  he  formed  and  succeas- 
fully  carried  out  a  plan  for  training  and  educating 
Christian  workers.  From  this  beginning  grew  up  the 
Tabernacle  Lay  Collcye,  with  organized  classes,  com- 
petent teachers,  and  able  lecturers  in  their  special  fields. 
The  work  was  undenominational,  productive  of  in- 
creased activity  in  the  churches,  and  in  the  establish- 
ment of  new  mission  and  Sunday-school  enterprises, 
but  of  late  years  has  been  discontinued,  owing  to  tin 
multifarious  duties  which  demand  Dr.  Talmage's  tinn 
and  energies  in  oth/'r  directions.  In  1879,  Dr.  Tal- 
inage went  abroad  for  the  third  time,  visiting  ami 
preaching  in  the  cities  of  Great  Britain  and  In  land, 
and  speaking  ninety-six  times  in  ninety-four  days,  also 
making  a  short  tour  upon  the  ( 'ontinent.  His  reception 
among  the  English-speaking  people  was  a  continuous 
ovation;  his  public  appearances,  the  occasion  of  great 
gatherings  of  people;  while  a  large  public  meeting 
Brooklyn  welcomed  him  on  his  return  home. 

Dr.  Talinage  has  been  termed  a  ••sensational" 
preacher,  but  a  more  erroneous  judgment  could  not  bo 
made,  in  the  sense  in  which  that  term  is  commonlj 
used.  He  is  an  earnest,  impassioned  speaker;  and  liis 
extraordinary  imagination,  descriptive  powers  and 
humor;  his  great  art  in  grouping  and  arrangement;  BM 
wonderful  mastery  of  words  to  illumine  and  allcvian 
human  conditions,  to  interpret  and  inspire  the  barmo 
nies  of  the  better  nature,  are  appreciated  by  all  who  can 
put  themselves  in  sympathy  with  his  high  consecration 


ECCLESIASTICAL  ORGANIZATIONS. 


1063 


Rev.  THOMAS  DEWITT  TaLMAGE,  D.  D 


purpose.  His  manner  mates  with  his  nature.  It  is 
ich  sermon  in  action.  He  presses  the  eyes,  hands,  the 
Jtire  body,  into  the  service  of  illustration;  gestures 
re  the  accompaniment  of  what  he  says.  As  he  stands 
efore  the  immense  throng,  without  a  scrap  of  notes  or 
lanuscript,  and  no  desk  before  him,  the  effect  pro- 
uced  cannot  he  understood  by  those  who  have  never 
-Jen  it.  His  power  to  master  an  audience,  from  text 
)  peroration,  is  marvelous.  No  man  was  ever  less  con- 
:ious  in  his  work;  he  preaches  the  Gospel  literally  as 
e  finds  it.  with  a  simplicity  and  thoroughness  that 
ithhold  nothing.  He  fears  and  defers  to  no  prejudice, 
iterest  or  ism;  he  manifests  the  closest  sympathy  with 
ature  and  humanity.  His  mantle  of  charity  is  so 
road,  and  covers  the  failings  of  others  so  completely, 
hat  no  enmities  or  resentments  linger  in  his  memory, 
lis  language  is  clear,  terse  and  epigrammatic:  his  vo- 
•iluilary  noticeably  from  the  Anglo-Saxon.  The  prac- 
ical  test  of  the  value  of  his  preaching  is  given  in  the 
Teat  numbers  that  gather  around  him  in  the  Taber- 
acle,  Sunday  after  Sunday,  where  there  is  a  congrega- 
ion  of  more  than  five  thousand  regular  attendants,  in- 


cluding business  men  and  their  families,  young  people, 
and  those  who  had  previously  given  up  the  habit  of  at- 
tending church,  besides  a  multitude  of  strangers  from 
all  parts  of  the  land;  and,  best  of  all,  a  church  of  more 
than  thirty-one  hundred  active  members,  the  largest  in 
the  world.  Type  gives  him  two  Continents  for  a 
church,  and  the  English-speaking  world  for  a  congre- 
gation. One  hundred  papers  in  Christendom  statedly 
publish  his  sermons  and  "  Friday-night  talks,"  exclusive 
of  the  dailies  of  the  United  States.  To  pulpit  labors 
of  this  responsibility  should  be  added  considerable  pas- 
toral work,  constantly  recurring  lecturing  and  editorial 
labors,  to  fill  out  the  public  life  of  a  very  busy  man. 
He  is  the  author  of  Crumbs  Swept  Up,  The  Abomina- 
tions of  Modem  Society,  Around  the  Tea-table,  and 
many  published  volumes  of  sermons.  He  was  also  editor 
of  the  Christian  At  Work,  of  the  Advance,  and  now 
edits  the  Sunday  Magazine,  contributing  likewise  to 
other  periodicals. 

Personally,  Dr.  Talmage  is  unassuming  and  a  man 
of  vivacious  temperament,  of  pleasant  address,  easy 
to  approach,  and  a  sincere  friend 


1004 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Clinton  Street  Presbyterian  Church  (formerly  First  Pres- 
byterian  Church — Old  School). — That  portion  of  the  congre- 
gation of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  which  seceded  in 
ls;!s,  worshiped  in  the  Court-house  for  about  a  year.  In 
l-:;;i  '10,  they  erected  a  new  church  edifice  on  the  corner  of 
Fulton  and  Pineapple  sts.  It  was  a  (iothie  brick  structure, 
si  by  65  feet,  and  cost,  including  the  ground.  $40,000.  It 
wa-  one  of  t Ilo  liuest  church  edifices  in  the  city.  In  1850,  it 
w  as  taken  down,  and  the  materials  used  in  the  construction 
of  the  present  church,  on  the  corner  of  Clinton  and  Renisen 
sts.,  which  was  completed  in  1853.  The  seating  capacity  is  000. 

Rev.  Melancthon  Williams  Jacobus  was  installed  as  the 
first  Pastor  of  this  congregation  in  the  autumn  of  181}!),  and 
was  dismissed,  on  account  of  ill  health,  Oct.  21,  1851.  His 
labors  here  were  faithfully  prosecuted,  in  the  midst  of  diffi- 
culties winch  few  young  ministers  have  encountered  and 
overcome.  During  nearly  two  years  after  his  departure  the 
pastorate  was  vacant,  and  the  congregation  in  a  very  unset- 
tled and  distracted  state.  The  present  Pastor,  Rev.  Henry  J. 
Van  Dyke,  was  installed  on  the  29th  of  June,  1853,  and  within 
ten  years  the  society  expended  about  $12,000  in  the  im- 
provement of  the  church  building,  and  extinguished  their 
debt.  In  1868,  tiie  interior  was  remodelled,  at  an  expense  of 
about  |18,OC0.  r 

This  First  Presbyterian  Church  (Old  School)  and  the  South 
Preslnjterian  Church  (New  School),  which  worshiped  at  the 
corner  of  Clinton  and  Amity  sts.,  and  was  for  28  years  under 
I  he  pastoral  care  of  |,V\  .  Dr.  Samuel  Spear,  in  December, 
1875,  were  consolidated.  Roth  churches  technically  dis- 
band"d,  and  reorganized  under  the  title  of  the  Clinton  Street 
Presbyterian  Church.  For  eighteen  months  the  congrega- 
tion worshiped  in  the  two  buildings  alternately,  and  then 
voted  to  have  their  permanent  home  at  the  corner  of  Clinton 
and  Remsen  sts.  Some  time  after,  the  building  at  the  corner 
of  Clinton  and  Amity  sts.  was  sold  to  St.  Matthew's  Lutheran 
Church.  The  object  of  the  consolidation  was  to  reduce  the 
number  of  Presbyterian  churches  on  the  Heights.  Dr.  Van 
Dyke  remained  Pastor  of  the  consolidated  church. 

In  December,  1882,  at  the  request  of  the  Second  Presbyte- 
rian Church,  on  Clinton  st.,  near  Fulton,  another  consolida- 
tion was  effected,  and  the  two  were  united  under  the  title  of 
the  New  Second  Presbyterian  Church,  with  Rev.  Dr.  Van 
Dyke  and  Rev.  Arthur  Crosby  as  collegiate  Pastors. 

The  Fourth  Presbyterian  Church  (New  School)  was  or- 
ganized at  Gowanus.  by  the  third  Presbytery  of  New  York, 
in  February,  L888.  A  house  of  worship  was  erected  soon 
after,  and  the  Rev.  Robert  R.  Kellogg  was  installed  June  4. 
1*30,  by  tin-  I'ri  sbytery  of  Brooklyn.  He  was  dismissed  in 
December  following,  and  the  congregation  being  few,  and 
oppressed  with  debt,  the  church  was  dissolved  by  the  Presby- 
tery, May  9,  1842,  and,  subsequently,  the  building  was  pur- 
chased by  the  Third  Dutch  Church. 

The  Fifth  Presbyterian  Church  (New  School),  which  was 
first  organized  in  Brooklyn,  was  entirely  distinct  from  the 
< ■.  .ii .  gal  ion  which  subsequently  existed  under  the  same 
name.  It  had  its  origin  in  the  schism  which  occurred  in  the 
infancy  Of  the  Second,  or  Central,  Dutch  Church. 

The  sci  eder^,  with  their  Pastor.  Mr.  Tappan.  organized  as 
:i  Congregational  body,  and  subsequently  removed  to  a 
rhurch  which  Samuel  \.  Willoughby  built,  and  ded.  May  :!<). 
|s.;'.i.  At  the  same  time,  the  church  changed  its  order,  com- 
ing under  the  care  of  the  Brooklyn  Presbytery,  as  the  Fifth 
PrtB.  Church.  Mr  Tappan  left  in  1W.I,  and  was  succeeded 
by  Rev.  Almaloin  Peters.  D.  I).,  as  supply.  After  a  few 
weeks,  preaching  ceased :  and  the  church  was  disbanded. 

The  Fifth  Presbyterian  Church  (New  School)  was  an  en- 
tirely distinct  organization  from  the  preceding.    The  Rev. 


George  Dulfield,  Jr.,  was  ordained  in  January,  1S41,  in  the 
church  on  the  corner  of  Pearl  and  Willoughby  sts.,  built  in 
1837,  by  S.  A.  Willoughby,  Esq.,  and  occupied  by  the  first- 
mentioned  Fifth  Presbyterian  Church.  Shortly  after,  a 
church  was  formed  of  twenty  meml>ers.  The  building  is  ji 
by  40  feet,  and  cost  $10,000,  but  is  now  used  as  an  auction 
sales-room. 

The  Sixth  Presbyterian  Church  (New  School)  was  gath- 
ered, but  never  legally  organized,  at  the  Wallabout,  January 
26,  1840,  by  a  committee  of  the  Brooklyn  Presbytery.  Rev. 
.lames  Knox  lal>ored  here  about  three  months.  After  his 
departure,  the  church  became  extinct,  although  it  continued 
to  have  a  nominal  existence  for  about  three  years,  two  of  its 
elders  and  most  of  its  members  giving  the  Wallalxnit  that 
church. 

The  Free  Presbyterian  Church  (New  School)  was  or- 
ganized March  22,  1841,  and  the  Rev.  Russell  J.  Judd  in- 
stalled Pastor  the  1st  of  May  following.  He  was  dismissed 
in  the  autumn  of  1843  ;  and,  in  the  spring  of  1844,  the  Rev, 
Kilward  Reed  was  installed,  and  served  about  a  year.  Sub 
sequently,  this  congregation  purchased  the  edifice  erected  by 
the  Second  Baptist  church,  on  the  corner  of  Tillary  and  Law- 
rence sts.  In  the  spring  of  1845,  the  church,  having  beoome 
vacant,  unanimously  agreed  to  change  their  order  and  be- 
come Congregational. 

The  First  Presbyterian  Church  (New  School),  E.  D.,  or^. 
with  fifteen  members,  under  the  Presbytery  of  Brooklyn, 
May  26,  1842.  Shortly  afterwards,  its  members  became 
divided  on  the  subject  of  abolitionism,  which  resulted  in  the 
dismission  of  four  male  and  three  female  members,  w  ho  sul>- 
sequently  united  in  the  formation  of  a  Congregational  so- 
ciety. At  first  dependent  upon  occasional  supplies,  the  con- 
gregation received  an  element  of  permanence,  by  the  instal- 
lation, June  13,  1843,  of  Rev.  Joseph  Rawson  Johnson,  who 
had  labored  with  them  during  the  previous  November. 
In  Feb.,  1844,  when  their  number  amounted  to  eighty-six.  a 
proposition  to  transfer  their  relation  to  the  Old  School  Pres- 
bytery, of  New  York,  again  divided  the  feelings  and 
opinions  of  the  church;  and,  finally,  three  elders  and  twent] 
members  were,  at  their  own  request,  dismissed,  March  88, 
1844,  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  another  church,  to  I* 
placed  under  the  New  York  Presbyter)-.  In  April,  1845,  Mr. 
Johnson  was  dismissed  from  his  pastoral  relations,  and  was 
succeeded  by  the  Rev.  James  W.  McLane,  who  was  installed 
September  2,  1845.  During  his  pastorate,  in  1848.  a  ne« 
church  edifice  was  erected  on  South  Fourth,  corner  of  Sixth 
st.,  of  brick,  and  with  a  lecture-room  on  the  rear,  t«i 
stories  high  and  facing  on  Sixth  st.  Dr.  McLane  died  in 
Feb..  1864,  and  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Joseph  II.  Robinson 
1864  to  1865;  Rev.  Samuel  Carlisle,  1866  to  Oct..  IsTii;  Rev.  J. 
Glentworth  Butler,  D.  D.,  1871  to  May  1,  1873;  Rev.  S.  Millei 
liegeman  preached,  June  1873,  to  July,  1874.  but  was  DO) 
settled  as  Pastor:  Rev.  William  Guthrie  Barnes.  Dec..  '- 
till  Nov.,  1876;  Rev.  Thomas  Crowther,  from  April  3,  l«7,t< 
his  death,  Oct.  10,  1877  ;  Rev.  Aaron  Peck,  from  187s  to  I  Id 
16,  1881.    Rev.  H.  H.  Northrop  is  the  present  Pastor. 

South  Third  Street  Presbyterian  (Old  School),  r<>r.  ol 
Fifth  st.,  orig.  in  the  second  secession  from  the  First  <  !burch 
previously  mentioned.  They  first  assembled  for  divine  wor 
ship,  <>n  the  7th  of  April,  1S44,  in  the  public  school-room  <  I 
District  No.  1.  The  (Old  School)  Presbytery  of  New  York 
on  the  10th  of  April,  org.  a  church  of  twenty-seven  mem 
Ikts,  and  Rev.  N.  S.  Prime  was  engaged  as  stated  mipph 
April  22.  1841.  trustees  were  elected  and  the  congregatiei 
incorporated  as  Tlie  Presbyterian  Church  of  Williamdmrtf 
Rev.  Eugene  1'.  Stevenson  was  installed  as  Pastor  Fchruar) 
•Ml,  lslli;  meetings  being  held  in  the  public  school-bouse,  cor. 


ECCLESIASTICAL  ORGANIZATION'S.  1065 


SOCTH  THIRD  STREET  PRESBYTERIAN'  CHURCH. 

•■>.  hird  and  Fifth  sts.  A  new  church  edifice  on  So.  Third  j 
luTifth  sts.  was  first  occupied  on  Thanksgiving.  December  , 

to.  and  dedicated  on  Sabbath,  May  10,  1S46.  This  edifice 
-  >  brick,  62  by  75  feet,  with  a  projection  of  12  by  20  feet  i 
or  tower  and  steeple;  the  land  costing  $630,  And  the  build-  1 
ti£  10.000,  together  with  a  parsonage  costing  $3,800.  In  the 
"1  wing  year,  the  house  adjoining  the  church,  and  occu- 
lt as  a  parsonage  house,  was  built.  Mr.  Stevenson  was 
u  .-e  led  by  the  Rev.  John  D.  Wells,  who  was  ord.  October 
.  19,  and  is  still  the  Pastor. 

1  1858,  and  several  times  since,  extensive  repairs  and  im- 
ri  .^ments  have  been  made  in  the  interior  of  the  church. 
>  i  this  church  have  been  colonized  the  Cliristie  St.,  the 
"i>  op  Arc.  and  the  Ross  St.  Pres.  churches:  yet  the  parent 
iaost  none  of  its  vigor  or  influence.  Rev.  N.  W.  Wells  has 
*  As-istant  Pastor  since  1881. 

v.  John  D.  Wells,  D.  D.,  born  at  Whiteborough,  N.  Y, 
8  ;  grad.  Union  Coll  ,  1838,  and  Princeton  Theol.  Sem., 
8  :  Trustee  of  Princeton  Theol.  Sem.,  1878  ;  on  Board  of 
r(  Miss..  1861;  Vice-Pres.  of  same,  1877:  on  Board  of  Con- 
r  N.Y,  State  Colonization  Soc. :  preached  in  private  chapel 
>f  Lenox.  Esq..  1844 :  Mission  Chapel.  N.  Y.  City,  1845-6; 
w|or  of  Last  Week  in  the  Life  of  Davis  Johnson,  Jr., 
L  le  Walter  of  Xyalwring;  sermons  and  pamphlets  ;  lo- 
"fdin  Brooklyn,  Jan.,  1850. 


The  South   Brooklyn   Presbyterian  Church 

(New  School)  was  org.  Sept.  18,  1842.  with  sev- 
enty-two members,  and  the  Rev.  Samuel  T. 
Spear,  Pastor,  May  14. 1843.  Their  first  place  of 
vorship  was  a  school-house  on  Pacific  street, 
which  they  purchased  and  occupied  till  their 
beautiful  edifice,  on  Clinton,  corner  of  Amity 
street,  was  completed  in  August,  1845.  Its 
dimensions  were  sixty  by  one  hundred  and  fif- 
teeu  feet,  including  a  lecture-room  in  the  rear, 
and  its  whole  cost  was  about  #28,000.  In  1875, 
it  was  consolidated  with  the  first  Presbyterian 
Church  (Old  School),  aud  the  United  Society  took 
the  name  of  Clinton  Street  Presbyterian  Church. 

The  Wallabout  Presbyterian  Church  (Old 
School),  now  Franklin  Ave. — The  Wallabout 
village,  now  East  Brooklyn  is  nearly  a  mile  to 
the  eastward  of  the  Navy  Yard,  the  ancient 
Waale-boght.  Prior  to  the  years  1828  and  1830. 
this  territory  lay  in  farms.  The  Primitive  Meth- 
odists, in  1836;  the  Episcopalians,  in  1837  :  and 
the  Presby'erians  (New  School),  and  Dutch  Re- 
formed in  1840.  attempted  to  occupy  the  ground, 
but  all  fa  led.  Iu  1842,  Rev.  Jonathan  Green- 
leaf  commenced  missionary  labor  here,  and  in 
December,  1842,  a  church  was  organized  under 
the  above  name.  In  January.  1843,  it  was  legally 
constituted ;  and,  in  February,  Mr.  Greenleaf 
became  the  Pastor.  He  was  succeeded,  after 
his  death,  April  24.1865.  by  Rev.  Wm.  A.  Fer- 
guson, and  hf>,  January  1,  1868,  by  Rev.  Samuel 
P.  Halsey.  A  lot  of  ground  on  Franklin,  near 
Myrtle  ave.,  was  presented  for  a  church  edifice, 
by  Mr.  Greenleaf  and  wife,  on  condition  that  no 
debt  should  be  incurred  in  the  erection  of  the 
house.  The  building  was  commenced  in  March, 
1844,  and  dedicated  in  March,  1845.  The  cost 
was  #55,000,  exclusive  of  bell,  chimneys,  carpets, 
lamps,  fence,  etc.,  which  were  contributed  by 
individuals.  It  is  now  known  as  the  Franklin 
Avenue  Presbyterian  Church.  Rev.  Samuel  P. 
Halsey,  Pastor,  until  June  30,  1883. 
Siloam  Presbyterian  Church  (colored),  org.  July  25th, 
1847.  under  the  Presbytery  of  Brooklyn  with  about  ten  mem- 
bers. The  congr.-gation  first  worshiped  in  a  hall  in  Fulton  st. 
Then  the  house  of  a  mission  in  Prince  st.  was  purchased  by 
the  Presbytery,  in  1854,  for  #4,000.  In  1868,  the  house  was 
enlarged,  and  a  basement  was  built,  at  an  additional  cost  of 
#4,000. 

Ministry:— Revs.  A.  N.  Freeman.  1852-  60,  and  1863-'84; 
Charles  H.  Thompson,  1860-3. 

The  church  has  been  uniformly  prosperous,  owing  to  the 
untiring  efforts  of  the  Pastor,  Rev.  A  N.  Freeman,  who  was 
born  in  New  Jersey,  1809;  ordained  in  Portland.  Me.,  1841; 
came  to  Brooklyn,  April,  1852. 

The  City  Park  Chapel,  originally  org.  as  the  City  Park 
Union  Mission  Sabbath-school,  July,  1S48,  at  a  prayer  meet- 
ing held  at  the  residence  of  Mr.  Kellogg,  in  Willoughby  st. 
Its  first  officers  were:  Isaac  N.  Judson,  Superintendent,  John 
T.  Davenport,  Assistant  Superintendent,  and  Thomas  S. 
Simmons,  Secretary  and  Treasurer.  Its  first  session  w::s 
held  on  the  third  Sabbath  in  July,  1848.  Its  rapid  increase 
demanded  larger  accommodations:  and.  in  the  spring  of  1851. 
the  association  was  organized  which  purchased  lots  on  Con- 
cord, near  Gold  St.,  on  which  was  erected  the  building  now 
occupied  by  the  Children's  Heme.  The  first  board  of  trustees 
of  this  association  was  composed  of  the  following  gentlemen 


1066  HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Till!  Of.Il    rit.VXKUN    AVR\rR   IMIKSBVTKKIAX   CliriU'H.       (See  previous  page). 


viz.:  Austin  Melvin  (Congregational  1st  I,  Tliomas  S.  Simmons 
(Methodist),  Silas  R.  Beebe  (Baptist),  John  T.  Davenport, 
Timothy  Dauncy  and  Isaac  N.  Judson  (Presbyterians).  Mr. 
Judson,  after  six  years'  service,  was  succeeded  in  the  super- 
intendency  of  the  school  by  Mr.  Nathaniel  M.  Terry,  for 
about  six  years:  followed  by  Mr.  A.  A.  Smith  for  a  year;  and, 
in  May,  1864,  by  Mr.  A.  M.  Earl;  and  in  May,  1868,  by  Mr.  R. 
J.  Dodge.  Then  the  vicinity  began  to  be  occupied  by  the 
schools  of  individual  churches,  so  thai  the  union  principle 
liecame  less  effectual,  and  those  interested  in  the  P.  M.  U.  S. 
School  felt  that  a  church  organization  would  better  accom- 
modate the  people  of  the  neighborhood  in  which  the  school 
was  located.  Accordingly,  an  organization  was  effected, 
composed  of  persons  mostly  from  the  First  Presbyterian 
Church,  but  was  eventually  disbanded,  the  teachers  continu- 
ing to  labor  in  the  mission  school.  In  the  spring  of  186'i,  the 
school  was  transferred  to  the  charge  of  the  First  Presbyter- 
ian f  Church  (  Henry  st. ),  which  had  furnished  a  greater  part 
of  the  teachers,  and  most  of  the  funds  for  the  mission.  In 
Feb.,  ISOCi,  ;i  new  building  was  elected  by  the  trustees  of  the 
First  Presbyterian  Church,  on  lots  adjoining  the  old  one,  at  a 
cost  i  including  a  handsome  organ  i  of  nearly  $21. 000.  In 
January,  1S07,  the  session  of  the  First  Church  extended  a 

unanimous  call  to  the  Rev.  Charles  W  1.  who  accepted  the 

call,  entering  upon  his  charge  in  February  following,  and 
still  continues  Pastor.  Since  that  time  the  enterprise  has 
continued  to  flourish.  More  than  a  hundred  members  have 
l>ecii  added  to  the  Find  Presbyterian  Church,  by  profession 
of  their  faith,  through  the  instrumentality  of  this  chapel. 

In  |s;i.  tin- *  ha|>d  wa-  enlarged  h\  an  addition  to  its  au- 
ditorium, making  it--  -.eating  capacity  about  10(1;  and  it  was 
further  improved  by  the  addition  of  rooms  for  infant  classes, 
and  alcoves  for  adult  and  Bible  classes.  The  cost  of  these 
improvements  w  as  fii.(HH).  \  commodious  reading-room  was 
fitted  up,  in  |ssn,  ;it  the  expense  ..f  Mrs.  .fames  Sheldon. 
In  ibis  room,  which  i-  comfortably  warmed  and  cheerfully 
lighted,  many  young  men  gather  nightly,  Home  of  whom 


formerly  spent  their  evenings  on  the  street  corner-,  or 
more  demoralizing  places. 

Rev.  Charles  Wood,  born  in  Salem,  N.  J.,  1819;  gr:i 
Lafayette  Coll.  (Pa.),  1846,  and  Princeton  Theol.  Sem..  lft 
was  Vice-Pres.  of  Alumni  Assn.,  1878-*9:  located  at  ?• 
Hill,  Blackwood,  N.  J.;  City  Park  Chapel,  B'klyn,  1881  8 

The  Lawrence  Street  Presbyterian  Church.  — In  1852,  I 
Associate  Reform  Presbytery  of  New  York  established 
mission  in  Brooklyn,  where  they  soon  organized  a  ohun 
The  young  organization  not  having  been  supplied  with  n 
ular  preaching,  or  a  fixed  place  of  worship,  was  fraojWDf 
reduced  to  the  verge  of  dissolution. 

In  1858,  the  church  called  the  Rev.  Adam  Mcddhnd 
become  their  Pastor,  and  moved  from  their  hall  in  Fro 
street  to  an  edifice  purchased  from  the  Congregational  Mi  l 
odists,  cor.  Lawrence  and  Tillary  streets. 

In  1875,  a  union  was  effected  with  the  Fort  <<r,  <  nr /V«< 
terian  Church,  Dr.  McClelland  continuing  as  Pastor  of  i 
united  congregation.  Shortly  after  the  consolidation  i 
united  congregation  sold  the  edifice  in  Lawrence  -t.  to: 
Casimir's  (Catholic i  Church. 

German  Evangelical  Pres.  Church,— In  1858,  RbT,  Ji 
Neander,  a  German  missionary  among  the  Jew-  in  Ni 
York  city,  at  the  recpiest  of  seven  Germans  in  BmUj 
commenced  a  series  of  religious  meeting-  lu  re  at  |>riv:i 
houses.    And,  being  authorized  by  the  Board  of  Ibwi 

Missions,  in  whose  service  he  then  was.  1  g  a  church 

ia"»:l,  under  the  care  of  the  New  York  Presbytery.  L 
were  secured  cor.  Leonard  and  Stagg  sts  i  K.  I>  .  on  w  I 
a  neat  brick  building  was  erected,  and  dedicated  •  tet  14, 1° 
at  a  cost  of  $9,000.  mostly  furnished  by  George  Dougl 
Esq.,  of  Flushing,  L.  I.  It  has  since  Keen  enlarged,  and 
now  called  the  First  German  Presbyterian  Church, 

Ainslie  St.  Presbyterian  Church  was  organized 
IHol.     It  has  had  to  date  six  Pastors:     1S.VI    oil,  lie>   C  < 
Hodge;   1857-".r>\  h'ev.    \ll..  rt  Piglow;  ls.V.i  '•',(•>,  IM  J; 
McDougal,  Jr.;  IKCC-'TO,  K'ev.  John  Hancock:  |s7»-~M,  I. 


EC  CLESIASTICAL 


M.   Buchanan;   1878,  to   date,  Rev.    Jos.  G.  William- 
)n,  Jr. 

The  congregation,  since  its  organization,  has  worshiped 
1  but  one  building,  a  frame  structure,  enlarged  from  time 
i  time,  at  the  corner  of  Ewen  and  Ainslie  sts.  It  was 
rected  in  1854.  The  property  consists  of  five  lots,  a  church 
lifice  and  a  parsonage.  The  seating  capacity  of  the  church 
:  500.  The  present  membership  is  about  600.  The  Sabbath- 
•kool  has  500  scholars  and  50  teachers. 

The  Westminster  Presbyterian  Church  (New  School), 
rg.  in  a  hall  on  the  corner  of  Court  and  Sackett  sts.,  Jan. 
1,  1850,  with  Gl  members.  A  frame  chapel  was  first  erected 
a  the  present  site,  and  dedicated  on  the  third  Sabbath  of 
lay.  1856 ;  the  enterprise  received  a  strong  impetus  in 

s  early  work  from  the  able  ministry  of  Rev.  Roswell  1  >. 
[itchcock,  D.  D.,  who  supplied  the  pulpit  from  the  first 
abbath  in  Feb.,  1856,  until  the  first  Sabbath  of  May,  1857. 
n  Oct.,  1857,  the  Rev.  Hugh  S.  Carpenter  was  installed, 
ud  dismissed  May,  1870.  In  1858,  the  present  building  was 
.  >mnienced,  and  with  a  temporary  roof  and  front,  the  au- 
itorium  was  occupied  for  divine  service  the  second  Sabbath 
n  October  of  that  year.  In  October,  1867,  the  new  church 
ilifice,  facing  on  Clinton  street,  corner  of  First  place,  was 
iuished  and  dedicated. 

Mr.  Carpenter  was  succeeded  in  the  pastorate  by  Rev.  J. 
Element  French,  D.  D.,  installed  March,  1872,  dism.  Nov., 
876;  and  he  by  Rev.  James  M.  Ludlow,  D.  D.,  installed 
Dct.,  1877. 

Rev.  James  M.  Ludlow  was  born  at  Elizabeth,  N.  J.,  1841; 
;rad.  from  Princeton  Coll.  in  1861;  and  from  Princeton  Theol. 
3em.,  1864.  In  the  fall  of  1864,  he  was  called  to  the  First 
Presbyterian  Church  at  Albany.  In  1868,  he  succeeded  Dr. 
Duryea  in  the  Collegiate  Reformed  Church,  New  York,  dur- 
ug  which  time  their  elegant  church  was  erected.  Dr.  Lud- 
'■w  is  a  scholarly  man,  earnest  and  persuasive,  stimulating 
uid  effective.  In  1881,  he  visited  Europe  and  the  Holy  Land; 
lie  is  a  contributor  to  various  religious  papers  and  periodicals. 

The  John  Knox  Presbyterian  Church  was  commenced  on 
the  corner  of  Fulton  avenue  and  Adelphi  street,  May  4th, 
1856;  and  a  church  organized  June  12th,  by  the  Presbytery  of 
Nassau,  with  sixteen  members,  eight  of  whom  were  males. 
The  Rev.  Lorenzo  Wescott  was  ordained  Pastor,  October 
16, 1856. 

Lafayette  Ave.  Presbyterian  Church.— May  16th,  1857,  a 
meeting  of  several  gentlemen  was  held  at  the  house  of  Mr. 
Edward  A.  Lambert,  Clinton  avenue,  to  consult  in  reference 
to  the  formation  of  a  Presbyterian  church  in  the  11th  Ward, 
to  bd  under  the  care  of  the  Presbytery  of  Brooklyn.  A  com- 
mittee was  appointed,  and  on  the  16th  of  June  a  public  meeting 
was  held  in  the  church  on  Carlton  avenue,  occupied  by  the 
Park  Congregational  Society,  when  it  was  unanimously 
re-olved  to  organize  a  Presbyterian  church,  as  contemplated 
in  the  resolution  of  May  16th,  and  arrangements  were  im- 
mediately made  to  purchase  and  occupy  the  building  in 
Carlton  avenue,  near  DeKalb;  the  Park  Congregational 
Church  (worshiping  there)  having  resolved  to  disband. 

Trustees  were  elected,  and  the  congregation  organized 
under  the  corporate  name  of  "  The  Park  Presbyterian 
Church."  On  the  29th  of  June,  a  constitution  was  a'dopted, 
and  a  petition  was  presented  to  the  Presbytery  of  Brooklyn 
to  organize  said  church. 

The  Presbytery,  on  the  9th  of  July,  met  in  the  church, 
Carlton  avenue,  and  duly  constituted  the  church — 16  males 
and  32  females  being  received  from  various  churches. 
Messrs.  N.  W.  Burtis,  Josiah  Widnell,  and  Harrison  Teller, 
M.  D.,  were  chosen  Elders,  and  John  Rhodes  and  Ralph 
Hunt,  Deacons. 


ORGANIZATIONS.  10G7 


Soon  after  the  organization,  the  church  engaged  the  ser- 
vices of  the  Rev.  Roswell  D.  Hitchcock.  D.  D.,  who  continued 
to  occupy  the  pulpit  until  January,  1859.  In  the  spring  of 
1858,  the  congregation  had  so  increased  that  it  was  found 
necessary  to  enlarge  the  accommodations,  by  extending  the 
building  toward  DeKalb  avenue,  thus  furnishing  seats  ful- 
some 750.  On  the  termination  of  the  services  of  Rev.  Pro- 
fessor Hitchcock,  the  Rev.  Lyman  Whiting,  of  Portsmouth, 
N.  H.,  occupied  the  pulpit  until  August,  1859. 

On  the  7th  of  February,  I860,  the  Rev.  Theodore  L.  Cuyler 
was  unanimously  elected  Pastor,  and,  having  accepted  the 
call,  entered  upon  the  duties  of  Pastor  on  the  8th  of  April, 
and  was  installed  by  the  Presbytery  of  Brooklyn,  on  Tues- 
day evening,  April  24th. 

In  the  spring  of  1861,  a  new  church  edifice  was  commenced 
on  the  corner  of  Lafayette  avenue  and  Oxford  street,  and 
was  completed  in  March,  1862.  The  building  is  of  Belleville 
free-stone,  and  in  th  i  Romanesque  style;  it  is  one  hundred 
and  forty-six  feet  in  length,  and  eighty-six  in  width.  The 
height  of  the  spire  is  one  hundred  and  ninety-five  feet.  The 
auditorium  contains  three  hundred  and  four  pews,  and  will 
accommodate  1,800  persons;  with  seats  in  the  aisles  it  holds 
2,300.  Above  the  lecture  -  room  and  Pasior's  study  are 
spacious  Sabbath-school  rooms,  ninety  feet  in  length.  The 
whole  cost  of  the  ground  and  of  the  edifice  did  not  excetd 
$60,000.  . 

After  the  completion  of  the  new  edifice,  the  name  of  the 
church  organization  was  changed  to  that  of  the  "  Lafayette 
Avenue  Presbyterian  Church."  Its  present  membership 
numbers  1,575. 

"Olivet  Mission"  has  a.  chapel  on  Bergen  street,  near 
Sixth  avenue,  and  a  flourishing  Sabbath-school.  "Cumber- 
land Street  Mission,"  long  connected  with  this  church,  has 
been  organized  into  the  Fort  Greene  Presbyterian  Church, 
under  the  pastoral  charge  of  Rev.  Dr.  McClelland.  Over 
one  hundred  members  of  the  Lafayette  Avenue  Church  were 
dismissed  to  form  this  organization,  and  "Calvary  Chapel" 
was  presented  to  them  for  their  use. 

The  chapel  erected  as  a  memorial  of  the  revival  of  1866,  in 
Warren  street,  near  Fifth  avenue,  and  ojiened  in  November 
of  that  year,  was  organized  into  a  church  by  the  Presby- 
tery of  Brooklyn  in  1867,  as  the  Memorial  Presbyterian 
Ch  urch. 

In  the  summer  of  1881,  a  house  near  the  church  was  pur- 
chased and  taken  down;  and  on  its  site,  church  parlors 
were  erected.  Over  these,  and  over  the  lecture-room,  a  Sun- 
day-school room  was  added,  100  by  55  feet,  with  a  seating 
capacity  of  1,000.  This  was  opened  on  Christmas,  1881.  The 
cost  of  these  improvements  was  $35,000. 

Rev.  Theodore  L.  Cuyler,  D.  D.,  born  in  Aurora,  N.  Y., 
1822;  grad.  Princeton  Coll.,  1841;  Princeton  Theol.  Sem., 
1846;  located  in  Burlington,  N.  J. ;  Trenton,  N.  J.;  New  York 
city;  came  to  B'klyn,  April,  1860;  author  of  Emjity  Crib, 
Thought  Hives,  Pointed  Papers,  Nile  to  Norway,  Cedar 
Christian,  Stray  Arrows,  Heart  Life,  etc.;  also  of  published 
sermons;  is  widely  known  as  a  powerful  worker  in  cause 
of  temperance,  and  of  Sunday-schools. 

The  Cumberland  Street  Chapel  (near  Myrtle  avenue)  was 
established  in  connection  with  Lafayette  avenue  Presbyterian 
Church,  and  was  afterward  erected  into  the  Fort  Greene 
Presbyterian  Church. 

The  Genevan  Presbyterian  Church  (Old  School),  Gates 
avenue,  corner  of  Hunter  street,  was  org.  by  the  Presbytery 
of  Nassau,  June  12,  1856,  under  the  name  of  the  Greene  Ave- 
nue Presbyterian  Church,  and  so  continued  until  June,  A.  D. 
1864,  when  its  place  of  worship  was  removed  from  Greene 
avenue,  corner  of  Clermont  avenue,  to  its  present  place,  where 


1068 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


LAFAYETTE  AVENUE  PKESBVTEKI  AN  OHUBOH, 


ECCLESIASTICAL  ORGANIZATIONS.  I06f» 


ie  church  edifice  was  completed  and  dedicated,  June  19, 
(64,  and  at  the  request  of  the  church,  and  by  order  of  the 
•esbytery,  the  title  was  changed  to  the  name  of  the  Genevan 
resbyterian  Church  of  Gates  avenue,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 
The  first  Pastor  was  Rev.  "William  B.  Lee;  succeeded  by 
ev,  Alonzo  Clark,  under  who^e  pastorate  a  portion  of  the 
mgregation  formed  a  union  with  the  Tompkins  avenue 
resbyterian  Church.  The  remnant  continued  for  a  time  to 
orahip  in  the  church  on  Gates  avenue,  but  finally  dis- 
mded. 

The  Ross  Street  Presbyterian  Church  (Old  School)  was 
■g.  April  28th,  1864,  in  the  chapel  of  Christ  Church,  Division 
,-enue,  by  the  Presbytery  of  Nassau  with  forty-three  mem- 
;rs,  of  whom  twenty-  seven  were  from  the  South  Third  street 
resbyterian  Church,  and  the  remainder  from  the  First  Re- 
n-med  Dutch  and  first  Presbyterian  Churches.  On  the  15th 
?  October,  1864,  the  Rev.  Charles  S.  Pomeroy  was  duly  in- 
alled  as  Pastor.  Lots  were  purchased  for  a  church  edifice 
i  Ross  street,  between  Lee  and  Bedford  avenues,  and  also 
>ts  in  the  rear  on  Wilson  street,  for  the  erection  of  a  chapel 
id  Sabbath-school  room.  The  chapel  was  completed  and 
cheated  Sunday,  May  14,  1865.  Its  size  is  eighty-five  feet 
f  forty;  substantially  built  of  brick  and  brown-stone,  with 
school-room  upon  the  lower  floor  and  an  audience-room 
»ve,  seating,  with  the  galleries  subsequently  added,  about 
x  hundred.  It  was  furnished  with  a  fine  large  organ,  and 
1  the  appointments  of  a  modern  church  edifice.  The  expense 
'  this  chapel  (furnished)  and  the  ground,  was  about  $35,000, 
ee  from  debt.    On  June  5,  1871,  the  corner-stone  was  laid 


ROSS  STREET  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 

f  an  elegant  church  edifice,  upon  the  lots  belonging  to 
leiu  in  Rcss  street,  cor.  of  "Wilson.  It  seats  comfortably 
ith  boxes,  800;  as  originally  with  pews,  1,000.  Mr.  Pomeroy 
'as  succeeded  in  the  pastorate  by  Rev.  Mr.  McGinley,  who 
?mained  two  years.  Rev.  Archibald  McCullagh  became 
'astor  March  17th,  1878.  During  his  pastorate  the  church  has 
een  greatly  prospered.  It  has  a  flourishing  Sunday-school  of 
DO  scholars. 

The  growth  of  the  Ross  Street  Church  has  been  rapid  and 
ealthful.  Its  pivsent  membership  is  430.  May,  1869.  the 
'astor  and  session  organized  a  mission-school  on  the  north 
ide  of  the  city  in  Grand  street,  as  a  branch  of  the  home 
chool,  and  conducted  by  members  of  the  Ross  Street 
'hurch.  Mr.  Frederick  A.  Thompson  was  the  first  superin- 
endent. 

Rev.  Archibald  McCullagh  was  born  in  Armagh,  Ireland, 
848;  grad.  Princeton  Coll.,  18(58;  and  Princeton  Theol. 


Sem.,  1871;  was  located  Germantown  and  Ph!l.,  1871-K; 
Brooklyn,  1878-'83. 

First  Presbyterian  Church  of  Greenpoint  (E.  D.),  Noble, 
cor.  of  Guernsey  street,  org.  with  fourteen  members  at  a  meet- 
ing held  in  May,  1869,  at  Masonic  Hall,  under  the  auspices 
of  the  Presbytery  of  Nassau.  Lots  were  purchased  for  $10,- 
000,  on  which  they  proceeded  to  build  a  neat  one-story  frame 
structure,  thirty -five  by  seventy-five  feet  in  size,  seating  up- 
wards of  four  hundred  and  fifty  persons,  and  costing  $4,000. 
It  was  dedicated  July  18th,  1869.  Officers:  Deacon,  George 
Brinkerhoff ;  Elders,  J.  N.  Stearns,  David  Joline;  Trustees, 
D.  H.  Furbish,  Henry  Dixon,  David  Joline,  George  Campbell, 
John  N.  Stearns.  A  thriving  Sunday-school,  under  the  super- 
intendence of  Mr.  Stearns,  was  a  feature  in  connection  with 
this  enterprise. 

Christie  Street  Presbyterian  Church,  organized  October 
22d,  1854,  by  eighteen  members  from  the  South  Third  street 
Presbyterian  Church. 

Throop  Avenue  Presbyterian  Church. — In  1852,  a  mission 
Sabbath-school  was  org.  in  a  small  room,  cor.  Throop  avenue 
and  Bartlett  street,  in  a  sparsely  settled  German  neighbor- 
hood. 

In  1854,  the  school  removed  to  Broadway,  between  Flush- 
ing and  Yates  avenues,  becoming  known  as  the  Broadway 
Mission  Sunday-school.  It  increased  in  numbers,  so  that 
preaching  and  other  religious  services  were  maintained. 
Nov.  14th,  1801,  the  corner-stone  of  the  Mission  build- 
ing on  Throop  avenue,  bet.  Hopkins  and  Ellery  streets,  was 
laid,  whither  the  school  removed  in  1862,  assuming  the  name 
Throop  Avenue  Mission  Sunday-school.  The  same  month 
measures  were  taken  to  org.  a  Presbj  ..erian  Church  from  the 
Mission,  which  was  completed  by  the  Presbytery  June  8th, 
1862.  The  membership  was  27,  of  whom  18  came  from  the 
Sunday-school,  and  17  from  the  South  Third  Presbyterian 
Church.  Rev.  John  Hancock  was  Pastor,  from  1863  to  Dec, 
1866;  Rev.  John  Lowrey,  from  May,  1867,  to  April,  1873. 
In  1867,  a  new  edifice  was  built  at  the  cor.  of  Throop  and 
Willoughby  avenues,  on  land  given  by  Hon.  Darwin  R.  James. 
It  was  intended  as  a  temporary  building  only,  and  has  since 
been  twice  enlarged,  at  a  total  expense  of  about  $26,000,  and 
seats  about  900.    (See  engraving  on  following  page.) 

Rev.  Lewis  Ray  Foote  was  installed  Pastor,  Dec.  21st, 
1873,  and  still  occupies  the  position.  The  church  is  prosper- 
ous, having  737  members,  and  annually  expends  more  money 
upon  benevolent  work  than  for  its  own  current  expenses.  It 
has  under  its  care  in  the  home  Sunday-school,  and  in  the  1  wi  i 
branch  schools,  2,300  children. 

Rev.  Lewis  R.  Foote,  born  in  So.  New  Berlin,  N.  Y.,  1844; 
grad.  Hamilton  Coll.,  1869;  and  Union  Theol.  Sem.,  1872; 
served  as  private  in  61st  N.  Y.  Vols. ;  wounded  at  Fair  Oaks, 
and  honorably  discharged;  located  B'klyn,  Nov.,  1873. 

Classon  Avenue  Church. — On  December  10,  1866,  the  ses- 
sion of  the  First  Presbyterian  Church  on  Henry  st.,  and  of 
the  Lafayette  Avenue  Presbyterian  Church,  appointed  a 
joint  committee  of  two  to  inaugurate  the  movement  for  a 
new  Presbyterian  Church,  in  the  section  of  the  city  now  oc- 
cupied by  the  Classon  Avenue  Church.  At  the  in  itation  of 
this  committee,  a  number  of  gentlemen  met  on  December 
20th,  at  the  residence  of  Mr.  Olin  "W.  "Walbridge,  on  Down- 
ing st.,  when  the  organization  of  the  new  church  was  fully 
resolved  upon.  On  January  27,  1867,  church  services  were 
held  morning  and  evening,  and  a  Sunday-school  was  organ- 
ized in  the  building  No.  174  Gates  ave.  Lots  on  the  north- 
easterly corner  of  Classon  ave.  and  Monroe  st.  were  pur- 
chased for  $9,000,  and  a  frame  chapel  was  built,  which  was 
dedicated  June  30th.  On  the  8th  of  July,  the  church  was 
constituted  by  the  Presbytery  of  Brooklyn,  with  59  members. 


1070 


1TTS  TORY  OF  JTWG  S  CO  UNTY. 


THROOP  AVRNUE  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH.    (See  previous  page.) 


Rev.  Joseph  T.  Duryea,  D.  D. ,  was  mianimously  chosen  the 
first  Pastor  on  December  3,  1807,  and  he  was  installed  on  the 
38th  of  December.  Ground  was  broken  by  the  Pastor  for 
the  new  edifice  on  May  13,  1868,  the  corner-stone  was  laid 
December  1,  1868,  and  the  edifice  was  dedicated  on  Sunday, 
January  2,  1870.  Previous  to  the  completion  of  the  church, 
the  chapel  was  enlarged  to  its  present  size.  A  mission  Sun- 
day-school was  established  on  Atlantic  ave.  soon  after  the 
commencement  of  Dr.  Duryea's  pastorate.  In  1879,  the 
church  purchased  the  building  formerly  occupied  by  Dr. 
Nyes'  Church,  corner  of  Vanderbilt  and  Atlantic  aves.,  and 
the  mission  school  removed  to  this  building,  which  has  since 
lieen  known  as  Duryea  Cliajtcl.  On  April  7,  1879,  the  pas- 
toral relations  of  Rev.  Dr.  Duryea  were  dissolved.  Rev. 
David  II.  Krazer,  D.  D.,  was  installed  March  4th,  1880.  Dur- 
ing his  pastorate,  the  remaining  mortgage  debt  of  $28,000 
was  paid;  and  a  large  proportion  of  the  pews,  which  had  been 
held  by  individuals,  were  surrendered  to  the  church.  Rev. 

Dr.  Frazer's  pastorate  terminated  January  31,  1883. 
•Dr.  Leander  T.  Chamberlain  accepted  the  call  extended  to 
him  by  the  Ciasson  Avenue  Presbyterian  Church  to  Income 
ii-  Pastor,  and  was  settled  in  October,  1883. 

The  church  in  Ciasson  ave.  lias  a  seating  capacity  of  1,500. 
It  is  elegantlv  finished  inside,  and  free  from  debt.  Its  mem- 
bership is  over  700.  The  Home  Sunday-school  and  (lie  Mis- 
sion Sunday-school,  which  hold  their  meetings  in  Duryea 
Chapel,  on  Clermont  ave.,  are  in  a  prosperous  condition,  un- 
der the  able  management  of  their  respective  superintendents, 
\b  -srs.  K  H.  Bartlett  and  K.  I'.  Loomis.  The  membership 
of  the  latter  school  amounts  to  400. 

Dr.  eilAMP.i.m.WN  was  l»orn  in  Massachusetts  about  forty- 
five  years  ago.     Ib   received  his  classical  training  in  Yale 


College,  where  he  delivered  the  valedictory  oration.  He 
went  to  Andover  Theological  Seminary,  in  Massachusetts, 
to  prosecute  his  studies  for  the  ministry.  He  enjoys  a  wide 
reputation  for  biblical  scholarship  and  eloquence  in  the  pul | ; 

Memorial  Presbyterian  Church. — In  the  spring  of  1866,  a 
movement  was  set  on  foot  by  some  meml>ers  of  the  Lafay- 
ette Avenue  Presbyterian  Church,  and  others,  resulting  in 
the  organization  of  a  Sunday-school,  which  met  for  a  time  in 
a  room  on  Baltic  st.  In  the  autumn  following,  the  Sche.  I 
took  possession  of  a  chapel  which  had  been  provided  in  War- 
ren st.  (now  Prospect  place),  near  Sixth  ave.  Preaching  HI 
vices  were  occasionally  held,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Mason,  of  Ea-i 
Tennessee,  officiating  for  a  time.  February  19, 1807,  a  Bean! 
of  Trustees  was  elected,  and  the  chapel  and  properties  WW 
transferred  to  the  Board,  to  be  used  for  a  Presbyterian 
Church.  March  28,  1867,  the  Presbytery  of  Brookh  n  N  8 
met  at  the  Chapel,  and  organized  the  Memorial  Presbyterian 
Church,  with  31  members,  of  whom  the  majority  were  from 
Lafayette  Avenue  Church.  James  Cruikshank,  C.  C.  Mudg" 
and  Jacob  S.  Denman  were  elected  Ruling  Elder*,  while 
Ithamar  DuBois  and  John  H.  Wilson  constituted  the  I'M 
Board  of  Deacons. 

Rev.  Theodore  S.  Drow  n,  of  Plainfieltl,  N.  J.,  was  installed 
as  the  first  Pastor  of  the  church  April  23d,  1S67;  he  remained 
for  six  years.  During  the  year  following  Mr.  Drown  s  resig 
nation,  services  were  maintained  by  supplies,  the  way  not  , 
appearing  clear  for  the  calling  of  a  Pastor  adapted  to  tin- 
work.  In  June  of  1874,  the  Rev.  C.  K.  Jones  was  engaged 
as  stated  supply  for  one  year,  but  retired  from  tin  wed 
somewhat  before  the  expiration  of  that  time. 

On  the  1st  of  May,  1875,  (he  Rev.  Thomas  Crowthtr,  of 
Pittsfield,  Mass.,  commenced  his  labors.    Jn  the  upring  "f 


ECCLESIASTICAL   ORGANIZATIONS.  I07I 


MEMORIAL  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH. 


7,  he  was  dismissed  at  his  own  request.  On  the  22d  of 
me,  1877,  a  call  was  extended  to  the  Rev.  T.  A.  Nelson,  the 
•esent  Pastor,  who  was  then  completing  his  studies  in  the 
nion  Theological  Seminary  of  New  York.  He  began  his 
bors  on  the  first  Sabbath  of  August  following,  and  was 
dained  and  installed  as  Pastor  on  the  evening  of  Wednes- 
ly,  Sept.  26,  1877. 

The  steady  growth  of  the  congregation  rendering  both  a 
lange  of  location  and  increase  of  accommodation  desirable, 
movement  was  inaugurated  for  the  purchase  of  an  eligible 
te  and  the  erection  of  a  new  edifice,  which  resulted  in  the 
esept  property  on  the  corner  of  Seventh  ave.  and  St.  John's 
ace.  Ground  was  broken  for  the  present  church  edifice  on 
le  morning  of  March  13,  1882,  and  the  corner-stone  of  the 
3w  building  laid,  with  appropriate  ceremony,  on  the  1st  day 
June  following.  On  Sabbath  morning,  February  18,  1883, 
le  church  was  first  opened  for  worship. 
The  style  is  the  pure  Gothic  of  the  early  decorated  period, 
Inch  nourished  in  the  beginning  of  the  fourteenth  century, 
he  church  is  faced  throughout  with  gray-rock  Belleville 
one,  the  windows  having  stone  tracery  throughout.  The 
ittressea  are  surmounted  by  stone  pinnacles;  the  parapets 
lerced  with  open  tracery,  and  the  roof  is  of  blue  slate,  ridged 


with  ornamented  terra  cotta.  The  tower  serves  as  a  porch 
with  double  entrance,  the  other  entrances  being  on  Seventh 
ave.  and  St.  John's  place.  The  pews  in  the  auditorium  are 
circular  in  form,  and  the  woodwork  generally  is  of  stained 
cherry.  The  dimensions  of  the  structure  are  95  by  67;  the 
height  to  ridge,  47  feet;  and  to  the  apex  of  the  spire,  which 
is  of  stone,  117  feet  high.  There  are  seats  for  about  800  peo- 
ple in  the  edifice.  It  is  proposed  in  the  early  future  to  build 
a  chapel  closely  adjoining,  for  lecture-room  and  Sunday- 
school  purposes. 

Rev.  Thomas  A.  Nelson  was  born  in  Montreal,  Canada. 
In  earl\r  life  he  was  engaged  in  the  mercantile  business  in 
Indianapolis.  In  1866,  he  entered  Asbury  University,  to 
prepare  for  the  ministry.  He  was  Secretary  of  the  Y.  M.  C. 
A.  of  Toledo,  1871-4,  when  he  entered  the  Union  Theol. 
Sem.,  New  York,  graduating  in  May,  1877;  and  the  follow- 
ing month  he  accepted  a  call  to  the  Memorial  Presbyterian 
Church  of  this  city.  His  pulpit  discourses  are  noted  for 
clearness  and  precision  of  expression;  he  claims  no  advanced 
ideas  in  religious  theory,  but  his  mind  is  naturally  liberal 
and  his  views  cheerful.  His  earnest,  sincere  and  manly 
characteristics  have  won  the  esteem  of  a  large  circle  of 
friends. 


1 072 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Bethlehem  Mission  was  commenced  November  1,  18G8,  in 
the  livery  stable  of  Mr.  "Witty,  at  the  junction  of  Fulton  and 
Flatbush  aves.  The  mission  took  its  name  because  of  its  or- 
ganization in  a  stable.  It  was  org.  by  A.  M.  Karle  and  Rev. 
D.  M.  Heydrick.  whose  life  has  been  devoted  to  mission  labor 
in  this  city,  and  who  has  been  intimately  connected  with  the 
organization  of  many  missions.  After  five  Sundays  in  this 
place  the  mission  was  removed  to  Prospect  Hall  (now  Music 
Hall),  at  the  junction  of  Flatbush  and  Fulton  aves.,  and  sub- 
sequently to  a  room  over  Nos.  635  and  637  Fulton  st.,  where 
it  has  since  been  held. 

The  first  superintendent  was  A.  M.  Earle,  followed  by  Mr. 
Hawley.  Mr.  Kimball  and  Mr.  G.  A.  Brett,  who,  with  his  ex- 
cellent wife,  carried  on  the  work  there  at  their  own  expense 
during  five  years.  Mr.  Heydrick  has  been  the  Pastor  of  the 
mission  from  the  first,  and  since  1ST!),  both  Pastor  and  Super- 
intendent. 

The  German  Evangelical  Mission  Church  (Presbyterian), 
Hopkins  st.,  was  org.  as  a  mission  in  1868,  and  as  a  church 
in  1870.  Its  place  of  worship,  while  a  mission,  was  the 
Throop  Ave.  Mission  School  building.  In  1871  the  present 
church  edifice  was  built,  on  Hopkins  St.,  near  Throop  ave. 
It  is  of  brick,  with  1,400  sittings.  A  parsonage  adjoins  the 
church.    The  cost  of  the  church  property  was  $62,000. 

Rev.  John  Meury  has  been  Pastor  from  the  time  when  the 
church  was  a  mission. 

A  parochial  school  is  maintained  in  the  basement  of  the 
church,  where  instruction  is  given  in  both  German  and  Eng- 
lish. It  has  an  average  attendance  of  160.  Two  teachers 
are  employed. 


NOIII.K  STREET  PKESBVTEKIAN  PHI'ltCH. 


Noble  Street  Presbyterian  Church.— This  church  was 
formed  by  the  Presbytery  of  Nassau,  in  April,  1809,  and 
i  oiiHisted  of  fourteen  inembers.  The  first  place  of  meeting 
was  tin-  Masonic  Hall,  corner  of  .Manhattan  and  Meserolo 
;i\cs.  \  short  I  inn- after,  a  small  frame  building  was  erected 
on  tin-  corniT  oi  Noble  and  Lirimor  sts.,  the  Presbytery  giv- 
ing the  lot-,  for  tlio  purpo-e.  Subsequently  this  was  removed, 
anrl  the  present  bri  edifice  was  erected  in  its  place.  A 
larg"  leet  lire-room  ami  parsonage  w  ere  added. 


Rev.  William  Howell  Taylor  was  installed  the  first  Pastor 
in  1870,  and  continued  to  187"),  when  ill  health  compelled  him 
to  seek  a  more  salubrious  climate,  and  a  less  arduous  Geld  of 
labor.  Rev.  John  T.  Lloyd  was  installed  in  1876.  and  con- 
tinued Pastor  nearly  one  year.  Rev.  C.  F.  Taylor,  D.1X,  was 
called  from  Le  Roy,  N.  Y.,  and  installed  in  1878. 

The  church  has  grown,  in  spite  of  many  discouragements, 
till  it  numbers  over  three  thousand  members. 

Its  Officers  now  (1884)  are:  Rev.  C.  F.  Taylor,  D.D.,  Pas- 
tor; David  Joline,  Geo.  P.  "Wilson  and  John  A.  Jenkins, 
M.D.,  Elders;  Mervin  Briggs,  Supt.  of  the  large  and  nourish- 
ing Sabbath-school. 

Fort  Greene  Presbyterian  Church. — The  Lafayette  Avenue 
Presbyterian  Church  established  a  mission  in  Cuinlierlaml 
st.,  known  as  Calvary  Chapel.  The  flourishing  Sunday- 
school  was  the  nucleus  of  a  church  which  the  l'resbyterv  or- 
ganized in  1873,  with  Rev.  William  Guthrie  Barnes  the  first 
Pastor.  Lots  were  bought  for  $10,000,  and  a  handsome  brick 
church,  about  70x120  feet,  was  erected,  costing  alnnit  $45,600. 
Its  seating  capacity  is  about  750. 

In  1875,  Dr.  Adam  McClelland's  church,  the  Lawrence 
Street  Church,  corner  of  Tillary,  was  sold  to  the  Roman 
Catholics,  and  the  congregation  united  with  the  Fort  Qnone 
church  under  the  pastoral  care  of  Dr.  McClelland,  who  n 
signed  in  1883.  Dr.  McClelland  was,  from  1855,  principal  of 
the  New  York  Institution  for  the  Blind.  In  1858,  he  began 
his*work  as  Pastor-elect  of  the  Lawrence  Street  Presbyterian 
Church,  and  was  ordained  on  September  22  of  the  same  year. 
He  remained  Pastor  of  the  Lawrence  Street  Church  until  tin 
time  of  its  union  with  the  Fort  Greene  Presbyterian  Cbnoh, 
in  February  of  1875.  He  has  since  been  in  quiet  possession 
of  his  pastorate.  At  the  time  of  the  union  of  the  two 
churches  his  whole  congregation  went  with  him. 

Greene  Avenue  Presbyterian  Church  — In  1874,  A.  M.  Ear., 
erected  on  Greene  ave.,  between  Reid  and  Patchen  aves..  an 
edifice,  which  subsequently  became  the  house  of  worship  of 
this  society,  which  was  organized  May  19th,  1874.  with  abom 
twenty  members.  It  was  but  a  temporary  structure,  but 
served  their  purpose  until  they  took  possession  of  then 
present  church  building,  which  is  a  wooden  edifice,  witl 
about  500  sittings. 

During  a  portion  of  the  first  year  of  its  existeneo.  t 
church  was  supplied  by  James  S.  Evans,  D.  D.,  a  Synodi  a 
Missionary.     The  present  Pastor,  Rev.  William  J.  Bridget 
was  installed  May  20th,  1875. 

The  First  United  Presbyterian  Church  of  Brooklyn.— Tin 
Rev.  H.  H.  Blair,  then  Pastor  of  the  Associate  l'resbyteriai 
Church,  of  Charles  st.,  New  York,  first  began  missionary 
work,  in  connection  with  his  own  pastoral  labors,  in  Wi! 
liamsburgh,  by  preaching  occasionally  in  a  hall,  lie  tin: 
gathered  a  nucleus,  from  which  an  organization  was  elf t> 
about  1849.  The  first  Pastor  was  ihe  Rev.  Wm.  Cleelan  l. 
licentiate  from  the  Irish  Presbyterian  Church,  installed,  0c( 
11th,  1849,  in  Butterman's  Hall,  Williamsburgh.  Thfl  |  u 
toral  relation  continued  till  April  22d,  1854.  On  the  1Mb  o 
May,  1854,  Rev.  Andrew  Thomas  was  installed  I  .  tor,  bt 
soon  accepted  the  charge  of  a  <  hurch  in  Providence,  R.  L 

Nov.  15th,  1855,  Rev.  Samuel  Farmer  was  installed  Patter 
John  Robb  and  James  Smith  wore  Killing  Klders  at  I  liistim 
During  Mr.  ('Iceland's  pastorate,  the  congregation  hoiigli!  • 
lot,  and  built  a  small  brick  church  on  the  corner  of  Mli  M< 
So.  1st  sts.,  but,  under  the  ministry  of  Rev.  S.  Farmer,  Uu 
was  sold,  and  a  new  and  much  larger  chinch  ediflOO  "  ■ 
built,  on  corner  of  8th  and  So.  8th  sts.  This.  bflHWWi 
proved  almost  fatal  to  the  existence  of  the  congregation. 

The  financial  crisis  of  1S5T  came:  the  l'astor  deinitted  '■■ 
■  barge,  and  an  effort  was  made  to  forei  loso  a  mortgagee 


ECCLESIASTICAL  ORGANIZATIONS. 


1073 


ibout  $14,000.  They  exchanged  their  new  church  and 
jroundsfor  a  little  frame  church  in  No.  5th  st.,  between  4th 
md5th  sts.,  with  the  grounds,  three  full  lots.  This  was 
learly  ruinous  to  the  congregation.  The  organization,  how- 
ler, was  not  broken  up,  though  thoroughly  discouraged  and 
lisheartened. 

Rev.  J.  T.  Wilson  was  installed  in  1867,  and  worked  suc- 
:i  safully  for  a  few  years;  but  feeling  that  his  church  was 
iverwhelmed  with  debt,  and  that  it  was  badly  located,  he 
aade  an  effort  to  take  the  congregation  out  of  it,  and  leave 
ihe  property  to  the  parties  having  mortgages  against  it.  But 
his  effort  was  opposed  by  part  of  the  congregation,  and  re- 
al lted  in  a  division.  Those  who  went  out  with  Mr.  Wilson, 
rorshiped  in  a  hall  for  some  months,  and  Mr.  Wilson  soon 
vaa  released.  From  this  nucleus  was  afterwards  formed 
\  hat  is  now  known  as  the  2d  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church, 
Brooklyn. 

Tliose  remaining  in  the  church  were  few  and  feeble.  Three 
ihort  pastorates,  however,  viz.,  that  of  Rev.  Martin  Ross, 
Rev.  H.  Brown,  and  Rev.  R.  T.  Wylie,  intervened  between 
hat  time  and  May  15th,  1876,  when  the  jjresent  Pastor,  Rev. 
F.  H.  Andrew,  was  installed.  With  the  aid  of  the  Bd.  of 
tome  Missions,  they  were  able  to  pay  him  a  salary  of  only 
pi  ,200.  In  less  than  two  years  they  became  self-sustaining. 
They  have  now  almost  paid  their  church  debt,  and  the  con- 
gregation numbers  about  160  members,  and  io  increasing. 

In  the  year  1858,  a  union  was  formed  between  the  Associate 
nd  Associate  Reformed  Presbyterians.  And  this  little  con- 
gregation which  belonged  to  the  Associate  Church,  went  into 
hat  union,  hence  the  present  name  United  Presbyterian 
Church. 

The  present  eldership  of  the  church  is  as  follows:  John 
Patterson,  William  Ramsay,  Robert  Moore,  John  Ward,  John 
-McLean. 

The  Second  United  Presbyterian  Church. — In  response  to 
The  petition  of  sixty-five  citizens  of  Brooklyn,  desirous  to  be 
taken  under  its  care,  and  supplied  with  preaching,  the  Pres- 
bytery of  New  York,  of  the  United  Presbyterian  Church, 
m  July,  1858,  consented  to  the  request,  and  approved  of  the 
Di-ganization  of  this  congregation,  which  woe  effected  Sept. 
1st  of  that  year.  The  new  church  immediately  commenced 
public  worship  in  the  Brooklyn  Institute,  under  the  pastoral 
charge  of  the  Rev.  David  J.  Patterson;  installed  Feb.  1, 
1859,  and  who  had  labored  in  Brooklyn  during  the  previous 
ten  years,  in  charge  of  another  church  organization. 

About  Nov.  8,  1863,  the  congregation  purchased  the  church 
building  previously  occupied  by  the  Reformed  Presbyterians, 
on  the  corner  of  Atlantic  ave.  and  Bond  st.,  and  here  they 
have  since  worshiped.  It  is  of  brick,  40x70  feet  in  size,  and 
accommodates  about  500  persons.  The  principles  anc  forms 
of  government  of  this  church  are  those  formulated  in  the 
Westminster  Confession  of  Faith,  etc.  Rev.  Mr.  Patterson 
continues  in  pastoral  charge,  and  the  church  is  prosperous. 

The  First  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church  was  an  off- 
shoot from  a  church  of  the  same  name  in  New  York  city. 
Several  families  in  connection  with  that  church  resided  in 
Brooklyn,  and  this  led  to  the  establishment  here  of  a  church, 
which  was  organized  April  3,  1848. 

Lots  were  purchased,  and  a  house  of  worship  was  erected 
in  DuffieJd  st.,  near  Myrtle  ave.  Here  the  congregation  wor- 
shiped till  1879,  when  the  building  was  sold  to  the  Church 
.  of  the  Holy  Trinity  (Episcopal),  for  a  chapel.  The  congrega- 
tion then  worshiped  in  Granada  Hall,  Myrtle  ave.,  till  Oc- 
tober, 1881,  when  they  purchased  the  chapel  of  the  Memorial 
K  Presbyterian)  Church,  in  Prospect  place. 

The  first  Pastor  was  Rev.  David  J.  Patterson,  followed  in 
succession  by  Revs.  G.  A.  McMillan;  J.  Agnew  Crawford, 


Jan.,  1861  ;  Alexander  Clements,  Nov.,  1863;  Nevin  Wood- 
side,  installed  Jan.  17,  1867  ;  and  John  C.  Mackey.  Rev.  T. 
J.  McClelland  was  installed  Pastor,  Jan  ,  1884. 

The  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church  was  organized  June 
17,  1857,  and  its  first  house  of  worship  was  at  the  corner  of 
Atlantic  ave.  and  Bond  st.,  with  Rev.  J.  M.  Dickson  as  the 
Pastor  for  six  years.  The  building  is  now  occupied  by  the 
United  Presbyterian  Church.  Its  second  house  of  worship 
was  at  the  corner  of  Lafayette  ave.  and  Ryerson  st. ,  and  Rev. 
J.  A.  Boggs  was  Pastor  for  sixteen  years.  Dec.  7,  1881,  Rev. 
S.  J.  Crowe  was  installed  Pastor.  In  1883,  the  congregation 
purchased  the  Willoughby  ave.  M.  E.  Church  building,  corner 
of  Willoughby  and  Tompkins  aves.  The  congregation,  then  75 
strong,  now  numbers  104  ;  and  has  purchased  the  edifice  in 
which  it  now  worships,  corner  of  Willoughby  and  Tomp- 
kins aves. 

Rev.  S.  J.  Crowe,  born  1843,  near  Pittsburgh,  Pa.;  grad. 
Westminster  Coll.,  Pa.,  1866,  and  Ref.  Pres.  Theol.  Seni.  at 
Allegheny,  1871;  was  Pres.  Geneva  Coll.,  Pa.,  1867-71 ;  lo- 
cated at  Newcastle,  Pa.,  1872-81;  B'klyn,  Dec,  1881-4. 

Second  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church,  Ninth  st.,  Brook- 
lyn, E.  D.,  between  South  Second  and  South  Third  sts.,  was 
org.  about  1869.  The  people  worshiped  for  about  seven  years 
in  a  Hall.  Its  first  Pastor  was  Rev.  Alexander  Moffat,  who, 
after  four  years,  returned  to  Ireland.  Rev.  W.  J.  McDowell 
then  became  the  Pastor,  until  the  23d  of  May,  1883,  when  he 
resigned.  In  1876,  a  church  edifice  was  erected,  mainly 
through  the  exertions  of  Mr.  McDowell,  who  was  materially 
encouraged  and  assisted  by  the  late  J.  B.  Guthrie,  Esq.  The 
building  is  35  by  60  feet  in  size,  neat  and  tastefully  furnished, 
and  has  a  seating  capacity  of  250,  and  cost  $11,000,  includ- 
ing the  ground.  Beside  the  auditorium,  is  a  good  basement, 
lecture-room,  and  Sabbath-school.  It  is  at  present  without 
a  Pastor. 

Rev.  Wm.  J.  Macdowell  was  born  in  Ireland,  1827  ;  grad. 
Royal  Belfast  Acad.  Instit.,  1845,  and  Paisley  (Scotland) 
Theol.  Sem.,  1847;  located  Canada,  1848;  Lisbon,  N.  Y.,  1858; 
So.  Ryegate,  Vt.,  1863 ;  B'klyn,  1873-'84;  author  Scripture 
Catechism,  1880,  and  Ch.  Magazine  Arts. 

February  3d,  1869,  at  a  meeting  held  in  one  of  the  rooms  of 
the  Masonic  Temple,  corner  of  Seventh  and  Grand  streets,  E. 
D. ,  a  new  congregation  was  organized  in  connection  with  the 
General  Synod  of  the  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church.  Messrs. 
John  B.  Guthrie  and  Thomas  M.  Stewart  were  chosen  elders, 
and  Messrs.  Dunn,  Black,  McFadden,  Hawthorne  and  Martin 
were  elected  trustees.  This  enterprise  is  under  the  supervision 
of  the  Northern  Reformed  Presbytery. 

There  are  two  churches  in  the  United  States  called  Re- 
formed Presbyterian.  The  one  is  known  as  "The  General 
Synod  of  the  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church,"  to  which  this 
church  belongs,  and  to  which  the  First  Reformed  Presby- 
terian Church,  in  Prospect  place,  belongs.  The  other  Re- 
formed Presbyterian  Church  is  known  by  the  designation  of 
"The  Synod  of  the  Reformed  Presbyterian  Church."  The 
only  material  difference  between  them  is,  that  the  General 
Synod  allows  its'  people  to  vote  at  municipal,  state,  and  presi- 
dential elections.  The  other  organization  forbids  all  fra- 
ternization with  political  affairs.  The  division  took  place  in 
the  year  1833.  The  only  church  of  this  denomination  is  lo- 
cated on  the  corner  of  Tompkins  and  Willoughby  aves. 
Mr.  Crowe  is  its  present  Pastor. 

The  First  Free  Presbyterian  Church  of  Brooklyn  was 
organized  May  31,  1881,  with  Rev.  W.  J.  Clarke  as  Pastor. 
During  five  months  the  congregation  worshiped  in  a  mis- 
sion chapel,  in  Clifton  place.  The  present  place  of  worship 
is  Granada  Hall,  in  Mjrrtle  ave.  This  is  the  only  church  in 
Brooklyn  where  the  psalms  and  paraphrases  are  sung. 


1074 


HI  ST  OH  Y  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


The  following  Presbyterian  clergymen  are  residing  in 
Brooklyn  : 

Rev.  James  H.  Callen,  D.D.,  born  in  Ireland,  1834;  grad. 
Lafayette  Coll.,  Pa.,  1846;  Alleghany  Theol.  Sem.,  1848. 
Previous  locations,  Uniontown,  Pa.,  and  Trenton,  N.  J., 

1848-'64. 

Rev.  Lyman  Gilbert,  born  at  Brandon,  Vt.,  June,  1798; 
grad.  Middlebtirv  Coll.,  1834,  and  Andover  Theol.  Sera.,  1837. 
Pastor  Congl.  Cb.,  West  Newton,  Mass.,  1838-'50;  at  Malden- 
on-t  he-Hudson,  1859-  63;  came  to  B'klyn,  1863. 

Rev.  Benjamin  Parsons,  born  in  Bloonilield,  N.  J.,  1836: 
grad.  Yale,  1850,  and  Hartford  Theol.  Sera.,  1854;  was  Mis- 
sionary of  Araer.  Bd.  C.  F.  Missions  in  Turkey,  6  yrs. ;  located 
Le  Roy,  N.  Y.,  B'klyn,  1882-'4;  was  with  Army  of  Cumber- 
land in  U.  S.  Chr.  Com. 

Rev.  "William  M.  Martin,  born  in  Rahway,  N.  J.;  grad. 
N.  Y.  Univ.,  1837,  and  Union  Theol.  Sem.,  N.  Y.,  1840;  lo- 
cated Woodbridge,  N.  J.,  1852-'63;  Columbia  City,  Cal.,  1863 
-'4;  Virginia  City,  Nev.,  1864-'7;  Sec'y  B'klyn  Y.  M.  C.  A., 
1868-'76;  Supt.  B'klyn  City  Miss,  and  Tract  Soc,  1878-'84;  in 
1863,  in  Chris.  Com.  Works. 

Rev.  John  Abeel  Baldwin,  born  in  New  York,  1810;  grad. 
Yale  Coll.,  1839,  and  Princeton  Theol.  Sem.,  1834;  located  in 
Flatlands  and  New  Lots,  1836-'52;  Lancaster,  Pa.,  1853-6; 
New  Providence,  1857-63;  came  to  B'klyn,  1863;  Pastor  at 
Woodhaven,  L.  I.,  1869. 


Rev.  David  Lyme,  l>orn  in  Perthshire,  Scotland,  1810;  grad. 
St.  Andrew's  Univ.,  1828;ln  theology,  at  St.  Mary's  Coll.,  St 
Andrew's  Univ.,  1833;  licensed  to  preach,  1833;  Prof.  Mathe- 
matics, etc..  in  Columbia  Coll.  Gram.  School;  Principal 
B'klyn  Pub.  School  No.  7,  1849-53;  of  No.  6,  1853;  was  l'rin. 
of  first  evening  sch.,  1853;  opened  Eng.  and  class,  sch.,  mi; 
retired  in  1871. 

Rev.  Benjamin  G.  Benedict,  born  in  Patterson,  N.  Y.  I8W 
grad.  La  Fayette  Coll.,  Pa.,  1859.  and  Princeton  Theol.  Ben. 
1866;  located  in  Hopewell,  N.  Y„  1866-'74;  B'klyn.  l^TC-'M. 

Rev.  Oliver  S.  St.  John,  born  in  New  York,  1814;  gra.l. 
Amherst  Coll.,  1838;  studied  Hartford  Theol.  Sem.,  184o-*l; 
located  Elizabethport,  N.  J.,  1841-50;  Prof.  Latin  and  tirevk. 
1850-4;  located  B'klyn,  1865-'84. 

Rev.  Charles  W.  Taylor,  born  at  Candor,  N.  Y.j  gwri 
Union  Coll.,  1848,  and  IMnceton  Theol.  Sera.,  1853;  was  tutor 
in  Union  Coll. ;  located  Ballston  Center,  c  Cambridge,  Le  Roy, 
B'klyn,  1878-'84. 

Rev.  John  Gottkkied  Hehr,  born  in  Germany,  1853;  grad. 
Acad.  Dep't.,  1878;  Theol.  Sch.  Bloomfield,  N.  J.,  1881;  lo- 
cated B'klyn,  1882. 

Rev.  LooiS  Eolner,  born  in  Hessen  Cassel,  Germany. 
1815;  Missionary  Araer.  and  B"klvn  Mission  and  Tract  Soc., 
1843-84. 

Rev.  William  J.  Bridges,  born  in  Baltimore,  Md.,  1835; 
|  grad.  Princeton  Theol.  Sem.,  1875;  located  B'klyn.  is;  Vs. 


BAPTIST  CHURCHES. 


The  First  Baptist  Church,  cor.  of  Pierrepont  and  Clinton 

sts.,  represents,  since  April,  1873,  two  organizations,  viz., 
the  First  Baptist  Church,  formerly  located  on  the  corner  of 
Nassau  and  Liberty  sts.,  and  the  Pierrepont  St.  Baptist 
Church,  which  formerly  occupied  a  part  of  the  present  site. 
John  Ellis,  a  Baptist  preacher  from  Oyster  Bay,  L.  L,  seems 
to  have  attempted,  during  the  winter  of  1819-'30,  to  establish 
a  church  of  this  denomination  in  the  village  of  Brooklyn. 
We  have  no  further  record  of  the  results  of  his  effort;  but, 
during  the  prevalence  of  the  yellow  fever  in  New  York,  in 
the  summer  of  1822,  among  those  who  sought  refuge  in 
Brooklyn  were  two  Baptists,  viz.,  Eliakim  Raymond  (father 
of  the  late  John  H.  Raymond,  LL.  D.,  first  president  of  the 
Polytechnic  Institute,  and  afterward  president  of  Vassar 
College)  and  Klijah  Lewis  (father  of  Elijah  Lewis,  Jr.,  the 
w  ell-known  Long  Island  naturalist  and  active  director  of  the 
L.  I.  Hist.  Soc),  who  subsequently  became  one  of  Brooklyn's 
prominent  merchants.  Finding  hi  the  village  five  other  Bap- 
tists, they  commenced  a  prayer-meeting,  occasionally  pro- 
curing preaching  for  the  twenty  or  thirty  persons  whom  they 
could  gather  to  hear  a  Baptist  minister.  Despite  the  subse- 
quent return  of  these  two  brethren  to  New  York,  after  the 
|h-m ilenec  had  ceased,  they  still  continued  to  strengthen  the 
hands  of  the  little  hand  they  had  lelt  in  Brooklyn  by  fre- 
(juenl  visits,  often  crossing  the  East  River  in  open  boats,  in 
all  sorts  of  weather  ;  and  by  supplying  preachers  at  their 
own  cost,  in  w  hich  lhc\  were  afterward  joined  by  Mr.  Win. 
Wiutertou.  On  the  19th  August,  1833,  a  church  was  finally 
organized,  with  the  following  members  :  Charles  P.  Jacobs 
(C/it/.),  Richard  and  Hannah  Jones,  Joshua  and  Margaret 
Evans,  Maria  Cornell,  Sarah  (Jiiere.ui,  Elizabeth  Jacobs, 
Margaret  \o-trainl  and  Eliza  Ann  Rust. 

M'  -~i  R.-i \  in.  .n«l  : i r i •  1  Luis  continued  their  membership 
in      u  fork,  buj  gave  their  counsel  and  labor  to  the  new- 


enterprise.  The  first  communion  service  was  held  Sundiy, 
Aug.  24,  1823,  and  the  church  was  formally  incorp.  on  (he 
16th  of  the  following  October,  with  Eliakim  Raymond.  Elijah 
Lewis,  John  Brown,  Richard  Poland  and  Chas.  P.  Jacobs  as 
Trustees.  Meetings  continued  to  be  held  at  private  hOQH  - 
until  1824,  when  the  use  was  secured  of  the  First  District 
School-house,  on  the  site  of  the  present  Pub.  S.  No.  1,  corner 
of  Concord  and  Adams  sts.,  and  Rev.  YVm.  C.  Haw  ley  w  as  set 
apart  to  the  charge  of  the  church  in  March  of  that  year. 
Afterwards  the  congregation  occupied  the  public  school- 
house  in  Middagh  st.,  until  early  in  1837,  when  (by  the  man- 
agement and  strenuous  exertions  of  Messrs.  Raymond,  Lewi* 
and  Corning)  they  had  completed  an  edifice,  40  by  60  feet, 
without  galleries,  but  ample  for  their  wants  at  that  tinn\ 
which  is  still  in  existence,  being  occupied  as  a  synagogue  1>\ 
the  Jew  ish  Congregation  of  Beth  Elohim.  Mr.  Haw  ley  wo* 
at  this  time  receiving  for  his  pastoral  services  at  the  rate 
of  |11.22  a  month.  The  first  deacons  of  the  church  were 
Elijah  Lewis,  Gershara  Howell  and  E.  Raymond.  Mr.  Haw- 
ley  was  succeeded  in  the  pastorate  by  Rev.  Jos.  A.  Warne, 
1838-'29;  Rev.  Geo.  Colt  and  Rev.  Josiah  Denham.  lH39->; 
Rev.  J.  E.  Lascalle,  1830-'31;  Rev.  Leland  Howell,  1833-'37. 
During  his  term  (1834)  the  building  was  sold  to  the  Calvary 
Free  Episcopal  Church,  and  a  new  one,  cor.  of  Libert]  ind 
Nassau  sts.,  was  dedicated  May  3,  1835.  In  June,  1*57,  the 
bass  viol  was  ousted  from  the  choir  by  an  organ,  not  with- 
out great  opposition  from  the  older  members.  In  1*57,  R<'N 
Silas  Usley  became  Pastor;  and.  in  April,  1840,  33  member* 
were  dismissed  to  form  what  w  as  tirst  know  n  a>  the  East. 
and  later  as  t  lie  firm  pout  St.  7>.  (7/.,  which  was  reunited  H' 
the  parent  church  in  1873.  In  1837.  the  Central  H  < w;i- 
org.  from  this  congregation,  which,  in  18IH,  with  man) 
others,  siilTercd  the  loss  of  it-  edifice  in  "  the  great  lire  But, 
by  Nov.,  1849,  a  new  building  was  ready  for  use.  costing 


FIRST  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 


;16,000.  Colonies  were  sent  forth  from  the  church,  which 
stablished  the  Washington  Ave.  B.  Ch.  in  1851;  and  the 
lanson  Place  B.  Ch.  in  1854. 
The  Pastors  which  succeeded  Mr.  Ilsley  (who  resigned  Nov., 
841,  to  take  charge  of  the  Wash.  Ave.  enterprise)  were  : 
ievs.  Jas.  L.  Hodge,  O.  W.  Briggs,  in  1853;  D.  J.  Yerkes,  in 
Tuly,  1860;  H.  M.  Gallaher,  in  Sept.,  1864,  during  whose  pas- 
orate  the  church  edifice  was  twice  enlarged  and  improved, 
md  a  parsonage  purchased.  In  Sept.,  1872,  Mr.  Gallaher 
vas  obliged  by  ill  health  to  resign.  Elijah  Lewis,  Sr.,  after 
i  service  of  25  years  as  Superintendent  of  the  Sabbath-school, 
lied  in  August,  1860,  and  was  succeeded  by  Edward  L. 
Brown. 

In  April,  1873,  the  Pierrepont  St.  B.  Ch.  was  reunited  with 
;hia  church,  and,  in  November  following,  the  united  body 
-xtended  a  call  to  Rev.  J.  B.  Thomas,  D.  D. ,  of  Chicago,  111. , 
'ornier  Pastor  of  the  former  church,  who  commenced  his  du- 
ties Jan.  1,  1874.  In  Dec,  1873,  the  edifice  was  partially 
lestroyed  by  fire,  so  that  the  church  was  obliged  to  worship 
n  the  Pierrepont  st.  building;  and,  in  1880,  the  property  was 
sold,  and  the  site  is  now  occupied  by  the  publishing  estab- 
ishment  of  A.  S.  Barnes  &  Co. 

Rev.  Jesse  B.  Thomas,  D.  D. ,  was  born  at  Edwardsville, 
til.,  July  29,  1832,  a  son  of  Judge  Thomas,  of  the  Supreme 
Oourt  of  Illinois.  He  grad.  at  Kenyon  Coll.,  O.,  in  1850; 
studied  law  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1855.  He  after- 
wards entered  Rochester  Theol.  Sem. .  but  ill  health  obliged 
him  to  leave  after  a  short  time.  In  1862,  he  entered  the 
ministry  at  Waukegan,  111.  His  subsequent  locations  were 
in  Brooklyn,  San  Francisco  and  Chicago,  returning  to  Brook- 
lyn Jan.  1,  1874.  Dr.  Thomas  is  a  pungent  and  forcible 
speaker.  He  has  a  judicial  mind,  with  great  logical  powers, 
and  is  very  systematic.  He  is  known  as  lecturer  and  author. 

The  Second  Baptist  Church,  org.  about  1830,  with  seven 
members,  who  at  first  worshiped  in  the  "  Brooklyn  Acad- 
emy "  on  the  corner  of  Henry  and  Pineapple  streets.  In  1834, 
a  church  edifice  was  erected  on  a  leased  lot,  cor.  of  Tillary 
and  Lawrence,  at  a  cost  of  about  $4,000.  The  Rev.  Jacob 
Price,  C.  F.  Frey,  John  Beetham  (1839-'40),  and  Octavius 
Winslow  (1836-'37),  successively  labored  here;  but  whether 
any  of  them  were  settled  as  pastors  is  not  ascertained.  In 
the  autumn  of  1838,  this  church  was  dissolved,  and  the  build- 
ing sold  to  the  Free  Presbyterian  congregation. 


ORGANIZATIONS.  1075 


PIERREPONT  STREET  BAPTIST  CHURCH. 


Pierrepont  Street  Baptist  Church  was  org.  April,  1840, 
with  33  members  from  the  First  Church  (See  p.  1074,)  by  the 
name  of  the  East  Baptist  Church.  A  building  was  hired  at 
the  cor.  of  Tillary  and  Lawrence  sts. ,  and  the  Rev.  E.  E.  L. 
Taylor,  under  wnose  labors  the  enterprise  had  commenced, 
became  its  Pastor.  On  the  20th  of  July,  1843,  at  the  cor.  of 
Pierrepont  and  Clinton  sts.,  the  corner-stone  was  laid  of  a 
brick  edifice  (Gothic  style),  on  Pierrepont  st. ,  seventy-seven 
by  sixty  feet,  which  was  finished  in  March,  1844,  at  a  cost  in- 
cluding lot  of  over  $19,000.  The  church  was  org.  as  The 
Pierrepont  St.  B.  Church,  May  24,  1843,  with  the  following 
Trustees:  John  Speir,  Win.  T.  Dugan,  Amos  Allen,  John  West, 
Joseph  Steele,  John  H.  Smith,  Geo.  Gault,  Gilbert  Beam  and 
Adam  T.  Tiebout.  In  1847,  thirty-eight  members  left  the 
church  to  aid  in  forming  the  Central  B.  Church.  In  1849,  the 
Pastor,  Rev.  E.  E.  L.  Taylor  and  fifty-four  members  left  to 
form  the  Strong  Place  B.  Church,  and  in  1854,  others  aided 
in  establishing  the  Hanson  Place  B.  Church. 

In  November,  1848,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Bartholomew  Welsh,  of 
Albany,  N.Y.,  succeeded  Mr.  Taylor,  and  was  followed  June, 
1854,  by  the  Rev.  John  S.  Holmes.  He  was  followed  by  Rev. 
J.  B.  Thomas,  D.  D.,  who  was  installed  July,  1864,  and  re- 
signed January,  1868;  and  he,  by  the  Rev.  Walter  W.  Ham- 
mond, who  was  installed  September  10,  1868,  and  officiated 
until  Feb.,  1870,  from  which  time,  until  1873,  the  church  was 
without  a  regular  Pastor. 

In  1873,  this  church  and  the  First  Baptist  Church  were  con- 
solidated under  the  name  of  First  Baptist  Church.  (See 
account  of  that  church). 

Soon  after  the  consolidation,  the  interior  of  the  church 
building  of  the  First  Church  in  Nassau  street,  in  which  the 
united  congregation  worshiped,  was  burned  out,  and  the 
Gothic  edifice  on  the  corner  of  Pierrepont  and  Clinton  streets 
was  occupied.  Within  a  year  the  insurance  company  re- 
paired the  church  in  Nassau  street,  and  the  congn  nation  re- 
turned to  it.    In  1877,  the  erection  of  a  new  building  on  the 


1070 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


site  of  the  on  J  iu  Pierrepont  street  was  commenced,  and,  in 
l*su,  it  was  completed  and  dedicated. 

It  is  a  brick  structure,  trimmed  with  Ohio  free-stone,  cost- 
ing with  furniture,  $05, 000,  and  having  a  seating  capacity  of 
1,800.  The  auditorium  has  the  form  of  an  amphitheater,  with 
the  pulpit  and  ($7,000)  organ  in  one  corner.  The  acoustic  ar- 
rangement of  this  audience-room  is  nearly  perfect,  and  the 
church  is  in  many  of  its  features  unique.  This  is  tha  only  Bap- 
tist church  in  the  city  with  an  open  Baptistry.  The  building 
was  dedicated  free  from  debt.  The  seats  are  free,  and  contri- 
butions voluntary. 

The  Young  People's  Association  of  the  church  numbers 
300,  and  from  it  came  the  Y.  P.  B.  Union,  having  selected 
organizations  in  all  the  Baptist  churches  in  Brooklyn.  The 
Sabbath-school  (H.  C.  S.  Jervis,  Sup't)  lias  500  scholars,  of 
whom  200  are  in  the  Adult  Bible  <  'lasses,  and  over  36  Chinese 
scholars. 

Willoughby  Avenue  Baptist  Church. — The  first  meeting  of 
the  Baptists  of  Bushwick  was  held  April  5,  1851,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  organizing  a  Baptist  Church  in  that  vicinity.  On 
April  25,  1  s.3-4 ,  a  regular  Board  of  Trustees  was  elected  and 
incorporated,  and  the  church  was  organized  with  25  consti- 
tuent members,  and  known  as  the  First  Baptist  Church  of 
Bushirick.  They  purchased  their  first  house  of  worship 
from  the  Episcopal  Society,  for  $  1,600,  and  occupied  it  for 
twelve  years,  when  it  became  so  dilapidated  that  they  could 
use  it  no  longer.  They  then  moved  temporarily  to  what 
was  known  as  J.  Whittlesey's  Omnibus  House,  on  B'way, 
(near  the  present  l&iil  road  engine  house,  near  Sumner  avenue.) 
which  they  occupied  nearly  one  year.  In  the  meantime, 
five  lots  were  purchased  on  Willoughby  ave.,  near  Broadway 
(ninth  "Ward),  on  a  portion  of  which  the  new  church  was 
.  rected  and  fitted  up,  at  an  expense  of  nearly  (8,000.  It 
i-  a  framed  structure,  74  by  35,  one  story  in  height,  and 
capable  of  seating  about  four  hundred  persons.  The  interior 
is  finished  off  in  a  neat  and  substantial  manner,  well  heated 
and  lighted,  and  in  every  respect  well  suited  to  the  purpose 
to  which  it  is  devoted.  In  the  rear  of  the  main  building 
i-  an  extension,  14  feet  deep,  running  entirely  across,  and 
divided  into  two  apartments,  the  library  and  infant-class 
rooms  respectively. 

In  May,  1*66,  they  changed  their  name  to  Gethscmane  Bap- 
tist Cltnrch  :  on  Jan.  20,  1H77,  dedicated  the  new  church 
building,  situated  on  Willoughby  avenue,  near  B'way;  on  Jan., 
1-7:1.  enlarged  the  building  to  about  the  present  size;  August 
1*78,  changed  the  namj  to  Willoughby  Avenue  Baptist 
Church.  Sabbath -school  was  organized  May  2,  1*34,  and  re- 
organized Jan.  9,  1*62;  at  dedication  of  the  new  Church,  in 
ls67,  numbered  16 1  scholars,  and  now  numbers  about  800 
scholars.  The  church  edifice  is  65x65;  extension,  20x65;  is 
a  frame  building;  its  seating  capacity  500;  approximate  cost, 
$10,000. 

Nov.  151,1882,  a  mission-school  was  opened  at  Ridge  wood, 
which  now  numbers  over  100;  anil  steps  have  already  been 
taken  towards  building  a  church  iu  that  neighborhood. 

I'astors:  S.las  Ilsley,  1*54;  J.  W.  Daniels,  1*56;  \V.  H. 
Pendleton,  1*57;  J.  B.  Morse.  1*61;  (J.  W.  Pol  well.  1*62; 
Matthew  C.  Kempsey,  1863;  Beriah  N.  Leach,  1*65;  Henry 
S.  Stevens,  1867;  A.  D.  Gillette,  1872;  A.  Stewart  Walsh, 
is;;-,;  a.  H.  Burlingham,  1878;  Geo.  T.  Stansbnry,  1*79;  li. 

B.  Montgomery,  l**()-'84.    Present  membership  of  Church, 

52.r>. 

First  German  Baptist  Church  of  Williamsburgh  w  as  or- 
ganized 1*5:1;  recognized  by  council,  Jan.  10,  1*54.  Jere- 
miah (irimmell  had  gathered  the  first  members.  He  was  suc- 

 -d  hj  Re    W  Kn  inn;:  who  was  Castor  for  two  years. 

Ii  had  grown  to  70  members  in  1*73,  when  Rev.  J.  C.  (Jrim- 


mell  was  called,  and  the  present  house  of  worship  on  Mont- 
rose ave.  was  secured  for  a  sum  of  $12,000.  The  church 
since  then  has  grown  to  a  membership  of  310,  besides  giving 
letters  of  dismission  to  60  members  now  forming  the  Har- 
rison Avenue  German  Baptist  Church.  Rev.  Zaehariah 
Martin  entered  upon  the  pastorate,  Oct.  1,  1883. 

The  East  Brooklyn  Baptist  Church  (Bedford  ave..  north 
of  Myrtle)  was  commenced  by  the  labors  of  Rev.  Mr.  Wil 
hams,  and  afterwards  of  Rev.  Mr.  Ballard,  assembling  first 
at  the  Academy,  and  subsequently  at  Temperance  Hall,  in 
Graham  st.;  was  org.  January  27,  1847. 

In  1852,  the  church  purchased  three  lots  on  Bedford  ave.. 
betw.  Myrtle  and  "Willoughby  avenues,  and  erected  thereon 
a  church  edifice,  in  the  basement  of  which  they  commenced 
worship,  Feb.  12,  1853.  The  edifice  was  completed  and  ded- 
icated on  the  11th  of  October,  1855. 

The  following  have  been  Pastors:  Rev.  William  Hutchin- 
son, 1847;  Rev.  Henry  Green,  1847;  Rev.  Arris  Haynes.  1S48: 
Rev.  W.  J.  Goodno,  1852;  Rev.  Stephen  Remington.  1*54. 
and  the  present  Pastor,  Hiram  Hutchins,  D.  D.,  1859. 

I^efferts  Park  Mission  is  also  under  charge  of  this  church. 

The  South  Baptist  Church. — A  church  with  this  nam. 
was  org.  witli  seventy  members,  principally  from  the  First 
Baptist  Church,  in  April,  1845 ;  and  a  small  lecture-rooru 
building  erected  on  Livingston  st.  The  church,  however, 
dissolved  in  the  fall  of  1847. 

The  present  South  Baptist  Church  is  the  youngest  Baptist 
Church  of  this  city.  At  a  meeting  of  the  Lee  Avenue  Bap 
tist  Church,  of  which  Rev.  J.  Hyatt  Smith  was  Paster, 
held  January,  1882,  a  unanimous  call  was  extended  to  Rev. 
N.  B.  Thompson,  late  of  Newport,  R.  I.  The  call  was  ac  - 
cepted at  a  meeting  held  February  23,  1882.  The  Lee  Ave- 
nue Baptist  Church  adjourned  sine  die.  The  body  pres- 
ent, without  Christian  organization  or  name,  was  at  once 
tailed  to  order;  and,  upon  the  election  of  proper  officers  for 
such  a  meeting,  the  same  body  at  once  declared  themsel\<- 
by  vote  and  the  permission  of  the  Law  of  the  State  as  the 
Sontli  Bap.  Church  of  Brooklyn.  Services  were  held  in  the 
building  on  Lee  ave.  until  July,  when  the  church  held  service 
in  the  chapel  of  All  Souls'  Universalist  Ch.  until  Sept.  Then 
Knickerl>oeker  Hall,  on  Clymer  st.,  near  Bedford  ave., was  se- 
cured, where  the  church  continued  to  worship.  In  the  mean- 
time, the  property  of  the  Fifth  Bap.  Ch.,  corner  of  Hooper  st. 
and  Harrison  ave.  was  purchased  and  occupied  Sept.  1.  Is- 
The  building  is  of  stone,  substantially  built;  will  seat  about 
500  people.  It  cost  the  South  Church  $3,200.  There  are  836 
names  on  church  roll,  and  a  Sunday-school  of  nearly  iw 
members. 

The  Central  Baptist  Church,  Bridge  st,  between  Myrtle 
ave.  and  Willoughby  st.,  was  org.  4th  of  October,  1*47.  with 
90  members,  a  Sablwth-school  having  been  formed,  and 
preaching"  services  and  prayer-meetings  sustained  since  the 
early  part  of  the  preceding  spring.  The  congregation,  which 
had  previously  occupied  the  second  floor  of  "Granada  Hall.' 
on  Myrtle  ave.,  between  Bridge  and  Duflield  sts..  secured 
during  its  first  year  the  lots  which  if  now  occupies,  and  erec- 
ted a  lecture  room,  sixty-two  by  thirty-two  feet,  at  (he  rear 
of  the  property;  the  main  building,  fifty-eight  by  sixty-eight 
f,.,.t,  Udng  finished  abouf  the  end  of  the  second  .war.  tin 
w  hole  costing  about  $18,000. 

John  Wesley  Searles,  D.  D.  was  Pastor  of  this  church  till 
1H79.  Rev.  Theo.  A.  K.  dossier  assumed  the  pastorate  Ian.  1, 
1**0;  since  wdiich  time  about  one  hundred  persona  h»ve 
been  added  to  the  membership  of  the  church.  Daring 
the  summer  of  1**2  the  church  building  and  lecture-room 
were  improved  and  enlarged,  at  an  expense  of  about  ft .000; 
and  the  present  estimated  value  of  the  property  is  $35,000. 


ECCLESIASTICAL  ORGANIZATIONS.  107^ 


CENTRAL  BAPTIST  CHURCH,  E. 

in  Sunday-school,  200;  No.  c 


D. 


(See  page  1081) 
fficers  and 


0.  of  scholars 
achers,  81. 

Rev.  Theodoke  A.  K.  Gessler  was  born  in  Phila.,  1841; 
rad.  Lewisburg  Univ.,  1864;  Pres.  N.  J.  Bapt.  S.  S.  Union, 
}T4-'80;  located  at  West  Farms,  N.  Y.,  1864-68;  Elizabeth, 
.  J.,  1S6S-'S0;  enlisted  in  invasion  of  Pa.,  1863. 
The  Strong  Place  Baptist  Church.— In  the  month  of 
etcher,  1847,  some  of  the  residents  in  South  Brooklyn,  then 
rapidly  growing  section  of  the  city,  established  a  Sunday- 
hool  in  a  vacant  house  on  Degraw  st.,  near  Columbia, 
mong  them  were  Wm.  M.  Price,  Truman  Richards,  Dr. 

1.  C.  Burke,  Mrs.  D.  P.  Richards,  Mrs.  A.  T.  and  Miss  M. 
'owner:  and  Mr.  Geo.  M.  Vanderlip,  a  licentiate  of  the 
liver  St.  B.  Ch.  and  student  in  the  University  of  New  York, 
reached  for  them  during  the  year  1818.  In  Oct.,  1848,  the 
iiurch  was  duly  org.,  with  Edwin  C.  Burt,  James  E.  South- 
orth  and  E.  Darwin  Littlefield  as  trustees.  This  was  the 
eginning  of  the  Strong  Place  Baptist  Church,  the  organiza- 
on  of  which  was  completed  in  1849.  Most  of  the  members 
t  its  organization  were  from  the  Pierrepont  Street  Baptist 
hurch.  In  that  year,  a  lecture-room,  on  the  corner  of 
troag  place  and  Degraw  st.,  was  so  far  completed  that  ser- 
icea  were  held  therein  in  January,  1840.  This  continued  to 
e  the  place  of  worship  till  1856,  when  the  present  church 


edifice  was  erected  in  front  of  the  lecture- 
room,  which  was  enlarged.  This  church  is  a 
brown-stone  structure,  finished  in  the  Gothic 
style.    The  church  has  no  debt. 

In  1858,  a  number  of  members  of  this  church 
were  dismissed,  to  form  the  Greenwood  Bap- 
tist Church,  and  in  1862,  fifty-five  were  dis- 
missed to  participate  in  the  formation  of  the 
Tabernacle  Baptist  <  'hurch. 

The  first  Pastor  was  Rev.  E.  E.  L.  Taylor, 
in  Nov.  1848,  who  resigned,  on  account  of 
ill  health,  after  serving  the  church  efficiently 
during  many  years.  He  was  succeeded  by 
Rev.  Dr.  Wayland  Hoyt,  who  remained  six 
years,  and  was  followed  by  Galusha  Ander- 
son, D.  D.,  who  resigned,  after  a  pastorate  of 
three  j-ears.  Mr.  Hoyt  then  became  Pastor 
again.  v 

In  Feb.,  1883,  Rev.  T.  H.  Kerfoot,  D.  D., 
accepted  a  unanimous  call.  DuriDg  the  nine 
years  Rev.  Dr.  Kerfoot  has  been  actively 
engaged  in  the  work  of  the  ministry,  he  has 
acquired  a  national  reputation  as  a  learned 
and  eloquent  preacher ;  an  d,  from  the  outset  of 
his  career,  he  has  exerted  an  influence  of 
more  than  ordinary  weight  in  the  denomi- 
nation of  which  he  is  now  conceded  to  be 
one  of  the  leaders.  He  has  been  honored  by 
being  elected  President  of  the  Southern  Bap- 
tist Convention.  During  his  five  years'  labors 
in  Baltimore  the  Eutaw  Church  grew  so 
rapidly  that  two  new  churches  were  sent  out, 
and  great  success  attended  his  efforts  in  other 
directions. 

The  Strong  Place  Church  is  large  and  influ- 
ential, having  a  membership  of  900  persons, 
and  there  are  no  pecuniary  incumbrances  on 
its  property.  It  has  a  large  and  well  organ- 
ized Sunday-school,  and  in  addition  to  oilier 
beneficent  works  the  members  of  the  Strong 
Place  Church  contribute  the  money  necessary 
for  the  maintenance  of  the  Carroll  Park  Mis- 
sion Chapel.  ^ 
Strong  Place  (formerly  known  as  Carroll  St.)  Mission  was 
established  by  this  church  at  an  early  day.  The  Chapel  of 
the  Mission,  on  Carroll  st.,  near  Hoyt,  was  dedicated  on  the 
17th  of  January,  1864.  It  is  a  Gothic  structure  of  brick,  cap- 
able of  holding  500  persons.  Its  arrangements  are  for  con- 
venience rather  than  architectural  beaut}'.  Its  cost  was 
$6,400,  and  it  was  dedicated  free  from  debt. 

The  Washington  Avenue  Baptist  Church  originated  in  the 
efforts  of  Deacon  Hepburn  Clark,  at  whose  house  meetings 
were  first  held.  In  1851,  the  property  of  a  Dutch  Reformed 
Church,  on  the  corner  of  Washington  and  Gates  aves.,  was 
purchased  for  $7,000,  and  the  church  was  fully  organized  in 
December  of  that  year.  A  church  edifice  was  erected  adjoin- 
ing the  lecture-room  in  which  the  church  had  worshiped, 
and  it  was  dedicated  in  February,  I860.  In  1S65,  the  old  lec- 
ture-room was  taken  down,  and  in  its  place  was  erected  a 
chapel  combining  Sunday-school  room,  church  parlor  and 
other  rooms.  In  addition  to  their  own  Sunday-school  this 
church  has  supported  the  Van  Buren  St.  and  the  Herkimer 
St.  Mission  Schools.  ^ 

In  1873-*4,  the  exterior  of  the  church  building  was  com- 
pleted, by  the  erection  of  two  graceful  spires;  and,  since  that 
time,  much  has  been  expended  in  beautifying  the  interior  of 
the  church.    The  structure  has  a  seating  capacity  of  1,650. 


L0V8  HISTORY  O/    Kf.VGS  COUNTY. 


WASHINGTON  AVENUE  BAPTIST  fHT'RCH. 

The  church  has  no  debt,  and  during  many  years  it  has  dis- 
pensed large  sums  for  charitable  and  benevolent  purposes. 
Its  donations  sometimes  reach  the  amount  of  $100,000  in  a 
year. 

In  1872.  the  Mnrcy  Avenue  Mission  was  established  by  this 
church,  and  it  soon  became  an  independent  church. 

Iu  April,  1881,  a  colon}-  from  this  church  was  organized  as 
th  •  Eininiinurl  Baj>tixt  Chtirch. 

Ministry:  Rev.  J.  L.  Hodge,  Sept.,  185  \  to  Dec,  1856;  Rev. 
Courtlaud  D.  Anable,  Dec.  11,  1856,  to  March  1,  1864;  Rev. 
David  Moore,  Jr.,  March  1,  1864-'77;  Rev.  Emory  J.  Haynes, 
1877-84. 

Rev.  Emory  J.  Haynes,  born  at  Cabot,  Vt.,  1846;  grad. 
Wesleyan  Univ.,  1867;  special  four  year  course  in  theol.; 
Author  of  Are  These  Things  So?  and  The  Fairest  of  Three; 
located  at  Norwich,  Ct.,  Fall  River,  B'klyn,  1872-  84. 

The  Tabernacle  Baptist  Church  was  organized  June  26, 
1*62.  It  occupied  the  edifice  ou  the  corner  of  Rapelyea  and 
Hicks  sts.,  until  it  built  the  structure  now  standing  on  the 
corner  of  8d  place  and  Clinton  st.  The  first  Pastor  was  Rev. 
T.  Edwin  Brown,  D.  I).,  from  November,  1862,  to  October, 
1809.  Rev.  A.  C.  Osborn,  D.  D.,  December,  1869,  to  October, 
1*7:5;  May,  1*74.  to  April.  1*78,  Rev.  Thomas  Rambaut,  D.  D. 
December,  1*7*,  the  present  Pastor,  Kev.  Frank  Rogers 
.Morse.  I).  U.,  assumed  charge  of  the  church. 

Since  il>  organization  this  chinch  has  had  connected  with 
its  membership  nearly  1,400  different  persons;  and  it  has 
raised,  for  all  purposes,  nearly  $200,000.  It  has  always  sus- 
tained a  large  and  flourishing  Sunday-school.  For  many 
years  its  su|>crintcndciit  ban  been  Deacon  Theodore  Shotwell, 
a  well-known  citizen  of  our  city.  The  President  of  its  Hoard 
of  Trustees  is  George  H.  Forrester,  Esq.,  a  prominent  Baptist 
layman,  and  a  rising  business  man. 

K-v.  lit  a  n  K  Poiiiics  M  nisi:,  born  in  Warner,  N.  II..  1*3!»; 
grad.  Dartmouth  Coll.,  1*61;  Newton  Theol.  Hem.,  Mass., 
1*65;  previous  locations,  Cambridge,  IjowcII,  Fall  Hivcr,  Al- 
bany; is  editor-in-chief  of  A'.  Y.  Watch  Tout  r ;  came  to 
H'kiyn,  1878. 


Hanson  Place  Baptist  Church. — In  the  latter  part  of  1K53, 

a  Sunday-school  was  commenced  in  a  vacant  store  on  the 
south  side  of  Atlantic  ave.,  uear  Nevins  street.  From  this 
beginning  resulted  the  Atlantic  Street  Baptist  Church,  which 
was  organized  June  18,  1854,  with  twenty-five  members.  The 
congregation  immediately  proceeded  to  erect  a  chapel  on 
Atlantic  st  ,  near  Powers,  at  a  cost,  including  site,  of  $6,000. 
It  was  dedicated  May  1,  1855.  It  was  a  brick  structure,  with 
300  sittings. 

Four  years  later  lots  were  purchased  at  the  corner  of  Han 
son  place  and  Portland  ave.,  and  a  large  structure  was  erected 
there.  It  was  dedicated  in  November,  I860.  On  its  removal 
to  its  new  location,  the  congregation  assumed  its  present 
name  of  Hanson  Place  liajitist  Church. 

To  enlarge  the  auditorium  the  partition  walls  between  it 
and  the  lecture  and  Sunday-school  rooms  were  removed,  the 
floors  were  lowered,  and  galleries  were  constructed,  and  the 
audience-room  is  now  capable  of  seating  2,000  persons.  A 
lecture  and  Sunday-school  room  stand  on  the  easterly  side  of 
the  house,  and  connected  with  it. 

The  first  Pastor  was  Rev.  Marvin  C.  Hodge,  who  entered 
on  his  labors  in  November,  1854.  His  successors  have  been 
Revs.  Robert  Lowry,  1861;  George  F.  Pentecost.  1889;  Jasuo 
D.  Fulton,  D.  D.,  1873;  Alexander  McFarlane,  1*77,  and 
Henry  M.  Gallaher,  LL.  D„  1879,  who  resigned  in  1888, 

Greenwood  Baptist  Church. — In  IS.")!;.  Kev.  Hei  ry  Brom- 
ley, a  missionary  from  Strong  Place  Baptist  Church,  with  ;i 
few  co-laborers,  opened  a  Sunday-school  and  established 
religious  services  in  a  hall  on  Third  ave.  Their  work  WM  bo 
successful  that,  on  the  28th  of  September,  1858,  thirty-em 
persons  united  in  a  church  organization,  under  the  name 
the  Greenwood  Baptist  Church. 

Rev.  H.  T.  Love  was  chosen  Pastor;  followed,  December -V 
1859,  by  Rev.  E.  H.  Page.  Ground  was  bought  on  15th  it 
and  Fourth  ave.,  and  the  erection  of  the  present  lectun 
room  begun.  September,  1,  1864,  Rev.  A.  P.  Graves  becaim 
Pastor;  succeeded,  March,  1,  1867,  by  Rev.  A.  G.  Lemon 
who  still  remains.  A  brick  chapel  on  15th  st.  was  dedicate' 
in  Aprd,  1863:  and  the  growth  of  the  church  wassnchthsl 
the  corner-stone  of  a  new  edifice  was  laid  August  4,  lx"! 
which  was  dedicated,  February  22,  1875.  It  is  located  oi 
4th  ave.  and  15th  st.,  and  is  built  of  brick,  trimmed  will 
Coignet  stone;  the  auditorium  is  70  by  72  feet,  semi -circular 
with  bowled  lloor,  and  a  seating  capacity  of  alxiut  800 
The  entire  property,  2  buildings  and  ground.  100x298  feet.  ■ 
free  from  debt,  and  valued  at  $70,000. 

Prom  1  school  and  87  scholars,  there  are  now  :i  schools  an. 
1 ,000  connected;  from  31  members,  the  church  has  grow: 
to  700,  and  only  20  non-resident.  In  25  years  but  one  office 
has  died.  Of  31  constituent  members,  22  now  live,  Bed 
the  25  years  only  71  have  died;  less  than  3  a  year,  with  ai 
average  membership  of  over  400. 

The  church  is  noted  for  its  steady  growth,  its  tenipeniii' 
and  missionary  work;  Dr.  Lawson,  the  Pastor,  being  espeoieU; 
active  as  a  temperance  editor  and  speaker. 

Rev.  Albert  G.  Lawson,  D.  D.,  l>orn  at  New  Hamburgh 
N.  Y.,  June,  1842:  was  Sec.  Bapt.  Nat'l  Conference,  1S»0 
Clerk  L.  L  Bapt.  Assn.,  1869-83  ;  Moderator,  1873:  located  I 
Perth  Amboy,  1*02  0  :  PTkeep.de.  180(>-'7:  B'klyn.  1867  H 
author  of  Church  Tcmjx  rance  Work;  1877;  The  ll«htSpir,i 
1880;  Ambition  in  the  Ministry.  1883;  i8  temp.  Ed.  of  Vo 
tinned  Bapt.,  Phila. 

Clinton  Avenue  Baptist  Church  in. sir  Myrtle  ave,  I  owes  n 
origin  to  the  benevolence  of  the  late  Win.   1 1.  Man^'ini. 
successful  and  liberal  merchant  of  New  York,  who  died  > 
bis  residence  on  Clinton  ave.,  April  3,  ]*(»•*.     His  life.  att< 
his  conversion,  wtis  marked  by  the  noblest  generOSBJ  I 


ECCLESIASTICAL  ORGANIZATIONS.  1079 


GREENWOOD  RAPTTST  CHURCH.   (See  previous  pagei 


words  all  religious  and  charitable  causes;  and,  hearing  about 
1867,  that  a  lady  of  Brooklyn  had  offered  to  the  Baptist  de- 
nomination a  valuable  lot  on  Clinton  ave.,  if  they  would 
build  a  chapel  thereon,  Mr.  M.  bought  eight  lots  adjoining, 
and  at  once  proceeded  to  build  a  chapel.  It  was  his  purpose 
to  erect  the  main  church  edifice,  with  the  proceeds  of  his 
business,  on  the  lots  adjoining  the  chapel,  and  towards  this 
he  worked  diligently  and  energetically,  but  death  claimed 
him  before  his  work  was  completed.  His  family,  however, 
took  up  the  work  he  had  commenced,  and  finished  the 
chapel,  which  is  one  of  the  most  complete  in  the  country, 
being  a  brick  structure,  50  by  90  feet  in  size,  with  brown- 
stone  trimmings,  and  of  remarkable  simplicity  and  beauty 
of  finish.  Its  cost,  including  that  of  grounds,  was  $70,000. 
Rev.  E.  T.  Hiscox,  D.  D.,  was  Pastor.  He  was  succeeded  by 
Rev.  S.  H.  Pratt. 

By  reason  of  an  imperfection  in  the  title,  the 
church  lost  its  property,  and  disbanded.  The  mem- 
bers united  with  others  from  the  Hanson  Place 
Baptist  Church,  and  formed  the  Centennial  Baptist 
Church,  which  was  organized  December  14,  1875, 
with  185  members.  The  present  Pastor,  J.  D.  Fulton, 
D.  D.,  was  called  and  entered  upon  his  duties  January 
1, 1876. 

The  property  on  Clinton  ave.  was  purchased,  and 
here  the  congregation  worshiped  till  1879,  when  the 
Brooklyn  Rink,  on  Clermont  ave. ,  near  Myrtle  (the 
co3t  of  which  was  $127,000),  was  purchased  for 
§50,000,  and  fitted  up  for  a  free  house  of  worship,  at 
an  expense  of  $9,000.  It  was  dedicated  in  December 
of  that  year. 

Rev.  Justin  D.  Fulton,  D.  D.,  came  to  Brooklyn, 
in  1873,  as  Pastor  of  the  Hanson  Place  Church. 
Having  his  own  views  as  to  the  manner  of  reaching 
the  people,  and  not  meeting  with  the  favor  which 
he  desired,  he  resigned  and  org.  the  Centennial 
Baptist  Church.  In  1879,  the  Rink  was  bought  and 
refitted  for  a  place  of  worship.  The  church  numbers 
500  members,  the  Sabbath-school  about  the  same. 
The  work  of  the  church  is  supported  entirely  by 
voluntary  contributions.  — 


Sands  Street  Mission.  In  1858,  Peter 
Balen  hired  a  room  over  a  cooper's  shop,  in 
John  st.,  near  Bridge,  and  established  a  mis- 
sion school  there.  The  mission  was  taken 
in  charge  by  the  Pierrepont  Street  Baptist 
Church,  and,  after  two  years,  was  removed 
to  a  house  in  Prospect  st. ,  that  had  been  used 
as  a  dance-house. 

It  then  took  the  name  of  Prospect  Street 
Mission.  In  the  midst  of  vile  surroundings, 
the  mission  continued  its  wTork  till  1868, 
when  the  building  was  sold  to  the  Board  of 
Education,  and  the  children  were  taken  to  the 
church  school,  cor. Pierrepont  and  Clinton  sts. 

In  1869,  Rev.  John  Toomath,  a  blind  man, 
who  had  been  a  missionary  here  since  1S62, 
engaged  a  room  in  Sands  tt.,  that  had  been 
used  as  a  lager  beer  and  billiard  saloon  ;  and 
the  mission  was  removed  to  this  place, 
where  it  has  since  continued. 

The  Superintendents  of  this  mission,  from 
the  first,  have  been :  John  L.  Plummer, 
Thomas  Vernon,  Isaac  Davis,  J.  Leland, 
Richard  Oliver,  E.  H.  Loud,  E.  Sniff  en,  W. 
R.  Anderson,  W.  J.  Oliver,  J.  Schriever, 
and  the  present  Sup't,  Richard  Oliver. 
Herkimer  Street  Baptist  Church  originated  in  a  Sunday- 
school  that  was  established  by  Washington  Avenue  Church, 
in  Fulton  st.,  near  Troy  ave.,  about  1861.  A  chapel  was 
erected  for  this  mission  at  the  corner  of  Troy  ave.  and  Her- 
kimer st.,  and  in  this  the  Herkimer  Street  Baptist  Church 
was  organized  in  1865.  In  the  summer  of  1876,  this  chapel 
was  enlarged  to  meet  the  growing  wants  of  the  congrega- 
tion, and  it  now  has  a  seating  capacity  of  435.  It  is  a  wcoden 
structure  on  a  brick  basement. 

The  Pastors  of  this  church  have  been:  Revs.   Giscard, 

 Baker,  D.D.,  Henry  Waring,  Wm.  Reid  and  John  Evans. 

Rev.  William  Reid,  born  in  Ayrshire,  Scotland,  1812; 
grad.  1839,  Conn.  Literary  Institution;  located  at  Wethers- 
field,  1839-40;  Tariff ville,  1840-'44;  Bridgeport,  1845-54;  New 
London,  1854-'61;  Greenpoint,  1861-7;  New  York,  1867-75; 
Brooklvn,  1876-'  83. 


CENTENNIAL  BAPTIST  CflCRCII. 


1060 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


SIXTH   AVE  NT  E  15APTIST  CHI'HCH. 


Sixth  Avenue  Baptist  Church.— The  nucleus  of  this  church 
was  a  mission  Sunday-school,  which  was  established  in  1SC4, 
at  195  Flatbush  ave.,  by  a  few  members  of  the  Hanson  Place 
Baptist  Church.  Soon  afterward,  two  lots  on  the  comer  of 
Sixth  ave.  and  Lincoln  place  were  purchased,  at  a  cost  of 
$4,000,  and  a  chapel  was  erected  at  an  expense,  including 
furniture,  of  about  $6,000.  Preaching  was  added  to  the  Sun- 
day-school services,  and  Rev.  Henry  Bromley  became  preacher 
and  missionary. 

January  1G,  1872,  the  church  was  organized  with  43  mem- 
mers;  anJ  re-organized  Feb.  8,  1872. 

Pastors:  J.  B.  Cleaver,  Feb.  12,1872,  to  Oct.  23,  1874; 
Rev.  Rufus  B.  Kelsay  (the  present  pastor),  D.  D.,  Nov.  1, 
1 S75.  The  present  edifice  commenced  March  17,  1880;  ded. 
Dec.  28,  1880;  of  brick,  with  stone  trimmings,  100  by  110  feet, 
and  seating  650  persons;  value,  $55,000.  Present  membership, 
260.  The  Sunday-scluol,  org.  1865;  has  37  officers  and  teachers; 
400  scholars  on  the  roll;  average  attendance,  251;  566  vols, 
in  library. 

Rev.  R.  B.  Kelsay,  D.  D.,  born  in  New  Jersey,  1842; 
studied  with  Rev.  Samuel  Haren,  and  theology  with  Rev. 
Daniel  Kelsay;  previous  locations,  Meadville,  l*61-'7;  Balti- 
more, 1*67-  70:  Albany,  1870-2;  Passaic,  1872-5;  came  to 
Brooklyn  in  1*75;  in  late  war,  was  captain  for  short  time. 

Marcy.  Avenue  Baptist  Church.— When  the  Washington 
Avenue  Baptist  Church  had  appointed  a  committee  to  survey 
the  field  and  look  out  for  a  favorable  opening  to  begin  a  new 
enterprise  in  the  then  Twenty-first  Ward,  the  Central  Con- 
gregational Church  intimated  a  willingness  to  convey  their 
mis$on  interest  to  tb.2  Baptists.  The  property,  corner  of 
Marty  ave.  and  Monroe  6t.,  consisting  of  lots  50x190  feet, 
w  ith  the  chapel  and  Sanday-school  furniture,  was  conveyed 
to  the  Washington  Avenue  Baptist  Church,  for  $5,000. 

Mr.  Theodore  M.  Banta  became  superintendent  of  the  mis- 
sion. The  first  regular  session  of  school  was  held  on  the  7th 
day  of  July,  1*72,  with  9  teachers  and  officers  and  55  scholars. 

On  Tuesday  evening,  July  2.  187%  the  first  prayer-meeting 
was  held.  The  services  were  conducted  by  Rev.  A.  A.  Pin- 
ney,  and  the  following  were  present,  namely:  Henry  A. 
( Caldwell,  Garret  Ditmars.  H.  B.  Porter,  Wm.  S.  Durbrow, 
Win.  < '.  <  hapman,  Theodore  M.  Bauta,  L.  P  Brockett,  Geo. 
R.  Craves,  Myron  Tanner,  and  George  S.  Farmer,  the  six  lirst- 
nanr  il  Iwroiiiing  identified  as  member.,  with  the  church  sul>- 
miently  organized.  Septemlier  29lh,  1*72.  preaching  services 
were  held  for  the  first  time  by  Rev.  Dr.  Moore,  of  the  Wash- 


ington Avenue  Baptist  Church.  January,  1873,  arrange- 
ments were  made  with  Rev.  J.  A.  Appleton  to  preach  every 
Sabbath  evening  until  Ihe  first  of  May.  Subsequently, 
Brother  Delaran  DeWolf,  was  engaged  for  six  months  to 
preach  every  Sabbath  evening,  and  take  general  charge  of 
the  interest.  In  October,  1873,  the  prospects  apj>eared 
sufficiently  encouraging  to  warrant  the  formation  of  a  church. 
On  the  evening  of  Novemlier  10,  1873,  a  meeting  was  held, 
whereat  forty-five  persons  presented  letters  of  dismission 
from  various  Baptist  churches  (twenty-seven  being  from 
Washington  Avenue  Church). 

An  organization  was  effected  under  the  name  of  the  Afartj 
Avenue  Baptist  Church  of  Brooklyn;  and,  at  an  adjourned 
meeting,  held  one  week  subsequently,  Brethren  Edwin  Ives. 
*  Janet  Ditmars,  and  William  B.  Fox  were  elected  Deacons. 
II.  A.  Caldwell  was  elected  Treasurer,  and  Rollin  0.  Smith, 
clerk.  December  2,  1873,  an  election  for  Trustees  was  held, 
whereat  the  following-named  persons  were  chosen:  Henry 
A.  Caldwell,  John  Hills,  John  T.  Davies,  Chas.  B.  Wyckoff, 
and  Theodore  M.  Banta. 

At  a  meeting  held  December  8, 1873,  to  consider  the  subject 
of  calling  a  Pastor,  Rev.  Dr.  Jeffery  received  the  unanimous 
vote  of  all  present,  and  he  entered  upon  the  pastorate  t lie 
following  Sabbath,  December  14,  1873. 

The  next  evening,  December  15,  a  council  was  held  in  the 
chapel,  composed  of  delegates  from  all  the  Baptist  churches 
of  the  city  and  vicinity,  which  recognized  the  church  as  a 
regular  Baptist  church,  and  the  hand  of  fellowship  was  ex- 
tended to  the  church,  through  its  Pastor,  by  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Moore,  of  Washington  Avenue  Church. 

In  January,  1874,  it  was  determined  to  enlarge  the  church 
accommodations.  Three  additional  lots  were  purchased, 
giving  125  feet  on  Marcy  avenue,  by  100  feet  on  Monroe  street, 
and  a  commodious  chapel  was  erected  by  Deacon  Garret 
Ditmars,  under  the  plans  and  superintendence  of  Wm.  B. 
Ditmars.  The  chapel  was  dedicated  on  the  11th  day  of 
October,  1874.  The  property  cost,  for  lots,  buildings,  and 
furniture,  $21,000,  and  consists  of  lots,  162  feet  on  Marcy 
avenue,  by  100  feet  on  Monroe  street,  with  a  frame  building. 
76  feet  wide  and  100  feet  deep,  the  whole  costing  over  $32,000. 

Ministry :  Rev.  Dr.  Jeffery,  1873-'80  ;  H.  O.  Pentecost, 
188l-'83. 

Present  number  of  church  members,  *94  :  in  sunday-school, 
1,018. 

The  First  German  Baptist  Church  of  South  Brooklyn 
was  organized  in  1873.  The  first  place  of  worship  was  a  hall 
on  22d  St.,  near  3d  ave.  This  building  was  purchased  in 
1873,  and  converted  into  a  church.  In  1877,  this  property 
was  abandoned,  and  the  congregation  removed  to  Strong 
Place  Chapel,  in  Carroll  street,  near  Hoyt.  where  they  wor- 
shiped till  1881,  when  they  removed  to  a  building  on  the  cor- 
ner of  Sixth  and  Prospect  aves. 

The  first  Pastor  was  Rev.  R,  Hofflin;  followed,  in  1878,  P] 
Rev.  C.  DaiMiu,  and  he,  in  by  the  present  Pastor,  Rev. 
 Hironeinus. 

Calvary  Baptist  Church  (colored i.— Marion  Street  Mition 
was  first  established  in  Fast  New  York  in  1*75:  ami  dming 
the  same  year  Calvar\  I 'hurch  was  organized.  In  the  prinK 
of  1*79,  the  congregation  removed  to  210  Marion  st.,  whSW 
they  have  since  worshiped. 

The  first  I'astor  was  Rev.  Oscar  Ritter,  succeed.  .!,  in  1879, 
by  the  present  I'astor,  Rev.  Josiah  Johnson. 

Trinity  Baptist  Church  was  organized  iu  1*75,  with  about 
thirty  members,  many  of  whom  were  from  the  WiUooghbj 
Ave.  Baptist  Church.  They  first  worshiped  m  Ridgew.K*i 
Hall,  at  the  junction  of  Broadway  and  Lexington  and  Ralph 
aves,    In  1*77,  the  present  house  of  worship  was  '  nill  on 


EG  GLESIA  STIC  A  L   OR  GANIZA  TIONS. 


1081 


Greene  ave.,  between  Patchen  ave.  and  Broadway.  It  is  a 
wooden  chapel,  capable  of  seating  450. 

Rev.  Dr.  Hodge  was  Pastor  during  a  year  after  the  organi- 
zation of  the  church;  followed,  in  1876,  by  the  present  Pastor, 
Eev.  O.  E.  Cox.    The  church  has  been  uniformly  prosperous. 

First  Church  of  Christ. — A  few  years  since,  a  number  of 
Baptists  withdrew  from  their  churches,  to  organize  a  society 
on  a  more  liberal  basis.  This  organization  was  effected,  with 
Rev.  J.  B.  Cleaver  as  Pastor.  Their  first  place  of  worship 
was  a  chapel  in  Lincoln  place,  near  Sixth  avenue.  Here  the 
congregation  worshiped  till  the  autumn  of  1881,  when  they 
purchased  the  house  of  worship  of  Grace  M.  E.  Church,  in 
Sterling  place,  near  Seventh  avenue.  It  is  a  brick  structure 
with  a  brown-stone  front,  and  it  has  a  seating  capacity  of 
about  1,000.    Its  estimated  value  is  $65,000. 

Emmanuel  Baptist  Church  was  organized  in  October,  1881. 
It  consists  of  203  members,  mostly  from  the  Washington 
Avenue  Baptist  Church.  Their  present  place  of  worship  is 
Adelphi  Academy,  on  Lafayette  Avenue,  corner  of  St.  James' 
place.  The  church  has  purchased  lots  on  Lafayette  avenue, 
opposite  this  Academy,  at  a  cost  of  $60,000,  whereon  to  erect 
a  church  building  in  the  near  future. 

Pastors:  J.  Wheaton  Smith,  D.  D.,  of  Philadelphia,  until 
1882  ;  Rev.  John  Humpstone  until  present  time. 

Rev.  John  Humpstone  received  his  education  at  Madison 
University  and  the  Crozer  Theological  Seminary  at  Upland, 
Penn.  He  has  presided  over  churches  in  Philadelphia  and 
Albany  with  rare  acceptability,  and  has  a  reputation  for  elo- 
quence and  scholarship  not  wholly  confined  to  the  ecclesias- 
tical organizations  which  he  has  heretofore  represented. 

The  Central  Baptist  Church,  So.  5th  st.,  cor.  8th,  E.  D.  In 
June,  1865,  forty  persons  obtained  letters  of  dismission  from 
the  First  Baptist  Church,  Williamsburgh,  for  the  purpose  of 
organizing  a  new  church.  July  7th  the  church  organized 
under  the  name  of  "  The  Central  Baptist  Church,  Williams- 
burgh.  (See  illustration,  page  1077.) 

The  first  Pastor  was  Rev.  Thomas  S.  T.  Hanna,  who  began 
his  pastorate  Aug.  1st,  1866.  He  was  ordained  Sept.  13th,  in 
the  house  of  worship  previously  owned  by  the  Reformed 
Church,  on  the  corner  of  So.  2d  and  4th  streets,  which  the 
church  had  previously  purchased.  Mr.  Hanna  resigned  his 
pastorate  in  March,  1870. 

The  church  united  with  the  Hudson  River  Association 
South,  June  18th,  1866;  but  united  with  the  Long  Island  Bap- 
tist Association  at  the  time  of  its  organization,  June  27th, 
1867. 

The  Rev.  John  Duncan,  D.  D.,  of  Fall  River,  Mass.,  became 
Pastor  of  the  church  July  3d,  1870,  and  remained  in  that  posi- 
tion until  May,  1873. 

The  church  edifice  and  lots  were  sold  in  May,  1873,  from 
which  date  services  were  held  in  the  hall  over  the  gas  com- 
pany's office,  corner  of  So.  2d  and  4th  streets,  until  May, 
1874. 

Rev.  Christopher  Rhodes,  of  New  York  city,  became  Pastor 
Jan.  1st,  1874.  At  that  time  the  church  numbered  147  mem- 
bers. The  congregation  becoming  too  large  for  the  hall,  a  tent 
was  erected  the  following  May  on  Broadway,  in  which  the 
church  met  during  the  summer. 

Ground  was  broken  for  the  new  meeting-house  corner  of 
So.  5th  and  8th  streets,  May  4th.  The  corner-stone  was  laid 
June  1st.  The  first  service  was  held  in  the  lecture-room,  Sun- 
day Sept.  27th,  and  the  house  was  dedicated  April  13th,  1875. 
The  house  is  of  Gothic  style  of  architecture,  60  by  100  inside; 
is  of  Phila.  pressed  brick,  trimmed  with  light-colored  stone; 
seats  850;  and  cost,  with  the  adjoining  parsonage,  $85,000. 

The  church  numbers  550  communicants.  The  Sunday- 
school,  of  which  F.  C.  Lindc  is  the  superintendent,  numbers 


629  scholars,  and  59  officers  and  teachers, with  an  average  at- 
tendance of  470. 

The  church  contributes  liberally  to  various  benevolent  ol>- 
jects,  being  exceeded  in  the  amount  of  its  contributions  by 
six  only  of  the  churches  in  the  L.  I.  Association. 

The  church  entered  their  new  house  with  about  200  mem- 
bers, with  a  debt  of  $45,200.  The  debt  has  been  reduced  grad- 
ually to  $3,000,  all  of  which  will  be  paid  in  Sept.  next. 

Rev.  Christopher  Rhodes,  born  in  Providence,  R.  I.,  1821; 
located  in  Phenix,  R.  I.,  1855-61;  Providence,  1861-'4;  New 
York,  1866-'74;  Brooklyn,  1874-'84;  author  of  address  bef.  N. 
Y.  S.  S.  Assn.  Semi-Centen.  Sermon  of  Stanton  street  Church, 
New  York. 


GREENPOINT  BAPTIST  CHURCH,  105  NOBLE  STREET. 

The  First  Baptist  Church,  Greenpoint. — In  1847,  there  were 
about  thirteen  Baptists  living  in  Greenpoint,  who,  feeling  the 
need  of  worshiping  according  to  Baptist  usage,  organized  a 
church  with  nine  members  in  the  old  Origen  house  in  Frank- 
lin avenue.  Rev.  Mr.  Jones  and  others  supplied  the  pulpit 
until  1849,  when  a  small  house  was  built,  costing  about  $700, 
seating  one  hundred  persons.  Preaching  was  continued  for 
two  years.  Mr.  Peter  Boyce  officiated  from  July,  1851,  to 
April,  1853,  when  he  desired  to  relinquish  the  charge;  but  the 
church  voted  that  "Mr.  Peter  Boyce  be  continued  as  our 
Pastor  for  an  unlimited  time."  Mr.  Boyce  was  ordained 
Feb.  22d,  1855,  but  resigned  soon  after.  During  his  ministry 
the  house  was  enlarged  to  40  by  80  feet,  at  a  cost  of  $800,  and 
the  membership  increased  to  41.  Rev.  J.  Y.  Aitchison  was 
Pastor  from  July,  1855,  to  Sept.,  1856;  Robert  Carr  to  Sept., 
1857,  Kelsy  Walling,  to  Sept.,  1859;  Alfred  Harvey,  1860-'l; 
William  Reid,  Sept.,  1861,  to  March,  1857;  during  his  pastor- 
ate new  lots  were  secured,  and  a  neat  brick  edifice  built,  and 
large  numbers  added  to  the  church.  He  was  succeeded  by 
Rev.  J.  W.  T.  Boothe,  from  1867  to  1875,  and  the  present 
Pastor,  Rev.  D.  Henry  Miller,  D.  D.,  from  1875  to  1884.  The 
church  numbers  about  500  members,  besides  a  large  and 
flourishing  Sabbath-school.    It  sustains  several  missions. 

Rev.  D.  Henry  Miller,  D.  D. ,  was  born  in  the  Isle  of  Jer- 
sey, 1827;  was  educated  in  High  school,  Boston,  and  Pinner's 
Clas.  Acad.;  grad.  Wesleyan  Univ.,  1845;  Pastor  at  No. 
Stonington,  Ct.,  1847-  9;  Yonkers,  1849-57;  Meriden,  1857-62; 
Trenton,  1864-'7;  Elizabeth,  1867-72;  Lowell,  1872;  New  York, 
1873-5;  Brooklyn,  1875-84.  He  was  in  service  as  Chaplain  of 
15th  Conn.  Vols.,  1862-4.  Editor  Baptist  Memorial  several 
years;  author  of  History  of  Early  Baptists  of  Mercer  County. 

Concord  Baptist  Church  (Colored)  was  organized  May,  1847, 
in  the  house  of  Mrs.  Maria  Hampton,  then  residing  in  Fair  st. 
The  membership  consisted  of  five  [  ersons  only,  and  Rev, 


1082 


Sampson  "White  was  their  Pastor.  They  hired  the  Uris  Hall, 
then  opposite  the  C  ity  Hall,  for  ahout  a  year.  Lots  were 
bought  on  Concord  st.,  where  a  meeting-house  was  erected 
which  yet  remains. 

The  membership  increasing  beyond  the  limits  of  the  old 
building,  the  church,  in  1S73,  purchased  their  present  property 
on  Canton  st.  of  the  Central  Baptist  Church,  at  a  cost  of 
$8,000,  and  renovated  and  furnished  it  anew.  The  member- 
ship, Dec,  1883,  is  560,  with  a  very  interesting  Sunday-school. 
There  is  also  connected  with  the  church  a  Female  Home 
Missionary  and  Dorcas  Society,  a  Mutual  Relief  Society,  a 
Young  People's  Social  Union,  and  a  Foreign  Mission  Society. 

The  Pastors  have  been  :  Revs.  Sampson  White,  whose 
pastorate  commenced  in  1847;  Leonard  Black,  1851;  Simon 
Bundick,  1S53;  Sampson  White,  1857;  Win.  J.  Barnett,  1862; 
and  the  present  Pastor,  William  T.  Dixon,  1S63. 

Rev.  William  T.  Dixon,  born  in  New  York  ;  licentiate  of 
Abyssinian  Bap.  Ch.,  N.  Y. ;  located  Bklyn,  1863;  Cor.  Sec. 
N.  E.  Bapt.  Mission  Convention. 

The  Harrison  Ave.  German  Baptist  Church,  originated 
in  a  Mission  Sunday-school,  undertaken  by  some  of  the  mem- 
bers of  the  German  Bap.  Ch.,  of  New  York,  in  a  private 
house  on  Harrison  ave.,  E.  D.  In  1878,  they  rented  the 
chapel — specially  built  for  their  use — which  they  still  occupy. 
The  pulpit  was  supplied  by  Rev.  C.  Damra,  then  Pastor  of 
the  Ger.  Ch.  of  South  Brooklyn;  and  by  other  preachers 
from  New  York  city.  Although  few  in  numbers  and  weak 
in  means,  they  finally  called  the  Rev.  II.  Trumpp,  Pastor  of 
the  Ger.  Bap.  Ch.,  in  Albany,  N.  Y.,  who  entered  upon  this 
charge  May  1,  1881.  On  the  23d  of  same  month,  they  org.  as 
a  church,  with  47  members;  and  in  the  next  month  were 
duly  recognized  by  a  council  of  the  Bap.  Church  of  Brooklyn 
and  vicinity.  The  growth  of  the  church,  since  that  date,  has 
been  very  steady  and  encouraging.  The  membership  is  now 
(July,  1883)  99.  The  chapel  seats  about  200;  but  is  too  small 
and  insufficient  for  their  purposes.  The  Sunday-school  is  in 
a  flourishing  condition,  with  an  enrollment  of  250  scholars 
and  24  teachers;  and  would  be  larger,  if  it  bad  larger  accom- 
modations. The  church  is  a  self-sustaining  one — united  in 
action — in  much  need  of  a  larger  edifice,  and  deserving  of 
the  s\  mpathy  of  its  .sister  churches. 

First  Swedish  Baptist  Church  of  Brooklyn  was  organized 
Jan.,  1H84,  with  a  membership  of  94,  who  withdrew  from  the 
Swedish  Baptist  Church  in  New  York  to  organize  a  church 
of  their  own  in  Brooklyn.  Services  are  held  in  a  hall  at  16 
Smith  street.    Rev.  Mr.  Lundin  is  the  Pastor. 

The  First  Baptist  Church,  Brooklyn,  E.  D.,  was  formed 
March  19,  1839;  of  14  members.  Rev.  John  Jones  was 
Pastor,  1839-'40,  and  Rev.  C.  F.  Frey,  1840-'41,  the  church  at 
that  time  numbering  30  i>ersons.  Meetings  were  held  in  the 
District  School-house,  and  the  Village  Court-house,  until  B 
frame  structure  was  erected  on  the  corner  of  5th  and  South 
1st  streets,  and  dedicated  June  29,  1843. 

Ministry:  Rev.  Lawson  Muzzey,  Sept.  15,  1841,  to  Nov.  8, 
1843;  Rev.  A.  P.  Mason,  1844-49.  Under  his  ministry,  the 
church  erected  the  fine  structure  on  the  corner  of  5th  ami 
South  5th  sts.,  Dr.  Spencer  II.  I/nvc  preaching  the  sermon  of 

dedication  June  I,  isr.i;  Morgan  J.  Rhoco,  D.  D.,  1850-53; 

Samuel  Baker,  I).  I)..  1*51  <;.">;  John  B.  Brohett,  D.  D.,  1805 
7:S;  Daniel  Read,  LL.  D.,  1877-80;  Daniel  C.  Eddy,  1881- 
'84. 

In  the  church  purchased  lots  of  land  on  Ixjeave., 

eonier  of  Keap  street,  w  here  it  proposed  at  once  to  erect  a 
new  church  edifice. 

The  present  membership  of  the  church  is  531.  The  church 
edifice  is  \  allied  at  $10,000;  will  seat  SO0  persons;  is  of  gothic 
style,  and  has  all  the  conveniences  of  such  a  structure.  The 


FIRST  UAPTIST  CHURCH,  oth  AND  SOUTH  Sra  BH 


church  supports  the  Hope  Mission,  and  a  flourishing  Sunday- 
school  in  a  chapel  on  Maujer  street. 


Tlie  following  Baptist  Clergymen  are  residents  of  Brooklyn: 

Rev.  Run  s  Lewis  Perry,  born  in  Tenn.,  1834;  studied  at 
Kalamazoo  Coll.,  Mich;  grad.  Kal.  Theol.  Sem.,  1860;  located 
at  Ann  Arbor,  Mich.,  1861;  St.  Catherine's  (Out.),  1863-  4: 
Buffalo,  1865;  Editor  and  pub.  of  Xational  Monitor,  formerly 
Ed.  of  People's  Journal  and  American  Baptist,  N.  Y.;  located 
in  B"klyn,  1868. 

Rev.  D.  C.  Hughes,  born  in  Great  Britain;  grad.  from 
Madison  Univ.,  N.  Y.,  1877;  previous  locations,  Glens  Falls,  N. 
Y.,  1860-'3;  Oswego,  N.  Y.,  1866-9;  Newark,  N.  J.,  1869 'Tl; 
Brooklyn,  1874-'84;  author  of  Studies  in  Mark;  contributor 
to  HomiJetic  Monthly,  N.  Y. 

Rev.  Samuel  Williams,  born  in  Cornellsville,  Pa.,  1803; 
grad.  West  Theo.  Sem.,  Allegheny  (Pa.),  1830;  located  Pitts- 
burgh; Akron,  O. :  Springfield,  O. ;  was  School  Director,  Pitts- 
burgh, Pa.;  author  of  Mormonism  Exposed,  On  Baptism,  and 
other  works:  ed.  Christian  Witness,  Pittsburgh. 

Rev.  Jeremiah  B.  Taylor,  born  in  New  Yorkjgrad.  N.  Y. 
Univ.  1848;  was  engaged  in  Mission  Work  in  Kansas,  I8M»"7; 
Author  of  Berean  Articles,  1875-'83. 

Rev.  Francis  Arthur  Douulass  was  bom  in  Ticonderoga, 
N.  Y.,  1824;  grad.  Amherst  Coll.  1851,  and  Newton  ThfloL 
Sem.  1854  ;  Sec.  Amer.  &  Foreign  Bible  Soc,  1879-"s;i:  previous 
locations,  Nellore,  India,  1855-'65;  Champlain,  N.  Y.,  lSBS-D; 
Piqua,  O.,  1869-'73;  Lebanon,  O.,  1873-'5;  Cincinnati.  1875-*! 
came  to  Brooklyn  1S79. 

Rev.  Joseph  B.  Breed,  born  in  Salem,  Mass.,  1807;  grad 
Newton  Theol.  Sem.  1S39;  located  Virginia,  New  York.  New 
Hampshire,  Rhode  Island  ;  came  to  Brooklyn  1877. 

Rev.  Henry  L.  Morehouse,  born  in  Stanford.  N.  V..  l8B4j 
grad.  Univ.  Rochester,  1858;  Rochester  Theol.  Sem.,  l8Mi 
Trustee  of  Kalamazoo  Coll.,  1870;  Cor.  Sec.  N.Y.  Bapt.  Union 
for  Ministerial  Education,  1877-9;  Cor.  Sec.  Amer.  Bapt  HoBM 
Mission  Soc,  1879;  located  E.  Saginaw,  Mich.,  18W  "71; 
Rochester,  lN73-'9;  Brooklyn,  1S79-'S4:  author  Baptist  Horn 
Missions  in  America. 

Rev.  H.VLSEY  W.  Knapi*.  D.  1).,  born  in  New  York;  grad. 
Conn.  Lit.  Inst.,  Suflield;  was  trustee  of  Madison  Univ.,  1  *•">'.»- 
•(iM;  located  at  West  Farms,  lx.V»;  Jersey  City.  ]859-'85;  New- 
York,  1865-'70;  Brooklyn,  1876-'88. 

ltcv.  Henry  Bro.mi.ky.  born  in  Norwich,  Ct.,  1*12:  «rad. 
Hamilton  Lit.  and  Theol.  Inst..  1N3X;  located  in  Conn  15 


EC CLESIA  STICAL  OR  GANIZA  TIONS. 


ears;  30  years  in  New  York,  Philadelphia  and  Brooklyn; 
ngaged  in  Church  extension  and  Sunday-school  work. 
Rev.  C.  G.  Roberts,  born  in  Savannah,  Ga.,  1842;  grad. 
.ilieria  Coll.,  1862;  located  at  Sinoe,  Liberia,  1878-'80;  came  to 
I'klyn,  1880;  pastor,  1880-4. 

Rev.  John  Flavel  Bigelow,  A.  M.,  (Roch.  Univ.,  1856), 
).  D.  (Vermont  Univ.  1864);  was  bora  inPaxton,  Mass.,  1818; 
tudied  Brown  Univ.,  Columbia  College,  and  Univ.  Berlin, 
rermany:  located  Bristol,  R.  I.,  1848;  Middleboro,  Mass., 
355;  Keeseville,  N.  Y.,  1860;  St.  Albans,  Vt.,  1866;  was 


Pies.  Trustees,  Pierce  Acad.,  Mass.,  and  other  institutions; 
Assistant  Prin.  Athenaeum  Sem.  for  Young  Ladies,  B'klyn, 
1868-'80;  author  of  pub.  sermons  and  Synthetic  Method  of 
Study. 

Rev.  J.  D.  Benoless,  born  Del.  Co.,  Pa.,  1836;  grad.  Lewis- 
burg  (Pa.)  Univ.,  1860;  Pres.  New  York  Cremation  Society, 
1881-3;  located  Pawtuxet,  R.  I.;  Chaplain  2d  R.  I.  Vol.  Inf.. 
1864.  Chaplain  U.  S.  Navy,  1864-'84;  author  of  Islam  and 
Ottoman  Empirt,  1876,  Incineration,  1883;  located  Brooklyn, 
Sept.,  1877. 


EVANGELICAL  AND  LUTHERAN  CHURCHES. 


The  German  Evangelical  Church,  Schermerhorn  Street.— 
n  1843  a  few  German  residents  of  Brooklyn  began  religious 
?r\ices  in  their  own  language  at  the  Brooklyn  Institute, 
'rom  this  beginning  sprang  the  first  German  church  in  the 
ity,  which  was  org.  in  1845,  under  the  above  name;  the 
lembers  being  from  the  Lutheran  and  German  Reformed 
enominations.  During  their  occupancy  of  the  Brooklyn 
nstitute,  a  house  of  worship  was  erected  on  Schermerhorn 
treet,  near  Court,  of  brick,  and  seating  300.  In  1863  the 
•uilding  was  enlarged  to  45  by  80  feet,  increasing  the  sittings 
o  500. 

Pastors :    Walzer,  Dr.  Winklemann,  1845 ;  Revs. 

liller,  1846  ;  Herman  Garbechs,  1847-'65  ;  J.  Bank,  1866-'71  ; 
1.  F.  Hausmann,  1871-75  ;  and  the  present  Pastor,  Theodore 
)resel,  1875-'84. 

The  basement  is  occupied  by  an  English  Sunday-school,  on 
lunday  morning,  with  300  scholars,  and  by  a  German  Sunday- 
chool  in  the  afternoon,  with  200  scholars.  A  private  German 
nd  English  day-school  is  kept  by  L.  Goebel,  with  50  to  60 
cholars.  <~ 

St.  Johannes'  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church,  cor.  Graham 
venue  and  Ten  Eyck  street,  org.  1843,  by  the  Rev.  Mr. 
)elke.  At  first  the  congregation  worshiped  in  the  Pastor's 
wuse,  No.  128  Scholes  street.  In  1844  they  met  in  a  wooden 
aiilding,  at  the  corner  of  Graham  avenue  and  Remsen  street, 
n  1846  funds  were  raised  for  a  new  church,  mostly  from  the 
ongregation  itself,  and  the  building  completed  in  1847. 

In  1883  the  corner-stone  of  a  new  church  on  Maujer  street, 
lear  Humboldt,  was  laid,  which  is  of  Philadelphia  brick,  in 
>ure  Gothic  style,  60  by  100  feet,  with  belfry  and  spire  165 
eet  high.  The  interior  is  severely  Gothic,  with  hardwood 
inish.    The  cost  was  $50,000. 

Ministry :  Revs.  Delke,  1843  ;  Schwarz,  1843-'50  ;  Beisel, 
'lengat,  1850  ;  Pole,  1850-'54  ;  Christian  J.  Weisel,  1854-'76  ; 
Tucker,  1876-'78  ;  P.  Beyer,  1880-'84. 

Rev.  C.  J.  Weisel  was  a  man  of  deep  piety  who  had  felt  it 
lis  duty  to  go  out  into  the  world  and  preach  the  gospel  to 
>very  creature,  and  went  as  a  missionary  among  the  Jews  of 
NTew  York.  In  1854  he  was  called  as  Assistant  Pastor  to  St. 
Tohannes'  Church;  misunderstandings  arose,  so  that  Rev. 
3ole,  with  a  portion  of  the  congregation,  withdrew  in  1855, 
ind  formed  a  new  church  on  the  corner  of  Scholes  street  and 
Jnion  avenue,  leaving  Rev.  Mr.  Weisel  Pastor  of  the  old 
hurch.  He  served  with  great  acceptance  for  24  years,  and 
lied  April  12,  1876,  universally  mourned. 

A  large  school  is  connected  with  the  church,  of  which  G. 
)exle,  Wm.  Grietzmacher,  C.  I>»une  and  Mr.  Use,  have  been 
:he  teachers. 

The  St.  John's  Evangelical  Lutheran  Congregation  was 
organized  in  1867.    Some  of  the  more  active  members  were  : 


Christian  Koch,  Henry  H.  Lettmann,  Henry  Feis,  James  L. 
Jensen,  David  Plath  and  Henry  Gundlach.  They  at  first 
held  divine  services  in  Union  Hall,  on  Manhattan  avenue ; 
then  in  a  small  church  on  Leonard  street.  In  1869  the 
foundation  of  their  church  was  laid;  material,  wood;  cost, 
§16,000;  seating  capacity,  350;  church  membership,  about 
600  communicant  members;  Sunday-school,  300. 

Ministry :  Rev.  O.  Kaselitz,  1867-76 ;  Rev.  Theo.  Heisch- 
mann,  1876-"83;  Rev.  F.  W.  Oswald,  1883. 

There  is  also  a  parochial  school,  having  60  scholars  and  2 
teachers.  Since  April,  1883,  services  are  held  in  the  English 
language  on  Sunday  evenings.  A  Ladies'  Missionary  Society 
is  also  connected  with  the  church. 

The  Zion  German  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church,  Henry 
street,  near  Clark,  resulted  from  the  efforts  of  Rev.  Frederic 
William  Tobias  Steimle,  aided  by  Jacob  Goedel.  A  room 
for  worship  was  first  hired  in  Franklin  Building,  cor.  Nassau 
and  Fulton  streets,  in  1855;  when  in  1856  more  ample  quarters 
in  the  Juvenile  High  School  on  Washington  street,  and  then 
Concert  Hall  on  Henry  street,  was  purchased,  and  dedicated 
November  30, 1856.  The  cost  of  this  building  was  $14,000; 
and  about  $12,000  were  expended  on  repairing  and  refitting 
it.  Mr.  Steimle  was  Pastor  till  his  death,  Feb..  1879.  In  the 
following  June  the  present  Pastor,  Rev.  J.  F.  C.  Hennicke, 
was  called.  A  school  has  been  maintained  (both  in  German 
and  English)  in  connection  with  this  church. 

St.  Matthew's  English  Lutheran  Church,  corner  of  Clin- 
ton and  Amity  sts.,  was  organized  in  1858,  and  first  wor- 
shiped in  a  hall;  then  in  the  church  building  on  Atlantic 
ave. ;  then  in  State  st.  Having  purchased,  in  1879,  the  build- 
ing corner  of  Clinton  and  Amity  sts. ,  from  the  South  Pres- 
byterian Church,  they  now  hold  regular  services.  The  fol- 
lowing have  been  its  Pastors  :  Revs.  William  Hull,  1858-'61  ; 
John  Kuhns,  1861-'3;  I.  K.  Funk,  D.  D.,  1863-'72;  A.  Stewart 
Hartman,  1872-'4;  J.  I.  Burrell,  1874-'6;  M.  W.  Hamma,  D.D., 
1877-82  ;  J.  C.  Zimmerman,  since  December,  1882.  Seating 
capacity,  800.  Present  membership,  about  200.  The  Sunday- 
school  numbers  over  200.  This  church  has  English  services, 
and  belongs  to  the  General  Synod  of  the  United  States.  The 
American  Lutheran  Church  accepts  the  Augsburg  Confession 
as  a  correct  exhibition  of  its  creed.  This  church,  though 
conservative,  is  evangelical  and  progressive,  being  identified 
with  the  cause  of  Home  and  Foreign  Missions,  and  taking  an 
active  part  in  questions  of  moral  reform.  Its  present  Pastor, 
Rev.  J.  C.  Zimmerman,  was  born  in  Ohio,  1851 ;  grad.  Mt. 
Union  (O.)  Coll.,  1874,  and  Wittenberg  Sem.,  1876  ;  previous 
location,  Osborne,  O.,  1876-'82;  came  to  Brooklyn  in  1882. 

On  Nov.  10,  1883,  the  400th  Anniversary  of  Martin Luthers 
Birthday  was  celebrated  in  this  church,  in  which  many 
Protestant  clergymen  of  Brooklyn  2>articipated.    The  call 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


ST.  MATTHEW'S  ENGLISH  LUTHERAN  OHUBCH. 

was  signed  by  300  ministers.  Rev.  Henry  Ward  Beecher, 
Drs.  Thomas,  Peck,  and  Behrends  made  tlie  principal  ad- 
dresses on  the  life  and  -work  of  the  great  Reformer.  The 
church  was  too  small  for  the  large  audience,  and  many  were 
turned  away. 

St.  John's  German  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  was  or- 
ganized in  1866.  The  congregation  worshiped  in  a  Methodist 
church  in  Third  ave.,  till  1867,  when  their  present  house  of 
worship  was  completed  and  dedicated.  This  is  in  Prospect 
ave.,  between  Fifth  and  Sixth  aves.  It  is  a  wooden  struc- 
ture, with  a  brick  basement,  which  is  used  for  a  parochial 
school.    The  church  has  a  seating  capacity  of  350. 

The  first  Pastor  was  Rev.  A.  Reidenbach,  followed,  in  1*0*, 
by  Rev.  E.  J.  Geise,  and  he,  in  1873,  by  the  present  Pastor, 
Rev.  J.  Helmuth  Sommer. 

The  parochial  school  was  established  in  1866.  Instruction 
is  given  in  both  the  German  and  English  languages,  and  it  is 
both  relgious  and  secular  in  character.  The  average  attend- 
ance is  125. 

St.  Peter's  German  Lutheran,  Walworth  st.  and  DeKalb 
ave,  was  organized  in  1865.  Services  were  first  held  in  a 
small  chapel  in  Skillman  st.,  near  Park  ave.  In  1868,  the 
church  removed  to  Park  Avenue  Cliapel.  The  present  church 
edifice  was  1m  )U  ghl  in  May.  I  ^7n,  from  the  Puritan  Congrega- 
tional Society.  It  is  a  frame  structure,  50  by  110  feet,  in- 
cluding the  school  building  in  the  rear,  and  has  a  seating 
capaoitj  of  600.  The  number  of  communicants  is  alxjut  900. 
There  are  two  Sunday-schools  of  over  500  children.  In  1*7!), 
a  gallery  and  organ-loft  were  added,  and  a  new  organ  pur- 
chased.   In  L880,  the  auditorium  was  frescoed  and  decorated. 

In  1868,  a  parochial  school  was  established  :  and,  in  1*7H,  a 
new  school  building  erected,  adjoining  the  church.  This 
school,  in  English  and  German  '>as  teachers  and  100 
scholars. 

Miiiist)!/ :  Reva.  John  Zapf,  1860-4);  Dr.  Schubert,  Jan.- 
<»n.,  isfis-  |;,,|M.,-|  i  .  H,.,  r.  1*6*  '9  ;  <  has.  Goehling.  lH09-'78  ; 
John  .1.  lleiwhmnnn,  1*7*- X4. 


Rev.  John  J.  Heischmann,  born  in  Lyons,  N.  Y..  1858; 
grad.  Bloomfield  (N.  J.)  ColL,  1876,  and  Phila.  Theol.  Sem., 
1879  ;  is  Sec'y  of  Home  Mission  Soc.  of  Luth.  Ch.,  of  N.  Y.; 
editor  of  B'klyn  Luth.  Ch.  News,  1878-'83;  European  tetters. 
1*82;  located  in  B'klyn,  1878. 

St.  Luke's  German  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  wai  or- 
ganized in  1870.  The  first  place  of  worship  was  a  hall  in 
Cumberland  St.,  betwen  DeKalb  and  Lafayette  aves.  During 
the  year  1870,  the  congregation  purchased  from  the  Simpson 
M.  E.  Church,  for  $14,000,  the  church  building  on  Cadkn 
ave.,  near  Myrtle.  This  building  was  repaired  and  renovated 
at  an  expense  of  about  $3,500,  and  an  organ  was  purchased 
at  a  cost  of  $2,000.  In  1879,  SI, 000  were  expended  on  the 
Sunday-school  rooms. 

A  parochial  school  was  commenced  in  1870  ;  and,  in  1878, 
a  school-house,  adjoining  the  church,  was  built,  at  a  cost  of 
$5,000.  In  this  school,  instruction  is  given  in  German  and 
English.  The  school  has  four  teachers  and  seventy  scholars. 
Rev.  J.  II.  Baden  has  been  the  Pastor  from  the  organization 
of  the  church. 

St.  Paul's  Lutheran  Church  was  organized  in  1*72.  Its 
first  place  of  worship  was  a  hall  in  Columbia  street,  near 
Woodhull.  In  1S76.  a  church  edifice  was  erected  atthecorner 
of  Henry  street  and  Third  place.  It  is  a  brick  structure  with 
a  seating  capacity  of  600.  Its  cost,  including  site,  was 
$15,000. 

The  first  Pastor  w;is  Rev.  Robert  Neumann,  who  was  suc- 
ceeded in  1878  by  the  present  Pastor,  Rev.  John  Huppen- 

bauer. 

The  Norwegian  Seamen's  (  Lutheran)  Church  was  organ- 
ized in  July,  1*7*.  The  first  place  of  worship  was  a  hall  on 
the  corner  of  Van  Brunt  and  President  streets.  In  February, 
1*79,  the  church  property  of  the  William  street  M.  E.  <  'hun-h. 
between  Richard  and  Van  Brunt  streets,  was  purchased  for 
about  $11,000. 

In  addition  to  the  church  services  a  reading-room  is  main 
tained  here  for  such  Norwegian  sailors  and  others  as  may. 
from  time  to  time,  be  in  the  port.  Here  they  are  kept  from 
the  evil  influences  that  so  generally  surround  that  class  of 

people. 

Rev.  <  >.  Asperhem  was  the  first  Pastor,  succeeded  August, 
1**0,  by  the  present  Pastor.  Rev.  A.  Mortensen. 

Our  Saviour's  (Danish  )  Evan.  Luth.  Church,  for  BrooU]  D, 
New  York  and  vicinity.  The  Danish  Evan.  Luth.  Mission 
had  its  beginning  in  July,  1872,  when  the  Rev.  A.  LJ. 
Soholnt,  from  Denmark,  org.  a  congregation  at  Perth  Amhoy. 
N.J.  His  labors,  though  extended  to  various  places  in  te- 
states of  N.  Y.,  N.  .1.  and  Mass.,  were  yet  mostly  devoted  to 
this  Perth  Amhoy  enterprise,  and  to  the  Danish  emigrants 
arriving  at  Castle  Garden.  In  Perth  Aml>oy,  a  little  franx' 
church  (St.  Stephen's  Danish  Luth.)  was  erected;  and  Mr.  B 
labored  there  until  May,  1878,  when  he  removed  to  Wau- 
paca, Wis.,  to  take  charge  of  the  Danish  Luth.  Church  then  . 
Ho  was  succeeded  at  Perth  Amboy  by  Rev.  R.  Andersen;  but 
as  the  congregation  had  mostly  gone  to  the  West,  thechurch 
there  was  broken  up.  Mr.  Andersen,  therefore,  turned  bin 
attention  to  Brooklyn,  where  he  held  his  first  mission  ser- 
vice to  his  countrymen,  July  10,  187S,  in  a  house  [previously 
usedasaGer.  Pap.  Church),  No.  137  Twenty-second  st.,  near 
3d  ave.  Sept.  15,  he  opened  a  mission  in  Harmonia  Hall, 
Van  Cott  avenue,  Greenpoint.  E.  D..  preaching  also  in  N.  V 
to  emigrants  and  seamen.  Subsequently  the  Greciipoiiit 
meetings  were  held  in  St.  Johannes'  Ger.  Rvan,  Luth.  <  'Inn"'  - 
in  Leonard  street,  between  ( ireenpoint  avenue  and  ( 'olyer  M 
In  the  Spring  of  1*79,  he  commenced  mission  meetings  in 23d 
street,  Brooklyn,  in  a  hall  called  "Augsburg  ( "hapd,"  occii 
pled  by  the  Mission  S.  S.  of  the  Eng.  Luth.  St.  Mattbtw' 


ECCLESIASTICAL  OR  GANIZA  TIONS. 


1085 


luirch  in  Amity  street.  Mr.  Andersen  went  to  Denmark  in 
an,,  1881,  returning  in  May  to  the  care  of  the  "Augsburg 
'hapel"  mission  (which  was  afterwards  transferred  to  the 
Hitch  Ref.  denomination  in  connection  with  the  12th  St.  Ref. 
luiroh)  and  the  Greenpoint  Mission.  In  1882,  a  regular  mis- 
ion  was  begun  in  Jersey  city,  and  in  the  same  year  the 
Augsburg  Chapel "  enterprise  became  established  in  its  own 
uilding  (a  two-story  brick  house),  No.  193  Ninth  street,  the 
rst  floor  being  converted  into  a  neat  little  church,  and  the 
aeond  floor  occupied  as  a  parsonage.  This  new  home  was 
edicated  under  its  present  name,  on  Sunday,  Feb.,  1883;  and 
t  the  first  confirmation  held  within  its  walls,  April  15,  four 
ersons  were  confirmed.  Two  days  later  the  mission  was  duly 
rg.  as  a  congregation,  which  was  incorporated  June  Cth,  and 
ow  numbers  about  40  families  and  some  single  persons.  Its 
lembership  extends  over  New  York,  Brooklyn,  Greenpoint, 
Ioboken,  &c,  and  its  affairs  are  managed  by  nine  trustees, 
'he  church  seats  100  persons,  and  though  plainly  furnished, 
ossesses  (by  gift  of  a  friend)  a  fine  altar-piece  etc.  There  is, 
lso,  a  prosperous  Sunday-school. 

This  church  stands  in  connection  with  tne  jjanish  Luth. 
hurch,  both  in  Denmark  and  America,  and  with  the  Luth. 
:hurch  in  general.  Its  work  is  primarily  among  the  Danish 
nd  Swedish  churches,  and  those  who  remain  about  the  ports 
f  New  York,  Brooklyn  and  Jersey  city  for  awhile,  before 
;oing  "West. 

Rev.  Rasmus  Andersen,  born  1848,  at  Vedelshave,  Den- 
nark;  grad.  High  school  in  Ryslinge,  1871;  came  to  this 
and  in  June,  1871,  as  the  missionary  of  "the  Society  for 
'reaching  the  Gospel  to  Danes  in  America,"  and  a  similar 
ociety  for  preaching  to  Danish  sailors;  completed  his  theol. 
ducation  at  the  Augsburg  Sem.  at  Marshall,  Wis.;  was 
■rdained  June  26,  1872;  was  one  of  the  founders  of  Danish 
Svang.  Luth.  Church  in  America,  1872;  and  Secretary  of 
synod  for  some  years  ;  author  of  History  of  Evang.  Church; 
ormerly  in  Waupaca  and  Three  Rivers,  Wis.,  1872-'78; 
ettled  in  Brooklyn  September,  1878. 

Grace  English  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church,  at  present 
vorshiping  in  a  hall  on  the  N.  E.  cor.  Broadway  and  4th 
•t.,  was  org.  March  17,  1881.  It  is  the  only  English  Luth. 
Ilmrch  in  Eastern  Disk,  and  the  second  in  Brooklyn;  St. 
Matthew's  being  the  other.  The  communicant-members 
lumber  about  50,  although  a  much  larger  congregation  is  in 
egular  attendance.  Sunday-school  has  about  50  scholars, 
ind  is  growing.  The  church  is  connected  with  the  Synod  of 
N.  Y.  and  N.  J.,  and  is  supported  by  the  Home  Mission 
Board  of  the  Gen.  Synod  of  the  Evan.  Duth.  Ch.  Officers  : 
Rev.  G.  F.  Behringer,  Pastor;  John  Brissell,  J.  Fred.  Van- 
lenfauge,  Elders;  Geo.  Meier,  Jacob  Moller,  Geo.  Tonjes, 
Charles  Niemeyer,  Deacons;  L.  R.  Stegman,  C.  R.  Henry,  J. 
H.  Fahrenholz,  J.  A.  Beyer,  G.  Tonjes,  H.  Dick,  Trustees. 
Sunday-school:  Supt,  G.  F.  Behringer;  Asst.  Supt,  C.  R. 
Henry;  Sec,  Geo.  Meier;  Trcas.,  Chas.  Niemeyer. 

Rev.  George  F.  Behringer,  born  in  New  York,  Oct.,  1846; 
grad.  Cornell  Univ.,  1869,  and  Univ.  Leipzig,  1873;  was  Ass't 
'Prof.  German,  etc.,  at  Cornell,  1869-70,  and  Prof.  Rhetoric 
at  Howard  Univ.,  1874-75;  previous  locations,  Indianapolis, 
1877-'78;  Des  Moines,  1879-'81;  author  of  Life  of  Luther; 
came  to  Brooklyn,  1881.  { 

Harrison  Ave.  Church  of  the  Evangelical  Association  cf 
North  America  was  org.  January  10, 1876,  through  the  labors 
of  Rev.  E.  Glaesen,  Missionary,  who  preached  at  first  in 
Winter's  Hall  in  Harrison  ave.  Messrs.  G.  A.  Sebohner, 
Philip  Stark,  Ernest  Boehm,  F.  Boyen  and  Ulrich  Barth  were 
its  founders  and  first  trustees.  Three  lots  were  secured  in 
Harrison  avenue,  between  Gwinnett  and  Middleton  streets, 
M:m-h  1,  1876;  and  the  erection  of  the  present  parsonage  com- 


menced (cost  $3,500),  in  the  second  floor  of  which  church- 
services  were  held.  These  accommodations  soon  proving  too 
small,  a  church  edifice,  90  by  42  feet,  frame,  in  a  partly 
Gothic  style,  was  erected.  The  corner-stone  was  laid  July  8, 
1877,  and  the  church  ded.  Sept.  12,  1878.  It  has  a  seat- 
ing capacity  of  500,  and  cost  about  $12,000.  The  first  Pastor, 
Mr.  E.  Glaesen,  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  J.  P.  Schnatz,  May  1, 
1879.  He  remained  two  years,  during  which  the  church 
prospered;  and  was  followed  by  Rev.  F.  Kurtz,  the  present 
Pastor;  the  congregation  having  increased,  in  two  years, 
from  120  to  170  members.  The  church  sustains  a  Sunday- 
school  of  over  400  children.  The  services  are  all  in  the 
German  language. 

St.  Mark's  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church,  Evergreen  ave., 
op.  Jefferson,  org.  1868.  The  church  is  a  wooden  structure, 
seating  500  persons,  with  a  parsonage;  is  worth  about 
$20,000,  and  is  free  from  debt.  Rev.  G.  A.  Schmith,  Pastor, 
from  1868  to  March,  1871;  Rev.  August  E.  Frey,  from  March, 
1871,  to  1884.  The  church  has  prospered,  and  numbers  now 
1,000  communicants;  500  Sunday-school  scholars;  sustaining 
St.  Mark's  parochial  school  of  six  teachers  and  300  scholars. 

Mr.  Frey,  a  native  of  Germany,  born  in  1844;  educated  in 
Basse,  Switzerland.  He  was  first  located  in  Ghent,  Columbia 
Co.,  N.  Y.,  1868-71.  He  is  the  author  of  Chrstl.  Volks- 
Biblioihek  and  Missions  Bibliothck,  History  of  the  Reforma- 
tion, also  Editor  of  the  Evang.  Luth.  Mission  Blatt  for  8 
years,  and  of  Vergissmeinnicht. 

Evangelical  Lutheran  Emmanuel  Church  was  founded  in 
January,  1875,  by  Rev.  F.  T.  Koerner,  with  twenty  members. 
Services  were  first  held  in  Tuttle's  building;  afterwards  the 
church  on  South  Eighth  and  First  streets  was  purchased.  It 
is  a  brick  structure,  35  by  50  feet,  and  had  been  first  a 
Presbyterian  and  next  a  Jewish  church. 

The  edifice  was  refitted,  and  the  congregation  now  numbers 
six  hundred;  while  the  Sunday-school  has  two  hundred  and 
fifty  members,  and  the  day  school  has  a  hundred  pupils. 
The  congregation  helps  support  the  German  Home  for  the 
Destitute  and  Hospital,  at  East  New  York,  and  Mr.  Koerner  is 
a  member  of  the  Board  of  both  Institutions.  The  church 
belongs  to  the  Synod  of  Missouri,  Ohio,  and  other  States, 
which  includes  about  a  thousand  ministers. 

German  Evangelical  Mission  Church  in  Hopkins  St. — The 
first  attempt  for  the  gathering  of  a  German  mission  in  the 
21st  Ward  in  Brooklyn  was  made  in  the  year  1868.  In 
Throop  ave.,  between  Hopkins  and  Ellery  sts.,  the  English 
brethren  have  a  Mission  Chapel  (Sunday-school  building) 
which  they  offered  to  the  Germans  for  their  services.  Mis- 
sionary Hones  was  called  to  the  work,  but  he  was  not  suc- 
cessful. The  second  attempt  was  made  on  the  5th  of  July, 
1868,  when  Rev.  Henry  Loesch  was  called  as  a  minister; 
but  he  had  to  resign  in  a  short  time  (Feb.  10,  1870),  for  want 
of  hearers  and  success. 

On  the  15th  of  July  the  preseut  Pastor,  Rev.  John  Meury, 
accepted  the  call.  Ho  is  a  man  of  uncommon  energy,  pow- 
erful oratorical  talent,  and  high  cultivation,  together  with 
personal  cheerfulness  and  piety.  He  went  to  work  with  zeal 
and  courage.  The  meetings  and  services  were  attended  with 
growing  interest,  and  soon  the  locality  was  too  small  to  hold 
the  hearers.  On  Jan.  6th,  1871,  the  session  resolved  to  build 
a  church  edifice.  In  May,  1871,  the  congregation  was  incor- 
porated under  its  present  name.  Three  lots  in  Hopkins  st.,  be- 
tween Throop  and  Sumner  aves.,  were  purchased,  and  the 
building  commenced.  On  the  23d  of  Feb.,  1872,  the  new 
church  was  consecrated  and  occupied.  The  building  is 
constructed  in  the  most  solid  manner,  thoroughly,  of  brick, 
50x85.  The  spacious  main  ball  has  wide  galleries  all  around 
and  can  accommodate  1 1,000  persons.  The  basement  consists 


1086 


HIS TO Ii  Y  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


<>f  large  Lecture-*  torn,  ami  two  school-rooms  for  1G0  scholars 
of  the  parochial  school.  The  congregation  also  owns  a  par- 
sonage. 20x50;  brick  Imilding  with  French  roof.  The  church 
ami  parsonage  were  erected  at  the  cost  of  .$40,800.  The  con- 
gregation numbers  at  the  present  time  about  075  members. 
The  Sunday-school  is  regularly  attended  by  700-800  children. 
Tlu>  parochial  school,  witli  a  Cerman  and  an  English  teacher, 
has  180  scholars  now.  The  church  is  connected  with  the 
lYesbyterv  of  Brooklyn:  i-  in  a  flourishing  condition,  and 
fully  self-sustaining. 


Other  Lutheran  clergymen  residing  in  Brooklyn  are: 
Rev.  J.  P.  Beyer,  l>orn  in  Germany,  1832;  grad.  Concordia 
(Mo.)  College,  and  St.  Louis  Theol.  Sem.,  1855;  was  Pres.  of 
Eastern  District  Synod  of  Missouri;  formerly  at  Memphis, 
Tenn.,  1855-'58;  Altenburgh,  Mo.,  1858-*G3;  Chicago  1863-'70; 


Pittsburgh.  1*70-'80;  Brooklyn,  April  8,  1880-  84;  editor  Lu- 
theran Child's  Paper. 

Rev.  H.  Daeuexer,  born  in  Brunswick,  Germany,  1822: 
grad.  Holzminden,  1841;  and  in  theol.  at  Univ.  Gottingen, 
1844;  Memb.  Exam.  Coin  of  Ministerium  of  New  York. 
Pastor  St.  Mark's,  N.  Y.,  1856-'82;  in  Brooklyn  as  Emeritus, 
Oct.,  1882. 

Rev.  Carlslkx  Hai  si.kkn,  born  in  Norway,  1856;  grad. 
Christiana  Coll.,  1874,  and  Christiana  Univ.,  1880;  located 
Brooklyn,  1883. 

Rev.  Axpreas  Mortexsen,  born  in  Norway,  1840;  grad. 
Giertsen's  Coll.,  Christiana,  1872;  in  theol.  at  Royal  Fredrik's 
Univ.,  1877;  teacher  of  Theol.  Hist,  and  Lang.,  Christiana; 
Pastor  Norweg.  Luth.  Seamen's  Ch.,  in  New  York,  1SS0. 

Rev.  Albert  Rodeli,,  born  at  Grand  Island,  N.  Y.,  1*5:!; 
grad.  Augustaua  Coll.  (III.),  1875,  and  Augustana  Theol.  Sem.. 
1877;  editor  Augustana  Observer,  New  York;  located  in  Kan- 
sas City,  Mo.,  1877-80;  Brooklyn,  1880-'S4. 


UNITARIAN  CHURCHES 


CHURCH    OF    THE    SAVIOUR.  (nnTAr.uw.) 

First  Unitarian  Congregational  (<  hurch  of  the  Saviour). 
lliOTth  DMl  COt,  Eterrepont  s  t .  ami  Monroe  PI.  Unitarian  sor- 
,  toet  were  lirst  held  in  Brooklyn  in  1*33,  before  which  time. 
ihoM-  of  lilieral  religions  \  iew>  were  accustomed  to  attend  the 
I  n  t  I 'nit.  I  h.  in  ( "hamlMTrt  st..  New  York.  Several  meetings 
of  those  i n ten t.(ed  were  held  in  the  summer  of  1H33,  and  a 
church  org.,  comprising  the  following  among  it--  meinbeis: 
Josiah  Dow,  Seth  Low,  .John  Front,  W.  H.  I  'nr_\ ,   Ak>x.  H. 


Smith,  Wm.  II.  Hale,  Chas.  "Woodward,  Henry  Leeds, 
Thos.  Woodward,  Geo.  Blackburn,  Geo.  S.  Cary.  1'.  (I. 
Taylor,  Rich.  W.  Dow,  Jas.  Walters,  Joshua  Jolfonl 
and  Geo.  B.  Archer.    The  lirst  public  service*  won 
held  Aug.  17,  in  Classical  Hall,  Washington  st.  Rev. 
David  Hatch  Barlow  was  installed  Pastor  Sept.  17. 
1834.    He  was  a  graduate  of  Harvard;  "a  preacher 
and  poet  too,  of  no  ordinary  gifts.    Able,  cultural 
and  graceful,  he  won  sincere  respect  for  his  talents, 
as  also  affectionate  esteem  for  his  devotion  to  his 
parishioners.''    Ill  health  compelled  him  to  resign  in 
July,  1837.     He  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Frederick 
West  Holland,  from  April  1,  1838,  to  April  1.  IMS; 
who  also  was  a  graduate  of  Harvard  and  of  Cambridge 
Divinity  School,  "and  by  excellent  gifts,  intellectual 
attainments,  earnest  piety  and  great  energy,  was  well 
titled  for  his  work  in  life."    Meanwhile,  through  some 
differences  which  had  arisen,  a  Second  Unitarian 
Society  was  formed  Dec.  2,  1840,  by  twenty-two 
persons,  in  the  Brooklyn  Lyceum.    Rev.  F.  A.  Farl< •;■ 
was  installed  Pastor  of  the  new  society  Aug.  I,  IS4I  ; 
and  it  was  incorporated  Nov.   1,   18-11,  with  these 
Trustees:  Wm.  H.  Cary,  Chas.  Woodward,  Thos.  \ 
Morrison/Geo.  (  ollins,  Ben.  Blossom,  Wm.  K.  Tuck,  r, 
L.  W.  Thomas,  Joshua  Atkins  and  Joseph  L.  Brighum. 
Mar.  22,  1842,  the  two  churches  were  united  under 
Dr.  Farley  as  Pastor  and  worshiped  in  the  Hall 
the   Brooklyn   Institute  until  April  2,  1811.  The 
Trustees  of  the  Tinted  First  Unitarian  Church  wen 
Seth   Low,  President;  William  H.  Cary.  Pet«  G. 
Taylor,  Davit  Felt,  Charles  M.  Olcott,  L.  W.  ThofUM 
Joseph  L.  I/ird,  John  Greenwood  and  Ceorge  H. 
Granniss.      A   plot  of  land  on  Pierrejxmt   >t.  un.l 
Monroe  Place  had  been  purchased,  and  a  new  and  elegant 
church  erected,  which  was1  consecrated  April  24.  1  si  t.  :«  the 
Church  of  the  Saviour.    In  Nov..  1*03.  Dr.  I'arlev  preached 
his  farewell  sern  on,  after  twenty  years'  pastorate.    His  suc- 
cessor. Rev.   A.  P.  Putnam,  the  present  incumlwnt, 
installed  Sept.  2*.  I  SO  I     In  18fi5  the  society   established  it* 
Furman  st.  Mission  School,  and  about  the  same  time,  aided 
largely   in   forming  the  Brook h n  Christian  l.ilieral  Union. 


EC  CLESIA  STICAL   OR  GANIZA  TIONS. 


1087 


In  1865-  6,  a  beautiful  chapel  adjoining  the  church  was  Rev.  John  AVhitk  Chadwick  was  born  in  Marblehead, 
erected,  at  an  expense  of  $20,000,  besides  extensive  repairs  1840:  grad.  Bridgewater  Normal  School  1859:  Cambridge 
to  the  church.  In  1867,  it  dismissed  a  number  of  its  families,  Theol.  Sem.  1864;  author  of  Hie  Man  Jesus;  Faith  of  Reason; 
for  the  purpose  of  establishing  a  new  society  of  its  faith  in  Bible  of  To-Day;  Some  Aspects  of  Religion  ;  Belief  and  Life; 
South  Brooklyn,  and  gave  $10,000  for  the  erection  of  Unity    Origin  and  Destiny;  Book  of  Poems. 

Chapel.  It  has  about  300  communicants  and  a  Sabbath-  Third  Unitarian  Congregational  Society  (Unity  Chapel), 
school  of  thirty  teachers  and  200  scholars.  — September  30,  1867,  thirteen  persons  assembled  at  a  private 

Rev.  Frederick  Augustus  Farley,  born  in  Boston  1800;  house  in  Ryerson  st.  (to  take  the  initiatory  steps  towards  the 
grad.  at  Harvard  1818;  studied  law;  admitted  to  the  bar  1821;  [  establishment  of  a  society  of  the  Liberal  Faith  in  Central 
grad.  Harvard  Divinity  School,  1827;  settled  at  Providence  j  Brooklyn),  in  response  to  a  call  published  by  the  Rev.  A.  P. 
1828-  41;  came  to  Brooklyn  1841;  author  of  Unitarianism  in  !  Putnam,  Pastor  of  the  First  Unitarian  Society.  The  first 
U.  S.;  Unitarianism  Defined;  History  of  Brooklyn  and  L.  I.  i  Sunday  services  were  held  October  6,  1867,  in  an  upper  room, 
Sanitary  Fair,  1864;  resigned  pastorate  1863.  over  a  fish  market,  on  the  corner  of  Classon  and  Fulton 

Second  Unitarian  Church. — The  society  org.  Nov.  5,  1850;  aves.,  Rev.  Dr.  F.  A.  Farley  preaching  in  the  rooming  to  an 
held  its  first  public  service  April  20,  1851,  in  the  Brooklyn  (  audience  of  fifty,  and  Rev.  A.  P.  Putnam  in  the  evening,  to 
Female  Academy,  and  continued  to  meet  there  until  the  |  about  the  same  number.  At  the  same  place,  on  Dec.  3,  1867, 
building  was  burned  in  January,  1853.  The  society  then  j  some  thirty  persons  org.  the  Third  Unitarian  Society.  A 
occupied  the  Brooklyn  Institute  for  a  few  months;  and  next  Sunday-school  had  been  organized  on  the  29th  of  October 
the  Brooklyn  Athenaeum,  until  March,  1858,  when  a  church  previous. 

edifice  on  the  corner  of  Clinton  and  Congress  streets  was  Revs.  E.  J.  Galvin  and  H.  C.  Badger  supplied  the  church 
completed.  Of  cruciform  shape,  in  the  Anglo-Italian  style,  during  its  earlier  months.  The  preaching  of  Rev.  Robert 
with  fine  stained  windows  and  beautiful  interior  decorations,  Collyer,  Oct.  11,  1868,  gave  impetus  and  influence  to  the  new 
it  is  an  attractive  building,  and  was  the  first  departure  in  j  organization.  It  was  materially  aided  by  the  First  Unitarian 
Brooklyn  from  conventional  church  architecture.  Rev.  Society,  in  its  beginnings.  Seven  lots  on  Classon  ave.  and 
Samuel  Longfellow,  a  younger  brother  of  Henry  W.  Long-  j  Lefferts  st.  were  purchased,  and  the  corner-stone  of  Unity 
fellow,  served  as  Pastor,  with  great  acceptance,  from  Oct.  26,  Chapel  was  laid  Sept=  4,  1868.  The  dedication  services  were 
1853,  till  April  29,  1860,  when  he  resigned  for  rest  and  re-  held  Dec.  9,  1868.  The  chapel  and  lots  cost  $25,716.  Rev. 
cuperation.  Rev.  N.  A.  Staples  succeeded  him  Nov.  6,  1861,  Stephen  H.  Camp  was  installed  as  the  first  Pastor,  Oct.  6, 
and  served  as  Pastor  until  his  death  in  Feb. ,  1864.  Rev.  John  1869,  and  has  since  continued  to  officiate  in  that  capacity 
"W.  Chadwick  was  ordained  and  installed  as  Pastor  in  Dec. ,  1  with  marked  success. 

1864,  and  continues  to  officiate  till  the  present  time.  His  \  Rev.  Stephen  H.  Camp  was  born  in  Windsor,  Ct.,  1837; 
ministry  has  been  highly  successful  and  the  church  is  pros-  !  grad.  Meadville  (Pa.)  Theol.  Sem.,  1863;  Pastor,  Toledo,  O., 
perous.  This  society  has  always  represented  the  more  ad-  i  1864-'9 ;  .came  to  Brooklyn,  1869 ;  was  Chaplain  Corps 
vanced  and  rationalistic  element  of  Unitarianism.  |  d'Afrique  in  late  war. 


UNIVERSALIST  CHURCHES, 


For  many  years  previous  to  the  establishment  of  a  Univer- 
salist church  in  Brooklyn,  there  were  those  here  who  be- 
longed to  the  society  and  congregation  in  New  York  city, 
and  for  whose  convenience  meetings  were  held  from  time  to 
time,  on  this  side  of  the  river,  under  the  ministry  of  the  Rev. 
Messrs.  Mitchell,  Sawyer  and  others.  Finally,  in  1841, 
Messrs.  William  Burbank,  Hiram  K.  Haskins,  Wm.  Raynor, 
Edwin  Smith,  and  Morris  Reynolds  decided  to  rent  a  hall,  on 
the  corner  of  Fulton  and  Cranberry  sts.,  owned  by  Hon. 
George  Hall,  which  they  occupied  for  several  Sabbaths,  with 
preaching  by  Mr.  Sawyer  and  others.  This  experiment 
proving  successful,  they  applied  for  the  rent  of  the  hall  for 
the  term  of  a  year.  By  this  time,  however,  much  opposition 
had  been  aroused  among  the  orthodox  denominations  in  the 
city,  and  the  further  use  of  the  hall  was  denied  them  by  its 
owner,  on  the  ground  that  "  Brooklyn  was  bad  enough  with- 
outhaving  Universalism  preached  in  it."  At  this  juncture, 
however,  the  First  Unitarian  Society  offered  the  use  of  their 
church,  a  small  frame  building,  in  Adams  st.,  with  organ 
and  furniture  included.  This  was  accepted  ;  and,  under  the 
preaching  of  Rev.  Abel  C.  Thomas,  the  society  gained  mem- 
bers, and  determined  to  have  a  building  of  their  own.  Not 
being  strong  enough  to  effect  this,  however,  eight  gentle- 
men, viz.,  Abner  Chichester,  A.  C.  Thomas,  Wm.  Burbank, 
Wm.  Raynor,  Hiram  K.  Haskins,  E.  Winchester,  B.  A. 


Brewster,  and  Morris  Reynolds,  acting  on  the  suggestion  of 
the  last  named,  purchased  lots  on  the  north-west  corner  of 
Fulton  and  Pineapple  sts. ,  on  which,  in  January,  1843,  they 
commenced  the  erection  of  a  building,  the  lower  part  of 
which  was  used  as  stores  ;  and  the  upper  part,  including  a 
small  building  adjoining,  for  Sunday-school  purposes,  was 
leased  to  the  society  for  twenty-one  years,  with  renewals,  at 
$600  per  annum.  This  building  was  first  opened  and  occu- 
pied June  22,  1843,  by  the  newly  incorporated  society. 

The  First  Universalist  SocLty  (Church  of  the  Restora- 
tion).—The  Rev.  Abel  C.  Thomas  officiated,  from  the  Fall  of 
1842,  until  about  1844,  and  was  succeeded  by  the  Rev.  T.  B. 
Thayer.  In  the  great  fire  of  1848,  the  building  was  burned  ; 
and  the  society,  having  disposed  of  their  lots  on  favorable 
terms,  purchased  lots  and  erected  an  elegant  new  edifice,  on 
the  south-east  corner  of  Monroe  place  aqd  Clark  st.,  at  a 
cost,  including  lots,  furniture  and  organ,  of  about  $30,000. 
In  1851,  Rev.  Mr.  Thayer  was  succeeded  in  the  pastorate  by 
Rev.  H.  R.  Nye,  who  remained  until  1857,  and  was,  in  turn, 
succeeded  by  Rev.  Henry  Blanchard.  During  the  early  part 
of  his  ministry,  another  Universalist  Society,  called  the 
Church  of  the  Redeemer,  was  formed  by  some  of  the  younger 
portion  of  the  society.  In  the  early  part  of  1868,  a  removal 
farther  up  town,  and  nearer  the  cent.  3  of  the  parish,  was 
determined  upon;  and,  in  October  of  the  samo  year,  the  edi- 


I0s> 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


tiro  was  sold  to  llic  Su  edenhorgians  for  840,000,  leaving  the 
society  with  a  net  balance  of  about  $20,000.  Mr.  Blanchard 
resigned  the  charge  of  the  society.  January  1,  1869. 

The  Church  of  Our  Father.— In  1S6S,  the  Fourth  Society 
(or Church  of  the  Redeemer)  became  consolidated  with  the 
first  society  under  this  name.  In  the  Spring  of  that  year, 
Rev.  K.  C.  Holies  became  Pastor,  and  a  chapel  was  erected 
on  Clermont  ave.  He  resigned  in  1869,  and  Rev.  H.  R.  Nye 
was  recalled  in  1N70.  In  1879,  the  chapel  was  sold  to  the 
(  lasson  Avenue  Presbyterian  Church,  and  a  church  building, 
on  State  st.,  near  lloyt,  was  occupied  during  one  year.  In 
1880,  Mr.  Nye  resigned,  and  the  congregation  removed  to  the 
Conservator*  Building,  corner  of  Fulton  st.  and  Bedford 
ave.,  where  they  have  since  worshiped. 

Ix)ts  were  purchased  at  the  corner  of  Lefferts  place  and 
Grand  ave.,  and  a  tine  church  edifice  erected  in  1883.  The 
main  audience-room  is  70  by  80  feet,  and  the  vestry,  or 
Sunday-school  room.  30  by  60  feet  ;  and,  as  the  latter  is  so 
arranged  that  it  can  be  made  a  part  of  the  main  room,  the 
total  seatiugs  will  accommodate  1,200  persons.  The  pews  are 
arranged  on  the  amphitheatre  plan.  The  style  of  architec. 
ture  is  Byzantine;  the  material  used,  Trenton  pressed  brick, 
terra  cotta  trimmings,  and  ornamental  stone.  The  roof  is  of 
slate,  and  the  ceiling  of  iron,  resting  on  columns.  The  pews 
and  all  interior  fittings  are  of  hard  wood.  The  walls  and 
ceilings  are  tastefully  decoratvd,  and  the  windows  of  stained 
glass.  The  church  includes  in  its  plan  commodious  parlors, 
dining-room  and  kitchen.  The  architect  is  Mr.  L.  B.  Valk, 
whose  system  of  ventilation  is  used  in  the  building.  A 
square  tower,  100  feet  in  height,  rises  from  the  Fulton  st. 
side  of  the  building.  The  entire  cost  is  almut  $35,000.  The 
present  Pastor,  Rev.  A.  J.  Canfield,  entered  on  his  duties  in 
May,  1881.    The  condition  of  the  society  is  prosperous. 

AWut  the  jTear  1870,  a  mission  was  established,  and  a 
chapel,  called  The  Centenanj  Chapel,  was  erected  in  Nos- 
trand  avenue;  and  here  services  were  held  during  several 
yean.  This  mission  finally  became  united  with  the  Church 
of  Our  Father,  and  a  mission  school  was  established  in 
Broadway. 

Mr.  Canfield  was  born  in  Broome  county,  N.  Y.,  1N40  ; 
grad.  Union  Coll.  Theol.,  Canton,  N.  Y. ;  ord.  1862  ;  previous 
location,  Concord,  N.  H. ;  frequent  contrib.  to  The  Leader, 
etc.,  etc. 

All  Souls'  Universalist  Church.  South  9th  st.,  near  Fourth. 
— This  society,  originally  known  as  the  First  Universalist  So- 


ciety of  Williaiiisburgh,  was  started  with  nineteen  members, 
iu  April,  1845,  through  the  efforts  of  a  few  residents  of  the 
village  of  Williaiiisburgh,  who  had  formerly  been  connected 
with  the  Orchard  St.  (N.  Y.)  Society,  of  which  Rev.  Dr. Thomas 
J.  Sawyer  was  then  Pastor.  The  first  services  weie  laid  in  a 
small  chapel  on  Second  street.  The  little  band  worshiped 
there  for  three  years,  growing  in  numbers,  until,  in  1848,  at 
a  cost  of  $7,000,  a  church  was  erected  at  the  corner  of 
Fourth  and  South  Third  streets. 

The  first  Pastor  was  Rev.  Henry  Lyon,  who  served  till 
1849,  succeeded  by  Rev.  Day  K.  Lee,  until  1854.  Iu  18R, 
Rev.  Bernard  Peters,  of  Cincinnati,  was  called  and  served 
with  much  efficiency  until  1863.  Rev.  A.  J.  Canfield  ser\.tl 
as  Pastor  for  five  years,  and  was  followed,  in  1870,  by  Re*. 
Almon  Gunnison,  who  yet  occupies  the  pastorate. 

In  May,  1873,  the  present  church  edifice,  known  as  Ail 
Souls'  Church,  was  dedicated.  Two  years  later,  a  new  cha|>el 
was  erected.  The  church  property  extends  through  the  entire 
block,  the  church  facing  on  South  Ninth  st.,  the  chapel  on 
South  Tenth,  the  two  joined  together  in  the  rear.  The  build- 
ings are  commodious,  having  all  the  appointments  neet  ssary, 
and  were  erected  at  an  expense  of  eighty  thousand  dollar-. 
They  are  free  from  debt. 

The  first  trustees  of  the  society  were  :  George  Ricard. 
William  B.  Miles,  Joseph  Stanley,  William  Dillingham. 
Theophilus  W.  Smith,  Milton  Wooley,  Amos  Smith. 

The  first-named  of  these,  George  Ricard. was  elected  Prari- 
dent  of  the  Board,  holding  the  office  for  thirty-five  years  until 
his  death.  A  marble  memorial  tablet  was  erected  by  his  rela- 
tives in  the  church,  commemorative  of  his  life  and  works. 

The  church  organization  has,  at  the  present  time,  upwanh 
of  three  hundred  members,  the  Sunday-school  numbering 
four  hundred. 

The  following  are  the  present  officers  of  the  church  :  Rev. 
Almon  Gunnison,  D.  D.,  Pastor:  B.  W.  Wilson,  Wni.  H. 
Gaylor,  E.  S.  Seeley,  George  H.  Fisher,  Wm.  E.  Brier, 
Clarence  E.  Lyon,  James  B.  Perkins,  Trustees. 

B.  W.  Wilson,  George  E.  Moulton,  Mrs.  S.  A.  Jarvis, 
Supts.  of  the  Sunday-school.  A  Young  People's  Association, 
and  other  auxiliary  organizations,  are  maintained. 

Rev.  Almon  Gunnison,  D.  D.  (St.  Law.  Univ.),  was  born 
in  Hallowed.  Me.,  1844:  grad.  Tuft's  Coll.  and  St.  I  aw  rem  v 
Univ.  Theol.  Dept.,  1868;  is  Trustee  of  St.  Law.  Univ.; 
located  at  Bath,  Me.,  1868-71;  B'klyn,  1871-84;  author  of 
Rambles  Overland,  1883;  Assoc.  Ed.  of  Christian  Ixader. 


JEWISH  SYNAGOGUES. 


Congregation  of  Beth  Israel. — To  obviate  the  incou- 
vciiience  of  crossing  to  New  York  to  attend  worship,  a  small 
number  of  Israelites,  in  1856,  organized  an  independent  con- 
gregation in  Brooklyn,  with  M.  Erlich  as  President.  A  room 
was  hired,  and  services  were  conducted  by  such  clergymen  as 
could  1"  procured,  till  Rabbi  Joel  Alexander  became  Pastor. 
A  building  for  a  synagogue  was  erected  during  the  presi- 
dency of  Solomon  Furst,  Esq.,  on  the  corner  of  State  st.  and 
Boerum  pi.,  at  a  cost  of  $10,000.     It  was  completed  and 

dedicated  Aug.  81,  1802. 

A  scIi.hiI  wis  established  for  the  instruction  of  children  in 
the  Hebrew  language  and  it  has  continued  at  intervals  since. 

The  congregation  was  at  first  stricth  orthodox;  but,  m  1879, 
it  adopted  certain  reforms.  Rabbi  Alexander  was  sum  cded 
by  Rabbi  Vdolph  liesslcr. 


The  Congregation  of  Beth  Elohim,  founded  in  October, 
1861,  by  a  secession  from  the  Congregation  Israel,  is  mainh 
composed  of  German  Israelites.     Shortly  after,  the]  |'»r 
I  chased  the  edifice  formerly    known  as  t'alvan  Protestant 
j  Episcopal  Church,  in  Pearl,  between  Concord  and  Naswti 
streets,  at  a  cost  of  $5,100:  which,  together  with  an  e.\|*  n*  : 
$2,000  for  alterations,  was  cheerfully  Iwrne  by  acongre^'t' oi 
of  only  fifty  members.    This  edifice  was  dedicated  Man  h  I 
1S62:  ami  in  February.  1S70.  the  fine  edifice  previoush 
cupied  by  the  ('(Mitral  Presbyterian  Church,  in  Scheruierhorii 
between  Towers  and  Nevins  streets,  was  purchaw  d,  at  a  "  • 
of  $55,000.  Previously  to  this  time.  also,  t  he  congregation 
conducted  their  religious  services  according  to  the  ortbodnJ 
ritual;  but  they  adopt.  .!,  and  on  the  19th  of  February.  !s;' 
inaugurated  the  moderate  reform  sen  >'  '  - 


ECCLESIASTICAL  ORGANIZATIONS, 


1080 


In  1871,  the  building  was  repaired  and  remodeled,  and 
familv  pews  were  substituted  for  the  former  seats.  An  organ 
was  at  this  time  purchased.  George  Brandenstein  has  been 
the  Rabbi  in  charge  from  the  founding  of  the  congregation; 
and  to  Moses  Hess,  Samuel  Hess  and  S.  Rosenburg,  this  con- 
gregation is  largely  indebted  for  its  prosperity. 

Temple  Israel,  in  Greene  ave.,  bet.  Carlton  and  Adelphi.  — 
A  number  of  intelligent  Hebrews  of  Brooklyn  assembled 
Nov.,  1869,  at  33  Douglass  street  (A.  Fleischauer's),  and  or- 
ganized a  temple  whose  services  are  ia  English,  except  the 
Psalms.  Their  first  place  of  worship  was  the  rooms  now 
occupied  by  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  Fulton  ave.  and  Gallatin  place, 
occupied  Jan.  1,  1870.  The  present  temple  was  purchased 
from  the  "Church  of  the  Redeemer  "in  1878.  Its  seating 
capacity  is  800.  The  membership  is  about  70  families.  The 
Sunday-school  has  100  children.  The  first  Rabbi  was  Rev. 
B.  C.  Lewin,  succeeded  by  Rev.  Mr.  Lasker,  1874-'76;  Rev.  S. 
Moshe,  l876-'80;  Rev.  E.  M.  Chapman,  1880-'84. 

Rev.  Edward  Maurice  Chapman,  born  iu  London,  Eng., 
1854;  grad.  Jews'  Coll.  inTheol.  and  London  Univ.,  1874;  was 
Prof,  of  Hebrew,  East  London  College,  1872;  Asst.  Supt.  Heb. 
Orphan  Asylum,  New  York,  1877-78;  located  at  Hartford, 
Ct.,  1878-'80;  B'klyn,  1880-84. 

Congregation  Temple  Beth  Elohim,  Brooklyn,  E.  D. — 
The  congregation  Beth  Elohim,  now  worshiping  in  the 
beautiful  Temple  on  Keap  st,  Brooklyn,  E.  D.,  was  started 
about  30  years  ago,  by  15  Israelites,  who  met  every  Sabbath 
and  holidays,  in  a  modest  place  of  worship  on  the  North  side 
of  Williamsburgh,  for  which  the  annual  rent  of  $150  was 
paid.  To  become  a  member  of  that  religious  society,  the 
payment  of  an  initiation  fee  of  $3,  anl  the  annual  contribu- 
tion of  $6,  was  required.  The  first  officiating  Hasan  (Reader) 
of  the  Congregation  was  Mr.  Barnard. 

As  the  Jewish  population  increased  in  Williamsburgh, 
this  Congregation  became  stronger  in  membership,  till  they 
were  able  to  buy,  in  1860,  the  building  on  the  corner  of  South 
First  and  Eighth  sts.,  now  the  German  Lutheran  Church 
"Emanuel."'  This  they  reconstructed;  and  it  served  to  the 
,  Congregation  as  a  Synagogue  till  1876,  when  it  was  sold  to 
the  above-named  congregation,  and  the  Temple  on  Keap  st. 
v.-as  dedicated. 

In  the  old  Synagogue,  Mr.  Eiseman,  an  old  member  of  the 
Congregation  performed  the  ministerial  duties  for  a  number 
of  years;  and  then,  in  succession,  Revs.  Gotthold,  Rubin  and 
others  officiated.  The  form  of  worship  was  conducted  ac- 
cording to  the  orthodox  ritual.  When  the  Congregation 
resolved  to  adopt  the  ritual  of  the  modern  reform  school,  a 


considerable  number  of  the  conservative  members  withdrew, 
and  formed  a  separate  orthodox  Congregation,  whose  Syna- 
gogue is  on  Johnson  ave.  Since  that  time  a  new  era  has 
begun  for  the  Beth  Elohim  Congregation.  The  new  Temple 
on  Keap  st.,  near  Division  ave.,  was  erected  at  a  cost 
of  $50,000;  its  size,  60x100  feet;  its  seating  capacity  about 
800;  and  its  material,  Philadelphia  brick,  with  brown-stone 
trimming.  It  is  the  largest  and  finest  Jewish  house  of  wor- 
ship in  Brooklyn,  and  is  counted  among  the  handsomest 
edifices  of  the  "City  of  Churches." 

The  first  regular  Rabbi  and  preacher  of  this  Congregation 
was  Rev.  Dr.  Grossman,  who  was  succeeded  by  Dr.  Schwab, 
who  resigned  to  accept  a  ministry  in  St.  Joseph,  Mo.  The 
present  Rabbi  of  the  Temple  is  the  Rev.  L.Wintner,  Dr.  Ph., 
who  has  occupied  the  Beth  Elohim  pulpit  since  October,  1S7K, 
and  is  also  the  Superintendent  of  the  Sabbath-school. 

The  number  of  Sabbath-school  pupils  has  increased,  mak- 
ing necessary  alterations  in  the  lower  part  of  the  Temple  for 
the  purpose  of  more  school-room  accommodations:  and  re- 
quiring also  more  salaried  teachers. 

The  present  officers  of  the  Congregation  are  :  Pres.,  Moses 
May;  V.  Pres.,  M.  Hessberg;  Treas.,  N.  Bernstein;  Secy,  H. 
Meyers.  Trustees :  M.  Kessel,  Morris  Adler,  Ph.  Strauss,  I. 
Igelheimer,  Henry  Newman,  M.  Levy.  Rabbi,  Rev.  L. 
Wintner,  Ph.  Dr.;  Reader,  Rev.  E.  Halff;  Sexton,  I. 
Smith. 

Rev.  L.  Wintner,  Ph.  D.,  A.  M.,  born  in  Hungary,  1834, 
studied  in  Imp.  Univ.,  Vienna,  and  Jena  Univ.,  Germany, 
and  Rabbinical  schools  ;  grad.  Univ.  Tubingen,  Germany; 
came  to  America  1863;  teacher  theol.  and  modern  languages 
in  Mobile,  Louisville,  Jackson  and  St.  Paul;  minister  in  St. 
Paul,  1871-3;  and  Detroit,  1873-6  ;  was  in  Europe,  1876-'8; 
came  to  Brooklyn,  1878. 

Other  Rabbis  residing  in  Brooklyn  are:  Rev.  Dr.  I.  Mayer, 
born  1809,  in  Bavaria;  grad.  Theol.  Sem.  at  Frankfort-on-the- 
Main,  1834  ;  former  locations  Cincinnati,  Rochester,  Hart- 
ford, 1870;  author  of  Ben  Sirah,  1853;  Hebrew  Grammar, 
1856  ;  Source  of  Salvation,  1874  ;  located  in  Brooklyn,  May, 
1883. 

Rev.  Sal.  Moshe,  born  in  Germany,  1843;  grad.  from 
Royal  Sem.  1860,  and  Theol.  Sem.  at  Breslau,  1862;  previous 
locations,  Germany  and  New  Orleans,  La. ;  came  to  Brooklyn 
1874. 

Ahavis  Achim. — A  society  of  reformed  Jews  of  the  Eastern 
District  was  established,  and  their  Sepher  Tore,  or  Book  of 
the  Law,  dedicated  at  the  hall,  corner  of  Meserole  and  Ewen 
streets,  August  31,  1869 




MISCELLANEOUS. 


Christian  Church  of  the  Evangel —In  1860,  a  movement 
was  inaugurated  iu  the  Seventeenth  AVard  of  Brooklyn,  then 
the  village  of  Greenpoint,  to  establish  a  religious  body  which 
should  be  independent  of  existing  sects,  and,  at  the  same 
time,  thoroughly  in  sympathy  with  all  Christians  and  Chris- 
tian work. 

Through  the  efforts  of  Mr.  W.  H.  Corwith  and  others,  an 
organization  was  effected  under  the  name  of  the  Greenpoint 
Mission  Society,  which  held  its  first  meeting  in  a  carpenter's 
*hop  in  Eckford  st.,  on  June  24,  1860. 

A  Sabbath-school  was  conn,  cted  with  the  enterprise,  and  a 
number  of  persons  became  identified  with  it  by  letter  and 
profession  of  faith.    Elder  Moses  Cummings  was  connected 


with  the  society  for  a  year  and  a  half,  after  which  Ids  place 
was  supplied  by  Rev.  I.  C.  Tryon  and  others  until  August  8, 
1862,  when  E.  W.  Lockwood  was  chosen  to  preach.  About 
this  time  the  old  house  standing  on  the  cor.  of  Leonard  and 
Collyer  sts.,  formerly  owned  by  the  Baptist  Church,  was 
hired  by  the  society,  which  on  Jan.  5,  1863,  directed  its  pur- 
chase. On  March  1,  1863,  the  trustees  were  authorized  to 
buy  two  lots  in  Leonard,  near  Meserole  st.,  and  move  the 
building  thereon.  This  having  been  effected,  the  house  was 
repaired,  and  on  April  11,  1863.  ded.  At  the  same  time 
E.  W.  Lockwood  was  ordained  to  the  ministry.  He  re- 
signed June  12,  1864.  Rev.  S.  S.  Nasor  commenced  his  work 
in  June,  1865,  but  died  in  the  following  August.    Rev.  E.  G. 


1090 


HIS TO  It  Y  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Hauleubeck,  of  New  York  City,  preached  six  months,  begin- 
ning with  January,  1866. 

In  July.  1*66.  the  society  secured  Mr.  Martyn  Summorbell 
for  the  remainder  of  the  year:  Dec.  20,  1867,  lie  was  or- 
dained; May  4.  1868,  live  persons  were  baptized  (by  immer- 
sion) by  the  Pastor. 

To  promote  acquaintance  in  the  now  growing  congrega- 
tion, a  "  Ladies'  Social"  was  inaugurated  on  July  15,  and 
Nov.  10,  1869.  May  23,  1869,  under  a  decree  of  the  Supreme 
Court,  the  Longregation  adopted  the  legal  title  of  the  First 
Christian  Oong.  ( 'hurch,  of  Grcenjmint,  and  was  consolidated 
with  the  Suffolk  St.  Church  of  New  York  City. 

In  Nov.,  1872,  the  church  adopted  its  present  Manual, 
an  1.  with  permission  of  the  Supreme  Court,  received  its 
present  name.  The  Christian  Church  of  the  Evangel. 

From  this  time  forward  the  growth  of  the  church  under 
Mr.  SummcrbeH's  pastorate  was  constant  and  healthful.  In 
1*75,  it  was  decided  to  erect  a  new  edifice.  In  1876,  the  old 
house  was  removed  to  the  rear  and  remodelled;  and  on  Sept. 
88,  1*76,  the  corner-stone  of  the  new  building  was  laid,  the 
M  taoaic  Order  and  the  New  York  State  Christian  Asso.  par- 
ticipating in  the  ceremonies.  The  plan  of  building  only  as 
the  bills  were  met  was  strictly  adhered  to;  and,  on  Christmas. 
1*7*.  t  ie  edifice,  furnished  and  carpeted,  was  formerly  ded. 
for  worship  The  building  is  semi-Gothic,  covering  two  city 
lots,  and  will  seat  about  400.  It  is  substantially  constructed, 
with  frame  filled  to  the  plates  with  brick,  and  finished  out- 
side with  wood.  The  inside  finish  is  of  hard  wood,  chestnut, 
Oak  and  black  walnut.  It  is  conveniently  supplied  with 
baptistery  infant  clas3,  and  retiring  rooms,  and  is  connected 
with  the  chapel  at  the  rear.  The  tasteful  effect  of  its  interior 
furnishings,  contrasting  well  with  the  stained-glass  windows, 
is  much  admired.  The  tower,  surmounted  with  belfry  and 
gilded  cross,  rises  to  the  altitude  of  nearly  one  hundred  feet. 

In  July,  1880,  Mr.  Sumnierbell  resigned  to  take  pastoral 
charge  of  the  Franklin  St.  Christian  Church  in  Fall  River, 
Mass.,  after  a  service  of  exactly  fourteen  years.  In  Septem- 
ber, 1880,  Rev.  E.  A.  Hainer  commenced  his  lalwrs  and  still 
remains  Pastor. 

Rev.  Edwin  A.  Hainer,  born  in  Burford,  Oat.,  1856;  grad. 
New  Market  High  Sch.,  1874;  Christian  Bib.  Inst.,  1880;  lo- 
cated New  Market,  1874;  West  Eimelburg,  1873;  Franklin, 
1876;  Brooklyn,  1880. 

Other  ministers  of  the  Christian  denomination  are: 

Rev.  John  Ball  Cook,  born  at  Livingston,  N.  J.,  1804; 
grad.  Succasunna  Acad.,  N.  J.,  1829;  and  Newton  Theol. 
Bern.,  1833;  located  Cincinnati,  Middletown,  Rochester, 
Binghamton,  Brooklyn,  1869;  author  of  Reviews,  Tract i, 
and  Diagram  of  Prophecy. 

The  Brooklyn  Society  of  the  New  Jerusalem  (Swedenbor- 
giani.  —  Lay  services  were  commenced  at  private  parlors  in 
April,  is.",;,  liy  Bomc  twenty-five  Swedenborgians,  and  con- 
tinued for  ah  mt  a  year.  In  May,  1857,  the  hall  of  the  Acad- 
emy on  ('linton  street,  near  Pierrepont,  was  secured  as  a 
place  of  worship,  and  the  occasional  services  of  a  minister 
ware  enjoyed.  In  Oct.,  1838,  Mr.  James  E.  Mills,  alicentiate. 
of  Boston,  became  minister,  and  a  society  under  the  above 
name  wai  organized  June  15,  1*59.  Tin >  increase  of  members 
rendered  a  removal  to  (he  Athen.eum  building,  corner  of 
•  linton  and  Atlantic  streets,  necessary  in  1*60;  and,  at  the 
same  time,  a  soeiety  (hat  had  worshi]>ed  at  Dodsworth's 
V  .idem  .  united  with  this.  June  5,  1 S01 ,  Mr.  Mills  was  in- 
tailed  I'.i  i  ,;.  Tlii'  h  xi  •(  y  was  accept  -d  a  s  a  member  of  the 
ileii'-ral  ('•iim-iitiou  in  isfi-j.  In  Oct..  I*:'.::,  Mr.  Mills  resigned. 
Hid  for  a  year  I  i\  •  r\  l  i  s  wi  re  held,  with  occasional  preach 
ing.  January  *,  |^;\  1 1  ■  •  ■  present  Pastor,  Rev.  J.  C.  Agcr, 
entered  on  his  duties.     In  February  of  the  same  year,  tin'  in- 


crease of  the  congregation  necessitated  another  removal,  ami 
the  chapel  of  the  Polytechnic  Institute  was  secured.  Here 
the  congregation  worshiped  during  four  years.  The  Churok 
of  the  Restoration,  corner  of  Monroe  place  and  Clark,  was 
purchased,  with  organ  and  furniture,  at  $40,000,  and  upward 
of  *6,500  expended  in  repairing  and  decorating  the  interior, 
and  Feb.  21, 1869,  the  edifice  was  dedicated.  Dr.  R.  C.  Moffat 
has,  from  the  begiuning  of  the  society,  been  a  prominent  and 
active  member,  and  its  leader  whenever  without  a  Pastor. 

Rev.  John  Curtis  Ager,  born  1835,  at  Warner,  N.  H.; 
grad.  Urbana  (O.)  University,  1858;  studied  at  Newton.  Man 
Theol.  Sem.;  was  Prof.  Mental  Phil,  and  Eng.  Lit.  at  Urbana, 
1858-'61;  previous  location,  Brooklinc,  Mass.,  1801  -'4 ;  Editor 
New  Jerusalem  Messenger;  located  i:i  Brooklyn,  1S65. 

Rev.  John  Eschuann,  born  in  Zurich,  Switzerland,  1817; 
grad.  City  Gymnasium,  1835;  Zurich  Theol.  Sem.,  Switzer- 
land, 1839;  located  New  York,  1845;  and  East  New  York, 
1869;  was  itinerant  missionary  in  North-west;  author  of  pub. 
fermons,  catechism  and  several  translations. 

The  First  Moravian  Church  of  Brooklyn  w  as  organized  in 
1854,  by  some  members  of  the  Moravian  Church  in  New  Y<  rk 
city,  who  had  become  residents  of  Brooklyn.  In  that  year  a 
frame  building  was  erected  on  Jay  street,  near  Myrtle  av<  am 
and  consecrated  September  10th.  September  24,  186*.  ii  u  it- 
destroyed  by  fire,  and  the  present  brick  church  structure,  v.  r.L 
a  parsonage,  was  at  once  erected  on  its  site,  at  an  expense  of 
$24,000.    It  was  dedicated  Oct.  10th,  1869.  It  has  400  sittings. 

The  Pastors  of  this  church  have  been:  Revs.  Joseph  Hum- 
mer, 1854-'8,  Edward  Kluge,  1859-60;  Edwin  E.  Reinke,  part 
of  1860;  Herman  Brickenstein,  1861-'4;  Isaac  Prince,  L8M; 
Edward  Ronthaler,  1866-  73;  Charles  B.  Schultz,  1*74-7; 
Charles  Ricksecker,  1878;  Win.  Henry  Rice,  1879-'*0;  anil 
the  present  Pastor,  Edward  S.  Wolle,  1880. 

The  Church  of  the  Blessed  Hope. — This  society  was  org. 
in  1879.  The  members  had  belonged  to  other  Advt  nt  churches; 
but  they  organized  this  society  in  accordance  with  viem 
which  they  had  come  to  hold,  different,  in  some  respects,  from 
those  of  other  adventists.  Their  place  of  worship  is  a  chapi  I 
in  Cumberland  street.  Rev.  J.  B.  Cook  has  been  the  Past,  r 
from  the  organization  of  the  society. 

Rev.  GEORGE  R.  KRAMER,  born  in  Baltimore,  1839;  educated 
Dickinson  Seminary,  Pa;  located  in  Augusta.  Ga. ;  Staunton, 
Va.;  Wilmington,  Del.;  built  Independent  Church  in  l  itter 
place;  came  to  Brooklyn,  1S82;  author  of  pub.  sermons  and 
poems. 

Life  and  Advent  Church  was  organized  about  IS'.'.  I  - 
place  of  worship  has  been  Brooklyn  Institute,  on  Washington 
street.  It  has  had  no  settled  Pastor,  but  has  maintained  n  gu- 
lar  worship.  The  pulpit  has  been  supplied  by  Revs.  F.  1' 
Burhank,  \Y.  N.  Pile,  Brown  and  others.  There  are  in  Brook- 
lyn several  small  societies  of  Ailvcntists  termed  "Brethren," 
who  maintain  worship  in  accordance  with  their  view-. 

Union  Chapel  was  first  established  as  Columbia  Union  Mis- 
sion in  1*4*,  in  a  hall  on  the  corner  of  Smith  and  Butler 
streets.  In  1852,  it  was  removed  to  a  small  hall  in  Union 
street,  and  during  the  warm  part  of  the  year,  services  »•  N 
held  in  a  tent  on  a  vacant  lot.  In  1S51,  the  mission  iva- 
burned  out,  and,  during  two  years,  services  were  held  in 
Hamilton  avenue,  in  a  room  furnished  by  Anson  Blake,  Esq 

Thence  it  was  removed  to  Columbia  street,  near  Summit, 
where  services  are  still  held.  It  is  non-sectarian  in  its  char 
BOter,  and  during  its  long  existence  it  has  accomplished  much 
good.  From  the  organization  of  the  mission  till  1**1,  a  |"orio>l 

of  more  than  thirty  years,  it  has  I  n  under  the  pastoral 

charge  of  liev.  Josiah  West.  He  and  his  wife  have  girii  I 
large  portion  of  their  lives  to  this  self-denying  work,  1m 
mission  is  now  known  by  the  name  of  Union  Chapel 


HISTORY 


OF  THK 


SUNDAY-SCHOOL  WORK 


IN 


BROOKLYN. 


THE  development  of  the  Sunday-school,  as  an  institution 
for  teaching  the  Heaven-revealed  truths  of  the  Bible, 
has  occupied  for  both  hemispheres  but  a  little  more 
than  a  hundred  years;  sixty -six  of  these  jears  have 
received  the  thoughts  and  the  activity  of  the  gentleman 
whose  portrait  is  on  the  opposite  page. 

The  Sunday-school  in  a  New  England  country  town,  in 
1816,  had  strength  enough  to  tempt  the  lad  of  eleven  years 
to  engage  in  its  ever-increasing  work;  and  as  age  matured 
judgment  and  strengthened  reflection,  this  institution  per- 
meated his  life  with  its  influence,  and  caused  him  to  devote 
the  whole  of  his  time,  talents  and  substance,  in  later  years,  to 
the  Sunday-school  cause. 

While  it  is  no  part  of  the  design  of  these  volumes  to  write 
history,  much  less  biography,  beyond  the  events  that  have 
xcted  and  reacted  upon  our  city  life  and  development,  society 
and  character,  so  subtle  are  these  influences,  and  so  inter- 
twined that  it  is  impossible  to  set  forth  either  without  tracing 
em  to  some  extent  from  their  source  to  their  issue.  This 
lone  justifies  a  narration  here  of  such  examples  as  are 
apable  of  imitation  by  any  and  every  layman  who  would 
ingle  his  higher  obligations  with  the  every-day  transac- 
ions  of  his  life. 

The  individual  who  directs  his  efforts  to  the  promotion  of 
he  higher  interests  of  his  race  is  the  only  person  who  occu- 
rs a  normal  position  in  society.  It  is  the  glory  of  the 
iunday-school  system,  as  it  is  of  the  Gospel  method,  to  mul- 
iply  moral  teachers;  nay,  to  virtually  resolve  the  community 
nto  two  classes— teachers  and  taught.  Lessons  are  drawn 
irectly  from  the  only  text-book  which  contains  motives  of 
sufficient  power  to  restrain  the  passions  or  affect  the  will. 

Unfortunately,  all  human  experience  has  shown  how  diffi- 
cult is  the  task  of  influencing  the  adult  mind  in  a  way  con- 
rary  to  cherished  wrong  opinions,  and  of  changing  long- 
ixed  evil  habits  of  thought  or  action.  It  is  obvious,  there- 
ore,  that  the  Gospel  teachings  must  be  brought  to  bear  upon 
lie  minds  and  hearts  of  the  young,  before  evil  has  gained 
■upremacy  there.  The  steel  must  be  forged  while  it  is  plas- 
10,  the  streamlet  must  be  turned  before  it  has  become  the 
iver.  Whether  the  first  attempts  to  gather  in  the  children 
or  Sabbath  instruction,  a  hundred  years  ago,  were  inspired 
nore  by  pity  for  their  neglected  condition  or  by  a  desire  to  do 
?ood  for  the  Master's  sake,  the  result  exceeded  even  the 
lopes  of  the  pioneers. 

Not  speaking  of  the  schools  of  the  catechumens,  Luther's, 
^dox's,  Borromeo's  or  Haecker's,  none  of  which  were  Sun- 
lay-schools  in  the  modern  sense,  the  first  organization  in 


which  the  teaching  was  done  by  the  lay  element  was  founded 
by  Robert  Raikes  in  1780,  at  Gloucester,  England,  where  he 
at  first  placed  twenty  children  under  the  care  of  Mrs.  King, 
for  Sunday  instruction,  in  her  cottage  in  Catherine  street. 

The  progress  of  the  Sunday-school  system,  from  that  small 
beginning  to  this  present  time,  when  fifteen  millions  of 
scholars  are  under  religious  instruction  on  the  Lord's  day, 
has  been  truly  marvelous.  The  advance  that  has  taken  place 
from  the  "  shilling-a-day  teachers,"  employed  by  Raikes,  to 
this  period,  at  which  something  near  two  millions  of  volun- 
tary teachers  are  engaged  in  Sunday-school  instruction,  is 
the  most  wonderful  movement  of  the  nineteenth  century. 
Its  origin  was  humble;  it  owes  its  success  neither  to  lavish 
expenditure,  love  of  display,  or  the  patronage  of  the  great. 
It  is  the  result  of  Christian  devotion  consecrating  the  Sab- 
bath to  the  religious  education  of  the  young.  Its  greatest 
glory  is  that  it  is  voluntary;  free  and  Scriptural.  Starting  in 
Gloucester,  England,  it  has  been  carried  to  every  quarter  of 
the  civilized  globe,  itself  being  the  greatest  of  civilizing 
agencies  and  the  means  best  adapted  to  that  universal  dif- 
fusion of  Christianity  which  is  to  usher  in  its  ultimate 
triumph.  It  has  brought  about  the  unprecedented  recogni- 
tion of  the  influence  and  importance  of  childhood  that 
characterizes  this  century.  Robert  Raikes  and  his  com- 
peers, mindful  of  the  command — "  Feed  my  lambs" — began  to 
pay  attention  to  the  wants  of  children;  true  religion  in- 
creased; the  world  grew  more  spiritual  as  the  Sunday-school 
work  took  hold  of  the  people's  time,  thought  and  energies; 
until  after  a  single  century,  Pastor,  adults  and  children  meet 
to  study  the  Word  of  God,  binding  by  one  topic  and  o::e 
text  the  nations  of  the  world  in  the  international  lessons. 

The  Sunday-school  germ  soon  extended  to  America,  where 
schools  are  said  to  have  been  established  by  Bishop  Asbury, 
in  Virginia,  in  1786;  by  Bishop  White,  in  Philadelphia,  in 
1791;  by  Katy  Ferguson,  a  colored  woman,  in  New  York,  in 
1793;  and  by  Mrs.  Graham,  in  1801,  who  had  seen  the  schools 
in  England,  and  on  returning,  taught  poor  children  in  her 
own  house  in  New  York. 

About  1809  the  churches  in  America  assumed  charge  of  the 
schools  and  made  the  instruction  more  exclusively  religious. 
Since  1848  special  attention  has  been  given  to  planting  and 
sustaining  Mission  schools. 

Brooklyn  Sunday-School  Union  Society.    A  meeting  wa 
held  March  27,  1816,  to  organize  a  society  in  the  village 
of  Brooklyn,  similar  to  the  Sunday-School  Union  Society  in 
New  York,  whose  object  was  to  give  gratuitous  religous  in- 
struction to  children  on  the  Sabbath  day,  and   to  unit-- 


1002 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Christians  in  this  benevolent  undertaking.  As  a  result  of 
this  meeting,  the  Brooklyn  Sunday-School  Union  Society  was 
formed,  adopted  a  constitution  April  8th,  and  subsequently 
a  code  of  rules,  issued  by  Joshua  Sands,  President ;  Andrew 
Men-fin  and  Abraham  Remsen,  Vice-Presidents;  Thoinas 
Sands,  Treasurer :  Rev.  John  Ireland,  Secretary ;  William 
Cornwall,  Robert  Bache,  David  Anderson,  Jonathan  G. 
Pray,  Joseph  Harris,  Robert  Snow,  and  Alexander  Young, 
Directors.  In  July,  1821,  circulars  were  issued,  inviting  the 
people  to  join  the  Brooklyn  Sabbath  Union  for  the  promotion 
of  Sunday-schools,  offering  instruction  to  all  without  price; 
great  attention  was  promised  to  the  "  manners  and  morals  of 
scholars."  The  first  celebration  of  the  Union  was  held  in 
1S29,  at  the  Sands  Street  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  In 
1S38,  Messrs.  Charles  Clark,  R.  J.  Thorn,  I.  Peet,  and  some 
others  of  different  denominations,  arranged  to  hold  a  Monthly 
Teachers'  Concert  for  Prayer,  Reporting  and  Conference, 
which  was  sustained  for  many  years.  Cyrus'  P.  Smith  was 
President  of  their  organization,  Jno.  X.  WyckofT,  Jno.  Dike- 
man,  Mce-l*residents,  and  Wm.  E.  Whitney,  Treasurer. 

As  before  noted,  these  earlier  schools  were  largely  missions, 
to  which  business  men  gave  of  their  time  and  means;  while 
delicate  ladies  did  not  hesitate  to  explore  lanes  and  tenement 
houses  in  search  of  new  members  for  the  schools.  "  Thou- 
sands of  dollars  were  expended  for  clothing  and  food  for 
destitute  children.  Thanksgiving  day  was  celebrated  with 
the  zeal  of  which  only  the  poor  and  hungry  were  capable. 
It  was  not  unusual  to  see  a  mission-school  boy  leave  such  an 
entertainment  with  a  lot  of  apples  inside  his  shirt,  belting  his 
lxxly  just  al>ove  the  waist-band,  while  caps  were  often  util- 
ized for  secreting  cake,  candy,  and  even  pumpkin  pies;  for 
home  consumption."  Some  of  these  schools  still  exist,  while 
many  have  gone  into  permanent  church  organizations,  such 
as  the  Prince  Street  Mission  of  1832,  from  which  came  in  1847 
the  church  which  is  now  the  Brooklyn  Tabernacle;  the  South 
Brooklyn  Mission  of  1840,  out  of  which  grew  the  South 
Presbyterian  Church;  the  Navy  Mission  of  1844,  now  merged 
into  Mayflower  Mission;  the  Bethel  Mission  of  1 841,  now  in 
a  commodious  building  on  Hicks  st.,  near  Fulton;  the  Warren 
Street  Mission,  liegun  in  Freeman's  Hall,  Amity  st.,  1847,  now 
the  Pilgrim  Chapel  ;  the  City  Park  Chapel,  organized  as  a, 
mission  in  1841;  the  Bowler  Mission,  now  Olivet  Chapel ;  the 
Throop  Avenue  Presbyterian  Mission;  the  Rochester  Avenue 
Mission,  now  the  Church  of  the  Mediator;  besides  many 
others  that  might  lie  named.  ^>  ( 

The  Sunday-School  Union  was  reorganized  in  1854  upon 
B  different  basis,  and  took  substantially  its  present  form.  It 
\\a>  divided  into  committees,  thus  : — Albert  WoodrufT,  ( 'hair- 
man,  Congregational;  John  R.  Morris,  Secretary,  Presby- 
terian .  J.  M  B.  Rogert,  Joseph  H.  Field,  Ellis  S.  Potter, 
Informed;  Thoina.- R.  Harvey,  K.  Marx,  Moravian  :  A.  D. 
Matthews,  John  ( '.  Smith,  R.  S.  Slocum,  Protestant  Upis- 
ropal :  Peter  Bairn.  (Jeo.  YV.  Bleerkcr,  .J.  V.  Harriott.  Bap- 
tist :  \.  A.  Smith,  J.  W.  Judaon,  F.  A.  Fisher,  Chas.  Clark. 
' '.  (  '.  Mudge,  R.  M.  Hubbard,  Presbyterian  ;  Silas  Daven- 
port, Sidney  Sanderson,  H.  X.  Holt,  C'angretjatioiial :  Samuel 
Cirt.-r.  Wm.  I'.dsall,  Win.  H.  Brown.  MeHiodist. 

The  presiding  officers  have  l»een  as  follows:  Allicrt  Wood- 
ruff. 1S54-Y,  ;  F.  A.  L-unbert,  isr.G;  Andrew  A.  Smith,  1857 
07;  s.  L  Parsons,  1867-8;  James  McGec,  180!»;  A.  B.  Cas- 
well, 1870-'l;  Israel  Barker.  1872-7;  Benjamin  Baylis,  1878- 
"*2;  Ocorge  A.  I5ell,  lSS;}-'4.  The  present  ollicers  are:  (ieorge 
A.  Bell,  Pres.:  Silas  M.  Ciddin^s,  Vice-Pres.;  F.dwin  Ives, 
Cor.  Sit.;  John  R.  Morris,  /.'<<•.  See.;  .lames  R.  Lott,  Treas.: 
U.  II.  Underbill.  Counsel.  Monthly  meetings  have  U-en 
held,  at  which  rc|»orts  of  the  work  of  the  Union  an' 
given. 


Systematic  Visitation.  —  This  important  work  of  the 
Union  was  carried  into  effect  for  several  years,  begin- 
ning in  1854,  and  with  excellent  results,  under  the  direc- 
tion of  Mr.  Albert  Woodruff,  Chairman  of  the  Missionary 
( 'onunittee.  The  city  was  divided  into  districts  and  :u--s:^ni  .1 
to  the  different  churches,  so  that  each  visitor  had  the  bow  r- 
vision  of  eight  or  ten  families,  and  every  family  had  the 
help  of  a  sympathetic  friend.  Many  neglected  children  \v<  re 
gathered  into  Sunday-school,  and  the  word  of  God  carried 
to  those  who  did  not  attend  church  services;  the  Christian 
activity  of  the  churches  was  greatly  quickened  and  re- 
warded, and  a  wonderful  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  followed. 
The  work  was  so  practical,  so  well  adapted  to  engage  and 
reward  Christian  labor,  to  reach  those  who  need  to  have  thi 
gospel  brought  to  them,  that  its  equal  has  not  yet  lieen  found. 
We  look  in  vain  to  a  Bureau  of  Relief,  to  ingenious  methods 
of  avoiding  imposition,  to  outside  associations  of  any  kind, 
however  wisely  and  benevolently  designed  to  take  the  place 
of  the  body  of  Christ  in  bringing  about  the  salvation  of  any 
community.  Of  late  years,  however,  systematic  visitation 
has  given  place  to  the  work  of  the  Board  of  City  Iff —fun a 
and  its  missionaries. 

An  interesting  feature  of  the  Sunday-School  Union  li;  - 
becn  its  anniversary  celebration  and  parade.  The  first  up- 
held Tuesday,  June  2(')th,  1838,  when  nineteen  schools  look 
part;  (Ieorge  Hall,  the  first  Mayor  of  Brooklyn,  was  chairman 
of  the  committee  on  arrangements.  At  the  May  parade  •  i 
1883,  sixty  thousand  children  were  in  line,  from  172  schools. 
In  the  spring  of  18G4  the  Union  was  incorporated,  and  b\ 
special  act  of  the  Legislature,  in  1871,  it  was  authorized  to 
erect  and  maintain  a  public  building  for  its  uses.  It  is  pro- 
posed to  unite  with  the  Young  Men's  Christian  Associate  i 
in  erecting  an  edifice  suitable  for  the  accommodation  of  both. 

The  Union  is  conducted  by  a  board  of  thirty-six  manager* 
divided  into  ten  standing  committees  of  six  each,  which  bsr< 
their  separate  special  work  for  the  year.  The  value  of  tin' 
chapels  and  buildings,  used  almost  exclusively  for  the 
schools  connected  with  the  Union,  is  many  hundred  thous- 
and dollars.  The  libraries  at  last  report  numben  .  *■ 
volumes,  and  cost  not  less  than  $50,000,  while  the  money  an- 
nually contributed  for  benevolent  purposes  reaches  a  laro 
amount.  The  Sunday-sc  hool  scholars  of  Brooklj  n  are  M  on 
in  seven  of  the  population,  in  New  York  as  one  in  eleven. 

Mn.  Albert  Woodruff's  interest  in  Sunday -schools  was 
early  awakened.  When  be  came  from  his  Massachusetts homi 
to  Now  York  City,  in  1827,  to  begin  bis  long  and  ]uos|>en>ii" 
career  as  a  merchant,  he  also  entered  into  the  Simd.i)  -c  li  - 
work.  First,  he  became  Superintendent  of  the  Sunday- 
school  in  Dr.  Spring's  Church,  in  Beekman  St.,  then  of  the 
one  in  Public  School  No.  1,  Centre  St.,  near  the  present  rite 
of  the  Hall  of  Records.  It  is  worthy  of  note,  thai  in  this 
school  were  first  heard  some  of  the  ]K>pular  Sunday-SBbool 
songs  that  have  since  sung  themselves  around  the  world.  \ 

little  liyinn-1  k  was  published  containing  the  words 

music  of  "I  want  to  lie  an  Angel,"  "There  is  a  Happ} 
Land."  "  I  think  when  I  rend  that  sweet  story  of  old."  :m>l 
"  We  won't  give  up  the  Bible."  Then  crossing  the  rivi  r hi 
superintendent  in  the  Church  of  the  Pilgrims;   then  "f  Kai 
ners'  <  'hurch  Scho<  .1  in  Main  st.;  of  the  one  in  Olll  I 
Hall;  then  Warren  St.  Mission:  several  of  these  schools  «»r 
organized  by  him.    Mr.  Woodruff  was  diligent  in  barf* 
and  his  lirm,  which  was  first   K.   V.  X    \.  Woodruff, 
then  WoodrufT  .V  Robinson,  became  one  of  the  foMBOSl 
in  their  line.    Mr.  Woodruff  bail  thus  come  Into  promim  ' ' 
as  a  Sunday-school  worker;  be  was  connected  with  the  '<  ' 
York  Salibath-School  Union;  was  a  long  time  Vtca-Pwsl 
dent  of  the  Amerii -an  Sunday-School  Union,  and  w  l'" 


SUNDAY-SCHOOL   WORK  IN  BROOKLYN. 


lo»3 


first  President  of  the  Brooklyn  Sabbath- school  Union,  as  else- 
where stated;  but  for  the  past  twenty  years,  he  is  best  known 
by  his  work  in  connection  with  the 

Foreign  Sunday-School  Association. — In  1856,  Mr.  Wood- 
ruff laid  aside  the  cares  of  business  for  a  time,  and,  with  his 
family,  made  a  pleasure  tour  in  Europe;  expecting,  at  the 
same  time,  to  observe  the  moral  condition  of  the  people 
among  whom  he  traveled,  and  to  sow  good  seed  by  the 
way.  In  Paris,  he  remarked  the  universal  desecration 
of  the  Sabbath,  both  by  the  government  in  carrying  on 
public  works,  and  the  people  in  their  pursuit  of  business 
and  pleasure.  Knowing  the  futility  of  any  appeal  to  adults, 
!ie  felt  it  a  duty,  as  well  as  a  privilege,  to  introduce  into 
pleasure-loving  France  the  Sunday-school  methods  that  had 
proved  so  powerful  for  good  in  England  and  America.  There 
were  but  few  Protestant  Sunday-schools  in  all  France,  and 
they  imperfectly  organized,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that 
eighty  years  had  elapsed  since  such  schools  had  been  opened 
across  the  channel.  Mr.  Woodruff  procured  from  America 
a  supply  of  our  Sunday-school  music,  children's  papers,  and 
:  Sunday-school  books  adapted  for  use  in  France  ;  and,  during 
^iay  of  six  months,  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  six  schools 
in  active  operation  as  the  result  of  his  efforts,  and,  which  was 
even  better,  the  attention  of  French  Protestants  awakened 
to  the  wondrous  possibilities  of  the  Sunday-school  system. 
Their  gratitude  to  Mr.  Woodruff  took  the  form  of  a  public 
farewell  meeting,  just  previous  to  his  return  to  America. 

In  1861,  he  again  visited  Europe,  for  the  purpose  of  estab- 
lishing Sunday -schools,  remaining  more  than  two  years,  ex- 
tending his  travels  through  several  countries,  and  establish- 
ing schools  wherever  practicable. 

Italy  was  then  ripe  for  the  new  movement,  because  of  her 
emancipation  from  the  temporal  power  of  the  Pope,  and  the 
progress  of  civil  and  religious  liberty,  but  there  was  not  a 
Protestant  Sunday-school  within  her  borders,  and  Sabbath 
instruction  by  lay  teachers  was  unknown.  Mr.  Woodruff 
established  the  first  Sunday-school  in  Naples,  in  connection 
with  a  little  Scotch  assembly,  whose  Pastor,  Mr.  Buscarlet, 
said:  '"Your  Sabbath-school  is  just  what  I  want.  I  have 
been  praying  to  the  Lord  these  eight  or  ten  weeks  past,  that 
He  would  show  me  how  to  set  my  people  at  work,  and  here 
I  have  the  answer."  At  the  first  meeting,  the  American  mode 
of  conducting  Sunday-schools  was  described  through  an 
interpreter,  and  a  number  of  young  men  and  women  signified 
their  willingness  to  become  teachers.  A  school  was  formed, 
which  soon  increased  to  eighty  pupils,  mostly  boys  ;  for,  at 
that  day,  few  women  or  girls  could  be  persuaded  to  attend  a 
Protes'.ant  meeting  of  any  kind.  Afterwards,  an  association 
of  young  people  commenced  a  systematic  visitation  from 
house  to  house,  and  gathered  together  another  school.  In 
Florence,  the  Italian  patriot,  Gavazzi,  was  preaching  the 
Gospel  in  his  own  hired  house.  He  kindly  acted  as  inter- 
preter to  the  meeting  that  was  called  ;  and,  from  his  knowl- 
edge of  the  schools  in  England  and  America,  assisted  mate- 
rially in  organizing  a  school. 

Anti-Protestant  bigots  afterwards  prevented  the  securing 
3  of  a  suitable  place  for  holding  meetings;  and,  during  Gavaz- 
zi s  absence,  the  congregation  and  Sunday-school  were  scat- 
tered. Another  school  that  was  opened  in  Florence  was  in 
connection  with  a  day-school.  The  teacher,  Damiano 
Bolognini  acted  as  interpreter  in  presenting  the  Sunday- 
school  idea  to  the  people;  became  the  Superintendent  of  the 
school,  and  afterwards  editor  of  the  Youth's  Journal,  called 
the  Scnola  della  Dominica,  or  "Sunday-school,"  a  little 
weekly  sheet,  for  whose  publication  Mr.  Woodruff  provided, 
that  soon  attained  a  large  circulation,  and  was  of  material 
assistance  in  extending  the  new  work. 


After  the  beginning  thus  made  in  Italy,  Mr.  Woodruff 
passed  through  Southern  Germany  to  Munich.  He  found  the 
German  nation,  so  great  in  numbers,  power,  learning  and 
genius,  to  be  sadly  wanting  in  spiritual  life.  In  his  attempts 
to  establish  a  school  in  Munich,  he  met  with  the  strongest 
opposition.  One  said:  '  Such  schools  cannot  bo  wanted  i:i 
Germany;  our  children  hate  the  name  of  school,  for  they  arc 
compelled  to  go  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet  all  the  week,  and  to 
the  catechism  on  Sunday  besides."  At  Heidelberg,  Mr.  Brockel- 
mann,  the  interpreter,  exclaimed:  "This  Sunday-school 
is  what  we  want  to  give  religious  life  to  Germany.  This  will 
cure  Germany  of  its  social,  political  and  skeptical  evils."  So 
strongly  was  he  impressed  that  he  devoted  himself  wholly  to 
the  Sunday-school  cause,  acting  as  interpreter  for  Mr.  Wood- 
ruff through  the  remainder  of  bis  travels  in  that  country. 

In  Stuttgart,  a  German  friend  was  requested  to  call  to- 
gether some  Christians,  that  they  might  learn  the  American 
method  of  conducting  Sunday-schools.  When  he  was  asked 
why  no  ladies  attended  the  meeting,  he  said  in  astonishment: 
"  Is  it  contemplated  to  make  women  teachers  of  religion  in 
Germany?"  "  Yes,  certainly,"  was  the  reply.  "  In  England 
and  America  they  do  more  than  half  the  teaching."  "  But  it 
would  not  be  German  to  invite  them,"  he  answered,  "and 
would  not  be  permitted." 

In  Halle,  the  effort  to  establish  a  school  was  successfully 
made.  Two  hundred  girls  were  soon  under  instruction. 
There  was  at  the  University  of  Halle,  a  theological  student 
from  New  England,  who  had  not  lost  sight  of  the  children, 
but  boldly  putting  his  hand  to  the  work,  soon  brought  in  a 
hundred  boys  to  the  same  school.  This  union  of  the  sexes, 
for  educating  the  conscience  under  the  restraint  of  religion, 
was  quite  a  new  thing  in  Germany. 

In  Berlin,  the  highest  preacher  in  the  realm  gave  a  lettt  r 
recommending  Mr.  Woodruff  to  his  clergymen,  some  of  whom 
called  together  their  best  membership,  both  men  and  women, 
to  inquire  of  them  whether  lay-teaching  and  Sabbath-schools 
were  a  possibility  in  Germany.  One  lady  of  benevolent  dis- 
position had  invited  the  servant  girls  of  the  neighborhood  to 
spend  an  hour  each  Sunday  in  social  enjoyment,  light  work 
and  reading.  Among  them  was  made  the  first  attempt  in 
Berlin  to  organize  a  Sunday-school.  It  failed,  but  the  good 
woman  caught  the  idea  and  spirit  of  the  work,  invited  in  her 
friends  for  teachers,  and  the  youth  as  pupils,  and  still  re- 
mains the  successful  superintendent  of  a  large  and  flourishing 
school.    Similar  incidents  occurred  in  various  places. 

Although  Germany  is  the  home  of  music,  Ler  i  eligious 
songs,  for  adults  and  children  alike,  were  in  heavy  chorals. 
Mr.  Woodruff  urged  repeatedly  that  the  Sunday-schools 
must  be  enlivened  by  the  introduction  of  the  American  soul- 
stirring  melodies,  but  met  the  reply  "that  would  not  be  Ger- 
man, and  cannot  be."  "  But,"  he  insisted,  "these  melodies 
have  stirred  the  whole  religious  world  through  the  Sunday- 
schools."  "  No  matter,"  was  the  answer,  "  they  are  only  lit 
for  our  beer-shops;  nay,  it  was  thence  you  Americans  and 
English  imported  them."  "  But,"  returned  Mr.  Woodruff, 
"  we  have  baptized  them ;  and  your  own  Luther  says :  the  devil 
must  not  have  all  of  the  best  music."  A  visit  to  the  great 
organist,  Haupt,  won  from  him  the  opinion  that  "religious 
worship  by  children  was  most  appropriately  performed  in 
melodies,"  which  he  consented  might  be  published  in  the 
children's  paper,  although,  as  he  said,  "  it  will  bring  the 
musical  wrath  of  Germany  upon  me."  Marx,  the  great 
vocalist,  approved  the  religious  melodies  like  "There  is  a 
happy  land."  which  was  soon  published  in  Die  Sonntags- 
schule,  with  the  tune  also  of  "  I  want  to  be  an  angel;"  and 
now  the  children  throughout  Germany,  where  there  are  to-day 
about  3,000  schools,  30,000  teachers,  and  300,000  scholars,  are 


lu9-t 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


singing  Sunday -school  melodies.  Money  was  needed  for  the 
support  of  the  Sabbath-school  paper.  "  Could  it  be  raised  in 
Berlin  'i  "  "  No,  not  in  all  Germany,"  was  the  reply.  "Ger- 
mans do  not  give  money  to  such  things."  But  a  few  days' 
elTort,  and  the  help  of  some  English  architects,  procured  the 
nece.ss.iry  funds,  and  to-day  the  paper  is  more  tlian  self-sus- 
taining. Mr.  Woodruff  remained  longer  in  Germany  than  in 
any  of  the  other  European  countries,  because  of  the  import- 
ance of  the  lie!d.  The  geographical  position  of  Germany,  her 
political  prominence  and  influence,  the  extent  and  profound- 
ness of  her  literature,  her  increasing  commerce  and  her  insti- 
tutions generally,  are  all  favorable  for  a  restoration  of  those 
evangelical  principles  which  once  placed  her  in  the  front  rank 
of  reforming  nations. 

In  Holland,  a  great  deal  of  interest  was  felt  upon  the  sub- 
ject. One  lady  had  just  published,  at  her  own  expense,  a 
Sabbath-school  hymn  book,  containing  some  twenty  tunes, 
but  not  one  of  them  had  a  note  in  it  shorter  than  the  semi- 
breve.  A  large  and  influential  assemblage  gathered  in 
Amsterdam  and  resolutions  were  passed,  since  pretty  well 
kept,  that  Sabbath-schools  should  be  introduced  into  every 
city  and  village  in  Holland.  At  Rotterdam,  a  Sabbath-school 
was  established  in  the  same  room  where  the  meeting  was 
held.  While  these  meetings  were  held  in  the  evenings,  the 
days  were  pleasantly  and  profitably  spent  with  groups  of 
earnest  individuals,  anxious  to  learn  all  that  could  be  known 
by  description  of  these  schools.  A  Sunday-school  Union  is 
now  at  work  in  Holland  to  give  the  system  to  the  Nether- 
lands, where  the  seeds  of  civil  and  religious  liberty  were 
germinated  for  the  blessing  of  mankind. 

In  Switzerland,  Mr.  Woodruff  found  that  rationalism  had 
spread  like  a  blight  over  the  land  of  Zuingle  and  Calvin. 
Through  his  exertions,  several  well-organized  schools  were 
established.  There  a  Union  committee  was  enabled,  with  the 
help  of  Rev.  Mr.  Jaulmes-Cook  and  his  good  lady,  to  extend 
Sabbath-schoola  over  the  Canton  de  Vaud  and  afterwards 
over  other  parts  of  Switzerland.  In  Geneva,  was  organized 
a  school  of  more  than  a  hundred  boys  and  girls,  superin- 
tended by  the  pious  and  gifted  wife  of  Merle  d'Aubigne,  the 
historian  of  the  Reformation.  Later,  the  Sabbath-school 
Union  was  placed  among  the  National  Societies,  and  its 
meetings  called  together  one  of  the  largest  religious  assein- 
Uies  in  Switzerland. 

Mr.  Woodruff's  return  to  America  in  no  degree  diminished 
hi-  interest  in  the  foreign  work  that  hail  been  so  happily 
begun,  and  he  was  appointed  by  the  Board  of  the  American 
iiiicitjn  ami  Christian  Union  an  Associate  Secretary,  with 
special  reference  to  the  Sabbath-school  Department  which 
they  created  at  the  same  time. 

The  value  placed  on  Mr.  Woodrulf's  lahors  by  those  among 
w  hom  he  labored  is  best  shown  by  tin;  spontaneous  utter- 
ances of  various  Continental  s|>eakers  at  the  Sabbath-school 
Centennial,  held  in  London  in  18H0. 

Dr.  J.  I'rochnow,  of  Berlin,  traced  the  rise  of  secular  Sun- 
day schools  in  Germany,  from  the  Revolution,  through  the 

•  of  Voltaire,  when  they  died  out.  He  told  how,  through  a 
long  and  dark  period,  the  nation  passed,  till  Mr.  Woodruff 
rame.  and  enlisting  the  sympathy  of  t  hree  clergy  men.  started 
the  organization  that,  in  spite  of  much  difficulty  and  oppo- 
Ition  has  kept  on  growing  until  the  present  day,  as  shown 
h\  statistics  below. 

S|N-aking  of  Sunday-schools  in  I' ranee.  Rev.  II.  I'aumier 
said:  "Since  the  lir-t  visit  nf  our  dear  friend.  Mr.  Woodruff, 
there  are  1 , 1 1">  schools  in  franco,  with  mure  than  -ID. (HID  chil- 
dren" Rev.  Mr.  Bnx-kelmann,  from  Germany,  said:  "  Eor 
manv  years  it  \va-  considered  highly  improper  in  Germany 
foi  anylxxlv  hut  clergymen  and  school-masters  to  explain 


the  Bible  to  children;  but,  in  1863,  a  Sunday-school  man 
from  the  new  world,  Mr.  Albert  Woodruff  of  Brooklyn, 
came  over  to  Germany  and  blew  the  trumpet  of  Sunday* 
schools  from  one  end  of  the  country  to  the  other,  stirring, 
cheering,  explaining  all  about  the  system,  how  to  start  a 
I  Sunday-school  and  so  on.  Mr.  Woodruff  was  a  practical 
Christian.  He  resembled  those  heroes  in  history  who 
contpiered  the  world,  because  they  did  not  come  befoH 
their  time  nor  behind  their  time,  but  just  at  the  right 
time.  Meanwhile,  Mr.  Woodruff  succeeded  in  establishing 
the  Foreign  Sunday-school  Association  at  Brooklyn,  which 
had  afforded  most  useful  help  by  appointing  the  ladies  of 
their  committee  to  keep  up  a  most  encouraging  correspond- 
ence with  German  Sunday-school  teachers,  and  to  assist 
them  when  needed,  Next  to  our  gracious  Lord.  Germanv 
owes  the  introduction  of  Sunday-schools  to  Mr.  albert 
Woodruff,  and  to  the  Sunday-school  Union  of  England." 

Said  Pastor  Basche:  While  at  the  baths  in  Boheni  a  form) 
health,  I  became  acquainted  with  an  American  family  who 
i  told  me  of  a  girl  who  was  very  fond  of  Sunday-schools. 
Some  weeks  afterwards  I  received  a  letter  from  the  young 
lady  herself,  urging  on  me  the  duty  of  establishing  a  Sun- 
day-school Afterwards  she  wrote  again,  and  at  length  I 
determined  to  make  the  attempt.  We  established  one  Boat- 
day-school,  and  the  Lord  lias  been  with  us." 

At  another  time,  Dr.  Prochnow,  from  Berlin,  paid  a  tribute 
of  praise  to  the  work  that  was  done  by  Mr.  Woodruff, 
stating  that  when  he  went  to  Germany  some  \ 
there  were  only  three  clergymen  to  look  after  the  children, 
whereas,  on  a  recent  Sunday,  7,000  children  assembled  in 
one  church  to  celebrate  the  centenary." 

On  Mr.  Woodruff's  way  home  from  his  field  of  labor  la 
Continental  Europe,  he  tarried  awhile  in  London,  urging  tin 
Sabbath-school  Union  of  that  city  to  co-operate  in  furniahii  g 
the  continent  with  Sunday-schools.  After  several  inter)  'mm  - 
that  noble  union  of  workers  appointed  nine  members  to  00 
operate  with  the  American  friends, who,  ever  afterward,  ham 
heartily  continued  their  labors. 

After  Mr.  Woodruff's  return  to  America,  his  interest  in  the 
European  work  so  auspiciously  opened,  led  to  the  frequent 
interchange  of  letters  with  the  newly-awakened  workers 
then-,  which  came  from  beyond  the  sea.  some  with  joyful 
tidings,  and  some  with  appeals  for  help,  a  vast  freight  of 
hopes  and  fears.  So  fast  did  they  accumulate,  and  in  such 
diverse  languages,  that  recourse  was  had  to  the  lady  tea  bl  n 
in  Packer  Institute,  Dr.  West's,  and  other  schools,  fur  assist- 
ance  in  translating  and  answering  them.  The  growing  in 
forest  and  demands  of  the  work,  its  wonderful  expansion 
necessitated  the  organization  of  a  society  devoted  exclusiTflj 
to  the  foreign  Sunday-school  work.  Therefore,  in  IN>.\  Mr 
Woodruff  w  ithdrew  from  the  Sunday-School  Department  "' 
the  Foreign  Christian  Union,  and.  with  other  earnest  friendl 
of  the  cause,  organized 

The  Foreign  Sunday-School  Association,  which  wai  ia 
corpora  ted  April  4,  1S78,  with  Mr.  Woodruff  as  I'risutnJ 
and  a  large  membership  among  the  best  people  in  the  'it\ 
It  aims  to  extend  to  foreign  countries  the  institution  of  lh 
Sabbath-school,  which  has  quickened  Christian  faith  anil 
zeal  so  mightily  in  (beat  Britain  and  America.  There  i-  la 
every  foreign  country  a  scattered  number,  who  in  one  MJ 
or  another.  ha\  e  become  ( 'hristians,  and  in  some  degree  ha\  >• 
yielded  to  convictions  of  self-restraint  and  duty.  T  >  -carcii 
out  these,  wherever  they  are,  and  set  them  to  teaching  in 
cellars,  parlors  and  garrets,  or  in  the  open  air.  on  tin 
Sunday  school  theory,  and  finally  to  work  with  them,  ll  R» 
central  idea  of  the  Foreign  Sunday-school  Association 
Written  com  mimical  ions  with  these  scattered  workers  are  tlx 


1095 


most  available  means,  wherefore  it  becomes  a  prominent 
aim  of  the  Association  to  restore  the  letter-writing  system 
}f  the  New  Testament,  which  is  itself  so  largely  composed  of 
etters  written  to  stir  up,  to  exhort,  to  rebuke,  to  instruct, 
ind  above  all,  to  encourage,  comfort  and  cheer  the  believers 
who  have  yielded  to  the  force  of  Truth,  and  started  on  the 
Heavenly  way. 

The  result  of  its  work  to  April,  1884,  is  shown  in  the  follow- 
ing partial  statistics  :  In  Germany  and  German-Switzerland, 
here  are:  Sunday-schools,  3,915;  teachers,  17,(543;  scholars, 
128,677.  There  are  7,735  Sunday-school  scholars  in  Italy; 
md  in  Bohemia,  92  schools,  225  teachers  and  2,875  scholars. 
Late  statistics  from  other  foreign  countries  where  the  work 
s  equally  prosperous,  have  not  yet  been  received. 

The  officers  of  the  Association  for  1883-84  are  as  follows: 
President,  Albert  Woodruff;  Treasurer,  C.  B.  Davenport; 
Cor.  Secretaries,  Rev.  O.  C.  Morse  (Cleveland,  O.),  Rev.  H.  C. 
Woodruff  (Black  Rock,  Ct);  Rec.  Sec,  Miss  M.  E.  Thal- 
leimer;  Asst.  Sec.  Miss  Sadie  AVoodruff ;  Sec.  of  Committees, 
Miss  H.  A.  Dickinson. 

After  this  cursory  glance  at  the  rise  and  progress  of  the 
ill-important  Sunday-school  movement  in  our  own  and  in 
"ireign  lands,  which,  it  is  hoped,  will- be  of  interest  to  the 
lurches,  it  only  remains  to  look  briefly  at  the  beginning  and 
growth  of  this  divine  institution  in  the  City  of  Brooklyn, 
with  the  hope  that  historians  to  come  may  be  able  to  chronicle 
i  future  increase  even  more  wonderful  than  the  past  growth 
if  the 

Sunday-schools  in  Brooklyn. — From  a  paper  read  by  Mr. 
lohn  R.  Morris,  we  take  the  following  account  of  early 
schools  in  Brooklyn: 

Iu  the  Long  Island  Star  of  March  20,  1816,  appeared  this 
ulvertisement: — 

i  "  Brooklyn  Sunday-school.  The  attention  of  the  enlight- 
ened and  benevolent  inhabitants  of  Brooklyn  are  particu- 
arly  invited  to  this  institution.  It  is  now  in  operation;  the 
lumber  of  scholars  is  upward  of  seventy.  The  school  is  un- 
ler  the  management  of  four  superintendents,  a  standing 
committee  of  seven,  and  a  number  of  male  and  female  teach- 
ers who  have  kindly  volunteered  their  services.  As  it  is  the 
lesign  of  this  institution  to  combine  religious  and  moral  in- 
struction with  ordinary  school  learning,  it  is  expected  that 
larents  and  guardians  will  give  proper  advice  to  their  child- 
en  as  to  their  behavior  at  school;  to  forward  them  in  study 
it  home;  to  send  them  to  the  school  in  proper  season;  and 
particularly  express  their  wishes  as  to  what  catechism  they 
A'ill  have  them  to  learn.  It  is  requested  that  children  may 
le  sent  to  school  as  neat  and  clean  as  circumstances  may 
>ermit.  A  subscription  has  been  made  to  purchase  a  num- 
ber of  books,  slates,  etc.;  still  they  fall  short.  Whatever  the 
Mtizens  may  contribute  will  be  thankfully  received  by  any 
if  the  subscribers.  The  superintendents  likewise  invite 
;hose  who  will  assist  as  teachers  to  make  their  intentions 
•mown  and  their  offer  will  be  accepted.  The  average  num- 
jer  of  children  is  about  seventy.  The  managers  hope  to  be 
ible  to  educate  a  much  greater  number;  they,  therefore,  re- 
piest  the  citizens  of  Brooklyn  generally  to  exert  their  influ- 
:nce  with  the  poor  especially  to  persuade  them  to  send  their 
children;  a  number  of  poor  children  will  be  taken  from  that 
nost  destructive  of  all  places  to  the  morals  of  youth— we 
mean  the  street — on  Sabbath-day.  We  ought  to  have  ob- 
<erved  that  children  are  taught  to  spell,  read  and  write. 
They  will,  likewise,  be  taken  to  such  church  as  their  parents 
may  choose  on  the  Sabbath-day." 

This  document  is  signed  by  Andrew  Mercein,  Robert  Snow,  | 
Joseph  S.  Harrison  and  John  Murphy. 

In  the  school  district  there  were  978  children  between  the 
iges  of  five  and  sixteen  years. 

«  In  the  Star  of  March  25,  1816,  an  advertisement  appeared 
follows: — 

"Notice  is  berebv  given  that  at  7  o'clock  on  Wednesday 
'veiling,  27th  hist.,  'in  the  school-room  of  Mr.  Evan  Beynan, 
will  be  held  a  public  meeting,  at  which  Christians  of  every 


denomination  in  Brooklyn  are  invited  to  attend.  The  design 
of  these  meetings  is  to  organize  a  rooioty  in  the  village  simi- 
lar to  the  Sunday-school  Society  of  New  York,  and  the  ob- 
ject of  the  society  will  be  to  establish  a  school  in  which  child- 
ren or  adults  shall  be  taught  gratuitously,  on  the  Sabbath- 
day,  to  read  the  Holy  Scriptures,  and  shall  receive  other  re- 
ligious instruction.  Monthly  meetings  of  the  society  will  be 
held,  and  quarterly  meetings,  at  which  reports  as  to  the  con- 
dition of  the  school  and  classes  will  be  given.  If  the  schola'  s 
are  disorderly  or  profane  in  their  language,  and  if,  after  be- 
ing admonished,  they  continue  the  offense,  they  will  be  ex- 
I  pelled  from  the  school." 

j  The  officers  of  this  society  were:  Joshua  Sands,  President; 
Andrew  Mercein  and  Abraham  Mercein.  Vice-Presidents; 
Thomas  Sands,  Treas.;  Rev.  John  Ireland,  Sec;  William 
Cornwell,  Robert  Bache,  David  Anderson,  Jonathan  G. 
Pray,  Joseph  Harris,  Robert  Snow  and  Alexander  Young, 
Examining  Committee. 

In  the  Star  of  April  10,  1816,  is  the  Constitution  and  By- 
laws of  the  Brooklyn  Sunday-school  Union  Society,  adopted 
April  6.  The  school  was  divided  into  classes,  graduated 
according  to  the  pupils'  knowledge;  first  class,  those  who 
knew  not  the  alphabet;  second,  those  who  could  spell 
words  of  two  or  more  letters;  third,  those  who  could  read 
one  or  two  syllables;  fourth,  those  who  could  spell  three  or 
more  syllables;  fifth,  of  those  who  could  read  sentences; 
sixth,  of  those  who  were  capable  of  reading  the  New  Testa- 
ment. 

The  school  up  to  this  time  had  been  held  in  Thomas  Kirk's 
printing  office — a  long,  narrow,  two-story  frame  edifice  on 
the  westerly  side  of  Adams  st.,  between  High  and  Sands — 
but  was  afterwards  removed  to  the  district  school-house,  No. 
1,  cor.  Adams  and  Concord  sts.  Robert  Snow  was  superin- 
tendent; succeeded  by  Joseph  Herbert.  In  1817,  St.  Ann's 
Sunday-school  was  first  organized,  Rev.  Hugh  Smith  being 
Rector.  The  school  was  held  in  a  school-house  some  distance 
from  the  church,  so  that  it  was  found  impracticable  to  con- 
tinue its  sessions  during  the  winters  of  1818  and  1819,  on  ac- 
count of  the  inclement  weather.  Its  membership  in  the  fall 
of  1818  numbered  187;  Rev.  James  P.  L.  Clarke,  Superin- 
tendent. Rev.  H.  W.  Onderdonk,  D.  D.,  who  was  Rector  of 
St.  Ann's  from  December,  1819,  to  October,  1827,  was  not  an 
advocate  of  the  Sunday-school,  so  after  a  few  years  the 
school  was  discontinued.  He  had  regular  catechetical  in- 
struction of  the  children  of  the  parish  on  Sunday  afternoons. 
After  his  resignation,  Rev.  Mr.  Mcllvaine  became  Rector  in 
1828.  On  Sunday,  May  11th,  the  school  was  opened  in  the 
Dutch  Consistory  rooms,  on  Middagh  st.  Fourteen  adults 
and  twenty  children  assembled  at  the  first  session. 

May  13th  the  Constitution  and  By-laws  were  adopted,  in 
part,  as  follows:  "  This  school  shall  consist  of  male  and 
female  scholars  four  years  old  and  upwards.  Its  object  shall 
be  to  instruct  youth  in  the  knowledge  of  God's  word,  and  it 
shall  embrace  children  of  all  classes  without  distinction. 
Yearly  selections  of  Scriptures  and  catechetical  lessons  shall 
be  arranged  by  the  Rector  and  the  Superintendents  for  the  use 
of  the  school,  so  that  every  class  of  readers  shall  receive  in- 
struction in  the  same  lesson  and  at  the  sanu  time." 

May  13th,  Frederick  T.  Peet  was  elected  Superintendent; 
George  A.  Bartow,  Secretary,  and  a  committee  of  seven  were 
chosen  to  look  after  the  school.  As  it  increased,  it  was 
found  necessary  to  look  for  new  quarters.  The  vestry  ap- 
pointed a  committee,  consisting  of  Messrs.  Bache  aud  Van 
Bokeliu,  to  co-operate  with  the  committee  from  the  Sunday- 
school,  and  the  property  cor.  Washington  and  Prospect  sts. 
was  bought.  A  building  was  erected  which  cost  about 
$1,500  and  occupied  in  1829.  Frederick  T.  Peet  was  superin- 
tendent from  1828  to  1845,  and  A.  D.  Matthews  from  1845  to 
Oct.  30,  1870,  when  old  St.  Ann's  School  was  closed.  The 


10!)  ti 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


present  Superintendent  of  St.  Ann's  Sunday-school  is  Mayor 
Low. 

Before  dismissing  the  subject  of  the  early  organization  of 
this  pchool,  it  may  be  interesiiug  to  quote  oao  of  the  rules, 
which  provided  that  " Nq  teacher  shall  appear  with  a  rod  or 
cane  in  his  or  her  class,  but  order  shall  Ik-  maintained  in  the 
several  dosses  by  the  most  temperate  means.  They  shall 
deliver  over  disorderly  scholars  to  the  superintendents." 

In  1*24,  the  only  Sunday-school  was  the  School  Union,  cor. 
Adams  and  Concord  sts.  It  'u  supposed  that  this  school  was 
in  existence  until  1824,  when  the  various  denominations  sep- 
arated and  organized  schools  in  their  different  churches.  As 
most  of  those  engaged  ia  the  Union  School  were  Methodists, 
it  has  been  allowc  1  that  Sands  St.  is  the  oldest  school,  but  its 
e  irly  records  were  destroyed  i  i  the  great  fire.  The  Superin- 
tendents have  been:  Robert  Snow;  Joseph  Herbert;  Thomas 
Mercein;  M.  F.  Odell  (died  June  18,  1866);  John  Collier 
to  Jan.  21,  1867;  S.  U.  F.  Odell  (died  May  6,  1875);  Samuel  S. 
Utter,  until  May  15,  1877;  Henry  G.  Fay,  until  Feb.  19,  1878; 
Win.  I.  Preston  and  John  M.  Espencheid,  from  Oct.  21.  18*2. 

In  1*19,  Mr.  Nebemiah  Denton  org.  a  Sunday-school  in  the 
kitchen  adjoining  his  dwelling,  near  the  old  Yellow  Mill  on 
Gowanus  creek,  which  was  removed  after  a  year  or  two  to 
the  sc  hool-house  at  the  foot  of  the  Post  Road,  cor.  of  Gow- 
anus lane;  it  merged  in  the  school  on  Third  ave.  and  after- 
wards iu  what  is  now  the  Twelfth  St.  Church.  This  school 
still  has  the  old  banner  painted  in  1*29.  Between  the  years 
1822  and  1S27,  schools  were  also  formed  in  the  school-house 
at  lower  Gowanus,  at  the  foot  of  Pope's  Lane,  with  Albert 
Van  liruiit.  Superintendent;  also  one  in  the  school-house  at 
Bedford,  and  another  in  the  school-house  at  Wallabout. 
There  was  also  a  school  for  a  few  years  in  the  old  lecture- 
room  of  the  First  Reformed  Ch.,  then  in  Middagh  st.,  where 
Public  School  No.  8  now  is. 

In  1*29,  the  First  Reformed  Dutch  Church  built  a  frame 
lecture-room  on  Joralemon  street,  in  the  rear  of  the  City 
Hall,  in  which  a  Sunday-school  was  organized,  with  Andrew 
Hegeman,  Superintendent,  till  1889;  Samuel  Smith  and  Mar- 
tinus  Schoonmaker,  Assistant  Superintendents;  Thos.  Hege- 
man, Sec'y;  Mrs.  Mary  Van  Brunt,  Female  Superintendent, 
and  Miss  Harriet  Silliman,  assistant.  Among  the  teachers 
were:  John  W.  and  Archibald  T.  Lawrence,  James  M.  Duf- 
field,  Abraham  J.  Beekman,  John  D.  Prince,  Joseph  Hege- 
man, Miss  Mary  Moon,  Miss  Alice  and  Miss  Cornelia  Moon, 
Miss  Aurilia  Silliman  and  others.  Other  superintendents:  A. 
J.  Beekman,  till  1*4*;  Samuel  Sloan,  Roswell  Graves,  Stephen 
II  Whe-ler.  Henry  D.  Van  Or  Jen,  till  186.3;  Bookman,  18G5-*8; 
Gnstavus  A.  Brett,  Henry  V.  Gilbert,  Mervin  Rushmore, 
William  H.  Dike,  Frederick  B.  Schenck,  Rev.  S.  S.  Wood- 
hull,  Abraham  Bemsen,  David  Anderson  and  Abraham  Yan- 
derveer,  members  of  First  Reformed  Church,  were  workers 
in  the  old  Union  School  in  Adams  street.  Mr.  Beekman  com- 
menced his  Sunday-school  work  in  1*20  in  a  wheelwright  shop 
in  Creggstown,  Somerset  county,  New  Jersey,  established  to 
tea<  h  slaves:  in  1*2*,  he  removed  to  Brooklyn.  The  Central 
Dutch  Reformed  Sunday- scl 'tool  was  organized  iu  1837,  and 
when  the  Iteformed  Church  on  the  Heights  was  built,  the 
M-hool  was  re-organized.  Fast  (now  Bedford)  Reformed 
s,, t/-Srl,i,oi  was  organized  in  1*.*>4.  Isaac  Brinkerholf  was 
Superintendent  iti  185*.  This  .school  afterwards  moved  from 
it-,  ..Id  building  to  one  nearh  opposite  on  Bedford  avenue. 
The  p"  -  in  Superintendent  is  Mr.  Henry  How  land.  The 
\ortlt  R<  formed  Sunday-school,  Clermont  .avenue,  was  or- 
ganized in  1881,  with  E.  S.  Potter,  Superintendent  for  many 
•  ear-..    The  Twelfth  SI  nil  Reformed  wtis  formerly  on  Third 

Vta        and  Twenty-third  street.    It  has  now  a  membership 

of  1,400;  Mr.  C.  EL  Buckley,  superintendent. 


The  First  Presbyterian  School  was  organized  in  a  building 
on  the  site  of  the  lecture-rcom  of  Plymouth  Church,  in  1*2-1. 
Many  of  the  teachers  and  scholars  had  been  in  t'10  Union 
School.  The  first  Superintendent  was  Nathan  W.  Sanford. 
Miss  Margaret  Cunningham,  was  Assistant  Superintendent' 
Marvin  McNulty,  Secretary.  The  sch<x>l  used  to  unite  with 
the  schools  in  New  York,  on  anniversary  day,  at  Castle 
Garden.  The  Superintendents  were:  Professor  GiwnW 
R.  J.  Thorn,  George  B.  Ripley.  Robert  C.  O.rdon  and  I'.  B 
Potter.    Mr.  R.  I).  Dodge  is  now  Superintendent. 

In  18;!8,  owing  to  a  division  in  the  church,  aunt',!  r  school 
was  organized,  called  the  First  Presbyterian  Sunday-schooL 
It  was  on  the  corner  of  Pineapple  and  Fulton  streets,  bat 
moved  afterward  to  the  corner  of  Remsen  and  Clinton  streets, 

Nov.  13th,  1831,  a  colony  went  out  from  the  first  church 
and  organized  a  church,  and  afterwards  a  Sunday -school, 
known  as  the  Second  Presbyterian  School.  The  school  met 
in  Classical  Hall,  Washington  street,  near  Concord.  John 
Morris  was  Superintendent,  assisted  by  John  Alexander;  Mi  . 
Henry  Hadden,  Secretary;  James  Spies,  librarian;  with 
eighteen  teachers;  and  at  the  first  session  there  were  eight, 
scholars.  About  1832,  it  moved  to  Gothic  Hall,  Adams  Sta at, 
between  Nassau  and  Concord  streets;  and  in  1883  moved  lo 
Clinton  street,  junction  of  Fulton.  Rev.  Dr.  Spencer  becm 
Pastor  of  this  church  in  1832.  Among  those  who  nave  toted 
as  Superintendents  of  this  school  are:  John  Wright.  Charles 
Clark,  Myron  Goodman,  Andrew  A.  Smith  and  Jasjur 
Corning. 

When  this  school  united  with  the  Third  Presbyterian.  Mr. 
W.  H.  Hurlbut  became  Superintendent,  and  remained  - 
until  his  death.  It  was  united  with  the  Clinton  Stru  t  Pr  - 
by„erian,  1883,  and  known  as  the  Second  Presbyterian. 

In  1831,  another  school  was  organized  in  Nassau  street, 
corner  Hudson  avenue.  W.  H.  Hurlbut,  with  a  few  otherJ, 
left  the  First  Presbyterian  Sunday-school,  which  afterwards 
became  the  Third  Presbyterian  Church  and  school.  Mr. 
Hurlbut  then  connected  himself  with  that  church,  and  be- 
came the  Superintendent  of  the  school. 

The  First  Presbyterian  was  organized  about  1841.   It  a 
pied  the  building  corner  Willoughby  and  Pearl  streets,  where 
Joseph  liegeman's  auction-room  now  is.    In  1*17.  thisschoel 
was  disbanded. 

In  183."),  the  first  mission  school  was  organized.  Mr.  Joliu 
Morris,  who  organized  the  Second  Presbyterian  Sunday- 
school,  leased  the  ground  (where  Prince  street  now  is) of 
Messrs.  Sackett  &  Fleet.  A  school-house  seating  250  was 
built  ou  it,  footing  about  $500.  Myrtle  avenue  was  not  then 
cut  through,  and  there  was  not  a  house  within  a  quarter  of  a 
mile.  The  school  was  opened  July  19,  1835;  Mr.  Morris  wa- 
its first  Superintendent.  It  was  known  .as  the  Prince  Street 
Mission  Sunday-school,  and  was  tinder  the  care  of  the  Socoml 
Pre:  byterian  Church.  For  the  first  three  or  four  years,  how- 
ever, it  was  mainly  supported  by  voluntary  contributions. 
The  first  teachers  were:  Daniel  Colt,  James  B.  Cochran,  bu 
Jaques,  Augustus  Butler.  Flias  Edwards,  Joseph  W.  Camp- 
bell. James  Lawson,  William  Phraner.  Louis  Wheaton.  Mo- 
Elizabeth  Wheaton,  Miss  Sarah  Smith.  Elizabeth  and  Maria 
Campbell,  Mrs.  S.  A.  Butler,  Sarah  and  Jane  Wheaton.  Two 
years  later  Mr.  Morris  retired,  and  Mr.  Augustus  Butler  was 
elected;  In  1843,  Mr.  C.  C.  Mudge  succeeded  him. 

After  Myrtle  avenue  and  the  other  streets  were  cut  through, 
the  building  was  moved  to  Myrtle  avenue,  between  Plfaca 
and  <  'aril  streets. 

In  1*17,  a  building  was  erected  in  Prince  street,  n"1(  koown 
as  Si  loam  Presbyterian  Church,  in  which  the  Central  IVeshy- 
terian  Church  was  organized,  the  teachers  and  wholan  m 
ing  from  the  old  school-house. 


SUNDAY-SCHOOL   WORK  IN  BROOKLYN. 


1097 


The  church  known  as  the  Fifth  Presbyterian,  corner  Wil- 
loughby  and  Pearl,  was  offered  to  the  Central  Society  for 
$5,000,  and  was  bought.  Preaching  services  commenced 
there  in  April.  Rev.  N.  C.  Locke  was  the  first  Pastor.  The 
school  flourished  under  the  administration  of  Mr.  Mudge, 
Rev.  Mr.  Sloan  and  others.  Finally,  the  building  was  sold, 
and  school  and  church  moved  to  Schermerhorn  street,  occu- 
pying a  temporary  building,  corner  State  and  Nevins  street, 
until  the  Tabernacle  was  built,  of  which  Rev.  Dr.  Talmage  is 
Pastor.  From  the  Prince  Street  Mission  many  teachers  have 
gone  out  and  organized  other  schools  and  churches. 

In  1842,  Rev.  Jonathan  Greenleaf  organized  a  school  in  the 
Wallabout  in  Franklin  avenue,  now  known  as  the  Franklin 
Avenue  Presbyterian  Sunday-school. 

In  1840,  a  mission-school  was  organized  in  Pacific  street, 
which  afterwards  became  the  South  Presbyterian  Church. 

Of  the  schools  of  the  Baptist  denomination,  the  first  is  the 
First  Baptist,  organized  in  1824,  holding  its  sessions  in  the 
public  school  building  on  Middagh  street,  on  the  site  now 
occupied  by  school  No.  8,  also  in  public  school  building,  first 
district,  corner  Concord  and  Adams  streets.  The  first  youths' 
missionary  society  organized  in  connection  with  the  school 
was  iu  1831.  Officers:  Pres.,  Robert  Raymond;  Vice-Pres., 
Elijah  Lewis;  Sec.,  Alexander  Lewis;  Treas.,  Joseph  Kutz. 

In  June,  1873,  the  school  and  the  Pierrepont  street  Baptist 
were  united,  adding  about  120  teachers  and  scholars.  The  first 
Superintendent  was  Eliakim  Raymond.  He  served  two 
years,  succeeded  by  the  following  persons:  Elijah  Lewis, 
John  Bigelow,  John  Clark,  E.  L.  Brown,  Isaiah  W.  Raymond, 
Sylvanus  White,  D.  W.  C.  Taylor,  J.  D.  Reid,  H.  C.  S.  Jervis, 
J.  W.  S.  Harding,  and  at  present  H.  C.  S.  Jervis  is  Superin- 
tendent. In  the  early  history  of  the  school,  it  occupied  the 
building  in  Pearl  street,  where  the  Jewish  Synagogue  now  is. 
Pierrepont  Street  Baptist  Sunday-school  was  organized  in  1838. 
This  church  organized  a  mission  in  South  Brooklyn,  from 
which  sprung  the  Strong  Place  Baptist  Sunday-school;  it  also 
had  a  mission  in  John  street  for  many  years.  After  a  number 
of  years  strong  Place  Baptist  established  a  mission  in  Colum- 
bi  i  street,  near  Hamilton  avenue,  now  known  as  the  Taber- 
nacle Baptist;  also  a  mission-school  in  Gowanus,  now  known 
i  as  Greenwood  Baptist.  The  Tabernacle  Baptist  started  a 
mission  in  Hamilton  avenue,  which,  after  a  few  years,  dis- 
banded. Strong  Place  Baptist  now  supports  a  mission  called 
Carroll  Park.  Hanson  Place  Baptist  was  organised  in  1853; 
it  first  met  in  Atlantic  avenue,  near  Fourth.  East  Brooklyn 
Baptist  was  organized  in  1846.  The  Pierrepont  Street  Bap- 
tist established  mission-schools  and  was  the  means  of  organ- 
izing large  churches  in  South  Brooklyn.  The  largest  school 
in  that  denomination  is  the  Marcy  Avenue  Baptist. 

York  Street  M.  E.  Sunday-school  was  organized  in  1830.  A 
Mr.  Booth  was  the  first  Superintendent,  succeeded  by  Alfred 
Mulford.  George  Hunt,  Hon'  Samuel  Booth,  Joshua  Rogers, 
Jr.,  and  others.  Samuel  Booth  was  Superintendent  thirty- 
nine  years,  leaving  York  st.,  in  1858,  to  take  charge  of  Han- 
son Place  M.  E.  Hon  John  French  was  Superintendent  of 
Hanson  Place  for  nearly  twenty-five  years. 

Washington  St.  was  the  third  Methodist  school  organized. 
Judge  Dykeman  took  an  active  part  in  the  work,  and  Jere- 
miah Mundell  was  never  absent  from  school  but  twice  in 
twenty  years. 

After  1832,  schools  began  to  multiply.  The  first  Congrega- 
tional school  was  the  Pilgrim.  In  1846,  a  school  was  org.  in 
the  Mariners'  Church,  Main  st.,  near  Front,  an  old  wooden 
building.  Mr.  John  P.  Elwell  was  the  first  Superintendent, 
and  the  school  moved  from  there  to  the  old  Fulton  Market, 
James  st.,  in  1844,  and  this  school  is  now  the  Bethel  in 
Hicks  st. 


The  Navy  Mission  was  situated  on  the  corner  of  Green  lane 
and  Front  st.  When  it  was  first  started,  so  strong  was  the 
opposition  that,  when  meetings  were  held  on  Sunday  even- 
ings, it  was  hardly  safe  to  pass  through  the  street.  Stoneu 
would  often  be  thrown  against  the  door.  Members  of  the 
Second  Presbyterian  Church  would  stand  outside  the  door  to 
watch  the  boys. 

The  first  Unitarian  school  was  in  1838 ;  the  Universalist 
about  the  same  time;  the  first  Roman  Catholic  in  1828.  There 
are  five  Jewish  schools,  numbering  about  one  thousand 
scholars. 

The  first  Lutheran  Sunday-school  was  started  in  AVilliams- 
burgh,  in  1847.  The  Moravian  Sunday-school  was  organized 
in  1854.  In  1853  in  a  small  cottage,  near  where  the  present 
chapel  of  Lee  Avenue  Congregational  now  stands,  was  or- 
ganized the  Lee  Avenue  Reformed  Sunday-school.  There 
were  no  houses  in  the  vicinity  for  a  mile  or  more  ;  on 
either  side  open  fields  met  the  eye.  The  beginning  was 
feeble,  consisting  of  three  teachers  and  eight  scholars.  The 
whole  enterprise  grew  slowly  for  the  first  two  years,  when, 
in  1858,  it  numbered  1,350,  officers  and  teachers,  Mr.  Jere- 
miah Johnson,  Jr.,  being  its  Supt.  They  were  the  first 
schools  that  had  class  banners.  So  noted  was  this  school  that 
strangers  came  to  visit  it. 

St.  John's  P.  E.  Sunday-school  was  org.  in  1827,  in  Mr. 
Kingsley"s  school-room,  Adams  st.,  near  Johnson.  Judge 
Morse  was  Supt.,  and  John  T.  Moore,  Sec'y.  Some  of  the 
teachers  were:  Mr.  William  Hunter,  Hon.  John  W.  Hunter, 
John  H.  Baker,  Miss  Hester  Strang,  Misses  Ryerson,  Rowley, 
and  Moysers;  and  some  of  the  scholars,  John  Folk,  John 
Wiggins,  Dr.  Watson,  Samuel  Booth,  Stephen  Kidder, 
Howard  C.  Cady,  Mrs.  Alfred  Emanuel.  That  year  they 
joined  the  schools  in  celebrating  the  anniversary  at  Castle 
Garden.  The  banner  carried  on  that  occasion  was  a  white 
silk  one,  having  the  picture  of  an  open  Bible. 

In  1828,  they  moved  to  the  new  school-room,  corner  John- 
son and  Washington  sts.  About  two  hundred  scholars  were 
then  in  attendance.  The  following  persons  have  been  Super- 
intendents :  Rev.  D.  V.  M.  Johnson,  Rev.  Henry  Spafard, 
Mr.  S.  D.  C.  Van  Bokelin,  up  to  the  time  of  their  removal 
from  Johnson  st.  to  St.  John's  place. 

The  second  school  of  St.  Ann's  was  organized  August  30, 
1830;  Mr.  Charles  Congdon,  Supt;  Mr.  Wm.  H.  Carter,  Sec'y, 
with  twelve  teachers.  In  1845,  Rev.  Charles  Bancroft  was 
Supt;  H.  P.  Morgan,  Sec'y;  Henry  G.  Nichols,  Librarian;  and 
Abraham  Halsey,  Asst.  Librarian. 

Kings  County  Sunday-School  Union,  organized  1829. — In 
the  Long  Island  Star  of  April  8,  1829,  mention  is  made  of  a 
meeting  in  the  Apprentices'  Library,  held  the  6th  inst. ,  when 
it  was  determined  to  establish  a  Sunday-school  society  for 
Kings  county,  auxiliary  to  the  Southern  Sunday-School 
Union  of  New  York.  The  following  gentlemen  were  elected 
Officers:  Nehemiah  Denton,  Pres.;  J.  Terhune,  N.  W.  San- 
ford,  Vice-Presfs ;  Rev.  E.  M.  Johnson,  Sec;  Abraham  Van- 
derveer,  Treas.  Managers  :  For  Brooklyn,  Rev.  Mr.  Rouse, 
Rev.  Mr.  Carroll,  Eliakim  Raymond,  Adrian  Hegeman, 
Henry  White;  Fhttbush,  Rev.  Mr.  Strong,  John  Lefferts,  Dr. 
Vanderveer;  Flatlands,  Rev.  Mr.  Crookshank,  David  Neefus, 
James  Remsen;  Gravesend,  Bernardus  C.  Lake,  John  S.  Gar- 
ritson  ;  Bushivick,  Rev.  Mr.  Meeker,  Peter  Wyckoff,  James 
Halsey;  New  Lots,  John  Williamson,  Jno.  Vanderveer;  New 
Utrecht,  Rev.  Mr.  Beattie  and  M.  Allen;  also  the  gentlemen 
who  are  Superintendents  of  schools,  in  connection  with 
American  Sunday-School  Union,  are  also  ex-officers  and 
managers. 

In  the  Star  of  June  20,  1830,  notice  is  given  of  a  meeting 
of  the  Kings  County  Sunday-School  Union,  at  Flatbuch, 


1098 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


The  church  was  crowded  with  the  scholars  and  teachers 
and  friends,  banners  hung  around  the  church,  and  a  proces- 
sion of  600  children  took  place. 

June  3,  1830,  a  public  meeting  was  held  in  the  Sunday- 
school  room  of  St.  Ann's  Church,  for  the  purpose  of  estab- 
lishing an  African  Infant  Class  Association.  The  object  was 
to  establish  an  infant  school  for  African  children.  P.  W. 
Badcliff  was  Pres. ;  F.  C.  Tucker  and  Robert  Snow,  Vice- 
first's;  W.  H.  Van  Sinderen,  Sec;  Charles  J.  Aiding,  Treas, 
and  fourteen  Directors.  The  first  colored  school  organized 
was  in  High  st.    There  are  now  about  ten  colored  schools. 

Sunday-school  Statistics  for  1883. — There  are  279  Sunday- 
schools  in  Kings  county,  containing  a  total  membership  of 
100,597  officers,  teachers,  and  scholars.  These  schools  are 
divided  as  follows:  Presbyterian,  30;  Reformed,  32;  Baptist, 
34;  Congregational,  28;  Methodist,  01;  Protestant  Episcopal, 
17;  Reformed  Episcopal,  3;  Lutheran  and  Evangelical,  15; 
Friends.  2;  Moravian,  1,  Christian,  3;  Union  Mission,  15; 
Unitarian,  4;  Universalist,  3;  Reformed  Catholic,  1.  The 
total  average  attendance  of  the  schools  for  the  full  term  was 
57,762,  and  the  number  of  conversions  or  confirmations, 
2.676.  The  moneys  contributed  during  the  year  by  various 
schools,  for  benevolent  and  other  purposes,  amounted  to 
s-l.->s;t.su,  the  Methodist  gi\  ing  the  largest  part  or  $17,808.09 
of  that  sum.  The  fifteen  Union  Mission  Schools  gave 
$3, 117.95  during  the  same  period. 

The  following  arc  some  of  the  veterans  in  Sunday-school 
service  in  Kings  county: 

Andrew  A.  Smith.— Born  at  Berlin,  Ct.,  1817;  came  to 
New  York  in  18:54,  and  entered  Dr.  Erskine  Mason's  Pres. 
Sunday-school;  visited  (i  rand  Rapids,  Mich.,  in  1836;  no 
Sunday-school,  and  stores  open  on  Sundays;  established  a 
Sunday-school  in  store  loft,  also  a  Sabbath  service,  reading- 
room,  etc.,  and  very  soon  gathered  a  regular  congregation; 
a  church  was  org.  and  pastor  called;  the  place  grew  to  be  a 
moral,  religious  community,  now  a  large  city  noted  for 
churches,  etc.;  returned  to  Brooklyn  in  1838;  was  a  teacher  in 
Dr.  Spencer's  Church  and  Mission  School;  while  teaching  a 
Bible  class  was  called  persistently  to  take  charge  of  Bethel 
Mission  Sunday-school  (now  Bethel  of  Plymouth  Church);  in 
this  work  fifteen  years;  left  Bethel  to  build  up  City  Park 
Mission,  now  in  Concord  st.,  where,  after  a  year  or  two,  he 
broke  in  health,  and  was  compelled  to  leave  and  rest  from  all 
Sunday-school  work. 

He  was  President  of  the  Brooklyn  Sunday-school  Union 
some  twenty  years;  also  President  of  tin  Hamilton  Literary 
Association,  and  aided  to  organize  the  Young  Men's  Christian 
Association ;  was  its  first  president  for  three  years;  also 
aided  in  organizing  State  Sunday-school  Convention;  was 
elected  Superintendent  of  Dr.  Duryea's  Church  Sunday-school; 
employed  there  some  two  years,  ami  then  in  prison-work 
three  or  four  years,  till  seized  with  rheumatic  fever  con- 
tracted there;  is  now  Supt.,  and  active  in  the  Chinese  mission- 
school  011  DeKalb  nvc. 


\/i  1.  1 1.  M  \TTiit.ws.  Morn  in  Hinsdale.  Mass..  1809;  when 
the  Sunday-school  was  first  introduced,  in  1820.  he  became  a 
scholar  In  the  <  'ongregal  lonal  ( 'liun  h.  In  1H2n,  came  to  this 
i-ity  and  coimeeted  himself  with  the  church  and  Sunday-school 
"f  the  First  Pres.  Church,  in  Cranlierry  st.  In  1833  removed 
church  and  school  relation.-,  to  St.  Ann's  Prot.  Epis.  Church, 
continuing  there  BJ  teacher  and  Superintendent  until  ls7'.>; 
then  removed  to  St.  Peter's  Kpis.  Church,  and  now  is  teacher 

of  a  young  men's  Bible  class,  not  having  left  the  Sunday- 
school  Mince  1H20.  He  ha*  1m  .  ii  h  manager  of  the  Brooklyn 
^iiiuloi/  <rlmol  Cum, 1  sin,  ,  it,  organization;  was  Vice-Presi- 
dent of  the  Union  for  a  number  of  years;  was  foremost  in  the 


organization  and  support  of  the  State  Sunday-school  Associa- 
tion, and  County  Secretary  for  a  number  of  years. 


Charles  C.  Mi/doe.— Born  in  1806;  in  1827  he  entered  the 
Sunday-school  as  a  teacher  of  one  of  the  younger  classes; 
this  school  was  situated  in  the  rear  of  the  Quaker  Meeting- 
house in  Rose  st..  New  York  City,  his  class  being  comi>osed 
of  three  colored  persons — father,  son,  and  grandson— all 
learning  their  letters;  about  two  years  later  he  entered  the 
Sunday-sch<H)l  of  Dr.  Romeyn's  Cedar  St.  Pres.  Church, 
where  he  continued  as  scholar.  Ass't  Librarian  and  teaehrr 
until  1830,  when  he  took  a  class  in  a  mission  school  in 
Duane  st.,  near  Church.  In  1841  he  entered  the  Prince 
Street  Mission  Sunday-school,  Brooklyn,  connected  with 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Spencer's  Second  Pres.  Church;  this  \\a- 
the  first  mission-school  started  in  Brooklyn,  and  was 
originated  by  Mr.  John  Morris;  he  was  Superintend- 
ent from  1842  until  the  school  developed  into  the  Cen- 
tral Pres.  Church  (1847),  now  the  Tabernacle,  and  con- 
tinued as  its  Superintendent  until  1856;  shortly  after  this  he 
started  a  mission-school  at  317  Altantic  st.,  and  now  known 
as  the  Pacific  Street  Chapel,  under  the  care  of  Dr.  Van  D\  keV 
Church;  resigned  in  1863,  on  account  of  ill  health. 

In  the  fall  of  1866  he  entered  a  mission-school  connected 
with  Dr.  Cuyler's  Church,  now  the  Memorial  Presbyterian: 
he  continued  as  Superintendent  about  two  years  after  the 
church  was  organized;  was  one  of  the  managers  of  the 
Sunday-school  Union  almost  uninterruptedly  since  its  organi- 
zation: early  in  its  history  he  was  Recording  Secretary,  ami  at 
a  later  period  for  many  years  its  Treasurer;  he  died  in  1883. 


John  R.  Morris.— Born  in  New  York  City.  1S23:  entered 
the  Sunday-school  of  the  First  Pres.  Church,  Brooklyn,  in 
1828:  took  a  class  in  Prince  Street  Mission  184;!:  in  is.">:i  was 
elected  Secretary  of  the  Brooklyn  Sunday-school  Union  tin 
management  then  was  by  an  Executive  Committee,  con-i-t- 
ing  of  one  from  each  denomination;  subsequently  the  Board 
was  increased  to  23  members,  and  then  to  36,  and  he  served 
as  Assistant  Secretary;  in  1868  was  elected  one  of  tfce 
Managers,  and  in  1872  its  Recording  Secretary;  has  t>eeii 
County  Secretary  over  eight  years;  has  been  gathering 
statistics  for  thirty  years,  and  Secretary  of  the  State  Con- 
vention six  years;  was  a  scholar  when  there  were  hut  m\ 
Sunday-schools  in  Brooklyn;  was  one  of  the  visitor-  w  hen 
all  Brooklyn  w;is  districted  out  for  systematic  visitation, 
twenty-five  years  ago,  when  every  house  w  as  visited  lo  m 
who  attended  Sunday-school  and  who  did  not;  he  is  still  one 
of  the  Managers  of  the  Sunday-school  Union,  and  its  Record- 
ing Secretary,  aud  County  Secretary  under  the  State  Asso- 
ciation of  Sunday-school  Teachers. 


Rev.  Samuel  Bayuss  came  to  Brooklyn,  in  1853,  as  Pastor 
of  the  Warren  St.  Mission,  formerly  a  Sunday-school  which 
met  in  Freeman's  Hall  (cor.  of  Columbia  and  Amity  »t»J. 
the  school  became  a  church,  with  a  membership  of  over  !o> 
He  was  always  present  at  the  sessions  of  the  school  and  at  th 
weekly  teachers'  meetings,  and  also  habitually  attended  tl" 
meetings  of  the  Brooklyn  Sunday-school  Union.  In  1*68  or 
1870,  he  became  Secretary  and  Manager  of  the  Assoeiatioii 
for  Improving  the  Condition  of  the  Poor.  His  death  took 
place  Feb.  12,  1S7!>.  in  his  OHth  year.  Mr.  Bayliss  frequeatfj 
visited  the  Sunday-schools  of  the  city.  1  lis  son,  Bonj.  Bayliss, 
was  President  of  Brooklyn  Sunday-school  Union,  from  K: 
to  1883;  is  still  a  Manager;  has  been  for  12  years  Supt.  of  the 
Memorial  Presbyterian  Sunday-school  of  Brooklyn.  He 
worked  with  his  father  many  years  as  Superintendent  of  the 
Warren  St.  Mission, 


SUNDAY-SCHOOL    WORK  IN  BROOKLYN. 


1099 


Jeremiah  Johnson,  Jr.,  born  June  27th,  1827,  at  the 
Wallabout,  Brooklyn;  he  is  the  son  of  Barnet  Johnson  and 
the  grandson  of  Gen.  Jeremiah  Johnson.  May  1st,  1853,  he 
i>rg.  the  Lee  Ave.  Sunday-school  in  a  small  cottage  in  the 
vacant  lots,  cor.  Bedford  ave.  and  Hewes  St.,  with  three 
teachers  and  8  scholars.  During  his  thirteen  years'  service 
aa  Superintendent,  lie  was  absent  but  four  Sundays.  He 
witnessed  the  growth  of  the  Sunday-school  from  eight  to  two 
thousand  scholars,  and  the  erection  of  the  present  commodious 
and  substantial  buildings,  largely  through  his  own  efforts 
and  liberality.  He  was  Supt.  of  the  First  Pres.  Sunday- 
school,  Rahway,  N.  J.,  for  six  years.  He  was  Supt.  of  the 
Madison  Ave.  Ref.  Sunday-school  for  three  years,  from  Dec, 
1873,  and  secured  the  erection  of  a  fine  Sunday-school  room 
on  57th  street. 

He  was  elected  Supt.  of  the  Brooklyn  Tabernacle  Sunday- 
school  (Rev.  Dr.  Talmase'a);  served  two  years  and  then  in 
October,  1882,  resigned  to  become  Supt.  of  the  Lee  Ave.  Sun- 
day-school, then  somewhat  demoralized,  but  now  numbering 
1,500.  Mr.  Johnson  is  a  man  remarkable  for  activity  and 
energy,  which  he  has  a  great  faculty  of  infusing  into  his 
Sunday-school  work. 


William  M.  Pieeson.  — Born  1808,  in  West  field,  N.  J.;  his 
first  recollection  of  the  Sunday-school  is  the  gathering  of  a 
class  of  six  on  Sunday  afternoon,  his  mother — the  teacher — 
and  four  brothers  and  one  sister,  forming  it,  the  Bible  and 
the  Westminster  Shorter  Catechism  the  text-books;  in  1829 
entered  the  York  Street  Methodist  Sunday-school  as  a 
teacher;  in  1835  connected  himself  with  the  Prince  Street 
Mission;  continued  here  until  the  Central  Pres.  Church  was 
organized,  Sept.  5,  1847,  and  in  this  school  (now  the  Taber- 
nacle) he  has  continued  up  to  the  present  time ;  Superintend- 
ent one  and  one-half  years;  teacher  of  Bible  class;  had  charge 
for  four  or  five  years  of  the  Sunday-school  of  the  Protestant 
Orphan  Asylum,  in  Cumberland  st. 


Henry  R.  Piercy.  Born  in  1798;  in  1826  entered  the 
Sunday-school  Union  School,  held  in  district  school-house  on 
Concord  st. ;  this  school  consisted  of  members  of  the  different 
evangelical  denominations;  it  soon  became  too  large  for  the 
building,  and  it  was  deemed  advisable  to  separate  and  have 
the  schools  in  their  respective  churches;  he  was  Superin- 
tendent of  Sunday-schools  thirty-six  years;  is  now  teaching 
in  the  Union  Congregational  Church,  State  st. 

Samuel  L.  Parsons.— Born  1817,  in  West  Springfield,  Mass. ; 
entered  Sunday-school  in  1827  or  1828;  removed  to  Marshall, 
Mich.,  in  1837,  where  he  was  Secretary  of  a  Sunday-school; 
for  two  years  he  occupied  similar  positions  in  Palmyra,  Mo.; 
for  two  years  from  1843  he  did  the  same  work  in  Springfield, 
Mass. ;  in  1845  he  was  for  four  years  Secretary  and  Superin- 
tendent; removed  to  Brooklyn  in  1851;  served  twenty  years 
as  Supt.  of  Church  schools,  and  five  in  a  mission  school;  was 
President  of  the  Sunday-school  Union  from  1867  to  1869. 
During  this  period  he  spent  all  his  Sabbaths  in  visiting  the 
schools  of  the  Union.  In  1879  he  opened  a  school  for  the 
Chinese  in  rooms  of  Young  Men's  Christian  Association, 
where  he  gathered  a  goodly  number  of  Chinamen  to  study 
the  Bible. 

Israel  A.  Barker.— Born  in  New  York  City  1820:  entered 
the  Sunday-school  of  the  Willet  Street  M.  E.  Church  in  1827; 
came  to  Brooklyn  in  1842,  and  joined  the  Centenary  M.  E. 
Sunday-school;  was  teacher  and  secretary  until  1848,  when, 
with  about  one  hundred  others,  left  the  M.  E.  Church  and 
organized  a  Congregational  Methodist  Church,  corner  Law- 
rence and  Tillary  sts.,  where  he  served  as  trustee  of  the 
church  and  secretary  of  the  Sunday-school;  went  into  the 
Sunday-school  and  became  Superintendent  till  1865;  was 
elected  one  of  the  Managers  of  the  Brooklyn  Sunday-school 
Union  in  1863;  now  belongs  to  the  Park  Congregational 
Church,  and  teacher  of  a  class  of  young  ladies,  and  still  one 
of  the  Managers  of  the  Sunday-school  Union. 


TIIK  old  Suydam  house,  of  which  a  cut  is  given  here- 
with, is  still  standing,  in  good  repair,  and  occupied 
as  a  residence  by  lion.  A.  M.  Suydam.  It  is  on  the 
corner  of  Evergreen  and  Woodbine  avenues,  and  was 
probably  built  in  the  early  part  of  the  last  century, 
since  it  was  considered  an  old  house  in  1760,  when  Jacob 
Suydam  bought  the  farm  on  which  it  stood,  and  he  re- 
shingled  and  repaired  it  then.  During  the  Revolutionary 
W  ar  it  was  used  by  the  British  troops  as  their  winter  quar- 
ters for  a  time.  It  is  built  of  stone  gathered  from  the 
surrounding  fields,  which  are  covered  with  cement.  The 
door  is  in  two  sections,  an  upper  and  a  lower.  The  win- 
dows have  the  small  lights  and  heavy  sash  of  the  olden 
tune.  It  was  erected  in  the  clearing,  before  any  roads  were 
laid  out  in  that  part  of  Bushwick;  afterwards  the  old 
"  Bushwick  road,"  now  Evergreen  avenue,  Avas  put  through 
from  the  little  village  beside  East  River  to  Flatbush. 
The  old  house  lias  been  the  home  of  three  generations  of 
Suydams.    (See  biography  of  A.  M.  Suydam,  page  291.) 


OLD  SUYDAM  HDUSE. 


MISSIONARY.   BIBLE,  TRACT 


AND 


OTHER  ORGANIZATIONS 


FOR    CHRISTIAN  WORK 


THE  practical  fruits  of  Christianity  are  seen  in  the  many 
charities  of  the  city,  and  the  benevolent  organizations 
w  hich  look  after  the  spiritual  and  temporal  welfare 
of  the  needy.    Brooklyn,    "the  city   of  churches," 
is  well  supplied  with  these  charitable  societies.    One  of  the 
oldest  i6 

The  Brooklyn  City  Mission  and  Tract  Society,  which 
was  organized  July  22,  1829,  in  the  Apprentices'  Library.  It 
is  wholly  undenominational,  aud  has  steadily  pursued  its 
work  of  ministering  to  the  spiritual,  and  often  to  the  tempo- 
ral, wants  of  the  destitute.  Up  to  1848  the  Society  main- 
tained its  existence  only  by  hard  struggles. 

From  that  time  new  efforts  were  made  by  its  friends  to 
enlarge  its  resources,  and  extend  its  operations.  The  follow- 
ing year  three  missionaries  were  employed  ,  the  number  of 
visitors  was  increased  to  254,  and  the  collections  amounted  to 
(2,134.46.  In  1850,  four  missionaries  were  employed,  with 
407  visitors,  and  $3,011.48  were  received  into  the  treasury. 
In  1858,  the  constitution  was  amended,  and  the  society  was 
named,  in  accordance  with  what  it  had  in  fact  become,  "  The 
Brooklyn  (  ity  Mission  and  Tract  Society."  The  employment 
of  missionaries,  in  distinction  from  the  simple  circulation  of 
religious  tracts,  became  thenceforth  its  principal  work;  and 
the  happy  effect  of  the  change  upon  its  resources  and  opera- 
tions, and  on  the  interest  felt  in  it  by  the  churches,  at  once 
I m -came  apparent.  It  has  since  gone  on  with  continually  in- 
creasing prosperity  and  power.  The  first  number  of  its 
journal  was  issued  in  January,  1862 

The  society  has  had  as  Presidents :  Rev.  (since  Bishop)  C. 
P.  Mcllvaine,  1828-32;  Rev.  L  S.  Spencer,  D.  D.,  1832-8;  Rev. 
B.  C.  Cutler,  D.  D.,  l888-'46;  Jasper  Corning,  Esq.,  1845-'7; 
Rev.  B.  C.  Cutler,  D.  D..  a  second  time,  1847-  03;  Rev.  R.  S. 
Storrs,  Jr.,  D.  D.,  1863-'74;  Win.  W.  Wickes,  Esq.,  1874-  80; 
\ If if>l  S.  Barnes,  Ksi|..  l**u-'4.  Owing  to  bard  times,  from 
|s;|  |m  isso,  tin-  work  was  suspended,  but  resumed  in  the 
latter  year.  Fifteen  missionaries  are  now  employed,  besides 
;i  large  number  of  helpers  and  visitors. 

In  1841  ^r.  C.  C.  Mudge  (see  biography,  p.  1<>98),  liecaine 
General  Agent  and  missionary  of  this  society.  If  the  Sunday  - 
school  work  was  his  hobby,  the  tract  work  was  his  life-work, 
to  which  he  devoted  himself  with  unfailing  love  and  faith- 
I  illness,  winning  for  himself  not  only  respect  and  esteem,  but 
the  deep  affection  and  love  of  his  \  isitors  and  associates. 

Soon  after  his  connection  with  this  society,  as  a  natural 
Outgrowth  of  his  work  uul  the  Bible  work  in  connect  ion  with 
It,  he  w an  appointed  Depositary  and  Secretary  of  the  City 
Bible  Society.     In  these  t  wo  societies  he  served  with  loyalty 


and  devotion,  till  the  Master  said:  "Stand  aside  and  wail 
awhile."  Then  followed  four  years  of  gentle  submission  to 
(iod's  will,  when,  on  the  22d  of  September,  1N8S,  four  days 
before  the  completion  of  his  77th  year,  the  call  came  and  lie 
entered  into  rest.    "  And  his  works  do  follow  him." 

The  Brooklyn  City  Bible  Society  was  formed  in  1  ^ 1 1 .  a- 
auxiliary  to  the  Long  Island  Bible  Society.  Its  first  Offi- 
cers were  :  James  Ruthven,  President :  Edward  Corning, 
David  Stamford,  Thomas  Kirke,  Geo.  L.  Sampson.  Adrian 
Hegeman.  D.  H.  Arnold.  David  Coope  and  J.  A.  Sjierry, 
1  'ice- Presidents;  Rev.  M.  W.  Jacobus,  Cor.  Sec;  Henry  C. 
Bowen,  Rec.  Sec:  Henry  Young,  Treas.;  and  a  board  of 
twenty  managers.  The  first  year's  receipts  were  $469.09; 
expenditures.  $400.83,  and  1,701  bibles  and  testaments  dis- 
tributed. In  1849,  the  Society  became  auxiliary  to  tin  \mer- 
ican  Bible  Society;  in  1848,  1856  and  1867,  the  whole  city  was 
thoroughly  canvassed;  and,  in  1667,  the  affairs  of  the  society 
were  committed  to  the  control  of  an  executive  committee  .if 
twenty.  Presidents :  Geo.  L.  Sampson,  1842-'3;  A.  R  Moen, 
1844;  Daniel  Ayres,  1854-'8 ;  Chandler  Storr,  1849-11; 
Daniel  Ayres,  1857-69 ;  Richard  P.  Buck,  1860-9 ;  Rev. 
N.  H.  Schenck,  D.  D.,  1870-'2:  Rev.  \V.  I.  Budington.  l*7:i; 
Rev.  David  Inglis,  1874-77:  Rev.  Dr.  A.  S.  Hunt,  1878-1* 
The  present  Vice-Presidents  arc :  Sidney  Sanderson  and 
John  Baruier;  Cor.  Sec,  Rev.  Henry  J.  Van  Dyke,  D.  IX; 
Treas.,  E.  B.  Wood.  Mr.  Chas.  C.  Mudge  was  Rec  See.  from 
i*;>+  tin  nis  cieath. 

The  Brooklyn  Woman's  Bible  Society,  auxiliary  to  the 
above,  was  founded  in  1850;  also  a  Xorth  Brooklyn  Bible  So- 
ciety was  established  in  1845. 

Brooklyn  Young  Men's  Christian  Association,  designed 
to  improve  the  spiritual,  intellectual  and  social  condition  of 
young  men,  to  bring  them  under  Christian  inliuence,  and  to 
stimulate  them  to  Christian  effort,  found  inception  at  :i 
convention  of  some  three  hundred  young  men  connected 
with  the  several  evangelical  denominations  in  this  city,  in 
June,  1853.  It  was  organized  September  15.  1853,  with  two 
hundred  anil  seven  members:  a  certificate  of  incorporation 
was  filed,  and  a  suite  of  rooms  rented  in  the  Washington 
Building,  corner  of  Court  and  .loralemon  sts..  the  regular 
monthly  and  other  public  meetings  being  held  in  the  I.  ■  tun- 
rooms  of  the  Pilgrim  Congregational  Church,  and  the  Menn 
St.  Presbyterian  Church.  Here  a  library  and  reading-room 
established  and  opened,  free  to  all  young  men,  irrespeoUw 
of  membership  in  the  association :  while  a  lateral)  Society, 
course  of  free  popular  lectures  by  eminent  speakers,  nionthh 
meetings  for  social  reunions,  staled  conference  and  prayer- 


MISSIOKART  AND  TRACT  SOCIETIES. 


1101 


meetings,  educational  classes,  etc. ,  lent  their  aid  to  further 
the  objects  of  the  association.  In  1854,  the  association  inter- 
ested itself  largely  and  practically  in  the  work  of  tract  dis- 
tribution and  of  mission-school  enterprises,  of  which  there 
were,  at  that  time,  twenty  in  operation  in  this  city.  In 
April,  1859,  the  Association  removed  to  the  Brooklyn  Institute 
building,  and  remained  until  their  removal,  in  August,  1865, 
to  the  building  on  the  corner  of  Fulton  ave.  and  Gallatin 
place.  After  that  time,  the  work  of  the  Association,  in  all 
its  departments,  received  a  wonderful  impetus,  and  its  labors 
were  attended  with  a  commensurate  amount  of  good  to  the 
community. 

In  August,  1872,  the  Association  removed  to  the  opposite 
corner  of  Fulton  and  Gallatin  place,  which  was  fitted  up 
with  a  large  gymnasium,  a  lecture-room  seating  500,  a  libra- 
ry of  6,600  volumes,  and  a  reading-room  containing  two 
hundred  current  journals  and  magazines,  with  cheerful  par- 
lors, reception  and  class  rooms. 

Of  the  great  work  that  has  been  accomplished  by  the 
Young  Men's  Christian  Associations  in  this  country,  the 
Brooklyn  society  has  done  its  full  share.  It  now  provides  a 
course  of  lectures,  literary  entertainments,  instruction  in 
French,  German,  penmanship,  book-keeping,  phonography, 
elocution,  vocal  music,  and  other  subjects. 

In  1869,  a  charter  was  obtained,  framed  with  a  view  to  the 
erection  of  a  large  building  for  the  uses  of  the  Association, 
on  the  plan  of  the  Cooper  Institute  in  New  York. 

The  bequest  of  the  late  Frederick  Marquand,  Esq.,  gave  to 
the  Association  $200,000  for  a  new  building,  on  condition 
that  the  further  sum  of  $150,000  should  be  raised  by  the 
members  as  an  endowment  for  the  Association.  The  condi- 
tion is  so  nearly  met  that  plans  have  been  adopted  for  a  new 
building,  to  be  erected  during  1884,  on  Bond  st.,  near  Fulton, 
with  an  entrance  on  the  latter  street.  It  will  be  of  brick, 
four  stories  and  basement,  100  by  125  feet,  with  a  25  feet 
wide  extension  to  Fulton,  conveniently  arranged  and  espe- 
cially adapted  to  the  uses  of  the  Association. 

Its  Presidents  have  been:  Andrew  A.  Smith,  1853-56;  James 
McGee,  1856-'57;  George  A.  Bell,  1857-'58;  John  M.  Double- 
day,  1858-'59;  Henry  H.  Lloyd,  M.  D.,  1859-60;  Roberts. 
Bussing,  1860-61;  James  M.  Ives,  1861-62;  O.  Vincent  Coffin, 
1862-'63;  O.  Vincent  Coffin,  Charles  A.  Righter,  1863-'64; 
William  Edsall,  1864-'68;  Wm.  W.  Wickes,  1868-'69;  Joseph 
T.  Duryea,  D.  D.,  1869-'70;  D.  G.  Eaton,  1870-'73;  William 
Edsall,  1873-'74;  D.  H.  Cochran  and  Tasker  H.  Marvin, 
1874-'76;  D.  D.  Mc Williams,  1876-'77;  John  P.  Adams,  1877 
-'78;  B.  H.  Dillingham,  1878-'79;  D.  D.  McWilliams,  William 
Taylor,  1879-'80;  R.  Fulton  Cutting,  1880-'82;  Edwin  Pack- 
ard, 1882-'84. 

Officers,  1884:  Pres.,  Edwin  Packard;  Vice-Presidents, 
Henry  Dalley,  Jr.,  F.  H.  Stuart,  M.  D.;  Treas.,  Daniel  W. 
McWilliams;  Ass't  Treas.,  Henry  G.  Fay;  Rec.  Sec.,  F.  A. 
Parsons;  Gen.  Sec,  Thos.  J.  Wilkie;  Ass't  Sec,  Wallace 
McMullen;  Librarian,  J.  Harry  Gould. 

Board  of  Directors:  Silas  M.  Giddings,  Alanson  Trask, 
A.  A.  Raven,  Henry  G.  Fay,  E.  W.  Hawley,  Wm.  Peck 
Smith,  Edwin  Packard,  Alonzo  Alford,  A.  J.  Newton,  J. 
H.  Righter,  M.  H.  Dorman,  David  A.  Boody,  F.  A.  Parsons, 
Willoughby  Powell,  Jas.  R.  Cowing,  F.  E.  Bassett,  Edw.  A. 
Lovell,  Noah  Tebbetts,  D.  W.  McWilliams,  John  J.  Vail,  F. 
H.  Stuart,  M.  D.,  A.  Augustus  Low,  Henry  Dalley,  Jr., 
Oliver  G.  Gardner,  W.  P.  Gill,  R.  E.  Beers,  Clias.  L.  Bonnell, 
M.  D,  Geo.  F.  Peabody,  F.  B.  Schenck. 

Board  of  Trustees:  Alanson  Trask,  A.  S.  Barnes,  John  T. 
Martin,  John  A.  Tucker,  George  I.  Seney,  Thomas  S.  Moore. 

The  East  Brooklyn  Young  Men's  Christian  Association, 
Library  and  Free  Reading  Room,  held  its  first  meeting, 


October  9,  1866,  at  the  residence  of  Dr.  Alexander  Hutchins. 
Its  first  rooms  were  at  675  Myrtle  avenue,  whence  in  May, 
1868,  it  removed  to  No.  693.  The  first  number  of  the  East 
Brooklyn  Gazette  (monthly)  was  issued  by  the  Association 
in  October,  1867.  Presidents:  1866,  Alex.  Hutchins,  M.  D.; 
October,  1867,  Rev.  John  W.  Leek;  January,  1868,  C.  H.  H. 
Pannell;  March,  1868,  Alex.  Hutchins,  M.  D.;  July,  1868, 
Rev.  D.  O.  Ferris;  June,  1869,  Edgar  A.  Hutchins. 

Union  for  Christian  Work  was  formed  in  1866,  under  the 
name  of  the  Brooklyn  Liberal  Christian  Union,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  uniting  all  denominations  of  Christians,  without  ex- 
ception, in  the  work  of  mutual  improvement  and  practical 
beneficence.  It  first  established  its  head-quarters  in  the 
Hamilton  Buildings,  corner  of  Court  and  Joralemon  streets, 
where  it  opened  a  free  reading-room,  with  a  good  library  of 
six  hundred  volumes,  mostly  the  gifts  of  friends,  and  a  large 
variety  of  religious  and  secular  magazines  and  papers;  also 
with  suitable  means  for  innocent,  rational  amusement.  As 
the  institution  grew  in  favor  with  the  public,  it  was  found 
necessary  to  seek  for  it  ampler  accommodations.  Its  head- 
quarters were  accordingly  transferred,  Feb.,  1870,  to  the  new 
and  handsome  edifice,  known  as  Baxter's  Building,  131 
Fulton  ave.,  opposite  Elm  place,  the  second,  third  and  fourth 
stories  of  which  it  devoted  to  the  purposes  of  library  and 
reading-rooms,  and  apartments  for  gymnastics  and  various 
other  kinds  of  recreations.  These  quarters  were  dedicated  to 
the  work  of  the  union  by  public  exercises  on  the  evening  of 
February  14,  1870,  when  the  organization  assumed  its  present 
name  and  adopted  a  new  constitution. 

In  the  spring  of  1870,  the  Union  rented  and  fitted  up  the 
"  Smith  Mansion,"  on  Smith  st.,  near  Fulton;  a  library  and 
reading-room  were  provided,  also  separate  rooms  for  games, 
conversation  and  correspondence.  On  the  second  floor  are 
the  rooms  for  boys'  evening  school  and  girls'  sewing  school. 
An  employment  bureau,  industrial  and  relief  departments 
have  been  successfully  conducted,  and  various  courses  of 
lectures  given  from  time  to  time.  The  Union  is  entirely  un- 
sectarian  and  undenominational,  inviting  all  to  enter  its 
membership,  and  at  an  annual  fee  so  low  as  to  be  within  the 
means  of  the  poor.  Consequently,  its  rooms  are  largely  fre- 
quented by  young  and  old,  while  its  general  operations  have 
become  much  extended.  The  first  President  was  Isaac  H. 
Frothingham;  his  successors  have  been :  Robert  Foster, 
Charles  P.  Gerrish,  Ripley  Ropes,  Josiah  B.  Blossom,  and 
Robert  Foster;  the  Officers  for  1883-84  are:  Robert  Foster, 
Pres.;  Joseph  R.  Blossom,  Alex.  Forman,  Vice-Presidents; 
Wm.  C.  Gardner,  Sec;  Isaac  H.  Cary,  Jr.,  Treas.;  Wm.  A. 
Butler,  Supt. 

The  German  Evangelical  Aid  Society. — A  number  of 
Christian  German  ladies  organized  September  21st,  1877,  a 
Ladies'  Mission  Society,  to  alleviate  the  misery  of  destitute 
Germans  in  the  city.  In  their  work  they  found  many  per- 
sons who  were  too  old  and  feeble  to  work,  friendless,  and 
without  means  in  a  strange  land.  These  ladies  determined 
to  found  a  Christian  Home  for  the  aged,  helpless,  worthy 
German  Protestants  of  both  sexes.  They  issued  an  appeal  for 
contributions,  which  met  with  a  hearty  response.  Soon  a 
meeting  of  the  German  Evangelical  Pastors  of  Brooklyn  was 
held  to  further  the  object.  An  organization  was  perfected 
and  incorporated  in  April,  1877,  as  the  German  Evangelical 
Aid  Society  of  Brooklyn.  Fourteen  lots,  at  the  corner  of 
Bushwick  ave.  and  Fairfax  st.,  were  purchased  for  $45,000, 
on  which  suitable  buildings  are  in  course  of  construction. 
Meanwhile,  the  house,  No.  79  Himrod  st.,  was  rented,  and  is 
occupied  by  15  inmates.  The  society  is  governed  by  a  council 
of  Pastors  of  German  churches  and  a  Board  of  Managers, 
consisting  of  ladies. 


1102 


HISTORY  01  KINGS  COUNTY. 


ELI  ROBBINS. 


Eli  Robbins. — Among  the  men  who  have  helped  to 
make  Brooklyn  respected  as  a  residential  city  of 
merchant  princes,  a  high  rank  is  due  to  the  memory  of 
Eli  Robbins,  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 

Mr.  Robbins  came  of  a  stock  in  which  some  of  the 
best  qualities  of  the  New  England  character  existed  in 
their  happiest  combination.  Towards  the  close  of  the 
last  century  Puritanism  in  New  England  had  laid  aside 
much  of  its  sternness  and  intolerance,  and  had  com- 
menced to  reconcile  itself  with  the  milder  charities  of 
life;  retaining,  however,  amidst  all  classes  of  the  popu- 
lation, as  much  patriarchal  simplicity  of  manners  as 
probably  ever  existed  in  a  modern  civilized  community. 
The  Robbins  homestead  was  situated  in  West  Cam- 
bridge, now  Arlington,  Massachusetts,  on  the  road 
rendered  historic  by  the  celebrated  ride  of  Paul  Revere. 
The  patriotism  of  the  family  is  indicated  by  the  fact 
that  the  name  of  Robbins  is  found  four  times  on  the 
roll  of  Captain  Parker's  company  of  "  embattled 
farmers,"  who  faced  the  British  at  the  famous  Concord 
tight.  After  the  Revolution  and  the  restoration  of 
social  order,  the  qualities  above  mentioned  speedily 
adapted  themselves  to  their  new  environment,  especially 
in  the  vicinity  of  Harvard  College.  The  original 
Colonial  custom  of  providing  variety  for  the  table,  by 
a  neighborly  interchange  of  agricultural  commodities, 
called  "  barter,"  gave  place  to  a  more  systematic 
method  of  distributing  produce,  and  public  markets 
were  substituted  for  the  primitive  pork-barrel  and 
private  poultry-bin. 

Nathan  Robbins,  the  father  of  the  present  genera- 
tion of  that  name,  was  among  the  earliest  to  engage  in 
the  regular  market  business,  by  exchanging  meat  for 
other  merchandise,  such  as  shoes,  snuff,  cigars,  choco- 
late, and  Continental  money.  In  accordance  with  the 
domestic  regulations  of  those  days,  his  home  was  en- 
livened by  the  successive  advent  of  nine  children,  the 
youngest  of  whom  was  Eli,  who  was  born  September 
22,  1821.  He  was  not  a  strong  child,  but  being  healthy 
and  self-reliant,  he  soon  mastered  the  rudiments  of 
such  knowledge  as  was  convenient  to  his  circumstances, 
and  began  his  business  career  at  an  early  age,  by  pro- 
viding a  horse  and  wagon  for  himself,  and  purchasing 
ponltrv  of  the  neighboring  fanners,  which  he  dressed 
with  his  own  hand*  and  carried  to  Boston  for  customers. 
Meanwhile,  his  brothers  had  established  themselves  in 
Faneuil  Hall  market,  and  were  building  up  a  profitable 
trade  in  the  same  kind  of  produce. 

About  the  year  ln:ii>,  Simeon  Boyden,  who  kept  the 
Tremont  House  in  Boston,  and  had  a  high  appreciation 
of  theM  industrious  young  men,  became  proprietor  of 
the  Astor  House,  then  the  principal  hotel  of  New  York  | 


city.  He  made  overtures  to  Nathan,  the  eldest,  by 
remarking  on  the  dearth  of  first-class  poultry  in  Fulton 
market,  and  suggesting  that  there  was  a  fine  opening 
for  some  New  England  man,  who  could  attend  to  busi- 
ness and  keep  out  of  bad  company.  This  was  exactly 
what  the  Robbins  boys  knew  how  to  do;  and  Amos, 
the  next  older  than  Eli,  at  once  departed  for  tin- 
metropolis.  Three  years  later,  in  1S39,  Eli  followed 
his  brother  to  Fulton  market,  at  first  as  an  employee; 
but  in  1841  they  entered  into  partnership,  under  the 
firm  name  of  "A.  &  E.  Robbins,"  which  has  since 
become  familiar  to  all  frequenters  of  the  streets  of 
New  York.  It  was  a  small  beginning — two  country 
boys,  aged  18  and  21,  with  a  capital  of  only  236  dollars 
each.  But  they  had  an  advantage  in  the  superior 
style  in  which  they  dressed  their  poultry,  and  they 
were  not  ashamed  to  work.  Add  to  this  their  deter- 
mination  not  to  speculate  nor  run  into  debt,  and  the 
result  might  easily  have  been  predicted.  They  soon 
distanced  all  competitors,  and  for  more  than  forty 
years  have  stood  at  the  acknowledged  head  of  that 
line  of  business  in  the  United  States,  thus  affording  a 
notable  instance  of  conspicuous  success,  attained  solely 
by  honorable  enterprise  and  strict  integrity. 

On  the  13th  of  May,  1845,  Mr.  Robbins  married  Miss 
Maria  C.  Farmer,  of  his  native  town,  a  young  lady 
with  whom  he  had  been  acquainted  from  childhood, 
and  whose  subsequent  devotedness,  as  wife  and  mother, 
amply  justified  the  prophetic  foregleams  of  his  youth- 
ful affection.  Her  love,  like  a  jewel,  hung  for  eight 
and  thirty  years  about  his  neck,  yet  never  lost  its 
lustre.  Possessed  of  a  modest  dignity,  which  created 
an  atmosphere  of  sweet  content,  and  artless  as  a  child, 
she  sought  her  own  delight  in  making  all  around  her 
bright  and  happy.  The  abundant  means  which  her 
husband  furnished  enabled  her  also  to  gratify  even 
hospitable  impulse  and  refined  taste.  Their  first  home 
in  Brooklyn  was  on  Washington  street,  where  two  dear 
children  came  to  work  their  mission  of  love:  Warren, 
born  September  J  1st,  i  s  it',,  ami  Clinton,  December 
27th,  1848.  The  birth  of  these  children  was  a  joy 
which  could  only  be  adequately  measured  by  the  terri- 
ble grief  that  followed  their  early  departure.  Clinton 
died  April  26th,  1864,  and  Warren  November  12th, 
1860. 

Mr.  Bobbins  had  already  become  a  rich  man,  and 
saw  in  his  offspring  an  adequate  shrine  whereon  U> 
lavish  all  his  paternal  love  and  care.  To  this  end  D« 
erected  the  spacious  and  elegant  mansion  on  the  corner 
of  Smith  and  Livingston  streets,  •which,  although  de- 
prived of  its  expected  chief  attraction,  has  remained 
i  the  charming  residence  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bobbins,  a* 


BIOGRAPHIES. 


1103 


well  as  a  welcome  resort  for  a  host  of  relatives  and 
choice  acquaintances. 

Eli  Robbing  was,  by  nature  and  early  training,  in- 
clined to  economy  and  careful  in  his  investments.  Yet 
he  was  not  indifferent  to  any  worthy  cause.  His  bene- 
factions to  private  families  and  individuals  were  so 
secret  and  unostentatious,  that  none  but  those  who  were 
the  recipients  of  it  can  compute  the  sums  which  he  an- 
nually bestowed  among  them.  In  religion,  he  was  a 
Universalist.  On  removing  to  Brooklyn,  while  yet  a 
young  man,  he  became  a  member  of  the  First  Uni- 
versalist Society,  and  remained  ever  after  loyal  to  that 
form  of  Christian  faith.  This  furnishes  the  key  to  his 
whole  moral  character.  He  never  sought  for  novelty, 
nor  shrank  from  the  dictates  of  duty.  He  had  the  two 
things  which  make  men  strong — an  intelligent  con- 
science and  the  quiet  courage  to  obey  it.  True  courage 
is  not  noisy.  It  does  not  find  its  expression  in  defiant 
manners  or  vapory  speech  ;  but  it  does  consist  in  a 
quiet  determination  to  do  right,  because  it  is  right,  and 
in  traveling  in  a  straight  though  unpopular  pathway. 

With  such  a  conscience  and  with  such  a  courage,  Eli 
Robbins  entered  upon  the  career  which  lay  before  him 
and  followed  it  successfully  to  the  end.    The  end  came 


while  he  was  yet  far  from  being  an  old  man.  He  died 
on  the  morning  of  June  21st,  1883,  in  the  62d  year  of 
his  age,  leaving,  as  the  result  of  his  life,  a  character  for 
business  integrity,  against  which  no  word  of  suspicion 
was  ever  breathed;  a  fortune  approximating  two  mil- 
lions of  dollars,  no  portion  of  which  was  obtained  by 
questionable  means;  a  wide  circle  of  associates  who 
honored  and  trusted  him;  and  a  wife  who,  having  passed 
with  him  through  every  grade  of  society,  is  peculiarly 
qualified  to  be  the  almoner  of  his  generous  intentions. 

His  will,  which  was  written  ten  years  before  his 
death,  disposes  of  some  three  hundred  thousand  dollars 
in  various  bequests,  among  which  are  legacies  to  the 
Church  of  our  Father,  of  this  city,  the  Brooklyn 
Orphan  Asylum,  the  Blind  Asylum  of  New  York, 
the  Unitarian  and  Universalist  Churches  of  Arlinar- 
ton,  Mass.,  and  his  native  town,  to  which  his  body 
was  taken  for  interment. 

The  Montauk  Fire  Insurance  Co.  and  the  Firemen's 
Trust  Insurance  Co.,  of  both  of  which  he  was  a  trustee, 
together  with  the  religious  society  with  which  he  was 
long  and  intimately  connected,  passed  appropriate  res- 
olutions of  regret,  and  all  who  knew  him  were  sincere 
mourners. 


AMOS  ROBBINS. 


Amos  Robbins,  who  is  mentioned  in  the  foregoing 
sketch  of  the  life  of  his  younger  brother,  Eli  Robbins, 
was  born  in  West  Cambridge  (now  Arlington),  Massa- 
chusetts, December  28th,  1817,  and  received  a  limited 
education  in  the  public  schools  of  the  time  and 
locality. 

At  the  age  of  fourteen,  he  came  a  poultry-buyer  and 
dresser  for  his  brother,  Nathan,  who  had  then  been  for 
some  time  established  in  Faneuil  Hall  Market,  in  Bos- 
ton; and  who,  still  living  at  the  age  of  eighty,  has  been 
in  business  sixty  years,  and  is  at  this  time  president  of 
the  Faneuil  Hall  Bank,  besides  being  connected  with 
other  important  interests  in  Boston. 

At  the  age  of  sixteen,  Amos  Robbins  removed  to  Bos- 
ton, and  was  employed  in  his  brother's  business  there 
until  1836,  when,  as  has  been  stated  in  the  foregoing 
article,  he  went  to  New  York  to  prepare  and  furnish  to 
the  tables  of  the  Astor  House  such  poultry  as  was 
desired  by  Mr.  Simeon  Boyden,  who,  at  that  time, 
assumed  the  management  of  that  since  famous  hotel. 


Three  years  later,  when  Eli  Robbins  entered  the  em- 
ploy of  Amos,  the  latter  had  laid  the  foundation  of  ihe 
subsequent  immense  business  of  the  firm  of  A.  &  E. 
Robbins,  reference  to  whose  almost  unexampled  career 
has  been  made  above.  At  the  death  of  Eli  Robbins, 
in  June,  1883,  he  was  succeeded  in  the  firm  by  his 
nephew,  Milton  Robbins,  son  of  Mr.  Amos  Robbins, 
and  the  style  of  the  firm  was  changed  to  A.  &  M. 
Robbins. 

Mr.  Robbins  was  married,  at  the  age  of  twenty,  to 
Miss  Adelia  Martling,  of  Tarrytown,  N.  Y.,  who  has 
borne  him  two  sons,  and  two  daughters  who  were 
reared  and  married,  but  who  died  in  early  womanhood. 
Mr.  Robbins,  in  his  declining  years,  is  in  the  enjoyment 
of  well-earned  wealth,  and  such  has  been  his  character 
from  boyhood  that  he  is  held  in  equally  high  regard  in 
business  circles  and  among  his  intimate  friends,  and  is 
esteemed  alike  as  an  intelligent  and  influential  citizen 
and  as  a  friendly  and  whole-souled  Christian  gentle- 
man. 


not 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


FREDERICK  LOESER. 


Frederick.  Loeser. — In  the  year  1853,  Mr.  Looser, 
impelled  like  many  other  young  men  by  the  desire  of 
getting  a  start  in  the  world,  resolved  to  leave  the  beaten 
track  and  seek  for  better  fortune  in  America.  His 
previous  life  had  been  but  a  repetition  of  an  oft-told 
tale.  Born  in  the  town  of  Mergentheim,  in  the  southern 
part  of  Germany,  the  eldest  son  of  a  poor  silversmith, 
he  found  himself  at  an  early  age  under  the  necessity  of 
earning  his  own  livelihood.  When  only  a  lad  he  lost 
his  mother,  and  was  then  obliged  to  leave  school,  much 
against  his  inclination,  for  his  desire  was  to  become  a 
physician.  lie  entered  as  an  apprentice  into  the  store 
of  a  fringe-maker  in  the  town  of  Wiir/.burg,  and  lived 
three  years  in  his  master's  family,  but  his  position  there 
was  unenviable;  hard  tasks  and  short  fare  were  the 
rule,  though  of  chidings  and  blows  there  was  no  lack, 
so  those  days  were  a  better  schooling  in  patience  and 
suffering  than  in  the  loom  and  shuttle.  His  appren- 
ticeship over,  he  started  on  his  wanderings  in  search  of 
employment,  with  staff  and  knapsack  and  some  ten 
florins  saved  from  his  scanty  earnings.  This  was  the 
course  necessary  for  every  young  artisan  to  pursue  in 
those  days;  ere  he  could  be  counted  among  the 
"masters"  of  any  trade  he  must  have  spent  three  years 
in  wandering  from  place  to  place,  becoming  familiar 
with  the  methods  of  trade  in  different  countries.  To 
meet  the  requirements  of  these  "journeymen,"  a  sort  of 
guihl  or  trades-union  existed  throughout  the  cities  of 
the  continent,  which  provided  the  young  fellow  with  a 
position,  helped  him  in  distress  or  sickness,  and  were 
friends  and  home  to  him  wherever  he  miffht  be. 

Mr.  Loescr's  first  trip  was  by  way  of  Munich,  through 
the  Tyrol  and  northern  Italy  to  Verona.  The  whole 
of  the  journey  had  to  be  performed  on  foot,  for  the 
young  man's  means  hardly  sufficed  to  buy  his  daily 
bread.  Wages  were  small,  and  the  war  with  Austria 
caused  all  German-speaking  persons  to  be  looked  on 
with  disfavor,  so  the  young  man  turned  northward 
through  Lomhardy  and  Styria  to  Vienna,  in  1350. 
After  a  year  and  a  half  spent  here  and  two  years  in 
Zurich  and  Berne,  he  returned  to  his  old  home.  He 
had  now  reached  the  age  when  all  ahle-bodied  young 
men  were  compelled  to  enter  the  army,  but  as  he  could 
ill  afford  to  call  on  his  father's  treasury  for  five  years, 
and  be  no  better  off  at  the  end  of  that  time,  he  resolved 
to  leave  for  America.  Sailing  from  Havre,  November 
1st,  1853,  he  arrived  in  New  York  after  a  short 
|' .i-- »  Hi,  ;i  capital  of  two  and  ■  half  dollars  and  a 
silver  watch.  As  nothing  was  then  known  of  fringe- 
making  in  the  city,  he  resolved  to  go  west  and  find 
other  employment  In  Morganfield,  Ky.,  he  found 
some  distant  relatives,  and  there,  after  trading  in  furs 


for  a  year,  he  earned  enough  to  open  a  small  country 
store  at  Smith's  Mills,  Henderson  county,  Ky.  His 
prospects  brightened,  though  after  a  time  both  he  and 
his  clerk  were  taken  ill  with  chills  and  fever.  For- 
tunately their  days  of  sickness  alternated,  so  that  one 
or  the  other  could  be  in  the  store  every  day.  In  1855, 
he  sold  out  and  went  to  Louisville  for  a  couple  of 
years,  and  then  to  New  York  city,  where  he  obtained  a 
position  with  S.  M.  Peyser,  the  leading  trimming  and 
worsted  store  in  the  city. 

In  1800,  he  married,  and  the  same  year  went  into 
business  with  Moritz  Dinkelspiel  upon  a  capital  of  #  1 ,200, 
opening  a  store  at  No.  277  Fulton  street,  Brooklyn,  with 
a  small  stock  of  worsteds,  embroideries  and  trimming* 
Matters  progressed  well  until  the  rebellion  broke  out, 
and  injured  business  for  a  time.  In  1803,  Mr.  J.  W. 
Jones  entered  the  firm,  and  a  branch  store  was  opened 
at  No.  737  Broadway,  New  York.  In  1800,  Mr.  L<>.  -n 
sold  his  interest  in  the  New  York  business,  and  bought 
out  his  partners  in  the  Brooklyn  enterprise.  In  addition 
he  started  a  button  factory  on  Fulton  street,  Brooklyn, 
which  was  very  successful,  but  which  other  business 
cares  compelled  him  to  dispose  of  after  a  few  years.  In 
1870,  the  store  was  removed  to  its  present  site,  Mr. 
Louis  Liebmann  was  received  as  partner,  and  the  stock 
of  dry  goods  was  largely  increased.  In  1872,  his 
brother,  Mr.  Hermann  Liebman  joined  the  firm,  and  in 
1876,  Mr.  Gustav  Loeser  was  admitted  as  a  member. 
The  public  of  Brooklyn  has  always  been  appreciative 
of  their  enterprise,  Mr.  Loeser  say6,  and  ready  to  re- 
spond to  the  efforts  of  the  firm  to  keep  the  trade  at 
home.  Through  its  liberal  patronage,  they  arc  enabled 
to  give  employment  to  nearly  seven  hundred  men  and 
women,  while  their  establishment  ranks  as  one  of  the 
leading  retail  houses  in  the  city. 

It  is  mainly  due  to  Mr.  Frederick  Loeser's  energy 
that  the  business  has  been  developed  to  so  large  an  ex- 
tent. His  close  watch  of  the  demands  of  trade,  his 
thorough  system  introduced  into  all  departments,  and 
his  careful  attention  to  details,  have  enabled  him  to  suc- 
ceed where  so  many  have  failed.  His  features  indicate 
the  possession  of  a  strong,  positive  character,  though 
not  haughty  or  self-willed;  his  courteous  bearing  marks 
the  gentleman,  while  his  social  qualities  make  him 
highly  esteemed  among  a  large  circle  of  friends  and  ac- 
quaintances. 

Notwithstanding  the  demands  of  business,  Mr.  Loo- 
ser finds  time  to  gratify  his  literary  taste  ;  his  resi- 
dence contains  a  well-selected  library;  he  is  00* 
versant  with  current  events,  alive  to  the  questions  <>t 
the  day,  thorough-going  and  honorable,  and  secure  in 
!  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  the  community. 


THE  PROGRESS 


DRAMA,   OPERA,   MUSIC   AND  ART 

IN  BROOKLYN. 


BY 


THE  PROLOGUE.  — There  are  few  cities  in  any 
part  of  the  civilized  world  where  the  Drama  had 
a  longer  or  a  harder  struggle  to  obtain  a  foot- 
hold than  in  the  city  of  Brooklyn.  To  impute  this  to 
the  want  of  taste  on  the  part  of  its  inhabitants,  would 
be  incorrect.  The  fact  of  Brooklyn  being  so  adjacent 
to  the  great  metropolis  was  really  the  cause.  For 
many  years  after  Brooklyn  was  looked  upon  as  a  city 
of  considerable  magnitude,  its  inhabitants  favored 
New  York  for  almost  everything,  whether  it  belonged 
to  commerce  or  amusements.  The  habit  once  formed, 
it  still  continued  long  after  Brooklyn  was  acknowl- 
edged a  great  city  in  many  respects.  Even  at  the 
present  day,  there  is  a  prejudice  so  strong  in  favor  of 
everything  in  New  York  that  it  is  detrimental,  not  only 
to  those  who  cater  for  the  amusement-seeking  portion 
of  the  public,  but  to  many  in  all  other  branches  of 
business.  With  a  population  of  over  six  hundred 
thousand,  and  ranking  in  numbers  as  the  third  city  in 
the  Union — there  are  but  three  places  of  amusement 
that  can  be  looked  upon  as  respectable  in  architectural 
proportions,  or  class  of  amusements  furnished  for  the 
people;  these  are  the  Brooklyn  Academy  of  Music, 
Park  Theatre,  and  Brooklyn  Theatre,  the  first 
named  being  only  occasionally  used  for  either  the 
opera  or  the  drama.  The  Park  and  Brooklyn  theatres 
are  invariably  closed  during  the  summer  months,  and 
yet  thousands  of  Brooklynites  crowd  the  ferry-boats  to 
attend  places  of  amusement  in  New  York.  There  is 
really  more  cause  for  this  at  the  present  period  than 
twenty  years  ago.  The  great  improvements  in  con- 
veyance from  the  several  ferries  in  New  York  to  the 
up-town  theatres,  requiring  but  fifteen  minutes  by 
elevated  railway,  and  the  great  variety  and  superior 
manuer  in  which  pieces  are  placed  upon  the 
metropolitan  stage,  both  in  actors  and  artistic  details, 
must  be  admitted  as  great  inducements.  Many  argue 
that  Brooklyn  would  not  support  what  might  be 
termed  a  first-class  theatre— like  Wallack's— with  a 
picked  company  of  artists,  and  months  of  preparation 


for  the  production  of  a  single  play.  This  is  not  so; 
for  these  very  people  who  go  to  New  York  are  the  most 
intelligent  and  respectable  class  of  amusement-seekers, 
and  visit  Wallack's,  the  Union  Square,  and  the  Fifth 
Avenue  theatres  for  the  reason  that  whatever  they  go 
there  to  see,  is  sure  to  be  well  done  in  every  par- 
ticular. 

The  Drama  can  only  be  built  up  to  its  highest  condi- 
tion by  a  local  growth,  and  when  the  managers  give 
proper  attention  to  all  the  finer  necessities  of  the 
stage,  together  with  a  first-class  company. 

Yet,  with  all  the  drawbacks  and  obstacles  to  a  more 
elevated  condition  of  the  stage  in  Brooklyn,  it  has  a 
dramatic  history  of  great  interest,  arising  from  the 
fact  that  nearly  all  of  the  great  stars  who  have  adorn- 
ed the  stage  of  the  metropolis,  have  appeared  in 
this  city.  But  it  makes  no  difference  what  the  drama 
has  been  in  Brooklyn  :  its  future  must  be  of  necessity 
far  greater  in  many  respects.  The  growth  of  the  two 
cities  is  so  rapid  that  they  are  becoming  farther  apart 
every  year,  and  the  localities  of  the  theatres  must  ad- 
vance with  their  boundaries.  This  will  cause  the  Brook- 
lyn people  to  seek  their  amusements  at  home  in  spite  of 
rapid  transit;  and  the  people  will  require  and  demand 
more  than  one  theatre  managed  on  the  principles  of 
Wallack's  or  the  Union  Square. 

Doran,  in  his  History  of  the  British  Stage,  and 
Dunlap,  in  his  History  of  the  American  Theatre,  have 
gone  back  as  far  as  they  could  go,  in  the  relation  of  the 
smallest  details  in  connection  with  their  subject.  If  we 
may  be  allowed  the  same  privilege,  we  will  begin  the 
history  of  the  Drama  in  Brooklyn  as  far  back  as  1776. 

"The  Curtain  Up."— After  Washington  had 
made  his  masterly  retreat  to  New  York,  leaving  Bur- 
goyne,  Clinton  and  Howe,  iu  disappointment,  to  wonder 
at  the  magic  change  of  scene  made  by  the  ever-watchful 
American  commander  in  the  national  drama  which  they 
had  expected  to  suddenly  conclude;  the  British  army, 
from  Bedford  and  Flatbush  down  to  the  water's  edge, 


1100 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTl'. 


where  now  stands  the  City  of  Brooklyn,  had  a  chance 
for  a  long  rest  on  Long  Island.  With  this  rest  came  the 
necessity  for  amusements  of  some  kind  for  the  officers 
and  men  of  the  invading  foe.  Often  they  resorted 
to  the  drama,  and  rigged  up  a  stage  of  some  kind, 
even  painted  their  own  scenery,  formed  an  orchestra 
out  of  a  regimental  band,  and  performed  some  of  the 
lighter  dramatic  productions.  At  this  period,  Brook- 
lyn became  famous  as  the  camp  of  the  British  army, 
and  soon  followed  all  sorts  of  amusements  at  a  stone 
building  situated  on  the  north  side  of  the  "  old  road  " 
(Fulton  street),  near  the  corner  of  Front  street.  This 
building  bad  been  known  for  thirty  years  or  more  as 
"Corporation  House,"  from  the  fact  that  it  belonged 
to  the  Corporation  of  the  City  of  New  York.  The 
building  was  about  seventy  by  sixty  feet,  and  two 
stories  high,  containing  a  large  ball  on  the  second 
floor,  with  a  tavern  and  ferry-rooms  on  the  ground 
floor.  As  soon  as  the  British  got  possession  of  Brook- 
lyn, the  Corporation  Bouse  changed  hands  and  name, 
and  was  known,  as  long  as  the  British  remained  in 
Brooklyn,  as  "  The  Kinrfs  Head."  It  was  now  fitted 
up  in  the  most  complete  manner  for  the  attraction  of 
the  officers  and  men.  At  The  King's  Head  all 
sorts  of  games  were  given,  from  bull-baiting  to  lotteries. 
The  King's  birthdays  were  celebrated  by  illuminations, 
and  hundreds  of  people  came  from  New  York  to  see 
the  different  shows,  and  to  partake  of  first-class  "  fish 
dinners."    In  this  building,  no  doubt,  took  plaee 

The  First  Performance  in  Brooklyn.— 

Among  the  pieces  performed  was  an  original  farce  sup- 
posed to  have  been  written  by  General  John  Burgoyne. 
who  was  one  of  the  commanders  of  the  British  lorces 
on  Long  Island.  This  same  Burgoyne,  after  he  had  re- 
turned to  England,  became  a  dramatic  writer  of  con- 
siderable reputation.  He  was  the  author  of  the  "  Maid 
of  the  Oaks,"  "  Lord  of  the  Manor,"  the  fine  farce  of 
"Bon  Ton,"  and  the  excellent  comedy  of  "The 
Heiress,"  which,  at  the  time  of  its  production  in 
London,  stood  almost  as  high  as  "The  School  for 
Scandal." 

The  following  title  of  the  farce  alluded  to  is  from  the 
printed  copy,  published  by  J.  Rivington,  New  York, 
1776: 

THE  BATTLE  OF  BROOKLYN, 
A  Farce  in  Tiro  Acts. 
As  it  was  performed  on  Long  bland,  on  Tuesday,  27th  day  of 
August,  1770,  by  the  representatives  of 
—The  Tyrants  ok  Amkiuca, — 
A.i.vmhlrd  in  I'hilaililphiti. 
Published  by  J.  Kivinuton,  N.  Y. 
On  the  second  page  of  the  book  is  the  following  list  of  char- 
acters: 
Din  limits  Persona-. 
Mkn 

Washington, 
1'utnitm, 

a  ...  Hrbtl  Chiefs. 

Stirling, 


Slasher,  a  Shoemaker  of  New  York. 
Clark,  a  Retailer  of  Rum  in  Connecticut,         j  r  ,  , 
Remsen,  a  Farmer  of  New  Town,  Long  Island,  \  ^oloneis- 
Ebenezer  Snuffle,  a  New  England  Parson,  Chaplain  to  General 

Putnam. 
Joe  King,  Servant  to  Stirling. 
Noah,  Servant  to  Sullivan. 

Women. 

Ixi<ly  Oales, 
Betty,  her  Servant. 

Officebs  and  Soldiers. 
Scene. — Partly  within  the  Rebel  lines  at  Brooklyn,  and  partly 

at  Gowanus. 

The  piece  is  not  badly  written.  Its  dramatic  action 
is  good,  and  full  of  fun.  It  represents  the  American 
cause  in  the  most  ludicrous  light ;  and,  at  the  end, 
makes  a  somewhat  eloquent  appeal  to  all  Americans  in 
rebellion  against  His  Majesty.  It  does  not  appear  as  to 
who  performed  the  characters,  and,  if  performed  at  all, 
it  must  have  been  in  the  large  hall  at  the  "King's  Head." 
An  original  copy  of  this  scarce  and  remarkable  dra- 
matic production  may  be  found  in  the  Library  of  Con- 
gress. A  reprint  of  it  is  in  the  Library  of  the  Long 
Island  Historical  Society  of  Brooklyn. 

For  many  years  alter  the  conclusion  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, the  "  King's  Head  "  was  known  as  the  "  Brook- 
lyn Hall.  ' 

1810. — The  next  dramatic  performance  in  Brooklyn 
that  we  are  able  to  record  with  any  certainty,  took  place 
May  5th,  1810,  at  Green's  Military  Garden,  which  was 
situated  where  the  County  Court  House  now  stands. 
The  entertainment  was  given  by  a  "  company  of  gentle- 
men "  from  the  City  of  New  York.  The  following  it 
the  bill  of  performance: 

"The  Wags  of  Windsor." 

Caleb  Quotem  Mr.  Biven 

Captain  Beaugard  Mr.  Haswell 

with  the  song  of  "Go  to  the  Devil,  and  shake  yourself."  After 
which  a  scene  from 

"The  Real  Soldier." 

Captain  Cringer  Mr.  MeCremdy 

Nipperkin  Mr.  Bnren 

Lenox  Mr.  Haswell 

Major  Tactic  By  a  young  gentleman 

The  whole  to  conclude  with  a  patriotic  song,  written  and  sunt; 
by  Mr.  Haswell,  and  a  "  Recitation  upon  the  Relics  of  the  un- 
fortunate Americans  who  perished  during  the  War,  written  an>i 
spoken  by  Mr.  Haswell." 

1814— August  4th,  Mr.  Robinson*  and  Mrs.  Km- 
wistle  gave  an  entertainment  at  Military  Garden,  wWoh 
they  termed  "  Dramatic  Olio,"  consisting  of  Bongs 
and  recitations. 

The  Mrs.  Entwistle  above  named  was  the  Oik 
brated  Mrs.  Mason,  who  made  her  first  appeMpOC 
at  the  Park  Theatre,  New  York,  in  1809. 

•  Mr.  Roiiinson  w»h  an  i.M  number  of  111.'  I'.irk  Tin  ill re  C.'mi>»ny. 
\,.rk.  :ui. I         1,.1'l.ly  ••«••  '         a-         nll.-niiiii  and  •'"  •"     r    "'         '  : 
ber  of  Urn  Richmond  Theatre,  Virginia,  at  the  timo  it  wan  burned  Id  Mil. 
and  by  hi*  preaoncc  of  mind  and  noble  daring  bo  wa«  the  m.«n»  of  »Tini! 
a  large  number  of  Uvea.   Ho  diod  in  Now  York,  Not.  10th.  1819.  at  fortj- 
eight  yearn  of  ago. 


THE  DRAMA,   OPERA,  MUSIC  AND  ART. 


1 107 


1820. — Nothing  further  is  discoverable  of  a  dra- 
matic nature  in  Brooklyn  till  1820,  when  two  promi- 
nent members  of  the  profession  gave  a  performance  at 
"  Morrison's  Hotel"  in  accordance  with  the  following 
programme  : 

Positively  for  one  night  only, 
At  Morrison's  Hotel, 
The  ladies  and  gentlemen  of  Brooklyn  and  its  vicinity  are 
respectfully  informed  that 

Messrs.  Kilner  *  and  Spiller,  f 
(of  the  New  York  Theatre,) 
at  the  suggestion  of  their  friends  in  the  village,  intend  doing 
themselves  the  honor  to  present  them  on 

Friday  evening,  January  14i/t,  1820, 
( — with  a  novel  entertainment  entitled — ) 
"The  Actor's  Ways  and  Means." 
For  particulars  see  small  bills.    Doors  open  at  6  o'clock,  and 
the  performance  to  commence  at  half-past  6.    Admittance  one 
dollar.    Tickets  to  be  had  of  Captain  Young,  J.  K.  Badell,  and 
at  the  office  of  the  Long  Island  Star. 

Mr.  John  H.  Morrison  kept  a  tavern  and  boarding- 
house  at  the  corner  of  Columbia  and  Cranberry  streets. 

1823.— The  Star  of  June  the  5th  stated  that 
Mr.  Duflon,  proprietor  of  the  well-known  "  Military 
Garden,"  was  fitting  up  his  place  as  a  summer  theatre, 
where  music,  recitations  and  theatrical  pieces  would  be 
performed.  The  garden  opened  on  the  14th  of  June, 
with  a  concert ;  nothing  was  said  as  to  stage  or  dramatic 
pieces.  The  Garden  is  advertised  as  a  "delightful 
resort,  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  from  Fulton 
Ferry."  It  was  situated  on  the  spot  of  ground  now 
occupied  by  the  County  Court  House  and  other  public 
buildings.  At  that  time  it  took  up  the  whole  of  the 
block  bounded  by  Joralemon,  Boerum,  Court  and 
Livingston  streets.  The  entrance  to  the  garden  was 
where  the  County  Court  House  now  stands.  It  consisted 
of  a  long  frame  building,  three  stories  high,  entirely 
void  of  any  ornamentation,  through  the  centre  of  which 
was  a  broad  hallway  to  the  garden.  The  writer  used 
to  visit  this  beautiful  resort,  when  quite  young,  with 
his  New  York  chums,  among  whom  was  the  well- 
known  James  T.  Brady. 

1825— December  15th,  Mr.  Hewlett,  the  "col- 
ored tragedian,"  J  informed  the  "  Ladies  and  Gentlemen 

*  Mr.  Thomas  Kilner  was  born  in  England  ;  made  his  first  appearance 
on  the  American  stage  at  the  old  Park  Theatre,  New  York,  in  1815,  where  he 
was  a  favorite  aetor  in  such  parts  as  "  hearty  old  men."  He  became  man- 
ager of  the  Federal  Street  Theatre,  Boston,  Mass.,  and  also  was  acting  and 
stage  manager  for  Barrere,  who  first  put  up  the  "  Chatham  Theatre,"  New 
York,  in  1824.  He  retired  from  the  stage  in  1831,  and  lived  on  his  farm  in 
Ohio  for  many  years,  where  he  died. 

t  Mr.  Spiller  was  born  in  England,  and'  made  his  debut  at  the  "  Hay- 
market  Theatre,"  London  ;  first  appeared  in  New  York,  April  26lh,  1811,  at 
the  Park  Theatre,  as  Frederick  in  "Lovers'  Vows  ;"  died  in  New  York  in  1827. 
Mr.  Spiller  was  a  man  of  fine  literary  abilities.  He  was  an  actor  most  at 
home  in  eccentric  characters. 

t  Hewlett  was  a  mulatto.  His  histrionic  education  was  caught  up  by 
being  an  attendant  to  the  celebrated  Cooper  and  Cook  when  traveling 
through  the  country  on  their  starring  trips.  His  imitations  of  all  of  the 
great  performers  were  recognized  as  correct,  and  evincing  great  discrimina- 
tion and  dramatic  genius.  He  was  born  at  Kockaway,  Long  Island,  and 
died  somewhere  in  Europe. 


of  the  village  that  he  would  give  an  intertainment  at 
the  Military  Garden,  consisting  of  Scenes  from  Plays, 
in  imitation  of  the  celebrated  Cooper,  Kean,  Kemble, 
and  Matthews;  interspersed  with  songs  from  favorite 
operas."  He  styled  himself  "  Shakespear's  Proud  Re- 
presentative." 

1826. — This  year  was  made  somewhat  memorable 
by  the  fact  that  Mr.  Roberts*  and  other  actors  from  the 
Chatham  Theatre,  New  York,  appeared  with  stage  and 
scenery  at  Mrs.  Chester's  Hall  and  Exchange  Coffee 
House.  The  performance  took  place  on  March  2d. 
The  pieces  were  Matthew's  "  Mail-Coach  Adventure," 
and  "Sylvester  Daggerwood ;"  Sylvester,  Mr.  Rob- 
erts; Fustian,  Mr.  Turnbull ;  John,  Mr.  W ray.  Tickets 
50  cents,  to  be  had  at  the  bar.  Open  at  half-past  six, 
commence  at  seven  o'clock. 

The  most  complete  dramatic  performance  up  to 
this  time,  in  Brooklyn,  took  place  on  the  10th  of 
March.  The  following  is  a  faithful  copy  of  the  printed 
play-bill : 

BROOKLYN  THEATRE. 

At  Mrs.  Chester's  Hall. 
The  Chatham  Theatre  Company  of  Comedians  beg  leave  to  in- 
form the  ladies  and  gentlemen  of  Brooklyn  and  vicinity  that 
they  will  open  a  Theatre  in  the  above  Hall, 
Friday,  March  10,  1826, 
With  Stage,  New  Scenery,  Decorations,  &c,  &c,  &o. 
The  evening's  entertainment  will  commence  with  an  admired 
Tragedy,  called 

"  Douglas." 

Young  Norval  (Douglas)  Miss  Riddle. 

As  performed  by  her  at  the  Chatham  Theatre,  New  York. 

Olenavan  Mr.  Scott 

Lord  Randolph  Mr.  Walstein 

Old  Norval  Mr.  Herbert 

Officer  Mr.  Elting 

Trembling  Coward  Mr.  Jones 

Lady  Randolph   Mrs.  Entwistle 

Anna  Mrs.  La  Combe 

After  which,  a  comic  song  by  Mr.  Roberts,  called  the  "Smok- 
ing Club,  or  Puff!  Puff!" 

A  Song,  by  Mrs.  La  Combe 

A  Comic  Son  g,  by  Mr.  Wray 

The  above  to  conclude  with  the  laughable  Farce,  in  Two  Acts, 
called 

"  The  Review," 
Or  the  Wags  of  Windsor. 

Captain  Beaugard  Mr.  Walstein 

Looney  McTicalter  Mr.  Andrews 

As  performed  by  him  at  Chatham  Theatre,  New  York. 

John  Lump  Mr-  Herbert 

Dobbs   Mr-  Wray 

Deputy  Bull  Mr-  Turnbull 


*  Mr.  Roberts  made  a  great  reputation  in  New  York  by  his  excellent 
performance  of  Bob  Logic  in  the  comedy  of  "Tom  and  Jersey."  He  made 
his  first  appearance  in  America,  at  the  old  Circus  in  New  York,  on  the  east 
side  of  Broadway,  between  Grand  and  Howard  streets,  in  1823.  He  was  so 
attractive  at  one  time  as  a  comedian,  that  the  manager  of  the  Bowery 
Theatre,  New  York,  paid  one  thousand  dollars,  the  penalty  attached  to  his 
articles  of  agreement  with  the  Chatham  Garden  Theatre,  to  secure  his  ser- 
vices in  1826.  He  was  born  in  Scotland  in  1798,  and  died  in  Philadelphia 
in  1833. 


1 108 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Caleb  Qiioiem  Mr.  Roberts 

(As  performed  by  him  at  the  Chatham  Theatre,  with  the  songs 
of  "  The  Life,  Birth,  and  Parentage  of  Caleb  Quotem,"  and  the 
"  Nightingale  Club.") 

Lucy  Miss  Riddle 

Grace  Oaylove  Miss  La  Combe 

Tickets  fifty  cents,  to  be  had  at  the  bar.  Children  half 
price.  Doors  open  at  6,  and  performance  to  commence  at  7 
o'clock.  A  band  of  musicians  from  the  Chatham  Theatre  will 
perform.  No  postponement  on  any  account.  Places  may  be 
secured  from  2  until  fi  o'clock  on  the  day  of  the  performance. 

The  old  Brooklyn  Star,  a  weekly  paper,  spoke  of  the 
hall  having  been  fitted  up  with  stage,  scenery,  &c.,  &c , 
and  said  the  part  of  Lady  Randolph  was  sustained  with 
great  ability  by  Mrs.  Entwistle,  and  that  Miss  Riddle, 
as  young  Norval,  was  indeed  interesting,  and  gave 
promise  of  great  excellence  in  the  future.  Mr.  Roberts 
was  highly  extolled  as  Caleb  Quotem,  and  the  whole 
performance  spoken  of  as  a  great  success. 

On  Monday  evening,  March  13th,  the  house  was 
filled  to  overflowing.  "The  Soldier's  Daughter "  was 
performed  with  great  applause.  Mrs.  Entwistle*  was 
the  lively  widow,  and  Mr.  Scott,  as  "  Frank  Hartall," 
sustained  his  reputation  as  a  fine  actor,  while  Roberts 
took  the  house  by  storm  in  his  comic  songs.  "  The 
Spoiled  Child"  was  the  after  piece,  with  Miss  Riddle, f 
as  "Miss  Pickle."  On  Tuesday  evening,  March  14th, 
'•  The  Stranger "  and  "  Lover's  Quarrels  "  made  up 
the  bill.  Thursday,  March  16th,  the  tragedy  of  "Jane 
Shore"  and  "Animal  Magnetism"  were  performed, 
with  Mr.  Scott  J  as  "  Lord  Hastings,"  Walstein  §  as 
"Gloucester,"  Wray  as  "  Radcliff,"  Elting  as  "  Cates- 
by,"  Turnbnll  as  "Lord  Derby,"  Herbert  as  "  Du- 
mont,"  Andrews  as  "  Belmour,"  Cadwell  as  "Officer," 
Mrs.  Entwistle.  as  "Jane  Shore,"  and  Mrs  \Valsteiu|| 
as  "  Alicia." 

March  18th,  the  same  names  filled  up  the  cast  of 
"John  Bull,"  and  a  favorite  farce.  At  the  bottom  of 
the  bills  it  was  advertised  that  the  horse  boats  would 
be  in  readiness  at  the  Catherine  Ferry,  from  8  to  12 
o'clock,  to  convey  parties  back  to  New  York. 

*  We  regret  that  we  have  not  the  space  to  apeak  of  Mrs.  Entwistle  in  pro- 
portion to  hor  great  merits.  8hc  made  her  first  appearance  in  America  at 
the  Park  Theatre.  23d  of  October,  1809,  as  "  Mrs.  Beverly."  in  the  tragedy  of 
"The  (iaiii<'-N  r."  She  was  at  that  turn1  Mrs.  Mason,  and  .vas  the  hailing 
favorite  in  comedy  and  tragedy  for  many  years.  Her  polished  and  elegant 
deportment  in  hor  performances  of  women  of  fashion  was  extremely  fascina- 
ting. There  was  nothing  forced,  nothing  studied,  nothing  which  the  most 
fastidious  taste  would  wish  altered,  nothing  of  the  common-place  artifice 
called  stage  trick,  none  of  that  daubed  over-doing  which,  like  caricature  in 
painting,  raises  the  coarse  merriment  at  the  expense  of  the  natural  pro- 
priety and  truth,  but  was  of  the  refined,  polite,  yet  natural  and  pungent 
•liiality  of  humor  which  casts  a  mild  sunshine  over  the  heart,  filling  it 
with  pure  enjoyment.  Shu  was  horn  in  Kugland,  and  died  in  New  Or- 
leans, La.,  1835. 

t  Miss  Rmi.i.r.  made  her  debut  in  the  Walnut  Street  Theatre,  Philadelphia, 
in  l"j.t.  After  playing  main  «.i-  'ii<  mi  X.  *  York,  Hoston.  and  other  cities, 
as  a  gn  at  favorite,  she  retired  from  the  stage  for  several  years,  but  returned 
to  it  at  I -aura  Kerne's  Theatre,  in  185f>,  as  Mrs.  Smith.  Her  last  engagement 
was  at  Howard's  Athens  inn,  Ilostoii.  where  she  died  in  1HC1.  She  was  a  lady 
of  eminent  and  spotless  character. 

1  Mr.  Scott  waa  a  very  large  man,  and  was  known  among  the  playgoers  as 
■  Fatty  Scott."  He  was  a  line  actor,  as  the  writer  can  testify,  as  ho  has 
often  seen  him  on  the  stage  of  the  old  Chatham  Theatre,  where  Scott  made 
his  appearance  on  the  loth  of  May.  XWli    Ho  often  performed  the  part  of 


Thus  we  have  the  record  of  the  first  dramatic  per- 
formance in  the  City  of  Brooklyn,  with  stage,  scenery 
and  decorations  in  full,  and  for  a  consecutive  number 
of  nights  with  success. 

Mrs.  Chester's  colfee-house  was  situated  on  Front 
street,  east  side,  and  was  known  at  the  time  as  28  and 
30  Front  street.    The  coffee-house  consisted  of  two 
j  frame  buildings,  made  into  one,  with  a  large  room  on 
j  the  second  floor,  which  was  appropriated  for  balls  and 
public  meetings  and  the  same  as  was  used  on  the  occa- 
i  sion  of  the  dramatic  performances  above  mentioned. 

1828— The  Amphitheatre.— The  next  event 

of  importance  in  the  dramatic  history  of  Brooklyn  was 
the  erection  of  an  Amphitheatre,  on  leased  ground  in 
Fulton  street,  east  side,  between  Nassau  and  Concord 
streets.  The  ground  was  brokeu  for  this  building 
on  the  22d  of  May,  1828.  Its  front  was  of  brick, 
while  the  theatre  itself  was  mostly  of  frame.  It  was 
erected  by  Charles  W.  Sandford,  lawyer,  of  New 
York  City,  and  for  many  years  Major-General  of 
the  First  Division  of  the  New  York  State  Miiitia. 
At  the  time  he  erected  the  Amphitheatre  he  was  the 
manager  and  owner  of  the  Lafayette  Theatre  and  the 
Mount  Pitt  Circus,  New  York.  His  object  in  the 
erection  of  the  Brooklyn  theatre  was  to  find  use  a: 
times  for  a  portion  of  his  over-full  company.  This  was 
the  first  building  ever  erected  in  Brooklyn  for  theatrical 
purposes.  The  wife  of  Mr.  Sandford  was  an  actress  ot 
superior  ability,  and  a  vocalist  of  remarkable  skill  and 
sweetness  of  voice.  Her  representation  of  the  part  of 
Clari  in  Payne's  opera  of  "The  Maid  of  Milan  "  waa  a 
splendid  performance,  and  was  repeated  many  times  to 
crowded  houses  in  the  City  of  New  York. 

The  above  Amphitheatre  was  first  opened  to  the 
public  on  the  evening  of  July  17th,  1828,  with  great 
feats  of  horsemanship.    Among  the  company  were  the 
celebrated  Richie,  De  Forest,  Whittaker  and  Master 
Alexander;  boxes  50  cents,  pit  25  cents;  open  at  '., 
I  commence  at  8  o'clock.   The  Brooklyn  Star  remarks 
that  the  new  theatre  "was  a  plain  building,  suited  to 
convenience  rather  than  show.    The  drop  curtain  was 
j  beautiful  and  the  scenery  very  fine.    The  ring  for  the 
j  horsemanship  was  directly  in  front  of  the  orchestra, 
while  the  scats  for  the  occupants  of  the  pit  were  under 
the  boxes."  On  the  evening  above  mentioned,  the  melo- 
drama of  the  "  Broken  Sword  "  was  performed.  "It 
was  well  done,  and  attracted  the  silent  and  ordfttij 
attention  of  the  audience."    The  performances  were 

••Fit*  James,"  to  H.  Wallack's  "Roderick  Dhu,"  in  the  drama  of  "The 
Kidy  of  the  I-ike."  Scott  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  and  died  in  New  Yort. 
iu  1849.    He  was  not  related  to  the  celehrated  J.  It  Scot  t . 

I  Mr.  Waj.stf.ih  was  born  in  New  York,  made  his  first  appearance  at  tlir 
Chatham  Garden  Theatre  in  1825.  Ho  was  a  goisl  actor  and  had  a  fine  per 
sonal  appearance  for  the  stage.    He  du  d  in  Philadelphia  In  1838. 

Mr-   Wai>thn  Hi.  sister  of  III.  cel.  brated   Mr-   Harm  «.    Mic  in*'.' 

her  debut,  at  the  Old  Park  Theatre,  New  York.  April  17th.  18IH.  In  Ibscbar 
acter  of  the  ••  Nurse,"  in  "  Romeo  and  Juliet."  She  became  so  large  a  person 
that  she  was  unlit  ted  for  the  stage.  She  retired  from  the  profession  Janti- 
ary  the  Hth.  HOV.  ami  died  in  New  York.  April  1st,  18fs3. 


THE  DRAMA,  OPERA,  MUSIC  AND  ART. 


1109 


given  two  or  three  times  a  week,  and  for  a  while  did 
rather  well,  through  the  attendance  of  country  people 
of  the  Island  coming  in  to  see  the  circus.  On  August 
14th,  Mr.  Richie  took  a  benefit.  This  was  the  last  night 
of  the  season.  September  5th,  the  place  re-opened 
as  the  Brooklyn  Theatre.  The  ring  was  removed  ;  the 
company  was  excellent.  The  following  pieces  were 
performed,  commencing  with  the  musical  drama  of 
"  The  Poor  Soldier,"  and  the  following  cast : 

Patrick  (with  songs),  Mr.  Gainer;  Darby  (with  two  songs),  Mr. 
Roberts;  Dermont  (with  a  song),  Mr.  Blakely;  Captain  Fitzroy,  Mr. 
Neilson;  Father  Luke,  Mr.  Quin;  Bagatelle,  Mr.Walstein;  Boy,  Miss 
Fisher;  Norah  (with  songs),  Mrs  Sandford;  Cathleen,  Mrs.  Fisher; 
after  which  the  laughable  farce  of  the  "  Sleep  Walker  " :  Somino, 
Mr.  Roberts  (in  which  character  will  be  given  imitations  of 
Messrs.  Kean,  Macready,  Hilson,  Simpson  and  Cooper)  ;  Sir 
Patrick  Maguire,  Mr.  De  Camp  ;  Stilly,  Mr.  Blakely;  Squire 
Rattlepate,  Mr.  Woodhull;*  Mrs.  De  C,  Mrs.  Walstein;  Ellen,  Mrs. 
(Fisher. 

The  Miss  Fisher,  mentioned  in  the  above  cast  be- 
came the  well-known  favorite,  Miss  Alexina  Fisher, 

*  Jacob  Woodhull,  whose  real  name  was  Hull,  was  at  one  time  one  of 
the  most  noted  and  remarkabie  men  connected  with  the  drama  in  New 
York.  He  made  his  firt-t  appearance  upon  the  public  stage  at  the  old  Park 
theatre,  in  1816,  in  the  character  of  Jaffier,  in  "Venice  Preserved,"  made  a 
success,  and  soon  became  a  valuable  addition  to  the  Park  company.  He 
was  an  educated  and  lively-hearted  gentleman,  and  of  versatile  talents, 
ilways  ready  to  do  a  favor,  and  made  every  one  his  friend  whom  he  met. 
One  of  the  best  critics  of  New  York  remarked  "that  no  one  man  on  the 
stage  could  possibly  fill  Mr.  Woodhull's  place  as  a  versatile  actor,  and  that 
while  he  was  one  of  the  most  useful  men  to  a  manager,  still  he  was  the 
most  ill-used  actor  that  ever  trod  the  boards  of  a  theatre.  His  good  nature 
was  imposed  upon,  as  he  would  consent  to  perform  any  part  that  would 
accommodate  the  management.  He  played  the  blood-thirsty  villain,  misers 
»ud  young  spendthrifts,  graybeards  and  lovers,  walking  gentlemen,  soldiers, 
sailors,  Irishmen,  Scotchmen,  Dutchmen,  Jews,  Gentiles,  Turks,  Indian 
savages,  the  heroes  of  dramas,  and  all  with  perfect  satisfaction  to  his  audi- 
ence. Week  after  week,  month  after  month,  and  year  after  year,  he  went 
through  his  performances  of  all  these  various  characters,  with  more 
propriety  and  rationality  than  many  would-be  stars."  Mr.  Woodhull  pos- 
>essed  a  remarkable  memory,  an  assertion  which  one  anecdote  told  of  him 
will  serve  to  illustrate.  "  One  evening,  after  the  performance,  while  standing 
in  a  saloon  with  some  gentlemen,  enjoying  a  social  intercourse,  one  of  the 
party  inquired  of  Mr.  Woodhull,  "How  is  it  possible  to  commit  to  memory 
so  many  parts  in  so  short  a  time  ?"  Woodhull  replied  it  gave  him  no  trouble 
whatever  ;  that  he  had  frequently  committed  a  character  by  once  reading 
it.  This  the  gentleman  doubted  so  emphatically  that  Mr.  Woodhull  immedi- 
itely  offered  to  wager  a  champagne  supper  for  the  party  there  and  then  on 
the  spot,  that  after  reading  a  column  of  advertisements  from  any  newspaper 
only  once  over  he  could  repeat  the  whole  letter-perfect.  The  wager  was 
accepted,  and  Mr.  Woodhull  was  the  winner."  On  another  occasion,  one  of 
ithe  actors  failing  to  appear  at  night  to  perform  the  character  of  Ludovico,  in 
ShuildV  tragedy  of  "Evadne,"  he,  on  arriving  at  the  theatre,  was  requested 
to  take  the  delinquent's  place.  He  consented  to  do  so  if  the  management 
would  keep  the  curtain  down  while  he  had  time  to  read  over  the  words  of 
the  first  act,  and  so  on,  between  each  act,  that  he  might  have  a  chance  for 
study.  This,  with  the  little  time  he  had  between  the  scenes  in  which 
Ludovico  does  not  appear,  was  all  the  time  he  had  to  commit  this  difficult 
blank  verse  part.  And  yet  it  is  stated  that  he  not  only  performed  the  part 
without  a  single  prompting,  but  to  the  applause  of  the  audience  and  the 
istonishment  of  all  the  company  around  him.  It  was  for  Mr.  Woodhull's 
benefit  at  the  Park  Theatre,  New  York,  in  1826,  that  Edwin  Forrest  made  his 
first  appearance  before  a  New  York  audience.  He  performed  the  part  of 
Othello,  and  earned  the  house  by  storm.  He  was  at  that  time  a  stock  actor 
it  Albany,  N.  Y.,  and  was  allowed  this  opportunity  to  do  his  friend 
Woodhull  a  service.  The  occasion  made  Forrest,  as  it  was  not  long 
after  he  was  prevailed  on  to  play  a  star  engagement  at  the  Bowery 
Theatre,  where  he  made  a  great  success,  and  soon  had  his  pay  raised  from 
forty  dollars  a  week  10  two  hundred  dollars  a  night.  Mr.  Forrest  himself 
told  the  writer  these  facts,  and  spoke  of  Woodhull  in  high  praise.  Mr. 
Woodhull  left  the  Park  company  in  1832,  and  went  with  Mr.  Barns  as  stage 
manager  of  the  Richmond  Hiils  Theatre,  N.  Y.,  but  the  cholera,  whose  first 
iterrible  visitation  occurred  in  that  year,  caused  his  death  on  the  31st  of 
August,  when  he  was  only  forty  years  of  age.  He  was  born  in  Greenwich 
street.  New  York  City,  1792. 


and  turned  the  heads  and  hearts  of  all  the  men  who 
saw  her.  They  became  wild  in  admiration  of  her 
beauty,  fine  acting  in  comedy,  and  sweetness  of  voice 
in  singing. 

It  appears  that  a  company  from  New  York  advertised 
a  performance  to  take  place  at  the  Amphitheatre  on 
the  night  of  Sept.  23d;  money  was  taken  in  at  the 
doors,  and  the  audience,  after  waiting  for  nearly  an 
hour  for  the  curtain  to  go  up,  discovered  that  neither 
actors,  or  treasurer  could  be  found ;  on  which  the  en- 
raged audience  took  satisfaction  by  commencing  to  pull 
the  building  to  pieces,  and  did  much  injury  before  the 
constables  could  quell  the  disturbance.  The  advertise- 
ment did  not  mention  who  were  the  managers.  The 
press  and  people  of  Brooklyn  looked  upon  it  as  a  shame- 
ful swindle.  This  had  the  effect  of  keeping  all  man- 
agers away  from  Brooklyn,  and  nothing  occurred  in 
the  dramatic  line  for  a  number  of  years.  The  Amphi- 
theatre was  numbered  among  the  things  of  the  past, 
and  so  ended  the  first  attempt  to  give  the  drama  a 
local  habitation  in  Brooklyn. 

1840.— Colonnade  Oar  den.— A  new  place  of 

amusement  made  its  appearance  in  Brooklyn  under  this 
name,  and  was  located  on  Brooklyn  Heights,  on  Col- 
umbia street,  opposite  to  Pineapple  street,  on  August 
6th.  The  vaudeville  of  "The  Lady  and  the  Devil  " 
was  presented,  with  Mr.  Graham  and  Mr.  Charles  in 
the  cast.  "  The  Eendezvous  "  was  the  after-piece. 
The  stage  and  scenery  of  this  place  was  of  temporary 
construction.  Several  performances  were  given  by  good 
actors,  but  the  dramatic  part  of  the  garden  soon  came 
to  a  final  exit. 

1842. — June  29th,  Mr.  Walcott*  made  an  at- 
tempt to  introduce  the  drama  at  the  Colonnade,  aud 
appeared  as  "  Hector  Timid,"  in  the  "Dead  Shot." 
Mr.  Collins,  the  Irish  comedian,  also  appeared  on  the 
same  little  stage. 

1844. — Some  actors  from  New  York  fitted  up  the 
long  room  at  City  Hotel,  Fulton  street,  with  some 
scenery,  and  performed  the  drama  of  the  "  Drunkard;" 
the  enterprise  was  a  failure.  The  drama  in  Brooklyn 
now  became  perfectly  dead,  until 

1848. — When,  in  November,  Mr.  George  Waldo 
Hill,  a  personal  friend  of  the  writer,  made  an  attempt  to 
establish  the  drama  in  Brooklyn.  He  became  the 
lessee  of  the  large  frame  building  that  stood  in  the 
grounds  of  "  Military  Garden,"  Duflon's  old  place,  and 
known  at  the  time  as  the  "City  Hotel."  The  beauty 
of  the  old  garden  had  been  destroyed  for  many  years 

*Mr.  Walcott  was  a  great  favorite  at  Mitchell  s  Olympic  Theatre  in  New 
York;  was  for  several  years  a  member  of  Mr.Wallack's  Company.  His  perform- 
ance of  "  Lavator,"  in  Planche  s  comic  drama  of  that  name,  was  a  master 
performance.  He  was  the  author  of  "  Hiawatha,  or  the  Ardent  Spirits," 
and  "Laughing  Water,''  "Washington,"  "  Uiovanni  in  Gotham."  "David 
Copperfield,"  "Richard  the  Third  to  Kill,"  "The  Customs  of  the  Country," 
and  "Snips  Snaps,"  all  excellent  burlesques.  He  was  born  in  London,  Eng- 
land, 1816,  and  died  in  Philadelphia,  May  13,  1868. 


1110 


past  by  the  encroachment  of  buildings  on  the  adjacent 
streets,  which  had  left  only  the  centre  part,  containing 
a  few  bushes  and  the  building  alluded  to.  Mr.  John 
Tremble,  the  celebrated  theatre  architect,  transformed 
this  building  (known  as  the  Assembly  Rooms)  into 
a  beautiful  little  theatre,  with  a  parquette  and  a 
balcony  circle,  with  seats  for  six  hundred  people. 
Mr.  Hill  was  under  the  impression  he  could  make 
the  place  pay  under  the  form  of  a  "  Dramatic  Asso- 
ciation." There  were  a  few  unproli table  performances 
given,  when  he  closed  the  place  for  a  few  weeks  and 
re-opened  it  as  a  theatre,  on  the  19th  of  December, 
with  a  small  stock  company  of  but  little  merit. 
This  second  attempt  soon  became  a  failure,  and  the 
place  remained  closed  until 

1849.— When,  June  11th,  it  was  opened  with  a 
good  company.  The  pieces  were  the  "  Youthful 
Queen,"  Count  De  Odenstein,  by  Mr.  Bass.  On  the 
12th,  "Charles  the  II,"  Bass  as  Captain  Copp.  On 
the  16th, "  The  Dead  Shot"  and  "Wandering  Minstrel," 
with  Bass  in  the  leading  characters.  On  the  18th, 
Mr.  Walcott,  of  "Mitchell's  Olympic  Theatre,"  New 
York,  appeared  as  "Jeremiah  Clip"  in  "  The  Widow's 
Victim."  Friday,  the  22d,  Miss  Fanny  Wallack  ap- 
peared as  "Pauline,"  in  the  "Lady  of  Lyons,"  with 
John  Dyott  as  "  Claude,"  and  Bass  as  "Col.  Dumas;" 
this  was  a  splendid  cast.  Saturday,  28th,  "Naval  En- 
gagements." On  the  26th,  "The  Married  Rake"  and 
"Brooklyn  in  Slices,"  with  T.  B.  Johnston  in  the 
casts.  As  a  summer  season  experiment,  it  was  a  fail- 
ure. September  29th  the  place  was  opened  again,  with 
Barney  Williams  as  " O'Rafferty,"  in  "Born  to  Good 
Luck,"  and  the  after-piece  of  the  "Secret,"  with  the 
celebrated  George  Holland  as  "Thomas."  This  was 
the  gentleman  whom  a  professed  Christian  minister 
refused  to  do  funeral  service  over,  because  he  was  an 
actor,  and  whose  name  became  prominently  associated 
with  "The  Little  Church  Around  the  Corner."  On 
the  24th  of  September,  J.  R.  Scott*  made  his  first  ap- 
pearance before  a  Brooklyn  audience.  He  performed 
the  character  of  "  Michael  "  in  the  drama  of  the 
"  Adopted  Child."  There  were  not  over  a  dozen  per- 
formances given,  and  the  place  was  closed  as  an  utter 
failure. 

In  November,  1849,  the  writer  was  induced  to  play 
six  nights.  The  engagement  was  accepted  with  the 
understanding  that  they  should  be  made  subscription 
nights  and  giving  two  performances  a  week.  The 
plan  was  adopted,  ami  made  to  pay.    The  piece  se- 

•J.  R.  Scott  wan  an  actor  of  xplcndid  nhilliy.  In  tiillll  IllHUIllWUM  "Iftlll 
Roy,"  and  "  William,"  in  "  Illnrk  Kyi  . 1  Hunan,"  hi  wan  DIMIUpMMd.  Hi! 
had  a  iplmflM  «tago  appearance,  and  one  of  tho  fincat-nhapcd  hcada  that 
••ror  aat  upon  an  actor'*  ehouldcr*.  Ill*  video  waa  full  and  flexible,  and  lie 
alwaya  gave  ovldsnoe  of  close  atudy  In  the  characters  be  performed.  He 
W4«  born  In  Philadelphia,  and  died  there  Mareh  22d,  1856.  Fanny  Wal- 
lark.  I>yott.  and  Ilaan  were  all  prominent  momharn  of  tho  New  York  theatre*, 

-    int-Teating  ln< ■graph lc«  mimt  l»-  nought  for  elHewhore,  aa  our  limited 

■pace  will  not  allow  ua  to  do  thorn  JuaUco  hero. 


lected  for  the  opening  night  was  the  tragedy  of 
"Evadne": 

Lndorico,  Gabriel  Harrison;  Coloima,  Mr.  McDonald;  King  of 
Naples,  Mr.  Connor;  Vicentio,  Mr.  De  Forest  ;  Spalairo,  Mr. 
Rogers;  Evadne,  Miss  Mason;  Olivia,  Miss  Norton. 

On  the  second  nigbt,  "  Damon  and  Pythias,"  with  McDonald 
as  "Damon,"  and  Harrison  as  "Pythias  "  Third  night, 
"  Rolla,"  Mr.  Harrison;  "  Pizzaro,"  Mr.  McDonald.  Fourth 
night,  "The  Wife,"  with  Mr.  Harrison  as  "  Julian  St.  Pierre." 
Fifth  night,  Harrison  as  "William  Tell."  Sixth  night,  as 
"  Carwin." 

1850.— The  Brooklyn  Museum.—  M 

Chanfrau*  and  Burke  (according  to  their  advertisement) 
"  caused  to  be  erected  "  a  large  brick  building  on  the 
northwest  corner  of  Fulton  and  Orange  streets,  at  a 
cost  of  ten  thousand  dollars,  which  they  called  the 
"Brooklyn  Museum,"  containing  a  collection  of  pic- 
tures, stuffed  beasts  and  birds.  On  the  top  floor  was  a 
room  fitted  up  with  a  stage  and  scenery,  styled  a 
"lecture  room,"  for  the  representation  of  "  chaste  and 
moral  dramas.  This  "lecture  room"  was  nothing 
less  than  a  pretty  little  theatre.  The  Museum  opened 
its  doors  for  the  first  time  on  Monday  evening,  July 
1st,  1850,  with  the  following  company  and  pieces:— 
"  The  Gambler's  Fate." 

Mr.  Derance,  Mr.  C.  Burke;  Awjustus,  Mr.  D.  P.  Bowers; 
Amelia,  Mrs.  D.  P.  Bowers;  Louisa,  Miss  Smith.  Concluding 
with  the  Farce  of  "The  Dumb  Belle."  Vivian,  Mr.  Bowers;  0' Smirk, 
Mr.  Burke;  Eliza,  Mrs.  Bowers.    Price  of  admission,  25  cento. 

On  the  second  day  of  the  opening,  performances 
were  given  on  afternoon  and  evening.  The  manage- 
ment continued  the  stock  company  till  July  29th. 
Mr.  Couldock  commenced  a  star  engagement  a.<  "The 
Stranger,"  with  Mrs.  Bowers  as  Mrs.  Haller.  He 
played  for  a  few  nights,  when  the  Museum  suddenly 
closed  its  doors  for  the  want  of  support.  The  edifice 
was  the  finest  place  of  amusement  that  had  hitbarto 
been  given  to  the  Brooklyn  public,  and  deserved  a  far 
better  success.  The  building  was  owned  by  Mr.  Cam- 
meyer.  "  Kimberly's  Minstrels"  reopened  the  pltoe 
on  the  2Gth  of  August,  with  little  or  no  success. 

Chanfrau  and  Burke  made  another  attempt  at  the 
management  of  the  Museum,  and  re-opened  it  Septem- 
ber 9th,  with  a  splendid  stock  company.  Charles  Dib- 
din  Pitt  played  a  star  engagement  for  one  week,  open- 
ing in  "Hamlet;"  on  September  lGth,  Mr.  Charles 
Kemble  Mason  appeared  as  a  star.  September  23d,  on 
the  same  night,  T.  D.  Rice  gave  the  people  of  Brooklyn 
a  taste  of  his  peculiar  genius  in  the  character  of 
"Jumbo  Jum."  On  the  30th,  Mr.  W.  II.  Beeves,  an 
English  singer  of  fine  ability,  appeared  in  scenes  from 
the  operas  of  "Maritana"  and  the  "Love  Sp  ll. ' 

•  Mr.  Chanfrau  waa  born  In  Now  York,  1824.  He  commenced  Me  *»• 
initio  lift  at  tho  bottom  of  the  Udder,  anil  l>y  hie  talculeanil  in.luetry  be  —  " 
advanced  to  higher  position*,  llo  mailo  a  groat  hit  In  tho  character"' 
"Mo»o."a  local  drama  written  by  Mr.  Hon  Baker,  entitled  "  Lite  lo  N" 
York."  Ho  performed  thU  character  to  crowded  houeo*  fore,  wMttWM* 
at  Kitchell'l  Olympic  Theatre,  Now  York.  Ho  waa  a  mau  ..(  vmeUie  Ul«l 
and  In  every  way  a  credit  to  tho  proloHaion  of  hie  choice. 


THE  DRAMA,  OPERA,  MUSIC  AND  ART. 


1111 


October  7th,  James  E.  Murdock*  made  his  entree  on 
the  Brooklyn  stage.  He  performed  '.'  Hamlet,"  "  Claud," 
"  Beverly,"  and  his  other  best  characters.  Murdock 
was  followed  by  John  Brougham.  On  Saturday,  No- 
vember 2d,  Miss  Mary  Taylor,  once  famous  at  Mitchell's 
Olympic  Theatre,  New  York,  appeared  in  the  after- 
piece of  "  Jenny  Lind."  She  made  a  hit  with  her 
audience.  She  appeared  in  "Cinderella"  for  twelve  nights. 
She  proved  the  only  great  success  that  had  as  yet  ap- 
peared at  the  Museum,  in  spite  of  the  fact  of  many 
other  superior  artists  that  had  gone  before  her.  At 
the  conclusion  of  her  engagement,  Chanfrau  and  Burke 
wisely  gave  up  the  management,  with  what  little  cash 
they  had  made.  November  23d,  the  names  of  Lovell 
and  King  appear  at  the  head  of  the  bills  as  managers, 
with  Mary  Taylor,  continuing  her  engagement  till 
November  30th.  Monday,  December  2d,  the  celebrated 
?lder  Booth  appeared  for  the  first  time  in  Brooklyn. 
The  piece  selected  was : 

"New  Way  to  Pat  Old  Debts." 
Sir  Giles  Overreach,  Mr.  Booth;  Lord  Lovell,  Mr.  Lindon;  All- 
north,  Mr.  Lovell;  Justice  Greedy,  Mr.  King;  Mar  all,  Mr.  Kent; 
Margaret  Overreach,  Mrs.  Lovell. 

The  newspapers  hailed  Mr.  Booth's  appearance  in 
Brooklyn  with  much  favor.  The  Star  remarked  the 
iext  day,  "  that  this  child  of  true  genius  renewed  their 
)ld  impressions  of  his  former  days." 

"  Tuesday,  December  10th." 
"  The  Ikon  Chest." 
Sir  Edward  Mortimer,  Mr.  Booth;  Wilford  (his  first  appearance 


*  James  E.  Murdock  was  one  of  the  finest  actors  America  has  produced, 
is  a  light  comedian,  in  his  own  day  he  had  not  his  superior.  As  a  tragedian 
le  was  fine,  and  of  the  Cooper  school.  He  was  a  man  of  marked  poetic  feei- 
ng, and  an  unusually  mature  scholar.  His  love  of  the  dramatic  art  was  a 
)ve  for  its  elevation.  He  was  a  student  of  close  application,  and  his  repre- 
entation  of  characters  an  intellectual  treat.  He  had  a  fine  figure,  a  rich 
onorous  voice,  was  graceful  in  action,  and  with  the  exception  of  Edwin 
'orrest,  the  finest  elocutionist  on  the  American  stage.  It  is  an  unusual 
hing  to  find  actors  and  actresses  accomplished  elocutionists,  for  most  of 
□em  treat  this  branch  of  their  profession  with  too  much  neglect. 
Mr.  Murdock  was  born  in  Philadelphia  in  1812.  He  made  his  first  appear- 
nce  at  the  Arch  Street  Theatre,  that  city,  as  "Frederick"  in  "Lovers' 
ows  "  In  1838  he  appeared  as  "  Benedict,"  and  made  a  fine  impression, 
bout  1842,  he  withdrew  from  the  profession  for  the  purpose  of  completing 
college  education,  and  after  three  years'  hard  study,  he  reappeared  upon 
le  boards  of  the  Park  Theatre,  in  New  York,  Tuesday,  October  21st,  1845. 
n  this  occasion  the  writer  performed  the  part  of  the  "  King  "  to  his  ■'  Ham- 
t  "  He  had  a  splendid  audience,  and  performed  a  week's  engagement  with 
reat  success.  In  1856  he  went  to  England,  and  appeared  for  the  first  time 
?fore  a  select  British  audience,  September  22d,  at  the  Haymarket,  London 
'"Young  Mirable,"  in  which  character  he  made  a  fine  impression.  He 
'rformed  the  part  of  '•  Young  Rapid,"  in  "  Cure  for  the  Heart  Ache,"  for 
any  consecutive  nights  to  crowded  houses.  In  1857  he  returned  to  the 
nited  States,  and  performed  in  all  the  principal  theatres  throughout  the 
mntry,  making  admirers  wherever  he  went.  Mr.  Murdock  was  also  a 
itriot,  as  the  following  anecdotes  will  show: 

During  the  rebellion,  and  while  he  was  playing  an  engagement  at  Milwau- 
e,  hearing  that  his  sou  had  joined  the  Union  troops  and  was  on  his  way  to 
ashington,  he  immediately  gave  up  his  engagement,  joined  the  army,  and 
blared  he  would  not  act  again  till  the  war  was  over.  His  health  failing 
m,  he  was  forced  to  give  up  the  active  service  of  the  field,  and  devoted  his 
ur  years  to  the  cause  by  attending  to  the  sick  and  wounded  soldiers  in  the 
fferent  hospitals  ;  while  doing  so,  he  frequently  gave  readings  for  the 
ausement  of  the  soldiers,  and  for  the  benefit  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  in 
ashington  and  other  cities.    He  was  appointed  Volunteer  Aid  on  the  staff 

General  Rousseau.  After  the  war  he  reappeared  upon  the  stage,  and 
rformed  several  brilliant  engagements.  For  several  years  past  he  has  not 
peared  upon  the  stage  as  an  actor,  but  occasionally  gives  public  readings. 

this  time  he  still  lives,  honored  and  respected  in  his  old  age. 


on  any  stage),  Master  Edwin  Booth;  Wenterton,  Mr.  C.  W. 
Taylor;  Lady  Helen,  Mrs.  Lovell. 

It  will  here  be  observed  that  Edwin  Booth,  the 
famous  tragedian,  made  his  first  attempt  as  an  actor 
upon  the  Brooklyn  stage.  Through  the  indisposition 
of  Mr.  Booth,  he  was  prevented  from  filling  out  his 
week's  engagement.  In  fact,  the  houses  were  so  poor 
that  it  was  not  worth  the  great  actor's  exertions  to 
continue.  A  few  more  nights  of  ill-success,  and  it  was 
found  necessary  for  some  of  the  prominent  and  liberal- 
minded  citizens,  headed  by  the  ever  noble-spirited  gen- 
tleman and  editor  of  the  Star,  Alden  J.  Spooner,  to 
give  the  manager,  Mr.  Lovell,  a  complimentary  benefit. 

This  took  place  on  December  the  20th,  and  we  might 
say  that  here  the  ill-fated  Museum  closed  its  public 
career. 

Upon  the  stage  of.  the  Brooklyn  Museum,  within  a 
few  months,  appeared  the  finest  dramatic  talent  of  the 
country,  and  yet  the  managers  and  actors  did  not  meet 
with  a  success  that  might  be  expected  in  any  country 
town  of  five  thousand  inhabitants;  Brooklyn's  popula- 
tion at  the  time  was  two  hundred  thousand.  The  only 
solution  we  can  give  of  this  singular  neglect  to  support 
a  well-regulated  place  of  amusement  is  in  the  sup- 
position that  Brooklyn  was  too  convenient  to  New 
York,  where  abounded  theatres  and  opera-houses  of 
more  gorgous  proportions,  and  performances  of  greater 
attractions. 

1851,— February  7th,  some  of  the  principal  citiz- 
ens of  Brooklyn  and  New  York  gave  a  complimentary 
benefit,  at  Burton's  Chambers  Street  Theatre,  New 
York,  to  Dr.  Northall,  of  Brooklyn,  the  dramatic 
author.  They  were  John  C.  Vanderbilt,  Gen.  George  P. 
I  Morris  the  poet,  Hon.  Samuel  Johnson,  Hon.  Edward 
Copeland,  Hon.  John  Greenwood,  Hon.  John  A.  King, 
Hon.  Henry  C.  Murphy,  Arthur  James,  Alden  J. 
Spooner,  and  many  others.  The  bill  offered  for  the 
occasion  was  Dr.  NortbalPs  dramatization  of  "David 
Copperfield."  The  cast  of  characters  comprised  the 
names  of  William  E.  Burton,  Rufus  R.  Blake,  Lester 
Wallack,  T.  B.  Johnston,  Mrs.  Russell,  (Mrs.  Hoey), 
Mrs.  Hughes,  Mrs.  Skerret  and  Miss  Hill  (afterwards 
Mrs.  "W.  E.  Burton).  The  after-piece  was  a  burlesque 
from  the  pen  of  Dr.  Northall*  entitled  ' '  Lucy-did- 
Sham-Amour."  Miss  Caroline  Chapman  appeared  in 
her  original  character  of  Lucia. 

*  Dr.  William  Knight  Northall  was  the  son  of  William  Knight  Northall 
of  England  ;  his  father  came  over  to  Brooklyn  in  1830,  and  finding  here 
a  promising  field,  sent  for  his  son,  who  had  been  educated  for  a  surgeon- 
dentist.  The  Doctor  soon  got  into  an  extensive  practice,  interrupted,  how- 
ever, by  sickness  and  nervousness,  which  forced  him  at  times  to  seek  relief 
in  opium.  He  soon  began  to  display  his  accomplishment  as  a  writer,  and 
was  the  first  editor  of  the  "  Brooklyn  Daily  Advertiser."  Subsequently  he 
engaged  as  dramatist  with  Mr.  Mitchell,  manager  of  the  N.  Y.  Olympic 
Theatre,  and  Mr.  Burton,  of  the  Chambers  Street  Theatre,  N.  Y.  He  wrote 
travesties  for  these  managers,  all  of  which  met  with  great  succoss.  Many  of 
them  embraced  Shakespeare's  plays.  He  had  also  0reat  aptitude  for  sketch- 
ing, as  his  capital  portrait  of  Jacob  Patchen,  "The  last  of  the  leather 
breeches,"  now  in  the  rooms  of  the  Long  Island  Historical  Society  will 
attest.   Besides  editorials  and  plays  in  great  numbers,  he  wrote  the  life  of 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


During  the  winter  and  spring  of  1851,  several  other 
attempts  were  made  to  revive  the  Museum,  with  J.  R. 
Scott  in  some  of  his  hest  parts,  and  Chanfrau  as 
"  Mose,"  but  to  no  effect. 

On  December  7th,  several  members  of  the  profession 
gave  the  Fire  Department  a  benefit,  on  which  occasion 
('.  W.  Clark,  Gabriel  Harrison,  Mr.  Macdonald,  Conner, 
Mrs.  J.  H.  Scott  and  Miss  Mestayer  appeared.  It  was 
a  success,  turning  in,  as  it  did,  over  two  hundred  dol- 
lars. 

1852.  — The  Museum  now  fell  into  the  hands  of 
the  amateurs,  with  an  occasional  performance  by  pro- 
fessionals. 

1853.  — "The  Brooklyn  Athenaeum"  opened 
its  doors  for  the  first  time  on  May  2d.  The  building, 
a  very  fine  structure,  stands  on  the  northeast  corner  of 
Atlantic  and  Clinton  streets.  It  contains  a  fine,  large 
lecture  and  concert  room,  with  a  small  stage  and  drop 
curtain,  but  not  convenient  for  dramatic  perform- 
ances. 

During  the  early  part  of  September,  1853,  the  writer 
proposed  and  organized  a  society,  called  the  Brooklyn 
Dramatic  Academy.  The  object  of  the  association  was 
to  educate  ladies  and  gentlemen  for  the  stage,  and  give 
private  performances  twice  a  month.  The  Museum 
was  taken  for  the  purpose,  and  after  some  renovation 
they  gave  their  first  performance  to  a  crowded  and  select 
audience.  Among  the  members  were  several  profes- 
sional gentlemen,  who  had  partly  retired  from  the 
stage.  The  organization  had  a  prosperous  existence 
for  several  years.  The  press  of  Brooklyn  spoke  of  the 
Society  in  the  highest  terms,  and  on  the  day  after  its 
first  performance,  one  of  the  Brooklyn  papers  made 
the  following  remarks:  "The  first  dramatic  perform- 
ance of  the  '  Brooklyn  Dramatic  Academy'  took  place 
last  night,  and  was  attended  by  an  overflowing  audience. 
The  stage  and  boxes  were  beautifully  decorated  for  the 
occasion.  In  front  of  the  stage  hung  a  large  wreath 
of  flowers,  in  the  center  of  which  were  the  words,  'The 
Drama."  The  columns  on  each  side  of  the  stage  bore 
the  names  in  gold  of  the  most  celebrated  American 

 r,..  1  r.  ill  ri i  k  H. in. I.  I  Mill  « t »••-  Yank.-.-  ronieilianl,  ami  lertures  on  ileii- 

tlstry .  He  at  length  accepted  an  invitation  to  visit  New  Orleans,  and  take 
a  position  an  one  of  tin-  editors  of  tin-  -'Delta."  He  was  there  a  short  limo 
when  the  cholera  appeared,  and  he  attempted  to  return  home  to  Hrooklyn, 
by  steamer;  when  a  few  days  out  he,  with  several  others,  was  seized  with  the 

frightful  malady,  and  died.    Tin-  I  tor  was  a  most  excellent  companion. 

HI*  wit  waa  always  genial  and  playful.  Miss  Julia  Northall.  so  well  known 
for  a  time  i«  an  admirable  vm-ulist,  was  his  sister.  He  was  for  several 
years  a  member  of  the  Hrooklyn  llainlltnn  Literary  Association,  and  some 
of  his  piipiant  papers  are  tinted  In  its  early  records.  He  was  a  most  excel- 
lent dramatic  critic,  and  was  doiihtlesa  the  beat  adaptor  of  humorous  pieces 
at  the  time  the  stage  had  In  the  country.  He  was  the  first  Hrooklyn  man 
noted  aa  a  dramatist,  and  this  (too  Inadequate)  sketch  of  him,  in  connection 
with  the  progress  of  the  drama  In  Brooklyn,  Is  eminently  proper.  He  was 
the  author  of  the  following  pieces:  ■•  David  Copperlleld  "  '•  She's  como." 
"Musical  Arrivals."  "  Mai  tielh  Travestle,"  ••  Vlrginius  Travestle,"  ••  Old 
King  Cole,"  "  Magic  Arrow,"  "  Taming  aTartar."  "  Mount  Crlstey,"  ••  Lucy- 
did  .sham-amour."  "  Here  and  There."  ■•Jenny  Phobia,"  ••  Arrival  of  the 
Kings  "f  Kurope,"  •■  New  York  In  Hllci-s,"  ■•  Three  Ulfts."  "  Two  Dukes," 
"  Magic  Horao,"  and  several  laughable  pieces  for  the  negro  minstrel  stage. 


and  European  dramatic  authors.  The  scenery  and  all 
the  stage  appointments  were  the  finest  ever  wit- 
nessed in  Brooklyn.  The  opening  play  was  'William 
Tell,'  with  Gabriel  Harrison  as  'Tell.'  The. characters 
were  well  cast,  and  the  performance  excellent  through- 
out. Perhaps  the  organization  will  be  able  to  accom- 
plish its  main  object  in  trying  to  create  a  taste  for  the 
drama  in  Brooklyn." 

1854.  — About  the  only  thing  of  any  note  in  the 
way  of  the  drama  that  was  done  in  this  year,  was  i 
benefit,  given  by  the  members  of  the  "  Dramatic  Acad- 
emy," for  the  widows  and  orphans  of  the  firemen  who 
lost  their  lives  at  what  was  called  the  "Jennings 
Fire  "  in  New  York.  The  result  yielded  several  hun- 
dred  dollars. 

1855.  — The  Howards  took  the  old  Brooklyn 
Museum,  and  produced  "Uncle  Tom's  Cabin,"  with 
little  Cordelia  Howard,  the  original  Eva,  and  Mr*. 
Howard,  the  original  Topsy,  in  the  cast.  It  had  a  suc- 
cessful twelve  nights'  run. 

After  a  few  weeks'  absence,  the  Howards  reappeared 
at  the  Museum  in  "The  Lamplighter,"  with  little 
Cordelia  as  the  attractive  feature  of  the  play.  Hie 
drama  in  Brooklyn  was  now  dead  in  almost  every  par- 
ticular. In  1856-'57  and  '58,  there  were  some  few  at- 
tempts at  the  drama  on  the  little  stage  of  the  Brooklyn 
Athenaeum.  The  only  prominent  dramatic  featun 
that  occurred  there,  was  on  February  2d,  1858,  when 
Mrs.  Frances  Ann  Kemble  read  to  a  select  but  mall 
audience  Shakespeare's  "  Cymbeline."  On  the  4tli  of 
February,  she  read  "  Richard  III,"  and  on  the  8th, 
"Henry  VIII."  On  the  last  two  nights  the  audience  un- 
proved in  numbers,  and  well  they  might,  or  Brooklyn 
be  eternally  disgraced  for  the  want  of  sufficient  intelli- 
gence to  appreciate  this  woman's  remarkable  genius. 

The  Brooklyn  Academy  of  Music. - 

Brooklyn  now  was  growing  rapidly,  and  many  oi  its 
citizens  who  did  not  like  going  to  New  York  to  seek 
dramatic  entertainment,  began  to  talk  about  the  want  ol 
a  first-class  building  in  Brooklyn,  where  the  opera  ami 
the  drama  could  both  be  performed.  The  writer,  in  coil- 
junction  with  Judge  Greenwood,  Alden  J.  Spooner. 
and  a  few  others  interested  in  the  progress  of  the  drama 
and  music  in  Brooklyn,  called  a  meeting  at  the  old 
.Museum  (which  had  now  changed  its  name  to  iliatof 
Music  Hall)  for  the  purpose  of  securing  the  erectiou  of 
an  Academy  of  Music. 

The  idea  met  with  general  approval.  Several  other 
meetings  were  called,  and  finally,  on  the  evening  of  Oc- 
tober 22d,  1858,  about  fifty  of  the  first  citizens  of  Brook- 
lyn attended  a  public  meeting  to  consider  the  necessity 
of  a  first-class  building  for  opera  and  concerl  pttlfOW* 
Mr.  Whitehousc  was  called  to  the  chair.  Mr.  A  A. 
Low  and  several  other  gentlemen  made  stn-ng  sjieeeh'- 
in  favor  of  amusements  in  Brooklyn,  and  Judge  Green- 
wood offered  the  following  resolution  : 


THE  DRAMA,   OPERA,  MUSIC  AND  ART. 


inn 


Resolved,  That  the  time  has  come  when  the  citizens  of  this 
rapidly  growing  city  should  have  a  building  where  they  can  ob- 
tain the  benefits  to  be  derived  from  innocent  and  instructive 
amusements.  And  instead  of  being  obliged,  as  they  now  are,  to 
go  beyond  the  bounds  of  their  own  city  for  such  purposes,  a 
building  should  be  immediately  erected  of  sufficient  capacity  to 
accommodate  the  largest  audience  which  will  likely  be  drawn 
together. 

Other  resolutions  provided  for  a  joint  stock  corpora- 
tion, with  a  capital  of  $200,000,  whereon  Mr.  A.  A. 
Low,  Edward  Whitehouse,  Luther  B.  Wyman,  S.  B. 
Chittenden,  Judge  Greenwood,  A.  M.  White,  H.  E. 
Pierrepont,  E.  D.  Plympton,  J.  Carson  Brevoort  and 
others  were  appointed  as  a  committee  to  make  definite 
plans  for  the  object.  On  the  19th  of  March,  1859,  the 
act  of  coiporation  was  passed,  authorizing  a  capital  of 
$150,000,  with  power  to  increase  the  sum  to  $200,000  ; 
the  stock  to  be  held  in  shares  of  $50  each,  with  an 
inducement  offered  that  each  subscriber  to  the  amount 
of  ten  shares  should  have  free  admission  to  all  enter- 
tainments without  the  right  to  reserved  seats.  Among 
the  largest  subscribers  were  A.  A.  Low,  S.  B.  Chitten- 
den, Thomas  Hunt  and  H.  E.  Pierrepont.  In  a  few 
weeks  the  desired  amount  was  obtained ;  and  on  May 
the  18th,  1859,  the  following  gentlemen  were  appointed 
the  Building  Committee  :  A.  A.  Low,  S.  B.  Chitten- 
den, G.  F.  Thomas,  H.  E.  Pierrepont,  Luther  B.  Wy- 
man, Arthur  W.  Benson,  and  E.  I.  Lowber.  Mr.  Eidlitz 
was  selected  as  the  architect,  John  French  mason,  I. 
Beeves  carpenter,  and  H.  W.  Calyo  scenic  artist. 
The  work  of  excavation  commenced  on  October  6th, 
1859.  As  the  building  advanced,  the  stock  was  in- 
creased to  $200,000,  which  proved  to  be  the  lull  cost  of 
the  edihce  when  completed,  allowing  it  to  start  free  of 
debt,  a  fact  seldom  occurring  in  the  erection  of  an 
opera-house. 

1861.— The  Academy  of  M  usic  was  duly  inaugu- 
rated by  a  grand  concert  on  Tuesday  evening,  Janu- 
ary 15th,  and  a  ball  on  Thursday  evening,  January 
17th.  On  the  opening  night,  Mr.  S.  B.  Chittenden,  at 
that  time  President  of  the  Board  of  Directors,  delivered 
an  address.  The  Committee  on  Entertainments  were 
Luther  B.  Wyman,  S.  B.  Chittenden,  A.  Cooke  Hull, 
Judge  John  Greenwood,  W.  M.  Richards,  and  J.  W. 
Degrauw. 

Programme 
OF  THE  OPENING  ENTERTAINMENTS, 
Tuesday  evening,  Jan.  15,  1861. 
Vocal  and  Instrumental  Concert,  under  the  direction  of  Mr. 

Theo.  Eisfeld,  conductor. 
The  Committee  of  Arrangements  take  pleasure  in  stating  that 
the  services  of  the  following  eminent  artists  have  been  secured  ; 

Madame  Colson  Soprano. 

Signor  Brignoli  Tenor. 

"       Ferri  Baritone. 

"       Susini  Basso. 

Signor  Muzio,  conductor  of  the  vocal  part. 
Jos.  Noll,  leader  of  the  full  and  complete  orchestra  of  the 
Philharmonic  Society. 
(8) 


Part  I. 

Overture — "  Der  Freischutz  Weber 

Quartette  de  "  I  Puritani," — "  A  te  Cara  amor  Focoso"  

Madame  Colson,  Brignoli,  Ferri  and  Colletti. 
Aria  de  "Bon  Giovanni ''  — "  Madamina"  Mozart 

Signor  Colletti. 
Belerode,  "  Vespers  Siciliennes"    Verdi 

Madame  Colson. 
Duetto  de  "  Don  Pasquale" — E  rimasto  impietrato"  


Madame  Colson,  Brignoli,  Ferri  and  Colletti. 


Part  II. 

Overture — "Guillaume  Tell  "  Rossini 

Duetto  de  "Don  Giovanni" — "  Laci  darem  la  mano  Mozart 

Madame  Colson  and  Ferri. 

Romanza  de  "  Martha."  Floton 

SigDor  Brignoli. 

Chanson  a  vere  de  "  Marion  L'Escant"  Auber 

Madame  Colson. 

Romanza  de  "  Ernani."  Verdi 

Signor  Ferri. 

Gran  Finale  de  "  Lucia."    Donizetti 

Madame  Colson,  Brignoli,  Ferri  and  Colletti. 

Duetto  de  "  Belissario"  "  Liberi  Siete"  Donizetti 

Brignoli  and  Ferri. 
"  Schiller  March."  Meyerbeer 

Second  Entertainment. 
Ihursday  evening,  January  17,  1861. 
A  Grand  Promenade  and  Ball. 
Tickets  of  admission  for  both  evenings,  $5.00. 


Reserved  seats  to  the  concert  without  extra  charge. 

The  concert  gave  perfect  satisfaction  to  the  audience. 
Although  the  night  was  disagreeable,  yet  the  house 
was  filled  to  overflowing.  At  the  close  of  the  first 
overture  the  drop  curtain,  representing  the  "Temple 
of  Apollo,"\vas  slowly  let  down  to  the  stage,  in  front  of 
the  crimson  one,  when  of  a  sudden  the  full  force  of  over 
a  thousand  jets  of  gas  was  turned  on,  producing  almost 
an  electric  effect ;  illuminating,  as  it  did,  the  fine  ef- 
fort of  the  artist,  and  revealing  more  definitely  the 
splendid  proportions  of  the  house. 

The  Academy  of  Music  fronts  on  Montague  street,  250  feet 
long,  running  parallel  with  the  street,  and  92  feet  wide.  There 
are  seven  entrances  on  Montague  street.  The  main  entrance  is 
at  the  west  end,  towards  Clinton  street.  The  vestibule  which 
leads  into  the  theatre  proper  is  spacious,  and  decorated  in  the 
same  style  as  the  interior,  which  is  a  sort  of  cross  between  the 
Turkish  and  Gothic,  done  in  stencil,  with  the  coloring  sombre 
of  brown  and  low  key  yellows,  not  wholly  appropriate  to  a  build- 
ing of  its  nature.  There  are  three  entrances  irom  the  vestibule  to 
the  lobby  that  forms  itself  around  the  auditorium.  To  the  left 
and  right  are  two  stairways,  seven  feet  wide,  one  leads  to  the 
gallery  and  the  other  to  the  dress  circle.  There  are  five  en- 
trances from  the  lobby  to  the  parquette,  which  contains  425  arm 
chairs. 

The  balcony  around  the  parquette  seats  460,  and  dress  cir- 
cle about  the  same  number  ;  while  the  gallery  contains  room 
enough  to  make  the  seating  of  the  house  number  2,300.  There 
are  six  large  proscenium  boxes,  several  private  rooms  for  the 
directors  of  the  building,  and  a  large  assembly  room  over  the 
vestibule.  The  stage  of  this  building  is  its  finest  feature,  and 
in  size  is  almost  equal  to  Drury  Lane  or  Covent  Garden  Thea- 
tres, London.  The  width  is  90  feet,  depJi  86  feet.  The  open- 
ing between  the  proscenium  is  55  feet,  with  a  height  of  over  60 
feet,  while  the  accommodations  of  stage-traps,  green-room,  and 


11 1 » 


dressing-rooms  are  every  ample  for  all  purposes  connected 
wtth  drama  or  opera.  The  whole  building  is  a  solid  and  fine 
piece  of  masonry,  and  for  its  object  has  not  its  superior  in  the 
cauntry  ;  and,  whatever  may  be  its  faults  as  to  interior  coloring, 
still  it  reflects  the  highest  credit  on  all  concerned  with  its  incep- 
tion and  completion. 

When  this  building  was  first  opened,  it  was  intend- 
ed that  the  drama  should  not  enter  within  its  "sacred 
walls,"  but  that  opera,  concerts  and  balls  would  fully 
occupy  its  stage  and  floor.  This,  however,  proved  to 
be  a  great  mistake  ;  operas,  concerts  and  balls  were  not 
so  plentiful,  or  in  sufficient  demand  to  give  continuous 
support  to  the  building.  Besides,  a  large  and  highly 
respectable  proportion  of  the  public  desired  the  drama, 
and  demanded  it.  Several  of  the  best  managers  of  New 
York  had  made  application  for  the  building  for  a  large 
number  of  nights,  but  their  applications  had  been  re- 
fused, on  the  ground  that  the  building  was  not  intend- 
ed for  dramatic  purposes  :  while,  at  the  same  time,  it 
had  every  facility  in  scenery,  etc.,  for  opera  or  drama- 
tic performances.  It  was,  in  fact,  a  first-class  theatre. 
Finally,  the  people's  voice  for  the  drama  was  so  strong 
and  the  applications  of  managers  so  numerous  that 
the  matter  forced  itself  before  the  Board  of  Directors, 
and  a  committee  was  appointed,  consisting  of  Judge 
Greenwood,  R.  R.  Raymond  and  Mr.  Lambert,  to  de- 
cide whether  the  drama  should  be  admitted  into  the 
building.  To  their  honor  and  enlightenment  be  it 
said,  they  reported  favorably,  and  saved  the  city  of 
Brooklyn  from  a  lasting  stigma  that  would  have  dis- 
graced the  bigotry  of  the  most  stupid  Puritan.  It  was 
not  long  before  the  utterances  of  the  great  dramatists 
resounded  amid  the  pillars  and  archways  of  this  fine 
temple.  The  celebrated  Hackett  and  Edwin  Forrest 
were  the  first  applicants  to  introduce  the  drama  into 
the  Academy  of  Music.  These  gentlemen  had  been  re- 
fused, while  the  Board  of  Directors  allowed  a  "horse- 
trainer,"  by  the  name  of  John  S.  Rarey,  to  disgrace  the 
building.  However,  prejudice  soon  hung  her  head  in 
shame, and  the  tragic  and  the  comic  muse,  as  developed 
by  the  genius  of  a  Shakespeare  and  a  Sheridan,  a  John- 
son, a  (iarrick,  and  a  Siddons,  were  then  accorded  their 
proper  place  within  the  walls  of  this  splendid  edifice, 
and  did  more  for  its  maintenance  and  success  than 
anything  else  that  occurred  there. 

The  first  performance  after  the  opening  of  the  build- 
ing was  given  by  the  Brooklyn  Philharmonic  Society, 
on  Saturday  evening.  Jan.  19th;  after  this  many 
operas  and  concerts  followed  in  rapid  succession,  which 
will  be  particularized  in  our  chapter  upon  the  Hit' 
lory  of  Music  in  Brooklyn. 

Brooklyn  at  this  time  had  nearly  400,000  inhabi- 
tants and,  was  still  without  m  permanently  open  theatre. 
This  is  unprecedented  in  the  histories  of  cities  of  the 
same  size  throughout  the  civilized  world.  Yet,  from 
the  fact  <»f  the  opening  of  the  Academy  of  Music,  we 
shall  find  the  space  at  our  command  crowded  with  a 
larger  number  of  performances  than  hitherto;  and  can 


notice  only  those  entertainments  which  were  of  a  superior 
character;  minor  concerts  aud  dramatic  performances 
can  find  no  record  here.  The  beginning  of  the  dramatic 
history  of  any  city  showing  its  struggles  for  advance- 
ment aud  recognition,  is  far  more  important  and  inter- 
esting than  its  history  after  it  has  obtained  a  proper  basis. 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  bill  of  the  inauguration 
of  the  drama  in  the  Academy: 

BROOKLYN  ACADEMY  OF  MUSIC. 
Lesee  Henry  C.  Jarrett 

First  Dramatic  Performance 
ever  given  in  this  building  will  take  place  on 
Monday  Evening,  December  23d,  1861. 
When  will  be  presented  Shakespeare's  great  Tragedy  of 


«'  Hamlet." 

Hamlet,  Prince  of  Denmark  Mr.  E.  L.  Davenport 

The  Ghost  of  Hamlet's  Father  Mr.  J.  W.  Wallace 

Polonius  Mr.  Mirk  Smith 

Laertes  Mr.  J.  H  AhVn 

Horatio  Mr.  Henry  Langdon 

First  Gravedigger  Mr.  T.  Placide 

Gertrude,  Queen  of  Denmark  Mrs.  J.  W.  Wallack 

Ophelia  Mrs.  Julia  Bennett  Barrow 

King  Mr.  Kingsland 

Osrick  Mr.  H.  G.  Clark 

Bernardo  Mr.  Matthews 

Francisco  Mr.  Proctor 

Actress  Miss  Gimber 

Rosencrantz  Mr.  Ferguson 

Guildenstein  Mr.  Van  Deering 

First  Actor  Mr.  Livingston 

Marcellus  Mr.  Carland 

Second  Gravedigger  Mr.  J.  Sefton 

Prices  of  Admission. 

Secured  seats  in  Parquette  and  Balcony  $1.00. 

Balcony,  Parquette,  and  Dress  Circle  50c. 

Family  Circle   25c.' 


The  piece  was  well  placed  upon  the  stage  and  well 
performed.  Davenport  and  Wallack  were  fine  in  their 
respective  parts.  The  house  was  crowded  in  every 
part. 

The  Second   Dramatic  Performance 

took  place  on  Tuesday,  December  24th,  on  which  oc- 
casion Sheridan's  great  comedy  of  The  School  for 
Scandal  was  performed,  with  the  following  cast: 

Joseph  Surface,  Mr.  J.  W.  Wallack  ;  Charles  Surface.  Mr.  E.  I. 
Davenport ;  -Sir  Peter  Teazel,  Mr.  Mark  Smith  ;  Sir  Uiforft^W 
Mr.  George  H.  Andrews  ;  Cralttree,  Mr.  Thomas  P1mU«  v 
Benjamin  Backbite,  Mr.  J.  H.  Allen  ;  Careless,  Mr.  Langdon  ; 
Moses,  Mr.  J.  O.  Sefton  ;  [Ixidy  Teazel,  Mrs.  J.  B.  Harrow  ;  Wt 
Cambxr,  Mrs.  Brougham  ;  Uuly  Sneerw  ,  Miss  bring  |  »/,»•  .. 
Miss  Giniber. 

Thikd  Dkamatic  Nioht.—  Wednesday,  December  25th,  Is' 1 
Shakespeare's  tragedy  of  "OllitUo,"  withtho  following  cant:  0W". 
Mr.  E.  L.  Davenport  ;  Icujo,  Mr.  J.  W.  Wallack ;  Hii*m**  >lr 
Mark  Smith  ;  Cassio,  Mr.  J.  H.  Allen  ;  Montana,  Mr  H  L»nw 
don;  Emelia,  Mrs.  J.  W.  Wallack;  Desdemona,  Mrs.  Julia  H 
Barrow;  Roderigo,  Mr.  J.  O.  Sefton  ;  Duke  of  Venice,  Mr.  IN* 
land  ;  Qratiano,  Mr.  Ferguson;  Ludouico,  Mr.  Van  Peerm*; 
Julio,  Mr.  Matthews  ;  Messenger,  Mr.  Carland. 

The  fourth  performance  was  that  of  Tendon  Assuror**;  t  « 
fifth  that  of  Damon  and  Pythias,  concluding  with  the  comedy  of 
the  Honey-moon. 


THE  DRAMA,  OPERA,  MUSIC  AND  ART. 


1115 


These  performances  were  great  successes.  Nothing 
further  of  dramatic  importance  occurred  at  the  Aca- 
demy of  Music  in  the  first  season  of  its  existence. 

1862. — Mr.  James  W.  Nixon,  manager,  presented 
the  celebrated  tragedian  Mr.  Edwin  Forrest,  for  eight 
nights,  at  the  Academy  of  Music,  with  new  scenery, 
etc. 

Mr.  Forrest's  first  appearance  here  was  on  Monday, 
February  10th,  1862,  as  King  Lear,  supported  by  John 
McCullongh  as  Edgar,  Miss  Athena  as  Cordelia,  Mad. 
Ponisi  as  Goner il,  and  Mrs.  N.  R.  Forrester  as 
Regan.  The  tragedywas  remarkably  well  placed 
upon  the  stage.  Mr.  J.  R.  Smith,  one  of  the  best 
scenic  artists  in  America  at  the  time,  painted 
several  new  scenes  for  the  piece  ;  and,  indeed,  it 
was  the  first  time  that  any  effort  had  been  made 
to  place  a  performance  on  the  Academy  stage 
with  sufficient  attention  to  make  it  worthy  of  public 
remark.  The  house  on  this  occasion  was  crowded  in 
every  part,  and  the  reception  which  the  grand  actor 
received  must  have  been  even  highly  satisfactory  to 
him,  who  had  so  often  stood  before  crowded  audiences 
in  the  largest  theatres  in  the  world.  On  Wednesday, 
Feb.  12,  he  played  in  Jack  Cade,  supported  by  the 
same  company,  and  with  new  and  appropiate  scenery, 
by  J.  R.  Smith ;  on  Thursday,  February  13,  in  Vir- 
jinius ;  on  Friday,  February  14,  in  Richelieu;  on 
Monday,  February  17,  as  Damon  in  Damon  and  Py- 
'hias;  on  Wednesday,  February  19,  in  Metamora, 
(never  before  performed  in  Brooklyn),  with  new 
scenery,  etc. ;  on  Thursday,  February  20  as  Spartacus 
n  The  Gladiator ;  on  Friday  evening,  February 
11,  he  had  a  benefit,  on  which  occasion  he  appeared 
n  the  tragedy  of  Hamlet.  During  Mr.  Forrest's  en- 
gagement the  price  of  admission  was  50c,  reserved 
seats  50c.  extra. 

Other  combinations  soon  followed,  with  such  stars  as 
Fohn  Gilbert,  John  E.  Owens,  Lester  Wallack,  Miss 
iateman,  Matilda  Heron,  Hackett  as  Falstaff,  etc., 
ite.  Tuesday,  Dec.  23,  Mr.  Edwin  Booth  appeared 
or  three  nights,  as  Richelieu,  Sir  Edward  Mortimer, 
■nd  Shyloch. 

After  these  performances  followed  all  the  best  drama- 
ic  combinations  and  stars.  Mr.  Lester  Wallack  fre- 
uently  brought  over  his  company  from  New  York, 
nd  presented  the  old  English  comedies  with  the  full 
trength  of  his  company.  Joseph  Jefferson  performed 
is  great  character  of  Rip  Van  Winkle  many  times 
3  crowded  houses.  Miss  Charlotte  Cushman  played 
}ueen  Catherine,  Meg  Merrilies,  and  Lady  Macbeth 
•ith  great  success.  Laura  Keene  frequently  brought 
ver  her  Olympic  company. 

The  Celebration  of  the  300th  Birthday  of 
hakespeare,  1864.— On  April  23d,  1864,  a  "com- 
limentary  testimonial"  was  given  to  Gabriel  Harrison, 
uder  the  auspices  of  the  members  of  the  Long  Island 
ristorical  Society.  The  date  of  23d  of  April  happening 


to  be  the  three  hundredth  anniversary  of  Shakespeare's 
birthday,  Mr.  Harrison  turned  the  occasion  into  a  cele- 
bration of  the  Bard's  birthday,  and,  in  order  to  make 
the  occasion  befitting,  produced  a  series  of  tableaux  vi- 
vants,  illustrating  scenes  from  Shakespeare's  principal 
plays.  The  groupings  contained  over  one  hundred 
persons  in  costume.  Between  the  play  and  the  tableaux, 
Sprague's  great  ode  to  Shakespeare  was  read  by  Miss 
Ellen  Grey,  in  the  character  of  Melpomene.  The 
evening's  entertainment  commenced,  for  the  first  time 
in  Brooklyn,  with  Shakespeare's  five-act  comedy  of  the 
Twefth  Night,  with  the  following  cast:  Viola,  Mrs.  Con- 
way; Malvolio,  Mr.  Conway;  Duke  Orsino,  Mr.  J. 
Duff;  Sir  Toby  Belch,  Mr.  A.  Vincent ;  Sir  Andrew 
Aguecheek,  Mr.  C.  W.  Lewis;  Clown,  Mr.  H.  Hawks; 
Antonio,  Mr.  T.  H.  Dow;  Sebastian,  Mr.  H.  S.  Mur- 
dock  ;  Fabian,  Mr.  T.  Duncan  ;  Valentine,  Miss  Bur- 
nett; Roberto,  Mr.  Wilkes;  Friar,  Mr.  Perry;  Olivia, 
Miss  E.  King  ;  Maria,  Miss  Mowbray. 

1863,  like  1861,  will  stand  out  in  bold  relief  in 
the  history  and  progress  of  the  Drama  in  the  City  of 
Brooklyn.  Even  the  inauguration  of  the  Academy  of 
Music  had  not  yet  satisfied  the  people,  or  given  them  a, 
temple  devoted  to  the  Drama  solely,  where  they  could 
nightly  gather  for  the  enjoyment  of  rational  amuse- 
ment. The  performances  at  the  Academy  were  but 
occasional,  and,  frequently,  the  prices  too  high  to  suit 
all  classes.  Besides,  the  place  became  the  resort  of  the 
fashionable,  who  vied  with  each  other  in  the  display  of 
dress,  which  was  the  means  of  shutting  out  a  large 
number  of  highly  intellectual  people,  who  could  not 
afford  the  display  of  silks  and  velvets,  or  roll  in  fine 
carriages  to  the  Opera,  Grand  Concerts,  or  the  Drama. 
The  public,  however,  by  the  opening  of  the  Academy 
of  Music,  had  been  awakened  to  the  desire  for  the 
Drama,  and  had  tasted  from  the  magic  goblet  of  the 
tragic  muse,  as  presented  by  the  great  Forrest,  with 
his  magnificent  figure,  voice,  passion  and  pathos ;  or 
Matilda  Heron,  in  her  wonderful  rendering  of  Cam  Me, 
with  her  tender  and  mysteriously  sympathetic  depths 
of  human  nature,  and  whose  mantle  as  an  artist  was  fit 
to  adorn  the  shoulders  of  a  Rachel.  Miss  Bateman, 
too,  had  touched  the  hearts  of  young  lovers  of  both 
sexes  by  her  charming  personification  of  Juliet  ;  while 
Falstaff,  as  rendered  by  Hackett,  cracked  the  sides  of 
his  audience  by  his  uuctuously  told  lies.  Indeed,  a 
new  spirit  was  infused  in  the  people  for  a  theatre 
proper  in  the  city,  and  not  a  building  devoted  to  all 
kinds  of  entertainments.  In  1862  the  upper  part  of 
the  building  at  the  corner  of  Court  and  Remson  streets 
was  fitted  up  in  the  form  of  a  theatre,  and  opened  as 

Hooley's  Opera  House,  and  was  devoted 

wholly  to  negro  minstrel  exhibitions.  This  place  be- 
came a  success  at  the  start,  and  acted  as  another  incent- 
ive for  a  theatre.  The  writer,  who  \,as  always  anxious 
to  have  a  theatre  in  Brooklyn,  appreciated  these  facts, 
at  once  called  on  Buckley  T.  Benton,  Esq.,  who  was 


1 110 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


finally  induced  to  build  a  theatre.  On  the  1st  of 
May,  1803,  the  foundation  for  the  building  was  com- 
menced. The  writer  at  once  became  an  applicant, 
among  many  others,  for  the  lesseeship.  and  accom- 
plished his  object  at  a  rental  of  $6,500  per  year. 

The  Park  Theatre  Opened.— On  Monday 

evening,  September  14th,  18G3,  the  first  regularly 
established  Theatre  was  opened  in  the  City  of  Brook- 
lyn. The  writer  named  it  the  "  Park  Theatre,"  after 
the  old  Park  Theatre  of  Xew  York,  for  many  years  the 
honored  temple  of  the  Drama  in  this  country. 

The  location  of  the  theatre  is  on  Fnlton  street,  directly  oppo- 
site the  City  Hall.  The  front  is  of  Nova  Scotia  stone,  presenting 
a  handsome  elevation  of  60  feet,  with  a  width  of  56  feet.  The 
entrance  is  in  the  centre  of  this  building,  while  the  theatre  ex- 
extends  110  feet  along  Adams  street.  The  auditorium  has  a 
parquette  and  a  dress  circle,  or  gallery.  The  theatre  seated 
1,200  people.  Mr.  Gabriel  Harrison  here  introduced,  for  the  first 
time  in  any  theatre,  what  he  termed  "sunken  footlights,"  so  that 
the  front  edge  of  the  stage  was  not  interrupted  by  the  scolloped 
tins,  which  usually  prevented  a  full  sight  of  the  actors'  feet.  This 
was  an  innovation  that  was  soon  followed  by  almost  every  theatre 
in  the  country.  The  ceiling  was  handsomely  frescoed  with  the 
representation  of  the  patron-muses ;  and,  instead  of  the  usual 
brackets  and  globes  of  light  projecting  out  from  the  side  walls, 
perplexing  the  sight,  a  large  corrugated  reflector  hung  from  the 
ceiling,  imparting  a  mellowness  of  light  that  was  perfectly 
agreeable  to  the  sight.  The  stage  was  60  feet  broad  by  31  feet 
deep.  There  were  two  private  boxes,  and  the  whole  theatre  had 
a  bright  and  pleasing  effect. 

The  object  of  the  manager  was  to  conduct  the 
theatre  on  the  most  refined  principles,  with  a  stock 
company  of  excellent  artists  for  the  performance  of 
light  and  pleasing  comedies,  dramas,  and  musical 
pieces  of  every  character.  The  following  is  the  bill  for 
the  opening  night : 

PARK  THEATRE. 
Fulton  Street,  opposite  City  Hall. 

Lessee  and  Manager  Gabriel  Harrison. 

Stage  Manager  Mr.  B.  A  Baker. 

Scenic  Artist   Mr.  George  Tirrell. 

Mr.  Gabriel  Harrison 
Respectfully  informs  the  public  that  this  Xew  and  Elegant 
Theatre  will  open  for  the 
Regular  Season 
On  Monday  evening,  September  14th,  1863,  with  a  first-class 
company,  consisting  of  the  following  ladies  and  gentlemen  : 

Miss  Henrietta  Irving  From  the  Western  Theatre. 

Miss  Mary  Shaw   From  the  Baltimore  Theatre. 

Miss  E.  Couren  From  the  Boston  Theatre. 

Miss  E.  Burnett  From  Niblo's  Garden. 

Madam  Poz/.oni  From  the  St.  Louis  Theatre. 

Mrs.  Tyrell  From  Laura  Keeno's  Theatre 

Miss  Curtis,  Miss  Singleton  and  Miss  Norton. 

Mr.  George  H.  Andrews  From  the  Old  Park  Theatre,  N.  Y. 

Mr.  Di-lmon  Grare   From  Winter  Garden,  N.Y. 

Mr.  George  MetkifT  From  Walnut  Street,  Philadelphia. 

Mr.  Walter  I,'  nre  \   From  Laura  Kerne's,  N.  Y. 

Mr.  T.  C.  Gonilay  From  Niblo's  Garden,  N.  Y- 

Mr  George  Reft,  Mr.  8.  Florence,  Mr.  EL  Flood,  and  Mr.  B.  A. 

Raker   ...Of  the  Old  Olympic.  N.  Y. 

Together  with  a  numerous  Corps  de  Ballet. 
On  this  occasion  will  be  presented   Buckstone's  excellent 
Comedy,  in  three  acts,  entitled 


"Married  Life." 

Mr.  Coddle  Mr.  George  H.  Andrews. 

Mrs.  Coddle  Miss  H.  Irving. 

Mr.  Bore  Mr.  Walter  Lennoi. 

Mrs.  Dorr  Miss  Mary  Shaw. 

Mr.  Lionel  I.ynx    Mr.  Delmon  Grace. 

Mrs.  Lionel  Lynx  Miss  E.  Couran. 

Mr.  Younghusband   Mr.  Metkiff. 

Mrs.  Youn/jhusband  Miss  Burnett 

Mr.  Dismal  Mr.  Gourlay. 

Mrs.  Dismal  Mrs.  Tyrell. 

To  conclude  with  the  musical  farce  of 
"  The  Ljoan  of  a  Looer." 

Peter  Spyke  Mr.  Walter  Lennoi. 

Captain  Amesfort  Mr.  Metkiff. 

Strezsell  Mr .  Gourlay. 

Delve  Mr.  Rea. 

Gertrude  (with  song)  Miss  Mary  Shaw. 

Ernestine  Miss  Burnett 

Orchestra,  of  26  performers,  under  the  leadership  of  John  M. 
Loretz,  Jr. 

Price  of  Admission. 

Private  Boxes  $5.00 

Orchestra  Chairs  1-00 

Parquette  75 

Balcony  50 

Family  Circle  85 

No  Extra  Cliarge  for  Reserved  Seals. 

The  theatre  was  packed  from  parquette  to  gallery. 
The  following  expression  of  the  success  of  the  opening 
we  take  from  the  New  York  Times : 

"The  charming  little  theatre,  the  first  attempt  of  our  sister 
city  in  the  dramatic  line  proper,  was  opened  last  night  to  the 
fullest  house  we  have  ever  seen.  Long  before  the  rise  of  the 
curtain,  the  cheerful  placard  of  '  standing  room  only '  was 
placed  conspicuously  at  the  door,  and  hundreds  were  compelled 
to  go  away  disappointed.  We  have  already  given  a  detailed  de- 
scription of  the  house,  which  for  neatness  and  elegance  of  finish, 
is  a  credit  to  the  city  and  an  exception  even  in  the  long  list  of 
metropolitan  theatres.  The  bill  for  the  first  night  included 
■  Married  Life  '  and 'The  Loan  of  a  Lover.'  Ihe  company  in- 
cludes several  well-known  names,  prominent  among  which  are  : 
Mr.  G.  H.  Andrews,  "  Old  Park,"  favorite,  and  Miss  Mary  Shaw, 
sister  to  Mrs.  Hoey  and  Mrs.  Watkins.  It  would  not  be  fair  to 
criticise  closely  the  initial  performance  of  an  opening  night, 
and  yet  it  affords  us  pleasure  to  state  that  Mr.  Harrison's  cast, 
scenery  and  appointments  are  by  no  means  inferior  even  to 
those  which  at  Wallack's  last  season  we  so  pleasantly  remem- 
ber. Mr.  Tirrell's  scenes  are  worthy  of  special  commendation, 
ranking  far  above  those  of  ordinary  establishments,  and  worth) 
really  to  be  examined  as  works  of  art.  After  the  first  piece,  Mr. 
Harrison,  who  was  loudly  called  for,  made  a  neat  and  telling 
speech,  thanking  the  audience  for  their  generous  patronage  and 
promising  to  do  all  in  his  power  to  deserve  a  continuant*  j 
public  favor.  The  orchestra,  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  Loretz, 
Jr.,  was  well  balanced,  plastic,  and  practically  useful." 

The  house  was  well  filled  night  after  night  to  wit- 
ness such  pieces  as  "The  Soldier's  Daughter."  "  Beauty 
and  the  Beast,"  "John  of  Paris,"  "  Sketches  in  India.' 
and  such  light  pieces.  On  Monday  night,  November 
16th,  the  style  of  the  performance  was  changed  toi 
heavier  class  of  plays,  in  which  the  manager,  Gabriel 
Harrison,  appeared  as  Julien  St.  Pierre  in  SberidM 
Knowles'  tragedy  of " The  Wife,"  in  which  he  wmaui- 
ported  by  Miss  Irving  as  Marianne,  with  the  rest  ol 


THE  DRAMA,  OPERA,  MUSIC  AND  ART. 


1117 


the  cast  filled  out  to  the  best  ability  of  the  company. 
It  is  always  an  unpleasant  task  to  write  in  the  personal 
pronoun  I,  even  when  used  with  the  greatest  modesty, 
but  as  the  matter  is  one  of  history,  the  writer  shall 
allude  to  himself  as  if  speaking  of  another  person.  On 
Mr.  Harrison's  first  appearance,  the  house  was  crowded 
in  every  part,  and  he  met  with  such  a  success  as  an 
actor  that  he  performed  the  one  character  for  a  whole 
week.  The  second  week  he  performed  the  character  of 
"Claud  Melnotte  "  in  "The  Lady  of  Lyons;"  third 
week,  "Carwin  "  in  the  drama  of  "Therese  ;"  fourth 
week,  in  the  drama  of  "  The  Impostor."  This  was  the 
first  production  of  a  Brooklyn  dramatist  on  a  Brooklyn 
stage.  It  was  a  translation  from  the  French,  made  by 
John  J.  Ryan,  one  of  the  editors  of  the  New  York 
Herald,  and  adapted  to  the  stage  by  Gabriel  Harrison. 
This  drama  had  a  run  for  ten  nights,  and  was  with- 
drawn on  account  of  the  illness  of  Mr.  Harrison. 

The  New  York  Herald  remarked  that  "Mr.  Harrison  conceived 
and  acted  his  characters  with  great  power.  He  has  a  nervous 
manner  and  an  excellent  voice,  which  he  manages  well.  Per- 
fectly at  ease  on  the  stage,  he  is  also  utterly  without  the  affected 
poses,  exits  and  other  traditional  nonsense  of  the  profession, 
and  is  a  valuable  addition  to  our  list  of  actors." 

The  New  York  World  endorsed  the  above  in  saying: 

"  Mr.  Gabriel  Harrison  has  a  firm  appreciation  of  stage  art. 
He  has  a  capital  presence,  enunciates  finely,  and  furnishes 
throughout  excellent  reading  of  his  text.  His  actions  are  ani- 
mated, easy  and  natural,  and  in  some  scenes  he  is  surpassingly 
fine.  There  is  a  taste  and  a  gentlemanliness  in  all  that  he 
does." 

These  remarks  of  the  press  were  more  than  gratify- 
ing to  the  writer.  Success  and  fortune  seemed  to  be 
extending  their  hands,  but  sunshine  can  be  obscured  in 
the  brightest  day.  Mr.  John  J.  Ryan,  of  the  Herald,  and 
several  other  highly  cultured  gentlemen,  suggested  that 
Mr.  Harrison  should  introduce  the  English  Opera  upon 
the  boards  of  his  theatre.  The  idea  seemed  a  good  one, 
and  Mr.  Harrison  immediately  organized  an  English 
opera  troupe. 

1864. — After  some  three  weeks'  preparation  of 
new  scenery,  dresses,  &c,  &c,  at  an  expense  of  nearly 
$3,000,  he  announced  the  engagement  of  Mad.  Compte 
Borchard,  of  the  Italian  opera,  as  sorprano,  Mr.  Wil- 
liam Castle  as  tenor,  Mr.  S.  U.  Campbell,  baritone,  and 
Mr.  Theodore  Thomas  as  leader  of  the  orchestra. 
Castle  and  Campbell  were  members  at  the  time  of  a 
minstrel  troupe,  and  had  never  before  performed  in 
opera.  The  orchestra  had  thirty  in  number,  and  the 
chorus  thirty-seven  picked  voices. 

Monday  evening,  January  4th,  1864,  was  presented  Balfe's 
opera,  in  four  acts,  entitled  the  Bohemian  Girl,  with  the  following 
cast,  viz:  Artine,  Mad.  Compte  Boehaid  ;  Gypsie  Queen,  Miss 
Mary  Shaw;  Tlwddeus  (his  first  appearance  in  opera),  Mr.  W. 
Castle  ;  Count  Arnheim  (his  first  appearance  in  opera),  Mr.  S.  C. 
Campbell ;  Devilshoof,  Mr.  Geo.  Rea ;  Florstein,  Mr.  Pike ; 
Lhptain  of  the  Guard,  Mr.  Florence;  Tambourine  Dance,  Miss 
Jennie  Gourley  ;  Conductor,  Mr,  Theodore  Thomas;  Master  of 
Chorus,  Mr.  Metzler,    New  scenery,  dresses,  &c,  &c. 


The  houses  were  crowded  for  a  few  nights,  and  al- 
though the  press  of  New  York  and  Brooklyn  spoke  of 
the  performance  in  the  highest  terms,  still,  with  the 
extraordinary  expenses  of  the  two  companies,  the  man- 
ager found  it  impossible  affer  a  few  months'  struggle  to 
keep  his  theatre  open  any  longer.  The  operas  of 
"Maritani,"  "The  Bohemian  Girl,"  and  "Fra  Diav- 
olo  "  had  been  placed  upon  the  stage  in  the  best  pos- 
sible style  to  no  other  effect  than  the  ruin  of  the 
manager;  and,  in  the  latter  part  of  February,  18G4, 
Mr.  Harrison  retired  from  the  management  of  the  Park 
Theatre.  The  house  was  then  let  out  to  Miss  Fanny 
Herring,  who  performed  for  a  week ;  after  her  Mr. 
Hackett  had  the  house  for  a  week,  and  the  theatre 
changed  hands  till  April  2d,  when  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Con- 
way became  the  lessees,  and  opened  with  the  play  of 
Ingomar,  themselves  taking  the  parts  of  Ingomar  and 
Parthenia.  They  met  with  some  success.  Their  sum- 
mer season,  as  they  called  it,  lasted  nineteen  nights, 
when  they  closed  the  theatre  until  the  3d  of  Septem- 
ber, on  which  occasion  they  re-opened  the  Park  Theatre 
with  the  comedy  of  "School  for  Scandal"  to  a  full 
house,  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Conway  performing  the 
leading  characters.  The  first  season  of  Mr.  Conway's 
management  was  a  struggle,  but  by  hard  work  and  ex- 
cellent management  (with  an  occasional  introduction 
of  stars)  the  theatre  became  a  marked  success.  At  the 
time  they  took  the  theatre,  the  great  Rebellion  was 
over,  and  the  people  of  the  North  flushed  with  victory, 
and  an  immense  amount  of  money,  put  into  circulation 
by  the  paying  off  of  thousands  of  troops,  gave  the 
masses  means  for  enjoyment,  and  all  kinds  of  places  of 
amusement  gathered  in  rich  harvests. 

The  Brooklyn  Theatre.— The  Conways  ex- 
tended their  ambition,  and  after  several  years  of 
brilliant  success  in  the  little  Park  Theatre,  they  felt 
that  they  must  have  a  larger  one.  Upon  their 
application,  Judge  McCue,  Messrs.  Kingsley  and 
Keeney  purchased  the  old  St.  John's  Church  property 
on  the  southeast  corner  of  Washington  and  Johnston 
streets,  and  at  once  began  the  erection  of  a  fine  theatre. 
It  had  a  width  of  seventy  feet  on  Johnston  street  and 
one  hundred  and  twenty-eight  feet  deep,  parallel  with 
Washington  street,  with  the  entrance  to  the  auditorium 
on  the  extreme  south  end  on  Washington  street.  This 
entrance  was  28  feet  wide  by  40  feet  deep.  The  face  of 
the  building  was  constructed  of  Philadelphia  brick  with 
brown  stone  trimmings,  with  no  pretension  to  arch- 
itectural beauty.  The  auditorium  was  well  arranged 
and  the  decorations  were  of  the  richest  description.  It 
was  equal  in  this  respect  to  any  of  the  finest  theatres  in 
New  York  City. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  P,  B.  Conway  were  the  lessees,  and  the  doors  of 
the  Brooklyn  Theatre  were  open  for  the  first  time  on  October  2d, 
1871,  with  Lord  Lytton's  admirable  character  comedy  of  Money, 
with  the  following  distribution  of  characters:  Alfred  Evelyn, 
Mr.  Frank  Koche  ;*   Sir  John  Vesey,  Mr.  F.  Chippendale  ;  Mr. 


1118 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Graves,  Mr.  E.  Lamb;  Sir  Fredrick  Blount,  Mr.  M.  A.  Ken- 
nedy Captain  Dndley  Smooth,  Mr.  R.  C.  White  Mr.  David 
Stoui,  Mr.  G.  C.  Charles  ;*  Lord  Rosemore,  Mr.  C.  Loveday  ;* 
Old  Member,  Mr.  George  Spear  ;*  Sharp,  Mr.  J.  Mackay  ;  Ser- 
vant, Mr.  F.  Edwards  ;  Toke,  Mr.  A.  S.  Wright ;  Clara  Douglas, 
Miss  Ella  Burns  Lady  Franklin,  Mrs.  Farren  ;*  ■  Georgiana 
Vesey,  Miss  Maud  Ernest.*  Prior  to  the  comedy,  an  opening 
address,  written  by  Mr.  John  Brougham,  was  delivered  by  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  F.  B.  Conway,  and  at  the  rising  of  the  curtain  the 
national  ode  of  the  "  Star  Spangled  Banner  "  was  sung  by  the 
entire  company. 

The  house  was  crowded  with  a  brilliant  audience, 
and  the  future  of  the  theatre  promised  prosperity;  but 
the  Con  ways  lost  during  their  management,  up  to  1875, 
over  $12,000.  After  the  deaths  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Con- 
way, which  occurred  within  one  year  of  each  other,  in 
187-1  and  1875,  their  daughters  managed  the  theatre 
for  a  short  time,  but  not  successfully. 

No  two  dramatic  artists  were  ever  connected  with 
the  history  of  the  drama  in  Brooklyn  more  deserving 
of  a  biographical  notice  than  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Conway. 

For  years  they  worked  night  and  day  for  the  ad- 
vancement ot  the  drama  and  the  pleasure  of  the  peo- 
ple, and  we  deeply  regret  that  our  limited  space  will 
not  allow  us  to  do  them  justice  in  full  detail. 

Frederick  Bartlett  Conway  was  born  in  Clifton,  England, 
February  10,  1810,  and  was  at  the  time  of  his  death  55  years  of 
age.  His  father— known  in  dramatic  history  as  the  Elder  Conway 
—was  an  actor  of  eminence,  one  of  the  proud  names  that  adorn 
the  British  stage.  Frederick,  a  lad  of  unusual  promise,  was  en- 
tered at  Oxford  at  an  early  age,  in  the  expectation  that  he 
would  adopt  the  clerical  profession.  The  histrionic  instinct  of 
his  race  was  strong  within  him,  however,  and  would  not  con- 
form itself  to  the  vocation  selected  for  him.  He  broke  away, 
and  went  upon  the  stage  as  soon  as  his  majority  was  attained. 
With  that  quick,  manly  intelligence  and  artistic  impulse 
which  were  among  the  distinguishing  features  of  his  subsequent 
career,  his  advancement  was  exceptionally  rapid,  and  at  the 
age  of  24  he  had  become  one  of  the  favorite  impersonators  of 
"leading  juvenile"  characters  in  his  native  country.  He  was 
judged  competent  to  sustain  opposite  parts  to  the  brightest  stars 
of  the  theatrical  firmament,  and  the  record  shows  that  his  pri- 
vate life  waa  one  of  moderation,  modest  and  manful  persever- 
ance, and  the  closest  attention  to  the  study  of  an  art  he  held  in 
profound  reverence.  His  fame  grew  steadily,  and  when,  in 
1851,  he  accompanied  the  eminent  comedian,  Mr.  William  Dav- 
idge,  to  America,  Mr.  Conway  found  that  his  good  name  had 
preceded  him.  His  welcome  in  this  country  was  prompt  and 
cordial,  and  he  at  once  took  high  rank  among  the  most  capnble 
and  erudite  members  of  his  profession.  His  first  appearance  in 
America  waa  made  at  the  Broadway  Theatre,  New  York,  where 
he  performed  Charles  Surface  in  the  "  School  for  Scandal." 

About  this  time  Mr.  Conway  formed  the  acquaintance  of  a 
brilliant  young  actress  just  then  ascending  to  fame,  Miss  Sarah 
Crocker.  The  acquaintance,  promoted  by  an  enthusiastic  devo- 
votion  to  a  common  art-purpose,  speedily  developed  a  tenderer 
feeling,  and  tho  beautiful  and  talented  young  artiste  soon  be- 
came Mrs.  Conway.  It  was  a  brilliant  and  prosperous  alliance 
of  hearts,  unlimited  1  >y  th«-  generous  impulse  that  leads  to  renown 
— devotion  to  each  other  and  to  their  art.  Mr.  Conway  was 
one  of  the  most  pains-taking  and  sympathetic  artists  that  ever 
supported  a  star  actor.  His  iidmirahle  support  of  Edwin  For- 
r-  st  for  over  one  hundred  nights  at  the  Broadway  Theatre,  Now 
York,  met  with  the  full  endorsement  of  the  press.    Mr.  Forrest 

•  Kln«t  »ppn»r»n.  • 


was  one  of  those  artists  whose  keen,  good  judgment  and  great 
heart  always  raised  him  above  the  pettiness  of  attempting  to  add 
to  his  own  lustre  by  the  aid  of  colorless  surroundings.  That 
great  actor  knew  as  every  truly  great  actor  always  knows— that 
he  shone  best  when  his  support  was  most  competent  and  intel- 
ligent ;  and  the  writer  takes  great  pleasure  in  stating,  that  two 
years  previous  to  Mr.  Conway's  death,  while  taking  Thanksgiv- 
ing dinner  with  the  great  tragedian,  at  his  residence  in  Broad 
street,  Philadelphia,  Mr.  Forrest  remarked  "  that  he  never  in 
his  life,  as  a  star  actor,  here  or  in  Europe,  met  with  a  more  able 
supporter,  a  more  genial  gentleman,  or  a  more  thorough  dra- 
matic scholar  than  Mr.  Conway,"  and  this  was  perfectly  true.  At 
the  time  of  his  first  appearance  in  this  country,  at  the  Broadway 
Theatre,  in  conjunction  with  Mr.  Davidge,  on  the  19th  of 
August  of  that  year,  when  the  Broadway  Theatre  was  reopened 
by  Marshall,  with  Mr.  G.  Barrett  as  stage  manager,  the  initial 
performance  was  "  The  School  for  Scandal"  ;  Mr.  Conway  play- 
ing the  part  of  Charles  Surface.  During  the  season  he  essayed 
the  characters  of  Hamlet,  Macbeth,  Othello,  Claude  Melnotte, 
Captain  Absolute,  and  Doricourt,  in  all  of  which  he  was  emi- 
nently successful.  Tragedy  and  light  comedy  were  equally  con 
genial  to  him,  and  he  soon  became  an  established  favorite. 
He  also  appeared  in  "The  Stranger,"  with  Miss  Charlotte  Cosb- 
ruan  as  Mrs.  Holler,  and  in  "The  Husband  of  My  Heart." 
as  the  Count  de  Fromsac.  In  the  intervals  of  their  engagement*. 
Mr.  Conway,  with  his  wife,  made  extended  "  starring  tours," 
visiting  the  principal  cities  of  the  East,  West,  and  South,  and 
meeting  with  favorable  receptions  wherever  they  played.  Ad- 
mirable as  Mr.  Conway  was  as  a  "  star,"  his  greatest  reputation 
was  achieved  while  supporting  Edwin  Forrest,  and  though  en- 
dowed by  nature  and  gifted  in  a  remarkable  degree,  the  secret  of 
Mr.  Conway's  success  rested  in  his  pains-taking  conscientious- 
ness; with  him  whatever  was  worth  doing  at  all,  was  worth 
doing  well.  His  motto  maybe  said  to  have  been,  "Whatever 
thy  hand  findeth  to  do,  do  it  with  all  thy  might."  His  por- 
trayal of  the  character  of  Jacques  was  a  very  fine  performance. 
His  Elqar,  in  "Lear,"  was  unapproachable.  His  Rolando,  in 
"The  Honeymoon,"  as  a  piece  of  epigrammatic  acting,  if  it 
might  be  so  termed,  was  the  best  that  has  ever  been  seen  on  the 
American  stage,  and  was  only  equaled  by  his  representation  of 
Pythias,  in  'Damon  and  Pythias."  A  favorite  character  with 
him  was  Malvolio,  in  "The  Twelfth  Night."  In  all  the  attn 
butes  which  form  the  gentleman,  the  actor,  and  the  scholar,  Mr. 
Conway  was  the  peer  of  the  brilliant  galaxy  with  whom  he  was 
contemporary.  His  social  qualities  endeared  him  to  a  large  cir 
cle  of  friends  and  admirers,  who  all  felt  alike  the  loss  of  Fred- 
erick B.  Conway. 

He  died  Sept.  7th,  1874,  in  Manchester,  Mass.,  whither  he  hn i 
gone  in  quest  of  health  and  strength.  Mr.  Conway  had  been 
in  ill-health  for  nearly  three  years  previously.  His  fun  end  took 
place,  Thursday,  Sept.  10th,  from  the  Church  of  the  "Savior 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Nye  preached  the  funeral  sermon,  and  over  a 
thousand  people  attended  the  service.  Ho  was  buried  amid 
the  quiet  and  leafy  intervals  of  Greenwood,  and  his  death  wan 
sincerely  felt  by  thousands  of  citizens.  The  Edvcin  Furrest  Ciub. 
of  New  York,  of  which  he  was  a  member,  took  appropriate  actum 
in  regard  to  the  loss  which  the  dramatic  profession  had  susUine  l 
in  tho  death  of  this  excellent  artist 
i  Mrs.  F.  B.  Conway,  before  meeting  and  marrying  Mr.  Od 
way,  was  known  as  Miss  Sarah  G.  Crocker.  She  was  born  in 
Litchfield,  Conn.,  aud  was  the  daughter  of  Rev.  .Mr.  Crocker,  an 
Episcopalian  minister  of  that  place.  At  two  years  of  age,  the 
family  moved  to  New  York.  In  this  city  she  iiul.il>-  <i  a  U»t« 
for  theatricals,  and  at  the  age  of  fifteen  sho  entered  the  profu- 
sion of  which  a  sister  had  already  become  a  member.  It  i» 
quite  a  coincidence  that  her  first  appearance  upon  any  •tag'' 
was  made  in  this  city,  although  not  a  resident.  This  appearance 
j  waa  made  in  tho  theatre  attached  to  Du  Flon's  Military  Garden, 
already  alluded  to.  Whether  this  first  appearance  was  auccowfnJ. 


THE  DRAMA,  OPERA,  MUSIC  AND  ART. 


1119 


and  whether  she  manifested  the  abilities  which  have  since  won 
her  a  distinguished  place  in  the  American  drama,  the  records 
say  not,  and  the  lady  herself  was  too  modest  to  tell.  It  is  pre- 
sumed, however,  that  she  was  appreciated,  for  she  remained  the 
season  out.  From  thence  she  went  to  Baltimore,  Maryland,  and 
became  a  member  of  the  company  of  which  Mr.  John  E.  Owens, 
the  distinguished  comedian,  was  the  manager. 

Severing  her  connection  with  this  company,  the  lady  joined 
Purdy's  National  Theatre,  in  Chatam  street,  New  York,  then  in 
its  glory,  in  1850.  Playing  here  one  season,  she  is  next  found 
upon  the  boards  of  the  Broadway  Theatre,  where  she  met  Mr. 
Conway,  whom  she  married  during  the  engagement.  The  next 
season,  that  ot  1852,  she  joined  J.  W.  Wallack's  company,  taking 
the  position  of  leading  lady,  made  vacant  by  the  defection  of 
Miss  Laura  Keene.  The  company  at  Wallack's  at  this  time  was 
one  of  the  best  gathered  under  his  distinguished  management. 
The  cast  of  "  Much  Ado  About  Nothing"  will  give  the  best  idea 
of  the  ability  of  his  company,  and  we  here  present  it :  J.  W. 
Wallack,  Jr.,  Benedick;  Lester  Wallack,  Pedro;  Jno.  Dyott, 
Clavdio ;  P.  Chippendale,  Antonio  ;  W.  K.  Blake,  Dogberry;  Chas. 
Hale,  Verges  ;  Mrs.  F.  B.  Conway,  Beatrice;  Mrs.  Hale,  Hero. 

In  this  play  M»s.  Conway  fairly  divided  the  honors  of  the 
evening  with  Mr.  Wallack.  Here  she  remained,  a  great  favorite 
with  the  critical  audiences  of  this  theatre,  for  one  season,  and 
then  Mr.  William  Wheatly,  having  conceived  the  idea  of  build- 
ing up  a  Wallack's  in  Philadelphia,  leased  the  Arch  Street 
Theatre,  and  engaged  Mr.  and  Mrs.  F.  B.  Conway  as  members. 
The  company  was  exceeding  strong,  and  was  noted  for  the  abil- 
ity of  the  ladies,  and  Mrs.  Conway  was  the  leading  lady.  The 
jompany  comprised  the  names  of  Mrs.  Conway,  Mrs.  D.  P. 
Bowers,  Mrs.  John  Drew,  Miss  Caroline  Richings,  Mrs.  Anna 
Dowell,  then  known  as  Miss  Cruise,  Mr.  Conway,  Mr.  H.  Perry, 
Mr.  George  Boniface,  Mr.  E.  F.  Keach,  Mr.  John  and  Frank 
Drew,  and  Mr.  John  E.  Owens.  The  company  separated  at  the 
conclusion  of  the  season,  and  the  subject  of  our  sketch  with 
ler  husband  joined  the  fortunes  of  the  Walnut  Street  Theatre. 
\.t  the  conclusion  of  this  season,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Conway  set  out 
ipon  a  starring  tour.  For  ten  years  they  traveled  up  and 
lown  the  country,  considered  by  managers  among  the  most 
•emunerative  stars  then  before  the  public.  They  added  to  their 
'ame  and  fortune,  but  the  romance  of  traveling  soon  wears  out, 
ind  ten  years  showed  them  the  vanity  of  wide  spread  fame. 
They  finally  came  to  Brooklyn,  took  the  management  of  the  Park 
Theatre,  opening  on  a  rainy  night  to  a  small  house,  on  April  2d, 
.864.  The  first  season  was  gloomy  in  its  prospects  and  very  un- 
irofitable,  but  pluck,  perseverance,  ability,  and  managerial  tact 
nade  the  Park  Theatre  a  success,  and  brought  them  wealth.  The 
uneral  of  Mrs.  Conway  took  place  from  the  same  church  as  did 
ler  husband's.  She  died  April  28th,  1874,  forty-two  years  old. 
ler  remains  were  deposited  in  Greenwood,  by  the  side  of  her 
msband. 

And  so,  within  the  little  space  of  one  year,  these  two  busy 
>eople  of  the  drama,  who  looked  forward  to  wealth  and  dramatic 
riumphs,  were  put  to  silence  by  that  inscrutable  power  as  against 
i'hieh  we  are  nothing. 

After  the  daughters  gave  up  the  theatre,  it  was  next 
eased  to  Mr.  Theodore  Moss,  of  Wallack's  Theatre, 
mt,  Mr.  Wallack  refusing  to  lend  his  name  to  the  en- 
erprise,  Mr.  Moss  forfeited  what  he  had  paid,  and  for 

time  the  theatre  went  begging  until  1875,  when 
-lessrs.  Shook  and  Palmer,  of  the  Union  Square 
Theatre,  New  York,  became  the  lessees,  and  continued 
o  run  it  as  a  branch  of  their  New  York  establishment, 
■erforming  all  of  their  most  attractive  stars  and  pieces, 
nth  but  partial  success.  Under  these  managers  oc- 
urred  the  most  frightful  calamity  that  ever  took  place 
a  the  history  of  the  drama. 


The  Burning  of  the  Brooklyn  Theatre, 

on  Tuesday  night,  December  5th,  1876. 

The  flames  were  first  seen  creeping  along  one  of  the  flies  on 
the  left-hand  side  of  the  stage,  and  in  less  than  two  minutes  all 
the  drapery  was  in  flames,  and  forked  tongues  of  the  devouring 
element  could  be  seen  creeping  along  through  the  canvas  of 
which  the  roof  of  the  scenic  cabin  was  composed.  Such  scenes 
of  terror  on  the  part  of  a  panic-stricken  audience  and  of  cool 
perseverance  and  courage  on  the  part  of  a  few  others — the  actors 
on  the  stage — have  rarely,  if  ever  before,  been  chronicled,  either 
in  this  or  any  other  city.  The  curtain  had  risen  on  the  last  act 
of  the  drama  of  "The  Two  Orphans."  Miss  Kate  Claxton,  who 
was  acting  the  part  of  Louise,  the  blind  girl,  lay  on  her  pallet  of 
straw  on  the  left-hand  side  of  the  stage, the  scene  being  the  boat- 
house  on  the  river,  the  home  of  La  Frochard.  Near  stood  Mrs. 
Mary  Ann  Farren,  La  Frochard.  Mr.  J.  E.  Studley,  who  was 
acting  the  part  of  Jacques  Frochard,  and  Mr.  H.  S.  Murdock, 
Pierre,  the  cripple.  Miss  Claxton  had  already  heard  it  whis- 
pered behind  the  scenes  that  the  theatre  was  on  fire,  but  even 
though  she  could  see  the  flames  directly  over  her,  with  rare 
presence  of  mind  and  courage,  she  went  on  with  the  perform- 
ance of  her  part,  as  did  her  companions,  not  one  of  them  betray- 
ing by  look  nor  word  the  agitation  felt  by  all.  The  flames 
spread  rapidly,  however,  and  when  the  appalling  fact  could  no 
longer  be  kept  from  the  audience — for  some  of  those  in  the  or- 
chestra chairs  had  already  discovered  it  and  were  starting  up  in 
their  seats — the  actors,  with  one  accord  in  beseeching  tones,  called 
upon  them  for  "  God's  sake  to  disperse  quietly."  Some  person  in 
the  audience  shouted  that  the  theatre  was  on  fire,  and  the  alarm- 
ing cry  of  "Fire!  Fire  !"  was  caught  up  by  those  in  the  family 
circle  and  the  gallery,  until  it  was  echoed  and  re-echoed  from  pit 
to  dome.  Those  of  the  audience  who  could  retain  their  presence 
of  mind,  in  response  to  the  advice  of  the  actors,  resumed  their 
seats,  but  it  was  only  for  a  few  seconds,  and  then  began  an  in- 
discriminate rush  for  the  doors.  The  books  of  the  box-office 
show  that  there  were  seated  in  the  theatre  over  one  thousand 
persons,  two  hundred  and  fifty  of  whom  were  seated  in  the  par- 
quet and  orchestra,  three  hundred  and  fifty  in  the  dress  circle, 
and  four  hundred  and  five  in  the  upper  gallery.  Within  three 
minutes  after  the  discovery  of  the  fire,  this  mass  of  human  be- 
ings was  clambering  over  the  seats  and  over  each  other,  in  their 
frantic  endeavors  to  reach  the  exits.  The  entrances  and  cor- 
ridors to  the  lower  part  of  the  house,  which  lead  out  to  Wash- 
ington street,  were  by  no  means  commodious,  but  nevertheless 
the  crush  in  them  was  small  compared  with  that  at  the  exit  from 
the  upper  gallery.  When  the  worst  became  known,  the  ushers 
acted  nobly  and  endeavored  to  quiet  the  terrified  people,  their 
chief,  Mr.  Thomas  Rochford,  going  down  to  and  opening  the 
door  leading  out  from  the  auditorium  to  Flood's  alley,  in  the  rear 
of  the  theatre.  This  door  afforded  a  means  of  escape  for  many 
who  might  otherwise  have  lost  their  lives,  and  in  a  very  short 
time  nearly  every  person  who  had  been  seated  in  the  lower  part 
of  the  house  had  reached  the  street  in  safety. 

This,  however,  was  but  the  beginning  of  the  end,  for  black 
volumes  of  smoke  began  to  roll  from  the  burning  scenery  of  the 
stage  into  the  body  of  the  house,  almost  totally  shutting  off  the 
light  of  the  gas,  and  depriving  those  in  the  house,  for  a  few  mo- 
ments at  least,  of  air  to  breathe.  The  scene  at  this  moment  was 
one  which  beggars  description.  The  actors  had  rushed  from  the 
stage  to  save  themselves,  and  having  managed  to  escape  the 
clutches  of  the  flames,  met  again  in  the  street  in  their  stage  cos- 
tumes and  congratulated  one  another.  The  unfortunate  and 
terrified  people  in  the  dress-circle  and  gallery  were  rushing 
pell-mell  toward  the  one  door  which  gave  egress  from  each,  and 
t&rough  which  only  two  or  three  persons  could  pass  at  one  time. 
The  house  was  filled  with  smoke,  and  the  Mr  was  almost  stifling. 
Men  shouted  and  rudely  jostled  delicate  women  in  their  efforts 
to  reach  the  doors.  Strong  men  shed  tears,  and  women  and 
boys  screamed  with  fright,  a  large  number  fainting  away  and 


1120 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


being  trampled  under  foot  by  the  rushing  mass.  Thus  far  the 
audience  had  seen  very  little  flame,  but  the  stage  entrances  and 
the  scene  doors  having  opened,  a  strong  current  of  air  was  let 
into  the  rear  of  the  building,  which  drove  the  flames  out  from 
the  stage-enclosure,  and  as  they  licked  up  everything  in  their 
path,  the  whole  interior  of  the  building  was  lighted  up  with  the 
lurid  glare.  Many  of  the  unfortunate  people  who  had,  up  till  this 
time,  preserved  their  equilibrium,  now  broke  forth  with  heart- 
rending cries  for  help.  A  few  there  were  among  this  mass  of 
terrified  and  struggling  humanity  who  made  noble  endeavors  to 
prevent  their  unknown  companions  from  crushing  one  another  to 
death,  but  fell  suffocated  under  the  feet  of  those  whose  lives  they 
were  endeavoring  to  save.  The  flames  roared  and  crackled  as 
they  rushed  upward  toward  the  dome,  and  the  hot,  blinding  and 
suffocating  smoke  poured  down  mercilessly  on  the  poor  unfor- 
tunates, whose  efforts  already  showed  signs  of  weakening.  All 
this,  it  must  be  remembered,  was  only  the  work  of  a  few  min- 
utes, and  still  the  devouring  flames  mounted  higher  and  higher. 
Three  alarms  had  been  rung  in  quick  succession,  and  the  en- 
gines could  be  heard  nearing  the  vicinity.  The  streets  were 
filled  with  a  throng  of  excited  people,  who  ran  hither  and  thither, 
calling  aloud  the  names. of  dear  ones,  whose  voices  could  not  be 
heard  in  answer.  Many  were  hatless  and  coatless,  their  garments 
having  been  torn  from  them  by  the  pushing  and  jostling  of  the 
crowd. 

The  police  of  the  First  Precinct,  under  the  command  of  Ser- 
geants Eason  and  Cain,  were  on  the  ground  within  three  minutes 
after  the  breaking  out  of  the  fire,  and  did  very  effective  work  in 
quieting  the  fears  of  the  populace.  These  gallant  men,  divest- 
ing themselves  of  their  outer  garments,  rushed  into  the  burning 
building  and,  pushing  their  way  on  beyond  the  main  corridor, 
ascended  the  stairs  leading  to  the  dress  circle,  and  assisted  a 
number  to  escape.  On  reaching  the  top  of  the  staircase,  how- 
ever, the  blinding  smoke  forced  them  to  retreat.  They  did  not 
give  up  the  gallant  fight,  however,  and  returned  again,  this  time 
ascending  the  stairs  leading  to  the  upper  gallery,  where  they 
found  a  mass  of  people,  and  were  compelled  to  use  their  clubs 
to  prevent  them  from  trampling  one  another  to  death.  Inside, 
meanwhile,  the  flames  made  rapid  progress,  and  had  forced  their 
way  through  the  roof,  which  had  become  one  sheet  of  seething 
flame.  The  cries  of  the  doomed  auditors  for  help  could  no 
longer  be  heard,  and  the  stream  of  people  that  had  hitherto 
poured  forth  from  the  burning  building  was  rapidly  diminish- 
ing. An  awful  hush  fell  over  the  multitude,  for  it  was  well 
known  that  there  were  still  hundreds  of  people  within  the  burn- 
ing structure.  These  victims,  in  their  terrible  haste  to  reach  the 
street,  became  wedged  together  in  a  short  turn  in  the  staircase, 
and  thus  prevented  those  from  behind  from  escaping.  Frantic 
in  their  terror,  those  in  the  rear  having  more  room  than  those 
ahead  of  them,  jostled  and  trampled  upon  one  another,  and  it  is 
thought  that  very  many  were  killed  in  this  way.  The  volume 
of  flume  which  issued  from  the  roof,  and  shot  upward  into  the 
air,  rapidly  increased,  and  soon  the  entire  upper  part  of  the 
building  was  one  lurid  sheet.  In  less  than  twenty  minutes  after 
the  sounding  of  the  first  alarm,  the  mansard  roof  fell  in  with  a 
crash,  carrying  with  it  to  the  cellar  both  the  upper  gallery  and 
the  dress  circle,  with  their  freight  of  human  beings.  By  this 
time  the  entire  Fire  Department  was  on  the  spot,  and  numerous 
streams  of  water  were  being  poured  into  the  burning  building 
and  upon  the  adjoining  houses,  to  which  the  efforts  of  the  fire- 
men were  directed,  in  the  hope  that  these,  at  least,  might  lie 
saved.  Before  the  falling  of  the  roof,  some  of  the  inmates  en- 
deavored I  t  through  Hi'-  windows,  but  solar  as  known,  only 

one  Hiieceeded.  and  ho  jumped  to  the  roof  of  the  station-house. 
Another,  who  was  immediately  In-hind  him,  only  succeeded  in 
catching  hold  of  the  sill  of  the  window,  when  the  smoke  and 
flame  forced  him  to  relax  his  hold,  ami  he  fell  back  into  the 
burning  cauldron  beneath,  to  share  the  fate  of  those  who  hail 
not  succeeded  in  getting  even  so  slight  a  chance  of  safety,  Soon 


the  major  portion  of  the  Johnson  street  or  southerly  wall  fell, 
crushing  beneath  it  a  brick  house  and  covering  the  street  with 
debris.  A  few  minutes  later,  the  easterly  wall  fell,  and  the 
Brooklyn  Theatre  was  a  heap  of  smouldering  ruins.  Some  of 
the  three  hundred  unfortunate  people  who  had  suffered  such  a 
terrible  death  might  even  now  have  been  left  in  a  condition  to 

|  be  recognized  by  their  friends,  but  the  gas  burnt  fiercely,  light- 
ing up  the  scene  and  sending  a  cloud  of  white  steam  into  the 
air.  Hardly  an  hour  had  elapsed  from  the  time  of  the  breaking 
out  of  the  fire  before  the  building  was  totally  demolished,  and  the 
flames  well  under  control.  Streams  of  water  were  kept  pouring 
upon  the  ruins  during  the  remainder  of  the  night,  and  it  was 
decided  that  at  daylight  the  search  for  the  missing  ones  should 
commence.  Mayor  Schroeder,  Commissioners  Jourdan  sod 
Vyhun,  were  present  during  the  conflagration,  directing  the 
movements  of  their  subordinates. 

A  few  minutes  after  four  o'clock  in  the  morning,  they  reached 
the  box -office  and  found  the  first  body.  It  was  that  of  a  large 
woman,  and  was  lying  face  downward.  Even  at  that  hour  many  of 
the  most  experienced  firemen  were  of  the  opinion  no  great  num- 
ber of  persons  had  lost  their  lives.  A  few  hours  later,  however 
when  daylight  began  to  break,  all  doubt  had'vanished,  and  the 
terrible  reality  was  revealed.  The  smoke  and  steam  were  still 
ascending  in  dense  volumes,  but  an  occasional  puff  of  wind 
blew  aside  the  clouds,  and  the  horror-stricken  firemen  saw  the 
bodies  of  the  dead  who  had  fallen  through  from  the  gallery  piled 
up  in  heaps.  Chief  Engineer  Nevins  at  once  assigned  a  com- 
pany of  firemen  to  remove  the  dead.    From  the  front  entrance 

i  on  Washington  street,  for  a  distance  of  about  thirty  feet, the  floor 
remained  unburned,  and  at  this  point  the  work  of  removing  the 
bodies  was  commenced,  and  they  were  piled  in  a  heap  in  the 
entrance-way.  Hardly  any  were  recognizable  except  by  their 
clothing.  At  this  time,  the  extent  of  the  calamity  was  not  fully 
known,  and  the  crowd  outside  could  be  numbered  by  hundreds. 
An  hour  later,  when  a  large  force  of  undertakers  had  arrived 
with  wagons,  and  the  bodies  began  to  be  removed  to  the  Morgue, 
the  excitement  knew  no  bounds.  The  police  force  was  doubled, 
but  for  a  time  it  seemed  as  if  the  excited  crowd  would  break 
down  all  barriers  and  rush  bodily  into  the  mined  theatre.  Tic 
half-burned  and  broken  glass  doors  were  pulled  partially  to- 
gether, and  a  group  of  sturdy  policemen  was  stationed  in  the 
gap,  with  orders  to  allow  no  person  to  enter.  This  course  en- 
abled the  firemen  to  pursue  their  dangerous  work  with  a  lit 1 1  • 
less  peril  to  themselves. 

The  floor,  with  the  exception  of  the  portion  just  inside  the 
entrance,  had  fallen  into  the  cellar,  and  it  was  at  this  point  most 
of  the  bodies  were  found.  The  second  bend  in  the  stairs  lend 
ing  to  the  top  gallery,  was  immediately  over  the  corridor.  When 
the  gallery  gave  way,  it  fell  into  the  cellar.  In  order  to  get  out 
the  bodies,  it  was  found  necessary  to  have  a  large  ladder,  the 
top  of  which  rested  at  the  entrance  to  the  corridor  on  the  ground 
floor  and  the  end  on  the  smoking  ruins.  The  rungs  were  haetilv 
covered  with  boards  so  as  to  mako  a  gangway  for  the  passage  M 
the  undertakers'  men.    For  hours  the  firemen  worked  down  in 

J  the  smoking  ruins,  amid  the  still  burning  beams  of  the  flooi 
and  galleries.  A  stream  of  water  was  kept  constantly  playing  in:< 
the  cellar.  As  the  work  progressed  and  the  smoke  became  lew 
dense,  the  undertakers'  cases  were  pushed  down  along  the  g»ng- 

'  way,  and  the  bodies  placed  in  them  and  decently  covered  before 
being  taken  up.  Many  men  who  anxiously  strove  and  even 
fought  to  obtain  an  entrance,  turned  sick  when  they  had  looke*! 
once  on  the  ghastly  heap  of  the  dead.  Passing  down  into  tl» 
ruins  among  the  firemen,  the  sight  was  completely  appall"**' 
One's  powers  of  thought  and  speech  wore  paralyzed.  Ewn  *DI 
firemen,  used  to  similar  scenes,  moved  about  awe-stricken  an. 
silent  among  the  heap  of  dead,  pulling  aside  the  debris  where*' ; 
possible  with  their  hands,  without  resorting  to  tin-  implement- 
of  their  craft.    In  one  place  the  bodies  of  twenty  persons,  i  

,  of  tUcui  young  and  of  the  inulo  sux,  were  found  closely  wedge 


THE  DRAMA,  OPERA,  MUSIC  AND  ART. 


1121 


together,  lying  over  each  other  in  layers.  They  were  not  much 
bnmed,  but  so  blackened  and  bruised  as  to  be  beyond  recogni- 
tion. About  noon,  the  body  of  officer  Patrick  McKearon,  of  the 
Sanitary  Squad,  was  taken  from  the  ruins.  He  was  detailed  in 
the  gallery  of  the  theatre,  and  died  in  the  performance  of  his 
duty.  But  of  the  four  hundred  persons  in  the  gallery,  not  more 
than  one  hundred  escaped.  The  stairway  was  very  narrow,  and 
had  a  tortuous  bend  just  over  the  entrance  to  the  main  corridor. 
At  seven  o'clock,  December  6th,  all  the  bodies  which  had  fallen 
through  this  passageway  when  the  gallery  gave  way,  had  not  been 
recovered. 

As  soon  as  it  became  too  dark  for  the  men  to  see  what  they 
were  about,  calcium  lights  were  procured  and  placed  at  different 
points  among  the  ruins,  and  with  their  light,  no  difficulty  was 
experienced  in  continuing  the  work.  In  order  to  give  more 
light  at  the  entrance,  the  burner  of  a  street  lamp  on  Washington 
street,  directly  opposite,  was  broken  off,  and  the  heavy  stream  of 
eas  was  lighted.  It  gave  out  a  brilliant  flame  about  eighteen 
inches  high,  illuminating  the  street  from  one  end  of  the  block  : 
to  the  other.  The  flooring  of  the  lobby  of  the  theatre  was  the 
only  part  of  the  whole,  which  had  not  fallen  through,  and  on  the 
further  end  of  this  another  calcium  light  had  been  placed  in 
;uch  a  manner,  as  to  throw  its  rays  down  into  the  space  between 
:he  side  wall  and  foundation  wall  of  the  partition,  dividing  the  j 
obby  and  the  auditorium,  where  the  greater  number  of  the  ■ 
3odies  were  found.  On  the  east  side  of  the  ruins  a  third  cal- 
•ium  light  was  placed,  its  light  falling  directly  upon  the  anterior 
sortion  of  the  auditorium,  where  a  large  number  of  ladies  were 
ilso  discovered.  About  a  quarter  past  seven  o'clock,  the  space 
jetween  the  side  wall  and  the  foundation  wall  of  the  lobby  par- 
ition  above  mentioned,  was  completely  cleared,  and  the  labors 
>f  the  firemen  were  directed  to  the  debris  in  the  auditorium. 
The  scene,  as  viewed  from  the  gap  in  the  main  wall  in  Johnson 
treet,  was  singularly  weird.  The  bright  glare  of  the  lime-lights 
hrew  the  broken  and  rugged  edges  of  the  walls  and  arches  into 
trong  relief,  and  the  black  and  grimy  figures  of  the  firemen,  as 
hey  raised  the  bodies  and  bent  over  the  coffins,  was  a  scene 
ng  to  be  remembered. 

The  scenes  at  the  Morgue  in  the  market  on  Washington  street, 
rith  thousands  of  persons  viewing  the  charred  remains,  and 
lentifying  the  bodies,  were  indescribable. 

As  the  bodies  were  taken  from  the  ruins  of  the  burned  theater,  j 
bey  were  placed  in  undertakers'  wagons  and  ambulances  and 
onveyed  to  the  Market  House.    The  first  loads  of  fire-blackened  | 
nd  disfigured  bodies  were  taken  to  the  City  Morgue  on  Wil- 
mghby  street   about  six  o'clock,  where  they  were  placed  in 
offin-like  boxes,  kept  for  the  reception  of  the  hospital  dead, 
'here  was  then  no  supposition  on  the  part  of  those  who  brought  ■ 
le  first  dreadful  load  of  dead,  that  there  was  to  be  so  great  a  j 
emand  upon  the  accommodations  of  the  Morgue  as  afterward  I 
roved  to  be  the  case.    But  another  and  another  load  followed 
uickly  upon  the  first,  until  more  than  eighty  bodies  had  been 
rewn  upon  the  marble  floors.    By  eight  o'clock,  every  spot  of 
railable  space  had  been  occupied  by  the  charred  and  ghastly 
;mains.    The  Morgue  has  but  one  dead-room  in  which  bodies  ! 
?e  usually  displayed  for  recognition,  but  the  entire  first  floor 
the  building  in  which  the  Morgue  is  situated,  was  devoted,  on 
is  occasion,  to  the  exhibition  of  its  horrible  occupants.    The  j 
owds  that  collected  by  thousands  were  permitted  to  enter,  after 
itisfying  the  officers  on  duty  that  they  came  not  from  idle 
iriosity,  but  for  the  purpose  of  identifying,  if  possible,  missing 
latives  or  friends.    Many  came  provided  with  passes,  but  some 
ho  did  not  hold  them,  were  allowed  to  enter,  after  pleading 
ith  tears  to  be  admitted. 

Tiro  actors  stifled  and  burned  while  endeavoring  to  escape.—  At  the 
oment  when  the  fire  was  first  discovered,  Mr.  Murdock  was 
;fore  the  curtain  playing  with  Miss  Kate  Claxton.    As  soon  as 

e  panic  occurred  and  a  general  rush  was  made  to  escape,  Mr. 
nrope,   the  stage  manager,  saw  Messrs.  Murdock  and  Bur- 

r 


roughs  rush  to  their  respective  dressing-rooms,  which  were 
on  the  same  side  of  the  stage,  immediately  in  the  rear  of  the 
upper  right-hand  box,  as  viewed  from  the  auditorium,  and  con- 
sequently furthest  from  the  stage-door.  The  dressing-rooms 
were  arranged  in  tiers,  approached  by  a  narrow  stairway,  which 
led  up  to  the  painter's  bridge  which  spans  the  stage.  Mr.  Mur- 
dock's*  room  was  on  the  second  tier,  and  Mr.  Burroughs'!  on  the 
third.  Changing  their  clothing,  their  stage-garments  being  very 
scant}',  and  collecting  what  valuables  they  could,  they  made  an 
effort  to  descend  together,  but  during  the  time  thus  occupied 
the  flames  had  made  such  headway,  that  when  they  made  their 
appearance,  the  stairway  was  one  sheet  of  flame.  All  chance  of 
escape  in  this  direction  was  now  cut  off,  and  the  unfortunate 
men  were  compelled  to  beat  a  hasty  retreat.  There  was  still  one 
chance  left— they  might  effect  their  escape  from  the  other  side 
of  the  bridge,  and  thither  they  hurried  ;  but  the  hungry  flames 
were  doing  their  work  here  also,  and  the  young  men  were  now 
surrounded  entirely  by  fire.  Alone  on  the  burning  bridge— cut 
off  from  all  aid — their  sufferings  must  have  been  intense. 
Whether  they  made  the  frightful  leap  into  the  burning  mass  be- 
neath them,  or  remained  upon  the  burning  bridge  until  the  last, 
meeting  their  fate  as  only  mcn  can,  will  never  be  known. 

*  Mr.  Hesrt  S.  Mcrdock  was  engaged  in  the  cast  of  "  The  Two  Orphans  " 
as  Pierre,  the  cripple,  and  was  the  sole  support  of  his  widowed  mother  and 
two  sisters.  Mr.  Murdock  was  horn  in  Boston,  Aug.  5,  1845,  and  was  con- 
sequently in  the  thirty-second  year  of  his  age.  He  received  his  education  in 
Philadelphia,  and  made  his  debut  at  the  Arch  Street  Theatre  in  that  city,  in 
the  winter  of  1864.  During  the  season  of  1865  he  fulfilled  an  engagement 
at  the  Boston  Museum,  and  from  there  he  went  to  Cincinnati,  where  he 
performed  at  Pike's  Opera  House  until  its  destruction  by  fire  on  March  22, 
1866.  In  this  case  he  narrowly  escaped  with  his  life,  and  lost  his  entire 
wardrobe  in  the  fire.  He  next  went  to  San  Francisco,  where  he  played 
with  John  McCullough  at  the  California  Theatre.  He  remained  there  two 
years,  1867-8.  He  then  performed  short  engagements  at  Washington,  Balti- 
more, St.  Louis  and  Pittsburgh.  In  1872-3  he  played  at  the  Arch  Street 
Theatre,  Philadelphia,  under  the  management  of  Mrs.  John  Drew,  taking 
the  parts  of  "Fop  and  Walking  Gentleman,"  and  upon  one  or  two  occasions 
played  leading  parts.  The  season  of  1873-4  he  spent  in  Chicago,  and  acted 
at  Hooley's  Theatre,  under  the  management  of  Mr.  Fred.  Williams,  of  Bos- 
ton. He  resigned  his  position  before  the  close  of  the  season,  to  support 
Miss  Clara  Morris  at  the  Academy  of  Music  in  the  same  city,  then  under  the 
management  of  Mr.  C.  R.  Gardner.  During  his  engagement  with  Miss 
Morris  he  made  a  decided  hit  as  Armande,  in  the  play  of  "  Camille."  At  the 
conclusion  of  his  engagement  in  Chicago  he  returned  to  Boston,  where  be 
remained  one  season,  alter  which  he  commenced  his  engagement  wiih 
Messrs.  Shook  &  Palmer,  when  he  played  the  part  of  Sandy  Morton,  in  the 
play  of  "  Two  Men  of  Sandy  Bar,"  at  the  Union  Square  Thea  re,  New  York 
City.  From  there  he  went  to  the  Brooklyn  Theatre,  on  October  9,  1876.  Mr. 
Murdock,  whose  real  name  was  Hitchcock,  was  a  nephew  of  Mr.  James  E. 
Murdock,  the  eminent  tragedian,  and  a  brother  of  Frank  Murdock,  the 
author  of  "  David  Crockett."  He  had  a  brother  in  New  Orleans,  also  an 
actor,  whose  stage  name  was  William  Wallace.  Mr.  Murdock  was  an  ac- 
complished and  educated  gentleman,  and  a  rising  actor.  During  his  en- 
gagement in  Boston,  he  played  snch  characters  as  Charles  Middleicick,  in  the 
play  of  "Our  Boys,"  and  Harry  Spreadbear,  in  "Sweethearts."  He  gave 
much  satisfaction  in  Brooklyn  in  his  interpretation  of  Eustace  in  "Con- 
science," Charles  Surface  in  *•  School  for  Scandal,"  and  was  giving  a  good 
rendition  of  Pierre,  the  cripple,  in  the  "  Two  Orphans,"  at  the  time  of  the 
fire.  He  was  a  good  vocalist,  and  an  amateur  artist.  He  had  been  suffering 
from  sciatica  for  some  time,  and  the  malady  had  given  him  considerable 
pain,  during  the  six  weeks  previous  to  his  death,  causing  him  to  limp 
painfully  at  times.  He  occupied  apartments  at  53  Concord  street,  Brook- 
lyn, where  his  uncle,  Mr.  Henry  Murdock,  resided. 

t  Mr.  Clause  Burroughs  made  his  first  appearance  on  the  stage  at  the 
Winter  Garden,  New  York  City,  in  1865,  playing  in  "  Hamlet"  with  Edwin 
Booth.  At  the  conclusion  of  his  engagement  with  Mr  Stuart,  who  was  then 
managing  the  Winter  Garden,  he  came  to  Brooklyn,  where  he  played  light 
comedy  parts  in  the  Park  Theatre,  then  under  Mrs.  Conway's  management. 
Upon  the  opening  of  the  Union  Square  Theatre,  Sew  York  City,  by  Messrs. 
Shook  &  Palmer,  Mr.  Burroughs  was  engaged  to  play  light  parts.  His  first 
appearance  at  that  theatre  was  as  a  Reporter  in  "Agnes,"  the  first  piece  pro- 
duced in  the  house,  and  he  had  been  in  the  cast  of  nearly  every  play  produced 
there.  Upon  a  few  occasions,  when  not  playing  in  Xew  York,  he  rccepted 
engagements  in  Brooklyn.  He  was  the  Fop  in  "  Atherly  Court."  the  Fop  in 
"Jane  Eyre,"  Mazime  in  "Ferrol,"  and  a  very  clever  representative  of 
Talbot  Champneys  in  "Our  Boys."  At  the  time  of  "lis  death  he  was  playing 
Picard,  the  valet,  in  the  "Two  Orphans."  He  was  but  twenty-six  years  old, 
and  unmarried. 


[122 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


The  bodies  of  the  two  actors  were  found  together,  and  it  was 
apparent  that  they  had  died  at  the  same  time— perhaps  when 
the  Johnson  street  wall  of  the  theatre  fell,  thereby  depriving  the 
stage  of  its  support. 

Fortunately  all  the  ladies  engaged  in  the  second  and  previous 
act  had  left  the  theatre  as  soon  as  they  had  performed  their 
parts,  and  so  escaped  any  danger. 

Action  of  the  Public  Authorities. — In  response  to  a  call  from 
Mayor  Schroeder,  a  special  meeting  of  the  Brooklyn  Board  of 
Aldermen  was  held  at  four  o'clock,  Wednesday,  December  fith, 
1876.  The  Common  Council  Chamber  was  tilled  with  citizens, 
who  took  a  deep  interest  in  the  proceedings  of  the  Board. 
The  roll  having  been  called,  and  considerably  more  than  a 
quorum  of  the  aldermen  having  responded  to  their  names, 
Alderman  French,  the  President  of  the  Board,  called  for  the 
reading  of  a  special  message  from  Mayor  Schroeder.  The  docu- 
ment was  as  follows  : 

"  Mayor's  Office,  Dec.  G,  1876. 
To  the  Honorable  the  Common  Council  : 

Gentlemen,— I  have  called  you  together  to-day  to  deliberate 
and  take  action  concerning  the  terrible  calamity  which  has  be 
fallen  the  people  of  this  city,  in  the  burning  of  the  Brooklyn 
Theatre  last  night.  It  is  impossible  at  this  hour  to  estimate  the 
number  of  human  beings  who  have  perished  in  the  conflagration, 
though  already  over  one  hundred  have  been  exhumed.  From 
such  observations  as  I  have  been  able  to  make  among  the  ruins,  I 
do  not  think  the  relatives  and  friends  of  the  dead  will  be  able 
in  many  cases  to  identify  the  bodies  of  those  whose  loss,  under 
circumstances  of  such  horror,  must  be  mourned  with  unequaled 
grief.  For  this  reason,  it  seems  to  me,  arrangements,  should  be 
made  by  the  public  authorities  for  the  burial  of  the  unrecognized 
dead,  in  a  manner  becoming  a  sympathetic  and  Christian  people. 
To  this  end  a  committee  should  be  at  once  appointed,  and  our 
merchants  and  tradespeople  should  close  their  stores  on  the  day 
of  the  funeral,  and  participate  in  the  obsequies.  If,  in  addition, 
it  should  transpire  that  many  homes  have  been  deprived  of  their 
support,  by  the  loss  of  a  father,  brother,  husband,  or  son,  the  at- 
tention of  our  churches  and  charitable  institutions  and  our 
wealthy  citizens  should  be  promptly  called  to  the  fact,  in  order 
that  neither  the  reality  nor  apprehension  of  immediate  want 
may  be  superadded  to  an  affliction  in  itself  almost  insup- 
portable. 

Respectfully, 

FREDERICK  A.  SCHROEDER,  Mayor." 

At  the  conclusion  of  the  reading  of  the  Mayor's  message, 
President  Fisher  arose  and,  after  a  few  feeling  words,  presented 
the  following  resolutions  : 

"Resolved,  That  a  committee  of  nine  be  appointed  to  take  into 
consideration  the  duty  incumbent  upon  the  municipal  au- 
thorities, in  view  of  the  recent  destruction  of  the  Brooklyn 
Theatre,  and  the  calamitous  results  flowing  therefrom. 

Resolved,  That  there  be  a  special  meeting  of  this  Board  at  two 
o'clock,  p.  m.,  Thursday,  the  7th  inst.,  to  receive  report  from  said 
committee  and  take  action  thereon. 

Resolred,  That  said  committee  be  authorized  to  confer 
upon  this  subject  with  other  organizations,  official  or  other- 
wise." 

These  resolutions  were  appropriately  seconded  by  Alderman 
Martha,  and  unanimously  adopted,  and  President  Fisher  ap- 
pointed the  following  Aldermen  as  members  of  the  committee 
called  for  :  Aldermen  Fisher,  Burnett,  Black,  Murtha,  Arnot, 
Rowley,  Acker,  Donovan  and  (iuthrie. 

Alderman  Fisher  announced  that  the  Board  of  Supervisors 
had  met  earlier  in  the  afternoon,  and  had  appointed  a  committee 
composed  of  Supervisors  Strong,  Sexton,  Curran,  Ilarman,  Brown, 
Ryder  nnd  Byrne  to  confer  and  co-operate  with  the  committee 
of  the  Board  of  Aldermen.  He  proposed  that  the  committee,  of 
which  he  was  the  chairman,  should  meet  in  the  Common 
Council  Chamber  immediately  on    the  adjournment  of  the 

Bond. 

A  motion  that  the  Hoard  of  Aldermen  should  hold  a  special 
meeting,  December  7,  at  two  o'clock  r.  m.,  was  carried.  . 

Tin.  Si  mi.i  ii  that  I'kkimiiek.  Two  hundred  and  ninety-five 
human  beings  were  known  to  have  perished  in  the  (lumen  of 
this  ill-fated  theatre.    One  hundred  and  ninety-Hevon  of  the 


bodies  were  identified  and  taken  away  by  their  friends,  and  the 
ninety-eight  unidentified  bodies  were  buried  by  the  city. 

Immediately  after  the  calamity,  a  Relief  Committee  of  250  of 
the  first  citizens  of  Brooklyn  commenced  their  earnest  work  to 
assist  the  afflicted  relatives  of  the  dead.  All  of  the  theatres  of 
Brooklyn  and  New  York  gave  benefits,  which  were  liberallv 
attended,  and  over  $40,000  was  obtained  by  the  united  action  of 
the  committee,  and  the  dramatic  performances.  The  number  of 
people  who  received  aid  from  the  fund  was  between  five  and  six 
hundred.  In  some  cases  there  were  as  many  as  five  and  sii 
in  one  family.  The  highest  amount  paid  to  any  one  family  was 
$20  per  week, which  was  the  case  of  a  widow  with  eight  children. 
The  fund  lasted  over  a  year. 

To  do  justice  to  all  of  the  good  citizens  who  showed  their 
deep  sympathy  and  took  an  active  part,  would  require  more 
space  than  here  allotted.  His  Honor  Mayor  Schroeder,  the 
members  of  the  Common  Council,  and  many  of  the  first  clergy- 
men of  the  city,  including  Henry  Ward  Beecher,  did  them- 
selves lasting  honor.  Actors  and  managers  of  theatres  every- 
where through  the  country  did  nobly,  and  gave  another  evidence 
of  their  proverbial  disposition  for  deeds  of  charity. 

The  Funeral  in  Cold  and  Storm. — At  two  o'clock  on  Saturday, 
December  the  9th,  the  gleam  of  bayonets  was  reflected  from 
the  struggling  sunshine  that  peeped  out  now  and  then  between 
the  broken,  dark  storm-clouds. 

The  military  were  arrayed  along  Schermerhorn  street.  Th* 
head  of  the  procession  was  nearing  the  point  of  establisbnien 
of  the  right  of  the  line.  At  Flatbush  and  Fulton  avenue  junc 
tion  it  halted  for  ten  minutes  while  the  disposition  of  th. 
various  parts  of  the  proces-ion  was  perfected.  The  Twenty 
I  third  Regiment,  that  had  marched  up  in  hollow  square  forma 
|  tion,  opened  and  rested  at  "order  arms,"  while  the  Forty 
seventh  Regiment  passed  through  and  took  the  right  of  the  hn( 
Then  the  hearses  and  undertakers'  wagons  were  broken  from 
single  to  a  double  column,  and  the  Twenty-third  Regiment  wi 
placed  as  a  guard  of  honor,  surrounding  that  portion  of  th 
mournful  cortege.  Then  the  march  was  begun,  and  the  boiste: 
ous  cold  winds  bore  fitfully  the  strains  of  the  saddening  dirj. 
played  by  a  full  band  of  sixty  pieces,  with  the  procession  follov 
ing,  at  funeral  pace  and  slow,  in  the  following  order  : 

Squad  of  Mounted  Police— Sergeant  Johnson,  Alderman  Fislu 
and  Supervisor  Quimby. 
Committees,  in  Carriages. 
Forty-Seventh  Regiment  Band. 
Forty-Seventh  Regiment. 
Detachment  of  Fourteenth  Regiment 
Gatling  Battery,  without  piece. 
Conterno's  Band. 
!   Twenty-Third  Regiment,  as  Guard  of  Honor,  leading  the  flan 
ing  first  Hearses. 
Hearses— Seventeen. 
Forty-five  Undertakers'  Wagons,  with  from  one  to  four  Coffins 

each. 

Carriages  with  Relatives  and  Friends. 
Carriages  with  Ministers  and  Officials. 
Thirteenth  Regiment  and  Drum  Corps  of  forty  pieces. 

All  along  Flatbush  avenue  and  the  line  of  march,  the  si' 
walks  were  crowded  with  spectators,  all  with  sad  faces.  » 
the  DiittiE,  which  the  band  had  been  playing,  ceased  for 
time,  while  the  roll  of  forty  muffled  tenor  drums  marked  t 
time  of  the  military.  Solemnly  impressive  as  had  been  I 
music  of  the  band,  it  seemed  less  effective  than  the  roll  of  I 
drums  Now  and  then  could  be  heard  the  deep  knell  i 
city's  fire  and  church  bells,  as  the  bitter,  violent  north  »n 
swept  from  that  portion  of  the  city.  This  effect  had  almost  I 
form  of  melody,  mid  impressed  itself  on  the  heart  as  monofc 
sobs;  mid  the  air  grew  heavy  with  tho  weight  of  those  n* 
I   ured  pulsations  of  half-voiced  articulatives  that  seemed  to  di 


THE  DRAMA,  OPERA,  MUSIC  AND  ART. 


112$ 


lown  from  the  black  fringing  clouds  of  the  heavens.  Along 
>oth  sidewalks  moved  steadily  a  silent  multitude;  there  was 
10  talking  to  beguile  the  weary  way  ;  only  a  sullen  resistance  to 
he  frenzy  of  the  gale,  which,  bitter  as  it  was,  seemed  as  a 
iright  contrast  to  the  sufferings  of  the  helpless  hundreds  who 
fere  had  been  roasted,  like  hecatombs,  alive. 
The  drums  ceased,  and  from  the  military  bands  wailed  forth 
nother  dirge,  more  weirdly  sad  than  the  first.    A  trembling, 
drilling  cry,  as  of  a  stricken  soul,  voiced  by  a  single  cornet 
i  a  high  trembling  note,  accompanied  the  deep  sub-sonorous 
Dunds  of  the  base  instruments,  which  seemed  to  utter  sighs 
3  they  kept  time  to  the  dramatic  situation. 
The  march  was  a  terrible  one,  for  its  deep  oppressive  gloom, 
le  deadly  cold,  the  grief  on  every  hand  ;  but  that  portion  of 
ixth  avenue  to  the  tjate  of  Greenwood  Cemetery  was  in  all  re- 
jects the  worst.    All  the  way  across  the  wide  vacant  spaces  to- 
ard  the  bay,  the  ice-blast  seemed  the  breath  of  death  itself, 
t  three  o'clock,  the  funeral  halted  on  "Battle  Hill,"  where 
le  arrangements  for  the  interment  of  the  bodies  in  one  com- 
on  grave  had  already  been  made.    Here  a  circular  trench  had 
;en  cut,  seven  feet  deep  and  thirteen  feet  wide,  surrounding  a 
und  sodded  space  ten  feet  in  diameter,  upon  which  a  monu- 
ent  was  to  stand.  One  by  one,  the  hearses  and  the  undertakers' 
igons  passed  up  the  main  avenue,  each  in  turn  stopping  to 
iposit  its  ghastly  freight,  and  then  moving  away.  Twelve 
nietery  employees  received  the  coffins  and  lowered  them  to 
eir  last  resting-place.    They  were  placed  in  double  row,  the 
■ads  all  pointing  toward  the  monumental  centre.    The  work 
is  not  delayed,  but  was  necessarily  slow.   Meanwhile  the  ceme- 
ry  bell  kept  up  its  sad  tolling,  "  rolling  on  the  human  heart  a 
me."    The  fury  of  the  gale  soon  made  it  evident  that  human 
durance  would  not  be  able  to  bear  any  protracted  obsequies, 
ith  wonderful  fortitude,  not  less  than  five  thousand  persons 
lintained  their  places  around  the  grave.  At  length,  the  coffins 
ire  all  in  place,  containing  101  bodies.    Sixty  German  singers, 
;mbers  of  the  Brooklyn  Saengerbund,  South  Brooklyn  Quartet 
ub,  Schuetzenfest,  and  Brooklyn  Maennerchor,  led  by  W. 
oschel,  stood  upon  the  centre  plot  and  sang  Abt's  "Repose." 
ie  Rev.  John  Parker  read  the  Episcopal  burial  service.  The 
v.  Dr.  Putnam,  instead  of  the  extended  funeral  oration 
ich  he  had  prepared  for  the  occasion,  announced  that  the 
reme  cold  would  preclude  the  possibility  of  its  delivery,  and 
s  d  a  few  brief  words  on  the  uncertainty  of  life  and  the  blessed 
1  pes  of  immortality.     Then  a  benediction  was  pronounced 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Odell,  and  the  ceremony  concluded  with  the 
ging  by  the  Germania  choir  of  Kuhlan's  beautiful  choral, 
uboveall  summits  there  is  repose." 

?he  graves  were  soon  filled  in,  and  many  of  the  spectators 
t  k  up  handfuls  of  earth  and  dropped  them  reverently  into 
t  trench  before  turning  away  for  their  homes.  One  man,  a 
slwart  Englishman  named  Weeden,  a  Long  Island  farmer, 
sjd  on  the  central  plot  until  all  had  departed,  and  with  tear- 
d  mied  eyes  bent  upon  the  earth-covered  coffins,  he  dropped 
s  ie  flowers;  for  among  that  group  of  unrecognized  dead  rested 
h  son. 

'he  early  evening  shadows  fell  upon  the  great  mound  rounded 
o  r  the  unclaimed  dead,  with  a  fragile  but  beautiful  monument 
n  he  form  of  a  large  floral  crown  and  cross,  placed  there  by  the 
G  mania  Theatre  Company.  The  wind  had  ceased  its  howling, 
tl' night  became  clear  and  bitter  cold,  and  the  bright  stars  in 
dark  blue  of  the  heaven  looked  like  crystallized  tears  quiver- 
ever  the  hill  of  the  dead. 

he  Actors'  Funeral.— On  Sunday  afternoon,  December  10th, 
funeral  services  of  the  two  actors,  Mr.  Harry  Murdoch  and 
M  Claude  Burroughs,  took  place  in  the  "  Little  Church  Around 
H  Corner,"  in  Twenty-ninth  street,  New  York  City.  Long  be- 
te the  hour  of  service,  two  o'clock,  a  large  crowd  was  gathered 
a'  it  the  doors  and  in  the  church.  The  celebrated  Dr.  Houghton 
■ducted  the  service.    At  the  words  "Ashes  to  ashes,"  there 


was  a  visible  movement  of  agitation  among  the  congregation, 
which  comprised  nearly  all  the  leading  members  of  the  dramatic 
profession  in  the  city.  After  the  short  burial-service  had  been 
read,  the  musical  portion  of  the  sad  rites  took  place.  Mesdames 
Gulager  and  Pappenheim,  Conradi,  Gomien  and  McDonald,  and 
Messrs.  Fritsch  and  Sohst,  had  volunteered,  with  Carl  Berg  and 
Louis  Dachauer  at  the  organ.  "I  know  that  my  Redeemer  liveth  " 
was  given  with  tearful  effect.  At  the  conclusion  of  the  service, 
the  coffins,  which  were  covered  with  flowers,  were  carried  to  the 
hearses,  followed  by  the  pall-bearers.  The  coffin  containing  the 
remains  of  Harry  Murdock  was  taken  to  the  Pennsylvania  Rail- 
road Depot,  at  Jersey  City.  Claude  Burroughs'  remains  were 
conveyed  to  the  receiving  vault  in  Second  avenue,  in  New  York 
City. 

The  Memorial  Services,  for  all  of  the  dead,  were  held  on  Sun- 
day night  in  many  churches  of  New  York,  and  in  Brooklyn  at  the 
Academy  of  Music,  Hooley's  Opera  House  and  Park  Theatre.  In 
all  of  them,  crowds  of  people  assembled  to  do  homage  to  the 
memory  of  the  lost.  Among  the  speakers,  Henry  Ward  Beecher 
was  prominent.  He  held  forth  at  Hooley's  Opera  House,  on 
Court  street,  where  now  stands  the  new  Dime  Savings  Bank. 
The  Rev.  Dr.  Storrs  was  at  the  Academy  of  Music.  At  the  Park 
Theatre  the  Episcopal  burial  service  was  read  by  Dr.  D.  N.  Miller, 
and  Rev.  Dr.  Theodore  L.  Cuyler  delivered  a  feeling  address. 
In  many  other  churches  throughout  the  city  special  services  were 
held  ;  in  fact,  tho  whole  Sabbath  day  was  devoted  to  the  memory 
of  the  heart-rending  accident,  and  its  afflictions  to  the  living 
relatives. 

A  Monument  now  lifts  its  tall  and  graceful 
marble  shaft  where  lie  the  congregated  dead  of  this 
frightful  calamity.  "There  is  no  evil  so  great  but 
some  good  will  come  out  of  it."  Every  community 
throughout  the  civilized  world  took  a  lesson  from  the 
sad  mishap  by  providing  better  safeguards  for  the  es- 
cape of  large  assemblies  of  people,  whether  in  theatres, 
concert-halls,  or  churches. 

The  ruins  of  the  burnt  theatre  stood  undisturbed 
until  1879,  when  Messrs.  McCue,  Kingsley  and  Keeney 
erected  on  the  site,  what  is  now  known  as 

"Haverly's  Theatre."  It  opened  under  his 
management,  October  4th,  1879.  The  front  of  the 
theatre  this  time  was  placed  on  Johnson  street,  and  in 
its  construction  every  care  was  taken  to  make  its 
places  of  egress  equal  to  the  greatest  emergency,  so 
that  a  full  house  can  be  emptied  within  the  short  space 
of  five  minutes. 

We  must  now,  in  our  condensed  history  of  the  drama 
in  Brooklyn,  go  back  to  the  days  when  the  Con  ways 
left  the  management  of  the  Park  Theatre  to  risk  their 
little  fortune  in  the  ill-fated  Brooklyn  Theatre,  in  1871. 
Shortly  after  they  took  up  their  new  dramatic  abode, 
Messrs.  Carroll  and  McCluskey  became  the  managers 
of  the  little  Park  Theatre,  at  the  head  of  which  they 
remained  for  about  a  year,  performing  melodramas  and 
sensational  plays  with  but  moderate  success.  After 
these  gentlemen  came  Mr.  John  P.  Smith,  who  held 
the  theatre  for  about  the  same  length  of  time,  with 
little,  or  no  better  success.  In 

1873  the  owner  of  the  property  leased  the  Park 
Theatre  to  Mr.  A.  E.  Samuells,  who,  at  a  large  expense, 


1 1'24 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


altered  it  so  that  the  parquette  floor  was  on  a  level  with 
the  street  (a  great  improvement),  and  the  theatre  was 
made  equal  in  appointments  to  the  new  Brooklyn 
Theatre.  It  was  then  called  the  "  New  Park  Theatre." 
But  it  did  not  succeed  under  Mr.  Samuells'  manage- 
ment. In 

1874  Mr.  Edward  Lamb,  a  genial  gentleman  and 
an  excellent  comedian,  and  a  great  favorite  with  the 
Brooklyn  public,  while  under  the  Con  ways'  management 
of  the  Park  Theatre,  now  became  the  next  lessee  of  the 
New  Park  Theatre.  He  opened  it  with  a  good  com- 
pany, and  played  many  of  the  best  "star  combinations," 
among  whom  were  John  Brougham,  John  E.  Owens, 
Miss  Lucille  Western  and  others.  Mr.  Lamb's  manage- 
ment was  of  short  duration. 

1875.  — The  lesseeship  next  fell  into  the  hands  of 
Colonel  Wiliiam  E.  Sinn,  and  up  to  the  present  time  he 
still  holds  possession.  Mr.  Sinn  was  a  man  of  great 
energy  and  business  tact,  and  it  can  be  safely  said  that  he 
made  more  money  during  his  management  than  any 
person  who  ever  controlled  the  destinies  of  the  Park 
Theatre.  In  rapid  succession  he  played  all  of  the  best 
stars  in  the  country,  whether  of  tragedy,  comedy,  or 
English  opera.  It  was  a  rare  thing  not  to  see  the 
house  filled  to  overflowing.  The  little  Park  Theatre,  of 
which  the  writer  had  the  honor  of  being  the  founder, 
has  been  the  most  successful  place  of  amusement  in  the 
city  of  Brooklyn. 

1876.  — Mr.  George  Wood,  for  many  years  man- 
ager of  "  Wood's  Museum,"  New  York,  took  Hooley's 
Opera  House  on  Court  street,  and,  re-decorating  the 
whole  interior,  made  it  a  beautiful  little  theatre.  He 
opened  it  in  the  early  part  of  this  season  with  a  small 
but  excellent  company.  During  his  management,  he 
produced  some  of  the  best  light  comedies,  and  several 
of  the  best  combination  companies  performed  there, 
with  moderate  success.  Among  these  combinations 
were  Daly's  Fifth  Avenue  company,  of  New  York. 

On  February  25th,  1878,  Mr.  Gabriel  Harrison  pro- 
duced for  the  first  time  his  dramatization  of  Haw- 
thorne's "  Scarlet  Letter."  His  daughter,  Viola  Harri- 
son, made  her  first  appearance  upon  any  stage,  in  the 
character  of  Hester  I'rynnc.  Mr.  Harrison  painted 
new  scenery  for  his  own  piece,  and  produced  the  drama 
with  every  detail  of  stage  effects.  The  play  had  a  run 
for  an  entire  week  to  crowded  houses,  and  the  press  of 
New  York  and  Brooklyn  spoke  of  the  drama  and  per- 
formance in  the  highest  terms.  It  is  so  seldom  that 
an  American  play,  in  plot,  is  produced,  that  the  cast 
of  characters,  &r..,  &c.,  becomes  a  dramatic  fact  worthy 
of  record. 

"  The  Scakjjct  Letter." 

Roger  Chillin/jworth   Gabriel  Harrison 

""'t  l'ryiim  Miss  Viola  Harrison 

Rev.  Arthur  IHmmesdale.  E.  E.  Bnrry 

Ur   !:■    mjhA  If  GofMBOT  Of  Boston.  Mais  J.  K  Hou  r 


Rev.  Mr.  Wilson   T.  B  .  Hann 

Master  Townsman  J.  Montgomery 

Citizen  Raicson  J.  Warner 

Master  Brackett  (Town  Beadle)  J.  Greaver 

Captain  Goodwill  W.  Denny 

Pearl,  7  years  old  Miss  Florence  May 

Mistress  Hibbins,  Governer  Billingham's  sister,  and 

a  New  England  witch  Mrs.  Lemiene 

Mistress  Gossip  Miss  Edmonson 

Mary  Mercy  Miss  Nelson 

Mistress  Small  Miss  Store  r 

Witches  and  Indians: 

Swamp-Fox  J.  Howard 

Spear-Head   B.  Failes 

Fleet-  Wing  D.  Carroll 

Blighted-Trunlc,  80  years  old  G.  Lentils 

Weeping-  Willow  Miss  Foot 


Scenery  and  Incidents  in  Boston,  A.  D.  18BL 

Mr.  Wood,  though  one  of  the  most  careful  mana- 
gers in  the  country,  failed  to  make  this  theatre  a  financ- 
ial success,  and  closed  its  doors  in  the  early  spring. 

1879  .—The  Hooley  Opera  House 

its  name  to  the  Court  Square  Theatre,  and  successively 
I  fell  into  the  hands  of  several  itinerant  managers,  who 
all  failed  of  success.  It  then  was  leased  to  a  Mr.  Bun- 
nell, who  turned  the  place  into  what  he  called  a"  Dime 
Museum,"  which  under  his  management,  was  a  sac- 
cess,  and  so  it  continued  until  May,  1883,  when  the 
property  was  sold  to  the  Brooklyn  Dime  Savings  Bank  : 
j  and,  upon  the  spot  of  this  once  popular  place  of  amuse- 
ment, now  stands  the  splendid  building  that  is  one  of 
the  architectural  adornments  of  the  city. 

The  next  place  of  amusement  that  started  up  in  the 
City  of  Brooklyn  was 

The  Standard  (or  "Volks")  Theatre. 

situated  on  Adams  street,  west  side,  and  a  few  doors 
south  of  Myrtle  avenue.  This  building  was  originally  a 
I  market.  It  soon  failed  as  such,  and  remained  closed  for 
several  years.  The  upper  floor  of  this  building  was  at 
one  time  used  as  a  ball-room,  with  an  entrance  to  it 
on  Myrtle  avenue. 

Messrs.  Hyde  and  Behman  became  lessees  of  this 
property,  and  taking  out  the  upper  floor  converted  the 
place  into  a  theatre,  and  opened  it  as  such  on  U%] 
19th,  1877.  The  class  of  amusements  given  therein  i- 
known  as  "  Varieties,"  and  was  visited  by  men  and 
boys  only,  and  for  this  style  of  amusement  the  plto 
became  a  great  success. 

Music  Hall.— The  next  place  of  amusemaBl 
calls  our  attention  was  a  minstrel  hall,  on  the  oornei 
of  Fulton  and  Flatbush  avenues.    It  was  a  large fram< 
building,  and  was  first  altered  into  a  theatre  l>y  Weld 
and  Hughes  in  1872.    The  place  never  was  a  success 
In  1878,  the  building  was  taken  down,  and  on  &  - : 
has  been  erected  a  fine  brick  building,  called  "  Mas; 
"Hall."    This  hall  was  first  opened  to  the  public  in  1"N 
and  is  used  for  concerts  and  lectures. 


THE  DRAMA,   OPERA,  MUSIC  AND  ART. 


1125 


The  Olympic  Theatre.— In  1859  the  Elm 

'lace  Congregational  Church,  wishing  to  erect  a  larger 
lifice  in  Elm  place,  where  the  Grand  Opera  House 
ow  stands,  leased  a  piece  of  ground,  to  the  east  of  the 
Id  Dutch  Church  burial-grounds,  on  the  south  side 
F  Fulton  avenue,  between  Hoyt  street  and  Gallatin 
lace,  and  put  thereon  a  brick  building  for  their  tem- 
Drary  accommodation,  which  they  called  Brooklyn 
abernacle.  In  it  the  Rev.  William  Oliver  Bartlett 
reached  for  several  years,  until  the  removal  of  the  con- 
regation,  May  1st,  1864,  to  the  former  location,  when 
le  premises  reverted  to  the  owner,  Mr.  A.  S.  Wheeler, 
hey  were  then  leased  for  five  years  to  the  county,  as 
1  Armory  for  the  Fifty-Second  Regiment.  The  regi- 
ent  was  disbanded  before  the  termination  of  the 
ase.  After  this,  it  was  occupied  by  the  "  Constitution 
lub,"  as  a  political  wigwam.  On  May  1st,  1869, 
homasL.  Donnelly,  in  conjunction  with  R.  M.  Hooley, 
itered  into  possession,  and  reconstructed  the  building 
to  a  theatre,  which  for  many  years  was  known  as  the 
lympic  Tlieatre.  In  1870  Mr.  Hooley  retired,  and 
s  place  was  filled  for  a  short  time  by  Edgar  Dewell ; 
)on  the  withdrawal  of  the  latter,  Mr.  Donnelly  con- 
aued  as  sole  lessee  until  May  1st,  1876.  Mr.  Charles 
levalier,  Pierce  L.  Jarvis,  Daniel  Hatfield  and  John 

Leese  became  the  managers,  January,  1879,  when 
e  theatre  was  again  remodeled.  At  this  time  a 
ime  house,  which  stood  at  the  front  of  the  theatre 
is  now  removed,  and  a  spacious  brick  entrance  to 
e  theatre  took  its  place.  Shortly  after  this  the 
emises  were  assigned  to  Richard  Hyde  and  Louis  C. 
ihman.  It  then  became  the  Standard  Theatre,  and 
is  so  retained  till  1883,  when  it  was  again  subleased 

John  W.  Holmes,  as  the  Standard  Museum. 

The  G-rand  Opera  House.— The  last  new 

eatre,  up  to  this  present  time,  is  situated  on  Elm 
]ice,  west  side,  south  of  Fulton  avenue.  It  is  erected 
<  the  site  of  the  Congregational  Church,  which  was 
i stroyed  by  fire  in  1878.  This  theatre  was  first  opened 
I  the  public  in  1881.  The  first  owners  of  the  theatre 
vre  Messrs.  Barry  Fay  and  Lewis,  and  from  them 
isvas  purchased  by  Messrs.  Hyde  and  Behman.  At  the 
]3sent  time,  it  is  under  the  management  of  Messrs. 
J  indies  and  Morris.  The  Grand  Opera  House,  with  the 
eeption  of  the  Brooklyn  Academy  of  Music,  will  seat 
nre  people  than  any  other  place  of  amusement  in 
looklyn.  The  interior  is  pleasing  to  the  sight,  and  is 
1 11  furnished  with  a  good  stock  of  scenery  and  every- 
t  ng  that  pertains  to  a  well-provided  stage.  The 
i.nagement  is  in  excellent  hands,  and,  as  a  place  of 
ii  usement,  has  been  a  success  from  the  start.  It  is  run 
Ci  the  "  star"  principle. 

The  Novelty  Theatre.— The  first  theatre 

tit  acquired  any  success  in  the  Eastern  District 
o  Brooklyn,  was  the  Novelty  Theatre.    This  build- 


ing was  erected  in  1852,  by  Messrs.  Alfred  and 
Henry  Kemp,  builders.  It  was  called  the  "  Odeon, " 
and  was  intended  for  a  ball-room  and  public  meet- 

i  ings.  At  this  time  it  was  the  largest  public 
hall  in  Brooklyn  or  Williamsburgh.  Messrs.  Kemp 
subsequently  failed,  and  the  property  was  sold  under 
foreclosure,  and  passed  into  the  hands  of  several  own- 
ers. After  this  a  stage  and  some  scenery  was  put  into 
the  back  end  of  the  hall,  and  it  was  conducted  as  a  thea- 
tre by  Alfred  Theall,  Samuel  Lewis  and  others.  At 
the  time  of  the  Rebellion,  the  building  was  used  as  a 
drill-room,  etc.  This,  however,  was  before  it  was 
used  for  theatrical  purposes.  In  1868,  the  building 
passed  into  the  hands  of  R.  M.  Hooley,  who  fitted  it  up 
as  a  variety  theatre;  but  not  a  success,  he  sold  the  place 
in  1869.  In  1870,  it  was  sold  under  foreclosure  again, 
and  purchased  by  the  present  owners,  Thomas  F. 
Jackson,  James  Rodwell  and  Henry  Waterman,  who 

I  fitted  up  the  building  as  a  ball-room,  and  named  the 
place  Apollo  Hall.    In  1878,  the  building  was  entirely 

\  reconstructed,  and  converted  into  a  theatre  in  every 
particular,  named  the  "Novelty,"  and  leased  to  Thomas 

|  Theall,  who  subsequently  formed  a  copartnership  with 
Henry  Williams.  The  place  is  still  under  their  man- 
agement, and  is  run  as  a  star-theatre. 

We  here  close  our  history  of  the  Drama  in  Brooklyn, 
having  faithfully  traced  from  the  first  known  dramatic 
performance  in  Brooklyn,  1776,  to  1883.  We  have 
been  more  particular  in  giving  the  details  of  the  ear- 
liest dramatic  performances  in  Brooklyn,  since  they  il- 
lustrate the  struggles  of  the  drama  to  find  a  foothold  in 
Brooklyn  ;  and  from  the  fact  that  every  additional  year 
makes  it  more  difficult  to  secure  the  data  for  the  his- 
torian to  work  from.  At  the  present  time,  the  city  of 
Brooklyn  has  several  daily  newspapers  that  not  only 
record  every  night's  performances  at  the  theatres,  but 
also  give  a  general  criticism  on  the  characteristics  of 
the  actors,  and  the  manner  the  different  plays  are  placed 
upon  the  stage.  These  papers  will  preserve  aud  furnish 
in  detail  abundant  matter  for  the  future  historian  of 
the  Drama  and  Music  in  Brooklyn. 

The  Drama  is  the  most  entertaining  and  instructive 
amusement  the  people  can  have.  It  has  always  flour- 
ished in  the  largest  and  most  celebrated  communities. 
The  growth  of  its  refinement  did,  and  must  always, 
keep  pace  with  the  advancement  of  civilization. 

The  dramatic  art  is  a  combination  of  all  the  sister 
arts — music,  painting  and  poetry  blended  into  one  ; 
and  the  populous  city  that  is  without  the  charm  and 
intelligence  of  the  drama,  is  without  the  most  needed 
nourishment  of  the  human  mind. 

All  that  Brooklyn  now  requires  to  make  complete 
her  places  of  instructive  amusement  is  a  well-appointed 
theatre,  with  a  first-class  stock  company,  managed  on 
the  principles  of  Wallack's  or  the  Union  Square  Thea- 
tre of  New  York. 


THE 

Progress  of  Music  and 

in  brooklyn. 


Opera 


THE  history  of  the  progress  of  Music  with  the  growth 
of  any  city  or  country  is  always  interesting.  It  is 
a  language  of  the  soul,  felt  and  understood  by 
every  class  of  human  beings;  and,  in  accordance  with 
the  civilization  of  a  people,  so  will  it  advance  to  a  higher 
and  a  more  scientific  condition.  In  this  respect,  large 
cities  have  an  advantage  over  the  smaller  ones,  because 
they  can  better  afford  to  support  the  best  talent— thus 
offering  an  example  and  an  incentive  to  musical  cul- 
ture. 

The  first  musical  performances  that  were  given  in 
Brooklyn  were  at  the  time  when  the  population  was 
too  small  and  too  poor  to  encourage  the  best  artists, 
by  frequent  exhibitions  of  the  highest  class  of  music. 
Therefore,  the  earliest  encouragement  that  music  re- 
ceived in  Brooklyn  was  through  the  medium  of  the 
church  choirs. 

1810.— The  first  musical  performance 

ill  Brooklyn,  worthy  of  notice,  was  an  "  oratorio" 
given  by  the  vestry  of  St.  Ann's  Church  for  the  bene- 
fit of  Mr.  Pierson,  the  leader  of  its  choir.  On  Thurs- 
day evening,  October  4th,  "a  grand  selection  of  sacred 
music,  vocal  and  instrumental,"  was  advertised  to  take 
place,  but  no  mention  was  made  as  to  who  the  perform- 
ers were.  The  price  of  admittance  was  fifty  cents. 
Mr.  Pierson  was  long  and  favorably  known  in  New 
York  and  Brooklyn  as  a  leader  of  church  music. 
Another  public  musical  entertainment  followed  at  the 
same  church  on  the  13th  of  May.  After  these  there 
were  no  other  public  performances  until 

1813.  when  a  concert  was  given  for  the  benefit  of 
the  Loisian  Seminary  for  the  education  of  "forty  poor 
female  children."  The  performers  were  volunteers 
from  New  York  City.  Mr.  S.  P.  Taylor  presided  at 
the  organ.  The  public  were  admitted  free,  and  a  col- 
lection was  taken  up  between  the  first  and  second  parts 
of  the  programme. 

The  first  concert  given  outside  of  the  church  was  at 
Mr.  Stockofl's  "  Military  Garden,"  spoken  of  elsewhere 
as  "Green's  Military  Garden,"  and  afterwards  "  Duf- 
lon's."  This  concert  was  given  by  the  Panharmonir 
>'»  iety  of  lirooklyn,  on  the  2d  of  December.  This 
society  was  organized  on  the  1st  of  May,  1813.  Mr. 
Taylor  was  its  first  president,  and  perhaps  its  last.  The 
society  gave  three  public  performances,  and  then 
nothing  more  was  heard  of  it.  After  this  there  was 
another  long  interval  until 


1819.  when  Mr.  Cartwright,  the  celebrated  per- 
former on  "  musical  glasses,"  gave  a  concert  on  Hie 
27th  of  October,  at  Columbian  Ilotel,  "tavern  and 
tea  garden,"  137  Fulton  street.  Mr.  Cartwright  was 
an  Englishman,  who  came  to  America  in  1818.  He 
was  an  exquisite  performer,  and  attracted  large  audiences 
throughout  the  United  States. 

1823.— Mr.  Duflon  fitted  up  a  little  stage  at  "  M; 
tary  Garden"  (formerly  known  as  Green's),  and  open- 
ed on  the  14th  of  June,  with  a  concert.    Mr.  Bristow 
acted  as  leader  of  the  band. 

1825. — January  28th,  a  "Grand  Sacred  Concert'- 
was  given  at  the  First  Presbyterian  Church,  for  the 
benefit  of  the  "  holy  cause  of  Grecian  emancipation 
from  bondage."  It  was  under  the  direction  of  Mr. 
.  L.  P.  Cole,  of  New  York ;  Messrs.  Dyer,  Riley  and 
Moran  were  among  the  singers.  Selections  bom 
Handel,  Mozart  and  Beethoven  were  performed.  All 
of  the  first  named  gentlemen  were  well  known  in  New 
York  as  leaders  of  church  music. 

1829.  — The  Sacred  Music  Society  of  Brooklyn, 
attached  to  the  Cranberry  Street  Church,  gave  three 
public  concerts  at  St.  Ann's  Church  this  season.  The 
names  of  Mr.  Taylor,  Pearson,  Coats,  Miss  Humbert, 
Miss  Pearson  and  Mrs.  Whelply  were  on  the  pro- 
gramme. 

1830.  — Mr.  Bristow  gave  two  concerts  for  the  !>• 
nefit  of  the  Appentices'  Library.  Mr.  Bristow  acted  if 
conductor.  On  this  occasion  Mr.  Solomon,  of  London 
appeared,  assisted  by  Mr.  B.  Colby,  Thornton  ui 
others.  The  Apprentices'  Library  stood  on  the  coruei 
of  Cranberry  and  Henry  streets ;  the  building  was  o 
brick.  The  corner-stone  was  laid  by  General  Llfcjetta 
on  July  4th,  1825,  while  he  was  at  that  time  on  i 
second  visit  to  this  country. 

1834.  — December  11th,  a  "Grand  Oratorio"  w 
given  at  St.  John's  Church,  for  the  benefit  of  thlSon 
day  school,  at  which  Miss  Watson,  Mrs.  Franklin  ant 
Mr.  Trust  were  the  principal  artists.  Both  of  th 
ladies  mentioned  were  at  the  time  prominent  con 
singers  in  New  York. 

1835.  — Mr.  Trust  gave  a  fine  concert,  at  "Oat 
sical  Hall,"  Washington  street,  January  16th. 
Gamharti,  the  celebrated  cornet-player,  who  had  mad 
a  great  sensation  in  the  city  of  New  York,  new  p  i 
formed  for  the  first  time  in  Brooklyn.  Mr.  Kyle  (flute 


THE  PROGRESS  OF  MUSIC  AND  OPERA  IN  BROOKLYN. 


1127 


Mr.  Phillipson  (piano),  and  Mrs.  Franklin  (soprano) 
filled  up  the  programme.  July  4th,  Miss  Watson,  Sig. 
Montressor*  and  Mr.  Trust  (harpist)  gave  a  concert 
at  the  same  hall.  This  was  one  of  the  finest  musical 
exhibitions  that  had  ever  been  given  in  Brooklyn. 

1837. — Mr.  Henry  Eussell,  a  fine  tenor,  gave  a 
concert  at  Classical  Hall,  April  25th,  on  which  occa- 
sion Mr.  Edwinf  and  Mr.  Thomas  Scott  made  their 
first  appearance  in  Brooklyn.  Both  of  these  last  named 
gentlemen  were  excellent  artists. 

In  September  of  this  year,  a  Sacred  Music  Associa- 
tion was  formed  for  the  "  practice  and  performance  of 
sacred  music,  and  particularly  of  anthems  and  chants." 
Mr.  Adrian  Hegeman  was  elected  president  of  the 
society ;  and  Mr.  Joseph  Sprague,  1st  vice-president ; 
Cyrus  P.  Smith,  2d  vice-president;  PI.  B.  Duryea, 
secretary  ;  P.  T.  Arcularius,  treasurer ;  and  0.  D. 
Burtis,  librarian.  The  first  performance  of  this  so- 
ciety took  place  on  the  6th  of  October,  1837,  at  the 
residence  of  H.  B.  Duryea,  Esq.,  No.  10  Front  street. 

On  Monday,  December  4th,  Madame  Caradori  Al- 
len! gave  ner  fifSk  concert  in  Brooklyn,  at  the  Ly- 
ceum. 

1839. — January  4th,  Madame  Otto,  Mrs.  Munson 
and  U.  G.  Hill  (violinist)  appeared  at  the  Lyceum. 
May  9th,  Mr.  E.  C.  Horn,  an  excellent  tenor  singer, 
appeared  for  the  benefit  of  the  Apprentices'  Library. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Seguin  §  made  their  first  appearance  at 
a  concert  in  Brooklyn  at  the  Lyceum.  Both  of  these 
artists  were  great  public  favorites. 

After  the  Seguins  followed  Henry  Russell  ||  with  a 
concert  at  the  Lyceum,  assisted  by  Mr.  Knight. 

*  Sig.  Charles  Montressor  was  an  Italian,  and  an  artist,  of  splendid  abili- 
•  ties.  He  made  his  first  appearance  on  the  American  stage  at  the  Chestnut 
Street  Theatre,  Philadelphia,  June  2a,  1833,  in  Italian  opera. 

t  Mr.  Edwin  made  his  debut  on  the  stage  at  the  Surrey  Theatre,  London, 
in  1834,  and  his  first  appearance  in  this  country,  November  19th,  1836,  at  the 
Park  Theatre,  New  York.  He  afterwards  became  a  great  favorite  at  Mitchell's 
Olympic  Theatre,  N.  Y.  He  was  a  fine  actor,  and  had  a  beautiful  tenor 
voice,  which  he  managed  with  remarkable  skill.  He  was  born  in  London, 
and  died  in  New  York,  1842. 

t  This  lady  made  her  first  appearance  in  the  United  States  at  the  Park 
Theatre,  in  1833,  as  Rosini  in  "  The  Barber  of  Seville."  She  was  an  artist  of 
fine  ability,  and  for  several  years  attracted  great  houses  in  all  the  principal 
cities  in  the  United  States.  She  took  her  farewell  of  the  American  stage  at 
the  Park  Theatre,  April  15th,  1848,  and  returned  to  Europe.  She  died  in 
England,  October  15th,  1865. 

§  Mr.  Segctn  had  a  remarkable  bass  voice.  He  was  born  in  London,  April 
7th,  1809.  He  was  a  member  of  the  London  Academy  of  Music,  from  which 
he  retired  in  1830.  He  made  his  first  appearance  on  the  London  stage,  July 
3d,  1831.  In  1838,  he  came  to  this  country,  and  appeared  for  the  first  time 
in  America  October  18th,  1838,  at  the  National  Theatre,  Church  street,  New 
York  City.    He  died  in  New  York,  December  13th,  1852. 

Mrs.  Sequin's  maiden  name  was  Ann  Child.  She  was  born  in  London, 
and  made  her  first  appearance  at  a  grand  concert  of  the  Philharmonic  So- 
ciety of  LomJon.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Italian  Opera  Company  for  over 
three  years.  She  first  appeared  on  the  American  stage,  October  15th,  1838, 
it  the  National  Theatre,  New  York.  She  traveled  as  a  star  through  the 
Coited  States,  much  admired  as  an  artist,  and  much  respected  as  a  lady  of 
cultivated  manners. 

il  Mr.  Russell  was,  at  the  time,  the  most  prominent  tenor  singer  this 
-ountry  had  ever  produced.  He  was  born  in  Philadelphia,  and  made  his 
It-but  May  the  17th,  1839,  in  opera,  at  the  Chestnut  Street  Theatre,  Philadel- 
phia, in  the  character  of  Elvino  in  "La  Sonnambula."  He  visited  Eng- 
and  in  1844,  and  was  complimented  by  being  invited  to  sing  before  the 
iueen  at  Windsor  Castle.  He  was  the  first  American  singer  that  met  with 
narked  attention  and  success  in  England. 


1840.  — In  January,  Mr.  E.  Horn  gave  a  concert 
at  the  Lyceum,  introducing  to  a  Brooklyn  audience,  for 
the  first  time,  Madame  Manncelli  and  Mr.  Masset, 
both  excellent  artists.  On  March  3d,  The  Brooklyn 
Sacred  Music  Society  gave  a  concert  at  the  Presbyterian 
Church  on  the  corner  of  Clinton  and  Fulton  streets, 
and  repeated  the  concert,  with  great  success,  on  the 
28th  of  April,  at  Rev.  Dr.  S.  Hanson  Cox's  church  in 
Cranberry  street.  In  April,  a  new  place  for  amuse- 
ment was  opened  on  Columbia  street,  opposite  to  Pine- 
apple street,  called  "Colonnade  Garden,"  and  on 
August  6th,  was  presented  the  vaudeville  of  "  The 
Lady  and  the  Devil,"  in  which  Mrs.  Charles  and  Mr. 
Graham  did  the  singing. 

At  a  concert  of  sacred  music,  December  30th,  at  the 
Lyceum,  Mr.  Braham,*  the  celebrated  tenor  singer, 
made  his  first  appearance  before  a  Brooklyn  audience. 

1841.  — Mr.  Dunon,  of  the  Military  Garden,  com- 
menced, on  July  12th,  to  give  concerts,  "  vocal  and 
instrumental,"  at  a  shilling  admittance.  He  must  have 
met  with  considerable  success,  as  they  were  continued 
until  the  latter  part  of  September. 

1842.  — Mr.  Braham  gave  a  farewell  concert  at  the 
Lyceum,  and  had  a  crowded  house. 

1843.  — March  2d,  the  Mozart  Association,  anew 
organization,  gave  a  concert  at  the  Brooklyn  Institute 
(Lyceum).  Mr.  Charles  Holt  was  conductor.  This 
year,  Mr.  Duflon  retired  from  the  management  of 
Military  Garden,  and  Mr.  Isaac  Burtis  became  lessee. 
He  gave  concerts  through  the  season.  Other  concerts 
were  given  at  the  Institute,  with  the  names  of  N.  C. 
Hill  and  Mr.  Timm  on  the  bills. 

1844.  — "The  Hutchinson  Family"  appeared  in 
Brooklyn  this  season,  and  gave  several  very  successful 
concerts  at  the  Institute.  Monday,  May  20th,  Vieux 
Temps,  the  great  violinist,  assisted  by  his  sister  Fanny, 
an  accomplished  pianist,  gave  a  concert  at  the  In- 
stitute. 

1845.  — The  most  noteworthy  concert  of  this  sea- 
son was  given  at  the  Institute,  14th  of  August.  Mr. 
Templeton,f  William  Francis  Brough,  J  and  Mr. 
Dempster,  all  fine  artists,  appeared  for  the  first  time 
in  Brooklyn,  and  gave  the  public  great  satisfaction. 

*Mr.  Braham  was  an  artist  of  fine  culture.  He  had  a  strong,  clear  tenor 
voice,  and  in  London,  for  many  years,  he  was  the  favorite  ballad-singer.  He 
was  said  to  be  the  finest  Harry  Bertram,  in  the  musical  drama  of  •'  Guy 
Maunering,"  that  ever  walked  the  English  stage.  He  performed  this  part 
with  great  success  at  the  Park  Theatre,  New  York,  in  1840.  He  was  born  in 
London.    He  died  in  England,  February  17th,  1856. 

t  Mr.  Templeton  was  born  in  Scotland,  and  made  his  first  appearance  in 
this  country  as  a  tenor  singer  at  concerts.  His  voice  had  great  power  and 
sweetness,  with  a  fine  articulation  He  went  to  England  in  1832,  and 
became  a  great  favorite.  He  was  a  member  of  Drury  Lane  and  Covent  Gar- 
den Theatres.  He  returned  to  this  country,  and  gave  an  interesting  enter- 
tainment entitled  "Nights  with  Burns  and  Walter  Scott."  Aj  a  ballad 
singer  he  had  few  equals. 

%  Mr.  Brough,  born  at  Wexford,  Ireland,  in  1798,  appeared  first  on  the 
stage  as  a  bass  singer  in  Sussex,  England,  1818,  and  was  afterwards  a  fa- 
vorite at  the  Haymarket  Theatre,  London.    He  came  to  the  United  States  in 


1128  HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY 


1847.  — The  most  prominent  concert  given  this 
year  was  at  Gothic  Hall,  for  the  benefit  of  the  snffer- 
ing  people  of  Ireland,  at  which  Sig.  Lesto  Beneditti, 
Mr.  Phillips.  Mr.  Beams.  Mr.  Bowland  and  Miss  Julia 
Xorthall  (daughter  of  Dr.  Xorthall,  the  dramatist)  ap- 
peared 

1848.  — "The  Hutchinson  Family"  gave  several 
very  successful  concerts  at  the  Institute.  This  troupe 
was  at  one  time  the  most  successful  concert  organiza- 
tion that  ever  traveled  in  the  United  States.  Not  so, 
however,  from  their  possessing  any  extraordinary  abili- 
ty, but  simply  that  they  sang  old-fashioned  songs,  in 
costumes,  and  in  a  quaint  and  old-fashioned  way. 

December  21,  Madame  Anna  Bishop,*  wife  of  Sir 
Henry  Bishop,  the  well-known  composer  (and  who 
arranged  the  old  Sicilian  air  to  John  Howard  Payne's 
words  of  "  Home,  Sweet  Home"),  gave  her  first  concert 
in  Brooklyn,  at  "The  Brooklyn  Female  Academy." 
The  concert  was  made  up  of  cavatinas  and  songs  from 
the  best  composers. 

The  Brookiyji  Sacred  Music  Society  gave  the  "  Ora- 
torio" of  "  The  Seven  Sleepers"  at  the  "  Female  Acad- 
emy." The  orchestra  was  composed  of  over  one 
hundred  performers;  Mr.  J.  Zundel  was  director. 

There  were  no  unusual  musical  performances  given 
in  Brooklyn  during  the  year  1849. 

1850. — February  18th,  Mrs.  Emma  Gillingham 
Bostwick  gave  a  concert  at  the  Female  Academy.  This 
lady  was  for  several  years  the  leading  voice  in  Grace 
Church,  N.  Y.  The  Hutchinsons  returned  to  Brook- 
lyn this  season,  and  performed  to  crowded  houses  for 
a  whole  week  at  Plymouth  Church. 

1835,  and  first  appeared  at  the  Park  Theatre,  September  4th,  an  Dnndini. 
He  met  with  great  success,  and  was,  for  many  years,  the  bass  singer  of  the 
English  opera  troupe  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wood  (Mrs.  Wood  was  formerly  the 
celebrated  Miss  Anu  Paton).  He  traveled  with  them  through  the  United 
States,  and  became  a  great  favorite  wherever  lie  appeared.  He  had  a  rich, 
deep  voice,  and  managed  it  with  remarkable  skill.  Brough  was  one  of  those 
whole-souled  and  kind-hearted  men  that  carried  sunshine  with  him  wher- 
ever he  went.  He  was  a  most  excellent  actor,  and  was  always  greeted  with  a 
round  of  applause  as  soon  as  he  appeared  upon  the  stage.  He  was  over  six 
feet  high,  of  a  tine  figure,  and  hail  a  genial  fare  that  at  once  drew  you 
toward*  1 1 1 ■  1 1  and  mad'  you  his  personal  friend. 

Mr  Brough  w  as  the  author  of  several  burlesques,  one  of  which,  "  The 
Field  of  the  Cloth  of  Gold,"  had  a  long  run  at  Mitchell's  Olympic  Theatre. 
New  York.  At  different  periods,  he  was  the  agent  and  manager  of  Miss 
Maggie  Mitchell,  the  Webb  -inters,  and  the  i-elebr  ited  Mr  and  Mrs.  Charles 
Keaii.  w  ith  whom  he  traveled  throughout  the  I'nited  States  during  their 
last  visit  to  this  country.  He  was  for  a  long  time  a  resident  ami  a  property- 
ow  iter  in  the  city  of  Brooklyn.  His  health  failing  him.  lie  undertook  a  trip 
to  England,  and  died  Just  as  he  arrived  Mu  re,  May  21st,  lxt',7.  His  body  was 
brought  back  to  this  country  in  February.  1hi".s.  and  buried  in  (Ireeuwood 
lie  ha<l  a  very  large  and  highly  respectable  funeral. 

•Mns  Itisiiur  mule  her  debut  lii  I/.inloii,  ,lul\  ,1th,  ls:i'.i.  tn  1x43,  she  trav- 
eled  through  Europe  with  success,  and  closed  a  brilliant  engagement  at 
Napb«  in  Imi.v  win  made  her  llr-t  appearance  in  this  country  at  the  Wal- 
nut Street  Theatre.  Philadelphia,  in  the  opera  "  Norma. "  November  22d, 
1X47.  Sir  Henry  Bishop,  her  husband,  died  April  30th.  1X55.  In  1X58,  she  mar- 
rned  Mart  i ii  Slmli/  Sin  w.  nt  to  Europe  in  lx,V.i,  soon  returned  to  the  States, 
and  h.i«  'He  ■  "nut:  In  almost  •  m  r>  important  city  or  town  on  the  globe.  Her 
hut  appearance  was  in  the  spring  of  lxxi,  at  a  concert  given  to  Harry  B.  Dod- 
worth.  HUdnway  Hall.  N  V.,  January  30th.  This  lady,  after  a  short  Illness 
of  two  days,  died  in  the  City  of  New  York.  March  18th,  lxx«.    Her  remains 

were  deposited  at  Bed  HlMlk,  N.J 


1851 . — The  celebrated  Catherine  Hayes*  gave  her 
first  and  only  concert  in  Brooklyn,  which  took  place 
at  the  Female  Academy.  Mr.  Braham  and  Mr.  Bassford 
assisted.  Her  selections  were  mostly  from  Donizetti 
and  Wallace.  The  hall  was  packed,  and  the  recipts 
amounted  to  over  seven  hundred  dollars;  tickets  we 
dollar  each. 

Thursday,  Nov.  4th,  Madame  Henrietta  Sontag*  gay, 
a  concert  at  Plymoth  Church,  assisted  by  Pozzolioi, 
Carl  Eckert,  and  other  prominent  artists.  Her  selec- 
tions were  from  Rossini,  Schubert  and  Hayden. 


*  This  remarkable  vocalist  was  born  in  Limerick,  Ireland,  in  1828.  Bio- 
graphers have  given  her  a  place  among  tho  "ijuecns  of  song."  When  -i . 
was  only  ten  years  old,  her  pure  soprano  voice  and  pathetic  style  of  singing 
attracted  the  attention  of  the  Right  Rev.  Edmund  Knox,  Bishop  of  Limerick, 
who  happened  to  overhear  her  singing.  He  invited  her  to  his  house,  and 
she  at  once  became  the  star  at  the  musical  re-unions  given  by  ber  patron 
She  soon  took  up  her  residence  in  Dublin  with  her  selected  teacher,  and 
made  a  successful  appearance  in  this  city,  in  1X41.  Lablache  heard  1  - 
and  predicted  for  her  a  great  future.  As  soon  as  she  heard  Madame  Grim, 
she  made  up  her  mind  to  study  for  the  opera,  and  at  once  commenced  her 
studies  with  the  great  teacher  Garcia.  At  the  end  of  two  years,  he  declared 
that  he  could  not  add  another  gTace  to  her  voice.  On  May  luth.  1845,  she 
made  her  first  appearance  in  the  Opera  House  of  Marseilles, 
"Puritani."  She  labored  through  the  opera  until  she  reached  the  latter  part, 
when,  as  if  by  inspiration,  she  gained  full  confidence,  and  made  a  great 
success.  She  then  appeared  in  "Lucia  do  Lammermoor,"  and  other  Ant- 
class  operas.  Three  months  after  this,  she  made  a  great  sensation  in  "La 
Somnambula,"  and  even  a  greater  triumph  in  the  part  of  Ophtlia  in  Uk 
piece  of  "  Othello."  Her  conceptions  of  characters  were  strongly  dram.it. 
She  was  tall,  of  a  fine  figure,  graceful  and  lady-like.  She  made  her  first  ap- 
pearance in  America,  at  Tripler  Hall,  N.  Y.,  on  Sept.  23d,  1851.  After  she 
left  Brooklyn,  she  went  through  the  States,  thence  to  the  Sandwich  Islands, 
Australia,  and  back  through  England.  Her  success  was  beyond  all  prece- 
dent. While  in  New  York  City,  she  married  a  Mr.  Bushnell.  who  was  actini- 
as her  agent.  She  did  not  give  up  her  maiden  name  until  she  returned  to 
England.  He  soon  died,  while  at  Sydenham.  She  retired  from  the  stage 
for  a  while,  and  died  August  11th,  1861.  She  was  a  lady  of  the  most  refined 
culture  and  noble  character,  and  was  much  beloved  by  all  who  knew  her. 
She  left  a  property  of  nearly  one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  which  was  be- 
queathed in  handsome  legacies  to  her  relatives  and  friends. 

t  Henrietta  Sontao  ranks  among  the  finest  artists  of  the  lyric  stage.  Sue 
was  born  at  Coblentz,  May  13th,  1805.  She  was  intended  by  her  parents  lor 
their  own  profession,  and,  when  only  six  years  old,  she  appeared  on  the  stage 
at  the  Court  Theatre  of  Hesse  Darmstadt,  in  an  opera  entitled  "Donau 
Weibchen."  Her  prettiness  and  silver-toned  voice  made  her  a  favorite  «t 
once  with  her  audience.  In  her  ninth  year  she  lost  her  father,  and  im- 
niediately  after,  her  mother  took  her  to  Prague,  where  sin  performed  Ihi 
parts  of  children,  under  the  direction  of  the  celebrated  Welsr.  Atflft-sn 
years  old,  a  sudden  illness  of  the  prima  donna  gave  her  the  opportunity  »f 
taking  the  part  of  the  Princese  de  Mavarre,  in  the  opera  of  "  Jean  d*  hri\" 
and  being  very  small  for  her  age,  the  little  vocalist  was  furnished  wtthbecU 
four  inches  high,  so  when  the  prodigy  appeared  on  cork  pedestals  the  hou»- 
was  filled  with  acclamations,  and  she  left  the  stage  that  night  with  a  repu- 
tation which  never  faded.  In  1834  she  appeared  in  Leipzig,  and  made  s 
brilliant  success.  Her  voice  was  a  pure  soprano,  reaching  from  a  orfl  i 
in  alt.  In  her  high  octave  from  F  to  C  in  alt,  her  notes  rang  out  lik. 
sound  of  Bilver  bells.  Her  inventions  were  displayed  in  brilllaut  flights  lad 
lavish  floriture.  Her  rare  flexibility  of  voice  was  a  natural  gift,  hot  fully 
cultivated  by  her  taste  and  by  incessant  study  and  practice. 

Sontag  was  of  middle  stature,  with  a  face  full  of  delicacy  and  i«Dilbliii> 
She  had  light-colored  hair,  fair  complexion,  and  largo  blue  eyes.  As  an 
actress,  though  not  great,  she  Justly  claimed  applause. 

In  1820.  she  appeared  at  Paris  in  "  n  Barbier  di  Seviglia,"  and  mule 
a  decided  success.    In  1827,  sbo  was  at  Berlin,  and  in  London  the  Dsxt 
season,  always  gaining  new  laurels  wherever  sin  went.    Sin  left  the  utag' 
for  several  years,  and  when  she  returned  to  it  still  found  public  fa*  ' 
In  1850,  she  was  prima  donna  under  the  management  of  Lumley  at  tbs  Drory 
Lane  Theatre.  London     In  IX.VJ,  Kept   ltMli.  sh.    m  \-  I  ■'■  N    '  1  ' 
and  gave  a  scries  of  splendid  concerts  at  Metropolitan  Hall,  assi-ted  b> 
Hilvi.    She  next  appeared  in  Brooklyn,  Boston.  Philadelphia  and  %»* 
leans.    Sh.  then  returned  to  New  York,  and  in  July.  1X53,  appoaredln op*'" 
under  the  baton  of  tin  i  elebrateil  Max  Maret/ek  at  tin-  < 'a«tle  <ianle|i    <  < 
1X84,  she  went  to  Mexico  to  perforin  an  engagement  of  two  mo«t»wj 
w  hich  she  was  to  secure  ten  thousand  dollars,  but  shortly  after  »uo  am 
there,  she  died  of  the  rliolom.  on  the  171  li  ol  June.  ix:,4.    She  had  an 
ineimc  funeral;  all  perform,-!..  ..t  both  theatres  assisted  ai  In  r  luin-rsl  «r>  ' ' 
Her  remains  were  sent  to  l»  rinan\,  ami  buried  in  tin  Abbi  \  Marieuslerii. 


THE  PROGRESS  OF  MUSIC  AND  OPERA  IN  BROOKLYN. 


1  L29 


1852.  — Whatever  minor  concerts  were  given  this 
year  in  Brooklyn  were  attended  with  a  better  success 
than  formerly.  The  excitement  created  by  two  such 
great  artists  as  Miss  Hayes  and  Madame  Sontag  ap- 
pearing in  Brooklyn,  gave  a  new  impulse  to  the  desire 
on  the  part  of  the  people  for  other  musical  entertain- 
ments of  high  order,  and  almost  demanded  the  return 
of  these  excellent  artists  to  the  "  City  of  Churches." 

1853.  — This  year  is  made  notable  from  the  fact 
that  a  new  hall,  "  The  Athenceum"  opened  its  doors 
for  the  first  time  on  the  2d  of  May.  The  building  is  a 
fine  structure,  standing  on  the  north-east  corner  of  At- 
lantic and  Clinton  streets.  It  contains  a  large  hall  on 
the  second  floor,  and  will  seat  twelve  hundred  people. 
It  has  a  parquette  floor  and  a  gallery,  both  well 
arranged.  The  interior  is  finely  frescoed,  and  has  a 
small  stage,  a  drop-curtain  and  a  few  scenes,  better 
adapted  to  concert  purposes  than  to  the  drama.  Sev- 
eral fine  concerts  were  given  the  early  part  of  the 
season  at  this  hall.  On  October  14th,  Henrietta 
Sontag  appeared  at  the  Athenaeum.  This  was  her 
second  and  last  appearance  in  Brooklyn.  She  was 
supported  by  Sig.  Rocco  and  Paul  Jullien. 

1854.  — Madame  Isidora  Clark,  an  American  prima 
donna,  and  who  for  many  years  had  been  a  resident  of 
Brooklyn,  gave  a  concert  at  the  Athenaeum  November 
29th.  Mr.  Henry  Appy,  the  celebrated  violinist,  and 
Mr.  Wells,  pianist,  assisted.  The  well-known  Mr. 
Henry  Timru  acted  as  conductor. 

1855.  — "ThePyne  and  Harrison  English  Opera 
Troupe "  gave  their  first  concert  in  Brooklyn  at  the 
Athenaeum,  April  5th.  Miss  Louisa  Pyne*  was  assisted 
by  her  sister,  Mr.  William  Harrison,  and  Mr.  Henry 
Horucastle.  The  selections  were  from  the  most  pop- 
ular operas.  The  concert  was  repeated  on  the  11th  of 
the  same  month  Avith  increased  attendance. 

*Miss  Locisa  Pyne  was  a  great  favorite  with  the  American  public.  At  an 
early  age,  she  was  placed  under  the  instructions  of  Sir  George  Smart.  When 
only  ten  years  old,  she  appeared  at  the  Queen's  Concert-Room,  London,  and 
met  with  much  applause,  and  soon  became  a  favorite  concert  singer.  In 
1847,  she  visited  Paris,  and  met  with  success.  In  1849,  she  made 
her  first  apptarance  in  opera  at  Boulogne,  as  Armena  in  "La  Son- 
nambula,"  and  was  greeted  with  loud  applause  on  the  fall  of  the 
curtain.  Two  months  later,  she  performed  at  the  "  Princess's  "  Theatre, 
London,  as  Zeilina  in  "  Don  Giovanni."  In  1851  she  was  prima  donna 
at  the  Haymarket  Theatre,  London.  It  was  here  that  she  first  appeared  in 
the  opera  of  "  The  Crown  Diamonds,"  the  music  of  which  she  sang  with 
exquisite  Uste  and  brilliancy.  Her  fame  was  now  made,  and  she  soon 
appeared,  by  request,  before  Her  Majesty  Queen  Victoria,  at  Windsor  Castle, 
and  at  Buckingham  Palace.  In  1854,  from  Liverpool,  she  embarked  for  the 
United  States,  and  made  ber  first  appearance  at  the  Broadway  Theatre,  Oc- 
tober 9th,  the  same  year,  in  the  opera  of  •'  La  Sonnambula."  The  theatre  was 
crowded  almost  to  suffocation,  the  admittance  being  only  fifty  cents.  She 
made  a  most  decided  hit,  and  performed  for  several  weeks  to  crowded 
houses.  After  this,  she  traveled  through  the  States  with  like  success.  Her 
voice  was  a  soprano  of  excellent  quality,  remarkable  for  compass  and  flexi- 
Mlity.  In  her  appearance  she  was  petite  and  blonde,  with  a  most  agreeable 
expression  of  face  that  almost  sparkled  with  intelligence.  After  remaining 
in  the  States  for  three  years,  she  returned  to  England  in  1857,  and  at  the 
Lyceum  Theatre,  London,  she  made  a  great  hit  in  "The  Rose  of  Castile,"  a 
new  opera  by  Balfe,  which  was  produced  for  the  first  time,  October  29th, 
1857.  In  1860  and  1861,  Miss  Pyne  crowded  Drury  Lane  and  Covent  Garden 
Theatres  by  her  delightful  singing  in  Wallace's  new  opera  of  "  Lurline."  In 
1862,  she  took  the  place  of  Miss  Kellogg  at  Her  Majesty's  Theatre,  London. 
Mr.  William  Harrison,  a  fine  tenor,  and  who  always  sang  with  Miss  Pyne, 
died  in  England,  1868,  53  years  old.  Miss  Pyne  was  born  in  England  in  1835. 


September  14th,  Madame  Theresa  Parodi  made  her 
first  salutation  to  a  Brooklyn  audience  at  the  Athe- 
naeum. Madame  Amelia  Patti,  Strakosch,  Sig.  Barvidi, 
and  Mr.  Gardiner  composed  the  list  of  artists.  The 
selections  were  from  Meyerbeer's  "Prophet,"  "Casta 
Diva,"  "Norma,"  with  the  duettino  called  "Love's 
Approach,"  composed  by  William  Wallace,  and  were 
sung  by  Madame  Parodi.  * 

1856. — January  16th,  the  celebrated  Gottschalk 
gave  his  first  "  Piano-forte  Soiree  "  in  Brooklyn,  at  the 
Polytechnic  Institute,  Livingston  street.  This  gentle- 
man came  to  Brooklyn  with  a  splendid  reputation, 
which  he  had  recently  made  in  the  City  of  New  York, 
yet,  on  this  occasion,  he  performed  to  almost  empty 
benches.  He  was  a  wonderful  artist.  The  piano  in  his 
hands  seemed  like  a  spirit  of  music  that  answered  in  a 
peculiar  and  thrilling  way  to  his  fingers  as  they  floated 
over  the  keys,  as  if  by  magic.  There  Avas  a  melancholy 
of  tone  and  pathos  of  melody  which  at  times  he  expressed 
that  would  force  tears  to  the  eyes.  He  made  the  piano 
talk  to  you  as  the  poet  talks  in  his  written  verses. 
You  understood  his  effect  of  sounds  as  you  understand 
the  forms  of  words.  He  could  express  sentiments  so 
strongly  and  picture  the  descriptive  so  vividly  that 
one  could  almost  see  the  colors  of  the  sunset,  and  hear 
the  ripplings  of  water,  see  the  flashings  of  the  light- 
ning and  hear  the  mutterings  of  the  thunder,  the 
swayings  of  the  forest  in  the  storm,  and  the  moanings 
of  the  afflicted.  If  ever  the  human  soul  was  expressed 
through  the  medium  of  the  fingers  upon  an  instrument, 
Gottschalk  attained  the  height  of  that  expression,  f 

*This  lady  was  the  pupil  of  the  great  Pasta,  who  was  the  most  prominent 
of  all  lyric  tragediennes.  She  was  to  the  operatic  stage  what  Siddons  was 
to  the  dramatic  stage.  Parodi  made  her  first  appearance  on  the  stage  at  the 
Grand  Opera  House,  London,  April  10th,  1849,  in  "  Norma,"  and  achieved  a 
perfect  success.  A  critic,  who  used  to  write  many  years  ago  for  the  New 
Yorker,  a  weekly  paper,  over  the  nom  de  plume  of  "D  ",  and  was  present  at 
her  debut,  describes  her  performance  in  the  following  terms  :  "  I  well  re- 
member the  eager  scrutiny  which  the  whole  performance  underwent,  to 
ascertain  bow  much  of  the  Pasta  leaven  it  contained,  and  how  far  her  Norma 
would  bear  comparison  with  that  of  Grisi.  the  acknowledged  great  'diva;' 
but  Parodi's  interpretation  was  entirely  different  in  many  respects  from 
that  of  Grisi.  There  was  more  of  the  lovely  yet  slighted  woman,  and  less  of 
the  tragic  queen  about  it.  Not  only  were  the  great  outlines  of  the  character 
more  strongly  developed,  but  all  of  the  nicer  shades  were  filled  in  with  more 
artistic  skill  and  dramatic  effect,  which  gave  tone  and  coloring  to  the  whole 
picture.  In  this  the  teaching  of  Pasta  and  the  great  scholarship  of  Parodi 
were  alike  evident.  There  was  the  same  beauty  of  declamation  in  the  reci- 
tative, the  same  frequent  sacrifice,  though  but  momentary,  of  composer  10 
author,  and  the  same  abandon  of  style  which  her  great  teacher  had  manifested 
in  her  own  wonderful  performances."  , 

Madame  Parodi  arrived  in  New  York  City,  October  25th,  1850,  and  made 
her  appearance  under  Max  Maretzek,  Nov.  4th,  1850.  She  was  warmly 
received  by  the  New  York  press,  and  was  frequently  compared  to  Grisi. 
Her  voice  was  pure  and  sympathetic,  with  a  fine  quality  preserved  through- 
out. She  was  not  brilliant  in  execution,  but  she  put  in  those  embellish- 
ments that  attracted,  for  the  reason  that  they  belonged  to  the  sentiment  of 
the  music,  and  not  to  mere  tricks  of  the  voice  to  gain  applause.  She  pos- 
sessed an  intellect  that  gave  great  power  and  artistic  thought  and  weight  to 
her  conception  of  character— just  such  a  mind  as  could  grasp  the  meanings 
of  such  a  character  as  Lady  Macbeth,  and  expound  the  meanings  of  deep 
thounhts.  She  had  a  fine  figure,  and  a  face  better  fitted  to  the  work  of  a 
tragic  actress  than  a  prima  donna,  to  whom  we  generally  look  for  voice-cul- 
ture only,  and  not  to  those  mental  acquirements  that  are  absolutely  neces- 
sary to  make  a  great  actor  or  actress.  On  leaving  the  theatre,  one  was  more 
apt  to  remember  Parodi  as  the  great  actress,  thai  as  the  great  singer. 

t  This  great  genius  of  the  piano  was  born  in  New  Orleans  in  1829,  and 
died  at  Tijuca,  a  plateau,  about  two  miles  from  Rio,  on  the  18th  of  Decem- 
ber, 1869. 


113U 


On  the  22d  of  January,  Louisa  Pyne  made  another 
visit  to  the  Athenaeum.  January  29th,  Gottschalk  made 
his  second  attempt  at  the  Polytechnic  Hall,  and  on 
this  occasion  the  people  of  Brooklyn  redeemed  their 
reputation  for  musical  culture  hy  giving  him  a  fine  re- 
ception and  a  full  house.  February  22d,  Louisa  Pyne, 
Gottschalk  and  Paul  Jullien  all  appeared  at  the  Athe- 
nauim.  May  8th,  Madame  La  Grange  and  Gottschalk 
gave  a  concert  at  the  Athenaeum.  Oct.  15th,  La 
Grange  gave  her  secoud  concert  at  the  same  hall.  On 
the  23d,  Parodi,  Gottschalk,  Tamberlini,  Bernaidi  and 
Morini  all  appeared  at  the  same  concert  at  the  Athe- 
naeum. Selections  were  given  from  Rossini,  Donizetti, 
Verdi,  Ballini  and  Malibran.  This  was  the  greatest 
display  of  musical  genius  that  had  ever  appeared  on  the 
same  night  in  the  city  of  Brooklyn. 

December  1st,  Thalberg  appeared  for  the  first  time 
in  Brooklyn. 

1857. — January  5th,  Mr.  William  Mason,  an 
American  pianist  of  fine  ability,  captivated  his  hearers 
at  the  Athenaeum.  On  the  16th,  Gottschalk  gave  a 
concert  at  the  same  hall,  assisted  by  Parodi,  Cora  Wil- 
borst,  and  Madame  Amelia  Patti.  February  5th,  the 
Pyne  and  Harrison  troupe.  March  14th,  Carl  Prox 
gave  what  he  called  a  "  Philharmonic  Soiree,"  at  the 
Athenaeum.  April  4th,  Ole  Bull,  the  great  violinist, 
gave  a  concert  at  the  Athenaeum  to  a  crowded  house. 
April  30th,  many  of  the  first  citizens  of  Brooklyn  gave 
a  grand  complimentary  concert  to  Miss  Louisa  Pyne, 
at  the  Athenaeum.  Every  seat  in  the  house  was 
filled. 

Philharmonic  Society  .—On  Monday  evening, 
April  13th,  1857,  a  number  of  gentlemen  met,  pur- 
suant to  notice,  at  the  Brooklyn  Athenaeum,  to  organ- 
ize a  Philharmonic  Society.  The  Hon.  Judge  Green- 
wood was  called  to  the  chair,  and  Luther  B.  Wyman, 
Esq.,  was  appointed  secretary.  Judge  Greenwood 
stated  the  object  of  the  meeting,  alluded  to  the  power- 
ful influence  arising  from  the  cultivation  of  music,  and 
tendered  his  hearty  co-operation  with  the  gentlemen 
present  in  the  formation  of  an  institution  so  much  re- 
quired in  the  city  of  Brooklyn.  Professor  Raymond 
then  offered  a  .set  of  resolutions,  wherein  it  was  stated 
that  the  first  duty  of  every  community  was  to  advance 
its  own  moral  and  spiritual  condition;  and,  that  the 
most  effective  measure  to  this  end  was  an  institution  of 
pure  and  elevated  recreation  for  the  people,  and  no  other 
institution  could  so  perfectly  accomplish  the  object  as 
one  devoted  to  the  sublime  Art  of  Music.  The  com- 
mittee appointed  to  draft  a  plan  of  organization  and 
constitution;  consisted  of  Hubert  R.  Raymond,  John 
Greenwood.  Luther  H.  Wyman,  and  Edward  White- 
house. 

May  5th,  a  second  meeting  was  held  at  the  same 
place.  A  Board  of  Directors  was  i  in  mediately  formed, 
elected  to  servo  for  one  year,  consisting  of  Kdward 
Whitchoii-c,  Charles  Christmas,  Robert  R.  Raymond, 


Luther  B.  Wyman,  A.  Cooke  Hull,  L.  S.  Burnham, 
John  Greenwood,  P.  K.  Weizel,  Alfred  Large,  George 
C.  Ripley,  W.  M.  Newell,  Charles  Congdon,  Samuel 
Sloan,  H.  Mayren,  Henry  F.  Vail,  Robert  M.  Berdell, 
E.  D.  Plympton,  William  Pool,  Luke  W.  Thomas, 
David  M.  Stone,  R.  H.  Tucker,  Lea  Luqueer,  George 
G.  Hastings,  and  C.  M.  Congreve.  Luther  B.  Wyman 
was  elected  President;  Edward  Whitehouse,  1st  Vict' 
President;  John  Greenwood,  2d  Vice-President;  Rob- 
ert R.  Raymond,  Secretary,  and  A.  Cooke  Hull,  TVms- 
urer. 

The  society's  first  concert  took  place  at  the  Athe- 
naeum on  Saturday  evening,  Nov.  14th,  1857.  Con- 
ductor, Theo.  Eisfeld  ;  leader,  J.  Noll ;  under  whose 
skillful  management  the  following  interesting  pro- 


gramme was  performed : 

Pabt  I. 

Erucia — Symphony,  No.  3  BeethoTta 

Hear  ye,  Israel,  from  "Elijah"  Mendelssohn 

Miss  Henrietta  Behrend. 
Concerto  for  Cornet-a-rislon  Schreiber 

L.  SCHREIBEB. 

Past  EL 

Buy  Bias— Overture  Mendelssohn 

Ave  Maria — Cornet-a-piston  Schubert 

L.  Schreiber. 

A ria  from  "Linda"  Donizetti 

Miss  H.  Behrend. 
Oberon — Overture  Weber 


The  orchestra  consisted  of  forty  excellent  musicians. 
The  house  was  crowded  to  its  fullest  capacity ;  the 
concert  was  a  perfect  success,  and  was  followed  hy  an- 
other, December  12. 

1858. — The  Haydn  Quartet  Club  gave  four  am- 
certs  at  the  Polytechnic  Institute,  January  30.  Third 
concert  of  the  Philharmonic  took  place  at  the  Atlu- 
naeum,  Madame  de  Lussan,  soprano;  Aptoinmas,  harp: 
and  full  orchestra  of  forty  instruments,  with  Theo. 
Eisfeld  as  director.  Symphony  No.  7,  Beethoven,  was 
performed. 

The  Brooklyn  Harmonic  Society,  composed  of  tin 
vocal  and  instrumental  societies  of  Brooklyn,  with 
Carl  Prox  as  director,  gave  their  first  concert  at  tin- 
Polytechnic.  Selections  from  several  of  the  best  com- 
posers were  given. 

October  1st,  at  the  Athenaeum,  Sig.  Strakosch,  withi 
portion  of  the  Italian  opera  troupe  from  New  York, 
gave  a  concert.  Madame  Pauline  Colson,  Brignoli,  La 
Bactta  and  Amodio  made  up  the  list  of  singers  Tin- 
first  concert  of  the  second  season  of  the  Philharmom 
I  was  given  October  30th,  with  Madame  < iazzaiiigiiastln 
soprano  of  the  occasion.* 

•  Want  of  span-  obliges  us  ti>  condense  much  llinl  had  been  prrpar»>l 
concerning  tho  Philharmonic.  Suffice,  it  to  Bay,  that  since  1877,  •*#  «* 
mom  concerts  hare  been  given  orery  Tear.  At  present  the  tenon  per- 
sists of  twenty  performance)!— Wghl  concert*,  eight  public  reheamli,  ao-l 

four  matinees. 

Performance*  were   gWen  in  the  Ilrooklyn  Athena-urn  till  1KB;  •lnr' 
then  at  tho  Academy  of  Mu-i«\    The   n r-t  pr. xi.h Dt  w,i»   Mr  1  utter  I' 
Wyman,  who  held  tho  office  until  his  death  ;  Bince  wh-  n  Mr.  llrnri  K 
i    Sheldon  has  been  president.    Thoodoro  Eisfeld  was  the  nrat  cond»e»of, 


THE  PROGRESS  OF  MUSIC  AND  OPERA  IN  BROOKLYN. 


1131 


Italian  Opera  in  Brooklyn.— The  first  per- 
formance took  place  at  the  Athenaeum,  Saturday, 
November  20th.  A  stage  had  been  erected  at 
the  west  end  of  the  room,  furnished  with  scenery,  foot- 
lights and  drop  curtain.  The  stage  was  about  thirty 
feet  wide  inside  of  the  proscenium,  by  twenty-two  feet 
deep;  and,  although  small  and  cramped,  in  comparison 
with  the  required  amount  of  space,  when  all  the  char- 
acters and  chorus  were  on  the  stage;  still  that  could 
well  be  overlooked  in  the  exciting  thought  that  Brook- 
lyn had  really  reached  an  Italian  opera  performance. 
It  was,  indeed,  an  epoch  in  the  history  of  Brooklyn, 
and  caused  at  the  time  quite  a  sensation  among  the 
elite.    The  following  is  the  programme  in  full : 

BEOOKLYN  ATHENAEUM. 
Saturday,  November  20th,  1858. 
Italian  Opera,  performed  with  Chorus,  Orchestra,  Costumes. 
A  Special  Stage, 
with  new  scenery  and  footlights,  having  been  built  and  painted 
by  Allegri  and  Calyo. 
Piccolomini,   Gazzaniga,    Formes,  Florenza,  Tamaro,  Mag- 
giorochi. 

Doors  open  at  7.30  ;  opera  commences  at  8  o'clock. 
The  performance  will  commence  with  the  second  act  of 
' '  The  Daughter  of  the  Regiment,  " 
Preceded  by  an  overture — Orchestra. 

Mile.  Piccolomini,  Carl  Formes,  Tamaro,  Marra. 
To  be  followed  by  the  second  act  of 

"  Lucrezia  Borgia.  " 
Gazzaniga,  Florenza,  Tamaro. 
Previous  to  "  Lucretia  Borgia,"  the  orchestra  will  perform  the 
overture  to  "  Der  Freischutz."    The  performance  to  conclude 
with  the  entire  opera  of 

' '  La  Serva  Padrona.  " 
Mile.  Piccolomini,  as  the  Housemaid. 
During  the^comic  particcio  of  "La  Serva  Padrona,"  will  be  in- 
troduced "The  Quarrelling  Duette,"  from  Auber's  comic  opera 
of  "The  Mason  and  the  Locksmith,"  and,  at  the  end  of  the 
opera,  "  The  Piccolomini  Waltz,"  especially  composed  for  her 
by  Signor  Muzio.    Previous  to  "  La  Serva  Padrona,"  the  orches- 
tra will  perform  the  overture  of  "  Massaniello." 
Reserved  seats,  $2.50.    General  Admission,  SI. 50. 

Card  to  the  Brooklyn  Public. 
As  one -third  of  the  Athenasum  will  be  occupied  by  the  stage, 
there  will  be  lost  over  three  hundred  seats.  In  view  of  this  cir- 
cumstance, and  of  the  great  expense  attending  the  performance, 
the  price  charged  will  not  be  remunerative  to  the  director.  His 
principal  motive,  however,  in  giving  opera  in  Brooklyn,  is  to 
stimulate  the  citizens  of  Brooklyn  toward  hastening  the  rapid 
construction  of  tbe  contemplated  Brooklyn  Academy  of  Music, 
which,  Mr.  Ullman  trusts,  will  be  closely  united,  under  one 
management,  with  that  of  New  York. 

November  25th,  the  second  operatic  occasion,  was 
the  performance  of  The  Barbieredi  Seviglia.  Madame 


until  1865;  Carl  Bergmann  was  conductor  for  1865-6;  Theodore  Thomas 
was  conductor  from  1866-1870;  Carl  Bergmann  again,  1870-1873;  Theodore 
Thomas,  1873  untU  the  present  time.  The  orchestra  at  first  numbered 
■40.  Now  its  regular  force  is  100,  and  is,  on  some  occasions,  increased  to 
140.  Board  of  Directors  :-President,  Henry  K.  Sheldon;  1st  vice-presi- 
dent, Lyman  S.  Burnham;  2nd  vice-president,  Frederic  Cromwell :  treas- 
urer. William  R.  Bunker;  secretary,  Benj.  T.  Frothingham;  John  T. 
Howard,  Henry  N.  Whitney,  William  H.  Cromwell,  John  D.  Elwell,  Wil- 
liam H.  Husted,  Camden  C.  Dike,  Frederick  A.  Ward,  F.  H.  Cowper- 
ihwaite,  Horatio  C.  King,  Jos.  P.  Holbrook,  Frederick  D.  Blake,  John  F. 
'''raeger,  G.  H.Prentiss,  W.  W.  Goodrich,  William  B.  Kendall,  C.  T.  Christ- 
;nsen,  Chauncey  Low,  Edward  B,  Bartlett,  Herbert  Seymour,  John  S. 
■irothingham. 


La  Bord  (from  the  Grand  Opera  House,  Paris),  Ro- 
sina;  assisted  by  Maggio,  Rochi,  Florenza,  Lorini, 
Dubruie,  Collotti  and  Morra ;  director,  Muzio. 

On  the  first  evening,  the  audience,  though  brilliant 
in  fashion,  was  not  so  full  as  on  the  last  occasion. 
The  price  having  been  reduced  to  $1.50  for  reserved 
seats,  and  $1.00  for  general  admission,  gave  more  satis- 
faction to  the  Brooklyn  public.  On  both  occasions  the 
performance  was  very  fine.  The  entire  company  was 
from  the  New  York  Academy  of  Music.  Madame  La 
Bord  gave  the  utmost  satisfaction,  and  although  Pico- 
lomini  had  just  been  creating  a  great  furore  in  New 
York,  La  Bord  at  once  became  the  favorite  with  the 
audience,  which  she  justly  deserved,  for  she  was  in 
many  respects  the  far  superior  artist. 

1859.  — The  third  concert  of  the  second  season  of 
the  Philharmonic  took  place,  June  29th,  at  Athenaeum; 
Miss  Maria  S.  Brainard,  soprano.  February  17th,  Miss 
Elizabeth  Greenfield,  the  "black  swan,"  a  colored 
woman,  who  had  sung  with  great  success  in  Europe, 
gave  her  first  concert  in  Brooklyn.  Miss  Greenfield 
possessed  a  sweet  and  powerful  soprano  voice  of  great 
compass,  executed  well,  and  sang  with  good  taste. 
Among  her  selections  were  thecavatina  from  the  opera  of 
"Ernaui,"  Visions  of  Rest,  from  "  Trovatore,"  and 
others  from  the  best  composers.  She  gave  several  con- 
certs in  this  city,  and  drew  good  houses.  March  5th, 
Madame  De  Lussan,  and  March  16th,  Madame  Gaz- 
zaniga, were  the  sopranos  at  the  two  Philharmonic  con- 
certs. The  Philharmonic  this  season  tendered  a  com- 
plimenty  concert  to  Madame  Gazzaniga,  for  which  Sig. 
Steffani  Amadio  and  Carl  Formes  volunteered. 

1860.  — This  season  was  filled  up  with  several 
good  concerts.  The  Philharmonic  Society  had  in- 
creased so  rapidly  in  its  popularity  that  the  Brooklyn 
Athenaeum  was  no  longer  large  enough  to  hold  the 
number  that  flocked  to  the  rehearsals  and  concerts. 
The  purpose  of  having  an  Academy  of  Music  in  the 
City  of  Brooklyn  incited  the  people  to  foster  the  Phil- 
harmonic, which  had  also  become  the  fashionable  re- 
sort. The  Academy  of  Music  (of  which  a  full  history 
will  be  found  in  the  dramatic  chapter  of  this  book), 
was  the  offspring  of  the  Philharmonic  Society. 

1861.  — The  first  concert  of  the  Philharmonic  that 
was  given  at  the  Academy  took  place  on  Saturday 
evening,  January  19th,  1861.  Madame  Colsou,  Signor 
Ferri,  and  Mr.  L.  Schreiber  were  among  the  artists, 
with  an  orchestra  of  sixty  performers.  Theo.  Eisfeld, 
conductor,  and  Mr.  J.  Noll,  leader. 

January  22d,  the  first  Italian  opera  performance  was 
given  at  the  Academy  of  Music.  This  was  termed  the 
"  Inauguration  of  the  first  season  of  six  nights." 
The  opera  originally  selected  for  the  opening  night 
was  "Traviata,"  but  the  directors  of  the  Academy  object- 
ed to  the  story  of  the  opera,  on  the  ground  that  it  was 
not  of  a  moral  character  (?).  The  management  were 
forced  to  produce  in  its  place,  Mercandante's  II  Giu~ 


I  !:;•-> 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


ramento  (the  curse),  Elasir  (1st  time),  Madame  Col- 
son  ;  Bianca,  Miss  A.  Phillips;  Viscardo,  Sig.  Brig- 
noli ;  Man/redo,  Sig.  Ferri  ;  conductor  and  director, 
Sig.  Muzia.  This  was  a  great  musical  occasion  for  Brook- 
lyn, as  the  house  was  packed  from  parquette  to  dome 
with  one  of  the  most  brilliant  and  fashionable  audiences 
that  ever  graced  a  theatre.  The  opera  was  beautifully 
placed  upon  the  stage,  with  new  scenery,  properties  and 
costumes.  Madame  Colson  appeared  to  her  best  ad- 
vantage. Her  pure  vocalizations,  and  the  finest  of 
execution,  together  with  her  line  acting,  were  worthy  of 
the  applause  she  received.  Miss  Phillips  seemed  to 
feel  the  importance  of  the  occasion,  and  captivated 
her  hearers  with  her  fresh  and  powerful  contralto 
voice  ;  while  Brignoli's  fine  teuor  voice  held  the  at- 
tention of  his  audience  as  if  they  were  in  a  dream. 
Ferri  was  a  fine  actor,  and  appeared  to  great  advantage 
in  the  part  of  Man/redo.  The  orchestra,  though  small, 
only  twenty-seven  pieces,  did  their  work  well,  under 
the  leadership  of  Sig.  Muzio.  Price  of  admission, 
$1.00;  reserved  seats,  $1.50. 

Among  the  distinguished  persons  present  was  Mrs. 
Abraham  Lincoln,  wife  of  the  President  of  the  United 
States,  accompanied  by  her  sons.  The  party  occupied 
one  of  the  private  boxes,  and  divided  the  attention  of 
the  audience. 

January  26th,  second  opera-night,  with  the  debut 
of  a  new  prima  donna,  Miss  Isabella  Hinkley,  on 
which  occasion  was  produced  Donizetti's  opera  of  "Lu- 
cia de  Lammermoor' ':  Lucia,  Miss  Hinkley  ;  Edgardo, 
Sig.  Stefaui ;  Ashto?i,  Sig.  Ferri ;  Bamundo,  Sig.  Co- 
letti. 

Miss  Hinkley*  made  her  first  appearance  in  New 
York  Academy  of  Music,  on  the  Wednesday  evening 
previous.  It  was  admitted  by  the  entire  press  of 
New  York,  that  she  was  a  success,  and  a  young  lady  of 
great  promise.  Her  appearance  met  with  the  warmest 
encouragement.  It  was  so  rare  a  thing  to  have  an 
American  prima  doifna,  that  all  present  felt  that  a 
generous  warmth  of  encouragement  was  no  more  than 
proper.  Her  voice  was  a  pure  soprano,  reaching  readily 
to  high  0,  in  alt,  clear  and  ringing  in  the  upper  re- 
gister, and  with  an  uncommon  quality  of  chest  and 
lower  tones.  Her  careful  training  was  evident  in  the 
manner  she  changed  from  the  lower  to  the  middle 
register,  and  the  clear  delicacy  with  which  the  ex- 
treme high  notes  were  enunciated,  while  the  staccato 
appear  passages  were  remarkably  well  done. 

*  Minn  Hivm.KT  wan  tin-  daughter  of  a  physician  in  Albany,  N.  Y.  Her 
■father  saw  that  his  daughter  pMMtMd  a  fine  soprano  voice,  anil  while  oho 
wan  quite  young,  placed  her  under  the  best  instructor*  In  his  vicinity.  He 
died  before  she  had  attained  to  any  great  proficiency  in  her  difficult  art. 
Her  mother,  feeling  that  her  daughter  should  pursue  her  studies,  took  her 
to  Italy  to  complete  her  musical  education,  bbo  remained  there  for  over 
two  years,  receiving  instructions  from  sonic  of  the  best  masters,  and  ap- 
peared In  opera  In  several  Kuropean  cities.  On  her  return  to  this  country, 
she  appeared  in  Ni  «  York  and  Brooklyn.  In  lMfil,  »)„.  1,,  ,-aine  the  uiteuf 
HIg  Huslni  Hhe  died  of  typhoid  fever,  at  her  residence  111  New  York  City. 
July  r.th.  1>W.2  Hit  midden  death  was  a  great  shock  to  her  friends  and  the 
musical  public  No  American  prima  donna  ever  before  or  since  ha*  sp. 
pearcd.  possessed  of  so  many  of  the  requisites  for  the  operatic  stage. 


.January  28th,  third  opera  night  at  the  Academy, 
"The  Sicilian  Vespers"  was  performed,  with  Colson, 
Brignoli,  Ferri,  Susini,  and  Coletti  in  the  cast.  Janu- 
ary 30th,  fourth  night,  "II  Trovatore,"  with  Miss 
Hinkley  as  Leonora,  and  Miss  Phillips  as  A:u- 
cena.  This  was  something  new  to  have  the  two  prin- 
cipal characters  represented  by  American  artists,  tfiai 
Phillips'  acting  and  singing  in  the  "Gipsy  Mother"' 
were  remarkably  fine.  Her  full,  rich  voice  and  vocali- 
zation were  exhibited  to  great  advantage  in  the  "  Stride 
la  Vampa,"  and  so  completely  did  her  dramatic  inten- 
sity carry  away  her  audience  that  she  was  summoned 
before  the  curtain  at  the  close  of  the  opera. 

Brooklyn,  at  this  time,  was  having  three  opera  nights 
per  week,  while  New  York  had  to  be  satisfied  with  two. 
This  caused  considerable  comment  by  the  New  York 
press. 

February  1st,  the  opera  of  "  Martha  "  was  per- 
formed, with  Colson  in  her  great  original  character 
of  Lady  Henrietta.  February  5th,  the  ' '  Barber  of 
Seville,"  with  Miss  Hinkley  as  Ro$e?ia.  February 
9th,  "  Ernani  " — Elvira,  Madame  Colson;  with  the 
last  act  of  "Lucia  Lammermoor" — Lucia,  Mian 
Hinkley.  So  great  was  the  success  of  the  first  season, 
that  Sig.  Muzio  was  induced  immediately  to  commeMa 
six  additional  nights.  February  12th,  "Lucrezia  Bor- 
gia," with  Signorina  Elena  as  Lucrezia.  This  lady 
was  one  of  Sig.  Garcia's  pupils,  and  was  a  success. 
February  15th,  eighth  opera  night,  and  Miss  Hinkley 
as  Leonora.  February  19th,  "  Mr.  Ballo  in  Mas- 
chera," — Anelia,  Madame  Colson;  Oscar,  Miss  Hink- 
ley. This  opera  and  "Trovatore"  were  both 
performed  in  the  United  States  before  they  were  in 
England.  The  "  Masked  Ball"  was  repeated  on  Feb- 
ruary 23d.  On  the  26th,  "1  Puritani;"  March  M, 
"  Don  Giovanni ;"  March  5th,  the  .first  appearance  of 
Miss  Louisa  Kellogg  in  Brooklyn, 
Biooletto, 

With  the  following  cast : 

Oilda,   Miss  Kellogg 

Magdalena   Miss  Phillij'- 

Duc  of  Mantua   Sig.  Stigalli 

JiigoleUo,   Sig.  Ferri 

Spamfucile   Sig.  CoUetti 

Miss  Kellogg  was  the  third  American  lady  who  made 
her  debut  this  season  as  a  prima  donna.  This  was  an 
extraordinary  harvest  of  fine  singers  reaped  from  Amen 
can  soil  that  the  public  did  not  expect,  and  np  to  tin- 
time  has  not  been  equaled.  Miss  Kellogg  at  onee  be- 
came a  great  favorite  with  the  public. 

March  9th,  the  fourteenth  opera  night,  and  benefit 
of  Miss  Hinkley.— Not  ma.  Colson  ;  Adr/i/ia,  Miss 
Hinkley.  The  performance  on  this  occasion  con- 
cluded with  Miss  Kellogg  as  Oilda,  in  one  act  of 
"  Kigoli-lto."  Thus  ended  the  first  opera  season  in  the 
city  of  Brooklyn,  with  the  receipts  averaging  $2..'«"' 
per  night,  while  they  did  not  reach  $1,G00  in  the  «Hj 
of  New  York. 


THE  PROGRESS  OF  MUSIC  AND  OPERA  IN  BROOKLYN. 


1133 


The  Philharmonic  Society  and  these  performances  of 
the  Italian  opera  had  established  a  taste  for  music  in 
Brooklyn,  which  has  increased  in  its  growth  every  year; 
until  Brooklyn  is  looked  upon  by  all  operatic  and 
concert  managers  as  being  the  most  appreciative  city 
in  the  Union,  and  where  they  are  always  certain  of  re- 
plenishing their  coffers.  From  1861  to  1883,  all  the 
jreat  lyric  artists  that  have  appeared  in  New  York 
Dity  have,  also,  appeared  in  Brooklyn,  and  frequently 
»vith  a  greater  monetary  success  than  in  any  other  city 
)f  the  Union.  Having  now  pictured  the  first  strug- 
gling efforts  for  the  establishment  of  music  in  the  "  City 
)f  Churches,"  we  are  compelled,  for  the  want  of  space, 
:o  notice  only  the  most  prominent  musical  events  that 
lave  occurred  up  to  the  present  time,  and  that  in 
>rief. 

March  14th,  Mr.  George  F.  Bristow,  son  of  the 
VIr.  Bristow  mentioned  in  the  early  parts  of  this 
irticle,  performed  at  the  Acaderry  his  oratorio  of 
'  Praise  to  God,"  with  a  full  chorus  of  two  hundred 
>icked  voices.  April  9th,  Sig.  Muzio's  opera  troupe 
appeared  for  three  nights  at  the  Academy.  Madame 
Jolson,  Miss  Hinkley,  and  Miss  Kellogg  were  the  stars 
)f  the  occasion. 

May  18th,  the  Philarmouic  Society  gave  a  "  Grand 
^xtra  Concert "  at  the  Academy,  in  aid  of  the  "  Patri- 
ae Relief  Fund."  Miss  Hinkley,  Miss  Kellogg,  Sig. 
kignoli,  Mr.  Schreiber,  Mr.  George  Warren,  and 
>thers  volunteered.  George  P.  Morris,  the  poet,  wrote 
-  song  for  the  occasion,  entited  "  The  Union,  Right 
>r  Wrong;"  music  by  Muzio,  and  sang  by  Miss  Hink- 

ey- 

1862.— January  10th,  the  first  grand  opera  night, 
(I1  Barbiere  di  Seviglia,"  Miss  Hinkley  and  Sig. 
kignoli  in  the  leading  parts.  This  season,  "  II  Tro- 
atore,"  "Martha,"  "La  Favorita,"  "Betty," and  other 
irst-class  operas  were  performed,  with  Miss  Hinkley 
nd  Miss  Kellogg  the  favorite  prima  donnas.  May  1st, 
■Irs.  Grace  brought  before  the  Brooklyn  public,  at  the 
LthensBum,  Miss  Carlotta  Patti.  Miss  Emelia  J. 
Soughton  made  her  debut  at  the  Academy,  as  Violetta. 

October  2d,  a  musical  and  dramatic  performance  was 
iven  at  the  Athenaeum  for  the  benefit  of  the  sick  and 
mounded  soldiers.  Mr.  Gabriel  Harrison  performed  the 
art  of  Fazio,  to  Miss  Osgood's  Bianca.  Mr.  John 
I.  Loretz,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Abbot,  and  Mrs.  Prior 
11  volunteered,  and  took  prominent  parts  in  the  mu- 
ical  programme. 

Nov.  25th,  Madame  Guerrabella  made  her  first  ap- 
earauce  at  the  Academy  as  Leonora.  On  the  27th, 
•ignora  Lorini  as  Norma.  Dec.  4th,  Mile.  A.  Cordier 
s  Dinorah,  with  new  scenery  and  costumes.  Many 
ther  operas  were  performed  this  season  with  great 
uccesB. 

I  1863.— January  8th,  Grau  gave  his  first  opera- 
nt of  the  new  season,  with  Miss  Kellogg  as  Pao- 


lina,  making  her  first  of  a  series  of  farewell  perform- 
ances, prior  to  her  departure  to  Europe.*  This  season 
the  German  Opera  Troupe  gave  several  performances, 
with  partial  success.  March  19th  was  Max  Maretzek's 
first  night  of  his  Troupe.  On  this  occasion,  Mile.  Or- 
tolani  Brignoli  appeared  as  Violetta.  This  artiste 
had  made  considerable  reputation  abroad,  but  did  not 
meet  with  the  success  she  deserved  in  this  country. 
She  was  petite  and  very  graceful,  had  a  good  voice,  and 
was  quite  charming  as  an  actress.  After  this  lady  fol- 
lowed Madame  Guerrabella  as  Amelia  in  the  "Masked 
Ball,"  and  Miss  Kellogg  as  Martha. 

November  4th,  Mrs.  Van  Zandt  (Miss  Jennie  Blitz), 
a  lady  who  had  resided  in  Brooklyn  nearly  all  her  life, 
made  her  first  appearance  in  Brooklyn  at  a  concert 
given  at  the  Academy,  and  when  the  curtain  fell  upon 
her  performance,  she  stood  an  accepted  artist  and 
favorite,  f   It  is  an  astonishing  fact,  that  since  the  open- 

*  Clara  Louise  Kellogg  won  her  way  into  public  esteem  by  hard 
work  and  a  soul  devotion  to  her  glorious  art,  and  occupies  at  the  present 
time  the  proudest  position  ever  reached  by  an  American  singer.  The 
forcing  process  so  well  known  to  speculative  management  was  never  ap- 
plied to  her.  She  was  of  a  purely  natural  growth,  and,  step  by  step,  has 
made  her  way  up  the  rounds  until  she  is  an  acknowledged  triumph,  and 
in  every  sense  an  ornament  of  the  lyric  stage. 

Her  fame  preceded  her  to  Europe,  and  opened  the  doors  of  the  principal 
opera-houses  for  her,  as  to  the  most,  honored  guest.  She  sang  before  the 
worshipers  of  the  great  Patti,  Nilsson  and  Lucca,  and  still  retired  covered 
with  laurels.  The  brothers  Strakosch,  while  hunting  in  Europe  for  their 
annual  novelty,  could  find  no  singer  abroad  more  desirable  as  a  means  of 
cis-Atlantic  speculation  thau  the  fair  young  American.  This  was  turning 
the  tables  ;  they  sent  to  catch  a  foreign  songster,  and  brought  home  a 
native  bird.  It  takes  but  a  few  words  to  explain  her  abilities  as  a  singer. 
"She  does  not  astonish  you;  she  does  what  is  far  better — she  delights  you." 
She  is  natural  in  every  particular  of  voice-management.  She  is  sympathetic, 
and  has  an  almost  faultless  method,  and  while  we  cannot  say  that  she  is  a 
dramatic  artist  of  any  startling  effects,  we  always  feel  perfectly  satisfied 
with  her  quiet  style  of  acting,  which  leaves  a  good  impression  upon  her 
audience.  As  any  one  can  admire  a  rose  or  a  lily,  or  can  be  impressed 
with  the  glory  of  a  sunset,  or  feel  awe-struck  with  the  grandeur  of  an 
Alpine  scene,  so  it  is  with  native  worth  on  the  stage.  An  audience  is 
magnetized  just  as  promptly  and  as  truly  by  the  flash  of  genius;  and  the 
popular  heart  always  knows  when  it  is  thrilled  in  sympathy  with  the  true 
genius  of  song,  and  appreciates  its  real  value,  and  the  power  that  breathes 
it  forth,  as  the  humble  Swiss  peasant  appreciates  the  sublimity  of  his 
mountains  of  eternal  snow. 

t  Mks.  Van  Zandt  was  born  in  the  City  of  New  York,  January  1st,  1845. 
She  studied  in  New  York  under  Sig.  Barili  and  Sig.  Abella.  She  made  her 
first  appearance  upon  the  stage  at  a  concert  a  few  months  previous  at  the 
Brooklyn  Academy.  Her  complete  success  before  crowded  houses,  composed 
of  the  musical  dilettanti  and  the  best  critics,  more  than  sustained  the  an- 
ticipation of  those  who  had  frequently  heard  her  in  private.  The  press 
spoke  of  her  efforts  as  delicately  artistic  performances,  and  predicted  for 
her  a  glorious  future,  which  has  been  fulfilled.  Subsequently  she  appeared 
in  the  "  Bride  of  Lammermoor  "  with  increased  success.  In  1865  she  went 
to  Milan,  and  there  placed  herself  for  instruction  under  the  well-known 
Lamparte.  Her  progress  was  so  great  that  she  was  soon  offered  an  engage- 
ment at  the  Royal  Opera  House,  Copenhagen,  where  she  appeared  with  the 
most  flattering  success.  After  this  she  entered  into  an  engagement  with 
the  Russian  Government  to  sing  during  the  winter  mouths  at  the  Imperial 
Opera  House.  In  the  winter  of  18G7  and  18G8<me  appeared  for  five  months 
at  the  far-famed  La  Scala,  Milan,  and  the  furore  she  there  created  attracted 
the  attention  of  Mr.  Gye,  the  manager  of  the  Royal  Italian  Opera,  at  Covent 
Garden  Theatre,  London,  where  she  appeared  in  April,  1868,  making  a  great 
hit  in  "  Don  Giovanni,"  and  proving  herself  a  most  fascinating  Zerlina. 
She  was  here  engaged  for  the  seasons  of  186'J  and  1870.  After  this,  she  was 
engaged  by  Gye  for  a  lengthened  tour  through  Great  Britain,  visiting 
Glasgow,  Dublin,  Liverpool,  and  all  the  large  cities,  receiving  marked  at- 
tention and  favors  wherever  she  went.  After  winning  many  laurels 
abroad,  during  her  absence  of  six  years,  she  returned  to  her  native  city. 
New  York.  She  was  immediately  engaged  by  Mr.  Rosa  as  a  prima  donna 
soprano  for  the  tarepa  Rosa's  "Graud  English  C  iera  Troupe,"  and  made 
ber  first  appearances  in  English  opera  on  the  9th  of  October,  at  the  New 
York  Academy  of  Music.  Balfe's  opera  of  "Satanolla"  was  chosen  for  the 
occasion;  Madame  Van  Zandt  was  received  with  great  applause,  and  the 
press  spoke  of  her  in  the  highest  terms. 


1134 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


ing  of  the  Academy  of  Music,  in  less  than  three  years, 
no  less  than  four  American  prima  donnas  made  their 
first  great  success  in  Brooklyn,  and  were  recognized 
wherever  else  they  went,  as  artists  of  marked  abilities. 
The  residue  of  this  season  was  filled  up' with  many 
fine  operatic  performances.  The  Philharmonic  con- 
certs were  attended  by  crowds  of  people,  and,  on  many 
occasions,  even  the  Academy  was  not  large  enough  to 
accommodate  them. 

1864. — The  most  important  event  this  season  in 
the  opera  line,  was  the  first  appearance  in  Brooklyn 
of  Mrs.  Jennie  Van  Zandt  on  the  operatic  stage,  which 
took  place  November  19th,  she  having  made  her  debut 
at  the  New  York  Academy  a  few  evenings  previous. 
She  chose  the  part  of  Gilda  in  "  Rigoletto."  On  both 
occasions  her  success  was  decided. 

.Madame  Van  Zandt  is  still  popular  with  the  Ameri- 
can public.  Her  voice  still  retains  its  freshness  and 
many  beauties  of  execution,  and  wherever  she  appears, 
in  concert  or  opera,  she  is  welcomed  with  all  the  marks 
of  respect  and  approval. 

In  the  season  of  1864,  Signora  Carozzi  Zucha  per- 
formed frequently  at  the  Academy  in  "  Lucrezia  Borgia,'' 
"  Don  Giovanni,"  "  II  Polinto  "  and  "  Don  Sebastian". 
This  same  season  Miss  Kellogg  made  a  great  impression 
in  t lie  character  of  Marguerita  in  "  Faust,"  drawing 
immense  houses  whenever  she  appeared. 

After  the  advent  of  three  such  American  artistes  as 
Miss  Hinkley,  Mrs.  Van  Zandt  and  Miss  Kellogg,  it  is 
impossible  for  foreigners  to  say  that  this  country  has 
not  produced  artists  of  high  merit;  which  fact  they 
should  ever  feel  ready  to  admit,  and  of  which  every 
American  should  feel  justly  proud. 

As  years  have  passed,  the  Philharmonic  Society  has 
increased  in  public  favor,  and  no  musical  organization 
in  America  can  compare  with  it  for  the  great  work  it 
lias  done  in  building  up  a  refined  taste  for  music.  The 
society  has  always  kept  its  faith  with  the  public  by 
giving  the  best  talent  they  could  obtain,  whether  native 
or  foreign,  vocal  or  instrumental.  To  one  gentleman 
in  particular  are  the  citizens  of  Brooklyn  indebted  for 
the  great  success  of  this  society  and  the  progress  of 
music  in  Brooklyn.  This  gentleman  was  Luther  B. 
Wyman,  and  to  this  statement  no  one  can  take  excep- 
tion. If  any  man  in  connection  with  the  history  of 
music  in  Brooklyn  deserves  a  recognition  and  bio- 
graphic mention,  it  is  he. 

Lrim.it  H.  Wyman.  This  gentleman  was  horn  in  Massachu- 
setts, in  February,  1H05.  He  passed  the  first  twenty  years  of  his 
life  on  his  father's  farm.  At  the  age  of  twenty,  he  went  to  Boston, 
ami  soon  after  he  became  a  member  of  the  Handel  and  Haydn 
Society.  He  possessed  a  superior  hass  voice,  and  with  some 
hard  work  in  its  culture,  he  gained  the  position  of  one  of  its 
principal  solo  singers,  and  frequently  appeared  in  puhlic,  and 
was  spoken  of  as  a  capful  and  painstaking  artist. 

In  1830,  he  started  West  On  arriving  at  Troy,  a  friend  took 
him  to  -..  the  tin  ii  just  i-oiii|il,  ted  Lrie  Canal,  and  here,  hy  ac- 
cident, he  met  a  young  lady,  daughter  of  the  lie  v.  Dr.  Warren, 


■who  afterwards  became  his  wife.  This  caused  him  to  remain  in 
Troy,  where  he  obtained  a  position  in  the  office  of  the  Trov 
Towboat  Company.  He  had  been  but  a  few  weeks  in  Troy  when 
he  was  appointed  to  take  charge  of  the  choir  of  the  Second  Pres- 
byterian Church,  which  he  conducted  for  two  years.  Snbse- 
quently,  and  for  several  months  prior  to  his  departure  for  New 
York,  he  became  quite  famous  as  a  violoncello  performer  in  the 
Itev.  Dr.  Berrian's  church.  At  the  end  of  three  years,  Mr.  Wy- 
man moved  to  New  York.  He  at  once  joined  the  New  York 
Sacred  Music  Society.  His  connection  with  this,  the  only 
musical  society  of  note  in  the  city,  lasted  for  over  fifteen  years, 
and  for  the  last  five  years  of  this  time  he  acted  as  its  president; 
his  choirs  gave  superb  performances  of  the  most  noted  vocal 
compositions,  assisted  by  such  soloists  as  Madame  Cazadori 
Allen,  Mrs.  Austin,  and  Mrs.  and  Mr.  Joseph  Wood,  and  all  of 
the  great  artists  of  that  day. 

In  1840,  Mr.  Wyman  removed  to  Brooklyn,  then  a  city  of  less 
than  forty  thousand  inhabitants.  At  this  time,  he  sang  bass  in 
I  the  Church  of  the  Messiah,  Dr.  Dewey's,  New  York.  However, 
j  he  soon  resigned  this  position,  and  accepted  the  appointment  of 
musical  director  in  the  newly-erected  Unitarian  Church  of  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Farley.  This  position  he  held  until  1870,  at  which 
time  he  was  presented  with  a  handsome  silver  service  as  a  testi- 
monial of  their  high  appreciation  of  his  great  labors  in  accom- 
plishing an  advanced  condition  of  church  music.  Soon  sfb  r 
joining  Dr.  Farley's  church,  he  was  elected  president  of  the 
Brooklyn  Sacred  Music  Society,  and  superintended  the  produc- 
tion of  the  oratorios  "  Samson  "  and  the  "  Messiah  "  at  Plymouth 
Church,  and  the  "Seven  Sleepers,"  by  Karl  Lowe,  in  the  hall 
of  the  old  Academy,  on  the  site  where  the  Packer  Institute  now 
stands.  This  office  he  held  for  three  years,  and  in  this  Society 
he  made  the  acquaintance  of  Miss  Frances  N.  Hall,  who  became 
his  second  wife  in  1849,  his  former  wife  having  died  sonu 
years  before. 

In  1857  he  took  the  initiative  of  forming  the  Brooklyn  Phil 
harmonic  Society.  Theretofore,  Brooklyn  had  been  mainly 
dependent  upon  New  York  for  instrumental  music  of  a  higL 
order.  On  the  evening  of  April  15th,  1857,  a  committee  of  gen 
tlemen  met  at  the  Brooklyn  Athentcum  to  organize  a  society  foi 
the  purpose  of  giving  in  Brooklyn  a  series  of  concerts  similar  h 
those  so  long  enjoyed  by  the  citizens  of  New  York  under  1 1: 
auspices  of  their  Philharmonic  Society.  A  committee,  com 
posed  of  Luther  B.  Wyman,  Bobert  B.  Raymond,  John  Gr»  n 
wood,  Edward  Whitehouse,  Carl  Pros,  Leopold  Bierwirth  am 
Mr.  Spies,  was  appointed  to  draft  a  plan  of  organization  and  i 
constitution.  On  the  following  5th  of  May,  the  committee  r. 
ported,  and  the  society  was  permanently  organized.    Luther  1 

I  Wyman  was  appointed  its  president.  It  is  sufficient  to  say,  tha 
from  the  inception  of  the  Philharmonic  Society,  Mr.  Wyn.a: 
held,  by  annual  re-election,  the  position  of  president  almost  ti| 
to  the  hour  of  his  death,  and  was,  without  doubt,  its  most  activ' 
and  efficient  manager.  The  great  success  of  the  Philharmeni 
Society  at  the  Athemeum  rendered  it  absolutely  ueceMary  U 
have  a  huge  hall  to  admit  the  crowds  that  attended  its  concert- 
The  Philharmonic  Board,  with  Mr.  Lyman  at  its  head,  was  th 
first  to  propose  the  erection  of  the  Academy  of  Music.  A  boar 
was  formed,  stock  was  subscribed,  Mr.  Wyman  was  elected  sec 
retary  of  the  Building  Committee,  and  the  work  proo* 
without  delay.  In  June,  1860,  while  the  erection  of  the  Acad 
emy  was  in  progress,  Mr.  Wyman  had  a  narrow  eeoafl  tr 
death.  On  the  '2!>th  of  that  month,  he  was  in  the  unftnish*1 
building,  to  fulfill  an  engagement  with  the  master  mason,  Mi 
French.    Ho  was  some  few  minutes  in  advanoe  of  his  eogiq,'1 

i  ment,  and  while  on  .the  main  floor,  watching  the  raising 
position  the  immense  trusses,  weighing  nine  tons  each,  whic 

'   were  to  support  the  roof,  he  observed  a  storm  gathering,  an 
suddenly  a  squall  arose,  and  striking  the  first  truss  on  the  I  In 

'  ton  street  end,  which  was  not  fully  secured,  it  fell,  carry  mi;  tl 

i  whole  ten  trusses  one  alter  the  other  with  it,  and  fulling  with 


THE  PROGRESS  OF  MUSIC  AND  OPERA  IN  BROOKLYN. 


1135 


frightful  crash  into  the  interior  of  the  building.  Mr.  Wyman, 
unable  to  escape,  was  buried  beneath  the  debris.  After  being 
extracted  from  his  dangerous  situation,  he  was  carried  home, 
and,  lingering  between  life  and  death,  was  confined  to  his  bed 
for  over  two  months. 

It  has  been  the  intention  of  this  sketch  to  trace  Mr.  Wyman's 
connection  more  particularly  with  musical  matters,  and  the 
various  projects  with  which  he  has  been  indentified  for  the  ad- 
vancement of  music  in  the  city  of  Brooklyn .  It  is  well  to  remind 
our  readers  of  the  prominent  part  he  took  during  the  War  of  the 
Rebellion  in  the  organization  of  regiments,  in  "sanitary  fairs," 
in  patriotic  concerts,  and  every  other  movement  for  he  further- 
ance of  the  success  of  our  armies  and  the  saving  of  the  Union. 
In  such  matters,  no  citizen  of  Brooklyn  was  more  active,  and 
when  he  could  not  give  in  the  way  of  wealth,  he  made  himself 
doubly  serviceable  by  personal  devotion  \o  the  great  cause.  We 
can  truthfully  say  that  in  every  position  of  public  trust  he  | 
proved  himself  an  unselfish  and  public-spirited  citizen  and  an 
honorable  gentleman,  whose  character  would  adorn  the  proudest 
of  cities.  For  over  three  years  previous  to  his  death,  he  was  an 
invalid  from  paralysis.  No  man  ever  died  in  Brooklyn  who  was 
more  highly  respected,  or  whose  death  was  more  deeply  re- 
gretted, than  Luther  B.  Wymnn.  He  died  in  Brooklyn,  on  Sun- 
day, July  27th,  1879,  at  the  age  of  seventy-six  years.  His  re- 
mains were  laid  at  rest  in  Green- Wood. 

In  mentioning  the  names  of  the  celebrated  artists 
who  have  visited  Brooklyn,  and  who  have,  by  their 
remarkable  talents,  lent  the  city  of  Brooklyn  pages  of  \ 
musical  history  worthy  of  the  greatest  cities  in  the 
world,  there  are  two  singers  who  deserve  more  than  a 
passing  notice ;  these  are  Parepa  Rosa  and  Madame 
Albani. 

Of  all  the  singers  that  have  appeared  upon  the  lyric  stage, 
none  was  more  beloved  for  her  personal  character  than  Parepa 
Rosa.  Man,  woman  and  child,  on  meeting  her,  at  first  sight  took 
her  into  their  hearts.  There  was  a  freshness  and  a  truthfulness 
about  her  that  captivated  every  one  who  met  her  on,  or  off  the 
stage.  And  to  her  lovely  character  may  be  attributed  as  much 
of  her  fame  as  to  her  musical  genius. 

Euphrosyne  Parepa  was  born  in  Scotland  in  1839.  Her  mother  j 
was  the  daughter  of  Mr.  Seguin,  and  was  the  sister-in-law  of  I 
the  celebrated  Mrs.  Seguin.  Euphrosyne  gave  evidence  of  mu- 
sical talent  when  she  was  quite  young.  At  the  age  of  sixteen 
she  made  her  first  appearance  in  Malta  in  the  character  of  Ar- 
mina  in  "La  Sonnambula."  She  was  a  success.  She  then  went 
to  Rome,  Naples,  Genoa,  Lisbon,  and  Madrid.  In  1857,  she  ap- 
peared in  London  with  the  great  Ronconi,  and  there  held  a  very 
high  position  in  the  Italian  opera.  In  1863,  she  married  Captain 
Carroll,  of  the  East  India  service,  who  left  her  a  widow  after  six- 
teen months  of  married  life.  In  1866,  Parepa  accepted  an  en- 
gagement from  Mr.  Bateman,  father  of  the  well-known  actress, 
Miss  Kate  Bateman,  who  brought  her  to  this  country.  She  made 
her  first  appearance  at  Irving  Hall,  New  York,  on  September 
11th,  same  year.  Mr.  Bateman,  through  bad  management,  did 
not  make  her  a  success.  He  then  passed  her  over  to  the  man- 
agement of  Mr.  Lafayette  Harrison,  owner  of  Irving  Hall  at  that 


time.  He  soon  introduced  her  to  the  public  in  oratorio  and 
opera,  when  she  at  once  took  position  in  public  opinion  as  one 
of  the  finest  queens  of  song  that  had  ever  visited  the  United 
States;  and  she  nobly  maintained  that  position  till  the  hour  of 
her  death. 

In  1866,  she  married  Carl  Rosa,  the  violinist.  In  1872,  they 
organized  an  English  opera-troupe  of  their  own,  which  was  so 
great  a  success  that  their  profits  inside  of  two  years  amounted 
to  $150,000.  Flushed  with  wealth  and  fame,  she  returned  to 
England  to  rest  for  a  few  months;  but  shortly  after  her  return 
to  her  native  country  she  suddenly  died  on  the  22d  of  Januarv, 
1874. 

Her  voice  was  pure  and  sympathetic  in  every  note,  and  was 
ample  in  volume,  but  possessed  no  dramatic  quality  of  expres- 
sion. Her  great  charm  as  a  singer  lay  in  her  simple  truthfulness 
of  note  and  manner  of  modulating  its  compass.  Wherever  she 
went,  she  flooded  the  land  with  melody,  and  gladdened  the 
hearts  of  all  who  heard  her. 

Madame  Albani  is  an  American  artist,  whose  ability  as  a  singer 
has  lent  additional  glory  to  the  limited  circle  of  American  sing- 
ers who  have  given  the  "New  World '"a  reputation  in  musical 
art.  It  was  while  she  was  studying  for  the  operatic  stage  in 
Milan  that  she  attracted  the  attention  of  her  old  maestro,  and 
he  wrote  to  the  manager  of  the  Theatre  "La  Pergola,"  at  Flor- 
ence, that  he  would  send  him  the  most  accomplished  and  the 
most  finished  singer  in  style  that  had  ever  left  his  studio.  How 
well  she  redeemed  all  he  had  promised,  the  Florentines  soon 
testified.  Her  fame  spread  rapidly,  and  she  soon  appeared  at 
the  Covent  Garden  Theatre,  London,  and  made  a  decided  success 
in  the  character  of  Armina  in  "La  Sonnambula."  It  was  con- 
ceded by  press  and  public  that  she  was  worthy  to  take  rank  with 
the  foremost  prima-donnas  of  Europe.  After  an  absence  of  some 
ten  years,  she  returned  to  her  native  country,  where  she  soon  ap- 
peared in  the  concert  room  and  on  the  operatic  stage.  She  was 
fully  endorsed  by  all  as  a  great  artist,  and  she  still  holds  her 
position  as  such,  having  become  a  fixed  favorite  with  the  best 
critics. 

To  particularize  the  advancing  steps  of  Music  in  the 
city  of  Brooklyn,  from  1865  up  to  the  present  writing, 
1883,  would  require  a  volume  of  five  hundred  pages. 
The  rapid  succession  of  the  appearance  at  the  Academy 
of  Music  of  all  the  musical  celebrities,  Italian,  French, 
German  and  American,  would  indeed  be  interesting  to 
detail,  and  would  further  prove  the  fact  that  Brooklyn 
has  done  as  much  to  encourage  the  advancement  of 
music  as  any  other  city  in  the  Union.  Among  the 
great  artists  who  have  appeared  in  Brooklyn  in  the 
last  twenty  years  may  be  named  Pauline  Lucca,  Patti, 
Nilsson,  Parepa  Rosa,  Zucchi,  Aimee,  Geistinger,  De 
Murska,  La  Grange,  Gerster,  Albani,  Rozetti,  Krebs, 
States,  Silly,  Cary,  Charles  Santley,  Wachtel,  Rubin- 
stein, Ronconi,  Formes,  Thalberg,  Strauss,  and  many 
other  fine  lyric  artists. 


1 130 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Ttm  Aht  Ahhociation  Buu.dino,  BIontaouk  Stbklt,  Brooklyn. 


The  Fine  Arts  in  Brooklyn. 


BY 


A   RT  is  the  beginning,  the  substance,  and  the  end- 
J\     ing  of  civilization.     The  first   line  of  grace 
la   drawn,  or  the  first  graceful  adjustment  of  a  fold  of 
rapery,  belongs  to  the  beginning  of  art.  Art  is  innate 
nd  instinctive  with  all  human  beings  to  a  greater  or 
!SS  degree.    The  barbarian,  though  savage  and  brutal, 
as  the  conditions  of  art  in  his  wild  nature.    The  first 
uraan  being  that  breathed  the  breath  of  life,  though 
barbarian,  was  simply  a  man  with  the  elements  of  grace 
i  his  soul,  which  ultimately  lead  to  the  expression  of 
t,  and  from  which  spring  civilization. 
The  wild  Indian  of  the  Far  West  demonstrates  the 
dstence  of  the  germs  of  art  within  him  by  the  decora- 
ons  of  his  garments,  by  the  feathers  that  flaunt 
pon  his  head,  the  wampum  that  hangs  from  his  belt, 
id  the  colors  of  paint  that  adorn  his  face.  None 
her  than  the  born  fool  can  see  things  of  grace  with- 
it  an  emotion;  therefore  all  things  of  grace  indicate 
■t,  for  the  reason  that  emotion  is  the  mother  of  grace, 
id  so  long  as  the  human  mind  is  able  to  distinguish 
le  difference  between  a  curved  and  a  straight  line,  art 
ill  exist,  and  civilization  will  go  on.    Form  was  the 
st-born  child  of  art.    Next  came  light  and  shade, 
k'in  children,  and  then  followed  harmony  of  color,  the 
ree  producing  the  picturesque,  which  is  the  highest 
mdition  of  art. 

But  few  cities  in  the  world  are  celebrated  for  art-col- 
L'tions;  but  few  cities  can  afford  a  proper  encourage- 
ent  for  a  high  art-culture;  for  here  we  must  admit 
at  art  ultimately  becomes  the  greatest  of  luxuries,  as 
takes  years  of  study,  labor,  and  even  genius  on  the 
.rt  of  the  artist  to  reach  an  eminent  degree  of  success, 
id  he  must  accordingly  be  well  paid  for  what  he  has 
complished.  However  this  may  be,  Brooklyn  has 
>ne  quite  as  well,  all  things  considered,  as  any  other 
;y  in  the  Union. 

London  had  no  permanent  art-school,  or  an  academy 
design,  until  it  was  over  seven  hundred  years  old, 
d  yet  it  was  surrounded  with  the  great  art- marts  of 
e  world.    Taking  these  facts  into  consideration,  the 
nericans  have  no  cause  to  complain  for  what  they 
ve,  or  what  they  have  not,  done  for  art.    They  have 
Id  none  of  the  surrounding  art-examples  of  ages, 
:  cumulated  in  galleries,  nor  has  the  Government  re- 
irces  or  ecclesiastical  wealth,  as  among  the  nations 


of  Europe,  to  assist  the  American  artist  to  advancement. 
The  churches  in  this  country  do  absolutely  nothing 
for  art  beyond  the  mere  frescoing  of  the  walls  in  the 
modern  bed-quilt  pattern,  through  the  cheap  medium 
of  stenciling,  and  this  frequently  so  inharmoniously 
done  that  one  wonders  at  the  lunatic  condition  of  the 
mind  that  invented  the  grotesqueness.  The  Govern- 
ment many  years  ago  purchased  a  few  pictures  for  the 
Rotunda  at  the  top  of  the  Capitol  at  Washington. 
Either  for  the  want  of  good  judgment,  or  through  po- 
litical peculation,  many  of  these  pictures  are  repulsive 
to  the  intelligent  mind,  for  the  ignorance  the  artist  has 
shown  of  the  historical  situation  and  condition  of 
things  which  he  has  portrayed  in  what  he  calls  an  his- 
torical picture.  A  simple  examination  of  several  of 
these  pictures  is  all  that  is  required  to  prove  their 
worthlessness  as  historical  pictures,  especially  so  in  the 
one  styled  "  De  Soto  Discovering  the  Mississippi." 
From  the  style  of  costume  and  the  physical  condition 
of  De  Soto  and  his  men,  one  would  be  led  to  suppose 
that  they  had  been  fattened  for  the  occasion  and  turned 
out  for  a  dress  parade,  after  having  consulted  a  Chinese 
laundry  and  a  first-class  French  barber,  while  the  direct 
opposite  was  the  condition  of  De  Soto  and  his  squalid, 
fagged-out,  half-roasted,  and  half-starved  little  band  of 
heroic  followers,  when  De  Soto  gave  one  glance  at  the 
river  of  rivers,  fell  sick,  died,  and  was  buried  in  the 
mud  of  the  fickle  stream. 

Another  painting  in  the  Capitol,  entitled  "  Washing- 
ton Crossing  the  Delaware,"  is  faulty  with  like  impossi- 
bilities. Amidst  blocks  of  ice,  falling  snow,  and  a  stiff 
wind,  the  Father  of  his  Country  is  standing  up  in  the 
centre  of  the  boat  that  is  in  rough  motion,  holding  an 
American  flag.  The  position  of  Washington  is  such 
that  he  could  not  keep  it  under  such  circumstances,  and 
there  is  no  poetical  or  historical  license  to  warrant  it, 
or  the  melodramatic  position  of  General  Washington, 
whose  manner  was  always  that  of  an  unostentatious 
gentleman. 

The  picture  entitled  "The  Baptism  of  Pocahontas" 
is  alike  faulty  in  its  costumes  and  surroundings.  She 
was  baptized  from  a  common  wooden  trough  in  the 
little  stone  church  at  Jamestown,  Va.,  with  everything 
in  the  most  primitive  condition,  as  would  attend  the 
early  settlers  in  a  strange  country,  which  was  yet  a  wil- 


1138 


BIS  TOR  Y  OF  KINGS  CO  VNTY. 


derness.  But  the  picture  alluded  to  represents  the 
scene  as  one  of  luxury.  The  native  romance  and  poetic 
effects  that  might  he  thrown  into  a  composition  of  the 
baptism  of  Pocahontas,  are  of  the  finest  order;  and  any 
artist  of  ability  ought  to  see  enough  in  the  truth  of  the 
situation,  without  having  recourse  to  falsehood  and  the 
flummery  of  things  that  are  introduced  only  to  catch 
the  eye.  There  is  no  necessity  for  untruthful  historical 
picture  representations.  The  historian  has  given  the 
facts  of  American  history  with  sufficient  exactness  to 
prevent  the  artist  making  any  mistakes,  provided  the 
artist  has  sought  for  truth. 

The  nation's  history  is  replete  with  fine  subjects  for 
the  artist's  genius.  The  romance  of  situations  involved 
in  the  discovery  by  Columbus,  the  settlements  in  Vir- 
ginia, and  the  darings  and  sufferings  of  the  Pilgrim 
Fathers  on  the  wild  coast  of  Massachusetts,  the  strug- 
gles of  the  Revolution,  the  Rebellion — opening  the  flood- 
gates of  rich  battle  compositions  of  every  nature,  from 
the  merest  skirmish  to  the  gigantic  proportions  of  the 
Gettysburg  fight — all  give  a  marvellous  fullness  of  sub- 
jects to  inspire  the  artist's  pencil  to  great  results. 

Yet,  after  all  such  deductions,  it  can  be  safely  said 
that  great  credit  is  due  to  American  art-progress  when 
we  look  at  the  fettered  condition  under  which  it  has 
been  forced  to  fight  and  struggle.  The  early  painters 
of  this  country  did  great  work,  and  in  their  own  day 
commanded  high  attention  in  Europe.  We  cannot 
ignore  the  fact  that  West,  Leslie,  Washington,  Allston, 
Copley,  Vandenlin,  Malbone,  Thomas  Cole  and  Gilbert 
Stuart  did  grand  work.  As  artists  they  lent  an  undy- 
ing glory  to  the  days  in  which  they  lived,  and  brought 
this  country  an  art-fame  of  which  every  American 
should  feel  proud.  It  is  a  fact  that  the  early  painters 
of  this  country  aspired  to  higher  achievements  in  art 
than  do  the  artists  of  the  present  day.  They  not  only 
saw  nature  in  form  and  color  with  an  acute  eye,  but 
saw,  too,  the  ideal,  and  made  the  effort  to  combine 
both,  thereby  demonstrating  higher  conditions  of 
thought  as  well  as  a  higher  expression  of  art-effects. 
The  works  of  Allston,  West,  Trumbull  and  Cole  are 
positive  evidences  of  these  facts.  For,  while  they 
painted  histories  and  ideals,  their  paintings  exalted 
them  as  historical  figures  in  the  art-history  of  their 
own  country.  It  is  the  grandeur  of  thoughts  that 
make  great  men,  and  it  is  only  great  men  that  can 
make  a  nation's  history  worth  consideration. 
Ai.i.sn>s,\  '-Dead  Man  Revived,"  "  Belshaz/.ar's 
Feast,"  "The  Bloody  Hand,"  and  "  Uriel  in  the  Sun," 
arc  works  of  art  equal  to  the  best  productions  of  any 
of  his  contemporaneous  Kuropean  artists.  He  was  also 
a  poet  of  high  ability  ;  his  "  Paint -King,"  and  his 
"Lines  to  the  Genius  of  Kdmund  Kean,"  are  among 
the  best  efforts  of  English  poetry.  Col.  John  Tin  M- 
1:1  i.i.  h;is  enriched  his  country  with  art-treasures  in  his 
battle-pictures  of  the  American  Revolution,  that  should 
be  valued  not  only  as  painted  history,  but  also  as  works 
of  art  emanating  from  an  American  hand  that  was 


highly  respected  in  England  and  France.    His  "  Deat 
of  Montgomery,"  "  Death  of  Wolfe,"  and  "  Sortie  , 
Gibraltar,"  as  battle  compositions,  must  ever  rank  wit 
the  best  works  by  the  artists  of  any  nation.  Thom.\ 
Coi.e  stands  alone  as  the  poetic  landscape  painter.  H 
"  Voyage  of  Life  "  is  a  poem — an  ideal  of  a  his; 
character — pictures  that  tell  their  enchanting  story  i 
forms  and  colors  as  strongly  as  the  verses  of  Bvron  ( 
Longfellow  through  the  medium  of  words.   Cole's  pi. 
tares  create  thoughts  in  the  beholder  as  soon  as  the  eve 
take  them  in.    Then-  power  over  the  mind  in  form  an 
color  is  even  stronger  than  words  ;  they  grasp  the  ej 
and  ignite  the  brain  with  thoughts  of  our  own,  add, 
to  those  suggested  by  the  artist.    That  writer  or  arti: 
is  the  best  who  makes  us  think  the  most — who  mak. 
us  have  two  thoughts  of  our  own  to  the  one  he  p?< 
us.   It  is  the  unwritten  thoughts  between  the  tliou<:li 
that  Shakespeare  wrote  that  make  his  genius  incoapa 
able.    And  the  pleasure  we  have  in  seeing  or  readin 
lies  in  the  sensation-nerves  of  our  own  brain  which  ai 
brought   into   action  by  the  suggestions  of  othei 
Cole's  "Voyage  of  Life"  and  "  Course  of  Empire''  a 
full   of  these   suggestions,   and   are  painted  Bpi< 
In  speaking  of  Malisone,  the  American  miniatu 
painter,  we  feel  as  if   our  ink  should  he  dew  e 
tracted  from  the  leaves  of  roses,  and  our  pen  as  so 
and  delicate  as  the  brush  with  which  he  so  exquisite 
touched  the  ivory.    The  writer  of  these  words  h 
had  the  honor  of  holding  in  his  own  hands  Malho.m 
glorious  miniature  entitled,   "  The   Hours ;  or,  tl 
Past,  the  Present,  and  the  Future."     He  saw  it  in  tl 
possession  of  old  Mrs.  Whitehorne,  the  sister  of  M. 
bone,  at  Newport,  R.  I.    The  composition  represent) 
three  lovely  female  figures  in  one  group — Girlhoi 
full  of  joy  and  expectation  ;   Womanhood  (the  cent 
figure),  full  of  dignified  pride  and  satisfaction  ;  whi 
the  third  figure,  expressing  the  approach  of  Ap 
formed  a  composition  replete  with  grave  and  detp  h 
man  thought.    The  faces  of  the  three  figures  wt 
luminous  with  feeling,  and  the  harmony  of  colors  tli 
pervaded  the  picture  was  like  a  sweet  melody  prod 
cing  a  repose  and   restfulness  seldom  produced  ' 
pictorial  effects. 

The  touchings  of  the  brush  in  the  execution  of  (' 
work  are  marvellously  beautiful,  and  make  OM  f« 
while  viewii  g  the  picture,  that  it  was  executed  byf»i 
fingers. 

Benjamin  West,  the  American  artist,  told  Mr.  Mo 
roe  (afterwards  President  of  the  United  States),  «i 
in  Europe,  that  he  had  seen  a  picture,  "The  Hour* 
by  a  young  gentleman  of  the  name  of  Malbone,  wbu 
no  artist  in  England  could  excel.  This  was  true.  " 
the  picture,  as  a  miniature  on  ivory,  stands  t<>  d 
equaled.1* 

•  Some  unknown  hand,  inspired  l>v  thin  exquisite  art  wurk.or' 
the  following  linen,  that  were  extensively  copied  nt  the  time 
Whoe'or  heheld  thy  '"<»'>'  Hours, 

And  oould  unfalt  their  henutleK  wee. 
The  mind  In  his  where  darkness  loweri. 
And  Ills  the  heart  that  mine  should  Uee. 


ART  HISTORY. 


1139 


This  young  American  genius  of  art,  giving  too  close 
1  application  to  his  inspiring  profession,  sickened  and 
ed  at  the  age  of  thirty-two  years. 
Stuart,  Trumbull,  Elliott,  and  George  A.  Baker 
ive  not  been  excelled  as  portrait  painters. 
With  these  facts  looking  us  in  the  face,  it  will  not 
to  say  that  the  American  people  are  not  naturally 
sposed  to  art-culture,  or  have  not  those  sensbilities 
at  are  necessary  to  make  a  nation  celebrated  in  art 
itters.  We  have  evidences  to  the  contrary  in  every 
i  partment  of  art,  and  in  no  one  has  this  been  more 
i  lpathically  demonstrated  than  in  the  wonderful  im- 
ovement  made  in  this  country  in  wood-engraving. 
;  rise  and  progress  knew  no  bounds  until  it  absolute- 
]  leaped  into  a  new  style  of  wood-engraving  that  ex- 
1  esses  in  touch  and  effects  everything  that  can  be  ex- 
acted in  black  and  white,  and  surpasses  anything  of 
1 ;  kind  done  in  Europe.  Our  illustrated  magazines 
1  ve  more  value  given  to  them  through  the  wood-en- 
pvings  that  adorn  their  pages  than  is  contributed  to 
t?m  by  any  of  their  writers.  Harper's  and  the 
NTi  uY  magazines  are  almost  galleries  of  art-gems, 
have  became  valuable  as  art-collections.  The  rea- 
si  for  this  vast  improvement  in  this  department  of 
;i  arises  from  the  taste  of  the  American  people  for  il- 
1  trated  works.  The  engraver  becomes  valuable  to 
t ;  publisher;  he  is  in  demand,  and  the  artist  strug- 
c  s  to  reach  a  higher  standard  of  excellence,  that  he 
ny  reach  a  higher  standard  of  pay,  and  so  long  as  this 
il  position  lasts,  so  will  wood-engraving  keep  on  im- 
paing,  if  it  is  possible  to  improve  any  more.  Every- 
t.  ng  must  be  fostered  that  it  may  improve,  and  when 
t  Government  of  the  United  States  wakes  up  to  the 
r'lization  that  an  artist  means  something  much  more 
ti  n  a  carpenter,  a  bricklayer,  a  stone-cutter,  who 
p  s  up  its  public  buildings,  it  will  discover  that  even 
a  emocratic-republican  form  of  government  can  add 
n  only  to  the  happiness  of  its  people,  but  to  the 
g  ry  of  the  nation.  The  affected  disregard  or  con- 
tupt  for  the  paternal  influence  which  should  be  ex- 
cised over  the  morals  and  the  art-fostering  of  the 
1  pie  is  an  insult  to  ordinary  intelligence,  and  ob- 
v  asly  unworthy  of  the  characteristics  and  policy  of 
i  ghly  civilized  nation. 

fas  the  fact  that  the  governments  of  England, 
F  nee  and  Germany  having  patronized  art  made 
m  people  of  those  nations  any  worse  ?— and  has 
u<  the  fact  of  their  governments  having  fostered  the 
u  made  the  people  happier,  and  the  nations  greater 
intellectual  achievements? 


May  memory  to  thy  mind  present 
The  past  with  gentle,  placid  mien. 

When  Hope,  prophetic  spirit  sent. 
Waving  her  golden  hair,  was  seen. 

And  may  thy  present  hours  be  bright 
As  the  fair  angel  smilitig  there; 

Without  a  cloud  to  dim  their  light- 
Without  a  thought  that  sets  in  care. 

But  for  the  future— Oh  !  may  they 
Be  crown'd  w  ith  bliss,  health,  and  fame  ! 

And  may  this  little,  humble  lay 
Be  lost  'midst  songs  that  sound  thy  name. 


When  the  representatives  of  the  people  at  Washing- 
ton are  made  to  see  something  more  than  "  river  and 
harbor"  improvements,  and  are  sufficiently  developed 
to  estimate  the  difference  of  importance  between  the 
work  of  a  carpenter  and  of  an  artist,  they  will  then 
discover  that  there  is  something  in  art  that  is  worth 
the  care  of  the  government,  and  that  such  care  cannot 
in  the  least  impair  the  dignity  of  the  government,  or 
jeopardize  "  democratic-republican  institutions."  Let 
our  government  make  an  occasional  appropriation 
from  its  overflowing  coffers  for  the  encouragement  of 
art.  Let  awards  be  offered  for  national  historical 
pictures.  The  appropriation  of  one  hundred  thousand 
dollars  would  place  upon  the  walls  of  the  Capitol's 
Rotunda  at  least  four  pictures  worthy  of  art-fame. 

In  1850,  the  few  artists  that  resided  in  Brooklyn 
felt  that  something  should  be  done  by  organization  to 
uphold  and  advance  a  taste  for  art  in  the  rapidly  grow- 
ing city.  Among  the  Brooklyn  artists  of  those  days 
stood  prominently  Mr.  Thomas  Thompson,  the  marine 
painter,  and  at  that  period  among  the  best  in  the 
country.  Mr.  Thompson  was  born  in  London,  Eng- 
land, March  25,  1776.  He  came  to  the  United  States 
in  1817.  For  several  years  he  resided  in  Baltimore, 
and  had  his  studio  on  Lexington  street.  In  1830,  he 
came  to  New  York  City,  was  highly  esteemed  by  his 
brother  artists,  and  was  for  many  years  a  member  of 
the  New  York  Academy  of  Design.  His  marine  pic- 
tures were  frequently  on  exhibition  at  the  New  York, 
Philadelphia  and  Boston  Academies.  In  1840,  he 
moved  to  Brooklyn,  where  he  remained  until  his  death, 
November  15,  1852.  In  1818,  while  a  resident  of 
Baltimore,  he  was  commissioned  by  a  gentleman  of 
that  city  to  paint  a  view  of  New  York  Harbor. 
Among  his  later  works,  the  writer  has  seen  two  oblong 
pictures  representing  the  Battery,  and  taking  in  an 
extended  view  of  Governor's  Island  and  the  bay, 
crowded  with  all  kinds  of  ships  and  water-craft,  as 
was  the  case  before  the  introduction  of  so  much  steam 
navigation.  These  pictures  are  valuable  both  as  to  the 
condition  of  things  at  that  time  and  as  works  of  art. 

At  the  time  Mr.  Thompson  was  resident  of  Brook- 
lyn, a  Mr.  Haskins  was  the  teacher  of  drawing  and 
painting  in  the  Graham  Art  School,  in  the  Brooklyn 
Institute.  This  gentleman,  feeling  that  something 
must  be  done  to  advance  art  taste,  and  to  find  a  mart 
for  the  sale  of  resident  artists'  works,  called  on  Mr. 
Thompson  and  suggested  the  formation  of  an  Art 
Union  in  Brooklyn,  on  the  plan  of  the  one  in  New 
York  City — the  distribution  of  pictures  by  lottery. 
Mr.  Thompson  joined  hands  with  this  gentleman,  and 
the  first  exhibition  of  the 

Brooklyn  Art  Union  was  given  in  issi  at 

283  Fulton  street,  in  the  "  Whitehouse  Building,"  now 
Loeser's  well-known  dry  goods  store.  The  exhibition 
room  was  of  good  proportions  and  had  u  sky-light  well 
adapted  to  the  purpose.     The  first  drawing  of  the 


1 140 


HISTOR  V  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


prizes  took  place  at  the  Brooklyn  Institute,  Washing" 
ton  street,  and  Walt.  "Whitman,  then  the  editor  of  a 
small  paper  called  the  Brooklyn  Freeman,  delivered 
the  address  on  the  occasion  of  the  first  distribution. 
But  the  State  authorities,  looking  upon  this  system  for 
the  encouragement  of  art  as  nothing  more  than  a 
mode  of  gambling,  enacted  a  law  forbidding  it,  and 
nothing  more  was  heard  of  the  Art  Union. 

The  G-raham  Art  School.— This  was  the  first 

art-school  Brooklyn  had.  It  took  its  name  from 
Augustus  Graham,  an  English  gentleman,  who  left  an 
amount  of  money  to  be  used  by  the  Brooklyn  Institute 
for  art-school  purposes.  The  Mr.  Haskins  above- 
mentioned  was  one  of  its  first  teachers.  This  school 
has  done  a  splendid  work  for  art-progress  in  Brooklyn, 
and  too  much  respect  cannot  be  shown  to  the  memory 
of  Mr.  Graham,  who  so  nobly  remembered  the  cause 
of  art,  which  is  so  seldom  appreciated  by  men  of 
wealth  in  their  dying  bequests  to  educational  institu- 
tions of  this  class. 

Quite  a  large  number  of  prominent  artists  have 
graduated  from  the  Graham  Art  School.  It  lias  since 
the  time  of  its  organization  given  free  art-education  to 
over  one  thousand  pupils,  males  and  females,  many  of 
whom  had  not  the  means  otherwise  to  pursue  the  pro- 
fession of  their  choice.  The  reader  will  find  as  he 
follows  this  sketch  through  to  the  end,  that  a  fuller 
history  of  the  Graham  Art  School  will  be  given  in 
connection  with  other  art  events  in  Brooklyn. 

The  Sketch  Club.— The  next  important  move 
in  art-matters  of  Brooklyn  was  the  formation  of  "The 
Sketch  Club,"  which  took  place  in  1857.  Its  first 
meeting  was  held  in  the  Dodworth  Building,  137  Mon- 
tague street.  The  meeting  was  held  in  Mr.  ChappePs 
studio.  Mr.  F.  A.  Chapman  was  elected  president 
Among  the  members  we  find  the  names  of  the  fol- 
lowing artists:  S.  I.  Guy,  S.  Coleman,  Alonso  Chap- 
pell,  J.  G.  Brown,  John  M.  Falconer,  John  William- 
son, James  Dick,  John  A.  Parker,  George  Innis,  J. 
B.  Whittaker,  Rufus  Wright,  and  Mr.  Oertel.  The 
objects  of  this  club  were  of  a  two-fold  nature:  for 
social  purposes  and  original  compositions.  The  re- 
sults were  excellent  both  in  oil  and  water  colors. 

It  served  also  to  fraternize  the  artists,  and  called  the 
attention  of  the  public  by  their  exhibitions  to  the  fact 
that  Brooklyn  had  an  art-circle,  in  which  were  some  of 
the  most  promising  artists  in  the  country.  The  ex- 
hibitions of  this  club  were  held  in  the  artists'  studios, 
Dodworth  Building. 

Brooklyn  Art  A ssociation.— in  1859,  the 

artists  of  New  York  City  started  what,  they  termed  Off- 
,;<<; prions,  whieh  was  nothing  more  than  a  small  col- 
lection of  pictures  hung  upon  the  walls  of  the  Acad- 
emy of  Design,  and  invitations  sent  out  to  people  of 
wealth  to  inspect  the  same.  The  exhibitions  took 
place  in  the  evening.    The  artists  were  present.  In- 


troductions took  place,  and  the  artists  sold  their  pic- 
tures. In  a  commercial  point  of  view  it  was  a  success. 
This  led  Mr.  John  Williamson  to  call  a  meeting  in  his 
studio,  Dodworth  Building,  to  organize  a  similai 
social  club,  with  the  additional  feature  of  admitting 
lay  members,  believing  that  this  would  be  the  meant 
of  interesting  a  larger  outside  interest  in  art-matter- 
and  occasion  a  more  ready  sale  for  the  artists'  produe 
tions.  The  sale  was  exceedingly  limited  at  that  tiim 
in  Brooklyn. 

The  first  meeting  was  held  on  January  5tb,  1861 
The  following  artists  were  present:  F.  A.  Chapman 
J.  B.  Brown,  S.  I.  Guy,  John  M.  Falconer.  J.  A 
Parker,  E.  J.  Whitney,  P.  P.  Rider,  W.  Hepburn.  A 
Berger,  Mr.  Oertel,  Mr.  Lundy,  Mr.  Patton,  R 
Gignoux,  and  Mr.  John  J.  Ryan,  of  the  New  Tori 
Herald.  Mr.  F.  A.  Chapman  was  called  to  the  chait 
The  meeting  resulted  in  an  organization,  and  tb 
following  officers  were  elected:  President,  Mr.  R 
Gignoux;  Vice-Pres.,  J.  A.  Oertel;  Treat.,  F.  A 
Chapman;  Secretary,  John  Williamson. 

"  The  Brooklyn  Art  Association."— Tbi 

organization  had  a  distinctive  feature  of  admitting  la 
members  to  take  part  in  the  management  of  tb 
association.  Among  the  first  lay  members  ekcte 
were  Mr.  K.  S.  Mills,  Mr.  Massey,  and  Mr.  John  . 
Ryan.  The  last-named  gentleman  interested  hiniM 
with  the  directors  of  the  Brooklyn  Academy  of  Mus 
to  let  the  Art  Association  have  their  first  reception 
the  Assembly  Room  of  the  Academy,  free  of  rent. 

The  association  issued  a  circular  in  October,  1S6 
asking  for  members  at  five  dollars  a  year,  and  promisii 
three  receptions  during  the  term.  The  inemberah 
was  limited  to  two  hundred.  This  number  was  n 
filled  up  at  first,  but  after  the  first  reception,  wbi< 
took  place  in  the  Assembly  Rooms,  Academy  of  Musi 
on  Monday  evening,  February  lsth,  1861,  which  we 
off  in  magnificent  style,  assisted  as  it  was  with  t 
display  of  fioral  decorations,  music,  and  full  dress,  i 
rush  for  membership  was  so  great  that  the  associati. 
concluded  to  raise  the  fee  to  ten  dollars. 

The  exhibition  was  thrown  open  to  thepubflawi 
ten  cents  admission.  This  lasted  for  two  days,  b 
was  not  a  success,  as  the  amount  taken  in  was  l< 
than  sixty  dollars.  After  the  second  reception,  I 
exhibition  was  open  free  for  one  week,  with  a  ofcMgc 
twenty-five  cents  for  catalogues.  This  wax  aBBOUnc 
through  the  press,  and  thousands  thronged  tOfft 
pictures,  and  the  receipts  amounted  to  very  Bee 
eighty  dollars  a  day  for  catalogues.  This  was  the  li 
catalogue  of  the  kind  ever  issued  in  Brooklyn. 

The  Art  Association  was  now  fully  launched  »! 
public  favor.  The  membership  increase  d  l« 
extent  that  the  association  fell  warranted  in  extend 
the  expenses  and  grandeur  of  their  receptions  MWi 
the  occasion  of  the  next  one,  the  floor  was  placed  o 
the  parquette  of  the  auditorium,  which  was  ebgM 


ART  HISTORY. 


1141 


lecorated  for  the  occasion  with  rare  flowers,  trees 
md  shrubs,  the  whole  under  the  especial  care  of  John 
iV.  Degrauw,  president  of  the  Long  Island  Horticultural 
Society.    The  pictures  were  hung  in  the  assembly 
oom  up  stairs,  while  the  members  and  invited  guests 
iromenaded  the  auditorium  to  the  strains  of  music, 
t  made  a  scene  of  beauty  and  excitement  never  before 
witnessed  at  an  exhibition  of  pictures.    It  now  became 
he  fashionable  thing  to  be  a  member  of  the  art-recep- 
ions,  and  for  the  citizens  to  crowd  to  see  the  pictures 
t  the  free  exhibitions. 
How  much  good  this  display  of  ornament  has  done 
he  cause  of  art  in  Brooklyn,  and  how  much  benefit 
t  has  been  to  the  pockets  of  the  individual  artists,  the 
rtists  themselves  are  the  best  able  to  tell  after  the 
xperiment  of  twenty-three  years.    However,  the  Art 
issociation  went  on  with  great  success.    Several  active 
!iy  members  took  great  interest  in  the  association, 
nd  conceived  that  there  should  be  a  building  put 
p  in  Brooklyn  devoted  to  art  purposes,  and  the 
ssociation  resolved   to   erect   the   Art  Association 
luilding  that  now  stands  adjoining  the  west  end  of 
le  Academy  of  Music.    Mr.  Edward  G.  Lowber  in- 
vested himself  so  deeply  in  the  erection  of  this 
uilding  that  he  was  the  means  of   obtaining  the 
irgest    portion,   by    subscriptions,   of    the  eighty 
lousand  dollars  which  the  building  cost. 
During  the  Sanitary  Fair  in  1864,  the  Art  Associ- 
,ion  rendered  important   services  to  the  cause  of 
le  Union  by  giving  an  exhibition  of  pictures.  The 
mission  fee  was  twenty-five  cents.    They  also  gave  a 
and  reception,  which  took  place  on  February  1 7th, 
364.    By  these  two  interesting  events  they  added 
rgely  to  the  funds  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  up  to 
xnit  1864.    All  of  the  Brooklyn  artists,  and  many  of 
ie  New  York  artists,  contributed  liberally  to  the  ex- 
bitions  in  pictures  and  gold  frames,  but  many  of 
era  finding  that  they  only  occasionally  sold  a  picture, 
id  other  dissatisfaction  occurring  from  too  much  laic 
fluence  in  the  management,  left  the  association, 
i  fact,  the  artists  themselves  became  wholly  the 
condary  consideration,  and  the  control  of  the  in- 
itution  went  entirely  out  of  their  hands.    Among  the 
tists  who  contributed  the  most  largely  to  such  a 
paration  was  Mr.  John   Williamson   himself,  who 
came  unpopular  with  his  brother  artists  of  Brooklyn, 
le  at  last  resigned  from  the  association  and  removed 
New  York. 

Besides,  the  directors  of  the  Art  Association  were  so 
uch  engrossed  with  the  idea  of  a  building  for  the  as- 
ciation,  that  they  lost  sight  of  the  interest  they  should 
ve  taken  in  the  artists'  welfare  by  the  sale  of  their 
jCtures,  which  was  the  very  purpose  of  the  existence 
1  the  Art  Association,  for,  without  the  pictures,  the  in- 
i  tution  would  have  been  without  a  foundation.  Too 
Itle  interest,  also,  was  taken  in  the  formation  of  a 
ist-rate  art  school;  for  although  they  appropriated  a 


basement  floor  for  a  school,  yet,  for  the  want  of  proper 
light,  it  could  be  used  only  at  night,  and  with  a  scanty 
collection  of  casts  for  the  students  to  wTork  from.  More 
will  be  said  on  the  subject  of  the  Art  Association 
School  in  the  matter  relating  to  the  Brooklyn  Academy 
of  Design. 

After  Mr.  Gignoux  resigned  his  position  as  president, 
Mr.  E.  S.  Mills  was  elected  to  the  position.  Mr.  R. 
W.  Hubbard  succeeded  Mr.  Mills. 

At  last,  the  opportunity  offering  the  Art  Association 
for  a  better  condition  of  its  art-school,  by  the  fact  that 
the  Academy  of  Design  could  no  longer  maintain  its 
schools,  a  proposition  was  made  on  the  part  of  the  Art 
Association  to  the  Academy  to  take  their  school-rooms 
and  teach  there  free  of  rent,  and  that  out  of  the  one 
thousand  dollars  which  the  city  donated  to  the  Ai  t 
Association  for  art  instruction,  after  the  expenses  of 
light,  heat  and  cleaning,  were  deducted,  the  teachers 
should  apportion  the  residue.  To  this  effect,  papers 
were  signed  and  sealed,  and  J.  B.  Whitaker,  Rufus 
Wright  and  G.  O.  Annable  were  appointed  as  instruc- 
tors over  the  several  departments  of  the  school.  The 
school  went  along  finely  under  their  able  instruction, 
and  the  classes  became  full  to  overflowing.  But 
when  the  time  came  to  pay  the  teachers,  out  of  the  one 
thousand  dollars  given  for  the  support  of  the  Art 
School,  there  was  so  little  left  for  the  teachers,  after 
deducting  for  light  and  cleaning,  that  Mr.  Whittaker 
and  Rufus  Wright  resigned  their  positions,  and  others 
took  their  places,  consisting  of  George  O.  Annable, 
William  H.  Baker  and  Miss  Georgia  Douglas,  with 
Mr.  Annable  holding  the  position  of  principal  teacher, 
until  within  a  year  or  more  of  the  present  period.  One 
of  the  squeamish  features  of  the  directors  of  the  Brook- 
lyn Art  Association  was,  their  forbiddance  of  a  "  life 
school,"  or  drawing  from  the  nude  figure.  No  art- 
institution  with  such  cramped  ideas  can  ever  be 
much  use  to  real  art-progress.  Those  who  seek  to 
manage  art  on  such  principles  show  their  total  igno- 
rance of  the  highest  things  in  art.  They  do  not  see 
that  the  painters  and  sculptors  of  ancient  and  modern 
times  produced  their  great  works  of  art  from  their 
knowledge  of  the  human  anatomy,  and  when  the  man 
becomes  ashamed  of  the  naked  figure  for  art  or  scien- 
tific purposes,  he  should  go  further,  to  reach  a  plausible 
climax,  by  being  ashamed  of  the  God  that  made  him. 
There  is  no  language  strong  enough  to  disapprove  of 
such  affected  notions,  and,  if  real,  their  ignorance  is  only 
equaled  by  the  bigots  who  put  to  death  women  on  the 
superstition  that  they  were  witches,  on  account  of  cer- 
tain natural  marks  upon  their  breasts. 

The  Art  Association  has  just  completed  its  forty- 
seventh  exhibition,  which  was  attended  only  by  hun- 
dreds, where  it  used  to  be  attended  by  thousands. 
This  should  not  be  the  case,  nor  would  it  be,  if  the  in- 
stitution had  been  properly  managed.  The  fact 
is,  all  art-associations  should  be  managed  by  artists 


114-2 


II I STORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


only.  There  should  be  no  opposing  elements  in  the 
management  of  the  institution  in  the  fact  of  two 
classes  of  men,  the  one  having  the  right  and  the  knowl- 
edge to  manage,  while  the  other  has  only  the  means  to 
assist  in  the  upholding  of  the  institution.  Each  class 
has  its  separate  functions  to  perform,  and  each  alike 
honorable.    All  should  be  in  harmony. 

To  say  that  the  lay  members  of  the  Brooklyn  Art 
Association  have  not  been  of  great  benefit  to  art-prog- 
ress in  the  city  of  Brooklyn,  or  that  they  have  not 
done  a  great  work  in  giving  the  city  of  Brooklyn  the 
fine  building  for  art-purposes,  would  be  simple  injustice 
and  ingratitude.  The  great  trouble  lies  in  the  fact  that 
wealth  felt  itself  of  more  importance  than  art,  and  that 
artists  felt  themselves  of  more  importance  than  wealth. 
We  freely  maintain  that  there  have  been  painted  more 
great  pictures  under  the  influence  of  poverty  and  toil 
and  struggle  than  have  been  painted  under  the  affluent 
aspects  of  life.  The  man  who  wants  to  paint,  will 
paint  under  any  circumstances.  But  who  will  pretend 
to  deny  that  the  man  of  wealth  has  the  power  to  en- 
courage the  artist  in  his  work,  and  assist  art  and 
artists  to  attain  the  highest  condition  of  merit? 

It  would  not  be  just  to  close  this  sketch  of  the 
Brooklyn  Art  Association  without  alluding  to  Mr. 
Jons  M.  Falconer.  Perhaps  no  member  of  the  as- 
sociation gave  more  of  his  valuable  time,  and  none 
accomplished  more  for  the  success  of  the  institution 
than  Mr.  Falconer.  He  was  constantly  on  some  com- 
mittee, and  whether  he  was  or  not,  he  invariably  helped 
those  that  were.  During  the  Sanitary  Fair  in  18G4,  Mr. 
Falconer  got  up  the  first  exhibition  of  engravings  that 
was  held  in  the  United  States.  The  collection  was  a 
large  one,  and  represented  the  best  specimens  of  the 
difficult  art.  Henry  Ward  Beecher,  Charles  Burt,  the 
celebrated  engraver,  and  Professor  West,  of  the  Brook- 
lyn Heights  Seminary,  contributed  largely  to  the  col- 
lection of  engravings.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Farley  made  an 
able  report  on  the  exhibition. 

Mr.  Falconer  has  interested  himself  for  many  years 
in  making  sketches  in  oil  and  water  colors,  of  the  noted 
landmarks  of  the  Revolution  that  lie  within  Kings 
County  and  on  Long  Island  at  large.  His  pictures  are 
remarkable  for  truthful  representations.  His  color  is 
always  good,  and  the  details  admirable.  To  the  histo- 
rian, these  pictures  must  prove  of  great  value.  Those 
that  attracted  our  attention  the  most  are  the  views  of 
the  old  Cortelyou  House  on  Gowanus  Road,  built  in 
lOO'.i;  the  Payne  Homestead  at  Fast  Hampton,  L.  I., 
exterior  and  interior  views;  the  Old  House  in  Prospect 
Park,  Brooklyn,  that  stood  near  the  old  Long  Island 
baffle-ground;  and  the  Old  Tavern  in  l'l.it  bu>h  Avenue. 
Mr.  Falconer  has  produced  etchings  of  many  of  these 
places.  He  is  a  member  of  the  London  Etchers'  Club, 
among  whom  his  etchings  are  highly  valued.  Mr. 
I  'al  onei  is  a  Scotchman  by  birth,  has  been  in  this 
country  many  years,  and  i»  a  resident  of  Brooklyn. 

.Mr.  Jons  A.  I'akkkh  was  another  devoted  servant 


to  the  success  of  the  Art  Association.  For  manv  years 
he  served  on  the  Hangers'  Committee,  and,  had  it  not 
been  for  his  just  and  determined  spirit  many  a  fine  work 
of  art  would  have  been  hung  in  some  dark  corner  or 
out-of-the-way  place  in  the  exhibition,  that  justly  found 
a  place  on  the  line.  It  is  only  just  and  right  to  state 
that  there  were  various  other  members  of  the  Brooklvn 
Art  Association  who  did  much  hard  work,  and  assisted 
materially  in  advancing  the  success  of  this  institution, 
and  only  the  fact  of  the  want  of  proper  space  prevent- 
further  detail. 

On  March  11th,  1S72,  the  Brooklyn  Art  Ac- 
tion, on  the  occasion  of  the  twenty-fourth  reception, 
gave  to  the  public  an  exhibition  that  will  ever  redound 
to  its  great  credit.  This  exhibition  consisted  of  the 
finest  collection  of  works  of  art  by  American  artists,  in 
chronological  order,  that  had  ever  been  brought 
together,  and  more  than  is  likely  ever  again  to  be 
accomplished  to  so  complete  an  extent.  Any  lover  of 
art  who  took  an  interest  in  the  art-achievements  of  this 
country,  and  saw  this  exhibition,  was  fortunate,  and 
should  ever  feel  indebted  to  the  Brooklyn  Art  Associa- 
tion. It  is  here  proper  to  give  the  names  of  the  most 
prominent  of  the  past  artists  who  were  represented  on 
this  occasion,  many  of  whom  had  long  since  washed 
their  brushes  for  the  last  time,  and  many  who  wen 
fast  trudging  down  the  slope  of  life  that  leads  to  when 
shadows  fall  from  graves.* 

*  Washington  Allston,  Thomas  Colo,  John  G.  Copley,  Vanderlyn,  A 
1).  Durand,  Charles  Elliott,  F.  W.  Edmonds,  Jared  B.  Flaw.  J»m>- 
Frothlngham.S.  R.  Gifford,  H  P.  Gray,  G.  P.  A.  Healey,  D  Huntim: 
ton,  S.  F.  1$.  Morse,  James  Herring,  W.  W.  Hunt,  T.  Hick*.  <  (X 
Ingham,  Thomas  S.  Cummings,  Henry  Inman,  J.  W.  Jarvis.  J  K  Ken- 
sett,  C.  R.  Leslie,  E.G.  Malbone,  J.  McEntee,  George  Tunis,  w  - 
Mount,  John  N'eagle,  Hembrant  Peale,  J.  F.  Peale,  C.  W.  Peale,  A  II 
Ritchie,  P.  F.  Rothmel,  E.  Savage,  Gilbert  Stuart,  Thomas  Sully.  1 
Llsdale,  Benjamin  West,  Charles  W.  Weir,  W.  Witteredge.  A.  Wood 
side,  George  A.  Baker,  Bass  Otis,  W.  H.  Beard,  Thomas  Birch,  J.  F 
Cropsey,  and  John  Trumbull. 

The  collection  of  pictures  representing  this  last-named  gentleman '» 
art-work  was  very  complete.   It  represented  his  original  and  remark 
able  battle  pictures,  "The  Death  of  Warren  at  Bunker  Hill,"  "The 
Death  of  Montgomery  at  Quebec,"  and  also  the  Yale  College  collet 
Hon  of  miniatures  In  oil  colors  of  nearly  all  of  the  generals  of  tbt 
Revolution,  as  well  as  a  large  collection  of  other  prominent  men  B0O- 
nected  with  the  history  of  the  country,  as  follows:  -General  Nathanli  I 
Green,  1792;  Colonel  William  Hull,  1792;  Colonel  Thomas  Stevans.  17«l. 
Captain  Thomas  Seymour.  1 7 it: * :  General  John  Brooke.  Hrigadlrr 
General  Rufus  Putnam,  1780;  Colonel  Grlmke,  Major-Ueneral  KM 
1783;  Captain  Manning,  1791:  General  Richard  Butler.  1710;  General  0. 
H.  Williams.  17H0;  General  William  Moultry.  1791;  Brig  .-General  Small 
wood,  1792;  Major  Haskell,  1791:  Colonel  Morgan,  1792;  Mr-  Washing- 
ton, 1792;  Mrs.  Trumbull.  179:1;  The  Young  Sachem,  Chief  of  the  -  i 
Nations,  1792;  T.  Dalton.l'.  S.  Senator.  1792;  Theodore  Sedgwlck.il  C, 
1791;  Oliver  Kllsworth,  U.  S.  Senator,  1792;  William  Smith.  M.  I 
Jacob  Reed,  M.  C,  1788;   R.  Tzaud,  17.  S.  Senator,  1791;  Kufui  King  I 
S.  Senator,  1792;  Fisher  Ames,  M.  C.  1792;  The  Infant,  a  Cl>lef  d  tht 
Six  Nations.  1792;  John  I.angdon,  U.S.  Senator,  1792;  John  Brohn.  1 
S.  Representative,  1792;  Jonathan  Trumbull,  Speaker  of  I".  8.  Houmo! 
Representatives,  1792;  Jonathan  Trumbull,  Governor  of  OoOMOMeal 
during  the  Revolution;  Good  Peter,  a  Chief  of  the  Six  Nation' 
Dr.  L.  Hopkins,  of  Hartford,  Conn  ,  poet  and  physician.  1793;  J"l>n 
Trumbull,  author  of  "McFlngal,"  1791;  L.  Llvormore,  I'.  S.  Seoal.  r 
1791;  Arthur  Lee.  1790;  Judge  Rutledge,  1791;  Thomas  PfakMI 
Charles  C.  Plckney.  1791;  Judge  E.  Benson,  1782;  MaJoMHneral 
I'hlllpx   S.  hmler.    I.  '.'.    Ilarrlel    Wadsworth.    1791;   Kaltta  Trumbull 

1791;    Catherine    Wadsworth,    1792;   Julia  Sey  r,    1792;  Kleanor 

Curtis.    1792,   Cornelius   Schuyler,   1792;   Sophia  Cbew,  171ft 
rlet  Chew,   I71U;   Henry    Lauren*.  President  of  Congren"  I"'1 
Jay,  Chief  Justice  IT.  S.,  1793;  John  Adams,  Vlce-Prwldent  \. 
8.,  1792;    George  Hammond,    Minister    from    Great    Britain.  I7«. 


ART  HISTORY. 


1143 


The  Brooklyn  Academy  of  Design —in 

the  preceding  sketch  of  the  Brooklyn  Art  Association 
we  mentioned  a  meeting  called  by  Mr.  Williamson, 
held  at  his  studio  on  January  5th,  1861,  and  resulting 
in  the  formation  of  the  "  Art  Association."  The 
great  majority  of  the  artists  of  Brooklyn  became 
members  thereof,  but,  after  a  few  years,  many  of  the 
artists  became  much  dissatisfied  with  the  management, 
for  the  reason  that  the  lay  members  were  usurping 
their  rights.  In  December,  1866,  Alonzo  Chappell, 
F.  A.  Chapman,  Rufus  Wright,  George  Hall,  II.  Car- 
mienke  and  P.  P.  Ryder  issued  a  call  for  a  meeting  to 
be  held  at  the  studio  of  Mr.  Carmienke,  Dod  worth's 
Building,  to  take  these  matters  into  consideration,  and 
to  form  another  association,  to  be  controlled  by  artists 
only.  The  following  artists  were  present  : — William 
Hart,  A.  H.  Ritchie,  A.  Chappell,  H.  Carmienke, 
Gabriel  Harrison,  Rufus  Wright,  P.  P.  Ryder,  G.  R. 
Hall,  J.  C.  Piatt,  W.  M.  Brown,  G.  O.  Annable,  J.  G. 
Brown,  F.  A.  Chapman,  W.  Hepburn,  S.  I.  Guy,  A. 
Berger,  A.  Lumley,  A.  Fisher,  C.  Sherman,  S.  Wal- 
len,  G.  Ward,  E..T.  Whitney,  J.  B.  Whittaker,  and 
C.  H.  Smith.  This  was  the  largest  meeting  of  artists 
that  had  been  held  in  Brooklyn.  William  Hart  was 
requested  to  take  the  chair.  Alonzo  Chappell  then 
stated  that  "  the  object  of  the  meeting  was  to  form  an 
art-association  to  be  entirely  controlled  by  artists,  and 
for  the  one  purpose  of  art-improvement,  by  the  forma- 
tion of  an  Academy  of  Design,  with  its  several  schools, 
for  the  improvement  of  the  artists,  and  free  instruc- 
tion of  the  youth  of  Brooklyn."  Mr.  Chappell's  re- 
marks were  received  with  warm  approbation.  Rufus 
Wright,  Mr.  Carmienke,  and  Gabriel  Harrison  sus- 
tained Mr.  Chappell.  Mr.  Harrison  hoped  that  if  the 
free  school  of  the  academy  were  organized,  it  would 
admit  the  female  portion  of  the  community  as  well  as 
the  males.  Immediate  organization  was  proposed,  and 
the  election  of  the  following  officers  took  place  :  Wil- 
liam Hart,  President;  Alonzo  Chappell,  Vice-Presi- 
dent ;  A.  H.  Ritchie,  Treasurer ;  J.  B.  Whittaker,  Re- 
cording Secretary  ;  Gabriel  Harrison,  Corresponding 
Secretary.  Several  commitees  were  then  appointed  to 
take  into  consideration  the  principles  that  should 
guide  the  academy  schools,  &c,  &c.  J.  B.  Whittaker, 
A.  H.  Ritchie,  and  Rufus  Wright  were  appointed  on 
the  school,  and  Gabriel  Harrison  and  Rufus  Wright  to 
find  rooms  for  the  academy. 

On  January  14th,  1867,  rooms  were  secured  in  the 
llalsey  Buildings,  on  Fulton  street,  opposite  the  City 
Hall.  Thirty-three  artists  interested  themselves,  and 
iby  their  efforts  and  donations  nearly  three  hundred 
dollars  were  raised  within  a  month  for  academy  pur 

Temple  Franklin,  grandson  of  Dr.  Franklin,  1701 ;  Judge  Oakley. 
1827;  Henry  Dwight,  M.  C,  1827 ;  John  C.  Calhoun,  Vice-President  of  U. 
3.,  1827;  Dr.  Allen,  1827;  Dr.  B.  T.  Ogden,  1827;  portrait  of  Colonel 
Trumbull,  belonging  to  Mrs.  D.  T.  Lanman  ;  Colonel  Trumbull's  two 
daughters,  do.,  and  a  miniature  of  General  George  Washington,  once 
belongtngto  Governor  Barbour  of  Virginia,  sold  December  23d,  1863,  at 
the  Wolf  sale,  and  now  the  property  of  Mr.  J.  T.  Sanford, 


poses.  The  schools  were  opened  with  some  forty 
scholars — eleven  young  ladies  being  among  the  num- 
ber. J.  B.  Whittaker,  Rufus  Wright  and  F.  A.  Chap- 
man were  appointed  teachers,  all  capable  to  the  high- 
est degree,  and  most  industriously  attended  to  the  ad- 
vancement of  the  pupils.  The  average  attendance  for 
the  first  season  was  sixty-two,  of  which  number  twenty- 
two  were  ladies.  All  the  expenses  of  the  school  were 
paid  by  the  artists  themselves,  among  whom  none 
was  more  liberal  than  A.  H.  Ritchie. 

The  importance  of  the  art-work  done  by  the  pupils 
and  the  members  of  the  Academy  of  Design  cannot  be 
over-estimated,  and  the  unselfish  motives  of  the  artists, 
in  doing  the  work  of  teaching,  stand  unequaled  in 
the  history  of  art.  Five  nights  in  the  week  the 
schools  were  kept  open,  fom  8  to  10  o'clock,  and  prizes 
of  considerable  value,  for  emulation  among  the  pupils, 
were  offered.  The  results  of  the  first  season's  teaching 
gave  remarkable  evidences  of  talent  and  industry  on 
the  part  both  of  the  pupils  and  teachers. 

The  academy  remained  in  the  Halsey  Building 
until  the  Graham  Art  School,  at  the  Brooklyn  Insti- 
tute, in  Washington  street,  refitted  their  rooms,  when 
it  was  proposed  by  said  institute  that  they  would 
furnish  the  Academy  of  Design  with  a  suite  of  rooms, 
free  of  rent,  if  they  would  take  charge  of  the  Graham 
Art  School  teaching,  free  of  cost.  This  handsome 
offer  was  cordially  accepted.  The  rooms  were  well 
adapted  for  the  purpose.  The  Graham  Art  School  had 
quite  a  collection  of  casts,  to  which  were  added  those 
of  the  Academy  of  Design.  The  two  combined  made  a 
respectable  show  for  the  round  and  antique  class. 

The  season  of  1868  opened  with  a  crowded  school. 
Here  the  academy  established  a  "  life-school " — the 
most  neglected  branch  of  study  in  this  country.  The 
life-school  to  the  figure  artists  is  of  as  much  import- 
ance as  is  the  dead  body  to  the  anatomist  for  the  studies 
of  his  science;  and  this  youthful  academy,  soon  feeling 
the  strength  of  a  giant,  projected  public  lectures  in  the 
large  hall  of  the  institute,  the  first  of  which  was  deliv- 
ered by  James  Fairman.  His  subject  was  :  "  The  ^Es- 
thetics of  Art."  The  second  lecture  was  delivered  by 
Nelson  Macdonald,  on  "  The  Fine  Arts  of  the  Ancient 
Egyptians."  The  third  lecture  was  by  Caleb  Lyons 
on  "Paul  Delarache."  Others  were  given,  all  of  which 
cost  money,  but  produced  none.  This  with  other  mat- 
ters brought  the  academy  into  debt,  and  next  fall, 
when  about  to  organize  for  the  winter  campaign,  mat- 
ters wore  a  gloomy  aspect.  The  majority  of  the  mem- 
bers had  already  put  their  hands  into  their  pockets  as 
deep  as  they  dared  to  go  in  justice  to  their  families. 
William  Hart,  the  president,  felt  the  gloom  of 
despondency,  called  a  meeting  of  the  Academy,  and 
offered  a  resolution  to  adjourn  sine  die.  This  resolu- 
tion would  have  passed,  had  it  not  been  for  the  elo- 
quent and  earnest  pleading  of  Gabriel  Harrison,  who 
proposed  one  more  assessment  of  the  members  to  an 
amount  sufficient  to  satisfy  a  few  creditors,  and  sug- 


1  1  14 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


gested  means  for  loosing  the  meshes  of  deht  which  over- 
hung the  academy.  Mr.  Harrison  and  Mr.  Balling, 
who  had  warmly  seconded  his  views,  were  appointed  a 
committee  to  arrange  for  a  concert,  and  a  subscription 
was  raised  by  the  members  to  meet  the  immediate  lia- 
bilities of  the  school.  Previous,  however,  to  the  con- 
cert, the  Academy,  at  its  annual  election,  January  18th, 
1869,  elected  the  following  officers: — President,  George 
Innis,  Esq.;  first  vice-president,  Alonzo  Chappel; 
second  vice-president,  Lemuel  Wilmarth;  recording 
secretary,  J.  B.  Whittaker;  corresponding  secretary, 
Gabriel  Harrison;  treasurer,  E.  D.  Plympton;  coun- 
cil—F.  A.  Chapman,  P.  P.  Ryder,  W.  Hepburn,  H. 
Hailing,  A.  Bergen;  hanging  committee — William 
Hart,  Rufus  "Wright,  and  W.  H.  Snyder. 

The  Graham  Academy  and  Art  School  classes 
were  under  the  instructions  of  William  Hart,  J.  B. 
Whittaker  and  Rufus  Wright.  The  Elementary  class 
had  103  students  on  the  roll;  average  attendance,  78. 
Architecture,  under  I.  T.  Rhue,  number  of  students  on 
the  roll,  20;  average  attendance,  16.  The  Academy 
classes,  Antique,  under  L.  Wilmarth,  number  of  stu- 
dents on  the  roll,  56;  average  attendance,  38;  one 
half  the  students  being  young  ladies.  The  Nude  Art 
School  had  18  students,  average  attendance,  15.  A  total 
of  107  pupils  who  were  receiving  free  art-education — 
a  showing  that  stands  unequaled  in  the  history  of  any 
other  art-institution  in  the  United  States,  and  is  not 
likely  to  be  equaled  again. 

Mr.  Harrison  carried  out  his  promise  with  the  con- 
cert, which  took  place  at  the  Brooklyn  Academy  of 
Music,  on  the  12th  of  February,  1869.  The  following 
ladies  and  gentlemen  volunteered  their  services:  Ole 
Bull,  S.  B.  Mills,  F.  Steins,  and  Miss  Agatha  Statts, 
and  the  Brooklyn  Amateur  Philharmonic  Society. 
The  Rev.  Henry  Ward  Beecher  made  an  address,  re- 
lating to  the  noble  work  done  by  the  Brooklyn  Acad- 
emy of  Design,  and  the  importance  of  art-culture  to  the 
moral  condition  of  society. 

The  back  of  the  stage  was  occupied  by  an  allegorical 
picture — the  figures  colossal — representing  Music  sus- 
taining Art,  designed  and  painted  by  Gabriel  Harri- 
son and  Alonzo  ChappelL  In  one  of  the  proscenium 
boxes  sat  Admiral  Farragut,  who  was  received  with 
marked  attention.  The  result  of  the  concert  placed 
over  hi  in-  hiumlrnl  dollars  in  the  treasury  of  the  Acad- 
emy of  Design. 

Tlir  increase  of  pupils  had  now  gone  far  beyond  the 
capacity  of  the  rooms  allotted  by  the  Institute,  and 
about  this  time  a  misunderstanding  occurring  between 
the  directors  of  the  institute  and  the  officers  of  the 
academy,  led  to  the  removal  of  the  latter  institution  to 
<itlier  quarters,  which  were  found  in  the  Hamilton 
Building,  corner  of  ( 'ourt  and  Joralemon  streets,  where, 
1>\  (ial)iiel  Harrison's  successful  intercession  with  Mr. 
A.  A.  Low,  the  proprietor,  they  were  secured  at  half 
the  usual  rent.     The  main  room  was  twenty-five  by 


sixty  feet  in  size,  with  plenty  of  light  for  day-schools; 
there  were  two  other  rooms,  one  of  which  answered 
for  council  chambers.  Admirable  arrangements  of  eras- 
lights  were  put  up  for  night-classes.  Mr.  E.  D. 
Plympton,  the  treasurer,  who  took  great  interest  in  the 
Academy  of  Design,  presented  the  academy  with  a  full 
suite  of  furniture  for  the  council  chamber.  All  things 
in  readiness,  the  school  opened  on  the  29th  November, 
with  128  applicants,  of  which  number  only  110  could 
be  received  for  want  of  room. 

At  the  annual  election,  January  29th,  Mr.  A.  II. 
Ritchie  was  elected  president,  while  the  rest  of  the  offi- 
cers stood  the  same  as  the  year  previous.  The  school 
gained  additional  glory  this  season  by  the  wonderful 
results  of  its  pupils.  The  fame  of  the  management  of 
the  academy-schools  extended  to  the  New  York  Acad- 
emy  of  Design,  from  which  a  committee  waited  on  tin- 
Brooklyn  Academy  to  see  and  inquire  into  its  working* 
So  well  pleased  was  this  committee  that  they  not  only 
adopted  many  of  the  principles  of  the  teaching  system, 
but  asked  the  privilege  of  inviting  Mr.  Wilmarth.  one 
of  the  teachers,  to  take  a  class  in  the  New  York  Acad 
eray,  at  a  handsome  salary,  which  was  granted  in  justice 
to  the  gentleman,  as  none  of  the  teachers  were  receiv- 
ing the  least  pay  for  the  extremely  hard  work  they  did 
in  the  Brooklyn  Academy. 

The  season  of  1872  found  the  members  of  the 
academy  ready  and  willing  to  work,  but  the  want 
of  means  to  carry  on  the  schools  again  looked 
them  in  the  face.  New  assessments  were  proposed,  but 
the  members  could  no  longer  stand  the  burden;  besides, 
the  vast  expenditure  of  brains  and  physical  labor  re- 
quired from  the  teachers  for  the  average  attendance  I 
a  hundred  pupils,  five  nights  a  week,  from  November 
to  May,  began  to  weary  the  teachers,  and  especially  - 
when  considering  that  they  received  no  pay.  J.  B. 
Whittaker  and  Rufus  Wright  were  martyrs  to  art -edu- 
cation. It  was  suggested  that  the  city  be  asked  to  give 
the  school  $1,000  per  annum,  a  portion  of  which 
should  be  paid  to  the  three  teachers.  The  Art  Ass»- 
ciation,  hearing  of  this  application,  put  in  a  similar  ap- 
plication, though  at  the  time  it  had  no  schools,  an<l 
from  the  fact  of  their  having  a  building,  and  a  strong 
influence  to  back  the  application,  obtained  it  Thi- 
left  the  academy  out  in  the  cold.  This  caused  some 
bitterness  of  feeling  between  the  two  art -associations 
which  finally  led  to  the  following  understanding':  tn;U 
the  Academy  of  Design  should  hold  its  art- schools  in 
the  basement  of  the  Art  Association,  and  that  the 
schools  known  as  the  Free  Schools  of  Brooklyn  Acad- 
emy of  Design,  and  of  the  Brooklyn  Art  Association 
should  be  under  the  government  and  control  of  Ibe 
academy;  that  the  necessary  accommodation,  light, 
heat,  and  attendance  of  janitor,  with  facilities  for  toe 
meetings  of  the  academy,  be  also  furnished  by  the  ml 
Association;  that  of  the  *l,ooo  received  from  th< 
city  a  portion  should  be  divided  among  the  Hw 


ARTIST  BIOGRAPHIES. 


1145 


teachers,  etc. ;  the  statuary,  fixtures  and  property  of  the 
Academy  of  Design  to  be  used  in  the  schools. 

So  the  Academy  of  Design  merged  into,  and  died  an 
easy  death  in  the  arms  of,  the  Art  Association.  But 
with  this  died  the  finest  art-school  that  had  ever  been 
organized  in  America.  Many  of  the  best  members 
of  the  Academy  looked  upon  the  transaction  with 
much  disfavor,  and  quietly  withdrew  from  all  public 
art-interest  in  Brooklyn.  The  schools  were  taken  to 
the  Art  Association  with  less  than  half  of  the  number 
of  pupils  that  attended  the  Academy.  Mr.  William 
Hart,  the  ex-president  of  the  Academy,  was  placed  on 
the  council  of  the  Art  Association,  but  this  appeared 
useless,  as  the  majority  of  the  members  of  the  acad- 
emy saw  that  eventually  all  control  would  fall  into  the 
hands  of  the  lay  members  of  the  Art  Association,  and 
it  did.  Mr.  Whittaker,  Rufus  Wright,  and  George  0. 
Amiable  were  appointed  teachers.  But  when  the  ap- 
portionment of  the  thousand  dollars,  which  was  to 
have  been  paid  to  the  teachers,  after  the  deduction  for 
heat,  light,  &c,  &c,  was  made,  the  amount  was  so 
small  that  Mr.  Whittaker  and  Mr.  Wright  resigned 
their  positions.  The  collection  of  casts  belonging  to 
the  Academy  of  Design  was  finally  sold  to  the  Brooklyn 
Adelphi  Academy,  where  Professor  P.  T.  Boyle 
organized  an  art-department,  and  for  several  years  in- 
structed with  great  success.  So  perished  the  Brooklyn 
Academy  of  Design.  If  the  artists  themselves  had 
been  true  to  those  professional  principles  which  alone 
can  make  a  professional  organization  successful,  the 
Academy  of  Design  would  have  accomplished  all  that 
could  have  been  wished  for.  The  layman  never  can 
understand  the  necessities  of  the  professional  man. 
The  layman  can  give  noble  assistance  with  his  means, 
and  help  to  build  up  an  institution  to  a  success,  but  the 
professional  man  must  be  the  brains  and  the  genius  of 
the  institution,  if  great  professional  results  are  desired. 


Other  Art  Clubs.— In  writing  this  brief  history 
of  art  in  Brooklyn,  it  has  been  the  object  to  mention 
particularly  only  those  artists  and  institutions  which 
were  prominently  connected  with  art  progress  in  a  local 
sense.  Many  painters,  engravers,  and  sculptors  have 
resided  in  Brooklyn  for  many  years  who  have  not  con- 
nected themselves  with  art-matters  in  this  city. 

The  Art  Guild,  The  Rembrandt  Club,  The  Art  Stu- 
dents' League,  The  Palette  Club,  The  Brooklyn  Art 
Club,  and  The  Scratched  Club  (of  which  fuller  men- 
tion will  be  found  in  a  subsequent  chapter  of  this  work), 
are  among  the  minor  associations  that  have  been  of  use 
to  art- culture  in  Brooklyn. 

The  rooms  of  the  Brooklyn  Art  Association  have 
been  the  means  of  giving  to  Brooklyn  many  a  fine  ex- 
hibition of  pictures.  The  last  and  most  notable  of  all 
was  "The  Loan  Exhibition"  of  1884,  given  for  the 
purpose  of  obtaining  funds  for  the  base  of  the  Statue  of 
Liberty  for  the  harbor  of  New  York.  This  exhibition 
for  real  merit  was  far  in  advance  of  the  one  given  in 
the  city  of  New  York  for  the  same  purpose. 

The  city  of  Brooklyn  can  boast  of  possessing  some  of 
the  finest  foreign  pictures  in  the  United  States. 
Among  the  owners  may  be  mentioned  the  names  of 
Messrs.  Seney,  Martin  Healy,  Charles  Storrs,  Judge 
McCue,  A.  A.  Low,  H.  A.  Pierrepont,  Kenyon,  Pro- 
fessor C.  E.  West,  B.  BZ.  Smith,  Litchfield,  H.  T. 
Cox,  Dr.  Keys,  Fred  Ward,  J.  Stearns,  Alexander  For- 
man,  T.  Havemeyer,  Burt,  the  engraver,  Aaron 
Healy,  Gordon  L.  Ford,  and  many  others.  These 
gentlemen  possess  not  only  many  foreign  pictures  of 
great  merit,  but  a  large  number  of  the  best  American 
artists'  works  in  painting,  engraving,  and  statuary. 
We  doubt  whether  any  other  city  in  the  Union,  with 
the  exception  of  New  York,  can  vie  with  Brooklyn  in 
these  respects. 


AV I L  L I A  M  HAET. 


ILLIAM  HART  was  born  in  Paisley,  Renfrewshire,  Scot- 
land, March  31st,  1823,  His  parents  emigrated  to  the 
United  States  in  1831,  and  after  divers  wanderings,  settled  at 
Albany,  New  York.  William,  one  of  nine  children,  at  ten  years 
old,  was  placed  in  a  woollen  manufactory,  where  he  remained 
till  he  was  fourteen  years  old.  Then  he  was  apprenticed  to 
Eaton  &  Gilbert,  of  Troy,  N.  Y.,  coach  and  ornamental  painters. 
He  was  apt  at  the  business,  and  formed  a  desire  to  become  a 
landscape-painter,  or  an  artist  in  the  full  sense  of  the  word. 
After  serving  four  years  of  his  time,  ill-health  compelled  him  to 
seek  a  release  from  the  balance  of  his  indenture.  Free  from 
slavish  hours,  he  had  an  opportunity  to  build  up  his  health.  But 
the  desire  to  be  an  artist  still  burning  within  him,  he  fitted  up 
a  wood-shed  studio  on  "  Ida  Hill,"  and  there  commenced  portrait 
painting.  Five  dollars  was  his  price  for  head  and  shoulders. 
His  likenesses  were  good,  and  he  did  quite  a  thriving  business  ; 
securing  his  principal  support,  however,  from  the  mill  and  fac- 
ie) 


tory  hands.  After  having  saved  quite  a  little  sum  of  money,  be 
started,  in  1841,  for  Michigan,  where  he  traveled  about  for 
over  three  years  as  a  portrait  painter.  This  was  before  daguer- 
reotyping  had  found  its  way  much  beyond  the  large  cities,  and 
portrait-painting  at  low  prices  was  somewhat  in  demand  among 
the  poorer  classes.  He  was  quite  successful,  and  received  as 
high  as  $25  for  a  head,  in  the  way  of  barter,  taking  anything 
that  was  offered,  from  fruit-trees  to  clothing.  Having  accu- 
mulated three  or  four  hundred  dollars,  he  returned  to  Albany  in 
1844.  Here  he  became  acquainted  with  Dr.  J.  H.  Armsby, 
a  warm-hearted  gentleman,  and  a  great  lover  of  art,  of  whom  Mr. 
Hart  remarks  that,  "  Whatever  may  be  known  of  Dr.  Armsby's 
deeds  of  charity,  not  one-tenth  of  them  has  the  public  ear.  That 
Palmer,  the  sculptor,  Launt  Thompson,  George  Boughton, 
James  Hart,  and  many  other  artists  can  alike  testify  with  him- 
self to  the  great  encouragement  they  received  in  their  art- 
struggle."   The  first  commission  Launt  Thompson  executed  in 


1140 


marble  was  a  bust  of  Dr.  Armsby.  While  Mr.  Hart  was  painting 
in  Albany,  many  of  bis  landscapes,  which  were  exhibited  in 
New  York  City,  received  warm  commendations  from  the  pens  of 
Thurlow  Weed,  George  Jones,  of  the  Xew  York  Times,  and  Hugh 
Hastings,  of  the  Commercial  Advertiser.  This  was  the  means  of 
making  Mr.  Hart's  pictures  much  sought  after. 

During  his  residence  in  Albany,  Thomas  Cole,  the  celebrated 
landscape-painter,  called  at  his  studio,  and  his  kindly  eriti- 
cism_gave  the  young  artist  great  encouragement. 

During  the  existence  of  the  New  York  "Art  Union,"  Mr.  Hart 
found  a  ready  market  for  many  of  his  early  efforts,  which 
were  pleasing  in  design,  and  rich  in  color.  They  commanded  so 
much  attention  that  the  Art  Union  invariably  paid  him  more 
for  his  pictures  than  he  asked. 

Mr.  Hart  married  in  1847,  and  in  1849  he  revisited  his  native 
land,  Scotland,  remaining  till  1852,  and  making  many  studies 
of  Scottish  and  English  scenery.  He  also  profited  largely  by  the 
study  of  the  best  masters,  as  represented  in  the  art-galleries. 
On  his  return  home  he  took  a  studio  at  800  Broadway,  N.  Y„  re- 
mained there  till  the  Tenth  Street  Studios  were  built,  and  was 
the  first  artist  who  set  up  his  easel  in  that  somewhat  famous  art- 
building.  Twelve  years  after,  he  removed  his  studio  to  the 
Young  Men's  Christian  Association  Building,  corner  of  Twenty- 
third  streetand  Fourthavenue.  In  1855,  he  was  made  an  associate 
of  the  New  York  Academy  of  Design;  in  1857,  an  academician. 

A  large  number  of  his  early  paintings  were  views  on  the 
Hudson,  near  Albany  and  Troy.  Occasionally  he  would  try  his 
hand  at  original  composition,  and  endeavor  to  invest  his  copies 
from  nature  with  the  spirit  of  sentiment.  In  1847,  he  painted 
pictures  which  he  called  "Coming  from  the  Mill,"  and  "A  Pas- 
sing Shower."  This  latter  picture  placed  him  among  the  best 
landscape  painters  of  the  day.  In  1854,  followed  his  picture  of 
the  "Children  at  the  Spring";  in  1855,  "The  Gloaming";  and  in 
1850,  "Peace  and  Plenty."  Each  of  these  compositions  was  based 
on  actual  scenes  from  nature,  and  infused  with  much  grace  and 
sentiment. 

Mr.  Hart  is  a  property  owner,  and  has  been  a  resident  of 
Brooklyn  for  over  thirty  years.  He  has  given  much  of  his  time 
towards  building  up  art-taste  and  art-schools  in  Brooklyn.  He 
was  the  first  president  (and  for  three  years)  of  the  Brooklyn 
Academy  of  Design.  While  holding  that  position,  he  delivered  a 
lecture  to  the  students,  entitled  "The  Field  and  the  Easel." 
His  mode  of  expressing  his  knowledge  in  art  was  through  the 
medium  of  illustrations,  which  lie  made  in  the  presence  of  the 
students  with  charcoal  and  chalk.  These  illustrations  as  sub- 
jects of  art-instruction  had  occupied  his  mind  and  hand  for 
many  evenings  at  home,  and  by  them  he  gave  the  students, 
within  the  space  of  two  hours,  a  knowledge  of  landscape-effects 
in  light  and  shade,  and  form,  which  would  have  taken  them  years 
to  have  observed,  and  many  of  them  not  then,  as  the  sharp 
eyes  of  Mr.  Hart  never  let  desirable  aspects  and  effects  pass 
without  particular  attention  and  discrimination. 


Mr.  Hart  was  one  of  the  originators  of  the  "  Water  Color  So- 
ciety," and  occupied  its  presidential  chair  for  three  successive 
years.  Among  the  most  prominent  pictures  which  he  has  pro- 
duced within  the  last  ten  years,  may  be  named  "The  Octo- 
ber Afternoon,"  "Sunday  Morning,"  "The  Last  Gleam," 
"The  Coming  Storm,"  "Apple  Blossoms,"  and  "  The  Golden 
Hour.'1 

"  Apple  Blossoms  "is  a  landscape  on  a  moderate-sized  canvas, 
representing  an  apple-orchard  in  full  bloom.  Nothing  but 
nature  itself  could  have  been  the  foundation  of  so  charming  a 
picture.  It  is  a  subject  that  Mr.  Hart  could  grasp  and  manage 
with  perfect  satisfaction.  He  is  naturally  so  full  of  the  harmony 
of  color  that  his  spirit  is  easily  aroused  to  a  great  effort  when  his 
eye  sees  the  tender  greens  and  blushing  pinks  in  inviting  con- 
trasts. "Apple  Blossoms  "  was  full  of  "  color-music,"  and  is. 
indeed,  one  of  Mr.  Hart's  best  efforts. 

"The  Golden  Hour,"  Mr.  Hart  thinks  his  best  picture.  It  is 
on  a  large  canvas,  and  represents  the  summer  time,  when  nature 
in  her  landscape-beauty  seems  to  be  radiant  and  complete  in 
glory.  The  composition  has  a  foreground  of  rich  green  with 
gray  rocks,  and  the  late  flowers  of  the  season  combining  in  re- 
lief. The  middle  distance  is  composed  of  groups  of  stat.  lv 
elms  that  bend  and  droop  their  graceful  limbs  and  foliage  in 
forms  that  captivate  the  mind  and  fill  it  with  the  sentiment  of 
contentment  reposing  upon  the  bosom  of  plenty ;  the  distance 
with  its  outlines  of  hills,  as  if  locked  within  each  other's  arms, 
and  in  its  noon  altitude  the  sun  throws  down  its  bright  lights, 
(where  intercepted)  forming  dreamy  shadows;  the  composition 
and  effects  making  a  picture  that  must  always  command  a  high 
place  in  the  constellation  of  art  achievements.  This  picture 
was  purchased  by  Mr.  A.  T.  Stewart,  and  still  holds  a  place  in 
his  valuable  collection. 

In  the  last  two  years,  Mr.  Hart  has  devoted  the  most  of  hU 
time  to  the  study  of  cattle,  deriving  therefrom  all  the  interest 
that  their  introduction  lends  to  the  landscape.  His  drawing  is 
always  good,  and  he  has  the  faculty  of  at  once  grasping  the 
marked  features  in-  cattle-nature,  and  therefore  his  cows  and 
his  sheep  at  once  command  attention,  and  give  a  double  charm 
to  his  landscape  pictures. 

Several  writers  have  confounded  Mr.  William  Hart  and  his 
pictures  with  his  brother.  Mr.  James  Hart.  An  article,  especially, 
which  appeared  in  Putnam's  Magazine,  names  many  of  Wil 
Ham  Hart's  pictures  as  having  been  painted  by  his  brother 
James;  and,  in  one  instance,  it  was  stated  that  James  Hart  was 
the  painter  of  "The  Golden  Hours." 

A  most  commendable  feature  in  William  Hart's  character  as  » 
man,  is  honesty  of  opinion.  It  matters  not  who  painted  the 
picture,  if  it  has  merit,  ho  sees  it,  and  speaks  ot  it  with  as  much 
pleasure  and  pride  as  if  it  were  his  own. 

Mr.  William  Hart  still  resides  in  Brooklyn;  and,  although  his 
years  now  place  him  on  the  declining  slope  of  life,  yet  his 
enthusiasm  for  painting  is  as  great  as  ever. 


A  LONZO   (MI  A  IM'KLL. 


THIS  gentleman  was  born  in  the  City  of  New  York  in 
lH'j'.i,  Iuh  ancestors  being  old  French  settlers  in  that  city; 
his  grandparents  owning  a  piece  of  property  (part  of  the  old  Delan- 
cey  farm  i  on  the  Bowery  opposite  to  (lie  old  Bowery  Theatre,  ex- 
tending through  to Chrystie street.  Mr.  Chappell's  father  was  born 
on  this  spot  in  1801,  and  died  in  Brooklyn  1880.  Old  Mrs. 
Chappell  is  still  living.  Alon/.o  Chappell,  the  subject  of  our 
sketch,  lived  in  New  York  City  until  1*15,  when  ho  moved  to 
Brooklyn.    Me  was  educated  in  public  school  No  '2,  and  at  the 


age  of  fourteen,  went  to  learn  the  japanning  business.  Thin  he 
soon  left  for  window-shade  painting,  which  in  those  days  were 
odorned  with  all  kinds  of  subjects,  and  representing  landscape* 
which  covered  the  whole  shade.  This  gave  the  young  a*piranf 
for  art  a  gorgeous  opportunity  to  express  form  and  color.  The 
nature  of  young  Chappell  was  full  of  the  dramatic  ami.  th"' 
fore,  startling  effects  pervaded  his  designs  cataracts  rushmc 
over  rocks,  dark  caves,  fallen  trees,  castles  perched  high  upon 
the  mountain's  peak,  half  enveloped  in  clouds  of  romantic  form, 


ARTIST  BIOGRAPHIES. 


1147 


and  all  in  good  color  and  light  and  shade.  This  was  just  the 
business  for  the  boy  artist.  Shade-painting  was  a  new  thing 
then,  and  he  grew  up  with  it,  and  became  one  of  the  best  artists 
engaged  in  it. 

While  so  engaged,  he  turned  every  hour  of  his  evenings  to 
account  by  drawing  and  designing.  He  had  a  remarkably  crit- 
ical eye  for  one  so  young.  When  less  than  seventeen  years  old 
he  was  admitted  as  a  member  of  the  Antique  class  in  the  New 
York  National  Academy  of  Design,  at  the  time  when  the  cele- 
brated engraver  and  painter,  A.  B.  Durand,  was  president. 

In  1845,  when  he  first  moved  to  Brooklyn,  he  began  to  paint 
landscapes  with  figures  in  them  for  the  American  Art  Union  in 
New  York  City.  These  pictures  were  so  attractive  in  color  and 
composition  that  they  purchased  almost  every  one  which  he 
presented.  One  picture  attracted  much  attention,  which  repre- 
sented a  boy  with  the  upper  part  of  his  body  plunged  into  an 
ash-barrel,  while  a  dog  has  nipped  him  by  the  seat  of  his  trou- 
sers. The  situation  was  laughable  in  the  extreme.  Leutze,  the 
celebrated  artist,  was  so  much  pleased  with  the  composition  that 
he  purchased  the  picture,  and  retained  the  same  in  his  studio  in 
Diis8eldorf  until  the  day  of  his  death. 

In  1848  Gabriel  Harrison,  George  Hill,  George  De  Forest, 
Charles  Conner  and  several  other  Brooklyn  gentlemen  organized 
the  first  dramatic  society  in  the  city  of  Brooklyn.  Alonzo  Chap- 
pell  was  one  of  the  most  active  members.  His  genius,  however, 
was  more  in  the  line  of  the  scenic  artist  than  the  dagger  and  the 
cup.  The  old  ball-room  which  stood  in  the  rear  of  "Mrs. 
Prest's  Hotel"  on  the  grounds  of  the  Military  Garden,  where  now 
the  County  Court  House  stands,  was  leased,  and  Chappell  became 
the  architect,  scenic  artist,  and  decorator.  Carpenters  were 
brought  in  and  set  to  work,  up  went  the  dress-circle  and  away 
went  the  floor  of  the  ball-room,  with  a  tremendous  gash  in  it  to 
admit  of  an  under  part  to  the  stage,  and  traps  for  sinking  ghosts 
and  devils — all  in  accordance  with  the  most  approved  plans  of 
the  regular  theatres.  When  in  the  midst  of  this  work,  in 
rushed  old  Mrs.  Prest,  who  soon  had  her  voice  ranging  to  high  C, 
horror-stricken  at  what  was  going  on,  and,  with  her  arms 
stretched  upright,  she  shrieked,  "  What  in  the  name  of  God  are 
you  doing?  "  "  Doing,  madame,  doing  !  why,  we  are  making  a 
place  to  catch  the  devils  and  ghosts  in  !  "  shouted  back  Chappell, 
while  he  thrust  his  hands  through  his  hair  and  struck  a  fearful 
attitude.  This  was  enough;  the  old  woman  picked  up  her 
skirts  and  left  in  six-foot  strides,  amid  the  demoniac  laugh  of  the 
would-be  tragedians,  who  stood  in  melancholy  attitudes  around. 
We  saw  no  more  of  Mrs.  Prest  until  a  committee  waited  on  her 
to  come  and  see  the  stage  and  improvements,  and  none  was 
more  delighted  than  herself  with  what  had  been  done,  but  she 
added  the  request  that  the  society  would  keep  the  "  Chappell 
man"  from  coming  in  contact  with  her. 

In  1849,  Mr.  Chappell  was  commissioned  to  go  to  Cuba  to 
make  sketches  for  a  panorama,  which  he  painted  for  some 
gentlemen  in  New  York.  He  still  continued  his  art-studies, 
improving  constantly  until,  in  1856,   he  was  introduced  to  the 


book-publishing  firm  of  Martin  &  Johnson,  of  New  York  City, 
and  was  engaged  by  them  to  make  designs  for  a  history  of  the 
United  States,  to  be  published  in  monthly  parts  to  the  number  of 
four  quarto  volumes,  the  illustrations  to  be  engraved  on  steel. 
These  illustrations  he  mostly  painted  in  black  and  white  on 
canvas  much  larger  than  the  engraving  was  to  be,  and  repre- 
sented every  prominent  incident  in  the  history  of  the  country. 
Some  of  his  compositions  are  remarkable  for  dramatic  action, 
and  show  knowledge  of  costumes  and  other  things  that  be- 
longed to  the  period  of  the  time  he  desired  to  represent.  Their 
truthfulness  reflects  as  much  credit  upon  him  as  does  his  in- 
dustry in  searching  out  the  facts. 

After  Mr.  Chappell  had  finished  the  numerous  original  de- 
signs for  this  work,  he  was  immediately  commissioned  to  illus- 
trate "The  Life  and  Times  of  Washington,"  in  two  volumes. 
Then  followed  the  "Portrait  Gallery,"  in  three  volumes,  repre- 
senting the  characters  in  full-length  figures  ;  "The  War  of  the 
Union,"  in  three  volumes;  "The  History  of  the  World,"  in  three 
volumes;  "  The  Portrait  Gallery  of  Celebrated  Men  and  Women," 
in  two  volumes.  At  this  writing  he  is  engaged  in  making  illus- 
trations for  a  voluminous  edition  of  Shakespeare,  which  is  to 
contain  one  hundred  illustrations,  eighty  of  them  now  finished. 
This  work  will,  no  doubt,  be  his  master-piece.  Mr.  Chappell's 
dramatic  disposition  fits  him  most  aptly  for  the  undertaking.  It 
is  now  over  twenty-five  years  since  Mr.  Chappell  first  com- 
menced to  design  for  book  publications,  and  almost  every  one 
of  his  subjects  has  been  engraved  in  steel.  Besides  these,  he 
made  several  designs  which  were  engraved  on  steel  (20x24 
inches),  representing  "Washington  at  Mount  Vernon,"  "The 
Last  Hours  of  Lincoln,"  "Christmas  Morning,"  "Maud  Muller," 
and  "The  First  Prayer." 

Mr.  Chappell  has  been  a  hard  worker,  and  not  without  profit. 
Some  fourteen  years  ago  he  purchased  one  hundred  acres  of  land 
near  a  beautiful  lake  on  Long  Island.  He  christened  the  place 
"  Artist  Lake."    Near  by,  he  built  himself  a  picturesque  cottage, 

!  planted  fruit  trees,  laid  out  his  grounds,  and  formed  his  walks 
with  artistic  taste,  turning  what  was  almost  a  wilderness  into  a 

!  garden  of  Eden.  Besides,  he  has  a  fine  library  of  standard 
literature,  and  has  made  a  large  collection  of  works  on  the  his 
tory  of  this  country,  from  the  landing  of  Columbus  down  to  the 
present  hour,  that  is  not  excelled  by  any  other  private  collec- 
tion. No  artist  ever  painted  historical  pictures  with  more  de- 
termination to  be  truthful  in  the  costumes  and  implaments  of 
civil  and  military  life  than  Alonzo  Chappell. 

During  his  residence  in  Brooklyn,  he  has  always  been  among 

!  the  first  who  have  stepped  forward  to  assist  art-culture.  He 
helped  old  Mr.  Thompson  and  Hoskins  to  form  the  Brooklyn 
Art  Union  ;  he  was  a  member  of  the  Graham  Art  School;  he 
suggested  the  first  meeting  for  the  formation  of  the  Brooklyn 
Academy  of  Design,  and  was  its  first  vice-president.  Always 
modest  and  retiring  in  his  manners,  he  wins  the  respect  and 
confidence  of  all  with  whom  he  comes  in  contact. 


FEED.   T.   LEE  BOYLE. 


FRED.  T.  LEE  BOYLE  was  born  July  6th,  1820,  at  Ring- 
wood,  on  the  Avon,  Hampshire,  England.  His  father,  J.  T. 
Boyle,  a  composer  and  teacher  of  music,  a  fine  organist  and  a  pupil 
of  the  celebrated  Vincent  Novello,  was  for  many  years  a  resident 
and  teacher  of  singing  and  the  pianoforte  in  Brooklyn,  where 
he  located  in  1829,  on  Adams,  between  York  and  Prospect 
streets  ;  the  house  is  still  standing.  In  1830,  young  Boyle  was 
sent  to  Columbia  College  Grammar  School.  In  1832,  h  e  went  to 
Charles  Coudert's  boarding  school,  in  an  old  building  that  had 


once  been  the  State's  prison,  on  the  corner  of  Amos  and  Wash- 
ington streets,  New  York  City,  but  which  building  Mr.  Coudert 
had  somewhat  remodeled  for  school  purposes.  General  Beaure- 
gard was  a  pupil  in  the  same  class  with  young  Boyle  at  this  time, 
but  left  the  school  to  go  to  West  Point. 

During  his  early  years,  young  Boyle  gave  frequent  evidences 
of  a  strong  talent  for  art.  His  apt  sketch*,  i  of  almost  any  act  that 
attracted  his  attention,  caused  his  father  to  consult  Henry 
Inman,  the  celebrated  portrait  painter,  and  in  1835,  young 


1 14S 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Boyle  comm»nced  his  study  with  that  gentleman.  He  remained 
with  him  for  three  years.  He  also  attended  the  art-schools  at 
the  New  York  National  Academy  of  Design,  at  which  time  Pro- 
fessor Morse  was  the  president,  and  he  predicted  that  young 
Boyle  would  make  his  mark. 

In  1839,  Mr.  Boyle  sent  a  picture  to  the  National  Academy 
for  exhibition,  which  found  a  good  place  upon  the  wall.  About 
this  time  he  made  some  notable  efforts  at  composition  in  oil 
colors  and  India  ink,  among  which  were  "  Salvator  Rosa  Offer- 
ing a  Picture  for  Sale  to  a  Dealer";  "Job  Appealing  to  God  from 
the  Injustice  of  his  Friends"  ;  "Saul  and  Witch  of  Endor"  ; 
"  Shylock  and  Antonio"  ;  "  Death  and  the  Lady."  All  of  these 
compositions  had  merit,  and  showed  a  high  train  of  thoughts 
for  what  might  be  termed  epic  composition.  And  had  Mr.  Boyle 
pursued  this  style  of  painting  throughout  his  life,  there  cannot 
be  a  doubt  that  he  would  have  become  an  eminent  historical 
painter.  In  his  youth,  he  was  passionately  fond  of  the  drama, 
which,  as  a  matter  of  course,  could  not  fail  to  lead  him  to  the 
highest  class  of  reading,  and  incite  him  to  dramatic  efforts  in 
composition  and  light  and  shade. 

In  1850,  Mr.  Boyle  painted  a  life-size  full-length  portrait  of  the 
Rev.  John  Hughes,  of  the  city  of  New  York,  which  was  exhibited 
at  the  National  Academy  of  Design,  New  York  City,  and  after- 
wards became  the  property  of  the  Hon.  W.  H.  Seward.  It  pro- 
cured him  his  election  as  associate  member. 

From  1850  to  1856,  Mr.  Boyle  found  himself  crowded  with 
orders  for  portraits,  both  life-  and  cabinet-size.  Among  these 
were  those  of  Bishop  De  Lancey,  Edwin  Forrest,  Charlotte 
Cusliman,  J.  R.  Scott,  William  E.  Burton,  Lester  Wallack,  Mrs. 
Russell,  James  T.  Brady  and  other  celebrities.  At  this  time  he 
was  engaged  with  J.  Kyle  and  J.  Dallas  in  painting  a  panorama 
of  the  "  Life  of  Christ,"  forming  thirty-four  pictures  in  fresco 
colors  on  canvas,  each  11x18  feet  in  size. 

In  the  latter  part  of  1856,  he  moved  to  St.  Louis,  where  he 
found  a  wide  field  lor  his  brush.  Art  as  yet  had  not  lifted  her 
head  very  high  in  the  Far  West,  and  but  few  artists  of  reputation 
had  located  themselves  in  those  regions.  Mr.  Boyle  saw  this, 
and  at  once  opened  his  studio,  with  the  intention  of  founding  a 
local  habitation  and  a  name.  It  was  not  long  before  he  painted 
some  of  the  prominent  citizens  of  St.  Louis.  Among  them  were 
two  full-length  portraits,  one  of  Frank  P.  Blair,  Gov.  R.  H. 
Gamble,  Hon.  Thomas  H.  Benton,  Col.  Brandt,  B.Gratz  Brown, 
Dr.  William  Carr  Lane,  Matilda  Heron,  and  several  family 
groups.  While  thus  engaged  he  made  himself  busy  in  an  effort 
to  establish  "  The  Western  Academy  of  Arts."  This  he  accom- 
plished in  1858.  He  obtained  a  charter,  and  its  first  exhibition 
was  opened  by  the  Prince  of  Wales  and  the  Duke  of  Newcastle. 
The  exhibition  was  one  of  the  finest  ever  held  by  American 
painters,  as  all  of  the  celebrated  artists  of  the  several  States  sent 
their  best  works.  From  this  time,  art  in  the  West  had  an  impetus 
that  forced  it  to  grow  with  unlooked-for  power.  All  the  exhibi- 
tions of  the  Western  Academy  were  well  attended,  and  many 


pictures  were  sold.  But  the  war  came,  and  fell  like  an  April 
blight.  The  brush  and  the  palette  were  laid  aside  for  the  sword 
and  the  musket;  and  the  rooms  of  the  Academy,  which  were 
wont  to  be  decorated  with  beautiful  landscapes,  portraits,  and 
groups  of  smiling  children  in  golden  frames,  were  now  taken 
for  the  Department  Head-quarters  of  the  soldiers.  The  walU 
were  soon  defaced,  and  the  collection  of  casts,  that  were  imported 
■from  Paris  at  a  cost  of  fifteen  thousand  dollars,  were  defaced, 
broken,  and  distributed  throughout  the  West. 

No  such  blood  as  circulated  through  the  veins  of  Mr.  Boyle, 
could  rest  quiet  when  such  a  cause  as  Union  and  Freedom  was 
the  watchword,  echoing  up  and  down  the  streets  of  the  whole 
North.  He  would  have  his  say — he  made  his  speeches  in  favor  of 
the  Union— and  in  1862  he  was  elected  colonel  of  a  regiment  which 
was  formed  in  the  third  ward  of  St.  Louis.  This  action  on  the 
part  of  Mr.  Boyle  lost  for  him  his  best  Southern  friends  and 
patrons.  When  the  war  was  over  they  neither  forgave  nor  for- 
got. Art  was  low  in  the  West.  Mr.  Boyle  lingered  for  some 
time  at  St.  Louis,  received  no  orders,  and  finally  in  1865  he 
left  the  West  for  Brooklyn.  There  many  old  friends  welcomed 
him,  and  he  soon  found  several  portraits  to  paint.  When  the 
Brooklyn  Academy  of  Design  left  the  Broooklyn  Institute,  iad 
gave  up  the  teaching  of  the  Graham  Art  Schools,  Mr.  Boyle  was  ap- 
pointed the  professor  over  the  classes.  In  1873,  Colonel  Sprague, 
principal  of  the  Adelphi  Academy,  called  on  Mr.  Boyle  to  take 
charge  of  an  art-department  in  that  institute  which  they  had 
been  trying  to  form.  When  he  took  charge  he  found  the  pupils 
drawing  from  some  poor  lithographs.  He  soon  convinced  the 
faculty  of  the  Adelphi  that  their  system  of  art-instruction  was 
all  wrong;  and  that  if  they  required  anything  like  success  in  this 
department  they  must  build  a  skylight  and  give  him  a  proper 
room,  and  also  furnish  plasters  for  the  pupils  to  work  from. 
These  requests  were  all  granted  him,  and  in  a  few  months  Mr. 
Boyle  had  a  large  class  of  pupils,  who  placed  many  of  their  works 
'  on  exhibition  at  the  Art  Association — works  which  were  spoken 
highly  of  by  visitors  and  the  press.  Soon  after,  he  was  reap- 
pointed to  take  charge  of  the  Graham  Art  School  at  the  Brooklyn 
Institute,  which  position  he  holds  up  to  the  present  time.  Mr. 
Boyle  is  admirably  constituted  for  a  teacher.  Thoroughly  read 
in  all  art  matters,  possessing  a  remarkable  memory,  great  flnency 
of  speech,  with  strong  descriptive  power,  he  can  make  his 
pupils  see  and  understand  what  must  be  done.  To  these  gilts 
he  adds  cheerfulness  of  spirit,  and  a  fund  of  anecdote  that 
draws  the  pupil  near  him  and  inspires  him  to  hard  work. 

Since  he  has  been  a  resident  of  Brooklyn,  he  has  painted  eer- 
eral  important  pictures,  among  them  "The  Prayer  of  Judith. " 
which  was  exhibited  at  the  Centennial,  "  Grandfather's  Pet, " 
"The  Organist,"  a  life-size  full-length  portrait  of  the  Hon.  Hngli 
Allen,  of  the  city  of  Rochester;  Col.  R.  C.  Ward,  for  the  Twenty- 
third  Regiment;  a  half-length  of  Miss  MacCullum,  a  half-length 
I  of  Mrs.  Pickwood,  and  other  pictures  of  note. 


JOHN  ADAMS  PARKER. 


JOHN  ADAMS  PARKER,  the  son  of  J.  A.  Parker,  an  old  New 
York  merchant,  was  born  in  that  city  2!Hh  of  November,  1829, 
in  Broadway,  near  Broome  street;  received  his  education  at  the 
New  York  University;  and  when  sixteen  yearH  old,  became  a 
clerk  with  0.  D.  W.  Lillendale,  the  sole  agent  for  Faber's  pen- 
cils. In  1W>.  he  went  into  business  for  himself,  but  failed  in 
1H57,  and  for  a  year  or  more  was  unsettled.  It  does  not  appear 
that  be  showed  any  early  predilections  for  art;  while,  at  the 
same  time,  he  was  a  keen  observer  of  nature  and  pictures,  with 
an  occasional  attempt  at  drawing.     However,   in  1859,  Mr. 


Parker  made  up  his  mind  to  become  a  landscape  painter, 
took  a  studio  in  the  Dodworth  Building,  Montague  street, 
Brooklyn,  and  rather  surprised  himself  and  his  friends  at  hi» 
rapid  improvements.  When  the  Brooklyn  Art  Association  be- 
came a  fixed  fact,  Mr.  Parker  was  among  its  first  exhibitors 
and  tho  first  picture  sold  from  ofT  its  walls  was  one  of  Ins. 
purchased  by  Mr.  M.  Massey.  lie  took  a  great  interest  in  t!ir 
Art  Association,  and  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Brooklyn 
Art  Club.  In  1869,  he  was  elected  associate  member  of  the 
National  Academy  of  Design,  New  York  City. 


ARTIST  BIOGRAPHIES. 


1149 


Mr.  Parker  became  one  of  the  most  active  members  of  the 
Brooklyn  Art  Association.  He  was  on  the  hanging  committee 
for  many  years,  and  it  is  doubtful  if  any  other  member  of  the 
association  gave  more  of  his  time,  and  worked  harder  for  the 
success  of  this  institution.  This  was  appreciated,  however,  as  is 
shown  by  the  fact  that  he  sold  at  one  time  more  of  his  works, 
through  the  influence  of  the  lay  members  of  the  association,  than 
any  other  artist  who  placed  pictures  on  exhibition  at  the  Art 
Association.  Among  the  purchasers  of  his  best  works  were 
H.  E.  Pierrepont,  A.  A.  Low,  Judge  McCue,  Judge  Eeynolds, 
Dr.  Keep,  W.  Husted,  Henry  Sanger,  William  Howard,  and 
many  others. 

Perhaps  the  best  pictures  that  Mr.  Parker  paints  are  snow- 


scenes.  He  is  fond  of  representing  the  evening  hours  of  the 
day,  when  the  sun  is  far  below  the  horizon  and  shoots  its 
golden  beams  stretching  across  the  picture,  while  all  the  fore- 
ground lies  in  that  first  gloom  of  twilight,  lending  a  peculiar 
repose  to  the  picture  that  fails  not  to  interest  almost  any  mind. 
His  style  is  not  one  of  finish,  but  rather  inclined  to  breadth  of 
touch,  and  has  a  tendency  more  to  the  suggestion  of  things  in 
nature  than  to  the  details.  Mr.  Parker  has  resided  and  painted 
in  Brooklyn  ever  since  he  first  took  up  the  brush,  and  can  justly 
be  considered  as  a  Brooklyn  artist,  whose  interest  in  Brooklyn's 
art-progress  has  never  lagged  from  the  moment  he  first  adjusted 
his  easel  to  receive  his  first  canvas.  His  pictures  will  always 
find  a  welcome  place  in  all  good  collections. 


WILLIAM  M.  BROWN 

W'AS  a  native  of  Troy,  N.  Y.  At  fourteen  years  of  age, 
he  entered  the  employment  of  Thomas  Grinnell,  an 
ornamental  painter ;  showed  considerable  talent,  and  made 
rapid  improvement  in  his  business.  But  taking  a  fancy  to  por- 
trait painting  at  sixteen  years,  he  found  his  way  into  the  studio 
of  a  portrait  painter  of  some  note,  and  studied  with  him  for 
one  year.  He  found,  however,  that  his  talent  was  more 
decidedly  on  the  side  of  landscape-painting,  and  again  returned 
to  his  old  master,  the  ornamental  painter,  and  went  from  Troy 
with  him  and  his  family  to  Newark,  N.  J.,  with  whom  he  re- 
mained until  he  was  nineteen  years  of  age.  While  with  Mr. 
Grinnell,  he  took  every  opportunity  to  practice  landscape  paint- 
ing. His  pictures  were  so  pleasing  in  effects  of  composition  and 
color,  that  they  were  no  sooner  placed  on  public  exhibition  than 
they  found  purchasers.  This  caused  Mr.  Brown  to  give  up  other 
painting,  and  follow  that  of  landscape  only.  He  then  came 
to  Brooklyn,  and  for  a  time  had  his  studio  in  the  Dodworth 
Building,  on  Montague  street.  In  1860,  he  painted  the  well- 
known  picture  entitled  "The  Overturned  Basket  of  Peaches," 
which  at  once  made  him  a  reputation  as  a  fruit-painter,  a  branch 
of  art  which  he  has  allowed  to  occupy  much  of  his  time.  His 
fruit-pictures  are  among  the  best  ever  painted  by  an  American 
artist,  and  must  always  occupy  a  very  high  position  as  still-life 
pictures.  Nevertheless,  he  has  continued  to  improve  in  land- 
scape-painting, until  he  may  be  placed  among  the  best  land- 
scape-painters of  the  country.  He  is  more  inclined  to  the  de- 
tails in  nature  than  to  dramatic  effects  of  light  and  shade.  His 
color  is  always  good,  and  his  compositions,  whether  in  fruit 
pioces  or  landscapes,  always  graceful  and  engaging  to  the  eye. 

Mr.  Brown  has  resided  in  Brooklyn  nearly  thirty  years,  and 
has  been  a  member  of  almost  every  art-association  in  the  city 
of  his  residence.  He  is  an  extremely  modest  man,  who  never  has 
much  to  say  about  himself;  but  who  has  a  quick  eye  for  the  merits 
of  other  artists,  and  the  nobility  of  character  to  praise  their  works. 


A.  H.  RITCHIE 

AS  born  in  Scotland,  but  has  been  a  resident  of  the 
United  States  for  many  years,  and  of  the  city  of  Brooklyn 
for  over  thirty  years.  He  ranks  with  the  best  engravers  in  the 
country;  and  has  also  found  time  to  pay  attention  to  portrait- 
painting,  having  produced  several  pictures  of  merit.  His 
likenesses  are  always  good,  and  the  flesh-coloring  is  up  to  the 
key-note  of  his  subject. 

He  has  painted  but  one  picture  of  any  great  note,  and  this 
picture  is  of  historical  value.  It  represents  "  The  Death -Bed  of 
Abraham  Lincoln,"  surrounded  by  twenty-seven  figures,  each 
one  representing  some  notable  character  connected  with  the  his- 
tory of  the  Eebellion.  There  is  no  subject  in  the  history  of  the 
whole  country  more  difficult  to  manage  with  graceful  and  agree- 
able lines  and  grouping  than  this.  Neither  the  locale  nor  the  cos- 
tume of  the  dramatis  persona;  afford  any  opportunity  for  artis- 
tic effects.  The  picture  is  remarkable  for  the  correct  likenesses 
of  all  the  persons  represented  therein.  Mr.  Eitchie  invented 
nothing.  He  has  not  in  the  slightest  called  on  the  imagination 
for  anything.  Every  person  is  placed  in  the  attitude  and  situa- 
tion in  the  room  as  he  had  when  the  tragic  scene  occurred.  In 
exactness  it  is  equal  to  a  photograph;  even  the  threadbare  carpet 
is  painted  with  wonderful  care.  As  the  country  grows  older, 
the  more  valuable  must  this  picture  become  in  a  historical  point 
of  view. 

Mr.  Eitchie  still  owns  this  picture,  at  his  residence  in  Brook- 
lyn. It  should  be  in  the  Capitol  at  Washington,  where  it  proper- 
ly belongs. 

No  other  artist  has  taken  a  greater  interest  in  the  progress  of 
art  in  Brooklyn  than  Mr.  Eitchie.  During  all  the  early  strug- 
gles of  the  Brooklyn  Academy  of  Design,  he  constantly  and 
liberally  assisted  as  teacher,  as  officer,  and  as  donor.  A 
fuller  account  of  his  efforts  to  build  up  art  tastes  in  Brook- 
lyn is  given,  on  a  previous  page,  in  our  sketch  of  the 
Academy. 


w 


CHARLES   C.  MARKHAM. 


PEEHAPS  no  artist  is  better  known  in  the  City  of  Brooklyn 
than  this  gentleman .  He  can,  in  the  fullest  sense,  be  looked 
ipon  as  a  Brooklyn  artist,  since  the  whole  of  his  art-experi- 
>nce  has  been  in  this  city.  He  has  not  been  one  of  those 
.rtists  who  hung  out  his  sign  for  two  or  three  years,  and 
hen  found  it  necessary  to  have  his  studio  in  New  York  City.  He 
>itched  his  art-tent  in  Brooklyn  and  bravely  maintained  its  po- 
rtion; making  many  friends,  and  working  up  a  business  in 


portrait,  figure,  and  landscape-painting,  of  which  he  has  every 
cause  to  feel  proud. 

He  was  born  at  Burlington,  Vt.,  in  1837,  and  when  quite  a 
boy,  was  inspired  by  the  beautiful  scenery  that  surrounded  him. 
With  his  dog  and  gun  he  would  spend  whole  days,  dividing  his 
time  between  hunting  for  game  and  for  those  finest  bits  of  scen- 
ery whose  forms  and  effects  so  satisfied  the  art-passions  latent 
within  him.    His  father,  believing  that  the  city  of  New  York 


1150 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


would  better  develop  his  boys  for  the  battle  of  life,  removed 
thither,  and  Charles  soon  found  employment  in  a  wholesale 
house.  While  here,  he  found  time  to  use  his  pencil.  His  em- 
ployers saw  his  efforts,  and  offered  to  place  him  under  instruc- 
tion. Through  false  delicacy,  however,  he  refused  the  noble 
offer.  But  his  love  for  art  was  so  great  that  he  would  take  the 
early  morning,  and  look  about  the  old  locations  of  the  city, 
sketching  old  houses,  huts,  and  pumps,  or  whatever  else  at- 
tracted his  attention.  By  and  by,  he  found  a  position  in  the 
American  Exchange  Bank,  where  he  became  much  trusted  and 
valued.  At  last,  came  a  panic,  and  with  it  the  abolishment 
of  the  "  uncurrent  department"  of  the  American  Exchange 
Bank.  He  was  offered  other  responsible  positions,  but  refused 
them  all,  in  order  to  take  up  art  as  a  profession. 

He  was  not  the  first  member  of  his  family  that  gave  evidence 
of  art  talent.  His  grand-aunt,  Miss  Fanny  Porter,  was  an  artist 
of  much  ability;  and  his  aunt,  Mrs.  Bigelow,  was  a  successful 
portrait  painter.  From  her  he  took  his  first  lessons  in  portrait 
painting,  and  from  that  time  he  constantly  improved,  and  soon 
had  plenty  of  orders.  Among  his  first  efforts,  we  may  enum- 
erate the  portraits  of  the  children  of  Wm.  C.  Kingsley,  the 
portraits  of  W.  H.  Hazzard,  Albert  Ammerman,  Charles  Vail,  and 
Horace  Greeley.  He  painted  a  portrait  of  his  grandmother  which 
was  honored  with  a  place  at  the  Centennial  Exposition.   Many  of 


his  fancy  pictures,  landscapes,  and  figures  have  been  par 
chased  by  Mr.  Kingsley,  F.  S.  Smith,  F.  S.  Street,  Demas 
Barnes,  and  other  prominent  citizens  of  Brooklyn,  and  now 
adorn  their  private  collections.  His  picture  of  the  "  Farm  Yard  " 
was  purchased  by  Joseph  H.  Patten;  his  "Dreamland"  by  Dr. 
Joseph  Brown. 

Mr.  Markham  has  never  lost  his  great  love  for  out-door  sports, 
Every  summer  he  finds  his  way  to  the  Adirondacks,  and  there 
with  gun  and  dogs  and  fishing-rod,  he  leaves  his  tracks,  which 
many  a  sportsman  is  only  too  glad  to  follow,  for  he  knows  how  to 
take  game  of  every  kind.  And  to  the  old  sportsmen  of  these 
great  forests  and  lakes,  the  name  of  Markham  is  as  familiar  as 
is  the  hum  of  the  winds  through  the  trees,  or  the  splashingsof 
the  waters  as  they  leap  over  the  rocky  ribs  of  the  hillside. 

He  has  also  been  very  fond  of  military  exercise,  and  has 
always  been  one  of  the  picked  men  for  exhibition  drills.  When 
the  Rebellion  broke  out,  he  went  with  the  Thirteenth  Regiment 
of  Brooklyn  to  the  front,  and  while  there  he  was  detailed  by  the 
colonel  to  sketch  certain  localities.  He  also  was  a  correspondent 
of  the  Brooklyn  Ea<jle,  using  the  nom  ile  plume  of  "Knap- 
sack," and  therein  wrote  pleasant  and  graphic  descriptions  of 
the  incidents  of  camp  life  and  the  war. 

Mr.  Markham  is  still  a  resident  of  Brooklyn,  and  still  follows 
his  profession  with  ardent  devotion. 


JAMES IO 

THIS  gentleman  was  born  in  Hammerton,  a  suburb  of  Lon-  I 
don,  in  1827,  came  to  the  United  States  in  185(5,  and  at 
once  took  up  his  residence  in  the  city  of  Brooklyn,  where  he 
has  remained  ever  since  in  the  constant  practice  of  landscape- 
painting.  Mr.  Northcote  came  from  a  family  that  had  for  many 
years  been  connected  with  the  fine  arts.  He  was  related  on  his 
father's  side  to  James  Northcote,  the  celebrated  historical 
painter.  At  quite  an  early  age  young  James  gave  evidence  of 
art-talent,  which,  however,  his  father  had  no  desire  to  encourage, 
and  placed  him  at  the  desk  of  the  Paisley  Shawl  Company. 
After  remaining  here  for  about  four  years,  he  fully  determined  to 
devote  the  rest  of  his  life  to  the  study  of  art.  He  soon  found  ! 
employment  as  an  assistant  scene-painter,  and  for  eight  years  he  j 
found  employment  in  the  Drury  Lane  and  Surrey  Theatres  in 
London,  and  in  many  of  the  minor  theatres  of  southern  England. 
While  in  London,  he  received  valuable  hints  from  such  clever  I 

BENJAMIN 

A  RTIST,  of  No.  1354  Bergen  street,  has  been  identified  I 
jLjl.  with  most  of  the  prominent  art-enterprises  of  Brooklyn. 
He  wields  the  pencil,  the  pen,  and  the  etcher's  point  with  equal 
facility  and  grace.  He  has  been  secretary  of  the  Scratch- 
es' Club  (etchers),  vice-president  of  the  Brooklyn  Art  Club, 
president  of  the  Brooklyn  Art  Guild,  and  a  member  of  the  Brush 
and  Palette  Club.  He  has  been  a  frequent  exhibitor  at  the  Na-  j 
tional  Academy  of  Design,  and  the  leading  art  societies  of  tho  1 


HTHCOTE. 

artists  as  Philip  Phillips,  Louis  Haag,  and  the  celebrated  Stand- 
field.  After  he  quit  the  theatre,  he  frequently  took  long  trips 
into  the  country,  and  made  careful  studies,  selling  many  of  his 
more  hasty  sketches  as  he  went  along,  but  reserving  his  more 
finished  sketches  for  the  London  market. 

Mr.  Northcote  having  read  much  about  America,  had  a  great 
desire  to  see  this  country,  and  could  not  rest  until  he  set  sail  for 
the  land  of  liberty.  For  many  years  he  has  been  constantly  em- 
ployed in  painting  landscapes  for  the  trade.  This  is  to  be 
regretted,  for  the  reason  that  Mr.  Northcote  had  too  much  natiu 
talent  for  landscape  painting  to  waste  his  time  on  pictures 
painted  to  catch  the  eye,  and  not  the  sense  of  reason,  and  art  in 
its  higher  grade. 

When  Mr.  Northcote  paints  a  picture  to  suit  himself,  he  pro- 
duces a  landscape  full  of  charming  color,  and  at  times  shows  a 
handling  that  is  worthy  of  high  consideration. 

LANDER, 

United  States  and  of  Europe,  and  a  welcome  contributor  to  the 
leading  illustrated  magazines  of  New  York  and  Boston.  His 
principal  published  works  are,  "  From  an  Unknown  Shore.' 
"Among  the  Daisies,"  "  Through  the  Trees,"  "  The  Piwtnr. 
"Along  Shore,"  and  the  etched  portraits  of  the  late  William  h. 
Dodge,  the  Revs.  Dr.  R.  S.  Storrs  and  Theodore  Cuyler.  1'  I' 
Tho  Brooklyn  Advance  has  frequently  been  enriched  by  his 
graceful  sketches  of  old  Brooklyn  houses,  etc. 


THOMAS  MA 

WAS  born  May  20th,  1881,  in  a  small  seaport  town  in 
the  duchy  of  Schleswig,  at  one  time  a  part  of  the 
Danish  dominions.  His  father  was  a  manufacturer  of  fancy  trim- 
mings for  military  coats.  At  an  early  age,  Thomas  was  sent 
t->  one  "I  Hi'  government  schools.  At  sixteen,  he  loft  the  school, 
and  about  this  time  his  father  died,  and  the  boy  found  it  neces- 
sary to  devote  all  bis  energies  to  the  support  of  his  widowed 
mother.  Throughout  his  early  boyhood  he  had  an  ambition  to 
l.e  mi  artist,  arid  received  h  few  lessons  from  his  elder  brother. 
What  he  did  in  the  way  of  drawing  ami  painting  gave  evidence 
of  marked  talent,  and  on  his  father's  death  he  fully  determined 


liTIN  JENSEN 

to  study  the  fine  arts.  He  soon  found  employment  as  a  house- 
painter  and  frescoer  in  the  town  of  Haderleben,  an  old  town  in 
Denmark.  Here,  lor  live  years,  he  labored  from  sunrise  till  l»l< 
at  night,  and  frequently  on  Sundays,  that  he  might  he  al  l  I 
fulfill  his  duty  to  his  mother,  and  supply  her  want».  Bui 
nothing  daunted  his  ambition  to  become  an  artist  of  distinction 

In  1M  IS.  the  war  between  (lermany  ami  Denmark  tilled  > 
wig  with  soldiers,  and  many  of  them  desirous  of  having  theii 
portraits  painted.    Young  Jensen  turned  his  I. rush  toiUl""1 
account  by  assisting  his  employer,  who  allowod  him  extra  p»J 
It  was  now  that  portrait-painting  attracted  his  attention  to  full) 


BIOGRAPHY  OF  GABRIEL  HARRISON. 


1151 


that  he  was  determined  to  improve  in  that  branch  of  art.  In 
1852,  he  found  his  way  to  Copenhagen,  and  there  he  studied  for 
awhile,  and  then  concluded  to  go  to  Frysenburg,  the  castle-seat 
of  the  Count  Frys,  and  assisted  his  old  master  to  re-decorate  the 
church  on  the  county  estate.  In  those  old  churches  in  that  part 
of  Europe  may  be  found  memorial  tablets,  in  the  form  of  por- 
traits, set  in  richly-carved  oaken  frames,  and  frequently  they 
become  so  worn  and  obliterated  that  new  copies  are  made  to  take 
their  place.  Mr.  Jensen  was  so  successful  in  restoring  some  of 
these  old  pictures  that  he  drew  the  special  attention  of  the 
Countess,  who,  on  learning  the  story  and  hardships  of  his  life, 
gave  him  employment  for  several  months,  and,  at  the  conclusion 
of  his  work,  presented  him  with  a  handsome  sum  to  assist  hfm 
in  his  studies  when  he  returned  to  Copenhagen.  There  he  soon 
gained  his  way  into  the  Museum  Art  School,  and  not  only  carried 
off  several  prize  medals,  but  received  a  part  of  the  government 
allowance  for  the  encouragement  of  artists  in  the  pursuit  of 
their  studies. 

The  Countess  still  continued  to  assist  him,  and  often  would 
chide  him  for  not  allowing  her  to  assist  him  more  liberally. 
However,  she  was  the  means  of  his  visiting  Berlin,  Dresden, 
Paris,  Belgium,  and  other  great  art  centres,  where  he  remained 
and  studied  till  the  war  of  1863,  which  resulted  in  Prussia  wrest- 
ing Schleswig  from  Denmark.  He  then  went  to  Kiel,  one  of  the 
ihief  and  important  seaports  of  the  duchy  of  Holstein.  Here  he 
found  plenty  of  art-food  to  advance  his  ambition:  a  splendid 
library  of  80,000  volumes,  a  fine,  collection  of  antiquities,  a  gal- 
lery containing  some  of  the  best  works  of  art,  casts  of  the  Elgin 
aiarbles,  and  many  of  Thorwaldsen's  best  productions.  While 


here  in  the  lap  of  art  he  was  married  to  a  lady  residing  in  Fleus- 
burg.  Soon  after  this  he  decided  to  visit  the  United  States,  and 
arrived  in  New  York  in  the  spring  of  18G9.  He  at  once  found 
employment  in  assisting  an  old  friend  to  paint  marine  views. 
While  so  engaged,  the  pilots  about  South  street  soon  discovered 
that  he  could  paint  portraits,  and  then  followed  many  an  order 
from  these  toilers  of  the  sea.  The  first  important  portrait  he 
painted  in  this  country  was  of  General  C.  F.  Christensen,  who 
introduced  him  to  Mr.  Brockett  and  Miss  Thurston,  of  whom  he 
1  made  fine  pictures.  In  the  spring  of  1870  Mr.  Jensen  took  up 
his  residence  and  studio  in  Brooklyn,  where  he  has  since  re- 
mained, and  where  he  has  painted  more  portraits  of  notable 
citizens  than  any  other  artist  in  the  city.  Among  these  may  be 
mentioned  Judge  Dikeman,  Judge  Lott,  Judge  McCue,  Judge 
Neilson,  Judge  Gilbert,  Judge  Troy,  Bishop  Loughlin,  Father 
Burke,  Mayor  Schroeder,  Mayor  Howell,  Hugh  McLaughlin, 
Eev.  Dr.  Cuyler,  Judge  H.  W.  Robinson,  of  New  York,  Manager 
Augustine  Daly,  Hon.  John  K.  Porter  and  Morris  K.  Jessup. 

Of  his  ideal  pictures,  "Reveries  of  the  Past,"  "The  Old 
Forge,"  "Now  Is  My  Chance,"  Christmas  Eve,"  and  the  "Con- 
noisseur." All  of  the  above  pictures  found  their  place  upon  the 
walls  of  the  Brooklyn  Art  Association,  and  the  New  York  Acad- 
emy of  Design. 

Mr.  Jensen's  style  of  painting  is  the  vigorous  German  school, 
strong  in  color  and  positive  in  touch.  His  likenesses  are  unmis- 
takable, while  the  surroundings  in  his  pictures,  such  as  drapery, 
chairs,  books,  etc.,  are  most  truthfully  depicted.  His  works  of 
art  are  full  of  his  own  characteristics,  and  are  possessed  of  suffi- 
cient merit  to  claim  the  admiration  of  the  most  careful  critic. 


GABRIEL  HAEEISOK 


S  biography  is  the  parterre  of  history,  many  will  regret  that 
due  space  cannot  here  be  given  to  the  talented  gentleman 
vho  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch;  for  not  only  has  he  contributed 
argely  to  the  development  of  Art  in  this  city,  but  his  name  is 
ndelibly  traced  upon  some  of  the  most  interesting  pages  of 
Brooklyn  history.  Gabriel  Harrison  was  born  in  Philadelphia, 
■larch  25,  1818.  When  he  was  six  years  old,  his  father,  Charles 
Harrison,  a  man  of  classical  education,  and  a  bank-note 
ngraver,  moved  to  New  York  City .  Here  his  hospitable  man- 
ion  soon  became  the  favorite  social  resort  of  the  lUterati  and  the 
eading  artists  of  the  city.  Among  frequent  guests  were  George 
'.Morris,  N.  P.Willis,  McDonald  Clarke,  the  "mad  poet,"  M.  M. 
?oah,  the  dramatist.  Rev.  John  Frederick  Schroeder,  Bass  Otis, 
lenry  Truman,  Col.  John  Trumbull,  John  Howard  Payne,  James 
iudubon,  the  ornithologist;  Bishop  Hughes;  and  the  celebrated 
panish  philosopher,  Father  Varela. 

When  Malibran  came  to  this  country  in  1825,  she  spent  much 
f  her  time  at  the  Harrison  home,  where  little  "  Gabe,"  then 
even  years  of  age,  became  her  especial  pet.  She  joined  in  his 
bildish  romps  with  great  delight,  and  won  his  life-long  friend- 
hip.  His  favorite  employment  at  that  time,  was  to  creep  under 
ie  piano  while  she  was  practicing,  and  mischievously  remove 
er  slipper.  This  was  sure  to  result  in  a  sham  battle  in  which 
lalibran  was  defeated,  while  the  youthful  victor  carried  off  the 
iurel  and  the  slipper.  He  was  a  child  of  great  precocity  and 
msibility,  and  his  whole  eventful  life  has  been  illuminated  by 
ie  friendship  of  some  of  the  most  remarkable  men  and  women 
[  the  time. 

Not  far  from  his  father's  house  in  Reade  street,  near  Broadway, 
«rhere  Stewart's  store  now  stands),  lived  a  man  whose  name 

inseparably  linked  with  one  of  the  most  tragic  events  in  the 
inals  of  our  Republic— Aaron  Burr,  who  occupied  the  lower 
>artments  in  the  house  of  Mr.  Proudhomme,  the  well-known 
lgraver.    Here  he  was  surrounded  by  books  and  pictures,  and 


upon  the  wall  hung  the  portrait  of  his  daughter  Theodosia, 
whose  death  deprived  him  of  his  only  object  in  life,  and  severed 
his  last  of  human  ties.  The  boy  Harrison  had  often  seen  this 
white-haired  man  sitting  at  his  open  window.  His  sad,  worn 
face  won  the  boy's  sympathy.  One  day,  as  he  passed  the  window, 
the  old  gentleman  sat  with  his  head  resting  upon  his  hand. 
The  boy,  timidly  approaching  him,  said,  "Can  I  do  anything 
for  you,  sir  ?"  The  man  started,  wiped  away  the  tears  which 
were  in  his  eyes,  and  asked  the  boy  to  "  come  in."  Thus  it  was 
that,  between  the  boy  of  eleven  years  and  the  man  whom  the 
world  had  deserted,  a  strange  intimacy  sprang  up.  The  boy 
became  fond  of  the  old  gentleman,  who  in  his  turn  showed  his 
liking  for  the  youth  by  giving  him  lessons  in  reading.  On  one 
occasion,  when  reading  to  the  child  about  the  battle  of  Tippe- 
canoe, wherein  it  was  stated  that  General  Harrison  killed  the 
Indian  Chief  Tecumseh,  he  corrected  the  statement  by  saying 
that  it  was  Col.  Richard  M.  Johnson,  who  had  killed  the  great 
chief.  Young  Harrison  was  devoted  to  his  teacher,  ran  on  all 
his  errands,  and  took  to  him  many  a  cup  of  tea  and  plate  of 
toast  from  his  mother's  table,  not  aware  at  that  time  that  he  was 
Col.  Burr,  the  man  of  inordinate  ambition.  Burr's  smoothness 
of  tone  and  beauty  of  reading  completely  won  young  Gabriel's 
admiration,  and  developed  in  the  child  the  taste  for  elocution 
which,  in  after  years,  has  made  him  so  eminently  successful  as  a 
teacher  of  the  art. 

His  grandfather,  William  Harrison,  was  born  in  London.  He 
was  a  bank-note  engraver  to  the  Bank  of  England,  and  map-en- 
graver to  the  East  India  Company.  In  1782,  the  State  Bank  of 
Pennsylvania  wrote  to  the  Bank  of  London,  requesting  that  a 
first-class  engraver  be  sent  to  Philadelphia,  to  engrave  some 
bank-note  plates.  He  came,  and,  at  the  expiration  of  six 
months,  hastened  back  to  England  for  his  "amily,  and  returned 
with  them  to  Philadelphia,  where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his 
life.    He  educated  all  his  sons  in  the  art  of  engraving.  Charles 


1152 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


P.  Harrison,  the  father  of  Gabriel  Harrison,  engraved  a  portrait 
of  Queen  Victoria,  shortly  after  her  coronation,  upon  a  copper- 
plate, within  the  circumference  of  a  sixpence,  around  the  edge  of 
which  was  the  Lord's  prayer  in  Roman  capitals.  When  seen  by 
the  naked  eye,  it  appeared  like  a  hair  line,  and  the  wonderful 
work  of  art  could  be  appreciated  only  when  viewed  through  a 
magnifying-glass.  The  portrait  was  excellent,  and  the  Queen 
was  so  pleased  with  it  that  her  secretaryconveyed  her  thanks  to 
the  artist.  Gabriel  Harrison's  maternal  grandfather,  whose 
name  was  Foster,  wove  the  coronation  robes  of  George  III.  His 
cousin,  David  R.  Harrison,  now  nearly  ninety  years  of  age,  is 
still  employed  by  the  Bank  Note  Company  of  New  York,  and 
was,  also,  a  line  organist,  of  whom  Gottschalk  once  said  that  he 
was  one  of  the  finest  sight-readers  of  music  he  had  ever  mot. 
Gabriel  Harrison's  sisters  were  all  tine  musicians,  especially 
Lucretia,  afterwards  wife  of  A.  J.  Morales,  senior  Professor  of 
Spanish  Literature  and  Belles-Lettres  in  New  York  College. 
She  was  for  many  years  prima  donna  and  organist  at  Christ 
Church,  and  also  the  Church  of  the  Transfiguration  in  New  York. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Morales  were  the  first  to  introduce,  into  the  church, 
masses  arranged  to  operatic  and  classic  music.  His  brother 
Lafayette  Harrison,  built  Irving  Hall,  in  New  York,  and  he  may 
truly  be  called  the  father  of  concert-music  in  New  York  City. 
Farepa  was  indebted  to  him  for  placing  her  in  her  proper  posi- 
tion before  the  American  people,  and,  as  an  evidence  of  grati- 
tude, gave  him  her  miniature  beautifully  set  in  gold. 

In  1832,  John  Howard  Payne,  the  dramatist,  and  author  of 
"'Home,  Sweet  Home,"  was  a  frequent  guest  at  Charles  P.  Harri- 
son's house.  One  night,  Gabriel  accompanied  his  father  and 
Mr.  Payne  to  the  Park  Theatre  in  New  York,  to  see  Edwin 
Forrest  in  the  character  of  Damon.  It  was  on  that  occasion 
that  the  young  elocutionist  was  tired  with  the  spirit  of  dramitic 
art,  and  determined  to  study  for  the  stage.  He  became  an  active 
member  of  the  American  Histrionic  Society,  and,  notwithstanding 
his  extreme  youth,  was  well-known  as  one  of  the  leading 
amateurs.  Soon  after  his  admission  to  the  society,  he  was  en- 
trusted with  the  part  of  Gypsy  Mike  in  the  drama  of  "  Luke 
the  Laborer."  This  was  generally  supposed  to  be  a  minor  part, 
but  the  young  actor,  considering  all  the  parts  important,  de- 
veloped his  so  thoroughly  that  Gypsy  Mike  became  the  hero 
of  the  evening.  Soon  after,  he  appeared  in  the  character  of  St. 
Pierre,  in  Knowles'  play  of  "The  Wife."  The  play  was  repro- 
duced by  him  on  this  night  for  the  first  time  in  this  country. 
The  performance  was  full  of  spirit,  and  the  young  actor's  con- 
ception of  the  character  of  St.  Pierre  "was  remarkable."  In 
1838,  he  performed  the  part  of  Holla  at  the  Histrionic  Society. 
Major  Norton,  of  the  Texan  Army,  was  so  impressed  with  his 
powerful  acting  on  that  occasion,  that  he  immediately  called 
upon  Mr.  Wallack,  then  manager  of  the  National  Theatre,  and 
induced  him  to  invite  young  Harrison  to  make  his  debut,  which 
accordingly  took  place  in  November  of  that  year.  He  appeared 
on  that  occasion  as  Othello,  with  the  celebrated  Wallack  as  "Inyo," 
and  Emma  Wheatley  as  "  Desdeniona;"  went  through  the  per- 
formance to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  his  audience,  and  was  en- 
dorsed by  a  most  enthusiastic  recall,  at  the  close  of  the  last  act. 
Th.  press  spoke  in  favorable  terms  of  his  ability,  and  he  was  at 
once  engaged  as  one  of  the  leading  actors  for  the  Avon  Theatre, 
Norfolk,  Virginia,  managed  by  Mr.  George  Jones,  afterwards 
known  as  the  Count  Joannes.  Mr.  Jones,  however,  failed  to 
have  his  theatre  in  readiness  at  the  appointed  time,  and  Mr. 
Harrison  wisely  decided  to  return  to  New  York. 

Keenly  appreciating  the  beauties  of  all  art,  he  found  it  diffi- 
cult to  confine  himself  exclusively  to  the  dramatic  profession, 
ami  from  early  boyhood  had  devoted  much  time  to  landscape- 
painting.  Thoroughly  earnest  in  every  undertaking,  he  possessed 
tho  spirit  and  enthusiasm  which  are  necessary  to  plan  and 

ei.  elite  noble  thllies. 

In  1H39,  Dagucrre  had  given  to  the  world  the  secret  of  his  dis- 
covery.   Two  years  later,  Mr.  Harrison,  charmed  with  the  mys- 


terious and  beautiful  art,  became  one  of  its  most  prominent 
exponents,  and  by  his  earnest  research  contributed  much  to  its 
constantly  widening  resources.  The  admirable  tone  which  he 
succeeded  in  producing  in  his  pictures,  won  from  M.  Dagnerre, 
the  inventor  of  the  art,  his  warmest  praise.  Mr.  Harrison's  pic- 
tures  took  several  gold  medals  at  the  American  Institute  for  his 
employer,  John  Plum.  In  1851,  he  produced  the  cluster  of  pic- 
tures that  took  a  bronze  medal  at  tho  Crystal  Palace,  London, 
and  also  another  bronze  medal  at  the  "  World's  Fair,"  New  York. 
1853.  These  pictures  were  made  for  Martin  M.  Lawrence,  for 
whom  he  made  many  experiments.  Some  of  the  pictures  were 
taken  on  sheets  of  silver,  14  x  18  inches,  the  largest  ever  known 
to  be  taken.  For  these  he  had  "  coating  boxes "  and  "huffing 
wheels  "  made  to  accommodate  the  extra  size  of  the  plates.  Mr. 
Harrison  was  the  first  and  only  artist  who  ever  produced  allego- 
rical pictures  through  the  photographic  art.  One  of  these  rep- 
resented the  "  Past,  Present  and  Future,"  the  grouping  of  three 
female  figures  after  the  manner  of  Malbone's  great  miniature  of 
"The  Hours." 

Mr.  Harrison's  generosity  and  nobleness  of  character  have 
ever  been  seen  in  his  candid  estimate  of  other  men's  good  quali- 
ties and  virtues.  In  1842,  while  passing  Trinity  churchyard, 
his  attention  was  attracted  to  a  pile  of  bricks,  which  had  been 
erected  to  mark  the  grave  of  Commodore  Lawrence.  Finding 
that  the  tablet  of  record  had  fallen  from  the  bricks,  and  was 

I  buried  beneath  the  sod,  he  resolved  that  a  fitting  monument 

;  should  be  erected  to  mark  the  Spot  where  the  brave  hero  sleeps, 
whose  dying  words  were:  "  Don't  give  up  the  ship."  He  at  once 
called  the  attention  of  the  Board  of  Aldermen  to  the  neglected 
tomb  of  Lawrence,  and  urged  that  measures  be  taken  to  adorn  it 
with  a  fitting  monument.  He  then  went  to  Albany,  where  he 
enlisted  the  sympathies  of  Governor  William  C.  Bouck  in  the 
enterprise.  In  a  short  time  he  had  organized  a  committee  to 
take  the  matter  in  hand,  consisting  of  the  Governor  of  the  State 
as  president,  and  ex-Lieut. -Governor  Luther  Bradish,  William 
Cullen  Bryant,  N.  P.  Willis,  Horace  Greeley,  General  George  F 
Morris,  General  Thomas  L.  Cummings  and  others.  Mr.  Harrison 
set  himself  to  the  task  of  painting  pictures  of  the  battles  fought 
by  Lawrence,  the  sale  of  which  was  to  swell  the  funds  for  the 
proposed  monument.  He  finished  his  first  picture,  representing 
the  battle  between  the  "  Wasp  and  Frolic."  It  was  placed  on 
exhibition  in  New  York,  and  received  universal  praise.  It  was 
sent  to  John  Sartain,  the  celebrated  engraver  of  Philadelphia,  to 
be  engraved  in  the  finest  style  of  mezzo-tint.  Hv  this  time 
however,  the  Trinity  Church  vestry,  seeing  that  they  were  cen- 
sured by  the  public  for  allowing  the  tomb  of  Lawrence  to  fall  t 
decay,  took  the  matter  in  hand,  and  offered  to  put  up  a  handsome 

I  monument.  The  Harrison  committee  therefore  decided  to  take 
no  further  action  in  the  matter.  The  new  monument  was  toon 
completed;  but  few  are  aware  of  the  fact  that  it  was  to  the  spir- 
ited efforts  of  Gabriel  Harrison  the  public  is  indebted  for  tbx 
monument  that  now  stands  in  front  of  Trinity  Church,  in  boner 
of  Commodore  Lawrence  and  Lieutenant  James  Ludlow. 

Mr.  Harrison,  when  quite  young,  evinced  a  strong  disposition 
for  politics,  and  was  attached  to  the  Democratic  parly  In  1W4. 
he  was  elected  the  presi  dent  of  the  White  Eagle  Club  of  N<"» 
York,  and  did  much  towards  the  election  of  Polk  and  Dallas.  In 
1S4S  he,  with  many  other  discontented  Democrats,  went  to  the 
Philadelphia  Convention,  which  nominated  Lewis  Cass  f»r  Pre-i 

:  dent;  but  as  this  convention  adopted  a  platform  tainted  wit'1 
slavery,  Mr.  Harrison  and  many  of  the  best  Democrats  return'  I 
home,  determined  not  to  support  it.  John  Van  Huron  became 
tho  leader  of  the  now  party,  which  organized  in  strong  opi 
tion  to  the  introduction  of  slavery  into  the  Territories  A  mf1 
ing  of  tho  boBt  Democrats  was  called  to  take  the  matter  info 
consideration,  and  Harrison,  Dr.  John  Gray,  and  It  A  S*n>ly 
wero  sent  there  to  ropresent  tho  XlVth  Ward.  At  this  meeting 
Mr.  Harrison  made  a  tolling  speech  against  the  ('ass  pl»tT"r">. 
and  here  he  unfurled  a  banner,  on  which  was  inscribed  "rr* 


BIOGRAPHY  OF  GABRIEL  HARRISON. 


1153 


Soil,  Free  Speech,  and  Free  Men."  The  words  became  the  motto 
of  the  Free  Soil  party  through  the  campaign  of  1848.  Mr.  Har- 
rison was  one  of  the  delegates  to  the  Utica  Convention.  He  there 
declared  that  slavery  must  be  considered  a  national  crime,  so 
long  as  the  District  of  Columbia  recognized  and  allowed  the  in- 
stitution to  exist  at  the  Capitol  of  the  nation,  which  was  the  case 
at  that  time.  This  was  a  new  thought;  the  anti-slavery  element 
of  the  country,  and  many  members  of  Congress,  at  once  took  up 
the  new  key-note,  and  in  a  short  time  the  institution  of  slavery 
was  abolished  in  the  District  of  Columbia.  On  Mr.  Harrison's 
return  from  Utica,  he  was  elected  president  of  the  "  XlVth  Ward 
Free  Soil  League."  He  was  also  appointed  chairman  of  the 
committee  to  get  up  the  grand  ratification  meeting,  June  6th, 
1848,  which  took  place  in  the  City  Hall  Park.  Mr.  Harrison's 
league  was  out  in  full  force,  bearing  a  banner,  designed  and 
painted  by  him,  emblematic  of  Liberty  cutting  the  chains 
from  the  hands  of  a  slave.  During  the  Kebellion,  Mr.  Harrison 
was  active  on  the  side  of  freedom,  and.made  strong  speeches  in 
New  York  and  Brooklyn.  He  has  since  remained  a  staunch 
llepublican. 

In  1845,  Mr.  Harrison  became  a  member  of  the  Park  Theatre 
Company,  New  York,  making  his  first  appearance  in  the  char- 
acter of  the  Prince,  in  "  Romeo  and  Juliet,"  in  one  of  Mr. 
Charles  Kean's  Shakespearean  revivals.  He  also  supported  Kean 
in  such  characters  as  the  King,  in  "  Hamlet,"  and  he  performed 
this  part  so  much  to  Mr.  Kean's  satisfaction  that  the  great  actor 
presented  him  with  a  "  dress  sword."  In  1848  he  first  appeared 
in  Brooklyn  Garden,  and  performed  with  great  success  in  such 
characters  as  .S7.  Pierre,  Claude  Melnotte,  Caricin,  Ludovico,  Bolla 
and  William  Tell;  becoming  at  once  such  a  favorite  in  Brook- 
lyn that  his  friends  and  admirers  induced  him  to  make  a  per- 
manent residence  among  them. 

In  1851,  he  organized  the  Brooklyn  Dramatic  Academy,  a  pri- 
vate association  for  the  encouragement  of  the  drama  in  Brook- 
lyn.   For  several  years  the  society  gave  performances  to  select 
audiences,  at  the  Brooklyn  Museum,  with  Mr.  Harrison  gener- 
ally representing  the  leading  character.    Three  years  later  came 
"hard  times,"  and  many  of  the  actors  being  out  of  employment, 
Mr.  Harrison  engaged  the  Masonic  Hall  at  Paterson,  N.  J.,  con- 
verted the  large  rooms  into  a  theatre,  and  organized  a  fine  com- 
pany, among  whom  was  the  celebrated  Lysander  Thompson. 
This  company  performed  for  several  weeks  ;   but  as  every 
one  felt  the  "hard  times,"  it  was  impossible  that  any  such 
effort  should,  at  that  time,  prove  a  financial  success.  But 
the  leading  citizens,  admiring  Mr.  Harrison  as  an  actor  and 
a  gentleman,  tendered  him  a  complimentary  testimonial,  which 
was  given,  the  result  amounting  to  a  handsome  sum.  But 
an  account  of  the  suffering  of  the  poorer  classes  of  Paterson 
had  reached  his  ears,   and  he  at  once  offered  the  result 
of  his  benefit  to  the  Committee  of  Belief.    To  his  astonish- 
ment, the  money  was  refused,  on  the  ground  that  it  was  "de- 
rived from  a  theatre."    When  this  fact  became  known  the  press 
took  the  matter  in  hand,  and  the  money  was  placed  in  the  hands 
}f  an  independent  committee,  who  purchased  flour  and  coal  for 
the  hungry  and  cold.    When  Mr.  Harrison  left  the  place,  several 
members  of  the  Common  Council,  with  a  number  of  citizens,  at- 
tended him  to  the  depot  to  bid  him  good-by.    In  1859,  he  be- 
came the  lessee  and  manager  of  the  Adelphia  Theatre,  Troy, 
Y.,  where,  both  as  manager  and  actor,  he  gave  the  greatest 
iatisfaction.    While  manager  of  the  theatre,  he  played  a  large 
lumber  of  the  best  stars,  and  placed  his  pieces  upon  the  stage 
.vith  great  extravagance  of  scenic  effect.    After  two  seasons  of 
■  ariable  success,  financially,  he  was  tendered  a  grand  compli- 
neutary  benefit  by  the  leading  citizens  of  Troy,  among  whom 
vero  General  John  E.  Wool,  with  his  staff,  and  the  Mayor  of  the 
■ity.   Every  seat  in  the  house  was  sold  the  day  before  the  per- 
brmance,  in  which  Mr.  Harrison  appeared  in  his  favorite  char- 
acter otSt.  Pierre,  in  the  play  of  "The  Wife."    General  Wool 
nd  staff  attended  in  full  uniform,  which,  with  the  appropriate 


and  elegant  costumes  of  the  ladies,  added  brilliancy  to  the  occa- 
sion. William  E.  Burton's  last  engagement  was  with  Mr.  Har- 
rison. Arriving  at  Troy,  Mr.  Burton  was  taken  suddenly  ill,  and 
in  a  short  time  he  returned  home  to  die.  Mr.  Harrison  had 
worked  incessantly,  and  with  his  artistic  taste  placed  his  pieces 
upon  the  stage  in  a  style  of  excellence  rarely  seen  out  of  the 
metropolis  ;  but  he  discovered  that  a  theatre  could  not  be  sus- 
tained in  such  a  style,  and,  refusing  to  carry  it  on  in  a  less  artis- 
tic manner,  closed  the  theatre,  and  returned  to  Brooklyn,  much 
to  the  regret  of  the  leading  citizens  of  Troy .  Alternating  and 
pursuing  histrionic  and  photographic  art  (for  Brooklyn  was  not 
then  prepared  to  support  a  regular  theatre),  he  visibly  advanced 
and  improved  the  state  of  botb,  awaiting  the  time  when  a  theatre 
could  be  established  upon  a  permanent  basis.  In  September, 
1863,  Mr.  Harrison,  thinking  the  time  had  come,  opened  the 
Park  Theatre,  which  he  named  in  honor  of  the  old  Park  Theatre 
of  New  York.  His  management  and  company  were  most  excel- 
lent ;  but,  not  satisfied  with  the  success  which  attended  his  dra- 
matic efforts,  he  organized  an  English  opera  troupe.  Here  he 
introduced  to  the  lyric  stage  Messrs.  Castle  and  Campbell  and 
others,  with  Theodore  Thomas  as  conductor.  The  first  opera 
given,  the  "Bohemian  Girl,"  was  a  decided  success.  Mr.  Fry, 
the  famous  musical  critic  of  the  New  York  Tribune,  gave  frequent 
columns  of  laudation  to  the  effort  of  Mr.  Harrison  to  foster  the 
English  opera,  and  to  sustain  by  American  musical  talent ;  but 
the  enormous  expenses  of  the  companies  and  the  season  of  the 
opera  coming  in  contact  with  the  Lenten  season,  caused  greatly 
reduced  houses  and  brought  financial  ruin  to  Mr.  Harrison  after 
giving  ten  months  of  hard  work  to  the  enterprise.  The  upright, 
generous  and  manly  course  of  Mr.  Harrison's  whole  life  had  won 
him  hosts  of  friends,  and  several  gentlemen  offered  him  means 
to  continue  his  work;  but,  rather  than  risk  the  money  of  others 
in  his  own  speculations,  he  refused  the  proffered  loans  and  closed 
his  theatre. '  During  his  management  of  the  Park  Theatre,  he 
appeared  for  twenty-one  consecutive  nights,  rendering  only  four 
different  characters  ;  every  night  the  house  being  crowded  to 
overflowing.  The  New  York  World  of  November  23rd,  1862, 
contained  the  following  : 

Brooklyn  people  are  justly  congratulating  themselves  upon 
the  reappearance  of  Mr.  Gabriel  Harrison  on  the  boards  of  his 
cosy  and  admirably  conducted  theatre,  the  Park.  Mr.  Harrison 
is  remembered  by  many  as  the  talanted  actor  who  shone  at  the 
New  Park  Theatre,  New  York,  when  that  was  the  leading  establish- 
ment of  the  country.  He  resumed  his  dramatic  duties  last  week, 
appearing  as  St.  Pierre  in  Sheridan  Knowles'  play  of  "  The  Wife." 
Mr.  Harrison  is  a  well-read  man,  of  sound  taste,  and  possesses 
a  fine  appreciation  of  stage-art.  He  has  a  capital  presence, 
enunciates  fluently,  and  furnishes  throughout  excellent  render- 
ing of  his  text.  His  action  is  animated,  easy,  and  natural,  and  in 
some  scenes  surprisingly  fine.  There  is  taste  and  gentlemanli- 
ness  in  all  that  he  does.  He  afforded  an  impersonation  artistic 
in  detail,  and  just  in  conception.  Later  in  the  week,  he  essayed 
Claude  Melnotte  in  the  "  Lady  of  Lyons,"  and  with  the  same 
marked  success. 

The  entire  press  of  New  York  and  Brooklyn  spoke  in  unquali- 
fied praise  of  Mr.  Harrison's  ability  both  as  an  actor  and  a 
manager.  His  genius  for  the  work  was  undoubted,  and  never 
was  a  man  more  industrious.  He  labored  till  broken  in  health 
with  the  continued  mental  and  physical  strain,  when  he  was 
compelled  to  retire  from  his  profession,  to  which,  be  it  regret- 
fully said,  he  never  fully  returned.  In  1864,  a  number  of  gentle- 
men tendered  him  a  testimonial  at  the  Brooklyn  Academy  of 
Music,  and  many  favorite  artists  offered  him  their  services.  The 
play  selected  for  the  occasion  was  Shakespeare's  comedy  of  the 
"  Twelfth  Night,"  and  as  the  day  selected  for  the  performance 
fell  on  the  300th  anniversary  of  the  great  poet's  birth,  Mr.  Har- 
rison decided  to  celebrate  the  event  by  a  grand  Shakespearean 
tableau,  which  he  arranged  with  over  one  hundred  characters. 
The  occasion  was  a  great  success.  Several  times  after  this,  Mr. 
Harrison  became  the  lessee  and  manager  of  the  Brooklyn  Acad- 
emy of  Music,  and  here  many  of  the  best  stars  performed, 


1154 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


anion;,;  them  Matilda  Heron,  William  Florence,  Charles  Dillon 
and  Mrs.  Waller.  Under  his  management)  at  this  time,  Miss 
Kate  Bateman  performed  for  three  consecutive  nights,  to  the 
largest  audiences  that  ever  filled  the  Academy  on  a  dramatic 
occasion.  Mr.  Harrison  paid  Miss  Batcman  $500  a. night,  and 
employed  the  same  company  that  had  supported  her  at  Nihlo's 
Garden.  This  increased  his  expenses  to  $1,200  for  eacli  perform- 
ance. The  receipts  of  the  first  night  were  $1,056  ;  second 
night,  $'2,145;  third  night,  $2,137.  Total,  $G,538,  leaving  Mr. 
Harrison  a  profit  of  $2,038. 

In  18G7,  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  Brooklyn  Academy  of 
Design,  and  soon  after  became  its  corresponding  secretary. 
Here,  as  in  everything  else,  he  was  the  enthusiast,  and  did 
everything  in  his  power  to  support  the  free  art-schools  of  the 
institution  ;  and,  indeed,  through  his  exertions,  the  life  of  the 
society  was  prolonged  several  years.  On  one  occasion,  the  presi- 
dent called  a  meeting  and  offered  a  resolution  in  regard  to 
discontinuing  the  academy,  as  the  members  felt  they  could  no 
longer  maintain  out  of  their  own  pockets  the  cost  of  teachingover 
two  hundred  pupils.  Mr.  Harrison  opposed  the  movement,  and 
in  an  eloquent,  off-hand  speech — the  style  for  which  he  is 
famous  induced  them  to  desist,  promising  that  he  would  raise 
the  money,  not  only  to  pay  off  the  debts  of  the  "  Academy  of 
Design,"  but  to  continue  the  free  art -schools.  He  accordingly 
got  up  a  concert,  which  took  place  February  22nd,  18G0.  Ole 
Bull,  S.  li.  Mills,  Madame  Staats  and  others  volunteered  their 
services,  and  the  concert  yielded  over  $000,  enough  to  pay  off 
the  debts  and  continue  the  free  art-schools  through  two  winters. 

In  lscti.  Miss  Matilda  Heron  induced  Mr.  Harrison  to  write  for 
her  a  tragedy.  As  she  had  advanced  in  years,  and  was  conscious 
that  she  was  outgrowing  the  graces  of  her  girlish  figure,  and  could, 
therefore,  no  longer  appear  as  any  of  the  dramatic  heroines 
should,  she  desired  a  play  containing  a  matronly  character, 
which,  would  suit  her  years  and  rather  large  figure.  Mr.  Harri- 
son undertook  the  task,  and  was  successful  to  the  entire  satis- 
faction of  the  great  actress.  The  title  of  his  tragedy  is  "  Melan- 
thia,"  a  Greek  matron,  who,  Virginias-like,  held  her  daughter's 
honor  as  a  sacred  trust.  The  character  is  grand  in  conception, 
and  was  admirably  suited  to  Matilda  Heron's  wonderful  power 
as  a  tragic  actress.  Of  Mr.  Harrison's  creation  of  Mdanthin, 
Miss  Heron  writes  : 

"My  dear  Mr.  Harrison  :  Your  Melanthia  is  the  proudest 
character  ever  written  for  modern  woman.  It  can  never  fail  but 
through  bad  management.  I  know  what  I  am,  and  what  I  can 
do.  I  have  that  within  me  which  surpasses  all  the  representa- 
tions of  Ortmille  I  ever  gave,  and  which  shall  yet  come  out. 
I  say  this  because  it  is  no  paltry  adaptation  of  a  novel.  Iam 
speaking  of  a  great  and  glorious  gem  that  cannot  perish,  but 
which  will  shine  when  you  and  I  and  the  managers  shall  be  at 
peace.  See  Mr.  Palmer,  manager  of  Niblo's  Theatre,  or  whom 
you  please  about  this  subject.  I  ask  no  favors,  convinced  that, 
if  I  am  only  tolerably  equal  to  the  sublime  task  of  personating 
your  Melanthia,  I  shall  be  paying  them  a  tribute  of  distinc- 
tion that  they  have  not  in  their  power  to  repay  me.  In  New 
York  I  shall  play  this  play  only  on  condition  that  you  have  the 
entire  management  of  it." 

It  was  Miss  Heron's  wish  to  produce  "  Melanthia"  atone  of 
the  New  York  theatres,  and  she  made  an  effort  to  do  so;  but,  un- 
fortunately, all  the  principal  theatres  throughout  the  country 
were  at  that  time  occupied  with  the  "Black  Crook,"  which  then 
had  been  for  over  two  years  drawing  immense  houses.  Miss 
Heron,  ho\vc\er,  produced  the  play  at  the  Olympic  Theatre,  in 
St  Louis,  with  great  success;  the  local  press  agreeing  that  the 
play  "abounded  with  thrilling  dramatic  situations,"  and  that 
"Mr.  Harrison's  classic  tragedy  of  'Melanthia'  furnished  just 
the  character  that  hie'  always  been  wanted  lor  the  great  actress 
when  she  arrives  at  middle  age."'  But  the  people  had  just 
"•merged  from  the  < 'i\ il  War:  the  agonies  of  tears,  mid  blood,  and 
death.  They  demanded  something  to  amuse  and  c  heer  them. 
About  the  time  Mr  Harrison  retired  from  the  management  of 
the  Park  Theatre,  I>r  Ib  nry  K.  StileH,  the  historian  of  Brook 


lyn,  Alden  J.  Spooner,  Professor  Chas.  E.West,  Henry  C.  Murphy, 
John  Winslow,  and  others,  were  organizing  the  Long  Island 
Historical  Society.  Mr.  Harrison  was  one  of  the  first  to  respond 
to  this  movement,  and  presented  to  the  Long  Island  Historical 
Society  a  dramatic  library  consisting  of  over  one  thousand  plays 
and  several  manuscripts  of  rare  value.  Among  them  were  a 
MS.  farce  by  John  Philip  Kemble,  the  original  part  of  Sir  Peter 
Teazle  in  the  handwriting  of  Sheridan,  and  many  rare  dramatic 
publications,  dating  back  to  1(!50,  together  with  old  play  bills 
of  Hallani's  first  performances  in  the  city  of  New  York  in  179. 
He  gave  also  a  valuable  bust  of  Shakespeare,  one  of  the  three 
fac-similes  made  from  the  bust  that  stands  over  the  grave  of  the  im- 
mortal bard  at  Avon.  This  originally  belonged  to  John  Philip 
Kemble,  and  was  purchased  by  William  E.  Burton,  who  brought 
it  to  this  country.  It  was  purchased  by  Gabriel  Harrison  at  the 
sale  of  Mr.  Burton's  effects  in  1800.  Mr.  Harrison  also  gave  th. 
Historical  Society  a  water-color  portrait  of  Edgar  A.  Poe,  with 
whom  he  had  been  well  acquainted.  This  picture  he  colored 
under  the  observation  of  Mrs.  Clemin,  Poe's  mother-in-law,  who 
pronounced  it  the  best  picture  of  the  great  poet  extant,  and,  in 
gratitude,  prest  nted  Mr.  Harrison  with  Poe's  wedding  ring. 
This  ring  was  most  highly  prized  by  Air.  Harrison,  but,  with 
over-liberality,  he  gave  this  also  to  the  Long  Island  Historical 
Society.  While  in  the  hands  of  its  original  founders,  these  vain- 
able  historical  gifts  were  appreciated  and  cherished,  and  the 
donor's  generosity  recognized  by  his  election  to  a  life-member- 
ship. But,  in  the  after  years  of  its  management,  the  Society 
failed  to  appreciate  these  valuable  gifts,  as  they  seem  to  have 
vanished  from  the  shelves  of  the  library. 

During  Mr.  Harrison's  industrious  life,  he  has  continued  to 
devote  his  attention  to  landscape-painting,  and  produced  many 
artistic  and  some  notable  pictures.  Among  these  were  the 
original  pictures  entitled  "The  Swallows'  Roost"— a  sunset; 
"Solitude"— a  moonlight;  "A  Look  Between  the  Trees"— a 
noonday.  His  characteristics  as  an  artist  lie  in  grace  of  form, 
harmony  of  color,  and  sentiment  of  composition.  Andrew 
McLean,  editor-in-chief  of  the  Brooklyn  3t<jle,  in  describing  one 
of  his  pictures,  said  : 

"Mr.  Gabriel  Harrison's  picture  of  'Solitude'  is  one  Unit 
will  undoubtedly  attract  a  great  deal  of  attention.  It  is  a  mid- 
summer night  scene.  In  the  foreground  stands  a  clump  of  tall 
trees,  whose  foliage  forms  a  natural  frame  for  a  quiet  mountain- 
lake  and  a  range  of  distant  mountains.  The  moon,  just  rising, 
throws  a  band  of  silver  across  the  lake,  and  lends  a  dreamy, 
uncertain  light  to  the  scene.  Everything  about  the  picture  be- 
tokens the  ponderous  stillness  and  solitude  of  nature,  and  this 
effect  is  enhanced  by  the  entire  absence  of  animal  life.  The 
work  is,  in  fact,  a  poem  on  'Solitude'  in  color,  and  it  im- 
presses the  theme  more  forcibly  upon  the  mind  than  any  words 
are  capable  of  portraying  it. 

Mr.  Harrison  also  painted  a  picture  of  Edwin  Forrest  as  (brio- 
lanus,  which  was  purchased  by  Mr.  Morell,  of  New  York,  and  i- 
said  to  be  the  most  accurate  and  characteristic  portrait  of  the 
tragedian  ever  painted." 

Mr  Alden  J.  Spooner,  another  critic,  writes  : 

"  ■  The  Falls  of  Minnehaha'  has  been  greatly  admired  amonprt 
our  artists.  Nono  have  been  so  successful  as  Mr.  Harrison  in 
depicting  poetic  scenes,  and  transfusing  the  poetry  anil  aenti 
ment  of  nature.  In  his  'Falls  of  Minnehaha,'  the  harmonies 
of  nature  are  unbroken  by  any  element  of  life  or  sound,  Ooepl 
the  cadences  of  the  '  laughing  waters,  to  which  the  faun*  and 
dryads  of  the  realm  -the  Indian  subjects  of  Longfellow— might 
be  supposed  to  be  lending  a  charmed  ear.  The  scene  ii  a* 
poetically  placed  upon  the  canvas  as  the  poot  has  framed  it 
in  his  immortal  verse." 

In  1872,  Mr.  Harrison  assisted  in  organizing  the  FmistClwi  1$ 
Brooklyn;  he  was  olected  one  of  the  directors,  and  appointed 
chairman  of  the  Art  and  Literary  Department.  Never  ' 
thing  without  a  purpose,  he  soon  became  the  life  ami  s"iil  "f ll" 
organization.  Through  his  suggestion  and  earn  eat  •ffort* 
"Saturday  Night  Entertainments"  wore  given,  and  monthly  re- 
ceptions for  the  wives,  daughters,  and  lady  friends  of  the  mem-. 


BIOGRAPHY  OF  GABRIEL  HARRISON. 


1155 


bers.  On  these  occasions  paintings  were  exhibited,  music  and 
recitations  were  introduced,  and  also  the  reading  of  original 
papers  in  prose  and  poetry  ;  all  of  whieh  proved  a  powerful 
'agent  in  promoting  taste  for  art  and  literature.  It  was  bere,  on 
one  Saturday  night,  that  Mr.  Harrison  read  a  paper  on  John 
Howard  Payne,  the  author  of  "Home,  Sweet  Home,"  and  one 
of  the  best  ifmerican  dramatists.  At  the  conclusion  of  his  paper, 
he  appealed  to  the  members  to  do  something  for  Payne's  mem- 
ory. They  responded  to  his  suggestions  ;  and,  by  a  series  of 
dramatic  performances,  suggested  by  Mr.  Harrison,  and  given 
at  the  Academy  of  Music,  and  by  the  sale  of  paintings  contri- 
buted by  Mr.  Harrison  and  other  artists,  which  were  sold  from 
the  parlors  of  the  Faust  Club,  they  realized  thirty-one  hundred 
dollars.  This  amount  paid  for  a  fine  bronze  bust  of  Payne.  It 
was  erected  in  Prospect  Park,  and  unveiled  in  the  presence  of 
25,000  people;  who,  with  500  school  children,  joined  in  the 
chorus  of  "Home,  Sweet  Home."  One  year  later  he  published 
The  Life  and  Writings  of  John  Howard  Payne,  an  octavo  volume  of 
:  four  hundred  pages,  gotten  up  in  the  most  exquisite  style.  The 
book  is  a  valuable  addition  to  American  biography,  as  well 
as  one  of  the  finest  specimens  of  American  typography. 
The  leading  papers  of  New  York  and  Brooklyn  and  other  cities 
gave  the  book  most  favorable  notice.  In  the  Aldine  appeared 
the  following  critique  : 

"It could  not  be  otherwise  than  that  such  a  man  as  Mr.  Har- 
rison should  have  supplemented  the  noble  bust  of  Payne  in 
Prospect  Park  with  an  appreciative  biography,  and  should  have 
clone  his  work  with  ardor  and  with  excellent  judgment.  With 
the  admiration  that  Mr.  Harrison  always  has  for  what  is  really 
good,  there  might  be  a  fear  that  the  biography  might  tend  too 
much  to  eulogy,  and  perhaps  destroy  the  mission  of  the  work  by 
over-coloring,  But  let  it  be  said  that  this  temptation  has  been 
marvellously  resisted  by  Mr.  Harrison,  whose  admiration  for 
his  subject,  if  at  all  times  evident,  is  never  obtrusive, 
and  never  finds  expression  beyond  what  may  be 
easily  received.  In  the  main,  while  confessedly  admiring,  and 
somewhat  in  the  form  of  a  tribute,  it  bears  the  impress  of  being 
closely  restrained,  well  considered,  and  intrinsically  just." 

Amos  G.  Tokry,  in  the  Brooklyn  Sunday  Review,  August  1st, 
1878,  says  :  "The  life  and  writings  of  John  Howard  Payne,  by 
Mr.  Gabriel  Harrison,  is  a  work  wholly  characteristic  of  the 
author.  We  find  the  work  delightful  by  contrast  with  the 
stereotyped  biography  of  the  day — a  fresh,  candid  and  artless 
recital  of  the  triumphs  and  failures  of  a  man  iuto  whose  web  of 
life  was  woven  more  of  the  gray  than  gold,  more  of  sorrow  than 
joy.  A  glorious  boyhood,  a  young  manhood  radiant  with 
promise,  a  prime  of  disappointment,  and  a  defeated  decline  ;  it 
was  of  these  that  Mr.  Harrison  had  to  tell,  and  most  faithfully 
has  he  painted  them  all.  He  has  achieved  a  most  undeniable 
success.  The  subject  fitted  the  biographer.  We  know  of  no 
other  man  so  competent  to  understand  and  appreciate  Payne  as 
this  same  great-hearted,  unselfish,  honorable  gentleman  as 
Gabriel  Harrison." 

These  efforts  of  Mr.  Harrison  so  aroused  public  sentiment, 
both  at  home  and  abroad,  in  regard  to  Payne,  that  measures 
were  at  once  taken  by  our  government  to  restore  his  neglected 
grave  at  Tunis,  and  finally  led  to  the  removal  of  his  remains  to 
\merica,  by  Mr.  Corcoran,  of  Washington.    Considering  what 
Brooklyn,  through  Mr.  Harrison  and  the  Faust  Club,  had  done 
or  Payne,  the  only  fitting  place  for  his  remains  was  in  Green- 
Vood,  or  beneath  his  monument  in  Prospect  Park.    When  Mr. 
jorcoran's  project  became  known  to  the  public,  Mr.  Harrison 
vrote  him,  urging  that  the  remains  of  Payne  be  placed  in  Long 
sland,  where  he  had  spent  his  childhood,  and  as  the  only  spot 
vhich  the  poet  had  recognized  as  his  home  for  the  last  twenty 
ears  of  his  life,  and  thus  fufill  the  sentiment  of  his  immortal 
ong.    But  Mr.  Harrison's  request  was  refused.    Brooklyn  was 
lenied  the  bones  of  her  dead  poet,  and  the  motives  of  patriotism 
nd  philanthropy  in  removal  greatly  impaired  by  the  peculiar 
ct  of  placing  his  remains  where  they  do  not  rightfully  belong. 
Jot  a  citizen  of  Brooklyn  was  notified  when  the  remains  of  Payne 
rrived  in  New  York,  but  all  were  left  to  learn  the  fact  through 
ae  newspapers.    Amid  the  throngs  of  people  who  visited  the 
-ity  Hall,  New  York,  where  the  remains  lay  in  state,  was  an 


elderly  gentleman,  who  paused  before  the  casket,  and  placed 
thereon  an  elegant  wreath  of  immortelles,  bearing  the  words 
"From  a  Friend."  It  was  Gabriel  Harrison.  On  the  Cth  of  June, 
the  funeral  took  place  with  great  pomp  at  Oak  Hill  Cemetery, 
West  Washington,  the  burying-ground  in  which  Mr.  Corcoran 
had  selected  a  spot  for  the  last  resting-place  of  Payne.  Mr. 
Harrison  attended  the  obsequies  as  one  of  the  pall-bearers,  and 
must  have  been  impressed  with  the  important  results  which  had 
been  brought  about  by  his  efforts  in  the  Faust  Club  and  through 
the  agency  of  his  pen. 

One  of  the  most  notable  productions  of  the  centennial  year 
was  Mr.  Harrison's  dramatization  of  Hawthorne's  "  Scarlet  Letter." 
"A  potent  charm  of  the  drama  is  its  faithful  portraiture  of  the 
Puritan  severity  and  simplicity  of  the  time  indicated."  In  the 
dramatization  of  this  famous  romance,  Mr.  Harrison  has  con- 
structed a  powerful  drama  without  sacrificing  any  of  the  lead- 
ing characteristics  of  the  original.  Amos  G.  Torry,  in  the 
Brooklyn  Review,  says: 

"Brooklyn  possesses  at  least  one  citizen  of  whom  she  may  speak 
with  unalloyed  satisfaction,  if  not  with  absolute  pride.  He  is 
the  most  modest  of  men,  and  whenever  he  comes  to  the  surface 
of  affairs  at  all,  he  always  brings  in  his  hand  a  real  benefaction. 
He  gave  to  Brooklyn  her  first  permanent  theatre;  he  planted  in 
Prospect  Park  the  grand  memorial  bronze  which  has  made  the 
features  of  the  author  of  '  Home,  Sweet  Home,'  almost  as  familiar 
to  us  all  as  the  plaintive  song  itself;  and  not  satisfied  with  that 
noble  tribute  to  unrecognized  genius,  he  wrote  out  the  wonder- 
ful history  of  Howard  Payne,  and  embalmed  it  by  means  of 
'  the  art  preservative  of  art.'  Always  incurring  large  risks  and 
ruinous  outlays  for  the  betterment  of  his  fellow-men,  good  Gabriel 
Harrison  has  steadily  impoverished  himself  for  the  enrichment 
of  the  world  he  lives  in,  and  of  Brooklyn  first  of  all.  And  now 
we  are  invited  to  inspect  still  another  Harrisonian  contribution  to 
the  art-force  of  our  time,  a  beautiful  dramatization  of  Hawthorne's 
unfading  'Scarlet  Letter.'  I  have  read  the  drama  through 
twice — first,  with  an  eye  to  its  dramatic  claims,  and  lastly  in  a 
sharply  critical  mood,  on  the  look-out  for  some  flaw  into  which 
to  thrust  an  epigrammatic  snarl,  or  a  jaundiced  interjection. 
And  here  am  I  now  gazing  somewhat  pluvially  and  abstractedly 
at  the  '  tail-piece'  which  spells  'Finis,'  with  my  few  remaining 
locks  standing  half  on  end!  in  the  entire  absorption  of  my  '  inner 
consciousness,'  and  by  the  cold  chills  that  creep  up  and  down 
my  spine  as  I  read  again  the  speeches  of  '  Hester'  and  'Dimmes- 
dale,'  I  am  warned  that  I  am  standing  covered  in  the  presence 
of  genius." 

The  New  York  Express  remarked:  "To  dramatize  this 
story  and  fit  it  for  the  exigencies  of  the  stage,  was  a  task  not 
to  be  lightly  and  frivolously  undertaken.  It  was  necessary  to 
bring  a  knowledge  of  the  stage  and  an  experience  of  dramatic 
writing  combined  with  ability— qualities  that  do  not  often  go 
hand  in  hand.  But  it  must  be  seen  from  Mr.  Harrison's  work 
that  he  possesses  the  qualities  to  an  eminent  degree.  His 
characters  are  deftly  drawn,  their  attributes  admirably  expressed, 
while  in  dramatic  construction  and  climax  the  play  presents  a 
composition  that  marks  a  great  stage-success.  The  character  of 
Hester  Prynne,  in  particular,  is  drawn  with  a  tenderness,  grace, 
and  fidelity  that  offer  unusual  advantages  for  the  display  of 
dramatic  genius.  Every  salient  feature  of  the  story  has  been 
seized  upon  by  Mr.  Harrison  in  a  manner  that  evinces  keenness 
of  perception,  and  the  ability  to  put  this  perception  to  the  best 
advantage;  and  whenever  he  has  introduced  words  and  thoughts 
of  his  own,  so  as  to  fit  the  story  to  the  stage,  it  is  almost  impossi- 
ble to  tell  which  is  Hawthorne,  and  which  is  Harrison.  The 
literary  qualities  of  the  play  are  the  same  throughout;  all  is 
harmonious  and  symmetrical." 

Mr.  Harrison  had  one  hundred  copies  of  this  drama  printed  in 
187fi,  but  waited  two  years  before  placing  it  upon  the  stage.  In 
this  his  friends  recognized  the  true  delicacy  of  the  man,  in  refus- 
ing to  do  anything  which  might  seem,  even  remotely,  to  profit 
by  the  public  calamity  based  upon  the  Beecher-Tilton  affair. 

In  February,  1878,  Mr.  Harrison  produced  his  dramatization 
of  Hawthorne's  "Scarlet  Letter,"  at  Wood's  Theatre.  His 
daughter  Viola  made  her  debut  as  Hester  Prynne,  to  her  father's 
Roijer  Collinyicorth.  The  drama  drew  crowued  houses  for  a  whole 
week.  Many  had  attempted  the  dramatization  of  this  beautiful 
novel,  but  failed  to  make  it  a  success,  even  with  the  gifted  Mrs. 
Lander  to  embody  the  characteristics  of  Hester  Prynne.  But 


1156 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Mr.  H&rrisOD  presented  the  play  with  such  dramatic  force  that 
every  one  who  witnessed  it  was  hurried  along  from  beginning  to 
end  with  the  most  intense  interest.  He  so  arranged  the  dra- 
matic action  and  scenic  effects  that  they  assisted  in  leading  the 
mind  of  the  audience  into  that  deep  reasoning,  and  almost 
enabled  it  to  feel  the  secret  heart-pulses  which  seem  to  vivify 
the  leading  characters  in  the  wonderful  story  of  the  "  Scarlet 
Letter."  At  the  fall  of  the  curtain,  a  storm  of  applause  brought 
the  dramatist  and  actor  to  the  footlights  to  receive  the  congratu- 
lations of  the  audience  for  his  double  success. 

Mr.  Harrison  was  ever  a  firm  adherent  of  the  school  of  Edwin 
Forrest.  His  affection  and  regard  for  the  great  tragedian  knew 
no  bounds,  and  his  audience  never  failed  to  be  impressed  with 
his  faithful  study  of  the  mighty  model.  He  became  the  imper- 
sonator of  the  higher  class  of  tragic  and  romantic  characters,  and 
his  acting  has  ever  been  remarkable  for  its  intensity,  enthusiasm 
and  power,  united  with  perfect  naturalness.  His  utterance  of 
the  English  language  is  perfect  in  accentuation  and  intonation. 
With  a  strong  musical  voice,  made  flexible  by  his  thorough 
study  of  elocution,  it  is  equally  capable  of  the  rich,  deep  notes 
so  indispensable  in  tragedy,  and  the  smooth,  tender  qualities 
that  are  suited  to  the  expression  of  love  or  pathos.  In  184"),  the 
mutual  admiration  of  Edwin  Forrest  and  Gabriel  Harrison 
matured  into  a  friendship  that  lasted  unbroken  till  the  hour  of 
the  great  tragedian's  death.  A  fortnight  before  the  sad  event 
Mr.  Forrest  invited  Mr.  Harrison  to  spend  Thanksgiving  Day 
with  him  at  his  residence  in  Philadelphia.  It  was  a  day  never 
to  be  forgotten  by  the  honored  guest.  From  early  morning  till 
late  at  night  they  were  alone,  enjoying  reminiscences,  or  ponder, 
ing  over  the  dramatic  lore  with  which  Mr.  Forrest's  library  of 
7,000  volumes  abounded.  Among  the  literary  treasures  there 
was  the  first  folio  edition  of  Shakespeare's  works— 1(523 — 
which  seemed  almost  to  make  sacred  the  actor's  sanctum,  and 
which  had  cost  him  $'2,000.  They  read  to  each  other  most  of  the 
day.  Mr.  Harrison  laid  before  Mr.  Forest  a  project  which  he 
had  contemplated  for  many  years.  In  1854,  Mr.  Harrison  had 
conceived  the  idea  of  establishing  a  Dramatic  College,  to  educate 
aspirants  for  the  stage,  and  to  encourage  dramatic  literature. 
It  wa3  partially  carried  into  effect,  and  the  first  performance  was 
given  at  the  Brooklyn  Museum.  The  organization  lasted  about 
a  year,  during  which  time  it  gave  to  the  public  stage  Miss  Ellen 
Gray  and  Messrs.  Ringgold,  Walton  and  others.  That  such  an 
institution,  if  established,  could  be  sustained,  Mr.  Harrison  had 
not  the  slightest  doubt  :  and  as  Mr.  Forrest  was  a  man  of  wealth, 
he  laid  before  him  this  project  to  establish  a  Dramatic  College, 
where  students  for  the  stage  should  be  graduated  the  same  as  in 
any  other  profession,  and  receive  diplomas,  which  in  most  cases 
would  secure  to  the  possessor  a  position  according  to  his  ability. 
Mr.  Forrest  was  so  impressed  with  Mr.  Harrison's  unique  idea 
that  he  made  an  appointment  with  James  Lawson  and  Mr. 
James  Oakes,  his  executors,  to  meet  Mr.  Harrison  in  Philadel- 
phia, that  In-  might  explain  to  them  his  plans  regarding  the  pro- 
posed institution.  Unfortunately,  Mr.  Forrest  left  Philadelphia 
to  read  in  Boston,  and  on  the  second  day  after  his  return,  De- 
cember 12th,  1*72,  he  suddenly  died.  As  a  matter  of  course, 
Mr.  Harrison  was  immediately  summoned  to  Philadelphia, 
where  he  acted  as  a  committee  to  receive  those  who  came  from  a 
distance  to  nttend  the  obsequies.  Two  nights  he  sat  beside  that 
body  from  which  a  great  soul  had  lied,  bowed  in  the  grief  which 
only  those  bereft  of  such  a  friend  can  feel.  The  fact  that  Mr. 
Forn-st  about  a  year  previous  had  been  bereaved  of  his  only 
relative,  cast  a  gloom  on  his  last  days,  and  hound  him  more 
closely  to  the  friends  he  valued  for  other  ties  than  of  kindred. 
He  gave  to  Mr.  Harrison  many  proofs  of  his  affection  and 
esteem.  He  emphatically  pronounced  him  a  man  of  genius.  In 
a  letter  to  Mr.  Harrison,  March  Nth,  1 H7 1 ,  Forrest  w  rites  :  •'  I 
have  been  quite  ill  since  I  came  home,  nnd  nm  still  suffering 
from  in)  In  r>  ditary  gout.     In  u  superficial  ijew  of  such  a  case, 


what  an  injustice  seems  the  penalty,  that  the  innocent  unborn 
must  suffer  for  the  guilty— but  it  is  an  irrevocable  natural  law. 

"  '  For  just  disease  to  luxury  succeeds, 
And  every  sin  its  own  avenger  breeds.'  " 

With  this  interesting  letter,  he  sent  to  Mr.  Harrison  his  portrait, 
stating  that  he  considered  it  the  best  of  him  ever  taken.  On 
another  occasion,  he  presented  Mr.  Harrison  a  life-size  head  of 
himself  in  the  character  of  King  Lear,  which  had  been  painted 
especially  for  him.  A  fac-simile  letter  accompanying  this  por- 
trait is  published  in  Lawrence  Barrett's  life  of  Forrest.  We 
here  give  the  following  letter,  which  is  characteristic  of  Mr. 
Forrest : 

Philadelphia,  September  4,  1871. 

Gabriel  Harrison,  Esq. 

Dear  Sib, — I  should  have  acknowledged  the  receipt  of_yonr 
several  very  kind  letters,  long  since  received,  but  the  bereave- 
ment suffered  by  the  death  of  my  only  relative  quite  unfitted 
me,  even  for  the  daily  occupations  of  life. 

I  duly  received  the  engraving  of  Mr.  Booth  as  hujo,  and  whicli 
would  have  answered  quite  as  well  for  Romeo. 

The  photograph  of  J^ear  I  sent  you  is  rather  a  portrait  of  a 
general  quiescent  state  of  lunacy,  and  not  of  any  paroxysm,  or 
specific  revealment  of  any  point  in  the  performance,  and  so  far, 
I  think  it  worthy  of  much  commendation. 

Next  month,  when  I  resume  my  professional  life,  I  hope  to  be 
able  to  sit  for  another  picture  of  King  Lear,  which  shall  be  more 
pronounced  than  the  one  you  have.  If  yon  could  be  here  at  the 
time,  you  might  greatly  assist  the  pose. 

As  you  expressed  a  wish  to  ascertain  some  facts  in  the  life  of 
John  *  Howard  Payne,  I  asked  Mr.  James  Rees,  of  this  city.  t<i 
furnish  yon  a  brief  and  reliable  biography  of  him,  and  which  I 
now  take  great  pleasure  to  enclose  you. 

Truly  and  sincerely  yours, 

EDWIN  FORREST. 

While  in  New  York,  February  2:hl,  1871,  he  wrote  to  Mr.  Harri- 
son, saying,  "  If  Saturday  next  should  be  fine  weather.  I  should 
like  to  visit  with  you  the  studio  of  the  artist  whom  you  think 
qualified  to  paint  the  portrait  of  Edmund  Kean."  Mr.  Harrison 
met  him  according  to  arrangement,  and  decided  to  give  the 
honor  of  painting  the  portrait  to  Victor  Nehlig.  But  as  Mr. 
Forrest  died  soon  after,  and  his  executors  declined  to  act  in  the 
matter,  the  portrait  of  Kean  was  not  painted.  Mr.  Forrest  pre 
sented  Mr.  Harrison  with  a  picture  of  Edmund  Kean.  which  he, 
Forrest,  considered  the  most  correct  he  had  ever  seen.  Mr. 
Harrison's  friendship  for  Mr.  Forrest  was  not  "  interred  "  with 
the  tragedian's  "bones."  It  still  lives,  and  will  be  perpetuated 
in  W.  R.  Alger's  "  Life  of  Edwin  Forrest."  Although  a  personal 
friend  of  Forrest,  and  a  man  of  letters,  Alger's  vocation  in  Ife 
precluded  the  possibility  of  his  cultivating  any  adequate  knowl- 
edge of  the  dramatic  stage.  It  was,  therefore,  largely  through 
the  devoted  and  disinterested  assistance  of  Gabriel  Harrison 
that  Mr.  Alger  was  able  to  give  a  proper  estimate  of  Forrest's 
genius  as  an  actor.  This  assistance  was  not  only  solicited  by 
Alger,  but  by  James  Lawson  and  James  Oakes,  Forrest's  execu- 
tors, who  realized  that  no  other  man  had  studied  so  deeply  and 
understood  so  thoroughly  Forrest's  artistic  merits.  In  a  letter 
to  Mr.  Harrison,  February  12th,  1875,  Mr.  Lawson  writes:  "No 
one  has  a  fairer  insight  into  Forrest's  acting  than  yourself.  Yon 
appreciate  him  fully,  and  with  an  artist's  eye.  You  have  drawn 
him  as  he  is,  the  tragedian  of  the  age,  perhaps  of  all  ages."  Mr 
Alger  wrote  from  Boston,  December  9th,  1H71  :  "My  Dear  Mr 
Harrison,  I  suppose  you  have  not  yet  got  the  proofs  of  yonr 
essay  on  Forrest  in  Brutus.  When  you  have  them.  I  pray  yon 
loan  them  to  me  tor  a  few  days,  us  yon  agreed.  Any  criticism- 
on  the  acting  or  Forrest  in  his  chief  roles,  any  hints  or  mo- 
tions you  will  write  out  for  my  aid,  I  will  gladly  pay  y°«»  for 
liberally."  Again  he  writes,  February  25th,  1*75.  expressing  h  - 
obligations  to  Mr.  Harrison  for  his  "very  suggestive  and  heir'"' 
notes  on  the  Malamora  of  Forrest.    I  like  them  very  much. 

shall  bo  greatly  aided  by  them.  If  at  any  time  yon  feel  lik" 
scratching  off  reminiscences  and  hints  on  the  Qladiator,  ^""""j 

William  v.//.  or  any  other  of  the  leading  roles  o!  Forrest,  it  »i  . 


BIOGRAPHY  OF  GABRIEL  HARRISON. 


1157 


be  a  great  favor.  Come  over  some  Sunday  morning  to  my 
church,  and  then  stop  and  dine  with  me,  and  talk  to  me  of  For- 
rest, of  acting,  and  of  the  Theatre  of  Art."  Mr.  Alger  had  re- 
ferred to  Edwin  Forrest's  acting  as  "melodramatic."  Mr.  Harri- 
son, writing  to  Mr.  Alger  in  protest  against  this  epithet,  gives 
his  estimate  thus:  "  Are  the  wonderful  figures  of  Michael  Angelo 
melodramatic  because  they  are  so  strongly  outlined  ?  Is  Niagara 
unnatural  and  full  of  trick,  because  it  is  mighty  and  thunders 
so  in  its  fall?  When  I  looked  at  it,  its  sublimity  made  me  feel 
as  if  I  were  looking  God  in  the  face;  and  I  never  thought  that 
God  was  melodramatic.  I  have  seen  Forrest  more  than  four 
hundred  times.  I  have  sat  at  his  feet  as  a  pupil-artist  learning 
of  a  master-artist.  In  all  his  chief  roles,  I  have  studied  him  with 
the  most  earnest  carefulness,  from  his  tout  ensemble  to  the  minu- 
test particulars  of  look,  tone,  posture,  and  motion.  I  say,  without  ! 
doubt,  he  was  the  most  honest,  finished  and  powerful  actor  that 
ever  lived.  Whenever  I  saw  him  act,  I  used  to  feel  with  exulta- 
tion how  perfectly  grand  God  had  made  him.  How  grand  a 
form  !  how  grand  a  mind  !  how  grand  a  heart !  how  grand  a 
voice !  how  grand  a  flood  of  passion,  sweeping  all  these  to  their 
mark  in  perfect  unison!  My  memory  of  him  is  so  worshipful 
and  affectionate,  and  so  full  of  regret  that  I  can  see  him  no  more, 
that  my  tears  are  blotting  the  leaf  on  which  I  write."  The  above 
passage  Mr.  Alger  has  quoted  in  his  life  of  Forrest.  Gabriel 
Harrison  received  a  letter  from  James  Lawson,  April  13th,  1875, 
which  contained  the  following:  "  About  Mr.  Alger's  progress,  I 
am  afraid  he  has  done  little  or  nothing  since  he  accepted  the 
church  in  New  York.  I  shall  be  delighted  to  see  your  articles 
on  Othello  and  Lear.  I  don't  know  of  any  man  living  so  capable 
of  doing  justice  to  our  departed  friend.  Your  knowledge  and 
taste  in  art  is  difficult  to  please.  You  want  perfection  to  which 
few  attain." 

In  the  critical  essays  on  Forrest's  rendering  of  character  in 
Alger's  Life  of  Edwin  Forrest,  Mr.  Harrison's  hand  is  conspicuous, 
and  where  his  words  are  used  the  sentences  sparkle  with  his 
enthusiasm.  Lawson  was  perfectly  aware  of  the  great  service  I 
Harrison  had  rendered  Alger  in  the  Life  of  Forrest,  and  writes, 
February,  1875  :  "  You  have  done  Forrest  good.  But  for  you 
he  would  not  have  been  placed  in  the  elevated  position  he  so 
truly  merits.  Your  article  on  Matamora  came  to  hand  this 
morning.  It  came  near  to  my  heart.  It  touched  me  deeply.  I 
think  as  I  read  your  words  that  I  see  the  old  fellow  in  all  his 
grandeur.  The  latter  part  of  the  article  especially  is  truly  pa- 
thetic. It  went  to  my  very  soul.  It  is  sweetly  poetic,  that 
passage  particularly:  '  Hie  sweetest  music  lies  in  the  strings  of 
the  harp,  awaiting  tlie  touch  of  Us  master  to  expi-ess  its  mel- 
ody.' Alger  must  appreciate  what  you  have  done,  and  if  he 
uses,  as  he  ought  to  do,  your  own  words,  your  beautiful  portrait 
of  Matamora  will  add  to  his  fame,  and  enhance  the  interest  and 
value  of  his  book.  I  have  better  hopes  than  ever  that  the  life  of 
Forrest  will  be  a  success.  Thanks  to  Gabriel  Harrison  with  all 
my  heart."  On  the  first  anniversary  after  Forrest's  death,  a 
company  of  gentlemen  met  in  New  York  and  organized  "The 
Foerest  Club,"  of  which  Gabriel  Harrison  was  elected  corre- 
sponding secretary.  After  many  eulogies  had  been  paid  to  For- 
rest, Mr.  Harrison  said  : 

"Gentlemen,  however  well  the  world  may  know  Mr.  Forrest 
as  an  actor,  it  knows  comparatively  nothing  of  him  as  a  man. 
A  kinder  heart  never  beat  in  the  bosom  of  a  human  being.  In 
the  finer  sympathies  of  our  nature,  he  was  more  like  a  child  than 
one  who  had  felt  an  undue  share  of  the  buffets  of  ingratitude. 
When  speaking  to  him  of  the  trouble  of  others,  I  have  often  seen 
his  eyes  suffuse  with  rtears.  The  beggar  never  knocked  at  his 
door  and  went  away  unladen.  Many  is  the  charity  that  fell  from 
his  manly  hand,  and  the  relieved  knew  not  whence  it  came. 
And  I  may  say  with  conscientious  pride,  that,  however  much  any 
of  the  great  actors  may  have  done  for  their  national  stage,  Mr. 
Forrest,  equal  to  any  of  them,  has  done  as  much  for  the  theatre 
of  his  country,  and  will  remain  a  recognized  peer  of  the  highest 
m  the  everlasting  group.  The  longer  I  allude  to  the  tragedian 
the  stronger  becomes  the  sadness  that  pervades  my  feelings,  to 
think  that  he  is  no  more,  and  that  the  mundane  existence  of  the 


gifts  nature  had  so  liberally  bestowed  upon  him,  had  to  cease 
with  the  cessation  of  his  pulses." 

In  18G0  John  H.  Gion,  for  inany  years  connected  with  the 
press,  and  the  manager  of  Miss  Matilda  Heron,  wrote  a  letter  to 
Mr.  Harrison  urging  him  to  continue  in  his  profession.  He  says: 

"I  have  had  you  constantly  in  my  mind,  and  sincerely  regret 
that  you  have  no*  been  enabled  to  take  the  steps  for  a  series  of 
successes  that,  I  feel  assured,  wait  you  in  a  brilliant  career  in 
the  profession  for  which  you  are  by  nature  so  peculiarly  adapted. 
I  have  seen  enough  of  you,  both  on  and  off  the  stage,  to  know 
that  there  are  many  with  but  a  moiety  of  your  ability  on  the 
high  road  to  fame  and  fortune.  You  possess  rare  genius,  and 
talent  withal,  to  which  I  may  add  an  admirable  conception,  suffi- 
cient education,  and  a  most  capital  stage  voice.  What  more  do 
you  need?  Is  it  wrong  that  flowers  should  bloom  unseen,  or 
that  diamonds  should  be  buried  in  the  ocean's  depths?  " 

Such  is  the  esteem  in  which  Mr.  Harrison's  genius  and  talents 
are  held  by  all  who  really  know  him.  His  wonderful  knowledge 
of  the  great  "bygones,"  his  discriminating  discernment  of  char- 
acter, his  interest  in  current  events,  his  artistic  and  literary 
tastes,  his  noble  and  generous  impulses,  the  magnetic  power  of 
his  voice  and  manner,  together  with  the  pre-eminent  purity  of  his 
character,  have  inspired  in  many  hearts  warm  sympathy,  rever- 
ence and  affection. 

If  Mr.  Harrison  did  not  constantly  pursue  the  profession  of 
the  stage,  which  was  the  first  choice  of  his  life  and  ambition,  it 
was  because  adverse  circumstances  prevented  it.  He  never 
failed  as  an  actor.  Every  character  he  performed  was  a  success 
in  his  hands.  His  magnetic  influence  over  his  audience  at  once 
made  them  his,  and  gained  their  admiration.  It  can  be  said  of 
him,  as  it  is  said  of  Fanny  Kemble,  that,  had  he  devoted  his 
whole  life  to  the  dramatic  art,  he  would  have  stood  one  in  the 
group  of  actors  who  have  made  the  drama  a  glorious  institution. 
After  a  lingering  nervous  prostration  of  seven  years,  brought  on 
by  overwork,  he  gradually  became  a  teacher  of  elocution  and 
acting.  As  such,  Mr.  Harrison  is  unique  and  unrivaled.  No 
master  in  art  stands  in  truer  relations  to  his  pupils.  Measuring 
their  abilities  with  due  appreciation,  impressing  them  with  the 
justness  of  his  criticisms,  and  understanding  perfectly  the  anat- 
omy of  the  vocal  organs,  and  the  means  to  produce  the  happiest 
efforts,  he  obtains  from  his  pupils  the  highest  possible  results. 

Mr.  Harrison  has  contributed  many  graceful  poems  to  the 
public  press.  The  following  poem,  entitled  "Morning,"  was  ex- 
tensively reprinted,  and  much  praised  for  its  construction  of 
measure  : 

MORNING. 

BY  GAItRlEL  HARRISON. 

The  azure  gates  of  morn  unbar. 

Where  light  awakes  from  sleep. 
And  greet  the  sun,  while  fades  the  star. 

In  morning  light  so  sweet. 
Fairies,  Spirits,  Angels, 

Arouse  the  birds  from  rest ! 

And  let  their  song  salute  the  morn 

While  light  creeps  o'er  the  nest. 

O  light  of  day,  thou  glorious  day  ! 

But  touch  the  beauteous  flowers 
That  lie  in  wait  the  livelong  night, 

To  scent  the  sunny  hours. 
Fairies,  Spirits,  Angels, 

The  little  buds  uufold. 

Expand  their  leaves,  their  colored  leaves, 

The  white,  the  blue,  and  gold. 

Thou  glorious  sun,  refulgent  sun  ! 

Illume  the  hill,  and  warm  the  dell. 
And  touch  the  brooklets  as  they  run, 

Or  waves  to  mountains  swell. 
Fairies,  Spirits,  Angels, 

Now  chant  your  praise  to  Him 

Who  made  the  sun,  the  glorious  sun. 

And  taught  the  birds  to  sing  1 


1 15s 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Mr.  Hariison  has  written  the  following  plays  :  The  Author, 
Dart  more,  "Die  Thirteenth  Cliime,  and  Magna.  He  has  also  put  in 
blank  verse  and  adapted  to  the  English  stage  Schiller's  Fiesco 
and  Don  Carlos.  Lights  and  Shadows  of  Daguerrean  Life  was  the 
title  of  a  series  of  poetic  and  intensely  dramatic  articles  which 
he  contributed  to  the  New  York  Photographic  Journal.  He  also 
wrote  several  stories  for  the  Xew  York  Home  Journal,  among 
which  were  Tasso's  Lm-r,  and  The  Nose.  His  story  of  The  Tiro 
Artists,  which  was  published  in  the  Aldine,  was  extensively 
copied. 

Gabriel  Harrison  has  great  reverence  for  the  genius  of  others, 
and  the  walls  of  his  studio  are  hung  with'the  trophies  of  cele- 
brated people,  stage-properties,  swords,  shields,  and  old  engrav- 
ings of  great  actors  and  actresses.  Among  them  may  be  seen 
mementoes  of  Forrest,  Cooper,  James  Sheridan  Knowles,  Rachel, 
and  the  scales  of  the  great  Kean  used  in  the  part  of  8hylocle. 


Gabriel  Harrison,  in  the  winter  of  his  life,  is  still  earnestly  toiling 
'  as  teacher  and  author.  Baffled  as  he  is  for  the  want  of  sufficient 
meanit  to  carry  out  his  best  ideas,  many  of  those  friends  say, 
who  know  him  intimately,  "The  Emblem  of  Genius  in  Chains." 
Although  thwarted  many  times  when  on  the  threshold  of  success 
!  by  overwhelming  circumstances,  and  his  life  is  in  a  measure 
i  obscure  and  unoomprehended,  yet  no  citizen  has  done  and  is 
doing  more  for  Brooklyn  in  the  way  of  dramatic  culture  and  art- 
education.  He  makes  necessity  a  virtue  by  devoting  his  ma- 
turer  years  to  the  task  of  raising  many  of  his  fellow-citizens  to  , 
higher  condition  of  ajsthetic  culture.  By  giving  his  time  and 
strength  to  others,  he  is  wielding  an  influence  that  shall  long 
survive,  when  the  sculptured  monuments  and  descriptive 
memorials  which  he  has  raised  for  other  men  shall  have 
crumbled  into  dust. 

Virginia  Chandler. 


(  II  A  KLES  STOKES. 


CHARLES  STORKS*  was  born  in  the  town  of  Mansfield,  Con- 
necticut, January  24,  1822.  A  sketch  of  his  life  and  char- 
acter is  the  more  interesting  because  he  is  really  a  type  of  the 
nobility  of  New  England,  whose  decorations  and  estates  have 
been  won  by  that  hard  toil  which  Hesiod,  the  oldest  of  the  poets, 
says  is  the  "inexorable  and  undeviating  condition  of  the  be- 
stowal of  heaven's  best  gifts  on  man." 

"Stor"  is  an  old  Norse  word  meaning  great,  stroig,  in  the 
sense  of  power,  authority;  and  Storrs,  which  is  one  English 
form,  may  fairly  be  interpreted  as  "strong  man."  All  the 
American  branches  of  this  family  trace  their  pedigree  to  Samuel 
Storrs,  who  emigrated  to  America  in  16G3,  from  Sutton  cum 
Lounde,  Nottinghamshire,  England.  Charles  Storrs  is  sixth  in 
descent  from  this  Samuel  Storrs.  His  father,  Royal  Storrs. 
married  Eunice  Freeman,  daughter  of  Frederick  Freeman,  Esq,, 
of  Mansfield,  Conn.,  and  grand-daughter  of  Deacon  Edmund 
Freeman,  a  graduate  of  Harvard  in  the  class  of  17:13,  and  the 
first  permanent  resident  of  that  name  in  the  town  of  Mansfield. 
Royal  Storrs  was  a  man  of  large  brain,  sound  judgment,  strict 
integrity,  liberal  views  and  unusual  conscientiousness;  and  his 
wife  possessed  fine  social  qualities,  and  was  attractive  both  in 
person  and  mind. 

The  district  school  for  abont  three  months  in  winter  gave  Mr. 
Storrs  his  early  education,  and  he  must  have  studied  earnestly 
to  be  able  in  his  eighteenth  year  to  become,  as  he  did,  a  school 
teacher  himself.  Six  months  before  he  attained  his  majority, 
he  hired  a  substitute  to  take  his  place  on  his  father's  farm,  and 
began  a  career  for  himself  without  a  dollar  of  capital,  but  with 
those  sterling  qualities  that  have  raised  him  to  independence 
and  honor.  Ho  began  selling  American  made  sewing  silk  to  the 
merchant*  of  New  Kngland;  Mansfield  being  the  Ant,  and  at  that 
time  one  of  the  chief  places  of  its  manufacture  in  the  United 
States.    He  followed  this  business  successfully  for  three  years. 

He  married  July  1,  1*11,  Maryett  M.  Cook,  of  Coventry,  Con- 
necticut, and  in  the  following  year  removed  to  Hartford,  where 
his  only  child,  Sarah,  was  born.  Here  he  engaged  his  services 
to  a  manufacturing  and  commission  firm  as  agent  for  the  sale 
of  their  goods.  This  occupation  brought  him  constantly  to  New 
York,  and  in  May,  1H50,  he  chose  Brooklyn  as  his  permanent 
r-  Mdenei...     In  July,  1H.YI,  he  was. taken  inU>  copartnership  with 


•  From  imrUan  Fortun't  and  thr  Mm  Wl»  Wmt  MMk  Thrm.    Ily  Ij»ur»  C. 

Hollnway,  author  of  "Tlir  JjvUn  of  Hip  White  Houm";  "An  Hour  with 
Charlotte  Bronte";  Ac,  Ac.    Bradley  A  Co..  Puulinheni,  I'lilhul.-li.lila. 


his  employers,  who  now  carried  on  the  commission  business  in 
New  York,  as  well  as  a  manufactory  in  Connecticut.  When  the 
financial  panic  of  1854  occurred,  so  ni..ny  of  the  parties  who  had 
dealings  with  them  on  credit  failed,  that  in  September  they 
also  stopped  payment.  Mr.  Storrs  now  assumed  the  liabilities 
of  his  late  partners,  which  were  over  $300,000,  and  which  were 
honorably  paid  in  full. 

On  the  1st  of  December,  1854,  he  commenced  business  as  a 
commission  merchant  on  his  own  account,  associating  with  him 
in  the  new  firm  of  Storrs  Bros.,  his  two  brothers,  Augustus  and 
Royal  O.  Storrs  ;  but  the  latter,  owing  to  other  business,  never 
took  an  active  share  in  the  management,  and  in  the  course  of  a 
year  or  two  withdrew.  Mr.  Charles  Storrs,  with  his  brother 
Augustus,  continued  the  business  under  the  same  firm  name 
until  December  1,  1870;  and,  by  his  business  capacity,  his  care- 
fulness in  avoiding  doubtful  liabilities,  and  his  high  personal 
reputation  for  integrity  and  financial  prudence,  amassed  a  com 
petency,  upon  which  he  retired  into  private  citizenship,  and  the 
gratification  of  those  intellectual  and  artistic  tastes  and  that 
beneficence  which  are  his  characteristics. 

In  the  spring  of  1866  Mr.  Storrs  went  abroad  for  a  year  and  a 
half  with  his  family  and  friends,  visiting  every  country  of 
Europe  except  Portugal,  and  afterwards  Egypt,  Palestine,  Synn 
and  other  places  in  the  Levant. 

Upon  the  marriage  of  his  daughter  in  May,  lM'.'.l.  t.>  Bantl 
Choate  Proctor,*  a  rare  man  beloved  by  all,  he  visited  (  alifornu 
and  Colorado  with  his  wife  and  the  bridal  party,  and  io  Is.  I 
upon  the  invitation  of  Horace  Greeley,  he  accompanied  him  to 
Texas. 

Mr.  Storrs  has  furnished  his  own  home,  No.  23  Monroe  phM 
Brooklyn,  with  every  accessory  to  material  comfort  Mid  mm* 
lectual  satisfaction.  His  collection  of  pictures  is  a  tine  ..n.' 
His  library  has  attained  a  literary  celebrity  from  the  trihut.'- 
which  distinguished  scholars  and  authors  have  paid  it,  and  ftora 
the  fact  that  it  was  a  favorite  resort  of  his  very  dear  fri.n  l 
Horace  Greeley,  who  was  accustomed  to  speak  of  it  as  the  beat 
private  working  library  he  knew  of. 

In  connection  with  Horace  Greeley,  it  should  be  mention.- 1 
that  Mr.  Storrs  was  one  of  his  executors,  and  aided  in  anaapH 
his  affairs,  which  were  complicated,  with  a  personal  care  dirtaie-1 
solely  by  the  respect  and  friendship  he  had  borne  him.  A*  tbf 
Trilmne  remarked  at  the  time  :  "  In  spite  of  the  embar^uwrlH,,Jt,• 


•   H,.  .1  II.-,-.  llll..  I    IT.  ISWI 


BIOGRAPHY  OF  CHARLES  STORRS,  ESQ. 


1159 


which  attended  his  undertaking  of  this  task,  he  performed  the 
difficult  work  with  skill,  tact  and  success,  and  entirely  without 
compensation." 

In  his  political  and  religious  opinions,  Mr.  Starrs  is  both  con- 
servative and  progressive.  At  a  meeting  held  at  the  Cooper  In- 
stitute, in  the  autumn  of  1873,  by  the  religious  rationalists,  of 
whom  the  Kev.  0.  33.  Frothingham  was  then  the  leading  spirit, 
Mr.  Storrs  was  invited  to  preside,  and  accepted  the  invitation  on 
the  " Broad  Church  "  principle,  which  he  thus  stated  :  "It  is, 
perhaps,  but  right  that  I  should  state  that  I  belong  to  an  ortho- 
dox church  and  have  no  intention  of  leaving  it.  Early  asso- 
ciations and  circumstances  may  have  thrown  us  into  different 
churches;  being  there,  let  us  not  be  restive  or  too  hasty  to 
change.  As  we  are  impressed  and  permitted  to  see  the  light,  we 
may  be  enabled  to  enlighten  others.  Churches  have  changed  or 
modified  their  creeds  and  views  in  times  past,  and  doubtless 
will  again.  I  see  no  valid  reason  why  I  should  not  be  open  to 
conviction  and  hear  all  truth,  that  removes  ignorance  and  super- 
stition, stimulates  charity  and  good  works,  and  tends  to  a  better 
life,  from  whatever  source  it  may  come." 

If  he  has  a  creed,  it  is  this  :  a  pure  life  and  good  works.  At 
the  same  time  no  man  takes  a  greater  interest  in  the  good  work 
done  by  churches  than  he  does.  The  Congregational  church  in 
his  native  town  has  been  largely  provided  for  by  him.  He  has 
also  given  the  town  a  large  cemetery,  and  has  added  a  fund  under 
trustees  for  keeping  it  in  good  order.  He  has  erected  in  this 
cemetery  two  granite  monuments  for  his  father's  family  and  his 
own,  as  well  as  several  others  elsewhere  in  the  town  to  the  mem- 
ory of  his  early  ancestors,  especially  one  to  Samuel  Storrs,  the 
above-mentioned  founder  of  the  American  branch  of  the  family. 

The  private  benevolences  of  Mr.  Storrs  have  not  blunted  the 
keen  edge  of  his  public  spirit.  In  October,  1877,  the  New  York 
World  stated  that  the  Khedive  of  Egypt  would  give  an  obelisk 
to  this  country  if  property  applied  for. 

Mr.  Storrs  immediately  wrote  to  the  New  York  Tribune  asking 
it  to  second  the  World's  effort  to  obtain  the  obelisk,  and  offering 
to  bear  one-fiftieth  part  of  the  expense  of  its  removal  and  proper 
erection  in  New  York.  The  Tribune  commended  his  proposition, 
as  did  other  New  York  papers.  This,  I  believe,  was  the  first 
public  offer  made  for  obtaining  the  obelisk,  which  now  adorns 
Central  Park. 

In  connection  with  his  brother,  Augustus  Storrs,  he,  some 
years  ago,  presented  to  the  State  of  Connecticut  the  land  and 
buildings  and  an  endowment  fund  to  establish  and  maintain 


the  Storrs  Agricultural  School  at  Mansfield.  Having  experienced 
the  intellectual  privations  too  commonly  incident  to  farm  life, 
the  younger  brother  Charles  determined  that  when  he  was 
ready  to  help  his  fellow  men  he  would  make  it  his  duty  to 
establish  an  agricultural  school  for  those  who  should  desire 
and  purpose  to  fit  themselves  for  agricultural  pursuits.  One 
of  the  provisions  of  the  Storrs  School  is,  that  in  addition 
to  the  teaching  and  training  of  pupils  to  the  practice  and 
business  of  farming,  they  should  also  be  taught  the  elements 
of  botany,  chemistry,  geology  and  other  sciences  as  applied  to 
agriculture,  thus  ennobling  and  elevating  the  latter  calling,  and 
lifting  up  those  who  are  to  pursue  it. 

According  to  his  opportunities  and  the  bigness  of  his  heart, 
Charles  Storrs  has  sought  to  do  good  to  all  men  and  to  make  his 
circle  of  fellow  creatures  happier  and  better.  His  nature  attracts 
others,  invites  their  trust,  and  never  belies  the  impression  of 
downright  honesty  and  kindness  which  it  first  creates.  Active 
in  his  ways,  full  of  interest  in  the  people  and  events  around 
him,  the  dark  complexion,  the  hair  and  whiskers  tinged  with 
gray,  the  kindly  humor  which  is  the  most  habitual  expression 
on  the  face,  and  above  all  the  humane  trustfulness  and  good 
fellowship  of  the  eyes,  enable  us  to  create  from  imagination  a 
complete  picture  of  what  he  must  have  been  as  a  boy — careless 
of  appearance,  unconscious  alike  of  his  own  defects  and  merits 
in  style,  or,  rather,  unconscious  of  the  existence  of  style  or  man- 
ner in  externals,  eager  for  fresh  adventure,  ready  to  do  a  good 
turn  for  any  "  other  fellow,"  going  straight  to  the  heart  and 
kernel  of  things,  and  knowing  no  such  word  as  fail.  He  delights 
in  the  feeling  which  the  Latin  dramatist  expressed  when  he  said, 
i  "I  am  a  man,  and  nothing  that  touches  humanity  is  indifferent 
to  me." 

The  frankness  and  sociability  of  his  character,  his  perfect  can- 
dor and  straightforwardness,  have  attracted  others  to  him,  whose 
regard  he  has  cherished  but  did  not  seek.  Among  strangers 
in  a  room,  one  who  doesn't  know  him  picks  him  out  at  once 
by  his  looks  and  manners  as  what  Dr.  Johnson  would  have 
called  "  a  clubable  man."  The  secret  of  this  attraction  is  homely 
humanity  in  opposition  to  formality  and  self-environment. 
Those  who  have  been  much  with  him  and  have  known  him  in 
the  unrestrained  sociability  of  his  home,  must  have  been  struck 
with  his  youthful  elasticity  of  mind  and  ways.  When  one  looks 
into  his  merry  eye  the  secret  is  out.  Charles  Storrs  cm  never 
be  old  in  heart,  for  charity  and  goodwill  to  all  the  world,  renew 
his  youth  continually. 


1160 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


AUGUSTUS  YOUNG,  one  of  the  best-known  portrait  and 
historical  painters  of  Brooklyn,  was  born  of  German  parent- 
age in  New  York,  July  8th,  1837.  Early  in  boyhood  he  evinced 
much  talent  for  drawing  and  painting,  and  so  eager  did  he  grow  to 
become  an  artist  that  his  parents  permitted  him  to  leave  school  at 
the  age  of  thirteen  and  become  a  pupil  of  J.  B.  Stearns,  N.  A.,  who 
at  that  time  had  his  studio  in  the  old  American  Art  Union  build- 
ing on  Broadway,  New  York,  and  was  regarded  as  one  of  the 
most  eminent  historical  and  portrait  painters  of  the  time. 
Charles  L.  Elliott,  Ferdinand  Boyle,  F.  E.  Church,  E.  H.  May 
and  other  eminent  painters  hud  studios  in  the  same  building, 
and  with  all  of  them  Mr.  Young  had  unrestrained  intercourse. 
I  ndi-r  tin-  abb-  tuition  of  Mr.  Stearns,  and  with  many  valuable 
suggestions  from  other  artists  named,  Mr.  Young  soon  acquired 
considerable  proficiency  in  the  rudiuicntal  parts  of  drawing  and 
pointing  in  oil. 

In  Mr.  Young  entered  the  Academy  of  Design,  anil  was  a 
pupil  there  long  enough  to  pass  through  the  antique  and  life 
classes.  In  1H.V2  he  entered  the  studio  of  Theodore  Kaufman,  a 
well-known  historical  painter  of  Dresden,  Germany,  who  had  at 
that  time  established  himsell  in  New  York,  under  whose  teaehing 
he  acquired  a  knowledge  of  anatomy,  sketching  from  nature, 
figure  painting,  and  composition  in  historical  painting.  About 
this  time  his  father  died,  ami  he  was  left  to  the  care  of  his  aged 
mother,  who  had  from  the  first  taken  a  great  interest  in  his  aspi- 
rations and  essays  in  an  artistic  way.    Yielding  to  his  importu- 


nities, and  under  the  advice  of  his  tutor,  Mr.  Kaufman,  she 
consented  to  his  going  to  Europe,  there  to  prosecute  his  studies 
more  advantageously  than  he  could  have  done  in  New  York.  He 
was  abroad  three  years,  passing  through  the  antique,  life-paiut- 
ing  and  composition  classes  of  the  Royal  Academy  of  Mnnich, 
where  he  composed  several  historical  subjects  which  he  executed 
after  his  return  to  America;  among  them  "The  Battle  of  Lateen, 
"  The  Death  of  Gustavus  Adolphus,"  "  King  Alfred  in  the  Dm- 
ish  Camp,"  "  The  Death  of  Tecuniseh,"  and  several  other  equally 
interesting  subjects. 

Before  completing  his  studies  in  Munich,  Mr.  Young  entered 
the  studio  of  Professor  Graefli,  of  Paris,  one  of  the  best  |  >  ir  .i' 
painters  then  in  Kurope.  whose  studio  in  Miinn  li  wi«  ip  .pi.  '■'  1 
by  the  nobility,  and  under  whose  tuition  he  acquired  the  bril- 
liant flesh  tints  for  which  his  portraits  have  beoiiun  noted  V 
brief  sojourn  in  Paris,  where  ho  occupied  himself  chiefly  in  » 
study  of  the  old  masters  in  the  Louvre  collection,  cloned  l.i- 
European  studies.  Soon  after  his  return  to  New  York  he  htndn'.l 
water  color  painting  under  .1  li  Waiidesfoide,  a  eel.  brut.  I  I  ' 
lish  water-color  painter.  The  addition  ,.t  this  to  his  man.  nth-  - 
artistic  accomplishments  of  a  high  order,  rendered  him  0B< 
the  most  versatile  artists  in  America;  aud  having  concluded  L> 
devote  himself  to  portrait  painting  as  a  specialty,  his  knowledgn 
of  com  position  made  it  possible  |,,r  hi m  to  add  tin  s,  .  nic  etTc  t* 
for  which  his  work  has  become  distinctively  noted.  He  •oon 
introduced  an  original  style  of  portrait,  in  which  the  work  u 


MUSIC  IN  THE  PUBLIC  SCHOOLS  OF  BROOKLYN. 


lltil 


penciled  with  colored  crayons  on  a  water-color  groundwork,  and 
which  have  become  in  great  demand  on  account  of  their  life-like 
appearance  and  high  artistic  finish. 

Brooklyn  has  claimed  Mr.  Young  as  a  citizen  since  I860,  when 
he  removed  from  New  York.  Soon  after  he  became  domiciled 
in  this  city  he  began  a  large  historical  work  of  great  local  in- 
terest, the  subject  being  "  The  Retreat  of  Washington  from  Long 
Island."  This  painting,  on  which  Mr.  Young  lavished  his  great- 
est skill  both  in  its  design  and  execution,  was  one  calculated  to 
attract  much  more  than  a  passing  interest.  It  was  nearly  half 
completed  when  it  was  destroyed  by  an  unfortunate  accident, 
which  left  to  the  disappointed  artist  only  the  studies  upon  which 
it  was  based.  He  afterward  painted  "  The  Cavalier,"  "  The  Toy," 
and  "The  Execution  of  Mary,  Queen  of  Scots,"  and  other  sub- 


jects of  historical  and  artistic  merit.  He  was  an  earnest  sup- 
porter of  the  Brooklyn  Art  Association  during  the  early  portion 
of  its  career  ;  and  his  contributions  to  its  exhibitions,  and  his 
portraits  of  many  of  the  most  distinguished  men  and  women  of 
Brooklyn,  among  them  those  of  General  B.  F.  Tracy,  Excise  Com- 
missioner Richard  Lauer,  the  late  Lieut-Col.  Charles  Schurig, 
and  General  James  Jourdan,  have  won  for  him  a  high  reputa- 
tion. His  studio  at  No.  173  Bergen  street  is  frequented  and 
patronized  by  numerous  people  high  in  business,  professional, 
political  and  social  circles,  who  find  him  most  conveniently 
located  in  his  own  house,  where  he  can  offer  the  greatest  com- 
fort to  his  sitters;  it  being  his  belief  that  merit  in  art  will  be 
sought  for  by  those  who  are  able  to  appreciate  it. 


MUSIC  ix  the  Public  Schools  of  Brooklyn-. — 
Though  the  practice  of  singing  obtained  in  the 
Public  Schools  for  many  years,  Music  was  not  taught 
as  a  separate  branch  till  about  the  year  1860,  when 
Teachers  of  Music  began  to  be  employed;  but  they  had 
no  uniform  system  of  teaching,  and  each  used  his  own 
method  independent  of  the  rest.  From  this  cause  some 
schools  became  much  more  proficient  than  others.  Mr. 
David  P.  Hortox  was  one  of  the  pioneers  in  music 
teaching  in  the  Public  Schools.  In  September,  1876, 
Prof.  A.  K.  Caswell  was  appointed  one  of  the  Teachers 
of  Music  in  the  schools.  Becoming  aware  of  the  dis- 
advantages of  the  system  of  music  teaching  then  prac- 
ticed, he  proposed  to  the  Board  of  Education  a  plan 
for  a  uniform  method  of  teaching  in  all  the  schools, 
but  they  failed  to  adopt  it  at  once.  In  the  autumn  of 
1878,  the  Central  Grammar  School  was  opened,  which 
comprised  the  highest  grades  of  all  the  schools,  and  its 
Music  Department  was  given  to  Prof.  Caswell.  Here 
the  inequalities  and  defects  of  the  different  methods  of 


teaching  were  made  glaringly  apparent,  by  comparison 
of  scholars  coming  from  the  different  schools.  No  ac- 
tion to  remedy  matters  was  taken,  however,  until  the 
spring  of  1880,  when  Prof.  Caswell  was  appointed 
Musical  Director;  and  was  asked  to  propose  a  plan  of 
uniform  teaching  in  all  the  schools.  The  system  which 
he  brought  forward  was  adopted,  with  a  few  changes, 
April  20,  1880.  Under  this  uniform  system,  musical 
instruction  has  been  brought  to  a  high  standard.  Ex- 
aminations of  the  scholars  are  held  every  six  months, 
and  diplomas  awarded  to  graduates;  the  most  profi- 
cient pupils  receiving  still  further  instruction  gratui- 
tously from  Prof.  Caswell.  In  November,  1882,  a  rule 
of  the  Board  was  made,  under  which  applicants  for  the 
position  of  Music  Teacher  in  the  schools  must  pass  an 
examination  prescribed  by  the  Musical  Director.  The 
method  employed  in  teaching  is  almost  wholly  oral, 
from  charts  and  the  blackboard,  and  covers  the  rudi- 
ments of  music,  sight  reading,  the  elements  of  har- 
mony, with  practice  in  vocal  culture. 


THE 

Amateur  Dramatic  Associations 

of  brooklyn. 


IN  1867,  the  Rev.  Henry  Blanchard,  an  ardent  love 
of  Shakespeare  and  the  Dramatic  Art,  was  pastor 
of  the  Church  of  the  Restoration,  now  the  Church  of 
the  New  Jerusalem,  at  the  corner  of  Monroe  place  and 
Clark  street.  Through  his  efforts  a  society  of  young 
people  having  for  its  aim  the  study  of  Shakespearean 
and  other  characters  was  formed.  At  that  period 
amateur  dramatic  societies  were  numerous  throughout 
the  city,  but  had  not  arrived  at  the  high  degree  of  per- 
fection they  have  attained  at  the  present  time.  The 
young  people  then  were  content  with  giving  their  rep- 
resentations in  the  parlors  of  friend's  houses,  without 
scenery  or  any  other  paraphernalia  peculiar  to  the 
stage.  They  never  dreamed  of  treading  the  boards  of 
the  Academy  of  Music,  or  the  Athena>um;  but  were 
well  pleased  when  they  could  secure  the  old  Lyceum, 
on  Washington  street,  for  their  purpose.  The  society 
formed  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Blanchard  was  accustomed  to 
meet,  on  alternate  Friday  evenings,  in  the  vestry  of  the 
church  and  read,  without  artistic  details,  some  first- 
class  drama.  The  pastor  himself  would  frequently 
participate  in  this  charming  amusement.  The  idea 
was  pleasing  and  novel,  and  was  instrumental  in  at- 
tracting a  large  number  of  persons  to  the  meetings  of 
the  society.  Mr.  Blanchard,  some  time  afterward, 
played  Claude  Melnotte  to  the  Pauline  of  Mrs.  L.  D. 
St.  George,  in  the  "Lady  of  Lyons,"  at  Sawyers  As- 
sembly Rooms.  It  can  scarcely  be  for  a  moment 
doubted,  that  this  society  had  much  to  do  in  creating  a 
taste  for  the  Dramatic  Art,  which  resulted  in  such  sig- 
nally successful  associations  as  the  Entre  Nous,  Amar- 
anth, Kimble,  Gilbert,  Clifton,  Wallack,  Arcadian  and 
the  Amateur  Opera  Association  of  this  city. 

The  Entre  Nous  Dramatic  Association 

(since  converted  into  a  social  organization)  headed 
the  list  of  permanent  amateur  dramatic  societies.  It 
wa-  first  organized  in  the  autumn  of  1SG7,  at  the  resi- 
dence of  Mr.  Conradt.  No.  :.'<)  Harrison  street,  by  a 
number  of  residents  of  South  Brooklyn;  among  whom 
were  the  late  Amos  0.  Torrey,  F.  M.  Moors,  L.  D.  St 
( ;.-org.-,  Hiice  deceased  ;  Charles  II.  Tremaine  and  Ed- 
ward Olds.  Its  purpose  was  to  ghe  the  members  an 
Opportunity  to  spend  the  long  winter  evenings,  in  an 
a^'iv.ahlr  and  entertaining  manner.  The  comedy  of 
"  Naval  Engagements"  was  the  first  performance,  and 


was  given  at  the  residence  of  Miss  H.  Tremaine,  on 
Henry  street.  A  number  of  performances  of  similar 
character  followed  in  rapid  succession,  all  given  at  the 
homes  of  the  members.  The  fame  of  the  new  society 
spread  far  and  wide,  and  the  applications  for  member- 
ship finally  grew  so  numerous,  that  it  was  resolved  to 
incorporate  it  under  the  laws  of  the  State;  and  the 
name  was  changed  to  the  Entre  Nous  Dramatic  and 
Literary  Association,  the  membership  being  limited  to 
one  hundred.  Mr.  Amos  G.  Torrey  was  the  first  presi- 
dent, and  held  the  office  until  the  close  of  the  sixth 
season.  In  the  fourth  year  of  its  existence,  dissatisfac- 
tion between  a  portion  of  the  members  and  the  man- 
agement, resulted  in  the  withdrawal  of  about  forty 
members,  under  the  leadership  of  Mr.  L.  D.  St.  George, 
who  organized  the  Amaranth,  with  Charles  Bamburgh 
as  its  first  president.  The  Entre  Nous  still  continued 
in  its  course  until  a  few  years  ago,  when  it  was  con- 
verted into  a  social  organization.  Among  the  gentle- 
men prominently  identified  with  the  Entre  Nous  during 
its  brilliant  career  were  A.  G.  Torrey,  Lucian  Stanley. 
Charles  H.  Parsons,  Charles  Bamburgh,  L.  D.  St 
George,  J.  W.  Thompson,  A.  R.  Thompson,  EL  W. 
Pope,  David  L.  Kirby,  Edward  Olds,  Avon  C.  Burn- 
ham,  A.  J.  Dickman,  F.  M.  Smith,  A.  W.  Peters.  Join 
Oakey  and  C.  M.  Tremaine.  The  plays  produced  by 
the  Entre  Nous  were  as  follows  :  "  Still  Waters  Run 
Deep,"  "  The  Breach  of  Promise,"  "  Perfection,"  "Look- 
ing for  Pa,"  "Caste,"  "Poor  Pillicoddy,"  "Every- 
body's Friend,"  "A  Morning  Call,"  "I've  Written  b 
Brown,"  "Slasher  and  Crasher,"  "  She  Stoops  to  Con- 
quer," "  Six  Months  Ago,"  "  The  Two  Buzzards.  "  "  A 
Pretty  Piece  of  Business,"  "All  that  Glitters  is  Not 
Gold,"  "Betsey  Baker,"  "Two  in  the  Morning." 
"  Lend  Me  Five  Shillings,"  "Conjugal  Lessons,''  "Old 
Gooseberry,"  "  The  Elixir  of  Life,"  "Thc.Tacol.it.  .' 
'•One  Thousand  rounds,"  "Married  Life."  "The 
Chimney  Corner,"  "  Aunt  Charlotte's  Maid."  "Thi 
Two  Bonnycastles,"  "  Leave  it  to  Me,"  "The  Doctor  of 
Alcantara,"  and  many  others.  This  list  indicates  thai 
the  society  confined  itself  rat  her  to  the  light  coinedii- 
comediettas  and  farces  than  to  the  heavy  Shakspearean 
characters. 

Other  Dramatic  Societies,  contemporweow 

with  the  Entre  Nous,  but  long  since  extinct,  wen' 
the  Montague,  Mezcreau,  Philo-Momus  (Fun-lovers),. 


THE  AMATEUR  DRAMATIC  ASSOCIATIONS  OF  BROOKLYN. 


1163 


Corps  Dramatique  (Company  E,  Thirteenth  Regiment), 
Bowronville,  Oxford,  Nous  Vere  and  the  Burton. 

"  The  Amaranth,"  an  off-shoot  of  The  Entre 
Nous  Dramatic  Society,  held  its  first  meeting  May  11, 
1871.  In  July  following,  the  society  was  thoroughly 
organized  with  100  members.  Its  first  performance 
was  given  at  the  Academy  of  Music,  October  20,  1871, 
in  aid  of  the  Home  for  Friendless  Women  and  Children. 

The  play  selected  was  Oliver  Goldsmith's  "She 
Stoops  to  Conquer,"  which  was  followed  by  a  musical 
interlude  and  the  farce  of "  Box  and  Cox."  Some 
names  familiar  now  were  in  the  cast,  such  as  Assistant 
District  Attorney  Oakey,  "  Our  John,"  Charles  Bam- 
burgh  aud  Henry  W.  Pope.  It  was  the  first  dramatic 
venture  ever  made  by  amateurs  in  that  building,  and 
netted  $1,000.  The  officers  at  that  time  were:  Chas. 
Bamburgh,  President;  Geo.  F.  Gregory,  Vice-Presi- 
de?^; J.  W.  Sands,  Secretary;  John  M.  Burt,  Treas- 
urer. The  society  leaped  into  popularity.  "London 
Assurance  "  was  performed  at  the  first  regular  recep- 
tion, November  20,  1871.  It  was  at  this  time  that  the 
amaranth  flower  was  first  adopted  as  the  emblem  of 
the  society.  In  1872,  the  flower  was  changed  to  a  coat 
of  arms,  which  did  not  suit  the  republican  ideas  of 
some  members,  and  the  old  flower  design  was  reinstated. 
It  was  used  until  November  19,  1873,  when  the  pres- 
ent cut,  well  known  to  the  frequenters  of  the  Amar- 
anth performances,  was  adopted,  with  the  following 
verse  to  be  inserted  under  it.  It  is  as  familiar  as  the 
wood-cut,  but  will  bear  reproduction  : 

Immortal  Amaranth,  a  flower  which  once 

In  Patadise,  fast  by  the  tree  of  life, 

Began  to  bloom;  but  soon,  for  man's  offense, 

To  Heaven  removed,  where  first  it  grew,  there  grows 

And  flowers  aloft,  shading  the  font  of  life. 

The  cut  was  designed  by  Mr.  George  Bowlend,  whom 
old  members  of  the  society  will  remember  as  one  of  the 
most  talented  amateur  actors  who  ever  trod  the  Amar- 
anthine stage.  The  talent  of  the  Amaranth  was  par- 
ticularly strong  during  1874-5.  Among  the  members 
then  were  Messrs.  Luske,  Pope,  Bowlend,  F.  V.  Ben- 
nett, E.  A.  Doty,  Stull,  Southgate,  Castner,  Mrs.  Phil- 
lips, Mrs.  Ferguson,  Mrs.  Draper  and  Mrs.  Bellows,  nee 
Hattie  Silsbee.  Mr.  L.  D.  St.  George  was  stage  mana- 
ger, and  performed  his  difficult  task  to  perfection.  The 
society  was  organized  by  ladies  and  gentlemen  who 
associated  themselves  together  for  mutual  improvement 
in  art,  literature,  and  music;  the  object  of  the  society 
has  never  been  lost  sight  of,  nor  will  the  generous 
manner  with  which  she  has  given  the  fruits  of  her 
labors  to  charity  ever  be  forgotten.  The  Amaranth 
was  incorporated  under  New  York  State  Laws,  May 
10,  1880.  The  present  officers  are:  Fred.  M.  Lawrence, 
President;  L.  M.  Reed,  Vice-President;  J.  C.  Von 
Aik,  Secretary;  Edw.  Fackner,  Treasurer.  The  soci- 
ety is  in  a  very  prosperous  condition  as  to  membership, 
finances  and  resources.     Among  the  members  are 


Henry  Baldwin,  B.  J.  Bell,  J.  O.  Von  Aik,  J.  I). 
Adams,  Wallace  Grant,  F.  B.  Birdsall,  A.  R.  Hart, 
Colonel  David  E.  Austen,  G.  B.  Davis,  Theodore  H. 
Babcock,  S.  M.  Reed,  Thomas  Adams,  Jr.,  Jere.  A. 
Wernberg,  M.  Chauncey,  W.  J.  Collins,  Edward  Fack, 
ner,  John  Garlick,  Thomas  F.  Randolph,  George  B. 
Squires,  S.  T.  Skinner,  E.  J.  Snow,  A.  F.  Loomis,  W. 
L.  Watson,  H.  P.  Smith,  John  Oakey,  Charles  Bellows, 
Jr.,  W.  W.  Lambert,  Charles  Hickman,  Dr.  T.  A. 
Quinlan,  A.  Richmond  Hart,  E.  C.  Humbert,  Robert 
M.  Hopps,  Leon  Renault,  William  H.  Kimball,  J.  H. 
Cox,  Henry  P.  Webb,  John  S.  W.  Thompson,  and 
John  F.  Oltrogge. 

The  Kemble11  is  a  dramatic  organization 
which  came  into  existence  Sept.  6,  1880,  through  a  se- 
cession from  The  Amaranth.  Its  first  officers  were 
G.  de  Cordova,  President;  A.  Isaacs,  Vice-President; 
R.  M.  Hogan,  Secretary ;  Jno.  B.  Munoz,  Treasurer. 
The  object  of  the  Kemble  is  three-fold — dramatic,  lit- 
erary and  social.  The  first  performance  took  place  on 
November  19,  1880,  at  the  Academy  of  Music,  the  play 
being  Frederick  Marsden's  comedy  of  "  Above  the 
Clouds."  In  the  cast  were  William  Penny,  William  B. 
Vernam,  Charles  S.  Withington,  Miss  Julia  W.  Reed, 
Miss  Emma  Gilbert,  and  William  H.  Butler.  Later 
on  an  original  drama  was  produced  by  Wallace  Grant, 
well  known  as  a  member  of  the  Kemble,  entitled  "  De- 
feated," and  was  succeeded  by  the  "  Pride  of  the  Mar- 
ket," «  The  Earl  and  the  Outcast,"  "  The  Big  Bonan- 
za" (repeated  for  the  benefit  of  Deane  W.  Pratt), 
"The  Honey-Moon,"  " George  Geith,"  "Masks  aud 
Faces,"  "  The  Wedding  March,"  «  Single  Life,"  and,  to 
cap  the  climax,  Shakespeare's  tragedy,  "  Othello,"  with 
the  following  dramatis  personm : 

THE  CAST  OF  "OTHELLO." 

Desdemona  Mrs.  Mattie  A.  J.  Balch 

Emilia  Miss  Adelaide  Fitzallen 

Othello  Mr.  John  H.  Bird 

Iago  Mr.  Charles  H.  Withington 

Cassio  Mr.  R.  C.  Hilliard 

Roderigo  Mr.  George  Beeks 

Brahantio  Mr.  J.  C.  Cloherty 

Montana  Mr.  A.  C.  Mann 

Ludovico  Mr.  Charles  Lamb 

Duke  of  Venice  Mr.  William  A.  Clarke 

Gratiano  Mr.  E.  L.  Cohen 

Leonardo  Mr.  E.  J.  Wilkins 

Julio  Mr.  J.  W.  Underwood,  Jr. 

Marco  Mr.  R.  A.  Moore 

Antonio  Mr.  Frank  Cuddy 

Paulo   Mr.  W.  H.  Wildey 

Luca  Mr.  W.  E.  Gref 

Mr.  de  Cordova  is  an  efficient  stage  manager,  and 
the  following  persons,  well  known  on  the  amateur 
stage  of  this  city  and  of  the  metropolis,  constitute  the 
dramatic  corps  of  the  Kemble  :   Mrs.  Mattie  A.  J. 


» 


1164 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Baleh  and  the  Misses  Laura  T.  Colver,  Carrie  Frost, 
Belle  Noble,  Elita  P.  Otis,  Mamie  Lyon,  Annie  L. 
Hyde,  Belle  Arnot,  Florence  Parker,  Louise  Perkins, 
L.  A.  Reau,  Julia  W.  Reed,  Josie  Stouffer,  Annie 
Walsh,  Ida  L.  Waller,  Ida  Thompson,  Jennie  Roberts 
and  Mrs.  R.  H.  L.  Waters ;  Messrs.  W.  A.  Clarke,  G. 
II.  Bauerman.  M.  J.  Benjamin.  John  II.  Bird,  C.  T. 
Buckman,  George  H.  Beeks,  G.  de  Cordova,  Arthur 
Genns,  Wallace  Grant,  W.  W.  Lambert,  Deane  W. 
Pratt,  William  Penny,  J.  Wilson,  E.  J.  Wilkins,  A. 
C.  Munn,  S.  S.  Simpson,  Charles  Lamb,  R.  C.  Hil- 
liard,  A.  R.  Dyett,  Charles  S.  Withington,  C.  F.  Cuddy, 
J.  C.  Cloherty,  E.  L.  Cohen  and  William  Angell. 

The  Academy  of  Music  is  the  scene  of  their  dramatic 
successes;  four  entertainments  are  given  each  sea- 
son. Monthly  social  receptions  are  held  at  the  resi- 
dences of  members,  where  dancing  and  music  is  intro- 
duced after  the  club  business  is  disposed  of. 

The  present  officers  are  :  G.  de  Cordova,  President; 
Charles  A.  Gilberg,  Vice-President;  A.  A.  Seaman,  Sec- 
retary: John  Taylor,  Treasurer.  The  success  of  this  or- 
ganization is  phenomenal,  its  social  standing  very  high. 

Amateur  Opera  Association,  of  Brooklyn, 

organized  in  1875  from  the  choir  of  St.  Peter's  Epis- 
copal Church,  State  street,  Brooklyn,  by  Messrs.  James 
Bogle,  J.  Walter  Thompson  and  Howard  Dunbar,  with 
the  organist,  Mr.  H.  E.  Hutchinson,  as  conductor. 
The  object  was  the  practice  of  operatic  music  and 
social  enjoyment. 

During  the  first  three  years  Mr.  Bogle  acted  as  secre- 
tary, and  Mr.  Thompson  as  treasurer.  In  1879  a 
board  of  officers  was  elected  as  follows  : — James  Bogle, 
President;  C. II.  Parsons,  Vice-President;  Henry  Gor- 
ham,  Secretary;  J.  Walter  Thompson,  Treasurer. 

In  1880  the  Board  consisted  of  C.  H.  Parsons,  Presi- 
dent; J.  Walter  Thompson,  Vice-President;  Henry  Gor- 
ham,  Secretary;  A.  M.  Wilder,  jr.,  Treasurer. 

The  same  president,  secretary  and  treasurer  have  re- 
mained in  office  since,  and  the  Board  of  Directors 
(increased  to  seven)  is  now  composed  as  follows; — 
('.  II.  I'arsons,  President;  Fred.  M.  Lawrence,  Vice- 
President;  Henry  Gorham,  Secretary;  A.  M.  Wilder, 
Jr.,  Treasurer;  L.  Hoffman,  Jr.,  Fred.  M.  Smith,  and 
J.  M.  Bacon,  Trustees. 

The  association  has  never  been  incorporated. 

For  eight  years  dues  were  collected  from  each  mem- 
ber to  pay  running  expenses,  and  tickets  sold  for  all 
performances.  In  November,  1883,  there  was  a  re- 
organization on  the  subscription  basis,  with  two  hun- 
dred subscribing  members  at  $15  each,  and  a  division 
of  invitations  to  performances,  with  no  duesfrom  sing- 
ing  members. 

From  the  original  Dumber  of  20  members,  the 
increase  has  Item  to  the  present  number  of  "inO  sub- 
scribers and  eighty  singing  members. 

Tin-  p< -r  forma  noes,  which  were  formerly  given  in 
Bedford  Hall,  Athena-urn,  the  Lyceum,  etc.,  are  now 


given  only  at  the  Academy  of  Music.  Among  them 
have  been  the  following  operas:  "Doctor  of  Alcan- 
tara," "Martha,"  "Elixir  of  Love,"  "  Maritana," 
"Pinafore,"  "Pirates  of  Penzance,"  "  Fra  Diavolo," 
"Chimes  of  Normandy,''  and  others. 

The  Bulwer  is  an  Eastern  District  dramatic  so- 
ciety, very  select  in  its  general  tone  and  membership, 
and  its  performances  are  given  at  Bedford  Hall,  The 
president  of  the  society  is  Mr.  E.  A.  Spooner.  Among 
the  members  well  known  for  their  talent  are  David 
Buckman,  Thomas  W.  McCormick,  Frederick  C.  Ash- 
ley, David  J.  McFadyen,  John  R.  Wood  and  Alexander 
Smith.  The  society  has  been  in  existence  for  some 
time,  and  promises  well  for  future  success. 

The  Amaryllis  Dramatic  Association 

is  composed  of  young  residents  of  "  the  Hill,"  and  was 
organized  on  October  0, 1882.  Its  aim  is  social  amass- 
ment. The  officers  are  as  follows:  President,  H.  Dauen, 
Vice-President,  J.Moore,  Jr.;  Recording  Secretary,  C. 
A.  Goodwin  ;  Financial  Secretary,  D.  Burke;  Treas- 
urer, J.T.  Wortmann  ;  Sergeant-at-Arms,  J.  Glouster; 
Executive  Committee,  J.  Smith,  C.  Ban  ton,  W.  Snedikor 
and  F.  Atwater. 

The  Prospect  Heights  Dramatic  Club 

is  also  of  recent  organization,  composed  of  ladies  and 
gentlemen  of  South  Brooklyn.  Their  performances 
are  given  at  Athletic  Hall,  on  Seventh  street,  near 
Fifth  Avenue. 

The  Arcadian  Dramatic  Association- 
First  meeting  held  September  13th,  1882,  in  response 
to  a  call  in  the  newspapers  by  Tho-.  C.  Faulkner.  It 
was  organized  with  six  members,  viz. :  Thos.  C. 
Kaulkner,  H.  S.  Bellows,  V.  M.  Stoops,  Ira  H.  Moore, 
II.  YV.  Noble  and  C.  F.  Wilson.  Its  first  performance 
was  the  "  Poor  Gentleman,"  given  at  Bedford  Hall. 
January  3,  1883.  The  most  important  plays  thus  far 
given  are  :  "Merchant  of  Venice"  and  "  Love's  Sacri- 
fice." The  present  membership  is  .r>0.  First  Hoard  of 
oflicers:  U.S.  Bellows.  I' resident :  V.  M.  Stoops.  Secre- 
tary J  Thos. .0.  Faulkner,  Treasurer;  II.  W.  Noble, 
Stage  Manager.  Present  officers  are  :  Charles  B.  Mor- 
ton, President;  George  Woodruff,  Vice-President ; 
Arthur  Genns,  Secretary;  E.  Jay  Jennings,  Treasurer; 
Dramatic  Committee:  Win.  Dmsmore,  W.  II.  Butler, 
I.  H.  Moore,  T.  C.  Faulkner,  F.  M.  Stoops,  J.  EL 
Arnold. 

The  Amphion  Musical  Society 

ized  at  No.  40  Bedford  Avenue,  E.  P.,  in  October, 
1880,  by  fifteen  gentlemen  who  elected  Richard  Wal-li. 
/'rrsidrnf;  W.  ().  Sumner.  Vire-  President;  Alfred!. 
Cray,  Treasurer;  Mark  II.  Burch,  Secretary;  and  0. 
Mortimer  Wiske,  Musical  Director.  "  The  object  of  the 
society  is  to  cultivate  choral  music,  and  to  provide  a 


THE  AMATEUR  DRAMATIC  ASSOCIATIONS  OF  BROOKLYN. 


11G5 


suitable  resort  for  social  intercourse."  Meetings  are 
held  once  each  month  at  the  society's  rooms,  corner  of 
Clymer  street  and  Division  avenue  ;  and,  during  the 
season,  two  concerts  are  given  at  the  Brooklyn  Acad- 
emy of  Music.  The  membership  of  the  society  is 
limited  to  410,  of  which  sixty  is  reserved  for  the 
chorus — a  limit  long  since  reached.  The  present  offi- 
cers are:  Jos.  F.  Knapp,  President;  Wm.  M.  Sey- 
mour, Vice-President;  M.  H.  Leonard,  Secretary;  Jos. 
Applegate,  Treasurer;  and  C.  Mortimer  Wiske,  Musi- 
cal Director. 


Amateurs  who  have  become  Profes- 
sionals.— Among  the  members  of  Brooklyn  so- 
cieties who  have  graduated  from  the  amateur  stage 
and  become  professionals  are  the  Misses  Edith 
Kingdon  (of  the  Amaranth),  Adelaide  Fitzallan 
(Kemble),  Sara  Jewett,  Gertrude  L.  Kellogg, 
Maud  Granger  (Amaranth),  Misses  Congdon,  Kate 
Newton,  Meta  Bartlett,  Mrs.  Fanny  Foster,  Mrs.  Lloyd 
Abbott,  and  Messrs.  William  Griffith  and  William  E. 
Wilson.  Miss  Fitzallan  is  with  Kate  Claxton's  com- 
pany, and  Mr.  Wilson  is  with  John  McCullough. 


LOUIS   0.  BEHMAI. 


LOUIS  C.  BEHMAN,  prominent  among  the  successful  young 
business  men  of  Brooklyn,  was  born  in  this  city,  June  4, 
1855.  His  father  was  Henry  William  Behman;  his  mother  was 
Ernstina  Kurtcman. 

When  old  enough,  he  began  attending  school  in  the  public 
jchools  in  the  city,  completing  his  education  at  Zion's  Academy, 
n  Brooklyn.  He  very  early  developed  a  rare  capacity  for  the 
conduct  of  business,  and  while  yet  very  young  engaged  in  a 
iiarket  and  provision  business  in  Brooklyn  ;  continuing  in  this 
occupation  with  reasonable  success  for  about  three  years. 

One  of  his  principal  amusements  (none  ever  interfered  with 
lis  business)  was  attending  the  theatres  of  the  city. 

In  1876  he  went  to  Philadelphia  and  engaged  in  the  theatrical 
business  ;  after  remaining  there  about  one  year,  he  removed  to 
■Baltimore,  and  engaged  in  the  same  occupation.  After  the  lapse 
>f  six  months  he  returned  to  Brooklyn,  and,  with  Mr.  Bichard 
3yde,  continued  the  business  he  had  conducted  in  Baltimore 
md  Philadelphia.  In  May,  1877,  he  and  his  partner  leased 
\  hat  was  known  as  the  Volks'  Theatre.    In  1878  they  purchased 


the  building,  changed  the  name  to  "  Hyde  and  Behman's 
Theatre,"  its  present  name.  In  1880  they  leased  the  Olympic 
Theatre,  Fulton  street,  Brooklyn,  changing  its''  name  to  the 
Standard  Theatre.  In  1881  they  purchased  the  Grand  Opera 
House  in  Elm  place.  In  1883  they  built  the  New  Park  Theatre, 
on  the  corner  of  Broadway  and  Thirty-fifth  street,  New  York 
City,  one  of  the  finest  theatrical  edifices  and  best  endowed 
properties  in  the  city.  Mr.  Behman  is  now  the  proprietor  of 
several  of  the  best  traveling  theatrical  companies  of  the  times, 
exhibiting  in  all  the  principal  cities  in  the  nation.  They  are 
also  the  proprietors  and  originators  of  "  Muldoon's  Picnic,"  one 
of  the  most  successful  comedies  on  the  road.  It  is  gratifying  to 
say,  that  in  all  his  business  relations  Mr.  Behman  has  been  suc- 
cessful to  a  marked  degree,  and  his  success  has  brought  him 
into  consideration  and  respect  among  the  citizens  of  Brooklyn. 
This  is  exhibited  by  the  fact  that  in  1882  he  was  elected  Alder- 
man of  the  Eleventh  Ward,  a  position  which  he  still  occupies, 
discharging  its  duties  very  creditably  to  himself  and  to  the  sat- 
isfaction of  his  constituents. 


rHE  Tree  Planting  and  Fountain  Society 
was  organized  at  the  Brooklyn  Academy  of  Music, 
►lay  16th,  1882,  by  a  number  of  prominent  citizens, 
fhose  object  in  the  formation  of  the  Society  was  to 
iromote  the  planting  and  protection  of  trees,  the  erec- 
ion  of  drinking  fountains;  and,  otherwise,  to  render 
he  city  of  Brooklyn  attractive.  Th  us  far  this  beneficent 


organization  has  not  met  the  encouragement  which  it 
deserves;  the  members,  however,  have  not  lost  faith  in 
the  ultimate  results  of  their  efforts,  and  are  prepared 
to  push  forward.  The  original  board  of  officers  was 
re-elected  for  1884: — John  W.  Hunter,  President; 
David  M.  Stone,  Vice-President;  Gordon  L.  Ford, 
Treasurer;  Richard  M.  Montgomery,  Secretary. 


1 1  CO 


Photography  in  Brooklyn. 


PHOTOGRAPHY,  like  chemistry,  owes  ils  origin  to 
the  alchemists  of  the  middle  ages,  who,  in  their 
search  after  the  philosopher's  stone  and  the  elixir 
of  life,  discovered  silver  chloride,  which  they  named 
horn  silver,  which  blackened  on  exposure  to  light.  Long 
afterwards,  Scheele  experimented  to  determine  the  effect 
upon  it  of  the  different  rays  of  the  solar  spectrum,  and 
discovered  the  actinic  rays.  In  1802,  Thomas  Wedge- 
wood  published  a  method  of  producing  pictures  by  the 
action  of  light  on  white  leather  or  paper,  made  sensitive 
by  a  film  of  silver  salts.  M.  Niepce  followed  in  1814 
with  a  process  for  making  pictures  permanent  on  a  sil- 
ver plate,  coated  with  bitumen  and  oil  of  lavender  by 
developing  with  a  solvent  composed  of  oil  of  lavender 
in  the  oil  of  petroleum.  M.  Daguerre's  invention  was 
a  film  of  iodine  on  a  silvered  plate,  and  he  developed  the 
image  by  exposure  to  mercurial  vapor,  and  fixed  it  with 
soda  hyposulphite  and  hot  distilled  water.  Niepce  and 
Dagnerre  had  beeu  experimenting  independently,  but 
in  1829  they  entered  into  partnership,  and  in  January, 
1839,  gave  to  the  world  specimens  of  the  work,  which 
received  the  name  daguerreotype.  Henry  Fox  Talbot, 
in  a  communication  to  the  Royal  Society,  February 
21st,  1839,  described  the  details  of  his  calotype  or 
photogenic  process,  in  which  the  image  was  produced 
on  paper,  made  sensitive  by  silver  chloride  and  devel- 
oped by  gallic  acid  ;  this  produced  a  negative  picture, 
with  lights  and  shadows  reversed  when  viewed  by 
transmitted  light,  while  the  correct  result  was  obtained 
by  light  through  the  negative  upon  other  sensitive 
paper  beneath.  By  this  process  copies  could  be  made 
witli  ease  and  rapidity.  Daguerre's  process  produced 
a  positive,  with  lights  and  shadows  in  their  proper  re- 
lations. Continued  experiments  perfected  the  new 
art.  Dr.  Draper  was  the  first  to  succeed  in  taking  por- 
traits from  life,  in  America.  Fizean  made  a  further  im- 
provement by  using  a  salt  of  gold  as  a  fixing  agent. 
Silver  bromide  was  found  to  be  much  more  sensitive 
to  the  action  of  light  than  the  chloride,  requiring  only 
about  one-thirtieth  the  length  of  exposure. 

But  the  greatest  improvement  was  the  collodion  pro- 
cess, invented  by  F.  Scott  Archer,  in  which  a  glass 
plate  is  coated  with  gun-cotton  dissolved  in  alcohol  and 
ether  with  a  soluble  iodide,  generally  of  cadmium  ;  it 
is  next  immersed  in  a  saturated  solution  of  silver 
nitrate,  when  the  iodides  in  the  film  become  silver 
i < »< i : <  1<  ~,  -'-n-iiivc  to  light.  The  image  is  developed  by 
pyrogallic  acid  or  protosulphate  of  iron,  with  acetic 
acid;  the  plate  is  protected  from  further  change  by 
soda  hyposulphite  or  potassium  cyanide.  This  method 
was  in  general  use  until  quite  lately.  The  dry  collodion  [ 


process  differs  only  in  coating  the  plate  with  tannin 
instead  of  the  liquid  fixing  agents,  and  adding  nitrate 
of  silver  to  the  developing  medium. 

The  bromo-gelatin  emulsion  process  has  been  recently 
introduced,  in  which  collodion  as  a  medium  of  carrying 
the  sensitive  salts  is  replaced  by  gelatin.  The  emulsion 
is  made  of  gelatin,  treated  with  the  bromides  of  am- 
monium and  zinc,  with  nitrate  of  silver,  and  developed 
either  by  sulphate  of  iron  with  alcohol,  acetic  acid,  and 
potassium  oxalate,  or  with  pyrogallic  acid,  ammonia, 
and  bromide  of  ammonium.  Plates  thus  prepared  are 
permanent  and  exceedingly  sensitive,  allowing  "  instan- 
taneous photography"  under  favorable  conditions,  and 
the  images  may  remain  undeveloped  for  an  ext. mini 
period.  Vogel's  Collodion  Emulsion  treats  the  gelatin 
emulsion  in  an  organic  acid  with  pyroxylin,  also  in  u 
organic  acid.  The  advantages  claimed  for  the  new 
process  are  its  keeping  qualities  and  ease  of  working. 

Though  years  of  experiment  have  elaborated  and 
perfected  details,  the  same  principle  pervades  all 
methods,  which  includes  the  production  of  the  image 
on  a  surface  made  sensitive  to  light,  its  subsequent  de- 
velopment, and  the  removal  of  the  unaltered  film  by  a 
fixing  agent.  At  present  the  methods  used  in  practical 
photography  are  limited  to  two  in  number  :  the  posi- 
tive, where  the  lights  and  shadows  appear  in  their 
proper  places  ;  the  plate  is  backed  with  black  varnish, 
and  the  desired  pearly-white  deposit  obtained  by  devel- 
oping with  proto-nitrate  and  sulphate  of  iron,  with 
nitric  and  acetic  acids;  second,  the  negative,  where  the 
image  is  produced  on  glass  with  lights  and  shut!  - 
reversed  when  viewed  by  transmitted  light,  and  a 
thicker  deposit  than  in  the  preceding  method,  while 
positive  impressions  are  printed  through  the  negate 
upon  sensitive  material  beneath. 

The  wet  and  dry  collodion  processes  and  the  gelatin 
and  collodion  emulsions  are  variations  of  the  last- 
named  process. 

At  the  present  day,  photography  is  the  leading 
method  of  portraiture,  of  reproducing  landscapes,  and 
all  objects  animate  and  inanimate,  with  a  wide  appli- 
cation in  astronomy,  microscopy,  and  many  of  the  in- 
dustrial arts.  It  is  fast  rising  from  the  realm  of  mKU* 
to  that  of  art ;  our  leading  photographers  combine  the 
art-idea  with  a  wonderful  perfection  of  finish,  IW 
leaves  little  to  be  desired  in  the  result 

As  far  as  ascertainable,  the  first  DagucrnMii  art;-' 
in  Brooklyn  was  J.  Stanbeuy,  whose  gallery  was 
located  near  Fulton  Ferry  in  1844  or  '45,  but  few  yeam 
after  the  publication  in  France  of  Daguerre's  inven- 
tion ;  which  shows  the  rapid  spread  of  the  new  procea 


PHOTOGRAPHY  IN  BROOKLYN. 


1167 


through  the  civilized  world.  Next  came  Atkins'  gal- 
lery, also  located  near  the  Ferry.  In  1849,  a  studio 
was  opened,  where  St.  Ann's  Buildings  now  are,  by 
Gabriel  Harrison,  whose  most  interesting  biography 
will  be  found  on  a  preceding  page.  In  1844,  he  took  up 
daguerreotyping  with  Plumbe;  went  afterwards  with  M. 
M.  Lawrence,  and  was  unsurpassed  as  an  operator.  In 
1850,  he  opened,  at  283  Fulton  street,  the  finest  gallery 
that  had  then  been  seen,  with  elegant  furnishings  and 
spacious  rooms.  He  executed  the  largest  daguerreotypes 
that  were  ever  taken  with  success,  winning  medals  at 
the  World's  Fair  in  London  and  in  New  York.  The 
art-idea  was  apparent  in  all  his  works. 

In  1852,  Harrison  hung  out  the  first  crude  picture 
taken  by  the  photographic  process,  then  in  its  infancy; 
two  years  later  he  was  successfully  using  the  new 
method.  He  was  succeeded  by  Williamson,  who  had 
for  many  years  an  excellent  reputation  for  his  daguer- 
reotypes, and  stood  at  the  head  of  his  profession. 
About  1860  Morand  established  himself  in  a  gallery 
over  Tice's  on  Fulton  street,  where  he  remained  for  a 
number  of  years.  Harrison  again  engaged  in  photo- 
graphy, and  a  little  later  Truxall  had  a  fine  place  on 
Fulton  avenue.  In  18G3  Douglass  opened  his  studio 
on  Fulton  street,  corner  of  Washington,  where  he  still 
remains.  W.  S.  Pendleton,  of  336  Fulton,  com- 
menced there  in  1868.  The  Pearsalls  began  their 
apprenticeship  twenty-five  years  ago  with  an  uncle  in 
Williamsburgh ;  in  1872  G.  Frank  E.  Pearsall 
opened  his  studio  at  298  Fulton  street;  and,  two  years 


after,  Alva  Pearsall  established  himself  at  Fulton 
and  Flatbush  avenues.  At  about  the  same  time 
Duryea  succeeded  Williamson  in  St.  Ann's  Buildings, 
and  Gardner  opened  a  studio  at  278  Fulton.  Wm.  F. 
Bowers  has  been  located  since  1 873  at  340  Fulton  street; 
Herman  Wunder,  ou  "the  Hill,"  at  722  Fulton, 
from  1875;  and  Charles  E.  Bolles,  at  271  Fulton, 
from  1878.  Other  prominent  artists  are  Henry  W. 
Biffur,  on  Fourth  street,  E.  I).;  Richardson  Bros., 
and  Mrs.  E.  Richardson,  Broadway,  E.  I). 

Our  best  artists  have  devoted  labor  and  thought  to 
the  improvement  of  photography,  and  have  introduced 
a  decided  art-element  into  that  which  was  a  mere 
science  in  its  beginnings.  The  advance  that  has  been 
made  during  the  last  fifteen  years  is  marvellous.  Life- 
size  portraits  combine  great  delicacy  and  richness  with 
absolute  accuracy;  while-still  life  is  reproduced  with 
perfect  fidelity.  Success  has  attended  the  practice  of 
instantaneous  photography,  as  well  as  the  use  of  the 
electric  light  as  an  illuminator.  Technical  difficulties 
have  hitherto  prevented  the  preservation  of  the  natural 
colors  iu  photographic  pictures,  although  much  experi- 
ment has  been  devoted  to  the  attempt. 

Oharles  S.  Rawson,  255  &  257  Fulton  street,  artist 
photographer,  established  1853,  Pennsylvania ;  was 
situated  at  Milwaukee,  then  Albany,  and  in  1859  re- 
moved to  his  present  location. 

Richardson  Bros.  (P.  &  R.  D. ),  105  &  107  Broad- 
way, photographers;  established  1879,  at  present  loca- 
tion. 


G.  FEANK  E.  PEARSALL. 


MR.  G.  FRANK  E.  PEARSALL,  the  well-known  photog- 
rapher, at  No.  298  Fulton  street,  is  a  native  of  New  York 
City,  having  been  born  in  Cherry  street,  November  23,  1841 .  His 
father  was  John  A.  Pearsall,  a  life-boat  builder  and  a  man  of  enter- 
prise, who  was  the  first  in  his  life  to  use  steam  power;  and  who 
died  of  pneumonia  at  the  age  of  thirty-three,  having  contracted  a 
cold  while  out  on  Long  Island  Sound  in  a  yacht.  His  mother  was 
of  the  numerous  and  respectable  Long  Island  family  of  Duryea. 

Left  an  orphan  at  a  tender  age,  Mr.  Pearsall  spent  a  portion  of 
his  childhood  in  the  family  of  an  aunt  living  in  Saratoga,  N.  Y., 
and  during  a  few  years  attended  the  public  schools  there  and  in 
New  York.  When  only  eleven  years  old,  he  began  to  learn  the 
rudiments  of  his  profession  with  his  uncle,  T.  Duryea,  once  a 
photographer  of  Williamsburgh.  Two  years  later  his  uncle  re- 
moved to  Australia,  where  he  has  since  resided.  With  the  as- 
sistance  of  their  mother,  Alva  A.  Pearsall,  then  aged  fifteen  years, 
ami  G.  Frank  E.  Pearsall,  aged  thirteen,  continued  operations  in 
the  gallery  formerly  of  their  uncle  about  a  year,  when  the  elder 
of  the  two  went  to  the  West  Indies,  leaving  the  home  interests 
in  the  care  of  his  mother  and  younger  brother,  who  kept  the 
establishment  open  a  year  longer.  About  this  time  Alva  A. 
Pearsall  returned,  and  soon  the  two  brothers  bade  adieu  to 
Brooklyn,  spending  the  greater  part  of  the  following  eight  years 
in  Cuba  and  various  towns  in  the  West  Indies,  in  Carracas, 
\  enezuela,  and  elsewhere,  only  visiting  Brooklyn  occasionally 


and  never  remaining  long.  Returning  at  the  end  of  the  period 
mentioned,  Mr.  Pearsall  was  employed  by  Gurney,  the  cele- 
brated New  York  photographer,  from  1862  to  1868.  During  the 
year  1868,  in  connection  with  his  brother,  he  conducted  a  veloci- 
pede school  and  dealt  in  velocipedes  on  Broadway,  New  York, 
at  the  corner  of  Twenty-third  street.  The  following  year  he 
was  again  in  Mr.  Gurney's  employ. 

In  1870  Mr.  Pearsall  established  a  photographic  gallery  at  the 
corner  of  Fulton  and  Tillary  streets,  Brooklyn,  removing,  two 
years  later,  to  his  present  location.  Mr.  Pearsall,  as  also  his 
brother,  Alva  A.  Pearsall,  may  be  said  to  be  in  a  great  meas- 
ure self-taught  in  his  art.  To  it  he  has  devoted  the  best  years 
of  his  life  and  much  careful  and  well-directed  thought;  making, 
from  time  to  time,  several  important  improvements  in  photo- 
graphic processes  and  apparatus.  As  an  artist  he  takes  high 
rank;  he  is  a  member  of  the  National  Photographic  Association, 
and  his  name  is  known  well  and  favorably  to  the  profession 
throughout  the  United  States  and  Canada. 

Mr.  Pearsall  is  president  of  the  Brooklyn  Archery  Club,  and 
in  1881  was  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  National  Archery 
Association.  He  is  also  prominent  in  the  Fountain  Gun  Club, 
and  is  a  member  of  Commonwealth  Lodge  No.  40',),  F.  &  A.  M., 
and  of  Orient  Chapter,  No.  138,  K.  A.  M.  He  was  married  March  6, 
1866,  to  Elizabeth  Conrow,  of  Brooklyn.  They  reside  at  No.  29 
Strong  Place. 


1168 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


MR.  FRANK  E.  TEABSALL'S  PHOTOGRAPHIC  STUDIO. 

The  nature  of  the  true  artist  is  to  be  dissatisfied  with  all  his 
attainments.  His  field,  the  eternal  beauty,  is  illimitable.  Every 
step  in  the  development  of  his  art  suggests  another  step  just 
beyond  his  grasp;  all  the  accessories  necessary  to  his  work  ex- 
hibit the  interior  working  of  his  mind.  Where  our  fathers  would 
have  been  satisfied,  and  found  nothing  lacking,  we  would  dis- 
cover many  crudities.    The  city  photograph  galleries  of  twenty- 


five  years  ago,  with  their  bare  walls  and  general  uncouth  sur- 
roundings, are  to-day  relegated  to  the  obscure  country  village, 
while  in  their  place  are  magnificent  apartments,  and  the  studio 
of  the  present  keeps  well  in  line  with  our  progress  in  culture 
and  art.  The  cut  of  the  establishment  of  Mr.  G.  Frank  E.  Pear- 
sail,  No.  208  Fulton  street,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  aptly  illustrates  this 
fact. 

The  first  floor,  22  feet  wide  by  128  feet  deep,  contains  tin 
reception  room,  dressing-rooms,  offices,  studio,  laboratory  and 
dark  room.  The  reception  room,  22  x  60  feet,  is  carpeted  and 
furnished  with  exquisite  taste;  the  walls  are  handsomely  frescoed, 
which,  with  the  pictures  adorning  them,  or  resting  upon  easels, 
makes  the  entire  effect  pleasing  to  the  eye,  and  gratifying  to  cul- 
tured visitors.  The  studio  is  a  model  of  its  kind,  and  to  an  artist 
an  interesting  and  profitable  study.  It  is  42  feet  long  by  89  f, .  t 
wide,  perfectly  arranged  with  plate-glass  sky  and  side  lights, 
so  located  as  to  afford  a  right  and  left-hand  light.  The  ceilings 
are  frescoed,  and  the  floor  covered  with  an  English  Linoleum  of 
appropriate  pattern.  The  furniture  is  very  elaborate,  Lnclndiu 
many  pieces  not  usually  seen.  The  drawing  accompanying  this 
article  does  not  convey  a  full  idea  of  what  this  studio  is;  any 
effect  desired  may  be  attained  in  this  gallery.  The  second  floor 
is  supplied  with  complete  arrangements  for  printing,  toning 
and  finishing. 

Mr.  Pearsall's  work  is  noted  for  its  delicacy,  softness,  cleanli 
ness  and  technical  beauty.  The  rank  held  by  him  among  photo- 
graphers is  evinced  by  the  fact  that  the  majority  of  portraits 
illustrating  this  history  are  from  his  studio,  and  that  a  larv* 
amount  of  his  patronage  is  drawn  from  New  York  City,  despite 
the  attractions  of  its  renowned  galleries. 


B  KOOKLT]^  ARTISTS. 


IN  addition  to  those  mentioned  in  the  foregoing 
article,  we  have  the  following  artists,  portrait 
painters,  etc.,  residing  in  Brooklyn: 
Brown  &  Son,  429  Fulton  street. 
Wm.  M.  Brown,  709  President  street,  painter  of 
fruits,  flowers  and  landscapes;  born  in  Troy,  N.Y.,  1829; 
stndied  portrait  painting  in  the  studio  of  A.  B.  Moore, 
of  that  city;  established  1855,  in  Brooklyn. 
SiimuelS.  Carr,  401  Twelfth  street. 
Richard  Crefield,  02S  Myrtle  avenue,  artist  (figure); 
had  seven  years'  study  at  Royal  Academy,  Munich, 
where  he  received  a  medal  for  work. 
A.  S.  Dauber,  307  Navy  street. 
M.  F.  H.  De  Haas,  h.  148  Taylor  street. 
Curl  Frank,  180  Sacked  street. 
/'.  8>  Ham's,  Garfield  Building. 
C.  I).  Hunt,  75  St.  James  place. 
Janus  M.  Hart,  94  First  place. 
R.   II'.  Hubbard,  h.  121  St.  James  place. 


C.  W.  Jewell,  1  York  street. 

J.  H.  Littlefield,  16  Court  street. 

Clinton  Loveridge,  4GI  Twelfth  street,  landscai>c 
painter,  member  Brooklyn  Art  Club;  served  in  army 
during  nearly  the  entire  War  of  the  Rebellion. 

Strafford  New  march,  316  Gates  avenue. 

Julius  Ruger,  16  Court  street,  portrait  artist:  born 
in  Germany,  1S40;  came  to  America,  1847;  worfcedM 
an  engraver  on  gold  until  his  nineteenth  year,  when  In 
began  the  study  of  portrait  drawing  and  painting, 
establishing  himself  in  Brooklyn  as  an  artist  in  IS'M. 

J.  B.  Stearns,  389  Fulton  street. 

R.  H'.  Sawers,  375  Pearl  street. 

Warren  W.  Sheppard,  281  Nintli  street,  marm. 
artist;  established  in  Brooklyn,  1872;  was  born  at 
Greenwich,  N.  J.,  1855;  son  of  Josiali  Sheppard,  a  sail- 
ing  ship-master:  his  specialty  is  that  of  brilliant  moon- 
light marine  effects. 

James  Q.  Tyler,  313  Fulton  street 


THE 


HISTORY    OF   THE  PRESS 


OF 


Brooklyn  and  Kings  County/' 


By  Hon.  WILLIAM  E.  ROBINSON". 


WITH    BIOGRAPHICAL    NOTES,    ETC.,    BY    THE  EDITOR. 


THE  HISTORY  OF  THE  PRESS  OF  KINGS 
County,  like  that  of  other  cities  and  localities, 
records  many  early  deaths  of  ambitious  jour- 
nals. 

The  Long  Island  Courier  f  was  the  first  paper 
published  in  Brooklyn,  by  Thomas  Kirk,  a  job  printer, 
book-seller,  publisher  and  stationer.  J  Its  first  number 
appeared  June  26,  1799.  It  was  a  weekly,  and  was 
the  second  paper  published  on  Long  Island.  The  first 
was  the  Long  Island  Herald,  published  at  Sag  Harbor, 
in  1791,  by  Daniel  Frothingham.  The  Courier  met 
with  an  early  death  seven  years  afterwards. 

The  Long  Island  Weekly  Intelligencer  was 
commenced  May  26,  1806,  by  William  C.  Robinson 
and  William  Little.  It  was  the  first  paper  to  publish  a 
list  of  letters  remaining  in  the  Brooklyn  Post  Office  ; 
but  was  discontinued  at  the  end  of  the  year  for  want 
of  patronage.  In  June,  1809,  Thomas  Kirk,  nothing 
daunted  by  the  failure  of  the  Courier,  started 

The  Long  Island  Star,  which  was  destined  for 
a  longer  life  and  an  honorable  career.    In  two  years  he 


*  In  the  preparation  of  this  chapter,  we  have  drawn  largely  upon  a  very  minute 
ketch  of  the  Local  Press  of  Brooklyn,  by  Mr.  W.  A.  Chandos  Fulton,  in  the 
Brooklyn  Standard. 

(  tFurman  gives  the  title  of  this  paper  as  The  Courier  and  New  York  and 
'*ong Island  Advertizer,  but  Mr.  Fulton  says  that  "all  the  copies  and  documents 
elating  to  it,  which  he  has  seen,  bear  the  title  of  the  Long  Island  Courier. 

X  Mr.  Kirk  kept  a  small  job  printing  office  on  the  corner  of  Old  Ferry  (now 
ulton)  and  Front  streets.  He  is  supposed  to  have  come  to  Brooklyn  about  the 
lose  of  the  Revolution.  A  shilling  pamphlet  edition  of  Maj.-Gen.  Lee's  funeral 
ration  in  honor  of  (Jen.  Washington,  in  December,  1799,  was  the  first  book  pub- 
shed  from  Kirk's  press,  in  Brooklyn.  Ir.  1809,  he  commenced  the  Long  Island 
tar,  and  removed  his  job  printing  establishment  to  Main  street,  next  door  to 
vapelye  &  Mooney's  dry  goods  store.  Here  he  opened  a  large  stationery  and 
00k  store,  which  he  kept  well  supplied  with  the  publications  of  the  day,  together 
ilh  a  fine  assortment  of  standard  works.  Besides  conducting  his  paper,  he 
sued  several  publications  and  reprints  ;  and  seems  to  have  done,  for  the  times,  a 
aod  general  business.  In  181 1,  he  sold  the  Star  to  Alden  Spooner,  and  his  store 
>  Messrs.  Pray  &  Bowen,  and  devoted  himself  to  his  job  printing  office,  which 
ie  removed  to  Fulton,  just  above  Front  street.  About  this  time,  he  published  a 
'istory  of  the  Adventures  and  Sufferings  0/  Moses  Smith  in  the  Miranda 

xf  edition,  etc.,  etc.,  at  the  expense  of  the  author's  brother,  ex-Mayor  Samuel 
nith,  of  this  city,  a  curious  little  volume,  now  very  rare. 

Mr.  Kirk  lived  to  a  good  old  age,  was  identified  with  all  the  prominent  local 
ovements  of  his  day,  and  was  followed  to  the  grave  by  the  respect  of  all  who 
icw  the  value  of  his  unobtrusive,  but  exceedingly  useful  life. 


sold  the  Star  to  Alden  Spooner,  §  formerly  of  the 
Suffolk  County  Gazette.  In  1818,  it  was  consolidated 
with  the  Long  Island  Farmer,  of  Jamaica,  and  pub- 
lished by  Spooner  &  Sleight,  retaining  the  name  of  the 
Star,  the  same  edition  answering  for  both  Brooklyn 
and  Jamaica.  This  connection  was  mutually  dissolved 
in  1826.  Mr.  Sleight  revived  the  Farmer,  and  Mr. 
Spooner  continued  the  Star.  In  1827,  the  Star  was 
issued  as  a  daily  paper.  The  daily  issue,  though  at- 
tempted several  times,  was  not  successful  for  any 
length  of  time.  In  1S32,  the  weekly  was  doubled  in 
size;  and,  in  1835,  it  was  issued  semi- weekly.  In  1836, 
Colonel  Spooner  took  his  sons,  Edwin  B.  and  George 
W.,  into  partnership,  under  the  name  of  A.  Spooner  & 
Sons.  In  1841,  Colonel  Spooner  became  Surrogate  of 
Kings  county,  for  four  years,  apjjointed  by  Governor 
Seward,  and  succeeding  Richard  Corn  well;  and  E.  B. 
Spooner  became  sole  proprietor.  It  was  afterward 
published  by  E.  B.  Spooner  &  Son  (E.  B.  Spooner,  Jr.), 
and  edited  by  Alden  J.  Spooner,  recently  deceased,  and 
Robert  A.  Burch.    It  was  discontinued,  June  27,  1863, 


I  The  Spooner  family,  so  honorably  associated  with  the  history  of  the  press  in 
this  country,  was  connected,  both  by  marriage  and  occupation,  with  the  Greens, 
of  New  London,  Conn.,  for  several  generations  prominent  as  printers  and  editors 
in  thai  State.  Judah  P.  Spooner,  and  his  brother,  Alden  Spooner,  early  printers 
in  Vermont,  were  sons  of  Thomas  Spooner  who  came  from  Newport,  R.  L,  to 
New  London,  in  1753),  and  brothers-in-law  of  Timothy  Green.  Alden  Spooner,  so 
fully  and  honorably  identified  with  ihe  highest  interests  and  prosperity  of  Brooklyn, 
was  a  son  of  the  first-named  brother,  and  was  born  at  Westminster,  Vt.,  January 
23,  1783.  Having  learned  the  printing  art  with  his  relative,  Samuel  Green,  the 
well-known  printer  of  New  London,  Conn.,  he  went  to  Sag  Harbor,  L.  I.,  where, 
20th  of  February,  1804,  he  assumed  the  charge  of  the  Suffolk  County  Herald, 
then  in  the  thirteenth  year  of  its  existence,  and  changing  its  name  to  that  of  the 
Suffolk  County  Gazette,  published  it  until  1811,  when  he  was  obliged  to  abandon 
it.  Moving  to  Brooklyn,  which,  to  his  far-seeing  eye,  already  gave  promise  of 
its  future  growth,  he  purchased  the  Long  Island  Star  from  Mr.  Kirk,  and  with 
this  paper  his  whole  subsequent  life  was  honorably  identified.  He  afterwards 
conducted  for  a  time  the  A'ew  York  Columbian,  a  daily,  and  with  that  zeal  for 
public  works  which  always  characterized  him,  was  an  early  advocate  of  the  Erie 
Canal,  and  a  great  admirer  and  firm  friend  of  its  originator,  De  Witt  Clinton, 
who  once  remarked  that  he  "  never  had  so  true  a  friend  as  Alden  Spooner  ;  and 
what  is  more  (added  the  Governor),  he  never  asked  a  favor  of  me  directly  or  indi- 
rectly." He  indeed  avoided  public  office,  uniil  the  unfortunate  result  of  certain 
speculative  enterprises,  in  1836,  induced  him  to  seek  the  office  of  Surrogate  of 
Kings  county,  which  was  bestowed  upon  him  by  Govei  or  Seward,  and  which  he 
held  for  four  years.  In  all  that  pertained  to  the  welfare  of  Brooklyn,  he  was  ever 
foremost  and  active.    He  was  influential  in  procuring  the  village  charter,  in  1816, 


1170 


BISTORT  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


after  a  long  ami  honorable  life  of  over  half  a  century. 
In  politics,  it  was  Federal,  Whig,  and  Republican.  In 
its  columns  may  be  found  the  history  of  Brooklyn  and 
Kings  County  for  the  period  of  its  existence.  The 
only  complete  set  in  existence — the  old  office  file; — is 
now  among  the  treasures  of  the  Long  Island  Historical 
Society. 

The  Long  Island  Patriot  was  started  as  a 
weekly  on  St.  Patrick's  Day,  1821,  by  George  L. 
Birch.*  It  was  Democratic,  and,  for  a  while,  success- 
ful. It  was  purchased,  in  1829,  by  Sheriff  John  T. 
Bergen,  and,  for  a  short  time,  edited  by  Samuel  E. 
Clements,  a  Southerner,  who  had  been  a  journeyman  in 
Birch's  office.  In  1832,  it  became  the  property  of 
James  A.  Bennett,  who  changed  its  name  to  the 
Brooklyn  Advocate,  and 

The  Brooklyn  Advocate  and  Nassau  Gazette 
appeared  September  13,  1833,  as  the  successor  of  the 
Patriot,  owned  and  edited  by  Bennett  &  Douglas.  It 
was  strongly  Democratic  and  ably  edited,  and  was 
soon  issued  in  semi-weekly  form.  In  1836,  Mr.  Bennett 
retired,  and  S.  G.  Arnold  was  its  editor  till  its  suspen- 
sion in  1839.  During  the  eighteen  years  of  its  exist- 
ence as  Patriot,  Advocate  and  Gazette,  Henry  C. 
Murphy  was  a  constant  and  copious  contributor.  Mr. 
Birch  was  printer  to  the  New  York  Common  Council 
and  the  Custom  House  for  many  years. 

The  Brooklyn  Daily  Advertiser  was  commenced 
in  August,  1834,  by  E.  G.  Chase  &  Co.  It  was  only  a 
little  larger  than  a  sheet  of  letter  paper.  It  was 
printed  in  New  York,  at  the  same  office  with  Horace 
Greeley's  New  Yorker,  and  rumor  named  Mr.  Greeley 
as  its  editor,  and  it  was  frequently  mentioned  as 
"  Horace  Greeley's  paper." 

In  1835,  it  was  purchased  by  Francis  G.  Fish  and 
enlarged.  It  was  first  a  morning  paper,  then  an  even- 
ing, and  again  a  morning  paper.    The  evening  issue 

and  in  promoting  its  incorporation  as  a  city,  in  1834.  He  was  one  of  the  (bunders 
and  trustees  of  the  Brooklyn  Apprentices'  Library,  and  was  Second  Lieutenant  in 
the  Fourth  Regiment  of  the  Fourth  Brigade  of  N.  Y.  State  Artillery,  in  1810; 
Quartermaster  of  the  Thirteenth  Regiment,  N.  Y.  State  Artillery,  in  1819  :  Cap- 
tain  of  the  same,  in  1819,  and  Colonel  of  the  same,  in  1826.  He  was  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  Lyceum  of  Natural  History,  and  of  the  Female  Seminary  of 
Brooklyn,  and  the  noble  free  school  system  of  our  city  is  deeply  indebted  to  his 
ardent  championship.  "It  was  his  unfaltering  energy  and  perseverance  that 
secured  to  the  city  the  Fort  Greene  property  as  a  public  park.  It  was  not  his 
fault  that  the  entire  of  the  beautiful  Heights  was  not  laid  out  as  a  park,  to  be  free 
to  the  inhabitants  as  a  place  of  resort  and  recreation  forever.  The  old  111. in  wrote 
for  it,  talked  for  it,  almost  begged  for  it — all  in  vain."  At  an  age  when  he  might 
reasonably  have  sought  for  retirement  and  repose,  he  was  yet  active  in  works  of 
public  utility.  For  the  last  two  years  of  his  life,  he  was  earnestly  engaged  in 
organizing  a  company  for  lighting  Brooklyn  with  gas,  and  on  its  incorporation, 
was  unanimously  chosen  its  President.  In  agriculture,  Col.  Spooner  took  ■  deep 
and  active  interest,  and  was  especially  urgent  in  calling  public  attention  to  the 
feasibility  of  improving  the  vast  sand  and  pine  barrens  of  Long  Island  :  and  to 
him  we  arc  mainly  indebted  for  the  introduction  of  the  Isal>ella  grape.  His  little 
treatise  on  the  cultivation  of  the  grape,  which  passed  to  a  second  edition,  is  per- 
haps the  best  extant.  His  life  realized  the  ideal  of  a  mo,/,  /  citi-eti,  whose  place 
was  not  easily  filled.  In  private  life,  "a  simplicity,  cheerfulness,  and  genuine 
kindness  endeared  him  to  every  one  ;  "  his  integrity  was  spotless  ;  he  was  liberal 
10  the  utmost  extent  of  self  sacrifice,  and  foremost  in  acts  of  benevolence.  As  a 
politician,  he  endeavored  to  divest  partisanship  of  its  bitterness  and  illiberally  j 
as  an  editor,  he  was  plain  spoken,  yet  eminently  courteous. 

He  died  on  the  24th  of  November,  1848,  in  the  sixty-fifth  year  of  his  age,  being 
then,  with  one  exception,  the  oldest  editor  in  the  United  Suites. 


was  resumed  as  a  native  American  organ,  under  the 
name  of  the  Native  American  Citizen  and  Brooklyn 
Evening  Advertiser;  but  it  went  down  with  the  party 
in  all  its  editions. 

The  Williamsburgh  Gazette  was  commenced  on 
the  25th  of  May,  1835,  as  a  weekly,  by  Mr.  Fish,  who 
soon  left  it  to  the  care  of  his  brother  Adrastus.  In 
February,  1838,  Levi  Darbee  became  its  publisher,  and 
pushed  it  with  energy  and  success.  It  was  independ- 
ent in  politics  till  1840,  when  it  was  struck  with  tin- 
Log  Cabin  "  boom,"  and  became  the  Whig  organ  in 
Williamsburgh.  Its  success  led  to  its  publication,  in 
1850,  as  a  daily,  and  it  was  edited  in  part  by  Rev. 
Nathaniel  N.  Whitney.  It  was  suspended  in  1854, 
after  a  career  of  nineteen  years. 

The  Brooklyn  Daily  News  was  started 
2,  1840,  by  S.  G.  Arnold  and  Isaac  Van  Anden,  with 
the  first  named  gentleman  and  Dr.  W.  K.  Northall  as 
editors.    It  soon  collapsed  and  fell  into  the  L<mg 
Island  Daily  Times. 

The  Williamsburgh  Democrat  was  started  in 
June,  1840,  by  Thomas  A.  Devyr  and  William  H. 
Colyer,  as  a  weekly,  and  lived  for  eight  years. 

The  Long  Island  Daily  Times  was  issued  Octo- 
ber 19,  1840,  as  a  daily  morning  paper,  by  F.  G.  Fish 
&  Co.,  and  edited  by  Dr,  Northall.  It  was  Whig  in 
its  politics.  It  absorbed  the  Daily  Neios,  and  contin- 
ued under  the  title  of 

The  Brooklyn  Daily  News  and  Long  Island 
Times,  first  number  March  2,  1841,  as  an  afteniMt) 
daily.  Dr.  Northall  bought  out  Fish  and  took  John 
C.  Watts  as  a  partner.  Watts  soon  retired,  and 
Northall,  in  1842,  sold  to  John  S.  Noble.  In  January. 
1843,  its  title  was  abbreviated  to  the  old  name  ol 
Brooklyn  News,  and  it  was  issued  as  a  morninj; 
paper,  but  it  died  in  December  of  the  last  nana  I 
year.   

♦Ohokge  L.  Bikcii,  born  in  Limerick,  Ireland,  August  15,  1787  ;  cam.  t  I 
country  in  1798,  with  his  parents,  who  settled  first  in  Providence,  R.  I.,  then  in 
Brooklyn.  After  completing  his  education,  he  was  bound  apprentice  to  Mes^r- 
Arden  i  Close,  shipping  merchants  of  New  York  ;  afterwards  became  >  book- 
keeper for  a  large  distiller,  and  then  first  clerk  in  the  Columbian  Insurance  Com- 
pany.   At  the  dissolution  ol  ilm  ■  "in|  . my.  Ih    !•<•..««••  the  ■  a-hi  1  ...   

manager  of  the  Nation.,/  Advocate,  a  leading  Democratic  newspaper,  edited  by 
the  late  M.  M.  Noah,  in  partnership  with  whom  be  afterwards  stilted  .1  pnotm. 
office.  Shortly  after,  he  became  printer  to  the  Common  Council  and  to  the 
Custom  House,  both  of  which  positions  he  held  until  1828.  In  1819.  he  ».••> 
.111  acti\c  member  of  I )i<-  kings  t'.nnly  Agi  u  11ltln.il  .in.l  1  >oinesln  Mat  III  1  nil 
Society,  and,  on  the  17th  of  March,  iSai,  he  issued  the  first  number  of  the  Lout 
Island  Patriot,  a  weekly  family  newspaper.  In  October  of  the  same  year,  be 
joined  the  fire  department,  with  which,  as  foreman  of  Knginc  No.  a,  lie  was  Idea 
lifted  for  a  long  period.  On  the  31st  of  December,  1831,  he  received  the  apponii- 
ment  of  Postmaster  of  Brooklyn,  which  office  he  occupied  for  four  years,  ori»c 
succeeded  by  Thomas  Kirk.  In  183a,  he  established  a  monthly,  the  Miner**.  >■> 
New  York,  and  during  this  year,  at  his  suggestion,  a  branch  of  1  he  Colombun 
Order,  or  Tammany  Society,  was  established  in  Brooklyn.  He  w.u  a  member  I 
the  Mechanics' and  Tradesmen's  Society  of  Brooklyn,  the  Mechanics'  SooMj  " 

New  York,  and  «->s  also  L.igi-ly   iostiim  ..I  In  tin    "■  -g  uu/.<ii  -n  .  f  the  fii«' 

Sunday  school  in  the  village  ;  the  Erin  Fraternal  Association,  the  Apprentice! 
Library,  and  various  other  valuable  institutions,  which  havi  gi 
to  the  welfare  of  Brooklyn.  In  1829,  he  received  an  appointment  in  th.  '  •■»'• 
House,  and  sold  out  the  Patriot.  In  1843,  he  became  the  custodian  and  Ubrarui' 
of  the  U.  S.  Naval  Lyceum,  at  the  Brooklyn  Navy  Yard,  which  P0*"10"  ' 
retained  until  his  death,  which  occurred  on  the  27th  of  July.  1864.  In  all  Ml  rela- 
tions of  life,  he  was  respected  and  beloved. 


THE  PRESS. 


1171 


The  Brooklyn  Daily  Advertiser  was  started  on 
the  1st  of  January,  1844,  by  H.  A.  Lees  and  William 
A.  Foulkes,  with  Dr.  Northall  as  editor.  In  1846,  Mr. 
Lees  became  its  editor,  and  was  succeeded  for  a  year 
by  W.  J.  Bryce;  and  afterwards,  in  1850,  Mr.  Bryce 
resumed  the  editorship,  and  the  paper  was  enlarged 
and  improved;  but,  in  1851,  he  left  the  paper,  and  it 
fell  off  in  circulation  and  influence.  After  Mr.  Lees' 
death,  it  was  sold  at  auction,  in  1853,  to  David  A. 
Bokee,  a  prominent  Whig,  who  had  been  State  Sena- 
tor, Naval  Officer  of  the  Port  of  New  York,  and  Mem- 
ber  of  Congress,  succeeding  Henry  C.  Murphy,  1849- 
'51.  For  a  time  it  was  edited  by  John  Lomas.  In 
1854,  it  was  purchased  by  R.  D.  Thompson,  formerly 
of  the  Troy  Daily  Times,  with  John  N.  Tucker  as  its 
editor,  and  came  out  as  the  organ  of  the  Know-Noth- 
iugs,  with  a  corresponding  change  of  name  to  United 
States  Daily  Freeman;  but,  in  the  same  year,  its  editor 
went  down  in  disaster  with  the  paper. 

The  Brooklyn  Morning  Post  made  its  appear- 
ance October  25,  1844,  under  the  management  of  John 
F.  Birch,  a  son  of  George  L.  Birch.  It  was  a  Demo- 
cratic sheet,  printed  at  Mr.  Birch's  printing  establish- 
ment in  New  York,  but  issued  in  Brooklyn  at  the  cor- 
1  ner  of  Atlantic  and  Columbia  streets,  and  lived  only 
for  a  few  months. 

The  Brooklyn  Saturday  Evening  Bee  was 
started  in  1847,  by  A.  Spooner  &  Son,  as  a  family 
paper,  made  up  from  matter  of  the  Daily  Star.  It 
lived  for  a  year  or  two. 

The  Brooklyn  Freeman  was  started  April  25, 
1*48,  by  Judge  Samuel  E.  Johnson,  as  a  Free  Soil 
paper,  with  Walter  Whitman  as  editor,  and  in  a  few 
months  was  published  as  a  daily  morning  paper.  Mr. 
Whitman  was  succeeded  by  Samuel  F.  Cogswell,  and 
the  paper  was  published  in  the  Freeman  buildings,  in 
Fulton  street,  near  Myrtle  avenue.  Mr.  E.  R.  Colston 
became  its  owner,  and  several  able  writers  were  en- 
gaged on  it.  It  met  with  rapid  success,  and  became 
the  largest  penny  paper  in  the  United  States.  It  pro- 
fessed to  be  independent  in  politics,  but  espoused  the 
cause  of  Conklin  Brush  for  Mayor  of  Brooklyn,  and 
became  identified  with  the  Whig  party.  Its  rapid 
success  led  to  its  early  destruction;  and,  in  1852,  it  fell 
into  the  hands  of  Sheriff  Hodges,  who  kept  it  alive 
several  months,  issuing  only  about  a  dozen  copies  to 
complete  the  publication  of  some  advertisement,  and 
then  let  it  drop  into  its  early  grave. 

The  Independent  Press,  a  daily  paper,  was 
started  in  Williamsburgh,  in  1850,  by  the  Municipal 
Reform  Association.  It  was  afterward  sold  to  Conrail 
3cb.wackham.er,  and  later  to  Bishop  &  Kelly,  and  an 
establishment  was  erected  for  it,  at  present  the  Times 
building.  It  also  issued  a  weekly  edition.  It  was 
Democratic  in  its  later  years.  It  was  suspended  in  1857. 

The  Independent,  a  weekly  paper,  was  started  in 
1851,  by  George  Hall,  Secretary  of  the  Municipal  Re- 


form Association,  printed  by  William  H.  Hogan,  and 
edited  by  Mr.  Shannon.    It  lived  three  or  four  years. 

The  Brooklyn  Standard  commenced  in  the  fall 
of  1859,  by  James  Del  Vecchio,  was  a  Douglas  Demo- 
cratic paper,  but  afterward  supported  Abraham  Lin- 
coln.   It  kept  its  place  for  thirteen  years. 

The  Brooklyn  City  News,  commenced  November 
29,  1 859,  by  William  G.  Bishop,  rose  rapidly  and  seemed 
destined  for  permanent  success;  but  suspended  Novem- 
ber 10,  1863,  and  was  merged  into  the  Union. 

In  June,  1861,  Mr.  Del  Vecchio  started  a  Daily  Stand- 
ard, but  it  died  in  six  months. 

December,  14,  1861,  Harry  C.  Page  started  the  Era, 
as  a  literary  paper,  and  virtually  a  revival  of  the  New 
York  City  Metropolitan  Era;  but  not  thriving  in 
Brooklyn,  it  was  transferred  to  New  York,  where  it  was 
published  as  the  New  York  Era. 

Quite  a  number  of  periodicals,  daily,  weekly  and 
monthly,  were  started  in  Brooklyn,  but  most  of  them 
had  such  a  short-lived  existence  that  they  scarcely  im- 
pressed themselves  on  the  public  mind  and  left  no 
history.  Among  these  we  may  simply  mention,  with 
names,  dates  and  editors, 

The  Brooklyn  Monthly  Magazine,  1835,  by 
Rev.  Gilbert  L.  Hume. 

The  Tyro,  a  child's  paper,  1841.  "  Joe"  Howard,  Jr. 

The  Age,  1844.  James  G.  Wallace  and  General 
Sutherland,  the  Canadian  patriot. 

The  Greenpoint  Advertiser,  1847.  L.  Masqueria. 

The  Orbit  and  Excelsior,  1848. 

The  Messenger  Bird,  1849.  Edited  by  the  Alumni 
of  the  Brooklyn  Female  Academy  (Packer  Institute) 
and  T.  D.  Smith. 

The  Kings  County  Chronicle,  1851.  E.  R. 
Swackhamer. 

The  Union  Ark,  1851.    J.  Schnebly. 

The  Daily  Journal,  1852.  Joseph  Taylor  and  J. 
M.  Heighway. 

The  Brooklyn  Morning  Journal,  a  continuance 
of  the  foregoing.  By  J  oseph  Taylor  and  William  H. 
Hogan. 

The  Long  Island  Family  Circle,  1852.  By  J.  E. 
Gander,  for  C.  S.  Schroeder  &  Co. 

The  Brooklyn  Atheneum  Magazine,  1854.  Mr. 
Marsh. 

The  Signal,  a  daily;  1855.    By  Smith  &  Co. 

The  Brooklyn  Independent,  1855.  By  John  H. 
Tobitt,  who  sold  to  Thomas  A.  Devyr,  who  changed 
its  name  to  the  Brooklyn  Taxpayer,  and  then  discon- 
tinued it. 

The  Leuth  Thurm,  1856.    Charles  Henseler. 

The  Kings  County  Advertiser  and  Village 
Guardian,  1857.  Published  in  East  New  York,  by  C. 
Warren  Hamilton. 

The  Ecclestonid,  1857.    James  S.  Rogers. 

The  Portfolio,  a  child's  monthly  magazine,  1858. 
By  Master  Robert  Buckley. 


1172 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


The  Brooklyn  Volks  Blatt,  1858. 

The  Brooklyn  Daily  Transcript,  1859,  a  Re- 
publican campaign  sheet,  South  Brooklyn. 

The  Literary  Casket,  1860.  Issued  two  numbers. 

The  Neophyte,  1801.  (Packer  Institute  for  young 
ladies.) 

Der  Apologet,  a  Catholic  weekly,  1861.  John 
Meserole. 

The  Once  a  Week,  1863.    Win.  G.  Bishop. 

The  Drum  Beat,  published,  under  the  editorship 
of  Rev.  Dr.  R.  S.  Storrs,  during  the  great  Sanitary  Fair. 

The  Brooklyn  Monthly,  1869.  Horace  W.  Love. 
Issued  four  numbers. 

The  Brooklyn  Daily  Register,  i860. 

The  Index,  1*69.    A.  H.  Rome  &  Brother. 

The  Packer  Quarterly,  18G8-'9;  Packer  Insti- 
tute for  young  ladies. 

The  late  J.  J.  O'Donnell  published  for  some  time 
The  Brooklyn  Standard,  as  a  campaign  paper. 

The  Brooklyn  Argus.  In  1866,  John  P.  Kenyon, 
a  native  of  England,  residing  in  Williamsburg,  started 
a  weekly  paper  under  the  above  name.  It  was  inde- 
pendent in  politics,  and  devoted  to  reform.  Daniel 
Donovan  was  associated  with  Mr.  Kenyon,  and  Henry 


MeClosky  was  for  a  time  its  editor.  It  had  a  fair  local 
reputation.  In  1873,  Demas  Barnes,  who  had  previously 
been  a  Member  of  Congress  from  Brooklyn,  bought 
the  Argus,  and  on  the  15th  of  September  of  that  war. 
started  it  as  a  daily  paper,  Mr.  Kenyon  continuing  on 
the  editorial  staff.  The  equipment  of  the  paper  was 
complete  in  every  particular.  It  was  published  in  Un- 
building adjoining  the  Post-office,  with  new  tvpe,  im- 
proved presses,  and  a  strong  editorial  corps,  with  Mr. 
Barnes  at  its  head,  who  pushed  it  with  his  characteristic 
energy  and  a  lavish  expenditure  of  monev.  It  attained 
a  large  circulation  and  apparent  prosperity,  but  on  the 
17th  of  February,  1877,  it  was  suspended;  and,  in  tin 
same  month,  the  entire  establishment  was  sold  to  tin 
Union,  which  then  assumed  the  name  of  Ti< 
Aryns.  It  had  attained  a  large  circulation,  nearly 
equaling  the  Eayle.  Augustus  Maverick,  who  had  bet  D 
early  connected  with  the  New  York  Tribune,  and  after- 
ward with  The  New  York  Times,  Brooklyn  EagV  an  1 
New  York  Commercial,  was  managing  editor;  St 
Clair  McKelway,  now  of  the  Albany  Argus,  its  chid 
editorial  writer;  with  George  I).  Bayard,  DeWitt  G. 
Ray,  Chester  P.  Dewey,  George  F.  "Williams  and  Wil- 
liam Herries  at  different  times  upon  its  staff. 


HON.   DEMAS  BARNES. 


Hon.  Demas  Barnes  was  reared  amid  the  privations  of  a 
frontier  life,  which  doubtless  aided  in  developing  the  keen 
intellect,  indomitable  will  and  individuality  which,  since 
childhood,  have  characterized  his  life.   We  find  him  a  farmer 

eleven  years  of  age;  a  merchant  at  twenty;  associated  in 
several  institutions  soon  thereafter;  and  a  member  of  Con- 
gress at  thirty-nine.  His  father  was  a  New  Englander,  who 
settled  in  Western  New  York  when  that  section  of  the  state 
was  principally  covered  by  forests.  He  took  up  eighty  acres 
of  land,  subject  to  a  mortgage  of  three  hundred  dollars,  five 
miles  from  Canandaigua,  Ontario  Co.  The  house  was  of  logs. 
Here  three  children  were  l>orn,  two  girls,  and  the  youngest 
of  the  three,  the  hoy,  who  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  The 
father  died  when  the  son  was  little  more  than  a  year  old. 
Four  years  thereafter,  the  mother  married  a  neighbor  whose 
farm  joined  her  own.  It  was  a  mile  and  a  half  to  the  dis- 
trict school,  w  here  tin-  Barnes  children  received  their  prin- 
ciple education.  In  the  summer  time,  the  lad  worked  in  the 
liel  Is;  and,  ambitious  to  keepup  with  the  men.  hoed  alternate 
hills  each  way.  As  a  child  and  boy,  he  was  no  more  idle 
than  he  has  been  as  a  man.  When  not  otherwise  occupied, 
he  was  damming  the  brooks,  building  mills,  looking  after  his 
din  k-,  hen- and  rabbits,  gathering  nuts,  grafting  trees,  cul- 
tivating (lowers,  or  in  doing  something  which  exhibited  in- 
dustry,  ehanical  ingenuity,  or  horticultural  taste.  Hi- 

lii-t  iii'iiic\  was  earned  by  raising  corn  upon  shares  and  by 
building,  for  the  neighbors,  stacks  of  grain,  in  which  art  he 
excelled.  His  step-father,  w  ho  was  fondly  devoted  to  the  boy, 
soon  became  an  invalid,  and  when  young  Barnes  was  eleven 
year-  old,  he  w  as  regularly  carrying  on  the  two  farms  of  ','  In 
acres. 


At  the  age  of  thirteen,  Demas  left  the  maternal  home  h 
seek  his  fortune  in  the  larger  world.  Working  his  pniwmi  to 
New  York  on  a  canal  boat,  he  was  landed  in  Brooklyn  with- 
out money  or  an  acquaintance.  Begging  his  way  across 
the  ferry,  he  procured  employment  on  a  dock  and  his  hoanl 
on  a  tow-boat.  His  first  elTort  at  metropolitan  amusement 
was  a  failure  to  witness  a  play  at  the  old  Park  Theater,  fof  be 
had  not  sufficient  money  to  obtain  admission.  Twentj  \<  m 
after  that  time,  he  purchased  the  Park  Theater  property 
then  converted  into  stores.  Young  Barnes,  however,  mtMHwd 
to  the  country,  worked  as  a  mechanic  and  upon  farm- 
summers,  and  attended  school  winters,  doing  chores  for  lii- 
board.  While  making  purchases  one  evening  at  the  villas 
store,  the  merchant  made  him  an  otter  of  board  and  Bftj 

dollars  a  year  to  enter  his  store  as  c  lerk.     At  the  c  mi  in  • 

incut  of  the  second  year,  he  received  the  largest  salarj  evri 
paid  a  salesman  in  the  village,  and  was  the  virtual  head  nl 
the  mercantile  establishment.  During  this  time,  be  braighl 
around  him  a  class  of  young  men,  who,  after  nine  0*0101 
evenings,  carried  on  a  system  of  readings  and  v  arious  studio 
At  the  age  of  twenty,  he  had  saved  a  few  hundred  doUan 
with  which  he  started  business  as  a  merchant  at  NV«.,n. 
New  York.  Two  years'  ex|>erience  convinced  him  that  COUtt 
trv  villages  were  not  the  places  in  which  to  make  rapid  pro 
gress.  Selling  out  In-  business,  be  moved  to  New  York, 
lav  ing  upon  two  meals  a  day,  sleeping  in  his  store  a. id  well 
ing  early  and  late,  although  at  that  time  in  |K>or  health,  he 
also  managed  to  carry  on  the  farm  in  Western  New  Tori 
upon  which  hi-  mother,  again  widowed,  was  living.  II' 
educated  his  younger  half  brother  and  sisters;  supt  rintinded 
a  manufacturing  establishment;  carried  on  an  exteii-ive  im  i 


THE  PRESS. 


im 


cantile  business  in  New  York  and  at  San  Francisco,  and  sub- 
sequently in  New  Orleans;  and  always  devoted  two  hours  out 
of  every  twenty-four  to  literary  pursuits.  The  panics  of 
1857  and  1861  found  Mr.  Barnes  not  only  out  of  debt,  but  in 
a  position  to  assist  others. 

Believing  that  the  South  was  in  earnest  in  its  protest 
against  the  nomination  of  Lincoln  and  Hamlin  on  sectional 
issues  in  1860,  Mr.  Barnes  promptly  closed  all  credits,  and 
was  the  first  merchant  in  New  York  who  brought  business  to 
a  net  cash  basis.  When  the  war  finally  ensued,  he  believed 
that  the  government  call  for  twenty-five  thousand  men  was 
but  encouraging  the  rebellion;  and  he  offered,  at  his  own  ex- 
pense, to  equip  a  regiment  and  go  to  the  front,  if  the  govern- 
ment would  send  enough  men  to  mercifully  and  promptly 
end  the  conflict.  Subsequently  Mr.  Barnes  was  invited  by 
the  Ways  and  Means  Committee  of  Congress  to  assist  in  de- 
vising a  system  of  domestic  taxation. 

Mr.  Barnes  married  a  daughter  of  Judge  James  Hyde,  of 
Otsego  Co.,  N.  Y.,  and  took  up  his  residence  in  Brooklyn  in 
1858.  With  the  interests  of  the  city  he  became  promptly 
identified.  Realizing  the  benefits  New  York  was  then  de- 
riving from  her  great  park,  he  agitated  the  subject  of  a  park 
in  Brooklyn.  Out  of  this  effort  grew  Prospect  Park.  The 
original  charter  limited  its  cost  to  $600,000.  That  amount, 
however,  has  been  exceeded  by  nearly  $10,000,000,  the 
yearly  interest  upon  which  equals  the  first  limitation  of  cost. 
Mr.  Barnes  declined  the  position  of  Park  Commissioner  ten- 
dered to  him  by  Gov.  Morgan,  but  to  popularize  the  park,  he 
donated  to  it  the  now  well-known  bronze  of  Irving  which 
ornaments  the  principal  drive. 

Mr.  Barnes  was  among  the  earliest  advocates  and  staunch- 
est  friends  of  a  bridge  across  East  River.  He  assisted  the 
enterprise  by  writing,  lecturing,  and  a  subscription  of 
$10,000.  The  present  bridge  was  commenced  in  1870;  but, 
in  1868,  Mr.  Barnes,  then  a  Member  of  Congress,  introduced 
and  carried  a  bill  through  that  body  by  which  the  right  was 
conceded  by  the  government  to  span  the  river  at  this  point. 
He  became  one  of  the  early  trustees  of  the  bridge  company, 
and  subsequently  caused  an  investigation  to  be  made  respect- 
ing the  expenditures. 

In  1865,  before  any  railroad  was  located  between  the  Mis- 
souri and  Sacramento  rivers,  Mr.  Barnes,  being  engaged  in 
mining  enterprises  in  the  western  territories,  crossed  the 
continent  in  a  wagon.  He  advocated  the  feasibility  of  a 
railroad,  and  communicated  the  result  of  his  observations 
through  the  newspapers. 

Mr.  Barnes  was  nominated  as  Representative  in  Congress 
in  1864,  but  declined  to  run.    He  was  again  nominated  and 
elected  in  1866.    He  was  selected  to  serve  on  the  important 
Committee  of  Banking  and  Currency,  and  on  Education  and 
Labor.    He  was  no  party  man.    He  opposed  the  radical 
measures  of  the  Republican  party  which  forced  carpet-bag 
government  upon  Southern  States,  disenfranchised  the  in- 
telligence of  the  South,  changed  the  status  of  the  Supreme 
Court,  and  unnecessarily  expanded  the  currency  of  the  coun- 
try.   He  strongly  opposed  the  attempted  impeachment  of 
President  Johnson,  as  well  as  the  extreme  ideas  of  the  Demo- 
cratic leaders  as  to  state  sovereignity,  restriction  of  internal 
improvements,  efforts  to  tax  United  States  bonds,  free  trade 
novements,  and  so  forth.  He  never  recommended  a  man  for 
>rfice,  because  of  mere  political  aptitude,  and  was  among  the 
irst  American  speakers  to  recommend  a  total  change  in  the 
vivil  Service  regulations.  Serving  in  the  House  with  Schuyler 
Dolfax,  Oakes  Ames,  Benj.  F.  Butler,  James  Brooks  and  the 
ate  President  Garfield,  during  the  Pacific  Railroad  and 
Credit  Mobilier  legislation,  no  breath  ever  tainted  the  in- 
egrity  of  Demas  Barnes. 


Mr.  Barnes  retired  from  mercantile  business  while  still  a 
young  man,  or  when  42  years  of  age.  During  the  Franco- 
Prussian  war  he  spent  the  summer  in  those  countries,  pre- 
dicting from  the  first  the  defeat  of  France,  in  a  series  of  letters 
published  in  the  Brooklyn  newspapers. 

Publishing  a  Newspaper. — New  York  had  its  ring  with 
partners  throughout  the  State;  and  Brooklyn  had  its  ring 
with  partners  in  New  York  and  at  Albany.  With  property 
assessed  at  about  $200,000,000,  Brooklyn  had  loaned  her 
credit  to  the  amount  of  about  $40,000,000,  which  placed  a 
mortgage  of  twenty  per  cent,  on  all  property  within  its 
boundaries.  Fraudulent  ballots  by  the  thousand  were  used 
upon  election  days;  men  were  counted  into  offices  who  were 
interested  in  perpetuating  profligate  extravagance;  Brook- 
lyn's bonds  were  greatly  depreciated,  and  the  real  estate  of 
her  citizens  was  not  considered  proper  security  upon  which 
to  borrow  money. 

Under  the  guise  of  non-partisan  and  double-headed  com- 
missions, a  class  of  designing  men  had  joined  hands,  who 
controlled  every  department  of  the  city  government.  Public 
patronage  was  liberally  bestowed  upon  the  press,  and  I  he  oil  v 
seemed  given  over  to  the  criminal  class.  Committees  of 
vigil  and  reform  were  inaugurated,  and  demanded  the  estab- 
lishment of  an  independent  newspaper.  In  this  emergency 
all  eyes,  as  if  by  common  consent,  turned  upon  Mr.  Barnes 
as  the  person  who  possessed  the  public  confidence  and  the 
nerve  to  engage  in  such  an  undertaking.  Unaided  to  the  ex- 
tent of  a  dollar  by  anyone,  and  without  hojje  of  other  reward 
than  serving  his  fellow  citizens,  he  invested  a  large  amount 
of  money,  turned  his  back  upon  the  ease  of  private  life,  and 
entered  the  arena  of  editorial  conflict. 

The  opposition  encountered  by  him,  and  the  environments 
of  the  position,  made  the  period  referred  to  historical;  and 
they  involved  an  antagonism  and  an  amount  of  labor  hereto- 
fore unknown  in  American  journalism. 

Mr.  Barnes'  Argus  made  unceasing  war  upon  double- 
headed  commissions,  which  since  have  been  abolished  ;  upon 
irresponsible  heads  of  departments,  since  then  made  respon- 
sible ;  upon  unlegalized  primary  elections,  since  then  re- 
stricted and  legalized;  upon  the  increase  of  city  debt,  since 
then  reduced  over  twenty-five  per  cent,  per  capita  ;  upon 
carrying  national  politics  into  municipal  elections;  and  upon 
the  fountains  of  corruption  wherever  they  existed,  and  was 
a  continuous  champion  of  "home  rule."  Although  a  Demo- 
crat upon  general  principles,  Mr.  Barnes  supported  Republi- 
cans for  office,  whenever,  in  his  judgment,  that  party  pre- 
sented the  best  men.  At  the  election  of  1881,  Mr.  Barnes 
presided  over  a  public  meeting  of  Democrats,  held  in  behalf 
of  a  Republican  candidate  for  Mayor.  Although  the  Demo- 
crats have  a  majority  of  from  ten  thousand  to  fifteen  thou- 
sand votes  in  the  city,  the  influence  of  the  Argus  had  so 
permeated  the  community,  that  Mr.  Low,  the  Republican 
candidate,  was  elected  by  over  three  thousand  majority. 

A  man  of  enlarged  views,  quick  sympathies  and  liberal 
constructions,  Mr.  Barnes  answered  his  calumniators  whose 
hold  upon  the  public  crib  he  compelled  them  to  unloose,  by 
referring  to  the  changed  condition  of  the  city  and  to  the  mo- 
tives of  those  who  have  misrepresented  him.  Straight-for- 
ward in  his  dealings,  robust  and  emphatic  in  his  habits  of 
speech,  indulgent  with  the  inexperienced,  humane  to  the 
afflicted  and  generous  to  a  fault,  Mr.  Barnes  is  restive  with 
stupidity,  exacting  in  his  requirements,  intolerant  of  pretend- 
ers, and  has  no  sympathy  for  the  cunning  and  artifice 
of  sophists  and  insincere  persons.  It  would  be  foreign  to 
his  nature  to  use  subtle  diplomacy  or  to  expect  popularity  in 
a  political  caucus.  He  calls  a  spade  a  spade;  and  a  hypocrit- 
ical rascal  in  his  presence,  is  not  apt  to  feel  that  he  is  con- 


1174 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


sidered  a  saint.  He  was  the  only  democrat  in  the  Eastern 
States  who  publicly  opposed  the  election  of  Mr.  Tilden  in 
1876.  Reproduction  in  Western  newspapers,  of  articles  from 
Mr.  Barnes'  caustic  pen,  is  believed  to  have  given  Ohio  to  the 
Republicans;  therein  electing  Hayes  President  of  the  United 
States. 

Mr.  Barnes  met  with  a  great  loss  in  the  death  of  his  tal- 
ented wife  in  1875.  Under  the  shadow  of  this  affliction  he 
shrank  from  public  life  and  retired  from  his  newspaper  when 
on  a  flood-tide  of  prosperity.  Since  that  time  he  has  been 
quietly  engaged  as  a  private  banker  in  New  York:  in  travel- 
ling and  in  literary  pursuits,  lie  was  married  to  Miss  Blaks- 
ley,  of  St.  Louis,  in  1878.  Mr.  Barnes  is  a  close  observer  of 
passing  events,  reads  democratic  and  republican  journals 
alike,  repudiates  dogmas  in  religion,  and  supports  a  hospi- 
table house,  embowered  by  trees  and  surrounded  by  conserv- 
atories, stocked  with  a  practical  library  and  adorned  by 
works  of  art.  presided  over  by  an  accomplished  wife  and  an 
affectionate  and  charming  daughter.  When  asked  by  a 
friend  what  part  of  his  life  afforded  him  the  greatest  pleas- 
ure in  retrospect,  his  reply  was,  "the  time  when  I  was  first 
able  to  assist  my  mother  and  her  fatherless  children." 

The  Sunday  Eagle.— In  1874,  Mr.  Cohalere  estab- 
lished a  weekly  paper,  with  James  McDermott,  recently 
involved  in  Irish  troubles,  as  editor.  It  attained  sud- 
den prosperity.  It  was  published  in  Dr.  Cochran's 
building  in  Fulton  street.  The  proprietors  of  the  Eagle 
had  it  enjoined  from  using  their  title,  and  it  appeared 

for  some  time  as  the  "  Brooklyn  ."    It  was  soon 

afterward  discontinued. 

The  Brooklyn  Catholic  appeared  Feb,  20,  1869, 
a  weekly  religious  paper,  issued  by  Rev.  Dr.  Gardner 
and  Rev.  E.  G.  Fitzpatrick,  editors  and  proprietors, 
and  was  managed  with  great  ability  and  apparent  suc- 
cess. It  was  suspended  the  following  year.  It  was 
printed  by  Patrick  Ford  and  Brothers,  and  on  its  sus- 
peiision  the  Trislt  World  appeared  by  the  same  print- 
ers; but,  though  edited  and  printed  in  Brooklyn,  it  was 
apparently  published  in  New  York,  Brooklyn,  Jersey 
City  and  Newark.  About  its  thirteenth  number,  W. 
E.  Robinson  was  announced  as  its  editor  with  Patrick 
Ford,  assistant  editor.  It  had  then  about  three  or  four 
thousand  circulation.  In  about  a  year  it  was  running 
toward  a  hundred  thousand.  The  editors  had  some 
misunderstanding  concerning  the  conducting  of  the 
paper,  and  Mr.  Ford  was  announced  as  the  principal 
editor,  Mr.  Robinson's  name  having  been  withdrawn. 
It  is  now  published  in  New  York. 

The  Brooklyn  Bee,  was  published  in  September, 
1878,  at  858  Fulton  street.  It  was  a  sprightly  two-cent 
weekly,  in  favor  of  labor  and  against  monopolies. 

The  Brooklyn  Sunday  Sun,  was  started  in 
1874.    One  of  its  managers  and  its  chief  editor  was 


Thomas  Kinsella  of  the  Eagle.  It  was  a  lively  paper, 
and  for  some  time  prospered  with  a  large  circulation 
and  vigorous  editorials;  but  was  discontinued  in  its 
second  year.  It  was  published  at  301  Washington 
street,  corner  of  Johnson  street,  now  occupied  by  HabeTa 
restaurant. 

The  Brooklyn  Daily  Ledger,  was  started  October 
3,  1877,  by  Henry  M.  Smith,  editor,  and  Harry  M. 
Gardner,  Jr.,  publisher,  at  the  corner  of  Court  an.] 
Joralemon  streets.  Mr.  Smith  had  been  for  a  time  obief 
editor  of  the  Union,  and  on  severing  his  connection 
with  that  paper,  established  the  Ledger.  It  was  a  one- 
cent  afternoon  paper,  and  lived  about  a  year. 

All  the  foregoing  papers,  with  many  of  tbeir  editors, 
have  passed  away.  From  the  numerous  dead  we  tarn 
to  the  living. 

The  Brooklyn  Freie  Presse. — This  flourishing 

German  daily  was  originally  started  in  Williamsburgh, 
September  2d,  1854,  by  Edward  F.  Roehr,  who  landed 
here  in  1840,  a  refugee  from  Germany,  because  of  the 
failure  of  the  Revolution  of  1848.  The  paper  was  first  a 
weekly,  called  the  I<»t;i  Island  Anzeiger,  printed  in  New 
York  for  a  few  weeks  and  then  transferred  to  Darbee's 
office  in  South  First  street.  Soon  after,  type  and  a  hami- 
press  were  bought,  and  a  printing  and  publishing  office 
was  opened  at  No.  08  Montrose  avenue.  After  about  a 
year  the  paper  was  discontinued. 

Nearly  ten  years  later  Henry  Edward  Roehr,  eldest 
son  of  Edward  F.,  entered  into  partnership  with 
his  father  in  the  printing  business,  and  the 
Island  Anzeiger  again  appeared  December  3d,  1804. 
It  prospered  so  well  that  it  was  several  times  enlarged, 
and  October  13th,  I860,  was  issued  semi-weekly: 
July  18th,  1871,  its  issues  were  made  tri-weekly: 
September  30th,  1*72,  it  was  published  daily,  and  ii- 
name  changed  to  the  Freie  Presse.  In  1873  ('<>L>m] 
Henry  E.  Roehr  purchased  his  father's  half  interest  ami 
became  sole  proprietor,  and  in  1875  secured  the  premia  I 
at  No.  30  Myrtle  avenue.  April  20tb,  1873,  a  success- 
ful Sunday  issue  was  commenced,  called  the  Lon 
Islander,  which  was  the  first  Sunday  edition  issued  In 
any  Brooklyn  paper;  in  1882  it  was  enlarged.  The 
circulation  of  the  Freie  Presse  having  increased  • 
largely,  greater  press  facilities  became  ncccssarv  ami. 
in  1SS2,  Colonel  Roehr  purchased  a  Hoe  type-revolv- 
ing, Webb-perfecting  press,  which  prints,  cuts  ami 
folds  from  the  type,  two  sides  at  a  time,  12,000  if 
pressions  per  hour. 

The  paper  is  edited  with  marked  ability,  and  n  lh  i 
great  credit  on  its  enterprising  publisher. 


Col.  HENHY  EPWAHD  KOEHR. 


THE  PttEHS.  1175 


COL.   HENRY   EDWARD  ROEHR. 


Colon kl  Henry  Edward  Roehr. — Among  the  German- 
American  citizens  of  Brooklyn,  who,  by  their  energy,  perse- 
verance and  business  tact,  have  made  a  mark  for  themselves, 
no  one  ranks  higher  than  Col.  Henry  Edward  Roehr,  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch.  Born  in  Schleiz,  in  the  Principality  of 
Reuss.  Germany,  in  the  year  1841,  he  was  but  seven  years  old 
when  the  ever  memorable  revolution  of  184S  broke  forth  and 
shook  up  the  old  bones  on  the  thrones  of  Europe  in  a  lively 
style.  One  of  the  leaders  in  the  revolutionary  movement  in 
the  small  Principality  where  Col.  Roehr  hails  from,  was  his 
father,  Mr.  Edward  Franz  Roehr,  who,  although  being  an 
officer  of  the  small  military  establishment  of  that  little  poten- 
tate, Prince  Henry  the  LXIL,  by  word  and  deed  did  his  ut- 
most to  arouse  the  people  against  their  tyrants.  He  assisted 
in  organizing  the  Land  wehr  (militia),  and  was  elected  a  dele- 
gate to  different  bodies.  But  the  overthrow  of  the  revolution 
of  1848,  and  the  collapse  of  the  uprising  of  the  people  in  the 
southern  part  of  Germany  in  1K49,  sent  him  with  thousands 
of  other  refugees  to  the  ideal  land  of  their  dreams,  the  great 
republic  of  America. 

In  common  with  all  immigrants,  and  not  being  a  mechanic. 
Mr.  Roehr's  first  experience  in  America  was  anything  but 
pleasant.  He  came  to  Williamsburgh,  our  present  Eastern 
District,  shortly  after  landing,  and,  after  working  on  a  farm, 
in  a  whalebone  factory,  and  trying  to  make  life  sweeter  by 
manufacturing  candy  with  a  fellow-refugee,  he  at  last  en- 
gaged in  an  enterprise  more  to  his  liking  and  taste.  It  con- 
sisted in  selling  German  books,  periodicals  and  papers;  the 
first  few  dollars  earned  by  this  occupation  were  sent  to  Ger- 
many, and  soon  enough  was  saved  to  bring  Mrs.  Roehr  and 
four  children  to  the  shores  of  this  country,  after  a  most 
tedious  sea  voyage  of  nine  weeks.  This  arrival  happened  in 
1850,  in  August,  and  as  shortly  thereafter  a  new  German 
paper  was  started  in  New  York,  called  the  Abend  Zeitung, 
Mr.  Roehr  took  the  agency  for  Brooklyn,  and  young  Edward, 
.  not  quite  nine  and  a  half  years  old,  was  soon  actively  engaged 
in  carrying  out  these  papers. 

The  business  of  Mr.  Roehr  prospered,  and,  in  1852  he 
opened  a  bookstore  in  South  7th  street,  or  what  is  now  Broad- 
way. Edward  had  to  assist  in  tending  the  store,  and  here  at 
an  early  age  acquired  a  taste  for  books  that  has  never  left  him. 
The  book-store  was  soon  thereafter  moved  to  No.  90  Montrose 
avenue,  into  the  heart  of  our  present  "  Dutchtown,"  where  it 
was  thought  a  better  chance  for  selling  German  books  would 
exist.  Here  Mr.  Roehr,  Sr.,  conceived  the  idta  of  establishing 
a  German  paper,  which  he  carried  out  September  2d,  1854, 
by  commencing  the  publication  of  the  Long  Island  Anzeiger, 
and  establishing  a  German  newspaper  and  job  printing  office. 
The  subject  of  this  sktteh  here  thoroughly  learned  the 
mysteries  of  the  "black  art,"  and  many  a  day  rolled  forms 
on  the  hand-press  and  "  stuck"  type  together.  But  the  An- 
zeiger did  not  prosper,  and  expired  peacefully  August  23d, 
1855.  Meanwhile,  Mr.  Roehr  however  had  established 
another  journal,  "  The  Triangel,"  a  German  Masonic  paper 
which  was  published  for  25  years  in  succession. 

\oung  Roehr,  however,  stuck  to  his  case  and  press,  and, 
although  still  very  young,  became  quite  an  efficient  printer. 
In  1857,  however,  he  thought  it  was  about  time  that  he 
should  see  something  of  this  great  country,  and  he  accord- 
ingly set  out  on  a  journey  to  see  the  land  and  improve  him- 
self in  his  trade.  Albany  was  the  first  place  where  he  stopped, 


and  obtained  work  at  the  office  of  the  Albany  Freie  Blaetter, 
at  the  big  salary  of  $2.50  per  week  and  board.  Here  he  set 
type,  made  up  the  forms  and  printed  the  paper  on  a  hand 
press,  and  also  began  to  write  small  items  for  the  paper. 
From  here  he  went  to  Cincinnati,  <  >hio,  where  he  worked  but 
little  in  different  offices,  because  business  was  very  dull.  In 
the  fall  of  1858,  he  was  about  to  attach  himself  to  the  German 
Theatre  in  Cincinnati,  he  having  previously  attempted  a  little 
amateur  acting,  when  he  received  a  call  to  assume  charge  of 
the  job  printing  office  of  an  Evansville  German  paper  at  a 
very  liberal  salary.  In  this  position  he  remained  about  eight 
months,  when  he  left  the  situation,  much  to  the  regret  of  bis 
employer,  Mr.  Val.  Schmuck.  After  visiting  other  cities,  he 
returned  to  Williamsburgh  in  the  fall  of  1859,  and  resumed 
work  in  the  printing  office  of  his  father,  where  be  remained 
until  the  spring  of  1861 . 

When,  in  the  spring  of  1861,  President  Lincoln  issued  his 
first  proclamation  for  volunteers,  and  the  young  and  patri- 
otic men  of  the  country  flew  to  arms,  young  Roehr,  then  Ln 
bis  twentieth  year,  was  the  fourth  man  who  signed  his  name 
to  a  call  for  volunteers  that  was  issued  by  the  Turner  Socie- 
ties of  New  York,  Brooklyn,  Williamsburgh,  and  other  cities 
in  the  vicinity  of  New  York,  and  assisted  in  organizing  com- 
panies land  K  of  the  Twentieth  New  York  Volunteers  (Col. 
Max  Weber),  also  known  as  the  "  Turner  Rifles."  He  marched 
out  as  First  Sergeant  of  Company  I;  and,  although  he  had 
never  before  handled  a  musket,  he  soon  made  himself  pro- 
ficient and  acquainted  with  all  the  details  of  the  service.  In 
a  little  skirmish  that  took  place  at  New  Market  Bridge, 
about  five  miles  from  Hampton,  Virginia,  in  December,  1861, 
he  was  wounded  in  the  head,  and  came  very  near  having  bis 
military  and  other  career  suddenly  stopped.  He,  however, 
soon  recovered,  got  a  furlough  for  a  month,  and  soon  there- 
after, when  Col.  Weber  was  promoted  Brigadier-General,  and 
one  step  of  promotion  went  through  the  regiment,  w  as 
promoted  Second-Lieutenant.  It  is  said  that  he  never  felt 
so  proud  in  all  his  life,  as  when  he  first  donned  shoulder- 
straps.  With  bis  regiment,  after  leaving  Norfolk,  Ya.,  he 
joined,  in  June,  1862,  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  in  front  of 
Richmond,  when  the  20th  Regt.,  N.  Y.  Yols.,  was  assigned  to 
the  Third  Brigade,  Second  Division,  Sixth  Army  Corps. 
With  these  tioops  the  regiment  took  part  in  the  "seven  days' 
fight,"  resulting  in  the  retreat  to  Harrison  Landing.  Here 
Lieutenant  Roehr  was  taken  ill  with  camp  fever,  and  when 
again  sufficiently  well  to  assume  duty,  he  was  assigned  to  the 
command  of  the  Brigade  Ambulance  Corps.  He  continued 
in  charge  of  this  trust  through  the  campaigns  in  Maryland 
(South  Mountain  and  Antietam)  and  the  first  battle  at  Fred- 
ericksburgh,  Ya.,  when,  having  been  promoted  First  Lieu- 
tenant, he  joined  his  regiment  again,  and  assumed  his  duties 
as  such.  As  First  Lieutenant  he  also  performed  the  duties 
of  Adjutant,  Quartermaster  and  Commandant  of  Companies, 
and  finally  took  part  with  his  regiment  in  the  battle  of 
Mary's  Heights,  in  the  rear  of  Fredericksburgh,  Ya.,  May  4th, 
1863.  The  time  of  service  of  the  regiment  having  now  ex- 
pired, the  same  was  ordered  home  May  6th,  and  he  returned 
with  his  comrades  a  few  days  later  to  New  York  and  Wil- 
liamsburgh. 

In  the  attempted  re  organization  of  the  20th  Regt.,  N.  Y. 
Vols.,  he  was  selected  as  a  Captain,  b  t  as  it  soon  liecame 
apparent  that  there  was  no  chance  of  re-organizing  the  regi- 


1 1 76 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


nicnt,  he  laid  aside  all  further  military  aspirations,  and  re- 
turned to  his  former  husiness.  After  working  in  a  few  offices 
in  New  York,  he  thought  of  establishing  a  small  printing 
office  for  himself,  when  his  father  offered  him  a  share  in  his 
husiness.  It  was,  of  course,  accepted,  and,  with  the  money 
that  lie  put  in,  a"  Campbell  Country  Press"  was  bought,  and 
the  old  hand-press,  which  had  done  service  for  ten  years,  was 
put  in  a  corner.  It  now  occurred  to  young  Koehr  that  there 
would  be  a  splendid  chance  of  starting  a  German  paper  in 
that  part  of  the  city,  at  that  time  and  now  known  as  "  Dutch- 
town."  Numerous  German  societies  had  sprung  into  existence 
in  the  last  few  years,  business  prospects  seemed  very  good, 
and  main  matters  of  common  interest  to  the  German  popula- 
tion of  the  Eastern  District  of  Brooklyn  seemed  to  demand 
their  discussion  by  a  German  paper.  When  this  idea  was  tirst 
broached  to  Mr.  Roehr,  he,  however,  strenuously  opposed  the 
plan,  believing  that  this  second  enterprise  would  in  no  wise 
end  differently  from  the  first.  But,  persistently  arguing  the 
matter,  and  showing  that  things  were  quite  different  from 
ten  years  before,  when  the  whole  German  population  of 
Brooklyn  perhaps  did  not  number  more  thau  10,000,  while 
in  1864  it  counted  at  least  40,000,  young  Roehr  at  last  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  his  father's  consent  to  the  publication  of 
the  new  paper,  for  which  the  old  name,  Long  Island  Anzei- 
ger, was  again  chosen.  As  it  was  not  intended  that  the 
(taper  should  be  looked  upon  as  a  campaign  issue  only,  the 
publication  of  the  same  was  postponed  until  after  the  elec- 
tion of  1SG4,  when,  on  Saturday,  December  3d,  the  first  num- 
ber of  the  new  Long  Island  Anzeiger  was  published.  The 
office  of  the  paper  at  that  time  was  in  No.  40  Stagg  street, 
and  the  paper  itself  was  four  pages  of  five  columns  each  ; 
each  page  measuring  23xl6J — or,  2:5x33  over  all.  To  be  can- 
did, it  should  be  said  that  the  typographic  appearance  and 
the  press-work  left  much  to  be  desired.  However,  the  start 
was  made,  and  many  were  the  predictions  that  about  six  or 
eight  months  would  be  Sufficient  to  lay  the  new  paper  to  its 
forerunners.  But  this  proved  to  be  a  mistake,  for  the  paper 
crept  on  slowly,  it  is  true;  but  already,  on  the  28th  of  July, 
lsi;t;,  it  was  presented  to  its  readers  in  an  enlarged  form,  as  a 
seven-column  paper,  24x38  inches.  The  growing  business 
soon  made  it  necessary  to  look  out  for  larger  quarters  than 
the  house,  No.  40  Stagg  street,  could  afford,  and  in  conse- 
quence thereof,  the  three-story  brick  house,  No.  61  Montrose 
avenue,  was  erected,  and  the  business  moved  into  the  same 
on  the  7th  day  of  August,  I860.  Larger  quarters  now  hav- 
ing been  secured,  the  paper  was  published  twice  a  week, 
commencing  October  13th,  1869,  and  the  price  reduced  from 
five  cents  to  four  cents  per  copy.  This  increase  in  the  edi- 
tions proved  such  a  success,  that,  not  quite  two  years  later, 
on  July  IN,  1871,  it  was  again  determined  to  enlarge  the  scope 
of  the  paper,  and  to  publish  it  three  times  a  week  ;  the  size 
•  > f"  I  he  paper  was  cut  down  to  its  former  length  and  width,  and 
the  price  also  again  reduced,  thistime  to  three  cents  per  copy. 
It  DOW  seemed  as  if  the  Long  Island  Anzeiger  would,  for  h 
long  time,  remain  what  it  was.  a  tri  weekly  paper,  but  the 
intermission  of  one  day  in  its  publication  only  served  to  more 
distinctly  show  that  there  was  quite  a  "link"  missing  to 
report  faithliilly  ami  extensively  the  events  of  each  day. 

If  the  proprietors  of  the  Anzeiger  had  possessed  a  sufficient 
amount  of  capital,  the  solution  of  this  dilemma  would  have 
Im-ch  ca.->y  enough,  and  the  publication  of  a  daily  paper  the 
very  next  thing.  But  the  publication  of  a  daily  paper  would 
not  only  increase  the  running  expenses  of  the  paper  to  very 
nearl\  double  the  amount;  it  might,  also,  if  the  enterprise 
should  turn  out  unsuccessful,  carry  down  with  it  the  hard 
and  unceasing  labor  of  eight  years.  After,  however,  taking 
>-  .<  ij  tiling  into  consideration,  and  fully  believ  ing  that  the 


German  people  would  also  fully  support  the  daily,  as  it  had 
heretofore  given  its  unstinted  help  to  the  earlier  publications, 
it  was  finally  resolved  to  publish  the  paper  daily,  and  Sep- 
tember 30,  1872,  was  decided  upon  as  the  day,  from  whence 
the  paper  should  so  greet  its  readers. 

The  paper  up  to  this  time,  with  its  name  of  Imhij  Island 
Anzeiger,  had  been  principally  known  as  an  Eastern  District 
enterprise,  and  as  an  organ  of  the  Germans  of  that  district ; 
and  in  order  to  give  it,  with  its  entrance  upon  the  field  of 
daily  journalism,  a  wider  scope,  and  make  it  the  representa- 
tive of  the  Germans  of  the  whole  city,  it  was  resolved  t.. 
change  the  name  to  the  Brooklyn  Freie  1'rcsse,  and  an  ofltai 
was  established  in  the  Western  District.  The  price  of  the 
paper  was  fixed  at  15  cents  per  week,  and  a  Hoe  double- 
cylinder  press  was  procured  for  the  press-work.  The  publi- 
cation office  remained  at  No.  61  Montrose  avenue. 

The  expected  success  of  the  daily  issue,  however,  did  not 
come,  and  Col.  Koehr  about  this  time  did  some  of  the  hardest 
work  of  his  life.  He  not  only  attended  to  the  business  pal 
of  the  concern  almost  alone,  but  also  superintended  the  jot 
printing  room,  procured  advertisements,  and  even  personalh 
canvassed  for  subscribers  among  the  Germans,  and  paid  due 
attention  to  the  editorial  conduct  of  the  paper;  and  last, 
but  not  least,  commanded  the  32d  Regiment  of  the  National 
Guard.  In  the  year  1873,  he  purchased  his  father's  interest 
in  the  husiness,  and  became  the  sole  owner  of  the  paper. 

Slowly  the  paper  kept  growing  in  circulation;  the  publica- 
tion office,  however,  being  about  two  and  a  half  miles 
away  from  the  City  Hall  and  the  Court-house,  the  Post 
Office  a  mile  distant,  it  soon  became  apparent  that,  to  make 
a  real  success  of  the  paper,  a  change  of  base  was  necessity, 
and  that  to  the  Western  District,  near  the  public  offices  ol  the 
cityr,  and  its  mercantile  and  political  centres. 

After  looking  about  for  some  time,  the  house.  No.  30 
Myrtle  avenue,  was  at  last  secured,  and,  in  May,  ls7.r>,  the 
erection  of  a  two-story  brick  extension  was  begun  and  other 
alterations  made  to  prepare  the  house  for  its  new  u-e.  \- 
the  publication  of  the  paper  at  the  old  office  had  to  lie  con- 
tinued, a  new  steam  boiler  and  engine  had  also  to  be  bought 
On  Saturday  night,  June  5,  IS?."*,  the  presses,  type,  A<  .  «.  re 
moved  from  61  Montrose  avenue  to  30  Myrtle  avenue. 
Everything  having  carefully  been  previously  arranged,  on 
the  following  Monday.  June  7,  IS75,  the  Freie  1'ress, .  for  the 
first  time,  was  issued  from  its  present  location.  No.  3n  Myrtle 
avenue,  a  block  away  from  the  City  Hall.  Court-house,  ami 
Municipal  Department  Building. 

This  "  change  of  base"  proved  to  be  of  great  sen  in  to  t lu- 
paper,  for  it  not  only  enabled  it  to  publish  the  latest  munici- 
pal news,  but  it  also  gave  it  a  position  of  influence  isd 
prominence.  The  circulation  also  at  once  commenced  to 
grow,  and  has  done  so  steadily  up  to  the  time  of  this  s  ritflg, 
and  will  no  doubt  do  so  in  future. 

To  the  Freie  Presse  also  belongs  the  distinction  of  bavioj 
been  the  first  paper  to  come  out  with  a  Sunday  edition.  This 
occurred  on  April  1!),  |S7;i,  when  the  Long  Islander  made  it" 
first  appearance.  It  was  given  gratis  to  the  readeri  of  U* 
Freie  I'resse,  and  consisted  only  of  four  small  pap  s.    Hut  n 

was  so  much  favored  by  the  public,  thai  on  I'  ml"1  '' 

IN 74,  it  was  enlarged  t<>  eight  pages.  On  April  14,  I-""  » 
w  as  again  enlarged,  and  the  price  for  the  same  ii\<  d  at  'I"" 
cents,  while  that  for  the  daily  issue  was  reduced  to  two 
cents.  On  January  14,  1NH0,  the  paper  was  a-am  mercas.  I 
so  its  size  was  2Nx42  inches.  One  page  was  dSTOtttl 
to  Masonic  matters,  this  page  taking  the  plan  of  m 
Triangel,  mentioned  above,  which,  after  an  existence  of  I 
years  (and  in  the  latter  years  being  edited  l>\  <  olonel  lioehr), 
w  as  merged  into  the  Long  Islander. 


THE  PRESS. 


1177 


This  venture,  however,  not  finding  that  appreciation  which 
it  was  expected  it  would,  the  Masonic  page  ceased  to  exist  on 
January  1,  1881,  having  had  an  existence  of  just  two  years. 
On  September  22,  1882,  another  enlargement  took  place,  and 
a  column  being  added  to  each  page,  its  size  measured  33x46 
inches,  making  it  one  of  the  largest  and  best  Sunday  papers 
published  in  the  German  language  in  the  United  States. 

The  increased  circulation  of  the  paper  made  it  necessary  to 
look  for  some  better  facilities  to  do  the  press-work.  After 
examining  a  number  of  presses,  it  was  finally  resolved  to 
order  one  of  Hoe's  web  perfecting  presses,  which  prints  di- 
rect from  type,  cuts  and  folds  the  paper  at  the  rate  of  12,000 
copies  an  hour.  This  press  was  put  in  operation  in  the  month 
of  December,  1882,  and  proved  itself  a  great  success.  It 
necessitated  an  outlay  of  nearly  $18,000,  but  gave  the  paper 
the  opportunity  to  supply  all  the  demands  for  it  in  seasonable 
time. 

Thus,  Col.  Roehr  has  the  proud  distinction  of  being  at  an 
early  age  (42  in  1883),  at  the  head  of  a  paper  which  is,  in  a 
great  measure,  his  own  work,  and  which  bids  fair  to  become, 
in  the  near  future,  one  of  the  best  German  papers  in  the 
United  States. 

His  rank  as  Colonel,  Mr.  Roehr  has  earned  by  eight  years 
of  service  in  the  National  Guard  of  the  State  of  New  York. 
In  the  summer  of  1868,  he  was  authorized  to  raise  a  battalion 
of  Infantry  of  four  companies,  in  the  Eastern  District  of 
Brooklyn,  for  the  11th  Brigade,  at  that  time  commanded 
by  that  genial  soldier  and  gentleman,  General  Jere.  V. 
Meserole.  In  October  of  that  year,  the  battalion  was 
mustered  into  the  state  service,  designated  as  the  Battalion 
of  Infantry,  32d  Regiment,  with  six  companies.  Mr.  Roehr 
was  elected  Major,  and  rose  to  the  position  of  Lieutenant- 
Colonel:  and  when  the  Regimental  organization  was  com- 
pleted, he  was  elected  Colonel,  and  retained  command  until 
November,  1876,  when  he  resigned  his  commission.  It  must 
be  said  that  the  Regiment  has  never  again  maintained  that 
degree  of  perfection  in  drill,  discipline  and  appearance  it  en- 
joyed under  the  command  of  Col.  Roehr. 

In  i>olitics,  Col.  Roehr  early  espoused  the  Republican  cause 
but  with  many  others,  in  1872,  joined  the  "Liberal"  move- 


ment. After  the  collapse  of  that  attempt  to  reform  party 
politics,  he  again  joined  the  Republican  forces  and  served  as 
member  of  the  General  Committee  and  delegate  to  nu- 
merous conventions.  In  1879  he  acquiesced  in  the  wish  of  a 
great  number  of  his  party-friends,  and  accepted  the  Repub- 
lican nomination  as  State  Senator  against  the  Hon.  John 
C.  Jacobs,  one  of  the  most  prominent  Democrats  of  the 
Empire  State.  Of  course  he  did  not  expect  to  be  elected; 
but  the  great  number  of  votes  he  received,  under  especially 
unfavorably  circumstances,  astonished  even  his  political 
enemies. 


A  German  paper  called  The  Anzeiger  was  started 
by  A.  Fries,  in  1851,  three  years  before  its  name- 
sake by  Mr.  Roehr,  and  was  afterward  published  as 
a  daily  under  the  name  of  the  Long  Island  Z<  itung, 
but  it  died  in  1854,  the  year  Mr.  Roehr  first  started 
his  paper. 

Another  and  more  recent  Anzeiger  was  published  at 
14  Boerum  Place  in  1880,  by  II.  Soshinsky. 

The  Brooklyn  Times. — On  the  28th  of  February, 
1848,  the  WilUamsburgh  Daily  Thins  first  appeared. 
It  is  now  known  as  the  Brooklyn  Daily  T'nnes.  It 
was  published  by  George  0.  Bennett  and  Aaron  Smith. 
It  sprang  up  from  a  quarrel  among  the  proprietors  of 
the  Morning  Post,  which  was  issued  about  a  year  be- 
fore by  Thomas  Devyr  and  Messrs.  Bennett  and  Smith. 
The  Times  was  at  first  neutral  and  independent,  but 
soon  became  Whig  and  afterward  Republican.  The 
paper  was  a  success  from  the  start.  In  1856,  Mr. 
Bennett  was  the  sole  proprietor  and  became  wealthy. 
A  few  years  ago  he  sold  it  to  Messrs.  Bernard  Peters 
and  George  H.  Fisher,  in  whose  hands  it  is  now  in  a 
prosperous  condition.  Mr.  Peters  edits  it  with  ability 
and  eminent  success. 


BERNARD  PETERS. 


Bernard  Peters. — The  work  of  editing  a  daily  newspaper 
s  peculiarly  exacting,  requiring  special  gifts  in  him  who  at- 
tempts it.  He  must  be  quick  to  choose  the  right  course  in  the 
1  ifficult  situations  that  constantly  occur,  must  foresee  the 
"ffect  of  every  move  upon  the  political  chessboard;  must 
udge  correctly  the  drift  of  popular  sentiment;  in  short, 
mist  in  every  sense,  know  everything  and  make  no  mis- 
akes.  Moreover  a  Brooklyn  newspaper  has  peculiar  diffi- 
culties. Published  in  a  city  suburban  to  the  metropolis,  its 
ield  is  necessarily  limited,  while  it  is  compelled  to  cope  on 
ts  own  ground  with  the  metropolitan  journals  that  are  sure 
o  have  a  field  so  much  more  extended;  its  piice  must  be  as 
ow,  its  enterprise  must  equal,  and  its  quality  and  literary 
tandard  must  compare  favorably  with  the  best  New  York 
■apers.  The  successful  growth  of  the  Brooklyn  Times,  in  the 
ace  of  such  disadvantages,  to  its  present  commanding  po*i- 
ion  in  the  journalistic  field,  is  a  monument  to  the  ability  of 
s  editors.  Its  phenomenal  prosperity  since  1869  is  largely  due 
)  the  clear-headed,  liberal,  intelligent  management,  and  the 
dents,  honesty  and  enterprise  of  its  editor,  Mr.  Bernard  Peters. 


Mr.  Peters  is  a  native  of  Durckheim,  in  the  Rhine  Palatin- 
ate, a  region  noted  for  the  beauty  of  its  natural  scenery,  and 
the  intelligence,  the  thrift,  and  the  progressive  spirit  of  its 
citizens.  He  inherited  from  his  ancestors  a  love  of  liberty, 
those  progressive  ideas,  and  the  breadth  of  intellect  which 
have  given  him  the  strength  that  served  to  crown  him  with 
success  in  after  years.  He  came  to  this  country  as  a  child  with 
his  father,  John  Philip  Peters;  he  grew  to  manhood  in  Marietta, 
Ohio,  receiving  a  thorough  education.  By  his  father's  desire  he 
began  the  study  of  the  law,  but  when  sixteen,  reverses  com- 
pelled him  to  take  a  clerkship  in  a  dry -goods  store.  A  youth 
of  his  ambition  could  not  tamely  relinquish  his  plans  for  a 
profession,  so  in  spare  moments  he  read  the  elementary 
text-books  of  the  law,  under  the  direction  of  a  preceptor, 
Ferdinand  Buell,  Esq.  He  also  took  a  deep  interest  in  the 
political  history  of  this  country,  mastering  its  early  records, 
perusing  attentively  the  lives  and  works  of  the  fathers  of  the 
Republic,  familiarizing  himself  with  constitutional  questions, 
and  studying  the  speeches  of  contemporary  political  orators. 
These  studies  strongly  influenced  his  mind  in  the  direction  of 


1178 


II IS  TOR  Y  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


the  work  which  he  was  destined  to  perforin  in  future  years. 
But  new  influences  turned  his  course  from  his  first  inten- 
tions. He  became  an  intimate  friend  of  Rev.  T.  C.  Eaton, 
at  that  time  the  genial,  popular,  and  kindly  Pastor  of  the 
I'niversahst  Church  in  Marietta,  and  the  clergyman  in  turn 
became  -oli<  itous  thai  the  young  student's  bright  intellect  and 
aptitude  for  public  speaking  should  be  used  in  the  service  of 
the  church.  After  months  of  thought,  and  not  without  his 
lather's  consent,  he  decided  to  study  for  the  ministry,  enter- 
ing in  August,  1848,  the  Clinton  Liberal  Institute,  at  Clinton, 
N.  Y..  then  in  charge  of  Rev.  Dr.  T.  J.  Sawyer,  who  was  for 
many  years  Pastor  of  the  Orchard  Street  Universalist  Church 
in  New  York.  In  1852  Mr.  Peters  was  ordained,  soon  there- 
after taking  charge  of  the  Second  Universalist  Church  iu 
Cincinnati.  In  1856  Mr.  Peters  was  called  to  All  Souls' 
Church,  Brooklyn,  E.  U.,  where  his  pastorate  lasted  for  eight 
years,  during  which  time,  however,  he  made  an  extensive 
tour  in  Europe.  While  abroad  he  wrote  letters  to  the 
Brooklyn  Times  and  other  journals.  Soon  after  his  return 
the  Avar  broke  out.  Mr.  Peters'  political  studies  made  him 
thoroughly  conversant  with  the  constitutional  questions  in- 
volved, and  he  ardently  embraced  the  Union  cause.  His 
clear  and  intelligent  discussion  of  the  important  themes  of 
the  day  drew  crowds  of  eager  hearers  to  his  church  on 
Fourth  st.,  while  his  services  as  a  patriotic  speaker  were  in 
great  demand.  But  in  time  his  health  gave  way  under  the 
>ti  a  ii  of  such  active  and  continuous  labor.  The  result  was, 
that  in  1N<>4  he  was  called  to  and  settled  over  a  church  iu 
Hartford,  Ct.,  in  the  hope  of  better  health  from  the  change. 
The  startling  events  of  186\">,  the  end  of  the  war,  President 
Lincoln's  assassination,  President  Johnson's  extraordinary 
course  soon  thereafter,  and  the  problems  of  reconstruction 
interested  Mr.  Peters  intensely;  he  freely  expressed  his 
views  on  national  questions,  aud  this  to  the  satisfaction  of 
men  of  both  parties.  About  this  time,  David  Clark,  Esq.. 
proprietor  of  the  Hartford  Post,  applied  to  Mr.  Peters  to  take 
editorial  charge  of  his  paper  and  make  it  an  advanced  Re- 
publican organ.  The  latter  wrote  the  leading  articles  in  his 
study  for  some  months,  then  resigned  his  pastorate,  notwith- 
standing the  earnest  remonstrances  of  his  people,  and  gave 
his  time  wholly  to  editorial  work.  This  work  he  found  not 
only  every  way  congenial,  but  in  the  highest  degree  satis- 
factory; and  particularly  so,  as  he  was  in  the  prosecution  of 
it  restored  to  the  best  possible  condition  of  health. 

After  two  years,  the  Post  changed  hands  and  Mr.  Peters 
returned  to  the  ministry,  taking  charge  of  a  church  at  Read- 
ing, Pa.  But  bis  health,  after  a  short  but  successful  pastor- 
ate, again  broke  down.  It  became  evident  to  him  then  that 
it  his  life  was  to  be  preserved  he  must  permanently  abandon 
the  ministry.  Therefore,  in  1868,  he  bought  a  half  interest  in 
the  Brooklyn  Times,  which  had  been  founded,  in  1848,  by 
Hon.  George  C.  Bennett. 

The  estimation  in  which  Brooklyn  people  held  Mr.  Peters 
is  evinced  b_\  a  business  man'-  remark  at  the  time:  "Thai 
add-  twt  nt\ -live  thousand  dollars  to  the  value  of  the  Times." 
1  or  si.\  jeai-  Messrs.  Bennett  and  Peters  managed  the  paper 
jointly,  when  the  latter  purchased  his  partner's  interest  and 
became  sole  director.  The  paper's  remarkable  success  shows 
his  wisdom,  forethought,  political  sagacity  and  literary  skill. 
Three  times  he  enlarged  it,  and  increased  its  facilities. 
Within  three  years  the  Times  building  has  been  doubled  in 
;  two  Scott  wel.  presses  of  large  capacity  have  been  put 
in,  and  an  outfit  provided  equal  to  that  of  any  evening  paper 
in  the  <•(  luntry.  In  fact,  the  Times  is  one  of  the  few  successes, 
both  financial  aud  literary,  among  iiew8j»apers.  A  large 
fire-proof  building,  with  an  »  nlium  e  on  South  Eighth  street, 
ha    I .  i,  i  .mil  dm  in;,  the  i  iiih  nl  year     In  I  his  the  improved 


presses,  with  a  capacity  of  sixty  thousand  copies  per  hour, 
are  to  be  placed,  and  on  which  all  the  work  pertaining  to  the 
printing  of  the  Times  is  hereafter  to  be  done. 

Mr.  Peters'  characteristics  as  an  editor  are  widely  known 
At  once  liberal  and  cautious,  enterprising  and  careful,  h, 
has  never  spared  any  outlay  for  improvements  that  wouM 
advance  his  purpose  of  making  a  thoroughly  good  newspaper. 
He  has  always  had  strong  faith  in  the  people,  believing  that 
the  masses  of  men  are  honest  and  true  to  their  convictions  of 
right.  Himself  a  man  of  principle,  upright  aud  truthful.  Ik 
gauges  the  opinions  and  feelings  of  others  by  his  own;  hence 
he  voices  popular  opinion  with  remarkable  accuracy.  He  is 
no  trimmer,  but  a  courageous  advocate  of  his  ideas  of  right 
His  writings  are  firm  and  dignified  in  tone,  not  vacillating 
or  temporizing;  hence  they  have  the  weight  with  men  thai 
the  words  of  an  honest,  earnest  man  always  carry.  The 
Times  is  a  leader  of  public  sentiment,  aud  its  course  has  a<- 
corded  with  the  views  of  the  better  class  of  citizens.  Us  at- 
titude iu  reference  to  the  third  term,  the  stalwart  move- 
ment, civil  service  reform,  "  bossism,"  and  business  method- 
iu  municipal  affairs  has  been  in  favor  of  a  pure  government 
"of  the  people,  for  the  people,  and  by  the  people."  It  was  on,- 
of  the  lirst  to  advocate  a  sound  currency  founded  iqion  the 
national  banking  system.  It  believes  in  the  inherent  rigln 
of  government  to  restrain  corporations  within  proper  limit.- 
and  it  deals  with  the  problems  of  the  day  in  a  wise  and  fearless 
way.  With  all  facilities  for  gathering  foreign  news,  it  by 
no  means  neglects  local  interests,  its  columns  being  a  faith- 
ful chronicle  of  life  in  the  City  of  Churches. 

The  people  of  Brooklyn  are  to  be  congratulated  u|khi  hav- 
ing in  their  midst  a  journal  that  with  such  alertness  guards 
their  interests  at  home,  iu  Legislature  and  Congress:  while 
the  Times  is  equally  to  be  congratulated  upon  the  suppoit 
given  it  by  the  people,  and  its  signal  success  under  the 
management  of  its  conscientious  and  far-seeing  editor. 
Judging  from  the  past,  the  fondest  anticipations  may  bt 
indulged  in  as  to  the  future  of  the  Brooklyn  Times. 


Brooklyn  Daily  Union.—  During  the  War  of  the 

Rebellion  the  need  was  felt  of  a  newspaper  which 
should  more  perfectly  reflect  the  sentiment  of  the  dom- 
inant party  in  the  Nation's  struggle  for  life;  and, 
therefore,  on  Sept.  14,  186:?,  S.  B.  Chittenden,  A.  A 
Low,  and  some  sixty  other  prominent  Republican- 1  - 
tablished  the  Union,  in  au  ottice  on  Front  street.  'Hie 
paper  met  with  great  success  ;  and,  after  a  time,  the 
building  on  the  coiner  of  Front  and  Fulton  streets,  «  is 
erected,  into  which  it  moved  in  18C9.  Mr.  Edward  <  larj 
was  then  the  editor.    Owing  to  unwise  management  the 
Union  was  not  so  prosperous  after  the  war,  ami  un- 
purchased by  Henry  C.  Uowcii  and  his  son-,  lleiin  1 
and  Edward  A.  Bowen,  on  the  1st  of  January,  187< 
Gen.  Stewart  L.   Woodford  was  editor  and  B.  •-. 
Howcn,  publisher.     Mr.    Woodford  retired  May 
1870,  and  was  succeeded  by  Theodore  TUtOO.  Tli< 
Union,  under  Mr.  Howeii's  management,  increased  rap- 
idly in  circulation  and  influence.    In   1872,  J** 
Mr.  Tilton   retired   from  the  editorial  chair,  and  *« 
succeeded  by  Henry  C.  Bowen.    After  a  linw  m *1 ■' :l 
Republicans  made  offers  for  its  purchase,  and  «»"  ll" 
1st  of  October,  1873,  it  was  bought   by  Benjamin  I 
Tracy,  F.  A.  Schroedcr,  John  F.  Henry  and  ©then 


THE  PRESS. 


1179 


William  Burch  became  its  editor.  After  several 
changes  it  came  into  the  hands  of  Loren  Palmer,  who 
then  became  its  editor  and  publisher.  In  February, 
1877,  the  Union  purchased  the  name  and  good  will  of 
the  Brooklyn  Argus,  owned  by  Demas  Barnes,  and  its 
name  was  changed  to  the  Union- Argus.  More  recently 
it  has  passed  into  new  hands,  with  Mr.  John  Foord  as 
editor,  and  assumed  its  old  name,  the  Union*  It  is 
now  much  improved  in  every  way  and  promises  a  pros- 
perous future.    During  its  progress,  a  number  of  vig- 


orous writers  have  been  employed  on  its  editorial  staff. 
Sept.  28,  1867,  and  again  in  1875,  attempts  were  made 
to  establish  a  Morning  Union.  The  first  continued 
for  over  two  years,  the  second  with  less  success. 

*The  certificate  of  the  incorporation  of  the  Brooklyn  Union  Publish- 
ing Company  was  filed  March  19,  1884.  Incorporators:  Eugene  O. 
Blackford.  Alexander  J.  C.  Skene  and  John  Foord.  The  objects  of  the 
company  are  to  print  and  publish  a  newspaper  and  carry  on  a  general 
printing  and  publishing  business.  Capital  stock.  $100,000,  the  number 
of  shares  100.  The  time  of  the  existence  of  the  company  is  fifty  years. 
The  trustees  are  three  in  number,  and  for  the  first  year  the  gentlemen 
named  above. 


JOHN  FOORD. 


John  Foord,  editor  of  the  Brooklyn  Union-Argus,  was 
born  in  Perthshire,  Scotland,  in  1842.  While  yet  quite 
young  he  was  employed  on  several  Scotch  and  Noith-of- 
Eugland  newspapers.  As  traveling  correspondent  he  visited 
Prance  and  Germany,  and  his  letters  are  said  to  have  attract- 
ed attention  by  their  freshness  of  view  and  original  observa- 
tions on  a  well-trodden  field.  In  1868,  he  went  to  London, 
where,  for  a  short  time,  he  was  editorial  contributor  to  one 
ir  two  newspapers;  but  his  heart  was  set  on  the  New  Repub- 
lic beyond  the  seas,  and  early  in  1869  he  embarked  for  New 
York. 

His  first  work  in  the  United  States  was  the  contribu- 
ian  of  editorial  matter  to  the  New  York  Times  and  the  Tri- 
mne.  In  the  latter  part  of  1869,  he  was  appointed  Brooklyn 
eporter  for  the  Times,  which  place  he  held  until  he  was 
"ailed  to  an  editorial  position  on  the  regular  staff  of  the 
>aper;  Mr.  L.  J.  Jennings  being  then  the  editor-in-chief. 

During  the  struggle  against  the  Tweed  ring,  in  which  the 
Fimes  soon  after  engaged,  Mr.  Foord  did  distinguished  and 
elling  work.  His  accurate  knowledge  of  municipal  affairs 
nd  his  tenacity  of  purpose  served  him  in  good  stead,  and  his 


share  of  the  labor,  although  necessarily  confined  to  the  priv- 
acy of  the  editorial  room,  was  of  the  greatest  value.  It  may 
be  claimed  for  Mr.  Foord,  that  he  contributed  handsomely  to 
the  campaign  which  brought  the  Tweed  ring  to  ruin.  In  1876, 
Mr.  Jennings  withdrew  from  the  management  of  the  Times, 
and  was  succeeded  by  Mr.  Foord,  then  the  senior  editorial 
writer  on  the  staff,  many  changes  having  meantime  occurred. 
Under  his  direction,  the  Times  won  an  enviable  name  for 
fearlessness,  courage,  honesty,  fairness  and  ability. 

In  March,  1883,  Mr.  Foord  assumed  the  editorial  manage- 
ment of  the  Brooklyn  Union-Argus,  to  which  he  brought  a 
ripe  experience  and  a  reputation  only  to  be  acquired  by  years, 
of  faithful  and  arduous  service  in  one  of  the  most  exacting 
callings  of  the  age.  As  a  newspaper  editor,  he  has  won  the  re- 
spect and  regard  of  his  associates,  both  by  his  gentle  man- 
ners and  his  firm  grasp  of  the  details  of  the  complex  duties 
devolving  upon  the  chief  of  a  great  journal.  Under  his 
management  the  Union-Argus  has  shown  a  marked  improve- 
ment. Its  editorial  columns  have  been  absolutely  free  from 
every  thing  that  would  stain  a  journalistic  record,  and  the 
general  tone  of  the  paper  has  been  lofty  and  pure. 


ROBERT  H.  ANGELL. 


Robert  H.  Angell,  managing  editor  of  the  Union-Argus, 
••as  born  in  New  Haven,  Ct.,  in  1840.  When  he  was  eight 
ears  of  age  his  parents  removed  to  Huntsville,  Ala.,  where 
is  boyhood  days  were  spent,  first  in  school  and  afterward  in 
be  office  of  the  village  newspaper  as  apprentice.  At  sixteen 
e  was  a  compositor.  Two  years  later  he  came  to  New  York 
nd  soon  to  Brooklyn,  where  he  went  as  compositor  upon 
ie  Eagle.  This  was  in  18  )9.  Thomas  Kinsella  worked  op- 
osite  him  at  the  same  case.  At  the  breaking  out  of  the  war, 
tr.  Angell  enlisted  on  board  a  man  of  war,  and  saw  consid- 
able  service  off  the  Carolinas,  much  of  the  time  aboard  the 
onitor  Catskill,  which  was  struck  a  hundred  times  from  the 
lemy's  guns.  He  was  in  all  the  engagements  off  Charleston, 
ort  Royal,  and  that  part  of  the  coast. 

After  the  close  of  the  war  Mr.  Angell  returned  to  Brook- 
n  to  the  Eagle.  He  had  before  contributed  to  the  paper, 
id  now  he  was  appointed,  in  186.5,  on  the  reportorial  staff 
d  continued  three  years,  when  he  went  on  the  staff  of  the 


Union  for  a  time,  and  then  back  to  the  Eagle  office.  He 
was  appointed  Secretary  to  Mayor  Kalbfleisch  during  his  last 
term,  and  then  returned  to  the  Eagle.  In  1873,  he  went  to 
the  Union  as  city  editor,  where  he  has  since  remained,  acting 
as  managing  editor  and  editor-in-chief  at  times.  By  seniority 
of  service  he  is  now  the  oldest  editor  in  Brooklyn. 

As  an  indication  of  the  growth  of  journalism  in  this  city, 
it  may  be  stated  that  when  he  first  went  into  the  composing 
room  of  the  Eagle,  that  paper  had  the  services  of  a  city  editor 
and  half  the  work  of  two  reporters,  who  also  reported  for 
the  New  York  journals.  Now,  the  Eagle  needs  the  whole 
services  of  sixteen  reporters  and  the  Union  the  same  number 
also. 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that  while  Mr.  Angell  was  serving  in 
the  U.  S.  Navy,  his  brother,  who  was  a  strong  secessionist, 
was  in  the  Confederate  ranks.  His  father,  an  ardent  Union 
man,  was  forced  to  leave  the  South  in  io61,  stripped  of  his 
property, 


1180 


The  Brooklyn  Record. — A  law  and  real  estate 
journal,  was  first  issued  by  J.  R.  McDivitt,  Feb.  13, 
1S82,  on  the  plan  of  the  New  York  Daily  Record.  It 
contains  notices  of  the  sittings  of  the  courts,  causes  on 
the  day  calendar,  synopses  of  decisions  and  orders 
entered;  also  transfers  of  real  estate  by  deed  and  mort- 
gage; judgments  and  liens  entered  of  record.  After  a 
few  weeks,  Mr.  McDivitt  sold  his  interest  to  a  stock 
company  of  which  he  is  manager  and  principal  editor. 

The  Brooklyn  Daily  Programme  lias  been  quite 
an  interesting  paper.  Started  on  the  1st  of  October, 
1863,  by  E.  L.  Briggs;  chiefly  devoted  to  places  of  amuse- 
ment. 

The  Echo  was  established  in  1877,  at  Bath,  in 
Steuben  County,  and  removed  to  Brooklyn  in  1880; 
devoted  to  the  advancement  of  the  colored  people.  Its 
founder  and  present  editor  and  proprietor  is  Prof. 
J.  R.  B.  Smith. 

Brooklyn  Advance.  The  first  number  of  this 
magazine  was  issued  in  September,  1877,  as  a  sixteen- 
page  monthly,  under  the  name  of  Our  Neighborhood. 
In  September,  1878,  the  name  was  changed  to  the 
Brooklyn  Advance.  In  May,  1879,  it  absorbed  the 
Brooklyn  Monthly.  Iu  March,  1882,  its  form  was 
changed  to  a  48-page  magazine.  A  feature  of  this 
publication  is  the  large  space  devoted  to  local  and  his- 
torical articles,  and  the  prominence  given  by  its  illus- 
trations (which  are  of  a  very  high  artistic  merit)  to 
home  matters.  Its  editor  and  proprietor  is  Charles 
D.  Baker,  and  Mr.  Allen  Forman  its  assistant  editor. 

The  Brooklyn  Review  was  projected  as  a 
weekly  paper  March  23,  1873,  by  William  C.  Hudson, 
Thomas  B.  Sidebotham,  Jr.,  and  Andrew  McLean. 
Mr.  Hudson  had  just  retired  from  the  editorship  of  the 
Eayle.  Mr.  McLean  was  managing  editor  of  the  same, 
and  Mr.  Sidebotham  was  the  publisher  of  the  Pro- 
gramme. The  Review  was  started,  and  is  still  contin- 
ued, as  an  independent  sheet.  It  is  now  conducted  by 
Mr.  Sidebotham,  his  partners  having  retired  some  few 
months  after  it  started. 

The  Deutsches  Wochenblatt,  an  independent 
Democratic  weekly,  has  been  published  for  18  years 
by  Charles  S.  Schleier,  the  founder  of  the  city  of 
Breslau,  on  Long  Island.  It  is  now  published  at  202 
Atlantic  avenue.  It  is  a  paper  of  extensive  influence 
among  tin-  independent  Gorman  population;  and  Mr. 
Schleier,  its  proprietor,  is  a  gentleman  of  great  worth 
ami  extensive  influence  among  his  fellow-countrymen. 
It  has  :i  lar<4c  circulation  in  the  city  of  Brefllau  and 
over  Long  LI  and,  and  in  almost  every  State  in  the 
I'nion,  as  well  as  in  Canada  and  Kurope. 

The  Brooklyner  Volksfreund,  a  (ierman  paper, 
i s  published  at  2-12  Atlantic  avenue. 

The  New  York  Stats  Svenska  Argus  ia  pub- 
lished at  662  Fourth  avenue,  South  Brooklyn. 

Among  other  periodicals  of  more  or  less  promi- 
nence are  included  the  (1  m  iijxu'nt  Globe  ^  The  Journal 


(German  Catholic),  the  Lance,  the  Philomathean  Me- 
view,  the  Plymouth  Chimes,  the  Polytechnic,  T/u 
Radical,  The  Reform,  The  Svenska  Posten.  Other 
papers  had  a  periodical  existence,  chiefly  designed  for 
catching  political  advertising,  and  charging  paynMBl 
for  the  publication  of  the  official  announcement  of  the 
election  returns. 

The  Kings  County  Rural  and  Brooklyn  Ga- 
zette (see  also  page  236,  History  of  Flatbush,  in  this 
volume)  was  established  April  20th,  1872,  by  H.  J. 
Egleston,  its  present  editor  and  manager.  It  is  pub 
lished  weekly  at  Flatbush,  Long  Island,  and  is  the 
official  and  only  paper  in  the  four  towns  of  Flatbush, 
Flatlands,  Gravesend  and  New  Utrecht,  in  each  of 
which  it  has  a  large  circulation.  It  is  a  four-pace 
weekly,  is  independent  in  politics,  conservative  in  torn , 
and  truthful  in  detail.  In  the  summer  it  publishes  I 
"Brighton"  edition  for  Coney  Island.  The  name 
"Brooklyn"  has  been  added  to  it  recently  as  an  edition 
for  Brooklyn  circulation.  Its  edition  is  said  to  be 
20,000;  is  published  every  Wednesday,  while  th<  rural 
edition  appears  on  Saturday.  Mr.  Egleston  is  a  na- 
tive of  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  where  he  learned  the  art  of 
printing  on  the  Advertiser  in  1858,  and  afterward  on 
the  Democrat,  under  George  Dawson,  late  of  the  Al- 
bany Evening  Journal.  Its  Brooklyn  office  is  590 
Atlantic  avenue. 

The  Brooklyn  Blade  is  a  spicy  little,  four-page, 
one-cent  paper,  published  weekly  by  II.  Weinrauoh  A 
Brother,  at  601  and  603  Bushwick  avenue,  and  claiming 
a  circulation  of  12,000.  Its  first  number  was  dated 
April  2,  1881,  and  in  April,  1882,  it  was  enlarged  from 
twelve  to  twenty-four  columns.  Its  editor  wasGusta\( 
Weinberg,  who  was  succeeded  by  the  present  editor, 
J.  Joseph  Goodwin,  a  young  but  vigorous  writer.  The 
Blade  keeps  fully  abreast  of  all  that  is  of  interest  in  art. 
literature  and  society,  treating  pithily  and  frankly  all 
subjects  in  all  fields  of  culture  and  taste. 

The  Brooklyn  News  is  a  weekly  paper,  published 
in  Fifth  avenue,  near  10th  street.  It  has  a  large  circu- 
lation in  South  Brooklyn. 

The  Brooklyn  Catholic  Examiner 
menced  in  1882.  It  was  first  started  as  a  monthly 
I'Ycnev,  Fitzgerald  and  Hagerty  (John  Fitzgerald,  edi- 
tor), at  343  Fulton  street.  It  is  now  published  asalan." 
and  handsome  weekly  by  Edward  Feeney  A  Co.,  John 
Fitzgerald  continuing  its  editor;  the  office  being  re 
moved  to  9  Henry  street. 

The  East  New  York  Press  has  maintained  a  credit- 
able standing  in  the  Kings  county  press.  Tfu  s'"''  ' 
Tin  Rirurd  and  The  Laterne,  have  given  to  New  Lot! 
a  very  creditable  local  journalism.  The  >'«  utiwl  has 
been  published  for  twenty  years,  and  Mr.  Cooper  if 
anion";  the  veterans  of  the  Kings  county  editors. 

There  are  now  four  well-established,  daily  pap""* 
published  in  the  city  of  Brooklyn.  Tfu  EaffU,  Thi 
I- reii  Presse,  Tin  Time. -*  and  The  Un ion,  and  it  k  H** 


THE  PRESS. 


1181 


what  remarkable  that  they  should  all  be  edited  by- 
naturalized  citizens — the  Eagle  and  the  Union  by 
Scotchmen ;  the  Freie  Presse  and  the  Times  by  Germans. 
There  is  also  The  Record,  a  daily  paper  devoted  to 
law  and  real  estate. 


THE  BROOKLYN  EAGLE  BUILDING. 


The  Brooklyn  Eagle,  by  primogeniture,  circula- 
tion and  influence,  deservedly  claims  the  first  place 
among  its  contemporaries.  It  was  founded  in  1841,  in 
the  same  year  with  the  New  York  Tribune,  but  the 
Tribune  had  the  start  by  a  few  months.  The  Tribune 
was  founded  in  April,  1841 ;  The  Eagle,  in  the  October 
following.  Both  papers  were  the  outgrowth  of  cam- 
paign sheets.  The  Tribune  sprang  from  the  Log 
Cabin  of  1840,  and  The  Eagle  from  the  campaign  sheet 
of  the  following  year.  Kings  county,  at  this  time,  was 
Whig;  and  that  party  had  two  organs,  The  Star  and 
The  Advertiser.  The  Democrats  very  naturally  be- 
lieved that  they  were  entitled  to  an  organ,  and  that  it 
should  be  a  daily  one.  The  Long  Island  Patriot  had 
given  weekly  contributions  to  Democracy,  and  while 
under  the  management  of  James  A.  Bennett,  it  ap- 
peared as  the  Brooklyn  Advocate.  General  Harrison, 
the  Whig  candidate,  had  been  elected  President  by  an 
immense  majority,  but  died  in  one  month  after  his  in- 
auguration. The  Democrats  re- organized  with  new  vigor, 
and  in  Kings  county  opened  the  fall  campaign  with  The 
Brooklyn  Daily  Eagle  and  Kings  County  Democrat. 
The  first  number  appeared  October  26th,  1841.  Like 
most  of  the  Kings  county  papers  it  had  a  compound 
name,  and  the  venerable  patriot,  still  living  in  honored 
age  in  Brooklyn,  Judge  John  Greenwood — who  was  a 
trusted  student  in  the  law  office  of  Aaron  Burr,  and 
who  is  now  the  sole  survivor  of  those  who  founded 
me  Eagle — is  credited  with  giving  it  its  name.  Strange 
is  it  may  appear  the  name  has  never  been  popular 


with  its  owners,  but  they  have  kept  magnifying  it,  and 
making  it  an  increasing  power.  That  it  was  not  called 
the  Times  or  some  such  name  was  owing  to  the  devo- 
tion of  the  Democratic  party  to  the  bird  of  Jove. 

Among  its  founders  were  several  prominent  Demo- 
crats, chief  of  whom  was  Henry  C.  Murphy,  who,  with 
Richard  Adams  Locke,  performed  the  part  of  its  first 
editors.  It  was  published  by  Alfred  G.  Stevens  as  a 
morning  paper.  Mr.  Murphy  was  then  a  lawyer  in  suc- 
cessful practice,  and  Mr.  Locke  had  been  a  writer  on  The 
Neio  York  Sun,  in  which  he  published  the  celebrated 
"Moon  Hoax."  The  paper  succeeded  beyond  the  hopes 
of  its  projectors  and  more  than  paid  its  expenses;  and  the 
party  of  which  it  was  the  organ  was  successful.  The 
first  number  issued  as  a  permanent  daily  paper  was  on 
the  27th  of  December,  1841,  with  William  B.  Marsh  as 
editor.  In  March,  1S42,  Isaac  Van  Anden  purchased 
the  paper.  Mr.  Marsh  continued  as  editor,  but  he  died 
February  26th,  1846.  He  was  succeeded  by  Walter 
Whitman,  whose  contributions  to  the  poetry  and  prose 
of  our  generation,  have  gained  for  him  a  distinguished 
name  wherever  the  English  language  is  spoken.  Of  Mr. 
Whitman,  the  traditions  which  survive  as  an  editor 
are  somewhat  meager;  but  enough  remains  to  show  that 
he  had  little  taste  for  the  unremitting  duties  of  a  daily 
editor.  He  was  succeeded  in  1847,  by  Mr.  S.  G. 
Arnold,  an  old  Brooklyn  journalist,  and  Mr.  Van  Anden's 
old  partner,  who  remained  in  charge  until  1852.  In 
1850,  the  name  was  abbreviated  to  the  Brooklyn  Daily 
Eagle,  dropping  the  Democrat.  Mr.  Arnold  left  the 
Eagle  because  he  found  himself  at  variance  with 
his  constituency  on  the  question  of  slavery.  He  was 
disposed  to  go  farther  in  the  direction  of  free-soil, 
than,  just  then,  seemed  reasonable  to  the  supporters  of 
the  paper.  Henry  MeCloskey,  a  native  of  Ireland,  who 
had  been  a  reporter  under  Mr.  Arnold,  now  assumed 
the  chief  position,  and  speedily  obtained  fur  the  Eagl> 
an  importance  in  the  journalism  of  the  country,  which 
it  had  not  reached  under  any  of  his  predecessors.  He 
was  an  accomplished  scholar,  an  effective  public  speaker, 
a  graceful  writer  of  verse,  and  a  most  thorough-going 
Democrat  of  the  straightest  sect;  but,  above  all,  he 
wielded  a  pen,  which,  in  controversy,  smote  like  a 
broad-sword.  He  retired  from  the  Eagle  in  1861;  hav- 
ing by  his  extreme  affirmations  of  the  right  of  secession 
brought  the  Eagle  into  collision  with  the  government. 
The  short  alternatives  presented  to  Mr. Van  Anden,  the 
proprietor,  was  either  to  put  a  loyal  man  at  the  head  of 
the  paper,  or  have  its  publication  suspended.  Mr.  Van 
Anden,  whose  sympathies  were  all  on  the  Lnion  side, 
had  no  difficulty  in  making  a  choice.  In  the  office  there 
was  a  young  man,  a  reporter  and  assistant  editor,  who 
filled  the  bill  of  loyalty,  and  came  up  to  the  full  measure 
of  the  ability  required.  This  young  man  was  Thomas 
Kinsella,  and  upon  his  shoulders  the  editorial  duties 
were  devolved.  A  little  farther  on  i.i  our  narrative  we 
shall  outline  the  story  of  Mr.  Kinsella's  career.  Here  a 


1182 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


word  is  in  order  about  the  more  distinguished  of  his  as- 
sociates. The  first  of  these,  in  point  of  time,  if  not  of 
merit,  was  Mr.  William  Wood,  who  served  him  in  the 
capacity  of  managing  editor,  and  bad  full  charge  of  the 
paper  during  the  time  Mr.  Kinsella  served  the  city  as  a 
Commissioner  of  City  Works.  Wood  was  a  thoroughly 
trained  journalist.  He  began  the  practice  of  his  pro- 
fession in  England,  his  native  country,  and  had  risen  to 
an  honorable  position  there,  when  lie  resolved  to  trans- 
fer his  fortunes  to  America.  He  joined  to  habits  of 
industry  and  great  thoroughness  in  his  work,  a  vast 
fund  of  general  information,  an  intimate  knowledge  of 
Brooklyn  affairs,  and  a  remarkable  capacity  for  stating 
a  case  clearly.  He  remained  in  the  Eagle  till  the  time 
of  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1871.  The  managing 
editorship  then  descended  to  Robert  A.  Burch,  who 
now,  after  an  interval  of  ten  years,  again  holds  the  posi- 
tion. Between  the  time  of  Mr.  Burch's  retirement 
from  and  his  return  to  the  Eagle,  Andrew  McLean,  the 
present  editor-in-chief,  was  managing  editor.  Mr.  St. 
Clair  McKelvey,  the  present  chief  editor  of  the  Albany 
Argus,  was  for  many  years  under  Mr.  Kinsella,  and  as 
the  associate  of  Mr.  McLean,  one  of  the  Eagle's  most 
important  writers.  John  Stanton,  an  Englishman  by 
birth,  familiarly  known  as  "  Corry  O'Lanus,"  was  also 
among  those  whose  labors  contributed  in  a  noticeable 
degree  to  the  prosperity  of  the  Eagle,  under  Thomas 
Kinsella's  direction. 

During  the  war  an  effort  was  made  to  issue  a  morn- 
ing edition  of  the  Eagle,  but  the  design  was  soon 
abandoned.  In  1877,  January  1st,  the  Sunday  Eagle 
was  started,  and  now  forms  a  very  interesting  part  of 
the  Daily  Eagle.  In  1870,  Mr.  Van  Anden  was  in- 
duced to  sell  out  the  whole  establishment  to  an  associa- 
tion, and  retired  for  a  time  altogether  from  the  Eagle; 


but  he  soon  afterward  purchased  some  shares  from  a 
member  of  the  Association,  and  continued  his  connec- 
tion with  the  business  department  till  his  death  on  the 
6th  day  of  August,  1875. 

In  giving  more  at  length  the  history  of  the  Eagh 
we  give  the  history  of  the  other  journals ;  its  prog- 
ress from  the  time  that  Isaac  Van  Anden  pulled  the 
Columbia  hand-press,  through  the  developments  of  the 
single-cylinder,  the  double-cylinder,  the  four-cylinder, 
the  eight-cylinder,  and  the  Hoe  web  perfectm.; 
presses,  which  Patrick  Gelston  pulls  by  powerful  en- 
gines ;  from  the  time  when  it  had  four  writers  and 
twenty  employees  till  now,  its  progress  is  the  same 
which  its  contemporaries  have  made  in  journalism,  and 
along  that  line  of  progress  certain  names  shine  con- 
spicuous— some  living,  and  many  dead. 

The  sudden  and  wonderful  development  of  Coney 
Island  was  largely  due  to  the  Eagle.  Its  editorials  on 
the  New  Wonderland  at  our  doors  were  vigorous  ami 
comprehensive;  and  its  correspondence  was  by  far  the 
best  written  from  the  Island.  And  this  development 
of  Coney  Island  opened  a  new  field  for  local  journal- 
ism. The  Coney  Island  Sun,  the  Coney  Island  Nevs, 
and  other  journals  rose  on  the  excitement.  The  Daily 
News  we  think  was  the  only  paper  that  established  a 
complete  newspaper  establishment  upon  the  island,  with 
a  steam  press  and  all  the  equipments  of  a  printing  office. 
It  was  suspended  at  the  close  of  its  second  season. 

In  1842,  the  Weekly  Eagle,  containing  choice  selec- 
tions from  the  Dally,  was  issued  for  country  circula- 
tion, but  it  was  suspended  in  1855. 

The  Sunday  Evening  Miscellany  was  also  issued  for 
several  years  from  the  Eagle  office,  and  attained  a 
large  circulation  in  Kings  county  and  throughout  the 
Island. 


ISAAC  VAN  ANDEN. 


ISAAC  Van  Anden  chiefly  desired  to  be  remembered  among 
men  as  the  founder  of  the  Brooklyn  Daily  Eagle,  lie  early 
I > 1 1 1  hefore  himself  the  purpose  of  establishing  in  this  city  a 
newspaper  which  should  be  considered  the  equal  of  auy 
paper  of  its  class  in  the  country;  and  when,  in  his  latter 
days,  he  saw  his  favorite  object  accomplished,  he  looked 
upon  it  as  a  monument,  speaking  of  liim.  to  posterity.  To 
sketeh  the  life  of  Isaac  Van  Anden  is  to  outline  the  history 
of  the  Eagle,  and,  indeed,  of  Brooklyn,  for  nearly  forty 
veins,  lie  lived  and  labored  for  the  city,  because  with  its 
prosperity  was  bound  up  the  fate  of  his  darling  project,  and 
in  lli.it  newspaper  were  centered  his  brightest  hopes  and 
loft  icst  ambit  ions.  Apart  from  other  considerations,  the  08- 
tablishment  of  an  institution  which,  in  various  ways,  gave 
employment  to  over  two  hundred  persons,  which  received 
and  expended  in  Brooklyn  nearly  a  million  dollars  per  an- 
num, was  no  slight  claim  for  recognition  among  men.  To 
l-.rc  Van  Anden.  the  journal  which  he  may  be  said  to  have 


founded,  and  which  he  certainly  nursed  to  manhood,  took 
the  place  of  sweetheart,  w  ife  <>r  family.  He  saw  Mrooklyn 
emerge  from  the  chrysalis  of  its  village  state  and  advance 
to  the  third  position  among  the  cities  of  the  land;  and.  under 
his  eye  and  hand,  the  paper  of  his  affect  ion  kept  pace  with 
the  growth  of  the  public  interests  and  population  around  it 
Mr.  Van  A  mien  was  single  in  his  purpose,  as  men  who  make 
their  mark  usually  are:  and  he  lived  to  see  in  success  the  re 
suit  which,  as  a  rule,  waits  upon  courage  and  persistency  in 
tclligently  directed. 

Isaac  Van  Anden  came  of  the  old  Knickerbocker  llOOl 
Ilis  grandfather  was  a  native  of  Holland,  who.  in  (tfi] 
manhcod  settled  as  a  farmer  in  Dutchess  county,  N  ^ 
Thus  Isaac,  the  son  of  a  farmer,  passed  all  his  earlier  year* 

amid  agricultural  surroundings     Hut.  when  old  ei  gh  to 

scan  for  himself  the  horizon  of  the  future,  he  turned  hi* 
hack  upon  farm  life  and  chose  a  trade.  \s  .in  apprentice  i" 
the  office  of  the  I'ouijhlerpxir  '/'<  h  <//v//<//,  then,  as  new,  tl  < 


THE  PRESS.  H83 


ISAAC  VAN  ANDEN. 


chief  paper  of  Dutchess  county,  the  lad  bent  himself  assidu- 
ously to  the  acquirement  of  every  detail  of  his  chosen  craft. 
Long  after  he  had  ceased  to  do  manual  work,  and  when  he 
had  come  to  be  ranked  with  the  most  influential  men  in 
Brooklyn,  he  was  fond  of  relating  how  he  won  attention  in 
Westchester  by  the  excellence  of  his  printing.  When  his 
apprenticeship  ended,  Van  Anden  was  well  versed  in  every 
branch  of  the  business;  and  purchasing  (hi  partnership  with 
a  fellow- workman,  Alexander  Lee)  the  Westchester  Spy,  in 
1837,  he  settled  at  White  Plains.  Their  success,  though  slow, 
was  promising;  but,  receiving  a  proposition  from  Mr.  Samuel 
G.  Arnold  (from  whom  he  had  purchased  the  Sjyy)  to  join 
him  (as  the  business  manager)  in  publishing  a  paper  called 
the  Advocate,  in  Brooklyn,  he  sold  out  to  his  partner  and 
came  to  this  city.  Together,  Arnold  and  Van  Anden  con- 
ducted the  Advocate  until,  in  1838,  the  Democratic  party  of 
the  State  was  overturned;  William  H.  Seward  (Whig)  was 
elected  Governor,  and  the  political  patronage  of  their  paper 
seemed  about  to  slip  from  their  hands.  To  obviate  this  dan- 
ger, as  well  as  to  obtain  an  advantage  over  the  rival  Brook- 
lyn paper,  they  purchased  a  power-press  and  started  the 
Brooklyn  Daily  News,  as  a  non-partisan  paper.  This  was 
subsequently  bought  out,  in  the  Whig  interest,  by  Wm.  A. 
Green,  and  the  firm  of  Arnold  &  Van  Anden  was  dissolved; 
the  latter,  who  had  retained  a  large  portion  of  the  materials 
of  the  old  Advocate,  endeavoring  to  get  a  living  by  conduct- 
ing a  small  job  printing  office.  About  this  time  (the  winter  of 
1840-41)  the  Democracy  plucked  up  courage,  and  determined 
to  contest,  with  increased  vigor,  the  supremacy  in  Kings 
■ounty  of  the  then  dominant  Whig  party;  and,  as  a  factor  in 
;his  contest,  resolved  to  start  a  newspaper  which  should  dis- 
cuss and  proclaim  Democratic  principles.  Hon.  Henry  C. 
Murphy,  then  a  young  and  ambitious  politician,  in  company 
ivith  some  of  the  older  Democrats  of  the  locality,  commenced 
-he  publication  of  the  Brooklyn  Eagle.  Soon  they  felt  the 
lecessity  of  some  practical  business  man,  acquainted  with 
lewspaper  work,  and  Van  Anden's  skill,  industry  and  ex- 
cellent habits  having  already  attracted  their  attention,  they 
leemed  it  advisable,  both  for  the  interests  of  the  party  and 
>f  the  paper,  to  place  the  Eagle  under  his  management. 
)vertures  were  made  to  the  young  printer,  which  resulted 
n  his  becoming  the  publisher,  with  the  promise  that  in  time 
ie  might  become  its  proprietor. 
The  Eagle  at  this  time  occupied  very  modest  quarters  on 
'ulton  street,  just  opposite  the  present  Eagle  building.  In 
he  fall  of  the  year  succeeding  this  transfer,  Hon.  Henry  C. 


Murphy  was  elected  Mayor  of  the  city,  and  in  that  campaign 
the  Eagle's  influence  as  a  political  factor  may  be  said  to  have 
first  developed.  In  the  second  year  of  its  existence,  it  be- 
came instrumental  in  securing  for  the  Democracy  in  Brook- 
lyn an  ascendancy  which  has  never  been  lost.  In  this  year, 
also,  the  owners  of  the  Eagle  offered  it  for  sale  to  the  young 
publisher;  and,  while  the  price  asked  seemed  somewhat  large, 
it  was  far  within  what  Mr.  Van  Anden  lived  to  see  covered 
by  a  single  day's  receipts  over  the  Eagle  counters.  For  .$1,500 
Mr.  Van  Anden  became  sole  proprietor  of  the  Eagle;  and  the 
money  paid  represented  the  savings  which  industry  and 
economy  up  to  that  time  had  enabled  him  to  make.  From 
this  point,  the  history  of  the  Eagle  may  properly  be  said  to 
have  commenced.  Hitherto,  it  had  been  simply  a  political 
organ.  Mr.  Van  Anden  made  the  Eagle  a  newspaper.  He 
was  a  Democrat,  but  he  clearly  distinguished  between  the 
exigencies  and  the  interests  that  legitimately  affect  all 
classes  of  society,  and  which  no  publisher  is  at  liberty  to 
subordinate  to  partisan  ends.  The  Eagle,  in  Van  Anden's 
hands,  did  not  cease  to  be  Democratic  in  the  broad  and 
proper  sense  of  the  term;  but  it  did  cease  to  have  more  re- 
gard to  the  success  of  fortunate  candidates  than  to  the  gen- 
eral welfare  of  the  public  and  the  city.  The  new  man  and 
the  new  spirit  made,  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  a  new 
paper — a  paper  which  has  ultimated  in  the  Eagle  of  to-day, 
and  of  which  we  write  when  we  speak  of  Mr.  Van  Anden's 
newspaper  career  in  Brooklyn.  In  those  days,  how  feeble, 
how  barren,  how  dependent  the  most  successful  papers  were 
in  contrast  with  the  leading  journals  of  the  present  day. 
Then,  no  paper  could  live  except  as  an  organ.  Patronage 
was  the  reward  of  supporting  a  party;  and,  without  patron- 
age, it  was  assumed  there  could  be  no  newspapers.  In  this 
respect,  the  journalist  of  the  day  was  as  much  concerned  in 
the  voting  on  election  day  as  the  rough  political  candidates. 
Mr.  Van  Anden  resolved  that  his  paper  should  be  independ- 
ent of  politicians  and  of  parties.  He  became  convinced  that 
it  might  be  made  interesting  as  a  newspaper;  and  that  the 
public  could  be  induced  to  support  frank  discussion,  even 
when  they  did  not  agree  with  the  conclusions  reached,  and 
impartial  reporting  when  they  regretted  the  facts.  That  he 
was  not  mistaken  in  his  judgment,  the  Eagle  is  a  living  at- 
testation. Of  his  determination  on  this  point,  one  incident 
among  many  may  be  mentioned.  Shortly  after  he  had  be- 
come proprietor  of  the  paper,  Henry  C.  Murphy  came  to  him 
with  a  speech,  in  pamphlet  form,  by  Hon.  Thos.  Cummings, 
Member  of  Congress  for  the  Long  Island  District;  and,  in  a 
matter-of-course  way,  throwing  it  upon  the  table,  said  he 
wished  it  published  in  the  Eagle.  Such  publications  were 
ordinarily  made  by  all  organs.  They  had  been  made  in  the 
past  by  the  Eagle,  and  Mr.  Murphy  could  see  no  reason 
why  the  custom  should  not  continue  in  force.  "But,"  said 
Van  Anden,  addressing  Murphy,  "The  Eagle  is  not  big 
enough  to  hold  that  speech."  "Oh,  well,"  rejoined  the 
Mayor,  "  you  can  publish  it  in  installments;  it  has  got  to  be 
published."  "Well,"  rejoined  Van  Anden,  "it  has  not  got 
to  be  published  unless  the  readers  of  the  paper  want  to  see 
it.  I  don't  think  they  want  to  see  it.  I  am  not  going 
to  publish  it.  I  won't  publish  it."  It  is  hardly  necessary 
to  say  that  the  politician  was  astonished,  and  that 
the  action  of  the  Eagle's  proprietor  was  for  some  time 
spoken  of  in  local  political  circles  as  an  almost  unjusti- 
fiable revolt;  but  the  politicians  concluded  to  content  them- 
selves with  the  speech  in  pamphlet  form,  and  thereafter  they 
never  again  informed  the  proprietor  of  the  Eagle  that  any- 
thing "  had  got  to  be  published."  He  assumed  to  be  the  sole 
judge  of  what  should  go  into  the  columns  of  his  paper.  For 
years  after  this  event,  the  Eagle's  history  in  Brooklyn  was 


1184 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


one  of  unremitting  effort  to  maintain  life.  Early  and  late 
he  toiled  and  struggled — for  those  were  days  of  trial,  when  a 
great  burden  rested  upon  his  shoulders,  and  each  day's  issue 
was  an  experiment.  He  secured  Richard  A.  Locke  as  his 
first  editor;  for,  as  for  himself,  then  and  since,  he  never  un- 
dertook to  edit  the  paper.  He  probably  thought  more,  then, 
of  the  job-room,  which  brought  him  in  his  daily  bread,  than 
of  the  newspaper  which  was,  in  time,  to  control  a  coun- 
try, influence  a  party,  and  lead  the  van  of  local  journalism. 
For  this  he  was  not  to  be  blamed;  Brooklyn,  at  that  time,  was 
but  a  "one-hone  place." 

The  then  influential  men  of  the  city  were  "Whigs;  and  the 
advertising  men  were,  as  a  class,  of  the  same  party;  and  had 
it  not  been  for  Mr.  Van  Anden's  skill  and  industry  as  a  job 
printer,  the  Eagle  would,  in  all  probability,  have  been 
abandoned.  By  industry  and  economy,  however,  he  suc- 
ceeded in  making  enough  out  of  the  job  office  to  meet  the 
deficiences  of  the  journal's  income  and  to  keep  himself,  at 
least,  out  of  debt.  He  was  peculiarly  adapted  to  conduct  a 
struggle  of  this  kind,  from  the  fact  that  he  had  no  political 
ambition;  no  desire  for  distinction  of  any  kind,  except  from 
his  newspaper.  When  that  prospered  he  was  happy;  when 
things  went  well  with  it  and  the  prospect  brightened,  all  the 
hopes  he  cared  to  indulge  seenied  realized.  Beside  the  Eagle, 
there  were  in  those  early  days  two  newspapers—  the  Adver- 
tiser and  the  Star — both  of  which  had  circulations  larger 
than  the  Eagle,  which,  for  the  first  few  years  of  its  existence, 
was  third  in  the  race  for  popular  favor.  The  result,  how- 
ever, was  certain  from  the  first.  The  Advertiser  and  the  Star 
died  long  ago;  the  former,  because  of  bad  business  manage- 
ment; because  its  managers  were  weak  where  Mr.  Van  Anden 
was  strong;  because  they  squandered  the  resources  which  he 
took  care  to  husband;  the  Star  failed,  because  the  proprietor 
did  not  understand  the  new  times  that  came  with  the  advent 
of  the  Xew  York  Herald  and  the  Eagle  in  journalism.  Mr. 
Van  Andeu  worked  at  the  press,  worked  at  the  case,  worked 
in  the  office,  worked  outside,  to  the  end  that  he  might  meet 
his  obligations;  and  he  met  them,  thereby  overcoming  his 
less  frugal  and  judicious  rivals  on  the  Advertiser.  He  was 
keenly  alive  to  the  current  of  popular  sentiment;  he  saw  and 
availed  himself  of  every  innovation  in  the  production  and 
distribution  of  his  paper,  and  thereby  distanced  hopelessly  all 
rivals.  As  already  mentioned,  Mr.  Van  Anden's  absorbing 
ambition  came  to  be  the  establishment  of  a  great  paper  in 
Brooklyn;  and,  to  the  accomplishment  of  that  object  he 
sacrificed  nearly  every  passion  and  desire.  He  had  no  ex- 
pensive habits;  no  longings  that  affected  his  income;  no 
tastes  that  were  allowed  to  diminish  his  resources.  What- 
ever the  Eagle  made  was  allowed  to  remain  in  the  Eagle, 
strengthening  it  in  whatever  way  6eemed  most  judicious. 
The  new  era  that  was  opening  he  comprehended,  and  con- 
formed his  actions  to  its  spirit  The  old  "  blanket  sheets  " 
of  New  York  were  falling  into  decay;  and  a  journalism  with 
a  basis  of  indejiendence,  and  with  currents  of  enterprise  run- 
ning through  it,  was  coming  into  power. 

Thirty  }  ears  ago,  the  ueirslmy,  now  so  familiar  a  figure,  first 
appeared  on  the  stage  of  journalism.  Before  he  was  un- 
known. Mr.  Van  Anden  was  shrewd  enough  to  see  the  use 
that  initio  be  made  of  this  new  personage:  and  he  lost  no 
time  in  making  his  acquaintance.  This  appreciation  of  the 
newsltoy  is  only  ilhist rative  of  the  spirit  in  which  every  de- 
partment of  the  Eagle  was  being  conducted.  The  two-cylin- 
der precs  was,  in  time,  exchanged  for  one  of  four  eyliinh  rs; 
and,  reali/mg  how  much  quicker  printing  and  rapid  distri- 
bution miKbt  do  for  circulation,  Mr.  Van  Anden  practiced 

»ell  denial  until  he  had  on  the  premises  an  eight  cylinder 
preen.   Nor  wan  he  ever  quite  happy,  until  he  saw  the  Eagle 


possessed  of  machines  that  would  print  50,000  copies  an 
hour.     Nor  did  his  desire  to  improve  and  enlarge  stop  there. 
One  of  the  last  things  he  did  for  the  Eagle  was  to  devise  the 
improved  process  by  which  it  is  now  enabled  to  use  both  type 
and  stereotype  plates,  and  by  so  doing  preserve  all  the  advan- 
tages of  the  stereotyping  process,  while  losing  none  of  the 
advantages  enjoyed  by  those  who  print  with  type.  No  mother 
ever  watched  a  child  with  more  solicitude  than  he  watched 
the  Eagle.    There  was  no  sacrifice  he  was  not  prepared  to 
make  in  its  behalf,  and  there  was  nothing  that  pleased  him 
so  much  as  the  facts  that  appealed  from  time  to  time,  eviai  - 
ing  its  augmenting  prosperity.    He  declared  that  the  happiest 
day  of  his  life,  and  the  happiest  he  ever  expected  to  enjoy, 
was  that  in  which  lie  learned  that  he  could  truthfully  put  at 
the  head  of  his  paper  the  lines  so  familiar  now  to  all  readers 
of  the  Eagle,  "  The  Brooklyn  Daily  Eagle  has  the  largest  cir- 
culation of  any  evening  newspaper  published  in  the  United 
States."    Mr.  Van  Anden  published  a  Democratic  newspaper, 
because  he  was  a  Democrat  by  conviction;  had  been  reared 
in  that  faith,  and  held  to  it  with  the  steadiness  characterMt 
of  his  people  and  race.     He  believed  that  the  welfare  of  tin 
country  depended  upon  the  operation  of  Democratic  prin- 
ciples,  as   he   understood  them — honesty  in  public  life, 
economy  in  government,  and  no  interference  by  government 
in  affairs  in  which  the  people  are  competent  to  manage  let 
themselves.    For  Brooklyn,  as  a  city,  he  had  a  profound  love. 
He  had  made  his  fortune  in  it;  his  friends  were  here  and  all 
that  he  anticipated  of  material  prosperity  centered  here.  He 
not  only  never  sought  office,  but  again  and  again  rejected 
offers  that  would  have  moved  any  one  less  single  of  purpose 
than  himself.     There  is  no  doubt  that  he  could  have  been 
Mayor  of  Brooklyn;  for  the  nomination  for  that  position  was 
tendered  him  by  men  who  could,  by  their  influence,  hem 
secured  his  election.    But  he  had  no  political  ambitions,  and 
would  form  no  connection  of  any  kind  likely  in  the  slightest 
degree  to  embarrass  the  cause  of  the  paper.  No  man.  |>erha|>s. 
who  has  ever  been  identified  with  a  newspaper  hail  fewer  |>er- 
sonal  ends  to  serve  than  Mr.  Van  Anden,  and  to  this  must  be 
attributed  in  no  insignificant  degree  the  influence  which  the 
Eagle  gained  while  under  his  management.    Of  his  attach- 
ment to  Brooklyn  he  desired  in  some  way  to  give  attestation 
He  was  among  the  foremost  and  firmest  friends  of  tin 
Bridge  enterprise,  and  the  $25, 000  w  hich  he  gave  for  BtOOk 
of  the  company  at  its  incipiency  was  paid  in  the  belief  that 
he  never  would  receive  a  cent  in  return.    "That  much."  he 
said,  "  I  am  willing  to  give  toward  the  betterment  of  Brook- 
lyn."   He  was  an  early  friend  of  the  Prospect  Park  enterprise: 
he  was  one  of  the  Commissioners  intrusted  with  its  conduct: 
and,  so  firm  w  as  his  belief  in  the  character  of  the  men  :i- 
sociated  with  him  in  it,  as  regarded  the  commendable  natun 
of  the  project,  that  lie  would  listen  to  no  man  who  assailed 
either.    To  the  Park,  as  to  the  Bridge,  lie  gave  his  time  and 
thought  cheerfully,  animated  by  a  desire  to  serve  the  citj 
and  the  citizens,  to  w  hom  he  felt  an  abounding  gratitude  f«i 
the  success  which  had  covered  his  business  career.   He  was, 
also,  a  director  in  the  Mechanics'  Bank,  the  Brooklyn  and 
the  Standard  Life  Insurance  Companies,  the  Sale  Keposit 
Conipam  ,  and  was  a  helper  in  many  charities.   He  was  upon 
the  Democratic  Electoral  ticket  in  is(i5  and  1869— once  d. 
feated,  once  elected. 

Mr.  Van  Anden,  in  social  life,  was  what  his  Im-ine-s  and 
public  life  implied.  Unostentatious,  somewhat  retiring, 
never  demonstrative,  but  kindly  and  unmistakably  honest  m 
his  utterance.  He  was  the  friend  of  every  man  foi  whom  I" 
pretended  friendship,  and  for  no  man  did  lie  pletend 
respect,  when  he  believed  him  unworthy  of  it.  He  eared 
but  little  for  company;  and,  so  it  came  that  his  friends  weie 


THE  PRESS.  1185 


rather  few  than  numerous.  His  attachments,  when  formed, 
were  of  an  enduring  kind.  Toward  men  who  served  him  he 
had  a  gratitude  that  was  constant.  Murphy,  Lott,  and  Van- 
derbilt,  the  men  who  helped  him  in  his  younger  days,  were 
men  that  he  always  held  himself  under  obligations  to  serve  ; 
and,  from  Mr.  Van  Anden,  the  younger  servants  of  the  Eagle 
learned,  as  they  took  positions  of  trust,  that,  come  what 
might,  these,  his  early  friends,  were  to  be  treated  as  friends. 
He  was  not  less  attached  to  old  servants.  He  disliked  changes 
among  the  persons  about  him.  One  department  was  under 
the  charge  of  a  man  who  counted  35  years  in  Mr.  Van 
Anden's  service.  Another  had  come  as  a  boy  to  the  Eagle 
office,  and  had  grown  gray  without  leaving  it.  A  third  had 
commenced  his  career  as  a  journalist,  and  had  continued  it, 
without  a  break,  from  youth  to  advanced  age  ;  and  so  on. 
These  things  pleased  Mr.  Van  Anden  hardly  less  than  the 
growth  of  the  paper  itself,  and  in  that  they  gave  him  joy  we 
have  an  evidence  of  the  gentle  character  of  his  mind.  Mr. 
Van  Anden  was  a  bachelor.  He  was  accustomed  to  say  that 
the  Eagle,  in  early  days,  was  his  mistress,  and  that  he  in- 
dulged the  passion  until  it  became  too  late  to  transfer  his 
affections  to  any  other  object. 


Mr.  Van  Anden's  birthplace  is  a  mile  and  a  half  north 
from  the  main  street  of  Poughkeepsie,  and  is  not  now  in 
possession  of  the  Van  Anden  family.  The  house  stands 
on  a  high  bluff  overlooking  the  Hudson,  and  commanding 
a  fine  view  of  the  Catskills  in  the  distance.  His  Brooklyn 
residence  was  on  Columbia  street,  where,  for  many  years, 
he  lived  with  his  venerable  mother  and  widowed  sister; 
and  here,  in  his  well-stocked  and  pleasant  library,  he 
passed  nearly  all  his  leisure  hours,  amusing  himself  in 
viewing  the  ever-changing  scene  presented  by  the  busy 
harbor  before  him;  in  storing  his  mind  with  useful  informa- 
tion, or  in  laying  out  the  plans  for  the  development  and 
conduct  of  his  darling  newspaper,  which  his  subordinates 
were  to  work  out  to  the  letter  by  his  schedule.  His  pleas- 
ures, aside  from  the  one  great  pleasure  of  his  life,  were  few 
and  simple;  his  dress  elegant,  without  being  finical;  his  man- 
ner plain  and  unaffected.  His  life — which  ended  at  the  resi- 
dence of  his  brother,  at  Poughkeepsie,  August  4,  1875 — was 
marked  by  gentle  consideration  for  the  poor  and  humble; 
generosity  and  self-sacrifice  in  the  interests  of  those  less 
prosperous  than  himself;  and  by  courtesy  and  good  will  to- 
wards all  mankind. 


THOMAS  KINSELLA. 


Thomas  Kinsella,  editor  of  the  Eagle.— Among  the  names 
of  the  really  great  men  whom  Brooklyn  has  delighted  to 
honor,  none  stand  forth  more  prominently  than  that  of 
Thomas  Kinsella,  the  editor  of  the  Eagle,  whose  career  was 
as  intimately  associated  with  her  public  interests  as  with 
that  of  the  newspaper  whose  prosperity'  was  linked  with  his 
fame.  His  death,  at  the  comparatively  early  age  of  fifty-two 
years,  was  the  supreme  test  by  which  his  value  to  the  city  of 
his  adoption  was  established.  Tried  by  this  ordeal,  the  great 
soul  of  Thomas  Kinsella  stood  forth  before  his  fellow  men, 
larger  and  nobler  and  wiser  than  in  life  it  had  been  permit- 
ted to  reveal  itself.  Every  principle  for  which  he  had  con- 
tended with  pen  and  voice  was  proved  to  have  been  defended 
from  motives  that  had  for  their  foundation  the  best  interests 
of  the  greater  number,  and  the  rights  of  all  races  and  creeds. 
The  man  was  greater  than  his  works,  and  the  depth  and 
breadth  and  the  height  of  the  sum  total  of  his  character  the 
world  realized  when  death  had  unveiled  his  life,  and  the 
higher  nature  was  exhaled  from  the  material  form  that 
had  hidden  it  from  the  general  view.  It  was  then  realized 
that  Brooklyn  had  lost  a  true  son,  whose  unselfish  love  for 
her  was  a  part  of  his  patriotic  love  for  free  institutions  and 
governments  founded  on  the  truest  ideals  of  freedom. 

Thomas  Kinsella  was  an  adopted  citizen  of  the  United 
States,  having  been  born  in  the  county  Wexford,  Ireland,  in 
December,  1832.  He  came  to  this  country  so  early  in  life, 
that  while  the  basis  of  his  character  was  Irish,  its  develop- 
ment and  embellishment  were  wholly  American.  His  entry 
in  the  United  States  was  through  the  Bay  of  New  York,  and 
he  has  often  said  that  it  remained  always  for  him  a  vision  of 
heaven,  typical  of  the  cultivation  and  advancement  that  his 
character  was  to  receive  in  the  new  country  which  opened 
her  arms  to  him,  as  she  had  done  to  so  many  of  his  race  be- 
fore. America  was  at  that  time  the  El  Dorado  of  all  Irish 
youth,  and  while  they  scarcely  believed  the  wild  traditions 
that  the  precious  metals  could  be  picked  up  in  the  streets,  all 
of  Thomas  Kinsella's  friends,  as  well  as  he  himself,  fully  be  - 


lieved  that,  in  that  far-off  land  there  were  fortunate  Isles  on 
whose  shining  shores  were  peace,  happiness  and  a  larger 
future  for  both  mind  and  body.  The  biography  of  this  man 
is  of  an  ideal  self-made  man.  An  ancient  philosopher  has 
said,  that  a  man  is  his  own  friend  and  also  his  own  enemy, 
and  should  try  to  raise  himself  by  his  own  means,  for  if 
raised  by  the  means  of  another,  the  power  of  the  enemy  in 
himself  is  not  weakened.  Thomas  Kinsella  instinctively 
knew  this,  and  presents  in  his  life  and  character  an  example 
of  one  who  has  raised  himself  solely  by  his  own  means.  He 
came  to  America  unknown,  an  orjnian,  a  foreigner  ;  and  he 
left  it  when  death  came  upon  him,  one  of  the  best  known 
men  in  the  nation;  identified  with  its  laws,  its  cities,  its  gov- 
ernment and  history.  More  than  all  this,  he  was  beloved  by 
all  who  rightly  knew  his  greatness  of  heart,  his  nobility  of 
nature. 

A  characteristic  incident  is  related  of  him  during  his  early 
work  in  Cambridge,  New  York,  which  shows  what  was  m 
the  man,  and  how  not  even  pleasure  could  divert  him  from 
the  improvement  of  his  mind.  It  was  in  the  year  1857.  A 
few  friends  made  up  a  trout-fishing  party,  and  Thomas,  as 
he  was  called,  was  invited.  They  proceeded  to  the  piscato- 
rial shambles  and  threw  in  their  "flies,"  but  very  soon 
"Thomas"  was  observed  lying  upon  his  back,  with  the  rod 
in  one  hand  and  a  volume  of  Burns'  poems  in  the  other, 
which  he  was  industriously  reading,  oblivious  of  his  sur- 
roundings. 

We  cannot  picture  him  going  through  any  academy,  or 
show  him  at  the  head  of  any  class,  or  as  the  writer  of  vale- 
dictories and  theses;  but  he  must  be  looked  for  at  all  times  in 
his  life  battling  with  circumstances,  while  he  imbibed  learn- 
ing and  acquired  culture.  Such  a  man  never  fails  to  make 
his  mark  in  the  times  in  which  he  lives,  and  he  very  fre- 
quently occupies  a  much  larger  share  of  the  attention  of  the 
world,  than  one  who  has  been  favored  by  fortune  or  born  in 
the  lap  of  a  happy  inheritance.  Mr.  Gr -diner,  who  published 
the  Washington  A.  1'.  Post  in  1851,  and  for  whom  Mr.  Kin- 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


sella  worked  as  a  compositor,  wrote  that,  observing  the  lat- 
ter's  fondness  for  study,  he  gave  him  the  free  use  of  his 
library  of  300  volumes,  every  one  of  which  Kinsella  read. 
His  ,.  loption  o(  journalism  may  rarj  clearly  be  traced  to  a 
train  of  accidental  circumstances.  He  said,  in  a  letter  to  a 
friend,  that  while  a  compositor  on  the  Post,  at  the  time  of 
Henry  c  lay's  last  sickness,  the  editor  was  compelled  to  go 
away,  but  wrote  a  leader,  and  left  instructions  for  Kinsella, 
in  co-operation  with  a  lawyer  of  the  village,  to  write  an  arti- 
cle upon  the  great  Whig.  Clay  died,  but  Kinsella  took  pains 
to  write  the  article  alone  and  then  submitted  it  to  the  lawyer, 
who  gave  it  unstinted  praise.  This  elated  the  young  com- 
positor, and  he  then  and  there  resolved  to  take  up  journalism. 
Whether  he  had  or  had  not  any  prophetic  vision  of  his  future 
at  that  time,  and  of  the  way  it  was  realized,  is  not  known,  but 
we  find  him  covering  a  great  deal  of  territory  in  wandering 
before  his  final  settlement  in  Brooklyn.  Leaving  the  Cam- 
bridge Post,  he  went  to  Troy,  N.  Y.,  working  there  as  com- 
l>o3itor  and  occasional  contributor,  for  a  time  not  exceeding 
a  year.  From  Troy  he  came  again  to  New  York,  from  whence 
he  went  in  1854  to  the  Southern  States.  Alternating  between 
New  Orleans  and  Vicksburg,  he  worked  at  his  trade,  and  at 
the  same  time  diligently  studied  the  burning  question  of 
slavery  upon  its  own  ground  and  in  its  very  presence.  This 
he  declared  was  his  chief  object  in  going  South.  The  Jeffer- 
souian  principles  had  been  early  adopted  by  him,  and  his  ex- 
perience in  the  South  confirmed  his  hostility  to  the  "  peculiar 
institution,"  and  made  his  soul  revolt  at  the  enormity  of  put- 
ting up  for  sale  a  human  body,  the  tenement  of  a  living  spirit. 

Therefore,  when  in  1858,  he  returned  North  to  Brooklyn, 
lie  was  fully  aroused  against  the  giant  that  had  so  long  raised 
its  horned  head  unmolested  in  the  fairest  portion  of  our 
country,  and  was  ready  to  join  those  fearless  fighters  for 
human  brotherhood,  who  were  resolved  not  to  tolerate  the 
secession  of  the  South,  nor  to  permit  slavery  to  gain  a  foot- 
hold in  the  Western  States. 

Up  to  this  time  he  had  been,  so  to  say,  in  a  nebulous  con- 
dition, unfixed,  impermanent;  not  definitely  attached  to  any 
point  from  which  he  might  grow  in  any  direction  and  shed 
whatever  light  was  vouchsafed  to  him.  But  here  we  are  to 
look  for  the  beginnings  of  his  "future;"  for,  as  his  history 
afterward  showed,  this  was  the  moment  when  his  wanderings 
were  to  cease,  and  his  active,  concentrated  work  as  journalist, 
citizen,  statesman,  editor,  was  to  begin.  He  had  always 
aspired  to  be  an  editor,  for  justly  he  looked  upon  the  editor 
as  the  greatest  educator,  the  most  efficient  moulder  of  men 
and  events  alike;  and  had  he  written  in  the  order  of  his  esti- 
mation, the  various  avocations,  he  would  have  put  that  of 
editor  highest  and  first.  He  idealized  the  press  and  the  type- 
stick.  The  mere  mechanical  view  of  them  he  could  not  abide, 
for  they  were  to  him  not  only  the  chief  instrument  of  modern 
thought,  but  the  almost  conscious  ministers  of  intelligence. 
He  said  himself,  "  only  a  l»orn  dunce  can  be  a  printer  and 
not  learn  to  love  literature;"  and  thus  we  see  that  he  ad- 
vanced from  the  composing-stick  to  the  editor's  chair  of  the 
most  powerful  and  well-conducted  afternoon  journal  in  the 
United  States,  through  his  high  ideal  of  the  vocation  of  a 
printer,  and  a  prophetic  view  of  his  own  future. 

Having  pitched  In-  tent  in  Brooklyn,  he  applied  to  Isaac 
Van  Anden,  and  obtained  employment  u]kjii  the  Brooklyn 
Ikulij  Emjl>\  which  wa>  then  a  fair  paper,  but  did  not  possess 
the  importance  to  which  it  attained  under  his  management. 
At  first  hii  duties  were  mechanical,  but  he  speedily  wrote 
h n n.-ic If  into  another  position,  one  step  toward  his  final  goal. 
I i >  U'gau  with  short  notice*  ol  current  events,  then  reviews 
of  books,  and  at  last  the  attention  of  the  editor-proprietor 
was  attracted  to  him,  resulting  in  his  appointment  as  head  , 


of  the  then  rather  limited  reportorial  staff  of  the  paper.  The 
editor  was  Henry  McCloskey,  a  trenchant  writer,  and  an  ac- 
complished scholar,  with  a  warm  heart,  but  convictions  a? 
strong  as  they  were  sometimes  erroneous.  He  remained  in 
his  position  from  1853  until  September,  1801,  when  the 
Civil  War  evolved  the  juncture  which  was  destined  to  give 
Thomas  Kinsella  his  great  opportunity.  McCloskey  believed 
in  the  right  of  secession,  while  Kinsella  did  not,  but  insisted 
upon  the  right  of  the  government  to  put  it  down.  Van 
Anden  counselled  moderation,  while  he  upheld  the  freedom 
of  his  editor.  The  government,  however,  interdicted  the 
Eagle  as  a  treasonable  sheet,  unless  a  loyal  man  was  ap- 
pointed its  editor.  McCloskey,  unable  to  give  up  his  con- 
victions, which  he  claimed  as  his  own  possession,  resigned, 
and  Mr.  Van  Anden  immediately  appointed  Thomas  Kinsella 
to  his  vacant  chair,  who  at  this  moment  could  see  stretching 
before  him,  the  wide  road  to  fame,  wealth,  and  a  command- 
ing influence  and  power  as  a  journalist.  The  light  breaks 
clearly,  and  Thomas  Kinsella  can  see  before  him  the  fruitioB 
of  his  earliest  hopes;  they  were  realized,  and  before  long  he 
became  the  controller,  the  guide,  the  censor,  the  presener 
of  a  journalistic  property  worth  one  million  of  dollars,  and 
that  has  lately  paid  annual  dividends  of  $ 125,000.  A  man 
of  his  large  powers  and  trained  ability,  joined  to  a  splendid 
physique,  and  who  drew  strength  from  perennial  fountains  of 
true  Irish  wit,  sentiment  and  oheerfulness,  could  not  be  at 
the  head  of  a  journal  like  this  and  fail  to  reach  a  high  posi- 
tion in  the  community.  At  the  same  time,  like  all  earnest 
men,  he  was  sure  to  make  enemies.  These  he  always  had, 
but  they  never  succeeded  in  accomplishing  aught  to  his  in- 
jury. Upon  his  paper  all  were  his  friends,  from  the  most 
insignificant  boy  to  his  associate  editors,  and  he  commanded 
from  each  a  loyalty  and  devotion  which  is  ever  sure  to  be 
accorded  to  a  loyal  heart. 

In  1869,  he  was  appointed  Commissioner  of  the  old  Brook- 
lyn Water  Board,  where  he  served  one  year  and  a  half,  then 
returned  to  his  editorial  duties.  He  was  a  warm  advocate 
of  President  Johnson,  who  appointed  him  Postmaster  of  the 
city  for  a  short  time.  In  1870  he  was  elected  to  represent  U»r 
Second  District  in  Congress.  Mr.  Kinsella  was  one  of  the 
earliest  advocates  of  a  union  between  the  Democrats  and  the 
Liberal  Republicans;  and,  in  the  nomination  of  Horace 
Ureeley  for  President,  he  was,  of  the  Democratic  leaii-  r-. 
the  one  most  active  aud  influential.  In  this,  his  own  otty, 
no  man,  save  perhaps  Mr.  Hugh  McLoughlin,  has  exercised 
as  much  influence  upon  its  politics  as  Mr.  Kinsella. 

For  years  he  opposed  the  one-man  power,  and  stood  fear- 
lessly in  the  path  of  all  "  bosses."  This,  of  course,  made  for 
him  many  political  enemies.  But  he  loved  the  city  of  his 
adoption.  No  citizen  of  ancient  Venice  had  more  aflectioQ 
for  the  Bride  of  the  Sea  than  Mr.  Kinsella  had  for  Brook 
and  thus  no  party  politics  or  mean  expedients  of  hack  politi- 
cians could  make  him  waver  from  the  course  he  deemed  the 
best  for  Brooklyn.  He  filled  the  office  of  Bridge  Trustee, 
and  was  also  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Education.  Hie 
positive  nature  and  really  patriotic  feeling  forBrookJj  n.  joined 
to  great  administrative  and  organizing  ability,  drove  him  al- 
ways into  politics,  but  not  for  profit.  Far  from  that,  for  be 
spent  much  money  and  time  in  going  to  Albany  whenever 
any  measures  concerning  the  city  were  before  the  I/gi-latun 
He  could  not  bear  to  see  hi>  own  city  hurt  by  ad  ..  t-' 
narrow  legislative  action,  and  was  willing  to  spend  of  his 
substance  for  her  U  nelit. 

It  was  the  same  with  him  when  in  Congress.  His  large 
heart  was  ever  ready  to  move  him  into  action  for  widnwsiM 
orphans,  whose  just  claims  for  pen-ions  were  d<  layed  by  iu- 
ellieiciit  clerks  and  departmental  red  tai>e. 


THE  PRESS. 


1187 


In  many  instances  he  has  worked  night  and  day  to  procure 
for  some  of  the  needy  citizens  of  his  city  who  could  not  em- 
ploy counsel,  the  distribution  at  an  early  date  of  what  money 
was  their  due.  After  leaving  Congress,  Mr.  Kinsella  devoted 
himself  to  the  Eagle  and  local  politics,  taking  an  active  part 
in  the  latter.  He  was  a  hearty  supporter  of  Mr.  Tilden  in 
1876;  and,  in  1880,  was  largely  instrumental  in  the  selection 
of  Gen.  Hancock  for  nomination,  as  the  Eagle  was  the  first 
paper  that  mentioned  his  name  for  the  Presidency.  There 
were  hardly  any  political  conventions  of  his  party  held  in  the 
city  that  did  not  see  Mr.  Kinsella  a  delegate. 

A  slight  difference  occurred,  in  1882,  between  him  and  the 
owners  of  the  paper,  growing  out  of  an  interference  with 
his  policy  as  editor  and  freedom  of  action,  so  that  he  made  a 
threat  to  purchase  a  rival  paper  and  leave  the  Eagle  alto- 
gether, unless  he  was  left  untrammeled.  This  threat  was 
currently  taken  in  Brooklyn  for  definite  action,  and  many 
expected  to  see  the  Eagle's  prestige  decreased.  But  the  un- 
pleasantness was  healed  over,  and  Mr.  Kinsella  recovered 
undisputed  sway. 

But  constant  work,  both  of  body  and  mind,  told  on  his 
iron  constitution,  so  that  he  was  compelled  to  go  to  Europe 
in  the  summer  of  1883,  to  recuperate,  returning  much  im- 
proved in  some  respects.  But,  as  usual,  the  restless  Irish 
spirit  drove  him  again,  and  threw  him  into  the  centre  of  the 
political  battle  during  the  municipal  election  of  1883,  and 
that,  coupled  with  subsequent  hard  work  in  Washington, 
where  his  efforts  were  instrumental  in  the  election  of  Mr. 
Carlisle  for  Speaker,  broke  him  down  again  in  the  month  of 
November  of  that  year.  He  went  home  from  his  office  one 
rainy  afternoon,  to  return  no  more.  His  illness,  not  alarm- 
ing, continued  through  three  months  ;  his  disease,  an  aggra- 
vated form  of  jaundice. 

The  estimation  in  which  he  was  held  was  vividly  brought 
out  during  his  battle  with  death,  as  all  classes  of  people  in- 
quired daily  for  him,  watching  the  papers  and  bulletins  for 
news  of  his  condition  ;  and  when,  at  last,  on  the  afternoon 
of  the  11th  of  February,  1884,  the  relentless  hand  of  the  de- 
stroyer could  be  no  longer  averted,  and  he  passed  away  from 


the  scene  of  his  busy  and  useful  life,  all  Brooklyn  mourned 
him,  and  the  flags  at  half  mast  throughout  the  city  bore 
mute  testimony  that  an  honored  and  regretted  soul  had  fled 
away. 

The  chief  characteristic  which  endeared  Mr.  Kinsella  to  his 
friends  was  his  kindly,  humane  interest  in  his  fellow  beings. 
The  trials  and  sorrows  of  his  friends  bore  with  heavy  weight 
upon  his  sensitive  heart.  Where  he  could  not  alleviate 
misery,  he  suffered  with  an  intensity  often  screened  by  an  as- 
sumed roughness  of  exterior.  As  he  advanced  in  life,  his 
sympathies  became  more  keenly  sensitive,  while  his  larger 
charity  and  benevolence  were  constantly  remarked  by  those 
about  him.  His  finest  trait,  perhaps,  was  his  gratitude  to  those 
who  had  ever  befriended  him  or  his.  Towards  those  who  had 
won  his  regard  through  real  or  fancied  service,  his  friendship 
was  unalterable;  and,  though  the  bond  was  often  strained  by 
selfishness  on  the  part  of  others,  it  was  kept  in  the  fullest 
fidelity  by  him. 

Before  the  writer  lies  the  draft  of  a  letter,  one  of  the  last 
he  ever  wrote  at  his  desk  before  leaving  it  forever,  which 
eloquently  attests  his  appreciation  of  kindness  shown  him. 
In  this  letter  he  asks  of  a  prominent  business  man  in  New 
York  employment  in  some  lowly  position  for  a  fellow-coun- 
tryman, apologizing  for  making  the  request  in  these  words  : 
"When  I  was  a  friendless  boy,  Dennis  did  me  a  favor." 
Fortunate  "Dennis,"  who  had  won  the  gratitude  of  this 
"friendless  boy,"  who  never  forgot  or  passed  by  an  old 
friend.  The  letter  goes  on  to  explain  that  the  writer  is  in  a 
position  to  repay  the  debt,  but  not  in  the  way  that  will  best 
serve  the  recipient,  and  then  follows  a  eulogy  upon  the  man 
whose  cause  he  makes  his  own.  No  better  tribute  to  his 
nobility  of  character  could  be  paid  than  is  portrayed  in  this 
letter,  written  to  a  friend  and  designed  for  no  other  eye. 

Over  the  narrow  plot  of  earth  that  holds  all  that  remains 
of  this  self-made  man,  far-seeing  statesman  and  patriotic 
citizen,  Brooklyn  has  paid  her  last  tribute  of  respect,  and  no 
more  fitting  inscription  can  be  placed  above  it  than  those 
words  of  Abou  Ben  Adhem  :  "  One  who  loved  his  fellow 
men."  LAURA  C.  HOLLOWAY. 


COL.  WILLIAM  HESTER. 


Col.  William  Hester,  President  of  the  Brooklyn  Eagle 
Association,  was  born  in  Poughkeepsic,  N.  Y. ,  in  December, 
1835.  His  father,  Mr.  Samuel  Hester,  now  of  Kingston,  comes 
of  good  old  English  stock;  his  mother  was  a  sister  of  the  late 
Isaac  Van  Anden  whose  name  will  always  be  identified  with 
the  Eagle.  Col.  Hester,  therefore,  represents  two  of  the  stur- 
diest and  most  enterprising  European  nationalities,  the 
English  and  the  Dutch.  His  early  education  was  received  at 
a  Poughkeepsie  public  school,  from  which,  as  he  grew  older, 
he  was  transferred  to  the  Rhinebeck  Academy,  where  he  was 
prepared  for  the  business  career  in  which  he  has  been  so  suc- 
cessful. Early  in  1852,  while  he  was  in  his  seventeenth  year, 
he  left  home  to  begin  life  on  his  own  account,  and  not  unnat- 
urally.with  strict  injunctions  to  place  himself  under  Mr.  Isaac 
Van  Anden's  care.  His  uncle  was  a  thorough  business  man, 
and  entertained  old-fashioned  and  conservative  ideas  upon  the 
subject  of  giving  young  men  a  start  in  life.  Favoritism  was 
especially  abhorrent  to  him.  Mr.  Van  Anden  had  begun  at 
the  foot  of  the  ladder,  and  he  was  determined  that  if  his 
nephew  rose  to  distinction,  it  should  be  through  his  own 
efforts  and  capabilities.    The  young  gentleman  from  Pough- 


keepsie was  therefore  put  to  work  with  the  boys  in  the  office, 
doing  such  work  as  fell  to  an  apprentice.  In  a  short  time 
he  had  mastered  the  intricacies  of  the  composing-room,  and 
awaited  his  turn  of  recognition  as  a  compositor.  At  the  age 
of  twenty-one  years,  he  was  setting  type  at  his  case  with 
other  gentlemen  who  have  attained  eminence  in  this  city . 
The  Eagle  was  rapidly  growing  in  importance,  and  the  staff 
was  increasing  with  its  needs  in  all  the  departments.  It  was 
young  Hester's  ambition,  when  a  vacaucy  occurred  in  the  fore- 
manship  of  the  composing  room,  to  win  that  distinction,  but 
Mr.  Van  Anden  could  not  bear  even  the  suggestion  of  .favorit- 
ism, and  another  candidate  won  the  coveted  position.  Shortly 
afterward  a  vacancy  occurred  in  the  clerical  force  of  the 
counting-room.  It  was  a  step  higher  and  the  young  compositor 
determined,  if  possible,  to  secure  the  appointment.  There  was 
no  question  here  of  superior  merit,  and  Mr.  Van  Anden  witli 
a  clear  conscience  was  enabled  to  place  his  nephew  behind 
the  counter,  in  which  he  speedily  justified  the  wisdom  of  his 
appointment.  From  being  book-keeper  he  worked  his  way 
up  to  the  head  of  the  department,  and  while  Mr.  Van  Anden 
controlled  the  business  of  the  Eagle,  his  nephew  became  the 


1188 


ins  TO  R  Y  07'  KINGS  COUNTY. 


manager  and  attended  to  all  the  details  of  the  olhce.  In  1870, 
Mr.  Van  Anden  sold  the  Eagle  to  a  number  of  gentlemen  who 
formed  a  stock  company  the  following  year.  Both  he  and 
his  nephew  became  stockholders,  and  Mr.  Van  Anden  was 
elected  President,  Col.  Hester  occupying  the  position  of 
publisher. 

In  1875,  Mr.  Isaac  Van  Anden  died,  and  at'  the  next 
meeting  of  the  directors  of  the  Eagle  Association,  Col. 
Hester  was  elected  President.  In  his  earlier  days  he  had  a 
share  in  public  affairs:  was  a  member  of  the  Volunteer  Fire 
Department;  the  National  Guard  of  the  State,  and  later  was 
Quartermaster  upon  Gen.  Dakin's  staff,  serving  rather  more 
than  five  years.  In  these  circumstances  it  was  not  singular 
that  the  leaders  of  the  Democratic  party,  to  which  Col.  Hester 
always  belonged,  should  have  turned  to  him  as  the  most 
available  candidate,  through  his  popularity,  to  contest  with 
the  Hon.  Darwin  R.  James,  the  Third  Congressional  District 
of  ill.  State  in  1^2.  Thai  district  commands,  naturally,  the 
highest  respect  in  Congress.  It  is  doubtful  if  a  more  intelli- 
gent and  wealthy  constituency  exists  in  the  country.  It  was 
Republican,  up  to  Col.  Hester's  candidacy,  by  a  majority  of 
7,000  votes.  To  reduce  this  majority  was  all  that  could  be 
reasonably  expected,  and  the  compliment  was  paid  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  Eagle  Association  of  making  him  the  standard- 
bearer  in  a  forlorn  hope.  In  an  editorial  article  commenting 
on  his  acceptance,  the  Hon.  Thomas  Kinsella,  who  was  a 
fellow-compositor  on  the  Eagle,  and  who  has  been  in  almost 
constant  intercourse  with  Col.  Hester  for  over  thirty  years — 
in  fact,  the  business  life  of  both  has  passed  within  the  bound- 
ary of  the  four  walls  of  the  Eagle  office,  although  those  limits 
during  the  time  have  expanded  from  18x40  feet,  to  an  area 
of  over  12,000  square  feet — among  other  words  of  praise,  paid 


the  following  hearty  and  characteristic  tribute  to  his  friend 
and  associate:  "The  writer  of  this  article  began  life  with 
him  at  '  the  case  '  and  from  an  acquaintance  of  thirty  years 
bears  testimony  to  the  fact  that  he  is  a  considerate  employer, 
a  helpful  and  genial  friend,  and  as  honest  a  man  as  lives.  If 
he  should  be  elected  to  Congress,  he  will  represent  the  Third 
District  intelligently,  and  in  a  conservative  spirit.  This  much 
may  be  relied  on:  wealth  has  no  attraction  and  power  no 
blandishment  adequate  to  turn  him  from  supporting  what  he 
conceives  to  be  right.  Of  course  he  did  not  seek  this  nomi- 
nation; it  sought  him.  He  is  not  desirous  even  of  political 
honors.  He  has  been  well  content  with  a  faithful  perform- 
ance of  all  the  duties  and  obligations  devolving  on  him  as  a 
private  citizen.  If  the  voters  of  the  Third  District  desire  to 
be  represented  in  Congress  by  an  intelligent,  upright  business- 
man who  has  no  sinister  ends  to  subserve,  and  who  will 
make  a  personal  sacrifice  by  accepting  a  public  trust,  they 
might  assiduously  seek  through  a  long  summer  day  and  fail 
to  find  a  better  man  than  William  Hester." 

Col.  Hester  was  a  stronger  candidate  than  even  his  friends 
had  ventured  to  hope,  for  the  majority  against  his  party  of 
7,000  was  reduced  to  2,400.  This  was  his  first  appearance  on 
the  stage  of  politics,  and  was  far  more  gratifying  to  his 
friends,  and  more  honorable  to  himself,  than  many  a  victory 
upon  which  famous  men  have  been  congratulated.  He  ac- 
cepted the  call  as  a  matter  of  party  duty.  With  the  cares  of 
so  important  an  enterprise  as  the  business  management  of 
the  Brooklyn  Eagle  constantly  pressing  upon  his  attention, 
and  the  obligation  to  his  fellow-citizens  irrespective  of  party 
involved  in  his  position,  Col.  Hester  is  more  than  content  to 
remain  in  private  life  as  the  head  of  a  great,  beneficent  and 
prosperous  concern. 


ANDREW  MCLEAN. 


Andrew  McLean,  the  present  Chief  Editor  of  the  Brooklyn 
Daily  Eagle,  is  a  native  of  Scotland.  He  was  born  in  the  vil- 
lage of  Renton,  in  Dumbartonshire,  on  the  banks  of  the  river 
Leven,  on  the  7th  of  August,  1848.  In  his  fourteenth  year, 
he  came  to  the  United  States,  and  made  his  home  in  Brook- 
lyn with  his  uncle  Andrew,  who  was  then  a  dry  goods 
men  bant  in  Myrtle  avenue.  In  this  city,  he  prepared  himself 
for  journalism,  to  which  his  active  life  has  been  devoted. 
He  attended  Brown's  Commercial  College  till  his  eighteenth 
year;  when,  equipped  for  work  with  a  sound  English  educa- 
tion, and  a  knowledge  of  the  art  of  short-hand  writing,  he 
began  operations  on  the  press.  After  boheinianizing  for  sev- 
eral months  on  the  New  York  papers,  he  went  west,  and  rc- 
mained  there  for  -omething  over  two  years;  during  which 
time  he  w  orked  on  the  ( 'hicago  and  Cincinnati  papers:  served 
as  a  stenographer  in  the  Legislature  of  Illinois;  started  a 
weekly  paper  in  the  village  of  Harrison,  near  Cincinnati: 
and  had  a  variety  of  experiences  in  journals  devoted  to 
labor  interests  in  special  departments  of  trade.    Ill  health 


compelled  him  to  return  east.  After  a  sickness  of  many 
months,  he  got  employment  on  the  Brooklyn  Times,  from 
which  he  transferred  his  services  to  the  New  York  Times, 
representing  that  paper  in  Brooklyn  for  about  two  years. 
From  the  Times  he  passed  t<>  the  Union;  and  from  the  Union 
(1874)  to  the  Eagle,  where  he  has  remained  ever  since,  as 
managing  editor.  On  the  Eagle  he  has  done  every  kind  of 
writing  which  a  reporter  or  editor  can  be  called  upon  to  do. 
He  is  a  writer  of  undeniable  ability,  nervous  force,  and  has 
made  a  reputation  as  a  journalist  which  is  remarkable  i  <>n 
sidering  his  years,  for  in  point  of  age.  he  is,  perhaps,  tin 
youngest  managing  editor  of  a  daily  newspaper  in  tin 
country.  Mr.  McLean  is  intense  in  his  political  feelings, 
; m,l  as  :u i  anti  machine  I  »emocra(  has  made  himself  widely 
known  in  Brooklyn.  His  views  on  all  questions  of  the  day 
command  respect;  while  as  a  writer  he  is  able  and  coiiipr. 
hensive.  Those  who  know  him  best,  and  hive  watched 
his  course  most  closely,  feel  assured  that  the  brightest  pur 
tion  of  bis  journalistic  career  is  but  just  opening  Ix  fore  him. 


WILLIAM   HERRI  ES. 


WiM.iAM  Hl  RKlKS  was  Lorn  in  Glasgow,  Scotland,  June  9, 
1-.'".  where  he  received  a  liberal  education.  In  the  year  18.r)2 
h-  ame  to  the  city  of  New  York,  and  there,  carrying  out  his 
eai  I y  favorite  plan  for  life.  Ix  gan  his  journalistic  career  in  the 
oftie<  ol  the  y,  ir  York  Tribune.    His  education,  intelligence, 


and  practical  talents,  soon  made  him  a  useful  and  well  ap- 
preciated meml«er  of  the  staff  of  the  Tribune,  with  w  hich  lie 
was  connected  until  186:5;  when  he  left,  to  assume  the 
editorial  charge  <>f  the  Brooklyn  Times.  This  charge  con- 
tinued ab.iit  one  year,  during  which  time  he  made  many 


THE  PRESS. 


1189 


friends,  among  whom  was  C.  D.  Bingham,  the  accomplished 
editor  of  the  Pittsburg  Commercial.  In  the  summer  of  I860, 
he  was  invited  by  Mr.  Bingham  to  become  his  associate  in 
editing  that  journal.  This  invitation  was  accepted,  and  was 
a  pleasing  and  profitable  relation.  After  continuing  in  it  for 
some  time,  Mr.  Herries,  in  connection  with  Mr.  John  W. 
Pittock,  established  the  Pittsburg  Sunday  Leader,  which 
soon  became  one  of  the  most  successful  and  influential 
papers  in  western  Pennsylvania. 

Having  parted  advantageously  with  his  interest  in  that 
journal,  Mr.  Herries  returned  to  the  city  of  New  York,  to  be 
connected  with  the  New  York  Times,  assuming,  after  a 
short  time,  charge  of  the  Brooklyn  affairs  of  that  paper. 

In  1872,  his  connection  with  the  Brooklyn  Eagle  began, 
and,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  intervals,  has  continued 
down  to  the  present  time.  We  believe  that  Mr.  Herries  has 
always  discharged  the  duties  of  the  various  positions  he  has  | 
occupied  in  a  highly  acceptable  manner.  He  loves  and  honors 
the  journalistic  profession,  justly  believing  that  it  largely 
furnishes  the  intellectual  element  of  the  time. 

Few  of  the  members  of  this  profession  are  more  industrious 
and  thorough  in  the  discharge  of  their  duties  than  he;  few 
have  a  larger  or  more  practical  knowledge  of  books  than  he; 
few  can  apply  a  more  critical  and  appreciative  analysis  to 
their  contents;  few  are  less  pretentious  in  exhibiting  their 
endowments.  Indeed,  his  modesty  has,  in  some  sense, 
militated  against  a  more  rapid  advancement  in  his  pro- 
fession. 

As  he  has  long  been  a  resident  of  Brooklyn,  he  is  exceed- 
ingly well  acquainted  with  all  its  affairs.    He  is  accessi- 


ble, affable  and  obliging,  and  always  ready  to  impart 
any  information  that  is  desired  of  him;  and  such  infor- 
mation is  almost  constantly  sought.  When  we  say  Mr. 
Herries  is  a  highly  useful  citizen  in  and  out  of  his  profession, 
we  feel  assured  that  public  sentiment  will  heartily  concur 
with  us.  Beyond  the  limits  of  the  Eagle  office,  Mr.  Herries 
has  a  large  circle  of  friends,  both  in  New  York  and  Brooklyn, 
who  hold  him  in  high  esteem. 

As  a  writer  he  is  concise,  direct,  lucid,  and  graceful;  his 
productions  have  an  ethical  interest,  evidently  the  offspring 
of  a  full  mind,  sound  judgment,  and  practical  good  sense. 
Mr.  Herries  is  not  without  merit  as  a  speaker,  though  he 
seldom  appears  before  the  public  in  that  character,  and  never, 
unless  strongly  solicited;  but  when  he  does  appear,  he  acquits 
himself  in  a  highly  commendable  manner.  Among  his  public 
productions  was  his  address  at  the  Kemble  banquet,  given  at 
I  the  Hotel  Brunswick,  New  York,  on  the  evening  of  Septem- 
ber 29,  1883,  to  commemorate  the  great  actor,  John  Kemble. 
On  that  occasion  addresses  were  made  by  Judge  Brady,  Rev. 
Dr.  Hall,  Collector  Robinson,  Mr.  Raphael  J.  DeCordova,  and 
other  distinguished  writers  and  speakers.  Mr.  Herries  re- 
sponded to  the  following  sentiment:  "The  Drama,  the  Co- 
laborer  with  the  Pulpit  in  Reprehending  Vice  and  Encourag- 
ing Virtue."  His  response  won  for  him  the  commendation 
of  every  person  present.  As  it  was  published  and  exten- 
sively read,  it  speaks  for  itself,  and  needs  no  other  encomium. 
Mr.  Herries  is  strongly  attached  to  his  brethren  in  the  pro- 
fession; never  forgetting  the  amenities  and  courtesies  that  so 
strongly  characterize  those  attached  to  the  great  calling  of 
journalism. 


ROBERT  A.  BURCH. 


Robert  A.  Burch,  a  native  of  Albany,  N.Y.,  lias  spent  the 
greater  portion  of  his  life  in  New  York  and  Brooklyn.  He 
first  studied  law,  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar,  but  his  literary 
tastes  predominating,  drew  him  to  the  field  of  journalism. 
He  has  been  connected  at  different  times  with  the  Star, 
Standard,  Union,  and  Eagle  of  Brooklyn,  and  with  the 
World  and  the  Evening  Post  of  New  York.  In  1872,  he  was 
managing  editor  of  the  Eagle;  in  1873,  editor-in-chief  of  the 
Union;  and  for  about  six  years  was  the  principal  editorial 


writer  of  the  Evening  Post,  during  the  last  years  of  the  life 
of  its  late  editor-in-chief,  Mr.  William  C.  Bryant.  When, 
after  his  death,  the  Post  changed  hands,  he  became  man- 
aging editor,  which  position  he  retained  until  1883.  In 
1884,  he  was  again  managing  editor  of  the  Eagle. 

Mr.  Burch  is  a  graceful  writer,  thoroughly  in  love  with  his 
profession,  and  of  a  social,  generous  disposition  which  makes 
and  retains  many  friendships.  Brooklyn  has  always  enlisted 
his  sincerest  interest  in  all  that  pertained  to  her  public  affairs. 


The  Weekly  Advertiser  is  published  by  Mr. 
George  H.  Ayres,  at  416  Grand  street,  Brooklyn,  E.  D., 
and  was  established  at  107  Broadway,  June  5th,  1874. 
Its  editor  is  Mr.  N.  B.  Jacobs.  Heretofore  it  has  been 
devoted  solely  to  the  interests  of  advertisers,  but  its 
character  will  soon  be  so  changed  that  it  will  give 
much  local  news;  thus  gaining  a  popularity  with  readers 
which  will  render  it  more  than  ever  valuable  to  adver- 
tisers. 

The  Brooklyn  Daily  Lance  was  established  in 
September,  1880,  by  Mr.  George  J.  May,  as  a  penny 


daily.  Its  publication  office  was  loc  ated  at  119  Frank- 
lin street,  Greenpoint.  Subsequently  Mr.  James  F. 
Rowins  associated  himself  with  Mr.  May,  and  the 
Lance  was  published  by  the  firm  of  May  &  Rowins. 
Mr.  Rowins  shortly  after  severed  his  connection  with 
the  paper.  Its  publication  was  continued  by  Mr.  May 
alone  at  the  location  named,  until  about  August  of 
1882,  when  the  Lance  became  the  Brooklyn  Daily 
Advertiser,  and  its  publication  office  was  removed  to 
its  present  location,  72  Greenpoint  avenue.  It  is  issued 
every  afternoon  except  Sunday. 


lino 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Among  other  papers  published  were  the  Republican, 
the  '/'/•"-  R>  publican,  t lie  C/iro/iicb ,  and  the  Post. 
They  are  now  dead. 

An  edition  of  the  Long  Island  Star,  of  Long  Island 
City,  owned  and  published  by  Mr.  Thomas  H.  Todd,  is 
printed  for  and  circulated  in  Greenpoint. 

The  Greenpoint  Globe  is  a  special  local  edition  of 
the  Neictoirn  Register,  owned  by  Charles  White,  of 
Newtown,  L.  I.,  which  is  circulated  every  Saturday. 

Messrs.  Hewitt  A  Hosier  publish  an  advertising  sheel 
called  the  Greenpoint  Independent. 

The  East  New  York  Sentinel  and  Brooklyn 
Herald  was  established  in  1SGG  by  Mr.  Matthew 
Cooper,  the  present  editor  and  proprietor;  and  was  the 
earliest  paper  published  in  Kings  county  outside  of 
Brooklyn.  It  is  radical  in  politics,  and  is  circulated 
extensively  throughout  the  five  county  towns,  as  well  as 
in  the  Eighteenth,  Twenty-fourth,  and  Twenty-fifth 
Wards  of  Brooklyn,  and  has  many  subscribers  in  New 
England  and  the  West,  and  in  other  parts  of  the  Union. 
The  regular  issue  is  2,500.  The  Sentinel  and  Herald 
is  an  eight-column,  four-page  paper,  containing  much 
reading  matter  of  an  interesting  character,  and  well 
patronized  by  advertisers. 

The  Long  Island  Record,  published  weekly  in 
East  New  York,  was  established  in  1871,  by  Messrs. 
A.  H.  W.  Yan  Siclen  and  Richard  Pickering.  One 
year  later,  Mr.  Van  Siclen  (who  had  in  the  meantime 


been  elected  Supervisor  of  the  town)  retired  from  the 
business,  leaving  Mr.  Pickering  as  sole  proprietor  and 
editor.  The  Record  has  always  maintained  an  "inde- 
pendent "  position  in  politics,  and  has  wielded  an  im- 
portant influence  in  local  matters.  Its  merit  has  been 
recognized  from  time  to  time  by  the  Board  of  Super- 
visors, in  its  designation  as  one  of  the  official  county 
papers.  Its  circulation  is  by  no  means  limited  to 
the  township  in  which  it  is  published,  but  extends 
into  the  neighboring  towns  of  Kings  and  Queens 
counties. 

The  Brooklyn  News  is  published  by  James  F. 
Denehan  at  249  Atlantic  avenue,  between  Court  and 
Boerum  streets,  with  a  branch  office  at  John  Delmar's 
real  estate  office,  Fifth  avenue  and  Ninth  street,  and 
claims  a  larger  circulation  in  South  Brooklyn  than  any 
other  paper.    It  was  established  in  1868. 

The  Hornet  is  a  small  eight-page  weekly  journal 
devoted  to  military,  masonic  and  social  interests.  It 
is  published  by  G.  F.  McSkimming  &  Co.,  74  and  76 
Myrtle  avenue,  and  is  now  in  its  second  volume. 

An  Ephemeris  of  Materia  Medica,  Pharmacy, 
Therapeutics  and  Collateral  Information.  By 
Dr.  Edward  R.,  Edward  H.  and  Chas.  F.  Squibb,  A.B., 
now  in  its  second  volume.  An  occasional  issue,  "as 
time  and  material  may  admit."  A  neat,  well  edited 
quarto,  and  valuable  to  the  medical  profession,  espe- 
cially with  reference  to  pharmaceutical  matters. 


HON.  WILLIAM   ERIGENA  ROBINSON. 


Hon.  William  Eiuoena  Robinson,  Member  of  Congress 
from  the  Second  N.  Y.  District. — Ireland  has  given  birth  to 
many  eminent  citizens  of  Brooklyn,  and  among  those  who 
have  done  our  city  and  county  good  service,  our  distin- 
guished fellow  citizen,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  claims  Erin 
as  his  native  laud,  and  Unagh,  near  Cookstown,  County 
Tyrone,  in  the  Province  of  Ulster,  as  his  birthplace,  where  he 
first  saw  the  light  m  1*14.  His  father  and  brothers  were  re- 
sectable and  prosperous  tradesmen  in  Cookstown,  Coleraine, 
ami  Bally meney.  and  his  father  wished  him  to  follow  the 
same  occupation;  Inn  I  lie  boy  was  resolute  to  obtain  a  colle- 
giate education,  and,  unknown  to  his  father,  w  ith  the  assist- 
aneeof  his  teacher,  who  lent  him  money  for  the  purpose,  he 
procured  the  Creek  ami  Latin  te.x t- books,  and  pursued  his 
-Indies  in  the  night.  His  father,  discovering  the  eagerness  of 
Li  -on  for  study,  ceased  his  opposition  and  sent  him  to  Bel- 
fast, vv  here,  in  due  time,  he  entered  college.  His  zeal  in  im- 
proving hi-  new  opportunities  probably  contributed  to  throw 
him  into  a  typhoid  fever,  from  w  hich  he  was  long  in  recover- 
ing, and  by  the  urgent  advice  of  his  physicians,  he  was  com- 
pelled to  return  home,  and  abandon  for  the  time,  his  studies. 
He  amused  himself  at  home  by  elbirts  at  landscape  garden- 
ing on  his  father's  farm;  and  the  gravelled  walks,  the  haw  - 
thorn hedges,  and  the  now  -lately  torest  trees,  planted  by 
hi-  hands,  *till  exist,  and  give  ev  idence  of  his  love  of  natural 
beauty. 


He  also  undertook  to  obtain  the  meaus,  and  to  erect  | 
school-house  at  Unagh,  which  should  be  far  superior  to  any- 
thing in  that  region;  and  enlisting  the  interest  and  contribu- 
tions of  the  neighboring  gentry,  and  even  of  the  Lord  LieutSB 
ant  of  Ireland,  for  the  purpose,  he  achieved,  as  he  had  u-ualh 
done  since  in  his  undertakings,  a  grand  success.  But  the  health 
so  earnestly  sought  for  did  not  leturn,  and,  though  wits 
many  misgivings  that  he  was  to  be  a  lifelong  inv  alid,  he  re- 
solved upon  an  ocean  voyage,  and  turned  his  face  resolutely 
toward  New  York,  which  city  he  reached  in  Sept..  ls;|ii.  alter 
a  tedious  and  perilous  voy  age  of  nearly  three  months.  Eil 
long  detention  at  Belfast.  Liverpool,  and  on  the  voyage,  bad 
so  far  reduced  his  finances,  that  he  landed  in  New  York  city 
vv  ith  only  a  sovereign  in  his  pocket.  He  was  too  independent 
to  write  home  for  more,  but  he  sought  at  once  for  work,  ami 
mainly  by  labor  with  his  pen,  he  not  only  sustained  himself, 
and  reviewed  his  studies,  but  entered  Yale  College  in  Sept., 
|s:!7,  with  ten  dollars  in  his  pocket,  having  doubled  his  origi- 
nal capital  at  landing.  Not  vv  it  list  and  irg  his  financial  difficul- 
ties and  the  debts  he  was  obliged  to  incur  (but  which  M 
afterward  paid  in  full,  principal  and  interest  I.  he  lock  :t  Iiik'1 
position  in  Yale,  and  that  in  a  class  very  remarkable  for  the 
ability  of  its  members,  lie  founded  the  Yale  chapter  of  Mm 
I'si  I'psilon,  started  the  publication  of  the  Yah  thinner,  ww* 
I  President  of  the  Profilers  in  Unity,  then  one  of  the  two  lad- 
ing college  societies,  and  w  bile  keeping  well  up  in  hisstudiw, 


HON. "WILLIAM  E.ROBINSON 


THE  PRESS. 


1101 


wrote  much  of  the  editorial  matter  of  the  New  Haven  Daily 
Herald,  thus  partly  paying  his  way,  and  at  the  same  time 
making  the  paper  a  very  lively  and  racy  one.  He  had  proved 
himself  also  a  graceful  and  eloquent  speaker  (his  farewell 
oration  to  his  class  in  1841  having  been  published  at  the  re- 
quest of  the  class);  and  during  the  two  years  which  followed 
his  graduation  in  1841,  while  pursuing  his  studies  in  the  Yale 
law  school,  his  services  were  much  in  demand  in  Albany, 
Utica,  Buffalo,  New  York  city,  Providence,  Boston,  Phila- 
delphia, Washington,  Richmond,  Pittsburgh,  Cincinnati, 
Lexington,  Ky.,  and  elsewhere,  for  the  delivery  of  some  elo- 
quent lectures  he  had  prepared  on  Ireland  and  the  Irish.  These 
lectures,  which  were  afterwards  published  and  widely  circu- 
lated, received  the  highest  commendation  from  Henry  Clay 
and  others  of  the  most  eminent  men  of  the  time.  He  was 
then,  as  ever  since,  thoroughly  and  ardently  loyal  to  his 
native  country,  and  nothing  could  rouse  his  indignation  or 
raise  his  eloquence  to  fervid  heat  more  effectually  than  an 
attack  on  Ireland  or  the  Irish  leaders  of  the  time. 

In  December,  1843,  he  went  to  Washington  as  correspond- 
ent there  of  the  New  York  Tribune;  he  retained  this  position 
for  many  years,  his  articles  over  the  signature  of  Richelieu, 
being  very  attractive,  and  aiding  materially  in  giving  that 
paper  the  high  reputation  it  has  always  maintained.  His 
final  separation  from  that  paper,  though  not  from  pleasant 
intercourse  with  its  editors,  grew  out  of  his  loyalty  to 
Ireland.  Meantime  he  had  engaged  in  several  other  news- 
paper ventures.  He  had  been  chief  editor  of  the  Buffalo 
Express,  and  of  the  Newark  Mercury,  and  in  1849,  with 
Devin  Reilly,  commenced  the  publication  and  editing  of 
Hie  People,  which  had  a  brilliant  though  not  long  career. 
In  1853,  he  married  Miss  Dougherty,  of  Newark,  the  marriage 
ceremony  being  performed  by  Archbishop  Hughes.  The 
next  year  he  commenced  the  practice  of  law  in  New  York 
city,  and  soon  attained  a  good  practice.  In  1859  he  revisited 
Ireland,  where  he  was  received  with  great  honors,  and  de- 
livered a  most  eloquent  Fourth  of  July  oration.  He  came  to 
Kings  county  in  1859,  making  his  home  at  first  at  Bath, 
where  he  still  owns  a  fine  summer  residence.  In  1862  he  re- 
moved to  Brooklyn,  where  he  has  since  resided,  except  in 
the  summer.  He  had,  while  in  New  York,  been  nominated 
for  the  Legislature,  for  Congress,  and  for  District  Judge,  but 
residing  in  a  Tweed  district  (most  of  the  districts  were  for 
Tweed  at  that  time),  he  failed  of  election.  After  his  removal 
to  Brooklyn,  his  political  and  executive  abilities  were  better 
appreciated.  In  1862,  he  was  appointed  by  President  Lin- 
coln's own  nomination,  Assessor  of  Internal  Revenue  for  the 
Third  Congressional  District,  an  office  then  of  great  import- 
ance. He  held  this  office  for  five  years,  only  resigning  it  to 
take  his  seat  in  the  Fortieth  Congress  as  successor  of  Hon. 
James  Humphreys,  and  being  elected  by  over  1,800  majority 
over  his  competitor.  His  services  in  this  Congress  were  of 
signal  value  and  importance.  He  advocated,  and  carried 
through  Congress,  the  great  doctrine  of  the  sanctity  of 
American  citizenship  for  naturalized  citizens,  in  opposition 
to  thatdoctrine  of  perpetual  allegiance,  which  had  previously 
been  held  by  European  powers;  and,  largely  through  his 
exertions,  this  American  doctrine  was  acknowledged  and  ac- 
cepted by  the  principal  states  of  Europe;  he  procured  some 
modifications  of  the  Internal  Revenue  Law,  which  added  to 
its  efhciency,  and  took  away  its  objectionable  features;  he 
entered  very  vigorously  into  the  debates  on  Reconstruction. 
He  was  also  instrumental  in  the  passage  of  several  excellent 
bills  of  local  character.  From  1869  to  1880,  though  several 
times  proposed  for  different  positions,  as  State  Senator, 
Mayor,  etc.,  he  was  not-outhe  winning  side,  sometimes  from 
party  factions,  and  sometimes  from  his  reluctance  to  engage 


in  violent  partisan  campaigns.  During  this  period  he  was 
engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  profession,  and  in  literary 
pursuits.  The  death  of  his  excellent  wife  in  1875,  weighed 
heavily  on  his  spirits,  and  his  health  was  much  impaired.  In 
1880,  he  was  elected  by  a  large  majority  to  the  Forty-Seventh 
Congress,  and  in  1882  was  re-elected  by  an  increased  majority 
to  the  Forty-Eighth.  In  the  Forty-Seventh  Congress,  some 
of  his  speeches,  denunciatory  of  the  imprisonment  of  Ameri- 
can citizens  by  the  English  government,  showed  much  of  his 
old  fire  and  enthusiasm.  He  also  earnestly  advocated  in  a 
brief  speech,  the  granting  of  a  pension  to  the  only  surviving 
granddaughter  of  Thomas  Jefferson;  another  important 
measure  advocated  by  him  in  both  sessions  of  the  Forty- 
Seventh  Congress,  was  one  for  the  reduction  of  letter  postage 
to  one  cent.  This  attracted  much  attention  in  all  parts  of 
the  country,  and  will  again  be  pressed  by  him  in  the  Forty- 
Eighth  Congress.  His  speeches  on  American  shipping, 
American  citizenship,  and  in  opposition  to  the  increase  of 
our  military  force,  were  also  listened  to  with  great  interest. 
Among  more  local  measures  proposed  or  earnestly  advocated 
by  him,  was  one  for  the  construction  of  iron  and  stone  piers, 
to  be  paid  for  by  a  small  percentage  of  customs  collected, 
and  another,  a  bill  for  the  erection  of  a  public  building  for 
government  use  in  the  City  of  Brooklyn,  which  had  been 
long  pending,  and  which  was  passed  successfully  near  the 
close  of  the  second  session  of  the  Forty-Seventh  Congress. 
He  is  a  valuable  Member  of  Congress  for  Brooklyn,  always 
mindful  of  her  interest,  and  helpful  to  all  the  causes  that 
need  and  deserve  help.  Mr.  Robinson,  in  addition  to  his 
long  labors  as  a  journalist,  has  published  but  little;  three 
or  four  public  orations,  a  fine  poem  on  the  American 
flag,  and  five  or  six  of  his  speeches  in  Congress,  constitute 
the  whole  of  his  works  thus  far  given  to  the  public;  but  he 
is  understood  to  be  preparing  a  work  on  "The  Early 
Settlers  and  Prominent  Men  of  our  Colonial  and  National 
History."  Horace  Greeley  wrote  a  biographical  sketch  of 
him  for  "Barnes'  Fortieth  Congress."  Personally,  Mr.  Rob- 
inson is  a  genial  gentleman,  and  interesting  and  pleasant 
companion,  full  of  anecdote  and  reminiscence,  and  possess- 
ing a  wide  range  of  general  as  well  as  special  culture. 


Among  the  other  journalists  and  publishers,  etc..  of  King9 
county,  we  may  mention: 

LouisA.  Wendt,  of  1522  Pacific  st.,  who,  after  finishing 
studies  in  connection  with  Mr.  G.  B.  McCloskey,  a  nephew 
of  Henry  J.  McCloskey,  late  editor  of  Brooklyn  Eagle, 
started  a  paper.  The  Brooklyn  Barb,  which,  not  proving  as 
decided  a  financial  success  as  was  anticipated,  was  aban- 
doned; then  entered  in  the  commission  business  (dry  goods), 
in  which  pursuit  he  is  still  engaged. 

George  H.  Rowe,  159  Meserole  ave.,  local  editor  Green- 
point  Daily  Star,  1873;  born  in  N.  Y.,  1847;  prominently 
identified  with  the  Masonic  fraternity,  being  a  32d  Degree 
Member  of  the  N.  Y.  Consistory;  belonging  to  all  the  Scottish 
Rite  bodies  of  Brooklyn;  and  also  of  Mecca  Temple,  of  the 
Ancient  Arabic  Order,  Nobles  of  the  Mystic  Shrme;  was 
formerly  connected  with  the  Newark  Daily  Journal,  Newark, 
N.  J.,  and  the  Brooklyn  Daily  Times. 

Thomas  B.  Sidebotham,  Jr.,  391  and  393  Fulton  st.,  print- 
ing and  publishing,  established  in  1871;  publisher  of  the 
Brooklyn  Review,  established  in  1873;  and  contractor  for  city 
and  county  printing. 

Gaylord  Watson,  278  Pearl  st.,  near  Beekmar.,  N.  Y., 
is  the  publisher  of  various  maps,  etc.,  and  of  The  Handbook 
of  the  United  States  of  America,  and  Guide  to  Emigration; 
compiled  by  L.  P.  Brockett,  M.  D.,  1883. 


1192 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Among  printers: 

M  h  ii  \ki.  Kino,  446  Grain!  st.,  printer;  was  established  1870; 
member  of  East  River  Engine  Co.,  No.  170,  N.  Y. 
Volunteer  Fire  Department. 

Charles  H.  McIlvaine,  274  Hooper  st.,  book  and  job 
printer,  established  1866,  in  N.  Y. ;  Lieut.  47th  Regiment, 
National  Guard. 

Andrew  EL  Rome,  377  Fulton  st.,  job  printer,  established 
1848,  OOt  I  iranbeny  and  Fulton  sts. :  printed  Walt  Whitman's 
first  edition  of  lAaws  of  Grass,  also  published  The  Index, 
weekly,  three  years. 

John  Wokhr.  Jr.,  »>(>  Bergen  St..  printer,  established  1876, 
under  the  name  of  The  Brooklyn  Printing  Co.,  from  an  out- 
fit costing  $3.75,  which  has  gradually  inc  reased  to  its  present 
large  extent. 

Among  Imiksellcrs  and  stationers: 

Henry  Thorpe,  454  Sackett  St.,  bookseller;  born  in  Eng- 
land. 1M7:  resident  of  Brooklyn  since  1861;  established  1870, 
at  84  Nassau  st.,  N.  Y.     Pres.  L.  I.  Foivster  Club;  Sec. 


Fountain  Gun  Club,  and  Sec.  L.  I.  Sportsman's  Association: 
contributor  to  sporting  papers  under  the  pseudonvni  of 
"  Walton." 

James  P.  Rappelyea,  Mansion  House,  Brooklyn;  stationer; 
o7  Maiden  Lane. 

Walter  John  Weedon,  122  Myrtle  ave.  and  90  Chambers 
St.,  N.  Y.,  books  and  stationery;  born  in  England:  came  to 
United  States  186*5;  established  in  Brooklyn,  1869;  annual 
sales,  140,000. 

Mr.  T.  B.  Ventres,  dealer  in  Bibles,  books  and  stationery 
62  Court  st. ;  established  his  business  at  that  place  in  1866, 
and  by  close  attention  to  the  interests  of  his  customers,  has 
extended  his  sales  very  greatly,  covering  large  portions  of 
several  states;  his  specialties  are  Sunday-school  helps,  Bible- 
texts  and  picture  cards  for  all  seasons  and  birthdays. 

David  S.  Holmes,  89  Fourth  st.,  Brooklyn.  E.  1  >. :  >tatioii- 
ery,  music,  and  musical  instruments;  established  1849.  in 
New  York;  removed  to  his  present  location  in  1859;  one  of 
the  most  extensive  establishments  of  the  kind  in  Brooklyn. 
E.  D. 


JOHN   T.  RUNCIE. 


The  Eastern  District  of  the  City  of  Brooklyn  num- 
bers among  its  "old  inhabitants"  none  more  enterpris- 
ing, or  more  respected,  than  the  gentleman  whose 
portrait  is  presented  on  the  opposite  page.  Fifty  years 
ago,  a  young  man,  twenty-two  years  of  age,  ho  came 
to  the  then  Village  of  Williamsburgh,  and  commenced 
the  manufacture  of  tobacco,  especially  of  cigars.  In 
this  he  continued  until  1849,  when  he  entered  upon  the 
real  estate  and  brokerage  business,  and  prosecuted  it 
with  that  degree  of  judgment  and  success  which  enabled 
him,  in  I860,  to  retire  from  its  active  duties  with  a 
h  indsome  competence.  For  a  brief  time,  in  1847,  and 
again  in  1853,  he  also  held  the  position  of  Postmaster 
in  Williamsburgh,  discharging  its  duties  with  fidelity 
and  acceptability  to  his  fellow  citizens. 

Since  his  retirement  from  active  business,  Mr.  Runcie 
lias  been  largely  identified  with  the  public  interests  of 
the  Eastern  District — more  particularly  with  its  street 
railroads  and  ferries.  In  1859,  he  (with  the  Hon.  Ira 
Biirkm.in)  inaugurated  the  plan  for  the  Grand  street  and 
Newtown  EL  R. ;  tad, despite  powerful  political  opposi- 
tion and  maneuvering  in  behalf  of  a  rival  scheme, 
secured  a  charter  and  completed  it.  Of  this  road,  which 
formed  a  much-needed  and  direct  route  to  Calvary 
Cemetery,  Mr.  Runcie  was  president,  until  1868,  when 
ill  health  led  him  to  withdraw  from  its  management 
and  interests. 


When,  some  ten  years  since,  the  lease  of  the  Grand 
6treet  ferry  having  expired,  it  was  not  renewed  because 
of  a  dispute  between  the  Dock  Commissioner  and  the 
Comptroller  of  the  city  of  Xew  York,  as  to  the  disposi- 
tion of  the  rent  therefrom,  Mr.  Runcie,  in  behalf  of  the 
suffering  interests  of  the  Eastern  District,  drafted  and 
(with  the  help  of  lion.  Charles  L.  Lyon)  secured  the 
passage  of  a  bill  by  the  Legislature,  which  broke  the 
"  dead-lock,"  by  forcing  the  Comptroller  to  sell  the 
franchise  of  the  ferry  for  a  term  of  ten  years — under 
which  lease  the  ferry  is  at  present  run. 

In  1875,  Cypress  Hills  Cemetery  being  in  a  bad  con- 
dition, financially  and  otherwise,  Mr.  Runcie  was  chosen 
a  trustee.  Upon  him  soon  devolved  the  duties  of  man- 
aging trustee,  and  finally  those  of  the  Comptrollership. 
His  experience  in  the  management  of  employees,  his 
strict  methods  of  business,  his  abilities  as  an  organizer, 
together  with  his  social  and  political  influence,  soon 
produced  a  marked  improvement  in  the  affairs  of  the 
institution.  Order  emerged  from  confusion,  solvency 
from  bankruptcy,  and  a  large  floating  debt  was  sensibly 
reduced — placing  Cypress  Hills  Cemetery  in  the  front 
rank  of  similar  institutions,  as  regards  prosperity  and 
efficiency. 

Mr.  Runcie  lost  his  wife,  by  death,  many  years  IgSJ 
and  his  son  William  J.  Runcie  is  a  prosperous  merchant 
in  Buffalo,  N.  Y.  A  more  extended  sketch  of  Mr. 
Runcie  will  be  found  on  page  608. 


HISTORY 

OF 

MILITARY  ORGANIZATIONS 

IN 

KINGS  COUNTY. 


AN  efficient  military  organization  is  necessary 
to  every  government,  not  only  as  a  pro- 
tection from  external  hostilities  and  invasion, 
but  also  to  ensure  the  enforcement  of  its  laws 
and  the  preservation  of  good  order.  In  actual  war- 
fare, our  government  depends  somewhat  upon  its  small 
regular  army,  but  more  upon  volunteers  for  its  defense. 
In  time  of  peace,  the  power  of  the  nation  lies  dormant, 
but  the  knowledge  that  it  can  be  called  forth  tends 
strongly  to  repress  mob  violence  and  to  secure  obe- 
dience to  the  laws.  The  military  system  of  the  United 
States  recognizes  the  rights  of  the  sovereign  States  and 
assumes  only  to  act  where  all  are  concerned.  The 
militia  includes  all  the  arms-bearing  citizens  of  the 
republic,  who,  in  time  of  need,  may  be  called  to  its 
defense.  Congress  has  the  power  to  "  provide  for 
calling  forth  the  militia  to  execute  the  laws  of  the 
Union,  suppress  insurrections  and  repel  invasions," 
while  to  the  separate  States  is  reserved  "  the  appoint- 
ment of  the  officers,  the  authority  of  training  the 
militia  according  to  the  discipline  prescribed  by  Con- 
gress." 

The  militia  is  essentially  a  State  Institution,  so  rec- 
ognized by  the  Constitution,  while  the  regular  army 
remains  under  the  exclusive  control  of  the  general 
government.  Though  the  entire  militia  of  the  State  is 
liable  to  military  service,  it  is  undesirable  that  a  large 
portion  should  be  permanently  organized  or  under  con- 
stant training,  but  it  is  necessary  that  a  small  number 
should  be  kept  in  training  and  discipline,  ready  for  any 
emergency  that  might  suddenly  arise;  in  the  cities  they 
are  a  valuable  auxiliary  to  the  police,  while  their 
presence  maintains  good  order  and  prevents  lawlessness. 

A  force  of  10,000  men  in  this  State  has  proved  suf- 
ficient, and  these  are  located  in  the  cities  where  their 
assistance  is  most  likely  to  be  required.  In  every  in- 
stance, where  the  New  York  State  National  Guard  was 
sailed  on  by  the  State  authorities  or  the  National 
Government,  it  responded  promptly  and  effectively. 
In  April,  1861,  New  York  State  sent  eleven  regiments 


of  her  National  Guard,  more  than  seven  thousand  offi- 
cers and  men,  to  the  threatened  National  Capital;  in 
addition,  six  regiments  of  the  State  Militia  volunteered 
in  the  beginning  of  the  war  and  served  honorably  for 
three  years;  more  than  five  thousand  officers  for  volun- 
teer regiments  were  furnished  by  the  Militia  of  this 
State.  In  1862  and  '63,  twenty-six  regiments,  N.  G.,  S. 
N.  Y.,  marched  to  the  relief  of  Pennsylvania  and  Mary- 
land; some,  returning,  quelled  the  draft  riots  in  New 
York;  in  1864,  ten  regiments  were  mustered  into  the 
United  States  service  for  a  hundred  days;  in  1864  and 
'65,  the  National  Guard  stood  on  duty  on  the  frontier 
against  threatened  raids  from  Canada,  and  protected 
the  lives  and  property  of  our  citizens.  Fortunately, 
since  the  war,  there  has  been  little  occasion  to  call 
upon  the  National  Guard*  still  they  are  the  pride  of  the 
State  for  their  public  spirit  and  discipline. 

The  supreme  command  of  the  State  Militia  is  vested 
in  the  Governor,  ex-officio,  who  appoints  his  staff  and 
commissions  the  officers  of  the  force,  after  their  elec- 
tion. 

The  National  Guard,  State  of  New  York.— The  Constitu- 
tion of  the  State,  of  April  20,  1777,  ordained  that  the  militia 
at  all  times,  hereafter,  as  well  in  peace  as  in  war,  shall  be 
armed  and  disciplined  and  in  readiness  for  service. 

Act  of  the  Legislature,  passed  April  4,  1786,  provides  for 
the  organization  of  the  militia  :  Each  company  of  infantry 
to  consist  of  11  officers,  and  not  less  than  sixty- five  privates; 
each  company  of  horse  of  11  officers,  and  forty  horsemen; 
each  company  of  artillery  of  17  officers  and  44  men.  Four 
companies  of  infantry  to  constitute  a  battalion,  and  two 
battalions  a  regiment;  each  regiment  to  have  two  light  in- 
fantry companies  as  flank  companies.  Four  regiments  to 
form  a  brigade,  commanded  by  a  brigadier-general,  and  one 
troop  of  horse  and  one  company  of  artillery  attached  to  each 
brigade.    The  whole  to  be  divided  into  two  divisions. 

Act  passed  April  17,  1854,  organizes  the  State  in  eight 
military  divisions,  each  of  not  less  than  two  nor  more  than 
four  brigades;  each  brigade  of  not  less  than  two  nor  more 
than  four  regiments;  each  regiment  to  be  of  eight  companies, 
to  which  may  be  added  two  flank  companies  of  cavalry, 
artillery,  light  artillery  or  riflemen,  and  one^section  of  flying 
artillery. 


1104 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Act  passed  April  23,  1862,  directs  the  organized  militia  to 
be  known  hereafter  as  the  National  Guard,  and  to  consist  of 
eight  divisions,  thirty-two  brigades,  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
eight  regiments  and  battalions,  and  such  number  of  batteries, 
troops  or  squadrons  as  may  be  formed  according  to  law,  but 
empowers  the  Commander-in-Chief  to  increase  this  force  in 
case  of  war,  invasion,  etc. 

Act  passed  April  36,  1866,  directs  that  the  National  Guard 
should  not  exceed  50,000  enlisted  men,  except  in  case  of  war, 
invasion,  etc. 

Act  passed  May  6.  1868,  provides  that  the  strength  of  the 
National  Guard  should  not  exceed  30,000  enlisted  men,  except 
in  case  of  war,  invasion,  etc. 

Act  passed  May  8,  1869,  reduces  the  strength,  except  in 
time  of  war,  invasion,  etc.,  to  20,000  enlisted  men. 

Act  passed  April  30,  1875,  creates  an  inspector  of  rifle 
practice  for  each  regiment. 

Act  passed  May  18,  1878,  leaves  the  number  of  divisions 
discretionary  with  the  Commander-in-Chief,  and  authorizes 
the  organization  of  separate  companies. 

Act  passed  April  23,  1883,  fixes  the  aggregate  force  of  the 
National  Guard  in  time  of  peace  to  bo  no  less  than  10,000, 
nor  more  than  15,000  enlisted  men;  a  regiment  to  consist 
of  not  less  than  8  nor  more  than  10  companies,  with  3 
field  and  7  staff  officers  and  11  non-commissioned  staff  offi- 
cers; a  battalion  to  consist  of  not  more  than  six  nor  less  than 
four  companies,  with  2  field  and  4  staff  officers  and  11  non- 
commissioned staff.  Companies  are  each  to  consist  of  18 
officers  and  not  less  than  31  nor  more  than  64  privates. 
Batteries  are  each  to  consist  of  3  commissioned  and  13  non- 
commissioned officers,  and  2  drummers,  and  not  less  than  48 
nor  more  than  93  privates.  A  Gatling  gun  battery  shall  con- 
sist of  3  commissioned  and  13  non-commissioned  officers,  and 
1  trumpeter,  not  less  than  32  nor  more  than  84  privates. 

December  31,  1883,  the  National  Guard  consists  of  forty 
separate  companies  of  infantry,  of  one  battalion  of  infantry 
of  four  companies,  of  fifteen  regiments  of  infantry  of  one 
hundred  and  thirty-three  companies,  of  seven  batteries  of 
artillery;  in  all.  one  hundred  and  eighty-four  companies  or- 
ganized in  eight  brigades,  and  these  in  four  divisions; 
armed,  the  infantry  with  the  Remington  breech-loading  rifle, 
calibre  50,  and  the  artillery  with  three-inch  steel  guns, 
twelve-pounder  mountain  howitzers,  twelve-pounder  field 
howitzers,  twelve-pounder  Napoleon  guns,  and  Gatling 
guns. 

By  the  consolidation  of  the  National  Guard  in  Jan.,  1882, 
the  Fifth  Brigade  became  the  Third  and  the  Eleventh  was 
made  the  Fourth. 

Second  Division,  National  Guard,  State  of  New  York, 
Head-quarters,  49  Court  street,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. — Maj.  Gen. 
hid  ward  L.  Molineux  joined  the  Brooklyn  City  Guard  (Co.  G, 
18th  Regt.)  in  1854.  In  1861,  he  joined  the  7th  ;  was  promi- 
nent in  the  formation  of  the  23d,  and  afterwards  its  Lieut. - 
i  '.iIoim-I;  was  Brigade  Inspector  and  helped  to  re-organize  the 
11th  Brigade.  In  August,  1862,  he  raised  the  159th  N.  Y. 
Vols.  ,us  Lieut. -Colonel ;  in  October,  was  commissioned  Colo- 
Mil;  took  part  in  Banks'  expedition  in  Ixiuisiana ;  was 
wound.  d  in  the  face  at  Irish  Bend,  April  14.  1N63  ;  in  July 
was  appointed  Asst.  Inspector-General  on  Gen.  Franklin's 
"Maif;  subsequently  Provost-Marshal  General  and  Commis- 
-ioner  to  Exchange  I'ri-oners;  in  I H<i I,  he  was  Military  Com- 
mander of  the  La  I'oiii'che  District,  and  later,  had  command 
"f  all  the  force*  north  of  the  Red  river;  afterwards  was  with 
Sheridan  in  Shenate |o,-th  Valley,  and  promoted  Brig.-Oeneral 
f"r  gallantry  at  Fi*hei  *  Hill,  Winchester  and  Cedar  ('reek  ; 
in  ISCm,  held  .  ommaml  at  Savannah,  and  in  June  was  made 
M 1 1 1 1  tr\  ( 'oininandiT  of  Northern  (Jeorgia:  was  brevet  tod 


Major-General  for  "gallant  and  meritorious  services."  He 
has  been  an  active  supporter  of  the  National  Guard,  and 
an  original  director  of  the  National  Rifle  Association.  His 
labors  in  behalf  of  military  instruction  in  schools  resulted  in 
the  adoption  of  his  method  in  many  schools.  He  was  ap- 
pointed Major-General  August  30, 1868;  of  2d  Div.,  May,  1884. 

Brig. -Gen.  Christian  T.  Christensen,  Third  Brigade.  Com- 
manding Second  Division  Sept.  17,  1883,  to  May,  1884.  First 
Lt.,  1st  N.  Y.  Vol.  Inf.,  April  23,  1861  ;  Aide-de-Cainp  to 
Brig.-Gen.  Phelps,  August  5,  1861;  Capt,  1st  N.  Y.  Vols., 
Nov.  5,  1861;  Aide-de-Camp  to  Gen.  Wool,  Dec.  31,  1801; 
Prov.  Mar.  of  Norfolk  and  Portsmouth,  Va.,  April  9,  1S62; 
Maj.  and  Aide-de-Camp  to  Gen.  Wool,  July  17,  1862 ;  Asst. 
Adj. -Gen.,  Dept.  East,  March  11,  1863;  on  duty  in  office  of 
Secretary  of  War,  Sept.  18,  1863  ;  Lt.-Col.  and  Asst.  Adj.. 
Gen.,  Military  Division  of  West  Mississippi,  May  11,  1864; 
honorably  discharged,  July  22,  1865;  Brevet  Brig.-Gen.  U.  S. 
Vols.;  Major,  13th  Regt.,  July  17,  1879;  Lt.-Col.,  Dec.  19, 
1879;  Brig.-Gen.,  July  12,  1880. 

Lt.-Col.  J.  Henry  Storey,  Inspector.  Lt.-Col.  Herbert  S. 
Jewell,  Inspector  of  Rifle  Practice.  Lt.-Col.  John  Y.  Culver, 
Engineer.  Lt.-Col.  Albert  E.  Lamb,  Judge-Advocate.  Lt.- 
Col.  J.  Lester  Keep,  Surgeon.  Lt.-Col.  Henry  Arthur, 
Quartermaster.  Lt.-Col.  William  B.  Overton,  Commissary 
of  Subsistence.  Maj.  Robert  Herbert,  Aide-de-Camp.  Maj. 
Walter  K.  Rossiter,  Aide-de-Camp.  Col.  Henry  T.  Chapman, 
Jr.,  Supernumerary  Officer,  attached  to  duty  with  Staff  as 
A.  D.  C.  And  Third  and  Fourth  Brigades,  and  the  Third 
Battery  of  Artillery. 

Tliird  Brigade,  Head-quarters,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  Col.  James 
McLeer,  Fourteenth  Regiment,  Commanding  Third  Brigade 
since  September  17,  1883.  Lt.-Col.  William  J.  Denslow,  As- 
sistant Adjutant-General.  Maj.  Philip  Ferdinand  KobU'.  In- 
spector. Ma  j.  Howard  Ackerman,  Inspector  of  Rule  Prac- 
tice. Maj.  M.  Frederick  Christensen,  Ordnance  Officer. 
Maj.  George  Washington  McNulty,  Engineer.  Maj.  William 
C.  Beecher,  Judge-Advocate.  Maj.  James  Watt,  SurgMb 
Ma  j.  Edwin  R.  Trussell,  Quartermaster.  Maj.  ( !usta\e  A 
Jahn,  Commissary  of  Subsistence.  And  Thirteenth  and 
Fourteenth  Regiments  of  Infantry,  and  the  Seventeenth 
Separate  Company. 

Fourth  Brigade.  Head-quarters,  111  Court  street.  Brooklyn, 
N.  Y. — Brig.-Gen.  Win.  H.  Brownell,  Commanding.  Private 
Co.  E,  47th  Regt.,  Oct.  12,  1869;  Corp.,  Nov.  20,  1871;  Sergt., 
July  24,  1872;  2d  Lieut.,  May  13,  1873;  1st  Lieut.,  Jan.  20, 
1874;  Capt.,  Oct.  10,  1874;  Maj.,  Dec.  23,  1874;  Lt.-Col..  Dec. 
29,  1875  ;  Col.,  Sept.  5,  1*77  :  Brig.-Gen..  Sept.  5.  1**1.  Lt. 
Col.  Charles  N.  Manchester,  Asst.  Adj. -Gen.:  Private  M  I 
L  Cavalry,  fall  of  1861;  2d  Lieut.,  Sept.  27,  1861;  Capt..  Jun.- 

21,  1862;  Maj.,  2d  R.  I.  Cavalry.  Jan.  19,  1863;  Lt.  CoL,  JoM 

22,  1863;  resigned  July  11,  1863;  Lt.-Col.  and  Asst.  Adj.-<i.  n  . 
11th,  now  4th  Brigade,  June  16,  1879.  Maj.  Gusteva  L 
Roullier,  Inspector.  Maj.  Morris  B.  Farr,  Inspectorof  Kitlt 
Practice.  Maj.  Harrison  B.  Moore,  Ordnance  Officer.  Mai 
Richard  H.  Poillon,  Engineer.  Maj.  Win.  W.  Goodrich, 
Judge-Advocate.  Maj.  Joel  W.  Hyde,  Surgeon.  Maj.  D»rid 
S.  Babcock,  Jr.,  Quartermaster.  Major  Clifford  L.  Midi II- 
ton,  Commissary  of  Subsistence,  (  apt.  William 'I'.  1»c\vm\ 
Aide-de-Camp.  And  Twenty-third.  Thirty  second  and  Forty- 
seventh  Regiments  of  Infantry. 

The  Second  Division,  National  Guard  of  the  State  of 
New  York,  has  existed  since  the  institution  of  the  Militia. 
Formerly,  the  district  comprised  the  counties  on  Long  Ulan. I 
and  the  live  counties  north  of  New  York,  and  included  ll" 
5th,  6th,  7th  and  11th  Brigades.  But  a  new  distrid  *w 
made,  leaving  Kings.  Queens  and  Suffolk  counties  ">  the 
District  of  the  Second  Division,  including  the  5th,  nth  ami 


MILITARY  ORGANIZATIONS. 


1195 


11th  Brigades;  the  district  of  the  5th  and  11th  Brigades  was 
Kings  county,  and  of  the  6th,  the  counties  of  Queens  and 
Suffolk.  In  the  consolidation  of  the  National  Guard,  the 
3d  and  4th  Brigades  were  assigned  to  Kings  county.  Maj. 
Gen.  Aaron  Ward,  of  Sing  Sing,  commanded  the  Second 
Division  until  1858,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Gen.  Har- 
manus  B.  Duryea  (of  whom  an  extended  sketch  will  be 
found  elsewhere),  previously  in  command  of  the  5th  Brigade. 
In  1869,  Gen.  Duryea  resigned,  and  Maj.  Gen.  John  B.  Wood- 
ward was  appointed. 

After  the  organization  of  the  National  Guard,  the  Second 
Division  leaped  into  new  life  and  activity.  Gen.  Woodward 
is  an  old  militiaman.  In  1854,  he  joined  Co.  G.  of  the  13th, 
and  served  as  private,  Corporal,  Sergeant  and  First  Sergeant; 
was  elected  2d  Lieut.,  Feb.  13th,  1861;  Captain  of  Co.  E.. 
Nov.  13th,  186t;  Lieut. -Colonel,  June  25th,  1862;  Lieut. -Col. 
of  the  23d,  Feb.  5th,  1863;  Colonel  of  the  13th,  Mar.  23d, 
1863;  and  was  appointed  Major-General  of  the  Second  Divi- 
sion March  24th,  1869.  He  went  out  with  his  regiment  when 
it  was  called  out  by  the  government. 

The  Third  Brigade  (the  5th  prior  to  1882)  was  formed  at 
the  same  time  svith  the  Second  Division.  Until  1862,  it  was 
the  only  Brigade  in  Brooklyn,  and  comprised  the  13th,  14th, 
28th  (formerly  72d)  and  70th  Regiments;  the  first  time  were 
infantry;  the  last  named  comprised  three  companies  of 
artillery  and  five  of  cavalry;  it  has  since  been  disbanded  and 
the  2d  (cavalry)  Regiment  and  a  battalion  of  artillery  formed 
from  the  old  organization,  were  for  a  short  time  attached  to 
the  Brigade.  Previous  to  1858,  Maj. -Gen.  H.  B.  Duryea  com- 
manded the  5th  Brigade,  and  wa^  then  succeeded  by  Brig.-Gen. 
Philip  S.  Crooke  (a  biographical  sketch  is  given  elsewhere), 
until  his  resignation  in  1870.  His  successors  in  command 
were  :  Bvt.  Brig.-Gen.  Fowler,  of  the  14th;  Col.  Cropsey, 
senior  Colonel  of  the  Brigade;  Brig.-Gen.  Thomas  S.  Dakin 
(of  whom  more  extended  mention  is  made  hereafter);  Brig.- 
Gen.  James  Jourdan,  Jan.,  1876. 

The  Thirteenth  Regiment,  N.  G.  S.  N.  Y.*— In  1847,  the 
State  resolved  upon  a  thorough  re-organization  of  the  militia, 
to  reduce  the  number  of  brigades  and  regiments,  and  place  the 
citizen  soldiery  on  a  military  basis.  Under  this  re-adjustment 
the  13th  Regiment  was  organized  on  the  5th  of  July,  1847, 
with  Abel  Smith  as  Colonel,  Edwin  Beers  as  Lieutenant- 
Colonel,  and  John  H.  Gaus  as  Major.  The  companies  were : 
Right-flank,  company  of  light  artillery,  Brooklyn  City 
Guard.  Capt.  J.  N.  Olney;  Co.  A,  Pearson  Light  Guard, 
Capt.  J.  J.  Dillon;  Co.  B,  Washington  Horse  Guard,  Capt.  J. 
McLeer;  Co.  C,  Brooklyn  Light  Guard,  Capt.  Charles  Mor- 
rison; Co.  D,  Williamsburg  Light  Artillery,  Capt.  Lewis;  Co.  E, 
Williamsburg  Light  Artillery,  Capt.  Hanford;  Co.  F,  Oregon 
Guard,  Capt.  Walsh;  Co.  G,  Washington  Guards;  and  Co. 
H,  Jefferson  Guard,  Capt.  Willys.  The  companies  at  this 
time  had  different  uniforms,  one,  at  least,  wearing  the  dress 
of  the  old  Continentals.  The  City  Guard  (Capt.  R.  V.  W. 
Thorne,  now  deceased)  wore  red  coats,  and  the  City  Light 
Guard,  white  coats.  The  Continentals  were  commanded  by 
Captain  Burnett. 

After  a  few  years,  the  German  companies  from  Williams- 
burg were  detached,  and  formed  the  nucleus  of  the  Twenty- 
eighth  Regiment. 

The  Thirteenth,  among  other  troops,  was  called  out  June 
4,  1854,  to  assist  in  quelling  the  disturbance  caused  by  the 
fanatic  who  called  himself  the  "Angel  Gabriel,"  and  it 
rendered  effective  service  in  restoring  order. 

In  1855,  there  was  a  Division  Encampment  at  Kingston. 
Gen.  H.  B.  Duryea  commanded  the  Brigade  (including  the 


*  By  Horatio  C.  King. 


Thirteenth),  and  Gen.  Aaron  Ward,  the  Division,  which  was 
composed  of  militia  from  several  counties.  In  1858,  the  gray 
uniform  was  adopted,  and  the  Regiment  made  its  first  parade 
in  the  new  dress  at  the  celebration  of  the  introduction  of  water 
into  Brooklyn,  on  the  27th  of  April,  1859.  Some  of  the  com- 
panies, which  refused  to  adopt  the  gray,  withdrew  from  the 
Regiment,  which  comprised  at  this  time  the  Artillery,  Capt. 
Richard  Thorne;  Co.  A,  Capt.  John  Sullivan;  Co.  B,  Capt. 
Oliver  Cotter;  Co.  C.  Capt.  Joseph  S.  Morgan;  Co.  E,  Capt. 
B.  G.  Edmonds;  and  the  left-flank  company,  Capt.  Charles 
Bethon;  in  all  about  four  hundred  men  on  the  rolls.  Col. 
Smith  still  commanded,  with  Robert  B.  Clark  as  Lt.-Col.,  and 
Elbert  Willetts,  Major. 

In  1860,  Co.  B  was  consolidated  with  Co.  C,  and  Co.  B 
of  the  14th  Regiment  (the  celebrated  drill  company  of 
the  city)  was  transferred,  and  became  Co.  B  of  the  Thirteenth 
Regiment.  The  command  then  comprised  eight  companies 
in  a  good  state  of  drill  and  discipline  and  fully  equipped, 
including  knapsacks  and  overcoats.  During  all  this  period, 
the  organization  occupied  the  armory  at  the  corner  of  Henry 
and  Cranberry  streets,  subsequently  used  by  the  Gatling 
Battery,  and  now  given  over  to  commercial  purposes. 

During  the  exciting  times  immediately  preceding  the  out- 
break ol  the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  the  Regiment  was  several 
times  assembled  secretly  to  assist  the  police  in  case  of  neces- 
sity. In  April,  1861,  occurred  what  was  characterized  as  the 
"  Navy  Yard  Scare."  Captain  (afterwards  Commodore)  Foote, 
then  in  command  of  the  jrard,  communicated  to  Mayor  Powell 
his  belief  that  an  organized  attempt,  by  rebel  sympathizers  in 
New  York,  would  be  made  to  burn  the  government  property. 
Captain  Foote  had  but  eighty  men,  the  attack  was  feasi- 
ble, and  the  assailants  could  have  readily  escaped.  The 
Mayor  stationed  a  thousand  policemen  near  the  Yard  and 
the  principal  ferries,  and  the  militia  (includiug  the  13th) 
were  under  arms.  The  preparations,  thus  promptly  and 
effectually  made,  frustrated  the  designs  of  the  sympathizers. 

Immediately  upon  the  call  of  President  Lincoln  for  75,000 
men,  the  13th  unanimously  tendered  its  services;  and,  on  the 
23d  of  April,  1861,  the  Regiment,  600  strong,  left  the  armory 
on  Cranberry  street  for  the  seat  of  war.  Over  200  were  left 
behind,  owing  to  lack  of  equipments,  who  joined  their  com- 
rades about  two  weeks  later.  Embarked  on  a  steamer,  the 
Regiment  proceeded  to  Annapolis,  reported  to  Gen.  B.  F. 
Butler,  and  was  quartered  in  the  Naval  Academy.  The 
militia  regiments  of  New  York  left  in  the  following  order  : 
the  7th  on  the  19th;  the  6th,  12th,  and  71st  on  the  2 1st,  and 
the  13th  (the  fifth  in  succession)  on  the  23d. 

It  remained  in  Baltimore,  and,  at  the  expiration  of  its 
three  months'  term  of  service,  at  the  request  of  Gen.  Dix, 
then  in  command  at  Baltimore,  who  made  an  appeal  in  per- 
son, it  remained  a  fortnight  longer,  and  uutil  the  demorali- 
zation consequent  upon  the  first  battle  of  Bull  Run  had 
passed  away.  During  its  absence,  a  relief  guard  of  Co.  G 
had  been  formed,  which  became,  subsequently,  the  nucleus 
of  the  23d  Regiment.  On  the  return  of  the  Regiment  in  July, 
this  guard  turned  out  to  receive  it.  Capt.  (afterwards  Col.) 
Everdell  commanded  the  escort,  and  the  welcome  was  mag- 
nificent and  hearty.  A  collation  was  served  at  the  Park 
Barracks,  New  York,  the  site  of  the  present  Post-office, 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Common  Council  Committee. 
Lt.-Col.  Robert  B.  Clark  was  in  command,  and  the  Regiment 
still  comprised  eight  companies. 

Many  of  its  officers  and  men  then  and  later  entered  the 
Volunteer  service,  and  it  is  said  that  the  13th  furnished  a 
larger  number  of  officers  from  its  ranks  than  any  militia  or- 
ganization, except  the  7th.  One  entire  company  of  the  51st 
N.  Y.  Vols.  (Col.  Ferrero)  was  recruited  by  Capt.  Samuel  H. 


1196 


HISTORY  01  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Sims,  formerly  Lt.  in  Co.  B.  Col.  Abel  Smith  raised  the 
87th  New  York,  and  was  killed  by  accident  while  superin- 
tending the  organization.  Capt.  Joseph  Morgan,  of  Co.  C, 
afterwards  became  Col.  of  the  90th  N.  Y.  Vols.,  in  which 
Capt.  John  Sullivan,  of  Co.  A,  was  a  Captain.  Capt.  Morgan 
also  raised  and  commanded  the  148th  N.  Y.  Vols.  John 
Manly  was  made  Captain  in  the  159th  N.  Y.  Vols.,  and  was 
killed  at  Irish  Bend,  La.  The  3d  N.  Y.  Vols.,  Col.  Abel 
Smith,  Jr.;  51st  N.  Y.,  139th  N.  Y.,  79th  N.  Y.  (Highlanders), 
47th N.  Y.,  5th  N.  Y.  Artillery,  and  37th  N.  Y.,  were  indebted 
to  the  13th  for  many  excellent  officers.  Maj.  John  H. 
Walker,  of  Raukin  Post  10,  G.  A.  R.,  was  taken  from  the 
ranks  of  Co.  D,  by  Gen.  Scott,  and  made  an  officer  in  the 
Regular  Army.  But  it  is  impossible  to  follow  the  names  in 
detail.  At  least  GOO  of  those  who  were  connected  with  the 
13th  entered  the  army  and  navy  and  served  their  country 
with  zeal  and  fidelity. 

Upon  the  retirement  of  Col.  Smith,  Lt.-Col.  R.  B.  Clark 
was  elected  Colonel,  with  John  B.  Woodward  as  Lt.-Col., 
and  S.  K.  Boyd  as  Major.  May  2,  186 J.  the  Regiment  again 
responded  to  the  call  of  the  Federal  Government,  and  pro- 
ceeded to  Baltimore,  where,  after  a  march  of  four  miles,  it 
encamped  just  outside  of  Fort  McHenry.  The  camp  was 
christened  "Camp  Crescent."  June  6th,  four  companies  of 
the  Regiment  embarked  for  Fortress  Monroe,  thence  to  Nor- 
folk. The  remaining  four  companies,  which  left  Baltimore 
June  7th,  went  direct  to  Portsmouth,  Va.,  and  the  entire 
Regiment,  a  few  days  later,  arrived  at  Suffolk,  Va.  Here  it 
was  brigaded  with  the  2d,  4th,  and  25th  N.  Y.,  and  the  1st 
Del.,  Gen.  Max  Webber,  commanding,  relieving  veteran 
regiments,  which  were  sent  at  once  to  the  Peninsula.  The 
country  around  was  held  by  the  Confederates,  and  the  duty 
was  both  arduous  and  fraught  with  danger.  The  camp  at 
Suffolk  was  called  "Camp  Crooke,"  after  the  commander  of 
the  5th  (N.  Y.)  Brigade,  General  Philip  S.  Crooke,  recently  de- 
ceased. It  formed  a  part  of  the  extreme  left  wing  of 
McClellan's  army,  and  rendered  very  effective  and  valuable 
service.  At  a  review  by  Gen.  Dix,  commanding  the  Corps, 
accompanied  by  Gen.  Mausfield,  the  Division,  and  Gen. 
\\  i -liber,  the  Brigade  Commander,  Gen.  Dix  complimented 
the  organization  as  a  "superior  Regiment."  Picket  duty 
and  the  usual  accessories  of  war,  except  actual  collision  with 
the  enemy,  occupied  the  time  until  the  expiration  of  the 
term  of  service,  when,  on  August  31st,  the  men  turned  their 
faces  homeward,  and  again  received  a  most  cordial  welcome. 

Again,  in  June,  1863,  and  for  the  third  time,  the  Regiment 
was  called  into  active  service,  and,  with  other  New  York 
militia,  was  hurried  to  the  front.  Col.  John  B.  Woodward 
was  in  command,  with  W.  A.  McKee  as  Lt.-Col.  The  pres- 
ence of  the  militia  organizations  in  Pennsylvania  enabled 
veteran  regiments  to  go  to  the  immediate  front,  and,  al- 
though no  one  of  them  was  under  fire,  their  service  was  of 
incalculable  benefit  to  the  Union  cause.  They  had  many 
weary  marches,  and  suffered  privations  hard  for  unseasoned 
troops  to  bear.  The  overwhelming  defeat  of  the  Confeder- 
ates, at  Gettysburg,  and  their  final  retirement  across  the 
Potomac,  rendered  the  services  of  the  militia  no  longer  in- 
dispensable, and,  in  consequence  of  the  draft  riots  in  New 
York,  in  July,  18<S3,  the  13th  was  ordered  home,  and  during 
(  did  K'lard  duty  in  tin-  city  while  the  draft  proceeded, 
preventing  further  outbreak. 

In  1866,  Col.  Woodward  was  succeeded  by  Col.  James 
Jourdan,  late  commanding  the  Second  Division.  He,  in 
turn,  was  succeeded  by  Col.  Thomas  S.  Dakin,  in  1869, 
and  upon  1 1 14-  hitter's  election  as  Brigadier-General,  Lt.-Col. 
Frederick  A.  Mason  was  chosen  Colonel.  In  1870,  Philip  II. 
Ungg*  (Inspector-General  on  the  Staff  of  Governor  Grover 


Cleveland)  was  Lt.-Col.;  Edward  S.  Daniell,  Major,  and 
Samuel  Richards  (late  Asst.  Adj. -Gen.  of  the  Second  Division), 
Adjutant.    The  Drum  Corps  Association  was  organized  in 

1869. 

Col.  Jourdan  was  re-elected  in  February,  1872.  The  last 
parade  from  the  old  armory  took  place  at  the  Prospect  Park 
Parade-ground,  October  12,  1875,  with  a  review  by  the  Com- 
mander-in-Chief, and  the  Regiment  was  mustered  and  in- 
spected in  its  present  armory,  corner  of  Hanson  place  and 
Flatbush  avenue,  on  October  26th  of  that  year. 

Lt.-Col.  Briggs  was  elected  Colonel  in  Jan.,  1876,  cut  Gen. 
Jourdan,  elected  Commander  of  the  Fifth  Brigade.  Capt 
Harry  H.  Beadle  was  elected  Lt.-Col.,  and  William  R.  Syme. 
for  some  time  Adjutant,  was  made  Major.  Lt.  William  A. 
McKee  succeeded  Major  Syme  as  Adjutant. 

Since  the  war,  the  Regiment  has  rendered  some  practical 
duty  worthy  of  special  mention.  It  was  ordered  out  to  pre- 
vent the  threatened  lynching  of  the  murderer  of  Mr.  Van 
Voorhis,  a  popular  builder  of  South  Brooklyn.  On  the  oc- 
casion of  the  Orange  riots  in  New  York,  July  12,  1871,  it  was 
called  into  service  to  repress  disorder  in  Brooklyn,  and  was 
then  sent  to  New  York,  where  it  assisted  in  the  maintenance 
of  order  until  relieved  by  Gen.  Shaler,  of  the  First  Division. 
When  the  duties  consequent  upon  the  terrible  catastrophe  at 
the  Brooklyn  Theatre  (December,  1876)  had  nearly  exhausted 
the  police,  the  13th  volunteered  its  services,  and  remained  on 
guard  at  the  Morgue,  and  the  buildings  on  Adams  street, 
where  the  remains  of  the  burned  were  collected. 

On  July  23,  1877,  the  Regiment  was  ordered  under  arm*  bg 
the  Governor,  together  with  all  the  State  troops,  and  the 
prompt  action  of  Governor  Robinson,  undoubtedly,  preserved 
the  State  from  the  devastation  which  befell  Pennsylvania 
and  Maryland  in  the  destructive  railroad  riots  of  that  year. 

Col.  David  E.  Austen  was  commissioned  July  13,  1877.  He 
was  a  national  guardsman  of  long  experience,  having  en 
listed  in  Co.  H,  7th  Regiment,  in  February,  1859,  accompany- 
ing that  Regiment  in  its  campaign  at  the  opening  of  the  war. 
In  Nov.,  1862,  he  was  elected  First  Lieutenant,  Co.  I,  47th 
Regiment,  and  was  made  Adjutant,  August,  1863  (promoted 
while  crossing  the  Long  Bridge);  Captain  of  Co.  I,  March, 
1864 ;  Major,  October,  1865  ;  Lieutenant-Colonel,  January, 
1868  ;  and  Colonel,  May  9,  1868,  which  position  he  retained 
until  his  election  to  the  command  of  the  13th.  In  the  sum- 
mer of  1863,  he  accompanied  the  47th  Regiment  to  Virginia, 
in  response  to  the  call  of  the  government.  He  was  relieved 
at  his  own  request  Dec.  3,  1883,  and  was  succeeded  in  com- 
mand by  Gen.  A.  C.  Barnes,  April  20,  1884. 

Lieut.  George  A.  Phelan  was  Adjutant  of  the  13th  on  the 
accession  of  Col.  Austen,  and  was  succeeded  by  Lieut.  Henry 
D.  Stanwood.  The  latter  resigned,  and  was  followed  bj 
Lieut.  Cyrus  A.  Hubbard;  and,  at  the  decease  of  Lieut.  Hul>- 
bard,  the  present  Adjutant,  George  B.  Davis,  was  selected. 

Rev.  Henry  Ward  Beecher  was  appointed  Chaplain  in 
March,  1878.  Among  Mr.  Beecher's  predecessors  were  Rev. 
Edward  Taylor,  Rev.  J.  Halstead  Carroll,  and  Rev.  Dr.  Henry 
M.  Storrs.  In  May,  1876,  Brevet-Col.  Horatio  C.  King  was 
elected  Major.  In  June  was  commenced,  in  the  lecture 
room  of  Plymouth  Church,  the  recruiting  for  Co.  G,  com- 
monly known  as  the  Plymouth  Company,  the  largest  of  the 
companies,  and  Capt.  W.  L.  Watson,  a  veteran  of  the  war  of 
the  Rebellion,  was  elected  Captain  in  July,  1878.  An  import- 
ant  acquisition  was  made,  also,  in  the  selection  of  the 
"veteran"  Harvey  B.  Dodworth,  in  September  of  the  same 
year,  as  band-master,  which  position  he  still  holds. 

May  15,  1879,  a  parade  and  review,  by  Maj. -Gen.  Alexander 
Shaler,  commanding  the  First  Division,  wore  had  in  Madis»i> 
Square  Garden,  New  York,  preparatory   to  the  departure  of 


MIL  IT  A  R  Y   OR  GANIZA  TIONS. 


1197 


the  Regiment,  on  May  22d,  on  its  ever  memorable  trip  to  Mon- 
treal, Canada,  to  assist  in  the  celebration  of  the  Queen's  birth- 
day. The  reception  by  our  Canadian  neighbors  was  unprece- 
dentedly  enthusiastic  and  hospitable.  The  Regiment  partici- 
pated in  the  sham-battle  and  the  grand  review  by  the 
Governor-General  (the  Marquis  of  Lome)  and  the  Princess 
Louise,  and  the  banquet  tendered  the  officers  at  the  Windsor 
House,  at  which  the  Governor-General  presided,  will  long 
be  remembered  for  the  generous  utterances  of  the  speakers 
respectively,  concerning  the  cordial  relations  existing  be- 
tween the  United  States  and  Great  Britain  and  her  colonies. 
A  magnificent  flag — one  side  Canadian,  the  other  American, 
the  gift  of  the  ladies  of  Montreal — is  treasured  with  peculiar 
pride. 

In  July,  1879,  Bvt.  Brig. -Gen.  C.  T.  Christensen  was  elected 
Major  vice  King,  appointed  Judge  Advocate  on  the  staff  of 
Gen.  E.  L.  Molineux,  11th  (now  4th)  Brigade,  and  subse- 
quently Lt.-Col.,  vice  Beadle,  honorably  discharged.  Capt.  J. 
Frank  Dillont  (Co.  F)  was  chosen  Major  and  subsequently  Lt.- 
Col.,  and  resigned  in  the  spring  of  1881. 

October  15th,  1881,  it  started  for  Yorktown;  remained 
three  days,  eliciting  the  warmest  praise  for  completeness  as  a 
militia  organization. 

Attached  to  the  Regiment  is  a  fine  cadet  corps,  now  num- 
bering over  seventy  members,  mainly  from  the  Polytechnic 
and  Adelphi  academies. 

A  Veteran  Association,  formed  about  ten  years  ago,  has 
proved  a  valuable  aid  to  the  Regiment.  Its  past  commanders 
were:  Col.  Henry  Heath,  Gen.  J.  B.  Woodward,  Col.  Adam 
T.  Dodge,  and  Col.  Willoughby  Powell.  Its  present  officers 
are:  Frederick  A.  Baldwin,  Col.;  Michael  Chauncey,  Lt.-Col. ; 
Smith  H.  Wing,  Major;  Henry  R.  Darby,  Adj.;  William  H. 
Welsh,  Quartermaster;  and  Burdett  S.  Oakes,  Commissary. 
It  usually  parades  with  the  Regiment  on  occasions  of  cere- 
mony, and  accompanied  it  to  Montreal,  Boston  and  Yorktown. 
In  this  bodj  ,  and  also  in  the  Regiment  proper,  there  are  many 
war  veterans. 

Present  status  of  the  Thirteenth  Regiment — Ten  companies. 
Third  Brigade,  Second  Division.  Armory  at  corner  of  Flat- 
bush  avenue  and  Hanson  place,  Brooklyn. 

Colonel,  Alfred  C.  Barnes,  April  20,  1884.  (See  page  878). 

Lieutenant-Colonel,  Theodore  B.  Gates,  May  10,  1881 ;  Bvt. 
Major-Gen.,  May  23,  1881;  Lt.-Col.,  20th  mil.  (80th  N.  Y. 
vols.),  June  loth,  1«61;  Col.  Sept.  29,  18G2;  res.  Nov.  24,  1S64; 
Bvt.  Brig.-Gen.,  U.  S.  vols.,  March  26,  1865.  First  Lt.  and 
Paymaster,  20th  mil.,  Sept.  11, 1854;  Cap.  and  Eng.,  20th  mil., 
Dec.  5,  1854;  Maj.,  May  19,  1855;  Lt.-Col.,  June  15,  1861;  Col., 
Sept.  29,  1862;  res.  Nov.  24,  1864;  Maj.-Gen.,  5th  Div.,  Feb. 
G,  1867;  res.  March  26,  1873;  Lt.-Col.,  13th  Regt.,  May  10, 
1881. 

Major,  William  H.  H.  Tyson,  May  10,  1881. 
Adjutant— First  Lieutenant,  George  B.  Davis,   Sept.  3, 
1880. 

Quartermaster — First  Lieutenant,  J.  Fred  Ackerman,  July 
22,  1880;  Bvt.  Capt.,  Dec.  13,  1880. 

Commissary  of  Subsistence— First  Lieutenant,  Lewis  M. 
Reed,  June' 18,  1883. 

Surgeon— Major,  James  J.  Terhune,  April  23, 1883. 

Assistant  Surgeon— First  Lieutenant,  Chas.  E.  De  La 
Vergne. 

Chaplain— Captain,  Henry  Ward  Beecher,  Feb.  8,  1878. 
Inspector  of  Rifie Practice-Captain,  Theodore  H.  Babcock, 
March  10,  1881. 

Captains— William  L.  Watson,  July  8, 1878,  Co.  G.  George 
B.  Squires,  Aug.  15,  1879,  Co.  K.  Edward  Fackner,  Aug.  12, 
1S31;  Bvt.  Major,  Oct.  26,  1881,  Co.  E.  William  J.  Collins, 
Aug.  12,  1881,  Co.  A.    Charles  P.  Kietchsmar,  July  5,  1882, 


Co.  H.  Frank  B.  S.  Morgan,  June  8,  1883,  Co.  C.  William 
H.  Courtney,  Aug.  3,  1883,  Co.  F.  William  A.  Brown,  Feb., 
1884,  Co.  B.  David  M.  Demarest,  Co.  D.  J.  DeMandeville, 
Co.  I; 

First  Lieutenants— A..  Fuller  Tomes,  December  5,  1878,  Co. 
G.  John  T.  Jennings,  Co.  B.  William  Kerby,  June  17,  1881, 
Co.  E.  Chas  T.  Snow,  Co.  K.  Chas.  O.  Davis,  Co.  A.  Rus- 
sell Benedict,  Co.  H.  Samuel  W.  Smith,  Co.  C.  Robt.  L. 
Sill  man,  Co.  T. 

Second  Lieutenants — Samuel  T.  Skinner,  Mar.  3,  1879,  Co. 
G.  Chas.  W.  Held,  Co.  B.  Chas.  Bradshaw,  Co.  A.  Henry 
J.  Jordan,  Mar.  29,  1883,  Co.  K.  Geo.  W.  Hunt,  Co.  C. 
C.  F.  Stagg,  Co.  I.    Charles  W.  Topping,  Co.  E. 

Sergeant- Major,  William  F.  Seymour. 

Quartermaster-Sergeant,  Chas.  Werner. 

Com.  Sergeant,  H.  P.  Smith. 

Ordnance-Sergeant,  Jas.  McNevin. 

Hospital  Steward,  Chas.  G.  Curtis. 

Color  Sergeants,  Heyward  Smith,  W.  L.  Conley. 

Drum  Major,  Edward  Mclntyre. 

Band  Master,  Harvey  B.  Dodworth. 

Right  General  Guide,  Arthur  Genns. 

Left  General  Guide,  W.  Roch. 

The  Fourteenth  Regiment,  N.  G.,  S.  N.  Y.,is  an  old  mil- 
itia regiment,  first  known  as  the  Brooklyn  Chasseurs,  organ- 
ized in  1846,  with  Gen.  Philip  S.  Crooke  of  Flatbush,  its  first 
Colonel;  he  was  succeeded  Jan.,  1852,  by  Col.  Jesse  C.  Smith, 
and  he  by  Col.  Alfred  M.  Wood.  Like  the  other  old  regiments 
it  was  composed  of  separate  companies,  each  of  which  had 
its  own  uniform,  and  it  was  not  until  1861,  that  a  common 
uniform  was  adopted;  i.  e.,  the  red  zouave  dress,  in  which 
the  regiment  won  such  renown,  and  from  which,  ami  its 
valor,  it  received  its  popular  name  in  the  civil  war.  "red- 
legged  devils."  The  14th  has  a  glorious  record  of  service  dur- 
ing the  late  sectional  struggle;  having  early  won  a  reputation 
for  gallantry  and  intrepidity,  it  was  always  put  in  the  front 
when  an}'  arduous  or  dangerous  duty  was  to  be  done;  thus 
it  lost  heavily.  It  enlisted  for  three  years  as  the  84th  N.  Y. 
Vols. 

It  was  mustered  into  the  service  of  the  United  States  from 
May  to  July,  1861,  and  took  part  in  the  following  battles: 
Bull  Run,  Falmouth,  SpottsylvaniaC.  H.,  Aug.  22,  Rappahan- 
nock Station,  Sulphur  Springs,  Gainesville,  Groveton,  Manas- 
sas Plains,  Chantilly,  South  Mountain,  Antietam,  Fredericks- 
burg, Port  Royal,  Chancellorsville,  Gettysburg,  Mine  Run, 
Wilderness,  Laurel  Hill,  SpottsylvaniaC.  H.,  besides  many 
skirmishes.  On  the  expiration  of  its  term  of  service  the  ori- 
ginal members  (except  veterans)  were  mustered  out,  and  the 
veterans  and  recruits  transferred  to  the  5th  New  York 
Volunteers. 

Colonels— A.  M.  Wood,  dis.  Oct.  18,  1862.  E.  B.  Fowler 
(Bvt.  Brig.-Gen.,  U.  S.  V.),  mustered  out  June  1st,  1864. 

Lieutenant-Colonels— E.  B.  Fowler,  promoted  Col.,  Oct. 
24,  1862.  W.  H.  DeBevoise,  dis.  May  11,  1863.  Robert  B. 
Jordan,  mustered  out  June  1,  1864. 

.Majors— James  Jourdan,  dis.  Jan.  2,  1862.  Wm.  H.  De 
Bevoise,  promoted  Lt.-Col.,  Oct.  24,  1862.  C.  T.  Baldwin, 
dis.  Dec.  24,  1862.  R.  B.  Jordan,  promoted  Lt.-Col.,  June  23, 
1863.    H.  T.  Head,  mustered  out  June  1,  1861. 

Adjutants — H.  T.  Head,  promoted  Maj.,  June  23,  1863. 
John  Vliet,  mustered  out  June  1,  1864. 

Surgeons— Jas.  L.  Farley  (Bvt.  Lt.-Col.,  U.  S.  V.),  dis.  June 
10,  1863.  David  Larrabee,  dis.  March  16,  1864.  O.  Smith, 
mustered  out  June  1,  1864. 

Captains— A.  B.  Jordan,  promoted  Maj.,  March  19,  1863. 
J.  W.  Redding,  mustered  out  June  1.  .864.  G.  B.  Mallery, 
killed  in  battle.    I.  Uffenddl  (Bvt  Maj.,  U.  S.  V.),  mustered 


1108 


1IISTORJ  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


out  June  1,  1864.  David  Myers,  died  Sept.  25,  1862.  Chas. 
B.  Toby,  res.  Feb.  1,  1863.  T.  A.  Burnett,  mustered  out  June 
1,  1864.  C.  F.  Baldwin,  promoted  Maj.,  Oct.  24,  1862.  W.  M. 
Baldwin  (Bvt.  Maj.,  U.  S.  V.),  mustered  out  June  1,  1864. 
W.  L.  B.  Stears,  res.  Dec.  11,  1861.  A.  G.  A.  Harwickle,  dis. 
Sept.  29,  1862.  Jas.  H.  Jordan,  dis.  Jan.  13,  1863..  W.  A.  Ball, 
mustered  out  June  1,  1864.  G.  Plass,  dis.  Nov.  10,  1863.  S 
Mandeville,  mustered  out  June  1,  1864.  J.  McNeil  (Bvt.  Maj., 
I  .  s.  V.),  mustered  out  June  1,  1864.  A.  W.  H.  Gill  (Bvt. 
Maj.,  U.  S.  V.),  dis.  Marcb  12,  1863  (prisoner  of  war).  C.  H. 
Morris,  dis.  Jan.  18,  1863.  W.  F.  Twibill,  mustered  out.  G. 
S.  Elcock,  mustered  out  June  1,  1*64.  W.  M.  Bennett,  res. 
June  30,  1861.  G.  R.  Davey,  killed  in  battle,  Aug.  29, 
1S62. 

Immediately  after  the  attack  upon  Fort  Sumter,  the  14th 
was  placed  upon  a  war  footing;  vacancies  among  officers  and 
in  the  ranks  were  filled  so  quickly  that  on  April  18,  1861,  the 
Regiment  was  reported  to  head-quarters  as  ready  to  march  to 
the  front.  Until  May  18,  it  remained  in  Brooklyn,  awaiting 
orders;  by  this  time  the  Government  declined  to  receive  any 
more  militia  regiments,  accepting  only  such  organizations  as 
enlisted  for  three  years  or  the  war.  Accordingly  the  com- 
panies of  the  14th  were  assembled  in  camp  at  Fort  Greene, 
aud  terms  of  enlistment  into  the  U.  S.  service  proposed  to 
them,  which  were  enthusiastically  received,  and  without  a 
dissenting  voice.  May  18,  1861,  eight  companies  of  the  line 
and  an  Engineer  Corps  (aggregating  825  officers  and  men), 
\inder  command  of  Col.  Alfred  M.  Wood,  started  for  Wash- 
ington, amidst  great  enthusiasm.  They  were  encamped  on 
Meridian  Hill,  two  miles  north  of  the  city  of  Washington, 
where  the}-  were  regularly  mustered  into  the  United  States 
service.  May  38,  by  Gen.  Irwin  McDowell,  as  the  84th  Regt., 
N.  Y.  Vols.  A  detachment  from  the  Regiment  was  among  the 
first  to  cross  into  Virginia.  July  2,  the  regiment  crossed  the 
Potomac  and  camped  near  Arlington  House,  where  two  com- 
panies were  added,  making  a  total  of  960  men,  and  the  14th 
was  assigned  to  the  Brigade  of  Gen.  Andrew  Porter.  It  took 
part  in  the  battle  of  Bull  Run,  July  21,  and  suffered  severe 
loss.  Col.  Wood  was  wounded  and  taken  prisoner;  afterward 
t  xi  hanged  and  honorably  discharged,  Sept.  28.  The  Regi- 
ment, under  Lt.-Col.  E.  B.  Fowler,  participated  in  the  ad- 
vance upon  Muuson's  and  Hall's  Hills;  afterwards  went  into 
winter  quarters  on  Upton's  Hill,  until  the  Spring  of  1862. 
April  16  it  marched  to  the  Rappahannock,  before  Frede- 
ricksburg, and  engaged  with  the  enemy.  Through  the  Sum- 
mer, the  14th  was  on  the  marCh  much  of  the  time,  following 
the  enemy  and  repelling  attacks.  Aug.  28  occurred  the  sharp 
battle  of  (Jroveton,  near  Gainesville,  m  which  Col.  Fowler, 
Col.  (then  Capt.)  McLeer,  and  Lt.  Seining  were  severely 
wounded,  and  Surg.  Farley  was  taken  prisoner;  Aug.  30  was 
theseeond  battle  of  Bull  Run,  in  which  the  Regiment  suffered 
severely.  The  capture  of  South  Mountain  followed,  Sept.  14, 
where  the  Regiment  lost  30  per  cent,  of  the  men  engaged; 
tln.  e  days  later  it  was  again  badly  cut  up  on  Antietam 
('reek;  after  several  months  of  marching  and  skirmishing,  it 
crossed  the  Rappahannock,  Dec.  12,  1862,  under  heavy  fire; 
lighting  was  continued  for  three  successive  days.  Dec.  23  (he 

Regiment  returned  to  camp  at  Belle  Plains,  and  Col.  Fowler 

returned  to  command.  Feb.  24,  1863,  a  handsome  stand  of 
colors,  sent  from  Brooklyn,  was  presented  to  the  Regiment. 
Apr.  '.I,  the  Corps  under  (ien.  Reynolds  was  received  by  Pre- 
ident  Lincoln.  Apr.  27.  The  1  Ith  assisted  in  crossing  the 
Rappahannock  at  I'ort  Royal  and  driving  the  enemy  from 
their  entrenchments  May  2,  1  and  ■">,  occurred  the  battle  of 
<  IhaaoeUonrille,  w  here  the  I  Itli  w;is  on  the  right  of  the  line. 
It  w  as  c.  .hi  iniially  in  active  service  and  pushed  northward  to 
Gettysburg,  where  it  took  part  in  the  engagements  of  July  1, 


2  and  3,  losing  fifty  per  cent,  of  the  men  engaged.  The  Regi- 
ment then  returned  to  Virginia,  and  through  the  Summer, 
Fall  and  Winter  of  1863,  was  marched  from  place  to  place 
in  the  Rappahannock  and  Rapidan  Valleys.  May  4,  1864, 
the  Regiment  left  Culpepper,  on  the  memorable  Campaign  of 
the  Wilderness.  May  6,  orders  came  for  every  available  man 
to  proceed  to  the  front.  Col.  Fowler  reported  to  Gen.  War- 
ren 3*3  officers  and  men  fit  for  duty.  On  the  8th  the  Regiment 
lost  sixty-five  men,  near  Spottsylvania  C.  H. ;  Lieut. 
Schurig  was  wounded  in  the  arm:  on  the  10th,  61  officers  and 
men  were  killed  or  wounded,  Gen.  Rice  aud  Lieut.  Rae 
killed,  and  Capt.  Baldwin  aud  Adj.  Vliet  wounded.  May  2  2, 
1864,  came  the  orders  that  those  of  the  14th  who  had  en- 
listed in  1S61  should  be  honorably  discharged  and  return 
home;  those  who  had  enlisted  later  were  transferred  to  the 
5th  N.  Y.  Veteran  Vols.,  and  afterwards  distinguished  them- 
selves. The  returning  regiment  was  most  heartily  wel- 
comed with  roar  of  cannon  and  cheers  of  the  multitude,  ex- 
pressing Brooklyn's  pride  in  the  "fighting  14th.'' 

After  the  war  the  Regiment  was  reorganized.  Col.  Fowler 
remained  in  command  until  1873,  when  Col.  McLeer  was 
commissioned. 

Lt.-Col.  Schurig  was  a  member  of  the  14th  long  before  the 
civil  war;  at  the  beginning  of  the  conflict  he  enlisted  with  his 
old  Regiment  and  went  to  the  front  as  4th  Serg.  of  Co.  H; 
was  afterwards  promoted  for  gallantry  and  good  conduct  to 
be  1st  Lieutenant.  He  was  with  the  14th  in  all  its  engage- 
ments, except  when  wounded  and  in  hospital;  his  first  wound 
(in  the  breast)  was  received  at  Groveton  in  1862,  hut  he 
returned  to  the  front  as  soon  as  recovered.  At  Laurel  Hill, 
while  the  14th  made  a  desperate  charge  on  the  enemy's  lot- 
teries, he  was  shot  through  the  arm,  which  had  to  be  amputa- 
ted at  the  shoulder.  After  the  war,  he  rejoined  the  14th  ami 
served  as  Lieutenant,  Captaiu,  Major  and  Lieutenant-Colonel. 
In  1867  he  was  elected  Register  on  the  Republican  ticket:  two 
years  later  he  was  nominated  for  County  Treasurer,  but  was 
not  elected.  In  1880  he  was  appointed  Deputy  Collector  of 
Internal  Revenue  in  this  District.  He  died  in  June,  1888,  ami 
was  buried  with  military  honors. 

Present  status  of  the  Fourteenth  Regiment— Ten  com- 
panies. Third  Brigade,  Second  Division.  Armory  at  corner 
of  North  Portland  avenue  and  Auburn  place,  Brooklyn,  N.  *\ 

Colonel,  James  McLeer,  June  6,  1873  (see  page  867);  Brevet 
Capt.,  N.  Y.  S.  vols.;  1st  Lt.,  Co.  C,  14th  Regt.,  Ma>  87,  MM; 
Quartermaster,  14th  Regt.,  Sept.  9,  1867;  Major,  Aug.  16, 18W; 
Lt.-Col.,  Nov.  7,  1870;  Col.,  June  6,  1873;  Commanding  3.1 
Brigade  since  Sept.  17,  1883. 

Lieutenant-Colonel,  Harry  W.  Michell,  Oct.  29.1883;  Private. 
14th  N.  Y.  S.  militia(84th  N.  Y.  vols.),  April  18,  1861 ;  (  orporal. 
Aug.  1,  1861;  Serg.,  Nov.  1,  1861;  2d  Lt,  Feb.  11, 1863;  1st  Lt 
July  27,  1863;  honorably  discharged  March  12,  1865;  Oft, 
Max  25,  1S65;  Major,  14th  Regt,  Mar.  25,  1875:  l.t.-Col  . 
Oct  29,  1883. 

Major,  Selden  C.  Clobridge,  Oct.  29,  1883;  Private,  Co.  0.. 
115th  N.  Y.  vols.,  Aug.,  8,  1S62;  Corp.,  Aug.,  1862;  Serg.,  Jan. 
15,  1863;  1st  Lt,  April  29,  1865;  discharged  (loss  of  right  arm). 
June  5,  isi>5;  Brevet  Major,  N.  Y.  S.  vols.;  Adj.,  14th  Kegt . 
May  I,  1878;  Major,  Oct  29,  1668. 

Quartermaster— First  Lieutenant .  Alexander  Ramie,  Jr  . 
Feb.  11,  1876. 

Commissary  of  Subsistence— First  Lieutenant,  Alex*nd« 
R.  Samuels,  July  1,  1873. 

Surijeon — ( 'aptain,  .James  L.  Farley,  Sept  5,  1864;  BWF» 
(  olonel. 

Assistant  Sun/con  -Captain,  George  R.  Fowler,  iVM  1 

1877. 

Chaplain  -Captain,  .J.  Oramel  I'eck,  May  22,  1**2- 


MILITAR  Y  OR  G  ARIZ  A  TIONS. 


1190 


Inspector  of  Rifle  Practice— Captain,  Edwin  S.  Browe, 
June  17,  1878. 

Captains— John  McNeill,  Aug.  27,  1862;  Brevet  Major,  Co. 
H.  Ramon  Cardona,  July  17,  1865,  Co.  I.  Benjamin  S. 
Steen,  Nov.  22,  1872,  Co.  C.  Augustus  D.  Liinberger,  Mar. 
11,  1879,  Co.  D.  Joseph  R.  K.  Barlow,  Mar.  22,  1880,  Co.  E. 
William  V.  Peacon,  Co.  F.  William  Wendell,  April  11,  1881, 
Co.  G.   John  J.  Dixon,  Co.  A. 

First  Lieutenants — John  Cutts,  Dec.  17,  1872,  Co.  H.  Has- 
sell  Nutt,  July  26,  1876,  Co.  I.  John  J.  Dixon,  Mar.  29,  1878, 
Co.  C.  James  M.  White,  Sept.  2,  1879,  Co.  B.  William  F. 
Morris,  April  27,  1881,  Co.  K.  John  H.  Curran,  May  26,  1882, 
Co.  E.  Owen  Lewis,  June  19,  1882,  Co.  D.  G.  Edward  Ben- 
net,  Co.  G. 

Second  Lieutenants — Peter  Erick  Erickson,  Mar.  9,  1876, 
Co.  G.    Peres  A.  Packard,  Mar.  29,   1878,   Co.   C.  John 

F.  York,  Sept.  16,  1879,  Co.  H.  Adolph  L.  Kline,  Jan.  23, 
1882,  Co.  E.    Austin  O.  Crane,  Apr.,  1884,  Co.  I. 

The  Twenty-Eighth  Regiment,  N.  G.,  S.  N.  Y.,  was  organ- 
ized in  I860,  with  Michael  Bennet,  Colonel,  who  was  suc- 
ceeded, at  his  resignation  in  1864,  by  David  Bokee,  and  in  1865 
by  Caspar  Urban.    In  18G9  Major  Burger  was  elected  Colonel. 

The  Regiment  was  ordered  April  21,  1861,  to  march  to 
Washington,  D.  C,  where  it  arrived,  under  Col.  Michael  Ben- 
nett, eight  days  later;  was  quartered  in  the  Capitol  building; 
participated  in  the  advance  into  Virginia,  built  "  Fort  Ben- 
net"  and  several  redoubts;  did  guard  duty,  and  was  mustered 
out  Aug.  5,  1861,  many  of  the  men  then  enlisting  in  the 
volunteer  service.  It  was  again  ordered  out  in  1862,  but  did 
not  leave  Brooklyn.  June  16,  1863,  the  Regiment  was  ordered 
to  Harrisburgh  Pa.;  was  held  in  reserve  at  Gettysburgh,  and 
summoned  home  by  the  Governor  on  account  of  the  Draft 
riots  in  New  York,  with  Lt.  Col.  Bokee  in  command;  July 
22,  the  Regiment  was  mustered  out,  Lt.-Col.  Schepper  being 
in  command.  Col.  Casp  ir  Urban  was  afterwards  mustered 
in  as  Colonel.    It  has  since  been  disbanded. 

When  the  old  70th  disbanded,  that  portion  which  was  cav. 
airy  formed  the  nucleus  of  the  Second  Regiment  Cavalry.  X. 

G.  S.  N.  Y.,  under  command  of  Col.  Win.  J.  Cropsey.  with 
about  400  men  in  the  regiment,  but  has  since  disbanded. 

The  Third  (Gatling)  Battery  was  first  organized  as  Co. 
'A,"  1st  Battalion  Light  Artillery,  August  15th,  1864,  Brig.- 
.  Gen.  Jesse  C.  Smith,  then  commanding  the  11th  Brigade,  de- 
tailing Major  E.  O.  Hotchkiss,  of  his  staff,  to  organize  it, 
and  that  officer  remained  in  command  for  some  time  after.  It 
was  armed  with  howitzers,  and  made  its  first  public  parade 
in  New  York  City  at  the  funeral  obsequies  of  the  lamented 
President  Lincoln. 

Major  Hotchkiss  was  succeeded  by  1st  Lt.  Joseph  S.  Amoore. 
In  1868  Capt.  Amoore  resigned.  1st  Lt.  Ira  L.  Beebe  was 
elected  Captain,  who,  early  in  1870,  was  appointed  upon  the 
2d  Division  Staff  as  Chief  of  Artillery,  giving  place  to  1st 
Lt.  Wm.  H.  H.  Beebe,  but  the  latter  subsequently  resigned, 
and  1st  Lt.  Julius  F.  Simons  was  elected  Captain,  who  re- 
signed in  1872,  and  Capt.  Ira  L.  Beebe  was  re-elected  to  the 
Captaincy.  During  this  time  the  organization  was  quartered 
in  the  old  State  Arsenal  in  Portland  avenue,  the  site  of  the 
pre3ent  14th  Regiment  Armory.  In  May,  1875,  the  Battery 
having  been  supplied  with  Gatling  guns  and  complete  horse 
equipments,  it  was  re-organized  into  a  Gatling  Battery,  and 
changed  its  name  to  Galling  Battery,  Eleventh  Brigade.  In 
the  fall  of  1875  the  Battery  changed  its  quarters  to  the  old 
City  Armory  in  Henry  street,  previously  occupied  by  the  13th 
Regiment.  Capt.  Beebe  being  shortly  afterward  elected 
Brigadier-General  of  the  11th  Brigade,  was  succeeded  in  the 
|  Captaincy  by  1st  Lt.  John  A.  Edwards.  T.ie  Battery  served 
during  the  railroad  labjr  riots,  July,  1877. 


About  Jan.  1st,  1878,  the  name  of  the  Battery  was  changed 
by  the  Adjutant-General  of  the  State  to  "Battery  N;"  Jan. 
1st,  1882,  its  name  was  again  changed  to  Third  Battery,  and 
it  was  detached  from  the  11th  Brigade  and  attached  to  the  2d 
Division. 

Capt.  John  A.  Edwards  resigned  in  1882,  and  1st  Lt.  Henry 
S.  Rasquin,  the  present  commandant,  was  elected  in  May, 
1882,  to  the  Captaincy.  In  March,  1882,  the  City  Armory 
having  been  sold,  the  Battery  was  quartered  in  Gothic  Hall, 
Adams  st.  On  the  night  of  Dec.  19th,  1882,  it  was  swept  by 
fire,  and  in  a  short  hour  the  Battery  was  again  homeless. 
Since  then  the  organization  has  met  and  drilled  in  the  14th 
Regiment's  Armory,  by  kind  permission  of  Col.  McLeer.  Al- 
though made  heartily  welcome  by  the  14th  Regiment,  the 
Battery  is  necessarily  crippled  in  its  efficiency,  through  hav- 
ing no  fixed  quarters  of  its  own;  but  its  prospects  are  good 
for  soon  being  provided  for  in  this  respect,  the  Board  of 
Supervisors  of  Kings  County  having  recently  purchased  a 
plot  of  ground  on  Dean  st.,  between  Washington  and  Grand 
avenues,  over  100  feet  square,  for  the  erection  of  an  Armory 
for  the  command. 

The  present  commandant,  Capt.  Henry  S.  Rasquin,  was 
elected  May  22,  1882,  having  previously  been  1st  Lt.  and  Ser- 
geant since  his  enlistment  as  private  in  1877.  He  was  made 
Serg.,  Sept.  29th,  1878;  1st  Lt.,  June  20th,  1881;  Capt.,  May 
22,  1882.  To  his  popularity  and  indefatigable  energy  is  in  a 
large  measure  due  the  present  creditable  efficiency  and  esprit 
de  corps  of  the  command,  numbering  70  men. 

First  Lieutenant,  William  W.  Hanold,  was  elected  Sept.  2d, 
1882,  from  Co.  D.,  13th  Regiment.  In  U.  S.  Navy  from  1865 
to  1871;  Private,  Gatling  Battery,  Nov.  15,  1875:  Corp.,  Feb. 
17th,  1876;  Serg..  March  4th,  1878;  2d.  Lt.  Co.  D.,  13th  Regt., 
Dec.  10th,  1879;  1st  Lt.,  Nov.  30th,  1880;  1st  Lt.,  3d  Battery, 
Sept.  2d,  1882.  His  forte  is  the  howitzer  drill,  many  of  the 
movements  thorein  executed  having  been  introduced  by  him, 
based  upon  experience  gaiued  in  this  branch  of  artillery  while 
in  the  United  States  naval  service. 

Second  Lieutenant,  William  N.  Toshach,  is  also  from  the 
ranks  of  the  Battery,  having  been  elected  to  the  Lieutenancy 
in  1884. 

Assistant  Surgeon — First  Lieutenant,  Charles  P.  W.  Mer- 
ritt,  3d  Battery,  July  30th,  1883. 

The  armament  of  this  Battery  is  4  12-pound  mountain 
howitzers;  4  Gatling  guns,  calibre  50;  71  Remington  carbines, 
calibre  50;  and  9  artillery  sabres.  A  new  uniform,  consisting 
of  white  helmet,  scarlet  coat  and  regulation  trousers,  was 
adopted  by  the  Battery  in  the  spring  of  1884,  and  first  worn 
in  April. 

The  Fourth  (formerly  Eleventh)  Brigade  was  organized 
Dec.  31,  1861,  by  Jesse  C.  Smith,  who  was  elected  its  General. 

The  Brigade  comprises  the  23d  and  47th  Regiments,  and 
the  32d  Regiment  Battalion  (organized  in  place  of  the  dis- 
banded 52d).  It  originated  in  the  necessities  of  the  war.  Im- 
mediately after  the  Bull  Run  disaster,  1861,  companies  of 
Home  Guards  sprang  into  existence  in  every  part  of  the  city. 
The  23d  and  47th  Regiments  were  organized  entirely  from 
companies  of  home  guards,  which  had  been  called  together 
by  the  disasters  at  the  front.  The  first  commander  was  Gen. 
Jesse  C.  Smith,  from  1861  till  186^.  In  1862  he  took  the 
greater  part  of  the  Brigade  to  Pennsylvania,  when  that  State 
was  threatened  with  invasion.  In  1868  Col.  J.  V.  Meserole, 
of  the  47th  was  unanimously  elected  in  his  stead.  Gen. 
Meserole  joined  the  7th  Regiment  June  14th,  1855,  and  served 
seven  years  as  private,  corporal  and  sergeant.  In  1861  he 
took  command  of  Co.  A,  47th  Regiment,  then  forming;  was 
elected  Colonel  of  the  47th  in  March,  1 862.  He  commanded 
the  regiment  both  times  when  it  was  called  into  active 


1200 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


service.  After  holding  command  for  about  eight  years.  Gen. 
Meserole  resigned  in  January,  1876,  followed  by  Brig. -Gen. 
Ira  L.  Beebe,  March  16, 1876:  Brig.-Gen.  Edward  L.  Molineux, 
June  10th,  1879,  and  Brig.-Gen.  W.  H.  Brownell,  Sept.  5th, 
1881. 

Twenty-Third  Regiment.  N.  G.,  S.  N.  Y.— After  the  de- 
parture of  the  old  13th  from  Brooklyn  to  the  seat  of  war  in 
April,  1861,  a  number  of  friends  of  Co.  G.,  known  as  the 
Brooklyn  City  Guard,  organized  for  the  purpose  of  aiding 
the  families  of  its  absent  members,  and  of  making  themselves 
proficient  in  military  service.  This  movement  was  followed, 
May  1st,  by  a  meeting  in  Gothic  Hall,  at  which  a  company 
was  organized  for  the  purposes  above  stated,  and  to  act  as  a 
substitute  for  Co.  G.  in  the  protection  of  the  city;  hence  its 
name.  Relief  Guard,  Co.  G.,  13th  Regt.  Its  officers  were: 
Win.  Everdell,  Jr.,  Capt.;  Thos.  Brooks,  1st  Lt.;  L.  D.  At- 
water,  2d  Lt. ;  John  M.  Pratt,  Ord.  Sergt.  A  gray  uniform 
was  adopted,  Gothic  Hall  was  secured  for  drills,  and  the 
name  of  City  Guard  Reserve  was  soon  after  assumed.  Other 
companies  of  Home  Guards  sprang  into  being,  and  a  desire 
for  a  regimental  organization  was  soon  manifested.  A  com- 
mittee appointed  to  consider  the  matter,  reported  the  exist- 
ence of  the  following  detached  companies,  comprising  some 
700  men:  Brooklyn  Grays,  Capt.  Blakslee;  City  Guard,  Capt. 
Bassett;  Carroll  Hill  Guards,  Capt.  Heath:  South  Brooklyn 
Independent  Guards,  Pres.,  N.  Lane:  Capt.  Bent's  Company: 
Union  Rifles,  Capt.  Morgan:  Guard  Lafayette,  Capt.  J.  H. 
Perry;  Union  Grays,  Capt.  Wylie;  Relief  Guard,  Co.  G,  13th 
Regt.,  Capt.  Everdell;  Washington  Home  Guard,  Capt. 
W.  H.  Crane;  Clinton  Guards,  Capt.  Noyes;  Tnd.  Zouaves, 
Capt.  Slipper;  Excelsior  Guards,  Capt.  Beers. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  City  Guard  Reserve.  Jan.  6,  1862,  after 
the  question  of  a  regimental  organization  had  been  left  to 
the  commissioned  officers,  Capt.  Everdell  reported  that  the 
company  had  been  pledged  to  start  the  23d  Regiment. 
Messrs.  Farnham,  Pratt,  Titus,  and  Everdell,  were  appointed 
a  committee  to  select  from  the  roll  a  permanent  committee, 
with  power  to  draft  a  plan  to  organize  the  23d  Regiment. 
Eleventh  Brigade.  N.  G..  S.  N.  Y.  The  committee  proposed 
that  half  the  City  Guard  Reserve  should  form  Co.  A  of  the 
new  regiment,  that  Capt.  Beers'  Company  should  be  Co.  B, 
and  the  remainder  of  the  Reserve  should  constitute  Co.  C; 
Jan.  20.  1862,  Co.  A  was  mustered  into  the  11th  Brigade, 
Gen.  Jesse  C.  Smith.  Capt.  Everdell  was  elected  first  Colonel 
of  the  regiment,  July  14,  1862,  res.  Oct.  10,  1863,  and  was 
succeeded  by  Col.  Calvin  E.  Pratt,  who  in  turn  resigned  in 
March.  1868,  when  Lt.-Col.  Rodney  C.  Ward  was  elected 
Colonel;  be  resigned,  anil  was  placed  by  the  Commander-in- 
Chief  upon  the  supernumerary  list:  Lt.-Col.  Partridge  was 
his  successor,  but  upon  his  resignation.  Col.  Ward  was  again 
elected  Colonel,  and  still  retains  command.  The  Regiment 
participated  in  the  Gettysburg  campaign,  July,  1863.  but  was 
not  organized  in  time  to  take  part  in  the  other  campaigns 
witli  the  National  Guard.  During  the  labor  riots  of  July, 
ls77.  Gov.  Robinson  ordered  out  a  portion  of  the  militia;  July 
80d,  orders  came  to  Col.  Ward  to  proceed  with  the  23d  to 
Hornellsville  as  soon  as  possible;  at  eight  in  the  evening,  the 
Regiment  man-bed  from  the  armory,  300  strong,  leaving  a  de- 
tachment to  follow  on  the  next  day,  under  Major  A.  C. 
I',  him-  The  command  arrived  in  I  lornellsville  at  3. 1  V.  M. , 
July  23,  was  stationed  in  and  around  the  station,  round- 
li'.iise  and  \ards,  guarding  railroad  property  against  the 
Rttaokl  "f  the  riotmg  strikers;  it  tcok  out  the  first  train  that 
had  been  moved  ean(  for  several  days,  repelled  several  at- 
tack*, protected  track  repairer*,  assisted  in  (he  administration 
of  justice,  and  finally  restored  order,  without  the  necessity 
of  firing  at  the  rioters.    On  its  return  to  Brooklyn,  July  27, 


it  was  given  an  enthusiastic  reception  by  the  citizens,  with 
illuminations,  pyrotechnics,  welcoming  speeches  and  hearty 
handshakings.  Gov.  Robinson  thanked  the  Regiment  for  the 
service  it  had  done  the  State. 

The  23d  had  the  honor  of  opening  the  State  encampment 
at  Peekskill  in  July,  18S2,  and  its  percentage  of  attendance 
was  85,  being  greater  than  that  of  any  other  organiza- 
tion. 

Present  status  of  the  Twenty-Third  Regiment — Ten  com- 
panies. Fourth  Brigade,  Second  Division.  Armory,  Cler- 
mont avenue,  near  Myrtle  avenue,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

Colonel,  Rodney  C.  Ward,  June  25,  1868;  Corp.,  7th  Regt., 
N.  Y.  S.  Mil.,  April  19  to  June  3, 1861;  Capt.,  13th,  N.  G.,  S. 
N.  Y.,  May  28  toSept.  5, 1862; Capt.,  23d  Regt.,  N.  G.,  S.  N.  Y., 
June  18  to  July  22,  1863.  Private,  7th  Regt.,  Jan.  22,  ls57; 
Corp.,  1859;  Capt.,  13th  Regt.,  Dec.  31,  1861:  Capt.  23d  Regt., 
Jan.  30.  1863;  Maj.,  Oct.  24, 1863;  Lt.-Col.,  June  15, 1864;  Co].. 
June  25,  1868;  res.,  but  placed  on  retired  list  by  Commander- 
in-Chief,  Dec.  26,  1879;  re-elected  Col.,  23d  Regt.,  March  8, 
1882. 

Lieutenant-Colonel,  John  B.  Frothingham,  April  11,  1881; 
Brevet  Colonel,  June  22,  1883;  Private,  5th  Mass.  Vol.  Mil., 
three  months'  service,  May  to  July,  1861.  Private,  23d  Regt., 
Dec.  3,  1869;  Corp.,  March  4,  1870;  Sergt.,  Jan.  3,  187?:  Adj.. 
April  6,  1874;  Maj.,  Jan.  10,  1880;  Lt.-Col.,  April  11,  1881. 

Major,  Charles  S.  Fincke,  May  2,  1881;  Private,  23d  Regt.. 
June  9.  1866;  2d  Lt..  June  19,  1877;  1st  Lt.,  Feb.,  25,  ls7H: 
Capt.,  March  18,  1879;  Maj..  May  2,  1881. 

Adjutant — First  Lieutenant,  Henry  Stanwood. 

Quartermaster — First  Lieutenant,  Arthur  A.  Thompson, 
Sept.  18,  1882. 

Commissary  of  Subsistence — First  Lieutenant,  Richard 
Oliver. 

Surgeon— Major,  Edwin  A.  Lewis,  April  23,  1883. 

Assistant  Surgeon — First  Lieutenant,  Edward  S.  Bunker, 
February  2,  1880. 

Chaplain-Captain,  Charles  H.  Hall,  February  9,  1881. 

Inspector  of  Rifle  Practice.  William  H.  Greenland. 

Captains— Alfred  H.  Williams,  Dec.  6,  1873;  Brevet  Major, 
February  16,  1877,  Co.  G.  Darius  Ferry.  Jr..  January  10, 
1876;  Brevet  Major,  November  6,  1879,  Co.  D.  Charles  K. 
Waters,  March  4.  1880,  Co.  K.  Arthur  B.  Hart.  March  B, 
1880,  Co.  A.  George  H.  Pettit,  April  6,  1880,  Co.  F.  Alexb 
C.  Smith,  October  16,  1882,  Co.  H.  Ezra  DeForest.  Januan 
29,  1883,  Co.  C.  Willard  L.  Candee.  October  17,  1883.  Co.  B. 
Eugene  W.  Burd,  Co.  E.    William  L.  Langley,  Co.  L 

First  Lieutenants — Marshall  W.  Brigham,  August  2,  1861, 
Co.  F.  Harold  L.  Crane,  February  27,  1880,  Co.  G.  Richard 
M.  Johnson.  December  11.  l*s-,\  Co.  I).  Curtis  P.  I>a\ic. 
January  29,  1883.  Co.  C.    Cyrus  P.  Smith,  Co.  A. 

Second  Lieutenants— Aaron  G.  Perham,  April  19,  1880  fjj 
G.  David  Moffatt,  Jr..  July  11,  1881,  Co.  E.  Darwin  Ray- 
mond Aldridge,  December  29,  1881,  Co.  K.  George  L.  Fox, 
June  13,  1882,  Co.  F.  Francis  P.  Harron,  October  Hi.  18(9, 
Co.  H.  John  S.  Shepherd.  December,  11, 1882,  Co.  D.  Fr.-.l 
crick  L.  Smith,  January  21,  1883,  Co.  A.  William  S.  Ranta, 
January  29,  l^sn.  Co.  C.  Franklin  P.  Swazey,  February  19. 
l^s:i.  Co.  R. 

Sergcan (  Major,  James  M.  Rankin,  Jr. 

Quartcrmnsfcr-Sergcant.  Ohas.  A.  Frost. 

Commissary-Sergeant,  Wheaton  B.  Despard. 

Ordnance  Sergeant.  Ohas.  E.  Bryant. 

Hospital  Steward,  Win.  E.  Spencer. 

Color-Sirgranfs,  Edward  Britton,  Geo.  H.  Thomas. 

Prum  Major,  ('has.  11.  Brown. 

Hand  Master,  Felix  I.  Elien 

1,'ight  General  Guide,  Geo.  II.  Schwacofer. 


MILITAR  Y  OR  GANIZA  TIONS. 


The  Forty-seventh  Regiment,  N.  G.,  S.  N.  Y. — The  47th 
Regiment  was  born  of  that  spirit  of  fiery  enthusiasm  which 
prevailed  during  the  years  of  the  Civil  War. 

Early  in  1862,  Gen.  J.  V.  Meserole,  then  a  non-commissioned 
officer  of  the  Fourth  Company,  7th  Regiment,  began  to 
agitate  the  question  of  the  formation  of  a  militia  regiment, 
composed  of  residents  of  the  Eastern  District  of  Brooklyn. 
Through  his  efforts  a  vigorous  organization  was  effected,  and 
he  was  commissioned  the  first  Colonel  on  the  mustering  of 
the  Regiment  into  the  State's  service — March  29,  1862.  Six 
companies  were  in  existence  at  this  time,  which  had  been  re- 
cruited mainly  in  the  various  churches,  and  had  been  drilled 
in  the  church  chapels,  stores,  and  other  places  of  the  district. 
After  the  organization  had  been  effected,  the  building  on 
Fifth  street,  known  as  the  Odeon,  now  the  Novelty  Theatre, 
was  used  as  an  armory.  It  is  said  that  the  name  of  the  47th 
was  selected  out  of  compliment  to  Col.  Meserole,  as  he  was 
formerly  connected  with  the  Fourth  Company  of  the  7th 
Regiment. 

Col.  Meserole  found  very  earnest  coadjutors  in  the  work  of 
organization  and  in  the  early  history  of  the  Regiment,  in  the 
following-named  gentlemen  among  others:  George  Sangster, 
E.  R.  Young,  Ralph  W.  Kenyon,  Jeremiah  Johnson,  Fred- 
erick Scholes,  John  W.  Van  de  Water,  Charles  C.  Barnes, 
Henry  W.  Banks,  James  C.  Bloom,  Wm.  H.  Irwin,  Isaac  J. 
Geery,  Thomas  S.  Cooper  and  Truman  V.  Tuttle. 

In  May,  1862,  after  the  defeat  of  Gen.  Banks,  the  47th 
was  suddenly  called  to  the  defense  of  the  National  Cap- 
itol. The  field  and  line  officers,  at  this  time,  were  as  follows: 
Colonel,  J.  V.  Meserole;  Lieuteuant-Colonel,  George  Sangs- 
ter; Major,  Edward  R.  Young;  Adjutant,  William  J.  Irwin: 
Surgeon,  Dr.  Dougherty;  Paymaster,  Orrin  M.  Beach;  Quarter- 
master, Frederick  Scholes;  Chaplain,  Rev.  E.  S.  Porter,  D.  D. 
Co.  A— Henry  W.  Banks,  Capt.;  J.  C.  Harding,  1st  Lt.;  J.  C. 
Bloom,  2d  Lt.  Co.  B— M.  A.  Tappen,  Capt.;  C.  E.  Hunting- 
ton, 1st.  Lt.;  W.  L.  Foster,  2d  Lt.  Co.  C— J.  C.  Anderson, 
Capt.;  G.  H.  Sanford,  1st  Lt.;  J.  B.  Griffin,  2d  Lt.  Co.  D-T. 
S.  Cooper,  Capt. ;  A.  H.  Rogers,  1st  Lt. ;  H.  W.  Taylor,  2d  Lt. 
•Co.  E— S.  B.  Murphy,  Capt.;  J.  J.  Suydam,  IstLt.;  E.  H. 
Fales,  2d  Lt.  Co.  F— R.  W.  Kenyon,  Capt. ;  H.  Irwin,  1st  Lt. ; 
H.  R.  Lee,  2d  Lt.  Co.  G— T.  T.  Betts,  Capt.;  R.  C.  Stearns,  1st 
Lt.;  W.  J.  Taylor,  2d  Lt.  Co.  H— C.  B.  Morton,  Capt.;  S.  T. 
Maddox,  1st  Lt. ;  T.  K.  Chichester,  2d  Lt. 

Great  enthusiasm  was  manifested  among  the  residents  of 
Williamsburg  when  the  newly-organized  Regiment  took  their 
departure  for  the  seat  of  war.  A  chronicler  of  this  event 
says:  "  The  Regiment,  with  drums  beating  and  flags  flying, 
got  into  line  on  Fifth  street,  on  May  30,  at  6  P.  M.,  and  at  the 
word  of  command  marched  cheerfully  away.  The  entire 
population  seemed  to  have  poured  into  the  streets  to  bid  them 
good-bye." 

The  47th,  having  traveled  all  night,  reached  Baltimore  on 
the  last  Saturday  of  June,  1863,  very  early  in  the  morning, 
and  was  soon  after  ordered  to  Washington,  and  stationed  at 
Fort  Ethan  Allen. 

The  Regiment  did  duty  at  Alexandria,  at  Fairfax  Court 
House  and  other  places  in  front  of  Washington. 

When  the  Draft  Riots  broke  out,  the  Regiment  returned 
home  to  assist  the  authorities  in  maintaining  order.  The 
command  was  mustered  out  of  the  United  States  service  July 
23,  1863,  special  guard  duty  having  been  performed  at  the 
Armory  for  several  months  thereafter.  It  should  be  men- 
tioned that  in  the  year  1862  two  companies  were  organized, 
to  accompany  the  command  to  the  seat  of  war,  that  did  not 
take  commissions  in  the  Regiment  on  its  return.  Co.  I,  Capt. 
Dougherty,  was  organized  during  the  absence  of  the  Regiment 
and  joined  it  on  its  return.  Col.  David  E.  Austen,  afterwards 


commanding  the  13th  Reg.,  was  Lt.  in  this  company.  During 
the  absence  of  the  Regiment  in  Virginia,  in  1863,  and  while 
the  Draft  Riots  were  progressing,  members  of  the  Regiment 
under  the  command  of  Lieut.  Brown  kept  guard  at  the  regi- 
mental armory,  and  also  did  duty  at  the  Atlantic  Docks,  in 
the  western  part  of  the  city. 

The  Regiment  was  sent  todo  garrison  duty  at  Fort  McHenry, 
in  Baltimore  Harbor,  thus  relieving  veteran  regiments,  who 
were  sent  to  participate  in  the  active  scenes  at  the  front.  At 
the  expiration  of  the  three  months'  service  the  Regiment  re- 
turned to  Brooklyn. 

In  the  early  summer  of  1863,  Gen.  Lee  was  in  Pennsylvania 
and  marching  upon  Harrisburg.  The  Regiments  of  the  N.  Y. 
N.  G.,  in  condition  to  move,  were  hurried  off  to  the  seat  of 
war.  The  47th  of  Brooklyn  belonged  to  Gen.  Jesse  C. 
Smith's  11th  Brigade.  Three  of  the  regiments  had  gone 
and  were  in  the  neighborhood  of  Harrisburg. 

During  this  period  the  command  had  been  quartered  in  the 
old  Odeon  building  on  Fifth  street,  but  the  Regiment  having 
outgrown  these  narrow  quarters,  a  site  was  selected  at  the 
corner  of  Fourth  aud  N.  Second  streets,  for  the  erection  of  an 
armory  building.  The  corner-stone  was  laid  with  imposing 
Masonic  ceremonies  on  July  14,  1864,  the  entire  2d  Div. 
parading  in  honor  of  the  occasion. 

This  was  the  first  regimental  armory  erected  in  Kings 
county,  and  though  considered  commodious  at  that  time,  has 
for  many  years  been  entirely  inadequate  for  the  accommoda- 
tion of  the  Regiment. 

When  competitive  drills  were  first  advocated,  Col.  Meserole 
was  among  the  first  to  adopt  the  idea,  and  accordingly  a 
friendly  contest  between  the  right  and  left  wings  of  the  Regi- 
ment took  place  March  23,  1867. 

On  the  resignation  of  Gen.  Jesse  C.  Smith,  Col.  Meserole 
was  promoted  to  the  command  of  the  11th  Brigade,  2d  Div., 
and  May  9,  1868,  David  E.  Austen  was  commissioned  Col.  to 
succeed  him. 

On  the  retirement  of  Col.  Meserole  from  the  Regiment,  he 
was  presented  with  a  handsome  service  of  plate,  which  bore 
the  following  inscription:  "Presented  to  Col.  J.  V.  Meserole 
by  members  of  the  47th  Reg.,  N.  G.  (Brooklyn  Greys),  as  a 
token  of  love  and  esteem." 

Col.  Austen  was  succeeded  by  Lt.-Col.  William  H.  Brown- 
ell,  who  was  commissioned  Sept.  5,  1877.  Col.  Brownell  was 
a  graduate  of  Co.  E,  and  under  his  command  the  47th  Reg. 
attained  a  very  high  degree  of  discipline.  He  originated  a 
system  of  street-riot  tactics,  which  he  has  published  in  the 
form  of  a  manual,  that  has  been  adopted  and  put  into  use  in 
many  States  of  the  Union. 

On  the  retirement  of  Gen.  Molineux,  Col.  Brownell  was 
promoted  to  the  command  of  the  11th,  now  the  4th  Brigade, 
2d  Div.,  which  he  still  retains. 

Col.  Truman  V.  Tuttle,  who  next  commanded  the  Regiment, 
was  a  competent,  faithful,  enterprising  and  industrious  offi- 
cer. He  has  been  connected  with  the  command  since  its  in- 
ception, and  has  risen  to  his  present  rank  by  merit,  having 
filled  every  surbordinate  position  with  credit  to  himself  and 
with  honor  to  the  regiment. 

The  47th  has  been  noted  for  the  success  attending  its  social 
entertainments.  It  is  also  well-known  for  its  efforts  in  the 
cause  of  charity,  having  largely  contributed  to  the  Sanitary 
Commission  Fair  during  the  war;  to  the  E.  D.  Industrial 
School;  the  E.  D.  Hospital  Building  Fund;  towards  erecting 
a  monument  to  the  late  Lieut.  Col.  James  Creny,  95th  N.  Y. 
Vols.,  and  to  numerous  other  charitable  objects. 

The  command  visited  Albany  in  1868,  where  it  was  pre- 
sented with  a  magnificent  stand  of  olors  by  Lieut. -Gov. 
Stewart  L.  Woodford,  on  behalf  of  the  State. 


1202 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


The  present  strength  of  tlie  command  is  five  hundred  and 
nine,  rank  and  file. 

Gen.  William  EL  Brownell,  to  whom  allusion  has  previously 
been  made,  has  been  untiring  in  his  exertions  to  secure  the 
new  armory,  and  for  the  adoption  of  such  plans  as  will  pro- 
^  ide  the  best  possible  quarters  for  the  Regiment. 

The  uniform  of  the  Regiment  is  grey,  as  it  belongs  to  the 
"Grey  Brigade."  Its  head-quarters  were  on  Fourth  st.,  near 
Grand,  but,  in  1884,  a  new  armory  was  built  betweeu  Har- 
rison and  Man  y  avenues  and  Lynch  and  Ileyward  streets,  at 
a  cost  of  $  12"), 000,  without  the  site;  it  is  of  brick,  with  stone 
trimmings;  is  200  by  204  feet,  with  eight  company  rooms, 
each  19  by  42  feet,  and  a  drill  room,  130  by  128  feet.  In  the 
basement  are  eight  rifle  galleries,  each  204  feet  long. 

The  47th  Regiment  has  always  responded  readily  to  the 
calls  for  duty,  in  the  spirit  of  its  motto,  "  Ducit  Amor  Pa- 
tria\"  and  with  its  companions  in  arms,  was  publicly  thanked 
by  the  civil  and  military  authorities  for  its  promptness 
and  excellent  conduct  in  service.  It  has  a  Cadet  Corps,  com- 
posed of  the  sons  of  leading  families;  the  boys  are  uniformed 
and  excellently  drilled  under  command  of  Capt.  Win.  H. 
Eddy,  of  Co.  I. 

Present  status  of  the  Forty-Seventh  Regiment — Nine  com- 
panies. Fourth  Brigade,  Second  Division.  Old  armory, 
corner  of  Fourth  and  North  Second  streets,  Brooklyn,  E.  D. 

Colonel,  Truman  V.  Tuttle,  Sept.  28,  1881  (resigned  Jan., 
lss-l);  was  Serg.,  47th,  N.  G.,  S.  N.  Y.,  June  17  to  July  23, 1863; 
Private,  Co.  F,  Mar.  8, 1862;  Serg.,  Nov.  7, 1862;  1st  Serg.,  Nov. 
6,  1866;  Capt.,  Mar.  6,  1871;  Maj.,  47th  Regt.,  Sept.  5,  1877; 
Lt.-Col.,  Jan.  13,  1881;  Col.,  Sept.  28,  1881-84. 

Lieutenan t-Colonel,  George  Conover,  Sept.  28,  1881;  Private, 
Co.  E,  May  14,  1867;  2d  Lt.,  1st  Regt.,  Nov.  13,  1870;  1st 
Lt.,  Dec.  20,  1870;  Capt.,  Nov.  15,  1872;  transferred  to  47th 
Regt.,  rank  July  28, 1873;  Maj.,  June  13,  1881;  Lt.-Col.,  Sept. 
28,  1881. 

Major,  Edward  F.  Gaylor,  Sept.  28,  1881;  Private,  Co.  G, 
Nov.  20,  1871;  Corp.,  Feb.  20,  1873;  Serg.,  April  29,  1874;  2d 
Lt.,  Oct.  14,  1874;  1st  Lt.,  Dec.  27,  1875;  Capt.,  Aug.  2,  1876; 
Maj.,  Sept.  28,  1881. 

Adjutant — First  Lieutenant,  John  G.  Eddy,  April  6,  1881. 

ijiuirtt minister — First  Lieutenant,  Edward  Milner,  January 
10,  1882. 

Commissary  of  Subsistence — First  Lieutenant,  Edward 
Walker,  Cctober  3,  1883. 

Surgeon — Major,  Edward  Hilborne  Ashwin,  April  23,  1883. 

Assistant  Surycnu— First  Lieuti  nant,  John  Edwin  Morgan, 
June  28,  1882. 

cinijiliiiii  -Ca])tnin,  Newland  Maynard,  May  26,  1*75. 

liisjHctor  of  Uijle  Practia  Captain,  Alvah  G.  Brown, 
January  16,  1876. 

Captains— Alfred  A.  Doughty,  May  25,  1869;  Brevet  Major, 
Oct.  29,  1877,  Co.  B.  George  H.  Streat,  July  7,  1874;  Brevet 
Major,  April  22,  1881,  Co.  E.  Daniel  0.  Sullivan,  April  1, 
1878,  Co.  EL  William  R.  Pettigrew,  Sept.  11,  1878,  Co.  G. 
Frank  J.  Le  Count,  Jr.,  Nov.  25,  1881,  Co.  K.  John  M.  Ran- 
ken,  Dec.  1,  1881,  Co.  A.  George  L.  Davenport,  Feb.  8,  1882, 
Co.  I).  Win.  H.  Hddy,  Co.  I.  lidward  Schwalbach,  May  3, 
1884,  Co.  F. 

/  nst  Lieutenants— Stanley  Oliver,  Jan.,  1884,  Co.  D.  Lean- 
der  V.  Kolierts,  May  5,  1884,  Co.  F. 

Second  Lieutenants — John  11.  Cornell,  July  15,  1881,  Co. 
K.  Charles  H.  Mcllvaine,  Aug.  1,  1881.  Co.  B.  Edward  J. 
(  lariy.  March  :{(>,  is*;;,  (•,,.  D.  John  A.  Swett,  June  4,  1883, 
(  o.  (i.    Thos  McConnick,  Jan.,  1884,  Co.  A. 

The  Thirty-second  Regiment,  N.  G.,  S.  N.  Y.,  was  organ- 
|,\  Mu  |ci  Henry  1"< I  Koehr  as  a  battalion  of  four  com- 
panies, on  <)<t.  hi|i,  |sr.:',.    It  was  composed  principally  of 


Germans.  Major  Koehr  worked  hard  to  effect  the  organiza- 
tion of  a  regiment,  and  with  such  success  that  in  less  than 
one  year  two  new  companies  were  raised,  making  a  total  of 
six,  and  he  was  commissioned  Lieutenant-Colonel,  and'F.  J. 
Karcher,  Ma  jor.  Colonel  Roehr  was  an  excellent  tactician, 
and  a  good,  practical  instructor.  In  1870  the  7th  and  Btb 
companies  were  addeJ,  making  the  battalion  a  regiment,  with 
II.  E.  Roehr,  Colonel;  John  Rueger,  Lieutenant-Colonel,  and 
M.  J.  Petry,  Major,  in  place  of  F.  J.  Karcher,  resigned,  and 
who  had  been  appointed  Adjutant;  much  credit  is  due  him  for 
the  work  performed  and  assistance  rendered  the  field  officers. 

In  1877  Co.  "I"  was  added,  and  in  1878  Co.  "K,"  making 
ten  companies  in  all.  These  latter  companies,  and  also  Oo, 
"II,"  were  formed  by  native-born  young  men,  whose  advent 
into  the  regiment  brought  a  decided  change.  Bare  company 
rooms  were  fitted  up  and  furnished,  and  the  old  members  be- 
gan to  feel  more  interest  and  pride  in  their  Regiment.  In 
1877  Col.  Roehr  resigned,  and  the  field  was  made  up  as  Eat 
lows:  Colonel,  John  Rueger;  Lieutenant-Colonel,  Louis  Boe- 
sert ;  Major,  Louis  Finkelmeier,  with  F.  J.  Karcher,  Adjutant. 

During  the  riots  of  July,  1877,  the  Regiment  was  transferred 
to  the  23d  Regiment  Armory,  until  the  latter's  return  from 
Horucllsville. 

Nearly  all  the  officers  at  this  time  were  veterans  of  the  (  n  il 
War,  and  patient,  painstaking  instructors, 

In  1880  Col.  John  Rueger  resigned,  leaving  Major  Finkel- 
meier in  command,  Lt.-Col.  Bossert  having  resigned  some 
time  before  Col.  Rueger. 

Difficulties  now  came  thick  and  fast,  and  in  1881  rumors 
were  rife  that  the  command  would  be  disbanded.  Louis  Bos- 
sert was  elected  Colonel,  but  not  getting  the  support  of  line 
officers,  resigned,  leaving  the  command  again  with  Lt.-Col. 
Finkelmeier,  with  E.  Broggelwirth  as  Adjutant.  Lt.-Col. 
Finkelmeier,  by  hard  and  good  work  soon  had  the  command 
in  good  trim,  and  steadily  it  increased  both  in  numbers,  dis- 
cipline, and  soldierly  bearing.  In  November,  1881,  Lt.-Col. 
Finkelmeier  took  command  as  Colonel,  with  E.  M.  Wunder 
Lieutenant-Colonel,  F.  W.  Parisette,  Major,  and  E.  Broggel- 
wirth, Adjutant,  and  an  entirely  different  complement  of 
men,  many  of  the  old  members  having  dropped  out.  The 
new  men  ranged  from  eighteen  to  twenty-five  years  of  age; 
the  German  language  was  dropped  during  company  meeting, 
and  English  substituted.  The  command  was  in  good  hand-; 
the  line  officers  were  all  young  men  familiar  with  soldiering, 
having  come  to  a  great  extent  from  the  Turner  Cadet  Corp. 

In  1883  Co."E"  was  disbanded,  and  the  letter  was  dropped; 
officers  and  men  had  previously  been  transferred  to  different 
companies. 

The  Regiment  is  at  this  time  in  good  shape,  435  strong,  and 
turns  out  a  good  percentage,  some  companies  reaching  s" 
per  cent,  and  over,  the  lowest  percentage  for  1883  being'" 
per  cent.  It  is  composed  mostly  of  strong  and  hardy  young 
men,  well  able  to  stand  the  hardships  of  a  campaign.  Offi- 
cers ami  men  have  worked  hard  to  bring  the  command  up  to 
a  good  standard,  with  excellent  prospects  for  its  future. 

The  32d  Regiment  was  to  take  quarters  in  the  new  armory, 
on  Marcy  ave.,  now  in  course  of  construction,  in  connection 
with  the  47th;  but  officers  and  men  declined;  requests  were 
made  to  have  the  command  remain  in  its  old  quarters.  Had 
steps  been  taken  to  enlarge  the  present  armory,  instead  of 
using  influence  to  procure  a  new  armory,  some  advantage 
would  certainly  have  been  gained. 

Colonel,  Louis  Finkelmeier,  Oct.  8,  1881;  private,  Co.  B, 
20th  N.  Y.  Vols.;  Corp.  and  Serg.,  1st  Serg..  Dec.  26,  1862; 
dis.  at  expiration  of  service,  June  I,  l*ti:'>;  Ih|  Lieut.,  !I2J 
Mattery,  Oct.  8,  1H08;  Capt.,  32d,  Sept.  14.  1872;  Major.  Dec. 
19,  1876;  Lt.-Col.,  March  29,  1881;  Col.,  Oct.  8,  1881. 


MIL  IT  A  RY  ORG  A  NIZA  TIONS. 


1203 


Lieutenant-Colonel,  Edward  M.  Wunder,  Oct.  8,  1881; 
private,  Co.  H,  28th  N.  Y.  S.  Mil.,  April  23  to  Aug.  5,  1861; 
private,  Co.  A,  47th,  N.  G.,  S.  N.  Y.,  May  28  to  Sept.  1,  1862, 
and  June  17  to  July  23,  1863;  Capt.,  Co.  A,  32d  Regt.,  Sept. 
18, 1875;  res.  March  16, 1881;  Lt.-Col.,  32d  Regt.,  Oct.  8,  1881. 

Major,  Frederick  W.  Parisette,  Oct.  8,  1881;  2d  Lt.,  Co.  F, 
32d  Regt.,  Nov.  16,  1876;  1st  Lt.,  Co.  D,  Sept.  20,  1878;  Capt., 
Jan.  28,  1880;  Maj.,  32d  Regt.,  Oct.  8,  1881. 

Adjutant— First  Lieutenant,  Emil  Broggelwirth,  April  6, 
1881. 

Quartermaster — First  Lieutenant,  Louis  A.  Bleudermann, 
April  20,  1883. 

Surgeon— Major,  John  F.  Valentine,  April  23,  1883. 

Assistant  Surgeon — First  Lieutenant,  August  Hardrich, 
March  25,  1882. 

Chaplain — Captain,  John  Meury,  Nov.  11,  1881. 

Inspector  of  Rifle  Practice — Captain,  Charles  Vorgang, 
March  24,  1877. 

Captains— Charles  Waage,  March  29,  1876;  Brevet  Major, 
Dec.  4,  1879,  Co.  F.  William  F.  Grotz,  March  27, 1878,  Co.  H. 
Louis  J.  Leonhardt,  Nov.  4,  1880,  Co.  K.  John  Bettenhaeu- 
ser,  Oct.  29,  1881,  Co.  G.  Edward  Verdeckberg,  March  31, 
L882,  Co.  D.  William  Strining,  Aug.  29,  1883,  Co.  B. 

First  Lieutenants — Stanislaus  R.  Bluemke,  Dec.  23,  1876. 
Brevet  Captain,  Oct.  8,  1881,  Co.  F.  John  J.  Klein,  Oct.  29, 
1881,  Co.  G.  William  Goedel,  Nov.  25,  1881,  Co.  C.  Louis 
Haas,  July  28,  1882,  Co.  I.  William  Tiedemann,  Sept.  7,  1882, 
Co.  D.  Frederick  Voelbel,  April  13,  1883,  Co.  H.  Philip  Gros- 
back,  Jr.,  April  20,  1883,  Co.  A. 

Second  Lieutenants — William  Distellamp,  Aug.  23,  1876, 
Co.  K.  Ferdinand  Funk,  Dec.  27,  1879,  Co.  H.  Philip  Wagen- 
hauser,  Nov.  25,  1881,  Co.  C.  Elliott  D.  Martin,  Oct.  13,1882, 
Co.  D.    Charles  J.  Richter,  Dec.  15,  1882,  Co.  I. 

The  Fifty-sixth  Regt.,  N.  G.,  S.  N.  Y.,  was  org.  in  1*62, 
with  Col.  Talmage  as  its  first  commandant,  who  was  followed 
by  Col.  De  Bevoise,  and  he  in  turn  by  Col.  J.  Q.  Adams. 
Under  command  of  the  latter  it  proceeded  to  Pennsylvania 
and  Maryland  at  the  call  of  the  Government  for  thirty  days, 
and  was  afterwards  for  three  months  at  Elmira,  N.Y.,  to  guard 
prisoners  confined  there.  After  Col.  Adams'  resignation 
Maj.  Henry  T.  Chapman,  Jr.,  of  the  23d,  was  elected  Colo- 
nel. The  Regiment  had  eight  companies,  and  a  total  of 
about  500  men.  The  Armory  and  head-quarters  were  at 
Phenix  Hall,  16  Court  Street,  but  the  organization  lias  since 
disbanded. 

Seventeenth  Separate  Company,  Third  Brigade,  Second 
Division.  Armory  on  Broadway,  corner  Lawrence  avenue, 
Flushing,  Queens  county,  N.  Y.  Organized  as  the  First 
Separate  Company,  2d  Division,  in  July,  1876;  its  designa- 
tion changed  to  17th  Separate  Company,  Dec.  8,  1877. 

Captain,  Thomas  Miller,  Jr.,  Feb.  25,  1880;  1st  Lt.,  17th 
Co.,  June  20,  1878. 

First  Lieutenant,  John  Hepburn,  Feb.  25,  1880;  2d  Lt., 
17th  Sep.  Co.,  June  20, 1878. 

Second  Lieutenant,  Joseph  Fitch,  Feb.  1,  1881;  private, 
17th  Sep.  Co.,  Nov.  27,  1880. 

The  Department  of  Rifle  Practice  was  created  by  chap.  275, 
laws  of  1878,  for  the  purpose  of  affording  to  members  of  the 
National  Guard  facilities  for  improving  their  marksmanship. 
The  rank  of  the  General  Inspector  was  raised  to  that  of  Brig- 
adier-General, and  Geo.  W.  Wingate  was  first  appointed  to 
the  office,  with  Col.  J.  Howard  Cowperthwait  his  assistant. 
Rifle  ranges  some  fifty  yards  long  were  built  in  all  the  arm- 
ories of  the  city;  ammunition  was  issued,  and  the  men  re- 
quired to  shoot  for  practice.  The  weapon  in  use  by  the  N.  G., 
S.  N.  Y.,  is  the  Remington  breech-loading  rifle,  50  caliber. 
Out  door  rifle  ranges,  for  long  distance  shooting,  were  estab- 


lished throughout  the  State,  the  best  being  at  Creed  moor, 
Queens  county;  this  was  largely  due  to  the  exertions  of 
Brooklyn  members  of  the  National  Guard,  and  has  become 
celebrated  by  reason  of  the  inter-State  and  international 
matches  shot  there.  During  the  summer  season  the  different 
companies  are  ordered  to  the  out-door  ranges  for  practice;  an 
equal  number  of  cartridges  are  issued  to  each  man,  a  record 
kept  of  his  targets  at  100,  150,  200,  and  300  yards,  his  grade 
advancing  with  his  proficiency.  The  State  issues  medals 
as  prizes  for  the  best  marksmanship,  which  are  contended  for 
with  keen  rivalry,  both  by  individuals  and  organizations. 
The  improvement  in  accuracy  of  firing  has  been  marked;  it 
might  perhaps  be  still  further  increased  should  the  State  au- 
thorities substitute  a  weapon  of  smaller  bore,  like  the  U.  S. 
Government  standard,  44  caliber,  in  which  case  the  ball 
would  be  less  affected  by  atmospheric  variations.  The  various 
officers  in  this  department  are  mentioned  elsewhere. 

Annual  Muster.— Sec.  130,  chap.  547,  laws  of  1880,  pro- 
vides that  an  annual  muster  of  all  general  and  staff  officers, 
and  of  all  organizations  of  the  National  Guard,  shall  be  made 
at  such  time  and  place  between  the  first  day  of  May  and  the 
first  day  of  November,  as  the  Commander-in-Chief  shall 
order  and  direct,  at  which  all  members  must  appear  suitably 
uniformed,  armed  and  equipped  ;  the  muster  to  be  made  by 
the  Inspector-General  or  an  acting  assistant,  and  three 
muster-rolls  shall  be  officially  certified  to  by  such  inspectors, 
one  of  which  is  to  be  filed  with  the  Adjutant-General,  one 
w  ith  the  commandant  of  the  troop,  battery  or  company,  and 
one  to  be  retained  by  himself. 

State  Camp  of  Instruction. — Section  70  of  the  Military 
Code  provides  that  the  Commander-in-Chief  may  cause  the 
National  Guard,  or  portions  thereof,  to  perform  at  least  five 
consecutive  days  of  camp  duty  in  each  year,  but  no  organi- 
zation two  years  in  succession;  such  encampments  to  be  held 
at  the  State  Camping  Ground,  and  all  expenses  to  be  borne 
by  the  State.  Under  this  provision,  a  camping-ground  was 
leased  on  a  fine  plateau  overlooking  the  Hudson  river,  at 
Peekskill,  and  prepared  for  use  in  the  summer  of  1882. 
The  23d  was  the  first  Regiment  encamped  there,  July,  1882, 
followed  in  order  by  the  12th,  11th,  8th,  with  2d  and  11th 
Separate  Companies,  47th,  with  17th  Separate  Company,  and 
the  22d.  In  1883,  the  following  regiments  were  ordered  into 
camp:  the  71st,  with  5th  Separate  Company,  7th,  13,  65th, 
with  the  19th,  38th,  40th  and  41st  Separate  Companies,  the 
9th,  with  6th  Separate  Company,  the  74th,  with  Co.  B,  10th 
Battalion,  20th  and  30th  Separate  Companies. 

Volunteer  Regiments  in  the  Civil  War. — In  this  connec- 
tion brief  mention  will  be  made  of  the  Volunteer  Regiments 
that  went  from  Kings  county  in  defense  of  the  Government, 
during  the  Civil  War. 

The  Regiments  recruited  (whole,  or  in  part)  in  Brooklyn 
and  Kings  county,  were  the  5th  Artillery,  15th,  31st,  47th, 
48th,  50th,  51st,  67th,  73d,  87th,  90th,  132d,  139th,  158th, 
159th,  164th,  165th,  173d  and  176th.  In  the  above  enumeration 
of  our  city's  contributions  to  the  war,  the  representatives  in 
the  navy  have  not  been  included;  they  will  number  at  least 
half  as  many  as  entered  the  military  branch  of  the  service. 

Bvt.  Brig  -Gen.  William  De  Lacy,  at  the  outbreak  of  the 
rebellion  raised  and  maintained  a  full  company  at  his  own 
expense,  until  Julyl,  1861,  when  it  was  mustered  into  the  37th 
Regt.,  N.  Y.  Vols.,  then  commanded  by  Samuel  B.  Hayman  of 
the  old  7th  Regulars,  and  was  subsequently  attached  to 
Kearney's  Division  of  the  3d  Corps,  commanded  by  Gens. 
Heintzelman  and  Sickels.  Rapidly  promoted  through  the 
grades  of  1st  Lieutenant  and  Captain,  he  became  Major,  Oct. 
8,  1862.  During  his  service  in  the  3'.  in,  Major-Gen.  H.  G. 
Berrv,  in  a  report  to  Adj. -Gen,  Thomas,  says:— "  Major 


1204 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


William  De  Lacy  has  served  under  me  nearly  a  year.  I  have 
hail  occasion  to  notice  his  conduct  in  battle  many  times.  He 
was  wounded  at  Williamsburgh,  May  5,  1863.  He  is  brave, 
intelligent,  cool,  intrepid  and  devoted."  He  served  in  all  the 
engagements  that  Kearney's  Division  was  engaged  in,  and 
after  the  death  of  that  distinguished  officer,  was.  chosen  by 
the  officers  of  the  Division  to  design  and  procure  the 
"Kearney  Cross."  The  Thirty-seventh,  having  served  the 
I>eriod  of  enlistment,  was  mustered  out,  and  Maj.  De  Lacy, 
formed  a  veteran  company,  which  was  added  to  the  5th 
Regt.,  Duryea's  Zouaves,  now  the  4th  Regt.  National  Guard, 
ne  was  commissioned  Lt.-Col.  of  the  164th  Regt.,  N.  Y. 
Vols.,  2d  Division,  2d  Corps.  At  Spottsylvania,  May  28, 
1864,  Col.  De  Lacy  was  wounded  in  the  wrist  and  through 
the  abdomen,  and  was  reported  to  be  mortally  wounded.  He 
recovered,  however,  in  about  three  months,  was  commis- 
sioned Colonel,  and  returned  to  duty  in  front  of  Petersburgh, 
being  in  command  of  "  Battery  Nine,"  inmediately  to  the 
right  of  the  famous  "  Fort  Hill."  Gen.  William  Hays,  in  his 
report  of  the  capture  of  Fort  Steadman,  Mar.  25,  I860,  says: 
— "  Col.  William  De  Lacy,  of  the  164th  Regt..  Division  officer 
of  the  day,  was  severely  wounded;  this  is  the  third  or  fourth 
time  this  gallant  officer  has  been  wounded  during  the  war." 
In  Aug.,  I860,  Col.  De  Lacy,  was  mustered  out  with  the  164th 
Regt.,  but  was,  Mar.  4,  I860,  unanimously  elected  Col.  of  the 
4th  Regt.,  N.  G.,  his  services  to  the  State  being  further  rec- 
ognized by  the  brevet  rank  of  Brigadier-General,  conferred 
June  2,  1869,  though  the  United  States  Go%'ernment  bestowed 
that  brevet  rank  upon  him  on  the  13th  of  April,  four  years 
previous,  "for  gallant  and  meritorious  conduct  during  the 
war." 

The  Forty-eighth  Regiment,  N.  Y.  V.,  was  raised  and 
organized  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  to  serve  three  years;  was 
mustered  into  the  United  States  service  Aug.  10  to  Sep.  16, 

1861.  The  original  members  (except  veterans)  were  mustered 
out  on  expiration  of  term  of  service,  and  the  Regiment,  com- 
posed of  veterans  and  recruits,  retained  in  the  service  until 
Sept.  1,  1865. 

Engagements — Hilton  Head.  Port  Royal  Ferry,  Fort  Wag- 
ner, Olustee,  Drury's  Bluff,  Cold  Harbor,  Petersburg,  Cha- 
pin's  Farm,  Fort  Fisher,  Wilmington  and  Raleigh. 

Colonels— James  H.  Perry,  died  Fort  Pulaski,  Ga.,  June  18, 

1862.  William  H.  Barton  (Bvt,  Brig. -Gen.  U.  S.  V.),  mustered 
out  Dec.  3,  1864.  William  B.  Coan,  mustered  out  Sept.  1, 
1865. 

June  18,  1883,  was  unveiled  a  handsome  monument  in 
Cypress  Hills  Cemetery ,  erected  to  the  memory  of  Col.  James 
H.  Perry,  of  the  48th  N.  Y.  Vols.  Col.  Perry  was  born  in 
Ulster  county,  N.  Y.,  June,  1811,  and  grew  to  be  a  finely 
developed  man.  He  was  fitted  for  West  Point,  but  his 
appointment  was  pigeon-holed,  and  he  studied  law.  He 
rendered  distinguished  service  in  the  Mexican  war.  Having 
derided  that  it  was  his  duty  to  preach  the  Gospel,  he  entered 
the  Methodist  Ministry  and  served  faithfully  until  the  out- 
break  of  tin-  Rebellion;  Then  he  took  up  arms  in  defence  of 
his  country,  and  died  at  Fort  Pulaski,  Ga.,  June  18,  1862. 

I.ttntenant-Colonels — William  B.  Barton,  prom.  Col.,  June 
30,  1862.  Oliver  T.  Beard,  prom.  Lt-Col.,  July  3,  1802.  James 
M.  Green,  killed  at  Fort  Wagner,  S.  C,  July  18,  1863.  Dudley 
\V.  Strickland,  res.  JuneO,  1864.  William  B.  Coan  (Bvt.  Col., 
V.  S.  V.),  prom.  Col.,  Dec.  10,  istii.  NYre.  A.  Flfwing  (Bvt. 
Col.,  N.  Y.  V.). 

Major*  OliTer  T.  Beard,  prom.  Lt.-Col.,  July  3.  1862. 
James  M.  Green,  prom.  Lt.-Col.,  Jan.  7,  1863.  Dudley  W. 
Strickland,  prom.  Ft. -<  SoL,  Aug.  28,  1863.  William  B.  Coan, 
prom.  Ft  -Col.,  June  23,  1*64.  Samuel  M.  Swart  wont,  killed 
July  30,  |sr,|.     \ I l«-rt  F.  Miller  (Rvt.  Lt.-Col.,  N.  Y.  V), 


James  A.  Barrett.  Nere  A.  Elf  wing  (Bvt.  Lt.-Col.,  U.  S.  V.), 
mustered  out,  Sept.  1,  1865. 

Captains— Joseph  G.  Ward,  res.  Jan.  18,  1862.  Asa  H. 
Ferguson,  res.  April  5,  1864;  recom.  John  A.  Fee,  died  July 
15,  1864.  William  E.  D'Arcy,  killed  at  Deep  Bottom,  Va.. 
Aug.  14,  1864.  Adolph  Laccopiden,  mustered  out  Sept.  1, 
1865.  Daniel  C.  Knowles,  res.  June  30,  1862.  James  0. 
Paxson,  died  July  31,  1863.  William  J.  Carlton  (Bvt.  Maj., 
N.  Y.  V.),  mustered  out  Dec.  3, 1864.  Henry  Lang,  mustered 
out  Sept.  1,  1865.  Samuel  J.  Foster,  res.  Jan.  26, 1863.  Fred- 
erick Hurst,  died  July  31,  1863.  Theodore  C.  Vidall,  declined. 
Townsend  L.  Hatfield.  Samuel  F.  Moser,  killed  Palmer  Creek. 
Va.,  May  16,  1864.  James  A.  Barrett,  mustered  out  Sept.  1, 
1865.  Charles  P.  Umpleby,  mustered  out  Sept.  1,  1865.  Liuis 
H.  Lent,  killed  Morris  Island,  S.  C,  July  10,  1863.  William 
H.  Dunbar  (Bvt.  Maj.,  U.  S.  V.),  mustered  out  Sept.  1,  1865. 
Edward  R.  Travis,  res.  Aug.  30, 1862.  Nere  A.  Elfwing,  prom. 
Maj.,  June  22,  1864.  Simeon  McGraw.  Henry  T.  Carri-han, 
mustered  out,  Sept  1,  1865.  Anthony  Elmendorf,  res.  April 
April  19,  1864.  Van  Rensselaer  K.  Hilliard  (Bvt.  Maj.,  I  s. 
V.),  mustered  out  Sept.  1,  I860.  William  B.  Coan,  prom. 
Maj.,  Aug.  28,  1863.  James  M.  Nichols,  res.  Sept.  12,  1884 
Asa  II.  Ferguson,  mustered  out  Sept.  1.  1865.  James  Ferrell, 
killed  Fort  Wagner,  S.  C,  July  18,  1863.  Albert  F.  Miller, 
dis.  Jan.  13,  I860.  James  W.  Dunn,  killed  Fort  Fisher,  N.  C, 
Jan.  15.  1865.  David  B.  Fletcher.  James  M.  Green,  prom. 
Major,  July  18,  1862.  William  L.  Lockwood,  res.  May  26. 
1864.  Joseph  R.  Taylor,  dis.  Nov.  3,  1864.  Aden  Lippeucott. 
(Bvt.  Maj.,  U.  S.  V.),  dis.  April  16,  1*65.  Thomas  Dawson 
Dudley  W.  Strickland,  prom.  Maj.,  Jan.  7,  1863.  Samuel  M. 
Swartout,  prom.  Maj.,  July  4,  1S64.  John  M.  Santum. 
Elbridge  J.  Hutchinson,  dis.  May  26,  1865.  Edward  Downer, 
mustered  out  Sept.  1,1865.  Augustus  M.  Erwin,  mustered 
out,  Sept.  1,  1865. 

The  Sixty-seventh  Regiment,  N.  Y.  Vols.,  was  raised  and 
organized  at  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  and  mustered  into  the  U.  S. 
service  June  24,  1861,  to  serve  three  years.  The  original 
members  (except  veterans)  whose  term  of  service  had  ex- 
pired, were  mustered  out  July  4,  1H64,  and  the  veterans  and 
recruits  transferred  to  the  65th  N.  Y.  Vols.  It  participated 
in  the  engagements  of  Yorktown,  Williamsburgh,  Seven 
Pines,  Glendale,  Turkey  Bend,  Malvern  Hill,  Chantilly,  An- 
tietam,  South  Mountain.  Williamsport,  Fredericksburg,  Salem 
Heights,  Gettysburg,  Rappahannock  Station,  Locust  Grove, 
Mine  Run,  Wilderness,  Spottsylvania,  Cold  Harbor,  and 
Petersburg. 

Colonels— Julius  W.  Adams,  res.  Oct.  19,  1862.  Nelson 
Cross  (Bvt.  Maj.-Gen.,  U.  S.  V.),  mustered  out  July  4,  1864 

Lieutenant-Colonels— "S.  Cross,  promoted  Col.,  Nov.,  17. 
1862.    H.  L.  Van  Ness,  mustered  out  July  4,  1864. 

Majors — P.  M.  De  Zeng,  dis.  Aug.  30,  1862.  H.  L  Van 
Ness,  promoted  Lt.-Col.,  July  27,  1863.  C.  O.  Belden  (B*t 
Col.,  N.  Y.  Vols.),  mustered  out  July  4,  1864. 

Adjutants— S.  M.  Hogan,  dis.  Sept.  5,  1862.  G.  B  Lincoln, 
Jr.,  mustered  out  July  4,  1864. 

Surgeons— R.  H.  Hinman,  died  May  22,  1862.  G.  F 
Adams,  mustered  out  July  4,  1864. 

Chaplains— J.  A.  Penniman,  dis.  April  3,  is<>8.  J.  C. 
Beecher,  res.  Sept.  8,  1862. 

Captains — G.  Foster,  dis.  March  18,  1863.  T.  M.  K.  Mills, 
mustered  out  July  4,  1864.  G.  W.  Stillwell  (Bvt.  Maj.,  Lt- 
Col.  and  Col.,  N.  V.  V.),  res.  Dec.  29,  1862.  H.  E.  Rainak 
transferred  Nov.  12,  1863.  J.  W.  Fisher,  mustered  out  Jul* 
4,1864.  E.  A.  Canfield,  res.  June  2,  1862.  H.  C  KkV, 
transferred  July  4,  1864.  B.  W.  Goodman,  dis.  Nov.  1.  1861. 
H.  E.  Rainals,  diB.  Nov.  30,  1862,  re -com.  C.  RathtMM, 
mustered  out  July  4,  1864.    A.  H.  Howe  (Bvt.  Maj.,  N  V.  V.  , 


MILITA R  Y  OR  GANIZA  TIONS. 


1 205 


res.  Jan.  24,  1863.  A.  Belknap,  res.  Feb.  6,  1863.  H.  L.  Van 
Ness,  promoted  Maj.,  Nov.  17,  1862.  J.  S.  Bliss  (Bvt.  Lt.-Col. 
U.  S.  V.),  mustered  out  July  4,  1864.  C.  O.  Belden,  promoted 
Maj.,  July  27,  1863.    George  Harper,  mustered  out  July  4, 

1864.  A.  S.  Montgomery,  res.  Nov.  22,  1861.  W.  C.  Der- 
mady,  mustered  out  July  4,  1864.  L.  Brown,  res.  May  30, 
1862.  D.  R.  Sullivan,  died  June  26,  1862.  T.  C.  Cooper, 
killed  in  Wilderness,  May  6, 1864.  J.  C.  Hughes.  L.  M.  Peck, 
res.  Jan.  24,  1863.    E.  K.  Russell,  transferred  July  4,  1864. 

The  Eighty-seventh  Regiment,  N.  Y.  Vols.,  was  raised 
and  organized  at  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  to  serve  three  years.  It 
was  mustered  into  the  service  of  the  United  States  from 
October  to  December,  1861,  and  consolidated  with  the  40th 
N.  Y.  Vols.,  Sept.  16,  1862.  It  participated  in  the  following 
engagements:  Yorktown,  Peach  Orchard,  Williamsburg, 
Fair  Oaks,  White  Oak  Swamp,  Malvern  Hill,  Manassas 
Junction,  and  Bristow  Station. 

Colonel,  Stephen  A.  Dodge,  mustered  out  Sept.  6,  1862. 

Lieutenant-Colonel,  Richard  A.  Bachia  (Bvt. Col.,  N.  Y.  V.), 
mustered  out  Sept.  6,  1862. 

Major,  George  B.  Bosworth,  res.  July  15,  1862. 

Captains,  John  C.  Lassin  (Bvt.  Maj.,  N.  Y.  V.),  mustered 
out  Sept.  6,  1862.  Samuel  F.  Knight,  res.  April  3,  1862. 
Thomas  T.  Baker,  mustered  out  Sept.  6,  1862.  Robert  Mcln- 
tyre,  dis.  Feb.  6,  1862.  William  H.  Leaycraft  (Bvt.  Maj., 
N.  Y.  V.),  mustered  out  Sept.  6,  1862.  John  L.  Lee,  res. 
April  16,  1862.  Thomas  Batman  and  John  H.  Stone,  res. 
July  16,  1862.    Edward  B.  Combs,  mustered  out  Sept.  6, 

1862.  John  H.  Betts,  mustered  out  Sept.  6,  1862.  Ezekiel 
Day,  res.  April  19,  1862.  Charles  W.  Courtwright  and  Mat- 
thew W.  Jackson,  killed  August  29,  1862.  John  McMillan, 
dis.  Dec.  14,  1861. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-Ninth  Regiment,  N.  Y. 
Vols.,  was  organized  at  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  to  serve  three  years. 
The  companies  of  which  it  was  composed,  were  raised  in  the 
counties  of  Kings  and  Queens.  It  was  mustered  into  the 
service  of  the  United  States,  Sept.  9,  1862;  mustered  out 
June  19,  1865,  in  accordance  with  orders  from  the  War  De- 
partment. It  was  in  the  following  engagements:  Drury's 
Bluff,  Cold  Harbor,  Petersburg,  Fair  Oaks,  and  Fort  Har- 
rison. 

Colonels — Anthony  Conk,  dis.  July  9,  1863.  Samuel  H. 
Roberts  (Bvt.  Brig. -Gen.,  U.  S.  V.),  mustered  out  June  19, 
1865. 

Lieutenant-Colonels — Samuel  H.  Roberts,  promoted  Col., 
Sept.  10,  1862.  Edgar  Perry,  killed  at  Cold  Harbor,  Va., 
June  3,  1864.  Thomas  Mulcahy  (Bvt.  Brig.-Gen.,  U.  S.  V.) 
mustered  out  June  9,  1865. 

Majors — Andrew  Morris,  dis.  August  13,  1863.  Thomas 
Mulcahy,  promoted  Lt.-Col.,  June  30,  1864.  Embre  Rogers, 
dis.  Feb.  3, 1865.    Theodore  Miller,  mustered  out  June  19, 1865. 

Captains— Gilbert  Bogart,  res.  Dec.  26,  1862.  Theodore 
Miller,  promoted  to  Maj.,  Feb.  28,  1865.  George  Lock,  mus- 
tered out  June  19,  1865.    Thomas  H.  Lunney,  dis.  Aug.  11, 

1863.  John  H.  B.  Smith,  dis.  Jan.  14,  1865.  Joseph  W. 
Packard,  mustered  out  June  19,  1865.  Henry  Dawson,  Jr. 
(Bvt.  Maj.,  N.  Y.  Vols.),  res.  Nov.  7,  1863.  S.  Clark  Beecher, 
killed  at  Cold  Harbor,  Va.,  June  2,  1864.  J.  Oliver  Cum- 
mings.  Embre  Rogers,  promoted  Maj.,  Aug.  12,  1864. 
William  H.  Male  (Bvt.  Maj.,  U.  S.  V),  mustered  out  June 
19,  1865.  Howard  W.  Phillips,  res.  Aug.  i6,  1863.  Dudley 
W.  Haynes,  dis.  Sept.  3,  1864.  William  L.  McCormick,  mus- 
tered out  June  19,  1865.  Edgar  Perry,  promoted  Lt.-Col., 
Aug.  23,  1863.  John  W.  Swift,  killed  at  Chapin's  Farm,  Va., 
Sept.  29,  1864.    George  W.  McComb,  mustered  out  June  19, 

1865.  Jeptha  A.  Jones,  res.  Nov.  13,  1862.  Frederick  H. 
Stafford,  dis.  Sept.  2,  1864.    Henry  W.  Marsh,  mustered  out 


June  19,  1865.  N.  P.  Fitzpatrick,  dis.  Sept.  22, 1864.  Horace 
B.  Fitch,  dis.  May  8,  1865.  Benjamin  Phillips,  mustered  out 
June  19.  1865.  Thomas  Mulcahy,  promoted  Maj.,  Sept.  14, 
1863.  Daniel  P.  Bernard,  Jr.  (Bvt.  Maj.,  U.  S.  V.),  mustered 
out  June  19,  1865. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-eighth  Regiment,  N.  Y. 
Vols.,  was  organized  at  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  to  serve  three  years. 
The  Companies  of  which  it  was  composed  were  raised  in  the 
counties  of  Kings  and  Queens.  It  was  mustered  into  the 
service  of  the  United  States,  Nov.  11,  1862;  mustered  out  of 
service,  June  30,  1865,  in  accordance  with  orders  from  the 
War  Dept. 

'  Colonels— James  Jourdan  (Bvt.  Brig.-Gen.  and  Maj. -Gen. 
U.  S.  V.),  dis.  March  17,  1865.  William  H.  McNary  (Bvt. 
Brig.-Gen.,  U.  S.  V.),  mustered  out  June  30,  1865. 

Lieut.-Colonels— William  H.  McNary,  pro.  Col.,  Mar.  30, 
1865.    Byron  Kalt. 

Majors— William  M.  Burnett,  dis.,  Nov.  18,  1863.  John 
O'Connor.  Silas  A.  Ilsley  (Bvt.  Lieut.-Col.  U.  S.  V),  dis. 
Feb.  17,  1865.  Byron  Kalt,  mustered  out  June  30,  1865. 
William  A.  Furey. 

Captains— Simeon  M.  Sanders,  dis.  Dec.  11,  1862.  Jacob 
David,  mustered  out  June  30,  1865.  Charles  H.  Murch,  dis. 
Nov.  22,  1862.  F.  DeWitt  Littlejohn,  dis.  Mar.  2,  1863.  Wil- 
liam Cuff,  mustered  out  June  30,  1865.  Charles  Smith,  dis. 
Aug.  31,  1864.  Theodore  F.  King  (Bvt.  Lieut.-Col.,  U.  S.  V), 
dis.  June  16,  1865.  John  Smith,  dis.  Dec.  4,  1862.  Peter  B. 
Steele,  dis.  Jan.  9,  1864.  Smith  C.  Roof,  mustered  out  June 
30,  1865.  Jno.  H.  Riedenbach,  dism.  July  14,  1863.  Jacques 
Kalt,  dis.  Mar.  2,  1865.  Henry  M.  Connelly.  Theodore  M. 
Linder.  Byron  Kalt,  pro.  Maj.,  Feb.  25,  1865.  Michael 
Campbell,  mustered  out  June  30,  1865.  Jno.  O'Connor,  dis. 
June  28,  1863.  James  Cain,  dism.  Jan.  13,  1864.  Edward 
Gillen,  mustered  out  June  30,  1865.  William  A.  Furey,  mus- 
tered out  June  30,  1865.  Albert  H.  Lindsey.  George  McCann, 
dis.  April  13,  1865.  Jno.  W.  Dunn,  dis.  Jan.  5,  1863.  Bar- 
tholomew B.  Purdy,  mustered  out  June  30,  1865. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Seventy-third  Regiment,  N.  Y. 
Vols.,  was  organized  at  Riker's  Island,  N.  Y.,  to  serve  three 
years.  The  companies  of  which  it  was  composed  were 
raised  in  the  county  of  Kings.  It  was  mustered  into  the 
service  of  the  United  States,  from  Oct.  30th  to  Nov.  10th, 

1862.  It  was  mustered  out  of  service,  Oct.  18,  1865,  in  accord- 
ance with  orders  from  War  Dept. 

Engagement,  Port  Hudson. 

Colonels— Charles  B.  Morton,  res.  Mar.  15,  1863.  Lewis 
M.  Peck  (Bvt.  Maj. -Gen.,  U.  S.  V.),  mustered  out  Oct.  18, 
1865. 

Lieut.-Colonels— Lewis  M.  Peck,  pro.  Col.,  June  13,  1863. 
William  N.  Green,  Jr.  (Bvt.  Brig.-Gen.,  U.  S.  V),  died  May 
14,  1864.  Mellen  T.  Holbrook  (Bvt.  Col.,  N.  Y.  V.  and  U.  S. 
V.),  mustered  out  Oct.  18,  1865. 

Majors— A.  Power  Gallaway,  died  July  9,  1863.  George 
W.  Rodgers  (Bvt.  Lt.-Col.,  N.  Y.  V.),  mustered  out  Oct.  18, 
1865. 

Captains— Geo.  W.  Rodgers,  prom.  Maj.,  July  27,  1863. 
Geo.  D.  Weeks,  mustered  out  Oct.  18,  1865.  Maurice  Con- 
way (Bvt.  Maj.,  N.  Y.  V.),  mustered  out  Oct.  18,  1865.  John 
H.  Dobbs,  dis.  Nov.  18, 1863.  Wm.  A.  Green  (Bvt.  Maj.,  N.  Y. 
V,  and  Lt.-Col.,  U.  S.  V.),  mustered  out  Oct.  18,  1865. 
Howard  C.  Conrady  (Bvt.  Maj.,  N.  Y.  V.),  mustered  out  Oct. 
18,  1865.  Henry  R.  Lee,  died  May  5,  1864.  Sidney  H.  Farrell, 
mustered  out  Oct.  18,  1865.  Mellen  T.  Holbrook,  Pro.  Lt.- 
Col,  Nov.  30,  1864.  James  M.  Badgley  (Bvt.  Maj.,  N.  Y.  V.), 
mustered  out  Oct.  18,  1865.    Aaron  F.  Major,  dism.  May  3, 

1863.  William  A.  Robinson,  died  A.ug.  28,  1865.  Dennis 
Spellman.     Henry  Wills,  res.  Aug.  21,  1863.     Geo.  A. 


1206 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Dugan  (Bvt.  Maj.,  N.  Y.  V.),  mustered  out  Oct.  18,  1865. 
Jno.  H.  Broach,  dis.  June  30,  1864.  William  Barwick, 
mustered  out  Oct.  18,  1865.  John  \V.  Gregory,  dis.  Jan.  17, 
1863.  Nathan  C.  Gregory.  Nathaniel  A.  Conklin  (Bvt. 
Maj.,  N,  Y.  V.  and  Lt.-Col.,  U.  S.  V.),  dis.  Aug.  3,  1863.  Wil- 
liam H.  Folk  (Bvt.  Maj.,  N.  Y.  V.)    Henry  Cocheu,  killed 


Port  Hudson,  June  14,  1863.  Samuel  P.  Dill  (Bvt.  Maj.,  N. 
Y.  V.),  dis.  June  29,  1865.    Geo.  F.  Tallman. 

We  are  indebted  for  the  sources  of  the  foregoing  article  to 
the  reports  of  the  Adjutant-Generals,  the  columns  of  the 
Advance,  to  Gen.  J.  V.  Meserole,  Gen.  W.  H.  Brownell,  Col. 
McLeer,  Maj.  Gaylor,  and  others  of  the  National  Guard.— Eds. 


MAJ. -GEN.  THOMAS  S.  DAKIN. 


Majok-Gexeral  Thomas  S.  Dakix.— No  man  in  this  city 
or  county  has  been  more  prominently  identified  with  mili- 
tary affairs  than  was  Major-General  Thomas  S.  Dakin;  while 
as  a  rifleman,  the  victor  of  Creedmoor  and  Dollymount,  he 
stood  supreme.  The  International  Rifle  contests  spread  his 
fame  through  both  worlds,  and  the  decoration  of  the  Legion 
of  Honor  of  France  was  a  recognition  of  his  merit  that  was 
well  deserved.  In  other  lands  he  was  admired;  in  his  own, 
where  known,  he  was  beloved.  His  influence  in  the  improve- 
ment of  the  National  Guard  will  be  long  felt. 

Like  many  who  attain  distinction  in  after  life,  Thomas 
Spencer  Dakin  was  country  born  and  bred.  He  came  of 
Scotch-English  stock,  notable  for  their  many  excellencies, 
which  were  transmitted  to  him.  In  1831,  the  year  of  his 
birth,  his  father,  Hiram  Dakiu,  lived  on  a  firm  in  Orange 
county,  New  York,  but  two  years  later,  removed  to  the  town 
of  New  Paltz,  Ulster  county.  He  was  a  man  of  strong  char- 
acter, of  more  than  ordinary  ability  and  influence,  as  is 
proved  by  his  election  to  the  Board  of  Supervisors  for  several 
terms,  also  to  the  Shrievalty  and  other  important  offices,  al- 
ways as  a  staunch  Democrat.  His  son  inherited  his  father's 
mental  superiority,  with  an  active,  hardy,  athletic  body  and 
steady  nerve.  His  educational  advantages  were  limited  to 
the  common  schools  and  the  New  Paltz  Academy,  but  he 
formed  there  a  taste  for  study  which  bore  good  fruit  in  after 
years.  Thus  his  boyhood  was  passed  in  the  quietude  of  coun- 
try life.  But  as  he  neared  the  age  of  eighteen,  he  could  no 
longer  be  content  with  the  monotonous  existence  and  t he 
poor  prospect  for  future  advancement.  Full  of  life  and 
energy,  with  a  robust,  sinewy  frame,  a  clear  head  and  stout 
heart,  he  longed  for  the  stir  of  the  busy  world,  conscious  of 
the  ability  to  succeed  there.  He  therefore  left  the  old  farm- 
house, with  his  effects  in  a  little  bundle,  a  half  dollar  in  his 
purse  and  "  all  the  world  before  him  where  to  choose."  He 
walked  to  New  York,  where  his  prepossessing  appearance 
soon  procured  him  employment  in  a  commission  house.  There 
his  aptness,  industry,  and  fidelity  raised  him  to  a  responsible 
position,  and  in  after  years,  to  a  partnership.  Most  of  his 
evenings  were  spent  in  the  old  Mercantile  Library,  on  Beek- 
mati  Street,  in  satisfying  his  craving  for  knowledge  and 
improving  his  literary  taste. 

In  1H58  he  established  the  firm  of  Thomas  S.  Dakin  & 
Co.,  a  commission  house,  where  he  continued  until  1H61; 
then  he  became  senior  partner  in  the  oil  firm  of  Dakin 
<V  Ciilu  k.  in  Maiden  Lane.  The  same  characteristics  that 
brought  success  before,  continued  it  still,  and  in  1870,  Gen. 
H.ikin  was  aide  to  retire  with  a  competency.  He  bore  a  high 
reputation  among  business  men,  enjoying  the  respect  and 
esteem  of  all  his  associates. 

In  mfllfctrj  affairs  he  always  took  the  greatest  interest, 
even  mi  tli.'  old  days  of  "general  trainings."  In  ls.'is  In- 
joined  the  ranks  of  Company  U,  Thirteenth  Regiment  In 


1862,  he  organized  Company  H,  of  the  same  Regiment,  and 
was  elected  its  Captain.  Afterwards  he  was  appointed  on 
the  staff  of  General  Philip  S.  Crooke,  of  the  Fifth  Brigade. 
Captain  Dakin  accompanied  his  Regiment  to  the  front,  and 
was  in  active  service  in  Virginia  in  1862.  He  was  elected 
Major  in  1866;  the  next  year  Lieutenant-Colonel;  and  in  1869, 
was  chosen  Colonel  in  the  place  of  General  Jourdan  who  had 
resigned.  In  the  autumn  of  the  same  year  he  was  elected 
Brigadier-General  of  the  Fifth  Brigade;  while  in  1875,  Gov- 
ernor Tildeu  appointed  him  Major-General  of  the  Second 
Division  of  the  National  Guard,  comprising  all  the  military 
organizations  of  Brooklyn,  which  commission  he  held  at  the 
time  of  his  death. 

In  1872,  Gen.  Dakin  began  experimenting  in  long-range 
rifle  shooting,  with  a  view  of  increasing  the  efficiency  of  his 
men.  He  soon  became  exceptionally  proficient,  and  followed 
the  pursuit  with  enthusiasm.  Influential  in  procuring  the 
establishment  of  the  rifle  range  at  Creedmoor,  he  enjoyed  its 
facilities  with  zest.  He  was  victorious  in  all  matches,  while 
his  scores  in  the  International  contests  at  Creedmoor  in  1^74 
and  1876,  at  Dollymount,  Ireland,  in  1875,  proved  him  to  be 
one  of  the  finest  marksmen  in  the  world.  He  had  long  de- 
sired to  have  .a  rifle-range  established  in  the  immediate  vicin- 
ity of  Brooklyn,  which  he  would  undoubtedly  have  effected, 
but  for  his  untimely  death. 

Although  General  Dakin  was  always  interested  in  polities, 
as  a  good  citizen  should  be,  he  was  a  candidate  for  office  but 
once,  which  was  in  1876,  when,  after  repeated  and  urgent 
solicitation,  he  consented  to  become  a  candidate  for  Congress, 
on  the  Democratic  ticket,  in  the  Third  District,  against  S.  B. 
Chittenden.  His  unanimous  nomination  occurred  Octol*r 
30th,  followed  by  a  short  but  brilliant  canvass.  In  his  letter 
of  acceptance  he  said:  "  My  views  are  quite  in  accord  with 
the  principles  of  the  party,  contained  in  t he  platform  adopted 
at  St.  Louis;  and  I  am  in  favor  of  nothing  that  will 
tend  to  jeopardize  our  commercial  and  financial  interests,  or 

to  paralyze  in  the  least  degree  the  efforts  of  the  De  craJfa 

party  to  secure  good  government  reform  in  the  ail  ministration 
of  public  affairs,  an  economical  and  judicious  expenditure  of 
the  public  money,  competent,  faithful  and  conSciuultOM 
public  officials,  and  a  sacred  regard  for  t  he  protection,  wel- 
fare and  prosperity  of  the  people  of  our  whole  country."  In 
the  few  days  remaining  liefore  the  election  he  developed  im- 
mense strength  on  every  side,  hut  the  briefness  of  the  can- 
vass and  the  professional  politicians  pitted  against  him,  suc- 
ceeded in  overcoming  him  h\  the  small  majority  of  1  *■■">.  I" 
ill,  lew  months  preceding  his  death,  his  name  was  coupled 
with  the  nomination  for  Sheriff,  to  which  office  he  would  no 
doubt  have  In  ch  elected  had  he  lived. 

General  Dakin  was  a  remarkably  handsome  man,  of  fine 
proportions,  military  hearing  and  commanding  presence.  He 
\\a-  a  thorough  gentleman,  w  ith  manners  coiiith  but  genial, 


MIL  IT  A  R  Y  OR  GANIZA  TIONS. 


1207 


while  his  frank,  hearty  ways  made  him  a  universal  favorite. 
Widely  esteemed  for  his  excellent  moral  qualities,  none  could 
boast  a  wider  circle  of  friends.  He  was  connected  with  the 
Grand  Arm}-  of  the  Republic,  the  National  Rifle  Association, 
and  other  similar  organizations. 

The  General  first  married  a  Miss  Scholes  of  Brooklyn,  in 
1857,  but  his  wife  lived  only  a  few  months. 


In  1866,  he  married  a  daughter  of  Mr.  Daniel  Robbins  of 
this  city,  to  whom  he  was  devotedly  attached,  and  with  whom 
he  lived  most  happily  until  his  sudden  death  at  his  home  in 
Pearl  street,  May  13th,  1878. 

General  Dakin  was  universally  mourned;  while  his  memory 
is  still  warmly  cherished  in  the  hearts  of  his  family,  com- 
rades and  friends. 


GEN.   QUINCY  ADAMS  GILLMORE. 


General  Quincy  Adams  Gillmore,  Colonel  in  the  Corps 
of  Engineers  and  Brevet  Major-General,  United  States  Army, 
distinguished  as  an  artillerist  and  engineer  during  our  Civil 
War,  was  bom  at  Black  River,  Lorain  county,  Ohio,  in  1825. 
His  parentage  was  of  mingled  Scotch,  Irish  and  German  ex- 
traction. His  father,  Quartus  Gillmore,  was  born  in  Hamp- 
shire county,  Mass.,  in  1790,  and  about  the  time  he  reached 
manhood,  removed,  with  his  father's  family,  to  Lorain 
county,  Ohio,  thus  becoming  one  of  the  pioneers  on  the  once 
famous  "  Western  Reserve,"  and,  at  the  age  of  thirty-four, 
marrying  there  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Smith,  a  native  of  New  Jersey, 
daughter  of  John  S.  Reid,  who  had  also  settled  in  Black 
River. 

The  first  child  of  this  union  was  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
who  grew  up  in  the  healthy  atmosphere  of  farm  life,  and 
when  old  enough,  began  to  assist  in  the  daily  labor  of  the 
place.  Like  most  country  boys,  he  obtained  his  rudimentary 
education  chiefly  during  the  winter  months.  At  the  age  of 
twelve,  his  father  sent  him  for  a  short  time  to  Norwalk 
Academy,  twenty-five  miles  away,  where  he  made  great 
progress  with  his  studies. 

For  three  winters  preceding  his  twentieth  birthday  he 
taught  a  district  school,  and  he  attended  the  high  school  at 
Elyria,  eight  miles  distant,  for  two  terms  during  this  period, 
where  he  took  a  high  stand.  A  poem  of  his  entitled  "  Erie," 
which  was  read  at  an  exhibition  given  by  the  school,  at- 
tracted the  favorable  attention  of  the  Member  of  Congress,  who 
had  the  nomination  of  a  Cadet  to  West  Point  within  his  gift, 
and  the  position  was  offered  to  young  Gillmore.  After  some 
hours  consideration,  the  offer  was  accepted,  and  the  young 
man  entered  the  Military  Academy  in  1845,  and  graduated 
at  the  head  of  his  class  in  1849. 

He  was  twenty-four  years  old  at  this  time,  and  during  this 
year  he  married  Miss  Mary  O'Maher,  only  daughter  of  the 
Academy  treasurer  of  cadets.  Upon  his  graduation,  he  was 
appointed  Brevet  Second  Lieutenant  of  Engineers,  and  was 
ordered  to  duty  as  an  assistant  on  the  fortifications  at  Hamp- 
ton Roads.  Tliree  years  later,  he  was  ordered  back  to  West 
Point  and  appointed  instructor  in  the  department  of  practical 
military  engineering.  Subsequently  he  was  appointed 
Treasurer  and  Quartermaster  of  the  Academy.  July  1st,  1856, 
he  was  promoted  to  First  Lieutenant  in  the  corps  of  en- 
gineers and  ordered  to  New  York  to  take  charge  of  the 
engineer  agency  there  established.  The  outbreak  of  the  Re- 
bellion found  him  thus  engaged. 

In  August,  1861,  Lieutenant  Gillmore  was  promoted  to  a 
captaincy  in  his  own  corps  and  appointed  Engineer-in-Chief 
of  the  Port  Royal  Expedition,  under  Brigadier- General  T.  W. 
Sherman. 

The  reduction  of  Fort  Pulaski,  situated  on  Cockspur  Island, 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Savannah  river  and  defending  the  water 
approach  to  Savannah,  was  of  primary  importance  to  the  j 
success  of  this  expedition,  and  Captain  Gillmore  was  directed 


to  reconnoitre  the  place  and  report  upon  the  practicability  of 
its  capture.  He  reported  that  he  deemed  "  the  reduction  of 
that  work  practicable  by  batteries  of  mortars  and  rifted  guns 
establislied  on  Tybee  Island,''  a  mile  distant,  and  was  subse- 
quently placed  in  command  of  the  besieging  force.  Fort  Pulaski 
was  pentagonal  in  form,  with  brick  casemates  on  all  sides  and 
a  brick  scarp-wall,  seven  to  eight  feet  thick.  It  mounted  one 
tier  of  guns  in  embrasure  and  one  en  barbette.  To  effect  its 
reduction,  Captain  Gillmore  judiciously  disposed  thirty-six 
pieces  of  artillery  in  eleven  batteries  along  the  shore  of  Tybee 
Island.  The  work  of  investment  required  two  months  of 
incessant  labor,  night  and  day,  and  this  being  fully  completed 
and  the  Savannah  river  blockaded,  Captain  Gillmore,  now 
acting  Brigadier-General,  issued  orders  very  minute  in 
character,  for  conducting  the  bombardment. 

Firing  began  at  8:15  A.  ML,  April  10th,  1862,  and  at  9:30  A. 
M.  all  of  the  batteries  were  in  active  operation,  and  thus  con- 
tinued until  dark.  Throughout  the  night  firing  was  kept  up 
with  a  few  pieces,  in  order  to  prevent  the  besieged  confeder- 
ates from  making  any  arrangement  for  their  protection,  by 
fortifying  with  sand-bags  that  portion  of  the  wall  operated 
or  by  the  Union  batteries,  or  similarly  strengthening  the  wall 
of  the  magazine, which  would  be  exposed  to  direct  fire  when- 
ever a  breach  in  the  scarp-wall  should  be  made.  The  first 
day's  firing  of  the  Federal  artillery  rendered  the  barbetted 
guns  of  the  fort  unserviceable.  Shortly  after  sunrise  on  the 
morning  of  April  11th,  the  bombardment  was  renewed,  all 
the  batteries  participating.  The  breach  in  the  fort  was  rapidly 
enlarged,  and  by  2  P.  M.  about  forty-five  feet  of  the  scarp- 
wall  had  been  battered  into  the  ditch.  As  the  shots  from  the 
Union  guns  now  passed  freely  through  two  of  the  casemates, 
and  endangered  the  safety  of  the  magazine  of  the  fort,  the 
confederates  ran  up  the  white  flag,  and  their  surrender  was 
consummated  during  the  afternoon  and  evening.  The  wall 
of  the  fort  was  found  to  be  shattered  to  such  an  extent  that 
one  hundred  feet  of  its  length  had  to  be  replaced  by  a  new 
brick  wrall.  Fort  Pulaski  is  situated  on  a  marsh  island,  and 
the  nearest  approach  to  it  on  firm  ground  is  about  one  nr.le 
distant.  The  distance  of  the  Federal  guns  from  its  walls 
ranged  from  1,650  to  3,400  yards.  The  instructions  for  firing 
were  published  in  orders  the  day  before  the  bombardment 
opened,  and  they  gave  the  elevation,  charge,  direction,  inter- 
vals between  shots,  etc.,  for  each  piece,  and  were  adhered  to 
throughout.  It  may  be  stated  as  an  interesting  fact  connected 
with  the  siege,  that  the  arrangements  for  protecting  the 
cannoneers  from  the  enemy's  fire  were  so  perfect  that  only 
one  man  on  the  Union  side  was  killed.  The  success  of  this 
operation  placed  Captain  Gillmore  at  once  among  the  leading 
military  engineers  and  artillerists  of  the  army.  For  this 
striking  illustration  of  the  unerring  and  pre-e3timated  results 
of  applied  science,  engineers  and  artillerists  hold  his  minute 
instructions  for  the  conduct  of  the  bombardment  as  not 
among  the  least  remarkable  features  of  the  siege.  General 


1208 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Gillmore  gives  great  credit  to  Lieutenant  (now  General)  Hor- 
ace Porter,  for  most  efficient  and  valuable  services  as  Chief 
of  Artillery  and  Ordnance. 

As  a  matter  of  interest,  it  may  be  stated  that  before  the 
operations  lor  investing  the  place  were  begun,  the  fort  was 
inspected  by  several  confederate  officers  of  high  rank,  for- 
merly l>elonging  to  the  old  regular  army,  who  expressed  the 
opinion  that  the  isolated  position  of  the  fort,  in  the  centre  of 
a  marsh  island,  entirely  surrounded  by  deep  water,  while  the 
nearest  firm  ground  consisted  of  nothing  but  a  low,  narrow 
and  shallow  strip  of  land  a  mile  distant,  rendered  any  suc- 
cessful siege  operations  entirely  impracticable.  Confederate 
General  Robert  E.  Lee  entertained  this  view,  as  also  did  Gen- 
eral Joseph  G.  Totten,  Chief  Engineer,  United  States  army, 
who,  in  reply  to  a  letter  requesting  his  views  on  the  subject, 
wrote  that  "  the  work  could  not  be  reduced  in  a  month's  fir- 
ing, with  any  number  of  guns  of  manageable  calibres." 
Indeed,  General  Gillmore  appears  to  have  stood  alone 
among  military  engineers  and  artillerists  in  his  belief  that 
the  work  could  be  reduced  and  taken  by  batteries  of  rifle-guns 
and  mortars  established  on  Tybee  Island,  and  he  was,  per- 
haps, placed  in  command  of  the  siege,  in  order  that  if  unsuc- 
cessful, he  would  be  obliged  to  take  to  himself  all  the  dis- 
credit of  failure.  Among  the  incidents  connected  with  the 
investment  of  the  Fort,  and  cutting  off  its  communication 
with  Savannah,  may  be  mentioned  the  difficult  and  hazardous 
operation  of  placing  a  battery  on  the  shore  of  the  Savannah 
river  at  Venus  point,  on  Jones  Island,  about  four  miles  above 
the  Fort. 

Jones  Island  is  nothing  but  marsh,  with  its  surface  at  the 
level  of  high  tide,  formed  of  alluvial  mud,  from  fifteen  to 
eighteen  feet  deep,  overgrown  with  weeds.  As  the  enemy's 
gunboats  were  in  possession  of  and  constantly  patrolling  the 
river,  the  guns  and  all  the  materials  for  the  battery  had  to  be 
carried  across  the  island  from  the  rear,  a  distance  of  three- 
quarters  of  a  mile,  during  the  night.  Six  siege  guns  mounted 
and  limbered  up,  were  taken  over  on  shifting  runways  of 
planks.  Sand  for  parapet  gun  platforms,  and  magazine 
covering,  was  conveyed  by  the  men  in  bags.  Two  nights  of 
incessant  labor  were  required  to  get  the  guns  over  and  into 
battery.  During  the  intervening  day  they  were  covered  up 
with  marsh-cane,  and  no  men  were  left  on  the  island.  When 
the  battery  was  ready  for  service,  the  spring  tides  came  on 
and  submerged  everything  except  the  parapet-guns  and  maga- 
zine, but  it  fully  answered  the  purpose  for  which  it  was  built. 
On  Tybee  Island  all  the  guns,  mortars  and  battery  material 
were  landed  in  the  surf  on  the  open  beach,  and  conveyed  to 
the  sites  of  the  batteries  during  the  night-time,  by  the  labor  of 
men  alone,  the  use  of  animals  being  impracticable  so  near  the 
fort.  Two  months  of  incessant  labor,  day  and  night,  were  re- 
qiiircd  to  g<-t  the  hatteries  in  readiness  for  opening  fire. 

In  August.  1*02,  Captain  Gillmore  was  assigned  to  the  com- 
mand of  a  division  of  troops  in  Kentucky,  and  by  the  follow- 
ing January  was  placed  in  command  of  the  c  entral  district  of 
that  state.  At  the  battle  of  Somerset,  March  21st,  1863,  he 
defeated  General  Fegram,  and  fortius  success  was  brevetted 
Colonel  in  the  regular  army.  In  June,  1863,  he  was  called  to 
the  command  of  the  Department  of  the  South,  embracing  the 
territory  held  by  the  Union  forces  on  the  coast  of  South  Car- 
olina, Georgia  and  Florida:  and  in  July  following,  was  placed 
in  command  of  the  Tenth  Army  Corps,  which  comprise  all 
tlf  tr-M.ps    i  r\  in-  in  thai  department. 

The  small  force  in  the  Department  "f  the  South  had  caused 
a  suspension  of  active  hostilities  in  that  quarter.  The  Navy 
department .  chagrined  at  I  he  repulse  of  the  ironclads  by  Fort 
Sumter  in  April,  1868,  contemplated  another  attack  upon 
that  work  and  Charleston,  and  it  was  represented  that  the  i 


operations  of  the  iron-clads  would  be  greatly  aided  by  a  land 
force  prepared  to  assist  the  attack,  and  to  occupy  any  work 
reduced  by  the  ships  of  war.  The  success  of  the  attack  de- 
pended on  the  military  occupation  of  Morris  Island,  and  the 
planting  of  land  batteries  there  for  the  reduction  of  Fort 
Sumter.  It  was  admitted  that  superior  engineering  skill 
was  requisite  to  the  successful  execution  of  this  plan,  and 
General  Gillmore,  who  had  been  present  at  several  consulta- 
tions between  the  War  and  Navy  departments,  was  selected 
as  the  proper  officer  to  place  in  charge.  Admiral  Foote.  was 
to  have  control  of  the  naval  forc  es,  but  he  died  before  taking 
command. 

The  following  plan,  comprising  four  distinct  operations, 
of  which  the  army  was  to  execute  the  first  three,  was  agreed 

upon: 

First.— To  make  a  descent  upon  and  obtain  possession  of 
the  south  end  of  Morris  Island,  known  to  he  fortified  and 
strongly  occupied  by  the  enemy. 

Second. — To  besiege  and  reduce  Fort  Wagner,  a  strong 
work  near  the  north  end  of  Morris  Island.  With  Fort  Wag- 
ner the  works  at  the  north  end  (Cummings  Point)  would  also 
fall. 

Third. — From  the  position  thus  secured,  to  demolish  Fort 
Sumter,  and  afterwards  co-operate  by  a  heavy  artillery  tin' 
with  the  fleet  when  moving  in. 

Fourth. — The  monitors  and  iron-clads  to  enter,  remove  the 
channel  obstructions  if  any  be  found,  run  by  the  James  and 
Sullivan  Island  batteries,  and  reach  the  city. 

History  so  fully  records  General  Gillmore's  services  in  con- 
nection with  these  important  military  operations,  that  it  is 
deemed  unnecessary  to  give  what  must  be  an  imperfect  ac- 
count of  them  in  this  sketch;  Morris  Island  was  captured  by 
assault  from  small  boats,  and  Fort  Wagner  was  reduced  by 
siege.  Fort  Sumter  was  demolished,  and  its  artillery  entirely 
destroyed  from  a  distauce  of  3,500  yards.  Some  of  the 
heaviest  guns  used  were  Parrott  rifles,  placed  two  miles  dis- 
tant. Great  gaps  were  rent  in  the  walls  of  the  fortress;  the 
guns  were  all  dismantled  or  removed,  save  one  small  smooth- 
bore on  the  rear  wall,  used  for  firing  the  signal  at  sun  down: 
and  the  fort  was  battered  into  almost  shapeless  ruins. 
General  Gillmore,  at  this  juncture,  called  on  General  Heaure- 
gard  to  surrender,  and  added  that  the  complete  destruction 
of  Fort  Sumter  was  a  matter  of  certainty  within  a  few  hours, 
and  stated  that  if  a  reply  was  not  made  at  once,  he  would 
open  fire  on  Charleston.  General  Beauregard  considered 
this  an  idle  boast,  not  knowing  of  the  terrible  "Swamp 
Angel  "  battery  erected  on  a  reed  marsh  of  alluvial  mod  U 
feet  deep,  hitherto  thought  to  be  impracticable  for  the  pur- 
pose. True  to  his  promise,  a  little  after  midnight,  (ieiieral 
Gillmore  opened  on  Charleston  from  a  2 00- pounder  Parrot 
gun,  the  shells  from  which  burst  in  the  central  parts  of  the 
city.  Only  thirty-six  shots,  however,  were  fired  from  this 
battery  when  the  gun  hroke  in  two,  and  the  bombardment  of 
Charleston  was  not  resumed  until  after  the  fall  of  Fort 
Wagner  and  Battery  Gregg.  General  Halleck,  General-in- 
Chief  of  the  army,  in  speaking  of  the  siege,  said:  "General 
Gillmore's  operations  have  been  characterized  by  great  pro- 
fessional skill  and  boldness.  He  has  overcome  difllculthi 
almost  unknown  in  modern  sieges.  Indeed,  his  operations 
on  Morris  Island  constitute  a  new  era  in  the  science  of  en- 
gineering and  gunnery." 

"Not  less  emphatic,"  says  Whitelaw  Heid,  in  Ohio  in  the 
War.  "  was  the  admiring  testimony  of  Professor  Mahan,  HM 
General  s  old  instructor  in  engineering  at  West  Point  and  ■ 
ci  itic  of  siege  operations  not  surpassed  bvanv  living  military 
authority.  The  Professor  says:  'The  siege  of  F>it  Warner 
forms  a  memorable  epoch  in  t ho  engineer'*  art.  and  presents 
a  lesson  fruitful  of  result.-.    ...    In  spite  ol  these  otv 


MILITA  R  Y  ORG  A  NIZA  TIONS. 


1209 


stades;  in  spite  of  the  shifting  sand  under  him,  over  which 
the  tide  swept  more  than  once  during  his  advances;  in  spite 
of  the  succ  or  and  relief  of  the  garrison  from  Charleston,  with 
which  their  communications  were  free,  General  Gillmore  ad- 
dressed himself  to  his  task  with  that  preparedness  for  every 
eventuality,  and  that  tenacity  which  are  striking  traits  of  his 
character.  This  remarkable  exhibition  of  skill  and  industry; 
the  true  and  always  successful  tools  with  which  the  en- 
gineer works,  is  a  triumph  of  American  science  of  which  the 
nation  may  well  be  proud.'" 

The  success  of  those  portions  of  the  plan  of  operations  as- 
signed to  the  army  was  thorough  and  complete,  and  this  was 
acknowledged  not  only  by  the  General-in-Chief,  and  the 
Secretary  of  War,  but  by  the  President  and  the  Secretary  of 
the  Navy. 

General  Gillmore's  commission  as  Major-General  of  Volun- 
teers was  given  for  service  before  Charleston,  in  the  follow- 
ing language:  "  For  the  distinguished  skill,  ability  and  gal- 
lantry displayed  in  the  operations  under  his  charge  in 
Charleston  Harbor;  the  descent  upon  Morris  Island;  the  re- 
duction of  Fort  Sumter,  and  the  taking  of  Fort  Wagner  and 
Battery  Gregg." 

That  the  achievements  before  Charleston  lacked  the  crown 
of  final  success  was  due,  as  appears  from  official  records,  to 
the  circumstance  that  the  naval  commander  declined  to  en- 
counter the  channel  torpedoes  and  obstructions,  assuming 
them  to  be  of  formidable  character.  He  also  claimed  that 
Fort  Sumter  was  still  armed  with  heavy  guns,  after  the  army 
commander  had  reported  it  a  harmless  ruin.  This  raises  the 
point  whether  the  land  forces,  in  aiding  this  naval  attack  on 
Charleston,  had  fulfilled  its  pledge  to  reduce  Fort  Sumter  so 
as  to  render  it  entirely  powerless  against  a  passing  fleet. 
The  following  extracts  from  Reid's  Ohio  in  the  War,  seems 
to  settle  this  matter  beyond  question. 

"It  is  his  (Gillmore's)  good  fortune,  however,  since  the 
close  of  the  war,  to  be  able  to  give  a  definite  settlement  to  the 
question,  by  the  testimony  of  the  only  competent  witnesses. 

"  When  at  last  the  city  against  which  so  many  efforts  had 
failed,  fell  without  a  blow,  General  Gillmore  was  once  more 
in  command  of  the  Department  of  the  South.  He  moved 
directly  up  the  channel — himself  a  passenger  in  the  second 
vessel  that  adventured  upon  the  path  which  the  naval  officers 
thought  so  studded  with  horrors.  Without  encountering  any 
accident  or  obstructions  of  note,  the  vessel  was  laid  alongside 
the  wharves." 

It  may  be  here  mentioned  that  quite  a  number  of  vessels 
comprising  army  transports  and  sutlers'  and  traders'  craft 
went  up  to  the  city  wharves  the  same  day  without  encoun- 
tering any  obstructions  or  torpedoes. 

"  What  then  had  stood  in  the  way  of  the  navy  from  the 
23d  of  August,  1863,  when  the  destruction  of  the  offensive 
power  of  Sumter  was  complete.  Admiral  Dahlgren  said  not 
specially  Forts  Sumter  and  Johnson,  against  which,  at  least, 
in  the  earlier  stages  of  the  campaign,  he  expressed  entire 
readiness  to  conduct  his  iron-clads.  The  channel  obstructions 
he  pronounced  the  real  danger.  But  the  channel  obstruc- 
tions seemed  mythical,  when  Gillmore,  sailing  directly  over 
their  alleged  locations,  anchored  before  the  city.  When  had 
they  been  removed  ?  " 

"  An  interesting  correspondence  sprang  up  between  General 
Gillmore  and  General  Eipley.  whom  Beauregard  had  in  com- 
mand of  Charleston.  General  Gillmore  asked  the  question: 
'  Was  there  anything  except  the  shore  batteries  to  prevent 
the  passage  of  our  fleet  up  to  the  city  and  above  it  (at  the 
time  of  the  demolition  of  Sumter)  by  the  channel  left  open 
for  and  used  by  the  blockade  runners  at  night?'  General 
Ripley  answered  '  No.'  General  Gillmore  then  asked,  '  What 
were  the  relative  condition  and  efficiency  of  such  obstruc- 
tions and  torpedoes  as  were  used  in  Charleston  harbor  in  the 
autumn  of  1863,  as  compared  with  their  condition  in  Febru- 
ary. 1865,  when  the  city  came  into  our  possession  ?'  General 
Ripley  answered,  '  The' efficiency  of  the  obstructions  and  tor- 
pedoes in  the  harbor  was  as  great  in  January,  1865,  as  in  the 
autumn  of  1863.  The  torpedoes  were  more  efficient  just 
previous  to  the  evacuation,'  and  he  went  on  to  say  that  the 


ideas  prevailing  in  the  fleet  as  to  the  dangerous  nature  of 
these  obstructions  were  due  to  exaggerated  reports  pur- 
posely circulated  by  the  defenders  of  the  city.  The  corres- 
pondence from  which  we  have  quoted  is  of  some  length,  but 
it  all  goes  to  show  that,  in  the  estimation  of  the  enemy  them- 
selves, the  channel  was  practically  free  from  any  obstructions 
or  torpedoes  that  ought  to  have  delayed  the  passage  of  the 
fleet. 

"  To  this  emphatic  testimony  should  he  added  the  state- 
ment of  General  Elliott,  who  was  in  command  of  Fort  Sumter 
from  the  4th  of  September.  He  said  to  General  Gillmore, 
after  the  close  of  the  war,  that  there  were  no  mounted  guns 
in  the  fort  from  the  23d  of  August  until  the  ensuing  October. 
This  would  seem  to  rebut  Admiral  Dahlgren's  complaints 
about  the  fire  from  Sumter,  as  emphatically  as  General  Rip- 
ley's  statement  does  his  complaint  about  the  channel  obstruc- 
tions. Yet  on  these  obstructions  Admiral  Dahlgren  seems 
to  rest  the  greater  part  of  his  delay;  finally  resulting  in  the 
abandonment  of  offensive  operations." 

General  Gillmore  was  transferred  to  the  James  River  in 
1864,  in  command  of  the  Tenth  Army  Corps,  and,  May  13th 
of  that  year  was  engaged  in  the  landing  at  Bermuda  Hun- 
dred, and  the  action  at  Swift's  Creek.  He  commanded  the 
column  which  turned  and  captured  the  line  in  front  of 
Drury's  Bluff,  and  his  command  took  an  active  part  in  the 
battle  which  ensued  two  days  later,  covering  the  retreat  of 
General  Butler's  army  into  entrenchments  at  Bermuda  Hun- 
dred. He  retired  from  the  command  soon  after,  in  conse- 
quence of  a  misunderstanding  between  himself  and  Gen. 
Butler. 

General  Gillmore  was  summoned  to  Washington  when  that 
city  was  menaced  by  Early  in  July,  1864,  and  commanded 
two  divisions  of  the  Nineteenth  Army  Corps  in  its  defense, 
and  while  in  pursuit  of  the  confederate  forces,  was  severely 
injured  by  a  fall  of  his  horse.  From  February  until  Novem- 
ber, 1865,  he  was  again  in  command  of  the  Department  of  the 
South.  In  December,  1865,  he  resigned  his  volunteer  com- 
mission of  Major-General  and  served  one  year  in  the  En- 
gineer Bureau  at  Washington.  He  was  subsequently 
assigned  to  duty  as  engineer-in-charge  of  all  the  fortifications 
on  the  Atlantic  coast,  between  New  York  and  St.  Augustine, 
Florida,  and  was  entrusted  with  the  improvement  of  rivers 
and  harbors  on  the  coast  of  South  Carolina,  Georgia  and 
Florida.  In  the  Corps  of  Engineers  he  was  promoted  to  be 
Major  in  June,  1863,  to  be  Lieutenant-Colonel  in  January, 
1874,  and  to  be  Colonel  in  January,  1883. 

General  Gillmore's  record  is  an  unusually  brilliant  one  and 
has  made  his  name  famous  throughout  the  civilized  world. 
At  the  conclusion  of  the  Rebellion,  he  bore  back  to  his  grade 
in  the  corps  which  he  had  so  signally  honored,  the  four  highest 
brevets  in  the  regular  army  in  reward  of  his  achievements 
during  the  war.  These  were  Brevet  Lieutenant-Colonel, 
United  States  Army,  "for  gallant  and  meritorious  conduct 
at  the  capture  of  Fort  Pulaski,  April  11th,  1862;"  Brevet 
Colonel,  United  States  Army,  "  for  gallant  and  meritorious 
services  at  the  battle  of  Somerset,  Kentucky,  March  31st, 
1863;"  Brevet'  Brigadier-General,  United  States  Army,  "for 
gallant  and  meritorious  services  at  the  assault  on  Morris  Island, 
July  10,  1863;"  and  Brevet  Major-General,  United  States 
Army,  "  for  gallant  and  meritorious  conduct  at  the  capture  of 
Forts  Wagner  and  Gregg  and  the  demolition  of  Fort  Sumter." 

In  his  work,  Ohio  in  the  War,  Whitelaw  Reid  gives  the 
following  estimate  of  General  Gillmore's  character  as  an 
officer  : 

"General  Gillmore's  military  standing  is  clearly  defined 
bv  his  career  during  the  war.  He  never  displayed  remark- 
able merits  as  a  leader  of  troops  in  the  open  field.  He  was  a 
good  but  not  brilliant,  Corps  General.  If  he  committed  no 
grave  faults,  on  the  other  hand,  he  never  shone  conspicuous 
above  those  that  surrounded  him.  Ee  was  prudent,  judi- 
cious, circumspect,  not  dashing,  scarcely  enterprising.    It  is 


1210 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


only  fair  to  add  that  he  was  never  tried  on  a  large  scale  or 
under  favorable  auspices.  But  in  his  proper  province  as  an 
engineer  and  artillerist,  he  was  as  bold  as  in  the  field  he  was 
cautious.  He  ignored  the  limitations  of  the  books.  He  ac- 
cepted theories  that  revolutionized  the  sciences,  and  staked 
his  professional  standing  on  great  operations  based  upon 
them.  He  made  himself  the  first  artillerist  of  the  war.  If 
not  the  foremost  engiueer,  he  was  second  to  none;  and  in  the 
boldness  and  originality  of  his  operations  against  Wagner, 
he  surpassed  any  similar  achievements,  not  only  in  this  war, 
but  in  any  war;  so  that  now,  notwithstanding  the  more 
varied  professional  operations  around  Richmond,  and  Atlanta 
and  Vicksburgh,  when  men  speak  of  great  living  engineers, 
they  think  as  naturally  of  Gillmore  in  the  New  World  as  of 
Todleben  in  the  Old.  General  Gillmore  is  among  the  hand- 
somest officers  of  the  army.  He  is  above  the  medium  height, 
heavily  and  compactly  built,  with  a  broad  chest  and  general 
air  of  physical  solidity.  His  features  (shaded,  not  concealed, 
by  his  full  beard)  are  regular  and  expressive.  The  face 
would  be  called  a  good-humored  one;  the  head  is  shapely, 
and  the  forehead  broad  and  high.  He  speaks  with  nervous 
quickness,  the  more  noticeable,  because  of  a  slight  peculiarity 
in  the  enunciation  that  gives  a  suggestion  of  his  having 
sometimes  lisped  or  stammered.  He  is  an  excellent  talker, 
and  is  familiar  with  a  wide  range  of  subjects  outside  of  his 
profession.  In  social  life  he  appears  as  an  elegant  and  ac- 
complished gentleman.  He  was  often  remarked  during  the 
war  for  his  apparent  indifference  to  physical  danger.  His 
head-quarters  on  Morris  Island  were  pitched  under  fire  and 
his  soldiers  used  to  tell  of  him  that  during  the  slow  siege  ap- 
proaches he  often  whiled  away  the  tedium  by  reading  novels 
or  magazines  while  the  enemy's  shells  were  bursting  in  in- 
convenient proximity." 

Among  the  standard  works  on  professional  subjects,  of 
which  General  Gillmore  is  the  author,  are :  Limes,  Hy- 


draulic Cements  and  Mortals;  Engineer  and  Artillery 
Operations  against  Charleston  in  1S63;  Siege  and  Reduc- 
tion of  Fort  Pulaski;  Beton  Coignet  and  other  Artificial 
Stone;  Roads,  Streets  and  Pavements;  and  The  Strength 
of  the  Building  Stones  of  tlie  United  States.  When  the 
"  Mississippi  River  Commission  "  was  created  by  Congress  in 
1879,  he  was  made  its  President.  He  is  President  of  a  Board 
of  Engineers  for  the  improvement  of  Cape  Fear  River,  N. 
C,  and  the  Potomac  River  and  Flats,  near  Washington;  and 
is  member  of  several  Boards  for  the  improvement  of  im- 
portant harbors  on  the  Atlantic  and  Gulf  coast.  He  is  the 
author  of  the  projects  now  in  process  of  execution  for  im- 
proving the  harbors  of  Charleston,  Savannah,  Fernan- 
dina  and  the  mouth  of  St.  John's  River  and  several  leas 
important  harbors  and  rivers;  and  has  charge  of  all  the  river 
and  harbor  improvements  on  the  coast  of  South  Carolina, 
Georgia  and  the  eastern  coast  of  Florida,  and  of  the  fortifica- 
tions from  New  York  to  Florida. 

He  was  one  of  the  judges  at  the  Centennial  Exhibition 
in  Philadelphia,  1876,  and  made  special  and  voluminous 
reports  on  articles  embraced  in  Group  II.,  viz.:  "Portland. 
Roman  and  other  cements  and  artifical  stone,"  and  "  Brick- 
making  machinery,  brick  kilns,  perforated  and  enameled 
bricks  and  pavements." 

He  received  the  honorary  degree  of  Master  of  Arts  from 
Oberlin  College,  Ohio,  while  a  Lieutenant,  before  the  Civil 
War,  and,  a  few  years  since,  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Phil- 
osophy from  Rutgers  College,  New  Jersey. 


THE  GRAND  ARMY  OF  THE  REPUBLIC 

IN    KINGS  COUNTY. 


The  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic*  originated 
in  Indianapolis,  Ind.,  in  1866.  It  was  thought  best 
that  the  soldiers  who  had  fought  to  maintain  the  Union 
should  unite  for  the  purposes  of  self-defense  and 
mutual  help.  It  was  looked  upon  as  a  proper  thing  for 
the  soldiers  to  band  together  in  their  own  interests. 
It  was  considered  their  slogan  that,  other  things  being 
equal,  they  should  vote  for  a  fellow  soldier,  no  matter 
for  what  office  nominated,  or  by  what  party.  Gen.  S. 
A.  I Iu rlbukt  was  largely  instrumental  in  forming  the 
organization,  and  was  elected  its  first  Commander-in- 
Chief  ;  he  afterwards  died  while  U.  S.  Minister  to 
Peru.  The  order  spread  like  wildfire,  from  its  incep- 
tion in  1866  ;  membership  came  to  be  regarded  as  a 
passport  to  employment  in  the  public  service.  The 
time  is  well  remembered,  when,  at  the  close  of  the 
meetings  of  the  order,  men  would  come  before  the 
Commander  ami  ask  :  "  When  shall  I  be  put  on  in  the 
yard?"  The  result  was  that  the  organization  soon  fell 
to  tin   ground,  and  became  well-nigh  extinct.  Hut 

there  was,  of  course,  a  better  element  in  the  organiza- 
tion, which  felt  that  the  veterans,  for  the  best  interests 
of   the  order,  should  band  together  in  the  spirit  of 

•Contributed  l#jr  Col.  Kdwik  A.  Perrt. 


fraternity,  charity,  and  loyalty;  of  fraternity,  for  the 
purposes  of  communion,  the  "  touch  of  elbows,"  and 
the  feeling  of  that  old  martial  spirit  which  was  born 
upon  the  battle-field,  and  can  never  die  ;  of  charity,  to 
redeem  the  promise  made,  when  a  soldier  pledged  a 
dying  comrade  that  his  wife  and  children  should  never 
want  for  anything,  and  also  to  fulfill  the  moral  obliga- 
tion resting  upon  this  nation  to  assist  its  defender!  m 
their  want  and  suffering. 

Through  all  these  years,  no  genuine  call  for  charity 
has  been  refused  by  the  order.  It  is  a  proper  thing  to  say 
that  in  the  ritual  of  the  G.  A.  R.  are  incorporated  these 
questions:  "  Is  any  comrade  sick  or  in  distress?  Has 
any  died  since  the  last  meeting?  Has  any  comrade 
any  knowledge  of  any  soldier  or  sailor  within  our 
limits  who  needs  our  assistance?"  That  is  obligatory 
upon  the  commandery,  at  every  meeting  of  the  Port. 
That  is  where  charity  finds  ample  and  positive  ei 
emplification.  The  spirit  of  loyalty  in  the  order, 
which  some  have  const  rued  into  an  idea  of  politics,  i» 
simply  loyalty  to  each  other  now,  as  formerly  in  tin 
field.  If  a  soldier  is  worthy  of  esteem,  let  In-  com- 
rades stand  by  him,  though  the  world  assail  him.  and 
show  to  men  that  they  were  worthy  in  their  loyally 
to  country,  by  being  loyal  to  each  other.  Among 


GRAND  ARMY  OF  THE  REPUBLIC. 


1211 


other  sentiments  common  to  the  order  are  these  :  to 
encourage  honor  and  purity  in  public  affairs,  and  to 
protect  the  flag  of  our  country.  That  is  what  is 
meant  by  the  sentiment  of  loyalty. 

At  the  present  time,  after  twenty  years  of  weeding 
the  order  has  so  melted  away  all  differences  of  political 
and  religious  opinion,  that  no  man  knows  or  think, 
whether  the  comrade  at  his  side  is  a  Democrat  or  Re- 
publican, a  Catholic  or  Protestant,  a  Jew  or  Gentile, 
and  there  is  no  place  in  all  their  ceremonies  where  it 
is  possible  for  those  questions  to  be  thought  of.  It 
would  be  a  matter  of  pride  to  the  order  to  show  its 
ritual  to  the  whole  world,  and  when  the  last  comrade 
dies  and  leaves  to  it  the  written  formula  of  its  organi- 
zation, it  is  only  then  that  they  will  appreciate  how 
beautiful  in  sentiment  and  how  perfect  in  practice  is 
their  ritual. 

Since  1866,  the  Commanders-in-Chief  have  been: 
Gens.  Hurlburt,  Burnside,  Devins,  Earnshaw,  Merrill 
Hartrauft,  Robinson,  Wagner,  Vandervoort,  and  Beath, 
some  of  whom  served  two  years,  others  only  one.  It 
is  important  to  mention  that  the  organization  is  gov- 
erned by  regular  military  formulas,  the  National  or- 
ganization being  subdivided  into  State  and  Territorial 
Departments,  and  they,  in  turn,  into  Posts;  in  practice, 
however,  to  avoid  complication,  the  district  organiza- 
tions have  been  eliminated,  and  the  Posts  report  to  the 
Departments,  and  they  to  National  Head-quarters. 
There  are  Staff  Officers  of  the  National  Department, 
and  of  the  Posts,  who  are  called  by  the  same  titles  as 
h)  the  field.  There  are  quarterly  reports  from  each 
Post  to  its  Department,  and  from  the  Departments  to 
the  National  Department,  so  that  the  place  of  each  mem- 
ber of  the  order  can  be  definitely  ascertained.  When  a 
man  dies,  his  record  of  service  is  often  best  ascertained 
from  the  rolls  of  the  order,  his  wife  and  children  frequent- 
ly being  ignorant  of  the  company  in  which  he  served, 
and  of  other  details  in  his  service  of  the  country.  A 
good  measure,  which  was  originated  and  carried  through 
by  the  G.  A.  R.,  provides  for  the  separate  burial  of 
indigent  soldiers  and  sailors,  upon  the  production  of 
their  record  and  certificate  of  discharge.  This  act  has 
spurred  the  comrades  to  place  their  records  in  better 
shape. 

The  organization  in  New  York  State  was  made  in 
December,  1866,  Post  No.  1  being  started  in  Rochester 
The  Jirst  in  Kings  county  was  Post  No.  4,  organized  in 
the  same  month.  Among  those  chiefly  instrumental  in 
introducing  the  order  in  this  State  were  Gens.  Barnum, 
Geo.  F.  Hopper,  and  Edward  Cole.  The  first  Com- 
mander of  the  New  York  State  Department  was  Gen. 
McKean.  The  Department  Commanders  since  have 
been:  Gen.  Sickles,  Col.  Lansing,  Gens.  J.  C.  Robinson, 
Barnum,  Corlies,  Jardine,  Palmer,  Rogers,  Tanner,  Mc- 
Quade,  Young,  Merritt,  J.  S.  Fraser,  Reynolds  and 
Hedges.  Comrade  Dr.  James  W.  Farley,  of  this  city, 
has  been  Adjutant- General  of  the  N.  Y.  Department, 


under  Gen.  Sickles,  and  Adjutant-General  of  the  Na- 
tional Staff,  under  Gen.  Robinson;  Comrade  Geo.  B. 
Squires  was  Adjutant-General  under  Commander  Tan- 
ner, and  is  now  Adjutant-General  under  Commander 
Hedges. 

In  the  early  days  of  the  order  it  met  with  great  op- 
position in  this  county.  The  fact  that  its  cry  was,  "  a 
place  for  everybody,  and  everybody  in  a  place,"  brought 
an  antagonism  which  almost  crushed  it;  everybody  re- 
garded it  as  a  one-sided  political  organization;  what 
few  Democrats  had  joined  it  soon  left,  and  the  Posts 
were  reduced  to  a  dire  extremity,  when  the  better  ele- 
ment succeeded  in  electing  Gen.  James  Jourdan  as 
Commander,  upon  the  platform  that  politics  should  be 
rooted  out  of  the  order.  Although  he  was  not  com- 
pletely successful  in  accomplishing  this,  a  good  start 
was  made;  then  Col.  E.  A.  Perry  was  chosen,  and 
through  his  influence  a  number  of  leading  and  influen- 
tial Democrats  like  Gens.  Slocum,  Woodward,  and 
Meserole  joined  the  order,  in  token  that  it  was  not  to 
be  swayed  entirely  by  the  Republican  element,  but 
that  partizanship  should  be  banished.  The  Eagle, 
from  being  unfriendly,  became  its  ally,  and  from 
that  time,  no  responsible  authority  has  charged  the 
order  with  being  a  political  organization.  The  growth 
of  the  Grand  Army  in  this  county  has  been  through 
difficulties;  no  appropriations  for  its  benefit  have  been 
made  by  the  city,  in  contradistinction  to  what  has 
been  done  by  other  cities;  but  lately,  a  room  in  the  City 
Hall  has  been  set  apart  for  its  use;  the  use  of  the 
Council  Chamber  for  meetings  has  been  given.  A 
Memorial  and  Executive  Committee  of  the  G.  A.  R. 
has  been  appointed,  and  a  Bureau  of  Employment 
opened,  where  all  indigent  soldiers  and  sailors,  or  their 
widows  and  orphans,  if  worthy,  may  find  relief  and  be 
helped  to  a  livelihood;  and  a  Relief  Fund  has  been 
started  to  aid  those  unable  to  provide  for  themselve  s. 
Through  the  efforts  of  the  G.  A.  R.,  aided  by  Mayor 
Low  and  Engineer  C.  C.  Martin,  twenty  per  cent,  of 
the  appointments  to  the  Bridge  service  were  given  to 
the  order,  and  ably  filled  from  its  ranks.  Other  legis- 
lation secured  by  the  organization  is  the  bill  to  provide 
a  perfect  record  in  the  Adjutant-General's  office  at  Al- 
bany of  all  the  soldiers  who  went  out  from  New  York 
State;  while  other  States  have  secured  such  records  of 
their  defenders,  and  can  point  to  each  man's  history, 
the  details  of  his  service,  whether  he  was  wounded, 
where  and  when,  New  York  State  has  only  the  original 
muster  rolls  to  show  the  names  of  those  who  enlisted 
in  her  service.  The  most  important,  however,  was  the 
Soldiers' name,  which  had  its  birth  in  Brooklyn.  There 
had  been  desultory  attempts  to  turn  over  the  property 
which  had  been  set  apart  for  the  Soldiers'  and  Sailors' 
Orphan  Home  in  Manhattanville,  but  the  conditions 
were  such  as  to  place  its  control  entirely  outside  the 
pale  of  the  Soldiers'  organization,  and  it  was  looked 
upon  with  alarm  by  the  representatives  of  the  people  as 


1218 


HISTORY  01  KPVGS  COUNTY. 


a  scheme  to  assist  the  order  in  aggregating  property,  so 
that  it  failed.  But  from  Brooklyn  went  up  a  delega- 
tion in  1875  to  the  Department  Encampments,  which 
asked  to  have  a  committee  appointed  for  the  purpose 
of  raising  money  to  establish  a  Soldiers'  Home,  and  in 
speaking  for  the  resolution,  "  Corporal  "  James  Tanner 
pledged  Brooklyn  for  $10,000,  which,  in  view  of  the 
difficulty  before  experienced  in  raising  money  for  the 
purpose,  caused  a  ripple  of  astonishment.  After  their 
return,  they  called  upon  the  soldiers'  friend,  Rev. 
Benrv  Ward  Beecher,  who  delivered  an  address  in  the 
Academv  of  Music,  for  the  purpose  of  raising  funds 
for  a  Soldiers'  Home.  A  committee  secured  some 
pledges,  and  the  enthusiasm  awakened  by  the  meeting 
swelled  the  amount  to  $14,000,  contributed  by  Brook- 
lyn's most  generous  citizens.  This  meeting  gave  an 
impetus  to  the  movement  throughout  the  State,  which 
culminated  in  the  erection  of  the  Soldiers'  Home  at 
Bath,  Steuben  county.  Since  that  time  they  have  never 
appealed  in  vain  to  the  State  for  aid  in  carrying  on  the 
institution;  it  contains  600  inmates,  and  needs  larger 
quarters,  for  which  an  appropriation  of  $50,000  has 
been  made.  In  connection  with  Corporal  Tanner,  the 
names  of  E.  C.  Parkinson  and  Judson  A.  Lewis,  of 
the  Grand  Army,  and  of  J.  B.  Murray  and  John  F. 
Henry,  citizens,  may  be  mentioned,  as  having  worked 
night  and  day  to  bring  about  the  success  of  the  project. 

The  first  Post  established  in  Kings  county,  was 
Wwhirorth  Post,  No.  4,  in  December,  1866;  Rankin 
Post,  No.  10,  was  started  shortly  after;  next  were  Lyon 
Post,  No.  33;  Mansfield  Post,  No.  35;  Thatford,  No.  3; 
it  is  impossible  to  give  them  in  their  exact  order,  but 
the  Posts  as  at  present  constituted  are  as  follows: 

"Thatford"  Post,  No.  3. — Commander,  Chas.  J.  Kinsey; 
org.  in  Fallasen'sHall,  cor.  Third  ave.  and  Twenty-second  st., 
May  9th,  1868;  not  incorporated;  original  membership,  10; 
first  Officers:  Jno.  Q.  Adams,  P.  H.  O'Beirne,  J.  Howard 
Young  and  James  Woodhead.    Present  membership,  81. 

"  Rankin  "  Post,  No.  10. — Commander,  T.  B.  Rutan. 

"  Barbara  Fritchij  "  Post,  No.  II.—  Commander,  H.  Pea- 
sell. 

"Frank  Head"  Post,  No.  16  —  Commander,  C.  EL  Grant. 
"  Harry  Lee"  Post,  No.  21.—  Commander,  J.  B.  Menden- 
hall. 

"  Mansfield  "  Post,  No.  35. — Commander,  Martin  Short. 

"  Mailery"  Post,  No.  84.— Commander,  T.  M.  K.  Mills. 

"J.  H.  Perry"  Post.  No.  89,— Commander,  Geo.  H.  Jack- 
son; org.  Jan.  38,  mastered  into  G.  A.  R.,  Feb.  1.3th,  1879:  in- 
corp.  Feb.  2*.  1881,  understate  laws;  The  original  member- 
ship was  22;  first  OFFICERS:  Henry  W.  Hughes.  Comm.; 
Robert  B.  Keeler,  Senior  V. -Com in.;  Charles  M.  Hartmann, 
Junior  V.-Comm.',  Pred  E.  Lock  wood.  Adj.  Present  member- 
ship, over  live  hundred;  Officers  (same  order  as  above),  Geo. 
H.  .lark -on.  San , in  I  I  >a\  is.  John  Merritt  and  Charles  (J.  Cur- 
li-.  In  lss|  this  |\,..(  a  1  i|x >i ntf-i]  a  committee  t'>  draft  a  bill 
aid  present  it  to  the  Legislature,  to  provide  that  where  a 


veteran  of  the  "  War  of  the  Rebellion  "  died  without  sufficient 
means  to  bury  him,  he  should  be  buried  at  the  expense  of  the 
county  in  which  he  last  lived,  in  a  public  grave,  and  not  iu  a 
plot  set  aside  for  the  pauper  dead;  this  bill  was  passed,  and  is 
now  a  law  of  the  State.  In  1882,  this  Post  appointed  a  com- 
mittee petitioning  Congress  to  make  an  appropriation  to  pur- 
chase more  land  at  Cypress  Hills,  that  the  National  Cemetery 
may  be  enlarged;  the  bill  is  now  in  the  hands  of  J.  Hyatt 
Smith,  and  the  Military  Committee  is  prepared  to  report 
favorably  upon  it.  This  Post  takes  its  name  from  Rev.  James 
H.  Perry,  a  graduate  from  West  Point,  and  a  veteran  of  the 
Texan  War  for  Independence.  He  recruited  the  48th  Regt., 
N.  Y.  S.  Vols.,  and  took  it  to  the  front  in  September,  1861.  in 
the  War  of  the  Rebellion;  he  died  suddenly  in  June,  1868, 
while  in  command  at  Fort  Pulaski,  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Savannah  river,  Georgia. 

"German  Metternich  "  Post,  No.  122. — Commander,  C. 
Fredericks. 

"  Devin  "  Post,  No.  148. — Commander,  Louis  E.  McLough- 
lin. 

"  Kerswill"  Post,  No.  149. — Commander,  J.  W.  Werner; 
org.  March  11,  1880,  w  ith  fifteen  charter  members;.// /•■</ Offi- 
CF.RS  were:  Patk.  H.  McCarthy,  James  S.  Jordan,  John  D. 
Anderson,  John  W.  Werner  and  John  Norton;  present  mem- 
bership is  27.  , 

"  Hamilton  "  Post,  No.  152. — Commander,  J.  W.  Fox. 

"Ford"  Post,  No.  161.— Commander,  W.  H.  Rogers. 

"  Dupont"  Post,  No.  187.— Commander,  J.  W.  Platte. 

"Winchester"  Post,  No.  197.  —  Commander,  E.  H.  Sin-a- 
baugh;  org.  at  160  Clermont  ave.,  Feb.  2d,  1881:  not  incor- 
porated; original  membership,  13;  the  first  OFFICERS:  C.  W. 
Cowtan,  Jos.  W.  Kay,  and  Wm.  R.  Harding.  Present  mem- 
bership, 81;  officered  by  E.  H.  Sinsabaugh,  A.  M.  Clark,  and 
William  Warren. 

"  Dakin  "  Post,  No.  206. — Commander,  J.  F.  Sias.  <>rg. 
March  31st,  1881;  not  incorporated;  members  originally,  U; 
members  at  present,  140;  first  Officers:  B.  Jacobs,  Comm. 
Wm.  S.  Duryea,  V.-Com.;  E.  G.  Hamblin,  J.  V;  D.  W.  Hol- 
lock,  Chaplain  ;  John  Foley,  Adjt.;  present  Officers:  John 
F.  Sias,  Comm.;  John  Foley,  S.  V.  C;  Geo.  Shepherd,  J.VA  .. 
William  Bishop,  Chaplain  ;  C.  G.  Hall,  Adjt. 

"Wm.  Lloyd  Garrison"  Post,  No.  207.  —  Command,  r,  J. 
P.  Johnson  Howard. 

"Cushing"  Post,  No.  231. — Commander,  D.  J.  Pillsworth; 
org.  Oct.  8.  1881,  at  Greenwood  Hall.  Fifth  avenue,  cor.  !Uh 
street;  incorporated;  original  membership,  16;  the  Officers: 
D.  J.  Pilsworth,  Comm.;  Jno.  A.  Duncan,  S.  V.-Comm.:  N 
H.  Ross,  Jr.  V.-Comm.;  H.  L.  Hunt,  Adj.;  present  rueniU'r- 
bership,  73;  the  Officers  are.  in  same  order  as  above:  D.  J. 
Pillsworth,  Thos.  W.  Lindsay,  John  H.  Van  Liew,  "Walter  1 
Nason. 

"  G.  K.  Warren  "  Post,  No.  286.— Commander,  J.  W.  Co* 
ningham. 

"  Post  No.  327,"  of  Brooklyn. — Commander,  Geo.  F.  Tait; 
org.  Jan.  30,  1*s.|,  incorporated  March  26,  1883;  original  men- 
bership,  10o:  present  numtier,  136;  first  Officers  were:  <ie.>. 
B.  Squires,  Comm.  ;  Geo.  F.  Tait,  S.  V.-Comm.;  Jo*.  P.  H»watt. 
Jr.V.-Comm.;  John  H.  StoothotT,  Adj.  The  present  officers 
are  the  same. 

"C.  D.  McKenzie"  Post,  No.  399.— Commander,  P.  1 
Hubbard. 

"Abel  Smith"  Post,  No.  435.— Commander,  F.  Cocheu. 


THE 


Bench  and  Bar  of  Brooklyn. 


By 


THE  history  of  the  Bench  and  Bar  of  Kings 
County,  (see  page  339  of  this  work,)  mostly 
relates  to  a  period  prior  to  the  removal  of  the 
seat  of  justice  from  Flatbush  to  Brooklyn.  It  con- 
sists largely  of  the  biographies  of  those  who  had  been 
active  in  making  that  history;  most  of  whom  are  at 
rest  in  honored  graves.  Since  the  removal  of  the  county 
seat,  the  history  of  the  Bench  and  Bar  of  Brooklyn, 
upon  which  we  are  about  to  enter,  embraces  that  of  the 
Bench  and  Bar  of  the  County.  Both  these  histories  re- 
call a  number  of  widely  dissimilar,  but  deeply  interest- 
ing characters,  each  one  in  his  own  identity  a  prominent 
dramatis  personam  on  the  legal  stage.  But  every  insti- 
tution has  its  defects  ;  every  order  of  men  its  unworthy 
members;  and  so,  doubtless,  has  the  legal  profession 
everywhere. 

Speaking  on  this  subject,  Hon.  Henry  S.  Foote,  a 
Senator  in  Congress,  and  one  of  the  ablest  American 
lawyers,  said:  "Were  I  to  indulge  in  indiscriminate 
commendation  of  all  those  whom  it  has  been  my 
fortune  to  meet  in  the  contests  of  the  forum,  or  the 
incidents  of  whose  professional  career  have  been 
brought  to  my  notice,  I  should  greatly  wrong  my  own 
self-respect  and  do  injustice  to  other  professions  and  to 
the  public  at  large  ;  but  I  am  certain  that  I  do  not  go 
too  far  in  declaring  that  in  the  various  States  which  I 
have  from  time  to  time  visited,  in  the  progress  of  a 
now  somewhat  protracted  professional  career,  I  have 
found  my  brethren  of  the  Bar,  Avith  a  few  exceptions, 
intelligent,  astute,  laborious,  upright  and  manly  in 
their  conduct,  cherishing  a  high  and  delicate  sense  of 
individual  honor,  and  displaying,  on  all  occasions,  a 
proper  regard  for  the  dignity  of  their  own  calling,  as 
well  as  profound  respect  for  the  example  and  counsels 
of  those  illustrious  sages  embalmed  in  the  forensic 
annals  of  our  own  country  and  of  England." 

It  is  certainly  no  extravagance  to  say,  that  this  lan- 
guage of  Senator  Foote  applies  most  appropriately  to 
the  members  of  the  Brooklyn  Bar. 

No  saying  has  been  more  universally  quoted  than 
that  of  Dionysius  of  Helicarnassus,  "History  is 
philosophy  teaching  by  example."  With  equal  truth 
it  may  be  said  that  biography  is  a  chief  element  of  his- 
tory, less  formal  and  stately,  displaying  the  characters 
of  men  whose  actions  largely  create  history.  Biography 
derives  its  value  from  its  moral  and  personal  parallels 


and  contrasts,  which  are  developed  in  relating  the  his- 
tory of  those  whose  lives  and  careers  are  prominent  in 
nations,  States,  municipalities,  and  in  those  institutions 
which  have  a  bearing  upon  society.  We  shall,  there- 
fore, give  the  lives  and  careers,  the  contrasts  and  paral- 
lels in  the  characters  of  some  of  the  members  of  the 
Brooklyn  Bench  and  Bar;  with  a  description  of  some 
of  the  important  trials  that  have  taken  place  at  that 
bar,  as  its  truest  and  best  history.  We  shall  begin 
with 

JOHN  GREENWOOD, 

the  oldest,  and  one  of  the  most  highly  esteemed  represent- 
atives of  the  Brooklyn  Bar,  and  of  Southern  New  York. 
Although  he  has  reached  his  eighty-sixth  year,  he  is  vigorous 
and  active,  physically  and  mentally.  His  knowledge  is  pro- 
found, his  judgment  clear,  and  his  quickness  in  apprehending  a 
truth  or  the  fallacy  of  a  proposition  or  an  argument  is  surpris- 
ing. He  retains  in  a  remarkable  degree  the  scholarly  accom- 
plishments and  habits  of  his  earlier  years;  lew  men  are  more 
interesting  conversationalists;  few  speak  with  a  clearer  expres- 
sion, or  a  more  simple  grace  of  diction.  He  abounds  in 
anecdote  and  incident  which  his  tenacious  memory  brings  up, 
not  only  from  the  present,  but  from  the  long  ago,  with  vivid 
and  truthful  precision. 

His  acquaintance  with  illustrious  men  of  the  past  was  large, 
his  remembrance  of  them  lively,  and  his  description  of  them  is 
given  with  biographical  accuracy. 

Judge  Greenwnod  evinces  the  truth  and  beauty  of  Lord  Lyt- 
ton's  remark,  that  "Nothing  is  more  interesting  and  pleasing 
than  an  old  man  who  has  gone  successfully  through  life's 
battles.retiring  from  the  field,  strong,  sunny-hearted  and  happy, 
old  in  years,  but  young  at  heart." 

There  is,  however,  this  exception  in  Judge  Greenwood's  case 
to  Lord  Lytton's  remark:  he  has  not  retired  from  the  field.  He 
still  vigorously  holds  it  with  his  armor  on,  "with  his  visor  up," 
a  prominent  and  successful  contestant  in  many  of  the  lines  of 
legal  warfare;  for  he  loves  his  profession  with  all  the.  ardor  of 
his  young  manhood,  and  since  retiring  from  the  bench,  has 
devoted  himself  to  it,  though  in  the  enjoyment  of  ample  fortune. 

Judge  Greenwood  can  now  look  back  upon  the  world  as  from 
an  elevation  from  which  he  has  seen  life  in  all  its  changing 
phases.  He  has  seen  families  rise  and  fall;  has  seen  the  great 
brought  low,  and  the  low  elevated  to  the  places  of  the  great. 
He  has  seen  peace  and  war  succeeding  in  their  turns;  he 
has  seen  the  very  city  in  which  he  dwells  rise  from  a  small  town 
into  magnificent  proportions,  that  threaten  to  rival  the  great 
metropolis  to  which  it  is  united  by  the  most  wondrous  cause- 
way in  the  world.  He  has  seen  chancellors,  judges,  illustrious 
jurists,  statesmen  and  great  advocates  depart,  as  it  were,  in  long 
procession  from  the  scenes  of  the.'-  ambition  and  their 
triumphs,  to  join  "the  majority  in  the  shadowy  world."  Hence, 
we  may  well  say  of  him  that  he  is  one  of  the  few  "through 


K'1-i 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


whom  one  generation  speaks  its  thoughts,  feelings  anil  appeals 
to  another." 

John  Greenwood  was  born  at  Providence,  It.  I.,  November  G, 
1708.  At  the  age  of  ten  years  he  removed  with  his  father  to  the 
city  of  New  York,  where  he  soon  commenced  preparing  for  col- 
lege. He  was  an  industrious,  untiring  student,  early  exhibit- 
ing a  love  of  the  natural  sciences,  which  was  gratified  by  his 
attending  chemical  and  philosophical  lectures.  He  became  a 
proficient  in  Latin  and  Greek,  acquired  a  practical  knowledge 
of  French  and  German,  and  a  critical  acquaintance  with  English 
Belles- Lettres.  It  was  the  desire  of  his  father,  a  desire  in  which 
the  young  man  ardently  coincided,  that  he  should  become  a 
lawyer.  There  was  very  much  in  the  organization  of  his  mind, 
in  his  love  of  polemics  and  of  subtle  distinctions,  which  indi- 
cated that  in  the  altercations  of  the  Bar  ho  would  find  in  the 
future  his  appropriate  sphere  of  action. 

In  those  days  Col.  Aaron  Burr,  so  conspicuous  in  American 
history,  though  no  longer  prominent  as  a  statesman,  was  still 
the  acknowledged  leader  of  the  American  Bar. 

One  of  the  amiable  characteristics  of  Aaron  Burr  was  his  love 
of  the  young.  With  that  quick  insight  into  character  which 
characterized  him,  he  saw  in  young  Greenwood  qualities  which 
attracted  his  attention,  and  he  encouraged  his  desire  to  become 
a  lawyer,  inviting  him  to  enter  his  office  as  a  student.  The 
invitation  was  accepted,  and  the  young  man  became  a  pupil  in 
the  office  of  Aaron  Burr. 

Under  the  superintendence  of  Mr.  Burr,  young  Greenwood 
made  rapid  improvement  in  his  legal  studies.  One  of  the  most 
important  branches  of  Mr.  Burr's  extensive  business,  at  this 
time,  was  his  immense  chancery  business.  When  the  young 
student  had  been  in  his  office  two  years  and  a  half,  this  branch 
of  the  business,  in  its  preparation,  was  committed  to  him.  To 
the  legal  practitioner,  this  of  itself  sufficiently  attests  the  abili- 
ties of  Greenwood. 

The  diligent,  careful  study  of  the  cases  that  were  thus  com- 
mitted to  him,  stored  his  mind  with  practical,  living  legal  princi- 
ples. Whatever  was  thus  acquired  was  firmly  rooted  in  his 
memory,  and  with  the  passing  of  each  day,  he  grew  learned  and 
experienced. 

With  the  aid  of  his  accomplished  preceptor,  who  devoted 
much  time  to  him,  he  learned  to  unfold  with  ease  and  per- 
spicuity the  subtleties  and  difficulties  of  legal  questions;  to 
strip  sophistry  of  its  disguises,  and  to  maintain  with  direct 
strength  the  views  he  desired  to  enforce. 

Young  Greenwood  truly  enjoyed  extraordinary  advantages  for 
attaining  a  legal  education.  In  the  office  of  Colonel  Burr  he 
came  in  contact  with  many  of  the  great  legal  and  political  lumi- 
nariea  of  the  day  ;  and  thus  he  had  rare  opportunities  for  study- 
ing men  as  well  as  books.  It  was  his  privilege  to  see  how  justice 
was  administered  by  Chancellor  Kent,  Chief  Justices  Spencer 
and  Savage,  by  Golden,  Morris,  Yates  and  Van  Ness.  He  saw 
.1  i  Ogdcn  Hoffman,  Thomas  Addis  Emmet,  Aaron  Burr, 
William  Lampson,  Griffin,  Wells,  and  other  illustrious  lawyers, 
in  the  contests  of  the  forum,  and  learned  how  forensic  questions 
were  managed  by  those  master  minds. 

Mr.  Greenwood  completed  his  legal  education  in  the  office  of 
Colonel  Burr,  and  was  called  to  the  bar  at  a  General  Term  of  the 
S  ipri  iin  Court  "I  the  State,  held  at  the  < 'it y  II  ill,  in  the  city  of 
New  York,  in  October,  1819.  That  illustrious  jurist,  Ambrose  Spen- 
cer, had  recently  been  appointed  Chief  Justice  of  the  State,  and 
] > r-  sided  at  the  t •  ■  r 1 1 1  at  which  young  Greenwood  took  li is  dogroe  as 
.in  attorin  y  at-law.  He  still  n  tains  a  vivid  recollection  of  the  Chief 
-I  ustico,  who  at  that  time  was  ono  of  the  controlling  minds  in  the 
Stut'  ..f  N«  w  York,  andupto  tho  time  of  his  ascending  tho  Bench, 
his  voico  wan  potent  as  one  of  tho  great  politicians  of  the  nation. 
Ib  was  a  brother-in  law  of  DcWitt  Clinton,  whom  ho  opposed 
or  with  whom  he  coincided,  as  ambition  or  policy  dictated. 
Thai  he  often  successfully  opposed  his  illustrious  and  powerful 
brother  in  law  sufficiently  attests  tho  strength  of  his  character, 


and  the  extent  of  his  power  and  influence.  "  His  manner  on 
the  Bench,"  says  Judge  Greenwood,  "  was  grave,  dignified,  some- 
times austere,  always  decided  and  impartial.  Lawyers  who  ad- 
dressed him  did  so  in  the  most  respectful  language  and  manner, 
while  he,  in  turn,  observed  a  high-toned  courtesy  toward  them. 
In  demanding  and  observing  these  amenities,  Chief  Justice 
Spencer  did  not  stand  alone.  The  judges,  as  well  as  the  lawvere, 
of  that  period  maintained  a  dignity  in  the  court-room  that  be- 
spoke their  consciousness  of  being  in  the  Temple  of  Justice." 

Immediately  after  his  admission  to  the  Bar,  Mr.  Greenwood 
opened  an  office  in  New  York  City,  in  Nassau  street,  near  Maiden 
lane.  He  came  to  the  labors  of  his  profession  with  the  advan- 
tages we  have  described,  having  laid  a  foundation  of  solid  and 
useful  learning,  with  a  classical  and  scientific  superstructure. 
He  had  applied  himself  to  the  study  of  tho  law,  not  merely  as  a 
series  of  precedents  and  arbitrary  rules,  and  statements  without 
principles  of  reason  or  induction,  but  as  a  science  applied  to 
rational  government,  the  action  of  men  subordinate  only  to  the 
laws  of  God.  At  first  business  came  slow  to  him  ;  but  he  busied 
himself  with  his  books,  becoming  every  day  a  more  profound 
and  appreciative  student. 

His  industry  and  ability  soon  cleared  the  obstructions  which 
impeded  his  way  to  professional  distinction.  Laborious,  pains- 
taking and  keen-sighted,  he  carefully  studied  and  managed 
every  matter  committed  to  him,  wdiether  important  or  unimport- 
ant, determined  to  bring  it  to  a  successful  termination. 

In  the  history  of  most  distinguished  lawyers  there  is  one  cir- 
cumstance which,  "  taken  at  the  flood,  leads  to  success, "and  it  was 
so  with  Judge  Greenwood.  While  slowly  working  his  way  tosuc- 
cess,  a  lawyer  of  some  eminence  in  the  city,  but  perhaps  not  a  per- 
fect special  pleader,  was  engaged  to  bring  an  action  against  a  man 
for  slander  of  title,  an  action  peculiar  and  difficult  in  its  nature, 
especially  in  those  days,  when  books  of  form  and  precedent  were 
almost  unknown.  Finding  it  difficult  to  draw  up  the  "Narr.,"or 
declaration,  he  consulted  several  lawyers,  with  but  little  success. 
At  last,  a  gentleman  who  knew  of  Mr.  Greenwood's  devotion  to 
his  studies,  and  the  depth  of  his  research,  referred  the  gentle- 
man to  him.  It  so  happened  that  Greenwood  was  deeply  read 
in  that  subtle  and  profound  work,  Clericalies,  written  in  the  old 
Black  letter,  now  known  to  but  few  of  the  profession.  One  of  its 
departments  contained  a  treatise  on  slander  and  the  stand*  of 
title,  with  instructions  as  to  drawing  a  declaration  in  that  tech- 
nical form  of  action. 

When  the  lawyer  was  told  to  seek  the  advice  of  Greenwood  in 
a  matter  of  so  much  importance  he  exhibited  much  surprise. 
"Why,  my  dear  sir,"  said  he,  "is  ho  not  too  young  and  inexjM 
rienced  to  know  anything  about  actions  of  this  kind?"  "Go 
and  see  him,"  said  his  adviser,  "and  I  am  quite  certain  he  will 
give  you  all  the  information  you  desire."  The  lawyer  obeyed, 
and  went  directly  to  Greenwood's  office.  "  Do  you  think."  hi 
said,  as  he  entered,  "you  can  draw  a  declaration  in  a  oaM  fef 
slander  of  title  against  a  very  wealthy  and  powerful  imiti  '  "  "HI 
down  and  tell  me  tho  circumstances,"  said  Greenwood.  The 
lawyer  complied,  and  in  a  few  moments  the  young  attorney  w»» 
in  possession  of  all  the  facts  in  the  caso.  "I  think  I  enn,"  was 
his  modest  reply;  "call  to-morrow  afternoon,  and  I  will  show 
you  the  best  I  can  do  in  the  matter."  And  the  lawyer  took  his 
leave.  As  soon  as  the  door  closed  upon  him,  Greenwood  took 
down  his  old  Clericalies  and  went  to  work  at  his  declaration. 
"I  labored  closely  all  that  day,"  said  the  Judge,  "and  till  tgBk 
late  at  night,  resuming  my  labors  tho  next  morning,  and  WMO 
the  gentleman  called  in  tho  afternoon  I  laid  before  bun  a  very 
complete  and  well  drawn  declaration.  The  lawyer,  after  car  ■ 
fully  reading  it  over,  expressed  both  his  astonishment  and  c,n»ti 
fication  at  the  complete  and  wi  ll-drawn  document.  'I  believe, 
said  he,  'you  are  tho  only  lawyer  in  the  city  that  could  prepnr. 
such  a  declaration.'" 

Young  Greenwood  was  fortunate  in  making  the  aoqaaiataaoi 
I  and  friendship  of  David  S.  Jones,  Esq.,  sou  of  Chancellor  Jono*. 


BENCH  AND  BAR  OF  BROOKLYN. 


1215 


This  matter  of  the  successful  declaration  was  soon  noised  about 
the  city  among  the  profession,  and,  to  use  the  language  of  Judge 
Greenwood,  "put  him  upon  his  feet,  professionally." 

A  month  or  two  after  the  occurrence  we  have  described,  a  law- 
yer by  the  name  of  Everson,  a  man  of  respectable  attainments, 
with  a  very  fair  practice,  called  on  Mr.  Greenwood,  as  he  said, 
by  the  request  of  Mr.  Jones.  After  some  conversation,  be  said : 
"Mr.  Greenwood,  I  have  examined  your  declaration,  in  which 
the  slander  of  title  is  set  up,  and  I  am  convinced  that  a  person 
capable  of  drawing  such  a  pleading  is  essentially  an  able  lawyer. 
I  need  a  partner.  I  have  come  to  propose  a  partnership  between 
you  and  myself."  And  so  it  happened  that,  after  due  reflection 
and  consultation  with  friends,  he  became  the  law  partner  of  Mr. 
Everson. 

Judge  Greenwood's  first  partnership  was,  we  believe,  a  fortu- 
nate one  for  both  parties.  It  continued  for  several  years,  and 
after  its  dissolution  Mr.  Greenwood  continued  to  practice  alone 
until  he  became  a  resident  of  Brooklyn.  His  New  York  clientage 
was  respectable,  large  and  remunerative.  His  knowledge  of  the 
French  language  brought  to  bim  many  valuable  French  clients. 
He  also  had  a  large  equity  practice,  and  often  appeared  before 
the  Chancellor,  and  before  the  Court  for  the  Correction  of  Errors, 
at  Albany,  as  well  as  being  largely  engaged  in  all  the  city  courts. 

In  1823  he  became  a  resident  of  Brooklyn,  but  continued  his 
office  in  New  York,  where  his  business  was  mainhr  conducted, 
down  to  1837,  when  his  practice  in  Brooklyn  became  so  exten- 
sive that  he  withdrew  his  business  from  New  York  to  this  citj-, 
where  he  has  continued  down  to  the  present  time.  Some  time 
after  Judge  Greenwood  came  to  Brooklyn  he  formed  a  copart- 
nership with  General  H.  B.  Duryea,  a  lawyer  of  high  standing, 
whose  biography  appears  elsewhere  in  this  work.  This  relation 
was  profitable  to  both  partners,  and  the  firm  soon  took  its  place 
among  the  distinguished  law  firms  in  this  part  of  the  State.  It 
continued  until  Judge  Greenwood  was  elected  City  Judge,  when 
it  was  dissolved.  Among  the  important  cases  conducted  by 
Judge  Greenwood,  was  that  of  The  People  ex.  rel.  Xorris  L. 
Martin  vs.  The  Mayor  and  Common  Council  of  the  Cily  of  Brooklyn, 
tried  in  1848.  He  was  associated  in  this  case  with  General 
Duryea.  A  full  report  of  the  case  will  be  found  in  another  part 
of  this  work,  among  "Important  Trials." 

As  an  advocate,  Judge  Greenwood  is  earnest,  natural,  impres- 
sive, and  often  eloquent.  His  capacity  for  reasoning,  whether 
upon  law  or  fact,  is  of  a  kind  which  always  commands  attention, 
and  produces  conviction.  He  never  speaks  on  any  important 
question  without  ample  preparation;  is  never  incoherent,  never 
feeble,  trivial,  or  tedious.  His  language  flows  easily  and  natur- 
ally, and  is  of  the  purest  and  simplest  English. 

Judge  Greenwood  was  early  attracted  to  the  political  arena, 
usually  so  fascinating  to  lawyers,  especially  young  lawyers. 
Very  early  in  his  professional  career,  his  reading  and  his  convic- 
tions led  him  to  the  principles  of  the  Democratic  party,  in  which 
he  became  an  acknowledged  leader.  In  his  more  ardent  and 
active  career  he  made  many  warm  friends  among  the  great  lights 
of  the  Democratic  party.  Among  these  were  William  L.  Marcy, 
Martin  Van  Buren,  Silas  Wright,  C.  C.  Camberling,  and  many 
others.  His  relations  with  Van  Buren  were  particularly  near 
and  pleasing.  When,  in  1832,  the  United  States  Senate  non-con- 
curred in  the  appointment  of  Mr.  Van  Buren,  on  the  nomination 
of  President  Jackson,  as  Minister  to  England,  Judge  Greenwood 
shared  in  the  general  indignation  of  the  Democrats  of  the  na- 
tion. As  he  was  a  vigorous,  pointed  writer,  he  distinguished 
himself  by  his  eloquent  articles,  severely  denunciatory  of  the 
measure.  These  found  their  way  into  all  the  leading  Democratic 
journals,  and  were  read  with  great  interest.  When  the  Sub- 
Treasury  policy  was  started  Judge  Greenwood  became  a  warm 
advocate  of  the  measure,  and  wrote  the  first  article  ever  pub- 
lished in  Brooklyn  in  its  favor.  It  was  a  calm,  dignified,  ex- 
haustive retrospect  of  our  financial  affairs.  He  gave  an  animated 
history  of  the  embarrassments  which  the  Government  had  been 


obliged  to  encounter,  in  consequence  of  the  failure  of  the  State 
banks  to  perform  their  engagements. 

"This  is  the  third  time,"  he  said,  "that  the  Government  has 
made  trial  of  the  capacity  of  the  banks  chartered  by  the  States 
to  transact  its  financial  concerns,  and  each  time  has  proved  a 
failure.  This  should  convince  all — to  use  tl^s  language  of  a 
great  statesman — 'that  there  is  something  inherent  in  the  nature 
and  constitution  of  the  State  banks  which  renders  them  unsuit- 
able and  unsafe  as  the  keepers  and  dispensers  of  the  public 
treasure.' 

"Therefore,  as  a  national  bank  cannot  be  chartered,  and  as 
the  State  banks  are  manifestly  unsafe,  the  Treasury  of  the  peo- 
ple should  be  kept  by  the  officers  of  the  people;  and  there  should 
be  entire  and  total  separation  of  the  business  and  property  of 
the  Government  from  the  business  and  concerns  of  the  banks." 
The  sensibility  and  practicability  of  these  remarks  have  been 
amply  demonstrated  by  the  lapse  of  time. 

It  is  pleasing  to  listen  to  Judge  Greenwood's  description  of  the 
fierce  political  contests  which  have  often  made  the  politics  of  the 
State  an  anomaly  in  political  history;  "where  the  prostration 
or  fall  of  one  party  has  alternately  produced  the  elevation  of  the 
other,  which  continued  until  that  other  party  in  its  turn  was 
overthrown.  But,  notwithstanding  all  this,  the  State  has  stead- 
ily advanced  in  wealth,  in  population,  in  physical  and  intellect- 
ual power,  with  a  rapidity  quite  unequaled." 

Judge  Greenwood  often  advocated  the  principles  and  policy 
of  his  party  on  the  rostrum,  where  the  ingenuity  and  eloquence 
of  his  speeches  always  rendered  him  popular  with  the  people. 
But  his  exertions  and  influence  were  so  ardently  devoted  to  the 
success  of  bis  party  that  he  gave  little  heed  to  his  own  political 
aggrandizement.  As  we  shall  see  hereafter,  he  never  held  any 
office  not  intimately  connected  with  his  profession. 

He  has  always  been  a  strong  and  useful  supporter  of  the 
interests  of  Brooklyn,  and  his  name  is  identified  with  very 
many  of  its  great  public  improvements  ;  among  these,  espe- 
cially, the  obtaining  of  its  city  charter.  The  difficulties 
attending  this  have  already  been  described  on  pages  528-9  of 
this  work.  Among  those  who  threw  themselves  arden  ly  and 
successfully  into  the  fierce  contest  then  waged  between  Brooklyn 
and  New  York  City,  was  Judge  Greenwood.  He  advocated  a  city 
charter  through  the  press,  in  public  meetings,  and  personally 
i  before  the  Legislature  at  Albany.  In  the  winter  of  1833  he  suc- 
ceeded in  a  measure,  which  led,  the  next  year,  1834,  to  a  complete 
victory.  Under  the  charter  thus  secured  for  Brooklyn,  it  com- 
menced its  march  towards  its  present  proud  position  among  the 
cities  of  the  nation.* 

The  first  Common  Council  organized  under  this  charter,  in 
grateful  remembrance  of  Judge  Greenwood's  services,  unani- 
mously gave  him  a  vote  of  thanks  and  the  sum  of  $750.  Refus- 
ing at  first  to  accept  the  money,  he  finally  did  so,  only  to  dis- 
burse it  in  giving  a  grand  dinner  to  the  city  officers,  members  of 
the  Bar,  and  all  who  aided  in  making  Brooklyn  a  city.  As  was 
said  of  Cains  Marins,  obstat  quic  quid  non  adjund.  "Content 
with  deserving  a  triumph,  he  refused  the  honor  of  it." 

Immediately  on  the  formation  of  the  City  Government  an  1  the 

*  Among  those  who  aided  Judge  Greenwood  in  securing  a  city  charter 
for  Brooklyn,  was  Hon.  Philip  Brashkb,  who  represented  Kings  County  in 
the  Assembly  in  1834.  Mr.  Brasher  had  been  a  highly  successful  merchant 
in  the  city  of  New  York,  where  he  had  resided  many  years,  during  which 
time  he  had  amassed  a  large  fortune,  and  had  been  honored  by  many  public 
offices.  He  represented  New  York  City  in  six  legislative  sessions.  In 
1832  he  retired  from  business  and  became  a  resident  of  Brooklyn,  and 
warmly  espoused  the  cause  of  a  city  charter.  Owing  to  his  long  experience 
in  the  Legislature,  the  citizens  of  Kings  County  elected  him  as  their  rep- 
resentative in  the  Legislature  at  Albany,  the  county  at  that  time  having 
but  one  member.  He  took  his  seat  in  that  body,  January  4.  1834.  At  this 
time  he  held  in  his  hand  the  City  Charter,  drawn  by  Judge  Greenwood.  On 
presenting  it.  he  said:  •■  I  shall  never  return  to  Brooklyn  until  that  MB  h  as 
passed  both  houses  of  the  Legislature."   The  bill  finally  passed  by  a  vote  of 

I    101)  to  1,  the  solitary  negative  vote  being  that  of  Peter  S.  Titus,  a  member 

,    from  Sew  York. 


mo 


IITSTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


present  City  Court,  Judge  Greenwood's  abilities  and  services 
to  the  city  were  more  fully  recognized  by  his  nomination  and 
election  as  judge  of  that  court,  his  office  being  known  as 
City  Judge.  He  was  appointed  Corporation  Counsel  in  1842, 
serving  until  about  January  27,  1843,  when  he  was  Appointed, 
by  Governor  ^ouck.  First  Judge  of  the  Court  of  Common 
Pleas  of  Kings  County.  He  had  previously  served  several  years 
as  Supreme  Court  Commissioner  and  Master  and  Examiner  in 
Chancery. 

One  of  the  remarkable  cases  conducted  by  him  as  Corporation 
Counsel  was  the  great  Mandamus  Case,  entitled  The  People  ex 
rel.  Worthimjton  Hodgkinxon  vs.  Alfred  G.  Stevans.  A  reading 
of  this  celebrated  case,  found  in  5th  Hill,  G17,  will  largely  repay 
the  legal,  as  well  as  lay,  reader  in  the  information  it  imparts.  An- 
othei  important  case  was  that  of  The  Brooklyn  Bank  vs.  Degrrtw, 
2:i  Wendle,  342;  and  Brooklyn  Bank  vs.  Warren.  A  full  report  of 
these  cases  will  be  found  under  the  head  of  Imj>ortant  Trials.  The 
reports  of  the  Supreme  Court  and  the  Court  of  Appeals  contain 
many  cases  which  Judge  Greenwood  argued  before  these  tribu- 
nals. His  briefs  and  arguments  are  terse,  logical  productions, 
not  overcrowded  or  loaded  down  with  precedent,  and  yet  with 
enough  of  precedent  to  clearly  demonstrate  the  proposition  he 
would  maintain.  He  always  commands  the  attention  of  the 
judges,  always  enlightens  their  understanding;  and,  if  he  does 
not  always  succeed  in  causing  them  to  coincide  with  him,  it  is 
from  no  lack  on  his  part  of  putting  them  fully  in  possession  of 
the  reason  and  the  law  which  he  presents. 

Judge  Greenwood  carried  to  the  Bench  those  legal  accomplish- 
ments which  had  previously  rendered  him  a  sagacious  and  suc- 
cessful lawyer.  His  opinions,  oral  and  written,  did  him  infinite 
credit.  They  are  replete  in  jurisprudential  learning,  distin- 
guished by  logical  vigor,  and  impartiality.  Among  the  opinions 
which  strongly  illustrate  this,  is  that  in  the  case  of  Jleeney  vs. 
Brooklyn  Benevolent  Society,  33  Barb.,  3G0.  This  opinion  per- 
haps has  been  more  frequently  quoted  by  other  judges  than 
any  found  in  the  books.  With  the  Bar  he  was  genial,  affable 
and  courteous,  and  patient  in  listening  to  arguments  of  counsel, 
and  always  desirous  of  hearing  everything  that  touched  the 
case  at  bar  before  going  to  his  decision.  In  his  charges  to 
juries  he  always  dissipated  obscurities,  and  gave  the  jury  the 
case  in  a  plain,  practical  form,  rendering  their  duties  easy  and 
just. 

We  have  described  Judge  Greenwood  as  a  legal  debater  at  the 
Bar,  as  an  occasional  but  successful  political  orator,  and  in  addi- 
tion to  this,  he  often  appeared  before  the  public,  in  the  more 
active  period  of  his  life,  on  the  lecture  rostrum.  Several  of 
these  efforts  gained  more  than  an  ephemeral  fame.  Space  will 
permit  us  to  refer  to  but  one  of  these  ;  this  was  his  address 
delivered  at  the  Academy  of  Music,  in  Brooklyn,  on  Colonel 
Aaron  Burr,  a  production  replete  with  interest,  greatly  admired, 
and  still  vividly  remembered.  So  interesting  a  subject  attracted 
an  immense  audience  from  the  tlite  not  only  of  Brooklyn,  butof 
New  York  City. 

To  use  the  language  of  the  Brooklyn  Eagle  :  "  Never  was  there 
•      *r*  i-at,-  1  in  Crook  I  \  n  s'i  much  intelligence  and  refinement 
was  there  an  audience  ro  delighted  and  instructed;  never,  per- 
il ij'S  has  the  time,  character  and  history  of  Aaron  Burr  been 
more  ably,  more  justly,  or  moro  truthfully  described." 

Without  any  effort  at  eloquence,  his  address  was  delivered  in 
language  severely  correct  and  pure,  with  sufficient  rhetorical 
■lr  ■  J ■  •  i  >  t'>  ■  iiusi  the  subject  to  stand  nut  ill  bis  full  propor 
tioim,  presenting  Aaron  I'.urr  precisely  as  be  was,  with  his  faults 
as  well  as  bis  virtues  clearly  in  view,  with  no  exaggerations, 
no  excessive  lights  or  shades. 

Judge  Greenwood  clearly  showed  that  Colonel  Burr  is  a 
maligned  character  in  history;  that  many  of  the  invented  scan- 
dals ami  bitter  partisan  -landers  generated  in  the  bitter  political 
contents  in  which  ho  was  engaged  found  their  way  into  history 
ami  thus  have  come  down  to  posterity.    Judge  Greenwood 


freely  admitted  that  Burr  had  many  faults,  but  not  more  than 
I  many  of  his  contemporaries  ;  not  as  many  as  other  illustrious 
men  of  the  past  and  present  have  had;  but  that  Burr's  have 
been  largely  exaggerated  by  political  rivals  and  jealous  and 
envious  contemporaries.  His  trial  for  treason  was  a  farce;  not 
a  particle  of  evidence  showing  his  guilt  was  proved  against  him 
by  the  prosecution.  In  speaking  of  Burr's  gallantries,  he  said: 
"  I  do  not  believe  he  was  any  worse  in  that  respect  than  manv 
other  men  of  his  own  and  the  present  day  who  pass  for 
better  men.  The  difference  between  them  is,  there  was  niueu 
less  disguise  on  his  part  than  on  theirs,  and  he  never  pretended 
to  be  that  which  he  was  not.  Elegant  in  his  manners,  attractive 
in  conversation,  and  pleasing  in  his  personal  appearance,  he  was 
quite  as  much  sought  after  by  the  ladies  as  he  was  a  seeker  after 
them.  I  have  often  heard  him  say  that  he  never  deceived  a 
woman  in  his  life  ;  that  a  man  who  would  deliberately  deceive 
a  woman  in  any  way  was  not  fit  to  live." 

It  is  needless  to  add  that  this  address  was  listened  to  with  the 
profoundest  attention,  and  received  enthusiastic  plaudits  from 
the  brilliant  audience  who  listened  to  it.  Down  to  the  delivery 
of  this  remarkable  lecture,  writers  and  speakers  had  vied  with 
each  other  in  describing  Colonel  Burr  as  a  monster  in  human 
shape,  giving  new  light  and  excessive  exaggerations  to  the  stale 
calumnies  which  his  enemies  had  invented  and  set  in  motion. 
It  remains  for  an  impartial  public  to  judge  calmly  between  those 
writers  and  Judge  Greenwood. 

His  recollections  of  other  men,  given  to  those  who  are  fortu- 
nate enough  to  enjoy  his  acquaintance,  are  greatly  attractive  and 
instructive  ;  for  he  is  a  pleasing  conversationalist,  courteous  and 
agreeable  to  all  who  approach  him.  He  possesses  the  virtues 
that  strengthen  and  adorn  the  relation  of  private  life;  nor  is 
any  man  more  truly  and  deeply  respected  and  beloved,  as  a 
husband,  a  father  and  friend.  He  was  twice  married;  his  first 
marriage  took  place  in  1822,  when  he  were  united  to  Miss 
Catherine  Dobbin,  daughter  of  James  Dobbin,  of  New  York  City. 
She  died  in  1834.  He  was  again  married  in  1836,  to  Miss  Lanier 
daughter  of  a  German  gentleman  for  some  time  connected  in 
business  with  John  Jacob  Astor.  This  estimable  lady  died  in 
the  autumn  of  1881.  There  was  born  to  the  first  marriage  two 
sons;  to  the  last  three  daughters,  one  of  whom  is  now  the  wife 
of  Charles  Stodard,  Secretary  and  Treasurer  of  the  Metropolitan 
I   Gas  Light  Company  of  Brooklyn. 

Such  is  our  view  of  the  character  of  Judge  John  Greenwood, 
we  trust  candidly  and  impartially  related. 


JOSEPH  NEILSON  AND  THE  TILTON- BEECH ES 
TRIAL. 

Mr.  Neilson  was  born  at  Argyle,  N.Y.,  on  the  loth  day  of  April, 
181  o.  He  is  of  Scotch  -Irish  descent.  His  grandfather,  John  Neil- 
son,  the  founder  of  the  family  in  America,  came  from  the  north  of 
Ireland  in  1760  with  a  band  of  friends,  and  settled  in  Washinc- 
tonCounty,  N.  Y.  They  were  Calvinists  of  the  stricter  sort,  ami 
brought  with  them  their  pastor,  Bev.  Dr.  Clark.  The  oldest 
son,  John  Bogers  Neilson,  dropped  the  "e"  in  spelling  the 
name,  and  in  that  respect  the  children  followed  his  example. 
Of  these,  and  the  most  distinguished  of  the  name,  was  Samuel 
Nelson,  who  for  the  unexampled  period  of  half  a  century  con- 
tinuously filled  the  judicial  office,  serving  as  Chief  Justice  of  the 
Supremo  Court  of  the  State  of  New  York,  and  as  the  Associate 

I  Justico  of  the  Supremo  Court  of  the  United  States.  A  son  of 
his,  Uensselaer  It.  Nelson,  of  St.  Paul,  Minn.,  is,  and  for  some 
years  has  been,  one  of  tho  United  StateR  District  Judges;  n  man 

i  of  great  learning,  industry  and  influence. 

Samuel  Neilson,  the  third  son  of  John  Neilson,  was  a  physi- 
cian, and  was  highly  distinguished  in  his  profession.    He  r»- 

i  moved  to  Canada,  and  died  there  at  the  age  of  oighty-Hoven  year*. 


BENCH  AND  BAR  OF  BROOKLYN. 


1217 


His  son  Joseph  practiced  law  in  Oswego,  N.  Y.,  until  November, 
1844,  when  he  moved  to  the  city  of  New  York.  On  leaving  Os- 
wego, an  affectionate  address  was  presented  to  him  by  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Bar  of  Oswego  County.  We  find  this  address  in  the 
Oswego  Palladium,  with  the  editorial  warmly  commending  the 
subject  of  it.    Among  other  things,  the  members  of  the  Bar  say: 

"During  the  several  years  of  your  practice  as  an  attorney  and 
counsellor  in  this  place,  we  have  had  abundant  opportunities  of 
becoming  acquainted  with  your  principles  and  qualifications, 
and  have  seen  how  certainly  professional  skill,  severe  application 
to  study,  and  untiring  industry  can  win  golden  opinions  from  all 
sorts  of  people.  Although  we  cannot  but  feel  that  in  your  removal 
we  are  losing  a  valuable  citizen  and  an  eloquent  advocate,  yet 
we  are  gratified  by  the  confident  belief  that  your  worth  will  se- 
cure to  you  a  position  in  the  ranks  of  the  profession  elsewhere, 
alike  honorable  to  yourself  and  agreeable  to  us." 

Mr.  Neilson  took  up  his  residence  in  Brooklyn  in  1848,  but 
continued  his  practice  in  the  city  of  New  York,  where  he  had  a 
valuable  clientage,  and  was  engaged  in  many  cases  of  import- 
ance, until  he  was  elected  one  of  the  judges  of  the  City  Court  of 
Brooklyn.  He  entered  upon  the  judicial  service  in  that  court 
on  the  1st  of  July,  1870,  and  retired  from  it  on  the  last  day  of 
December,  1882. 

Judge  Neilson's  services  fully  entitle  him  to  distinction  as  a 
man,  as  a  writer,  and  as  a  jurist.  He  was  fortunate  in  having 
descended  from  a  notably  long-lived  stock.  His  sturdy  frame, 
and  the  vigor  and  determination  which  have  formed  the  lines  of 
his  countenance  as  their  fittest  expression,  betoken  stamina  and 
vitality.  A  certain  air  of  rugged  energy,  and  a  uianly  and  reso- 
lute bearing,  show  him  to  be  a  man  apart,  and  admirably  befit 
his  station.  His  voice  is  peculiar,  and  at  once  attracts  attention; 
capable  of  great  softness  of  expression,  it  rises  in  rapid  grada- 
tions when  excited  or  aroused.  His  mind  is  distinguished  for 
clearness  and  quickness  of  perception,  strength  of  memory  and 
accuracy  of  reasoning.  He  is  possessed  of  great  firmness  of 
purpose,  and,  as  a  consequence,  his  self-possession  and  patience 
are  not  easily  disturbed.  As  stated  by  Mr.  Bigelow  :  "He  holds 
to  John  Calvin,  denying  the  austerities  imputed  to  the  Institutes, 
but  supplements  the  qualification  that  fore-ordination  followed, 
as  a  necessary  consequence,  fore-knowledge.  Judge  Neilson  is 
not  bigoted,  however  ;  he  believes  that  a  pure  spirit  and  devout 
worship  are  accepted  without  regard  to  mere  creeds.  He  has  no 
intellectual  fear;  feels  no  need  of  an  index  expurgalorius.  He 
reads  Emerson,  not  for  his  opinions,  but  because  he  finds  in 
him  greater  power  and  fertility  of  expression  than  in  other  mod- 
ern authors.  He  has  said  that  he  believed  Emerson  must  have 
read  the  Bible  until  his  mind  became  imbued  with  its  literary 
spirit;  that  not  only  he,  but  Walter  Savage  Landor,  Daniel  Web- 
ster, Rufus  Choate  and,  in  later  days,  whoso  uses  the  English 
language  most  powerfully,  must  have  drank  freely  at  the  same 
source;  and  that  in  such  instances  the  benefit  can  be  traced  as 
certainly  as  the  indebtedness  of  Tennyson  for  graces  of  thought 
and  expression  can  be  to  the  Greek.  In  a  late  conversation  with 
critics  at  the  club  he  repelled  an  attack  upon  some  old  authors, 
now  fallen  much  out  of  use,  and  confessed  his  regard  for 
Young's  'Night  Thoughts'  and  Hervey's  'Meditations,'  the 
companions  of  his  youth.  He  also  claimed  that  the  human  race, 
in  its  intuitive  wants  and  strivings,  had  given  a  sufficient  an- 
swer to  modern  skeptics,  as  in  all  ages,  climes,  and  conditions 
of  men,  there  had  been  a  desire  to  propitiate  an  overruling 
power;  all  down  the  track  of  history,  crumbling  altars  from 
which  the  smoke  of  sacrifice  had  gone  up." 

It  seems  desirable,  in  the  first  instance,  to  consider  Judge 
Neilson's  relation  to  Literature,  especially  as  a  writer.  Judge 
Neilson,  has  been  a  great  reader,  this  is  suggested  by  his  style  as  a 
writer.  Bacon,  Milton,  Johnson  and  Shakespeare,  have  been  his 
familiar  companions.  Gifted  with  an  active  imagination,  Burke, 
Jeremy  Taylor  and  Rufus  Choate  are  in  a  special  degree  his 
favorites.  He  thinks  Walter  Scott  and  Charles  Dickens  have  done 
missionary  service  in  elevating  the  race;  in  teaching  a  spirit  of 


charity  and  kindness  toward  the  poor  and  humble.  Indeed,  ho 
values  highly  romantic  literature  when  written  in  a  pure  spirit. 
Some  years  ago  he  contributed  to  the  Home  Magazine,  articles  in 
the  form  of  "Imaginary  Conversation,"  between  Dr.  Iludd,  of 
the  Gradagrind  school,  and  Mr.  Jarvis,  who  sought  to  persuade 
him  that  works  of  fiction  might  be  useful.  We  have  selected  a 
few  passages  as  illustrations  of  a  free  conversational  stlye: 

Dr.  Rudd.  "  But  I  cannot  believe  that  you  men  of  the  law 
read  works  of  fiction." 

Mr.  Jarvis.  "They  have  done  so,  to  wit:  Chief  Justice  Mar- 
shall, Thomas  J.  Oakley,  George  Wood  and  others." 

Dr.  R.  "I  had  thought  that  such  men  read  the  law,  ex- 
clusively." 

Mr.  Jarvis.  "Did  you,  when  in  practice,  prescribe  the  'tinc- 
ture of  iron' for  every  patient?  Rufus  Choate  said  'that  for  a 
time  he  read  law  exclusive^',  and  dried  his  mind."' 

R.  "  I  don't  know  Mr.  Choate;  sensible  man,  no  doubt.  But 
what  good  have  works  of  fiction  wrought  out?" 

J.  "In  the  first  place,  you  must  remember  that  the  novel  or  ro- 
mance is  not  in  its  details  and  circumstances  a  mere  invention. 
The  most  original  of  such  writers  could  not  make  up  their  sub- 
jects, so  the  story  is  generally  founded  on  fact,  or  an  accepted 
fable — the  characters,  the  delineations  of  known  persons  of  special 
or  shining  qualities." 

R.  "  Yet  I  should  prefer  a  veritable  piece  of  biography."  * 

J.  "You  might.  But  if  the  author  has  some  good  or  great 
purpose  in  view,  that  purpose  is  worked  out  and  illustrated  by 
the  characters,  acting  each  in  his  place,  according  to  his  own 
nature,  and  the  mere  biography  becomes  subordinate.  You 
may  state  truth  and  virtue,  or  meanness  and  hypocrisy,  in  the 
concrete,  and  with  logical  and  philosophical  reflections,  to  little 
purpose;  but  give  the  facts  a  peisonality,  visible  to  the  eye,  and 
the  argument  becomes  vivid.  Thus,  to  realize  how  the  suitors 
have  been  held  in  suspense,  in  a  given  case,  generation  after 
generation,  in  an  English  Court  of  Chancery,  follow  the  counsel 
and  the  suitors  into  court;  to  know  the  cruelty  and  starvation  of 
the  Yorkshire  schools,  attend  with  the  new  teacher,  whose  soul 
revolts  on  his  first  day's  service;  to  realize  what  the  condition  of 
a  healthy  sane  man  is  when  consigned  to  a  lunatic  asylum, 
stand  by  him,  as  with  beads  of  perspiration  on  his  brow  ho 
listens  to  what  chills  your  own  blood.  Then  conviction,  else  so 
passive,  becomes  active  and  irrepressible.  There  are  instances 
where  despite  petitions,  parliamentary  reports,  speeches  and 
statutes,  all  so  decorous,  proper  and  correct,  a  grievous  wrong 
or  abuse  has  lived  on  and  throve  until  the  so-called  romance 
came  to  the  rescue.  Under  the  novelist's  treatment,  the  fact  in 
its  full  proportions  became  so  real,  so  illustrated  and  intensi- 
fied, that  men  called  his  work  fiction.  It  may  not  have  been 
fiction,  but  the  whole  truth  came  in  new  and  unwonted  aspects; 
as  if  upon  the  hateful  thing,  hid  away  in  dark  streets,  or  behind 
stone  walls,  the  full  light  of  day  had  been  poured  out  for  the 
first  time.  Then  the  indignation  of  honest  men  and  women 
became  aroused;  the  popular  heart  beating  loud  enough  to  dis- 
turb drowsy  officials  in  their  easy  chairs.  Then  the  desired  re- 
form became  easy  and  certain." 

As  illustrations  of  Judge  Neilson's  moro  finished  works,  we 
quote  from  one  which  impresses  us  with  its  vigor,  ability,  ele- 
gance, and  vivacity,  and  with  the  penetration  and  discernment 
of  its  author  as  a  reviewer.  It  is  his  review  of  "Parker's  Reminis- 
cences of  Rufus  Choate,"  which  appeared  in  the  Albany  Law 
Journal,  and  which  was  introduced  by  the  editor  of  that  journal 
as  follows: 

"It  is  full  of  terse  suggestions  to  bo  pondered  by  students, 
and  even  by  authors.  It  is,  moreover,  so  happy  in  illustration, 
so  genial  and  sprightly,  that  the  criticism  becomes  as  exquisite 
and  pleasing  as  it  is  pungent  and  severe.  It  is  gratifying  to 
know  that  a  lawver  of  Judge  Neilson's  conceded  learning  and 
ability  has  had  the  time  and  the  good  taste  to  cultivate  a  style  at 
once  so  forcible  and  so  pure  and  musical." 

It  was  said  of  Lord  Jefferies,  an  illustrious  Judge,  an  unsparing 
but  elegant  reviewer,  that  it  was  not  the  discovery  of  merit,  but 
the  detection  and  exposure  of  defects;  which  guided  his  pen; 
that  everything  was  forgotten  except  the  agonies  of  his  victims, 
enhanced  by  the  ridicule  under  which  he  suffered.  Not  so 
with  Judge  Neilson.  He  reviews  and  criticises  with  humor  so 
broad,  with  wit  so  genial,  as  to  calm  the  resentful,  and  to  dis- 
arm the  malicious.  As  he  passes  on  with  the  review,  to  which 
we  have  referred,  he  reaches  the  point  where  Parker,  describing 
Choate's  great  powers  as  a  lawyer,  says,  "  After  all,  the  jury  ad- 


1 2 1  > 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


vocate  must,  to  some  extent,  be  a  mountebank,  if  not  a  juggler 
or  a  trickster."  A  more  pungent  criticism  than  Judge  Neil- 
son  applies  to  this  remark  is  not  found  in  the  language  of  satire, 
and  nowhere  is  there  a  more  enlarged  and  truthful  considera- 
tion of  the  duties  and  responsibilities  of  an  advocate,  in  so  brief 
a  space.    Says  Judge  Neilson : 

"Uncharitable  things  have  been  said  of  many  great  advocates; 
but,  as  an  illustration,  the  worst  thing  ever  Raid  of  Choate  was, 
that  he  could  play  the  artful  dmbje  in  reading  nn  affidavit  That 
was  but  a  rude  description  of  tine,  forcible,  effective  reading; 
reading  which  gives  significance  and  character  to  vital  passages, 
discloses  the  latent  sense  and  spirit,  aids  the  apprehension,  and 
receives  a  certain,  and  it  may  be  a  favorable,  interpretation. 
Such  a  reader,  natural,  yet  artistic,  'tells  the  great,  greatly;  the 
small,  subordinately ;'  and  thus  we  have  heard  Macready  play 
the  artful  dodge;  thus  Fanny  Kemble  Butler;  thus  the  gentle 
Melancthon  may  have  read;  thus  every  pulpit  orator,  from  Whit- 
field down. 

With  all  his  gifts  and  acquisitions,  the  advocate  must  be  a  high- 
toned,  moral  man,  not  a  harlequin ;  a  vital  utterance,  not  a  mere 
sham.  Jurors  are  representative  men,  coming  from  the  entire 
circle  of  the  social  zodiac,  and  are  practical,  sensible,  and  often 
sagacious  men,  as  fond  of  fair  dealing  in  counsel  as  in  suitors." 

Speaking  of  the  office  of  the  author  of  those  reminiscences, 
Neilson  says:  "In  personal  delineations  of  this  nature  the  true 
author  is  sympathetic;  his  purpose  fills  his  heart  and  brain, 
takes  possession  of  all  his  faculties;  he  feels  as  one  of  old  did, 
when  he  said:  'Woe  is  me  if  I  preach  not  this  gospel!'  " 

There  is  much  in  this  review  that  exhibits  the  most  perfect 
critical  skill.  It  closes  with  delicate  and  finely  shaded  touches 
of  sadness,  suggested  by  some  phases  of  Choate's  life,  revealing 
deep  fountains  of  generous  sympathy  in  the  heart  of  the  learned 
reviewer,    He  says : 

"  We  have  always  had  a  fondness  for  Mr.  Choate,  the  unique 
man  of  his  da)',  so  brilliant,  yet  so  logical.  Thanks  to  the 
author,  we  now  see  him  in  new  phases  of  life,  and  learn  many 
things  about  him  unknown  before.  But  we  close  the  book,  and 
muse  in  sadness.  Poor  Choate  !  What  severance  and  alienation 
from  the  sources  of  life,  health,  and  elasticity  !  He  had  no  Ash- 
land, no  Marshfield,  no  Sunnyside;  no  flocks  or  herds;  no  fields 
of  golden  grain;  but  the  school,  the  closed  study,  the  dusty 
street,  the  crowded  forum;  so  half  his  nature  was  stifled  in  its 
growth,  if  not  killed.  How,  through  life,  he  turned  blindly 
from  the  smiling  mother  earth,  when,  as  only  a  true  mother  can, 
she  would  have  comforted  and  soothed  him !  How  he  looked 
on  coldly  while  his  school-fellows  enjoyed  sports  ordained  for 
him  !  How,  in  later  years,  he  read,  and  read  when  a  gorgeous 
sunset  or  a  waving  forest  would  have  fed  his  famished  spirit ! 
How  he  brooded  about  books,  as  he  passed  inspiring  landscapes, 
and  felt  no  thrill  as  they  spoke  to  him  !  How  he  treasured  up  and 
tried  to  love  a  piece  of  cold  statuary,  but  had  no  interest  in  the 
perfection  of  form  and  motion — man's  friend  in  service— though 
lie  trots  the  air,  and  the  earth  sings  as  he  touches  it;  though  his 
neigh. is  like  the  bidding  of  a  monarch,  and  his  countenance  en- 
forces homage." 

An  address  delivered  by  Judge  Neilson  at  the  opening  of 
"The  Annual  Exhibition  of  the  Brooklyn  Industrial  Institute," 
in  1873  (published  in  pamphlet  form),  was  described  in  the 
newpapers  of  the  day  as  a  remarkable  production  as  to  style, 
eiiiii|>reheiisiveiiess  and  thought.  We  cite  a  few  passages,  feel- 
ing quite  confident  that  they  will  find  a  responsive  acceptance 
in  the  minds  of  our  readers,  although  the  subject  he  discusses  is 
a  dry  one,  in  which  no  man  but  Judge  Neilson  could  touch  a 
chord  of  sympathy.  Thus,  in  speaking  of  labor-saving  machines, 
he  says: 

"The  labor-saving  machine  characterizes  the  nineteenth  cen- 
tury, and  in  its  inception  and  growth  is  indigenous  to  this 
country.  It  has  made  good  h  thous;md-fold  the  poetic  concep- 
tions of  the  g  1  fairies  bringing  gilts;  of  the  Seandivian  troll 

lifting  the  curt  out  of  the  mire,  and  in  the  dark  threshing  out 
the  corn;  and  of  liriareiiH  with  a  hundred  hands.  It  works  on 
what  might  bo  too  trilling  to  confer  credit,  as  steadily  as  on 
what  the  armies  of  the  itepuhlic  wait  for;  is  neither  proud, 
nor  exclusive,  nor  capricious." 

He  then  describes  the  rapid  improvement  in  American  labor- 
xaviiig  machines,  particularly  agricultural  machinery ;  after  which 
he  refers,  in  the  following  touching  manner,  to  the  fate  and 
fortunes  of  the  inventors  of  these  wonderful  improvements: 


"But  almost  every  earthly  thing,  the  work  or  device  of  man, 
however  grand  and  beautiful,  has  some  qualification  casting  a 
shade  of  sorrow  over  our  joy.  Thus,  as  we  testify  our  gratitude 
to  the  inventors  who  have  nursed  in  their  souls,  and  with  long 
travail,  as  in  pain,  breathed  forth  the  marvelous  conceptions 
embodied  in  these  artificial  workers  for  our  fields,  and  mines, 
and  factories,  we  cannot  forget  that  many  of  them  fainted  hy 
the  way,  died  without  seeing  the  fruits  of  their  labors.  Even 
in  the  cases  of  some  of  those  who  are  known  and  remembered, 
what  delay,  what  discouragement,  what  despair,  as  they  sat  by 
the  wayside,  waiting  long  for  the  tardy  recognition  !" 

Having  dwelt  upon  our  material  wealth,  coal  mines  and 
minerals,  in  relation  to  our  national  greatness,  such  as  might 
satisfy  the  pride  of  any  people,  he  continues: 

"  But  our  highest  claim  to  respect,  as  a  nation,  rests  not  in  the 
gold,  nor  in  the  iron  and  the  coal,  nor  inventions  and  dis- 
coveries, nor  in  agricultural  productions,  nor  in  our  wealth, 
grown  so  great  that  a  war  debt  of  billions  fades  out  under  min- 
istrations of  the  revenue  collector,  without  fretting  the  peoi'le  ; 
nor,  indeed,  all  these  combined.  That  claim  finds  its  true  ele- 
ments in  our  systems  of  education  and  of  unconstrained  reh 
gious  worship;  in  our  wise  and  just  laws,  and  the  purity  of  their 
administration;  in  the  conservative  spirit  with  which  the 
minority  submit  to  defeat  in  a  hotly-contested  election;  in  a  fm 
press;  in  that  broad  humanity  which  builds  hospitals  and 
asylums  for  the  poor,  sick  and  insane  on  the  confines  of  everj 
city;  in  the  robust,  manly,  buoyant  spirit  of  a  people  competent 
to  admonish  others  and  rule  themselves;  and  in  the  achieve- 
ments of  that  people  in  every  department  of  thought  ami 
learning." 

On  the  proceedings  at  the  Acadamy  of  Music,  Brooklyn, 
Decoration  Day,  1877,  a  day  made  memorable  by  the  splendi.l 
oration  of  Gen.  Roger  A.  Prior,  Judge  Neilson  presided.  In  his 
introductory  remarks  he  referred  to  the  Soldiers'  Home,  then  a 
new  institution,  and  then,  as  if  three  years  had  passed,  thus 
pleasingly  assumes  the  work  completed,  he  says: 

"The  land  has  been  secured,  the  funds  largely  obtained,  and 
the  work  has  been  commenced.  As  the  vision  rises  before  me, 
I  choose,  in  anticipation,  to  regard  the  work  as  finished,  the  last 
stone  laid,  the  last  nail  driven,  this  30th  day  of  May,  1**0.  In 
the  morning  light  it  looks  as  beautiful  as  the  chosen  City  of  the 
King.  It  is  the  more  fit  for  its  sacred  use,  as  no  debt  rests  upon 
it  to  mar  or  corrode  its  bloom.  This  is  the  day  of  its  consecration. 
You  throw  open  the  gates  widely  and  take  the  soldier  hy  the 
hand.  Yon  say,  'Sir,  this  is  your  land;  enter  as  the  heir  of  8 
generous  people.  These  shady  walks  are  yours,  this  house  is 
yours,  this  your  room.  Take  the  easy  chair  by  the  open  window 
and  look  out  upon  the  landscape.'  You  stand  by  him  and  note 
how  his  poor  tremulous  hands  move,  how  his  face  flushes,  how 
his  grim  visage  grows  almost  handsome,  the  tears  coursing  down 
his  cheeks.  You  hear  his  voice  and  bend  to  listen;  he  is  utter 
ing  thanks  to  God  and  thanks  to  men.  He  repeats  the  word 
'  Home  !  Home  !'  perhaps  contrasting  this  with  the  home  of  his 
childhood,  and  forgetting  the  troubled  time,  a  dreary  waste,  thai 
lies  between.  But  he  puts  a  question  in  a  voice  so  surcharged 
with  emotion  that  you  do  not  catch  the  sense.  He  repeats  it, 
and  you  answer,  'Yes,  you  will  have  part  in  that  also.  When 
yon  leave  this  for  your  final  resting-place  upon  the  hill,  you  will 
be  remembered  on  Decoration  Day.'  lie  seems  content,  and  yon 
leave  him  to  his  meditations. 

"Ladies  and  gentlemen,  we  are  told,  and  I  think  truly,  that 
the  trees  upon  the  range  of  hills,  and  on  the  mountain  summits, 
entice  to  the  earth  the  else  forgetful  rain.  Put  more  surely  shall 
such  service  and  charity  of  a  people,  exemplifying  so  nearly  tlx" 
teachings  of  the  Master,  drawdown  from  llenvon  a  blessing  so 
large  thnt  there  shall  not  be  room  enough  to  receive  it." 

On  the  first  day  of  August,  1875,  Judge  Neilson  delivered  an 
address  before  the  Young  Men's  State  Christian  Association, 
which  was  highly  commended  by  the  press  for  iU  opulence  of 
thought  and  felicity  of  diction.  In  impressing  upon  his  ail II MM 
the  cause  they  have  for  gratitudo  to  those  who  bad  worked  hi 
their  intellectual  benefit,  and  the  slow  growth  of  principle,  he 
uses  the  following  happy  illustration: 

"At  the  seashore  you  pick  up  a  pebble  fashioned,  after  a  U* 
of  nature,  in  the  form  that  best  resists  pressure,  and  worn  n* 
smooth  as  glass.  It  is  so  perfect  that  you  take  it  as  a  keeps»«» 
lint  could  you  know  its  history  from  the  time  when,  »  roogn 
fragment  of  roek,  it  fell  from  the  overhanging  cliff  into  the  w*. 
to  be  taken  possession  of  by  under  currents,  and  dragged  from 
oi  an  to  another,  j  crimps  around  the  world,  for  a  hundred 


BENCH  AND  BAR  OF  BROOKLYN. 


mil 


years,  until,  in  reduced  and  perfect  form,  it  was  cast  upon  the 
beach,  as  you  find  it,  you  would  have  a  fit  illustration  of  what 
many  principles  now  in  familiar  use  have  endured — thus  tried, 
tortured  and  fashioned  during  the  ages.  We  stand  by  the  river 
and  admire  the  great  body  of  water  flowing  so  sweetly  on:  could 
you  trace  it  back  to  its  source  you  might  find  a  mere  rivulet,  but 
meandering  on,  joined  by  other  streams,  and  by  secret  springs, 
and  fed  by  the  rains  and  dews  of  Heaven,  it  gathers  volume  and 
force,  makes  its  way  through  the  gorges  of  the  mountains, 
plows,  widens  and  deepens  its  channel  through  the  provinces, 
and  attains  it  present  majesty.  Thus  it  is  that  our  truest  systems 
of  science  had  small  beginnings,  gradual  and  countless  contri- 
butions, and  finally  took  their  place  in  use,  as  each  of  you,  from 
helpless  childhood,  have  grown  to  your  present  strength  and 
maturity.  No  such  system  could  be  born  in  a  day.  It  was  not 
as  when  nature,  in  fitful  pulsations  of  her  strength,  suddenly 
lifted  the  land  into  mountain  ranges;  but  rather  as,  with  small 
accretions,  gathered  in  during  countless  years,  she  builds  her 
islands  in  the  seas.  It  took  a  long  time  to  learn  the  true  nature 
and  office  of  governments;  to  discover  and  secure  the  principles 
commonly  indicated  by  such  terms  as  'magna  charta,'  the  'bill 
of  rights,'  'habeas  oorpus,'  and  the  'right  of  trial  byjury;'  to 
found  the  family  home,  with  its  laws  of  social  order,  regulating 
the  rights  and  duties  of  each  member  of  it,  so  that  the  music  at 
the  domestic  hearth  might  flow  on  without  discord — the  house- 
hold gods  so  securely  planted  that  'though  the  wind  and  the  rain 
might  enter,  the  king  might  not;'  to  educate  noise  into  music, 
and  music  into  melody ;  to  infuse  into  the  social  code  and  into 
the  law  a  spirit  of  Christian  charity,  something  of  the  benign 
temper  of  the  New  Testament,  so  that  no  man  could  be  perse- 
cuted for  conscience'  sake,  so  that  there  should  all  of  human 
sacrifice  for  mere  faith  or  opinion;  the  smouldering  fire  at  the 
foot  of  the  stake  put  out  now,  thank  God,  as  effectually  as  if  all 
the  waters  that  this  night  flood  the  rivers  had  been  poured  in 
upon  them.  It  took  a  long  time  to  learn  that  war  was  a  foolish 
and  cruel  method  of  settling  international  differences,  as  com- 
pared with  arbitration;  to  learn  that  piracy  was  less  profitable 
than  a  liberal  commerce;  that  unpaid  labor  was  not  as  good  as 
well  regulated  toil  ;  that  a  splenetic  eld  woman,  falling  into 
trances  and  shrieking  prophecies,  was  a  fit  subject  for  the 
asylum  rather  than  to  be  burned  as  a  witch.  It  took  a  long,  long 
time  after  the  art  of  printing  had  been  perfected,  before  we 
learned  the  priceless  value,  the  sovereign  dignity  and  usefulness 
of  a  free  press." 

Chief  Justice  Neilson  has  a  profound  regard  for  Sydney 
Smith,  and  wishes  to  rescue  his  fame  from  the  trivial  estimate 
of  him  which  obtains  among  us.  His  pen  has  done  very  much 
to  effect  this  object;  and  in  a  lecture  delivered  before  the  Lay 
College,  Judge  Neilson  succeeded,  by  ingenious  and  unanswer- 
able arguments,  founded  on  facts,  in  placing  the  name  of  Sydney 
Smith  where  it  belongs — among  great  intellectual  lights.  This 
lecture  was  published  in  the  Brooklyn  Ect'/Ie,  and  made  its  way 
from  the  columns  of  that  paper  into  the  leading  magazines  and 
1  journals,  eliciting  liberal  and  highly  favorable  reviews. 

Judge.  Neilson  occupies  a  conspicuous  place  as  a  legal  writer, 
and  has  largely  enriched  the  legal  literature  of  the  nation.  The 
leading  legal  magazines  of  the  country  bear  ample  evidence  of 
this,  while  the  pages  of  our  law  reports  contain  many  of  his 
well-reasoned  opinions. 

Thus  far,  we  have  allowed  Judge  Neilson  to  speak  for  himself, 
in  his  own  style  and  manner,  on  a  variety  of  topics.  We  cannot, 
however,  take  leave  of  this  branch  of  our  subject  without  refer- 
ring to  another  fragment,  taken  from  a  series  of  articles  written 
by  him,  and  published  in  the  New  York  Independent. 
Treating  of  men  and  methods  of  the  olden  times,  he  refers  to 
Coke  and  Bacon,  and  contrasts  somewhat  their  peculiarities. 
Referring  to  the  conferences  which  the  king  had  with  the 
judges,  often  seeking  to  secure  their  support  of  his  legal  plans, 
he  says  that  "  In  one  of  these  conferences  Coke  thought  to  teach 
James  I.  that  he  was  not  above  the  law,  could  not  add  to  or  alter 
it,  or  create  new  offenses.  At  another  interview,  Bacon,  the 
attorney-general,  present,  and  supporting  the  king  in  his  arro- 
gant pretensions,  the  question  was  put  whether  the  judges  would 
obey  the  royal  mandates.  All  the  other  judges,  infirm  of  purpose, 
answered  yes  ;  but,  with  the  moderation  and  dignity  which  be- 
came his  office,  Coke  said  :  '  When  the  case  happens,  I  shall  do 
that  which  shall  be  fit  for  a  judge  to  do.' 

"By  his  independence  Coke  paved  the  way  for  his  dismissal  from 
office,  a  disgrace  for  which  Bacon,  neither  the  greatest  nor  mean- 
est of  mankind,  had  toiled,  and  in  which  he  enjoyed  a  tempor- 


ary triumph.    But  though,  in  that  deprivation,  Coke  revealed 
I  what  Sheridan  might  have  called  '  the  flabby  part  of  his  charac- 
ter,' he  was  thus  left  free  to  act  as  a  statesman. 

"  We  call  up  in  review  before  us  the  life  of  Coke  with  alter- 
nate emotions  of  regret,  shame,  sorrow,  pride  and  consolation. 
Was  that  life  as  a  journey  of  a  day?  If  so,  it  was  by  pathways 
through  dreary  and  desolate  wastes,  over  Serbonian  bogs,  each 
footstep  sinking  in  the  slime,  but  occasionally  leading  up  to  Al- 
pine hights,  glowing  with  celestial  light  and  beauty.  It  was  a 
life  often  marred  by  want  of  moral  tone ;  often  redeemed  by 
elevated  sentiments  ;  full  of  distortions  and  contradictions.  As 
the  Speaker  when  in  Parliament,  under  Elizabeth,  he  was  shame- 
fully subservient ;  as  a  crown  officer,  extorting  confessions  from 
prisoners  put  to  the  torture,  he  was  pitiless  ;  as  uttering  re- 
proaches and  accusations  against  Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  on  trial  for 
his  life,  he  was  fierce  and  brutal  His  devotion  to  study  and  his 
mastery  of  the  law  were  unprecedented ;  his  assertion  of  his  rights 
asajudge,  against  royal  intrusion,  was  admirable;  his  intrigue  to 
regain  the  royal  favor  by  the  marriage  of  his  daughter  to  the 
brother  of  Buckingham  was  intolerable ;  his  independence, 
virtue,  courage,  devotion  in  Parliament,  under  James  I.  and 
Charles  L  gave  special  grace  and  value  to  the  history  of  the  times. 
But  our  sensibilities  are  touched  when  we  find  him  a  prisoner  in 
the  Tower  of  London.  The  room  in  which  he  is  confined,  long 
devoted  to  ignoble  uses,  becomes  sacred.  We  enter  with  rever- 
ence, as  upon  holy  ground.  He  is  absorbed  in  his  work  on  tho 
Commentaries.  As  he  writes  the  hand  is  tremulous  ;  but  that 
hand  had  never  been  polluted  by  accepting  bribes. 

"  In  some  aspects  of  life  and  character  Coke  appears  to  greater 
advantage  than  Bacon.  Both  were  insatiate  in  their  ambition, 
implacable  in  their  resentments.  The  one  was  rough  in  man- 
ners, arrogant  in  speech,  ready  to  strike  terrible  blows  openly; 
but  poor  in  feigning  and  clumsy  in  changing  his  ground.  The 
other  was  courtly,  plausible,  serene,  had  a  gentle  touch,  even 
when  that  touch  boded  ruin,  was  an  athlete  in  fencing  with 
;  cunning  words,  had  the  facial  adroitness  of  a  trimmer,  was 
covetous,  to  his  own  disgrace  and  ruin.  Those  who  dislike  the 
one  may  well  despise  the  other.  For  neither  of  them  can 
we  feel  the  love  and  sympathy  we  have  for  Sir  John  Fortescue 
and  Sir  Thomas  More.  In  scientific  speculation,  no  jurist  has 
commanded  as  much  respect  as  Bacon.  In  exact  and  profound 
knowledge  of  the  old  common  and  statute  law,  none  could 
rival  Coke.  But,  in  view  of  the  times  in  which  they  lived,  the 
work  allotted,  and  the  materials  in  which  they  wrought,  it 
would  be  unjust  to  weigh  and  estimate  their  labors  with  refer- 
ence to  the  more  enduring  and  fruitful  services  of  the  great 
English  jurists  and  statesmen  of  later  days.  In  the  freedom  of 
judicial  inquiry  and  direction,  in  the  temper  of  the  people,  the 
condition  of  trade  and  commerce,  and  in  the  character  of  legis- 
lation, there  had  been  a  great  advance  between  their  time  and 
that  of  Hardwick.  Coke  and  Bacon  could  not  for  any  practical 
purpose  have  adapted  their  work  to  the  coming  and  higher 
civilization.  As  in  the  natural  world  we  have  progress  and  rota- 
tion, each  season  performing  its  appropriate  office,  so  in  the  in- 
tellectual, social,  and  political  life  of  a  people  events  are  mar- 
shalled in  due  order  and  relation — a  gradual  development.  What 
was  easy  of  achievement  when  the  times  were  ripe  for  it  would 
have  been  impossible  if  attempted  prematurely  or  out  of  season. 
When  Mansfield  moulded  and  illustrated  our  commercial  law  the 
materials  were  at  hand,  plastic  and  ready  for  use." 

We  have  referred  to  Judge  Neilson's  review  of  Parker's 
reminiscences  of  Rufus  Choate.  In  the  Spring  of  1884,  Judge 
Neilson  published  a  work  on  Mr.  Choate,  written  with  his 
characteristic  vigor,  in  a  style  clear,  forcible  and  vivacious. 
Among  the  great  merits  of  the  work  is  the  intellectual  strength 
it  exhibits,  its  originality  and  the  easy  and  varied  narration  of 
the  events  in  the  life  of  that  great  lawyer.  Public  opinion  and 
the  judgment  of  the  best  and  fairest  critics  will  sustain  us  in 
saying  that  it  is  by  far  the  ablest  work  on  Rufus  Choate,  ever 
before  published.  We  regret  that  want  of  space  prevents  us 
from  giving  a  more  extended  description  of  this  admirable 
work;  but  perhaps  regret  in  this  direction  is  only  confined  to 
us,  for  the  book  is  before  the  public  and  needs  no  review,  how- 
ever ably  written,  to  render  it  a  favorite  with  a  reading  public. 

It  will,  on  its  own  merits,  be,  regarded  as  a  standard  con- 
tribution to  American  literature. 

We  shall  now  briefly  consider  the  judicial  career  of  Joseph 
Neilson,  though  the  extent  of  his  work  during  the  twelve  and 
one-half  years  he  was  on  tho  Bench  cam  it  be  mentioned  in  de- 
I  tail.  The  causes  decided  by  him  involved  many  rare  and  diffi- 
!  cult  legal  questions  ;  for  instance,  as  to  the  consideration,  im- 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


moral,  which  destroys  a  contract ;  as  to  the  peculiar  contract 
which  iu  its  nature  dies  with  the  person,  and  cannot  be  revived  ; 
as  to  the  liability  of  a  landlord  to  a  sub-tenant,  injured  by  an  ex- 
plosion in  the  house  ;  as  to  the  effect  of  a  covenant  in  a  deed, 
granting  land,  restraining  the  erection  of  a  building  on  a  part  of 
it ;  as  to  the  reclamation  of  money  paid  on  an  unfounded  claim 
if  by  mistake;  as  to  a  father's  right  to  require  the  Children's  Aid 
Society  to  return  his  son  who  had  been  sent  West.  These,  and 
other  cases  of  importance,  have  been  reported  by  Mr.  Abbott. 

In  the  case  of  Homun  v.  Eurle,  breach  of  promise  of  marriage, 
in  which  a  verdict  of  $15,000  was  recovered,  a  novel  and  peculiar 
question  arose.  Both  the  plaintiff  aud  defendant  were  examined, 
and  testified  that  no  request  to  marry  and  no  promise  to  marry 
was  expressed.  The  testimony  at  large  was  to  the  effect  that  the 
defendant  had  paid  great  attention  to  the  plaintiff.  Visits  and 
devotion  continued  through  several  months.  Thereupon,  Judge 
Emott,  counsel  for  the  defendant,  moved  to  dismiss  the  com- 
plaint, on  the  grounds  that,  as  appeared  from  the  undisputed 
testimony,  there  was  no  promise  of  marriage  ;  that  the  prac- 
tice which  had  prevailed  before  parties  could  be  witnesses,  of 
allowing  a  jury,  upon  proof  of  intentions,  circumstances,  to  infer 
a  promise  to  marry,  no  longer  prevailed.  The  question  was  im- 
portant. Iu  his  charge  to  the  jury,  Judge  Neilson,  after  stating 
that  there  must  be  a  contract  and  a  proof  of  it,  or  the  plaintiff 
could  not  recover,  said:  "If  all  the  circumstances,  taken 
together  —words,  attentions,  demonstrations,  more  or  less 
.  irnest,  assiduous  and  affectionate  amounted  to  a  declaration  of 
an  intent  to  marry  her,  to  an  assurance  that  that  was  what  he 
sought— was  his  conclusion— if  he  intentionally  led  her  to  so  un- 
derstand it,  and  she,  in  response,  accepted  that  declaration ;  if 
there  was  a  meeting  of  minds  on  that  as  an  engagement  between 
them  to  marry,  the  implied  contract  necessary  to  sustain  the 
action  has  been  proved."  Thus,  and  in  other  ways,  the  judge 
taught  the  jury  that  the  contract  to  marry  could  be  made  without 
words — a  doctrine  that  excited  much  criticism.  But  it  was 
athruied  at  the  General  Term  and  by  the  Court  of  Appeals 
(12  Abb.  B.,  N.  S.,  402  ;  53  N.  Y.  R.,  2G7).  It  may  be  safely  said 
that  a  more  clear-cut  proposition  of  law  was  never  stated  than 
that  quoted  above,  yet  it  was  conceived  and  uttered  in  the  haste 
and  exitement  of  a  jury  trial. 

We  cannot  pursue  these  cases  further,  though  we  pass  by 
some  of  novel  interest,  including  that  in  which  the  judge  held 
that  a  married  woman  could  maintain  an  action  for  damages 
against  another  woman  who  had  enticed  away  her  husband — the 
first  case  of  this  kind  ever  tried  in  this  State. 

It  was  the  fortune  of  Chief  Justice  Neilson  to  preside  at  one  of 
the  most  remarkable  trials  recorded  in  the  legal  history  of  this 
country.    This  was 

77ie  Tiltou-Iieecher  Owe.—  Though  the  excitement,  the  pas- 
sions and  the  prejudices  which  this  great  case  engendered  have 
nearly  passed  away  i  forgotten  with  the  allegations  on  which  it 
was  founded  and  on  which  it  was  defended),  it  is  still  invested, 
and  always  will  be,  with  an  historic  interest.  This  interest  is 
much  the  same  as  that  with  which  we  regard  the  history  of  some 
great  battle  of  the  past,  without  giving  much  attention  to  the 
causes  which  led  to  the  war  in  which  it  was  an  event,  because  of 
its  "  magnificently  grand  array;''  its  splendid  generalship;  its 
brilliant  manoeuvring;  its  dashing  charges;  its  attacks  and  its 
repulses. 

After  an  exciting  preliminary  contest,  brought  on  by  a  motion 
for  an  order  compelling  the  plaintiff's  lawyers  to  produce  a  lull 
of  particulars  of  the  allegations  in  their  complaint,  the  trial  in 
chief  commenced  on  the  11th  of  January,  1875,  occupying  112 
days. 

Samuel    I).   Morn-.   Tl  as   E    PettBall,   Bogei   A.  I'ryor. 

Austin  Abbott,  Win.  Fullertnn  and  Win.  A.  Beach,  were  for  tho 
plaintiff ;  Thomas  <1.  Shearman,  John  W.  Sterling,  John  K.  Por- 
t.  r,  Benjamin  F.  Tracy,  John  L  Hill  and  William  M.  Kvarts, 
for  the  defendant.  A  more  imposing  array  of  counsel  never  ap- 
pear, d  in  any  case  men  of  great  learning  and  experience,  of 
high  character  in  public  and  professional  reputation.  The  pleas 
of  counsel,  urid  many  arguments  upon  questions  of  special  and 
novel  interest,  will  b«>  found  iu  the  report  of  the  case,  in  three 
volutins     Another  report,  with  h  gal  notes  by  Mr.  Abbott,  is 


given  in  two  volumes.  The  cause  was  opened  for  the  plaintiff  by 
Judge  Morris,  in  an  address  of  much  force  and  brilliancy  with 
dexterous  detail  of  facts  which  effectually  put  the  jury  in  posses- 
sion of  the  full  knowledge  of  the  plaintiff's  case.  The  defense 
xvas  opened  by  Mr.  Tracy,  6ince  a  distinguished  judge  of  the 
Court  of  Appeals.  If,  as  was  asserted  by  Lord  Eldon,  a  case 
that  is  xvell  opened  is  more  than  half  tried ;  the  opening  of  Judge 
Tracy  greatly  accelerated  the  progress  of  this  trial.  It  xvas  a  mas- 
terly legal  effort.  In  tho  progress  of  the  trial,  all  the  counsel 
engaged  in  it,  like  Homer's  heroes  before  and  behind  the  w  alls 
of  Troy,  took  part  in  this  great  legal  contest.  Mr.  Pryor,  as  ap- 
pears from  the  report  of  the  case,  as  occasions  arose,  xvas  lumi- 
nous in  his  presentation  of  the  law;  xvhile  Mr.  Shearman, 
with  equal  force  and  incisive  eloquence,  often  discussed  dithcult 
legal  questions,  and  each  of  the  lawyers  named  won  fresh  for- 
ensic honors  in  sustaining  the  parts  assigned  them  in  the  case. 
As  xx'as  said  of  Chief  Justice  Marshall  in  the  trial  of  Aaron  Burr, 
Judge  Neilson,  "calm,  dignified  and  attentive  analyzed  the 
arguments  of  counsel,  noted  their  relevancy  xvith  the  nicety  of  a 
critic,  justifying  the  reputation  xvhich  he  always  had  of  spotless 
purity  and  soundness  of  judgment,"  and  yet  perhaps  no  trial 
at  nisi prius  ever  so  completely  tested  the  patience  and  endur- 
ance of  a  court;  no  judge  ever  more  fully  felt  the  responsibility 
of  his  trust  or  discharged  it  xvith  more  courteous  firmness,  with 
more  of  that  "close  investigating  faculty  xvhich  ought  to  belong 
to  those  xvho  sit  on  the  Bench." 

While  the  Chief  Justice  often  sought  to  shorten  the  arguments 
to  lessen  delays,  and  hurry  forward  the  counsel,  he  xvas  not  in- 
sensible to  the  fact  that  something  was  due,  that  much  was  due  to 
]  the  judgement  of  counsel  seeking  to  discharge  their  professional 
duties.  His  patience  xvas  proverbial,  and  there  xvas  an  acquies- 
cence of  counsel  in  his  rulings  anil  decisions  not  often  seen  iu 
any  trial,  especially  in  trials  of  this  importance. 

The  evidence  in  this  case  closed  on  Tuesday,  May  1H,  1875, 
the  eighty-fifth  day  of  the  trial;  the  remainder  of  that  trial  was 
devoted  to  the  argument  of  the  respective  counsel,  which  ex- 
hausted twenty-three  days.  The  case  was  presented  to  the  jury 
by  distinguished  advocates  in  a  manner  worthy  of  its  import 
ance,  and  xvith  an  earnestness  evincing  a  strong  convictiou  Ml 
by  them  that  the  law  and  the  right  xvas  xvith  them.  A  degree  of 
eloquence  seldom  displayea  on  any  occasion  embellisued  a 
solidity  of  argument  which  must  greatly  have  aided  the  jnry  in 
their  deliberations;  these  arguments  xvill  always  be  read  with 
the  deepest  interest.  The  argument  in  support  of  the  defend- 
ant was  opened  by  John  K.  Porter,  on  the  morning  of  May  IS 
The  reputation  of  the  speaker  and  the  occasion  summoned  to 
the  court-room  an  immense  audience,  composed  of  the  niewt 
prominent  citizens;  never  xvas  there  an  audience  more  highly 
gratified;  "every  fact,  suggestion  or  implication  involved  in  the 
testimony — almost  incredible  power  of  clear  and  brilliant 
illustration  and  methodical  arrangement  characterized  the 
address.  A  striking  feature  of  it  xvas  the  force  xvith  which  little 
points  of  evidence,  mere  momentary  flashes  of  light  cast  by  brief, 
and  almost  unnoticed  expressions  of  the  xvitnesses,  were  brought 
to  bear  by  the  skillful  orator." 

Mr.  Porter  closed  his  great  speech  in  the  following  beautiful 
peroration : 

"  I  am  reluctant  to  part  xvith  this  case,  for  there  are,  and  there 
always  will  be  to  all  of  us,  pleasant  memories  connected  with  it. 
Painful  some;  pleasant  many.  *  *  I  know  not,  your  Honor.  «  hat 
to  say  in  acknowledgment  of  that  kindness  xvith  xvhich  we  have 
all  been  treated  by  you.  Ordinarily,  it  would  be  merely  the  ex- 
pression of  sincere  feelings  of  gratitude  which  is  naturally  in- 
spired by  long-continued  kindness  and  consideration,  but  as  it 
happened  at  the  earlier  stages  of  this  case  that  oft-times,  in  the 
view  of  his  Honor,  decisions  xvere  made  from  which  we  felt  we  suf- 
fered injustice,  I  desire  now  to  say,  at  tho  close,  that  I  feel  he 
judged  wisely  and  xvell,  aud  that  on  a  great  issue  like  this  it  was 
equally  due  to  the  plaintiff  and  to  the  defendant,  to  all  the  public 
interests  involved,  that  the  broad  door  should  be  opened  tor  tho 
admission  of  any  evidence  iu  respect  to  the  advisability  of  «  bich 
(hi  ri  was  i  vi  ii  a  doubt.  His  Honor  fi  It.  and  showed  that  he  felt, 
that  it  xvas  duo  to  justice  that  every  thine;  that  could  be  snbeuft. 
ted  to  the  jury  that  would  aid  their  deliberations  should  be  be- 
fore you,  gentlemen;  and  feeling  thus,  it  is  a  matter  ot  mucin' 
gratification  to  me  that  I  have  the  opportunity  now,  that  all  may 
share  with  mo  the  same  feelings,  of  expressing  our  sense  Of 
respect  for  the  eminent  ability,  the  impartiality,  tin  known  in- 
tegrity, the  purity  of  character  of  that  eminent  jndgo,  worthy,  if 
not  quite  of  the  honored  position  among  jurists  of  that  great 
ii  I  .  ii.  in.  nl  kinsman  of  his  who  ln>w  sleeps  by  the  water- "f 
Otsego  Lake    a  name  xvhich  xvill  be  honored  through  oil  time 

and  xcl  I  am  not  sure  that  the  nai  'I'  the  jurist  *  ho  preal'1** 

on  this  inorablo  trial  xvill  not  endure  quite  as  long,  for  it  Uj 

misfortune,  and  yours,  gentlemen,  that  through  circumstance* 
xvhich  you  could  not  have  foreseen,  his  name  and  yours  are  to  go 


BENCH  AND  BAR  OF  BROOKLYN. 


mi 


down  to  posterity  together,  always  associated  with  a  trial  which 
will  be  memorable  through  all  future  time." 

On  Thursday  morning,  May  27th,  1875,  Hon.  William  M. 
Evarts  began  his  argument  in  favor  of  Mr.  Beecher.  Mr. 
Evarts'  appearance  on  this  occasion  is  thus  described  : 

"His  voice  during  most  of  the  time  was  pitched  in  a  clear, 
ringing  tenor,  only  occasionally  dropping  into  a  deep  bass.  He 
speaks  very  deliberately,  with  cornet  but  telling  gestures,  and  in- 
clinations of  the  head  ;  his  slender  figure  bears  some  resem- 
blance to  full-length  portraits  of  Henry  Clay.  His  face  is 
thin  and  pale,  his  features  clear-cut  <and  classic  ;  his  bright  blue- 
gray  eyes  twinkle  with  merriment  when  he  tells  a  humorous 
story,  but  look  hard  and  earnest  when  he  is  in  the  midst  of  a 
serious  argument.  His  sentences  are  usually  lounded  out  with 
rhetorical  precision  and  polish,  and  he  made  frequent  classical 
and  historical  references  and  quotations." 

"I  could  wish,"  he  said  in  his  exordium,  "  that  I  possessed 
the  moral  power  of  stripping  all  discordant  elements,  rejecting 
all  poisonous  oils,  all  corrosive  acids,  all  heavy  heat  of  passion 
and  of  prejudice,  and  present  to  you  the  pure  and  invigorating 
wine  of  honest  sympathy  for  human  nature,  of  honest  warmth 
for  human  justice.  And  then  I  could  wish  for  that  greatest  gift, 
eloquence— eloquence  which,  overleaping  even  the  short  circuit 
between  the  voice  and  ear,  speaks  out  from  heart  to  heart,  as  face 
answereth  to  face;  and  what  a  great  thinker  among  mankind, 
Lord  Bacon,  has  said  is  more  than  eloquence,  discretion  of 
speech,  that  no  excitements,  no  perversions,  no  enlistments,  no 
animosity  should  carry  him  beyond  the  duty  to  his  client,  to 
justice,  to  truth,  to  his  opponents,  and  to  you." 

He  closed  this  address  of  unparalleled  ability  in  the  following 
generous  and  finely-worded  allusion  to  the  Court :  "And  now, 
if  your  Honor  please,  we  must  acknowledge  with  respectful  de- 
ference the  disposition  and  the  order  of  this  solemn  and  inter- 
esting trial — so  interesting  to  these  parties,  to  this  community, 
to  all  Christendom,  to  all  the  future  of  history,  and  to  acknow- 
ledge that  if  there  be  any  miscarriage  of  justice,  your  skirts  will 
be  free  of  it ;  and  also  to  admit  that  in  the  actual  experiences  of 
the  course  of  things  in  this  trial,  the  anxieties  and  solicitudes 
that  made  it  so  urgent  to  have  the  limits  secured  by  definite 
orders  of  the  Court,  under  the  assignment  of  particulars  of  the 
charge,  have  proved  to  be  necessary,  for  we  have  not  had  any 
evidence  at  all,  of  any  time  or  place,  by  any  witnesses,  going 
outside  the  charges  in  the  complaint." 

On  the  morning  of  the  9th  of  June,  Hon.  William  A.  Beach 
commenced  the  closing  argument  for  Mr.  Tilton,  in  some 
respects  the  most  remarkable  argument  made  on  the  trial.  He 
was  suffering  from  neuralgia,  and  occasionally  stopped  at  the 
end  of  a  sentence,  as  if  to  conquer  pain.  He  was  also  slightly 
hoarse,  but  his  utterance  was  distinct  and  his  manner  impres- 
sive ;  he  is  one  of  those  speakers  who,  without  any  apparent 
effort,  enchain  attention.  His  argument  was  full  of  stirring  pas- 
sages, which  seldom  failed  to  stir  enthusiastic  interest  among 
his  hearers,  which  was  often  exhibited  by  slight  applause.  He 
speaks  more  rapidly  than  either  Mr.  Porter  or  Mr.  Evarts,  but 
his  gestures  are  very  powerful  and  expressive  ;  his  features  and 
manners  are  stern,  while  his  piercing  gray  eyes  give  severity  to 
his  look,  especially  when  speaking  very  earnestly.  In  the 
course  of  his  argument,  Mr.  Beach  pleasingly  referred  to  one  of 
his  distinguished  opponents— Hon  John  K.  Porter^  whose  ad- 
dress to  the  jury  he  said  "is  a  most  remarkable  and  powerful 
effort.  There  is  no  gentleman  in  or  out  of  the  profession  for 
whom  I  feel  a  more  unfeigned  esteem  and  respect ;  none  in  the 
profession  whose  qualities  as  a  lawyer  I  more  admire.  For  years 
I  have  been  accustomed  to  see  him  in  the  very  front  rank  of 
professional  controversy,  justly  receiving  the  loltiest  honors  of 
our  profession."  These  beautiful  remarks  were  elicited  in  allu- 
sion to  the  fact  that  Mr.  Porter,  as  might  be  thought  by  some, 
occupied  a  secondary  place  in  this  trial,  and  he  makes  this 
happy  reference :  "No  lawyer  of  our  profession,  eminent  eveu 
as  Mr.  Porter  is,  would  be  at  all  dwarfed  by  following  the  lead- 
ership of  a  gentleman  whose  place  is  so  elevated  at  the  Bar,  as  is 
Mr.  Evarts."  And  then  he  wittily  says:  "Mr.  Porter's  humi- 
liation, if  any,  consists  in  having  espoused  the  case  he  has."  In 
another  part  of  his  argument  Mr.  Beach  refers  to  his  associates 
as  follows  :  "I  must  not  forget  my  obligations  to  my  learned, 
noble,  tried  associates.  If  any  merit  attends  my  efforts  it  is  due 
to  their  sagacity,  their  counsel  and  wise  promptings.  Posting 
me  in  the  front  of  this  battle,  they  have  yet  stood  its  true  leaders 
and  champions."  Referring  to  the  Court,  he  said:  "May  it  please 
your  Honor,  it  needs  not  that  I  should  express  the  common  senti- 
ment of  my  associates  and  myself,  as  we  recall  the  intelligent 
dignity  and  fearless  learning  with  which  you  have  guided,  us 
through  the  tangled  mazes  of  this  trial.  You  can  receive  no 
nobler  tribute  than  that  offered  by  our  adversaries.  Contesting 
every  position  with  animated  zeal,  and  sprinkling  this  record 
with  objections,  they  acknowledge  with  inimitable  candor  the 


entire  accuracy  of  your  Honor's  decisions.  Your  Honor,  there- 
fore, has  the  gratification  to  know  that  you  have  worked  no  in- 
justice to  this  defendant." 

In  closing  the  case,  Mr.  Beach  made  the  following  splendid 
allusion  to  Mr.  Beecher: 

"I  leave  this  case  without  the  slightest  asperity  of  feeling 
towards  any,  filled  with  unaffected  admiration  for  the  great 
abilities  of  the  defendant  in  this  case.  No  man  venerates  more 
profoundly  than  myself  his  magnificent  genius;  his  large  con- 
tributions to  the  literature  of  the  times  excite  the  sentiment  of 
which  Macaulay  speaks  in  his  essay  on  the  life  of  Lord  Bacon." 
To  the  jury  he  said,  quoting  the  language  of  Webster:  "With 
consciences  satisfied  with  the  discharge  of  duty,  no  conse- 
quences can  harm  you.  There  is  no  evil  that  we  cannot  either 
face  or  fly  from  but  the  consciousness  of  duty  disregarded.  A 
sense  of  duty  pursues  us  ever.  It  is  omnipresent,  like°the  Deity. 
If  we  take  to  ourselves  the  wings  of  the  morning  and  dwell  in 
the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth,  duty  performed  or  duty  vio- 
lated is  still  with  us,  for  our  happiness  or  misery;  and  if  we  say 
darkness  shall  cover  us,  in  darkness,  as  in  light,  our  obligations 
are  with  us.  They  are  with  us  in  this  life— will  bo  with  us  at  its 
close." 

Before  the  Chief  Justice  charged  the  jury,  Mr.  Abbott,  one  of 
defendant's  counsel,  submitted  to  him  a  series  of  requests  to 
charge.  The  judge  then  proceeded  to  give  his  instructions  to 
the  jury  in  a  charge  clear,  direct,  simple,  and  adapted  to  the  com- 
prehension of  the  jury.  He  proceeded  to  arrange  and  classify 
the  evidence  which  had  been  taken;  a  portion  of  it  going  to  the 
real  question  before  them,  another  portion  to  matters  of  refer- 
ence, and  yet  another  to  the  mere  question  of  damages;  the  jury 
were  taught  to  distinguish  direct  from  presumptive  and  circum- 
stantial evidence.  The  whole  performance  was  admirable  ;  so 
pronounced  to  be  by  eminent  judges  and  lawyers,  and  by  the 
press.  Having  closed  his  charge,  the  judge  took  up  the  fifty- 
three  requests  to  charge  which  had  been  presented  by  Mr.  Abbott, 
and  pronounced  an  opinion  as  to  each  of  them  with  great  clear- 
ness. Judge  Neilson's  quick  and  yet  profound  appreciation  of 
those  Dropositions,  the  firmness  with  which  he  considered  them, 
promptly  declining  some  and  as  promptly  accepting  others, 
stating  his  reasons  as  to  each,  was  among  the  most  difficult  duties 
that  devolved  upon  him  at  the  trial.  Having  closed,  he  ad- 
dressed himself  to  the  counsel,  who  had  been  eagerly  intent  upon 
every  word  he  had  uttered,  and  propounded  the  emphatic  and 
momentous  question: 

"Gentlemen,  are  you  content?" 

In  answer  Mr.  Beach  said.  "  We  are,  sir;"  Mr.  Evarts  said, 
"Yes,  sir." 

We  have  to  add  the  most  remarkable  fact:  there  was  not  an  ex- 
ception taken  to  any  part  of  the  charge,  tnj  either  counsel. 

It  would  be  interesting  to  know  that  such  concurrence  and 
commendation,  ever  before  or  since,  have  been  witnessed  in  a 
like  case— the  toil  and  excited  discussions  of  counsel  so  learned, 
critical  and  exacting,  brought  to  such  beautiful  unanimity.  We 
can  recall  no  such  instance. 

The  charge  of  the  learned  court  had  been  looked  for  with 
great  interest  and  expectation  by  judges  and  lawyers  everywhere. 
The  public  journals  in  other  States,  as  well  as  in  this,  were 
speculating  as  to  what  the  charge  would  be;  the  questions, 
"  What  can  the  judge  do  with  the  case?"  "What  will  the  chargo 
be?"  It  was  published  in  the  newspapers  in  the  most  distant 
States,  and  read  with  avidity. 

But  perhaps  the  best  review  of  it  was  contained  in  the  Albany 
Law  Journal,  from  which  we  make  the  following  quotations  : 
"The  brief  charge  to  the  jury  of  Judge  Neilson,  in  the  Tilton- 
Beecher  case,  is  a  marked  contrast  with  the  address  of  Lord 
Cockburn  in  the  Tichborne  case.  The  address  of  the  former 
occupied  only  one  hour  and  a  half,  while  that  of  the  latter  re- 
quired many  days,  and  fills  two  ponderous  volumes.'  The  vast 
variety  of  topics,  social,  moral,  religious,  political  and  legal, 
which  were  connected  with  the  Tilton-^eecher  case,  gave  the 
counsel  on  both  sides,  and  the  judge  presiding,  a  splendid  oppor- 
tunity to  air  their  learning,  their  fancy,  their  rhetoric  and  their 


an 


logic.  This  opportunity  the  counsel  accepted,  but  the  judge 
modestly,  nnd  wo  think  coinmendably,  refrained  from  the  dis- 
play of  anything  hut  what  the  necessities  of  the  case  required. 
His  charge  is  a  model  of  clearness,  precision  and  force.  It  seems 
almost  incredible  that  the  case  could  have  been  presented  to  the 
jury  adequately  in  so  few  words.  But  a  careful  pitrusal  of  the 
charge  shows  that  nothing  was  left  out  which  was  necessary  to 
the  complete  presentation  of  the  case.  The  whole  address  bears 
marks  of  the  most  patient  and  careful  consideration  of  all  the 
material  evidence,  tinder  the  most  wonderful  condensation. 
The  spirit  which  breathes  through  the  address  is  one  of  the  ut- 
most fairness  and  impartiality.  The  counsel  on  both  sides 
expressed  themselves  satisfied,  and  this  of  itself  is  a  high  testi- 
monial to  the  freedom  from  bias  which  the  charge  evinces." 

The  result  of  the  trial  is  too  familiar  to  the  public  to  require 
any  description  here;  as  we  said,  it  stands  first  among  the  great 
trials  of  the  nation.  Perhaps,  in  some  respects,  the  trial  of 
Aaron  Burr  presented  more  comprehensive  and  enlarged  ques- 
tions of  law,  especially  the  law  touching  the  overt  acts  of  treason. 
The  trial  of  Warren  Hastings,  on  the  Begum  charge,  in  England, 
conducted  by  the  greatest  British  lawyers,  created  but  little 
more  sensation  than  the  Tilton-Beecher  trial.  The  Guiteau 
trial  possessed  more  elements  that  aroused  passion  and  resent- 
ment, as  the  murder  of  an  illustrious  statesman,  the  President 
of  the  Bepublic,  was  its  origin.  But  all  these  trials  have  taken 
a  prominent  place  in  history. 

To  the  regret  of  the  profession  nnd  the  public,  the  judicial 
career  of  Chief  Justice  Neilson  terminated  on  the  last  day  of 
Decemher,  1882,  he  having  arrived  at  the  age  of  70,  the  age  at 
which,  by  the  provisions  of  the  Constitution,  he  was  disqualified 
from  discharging  the  duties  of  a  judge.  There  were  in  the 
public  journals  of  all  parties,  and  by  the  profession,  and  by  the 
public  generally,  expressions  of  regret  on  the  occasion  of  his 
leaving  the  judicial  service.  He  retired  from  the  Bench  to 
private  life  with  that  dignity  and  under  circumstances  which 
shed  great  lustre  upon  his  character. 

We  relate  a  pleasing  incident,  expressive  of  the  high  esteem  in 
which  the  Bar  holds  the  ex-Chief  Justice,  which  occurred  six 
months  after  his  retirement.  Sometime  in  the  spring  of  1H8I1, 
his  Brother  lawyers,  in  a  cautious  address,  requested  him  to  sit 
to  nn  artist  of  their  selection  for  his  portrait.  Among  other 
things,  this  address  says: 

"The  members  of  the  Brooklyn  Bar  are  desirous  to  testify 
their  affectionate  esteem  for  you  by  placing  your  portrait  in  the 
City  Court  of  Brooklyn,  where  you  have  so  long  and  faithfully 
presided."  That  ri-qui'st  having  hen  complied  with,  and  the 
portrait  by  Jensen,  a  celebrated  artist, having  been  finished,  it  was 
presented  to  the  court  with  an  address  signed  by  tin-  Bar,  which 
was  also  published,  and  from  which  we  make  the  following  ex- 
tract: 

"The  undersigned,  members  of  the  Brooklyn  Bar,  beg  leave 
to  present  to  the  court  a  portrait  of  the  Hon.  Joseph  Neilson, 
who  retired  from  the  position  of  Chief  Judge,  on  the  1st  day  of 
January  last.  Judge  Neilson,  while  on  the  Bench,  by  his 
admirable  personal  characteristics,  strict  impartiality  and  legal 
attainments,  acquired  the  full  confidence,  respect  and  personal 
regard  of  not  only  the  legal  profession,  hut  of  the  community  at 
l.irge.  As  an  enduring  te  stimony  of  this  feeling  on  the  part  of 
the  Bar.  and  a  well-deserved  tribute  to  his  public  services  and 
high  character  as  a  judge,  we  have  the  honor  to  present  this  por 
trait,  and  request  that  it  may  be  permitted  to  adorn  the  walls  of 
tin-  court  room  in  which  Judge  Neilson  presided  so  ably  and  ho 
long." 

At  it*  General  Term,  May  22,  1H8.'I,  present  Hon.  Alexander 
M  f'ue,  Chief  Jud^'e.  j  ironic  1  i  tig ;  Hon.  George  K.  Reynolds,  and 
Hon  Nathaniel  H.  Clemens,  associate  judges,  the  court  made 
the  following  order: 

"On  rending  and  tiling  the  communication  signed  by  the 
Hon  Janu  s  Troy,  Hon  John  H.  Bergen,  and  other  members  of 
the  liar  of  the  County  of  Kin^s,  presenting  the  portrait  of  the 
Honorable  .!ohc|,|,  \,  i|H(,n,  I. it.  Chi<  I'  Judge  of  this  Court,  it  is 
nriltml  that  the  gift  of  the  Hind  portrait  of  our  late  associate  and 


Chief  Judge  be  accepted  with  the  thanks  of  the  court,  and  that, 
in  compliance  with  the  request  of  the  donors,  the  said  portrait  be 
permanently  placed  in  the  court-room;  that  in  accepting  this 
gift  we  cordially  approve  of  all  that  is  contained  in  the  letter 
accompanying  said  gift.  It  is  further  ordered  that  the  com- 
munication, with  order,  bo  entered  on  the  minutes  of  the  Gen. 
oral  Term  of  this  court." 

This  portrait,  an  admirable  representation  of  Judge  Neilson, 
executed  by  the  hand  of  a  master,  was  hung  in  one  of  the 
principal  court-rooms,  where  the  portraits  of  Judge  Greenwood, 
Judge  Beynolds,  and  Judge  Thompson  were  placed  ten  years 

ago. 


BENJAMIN  F.  TRACY 

is  distinguished  not  only  for  his  eminent  career  as  a  lawyer, 
but  as  a  learned,  impartial  and  laborious  judge  ;  an  acute,  in- 
dependent-minded legislator,  who  follows  the  leadership  of  his 
own  judgment,  subordinated  to  partisan  interest  only  so  far  as 
it  enhances  the  interests  of  all  his  constituency  ;  a  determined 
enemy  to  all  political  quackery.  He  is  also  distinguished  as  a 
soldier,  inspired  by  a  self-sacrificing  patriotism  ;  as  a  fearless, 
able  prosecuting  officer  of  government,  who  discharged  difficult 
and  responsible  duties  with  clean  hands  nnd  an  honest  heart, 
in  times  when  peculations  and  stupendous  fraud  were  nearly 

I  overwhelming  it;  when  strong  defiant  rings  and  unscrupulous 
juntas  were,  by  the  unstinted  use  of  money,  corrupting  the  very 
sources  of  justice. 

Benjamin  F.  Tracy  was  born  at  Owego,  N.  Y.,  April  26th, 
18110.  His  father,  Benjamin  Tracy,  is  one  of  the  oldest  and 
highly  respected  residents  not  only  of  Owego,  but  of  the  county 
of  Tioga;  a  pioneer  of  the  Southern  tier;  one  of  that  band,  most 
of  whom  are  now  banished  from  earth,  whose  virtue,  integrity, 

|  enterprise  and  industry  made  the  desert  bloom,  and  who  laid 
the  foundation  for  the  wealth  and  culture  of  that  beautiful 
region. 

With  the  first  development  of  young  Tracy's  nature  he  indi- 
cated a  love  of  books  and  of  study;  as  years  went  on  he  exhibited 
more  than  ordinary  intellectual  strength  and  activity.  He  began 
his  education  at  the  common  school  of  his  native  village,  where 
he  laid  the  foundation  of  a  practical,  thorough  and  useful  educa- 
tion. Ho  mastered  all  the  branches  taught  in  those  time-hon- 
ored  primary  institutions,  where  Lindley  Hurray's  "  English 
Beader  "  was  the  principal  reading-book,  still  remembered  for 
the  purity,  elegance  and  taste  of  its  diction.  It  was,  perhaps,  the 
study  of  this  excellent  book  that  gnve  Tracy  the  strong,  perspic- 
uous style  which  distinguish  his  written  and  oral  productions. 

Leaving  the  common  school,  he  entered  Owego  Academy, 
where  he  remained  several  years  an  ardent,  industrious, 
thorough  student,  acquiring  an  excellent  English  education.  It 
was  his  early  ambition  to  become  a  lawyer— an  ambition  which 
stimulated  him  in  the  prosecution  of  his  scientific  and  literary 
studies. 

Accordingly,  after  leaving  the  nendomy,  he  entered  the  office  ot 
Nathaniel  W.  Davis,  Esq.,  a  respectable  lawyer  in  Owego,  as  a 

student  of  law. 

At  that  time  tho  path  to  the  legal  profession  had  not  been 
smoothed  and  illuminated  by  ccmpends,  abridgments  and 
digests,  as  it  now  is.  Neither  were  law  vers  made  as  easily  and 
i  cheaply  as  at  the  present  time.  The  subtleties  of  BlacksUme, 
couched  in  its  pure,  terse  and  elegant  style  ;  Coke  on  Littleton, 
Fearne,  Sugden,  I'reston,  Chitty,  Archbold  and  Graham,  with 
their  intellectual  subtlety,  were  the  principal  sources  from 
whence  the  law -student  then  derived  his  legal  knowledge.  . 

But  young  Tracy  possessed  a  mind  peculiarly  constituted 
to  grasp  intelligibly  the  metaphysical  and  critical  nicetit* 
of  these  quaint  but  venerated  authors.  He  found  in  the  pugw 
of  our  own  illustrious  Kent  a  never  failing  source  of  intel- 
lectual delight  and  profit.  Ho  did  not  merely  "  read  law,"  but 
he  studied  it  as  a  science  which  is  the  ••  embodiment  of  all 


BENCH  AND  BAR  OF  BROOKLYN 


human  reason."  He  believed  that  to  be  familiar  with  the 
sources  of  legal  knowledge,  to  know  the  appropriate  places  of 
the  most  dissimilar  principles,  and  to  be  able  from  close  study  to 
comprehend  their  limits,  bearing  and  relations,  is  essentially  the 
foundation  of  a  legal  education.  The  effect  of  these  convictions 
upon  his  studies,  and  on  his  future  professional  and  judicial 
career,  will  be  readily  seen  in  the  jn-ogress  of  this  memoir. 

After  a  few  months'  study,  he  began  to  try  causes  in 
Justices'  Court— that  humble  arena  of  legal  strifes  in  which  so 
many  powerful  gladiators  of  the  Bar  first  learned  to  wield  their 
intellectual  weapons. 

Nothing  exceeds  the  interest  with  which  Judge  Tracy  in- 
vests his  description  of  his  early  practice  in  these  primary 
courts;  his  contests  with  the  old-fashioned  petti  fogger  of 
that  day — a  race  of  beings  now  nearly  extinct — whose  ambi- 
tion never  soared  higher  than  the  court  of  a  County  Justice, 
whose  conceit  and  ignorance  was  only  equaled  by  their  blatant 
impudence  and  bluster — legal  bull-dogs,  with  no  other  training 
for  hunting  down  their  game  than  the  qualities  we  have 
named.  These  were  not  the  only  opponents  with  which  the 
joung  student  had  to  deal  in  these  courts.  At  that  time  many 
of  the  ablest  members  of  the  Bar  appeared  in  them  ;  he  was, 
therefore,  compelled  to  study  hard,  think  closely,  act  with 
energy  and  caution,  and  watch  every  point  with  the  closest  at- 
tention, in  order  to  sustain  himself  against  the  attacks  of  his 
more  experienced  opponents.  But  he  himself  soon  became 
formidable  in  the  attack  and  strong  in  the  defense,  and  his  suc- 
cess as  a  lawyer  in  these  courts  was  assured.  It  is  said  he  was 
seldom  defeated  in  a  case  which  he  had  fully  and  maturely  pre- 
pared to  try.  With  such  a  course  of  study,  with  such  severe 
discipline  in  the  trial  of  causes,  Benjamin  F.  Tracy,  in  May, 
1851,  was  called  to  the  Bar  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  State. 
^Fortunate  in  the  possession  of  popular  endowments,  strong  in 
professional  knowledge  and  experience,  with  a  judicious  self- 
reliance,  he  entered  upon  his  practice  as  an  attorney  and  coun- 
selor-at-law,  in  his  native  village.  It  would,  perhaps,  be  the 
work  of  supererogation,  under  these  circumstances,  to  say  his 
success  was  assured  from  the  beginning. 

Love  of  intellectual  labor,  perseverance  and  determination  in 
pursuing  it,  stand  next  to  genius  in  the  category  of  human 
excellence.  Indeed,  they  often  eclipse  it,  for  without  these 
qualities  genius  is  inert  and  brilliancy  useless. 

At  the  Tioga  Bar,  he  was  compelled  to  measure  himself  with 
the  ablest  representatives  of  that  and  other  Bars  of  the  Southern 
Tier— with  Daniel  S.  Dickinson,  possessing  a  mind  of  great 
activity ;  full  of  the  springs  of  an  effective  eloquence,  as  power- 
ful at  the  Bar  as  he  was  in  "  listening  senates;"  John  A.  Collier, 
whose  intellect,  naturally  active  and  logical,  was  admirably  pre- 
cise, perspicuous  and  searching;  Alexander  S.  Divin,  dis- 
tinguished for  the  vigor  and  grasp  of  his  mind,  depth  of  his 
learning,  terse  logic,  and  genial  nature;  Hathaway,  a  man  of 
marked  intellectual  vigor,  cultivated  and  enlarged  by  learning, 
keen,  fervid,  witty,  whose  arguments  at  the  Bar  are  still  remem- 
bered as  beautiful  specimens  of  legal  oratory;  John  J.  Taylor, 
George  Sidney  Camp,  John  M.  Parker,  Steven  Strong,  and 
other  eminent  members  of  the  Southern  Tier  Bar.  Such  was 
the  arena,  such  the  contestants,  against  whose  prowess  young 
Tracy  was  compelled  to  make  his  way  to  professional  distinc- 
tion. That  he  did  this,  is,  alone,  sufficient  evidence  of  his 
capacity  as  a  lawyer. 

It  was  natural  that  such  a  mind  as  Tracy's  should  find  irresist- 
ible attractions  in  the  political  field.  Very  early  in  his  profes- 
sional career  he  gave  his  allegiance  to  the  old,  and  now  historic 
Whig  party,  but  though  strong  and  ardent  in  his  political  con- 
victions, he  was  not  aggressive  in  maintaining  them.  In  Novem- 
ber, 1853,  he  became  the  Whig  nominee  for  the  office  of  District 
Attorney  for  Tioga  County— at  that  time  a  Democratic  strong- 
hold. It  was  an  ordeal  to  the  young  lawyer;  but  with  his  usual 
confidence  and  courage,  he  came  out  of  the  apparently  hopeless 


contest  victorious,  being  elected  by  an  exceedingly  handsome 
majority. 

The  office  of  District  Attorney  at  such  a  Bar  was  calculated  to 
stimulate  all  his  powers,  awaken  all  his  energies,  and  put  in 
requisition  all  his  learning.  The  whole  system  of  our  criminal 
law  was  then  full  of  technicalities,  and  the  courts,  in  their  ad- 
ministration of  it,  were  scrupulously  strict  in  adhering  to  subtle 
forms  and  rigorous  rules.  Thus,  the  prosecuting  attorney  was 
compelled  to  walk,  as  it  were,  over  mines  which  the  touch  of 
some  skillful  antagonist  might  suddenly  explode.  But  Mr. 
Tracy  was  equal  to  the  duties  of  his  office.  His  patient  in- 
vestigation, careful  preparation,  quick  insight  into  the  objec. 
tive  point  of  a  case,  shielded  him  from  motions  to  quash  his  in- 
dictments, motions  in  arrest  of  judgment,  and  all  those  skill- 
ful attacks,  in  which  keen  and  learned  lawyers  assail  the  public 
prosecutor.  We  believe  he  never  had  an  indictment  quashed. 
It  was  in  the  discharge  of  his  duty  as  District  Attorney  of  Tioga 
County,  as  we  shall  hereafter  see,  that  Benjamin  F.  Tracy  pre- 
pared himself  to  enter  upon  a  wider,  more  difficult  and  responsi- 
ble field  as  a  prosecuting  officer  of  the  United  States. 

At  the  expiration  of  his  term  as  District  Attorney,  he  was  again 
placed  in  nomination  for  that  office.  This  time  his  opponent 
was  Hon.  Gilbert  C.  Walker,  popular  not  only  with  his  own 
party,  but  with  the  people  generally.  The  prospects  of  Tracy's 
election  at  first  seemed  dubious,  but  after  a  close  and  heated 
contest  he  was  triumphantly  elected  by  a  majority  of  KOO.  At  a 
later  period  Walker  was  elected  Governor  of  Virginia,  and  subse- 
quently became  a  distinguished  representative  in  Congress 
from  the  3d  Congressional  District. 

Notwithstanding  Walker's  defeat,  he  became  an  intimate  and 
valued  friend  of  Tracy's,  and,  in  1857,  his  law  partner.  The 
firm  soon  became  one  of  the  most  influential  in  the  Southern 
Tier  counties,  controlling  an  extended  and  a  highly  remunera- 
tive business.  This  relation  continued  two  years,  when  it  was 
severed  by  Walker's  removal  to  Chicago. 

At  the  expiration  of  his  second  term,  Tracy  was  again  tendered 
the  nomination  for  District  Attorney,  but  his  rapidly  increasing 
civil  business  compelled  him  to  decline.  In  the  meantime  his 
reputation  continued  on  the  ascendant,  until  it  was  generally 
acknowledged  that  he  was  the  most  successful  lawyer  who  ap- 
peared at  the  Tioga  Bar.  This  is  evinced  by  the  fact  that  he 
often  tried  eleven  or  twelve  causes  of  his  own  at  its  circuit, 
being  successful  in  every  one.  Charles  O'Conor  once  remarked, 
"that  a  lawyer  who  succeeds  in  one-half  the  causes  tried  by 
him  is  eminently  successful." 

The  secret  of  this  success,  and  of  Tracy's  control  of  the  popular 
mind,  may  be  found  in  his  sincerity,  constancy,  and  direct- 
ness. There  is  no  deceit  in  his  nature;  men  are  never  left  in 
doubt  about  his  views;  and,  what  is  better,  he  is  never  in  doubt 
about  himself;  one  always  knows  exactly  where  to  find  him.  His 
sympathy  is  always  with  the  masses.  No  man  understands  the 
impulses  of  the  people  better  than  he,  and  he  has  an  intense 
sensa  of  justice  between  man  and  man,  estimating  men  accord- 
ing to  their  true  worth.  He  never  stands  on  assumed  dignity, 
nor  by  word  or  manner  indicating  any  assumed  personal  superi- 
ority. In  his  official  positions  his  policy  was  never  timid  or 
vacillating.  Whatever  the  responsibility,  ho  never  hesitated  to 
assume  it,  but  always  moved  promptly  to  the  front.  Perhaps 
nowhere  in  his  whole  career  were  these  features  more  conspicu- 
ously exhibited  than  when  discharging  the  duties  of  United 
States  District  Attorney  for  the  Eastern  District  of  New  York. 

As  time  went  on,  the  cloud  of  Civil  War  began  to  gather  over 
the  land,  and  then  it  was  that  the  self-sacrificing  patriotism  of 
Tracy  developed  itself  in  private  life,  in  legislative  halls,  and 
amid  the  stern  events  of  war. 

Upon  the  dissolution  of  the  Whig  party,  Mr.  Tracy  became  a 
Kepublican  from  principle.  In  the  autumn  of  18(il  he  was  nomi- 
nated and  elected  a  Member  of  Assembly  by  the  Republicans 
and  War  Democrats  of  Tioga  County,  taking  his  seat  in  that  bod} 


1224 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


January  7tb,  18G2.  After  a  close  and  somewhat  bitter  contest, 
Henry  J.  Raymond  was  chosen  Speaker  of  the  Assembly.  In  this 
contest  Tracy  exhibited  abilities  that  rendered  him  quite  as  con- 
spicuous and  successful  as  a  legislator  as  he  was  a  lawyer. 
Ho  was  a  friend  of  Raymond's,  warmly  supporting  his  claim  to 
the  Speaker's  chair.  Indeed,  he  was  the  leader  of  the  Raymond 
party  in  the  contest,  evincing  abilities  and  influence  that  added 
largely  to  Mr.  Raymond's  success.  Tracy's  leadership  was 
promptly  recognized  by  Mr.  Raymond,  who  immediately  upon 
his  nomination  moved  that  Tracy  be  appointed  chairman  of  the 
committee  to  call  future  caucuses  of  the  Republican  members  of 
the  Assembly.  Tracy's  legislative  career,  though  short,  was  ex- 
ceptionally creditable  for  the  work  performed  and  the  responsi- 
bility thrust  upon  him.  Mr.  Raymond,  whose  warm  friendship 
he  enjoyed  till  the  sudden  death  of  that  gifted  statesman,  recog- 
nized his  personal  ability  by  causing  his  appointment  on  the 
most  important  committees,  making  him  a  member  of  the  Judic- 
iary, and  Chairman  of  the  Railroad  Committee,  and  of  "Bills 
entitled  to  early  consideration  "  -the  latter  position,  as  head  of 
the  "Grinding"  Committee,  giving  him  largely  the  control 
of  legislation.  He  sjon  distinguished  himself  in  the  House  by 
his  readiness  in  debate,  and  the  terse  logic  of  his  speeches.  He 
evidently,  in  speaking  or  writing,  is  guided  by  the  maxim  of 
Quintilian,  Cura  sit  verborum ;  solicitude  verum.  "To  your  ex- 
pression be  attentive,  but  about  your  matter  be  solicitous." 

Early  in  the  session  Mr.  Hubbard,  Chairman  of  the  "Ways 
and  Means,"  reported  from  that  committee  a  series  of  resolutions 
upon  the  subject  of  finance,  committing  the  Legislature  to  a 
national  policy  of  carrying  on  the  war  exclusively  on  specie  basis. 
Tracy,  having  moved  an  amendment  to  the  resolution,  in  sub- 
stance pledging  the  credit  of  the  nation  in  every  form  available 
for  the  prosecution  of  the  war,  made,  in  support  of  his  amend- 
ment, the  first  legislative  speech  ever  made  in  the  United  States 
in  favor  of  the  issue  of  paper  money  for  carrying  on  the  war. 
His  career  in  the  Legislature  was  not  only  honorable  to  himself, 
but  useful  to  his  constituents,  and  to  the  public.  He  was  a 
frequent,  though  not  obtrusive  speaker,  neither  courting  nor 
shunning  debate  ;  never  feeling  that  it  was  necessary  to  his 
reputation  to  speak  on  every  question  that  came  up  for  discus- 
sion. His  great  aim  was  to  forward  the  business  before  the 
House,  especially  the  business  in  his  charge. 

At  the  close  of  the  session  he  returned  to  Owego  and  resumed 
the  practice  of  his  profession. 

"In  the  spring  of  1802,  still  remembered  as  a  period  of  alarm 
tothe  friends  of  the  Union  c.iuse,  new  levies  were  imperative  for 
the  Federal  army,  and  Gov.  Morgan  at  once  appointed  a  com- 
mittee in  each  Senatorial  district  to  organize  a  general  recruiting 
effort.  Tracy  was  one  of  the  committee  for  Broome,  Tioga,  and 
Tompkins  counties.  He  accepted  the  charge,  and,  in  addition 
to  general  service  as  a  member,  he  received  a  commission  from 
the  Governor,  and  personally  recruited  two  regiments,  the  109th 
Mid  the  i:t7th,  making  his  headquarters  at  Binghamton.  The 
active  work  was  completed  in  thirty  days,  and  Tracy  was  ap- 
pointed colonel  of  the  109th,  with  which  he  reported  to  Gen. 
Wool,  at  Baltimore,  in  whose  department  it  remained  until 
transferred  to  that  of  Washington.  In  the  spring  of  18<U  the 
ri  'in M  nt  wa«  ordi  re  I  to  join  the  Ninth  i  Rurnside  i  <  'orps.  then 
a  part  of  (Irant's  advance.  Colonel  Tracy  led  his  regiment  with 
great  gallantry  in  the  battle  of  the  Wilderness,  when  its  loss,  on 
Frldky,  May  0th,  was  upwards  of  eighty  killed  and  wounded. 
Ni  ir  the  close  of  the  lighting  on  that  day,  he  fell  exhausted,  and 
was  carried  from  the  field.  Urged  by  the  staff  of  his  command- 
in  •  "ill,  .  r  to  go  to  hospital,  he  refused,  but  resumed  the  lead  of 
his  regiment,  and  held  it  through  three  days  of  the  fighting  at 
Spotsyl  ulii.i,  where  he  completely  broke  down,  and  was  com- 
|,i  ||,  I  (.,  sum  nder  tin  command  to  the  lieutenant  colonel. 

\  ii  a    h-  I  sat  is  tied  that  months  must  elapse  before 

he  could  again  join  the  army,  and  not  liking  military  service  in 


i  a  hospital,  he  tendered  his  resignation,  and  came  North  to  re- 
cruit his  health.  In  the  following  September,  without  solicita- 
tion on  his  part,  Secretary  Stanton  tendered  him  the  appoint- 
ment of  Colonel  of  the  127th  United  States  Colored  Troopg, 
which  he  accepted.  Subsequently,  he  was  ordered  to  the  com- 
mand of  the  military  post  at  Elmira,  including  the  prison  camp 
and  the  draft  rendezvous  for  Western  New  York.  This  was  u 
large  and  important  command.  In  the  prison  camp  there  were 
nt  one  time  as  many  as  10,000  prisoners. 

The  treatment  of  prisoners  of  war  has  been  a  subject  of  ex- 
tended and  bitter  controversy  between  the  North  and  the  South. 
That  there  was  much  suffering  and  great  mortality  at  Elmira  is 
not  denied,  because  these  are  inseparable  from  large  military 
prisons;  but  that  either  can  be  attributed  to  cruelty  or  neglect  is 
positively  denied.  Nothing  that  could  be  reasonably  done  to 
alleviate  the  suffering  of  the  prisoners  was  omitted.  The  van 
best  of  food  was  supplied  in  large  quantities,  while  the  barracks 
were  large  and  commodious —  nearly  all  new  and  built  expressly 
for  the  prisoners;  the  accommodations  and  supplies  furnished 
them  being  in  all  respects  the  same  as  those  supplied  to  the 
Federal  troops  on  guard,  and  to  the  volunteers  received  at  the 
draft  rendezvous." 

There  are  a  class  of  men  who  achieve  distinction  that  seem  to 
resemble  the  mechanic  who  forms  his  calculations  and  fashions 
his  machinery  upon  the  abstract  considerations  of  the  mechani- 
cal powers,  making  no  allowance  for  friction,  the  resistance  of 
the  air,  or  strength  of  his  materials.  This  was  not  the  case  with 
Judge  Tracy.  He  exerts  a  quick,  careful  examination  of  every 
circumstance  by  which  he  is  surrounded,  even  though  sprung 
upon  him  instantaneously.  Perhaps  nothing  in  his  life  more 
strongly  illustrates  his  ability  to  overcome  sudden  difficulties 
than  the  triumphant  manner  in  which  he  repelled  the  dastardly 
attack  made  by  Hill,  of  Georgia,  in  the  House  of  Represent- 
atives, March,  1876,  upon  our  treatment  of  rebel  prisoners 
at  Elmira.  It  was  virtually  an  attack  upon  General  Tracy, 
and  took  place  in  the  celebrated  debate  between  Hill  and  Rlaine, 
in  which  the  former,  incensed  by  the  representations  of  the 
latter  of  the  horrors  at  Andersonville,  referred  bitterly  to  the 
Elmira  camp,  charging  upon  its  management  cruelties  quite 
equal  to  those  recorded  of  the  Southern  prisons. 

General  Tracy  was  at  home  at  this  time,  and  it  was  by  mere 
accident  that  he  learned  the  nature  of  the  debate  in  progress  at 
Washington,  and  of  General  Hill's  charges.  This  occurred  nt  n 
time  when  the  General  was  deeply  engaged  in  an  absorbing  anil 
important  matter. 

One  morning,  while  rapidly  glancing  over  a  New  York  daily, 
his  attention  was  arrested  by  the  heading,  in  largo  capitals,  of  » 
column,  as  follows:  "Hnx,  of  Georgia,  ox  thk  Elmira  PiM  • 
I  he  alleges  that  the  reliel  prisoners  confined  in  it  during  the  tw 
were  treated  with  great  inhumanity,"  Ac,  Ac.  After  reading  it 
carefully,  burning  with  indignation,  ho  hastened  to  telegraph 
Mr.  Blatt,  member  from  the  Twenty-eighth  District,  a  full,  well 
worded  reply  to  Hill.  This  reached  Mr.  1\,  in  the  House,  while 
the  debate  on  the  subject  of  the  prison  at  Elmira  was  still  in 
progress.  Immediately  arising  to  a  question  of  privih  ;c,  In 
I  sent  the  remarkable  telegram  to  the  clerk,  by  whom  it  was  read 
to  the  House.  It  commanded  profound  silence,  falling  upon 
Hill  and  his  Southern  friends  liko  a  sudden  clap  of  thunder 
Hardly  was  the  reading  concluded  when  Hon.  C.  C.  Walker,  n 
member  from  tho  Elmira  district,  an  intense  Democrat,  sprung 
to  his  feet,  and,  in  a  few  glowing  and  effectual  words,  fully  sus- 
tained General  Tracy's  telegram  ;  alleging  that,  to  Lis  own 
know  ledge,  every  word  of  it  was  true.  This  ended  the  debate, 
completely  refuting  the  charges  made  by  Hill. 

"Upon  the  conclusion  of  peace,  General  Tracy  went  to  New 
York,  entered  the  firm  of  Benedict,  Burr  A  Benedict  as  a  part- 
ner, and  resumed  the  practice  of  his  profession.    This  aiSOCU- 
!  tion  continued  until  October,  180C,  when  Trncy  received  tho 


BENCH  AND  BAR  OF  BROOKLYN. 


1225 


appointment  of  United  States  District  Attorney  for  the  Eastern 
District  of  New  York,  when  he  terminated  his  relations  with  the 
firm  mentioned." 

While  in  practice  in  New  York,  he  exhibited  all  the  qualities 
of  what  may  be  termed  a  great  lawyer. 

Space  will  not  permit  us  to  describe  at  length  the  causes  in 
which  he  achieved  signal  professional  triumphs.  We  may,  how- 
ever, refer  briefly  to  one  of  these  cases,  that  of  United  Stales,  vs. 
William  Chase  Barney,  et  al.,  indicted  in  the  fall  of  1S65,  for  an 
attempt  to  defraud  the  government  by  making  and  executing 
fraudulent  bonds  for  the  exportation  of  goods;  a  case  of  great 
importance,  and  which  attracted  general  attention.  The  firm, 
of  which  Gen.  Tracy  was  a  member  was  retained  for  the  de- 
fense, which  was  assigned  to  Tracy.  Daniel  S.  Dickinson  was 
then  District  Attorney  for  the  Southern  District  of  New  York, 
and,  assisted  by  Samuel  Courtney,  Esq  ,  and  John  Sedgwick, 
Esq.,  appeared  for  the  prosecution.  This  was  a  formidable 
array,  but  Tracy,  with  characteristic  self-possession  and  self- 
reliance,  entered  upon  the  defense.  It  came  up  for  trial  in  New 
York,  before  Judge  Shipman,  of  Connecticut,  when  Tracy 
promptly  gave  notice  of  a  motion  to  quash  the  indictment,  on 
the  ground  that  there  was  no  statute  of  the  United  States  by 
which  a  crime  committed  in  the  Custom  House  of  the  City  of 
New  York,  could  be  punished.  When  the  day  appointed  for 
the  argument  arrived;  his  distinguished  opponents  treated  the 
motion  as  a  matter  of  small  importance,  void  of  merit,  and 
felicitated  themselves  on  an  easy  victory.  But  the  learned  and 
accomplished  judge— with  a  mind  at  once  comprehensive  and 
acute— from  the  beginning,  took  another  view  of  it,  and  listened 
with  the  most  profound  attention  to  Tracy's  argument,  in  which 
he  presented  his  points  in  all  their  force — arranged  them  with 
artistic  skill,  so  as  mutually  to  sustain  and  strengthen  each  other, 
presenting  an  imposing  and  harmonious  whole.  It  was  only 
when  Tracy  had  concluded  his  argument  that  the  counsel  for  the 
government  comprehended  their  danger,  and  then  the  struggle 
commenced  in  earnest.  But  to  the  bold  theory  of  Tracy,  that 
there  was  no  law  for  the  punishment  of  the  crime  alleged  against 
his  client,  they  could  give  no  adequate  answer,  and  the  indict- 
ment was  quashed. 

In  the  autumn  of  1866,  Hon.  Benjamin  D.  Silliman,  who  had 
for  some  time  discharged  the  duties  of  United  States  District 
Attorney  for  the  Eastern  District  of  New  York,  resigned  the 
office  he  had  discharged  so  acceptably.  The  resignation  of 
Mr.  Silliman  was  generally  regretted  by  the  Bench,  the  Bar, 
and  the  public  generally.  The  appointment  of  Judge  Tracy  as 
his  successor  was  very  popular  and  the  manner  in  which  he  dis- 
charged the  duties  of  the  office,  entitles  him  to  the  highest  con- 
sideration and,  it  is  no  affectation  to  say,  to  the  gratitude  of  the 
National  government.  That  he  had  this,  in  its  fullest  sense, 
must  be  to  him  the  most  gratifying,  nay,  the  proudest  incident 
in  his  long  and  distinguished  career. 

"  Gen.  Tracy  was  placed  in  this  official  position  at  a  period 
requiring  the  maximum  of  courage,  legal  acumen  and  energy 
on  the  part  of  the  Federal  prosecutor.  His  district  contained 
a  large  proportion  of  the  whiskey  production  of  the  seaboard, 
more  than  five  hundred  distilleries  being  counted  within  its 
limits.  Yery  many  of  these  were  small  illicit  affairs,  and  all 
were  contriving  to  cheat  the  government  of  its  dues. 

For  two  years  Gen.  Tracy  gave  his  exclusive  attention  to 
this  class  of  revenue  defaulters,  fearlessly  exercising  all  the 
powers  of  his  official  authority  and  professional  talents  against 
its  members,  rich  or  poor.  The  struggle  was  a  severe  one, 
the  '  Whiskey  Ring '  using  its  immense  profits  to  bribe  revenue 
officers,  and  to  subsidize  the  best  legal  talent ;  and,  had  its 
assailant  been  wanting  either  in  ability  or  moral  or  physi- 
cal bravery,  the  victory  might  have  been  on  its  side.  Tracy  was 
not  only  an  honest  servant  of  the  United  States,  but  a  relentless 
enemy  of  all  who  aimed  to  defraud  the  country.  Despite  threats 
and  proffered  temptations,  he  did  not  relax  his  pursuit    In  the 


winter  of  1867,  at  the  request  of  the  Ways  and  M  ans  Committee 
I  of  Congress,  indorsed  by  the  Internal  Revenue  Commissioner, 
he  drafted  a  bill  regulating  the  collection  of  taxes  upon  distilled 
spirits,  which,  in  one  year  alter  it  became  a  law,  resulted  in 
securing  $50,000,000  for  the  United  States  Treasury,  instead  of 
the  $13,000,000  collected  the  previous  twelve  months.  Before 
the  multifarious  assaults  of  this  admirable  enactment,  the 
combination  of  distillers,  lawyers  and  traitors  in  office  was 
obliged  to  succumb.  Mr.  Rollins,  the  commissioner-in  chief, 
declared,  after  the  battle,  that  had  it  not  been  for  the  United 
States  District  Attorney  for  the  Eastern  District  of  New  York, 
and  two  other  United  States  District  Attorneys,  the  internal 
revenue  system  of  the  United  States  would  have  been  an  utter 
failure.  In  1873,  Mr.  Tracy  resigned  his  Federal  position  and 
resumed  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  Brooklyn,  where  he 
has  since  resided,  and  where  his  practice  is  very  extensive."  He 
has  been  engaged  in  most  of  the  important  trials  that  took  place 
at  the  Kings  County  Bar.  Among  these  trials  was  the  famous 
Tilton-Beecher  case,  by  far  the  most  important  legal  contest  that 
ever  took  place  in  the  State  of  New  York,  if  not  in  the  United 
States.  Gen.  Tracy  entered  into  it  not  only  as  one  of  the  coun- 
sel for  Mr.  Beecher,  but  as  his  warm  personal  friend.  In  the 
discharge  of  his  duty,  the  brilliancy  of  his  talents,  the  depth  of 
his  learning,  and  his  legal  oratory  were  liberally  acknowledged 
by  the  illustrious  lawyers  with  whom  he  was  associated,  and  by 
whom  he  was  opposed.  The  difficult  and  onerous  duty  of 
opening  the  case  of  the  defendant  was  assigned  to  him.  Under 
the  circumstances  that  surrounded  the  whole  case,  this  duty  was 
peculiarly  difficult  and  embarrassing.  The  manner  in  which  he 
discharged  that  duty  was  not  only  a  triumph  for  himself,  but  for 
his  client.  His  intellect  was  never  more  vigorous  and  active. 
I  The  subject  was  particularly  adapted  to  the  organization  of  his 
mind;  he  was  at  home  amid  all  its  intricacies,  and  successfully 
i  encountered  all  asperities  and  prejudices  with  a  facility  that 
■  exhibited  consummate  skill  and  extraordinary  reach  of  thought, 
i  As  has  well  been  said,  "  Perhaps  no  speech  ever  delivered  at  the 
1  Bar  was  so  widely  read ;  and  probably  no  profes>ional  address 
|  ever  made  a  greater  impression  upon  the  public  mind  than  this. 
'  The  current  of  public  opinion  had  been  heavily  against  Mr. 
Beecher  for  some  weeks,  and  the  evidence  of  Mr.  Moulton, 
shrewdly  reserved  by  Mr.  Tilton's  counsel  for  the  close  of  the 
case,  had  produced  a  profound  sensation  so  strong,  indeed, 
that  Mr.  Beecher's  enemies,  and  many  of  his  friends,  believed 
that  its  effect  could  not  be  overcome. 

The  responsibility  of  opening  the  case  under  these  circum- 
stances was  a  momentous  one.  A  hundred  detailed  statements 
were  to  be  met  and  refuted  ;  a  multitude  of  new  facts  were  to  be 
foreshadowed  and  statad  in  their  proper  connection,  while  the 
least  failure  to  prove  what  was  promised  by  the  opening  address 
would  be  disastrous.  Mr.  Tracy,  therefore,  wrote  out  nearly  one- 
third  of  his  speech,  covering  most  of  the  details  concerning  which 
strict  accuarcy  was  needed ;  although  the  part  orally  delivered 
also  contained  a  large  amount  of  details  respecting  matters  with 
which  the  speaker  was  so  familiar  that  he  relied  unhesitatingly 
upon  his  memory.  The  address  extended  over  four  days, 
and  its  efftct  was  remarkable,  both  in  the  rapidity  and  ex- 
tent of  the  changa  made  in  public  sentiment.  The  boldness 
with  which  it  put  Mr.  Beecher's  assailants  on  the  defense  ex- 
cited surprise.  The  only  question  seemed  to  be,  "Can  these 
statements  be  proved?"  Mr.  Beecher's  friends  believed  they 
could.  His  enemies  were  not  sure  that  the  proof  would  fail, 
and  of  course  were  placed  in  much  doubt  and  fear.  The  proof 
was  substantially  given,  as  was  demonstrated  to  the  satisfaction 
of  all  who  followed  the  masterly  words  of  Judge  Porter,  and  the 
magnificent  eloquence  of  Mr.  Evarts,  in  the  summing  up.  The 
jury,  although  xinable  to  agree,  stood  nine  to  three  in  favor  of 
Beecher,  upon  the  final  ballot.  The  action  was  never  tried 
I  again." 

Another  duty  in  the  conduct  of  that  groat  trial,  quite  as 


1226 


jnsronr  of  kixos  countt. 


responsible  and  laborious  as  the  opening  address,  quite  unex- 
pectedly devolved  upon  Tracy.  This  was  the  cross-examination 
of  F.  D.  Moultoii,  a  L  ading  witness  for  the  plaintiff.  It  had 
been  assigned  to  that  distinguished  advocate,  Hon.  John  K. 
Porter,  who,  after  conducting  it  two  days  with  his  usual  ability, 
was  suddenly  taken  so  ill  that  it  was  impossible  for  him  to 
continue  it. 

Such  was  the  nature  of  Moulton's  direct  evidence,  that  it 
required,  in  the  person  cross-examining  him,  peculiar  ab- 
ility in  the  use  of  that  thumbscrew  of  the  law— a  cross-exami- 
nation. To  conduct  it  successfully  is  the  most  difficult  and 
important  duty  that  can  be  committed  tc  a  lawyer.  'When  it  is 
not  founded  on  materials  of  contradiction,  or  directly,  to  obtain 
some  information  which  the  witness  will  be  willing  to  give,  it 
proceeds  on  the  assumption  that  the  party  interrogated  has 
sworn  an  untruth,  which  he  may  be  induced  to  vary,  and  it 
always  brings  on  a  sharp  mental  contest  between  the  advocate 
conducting  it  and  the  witness.  After  a  brief  consultation  with 
his  associates,  and  with  the  other  frieds  of  Mr.  lieccher,  Tracy 
was  selected  to  continue  Moulton's  cross-examination  in  Judge 
Porter's  place.  Ho  began  on  the  morning  of  January  '20th,  closing 
at  noon  on  the 26th,  exhibiting  a  singular  knowledge  of  human 
nature,  of  the  springs  of  human  action,  an  ingenious  and  nice 
discrimination  of  his  interrogatories  and  manner  of  propounding 
them. 

His  efforts  were  eminently  successful  in  strengthening  the 
defense,  and  in  weakening  the  prosecution. 

In  December,  1881,  General  Tracy  was  appointed  by  the 
Governor  an  Associate  Justice  of  the  Court  of  Appeals,  in  place 
of  Hon.  Charles  Andrews,  promoted  to  the  office  of  Chief  Judge 
of  the  Court  of  Appeals.  This  high  position  was  tendered  him 
in  recognition  of  his  accomplishments  as  a  lawyer,  and  of  his 
naturally  judicial  mind  and  method. 

His  appointment  was  exceedingly  satisfactory,  not  only  to  the 
liar  of  the  State,  but  to  all  the  members  of  the  Court  of  Appeals. 
He  carried  to  the  Bench;  an  inflexible  honesty  and  impartiality, 
that  rose  above  every  influence;  adjusted  to  all  occasions. 
Immediately  after  his  appointment  he  entered  upon  his  judicial 
labors— the  hearing  of  arguments,  studying  and  elaborating  his 
opinions,  writing  them,  and  in  consulting  with  his  brethren 
of  the  Bench;  in  fact,  he  assumed  the  duties  and  the  labor  of 
an  old  and  experienced  judge.  The  facility  with  which  he 
acquired  the  habit  of  judicial  business,  and  the  promptness  with 
which  he  transacted  it,  was  remarkable.  His  duties,  however, 
were  onerous,  and  extremely  wearing  to  his  physical  strength; 
but  as  his  knowledge  of  law  was  deep  and  practical,  his  powers  of 
comprehension  and  analysis  strong  and  vigorous,  he  was  able 
to  perform  a  large  amount  of  judicial  labor  with  apparent  ease. 

Judge  Tracy's  written  opinions  are  the  best  history  of  his 
judicial  career.  They  commend  themselves,  not  only  to  the 
professional,  but  to  the  lay  reader.  For  clearness  of  expression, 
research,  logical  compactness,  pointed  illustration,  and  the 
absence  of  all  pretension  and  show,  they  are  certainly  remark- 
able judicial  productions,  destined  to  live  in  legal  history,  to 
guide  and  enlighten  the  judiciary  and  the  profession. 

Space  will  not  permit  us  to  enter  on  any  description  of  the 
numerous  opinions  written  by  Tracy  in  cases  adjudicated  in 
the  court  of  last  resort  of  the  State.  We  cannot,  however,  avoid 
referring  briefly  to  a  very  few  of  the  most  important  of  them. 

First  in  importance  among  these  is  Story,  applt.,  agt.  Tlie  Neu> 
)'<//•/,  Klmttnl  /,'.(, 7, t'nmjHini/,  '.»()  N.  V.,  122.  (Sir  Important 
Trials.)  This  cose  derives  its  interest  and  importance  because 
it  decides  the  question,  "To  what  extent  can  private  property 
be  taken  for  public  DM  within  the  meaning  of  tho  Constitution, 
which  provides  that  private  property  shall  not  bu  taken  for  pub- 
lic use  without  j  1 1  ^  t  in  in  |  a  nsatioti  'i  " 

Judge  Tracy's  opinion  in  this  case  is  ono  of  tho  ablest,  most 
h  arm  d  and  exhaustive  found  in  tho  reports  of  this  State.  The 
lines  on  which  he  sustains  tho  plaintiff  MM  sharply  but  nicely 


defined.  The  action  was  brought  to  restrain  the  defendant,  the 
said  railroad  company,  from  constructing  its  road  in  that  por 
tion  of  Front  street,  New  York  City,  opposite  plaintiff  's  premises, 
without  just  compensation.  Judge  Tracy's  decision  reverses 
that  of  the  Supreme  Court,  which  was  in  favor  of  the  railroad 
company.  Wo  commend  a  close  reading  of  the  case  to  the  stu- 
dent, the  practitioner,  and  to  business  men.  Those  able  and 
enlightened  jurists,  Justices  Danforth,  Kapallo  and  Andrews, 
concurred  with  Judge  Tracy  against  the  dissenting  opinions  of 
Justices  Earl  and  Finch.  The  following  are  among  the  cases  of 
great  importance  and  interest,  in  which  Judge  Tracy  wrote  the 
prevailing  opinion:  Smedis  v.  The  Brooklyn  and  Bockamuj  Unit, 
road  Company.  This  was  a  very  important  case,  and  was  one  of 
the  first,  if  not  the  first,  in  which  Judge  Tracy  wrote  an  opinion. 
The  People  ex  rel.  Neil  Gilmore,  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction 
etc,  v.  Frederick  Hyde,  80  N.  Y.  11.  John  A.  Stewart,  applt.,  v.  Tlit 
Brooklyn  and  Cross-Town  Railroad  Company,  respt.,  90N.Y.,  588. 
This  case  is  of  vital  importance  to  the  vast  number  of  people  who 
travel  on  the  city  railroad  cars.  The  plaintiff,  while  a  passenger 
on  ono  of  the  defendant's  street  cars,  was  unjustifiably  attacked 
and  beaten  by  the  driver,  who  also  acted  as  conductor.  The 
former  brought  an  action  against  tho  company,  instead  of  the 
driver,  to  recover  damages.  The  plaintiff's  complaint  was  di<. 
missed  at  the  Circuit  on  tho  ground,  that  if  a  servant,  under  the 
guise  and  cover  of  executing  his  master's  orders,  and  exercising 
authority  upon  him,  willfully  and  designedly,  for  the  pnr- 
pose  of  accomplishing  his  own  independent,  malicious  or  wicked 
purposes,  does  an  injury  to  another,  tho  master  is  not  liable, 
The  plaintiff  appealed  to  tho  General  Term  of  the  Supreme 
Court,  where  the  judgment  of  the  Circuit  was  duly  affirmed.  He 
then  appealed  to  the  Court  of  Appeals,  where  the  judgment  of 
the  Circuit  and  General  Term  was  in  all  things  reversed. 

Judge  Tracy,  in  pronouncing  tho  opinion  of  the  Court,  said  : 
"The  defendant  had  intrusted  the  execution  of  the  contract,  to 
safely  carry  the  plaintiff  to  his  destination,  to  the  driver  of  tho 
car,  and  he  was  under  his  protection.  Any  breach  of  contract 
committed  bythe  driver  was  a  breach  committed  by  the  defend- 
ant, the  railroad  company.  The  plaintiff  was  injured  while  on 
tho  defendant's  cars  by  the  act  of  the  driver,  the  agent  to  whom 
the  defendant  had  intrusted  the  ex<  cution  of  the  contract.  It  is 
the  defendant's  failure  to  carry  safely  and  without  injury  that 
constitutes  tho  breach,  rendering  the  railroad  company  liabll 
for  damages;  and  it  is  no  defense  that  that  failure  was  the  result 
of  the  willful  or  malicious  act  of  the  servant,  tho  driver  and 
conductor." 

The  following  are  among  tho  cases  in  which  Judgo  Tracy 
wrote  opinions  -  nearly  all  of  them  the  prevailing  opinion:— 
Rirwell  et  al.  v.  The  Traders'  National  Bank,  applt.,  '.Kith  N.  V  , 
•483;  Manning  v.  Gould,  90th  N.  Y.,  47G;  Ellis  v.  Horrman,  Ml 
N.  Y.,  4CG;  Jlolsnian  v.  St.  John,  90th  N.  Y.,  461;  Even*  t. 
Powers,  89th,  N.  Y.,  527;  Conger  v.  Buryee,  90th  N.  Y.,  BM. 

In  private  life  Judge  Tracy  is  social  and  hospitable.  No  man 
enjoys  tho  society  of  his  friends  more  fully.  It  has  been  said 
that  "without  a  social  side,  or  social  nature,  there  is  want  inc. 
that  rounded  fullness  that  marks  tho  perfectly  developed  man, 
judge,  lawyer  or  layman."  In  his  domestic  relations,  Judce 
Tracy  is  fortunate  and  happy,  and  is  not  wanting  a  social  *id' 
or  a  social  nature,  for  in  them  ho  is  peculiarly  fortunate  and 
happy. 

In  1850  ho  was  united  by  marriage  to  Miss  Delinda  E.  Catlin, 
a  sister  of  General  Isaac  S.  Catlin,  ox-District  Attorney  of  the 
County  of  Kings,  and  ono  of  tho  ablest  members  of  its  I*»r- 
Judge  Tracy  has  thrco  children,  two  daughters  and  a  son. 

Liko  many  men  distinguished  for  high  intellectual  qualities 
Judgo  Tracy  is  fond  of  agricultural  pursuits.  Few  men  ue 
belter  judges  of  the  blood,  breed  and  value  of  live  stock  tlmn  he; 
and  he  is  an  acknowledged  authority  in  these  important  mutter* 

In  the  interim  of  professional  and  judicial  labor,  he  has  Hp"'1 
much  time  in  tho  superintendence  and  cultivation  of  a  fertile 


BENCH  AND  BAR  OF  BROOKLYN. 


1227 


and  delightful  farm  near  Owego,  New  York.  After  retiring  from 
the  Bench  in  1882,  as  he  could  not  resist  his  love  for  the  profes- 
sion, he  decided  to  resume  it  again ;  accordingly  he  formed  a 
copartnership  with  "William  C.  De  Witt,  Esq.,  and  his  son, 
F.  B.  Tracy,  and  opened  an  office  in  Brooklyn.  This  was 
an  advantageous  and  fortunate  business  relation,  combining 
a  strength  and  variety  of  talent,  learning  and  influence  which 
gives  it  high  rank  in  the  profession,  and  is  justly  appreciated  at 
home  and  abroad. 

Unfortunately  for  Judge  Tracy,  his  devotion  to  his  judicial  la- 
bors and  duties  impaired  his  health  to  such  an  extent  that  he  was 
incapacitated  for  business;  but  a  total  abnegation  from  all  busi- 
ness for  a  time,  judicious  medical  treatment,  and  a  tour  to 
Europe  nearly  restored  him  to  health;  and  he  is  once  more  in 
the  discharge  of  those  professional  duties  he  loves  so  well,  and 
by  which  he  has  gained  the  high  honors  he  so  enjoys. 


JOHN   WINS  LOW. 

The  professional  life  of  John  Winslow  covers  an  important 
period  in  the  history  of  Kings  County,  especially  its  legal  history, 
and  deserves  a  place  in  this  work.  Born  of  New  England 
parentage,  his  youth  and  early  manhood  were  passed  in  Massa- 
chusetts, in  Newton,  near  Boston.  After  attending  public 
schools,  he  entered  the  private  school  of  Mr.  M.  S.  Kice,  at 
Newton  Centre;  and,  afterwards  that  of  his  brother,  Gardner 
Rice,  known  as  the  Holliston  Academy.  Upon  determining  to 
prepare  for  college,  he  entered  Phillip's  Academy  at  Andover, 
Mass.,  then,  as  now,  a  celebrated  classical  school,  and  remained 
there  two  years.  Mr.  "Winslow  refers  to  his  life  at  Andover  with 
pleasure.  He  attended  the  recent  centennial  of  Phillip's  Academy, 
and  made  an  address,  which  is  to  be  published  by  the  corpora- 
tion, with  others  delivered  on  that  occasion.  Mr.  "Winslow 
entered  Brown  University,  being  attracted  there  by  Dr.Wayland, 
the  then  President,  for  whom  Mr.  Winslow  ever  entertained  the 
greatest  respect  and  regard.  In  September,  1850,  Mr.  "Winslow 
entered  Harvard  Law  School,  at  Cambridge,  Mass.,  where  he 
remained  two  years  and  graduated,  receiving  the  degree  of 
LL.B.  "While  at  the  law  school  his  most  intimate  friend  and 
room-mate  was  the  Hon.  E.  L.  Pierce,  of  Milton,  Mass.,  the 
biographer  of  Charles  Sumner. 

When  in  the  law  school,  Pierce  and  "Winslow  become  well 
known,  not  only  as  faithful  students,  but  as  pronounced  anti- 
slavery  men.  In  the  debates,  in  what  was  known  as  the  Parlia- 
ment, they  were  expected  to  maintain  the  Anti-slavery  Free  Soil 
side  of  all  questions  touching  that  issue. 

At  that  time  there  were  many  students  in  the  law  school 
from  the  South,  who  were  fiery  advocates  of  the  Southern  view. 
It  was  then  the  fashion  for  Northern  men  to  advocate  or  apolo- 
gize for  the  same  view.  The  result  was,  Pierce  and  Winslow 
became  rather  marked  men  among  the  multitude,  as  composing 
the  free  soil  minority.  "When  the  time  came  for  writing  prize 
dissertations,  the  Southern  students,  who  were  generally 
ambitious,  entered  the  race  for  the  prizes.  Pierce  and  Winslow 
thought  the  minority  ought  to  be  heard  from,  and  so  agreed  to 
write;  Mr.  Pierce  taking  one  topic,  "The  consideration  of  a  Con- 
tract at  Law  and  Equity;"  and  Mr.  Winslow  the  other,  "The 
responsibility  of  a  Principal  for  the  Acts  and  representations  of 
his  Agents."  The  minority,  that  had  been  so  often  pitched  into 
in  debates,  had  the  grim  satisfaction  of  winning  the  prizes.  In 
this  connection  Mr.  Winslow  had  the  pleasure  of  receiving  a 
letter  of  congratulation  from  the  late  Professor  Theophilus 
Parsons,  then  of  the  law  school,  and  author  of  "Parsons  on 
Contracts  "  and  other  well  known  legal  works.  Professor  Parsons 
availed  himself  of  both  dissertations  in  writing  his  work  on 
Contracts. 

Upon  leaving  the  law  school,  Mr.  Winslow  was  admitted  to 
the  Bar  in  Brooklyn,  in  1852,  and  commenced  the  practice  of 


law  with  his  late  brother,  Hon.  D.  C.  "Winslow.  In  the  follow- 
ing year  he  was  appointed  Assistant  District  Attorney,  when 
Gen.  Harmanus  B.  Duryea  was  District  Attorney.  The  hitter's 
health  not  being  firm,  Mr.  Winslow  had  thrown  upon  him  large 
responsibilities,  which,  with  the  energy  of  young  manhood  to 
aid  him,  he  was  glad  to  assume.  In  1855  Mr.  Winslow  was 
appointed  Corporation  Attorney,  at  the  request  of  Mayor  George 
Hall,  whose  legal  adviser  he  was  during  the  Mayor's  term. 
In  1859  Mr.  Winslow  was  elected,  on  the  Republican  ticket,  Dis- 
trict Attorney  of  Kings  County  for  a  term  of  three  years,  begin- 
ning January  1st,  1860.  It  is  the  testimony  of  the  Bar,  and  of 
the  Press,  that  Kings  County  never  had  a  more  faithful  and  effi- 
cient District  Attorney. 

"We  have  had  repeatedly,"  says  the  Brooklyn  Eagle, 
February  11,  1861,  speaking  of  his  success  and  ability  in  the 
discharge  of  his  duties  in  his  first  term,  "the  satisfaction  of 
commending  the  vigor  with  which  public  justice  has  been 
administered  by  the  public  prosecutor  of  this  county,  and  the 
list  of  public  offenders  whD  have  been  punished,  will  tend  to 
enforce  the  solemn  truth  that  the  way  of  the  transgressor  is 
hard,  especially  under  the  regime  of  District  Attorney  Winslow 
and  Judge  Garrison.  The  whole  number  of  convictions  within 
the  year  was  315  ;  and,  among  the  criminals  who  have  been 
convicted,  were  several  notorious  offenders,  now  doing  the 
State  some  service  at  Sing  Sing.  The  number  of  persons 
acquitted  on  trial  was  but  fourteen  -  a  fact  which  forcibly  shows 
two  things:  that  few  innocent  persons  have  been  subjected  to 
prosecution,  and  that  few  guilty  ones  have  escaped  their  deserts. 
It  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  of  the  whole  number  of  persons  tried 
under  indictments  last  year  in  the  city  of  New  York,  one  in 
every  five  was  acquitted;  while  in  Brooklyn  the  ratio  was  but 
one  in  twenty-three."  This  statement,  it  will  be  observed,  was 
for  one  year  only,  and  is  certainly  very  remarkable  ;  but  it  is 
still  more  remarkable,  that  the  record  of  the  convictions  in 
Kings  County,  for  every  year  that  Mr.  Winslow  held  the  office, 
compares  favorably  with  that. 

In  1866  he  formed  a  copartnership  with  Hon.  Joshua  M.  Van 
Cott.  This  firm,  their  office  being  at  51  William  street,  New 
York,  became  one  of  the  most  distinguished  in  the  city;  the 
versatility  of  talent  which  it  combined  admirably  fitted  it  for  its 
large  and  extended  clientage,  each  member  of  the  firm  bringing 
to  it  a  degree  of  learning,  patient  industry  and  legal  ability  of 
the  highest  order.  The  records  not  only  of  the  courts  of 
New  York  City,  but  of  Kings  County,  and  other  parts  of  tho 
State,  show  the  large  amount  and  great  importance  of  their 
business.  This  firm  existed  through  the  unusually  long  period 
of  seventeen  years.  The  reports  of  cases  adjudicated  in  the 
Court  of  Appeals  and  in  the  Supreme  Court,  as  well  as  in  the 
City  and  County  Courts,  illustrate  their  success  in  conducting 
litigation. 

Among  these  cases  was  that  of  Hope  vs.  English,  a  libel  suit ;  and 
the  case  of  Sage  vs.  The  City  of  Brooklyn  (see  "  Important  Trials"). 
Both  of  these  cases  were  of  unusual  interest;  tue  latter  was 
very  important  to  the  owners  of  real  estate  in  the  city  of 
Brooklyn  under  tax  and  assessment  laws.  It  is  just  to  Mr. 
Winslow  to  say  that  the  management  of  these  cases  was,  in  a 
large  measure,  assigned  to  him  alone;  in  both  of  them  he  was 
eminently  successful. 

In  the  spring  of  1874  a  vacancy  occurred  in  the  office  of 
District  Attorney,  by  the  resignation  of  Thomas  M.  Rodman, 
and  Mr.  Winslow  was  appointed  by  Governor  Dix  in  his  place; 
his  appointment  dates  May  9,  187L  The  selection  of  Mr. 
Winslow  to  this  office  at  this  time,  when  several  important 
indictments  against  public  officers  were  pending,  was  highly 
complimentary  to  him  as  a  lawyer.  The  successful  manner  in 
which  Mr.  Winslow.  as  the  prosecuting  officer  of  the  county, 
conducted  the  trials  of  these  indictments,  proved  him  to  be  a 
faithful,  independent  and  valuable  public  servant.  These  trials, 
which  created  much  public  excitement,  as  they  involved  the 


1228 


HISTORY  OF  KIXGS  COUXTY. 


reputations  of  several  public  functionaries,  upheld  by  powerful 
friends,  who  wielded  much  influence  in  the  community, 
required  of  the  public  prosecutor  courage  and  perseverance. 
The  administration  of  this  responsible  office  is  necessarily 
aggressive  and  difficult;  it  is,  or  should  be,  regarded  as  quasi- 
judicial,  requiring  its  incumbent  to  temper  justice  with  mercy, 
and  a  clear,  prompt  and  decisive  application  of  legal  know- 
ledge to  the  questions  that  arise  before  him. 

Happily,  Mr.  Window  brought  to  this  office  all  these  endow- 
ments. 

His  high  reputation  as  a  lawyer,  his  acknowledged  abilities  as 
a  scholar,  and  the  purity  of  his  character  as  a  private  citizen, 
brought  him  so  prominently  before  the  public  that,  in  the  autumn 
of  1873,  he  was  nominated  by  the  Republicans  of  the  '2d  Judicial 
District  for  the  office  of  Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court. 

His  party  was  largely  in  the  minority,  and  though  not  elected, 
there  was  much  in  the  result  of  the  canvass,  especially  the  large 
vote  he  received,  that  was  gratifying  to  him — much  that  evinced 
his  popularity  as  a  man  and  as  a  lawyer. 

In  politics,  Mr.  Winslow  is  a  Republican;  though  firm  and 
undeviating  in  his  principles,  he  is  not  aggressive.  He  very 
early  allied  himself  with  the  friends  of  free  soil  and  the  oppo- 
nents of  slavery ;  on  the  breaking  out  of  the  Rebellion,  few  were 
more  earnest  and  influential  in  the  great  work  of  preserving  the 
I'nion  than  he.  Though  he  did  not  enter  the  army,  in  his 
office  of  District  Attorney,  which  he  held  when  the  war  began, 
and  as  a  public  speaker,  he  rendered  services  quite  as  important 
in  the  work  of  sustaining  the  government,  by  his  eloquence,  his 
vigorous  and  versatile  pen,  his  influence  and  his  means. 

Soon  after  the  dastardly  attack  of  Preston  S.  Brooks  upon 
Senator  Sumner,  an  immense  indignation  meeting  was  held  in 
the  City  Hall,  in  Brooklyn,  for  the  purpose  of  denouncing  the 
unprovoked  and  cruel  assault  on  the  illustrious  Senator  from 
Massachusetts.  It  was  one  of  the  largest  meetings  ever  as- 
sembled in  Brooklyn.  A  series  of  stirring  resolutions  were 
adopted,  and  Mr.  Winslow,  being  introduced  by  the  chairman— 
the  Mayor  of  the  city — advocated  their  adoption,  in  a  speech 
which  was  not  only  warmly  applauded,  but  produced  a  marked 
effect.  • 

It  was  made  at  that  period  in  the  history  of  the  Republic 
when  patriotism  is  eloquent;  when  self-devotion  is  eloquent; 
when  opposition  to  high-handed  encroachment  upon  the  rights 
of  others  is  eloquent.  Mr.  Window's  speech  was  marked  by 
clear  conception,  by  sound  reason,  by  stirring,  impetuous  and 
irresistible  appeal,  and  by  the  fearless  instincts  of  a  patriot,  as 
pleasing  in  diction  as  it  was  strong  in  argument.  One  of  Mr. 
Winslow's  most  impressive  efforts  during  the  Civil  War,  was 
made  at  Fort  Hamilton  in  May,  18<il,  on  the  occasion  of  the 
renewal  of  the  oath  of  allegiance  of  the  officers  and  men  who 
had  recently  formed  the  garrison  at  Fort  Sumter,  in  obedience 
to  an  order  of  the  Secretary  of  War.  At  the  tap  of  the 
drum  the  battle-scarred  veterans  formed  in  line  and  marched 
towards  one  end  of  the  Fort,  where  they  were  drilled  by 
Capt.  Doubleday.  It  was  an  impressive  scene,  the  drilling 
of  those  men,  begrimed  by  the  smoke  of  Sumter  as  its  walls 
crumbled  around  them,  under  the  fire  of  rebel  batteries.  The 
drill  over,  the  troops  formed  in  line  and  came  to  a  halt,  when 
the  Rev.  Henry  Ward  Beecher  offered  ft  prayer,  after  which  Mr. 
Window  delivered  a  brief  but  impressive  address,  which  touched 
all  hearts.  The  occasion  was  well  calculated  to  arouse  every 
energy,  every  thought  and  feeling  of  an  orator.  At  the  conclu- 
sion of  his  speech,  an  District  Attorney  of  Kings  County  Mr. 
Window  administered  the  oath.  It  may  well  be  said  that  the 
occasion  was  one  of  surpassing  interest,  and  has  pnsscd  into 
bitttory. 

Mr.  Winslow  is  peculiarlj  happy  as  a  speaker,  not  only  at 
the  Bar,  but  in  the  popular  assembly ;  lie  always  speaks  to  the 
point  with  animation,  fervor  and  emphasis;  his  manner  is  uni- 


formly easy  and  natural,  his  diction  chaste  and  unpretending, 
his  gesticulation    appropriate  and  impressive;  never  indulging 

]  in  extravagant  flights  of  imagination,  giving  \itterance  to  coarse 
invective  or  low  and  heartless  ridicule,  and  never  speaking 
merely  for  the  purpose  of  display.  At  the  Bar  he  always  com- 
mands the  respectful  attention  of  the  Court  and  jury.  Space 
will  not  permit  us  even  to  allude  to  the  large  number  of  popular 
addresses  of  Mr.  Winslow's  on  literary,  scientific  and  educa- 
tional matters;  these  addresses  alone,  fairly  reported,  would 
form  material  for  volumes.  A  few  years  ago  there  was  a  gather- 
ing of  the  old  free  soilers  at  Denners  Landing,  on  the  bay  near 
Boston.  Charles  Francis  Adams  presided ;  the  occasion  was  a 
memorable  one.  Mr.  Winslow's  address  on  the  attitude  of  John 
C.  Calhoun  towards  the  anti-slavery  cause  is  spoken  of  as  a 
masterly  production.  It  is  proper  to  add  that  he  has  been, 
and  still  is,  a  very  active  and  industrious  man;  he  wields  the 
pen  of  an  accomplished  writer;  and  it  is  not  extravagant  to 
say  that  the  productions  of  his  pen  have  largely  enriched  the 
literature  of  his  times.  One  of  his  latest  contributions  is  an 
article  on  Rufus  Choate  in  Judge  Neilson's  Memories  of  Choate. 
In  his  student  days,  as  we  have  seen,  he  achieved  a  triumph  as 
a  writer  which  would  have  been  enviable  to  any  law  student 

Mr.  Winslow  has  been  largely  identified  with  the  organization 
of  important  public  institutions  in  Brooklyn.  He  was  one  of 
the  five  who  signed  the  first  call  for  a  public  meeting  to 
organize  the  Long  Island  Historical  Society.  The  meeting  met 
in  the  Hamilton  Building,  and  was  called  to  order  by  Mr. 
Winslow,  who  nominated  Prof.  C.  E.  West  for  chairman.  He  was 
for  several  years  a  Director  and  the  Corresponding  Secretary  of 
the  Society.    And  as  chairman  of  the  committee  having  charge 

|  of  the  matter  relative  to  the  motto  of  the  Society  for  its  seal,  and 
which  appears  on  the  easterly  wall  of  the  Society's  elegant 

j  building  on  Clinton  street,  adopted  the  following  from  Cioscs, 
"Historia  testis  temporum."    The  flourishing  New  England 

I  Society  in  the  city  of  Brooklyn,  of  which  Mr.  Winslow  is  a 
Director  and  first  Vice-President,  owes  its  existence  to  him  more 

!  than  to  any  other  one  man.  He  was  one  of  the  original  members 
of  the  Hamilton  Club,  of  which  he  is  a  Director  and  is  a  member 
of  its  Executive  Committee. 

Mr.  Winslow  has  just  cause  to  feel  some  pride  of  ancestry;  for, 
as  Lord  Bacon  has  said:  "It  is  a  reverend  thing  to  see  an 
ancient  castle,  or  building  not  in  decay,  or  to  see  a  fine  timber- 
tree  sound  and  perfect;  how  much  more  to  behold  an  ancient 
noble  family,  which  has  stood  against  the  waves  and  weathers  of 
time  !" 

lie  can  unerringly  trace  his  genealogy  on  the  paternal  side  to 
'  n  very  remote  period  of  English  history ;  and,  as  has  well  been 
said,  "  that  of  families  bearing  the  Pilgrim  name,  there  are  none 
more  identified  with  Pilgrim  history  than  those  of  the  honored 
name  of  Winslow;  that  the  descendant  Winslows  may  look  with 
pride  to  their  distinguished  ancestors,  who  bore  so  important  a 
part    in   planting   the  colony  of  New  Plymouth."  Edward 
Winslow,  one  of  these  ancestors,  was  one  of  the  PilgrimB 
who  landed  from  the  Mayflower  at  Plymouth,  Dec.  20,  1620 
!   (O.  S.)    His  marriage  with  Mrs.  White  was  the  first  that  took 
I   place  on  the  soil  of  New  England;  she  was  his  second  v  ife,  and 
the  widow  of  William  White,  one  of  the  chief  passengers  of  the 
\Hauflamr,  who  died  about  the  1st  of  March,  1631. 

Edward  Winslow,  of  Droitwich,  England,  was  the  father  of 
the  four  brothers  who  came  to  Plymouth,  and  became  leading 
men,  one  of  whom  was  Governor  Winslow,  and  of  the  colony; 
from  whom  sprang  a  long  line  of  honored  descendants,  iimonn 
whom  is  Hon.  John  Winslow,  whose  biography  we  hare tlm» 
imperfectly  sketched.  Mr.  Winslow  is  still  in  the  prime  and 
\igorof  manhood,  possessing  qualities  that  attract  the  highest 
esteem,  and  in  the  possession  of  that  learning,  ability  and  el 
perienoe,  which  point  to  n  fortunate,  happy  and  prominent 
career  in  the  future. 


BENCH  AND  BAR  OF  BROOKLYN. 


BENJAMIN  D.  SILLIMAN. 

It  would  be  quite  impossible  to  pursue  the  plan  of  our  work 
without  referring  at  some  length  to  Mr.  Silliman,  at  least  to  his 
public  life;  for  that,  like  the  lives  of  all  public  men,  belongs  to 
his  fellow-citizens,  and  in  this  case  to  the  profession  of  which 
he  has  been  so  long  an  honored  member.  It  is,  therefore,  but 
an  act  of  justice  that  we  give  some  portions  of  his  public  life  in 
this  work,  candidly,  and  with  exact  obedience  to  unvarnished 
facts. 

His  private  life  needs  no  description  from  us ;  it  is  written  in  the 
hearts  and  minds  of  his  fellow-citizens  in  a  better  and  stronger 
manner  than  could  be  done  by  the  pen  of  the  ablest  writer. 
Besides,  we  lack  that  intimacy  which  would  enable  us  to  sketch  it 
as  it  should  be  portrayed;  yet  we  may  venture  the  assertion  that 
his  professional  and  private  life  are  in  harmony. 

Mr.  Silliman  was  born  at  Newport,  R.  L,  September  14,  1805. 
His  father  was  Gold  S.  Silliman,  of  that  place.  His  mother  was 
Miss  Hepsa  Ely,  daughter  of  Rev.  David  Ely,  and  a  grand- 
daughter of  Rev.  Jedediah  Mills.  After  due  preparation  he 
entered  Yale  College,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in  the  class 
of  1824.  Mr.  Silliman's  father  graduated  at  Yale  in  1796;  his 
grandfather,  Gen.  Gold  S.  Silliman,  in  1752;  his  great-grand- 
father, Gen.  Ebenezer  Silliman,  graduated  at  Yale  in  1727.  Mr. 
Silliman  is  also  a  nephew,  we  believe,  of  the  late  distinguished 
Professor  Silliman.  His  maternal  grandfather  graduated  at  Yale 
in  1769,  and  his  maternal  great-grandfather  in  1722.  No  name 
is  more  honored  in  the  history  of  Yale  College  than  that  of  Silli- 
man. 

"Mr.  Silliman,"  says  his  class  biographer,  "on  leaving  Yale 
College,  pursued  the  study  of  law  in  the  office  of  Chancellor 
Kent,  and  his  son  Wm.  Kent,  (afterwards  a  judge  of  the  Supreme 
Court, )  in  the  city  of  New  York.  He  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in 
May,  1829,  and  with  the  exception  of  a  visit  to  Europe  in  1848, 
Las  been  steadily  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  profession  in 
New  York  and  Brooklyn  from  that  time  to  the  present.  Though 
always  taking  a  deep  interest  in  politics,  he  has  limited  his  par- 
ticipation therein  mainly  to  the  advocacy  of  principles  through 
the  press,  and  to  services  in  conventions,  State  and  National. 
He  has  generally  declined  public  office,  as  inconsistent  with  his 
professional  duties,  though  he  has  served  in  the  Legislature, 
and  as  Attorney  for  the  United  States  for  the  Eastern  District  of 
New  York,  which  office  he  resigned  in  1866;  he  was  also  ap- 
pointed, and  acted,  as  a  member  of  the  Commission  for  the  Re- 
vision of  the  Constitution  of  the  State  in  1873.  He  was  nomi- 
nated by  the  Republican  party  as  their  candidate  for  Attorney- 
General  in  1873,  but  the  ticket  (with  the  exception  of  two  of  the 
candidates,  who  had  also  been  nominated  by  another  party — 
the  "Liberal  Republican")  was  not  successful. 

The  honorary  degree  of  LL.D.  was  conferred  on  Mr.  Silliman 
by  Columbia  College  in  1873,  and  the  like  honorary  degree  was 
also  conferred  upon  him  by  Yale  College  in  1874." 

His  characteristics  as  a  lawyer— candidly  presented — are  ex- 
tended knowledge  and  a  just  estimate  of  fundamental  prin- 
ciples; close  acquaintance  with  cases  and  decisions;  accuracy 
in  forms  and  in  the  rules  applicable  both  to  the  practice  and 
the  rights  of  the  parties;  indefatigable  industry  in  his  in- 
vestigations, which  he  conducts  with  clear  discrimination  and 
judgment.  He  states  his  points  with  singleness  and  perspicuity, 
sustaining  them  by  fair  and  cogent  argument,  seldom  failing  to 
exhibit  in  their  support  the  learning  of  the  cases  and  the  best 
reasoning  of  the  judges.  He  is  never  guilty  of  unworthy  finesse, 
of  misrepresentation  of  facts,  or  of  unjustifiable  betrayal  of  the 
understanding  into  the  power  of  misguided  feeling;  he  is  alike 
faithful  to  his  client,  the  jury  and  the  court,  though  by  no 
means  wanting  in  that  policy  and  tact  so  necessary  to  the  success- 
ful lawyer. 

As  a  speaker  at  the  Bar  or  in  the  public  assembly,  he  has  a 
full  share  of  advantages,  though  he  makes  no  pretension  what- 
ever to  oratory;  indeed,  he  is  unpretending  in  every  phase  of 
life,  public  or  private. 

A  description  of  the  important  cases  conducted  by  him  in  the 
various  courts,  State  and  Federal,  would  render  this  sketch  too 


voluminous;  suffice  it  to  say  that  the  records  of  these  courts, 
couched  in  plain,  official  language,  form  a  valuable  history  of 
his  career  at  the  Bar.  To  say  that  Mr.  Silliman  is  a  polished 
scholar,  with  the  instincts  and  tastes  of  a  scholar,  is  only  to 
reiterate  what  has  been  repeated  of  him  by  the  press,  by  his 
contemporaries,  and  by  the  many  public  demonstrations  of  his 
scholarly  attainments.  His  acquaintance  with  distinguished 
men,  men  of  illustrious  and  historic  name,  has  been,  and  still 
is,  exceedingly  large.  His  relation  with  Chancellor  Kent,  and 
his  distinguished  son,  Judge  William  Kent,  began  when  he  was 
a  student  in  their  office;  it  ended  only  when  death,  the  "great 
proprietor  of  life,"  removed  those  illustrious  men  from  the 
world.  These  relations  were  reciprocal,  and  perhaps  there  is 
nothing  that  brings  up  so  much  pleasure  from  the  past  to  Mr. 
Silliman  as  the  memory  of  this  friendship.  Surely  no  man 
understood  the  character  of  the  great  commentator  more 
thoroughly  than  he  did;  while  his  relations  with  Judge  William 
Kent  were  very  intimate,  and  their  friendship  mutually  warm. 
This  friendship  was  exhibited  on  the  part  of  Judge  Kent  in 
many  ways,  prominently  in  a  series  of  beautiful  letters  written 
by  him,  while  traveling  in  Europe,  to  Mr.  Silliman.  In  one 
of  those  letters  he  gave  an  admirable  description  of  some  of 
the  English  judges  whom  he  met. 

It  is  said  by  an  excellent  critic  and  litterateur  that  Judge  Kent's 
letters  to  Mr.  Silliman  are  most  charming,  and  though  all 
unstudied,  and  written  in  a  sort  of  colloquial  style,  are  yet 
masterpieces  of  English  literature. 

Judge  Kent  died  at  his  country  residence  at  Fishkill,  January 
4, 1861.  This  sad  event  was  the  source  of  much  grief  to  Mr. 
Silliman.  The  intelligence  of  his  death  reached  the  city  of  New 
York  the  next  da}',  producing  the  most  profound  sorrow,  not 
only  with  the  members  of  the  legal  profession,  but  in  all  circles. 

A  meeting  of  the  Bar  called  to  express  the  feelings  of  the  pro- 
fession on  the  death  of  their  distinguished  brother  was  held 
January  12,  1861;  this  meeting  will  always  be  remembered  in 
;   legal  history. 

Hon.  Daniel  P.  Ingraham,  of  the  Supreme  Court,  presided;  the 
vice-presidents  were  Hon.  Samuel  R.  Betts,  of  the  United  States 
District  Court ;  Hon.  Murray  Hoffman,  of  the  Superior  Court ; 
Hon.  Greene  C.  Bronson,  ex-Chief  Justice  of  the  Supreme 
Court;  Hon.  Lewis  B.  Woodruff,  of  the  Superior  Court;  Hon. 
Charles  P.  Daly,  of  the  Common  Pleas  ;  Hon.  John  It.  Brady, 
of  the  Common  Pleas  ;  Daniel  Lord,  Esq.  Secretaries:  Hon. 
William  Fxillerton,  Alexander  Hamilton,  Jr.,  J.  C.  Outer,  Esq., 
and  D.  B.  Eaton,  Esq.  After  a  series  of  resolutions  had  been 
presented  to  the  meeting  by  John  Van  Buren,  Mr.  Silliman  arose 
and  moved  their  adoption.  His  address  in  doing  this  was  an 
appropriate  and  feeling  tribute  to  the  memory  of  his  distin- 
guished friend.  He  delineated  the  judicial  and  private  character 
of  Judge  Kent  in  a  manner  so  truthful  that  it  was  a  perfect 
mental  portrait.  He  said  :  "It  might,  perhaps,  be  difficult  t<> 
say  whether  Judge  Kent  was  more  remarkable  for  his  intellectual 
and  professional  or  for  his  moral  superiority;  but  that  which. 

;  in  this  hour  of  bereavement,  touches  us  most  nearly,  is  the  sur- 
render which  we  must  make  to  the  remorseless  grave  of  one 
whose  gentle  and  generous  nature,  whose  genial  sympathy, 
whose  warm  affections  had  so  endeared  him  to  us  that  our  ad- 
miration of  the  lawyer,  the  jurist  and  the  scholar  was  even 
exceeded  by  our  attachment,  by  our  love,  for  the  man.  He  is  cut 
off  from  us  in  the  very  glory  of  his  manhood,  with  his  faculties 
and  his  affections  in  the  fullness  of  their  strength  and  action— 
ere  age  had  dimmed  their  brilliancy,  or  impaired  their  power,  or 
chilled  their  ardor. 

Judge  Kent  was  born  at  Albany  in  1802  ;  he  had  the  best  ad- 
vantages for  an  education.  After  being  graduated  at  Union 
College,  he  pursued  his  studies  and  entered  the  profession  in 

!  which  his  father,  the  great  Chancellor,  stood  pre-eminent. 

I      He  commenced  his  career  as  a  lawyer,  in  one  respect,  under 

I  a  disadvantage— the  shadow  of  a  great  name.  The  worid  is  apt 
to  measure  the  son  of  a  great  man  by  an  unfair  standard.  In- 
stead of  passing  on  his  merits  and  talents  by  comparison  with 
other  young  men,  his  contemporaries  ana  peers,  it  withholds  its 
commendation  unless  he  displays  abilities  which  would  add  to 


1230 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


his  father's  fame.  But  Mr.  Kent  quickly  showed  himself  equal 
even  to  sueh  a  task.  He  was  early  engaged  in  very  important 
causes,  in  whieh  he  manifested  powers  and  learning  that  placed 
him  at  once  in  the  foremost  rank  of  the  profession.  *  *  •  • 

He  possessed  remarkahle  power  of  analysis,  and  saw  with  the 
quickness  of  intuition  the  right  and  morality  of  a  case,  and  the 
prineipht  of  law  involved,  and  was  ever  ready  with  the  learn- 
ing of  the  law  requisite  for  their  illustration.  The  force  of  his 
argument  was  aided  by  the  singular  felicity  and  purity  of  the 
language  in  which  it  was  always  clothed;  so  beautiful  and  at- 
tractive was  his  style,  so  happy  his  illustrations,  so  abounding 
in  wit  and  grace  and  learning  and  thought  that,  whether  he  wan 
arguing  a  case  or  trying  a  cause,  not  only  the  court  or  jury 
whieh  he  was  addressing,  but  all  who  were  present  having  no 
concern  with  the  subject,  including  alike  the  members  of  the 
Bar  and  mere  spectators,  were  all  his  eager  and  delighted 
listeners." 

Mr.  Silliman's  description  of  Kent  as  a  judge  will  be  read 
with  interest: 

"  He  continued  in  the  active  practice  of  the  profession  until 
1841,  when  he  was  appointed  to  the  office  of  Circuit  Judge,  on 
the  retirement  of  Hon.  Ogden  F.  Edwards,  and  when  the 
ermine  rested  on  his  shoulders,  it  touched  nothing  less  spot- 
less than  itself.  Never  were  the  high  duties  of  a  judge  per- 
formed with  more  of  purity  or  fidelity.  Never  were  the  scales 
held  by  a  more  even  hand.  Never  were  the  kindly  and  charit- 
able impulses  of  a  gentle  nature  more  entirely  restrained  and 
subordinated  to  the  duty  of  an  inflexible  and  impartial  admin- 
istration of  the  law,  whether  in  criminal  or  in  civil  cases. 
In  18-14,  his  health  having  been  impaired  by  too  close  applica- 
tion to  his  judicial  duties,  he  resigned  his  station  on  the  Bench, 
to  the  great  it  is  not  extravagant  to  say  the  universal— regret 
of  the  profession  and  of  the  community.  He  then  visited 
Europe,  and  while  there,  in  1846,  received  the  invitation,  whieh 
he  accepted,  from  Harvard  University,  to  succeed  Judge  Story 
in  the  Law  School  at  Cambridge.  The  same  industry,  and 
success,  and  usefulness  which  had  marked  his  previous  career 
attended  his  services  in  the  Law  School,  until  the  close  of  1847, 
when  he  resigned  his  professorship  that  he  might  be  with  his 
venerable  father,  whose  twilight  was  fast  fading  into  night." 

Mr.  Silliman  gives  a  brief  review  of  Judge  Kent  at  the  Bar, 
after  having  resumed  his  profession,  describing  some  of  the  very 
important  cases  which  he  conducted. 

"In  these  cases,  not  to  speak  of  many  others,"  he  says, 
"  Mr.  Kent  exhibited  abilities  of  the  highest  order  and  the 
rarest  learning,  and  earned  a  reputation  which  (in  the  language 
of  one  of  the  resolutions  before  us)  justly  placed  his  memory 
by  the  side  of  his  illustrious  father.  The  great  men  of  the  Bar 
\v<-r<  engaged  in  the  h-anicd  discussion  of  these  eases.  I  may 
not  name  those  who  are  still  among  us,  and  most  of  whom  are 
now  present,  but  of  those  who  are  gone  were  Jones,  and  Jay, 
Ogden  and  Webster,  and  Griffin,  and  Sanford,  and  Spencer, 

■  ■n  I  Ueardsley,  and  Hill,  and  Butler.  Such  were  the  allies  and 
lie  adversaries  of  our  departed  brother  such  were  his  friends 
and  compeers  such  were  the  great  intellects  with  which  his 
own  found  congenial  intercourse.  •  •  •  Judge  Kent  possessed, 
as  did  his  father,  a  most  remarkable  memory.  He  forgot  noth- 
ing. Every  fact,  every  rule,  every  principle,  when  once  attained, 
remained  w  ith  him  always. 

.Judge  Kent  combined  what  are,  perhaps,  rarely  combined — 
large  general  knowledge  with  great  accuracy  of  knowledge.  As 
a  btUttAttbrtt  scholar,  he  had  few  equals  in  this  country.  His 
reading  was  not  limited  by  the  ordinarily  wise  rule,  '  Sonvvdta 
sed  mulhim, '  but  it  was  both  multa  el  multum.  Whatever  he  studied 
he  studied  thoroughly ;  he  read  everything  and  he  remembered 

■  \  •  rvthing;  what  he  read  did  not  remain  with  him  a  mere 
accumulation  of  knowledge  and  ideas,  but  became  a  part  of  his 
mental  nature,  storing  and  strengthening  his  mind  without 
impairing  its  originality.  A  mind  thus  enriched,  and  with  sueh 
i  i<>iire«  i,  could  never  have  siitl'eicd  from  solitude.  It  would 
find  within  itself  abundant  arid  choice  companionship.  Em- 
inently was  this  the  case  with  our  departed  friend  and  with  his 
venerable  father. 

Chan  ellur  Kent,  during  his  l  ist  illness,  passed  many  silent 
watches  of  the  night  without  sleep.  When  asked  if  in  thoso 
long,  sleepless  hours  he  suffered  from  sad  and  depressed 
fe.  lings,  he  replied  that  he  did  not,  but  that,  on  the  contrary, 
he  derived  great  satisfaction  in  reviewing  in  his  mind  some 
leading  principles  of  the  law— going  back  to  its  origin  to  the 
i  i  ns  troin  which  it  sprang  and  then  recalling  in  their  order 
the  subsequent  eases,  in  Kngland  and  this  country,  in  which 
it  had  been  considered,  shaped,  enlarged  or  qualified,  down  to 
tho  final  settled  rule.  ••••»' 


Continuing  his  remarks  concerning  Judgo  Wm.  Kent,  Mr. 
Silliman  says  : 

"Honors  sought  him,  prosperity  attended  him,  friends  loved 
him,  and  now  deeply  lament  his  loss.  I  have  never  known  a 
man  whose  wit  and  humor  and  knowledge  were  so  abounding 
and  so  blended,  and  the  instructiveness,  and  beauty,  and  grace, 
and  the  simplicity  of  whose  conversation  was  so  attractive  and 
fascinating.  I  have  never  known  a  man  more  fearless  in  assert- 
ing the  right,  and  in  tho  performance  of  what  he  deemed  his 
duty.  I  have  never  known  a  man  more  inflexible  in  principle, 
or  mor«  strictly  upright.  Though  to  a  stranger  what  I  have 
said  might  appear  the  strained  language  of  eulogy,  yet  this  meet- 
ing is  full  of  witnesses  of  its  truth.  *  *  *  *  i  will  not  tnmt 
myself  to  speak  of  the  personal  relations  and  almost  life-long 
intimacy  that  make  his  death  to  me,  indeed,  a  calamity,  nor  of 
the  hopeless  sorrow  of  that  home  of  which  he  was  the  light,  the 
pride  and  the  joy;  but  with  the  same  beautiful  invocation  which 
he  lately  uttered  on  the  death  of  Mr.  Butler,  let  mesay:  "Trend 
lightly  on  his  ashes,  ye  men  of  genius,  for  he  was  your  kins- 
man !  Weed  clean  his  grave,  ye  men  of  goodness,  for  he  was 
your  brother !'  " 

We  have  quoted  liberally  from  Mr.  Silliman's  address  because 
of  its  full  and  just  description  of  Judge  William  Kent,  and  he- 
cause  of  its  happy  allusion  to  his  illustrious  father.  Such  a  de- 
scription is  eminently  appropriate  with  the  intended  plan  ami 
scope  of  our  work. 

It  is,  perhaps,  proper  to  add  that  Mr.  Silliman  was  followed  in 
his  remarks  by  those  great  lights  of  the  Bar,  William  Curtis 
Noyes,  James  T.  Brady,  Hon.  William  Fullerton,  and  others. 
Since  this  meeting  of  the  Bar,  Mr.  Brady  and  Mr.  Noyes  have 
followed  Judge  Kent  to  the  tomb. 

Mr.  Silliman's  address  at  the  meeting  of  the  New  York  City  Bar, 
November  2,  1872,  on  the  death  of  Marshall  S.  Bidwell,  Esq., 
and  his  memorial  address  before  the  Bar  Association  on  the 
death  of  Edgar  S.  Van  Winkle,  Esq.,  February  13,  1883,  have 
passed  into  legal  history. 

Perhaps  among  all  Mr.  Silliman's  productions  none  exhibit 
more  research  and  scholarly  attainments  than  his  Addrtss 
before  the  graduating  Ixiw  Class  of  Columbia  College,  delivered  on 
the  evening  of  Wednesday,  May  15,  1807,  and  his  lieviewof  K  G 
Benedict's  Translation  of  the  Hymns  of  the  Middle  Ages  and  otlier 
Medieval  Hymns,  published  in  1808. 

We  cannot,  in  forming  our  history  of  tho  Bar,  avoid  the 
temptation  to  quote  portions  of  Mr.  Silliman's  address  to  the 
graduating  class  above  referred  to.    In  his  exordium  he  says: 

"  In  welcoming  you,  gentlemen,  to  the  brotherhood  of  the 
Bar,  you  may  well  be  congratulated  on  the  peculiar  advantage 
you  enjoyed  in  preparing  for  its  duties.  You  have  not  been  left 
to  pick  up,  as  you  best  might,  here  and  there,  scattered  frag- 
ments of  legal  knowledge,  but  you  have  been  systematically  in- 
structed in  the  principles  and  philosophy  of  the  law.  You  have 
been  guided  and  trained  by  eminent  and  learned  teachers  in  a 
school  that  ranks  second  to  none  in  the  land  for  the  coniph  teiu  " 
,.('  its  system  and  the  thoroughness  of  its  instruction.  Jfoi 
come  not  as  undrilled  militia,  but  as  graduates  from  the  very 
West  Point  of  the  profession. 

Widely  different  have  been  (with  few  exceptions)  the  oppof 
tunities  of  legal  instruction  in  this  country  until  a  comparatively 
recent  period.  Tho  student  was  required  to  enter  the  office  of  a 
practicing  attorney,  and  there  to  pursue  his  studies.  He  was  at 
once  engaged  in  tho  practice  of  that  of  which  he  had  not 
learned  the  principles.  He  became  familiar  by  daily  observa- 
tions, and  as  a  copyist,  with  the  forms  of  conveyancing  anil 
phraseology  of  pleadings,  without  understanding  tiieir  reason. 
*  *  '  As  a  general  rule,  it  was  impossible  for  the  attorney,  in 
whose  office  the  student  was  engaged,  to  give  any  material 
attention  to  his  studies,  and  his  progress  and  attainments,  Umi 
fore,  lacked  system,  and  wero  slow,  confused  and  uncertain.  A 
formal  and  superficial  examination  finally  passed  him  to  tlio 
bar,  where  ho  could  randy  feel  at  home  until  he  had  acquired  by 
subsequent  laborious  and  anxious  practice  a  knowledge  of  very 
much  that  ho  should  have  attained  at  the  outset.  *  1  In  Ku rope, 
on  the  other  hand,  full  and  careful  instruction  in  the  prin- 
ciples of  law  has  ever  been  a  pro  requisite  to  admission  to  IM 
bar,  and  the  schools  in  whic  h  such  instruction  has  been  givn 
have  been  organized,  fostered,  and  more  or  less  regulated  by 
public  authority.  Regular  schools  of  law  were  established  in 
Borne,  in  the  time  of  Augustus,  at  which  thoso  who  aspired  to 


BENCH  AND  BAR  OF  BROOKLYN. 


the  honors  of  the  forum  were  assiduous  students.  None  but  the 
thoroughly  learned  and  skilled  could  dream  of  such  honors 
where  Scaevola,  Sulpicius  and  Cicero  had  been  competitors,  and 
where  even  the  boys,  according  to  Cicero,  were  taught  the 
'  twelve  tables  '  as  a  necessary  lesson  (discebamus  enim  pueri  XII 
liihlnlas  ut  carmen  necessarium*)  to  instruct  them  in  so  much  of  the 
laws  as  should  be  obtained  by  every  Roman  citizen.  In  France 
such  schools  existed  as  far  back  as  the  twelfth  century.  From 
an  early  period  the  law  has  been,  and  still  is,  most  fully  and 
elaborately  taught  by  renowned  professors  in  the  Universities 
of  Germany  and  Holland.  In  England  the  schools  of  law  have 
been  less  regular  and  complete  than  on  the  Continent,  but  the 
qualifications  of  candidates  for  the  English  Bar  have,  neverthe- 
less, been  measured  by  a  very  high  standard." 

Speaking  of  the  perfect  system  of  instruction,  and  the  profic- 
iency of  students  in  the  Law  School  of  Columbia  College,  Mr. 
Silliman  says :  | 

"  We  regard  the  annual  reinforcement  of  the  Bar  by  a  class 
of  accomplished  and  educated  gentlemen  who  have  been 
thus  thoroughly  taught  in  the  principles  of  the  law,  and  whose 
minds  have  been  carefully  disciplined  and  trained  for  its  in- 
tellectual duties,  as  sure  to  elevate  the  standard  of  legal  at- 
tainment, and  to  promote  the  honor  and  usefulness  of  the 
profession.       *       *       *  ******* 

A  grand  future  beckons  you,  and  you  have  the  best  prepara- 
tion for  the  course.  But  we  must  bear  in  mind  that  other  stout 
knights,  who  have  had  no  such  advantages  as  you  have  had,  will 
enter  the  lists  with  strong  lances,  and  compete  with  you  for  the 
higher  prizes.  The  great  lawyers  who  preceded  us — the  Hamil- 
ton.*, the  Kents,  the  Jays,  the  Van  Vechtens,  the  Spencers,  the  Hills, 
the  It 'ellses,  the  Oakleys,  the  Duers,  the  Woods,  the  Talcotts,  the 
Ogdens,  the  Hqffmans,  the  Van  Burens,  the  Butlers — had  not  such 
training  as  you  have  enjoyed.  But  what  summits  did  they  not 
attain ! 

I  have  spoken  of  this  school  as  the  '  West  Point'  of  the  pro- 
fession ;  but  we  have  seen  within  the  last  six  years  that  other 
soldiers  than  those  who  graduated  at  West  Point  won  victories 
and  reaped  laurels — marched  to  the  front  with  muskets  on  their 
shoulders  and  returned  with  stars  on  their  shoulders." 

Mr.  Silliman  then  proceeds  to  briefly  consider  the  rise  and 
progress  of  our  laws,  and  their  derivation  from  the  laws  of 
antiquity. 

"  Many  of  the  provisions  of  our  '  Bevised  Statutes  '  had  their 
origin  far  back  among  the  centuries,  and  our  professional  pre- 
decessors in  ancient  Rome  and  Greece  enforced  and  adminis- 
tered many  of  the  rights  and  remedies  which  are  enforced  and 
administered  in  the  City  Hall  to-day.  Since  the  foundations  of 
much  of  the  law  with  which  you  are  to  deal  were  laid  in  those 
earlier  ages,  the  archaeology  of  law  is  an  important  part  of  legal 
study,  and  it  is  not  more  important  than  attractive. 

In  the  early  history  of  Rome,  we  find  the  Romuluses  and 
Remuses  disposing  of  their  property  by  last  wills  and  testaments, 
making  every  variety  of  bequests,  devises  and  trusts,  which 
called  for  numerous  rules  of  interpretation.  Land  was  bought 
and  sold,  and  deeds  given;  and  in  her  subsequent  Codes  were 
various  laws  relative  to  sales,  highways,  easements,  bailment, 
marriage  and  divorce,  ante-nuptial  marriage  settlements,  parent 
and  child,  guardian  and  ward,  domicile,  subrogation,  partner- 
ships, joint  stock  associations,  corporations,  arrest  for  debt,  in- 
junctions, slander,  libel,  bail,  arbitration,  statutes  of  limitation, 
common  pastures,  riparian  ownership,  alluvion,  boundaries,  the 
rate  of  interest,  maritime  contracts  and  liens,  common  carriers, 
and  most  of  the  other  rights  and  instrumentalities  of  modern 
civilized  society.  The  law  as  to  trusts  and  trustees  was  well 
defined  long  before  the  Christian  era,  and  we  find  Cicero  remind- 
ing Atticus  that  adverse  possession  did  not  apply  in  cases  of 
trust  or  guardianship. 

Among  the  legal  antiquities  which  almost  verify  the  saying 
that  there  is  'nothing  new  under  the  sun,'  is  an  Egyptian 
deed,  executed  more  than  a  hundred  years  before  the  Christian 
era,  which  was  sometime  since  found  in  a  tomb  in  Upper  Egypt, 
by  the  side  of  a  mummy,  supposed  to  be  that  of  the  grantee.  It 
was  written  in  the  Greek  language  (which  it  seems  was  com- 
monly employed  in  that  country  during  the  Greek  dynasty).  It 
has  all  the  parts  requisite  at  this  day  in  a  warranty  deed.  It 
contains  the  date,  the  names  of  the  parties,  the  consideration, 
the  grant,  the  description  of  the  premises,  and  the  warranty  of 
title,  and  is  under  seal. 

Still  earlier  deeds  (six  hundred  years  before  Christ)  are  re- 
cited in  the  book  of  Jeremiah,  indicating  the  date,  the  names  of 


*  De  Legibus  2,  Sec.  23. 


the  parties,  the  purchase  money,  a  description  of  the  purchase 
money,  witnesses,  seal,  and  the  book  of  records." 

He  makes  the  following  pleasing  allusion  to  the  laws  of  Ejuii 
able  Estoppel : 

"This  law,"  he  says,  "existed  fifteen  centuries  before  Christ, 
when  Moses,  in  effect,*  ruled  that  Qui  facet  consentire  videlur. 
The  same  great  lawgiver  and  judge,  who  was  also  the  earliest  re- 
porter (7  Coke's  R.,  12G),  established  principles  of  the  law  of 
bailments,!  which  continue  to  be  in  force  to  this  day.  Lord 
Coke,  in  his  reports,  dissented  from  the  doctrine  of  Moses,  as 
held  in  the  leading  case  of  Laban  v.  Jacob  (reported  in  Genesis, 
xxxi.,  39),  but  Sir  William  Jones,  in  his  excellent  work  on  Hail 
ments  (p.  41),  differs  from  Coke,  and  concurs  in  the  early 
opinion  of  Moses." 

In  referring  to  lawyers  in  regard  to  hasty  legislation,  &c,  Mr. 
Silliman  says: 

"With  all  their  respect  for  precedent  and  their  adherence  to 
principles,  lawyers  have  been  the  constant  pioneers  and  advo- 
cates of  judicious  reform  and  checks  on  hasty  legislation." 

After  commenting  upon  the  many  salutary  changes  that  have 
been  made  by  the  laws  in  practice,  and  the  doing  away  with  the 
mysteries  and  subtleties  of  special  pleading  and  the  disappear- 
ance of  technicalities,  and  the  simplifying  the  modes  of  pro- 
cedure and  the  enlargement  of  the  power  of  amendments,  he 
very  candidly  says  that — 

"All  change  is  not  improvement,  and  much  of  the  hasty 
legislation  at  Albany,  and  its  consequent  litigation  though 
profitable  to  lawyers — is  hurtful  to  the  people.  Much,  too,  is,  to 
say  the  least,  of  doubtful  wisdom." 

In  speaking  of  the  honor  that  should  govern  the  practicing 
lawyer,  he  said: 

"No  man  can,  consistently  with  personal  honor  or  professional 
reputation,  misstate  a  fact  or  a  principle  to  the  court  or  jury. 
The  man  who  would  cheat  a  court  or  jury  would  cheat  anybody 
else.  Measured  by  the  lowest  standard,  that  <  f  expediency,  no 
lawyer  can,  in  any  case,  afford  to  act  meanly  or  speak  untruly. 
He  owes  no  such  duty  to  his  client;  an  honest  client  would  not 
be  safe  in  the  hands  of  a  lawyer  who  would  do  either." 

The  popular  mind,  in  considering,  as  it  delights  in  doing,  the 
duties  and  the  faults  of  the  legal  profession,  dwells  most  tre 
quently  and  most  severely  upon  the  problem  of  defending 
criminals  known  to  be  guilty.  The  fallacy  involved  in  the  preva- 
lent objection  is  in  the  notion  that  the  interest  of  morality 
demands,  always,  the  punishment  of  a  bad  man.  This  may  be 
true;  but  the  interests  of  morality  and  of  social  order  demand, 
above  all  things,  that  a  bad  man  shall  not  be  punished  unless  he 
has  violated  some  law,  and  even  that  a  known  violator  of  the 
law  shall  not  be  punished  except  by  the  forms  of  law;  for  those 
established  and  known  laws,  those  fixed  rules  of  procedure,  are 
all  that  distinguish  the  institutions  of  civilization  from  the  sav- 
age cruelty  of  an  Oriental  autocracy  or  the  blind  fury  of  a  West- 
ern lynching  mob.  Every  lawyer  who  interposes  against  an 
eager  prosecutor,  or  a  passionate  jury  the  shield  of  a  strictly 
legal  defense,  declaring,  "you  shall  not  hang  or  imprison  this 
man,  be  he  guilty  or  not  guilty,  until  by  the  established  course 
of  procedure,  by  competent  legal  evidence,  you  have  proved  that 
he  has  offended  against  a  definite  provision  of  law,  and  that  the 
precise  provision  which  you  have  charged  him  with  violating," 
is  defending  not  so  much  the  trembling  wretch  at  the  bar,  as 
society  itself,  and  the  innocent  man  who  may  to-morrow  be 
driven  by  clamor  to  crucifixion. 

But  if,  in  the  excitement  of  controversy,  the  advocate  quibbles 
with  words,  or  perverts  evidence  to  save  his  client,  he  becomes 
himself  an  offender;  his  offense  being,  not  that  he  defends  a 
guilty  man,  but  that  he  does  that  which  would  not  be  honest  if 
done  in  behalf  of  an  innocent  man. 

In  several  important  criminal  cases  tried  at  the  Kings  County 


*  Numbers,  xxi.,  14. 

\  Genesis,  xxxi.,  39  ;  Exodus,  xxii.,  7,  8,  12,  14,  15. 


1-J3-2 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Bar,  to  which  we  have  alluded  in  the  course  of  this  work,  the 
counsel  for  the  defense  have  been  condemned,  more  or  less 
severely,  for  attempting  to  shield  guilty  criminals.  We  might 
cite  as  an  evidence  of  this  the  defense  interposed  on  behalf  of 
Gonzalez  and  Fellie.ier,  and  that  of  Fanny  Hyde,  and  other 
cases.  We  think  Mr.  Silliman  has  disposed  of  this  question  in 
a  manner  which  should  carry  conviction  to  all.    He  says: 

"It  needs  but  little  thought  to  convince  even  the  vulgar,  that 
the  idea  that  the  vocation  of  lawyers  is  inconsistent  with  the 
strictest  truth,  is  but  vulgar  error.  In  support  of  the  charge,  it 
is  often  said,  that  counsel  will  not  refuse  to  defend  a  prisoner 
whom  he  supposes  to  be  guilty  of  the  offense  for  which  he  is  to 
be  tried.  The  answer  to  this  is  plain:  The  accused  person  is 
not  to  be  tried  by  the  impressions,  or  even  by  the  convictions, 
of  any  one  man,  whether  lawyer  or  layman.  The  law  of  the 
land  requires,  not  only  for  the  sake  of  the  accused,  but  for  the 
safety  of  every  citizen,  that  no  man  shall  be  tried  and  convicted 
except  by  a  jury  of  twelve  men.  The  question  of  his  guilt  or 
innocence  calls  for  a  division  of  labor  in  the  process  by  which  it 
is  to  be  determined.  It  is  made  the  duty  of  the  counsel  for  the 
prosecution  to  conduct  one,  and  of  the  counsel  for  the  prisoner 
to  conduct  the  other  branch  of  the  investigation;  for  the  former 
to  collect  anil  present  before  the  jury  the  evidence  against  the 
accused,  and  to  state  such  views  adverse  to  the  prisoner  as  re- 
sult from  the  whole  testimony;  and  for  the  latter  to  collect  and 
present  before  the  jury  the  evidence  in  favor  of  the  prisoner, 
and  to  state  all  such  views  in  his  favor  as  result  from  the  whole 
testimony." 

"If  counsel  assumes  the  guilt  of  an  accused  person  before  that 
guilt  has  been  judicially  ascertained,  if  he  determines  at  the  out- 
set that  the  accused  is  guilty,  be  takes  upon  himself  most  un- 
justifiably the  combined  character  and  prerogative  of  accuser, 
witness,  jury  and  judge;  and  if,  because  of  such  conclusions  in 
his  own  mind,  he  refuses  to  conduct  the  defense  of  the  prisoner, 
he  throws  the  weight  of  his  own  character  and  convictions  into 
the  scale  against  him." 

It  was,  perhaps,  this  view  of  the  case  that  induced  ltufus 
Choate  to  undertake  the  defense  of  Albert  J.  Tirrell  for  the 
murder  of  Maria  Bickford,  one  of  the  most  important  criminal 
trials  ever  tried  in  Massachusetts,  and  strongly  analogous  to 
Ogden  Hoffman's  defense  of  Richard  P.  Robinson  for  the  murder 
of  Helen  Jewett.  Mr.  Choate  deliberated  a  long  time  before 
entering  on  that  defense,  so  desperate,  so  splendid,  and  so  suc- 
cessful. He  was  severely  criticised  by  the  press  for  saving  what 
the  popular  mind  believed  to  be  a  guilty  man  from  the  gallows. 
"He  threw  doubts,"  said  his  critics,  "upon  the  testimony  of 
the  Government,  by  subtly  dissecting  what  seemed  certain,  by 
artful  evidence  tending  to  show  that  the  death  of  the  woman  was 
produced  by  her  own  hand.  His  defense  was  so  singular  and 
audacious  that  it  seemed  almost  to  paralyze  the  Attorney- 
General,"  and  yet,  when  the  trial  was  over,  and  the  public 
reflected  candidly  upon  Mr.  Choate's  defense,  the  popular  verdict 
was  in  his  favor. 

Here  is  an  instance  where  Mr.  Silliman's  proposition,  that 
counsel  shall  not  throw  the  weight  of  his  influence  against  a 
prisoner,  by  deciding  in  his  own  mind  that  he  is  guilty,  and 
thenfOM  refuse  to  defend  him,  is  illustrated. 

In  reference  to  the  immense  business  transactions,  financial 
and  otherwise,  in  which  lawyers  participate  more  or  less,  and  the 
temptations  which  they  in  common  with  all  business  men  are 
subjected  t<>,  h<  says  that  cases  of  fraud  are  only  exceptional  and 
rare. 

In  considering  this  subject,  Mr.  Silliman  makos  the  following 
happy  allusion  to  Wall  street: 

"  Nothing  is  less  just  than  the  narrow  imputations  to  'Wall 
street' of  merely  overreaching,  craft,  and  sordid  lust  for  money. 
It  would  be  difficult  to  overstate  the  extent  of  the  dealings,  or 
the  amounts  invohed  ill  them,  which  are  had  between  men 
hourly  at  that  great  financial  centre,  where  each  acts  exclusively  in 

r.  bailee  "ti  tli<  honor  and  ;;  1  fail h  ol  the  other.     Hail  men,  of 

course,  are  to  be  fonnd  there  as  everywhere,  yet  I  believe  that 
n  o  |,nce  ol  ■  .u  1 1 1  is  daily  trodden  b\  more  of  lion  or.  enterprise, 
ml-  lligence,  generosity,  faith,  integrity,  than  that  on  which  the 
netting  sun  daily  casts  the  shadow  of  the  spire  of  Trinity." 


We  have  referred  to  Mr.  Silliman's  Review  of  the  Hymns  vf  the 
Middle  Aijes.  Of  this  production  we  may  say  that  it  exhibits 
not  only  the  learning  of  the  Bar,  but  the  erudition  of  the 
scholar. 

"  Lawyers  in  full  practice,"  he  says,  "are  like  omnibuses, 
which,  when  entirely  full,  can  always  make  room  for  one  more. 
Mr.  Benedict,  forever  busy  in  the  courts  and  at  his  chambers,  so 
engrossed  by  clients  and  their  causes  of  charter-parties,  insur- 
ance, collisions,  bottomry  and  respondentia,  trusts  and  all  other 
matters  of  admiralty,  common  law  and  equity,  that  further 
occupation  would  seem  impossible,  yet  contrives  to  steal  hours 
for  literary  labor  and  to  hold  learned  converse  with  St.  Hilde- 
bert,  Jacobus  de  Benedictis,  St.  Ambrose,  St.  Thomas  Aquinas, 
Pope  Innocent  the  Second,  Thomas  of  Celano,  Thomas  A  Keni- 
pis,  Peter  the  Venerable,  Prudentius,  Damiani  and  many  other 
media-val  worthies.  It  is  well  for  the  brain-sick  profession  that, 
from  the  time  of  Cicero  down,  its  members  have  been  able  to 
find  rest  and  variety  in  literary  toil  and  research.  Many  of  the 
most  eminent  lawyers  in  this  country  and  in  England  have 
been  hardly  less'distinguished  for_their  classical  learning  than  for 
their  achievements  at  the  Bar." 

Mr.  Silliman  then  proceeds  to  give  a  long  list  of  eminent 
American  and  English  lawyers,  who  have  united  literary  lal>ors 
with  professional  success.  He  speaks  of  the  growing  taste  in 
the  profession  for  Latin  poetry,  and  especially  for  the  Latin 
hymns  of  the  Christian  Church  during  the  inedireval  period. 

"Some  of  these  poems,"  he  says,  "are  among  the  finest  speci- 
mens of  the  wonderful  compactness  and  power  of  expression  of 
the  Latin  language,  and  no  mean  laurels  await  him  who  can 
most  nearly  render  them  in  English  word  for  word,  and  thought 
for  thought.  This  can  only  be  done,  or  rather  approximated  to, 
by  one  who  is  master  of  both  languages,  and  is  inspired  by  the 
exquisite  beauty,  the  pathos  and  the  sublimity  of  the  original. 
It  is  well  remarked  by  Dr.  Schaff  that  no  poem  has  so  often 
challenged  and  defied  the  skill  of  translators  and  imitators,  as 
the  Dies  Ira;. 

Of  this  matchless  hymn,  Mr.  Benedict  has  given  three  ver- 
sions, the  second  of  which,  more  literal  in  rythm  and  translation, 
we  regard  as  the  best,  and  as  among  the  best  which  have  been 
made.    All  his  versions  have  great  merit.  •••»••• 

In  the  earlier  mines  there  is  rich  ore  which  should  not  be 
buried— gems  well  worthy  the  seirchof  such  skilled  collectors  as 
Benedict,  Dr.  Schaff,  Slosson,  General  Dix,  Dr.  Coles,  and  the 
other  accomplished  scholars,  here  and  abroad,  who,  by  their 
translations  into  English,  have  excited  such  general  interest  in 
the  subject. 

The  field  for  such  explorations  is  indeed  a  broad  one,  ex- 
tending over  the  long  period  in  which  the  literature  of  the  world 
was  almost  monopolized  by  the  ecclesiastics,  all  whose  writings 
aimed  at  the  promotion  of  religion  and  the  advancement  of  the 
Church.  Besides  an  unlimited  number  of  legends  of  the  saints, 
sermons,  treatises,  and  commentaries,  they  produced  devotional 
poetry,  of  which,  though  much  has  perished  in  the  lapse  of  time, 
much  yet  remains.  The  literature  of  the  sixth,  seventh,  ami 
eighth  centuries  especially,  seems  to  have  been  of  almost  ex- 
clusively religious  character.  Among  those  of  that  period  was 
St.  Avitus  (died  525),  who  wrote  six  poems  in  Latin  hexameter, 
three  of  which,  on  the  Creation,  Oriijinal  Sin,  and  the  Ekpnlsdm 
from  Paradise,  not  only  possess  great  poetical  merit,  but  bear  a 
remarkable  resemblance  in  plan  and  detail  to  Milton's  ParadiM 
lA)st."* 

Mr.  Silliman  then  proceeds  to  review  Mr.  Benedict's  work. 
We  could  wish  to  enter  into  a  detailed  examination  of  the 
great  excellencies  of  this  review,  but  our  limits  will  not  admit 
of  it,  or  of  more  extended  reference  to  the  thorough  scholar- 
ship by  which  it  is  characterized.  We  have,  however,  presented 
sufficient  evidence,  in  these  selections  from  Mr.  Silliman's 
speeches,  of  the  true  manly  spirit  of  loyalty  to  the  best  interests 
of  society  and  to  the  honor  of  his  profession  which  so  eminently 
marks  his  career. 

We  have  only  to  add,  that  Mr.  Silliman  is  the  President  of  lb 
Brooklyn  Club,  an  active  member  of  the  Imiuj  Island  Historical 
Society,  and  a  promoter  of  many  other  important  institutions 
and  interests  which  redound  to  the  stability  and  welfare  of  the 
community  of  which  ho  is  so  worthy  a  member. 

•  Cbainbont'  Mciliaival  History. 


BENCH  AND  BAR  OF  BROOKLYN. 


1233 


HARMANUS  B.  DURYEA. 

Harmants  B.  Duryea. — The  history  of  the  Duryea  family 
in  this  country  starts  with  Joost  Durie,  a  Huguenot,  who 
was  born  in  1650.  In  the  year  1675,  he  emigrated  from  Man- 
heim,  in  the  Palatinate  of  the  Rhine,  and  was  accompanied  by 
his  mother  and  wife,  Magdalena  La  Febre.  He  settled  first 
at  New  Utrecht,  afterwards  on  land  between  Bushwick  and 
Newtown,  taking  the  oath  of  allegiance  there  in  1687.  His 
death  occurred  in  1727.  Jacob,  the  second  son  of  Joost, 
signed  his  name  Durye.  He  was  married,  in  1708,  to  Katrina 
Polhemus,  and  resided  first  in  Bushwick,  afterward  in 
Brooklyn.    He  died  in  1758. 

Joost,  the  eldest  son  of  Jacob,  was  born  in  1709.  He  was 
a  farmer  and  millwright  at  Jamaica  South,  and  married 
Willemtje  Terhune.  His  brother  Abraham  was  an  influen- 
tial merchant  of  New  York,  and  a  member  of  the  Committee 
of  One  Hundred  during  the  Revolutionary  War.  He  wrote 
his  name  Duryee,  and  still  later  it  was  changed  to  Duryea. 
John,  the  eldest  son  of  Joost,  was  born  in  1743,  and  was  a 
flour  merchant  in  New  York.  His  first  wife  was  Sarah  Bar- 
kuloo.  In  1771,  he  married  his  second  wife,  Jannetta  Rapel- 
yea,  daughter  of  Cornelius  Rapelyea,  of  Hellgate.  Rudolph, 
the  second  son  of  Joost,  was  Colonel  in  the  Revolutionary 
Army. 

Cornelius  Rapelyea  Duryea,  the  second  son  of  John  and 
Jannetta  Rapelyea  Duryea,  was  born  July  12, 1779.  He  mar- 
ried, in  1805,  Ann  Barkuloo. 

Harmanus  B.  Duryea,  son  of  Cornelius  R.  Duryea,  was 
born  at  Newtown,  Queen's]  county,  N.  Y.,  July  12,  1815.  In 
1825,  the  family  removed  to  New  York  city,  and  later  to 
Brooklyn.  Harmanus  commenced  the  study  of  law  in  the 
office  of  Thomas  W.  Clerke,  afterwards  a  Judge  of  the  Su- 
preme Court  of  the  First  Judicial  District.  He  completed  his 
studies  with  those  eminent  jurists  of  Brooklyn,  Judges  John 
Greenwood  and  John  Dikeman.  At  the  age  of  21,  he  was 
admitted  to  the  Bar,  and  began  practice  as  the  partner  of 
Judge  Greenwood.  In  1842,  Mr.  Duryea  was  appointed  a 
Supreme  Court  Commissioner  for  Kings  County,  an  office  of 
high  judicial  importance,  charged  with  all  the  duties  of  a 
Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  at  Chambers.  This  office  was 
abolished  by  the  constitution  of  1846.  Soon  after  assuming 
the  duties  of  this  office,  he  was  appointed  Corporation  Coun- 
sel for  the  city  of  Brooklyn. 

In  June,  1847,  he  was  elected  District  Attorney  of  Kings 
County,  serving,  by  re-election,  two  terms  of  three  years 
each.  In  the  fall  of  1857,  Mr.  Duryea  was  elected  member 
of  Assembly  from  Kings  County,  from  the  Third  Assembly 
District.  In  the  following  year  he  was  re-elected.  In  1S58 
he  was  the  only  Republican  member  of  the  Assembly  south 
of  Albany. 

In  recognition  of  Mr.  Duryea's  zeal  and  ability  in  advanc- 
ing educational  interests,  he  was  appointed  a  member  of 
the  Board  of  Education  in  Brooklyn,  and  served  for  many 
years  in  that  capacity. 

In  1831,  Mr.  Duryea  became  a  member  of  the  Hamilton 
Literary  Association.  In  1842,  he  drew  and  secured  the 
passage  of  the  act  of  its  incorporation,  and  held  the  position 
of  its  President  for  a  number  of  terms.  Throughout  the 
half  century  and  more  of  its  existence,  this  association  has 
exercised  a  powerful  influence  upon  the  destinies  of  the  vil- 
lage and  city  of  Brooklyn.  It  has  now  been  merged  into  the 
Hamilton  Club,  which  proposes  to  hold  a  distinctly  literary 
and  artistic  place  in  the  community. 

As  early  as  1836,  Mr.  Duryea  became  connected  with  the 
military  organizations  of  Kings  county,  serving  as  Lieuten- 
ant, Captain,  Colonel,  Brigadier-General,  and  finally,  as 
Major-General  of  the  Second  Division  of  the  National  Guard 


of  the  State  of  New  York.  This  position  he  held  for  many 
years,  and  at  the  time  of  his  resignation,  in  1869,  was  the 
senior  Major-General  of  the  State.  From  1845  he  was  ac- 
tively engaged  in  the  improvement  of  the  militia,  attending 
the  Legislative  sessions  in  this  interest,  serving  on  the  State 
Boards  for  Revision  of  Laws  and  Regulations,  and  for  three 
terms  acting  as  President  of  the  State  Military  Association. 

Among  other  marked  advances  inaugurated  by  General 
Duryea,  was  that  of  the  system  of  brigade  encampments. 
He  also  secured  the  passage,  in  the  New  York  Legislature, 

|  of  the  act  for  the  establishment  of  the  magnificent  parade 
ground  at  Prospect  Park.  When  the  Civil  War  opened  in 
1861,  the  Second  Division  was  strong  in  numbers,  and 
among  them  were  military  enthusiasts,  successful  organizers, 
skillful  instructors  and  accomplished  military  advocates,  so 
that  whenever  the  division  was  called  upon,  during  the 

j  war,  for  militia  or  volunteers,  it  was  readv  to  furnish  its 
quota  promptly  and  without  any  failure.  The  militia  regi- 
ments were  among  the  first  to  rally  to  the  defense  of 
Washington.  Among  them  the  13th,  14th  and  28th.  of 
Brooklyn.  They  furnished  officers  for  the  volunteers.  The 
14th  early  volunteered  for  the  war,  and  in  emergencies  all 
the  regiments  of  the  division,  except  one,  were  called  to 

|  the  seat  of  war.  That  one  was  sufficient  to  preserve 
order  in  the  division  limits,  which  no  riot  ever  disturbed. 
General  Duryea's  talents  for  organization,  and  long  fa- 
miliarity with  the  militia  rendered  invaluable  his  services  in 
drilling  and  forwarding  the  volunteer  regiments,  and  in  re- 
plenishing the  constantly  wasting  force  of  the  militia. 
These  duties  he  discharged  with  a  faithfulness  and  efficiency 
characteristic  of  the  man;  and  throughout  the  dark  days  of 
the  Rebellion  was  energetic  in  serving  his  country. 

As  a  member  of  the  Bar  of  Kings  county,  he  always  prac- 
ticed those  professional  amenities  so  characteristic  in  a  high- 
toned  lawyer;  therefore,  his  relations  with  the  Judiciary, 
and  with  his  brethren  of  the  Bar,  have  always  been  pleasing 
and  instructive.  His  retirement  from  practice  was  a  subject 
of  regret,  not  only  to  them,  but  to  those  who  were  accus- 
tomed to  rely  upon  his  professional  learning,  sound  and 
thoughtful  advice,  and  his  acknowledged  ability. 


SAMUEL  BOWNE  DURYEA. 

Samuel  Bowne  Duryea,  son  of  Harmanus  B.  Duryea  and 
Elizabeth  A.  Bowne,  daughter  of  Samuel  Bowne,  was  born  in 
Brooklyn,  March  27,  1845.  He  was  a  student  at  the  Brooklyn 
Polytechnic  Institute,  from  which  he  entered  the  sophomore 
class  of  the  New  York  University,  and  graduated  with  honors  in 
1866.  For  a  time  he  was  a  student  in  the  Yale  Theological  Sem- 
inary, but  decided  not  to  pursue  the  course  intended,  on  account 
of  special  interests  demanding  his  attention. 

Mr.  Duryea  is  actively  connected  with  Brooklyn's  representa- 
tive literary  and  charitable  institutions,  such  as  the  Brooklyn 
Library,  the  Art  Association,  Children's  Aid  Society,  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association,  Kings  County  Temperance  Society, 
Franklin  Literary  Society,  Hamilton  Club,  and  Tree  Planting 
and  Fountain  Society. 

He  is  in  politics  an  independent  Republican,  and  has  given 
much  thought  and  time  to  the  best  interests  of  the  city,  as 
affected  by  legislative  action,  in  regard  to  education  and  taxa- 
tion; as  well  as  to  matters  of  importance  to  the  State,  such  as 
the  preservation  of  its  game  and  fish,  and  the  protection  of  its 
forests  and  streams. 

In  the  year  186(1,  Mr.  Duryea  was  married,  at  Milwaukee, 
Wisconsin,  to  Kate,  daughter  of  Walter  P.  Flanders,  Esq. 

Mr.  Duryea's  varied  education,  public  spirit,  and  zeal  for  good 
government  in  the  city  of  his  birth,  render  him  one  of  Brookyn's 
valued  citizens.  His  wide  acquaintance  with  literature  gives 
force  to  his  written  and  spoken  productions,  among  which  we 
mention  a  paper  on  The  BSghtMSS  of  Seif-lm-e  as  a  Ground  of 
Action,  read  before  the  Franklin  Literary  Society,  Nov.  18,  1878; 
and  an  Address  on  Education,  delivered  before  the  same  asso- 
ciation, Nov.  24,  1879.  These  essays  ai  I  thoughtful  and  direct 
in  purpose,  and  exhibit  felicity  of  expression,  delicacy  of  taste 
I  and  a  pure  diction. 


1234 


ALEXANDER  McCUE. 

Judge  McCue  became  a  resident  of  the  city  of  Brooklyn  so 
early  in  his  life  that  he  may  almost  be  regarded  as  a  native  of 
the  city.  He  was  born  at  Matamoras,  Mexico,  in  1827;  his 
parents  were  natives  of  Ireland,  and  before  the  birth  of  their 
son  became  residents  of  Matamoras.  His  father  was  a  merchant 
of  high  standing,  of  considerable  enterprise  and  talent.  These 
qualities  were  fully  recognized  by  his  fellow- citizens,  and  he 
became  one  of  the  most  influential  of  their  number.  At  the 
time  he  settled  there,  there  was  not  a  brick  honse  in  the  city; 
it  was  not  long,  however,  before  Mr.  McCue  erected  a  tasteful 
brick  house,  and  his  example  was  soon  followed  by  very  many 
of  the  leading  citizens.  When  young  McCue  was  seven  years 
of  age  his  parents  sent  him  to  Brooklyn  to  be  educated.  He 
had  been  at  school  but  a  short  time  when  he  received  intelli- 
gence of  his  father's  death.  His  mother,  a  woman  of  uncommon 
mental  powers,  added  to  those  other  virtues  which  make  up  the 
exemplary  wife  and  mother,  prepared  to  become  a  resident  in 
the  city  where  her  son  was  being  educated.  Accordingly,  she 
dispose  1  of  the  real  property  left  her  by  her  husband  in  Mata- 
moras, and,  with  her  other  means,  became  a  resident  of 
Brooklyn. 

Young  McCue  early  exhibited  scholarly  traits;  to  him  the 
acquisition  of  learning  was  easy  and  natural.  Soon  after  his 
arrival  in  Brooklyn,  he  became  an  attendant,  and  we  believe  a 
member,  of  St.  James'  Catholic  Church,  in  Jay  street.  So  rapid- 
ly had  he  advanced  in  his  education  that,  while  yet  a  mere 
boy,  he  became  an  acceptable  Sabbath  school  teacher  in  the 
school  of  that  church.  Among  his  brother  teachers  at  that  time, 
were  many  of  the  best-known  citizens  of  Brookyn. 

His  mother,  in  the  meantime,  whose  watchful  care  was  con- 
stantly over  him,  decided  to  send  him  to  Columbia  College; 
after  a  thorough  examination,  he  was  found  to  be  well  qualified 
to  enter  that  institution,  from  whence,  in  1840,  he  graduated 
with  high  honors. 

As  his  friends  did  not  consider  his  education  complete,  he 
was  sent  to  Europe  to  finish  it,  and  he  became  a  student  in  one 
of  the  German  universities  for  a  term  of  two  years.  After  a 
faithful  studentship  he  returned  to  this  country,  prepared  to 
enter  upon  his  chosen  profession,  the  law.  He  selected  for 
his  legal  preceptors  Hon.  John  Greenwood  and  Gen.  H.  B. 
Duryea,  then  partners  in  the  practice  of  law,  and  one  of  the 
most  eminent  legal  firms  in  the  county  of  Kings.  He  was  in 
due  time  prepared  for  his  examination;  this  successfully  took 
place,  and  he  was  called  to  the  Bar  of  the  State  of  New  York.  So 
closely  had  he  applied  himself  to  his  studies,  so  useful  had  he 
become  in  the  office  of  his  accomplished  preceptors,  that  imme- 
diately after  his  admission  they  offered  to  make  him  a  partner; 
although  the  offer  was  very  advantageous,  the  young  lawyer 
decided  to  begin  practice  alone,  and  this  he  did  with  satisfac- 
tory success. 

Mr.  McCuo  had  early  attached  himself  to  the  Democratic 
party,  anil  he  soon  hecame  conspicuous  among  the  politicians  of 
the  city  anil  county.  In  1853  he  received  the  appointment  of 
Assistant  District  Attorney.  Ho  discharged  the  duties  of  this 
iifliee  so  acceptably  that  in  the  autumn  of  1866  he  was  nominated 
by  the.  Democrats  of  the  county  as  their  candidate  for  District 
Attorney.  At  that  time  the  "  Know-Nothing"  agitation  was  at 
its  height)  ainl  Mr.  McCiio  and  all  the  nominees  on  the  Demo- 
cratic ticket,  with  the  exception  of  James  Hntchins  who  was 
elected  State  Senator— wore  defeated.  In  the  autumn  of  1857  he 
accepted  tip-  nomination  as  the  independent  candidate  for  Con- 
gress, against  Georgo  Taylor,  the  regular  Democratic  nominee. 
Il»  was  defeated  and  Taylor  was  elected,  but  afterwards  the 
Democrats  of  the  district  strongly  regretted  that  they  had  not 
nominated  and  elected  Medic.  He  now  devoted  himself  closely 
t..  hit  profession,  anil  no  rapidly  <1  i <  1  his  reputation  as  a  lawyer 
increase  that  in  1H5'J  he  was  elected  by  the  Board  of  Aldermen 


Corporation  Counsel.  At  the  expiration  of  his  official  term  he 
was  re-elected,  and  when  his  second  term  expired  he  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Hon.  John  G.  Schcmakeb,  an  eminent  lawyer  of  the 
Brooklyn  Bar.  At  the  expiration  of  Mr.  Schumaker's  term,  Mr. 
McCue  was  again  appointed  Corporation  Counsel.  The  evidence 
of  the  distinguished  abilities  which  he  brought  to  this  office 
is  his  repeated  election  to  it,  and  those  records  in  which  his 
official  acts  are  recorded.  The  Brooklyn  E/iijle  said  of  him : 
"As  a  lawyer,  Mr.  McCuo  bears  the  highest  reputation,  and 
his  judgment  on  intricate  knotty  points  of  law  is  second  to 
no  other  lawyer  in  the  State."  The  history  of  his  career  at  the 
Bar  abounds  in  important  cases  in  which  he  was  counsel  forone 
or  the  other  of  the  parties  litigant.  In  consideration  of  his 
abilities  as  an  advocate,  he  was  assigned  as  one  of  the  counsel  in 
the  celebrated  case  of  the  People  v.  Gonzales;  and  when  that  case 
reached  the  Court  of  Appeals  he  conducted  the  argument  of  the 
appeal  in  that  tribunal  with  marked  learning  and  ability. 

When,  by  the  amendment  of  the  Constitution,  it  became  cer- 
tain that  two  additional  judges  were  to  be  added  to  the  Bench  of 
the  City  Court,  Judge  McCue  was  very  early  solicited  to  become 
a  candidate;  but  he  thought  proper  to  decline,  and  with  his 
family  visited  Europe.  But  when  the  time  came  for  nominat- 
ing candidates  for  that  office,  he,  with  Hon.  Joseph  Neilson, 
was  nominated  by  the  Democrats  of  the  city,  and,  as  we  have 
seen,  he  and  Judge  Neilson  were  elected  for  the  term  of  fourteen 
years.  On  his  return  from  Europe,  he  entered  upon  the  duties 
of  his  office  how  ably  and  learnedly  let  the  profession  and  the 
public  answer.  We  venture  the  assertion,  however,  mak- 
ing it  a  matter  of  history,  that  the  answer  must  be  in  every  sense 
gratifying  to  Judge  McCue  and  to  his  friends. 

We  recall  an  instance  in  his  judicial  career  in  which  his  charge 
to  a  jury  became  a  matter  of  much  favorable  comment  by  the 
press,  the  profession  and  the  public.  It  was  his  charge  to  the 
jury  in  the  case  of  The  Peoplex.  Perry,  a  physician,  or  a  pretend- 
ed physician,  who  had  been  indicted  for  producing  the  death  of 
a  woman  by  malpractice  in  an  attempt  at  abortion.  In  the 
course  of  his  charge  the  Judge  said  that  "  a  medical  practitioner, 
regular  or  otherwise,  must  be  held  as  bound  to  be  able  to  per- 
form the  functions  he  professes  to  discharge,  and  that  he  is  not 
only  responsible  for  the  commission  of  errors  in  his  pmctice, 
but  he  is  liable  for  any  avoidable  injurious  omissions  of 
duty.  Heretofore  in  practice,  if  not  in  law,  charlatins  and  irreg. 
ulars  have  been  employed  by  patients  at  their  own  risk,  una 
such  a  thing  as  malpractice  has  hardly  been  thought  of."  Judge 
McCue's  rulings,  said  the  New  York  Times,  commenting  upon 
his  charge,  "whether  it  be  new,  or  an  anomalously  luiuinoua 
putting  of  the  law,  as  it  is,  is  in  the  interest  of  sound  and  regular 
medicine  and  surgery  and  the  preservation  of  human  life." 

This  trial  took  place  before  the  present  law  regulating  pr.u  tio- 
ing  physicians  and  surgeons.  The  preliminary  contest  in  the 
famous  Jieerher-Tillon  trial,  brought  on  by  the  application  of  Mr. 
Beecher's  counsel,  Mr.  Thomas  G.  Shearman,  for  a  bill  of  particu- 
lars of  the  facts  upon  which  Mr.  Tilton  relied  to  establish  his 
cause  of  action,  is  and  ever  will  be  regarded  as  one  of  the  moat 
important  incidents  in  legal  history.  The  motion  to  compel  tin- 
plaintiff  to  deliver  to  the  defendant's  attorneys  a  statement  in 
writing  of  the  particular  times  and  places  at  which  the  aoti 
named  in  the  complaint  took  place,  was  elaborately  argued 
before  Judge  Neilson,  who  denied  the  motion  for  a  bill  of 
particulars,  whereupon  Messrs.  Shearman  A  Sterling  took  an 
appeal  to  the  General  Term  of  the  City  Court,  which  was  argued 
before  Justices  lteynolds  and  McCue  early  in  November,  1N74. 
Each  of  those  learned  jurists  delivered  an  opinion,  the  fonmT 
in  favor  of  affirming  Judge  Neilson's  decision,  the  latter  in 
favor  of  reversing  it.  Both  of  these  opinions  are  characterise! 
by    peculiar    learning    and    acuteness    of    reasoning.  The 

I  opinion  of  Judge  McCue,  with  which  we  have  to  deaMt 
present,  is  one  which  will  always  be  studed  by  the  legal  prof"* 

'  sion  with  interest  and  profit.    "  The  power  of  the  court  "  Mft 


BENCH  AND  BAR  OF  BROOKLYN. 


the  judge,  "  under  section  168  of  the  Code,  is  without  limitation. 
The  court  may,  in  all  cases,  order  a  bill  of  particulars  of  the 
claim  of  either  party  to  be  furnished.  This  language  is  broad 
enough  to  cover  this  case,  and  the  reason  for  the  rule  which  has 
obtained  in  our  State  in  criminal  actions  and  actionsfor  divorce, 
applies  with  equal  force  to  an  action  for  crim.  con.  We  are 
justified  in  saying  that  it  applies  with  greater  force  in  the  case 
at  bar,  for  the  effect  of  the  verdict  against  the  defendant  is 
practically  to  stamp  another  person,  not  a  party  to  the  action, 
with  his  crime,  and,  therefore,  unable  to  make  any  defense  in 
court." 

As  the  court  was  divided,  Judge  Neilson's  decision  was  sus- 
tained, and  the  case  went  by  appeal  to  the  Court  of  Appeals, 
which  reversed  Judge  Neilson's  decision  and  that  of  the  General 
Term,  sustaining  Judge  McCue's  opinion.  Whereupon  Judge 
McCue,  on  December  7,  1874,  upon  proper  affidavits  made  by 
Mr.  Beecher  and  Mr.  Shearman,  granted  an  order  requiring  Mr. 
Tilton's  attorney  to  show  cause  before  him,  at  a  Special  Term  of 
the  City  Court,  then  soon  to  bo  held,  why  he  should  not  deliver 
to  the  defendant's  attorney,  at  some  reasonable  time  before  the 
trial  of  the  cause,  a  statement  in  writing,  verified  by  oath,  of  the 
particular  times  and  places  at  which  he  intended  to  prove  that 
any  of  the  charges  in  the  plaintiff's  complaint  against  the 
defendant  took  place.  The  granting  of  this  order  brought  on 
another  contest  before  Judge  McCue,  which  took  place  at  the 
time  when  the  plaintiff  was  required  to  show  cause  why  the  bill 
of  particulars  should  not  be  granted.  In  this  contest  Mr.  Evarts 
and  Mr.  Shearman  appeared  for  the  defendant,  and  Judge  Morris 
for  the  plaintiff.  After  long  and  elaborate  arguments,  Judge 
McCue  directed  the  entry  of  an  ocder  that  the  plaintiff  furnish 
to  the  defendant's  attorneys  the  bill  of  particulars  required,  and 
that  the  plaintiff  be  precluded  from  giving  any  evidence  at  the 
trial  of  the  action  to  prove  the  occurrence  of  any  specific  act  of 
wrong  committed  by  the  defendant  at  any  other  time  or  place 
than  is  set  forth  in  the  said  statement  of  particulars.  Prom  this 
order  the  plaintiff  appealed  to  the  General  Term  of  the  City 
Court,  and  after  another  lengthy  argument  by  the  respective 
counsel,  in  which  Mr.  Beach  and  General  Tracy  participated, 
for  and  against,  the  order  for  a  bill  of  particulars  granted  by 
Judge  McCue  was  set  aside  or  reversed.  Chief  Justice  Neilson 
and  Mr.  Justice  Reynolds  both  wrote  opinions  in  favor  of  revers- 
ing it,  and  the  same  was  reversed.  Thus  ended  this  great  contest, 
in  which  the  most  important  legal  questions  were  discussed  and 
decided. 

In  the  long  judicial  career  of  Judge  McCue  there  are  found  a 
large  number  of  interesting  opinions,  which  have  added  largely 
to  the  legal  learning  of  his  day. 

The  term  for  which  he  was  elected  is  drawing  to  a  close;  there 
must  be  much  in  the  memory  of  it  which  is  gratifying  to  himself 
and  his  friends,  and  if  he  were  again  placed  upon  the  Bench, 
the  long  experience  he  would  bring  to  it  would  be  of  the 
greatest  value  to  all. 


GEORGE  G.  REYNOLDS. 

Judge  Reynolds,  like  his  distinguished  associate  upon  the 
Bench,  Hon.  Alexander  McCue,  has  so  long  been  a  resident  of 
Brooklyn  that  he  has  come  to  be  regarded  as  one  of  its  native 
citizens. 

After  commencing  his  practice  in  Brooklyn,  he  began  to  lay 
the  solid  foundation  for  an  elevated  professional  reputation,  and 
he  rapidly  advanced  to  the  front  rank  of  the  Brooklyn  Bar,  a 
position  which  he  held  until  called  to  the  Bench.  On  leaving 
the  Bar,  he  left  an  extensive  and  honorable  practice.  It  was  his 
ability  and  learning  as  a  lawyer  that  placed  him  upon  the 
Bench. 

On  October  21st,  1872,  he  was  nominated  by  the  Democrats 
and  the  Liberal  Republicans  for  the  judicial  office  ho  now  holds, 
having,  we  believe,  once  before  held  the  office  of  City  Judge. 
Immediately  after  his  nomination,  the  Brooklyn  Enjle,  comment- 


ing upon  the  event,  said:  "Judge  Reynolds  has  been  so  long 
and  favorably  known,  his  career  as  a  lawyer  has  been  so  con- 
spicuous and  successful,  and  his  reputation  as  a  man  so  puro 
and  unsullied,  that  no  commendation  of  ours  is  necessary  to  aid 
in  securing  his  election.  That  ho  will  be  elected  is  a  certainty, 
and  that  he  will  honor  and  adorn  the  Bench  after  his  election  is 
also  certain." 

This  language  of  the  Eagle  has  proven  in  every  sense  true. 
At  the  election,  which  took  place  in  November,  1872,  ho  was 
elected  a  judge  of  the  city  of  Brooklyn  for  the  term  of  four- 
teen years.  He  entered  upon  the  discharge  of  his  duties  Jan- 
uary 1st,  1873.  These  duties  have  been  arduous,  tho  business 
of  the  City  Court  having  continued  to  increase  from  tho  time 
he  commenced  his  judicial  career  down  to  the  present.  Though 
it  is  in  its  nature  a  municipal  tribunal,  it  ranks  in  dignity 
and  importance  with  the  Supreme  Court,  and  in  many  respects 
its  jurisdiction  is  equal  to  that  court. 

At  the  Nisi  prius  or  Trial  Terms,  at  its  Special  and  General 
Terms,  Judge  Reynolds  has  for  twelve  years  labored  assidu- 
ously—and we  make  no  mistake  in  saying— to  tho  satisfaction 
of  the  Bar  and  public.  We  have  already  alluded  to  the  part 
he  took  as  a  judge  in  the  great  preliminary  contest  of  the 
Tilton- Beecher-  case,  in  the  motion  to  compel  the  plaintiff,  Mr. 
Tilton,  to  furnish  the  defendant  with  a  bill  of  the  particular 
circumstances  on  which  the  plaintiff  relied  to  make  out  his 
case  against  Mr.  Beecher. 

After  the  argument  of  the  appeal  in  the  General  Term  of  the 
City  Court,  taken  from  Judge  Neilson's  decision  denying  a 
bill  of  particulars,  Judge  Reynolds  wrote  an  opinion  sustain- 
ing Judge  Neilson,  in  which  he  carefully  reviews  the  cases  in 
which  bills  of  particulars  have  been  allowed  in  actions  for 
divorce  on  grounds  of  adultery,  and  he  says:  "Bills  of  par- 
ticulars may  be  ordered  in  certain  cases,  and  have  sometimes 
been  allowed  in  actions  of  tort  or  wrong,"  and  cites  two  cases 
in  which  such  have  been  allowed,  one  of  which  was  Humphry 
v.  Cottleyou  (4th  Cowan,  54),  which  was  an  action  of  trover 
for  the  conversion  of  a  quantity  of  timber.  The  Court  said 
that  "the  date  of  the  item  should  be  given  with  as  much 
particularity  as  possible;  if  the  day  could  not  be  stated,  then 
the  month  or  year  should  be:  that,  however,  was  a  case  where 
the  claim  was  susceptible  of  being  resolved  into  particulars, 
or  itemized,  with  approximate  dates,  as  much  so  as  an  ac- 
count for  goods  sold."  The  other  case  was  an  action  for 
dower,  Vischer  v.  Conanl  (4th  Cowan,  396).  The  count  or 
charge  was  in  the  then  general  form,  without  stating  any  land 
in  which  the  widow  claimed  dower.  The  Court  said  that  "tho 
proper  course  was  the  same  as  in  ejectment,  where  the  de- 
claration was  equally  general,  that  is,  to  ascertain,  by  a  bill 
of  particulars,  for  what  particular  land  the  plaintiff  was  pro- 
ceeding." 

The  judge  refers  to  another  case,  Early  v.  Smith,  cited  from 
the  Appendix  to  Pith  Irish  Com.  Law  R.  This  was  an  action 
for  slander,  where  the  Court  said:  "We  do  not  compel  the 
plaintiff  to  state  the  specific  times  at  which  she  chaTges  the 
words  to  have  been  spoken,  and  binding  by  them,  or  the  names 
of  the  parties  to  whom  the  words  were  spoken,  but  the  occasions 
on  which  the  words  were  spoken.  But  the  Court  refused  to 
bind  the  plaintiff  to  specific  times.  There  is  a  vast  difference," 
continues  the  judge,  "between  the  nature  of  that  action  and  this. 
It  was  the  essence  of  slander  that  the  words  had  been  spoken  in 
the  presence  and  hearing  of  other  people,  and  tho  plaintiff  might 
well  be  presumed  to  have  the  means  easily  accessible  of  fixing 
the  occasion  and,  with  some  certainty,  the  time  of  the  wrong. 
No  such  presumption  naturally  arises  here;  indeed,  the  contrary 
to  some  extent  appears." 

After  referring  to  certain  confessions  made  by  a  person  promi- 
nent in  the  trial,  the  judge  says:  "Ii  we  should  make  the 
order  for  a  bill  of  particulars  now  asked  for,  the  defendant 
might,  in  the  first  place,  with  great  plausibility  object  to  all 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


proof  which  does  not  point  to  some  specific  time,  and,  in  the 
next,  demand  a  verdict  of  acquittal,  even  if  the  jury  should 
believe  the  evidence  against  him,  because  he  had  not  been 
shown  to  have  committed  the  offense  at  the  particular  times  to 
which  the  plaintiff  had  been  confined  by  the  order  ajid  the  bill 
of  particulars.  If  this  result  would  not  follow  upon  such  a 
shite  of  facts,  I  see  no  object  in  asking  for  the  order;  and  if 
such  results  should  follow,  it  seems  to  me  it  would  be  a  re- 
proach upon  the  administration  of  justice.  I  think  the  parties 
can  have  a  perfectly  fair  trial  of  the  issues  in  the  ordinary  way. 
I  am  therefore  in  favor  of  affirming  the  order  denying  the  bill 
of  particulars  made  at  Special  Term,  but  without  costs." 

Thereby  Judge  Neilson's  order  denying  a  bill  of  particulars 
was  affirmed.  On  the  appeal  taken  from  this  decision  to  the 
Court  of  Appeals,  the  opinion  of  Neilson  and  Reynolds  was 
reversed.  Immediately  on  the  announcement  of  this  decision  in 
the  Court  of  Appeals,  the  indefatigable  counsel  for  Mr.  Beecher 
made  a  second  application  for  a  bill  of  particulars  before  Judge 
McCue,  who  granted  the  order  at  the  Special  Term,  from  which 
there  was  an  appeal  to  the  General  Term  of  the  City  Court, 
which  was  argued  before  Judges  Neilson  and  Reynolds.  After 
argument.  Judges  Neilson  and  Reynolds  delivered  opinions 
reversing  the  decision  made  by  Judge  McCue:the  opinion  of 
Judge  Neilson  is  somewhat  lengthy,  that  of  Reynolds  brief, 
pointed  and  learned.  He  tersely  reiterates  the  grounds  he  took 
in  the  opinion  to  which  we  have  alluded.  We  might  allude  to 
many  other  important  cases  in  which  Judge  Reynolds  has  ren- 
dered opinions,  with  interest  and  advantage  to  this  work,  but 
space  will  not  permit. 

As  a  lawyer  he  was  successful ;  the  result  of  his  extensive 
legal  knowledge  was  always  at  his  command;  making  no  preten- 
sions to  show  and  brilliancy,  he  relies  more  on  the  strength  and 
soundness  of  his  positions  and  arguments  than  on  attempts  at 
rapid  originality  and  sparkling  reasons.  If  these  qualities  are 
useful  in  a  lawyer  they  are  inestimable  in  a  judge. 

Suffice  it  to  say,  his  career  thus  far  has  been  highly  honor- 
able to  himself  and  valuable  to  the  profession  and  the  puhlic. 


NATHANIEL  H.  CLEMENT. 

Judge  Clement  was  born  at  Tilton,  N.  H.,  in  March,  1844.  He 
graduated  at  Portsmouth  High  School  in  1859,  and  the  same  year 
t  uteri  .1  Dartmouth  College,  from  whence  he  \v;is  graduated,  and 
entered  upon  the  study  of  law.  He  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in 
18C6,  and  immediately  became  a  resident  of  Brooklyn,  where  he 
perfected  an  arrangement  with  the  law  firm  of  Crooke,  Bergen  & 
Pratt,  by  which  ho  became  its  managing  clerk.  He  occupied 
this  position  till  January  1st,  1870,  when  Pratt  was  elected  a 
Justice'  of  the  Supreme  Court,  and  of  course  dissolved  his  con- 
nection with  the  firm.  Mr.  Clement  became  a  member  of  a  new 
firm,  under  the  name  of  Crooke,  Bergen  &  Clement.  In  1873 
I  nend  Crooke  was  elected  to  Congress,  and  the  firm  was  dis- 
solved. Mr.  Clement  immediately  opened  an  office  and  began 
practice  for  himself.  He  had  then  been  at  the  Bar  seven  years, 
during  which  timo  he  had  had  large  experience  in  almost  every 
variety  of  practice  which  his  association  with  his  distinguished 
partners  brought  him.  So  that  ho  commenced  business  for  him- 
self under  the  most  advantageous  circumstances,  and  ho  entered 
at  once  on  a  lucrative  practice,  taking  a  high  professional,  po- 
litic ,i|  mnl  s  M-i.il  position. 

lie  gn\e  the  Democratic  party  his  allegiance,  and  becamo  a 
member  of  the  Young  Men's  Democratic  Club;  a  member  of  the 
Brooklyn  Club,  the  Carlton  Club,  and  Treasurer  of  the  Brooklyn 
Dispensary.  In  the  meantime  he  was  counsel  in  several  import- 
ant i  .i-es,  tlo  trials  of  which  he  conducted  with  distinguished 
success.  Anion/  the  eases  in  which  ho  was  counsel,  was  that 
of  the  I'r<>i^rlij-tiir,iT.i  v.  TV  Kist  .  r  liritl./i- and  <\mi  i/  fsltiml 
i  i '•■m/wi/iy,  obtaining  a  decision  of  the  General  Term  of 

the  Supreme  Court  holding  that  no  railroad  can  bo  constructed 


on  the  streets  of  Brooklyn  or  any  other  city  without  due  com- 
pensation  to  the  owners   of  the  property  through  which  it 

passes. 

In  the  summer  of  1882,  Hon.  Joseph  Neilson  retired  from  the 
Bench  of  the  City  Court,  and  it  became  necessary  at  the  en- 
suing fall  election  to  elect  a  judge  in  his  place.  Although  Mr. 
Clement  was  then  but  thirty-eight  years  of  age,  his  accomplish- 
ments as  a  lawyer  and  his  high  position  as  a  citizen  placed 
him  prominently  before  the  public  as  the  successor  of  Chief 
Justice  Neilson.  In  the  autumn  of  that  year  he  received  the 
nomination,  which  he  accepted,  and  he  was  elected  in  the  fol- 
lowing November.  He  began  his  judicial  duties  on  the  first  of 
January,  1883.  Of  course,  he  has  his  judicial  reputation  to  make, 
but  he  has  now  occupied  the  Bench  considerably  over  a  year; 
judging  from  the  very  able  manner  in  which  he  has  discharged 
his  duties  during  this  time,  his  future  judicial  career  will  com- 
pare favorably  with  that  of  his  distinguished  associates  and 
predecessors  on  the  Bench.  It  was  once  said  by  Chief  Justice 
Bronson  that  experience  was  more  beneficial  to  a  judge  than 
to  any  other  public  official;  and  the  remark  was  true.  And  yet 
there  are  men  who  possess  natural  judicial  minds  and  methods, 
and  who  come  to  the  labors  and  responsibilities  of  the  Bench 
with  intuitive  ease.  From  the  high  esteem  in  which  Judge 
J  Clement  is  held  by  the  Bar  and  the  public,  we  risk  nothing  in 
saying  that  he  belongs  to  this  class.  He  has  now  twelve  years 
of  judicial  service  before  him;  how  much  each  passing  year  will 
add  to  his  judicial  usefulness  and  accomplishments,  remains 
to  be  seen. 


SAMUEL  D.  MORRIS.* 

Samuel,  D.  Morris  was  born  in  Monmouth  County,  New  Jer- 
sey. His  father,  Robert  P.  Morris,  was  a  farmer,  actively  en- 
gaged in  the  pursuit  of  agriculture  at  the  time  of  his  son's  birth. 
The  early  years  of  young  Morris  were  spent  upon  his  father's 
farm  in  tilling  the  soil.  Not  richly  endowed  with  wealth,  the 
father  and  his  sons  were  compelled  to  work  winter  and  summer, 
early  and  late.  Hence  it  was  that  young  Samuel  was  unable  to 
receive  instruction  in  anything  but  the  cultivation  of  the  ground. 
However,  arriving  at  the  age  of  twenty-one,  he  acted  upon  a  re- 
solve long  previously  formed.  He  entered  upon  a  regular 
course  of  schooling,  at  Leedsville,  in  his  native  State,  with  the 
same  intense  energy  which  has  marked  his  subsequent  career. 

i  After  a  few  months  spent  at  this  place,  he  connected  himself 
with  the  academy  at  Homdel,  where  ho  remained  for  six  months, 
when  the  principal  of  tho  institution  removing  to  Johnstown, 

I  N.  Y.,  Morris  followed  him,  and  remained  under  his  charge  until 
thoroughly  prepared  for  a  collegiate  course.  Selecting  Rutgers 
College  as  the  institution  at  which  to  complete  his  educa- 
tion, ho  was  admitted  to  the  sophomore  class.  Having  finished 
his  course  of  studies,  he  went  to  the  Law  School  at  Ballston  Spa, 
then  in  high  repute  as  a  training  school  for  young  lawyers,  and 

1  under  the  able  charge  of  Prof.  J.  W.  Fowler.    This  was  in  1H49. 

j  His  prominence  in  the  debates,  which  were  a  feature  of  the 
training  at  this  school,  gave  him  the  highest  prize  within  the 
gift  of  the  school.  Among  his  associates  at  Rutgers  and  the 
Ballston  school,  were  Judge  Bedle,  now  Governor  of  New  Jersey, 
and  Judge  Larremore,  of  New  Y'ork.  A  year  later,  July  3,  1H50, 
Mr.  Morris  wan  admitted  to  the  practice  of  tho  law  at  PlattaburJ 

|  N.  Y'.  ;and  in  tho  spring  of  1851,  he  came  to  Brooklyn  to  enter 
upon  his  profession. 

About  the  time  of  his  settling  in  Brooklyn,  Pierco  had  been 
nominated  for  the  Presidency,  and  our  young  lawyer,  an  ardent 
Democrat,  entered  most  enthusiastically  into  tho  campaign. 
I 'pon  the  hustings  nightly,  iii  that  vigorous  canvass,  his  voice 
was  heard  urging  the  principles  of  the  Democratic  doctrine. 

•  The  nutlior  i«  in.hliUil  to  u  friend  of  JiMgu  Morris  for  this  ii<luilr»bta 

bio|tra]>bi<-iil  okulcU. 


BENCH  AND  BAR  OF  BROOKLYN. 


1237 


His  abilities  and  rare  qualities  as  a  speaker  were  thus  made 
known  to  his  fellow-citizens.  His  speeches,  and  the  pronounced 
quality  of  his  political  doctrines,  brought  him  into  favorable 
notice. 

In  the  following  fall  of  1853,  he  received  the  Democratic 
nomination  for  Assembly,  and,  in  the  face  of  a  strong  and  bitter 
opposition,  was  elected  by  an  overwhelming  majority.  Three 
members  then  represented  the  interests  of  Kings  County  in  the 
State  Assembly.  The  session  in  which  he  took  part  was  exciting. 
Horatio  Seymour  was  Governor.  The  "  Maine  Law"  excitement 
was  at  its  height,  and  the  temperance  interests  were  active  and 
aggressive.  In  the  discussions  which  ensued,  Mr.  Morris  took 
an  active  part,  and  was  appointed  to  the  committee  to  which 
was  referred  the  bill  which  had  been  introduced  favoring  the 
prohibitory  law.  That  committee  consisted  of  nine  members, 
eight  of  whom  reported  in  favor  of  the  passage  of  the  bill.  Mr. 
Morris,  however,  offered  a  minority  report  to  the  contrary.  The 
bill,  however,  was  passed;  but  Governor  Seymour  promptly  re- 
turned it  with  his  veto,  and  in  his  message  followed  very  closely 
the  line  of  argument  employed  by  Mr.  Morris  in  his  minority 
report. 

After  the  adjournment  of  the  Legislature,  Mr.  Morris  was  ap- 
pointed Corporation  Attorney  to  the  city  of  Brooklyn.  In  the 
spring  of  1855,  the  Legislature  having  re-passed  the  Maine  Law 
Bill,  which  was  promptly  signed  by  Governor  Myron  H.  Clark, 
who  had  been  elected  as  a  temperance  candidate,  Mr.  Morris 
was  called  upon,  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties,  to  enforce  it. 
Believing  it  to  be  an  unjust  and  despotic  law,  and  that  he  could 
not  remain  in  office  and  properly  perform  its  duties  without  en- 
forcing it,  he  resigned  his  office  in  May,  1855.  He  now  set 
about  the  work  of  testing  the  constitutionality  of  the  law,  and  he 
carried  the  celebrated  "  Toynhee  Case  "*  to  the  Court  of  Appeals, 
which  eminent  and  learned  body  declared  the  law  to  be  uncon- 
stitutional. Thus  was  Mr.  Morris'  course  and  judgment,  both 
in  the  Legislature  and  the  office  of  Attorney,  vindicated. 

The  great  personal  triumph  of  this  opinion  lifted  him  higher 
than  ever  in  public  esteem,  and  in  the  fall  of  1855  he  was  elected 
Judge  of  the  County  Court,  and  upon  this  bench  he  sat  for  the 
full  term  of  four  years.  It  was  within  his  power  to  have  ac- 
cepted a  renomination,  but  he  declined  it,  and  became  a  candi- 
date for  the  District  Attorneyship,  a  position  much  more  to  the 
liking  of  his  active  and  energetic  disposition.  His  failure  to  re- 
ceive the  nomination  his  friends  attributed  to  political  trickery, 
and  he  ran  upon  an  independent  ticket.  Disaster  overtook  the 
Democratic  party  in  this  campaign,  and  John  Winslow,  a  Re- 
publican,  was  elected.  At  the  expiration  of  the  term  of  Mr. 
Winslow,  during  which  Mr.  Morris  had  sedulously  devoted 
himself  to  a  large  and  growing  practice,  our  subject  was  elected 
District  Attorney.  This  was  in  1862;  he  was  re-elected  in  1865, 
and  again  in  1868,  having  served  in  this  most  important  office 
three  terms,  or  nine  years. 

The  fact  that  Judge  Morris  was  elected  three  times  is  sufficient 
to  show  the  confidence  reposed  in  him  by  the  voters  of  Brooklyn, 
and  we  might,  with  justice,  point  to  that  fact  alone  as  a  record 
of  honor.  But  Judge  Morris'  course  as  District  Attorney  was 
marked  by  the  greatest  energy,  the  most  rigid  enforcement  of 
the  laws,  and  the  most  relentless  pursuit  of  criminals. 

Before  his  assumption  of  the  duties  of  the  office,  the  "Diamond 
Murder"  had  occurred.  Sigismund  Fellner,  who  had  come  to 
this  country  in  1861,  because  of  domestic  difficulties  at  home  in 
Germany,  brought  with  him  a  large  amount  of  diamonds. 
Arriving  in  New  York,  he  made  the  acquaintance  of  a  country- 
man named  Ratzky.  A  strong  intimacy  growing  up  between 
them,  they  came  to  Brooklyn  to  reside  together.  Not  long  after 
this,  the  body  of  Fellner  was  found  floating  off  the  New  Jersey 
shore  near  Keyport.  Batzky  was  at  once  arrested  upon  sus- 
picion, but  had  not  been  brought  to  trial  when  Judge  Morris 

*  See  The  People  v.  Toynhee  (20  Barb.,  168  ;  S.  C.  13  N.  T.,  378). 


became  District  Attorney.  The  new  incumbent  at  once  took  up 
this  work.  A  month  was  spent  in  the  preparation  of  the  cose. 
The  difficulty  of  this  task  will  be  appreciated  when  it  is  known 
that  two  years  had  elapsed  since  the  commission  of  the  crime, 
and  much  of  the  evidence  had  been  scattered.  Edwin  James, 
the  distinguished  English  advocate,  had  then  but  lately  come  to 
this  country,  and  was  in  the  full  bloom  of  his  deserved  reputa- 
tion as  an  able  lawyer;  he,  with  the  late  ex-Judge  Stuart,  were 
engaged  for  the  defense.  But  notwithstanding  their  brilliant 
efforts  for  their  client,  so  complete  was  the  chain  of  evidence 
produced  by  the  prosecution,  that  Ratzky  was  convicted  of 
murder  in  the  first  degree.  So  searching  had  been  the  examina- 
tion into  the  case,  so  complete  and  minute,  that  evea  the 
clothes  of  Fellner  were  found  after  an  expiration  of  two  years, 
and  brought  into  court. 

In  the  case  of  Tales,  who  had  been  arrested  for  the  murder  of 
Curran,  the  policeman,  this  quality  of  sleuth-hound  persistency 
and  tireless  energy  was  even  more  manifest.  This  case  was 
taken  to  the  Court  of  Appeals,  where  a  new  trial  was  ordered. 
Upon  the  second  trial,  Yates  was  convicted  of  murder  in  the 
second  degree. 

Probably  no  case  in  which  Judge  Morris  acted  as  prosecutor, 
up  to  the  time  of  the  Tilton-Beecher  case,  ever  excited  greater 
attention  than  the  "  Olero  Murder  Case."  And  this  because  of 
the  mystery  which  at  first  surrounded  the  deed.  Otero  was  a 
wealthy  Cuban,  who  had  come  to  this  country  upon  business. 
During  his  stay  in  New  York,  he  was  enticed  by  two  Spaniards, 
Gonzales  and  Salvador,  whose  acquaintance  he  had  made,  to 
Brooklyn,  and  was  murdered  by  them  in  the  City  Park.  The 
two  men  were  convicted.  The  General  Term  of  the  Supreme 
Court  reversed  the  decision  of  the  Court  of  Oyer  and  Terminer, 
but  Judge  Morris,  carrying  the  case  to  the  Court  of  Appeals, 
obtained  a  reversal  of  the  decision  of  the  Supreme  Court,  and 
the  murderers  were  executed.    (See  "Important  Trials.") 

Of  other  cases  which  will  be  well  remembered,  was  the  Skid- 
more  Murder,  or  "Air-Gun  Murder,"  as  it  was  better  known. 
Skidmore,  pending  the  trial,  cheated  the  gallows  by  committing 
suicide  in  his  cell. 

On  the  31st  day  of  December,  1872,  Mr.  Morris  yielded  up  the 
District  Attorneyship,  which  he  had  held  for  nearly  nine  years, 
and  has  since  devoted  himself  exclusively  to  his  large  practice, 
both  criminal  and  civil.  Among  the  more  recent  cases  in  which 
Judge  Morris  has  won  much  credit  may  be  mentioned  the 
defense  of  Fanny  Hyde,  and  the  prosecution  of  a  large  number  of 
the  claims  of  those  who  suffered  from  the  disaster  to  the  Staten 
Island  ferry-boat  Westfield. 

There  is  something  remarkable  in  his  fidelity  to  his  clients; 
no  circumstance  that  tends  to  their  advantage  is  ever  over- 
looked, and  he  perfectly  understands  when  and  how  to  seize 
the  vantage  ground  of  the  contest.  Few  lawyers  go  to  tho  bar 
with  their  cases  better  prepared  for  trial  than  Judge  Morris; 
and  he  seldom  speaks  in  court  without  being  listened  to  with 
profound  attention.  Some  of  his  arguments  and  addresses  to 
courts  and  juries  which  have  been  published,  will  always  be  read 
by  the  legal  student  and  by  lay  readers  with  pleasure  and  profit. 

Socially,  Judge  Morris  is  one  who  surrounds  himself  with 
friends.  Somewhat  reserved  and  reticent  in  his  intercourse  with 
strangers,  his  friendships  are  of  slow  growth,  but  when  grown, 
strong,  healthy  and  wholesome,  lasting  with  life,  and  not  over- 
thrown by  every  summer  breeze  that  blows  from  the  west.  His 
friendship  once  gained,  his  confidence  once  won,  and  there  is 
revealed  a  warm  heart,  beating  with  generous  impulses,  and  a 
spirit  accommodating,  agreeable,  and  sacrificing. 

Twice  married,  he  has  made  for  himself  a  happy  home,  and  it 
is  at  his  own  fireside,  perhaps,  after  all,  that  he  is  seen  at  the 
best  advantage.  The  further  fame  and  reputation  he  has  won 
by  his  participation  in  the  great  Ti'ton-I  jecher  case  will  be  best 
determined  when  the  passions  and  prejudices  it  has  engendered 
have  had  time  to  cool. 


123S 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


JOHN  C.  PERRY. 

No  circumstance  in  the  history  of  the  Bench  and  Bar  of  Brook- 
lyn, or  of  Kings  County,  is  fraught  with  more  mournful  interest 
than  the  sudden  termination  of  the  life  of  this  eminent  and 
widely  esteemed  lawyer. 

He  came  to  Brooklyn  in  1854,  a  young  and  ardent  lawyer,  and 
entered  upon  the  duties  of  his  profession,  having  thoroughly 
studied  the  principles  of  law  in  the  writings  and  productions  of 
the  great  masters  of  jurisprudence  with  a  strong,  though  quiet, 
determination  to  succeed  in  his  profession.  Without  display, 
with  unpretending  ability,  and  undoubted  legal  accomplish- 
ments, ho  succeeded  to  an  extent  that  would  bo  gratifying  to 
many  moro  ambitious  men.  One  of  his  strong  endowments  was 
his  intuitive  faculty  of  making  friends,  and  of  inspiring  all  who 
knew  him  with  tho  highest  confidence  in  his  integrity  and 
honor. 

It  would,  however,  be  tho  work  of  supererogation  for  us  to  enter 
upon  any  extended  eulogy  of  Mr.  Perry,  after  tho  beautiful 
tribute  of  respect  paid  to  his  memory  by  tho  Brooklyn  Bench 
and  Bar  soon  after  his  death. 

John  C.  Perry  was  born  at  Forrestburg,  Sullivan  County, 
New  York,  on  April  21,  18:12.  Having  passed  through  an  ele- 
mentary course  at  the  common  school,  he  entered  Monticello 
Academy,  where  ho  acquired  an  excellent  practical  education, 
and  while  very  young  he  entered  on  tlio  study  of  the  legal  pro- 
fession. He  pursued  his  studies  with  such  industry  and  success 
that  ho  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the 
State  as  soon  as  he  attained  tho  ago  of  21  years,  as  by  the  Con- 
stitution he  could  not  have  been  admitted  before  that  time. 
After  practicing  three  years,  ho  was  appointed  Assistant  District 
Attorney  of  Ulster  County,  having  removed  to  that  county  from 
Sullivan  County  after  his  admission. 

In  tho  autumn  of  1857  he  removed  to  Brooklyn,  and  began  the 
practice  of  his  profession  in  the  city  of  New  i'ork;  but,  like 
many  other  lawyers  whose  residence  is  in  Brooklyn,  ho  practiced 
in  both  cities. 

Mr.  Perry  soon  took  a  prominent  position  at  both  Bars,  and 
in  tho  city  of  Brooklyn  he  secured  the  confidence  and  esteem  of 
his  fellow-citizens  in  a  marked  degree.  Whatever  tended  to 
tho  interests  of  Brooklyn  he  always  warmly  advocated. 

He  early  became  a  political  partisan  and  a  member  of  tho 
It.  puhlieaii  party,  conscientiously  and  firmly  upholding  01 
maintaining  tho  principles  of  his  party  ;  he  felt  it  to  bo  as 
much  a  man's  duty  to  take  an  interest  in  politics  as  was  the 
advancement  of  his  own  individual  affairs;  that  the  good 
order  and  welfare  of  society  is  subserved  by  tho  interest  which 
respectablo  and  responsible  men  take  in  politics.  Thus  Mr. 
Perry  camo  to  a  position  so  prominent  in  the  Bepublican  party 
in  Kings  County  that,  in  tho  autumn  of  1863,  ho  was  nominated 
and  elected  member  of  Assembly  by  his  party,  taking  his  seat 
in  the  Legislature  January  5,  1864.  In  the  fall  of  that  year  ho 
was  returned  to  tho  Legislature,  serving  in  that  body  from 
January  3rd  to  April  28th,  1805.  The  late  Gen.  Philip  S. 
Crooke  was  one  of  his  colleagues  in  his  first  legislative  ses- 
sion. 

In  the  spring  of  1865,  Mr.  Perry  was  appointed  Assistant 
I'nited  States  Histriet  Attorney  for  the  Eastern  District  of  New 
York  by  Hon.  Benjamin  D.  Killiman,  a  namo  conspicuous  in 
tho  history  of  the  State,  who  was  at  that  timo  I'nited  States 
District  Attorney  for  the  Eastern  District.  This  was  an  ex- 
ceedingly high  compliment  to  Mr.  Perry  as  a  man  and  as  a 
lawyer.  Tho  manner  in  which  he  discharged  the  duties  of  his 
othee  gteiitly  ench.'ineeil  his  professional  reputation. 

Mr.  Sitliman  resigned  the  office  in  tho  fall  of  18oi">,  and  was 
Hiireei  <le.l  by  lion.  Benjamin  E.  Tracy.  Although  it  was  the 
wish  of  Judge  Tracy  that  Mr.  Perry  should  continuo  as  his 
assistant,  such  were  his  professional  duties  that  he  declined. 

In  \Hl\  Mr.  Perry  was  elected  State  Senator  in  tho  Second 


District;  his  Democratic  opponent  was  James  F.  Pierce,  who 
entered  tho  canvass  backed  by  a  Democratic  majority  of  over 
one  thousand.  Nothing  in  tho  life  of  Mr.  Perry  so  thoroughly 
illustrates  his  popularity  as  a  man,  and  the  strong  hold  he  had 
upon  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  the  people,  than  tho  result  of 
this  election :  he  was  elected— to  use  the  expression  of  politicians, 
he  ran  more  than  one  thousand  votes  ahead  of  his  ticket.  At 
the  close  of  his  Senatorial  term,  he  declined  a  tendered  re- 
nomination,  determined  to  devote  himself  entirely  to  the  duties 
of  his  profession.  In  1880  he  was  appointed  Counsel  to  the 
Brooklyn  Police  and  Rrrise  Department,  a  position  which  he  held 
until  he  resigned  it,  a  short  time  previous  to  his  death. 

About  the  last  of  March,  1884,  ho  was  tendered,  by  President 
Arthur,  the  position  of  Chief  Justice  of  Wyoming  Territory,  on 
tho  recommendation  of  nearly  all  the  judges  and  ex -judges  of 
his  district.  He  accepted  it,  and  there  are  very  few  who  would 
not;  and  at  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  on  the  14th  of 
April,  had  completed  his  arrangements  for  his  departure  to  enter 
upon  tho  duties  of  his  office.  One  of  the  pleasant  incidents 
connected  with  his  anticipated  departure  was  a  reception  ten- 
dered him  by  the  Brooklyn  Club.  Many  other  agreeable  cir 
cumstances  exhibited  the  anxiety  of  his  numerous  friends  to 
testify  of  their  esteem  for  him,  and  give  him  a  heartfelt  farewell. 
"The  congratulations  showered  upon  him,"  said  the  Br<>, i  k 
Enjle,  "had  tho  value  of  perfect  sincerity.  A  life  of  hard  laW 
lay  behind  him;  before  him,  according  to  all  human  foresight, 
were  honor,  distinction,  comparative  ease  and  comfort.  He,  with 
his  family,  were  looking  forward  to  tho  enjoyment  of  his  rewud; 
was  engaged  in  preparation  for  his  journey  to  the  scenes  of  his 
new  activities.  The  very  day  before  his  departure,  apparently 
in  full  and  vigorous  health,  while  on  the  street  with  his 
daughter  making  his  final  arrangements,  he  suddenly  and  with- 
out any  warning  fell  senseless,  and,  without  speaking  a  farewell 
word  to  his  family,  a  few  hours  after  died.  An  hour  had 
worked  an  awful  change  in  his  household,  and  all  his  friends 
were  benumbed  with  the  suddenness  of  tho  stroke." 

The  sudden  death  of  one  so  conspicuous  in  Brooklyn,  under 
such  circumstances,  produced  a  profound  sensation,  which  was 
attested  by  many  public  and  private  demonstrations;  the  most 
prominent  of  which  was  a  largo  meeting  of  tho  Brooklyn  Hencli 
and  Bar,  which  convened  on  the  16th  of  April,  to  give  expres- 
sion to  the  high  esteem  in  which  they  held  his  memory,  of  their 
past  appreciation  of  his  character,  and  of  their  sorrow  for  his 
death.  Wo  have  already  referred  to  this  meeting;  it  was  one  of 
unusual  interest  and  solemnity,  attended  by  the  ablest  members 
of  the  Brooklyn  Bench  and  Bar.  The  following  is  a  description 
of  the  proceedings  of  tho  meeting,  which  we  give  as  an  incide  nt 
worthy  to  enter  the  legal  history  of  Kings  County  and  of  Brook- 
lyn: 

Members  of  tho  Bench  and  Bar  met  in  tho  General  Term 
room  of  tho  Supreme  Court,  to  take  action  on  tho  death 
of  the  Hon.  John  C.  Perry,  Chief  Justice  of  Wyoming  Ter 
ritory.  In  attendance  were  Justices  Pratt,  Cullen  and  Hartlett, 
of  the  Supreme  Court;  Chief  Judge  McCue,  and  Judges  Bq 
nolds  and  Clement,  of  tho  City  Court;  Judgo  Moore,  of  the 
County  Court;  Surrogate  Bergen,  ex-Chief  Judgo  Neils. a. 
Justice  Gilbert  ex  Judgo  Tracy,  ex-Judge  Morris,  ex-Judge 
Troy,  ex-Judge  Towns,  ex-Judge  Dailey,  Corporation  Counsel 
Taylor.  ex-Judgo  Jesso  C.  Smith,  ox-Judgo  Lynch,  Bon 
W.  C.  Do  Witt.  Hon.  Theodore  F.  Jackson.  Hon.  Isaac  S.  Catlin, 
ex-Judgo  Livingston,  Hon.  John  Winslow.  District  Attorney 
Uidgway  and  Assistant  District  Attorneys  Shorter  and  Jenks, 
Charles  J.  Patterson,  F.  E.  Dana,  William  B.  Davenport, 
Robert  Johnstono,  Henderson  Benedict,  Charles  Uidgway,  H  " 
Hubbard,  Henry  A.  Heirs,  James  ( ilendenning,  Joseph  M.  Green- 
wood, F.  L.  Backus,  J.  J.  Rogers,  A.  E.  Lamb,  A.  Sinn-. 
W.  E.  S.  Fales,  A.  H.  Gelting,  A.  P.  Hermann,  W.  L  Whtttaf 
Georgo  W.  Moad,  Hugo  Uirsch,  J.  J.  Leary,  Edgar  Bergen, 


BENCH  AND  BAR  OF  BROOKLYN 


1239 


William  Shields,  John  C.  McGuire,  John  B.  Kuhn,  William 
Hemstreet,  H.  B.  Hubbard,  Benjamin  Baker,  Eobert  Connolly, 
George  T.  "Walker,  Edward  Reilly,  F.  A.  Ward,  Abraham  Lett, 
William  H.  Green,  Eobert  Pinckney,  J.  Z.  Lott,  Mark  D.Wilbur, 
James  D.  Bell,  J.  B.  Hurd,  George  W.  Eoederick,  Alex.  T.  Car- 
penter, Hassan  H.  Wheeler,  P.  J.  O'Hanlon,  Patrick  Ready, 
Judah  B.  Voorhees,  John  U.  Shorter,  Jesse  Johnson,  Thomas 
E.  Pearsall,  David  Barnett,  F.  W.  Catlin,  E.  C.  Lowe,  F.  N. 
O'Brien,  W.  C.  L.  Thornton,  N.  W.  Hewlett,  H.  E.  Cruikshank, 
Arthur  C.  Salmon,  John  Hess,  Edward  B.  Lansing,  W.  G.  Cook, 
A.  P.  Carlin,  Charles  E.  Lowery,  John  B.  Meyenborg,  Henry  S. 
Bellows,  George  Elliott,  Charles  Wills,  John  D.  Pray,  Eichard 
C.  Cnrren,  H.  M.  Birkett,  E.  O.  Catlin,  H.  D.  Birdsall,  William 
Sweetzer,  Assistant  District  Attorney  Clark,  and  Michael  Furst. 

THE  PROCEEDINGS. 

The  meeting  was  called  to  order  by  W.  C.  De  Witt,  who  pro- 
posed Judge  Eeynolds  as  chairman,  with  Mr.  Justice  Cullen, 
Mr.  Justice  Bartlett,  County  Judge  Moore,  Chief  Judge  McCue, 
Judge  Eeynolds,  Judge  Clements  and  Surrogate  Bergen 
associated.  Charles  J.  Patterson  and  F.  A.  Ward  were  nomi- 
nated as  secretaries. 

Mr.  F.  E.  Dana,  by  request,  offered  for  adoption  the  follow- 
ing: 

"  The  members  of  the  Kings  County  Bar,  represented  in  a  gene- 
ral meeting  convened  for  that  purpose,  at  the  Court  House  in 
the  City  of  Brooklyn,  on  the  16th  day  of  April,  1884,  hereby 
publicly  express  their  respect  and  esteem  for  the  character  of 
the  late  John  C.  Perry.  In  his  professional,  official  and  private 
life  he  was  alike  faithful,  upright  and  modest,  and  in  the  dis- 
charge of  his  public  duties  he  was  able,  diligent  and  singularly 
courteous.  The  judicial  career  which  was  he  about  to  begin,  as 
Chief  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Wyoming,  would  have 
made  those  merits  more  widely  known,  but  the  promotion  was 
not  needed  to  secure  their  recognition  here.  This  expression  of 
regard  from  his  associates  in  the  legal  profession,  attested  by 
the  signatures  of  the  judges  who  have  presided  at  the  meeting, 
will  be  transmitted  to  his  family  to  signify  the  sympathy  which 
the  Bar  extends  to  them  in  their  deep  affliction." 

Mr.  Eobert  Johnstone  seconded  the  resolution,  and  Judge 
Eeynolds  called  for  remarks,  and  named  Judge  Tracy. 

Judge  Tracy  said  that  the  unexpected  death  of  their  friend 
reminded  them  all  how  vain  and  uncertain  was  life.  In  the 
prime  of  manhood  John  C.  Perry  was  stricken  down  while  in 
the  pursuit  of  ordinary  business,  and  w  hile  making  arrange- 
ments to  depart  to  assume  an  honorable  and  exalted  judicial 
position.  Of  the  esteem  and  respect  which  he  possessed  in  this 
city,  and  especially  among  his  professional  brethren,  the  meet- 
ing was  sufficient  proof.  It  was  the  speaker's  good  fortune  to 
know  Judge  Perry  long  and  intimately.  He  was  a  noble  man, 
a  true  and  generous  friend,  fulfilling  faithfully  every  duty  of 
life,  pursuing  his  profession  in  an  honorable  way  and  in  a  high- 
ly successful  degree.  Living  among  them  as  he  had  for  thirty 
years,  he  thought  he  might  say  that  John  C.  Perry  was  without 
an  enemy,  which  could  be  said  of  very  few  men,  and  that  was 
certainly  a  proof  that  he  had  not  lived  in  vain.  He  was  honored 
not  only  by  his  professional  brethren,  but  by  the  City  of  Brook- 
lyn, which  he  had  represented  in  both  branches  of  the  Legisla- 
ture. He  had  filled  public  positions  which  few  filled  without 
escaping  criticism,  but  against  him  not  a  word  had  ever  been 
uttered.  He  had  filled  those  positions  and  discharged  all 
the  duties  they  imposed  without  a  breath  of  suspicion  against 
his  name.  It  was  fitting  that  the  members  of  the  Bench  and 
Bar  should  in  such  a  manner  commend  such  a  life. 

Corporation  Counsel  John  A  Taylor  thought  that  it  was 
highly  creditable  to  the  Bar,  as  a  profession,  that  when  a  mem- 
ber fell  out  of  the  ranks  by  death,  they  should  meet  and,  leav- 
ing their  business  for  a  time,  consider  the  character  of  the  man 
who  had  passed  from  among  them.    Judge  Perry  carried  with 


I  him  at  all  times  the  manner  of  a  gentleman.  His  chief 
characteristic  was  his  true  manhood.  His  memory  would  dwell 
in  the  affection  of  all  who  knew  him,  and  it  was  proper  that  by 
common  impulse  they  should  thus  meet  and  testify  to  the  solid 
worth  of  their  dead  friend. 

Mr.  Charles  J.  Patterson  said  that  the  genius  of  John  C.  Perry 
was  of  the  quiet  kind.  For  the  last  two  years  he  had  been  in  close 
contact  with  him,  and  could  testify,  though  with  a  sad  heart  he 
did  it,  to  his  worth  and  nobility  as  a  man.  Under  a  modest  ex- 
terior was  hidden  a  large  knowledge  of  his  profession  in  all  its 
branches.  He  was  most  careful  and  conscientious  in  the  daily 
business  of  life,  painstaking  and  faithful  in  the  most  minute 
matters  as  well  as  in  the  greater.  On  all  he  did  was  shed  a  spirit 
of  kindness,  of  courtesy,  of  self-denial,  and  he  would  always 
rather  confer  a  benefit  than  seek  to  receive  one.  He  felt  that  he 
was  a  better  man  for  having  known  Judge  Perry. 

Mr.  H.  Benedict  indorsed  the  sentiments  of  the  speakers,  and 
I  was  followed  by  Mr.  M.  L.  Towns,  who  eulogized  the  dead  man, 
i  and  spoke  feelingly  of  the  pleasant  relations  existing  between 
them. 

Hon.  M.  D.  Wilber  said  that  he  had  been  a  friend  of  John  C. 
I  Perry  ever  since  he  was  admitted  to  the  Bar.  He  served  with 
I  him  at  Albany,  and  on  the  same  committee,  and  his  influence 
there  was  the  same  as  it  was  in  social  life.  His  life  was  pure 
and  free  from  any  taint  of  wrong  doing.  It  reflected  honor  on 
his  constituency  there,  as  it  reflected  honor  on  the  Bar  here, 
when  the  President  named  John  C.  Perry  as  Chief  Justice  of 
Wyoming  Territory. 

Judge  Eeynolds  said  that  it  seemed  to  him  appropriate  that 
they  should  pause  a  moment  in  the  midst  of  the  excitement  and 
pressure  of  business,  and  take  notice  of  the  admonition  which 
had  come  so  suddenly.  Judge  Perry  told  the  speaker  that  he 
intended  to  open  court  on  Monday  next,  the  52d  anniversary  of 
j  his  birth.  He  had  not  only  been  held  in  high  esteem  by  the 
Bar,  but  had  been  repeatedly  indorsed  by  his  fellow-citizens, 
and  when  he  was  named  for  the  high  position  to  which  he  was 
appointed,  every  judge  in  the  city  of  Brooklyn  signed  a  letter 
indorsing  him. 

On  motion,  it  was  ordered  that  the  resolutions  be  signed  by 
the  judges  presiding,  and  that  a  copy  be  sent  to  the  family. 


THOMAS  G.  SHEARMAN. 

Thomas  G.  Shearman,  though  not  native  born,  is  by  nature  as 
well  as  by  the  education  of  a  long  residence  in  this  country 
thoroughly  American  in  political  creed  and  in  loyal  devotion  to 
her  general  interests.  He  was  born  in  Birmingham,  England, 
in  November,  1834,  and  at  the  age  of  nine  years  came  to  New- 
York,  with  his  parents.  His  father  was  a  practicing  physician; 
his  mother  a  lady  of  superior  talent  and  character,  under  whose 
supervision  his  education  was  completed  at  home. 

Early  in  1857,  he  took  up  his  residence  in  Brooklyn,  which  has 
ever  since  been  his  home,  and  where  he  is  now,  as  he  has  been 
for  some  years  past,  well  known  throughout  the  community  for 
his  abilities  as  a  leading  lawyer  and  his  public  services  as  a 
citizen. 

Mr.  Shearman  was  admitted  to  the  Kings  County  Bar  in  1859, 
but  before  completing  his  studies  preparatory  to  his  admis- 
sion to  practice,  his  literary  tastes  led  him  to  engage,  in 
connection  with  the  late  John  L.  Tillinghast,  in  the  prepa- 
ration of  a  treatise  on  practice,  the  first  volume  of  which  was 
published  early  in  1861,  under  the  general  title  of  "  Tillingbast 
and  Shearman's  Practice."  The  second  volume  was  written  by 
Mr.  Shearman  alone;  and  the  treatise  thus  completed  was  at 

'  once  recognized  by  the  profession  as  in  every  way  an  admirable 
piece  of  work.    It  is  understood  that  the  book  is  now  out  of 

)  print. 


1240  HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Pursuing  his  taste  in  this  direction  still  further,  Mr.  Shearman 
devoted  some  years,  after  his  admission  to  the  Bar,  to  the  prepar- 
ation of  briefs,  the  codification  of  certain  branches  of  the  law, 
and  other  work  of  a  studious  and  somewhat  retired  character. 

Subsequently,  in  the  year  186;t,  Mr.  Shearman,  in  association 
With  A.  A.  Redfield,  Esq.,  published  a  treatise  on  the  Law  of 
Negligence,  of  which  four  editions  have  been  published  to  this 
time.  This  was  a  pioneer  work  on  this  subject,  in  this  country 
as  well  as  in  England;  and,  in  the  estimation  of  the  Bench  and 
Bar,  has  held  its  own  with  several  works  on  the  same  subject 
since  publish"d  by  distinguished  and  able  writers. 

After  the  publica  ion  of  this  book,  Mr.  Shearman  seems  to 
have  abandoned  any  literary  ambition  he  may  have  had,  and 
entered  actively  into  the  practice  of  his  profession.  His  great 
knowledge  of  cases,  English  and  American,  his  comprehensive 
grasp  of  legal  principles,  and  the  clearness  of  his  style,  gave  him 
repeated  successes  in  the  General  Term  and  Court  of  Appeals, 
in  cases  which  were  considered  desperately  hopeless  even  by 
the  lawyers  who  retained  him,  who  had  been  beaten  in  the  court 
below. 

The  Civil  War  gave  rise  to  many  important  and  difficult  ques- 
tions of  law,  not  the  least  of  which  was  whether  the  Rebellion 
constituted  a  "war  "  within  the  strict  legal  meaning  of  that  term, 
and  therefore  whether  insurance  companies  were  exempt,  under 
the  old-fashioned  war-risk  clause  in  their  policies,  from  liability 
for  the  destruction  of  Northern  vessels  by  Southern  cruisers. 

The  case  of  Swinerton  v.  Columbian  Ins.  Co.,  in  the  Superior 
Court  of  New  York  City,  Wiis  one  involving  this  novel  question. 
It  appeared  that  a  vessel  was  captured  by  an  armed  band  of 
Virginians,  two  days  after  Virginia  had  passed  an  ordinance  of 
secession,  but  before  the  fact  was  officially  published.  No  evi- 
dence could  be  procured  by  the  company  that  the  capture  was 
made  under  any  regular  official  authority;  and  the  General 
Term  of  the  Superior  Court  unanimously  held  that  the  capture 
was  not  such  an  act  of  war  as  exempted  the  insurance  company 
from  liability  under  the  war  risk  clause  of  its  policy.  The  in- 
surance company's  counsel,  as  a  forlorn  hope,  engaged  Mr. 
Shearman  to  argue  an  appeal  to  the  Court  of  Appeals  from 
this  decision,  which  he  did  in  September,  1867,  and  with  com- 
plete success,  as  appears  by  a  report  of  the  case,  reversing  the 
judgment  below,  reported  in  the  37th  volume  of  the  New 
York  Reports. 

In  I  Mix,  Mr.  Shearman  went  into  partnership  with  the  dis- 
tinguished advocate,  David  Dudley  Field,  and  his  son  Dudley 
Field,  under  the  firm  name  of  Field  &  Shearman,  into  which 
firm,  later  in  the  same  year,  Mr.  John  W.  Sterling  was  admitted 
a  partner.  During  the  whole  existence  of  this  copartnership, 
its  business  was  one  of  the  largest  of  any  firm  of  practition- 
ers in  New  York. 

The  new  firm  was  almost  immediately  called  upon  to  take 
charge  of  the  legal  business  of  the  Erie  Railway  Company,  Mr. 
Shearman  being  appointed  to  the  responsible  position  of  otficc 
counsel.  As  such,  he  had  personal  supervision  of  the  company's 
law  business  throughout  the  State,  and  for  several  years  devoted 
his  entire  time  to  their  service.  The  great  law-suits  growing  oat 
of  the  contest  for  the  control  of  the  Erie  Railway  Company, 
the  Atlantic  and  Great  Western,  and  the  Albany  and  Susque- 
hanna Railway  Companies,  attracted  universal  public  attention, 
and  greatly  extended  Mr.  Shearman's  reputation  as  not  only  a 
skillful  advocate,  but  as  an  inventor,  or,  rather,  a  re-discoverer 
of  some  lost  and  forgotten  remedies  applicable  to  tlie  cases  in 
hand,  i'iid  which  provi  d  to  work  with  admirable  success  for  his 
clients.  Chief  among  these  was  the  use  of  a  writ  of  assistance, 
as  a  ne  mm  of  putting  a  Receiver,  appointed  jumli  iili  HO;  into 
possesion  of  the  property,  and  also  the  service  of  an  in- 
junction in  a  distant  part  of  the  State  by  telegraphic  copies. 
This  hint  procedure  culled  forth  loud  complaints  on  the  part  of 
Homo  of  the  lending  newspapers  of  the  day,  and  even  of  some 
lnwyoin.  Bnt  the  saino  practice,  in  both  respects,  was  quickly 
adopted  by  his  opponents  in  the  same  case*.    Since  that  time 


the  English  Courts  of  Equity  have  unanimously  decided  that  it 
is  not  merely  proper  to  telegraph  an  injunction  or  similar  writ, 
but  also  that  a  copy  of  such  a  writ  sent  directly  over  the  tel- 
egraph to  the  adverse  party  or  his  attorney  is  a  perfectly  good 
service,  and  that  disobedience  of  an  injunction  thus  served  is  a 
contempt  of  court;  and  this  decision  being  appealed  from,  has 
been  unanimously  affirmed. 

In  the  fall  of  1873  Mr.  Shearman  and  Mr.  Sterling  formed  a 
new  firm  by  themselves.  In  the  now  famous  trial  of  Theodore 
Tilton  against  Rev.  Henry  Ward  Beecher,  which  lasted  six 
months  continuously  in  open  court,  and  involved  the  labor  of 
several  months  in  preliminary  and  collateral  proceedings,  Mr. 
Shearman,  as  a  warm  personal  friend  of  Mr.  Beecher  of  many 
years'  standing,  was  actively  engaged  as  counsel  for  the  defense, 
his  firm  of  Shearman  Sc  Sterling  being  the  attorneys  of  record 
for  the  defendant.  His  application  in  that  case  for  a  bill  of  par- 
ticulars had  no  precedent  in  this  country,  and  was  generally 
considered  by  the  Bar  as  hopeless;  and  a  majority  of  the  conrt 
before  which  the  motion  was  first  argued  would  seem  to  have 
been  of  the  same  opinion;  but  McCue,  J.,  dissented;  and,  on 
appeal,  the  Court  of  Appeals  created  a  genuine  sensation  by  re- 
versing the  decision  below,  in  an  elaborate  opinion  by  Rapallo,  J., 
which  has  been  followed  in  all  American  courts,  and  has  settled 
the  law  on  this  point. 

Mr.  Shearman's  new  firm  were,  from  1874  to  1876,  attorneys 
and  counsel  for  Mr.  Jay  Gould  in  about  100  actions  for  damages 
brought  against  him  and  others,  who  were  believed  to  he  inter- 
ested in  creating  the  gold  panic  of  1869.  The  trial  of  these 
actions  attracted  a  large  share  of  public  attention,  and  popular 
feeling  ran  strongly  against  Mr.  Gould  and  the  other  defend- 
ants. The  cases  were  tried  before  several  different  judges;  bnt 
in  every  instance  the  defendants  were  successful. 

The  case  of  Black  v.  The  Continental  Bank  arose  out  of  exten- 
sive forgeries  committed  by  one  Ross,  who  fled  to  Brazil  with 
$100,000  in  gold,  and  was  never  captured.  He  obtained  $60,000 
from  Mr.  Black  on  a  certified  check,  which  the  bank  declared  to 
be  a  forgery.  On  the  first  trial,  ten  of  the  jury  favored  a  verdict 
for  the  plaintiff,  believing  the  certification  to  be  genuine.  After 
this,  Shearman  &  Sterling  were  substituted  as  attorneys  and 
counsel  for  the  defendant.  The  second  trial  (before  Van  Brunt, 
J.)  was  hotly  contested,  and  many  new  scientific  tests  were  in- 
troduced on  behalf  of  the  defendant,  which  won  the  verdict. 

Mr.  Shearman  still  continues  in  the  active  practice  of  hit 
profession,  being  yet  a  comparatively  young  man.  There  are 
other  lawyers  in  Brooklyn  who  have  doubtless  tried  more  cases 
in  the  courts  than  he  has  ;  but  it  is  well  understood  that  his 
business  out  of  court,  or  "chamber  business,"  as  it  is  call'-. 1. 
has  largely  increased  in  recent  years,  and  that  in  substantial 
value  it  exceeds  that  of  any  other  lawyer  residing  in  Brooklyn. 
His  connection  with  cases  which  have  attracted  so  large  a  share 
of  public  attention  and  newspaper  controversy  has  made  hit 
name  more  widely  known  than  that  of  almost  any  other  Brook- 
lyn lawyer. 

In  politics,  Mr.  Shearman  has  always  been  a  Republican,  hav- 
ing been  ono  of  tho  young  men  who  came  of  age  when  that 
party  was  formed,  and  ho  cast  their  first  votes  for  its  first  can- 
didate, Fremont,  and  having  voted  for  every  Republican  Presi- 
dent since.  Originally,  he  was  a  decided  protectionist  ;  hut  he 
changed  his  views  upon  this  point  about  twenty  years  ago,  U 
tho  result  of  more  careful  study,  and  has  over  sinoe  been  a 
believer  in  freo  trade.  It  is  safo  to  say  that  no  one  has  MM 
moro  to  forward  its  interests,  and  to  diffuse  a  better  under- 
standing of  it  among  tho  community,  than  Mr.  Shearn.an. 
With  an  ardor  and  force  peculiarly  his  own,  and  with  a  most 
earnest  conviction  of  the  advantages  which  would  accrue  to  the 
country  from  a  freo  trado  system,  lie  lias  unflinchingly  advo- 
cated its  adoption.  Being  of  opinion  that  tho  questions  grow- 
ing out  of  slavery,  the  war  and  the  currency  were,  however, 
more  important  than  tho  issuo  of  freo  trade,  ho  took  no  part  in 


BENCH  AND  BAR  OF  BROOKLYN. 


1241 


bringing  it  into  politics,  until  after  the  Presidential  election  of 
1880.  Since  that  period  he  has  devoted  most  of  his  time  and 
energy,  outside  of  his  professional  engagements,  to  the  organi- 
zation of  the  free  trade  movement.  He  was  the  originator  of 
the  Brooklyn  Revenue  Reform  Club,  which  has  become  famous 
throughout  the  country  as  the  first  organization  which  opened 
a  platform  for  the  free  discussion  of  the  great  economic  issues 
of  the  day,  instead  of  confining  it  to  the  advocacy  of  one  side 
or  the  other  exclusively.  As  chairman  of  its  Executive  Com- 
mittee, he  has  superintended  all  its  work.  He  has  also  had  a 
larger  share  than  any  other  Eastern  man  in  organizing  the  free 
trade  movement  in  Iowa,  where  it  has  made  a  progress  so  re- 
markable as  to  have  attracted  general  interest,  the  revenue  re- 
formers having  gained  four  or  five  members  of  Congress  in  that 
State. 

Mr.  Shearman  represents  the  most  advanced  views  on  this  sub- 
ject, being  an  advocate  of  absolute,  immediate  and  uncondi- 
tional free  trade,  with  the  repeal  of  all  tariffs  and  all  methods  of 
indirect  taxation.  Of  course,  these  extreme  views  are  accepted 
by  only  a  small  minority  of  the  people  at  present;  but  as  Mr. 
Shearman  always  declined  office  when  among  the  majority,  he 
is  probably  not  concerned  to  find  himself  in  a  minority.  But  he  is 
also  a  thoroughly  practical  man,  ready  to  accept  whatever  conces- 
sions he  can  secure.  He  has,  therefore,  been  able  to  exert  con- 
siderable influence  upon  the  course  of  economic  discussion;  and 
he  was  selected  by  the  principal  free  trade  societies  of  the  country 
as  the  leading  representative  of  the  cause  before  Congress  on  the 
hearings  lately  given  upon  the  proposed  reduction  of  the  tariff. 
He  has  made  numerous  speeches  on  this  subject,  not  only  in 
Broooklyn,  but  also  in  the  principal  cities  of  this  State  and  in 
Michigan  and  Iowa. 

In  two  respects,  Mr.  Shearman  has  succeeded  in  making  a 
marked  change  in  the  discussion  of  these  questions.  He  was 
the  first  speaker  who  analyzed  the  effects  of  the  tariff,  so  as  to 
show  the  relative  burdens  of  the  rich  and  the  poor  under  it. 
The  broad  general  statement,  that  tariffs  pressed  more  severely 
upon  the  poor  than  upon  the  rich,  had  of  course  been  made  a 
thousand  times;  but  the  exact  manner  and  proportion  had 
never,  we  believe,  been  stated  prior  to  Mr.  Shearman's  address 
before  the  Revenue  Reform  Club  in  1882,  when  he  put  it  in 
substance  as  follows  : 

"  All  indirect  taxes  impose  a  burden  which  is  heavy  or  light, 
exactly  as  personal  or  family  expenses  are  heavy  or  light.  The 
man  whose  income  is  $100,000  a  year,  and  spends  only  $10,000, 
will  not  pay  one  penny  more  under  indirect  taxation  than  the 
man  whoseincome  is  810,000,  but  who  spends  it  all.  All  thetaxa- 
tion  imposed  for  the  Federal  Government  is  indirect,  and  a  large 
part  of  local  taxation  is  really  indirect,  although  usually  sup- 
posed not  to  be.  The  annual  taxation  of  this  country  is 
$700,000,000  ;  while  the  extra  cost  of  goods  caused  by  the  pro- 
tective features  of  the  tariff  and  by  the  necessary  profits  paid 
to  dealers  on  the  amount  advanced  by  them,  for  duties  or  high 
prices  caused  by  duties,  must  amount  to  fully  $800,000,000 
more.  The  entire  income  of  our  people  is  about  87,500,000,000, 
making  the  annual  burden  upon  incomes,  as  a  consequence  of 
taxation,  about  20  per  cent. 

But  taxation  cannot  be  paid  out  of  anything  except  savings  ; 
and  the  savings  of  the  great  mass  of  men  whose  incomes  are  small, 
are  necessarily  much  smaller,  even  in  proportion  to  their  in- 
comes, than  the  possible  savings  of  the  wealthiest  classes. 
Thus  a  man  with  an  income  of  $100,000  per  annum  can  live  in 
luxury  and  yet  save  nine-tenths  of  his  income.  But  the  man 
who  earns  only  $300  per  annum  finds  it  almost  impossible,  even 
apart  from  taxation,  to  save  as  much  as  one-fifth  of  his  income. 
A  tax  of  20  per  cent,  on  the  expenditures  of  the  former  would 
therefore  amount  to  only  two  per  cent,  of  his  savings,  while 
a  like  tax  on  the  expenditures  of  the  latter  would  exhaust  80 
per  cent  of  his  savings. 

Estimating  the  number  of  persons  engaged  in  daily  business 
at  15,000,000,  and  the  annual  income  of  14,000,000  as  less  than 
$400  (which  the  census  shows  it  to  be\  and  assuming  that  all 
classes  would  save  the  money  now  paid  by  them  in  taxes,  if 
none  were  levied,  the  figures  show  that  the  annual  savings  of 
our  people  would  be  over  $2,200,000,000,  and  that  more  than 
$1,400,000,000  of  this  amount  would  be  saved  by  the  vast  mass 


of  persons  whose  incomes  are  less  than  $400  a  year.  But  our 
system  of  indirect  taxation  bears  so  heavily  upon  the  poor,  that 
the  annual  savings  of  the  14,000,000  persons  with  small  in- 
comes are  reduced  to  $280,000,000,  while  the  annvial  savings  of 
the  l,000,00u  persons  receiving  larger  incomes  are  reduced  to 
$485,000,000.  Thus,  while  under  a  system  of  equal  taxation  the 
small  farmers  and  mechanics  would  secure  a  constantly  increas- 
ing share  of  the  national  wealth,  the  effect  of  indirect  taxation 
is  to  reverse  this  result,  and  to  concentrate  the  wealth  of  the 
country,  at  an  ever-increasing  rate,  in  the  hands  of  a  small 
minority  of  the  people." 

He  was  also  among  the  first  who  succeeded  in  impressing  the 
public  mind  with  a  belief  that  protection  did  not  increase  the 
nominal  amount  of  wages;  the  general  opinion,  even  among 
free-traders,  having  been  that  wages  were  increased  by  protec- 
tion in  nominal  amount,  although  diminished  in  purchasing 
power.  He  insisted  that  wages  must  necessarily  advance  under 
free  trade,  and  that  their  natural  tendency  to  rise  is  retarded 
by  all  protective  tariffs.  His  reasoning  appears  in  this  extract  from 
his  address  to  the  Congressional  Committee,  in  February,  1884: 

"Assuming  that  the  average  rate  of  manufacturers'  profit  in 
1880  was  10  per  cent,  on  the  amount  expended,  the  census 
shows  the  following  to  be  a  fair  statement  of  the  different 
elements  of  the  average  cost  of  each  $100  worth  of  manufactures 
in  1880: 

COST  UNDER  PROTECTION. 

Materials   $03  21 

Wages   17  05 

Rents,  repairs,  insurance,  interest,  <£c   10  00 

Profit,  10  per  cent,  on  outlay   9  14 

$100  00 

A  reduction  of  15  per  cent,  in  the  price  of  finished  articles 
would  increase  the  demand  at  home  by  at  least  25  per  cent.,  as 
the  goods  would  come  within  the  reach  of  a  much  larger  pro- 
portion of  the  community — by  a  well-known  law  of  trade,  that 
there  are  at  least  four  persons  who  can  afford  to  buy  an  article 
at  one  dollar  to  one  who  can  buy  it  at  two  dollars. 

Now,  the  rate  of  wages  depends  upon  the  demand  for  work- 
men ;  and  this  depends  upon  the  amount  of  work  to  be  done, 
and  not  upon  the  profit  made.  If  more  goods  are  sold,  wages 
must  rise.  If  fewer  goods  are  sold,  even  at  a  larger  profit, 
wages  must  fall.  Therefore,  an  increase  of  25  per  cent,  in  the 
amount  of  goods  manufactured,  even  though  the  goods  are  sold 
at  cheaper  rates,  must  compel  the  employment  of  25  per  cent, 
more  workmen,  and  thus  raise  wages  25  per  cent. 

Under  absolute  free  trade,  therefore,  there  would  be  a 
decline  of  25  per  cent,  in  the  cost  of  materials  and  of  15  per 
cent,  in  the  collective  cost  of  rent,  repairs,  insurance,  interest, 
&c,  an  increase  of  over  25  pel  cent,  in  the  amount  of  goods  sold, 
and  a  consequent  increase  of  25  per  cent,  in  wages,  without  any 
reduction  in  the  manufacturers'  rate  of  profits.  The  result 
would  be  as  follows : 

COST  UNDER  FREE  TRADE. 

Materials   41 

Wages   2-  J* 

Rent,  repairs,  &c   jj  »|J 

Profit  (10  per  cent.)   7  80 

Total   $85  77 

The  correctness  of  this  theory  is  proved  by  the  history  of 
these  United  States.  A  high  tariff  was  imposed  in  lHlti,  a 
higher  one  in  1824,  and  a  still  higher  one  in  1828.  No  speech 
in  Congress  has  been  found  by  ns,  and  no  protectionist  book  or 
pamphlet,  dating  prior  to  1842,  in  which  it  was  even  claimed 
that  wages  advanced  under  any  of  these  tariffs.  On  the  con- 
trary, a  tract  issued  by  the  Iron  and  Steel  Association  states  that 
in  1829  the  wages  of  farm  laborers  were  $7  to  $10  a  month  with 
board,  and  those  of  mechanics  50  cents  to  $1  a  day  without 
board  The  same  tract  quotes  the  late  Vice-President  Wils.  n  to 
prove  that,  in  1832  and  1833,  under  the  highest  tariff  ever  known 
in  this  country,  he  worked  from  daylight  until  dark,  at  the 
hardest  kind  of  work,  for  $0  a  month;  that  the  highest  wages 
paid,  even  in  harvest  time,  were  50  to  00  cents  a  day,  and  that 
the  best  wages  paid  to  bright  women  for  housework  and  weaving 
were  50  to  00  cents  a  week. 

On  October  2,  1819,  a  protectionist  meeting  in  Philadelphia 
issued  a  report  upon  manufactures  and  wages,  in  which  the 
average  wages  paid  to  mechanics  were  g.ven  at  one  dollar  a  day. 
|  Yet,  after  nine  years  of  the  highest  protection,  mechanics' 
I  wages  were,  as  already  shown,  less  thun  one  dollar  a  day. 


1242 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


In  1842,  a  strongly  protectionist  committee  of  Congress 
examined  witnesses  on  this  subject;  and  their  report  showed 
that  in  the  iron  manufacture  there  bad  been  no  advance  in 
wages  since  1N2S;  and  the  average  rate  fur  unskilled  labor 
generally  was  stated  at  75  cents  a  day.  In  1845,  an  opportunity 
was  given  to  manufacturers  all  over  the  country  to  report  upon 
wages  under  '  the  beneficent  tariff  of  '42.'  Many  reports  were 
sent  into  the  Treasury  Department.  Not  one  of  them  claimed 
to  Lave  increased  the  rate  of  wages  under  that  tariff;  while 
several  admitted  that  they  bad  cut  down  wages.  The  usual 
rate  of  wages  for  labor  in  iron  furnaces  anil  foundries  was 
stated  at  87  cents;  and  no  ordinary  workman,  even  in  that 
exhausting  business,  was  reported  at  over  $1  a  day. 

The  tariff  of  1846  was  passed,  reducing  duties  about  One-third. 
Wages  began  to  rise  everywhere,  and  in  all  departments  of 
business.  Farming  wages,  which  had  fallen  to  between  $5  and 
$10  a  month,  under  the  tariff  of  1842,  rose  to  $12  and  $l(i.  Manu- 
facturing wages  advanced  even  before  the  census  of  1850;  and 
the  advance  from  1850  to  I860  is  a  matter  of  record,  amounting 
to  17  per  cent.  The  average  increase  in  the  iron  trade  was  even 
greater  than  this. 

Thus  we  find  that,  down  to  1860,  tbe  only  advances  in  wages 
occurred  under  the  reduction  of  the  tariff,  and  that  under  high 
tariffs  wages  bad  remained  stationary  or  declined. 

During  the  late  war,  however,  wages  were  largely  advanced  in 
nominal  value;  and  this  is  the  period  to  which  protectionists  now 
triumphantly  refer.  But,  stated  in  gold,  the  average  wages  were, 
in  1850,  $247;  in  1860,  $289;  in  1870,  $302;  in  1880,  $346.  In 
purchasing  power,  tbe  wages  of  1870  were  worth  only  $242,  com- 
pared with  $289  in  1860.  But  let  us  come  down  to  the  present 
time.  It  is  universally  admitted  that  wages  have  been  cut  down 
20  to  30  per  cent,  since  1880.  Take  the  average  reduction  at  25 
per  cent,  as  a  medium  rate,  and  wages  are  only  $250,  being  less 
to-day  than  twenty  years  ago,  under  the  lowest  tariff  known 
since  1812.  Can  any  further  demonstration  be  needed  that  every 
step  towards  protection  depresses  wages,  while  every  step  towards 
free  trade  raises  them  ?  ' 

We  do  not  undertake  to  decide  whether  the  reasoning  upon 
either  of  these  points  is  correct;  our  purpose  being  simply  to 
show  Mr.  Shearman's  views  and  the  effect  produced  by  his  ex- 
pression of  them.  It  is  certain  that  the  analysis  which  he  made 
of  the  relative  effect  of  the  tariff  upon  the  savings  of  the  few 
wealthy  men  and  the  vast  mass  of  persons  with  small  incomes, 
has  taken  hold  of  the  public  mind,  and  that  the  idea  is  now- 
found  in  many  Congressional  speeches  and  in  most  of  the 
popular  arguments  upon  this  question.  So  the  whole  tone  of 
the  advocates  of  free  trade,  upon  the  wages  question,  has 
changed.  They  have  assumed  an  aggressive  position  on  this 
point,  and  their  argument  is  very  different  now  from  what  it  was 
only  four  or  five  years  ago — no  longer  admitting  that  wages  are 
in  any  sense  raised  by  protection,  but  insisting  that  they  aro 
cut  down  by  it. 

Mr.  Shearman's  interest  in  these  and  similar  questions  has  no 
element  of  personal  ambition  in  it.  He  knows  very  well  that 
his  views  are  not  in  harmony  with  the  aims  of  any  existing 
political  party;  he  does  not  seek  to  make  them  so;  and  ho  takes 
pains  to  emphasize  the  points  of  difference  between  his  ideas 
and  those  of  professional  politicians.  He  knows  how  little  can 
be  accomplished  by  any  one  man  in  actual  legislation,  and  pre. 
fers  to  influence  it  from  without,  rather  than  to  conceal  the  least 
principle  for  the  sake  of  trying  to  shape  it  from  within. 

The  old-fashioned  house  on  Columbia  Heights  in  which  Mr. 
Shearman  lives,  is  one  of  peculiar  historic  interest  to  a  lawyer, 
having  been  the  residence  of  Judge  Radcliff  until  his  death, 
nearly  forty  years  ago.  It  was  the  injury  done  to  these  premises 
by  tli>-  opening  of  Fur  man  street,  in  1838,  which  gave  rise  to  tho 
raxes,  famous  among  lawyers,  Jte  Funnnn  SI.  (17  Wend.,  641'), 
and  Umlrliff  v.  ]',r<»>l  lyn  (  4  X.  Y.,  1'.I5),  in  which  the  rule  that  no 
compensation  can  be  recovered  for  damage  incidental  to  a  pub- 
lic work  was  first  authoritatively  decided  in  this  State.  Tho 
latter  is  the  leading  case  on  this  point,  and  has  been  followed 
l>\  th<  ■  'iirts  all  over  the  1'nion.    (See  Important  Trials.) 

The  case  of  Furman  St.,  which  was  fiercely  but  unnucceas- 
fnlly  contested  by  Judge  Itaddiff  in  his  lifetime,  shows  more 
plainly  than  the  other  the  great  injury  w  hich  he  suffered  from 
tho  premature  opening  of  tho  streot,  under  tho  influence  of  the 


speculative  mania  of  1836,  when  real  estate  in  Brooklyn  was  in- 
flated to  prices  which  in  some  instances  have  never  since  been 
reached.  All  the  natural  beauty  of  Brooklyn  Heights  was 
sacrificed  to  the  absurd  expectation  of  an  immediate  rush  of 
commerce  to  Furman  street,  making  lots  on  the  land  side  van 
valuable;  an  expectation  which  even  yet  has  not  been  realized, 
and  probably  never  will  be. 


BENJAMIN  VAUGHAN  ABBOTT. 

Benjamin  Yaughan  Abbott  was  born  at  Boston,  Mass.,  June  4, 
1830.  His  father  was  Jacob  Abbott,  distinguished  as  a  writer  of 
the  "Young  Rollo"  books,  "Young  Christian,"  and  other  well- 
known  valuable  works.  The  talents  of  this  estimable  man  seem 
to  have  descended  as  an  inheritance  to  his  son.  He  married 
Harriet  Yaughan,  daughter  of  Charles  Yaughan,  an  eminent  citi- 
zen of  Hallowell,  Me.  Both  the  Yaughans  and  Abbotts  are  old, 
prominent  and  highly  respected  Xew  England  families. 

Young  Abbott's  boyhood  was  passed  in  Farmington,  Maine; 
he  attended  the  schools  at  that  place,  and  gave  evidence  of  the 
scholarly  traits  which  have  distinguished  him  in  his  mattirer 
years. 

Early  in  1844,  he  lost  his  admirable  and  greatly  beloved 
mother,  and  soon  after  that  event  his  father  removed  to  the  .  iiy 
of  Xew  York,  and  young  Abbott  at  an  early  period  in  his  life  he- 
came  a  resident  of  the  metropolis.  He  became  a  student  in  the 
Grammar  School  of  the  Xew  York  University,  where  he  com- 
pleted the  under-graduate  course.  Thus  prepared,  he  entered 
the  Xew  York  University,  from  whence  he  was  graduated  in  1850. 

As  his  views  were  early  turned  toward  the  legal  profession, 
immediately  after  graduating,  he  entered  Cambridge  Law  School, 
spending  one  year  in  that  celebrated  seminary  in  the  diligent 
study  of  law.  Leaving  Cambridge,  he  became  a  student  in  the 
office  of  Richard  M.  Blatchford  and  John  P.  Crosby,  where  he 
completed  his  legal  studies,  and  in  Xovember,  1852,  took  his 
degree  as  an  attorney  and  counsellor-at  law,  beginning  his  prac- 
tice in  the  city  of  Xew  York. 

In  1853,  Mr.  Abbott  was  united  by  marriage  to  Miss  Elizabeth 
Titcomb,  daughter  of  Hon.  John  Titcomb,  of  Farmington,  Me., 
distinguished  as  a  pioneer  in  the  early  Anti-Slavery  and  Republi- 
can parties  of  that  State.  Miss  Titcomb,  now  Mrs.  Abbott,  is  a 
grand-daughter  of  Stephen  Titcomb,  the  first  settler  of  the  town 
of  Farmington. 

Mr.  Abbott's  practice  in  the  city  of  Xew  York  was  eminently 
successful,  and  he  pursued  it  actively  for  fifteen  years,  as  tbe 
senior  member  of  the  distinguished  firm  of  Abbott  A  Brothers. 

He  early  evinced  marked  abilities  as  a  writer,  and  his  pen  has 
i  been  directed  to  works  connected  with  his  profession,  and  be 
has  attained  the  reputation  of  being  one  of  the  ablest,  most 
successful  and  useful  of  American  legal  writers.  Perhaps  th"' 
legal  profession,  and  wo  may  say  the  judiciary,  are  quite  as 
much  indebted  to  him  for  works  that  tend  to  the  advancement 
of  legal  learning  as  to  any  other  living  author. 

One  of  his  characteristics  is  unwearied  industry;  while  at  tie- 
head  of  a  prominent  legal  firm,  his  time  largely  occupied  with 
an  extensive  practice,  he  found  leisure  to  devote  to  thocong'  nml 
labors  of  an  author. 

He  had  been  in  practice  but  a  short  timo  when  he  published 
his  work  on  the  Admiralty  Decisions  of  Judge  BetU,  then  Tinted 
States  District  Judge  of  tho  Southern  District  of  N.  Y  ,  indue! 
ing  what  is  now  the  Eastern  District.  This  work  was  sooo 
followed  by  a  Xew  York  Digest,  in  which  he  devised  seraia! 
features,  then  new  in  such  works,  but  widely  approved  und 
republished  since.  In  the  writing  of  this  extensive  and  valuable 
work,  his  brother  was  associated  with  him.  Abbott's  IhgeM  i" 
one  of  the  most  elaborato  and  valuable  works  of  that  kind  M* 
extant.  After  the  appearance  of  this  work  Mr.  Abbott's  Udent* 
and  loarning  were  directed  almost  solely  to  tho  pursuits  of  h-gal 
|  authorship. 


BENCH  AND  BAR  OF  BROOKLYN. 


1243 


In  recognition  of  bis  abilities,  be  was  appointed  secretary  of 
tbe  New  York  Code  Commissioners,  and  personally  drafted, 
under  general  directions  of  tbe  board,  tbe  report  of  a  Penal  Code 
submitted  to  the  Legislature  in  1865,  and  wbicb  afterwards  be- 
came tbe  basis  of  tbe  present  Penal  Code. 

Continuing  bis  labors,  be  published  several  other  works  in 
succession,  most  prominent  of  which  were  a  Digest  of  the  Laws 
of  Corporations,  and  a  Treatise  on  the  United  States  Courts  and 
their  Practice.  These  works  received  a  warm  welcome  from  tbe 
profession  throughout  tbe  republic,  and  gave  their  author  a  na- 
tional reputation.  Such  was  the  prominence  they  gave  him  that, 
in  1870,  he  was  appointed  by  President  Grant  one  of  the  com- 
missioners to  revise  the  statutes  of  the  United  States.  There  is 
a  circumstance  connected  with  this  appointment  that  happily 
illustrates  the  practical  ability  of  Mr.  Abbott.  A  commission 
had  been  previously  appointed,  composed  of  distinguished  law- 
yers, but  who  had  accomplished  very  little  in  the  work  commit- 
ted to  them.  Mr.  Abbott  entered  upon  tbe  discharge  of  his  duties 
with  such  energy,  learning  and  success,  that  he  soon  became  tbe 
chief  dependence  of  the  friends  of  the  revision  for  the  rapid 
prosecution  of  large,  laborious  and  complex  compilations, 
committed  to  the  new  commission.  Their  expectations  were  not 
disappointed.  His  great  industry  seemed  to  rejoice  in  the  accu- 
mulation of  toil,  and  he  applied  himself  with  unremitting  per- 
severance to  every  minute  portion  of  bis  duty  with  great  energy 
and  success.  The  entire  body  of  the  statute  laws  of  the  United 
States  was  examined,  clause  by  clause;  its  unimportant  parts  re- 
written and  embodied  in  one  volume,  within  the  three  years 
allowed  the  commissioners  for  the  completion  of  the  work. 

These  statutes  bad  been  printed  without  regard  to  order,  about 
as  they  were  passed,  chronologically,  with  very  little  system  of  ar- 
rangement. There  was  a  great  variety  of  subjects,  and  enactments 
on  the  same  subject  dispersed  over  an  immense  extent.  Many 
of  these  statutes  were  temporary  in  their  nature;  many  of  them 
were  partially  or  wholly  repealed,  some  by  express  enactment, 
others  only  inferentially ;  so  that  it  was  a  work  of  great  difficulty 
to  discover  what  provisions  were  in  force  and  what  had  been 
modified  or  repealed. 

Like  Justinian,  the  commissioners  undertook  the  great  work 
of  methodizing  voluminous  laws  scattered  through  so  many 
volumes,  that  they  might  well  be  compared  to  the  "  load  of 
many  camels." 

It  will  thus  be  seen  how  immense  was  the  labor  performed.  It 
facilitated  many  of  the  operations  of  law,  and  reduced  the 
Federal  statutes  to  a  practical  system. 

Soon  after  the  completion  of  this  work,  Mr.  Abbott  was  en- 
gaged by  Little,  Brown  &  Co.  to  revise  and  edit  a  consolidated 
edition  of  tbe  United  States  Digest,  which  task,  together  with 
annual  volumes  for  the  current  years— twenty-three  in  all — was 
completed  during  the  four  or  five  years  following  the  revision  of 
the  United  States  statutes.  Tbe  great  labor  and  responsibility 
which  this  work  demanded,  and  its  vast  importance,  will  be 
more  fully  understood  when  it  is  remembered  that  the  last 
fifty  years  have  added  more  reports  of  decided  cases  in  the 
United  States  than  can  be  found  in  several  preceding  genera- 
rations.  Tbe  difficulty  in  discovering  what  was  good  law  in 
this  vast  agglomeration  was  felt  by  the  experienced  lawyer 
and  the  judge,  weighing  with  tenfold  force  upon  tbe  student. 
No  power  of  assimilation  could  keep  pace  with  such  rapid 
production  of  precedent.  The  area  of  the  law  was  a  tangled 
thicket,  requiring  the  application  of  unceasing  energy  and 
industry  to  collect  cases  in  point,  and  to  bring  anything  like 
order  out  of  the  confusion. 

.-Whatever  tends  to  simplify  the  law,  whatever  renders  it 
cognizable  and  easy  of  access,  tends  also  to  diminish  the  heavy 
fees,  the  vexatious  delays  and  repeated  miscarriages  which  are 
so  often  complained  of.  Mr.  Abbott's  United  States  Digest,  and 
we  may  say  bis  Digest  of  our  State  Reports,  with  their  admir- 
able analysis,  methodical  arrangement,  and  their  plenary  syl- 


labus, have  done  much  to  simplify  both  the  Federal  and  State 
laws.  That  which  is  settled  and  proclaimed  as  authority,  and 
which  had  to  be  worked  out  by  turning  the  puges  of  hundreds 
of  volumes,  has,  by  these  Digests,  been  worked  out  and  system- 
atized so  that  each  authority  is  easy  of  access  and  ready  for  use. 

A  Law  Dictionary,  in  two  volumes,  on  a  new  plan,  followed 
this  last  digest ;  Vol.  1  of  a  National  Digest,  to  bo  completed  in 
four  or  five  volumes,  is  (at  tbe  date  of  this  writing)  on  the  eve 
of  publication;  it  gives  in  one  view  the  statutory  and  judicial 
law  of  the  Federal  Government.  Mr.  Abbott  has  also  written 
a  popular  volume  of  explanations  of  legal  subjects,  entitled 
"  Judge  and  Jury,"  and  a  school  book  or  volume  for  youth, 
entitled  "  Traveling  Law  School,"  explaining  the  theory  of 
American  government  and  law  to  the  young.  He  has  also 
written  a  great  number  of  contributions,  mostly  on  legal  sub- 
jects, for  periodicals. 

From  what  we  have  seen,  the  question  may  well  be  asked:  Can 
a  more  active,  energetic,  able  and  useful  pen  be  found  than  that 
of  Mr.  Abbott's  ? 

No  class  of  men  more  fully  appreciates  this  language  of 
the  elegant  Konian  scholar,  "  Mira  qucedani  in  coijnoscendo 
suavitas  et  deleclalio,"  than  lawyers;  no  lawyer  has  reason  to 
understand  this  more  fully  than  Mr.  Abbott ;  and  no  writer  has 
rendered  the  task  of  acquiring  legal  knowledge,  and  of  adapting 
it  to  practice,  more  easy  and  pleasant  than  he.  He  is  plain, 
easy,  compact,  and  at  the  same  time  sufficiently  luminous.  "  The 
action  of  his  mind  is  always  to  discover  how  much  he  can 
prune,  and  brush  away  of  that  wbicb  is  extrinsie,  and  to  reduce 
adverse  matter  to  its  least  practical  dimensions."  Not  an  idea 
is  excluded  which  can  promote  his  object ;  everything  is  there, 
but  in  the  narrowest  compass.  As  was  said  of  another:  "He 
has  given  us  the  best  specimens  in  our  language  of  that  rich 
economy  of  expression  which  was  so  much  studied  by  the  writers 
of  antiquity."  His  books  are  found  in  nearly  every  law  library 
in  the  nation. 

At  the  time  of  his  marriage  be  became  a  resident  of  Brooklyn, 
and  he  has  lived  there  most  of  the  years  of  his  married  life. 
Absorbed  in  the  duties  of  his  profession,  with  the  subjects  of 
his  pen,  in  the  retiracy  of  his  study,  be  has  taken  little  part  in 
tbe  local  affairs  of  tbe  city.  Much  of  his  time  has  been  spent  in 
other  cities,  to  which  his  engagements  as  an  author  have  drawn 
him. 

His  family  consists  of  a  wife,  a  son— Arthur  Vaughan  Abbott,  a 
civil  engineer,  who  is  professionally  employed  in  the  construc- 
tion of  the  Brooklyn  Bridge— and  a  daughter. 

As  we  have  seen,  Mr.  Abbott  is  still  actively  engaged  in 
preparing  works  which  are  anxiously  looked  for  by  the  profes- 
sion and  public,  and  which  will  add  new  honors  to  the  many 
that  he  so  deservedly  enjoys. 


DANIEL  P.  BARNARD. 

Daniel  P.  Baknabd  was  born  at  Hudson,  N.  Y.,  December 
23d,  1812.  His  parents  were  Timothy  and  Mary  Barnard.  His 
ancestors  on  tbe  paternal  side  were  the  first  settlers  of  Nan- 
tucket,  Mass.  His  maternal  grandfather,  Daniel  Paddock,  was 
one  of  the  first  settlers  of  Hudson,  N.  Y. 

Mr  Barnard  was  educated  partly  at  Hudson  and  partly  at 
Baltimore,  under  private  tutors.  He  studied  his  profession  in 
Baltimore,  Md.,  with  Judge  William  L.  Marshall;  was  admitted 
to  tbe  Bar  in  July,  1836,  at  Baltimore,  and  in  1839  removed  to 
Brooklyn  and  entered  upon  the  practice  of  his  profession,  where 
he  has  continued  ever  since. 

Mr  Barnard  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  ablest  real  estate  law- 
vers  at  the  Kings  County  Bar.  His  knowledge  of  titles  to  tbe 
real  estate  of  the  county  is  very  great,  a  id  has  been  gained  by 
the  most  intimate  and  thorough  examination  through  the  course 
of  forty  years.    He  has  devoted  himself  entirely  to  his  profes- 


1244 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


sion,  never  holding  any  office  except  by  election  to  the  City 
Council  of  Baltimore  in  1838,  and  to  the  Common  Council  of 
Brooklyn  in  1854-55.  In  the  hitter  year  he  was  President  of  the 
Common  Council.  He  represented  the  County  of  Kings  in  the 
Constitutional  Convention  of  this  State  in  18C7,  proving  to  bo  an 
able,  effective  and  influential  member  of  that  body. 


ABRAHAM  H.  DAI  LEY. 

Abraham  EL  Dailey  was  born  in  Sheffield,  Berkshire  County, 
Mass.,  October  31st,  1831.  His  father  was  bom  in  the  town  of 
1'ishkill,  X.  Y.  He  is  of  English,  Irish,  Scotch  and  German  ex- 
traction. 

He  thoroughly  prepared  to  enter  college,  but  a  severe  and 
protracted  illness  prevented  this.  After  his  recovery  he  decided 
to  commence  the  study  of  law.  Accordingly  he  entered  the 
office  of  ex-Gov.  George  N.  Briggs,  of  Massachusetts,  where  he 
studied  law.  He  was  admitted  to  practice  in  1855  at  Lenox, 
Berkshire  County,  Mass.  After  practicing  for  awhile  in  Great 
Harrington,  Mass.,  he  removed,  in  1858,  to  New  York,  where  he 
has  continued  the  practice  of  his  profession  with  great  success 
down  to  the  present  time. 

In  18G3  he  was  elected  Justice  of  the  Fourth  District  Court, 
Brooklyn,  for  the  term  of  four  years;  but  the  duties  of  a  large 
practice  compelled  him  to  resign. 

In  1871  he  was  nominated  by  the  llepublicans  for  District 
Attorney  of  Kings  County,  but  was  declared  defeated  by  Mr. 
Winchester  Britton.  Four  years  later,  in  the  fall  of  1875,  he 
was  nominated  for  the  office  of  Surrogate  of  Kings  County  by 
the  Democrats,  but  his  opponent,  Mr.  Walter  L.  Livingston,  was 
declared  elected.  Mr.  Dailey  brought  an  action  to  oust  him,  and 
obtained  a  judgment  of  ouster  May  12th,  1877,  and  took  imme- 
diate possession  of  the  office,  holding  it  for  about  three  years. 
On  appeal  to  the  General  Term,  this  judgment  was  reversed  and 
a  new  trial  ordered.  The  judgment  granting  a  new  trial  gave 
Mr.  Livingston  the  office  while  it  was  pending.  This  brought 
the  contestants  to  a  mutual  agreement,  by  the  terms  of  which 
the  action  was  discontinued,  without  costs.  Mr.  Dailey  surren- 
dered  all  claim  to  the  office.  He  is  an  advocate  of  brilliancy  and 
distinction,  controlling  a  large  and  highly  respectable  legal 
business. 


WILLIAM  C.  DE  WITT. 

Mb.  Dk  Witt  occupies  a  very  prominent  position  as  a  lawyer; 
eminent  for  his  legal  learning,  for  his  endowments  as  an  advo- 
cate, and  for  his  accomplishments  as  a  writer.  His  taste  has 
been  formed  by  a  diligent  study  of  the  classics  and  by  perusing 
the  best  English  writers. 

It  is  now  understood  that  the  education  of  a  lawyer  demands 
Something  more  than  a  mere  nominal  knowledge  of  law,  unac 
OOmpnnied  by  any  other  knowledge;  that  the  cultivation  of  the 
sciences  and  an  enlarged  and  refined  literary  taste  produces  the 
same  effect  upon  the  mental  structure  as  does  that  architecture 
which  at  once  strengthens  and  embellishes  an  edifice;  that 
administrative  abilities  and  dialectic  skill  may  meet  in  one 
mind. 

Mr.  I)d  Witt  belongs  to  that  large  class  of  lawyers  wIiohc  lives 
an«l  practice  render  the  legal  really  a  learned  profession,  instead 
of  a  system  of  empiricism. 

In  the  midst  of  his  engrossing  legal  career  he  has  found 
tun.  t..  indulge  his  literary  tastes,  and  by  submitting  to  laborious 
•  I  |"  rs<  •..  ring  study,  li<  has  not  only  enlarged  his  legal  learn- 
ing, but  lias  enriched  his  mind  with  many  other  useful  acquire- 
ment*; so  that  at  the  Bar,  on  the  platform,  as  a  political  or 
literary  speaker,  ho  always  commands  the  most  respectful  atten- 
tion, h  a\  ing  in  the  minds  of  his  hearers  something  to  remomber 
and  to  reflect  upon  long  after  his  address  is  ended. 


Wo  have  spoken  of  Mr.  De  Witt  as  a  writer;  perhaps  this  is 
unnecessary,  for  his  written  productions  speak  lor  themselves, 
and  are  the  best  evidence  of  the  ability  with  which  he  wields 
the  pen,  and  because  he  has  no  aspirations  as  a  professional 
writer,  and  never  resorts  to  the  pen  except  in  those  interims  of 
legal  labor  which  sometimes  permit  him  to  do  so. 

In  1881  he  published  a  charming  little  volume,  containing 
some  of  his  speeches  and  writings;  which  he  modestly  hut  ap- 
propriately entitles  "  Driftwood  from  out  the  Current  of  a  Busy 
Life." 

There  is  much  in  this  work  which  blends  instruction  with 
delight;  the  style  is  succinct  and  animated;  there  is  a  glow  and 
force  in  all  ho  says,  and  a  reach  of  thought  and  reflection  which 
renders  it  a  valuable  and  instructive  companion.  The  hook 
opens  with  an  oration  delivered  by  him  in  the  Brooklyn  Institute, 
February  22d,  1874,  in  which  he  selected  "Madison  and  Burr" 
as  his  subject.  This  production  was  justly  and  highly  com- 
mended for  its  literary  beauty  and  for  its  philosophic  analysis 
of  the  character  of  the  two  great  men  whose  lives  and  careers  he 
considered.  If  we  should  venture  a  criticism  it  would  be,  that 
Mr.  De  Witt,  with  all  his  originality,  adopts  the  custom  of  all 
speakers  and  writers,  that  of  exalting  Hamilton  above  a  fault 
and  lowering  Burr  below  the  virtues  which  were  really  his  due. 
But  his  conception  of  the  character  and  career  of  Madison  has 
the  undoubted  merit  of  truth  to  history,  and  of  being  a  faithful 
mental  portrait  of  that  great  statesman. 

Speaking  of  Mr.  Madison  and  his  efforts  in  establishing  the 
Constitution,  Mr.  De  Witt  says:  "No  man  equaled  him  in  in- 
dustry and  attention  to  his  duties,  lie  bore  his  part  in  every 
clause  of  the  Constitution,  and  so  minute  and  careful  were  his 
minutes  of  the  proceedings,  that,  after  his  death,  Congress  pur- 
chased his  records,  as  essential  to  history.  He  was  one  of  tin 
master-builders  of  the  Constitution;  and  if  his  speeches  and 
reports  in  the  Convention  where  it  was  adopted  stood  alone,  he 
would  still  be  entitled  to  the  lasting  gratitude  of  his  country- 
men." 

In  contrasting  Burr  with  Madison,  he  says:  "The  contrast 
between  the  leading  features  of  these  two  characters,  that  of 
Burr  and  that  of  Madison,  is  too  bold  and  striking  to  require 
express  delineation.  Burr  took  his  inspirations  from  the  phan- 
toms of  chivalry;  Madison  drew  his  from  the  fountains  of  truth. 
Burr  followed  the  instincts  of  his  ambition  and  yielded  to  the 
seductions  of  his  passions;  Madison  never  betrayed  the  teach- 
ings of  his  conscience,  or  forsook  his  loyalty  to  his  soul,  burr 
loved  the  arts  of  war;  Madison  cultivated  the  arts  of  peace. 
Burr  was  an  adroit  politician;  Madison  a  profound  statesman. 
Burr  practiced  law  by  the  exercise  of  his  wits;  Madison  studied 
it  from  a  love  of  science." 

Perhaps  one  of  the  most  attractive  departments  of  tho  volume 
to  which  we  have  alluded,  is  Mr.  De  Witt's  address  on  Jnlm 
Howard  1'ayne,  delivered  at  tho  unveiling  of  tho  bust  of  that 
illustrious  poet,  in  Prospect  Park,  Brooklyn,  September  27, 

1873. 

A  distinguished  jurist  of  Brooklyn  has  said,  that  -some  ]».r 
tions  of  this  address  rival  anything  found  in  the  English 
language."  And  his  remarks  are  just;  no  man  is  more  capable 
of  weighing  in  the  balanoo  the  productions  of  genius  than 
•Joseph  Neilson;  for  it  was  he  who  made  the  remark  wo  hare 
quoted. 

Speaking  of  Mr.  Payne's  "  Home,  Sweet  Home."  the  speake  r 
said  :  "  It  is  remarkable  neither  for  elegance  of  diction  i>"r 
harmony  of  numbers.  But  it  has  crowded  into  a  few  Unei 
every  thought  and  sentiment  and  scene  of  its  blessed  subject. 

"  *  Tho  lowly  thatched  cottage,'  tho  '  singing  birds,'  the  'hal- 
lowing charms  from  above,'  and  tho  '  pence  of  mind  better  IBM 
all.'  It  is  full  of  tho  fruit  and  essence  of  its  theme.  Yet  must  this 
poem  have  slept  the  sleep  of  the  forgotten  and  the  lost,  had  it  got 
no  better  succor  than  the  printer's  ink  and  the  inquiring  Vft  •» 
the  scholar.  It  wanted  tho  tuno  which  was  to  hum  it  wherever 
tho  English  language  was  or  should  bo  spoken.    Music  wui 


BENCH  AND  BAR  OF  BROOKLYN. 


1245 


needed,  and  music  came.  As  when  some  parent  bird  on  lofty 
pinions  circling  above  his  eyrie,  seeing  his  young  prepared  to 
fly,  yet  fearful  of  tbe  elements,  descends,  and,  bearing  the  fledg- 
ling forth  to  mid  heaven,  puts  him  on  his  experimental  voyage 
through  the  air  ;  so  music  came  to  this  rich  germ  of  poetic  senti- 
ment, and,  up-bearing  it  upon  the  cloud  of  melody,  in  which  it 
has  ever  since  lived  and  moved  and  had  its  being,  sent  it  chant- 
ing and  singing  forever  and  forever  through  the  world." 

"  Robert  Burns  "  was  the  subject  of  an  address  by  Mr.  De  Witt, 
delivered  at  Eckford  Hall,  Brooklyn,  January  27th,  1879.  The 
occasion  was  a  banquet  given  in  celebration  of  the  120th  anni- 
versary of  the  birth  of  Burns,  in  response  to  the  toast  "  The 
Genius  of  Burns.'  That  Mr.  De  Witt  has  a  lively  appreciation 
of  the  inner  life  of  this  great  poet  of  nature  in  seen  from  the 
whole  of  the  address  to  which  we  have  alluded.  The  following 
extract  from  it  will  always  find  a  ready  response  not  only  iu  the 
hearts  of  his  own  countrymen,  but  in  the  hearts  of  the  thousands 
in  all  countries,  who  love  Kobert  Burns  for  what  he  has  written. 

"Scotchmen  !  His  genius  is  your  living  voice  in  the  world. 
It  has  transformed  your  ancient  dialect  into  music;  it  has  given 
utterance  to  every  sentiment  of  your  heart;  it  has  painted  the 
peculiar  scenery  of  your  native  land.  Kobert  Burns  comes  to 
you  not  from  out  castle  walls,  or  through  long  lines  of  lordly 
ancestry.  He  is  your  peasant  poet;  the  bright  consummate 
flower  of  the  democracy  of  Scotland ;  he  belongs  only  to  the 
aristocracy  of  individual  merits,  and  although  the  choicest 
marble  wrought  by  living  hands  surmounts  his  last  resting 
place,  his  only  throne  is  in  the  hearts  of  his  fellow-men.  His 
songs  are  sung  wherever  the  English  language  is  spoken. 
They  are  sung  by  sailors  on  ships'  decks,  in  the  starlight,  on 
every  sea.  They  resound  with  the  violin  of  the  pioneer  in  the 
distant  woods  of  the  Redman,  as  they  mingle  with  the  nurse's 
lullaby  in  the  homes  of  the  forests  of  our  own  romantic  North." 

The  contents  of  his  book  are  divided  into  four  departments  : 
Literary,  Forensic,  Political  and  Official,  in  which  are  found  most 
appropriate  and  ably  written  productions. 

William  C.  De  Witt  was  born  at  Paterson,  New  Jersey,  Janu- 
ary 25th,  1840.  He  was  educated  at  Fort  Plain  and  Claverack 
seminaries  ;  having  completed  his  classical  course,  he  took  up 
the  study  of  law  with  James  R.  Whiting,  and  finished  it  in  the 
office  of  that  illustrious  jurist,  Ambrose  L.  Jordan.  He  received 
his  license  to  practice  law  at  a  General  Term  of  the  Supreme 
Court  held  at  Poughkeepsie,  June,  1861.  Very  soon  thereafter, 
he  opened  an  office  in  Brooklyn,  and  entered  on  a  professional 
career  which,  as  we  have  seen,  led  him  to  distinction,  while  be- 
fore him  lie  fresh  and  new  professional  honors. 

He  is  especially  accomplished  in  the  laws  of  corporations, 
though  it  is  not  altogether  a  specialty  with  him.  He  has  occasion- 
ally been  engaged  as  counsel  in  criminal  cases.  His  defense  of 
Gonzalez,  tried  for  the  murder  of  Ortero  at  Brooklyn,  in  January, 
1866,  is  remembered  as  a  masterly  forensic  effort.  A  long  list  of 
civil  cases  in  which  he  has  been  engaged  as  counsel  exhibit  at 
once  the  extent  of  his  professional  duties  and  his  ability  in  dis- 
charging them. 

Mr.  De  Witt  is,  and  always  has  been,  a  Democrat.  His  abili- 
ties have  been  so  widely  and  justly  acknowledged  by  the  leaders 
of  his  party,  that  with  their  assent  he  occupies  a  place  at  the 
head  of  his  party.  His  speeches,  delivered  in  various  State  Con- 
ventions and  other  political  gatherings,  show  how  capable  he  is 
of  appealing  successfully  to  the  masses,  as  well  as  to  the  more 
select  of  the  party. 

Mr.  De  Witt  was  Corporation  Counsel  for  Brooklyn  for  thirteen 
years — six  successive  terms.  This  is,  we  believe,  all  the  office  he 
has  ever  held.  The  administration  of  this  office  by  Mr.  De 
Witt  covers  a  long  and  interesting  period  in  the  legal  and 
municipal  history  of  Brooklyn.  The  number,  importance  and 
variety  of  the  cases  he  was  called  upon  to  try,  as  the  law  officer 
of  a  great  corporation,  and  the  manner  in  which  he  conducted 
these  trials,  conspicuously  exhibit  his  high  qualifications  as  a 
lawyer. 

Soon  after  the  retirement  of  Judge  Tracy  from  the  Bench  of 
the  Court  of  Appeals,   Mr.  De  Witt  formed  a  copartnership 


with  that  distinguished  jurist  and  oi:e  of  his  sons,  under 
the  firm  name  of  Tracy  &  De  Witt.  It  is  needless,  perhaps,  to 
add  that  this  firm  occupies  a  commanding  position  in  the  legal 
profession. 

Mr.  De  Witt,  to  his  immediate  friends,  is  courteous  and  oblig- 
ing; an  entertaining  and  profitable  companion.  With  strangers 
and  casual  acquaintances  he  is  reticent,  distant  and  somewhat 
cold  in  his  bearing;  but  on  the  whole  we  may  say,  without  fear 
of  contradiction,  that  he  is  an  ornament  to  the  Brooklyn  Bar. 


ROGER  A.  PRYOR. 

General  Pryob  has  been  a  resident  of  Kings  County  about 
twenty  years,  and  in  that  time  he  has  won  the  highest  dis- 
tinction at  the  Bar,  in  literary  and  political  circles.  His 
career  has  been  so  eminent,  and  so  highly  appreciated,  that 
he  has  been  the  subject  of  a  very  ably  written,  just  and  com- 
prehensive biographical  sketch,  from  which  we  are  permitted  to 
insert  the  following  extract: 

"Roger  A.  Pryor  was  born  in  Dinwiddie  County,  Virginia, 
July  19,  1828.  He  is  descended  from  the  ancient  family  of 
Bland,  famous  in  the  annals  of  Virginia.  Col.  Theodorick 
Bland  was  an  officer  in  the  army  of  the  Revolution,  a  member 
of  Congress,  and  of  the  Convention  that  framed  the  Constitution. 
He  was  the  friend  and  counselor  of  Gen.  Washington,  of  the 
Marquis  de  Lafayette,  Thomas  Jefferson,  and  other  distinguished 
men  in  the  early  history  of  our  country.  From  the  Ittands 
spring  many  of  the  famous  men  of  Virginia— John  Randolph,  of 
Roanoke,  Henry  St.  George  Tucker,  Gen.  Robert  E.  Lee,  and 
others.  Young  Pryor  graduated  from  Hampden  Sidney  College, 
in  1845,  and  afterwards  from  the  University  of  Virginia.  Ho 
entered  upon  the  practice  of  law  at  Charlottesville,  Va.,  but  an 
affection  of  the  throat  obliged  him  to  abandon  it,  and  he  became 
a  journalist.  His  management  of  a  small  country  paper  at- 
tracted the  attention  of  the  editor  of  The  Washington  Union, 
then  the  organ  of  the  Democratic  party  under  Gen.  Pierce. 
Mr.  Pryor  was  offered  an  editorial  position  on  The  Union,  which 
he  accepted  in  1854.  During  his  association  with  this  journal, 
he  wrote  an  article  on  the  relations  between  the  United  Stales 
and  Great  Britain  and  Russia,  as  affected  by  the  then  pending 
English  and  Russian  war.  The  tone  of  the  article  was  anti- 
English.  Appearing  in  the  journal  supposed  to  have  the  sanc- 
tion of  our  Government,  it  made  a  profound  impression,  especial- 
ly as  it  appeared  to  indicate  a  sympathy  with  Russia  on  the  part 
of  President  Pierce's  Administration.  While  editor  of  The  Union, 
Mr.  Pryor  sustained  friendly  and  confidential  relations  with 
President  Pierce,  who  in  1855  appointed  him  on  a  special  mis- 
sion to  Greece,  to  adjust  certain  difficulties  with  that  country. 
He  was  absent  for  a  year  in  prosecution  of  this  work,  which  he 
conducted  with  very  great  success,  receiving  the  thanks  of  the 
Government  for  his  efforts.  Mr.  Pryor  returned  from  Europe  in 
1856.  The  country  was  then  passing  through  the  famous 
'Know-Nothing'  anti-Catholic  political  excitement  which  pre- 
ceded our  Civil  War.  Henry  A.  Wise,  of  Virginia,  was  candidate 
for  Governor  in  opposition  to  the  '  Know-Nothing'  movement. 
Mr.  Pryor  purchased  a  share  in  Tlie  Richmond  Enquirer,  the  lead- 
ing newspaper  of  the  South,  and  took  an  active  and  prominent 
part  in  the  campaign,  opposing  the  mad  theories  of  the  'Know- 
Nothing'  Native  American  party.  The  triumph  of  Gen.  Wise, 
as  (iovernor,  was  the  conclusive  defeat  of  the  Native  American 
movement,  which  then  passed  out  of  the  politics  of  this  country, 
and  was  succeeded  by  the  anti-slavery  agitation,  that  im- 
mediately assumed  the  alarming  proportions  which  culminated 
in  civil  war.  Mr.  Pryor's  connection  with  this  campaign  gave 
him  a  national  reputation,  and  in  1857  he  was  elected  to  Congress 
from  the  district  formerly  represented  by  John  Randolph,  of 
Roanoke. 


L246 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


"  Coining  into  Congressional  life  with  President  Buchanan's 
Administration,  Gen.  Pryor  took  an  active  part  in  affairs.  Until 
the  secession  of  the  Southern  States,  ho  opposed,  in  the  discus- 
sions of  the  time,  all  measures  tending  to  the  disruption  of  the 
I'nion,  resisting  the  unwise  counsels  of  extremists,  pleading 
against  violence  and  war.  In  the  last  speech  he  uttered  in  the 
House,  he  nsed  these  words,  which  may  be  quoted  as  an  illustra- 
tion of  his  political  opinions  at  a  time  when  the  animosities  pre- 
vailed: 'Imagine  the  complete  subjugation  of  the  South,  after 
every  spark  of  vitality  is  extinguished,  and  her  inanimate  form 
lies  prostrate  before  you;  tell  me  what  recompense  do  you  gain 
for  the  sacrifice,  what  consolation  for  your  fratricidal  deed? 
From  the  respect  due  the  memory  of  our  common  ancestry,  for 
the  sake  of  a  land  to  be  rent  by  the  cruel  lacerations  of  the 
sword,  and  in  reverence  of  the  virtues  of  a  benign  religion,  we 
deprecate  a  conflict  of  arms  !  By  the  persuasions  of  these  pious 
and  pathetic  importunities,  we  would  soothe  in  every  breast  the 
spirit  of  strife,  and  invoke  the  pacific  intervention  of  reason  for 
the  adjustment  of  our  disputes.'  But  the  disputes  between 
North  and  South  had  gone  beyond  the  'pacific  intervention  of 
reason;'  and  when  war  became  inevitable,  and  Mr.  Lincoln 
called  on  Virginia  for  her  quota  of  troops,  Mr.  Pryor  urged  her 
to  stand  in  front  of  her  Southern  brethren,  and  drew  his  own 
sword  gallantly  in  her  defense.  He  remained  in  Washington 
until  the  inauguration  of  Mr.  Lincoln,  having  been  re-elected  to 
his  seat  in  Congress,  and  to  the  last  enjoyed  the  friendship  of 
some  of  the  purest  men  of  the  hostile  section — of  Mr.  Buchanan, 
Gen.  Lewis  Cass,  Jno.  P.  Kennedy,  Gen.  Winfield  Scott,  and 
others.  Like  every  true  Southerner,  he  ardently  took  sides  with 
his  State.  Ho  was  twice  elected  member  of  the  Confederate 
Congress,  was  made  colonel  of  a  regiment,  and  promoted  to  briga- 
dier-general, after  the  battle  of  Williamsburg.  He  served  in  the 
memorable  battles  around  Richmond,  and  in  the  battle  of  Sharps- 
burg.  In  consequence  of  a  misunderstanding  with  Jefferson 
Davis,  Gen.  Pryor  resigned  his  commission  and  volunteered  as 
a  private  soldier.  For  two  years  he  served  in  the  ranks,  and 
fought  in  the  battles  around  Petersburg,  until  he  was  captured 
and  imprisoned  in  Fort  Lafayette.  A  few  weeks  before  the  end 
of  the  war  he  was  released  from  his  imprisonment  by  order  of 
President  Lincoln,  and  remained  in  Petersburg  on  parole,  until 
the  surrender  of  Gen.  Lee.  The  war  at  an  end,  the  South  subju- 
gated, the  old  political  system  destroyed,  Gen.  Pryor  came  to 
New  York." 

We  here  close  our  quotation  from  the  very  able  production 
touching  the  character  and  career  of  Gen.  Pryor  to  which  we  have 
alluded. 

Gen.  Pryor  had  always  been  a  close  student,  and  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Virginia  studied  law  one  year,  but,  as  he  gave  his 
attention  to  other  matters,  he  never  practiced  but  a  short  time,  as 
We  have  seen. 

He  removed  to  New  York  with  the  intention  of  making  the 
legal  profession  his  future  avocation  in  life;  but  as  he  had  so 
long  neglected  it,  he  was  obliged  to  commence  his  studies  anew 
after  becoming  a  resident  of  New  York,  although  he  was  at  that 
time  35  years  of  age,  without  fortune,  with  a  large  family,  and 
in  a  strange  community.  He  began  his  studies  with  deter- 
mination, supporting  himself  and  family  by  writing  for  the 
press.  In  due  time  he  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  of  the  State  of 
New  York,  after  creditably  undergoing  an  examination.  He 
immediately  opened  an  office  in  the  city  of  New  York,  and  en- 
tered at  once  upon  a  large  and  lucrative  practice.  Heavy  and  re- 
sponsible retainers  followed  each  other  in  <piick  succession,  and 
in  a  very  short  period  of  time  ho  was  regarded  as  a  hailing 
lawyer.  Among  the  important  cases  in  which  he  appeared 
as  counsel  was  that  of  the  Beerher  trial;  the  Iffmrftfl  Hail- 
n»u\  cane  ;  tin-  case  of  Kennedy  i'.  Kennedy  ;  Kelly  r.  The 
Common  Council  of  Brooklyn  ;  I'llman  r.  Megar  ;  ho  was 
roundel  for  Gov.  Sprague  of  Khode  Island  in  his  divorce  suit, 
and  of  counsel  with  Gen.   Butler  in  all  the  Spraguo  estate  I 


litigation;  as  counsel  with  Gov.  Butler  in  the  United  States 
Circuit  Court  in  the  suit  to  recover  the  JSVip  York  and  Vic 
Ew/luml  Railroad  for  its  original  stockholders  ;  defended  Gov. 
Ames  on  his  impeachment  by  the  Legislature  of  Mississippi. 
He  was  the  first  to  attack  the  elevated  railroads  in  Patten  v. 
B.  R.  Company.  He  got  a  decision  in  Ullman  v.  Megar,  that  a 
promise  to  marry  is  within  the  Statute  of  Frauds  as  to  agree- 
ments not  to  be  performed  within  the  year.  In  Kennedy  v. 
Kennedy,  which  was  a  suit  by  the  wife  for  a  limited  divorce  for 
cruel  and  inhuman  treatment,  he  obtained  an  adjudication  that 
the  malicious  and  groundless  imputation  of  adultery  to  a  wife 
is  cruel  and  inhuman  treatment.  In  Kelly  v.  Common  Council 
of  Brooklyn,  the  Court  of  Appeals  sustained  his  point  that  mem- 
bers of  Congress  are  officers. 

When  the  controversy  between  Mr.  Tilton  and  Mr.  Beecher 
assumed  a  legal  aspect,  Mr.  Pryor  was  retained  by  Mr.  Tilton. 
Although  prevented  by  circumstances  from  attending  the  whole 
of  the  trial,  betook  a  prominent  part  in  the  case.  He  made 
the  argument  before  the  General  Term  of  the  City  Court,  and 
before  the  Court  of  Appeals,  resisting  the  granting  to  the  de- 
fendant of  a  bill  of  particulars,  as  well  as  the  argument 
before  Judge  Ncilson  in  favor  of  the  competency  of  Mr.  Tilton  as 
a  witness.  Upon  these  two  questions  the  case  of  Mr.  Tilton  de- 
pended largely.  In  both  these  contests  Gen.  Pryor  was  opposed 
by  Mr.  Evarts,  and  his  arguments  gave  him  great  celebrity  as  a 
profound  and  accomplished  lawyer.  It  is  understood  that  his 
duty  in  the  case  was,  in  a  large  degree,  the  preparation  of  law 
points,  the  study  of  authorities,  and  general  consultation. 

Mr.  Beach,  in  his  splendid  argument  to  the  jury  in  this  case, 
referred  to  his  associate,  Mr.  Pryor,  as  follows  :  "  It  has  been  a 
regret  and  a  loss  that  unavoidable  circumstances  have  withdrawn 
my  learned  and  accomplished  friend,  Mr.  Pryor,  so  much  from 
our  side.  If  he  has  not  struck  so  many  blows  in  the  field,  he 
has,  nevertheless,  been  the  wisdom  of  our  cabinets.  Deeply  are 
we  all  indebted,  and  especially  myself,  to  his  ready  and  large 
learning  and  judicious  counsel." 

Gen.  Pryor  at  once  entered  into  politics,  and  became  a  re- 
cognized leader  of  the  Democratic  party,  eloquently  sustaining 
it  with  his  pen  and  on  the  platform. 

Fewer  rank  higher  as  a  public  speaker  than  Gen.  Pryor.  He 
was  a  delegate  to  the  Democratic  National  Convention  to  St 
Louis,  and  has  often  been  a  delegate  to  State  Conventions. 

In  1S77,  he  delivered  an  address  at  Hampden  Sidney  College, 
Virginia,  on  the  "Relation  of  Science  to  Religion,-'  and  on  Deco- 
ration Day,  in  May,  1877,  he  delivered  an  address  before  the 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic  in  Brooklyn.  Both  of  these  pro- 
ductions were  published,  and  were  justly  commended  for  their 
scholarly  finish,  logical  force,  and  the  eloquent  and  impressive 
manner  in  which  they  were  delivered.  The  latter  address,  deliv- 
ered  on  Decoration  Day,  at  Brooklyn,  has  especial  claims  for 
public  commendation.  The  speaker  had  been  a  Confederate 
soldier,  an  officer  of  high  grade,  distinguished  for  his  intrepidity 
and  zeal  for  the  Confederate  cause,  and  he  was  now  speaking 
over  the  dead  soldiers  of  the  Federal  army.  Such  were  his  large 
and  statesmanlike  views  of  what  the  status  of  the  North  nnd 
South  really  should  be,  that  his  speech  has  gono  very  fnr 
towards  healing  the  dissensions  between  the  two  sections  of  the 
country. 

"Be  assured,"  he  said,  "Southern  statesmanship  is  not  so 
blinded  in  its  proverbial  sagacity  as  not  to  see  that  henceforth 
the  str.  noth  and  s,  curityof  the  South  are  to  he  found  only  and* 
the  shield  of  the  Union.  Against  the  perils  of  foreign  invasion* 
it  gains  in  the  Union  the  bulwark  of  a  mighty  prestigo  and  an 
invincible  army:  as  a  guarantee  of  peace  between  its  discordant 
l„  ,,,,|,  it,,  ever  imniini  nt  intervention  of  the  Fedi  ml  arm  will 
operate  to  deter  the  unruly  and  to  tranquilize  the  timid." 

Speaking  of  the  Confederate  soldiers  emotionsin  regard  to  the 
I .....i  Can    ,"  Gen.  I'ryor  says     1  I  do  not  pr.  lend    H  is  not 
essential  to  my  argument  to  pretend  -  that  the  Southern  soldier 


BENCH  AND  BAR  OF  BROOKLYN 


im; 


contemplated  the  fall  of  tbe  Confederacy  with  indifference. 
Born  of  an  enthusiasm  for  liberty,  erratic,  if  you  please,  but  not 
the  less  genuine  and  exalted  ;  endeared  by  the  memory  of  so 
many  sacrifices  and  so  many  sorrows  heroically  borne  in  its  he- 
half  ;  gilded  by  so  much  glory  and  hallowed  by  the  blood  of  the 
brave  and  the  tears  of  the  fair,  its  disastrous  overthrow  smote 
upon  the  heart  of  the  Southern  soldier  with  an  anguish  he  may 
not  utter,  but  which  he  disdains  to  dissemble.  Nor  will  you,  its 
exultant  but  not  ungenerous  foe,  grudge  him  who  followed  its 
flag  through  the  few  years  of  its  battle-crowned  career,  this 
mournful  recollection  of  its  tragic  story." 

It  is  hardly  possible  to  conceive  of  sentiments  more  true — 
more  beautifully,  more  conscientiously  expressed — than  these. 

Speaking  of  the  fall  of  slavery,  he  says  :  "Impartial  history 
will  record  that  slavery  fell  not  by  any  effort  of  man's  will,  but 
by  the  immediate  intervention  and  act  of  the  Almighty  Him- 
self; and,  in  the  anthem  of  praise  ascending  to  Heaven  for  the 
emancipation  of  four  million  human  beings,  the  voice  of  the 
Confederate  soldier  mingles  its  note  of  devout  gratulation." 

This  address  is  among  the  many  happy  productions  of  Gen. 
Pryor  prepared  for  the  rostrum  ;  his  addresses  to  juries  are 
equally  attractive,  and  effective.  When  called  upon  to  address 
the  court  in  banc,  and  to  deal  with  the  cold  logic  of  the  law,  he 
is  always  listened  to  with  profound  respect  by  the  judges.  As  a 
distinguished  jurist  remarks:  "Mr.  Pryor's  arguments,  if  they 
do  not  always  convince,  always  enlighten  the  mind  and  con- 
science of  the  court."  His  contributions  to  the  literature  of 
the  day  have  largely  enriched  it,  and  we  may  well  say  of  him 
that  now,  in  the  midst  of  a  large  and  increasing  practice,  with 
an  iron  energy,  with  all  the  instincts  and  ambition  of  the 
student  and  the  scholar,  he  has  still  a  brilliant  future  before 
him. 


JOHN  A.  TAYLOR. 

John  A.  Taylor,  a  prominent  lawyer  of  Brooklyn,  was  born 
at  Providence,  K.  I.,  in  the  year  1844.  His  father  was  a  highly 
respected  clergyman  of  the  Christian  denomination. 

When  very  young,  Mr.  Taylor  removed  with  his  father's  family 
to  Westerly,  R.  I.  He  early  exhibited  acute  and  ready  intel- 
lectual powers,  and  when  old  enough  he  entered  the  high  school 
at  Westerly,  where  his  advancement  in  his  studies  was  rapid, 
practical  and  thorough.  At  this  institution  he  was  prepared  to 
enter  college,  but  as  his  father's  means  were  inadequate  to  meet 
the  expenses  of  a  collegiate  course,  he  abandoned  his  intention 
of  entering  college,  although  he  did  not  relinquish  his  studies, 
and  his  books  continued  to  be  his  companions.  It  was  his  early 
and  ardent  desire  to  become  a  lawyer.  This  desire  settled  into 
a  determination  which,  though  thwarted  by  circumstances  for  a 
time,  terminated  in  the  realization  of  his  wishes.  At  the  age  of 
sixteen  he  received  an  offer  so  advantageous  to  enter  the  office 
of  the  Christian  Messenger,  with  a  view  of  learning  the  art  and 
mystery  of  a  practical  printer,  that  he  accepted  it,  relinquishing, 
as  he  then  thought,  his  intention  of  entering  the  legal  profession. 
He  continued  his  education  in  that  school  of  practical  knowl- 
edge and  vigorous  intellectual  development— the  printing  office 
— where  so  many  great  men  of  the  nation  prepare  to  enter  places 
of  high  responsibility  and  honor.  His  good  sense,  his  industry 
and  attainments  were  very  soon  recognized  by  the  editor  of  the 
Messenger,  who  committed  to  him  the  literary  department  of  the 
paper.  But  for  the  partial  failure  of  his  health,  Mr.  Taylor 
would,  in  all  probability,  have  been  as  successful  and  useful  a 
member  of  the  journalistic  profession  as  he  now  is  of  the  legal. 

He  continued  these  duties  until  admonished  that  they  would 
be  fatal  to  him,  when  he  resigned  them  and  adopted  a  profession 
which  gave  him  more  exercise  in  the  open  air.  To  his  experi- 
ence as  a  journalist,  Mr.  Taylor  is  largely  indebted  for  the  fa- 
cility with  which  he  uses  language,  both  as  a  writer  and  speaker. 
Certainly  his  written  productions  have  that  practical  ease,  that 


unaffected  energy  and  grasp  of  thought,  which  is  the  outcome  of 
constant  practice  as  a  writer,  the  every-day  use  of  his  thought;; 
and  pen  as  a  composer. 

By  judicious  medical  treatment  and  constant  exercise  in  tho 
open  air,  he  regained  his  health  sufficiently  to  become  the  in- 
structor of  a  class  in  geometry  in  the  Westerly  high  school. 
He  successfully  pursued  this  occupation  for  some  time,  during 
which  the  paramount  wish  of  his  life— a  desire  to  become  a 
lawyer — returned,  and  he  finally  entered  upon  his  legal  studies 
with  Congressman  Dixon,  an  able  and  experienced  lawyer. 
He  never  relinquished  the  K-tudy  of  his  profession  until  called 
to  the  Bar,  although  he  divided  his  time  somewhat  between 
his  studies  and  the  duties  of  teaching,  always  an  exceedingly 
pleasing  occupation  to  him. 

In  18G4  he  removed  to  New  York,  and  there  continued  his 
legal  studies.  Here  he  found  for  a  portion  of  his  time,  mornings 
and  evenings,  profitable  and  congenial  occupation  in  a  printing 
office,  and  in  that  way  defraying  his  expenses  while  preparing 
for  the  Bar.  At  length  his  student  days  ended,  and  in  1865  ho 
passed  a  successful  examination,  and  was  admitted  to  practice. 
He  immediately  opened  an  office  in  the  metropolis.  He  set  out 
on  his  professional  career  in  the  midst  of  the  vast  competition 
around  him  with  energy  and  activity,  determined  on  success, 
which  came  sufficiently  for  his  encouragement  for  the  present 
and  the  future.  While  thus  practicing  he  became  a  resident  of 
the  city  of  Brooklyn.  In  1870  he  was  united  by  marriage  to 
Miss  Dean,  daughter  of  John  Dean,  Esq.,  ex-Corporation  Counsel 
for  the  city  of  Williamsburgh.  Mr.  Taylor  was  soon  identified 
with  the  interests  and  growth  of  Brooklyn.  Politics  had  attrac- 
tions for  him,  as  it  has  with  most  young  men,  and  he  united  his 
fortunes  with  the  Republican  party. 

In  1871  he  was  elected  Alderman  of  the  Thirteenth  Ward  of 
Brooklyn  for  the  term  of  two  years.  In  1871)  he  was  appointed  a 
member  of  the  Board  of  Elections,  and  when,  in  1880,  that  Board 
was  reorganized  and  made  a  strictly  non-partisan  body,  Mr. 
Taylor  was  elected  its  president.  During  all  this  time  his  pro- 
fessional business  was  increasing,  and  he  was  regarded  as  a  very 
successful  and  prosperous  member  of  the  junior  Bar;  in  fact, 
he  had  attained  a  reputation  as  a  lawyer  which  attracted  the  at- 
tention of  the  most  distinguished  and  leading  citizens  of  Brook- 
lyn, among  whom  was  Hon.  Seth  Low.  We  may  say  without 
affectation,  when  that  favorite  citizen  of  Brooklyn  was  by  such 
a  decisive  voice  of  the  people  elected  Mayor  of  the  city,  on  as- 
suming the  duties  of  his  office,  he  appointed  Mr.  Taylor  Corpor- 
ation Counselor,  the  duties  of  which  office  for  many  years  had 
been  discharged  with  singular  ability  by  William  C.  De  Witt, 
Esq. 

Mr.  Taylor  brought  to  his  office  those  professional  abilities 
and  that  practical  legal  learning  which  eminently  qualified  him 
to  discharge  the  responsible  and  difficult  duties  of  his  office. 
As  the  law  officer  of  the  city  of  Brooklyn,  he  has  been  brought 
very  prominently  before  its  citizens,  before  the  courts  of  tho 
city  and  county  and  the  State  courts,  and  as  a  legal  adviser;  and 
as  the  conductor  of  the  city  litigation,  he  has  gained  the  respect 
and  confidence  of  the  courts  and  the  public.  A  history  of  much 
of  the  city  litigation  conducted  by  Mr.  Taylor  as  Corporation 
Counsel  appears  in  another  part  of  this  work. 

Mr.  Taylor's  practice  has  been  of  a  general  character;  he  has 
no  specialty.  Two  criminal  defenses  conducted  by  him  brought 
him  prominently  and  favorably  before  the  people.  We  allude 
to  the  Burroughs  case  and  the  Fuchs  case.  Both  were  cases 
which  attracted  universal  interest;  both  of  the  defendants  were 
indicted  and  brought  to  trial  for  murder -one  of  them,  Fuchs, 
for  a  homicide  of  startling  atrocity.  In  both  cases  Mr.  Taylor 
interposed  the  plea  of  insanity."  In  the  Burroughs  case,  Mr. 
Taylor  was  associated  with  that  eminent  member  of  the  Kings 
County  Bar,  Hon.  Abram  H.  Dailey.  The  prosecution  was  con- 
ducted by  Mr.  Winchester  Britton,  then  District  Attorney.  The 
*  Seo  *'  luaportaut  Trials." 


1 248 


HISTORY  OF  K1XGS  COUNTY. 


prosecution  having  rested,  Mr.  Taylor  addressed  the  jury  in  a 
speech,  which  has  since  made  part  of  a  volume  entitled  "  Ami- 
.  ;wf.V.  Tnamity."  The  singular  incident  of  this  case  is,  that  after 
one  day  spent  in  the  defense  of  Burroughs,  the  District  Attor- 
ney becoming  satisfied  of  the  great  merit  of  the  defense,  with  a 
candor  that  was  highly  commended,  requested  the  Court  to  find 
a  verdict  in  favor  of  the  accused,  on  the  ground  of  insanity;  to 
which  Mr.  Justice  Pratt,  who  presided  at  the  Kmc,  acceded,  and 
Burroughs  was  sent  to  the  State  Lunatic  Asylum  at  Utica. 

The  case  of  Fuehs  brought  on  a  protracted  legal  contest,  full 
of  interest.  As  we  have  said,  Mr.  Taylor  interposed  the  plea  of 
insanity  for  his  client;  though  it  was  strong,  and  we  may  well 
say  powerful,  Fuehs  was  convicted  of  murder  in  the  first  degree, 
and  he  was  sentenced  to  be  hanged;  but  the  Governor  commuted 
the  sentence  to  imprisonment  for  life  at  Sing  Sing. 

Fuehs,  after  a  comparatively  short  imprisonment,  died  in 
prison.  An  autopsy  announced  the  fact  that  his  brain  was,  and 
must  have  been  for  some  time  previous  to  the  homicide,  dis- 
eased to  an  extent  producing  insanity.  Few  criminal  trials  are 
more  important,  interesting  and  instructive  than  those  of  Bur- 
roughs and  Fuehs.  We  have  only  briefly  alluded  to  them  here, 
as  they  are  fully  reported  in  another  part  of  this  chapter. 

On  the  second  election  of  Mr.  Low  as  Mayor,  in  the  fall  of 
1NS3,  in  recognition  of  the  able  and  faithful  manner  in  which 
Mr.  Taylor  had  discharged  the  duties  of  Corporation  Counsel  for 
two  years,  he  reappointed  him  to  that  office,  the  duties  of  which 
he  is,  at  the  time  of  this  writing,  discharging. 

Such  is  the  life  and  career  of  Mr.  Taylor  a  career  which  com- 
pares favorably  with  that  of  any  of  the  members  of  the  profession 
of  his  age.  As  it  may  be  said  that  he  has  hardly  entered  middle 
age,  the  prospect  of  a  very  successful  and  brilliant  future  is 
before  him.  Mr.  Taylor  possesses  many  of  those  social  elements 
of  character  that  so  admirably  set  off  the  life  of  a  lawyer. 


JOHN  H.  BERGEX. 

John  H.  Bergen  is  a  lawyer  of  highly  respectable  standing, 
socially  and  professionally.  With  his  professional  accomplish- 
ments he  unites  the  advantages  of  a  finished  education,  large 
and  liberal  reading.  He  has  distinguished  himself  as  a  success- 
ful contestant  at  the  Bar.  The  history  of  the  important  cases 
he  has  tried  at  nisiprhis,  the  arguments  he  has  conducted  before 
the  court,  are  interesting  and  instructive. 

He  is  a  native  of  Western  New  York,  born  at  Batavia,  October 
27th,  1838.  After  receiving  a  rudimentary  education,  he  was 
placed  under  the  tuition  of  a  private  tutor,  Mr.  John  Fowler, 
then  a  resident  of  Batavia,  now  one  of  the  professors  in  Hobert 
College.  Under  this  able  scholar  and  successful  instructor, 
Young  Bergen  made  rapid  progress  in  the  study  of  the  classics. 
He  remained  a  pupil  of  Mr.  Fowler  until  he  became  a  finished 
scholar.  Ho  commenced  the  study  of  law  at  an  early  age,  having 
decided  to  adopt  the  legal  profession  as  his  calling  in  life. 

Mr.  Bergen  was  fortunate  in  choosing  his  legal  preceptors. 
He  t"i r-t  became  a  student  in  the  officio  of  Harry  Wilbur,  a  prom- 
inent member  of  the  Genesee  County  Bar,  highly  respected  in  and 
out  of  his  profession. 

After  some  time  lie  entered  the  office  of  the  late  Hon.  Moses 
I  i  lit.  of  Batavia,  an  eminent  member  of  the  Western  New 
York  liar,  for  many  years  I'ir-t  Judge  of  the  Court  of  Common 
Ph-as  of  ( M'liesee  County,  and  subsequently  one' of  the  Justices 
of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  State. 

Mr.  Bergen  was  a  student  in  the  State  and  National  Law 
School  at  Poughkeepsie,  during  one  term.  At  a  General  Term 
of  the  Supreme  Court,  held  at  Buffalo,  in  May,  iscn,  he  was 
admitted  to  the  Bar.  He  was  twenty-one  years  of  age  the  day 
before  his  call  to  the  Par. 

Immediately  thereafter  he  came  to  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  and 
enter1  I    ip  i,  1 1..    | it  .  tier  of  In  .  profession,  a  no  re  bo\ .  Put 


his  thorough  legal  education,  courteous  bearing,  diligent  at- 
tention to  business,  and  native  endowments,  brought  their  re- 
ward. His  first  advent  into  business  was  in  the  office  of 
Ingraham,  Midihill  <fc  Reynolds.  The  next  year  he  became  a 
partner  of  the  late  Gene  ral  Philip  S.  Crooke,  under  the  firm 
name  of  Crooke  «fc  Bergen.  This  relation  could  not  fail  to  be 
advantageous  to  both  patties;  the  learning,  industry  and  ac- 
complishments of  the  young  lawyer,  united  to  the  acknowledged 
abilities,  large  experience  and  influence  of  General  Crooke,  gave 
the  firm  a  large  and  valuable  clientage. 

In  the  year  18tT7,  when  Bergen  had  been  at  the  Bar  seven 
years,  the  firm  was  changed  by  adding  to  it  Calvin  E.  Pratt. 
This  was  styled  Crooke,  Bergen  it  Pratt.  The  legal  accomplish- 
ments of  Mr.  Pratt  added  largely  to  the  strength  of  the  firm. 
Nothing  strengthens  a  law  firm  like  diversity  of  talents  and 
characteristics.  Tho  different  members  of  this  firm,  differing  in 
capacity  and  in  intellectual  structure,  gave  it  that  versatility  so 
necessary  to  success. 

So  thoroughly  were  the  talents  and  high  standing  of  Mr.  Pratt 
appreciated  that,  in  the  autumn  of  18r>9,  he  was  nominated  and 
elected  a  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  State  for  the 
Second  Judicial  District.  This  brought  another  change  to  the 
firm.  This  was  effected  by  adding  to  it  N.  H.  Clement,  Esq.,  and 
thereafter  the  firm  was  known  as  Cooke,  Bergen  it  Clement. 
This  relation  continued  until  1873,  when  another  of  its  member? 
was  summoned  to  a  high  official  position  by  the  people.  In  the 
autumn  of  that  year,  the  senior  member,  General  Crooke,  was 
elected  a  representative  in  Congress,  and  the  firm  was  dissolved. 

Since  that  event,  Mr.  Bergen  has  continued  his  practice 
alone.  He  had  been  in  practice  thirteen  years  when  he  entered 
upon  this  sphere  of  his  professional  life.  The  experience  which 
those  years  of  ardent  practice  gave  him  were  valuable  acquisi- 
tions, combining  into  a  capital  of  great  value,  which  has  had  a 
healthy  and  continuous  growth  down  to  the  present  time. 

The  structure  of  Mr.  Bergen's  mind  peculiarly  qualifies  him 
for  the  contests  of  the  forum.  In  its  devious,  exciting  contests, 
resulting  at  times  in  exultation  and  at  times  in  depression, 
Mr.  Bergen  has  been  and  is  a  distinguished  and  successful  con- 
testant. With  his  legal  acquirements,  he  has  made  himself 
very  familiar  with  corporation  law,  especially  that  branch  of  it 
which  relates  to  railroads,  and  which  opens  an  immense  field  of 
litigation,  where  legal  subtleties,  deep  and  intricate  questions, 
often  outside  of  precedent,  confront  the  practitioner. 

To  this  large  and  difficult  field  of  practice  Mr.  Bergen  brought 
rare  and  peculiarly  appropriate  qualifications,  which,  as  we  have 
already  said,  distinguished  him. 

1      One  of  the  contests  in  which  he  was  engaged  extended  through 
the  long  period  of  seven  years.   So  obstinately  was  this  case  con 
tested  that  it  went  on  appeal  three  times  to  the  Court  of  Appeal! 
This  case  involved  the  right  of  way  over  Grove  avenue  of  The 
r<irk  <tiitl    dmey  Island   Railroad  OnnjiiDii/.    Mr.    Bergen  has 
been  the  counsel  for  that  corporation  ever  since  its  organization 
He  conducted  this  great  case  for  the  company  single  handed, 
and  against  somo  of  the  ablest  lawyers  in  the  State.    An  exanU 
nation  of  the  reported  case  in  all  its  different  phases  shows  n  n 
clusively  that  it  has  settled  more  important  questions  of  rail- 
road law  than  all  the  other  railroad  litigation  in  the  State-. 
Mr.  Bergen  was  one  of  the  counsel  in  the  case  of  Harrold  agri 

j    The  Xne  Y»rk  VArvaUd  U'tilrmd  Gdii/xiny,  which  is  still  un 

.  settled.  Time  and  space  will  not  permit  us  to  give  in  di  tail  tfl 
the  important  cases  which  Mr.  Be  rgen  has  conducted.  Indeed, 
there  is  no  necessity  of  referring  at  any  length  to  those  caaea, 
since'  tlo-  cases,  as  re  porte  d  in  the  records  of  the  various  e-ourts  in 
which  he  has  appeared,  give  a  far '.letter  and  far  more'  practical 
description  of  them  than    wo  could  possibly  present  to  the 

I  reader. 

Mr.  Bergen  is  a  cogent,  polished  speaker,  a  master  of  |>oint*d 
and  vigorous  logic.  He  is  ono  of  those  lawyers  whoso  veraatilily 


1249 


renders  them  strong  and  effective  before  the  jury,  and  success- 
ful in  conducting  arguments  of  a  purely  legal  nature. 

His  father  was  Hon.  John  T.  Bergen,  who  was  appointed 
Sheriff  of  Kings  County  in  February,  1821,  again  in  November, 
1822,  and  in  November,  182S.  He  represented  the  22d  Congres- 
sional District —that  composed  of  Kings,  Queens,  Putnam, 
Orange  and  Westchester  Counties— from  1831  to  1833.  This  was 
in  the  stormy  days  of  Jackson's  memorable  Administration,  of 
which  Mr.  Bergen  was  one  of  the  pillars.  He  enjoyed  the  con- 
fidence and  esteem  of  "  Old  Hickory"  in  a  very  large  degree. 

The  mother  of  the  able  lawyer  under  consideration  was 
Maria  F.  McLeod,  a  lady  of  Scotch  descent,  the  daughter  of 
Major  Donald  McLeod,  who  was  a  Major  in  Tarleton's  Legion 
of  the  British  Army;  during  the  revolutionary  war  he  was 
captured  at  York  Town  with  the  whole  of  Cornwallis'  army. 

As  Mr.  Bergen  is  in  the  prime  of  manhood,  ardent,  active  ; 
with  a  knowledge  of  the  springs  of  human  nature,  and  abilities 
rendered  effective  and  practical  by  much  experience  at  the 
Bar,  a  bright  and  a  still  more  promising  professional  career  is 
before  him. 


RODMAN  B.  DAWSON. 

Rodman  B.  Dawson  was  born  in  New  York  City,  February  14th, 
1825.    His  parents  were  John  I.  and  Kachel  (Bowne)  Dawson. 

He  was  educated  at  the  Mechanics'  Society  School,  New  York 
City.  He  studied  his  profession  with  Morse  and  Rolf,  of  Brook- 
lyn. He  underwent  his  examination  for  the  legal  profession  at 
Brooklyn,  July,  1848.  Having  passed  his  examination,  he  was 
called  to  the  Bar,  and  entered  upon  his  practice  at  Brooklyn, 
where  he  continues  a  successful  business.  In  the  autumn  of 
1854  he  was  elected  Surrogate  of  Kings  County,  and  entered 
upon  the  duties  of  his  office  January  1st,  1855,  serving  with  ac- 
knowledged ability  until  December  31st,  1858,  when  his  term  of 
office  expired.  Since  then  he  has  continued  his  practice  unin- 
terrupted by  politics  or  office. 
*  Mr.  Dawson  is  not  only  a  respectable  lawyer,  but  a  citizen  of 
high  repute;  one  who  has  taken  an  active  part  in  the  affairs  o? 
Brooklyn. 


GEORGE  H.  FISHER. 

George  H.  Fisher  is  an  active,  energetic  and  successful  lawyer 
of  the  Brooklyn  Bar.  He  was  born  at  Oswego,  May  2d,  1832. 
His  father  was  George  Fisher,  a  native  of  Massachusetts.  His 
mother  was  Elizabeth  P.  Huntington,  of  Connecticut. 

Mr.  Fisher  is  a  graduate  of  Harvard  University.  He  studied 
his  profession  with  John  Sessions,  Esq.,  of  Syracuse;  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  Bar  in  January,  1854.  He  came  to  Brooklyn, 
opened  an  office,  and  soon  attained  a  very  reputable  position  at 
the  Bar,  which  he  has  always  maintained,  as  the  acknowledged 
reward  of  his  learning  and  ability  as  a  lawyer,  and  his  high 
standing  as  a  citizen. 

W.  W.  GOODRICH. 

W.  W.  Goodrich,  known  and  distinguished  as  an  admiralty 
and  commercial  lawyer,  was  born  August  3d,  1833.  He  was  ed- 
ucated at  Amherst  College,  where  he  was  graduated. 

He  studied  his  profession  at  the  Albany  Law  School,  and  in 
the  office  of  that  celebrated  law  firm  of  Albany,  Hill,  Cagger  & 
Porter,  and  was  admitted  at  a  General  Term  of  the  Supreme 
Court,  held  at  Albany,  September  15th,  1854. 


ISAAC  LUBLIN. 

Among  the  junior  members  of  the  Brooklyn  Bar,  few  are 
more  promising  or  have  a  better  record  than  Mr.  Lublin. 
Although  he  has  been  in  practice  but  a  very  few  years,  his 
intelligence,  his  good   education,  his  superior  legal  acquire- 


ments and  suavity  of  manners,  and  his  close  attention  to  business, 
have  given  him  a  very  excellent  start  in  his  profession,  and  it 
is  no  affectation  to  say  that  a  bright  and  prosperous  professional 
career  is  before  him,  and  that  whoever  turns  these  pages  in  fu- 
ture years  will  see  the  truth  of  these  remarks  fully  demonstrated. 

Ho  was  born  in  New  York  City,  June  19th,  1858.  He  removed 
with  his  parents  to  Brooklyn  in  1863.  When  old  enough,  ho 
attended  the  public  schools,  in  which  he  continued  a  student 
from  1804  to  1871.  During  these  years  he  devoted  much  time 
to  the  study  of  the  German  language,  in  which  he  became  a 
I  proficient. 

On  leaving  school,  he  became  a  student  in  the  lnw  office  of  C. 
L.  Burnett,  Esq.,  with  whom  he  completed  his  legal  education. 
He  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  1H70,  and  with  commendable  de- 
termination to  succeed,  entered  upon  the  practice  of  his  prof 68- 
!   sion  in  Brooklyn. 

HENRY  A.  MEYENBORG 
Henry  A.  Meyenborg  was  born  at  Wremen  (Hanover),  Ger- 
j   many,  August  8th,  1838.    He  received  a  liberal  education  in 
|   Germany,  and  when  completed  he  came  to  the  United  States, 
making  his  home  in  Brooklyn.    In  accordance  with  a  decision 
!  to  become  a  lawyer,  made  while  pursuing  his  classical  studies 
I  in  Germany,  he  entered  the  law   office   of  N.  F.  Waring,  a 
counselor-at-law  of  Brooklyn,  as  a  legal  student. 

At  a  General  Term  of  the  Supreme  Court,  held  at  Poughkeep- 
sie,  in  May,  18G6,  he  received  the  credentials  as  an  attorney  and 
counselor-at-law.  He  immediately  opened  an  office  in  Brooklyn, 
|  where  he  soon  controlled  a  highly  respectable  general  law  bum- 
I  ness.    Reliability,  industry,  and  adaptation  to  his  profession 
I  brought  their  sure  rewards,  placing  Mr.  Meyenborg  in  an  ex- 
ceedingly respectable  position,  not  only  as  a  lawyer,  but  as  a 
citizen.    He  has  never  had  any  desire  for  office,  and  has  never 
held  any  official  position,  although  he  has  held  offices  of  high 
military  grade,  and  is  said  to  be  an  admirable  tactician. 


SAMUEL  M.  MEEKER. 

Samuel,  M.  Meeker  occupies  a  highly  reputable  position  at  the 
Kings  County  Bar,  and  is  a  valued  citizen  of  Brooklyn;  active  in 
promoting  its  growth  and  prosperity,  and  in  founding  several  of 
its  fiscal  institutions. 

He  was  born  at  New  Brunswick,  N.  J.,  August  26th,  1820.  His 
parents  were  David  and  Elizabeth  Meeker. 

He  was  educated  at  the  Mechanics'  School  in  Crosby  str<  <  t, 
in  the  city  of  New  York,  in  which  institution  he  was  known  as 
an  ardent,  ambitious  and  successful  student. 

Deciding  upon  the  legal  profession  for  his  future  calling,  he 
entered  the  law  office  of  Samuel  Campbell,  Esq.,  of  the  city  of 
New  York.  Having  completed  his  legal  education,  he  took  his 
degree  as  an  attorney -at-law  in  the  year  1841,  in  that  city. 

As  the  laws  of  real  property,  and  the  duties  of  executors  and 
administrators,  seemed  singularly  adapted  to  his  mind,  he  has 
given  those  branches  of  jurisprudence  particular  attention;  with 
Mr.  Meeker  real  property  law  is  a  specialty.  He  began  his  prac- 
tice in  the  city  of  New  York,  but  in  1847  he  removed  to  the  village 
of  Williamsburgh.  He  was  soon  elected  Trustee  of  that  village, 
Counsel  for  the  Board  of  Trustees  and,  subsequently,  a  member 
of  its  Board  of  Education.  In  the  year  1851  he  organized  the 
Williamsburgh  Savings  Bank,  procuring  its  incorporation.  He 
afterwards  organized  the  Williamsburgh  City  Bank,  now  tie 
First  National  Bank  of  Brooklyn.  He  also  organized  the  Wil- 
liamsburgh Fire  Insurance  Company. 

Mr.  Meeker  has  been  connected  with  thtse  several  incorpora- 
tions since  their  organization,  and  is  now  President  of  the  Wil- 
liamsburgh Savings  Bank,  one  of  the  most  reliable  and  prosper- 
ous institutions  in  the  County  of  Kings. 


1250 


HISTORY 


CHARLES  J.  PATTERSON.  . 

Mr.  Patterson,  though  one  of  the  youngest  members  of  the 
Brooklyn  Bar,  has  already  attained  a  high  position  as  an  advocate 
in  the  active  conduct  of  trials  at  the  Bar,  particularly  actions 
brought  for  the  recovery  of  damages  arising  from  torts  or"  wrongs. 

He  was  horn  in  the  city  of  New  York,  May  l'.Hh,  1853,  received 
a  good  education  at  the  schools  in  the  city,  and  entered  the  law 
office  of  General  Charles  W.  Sanford,  of  New  York,  under  whose 
instruction  he  prepared  for  admission  to  the  Bar.  He  was  ad- 
mitted to  practice  at  Poughkeepsie  in  May,  1876.  Soon  after 
that  event  he  removed  to  Brooklyn,  opened  an  office,  com- 
menced his  practice,  the  success  of  which  has  already  been 
described. 


JAMES  TROY. 

Judge  Troy  has  not  only  attained  distinction  at  the  Bar,  but 
has  gained  judicial  honors.  He  lias  been  particularly  success- 
ful in  the  defense  of  criminals.  He  is  a  man  of  impressive  and 
effective  eloquence,  always  riveting  attention  in  whatever  place, 
or  before  whatever  audience,  he  makes  an  address.  He  was  born 
at  Asbourne,  near  Dublin,  Ireland,  in  the  year  1835.  He  was 
educated  principally  at  Simonton  Institute,  Dublin.  He  is  of 
the  same  family  as  the  Rev.  Dr.  Troy,  a  contemporary  of  O'Con- 
nell  and  Archbishop  of  Dublin. 

At  the  age  of  twelve  he  went  to  sea,  entering  the  service  of  the 
Peninsular  and  Oriental  Company  as  a  cadet.  Leaving  the 
service  of  that  company,  he  came  to  New  York  in  1851.  Having 
decided  to  enter  the  legal  profession,  he  immediately  began 
the  study  of  law  with  the  late  Judge  James  W.  White,  and 
afterwards  with  S.  D.  Lewis,  in  Brooklyn.  Ho  was  admitted  to 
the  Bar  in  1856.  In  1862,  he  was  appointed  Assistant  District 
Attorney  of  Kings  County,  serving  until  1867.  It  was  while 
discharging  the  duties  of  this  office  that  he  exhibited  his  un- 
usual powers  as  a  criminal  lawyer.  In  the  autumn  of  1867,  he 
was  elected  County  Judge  of  Kings  County,  for  the  term  of 
three  years. 

After  the  expiration  of  his  official  term,  he  discharged  the 
duties  of  counsel  for  the  Sheriff  of  Kings  County  for  about  six 
years.  In  the  fall  of  1880,  Judge  Troy  was  nominated  for 
District  Attorney  of  Kings  County,  by  the  Democrats;  but 
Gen.  Isaac  L.  Catlin,  the  late  incumbent  of  that  office  was 
his  successful  opponent. 

Judge  Troy's  practice  is  by  no  means  confined  to  criminal 
law;  he  has  a  large  civil  law  practice. 


HUGO  HIRSH. 

Hroo  Hir.su  is  a  rising  and  one  of  the  most  promising  lawyers 
of  the  city  of  Brooklyn.  He  was  born  in  Germany  on  the  22d 
day  of  December,  1818,  and  came  to  the  United  States  with  his 
parents  in  the  year  1857.  Hugo  attended  the  public  schools  in 
Xi-w  York  City.  Soon  after  he  became  thirteen  years  old  he  was 
taken  from  school  and  became  engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits. 
After  continuing  in  mercantile  business  for  somo  time,  he  con-  1 
eluded  that  he  was  not  fitted  for  the  business,  and  thereupon 
left  it  and  entered  tin-  office  of  Anthony  Barrett,  Esq.,  and  com- 
meneed  the  study  of  law. 

He  was  an  earnest  student,  careful  and  attentive,  and  was 
admitted  tn  the  Wax-  in  December,  1*73.  He  immediately 
"struck  out"  for  himself,  and  by  patience,  perseverance  and 
close  attention  to  the  interests  of  his  clients  he  soon  established 
a  lucrative  practice,  and  became  known  as  one  of  the  most  active 
practitioners  at  the  Bar. 

In  tin-  year  1H7C,  1,,.  begun  to  write  a  book  on  the  subject  of 
jurif'K,  he  believing  that  a  practical  work  on  that  subject  would 
enure  to  the  benefit  of  the  Bar  and  the  public.  He  continued 
his  h»lK>rM  on  this  work  for  nearly  three  years,  frequently  work- 
ing night  and  day,  and  in  the  fall  of  the  year  1N7'J  the  book  was 


published  by  Diossy  &  Co.,  of  New  York,  under  the  title  of 
ITirsh  on  Juries.  It  was  a  success  from  the  start,  and  received 
the  eulogiums  of  the  Bench,  tho  Bar  and  the  Press. 

In  politics  Mr.  Hirsh  is  a  Republican,  and  has  been  active  in 
the  councils  of  his  party.  The  only  public  position  he  has  filled 
was  that  of  counsel  to  the  Board  of  Police  and  Excise  of  the  city 
of  Brooklyn. 

Mr.  Hirsh  is  of  good  presence,  gentlemanly  and  pleasing  in 
his  manner,  courteous  and  fair  in  his  intercourse  with  his 
brother  members  of  the  Bar,  strictly  honest  in  his  dealings  with 
his  clients,  and  bears  an  unsullied  reputation. 


JOHN  P.  ROLFE. 

Mr.  Rolfe  is  one  of  the  oldest  lawyers  in  Brooklyn.  He  has 
witnessed  its  growth  from  a  village  of  1,200  people  to  a  position 

j  as  third  city  in  the  Union.  When  the  city  was  chartered  in 
1834,  the  father  of  Mr.  Rolfe,  who  was  a  civil  engineer,  took 
great  interest  in  forming  a  plan  for  mapping  it  and  laying  out 
its  streets.    At  this  time  young  Rolfe  was  engaged  in  the  study 

I  of  law  in  the  city  of  New  York,  but  owing  to  the  great  activity 
in  real  estate  operations  he  was  inclined  to  follow  his  father's 
profession,  but  finally  decided  to  continue  his  legal  studies. 
He  pursued  the  last  year  of  his  studies  in  the  office  of  that  dis- 
tinguished lawyer  and  much  esteemed  citizen,  Cyrus  P.  Smith, 
then  Corporation  Counsel.  Mr.  Rolfe  was  admitted  to  practice 
as  an  attorney  at  law  and  a  solicitor  in  chancery  at  Albany,  in 
1837.  The  following  year  he  entered  into  partnership  with  Hon. 
N.  B.  Morse,  then  First  Judge  of  Kings  County,  Master  in  Chan- 
cery. This  relation  continued  until  Judge  Morse  was  elected  a 
Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court,  under  the  Constitution  of  1846, 
when  it  was  dissolved. 

Mr.  Rolfe  early  devoted  himself  to  the  study  of  the  law  relat- 
ing to  real  estate,  and  to  him  that  important  branch  of  practice 
had  greater  attractions  than  the  trial  of  causes;  to  this  he  has 
confined  his  practice,  and  he  stands  deservedly  high  as  a  real 
estate  lawyer. 

Jacob  I.  Bergen,  the  present  Surrogate  of  Kings  County,  and 
Wm.  D.  Snediker,  were  students  in  his  office,  and  subsequently 
became  his  law  partners. 

Mr.  Rolfe  has  been  attorney  for  the  Brooklyn  Savings  Bank 
for  upwards  of  forty  years,  and  during  that  time  he  has  ap- 
proved the  title  to  many  millions'  worth  of  real  estate  upon 
which  that  institution  has  held  bonds  and  mortgages. 

Mr.  Rolfe  continues  in  the  practice  of  his  profession,  becalm 
he  is  attached  to  it  by  many  years'  practice. 


JACOB  I.  BERGEN. 

Mr.  Bf.roes  is  a  native  of  Kings  County,  born  at  Bay  Rider. 
He  was  educated  at  the  Dutchess  County  Academy,  N.  Y.,  after 
which  he  entered  tho  office  of  John  P.  Rolfe,  Esq.,  of  Brooklyn, 
where  he  was  duly  entered  as  a  student  at  law.    Wm.  D.  Sne.li 
ker  was  a  student  in  the  same  office. 

Mr.  Bergen  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  of  the  Supremo  Court  o\ 
the  State  in  tho  spring  of  1858,  and  when  Mr.  Snediker  took  liin 
degree  as  an  attorney  at  law,  tho  two  former  students  of  Mr. 
Rolfe  becamo  his  law  partners,  under  the  firm  name  of  JbJ/t, 
Herijen  A  Sneililcer. 

The  firm  at  once  took  a  high  position,  and  entered  into  an  i  \- 
tensivo  practice  as  real  estate  lawyers,  and  it  may  safely  be  said 
that  no  legal  firm  in  this  part  of  the  State  enjoyed  the  confidence 
of  the  people  in  a  higher  degree  thau  did  this. 

In  1807,  Mr.  Bergen  was  elected  one  of  tho  aldermen  <>f  Brook- 
lyn, from  tho  Tenth  Ward.  Ho  continued  to  hold  that  office 
down  to  1875,  with  the  exception  of  tho  year  1873.  Ho  wn* 
President  of  the  Board  of  Aldermen  from  1868  to  1875,  with  the 
exception  of  1873. 


I '.».->  1 


Under  the  charter  of  1873,  lie  was  Supervisor  of  the  Tenth 
"Ward  and  of  the  county  for  the  years  1874-'75. 

Whatever  attention  Mr.  Bergen  has  given  to  politics,  he  never 
forgot  his  business,  his  friends  or  social  relations  in  the  political 
strife;  he  entered  into  it  more  as  a  matter  of  duty  than  any- 
thing else.  In  the  fall  of  1882,  he  was  nominated  and  elected 
Surrogate  of  the  County  of  Kings.  The  judicial  mind  and 
method  of  Mr.  Bergen  prepared  him  to  enter  upon  the  duties  of 
this  office,  and  to  continue  it  with  much  acceptability  to  the 
people.  In  a  county  like  Kings  its  duties  are  laborious,  requir- 
ing a  peculiarly  constituted  mind  to  discharge  them.  We  be- 
lieve it  is  generally  conceded  that  Mr.  Bergen  has  this  hind  of  a 
mind.  Officially,  professionally  and  socially,  he  enjoys  the 
confidence  and  esteem  of  his  fellow-citizens  and  the  public 
generally  to  a  very  high  degree. 


JESSE  JOHNSON. 

Mb.  Johnson  was  born  at  Bradford,  Vt.,  February  20,  1842. 
His  parents  were  Elliot  Payson  Johnson  and  Sarah  Taylor  John- 
son. 

After  an  excellent  preparatory  course,  he  entered  Dartmouth 
College,  from  whence,  in  18C3,  he  graduated,  and  immediately 
afterward  became  a  student  in  the  Albany  Law  University, 
where  he  remained  until  1804,  when  he  was  called  to  the  Bar. 
He  subsequently  decided  upon  Brooklyn  as  the  field  for  his  pro- 
fessional career.  He  has  continued  a  member  of  the  Kings 
County  Bar  from  the  time  when  his  name  first  appeared  upon 
its  rolls  :  how  honorably  and  conscientiously  he  has  discharged 
the  constantly  increasing  duties  of  his  profession,  is  so  well 
known  to  a  large  and  influential  clientage  that  no  mention  of  it 
is  needed  on  these  pages.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  Mr.  Johnson  is 
an  advocate  of  acknowledged  ability,  distinguished  for  ttie 
learning,  energy  and  success  with  which  he  conducts  the  trial  of 
causes  at  the  Bar,  and  for  the  ability,  candor  and  fairness  with 
which  he  discharges  all  the  duties  of  a  counselor-at-law. 

He  has  given  much  attention  to  railroad  law,  and  hence  much 
of  his  business  has  been  confined  to  railroad  causes — perhaps 
the  most  difficult  that  engages  the  attention  of  gentlemen  of  the 
Bar. 

He  was  the  attorney  and  counsel  for  the  Commissioners  ap- 
pointed to  organize  a  system  of  rapid  transit  railroads  for 
Brooklyn,  under  authority  of  Chap.  606  of  Laws  of  1875,  com- 
monly called  the  "  Eapid  Transit  Act."  The  two  companies 
organized  under  this  act  were  the  "Kings  County  Elevated 
Railroad  Company,"  and  the  "  East  Biver  Bridge  and  Coney 
Island  Transit  Company  ;  "  the  history  of  these  organizations 
bears  indubitable  evidence  of  the  executive  abilities  of  Mr. 
Johnson. 

He  was  Assistant  Corporation  Counsel  for  Brooklyn  from  Jan- 
uary 1,  1869,  to  January,  1877.    Though  he  was  then  one  of  I 
the  younger  members  of  the  Brooklyn  Bar,  he  discharged  the  1 
duties  of  his  office  with  much  acceptability  to  the  public. 

Mr.  Johnson  devotes  all  his  time  and  attention  to  his  pro- 
fession; indeed,  so  extensive  has  his  practice  become  that  it  de- 
mands every  moment  of  his  time. 

Mr.  Johnson's  legal  business  is  conducted  in  partnership  with 
Albert  E.  Lamb,  and  with  his  brother,  A.  R.  Lamb,  Esq.,  under 
the  firm  name  of  Lamb  &  Johnson.  This  relation,  at  this  writ- 
ing, has  existed  some  time,  and  we  believe  is  fortunate  for  all 
parties,  combining  a  versatility  and  strength  of  talent  which 
renders  success  certain.  This  firm  has  an  extended  reputation, 
ranking  first  among  the  legal  firms  in  Kings  and  the  adjoining 
counties. 

In  the  autumn  of  1883,  Mr.  Johnson  was  nominated  by 
the  Republicans  of  the  2d  Judicial  District  for  the  office  of 
Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  State.  This  nomination  was 
tendered  him  largely  by  his  professional  brethren,  solely  in  re- 
cognition of  his  acknowledged  fitness  to  discharge  its  duties. 


Political  considerations  did  not,  we  believe,  in  any  sense,  lead  to 
his  nomination.  Though  the  Republican  party  was  largely  in  the 
minority  in  his  district,  such  was  his  popularity  that  ho  greatly 
reduced  the  usual  Democratic  majority;  indeed,  for  a  time  dur- 
ing the  canvass  his  election  was  believed  to  bo  certain,  but  the 
result  proved  otherwise. 

Mr.  Johnson  is  still  young  and  energetic;  inspired  by  a 
laudable  ambition,  he  has  a  right  to  look  forward  to  the  increas- 
ing honors  which  a  successful  professional  career  is  sure  to 
bring. 


NATHAN  B.  MORSE. 

In  the  year  1827— fifty-seven  years  ago—there  was  a  law  firm 
in  the  village  of  Brooklyn,  known  under  the  name  and  stylo  of 
Morse  &  Rockwell.  The  senior  member  of  that  firm  was 
Hon.  Nathan  B.  Morse.  The  junior  member  was  William 
Rockwell,  afterwards  a  distinguished  judge  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of  the  State,  whose  biography  appears  in  the  Bench  and 
Bar  of  Kings  County.  The  Kings  County  Bar,  at  the  time  this 
firm  was  doing  business,  consisted  of  only  fourteen  members, 
and  we  believe  Judge  Morse  is  the  only  one  of  them  now  living. 
Morse,  like  Rockwell,  rose  to  high  distinction  in  his  profession, 
and,  like  him,  received  high  judicial  honors.  He  was  appointed 
District  Attorney  of  the  county,  April  20,  1830. 

Nathan  B.  Morse  was  born  at  Canterbury,  Conn.,  Nov.  1 !, 
1799;  his  father  was  Peter  Morse,  and  his  mother's  maiden 
name  was  Ducenor  Brewster.  After  receiving  a  good  prepara- 
tory education,  he  began  the  study  of  law  with  Hon.  Ebenezer 
Young,  of  Killingly,  Conn.  He  was  admitted  to  the  Connecticut 
Bar,  and  went  into  partnership  with  Mr.  Young  for  a  time. 
Early  in  October,  1825,  he  moved  to  Brooklyn,  and  was  immedi- 
ately admitted  a  counselor  of  the  Supreme  Ciurt  of  the  State  of 
New  York,  and  commenced  the  practice  of  his  profession  under 
favorable  circumstances.  After  practicing  two  years  alone,  he 
became,  as  we  have  seen,  the  law  partner  of  Judge  Rockwell,  the 
successor  of  District  Attorney 

JAMES  B.  CLARK. 

Mr.  Ci-abk  was  appointed  District  Attorney,  March  2, 1819,  under 
the  old  act  of  1801,  dividing  the  county  into  seven  districts,  there 
being  one  District  Attorney  for  each  district.  Mr.  Clark  served 
under  that  appointment  until  the  Constitution  of  1821  abolished 
these  seven  districts,  making  each  county  a  district,  and  provid- 
ing for  the  appointment  of  a  District  Attorney  in  each  county, 
by°  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  of  the  county.  Immediately 
after  the  adoption  of  the  Constitution  of  1821,  Mr.  Clark  was 
appointed  District  Attorney  for  Kings  County,  holding  the  office 
until  March  26,  1830,  when,  as  we  have  said,  he  was  succeeded 
by  Judge  Morse.  Mr.  Clark  is  represented  as  one  of  the  ablest 
lawyers  of  his  time,  peculiarly  qualified  for  a  public  prose- 
cutor. He  had  cultivated  and  practiced  the  eloquence  of  the 
Bar  with  practical  success;  was  keen  and  penetrating  in  read- 
ing men,  and  this  made  him  close  and  searching  in  the  exami- 
nation of  witnesses.  It  is  said  that  on  the  cross-examination  of 
witnesses,  if  the  occasion  required,  he  could  be  terrible;  there 
seemed  to  be  a  subtle  influence  darting  from  his  eyes  that 
enabled  him  to  draw  forth  the  secrets  of  the  most  unwilling  and 
adroit  witness.  For  the  long  period  of  eleven  years  in  which 
he  served  as  public  prosecutor  of  the  county,  he  continued  to 
increase  in  the  confidence  of  the  people;  searching,  severe  and 
successful  as  he  was  in  bringing  criminals  to  justice,  he  pos- 
sessedthe  rare  quality  of  knowing  just  when  the  cause  of  the 
people  and  of  justice  would  be  subserved  by  forbearance  and 
leniency  ;  he  did  not  deem  it  necessary  for  his  reputation  that 
every  criminal  brought  to  the  Bar  should  be  convicted. 

He  was  equally  able  as  a  general  practitioner  in  civil  cases, 
being  able  to  adapt  himself  without  apparent  effort  to  all  kinds 
of  le°gal  business,  and  he  maintained  his  ascendency  at  the  Bar 


12.V2 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


for  many  years.  Such  was  James  B.  Clark,  the  first  District 
Attorney  of  Kings  County,  under  the  Constitution  of  1821. 

Mr.  Morse,  though  he  took  the  place  of  a  prosecuting  officer, 
like  (Mark,  was  eminently  successful  in  the  discharge  of  his 
duties;  he  served  till  May,  18311,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  his 
law  partner,  William  Rockwell,  who  served  till  June  3,  183!) — 
six  years  when  Judge  Morse  was  again  appointed,  and  he- 
came  his  successor.  Under  this  appointment,  Judge  Morse 
served  until  June,  1847,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  General  H. 
B.  Duryea.  It  will  he  seen  that  Judge  Morse's  first  term  as 
District  Attorney  expired  early  in  April,  1830. 

On  April  30,  1833,  he  was  appointed  First  Judge  of  Kings 
County,  in  place  of  Judge  John  Dikeman,  serving  until  April, 
1838,  when  John  A.  Lott  was  appointed  his  successor.  Upon 
leaving  the  Bench,  Judge  Morse  returned  to  the  practice  of  his 
profession. 

At  the  judicial  election  held  June  11,  1847,  Judge  Morse  was 
elected  a  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  Stoite  for  the  term 
of  six  years.  He  began  his  judicial  duties  on  the  following 
January;  his  judicial  term  expired  December  31,  1853,  when  he 
retired  to  private  life.  He  had  been  most  of  the  time  for 
twenty-three  years  in  public  life. 

Judge  Morse  brought  to  the  Bench  great  uprightness,  fairness 
and  impartiality  and  ample  legal  attainments.  The  style  in 
which  his  charges  were  given,  and  his  opinions  written,  was 
creditable  to  him;  the  reasonings  embodied  in  them  corres- 
ponded fully  with  the  language  in  which  they  were  presented. 
His  manner  on  the  Bench  was  amiable,  with  sufficient  force  of 
character  and  dignity  to  command  respect.  In  private  life,  as 
well  as  in  official  life,  he  is  greatly  esteemed;  even  now,  in  his 
advanced  age,  he  retains  his  mental  and  physical  powers  to  such 
a  degree  that  he  is  still  comparatively  active  in  business;  and  as 
President  of  the  Fulton  Ferry  Company,  is  in  the  daily  habit  of 
transacting  correctly  and  expeditiously  the  affairs  of  his  office. 


N.  F.  WARING. 

Among  the  many  honored  associates  of  Judge  Morse  at  the 
Brooklyn  Bar  fifty  years  ago,  was  N.  F.  Waring,  who  stood  for 
many  years  at  the  head  of  the  profession  in  Kings,  and  in  the 
adjoining  counties.  Perhaps  no  name  appears  more  frequent- 
ly in  the  books  which  record  the  litigated  cases  of  his  day  than 
Mr.  Waring's.  In  examining  the  old  court  calendars  of  the 
1  .:i-t ,  wo  find  a  large  number  of  the  cases  in  them  represented 
by  him.  We  are  informed  by  those  who  knew  Mr.  Waring 
that  ho  possessed  many  of  the  best  qualities  which  render  a 
lawyer  successful,  and  a  man  estimable.  His  perceptions  were 
qnidk;  his  judgment  strong;  his  capacity  for  drawing  nice 
distinctions  good,  and  he  always  expressed  himself  in  language 
best  suited  for  tho  communication  of  his  ideas.  He  was 
extremely  well  read,  and  his  knowledge  of  legal  principles 
precise,  accurate  and  always  at  his  command;  and  his  strong, 
retentive  memory  never  relaxed  its  grasp  upon  any  useful 
information  with  which  it  had  once  been  stored. 

At  tho  time  of  which  we  are  writing— fifty  years  ago 
there  were  others  of  the  few  associates  of  Morse  and  Waring 
at  the  Bar  whose  names  are  invested  with  historic  interest,  and 
a  record  of  whoso  careers  appears  in  the  first  volume  of  this 
work,  la  the  department  of  the  Bench  and  Bar  of  King! 
County.  Them- were  John  I)ikeinan,  Henry  C.  Murphy,  Alpheus 
P.  Ralph,  Cyrus  P.  Smith  and  Gabriel  Furman.  Since  that 
time  the  county  Bar  has  increased  from  twenty  to  over  twi  he 
hundred  members.  There  is  a  moral  and  a  lesson  in  this  change 
which  another  pen  than  ours  may  seize  upon  with  abundant 
success,  profit  ami  interest. 

HENRY  A.  MOORE. 

I  lit'  i  Iflwe.ii  Willi. on  Koekwell.  afterwards  a  judge  of 

the  Supreme  Court  of  the  State,  mill  Samuel  K.  Johnson,  over 


the  office  of  County  Judge  of  Kings  County,  in  tho  fall  of  1848, 
was  an  important  event  in  legal  history.  Both  of  these  gentle- 
men stood  high  at  the  Bar,  and  were  opposing  candidates  for  the 
office  of  County  Judge  at  the  general  election  which  took  place 
in  the  fall  of  18  -  ;  the  contest  between  them  was  so  close  that 
both  claimed  the  certificate  of  election;  it  was,  however,  awarded 
to  Judge  Rockwell,  but  the  question  was  contested  by  Mr.  John- 
son in  the  Supreme  Court,  and,  on  October28th,  1848,  thattrihu- 
nal  decided  in  favor  of  Judge  Johnson,  and  he  took  his  seat  upon 
the  Bench,  serving  out  his  judicial  term,  which  was  then  three 
years.  It  expired  December  31st,  1851.  In  the  autumn  of  that 
year,  Henry  A.  Moore  became  a  prominent  candidate  for  the 
office  of  County  Judge,  was  nominated  and  elected,  and  entered 
upon  his  judicial  duties  January  1st,  1852.  Judge  Moore  has 
long  been  identified  with  Brooklyn. 

After  the  usual  preparatory  education,  ho  entered  the  law 
office  of  Lott,  Murphy  &  Vanderbilt  as  a  student  at  law.  Un- 
der the  tuition  of  these  accomplished  and  distinguished  lawyers, 
young  Moore  received  his  legal  education .  The  office  of  this 
firm  presented  peculiar  facilities  for  acquiring  a  correct  practical 
knowledge  of  law;  that  young  Moore  fully  availed  himself  of 
these  facilities  is  fully  illustrated  in  his  subsequent  life.  After 
passing  a  creditable  examination  he  was  called  to  tho  Bar,  and 
entered  upon  his  practice  in  Brooklyn.  At  the  first  election  un- 
der the  Constitution  of  1846,  which  took  place  in  June,  1847, 
General  Harmanus  B.  Duryea  was  elected  District  Attorney  <'f 
Kings  County.  Judge  Moore,  who  had  then  been  at  the  Bar  1  mt 
a  brief  period,  received  the  appointment  of  Assistant  District 
Attorney.  He  brought  to  the  duties  of  this  office  qualification! 
which  enabled  him  to  discharge  its  duties  in  a  manner  credit- 
able to  himself  and  advantageously  to  the  public.  Judge  Moore 
continued  his  practice  until  he  was  elected  County  Judge,  as  we 
have  seen,  in  the  fall  of  1851.  His  official  term  expired  Decem- 
ber 31st,  1855,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Hon.  Samuel  D.  Morris, 
who  was  elected  at  the  November  election  of  that  year.  Judge 
Morris  was  succeeded  by  Samuel  Garrison,  whose  term  of  office 
expired  December  31st,  1863.  Judge  Garrison  was  succeeded  by 
Hon.  John  Dikeman,  whose  term  of  office  expired  December 
31st,  1867.  Judge  Dikeman's  successor  was  Hon.  James  Troy, 
who  retired  from  the  Bench  December  31st,  1871.  During  tin 
term  these  gentlemen  had  occupied  the  Bench,  Judge  Moore  de- 
voted himself  to  the  duties  of  his  profession  with  distinguished 
success. 

As  a  public  prosecutor,  he  had  become  familiar  with  criminal 
law  practice,  which  requires  a  critical  knowledge  of  the  statutes, 
the  common  law,  the  rules  of  evidence  and  of  precedent  ;  as  it 
had  strong  attractions  for  him,  he  united  considerable  criminal 
practice  with  his  rapidly  increasing  civil  business. 

Among  tho  criminal  cases  celebre  in  which  Judge  Moore  ap- 
peared as  counsel  for  the  defence,  was  tho  case  of  the  People  vs. 
Thomas  Murphy,  indicted  for  the  murder  of  Andrew  Murphy, 
at  Williamsburg;  and  the  People  vs.  Owen  Hand,  indicted  for  the 
murder  of  James  Donnell,  August  14,  1869.  The  trial  of  Hau  l 
took  place  in  1870,  and  was  protracted  and  interesting.  That  "f 
Murphy  began  October  13th,  1870,  continuing  several  days.  Mr. 
Britton,  then  District  Attorney,  appeared  for  tho  people  in  both 
these  cases.  These  trials  created  great  interest,  and  are  remem- 
bered for  the  very  able  and  exhaustive  efforts  in  which  the  dis- 
tinguished opposing  counsel  conducted  their  respective  sides  of 
the  case,  lint  Judge  Moore's  career  at  the  liar  was  terminated 
by  his  second  election  to  tho  Bench  of  the  County  Court  in  the 
autumn  of  1*71. 

He  began  his  judicial  duties  January  1st.  1872.  By  re  election 
he  has  occupied  the  Bench  of  the  County  Court  from  that  time 
down  to  the  present  time.    In  the  fall  of  1883  he  was  re-elected 

for  another  judicial  term  of  six  years;  this  term  eommeii  1 

January  1st,  1884.  It  will  thus  be  seen  that  ho  has  presided  on 
the  Bench  over  fourteen  years;  that  when  his  prese  nt  term  ex- 
pires he  w  ill  have  served  for  the  unexampled  long  time  of  (went) 


BENCH  AND  BAR  OF  BROOKLYN. 


1  •»:,:{ 


years.  These  repeated  elections  are  the  most  eloquent  endorse- 
ment of  Judge  Moore's  official  career. 

It  is  evident  that  he  finds  a  laudable  pleasure  in  performing 
the  duties  of  the  high  office  to  which  he  has  so  many  times 
been  elected  by  the  suffrages  of  the  people,  and  to  the  gratifica- 
tion of  the  Bar.  His  great  experience  renders  business  easy 
and  familiar  to  him,  and  he  gives  it  despatch,  w  ithout  precipi- 
tancy or  undue  haste.  He  comes  to  his  opinions,  decisions 
and  rulings  with  characteristic  promptness,  directness  and 
clearness,  plainly,  concisely  and  briefly,  without  the  least 
amplification.  Partiality  or  prejudice,  fear  or  favor,  or  the 
apprehension  of  any  consequences  personal  to  himself,  have 
never  exercised  the  slightest  influence  over  his  deliberations, 
or  for  one  moment  clouded  his  views  or  warped  his  judg- 
ment This  we  believe  to  be  the  opinion,  not  only  of  the 
Bar,  but  of  the  public,  concerning  Judge  Moore.  We  might 
say  more  of  him  within  the  bounds  of  propriety  and  fairness; 
we  certainly  could  not  say  less,  and  do  justice  to  one  whose 
legal  and  judicial  career  covers  so  long  a  period  in  the  history 
of  Kings  County,  and  which  has  been  so  acceptably  discharged. 


EDGAR  M.  CULLEN. 

Judge  Cuxlen,  one  of  the  younger  members  of  the  judiciary 
of  the  State,  was  born  at  Brooklyn,  in  the  year  1843.  His 
father  was  Dr.  Henry  J.  Cullen,  a  distinguished  and  highly 
esteemed  physician  and  surgeon  of  the  city,  who  died  greatly 
lamented  several  years  anterior  to  this  writing. 

At  an  early  age,  young  Cullen  entered  Kinderhook  Academy, 
where  he  prepared  for  college.  Choosing  Columbia  College  for 
his  Alma  Mater,  he  was  graduated  from  that  institution  in  1860, 
with  those  high  classic  endowments  which  have  been  so  useful 
to  him.  He  was  then  but  seventeen  years  of  age.  At  that  time 
it  was  his  own  desire,  as  it  was  of  his  friends,  to  adopt  the  pro- 
fession of  a  civil  engineer;  accordingly,  immediately  after 
leaving  college,  he  entered  the  Troy  Polytechnic  Institute,  where 
he  pursued  his  studies  with  great  diligence  until  the  beginning  of 
1863,  when  the  stirring  events  of  the  great  Civil  War  called  him 
from  his  studies  to  the  field.  Early  in  1862,  he  was  commissioned 
by  President  Lincoln  second  lieutenant  in  the  First  United  States 
Infantry.  At  this  time  his  regiment  was  in  active  service,  and 
young  Cullen  entered  at  once  into  the  bloody  drama  of  war. 
As  his  corps  was  connected  with  the  Western  Department,  or 
the  Department  of  the  Mississippi,  Cullen — then  a  mere  boy — ■ 
participated  in  the  memorable  battles  of  Corinth  and  Farni- 
ington,  and  passing  with  General  Grant  through  the  siege  of 
Vicksburg. 

Late  in  1862,  Governor  Morgan  commissioned  him  colonel  of 
the  96th  N.  T.  S.  Vs. 

Colonel  Cullen  was  at  that  time  but  nineteen  years  of  age, 
one  of  the  youngest  officers  of  that  grade  in  the  army.  His 
valor  and  accomplishments  as  a  soldier  need  no  other  descrip- 
tion than  the  record  of  his  rapid  promotion. 

He  immediately  assumed  his  new  command.  His  regiment 
was  attached  to  the  18th  Army  Corps,  and  did  valiant  service  in 
the  campaign  which  resulted  in  the  fall  of  Petersburg,  and  the 
bloody  contests  which  led  to  the  capture  of  Eichmond.  Just 
before  the  close  of  this  glorious  campaign,  Col.  Cullen  received 
a  wound  so  serious  that  he  was  compelled  to  retire  to  his  home, 
and  he  resigned  his  commission.  Eecovering  from  his  wound, 
he  spent  a  year  in  civil  engineering,  engaged,  we  believe,  on 
the  South  Side  L.  L  Eailroad,  that  line  of  transit  then  being  in 
course  of  construction.  At  the  conclusion  of  this  engagement 
he  decided  to  enter  the  legal  profession. 

He  is  a  nephew  of  Hon.  Alex.  McCue,  and  entered  his 
uncle's  office  as  a  student  at  law,  under  whose  instruction  he 
prepared  for  the  Bar.  In  1867  he  took  his  degree  as  an 
attorney  and  counselor  at  law,  entering  at  once  upon  an  honor- 
able and  successful  practice.    Few,  if  any,  members  of  the 


junior  Bar  of  the  city  ever  attained  a  higher  position  in  tho 
profession  in  so  short  a  time  as  did  Mr.  Cullen.  During 
Governor  Tilden's  administration,  he  received  the  appointment 
of  Engineering  Officer  on  his  staff,  with  the  rank  of  Brigadier- 
General. 

Judge  Cullen  early  became  a  member  of  the  Democratic  party, 
adhering  firmly  to  its  tenets,  and  was  ardent  and  influential  in 
his  advocacy  of  them.  He  continued  his  professional  advance- 
ment, gaining  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  his  brethren  of  the 
Bar  to  such  an  extent  that,  on  the  5th  of  October,  1880,  ho 
received  the  nomination  for  a  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of 
the  Second  Judicial  District,  and  was  elected.  His  judicial 
term  began  January  1,  1881. 

His  accession  to  the  Bench  was  gratifying  to  the  Bar  and  to 
the  judiciary;  the  diligence,  conscientiousness,  fairness  and 
learning  which  has  thus  far  characterized  his  official  career 
give  abundant  promise  of  future  usefulness  and  juridical 
honors.  Judge  Cullen 's  social  relations  are  of  the  most  agree- 
able character;  he  is,  as  we  have  said,  not  only  popular  with  the 
profession,  but  with  his  fellow-citizens. 

THOMAS  E.  PEARSALL. 

Mr.  Pearsall  was  born  in  the  city  of  Brooklyn  in  the  year 
i  1842.  His  ancestors  for  several  generations  have  been  Brooklyn  - 
ites,  and  his  grandfather  was  the  owner  of  that  densely  popu- 
lated portion  of  the  city,  geographically  and  traditionally 
known  as  "Pearsall's  Farm."  Had  the  property  been  devised 
from  father  to  son,  instead  of  sold,  as  it  was  long  before  Brook- 
'  lyn's  magnitude  was  foreseen,  the  possession  of  it  by  one  family 
would  rate  them  among  the  most  affluent  persons  in  any 
country.  It  was  not  to  be  so,  however,  and  now  thousands  of 
people  divide  among  them  what  was  once  the  estate  of  a  single 
gentleman,  "situated  some  miles  out  of  the  town  of  Brooklyn." 

Mr.  Pearsall  attended  the  public  schools  of  Brooklyn,  and 
acquired  a  solid,  practical  education,  up  to  the  time  when  he 
resolved  to  choose  his  course  in  life.  He  was  led  towards  the 
law;  while  only  fifteen  jrears  old  he  entered  the  office  of  Ex- 
Judge  Samuel  Garrison,  of  Brooklyn.  In  that  office  he  re- 
mained as  helper  and  student  in  one,  till  he  had  just  attained 
his  twenty-first  year.  He  was  then  admitted  to  the  Bar,  by 
!  examination  at  Poughkeepsie.  For  the  first  year  he  maintained 
professional  relations  with  Mr.  Garrison;  but  throughout  the 
three  years  thereafter  he  conducted  the  legal  business  on  his 
own  account,  with  most  flattering  and  increasing  success,  and 
during  that  period  he  was  retained  as  attorney  and  counsel  for 
one  of  the  heirs  under  the  will  of  Peter  O'Hara,  deceased; 
there  was  a  large  amount  of  property  involved,  the  distribution 
of  a  large  portion  of  which  depended  upon  the  construction  of 
the  will  of  the  deceased.  Opposed  to  Mr.  Pearsall  in  this  case 
was  Hon.  Henry  C.  Murphy.  The  case  was  carried  by  appeal 
to  the  Court  of  Appeals,  and  resulted  in  a  decision  in  favor  of 
Mr.  Pearsall's  client  (O'Hara  V.  Dever,  3  Abb.  Ct.  App.  Dec,  40V). 

On  December  23,  1867,  he  was  tendered  a  partnership  relation 
by  ex-Judge  Samuel  D.  Morris,  then  District  Attorney  of  Kings 
County.  The  offer  was  accepted,  and  the  relation  has  continued 
with  pleasure  and  distinction  to  both  gentlemen  until  the 
present  time.  From  1868  to  1872,  Mr.  Pearsall  was  the  Assistant 
District  Attorney  of  Kings  County,  and  he  discharged  with 
intelligence  and  fidelity,  and  great  expedition,  the  duties  of 
that  office,  in  addition  to  his  share  in  the  private  business  of  the 
firm  of  Morris  &  Pearsall.  During  the  period  last  indicated, 
Mr.  Pearsall  appeared  in  the  Fanny  Hyde-Watson  and  the 
Irish-Anderson  murder  cases,  and  in  other  almost  as  celebrated 
civil  and  criminal  issues. 

In  the  cases  enumerated,  the  sides  represented  by  Mr.  Pearsall 
have  been  successful  in  the  final  res"  It  attuned  by  the  trial 
of  the  causes.  In  the  case  of  TUton  vs.  Btecher,  Mr.  Pearsall. 
for  the  plaintiff,  was  intrusted  with  much  of  the  preparation 


1-2  .VI 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


of  the  evidence,  and  with  part  of  the  preparation  and  ar- 
r.iiij.  !!:•  nt  of  the  authorities  relied  on  by  the  plaintiffs 
counsel  in  the  many  mighty  law  questions  affecting  the 
litigation.  That  he  discharged  this  onerous  and  not  pub- 
lii-ly  apparent  duty  with  great  research  and  with  exhaustive 
skill,  his  professional  associates  and  opponents  abundantly 
attested  by  their  labors  xipon  tho  subject,  and  their  elaborate 
and  prolonged  development  in  the  public  trial  of  the  case. 
Though  the  junior  of  any  of  the  other  legal  gentlemen  in  this 
controversy,  Mr.  Pearsall  had  at  the  time  been  inactive  practice 
at  the  Bar  for  twelve  j'ears,  and  had  become  identified  with 
many  leading  eases  in  the  Second  Judicial  District 

On  April  20,  1805,  Mr.  Pearsall  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  II.  mi.  ii.i.  daughter  of  Archibald  Hardie,  Esq.,  of  Brooklyn. 

Mr.  Pearsall  takes  much  interest  in  politics,  exercising  con- 
siderable influence  in  the  political  arena,  and  maintaining  the 
principles  of  his  party  on  the  stump,  and  is  regarded  as  a 
successful  political  orator. 

He  has  been  a  prominent  member  of  the  regular  Democratic 
General  Committee  for  many  years;  he  has  never  yet  held  any 
office,  and  wo  are  not  aware  that  he  was  ever  a  candidate  for 
office. 

Mr.  Pearsall's  social  relations  are  very  pleasing;  among  the 
organizations,  social  and  otherwise,  to  which  he  belongs,  are 
the  Oxford  and  Carlton  Club,  Peconic  Council,  Royal  Arcanum, 
and  Legion  of  Honor. 


ISAAC  S.  CATLIN. 

Isaac  S.  Catlin  was  born  at  Owego,  New  York,  in  1832.  He 
was  very  early  fitted  for  a  collegiate  course,  and  entered  Hobert 
College,  at  Geneva,  from  which  he  was  graduated  at  an  age  when 
most  boys  enter  college,  and  immediately  began  his  legal 
studies  in  the  city  of  New  York,  and  was  called  to  the  Bar  soon 
after  attaining  his  majority;  when  but  twenty-three  years  of  age 
he  returned  to  Owego.  At  this  time,  Hon.  Benjamin  F.  Tracy 
and  Hon.  Gilbert  Walker  were  practicing  law  as  partners  at 
Owego,  forming  one  of  the  most  brilliant  and  successful  law  firms 
in  Southern  New  York.  Soon  after  his  return  to  Owego,  Catlin 
became  the  junior  member  of  this  firm,  entering  actively  and 
ardently  into  tho  practice  of  his  profession.  He  continued  a 
member  of  the  firm  until  the  breaking  out  of  the  Rebellion,  when 
the  lawyer  was  lost  in  the  soldier.  Catlin  was  one  of  the  first 
to  enlist  in  the  service  of  his  country.  He  entered  the  service  in 
the  3d  N.  Y.  S.  Volunteers,  and  was  soon  at  the  seat  of  war. 
Under  drill  and  discipline,  he  soon  acquired  that  knowledge  of 
the  profession  of  arms  which,  with  native  valor,  inspired  by  pa- 
triotism, prepared  him  for  the  rapid  promotion  that  awaited  him. 
Ho  was  soon  -for  gallant  and  meritorious  services— advanced  to 
the  rank  of  colonel  of  the  fighting  109th  N.  Y.  S.  V's.  He  par- 
ticipated in  many  of  the  most  important  battles  of  the  war,  in- 
cluding the  battle  of  Big  Bethel,  and  tho  long  series  of  sangui- 
nary contests  in  the  'Wilderness. 

While  gallantly  leading  his  command  to  the  assault  of  Peters- 
burg,  he  was  so  terribly  wounded  by  the  explosion  of  a  mine 
that  the  amputation  of  his  right  leg  was  necessary. 

Upon  the  cessation  of  hostilities,  Catlin,  who  had  been  bre- 
vetted  a  brigadier-general,  returned  to  Owego  and  resumed  the 
practice  of  his  profession. 

In  November  \Hi\T>,  he  received  the  nomination  for  District 
Attorney  of  Tioga  County,  and  was  elected  by  a  very  largo 
majority. 

When  it  is  remembered  that  his  predecessors  wore  such  men 
...  i'/raS.  Sweet,  Benjamin  F.  Tracy  and  Delos  O.  Hancock,  it 
will  be  Keen  how  responsible  was  tho  position  which  he  assumed. 
Thai  the  administration  of  his  office  was  successful,  is  sufficient 
•  ill.  nee  of  the  b  urning  and  ability  he  brought  to  it.  But  ho 
could  not  overcome  his  lovo  for  the  life  of  a  soldier;  civic  honors 
wore  not  sufficient  to  uttroct  him  from  it,  and  at  tho  conclusion  | 


of  his  official  term  he  entered  the  regular  army,  and  was  soon 
after  appointed  to  the  command  of  the  Freedman's  Bureau,  at 
Louisville,  Ky.  At  the  end  of  seventeen  months  he  resigned 
his  commission,  and  became  a  resident  of  Brooklyn,  and  as 
the  law  partner  of  Gen.  B.  F.  Tracy,  who  had  also  become  a 
resident  of  the  city,  resumed  the  practice  of  his  profession. 
He  soon  took  an  active  and  influential  part  in  politics  as 
a  member  of  the  Republican  party.  In  the  fall  of  1871,  he 
was  nominated  for  District  Attorney  by  his  party,  but  declined 
in  favor  of  Gen.  Philip  S.  Crooke,  who  accepted  the  nomination, 
but  was  defeated  in  the  canvass.  In  1876,  Gen.  Catlin  was 
nominated  for  Congress  for  the  3d  Congressional  District,  but 
was  defeated  in  the  election. 

In  tho  meantime  he  continued  in  the  active  duties  of  his  pro- 
fession, having  reached  a  commanding  position  at  tho  Bar. 
He  has  often  been  called  upon  to  contend  with  the  best  and 
strongest  legal  minds  in  the  State,  while  many  of  the  causes  in 
which  he  has  been  engaged  were  of  that  superior  prominence 
which  renders  them  established  precedents. 

Space  will  not  permit  us  to  give  any  description  of  the  large 
number  of  important  trials  in  which  he  was  engaged ;  we  can- 
not, however,  refrain  from  briefly  alluding  to  the  prominent 
part  he  took  as  one  of  the  counsel  in  the  celebrated  case  of  77ie 
People  v.  Fanny  Hyde,  tried  at  Brooklyn,  April  15,  1872  (see 
Important  TrialsV  There  was  a  brilliant  array  of  associates 
with  Gen.  Catlin  in  this  defense,  but  the  duty  of  opening  the 
case  to  the  jury  fell  to  him.  Whoever  reads  his  opening  address 
to  the  jury  will  be  profoundly  interested  and  instructed  by  it, 
and  we  feel  sure  all  who  heard  it,  and  all  who  have  read  it,  will 
agree  with  us  in  saying,  if  this  was  the  only  effort  Gen.  Catlin 
ever  made  at  the  Bar,  it  would  alone  have  established  his 
reputation  as  an  advocate  of  high  standing. 

The  opening  of  a  case  to  a  jury,  though  not  always  so  under- 
stood, is  one  of  the  most  difficult  and  responsible  duties  which 
can  be  assigned  to  a  lawyer.  It  is  the  first  presentation  of  the 
case  after  the  affirmative  has  been  in  communication  with  the 
jury.  It  breaks  in  upon  the  theory  and  the  relation  of  the  prose- 
cutor, and  for  the  first  time  convinces  the  jurors,  if  rightly 
done,  that  there  are,  indeed,  two  sides  to  the  case;  and  it  estah 
lishes  the  theory  designed  to  overthrow  the  hypothesis  on 
which  rests  the  prosecution.  Hence  an  eloquent,  careful 
and  ingenious  narration  of  the  defense,  in  analytic  order,  in  a 
measure  neutralizes  the  effect  of  tho  affirmative  evidence  in  tho 
minds  of  the  jurors,  paving  tho  way  for  successful  defensive 
evidence. 

The  manner  in  which  Gen.  Catlin  opened  the  defense  fat 
Fanny  Hyde  is  sufficient  evidence  of  his  accomplishments  in 
this  branch  of  practice.  His  appeal  to  the  intelligence  of  the 
jury  was  of  high  tone,  broad  in  scope,  deep  in  power,  proving 
him  an  accomplished  verbalist. 

In  1877,  Gen.  Catlin  received  the  nomination  for  District 
Attorney,  and  was  elected  by  a  largo  majority;  his  term  expired 
December,  1880,  and  on  October  22  of  that  year  he  was  renomi- 
nated, and  at  the  ensuing  election  was  elected.  His  second 
term  of  office  expired  Deoember31,  1883;  he  was  succeeded 
by  James  W.  Ridgway. 

The  history  of  his  official  duties  aro  so  freshly  and  so  pmtni 
nently  before  the  people,  that  it  needs  no  repetition  by  us.  He 
has  returned  to  tho  practico  of  his  profession  with  an  experience 
in  all  its  branches  that  cannot  fail  to  render  his  futuro  career  st 
tho  Bar  eminently  successful. 


JAMES  W.  R IDC, WAY. 
Mit.  RiixiWAY  has  been  Bt  tho  Bar  about  thirteen  years,  in 
which  time  ho  has  attained  tho  reputation  of  a  very  \ie,ilant. 
well-learned  and  successful  lawyer.  He  trios  a  cause  with  greet 
dexterity,  present*  his  case  to  tho  jury  attractively,  and  if  elo- 
quence consists  in  tho  art  of  convincing,  then  wo  may  eey 


BENCH  AND  BAR  OF  BROOKLYN. 


1255 


eloquently.  He  always  succeeds  in  putting  the  jury  in  posses- 
sion, in  a  well-reasoned  manner,  of  all  the  facts  and  circumstances 
on  which  he  relies  to  gain  their  verdict;  if  he  does  not  always 
convince  them,  he  most  certainly  gains  their  most  respectful 
attention;  he  is  equally  successful  with  the  court  in  making  a 
legal  argument.  He  has  given  much  attention  to.  criminal  law, 
and  has  been  very  successful  in  that  branch  of  practice;  his 
ability  in  this  department  has  been  so  generally  recognized 
that  he  now  occupies  the  position  of  public  prosecutor  of  the 
County  of  Kings. 

Mr.  Kidgway  is  a  native  of  North  Branch,  N.  J.,  and  is  a  son 
of  Joseph  S.  and  Margaret  Ridgway.  When  a  boy  he  was  placed 
at  school  in  Brooklyn,  where  he  prepared  to  enter  Moravian 
College,  at  Nazareth,  Pa.  Having  completed  his  classical  educa- 
tion, he  went  to  New  York,  and  was  regularly  entered  as  a  law 
student  in  the  office  of  J.  S.  Bidgway,  Esq.,  under  whose  in- 
struction he  prepared  for  the  Bar.  He  took  his  degree  as  an 
attorney  and  counselor-at-law  at  a  General  Term  of  the  Supreme 
Court  held  at  Brooklyn,  September,  1871,  and  soon  after  began 
his  practice  in  this  city,  under  circumstances  we  have  already 
described. 

We  have  spoken  of  his  position  as  public  prosecutor,  the  suc- 
cessor of  Gen.  Isaac  S.  Catlin.  In  the  fall  of  1883,  he  was  nomi- 
nated by  the  Democratic  party  for  the  office  of  District  Attorney. 
His  opponent  was  Robert  Payne,  Esq.,  a  lawyer  of  vigorous  and 
cultivated  understanding,  of  much  deliberation  and  candor, 
well  versed  in  the  learning  of  his  profession,  and  is  conceded  a 
very  high  position  at  the  Bar.  Mr.  Payne  received  the  Republi- 
can nomination  for  District  Attorney  of  Kings  County,  in 
recognition  of  his  standing  as  a  lawyer,  a  citizen,  and  his  well- 
known  qualifications  for  the  office  to  which  he  was  nominated. 
But  his  party  was  in  the  minority  and  he  was  defeated,  but 
under  circumstances  which  exhibited  how  highly  he  was  ap- 
preciated by  the  electors  of  the  county. 

Mr.  Ridgway  entered  upon  the  duties  of  his  office  January  1, 
1884,  and  at  this  writing  has  discharged  them  for  over  four 
months.  The  duties  of  District  Attorney  in  Kings  County  are 
peculiarly  arduous  and  of  great  responsibility;  thus  far  Mr. 
Ridgway's  great  industry  and  happy  faculty  of  dispatching 
business,  and  untiring  adherence  to  all  his  duties,  have  been 
manifested. 

It  is  said  that  a  public  man  never  exhibits  his  strength  of 
mind  more  substantially  than  in  selecting  proper  assistants — 
men  whose  abilities  blend  with  his  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties. 
In  this  respect  Mr.  Ridgway  has  shown  peculiar  sagacity.  His 
assistants  are  John  U.  Shorter,  John  F.  Clarke,  and  Albert  F. 
Jenks,  three  accomplished  members  of  the  junior  Bar  of  Brook- 
lyn, who  bring  to  their  office  those  abilities  and  that  learning 
which  must  largely  subserve  the  interests  of  the  people. 


SEYMOUR  S.  PELOUBET. 

Though  Mr.  Peloubet  is  not  strictly  a  member  of  the  Brooklyn 
Bar,  he  is  intimately  connected  with  it  as  an  extensive  law  book 
publisher,  who  furnishes  for  lawyers  and  judges  the  libraries  in 
which  they  prepare,  and  keep  themselves  prepared,  for  the 
duties  of  the  Bench  and  the  Bar.  Perhaps  his  general  knowl- 
edge of  law  and  law  books  is  equal  to  any  lawyer  in  practice, 
and  perhaps  no  man  knows  how  to  select  a  library  better  than  he. 

In  speaking  of  the  great  increase  of  law  books,  Mr.  Peloubet 
says:  "The  multiplication  of  law  books  has  been  so  rapid  of 
late  years,  that  few  lawyers  can  procure,  by  their  own  private 
resources,  all  they  need  for  the  work  of  their  profession.  This 
multiplication  has  correspondingly  increased  the  number  of 
volumes  it  is  necessary  for  every  lawyer  who  would  be  thorough 
and  accurate  in  the  discharge  of  his  professional  duties  to  con- 
sult. For  this  reason,  public  law  libraries  have  become  indis- 
pensable to  the  legal  profession.    The  expenditure  simply  for 


the  purchase  of  the  annual  law  reports  of  England  and  America 
is  so  great  that  but  few  members  of  the  profession,  and  only  the 
stronger  public  libraries,  are  able  to  procure  them.  The  number 
of  pages  of  reported  cases  of  the  English  and  American  Courts 
published  yearly  i3  not  loss  than  00,000;  add  to  this  tho  yearly 
volumes  of  statute  law,  works  on  elementary  law,  and  different 
law  treatises,  and  it  is  obviously  only  a  problem  of  arithmetic  to 
ascertain  the  time  when  the  walls  of  our  great  public  libraries 
will  not  longer  afford  space  for  the  load." 

A  report  of  the  Bar  Association  of  the  City  of  New  York  shows 
that,  from  the  year  1704  to  1873 — a  period  of  seventy-nine  years 
— there  were  published  in  the  State  of  New  York  alone  500 
volumes  of  reported  cases,  more  than  one-third  of  the  reports  of 
Great  Britain  for  565  years.  Mr.  Peloubet  prepared  a  statement 
showing  the  age  and  number  of  volumes  of  some  of  the  libraries 
of  the  world,  from  which  we  take  the  following: 

The  Law  Library  of  Lincoln's  Inn,  of  London,  is  one  of  the 
oldest,  dating  its  beginning  from  1197;  that  of  the  Middle 
Temple,  from  1641;  and  the  Library  of  the  Faculty  of  Advocates, 
in  Edinburgh,  from  1680. 

Our  American  law  libraries  are  products  of  the  present  cen- 
tury; very  few  have  had  an  existence  of  over  fifty  years.  The 
following  is  a  list  of  the  law  libraries  in  tho  State  of  New  York, 
the  date  of  their  origin,  and  number  of  volumes: 

Attorney-General's,  at  Albany,  founded  in  1850,  containing 
2,600  vols.;  Court  of  Appeals  Library,  at  Albany,  founded  in 

1849,  2,000  vols. ;  Law  Library,  at  Belmont,  Allegany  County, 
founded  in  I860,  2,500  vols.;  Brooklyn  Law  Library,  founded  in 

1850,  5,325  vols. ;  Supreme  Court  Library,  Eighth  Judicial  Dis- 
trict, Buffalo,  founded  in  1863,  5,250  vols.;  Hamilton  Law 
School  Library,  Clinton,  N.  Y.,  founded  1864,  5,000  vols.;  Mon- 
ticello,  Sullivan  County,  Law  Library,  1869,  2,156  vols.;  Now 
York  Bar  Association  Law  Library,  founded  in  1870,  9,077  vols.; 
Columbia  College  Law  School  Library,  New  York  City,  founded 
in  I860,  4,500  vols.;  Law  Institute  Law  Library,  Now  York  City, 

j  founded  in  1828,  20,000  vols.;  The  Supreme  Court,  First  Depart- 
;  ment,  First  Judicial  District,  Law  Library,  New  York  City, 
'  founded  in  1852,  2,000  vols.;  Court  of  Appeals  Library,  Roches- 
ter, N.  Y.,  founded  in  1849, 10,000  vols. ;  Fourth  Judicial  District 
Law  Library,  Schenectady,  N.  Y.,  founded  1866,  2,500  vols.; 
Court  of  Appeals  Law  Library,  Syracuse,  N.Y.,  founded  in  1849, 
8,500  vols. 

The  State  of  New  York  has  more  than  double  the  number  of 
law  libraries  than  any  other  State  in  the  Union;  the  aggre- 
gate number  of  volumes  in  the  law  libraries  being  about  81,408; 
the  oldest  library  being  founded  only  a  little  over  fifty  years 
ago.  The  enterprise  which  has  characterized  the  growth  of  our 
State  has  been,  in  no  department,  more  manifest  than  in  that 
of  our  public  law  libraries. 

Mr.  Peloubet,  and  the  firms  with  which  he  has  been  con- 
nected, have  furnished  a  large  number  of  the  books  found  in 
these  libraries. 

Mr.  Peloubet  was  born  in  Bloomfield,  N.  J.,  in  1844,  and  is  a 
son  of  Chabrier  Peloubet,  the  extensive  and  well-known  manu- 
facturer of  reed  organs.  Inheriting  in  a  large  degree  his 
father's  energy,  integrity  and  fixedness  of  pnrpose,  his  success 
is  due  largely  to  these  characteristics.  . 

Mrs.  Peloubet,  his  wife,  formerly  Miss  Mary  E.  Johnson,  is 
a  grand-daughter  of  Gen.  Jeremiah  Johnson,  and  is  said  to  be  a 
direct  descendant  of  the  first  white  child  born  on  Long  Island. 

After  receiving  a  liberal  education  in  1860,  he  became  clerk 
for  George  Diossy,  an  extensive  law  book  merchant  of  New 
York  City  ;  in  1868,  he  became  a  partner  with  Mr.  Diossy,  under 
the  name  of  Diossy  &.  Co.  In  1876  Mr.  Diossy  retired,  and  Mr. 
Peloubet  associated  with  himself  Mr.  E.  G.  Ward,  who  con- 
tinued  a  member  of  the  firm  for  three  years,  when  he  retired  in 
favor  of  Mr.  Diossy.  In  1867,  Mr.  Peloubet  became  a  resident 
of  Brooklyn,  where  he  has  resided  ever  since.    He  has  been 


125C 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


favorably  connected  with,  niul  largely  published,  the  works  of 
several  legal  authors;  nmong  these  works  are  Abbott's  National 
Digest,  in  eight  volumes,  by  Benjamin  Vaughn  and  Austin  Abliott ; 
AUiott's  United  States  Practice,  2  volumes,  by  Benjamin  V. 
Abbott;  Coiinnentnrits  on  American  Laic,  2  volumes,  by  Francis 
Hilliard  ;  Reports  of  Cases  under  the  New  York  Civil  Procedure, 
5  volumes,  and  continued  monthly,  by  Henry  II.  Browne; 
Lices  of  Eminent  Lawyers  of  New  York,  in  2  volumes;  Lawyer 


and  Client,  or  Trials  and  Triumphs  of  Jie  Bar,  by  L.  B.  Proctor; 
]{eports  of  Cases  in  the  Supreme  Court  of  New  York,  in  2  volumes, 
by  Hon.  John  W.  Edmonds. 

Mr.  Peloubet  has  compiled  two  books  which  have  been 
generously  received — Students'  Law  Dictionary  of  Words  <u„l 
Phrases,  and  Qmmon  Lair  Definitions ;  A  Collection  of  Leijal 
Maxims  in  Jaiw  and  Equity,  with  English  Translations. 


Important  Trials. 


TRIAL  OF  GONZALEZ  AND  PELLICIER  FOR  THE 
MURDER  OF  JOSE  GARCIE  ORTERO. 

In  the  course  of  this  work  we  have  occasionally  referred, 
briefly,  to  this  celebrated  case,  the  history  of  which  reveals  one 
of  the  most  startling  and  barbarous  murders  in  the  record  of 
crime.  Wo  shall  now  give  a  condensed  history  of  the  whole 
case,  as  the  legal  history  of  Kings  County  and  Brooklyn  would 
be  incomplete  without  it. 

J.  Garcie  Ortero  was  a  native  of  Havana,  in  the  island  of 
Cuba,  belonging  to  a  highly  respectable  family  of  that  city,  and 
was  himself  held  in  high  esteem  for  his  many  estimable  qual- 
ities. He  had  been  well  educated,  and  had  given  some  attention 
to  the  fine  arts  and  the  drama.  As  he  was  possessed  of  consid- 
erable wealth,  he  had  the  means  for  indulging  his  tastes.  He 
was  at  the  time  of  his  death  about  thirty-six  years  of  age. 

During  the  year  1805,  he  erected  and  tastefully  adorned  a 
theatre  in  Havana.  Early  in  November  of  that  year,  he  visited 
New  York  City  for  the  purpose  of  purchasing  materials  for  the 
completion  of  his  theatre,  taking  with  him  a  considerable  sum 
of  money,  with  letters  of  credit  and  drafts. 

Among  the  passengers  on  the  steamer  which  brought  Ortero 
to  New  York,  waj  Gonzalez,  a  Spaniard,  who  left  Havana  for 
New  York  without  baggage,  and  without  any  apparent  object. 
As  there  were  but  two  or  three  of  Ortero's  countrymen  on  board, 
he  soon  made  the  acquaintance  of  Gonzalez,  and,  notwithstand- 
ing his  rough  and  rather  forbidding  appearance,  Ortero  seemed 
to  take  an  interest  in  him.  His  sympathy  was  aroused  by  the 
pitiful  story  which  Gonzalez  gave  him  of  his  misfortunes  and 
sorrows,  and  the  high-bred  and  wealthy  gentleman  admitted  his 
impecunious  countryman  to  his  friendship. 

They  reached  New  York  on  the  15th  of  November,  and  went 
immediately  to  the  Barcelona  Hotel,  in  Great  Jones  street,  where 
Ortero  took  rooms.  Such  was  the  forbidding  appearance  of 
Gonzalez,  and  as  he  was  without  baggage,  the  clerk  of  the  hotel 
refused  to  givo  him  a  room.  Ortero,  however,  informed  the  clerk 
that  Gonzalez  was  a  poor  unfortunate,  but  he  believed  honest 
man,  who  had  come  U>  New  York  to  find  employment;  and,  at  his 
solicitation,  a  room  was  given  the  man.  At  this  time  Salvadore, 
or  Pellicier,  a  Cuban,  occupied  a  room  at  the  Hotel  de  Cuba, 
with  one  Frank  Viela,  both  of  whom  had  recently  como  from 
Havana;  the  former  was  very  poor,  serving  sometimes  as  a 
waiter  at  the  Barcelona,  and  sometimes  as  an  itinerant  glazier. 
S<>on  after  Ortero  became  a  guest  at  his  hotel,  Pellicier  mado 
his  acquaintance  and  that  of  Gonzalez,  and  theso  three  Cubans 
Incuim  fjuiti  intimate  It  v. is  noticed  that  Gonzalez  anil 
Pellicier  had  many  interviews  by  themselves.  It  was  well  known 
that  IkiHi  theso  men  were  entirely  without  means. 

On  the  lKth  of  November,  Ortero  went  to  Philadelphia,  leav- 
ing Gonzalez  :ii  ili.  hotel  an  occupant  of  his  rooms;  this  was  on 
Saturday.  During  his  absence  Gonzalez  exhibited  a  degree  of 
ro*tlcHnueHM  and  anxiety  for  the  return  of  Ortero  that  attracted 


the  attention  of  the  clerk  and  others  about  the  hotel.  He  would 
walk  about  by  himself,  and  frequently  inquire  of  the  clerk  if 
Ortero  was  really  coming  back. 

On  Monday,  the  20th,  Ortero  returned,  and  Gonzalez  received 
him  with  apparent  marks  of  joy,  but  to  the  people  about  the  hotel 
Gonzalez  was  a  person  of  such  doubtful  character  that,  during 
Ortero's  absence,  the  clerk  presented  his  bill,  although  he  had 
been  at  the  hotel  but  a  few  days.  He  declared  his  inability  to 
pay,  but  said  he  would  pay  on  the  return  of  Ortero.  As  Ortero 
and  Gonzalez  were  going  to  dinner,  on  the  day  of  the  former's 
return,  the  clerk  stopped  Gonzalez  and  again  requested  the 
payment  of  his  bill.  Ortero  replied,  "  I  will  pay  mine  too,"  and 
at  the  same  time  took  from  his  pocket  a  handful  of  gold  coins, 
from  which  he  paid  his  bill.  Although  Gonzalez  did  not  pay, 
he  was  permitted  to  pass  into  the  dining-room,  probably  on  the 
assurance  of  Ortero  that  his  bill  would  be  all  right.  The 
manner  in  which  Gonzalez  watched  Ortero,  while  paying  his 
bill,  attracted  the  attention  of  the  clerk. 

When  Ortero  was  making  his  purchases  about  the  city  Gon- 
zalez, and  sometimes  Pellicier,  accompanied  him,  and  the  great 
contrast  in  the  appearance  of  the  three  men  occasioned  much 
comment.  Ortero  was  a  large  and  elegantly  formed  man,  with 
the  dress  and  manners  of  a  gentleman,  and  according  to  appear- 
ances a  man  of  means  and  culture.  His  companions  were 
quite  the  reverse;  their  appearance  indicating  a  degree  of  stand- 
ing much  beneath  that  of  their  companion;  there  was  a  sinister, 
almost  brutal  expression  in  their  countenances,  and  their  cloth- 
ing indicated  their  impecunious  circumstances.  It  is  strange, 
indeed,  that  a  gentleman  like  Ortero  should  become  thus  in 1 1 
mate  with  men  like  Gonzalez  and  Pellicier,  but  he  was  young, 
ardent  and  generous;  the  sorrowful  story  which  Gonzalez  had 
related  to  him  quite  disarmed  all  suspicious  thoughts,  and  it  is 
very  probable  that  he  was  determined  to  assist  him  in  some  way 
into  business.  So  unsuspecting  was  he  of  his  companions  thai 
ho  often,  in  making  his  purchases,  showed  large  sums  of  money, 
which  always  attracted  their  attention,  and  their  secret  consul 
tations  were  often  remarked.  Ortero  was  frequently  cautioned 
against  the  careless  manner  in  which  he  exhibited  his  money, 
but  he  paid  no  heed  to  the  caution. 

On  November  21st,  Ortero  and  Pellicier  dined  together  tl 
about  0  p.  II.,  after  which  they  went  to  the  Hotel  de  Culm, 
where  Gonzalez  soon  joined  them.  On  his  way  there  he  pro 
cured  two  razors  of  Viela;  ho  had  previously  procured  s 
poniard  of  Pellicier.  After  remaining  awhile  at  the  hotel. 
Ortero,  Gonzalez  and  Tellicier  went  out,  and  by  the  way  of 
Fulton  Ferry  proceeded  to  Brooklyn,  going  directly  to  Evans' 
Hotel,  at  tho  corner  of  Clinton  and  Myrtle  avenues,  whore  they 
remained  until  about  half  past  nine  in  tho  evening.  At  tho  hotel 
both  men  drank  quite  heavily,  endeavoring  t'>  intoxicate 
Ortero,  who,  though  somewhat  excited,  was  in  no  way  over- 
come by  the  liquor.  Finally.it  was  proposed  by  (ion/ale/ or 
Pellicier  to  \isit  tho  City  Park,  which  is  no  groat  distance  from 


BENCH  AND  BAR  OF  BROOKLYN. 


125? 


that  place.  The  night  was  very  dark,  and  it  will  never  be 
known  by  what  inducements  Ortero  was  led  to  accompany  these 
men  at  that  hour  to  this  deserted  place.  He  had  never  before 
been  in  Brooklyn,  and  was  of  course  a  stranger  to  every  body. 
They  entered  the  park  at  the  Canton  street  corner,  and  took  a 
path  which  crosses  it  diagonally,  and  proceeded  to  the  centre  or 
most  sequestered  part  of  it.  Perhaps  a  more  fitting  place  for 
"dark  and  midnight  murder"  could  not  have  been  found  in 
Brooklyn,  and  surely  a  more  gloomy  night  could  not  have  been 
selected.  The  wail  of  the  November  wind  which  swept  through 
the  trees  and  over  the  park  prevented  all  outcry  from  being 
heard,  and  in  this  spot  the  party  halted.  With  the  spring  of 
tigers,  the  two  ruffians  grappled  their  unarmed  victim,  and  with 
their  razors  attempted  to  cut  his  throat;  but,  as  we  have  said,  he 
was  a  man  of  powerful  physical  strength,  young  and  active,  and 
a  desperate  and  mortal  strife  began.  There  was  something  appal- 
ling in  this  terrible  struggle — the  tug,  the  grip,  the  blow — the 
swift  stroke  of  the  deadly  weapons — and,  no  doubt  sensible 
of  the  unequal  contest,  Ortero's  cries  of  murder  went  up 
from  the  scene;  but  at  that  hour,  and  stifled  by  the  wind, 
there  was  none  to  hear  it,  and  the  contest  went  on.  From 
all  appearances,  Ortero  succeeded  in  wrenching  a  razor  from 
the  hand  of  one  of  the  assassins,  and  with  it  he  inflicted  a 
deep  wound  on  the  hand  of  Pellicier.*  Failing  in  their  efforts 
with  the  razor,  though  inflicting  terrible  wounds  upon  their 
victim,  they  resorted  to  the  poniard ;  with  this  they  succeeded 
in  giving  him  several  wounds,  either  of  which  would  have 
proved  mortal.  One  thrust  of  the  poniard  entered  his  back  and 
pierced  the  spinal  column,  and  soon  Ortero  lay  at  their  feet  a 
ghastly  corpse,  gashed  with  twenty-eight  wounds.  The  deed  was 
done.  Early  the  next  morning  a  citizen,  in  passing  through  the 
park,  discovered  the  body  of  Ortero,  still  warm  and  bleeding. 
The  alarm  was  instantly  given  and  the  police  notified.  The 
victim  was  of  course  unknown,  but  he  had  the  appearance  of  a 
gentleman,  and  in  one  of  the  pockets  of  his  pantaloons  was  a 
large  sum  of  money,  in  gold;  the  other  was  turned  inside  out, 
showing  that  the  victim  had  been  robbed,  and  that  the  robber 
had  been  frightened  away  before  securing  the  contents  of  this 
pocket.  In  one  of  his  pockets  his  receipted  hotel  bill  was 
found,  which  soon  led  to  his  identification. 

At  the  Evans  House,  which  is  not  far  from  the  City  Park,  the 
three  men  attracted  much  attention  on  the  night  of  the  murder  ; 
Ortero  by  his  refined  and  gentlemanly  bearing  and  noble  form, 
his  companions  by  their  rough  appearance.  Persons  at  the 
Evans  House  readily  recognized  the  body  of  Ortero  as  that 
of  the  interesting  stranger  whose  appearance  had  attracted  their 
attention  the  night  before,  and  his  companions  with  whom  he 
left  the  house  were  equally  well  remembered.  This  answered 
the  first  inquiry — with  whom  was  he  last  seen  ?  On  the  ground, 
not  far  from  the  body  of  Ortero,  there  was  found  a  pair  of  gloves, 
one  of  them  cut  and  bloody,  two  razors,  one  of  them  badly 
bent,  and  a  dagger.  The  police  went  to  work,  and  they  soon 
ascertained,  by  means  of  the  receipted  hotel  bill,  that  the 
"Barcelona"  was  the   stopping  place  of  Ortero,  and  that 

*  Pellicier,  the  day  before  he  was  executed,  made  a  full  confession  of 
the  commission  of  the  crime,  in  which  he  disagreed  in  some  respects  with 
the  evidence  given  for  the  people  on  the  trial.  He  denied  that  the  party 
were  at  the  Evans  House  at  all,  insisting  that  they  went  directly  from  the 
ferry  to  the  park;  that  Gonzalez  began  the  attack  upon  Ortero,  and  did  the 
principal  part  of  the  murder;  that  he,  Pellicier,  inflicted  no  injury  upon 
their  victim  until  after  he  had  fallen  upon  the  ground,  and  then,  fearing 
that  Gonzalez  would  kill  him  for  having  taken  no  part  in  the  murder,  he 
made  several  eutB  on  Ortero  with  a  razor:  that  while  doing  so,  Gonzalez, 
in  attempting  to  make  another  cut  at  Ortero,  inflicted  the  wound  on 
Pellicier's  left  hand,  by  which  he  had  hold  of  the  victim.  The  struggle 
was,  he  said,  entirely  between  Ortero  and  Gonzalez,  and  Ortero  was 
brought  to  the  ground  by  the  plunge  of  the  dagger,  which  pierced  the  spinal 
column.  They  bad,  previous  to  this  time,  laid  a  plan  to  murder  him  at 
his  hotel  in  New  York,  intending  to  take  up  the  floor  and  secrete  his  body 
beneath  it,  and  with  his  money  escape  to  Spain  in  a  steamer  about  to  sail, 
but  difficulty  in  taking  up  the  floor  prevented. 


Gonzalez  and  Pellicier,  who  answered  the  descriptions  of  tho 
men  who  were  with  Ortero  at  tho  Evans  House,  were  with  him 
at  the  Barcelona  and  at  the  Hotel  do  Cuba,  and  that  he  left  the 
latter  hotel  in  their  company.  Two  steamers  were  to  sail  for 
Havana  on  the  day  on  which  the  murder  was  discovered;  the 
police  officers  were  detailed  to  watch  these  steamers.  Abont 
three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  Pellicier,  wearing  a  pair  of  heavy 
woolen  mittens,  went  on  board  one  of  the  vessels  and  was  im- 
mediately arrested.  At  first  he  refused  to  take  off  his  mittens, 
but  at  length  reluctantly  did  so,  and  a  deep  wound  on  his  hand 
was  revealed.  He  was  taken  to  Brooklyn  and  confronted  with 
the  bloody  glove,  which  he  had  worn  when  committing  the 
murder,  and  the  cut  in  the  glove  exactly  fitted  the  cut  in  his 
hand.  Gonzalez  was  arrested  at  a  boarding-house  in  Center 
street  the  next  day  after  the  murder.  He  went  directly  from  the 
bloody  scene  to  this  boarding-house,  reaching  there  quite  late  in 
the  night;  the  next  morning  he  purchased  a  new  suit  of  clothes, 
shaved  his  mustache,  and  otherwise  attempted  to  change  his 
appearance.  Pellicier  had  also  changed  his  clothes  in  many 
respects.  Gonzalez'  vest,  pants,  drawers  and  shirt,  that  he  had 
cast  off,  were  found  with  spots  of  blood  on  them.  The  next  day 
after  the  murder  Gonzalez  had  plenty  of  money,  and  treated  the 
persons  about  the  hotel  to  whiskey,  and  upon  one  occasion  he 
took  a  handful  of  gold  coin  from  his  pocket  and,  showing  it, 
said,  "That's  the  kind  of  money  they  have  in  Spain."  After  his 
arrest,  $-40  or  $50  in  gold  and  other  money  was  found  in  his 
pockets,  and  two  certified  drafts,  payable  to  Ortero,  were  found 
sewed  in  Gonzalez'  coat  collar;  the  drafts  were  for  a  largo 
amount.  Pellicier  and  Gonzalez  were  indicted  by  a  Grand  Jury 
of  Kings  County,  in  December,  18G5,  and  in  January,  1866,  they 
were  brought  to  trial  at  a  Court  of  Oyer  and  Terminer,  held  at 
the  Court  House  in  Brooklyn,  Mr.  Justico  Gilbert  presiding. 
Hon.  S.  D.  Morris,  then  District  Attorney  of  Kings  County, 
appeared  for  the  people,  and  Hon.  William  C.  De  Witt 
appeared  for  the  defense.  Gonzalez  and  Pellicier  were 
indicted  jointly,  but  they  were  tried  separately,  Gonzalez 
being  first  bi  ought  to  trial.  A  long,  interesting  and 
exciting  legal  contest  took  place;  the  trial  was  conducted  with 
great  legal  skill  and  learning  on  both  sides.  The  evidence  for 
the  people  consisted  mainly  of  the  facts  already  related,  as 
sworn  to  by  different  witnesses.  The  circumstances  proved 
against  Gonzalez  were,  as  we  have  seen,  very  strong,  but  the 
defense  grappled  with  them  with  an  energy  and  subtlety 
which  seemed  to  render  a  conviction  doubtful.  Anthon,  one 
of  the  policemen  who  arrested  Gonzalez,  in  answer  to  the 
question  as  to  the  identity  of  a  pair  of  drawers  produced  on  the 
trial,  said  he  thought  those  were  the  prisoner's  drawers;  that 
he  noticed  a  mark  of  blood  on  them  when  he  found  them.  Tho 
counsel  for  the  defense  objected  to  the  expression  "a  mark  of 
blood,"  and  excepted  to  the  refusal  of  the  Court  to  strike  it 
out.  In  reply  to  a  question  on  his  cross-examination,  the 
witness  said  "I  noticed  a  spot  of  blood  on  the  drawers." 

Waddy,  another  of  the  officers  who  made  the  arrest,  testified 
to  the  identity  of  the  coat,  vest,  pants,  shirt  and  drawers  found 
in  the  prisoner's  room,  and  was  asked  :  ' '  Did  you  notice  any 
spots  on  these  clothes?" 

Objected  to  ;  objection  overruled. 

Ans.  "  Yes,  sir  :  stains  on  the  coat,  vest,  pants,  drawers  and 
shirt.  There  is  one  of  the  stains  on  the  pants,  and  there  is  one 
on  the  waist.  The  spots  on  this  light  coat  are  nearly  off.  Tho 
spots  that  were  on  the  right  sleevo  I  don't  see.  The  spots  which 
were  on  the  coat  are  rubbed  off." 

Ques.  "  Examine  the  drawers." 

Ans.  "  I  examined  them  the  morning  I  brought  them  down  to 
the  station,  and  the  spots  that  were  on  them  are  all  rubbed  off.' 

Ques.  "  Look  at  the  shirt." 

Ans.  "  There  on  tho  waist  of  the  shirt  is  a  spot." 

Objected  to  on  the  ground  that  there  is  no  evidence  that  the 
shirt  belonged  to  tho  prisoner  ;  objection  overruled;  exception. 


1258 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Mr.  De  Wilt :  "  The  court  understands,  I  suppose,  that  all  this 
testimony  as  to  the  character  of  these  stains  is  taken  subject  to 
an  exception?" 

Judtje  Gilbert:  "  No,  sir." 

Mr.  De  Witt :  "  We  excepted  in  the  case  of  the  witness  Ashton, 
and  have  excepted  here.  The  character  of  the  blood  stains  can 
only  be  determined  by  scientific  analysis." 

Judge  Gilbert :  "  We  do  not  understand  that  there  is  an  excep- 
tion to  the  testimony  of  the  witness  on  that  subject,  and  if 
counsel  desires  to  save  this  point  they  must  move  to  strike  out 
that  portion  of  the  testimony." 

Accordfngly  the  counsel  for  the  prisoner  did  move  to  strike 
out  all  the  testimony  as  to  the  stains  on  the  clothing.  As  the 
District  Attorney  did  not  object,  that  evidence  was  stricken  out. 
The  opposition  then  offered  to  exhibit  to  the  jury  the  clothes 
and  the  stains  thereon.  This  was  objected  to  by  the  defense, 
but  the  objection  was  overruled,  and  there  was  an  exception. 
It  was  proved  these  clothes  had  been  found  in  the  room  of  Gon- 
zalez at  the  time  of  the  arrest,  and  had  been  pointed  out  by  the 
landlady.  It  was  proved  that  the  shirt  belonged  to  Pellicier, 
who  returned  from  Brooklyn  with  Gonzalez,  and  slept  with  him 
the  night  after  the  murder;  that  ho  wore  a  new  shirt  soon  after. 
The  defense  on  the  trial  proved  that  several  days  before  the 
murder  a  fight  took  place  between  the  parties,  in  which  Pellicier's 
hand  was  cut,  which  accounted  for  the  wound  on  his  hand. 
There  was  some  other  explanatory  evidence  on  the  part  of  the  de- 
fense, but  the  foregoing  is  substantially  the  evidence  in  the  case. 
The  evidence  was  very  ably  summed  up  by  the  respective 
counsel,  in  a  manner  that  negatives  the  assertion  that  the 
eloquence  of  the  Bar  has  passed  away.  After  a  very  learned  and 
impartial  charge  from  Mr.  Justice  Gilbert,  the  case  was  given  to 
thejnry,  who,  in  due  time,  returned  a  verdict  of  "murder  in 
the  first  degree."  The  trial  of  Pellicier  resulted  in  a  like  ver- 
dict, and  both  prisoners  were  sentenced  to  be  hanged,  but  the 
indefatigable  counsel  for  the  defense  carried  the  case  to  the 
General  Term  of  the  Supreme  Court,  alleging,  among  other 
grounds  of  error,  that  Judge  Gilbert  erred  in  admitting  proof 
that  the  clothing  worn  by  the  prisoners  on  the  night  of  the 
murder  was  found,  at  the  time  of  their  arrest,  to  be  marked 
with  spots  which  had  the  appearance  of  stains  of  blood;  and  in 
permitting  the  clothes  thus  stained  to  be  inspected  by  the  jury. 
The  court  sustained  these  grounds  of  error  and  set  aside  the  con- 
viction of  the  prisoners,  and  ordered  a  new  trial.  From  this 
judgment  of  the  Supreme  Court  the  District  Attorney  appealed 
to  the  Court  of  Appeals.  In  February,  18G0,  the  cases  came  on 
for  argument  in  that  high  court.  Hon.  Samuel  D.  Morris  and 
John  H.  Reynolds  appeared  for  the  people;  Hon.  Alexander 
McCne  and  William  C.  De  Witt  for  the  defense.  After  argu- 
ments of  unusual  ability  and  learning,  the  court  handed  down 
an  opinion  reversing  the  judgment  of  the  Supreme  Court,  sus- 
taining the  ruling  of  Judge  Gilbert,  and  directing  that  sentence 
of  death  against  the  prisoners  be  carried  into  execution. 

As  a  matter  of  instruction  and  interest,  we  add  that  the  follow- 
ing is  among  the  rulings  of  the  Court  of  Appeals  in  the  case  : 
"  It  is  not  erroneous,  on  the  trial  of  one  who  was  last  seen  with  a 
murdered  man  a  few  moments  before  the  homicide,  to  admit 
proof,  by  thoso  who  arrested  him,  that  they  found  his  clothing 
stained  with  blood. 

Such  stains  upon  the  person  and  clothing  of  the  accused 
are  among  the  ordinary  indicia  of  homicide;  and  the  practice  of 
identifying  them  by  substantial  evidence,  and  by  the  inspection 
of  witnesses  and  jury,  has  the  sanction  of  immemorial  usage  in 
all  criminal  tribunals. 

Matters  of  common  observation  may  ordinarily  bo  proved  by 
those  win)  witness  them,  without  resorting  to  scientific  or 
mechanical  tests,  to  verify  them  with  definite  precision. 

Tim  testimony  of  this  chemist  who  has  analyzed  blood,  and 
that  of  the  observer  who  has  merely  recognized  it,  belong  to  I 


the  same  grade  of  original  and  primary  evidence  ;  and  though 
one  may  be  entitled  to  greater  weight  than  the  other  with  the 
jury,  the  exclusion  of  either  would  be  illegal. 

The  clothes,  identified  as  those  worn  by  the  prisoners  on  the 
evening  of  the  murder,  were  properly  submitted  to  the  inspec- 
tion of  the  jury  by  the  judge. 

Nothing  legitimately  connected  with  the  res  gestce  of  the 
crime  should  be  excluded  from  tltc  consideration  of  the  jury." 

Gonzalez  and  Pellicier  were  both  executed. 


JOHN  H.  MILLS  AND  ISAAC  M.  DEAN  vs.  THE 
CITY  OF  BROOKLYN. 

The  interest  and  importance  attached  to  this  case  is  derive, 1 
from  the  fact  that  it  is  a  precedent  showing  that  a  municipal 
corporation,  village  or  city  is  not  liable  to  private  actions  for 
damages  accruing  for  not  providing  sufficient  sewerage  for  the 
drainage  of  lots  or  land  belonging  to  citizens,  etc. 

The  establishment  of  this  precedent,  with  others  equally  im- 
portant, was  the  result  of  the  adjudication  in  the  Circuit  Court, 
the  General  Term,  and  the  Court  of  Apppeals,  of  the  following 
case,  which  we  take  from  the  evidence  given  on  the  trial: 

John  H.  Mills  and  Isaac  M.  Dean,  the  plaintiffs  in  the  case, 
were  the  joint  owners  of  a  lot,  with  a  valuable  brick  dwelling- 
house  thereon,  situated  at  the  northwest  corner  of  Franklin  and 
Putnam  avenues,  Brooklyn.  The  defendants,  the  City  Corpora- 
tion,  had,  by  law,  the  care  of  its  streets  and  avenues,  and  the 
control  of  widening  the  sewerage  and  drainage  of  the  said  stn  all 
and  avenues.  The  grievances  of  which  the  plaintiffs  complain, 
and  which  constituted  their  cause  of  action,  were  as  follows: 

"  That  the  said  corporation  negligently  and  unskillfnlly  built, 
provided  and  established  sewers  at  the  corner  of  Franklin  and 
Putnam  avenues.  That  the  said  sewers  were  insufficient  to 
properly  conduct  the  water  brought  to  said  corner  by  the  grade 
of  said  avenues,  and  the  streets  and  avenues  thereto  adjacent 
That  the  sewers  were  so  negligently  and  unskillfnlly  built  that 
they  failed  to  perform  the  office  for  which  they  were  constructed. 
That  by  reason  of  this  imperfect  construction,  the  plaintiffs' 
house  and  lot  was  repeatedly  flooded  with  water  during  certain 
periods  of  time  in  the  months  of  March  and  August,  18G1  and 
18G2,  causing  the  walls  to  settle  and  crack,  and  tho  building  to 
be  otherwise  injured,  resulting  in  damages  to  the  plaintiffs  of 
the  sum  of  $2,500." 

The  proofs  in  the  case,  on  the  part  of  the  plaintiffs,  show  that 
there  was  a  sewer  or  outlet  for  water  under  the  sidewalk  of  the 
street  prior  to  the  first  storm,  and  after  the  storm  in  March  ami 
in  the  month  of  May  following,  tho  Water  Commissioners  caused 
a  pipe  drain,  earthen  sewer,  about  twelve  inches  in  diameter,  to 
be  constructed  in  the  street,  but  it  proved  insufficient  to  carry 
off  the  water  as  it  came  down.  Tho  sewer  was  built  in  obedience 
to  a  resolution  of  the  Common  Council,  adopted  April  III,  186L 

Tho  [proof,  on  the  part  of  the  defendants,  as  given  by  an 
assistant  engineer  of  the  Water  and  Sewerage  Commission)  rs, 
who  constructed  the  sewer,  established  the  fact  that  it  was  a 
stonewaro  pipe,  eighteen  inches  in  diameter,  above  the  plaintiff-' 
premises.  That  below  that  point  a  large  sewer  could  not  he  laid 
on  that  course,  in  consequence  of  the  grade  and  different  dimen- 
sions of  the  sewers  with  which  they  wero  obliged  to  connect: 
that  if  made  larger,  it  would  havo  to  bo  so  near  the  surfa. ,  >f 
tho  street  that  it  could  not  havo  a  sufficiently  thick  covering 
That,  after  the  August  storms,  an  additional  sewer  was  con- 
structed. The  corporation  further  proved  that  tho  walls  of  the 
house  had  been  very  much  damaged  prior  to  the  laving  down  of 
the  temporary  sewer,  and  that  tho  basement  walls  of  the  house 
were  laid  in  unsuitable  mortar.  A  large  amount  of  eviih  nco 
was  given  on  both  sides.  At  tho  closo  of  tho  plaintiffs'  case,  J. 
G  Sclmmakcr,  counsel  for  the  corporation,  moved  for  a  non- 
suit, on  tho  ground  that  the  plaintiffs  had  failed  to  estubliah 


1259 


sufficient  facts  to  constitute  a  cause  of  action.  The  motion  was 
denied,  with  proper  exceptions. 

Both  parties  having  rested,  the  judge,  in  his  charge  to  the 
jury,  instructed  them,  among  other  matters,  that  the  plaintiffs 
were  not  entitled  to  damages  sustained  by  them  prior  to  the 
building  of  the  sewer  in  May,  1861.  The  counsel  for  the  corpo- 
ration took  proper  exception  to  the  charge  of  the  judge,  and  re- 
quested him  to  charge,  as  a  matter  of  law,  that  the  plaintiffs 
could  not  recover  damages  in  any  point  of  view,  founding  his 
request  by  several,  as  he  believed,  well-established  precedents, 
which  we  shall  give  hereafter. 

The  judge  declined  to  thus  instruct  the  jury,  to  which  there 
was  an  exception,  and  the  plaintiffs  recovered  a  verdict  of  $900. 
On  an  appeal  to  the  General  Term,  this  verdict  was  affirmed, 
whereupon  the  corporation  took  an  appeal  to  the  Court  of  Ap- 
peals, where,  after  elaborate  arguments,  the  verdict  at  the  Circuit, 
and  the  judgment  affirming  it  at  the  General  Term,  were  in  all 
things  reversed.  In  the  Court  of  Appeals  Mr.  Schumaker*  ap- 
peared for  the  corporation,  and  David  J.  Dean  for  the  plaintiffs. 
The  ability  with  which  these  able  lawyers  conducted  the  argu- 
ment before  that  court,  although  what  might  be  expected  from 
lawyers  of  their  high  standing,  was  considered  something  more 
than  ordinary.  The  brief  of  Mr.  Schumaker  was  marked  by 
logical  strength  and  acumen,  united  with  extended  legal  learn- 
ing. As  an  evidence  of  this,  it  was  largely  engrafted  in  the 
opinion  of  the  court.  The  following  is  a  condensed  extract 
from  it.  The  first  point  in  it  we  have  substantially  given  hereto- 
fore: "A  municipal  corporation  is  not  liable  to  private  actions 
for  not  providing  sufficient  sewerage  for  draining  the  premises 
of  citizens  owning  the  same.  Second,  the  duty  of  draining  the 
streets  and  sewerages  of  a  city  or  village,  although  not  a  judicial 
one,  is  of  a  judicial  nature,  requiring  the  exercise  of  qualities 
of  deliberation  and  judgment.  Third,  where  duties  of  a  purely 
ministerial  character  are  cast  upon  an  officer,  although  his  chief 
duties  are  judicial,  and  he  violates  his  ministerial  duties,  he  is 
civilly  responsible,  but  in  respect  to  his  judicial  duties  other- 
wise." As  these  points  enter  largely  into  the  opinion  of  the  Court 
of  Appeals  delivered  in  this  case,  they  constitue  the  law  of  the 
land  touching  the  liability  of  corporations  for  damages  in  cases 
like  the  one  we  have  described. 


THE  PEOPLE  vs.  YATES. 

No  case  on  record  more  graphically  exhibits  the  danger  of 
unbridled  political  hatred,  the  terror  of  a  mob,  or  the  sudden 
and  overwhelming  misfortunes  which  often  overtake  men  in  the 
midst  of  their  business  and  social  career,  than  this. 

Early  in  the  evening  of  October,  1864,  Yates  was  assisting  a 
lady  to  remove  her  furniture  from  one  house  to  another,  in 
Brooklyn.  About  nine  o'clock,  as  he  was  passing  the  corner  of 
Hudson  avenue  and  Plymouth  street,  where  a  large  out-door 
Democratic  meeting  was  convened,  he  stopped  and  listened  a 
moment  to  the  speaker.  While  standing  there,  some  person 
remarked  that  he  would  "bet  that  McClellan  would  be 
elected,"  to  which  Yates  replied,  "I'll  bet  ten  dollars  Lincoln 
will  be  elected."    This  reply  was  followed  by  the  exclamation, 

"Let  us  give  it  to  the   ,"  and  immediately  a  dozen  men 

attacked  him,  knocking  him  down,  kicking  and  pounding 
him;  they  tore  his  clothes  nearly  off  him,  and  his  face  was 
covered  with  blood.  While  struggling  with  the  crowd  he  dis- 
charged a  revolver  at  his  assailants,  slightly  wounding  a  by- 
stander; he  succeeded  in  breaking  away  from  the  crowd  and 
ran,  pursued  by  a  multitude  of  persons,  crying,  "Stop  the 
murderer;  kill  him;  hang  him!"  etc.,  etc.    Among  the  crowd  was 

*  Mr.  Schumaker  was,  during  this  litigation  and  for  Borne  time  prior 
and  subsequent  thereto,  Corporation  Counsel  for  the  City  of  Brooklyn.  A 
record  of  his  official  record  more  fully  appears  in  the  Municipal  History 
•    of  Brooklyn,  in  another  part  of  this  work. 


a  police  officer  by  the  name  of  Curran;  he  was  two  or  three 
yards  in  advance  of  the  others,  and  when  at  a  distance  of  fivo 
blocks  from  where  the  affray  began,  ho  siezed  Yates,  who  ex- 
claimed, "Let  go,  or  I'll  shoot  you!"  At  this  time,  Curran  had 
his  hand  pressed  against  Yates' breast,  and  called  for  somo  ono 
to  catch  the  pistol.  At  this  time,  Curran  raised  his  hand, 
when  Yates  fired  and  the  officer  fell,  mortally  wounded;  he 
was  then  in  the  uniform  of  the  police  force,  having  upon  his 
person  the  cap  and  shield  of  the  Metropolitan  police  force. 
Yates  fled,  followed  by  the  shouting  crowd;  several  other  pistol 
shots  were  fired,  but  by  whom  does  not  distinctly  appear. 

He  continued  his  flight,  and  finally  rushed  into  the  store  of 
a  Mr.  Markey,  exclaiming,  under  apparent  excitement,  "Look 
out!  I've  shot  two  men!"  Leaving  the  store,  he  continued  to  run, 
pursued  by  the  enraged  crowd  to  a  place  called  "Tammany 
Hall,"  where  he  was  arrested  by  a  body  of  policemen. 

According  to  the  evidence,  at  the  time  of  this  struggle,  the 
night  was  dark  and  rainy.  Yates  was  indicted  for  willful  murder, 
and  on  January  24,  1865,  was  brought  to  trial. 

His  trial  is  an  important  incident  in  legal  history. 

The  circumstances  we  have  related  were  given  in  evidence  on 
the  trial;  there  were,  of  course,  some  contradictions  and  differ- 
ences of  statement,  but  the  foregoing  are  substantially  the  facts 
in  the  case,  with  those  we  shall  give  hereafter.  It  was  proved 
on  the  defense  that  Yates  was  near-sighted;  the  materiality  of 
this  evidence  will  presently  appear.  Daniel  Cannen,  a  witness 
for  the  people,  testified  that  Curran  was  shot  about  four  rods 
from  a  lamp-post  on  which  a  light  was  burning.  John  Larkin, 
another  witness  for  the  people,  swore  that  Curran  and  Yates,  at 
the  time  of  the  shooting,  were  within  a  half  block  of  a  larup; 
but  that  there  was  no  light  shining  from  it.  John  Maloy, 
another  witness  for  the  people,  said  that  he  lighted  the  lamp 
referred  to  at  six  o'clock  that  evening;  on  his  cross-examination 
he  said  he  had  no  recollection  of  lighting  that  particular  lamp 
that  evening.  It  did  not  appear  in  evidence  that  there  was 
any  communication  made  to  Yates  at  the  time  that  Curran  was 
a  police  officer,  nor  that  there  was  any  demand  made  upon  him 
to  surrender  to  the  officer,  nor  was  there  any  proof  that  Cur- 
ran was  known  to  Yates.  One  witness  said,  "  I  saw  Yates 
knocked  down,  and  saw  more  than  a  dozen  men  beating  and 
kicking  him;  I  saw  him  struggle  desperately  to  get  up,  and  ho 
finally  succeeded,  but  his  face  was  covered  with  blood  and  pre- 
sented a  frightful  appearance.  In  his  struggle  to  get  up,  I 
heard  the  report  of  a  pistol,  then  I  saw  Yates  on  his  feet,  and  ho 
broke  away  and  ran,  the  crowd  after  him." 

To  rebut  the  evidence,  that  there  was  no  light  burning  at  tho 
time  of  the  fatal  shot,  the  judge  permitted  the  District  Attorney, 
against  an  objection  and  an  exception,  to  prove  by  Sergeant 
Crow  that,  nearly  four  months  after  the  killing  of  Curran,  he 
went  to  the  lamp  near  which  it  took  place,  in  a  dark  evening, 
and  found  that  he  could  very  easily  read  a  newspaper  by  its 
light,  and  that  all  objects  about  it  were  plainly  visible;  this,  it 
was  contended,  must  have  plainly  revealed  to  Yates  the  uniform 
and  badge  of  the  police  officer.  This  was  objected  to  by  the 
counsel  for  Yates,  as  no  evidence  for  any  purpose;  that  it  of 
course  was  material  to  the  issue  that  the  light  was  such  at  the 
time  as  must  have  apprised  the  accused  of  the  character  of  his 
pursuer,  and  the  object  of  his  pursuit;  but  proof  of  the  condi- 
tion of  the  lamp,  and  its  power  to  diffuse  light,  on  the  21st  of 
January,  was  no  evidence  of  its  power  on  the  1st  of  October 
preceding;  that  the  power  of  street  lamps  to  emit  light  de- 
pends upon  many  things,  among  which  are  the  purity  and 
transparency  of  the  medium  through  which '  the  rays  are 
projected. 

The  trial  resulted  in  the  conviction  of  Yates  for  the  crime  of 
murder  in  the  first  degree,  and  he  was  sentenced  to  be  hanged; 
but  his  counsel  took  an  appeal  to  tne  General  Term  of  the 
Supreme  Court,  obtaining  an  order  for  the  stay  of  the  execution 
pending  tho  appeal.    After  exhaustive  arguments  on  the  part  of 


12C0 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


the  respective  counsel  engaged,  the  General  Term  affirmed  the 
conviction  of  Yates,  and  it  was  believed  his  doom  was  sealed. 
Bat  his  counsel,  stimulated  in  the  belief  that  the  conviction  was 
unjust  that  Yates,  subjected  to  the  fury  of  a  howling  and 
murderous  mob,  excited  and  rendered  desperate  by.  the  fear 
that  he  was  to  be  cruelly  murdered,  discharged  his  pistol  in 
self-defense— removed  the  case  by  another  appeal  to  the  Court 
of  Appeals,  the  court  of  last  resort,  obtaining  another  stay  of 
the  execution. 

The  counsel  for  the  people  contended  that  Yates  was  rightly 
convicted;  that  he  must  have  known  the  purposes  for  which 
Curran  was  pursuing  him,  because  the  evidence  shows  that  he, 
('urnm,  was  largely  in  advance  of  the  crowd,  conspicuous  in  his 
uniform  as  a  police  officer,  audit  was  apparent  that  Yates  fired  the 
fatal  shot  to  escape  lawful  arrest.  This,  with  the  fact  that  he 
had  just  committed  a  felony  by  a  murderous  attack  on  a 
citi/.en,  constitutes  the  crime  of  murder  in  the  first  degree. 
That  this  was  well  established  by  all  the  authorities,  many  of 
which  appear  on  the  very  ably  prepared  brief  of  the  District 
Attorney.  There  were  other  ingenious  and  learned  points  on 
which  the  prosecution  relied  for  an  affirmance  of  the  conviction. 

The  counsel  for  the  defense  insisted  that  the  judge  who  tried 
the  cause  erred  in  admitting  the  evidence  of  Sergeant  Crow,  who 
testified  that  four  months  after  the  fatal  event  he  visited  the 
place  where  it  occurred,  at  night,  and  that  he  could  easily  read 
a  newspaper  by  the  light  of  the  lamp  near  by.  We  have 
already  given  the  grounds  of  the  objections  to  this  evidence, 
made  at  the  trial.  On  the  argument  in  the  Court  of  Appeals — 
and  we  believe  in  the  General  Term — the  defense  raised  other 
points  against  the  legality  of  the  conviction,  among  which  were 
the  following:  there  was  no  proof  that  the  structure  of  the  lamp 
near  the  place  of  the  killing  was  the  same  in  January,  the  time 
of  the  trial,  as  it  was  on  the  first  of  October  preceding,  when  the 
alleged  murder  took  place;  that  there  was  no  reliable  evidence 
that  any  lamp  was  burning  at  the  time;  that  as  Yates  was  set 
upon  by  a  dozen  men,  with  what  he  might  suppose  a  murderous 
intent,  he  was  justified  in  defending  himself  with  all  reason- 
able means  in  his  power,  and  that  he  behaved  but  with  reason- 
able prudence;  that  there  was  no  act  proved  showing  any  mur- 
derous intent,  or  any  premeditated  malice. 

In  due  time  the  Court  of  Appeals  handed  down  a  decision, 
concurred  in  by  all  the  judges,  setting  aside  the  conviction  of 
Yates,  granting  him  a  new  trial.  The  opinions  of  the  judges, 
found  in  !(2  N.  Y.,  509,  will  be  found  full  of  interest  to  the  pro- 
fessional and  the  lay  reader. 

In  their  opinion  the  judges  sustain  the  points  made  by  tho 
counsel  for  the  defense,  and  express,  in  strong  language,  their 
condemnation  of  the  attack  made  by  the  crowd  upon  Yates. 
"It  was  a  brutal  and  cowardly  attack,"  say  the  court,  "of  some 
dozen  men  upon  one  man,  and  he  a  stranger  to  them ;  he  had 
done  nothing  to  invite  this  attack  except  to  express  his  prefer- 
ence for  one  of  the  presidential  candidates,  doing  nothing  to 
interrupt  the  meeting. 

"  If  a  dozen  men  were  beating  and  kicking  him,  his  firing  a 
pistol  at  tho  time  was  so  nearly,  if  not  entirely,  justifiable  that 
it  tak<-s  away  all  basis  for  the  claim,  up  to  that  time,  of  premed- 
it.it.  I  malice  on  his  part.  Well  he  might  run  from  such  a 
body  of  men.  For  aught  that  appears,  he  may  have  supposed 
that  the  officer  who  seized  him  was  one  of  the  mob  who  first 
att.u'ked  him,  and  was  trying  to  detain  him  until  the  remainder 
of  the  mob,  who  were  approaching,  could  overtake  him." 

Yates  was  again  brought  to  trial,  anil  after  a  long  contest  was 
.  nvieted  of  murder  in  tho  second  degree,  and  sentenced  to 
Stato's  prison  for  the  term  of  twenty  years. 

THE  PEOPLE  vs.  FANNY  HYDE. 

Tmf.  history  of  American  criminal  law  has  nothing  in  it  more 
interesting  than  th  •  case  of  Tin  /V<.y«/<  vs.  Fanny  }fi/<h,  charged 
with  tho  murder  of  Geo.  \V.  Watson.     It  was  tried  in  the  Kings 


County  Court  of  Oyer  and  Terminer,  in  April,  1872,  before  Hon. 
A.  B.  Tappen,  one  of  the  justices  of  the  Supreme  Court,  and 
associate  justices  Yoorhees  and  Johnson. 

Mr.  Watson  was  a  prominent  manufacturer  of  Brooklyn,  and 
a  citizen  of  respectability.  He  was  a  married  man,  the  father  of 
five  children,  and,  at  the  time  of  which  we  are  writing,  about 
fifty  years  of  age.  He  was  an  extensive  manufacturer  of  hair- 
nets, having  a  large  number  of  employees;  many  of  these  were 
ladies,  of  whom  Fanny  Hyde  was  one. 

On  the  2Gth  of  January,  1872,  there  were  working  in  the  principal 
room  in  Watson's  factory,  two  or  three  men,  Fanny  Hyde  and 
one  or  two  other  ladies,  Mr.  Watson  being  present.  About  ten 
minutes  before  twelve,  Watson  left  the  room,  according  to  his 
custom,  to  go  to  lunch;  a  few  moments  before  he  left,  while  he 
was  putting  on  his  overcoat,  Fanny  Hyde  left  the  room  through 
the  same  door  through  which  Watson  was  to  make  his  exit 
The  doorway  led  to  a  flight  of  stairs  down  to  the  second  story. 
Soon  after  Fanny  went  out,  Watson  also  went  out. 

A  few  minutes  after  twelve  o'clock,  Mr.  Watson  was  dis- 
covered lying  dead  at  the  head  of  the  second  flight  of  stairs;  he 
was  on  his  back,  his  feet  by  the  partition,  his  head  lying  out 
beyond  the  stairs,  his  body  against  the  riser  of  the  first  stiir. 
He  was  bleeding  profusely  from  a  bullet  hole  in  his  head,  buck 
of  his  ear.  Fanny  Hyde  was  standing  not  far  from  him,  watch- 
ing him  with  intense  interest.  In  a  moment  all  was  confusion 
and  alarm  in  the  factory.  In  due  time  tho  body  was  removed. 
Fanny  was  at  once  suspected  of  the  murder;  indeed,  soon  after 
the  occurrence,  she  admitted  she  killed  Mr.  Watson  and  sur- 
rendered herselt  to  the  authorities,  alleging  that  she  committed 
the  deed  in  self-defense,  that  is,  in  defending  herself  against 
an  outrageous  and  indecent  assault  made  by  Watson  upon  her 
at  the  head  of  the  first  flight  of  stairs  we  have  described.  It 
was  alleged,  however,  on  the  other  side,  that  Fanny  shot  her 
victim  in  revenge  for  certain  charges  which  he  had  made 
against  her  character,  these  charges  having  led  to  several 
altercations  between  herself  and  Watson  ;  that  she  left  the 
room  a  few  moments  before  he  did,  knowing  that,  according  to 
his  usual  custom,  he  would  soon  follow  her  on  his  way  to  his 
lunch;  that  she  lay  in  wait  for  him  at  the  bottom  of  the  first 
flight  of  stairs  and  shot  him  as  he  was  descending  them.  We 
shall  see  hereafter  further  grounds  on  which  the  prosecution 
predicated  this  theory.  We  give  the  theory  of  the  defense  in 
the  following  history  of  Fanny  Hyde. 

Fanny  Hyde,  when  a  young  girl  a  little  over  fifteen  years  of 
age,  entered  the  employment  of  George  \V.  Watson,  a  manu- 
facturer of  hair-nets,  in  the  city  of  Brooklyn.  She  was  a  child 
of  remarkable  promise,  intelligent  beyond  her  years,  pleasing 
in  her  person  and  attractive  in  her  manners.  She  was  born  at 
Nottingham,  England;  when  very  young  she  lost  her  mother, 
and  though  she  was  well  brought  up,  it  was  without  a  mother's 
care;  she  was  a  Sunday  school  scholar  and  gave  promise  of 
future  usefulness.  It  was  said  that  "among  all  of  Watson's 
female  employees,  Fanny  Hyde  was  the  fairest."  He  was  a 
married  man  with  several  children,  and  about  forty-five  years  of 
age.  With  the  exterior  of  a  gentleman,  plausible,  insidious, 
always  carefully  presenting  his  best  sido  to  the  public,  Fanny 
had  not  been  long  in  this  man's  employ  when  he  determined  to 
work  her  ruin;  the  manner  in  which  it  is  alleged  he  effected  his 
object,  stamps  him  a  man  without  principle.  From  that  tune 
on,  even  up  to  the  hour  of  his  death,  he  continued  his  illicit 
intercourse  with  her.  Fanny  Hyde  was  not  impure  at  heart, 
and  often  struggled  hard  to  free  horself  from  the  coil  which  her 
heartless  seducer  had  thrown  around  her.  Her  relations  rUt 
Watson,  however,  were  known  only  to  herself  and  to  him,  and 
she  still  moved  in  respectable  society.  Her  beauty  and  attrsc 
tivo  manners  brought  hor  honorable  suitors,  one  of  whom  was  at 
last  accepted.  About  tho  time  of  her  engagement,  she  dis- 
closed to  Watson  tho  new  relations  in  life  which  Bhe  proposed, 
and  on  her  knees  bogged  of  him  forovcr  to  keep  their  relations 


1201 


secret,  and  to  cease  them  now.  forever.  She  told  him  that  it  was 
her  determination  to  be  a  pure  and  exemplary  wife  to  her 
affianced  husband;  with  face  bedewed  in  tears  and  broken  down 
with  sorrow,  she  told  Watson  her  relation  with  him  had  been 
a  source  of  continual,  almost  heart-breaking  sorrow,  from  the 
time  of  its  commencement,  and  begged  him  to  aid  her  in  her 
determination  to  hereafter  live  a  pure  and  virtuous  life. 

He  listened  to  her,  apparently  much  affected  by  what  she 
said,  and  putting  his  hand  on  the  Bible,  deliberately  swore  that 
he  would  never  molest  her  again.  In  a  short  time  after  this, 
Fanny  was  united  in  marriage  to  a  respectable  and  indus- 
trious young  man  by  the  name  of  Hyde.  Relying  on  the 
solemn  oath  which  Watson  had  taken  never  to  molest  her 
again,  she  continued  as  fore-woman  in  his  service,  with  many 
other  ladies,  married  and  single.  It  is  natural  to  believe  that, 
under  his  oath,  under  the  sanctity  of  the  marriage  vow,  and  the 
holy  relations  that  now  existed  between  Fanny  and  the  man 
she  loved,  Watson  would  have  encouraged  the  young  wife  by 
example,  by  his  own  family  relations,  by  everything  that  is 
pure  and  sacred,  to  carry  out  the  resolution  she  had  adopted. 
But,  alas  !  the  man  who  had  once  destroyed  her  virtue  and 
committed  towards  her  the  greatest  of  crimes,  forgot  his  oath, 
or  disregarded  it,  and,  disregarding  every  sacred  thing  that 
should  have  restrained  him,  determined  to  dishonor  the  young 
and  now  pure  wife,  and  compel  her  to  again  enter  upon  her 
former  relations  with  him.  It  would  seem  as  though  Fanny — 
now  Mrs.  Hyde— protected  and  shielded  as  she  was  by  her 
husband,  strongly  entrenched  as  she  was  in  her  new  resolution, 
and  pure  as  her  life  now  was,  would  never  again  become  the 
paramour  of  the  man  who  had  first  ruined  her.  She  never  for 
a  moment  thought  he  would  make  the  attempt,  and  if  he  did, 
she  felt  sure  of  her  ability,  under  the  strength  of  her  new  reso- 
lution, to  effectually  resist  him.  He,  however,  made  the  attempt, 
and  she  did  resist  him,  as  a  pure  and  true  wife  should  have 
done,  and  when  he  found  himself  foiled  he  resorted  to  another 
and  dreadful  mode  of  compulsion.  He  threatened,  if  she  per- 
sisted in  her  refusal,  to  acquaint  her  husband  with  the  full 
extent  of  their  previous  relations.  This  was  a  terrible  alterna- 
tive. To  put  her  husband  in  possession  of  these  facts  was 
next  to  death;  the  struggle  was  fearful;  but  Watson  triumphed, 
and  the  misery  of  the  young  wife  was  complete.  She  was  again 
in  the  toils  of  the  man  who  had  blighted  her  young  life,  and  by 
him  was  compelled  to  dishonor  her  husband.  "Must  I  submit 
always  to  this  course  of  life?"  she  asked  herself,  in  her  agony. 
"There  is  one  mode  of  escape,"  she  said.  "I  will  unbosom 
myself  to  my  husband ;  will  tell  him  all;  I  will  prostrate  myself 
before  him  for  his  forgiveness;  if  he  casts  me  off,  I  must  submit; 
if  he  forgives  me  he  will  protect  me  against  the  man  who  is 
destroying  my  very  soul."  She  carried  her  resolution  into 
effect  and  confessed  all  to  her  husband.  She  was  as  dear  to 
him  as  his  own  heart's  blood,  and  he  forgave  all  and  promised 
protection.  He  told  her  to  defy  the  wretch  if  he  ever  again 
approached  her — to  tell  him  that  she  feared  him  no  longer,  as 
her  husband  knew  all  and  had  forgiven  all.  It  was  not  long 
after  this  before  the  occasion  came  for  her  to  make  this  state- 
ment to  Watson.  She  did  so;  and  when  he  found  she  no 
longer  had  any  fears  of  her  husband,  he  resorted  to  another 
course;  and  then  came  the  fatal  end. 

On  the  trial,  Fanny  was  sworn  as  a  witness  on  her  own  behalf, 
and  among  other  things  testified  as  follows: 

"I  met  Watson  at  the  top  of  the  stairs;  asked  him  as  I  was  going 
up  the  stairs,  if  he  was  going  down  ?  he  said  no;  when  I  got  to 
the  top  of  the  stairs,  he  seized  me  in  a  very  indecent  manner, 
and  wanted  me  to  go  to  a  room  with  him  somewhere.  I  told 
hiui  I  would  not,  and  then  he  said,  'You  shall  go.'  We  had 
quite  a  struggle;  I  got  free  from  him,  and  he  seized  me  the 
second  time  as  before;  I  tried  to  break  loose  from  him,  but  could 
not;  I  had  my  pistol  with  me  and  shot  him;  I  did  not  take 
aim,  but  shot  as  I  could." 


She  was  indicted  for  murder  in  the  first  degree,  and,  as  wo 
have  already  said,  brought  to  trial  for  her  life.  Few  cases 
have  ever  elicited  more  interest,  not  only  in  Brooklyn,  but 
everywhere.  It  summoned  to  the  forum  the  most  distin- 
guished members  of  the  Brooklyn  Bar.  Mr.  Winchester 
Britton,  then  District  Attorney  for  Kings  County,  conducted 
the  case  for  the  people.  Hon.  Samuel  D.  Morris,  I.  B.  Cat- 
lin,  Thomas  E.  Pearsall  and  Patrick  Keady  appeared  for  the 
defense.  The  learning,  skill  and  eloquence  which  the  trial 
called  forth,  has  certainly  never  been  excelled  at  the  Brooklyn 
Bar.  Three  defenses  were  interposed  by  the  counsel  of  Mrs. 
Hyde:  1st,  that  there  was  not  sufficient  evidence  that  she  com- 
mitted the  deed;  2nd,  justification,  in  that  Watson  seized  her 
person  with  an  intent  to  make  an  indecent  assault,  and  in  an 
indecent  manner,  that,  to  free  herself  frolii  his  grasp  and 
escape  from  his  power,  she  discharged  her  pistol  at  him,  regard- 
less of  consequences;  3rd,  temporary  or  partial  insanity  upon 
this  defense  much  time  and  learning  was  spent. 

The  case  for  the  defense  was  opened  to  the  jury  by  General 
Catlin.  Those  who  heard  that  remarkable  address  will  never 
forget  its  impressive  eloquence,  its  masterly  array  of  facts,  the 
learning  which  marked  it,  and  the  perfect  manner  in  which 
the  jury  were  put  in  possession  of  the  whole  history  of  the  case. 
"  A  cause  well  opened,"  Ogden  Hoffman  used  to  say,  "is  more 
than  half  tried,"  and  General  Catlin's  opening  in  this  case  emi- 
nently proved  the  truth  of  Mr.  Hoffman's  remarks. 

At  the  close  of  the  evidence,  Judge  Morris  summed  up  for  the 
defense.  If  this  effort  was  the  only  one  that  this  distinguished 
lawyer  had  ever  made,  it  would  have  fully  established  his  repu- 
tation as  an  accomplished  legal  speaker,  a  finished  and  well- 
learned  lawyer.  Judge  Morris'  argument  adopted  the  theory 
for  the  commission  of  the  crime  we  have  already  given,  that 
Watson,  having  first  ruined  her,  having  her,  by  force  of  circum- 
stances, largely  in  his  power,  compelled  her  against  her  inclina- 
tions to  continue  the  relations  begun  in  her  first  departure  from 
virtue  ;  that,  notwithstanding  his  promise  not  to  molest  her  after 
her  marriage,  he  compelled  her  to  continue  her  illicit  relations 
with  him,  under  threats  of  revealing  all  to  her  husband  and 
friends.  This  terrible  state  of  things  shattered  her  intellect, 
producing  one  of  the  stages  of  insanity;  that  she  herself  in- 
formed her  husband,  and  under  his  advice  defied  Watson,  and 
when  he  found  himself  foiled  in  that  direction,  he  attempted  to 
use  force,  and  she  killed  him  in  the  attempt,  and  that  the  killing 
was  justifiable.  This  was  the  outline  of  Air.  Morris"  argument; 
but  it  was  most  admirably  conjoined  and  elaborated,  forming  on 
the  whole  a  very  perfect  structure. 

Mr.  Britton  closed  the  case  in  a  masterly  argument  in  behalf 
of  the  people.  We  have  referred  to  his  theory  of  the  case:  that 
the  killing  was  premeditated— done  in  cold  blood— with  a  design 
of  revenging  herself  for  reports  that  she  believed  Watson  had 
circulated  against  her,  and  for  accusations  made  to  her  by  him 
of  criminal  intimacy  with  other  men,  of  which  he  threatened 
exposure. 

Mr.  Britton  insisted  that  the  evidence  in  the  case,  except  her 
unsupported  testimony,  inconsistent  in  itself,  pointed  almost  in- 
dubitably to  this  view  of  the  case— to  malice  aforethought,  to 
intentional,  premeditated  murder  ;  that  the  illicit  relations  be- 
tween Fanny  Hyde  and  Watson  had  existed  with  her  free  assent 
for  a  long  time;  that  he  was  a  man  old  enough  to  be  her  father; 
that  she  was  becoming  wearied  of  the  relation,  and  was  receiving 
the  addresses  of  other  men,  which  rendered  Watson  jealous, 
causing  him  to  bitterly  upbraid  and  denounce  her,  and  to  make 
threats  of  exposure.  According  to  her  own  testimony,  at  the  very 
time  of  the  homicide,  he  accused  her  of  having  just  been  with 
another  man.  She  admitted  this  to  several  persons.  When 
asked  why  she  shot  Watson,  she  replied,  because  ho  had  abused 
and  insulted  her,  called  her  names,  and  accused  her  of  being 
down  stairs  with  a  man,  and  threatened  to  discharge  her,  and 
then  she  shot  him.    That  the  act  was  premeditated  is  shown  by 


1262 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


the  fact  that  she  had  frequent  quarrels  with  Watson;  that  some 
days  previous  she  had  induced  her  brother  to  procure  a  pistol 
for  her;  that  when  he  gave  her  the  pistol  there  is  almost  positive 
evidence — at  least,  the  strongest  kind  of  inferential  evidence — 
that  she  informed  the  young  man  what  she  intended  to. do  with 
the  pistol,  from  the  fact  that  immediately  after  the  killing  of 
Watson,  while  Fanny  was  still  standing  by  his  body,  the  young 
man  came  hurriedly  into  the  room  and  at  once  accosted  her,  say- 
ing: "  Fanny,  I  told  you  not  to  do  this."  This  showed  plainly 
that  she  had  made  the  young  man  acquainted  with  her  design  to 
take  the  life  of  Wateon. 

Again,  the  manner  in  which  she  left  the  room,  just  previous  to 
the  time  she  knew  he  was  going  to  his  lunch,  shows  she  had 
placed  herself  in  waiting  for  him  when  he  should  descend  the 
stairs.  The  fatal  wound  was  inconsistent  with  a  close  personal 
struggle;  there  was  no  stain  of  powder  on  the  neck  at  the  place 
where  the  ball  entered,  as  there  would  have  been  had  the  pistol 
been  discharged,  as  she  alleged,  while  she  was  struggling  with 
him.  Again,  the  course  of  the  ball  shows  conclusively  that  the 
pistol  must  have  been  discharged  when  she  stood  below  him,  at 
the  foot  of  the  stairs  which  he  was  descending:  the  ball  entered 
the  neck  just  below  and  back  of  the  ear,  taking  a  course  upward 
and  backward,  so  that  if  it  had  force  enough  it  would  have  come 
out  at  the  top  of  the  head.  The  fact  that  the  ball  entered  below 
the  ear,  and  the  angle  it  traced,  showed  that  that  side  of  his  head 
was  turned  towards  his  assailant.  Evidently  he  caught  sight  of 
her  as  he  was  descending  the  stairs,  with  the  fatal  weapon  in  her 
hand,  and,  turning  to  avoid  her,  he  received  the  bullet  as  he 
did.  Her  story  of  the  assault  at  the  head  of  the  stairs  is  wholly 
inconsistent  -  first,  because  a  man  in  his  senses  would  never  un- 
dertake such  an  act  in  a  place  so  public,  where  every  moment 
the  door  was  liable  to  be  opened  by  some  one;  secondly,  it  will 
be  remembered  that,  before  leaving  the  room,  he  put  on  his  over- 
coat, which  would  embarrass  him  in  any  unlawful  attempt,  and 
it  is  hardly  possible  to  suppose  that  a  man  would  attempt  to 
drag  a  woman  against  her  will  to  any  place  for  an  unlawful  pur- 
pose; a  single  cry  from  her  would  have  compelled  him  at  any 
moment  to  release  her,  and  there  would  have  been  no  use  for  the 
pistol.  She  does  not  allege  that  she  made  any  cry  or  any  alarm. 
Finally,  Mr.  Britton  contended  that  there  was  not  the  least  tan- 
gible evidence  of  her  insanity,  and  that  her  premeditated  guilt 
was  painfully  and  terribly  apparent. 

After  a  remarkably  able,  lucid  and  impartial  charge  by  Judge 
Tappen,  in  which  the  law  touching  the  case  was  learnedly  re- 
viewed, the  jury  retired  for  deliberation,  and  after  a  long  con- 
sultation, during  which  they  came  into  court  for  further  instruc- 
tions, they  finally,  after  being  out  all  night,  came  into  court  and 
announced  that  it  was  impossible  for  them  to  agree,  whereupon 
they  were  discharged.  It  was  understood  that  from  the  time 
they  retired  to  the  close  of  their  deliberation,  ten  wore  for  ac- 
quittal and  two  for  manslaughter  in  the  third  decree.  Fanny 
Hyde  was  remanded  to  jail,  and  after  remaining  then'  some  time, 
a  Willi-  prusft/ui  to  the  indictment  was  entered,  and  she  was  dis- 
charged. 


THE  PEOPLE  vs.  RUBENSTEIN. 

This  was  a  case  that  produced  a  profound  sensation  through- 
out the  nation,  and,  in  fact,  in  Europe,  for  its  great  atrocity, 
tli.  singularity  of  the  circumstances  attending  it,  and  the  ability 
with  which  the  prosecution  and  defense  were  conducted. 

Hp  trial  commenced  on  Monday,  January  Mat,  1870,  at, 
Brooklyn;  Hon.  Calvin  E.  rratt,  of  the  Supreme  Court,  presid- 
ing; Hon  Henry  A.  Moore,  County  Judge  of  Kings  County, 
II  ii  Menrv  Wolfert,  Hon.  Andrew  McKibbcn,  Justices  of  the 
Sessions,  ami  associate  justices  composing  tho  Court  of  Oyer 
and  Terminer. 

Winchester  Britton,  District    Attorney,   and    Henry  Snell, 


Assistant  District  Attorney,  appeared  for  the  people.  Hon.  Wm. 
A.  Beach  and  John  0.  Mott  appeared  for  the  defendant  The 
trial  lasted  several  days. 

On  the  morning  of  the  14th  of  December,  1875,  the  body  of 
a  woman  was  found  on  the  farm  of  Dedrich  Wessells,  in  the  town 
of  New  Lots,  Kings  County;  it  was  lying  behind  a  corn  stack  in 
the  lower  end  of  a  field.  This  field  was  bounded  on  the  side 
by  the  common  highway  or  plank-road. 

The  stack  was  situated  in  that  part  of  the  field  farthest  from 
the  road,  near  a  fence.  The  body  of  the  woman  was  lying  on 
its  back,  covered  with  a  light  snow,  which  had  fallen  the  night 
before  and  was  frozen  to  the  ground;  the  throat  had  been  cut 
with  such  violence  that  the  head  was  nearly  severed  from  the 
body.  She  lay  in  a  pool  of  blood,  which  was  frozen  about  her. 
This  discovery  produced  great  excitement.  The  constabulary 
of  the  city,  and  of  the  city  of  New  York,  immediately  entered 
on  the  work  of  investigating  this  dreadful  tragedy.  It  was  soon 
ascertained  that  tho  murdered  woman  was  Miss  Sarah  Alexander, 
who  resided  in  New  York  City.  Further  investigation  fastened 
suspicion  upon  Pasach  N.  Rubenstein,  who  had  been  somewhat 
intimate  with  the  lady.  The  autopsy  revealed,  among  other 
things,  the  fact  that  the  young  woman  was  at  least  five  months 
towards  maternity.  Circumstances  soon  developed  which 
tended  to  connect  Rubenstein  with  the  murder,  and  he  was 
promptly  arrested  and  committed  to  prison  to  await  the  action 
of  the  coroner's  inquest.  Among  the  circumstances  that 
fastened  suspicion  upon  Rubenstein  was  the  fact  that,  some 
days  before  the  discovery  of  the  body,  a  man  by  the  name  of 
Kramer,  a  resident  of  Williamsburgh,  met  Rubenstein  in  com- 
pany with  a  young  woman  in  the  road  nearly  opposite  the 
place  when  her  body  was  found.  Some  remarks  passed  between 
them,  and  Kramer  passed  on.  After  walking  a  few  rods,  he  was 
startled  by  the  cries  of  some  one  in  distress,  and  distinguish.  .1 
the  words,  "Help!  help!"  He  turned  and  listened,  but  as  the 
cry  was  not  repeated,  he  passed  on.  Kramer,  afterwards,  went 
to  the  field  and  saw  the  murdered  girl,  and  at  once  recognized 
her  as  the  girl  he  had  seen  with  Rubenstein.  The  body  whs 
further  recognized  as  that  of  Miss  Alexander  by  her  brother, 
who  also  testified  to  some  intimacy  between  his  sister  and 
Rubenstein.  Several  witnesses  were  called  who  identified  the 
man  and  the  body  of  the  young  girl  as  those  seen  by  them  in  a 
car  from  the  ferry -house  to  New  Lots,  some  days  before  the 
discovery  of  the  murder. 

Immediately  after  Rubenstein's  arrest,  he  was  taken  to  the 
headquarters  of  the  police  department  of  Brooklyn,  where  his 
boots  were  examined;  upon  tho  upper  surface  of  one  of  them 
a  thin  scale  was  discovered ;  the  boots  were  there  taken,  with 
the  shoes  of  the  murdered  girl,  to  the  scene  of  the  murder. 
There  was,  at  the  time  of  removing  his  boots,  two  kinds  of  mini 
adhering  to  them  on  different  parts  of  the  boots;  one  piece  of  the 
mud  compared  exactly  with  the  mud  found  in  the  city  of  New 
York;  the  other  compared  exactly  with  the  soil  where  the  body 
was  found,  which  was  so  soft  that  the  tracks  of  persons  walking 
there  were  plainly  indented  in  it.  On  placing  the  boots  in  these 
indentations,  or  tracks,  they  were  found  to  tit  exactly,  not  only 
in  regard  to  the  peculiar  nails  in  the  sole  of  the  boot,  hut  in  » 
certain  patch  on  the  boot.  The  scale  found  on  the  shank  of 
the  boot,  on  minute  examination,  proved  to  be  a  portion  of 
corn  husk,  and  adhering  to  the  husk  was  discovered  ■  minute 
piece  of  the  fringe  of  the  shawl  worn  by  the  girl.  The  corn 
husk  and  this  bit  of  the  shawl  were  encrusted  in  what  a  chemi- 
cal analysis  decided  was  dry  blood.  The  examination  ol  the 
shawl  showed  that  while  it  lay  on  the  mud  some  heavy  subatiuice 
came  upon  it  and  pressed  it  into  a  sort  of  hardened  fold  .  this,  it 
was  contended,  was  done  by  one  of  the  prisoner's  feet  in  stepping 
upon  the  shawl  as  it  lay  on  the  ground  among  tin'  corn  husks,  ami 
in  this  way  the  scale  we  ha\  o  described  came  to  be  upon  the  lioot. 
A  knife  was  found  near  the  body    an  unfinished  kinf' 


dently  a  new  one.  Two  witnesses  testified  to  having  seen  this 
knife  in  the  possession  of  the  prisoner  not  long  before  the  dis- 
covery of  the  murder.  The  foregoing,  with  a  few  other  circum- 
stances, were  relied  on  by  the  District  Attorney  as  abundant 
evidence  for  the  conviction  of  Kubenstein.  The  defense,  how- 
ever, powerful  and  masterly,  made  by  a  master  spirit,  contended 
that  the  prosecution  had  failed  to  show  any  motive  for  the  per- 
petration of  such  an  awful  crime;  that  they  had  failed  to  prove 
that  Rubenstein  was  in  any  degree  intimate  with  the  girl,  while 
the  defense  proved  that  she  was  in  the  habit  of  receiving  the 
visits  of  a  man  by  the  name  of  Levy;  that  the  evidence  of  the 
man  Kramer  was  too  inconsistent  for  belief,  who  relates  that  he 
heard  the  cry  of  "fire!  fire!"  and  no  cry  of  "murder!"  that 
it  was  singular  there  should  be  a  cry  of  fire  at  such  a  time.  As 
to  the  scale  on  the  boot,  it  was  altogether  too  indefinite — too 
doubtful  a  circumstance  to  attach  any  importance  to ;  and  as  to 
the  fitting  of  the  boot  in  the  track,  the  influence  of  the  weather, 
the  falling  and  melting  snow,  must  have  changed  the  dimensions 
of  the  track  so  that  the  witnesses  must  have  drawn  on  their 
imagination  for  the  fact  of  the  fitting  of  the  boots  to  the  tracks. 
It  is  proved  that  the  prisoner  was  seen  in  company  with  the  de- 
ceased on  the  cars;  that  this  was  so  long  before  the  enactment  of 
the  tragedy  that  no  importance  could  be  attached  to  it.  Aside 
from  this,  a  great  number  of  witnesses  testified  that  Rubenstein 
was  at  a  party  in  New  York  at  the  precise  time  he  was  said  to 
be  seen  in  New  Lots.  There  were  also  other  strong  circumstances 
which  the  defense  seized  upon  as  proof  of  Rubenstein's  inno- 
cence. After  an  exhaustive  and  powerful  address  to  the  jury  by 
Mr.  Beach,  followed  by  an  equally  eloquent,  logical  and  impres- 
sive address  by  Mr.  Britton,  Mr.  Justice  Pratt  proceeded  to  charge 
the  jury.  Of  this  charge  it  may  well  be  said  that  it  was  one  of 
the  most  learned,  close  and  well-reasoned  judicial  productions 
ever  delivered  from  the  bench  at  Oyer  and  Terminer.  The 
practicing  lawyer,  the  student  and  the  lay  reader  will  find  in  it 
great  interest,  much  instruction,  and  a  clear  analysis  of  the  law 
touching  circumstantial  evidence.  After  the  charge  the  jury  re- 
tired, and  after  an  absence  of  one  hour  returned  into  court  with 
a  verdict  of  "  guilty  of  murder  in  the  first  degree."  Sentence  of 
death  was  then  pronounced  by  Hon.  Henry  A.  Moore,  Associate 
Judge.  The  prisoner  was  sentenced  to  be  hanged  on  the  24th  of 
March,  1876.  The  case  was  removed  to  the  General  Term  of  the 
Supreme  Court  on  a  writ  of  error,  on  which  a  stay  of  execution 
had  been  granted;  but  on  the  9th  day  of  May,  1876,  the  citizens 
of  Brooklyn  were  startled  by  the  report  that  Rubenstein  had 
died  in  his  cell  in  Raymond  Street  Jail,  about  nine  o'clock  on  the 
morning  of  that  day.  The  report  proved  true;  he  died  of  in- 
cipient pulmonary  tuberculosis,  hastened  by  his  self-deprivation 
of  nourishment  and  general  nervous  prostration. 

Thus  ended  one  of  the  most  interesting  trials  of  the  present 
age — a  trial  in  which  the  importance  and  effect  of  circumstantial 
evidence  is  most  strongly  and  impressively  exhibited.  For  this 
reason,  and  others,  it  is  most  important  in  this  history. 


HOPE  vs.  ENGLISH. 

A  case  which  forms  an  important  incident  in  the  history  of 
Kings  County,  touching  the  law  of  libel,  was  that  of  George  T. 
Hope  against  Stephen  English,  which  was  tried  at  Brooklyn, 
March  6th,  1878,  before  Hon.  Calvin  E.  Pratt,  one  of  the  Justices 
of  the  Supreme  Court.  Messrs.  Van  Cott  and  Winslow  appeared 
for  the  plaintiff,  Moses  and  Britton  for  the  defendant.  The  case 
was  most  singular  and  important.  The  plaintiff  was  Mr.  George 
Hope,  then  and  for  many  years  President  of  the  Continental  In- 
surance Company,  one  of  the  leading  companies  in  the  United 
States.  Mr.  Hope  had  devoted  his  life  to  the  business  of  fire 
insurance,  with  eminent  success.     The  defendant,  Stephen 


English,  was  the  editor  of  The  Insurance  Times,  a  paper  published 
once  a  month  in  New  York,  devoted  to  the  insurance  interest 
not  only  in  this  country,  but  in  both  hemispheres,  as  its  editor, 
with  much  alleged  vanity,  claimed.  Some  time  in  September, 
1870,  the  editor  of  The  Times  published  an  article  in  it,  of  his 
own  motion,  highly  eulogistic  of  Mr.  Hope,  in  which  he  says  : 
"One  of  the  most  prominent  fire  underwriters  in  the  United 
States  is  George  T.  Hope.  We  have  few  so  thoroughly  trained 
to  the  business."  He  then  proceeds  to  give  a  history  of  Mr. 
Hope's  career  and  success  in  his  business.  "  Mr.  Hope's  mind," 
he  continued,  "is  peculiarly  adapted  by  the  breadth  of  its  range 
and  views,  and  its  capacity  to  observe  and  master  at  the  same 
time  the  minutest  details,  to  preside  over  the  affairs  of  great  and 
useful  corporations.  Nothing  is  too  large  for  him  to  grasp, 
nothing  too  small  to  escape  his  observation.  Although  his  suc- 
cess makes  slight  envy,  none  can  cavil  at  the  means  by  which 
it  has  been  attained,  for  none  can  excel  bim  in  liberality,  can- 
dor, truthfulness  and  honor  ;*****  he  is  not  what  is  com- 
monly called  an  eloquent  speaker,  but  there  is  a  logical  direct- 
ness in  his  statements  and  an  earnestness  in  his  manner  which 
convinces  every  hearer  of  his  perfect  sincerity  and  the  intelligent 
comprehension  of  the  subject  of  his  remarks." 

As  was  well  said  by  Mr.  Winslow,  in  opening  the  case  to  the 
jury,  "  that  a  man,  who  is  an  honest  man,  could  write  such  an 
article  and  publish  it  in  his  paper,  and  in  a  few  months  turn 
around  and  libel  the  object  of  his  eulogy  as  he  has,  in  the  most 
atrocious  manner,  and  in  a  great  variety  of  forms  and  methods  ; 
but  the  plaintiff,  Mr.  Hope,  became  satisfied  that  the  defendant 
was  not  such  a  conductor  of  an  insurance  paper  as  was  entitled 
to  respect  and  encouragement ;  accordingly  he  notified  him  that 
he  did  not  want  his  paper,  and  that  he  did  not  propose  to  adver- 
tise in  it  any  more.  Then  the  gates  of  defamation  and  vitnpera- 
ation  were  opened,  and  a  torrent  of  abuse  was  poured  upon  the 
plaintiff  by  the  defendant  without  the  slightest  discretion  as  to 
consequences  or  apparent  regard  for  the  laws  of  the  land.  In 
his  paper  he  described  Mr.  Hope  as  '  a  dreadful  incubus  on  the 
Continental  Fire  Insurance  Company.'  Very  soon  after  he  wrote 
another  article  for  his  paper  holding  Mr.  Hope  up  to  ridicule 
and  contempt,  censuring  his  manner,  and  endeavoring  to  under- 
mine the  respect  and  confidence  of  the  community,  and  of  his 
own  company,  by  this  sort  of  contempt."  He  finally  charged 
Mr.  Hope  with  writing  the  fulsome  eulogy  on  himself,  por- 
tions of  which  we  have  quoted.  Finally,  through  a  series  of 
articles,  English  libeled  Mr.  Hope  in  a  most  merciless  manner, 
and  for  these  libels  the  action  referred  to  was  brought. 

Mr.  Winslow  conducted  the  case  for  the  plaintiff,  Mr.  Van  Cott 
not  being  present  at  the  trial.  His  opening  to  the  jury  is  an 
effective  and  admirable  presentation  of  the  plaintiffs  case.  Some 
of  its  language  was  scathing,  causing  the  defendant  to  writhe 
under  the  lash  of  his  invectives. 

The  plaintiff  rested  his  case  after  proving  the  libel  and  the 
motives  for  it,  and  then  the  court  adjourned  for  the  day.  The 
next  morning  the  counsel  for  the  defendant  proposed  to  arrest 
the  continuance  of  the  trial  by  the  defendant  making  certain 
concessions  and  admissions,  by  appealing  to  the  generosity  and 
magnanimity  of  Mr.  Hope.  They  were  assured  that  nothing  hut 
a  full  and  complete  retraction  of  all  that  had  been  said  against 
Mr.  Hope  in  the  defendant's  paper,  and  an  admission  of  the 
falsity  of  the  same,  would  be  listened  to,  and  it  was  doubtful 
if  even  that  could  be  listened  to  by  Mr.  Hope.  But  at  last,  on 
consultation,  a  document  was  prepared  and  signed  by  Eng 
lish  containing  one  of  the  most  extraordinary  recantations  of 
the  libels  and  self-accusations  that  ever  appeared  in  a  court  of 
justice.  There  were  five  distinct  admissions  or  paragraphs  of 
retraction  and  withdrawal,  some  of  which  he  admitted  were  un- 
true, and  in  all  of  them  with  his  retraction  he  said  "  he  sincerely 
regretted  their  publication."  He  agreed  to  pay  all  costs  and  ex- 
penses incurred  by  Mr.  Hope  in  connection  with  such  publica- 


HI STORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


tions  under  trial,  and  he  instructed  his  attorney,  Mr.  Moses,  to 
read  this  extraordinary  paper,  signed  by  himself,  to  the  jury, 
and  promised  in  the  same  paper  to  publish  it  entire  in  the  next 
number  of  his  paper,  Tlie  Insurance  Times.  Upon  the  foregoing 
statement  and  retraction,  and  the  immediate  payment  of  all  costs 
and  expenditures  of  Mr.  Hope,  and  a  due  compliance  of  said 
paper,  the  cause  was  discontinued.  And  thus  ended  one  of  the 
most  important  and  interesting  cases  under  the  law  of  libel  ever 
tried  in  any  court. 


HENRY  W.  SAGE  vs.  CITY  OF  BROOKLYN. 

Perhaps  there  is  no  case  on  record  that  more  essentially 
affects  the  property-holders  not  only  of  Brooklyn,  but  in  the 
County  of  Kings  and  in  the  State.  It  decides  the  important 
question  touching  the  rights  of  the  city  of  Brooklyn  to  take 
real  estate  from  property-owners  for  streets,  and  how  and  when 
compensation  therefor  shall  be  made.  The  action  was  brought 
against  the  city  of  Brooklyn  by  Mr.  Sage  in  the  Brooklyn  City 
Court,  to  recover  awards  made  to  him  for  lands  taken  to  widen 
and  extend  the  Saekett  street  boulevards,  near  Prospect  Park,  in 
the  city  of  Brooklyn.  The  land  was  taken  for  public  use  under 
the  Statute  of  18(58  and  the  Act  of  1870,  relating  to  the  boule- 
vards. It  appeared  that  Mr.  Sage,  the  plaintiff,  had  already 
paid  a  large  assessment  imposed  upon  his  adjoining  land  for 
the  supposed  benefit  of  improvements.  But  when  he  applied 
for  payment  of  his  awards  for  his  land  buried  under  the 
bouievards,  the  city  refused  to  pay  him,  on  the  ground  that  tlie 
assessment  for  the  payment  of  the  awards  not  having  been  col- 
lected, there  were  no  funds  in  the  treasury  that  could  be  law- 
fully used  for  such  payments. 

The  plaintiffs  counsel,  Mr.  Winslow— then  of  the  firm  of  Van 
Cott  &  Winslow— insisted  that  the  city  had  taken  the  property 
of  the  plaintiff  and  thus  became  his  debtor,  and  had  been  such 
for  the  term  of  ten  years.  Mr.  Winslow  based  the  action  on  the 
ground  of  such  indebtedness,  and  that  the  State  made  it  the 
duty  of  the  city  to  pay  at  the  time  of  taking;  and  whether  this 
was  so  or  not,  to  allow  the  city  to  take  lands  for  such  purposes, 
without  payment,  would  be  in  legal  effect  a  violation  of  the 
Constitution,  which  provides  that  private  property  cannot  be 
taken  for  public  use  without  just  compensation. 

As  has  been  seen,  Mr.  Winslow  held  this  opinion  against  that 
of  a  large  majority  of  the  members  of  the  Bar. 

The  plaintiffs  demand  was  most  ably  contested  by  the  city, 
through  very  eminent  counsel,  who  appeared  and  defended. 
The  trial  resulted  in  n  verdict  for  the  plaintiff,  upon  which 
judgment  was  duly  entered.  An  appeal  was  taken  to  the  Court 
i if  Appeals,  where,  after  arguments  by  the  respective  counsel,  of 
extraordinary  ability  and  learning,  the  plaintiffs  judgment 
was  in  all  things  affirmed.  The  plaintiff  recovered  a  large  sum 
fif  money  to  indemnify  him  for  liis'property  taken  from  him  by 
the  city. 

There  will  be  no  more  taking  lands  for  public  use  without 
just  and  immediate  compensation. 

To  meet  the  emergency  caused  by  this  decision,  the  Legis- 
lature of  1MH3,  with  the  advice  and  approval  of  the  Mayor  of 
Brooklyn,  passed  an  act  authorizing  the  issue  of  bonds  by  the 
city  to  the  amount  of  about  $300,(100,  with  which  to  pay  out- 
standing awards  for  which  the  city  had  become  liable  under 
rircumstam-'  -  the  same  in  principle  as  that  of  Sage  vs.  The  City 
of  Brooklyn. 


THE  CASE  OF  THE  NEWSPAPER  REPORTER. 

Sous  i.fter  the  election  "f  Judge  Selah  B.  Strong  as  a  judge  of 
tlie  Supreme  Cipiirt  of  the  State,  in  1M.VJ,  he  presided  at  a  term 
Of  the  Kings  County  Oyer  and  Terminer.  During  the  term  a 
rcry  important  caso  came  on  for  trial.    A  well-known  newH 
I    I  '  1  reporter  had  been  indicted  for  the  murder  of  his  infant 


child.  The  babe  was  in  its  cradle  while  the  father  was  at  break- 
fast; its  cries  annoyed  him,  and,  seizing  a  carving-knife,  he 
sprang  to  the  cradle  and  nearly  severed  the  child's  head  from 
its  body.  He  was  arrested,  committed  to  prison,  and,  as  we 
have  said,  indicted  and  brought  to  trial.  For  some  reason,  he 
had  failed  to  retain  counsel,  and  proposed  to  conduct  his  own 
defense,  but  was  manifestly  incompetent.  It  happened  that 
William  C.  Prime  was  sitting  in  the  Bar,  and,  touched  by  the 
prisoner's  helpless  position,  proposed,  in  case  some  other  mem- 
ber of  the  Bar  would  assist  him,  to  undertake  the  prisoner's 
defense.  A  distinguished  lawyer  of  the  St.  Louis  Bar,  who  was 
in  Brooklyn  on  business,  promptly  offered  his  services  A 
couple  of  days  was  given  them  for  the  defense,  and  on  the  trial 
the  plea  of  the  prisoner's  insanity  was  interposed. 

Among  the  witnesses  called  for  the  defense,  was  a  prominent 
clergyman,  who  testified  that  the  prisoner  had  called  at  his 
house  and  introduced  himself  as  a  public  lecturer,  stating  that 
he  desired  to  deliver  a  lecture  in  Brooklyn,  and  that  he  could 
lecture  upon  any  subject,  no  matter  what.  "  Now,  for  instance," 
he  said,  "there  is  a  sofa;  I  can  lecture  on  that;  it's  a  glorious 
thing  to  talk  about,  full  of  mighty  suggestions.  Now,  I'll  give 
you  a  portion  of  a  lecture  on  it,"  and  then  the  man  commenced 
a  regular  lecture  on  "The  Sofa,"  and  continued  to  talk  for 
some  time.  "  Such  was  his  manner,"  continued  the  clergyman, 
"that  I  thought,  and  still  think,  the  man  is  insane." 

The  caso  was  ably  summed  up  by  the  opposing  lawyers,  after 
which  Judge  Strong  proceeded  to  charge  the  jury.  His  charge 
was  manifestly  against  the  prisoner's  plea. 

"It  is  contended,  gentlemen  of  the  jury,"  he  said,  "by  the 
prisoner's  counsel,  that  his  insanity  is  apparent  from  his  having 
lectured  on  a  sofa.  Now,  gentlemen,  this  is  a  question  of  fact 
for  you  to  decide,  whether  his  having  lectured  on  a  sofa  is  any 
evidence  of  insanity.  The  court  does  not  hesitate  to  say  that, 
if  this  fact  is  any  evidence,  it  is  certainly  very  weak  and  un- 
satisfactory. You  will  remember,  gentlemen,  that  Cowper,  one 
of  the  greatest  of  England's  poets,  wrote  a  beautiful  poem 
dedicated  to  a  sofa." 

At  this  point  the  St.  Louis  lawyer  arose  and,  with  some  excite- 
ment in  his  manner,  exclaimed :  "Your  Honor  will  please  re- 
member that  very  soon  after  writing  that  poem,  the  great  poet 
in  a  fit  of  insanity  made  an  effort  to  take  his  own  life,  which 
came  near  being  successful.  If  he  in  a  fit  of  insanity  wrote  a 
poem  on  a  sofa,  why  may  we  not  say  our  client  was  insane  when 
he  talked  insanely  about  a  sofa?" 

This  sudden  turn  to  his  suggestion  regarding  Cowper  placed 
the  judge  in  a  position  quite  unexpected,  turning  the  caM of 
Cowper  and  the  sofa  quite  against  him.  He  made,  however,  an 
ineffectual  effort  to  escape  from  the  dilemma.  This  sad  inci- 
dent in  tin'  life  of"  Cowper  produced  such  an  effect  upon  the  jury 
that  they  returned  a  verdict  of  "Not  guilty." 


ASA  P.  AND  E.  W.  ROBINSON  vs.  THE  CITY  OF 
BROOKLYN. 

This  was  a  very  important  and  hotly  contested  suit.  Tlie 
litigation  grew  out  of  the  Bond  street  sewer  and  its  laterals  in 
1860-61.  This  action  was  begun  in  1863,  to  recover  $Vi,000 
against  the  city  for  alleged  breach  of  contract.  Some  idea  of  its 
importance  may  be  gained  from  the  fact  that  those  two  distin- 
guished lawyers,  Henry  C.  Murphy  and  Hon.  John  O.  Schn- 
maker,  were  the  opposing  counsel  ;  tlie  former  appeared  for  the 
plaintiff,  and  the  latter  for  the  city. 

The  cause  was  referred  to  John  B.  Buskins,  Esq.,  who  in 
October,  1806,  made  a  report  in  favor  of  the  plaintiffs  and 
against  the  city  for  the  sum  of  $37.1.  II  on  items  of  damage  which 
hail  been  conceded  by  the  city.  Judgment  was  entered  on  thi* 
report  against  the  city  for  the  above  sum  and  $2."><>.('.K  cost*, 


BENCH  AND  BAR  OF  BROOKLYN. 


i  -  * « ;  r, 


amounting  in  all  to  $623.79.  This,  of  course,  was  a  signal 
defeat  for  the  plaintiffs,  and  they  took  an  appeal  from  the  judg- 
ment to  the  General  Term  of  the  Supreme  Court.  The  case  was 
argued  before  that  tribunal  in  January,  1876,  and  in  the  following 
March  judgment  was  given  granting  a  new  trial  because  of  one 
erroneous  finding  on  the  part  of  the  Referee.  After  this  the 
cause  was  left  to  itself  for  several  years.  At  length,  in  1881,  dur- 
ing the  administration  of  Mr.  De  Witt  as  Corporation  Counsel, 
the  cause  was  brought  to  trial  before  the  same  Referee,  who, 
after  several  hearings  and  considerable  delay,  made  a  report 
more  favorable  to  the  plaintiffs  than  before,  "but  still  of  such 
small  amount  when  compared  to  their  claim  as  to  be  a  substan- 
tial success  to  the  city."  The  precise  amount  found  for  the 
plaintiffs  was  $2,517.39,  of  which  $278.46  was  admitted  by 
the  city,  and  which,  therefore,  the  plaintiffs  had  been  at  all 
times  entitled  to  payment.  The  balance  of  the  judgment  re- 
covered by  the  plaintiffs  consisted  of  about  20  years'  interest  on 
several  of  the  items  found  due,  amounting  to  over  $1,100,  and  of 
$1,330.92,  the  costs  of  this  long,  important  and  expensive  litiga- 
tion. 

All  the  serious  questions  of  law  involved  in  the  action  are 
found  in  favor  of  the  city.  The  heavy  items  of  plaintiffs'  claim 
were  all  shut  off  by  the  Referee.  The  manner  in  which  Mr.  Has- 
kins  conducted  the  case  as  Referee  was  generally  commended, 
his  mind  seemed  so  well  adapted  to  the  disentangling  of  the 
complex  questions  of  law  and  fact  in  the  case.  The  lease  was 
finally  settled,  under  the  directions  of  the  Common  Council,  for 
the  sum  of  $5,020/^. 

The  following  are  important  cases,  in  which  the  city  of 
Brooklyn  has  been  interested,  but  to  which  we  can  only  briefly 
allude  : 

Brooklyn  Bank  v.  De  Grand,  23  Wend.,  342  ;  Brooklyn  Bank  v. 
Waring,  2  Sandford,  Chancery  Rep.  1;  47  N.  Y.,  139  ;  Brooklyn 
Park  Commissioners  v.  Armstrong,  45  N.  Y.,  234  ;  Brooklyn  v. 
Hamill,  43  N.  Y.,  554  ;  Brooklyn  City,  etc.,  B.  R.  Co.  v.  Coney 
Island  R.  R.  Co.,  35  Barbour,  364  ;  Brooklyn  Central  and  Jamaica 
R.  R.  Co.  v.  Brooklyn  City  R.  R.  Co.,  33  Barbour,  420 ;  The  Dal- 
zelle  Divorce  Case  ;  Gray  v.  Brooklyn  ;  Meade  v.  Brooklyn  ;  The 
New  York  Saw  Mill  and  Lumber  Company  v.  Brooklyn  ;  The  City 
of  Brooklyn  v.  Richard  Wood,  et.  al. ;  John  J.  Hardy  v.  The  City 
of  Brooklyn;  Henry  W.  Sage  et.  al.  v.  The  City  of  Brooklyn  ; 
The  City  of  Brooklyn  v.  The  Mayor  and  Aldermen  of  the  City 
of  New  York  ;  The  People  ex  rel.  Jesse  Johnson  v.  John 
Mitchell,  Treasurer  of  the  City  of  Brooklyn,  and  M.  O'Keeffe, 
Registrar  of  Arrears  of  the  City  of  Brooklyn  ;  The  People  of  the 
State  of  New  York  ex  rel.  E.  Darwin  Litchford  v.  Michael 
O'Keeffe,  Registrar  of  Arrears,  etc. 

These  are  only  a  part  of  the  important  cases  which  might  be 
mentioned  that  have  occupied  the  .attention  of  the  city  courts. 

As  has  well  been  said,  any  one  desiring  to  catch  an  idea  and 
the  drift  of  these  courts  may  profitably  study  these  cases.  The 
result  of  the  litigation  in  which  the  city  had  been  a  party 
litigant  for  the  ten  years  ending  December  31,  1879,  is  seen  in 
the  report  of  the  Corporation  Counsel  for  those  years — Mr.  De 
Witt  -in  which  it  appears  that  upon  all  judgments  finally  recov- 
ered against  and  in  behalf  of  the  city,  over  this  extended  period, 
there  was  a  balance  of  over  $63,161.53  in  the  city's  favor,  and 
upon  the  cash  paid  out  and  received  according  to  the  books  of 
the  Comptroller  upon  all  judgments  which  had  been  had  dur- 
ing that  time,  there  was  a  like  favorable  balance  of  $28,319.70. 
An  equally  favorable  result  of  the  litigation  for  and  against  the 
city  appears  by  the  reports  of  Hon.  John  A.  Taylor,  Corporation 
Counsel,  for  the  year  ending  December  31,  1883.  When  we  take 
into  consideration  the  vast  amount  of  litigation  in  which  the 
city  has  been  engaged,  we  may  well  adopt  the  language  of  a 
distinguished  city  official:  "  It  is  an  obvious  truth  that  no  other 
city  has  enjoyed  in  its  litigation  a  good  fortune  at  all  comparable 
with  that  of  Brooklyn." 


THE  EXECUTORS  OF   PETER  W.  RADCLIFF 

vs. 

THE  MAYOR  AND  COMMON  COUNCIL  OF 
BROOKLYN. 

This  case  is  one  which  gives  a  dramatic  interest  to  the  scenes 
and  decisions  of  the  court-room. 

On  February  6,  1827,  Leffert  Leffekts,  who  had  presided  on 
the  Bench  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  with  much  acceptability 
to  the  public  for  several  years,  retired  from  the  Bench,  and  Peter 
W.  Radcliff,  a  lawyer  eminent  for  his  learning  and  ability,  was 
appointed,  by  Gov.  De  Witt  Clinton  and  the  Council  of  Appoint- 
ment, the  successor  of  Judge  Lefferts.  He  discharged  his 
judicial  duties  ably  and  successfully,  and  the  causes  adjudicated 
in  the  Common  Pleas  of  Kings  County  were  important,  and 
usually  disposed  of  with  as  much  satisfaction  to  all  parties  as  in 
any  other  tribunal  in  the  State.  Judge  Radcliff  was  a  man  of 
inflexibility  of  purpose,  spirited,  and,  perhaps,  one  who  might 
be  called  a  proud  man.  Among  the  charming  houses  which,  in 
an  early  day ,  embellished  Columbia  Heights,  in  Brooklyn,  was 
that  of  Judge  Radcliff;  his  house,  though  not  as  expensive  oa 
many  of  the  now  almost  palatial  residences  of  that  street,  was 
tasteful,  indicating  that  its  owner  was  a  gentleman  of  refinement 
and  culture.  The  mansion  was  surrounded  by  beautiful  grounds 
which  to  the  westward  sloped  toward  the  East  River,  and  over- 
looked the  Bay  of  New  York.  It  was  surrounded  by  tastefully 
arranged  shrubbery,  shade  and  fruit  trees,  and  withal  a  most 
inviting  flower  and  vegetable  garden.  This  was  his  home  down 
to  and  some  years  after  1838.  Early  in  March  of  that  year,  the 
Common  Council  of  the  City  of  Brooklyn  laid  out  the  present, 
Furman  street,  on  the  west  of  Judge  Radcliff's  grounds,  below 
and  abutting  them.  To  prepare  space  for  the  street  it  became 
necessary  to  dig  away  a  large  part  of  the  west  bank  of  the  lands 
belonging  to  the  judge.  In  doing  this  a  large,  and  the  most  at- 
tractive part  of  his  premises,  was  undermined  and  utterly  de- 
vastated. The  judge,  at  the  commencement  of  the  digging,  saw 
what  the  result  would  be,  and  forbade  them  from  proceeding,  and 
finally  resorted  to  an  action  to  restrain  the  city  authorities  from 
proceeding;  but  the  court  ruled  against  him,  and  he  resorted  to 
an  action  for  trespass,  in  which  he  was  equally  unfortunate.  In 
the  meantime  his  beautiful  grounds  were  crumbling  away,  fall- 
ing into  the  excavations  below.  As  we  have  said,  he  was  a  man 
of  iron  will,  of  indomitable  energy,  and  he  continued  to  fight 
the  corporation  until  the  day  of  his  death,  and  enjoined  upon 
his  surviving  friends  the  duty  of  continuing  the  fight  after  his 
death.  Accordingly,  in  1847,  the  action,  the  title  of  which  we 
have  given,  was  commenced  by  his  executors  against  the  Mayor 
and  Common  Council  to  recover  of  the  city  the  damages  thai 
their  testator  had  sustained  by  the  destruction  of  a  valuable  purl 
of  his  grounds. 

The  late  Henry  C.  Murphy  appeared  for  the  city,  and  A.  H. 
Dana  for  the  plaintiff.  Mr.  Murphy,  in  his  answer  to  the  plain- 
tiff's declaration,  alleged  that  before  the  commission  of  the 
wrongs  complained  of,  Furman  street,  in  the  city  of  Brooklyn, 
had  been  lawfully  laid  out  and  opened,  the  east  line  of  which 
and  along  and  adjacent  to  the  premises  of  Judge  Radcliff;  that 
as  a  muncipal  corporation  the  defendants,  by  virtue  of  the  power 
conferred  on  them  by  law,  took  regular  and  legal  proceedings 
for  the  grading  and  leveling  of  said  Furman  street:  that  Judge 
Radcliff  neglected  to  uphold  his  premises,  which  lay  above  the 
grade,  by  proper  props  or  retaining  walls,  Ac,  and  a  portion  of 
his  premises  slid  down  the  bank  and  was  destroyed. 

The  case  came  on  to  be  tried  at  a  Circuit  Court  held  in  Brook- 
lyn in  December,  1839,  and  was  decided  against  the  executors. 
An  appeal  was  taken  to  the  General  Term,  and  they  were  again 
beaten;  following  the  directions  of  Ju^ge  Radcliff,  given  in  his 
lifetime,  the  case  was  taken  to  the  Court  of  Appeals,  where,  in 
December,  1850,  it  was  elaborately  argued  by  the  distinguished 
counsel  for  the  respective  parties,  and  the  executors  of  Judge 


1266 


III  STORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


lladeliff  wen-  again  defeated.  That  illustrious  judge  and  jurist, 
(Ireene  C.  limnson,  then  Chief  Justice  of  the  Court  of  Appeals, 
delivered  the  opinion  of  the  court,  holding  that  when  a  municipal 
pal  corporation  under  rightful  authority  contained  in  its  charter, 
grades  and  levels  a  street,  an  action  will  not  lie  by  an  adjoining 
owner  whose  lands  are  not  actually  taken  for  consequential 
damages  to  his  premises,  there  being  no  want  of  care  or  skill  in 
the  execution  of  the  work  of  digging,  and  in  the  absence  of  any 
provision  in  the  charter  for  the  payment  of  damages  of  that 
kind.  That  a  man  may,  for  a  lawful  purpose,  dig  in  his  own 
soil  so  near  the  premises  of  another  as  to  unsettle  the  founda- 
tions of  a  building  thereon;  that  a  man  may  also,  without  being 
liable  to  an  action  for  damages,  dig  so  near  the  premises  of  an- 
other that  his  soil  without  any  superabundant  weight  is  precipi- 
tated into  the  pit  dug. 

Chancellor  AValworth  had,  some  years  previous  to  this  (4  Paige, 
169),  laid  down  a  different  doctrine,  but  Chief  Justice  Bronson 
questions  that  case  and  in  effect  overrules  it.  His  opinion  is 
found  in  4  N.  Y.,  or  4th  Comstock,  105.  Thus  ended  this  singu- 
lar litigation,  so  unfortunate  for  Judge  Eadcliff  and  his  repre- 
sentatives; as  the  court  of  dernier  ressort  had  decided  against 
them,  there  was  no  further  remedy,  and  they  were  compelled 
to  submit. 

It  was  a  fearful  blow  upon  Judge  Radcliff;  be  saw  his  beauti- 
ful home  invaded,  its  choicest  embellishments  destroyed  and 
taken  away  from  him  by  a  great  city,  a  municipality  founded  on 
justice  and  the  sanctity  of  the  rights  of  citizens  to  their  property, 
and  appealed  to  the  laws  for  his  rights,  and  when  the  courts 
repeatedly  decided  against  him,  the  intellect  of  the  strong  man 
almost  gave  way,  and  the  trouble  which  it  caused  him  hurried 
him  to  his  grave.  It  was  one  of  those  cases  in  which  the  law 
with  its  stern  inflexibility  is  on  one  side,  and  right  and  justice 
on  the  other. 

After  the  misfortune  to  the  grounds  we  have  described,  and 
the  decision  of  the  case,  a  heavy  retaining  wall  was  built  between 
what  remained  of  the  grounds  and  the  street,  which  permanently 
protected  them.  Enough  was  left  for  a  handsome  lot.  It  is 
now  known  as  176  Columbia  Heights,  and  is  the  attractive  home 
of  Hon.  Thomas  G.  Shearman. 


THE  GREAT   ROPE- WALK  LITIGATION  WITH 
THE  CITY  OF  BROOKLYN. 

Tiikrf.  are  few  cases  in  which  the  city  of  Brooklyn  has  been  a 
party,  the  history  of  which  is  more  interesting  than  this.  It  was 
one  of  several  strongly  litigated  cases  containing  the  same  cause 
of  action-  litigation  like  that  of  Jurndyce  v.  Jarndyce,  which 
seem<  I  almost  interminable.  The  contentions  and  bitter  enmi- 
ties which  it  engendered  made  tho  village  of  Brooklyn  —and 
afterwards  the  city  in  its  early  days  a  scene  of  strife  most  un- 
happy in  its  nature.  But  time,  which  wears  out  tho  deepest 
traces  of  hatred  and  strife,  has  swept  away  that  which  entered 
into  this  contest,  and  changed  the  subject  of  the  contest  so  that 
few  have  any  personal  recollection  of  its  original  condition. 

In  the  year  IMO,  Norris  L.  Martin,  then  largely  engaged  in 
the  ship  chandlery  business,  in  tho  city  of  New  York,  leased  of 
Joshua  Sands  and  Comfort  Sands,  for  the  term  of  twenty-one 
years,  a  piece  of  land  in  Brooklyn,  extending  from  the  present 
f'ulton  street  to  near  Bridge  street.  Subsequently  Mr.  Martin 
became  the  owner  in  fi  e  of  that  and  some  other  tracts  of  land 
adjoining,  purchased  from  James  Tillary.  Soon  after  taking 
!  .  •  i  -  ■  t  i  ..f  lli.  fir-.)  piece  of  land.  Mr.  Martin  erected  upon  it 
one  of  the  most  extensive  rope-walks  in  the  United  States,  with 
valtialde  buildings,  or  manufactories,  an  a  part  of  the  said  rope- 
walk.  It  is  hardly  possibh  for  a  person  us  he  passes  from  Ful- 
ton to  llridge  street,  thronged  with  passengers,  carriages,  and 
eml.ellished  » ith  elegant  buildings,  to  conceive  that  it  was  onco 


used,  for  many  years,  as  a  rope-walk;  but  such  was  the  case.  It 
was  so  occupied  from  1811  till  1828. 

On  March  3d  of  that  year  two  petitions  were  presented  to 
the  Trustees  of  the  Village  of  Brooklyn,  pursuant  to  the  18th 
section  of  an  Act  of  the  Legislature,  entitled  "An  Act  to 
reduce  the  law  incorporating  the  village  of  Brooklyn,  and 
the  several  acts  amendatory  thereof,"  into  one  act,  and  amend 
the  same,  passed  April  3d,  1827,  praying  for  the  opening  of 
Washington  and  Adams  streets  through  the  said  rope-walk 
grounds,  viz.:  One  of  the  petitions  was  for  the  opening  ot 
Washington  street  from  Concord  to  Fulton  streets,  and  the 
other  for  the  opening  of  Adams  street  from  its  then  present 
termination,  near  Concord,  to  Fulton  street.  The  following  are 
the  boundaries  of  the  lands  then  used  by  Mr.  Martin  as  a  rope- 
walk  :  "Beginning  at  a  point  on  a  line,  being  a  continuation 
of  the  line  of  the  easterly  side  of  Washington  street,  where  the 
samo  intersects  the  southern  boundary  of  the  land  of  John 
Dikeman,  running  thence  in  a  southerly  direction  on  the  said 
continued  line  of  the  easterly  side  of  Washington  street  88  feet; 
thence  westerly  along  the  said  boundary  line  of  the  said  land  (10 
feet  to  a  line,  being  a  continuation  of  the  line  of  the  westerly 
side  of  Washington  street,  88  feet  0  inches,  to  the  land  of  John 
Dikeman;  thence  easterly  along  said  Dikeman's  land  00  feet. 
The  piece  of  land  purchased  by  Mr.  Martin  of  Mr.  Tillary  ex- 
tended from  the  southern  boundary  line  just  described,  and 
running  thence  southerly  on  the  said  continued  line  on  the  east- 
erly side  of  Washington  street  108  feet  to  the  southerly  line  of 
Tillary  street;  thence  northerly  along  the  line  of  said  Tillary 
street  60  feet  and  3  inches  to  the  westerly  line  of  Washington 
street:  thence  northerly  along  the  line,  being  a  continuation  of 
the  line  of  the  westerly  side  of  Washington  street,  201  feet  8 
inches  to  the  lands  of  Norris  L.  Martin:  thence  easterly  along 
said  Martin's  land  00  feet  to  the  place  of  beginning." 

It  appears  that  Mr.  Martin  owned  another  piece  of  ground  in 
this  now  populous  part  of  the  city,  which  is  described  as  follows: 
"Beginning  at  a  point  on  a  line,  being  the  continuation  of  the 
line  of  the  easterly  side  of  Adams  street,  84  feet  5  inches,  to  the 
southern  boundary  line  of  said  Martin's  land;  thence  westerly 
along  the  said  boundary  line  GO  feet  to  a  line,  being  a  continua- 
tion of  the  line  of  the  westerly  side  of  Adams  street;  thence 
northerly  along  last  mentioned  line  85  feet  1  inch  to  the  land 
of  John  Dikeman;  thence  easterly  along  said  Dikeman's  land 
60  feet  to  the  place  of  beginning." 

We  have  given  the  particular  boundaries  of  these  particular 
pieces  of  land  as  an  item  of  interesting  history,  not  only  of  the 
origin  of  certain  now  populous  streets  in  the  city,  but  the  origi- 
nal title  thereto,  and  the  sources  from  whence  tho  city  derived 
its  titlo  to  the  property  of  such  immense  value,  and  showing  the 
property  really  in  dispute  in  the  great  case  we  describe. 

As  we  have  said,  in  March,  182s,  two  petitions  were  presented 
to  the  Trustees  of  the  Village  of  Brooklyn,  one  for  the  opening  of 
Washington  street  from  Concord  to  Fulton  street,  and  tin1  other 
for  the  opening  of  Adams  street  from  where  it  then  terminated, 
near  Concord  street,  to  Fulton  street.  Washington  and  Adam* 
streets  were  to  be  opened  through  the  said  rope-walk.  On  the 
31st  of  March  following,  these  petitions  were  duly  granted  by 
tho  Trustees  of  the  Village  of  Brooklyn,  and  in  May  following 
the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  of  King  County,  under  the  stitute 
in  such  cases,  appointed  three  commissioners  to  assess  the 
damages  accruing  to  the  owners  of  said  lands  from  the  opening 
of  said  streets.  These  commissioners  were  James  \V.  bnrti*. 
John  I).  Conklin,  and  Nathan  Young,  three  highly  reepeotebll 
and  well-remembered  citizens  of  Brooklyn. 

On  the  0th  of  June  following,  the  said  commissioners  having 
examined  tho  said  lands  and  estimated  the  damages  which 
would  result  from  tho  opening  of  tho  said  streets  through 
them,  roportcd  that  tho  damages  of  Mr.  Martin,  for  the 
opening  through  the  fust  described  piece  of  land,  amounted 
under  all    the  circumstai  s   of  the  cose   to   $7,421.24;  thai 


BENCH  AND  BAR  OF  BROOKLYN. 


12G7 


the  damages  due  him  for  the  opening  through  the  second 
described  piece  of  land  was  $2,880.  The  damage  occasioned 
by  the  opening  through  the  piece  of  land  last  described 
amounted,  under  the  circumstances  in  the  case,  to  $6,714. G6. 
The  aggregated  damages  of  Mr.  Martin,  for  the  proposed 
opening  or  continuation  of  these  streets  through  his  lands, 
amounted  to  $17,008.90.  These  damages  were  satisfactory  to 
him,  and  believing  that  the  trustees  would  have  the  report  of 
the  commissioners  filed  according  to  law,  and  that  the  said 
streets  would  be  opened  in  due  form  of  law  pursuant  to  the 
statute,  took  down  his  rope-walks,  for  he  now  had  several  on 
the  lands,  and  a  valuable  stone  building  erected  on  these  lands 
for  the  safe  keeping  of  his  stock,  and  proceeded  to  erect  a  new 
and  valuable  building  on  the  line  of  Adams  street,  as  con- 
templated to  be  opened,  rebuilt  the  said  stone  building  in  an- 
other place,  and  erected  three  valuable  houses  on  other  lands 
along  the  said  streets  contemplated  to  be  opened.  All  these 
buildings  would  have  been  of  great  value  as  soon  as  these  streets 
were  opened  and  extended. 

We  now  approach  the  most  interesting,  and  we  may  say 
strange  history  of  this  case,  and  the  immediate  cause  of 
its  commencement.  We  have  seen  that  the  commissioners 
appointed  to  assess  Mr.  Martin's  damages  resulting  from  the 
opening  of  these  streets,  &c,  duly  discharged  their  duties, 
estimated  his  damages  and  made  their  report;  but,  strange 
as  it  may  appear,  all  proceedings  concerning  the  said  dam- 
ages terminated  with  the  making  of  said  report,  and  the 
Board  of  Trustees  of  the  Village  of  Brooklyn  utterly  refused 
to  file  said  report  in  the  clerk's  office,  according  to  law,  and  to 
proceed  with  the  opening  of  the  said  streets,  pursuant  to  the 
earnest  petition  of  a  large  number  of  citizens  interested  in  their 
opening,  notwithstanding  Mr.  Martin  had  in  good  faith  sub- 
jected himself  to  large  expenses  in  removing  his  rope-walks  and  1 
buildings,  and  in  erecting  other  buildings,  along  the  line  of  one 
of  the  proposed  streets.  Such  were  his  expenses  that  he  was 
compelled  to  borrow  a  large  sum  of  money  to  aid  him  in  meet- 
ing his  expenses  until  his  damages  were  paid,  and  he  was  other- 
wise greatly  injured  by  the  singular  course  pursued  by  the 
trustees. 

Thus  the  matter  continued  until  about  the  18th  day  of 
January,  1830,  when  the  Board  of  Trustees  adopted  a  resolu- 
tion to  proceed  forthwith  to  open  Washington  street,  and 
Adams  street,  from  near  Concord  street  to  Fulton  street,  under 
the  petitions  to  which  we  have  already  alluded,  provided  Mr. 
Martin  and  the  other  persons  interested  in  the  matter  would 
consent  to  waive  the  damages  awarded  them  by  the  commis- 
sioners, and  that  a  committee  of  six  members  of  the  board  be 
appointed  to  treat  and  agree  with  the  owners  of  the  ground  re- 
quired for  the  opening  of  the  said  streets.  To  this  Mr.  Martin 
and  the  others  promptly  assented;  and  yet,  to  the  astonishment 
of  Mr.  Martin,  on  August  2,  1830,  the  said  Board  of  Trustees, 
without  his  consent  or  knowledge,  rescinded  the  resolution,  and 
by  another  resolution  placed  the  said  parties  who  had  consented 
to  waive  such  damages,  and  to  take  whatever  sum  the  said  board 
might  award  them  in  lieu  thereof,  in  the  same  situation  as  they 
were  before  such  waiver  was  made.  Here  the  matter  rested  until 
1832.  Mr.  Martin  began  an  action  in  the  Supreme  Court  against 
the  President  and  Trustees  of  the  village  for  the  damages  sus- 
tained by  him,  which  we  have  described. 

In  1834,  the  village  was  incorporated  as  a  city,  and  the  Mayor 
and  Common  Council  thereof  invested  with  all  the  powers  of 
said  Board  of  Trustees.  By  the  act  of  incorporation  no  suit 
against  the  village  of  Brooklyn,  and  no  cause  of  action  against 
it,  was  affected  by  said  incorporation,  and  the  suit  of  Mr. 
Martin  against  the  trustees  of  the  village  was  continued  against 
the  city. 

Never,  perhaps,  has  the  Shakespearean  phrase  "  of  the  law's 
delay,"  or  its  uncertainties,  been  more  strikingly  exhibited  than 
in  the  history  of  this  action,  by  every  kind  of  dilatory  device. 


The  city  by  its  counsel  at  once  interposed  a  demurrer  to  Mr. 
Martin's  declaration,  assigning  as  one  cause  of  demurrer  that  tho 
Board  of  Trustees  of  the  village,  and  the  Mayor  and  Common 
Council  of  the  city,  had,  under  the  act  of  April  23.  1827,  a  discre- 
tionary power  to  go  on  or  not  in  laying  out  the  said  streets,  until 
the  final  confirmation  of  the  commissioners'  report  of  damages; 
that  Mr.  Martin,  in  whose  favor  the  report  was  made,  could  have 
no  action  against  the  trustees  of  the  village,  or  against  the  city,  for 
neglecting  to  file  the  report  of  the  commissioners,  even  though 
he  had  sustained  special  damages.  Secondly,  a  municipal  cor- 
poration is  not  liable  for  the  misfeasance  or  nonfeasance  of  its 
officers  in  respect  to  duties  specifically  imposed  by  statute  on 
them,  unless  the  duty  be  imposed  absolutely  on  the  corporation. 
There  was  a  joinder  in  demurrer  by  Mr.  Martin's  counsel,  and 
then  another  long  delay  ensued,  and  it  was  not  until  January, 
1841,  that  the  demurrer  was  brought  on  for  argument,  before  the 
General  Term  of  the  Supreme  Court.  At  the  July  term  for 
1841,  the  court  handed  down  a  decision  sustaining  the  demurrer, 
substantially  on  the  grounds  we  have  stated,  holding  that  Mr. 
Martin's  only  remedy  was  by  mandamus  to  compel  the  Mayor 
and  Common  Council  to  file  the  report  of  the  said  commis- 
sioners, and  to  pay  him  the  damages  awarded  by  said  report,  and 
cause  the  said  streets  to  be  opened  according  to  the  said  petitions. 

Another  singular  feature  in  the  case  is,  that  during  the  time 
that  elapsed  before  the  said  demurrer  was  argued,  Washington 
and  Adams  streets,  above  arid  below  said  rope-walk  grounds, 
were  opened  and  converted  into  public  streets,  a  part  of  the 
buildings  upon  the  lands  torn  down,  and  other  parts  of  them 
consumed  by  fire;  a  fence  which  was  placed  across  Washington 
street  upon  said  rope-walk  by  Mr.  Martin,  to  prevent  intrusions 
upon  his  lands,  thrown  down  and  destroyed;  and  the  said  streets 
continued  through  the  said  rope-walk  ground  traveled  as  public 
streets  and  thoroughfares  for  several  years;  the  said  streets  were 
lighted  with  gas  at  the  expense  of  the  city.  And  also,  the  said 
streets  at  the  time  of  the  argument  of  said  demurrer  were  in  the 
very  centre  of  the  population  of  the  city,  thickly  built  upon, 
and  all  the  adjacent  streets  running  parallel  or  crossing  tho 
same  were  filled  with  a  dense  population.  Washington  street, 
between  Concord  and  Fulton  streets,  had  become  one  of  the 
most  important  and  thronged  streets  in  the  city,  with  a  large 
number  of  public  and  private  buildings  constructed  on  it.  Was 
it  not,  therefore,  right  and  just  that  Mr.  Martin,  and  other 
persons  interested  in  the  lands  occupied  by  these  streets  and 
buildings,  should  receive  and  enjoy  the  benefits  accruing  from 
this  great  advancement  in  the  value  of  the  said  property, 
especially  as  the  titles  of  the  said  lands  still  remained  in  Mr. 
Martin  and  many  of  the  others,  and  especially  as  the  city 
refused  to  pay  them  the  damages  awarded  them  by  the  said 
commissioners,  and  as  it  had  opened  the  said  streets,  without 
any  legal  authority  so  to  do  ?  The  mandamus  to  which  we  have 
referred  was,  among  other  things,  to  compel  them  to  comply 
with  the  law  in  regard  to  opening  the  same.  The  city  authori- 
ties refused  to  obey  the  mandamus,  which  was  alternative,  and 
instead  thereof  set  up  in  an  answer  various  reasons  for  not 
obeying  it:  among  which  was  that  the  damages  assessed  by 
the  commissioners  were  unreasonably  large,  and  if  assessed 
would  be  a  grievous  burden  on  the  city,  and  that  the  expense  of 
such  improvements  would  greatly  exceed  the  benefit  to  be 
derived  therefrom:  that  the  Board  of  Trustees  had  no  autho«- 
ity,  on  the  original  petitions  presented  to  them,  to  proceed  to 
open  the  said  streets;  that  no  injury  whatever  had  been  sus- 
tained by  Mr.  Martin  or  any  other  person,  and  that  no  vested 
right  had  been  conferred  in  and  by  the  proceedings  of  the  said 
Board  of  Trustees  of  the  village.  These  were  substantially  the 
answers  to  the  alternative  mandamus. 

Judge  Greenwood  and  General  N  B.  Duryea  appeared  for 
Mr.  Martin,  andN.  F.  Waring,  Esq.,  for  the  city.  The  issue  thus 
tendered  was  argued  before  the  General  Term  of  the  Supreme 
Court  in  July,  1845.    At  the  following  October  Term  the  court 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


li:vri«l<-il  down  a  decision  holding  that  the  Mayor  and  Common 
Council  of  Brooklyn  were  not  hound  in  law  to  file  the  reports 
of  the  said  commissioners,  nor  to  pay  Mr.  Martin  the  damages 
awarded  hy  them,  or  to  take  any  further  action  whatever  con- 
cerning the  opening  of  the  said  streets,  under  the  petition  pre- 
sented to  the  Trustees  of  the  Village  of  Brooklyn.  From  this 
judgment  of  the  Supreme  Court,  Mr.  Martin  appealed  to  the 
Court  of  Appeals.  In  January,  1848,  the  matter  came  on  for 
argument  hefore  that  court;  in  the  following  April  it  rendered 
a  decision  affirming  in  all  things  the  judgment  of  the  Supreme 
Court,  holding  that  the  Trustees  of  the  village  and  the  Common 
Council  of  the  city  of  Brooklyn  were  legally  right  in  the  course 
they  had  pursued  towards  Mr.  Martin  and  the  other  owners  of 
lands  through  which  the  streets  were  laid. 

Thus  it  is  seen  that  twenty  years  had  been  consumed  in 
this  great  and  important  litigation  ;  and  that  Mr.  Martin, 
after  having  complied  with  a  resolution  of  the  Trustees  of 
Brooklyn,  that  he  should  give  up  his  lands  for  public  streets; 
after  having  sustained  great  damages  by  his  compliance 
with  said  resolution,  in  removing  his  rope-walk,  in  taking 
down  his  buildings  thereon ;  and  after  public  streets  had 
been  unlawfully  forced  through  it,  and  had  become  the 
most  thickly  populated  in  the  city;  and  after  commissioners 
appointed  under  the  Revised  Statutes  had  fully  and  carefully 
assessed  his  damages  in  the  first  instance,  and  after  being 
mulcted  in  large  bills  of  costs,  he  was  turned  out  of 
court  without  any  legal  remedy.  After  seeking  in  vain  to 
compel  the  trustees  to  comply  w  ith  the  law  touching  the  open- 
ing of  streets,  he  commenced  his  action  to  recover  it,  and  was 
defeated  on  the  several  grounds  we  have  stated,  and  on  the 
further  ground  that  his  remedy  was  by  mandamus  to  compel 
the  Common  Council  of  Brooklyn  to  pay  him  his  damages 
awarded  by  the  commissioners,  and  to  legalize  their  other  acts 
in  regard  to  the  opening  of  the  said  streets.  That,  in  conform- 
ity to  the  decision  of  the  Supreme  Court,  he  did  proceed  by 
mandamus  against  the  said  Common  Council,  and  was  defeated 
in  those  proceedings  by  the  General  Term  and  the  Court  of 
Appeals,  on  the  grounds  we  have  stated,  which,  in  substance, 
means,  that  his  only  remedy  was  an  action  against  the  hoard 
to  recover  his  damages,  etc.  Unfortunately,  however,  for  Mr. 
Martin,  as  he  had  already  resorted  to  an  action  in  that  court, 
and  been  defeated  by  a  judgment  against  him,  which  must  be 
regarded  as  re.s  jwlwrita,  he  was,  as  we  have  said,  left  without 
legal  remedy,  and  thus,  so  far  as  legal  redress  is  concerned,  the 
matter  still  rests.  This  case  is  a  monumental  case  of  the  oft- 
repeated  failure  of  justice  in  our  courts,  so  far,  at  least,  in  the 
view  of  common  sense  and  good  judgment,  upon  which  law  is 
said  to  be  founded.  It  is  said  that,  after  the  lapse  of  some 
time,  the  matter  was  finally  adjusted  between  Mr.  Martin  and 
the  i  iimiiKin  Council  of  the  city. 


COPPIN  agst.  GATEWOOI). 
This  case  was  conducted  for  the  plaintiff  by  the  late  James  T. 
Brady,  and  tended  largely  to  establish  his  splendid  reputation 
as  a  lawyer. 

The  facte  in  the  case  are,  briefly,  these  :  In  the  summer  of  1837, 
an  Englishman  of  the  name  of  Bichard  Coppin,  with  his  family, 
consisting  of  a  wife  and  two  daughters,  embarked  from  Liverpool 
for  New  York,  leaving  one  son,  a  young  man  about  twenty  years 
of  age,  who  was  engaged  in  business  in  Liverpool.  Mr.  Coppin 
bad  with  him  considerable  money.  During  the  voyage  ho,  with 
his  wife  and  one  daughter,  died  of  ship  fever,  leaving  the  youngest 
daughter,  Sarah,  then  about  fourteen  yean  of  age,  alone  in  the 
world.  She  landed  in  Sew  York.  An  Englishman  and  his  wife, 
who  accompanied  them,  ami  w  ho  were  <>n  their  way  to  some  of 
the  Western  States,  engaged  board  for  Sarah  in  as  they  sup- 
posed a  respectable  f.imily  near  Williamsburgh,  wrote  to  her 
brother  informing  him  of  the  state  of  affairs,  ami  pursued  their 


way  westward.  They  were  imprudent  enough  to  entrust  all  of 
Sarah's  money  with  the  man  in  whose  family  she  boarded, 
directing  him  to  pay  it  out  as  her  necessities  required.  Instead 
of  doing  so,  however,  he  robbed  her  of  her  money  and  turned 
her  over  to  the  Overseers  of  the  Poor,  representing  that  she  was 
a  pauper,  which  appearances  seemed  to  indicate. 

She  was  a  strong,  bright,  active,  intelligent  girl;  and  instead 
of  taking  her  to  the  County  poor-house,  they  bound  her  out, 
under  the  statute  relating  to  paupers,  to  a  man  by  the  name  of 
Gatewood,  in  the  neighborhood,  until  she  should  attain  her  ma- 
jority. In  her  new  home  she  was  cruelly  neglected  and  compelled 
to  do  work  beyond  her  strength.  After  the  lapse  of  several 
months,  her  brother  James  arrived  in  New  York  in  search  of  his 
sister.  It  was  a  long  time  before  he  found  her.  The  meeting 
between  them  was  most  affecting. 

After  a  brief  interview  with  his  sister,  he  proposed  that  she 
should  accompany  him  to  New  York.  She  joyfully  acceded 
to  the  proposal,  but  when  in  the  act  of  leaving  Gatewood  in- 
terfered, forbidding  her  to  do  so,  and  roughly  ordering  the 
young  man  to  leave,  informing  him  that  the  girl  belonged 
to  him,  that  she  was  his  property,  and  would  be  until  she 
was  of  age.  In  proof  of  his  claim,  he  produced  the  written 
indentures,  duly  executed  and  delivered  to  him  by  the  Super- 
intendents of  the  Poor  of  Kings  County,  making  Sarah  his 
property,  as  he  had  alleged.  This  was  a  terrible  blow  to  the 
brother.  He  had  heard  of  American  slavery,  and  believed  his 
poor  little  sister  was  reduced  to  that  condition.  Gatewood  would 
not  listen  to  any  of  his  importunities,  and,  with  threats  of  vio- 
lence, drove  him  away.  Almost  heart-broken,  he  returned  to  New 
York,  and  was  directed  by  a  young  friend  to  James  T.  Brady, 
then  a  young  lawyer  first  emerging  into  eminence.  The  young 
man's  appeal  to  Mr.  Brady  was  most  touching.  "They  have 
made  a  slave  of  my  poor  little  sister,"  he  said;  "all  the  relative 
I  have  in  the  world.  I  cannot  endure  it,  and  I  have  come  to  you 
for  help,  for  indeed  she  is  not  a  slave;  she  is  the  daughter  of  a 
free-born  Englishman." 

Mr.  Brady  drew  from  the  young  man  a  full  history  of  the  case, 
and  became  deeply  interested  in  it,  promising  to  do  all  he  could 
to  regain  the  liberty  of  the  girl.  On  investigating  the  matter, 
he  found  the  Superintendents  had  bound  Sarah  to  Gatewood  in 
the  usual  indentures,  under  sec.  5,  chap.  8,  vol.  2,  of  the  Revised 
Statutes,  and  that  they  were  in  due  form  of  law;  but,  on  full  in- 
vestigation, he  believed  that  he  could  set  aside  the  indentures, 
and  he  caused  the  girl  to  be  brought  up  on  a  writ  of  hnhcas 
corpus  before  Hon.  Nathan  B.  Morse,  then  First  Judge  of  the 
Court  of  Common  Pleas  of  Kings  County. 

The  matter  now  became  very  important  to  the  Superintend- 
ents of  the  Poor,  as  well  as  to  Gatewood,  who  greatly  desired  to 
keep  the  girl.  The  Superintendents  had,  as  they  believed, 
complied  strictly  with  the  statute,  and  it  therefore  became  thai 
duty  to  sustain  the  indentures  by  every  means  in  their  power. 
They  accordingly  retained  George  M.  Wood,  Esq.,  one  of  the 
most  eminent  lawyers  of  that  day,  and  under  his  advice,  a  return 
to  the  writ  was  made  that  Sarah  Coppin  was  held  by  Gatewood 
as  his  servant  or  apprentice,  according  to  certain  indentures 
executed  to  him  by  the  Superintendents  of  the  Poor  of  the 
County  of  Kings,  under  the  statute  made  in  such  case  and  pro- 
vided, the  said  Sarah  being,  at  the  time  of  said  indentures,  a 
pauper  within  tho  meaning  of  the  statute  aforesaid. 

The  hearing  of  the  case  took  place  before  Judge  Morse,  at 
the  court-rooms  in  Brooklyn.  Its  singular  nature,  the  content 
plated  blow  at  the  right  of  the  Superintendents  to  bind  on) 
paupers  under  the  statute,  and  the  question  whether  penool 
situated  like  Sarah  Coppin  could  thus  be  deprived  of  the  ir  free- 
dom for  a  term  of  years,  the  interest  attached  to  her  case,  and 
to  that  of  her  brother,  gave  the  matter  great  publicity.  It  was  ft 
matter  of  vast  importance  to  Mr.  Brady,  in  a  professional  point 
of  view.    Ho  was  to  meet  one  of  tho  gladiators  of  tho  State;  he 


BENCH  AND  BAR  OF  BROOKLYN. 


vim 


was  to  contend  for  a  new  principle  in  law  that  was  to  overthrow 
the  official  acts  of  men  in  high  authority. 

After  closing  his  opening  to  the  judge,  Mr.  Wood,  who  believed 
he  had  a  very  easy  case,  asked  the  court  to  remand  Sarah  Coppin 
to  the  care  of  her  master,  Mr.  Gatewood,  on  the  ground  that  the 
indentures  by  which  he  held  her  were  legal,  in  strict  conformity 
with  the  statute,  therefore  conclusive;  that  the  court  had  no 
power  to  go  behind  them  to  inquire  under  what  circumstances 
they  were  executed.  He  closed  by  reading  the  statute  and  the 
indentures.  But  Brady  was  prepared  on  this  point;  and  after  an 
elaborate  argument  and  the  production  of  numerous  authorities, 
the  judge  decided  to  allow  him  to  introduce  evidence  of  the 
facts  in  the  case  under  which  the  indentures  were  executed. 
Among  other  things,  Brady  proved  by  the  Keeper  of  the  County 
Poor-House  of  Kings  County  that  Sarah  had  never  been  an  in- 
mate of  that  institution.  He  proved  by  the  Overseer  of  the  Poor 
that  he  had  never,  in  any  way,  assisted  her,  or  been  called  upon 
to  assist  her.  With  this  and  some  other  proofs,  he  rested  his 
ease. 

Mr.  Wood  proved  by  the  man  and  woman  with  whom  she  was 
left  that  they  soon  discovered  she  had  no  money,  and  being  un- 
able to  keep  her,  they  sent  her  away,  and  afterwards  directed  the 
Overseers  of  the  Poor  to  care  for  her.  Brady,  on  the  cross-exam- 
ination, compelled  the  man  to  admit  that  when  Sarah  came  to 
his  house  she  had  some  money,  but  how  much,  or  what  became 
of  it,  he  never  knew.  It  was  certain  she  had  none  when  he  sent 
her  away.  At  the  close  of  the  evidence,  Mr.  Wood  insisted  that 
nothing  had  been  proved  showing  that  Sarah  should  be  dis- 
charged from  the  indentures;  that  she  was  in  every  sense  of  the 
word  a  pauper;  that  if  she  had  not  received  actual  aid  from 
the  Poor  authorities  she  was  in  a  situation  to  become  chargeable 


to  the  county;  that,  within  the  meaning  of  the  statute,  a  liability 
of  becoming  chargeable  was  sufficient,  in  analogy  to  the  condi- 
tion of  a  putative  father  in  an  order  of  filiation;  that  the  public 
policy  and  the  due  administration  of  the  poor  laws  demanded 
that  the  indentures  in  this  case  be  sustained  and  the  girl 
remanded  to  her  master.  It  is  said  Mr.  Wood  never  made  a 
more  able  argument  than  upon  this  occasion,  the  outlines  of 
which  we  have  briefly  sketched,  and  which  at  first  seemed 
conclusive. 

Mr.  Brady's  argument  was  never  forgotten  by  those  who  heard 
it;  never,  even  in  the  days  of  his  most  brilliant  success  at  the 
Bar,  did  he  excel  it  in  logic,  learning,  or  in  the  manner  in 
which  he  marshalled  and  arranged  the  facts  in  the  case.  The 
pathos  of  his  appeal  to  the  sympathy  of  the  judge  touched  all 
hearts.  If  it  failed  to  affect  the  learned  judge  the  manner  in 
which  he  presented  the  law  applicable  to  the  case  produced  re- 
sults which  pathos  could  not.  Among  the  authorities  presented 
was  the  opinion  of  Judge  Yates  in  Schermerhorn  agst.  Hull  (13th 
John's,  209),  which  is  not  only  a  leading  case,  but  one  so  strictly 
analogous  to  that  at  bar  that  there  was  hardly  a  shade  of  differ- 
ence, therefore  a  case  in  point,  sustaining  the  doctrine  that  bo- 
fore  the  Superintendents  of  the  Poor  of  any  county  have  any 
authority  to  execute  indentures,  under  the  statute,  like  those 
under  which  Sarah  Coppin  was  held,  the  person  bound  by  them 
must  be  reduced  to  the  actual  condition  of  a  pauper  under  the 
care  of  the  Keeper  of  the  Poor-House.  The  judge,  after  due  de- 
liberation, sustained  Mr.  Brady's  views,  giving  Sarah  into  the 
care  of  her  brother,  who  in  a  short  time  returned  with  her 
to  England.  Before  leaving,  however,  young  Coppin  took 
means  to  recover  the  amount  of  money  placed  in  the  care  of  the 
man  with  whom  Sarah  had  been  left  on  her  arrival  in  New  York. 


THE  PRESENT  BAR  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Albert  N.  Abbott. 
Benjamin  V.  Abbott. 
Phillips  Abbott. 
William  A.  Abbott. 
Andrew  H.  Adams. 
John  D.  Ahrens. 
J.  R.  Allaben. 
George  F.  Alexander. 
John  J.  Allen.* 
John  A.  Anderson. 
John  Andrews,  Jr. 
George  E.  Apsley. 
John  A.  Armstrong. 
L.  Hastings  Arnold. 
Joseph  Aspinall. 
Joseph  E.  Austin. 
Frank  M.  Avery. 
Donald  F.  Ayres. 

Foster  L.  Backus. 
Albert  W.  Bailey. 
Benjamin  Baker. 
Fred  Baker. 


George  B.  Abbott. 
Samuel  F.  Abbott. 
Oliver  S.  Ackley. 
John  P.  Adams. 
George  H.  Alexander. 
William  H.  Allaben. 
Daniel  B.  Ames. 
Robert  Ailing. 
John  Andrews. 
Frank  W.  Angel. 
Edgar  D.  Anthony. 
Henry  Arden. 
Theo.  J.  Armstrong. 
Ansel  B.  Arnold. 
Henry  Ash. 
Albert  C.  Aubery*. 
William  H.  H.  Austin. 


Gilbert  Badeau. 
Charles  H.  Bailey. 
Charles  J.  Baker. 
D.  Ira  Baker. 


*  John  J.  Allen,  201  Montague  street,  was  born  in  Utica,  New  York,  1842: 
graduated  from  the  University  of  Vermont,  1862;  graduated  from  Columbia 
College  Law  School,  1866;  was  Provost  Marshal  during  the  latter  part  of  the 
War;  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  1866.  at  which  time  he  became  a  resident  of 
Brooklyn;  Assistant  tJ. S.  District  Attorney,  from  1866  to  1873;  Member  of 
New  York  State  Assembly  in  1874;  is  U.  S.  Commissioner,  and  Chief  Super- 
visor of  Elections. 


Phillip  L.  Balz,  Jr. 
Ira  L.  Bamburger. 
Daniel  P.  Barnard. 
Frederick  L.  Barnard. 
Frederick  E.  Barnard. 
John  T.  Barnard. 
Edmund  Barnum. 
Joseph  H.  Bartlett. 
William  A.  Barto, 
Hiland  G.  Batchelor. 
De  Witt  C.  Bates. 
B.  H.  Bayliss. 
James  E.  Bedell. 
James  D.  Bell. 
W.  C.  Beecher. 
Henry  S-  Bellows. 
Henderson  Benedict. 
William  M.  Benedict. 
Frank  S.  Benson. 
Eugene  M.  Berard. 
John  H.  Bergen. 
J.  C.  Bergen. 
De  Leguil  Berier. 
Jacob  H.  Bemkopf. 
Marcus  P.  Bestow. 
Stephen  C.  Betts. 
Clarence  F.  Birdseye. 
Henry  M.  Birkett. 
John  Blauvelt. 
William  W.  Bliss. 


William  R.  Baldwin. 
Charles  W.  Balz. 
C.  W.  Bangs. 
William  J.  Barker. 
Frank  L.  Barnard. 
George  G.  Barnard. 
Joseph  F.  Barnard. 
David  Barnett. 
Anthony  Barrett. 
Willard  Bartlett 
Arthur  Bassett. 
A.  P.  Bates. 
Rollin  E.  Beers. 
Franklin  Beanies. 
William  M.  Beggs. 
Fred  P.  Bellamy. 
Charles  L.  Benedict 
Bobert  D.  Benedict. 
Wyllys  Benedict. 
Edgar  Bergen. 
Edward  Bergen. 
Jacob  I.  Bergen. 
Tunis  G.  Bergen. 
Marx  Bernkop. 
John  Berry. 
N.  A.  Betts. 
Henry  D.  Birdsall. 
Lncien  Birdseye. 
Benjamin  F.  Blair. 
George  C.  Blaoke. 


12  TO 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


William  Boeckel. 
Peter  H.  Bohanna. 
John  Hostel  maun. 
Francis  C.  Bowen. 
Thomas  Bracken. 
Charles  W.  Brady. 
C.  L.  Brewer. 
Jacob  Braumer. 
Max  Brill. 
Wm,  W.  Britton. 
Geo.  F.  Britton. 
William  H.  Bradnax. 
Isaac  W.  R.  Bromley. 
Charles  L.  Brower. 
Geo.  V.  Brower. 
Millard  Brown. 
Melville  Brown. 
William  H.  Brown. 
Henry  H.  Browne. 
Wm.  Bruorton. 
Geo.  Brush. 
John  E.  Bnddington. 
John  F.  Bulwinkle. 
Ellis  P.  Burke. 
C.  L.  Burnett. 
Joseph  A.  Burr. 
John  Burt,  Jr. 
Chas.  H.  Burtis 
William  W.  Butcher. 

Cottrell  J.  Cahaley. 
William  Caldwell. 
James  Callanan. 
Patrick  Callahan. 
Alex.  Cameron. 
Howard  Campbell. 
James  Campbell. 
Flamen  B.  Candler. 
Arthur  B.  Carlin. 
Wm.  S.  Carlisle. 
Geo.  S.  Carpenter. 
Henry  P.  Carr. 
Eugene  C.  Carroll. 
Charles  S.  Carter. 
Nathan  Carter. 

P.  S.   <  ';lsslily. 

Frederic  W.  Catlin. 
David  G.  Caywood. 
Alfred  C.  Chapin. 
Edwin  1).  Childs. 
Simeon  B.  Chittenden,  Jr. 
Chas.  A  Clark. 
John  J.  Clark. 
Freeman  ( 'larkson. 
John  H.  Clayton. 
Geo.  A.  Clement. 
TIioh.  J.  Clnte. 

(  ieorge  '  '    (  '"Hill. 

William  J.  CogHwell. 
Edwin  W.  CoggcHhall. 
Wm.  (  oil. 
Bnndolph  H.  Cole, 
('has.  H.  Coleman. 
Nathan  Comstock. 
II  ('  Conrady. 
John  J.  Connell. 
lioliert  E.  <  'onnelly. 
Charles  E.  Cooke. 


Edward  W.  Bloom. 
Gilbert  Boyce. 
Herbert  W.  Bower. 
William  H.  Boughton. 
Samuel  W.  Bower.  . 
Geo.  C.  Brainerd. 
Oliver  E.  Branch. 
Osborn  E.  Bright. 
Geo.  B.  Bretz. 
James  B.  Brinsmade. 
Winchester  Britton. 
Amos  Bradnax. 

Miles  S.  Bromley. 

Earnest  P.  Brook. 

De  Witt  C.  Brown. 

Edwin  H.  Brown. 

Albert  H.  Brundage. 

Samuel  Brown. 

John  Brunnemer. 

Charles  H.  Brush. 

Alfred  G.  Buell. 

Lewis  F.  Burchard. 

Theo.  Burgmeyer. 

Frederick  W.  Burke. 

Alex.  Burns. 

Joseph  A.  Burr,  Jr. 

Robert  S.  Bussing,  Jr. 

Alexander  Butts. 

Kennard  Buxton. 

Charles  E.  Caldwell. 
J.  A.  Callaghan. 
Alex.  Callaghan,  Jr. 
Daniel  Cameron. 
John  L.  Cameron. 
Alfred  P.  Campbell. 
Frank  Card. 
Geo.  L.  Carlisle. 
Nelson  G.  Carman,  Jr. 
Alex.  T.  Carpenter. 
Thos.  L.  Carpenter. 
Rottwell  S.  Carpenter. 
Joseph  Carson. 
John  Carr. 
Walter  S.  Carter. 
Johu  L.  C.  Caruana. 
F.  K.  Castner. 
David  K.  Case. 
Isaac  S.  Catlin. 
William  P.  Chambers. 
Edwin  R.  Chevalier. 
Richard  EL  Chittenden. 
James  D.  Clark. 
John  F.  Clarke. 
John  A.  Clarry. 
Nathaniel  H.  Clement. 
Frederick  Cobb. 
John  F.  Coffin. 
Wm.  S.  Cogswell. 
Walter  Coleman. 
Mansfield  Compton. 
Stephen  Condit. 
Henry  M.  Connelly. 
William  A.  Cook. 
Krastus  Cooke. 
Wm.  G.  Cooke. 
John  A.  Coombs. 
Alexander  Cornell. 


Nathaniel  B.  Cooke. 
John  Cooney. 
William  R.  Cornell. 
Harold  G.  Cortis. 
Edward  W.  Crittenden. 
Timothy  C.  Cronin. 
Abel  Crook. 
Sam.  J.  Crooks. 
Henry  C.  Crossman. 
Edgar  M.  Cullen. 
Cullen  &  Bergen. 
Humphrey  Y.  Cummins. 
Eugene  A.  Curran. 
Geo.  F.  Curtis,  Jr. 

Chas.  G.  Dahlgren. 
Edward  Daly. 
Edward  F.  Davenport. 
William  0.  Darney. 
Henry  B.  Davis. 
Robert  A.  Davison. 
Albert  A.  Day. 
Thomas  J.  Delancy. 
George  F.  Demarest. 
Horace  E.  Deming. 
Albert  E.  Demott. 
Walter  R.  Denslow. 
John  L.  Devenny. 
Edward  C.  Devyr. 
Henry  C.  De  Witt. 
Henry  De  Zavala. 
Fred  C.  Dexter. 
Alfred  Dickinson. 
John  J.  Diefendorf. 
Eugene  A.  Dike. 
John  Dill,  Jr. 
Abraham  D.  Ditmars. 
Edwin  R.  Dodge. 
Wm.  R.  Doherty. 
Wilton  C.  Donn. 
John  P.  Donnelly. 
E.  J.  Dooley. 
George  E.  Dorland. 
Charles  H.  Dougherty. 
J.  Hampden  Dougherty. 
Edward  A.  Doyle. 
Robert  II.  Duncan. 
Simon  Dunne. 
Charles  T.  Dunwell. 
Wilson  M.  Durack. 
W.  H.  Dnryea. 
Jackson  C.  Dykman. 

Edward  Earle. 
Charles  C.  Egan. 
Max  F.  Eller. 
Geo.  F.  Elliott. 
Sumner  S.  Ely. 
Luther  W.  Emerson. 

Fred.  P.  Fairbanks. 
Wm.  E.  S.  Fales. 
Samuel  E.  Karon. 
Kdward  P.  Parrel  1. 
Thomas  .1.  Farrell. 
Morris  P.  Ferris. 
Edward  E.  Fitzgerald. 
Henry  G.  Fletcher. 


Albert  G.  Cortis. 
Nathaniel  Cothren. 
John  K.  Creevey. 
James  F.  Cromble. 
Frank  Crooke. 
Alfred  B.  Cruikshanks. 
Herbert  K.  Cruikshanks. 
Bernard  Cruse,  Jr. 
Henry  J.  Cullen,  Jr. 
Andrew  R.  Culver. 
Aug.  M.  Cunningham. 
Michael  H.  Curran. 
John  Currie. 
John  L.  Curtiss. 

Ahram  H.  Dailey. 
F.  E.  Dana. 
Francis  L.  Dallon. 
Wm.  B.  Davenport. 
James  S.  Davie. 
Frank  Davis. 
Henry  II.  Davis. 
Charles  O.  Dawson. 
Rodman  B.  Dawson. 
Robert  E.  De  Forest. 
John  W.  Deford. 
Richard  De  Mill. 
Geo.  P.  Denman. 
John  S.  Denman. 
Wm.  Devigne. 
T.  Henry  Dewey. 
Wm.  C.  De  Witt. 
Jos.  R.  Dickerson. 
John  Diehl,  Jr. 
T.  T.  Dickerson. 
Remsen  Dikeman. 
Tho.  D.  Dimon. 
Henry  Ditinas. 
James  E.  Doherty. 
Mathew  J.  Dolphin. 
Henry  D.  Donnelly. 
Wm.  R.  Dorehty. 
Wm.  C.  Dorney. 
Wm.  C.  Douglass. 
Morris  P.  Dowley. 
Francis  Doyle. 
Henry  Duncan. 
John  R.  Dunn. 
Walter  Durack. 
Harmanus  B.  Dnryea. 
Geo.  D.  Dutcher 
William  N.  Dykman. 

Charles  B.  Elliott 
Charles  H.  F.llswortb. 
James  Eschwege. 
Andrew  J.  Ensign. 
Benjamin  S.  Estes. 
Charles  D.  Evans. 

Henry  C.  I'airtlougli. 
Alonzo  C.  Farnham. 
James  S.  Foely. 
George  II.  Fisher. 
Ceo.  M.  Flanders. 
Patrick  J.  Flemming. 
Henry  S.  Foote. 
Simon  Ford. 


BENCH  AND  BAR  OF  BROOKLYN 


1271 


James  W.  Foote.* 
Aug.  Ford. 
Wm.  H.  Ford. 
Benj.  B.  Foster. 
Henry  J.  Fowler. 
Edwin  M.  Fox. 
Geo.  L.  Fox. 
Chas.  L.  Francis. 
A.  C.  Fransisla. 
Samuel  T.  Freeman. 
Oscar  Frisbie. 
Charles  E.  Frost. 
Henry  Fuehrer. 
Robert  Furey. 

Charles  S.  Gage. 
William  H.  Gale. 
Lawrence  Gardenier. 
William  Gardner. 
Edwin  C.  Garrett. 
Robert  L.  Garrettson. 
Wyckoff  H.  Garrison. 
Theodore  B.  Gates. 
Wm.  J.  Gaynor. 
J.  Worden  Gedney. 
Geo.  T.  Gertrum. 
James  H.  Gilbert. 
Lemuel  E.  Gilbert. 
Geo.  B.  Gillespie. 
William  Girod. 
Wesley  Gleason. 
Chas.  H.  Glover. 
Abraham  Goldsmith. 
Wm.  W.  Goodrich. 
Geo.  H.  Graham. 
Elihu  J.  Granger. 
Henry  J.  Greata. 
George  F.  Grau. 
Samuel  Green. 
John  B.  Green. 
Joseph  W.  Green. 
R.  H.  Greene. 
Joseph  M.  Greenwood. 
Richard  B.  Greenwood,  Jr. 
Samuel  Gregory. 
Wm.  H.  Grenelle. 
Charles  0.  Grim. 
Wm.  F.  Groshon. 
Michael  Gru. 

Fred.  G.  Haerter. 
Winston  H.  Hagan. 
Henry  M.  Haigh. 
John  T.  Halliday. 
Henry  Hamilton. 
James  Hamilton. 
John  H.  Hamilton. 
Frank  W.  Hannalbrd. 
Wm.  J.  Harding. 
Andrew  Harrison. 
Gifford  R.  Hart. 
Wm.  H.  Harvey. 
H.  Hastings. 
Augustus  Haviland. 
Geo.  R.  Haydock. 
Henry  Heath. 


Howard  J.  Forker. 
Chas.  Fox. 
Frederick  A.  Fox. 
John  H.  Fox. 
Arthur  C.  Fraser. 
Linson  D.  Fredericks. 
Alfred  Frost. 
Charles  H.  Fuller. 
John  H.  Fulcher. 
Cornelius  Ferguson,  Jr. 
Mathew  H.  Furman. 
Jesse  K.  Furlong. 
Michael  Furst. 


William  M.  Gage. 
Martin  V.  B.  Gallaudet. 
William  Gardiner. 
W.  Gardiner. 
Samuel  N.  Garrison. 
John  V.  L.  Gates. 
Edmund  Gates. 
Judson  Gaylord. 
Chas.  Gerken. 
Adolphus  H.  Getting. 
Jasper  W.  Gilbert. 
Wm.  T.  Gilbert. 
Andrew  W.  Gleason. 
James  W.  Glendenning. 
John  M.  Glover. 
Wm.  E.  Goodge. 
John  J.  Graham. 
Horace  Graves. 
Geo.  H.  Grainiss. 
Herbert  Green. 
Edward  Greenland. 
John  Greene. 
Wm.  H.  Green. 
John  Greenwood. 
J.  Wm.  Greenwood. 
Wm.  J.  M.  Greenwood. 
H.  G.  P.  Griffith. 
Rufus  T.  Griggs. 
George  Gru. 
Wm.  A.  Guck. 
August  T.  Gurlitz. 
Ole  H.  Gudmundson. 
Reese  B.  Gwillim. 


H.  Rodman  Hagner. 
Charles  Hagedom. 
H.  R.  Hall. 
Max  Hallheimer. 
Chas.  J.  Hanlon. 
M.  D.  Hanover. 
Dan'l  G.  Harriman. 
Samuel  Harris. 
Thomas  L.  Harrison. 
Fred'k  R.  Hartman. 
John  Haslett,  Jr. 
Henry  B.  Hathaway. 
C.  Augustus  Haviland. 
John  B.  Hayes. 
Samuel  E.  Heasley. 
A.  J.  Heath. 


*  James  W.  Foote,  122  Court  street;  born  in  Brooklyn,  N.  T.;  admitted  to 
tho  Bar,  May  20th,  1872. 


Judson  A.  Heath. 

S.  S.  Hemingway. 

Andrew  J.  Hennion. 

John  R.  Henncssy. 

John  Hess. 

Chas.  It.  Henry. 

David  H.  Hewlett. 

Eadmon  Herzberg. 

David  Heywood. 

Thos.  B.  Hewitt. 

John  J.  Hill. 

Henry  A.  Micro. 

Chas.  K.  Hilliard. 

John  M.  Hill. 

Fred'k  W.  Hinrichs. 

Arthur  1'.  Ilinman. 

Edward  H.  Hobbs. 

Hugo  Hi roh. 

August  C.  Hockemeyer. 

Chas.  H.  Hodges. 

Patrick  Hogan. 

Thomas  C.  Hoge. 

Ole  H.  Holberg. 

Charles  F.  Holm. 

Alfred  Hook. 

William  EL  Holms. 

Henry  D.  Hotchkiss. 

Solomon  Hosford. 

Wm.  J.  Howie. 

Nath'l  B.  Hoxio. 

H.  B.  Hubbard.* 

Jas.  A.  Hudson. 

John  P.  Hudson. 

John  J.  Hudson. 

John  J.  Hughes. 

Win.  Hughes. 

Don  A.  Hulett. 

H.  G.  Hull. 

Amos  G  Hull. 

Charles  F.  Hurlburt. 

John  H.  Hull. 

Joseph  R.  Hutting. 

Richard  H.  Huntley. 

Lewis  Hurst. 

Lawrence  Hurlbut. 

Lewis  H.  Hurst. 

W.  B.  Hurd,  Jr. 

Joseph  R.  Hutting. 

E.  A.  Hutchins. 

Geo.  E.  Hyatt. 

Geo.  Ingraham. 
Richard  Ingraham. 
William  H.  Ingraham. 
Edward  W.  Ivins. 

Robert  Jackson. 
Charles  Jacot. 
John  Jacques. 
Welcome  S.  Jarvis. 
Charles  E.  L.  Jelhffe. 
Frank  Jenks. 
Edward  Johnson. 
Francis  T.  Johnson. 
Millard  F.  Johnson. 
A.  T.  Johnston. 
Charles  Jones. 
Chas.  H.  Jordan. 
Wm.  Q.  Judge. 
James  P.  Judge. 
Charles  N.  Judson. 

John  H.  Kattenstroth. 
Patrick  Ready. 
Roswell  W.  Keene. 
Chas.  H.  W.  Keller. 
Peter  J.  Kelly. 
John  H.  Kemble. 
Edwin  Kempton. 
Fred'k  W.  Keuny. 
H.  T.  Kctcham. 
Emerson  W.  Keyes. 
John  C.  Kinkel. 
Henry  Kingham. 
Benj.  W.  Kirkham. 
Edward  H.  Kissam. 
Lawrence  Kneeland. 
Hermon  F.  Koepke. 
John  W.  Konvalinka. 
John  R.  Knhn. 


Wm.  H.  Ingersoll. 
Henry  C.  M.  Ingraham. 
Frank  A.  Irish. 


Theo.  F.  Jackson. 
Stephen  B.  Jacobs. 
Washington  I.  Jatpies. 
W.  H.  E.  Jay. 
Almet  F.  Jenks. 
Alvan  R.  Johnson. 
Jesse  Johnson. 
Johnson  &  Lamb. 
Robert  Johnstone. 
Wm.  D.  Jones. 
Meyer  S.  R.  Jones. 
Townsend  Jones. 
John  H.  Judge. 
Charles  H.  Jurgen. 


Sigismund  Kaufman. 
Thomas  J.  Keighan. 
Kred  W.  Keller. 
Paul  Kelly. 
Wm.  J.  Kelly. 
John  Konna. 
Peter  D.  Kenny. 
Edward  Kent. 
William  Ketiham. 
James  B.  Keyes. 
John  P.  Kirby. 
Brewster  Kissam. 
Adam  Kling. 
S.  F.  Kneeland. 
James  W.  Knox. 
Chas.  Kolowrat. 
J.  Alexander  Koones. 
Chas.  J.  Kurth. 


*  H.  B.  Hubbard,  «  Court  street:  admitted  to  the  Bar.  April  15th. 
lias  practiced  In  Brooklyn  since  that  date. 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Stephen  G.  Laidler. 
R.  H.  L.  Lainibeer,  Jr. 
Albert  E.  Lamb. 
Charles  F.  Langford. 
Edward  B.  Lansing. 
Henry  Q.  Lansing. 
Ernest  Lascbe. 
Cbas.  R.  Lee. 
Samuel  Leggett. 
Joseph  H.  Leggatt. 
Josepb  Leggett. 
S.  D.  Lewis. 
Edward  Lewis. 
Walter  L.  Livingston. 
Levi  A.  Loekwood. 
Jeremiah  Loder. 
John  B.  Lord. 
John  A.  Lott,  Jr. 
Peter  D.  Loncks. 
Lorenzo  Lovejoy. 
Win.  G.  Low. 
Cbas.  J.  Lowrey. 
David  T.  Lynch. 
Wm.  B.  Lynch. 
Jardine  Lyng. 
John  Lefferts,  Jr. 

W.  B.  Maben.* 
Wm.  M.  Macfarlane. 
Arthur  C.  Maclay. 
Samuel  T.  Maddox. 
Peter  Maboney. 
Lyman  Mallory. 
Henry  Major. 
Albon  Man. 
Henry  ManDe. 
Reuben  Mapelsden. 
Josiah  T.  Marean. 
Adrian  V.  Martense. 
Andrew  L.  Martin. 
Joseph  H.  Marvin. 
Daniel  Marvin. 
Charles  P.  Mason. 
Wm.  A.  Matbias. 
B.  J.  McCafferty. 
Hurry  McCloskey. 
Daniel  McCrane. 
Jas.  W.  MrDermott. 
F.  G.  McDonald. 
Robert  McFarlnn. 
James  F.  McGee. 
Michael  F.  McGoldrick. 
II-  n rv  M.  McKean. 
James  Mi'Keen. 
Alexander  MeKinny. 
M.  James  McLaiichlin. 
Wm.  E.  McTighe. 
David  D.  Meeker. 
S.  L.  M.  Meeker,  Jr. 
O.  F.  <1.  Megie. 
Win.  Mehlrum. 
Robert  Merchant. 
Augustus  Merrilt. 
Henry  A.  Mcyenborg. 


Louis  La  France. 
John  V.  Lamarcbe. 
Geo.  S.  Lampard. 
John  T.  Langan. 
Edward  B.  Lansing.  Jr. 
Horace  G.  Lansing. 
John  J.  Leary. 
Robert  P.  Lee. 
Henry  M.  Leverich. 
Aaron  Levy. 
John  Linsky. 
William  Lewis. 
Josepb  G.  Liddle. 
Bloomfield  Littell. 
John  B.  Longley. 
Abraham  Lott. 
J.  Z.  Lott. 
John  J.  Louth. 
Edwin  C.  Low. 
E.  Louis  Lowe. 
Sidney  V.  Lowell. 
Isaac  Lublin. 
John  Lynch. 
J.  J.  Lynes. 
Charles  L.  Lyon. 


John  M.  MacDonald. 
Michael  T.  Maekey. 
H.  C.  MacKrell. 
James  F.  Macshane. 
Francis  T.  Magill. 
F.  Maloesay. 
Wm.  J.  Mann. 
D.  F.  Manning. 
J.  Lawrence  Mareellus. 
Rich'd  M.  Martin. 
William  K.  Martin. 
Richard  Marvin. 
Philip  D.  Mason. 
Alex.  V.  Mayer. 
B.  P.  A.  McCarty. 
Alex.  McCue. 
Albert  G.  McDonald. 
Francis  McElroy. 
J.  Iff.  McGee. 
John  C.  McGuire. 
William  H.  McKee. 
John  MeKenna. 
Spencer  G.  McNary. 
Geo.  W.  Mead. 

S    M.  Meeker. 

Peter  Meney. 
Jacob  0.  Meinzer. 
Tbeo.  N.  Iff  el  Yin. 
Josepb  B.  Merket. 
Benjamin  Merritt. 
llenn  Met/ingi  r. 
John  B.  Meyenborg. 
William  S.  Mills. 
Cornelius  E.  Minor. 
Francis  L.  Minton. 
. I, line,  Moll'ett. 
James  W.  Monk. 


•  W  It.  MalM-n.  :i97  Kulton  jitXtj  admitted  to  the  Bar  of  Albany,  N  Y..  in 
MM)  |ir»rtiriMl  In  Sew  York  City  from  1W.H  to  INTO,  at  wlilrli  time  lie  removed 
to  In.  |.re»ent  location;  wan  i  lecle.l  Juntlr,  ,.|  II,.  Heron, I  Dlnlrirt  Court  In 
1H72. 


Tbeo.  F.  Miller. 
Israel  Minor,  Jr. 
John  L.  Mitchell. 
Francis  J.  Moissen. 
Andrew  J.  Moore. 
Thomas  S.  Moore. 
Charles  A.  Mo  ran. 
Wm.  M.  Moorebouse. 
Samuel  D.  Morris. 
James  Morrougb. 
Fred'k  L.  Moulthrop. 
Wm.  R.  Mulford. 
Arthur  Murphy,  Jr. 

Wm.  H.  Nafis. 
James  P.  Neaman. 
H.  M.  Needbam. 
Edward  G.  Nelson. 
Jesse  S.  Nelson. 
Daniel  Nemirs. 
Richard  J.  Neville. 
Richard  W.  Newball. 
Geo.  W.  Niles. 
Cbas.  Noble. 
Patrick  Nolan. 
F.  P.  Norman. 
John  Notman. 
Theodore  S.  Nye. 

John  Oakey. 
Abraham  S.  O'Brien. 
Frank  N.  O'Brien. 
James  O.  O'Connor. 
Herbert  S.  Ogden. 
Cyrus  I.  Olmstead. 
Andrew  J.  Onderdonk. 
E.  P.  O'Neil. 
Fred'k  R.  Orr. 
Albert  H.  Osborn. 
Wm.  J.  Osborne. 
Stephen  M.  Ostrander. 
John  L.  Overfield. 

Wm.  S.  Packer. 
Alfred  R.  Page. 
James  A.  Palmer. 
Fred'k  S.  Parker. 
John  S.  Patterson. 
Robert  Payne. 
Josepb  M.  Pearsall. 
James  E.  Pearson. 
Geo.  A.  Pease. 
John  P.  Peckett. 
John  W.  Peckett,  Jr. 
Wm.  Peet,  Jr. 
Buel  D.  Pen  field. 
Howland  D.  Perrine. 
Andrew  J.  Perry. 
J.  C.  Perry. 
John  Petterson. 
Albert  J.  Philip. 
John  Phillips, 
George  W.  Pickney. 
Henry  ('.  Place. 

Fred'k  A  Piatt. 

C.  W.  Pleasants. 
Peter  P.  Pope. 
Isaac  B.  Potter. 


Anson  B.  Moore. 
Henry  A.  Moore. 
Benjamin  S.  Moorebouse. 
John  P.  Morris. 
Benjamin  Morrison. 
Robert  A.  Morrison. 
Nathan  B.  Morse. 
Geo.  E.  Mott. 
Alfred  E.  Mudge. 
Cbas.  A.  Murphy. 
Felix  T.  Murphy. 
George  I.  Murphy. 
H.  C.  Murpby,  Jr. 

Charles  W.  Nassau. 
James  Neilson. 
Joseph  Neilson. 
John  F.  Nelson. 
Jacob  Neu. 
Erastus  New. 
Richard  Newton. 
W.  S.  Niles. 
John  E.  Norcross. 
Dudley  H.  Norris. 
Thomas  J.  Xorthall. 
J.  Lott  Nostrond. 
Daniel  J.  Noyes. 


Frank  W.  Obernier. 
Frederick  W.  Obernier. 
Frank  O'Brien. 
Nicolson  P.  O'Brien. 
P.  J.  O'Hanlon. 
Aug.  M.  O'Neil. 
Edward  F.  O'Reilly. 
Wm.  C.  Orr. 
Wm.  E.  Osborn. 
Henry  W.  Osborn. 
P.  W.  Ostrander. 
Charles  H.  Otis. 
William  F.  Owers. 

Justus  Palmer. 
Asa  W.  Parker. 
Wm.  Parsons. 
Samuel  M.  Parsons, 
('has.  J.  Patterson. 
Oliver  N.  Payne. 
James  F.  Pearce. 
Geo.  W.  Pcarsnll. 
Tbos.  E.  Pearsall. 
Wm.  W.  Pearson. 

H.  P.  K.  Peck. 
Wm.  Peet. 
Walter  Pell. 
John  Poll. 
Albert  L.  Perry. 
AlbertiiB  Perry. 
Chimney  Perry. 
Timothy  Perry. 
James  L.  Phelps. 
Edgar  J.  Phillips. 
James  F.  Pierco. 
Charles  Place. 
Williard  S.  Pladwell. 

I.  Hull  Piatt. 

(  has.  H.  Pollock. 


BENCH  AND  BAR  OF  BROOKLYN. 


Theophilus  D.  Powell. 

Francis  W.  Pollock. 

Edwin  A.  Pratt. 

Calvin  E.  Pratt. 

James  H.  Pratt. 

Isaac  M.  Pratt. 

Joseph  M.  Pray. 

John  D.  Pray. 

Charles  Prentiss. 

John  Prentice. 

Samuel  F.  Prentice. 

Aug.  M.  Price. 

Edward  S.  Pride. 

John  D.  Prince,  Jr. 

Albert  W.  S.  Proctor.  * 

Roger  A.  Pryor,  Jr. 

Eoger  A.  Pryor. 

Fred'k  F.  Purdy. 

H.  F.  Pultz. 

James  W.  Purdy. 

Harrington  Putnam. 

Wm.  Quayle. 

Lawrence  F.  Quinn. 

Nevins  J.  Quinlan. 

David  J.  Ramsdell. 

Louis  C.  Raegener. 

Wm.  H.  Randall. 

Sands  F.  Randall. 

Henry  S.  Rasquin. 

Harvey  W.  Raynor. 

Fred'k  W.  Rebhann. 

Daniel  W.  Reeve. 

T.  A.  Reeves. 

Alonzo  T.  Reeve. 

James  H.  Remington. 

Wm.  F.  Reilly. 

Frank  Reynolds. 

Daniel  S.  Remsen. 

John  Reynolds. 

George  G.  Reynolds. 

George  R.  Rhodes. 

Wm.  P.  Rhodes. 

Bushrod  F.  Rice. 

J.  Swift  Richards. 

Chas.  A.  Richardson. 

Henry  L.  Rider. 

Chas.  W.  Ridgway. 

James  Ridgway. 

James  W.  Ridgway. 

Joseph  S.  Ridgway. 

John  Ridley. 

Emerson  L.  Riggs. 

Edward  F.  Riley. 

Theodore  Ritter. 

Benj.  T.  Ripton. 

John  F.  Roberts. 

James  L.  Robinson. 

John  J.  Roche. 

Willard  E.  Roby. 

Fenton  Rockwell. 

Francis  C.  Roche. 

Geo.  W.  Roderick. 

S.  A.  Rockefellow. 

Thomas  H.  Rodman,  Jr 

Thos.  H.  Rodman. 

James  J.  Rogers. 

John  Roesch. 

John  Rooney. 

John  Jr.  Hone. 

Jacob  Rosengarden. 

Wm.  R.  Ronalds. 

Henry  Rosenthall. 

Walter  G.  Rooney. 

J.  S.  Ross. 

Daniel  J.  Ross. 

Robert  Ross. 

Peter  T.  Ross. 

Frank  Rudd. 

Samuel  Rowe. 

Merwin  Rushmore. 

Richard  Rowland,  f 

Charles  H.  Russell  4 

Joseph  Russell. 

Henry  M.  Russell. 

Michael  Russell. 

C.  D.  Rust. 

Charles  Rusten. 

Albert  N.  Sabin. 

Guernsey  Sackett. 

Washington  Sackman. 

Arthur  C.  Salmon. 

Francis  G.  Salmon. 

Zabdiel  S.  Sampson. 

N.  B.  Sanborn. 

John  W.  Sanderson. 

Wm.  C.  Sanger. 

Arthur  M.  Sanders. 

Edward  L.  Schad. 

Wm.  J.  Say  res. 

Edwin  C.  Schaffer. 

Henry  J.  Schenck. 

N.  Pendleton  Schenck. 

Charles  S.  Schleier. 

Hugo  J.  Schleier. 

Herman  W.  Schmitz. 

Henry  H.  Schoonmaker. 

Jacob  C.  Schoener. 

Alex.  Schoonmaker. 

Geo.  H.  Schoonmaker. 

John  C.  F.  Schrann. 

John  G.  Schumaker. 

Fred'k  Schwartz. 

Wm.  E.  Scovil. 

Rufus  L.  Scott. 

James  M.  Seaman. 

Ludwig  Semler. 

Edward  H.  Seeley. 

Garrett  P.  Serviss. 

Robert  Senftner. 

*A.  W.  s.  Proctor,  397  Fulton  street;  admitted  to  the  Bar,  May  24th,  1875, 
commencing  practice  in  Brooklyn  soon  after. 

t  Richard  Rowland,  122  Court  street;  admitted  to  the  Barof  New  York  City, 
18G1;  practiced  in  Brooklyn  since  1865. 

t  Charles  H.  Russell,  219  South  9th  street;  admitted  to  the  Bar,  18G8;  was 
member  of  New  York  Assembly  in  1880-81;  Member  of  Senate,  1882-83. 


R.  J.  Shadbolt. 

John  Sessions. 

Oscar  F.  Shaw. 

Thomas  (i.  Shearman. 

John  D.  Shedlock. 

Geo.  P.  Sheldon. 

A.  C.  Shenstone. 

Edward  M.  Shepard. 

J.  W.  Shepard. 

James  A.  Sherman. 

Michael  Shields. 

Walter  F.  Shibley. 

John  H.  Shields. 

Herbert  Shipman. 

William  A.  Shinn. 

Wm.  E.  Shields. 

John  U.  Shorter. 

Herman  II.  Shook.* 

J.  Shrady. 

Herbert  Shook. 

Benj.  Douglass  Silliman. 

Jos.  A.  Shoudy. 

Edward  P.  Simms. 

Adolph  Sim  is,  Jr. 

Chas.  S.  Simpkins. 

Geo.  L.  Simonson. 

Francis  P.  Slade. 

James  E.  Skilton. 

Wm.  A.  Sloan. 

Henry  W.  Slocum. 

Albert  Smith. 

Alexis  C.  Smith. 

Artemus  B.  Smith. 

A.  F.  Smith. 

Arthur  H.  Smith. 

Charles  C.  Smith. 

Edgar  P.  Smith. 

Freling  H.  Smith. 

George  H.  Smith. 

George  Smith. 

James  J.  Smith. 

Herbert  C.  Smith. 

James  W.  Smith. 

Jesse  C.  Smith. 

John  C.  Smith. 

Michael  A.  Smith. 

Thomas  W.  Smith. 

Thomas  Smith. 

John  C.  Smith  &  Son. 

Wm.  B.  Smith. 

Henry  Snell. 

John  B.  Snedecker. 

A.  A.  Spear. 

Henry  S.  Snow. 

E.  L.  Spencer. 

Pascal  T.  Southern.. 

P.  S.  Spencer. 

A.  J.  Spencer. 

Edward  H.  Spooner. 

Frank  Sperry. 

P.  V.  R.  Stanton. 

Erwin  I.  Spink. 

John  M.  Stearns. 

Chas.  M.  Stafford. 

Oscar  H.  Stearns. 

Charles  M.  Stabler. 

N.  McGregor  Steele. 

Geo.  H.  Starr. 

Joseph  Steiner. 

James  S.  Stearns. 

Wm.  W.  Stephenson. 

John  M.  Stearns,  Jr. 

Edward  H.  Stickland. 

John  A.  K.  Steele. 

Wm.  H.  Stillwell. 

Sanford  H.  Steele. 

Frank  Storrs. 

Thomas  E.  Stellman. 

Joseph  H.  Strauss. 

Gerard  M.  Stevens. 

Edward  B.  Stringham. 

Thos.  E.  Stillman. 

Demas  Strong. 

John  H.  Stitt. 

Wm.  Sullivan. 

Allen  N.  Stoddart. 

S.  Perry  Sturges. 

James  H.  Storrs. 

Wm.  M.  Summers. 

Baldwin  F.  Strauss. 

J.  Edward  Swanstrom. 

Geo.  W.  Streeter. 

Fred.  G.  Swasey. 

Walter  Q.  Strong. 

John  W.  Sweeney. 

Eugene  T.  Stuart. 

Wm.  A.  Sweester. 

Sidney  B.  Stuart. 

Halsev  A  Sweezey. 

Wm.  R.  Syme. 

Edward  F.  Taber. 

Franklin  W.  Taber. 

Edward  T.  Taggard. 

Wm.  H.  Taggard.. 

J.  Fred'k  Tapscott. 

James  Taylor. 

Henry  Taylor. 

John  A.  Taylor. 

Herbert  H.  Taylor. 

Noah  Tebbetts. 

John  Taylor. 

Asa  W.  Tenney. 

Thomas  J.  Taylor. 

Frank  Thayer. 

David  Teese. 

Charles  A.  Thies. 

Henry  E.  Teller. 

Samuel  D.  Thomas. 

D.  D.  Terry. 

Daniel  B.  Thompson. t 

Edmund  R.  Terry. 

Robert  B.  Thompson. 

Theodore  Thieler. 

Win.  R.  Thompson. 

Chas.  G.  M.  Thomas. 

James  J.  Thornley. 

♦Herman  H.  Shook.  2G1  Broadway,  New  York;  admitted  to  the  Bar  at 
Poughkcepsic,  N.  Y.,  May,  18G7;  commenced  and  has  continued  practice  in 
New  York  City  since  that  dato. 

t  Daniel  B.  Thompson,  38  &  40  Court  street;  admitted  to  the  Bar,  at  Pitts- 
burgh, Peun.,  18GG;  established  iu  Brooklyn  in  18G8. 


1-274 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


A.  R.  Thompson,  Jr. 
George  Thompson. 
Walter  Thorn. 
James  J.  Thornley,  Jr. 
W.  Chas.  B.  Thornton. 
James  G.  Tighe. 
Robert  F.  Tilney. 
Henry  F.  Tobin. 
J.  Todd. 
M.  H.  Topping. 
If.  L.  Towns. 
Frank  B.  Tracy. 
J.  P.  Troy. 
Michael  Troy. 
Wm.  C.  Trull. 
Louis  S.  Turner. 

Ruben  H.  Underbill. 

Andrew  J.  Valentine. 
Egbert  Van  Benren. 
A.  H.  Van  Cott. 
Joshua  M.  Van  Cott. 
Alfred  Vanderwerken. 
EL  D.  Van  Orden. 
Adrien  Van  Sinderin. 
E.  W.  Van  Vranken. 
Gerard  B.  Van  Wart. 
Aug.  Van  Wyck. 
Wm.  D.  Veeder. 
Charles  W.  Voltz. 
Zachariah  Voorhees. 

Arnold  EL  Wagner. 
Thomas  H.  Wagstaff. 
W.  Howard  Wait. 
Howard  Walden. 
Russell  Walden. 
Geo.  T.  Walker. 
Wm.  C.  Wallace. 
Wm.  J.  Walsh. 


David  Thornton. 
David  A.  Tibbull. 
James  W.  Tighe. 
Wellington  Tillotson. 
William  EL  Tilton. 
R.  E.  Topping. 
Benj.  F.  Tracy. 
Wilbur  F.  Treadwell. 
James  Troy. 
Thomas  EL  Troy. 
Wm.  B  Trellis. 
Alfred  W.  Turner. 
Wayland  Turner. 
Smith  Tuttle. 
John  R.  Tyler. 


Silas  A.  Underbill. 

Benj.  E.  Valentine. 
David  C.  Van  Cott. 
Alfred  Vanderburgh. 
Chas.  Y.  Van  Doren. 
Adolphe  Vanrein. 
Theodore  Van  Tassel. 
Francis  H.  Van  Vechten. 
David  Van  Wart. 
Merit  M.  Van  Wert. 
Jacob  S.  Van  Wyck. 
Thomas  Verren. 
J.  Voorhees. 


Louis  A.  Wagner. 
Daniel  T.  Walden. 
Alfred  I.  Walker. 
Samuel  Walker. 
Anthony  Walter. 
Richard  Warburton. 
Geo.  P.  Walton. 
Sidney  Ward. 


Jacob  Walters. 
Fred'k  A.  Ward 
Gerald  Wardrop. 
Wm.  H.  Waring. 
Talman  J.  Waters,  Jr. 
Fred.  W.  Watkin. 
Munroe  B.  Washburn. 
Edward  E.  Wells. 
N.  D.  Wells. 
Robert  L.  Wensley. 
Chas.  W.  West. 
Chas.  N.  Wheelwright. 
Henry  M.  Whitbeck. 
Thomas  White. 
Samuel  S.  Whitehonse. 
Edgar  Whitlock. 
Daniel  D.  Whitney. 
Henry  Wilber. 
Daniel  G.  Wild. 
Chas.  H.  Williams. 
Thos.  H.  Williams. 
J.  Stuart  Willis. 
William  Wills. 
Philip  L.  Wilson. 
F.  S.  Winchester. 
Chas.  EL  Winslow.* 
Franklin  E.  Woodford. 
Caleb  S.  Woodhull. 
Aaron  Woodman. 
Lawrence  Worrall. 
Alexander  H.  Wright. 
Christopher  C.  Wust. 
Richard  Wynkoop. 

A.  H.  Yerks. 

Geo.  W.  Zener. 
Zimmcrmann  &  Jacobbs. 


Chas.  D.  Warner. 
Frank  Waters. 
Wm.  T.  Welch. 
Henry  P.  Wells. 
Oliver  J.  Wells. 
Jerry  A.  Wernberg. 
Edward  W.  West. 
Geo.  S.  Wheeler. 
Harmon  B.  Whitbeck. 
James  White. 
John  J.  White. 
S.  Stewart  Whitehouse. 
Wm.  L.  Whiting. 
Chas.  M.  Whitney. 
Foreman  Whitney. 
M.  D.  Wilber. 
Geo.  Willcox. 
Henry  C.  Willcox. 
Sidney  Williams. 
J.  Schenck  Williamson. 
Geo.  W.  Wilson. 
John  EL  Wilson. 
Thadeus  Wilson. 
Henry  Winans. 
Henry  G.  Wing. 
John  Winslow. 
Leopold  Woiger. 
Stewart  L.  Woodford. 
Thcnford  Woodhull. 
John  A.  Woods. 
L.  A.  Wray. 
Ernest  ('.  Wurtemberg. 
Wm.  F.  Wyckoff. 

Thomas  EL  York. 
Gustav  Zimmermann. 


*  Chas.  H  Winslow,  10  Court  street,  graduated  from  Columbia  Law  St-hoel. 
1877;  admitted  to  the  Bar  the  same  year,  establishing  himself  in  Brooklyn. 


In  concluding  the  Bench  and  Bar  of  Brooklyn,  we  cannot  re-  I 
frain  from  saying,  that  to  those  whose  lives  form  a  part  of  it, 
others  might  have  been  added  of  equal  interest;  but,  as  we  have 
already  exceeded  the  limits  of  our  allotted  space,  we  are  obliged 
to  make  some  omission. 

Whatever  opinion  may  bo  entertained  of  our  work,  ono  thing 
is  certain:  we  leave  it  with  an  increased  respect  for  tho  Judi- 
ciary and  the  Bar,  and  we  have  the  vanity  to  think  that  the 
few  rays  of  light  we  have  been  able  to  throw  upon  it  have  de- 
monstrated in  some  degree  its  claim  to  a  superior  position  in 
legal  history. 

We  have  spoken  reverently  of  its  deceased  members,  and 
frankly  of  its  living  ones.  Wo  do  not  belong  to  that  class  who 
have  a  trembling  fear  of  speaking  well  of  persons,  lest  they 
should  be  obnoxious  to  tho  charge  of  undue  eulogy.  Wo  believo 
it  is  proper  and  just  to  speak  of  a  man's  good  qualities  and  of 
tin'  accomplishments  which  he  rrally  possesses.  Wo  have  dealt 
only  with  the  public  character  of  our  subjects  as  judges  and 
lawyers,  having  little  to  say  in  regard  to  thoin  as  private  in- 
dividuals. Still  we  hesitate  not  to  say  that  any  man  who  has 
adorned  tin'  I'.i'iH'h  or  tli<>  liar,  who  has,  as  a  judge  or  lawyer, 
won  the  esteem  and  confidence  of  tho  public,  is  untitled  to  have 


that  esteem  and  confidence  properly  expressed,  in  and  out  of 
history. 

"But  since  you  mean  to  be  impartial,"  says  the  critic,  "  why 
not  speak  frankly  of  men's  fauits?  "  We  can  answer  only  by 
saying:  we  once  read  of  a  traveler  who  had  a  singular  pauhmi 
for  visiting  antique  churches,  cathedrals,  and  edifices  abounding 
with  beautiful  works  of  art,  but  he  always  disregarded  the  grind 
frescoes  of  Angelo,  tho  elegant  altar  pieces  of  Horberg,  the  Ma- 
donnas of  Raphael,  the  graces  of  Corregio,  and  the  architectural 
grandeur  about  him,  seeking  instead  charnel-housos,  recepta- 
cles of  the  dead,  gloomy  chambers  and  monastic  colls.  When 
asked  why  this  singular  preference,  he  replied:  "Amid  so  much 
perfection,  beauty  and  elegance,  I  am  anxious  to  learn  how 
much  corruption  there  is  to  bo  found,  how  much  that  is  revolt- 
ing. I  have  a  singular  love  for  such  things  that  1  cannot  resist; 
a  love  that  throws  everything  elso  into  the  shade.  Besides,  I 
dislike  descriptions  of  what  is  called  'the  beautiful,'  'tho 
artistic'  and  'the  grand;'  it  has  too  much  eulogy  in  it.  I  hnve 
no  fear  of  being  over-eulogistic  in  my  descriptions." 

Wo  confess  our  attachment  for  that  writer  wbo,  with  duetp* 
preciation  and  proper  judgment,  describes  tho  beauties  anil 
merits  ho  sees.  L.  B.  P- 


Legal  Biographies. 


HON.  JASPER  WILLETT  GILBERT. 

It  is  not  always  that  the  ablest  advocates  make  successful 
judges.  In  the  majority  of  cases  the  advocate  becomes  a  deeply 
interested  partisan,  living  in  the  life  of  every  cause,  often  the 
most  momentous  part  of  his  client's  life,  imbued  with  his  client's 
anxiety,  glowing  with  his  resentments,  hoping  and  struggling  for 
his  success,  until  the  end;  therefore,  unless  a  man  is  peculiarly 
constituted,  he  will,  despite  his  desire  to  be  perfectly  unpre- 
judiced, find  it  difficult  to  avoid  a  partisan  interest  in  the  excit- 
ing trials  over  which  he  presides.  His  experience,  too,  in  the 
conduct  of  cases  enables  him,  almost  at  a  glance,  to  see  the  right 
and  the  wrong  of  the  case,  and  it  is  difficult  for  him  to  avoid  a 
feeling  of  irritation  at  the  efforts  of  that  which  he  deems  the 
wrong  side  to  succeed;  while  he  who  comes  to  the  Bench  less 
experienced  in  the  struggles  of  the  Bar,  is  more  apt  to  be  free 
from  the  evils  we  have  described. 

We  do  not  mean  to  be  understood  that  the  skilled  and  ac- 
complished advocate  does  not  make  an  accomplished  judge,  or 
that  a  lawyer  inexperienced  in  the  collisions  of  the  Bar  is 
always  sure  to  be  successful  on  the  Bench.  Legal  history 
abounds  in  names  of  judges  whose  career  at  the  Bar  was  limited; 
of  these  we  may  mention  Chief  Justice  Marshall,  Judge  Story, 
Bushrod  Washington,  Judge  Parsons,  Chancellor  Walworth, 
Eseck  Cowan,  William  L.  Marcy,  who  never  entered  deeply  into 
the  contests  of  the  Bar,  never  having  any  taste  for  the  excite- 
ments of  the  forum.  These  men  rank  among  the  most  illustrious 
American  judges. 

On  the  other  hand,  in  our  own  State  there  are  many  men 
whose  names  are  bright  in  judicial  history,  who  went  to  the 
Bench  from  an  exciting  and  brilliant  career  at  the  Bar,  and  in 
them  the  advocate  was  at  once  lost  in  the  erudite,  calm,  im- 
partial and  courteous  judge.  Among  these  were  Chief  Justice 
Ambrose  Spencer,  Greene  C.  Bronson,  Josiah  Ogden  Hoffman, 
Chief  Justice  Sanford  E.  Church,  James  C.  Smith,  Martin 
Grover  and  George  F.  Danforth;  and  to  these  we  may  add  the 
name  of  the  distinguished  jurist  whose  legal  and  judicial  career 
we  are  now  to  write — Hon.  Jasper  Willett  Gilbert — who,  from 
an  ardent  and  successful  career  at  the  Bar,  was  elevated  to  the 
Bench,  where  his  judicial  abilities  and  natural  adaptation  for  the 
place  he  occupied  was  soon  recognized  and  acknowledged  by 
the  Bar  and  the  public. 

Jasper  W.  Gilbert  was  born  at  Koine,  Oneida  County,  New 
York,  January  15,  1812.  His  paternal  ancestor  in  this  country 
was  Jonathan  Gilbert,  who,  at  an  early  period  in  Colonial  his- 
tory, settled  at  Hartford,  Connecticut,  where  he  died  about  the 
year  1750. 

Judge  Gilbert's  father  was  Marinus  Willett  Gilbert,  named 
for  Colonel  Marinus  Willett,  with  whom  his  father  served  as  an 
officer  in  the  Continental  Army  during  the  Revolutionar}'  War. 

Several  years  before  the  birth  of  his  son  Jasper,  Mr.  Gilbert 
became  a  resident  of  Eome. 

After  a  preparatory  course  in  the  common  schools,  young 
Gilbert  became  a  student  at  Lowville  Academy,  where  he  re- 
mained a  considerable  time.  He  afterwards  became  a  student 
at  Watertown  Academy,  where  he  made  rapid  and  successful 
progress  in  his  studies. 

The  industry,  talents  and  quick  perceptions  of  the  young 
man  gave  promise  of  future  usefulness  in  one  of  the  learned 
professions.  As  he  early  indicated  a  preference  for  the  Bar,  on 
his  leaving  the  Academy  at  Watertown,  he  commenced  a  regular 


training  for  the  occupation  of  a  lawyer  in  the  office  of  Abraham 
Varick,  of  Utica,  New  York.  He  had  then  hardly  attained  his 
majority.  After  remaining  with  Mr.  Varick  something  over  a 
year,  he  entered  the  office  of  Hon.  Frederick  Whittlesey,  of 
Rochester,  New  York,  then  one  of  the  most  eminent  characters 
in  the  political  and  civil  history  of  the  State.  It  was  with 
Chancellor  Whittlesey  that  young  Gilbert  completed  his  legal 
studies;  this  was  in  1835.  He  was  called  to  the  Bar  at  a 
General  Term  of  the  Supreme  Court  at  Utica,  in  July,  1835,  tak- 
ing his  degree  as  an  attorney  at  law  under  the  eyes  of  those  great 
historic  judges,  Chief  Justice  Savage,  Associate  Justices  Nelson 
and  Bronson;  at  this  time  he  was  only  23  years  of  age.  Young 
as  he  was,  he  at  once  opened  an  office,  in  Rochester,  N.  Y. 
Self-reliant,  studious  and  ambitious,  lie  attained  the  reputation 
of  a  rising  and  successful  young  lawyer. 

That  he  had  read  his  profession  with  diligence,  that  he  had 
mastered  its  great  profundities,  is  easily  inferred  from  the  pro- 
gress he  made  in  it.  We  shall  not  stop  to  consider  whether  ho 
possessed  much  of  what  is  called  genius  or  not;  that  he  did 
possess  those  intellectual  qualities  which  lead  to  success,  is 
certain.  Like  most  young  lawyers,  particularly  at  that  period, 
he  entered  ardently  into  politics;  giving  his  allegiance  to  the 
now  historic  Whig  party.  As  he  wielded  a  ready  and  vigorous 
pen,  he  also  became  eminent  as  a  contributor  to  the  journals  of 
that  day. 

Rochester  was  incorporated  as  a  city  in  1830,  and  young 
Gilbert  was  appointed  its  first  Corporation  Counsel;  he  there- 
fore enjoys  the  reputation  of  having  been  the  first  law  officer 
of  that  thriving  and  beautiful  city. 

In  July,  1838,  the  famous  Young  .1/en's  Whig  Slate  Conven- 
tion assembled  at  Utica.  Young  Gilbert  represented  Monroe 
County  in  this  body,  took  a  conspicuous  part  in  its  deliberations, 
and  was  made  a  member  of  the  committee  appointed  to  prepare 
an  address  to  the  people.  This  document  was  principally  writ- 
ten by  the  chairman  of  the  committee.  When  it  was  presented 
to  the  Convention  it  was  rejected,  and  Mr.  Gilbert  was  requested 
by  a  majoiity  of  the  committee  to  prepare  another;  he  did  so,  to 
the  satisfaction  of  the  committee,  and  when  reported  to  the  Con- 
vention it  was  almost  unanimously  adopted.  Time  and  space 
will  not  permit  us  to  descant  upon  that  remarkable  paper;  suf- 
fice it  to  say,  it  was  eagerly  read  by  all  parties  in  the  State, 
warmly  commended  by  the  Whig  press,  with  the  exception  of 
the  New  York  Commercial  Advertiser,  edited  at  that  time  by  Win. 
L.  Stone.  There  was  enough  in  this  circumstance  alone  to  hiwe 
made  many  lawyers  lose  themselves  in  the  politician;  but  young 
Gilbert  was  too  strongly  attached  to  his  profession  to  become  a 
mere  politician;  his  ambition  was  to  seize  its  solid  honois,  in- 
stead of  the  evanescent  fame  of  the  politician  and  place-hunter. 

He  began  his  professional  life  at  a  brilliant  period  in  the 
history  of  the  Western  New  York  Bar;  many  of  his  competitors 
were  among  those  illustrious  lawyers  who  have  made  its  legal 
history  so  famous  and  entertaining.  Like  him,  many  of  them 
were  then  young,  and  with  them  he  grew  to  eminence  and  dis- 
tinction as  a  lawyer. 

In  the  year  1839,  a  question  arose  in  the  city  of  Rochester  of 
absorbing  interest ;  this  was  the  disputed  right  of  colored 
children  to  attend  the  common  schools  of  the  city. 

A  teacher  in  one  of  the  schools  h«d  peremptorily  excluded 
from  its  privileges,  a  colored  child.  Mr.  Gilbert  at  once  de- 
cided that  this  act  was  unauthorized  by  law,  and  he  wrote  a 
report  to  that  effect.    John  C.  Spencer  was  then  Secretary  of 


u»7t; 


HISTORY  OF  K1XGS  COUNTY. 


Stato  and  ex  officio  Superintendent  of  Public  Instruction.  Mr. 
Gilbert's  report  was  submitted  to  this  great  statesman  and  law- 
yer, who  at  once  confirmed  Mr.  Gilbert's  report,  and  colored 
children  were  admitted  to  the  common  schools  of  Rochester. 

It  is  a  singular  coincidence  that,  in  1875,  thirty-sis  years 
later,  when  Mr.  Gilbert  was  a  resident  of  Brooklyn  and  a  judge  of 
the  Supreme  Court  of  the  State,  a  similar  question  arose  in  that 
oity.  It  was  started  under  the  City  Charter,  which  gave  to  the 
Bond  of  Education  power  to  establish  separate  schools  for 
colored  children,  the  board  having  exercised  such  powers.  It 
was  contended  that,  under  the  14th  Amendment  of  the  Consti- 
tution, and  under  the  Civil  Rights  Act  of  this  State,  colored 
children  had  an  absolute  right  to  attend  the  public  schools 
with  white  children  in  the  district  of  their  residence.  The 
case  led  to  litigation,  and  subsequently  came  before  the  Supreme 
Court  for  adjudication.  Judge  Gilbert,  in  pronouncing  the 
opinion  of  the  court,  decided  that,  in  the  absence  of  legislation, 
colored  children  had  the  right  to  attend  the  public  schools  of 
the  city  with  white  children.  But  those  opposed  to  the  attend- 
ance of  colored  children  in  the  public  schools  appealed  from 
Judge  Gilbert's  decision  to  the  Court  of  Appeals,  where,  after 
exhaustive  arguments,  his  opinion  was  affirmed. 

In  January,  1847,  Judge  Gilbert  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Miss  Catharine  Horn,  of  New  York  City.  He  continued  to  prac- 
tice with  increasing  success  until  October,  1847,  when  he  decided 
to  enter  upon  a  larger,  more  responsible  and  extended  arena  of 
professional  activity  and  labor,  and  he  concluded  to  become  a 
resident  of  the  city  of  New  York  and  a  practitioner  at  its  Bar, 
with  its  vast  competition,  its  opportunity  for  brilliant  success,  its 
dangers  of  signal  failure.  Fortunately  for  Judge  Gilbert,  the 
change  made  by  him  resulted  in  success.  In  1851  he  became  a 
resident  of  Brooklyn,  but  continued  his  practice  in  the  city  of 
New  York.  Few  lawyers,  perhaps,  ever  applied  themselves  with 
more  unremitting  zeal  than  he,  and  few  have  reaped  richer  re- 
wards. 

After  twenty-five  years  of  constant  practice,  with  rich  pecun- 
iary results,  he  determined  upon  a  period  of  repose,  and  sought 
recuperation  in  gratifying  his  love  of  travel.  To  this  end  he 
visited  Europe,  and  amid  the  historic  scenes  of  England  and  of 
Continental  Europe,  he  largely  gratified  his  tastes  in  viewing 
its  historic  places,  in  inspecting  its  exquisite  works  of  art, 
and  Btnnding  by  the  tombs  of  those  who  had  made  jurispru- 
dence, philosophy,  poetry,  sculpture  and  painting  glorious.  But 
his  respite  from  intellectual  labor  was  short.  In  the  autumn 
of  18fi5  a  vacancy  occurred  on  the  Bench  of  the  Supreme  Court 
of  the  Second  Judicial  District,  which  was  to  be  supplied  at  the 
election  in  November  of  that  year.  There  were  many  eminent 
legal  gentleman  of  both  parties  in  the  district  who  would  have 
gladly  accepted  the  nomination  for  the  place. 

Wo  now  approach  an  event  which  must  be,  to  Judge  Gilbert, 
the  most  gratifying  incident  in  his  life— his  unanimous  nomina- 
tion, as  a  candidato  for  the  office  of  Justice  of  the  Supreme 
Court,  by  both  the  Republican  and  Democratic  parties  in  the 
Second  Judicial  District;  and,  as  has  well  been  said,  "This 
nomination  was  ratified  by  the  electors  of  the  district  by  a 
majority  so  overwhelming  as  to  amount  substantially  to  entire 
unanimity."  This  circumstance  alone  speaks  volumes  in  favor 
of  Jasper  W.  Gilbert,  not  only  as  a  lawyer,  but  as  a  citizen. 
The  mini  who  could  thus  hush  the  voice  of  partisan  strife, 
and  thus  be  elected  to  the  high  and  dignified  position  of  a 
Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  State  of  New  York  without 
opposition,  although  a  pronounced  partisan  of  one  of  tho  great 
parties,  muHt  possess  qualifications  of  a  high  order. 

At  the  expiration  of  his  term  he  was  re-elected,  and  by  re- 
p<  nt'  I  ri  elerti  itlH  f),-ciipi<  d  the  liench  until  he  attained  that  age 
when,  by  tho  Constitution,  he  was  disqualified  from  longer  sit- 
ting as  a  judge. 

Ho  brought  t<>  tho  Bench  an  active,  comprehensive  mind. 
Many  of  his  opinions  in  case*  of  great  celebrity,  with  which  tho 


public  is  quite  familiar,  will  continue  to  be  read  with  respect 
and  profit  long  after  the  hand  that  wrote  them  shall  be  cold 
in  death.  We  have  only  time  to  glance  at  a  few  of  these 
opinions. 

Judge  Gilbert  took  his  seat  on  the  Bench  on  January  4,  186C, 
and  presided  at  the  January  Term  of  the  Circuit  Court,  and 
Court  of  Oyer  and  Terminer,  held  in  Brooklyn,  which  com- 
menced their  sittings  at  that  time.  It  was  his  fortune  to  preside, 
during  this  term,  over  one  of  the  most  important  and  exciting 
trials  that  over  took  place  in  Kings  County— that  of  Gonzalez  for 
the  murder  of  Ortero.    (See  Important  Trials.) 

Judge  Gilbert  entered  upon  the  discharge  of  his  duties  with 
that  industry  and  directness  of  purpose  which  characterized  his 
career  at  the  Bar.  As  a  trial  judge  he  was  successful,  and,  what 
is  not  often  the  case,  he  was  equally  fortunate  as  a  judge  in  the 
appellate  court,  or  court  in  banc.  Neither  the  pressure  of 
sympathy,  the  pressure  of  public  opinion,  the  clamor  of  par- 
tisan zeal,  the  alleged  hardship  of  the  case,  nor  the  sophistry  of 
counsel,  were  ever  known  to  deflect  him  from  the  line  of  duty  and 
strict  impartiality. 

During  the  seventeen  years  he  pronounced  the  law  from 
the  Bench,  his  opinions,  both  upon  questions  of  practice  and 
questions  of  common  law,  statute  law,  and  equity,  are  nu- 
merous; and  the  student,  in  reading  his  opinions  in  the  New 
York  Reports,  in  Barbour's,  and  in  Howard's  Reports,  finds  in- 
dubitable evidence  of  Judge  Gilbert's  learning  and  untiring 
industry.  It  would  be  a  pleasure  to  refer  to  many  of  these,  but 
I  as  the  Bar  and  the  public  are  familiar  with  them,  it  would  be 
but  the  work  of  supererogation.  Among  those  to  which  we 
venture  to  refer  are  the  following:  the  case  growing  out  of  the 
removal  of  steam-transit  from  Atlantic  street,  in  Brooklyn;  the 
construction  of  Prospect  Park;  the  case  relating  to  the  destruc- 
tion of  property  occasioned  by  the  riot  which  took  place  in 
1863;  and  that  in  which  the  right  of  the  Legislature  to  regulate 
ferriage  across  the  East  River  was  established.  All  these  were 
causes  celebre,  and  came  before  him  either  at  nisi  prius  or  at  the 
General  Term.  The  manner  in  which  his  rulings  and  opinions 
in  these  cases  were  received  by  the  Bar  and  public  need  no  de- 
scription from  us. 

For  two  years  previous  to  the  expiration  of  his  judicial  term, 
he  was  assigned  by  the  Governer  to  the  Fourth  Judicial  Depart- 
ment  of  the  State.  One  of  the  last  cases  decided  by  him  was 
that  of  the  People  or  the  State  of  New  York,  on  the  relation  of 
John  Neous,  against  Richard  S.  Roberts,  one  of  the  Board  of 
Aldermen  of  Brooklyn,  and  sixteen  other  Aldermen  of  the  city, 
whom  he  had  adjudged  guilty  of  contempt  of  court,  in  violating 
an  injunction  order  granted  by  County  Judge  Henry  A.  Moore, 
in  January,  1882.  His  opinion  in  that  case,  though  very  brief, 
is  often  quoted  for  its  learning  and  for  the  inflexibility  with 
which  he  punished  those  who,  with  premeditation,  disregarded 
and  set  at  naught  a  solemn  order  of  the  Supreme  Court. 

"To  allow  such  offenders,"  he  said,  in  pronouncing  his  judg- 
ment, "impunity  for  their  misconduct,  would  be  a  practical 
surrender  of  a  trust  which  has  been  confided  to  the  judiciary 
by  the  people  for  their  own  protection.  The  power  which  the 
court  possesses  of  punishing  disobedience  of  its  mandates  is 
one  of  the  safeguards  for  the  administration  of  justice.  ThoM 
who  commit  such  offenses  must  be  inflexibly  punished." 

Judge  Gilbert  retired  from  the  Bench  in  December,  1883, 
having,  as  wo  have  said,  attained  that  ago  which  is  supposed  to 
disqualify  him  from  the  duties  of  a  judge.  Though  still  in  the 
possession  of  every  faculty,  mental  and  physical,  necessary  f>r 
tho  discharge  of  his  official  duties,  it  is,  perhaps,  no  affe. -talion 
to  say  ho  is  bettor  qualified  by  his  experience  on  the  Bench. 

In  cases  liko  his,  we  are  led  to  doubt  the  propriety  of  a  r«u 
stitutional  provision  which  disqualifies  judicial  officers  in  tho 
very  midst  of  their  usefulness,  and  ripened  by  a  long  and  vain- 
able  experience. 

On  retiring  from  the  Benoh,  Judge  Gilbert  resumed  the  prac- 


LEGAL  BIOGRA  PIIIES. 


127? 


tice  of  bis  profession,  because  be  loved  and  bonored  it  from 
long  association.  He  is,  at  tbis  writing,  at  the  bead  of  tbe  well- 
known  and  successful  law  firm  composed  of  bis  son,  James  H. 
Gilbert,  Alexander  Cameron,  and  anotber  son,  William  T.  Gilbert. 
The  offices  of  tbis  firm  are  at  G7  Wall  street,  New  York  City,  and 
213  Montague  street,  Brooklyn. 

We  leave  Judge  Gilbert  enjoying  tbe  fruits  of  a  long  and  suc- 
cessful legal  and  judicial  career.  With  the  full  honors  of  the 
Bench,  he  returns  to  that  arena  which,  in  his  young  manhood, 
he  adorned. 


JUDGE  CALVIN  E.  PRATT. 

In  presenting  a  biographical  sketch  of  one  who  is  in  mid 
career  of  an  active  and  useful  life,  we  are  necessarily  restrained 
from  expressions  of  commendation,  which  the  subject  would  in- 
spire were  we  writing  of  a  man  whose  race  was  run  and  his  mis- 
sion and  journey  ended.  We,  therefore,  give  a  merely  historical 
narrative  of  one  of  our  citizens  who  has  long  been  conspicuous 
at  tbe  Bar,  in  the  field,  and  on  tbe  Bench.  Tbe  family  of  Pratt, 
one  of  tbe  oldest  in  Massachusetts,  is  descended  either  from 
Phineas  Pratt,  who  came  from  England  to  Plymouth  in  1(122 
(two  years  after  the  Pilgrims  landed  there  from  the  Mayflower), 
or  from  Joshua  Pratt,  who  came  to  Plymouth  in  the  ship  Ann 
in  1G23,  and  was  one  of  the  first  purchasers  at  Dartmouth. 

Calvin  Edward  Pkatt,  the  subject  of  tbis  sketch,  was  born  at 
Princeton,  in  Massachusetts,  on  the  23d  January,  1828.  His  father 
was  Edward  A.  Pratt,  a  son  of  Captain  Joshua  Pratt,  of  Shrews- 
bury; and  his  mother  was  Mariaime  Stratton,  daughter 
of  Deacon  Samuel  Stratton,  of  Princeton.  The  family 
removed  from  that  place,  in  Judge  Pratt's  early  child- 
hood, to  Sutton,  in  the  same  State,  where  he  was  diligent 
alike  in  tbe  district  school  and  upon  bis  father's  farm  up  to 
his  fifteenth  or  sixteenth  year,  developing  and  maturing 
the  physical  and  mental  strength  for  which  he  has  since  been 
remarkable.  From  his  early  boyhood  to  the  present  hour  he 
has  known  no  idle  time.  From  Sutton  he  went  to  the  celebrated 
academy  in  Wilbrabam,  and  while  pursuing  his  studies  there, 
during  a  portion  of  the  time  assisted  in  surveying  tbe  line  of  the 
Providence  and  Worcester  Kailroad.  The  following  season  be 
taught  one  of  the  district  schools  in  the  town  of  Uxbridge,  and 
the  next  year  in  that  of  Sutton,  and  subsequently,  for  three  suc- 
cessive winters,  in  Worcester.  Meanwhile  he  diligently  pursued 
classical  studies,  and  completed  his  preparation  for  college,  for 
which  he  was  finally  fitted  at  the  Worcester  Academy. 

In  the  spring  of  1849,  he  commenced  the  study  of  _  law  in  the 
office  of  Hon.  Henry  Chapin,  a  distinguished  lawyer  of  Worces- 
ter. He  was  content  with  no  superficial  knowledge,  but  was  a 
close,  thorough,  and  untiring  student— going  to  the  very  founda- 
tions, the  underlying  principles,  on  which  the  rules  of  law  in 
all  its  departments  are  based.  While  engaged  in  these  studies 
he  held  for  one  year  the  office  of  Clerk  of  tbe  Criminal  Court,  to 
which  he  was  appointed  in  1850.  He  was  admitted  to  the  Bar 
at  Worcester  in  1852.  He  at  once  became  anything  but  a 
"briefless  barrister."  He  was  not  subjected  to  tbe  long  and 
weary  waiting  which  is  the  lot  of  most  young  men  on  entering 
the  profession,  but  was  speedily  in  active  practice.  He  was 
retained  almost  immediately  in  many  important  criminal  cases, 
among  which  were  a  number  for  murder— one  being  that  of 
Barker  (a  case  that  attracted  great  attention  at  the  time),  in 
which  he  was  associated  for  the  defense  with  ex-Judge  Dwight 
Foster,  tbe  prosecution  being  conducted  by  Judge  P.  E.  Aldrich 
and  the  late  Rufus  Choate. 

In  order  that  he  might  be  thoroughly  prepared  and  competent 
for  the  trial  of  cases  involving  medico-legal  questions,  Mr.  Pratt 
sought  the  knowledge  to  be  obtained  by  medical  studies,  and 
pursued  especially  and  thoroughly  that  of  anatomy.  From  1851 
to  1859  (in  which  year  he  removed  to  New  York),  he  labored 
incessantly,  and  without  holiday  or  rest. 


During  tbis  period  bis  remarkable  physical  strength  and  vigor 
disposed  him  to  active  exercise  and  sports.  He  became  an  ath- 
lete, was  expert  as  a  boxer  and  in  the  use  of  the  small  sword, 
broad  sword  and  bayonet,  in  which  he  took  lessons  from  skilled 
instructors.  The  passion  of  all  boys  for  military  matters  did 
not,  in  him,  cease  with  his  boybood,  but  grew  with  his  years, 
and  in  1851  he  enlisted  as  a  private  in  the  Worcester  Light  In- 
fantry, one  of  tbe  oldest  military  organizations  in  the  country, 
dating  back  to  about  1808.  He  became  successively  orderly-ser- 
geant, 2d  lieutenant  and  1st  lieutenant  of  tbe  company,  and  was 
then  elected  major  of  tho  10th  Regiment  Massachusetts  Infantry, 
in  which  he  served  for  two  or  three  years,  when  he  accepted  a 
position  as  major  on  the  staff  of  Major-General  Hobbs.  We  note 
this  early  chapter  of  his  military  experience  (while  at  the  same 
time  in  full  practice  as  a  lawyer),  as  the  precursor  of  bis  gallant 
and  skillful  action  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion. 

During  this  period  of  Mr.  Pratt's  life  he  was  earnest  and  ardent 
in  his  political  convictions.  His  sincerity  was  shown  by  his  act- 
ing and  identifying  himself  with  tbe  Democratic  party,  which 
in  Massachusetts  was  not  a  popular  or  profitable  service.  He  was 
so  effective  and  acceptable  as  a  speaker  that  his  voice  was  con- 
stantly invoked  and  heard  at  tbe  public  meetings  of  that  party 
in  central  Massachusetts,  and  not  (infrequently  in  Connecticut, 
New  Hampshire  and  Rhode  Island.  He  had  much  humor  and 
tact,  and  a  forcible,  clear  and  effective  way  of  stating  and  argu- 
ing bis  case,  that  told  with  great  effect  on  "  tbe  masses."  He  was 
appointed  a  justice  of  the  peace  in  Worcester  in  1853,  and  held 
that  office  until  his  removal  to  Brooklyn,  New  York,  in  1859.  He 
was  a  member  of  tbe  Massachusetts  Democratic  State  Central 
Committee,  a  delegate  to  all  tbe  Democratic  State  Conventions, 
and,  for  a  number  of  years,  chairman  of  the  County  Committee. 

He  was  wise  enough  at  the  same  time  not  to  allow  party  poli- 
tics to  divert  bis  mind  or  interfere  with  his  attention  to  legal, 
political,  medical  and  mechanical  science,  in  all  which  he  was 
a  constant  student;  and  he  also  sought  and  acquired  rare  knowl- 
edge of  gunnery  and  other  important  branches  of  military  ser- 
vice. These  acquirements,  aided  by  a  retentive  memory,  have 
verified,  throughout  his  career  at  the  Bar,  in  the  army  and  on  tbe 
Bench,  Lord  Bacon's  adage  that  "knowledge  is  power." 

In  May,  1859,  Mr.  fratt  removed  to  Brooklyn,  where  he  has 
ever  since  resided.  He  resumed  his  labor  at  the  law,  and,  in 
partnership  with  Levi  A.  Fuller,  Esq.  (having  their  office  at  No. 
39  Jauncey  Court,  New  York),  continued  in  active  practice  until 
tbe  breaking  out  of  the  Rebellion  in  April,  1861.  His  political 
associations  did  not  prevent  his  instantly  arraying  himself  on 
the  side  of  the  Union.  He  bade  good-bye  to  the  law  for  a  sea- 
son, and  determined  at  once  to  raise  a  regiment  and  lead  it  to 
the  front.  He  hired  the  premises  3G0  Pearl  street,  in  the  city  of 
New  York,  and,  with  his  accustomed  energy,  soon  recruited  seven 
full  companies.  These  recruits,  it  must  be  confessed,  were  not 
all  of  the  elite  of  the  land,  nor  even  of  the  "F.  F.  V's"  of  that 
part  of  the  city,  but  unsparing  and  incessant  drill  soon  :'.llus- 
trated  the  truth  that  strict  discipline  and  good  officers  can  make 
good  soldiers  out  of  almost  any  material.  By  an  arrangement 
with  William  H.  Browne,  Esq.,  these  seven  companies  were  con- 
solidated with  three  others,  which  had  been  recruited  by  that 
gentleman,  into  one  regiment,  being  the  3 1st  New  York  Volun- 
teers, of  which  Mr.  Pratt  was  thereupon  appointed  the  colonel 
and  Mr.  Browne  the  lieutenant-colonel.  Neither  of  these  gentle- 
men had  received  pecuniary  aid  in  raising  the  regiment,  but 
accomplished  it  in  the  short  space  of  twenty-nine  days  by  their 
own  means  and  exertions.  They  at  once  tendered  it  and  them- 
selves to  the  State,  in  the  service  of  which  it  was  "mustered  in  " 
on  the  27th  of  May,  and  into  that  of  the  United  States  on  the 
14th  of  June,  and  was  soon  thereafter  ordered  to  Washington,  to 
report  to  General  McDowell.  When  t»ken  into  the  State  service 
the  regiment  was  ordered  to  Riker's  Island,  in  East  River,  where 
Colonel  Pratt  devoted  himself  most  assiduously  to  its  drill  and 
equipment,  which  be  continued  until  about  the  19th  of  June, 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


J  l*  DUE    CALVIN    E.  PRATT. 


181)1,  when  lie  received  orders  to  move  it  on  the  following  day 
to  the  front  by  transports  to  Jersey  City,  and  thence  by  railroad 
on  the  next  Monday,  to  join  the  Western  army.  He  embarked 
his  command  accordingly,  but  the  transport  became  unmanage- 
able in  Hell  (late,  and  escaped  sinking  by  being  run  ashore  on 
Long  Island,  whence  he  marched  his  regiment  by  the  way  of 
the  Hunter's  Point  Ferry  to  New  York,  and  went  into  camp  in 
the  City  Hall  Park  barracks,  and  reported  to  the  Governor  at  i 
Albany  and  to  the  Adjutant-General  of  the  United  States  at 
Washington.  On  the  following  Sunday  the  men  were  "paid  off," 
and,  having  omitted  to  sign  "the  temperance  pledge,"  were  not 
in  the  best  condition  on  their  return  to  camp  at  evening.  Be- 
fore leaving  for  Washington,  a  brantiful  set  of  colors  was  pre- 
sented to  the  regiment  by  ladies  of  New  York  and  Brooklyn. 

On  the  24th,  the  regiment  proceeded  by  the  cars  at  Jersey 
City  for  Washington,  and  on  reaching  the  Northern  Depot  at 
Baltimore,  marched  through  that  city  to  the  Washington  Depot 
(at  its  southern  side).  It  was  the  first  regiment  that  moved  I 
through  Baltimore  after  the  'Jlst  April,  when  the  dtli  Massachu- 
setts was  attacked  by  the  mob,  and,  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet, 
forced  its  way  through  the  streets  on  its  march  to  Wash- 
ington, with  loss  of  many  lives,  alike  of  the  soldiers  and  of 
their  assailants.  Colonel  Pratt  expected  and  prepnred  for  a 
like  reeeption.  On  alighting  from  the  cars,  he  ordered  the  right 
and  left  (the  front  and  rear)  companies  to  load  their  muskets 
with  hull  cartridges.  He  addressed  t he  men,  enjoining  on  them 
coolness  and  steadiness,  and  under  no  provocation  to  fire  until 
tin  \  should  receive  orders  to  do  so.  The  stern  and  steady  hear 
intr  of  both  officers  and  men  secured  for  them  an  unimpeded 
march  to  the  Washington  train,  by  which  they  reached  that  city 
in  due  time,  and  went  into  camp  on  Seventh  street,  about  two 
mi  leu  from  the  Capitol. 

Soon  alter  tip.  famous  grand  review  of  the  army  by  (ieneral 
McDowell,  Colonel  Pratt,  pursuant  to  orders,  moved  across  tho 


Potomac  and  went  into  camp  on  Hunting  Creek,  in  the  imnie 
diate  neighborhood  of  the  city  of  Alexandria,  w  here  he  was  in- 
cessantly engaged  in  drilling  his  men  until  about  the  10th  of 
July,  when  his  regiment,  and  the  lfith  and  32d  New  York, 
were  consolidated  into  a  brigade,  under  the  command  of  the 
senior  officer  (a  West  Point  graduate),  Colonel  Thomas  A.  Davies, 
of  the  lfith  New  York. 

About  the  17th  July,  lHfil,  Colonel  Pratt  marched  with  his 
regiment  for  Centreville,  on  the  old  Braddock  Road,  and  after 
a  skirmish  at  Fairfax  Court  House,  encamped  on  the  DOOoaj 
night  at  Centreville.  The  famous  battle  of  Bull  Bun  was  fought 
on  Sunday,  July  21st.  Colonel  Pratt's  regiment  was  in  the  re- 
serve division,  under  General  Miles,  and  was  posted  on  the 
extreme  left  of  the  line  of  battle.  After  skirmishing  in  front  for 
some  time  without  finding  any  enemy  in  force  in  that  direction, 
he  was  ordered  to  take  command  of  his  own  regiment,  and  also 
of  the  32d  New  York,  and  support  General  Hunt's  battery.  A 
turning  column  of  the  rebels,  late  in  the  day,  made  a  vigorous 
attack  upon  Colonel  Pratt's  command,  but  were  handsome  ly  r>  - 
pulsed  and  driven  back.  He  then  received  directions  to  retreat, 
which  was  done  in  good  order.  After  falling  back  a  short  dis- 
tance, it  being  about  sundown,  the  line  was  reformed,  ami* 
stacked,  and  the  men  laid  down  to  rest.  Colonel  PrBtt's  regi- 
ment and  the  U2d  New  Y'ork  were  tw«  of  those  in  line  when 
Jeff.  Davis,  Beauregard  and  other  rebel  generals  rode  to  th* 
front  to  make  a  rcconnoissance.  In  the  rebel  report  of  the  battle 
it  was  gi\en  as  the  reason  for  their  not  advancing  on  Washington 
that  there  appeared  to  be  I'nion  troops  in  line  ready  for  batth 

About  midnight  Colonel  Pratt  ascertained  that  the  whole 
I'nion  army  was  in  full  retreat  on  Washington,  and  lie  there- 
upon gave  orders  to  fall  in,  and  marched  to  Alexandria,  where 
he  arrived  in  his  old  camp  without  the  loss  of  a  single  straggler 
from  his  command,  so  perfect  was  their  discijdine. 

His  conduct  in  the  battle  of  Bull  Bun  was  so  judicious,  skillful 


LEGAL  BIOGRAPHIES. 


1270 


and  gallant  that  he  was  recommended,  without  his  knowledge,  by 
his  superior  officers  for  promotion.  His  regiment  was  marked 
for  its  discipline  and  good  conduct.  On  reaching  camp  again, 
he  forthwith  resumed  drilling  his  men.  His  early  amateur  ex- 
perience in  the  militia  and  study  of  tactics  had  made  him  at  the 
outset  a  specially  capable  instructor  and  trainer  of  his  command. 

A  new  brigade  was  soon  formed  by  General  Franklin  (of  the 
regular  army),  consisting  of  Colonel  Pratt's  regiment  (the  31st) 
and  18th  and  32d  New  York  and  95th  Pennsylvania,  of  which 
General  John  Newton  was  placed  in  command. 

The  fall  and  winter  were  occupied  by  Colonel  Pratt  in  the 
usual  routine  of  camp,  picket  duty  and  drilling,  and  on  courts 
marshal,  by  one  of  which  Colonel  McCunn,  of  New  York,  was 
tried  and  dismissed;  and  much  of  Colonel  Pratt's  time  was  spent 
in  examining,  by  a  Board  of  which  he  was  the  president,  into  the 
qualifications  of  officers,  many  of  whom  were  examined  and 
dropped  from  the  rolls  on  reports  made  by  the  Board. 

In  April,  18C2,  Colonel  Pratt  embarked  with  his  command  from 
Alexandria  for  the  Peninsula,  and  arrived  at  Pocosin  Creek  a 
few  days  before  the  battle  of  Williamsburgh,  remaining  on  the 
transports  until  the  6th  of  May,  when  he  sailed  up  the  York 
ltiver  and  landed  at  Brick  House  Point  (or  West  Point,  as  it  was 
commonly  called).  On  the  morning  of  7th  of  May,  he  received 
orders  before  daylight^to  take  his  regiment  (the  31st  New  York) 
and  95th  Pennsylvania,  and  to  skirmish  in  front— make  a  recon- 
noissance  and  report.  In  obeying  this  order,  he  concluded  that 
from  the  nature  of  the  ground  one  regiment  was  sufficient  to  cover 
the  fronts;  so,  exercising  his  judgment,  and  taking  the  responsi- 
bility, he  kept  the  31st  Kegiment  in  reserve  (his  doing  which  was 
afterward  commended  by  General  Newton).  He  then  dashed  on 
with  his  skirmishers,  and  soon  found  the  enemy.  General  New- 
ton thereupon  sent  in  the  32d  New  York  and  95th  Pennsylvania 
to  make  an  attack.  They  encountered  the  enemy  in  such  force 
that  they  were  compelled,  after  sharp  fighting,  to  fall  back,  with 
much  loss  to  both  regiments.  Colonel  Pratt  was  thereupon  or- 
dered to  advance  with  his  regiment  (the  31st  New  York),  which  he 
did,  and  took  a  position  which  he  held  through  the  day,  carrying 
on  a  heavy  skirmish,  and  encountering  a  formidable  attack  by  a 
large  force  of  the  rebel  infantry,  which,  with  the  assistance  of  the 
27th  and  lGth  New  York  Regiments,  he  repulsed  with  great  loss 
to  them,  and  sustained  in  his  own  command  the  loss  of  eighty- 
seven  men,  a  majority  of  whom  were  killed,  and  among  them  five 
commissioned  officers  out  of  the  eighteen  who  went  into  the 
battle.  Such  a  loss  out  of  a  command  of  only  six  hundred  men 
attests  the  severity  of  the  engagement. 

The  next  day  the  regiment  received  the  thanks  of  General  Mc- 
Clellan.  Colonel  Pratt  was  specially  named  for  his  gallant  service, 
and  was  strongly  recommended  for  promotion  by  a  large  num- 
ber of  general  officers,  not  only  of  high  rank,  but  of  very  high 
personal  standing. 

Soon  after  the  battle  of  West  Point  the  army  marched  to  tho 
Chickahominy  River,  which  Colonel  Pratt,  with  his  command, 
crossed  about  the  24th  of  June,  and  was  busily  engaged  in  build- 
ing bridges,  and  other  work,  preliminary  to  the  fierce  conflict 
which  soon  followed.  On  the  20th  the  memorable  battle  of  seven 
days  commenced  near  Mechanicsville,  on  the  extreme  right  of 
our  army. 

On  the  27th,  Colonel  Pratt  was  ordered  to  return  across  the 
river  (to  the  north  side)  to  support  General  Fitz  John  Porter. 
The  battle  was  desperate,  terrible.  Colonel  Pratt  was  ordered 
with  his  regiment  to  charge  the  enemy,  and  while  in  its  front, 
gallantly  leading  it  on,  was  struck  in  his  left  check,  about  an 
inch  below  the  eye,  by  a  bullet,  which  passed  through  into  the 
head,  back  of  the  nose,  crushing  the  bones,  and  lodging  under 
the  check  bone,  below  the  right  eye,  where  it  still  remains, 
causing  him  at  times  excruciating  pain.  He  was  taken  to  the 
rear,  but  in  spite  of  his  suffering,  and  the  state  of  almost  total 
blindness  caused  by  the  wound,  he  mounted  his  horse  and 
rode  to  the  hospital  on  the  south  side  of  the  river. 


The  wound  could  not  be  then  dressed,  and  the  next  day  ho 
went,  some  six  miles,  to  Savage  Station,  where  the  surgeons 
examined  it,  pronounced  it  fatal,  and  directed  that  he  should 
not  be  moved.  A  few  hours  after  this  he  heard  sharp  firing  at 
a  short  distance,  and  learning  that  it  was  a  skirmish  between  the 
rear  guard  of  our  own  army  and  the  advance  of  the  rebels,  de- 
termined not  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  latter,  but  ordered 
his  horse,  and,  almost  entirely  blind  from  his  wound,  which  was 
still  undressed,  started  to  follow  the  army,  then  falling  back  to 
James  River,  which  was  reached  on  the  fourth  or  fifth  day  after 
he  was  wounded. 

An  incident  occurred  on  his  way  to  James  River  worthy  of 
mention.  It  was  after  dark  when  Colonel  Pratt,  in  wretched 
plight,  arrived  at  the  place,  on  the  south  side  of  White  Oak 
Swamp,  where  the  6th  Corps  had  encamped  in  line  of  battle.  A 
warm  friend  of  his,  Captain  Piatt,  of  the  regular  army,  was  then 
chief  of  artillery  of  the  6th  Corps,  and  had  placed  his  guns  in 
battery  ready  for  an  attack  by  the  enemy.  Colonel  Pratt  rode 
up  to  the  battery  and  inquired  for  an  officer,  but  finding  none, 
asked  the  sergeant  for  some  feed  for  his  horse.  Tho  man 
replied  that  they  had  none  to  spare,  and  were,  in  fact,  short 
themselves.  Colonel  Pratt  asked  for  Captain  Piatt,  who  soon 
after  came,  when  the  colonel  at  once  asked  him  for  some  forage. 
The  captain  said  it  was  impossible  to  spare  any  ;  that  ho  was 
sorry,  but  it  was  impossible,  &C,  and  wound  up  by  saying, 
"  Who  are  you  ?"  Colonel  Pratt  replied,  as  well  as  the  condition  of 
his  face  and  mouth  would  admit,  "I  am  Colonel  Piatt,  of  the  31st 
New  York."  Captain  Piatt  replied,  "I  don't  think  you  can  get 
anything  on  that  statement,  for  we  left  him  dead  on  the  other 
side  of  the  Chickahominy  three  days  ago."  "Well,  I  am  the 
man,"  Colonel  Pratt  replied.  It  is  needless  to  say  that  after 
that  he  was  supplied  with  the  necessary  forage  he  sought,  and 
having  found  his  regiment,  tied  his  horse  to  a  tree  and  laid 
down  upon  the  ground  to  sleep. 

General  Slocum,  learning  that  Colonel  Pratt  had  come  into 
camp,  sent  Captain  Hopkins,  his  quartermaster,  who  at  last  found 
him  and  took  him  to  the  general's  headquarters,  where  he 
spent  the  night  with  the  general  upon  the  floor  of  a  small  cabin. 

The  next  day,  Colonel  Pratt  mounted  his  horse  and  started 
for  the  James  River,  witnessing  the  battles  of  Charles  City,  Cross 
Roads  and  Malvern  Hill,  and  it  was  not  until  after  those  con- 
flicts were  over  that  he  received  any  surgical  attention  to  his 
terrible  wound,  which  had  thus  remained  during  five  days 
wholly  uncared  for. 

He  returned  to  Brooklyn  about  the  7th  of  July,  and  when  so 
far  relieved  from  his  wound  as  to  be  able  to  travel,  rejoined  his 
regiment  (about  the  1st  of  September),  just  after  the  second 
battle  of  Bull  Run.  General  MeClellan  then  resumed  tho  com- 
mand of  the  army,  and  nominated  a  number  of  colonels  for  pro- 
motion to  the  rank  of  general.  Colonel  Pratt  was  one  of  those 
whom  he  recommended. 

About  the  evening  of  the  5th  September,  the  army  moved  on 
the  famous  Maryland  campaign  to  meet  Lee,  who  with  the  rebel 
force  had  commenced  the  expedition  which  ended  disastrously 
to  them  at  Antietam. 

On  the  10th  September,  18G2,  while  on  this  march,  Colonel 
Tratt  was,  for  gallant  and  meritorious  conduct  in  the  field,  ap- 
pointed by  President  Lincoln  Brigadier-General  of  Volunteers. 
His  commission  did  not  reach  him  until  the  19th,  when  he  was 
assigned  to  succeed  General  Hancock  in  command  of  a  brigade 
in  General  W.  F.  Smith's  Division  of  the  famous  6th  Army  Corps. 

On  the  18th  September,  in  the  desperate  battle  of  Antietnm, 
General  Pratt  was  stationed  in  front  of  the  Dunker  Church,  and 
bore  an  active  and  efficient  part  in  support  of  the  Federal  bat- 
teries. He  was  struck  by  a  piece  of  shell,  but  the  injury  did 
not  disable  him  from  duty.  His  horse  was  at  the  some  time 
wounded  under  him. 

A  few  days  after  the  battle,  he  was  sent  with  his  brigade  to 
Cunningham's  Cross  Roads  to  intercept  Stewart,  a  rebel  general, 


12S0 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


who  was  making  a  raid  in  the  rear  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. 
Alter  this  service,  be  remained  with  the  army  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  Hagerstown,  while  it  was  recruiting  and  receiving  sup- 
plies, until  about  the  1st  November,  when  it  moved  down  the 
east  side  of  the  Blue  Ridge  to  New  Baltimore  and  Warrentown. 
At  New  Baltimore,  General  Pratt  was  ordered  to  make  a  recon- 
noissance  through  the  gap  west  of  that  place,  to  ascertain  if  the 
rear  of  the  Confederate  army  had  passed,  which  was  done  and 
report  made  that  it  had  not.  It  appears  that  at  this  time  Jackson 
and  the  two  Hills  were  far  north  of  this  point  upon  the  march, 
and  if  MeClellan  had  been  permitted  to  attack  Lee  and  Long- 
street  in  his  front  at  Warrentown,  he  must  have  defeated  them 
in  detail.  At  this  time  MeClellan  was  removed,  and  Bnrnside 
succeeded  him  in  command  of  the  army.  Thence  it  inarched 
to  White  Oak  Church  and  Falmouth,  on  the  north  side  of  the 
Rappahannock,  opposite  Fredericksburgh. 

In  December,  about  the  Kith,  1 1th  and  15th,  occurred  the  great 
and  disastrous  battle  of  Fredericksburgh.  The  necessary  limits 
of  this  sketch  of  General  Pratt  restricts  us  (as  in  all  the  other 
portions  of  the  narrative)  to  a  very  concise  mention  of  the  part 
he  bore.  His  brigade  was  the  first  of  the  left  grand  division  to 
cross  the  river,  and  was  in  the  first  line  of  the  desperate  battle 
for  two  days  and  two  nights.  It  was  hopeless  from  the  outset, 
for  our  troops  had  nothing  to  do  but  to  charge  their  uncovered 
breasts  against  the  impregnable  breastworks  of  the  rebels,  and 
though  they  did  so  again  and  again  with  the  most  intrepid,  im- 
petuous, and  reckless  bravery,  there  could,  in  the  nature  of 
tilings,  be  but  one  result  -that  of  failure.  On  the  night  of  the 
retreat  across  the  river,  in  the  face  of  the  enemy,  General  Pratt 
was  ordered  to  bike  charge  of  the  troops  of  the  left  grand  divi- 
sion at  the  crossing.  This  most  delicate,  difficult,  and  all-im- 
portant  duty  was  performed  with  such  skill  and  ability,  that  the 
last  of  the  rear  guard  was  crossed  to  the  north  bank  just  before 
daylight.  The  slightest  accident,  panic,  or  confusion  might 
have  resulted  in  the  loss  of  half  the  army.  General  Pratt 
acquired  much  added  distinction  by  his  conduct  in  this  battle 
and  at  its  close. 

Late  in  December,  in  the  same  year  (1802),  he  went  on  what 
was  familiarly  termed  "  the  mud  campaign  "  of  General  Born- 
ride.  His  brigade  was  selected  to  lead  in  crossing  the  Rappa- 
hannock River,  and  in  storming  the  rebel  works.  But  a  severe 
rain-storm  made  it  impossible  to  bring  the  artillery  and  the 
pontoons  through  the  hopeless  depths  of  mud  to  the  bank  of  the 
river,  and  the  attack  and  campaign  were  necessarily  abandoned. 

The  command  of  the  army  was  then  assumed  by  General 
Honker,  and  soon  after  General  Pratt  was  ordered  to  select  the 
requisite  number  of  regiments  and  to  form  a  Light  Division. 
He  did  so,  and  the  command  which  he  thus  organized  consisted 
of  thf  iilst  and  l:td  New  York,  the  4!»th  and  (12d  Pennsylvania, 
the  0th  Maine,  the  5th  Wisconsin,  and  Halm's  Independent 
Light  Battery.  General  Pratt  was  placed  in  command  of  this 
fine  body  of  troops. 

A  short  time  prior  to  the  campaign  of  Chancellorsville,  General 
Pratt  stated  to  General  Hooker  that  he  would  with  his  command 
march  ten  days  without  any  supply  wagons.  General  Hooker 
doubted  this  Imld  proposition,  as  up  to  that  time  the  infantry 
troops  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  had  not  carried  more  than 
five  days'  rations.  General  Hooker,  however,  at  once  issued  an 
order  appointing  a  Board,  of  which  General  Pratt  was  the  Presi- 
dent, to  take  the  subject  into  consideration  and  report  to  him. 
The  Board  met  at  General  Pratt's  headquarters.  Men  were  de- 
tailed from  various  regiments  to  appear  in  heavy  marching  order. 
1  ,\ •  ry  article  borne  b\  il,.  m  a  ei;dod,  and  then  the  knap- 
sacks were  emptied  and  the  usual  three  days'  rations  were  placed 
in  haversacks,  and  seven  days' rations  of  hard  tack  packed  in  the 
knapsacks  It  was  found  that  the  extra  rations,  with  blanket 
and  extra  pair  of  socks,  did  not,  on  the  average,  weigh  more 
than  what  soldiers  usually  carried.  A  report  of  the  facts  was 
made  in  detail,  and  General  Pratt  submitted  a  proposition  to 


drive  upon  the  hoof  sufficient  meat  for  the  other  seven  days,  and 
to  furnish  each  regiment  with  a  mule  and  pack-saddle  to  carry 
camp  kettles  and  desiccated  vegetables  sufficient  for  the  seven 
extra  days.  The  report  was  at  once  adopted,  approved,  printed 
and  circulated  through  the  army. 

This,  we  believe,  was  the  first  attempt  to  leave  the  supply 
train  behind  for  more  than  three  or  five  days  at  one  time. 

General  Pratt's  new  commaud  was  then  diligently  drilled,  and 
thoroughly  fitted  for  special  service.  It  remained  through  the 
winter  in  camp,  without  being  called  on  for  any  general  picket 
duty. 

General  Pratt's  promotion  as  brigadier-general  was  confirmed 
by  the  United  States  Senate  in  the  winter  of  18G3. 

His  military  service,  which  had  to  this  time  been  brilliant  and 
successful,  was  unexpectedly  terminated  by  an  imperative  call 
to  another,  though  less  congenial,  field  of  duty,  which  he  was 
not  at  liberty  to  disregard,  or  postpone  to  his  own  wishes  and 
advancement.  The  death  of  a  near  family  connexion,  by  whose 
will  (disposing  of  a  large  property)  he  was  made  an  executor, 
and  the  probate  of  which  will  was  resisted,  resulting  in  an  active 
and  protracted  lawsuit,  left  him  no  alternative,  but  compelled 
him  to  resign  his  commission,  and  devote  himself  to  the  war  of 
the  forum  instead  of  that  of  the  field. 

His  resignation  was  not  acted  on  until  after  the  army  had 
moved  on  what  is  known  as  the  Chancellorsville  campaign. 

General  Pratt  was  ordered  to  assume  the  duty,  with  his  com- 
mand  and  that  of  General  Alexander  Shaler,  of  making  the  nec- 
essary preparations  for  the  army  to  cross  the  Rap  River,  be- 
low Fredericksburgh,  under  direction  of  General  Bonhani, 
the  chief  engineer  on  General  Hooker's  staff.  This  duty  he 
performed,  and  the  crossing  by  the  army  was  successful.  The 
following  day  (May  3d)  he  received  notice  of  the  acceptance  of 
his  resignation  (which  had  been  sent  in  about  the  1st  April), 
and,  with  a  reluctant  heart,  sheathed  his  sword  and  resumed 
the  weapons  of  the  law. 

On  returning  to  his  home,  he  again  pursued  the  practice  of 
his  profession,  in  partnership  with  the  late  Grenville  F.  Jenks, 
Esq.  Ex- Judge  James  Eniott  and  Hon.  Joshua  M.  Van  OoM 
afterwards  became  members  of  the  firm.  Their  business  was 
large  and  prosperous.  Among  the  cases  in  which  they  were 
employed,  were  that  of  Mrs.  Gaines,  the  widow  of  General  E. 
V.  Gaines,  and  several  capital  cases  of  great  interest. 

In  the  summer  of  181!"),  General  Pratt  was  appointed  by  Presi- 
dent Johnson  to  the  office  of  Collector  of  Internal  Revenue, 
which  he  held  until  March  4th,  18f>fi.  He  contiuued  thenceforth 
in  the  active  practice  of  law  until  18G9,  when  he  was  elected, 
we  may  say,  by  the  common  consent  of  the  whole  community, 
and  of  the  Bar,  as  a  judge  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  Second 
District.  He  received  the  rare  honor  of  a  nomination  by  both 
political  parties,  and  was  elected  without  opposition  Mis 
term  expired  in  1877,  when  he  was  selected  for  a  term  of  tour 
teen  years  with  the  like  expression  of  respect,  confidence  and 
approval,  for  he  again  received  an  unanimous  nomination  by 
both  the  Democratic  and  Republican  parties.  The  satisfaction 
which  he  has  given  and  the  ability  which  he  has  shown  dur- 
ing his  fourteen  years'  service  as  a  judge,  could  not  be  more 
fully  vouched. 

His  experience  and  service  at  nisi  jtrius  exceed,  perhaps,  that 
of  any  other  judge.  He  has,  it  is  believed,  presided  at  more 
jury  trials  than  any  other  judge  in  this  country  (unless,  possibly. 
Judge  Van  Brunt  of  New  York)  has  done,  having  been  constantly 
engaged  during  the  last  fourteen  years  in  holding  circuit  until 
January,  1HSII,  when  he  took  his  seal  at  General  Term,  pursuant 
to  assignment  by  Governor  Cornell.  The  "  causes  cdtbri" 
tried  before  him  have  been  too  numerous  for  mention  here. 
Among  them,  was  the  remarkable  case  of  Jlui.msh  in,  convicted 
of  murder  in  1*75,  in  which  Judge  Pratt's  charge  to  the  jury, 
delivered  without  note,  or  reference  to  the  testimony  on  the 
trial,  which  lasted  several  days,  was  decided  by  lawyers  as  a 


LEGAL  BIOGRAPHIES. 


V2  si 


model  of  lucid  statement,  and  of  exposition  of  the  law  as  regards 
circumstantial  evidence. 

His  service  during  this  period  was  not  exclusively  on  jury 
trials.  He  sat  in  a  great  number  of  important  equity  cases,  and 
from  time  to  time  at  the  General  Term.  His  opinions  are  con- 
tained in  the  volumes  of  reports,  and  constitute  a  part  of  the 
record  of  his  life. 

The  boldest,  if  not  the  best,  act  of  his  judicial  life  was  that  of 
granting  a  stay  of  proceedings  in  the  case  of  Foster,  convicted 

of  murder  in  18  .    Popular  opinion,  popular  clamor,  and 

the  public  press  were  unanimous,  excited,  vehement,  in  call- 
ing for  the  execution  of  the  culprit — against  "the  law's  delay  "  of 
an  appeal  to  the  Court  of  Appeals — therefore  against  the  stay  of 
proceedings  necessary  to  effect  the  appeal.  But  Judge  Pratt, 
with  whom  it  was  discretionary,  deemed  it,  under  the  circum- 
stances, the  prisoner's  right,  and  therefore  his  own  duty,  that 
the  stay  should  be  granted.  To  make  the  order  was  to  defy  all 
the  potent  influences  we  have  named,  but  he  did  not  hesitate, 
and,  with  characteristic  courage,  and  the  like  boldness  which 
marked  his  action  in  the  field,  he  made  the  stay.  From  one 
end  of  the  country  to  the  other,  his  action  was  denounced. 
Threatening  letters  poured  in  upon  him.  Even  the  pulpit  up- 
braided him.  But  justice  held  its  even  course,  and  the  calm 
dignity  and  power  of  the  law  and  the  rights  even  of  the  guilty 
were  vindicated.  The  Court  of  Appeals,  in  its  opinion  confirm- 
ing the  conviction  of  the  prisoner,  expressed  its  strong  ap- 
proval of  Judge  Pratt's  action  in  granting  the  stay,  which  it  held 
to  be  eminently  proper  and  right.  Fickle  popular  opinion  soon 
reacted  and  changed  its  direction,  and  before  the  day  fixed  for 
Foster's  execution,  the  most  prominent  lawyers,  many  ministers, 
and  a  multitude  .of  others  made  urgent  appeals  to  Governor  Dix 
for  executive  clemency;  and,  to  cap  the  climax,  the  succeeding 
Legislature  amended  the  law,  so  as  to  prevent  another  conviction 
in  like  cases. 

In  the  beginning  of  this  sketch,  we  intimated  that  we  should 
refrain  from  commendations  of  its  subject,  but  we  may  be 
pardoned  if,  in  closing  it,  we  cite  the  words  of  one  of  Judge 
Pratt's  political  opponents,  who  (at  the  Kepublican  Convention 
which  nominated  him  for  re-election  in  1877)  described  him  as 
"a  judge  who,  in  administering  his  high  office,  has  held 
the  scales  with  even  hand,  has  been  absolutely  impartial,  and 
known  no  favorites,  who  has  been  diligent  and  efficient  in 
the  despatch  of  business,  who  has  brought  to  the  performance 
of  his  duties  clearness  and  strength  of  mind,  muscular  common 
sense,  patience  in  listening  to  cases,  laborious  study,  sound 
judgment  and  uprightness,  and  who,  by  his  dignity,  courtesy 
and  kindness,  has  secured  the  respect  and  attachment  of  the 
Bar." 

Such  has  been  the  career  of  Judge  Pratt  as  lawyer,  soldier  and 
on  the  Bench;  and  such  is  the  esteem  in  which  he  is  held  in  this 
community. 


LUCIEN  BIRDSEYE. 

Lucien  Birdseye  was  born  at  Pompey,  Onondaga  County,  N. 
Y.,  October  10th,  1821.  His  father,  the  late  Hon.  Victory  Birdseye, 
was  a  historic  character  of  central,  and  we  may  well  say  of  the 
State  of  New  York;  a  native  of  Cornwall,  Connecticut;  born 
December  25th,  1782;  the  descendant  of  the  most  prominent 
family  of  his  native  State. 

The  unusual  name  of  Victory  came  into  the  family  by  an 
interesting  incident. 

One  of  Mr.  Birdseye's  maternal  ancestors,  when  a  young 
infant,  was  brought  by  its  parents  one  Sunday  morning,  in 
September,  1759,  to  the  church  to  receive  the  rite  of  baptism: 
this  was  in  one  of  the  most  exposed  settlements  of  the  Colony 
of  New  Haven,  Connecticut,  during  what  is  known  as  the 
French  and  Indian  war. 

Upon  the  success  of  the  English  depended  the  safety  of  the 


little  settlement  from  the  tomahawk  of  the  Indian.  Hardly  had 
the  pastor  and  people  gathered  at  the  little  churcli,  when  a 
horseman,  bearing  a  white  flag  and  shouting  "  Victory!  victory! 
victory!"  halted  at  the  church  door.  In  a  moment  the  con- 
gregation were  on  their  feet,  and  the  glorious  news  of  the  victory 
of  the  English  on  the  heights  of  Abraham,  on  the  IStfa  of 
September,  was  announced.  The  French  and  Indians  had  been 
defeated,  and  all  danger  from  a  murderous  attack  on  the  colonists 
was  at  an  end.  General  Wolfe,  the  glorious  commander  of  the 
English,  had  fallen,  but  he  died  victorious. 

The  congregation  caught  up  the  cry,  and  the  words  "Victory! 
victory!"  resounded  through  the  church.  When  quiet  was  restored 
the  child  was  brought  forward  for  baptism.  The  aged  minister, 
still  excited  by  the  glorious  news,  probably  forgetting  the  name 
of  the  child,  dipped  his  hand  in  the  water  and  laying  it  on  the 
forehead  of  the  child,  said,  with  impressive  fervency,  "Victory, 
I  baptize  thee,  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of 
the  Holy  Ghost."  Henceforth,  the  name  of  Victory  became  a 
family  name,  and  was  highly  honored  by  the  distinguished 
lawyer,  Victory  Birdseye,  to  whom  we  have  referred. 

He  prepared  for  college  partly  at  the  grammar  school  at 
Cornwall,  Connecticut,  and  at  Lansingbnrgh,  New  York.  In 
September,  1800,  he  entered  Williams  College,  Massachusetts, 
from  whence,  on  September  4th,  1804,  he  was  graduated.  Among 
his  classmates  were  Luther  Bradish,  Robert  and  Henry  D. 
Sedgwick.  In  the  class  of  1803  were  the  Hon.  Samuel  R.  Betts 
and  Daniel  Mosley,  afterwards  so  prominent  in  the  judicial 
history  of  New  York. 

As  he  had  decided  upon  entering  the  legal  profession,  he 
went  to  Lansingburgh,  and  became  a  law  student  in  the  office  of 
his  maternal  uncle,  Gideon  Tomlinson,  a  prominent  lawyer  of 
that  place.  His  industry  and  acumen  as  a  student  attracted 
the  attention  of  the  members  of  the  Bar,  who  did  not  hesitate  to 
express  a  decided  opinion  that  he  was  to  be  successful  as  a 
lawyer.  Victory  Birdseye  was  admitted  as  an  attorney  of  the 
New  York  Supreme  Court,  February  12th,  1807,  and  took  the 
degree  of  counselor  at  law,  February  15th,  1810. 

In  June,  1807,  he  became  a  resident  of  Pompey,  Onondaga 
County,  New  York.  In  October,  1813,  he  married  Miss  Electa 
Beebee,  of  Onondaga  Hill.  Possessing  those  qualities  which 
admirably  capacited  him  for  the  legal  profession,  he  entered 
ardently  and  successfully  into  practice.  About  the  time  Mr. 
Birdseye  settled  at  Pompey,  that  powerful  legal  gladiator,  B. 
Davis  Noxon,  so  well  known  in  the  legal  history  of  Central  and 
Western  New  York,  settled  at  Marcellus,  Onondaga  County,  and 
became  one  of  Mr.  Birdseye's  rivals  at  the  Bar,  but  the  rivalry 
between  the  young  lawyers  was  generous  and  high-toned:  each 
seemed  to  rejoice  in  the  other's  success,  and  both  made  their 
way  to  the  front  rank  of  the  profession.  Mr.  Birdseye  wus  a 
man  who,  without  any  apparent  effort,  was  always  a  favorite 
with  the  people,  and  always  receiving  evidence  of  their  confi- 
dence, personal,  political  and  professional. 

In  November,  1814,  he  was  elected  to  Congress,  serving  from 
March  4th,  1815,  to  March  4th,  1817. 

He  was  a  delegate  to  the  Constitutional  Convention  of  1821. 
which  formed  the  second  Constitution  of  the  State.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  Assembly  for  1823,  and  of  the  State  Senate 
during  the  years  1827-28.  He  was  again  elected  member  of 
Assembly  in  1838  and  1840,  and  was  elected  to  the  27th  Congress 
in  November,  1840;  he  occupied  a  seat  in  that  body  from  March 
1841-43.  As  a  legislator,  he  took  a  high  and  responsible  posi- 
tion, wielding  influence  asa  strong,  cogent  and  versatile  debater; 
as  a  quick-sighted,  sagacious  and  energetic  member  of  com- 
mittees. Few  men  were  more  thoroughly  esteemed  and  honored 
at  home  than  Mr.  Birdseye;  this  is  evidenced  by  many  pleasing 
illustrations.  He  was  for  many  years  postmaster;  Master  in 
Chancery  for  several  years:  in  1818  he  was  appointed  District 
Attorney  of  Onondaga  County,  discharging  the  duties  of  that 
important  office  for  about  fifteen  years.    Time  or  space  will  not 


1283 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


permit  «s  to  detail  but  a  small  part  of  the  history  of  this 
eminent  anil  highly  esteemed  lawyer;  esteemed  as  few  men 
have  ever  been.  His  long,  distinguished  and  useful  life  came 
suddenly  to  a  close. 

On  the  evening  of  September  15th,  1853,  he  retired  jn  his 
usual  health,  and  sometime  during  the  night  his  spirit  peace- 
fully passed  away.  Such  was  the  father  of  Luni  n  Birdseye.  The 
truthful  and  faithful  historian  can  find  no  better  subject  for 
his  pen;  the  life  of  the  distinguished  father  should  form  a  part 
of  that  of  his  eminent  son. 

Lucres  Birdseye,  the  real  character  of  this  sketch,  with  the 
example  of  such  n  father  before  him,  entered  life  under 
auspicious  circumstances.  He  prepared  for  college  at  the  Ponipey 
Academy,  and  entered  Yale  in  October,  1837,  graduating  August 
Kith,  1841.  A  singular  incident  connected  with  the  class  of 
1841,  is  the  fact  that  it  has  furnished  four  judges  of  the  Su- 
preme Court  of  the  State  Gilbert  Dean,  Lucien  Birdseye,  and 
Joseph  F.  Barnard,  of  the  Second  District;  and  Wm,  L.  Lamed, 
of  the  Third  District. 

Having  decided  to  follow  the  profession  of  his  father,  he 
entered  his  office  as  a  student  at  law,  where  he  remained  for  two 
years;  he  completed  his  legal  education  in  the  office  of  the 
highly  honored  law  firm  of  Kirkland  &  Bacon,  of  Utiea,  New 
York.  Both  these  gentlemen  still  survive,  illustrious  examples 
of  the  beautiful  old  age  which  sometimes  crowns  the  life  of  the 
active  lawyer,  the  polished  nnd  erudite  scholar. 

No  name  is  more  frequently  found  in  the  legal  reports  of  the 
State  than  that  of  Mr.  Kirkland;  the  practitioner,  the  student  and 
the  judge,  in  consulting  these  reports,  are  convinced  of  the  depth 
of  Mr.  Kirkland's  learning,  the  erudition  he  has  imparted  to  the 
books,  and  the  wondrous  extent  of  his  practice;  he  is  therefore 
one  of  the  last  survivors  of  the  giants  of  the  old  Supreme  Court, 
and  the  court  of  dernier  ressorl  of  the  State  of  New  York.  Mr. 
Bacon  was  an  honored  member  of  the  judiciary  of  the  State,  a 
Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court,  a  jurist  of  great  purity  of  character, 
mature  and  practical  learning,  impartiality  and  courtesy.  Such 
were  Mr.  Birdseye's  legal  preceptors. 

On  July  11th,  1841,  he  was  called  to  the  Bar,  at  a  General 
Term  of  the  Supreme  Court  held  at  Utica.  The  illustrious 
Samuel  Nelson— afterwards  a  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of 
the  United  States— was  then  Chief  Justice.  Greene  C.  Bronson 
and  Samuel  Beardsley  —  names  synonymous  with  judicial  great- 
ness —were  associate  Justices.  The  Chief  Justice,  in  admitting 
Mr.  birdseye  to  practice,  congratulated  him  upon  his  accession 
to  the  Bar,  of  which  his  father  was  so  long  a  conspicuous 
member.  "Not  only  personal ly  known  to  me,"  said  the  ChTef 
Justice,  "but  he  was  my  highly  esteemed  friend,  and  I  have  no 
doubt  but  you  will  follow  in  his  honored  footsteps." 

l>uring  his  student  days,  Mr.  Birdseye  decided  to  make 
Memphis,  St.  Louis  or  Chicago  his  future  home;  but,  on  due 
reflection,  after  receiving  his  license,  he  decided  upon  Albany, 
New  York,  as  the  place  of  his  future  residence.  Accordingly,  in 
October,  1844,  he  removed  to  that  city  and  commenced  his 
practice. 

In  1840,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Catherine  M.  Baker,  of 
Pompey,  Now  York. 

He  entered  at  once  into  a  very  respectable  and  increasing  prac- 
ti  •  in  the  meantime  his  honored  preceptor,  Mr.  Kirkland,  re- 
moved to  New  York  City  and  resumed  his  practice  there;  in  his 
removal  to  that  city,  he  follow ed  tin-  example ol  such  conspicuous 
names  as  Win.  Curtis  Noycs,  Luther  It.  Marsh,  Wm.  and  Charles 
Tracy,  and  other  leaders  of  the  New  York  City  Bar.  Mr. 
Kirkland's  accomplishments  as  a  lawyer  were  at  once  re- 
cognized by  the  New  York  City  Har. 

After  his  removal  to  New  York,  he  invited  Mr.  Birdseye  to 
become  Ins  law  partner  in  that  city:  the  invitation  was  accepted, 
and  on  the  1st  of  May.  1850,  the  firm  of  Kirkland  A  Birdseye 
opened  an  ollicc  nnd  commenced  business  at  3'.<  Wall  street 

The  wide  and  well-known  standing  of  the  head  of  the  firm 


secured  from  the  beginning  full  and  remunerative  occupation. 
The  fact  that  a  brother  of  Mrs.  Birdseye  was  then  a  resident  of 
Brooklyn,  induced  Mr.  Birdseye,  in  the  spring  of  1850,  to  be- 
come a  resident  of  that  city. 

Early  in  July,  1856,  Hon.  Wm.  Rockwell,  a  justice  of  the 
Supreme  Court  of  the  Second  District,  suddenly  died,  and 
Governor  Clark  immediately  tendered  the  office  to  Mr.  birdseye, 
who,  after  considerable  deliberation  and  hesitancy,  accepted  it. 
The  salary  of  a  justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  was  then  only 
$2,500  per  annum— not  a  very  inviting  remuneration  for  the 
labors  and  responsibilities  of  the  office. 

Of  the  other  three  judges  of  the  district,  Judge  S.  B.  Strong 
resided  atSetauket,  Suffolk  County;  Judge  Brown  at  Ncwburgh, 
and  Judge  Emott  at  Poughkeepsie.  Judge  Rockwell  had  been 
failing  in  health  for  some  time  prior  to  his  decease;  and  the  legal 
business  of  Brooklyn,  then  not  small,  and  since  so  vastly 
increased  in  volume  and  amount,  had  fallen  largely  in  arrears. 

When  he  commenced  the  duties  of  his  office,  Judge  Birdseye 
devoted  himself  to  the  clearing  off  these  arrears.  At  the  close 
of  his  term,  on  December  31,  1857,  the  calendars  of  the  Circuit 
and  Equity  Term  of  Kings  County  had  been  cleared;  the  mo- 
tions at  Chambers  had  been  heard  and  decided;  and  since 
that  time  there  has  been  no  such  accumulation  of  business  as 
had  before  185(5  clogged  the  calendars  of  the  court  in  that 
county. 

At  the  fall  election  in  1857,  Judge  John  A.  Lott  was  nomi- 
nated by  the  Democratic  party,  and  Judge  Birdseye  by  the  Repub- 
lican party,  for  the  remaining  four  years  of  the  unexpired  term 
of  Judge  Rockwell.  Judge  Loft  was  elected  by  nearly  the  full 
majority  then  usual  in  that  strongly  Democratic  district,  and 
Judge  Birdseye  returned  to  practice  in  the  city  of  New  Yrork. 

Prior  to  his  appointment,  the  firm  had  become  Kirkland. 
Birdseye  &  Sommers,  by  the  admission  thereto  of  John  15. 
Yates  Sommers,  Esq.  On  the  dissolution  of  that  firm  by  the 
retirement  therefrom  of  Judge  Birdseye,  Henry  W.  Johnson, 
Esq.,  then  of  Albany,  had  joined  Mr.  Sommers.  On  leaving  the 
Bench,  Judge  Birdseye  became  associated  with  them,  under  the 
style  of  Birdseye,  Sommers  &  Johnson.  That  firm  was  dissolved 
in  October,  18(51,  and  Mr.  Birdseye  remained  in  practice  without 
any  associate  until  January,  18G5.  when  he  took  into  partnership 
Charles  P.  Crosby,  Esq.,  formerly  of  Detroit,  Mich.  That  MM> 
ciation  continued  until  August,  1872,  when  it  gave  place  to  the 
firm  of  Birdseye,  Cloyd  &  Bayliss,  which  has  continued  to  the 
present  time  unchanged ;  except  by  the  admission  to  the  firm,  but 
without  change  of  name,  of  Mr.  Clarence  L.  Birdseye,  the  son 
of  the  senior  partner. 

Judge  Rirdseye  possesses  many  qualities  which  give  success 
to  the  lawyer  and  the  judge.  To  use  the  language  of  another: 
"Judge  Birdseye,  after  leaving  the  Bench,  was  for  several  years 
very  much  occupied  with  the  hearing  of  causes  referred  to  hini. 
Finding  this  class  of  engagement  to  interfere  with  his  general 
practice,  he  declined  to  serve  any  longer  as  a  Referee.  Judge 
Birdseye  is  very  rapid  in  thought,  speech  and  action,  and 
accomplishes  a  great  amount  of  labor  in  a  short  time,  lb'  is 
gifted  with  a  rare  memory  of  facts,  dates  and  principles,  and 
is  enabled  to  refer  to  the  authorities  with  great  facility." 

The  amount  and  importance  of  the  litigation  in  which  Judge 
Birdseye  has  been  engaged,  is  a  truthful  and  interesting  history 
of  his  career  at  the  Bar,  and  is  a  history  which  needs  no  0OM  I 
illustration;  any  intelligible  account  of  them  that  would  pal  the 
reader  in  possession  of  a  knowledge  of  the  vest  interests  involved 
in  them,  and  the  subtle  points  upon  which  they  turn,  w  ni  l 
form  the  contents  for  a  respectable  volume,  anil  a  mere  tabulated 
account  of  them  would  dwarf  their  interest  They,  howeYOT, 
occupy  a  prominent  place  in  legal  history,  reported  among  the 
cases  adjudicated  in  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  State,  and  in  the 
Court  of  Appeals.  Thero  they  will  be  found  at  length,  and  we 
commend  them  to  the  practitioner  and  to  tho  legal  student  tot 
i   tho  variety  and  importance  of  tho  legal  principles  involved  in 


t 


LEGAL  BIOGRAPHIES. 


them,  many  of  which  are  original,  standing  as  prominent  prece- 
dents in  legal  learning.  This  brings  us  to  say  that  the  briefs  of 
Judge  Birdseye,  many  of  which  are  wholly  transferred  to  the 
reported  cases,  exhibit  his  industry,  his  comprehension  and  Lis 
analytic  powers. 

"  A  well  prepared  brief,"  said  Lord  Erskine,  "  is  a  better  indi- 
cation of  a  good  lawyer  than  a  dozen  speeches  at  the  Bar;  for, 
after  all,  out  of  a  well-prepared  brief  comes  an  eloquent  argu- 
ment." In  speaking  of  the  important  cases  conducted  by  Judge 
Birdseye  as  a  lawyer,  it  is  proper  to  add  that  many  of  his  opin- 
ions delivered  as  a  judge  commend  themselves  to  the  profes- 
sion for  the  strength  of  their  verbiage,  condensation  of  reason, 
and  unity  with  the  philosophy  of  the  law. 

They  exhibit  a  conscientious  devotion  to  his  judicial  duties 
and  an  independent  impartiality.  For  their  history  and  a  full 
understanding  of  his  opinions,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the 
reported  cases  found  in  the  3rd,  4th  and  5th  volumes  of  Abbott's 
Pr.  Rep.,  the  4th,  14th  and  15th  of  Howard's  Pr.  Rep.,  and  in  the 
24th  to  the  27th  volumes  of  Barbour's  Reports.  "  Many  of  them 
interpreting  the  Code  on  questions  before  unsettled,  and  some 
on  questions  of  great  general  importance." 

Among  the  cases  conducted  by  Judge  Birdseye,  which  will 
recall  to  the  reader  their  history  and  importance  without  any 
amplification,  were  the  cases  of  "  Prouty,  Boardman,  Jermain 
and  others  v.  The  Michigan  Soutliern  and  Northern  Indiana  R.  R. 
Company"  which,  during  the  litigation,  was  consolidated  with 
other  corporations,  to  form  the  Lake  Shore  and  Michigan 
Southern  R.  R.  Company.  Soon  after  Judge  Birdseye  was  re- 
tained in  this  controversy,  these  companies  passed  under  the 
control  of  Cornelius  Vanderbilt,  and  of  his  son-in-law,  a  lawyer 
of  great  ingenuity  and  force. 

"The  claims  for  arrears  of  dividends  on  the  preferred  and 
guaranteed  stock  of  the  M.  S.  &  N.  I.  R.  R.  Co.  had  been 
repeatedly  presented,  without  success,  both  in  New  York  and 
elsewhere:  13  Allen  R.  (Mass.),  400.  Other  like  cases  had  arisen 
in  other  States,  with  like  result.  (Taft  v.  H.,  P.  &  F.  R.  R.  Co., 
8  R.  I.  Rep.,  310.)  The  utmost  resources  of  Commodore  Van- 
derbilt and  his  powerful  corporations  were  used  in  resisting 
these  suits.  Besides  Mr.  Clark  and  Mr.  Augustus  Schell,  his 
associate  in  the  company,  there  were  employed  in  the  defense, 
at  various  times,  Samuel  J.  Tilden,  James  P.  Sinnott,  George 
Ticknor  Curtis,  Smith  M.  Weed,  James  Matthews,  and  others. 
The  cases  were  many  times  in  the  General  Term  of  the  Supreme 
Court,  and  in  the  Court  of  Appeals.  After  much  skirmishing, 
the  cases  were  finally  tried  on  their  merits,  as  may  be  seen  in 
84  New  York,  157;  85  New  York,  272;  91  New  York,  483.  These 
fierce  litigations  extended  over  fourteen  years,  and  were  success- 
ful. Another  noteworthy  series  of  litigations,  conducted  by 
Judge  Birdseye,  was  brought  to  an  early  and  successful  termi- 
nation, being  for  the  foreclosure,  in  the  courts  of  New  Mexico 
and  Colorado,  of  the  mortgage  on  the  Maxwell  tract — a  tract  of 
land  granted  by  the  Republic  of  Mexico  to  Beaubien  and 
Miranda,  in  1841 — some  seven  years  prior  to  the  transfer  to  the 
United  States  of  the  territory  now  comprised  in  Southern 
Colorado,  New  Mexico,  Arizona,  and  California.  Employed  in 
these  cases  in  March,  1879,  Judge  Birdseye,  before  the  close  of 
that  month,  had  drawn  his  bills  of  foreclosure;  had  attended  the 
District  Court  in  Colfax  County,  N.  M.,  and  filed  them;  had  pro- 
cured issues  to  be  joined;  had  issued  commissions  to  take  the 
necessary  evidence  at  Amsterdam,  in  the  Netherlands,  where 
nearly  all  the  bonds  secured  by  the  mortgage  were  held.  He 
had  these  commissions  executed  and  returned  before  the 
August  term,  which  term  he  was  able  to  attend.  Just  at  its  close, 
and  literally  during  the  last  minute  allowed  by  law  for  the 
session  of  the  court,  he  obtained  the  fiat  of  Chief  Justice  Prince 
to  an  interlocutory  decree  of  foreclosure.  On  that  he  applied 
for  and  obtained  the  appointment  of  a  Special  Term  of  the  court, 
and  at  that  term,  in  the  next  October,  obtained  final  decrees  of 
foreclosure  and  sale  in  New  Mexico.    Before  the  end  of  De- 


cember similar  decrees  were  obtained  in  Colorado,  where  nearly 
two-fifths  of  the  tract  over  1,714,000  acres— lay.  Advertising 
sales  under  these  decrees,  as  they  required,  in  Now  Mexico, 
Colorado,  New  York,  London,  and  Amsterdam,  Judge  Birdseye, 
on  the  7th  of  February,  1880,  sailed  for  Europe  to  arrange  for  the 
sales.  At  the  end  of  five  weeks  ho  had  returned  from  Amster- 
dam, with  the  necessary  arrangements  completed.  Two  days 
were  spent  in  New  York  in  collecting  the  proofs  of  publishing 
the  notices  of  sales,  preparing  the  forms  of  papers  for  the 
reports  of  sales,  deeds,  etc.,  etc.  The  sales  were  to  take  place 
at  the  Court  House  in  Cimarron,  N.  M.,  at  9  a.  m.  of  March  82d, 
1880.  A  journey  by  rail  of  over  2,500  miles,  and  of  30  by  car- 
riage, brought  him  to  the  place  of  sale,  with  nearly  three  hours 
to  spare  before  the  hour.  He  bought  the  property  for  Lis  clients, 
the  bondholders.  The  sales  were  reported,  confirmed,  deeds 
ordered,   obtained,  reported,  confirmed,  recorded.    In  May, 

1879,  letters  patent  of  the  United  States  for  the  grant  were 
obtained  from  the  Interior  Department,  Congress  having,  in 
1860,  confirmed  the  original  Mexican  title.    On  the  22d  of  April, 

1880,  Judge  Birdseye  sailed  for  Liverpool,  on  his  way  to  Amster- 
dam, where,  during  May  and  the  first  week  in  June,  ho  assisted 
in  the  organization,  under  the  law  of  the  Netherlands,  of  tho 
Maxwell  Land  Grant  Company,  composed  of  tin:  bondholders, 
and  he  then  conveyed  the  lands  to  that  company.  Returning 
in  July,  he  repaired  to  New  Mexico,  to  attend  the  August  term 
of  the  court,  at  which  the  Master's  final  reports  were  confirmed. 
The  new  company  was  duly  registered  for  the  exercise  of  its 
functions  in  New  Mexico  and  Colorado,  and  was  placed  in  pos- 
session of  the  property— a  domain  nearly  as  large  as  the  State 
of  Massachusetts,  west  of  the  Connecticut." 

Judge  Birdseye,  besides  practicing  largely  in  the  New  York 
City  Courts  and  Brooklyn,  and  in  many  other  countries,  has 
extended  his  practice  into  other  States, 


WINCHESTER  BRITTON. 

Winchester  Britton  was  born  in  North  Adams,  Berkshire 
County,  Mass.,  April  9th,  1826.  His  paternal  and  maternal 
grandparents  were  hardy,  intelligent  New  England  farmers,  of 
pure  English  descent.  His  mother's  name  was  Harrington  ;  her 
grandfather  was  a  native  of  Rhode  Island,  who  very  early  in 
life  removed  to  the  town  of  Adams,  where  he  became  the  propri- 
etor of  the  land  upon  which  more  than  one-half  of  what  is  now 
the  village  of  North  Adams  is  located. 

The  paternal  grandfather  of  Mr.  Britton  was  a  native  of  New 
Hampshire,  and  settled  in  Adams  when  Mr.  Britton's  father  was 
yet  a  young  man.  The  marriage  of  his  parents  took  place  at 
that  place.  His  mother  died  at  the  early  age  of  eighteen,  whi  n 
Winchester  was  an  infant.  Before  her  death  she  gave  him  to 
her  father  and  mother,  with  whom  he  lived  on  their  farm  until 
he  was  ten  years  of  age.  His  father,  having  removed  to  Troy, 
N.  Y.,  took  his  boy  to  his  home  in  that  city. 

One  of  Mr.  Britton's  early  recollections  is  that  of  accompany- 
ing his  grandfather  to  the  tavern  in  tho  then  small  village  of 
North  Adams,  and  there  reading  the  President's  Message.  As 
he  read  with  exceeding  ease  and  fluency,  greatly  to  the  satisfac- 
tion of  his  hearers,  the  guests  and  others  at  the  hotel,  it  is  cer- 
tain that  his  education  had  not  been  neglected,  and  that  he  was 
possessed  of  much  intelligence.  His  remarkably  brilliant  black 
eyes  and  his  hair,  which  was  as  black  as  his  eyes,  always  at- 
tracted attention,  while  strong  and  active  physical  powers  gave 
abundant  promise  of  vigorous  manhood. 

Not  long  after  his  removal  to  Troy,  he  commenced  preparing 
for  college  at  the  Clinton  Liberal  Institute,  at  Clinton,  N.  Y. ; 
completing  his  preparatory  course  at  the  Troy  Conference  Acad- 
emy, at  Poultney,  Vt.  In  the  autumn  of  1847  he  entered  the 
Sophomore  class,  third  term,  at  Union  College.  While  in  col 
lege,  he  was  entered  as  a  law  student  in  the  office  of  John  Van 
Buren,  then  Attorney-General  of  the  State,  where  he  remained 


HISTORY  OF  RINGS  COUNTY. 


about  one  year,  daring  which  time  his  collegiate  studies  were 
suspended  on  account  of  failing  health.  His  studentship  with 
Mr.  Van  Buren  was  not  so  confining  and  enervating  as  it  was  in 
college,  and  admitted  of  greater  relaxation.  His  health  becom- 
ing restored,  he  re-entered  college,  where  he  continued  until  he 
graduated.  His  chum,  after  returning  to  college,  and  till  he 
graduated,  was  President  Arthur,  then  a  member  of  the  Junior 
class. 

Young  Britton  for  a  considerable  time  was  at  the  head  of  his 
class,  but  undertaking  to  pursue  both  his  legal  and  collegiate 
studies,  he  divided  his  time  between  Union  College  and  the  cele- 
brated Law  School  at  Cherry  Valley.  This  close  application  to 
his  stndies  caused  a  second  failure  of  his  health,  compelling  him 
to  abandon  them.  About  this  time  the  discovery  of  gold  in  Cali- 
fornia created  intense  excitement  throughout  the  nation.  Young 
Britton,  inspired  by  the  hope  of  regaining  his  health  by  travel, 
determined  to  visit  the  new  El  Dorado.  Accordingly,  in  Decem- 
ber, 1848,  he  embarked  at  New  York  on  the  Crescent  Oily,  bound 
for  Chagres.  The  Crrsreitt  City  was  the  first  steamer  that  left 
New  York  for  California.  He  remained  six  weeks  on  the  Isth- 
mus, and  then  sailed  from  Panama  for  San  Francisco  in  the 
sailing  vessel  Philadelphia.  While  on  the  Isthmus  the  cholera 
broke  out  with  much  fatality;  but,  happily,  young  Britton, 
though  constantly  exposed  to  its  ravages,  escaped  its  attack. 

After  a  voyage  of  eighty -seven  days  the  Philadelphia  made  the 
port  of  San  Francisco  in  safety,  and  the  young  man  found  him- 
self in  the  land  of  gold,  where  many  adventurous  men  soon 
found  themselves  in  a  short  space  of  time  transferred  from  pov- 
erty to  wealth.  Imbued  with  the  spirit  of  adventure  and  enter- 
prise, Britton  sought  the  mining  regions  with  success.  After  a 
few  months  he  acquired  interests  in  San  Francisco,  and  his 
time  was  divided  between  that  city  and  the  mines;  and  he  was 
rewarded  by  the  acquisition  of  a  very  handsome  fortune.  But 
before  he  had  much  time  to  congratulate  himself  upon  his  good 
fortune,  he  learned  by  sad  experience  that  riches  often  take 
wings  and  fly  away,  for  in  one  night  his  fortune  was  all  swept 
away  by  the  memorable  fire  that  nearly  destroyed  the  city  of 
San  Francisco.  Yielding  to  an  ardent  desire  which  had  taken 
possession  of  him,  he  determined  to  return  to  his  home.  Ac- 
cordingly, in  August,  1851,  he  sailed  from  San  Francisco  home- 
ward. On  his  passage  to  Panama  he  again  encountered  the 
cholera  under  many  dangerous  circumstances.  During  the 
seven  days'  voyage  from  Acapulco  to  Panama,  one  hundred  and 
fifty-one,  nearly  one-third  of  his  fellow  passengers,  died  of  the 
terrible  disease;  but  he  reached  his  home  in  safety,  where  he 
continued  until  the  October  of  the  following  year,  when  he  re- 
turned to  San  Francisco  and  engaged  in  business.  It  was  dur- 
ing his  sojourn  at  home  that  he  made  the  acquaintance  of  the 
estimable  and  accomplished  young  lady  who  subsequently,  in 
March,  1853,  became  his  wife.  She  was  the  daughter  of  William 
W.  Parker,  Esq.,  of  Albany.  On  his  return  to  California  he 
took  a  deep  interest  in  politics,  receiving  the  nomination  for 
member  of  the  Legislature  of  the  new  State,  but  was  defeated  in 
the  canvass.  He  was,  however,  soon  after  elected  a  member  of 
the  Common  Council  of  San  I'rajieiseo,  and  Supervisor  of  San 
Francisco  County.  While  alderman,  he  took  an  active  part, 
among  other  things,  in  measures  for  the  supply  of  water  and  gas 
to  the  growing  city.  While  discharging  his  official  duties,  an  in- 
cident occurred  deeply  interesting  to  him  and  to  the  public,  one 
which  he  will  never  forget. 

Under  the  peculiar  customs  of  California  at  that  period,  to  be 
a  public  man,  in  any  sense,  invited  personal  collisions.  The  bit- 
ter antagonism  existing  between  John  Cotter,  then  an  alderman 
of  San  Francisco,  and  John  Nugent,  editor  of  the  San  Francisco 
lh-rald,  resulted  in  one  of  the  most  celebrated  duels  in  the  his 
tory  of  California.  Mr  Britton,  an  excellent  shot,  was  a  friend 
and  second  of  Cotter.  In  the  contest  Nugent  was  very  severely 
wounded  and  removed  from  the  field,  but  Cotter  was  unharmed. 
Sine  thi^  dud,  though,  as  we  have  «aid,  Mr.  Britton  was  skillful 


in  the  use  of  the  pistol,  he  has  seldom,  if  ever,  taken  one  in  his 
hand. 

On  January  1st,  1853,  in  accordance  with  a  promise  made  to 
his  affianced  wife,  he  bade  a  final  farewell  to  the  Pacific  slope, 
and  with  a  large  experience,  with  health  restored,  he  returned  to 
his  native  land,  completed  his  classical  studies,  received  his 
college  degree,  and  returned  to  his  legal  studies. 

Such  was  the  diligence,  industry  and  success  with  which  he 
pursued  them  that,  after  the  lapse  of  six  months,  he  was  called 
to  the  Bar,  and  he  immediately  removed  to  the  city  of  New 
York,  where,  without  an  acquaintance,  he  began  his  legal  career. 
His  married  life,  which,  as  we  have  seen,  commenced  in  March, 
1853,  was  an  exceedingly  happy  one,  but  it  terminated  in  1854 
by  the  death  of  his  lovely  and  amiable  wife,  which  to  him  was 
an  excessively  severe  domestic  blow.  She  died  in  Brooklyn,  at 
the  early  age  of  nineteen,  leaving  an  infant  son,  who  survived 
her  but  a  few  days.  For  a  time,  Mr.  Britton  was  heart-stricken 
and  felt  himself  alone  in  the  world.  But  time,  which  assuages 
sorrow,  his  indomitable  energy  and  never-failing  courage,  and 
professional  ambition,  supported  him,  enabling  him  to  overcome 
all  obstacles  and  to  attain  signal  success.  As  an  illustration 
of  the  obstacles  which  Mr.  Britton  overcame  in  his  way  to 
success,  it  may  bo  remarked  that  his  receipts  from  his  first  year's 
practice  in  the  city  of  New  York  were  exactly  seventy-fivo 
dollars.  Not  at  all  discouraged  by  this  meagre  return  from  his 
profession,  he  took  an  appeal  to  time,  and  with  each  succeeding 
year  his  income  increased,  until  it  is  exceeded  by  few  in  the 
profession. 

In  December,  1855,  his  second  marriage  took  place;  the  lady 
of  his  choice  was  Miss  Caroline  A.  Parker,  a  sister  of  his  former 
wife,  a  lady  possessing  all  the  accomplishments  and  all  the 
attributes  which  constitute  an  affectionate  and  agreeable  wife, 
a  tender  and  loving  mother,  capable  of  presiding  with  grace- 
ful dignity  over  the  home  of  such  a  man  as  Winchester  Britton, 
which  we  niay  say  without  affectation  is  one  of  the  happiest  of 
homes.  Eight  boys  and  three  girls,  all  of  whom  are  living,  are 
the  fruits  of  this  happy  union. 

In  1870,  Mr.  Britton  transferred  his  legal  business  to  Brooklyn, 
where  he  had  resided  since  1853.  His  professional  reputation 
had  now  become  so  extended  that  he  at  once  entered,  in  his  new 
field  of  labor,  upon  an  unusually  large  and  remunerative  prac- 
tice, not  only  in  the  courts  of  the  city  of  New  York,  in  Brooklyn, 
in  the  surrounding  counties,  but  in  the  State  courts  and  in  the 
Court  of  Appeals.  He  had  been  in  practice  in  Brooklyn  but 
one  year  when  he  was  elected  District  Attorney  for  the  County 
of  Kings;  he  entered  upon  his  official  duties  in  January,  1872, 
discharging  them  with  singular  acceptability  until  within  about 
eleven  months  before  the  expiration  of  his  official  term,  when 
charges,  originating  in  the  high  political  excitement  that  pre- 
vailed, were  made  against  him,  resulting  in  his  removal  from 
office  by  Governor  Dix. 

So  little  foundation  was  there  for  the  charges  against  Mr. 
Britton,  so  devoid  were  they  of  merit,  that  the  very  next  fall 
after  his  removal  he  was  re-elected  to  the  same  office  by  a 
majority  more  than  double  that  by  which  he  was  first  elected. 

The  office  of  District  Attorney  imposed  great  responsibility 
and  labor  upon  Mr.  Britton.  Though  criminal  law  practice  is 
not  exactly  suited  to  his  taste,  yet,  after  all,  it  has  attractions  for 
his  active,  energetic  mind.  "  It  gives  ample  room  for  the  exer- 
ciseofhis  well-disciplined  mental  energies  -his  power  of  collect- 
ing, combining  and  amplifying.  It  gives  scope  to  his  critical 
knowledge  of  statute  law  and  the  subtlo  rules  of  evidence."  It 
was  his  fortune  during  his  term  of  office  to  be  called  tipou 
to  conduct  many  exciting  criminal  cases,  among  which  was  the 
celebrated  case  of  the  People  r.  Kubenstein,  tried  at  Brooklyn  in 
January  and  February  of  1870.  Kubenstein  had  been  indict' .1 
for  one  of  the  most  mysterious  and  atrocious  murder*  known 

in  legal  history:  tl  vidence  against  him  was  purely  circuin 

|   stantial.    Many  of  these  circumstances  wore  remote  and  discon- 


 / 


LEGAL  BIOGRAPHIES. 


r.'s:, 


nected,  and  the  whole  crime  was  enshrouded  in  such  mystery 
that  the  work  of  convicting  the  alleged  perpetrator,  who  was 
defended  by  that  powerful  legal  gladiator,  Wm.  A.  Beach,  was 
an  herculean  task;  but  with  consummate  skill  and  great  energy, 
Mr.  Britton  seized  upon  these  circumstances,  blended  them 
together,  and  they  each  tended  to  throw  light  upon,  and  to  prove 
the  other,  reaching  a  conclusion  that  overthrew  the  ingenious 
hypothesis  upon  which  a  great  lawyer  founded  a  formidable 
defense,  resulting  in  the  conviction  of  the  prisoner. 

No  one  can  read  the  admirable  and  touchingly  eloquent 
address  to  the  jury  for  the  defense  in  the  case  without  the  highest 
admiration.  None  can  read  the  closing  argument  of  Mr. 
Britton  to  the  jury  without  equal  admiration.  It  may  be  sum- 
med up  in  a  few  words;  it  was  exhaustive,  it  was  learned,  it  was 
eloquent,  it  was  convincing.  It  left  no  doubt  in  the  minds  of 
the  jury,  the  spectators,  or  the  Bar  that  Rubenstein  was  guilty 
of  one  of  the  most  cruel  murders  on  record.  His  conviction 
was  therefore  swift  and  certain. 

Space  will  not  permit  us  to  give  a  detailed  account  of  the 
many  criminal  trials  which  Mr.  Britton  conducted  for  the  people, 
but  they  all  tended  largely  to  enhance  his  fame  and  to  place  him 
in  the  front  ranks  of  living  advocates. 

Among  his  civil  triumphs  at  the  Bar,  was  the  case  of  Edgerton 
v.  Page — a  leading  case  in  the  Court  of  Appeals,  and  among  the 
first  there  argued  by  him.  This  case  established  the  doctrine  of 
constructive  eviction  of  a  tenant  by  a  landlord,  with  the  quali- 
fication that  no  such  eviction  could  exist  unless  the  tenant 
actually  left  before  the  expiration  of  his  term,  qualifying  in  this 
respect  the  case  of  Dyett  v.  Pendleton.  John  Graham,  then  in 
the  height  of  his  fame  as  a  lawyer,  was  his  opponent.  Taking 
the  whole  history  of  this  case,  its  result  was  a  triumph  for  Mr. 
Britton  of  which  any  lawyer  in  the  nation  might  well  be  proud. 

He  is  now  in  the  active  practice  of  his  profession,  in  the 
plenitude  of  professional  success.  There  are  very  few,  if  any, 
important  eases  in  Kings  County  in  which  he  is  not  engaged. 

In  the  prolonged  contest  resulting  in  the  defeat  of  the  project 
known  as  the  Bond  Elevated  Railroad,  he  was  prominent,  and 
it  is  not  a  little  remarkable  that  the  ultimate  decision  of  the 
Supreme  Court  was  placed  upon  the  precise  ground  described 
in  Mr.  Britton's  brief.  His  latest  important  argument  in  the 
Court  of  Appeals  was  made  against  George  F.  Comstock  in  the 
case  of  Crooke  v.  The  County  of  Kings,  on  the  part  of  the 
defendant  and  respondent.  This  case  is  a  contest  on  behalf  of 
the  heirs  of  the  wife  of  the  late  Gen.  Philip  S.  Crooke,  to  establish 
their  title  to  real  estate  of  great  value.  Among  other  questions, 
it  involves  the  wills  of  Mrs.  Catin,  the  mother  of  Mrs.  Crooke, 
and  of  Mrs.  Crooke,  and  the  validity  and  proper  execution  of 
certain  powers  and  trusts  therein  contained ;  and  requires  a  con- 
struction of  the  statute  of  the  powers  and  trusts  of  this  State, 
which  had  been  before  the  Court  of  Appeals,  and  must  neces- 
sarily become  a  leading  case  upon  those  subjects. 

From  the  foregoing  it  will  be  seen  that  Mr.  Britton  is  a  man 
of  untiring  energy.  Many  of  his  compeers  at  the  Bar  give  to 
their  profession  divided  allegiance;  many  make  it  second  to  the 
attractive  but  more  ephemeral  contest  of  the  political  arena; 
but  Mr.  Britton  has  an  utter  distaste  for  those  practices  and 
associations  which  are  so  necessary  for  a  politician,  and  his 
abnegation  of  politics,  except  in  the  exercise  of  rational  political 
convictions,  is  thorough  and  complete,  and  therefore  his  success 
as  a  lawyer  is  the  reward  of  a  constant  and  thorough  mental 
elaboration  and  study.  It  is  proverbial  among  his  neighbors 
that  none  of  them  gets  home  so  late  at  night  as  not  to  see  the 
lights  burning  in  his  well-stocked  library. 

He  is  positive  in  his  convictions,  rests  confidently  upon  them, 
and  is  not  specially  reserved  in  expressing  his  opinion  concern- 
ing them.  He  is  always  sincere  and  in  earnest,  dislikes  hypoc- 
risy, and  is  destitute  of  those  platitudes  which  enables  one  to 
agree  with  everybody. 

Therefore,  he  is  not  what  may  be  called  a  popular  man  with 


the  masses,  nor  is  he  convivial  in  his  tastes.  With  his  chosen 
friends  he  is  social,  genial  and  approachable.  He  is  especially 
a  domestic  man,  and  his  home  to  him  is  an  empire  of  happiness 
and  pleasure;  and  to  be  best  appreciated  he  must  be  seen  in  his 
family,  among  his  ehildron,  to  whom  ho  is  most  tenderly  attached 
and  to  whoso  success  in  life  his  sole  ambition  is  directed. 


EDWARD  H.  HOBBS. 

Edward  H.  Homss  is,  in  every  sense,  a  lawyer  who  lias,  with 
much  success,  subordinated  all  his  faculties  to  his  profession. 
He  avoids  those  sporadic  efforts  which,  while  they  may  dazzle, 
weaken  the  intellect  by  undue  distribution.  He  has  sought  for 
honorable  distinction  in  his  profession,  with  great  directness  of 
purpose,  with  a  zealous,  hopeful  temperament;  has  toiled  with 
assiduity,  and  has  meditated  upon  the  means  by  which  it  was 
to  be  realized  unceasingly  ;  never  practicing  those  arts  by  which 
ephemeral  and  meretricious  professional  honors  are  often 
acquired.  With  the  aid  of  an  indomitable  self-reliance,  a  reali- 
zation of  his  professional  aspiration  has  been  his  reward. 

Mr.  Hobbs  was  born  in  Ellenburgh,  Clinton  County,  New  York, 
June  5,  1835.  His  father  was  Benjamin  Hobbs,  a  farmer,  one  of 
the  pioneers  of  the  country  lying  between  the  Adirondacks, 
Lake  Champlain,  and  the  St.  Lawrence  River.  He  was  a  captain 
in  the  American  army  in  the  war  of  1812,  and  participated  in 
many  of  the  stirring  events  which  occurred  along  the  Northern 
frontier  during  that  period. 

Mr.  Hobbs'  ancestors  were  among  the  early  colonial  settlors 
of  the  country;  the  paternal  branch  was  English,  and  the  mater- 
nal Welsh  extraction. 

The  family  must  have  been  somewhat  extensive  at  an  early 
period,  for  we  find  that  Mr.  Hobbs  had  six  great-uncles  who 
served  in  various  capacities  in  the  American  army  during  the 
Revolutionary  War. 

As  we  have  said,  his  father  was  a  farmer  anil,  like  most  of  his 
class,  in  moderate  circumstances.  The  early  years  of  young 
Hobbs  were  spent  on  his  father's  farm;  when  old  enough,  he 
attended  the  common  or  district  school,  where  he  exhibited 
studious  habits  and  a  scholarly  mind,  and  where  the  Prome- 
thean spark  began  to  burn  within  him.  But  the  mediocrity  of 
his  father's  means  compelled  him  to  rely  principally  upon  him- 
self for  his  intellectual  advancement;  and  thus  wo  may  say,  that 
Mr.  Hobbs  stands  among  that  class  of  legal  practitioners  known 
as  self-made  men,  whose  lives  and  career  so  signally  embellish 
the  history  of  the  Bench  and  Bar  of  Kings  County. 

While  yet  a  lad  he  removed  to  Malone,  Franklin  County,  and  was 
entered  as  a  student  at  Franklin  Academy,  where  he  prepared 
for  college.  Like  many  other  young  men  of  limited  means,  Mr. 
Hobbs  supported  himself  during  his  student  years  by  teaching; 
he  enjoyed  the  benefits  which  experience  as  a  teacher  gives  to 
young  men  preparing  for  any  profession,  especially  that  of  the 
law— mental  discipline,  self-government,  and  the  government  of 
others.  After  due  preparation,  in  1858,  he  entered  Middlebury 
College,  Vermont.  In  his  senior  year  the  war  of  the  Rebellion 
broke  out,  and  the  enthusiastic  and  patriotic  nature  of  young 
Hobbs  caught  the  martial  spirit  that  everywhere  prevailed  in  the 
Northern  States,  and  in  his  ardor  to  serve  his  country,  he  turned 
from  classic  halls,  from  the  ambitions  of  the  scholar,  from  his 
dreams  of  legal  honors  (for  he  had  early  determined  to  become  a 
lawyer),  to  those  fields  of  strife  "where  the  death-bolt  flew 
deadliest."  He  entered  the  army  as  a  private  soldier,  serving 
gallantly  wherever  duty  called  through  most  of  the  war.  His 
gallantry  on  the  field,  the  facility  with  which  he  perfected  him- 
self in  military  discipline,  soon  raised  him  to  the  rank  of  captain. 
He  participated  in  many  of  the  battles  which  will  be  recorded 
for  all  time  in  history.  He  served  throughout  the  Peninsular 
campaign  under  McClellan,  in  Nortu  Carolina  under  Foster, 
and  in  South  Carolina  under  Hunter.  He  was  in  all  the  battles 
of  those  campaigns,  including  Yorktown.Williamsburg.  Bottom's 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Bridge,  Seven  Pines,  all  McClellan's  seven  days'  memorable 
change  of  base,  and  in  the  attack  of  Admiral  DuPont  and 
General  Hunter  on  Charleston  Bar. 

This  record  needs  no  embellishments.  It  is  written  in  living 
characters  in  the  history  of  the  nation,  and  the  career  of  a  gal- 
lant soldier  is  blended  with  the  civic  honors  of  the  Bar. 

In  the  last  scenes  of  the  war,  Mr.  Hobbs  was  compelled,  by  ill- 
health,  to  resign  his  commission,  and  he  returned  to  his  home, 
and  soon  began  preparing  for  the  Bar.  To  this  end  he  entered 
the  Albany  Law  School,  where  he  remained  until  his  call  to  the 
Bar.  This  was  in  the  year  18GG.  Shortly  after  taking  his  degree 
as  Bachelor  of  Law,  he  removed  to  the  city  of  New  York,  and 
then  began  his  practice,  taking  up  his  residence  in  Brooklyn. 
With  the  learning,  ability,  energy  and  ambition  of  Mr.  Hobbs, 
professional  success  was  assured.  He  began  his  practice  as  the 
law  partner  of  F.  A.  Wilcox,  in  Wall  street.  Upon  the  election 
of  Judge  Donohue  to  the  Bench  of  the  Supreme  Court,  Mr. 
Hobbs  entered  his  old  firm  in  copartnership  with  Mr.  Wilcox 
and  ex-Judge  Beebe,  under  the  firm  name  of  Beebe,  Wilcox  & 
Hobbs.  This  firm  did  the  largest  admiralty  business,  perhaps, 
in  the  country.  To  Mr.  Hobbs,  however,  was  committed  the 
common  law  business  of  the  firm,  and  he  soon  acquired  the  rep- 
utation of  a  thorough  and  successful  commercial  lawyer.  With- 
out going  into  a  general  history  of  the  large  number  of  import- 
ant cases  in  the  conduct  of  which  Mr.  Hobbs  participated,  we 
refer  the  reader  to  their  history,  found  in  the  State  and  Federal 
Law  Reports,  through  the  last  fifteen  years.  These  demonstrate 
much  more  fully  and  adequately  than  we  can  the  career  of  Mr. 
Hobbs  at  the  Bar.  Since  1883  he  has  practiced  by  himself,  with 
increasing  devotion  to  his  profession. 

We  have  spoken  of  the  devotion  of  Mr.  Hobbs  to  his  pro- 
fession, but  he  has  been  and  is  an  active  politician,  feeling  that 
a  good  citizen  is  in  duty  bound  to  participate,  more  or  less,  in 
political  affairs.  It  would  be  far  better  for  the  country  if 
politics  were  removed  from  the  meddlers,  the  party  thimble- 
riggers,  the  professional  place-hunters  and  jobbers,  into  the 
hands  of  the  respectable  and  responsible  class  of  the  community. 
These  sentiments,  we  believe,  have  actuated  Mr.  Hobbs  in  his 
participation  in  politics,  for  he  has  never  been  an  office-seeker, 
nor  the  instrument  of  office  seekers,  being  too  independent  for 
this,  and  never  tolerated  those  brazen-faced  ward  politicians, 
always  boasting  of  their  influence. 

He  early,  from  principle,  allied  himself  to  the  Republican 
party,  and  to  that  organization  he  has  always  given  his  undi- 
vided fealty.  He  has  served  at  least  ten  years  as  a  member  of 
the  Republican  General  Committee  ;  has  frequently  served  as  a 
member  of  the  State  Committee,  and  is  now  its  treasurer.  He 
has  often  occupied  a  seat  in  Republican  State  Conventions,  and 
represented  the  Second  Congressional  District  as  a  delegate  in 
the  Republican  National  Convention  in  1881;  and,  without  any 
undue  assumption  of  influence,  his  voice  has  been  potent  in  the 
deliberation  of  those  bodies,  and  in  defining  their  policies. 
Perhaps  no  man  was  more  active  and  more  influential  in  Kings 
County  in  organizing  successful  opposition  to  the  Third  Term 
and  to  the  Third  Term  machine. 

In  1882  he  was  nominated  by  the  Republicans  of  Kings  County 
for  Surrogate,  for  the  duties  of  which  office  he  possessed 
acknowledged  abilities.  As  an  evidence  of  this,  and  of  his  high 
standing  as  a  citizen  and  a  gentleman,  we  refer  to  the  fact  that  he 
received  lietwei-ii  thirty  and  forty  thousand  more  votes  than 
the  State  ticket ;  nevertheless,  he  was  defeated  by  the  whirlwind 
which  followed  the  nomination  of  Judge  Folger  to  the  executive 
ohalr.  This,  we  believe,  is  the  only  time  which  Mr.  Hobbs  has 
-  in  i-titcd  tn  Im  coiih  a  candidate  for  office,  though  nominations 
for  legislative  and  other  offices  have  been  tendered  him,  and  he 
has  iii  w  r  held  an  official  position. 

He  in  united  by  marriage  to  J ulia  Lllon,  a  daughter  of  the  late 
Captain  Benjamin  Buxton,  of  Baltimore,  a  relation  that  has 
brought  reciprocal  happiness. 


Without  pretension  or  ostentation,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hobbs  occupy 
an  elevated  and  highly  respected  position  in  the  society  of 
Brooklyn  ;  their  home  is  one  of  refinement  and  intelligence, 
presided  over  by  those  domestic  amenities  which  so  largely 
adorn  the  American  home. 


TUNIS  G.  BERGEN. 

Among  the  junior  members  of  the  Bar,  few  occupy  a  more 
conspicuous  position  than  Tunis  G.  Bergen.  He  is  one  of  those 
whose  career  evinces  the  enlarging  and  liberalizing  advantages 
to  the  legal  profession  of  accomplishments  outside  of  mere  tech- 
nical legal  knowledge;  one  of  those  who  subordinate  history  and 
elegant  literature  to  the  enlargement  of  his  professional  learning. 
He  entered  into  the  investigation  and  research  of  the  law  with 
avidity  and  delight,  with  a  determination  to  make  himself  per- 
fectly familiar  with  the  principles  of  legal  science,  mastering 
the  scholastic  refinements,  subtleties  and  abstruse  speculations 
of  the  old  black-letter  law  writers;  therefore  his  knowledge  of 
legal  principles,  precise  and  accurate,  is  rendered  practical  by  a 
strong  and  retentive  memory. 

Mr.  Bergen  was  born  at  Brooklyn,  May  17th,  1817.  He  first 
saw  the  light  in  the  old  Bergen  homestead,  still  standing  on 
Third  avenue,  facing  the  bay,  between  Thirty-third  and  Thirty, 
fourth  streets.  With  this  old  mansion  there  are  many  historic 
reminiscences;  indeed,  much  of  the  history  of  the  days  that 
tried  men's  souls  is  blended  with  the  memories  it  begets. 
During  that  period  of  the  Revolution  in  which  Long  Island  and 
New  York  were  in  possession  of  the  enemy,  this  old  house 
was  occupied  by  British  officers,  and  the  antique  walls  of  some 
of  its  rooms  are  still  embellished  by  several  paintings  which 
they  left  upon  vacating  the  house.  A  hut  still  remains,  once 
occupied  by  slaves  belonging  to  the  Bergen  estate.  Five  gen- 
erations of  the  Bergen  family  have  occupied  the  ancient  man- 
sion. Its  quaint  but  substantial  architecture  gives  ample  promise 
that  generations  to  come  will  occupy  it.  To  use  the  language  of 
another,  "It  has  been  supposed  that  Mr.  Bergen  was  a  son  of 
Tunis  G.  Bergen,  member  of  Congress  from  Kings  County,  n 
man  who  took  an  active  interest  in  Brooklyn  affairs.  Booh, 
however,  is  not  the  case.  Mr.  Bergen's  father  was  Garret  G. 
Bergen,  a  brother  of  Tunis  G.  Bergen,  and  he  affixes  the  Jr.  to 
his  name  to  avoid  confusion  from  the  similarity  of  names." 

It  will  be  seen  that  the  Bergen  family  has  a  known  genealogy 
extending  far  back  into  the  past.  The  family  was  descended 
from  Hans  Hansen  Van  Bergen,  called  also  "Hans  Hansen  the 
Norman,"  who  married  Sarah  Rapalye,  famous  as  the  first  female 
child  born  of  civilized  people  within  the  bounds  of  the  Colony 
of  New  Netherlands  or  the  State  of  New  York.  Of  this  marriage 
have  sprung  more  than  eight  generations  of  the  Bergen  family, 
who  have  successively  been  born  and  reared  on  American  Roil, 
occupying  lands  on  Manhattan  Island,  and  originally  the  greater 
portion  of  the  area  of  the  city  of  Brooklyn  extending  along  the 
water  from  the  Wallabout  and  Fulton  Ferry  to  Bay  Ridge. 

"Young  Bergen  commenced  his  education  at  public  school 
No.  2,  Brooklyn,  which  was  sustained  largely  by  memhers  of 
the  Bergen  family,  of  which  there  were  several  in  the  vicinity. 

I  At  first  this  was  a  private  school,  but  afterwards  was  organized  as 
the  second  public  school  in  Brooklyn.  Mr.  Jacob  Sands  was  then 
principal  of  that  school,  and  is  still  serving  in  that  position. 

!  Mr.  Peter  Ronget,  Principal  of  No.  10,  taught  Mr.  Bergen 
French  when  the  latter  was  very  young.  Young  Bergen  en- 
tered the  Polytechnic  after  leaving  No.  2  ;  from  thence  he 
entered  Rutgers  College,  Now  Brunswick,  N.  J.,  wherein  1HG7 
he  graduated." 

Mr  IJ.  rgen,  intent  upon  attaining  a  finished  legal  education, 
decided  to  pursue  his  legal  studies  under  the  advantages  of  the 
German  Lav  Institution,  and  hecame  a  student  in  the  I'niver- 
sity  of  Berlin,  and  also  Heidelberg,  where,  under  the  instruc- 
tions of  the  accomplished  and  learned  legal  professors,  he,  at 


LEGAL  BIOGRAPHIES. 


1287 


the  latter  institution,  received  the  degree  of  Doctor  in  Public 
Law.  This  was  in  1871.  Leaving  this  famous  institution,  he 
went  to  Paris,  and  became  a  student  in  the  law  department  of 
the  University  of  that  city,  an  institution  ranking  first  among 
the  collegiate  institutions  of  Europe.  He  also  attended  lectures 
at  Sorbonne  and  at  Oxford.  With  the  endowments  thus  ac- 
quired in  the  best  legal  institutions  of  Europe,  he  returned  to 
his  native  land,  and  entered  the  legal  department  of  Columbia 
College.  In  due  time  he  passed  a  creditable  examination  and 
was  called  to  the  Bar,  and  at  once  entered  upon  a  highly 
respectable  and  remunerative  practice  in  the  city  of  New  York. 

"While  in  Europe,  Mr.  Bergen  witnessed  some  of  the  most 
exciting  and  historic  scenes  of  the  Franco-Prussian  war.  He 
was  several  weeks  at  the  headquarters  of  the  Crown  Prince, 
where  he  had  every  advantage  as  a  neutral  observer  for  witness- 
ing the  great  events  around  him.  He  was  at  the  battle  of 
Woerth,  in  Alsace,  where  MacMahon  met  with  such  a  disastrous 
defeat.  He  has  in  his  possession  several  French  and  German 
battle-flags  and  swords,  picked  up  after  the  battle.  Pairing  this 
summer  (1870)  he  visited  Switzerland,  and  was  about  to  ascend 
Mont  Blanc  with  a  party  of  three  gentlemen  and  several  guides, 
but  was  dissuaded  by  some  friends,  who  wished  him  to  ascend 
with  them  at  a  later  date.  The  change  was  fortunate,  as  the 
party  with  whom  he  intended  to  make  the  ascent  were  all  lost 
in  the  snow,  and  perished." 

In  1879  he  was  chosen  orator  by  the  alumni  of  Kutgers  Col- 
lege; he  accepted  the  invitation,  and  his  oration  was  highly 
commended  for  the  clearness  and  elegance  of  its  style,  the 
force,  strength  and  effect  of  its  matter,  and  the  attractive 
manner  in  which  it  was  delivered. 

Mr.  Bergen  was  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Education  in  1877, 
serving  about  one  year.  In  July,  1880,  he  was  reappointed. 
He  has  served  as  Chairman  of  the  Attendance  Committee,  and 
as  a  member  of  the  following  committees:  Studies,  Central 
Grammar  School,  Law,  and  Finance.  He  was  a  candidate  for 
President  of  the  Board  in  1881,  but  was  defeated  by  Mr.  Daniel 
Manger.  In  January,  1882,  he  was  again  a  candidate  for  the 
same  office,  and  was  eminently  successful,  receiving  twenty-five 
votes.  Since  then  he  has  been  twice  unanimously  re-elected  to 
the  same  office. 

It  is  a  singular  fact  that  during  the  existence  of  the  Board  of 
Education  in  Brooklyn,  there  has  never  been  a  time  when  there 
was  not  a  member  connected  with  it  by  the  name  of  Bergen. 

Mr.  Bergen  has  served  as  Chairman  of  Public  Schools  Nos.  10 
and  27,  and  also  on  the  committees  of  Nos.  2,  39  and  40;  and 
thus  it  will  be  seen  how  intimately  and  usefully  he  has  been, 
and  still  is,  identified  with  the  cause  of  education  in  the  city  of 
Brooklyn. 

Mr.  Bergen  justly  enjoys  the  reputation  of  a  successful  writer, 
whose  style  is  free  from  all  affectation  and  all  superfluity — per- 
spicuous and  pure— a  style  which  pleasingly  sets  off  thought, 
research,  logic  and  argument. 

While  in  Europe  he  contributed  a  number  of  articles  to  the 
journals  of  his  native  country  on  the  Franco-Prussian  war  and 
other  subjects,  which  were  read  with  great  interest.  Since  his 
return  home  he  has  furnished  the  articles  on  Long  Island  for 
the  Encyclopaedia  Britannica. 

But,  as  we  have  already  said,  the  love  of  the  legal  profession  is 
paramount  to  every  other  branch  of  learning,  and  his  devotion 
to  it  is  rewarded  by  a  position  as  a  lawyer,  not  only  highly 
respectable  and  successful,  but  one  that  gives  indubitable 
evidence  that  he  is  approaching  its  highest  rank. 


HON.  GEORGE  THOMPSON. 
The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  at  Stanford,  in  the  eastern 
part  of  Dutchess  County,  in  the  month  of  January,  1817.  On 
his  father's  side,  he  was  descended  from  Anthony  Thompson, 
one  of  the  original  settlers  who  came  over  from  England  to  New 


Haven  with  the  Puritan  colony  in  1037;  while,  on  the  mother's 
side,  he  was  descended  from  Peter  Brown,  one  of  the  still  more 
famous  Plymouth  colony,  who  emigrated  to  this  country  in 
1620.  Caleb  Thompson,  the  fourth  in  descent  from  the  original 
colonist,  was  born  at  New  Haven,  February  24,  1732,  two  days 
after  General  Washington's  birth,  and  was  the  grandfather  of 
the  subject  of  this  memoir.  In  his  childhood,  he  removed  with 
his  father  to  Goshen,  Conn.,  and  about  his  eighteenth  year,  he 
removed  with  his  father's  family  to  Stanford,  N.  Y.,  where  ho 
died  in  1823,  having  arrived  at  the  age  of  ninety-one  years, 
leaving  a  large  number  of  descendants.  His  youngest  son, 
Leonard,  more  particularly  known  in  military  circles  as  General 
Thompson,  removed  to  Blooinfield  in  1832,  and  died  at  Avon, 
Livingston  County,  in  1841. 

Young  Thompson  spent  several  years  at  home  with  his  father, 
mainly  engaged  in  farm  labor,  but  showing  a  considerable 
aptitude  for  study,  was  sent,  in  1835,  to  the  seminary  at  Lima, 
Livingston  County,  and  entered  Union  College  at  Schenectady, 
then  under  the  management  of  the  celebrated  Dr.  Nott,  in  the 
fall  of  183G,  and  graduated  with  distinction  in  July,  1839. 
Between  the  intervals  of  college  life  and  graduation,  he  taught 
successively  in  a  private  and  public  school.  Having  concluded 
to  enter  the  study  of  law,  he  entered  the  office  of  George  Hosmer, 
of  Avon,  Livingston  County,  then  a  lawyer  of  distinction,  and 
afterwards  spent  a  couple  of  years  in  the  office  of  Hastings  .V. 
Husbands,  in  Rochester.  He  was  admitted  to  practice  at  the  May 
term  in  New  York,  but  afterwards  spent  nearly  two  years  in  the 
office  of  Messrs.  Cutting  &  Owen,  then  located  at  72  Wall 
street,  for  the  purpose  of  familiarizing  himself  with  the  practice 
in  the  city  of  New  York.  In  1848,  he  entered  into  business  with 
Judge  Soper,  who  was  then  practicing  law  in  Williainsburgh, 
Kings  County,  but  found  time  during  his  legal  employment, 
among  his  other  occupations,  to  edit  a  weekly  political  journal, 
known  as  the  "Kings  County  Patriot,"  which  did  effectual  ser- 
vice during  the  campaign  of  1848,  as  a  Cass  and  Butler  organ. 
In  the  spring  of  1851,  the  local  government  of  Williamsburgh, 
then  under  the  control  of  tho  Whig  party,  having  become  grossly 
corrupt  and  extravagant,  an  organization  was  formed  for  the 
purpose  of  reforming  such  abuses.  A  journal  was  started,  under 
the  auspices  of  several  prominent  gentlemen  of  that  place.  This 
paper  was  named  the  '•Independent  Press,"  and  though  not  the 
nominal  editor,  a  large  part  of  the  editorial  matter  was  furnished 
by  Mr.  Thompson.  An  entire  revolution  having  been  effected 
in  the  government  of  the  place  by  the  reformatory  movement, 
Mr.  Thompson  was  elected  by  the  unanimous  vote  of  the  Board 
of  Trustees  as  Corporation  Counsel  and  Attorney,  though  several 
of  the  board  were  politically  hostile  to  him.  In  the  fall  of  1852, 
he  was  re-elected  to  the  same  office  by  a  large  popular  vote,  and 
after  the  expiration  of  his  term,  declined  to  be  a  candidate  for 
further  re-election. 

In  the  meantime,  he  was  nominated  and  elected,  against  his 
desire,  to  the  position  of  Superintendent  of  Common  Schools  in 
the  Williamsburgh  section  of  the  city.  For  several  years,  after 
the  expiration  of  his  office,  he  ceased  to  engage  in  active  po- 
litical life.  In  the  fall  of  18GG,  without  any  solicitation  on  his 
part,  he  was  nominated  by  the  Democratic  convention  of  the 
city  of  Brooklyn  as  a  candidate  for  the  office  of  City  Judge  of 
that  city.  His  political  opponents  considered  the  election  of 
Judge  Reynolds,  the  rival  candidate,  as  certain,  but  at  the  com- 
ing election  it  was  found  that  Mr.  Thompson  had  been  chosen 
to  the  office  by  several  thousand  majority.  The  method  of  his 
filling  the  office,  and  the  acceptability  of  his  administration,  are 
best  shown  by  the  unanimous  expression  through  the  Kings 
County  Bar  at  the  time  of  his  retirement  from  office.  A  com- 
mendatory letter,  almost  unanimously  signed  by  the  leading 
members  of  the  Bar,  expressing  their  "  regret  at  the  severance  of 
the  relations  existing  between  thtai;"  stating  that  "these 
relations  had  existed  for  six  years,  and  that  more  than  half 
that  period  Judge   Thompson  alone  discharged  the  judicial 


12S8 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


duties  of  that  court,  and  that  throughout  his  whole  term  those 
duties  had  heen  performed  with  ahility  and  honor;  that  the 
ample  legal  knowledge  which  he  hrought  with  him  to  the  Bench 
had  so  ripened  with  his  judicial  practice  and  experience  as  to 
impress  them  deeply  with  the  sufficiency  and  clearness  of  his 
legal  opinions  and  decisions,"  and  that  they  "  therefore  tender 
to  Judge  Thompson  a  respect,  esteem  and  regard  for  their  past 
intercourse,  with  their  hest  wishes  for  his  future  happiness." 

At  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  office  Judge  Thompson  con- 
cluded to  gratify  a  long-deferred  wish  of  visiting  the  Old  World, 
and  spent  two  years  and  a  half  in  absence  from  his  native  laud. 
In  this  time  he  visited  all  the  important  cities  of  Europe,  and 
considerable  portions  of  Asia  and  Africa,  including  the  Nile  and 
the  Holy  Land.  The  outlines  of  his  journey  were  given  in 
many  letters  sent  to  this  country,  and  published  in  many  of  the 
papers  at  home.  He  has  repeatedly  been  urged  to  collect  and 
compile  such  letters  in  permanent  form,  but,  for  reasons  best 
appreciated  by  himself,  has  declined  to  enter  upon  such  a  task. 

Judge  Thompson  lias  been  a  candidate  for  only  one  political 
office  since  his  residence  in  the  city  of  Brooklyn,  a  period  of 
more  than  thirty  years;  that  office  came  to  him  by  unusual  una- 
nimity of  assent,  and  he  retired  from  it  without  soliciting  its 
continuance. 


WALTER  L  LIVINGSTON. 

WAt.TF.rt  L.  Livingston,  on  his  father's  side,  was  a  lineal  de- 
scendant of  Robert  Livingston,  first  proprietor  of  tho  manor  of 
Livingston,  a  Scotchman  who  came  to  this  country  in  1(177.  On 
his  mother's  side  he  is  a  great-gran dson  of  Count  Admiral  de 
(Irasse,  who  commanded  the  French  fleet  on  tho  occasion  of  tho 
surrender  of  Lord  Cornwallis,  at  Yorktown.  His  father's  mother 
was  a  granddaughter  of  Chief  Justico  Allen,  of  Pennsylvania, 
and  was  herself  a  remarkable  woman,  managing  her  largo 
landed  estate  in  Columbia  County,  where  sho  removed  at  tho 


time  of  her  marriage  with  his  grandfather,  and  she  was  widely 
and  popularly  known  throughout  the  county  as  the  "Widow 
Mary." 

Mr.  Livingston's  father  was  her  eldest  son;  his  name,  Henry 
W.  Livingston.  He  married  Caroline,  one  of  the  daughters  of 
Francis  Depau,  who  was  at  that  time  a  leading  merchant  of  New 
York  City.  Mr.  Depau  was  born  in  France,  but  came  to  South 
Carolina  at  the  time  of  the  revolt  in  St.  Domingo,  and  subse- 
quently removed  to  New  York  City.  In  Charleston  he  met  and 
married  Silvio,  youngest  daughter  of  Admiral  de  Grasse,  who, 
with  her  sisters,  had  fled  to  this  country  to  escape  the  horrors  of 
the  French  Revolution. 

Walter  L.  Livingston  was  born  on  the  21st  of  December,  1830, 
at  his  grandfather  Depau's  house  in  Broadway,  near  Franklin, 
New  York;  his  parents  were  residents  of  Columbia  County,  in 
this  State,  at  the  time,  but  had  come  to  New  York  to  spend  the 
winter. 

As  early  as  when  Mr.  Livingston  was  but  five  years  of  age,  the 
whole  family  went  to  Europe,  including  himself,  and  until  the 
age  of  sixteen  ho  vibrated  between  the  two  continents,  having  in 
that  time  made  as  many  as  eight  voyages  across  the  Atlantic, 
when  a  voyage  averaged  about  thirty  days. 

The  first  school  he  attended  was  in  Paris,  where  he  remained 
a  year;  he  then  studied  at  home  with  a  tutor  until  he  was  about 
thirteen  years  old,  when  ho  was  sent  to  the  Jesuits'  College  at 
Fribourg,  in  Switzerland,  which  then  enjoyed  quite  a  high 
reputation.  After  leaving  there,  Mr.  Livingston  attended  the 
College  of  Juilly,  near  Paris,  where  he  remained  until  his  family 
returned  to  this  country.  After  his  return  hero,  ho  went  to  the 
St.  Mary's  College  in  lialtimorr.  lb  never  graduated  from  any 
college,  and  when  not  at  school  was  kept  studying  at  homo 
under  a  tutor  until  he  reached  the  ago  of  nineteen  years,  when 
he  enterod  the  law  office  of  a  relative,  the  Honorablo  Francis  It. 
Cutting,  of  New  York.  Mr.  Livingston  remained  with  Mr.  Cut- 
ting until  the  Hon.  Josiah  Sutherland,  of  Columbia  County, 


LEGAL  BIOGRAPHIES. 


1289 


lately  a  Judge  of  the  Supreme  Court,  opened  an  office  in  New 
York  City,  in  connection  with  the  Hon.  Claudius  L.  Monell, 
also  of  Columbia  County,  and  at  the  time  of  his  death  a  Judge 
of  the  Superior  Court  of  the  City  of  New  York,  when  he  became 
a  student  in  their  office,  and  remained  there  until  he  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  Bar  in  May,  1852,  at  the  city  of  New  York.  Shortly 
after  his  admission  he  became  a  clerk  in  the  office  of  Alex- 
ander A.  Hamilton,  Jr.,  a  grandson  of  the  illustrious  Hamilton, 
who  was  then  carrying  on  a  large  practice  in  New  York  City,  in 
partnership)  with  Francis  K.  Kives,  son  of  the  Hon.  William  C. 
Rives,  of  Virginia.  After  remaining  there  a  short  time,  Mr. 
Livingston  opened  an  office  for  himself  at  No.  72  Wall  street, 
and  it  was  then  that  he  became  acquainted  with  a  gentleman 
who  entered  his  office  as  a  student,  and  who  has  since  acquired 
a  lucrative  practice  at  the  Bar,  and  become  distinguished  enough 
in  the  politics  of  this  State  to  receive  the  Republican  nomina- 
tion for  Lieutenant-Governor.  I  refer  to  the  Hon.  Sigismund 
Kaufman,  of  Brooklyn.  In  1855,  Mr.  Livingston  accepted  a 
proposition  from  Philip  S.  Hamilton,  the  youngest  son  of  the 
great  statesman,  to  become  a  member  of  his  firm,  and  for  a 
while  he  practiced  in  what  was  then  known  as  Williamsburgh 
(now  part  of  Brooklyn),  as  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Hamilton, 
Dougherty  &  Livingston.  After  leaving  that  firm  he  opened  an 
office  at  41  Wall  street,  in  the  city  of  New  York,  and  carried  on 
the  practice  of  his  profession  there  until  he  was  elected  Surro- 
gate of  Kings  County,  in  1876.  During  that  time  Mr.  Living- 
ston was  for  thirteen  years  counsel  for  the  French  line  of  steamers, 
known  as  the  "  General  Trans -Atlantic  Company." 

In  1857,  he  was  married  to  Silvia,  daughter  of  Washington 
Coster,  of  New  York  City;  he  has  but  one  child,  a  daughter,  now 
married. 


In  1861,  he  removed  from  New  York  to  Brooklyn,  and  took  up 
his  residence  at  92  Hewes  street,  where  he  has  since  resided. 
A  few  years  after  his  coming  to  Brooklyn,  it  was  found  necessary 
then,  as  recently,  to  reorganize  the  Democratic  party  in  Kings 
County,  and  Mr.  Livingston  became  a  member  of  the  General 
Committee  which  was  then  formed.  In  the  year  1867,  he  was 
elected  a  member  of  the  Constitutional  Convention  which  met 
in  that  year.  There  were  four  members  elected  on  the  same 
ticket  from  each  of  the  Congressional  districts  in  the  city  of 
Brooklyn,  and  the  ticket  on  which  Mr.  Livingston  was  running 
had  the  honor  of  being  successful  over  the  one  bearing  no  less  a 
distinguished  name  than  that  of  the  Reverend  Henry  Wad 
Beecher,  who  ran  then,  as  I  believe,  for  the  only  time,  for  a 
political  office. 

The  records  of  the  Constitutional  Convention  show  thai  Mr. 
Livingston  was  not  an  idle  member  of  that  body.  He  was  ap- 
pointed on  several  important  committees,  and  took  an  active 
part  in  the  debates  on  almost  every  subject  of  importance  which 
came  up  -prominent  among  others,  the  judiciary  article,  the 
powers  and  duties  of  the  Legislature,  the  sale  and  adulteration 
of  liquors,  and  the  bill  of  rights. 

Soon  after  that  he  became  a  prominent  candidate  on  the 
Democratic  side  for  the  office  of  Comptroller  of  the  City  of 
Brooklyn,  at  the  request  of  the  leading  members  of  the  party  in 
the  county,  and  it  is  well  known  here  that  he  would,  without 
doubt,  have  received  the  nomination  had  not  his  independent 
course  in  regard  to  the  patronage  of  the  office  been  displeasing 
to  some  of  the  powers  that  then  were;  that  is,  he  distinctly  an- 
nounced that  on  that  point  he  shou1 1  act  according  to  the  dic- 
tates of  his  best  judgment. 

In  1876,  a  split  having  occurred  in  the  Democratic  party  in 


1390 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


this  county,  Mr.  Livingston  accepted  an  independent  nomina- 
tion for  Surrogate,  and  was  endorsed  by  the  Republicans;  that 
was  the  year  when  Mr.  Tilden  ran  for  President,  and  carried  the 
county  by  18,000  majority.  Notwithstanding  that  high  tide, 
which  was  expected  to  carry  everything  before  it,  Mr.  Living- 
ston was  elected  by  a  majority  of  70  votes,  on  a  poll  of  over 
94,000.  His  opponent  brought  an  action  of  quo  warranto  against 
him,  and,  under  a  law  exclusively  applicable  to  Kings  County, 
claimed  the  right  to  re-count  the  ballots  in  the  boxes  six  months 
after  the  election,  although  it  was  proved,  without  contradic- 
tion, that  the  boxes  had  not  been  sealed,  and  had  been  kept  in 
such  a  careless  manner  as  to  deprive  a  re-count  of  all  weight  as 
evidence.  The  re-count  was  permitted  by  the  trial  court,  and 
the  result  differed  from  the  election  returns  sufficiently  to  elect 
his  opponent  by  a  small  majority,  if  taken  as  evidence  of  the  vote 
cast  The  trial  court  left  it  to  the  jury  to  find  who  was  elected, 
charging  them  that  if  they  accepted  the  returns  as  correct,  Mr. 
Livingston  was  elected,  and  if  they  found  that  the  re-count  was 
correct,  than  his  opponent  was  elected.  The  jury  found  in  favor 
of  the  re-count.  On  appeal  to  the  Court  of  Appeals,  the  judg- 
ment was  reversed,  and  a  new  trial  granted.  The  court  also  re- 
instated Mr.  Livingston  in  office  pending  the  new  trial,  which 
never  came  off,  his  opponent  abandoning  the  contest.  The  ap- 
peal was  argued  by  Mr.  Livingston,  in  person,  against  the  Hon. 
B.  F.  Tracy,  recently  one  of  the  Justices  of  the  Court  of  Appeals. 
As  the  case  was  one  of  great  importance,  that  eminent  jurist  ex- 
erted all  his  great  powers  and  extensive  learning  in  behalf  of 
his  client.  Hut  Mr.  Livingston's  argument,  as  is  generally  con- 
ceded, was  quite  equal  in  ability,  legal  logic  and  learning  to 
that  of  his  distinguished  opponent.  The  opinion  of  the  court 
in  the  case  (79th  N.  Y.,  279;  and  same  case  80th  N.  Y.,  66)  fully 
shows  that  Mr.  Livingston  was  rightfully  entitled  to  the  office, 
and  that  the  court  highly  appreciated  his  argument.  Mr.  Liv- 
ingston entered  upon  the  discharge  of  his  difficult  duties  with 
great  industry  and  directness  of  purpose,  with  legal  learning 
and  accomplishments  which  gave  undoubted  assurance  that 
these  duties  would  be  performed  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  the 
Bar  and  the  public.  His  numerous  opinions,  found  in  the  3d, 
■Hh  and  5th  volumes  of  Redfield's  Surrogates'  Reports,  for  clear- 
ness of  expression,  thorough  logical  discussion,  research,  calm- 
ness and  impartiality,  exhibit  his  rare  ability  as  a  judicial  officer. 

At  the  close  of  his  official  term  he  returned  to  the  practice  of 
his  profession.  Mr.  Livingston  ranks  among  the  ablest  and 
most  successful  members  of  the  Kings  County  Bar;  he  is  one  of 
the  most  high-minded  and  valuable  citizens  of  Brooklyn,  and 
his  intercourse  with  his  fellow-citizens  is  characterized  by  those 
pleasing  amenities  which  so  well  adorn  social  life. 


TIMOTHY  PERRY. 

Timothy  Pemiy  was  born  at  New  Ipswich,  New  Hampshire, 
November  7,  1K29.  His  father,  Chauncy  Perry,  Sen.,  was  a 
man  of  strong  native  mental  powers,  a  sturdy,  industrious  New 
Kngland  farmer,  who  never  knew  how  to  make  any  compromise 
with  what  he  deemed  a  wrong,  or  to  sacrifice  principle  to  policy; 
whose  purity  of  character  was  proverbial,  and  whoso  chief 
wealth  consisted  of  a  large  family  of  children,  of  whom  he  had 
just  reason  to  be  proud,  and  to  whom  he  could  have  pointed  and 
said,  with  the  Roman  mothor,  "These  are  my  jewels." 

It  was  his  chief  nnxicty  to  give  his  children  the  best  education 
his  limited  means  afforded;  how  well  he  did  this  is  attested  by 
tin  ir  nit"        in-e,  virtue,  and  their  reasonable  success  in  life. 

Timothy  was  the  youngest  of  five  brothers,  all  of  whom  en- 
tered the  so-called  learned  professions;  the  three  elder  being 
clergymen,  and  the  two  younger  lawyers. 

Timothy's  early  history  is  the  history  common  to  so  many  of 
tho  young  men  of  New  Kngland,  hods  of  farmers.  He  received 
hii  elementary  education  at  the  district  school,  and  after  master- 
ing nil  the  branches  taught  in  that  school,  he  entered  New  Ips 


wich  Academy,  then  one  of  the  most  popular  and  successful 
institutions  of  that  kind  in  New  Hampshire.  Here  he  acquired 
a  very  thorough  and  practical  education,  and  became  an  accom- 
plished and  successful  teacher,  devoting  himself  to  that  calling 
in  the  winter  for  several  years,  and  during  the  summer  months 
he  was  engaged  in  working  on  his  father's  farm.  All  his  leisure 
hours  were  devoted  to  the  improvement  of  his  mind,  in  perfect- 
ing himself  in  his  studies,  and  in  preparing  for  future  fields  of 
usefulness. 

At  length  he  accepted  the  position  of  teacher  of  mathematics 
and  natural  science  in  the  New  Ipswich  Academy,  discharging 
these  duties  with  great  acceptability  for  about  two  years,  until 
August,  1853.  At  this  time  his  brother  Chauncy  was  a  practicing 
lawyer  at  Greenpoint,  then  a  part  of  the  town  of  Buskwick,  in 
Kings  County,  L.  I.,  having  opened  an  office  there  the  pre- 
vious year.  At  the  earnest  request  of  his  brother,  Mr.  Perry 
abandoned  the  profession  of  a  teacher  and  became  a  student 
at  law  in  the  office  of  his  brother,  and  a  resident  of  Green- 
point.  He  pursued  his  studies  with  diligence  and  success, 
and  in  April,  1857,  was  called  to  the  Bar.  On  the  1st  day  of  May 
following  he  entered  into  partnership  with  his  brother  in  the 
practice  of  law.  This  relation  was,  from  the  first,  profitable  and 
agreeable,  and  the  firm  took  a  high  and  responsible  position 
among  the  leading  law  firms  of  the  County  of  Kings.  It  com- 
bined those  qualifications  that  naturally  inspired  the  public  with 
confidence  in  it,  and  as  a  result,  it  was  soon  rewarded  by  a  very 
remunerative  practice.  This  partnership  still  continues,  conduct- 
ing its  business  in  the  same  office  occupied  by  the  senior  partner 
in  1852,  and  in  which  the  junior  partner  read  his  profession. 

The  firm  of  C.  &  T.  Perry  is  undoubtedly  the  oldest  law  firm, 
with  a  single  exception,  in  the  city  of  Brooklyn.  Although 
engaged  in  the  general  practice  of  law,  the  specialty  of  this 
firm,  for  a  long  time,  has  been  the  examination  of  titles  to  real 
estate,  in  which  department  it  ranks  deservedly  high.  After  the 
consolidation  of  Greenpoint— once  a  part  of  the  town  of  Bush- 
wick — with  Brooklyn,  it  became  the  Seventeenth  Ward  of  tho 
city,  and  was  represented  by  Timothy  Perry,  as  alderman,  in 
the  Common  Council,  from  1858  until  1803.  This  included  the 
first  years  of  the  war.  The  Common  Council  undertook  to  fur- 
nish volunteers  and  to  aid  the  draft,  by  assisting  the  families  of 
all  those  who  entered  the  service  of  their  country.  Mr.  Pern- 
took  an  active  part  in  this  undertaking,  and  in  the  Citizens'  Aid 
Association  of  the  Seventeenth  Ward,  which  furnished  a  large 
number  of  volunteers.  In  18('i3  Mr.  Perry  became  a  member  of 
the  Brooklyn  Board  of  Eduoation,  occupying  the  position  till 
1870.  In  January,  1882,  Mr.  Perry  was  appointed  to  the  s  um 
office  by  Mayor  Low,  but  resigned  his  place  in  May,  1883,  to  ac- 
cept the  office  of  member  of  the  Board  of  Elections  of  the  city  of 
Brooklyn,  of  which  board  he  is  now  president 

For  the  last  twenty-five  years  he  has  been  closely  identified 
with  the  growth  and  enterprise  of  his  section  of  the  municipality. 
Ho  has  been  a  director  and  vice-president  of  the  Mechanics  ami 
Traders'  Bank  of  Brooklyn  since  1870,  and  for  the  past  four 
years  has  been  president  of  tho  Greenpoint  Savings  Hank,  one  of 
the  most  flourishing  institutions  of  its  kind  in  the  city. 

While  Mr.  Perry  is  of  a  retiring  disposition,  lacking  the  self- 
assertion  necessary  for  great  success  as  a  jury  lawyer,  he  pos- 
sesses rare  qualifications  for  another  quite  as  important  depart 
ment  of  his  profession,  that  of  legal  adviser  and  counselor;  for, 
as  was  well  said  by  Ogden  Hoffman,  "the  place  to  try  a  lawsuil 
is  really  in  its  preparation  in  the  law  office;  unless  it  is  well  tried 
there,  it  will  prove  a  failure  at  the  Bar,  and  it  is  often  the  case 
that  the  most  brilliant  jury  lawyer  is  wholly  Indebted  for  his 
success  to  tho  solid  learning,  sound  senso  and  practical  judg- 
ment of  what  is  known  as  an  office  lawyer." 

Mr.  Perry  has  earned  and  holds,  to  a  remarkable  degree,  the 
confidence  of  the  community,  as  shown  not  only  by  the  positions 
of  trust  to  which  he  has  been  promoted,  but  by  his  large  em- 
ployment in  tho  business  of  the  devolution  of  estates,  tho  inter- 


1*20-2 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Scott,  the  author,  with  nil  its  power.  But  the  reform  won  its 
way  to  adoption  by  the  force  of  its  merit,  and  has  been  engrafted 
into  the  laws  of  the  State,  so  that  its  benefits  are  made  continu- 
ous. To  make  this  reform  effective  in  results,  at  the  time  of 
financial  peril,  when  it  was  adopted,  Mr.  Scott  devised  and  first 
publicly  advocated  a  compromise  plan,  by  which  over-burdened 
property  might  be  so  far  relieved  that  owners  would  be  induced 
to  make  an  effort  to  redeem  such  property.  This  plan  consisted 
in  reducing  the  amount  of  accumulated  and  defaulted  taxations, 
etc.,  on  property  that  was  burdened  to  near  or  quite  its  actual 
value,  to  a  sum  within  the  ability  of  the  owner  to  pay.  In  lieu 
of  such  partial  payments,  property -holders  were  to  be  released 
from  the  full  amount  due  on  the  tax-rolls  for  arrearages. 

This  was  a  most  just  arrangement,  because,  under  the  laws, 
taxes  in  default  had  been  largely  increased  by  usurious  rates  of 
interest.  It  was  wise,  because,  if  the  city  attempted  to  force  the 
payment  of  the  whole,  it  would  have  obtained  nothing  but  an 
uncertain  title  to  abandoned  lands.  The  plan  proposed  by  Mr. 
Scott  was  adopted  by  the  city  substantially,  and  later  became  a 
law  by  the  act  of  the  Legislature.  This  measure  resulted  in  the 
rapid  payment  of  large  sums  of  long  over-due  taxes.  The  city 
treasury  was  benefited,  and  hundreds  of  handsome  homes,  pro- 
ducing each  year  prompt  and  increasing  revenues  to  the  city, 
now  exist,  where  otherwise  there  would  have  been  commons  for 
years.  Thus,  by  a  wise  foresight  and  a  quick  discernment  of 
practical  reforms,  benefits  of  the  widest  range  are  often  secured. 

Mr.  Scott  has  been  active  in  niany  other  directions,  as  a  private 
citizen,  in  promoting  reforms  and  improvements.  Many  fine 
buildings  in  Brooklyn  are  the  result  of  his  own  real  estate  opera- 
tions, or  his  encouragement  and  assistance  to  others  in  that 
class  of  improvement.  He  has  for  a  long  time  labored  to  secure 
for  our  city  an  equitable  and  practical  system  of  "  rapid  transit." 
He  was  one  of  the  early  promoters  of  the  founding  of  the  Bush- 
wick  and  East  Brooklyn  Dispensary,  and  also  one  of  the  founders 
of  the  Bushwick  Savings  Bank,  of  which  he  is  now  a  trustee, 
and  the  attorney.  He  has  always  been  active  on  the  side  of  the 
people  at  large,  and  more  than  one  corporation  has  been 
thwarted  in  its  efforts  to  invade  the  rights  of  citizens  by  the  zeal 
and  legal  ability  of  Rufus  L.  Scott. 

Politically,  Mr.  Scott  is  a  Democrat;  he  has  been  invaluable  to 
his  party  by  his  persistent  and  consistent  advocacy  of  reforms 
in  policy,  and  purity  in  all  the  workings  of  party  management 
and  party  machinery,  from  the  simplest  caucus  up  to  the  more 
important  functions.  The  contemporary  press  of  the  city  of 
Brooklyn  is  not  wanting  in  records  of  man}'  hard-fought  battles 
in  ward  meetings  and  conventions,  wherein  Mr.  Scott  has  stood 
like  a  rock  amid  howling  opposition,  and  in  the  face  of  oppos- 
ing majorities.  But  though  sometimes  outnumbered  and  de 
feated,  time  has  generally  vindicated  his  judgment,  and  no  man 
in  the  ranks  of  his  party  in  this  city  is  more  widely  respected. 
Testimony  of  this  has  been  given  by  numerous  offers  of  advance- 
ment to  high  positions  of  political  honor  and  trust.  But  Mr. 
Scott  has  hitherto  refused  to  accept  them.  Being  free  from  bad 
habits,  regular  in  his  manner  of  living,  of  iron  constitution, 
and  ordained  by  nature  with  a  rich  bestowment  of  physical,  in- 
tellectual and  moral  gifts  to  be  a  leader,  it  is  manifest  that  he 
will  be  calh-d  imperatively  by  his  fellow  citizens  to  till  a  still 
higher  plac  e  in  the  affairs  of  this  city  and  State  than  any  lie  lias 
yet  occupied,  active  and  useful  as  he  lias  hei  n  in  his  busy  and 
patriotic  life. 

In  June,  1HM,  Mr.  Scott  was  married  to  Maria  E.  Hull, 
daughter  of  William  M.  Hull,  Esq.,  of  Green  point. 


EDMUND  TERRY. 

Ma.  Tfiiiiv  has  been  identified  with  the  Kings  County  Bar, 
anil  the  Har  of  the  City  and  County  of  New  York,  for  over  forty- 
four  years.  As  Ml  practice  has  been  extensive  at  both  Hars,  and 
ha-  ■  xteji'l'  i  t..  other  counties,  he  is  pi  rhaps  one  of  the  most 
experienced  and  highly  respected  lawyers  now  in  practice. 


He  went  to  the  Bar  learned  in  the  mathematical  niceties  of  the 
special  pleading  practice  during  the  existence  of  the  Court  of 
Chancery,  when  to  become  a  successful  special  pleader,  familiar 
with  the  plea,  the  demurrer,  the  joinder,  the  rejoinder,  the  sur- 
rejoinder, the  rebutter  and  sur-rebutter,  then  the  rationale  of 
judicial  investigation,  required  not  only  a  logical  mind,  but  a 
profound  and  accurate  knowledge  of  the  law.  It  is  certain  that 
Mr.  Terry  was  accomplished  in  these,  and  that  when  the  inno- 
vations of  the  Code  swept  the  old  practice  away  and  instituted 
another  procedure,  he  soon  became  accomplished  in  its  form- 
ul;e,  and  he  has  ever  since  practiced  under  it  with  success. 

Ed  mund  Terry  was  born  at  Hartford,  Conn.,  May  23d,  1817, 
and  is  one  of  five  surviving  sons  of  Hon.  Roderick  Terry  and 
Harriet  Taylor  Terry. 

His  father  was  a  merchant  of  Hartford,  Conn. ;  a  member  of 
the  City  Council  for  many  years;  a  member  of  the  Legislature 
of  the  State,  and  President  of  the  Exchange  Bank  of  Hartford. 

Mr.  Terry's  paternal  grandfather  was  the  Hon.  Eliphalet 
Terry,  of  Connecticut,  for  many  years  Judge  of  the  County 
Court,  and  a  representative  in  the  State  Assembly  thirty-three 
successive  years.  His  mother  was  a  daughter  of  the  Rev.  John 
Taylor,  for  many  years  minister  at  Deerfield,  Mass.,  Mendon, 
N.  Y.,  and  afterwards  in  Michigan. 

Edmund  Terry,  on  his  father's  side,  is  a  lineal  descendant  of 
Governor  Bradford,  who  came  over  in  the  MutiHoioer,  and,  on  his 
mother's  side,  of  Governor  John  Haynes,  of  Massachusetts,  who 
was  the  first  Governor  of  Connecticut,  and  also  of  Governor 
George  Wyllys,  of  Connecticut. 

After  a  thorough  preparatory  course,  Mr.  Terry  entered  Yale 
College.from  whence,  in  1837,  he  was  graduated  with  high  honors. 
In  conformity  to  an  early  and  settled  resolution  to  become  a 
lawyer,  he  entered  the  Law  Department  of  Harvard  University, 
at  Cambridge,  at  the  time  when  that  illustrious  jurist  and  truly 
accomplished  scholar,  Joseph  Story,  presided  over  it.  It  was 
a  rare  and  splendid  opportunity  to  acquire  the  learning  of  his 
profession  which  thus  presented  itself  to  the  young  attorney, 
and  one  which  was  appreciated  and  duly  taken  advantage  of. 
He  completed  his  legal  education  in  the  office  of  the  late  Wil- 
liam W.  Ellsworth,  of  Hartford,  and  was  called  to  the  Br*  in 
that  city.  Soon  after  taking  his  degree  as  counselor-at-law  at 
Hartford,  he  removed  to  the  city  of  New  York,  where,  after  a 
period  of  study  in  the  office  of  Walter  Edwards,  Esq.,  he  was 
admitted  to  the  Bar  of  the  State  of  New  York.  He  began  the  prac- 
tice of  his  profession  in  the  city  of  New  York  and  in  Brooklyn 
in  1840.  His  abilities  as  a  lawyer  were  very  soon  recognized, 
and  his  industry  in  the  discharge  of  his  professional  duties 
soon  met  its  appropriate  reward.  He  has  continued  to  practice 
i  his  profession  in  Brooklyn  and  New  York  since  1848.  His 
practice  has  not  been  confined  to  those  cities,  as  we  have  said. 

After  he  had  practiced  a  few  years  in  the  State  courts,  he  was, 
on  motion  of  Daniel  Webster,  admitted  to  practice  in  the  Su- 
preme Court  of  the  United  States. 

Mr.  Terry  has  always  been  what  may  be  termed  a  general  law- 
yer, without  any  specialty  in  his  practice.  He  has  always  de- 
clined any  official  position,  and  never  was  ambitious  of  political 
distinction.  His  ambition  has  always  been  confined  to  the  en- 
grossing duties  of  his  profession. 

In  March,  185.,,  he  was  married  to  Anna,  daughter  of  the  late 
John  H.  Prentice,  of  Brooklyn.  He  has  a  family  of  seven  sons 
and  one  daughter,  having  lost  two  other  sons  by  death. 

Though  he  is  one  of  the  most  laborious  men  in  his  profession, 
ho  has  always  found  time  for  performing  all  the  duties  of  a  go<>.l 
citizen,  and  for  amiable  and  refreshing  relaxation  in  tho  domestic 
circle. 

That  he  should  occupy  a  high  and  respected  position  at  the 
respective  Bars  of  which  he  is  a  member,  is  a  natural  and  just 
reward  for  those  acknowledged  endowments  so  long  recognized 
by  the  public  and  his  professional  brethren. 


BIOGRAPHY  OF  ANDREW  J.  PERRY,  ES.Q. 


ANDREW  J.   PERRY,  Esq. 


This  gentleman  comes  of  good  New  England  stock; 
his  ancestry  on  the  paternal  side  being  of  Connecticut, 
and,  on  the  maternal  side,  of  Rhode  Island  origin.  His 
father,  Cyrus  Perry,  and  his  mother,  Waity  Comstock, 
were  both  natives  of  the  town  of  Wilton,  Saratoga 
county,  N.  Y.,  where  they  lived  and  died.  Of  their  eight 
children,  all  born  in  Wilton,  Andrew  J.,  the  subject  of 
this  sketch,  was  the  second.  Growing  up  amid  the  ex- 
periences and  with  the  advantages  of  a  farm  life,  his 
education  was  gained  at  the  district  school;  until,  am- 
bitious for  a  wider  field  than  that  offered  by  the  pater- 
nal acres,  he  entered  the  Academy  at  West  Poultney, 
Vermont,  and  in  due  time  he  entered  as  Sophomore  at 
Union  College,  Schenectady,  N.  Y.,  whence  he  was 
graduated  with  credit  in  the  class  of  1846,  and  imme- 
diately coming  to  New  York  city,  became  a  student 
at  law  in  the  office  of  the  late  John  Mason,  Esq. 

Making  diligent  use  of  his  opportunities,  he  was,  in 
1848,  admitted  to  practice,  and  began  his  professional 
career  in  partnership  with  James  H.  Raymond,  Esq., 
a  connection,  however,  which  was  terminated  in  the 
following  year  by  Mr.  Raymond's  death,  since  which 
Mr.  Perry  has  entered  into  but  two  professional  part- 
nerships— one  with  the  late  Chief-Justice  Bosworth,  of 
the  Superior  Court,  terminated  by  his  election  to  the 
Bench,  and  the  other  with  Moses  B.  Maclay,  Esq., 
which  was  of  brief  duration.  In  1855,  he  was  made  a 
member  of  the  Board  of  Education  of  New  York  City, 
and  for  a  year  was  Chairman  of  its  Evening  School 
Committee. 

In  1858  he  linked  his  fortunes,  in  marriage,  with 
Julia  L.,  daughter  of  H.  J.  Olcott,  of  Cherry  Valley, 
N.  Y.,  and  became  at  once,  as  he  since  continued,  a 
resident  of  Brooklyn.  He  has  resided  in  the  Twen- 
tieth, the  Fourth,  and,  for  the  past  twenty  years,  in 
the  Sixth  Ward  of  the  city  ;  at  all  times  taking  con- 


siderable interest  in  all  political,  social,  charitable,  and 
local  improvement  matters  affecting  the  interests  of 
his  adopted  home. 

He  has  been  prominent  in  Republican  political 
circles,  and  was  (from  1870  to  the  beginning  of  the 
year  1883)  a  member  of  the  Republican  General  Com- 
mittee of  Kings  County,  and  member  and  several 
years  Chairman  of  its  Executive  Committee.  In  1872 
he  received  the  Republican  nomination  for  Repre- 
sentative in  Congress  from  the  then  Second  District 
of  the  State  ;  which,  however,  being  strongly  dem- 
ocratic, he  failed  of  an  election.  He  was  also  strongly 
supported  in  convention,  in  1873,  as  the  Republican 
nominee  for  Mayor  of  the  city  of  Brooklyn. 

Mr.  Perry  was  a  member  of  the  Brooklyn  Board  of 
Elections  for  two  years,  and  its  President  until  his 
resignation  of  the  office  in  1883.  He  was  also  an 
active  member  of  the  Committee  of  One  Hundred,  a 
reform  association  composed  of  public-spirited  citizens, 
who  brought  about  important  legislation  for  the  cor- 
rection of  municipal  abuses  ;  the  work  of  the  com- 
mittee being  done  mostly  from  1871  to  18  74. 

In  March,  1883,  Mr.  Perry  received  from  President 
Arthur,  by  and  with  the  advice  and  consent  of  the 
Senate,  the  appointment  of  U.  S.  General  Appraiser 
at  the  Port  of  New  York,  an  office  for  the  hearing  and  de- 
termining appeals  by  importers  from  advances  of  valu- 
ations made  by  the  Appraiser  on  ad  vahm  m  dutiable 
merchandise.  There  are  four  of  these  Districts  of  Ap- 
praisal covering  the  United  States,  and  the  district 
which  includes  the  port  of  New  York  is,  of  course,  the 
most  important  in  the  amount  and  value  of  its  importa- 
tions, and  the  cases  for  adjudication  which  arise  there- 
from. The  office  of  a  general  appraiser  is  substantially 
a  court  of  enquiry  and  decision,  and  its  dtcisions,  based 
upon  testimony  of  witnesses,  duly  sworn  and  examined, 


1294' 


HIST  OR  Y  OF  KINGS  CO  UNTY. 


are  of  very  great  importance,  not  only  to  the  interests 
of  the  general  government  but  to  those  of  the  importer. 
It  is  gratifying  to  know  that  Mr.  Perry's  administration 
of  this  important  office  has  been  satisfactory  both  to  the 
government  at  Washington  and  to  the  mercantile 
community  generally. 

Mr.  Perry  has,  for  many  years,  successfully  prose- 
cuted a  general  law  practice  in  the  city  of  New  York, 
devoting  to  it  all  his  energies  and  time.  Yet,  that  he 
is  not  unmindful  of  the  claims  of  society  upon  him,  is 
evidenced  by  the  fact  that  he  is  a  trustee  of  the  Brooklyn 
Homipopathic  Hospital,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Long 


Island  Historical  and  of  the  New  England  Societies,  as 
well  as  of  the  Brooklyn  Club  and  the  Hamilton  Club.  He 
has,  also,  for  many  years,  been  an  attendant  upon  the 
Westminster  Presbyterian  Church,  of  which  the  Rev. 
Dr.  James  M.  Ludlow  is  Pastor,  and  has  been  member 
and  President  of  its  Board  of  Trustees. 

In  person,  Mr.  Perry  is  tall,  being  apparently  six 
feet  in  height  ;  in  build,  is  rather  slender  than  other- 
wise; and  inheriting,  as  he  does,  from  a  line  of  long- 
lived  and  sturdy  ancestors,  a  vigorous  constitution,  and 
with  health  unimpaired,  he  ranks  among  the  younger 
rather  than  the  older  citizens  of  Brooklyn. 


LEGAL  BIOGRAPHIES. 


1293 


HON.  WILLIAM  H.  WARING. 
Foub  generations  of  the  Waring  family  have  been  residents  of 
Brooklyn.  In  1803,  the  grandfather  of  the  present  sketch, 
Henry  Waring,  then  a  wealthy  and  influential  merchant  of  New 
York,  residing  in  Frankfort  street,  purchased  for  his  summer 
residence  the  then  well-known  and  for  those  days  the  elegant 
residence  formerly  belonging  to  Lodewick  Bamper,  on  Brooklyn 
Heights:  a  description  of  this  house  and  of  its  eccentric  proprie- 
tor is  to  be  found  in  Stiles'  History  of  Brooklyn,  at  page  308, 
and  foot-note.  This  property,  with  the  purchases  of  adjoining 
land  made  by  Mr.  Waring,  extended  in  length  from  the  water 
front  over  Brooklyn  Heights  to  the  vicinity  of  Henry  street,  and 
in  width  from  a  line  near  Clark  street  to  a  line  near  Bed  Hook 
lane.  The  house  itself  stood  within  the  lines  of  Columbia 
Heights  near  the  comer  of  Clark  street,  and  was  reached  from 
the  Ferry  road  (Fulton  street)  by  a  street  midway  between  Clark 
street  and  Red  Hook  lane,  and  known  on  the  early  maps  of 
Brooklyn  as  Waring  street.  This  street  was  closed  about  the 
time  Mr.  Waring  sold  the  land  for  the  erection  of  the  large  build- 
ing used  for  many  years  as  a  boarding-school  for  young  ladies, 
and  which  afterward  was  the  original  building  of  the  present 
Mansion  House  hotel.  Mr.  Waring  continued  to  occupy  his 
residence  on  the  Heights  and  his  Frankfort  street  house  alter- 
nate summers  and  winters  until  the  outbreak  of  the  war  of  1812, 
when  he  moved  his  family  to  his  native  town  of  Greenwich, 
Connecticut.  On  the  conclusion  of  the  war  he  returned  to 
Brooklyn,  and  took  up  his  permanent  residence  in  the  village. 
When  Columbia  street,  since  known  as  Columbia  Heights,  was 
opened  in  1833,  the  old  Bamper  House  was  removed,  and  Mr. 
Waring  purchased  the  premises  bounded  by  Fulton,  Washing- 
ton and  Johnson  streets,  extending  about  one  hundred  and  fifty 
feet  on  Fulton  street.  Upon  this  property  he  built  the  large 
frame  house  with  Corinthian  pillars  now  standing  on  Washington 
street,  and  known  as  the  "  Waring  Mansion."  In  1852,  when  the 
property  was  sold  by  his  heirs,  the  house  was  purchased  by  the 
late  Rodney  S.  Church,  turned  round  upon  Washington  street, 
where  it  still  stands,  with  a  basement  story  added,  and  will  be 
readily  recognized  by  those  who  had  occasion  to  visit  it  during 
the  Rebellion  drafts  as  the  headquarters  of  the  Provost  Marshal. 
From  the  return  of  Mr.  Waring's  family  to  Brooklyn,  in  1815, 
nntil  his  death,  which  occurred  in  April,  1851,  he  took  an  active 
interest  in  the  affairs  of  Brooklyn,  both  as  village  and  city;  a 
selectman  of  the  village  and  alderman  of  the  city  for  many 
years,  one  of  the  founders  of  the  Long  Island  Bank,  and  of  the 
Brooklyn  Savings  Bank,  in  each  of  which  institutions  he  was 
for  many  years  respectively  a  director  and  trustee.  President 
of  the  Long  Island  Insurance  Company,  and  active  in  politics  as 
a  Democrat  of  the  old  school,  he  was  always  a  prominent  figure 
in  the  history  of  Brooklyn,  and  contributed  largely  to  its  pros- 
perity. He  lived  long  enough  to  see  it  rise  from  a  settlement 
without  corporate  organization,  and  with  a  population  of  less 
than  four  thousand,  to  an  active,  enterprising  city  of  more 
than  three  hundred  thousand  inhabitants.  On  page  137  of 
Stiles'  History,  will  be  found  an  extended  sketch  of  this  old 
Brooklynite,  accurate  in  all  particulars  save  one,  viz.,  in  the 
statement  that  he  commanded  the  privateer  '  Adelia,'  which 
was  fitted  out  by  New  York  merchants  during  the  war.  The 
fact  that  the  command  of  the  privateer  was  tendered  to,  but 
declined  by  him,  gave  rise  to  the  statement  that  he  actually 
commanded  it. 

A  letter  in  the  Brooklyn  Eagle,  written  by  the  late  Alden  J. 
Spooner,  and  published  a  few  days  after  Mr.  Waring's  death, 
thus  speaks  of  him:  "  In  adding  a  small  tribute  to  his  memory, 
it  is  due  to  him  to  say  he  discharged  his  various  public  duties 
with  integrity  and  ability,  and  that  his  deportment  was  ever 
affable  and  gentlemanly  in  all  his  associations;  as  a  part  of  the 
municipal  authority  of  Brooklyn,  during  six  successive  years  he 
was  always  punctual  in  his  seat,  with  a  watchful  eye  to  the 
best  interests  of  Brooklyn,  a  friend  to  a  strict  construction  of 


its  charter;  nothing  would  induce  him  to  exceed  its  corporate 
powers  for  any  purpose,  and  especially  in  the  disbursement  of 
the  public  funds,  regarding  the  good  old -fashioned  economy  us 
an  antidote  of  extravagance  and  excessive  taxation.  Liberal  and 
charitable  in  all  his  intercourse  in  life,  he  never,  directly  or  in- 
directly, elevated  himself  or  his  friends  at  the  public  expense. 
His  standing  in  society  contributed  in  no  small  degree  to  estab- 
lish the  first  monied  institutions,  the  Long  Island  Bank  and  the 
Savings  Bank,  as  also  the  Long  Island  Insurance  Company,  to 
which  he  lent  an  efficient  aid  as  president.  His  well-earned 
reputation,  whether  in  public  or  private  life,  is  an  inestimablo 
legacy  to  his  descendants,  of  which  they  may  be  proud." 

The  only  survivor  of  Mr.  Waring's  children  now  living  in 
Brooklyn  is  Mr.  Henry  P.  Waring,  aged  eighty-four,  of  which 
eighty  years  have  been  passed  in  Brooklyn. 

Of  the  second  generation  of  the  Waring  family,  the  best  known 
in  Brooklyn  was  Nathaniel  T.  Waring,  bom  August  27,  1800, 
educated  at  the  village  school  of  Thomas  Laidlaw,  and  at  Eliza- 
beth, N.  J.,  and  graduated  at  Union  College,  Schenectady,  in 
1826.  He  was  a  college  mate  of  William  H.  Seward,  of  the  lato 
Judge  John  A.  Lott,  and  the  late  J.  Sullivan  Thorne.  He 
studied  law  at  the  law  school  of  Judge  Gould,  in  Litchfield, 
Connecticut,  and  with  Judge  Radcliffe,  of  New  York,  was  admit- 
ted to  the  Bar  in  1829,  commenced  the  practice  of  his  profession 
in  the  then  village  of  Brooklyn,  and  continued  in  active  practice 
at  the  Brooklyn  Bar  until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  May, 
1877.  He  was  a  well-known  and  active  politician,  of  the  same 
political  faith  as  his  father,  though  he  never  held  any  public 
office,  save  such  as  was  directly  connected  with  his  profession, 
as  Master  in  Chancery  under  the  old  State  Constitution,  Corpora- 
[  tion  Attorney  in  the  early  history  of  the  city,  and  later  for  several 
terms  as  Corporation  Counsel.  He  was  noted  as  the  "sheriff's 
lawyer"  for  many  years,  having  been  counsel  for  a  number  of 
sheriffs,  from  Richard  Udell  to  George  Rem  sen.  Few  were 
better  known  on  Long  Island  than  "Nat.  Waring,"  as  he  was 
familiarly  called,  and  few  with  whom  so  many  anecdotes  and 
reminiscences  are  connected  in  the  memories  of  the  old  settlers. 

William  H.  Waring,  the  son  of  Nathaniel  F.  and  Clara  A. 
Waring,  was  born  February  7th,  1831,  in  Hicks  street,  near  Pine- 
apple. The  house,  modernized  and  enlarged,  is  still  standing, 
and  known  as  No.  102.  His  early  ancestors  on  his  father's  side 
had  come  to  this  country  in  its  early  history  from  England,  and 
had  settled  in  Greenwich,  Conn.  There  is  a  romantic  tradition 
still  extant  in  the  family,  that  one  of  his  ancestors  was  married 
to  Lady  Ann,  the  daughter  of  the  Earl  of  Millington.  When 
very  young,  Lady  Ann  fell  in  love  with  a  play  actor,  with  whom 
she  eloped,  and  after  marriage  sailed  for  America,  disowned  her 
aristocratic  parents.  On  the  voyage  thither  the  quondam  play 
actor  was  taken  ill  of  a  fever  and  died.  Lady  Ann,  too  proud 
to  return  to  her  home,  and  finding  her  way  to  Greenwich,  she 
was  made  town  clerk,  and  subsequently  married  a  Waring. 
The  records  of  the  town,  in  her  handwriting,  are  still  extan:.  and 
a  tombstone  in  the  old  graveyard,  at  Greenwich,  still  marks  the 
place  of  her  burial  and  records  her  title  and  lineage.  The  name 
of  Millington  was  preserved  in  the  family  until  the  last  genera- 
tion. On  his  mother's  side,  he  is  descended  from  the  Dutch. 
Lodowick  Hackstaff,  one  of  the  Dutch  burgesses  of  New  York 
before  the  Revolution,  was  his  mother's  grandfather.  He  built 
the  first  house  that  was  erected  in  White  street,  then  remote 
from  the  city,  and  where  for  many  years  he  lived  and  died. 
The  little  frame  house  on  Clark  street,  near  Henry,  where  the 
subject  of  this  sketch  attended,  in  early  childhood,  "woman's 
school,"  is  still  standing,  and  adjoining  it  was  subsequently 
built  the  Quaker  meeting-house  on  the  comer  of  Clark  and 
Henry  streets,  in  the  basement  of  which  "Quaker  Heely  "  acted 
as  pedagogue,  and  of  whom  Mr.  Wa-«ng  was  one  of  the  pupils. 
The  school  and  its  master  will  readily  be  recognized  by  old 
Brooklynites.  Receiving  his  preparatory  education  at  Union 
Hill  Academy,  Jamaica,  and  Kinderhook  Academy,  at  Kinder- 


1294 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


HON.  WTTXTAM  H.  WARING. 


book,  Columbia  County,  be  entered  Harvard  College,  from  wbicb 
be  graduated  in  1852.  After  graduation,  be  passed  a  year  and  a 
balf  traveling  in  Europe,  studied  law  with  the  "  Quaker  firm  " 
of  lawyers,  Wetmore  &  Browne,  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in 
1855,  from  wbicb  time  he  has  continued  the  practice  of  bis  pro- 
fession in  New  York  City.  While  at  Kinderhook  young  Waring 
formed  the  acquaintance  of  his  grandfather's  old  friend  and 
political  associate,  Martin  Van  Buren,  and  it  being  the  year 
that  the  distinguished  ex-President  was  the  candidate  of  tbe 
Free  Soil  party  for  tbe  Presidency,  he,  at  an  early  age,  espoused 
tbe  Free  Soil  cause,  and  on  the  organization  of  the  Republican 
party  abjured  the  political  faith  of  bis  fathers,  and  has  always 
from  that  time  been  a  steadfast  Republican.  While  in  Europe 
he  for  a  time  became  the  traveling  companion  of  his  former 
"guide,  philosopher  and  friend,"  tbe  ex-President  above  named. 
As  a  lawyer,  Mr.  Waring,  although  a  ready  debater  and  an  orator 
of  considerable  reputation,  has  always  preferred  the  more  quiet 
and  lucrative  practice  of  the  office,  though  he  has  not  un- 
frequently  appeared  in  the  courts  in  important  cases. 

He  has  always  taken  an  active  interest  in  tbe  welfare  and 
prosperity  of  Brooklyn,  but,  though  frequently  tendered,  declined 
to  accept  office  until  1877,  when  he  was  unanimously  tendered 
tbe  Republican  nomination  of  representative  in  tbe  Legislature 
from  tbe  then  Fifth  District,  comprising  ths  Seventh  and  Four- 
teenth Wards.  The  convention  which  nominated  him  bad 
previously  balloted  over  ninety  times  and  failed  to  agree  upon  a 
candidate,  when  Mr.  Waring's  name  was  suggested  and  unani- 
mously accepted  on  the  first  ballot.  This  was  without  bis 
knowledge  of  bis  candidacy,  and  unaccompanied  by  tbe  pipe- 
laying  and  log-rolling  which  usually  obtained  on  similar  occa- 
sions. Elected  in  the  autumn  of  that  year,  he  served  in  the  Legis- 
lature on  the  important  committees  of  the  affairs  of  cities,  in- 
surance and  charitable  and  religious  societies.  Ho  introduced 
and  was  instrumental  in  the  passage  of  the  well-known  two- 
thirds  assessment  law,  whereby  local  improvements,  upon  which 
the  city  had  run  mad  and  nearly  bankrupted  its  treasury,  were 
i  hecki  I.  Hi  also  introduced  and  procured  the  passage  of  the 
bill  to  repeal  the  so-called  Queens  County  Railroad  Charter,  by 
which  the  beautiful  Ijifnyettc  avenue  was  to  bo  given  over  to 


tbe  rapacity  of  speculators,  and  rescued  tbe  avenue  from  inva- 
sion by  railroads  through  a  fraudulently  organized  corporation. 
It  was  mainly  through  his  efforts  that  the  "job  "  was  defeated  to 
impose  a  burden  of  upwards  of  $500,000  upon  the  city  by  the 
imposition  upon  the  county  at  large  of  the  assessment  for  the 
improvement  of  the  Ocean  Parkway  Boulevard.  The  Legisla- 
ture of  1878  was  noted  for  the  great  number  of  bad  bills  which 
were  introduced,  especially  those  relating  to  Brooklyn,  and 
Mr.  Waring  contributed  in  a  large  measure  towards  their  defeat; 
among  others,  a  bill  to  transfer  tbe  management  of  Greenwood 
Cemetery  from  its  then  and  present  board  of  trustees,  and  to 
establish  a  new  system  of  government  for  that  "  city  of  tbe 
dead";  a  bill,  introduced  at  the  instance  of  John  Kelly,  to  with- 
hold further  appropriations  from  New  York  for  the  building  of 
the  great  bridge;  a  bill  to  extend  the  streets  of  the  city,  at  the 
discretion  of  the  Common  Council,  to  the  water  front,  thereby 
destroying  tbe  water  front  for  its  present  commercial  purposes; 
a  bill  to  change  the  entire  policy  of  the  Episcopal  Church,  of 
wbicb  he  is  an  active  member,  and  has  been  for  many  years  a 
warden  and  vestryman;  and  numerous  bills  to  impose  upon  the 
city  large  assessments  for  local  improvements,  and  for  the  legal- 
ization of  fraudulent  contracts.  Upon  tbe  reapportionment  of 
the  Assembly  Districts,  Mr.  Waring's  ward— the  seventh  -was 
thrown  into  the  Eleventh  Assembly  District,  comprising, 
besides  tbe  Seventh,  the  Twenty-first,  Tw  enty -third  and  Twenty- 
fourth  Wards.  Ho  was  again  unanimously  nominated  to  rep- 
resent this  district  in  the  Legislature  of  1881,  and  elected  by 
nearly  1,800  majority.  Early  in  the  session  he  took  a  stand 
against  corporate  aggressions.  In  the  struggle  against  the  con- 
solidation of  the  telegraph  companies  he  was  conspicuous,  and 
was  on  tbe  side  of  the  people  on  the  Railroad  Commission  bill. 
He  advocated  freo  tolls  on  the  canals;  introduced  a  comprehen- 
sive bill  for  the  legalization  of  primary  elections  and  tho  punish- 
ment of  fraud  at  those  elections,  the  main  features  of  which  were 
subsequently  incorporated  into  tbe  so-called  Chapin  law;  as  a 
member  of  the  Committee  on  General  Laws,  he  contributed 
largely  to  the  enactment  of  important  legislation  coming  from 
that  committee.  As  a  member  of  the  Committee  on  the  Re- 
vision of  our  Tax  Laws,  he  rendered  important  service  to  the 


LEGAL  BIOGRAPHIES. 


1295 


metropolis  and  the  business  interests  of  this  community  by  his 
opposition  to  the  taxation  of  broker's  sales,  to  the  taxation  of 
the  earnings  of  the  poor  in  the  savings  banks,  and  was  the 
earnest  champion  of  the  rights  of  the  beneficiaries  in  the  mutual 
benefit  societies.  As  a  legislator,  Mr.  Waring  was  regarded  as 
one  of  the  most  industrious  and  conscientious  workers  of  the 
Assembly,  and  he  brought  to  the  consideration  of  every  subject 
the  habits  of  a  mind  trained  by  his  profession  and  a  life  of 
thoughtful  study,  which  qualified  him  to  take  a  prominent  part 
in  the  discussion  of  all  important  questions  brought  before 
that  body. 

JOHN  M.  STEARNS. 

The  centennial  celebration  of  the  town  of  Reading,  Vt.,  in 
1872,  elicited  the  following  facts  from  Mr.  Stearns: 

"  My  ancestors  were  plain  New  England  farmers  from  the 
time  of  their  first  emigration  from  Nottinghamshire,  England, 
to  Massachusetts  Bay,  in  1630.  Isaac  Stearns,  with  Charles 
Stearns,  his  nephew,  were  among  the  first  settlers  of  Watertown, 
Mass.  They  and  their  descendants  figured  largely  in  the 
annals  of  Watertown,  while  their  representatives  are  now  found 
in  nearly  every  State  in  the  Union.  Charles  Stearns  died  at 
Watertown  about  1G95;  his  son,  Shubael  Stearns,  settled  at  Lynn. 
Shubael  had  a  son,  Samuel,  born  1683,  and  a  grandson,  Thomas, 
born  in  1717,  who  was  my  great-grandfather,  and  who  settled  in 
Lynn.  My  grandfather  was  born  in  1749,  and  died  in  1777, 
leaving  two  sons — Daniel,  aged  five,  and  my  father,  Paul,  aged 
three.  These  two  settled  in  Reading,  Vt.,  in  1796,  and  became 
farmers.  My  father  had  a  good  education,  and  served  his  town 
many  years  in  those  capacities  which  required  a  good  penman 
and  ready  arithmetician.  In  1802,  he  married  Lucy  Kneeland, 
my  mother.  Of  her  family  I  know  little.  Her  brother,  Abner 
Kneeland,  acquired  some  notoriety  from  starting  the  infidel 
newspaper,  the  Boston  Investigator,  also  for  inventing  an  orthog- 
raphy that  dispensed  with  all  silent  letters."  The  following 
particulars  in  Mr.  Stearns'  history  are  gleaned  from  the  general 
catalogue  of  the  Kimball  Union  Academy,  at  Meriden,  N.  H. : 
"John  Milton  Stearns,  A.M.,  was  born  at  Reading,  Vt., 
December  10,  1810  ;  was  at  Kimball  Academy  from  1829  to  1832  ; 
studied  theology;  was  ordained  in  June,  1838;  was  teacher  and 
acting  pastor  at  various  places  from  1832  to  1838;  editor  of 
the  Oreen  Mountain  Emporium,  at  Montpelier,  Vt.,  1838  to  1840; 
Middlebury,  Vt.,  Free  Press,  1840;  Democratic  Plowman,  1842  to 
1843;  Farmer  and  Mechanic,  New  York  City,  1847  to  1848;  has 
practiced  law  since  1849;  received  the  honorary  degree  of  A. 
M.  from  Rutgers  College,  N.  J.,  1855." 

In  1844,  he  came  to  Williamsburgh,  we  might  say  as  an  adven- 
turer, having  achieved  no  marked  success  in  his  previous 
undertakings,  save  the  hard  economies  and  discipline  which  his 
experience  had  imposed.  With  a  wife  and  two  children,  a  few 
dollars  in  hand,  and  a  respectable  debt  of  $300  owing  in  the 
country ;  without  acquaintances,  without  employment,  without 
professional  or  business  reputation,  he  determined  to  begin  the 
world  here  as  he  found  it;  to  await  no  opportunity,  to  despise 
no  employment  because  it  appeared  servile,  and  to  beg  no 
man's  patronage  as  a  favor,  but  because  of  the  advantage  to  be 
derived  by  the  employer.  So  he  started  at  once  to  utilize  his 
knowledge  of  printing  and  book-selling,  as  a  walking  broker 
through  the  business  streets  of  New  York,  having  arranged 
with  stationers,  printers  and  book-binders  to  execute  his  orders 
at  a  small  profit  to  himself.  He  sold  Harpers'  cheap  publica- 
tions, also  their  heavier  works  on  orders.  He  sometimes  sold 
clocks;  but  he  says  he  never  sold  to  a  man  who  did  not  become 
his  enemy  for  life,  for  the  clocks  would  not  go.  So  that  branch 
of  trade  was  presently  dropped.  Besides  being  diligent  in 
business,  he  sought  to  exemplify  another  motto,  "Always  be 
cheerful  in  business."  In  these  pursuits,  he  was  careful  not  to 
make  known  his  affiliation  with  the  clergy,  lest  he  should  be 
thought  appealing  to  the  charities  of  his  customers,  rather  than 


standing  on  his  merits  as  a  business  man,  and  giving  value  for 
value  received — a  laudable  pride,  which  is  sadly  lacking  in  somo 
of  the  brethren  of  the  cloth.  He  realized  six  or  seven  hundred 
dollars  a  year  in  trade,  which  supported  his  family,  and  in  three 
years  paid  off  his  debts.  About  184C,  he  commenced  the  study 
of  law,  as  time  and  opportunities  permitted;  obtaining  a  certi- 
ficate of  clerkship  from  a  local  lawyer,  on  which  Hallet,  the  old 
County  Clerk  of  New  York,  made  an  allowance  of  two  and  a 
half  years  for  classical  studies,  and  filed  the  papers  in  his  office. 
Under  the  Constitution  of  1817,  which  admitted  any  reputable 
citizen  to  practice  law  upon  passing  an  examination  by  the 
Court,  he  was  examined  by  the  judges  in  open  Court  at  General 
Term,  held  in  the  City  Hall,  Brooklyn,  and  admitted  March 
8th,  1849,  to  practice  in  all  the  courts  in  the  State,  being  then  in 
the  39th  year  of  his  age.  It  was  the  second  year  of  his  practice 
before  his  profession  paid  his  expenses,  but  subsequently  it 
became  substantial  and  successful.  He  is  still,  after  thirty  four 
and  a  half  years,  in  the  active  duties  of  his  profession.  He 
carried  his  Christian  principles  into  the  practice  of  the  law, 
thereby  gaining  a  "good  name,"  which  is  better  than  "great 
riches."  Although  he  has  not  amassed  a  largo  fortune,  he  stands 
high  in  his  profession— a  Nestor  of  the  Bar,  secure  in  the  confi- 
dence and  esteem  of  his  fellow-citizens,  and  holding  many 
important  positions  of  trust. 


JOHN  M.  STKABNS. 

Speaking  of  the  lawyer's  reputation,  Mr.  Stearns  says:  "It 
is  often  brilliant  for  to-day,  but  in  a  short  time  it  comes  to  be 
that  with  respect  to  which  '  the  memory  of  man  runneth  not.' 
The  name  that  has  been  widely  praised  may  survive  for  a  gene- 
ration, but  the  life  work  has  scarcely  a  skeleton  or  fossil  to 
preserve,  and  vanishes  when  the  old  briefs  of  the  dead  man  are 
given  to  the  flames,  with  the  remark  that  they  were  great  achieve- 
ments for  their  day." 

Notwithstanding  his  busy  professional  life,  Mr.  Stearns  ha* 
published  several  volumes,  large  and  small,  of  his  writings. 
The  first  was  the  Wreath  of  Wild  Hoses,  in  184C;  this  was 
followed  in  18G6by  The  Rights Man  the  true  Basis  of  Reconstruc 
lion-  The  Puritan  as  a  Character  in  History,  1876;  The  Bible  in  liar- 
many  with  Nature,  being  a  review  of  Thomas  Paine,  James 
Vnthony  Fronde,  and  the  scientists.  He  has  also  written 
An  Appeal  for  Lay  Preaching,  and  Tom  Paine  on  Trial,  and 
The  Infidels  in  Court,  1880;  and  has  been  a  frequent  contributor 


129f, 


HISTORY  OF  KTXOS  COUNTY. 


to  the  Brooklyn  77mM  and  other  papers.  He  has  been  en- 
gaged for  several  years  in  writing  a  work  on  Municipal  Law, 
as  developed  in  the  history  of  the  Patriarchs,  the  Mosaic  ritual, 
the  laws  and  jurisprudence  of  Rome  and  the  Middle  Ages, 
the  Roman  traditions  of  Great  Britain,  especially  of.  the 
Druids,  and  the  Saxon  laws  down  to  the  days  of  Magna  Charta 
— to  elucidate,  in  fact,  the  historical  development  of  law  as 
a  science.  During  his  long  professional  career,  he  has  accumu- 
lated a  large  lihrary,  especially  rich  in  ancient  law.  In  1872, 
he  gave  an  address  at  the  centennial  celebration  of  the  first 
settlement  of  his  native  place,  which  was.  published  as  a  part  of 
the  history  of  the  town.  In  1807,  with  his  wife  and  niece,  he 
visited  the  French  Exposition  at  Paris,  traveling  through  parts 
of  France,  England  and  Scotland.  He  published  a  series  of 
letters  containing  observations  and  sketches  of  what  he  noted  in 
the  Old  World.  This  excursion  having  proved  beneficial  to  his 
health,  then  somewhat  impaired,  he  has  since  traveled  through 
most  of  the  States  and  Territories  of  the  Union,  visiting  also 
Manitoba  and  the  Red  River  country  of  the  North.  He  has  spent 
some  $15,000  in  these  travels,  but  in  addition  to  the  varied 
knowledge  so  gathered,  he  believes  that  his  life  has  been  pre- 
served thereby  to  the  sound  old  age  of  seventy-three,  with  a  fair 
prospect  for  lengthened  days.  Mr.  Stearns  has  twice  married ; 
first,  Emeline  H.  Adams,  of  Bethel,  Vt.,  in  September,  1836; 
second,  Mrs.  Sarah  J.  Valentine  Vandberg,  December  16,  1861. 
He  has  two  children:  Helen  J.,  who  married  Hon.  Homer  A. 
Nelson,  of  Ponghkeepsie,  in  1855,  who  is  widely  known  as  a 
lawyer  and  politician,  having  been  County  Judge  of  Dutchess 
County  fonryears;  member  of  Congress,  1861-1862;  Secretary 
of  State  of  New  York  three  years,  and  State  Senator  for  two 
years  last  past.  J.  Milton  Stearns,  Jr.,  has  practiced  law  with 
marked  success,  as  far  as  his  health  permitted.  He  has  latterly 
given  special  attention  to  the  law  of  patents. 

Mr.  Stearns  himself  has  never  held  any  office  above  that  of 
Notary  Public  and  Commissioner  of  Deeds.  In  1860,  he' was  a 
candidate  for  the  Assembly,  and  again  in  1861.  He  had  reason 
to  believe  that  certain  great  corporations  required  a  "man  of 
straw  "  for  their  purposes,  rather  than  a  person  of  independent 
thought  and  judgment;  hence  he  was  in  both  years  defeated. 
His  political  preferences  of  late  years  have  been  for  the  Repub- 
lican party. 

In  person,  Mr.  Stearns  is  somewhat  above  the  average  size,  hale 
and  ruddy,  hair  frosted  by  seventy-three  winters,  but  his  bright 
blue  eye  is  as  keen  now  as  thirty  years  ago.  He  is  a  man'of  great 
force  of  character,  strong  in  his  opinions,  and  courageous  in 
their  defense;  at  the  same  time  permeated  with  an  acute  sense 
of  humor,  altogether  a  typical  New  Englander  of  the  best  class. 
His  long  and  varied  experience  of  life  has  mellowed,  not  soured, 
his  disposition,  so  that  his  comments  on  men  and  things,  though 
somewhat  sarcastic,  are  given  with  a  merry  twinkle  of  the  eye, 
that  makes  them  sparkling,  but  not  acid.  In  these  character- 
istics he  resembles  Carlyle,  without  Carlyle's  bitterness. 

It  has  already  been  mentioned  that  he  was  ordained  to  the 
ministry  in  early  life.  The  reasons  that  impelled  him  to  change 
his  profession  may  be  gleaned  from  the  following  committee 
report,  which  he  made  to  the  Congregational  Association  of  New 
York  State,  under  a  resolution  in  reference  to  the  employing  of 
lay  preachers: 

"  As  one  who  has  failed  in  his  early  aspirations  for  usefulness 
and  success  in  the  Christian  ministry  first,  through  his  pre- 
sumed lack  of  educational  preparation  for  the  work,  and  the 
influences  that  dominated  churches  in  that  regard;  and,  again, 
through  the  contests  for  ascendency  between  old  school  and 
new  school,  old  measures  and  new  measures,  back  of  which  lay 
the  contest  as  between  justice  and  right,  and  apologies  for 
tinman  slavery — I  confess  I  bring  from  this  experience  an 
earnest  interest  in  behalf  of  the  humblest  servant  of  Christ,  in 
his  effort«,  in  dnty,  and  his  aspiration  for  aggressive  work  in  tho 
interests  of  Zion.    I  confess  I  looked  for  saintly  sympathy  from  j 


the  clergy  of  those  times;  but  found  I  could  only  be  appre- 
ciated as  a  factor  on  the  one  side  or  the  other  of  the  great 
contests  that  were  agitating  the  land.  And  when  I  look  back 
and  remember  what  slight  influences,  or  perhaps  unconscious 
prejudices,  and  unguarded  remarks,  shut  out  the  prospects  I 
had  cherished,  and  finally  changed  the  whole  course  of  my  life, 
I  am  impressed  with  the  duty  of  treating  the  modest  and  humble 
aspirations  of  young  men  with  great  tenderness  and  care.  The 
rtmens  responded  to  the  discourse  of  the  humble  exhorter  have 
often  been  the  inspiration  of  hope  to  his  soul,  and  developed  in 
due  time  the  preacher  as  a  man  of  God  with  power. 

"But  I  may  be  asked  why  I  have  not  returned  to  the  work? 
This  I  have  often  asked  myself,  and  found  my  chart  of  life  made 
up  and  controlled  by  inexorable  laws.  You  might  as  well  ask  a 
sea  captain  in  mid  ocean  why  he  did  not  come  to  land.  If  the 
ghosts  of  human  quarrels  could  be  laid  by  a  word  and  the  wav- 
ing of  a  wand,  we  could  make  an  end  of  toil  in  the  legal  pro- 
fession.   But  we  have  no  such  power. 

"I  might  occasionally  have  lent  a  hand  in  the  interest  of  my 
cherished  early  hopes.  But  I  have  always  believed  that  church 
order  is  essential  to  permanence  of  religious  influence;  and  to 
go  from  secular  duties  to  the  pulpit  without  the  immediate 
sanction  of  church  authorities  would  have  done  violence  to  a 
useful  popular  sentiment,  and  not  have  been  useful  to  the 
cause." 

BREWSTER  KISSAM. 

Brewster  Kissam  was  born  in  the  city  of  New  York  on  the 
16th  day  of  March,  1849,  and  is  now  in  his  thirty-sixth  year.  He 
is  a  son  of  George  Brooks  Kissam,  who  in  his  lifetime  was  a 
well-known  lawyer,  and  law  partner  of  Hon.  Dudley  Selden, 
deceased.  Brewster  Kissam  received  an  ordinary  common  school 
education,  and  at  the  age  of  fourteen  years  went  to  sea.  He  fol- 
lowed this  life  for  about  two  years,  having,  during  that  time, 
been  to  China,  Japan,  the  East  Indies,  California,  and  other 
parts  of  the  globe.  Upon  his  return  to  New  York,  about  the 
year  1865,  he  commenced  the  study  of  law  in  the  law  office  of 
Charles  B.  Hart,  in  New  York.  In  April,  1870,  being  then 
twenty-one  years  and  one  month  old,  he  was  admitted  to  the 
Bar  in  that  city,  and  entered  immediately  upon  the  active  prac- 
tice of  his  profession  in  this  State.  In  October,  1870,  a  few 
months  following  his  admission  to  the  Bar,  he  married  a  Miss 
Emma  C.  Atkinson,  of  Brooklyn,  who  is  now  his  wife.  The 
issue  of  this  marriage  is  one  child. 

Mr.  Kissam  is  well  known  as  a  lawyer,  has  a  large  and  lucrative 
practice  in  the  cities  of  New  York  and  Brooklyn,  and  has  acted 
as  counsel  in  many  important  law  eases.  As  a  lawyer,  he 
has  the  reputation  of  carrying  conviction  to  the  minds  of  the 
court  and  jury,  by  the  sound  common  sense  of  his  arguments 
rather  than  by  any  attempted  flights  of  oratory. 

In  politics,  Mr.  Kissam  is  an  uncompromising  Democrat.  For 
a  period  of  five  years  he  represented  his  ward  in  tho  Democratic 
General  Committee  of  Kings  County,  and  took  an  active  part  in 
the  deliberations  and  discussions  of  that  body. 

He  resigned  from  the  committee  in  tho  fall  of  the  year  1878. 
He  has,  during  the  past  ten  years,  represented  his  district  in 
numerous  city  and  county  conventions,  and  in  several  State  con- 
ventions. In  the  fall  of  1877  he  was  chairman  of  the  Kings 
County  delegation  to  the1  Democratic  State  Convention,  held  at 
Albany.  Mr.  Kissam  has  always  taken  an  active  interest  in  the 
polities  of  tho  party  with  which  he  is  identified,  and  for  several 
years  past  has  taken  the  slump,  each  fall,  in  the  interest  of  his 
party.  Although  not  a  particularly  flowery  speaker,  he  is  known 
as  a  forcible  and  common  sense  one. 

In  the  fall  of  the  year  1881,  Mr.  Kissam  was  appointed  as  one 
of  the  three  Commissioners  of  Charities  and  Corrections  of  Kings 
County  for  tho  term  of  four  years  from  tho  1st  January,  1882. 

This  position  he  still  holds,  continuing,  at  tho  same  time,  the 
practice  of  his  profession. 


L  EGA  L   BIOGRA  PIUES. 


mi 


The  duties  and  responsibilities  devolving  upon  him  as  a  com- 
missioner are  very  great,  involving  the  care,  management  and 
control  of  the  Penitentiary,  Almshouse,  Hospital,  Lunatic  Asy- 
lum, Asylum  for  the  Incurable  Insane,  and  their  4,000  inmates. 
His  record  as  a  commissioner  is  well  known  to  the  people  of  this 
county.  Keforms  in  this  department,  previously  commenced, 
have  been  continued,  and  other  important  reforms  have  been 
effected  during  his  term  of  office. 

Mr.  Kissam  is  about  five  feet  ten  inches  in  height,  weighs  210 
pounds,  is  dark  complexioned,  and  has  dark  eyes  and  hair. 


JOHN  A.  NICHOLS. 

John  A.  Nichols  is  a  son  of  John  and  Eliza  (Camerden)  Nichols, 
and  was  born  at  Port  Richmond,  Staten  Island,  August  28th, 
1831.  He  was  educated  at  the  old  Academy  in  Newark,  New 
Jersey,  read  law  in  the  office  of  Norman  B.  Judd,  of  Chicago,  and 
■was  admitted  to  the  Bar  in  1855.  In  I860,  he  received  the  hon- 
orary degree  of  A.M.  from  Kenyon  College,  at  Gambier,  Ohio. 
He  was  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  profession  in  Chicago  until 
1864,  when  he  removed  to  Brooklyn  and  became  identified  with 
insurance  interests  in  New  York.  A  year  later  these  interests 
necessitated  hifremoval  to  Baltimore,  Maryland,  where  he  was 
manager  of  an  extensive  agency  and  organized  an  insurance 
company,  still  in  existence,  of  which  he  was  for  some  time  pres- 
ident.  He  returned  to  Brooklyn  in  1873,  residing  at  No.  437 
Clinton  avenue,  and  was  again  prominently  connected  with 
New  York  insurance  interests  until  1882,  when  he  resumed  the 
practice  of  the  law,  his  offices  being  located  at  73  Broadway. 

Politically,  Mr.  Nichols  is  a  Republican.  In  January,  1880, 
he  was  elected  president  of  the  Kings  County  Republican 
General  Committee,  and  in  the  following  spring  he  was  appointed 
Commissioner  of  Quarantine  by  Governor  Cornell,  which  posi- 
tion he  yet  holds.  He  has  long  been  active  and  influential 
both  in  local  and  State  politics,  and  has  served  as  a  delegate  from 
his  district  to  all  Republican  State  Conventions  for  some  years 
past.  Mr.  Nichols'  religious  affiliations  are  with  the  Prot- 
estant Episcopal  Church,  and  he  and  his  family  are  communi- 
cants of  the  Church  of  the  Messiah,  Brooklyn,  with  which  he 
is  officially  connected  as  vestryman.  For  several  years  past  he 
has  regularly  been  a  delegate  to  the  Diocesan  Conventions. 

March  19th,  1855,  Mr.  Nichols  was  married  to  a  daughter  of 
Francis  Bortells,  of  Palmyra,  Wayne  County,  New  York;  they 
have  four  sons  and  a  daughter.  The  identification  of  Mrs. 
Nichols  with  the  charitable  institutions  of  Brooklyn  is  well 
known,  and  dates  back  almost  to  the  time  when  Mr.  Nichols  first 
became  a  resident  of  the  city.  It  is  to  the  Sheltering  Arms 
Nursery,  however,  that  she  devotes  most  of  her  time  and  gen- 
erosity. Of  this  institution  she  is  president  and  a  more  than 
liberal  supporter. 


A.  ORVILLE  MILLARD. 

A.  Orvtlle  Millard  is  a  native  of  Ulster  County,  New  York, 
born  January  9th,  1809,  a  son  of  T.  Aitken  and  Charlotte  (Ro- 
selle)  Millard.  His  parents  died  when  he  was  a  mere  child,  and 
he  had  a  hard  struggle  until  he  reached  young  manhood.  He 
taught  school  and  was  engaged  in  civil  engineering  until  he 
was  twenty-one  years  of  age,  when  he  came  to  New  York  and 
began  to  read  law  in  the  office  of  Samuel  Sherwood,  one  of  the 
most  distinguished  lawyers  of  that  time. 

At  the  time  of  his  arrival  in  New  York,  Broadway  extended 
only  as  far  up  as  Canal  street,  with  farms  above,  and  Brooklyn 
was  a  mere  country  village  clustering  about  Fulton  Kerry.  He 
lived  in  New  York  during  the  whole  of  the  memorable  year  of 
1832,  during  the  terrible  ravages  of  the  cholera,  and  also  during 
the  period  of  the  abolition  riots,  in  1834,  when  he  witnessed 
many  scenes  of  turbulence  and  excitement  which  have  become 
historical.    It  is  matter  of  interest  in  this   connection  that 


Brooklyn's  growth  dates  from  1833,  the  year  after  the  cholera 
season,  when  New  Yorkers  sought  that  locality  for  country  seats 
remote  from  the  city,  and  only  a  few  years  later  the  slope  only 
a  short  distance  from  the  ferry  was  dotted  with  villas,  with 
partially  cultivated  spaces  between.  The  rapid  growth  of 
Brooklyn,  during  the  earlier  years  of  its  advancement,  Mr. 
Millard  attributes  to  the  fact  that  the  assessors  of  Kings  County 
exempted  personal  property  from  taxation,  which  afforded  an 
inducement  to  New  York  merchants  to  settle  in  Brooklyn. 

In  July,  1833,  Mr.  Millard  was  admitted  to  the  Bar,  and  at 
once  opened  an  office  at  No  7  Nassau  street.  He  was  engaged  in 
the  general  practice  of  his  profession  until  1849,  when  he  retired 
from  active  professional  life;  but  being  engaged  in  real  estate 
practice,  he  continued  the  same  until  the  commencement  of 
the  Rebellion.  He  has  been  a  resident  of  Brooklyn  since  1839, 
and  has  since  taken  a  deep  interest  in  the  growth  and  pros- 
perity of  the  city  at  large,  and  especially  of  Old  Bedford,  within 
the  confines  of  which  he  has  so  long  had  his  home.  He  was 
for  several  years  one  of  the  supervisors  of  Brooklyn,  and  was 
one  of  the  earliest  members  of  the  Board  of  Education,  which 
he  assisted  materially  to  organize.  He  was  appointed  Master 
in  Chancery  by  Governor  Bouck  about  1843,  and  held  the 
office  until  the  Court  of  Chancery  was  abolished.  The  rapid 
development  of  his  part  of  the  city  is  attributable  in  a  great 
degree  to  the  operations  in  real  estate  of  Mr.  Millard  and  others, 
and  to  him  is  due  the  credit  of  having  induced  many  worthy 
citizens  to  take  up  their  residence  in  that  locality. 

It  is  probable  that  Judge  Millard,  in  view  of  his  long  resi- 
dence in,  and  his  identification  with  the  interests  of  Brooklyn, 
is  more  thoroughly  conversant  with  the  history  of  its  progress 
from  a  village  to  its  present  status  as  the  third  city  in  the  Union, 
than  any  other  resident.  He  has  been  a  property-holder  and 
a  close  and  attentive  observer  of  passing  events,  and  the  various 
interests  of  Brooklyn  have  been  watched  by  him  through  many 
years  of  development,  and  he  is  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the 
causes  which  have  resulted  in  the  remarkable  progress  of  the 
city.  The  introduction  of  the  Croton  water  in  New  York  gave 
to  that  city  an  impetus  and  advantages  that  left  Brooklyn  at  a 
standstill  until  the  Ridgewood  water  was  introduced,  which  gave 
her  an  immediate  and  vigorous  acceleration  of  growth.  The 
next  important  event  of  which  Mr.  Millard  speaks  in  this  con- 
nection, was  the  introduction  of  horse  railroads  in  New  York, 
in  consequence  of  which  thousands  of  families  moved  up  town, 
and  the  settlement  of  the  Brooklyn  shore  was  retarded  until  the 
introduction  of  the  street  railways  in  Brooklyn;  and,  with  other 
far-seeing  citizens,  Mr.  Millard  believes  that  the  progress  of 
Brooklyn  will  be  comparatively  slow  until  she  can  compete  with 
New  York  in  the  matter  of  rapid  transit. 

Mr.  Millard  has  been  a  life-long  Democrat;  he  was  reared  in 
the  Episcopal  Church,  and  for  many  years  has  been  interested 
in  St.  Luke's  Episcopal  Church  on  Clinton  avenue. 

FRANCIS  E.  DANA 

is  of  the  old  New  England  Dana  family,  which  has  produced 
some  men  eminent  in  letters  and  in  the  profession,  while  all  its 
members  have  been  at  least  respectable  law-abiding  citizens;  in 
fine,  it  is  a  good  example  of  the  New  England  aristocracy  of 
talent  and  intelligence.  Mr.  Dana's  great-grandfather  was  a 
member  of  the  Connecticut  Assembly  from  the  Connecticut 
Colony  that  had  settled  in  the  Connecticut  lands  in  Pennsyl- 
vania; returning  to  his  home,  he  fell  a  victim  to  the  [massacre 
in  the  Wyoming  Valley,  whence  his  widow  and  nine  children 
made  their  way  back  on  foot  to  friends  in  Connecticut. 

Mr.  Dana  is  of  the  third  generation  of  lawyers  in  the  family; 
his  father,  Mr.  Alexander  Hamilton  Dana,  and  his  grand- 
father, Elizur  Dana,  of  Owego,  having  been  bred  to  the  law 
before  him.  He  was  born  in  Livingston  street,  Brooklyn, 
January  21,   1836;   his  early  education  was  acquired  at  a 


129S 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


private  school  in  Powers  street,  kept  by  a  Mr.  Fairchild,  and 
at  the  Columbia  College  Grammar  School.  Atthe  age  of  sixteen, 
be  commenced  the  study  of  the  law  in  his  father's  office  in  New 
York,  where  his  training  was  thorough  and  practical;  he  passed 
a  good  examination  and  was  admitted  to  the  Bar  February  12, 
1858.  He  soon  after  began  the  practice  of  his  profession  in 
New  York.  Many  of  his  clients  being  Brooklyn  people,  in  186!) 
he  removed  to  this  city,  where  his  practice  largely  centered, 
although  he  still  has  often  to  appear  in  New  York  courts.  He 
is  regarded  by  his  brethren  on  the  Bench  and  at  the  Bar  as  an 
able  lawyer;  in  the  trial  of  causes,  his  cases  are  carefully  prepared 
and  skillfully  presented;  shrewd,  wary,  and  self-controlled, 
sharp  in  attack  and  strong  in  defense,  not  often  disconcerted, 
he  nearly  always  is  master  of  the  situation.  Before  a  jury,  his 
style  is  temperate  and  collected,  rather  than  vociferous,  yet 
sufficiently  animated;  it  is  more  impressive  than  impulsive, 
more  logical  than  declamatory,  and  he  wins  by  force  of  reason- 
ing rather  than  by  appeals  to  prejudice.  In  arguments  addressed 
to  the  Court,  his  briefs  and  points  are  clear,  succinct,  and  well 
sustained  by  authorities;  his  words  terse  and  direct.  Among 
the  brilliant  triumphs  that  Mr.  Dana  has  won,  may  be  men- 
tioned the  following  cases,  viz.:  The  Phcenix  Warehousing 
Company,  respondent,  v.  Daniel  D.  Badger,  appellant,  reported 
in  the  67th  New  York  Court  of  Appeals  Reports,  page  294. 
In  this  case  Mr.  Dana  appeared  for  the  respondents,  having 
been  their  attorney  though  the  lower  courts,  and  the  Court 
sustained  his  position,  that  a  trustee  of  a  corporation  who  has 
taken  part  in  its  management  and  contracted  with  it  as  a  cor- 
poration, cannot  afterwards  dispute  the  validity  of  its  incorpo- 
ration ;  also  that  a  subscription  to  the  articles  of  incorporation, 
with  a  statement  of  the  number  of  shares  opposite  the  name,  is 
a  sufficient  and  binding  subscription  for  stock,  and  takes  effect 
on  filing  the  certificate.  Another  is  the  case  of  W.  L.  Palmer, 
appellant,  v.  W.  Purdy,  as  executor,  etc.,  respondent,  83d 
New  York,  page  144,  in  which  Mr.  Dana  appeared  for  the  appel- 
lant, and  the  Court  of  Appeals  held  in  his  favor,  that  though  one 


of  several  original  debtors  may  contract  with  the  others  for  their 
assumption  of  the  common  debt  so  as  to  acquire  the  rights  of  a 
surety,  their  notice  to  the  creditor  of  their  changed  attitude 
must  be  definite  and  distinct.  Another  and  a  very  interesting 
case  in  connection  with  the  colored  public  schools,  which  Mr. 
Dana  conducted  in  behalf  of  the  Board  of  Education,  is 
reported  in  the  03d  New  York,  page  400,  as  The  People  ex  rel. 
Theresa  W.  B.  King,  by  guardian,  appellant,  v.  John  Gallagher, 
principal,  etc.,  respondent;  Mr.  Dana  appearing  for  respondent. 
The  Court  held  that  under  the  provisions  of  the  Common  School 
Act,  passed  in  1864,  applying  to  cities  and  incorporated  towns, 
the  school  authorities  have  power  to  establish  schools  for  the 
exclusive  use  of  colored  children,  and  that  the  establishment  of 
such  separate  schools  is  not  an  abridgment  of  the  "privileges 
or  immunities  "  preserved  by  the  Fourteenth  Amendment  to  the 
Constitution;  that  equality  and  not  identity  of  rights  and  privileges 
is  what  is  guaranteed;  that  neither  the  Fourteenth  Amendment 
nor  the  Civil  Eights  Act  of  1873  restrict  the  right  to  establish 
separate  colored  schools;  as  the  common  schools  are  granted  by 
the  State  to  its  citizens,  and  depend  solely  upon  State  laws  for 
their  origin  and  support,  they  are  not  within  the  purview  of  the 
Constitution.  This  case  attracted  widespread  attention,  from 
its  importance,  and  brought  many  commendations  to  the 
attorney  for  the  able  manner  in  which  be  conducted  it.  Mr. 
Dana  has  been  so  absorbed  in  his  profession  that  he  has  never 
interested  himself  in  politics,  beyond  voting,  generally,  the 
Republican  ticket,  and  has  never  held  office,  except  as  a  member 
of  the  Board  of  Education,  to  which  he  was  first  appointed  in 
July,  1880,  and  reappointed  by  Mayor  Low  in  1883;  he  has  been 
chairman  of  the  Law  Committee  since  1881,  and  carried  on  the 
litigated  cases  of  the  Board. 

In  person,  Mr.  Dana  is  of  commanding  height,  erect,  and 
well  proportioned. 

In  1809,  he  married  Julia,  youngest  daughter  of  Rev.  Dr. 
Budington;  their  pleasant  bouse  on  Washington  avenue  is  the 
abode  of  refinement  and  culture. 


LEGAL  BIOGRAPHIES. 


1209 


HON.  JOHN  VANDERBILT. 


The  Hon.  John  Vanderbilt  (referred  to  on  pages  352  and 
362,  as  a  partner  in  the  legal  firm  of  Lott,  Murphy  &  Van- 
derbilt), was  the  eldest  son  of  John  Vanderbilt  and  Sarah 
Lott,  his  wife,  of  Flatbush.  In  1835,  as  we  have  seen,  he  be- 
came the  junior  member  of  the  distinguished  and  very 
representative  firm  above  referred  to.  It  is  said  of  the  three 
gentlemen  comprising  this  firm,  that  "they  brought  into 
local  politics  the  principles  of  statesmanship,  and  to  civil 
service  the  habits  of  fidelity,  independence  and  diligence, 
and  that  grade  of  culture,  force  and  knowledge,  which  made 
their  public  records  a  bright  part  of  the  history  of  their 
county,  just  as  their  private  careers  have  been  a  most 
honorable  part  of  the  social  and  intellectual  history  of  their 
city." 

On  the  1st  of  May,  1844,  Mr.  Vanderbilt,  then  only  twenty- 
five  years  of  age,  was  appointed  by  Governor  William  C. 
Bouck,  to  the  responsible  position  of  first  Judge  of  the  Court 
of  Common  Pleas  of  Kings  county,  to  succeed  Judge  Green- 
wood, who  had  resigned.  He  discharged  the  duties  of  this 
important  position  with  faithfulness  and  credit  for  two 
years,  until  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas  was  abolished  by  the 
adoption  of  the  New  Constitution  in  1846,  and  the  creation  of 
the  County  Court  as  at  present  constituted.  It  has  been  said 
that,  at  the  time  of  his  retirement  from  the  bench,  there  was 
not  a  more  popular  man,  politically  and  socially,  in  the  city 
of  Brooklyn,  than  he.  In  the  fall  of  1852,  he  received  the 
Democratic  nomination  for  the  State  Senate,  to  which  position 
he  was  chosen  by  a  large  majority.  He  filled  this  station 
creditably  for  the  full  term  of  two  years.  During  his  term  as 
Senator  he  was  appointed  one  of  the  Commissioners  to  inves- 
tigate the  harbor  encroachments  of  New  York.  He  was  also 
selected  as  one  of  the  Commissioners  to  investigate  the  affairs 
of  President  Nott  and  Union  College.    In  the  fall  of  1856  he 


was  nominated  on  the  Democratic  ticket  for  Lieut. -Governor, 
with  Amasa  J.  Parker,  of  Albany,  as  Governor,  but  the 
Democrats  were  not  successful  in  the  issue  of  the  election. 
For  several  years  before  his  death,  which  occurred  at  Flat- 
bush,  May  16,  1877,  Judge  Vanderbilt  was  retired  from 
active  service  by  a  shock  of  paralysis;  but,  "  in  the  prime  of 
his  energy  was  certainly  the  most  vigorous  and  handsome 
man  in  public  or  political  life  in  this  county,  if  not  in  the 
State.  His  strong,  manly  beauty  mated  with  and  wa.s  the 
exponent  of  qualities  of  mind  and  heart,  as  attractive  as  his 
gifts  and  graces  of  person.  In  a  time  when  '  rings '  were 
unknown,  he  was  a  Democrat;  in  a  time  when  sectionalism 
was  hardly  an  apparition,  and  when  the  State  had  its  full 
rights,  whether  it  was  weighed  or  counted  as  a  factor,  he 
was  a  patriot,  and  one  who  gloried  in  his  whole  country;  in  a 
time  when  shysters  had  not  been  evolved,  and  when  petti- 
foggers were  limited  to  a  satirical  stage  or  a  sarcastic  litera- 
ture, he  was  a  lawyer;  in  a  time  when  gentlemen  were  as 
dominant  in  politics,  and  scholars  as  dominant  in  council  as 
they  now  are  not,  he  was  a  scholar  and  a  gentleman.  His 
rapidity  of  public  development,  his  activity  in  affairs,  his  not 
surpassed  qualities  of  good-fellowship,  the  magnetism  of  his 
mind  and  manners,  and  the  impressive  appeal  which  he 
could  address  to  the  people,  early  made  him  and  long  kept 
him  what  he  was  freely  called,  '  Kings  County's  Favorite 
Son,'  when  that  appellation  was  forcible  by  its  vanity,  sig- 
nificant in  its  meaning,  and  when  it  had  not  been  vulgarized 
by  its  application  to  the  politicians  by  profession,  and  to  the 
place-hunters  by  occupation." 

Judge  Vanderbilt  married  Gertrude  Phebe  I/efferts. 
daughter  of  John  Lefferts,  of  Flatbush.  She  survives 
him,  and  is  elsewhere  noted  (p.  1316)  as  the  author  of  the 
Social  History  of  Flatbush. 


JOHN    O  AKEY,  ESQ. 


John  Oakey,  Esq.,  although  born  in  Brooklyn,  removed 
in  his  early  childhood  with  his  father  to  Flatbush,  at  which 
place  he  has  spent  the  greater  part  of  his  eventful  life,  and  is 
justly  claimed  by  Flatbush  as  one  of  her  representative  men. 
He  was  educated  at  Erasmus  Hall,  from  which  institution 
he  passed  in  1845,  to  enter  Yale  College,  graduating  with 
honor  in  1849.  He  studied  law  in  New  York  city,  with  Hon- 
James  Humphrey,  M.  C. ;  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1851, 
and  for  twenty-three  years  practised  law  in  New  York  city; 
during  all  this  period  he  was  the  Notary  of  the  Nassau  Bank; 
from  1857  to  1861  he  was  the  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  the  vil- 
lage of  Flatbush.  When  the  civil  war  broke  out  in  1861,  he 
was  the  first  man  who  left  Flatbush  for  the  seat  of  war;  he 
was  then  a  member  of  the  7th  Regiment,  New  York;  upon 
his  departure  his  wife  was  presented  by  several  gentlemen  of 
the  village,  with  a  check  for  $100;  and  efforts  were  imme- 
diately made  by  which  a  village  relief  fund  of  several 
thousand  dollars  was  raised  for  the  aid  of  those  who  might 
go  to  the  war.  In  1866  he  was  elected  Member  of  the  Assembly 
on  the  Republican  ticket,  in  a  strongly  Democratic  district, 
and  was  returned  in  1867,  thus  serving  two  years  in  the 
Assembly;  during  a  portion  of  this  time  he  was  Chairman  of 
the  Committee  on  Commerce  and  Navigation,  succeeding 
Hon.  Dewitt  C.  Littlejohn.   In  1868,  he  was  appointed  Judge 


Advocate  with  the  rank  of  Colonel,  on  the  staff  of  Major- 
General  Shaler,  First  Division,  N.  G.,  S.  N.  Y.;  this  position 
he  held  for  five  years,  until  1873.  From  1874  to  1878  he  was 
Counsel  for  the  Brooklyn  Police  and  Excise  Departments, 
and  in  1878,  he  was  appointed  as  Assistant  District  Attorney 
of  Brooklyn  and  Kings  County.  He  has  been  the  founder  of 
several  large  and  flourishing  amateur  dramatic  associations, 
and  the  President  as  well  as  founder  of  the  Amaranth  Society 
of  Brooklyn.  Through  his  instrumentality  the  late  Lieut. - 
Commander  George  W.  De  Long,  of  the  ill-fated  Jeannette 
of  the  Arctic  expedition,  was  advanced  to  his  position  of 
honor.  He  was  with  Col.  Oakey  as  office  boy  for  three  or 
four  years,  and  through  Col.  Oakey's  influence  with  some  of 
our  prominent  business  men,  young  De  Long  received  an  ap- 
pointment  of  a  cadetship  in  1861. 


Of  Judge  John  Lefferts,  mentioned  on  page  225,  it  should 
be  further  said,  that  as  a  member  of  the  Convention  of  1821 
for  Amending  the  Constitution  of  the  State,  he  was,  with 
John  Van  Buren  and  others,  one  of  the  so-called  "  Immortal 
Seventeen  "  who  refused  to  adopt  s  law  conferring  upon  the 
people  the  privilege  of  choosing  their  own  Presidential  Elect- 
ors, instead  of  allowing  it  to  remain  in  the  legislature. 


NOTES 


on 


LITERATURE    AND  SCIENCE 


IN 


BROOKLYN. 


LIBRARIES,  LITERARY  RMD  SCIENTIFIC  flSSOCIHTIONS,  CLUBS, 

AUTHORS    AND  SCIENTISTS. 


By 


LIBRARIES. 
Brooklyn  Institute. — The  Apprentices  Library  Association 
of  Brooklyn  (now  the  Brooklyn  Institute),  had  its  origin  in 
the  summer  of  1823,  in  the  office  of  the  Long  Island  Star, 
where  the  editor,  Colonel  Alden  Spoouer,  William  Wood*  of 
New  York,  and  other  gentlemen  conferred  together  on  the  sub- 
ject  of  education  and  mental  improvement  for  the  apprentice 
lads  and  youth  of  the  village;  and  a  few  days  after,  the  follow- 
ing advertisement  appeared  in  the  Star  and  Patriot:  "  Notice. 
— Apprentices'1  Library:  The  citizens  of  the  village  of  Brook- 
lyn, and  particularly  the  master-mechanics,  are  requested  to 
attend  a  meeting  at  the  house  of  William  Stephenson,  at  8 
o'clock  on  Thursday  evening,  for  the  purpose  of  forming  and 
establishing  an  Apprentices'  Library  in  this  village.  The 
honorable,  the  trustees  of  this  village,  and  the  reverend, 
the  clergy,  are  particularly  invited  to  attend.  August  7, 
1823." 


*  William  Wood,  said  to  have  been  born  in  Boston,  at  1777,  commenced  business 
in  that  city,  about  1805,  in  the  earthen  and  glass  ware  line,  in  company  with  a 
brother,  under  the  firm  style  of  W.  &  T.  N.  Wood.  Subsequently  he  visited 
Europe  five  times,  and  was  for  two  years  engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits  in  Lon- 
don, England.  Revulsions  in  trade  occurring  after  the  close  of  the  war  in  1815,  in- 
volved Mr.  Wood's  house  in  pecuniary  difficulties,  which,  added  to  other  circum- 
stances of  a  peculiar  nature,  induced  him,  about  1822,  to  remove  to  New  York, 
where  his  brother  had  previously  settled.  Previously  to  this  he  had  commenced 
that  peculiar  specialty  of  benefaction,  which  so  distinguished  his  whole  future  life. 
On  the  anniversary  of  Washington's  birthday,  February  22,  1820.  he  established  in 
Boston,  the  first  mercantile  library  in  the  United  States.  It  is  also  said,  with 
what  truth  we  know  not,  that  during  his  stay  in  England,  he  had  commenced  a 
mercantile  library  in  London.  In  November  of  the  same  year  he  commenced  and 
accomplished  the  establishment  of  the  now  large  and  famous  Mercantile  Library 
Association  0/ New  York.  With  characteristic  modesty,  Mr.  Wood's  name  ap- 
pears upon  the  records  of  that  Association  as  one  of  its  director^;  and,  in  its  second 
year,  as  Vice-President.  "  His  chief  desire,"  says  Mr.  Jas.  B.  Henshaw,  his  busi- 
ness partner,  "  was  to  establish  libraries  in  New  York  and  elsewhere  for  the  bene- 
fit of  young  men  engaged  in  merchants'  counting  houses  and  such  others  as  could 
be  induced  to  take  an  interest,  and  to  which  they  could  have  free  access,  and  spend 
their  evenings,  thus  withdrawing  them  from  the  baneful  influences  and  corrupting 
examples  of  a  society  to  which  they  would  otherwise  be  exposed:  and  where  their 
literary  and  conversational  abilities  could  be  developed."  His  plan  for  establishing 
these  libraries  was  to  visit  personally  the  merchants  and  leading  citizens  of  a  place, 
make  known  his  intentions,  invite  subscriptions  and  donations  of  books,  and  pre- 


The  meeting  held  in  pursuance  of  this  call,  included  the 
best  citizens  of  the  village,  the  men  of  largest  forethought,  of 
unselfish  impulse,  of  persistent  effort,  who  tenderly  watched 
over  the  interests  of  the  village,  and  carefully  guided  the 
embryo  city  through  the  perils  incident  to  the  critical  and 
somewhat  rapid  development  of  its  muscular  youth.  An  ad- 
journed meeting  was  held  on  the  14th,  a  constitution  was 
adopted,  and  thirty  persons  subscribed  and  paid  their  initiation 
fees.  August  28,  1823,  the  Association,  then  numbering  up- 
wards of  180  members,  commenced  its  existence  by  the  elec- 
tion of  the  following  officers:  Robert  Snow,  President;  Thomas 
Kirk,  Vice-President;  Andrew  Mercein,  Treasurer;  Robert 
Nichols,  Secretary;  George  S.  Wise,  Fanning  C.  Tucker, 
Thomas  Haynes,  Gamaliel  King,  Joseph  Herbert,  Andrew 
Demorest,  Losee  Van  Nostrand,  Augustus  Graham,  and  Dr. 
Josiah  Noyes.  The  nucleus  of  a  library  was  formed  by  dona- 
tion. A  place  for  its  reception  was  found  at  No.  143  Fulton 
street,  and  on  November  15th  books  were  issued  for  the  first 


pare  a  proper  place  for  their  reception  and  use.  In  this  work,  he  went  simply  and 
naturally  to  work,  often  experiencing  contumely  and  opposition:  but  inevitably 
commending  himself  to  the  good  and  true,  by  the  quiet  candor  of  hU  address,  and 
the  evident  sincerity  of  his  purpose.  As  soon  as  the  success  of  his  New  York  enter- 
prise was  well  assured,  he  repeated  the  experiment  in  Brooklyn.  When  the  Ap- 
prentices' Library  was  fairly  under  way,  he  disappeared  for  other  scenes  of  similar 
usefulness. 

Lord  Brougham's  Sketches  of  Public  Characters,  published  in  1839  [toI.  II,  p. 
801  says,  that  "  although  the  remote  origin  of  these  institutions  may  be  traced  to 
Franklin,  Mr.  William  Wood  has  the  high  merit  of  establishing  them  on  their 
present  plans,  and  adapting  them  peculiarly  to  the  instruction  of  mechanics  and  ap- 
prentices. He  founded  the  first  in  Boston,  in  1820:  he  has  had  the  satisfaction  of 
seeing  the  plan  adopted  in  New  York,  Philadelphia,  Albany,  and  other  towns:  and 
I  have  now  before  me  a  letter  in  which  he  says  that  he  has  succeeded  in  forming 
one  at  New  Orleans,  where  he  was  called  on  business."  Mr.  Wood  also  established 
many  minor  libraries  for  sailors,  prisoners,  literary'  societies,  etc.  He  was  a  bach- 
elor, but  possessed  warm  sympathies,  good  convivial  powers,  and  a  great  fondness 
for  the  companionship  of  children  and  youth,  whom  he  delighted  to  assist  and  in- 
struct, as  he  was  well  qualified  to  do  by  his  excellent  education  and  extensive 
reading. 

He  was  for  many  of  the  later  years  of  his  life,  a  resident  of  Canandaigua, 
N.  Y..  and  to  him  and  his  friend,  Mr.  John  Grieg,  that  beautiful  village  is  indebted 
for  many  of  its  charms  and  conveniences.  There  he  died  aged  about  seventy  five 
years,  after  an  entire  devotion  of  many  years  to  .  le  advancement  of  the  great  ob- 
ject which  seems  to  have  been  the  mission  of  his  life. 


i:i02 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


time  to  ten  apprentices.  The  Trustees  of  the  Brooklyn  Union 
Sunday-school  transferred  their  library  to  the  new  institution, 
allowing  the  members  of  the  school  the  benefit  of  the  books 
of  both  libraries.  Mr.  Erastus  Worthington  was  appointed 
librarian,  to  issue  books  from  four  to  nine  P.  If.  every  Satur- 
day, with  a  compensation  of  75  cents  per  da}'.  Jan.  16,  1824, 
the  directors  reported  724  volumes  and  150  pamphlets,  in  con- 
stant use  by  70  readers.  Nov.  20,  1824,  an  act  of  incorporation 
was  passed.  The  need  of  a  more  suitable  building, sufficiently 
large  to  contain  the  library  and  a  public  lecture-room  was 
felt. 

A  site  was  bought  on  the  corner  of  Cranberry  and  Henry 
streets,  where  the  corner-stone  was  laid  by  General  Lafayette, 
on  the  4th  of  July,  1825,  and  the  edifice  completed  May  3, 
1826.  The  library  occupied  the  basement  of  this  building — 
the  Post-office  the  first  floor,  and  the  large  room  above  was 
used  as  a  police  court  and  for  public  meetings.  In  1826,  a  free 
reading-room  was  opened  every  day  in  the  week,  except  Sun- 
day. In  1827,  Mr.  Stoothoof  succeeded  to  the  librariansliip. 
In  this  year  also  a  savings-bank  was  established  in  the  build- 
ing for  the  benefit  of  adult  mechanics.  Tiius  for  several  years 
the  Apprentices'  Library  carried  on  its  useful  work  among 
the  youth  of  Brooklyn.  But  some  of  its  friends  died,  others 
removed,  the  readers  gradually  fell  off,  and  the  institution 
became  embarrassed  by  debt.  Finally,  in  1836,  the  building  was 
sold  to  the  city  for  $1,100  and  the  books  were  boxed  and  stored 
away.  In  1840,  Mr.  Augustus  Graham,*  its  most  prominent 
benefactor,  and  others,  reorganized  the  society,  and  reopened 
the  library.  The  new  board  of  directors  in  Feb.,  1840,  con- 
sisted of  Augustus  Graham,  Pres.;  Robert  Nichols,  Vice-Pres.; 
P.J.  Arcularius,  Treas.;  Francis  Dow,  Sec'y;  James  Walters, 
Losee  Van  Nostrand,  Thomas  S.  Woodcock,  Alden  Spooner, 
Henry  C.  Murphy,  Charles  Congdon,  Gabriel  Furman,  Stephen 
Cornell  and  Austin  Melvin,  Directors.  In  Oct.,  1841,  the  as- 
sociation removed  to  the  new  and  substantial  granite  build- 
ing on  Washington  street,  near  Concord,  now  known  as  the 
Brooklyn  Institute,  which  the  Brooklyn  Lyceum  had  erected 
at  a  cost  of  £35,000.    In  1842,  the  costly  edifice  and  grounds 


*  Augustus  Graham  was  one,  and  the  first,  of  the  two  (pretended)  brothers  who 
came  to  Brooklyn,  about  1815,  and  rapidly  made  friends  among  those  who  realize 
substantial  elements  of  character.  Shortly  after  him  came  John  Bell — which  was 
his  real  name,  and  then  Mrs.  Isabella  Taylor,  who  assumed  the  position  of  house- 
keeper in  their  joint  home  on  the  corner  of  Front  and  Dock  streets,  being  under- 
stood to  be  their  s:ster.  She  died  first  and  Augustus  next  died,  but,  a  little  before 
his  decease,  it  became  known  that  he  had  previously  married,  and  that  none  of  the 
three  were  really  related  each  to  the  other.  Whatever  the  motives  which  induced 
them  to  practice  the  peculiar  comedy  of  their  Brooklyn  life,  it  is  certain  that 
brothers  and  sisters  can  rarely  be  found  to  agree  in  more  perfect  harmony  than  in 
their  case.  The  Grahams  were  exemplary  as  men  of  character  and  probity,  while 
their  works  do  praise  thtm  in  this  as  well  as  in  other  communities. 

The  two  Grahams  made  a  fortune  in  the  distillery  business,  near  the  Navy 
Yard:  and  finally  (1833),  became  interested  in  the  Brooklyn  White  Lead  Works, 
They  kept  no  separate  accounts;  lived  from  a  common  purse;  and  their  union  was 
always  most  affectionate,  while  their  probity  and  correct  business  habits  derived 
for  them  general  respect  and  consideration.  They  continued  together  as  partners 
till  death  severed  their  connection. 

Mr.  Graham  was  ever  animated  by  a  noble  spirit  of  enlightened  generosity  :  his 
moral  character  was  pure  and  simple;  bestowing  benefits  with  munificence  and  yet 
with  just  discrimination,  avoiding  ostentation  and  notoriety;  distributing  very 
largely  in  private  channels  unknown  to  the  world.  It  was  a  favorite  sentiment 
with  him,  and  often  repeated,  that  he  desired  to  be  his  own  executor,  and  admin- 
ister his  estate  during  his  life  time.  Although  most  frugal  in  the  personal  use  of 
hU  ample  means,  he  left  but  little  for  his  executors  to  do  in  the  way  of  distributing 
an  accumulated  hoard. 

He  greatly  enjoyed  and  valued  church  privileges,  and  attended  the  minisira- 
tions  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Cox  in  Henry  street.  Among  the  Brooklyn  institutions  to 
which  he  contributed  were  the  ProteMant  Orphan  Asylum,  the  Institute,  the  City 
Hospital,  the  Graham  Institute,  which  he  founded,  and  the  New  York  Asylum  for 
the  Blind,  New  York  Home  for  the  Friendless,  and  the  Mariner's  Family  Asylum. 
Brooklyn  will  ever  have  reason  to  cherish  the  memory  of  the  twain,  recognized 
among  u«,  for  nearly  half  I  century,  as  the  Brothers  Graham.  Mr.  G.  died  sud- 
denly, in  his  60th  year,  March  nth,  185}. 


were  purchased  by  the  Apprentices'  Library  Association,  for 
$18,000.  By  an  act  of  the  Legislature,  April  13,  1843,  the 
charter  of  the  Association  was  extended  for  25  years,  under 
the  name  of  the  Brooklyn  Institute.  Through  the  liberality 
of  Mr.  Graham,  the  institution  was  at  this  time  relieved  from 
debt,  and  at  his  death,  an  endowment  of  $27,000  was  secured 
to  the  Association  for  the  support  of  free  lectures  on  Science 
and  Art.  In  1868,  the  building  was  largely  altered  and  im- 
proved, at  an  expense  of  $30,000.  The  Institute  building  is 
three  stories  in  height,  contains  a  commodious  library,  read- 
ing-room, public  hall,  picture  gallery,  two  school-rooms,  and 
a  number  of  artists'  studios.  The  library  consists  of  about 
12,000  volumes.  The  Presidents  have  been  as  follows:  Robert 
Snow,  1823-32;  Fanning  C.  Tucker,  1832-40;  Augustus 
Graham,  1840-'52;  Charles  M.  Alcott,  1852-'4;  Rollin  Sanford, 
1854-'8;  Peter  G.  Taylor,  1858-'72;  William  Everdell,  Jr., 
1872-'9;  John  B.Woodward,  1879-'80;  Jesse  C.  Smith,  1880-'4. 
The  other  officers  for  1884  are:  Dr.  Andrew  Otterson,  17ce- 
Pres.;  D.  Littlejohn,  Treas.;  A.  P.  Baxter,  Sec'y;  I  H.  Froth- 
ingham,  J.  How,  Crawford  C.  Smith,  S.  W.  Sneeden,  Trustees. 

The  Brooklyn  Lyceum  was  organized  Oct.  10th,  1833,  its 
object  being,  besides  affording  rational  amusement,  to  pro- 
mote the  intellectual  and  moral  improvement  of  its  members 
and  especially  the  interests  of  the  young;  also,  "to  improve 
the  condition  of  schools  and  advance  the  cause  of  popular 
education."  First  Officers:  Hon.  Peter  W.  Radcliff,  Pres.; 
Gen.  Jer.  Johnson,  Theo.  Eames,  Vice-Pres'ts;  Gabriel  Thur- 
man,  Cor.  Sec;  Alden  J.  Spooner,  Rec.  Sec;  Josiah  Dow, 
Treas.  Its  membership  embraced  the  e"lite  of  the  city.  A 
course  of  lectures  was  commenced  November,  1833,  and  Oc- 
tober 31st,  1835,  the  corner  of  the  fine  granite  front  edifice 
on  Washington  street,  now  known  as  the  Brooklyn  Institute, 
was  laid.  Josiah  Dow  was  the  largest  contributor  to  this 
building,  which  cost  $34,000.  Pecuniary  difficulties  led  to  its 
sale,  in  1839,  to  Robert  Bach,  who  held  it  until  it  was  pur- 
chased, in  1848,  by  Mr.  Augustus  Graham,  who  presented  it 
to  the  Apprentices'  Library  Association.  The  Brooklyn  Ly- 
ceum of  Natural  History  was  organized  here,  February  22d, 
1838,  by  Maj.  D.  B.  Douglass,  Joseph  Howard,  Jr.,  W.  R 
Dwight,  Jonathan  Trotter,  and  many  other  well-known  citi- 
zens, and  for  many  years  flourished  well. 

The  Brooklyn  City  Library  was  incorp.  February,  1839, 
under  the  provisions  of  the  General  Act  relative  to  Public 
Libraries.  The  sum  of  $2,925  was  subscribed  by  a  number  of 
our  more  prominent  citizens,  "for  the  purpose  of  procuring 
and  erecting  a  public  library;"  a  board  of  twelve  Trustees 
were  chosen,  and  the  following  Board  of  Officers  elected: 
Rev.  Evan  M.  Johnson,  Pres.;  Henry  E.  Pierrepont,  Sec,  and 
W.  J.  Cornell,  Treas.  This  library  was  on  the  plan  of  the 
old  Society  Library  of  New  York  city,  each  subscriber  to  the 
stock  being  entitled  to  one  share  therein,  for  every  $25  paid 
by  him,  and  having  certain  rights  which  were  not  extended 
to  the  mere  annual  subscriber.  The  library  accumulated 
about  3,000  valuable  volumes,  many  of  which  were  purchased 
especially  for  them,  in  England;  but,  finally,  coining  into 
desuetude,  the  books  were  placed  on  deposit  with  the  Appren- 
tices' Library,  in  the  Brooklyn  Institute,  and  the  association 
virtually  became  extinct.  When  the  L.  I.  Historical  Society 
was  formed,  in  1863,  through  the  efforts  of  some  of  the  officers 
of  (his  society,  who  represented  the  ma  jority  of  (lie  stock  of 
the  old  City  Library,  the  books  belonging  to  the  latter  society 
were  exhumed  from  the  dust  under  which  they  had  been  M 
long  hidden,  and  were  divided  between  the  Apprentfoerf 
Library  and  the  L.  T.  Historical  Society,  each  associatVM 
taking  what  was  best  suited  to  its  respective  uses. 

Garfield  Building  Law  Library.  — In  a  handsome,  com- 
modious, and  elegantly  furnished  room  on  the  top  floor<>f  the 


LITERATURE  AND  SCIENCE. 


1303 


THE  BROOKLYN  INSTITUTE. 


"Garfield  Building,"  is  a  law  library,  provided  by  Mr.  A.  A. 
Low,  for  the  use  of  the  many  lawyers  who  occupy  this 
building,  of  which  he  is  the  owner.  It  is  admirably  arranged 
and  kept,  and  comprises  a  sufficiently  large  and  well  chosen 
collection  of  legal  works  of  reference,  to  enable  a  lawyer  to 
construct,  by  its  aid,  a  very  good  brief. 

The  Law  Library  in  Brooklyn  originated  in  a  subscription 
of  $1,850  by  twenty-four  practitioners  at  law,  residents  of 
Kings  county,  who  associated  and  incorporated  themselves 
January  8,  1850,  under  the  general  act  of  1796,  and  acts 
amendatory  thereof.  The  qualification  of  membership  was 
ownership  of  one  or  more  shares  of  $50  each,  and  the  pay- 
ment of  annual  dues  of  $10  each.  In  1863,  the  Legislature 
organized  a  Law  Library  of  the  Second  Judicial  District,  and 
appropriated  $5,000  to  the  use  of  the  Law  Library  of  Brook- 
lyn, to  be  expended  in  the  purchase  of  books  of  which  they 
should  have  the  custody.  The  money  thus  received  from 
the  State  was  carefully  expended,  and  a  valuable  library 
formed,  which  is  now  kept  in  the  County  Court-House,  and  is 
open  for  the  general  use  of  the  profession. 


The  Brooklyn  Library.*  (77ie  Mercantile  Library  Associa- 
tion.)— As  early  as  October,  1857,  the  subject  of  organizing  a 
new  library  association,  to  be  controlled  and  managed  by  the 
young  men  of  Brooklyn,  was  discussed  in  private  by  two 
friends  of  the  enterprise  (Lewis  Roberts  and  James  P.  \\  al- 
lace);  and  at  their  i>ersonal  solicitation  about  twenty  gentle- 
men met  at  the  Athenaeum,  November  19,  as  a  preliminary  step 
to  more  formal  action  on  the  subject.  Among  these  twenty, 
besides  Messrs.  Roberts  and  Wallace,  were:  W.  W.  Tufts, 
A.  E.  Orr,  John  S.  Ward,  Charles  A.  Silliman,  Charles  Con- 
dit,  H.  P.  Journeay,  R.  W.  Ropes,  Sidney  Sanderson,  Charles 
A.  Townsend,  Dr.  A.  Cook  Hull.  Under  their  action,  a  call 
was  signed  by  about  600  citizens,  and  a  public  meeting  held 
November  30.  Some  $13,000  was  pledged  by  those  present;  a 
constitution  adopted,  and  a  meeting  held  on  December  17,  at 
which  826  subscribers  and  $8,865  receipts  were  announced. 
On  the  23d,  the  following  officers  were  elected:  Lewis  Rol>ert8, 

*  For  an  extremely  interesting  and  det  lied  history  of  the  library, 
see  that  prepared  by  James  P.  Wallace,  Esq.,  and  published  In  the 
Brooklyn  Eagle,  March  29, 1884. 


1304 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Pres.;  Henry  Hill,  Vice-Pres.;  Charles  S.  Farley,  Cor.  Sec; 
Henry  P.  Journeay,  Treas.  The  new  association  was  given 
rent  free  for  five  years,  the  ample  accommodations  in  the 
Athenamm,  and  the  use  of  the  4,000  volumes  in  the  library. 
The  rooms  were  opened  May  7,  1858,  and  a  public  meeting 
held  to  celebrate  the  event,  at  which  more  than  $3,000  were 
subscribed.  At  the  end  of  the  first  year  the  association  had 
1,511  members.  The  4,000  volumes  in  the  library  at  the  open- 
ing increased  to  11,400.  A  handsome  gain  to  the  association 
was  yielded  by  a  course  of  lectures  by  Rev.  Dr.  Storrs,  Rev. 
Henry  Ward  Beecher,  Rev.  Dr.  E.  H.  Chapin  and  Hon. 
George  W.  Curtis.  Classes  in  French,  German  and  Spanish 
languages  and  in  book-keeping  were  organized,  and  steps 
taken  to  make  the  rooms  head-quarters  for  the  exhibition  of 
fine  arts.  Mr.  Wallace  visited  most  of  the  Brooklyn  studios, 
and  secured  a  meeting  of  artists,  at  which  he  explained  the 
proposed  plan,  and  obtained  their  approval.  In  the  follow- 
ing year  the  first  Art  Reception  in  Brooklyn  was  held  in  the 
rooms  of  the  library,  and  from  that  has  grown  our  Brooklyn 
Art  Association.  This  much  prominence  is  given  to  the 
origin  and  first  year  of  the  library,  because  it  was  the  founda- 
tion of  all  that  has  followed;  and  because  it  will  aid  to  pre- 
serve the  memory  of  some  who  were  active  in  building  that 
foundation.  It  would  be  grateful  to  name  them  all,  but  that 
would  exceed  our  limits. 

The  institution  was  incorporated  March  15,  1859.  Mr. 
Franklin  Woodruff  became  president  in  March,  18C4,  and  by 
annual  re-elections  held  the  office  until  March.  1869.  He 
was  supported  by  an  able  board,  and  under  its  administration 
the  greatest  advance  of  the  library  was  accomplished.  In 
the  spring  of  1804,  ground  was  purchased  on  Montague  St., 
for  the  erection  of  a  permanent  library  building.  By  unre- 
mitting efforts,  and  the  munificent  aid  of  Messrs.  S.  B.  Chit- 
tenden, J.  H.  Frothingham,  Franklin  Woodruff,  A.  A.  Low, 
and  II.  B.  Claflin,  the  necessary  $125,000  was  secured,  and 
a  new  charter  granted,  with  a  permanent  board  of  trustees. 
The  corner-stone  of  the  new  edifice  was  laid  October  27, 1867, 
and  on  the  18th  of  January,  1869,  the  building  was  opened 
by  a  public  reception.  It  is  the  work  of  Peter  B.  Wight, 
architect,  and  is  both  elegant  and  well  adapted  to  its  purpose. 

The  library  now  contains  80,000  volumes,  besides  a  large 
collection  of  pamplets.  After  the  building  was  finished, 
$50,000  was  raised,  of  which  $20,000  was  given  by  the  Hon. 
S.  B.  Chittenden,  to  be  spent  in  purchasing  books.  In  five 
years  the  library  increased  from  21,000  volumes  to  53,000, 
and  the  title  of  the  institution  was  changed  to  The  Brooklyn 
Library,  significant  of  the  growth  and  general  scope  of  the 
library,  and  its  adaptation  to  the  wants  of  the  whole  com- 
munity. 

Mr.  S.  B.  Noyes  has  been  the  intelligent  and  faith- 
fid  librarian  from  the  beginning,  except  from  1866  to  1869. 
The  catalogue  which  he  compiled  was  very  nearly  perfect, 
has  a  wide  reputation  for  thoroughness,  and  reflects  the 
highest  credit  upon  the  capacity,  discrimination  and  untiring 
industry  of  it-,  author;  and  its  fullness  of  detail,  its  clear  and 
comprehensive  arrangement,  ami  the  thorough  knowledge  "I 
the  requirements  of  such  a  work  evinced  by  its  every  page, 
eontinue  to  call  forth  the  most  flattering  encomiums  f  rom 
eritics  qualified  to  estimate  and  appreciate  its  excellence. 
I'll,  library  ha-  been  enabled  to  remove  all  indebtedness  from 
its  property.  It  baa  a  circulation  of  over  100,000  volumes 
annually.  The  Officers  for  lHM3-'4,  are:  William  A.  White. 
iVe*.;  Alfred  C.  Barnes,  Vice-Pres.;  Charles  F.  Adams,  Cur. 
Sec.;  S.  B.  Chittenden,  Jr.,  Rcc.  Sec;  J&B10B  I,.  Morgan,  Jr., 
Trent. 

Prcrious  l'rcxiihntx.—  Lewis  Roberts,  lyehhcus  Chapman, 
Jr.,  James  EL   Frothingham,  James  Thorne,    \diian  Van 


Sindereu,  Franklin  Woodruff,  John  R.  Kennady,  George  L. 
Nichols,  and  William  B.  Kendall. 

The  Long  Island  Historical  Society  has  already  received 
full  mention,  on  page  40,  in  connection  with  the  general 
history  of  the  Island  from  which  it  derives  its  name. 

We  present,  on  the  opposite  page,  a  view  of  its  building, 
which  forms  one  of  the  most  conspicuous  architectural  orna- 
ments of  the  city. 

The  Mechanics'  Free  Reading-Room,  No.  15  Hic  k-  Btri  1 1 
is  a  department  of  the  Bethel  Mission,  which  has  been  under 
the  care  of  Plymouth  Church  since  June  1,  1866.  It  occupies 
spacious  rooms  in  the  new  building,  and  owns  an  excellent  li- 
brary of  2,000  volumes,  and  a  reading-room  furnished  with  the 
leading  papers  and  magazines  of  the  day.  This  reading-room  is 
open  every  evening,  except  Sunday;  popular  lectures  and  con- 
certs, largely  attended,  are  given  during  the  winter  months, 
the  success  of  which,  together  with  the  number  who  frequent 
the  rooms  daily,  testify  to  the  usefulness  of  the  institution. 
G.  M.  Dewes  is  Superintendent  for  1883-4;  E.  S.  Wright  and 
R.  S.  Bussing,  Asst.  Snpts. 

Brooklyn  Library  Association  of  the  Eastern  District. — A 
library  was  collected  in  the  then  village  of  Williamsburgh, 
in  1839;  lectures  delivered  by  Gen.  Jeremiah  Johnson,  Hon. 
James  Humphrey  and  others;  but,  after  a  career  of  limited 
usefulness,  it  ceased  to  exist.  A  few  years  later  the  Wil- 
liamsburgh  Lyceum  was  formed,  and  did  some  good  work  in 
its  day.  In  1854  a  Young  Men's  Literary  Association  furnished 
lectures  for  two  years,  but  had  no  library.  Then,  a  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association  gained  possession  of  the  library 
of  the  defunct  Lyceum,  and  presented  a  good  series  of  lec- 
tures, among  which  appeared  Thackeray  and  Kdward  Kverett: 
but  the  enterprise  was  not  more  successful  than  its  predeces- 
sors. In  1859  a  more  extended  effort  was  made  to  establish  a 
Library  Association,  and  the  subscription  list  was  headed  by 
Noah  Waterbury,  with  $3,000,  on  condition  of  $10,000  l>eing 
raised.  This,  too,  failed.  In  1864,  however,  success  crowned 
the  persistent  efforts  of  "  the  faithful  few,"  and  this  associa- 
tion was  organized  January  9th,  1865,  and  incorporated  April 
3d,  1865;  its  rooms  opened  to  members  and  the  public.  May 
15th,  1865.  In  1865  a  library  building  was  purchased  and  fur- 
nished, and  by  1870  there  were  927  members,  8,000  volumes, 
and  a  circulation  of  30,536  volumes,  with  reading  and  chess 
rooms,  lecture  and  language  classes,  and  a  Debating  Associa- 
tion in  full  operation.  Sylvester  M.  Beard  was  President 
Alfred  S.  Collins  and  G.  W.  Frost,  Librarians. 

The  present  Eastern  District  Library  is  a  consolidation 
of  eight  district  libraries,  which  were  organized  under  the 
law  of  1838.  It  is  a  free  library,  open  to  the  general  public 
on  Tuesday  and  Friday  of  each  week,  from  4  to  9  o'clock 
P.  M.,  on  Wednesday  for  girls,  and  on  Saturday  for  boy-, 
from  4  to  6  o'clock  P.  M.  It  is  under  the  charge  of  a  com 
mittee  composed  of  members  of  the  Board  of  Education, 
resident  in  the  Eastern  District  of  the  city;  which  committee, 
at  the  time  of  opening,  consisted  of  Messrs.  Jonathan  !S. 
Burr,  Daniel  L.  Northrup,  Thomas  W.  Field,  Daniel  D. 
Winant.  James  Hall,  James  Murphy,  Daniel  Maujer,  Corne- 
lius EL  Schapps,  Henry  G.  Burnhain,  John  R.  Jurgens,  Sam- 
uel M.  Meeker,  Roswell  C.  Brainard. 

It  was  opened  to  the  public  in  February,  1866,  and,  during 
the  eighteen  years  it  has  been  in  operation,  the  uumlier  of 
books  loaned  average  over  1H.000  volumes  per  year.  It  started 
with  7,200  volumes.  It  now  has  17,000.  Samuel  S.  Martin. 
librarian. 

LITERARY  ASSOCIATIONS. 

The  Hamilton  Literary  Association.-  On  the  l*th  of  No- 
vember, 1830,  a  few  young  men  of  the  then  \  illage  of  Brook- 


mo:. 


...  ■•'6  e 


THE  LONG  ISLAND  HIST01UCAL  SOCILTV. 


lyn  met  in  the  school-room  of  Mr.  Theodore  Eaines,  deter- 
mined to  form  a  literary  society.  A  constitution  was  prepared 
by  Henry  C.  Murphy,  and  a  society  was  duly  organized  and 
named,  November  29th,  1830,  "The  Young  Men's  Literary  As- 
sociation of  Brooklyn."  In  October,  1831,  the  name  was  altered 
to  the  Hamilton  Literary  Association,  and  Henry  C.  Murphy 
was  chosen  its  first  president.  Among  its  original  members 
were  Edgar  J.  Bartow,  George  W.  Dow,  Horace  H.  Dow, 
Josiah  C.  Dow,  Richard  W.  Dow,  John  Tasker  Howard, 
Joseph  Howard,  John  Jewett,  Jr.,  William  Jones,  Jr.,  Thos. 
G.  King,  Abiel  A.  Low,  Seth  H.  Low,  Henry  C.  Murphy, 
Israel  Ward  Raymond,  John  H.  Raymond,  Francis  P.  San- 
ford,  D.  N.  Schoonmaker,  Elias  R.  Stoddard,  Henry  Silliman, 
Joshua  M.  Van  Cott,  Alden  J.  Spooner,  and  Robert  Tucker. 
On  the  30th  of  March,  1842,  the  association  was  incorporated. 
Gabriel  Furman,  the  first  historian  of  Brooklyn,  then  in  the 
Senate,  cheerfully  aiding  the  project.  The  act  of  incorpora- 
tion stated  the  purpose  of  the  association  to  be  the  establish- 
ing and  maintaining  a  reading-room,  literary  and  scientific 
lectures,  debating  exercises,  and  of  employing  such  other 
means  as  may  be  suitable  for  promoting  moral  and  intellec-  i 
tual  improvement,  etc.  Notwithstanding  this  ample  scope  1 
of  powers,  the  association  limited  itself  to  the  special  purpose 
of  a  debating  society;  yet  it  had  some  influence  in  planting 
many  of  the  distinctively  literary  institutions  which  have 


arisen  in  our  midst.  It  originated  the  first  course  of  volunteer 
lectures,  and  from  it,  also,  sprung  the  Brooklyn  Lyceum  (since 
the  Brooklyn  Institute).  In  its  rooms,  the  best  spirits  of  our 
city  in  literature  and  science  have  found  the  most  congenial 
associates  and  the  best  means  and  stimulus  of  improvement. 
The  association  had  rooms  in  the  Brooklyn  Lyceum  for  sev- 
eral years,  then  moved  to  the  Brooklyn  Athenaum  building, 
on  the  corner  of  Clinton  and  Atlantic  streets,  and  afterward 
to  rooms  in  the  Hamilton  buildings,  on  the  corner  of  Court 
and  Joralemou  streets,  erected  by  one  of  its  most  honored 
alumni,  Abiel  Abbot  Low,  who  has  placed  the  name  of  Ham- 
ilton Buildings  upon  its  front,  as  well  from  cherished  associa- 
tions with  the  society  as  from  sentiments  of  honor  to  an  il- 
lustrious national  character.  After  an  existence  of  more 
than  fifty  years,  the  Literary  Association  was  in  1883  merged 
into  the  Hamilton  Club. 

Franklin  Literary  Society. — At  a  social  gathering  in  the 
autumn  of  1864,  of  a  few  young  men  of  Brooklyn,  a  sugges- 
tion was  made  that  an  organization  be  effected  for  more  fre- 
quent meetings  with  a  view  to  mutual,  social  and  intellectual 
advantage.  Accordingly,  at  a  meeting  held  Oct.  19th, 
1864,  at  the  house  of  W.  II.  Spencer,  No.  1">1  Montague  street, 
a  debating  soe'ety  was  org.,  with  James  II.  Lightlxidy  as 
President,  under  the  name  of  the  r'lanLliu  Club.  This  name 
was  changed  the  following  year  to  its  present  form.    At  this 


1306 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


first  meeting  there  were  present:  James  H.  Lightbody,  D. 
Webster  Talhnadge,  William  H.  Spencer,  George  J.  Laigh- 
ton,  Rufus  W.  Powell,  Ardon  K.  Powell,  Charles  E.  Tall- 
madge,  John  E.  Ketcham,  and  Richard  D.  Jaques,  most  of 
whom  still  remain  members  of  the  Society,  either  upon  the 
active  or  honorary  lists. 

During  its  early  years,  the  society  held  its  meetings  in  the 
school-room  of  Rev.  L.  W.  Hart,  in  Joralemon  street;  subse- 
quently in  the  Polytechnic  Institute.  For  the  next  eleven 
years  the  society  met  in  the  building  of  the  Safe  Deposit  Com- 
pany, corner  of  Montague  and  Cliuton  streets.  Since  October 
1st,  1883,  its  meetings  have  been  held  in  the  rooms  formerly 
occupied  by  the  Hamilton  Literary  Association,  No.  44  Court 
street,  corner  of  Joralemon. 

Ex-Presidents :  James  H.  Lightbody,  Jacob  L.  Downing, 
D.  Webster  Tallmadge,  Henry  Chapin,  Jr.,  Sherwood  B.  Fer- 
ris, Herman  H.  Shook,  John  A.  Quintard,  Francis  It  Edger- 
ton,  William  H.  Saucer,  William  H.  Williams,  Charles  W. 
Hallock,  Samuel  B.  Duryea,  Cornelius  S.Van  Wagoner,  John 
R.  Anderson,  John  A.  Wright,  Alvan  Tenney,  Milton  B. 
Clapp,  Henderson  Benedict,  Henry  N.  Gassaway,  John  R. 
Kuhu,  Conrad  C.  Stutts,  George  H.  Murphy,  Selah  Youngs, 
Jr.,  John  T.  Barnard,  Henry  Chapin,  Jr.,  Daniel  Alexander, 
William  R.  Castle,  Robert  M.  Nesbitt,  Edward  W.  Searing, 
Charles  X.  Chadwick,  David  A.  Boody,  Arthur  Murphy,  Jr., 
Peter  J.  Kelly,  George  H.  Roberts,  Jr.,  George  G.  Dutcher, 
Amos  G.  Sullivan,  Albert  P.Woodruff,  Oliver  J.  Wells,  Fred- 
erick C.  Dexter,  George  E.Waldo,  Joseph  M.  Pearsall,  Robert 
M.  Nesbitt;  present  Officers,  1883-1884:  Herbert  W.  Groser, 
Pres.;  Frederick  S.  Burnham,  Vice-Pres.;  Arthur  B.  Risley, 
Second  Vice-Pres.;  Joseph  M.  Pearsall,  Cor.  Sec'y;  Robert  M. 
Nesbitt,  Rec.  Secy.  Bourd  of  Trustees:  George  H.  Murphy, 
Chairman;  Joseph  M.  Pearsall,  Sec'y;  Edward  Carroll,  Jr., 
Treas.;  Frederick  C.  Dexter,  John  B.  O'Donohue.  Auditing 
Committee:  G.  H.  Murphy,  J.  M.  Pearsall. 

Everett  Literary  Association,  org.  during  the  summer  of 
1872,  by  eight  gentlemen.  Meetings  were  held  at  the  residence 
of  members,  and  were  devoted  to  intellectual  development. 
First  Officers  were:  C.  A.  Cook.W.  H.  Hasey,  Jno.  H.  Has- 
kell, C.  D.  Rowe  and  Geo.  S.  Jellerson.  In  May,  1873,  the 
Society  secured  rooms  in  the  hall,  corner  Fulton  and  Bedford 
aves.,  where  it  first  came  prominently  into  notice  through  a 
course  of  lectures  delivered  by  several  well-known  men, 
Mark  Twain  and  Paul  B.  Du  Chaillu,  being  among  the  num- 
ber. 

In  is:?."),  the  Association  began  the  publication  of  the 
Everett  Literary  Journal,  under  the  editorship  of  Ringgold 
McCay,  author  of  "Geraldine,"  "The  Magnet,"  and  other 
works  of  local  fame.  This  journal  is  a  monthly  magazine, 
published  exclusively  for  the  use  of  members.  In  1876,  the 
association  was  incorporated,  since  which  time  it  has  grown 
steadily  in  numbers  and  usefulness,  and  at  present  is  seriously 
contemplating  the  advisability  of  moving  from  present  quar- 
ters in  the  Hamilton  building,  to  larger  and  more  convenient 
<  lub  accommodations  jn  the  Hill  vicinity.  Present  Officers 
are:  Herman  F.  Koepke,  Samuel  Walker,  Phillip  Comstock, 
Dexter  Hiscox;  Evan  J.  Rust  in  and  Oliver  E.  Stanton,  Edi- 
tors. 

Polytechnic  Debating  Society,  org.  at  Polytechnic  Insti- 
tute, Dec.  1*7."),  for  social  and  intellectual  advantages,  by 
seven  members.  Present  membership,  41.  First  Officers: 
J.  L.  Laidlaw,  Pres.;  Win.  A.  Hcydecker,  Sec'y;  Edward  S. 
Field,  Treat.  Several  professors  and  instructors  of  the  Poly- 
technic are  members,  though  tin  society  has  had  no  connec- 
tion with  the  Institute  for  several  years.  Present  Officers: 
Horace  M.  Gulick,  Pres.;  Edwd.  S.  Field,  Vice-Pres.;  Chas. 
EL  'inning,  Sec;  John  L.  I  .aid law,  Treas. 


The  Bryant  Literary  Society.— On  the  3d  of  Nov.,  1878,  a 
notice  was  read  from  the  pulpit  of  the  Memorial  Presbyterian 
Church,  then  on  Prospect  Place,  requesting  all  interested  in 
the  formation  of  a  literary  society,  to  meet  at  the  residence 
of  Mr.  B.  S.  Barrett  on  the  following  evening.  The  following- 
named  gentlemen,  J.  Bruce  Lindsay,  Esq.,  D.  G.  Bushnell, 
Walter  L.  Burckett  and  B.  S.  Barrett,  subsequently  organized 
■  the  society,  which  continued  steadily  to  prosper  until  its 
present  meml>ership  numbers  206,  and  its  regular  fortnightly 
meetings  are  attended  by  an  audience  varying  from  three  to 
eight  hundred  people.  First  Officers:  B.  S.  Barrett,  Pres.; 
D.  A.  Boody,  Vice-Pres.;  Walter  L.  Burckett,  Sec'y;  D.  G. 
Bushnell,  Treas.;  Rev.  T.  A.  Nelson,  J.  Bruce  Lindsay,  W. 
P.  Millar,  Exec.  Com. 

During  the  first  five  years  of  its  existence,  the  Society  met 
at  the  residences  of  its  members;  and  at  the  end  of  its  first 
season,  the  membership  had  increased  to  some  sixty  or 
seventy.  The  Chapel  of  the  Memorial  Presbyterian  Church, 
St.  John's  Place  and  Seventh  avenue,  where  the  meetings  are 
usual ly  held,  is  almost  invariably  crowded  to  its  utmost 
capacity  by  members  and  their  friends. 

Although  the  Society  was  organized  by,  and  at  first  com- 
posed of  members  of  the  Memorial  Church,  it  is  by  no  means 
a  sectarian  association,  but  comprises  among  its  memliership 
persons  of  various  creeds,  and  some  who  are  not  identified 
with  any  church  whatever. 

It  was  originally  composed  exclusively  of  gentlemen,  but 
as  its  sphere  of  interest  and  usefulness  broadened,  ladies  were 
admitted  to  full  membership,  and  assigned  active  work  in  the 
preparation  and  reading  of  articles,  selections,  etc.,  and  also 
in  the  musical  parts  of  the  exercises,  in  which  several  capaci- 
ties they  have  proved  to  be  a  most  desirable  and  welcome  ac- 
cession to  its  numbers.    Present  membership,  about  225. 

Officers  (1884):  Itbamar  Du  Bois,  Pres.;  D.  P.  Templeton, 
Vice-Pres. ;  B.  S.  Barrett,  Rec.  Sec'y;  James  M.  Dewar,  Cor. 
Sec'y;  W.  L.  Burckett,  Treas. 

Tupper  Literary  Society,  org.  Nov.  5,  1880,  at  the  residen.  | 
of  Wm.  V.  Tupper,  171  Clinton  street,  for  soc  ial  and  mental 
culture,  with  8  members.  Present  membership,  54.  First 
Officers:  J.  Henry  Rieger,  Pres.;  John  C.  Zahrt,  Vice-Pres.; 
Walter  E.  Meyer,  Sec'y  and  Treas.;  John  A.  Jochum.Wm.  H. 
Dill,  Trustees.  Present  Officers:  James  Arnold,  Pres.;  Wal- 
ter V.  Odell,  Vice-Pres.;  Wm.  H.  Dill,  Sec'y  and  Treas.;  Al- 
bert Edwards,  C.  R.  Bigelow,  Trustees. 

The  Philomathean  Society,  one  of  the  best  known  and 
most  popular  literary  societies  in  Brooklyn,  is  located  in  the 
Hamilton  Building,  corner  Court  and  Joralemon  streets.  It 
was  organized  with  twenty  young  men,  March  31st,  1880,  at 
No.  166  State  street,  with  the  following  first  board  of  offi- 
cers: Dr.  Wm.  M.  Hutchinson,  Pres.;  Thos.  E.  Cross- 
man,  Vice-Pres.;  E.  F.  Mac  Phail  and  Geo.  Preston,  Sec'ys; 
H.  W.  Linker,  Treas.;  Wm.  J.  Boars,  Chairman;  Fred  L. 
Colver,  F.  R.  McDermott,  and  H.  J.  Gabel,  Execut ivc  Com- 
mittee. The  objects  of  the  society  are  the  improvement  in 
literary  matters,  and  the  cultivation  of  fraternal  relations, 
and  it  is  not  identified  or  connected  with  any  religious  sect, 
social  body  or  i>olitieal  party;  and  is  purely  literary  in  its 
character.  This  society  is  unincorporated.  For  several  years 
its  meetings  were  held  in  the  Bethel  Church  building  of  Ply- 
mouth Church,  "  here  the  society  grew  in  membership  and 
prospered;  and  in  the  spring  of  1SS;{,  moved  to  its  present 
handsomely  furnished  quarters.  One  of  the  most  important 
assistants  to  the  society's  growth  is  the  Philomathean  Review, 
a  monthly  magazine,  published  regularly  since  April, 
It  was  started  (and  for  a  year)  under  the  editorship  of  E.  F. 
BaoPhail,  assisted  by  Fred  L.  Colver;  but.  since  June,  1882, 
Mr.  Colver  has  been  the  editor,  and  from  May,  1883,  the  pro- 


LITERATURE  AND  SCIENCE. 


1807 


prietor  as  well.  Messrs.  A.  H.  Brownell  and  Wm.  G.  Bowdoin 
are  its  associate  editors.  From  a  small  beginning  the  Beview 
has  kept  pace  with  the  growth  of  the  society,  and  now  reaches 
far  beyond  the  circle  of  its  membership  and  friends.  Present 
membership  of  the  society  is  about  50,  besides  many  promi- 
nent citizens,  who  are  honorary  members.  Present  Officers: 
Thos.  E.  Crossman,  Pres.;  Wm.  G.  Bowdoin,  Vice-Pres. ;  John 
J.  Grace,  Sec 'y  and  Cleric;  Wm.  H.  Carter,  Treas.;  Fred  D. 
Youngs,  Marshal,  Fred  W.  Farnell,  Librarian;  Executive 
Committee:  F.  W.  Barnaby  (Chairman),  Fred  L.  Colver,  Edw. 
W.  Bok,  Edw.  V.  Howard  and  E.  E.  Malmar.  A  large 
number  of  lectures  and  entertainments  have  been  given  under 
the  auspices  of  the  society,  which,  also,  has  a  small  but  well 
selected  library. 

Of  the  many  literary  associations,  debating  clubs,  musical, 
social  and  literary  associations,  which  have  "  had  their  day" 
in  Brooklyn,  it  is  impossible  to  obtain  a  very  complete,  or,  in- 
deed, a  sufficiently  interesting  history. 

Among  those  of  which  but  a  memory  remains,  we  may  men- 
tion The  Kings  Co.  Lodge  Library  Association  of  Williams- 
burgh,  incorporated  1847;  the  Franklin  Debating  Association, 
organized  1852;  the  Eccleston  Literary  Association,  oganized 
1854;  the  Columbia  Literary  Association,  organized  1855;  the 
St.  Charles  Institute,  1854;  and  numerous  others,  some  of 
which  have  been  connected  with  certain  churches,  institu- 
tions, schools  and  benevolent  enterprises,  etc. 


SCIENTIFIC  ASSOCIATIONS. 

The  Brooklyn  Entomological  Society  was  organized  in 
April,  1872.  The  present  membership  is  40.  This  society 
possess  a  fine  collection  of  Coleoptera  and  Lepidoptera,  and 
a  valuable  library  of  entomological  literature.  The  society 
began  the  publication  of  The  Bulletin  of  the  Brooklyn  Ento- 
mological Society,  in  May,  1878,  a  periodical  which  stands 
second  to  none  in  the  esteem  of  entomologists  of  both  the 
Old  and  New  Worlds.  The  Officers  for  1883-'4  are  :  Rev.  Geo. 
D.  Hulst,  Pres.;  Edw.  L.  Graef,  Vice-Pres.;  Chas.  Fuchs, 
Treas. ;  August  Fuchs,  Sec. ;  F.  G.  Schaupp,  Cor.  Sec. ;  Jno.  B. 
Smith,  Librarian;  the  last  two  gentlemen  are  also  the  editors 
of  the  Bulletin. 

The  Brooklyn  Microscopical  Club. — This  association  was 
organized  Feb.  10th,  1881,  for  the  purpose  of  advancement  in 
microscopical  studies  upon  the  conversational  plan.  Some  of 
the  members  possess  instruments  noted  for  definition  and 
power,  which  are  exhibited  at  their  meetings.  Many  of  the 
members  have  become  experts  at  mounting  objects,  and,  by 
this  means  and  exchanges,  have  become  possessed  of  valuable 
cabinets  in  histology,  entomology,  lithology  and  the  diatoma- 
ceae.  There  are  about  50  members.  Meetings  on  the  first  and 
third  Tuesday  of  each  month  at  members'  residences.  Mr.  G. 
D.  Hiscox,  435  Greene  ave.,  Sec'y. 

The  American  Astronomical  Society.— This  society  was 
organized  Jan.,  1883,  for  the  purpose  of  advancement  in  as- 
tronomical studies,  and  the  discussion  of  kindred  subjects. 
It  has  a  well  represented  local  membership;  and  correspond- 
ing members  among  the  leading  astronomers  of  the  U. 
S.  Their  ultimate  object  is  the  erection  of  a  public  observa- 
tory in  the  city  of  Brooklyn.  Many  of  the  members  possess 
fine  telescopes.  The  President,  Mr.  S.  V.  White,  has  the 
largest  private  telescope  in  the  U.  S.,  a  12-inch  glass  by  the 
Clarkes,  equatorially  mounted  under  a  substantial  dome. 

Prof.  H.  A.  Parkhurst,  has  a  battery  of  3  telescopes 
mounted  upon  one  equatorial  movement,  the  largest  of  which 
is  a  9-inch  glass  by  Fitz. 

W.  T.  Gregg,  has  a  6-inch  glass,  mounted  equatorially  under 
a  dome. 


Rev.  Dr.  J.  M.  Ferris,  of  Flatbush,  has  a  5-inch  glass,  also 
under  a  dome. 

The  Packer  Institute  has  a  fine  telescope  with  6-inch  glass 
by  Fitz,  also  under  a  dome. 

Prof.  Chas.  E.  West,  has  a  fine  6£-inoh  glass  by  Byrne. 

Mr.  G.  P.  Serviss,  possesses  a  fine  equatorial  of  3f  aperture 
by  Byrne. 

Mr.  G.  D.  Hiscox,  has  a  Newtonian  reflector  of  10-inch 
aperture,  and  a  3-inch  comet  seeker. 

The  society  meets  in  the  Physical  Lal>oratory  of  the  Packer 
Institute,  the  first  Monday  evening  of  each  month.  S.  V. 
White,  Pres.;  W.  T.  Gregg,  Vice-Pres.;  G.  P.  Serviss,  Secy. 


CLUBS. 

The  Excelsior  Club  was  org.  December  8th,  18.54,  for  the 
promotion  of  social  intercourse  among  its  members,  who 
numbered  originally  18.  The  club  was  incorp.  in  1*74,  under 
the  State  Laws  of  1865.  The  present  membership  is  220;  the 
present  Officers:  Chas.  W.  West,  Pres.;  Thos.  G.  Wells,  Vice- 
Pres.;  H.  C.  Richardson,  Cor.  Sec;  H.  W.  Cowing,  Rec.  Sec; 
John  D.  Barnes,  Treas.  This  club  has  fitted  up,  for  the  ac- 
commodation of  its  members,  the  dwelling  house  on  the 
corner  of  Clinton  and  Livingston  streets,  a  property  which  it 
has  owned  for  five  years.  This  organization  is  purely  social, 
its  members  being  young  gentlemen  of  assured  social  posi- 
tion. 

The  Brooklyn  Club  was  organized  through  the  efforts  of 
the  late  Dr.  A.  Cooke  Hull,  and  incorporated  April  24th,  1865. 
First  Directors  were:  Henry  E.  Pierrepont,  Pres.;  Henry  C. 
Murphy,  Henry  Sanger,  John  Simpkins,  Robert  J.  Hunter. 
William  M.  Vail,  M.  Firman  Hunt,  George  L.  Kent.  A.  Cooke 
Hull,  Franklin  Woodruff,  William  B.  Kendall,  Henry  R. 
Pierson,  William  Kent,  James  Humphrey,  Ethelbert  S.  Mills, 
William  H.  Wallace,  George  W.  Parsons,  Samuel  McLean, 
Luther  B.  Wiman,  Charles  J.  Lowrey. 

The  original  membership  was  83;  the  first  Officers  being 
H.  E.  Pierrepont,  Pres.;  Geo.  W.  Parsons,  Vice-Pres.;  A.  C. 
Hull,  Treas.;  and  W.  B.  Kendall,  Sec. 

The  object  of  this  club  is  to  promote  social  intercourse 
among  its  members,  and  to  provide  a  pleasant  resort  for 
them,  where  entertainment  can  be  furnished,  w  ithout  gam- 
bling. The  membership  limit  of  three  hundred  has  long 
since  been  reached.  The  club  occupies  the  house  formerly 
known  as  the  "Greenleaf  School,"  on  the  corner  of  Clinton 
and  Pierrepont  streets,  which  has  been  very  artistically  reno- 
vated, and  where  may  be  found  every  convenience  suggested 
by  the  most  exacting  club  men.  Present  Officers:  Ben  j.  D. 
Silliman,  Pres.;  Calvin  E.  Pratt,  Vice-Pres.;  Henry  E.  Dodge, 
Treas.;  Geo.  B.  Abbott,  Sec.  Receptions  are  held  at  the  club 
House  on  the  last  Saturday  evening  of  each  month. 

The  Kings  County  Club  is  essentially  a  political  organiza- 
tion, although  neither  in  its  constitution  or  by-laws  is  any 
political  allusion  made.  It  originated  within  the  Republican 
party  in  Brooklyn  in  1872,  and  was  fully  organized  in  Novem- 
ber of  that  year.  There  has  been  from  the  beginning  an  un- 
written law  that  none  but  Republicans  should  Income  mem- 
bers; this  law  has  been  respected.  The  rooms  of  the  club 
have  always  been  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  City  Hall 
Square,  and  have  been  at  all  times  generously  open  in  the 
service  of  the  party,  though  the  club  meetings  are  uniformly 
private.  The  membership  was  over  two  hundred,  prominent 
not  alone  in  politics,  but  in  everything  i^rtaining  to  public 
welfare  and  social  improvement.  The  first  Officers  were  : 
A.  J.  Perry,  Pres.;  R.  D.  Benedict,  Hce-Pres.;  Lorin  Palmer, 
Treas.;  and  E.  B.  Tower,  Sec  In  1881  the  club  began  to  show 
signs  of  financial  weakness;  the  rooms  at  that  time  were  at 


1308 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


150  Pierrepont  street,  elegantly  appointed  and  luxuriously 
furnished;  too  much  money  had  been  spent  to  secure  these 
surroundings,  and  the  recent  campaign  had  been  very  expen- 
sive; the  Republican  State  Committee  thought  it  advisable  at 
this  time  to  overtake  the  property,  and  the  Kings  County 
Club  was  thus  quietly  though  permanently  dissolved. 

The  Clinton  Club  was  organized  in  1874,  at  the  rooms 
which  it  occupied  until  1870,  on  Clinton  avenue,  near  De 
Kail),  when  larger  and  more  commodious  quarters  were  se- 
cured at  the  corner  of  Atlantic  and  Vanderbilt  avenues, 
which  the  club  occupied  until  it  was  dissolved  by  the  consent 
of  the  members  April  5,  1883.  This  organization  was  purely 
social;  the  void  caused  by  its  dissolution  is  felt  very  keenly  in 
the  social  circles  of  Brooklyn,  more  especially,  perhaps,  on 
"The  Hill." 

The  Hamilton  Club  was.  in  a  measure,  an  outgrowth  of  the 
Hamilton  Literary  Association,  which  has  existed  more  than 
fifty  years.  Its  library  and  pictures  are  now  in  possession  of 
the  Club.  After  a  long  and  honorable  career,  the  Hamilton 
Literary  Association  seemed  to  be  waning  somewhat  in  its 
prosperity;  many  of  its  members  desired  to  form  an  organiza- 
tion more  social  in  its  nature,  with  some  of  the  features  which 
appertain  to  club  life.  Accordingly,  a  club  was  organized, 
in  May,  1882,  comprising  many  members  of  the  old  organiza- 
tion, and  retaining  its  library  and  pictures  with  the  name, 
the  Hamilton  Club.  It  was  organized  under  the  general  act 
of  1875.  and  was  formed  for  literary,  artistic,  economic  and 
social  purposes.  The  corporators  were  as  follows  :  Samuel 
McLean,  David  H.  Cochran,  Joshua  M.  Van  Cott,  Joseph 
Brown,  John  Winslow,  Charles  Storrs,  Thomas  H.  Rodman, 
Nelson  G.  Carmen,  Jr.,  John  F.  Prager,  John  D.  Pray, 
Thomas  S.  Moore,  William  H.  Wallace,  John  Notman, 
Brian  H.  Smith,  J.  Spencer  Turner,  Joseph  Yeoman,  and 
James  McKeen.  The  first  Officers  were  :  Samuel  McLean, 
Pres.;  A.  A.  Abbott,  See.;  D.  H.  Cochran,  Vice-Pres.;  Tasker 
H.  Marvin,  Treas. 

The  present  Officers  are  the  same,  with  the  exception  of 
Secretary,  James  McKeen  hav  ing  been  elected  for  1884.  The 
membership  has  increased  from  100  to  320.  The  Club 
rented  temporarily  the  residence  of  the  late  Dr.  A.  E.  Sum- 
ner, on  the  corner  of  Clinton  and  Joralemon  streets,  which 
it  will  use  as  a  Club  House  until  the  completion  of  its  per- 
manent building  (already  commenced),  on  the  corner  of 
Clinton  and  Remsen  streets. 

The  Lincoln  Club  was  organized  in  April,  1878,  at  the  res- 
idence of  Thomas  J.  Evans,  and  was  incorporated  Nov.  19th, 
1879.  First  Officers  :  John  M.  Pratt,  Pres  ;E.  R.  Kennedy, 
Vice-Pres.;  Thos.  J.  Evans,  Sec;  Wm.  Ray,  Treas.  "The 
primary  object  of  this  Association  shall  be  to  discountenance 
and  rebuke,  by  moral  and  social  influences,  all  disloyalty  to 
the  Federal  Government,  and  preserve  its  just  prerogatives, 
and  at  the  same  time  to  preserve,  without  infringement,  the 
rights  reserv  ed  to  the  States,  and  the  rights  and  liberty  of  the 
citizen."  The  secondary  object  of  the  Club  is  sociability. 
The  buildings,  situated  at  05  and  07  Putnam  ave.,  which  are 
used  for  club  purposes,  belong  to  the  Club,  are  very  elegantly 
furnished,  and  possess  every  comfort  and  convenience.  The 
present  membership  is  200.  Offht.us:  Henry  S.  Germond, 
I'ri's.;  James  H.  Pratt,  Vice-Pres.;  Chas.  K.  Wallace,  See.; 
Kmerson  W.  Keyes,  Treas.  While  this  club  still  reserves 
the  right  in  an  emergency  to  declare  its  Republican  prin- 
ejples,  yet  in  muuieipal  matters,  it  proposes  rather  to  en- 
large the  social  than  the  political  features. 

The  Oxford  Club  was  org.  in  1880,  and  was  incorporated 
June  20th  of  that  year,  with  40  iih'IuImth,  and  the  following 
Oni'T.Us:  MfredC.  I  funics,  Pres. ;  J  no.  A.  Nichols,  \'iee- 
Pre.i.;  James  Mitchell,  Treas.;  Henry  T.  Richardson,  Sec. 


The  T>rcsent  Officers  are  the  same,  with  one  exception; 
H.  H.  Watson  is  the  present  Secretary.  The  building  occu- 
pied by  the  Club,  is  on  the  corner  of  Lafayette  avenue  and 
Oxford  street,  and  was  purchased  from  John  D.  Norris  for 
$45,000.  The  Club  has  since  acquired  an  adjoining  lot  upon 
which  it  purposes  building  extensive  additions.  While  the 
Oxford  is  essentially  a  social  club,  it  is  distinguished  for  its 
literary  and  scientific  character.  On  the  third  Saturday  even- 
ing of  each  month,  a  literary  or  musical  entertainment  is  en- 
joyed by  the  members  and  their  invited  guests.  A  Ladies' 
Reception  is  given  annually,  and  complimentary  dinners  to 
distinguished  men  are  of  common  occurrence.  Present 
membership  is  275.  ( 

Paul  Morphy  Chess  Club,  org.  1880,  for  instruction  and 
re  -reation  in  the  game  of  chess,  with  seven  members; 
Present  membership,  fifty.  James  T.  Burdick,  M.  D.,Pres.; 
Walter  Edmistone,  Sec;  W.  W.  Silver,  Vice-Pres.;  Prof.  J. 

C.  Ryan,  Treas. 

The  Carleton  Club  was  organized  on  the  24th  of  March, 
1881,  with  the  following  gentlemen  as  Directors:  George  D. 
Mackay,  J.  H.  Lyles,  F.  A.  Parsons,  W.  J.  D.  Campbell.  W. 
B.  Hewett,  R.  H.  Thomas,  J.  G.  Atwood,  M.  J.  Bailey,  C.  J. 
McKay,  J.  F.  Tapscott,  F.  H.  Herrick,  D.  S.  Willard,  and 
F.  Saunders. 

Its  object  is  the  promotion  of  social  intercourse  among  its 
members,  who  numbered  originally  05  and  have  now  in- 
creased to  125. 

The  first  Officers  were  as  follows  :  George  D.  Mackey, 
Pres.;  James  H.  Lyles,  Vice-Pres.;  F.  A.  Parsons,  Treas.; 
W.  J.  D.  Campbell,  Rec  Sec;  W.  B.  Hewett,  Cor.  Sec. 
The  Club  secured  a  handsome  house,  No.  74  St.  Marks  ave., 
which  they  purchased  in  Oct.,  1883. 

The  present  Board  of  Officers:  Hon.  M.  H.  Clement,  Pres.; 
Col.  E.  O.'Hotchkiss,  Vice-Pres.;  C.  J.  McKay,  Treas.;  W.J. 

D.  Campbell,  Rec  Sec;  H.  Greenman,  Cor.  Sec 

The  Union  Club  was  organized  in  Brooklyn,  E.  D.,  April 
2d,  1881,  and  incorporated  under  the  laws  of  New  York  State. 
The  object  of  the  club  is  the  promotion  of  social  intercourse 
among  its  members,  who  nu mbered  at  first  but  03.  Member- 
ship at  present,  110.  The  original  Officers  were:  John  C. 
Bapp,  Pres.;  John  Moller,  Vice-Pres. ;  J.  Henry  Dick,  Treas.; 

E.  W.  Van  Vranken,  Sec  The  club  house  is  pleasantly  lo- 
cated on  South  Eighth  street,  near  Fourth,  and  is  possessed 
of  ample  accommodations  for  the  members.  Present  OFFI- 
CERS: H.  H.  Robertson,  Pres.;  E.  W.  Van  Vranken,  17cc- 
Pres.;  Samuel  Guthrie,  Treas.;  William  W.  Boyd,  Sec. 

The  Empire  Club  was  org.  at  No.  45  Broadway,  Februar> 
8th,  1SX1 ,  and  was  incorp.  shortly  afterward  with  25  members. 
The  object  of  the  club  is  social  and  recreative.  The  first  and 
present  Officers  are :  W.  E.  Andariese,  Pres.;  James  \\ . 
Smith,  Viee-Pres.;  A.  C.  Hockmeyer,  Sec:  and  James  Bod- 
well,  Treas.  The  present  membership  is  50,  including  the 
more  prominent  social  lights  of  the  Eastern  District.  An  an- 
nual dinner  is  given  in  March  to  the  members  exclusively ; 
and,  in  February  of  each  year,  the  club  holds  a  reception  in 
honor  of  the  ladies  of  Williamsburgh.  These  social  efforts 
rank  among  the  most  elegantly  appointed  entertainments 
given  in  Brooklyn. 

Windsor  Club.— The  amenities  of  club  life  in  the  Kastern 
section  of  the  city  are  in  no  instance  more  agreeably  illus- 
trated than  in  the  Windsor  Club,  an  organization  with  a  lim- 
ited membership,  in  which  arc  numbered  some  of  the  first 
business  and  professional  men  of  the  Nineteenth  Ward.  The 
club  practically  had  its  beginning  in  the  Acme  Club,  organ- 
ized in  February,  1881,  with  the  following  Officers:  Pres., 
Jno.  II.  Shults;  7'rai.x..  A.  V.  Day;  Sec,  W.  W.  Hanna.  A  reor- 
ganization took  place  in  1883,  when  the  name  of  the  Windsor 


LITERATURE  AND  SCIENCE. 


1.J09 


Club  was  adopted.  The  Officers  are  as  follows:  Pres.,  Jas. 
A.  Taylor;  Vice-Pres.,  F.  H.  Evans;  Sec,  William  C.  Bryant; 
Treas.,  A.  P.  Day.  Among  the  other  members  may  be 
named:  Assemblyman  Alfred  Hodges,  John  H.  Shults,  Dr. 
W.  M.  L.  Fiske,  Dr.  G.  W.  Baker,  F.  W.  Wurster,  W.  M. 
Hayes,  J.  C.  Onbert,  H.  N.  Fiske,  James  A.  Sperry,  E.  A. 
Parker,  Fred.  Malleson,  ex-Alderman  Andrew  D.  Baird. 
Daniel  Richards,  Matthew  Dean,  Russell  Johnson,  and  M.  B. 
Smith.  The  rooms  of  the  club  are  pleasantly  situated  at  the 
junction  of  Lee  and  Division  avenues,  aud  are  fitted  up  with 
liberal  taste  and  with  ideal  comfort.  To  the  decorations  the 
lady  friends  of  the  club  have  contributed  with  very  happy 
results.  Nothing,  indeed,  is  wanting  to  make  the  Windsor  a 
first-class  club  in  all  that  should  be  implied  by  the  term. 

The  Eclectic  Club  was  org.  April  10th,  1882,  at  the  resi- 
dence of  F.  G.  Pierra,  No.  188  St.  John's  Place,  where  the 
monthly  meetings  are  still  held.  This  club  is  distinctively 
literary,  and  its  chief  object  is  free  discussion,  without  fear  of 
giving  offence,  upon  the  greater  issues  of  the  day  and  topics 
of  general  interest.  Officers:  F.  G.  Pierra,  Pres.;  Charles 
H.  Requa,  Sec. 

The  Constitution  Club  was  org.  at  3T1  Fulton  street,  Sep- 
tember 5th,  1883.  Its  object,  "  to  unite  independent  citizens, 
without  regard  to  party,  to  uphold  economical,  pure,  and 
wise  government  in  city,  State  and  Nation,  as  originally  con- 
templated by  the  Constitution."  The  members  in  each  ward 
annually  elect  one  member  of  the  General  Committee,  which 
in  turn  elects  the  officers  of  the  club,  "  which  is,  in  short,  a 
corps  of  independent  minute  men  who  defend  at  the  polls  the 
principles  for  which  their  fathers  fought  on  the  battle-field;" 
the  ordinary  privileges  of  a  social  club  are  furnished  at  a 
moderate  cost,  and  a  reading-room  and  lyceum  maintained. 
Officers:  Thomas  H.  Rodman,  Pres.;  Ambrose  Snow,  Henry 
Hentz,  and  D.  H.  Houghtaling,  Vice-Pres' ts.;  John  Gibb, 
Treas.;  Wm.  H.  Cromwell,  Sec. 

The  Twilight  Club. — In  the  early  part  of  1883,  a  number 
of  gentlemen  in  New  York  and  Brooklyn  determined  to  or- 
ganize a  club,  which  should  have  for  its  object  "  to  cultivate 
good-fellowship  and  practice  the  new  gospel  of  relaxation;" 
the  requirements  of  membership  to  be  "aclubable  fellow 
with  one  dollar  in  his  pocket."  The  club  has  no  formal  or- 
ganization, no  dues,  no  assessments,  no  by-laws,  no  officers, 
except  an  executive  committee  and  a  secretary  to  attend  to 
the  details  of  the  dinners.  The  first  executive  committee  con- 
sisted of  E.  V.  Smalley,  Chas.  F.  Wingate  (Sec),  Henry- 
Hall,  W.  G.  McDowell*  and  Col.  W.  P.  Fogg.  The  first 
meeting  was  held  at  Mouquin's  restaurant,  Fulton  street,  N. 
Y.,  January  4,  1883,  which  was  attended  by  twenty -one  gen- 
tlemen. Shortly  after,  the  club  took  permanent  head- 
quarters in  the  Mills  building.  At  each  of  its  weekly  meet- 
ings, a  different  chairman  is  selected.  The  membership  has 
expanded  to  two  hundred,  and  includes  everyr  profession  and 
nearly  every  occupation.  The  topics  of  the  day  are  dis- 
cussed in  a  profound  aud  interesting  manner.  The  Club  has 
entertained  many  eminent  guests,  and  has  dined  at  Green- 
wood Lake,  Coney  Island,  and  other  summer  resorts.  The 
experience  of  the  Twilight  Club  has  demonstrated  the  truth 
that  Herbert  Spencer  noted — the  overworked  condition  of 
American  professional  and  business  men,  .and  that  they  need 
and  enjoy  such  relaxation  as  this  club  affords. 

The  Brooklyn  Art  Guild  was  organized  in  the  studi 
J.  B.  Whittaker,  in  December,  1880,  for  the  purpose  of  main- 
taining a  school  offering  the  best  advantages  for  the  profes- 
sional study  of  art  at  rates  within  the  reach  of  all.  The 
original  membership  was  eleven  ;  the  first  Officers:  J.  C. 
Beard,  Pres.;  J.  B.  Whittaker,  Vice-Pres.;  F.  Sheffield,  Sec, 
and  J.  S.  Hodgson,  Treas.    Its  success  proved  that  it  has  met 


a  want  in  the  commuuity.  Its  day  and  evening  classes  have 
outgrown  the  rooms  first  used,  and  larger  rooms  have  been 
secured  at  No.  191  Montague  st.  The  first  instructor  was 
John  Sartain,  who  has  been  succeeded  by  ThomaB  Faking, 
of  the  Pennsylvania  Academy  of  Fine  Arts.  In  November, 
1883,  this  organization  recognized  the  wisdom  of  uniting  with 
the  Brooklyn  Art  Association,  and  are  now  known  as  the 

Student's  Guild,  of  the  Brooklyn  Art  Association.  The 
present  membership  is  nearly  100,  officered  by  Wm.  Potts, 
Pres.;  F.  Sheffield,  Vice-Pres.;  M.  E.  Robinson,  Sec.,  and 
Chas.  Sickels,  Treas.  This  Society  is  not  incorporated,  is 
governed  by  a  constitution,  and  is  beneficent. 

The  Durer  Club  was  organized  on  Monday  evening,  Dec. 
12,  1881,  in  the  parlors  of  Tred well's  publishing  house,  No. 
14  Red  Hook  Lane,  of  this  city.  The  first  Board  of  Officers 
were,  viz.:  J.  H.  Piatt,  Pres.;  R.  L.  Dickinson,  Vice-Pres.; 
W.  C.  Tubby,  Sec;  E.  O.  Kindberg,  Treas.;  F.  Tred  well. 
Curator.  The  object  of  the  Club  is  to  disseminate  art  mat- 
ters, and  art  thought  generally;  and  to  that  end  etchings  are 
published  occasionally,  pamphlets  of  recognized  merit  issued 
and  distributed,  lectures  given,  essays  read,  and  discussion 
on  art,  or  kindred  subjects,  courted.  The  membership  is 
limited  to  fifty  members;  the  meetings  are  irregular,  subject 
to  the  call  of  the  secretary;  the  attitude  of  the  Club  is  social 
and  informal. 

The  Rembrandt  Club  was  org.  in  the  fall  of  1880,  through 
the  efforts  of  several  well-known  residents  of  Brooklyn.  The 
first  meeting  was  held  in  the  library  of  Mr.  Henry  T.  Cox, 
where  a  Club  was  informally  formed,  whose  object  should  be 
to  meet  socially,  on  the  first  Monday  of  each  month  at  the 
houses  of  the  members,  and  discuss  art  in  all  its  bearings. 
One  year  later,  the  membership  having  increased  to  24,  it 
was  considered  advisable  to  formulate  a  constitution  and  by- 
laws, which  was  done  by  Mr.  Geo.  V.  Brower ;  thus  was  the 
Rembrandt  Club  organized.  The  first  Offickrs  were:  Henry 
T.  Cox,  Pres.;  Dan'l  M.  Tredwell,  Vice-Pres.;  J.  B.  Stearns, 
Treas.,  and  L.  D.  Mason,  Sec  The  original  plan  of  this 
Club  was  adhered  to  strictly  until  the  fall  of  1883,  when  a 
light  collation  at  the  Club's  expense  was  added  to  enhance 
the  evening's  pleasure.  The  present  membeiship  of  the  Rem- 
brandt is  70,  officered  by  D.  M.  Olcott,  Pres.;  J.  E.  Hill,  Vice- 
Pres.;  J.  B.  Stearns,  Treas.;  J.  B.  Ladd,  Sec.  Three  well- 
known  resident  gentlemen,  whose  art  galle'ies  are  con- 
spicuous for  excellence,  are  members  of  this  Club :  Aaron 
Healy,  No.  198  Columbia  Heights  ;  Henry  T.  Cox,  No.  236 
Henry  street,  and  David  Lyall,  No.  19  President  street. 

The  Faust  Club. — At  an  accidental  meeting,  early  in  1872, 
at  which  were  present  Messrs.  William  Hudson,  John  Car- 
roll, Ed.  Lamb,  Gabriel  Harrison,  James  McCloskey,  and  Dr. 
Henderson,  all  gentlemen  well-known  in  theatrical  circles, 
it  was  suggested  that  a  social  club  be  organized  in  Brooklyn 
that  should  be  represented,  if  not  entirely,  at  least  chiefly, 
by  the  various  professions,  and  whose  primary  object  should 
be  to  promote  social  intercourse  of  a  high  intellectual  char- 
acter among  its  members.  In  response  to  some  fifty  notices 
sent  to  prominent  artists,  journalists,  musicians,  dramatists, 
lawyers  and  physicians,  an  inaugural  meeting  was  held  at 
the  Lyceum  on  Washington  street,  and  the  Faust  Club  was 
almost  immediately  organized.  Rooms  were  secured  at  No. 
177  Remsen  street,  at  au  annual  rental  of  $2,000.  Thomas 
Kinsella,  of  the  Brooklyn  Daily  Eagle  recently  deceased, 
was  elected  President,  a  position  which  he  held  for  two 
years.  The  names  of  many  of  Brooklyn's  representative 
professional  men  were  soon  on  the  membership  roll.  The 
Club  was  essentially  a  Bohemian  organization,  owing  to  the 
character  of  the  majority  of  its  numbers,  who  were  artists, 
actors,  journalists  and  musicians.    Its  tone  was  elevating, 


1310 


HIS  TOE  Y  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


its  general  tastes  luxurious  and  extravagant ;  and,  while 
rich  in  genius,  talent  and  wit,  it  lacked  the  necessary 
funds  to  carry  out  to  successful  fruition  the  plans  and 
schemes  that  were  suggested  by  generous  hearts  backed  by 
scanty  purses.  Owing  to  this  fact,  together  with  the  unfor- 
tunate introduction  of  a  mercantile  element  into  their  midst, 
the  Faust  Club  was  forced  to  dissolution  in  the  winter  of 
1875,  after  an  existence  of  varying  fortunes  covering  about 
three  years. 

In  Prospect  Park,  in  the  picturesque  vicinity  of  the  Rustic 
Farm  House,  the  Faust  Club  erected  its  own  monument.  This 
was  done  thoughtlessly  perhaps,  though  none  the  less  really. 
The  untiring  zeal  and  well  directed  efforts  of  Mr.  Gabriel  Har- 
rison, the  active  spirit  of  the  club,  succeeded,  with  the  aid  of 
the  votaries  of  the  professions  which  John  Howard  Payne 
adorned,  in  raising  sufficient  money  to  perpetuate  in  bronze 
the  memory  of  the  author  of  "  Home,  Sweet  Home."  This 
bust  of  the  poet,  dramatist  and  statesman,  was  executed  by 
the  well-known  sculptor,  Henry  J.  Baerer,  and  is  conceded 
by  critics  to  be  a  work  of  rare  excellence.  It  rests  upon  a 
granite  shaft,  eleven  feet  in  height,  occupying  a  prominent 
position  in  the  park,  where  it  was  unveiled  and  formally  pre- 
sented to  the  city  of  Brooklyn,  by  the  Faust  Club,  on  the  27th 
day  of  September,  1873.  Thirty  thousand  spectators  were 
present;  600  children  sang  in  chorus  "  Home,  Sweet  Home," 
and  our  national  anthem,  "America."  John  G.  Saxe  read  an 
original  poem,  eulogistic  of  the  man  and  commemorative  of 
the  event  of  the  day.  Mr.  Thos.  Kinsella,  in  behalf  of  the 
Club,  formally  made  the  presentation  to  the  Park  Commis- 
sioners for  the  people  of  Brooklyn,  to  which  address  Hon.  J. 
S.  T.  Stranahan  replied  eloquently. 

The  Apollo  Club. —At  the  residence  of  Chauncey  Ives.  Jr., 
on  the  evening  of  Thursday,  Nov.  1.  1877,  sixteen  gentlemen 
met  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  a  musical  society  that 
should  eventually  equal  the  Mendelssohn  Society  of  New  York; 
one  week  later  the  Apollo  ( 'lub  was  informally  organized,  and 
officered  by  Silas  Nettle,  Pres.;  J.  C.  Meacham,  Vice-Pres.; 
Wm.  Payne,  Sec'y;  E.  M.  Jewell,  Treas.;  Dudley  Buck,  Direc- 
tor and  Leader.  The  first  rehearsal  of  the  club  was  held  in 
Evans'  music  room,  at  177  Montague  street,  on  the  evening  of 
November  28th,  at  which  place  they  were  continued  until 
March  27,  1878,  when  a  reception  concert  was  given  by  t  he 
club,  which  at  this  time  numbered  twenty  gentlemen,  in  the 
Academy  Assembly  Rooms.  This  concert  was  quite  as  great 
a  social  as  musical  success;  a  reputation  of  musical  excellence 
in  male  chorus  singing  was  established,  and  the  untiring 
efforts  of  Mr.  Buck,  as  organizer,  leader  and  director  of  the 
club,  rewarded  by  appreciative  comments  and  criticisms  from 
all  quarters.  At  this  time  the  question  of  reorganization  on 
a  less  exclusive  basis  was  discussed,  the  finances  of  the  society 
were  on  the  ebb,  and  money  was  necessary  to  carry  out  the 
ambitious  schemes  born  of  recent  success.  To  further  this 
end,  a  meeting  was  held  at  the  residence  of  Dr.  A.  E.  Sumner, 
June  B,  1878,  when  the  reorganization  was  effected  by  the 
election  of  Wm.  B.  Leonard,  Pres.:  W.  W.  Sherman,  Viae- 
Pres.;  H.  S.  Brown,  Secretary;  W.  B.  Kendall,  Treas.  A  sub- 
scribing membership,  whose  limit  should  be  300,  was  insti- 
tuted, which,  together  with  an  active  membership  of  00,  should 
ci nisi  it ute  t  he  club.  II  s  success  since  that  time,  has  been  phe- 
nomenal, and  is  due  to  the  unity  of  purpose  which  has  ever 
characterized  the  society  as  a  whole.  Three  concerts  are 
l^'iven  during  the  season  at  the  Academy  of  Music,  at  a  cost 
of  $1,000  each;  these  entertainments  are  recognized  social 
events  in  Brooklyn,  the  interior  decorations,  floral  and 
otherwise,  l,.  in^  espec  ially  noteworthy.  The  Ajiollo  to-day  is 
m  the  front  rank  of  musical  societies;  it  stands  related  in 
Bi'M,klvn  to  vocal,  us  does  the  Philharmonic  t<>  instrumental 


music;  and  is  a  powerful  organization  musically,  socially  and 
financially.  It  begins  its  seventh  season  with  a  full  compli- 
ment of  subscribing  and  active  members;  a  library  of  more 
than  150  part  songs  and  choruses;  a  balance  of  $7,000  in  the 
treasury,  and  the  most  brilliant  record  of  uninterrupted  suc- 
cesses that  has  ever  been  won  by  any  musical  club  of  similar 
character  in  this  country. 

The  Brooklyn  Woman's  Club. — There  is  no  aspect  in 
modern  society  that  more  strongly  shows  the  tendency  of 
civilization,  than  the  movement  for  the  elevation  of  woman. 
The  improvement  in  her  condition  is  in  large  measure  due  to 
the  banding  together  of  the  more  thoughtful  among  them, 
into  associations  of  various  kinds,  and  for  various  purposes. 
These  coteries  or  clubs  are  a  marked  feature  in  society  of  the 
present  day. 

To  the  women  of  Brooklyn  belongs  the  honor  of  founding 
the  third  Woman's  Club  in  the  country.  Iu  the  spring  of 
1809,  at  the  house  of  Mrs.  Anna  C.  Field,  The  Brooklyn 
Woman's  Club  was  organized. 

It  was  not  until  January  6,  1870,  that  the  regular  meetings 
were  instituted.  At  that  time  some  changes  were  made  in 
the  constitution,  and  the  list  of  officers  completed.  The 
papers  of  incorporation  were  signed  on  March  31,  1871. 

In  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  the  constitution, 
semi-monthly  day  meetings  and  monthly  evening  receptions 
have  been  held — the  former  attended  by  women  only;  the 
latter  by  men  and  women. 

The  admission  of  gentlemen  as  associate  members  is  a 
peculiar  feature,  aud  stamps  the  Club  as  the  vanguard  of  the 
future,  when  men  and  women  shall  find  the  best  results  in 
co-operation. 

Article  2  of  the  constitution  is  as  follows: — "  The  object  of 
this  Association  shall  be  the  improvement  of  its  members, 
and  the  practical  consideration  of  the  important  questions 
that  grow  out  of  the  relations  of  the  individual  to  society, 
and  the  effect  of  existing  institutions  upon  individual  de- 
velopment. It  shall  be  independent  of  sect,  party  and  social 
cliques,  the  basis  of  membership  being  earnestness  of  pur- 
pose, love  of  the  truth,  aud  a  desire  to  promote  the  best 
interests  of  humanity." 

There  are  six  standing  committees,  viz.:  on  Literature, 
Music,  the  Drama,  Art,  Science,  and  Philanthrophy.  At  the 
day  meetings  these  committees,  in  the  order  of  succession, 
present  papers  on  topics  within  the  scope  of  each  committee, 
which  are  discussed  by  the  members.  The  art  of  conversa- 
tion is  strenuously  cultivated,  and  the  ability  to  make  correct 
aud  accurate  statements  is  the  ne  plus  ultra  toward  which 
all  effort  is  directed. 

At  the  receptions  of  the  Club,  members  and  associate- 
members,  with  invited  guests,  find  opportunity  for  social 
intercourse  and  enjoyment,  which  is  enhanced  by  literary 
and  musical  contributions  of  a  high  order  of  excellence. 
Music  is  an  essential  feature  of  all  meetings. 

The  Club  aims  to  encourage  and  foster  the  various  gifts  of 
each  member,  so  as  to  develop  and  improve  all;  and  as  each 
contributes  the  result  of  her  talents  in  any  special  direction 
for  the  general  good,  in  like  manner  each  is  benefitted  by 
the  attainments  of  others.  Thus  by  mutual  action  and  re- 
action, by  the  interchange  of  gifts,  acquirements,  and  ex- 
perience, every  member  enlarges  her  mental  outlook,  and 
ad\  ances  her  culture. 

While  results  of  this  nature  evade  a  tangible  summing  up, 
they  are  the  most  important  .and  satisfactory  the  Club  has 
attained.  Always  keeping  the  object  of  this  Association  in 
view,  the  Club  has  beui  a  home  <>r  receptacle  for  new  ideas 
anil  reform  movements,  and  in  this  capacity  has  served  a 
i  noble  end  by  the  impulse  and  sympathy  it  has  given  them. 


LITERATURE  AND  SCIENCE. 


]:tll 


The  need  for  a  suitable  boarding-house  for  teachers,  artists, 
and  women  engaged  in  business,  which  should  possess  the 
refinement,  grace,  and  good  cheer  of  a  well-ordered  home, 
and  at  the  same  time  protect  inviolate  the  freedom  of  the 
individual,  early  absorbed  the  energies  of  the  Club.  To  this 
scheme,  Mrs.  Anna  C.  Field  devoted  her  time  and  talents, 
and  directed  the  efforts  of  the  other  members  to  success, 
which  culminated  in  establishing  The  Business  Woman's 
Union  in  the  spring  of  1871. 

The  management  of  the  Union  was  relinquished  to  an  able 
Board  of  Trustees,  it  being  beyond  the  intent  of  the  Associa- 
tion to  actively  engage  in  such  enterprise.  It  is  most  gratify- 
ing to  state  that  to  the  wise  conduct  of  the  officers  of  the 
Union,  Brooklyn  possesses  an  institution,  which  is  an  honor 
to  her,  and  a  boon  to  women. 

Mrs.  John  F.  Des  Mazes  and  Mrs.  Elliston  Perot,  were  sent 
as  delegates  to  the  International  Prison  Conference,  held  in 
London,  July  3,  1872;  and  Mrs.  Charlotte  B.  Wilbur  acted  in 
like  capacity  at  the  Prison  Convention  in  Baltimore  in  the 
following  year. 

In  the  early  part  of  May,  1873,  the  preliminary  business 
pertaining  to  the  establishment  of  a  branch  of  the  State 
Charities  Aid  Association  in  Brooklyn,  occupied  the  Club,  and 
gave  the  impetus  which  resulted  in  forming  the  well-known 
and  efficient  Brooklyn  Branch  of  the  State  Charities  Aid 
Association. 

The  movement  which  has  completely  revolutionized  the 
care  of  the  sick,  by  the  system  of  trained  nurses,  was  brought 
to  the  attention  of  the  people  by  the  Club  in  May,  1873. 

The  founding  of  Cooking  Schools  was  in  large  measure  due 
to  the  impulse  received  at  the  meetings. 

To  the  discussion  of  educational  matters— industrial,  in- 
tellectual, and  moral — and  to  the  training  and  care  of  the 
young  in  the  home  and  beyond  it,  the  Club  has  enthusiastic- 
ally devoted  much  time  and  effort.  By  the  interchange  of 
ideas  on  these  subjects,  it  has  been  instrumental  in  creating 
and  molding  public  opinion  to  more  advanced  ground. 

The  deep  interest  felt  by  the  members  in  securing  the  in- 
fluence of  women  in  the  education  of  the  young,  resulted  in 
the  circulation  of  petitions,  at  different  times,  asking  the 
Mayor  to  appoint  women  as  members  of  the  Board  of  Educa- 
tion. These  petitions,  numerously  signed,  were  presented  to 
Mayor  Schroeder,  at  his  office,  in  May  1876,  and  to  Mayor 
Low,  in  May,  1882. 

Lectures  have  been  delivered  before  the  Club  by  Mr.  George 
William  Curtis,  Rev.  John  Weiss,  Rev.  John  W.  Chadwick, 
Col.  T.  Wentworth  Higginson,  Dr.  Mary  Putnam  Jacobi, 
Miss  Emily  Faithful,  Miss  Kate  Hilliard,  Mrs.  Lucy  Wright 
Mitchell,  Mrs.  Abby  Sage  Richardson,  and  Mr.  Daniel  G. 
Thompson. 

Among  those  to  whom  receptions  have  been  given  are: 
Rev.  Moncure  D.  Conway,  Mrs.  Julia  Ward  Howe,  Prof. 
Maria  Mitchell,  Miss  Emily  Faithful,  Rev.  Celia  Burleigh, 
Miss  Louisa  M.  Alcott.  and  Mrs.  Lucy  Stone. 

Presidents  of  the  Club:  Rev.  Celia  Burleigh,  Miss  Kate 
Hilliard,  Mrs.  M.  W.  H.  Elwell,  Mrs.  Imogene  C.  Fales,  Mrs. 
Ellen  T.  Brockway. 

The  Society  of  Old  Brooklynites  was  organized  through 
the  efforts  of  Joel  Conklin  and  Alden  J.  Spooner,  who  con- 
ceived the  idea  of  forming  a  society  whose  object  should  be 
social  intercourse  among  residents  who  had  resided  in  Brook- 
lyn for  the  period  of  fifty  years;  to  that  end  on  March  24, 
1880,  a  meeting  was  held  at  the  Hamilton  Rooms  on  Court 
street;  fourteen  gentlemen  were  present,  and  so  fully  ex- 
pressed themselves  in  favor  of  the  project  that  a  meeting  was 
held  in  the  Court-house  on  April  29th,  and  the  preliminaries 
toward  organization  attended  to,  which  resulted  in  the 


formation  of  the  above  society  May  20,  1880.  The  Jirst 
Officers  were:  Jno.  W.  Hunter,  Pres.;  Henry  A.  Moore, 
First  Vice-Pres.;  Win.  Taylor,  Second  Vice- Pres.;  Samuel 
H.  Cornwell,  Rec.  Sec;  C.  C.  Smith,  Treas.  The  original 
membership  was  38;  the  present  about  150,  headed  by  the 
following  Officers  :  Jno.  W.  Hunter,  Pres.;  Edward  D. 
White,  First  Vice-Pres.;  Albert  H.  Osbom,  Second  Vice- 
Pres.;  Henry  D.  Young,  Treas.;  Samuel  A.  Haynes,  Sec. 
Since  the  organization  of  this  society  eleven  deaths  have 
been  recorded;  by  courtesy  of  the  Surrogate,  the  Old  Brook- 
lynites meet  on  the  first  Thursday  of  each  month  at  his 
room  in  the  Court-house,  and  enjoy  an  evening  of  social  in- 
tercourse; original  papers  are  read  and  commented  upon; 
historic,  artistic,  scientific  and  literary  topics  are  discussed; 
and,  later  on,  the  Brooklyn  Advance  publishes  the  more 
noteworthy  proceedings  of  this  venerable  organization. 

St.  Nicholas  Society  of  Nassau  Island  was  organized  in 
1848,  and  was  designed  to  collect  and  preserve  information 
respecting  the  history,  settlements,  manners,  &c,  of  the 
early  inhabitants  of  Long  Island  (formerly  called  Nassau 
Island),  and  to  afford  pecuniary  relief  to  reduced  members  of 
the  society  and  their  families.  Eligibility  to  membership 
requires  a  person  to  be  wholly,  or  in  part,  of  Dutch  descent,  or 
a  descendant  of  a  person  who  was  an  inhabitant  of  this 
island  previous  to  1786.  The  first  President  of  this  society 
was  the  late  venerable  General  Jeremiah  Johnson.  An  an- 
nual dinner  is  given,  at  which  old  customs  are  observed,  and 
the  memories  of  old  days  revived.  These  reunions  bring 
together  a  noteworthy  class,  and  are  occasions  of  great  in- 
tellectual as  well  as  social  interest.  The  Officers  for  1883 
-'84  are  :  John  W.  Hunter,  Pres.;  H.  D.  Polhemus,  High 
Steward;  E.  H.  Willetts,  Treas.,  and  H.  B.  Hubbard,  Sec. 

The  New  England  Society  of  Brooklyn  held  its  first  meet- 
ing and  festival  on  December  21st,  1880,  the  anniversary  of 
the  landing  of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  on  Plymouth  Rock  and 
for  this  reason  called  Forefathers'  Day.  The  objects  of  the 
society  are  "  to  commemorate  the  landing  of  our  Pilgrim 
Fathers  on  Plymouth  Rock;  to  encourage  the  study  of  New 
England  history,  and  to  that  end  to  establish  a  library;  and 
to  promote  charity  and  good  fellowship  among  its  members." 
The  membership  of  the  society  is  large  and  embraces  the 
elite  of  the  New  Englanders,  or  their  descendants,  in  Brook- 
lyn. The  annual  festivals  of  the  society  are  intellectual 
feasts  of  a  high  order.  Two  Presidents  of  the  United  States, 
an  ex-President,  and  many  distinguished  men,  native  and 
foreign,  have  been  entertained  by  this  noteworthy  organiza- 
tion. Benjamin  D.  Silliman  was  the  first  President,  and  still 
occupies  the  office.  John  Winslow  and  Charles  Storrs  are  the 
present  Vice-Presidents;  S.  B.  Noyes  and  Rev.  A.  P.  Putnam, 
Secretaries;  and  William  B.  Kendall,  Treasurer. 

St.  Patrick's  Society  is  a  Roman  Catholic  organization, 
whose  chief  object  is  to  celebrate  with  a  public  dinner  the 
anniversary  of  St.  Patrick's  birth.  This  society  was  insti- 
tuted in  1850,  with  a  membership  of  fifty,  which  has  since 
increased  to  two  hundred.  First  Officers  were  :  John 
O'Mahoney,  Pres.;  Chas.  Hawley  and  Jas.  Bennett,  Vice- 
Presidents;  John  O  Rorke  and  John  N.  Doyle,  Secretaries; 
and  James  Galway,  Treas.  This  society  is  purely  social.  The 
annual  dinners  are  recognized  as  feasts  for  the  mind  as  well 
as  the  body,  because  of  the  many  intellectual  men  who  gather 
around  the  board.  The  present  Officers  :  Thomas  Kinsella 
(deceased),  Pres.;  William  Sullivan  and  James  H.  (Jreenc. 
Vice-Presidents;  A.  Murphy  and  E.  J.  Regan,  Seen  Inri,  s; 
B.  McCafferty,  Treas.;  Very  Rev.  William  Keegan,  Chaplain. 
and  Rev.  John  M.  Kiely,  Ass't  Chaplain. 

New  York  Arbroath  Associat'-jn  was  established  in  1878, 
for  the  purpose  of  affording  assistance  to  persons  coming 


1312 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


from  Arbroath,  Scotland;  to  promote  social  intercourse 
among  natives  of  Arbroath  residing  iti  or  near  New  York 
and  Brooklyn,  and  to  perpetuate  a  burial  fund  for  members 
of  the  association.  Meetings  are  held  quarterly,  either  in 
the  Mechanics'  Exchange  on  Fulton  st.,  Brooklyn,  or  in  the 
Caledonian  Club  Rooms  in  New  York.  The  Officers  for 
1883-'84  are:  James  Ross,  Pres.;  D.  F.  Smith,  Vice-Prcs.; 
James  Allan,  Treas.;  George  T.  Addison,  Sec. 

The  Caledonian  Club.  On  the  9th  of  March,  1866,  a  num- 
ber of  gentlemen,  of  Scottish  birth,  or  descent,  met  at  369 
Fulton  street,  and  organized  this  Club.  Their  names  were: 
John  Maltman,  David  Wilson,  Jas.  Palmer,  Alex.  Balmer, 
Peter  Wilson,  M.  Alexander,  Jas.  Blue,  W.  S.  Reid,  Robert 
Bowie,  and  Geo.  Brown.  The  Club  was  incorporated  March 
19th,  1868.  The  object  of  the  association  is  to  preserve  the 
ancient  customs,  games,  costumes  and  literature  of  Scotland : 
to  establish  a  library,  and  to  found  a  charitable  fund.  None 
but  those  of  Scottish  descent  are  eligible  to  membership;  and, 
at  all  public  entertainments,  or  celebrations,  the  officers  are 
obliged  to  dress  in  Highland  costume.  The  first  club-rooms 
were  in  the  Brooklyn  Institute;  after  which  Granada  Hall  on 
Myrtle  ave.  was  secured.  Two  years  after,  the  Club  moved  to 
the  corner  of  Atlantic  ave.  and  Clinton  street.  Three  years 
ago,  Adelphi  Hall,  on  Myrtle  ave.,  was  secured,  at  which  place 
the  Caledonians  still  meet.  Annual  athletic  games  are  held 
during  the  summer  at  Ridgewood  Park.  The  present  mem- 
bership of  the  Club  is  150.  A  library,  consisting  of  about 
1,000  volumes  of  miscellaneous  works,  has  been  procured  for 
the  use  of  the  members  of  the  Club.  It  is  proposed  to  add 
to  tins,  as  fast  as  the  means  of  the  Club  will  permit,  copies  of 
the  most  valuable  and  interesting  works  of  ancient  and 
modern  Scottish  literature. 

Several  papers  on  interesting  subjects  have  been  read  be- 
fore the  Club,  and  provision  has  been  made  to  encourage 
further  efforts  in  this  direction,  and  to  give  members  more 
frequent  opportunities  for  social  and  literary  intercourse. 

The  Burns  Association  was  organized  at  the  Wall  House 
in  1862,  under  the  name  of  the  Burns  Friendly  Association  of 
Brooklyn,  E.  D.,  and  was  then,  as  now,  composed  entirely  of 
those  born  in  Scotland,  or  of  Scotch  parents  here.  The  ob- 
ject of  the  association  was  to  assist  needy  Scotchmen,  to 
preserve  tender  memories  of  "  Auld  Scotia,"  and  to  celebrate 
in  a  becoming  manner  the  birthday  of  Robert  Burns,  the 
patron  saint  of  the  society.  First  Officers:  James  Lindsey, 
Pres.;  Robert  McFarlane,  Viee-Pres.;  and  James  C.  Eadie, 
Sec.  As  the  membership  increased  the  organization  became 
more  liberal  and  nationality  was  less  recognized.  The  char- 
itable work  of  the  society  was  carried  on  for  about  ten  years, 
when,  owing  to  a  number  of  impositions  practiced  upon  it, 
the  benevolent  effort  was  abandoned,  and  the  word  "  Friend- 
ly "  stricken  from  the  title.  Meetings  are  held  at  the  offices 
of  James  C.  Eadie,  No.  46  Broadway.  The  special  feature  of 
the  association  is  the  annual  dinner  given  January  25th,  in 
commemoration  of  t lie  birth  of  the  poet — Robert  Burns.  At 
these  banquets  mam  illustrious  men  have  been  entertained, 
including  William  Oullen  Bryant.  John  G.  Saxe,  Bayard 
Taylor,  Henry  Ward  Beecher,  and  all  the  Mayors  of  Brook- 
lyn for  the  past  twenty  years.  The  membership  is  twenty- 
five.  Officers:  James  C.  Eadie,  Pres.  (for  twenty  years) ; 
Andrew  J.  Baird,  Virr-l'rcs.;  J.  W.  Fleming,  Treas.;  Geo.  E. 
Darling,  Sec. 

The  Brooklyn  Saengerbund. — In  May,  1862,  it  was  pro- 
posed to  unite  the  Thalia  and  Lieilcrkran::  Singing  Clubs  in 
one  organization.  This  plan  was  carried  out,  and  the  con- 
solidated society  was  named  "  The  liroahltju  Su<  ni/rrhinid," 
The  head-quarters  were  .it  the  Old  Pavilion,  No.  200  Court 
street,  now  known  as  Piper's  Club  House,  where  for  years 


the  meetings  of  the  society  were  held.  The  membership  at 
present  is  250.  In  1867  this  organization  secured  the  prize  at 
Philadelphia  for  musical  excellence;  and  again,  in  1881,  their 
efforts  were  similarly  rewarded.  Many  entertainments  in  aid 
of  charity  are  given  during  the  year;  and  never  has  the 
Saengerbund  scored  a  failure.  In  October,  1883,  the  society 
bought,  for  §40,000,  the  property  at  the  corner  of  Smith  and 
Schermerhorn  streets  (a  building  S0xl20  feet),  remodelled  it  at 
large  expense,  and  have  occupied  their  new  quarters  since 
December,  1883. 

The  Weber  Quartette  was  organized  in  the  spring  of  1876, 
at  the  residence  of  Caleb  C.  Eabry.  and  named  in  compliment 
to  Albert  Weber,  of  piano-forte  fame,  who  was  at  once  made 
an  honorary  member.  The  first  members  were:  Caleb  C. 
Eabry,  1st  tenor;  J.  Knowles,  2d  tenor;  J.  V.  Provost,  1st 
bass;  W.  H.  Liscomb,  2d  bass.  The  reputation  of  this  quar- 
tette increased  steadily  for  four  years,  when,  by  the  addition 
of  N.  A.  Northrup,  John  Purdy,  C.  H.  Jordan  and  E.  B. 
Campbell,  in  the  order  named  above,  an  octette  was  formed, 
which,  for  two  years,  delighted  audiences  throughout  New 
York  and  New  England  as  well  as  local.  The  members 
belonged  to  the  order  of  Free  Masons  and  assisted  largely  at 
dedications,  funerals,  and  all  masonic  celebrations  and  enter- 
tainments. In  1882,  the  octette  was  disbanded,  giving  place 
to  a  quartette  composed  of  Messrs.  Eabry,  Knowles,  Provost, 
and  Jordan,  who,  after  two  seasons  of  unusual  success,  have 
finally  disbanded. 

AMATEUR  DRAMATIC  ASSOCIATIONS. 

(See  pages  1162-1165.) 

The  Gilbert  Dramatic  Association  is  an  outgrowth  from 
the  Nonchalant  Club  and  was  regularly  organized,  June  26, 
1878,  the  original  membership  being  eleven.  The  first  Offi- 
cers were:  Geo.  A.  Watson,  Pres.;  E.  S.  Seaman,  Vice-Pres.: 
Win.  B.  Vernam,  Sec;  Frank  G.  Read,  Treas.  Very  soon 
the  membership  was  augmented  to  two  hundred,  through 
efforts  made  by  T.  C.  Ham  mill  and  Geo.  A.  Wasson,  among 
the  rank  and  file  of  the  23d  Regt.  of  Brooklyn.  The  first 
dramatic  etTort  of  the  association  was  made  at  the  Athenauim; 
"  Sweethearts  "  and  "  Aunt  Charlotte's  Maid  "  were  performed 
in  a  highly  creditable  manner;  four  entertainments  followed, 
given  in  the  same  place;  the  sixth,  which  closed  the  initial 
season,  was  given  at  the  Brooklyn  Academy,  when  "  Married 
Life"  was  played.  The  reception,  which  followed  the  per- 
formance, was  held  in  the  Assembly  Rooms.  The  Waverly 
Theatre,  corner  of  Court  and  Remsen  sts.,  was  used  exclu- 
sivelv  during  the  second  season.  The  membership,  too,  was 
extended  to  100,  and  the  dues  iucreased  to  $2.00  monthly,  a 
necessary  step  to  insure  financial  support  to  the  club  and  to 
subscribers'  seats  at  the  performance.  The  entertainments  of 
the  third  and  fourth  seasons  were  given  at  the  Athen.einn; 
the  Waverly  Theatre  having  been  demolished.  During  these 
seasons  the  Gilbert  scored  a  succession  of  dramatic  triumph^ 
and  felt  warranted,  at  the  beginning  of  the  fifth,  to  secure 
the  Academy  of  Music  in  which  to  present  all  future  dramatic 
elToits.  The  membership  and  dues  have  each  increased  one- 
third.  The  financial  condition  is  solid  and  its  success  assured. 
The  /, resent  Oi  i'K  Kits  are:  Wm.  It.  Carroll,  /Yes.;  John  W, 
Noble,  Vice-Pres.;  Fred.  O.  Nelson,  Treas.;  Nat.  B.  Evans, 
Sec. 

Among  Amateur  Dramatic  organizations  not  previ- 
ously mentioned  (pages  1102-1  165)  are  the  Athaum, 
Arcadian,  Barrett,  Benton,  Clifton,  Futerpe,  Mel- 
pumene  and  Montague. 


LITERATURE 


Among  the  literary  and  artist  clubs  and  societies, 
the  following  deserve  mention:  the  Irving,  Social 
Literary  Union,  Brooklyn  Debating  Society,  org.  1875, 
and  the  Pencil  Sketch  Club,  org.  1883  (membership 
of  both  sexes,  and  holds  its  meetings  in  the  Brooklyn 
Institute). 

The  Pioneer  Amateur  Photographic  Club,  of  New  York 
and  Brooklyn  membership,  org.  1883.  Officers:  L.  P.  At- 
kinson, Pres.  (Brooklyn);  Herbert  Seymour,  Sec;  Gilbert  A. 
Robertson,  Treas. 

The  Crescent  Literary  Society,  org.  May,  1882.  Member- 
ship, about  20.  Wm.  M.  Brockett,  Pres.;  A.  H.  Zugalla,  Sec; 
Eugene  De  Comps,  Treas. 


AND  SCIENCE. 


The  Mechanics'  and  Traders'  Exchange  is  an  association 
of  business  men  which  was  organized  in  .July,  1871,  for  the 
purpose  of  establishing  equitable  business  relations  among 
members,  and  to  adjust  business  misunderstandings.  This 
exchange  was  incorporated  May  23,  1872,  and  is  authorized  to 
maintain  a  fund  for  the  support  of  indigent  member!  and 
their  families,  and  to  sustain  a  library  and  reading-room.  In 
1875  the  membership  was  500;  the  number  at  present  is  300. 
The  first  Officers  were:  Henry  Harteau,  Pres.;  Abram 
Allen,  Viee-Pres.;  Jeremiah  Van  Riper,  Treas.;  Oliver  Faurot, 
Sec  The  association's  rooms  are  at  No.  303  Fulton  street, 
where  meetings  are  held  daily  from  12  to  1  o'clock.  The 
present  Officers  are:  Elbert  Snedeker,  Pres.;  Thos.  B.  Kutan, 
Vice-Pres.;  Benj.  C.  Miller,  Treas.,  and  F.  L.  Barnard,  See. 


AUTHORS  AND  SCIENTISTS. 


From  its  earliest  village  days,  Brooklyn  has  never 
lacked  the  presence,  among  its  inhabitants,  of  a  few 
who  dabbled  in  literature,  or  wooed  the  poetic  muse. 
That  their  productions,  whether  in  verse  or  prose, 
saw  the  light  only  in  the  columns  of  the  village  news- 
paper, proves  no  want  of  merit.  Brooklyn  was  then — 
as  it  has  been  until  a  recent  period — quite  overshadowed 
by  the  great  city  across  the  river.  Yet,  even  in  those 
days,  the  village  writer  sometimes  found  voice  beyond 
the  confines  of  his  native  place.  Of  such  was  Gken- 
ville  A.  Sackett,  who,  although  a  diligent  and  com- 
petent lawyer,  was  possessed  of  more  than  ordinary 
poetical  genius;  and  under  the  signature  of  "  Alfred," 
wrote  some  of  the  best  and  most  widely  circulated 
fugitive  poetry  of  the  day  in  the  New  York  Mirror, 
New  York  Times,  and  Long  Island  Star.  He  was  the 
son  of  Samuel  Sackett,  one  of  the  most  prominent  citi- 
zens of  the  village;  and,  with  his  brother,  Clarence  D. 
(also  a  lawyer),  was  buried  on  the  same  day,  from 
Trinity  Church,  New  York.  Of  the  same  era,  also, 
was  the  late  Aldex  J.  Spooner,  Esq.,  whose  career  as  a 
lawyer  we  have  elsewhere  portrayed.  But  Mr.  Spooner 
was,  by  tastes  and  instincts,  much  more  of  a  litterateur 
than  a  lawyer.  This  is  evidenced  not  only  by  his  ac- 
tive and  absorbing  interest  in  everything  pertaining  to 
the  literary  development  of  Brooklyn,  and  by  his  helpful 
spirit  towards  every  literary  venture,  but  in  the  many 
graceful  papers  which  he  contributed  to  the  press,  and 
to  the  magazines  of  his  day.  He  was  a  facile  writer 
— as  might  have  been  expected  from  the  son  of  such 
a  veteran  editor  as  Col.  Alden  Spooner — he  had  a 
poetic  temperament,  great  felicity  of  expression,  and  a 
quiet  underlying  vein  of  humor,  which  gave  a  peculiar 
charm  to  his  slightest  effort.  His  well-known  sketches 
of  the  Last  of  the  Leather-breeches,  in  which  he  chroni- 
cled, with  exceeding  gusto,  the  long  litigation  between 
the  village  authorities  and  old  Jacob  Patchen;  his 
sketches  in  the  Brooklyn  Monthly  (1869)  on  The  First 
Episcopal  Church  in  Brooklyn  (old  St.  Ann's);  The 


Dominie's  Ride  with  the  Devil,  and  other  similar 
papers  on  Long  Island  topics,  possess  a  charm  of 
fancy  and  description  strongly  reminding  one  of  (if, 
indeed,  not  fully  equal  to)  Washington  Irving's  legend- 
ary tales.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that,  with  his  rich  store 
of  personal  reminiscence,  his  wide  acquaintance  with 
the  best  literature,  and  his  deep  and  abiding  love  for 
his  native  land,  he  never  6et  himself  seriously  to 
work  upon  some  work  of  permanent  value.  It  was  un- 
derstood in  his  later  days,  that  he  had  made  some 
progress  towards  a  history  of  Long  Island;  but  his 
sudden  death  has  deprived  us  of  what — had  it  ever 
been  completed — would  undoubtedly  have  been  a 
classically  elegant  work  of  its  kind. 

Contemporary  with  him,  of  course,  was  the  late 
Henry  C.  Murphy,  whose  literary  record  has  been 
presented  on  pp.  360-36G  of  this  volume;  and  among  the 
same  group  of  young  literati,  most  promising  in  his 
early  manhood,  perhaps,  of  all,  but  most  sadly  unfortu- 
nate in  the  sun-setting  of  his  life,  was  Gaiskif.i. 
Furman,  of  whom  a  careful  biography  will  be  found 
in  the  chapter  on  the  Bench  and  Bar  of  Kings  county. 

These  were  all  native-born  to  the  island,  or  the  \il- 
lage;  but  there  was  a  resident  of  Brooklyn  wh», 
in  1835,  created  for  himself  a  widespread,  though 
ephemeral  fame,  by  the  stupendous  literary  hoax  which 
he  played  upon  the  public.  This  was  Richard  Adams 
Locke,  long  since  dead,  but  in  his  prime  a  bright  and 
pushing  man.  "One  day,  his  fancy  rioting,  he  con- 
ceived the  notion  of  deceiving  the  public,  and  be  did 
it  very  effectually.  In  August,  1835,  there  appeared 
in  the  columns  of  the  New  York  Sun  a  pretended  ex- 
tract from  the  pages  of  a  'Supplement  to  the  Edin- 
burgh Journal  of  Science,'  under  the  title  of  1  Great 
Astronomical  Discoveries  lately  made  by  Sir  John 
Herschel,  LL.D.,  F.R.S.,  etc.,  at  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope.'  This  was  the  Moon  Hoax.  Several  numbers 
of  the  Sun  were  required  to  ,  omplete  the  story.  Men 
went  wild  iu  speculations  over  the  wonderful  discov- 


1314 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


eries.  The  publication  created  as  great  an  excitement 
abroad  as  at  home;  and  at  home  the  serious-minded 
Mercantile  Advertiser  of  New  York,  said:  '  It  appears 
to  carry  intrinsic  evidence  of  being  an  authentic  docu- 
ment;' while  the  Commercial  Advertiser  was  morally 
certain  that  in  it  could  be  traced  '  marks  of  trans- 
Atlantic  origin.'  Meanwhile,  Locke  chuckled,  and 
the  Sun  made  money  by  the  fabulous  sale  of  its  sheets. 
A  pamphlet  edition  of  the  Hoax  was  subsequently 
published  by  the  proprietors  of  the  Sun,  and  of  this 
sixty  thousand  copies  were  sold — and  so  were  the 
buyers.  Ten  or  twelve  years  ago,  a  single  copy  of  this 
pamphlet  (then  long  out  of  print)  was  disposed  of  at 
a  library  auction  sale  for  the  price  of  $3.75." 

Whatever  honor  Brooklyn  may  have  gained  in  the 
fields  of  literature,  is  however,  mostly  due  to  her 
adoj>t>:d,  rather  than  to  her  native-born  children.  Her 
nearness  and  accessibility  to  New  York,  the  pleasant 
features  of  her  civic  topography  and  environments, 
and  the  delightful  social  atmosphere  pervading  her 
population,  has  ever  rendered  "The  City  of  Churches" 
a  favorite  dwelling-place  for  those  of  studious  tastes 
and  literary  occupations.  Add  to  these  advantages  a 
cheaper  scale  of  house-rents,  and  a  greater  variety  of 
eligible  locations,  and  of  opportunities  for  securing  an 
inexpensive  and  tasteful  home,  than  are  offered  by 
New  York  city,  and  it  is  easy  to  understand  how 
Brooklyn  has  gathered  within  its  limits  no  inconsider- 
able number  of  those  whose  lives  are  spent  in  literary 
pursuits.  The  growing  value,  also,  of  our  two  prin- 
cipal libraries,  the  Historical  and  the  Brooklyn,  is 
contributing  largely  to  the  resources  which  our  city 
offers  to  both  student  and  writer. 

The  reader  who  consults  our  chapters  upon  the 
}/,,/;.-,  i!  I'i-o/i  ssiun,  the  Bench  <nn/  Bur,  the  Press,  and 
the  brief  biographical  notes  of  the  Clergy  of  the  city 
attached  to  the  History  of  Church  Organizations, 
will  see  that  we  have  a  goodly  number  of  professional 
•  rcnth-mcn  among  us,  whose  lives  and  whose  works  go 
to  make  up  the  literary  history  of  the  county  and  city; 
and  whose  efforts,  whether  in  the  pulpit,  at  the  bar,  or 
by  the  pen,  have  conferred  upon  Brooklyn  the  reputa- 
tion which  she  so  widely  enjoys,  of  being  a  refined  and 
cultured  community. 

Of  these  we  do  not  intend  to  speak  further;  but 
rather  to  confine  ourselves,  within  the  very  limited 
space  at  our  disposal,  to  a  brief  and  rapid  glance  at  the 
names  and  works  of  those  who  may  be  said  to  form  the 
littrary  element  of  Brooklyn  Society,  in  this  year  of 
our  Lord,  1884. 

Directing  our  attention  first,  as  in  duty  bound,  to  the 
ladies,  we  may  note  : 

Mi->  K una  Dkan  I'koi  Ton,  the  poet  and  author  of 
that  charming  book  of  travels,  "  A  Russian  Journey," 
reflidei  in  Brooklyn,  a  member  of  the  household  of  her 
relative,  Mr.  ( 'harlcH  Storrs,  of  _'3  Monroe  Place.  She 
in  a  native  of  New  Hampshire. 


As  a  writer  Miss  Proctor  has  been  before  the  public 
for  many  years,  and  her  fame  as  a  poet  has  grown 
steadily.  Her  poems  were  collected  in  1867  and  pub- 
lished in  a  small  volume;  a  new  and  enlarged  edition 
will  contain  her  later  productions.  She  has  written 
some  of  the  most  beautiful  poems  in  the  language. 
They  are  distinguished  alike  for  lofty  imagery  and 
pure  sentiment,  and  have  a  permanent  place  in  English 
literature.  Her  "Heaven,  O  Lord,  I  cannot  lose,"  has 
been  spoken  of  by  critics  as  "  one  of  the  finest  poems 
of  its  kind  to  be  found  in  any  language;  and  as  the 
most  magnificent  hymn  in  the  language."  Another  of 
her  poems,  "  Holy  Russia,"  published  some  years  ago, 
during  the  life  of  the  Czar  Alexander  made  her  many 
warm  friends  in  Russia,  where  she  had  traveled  exten- 
sively. Her  "  Russian  Journey,"  was  the  outcome  of  a 
memorable  tour  made  in  1867  and  it  has  no  superior  as 
a  narrative  of  travels,  for  its  pictures  of  domestic  life  and 
character.  Miss  Proctor  is  more  a  child  of  the  Orient 
than  a  daughter  of  New  England,  and  hence  was  pre- 
eminently fitted  to  appreciate  the  peculiar  features  of 
the  Russian  people,  who  are  Greek  in  religion,  and  are 
possessed  of  widely  varied  characteristics  as  a  nation. 
But  if  she  is  in  appearance  Oriental,  with  her  lustrous 
eyes,  dark  hair,  and  marked  repose  of  manner,  she  is  an 
American  patriot,  passionate  in  her  admiration  of  her 
country  and  its  institutions.  Her  war  lyrics  will  6tir 
the  hearts  of  yet  unborn  generations  and  move  to 
sympathetic  loyalty  the  descendants  of  the  "  boys  in 
blue."  Intuitional  and  sympathetic,  she  touches  the 
finest  chords  of  the  heart,  and  her  poems  have  a  flavor 
and  a  beauty  that  linger  with  the  reader  long  after  the 
perfect  lines  are  unremembered.  Her  genius  makes  her 
akin  to  the  finest  aspirations  of  her  kind,  and  she  rarely 
is  unmindful  of  great  events  or  the  leaders  who  create 
them.  Recently,  she  has  published  a  poem,  "El 
Mahdi,  to  the  Tribes  of  Soudan,"  which  has  aroused  in 
all  classes  of  her  countrymen  a  strong  sympathy  for 
the  hero  of  the  desert.  Catholic  and  tolerant  in  her  own 
nature,  she  recognizes  the  finer  qualities  of  her  fellow- 
beings  and  she  makes  them  what  her  fancy  sees  they 
can  be. 

As  a  writer,  she  is  painstaking  and  conscientious  to 
a  degree,  and  her  polished  sentences  need  no  retouches 
when  once  they  have  passed  from  her  hands. 

In  her  character,  Miss  Proctor  is  strong  and  beauti- 
ful. Hers  is  a  sympathetic  and  loyal  nature,  actively 
helpful  and  beneficent,  and  kind  to  the  core  <>f  her 
being.  To  few  women  arc  given  the  friendships  which 
she  possesses;  to  not  all  are  given  such  a  friend  as  she 
In  the  zenith  of  her  powers,  with  aspiration  and  strength 
renewed,  her  future  stretches  out  before  her  a  long 
season  of  work  and  reward,  of  recognition  and  fruition, 
even  to  the  morn  of  the  perfect  day. 

Upon  the  editorial  staff  of  the  Eagle,  there  was,  iin  * 
til  lately,  a  lady,  Mrs.  Laura  C.  HoLLOWAY,  widely 
known  as  the  author  of  "The   Ladies  of  the  White 


LITERATURE  AND  SCIENCE. 

 K  


1315 


House,"  a  work  which  has  had  a  phenomenal  success  in 
this  country  and  England.  Mrs.  Holloway  is  a  daugh- 
ter of  the  South  and  became  acquainted  with  the  editor 
of  the  Eagle,  Mr.  Kinsella,  through  a  letter  of  intro- 
duction from  ex-President  Andrew  Johnson.  Mr. 
Kinsella's  friendly  interest,  aroused  then  in  her,  con- 
tinued unabated  through  life,  and  she  remained  a  trusted 
co-worker  with  him  until  his  death.  Mrs.  Holloway 
had  fairly  won  her  way  in  journalism  when  she  became 
a  member  of  the  Eagle  staff,  and  has  likewise  been 
successful  in  other  fields.  As  a  lecturer,  she  has 
charmed  the  intelligence  and  culture  of  Brooklyn  in  its 
crowded  Academy  of  Music,  and  in  a  western  lecture 
tour  received  solid  recognition  of  her  abdity  and 
popularity.  Mrs.  Holloway  is  the  author  of  several 
popular  subscription  works,  and  is  a  frequent  contribu- 
tor to  magazines.  After  the  death  of  Mr.  Kinsella,  she 
resigned  her  position  on  the  Eagle,  to  devote  herself 
exclusively  to  writing  books,  among  which  may  be 
mentioned  "An  Hour  with  Charlotte  Bronte;"  and 
"American  Fortunes,  and  the  Men  who  have  Made 
Them,"  from  the  advance  sheets  of  which  we  have 
been  permitted  to  glean,  in  condensed  form,  our 
sketch  of  Charles  Storrs,  on  page  1158. 

Mrs.  Emily  C.  Ford,  wife  of  Gordon  L.  Ford,  Esq., 
and  granddaughter  of  Noah  Webster,  the  lexico- 
grapher, is  the  centre  of  a  charming  literary  circle,  and 
draws  about  her,  by  her  talent  and  amiability,  some  of 
the  most  brilliant  minds  of  the  city.  Slight  in  person, 
her  pale  features  are  the  embodiment  of  intellect  and 
refinement.  Her  publications  consist  of  "  My  Recrea- 
tions" (1872),  a  volume  of  poems,  and  numerous  essays, 
critical  articles,  stories,  etc.,  in  The  Nexo  Englander, 
The  International,  The  Galaxy,  Harper's  Bazar  and 
Weekly,  the  Atlantic,  the  Century,  the  Brooklyn 
Advance,  and  other  magazines;  also,  in  the  Evening 
Post,  Brooklyn  Union,  and  Independent. 

Mrs.  J.  H.  Cutter  is  the  principal  stockholder  in, 
and  contributor  to,  the  Manhattan,  over  the  signature 
of  "  J.  Heard."  She  has  written  several  serials,  be- 
sides numerous  fugitive  pieces. 

Mrs.  Helen  S.  Conant,  wife  of  S.  S.  Conant,  writes 
most  of  the  Book-Notices  for  Harper's  magazines;  she 
has  written,  also,  the  "  Princes  of  German  and  Spanish 
Literature "  in  Harper's  Half-Hoar  Series ;  the 
"Butterfly  Hunters;"  and  is  a  large  contributor  to 
various  periodicals. 

Mrs.  Kate  Upson  Clark,  of  575  Quincy  street,  is 
the  editress  of  Good  Cheer,  a  handsome  weekly,  pub- 
lished at  Greenfield,  Mass.,  with  the  especial  mission  of 
supplanting  bad  and  weak  literature  among  the  poor, 
and  which  has  already  attained  a  circulation  of  100,000 
copies.  She  also  edits  the  Woman's  department  (called 
"the  Helping  hand")  of  the  Philadelphia  Weekly  iV«  88, 
and  is  a  frequent  contributor  to  Harper's  various  publi- 
cations, to  Lij>pincott's  Magazine,  the  Independent, 
Christian  Union,  Congregationalist,  Wide  Awake,  Our 


Little  Ones,  Outing,  etc.,  etc.  Mrs.  Clark  was  born  in 
Camden,  Ala.,  in  1  So  1 ;  her  mother  was  Priscilla  Max- 
well, for  many  years  principal  of  a  large  female  semi- 
nary in  Alabama.  Her  father,  Edward  Upson,  a  native 
of  Connecticut,  was  one  of  the  book-selling  firm  of 
Strickland  &  Co.,  of  Mobile.  In  1856,  the  members  of 
this  firm  were  warned  to  leave  the  state,  and  a  reward 
offered  for  their  bodies,  "  dead  or  alive,"  because  they 
had  sold  Uncle  Tom's  Cabin,  and  The  Life  of  Fred 
Douglass.  This  affair  created  much  excitement  at  the 
time,  and  was  one  of  the  most  important  forerunners  of 
the  war.  Mr.  Upson  tied  to  Milwaukee,  where  his 
daughter  continued  (at  the  Female  College)  the  educa- 
tion which  had  previously  been  begun  in  Massachusetts, 
and  graduated  in  I860  from  Wheaton  Seminary,  Norton, 
Mass.,  and  in  1870  from  the  Normal  School,  Westfield, 
Mass.  Then  followed  a  year  and  a  half  of  teaching  at 
the  Central  High  School,  at  Cleveland,  Ohio;  and  in 
January,  1874,  she  became  the  wife  of  Mr.  Edward  P. 
Clark,  at  that  time  managing  editor  of  the  Spring- 
field Republican,  but  at  present  connected  with  the 
Brooklyn  Union. 

Mrs.  Clark  did  not  begin  her  authorial  career  until 
1878,  when  the  commendations  bestowed  by  competent 
editorial  critics,  upon  a  contribution  to  Harper 's  Bazar, 
incited  her  to  devote  her  time  chiefly  to  the  writing  of 
fiction.  This  she  began  to  do  in  the  autumn  of  1880; 
and  though  the  subsequent  editorial  duties  which  she 
assumed,  together  with  her  duties  as  wife,  housekeeper, 
and  the  mother  of  three  healthy  boys,  do  not  afford  that 
leisure  requisite  for  the  higher  classes  of  literary  work, 
yet  they  have  not  quenched  her  enthusiasm,  nor  hin- 
dered her  in  the  careful  and  conscientious  doing  well  of 
whatever  she  takes  in  hand. 

Mrs.  Olive  Thorne  Miller  writes  for  children 
mostly,  contributing  to  various  juvenile  publications, 
and  issuing  books  on  Natural  History  for  the  young. 
She  was  born  in  Auburn,  New  York,  in  1831;  married 
in  Illinois  in  1854;  removed  to  Brooklyn  m  1877.  She 
began  writing — for  children's  publications — in  1870. 
In  1874,  her  scattered  papers  were  collected  to  form 
her  first  book,  Little  Folks  in  Feather  and  Fur.  He: 
second  book,  Nimpo's  Troubles,  after  running  as  a 
serial  in  St.  Nicholas,  was  published  in  1880,  by  E.  P. 
Dutton  &  Co.,  New  York.  In  1881,  the  same  house 
issued  her  Queer  Pets  at  Marcy's,  and  in  1883,  Little 
People  of  Asia. 

Mrs.  Mary  E.  Van  Dyne  is  the  editor  of  Harper's 
Young  People,  writing  much  and  well  for  its  columns. 
Mrs.  Alice  Wellington  Rollins  is  a  writer  of 
poems,  and  a  regular  contributor  to  Harper's.  Miss 
Alice  Fenn,  daughter  of  Harry  Fenn,  has  written  a 
number  of  articles  for  different  magazines,  which  her 
father  has  illustrated;  one,  on  "Surrey,"  appeared  in 
Harj>er's  Magazine;  while  others  have  been  printed  in 
the  Century  and  in  other  publications.  Mrs.  Helen 
I  Campbell  edits  a  department  in  Our  Continent;  and 


1310 


niSTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Mrs.  Kate  Hilliard  has  written  several  admirable 
fugitive  poems. 

In  the  Social  History  of  Flatbush,  1882,  by  Ger- 
trude Lefferts  Vanderijilt,  and  which  has  already 
passed  to  a  second  edition,  we  have  a  most  valuable 
local  history,  executed  with  that  fidelity  and  indefin- 
able charm  which  only  a  woman's  mind  and  pen  could 
weave  around  such  a  subject. 

Mai:<;aret  Klizaheth  Sangster,  nee  Munson,  was 
born  February  22d,  1838,  in  New  Rochelle,  N.  Y.,  and 
has  been  a  frequent  contributor  to  current  religious 
literature  for  the  past  fifteen  years.  Most  of  her  life 
lias  been  passed  in  Brooklyn,  though  part  of  her  child- 
hood was  spent  in  Paterson,  N.  Y.  She  is  assoc  iate 
editor  of  the  Christian  Intelligencer,  and  writes,  with 
more  or  less  regularity,  for  Harper's  Bazar  and  Young 
People,  The  Congregationalist,  Sunday  School  Times, 
and  the  publications  of  the  American  Tract  Society. 
Her  published  works  are  Poems  of  the  Household, 
Hours  With  Girls,  May  Stanhope  and  Her  Friends, 
Miss  Dewberry's  Scholars,  Home  and  Heaven,  Five 
Happy  Weeks,  and  Splendid  Times.  She  also  edited 
and  compiled  a  Manual  of  the  Missions  of  the  Re- 
formed Church  in  America,  of  which  she  is  a  member, 
and  in  whose  Foreign  Mission  Work  she  takes  a  deep 
interest. 


Turning  now  to  the  gentlemen  of  the  Guild  of  Let- 
ter-, we  find  : 

Mr.  George  W.  Bungay,  author  of  the  well-known 
lyrics  published  in  the  Evening  Post,  Home  Journal, 
and  leading  magazines.  He  is,  also,  a  strong  supporter 
of  the  cause  of  temperance,  and  wields  a  forcible  pen 
in  its  behalf. 

Mr.  David  M.  Stone,  editor  of  the  Journal  of  Com- 
merce, has  also  done  some  excellent  literary  work,  aside 
from  his  paper,  but  his  interests  are  more  particularly 
identified  with  New  York.  This  is  also  the  case  with 
Mr.  S.  S.  Con  a  xt,  literary  editor  of  Harpers  Weekly, 
whose  high  standard  of  excellence  is  due  not  only  to 
\\\>  perfect  taste,  but  to  his  facile  pen  as  well.  He  has 
conducted  for  the  Harpers  all  their  copyright  con- 
troversies for  a  number  of  years. 

Rev.  T.  P.  (On am  is  well  known  as  a  Hebrew 
scholar  and  Bible  translator. 

Frederick  Saundkiis,  author  of  Salad  for  the 
Solitary,  and  librarian  of  Astor  Library,  New  York, 
and  Oliver  B.  Bunch,  author  of  Bachelor  Butterfly, 
are  also  residents  of  Brooklyn. 

The  genial  and  humorous  poet,  John  G.  Saxe,  has 
been,  for  many  years,  a  resident  of  Brooklyn,  as  is, 
also,  \V 1 1. 1.  Carl eton,  the  author  of  "Farm  Ballads" 
and  other  home  poems  which  have  struck  so  responsive 
a  cord  in  the  hearts  of  the  American  people. 

Ali  as  I'okman  is  the  editor  of  the  Brooklyn  Ad- 
vance, which  is  devoted  exclusively  to  Brooklyn,  and 
ha-  become  a  decided  success.  He  also  writes  children's 


stories  for  Harper's  and  the  Appletons,  besides  doing 
daily  journalistic  work.  A  young  man  yet,  he  has  al- 
ready won  an  enviable  reputation,  which  his  brilliancy 
and  industry  will  augment. 

By  his  dramatization  of  Hawthorne's  "Scarlet  Let- 
ter;" his  "Biography  of  John  Howard  Payne,"  now 
in  press;  and,  last  but  not  least,  the  very  elegant  and 
complete  "History  of  the  Drama,  Music  and  Art  in 
Brooklyn,"  contributed  to  this  volume,  Mr.  Gabriel 
Harrison,  long  a  resident  of  this  city,  has  fairly  "won 
his  spurs "  as  an  author  of  whom  Brooklyn  may  well 
be  proud. 

Stephen  M.  Ostrander,  Esq.,  a  lawyer  by  profes- 
sion, and  a  local  historian  by  instinct,  has  been  a  fre- 
quent contributor  of  Kings  county  historical  material 
to  the  pages  of  the  Advance. 

P.  L.  Sciienck,  M.  D.,  has  issued  the  Historical 
Sketch  of  the  Zabriskie  House,  Flatbush,  1881;  and  a 
Genealogy  of  the  Schenck  Family  of  I.  I.;  both  exceed- 
ingly interesting  and  valuable  little  works. 

Homer  L.  Bartlett,  M.  D.,  of  Flatbush,  though  he 
has  given  the  world  no  written  volume,  has,  by  his 
frequent  and  valuable  historical  and  semi-legendary 
essays  in  the  public  press,  proved  his  ability  to  enrich 
our  county  literature,  as  we  trust  he  will  do  at  no  dis- 
tant day.  His  accomplished  wife  also  wields  a  trained 
and  facile  pen,  in  occasional  ephemeral  papers  and 
essays. 

James  Clancy,  of  the  Star,  who  published  an  inter- 
esting book  on  the  "Tombs"  in  New  York,  is  a  resi- 
dent of  Brooklyn. 

Some  of  our  most  notable  hymn-book  compilers  and 
music  composers  are  or  were  Brooklynites. 

Among  the  compilers  are  Rev.  Chas.  S.  Rouinson 
(First  Presbyterian),  editor  of  "Songs  for  the  Sanctu- 
ary" and  many  others;  Rev.  Chas.  Cuthhert  Hall 
(Dr.  Robinson's  successor  in  First  Presbyterian), 
"Evangelical  Hymnal;"  Rev.  Henry  Ward  Beecher, 
"Plymouth  Collection;"  Rev.  Drs.  A.  R.  Thompson 
and  Zaciiary  Eddy,  "  Hymns  of  the  Church;"  Rev. 
Dr.  Chas.  H.  Hall  and  S.  B.  Whitely  (Trinity),  Pro- 
testant Episcopal  "Hymnal  With  Tunes;"  Rev.  Geo. 
E.  Thrall,  "  Episcopal  Common  Praise;"  Dr.  Thrall 
also  edited  the  "  Union  Prayer  Book "  for  Reformed 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church. 

Among  composers  are  Dr.  Jos.  P.  Holhrook,  "  Wor- 
ship  in  Song,"  etc. ;  J.  E.  Sweetser,  "  Pilgrim  Melo- 
dies;" U.  C.  Burnap,  "  The  Polytechnic,"  "  Hymns  of 
Prayer  and  Praise,"  etc.;  Theo.  E.  Perkins,  "Mount 
Zion  Collection,"  etc.;  Sigismund  Lasar,  "  Evangelical 
Hymnal;"  S.  B.  Whitei.y,  "  Hymnal  With  Tunes." 

In  the  educational  department  of  literature  we  may 
mention  Prof.  Jas.  II.  Worm  an  (late  of  Adelphi 
Academy),  author  of  a  series  of  text-books  in  German, 
French  and  Spanish.  Prof.  A  Dk  Rangement  (Adel- 
phi), Dr.  Worman's  colleague  in  preparing  French 
books;  Rev.  E.  P.  Tiiwing,  "Vocal  Culture  ;"  Miss 


LITERATURE  AND  SCIENCE.  1317 


Ida  P.  Wiiitcomb,  "Topical  History  Charts;"  Prof. 
Alphonso  Wood,  a  series  of  Botanical  text  books; 
Rev.  John  Marsh,  D.  D.,  Epitome  of  Ecclesiastical  His- 
tory; Thomas  Monk,  a  series  of  drawing-books.  All 
the  above  musical  and  educational  works  are  from  the 
press  of  Messrs.  A.  S.  Barnes  &  Co.,  well-known 
residents  of  Brooklyn. 

Educational  works  by  Dr.  L.  P.  Brockett,  and 
Dr.  Chas.  E.  West,  are  elsewhere  noticed. 

Besides  these,  we  have  D.  W.  Fish's  series  of  Mathe- 
matical books  published  by  Ivison  &  Co.;  Supt.  Calvin 
Patterson's  grammar  and  spelling-book  (Sheldon  & 
Co.);  Professors  Reid  &  Kellogg  (Polytechnic),  a 
grammar  (Clark  &  Maynard) ;  William  Swinton,  his- 
tories, geographies,  readers,  etc.  (Ivison  &  Co.),  and 
grammars  (Harper);  J.  J.  Anderson,  Histories  (Clark 
&  Maynard) ;  Dr.  J.  C.  Hutchison,  Physiology  (Clark  & 
Maynard) ;  Miss  M.  E.  Thalheimer  (late  of  the  Packer), 
Summary  of  Historjr;  Peter  Rouget,  Prin.  of  one  of 
our  Public  Schools,  an  Arithmetic. 

We  also  have,  in  the  line  of  medical  authorship,  "  The 
Opium  Habit  and  Alcoholism,"  by  F.  H.  Hubbard,  M. 
D.,  and  Dr.  E.  C.  Mann's  exceedingly  valuable  work 
on  "Psychological  Medicine." 

Nor  must  we  forget,  in  passing,  to  pay  our  meed  of 
remembrance  to  a  distinguished  educational  writer, 
now  deceased: 

James  Bates  Thomson  was  born  in  Springfield,  Vt., 
in  1803.  His  earlier  years  were  spent  on  his  father's 
farm,  with  only  such  advantages  of  education  as  were 
attainable  in  the  district  school  and  the  village  academy ; 
but,  at  the  age  of  sixteen  he  had  commenced  life  as  a 
district  school  teacher,  seeking  thus  to  prepare  himself 
for  college.  To  this  purpose  he  clung  unwaveringly, 
and  after  many  hardships  and  some  delay  from  a  pain- 
ful affection  of  the  eyes,  he  entered  Yale  College,  in 
1830,  and  graduated  with  honor  in  1834.  From  1835 
to  1842,  he  taught  an  academy  of  high  grade  in  Nan- 
tucket, Mass.,  and  in  the  latter  year  removed  to  Auburn, 
N.  Y.,  two  years  after  his  marriage.  In  Auburn  he  was 
engaged,  at  the  urgent  request  of  President  Day,  in  the 
preparation  of  an  abridgment  of  his  Algebra,  which 
was  so  well  and  favorably  known  to  the  last  generation 
of  scholars  in  our  academies  as  "  Thomson's  Day's  Al- 
gebra." He  also  engaged  with  great  zeal  and  success 
in  the  organization  and  conducting  of  "Teachers' Insti- 
tutes," which  have  accomplished  so  much  for  improve- 
ment in  the  methods  of  teaching  in  our  public  schools. 
His  remarkable  ability  in  imparting  mathematical  in- 
struction led  to  his  removal  to  New  York  city  in  1846, 
where  he  prepared  a  series  of  mathematical  text-books, 
which  under  the  names  of  "  Thomson's  Series  of  Arith- 
metics, Algebras,  Geometry,"  etc.,  won  for  him  a  great 
fame,  and  which  attained  to  a  very  large  circulation. 
In  1854,  Hamilton  College  conferred  on  him  the  degree 
of  LL.D.,  and  in  1882,  the  same  degree  was  conferred 
again  by  the  University  of  Tennessee.    He  removed  to 


Brooklyn  in  1868,  and  having  changed  his  publishers, 
he  commenced  soon  after  the  preparation  of  a  new 
mathematical  series,  in  whic  h  he  determined  to  embody 
the  latest  and  most  complete  improvements  in  arrange- 
ment, methods  of  instruction,  and  practical  application 
of  mathematical  processes  to  commercial  use.  He  was 
eminently  successful  in  this  attempt;  far  more  so,  it  is 
no  more  than  fair  to  say,  than  any  of  his  numerous 
competitors.  His  careful  and  thorough  investigation, 
and  his  vast  fund  of  mathematical  acquirements,  con- 
stantly increased  by  study,  deserved  and  won  for  him  a 
great  success.  His  industry  and  pluck  were  amazing. 
For  eight  years  he  was  a  great  sufferer  from  a  form  of 
rheumatism  which  rendered  active  locomotion  impos- 
sible; but  though  often  racked  with  pain,  his  eye  was 
not  dimmed,  nor  his  meutal  force  abated;  and  his 
daily  limit  of  six  hours'  labor  was  performed  as  regu- 
larly, and  with  as  perfect  expression  of  his  ideas,  as 
if  he  had  never  suffered  a  pain.  His  wife  and 
daughter,  both  excellent  mathematicians,  rendered  him 
great  assistance  in  the  details  of  his  work.  He  also 
prepared  several  other  works,  and  was  a  large  con- 
tributor to  educational  journals.  He  died  June  22, 
1883. 

Our  city  also  claims  as  its  son,  Mr.  John  B.  Mo 
Master,  whose  History  of  the  People  of  the  United 
States  has  lately  attracted  much  attention.  Mr.  Mc- 
Master  was  born  at  Brooklyn,  L.  I.,  June  29,  1852.  His 
grandfather  was  Robert  Bach,  a  prominent  Brooklyn 
merchant,  in  the  days  when  that  city  numbered  16,000 
souls.  His  father  was  James  McMaster,  a  native  of 
New  York  State,  and,  till  the  war  opened,  a  banker  and 
planter  at  New  Orleans.  Mr.  McMaster's  early  years 
were  spent  in  New  York.  Here  he  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools,  and  graduated  from  the  College  of  the 
City  of  New  York  in  1872.  For  a  year  he  taught 
English  grammar  in  that  institution  as  a  Fellow,  but,  in 
1873  he  set  out  to  become  a  civil  engineer,  spent  some 
time  in  Virginia  and  Chicago,  and  when  the  panic  came 
on,  returned  to  New  York  to  go  on  with  the  history, 
for  which  materials  had  been  collecting  since  1870. 
Some  reviews  have  attributed  to  him  the  works  of  tke 
late  John  Richard  Green  as  a  model.  But  the  plan  of 
the  first  volume  of  the  "  History  of  the  People  of 
the  United  States"  as  it  now  exists,  was  drawn 
in  1871,  and  much  of  the  material  arranged, 
when,  in  1874,  Mr.  Green's  first  volume  appeared.  As 
the  book  now  stands,  it  has  been  twice  written  entirely 
from  end  to  end,  and  some  of  the  chapters  from  three 
to  eight  times,  as  the  acquisition  of  new  material  seemed 
to  require.  In  1877,  Mr.  McMaster,  was  appointed  In- 
structor in  Civil  Engineering  at  Princeton  College. 

Linus  Pierpont  Brockett,  M.  D.,  the  eldest  son  of 
Rev.  Pierpont  Brockett,  for  fifty  years  a  Baptist  min- 
ister in  New  England,  was  born  in  Canton,  Conn.,  Oct. 
|  16,  1820;  received  his  early  jducation  at  Hill's  Aead- 
I  emy,  Essex,  Conn.,  and  the  Conn.  Literary  Institution 


1318 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


at  Suffield;  entered  Brown  University  in   1837,  but, 
owing  to  impaired  health,  did  not  graduate;  obtained 
his  medical  education  at  Washington,  D.  C,  New  Haven, 
Ct.,  and  New  York;  graduated,  M.  D.,  in  1843,  and 
since  1846,  has  devoted  himself  mainly  to' literary  pur- 
suits.   In  1857,  he  received  the  honorary  degree  of  M. 
A.  from  Amherst  College.    He  has  published  many 
works  of  large  circulation  among  which  are  the  follow- 
ing: Geograjdiical  History  of  New  York,  1847;  Me- 
moir of  James  Edward  Meystre,  1855;  The  Pioneer 
Preacher,  1857;  History  of  Education,  1859;  History 
of  the  Civil  War,  1865;  Life  of  Abraham  Lincoln, 
1865;    Oar   Great    Captains,    1865;     Camp,  Battle 
Field  and  Hospital,  1866 ;    Woman's  Work  in  the 
Civil   War,    1867;    Men   of  our   Day,  1868,  and 
an  enlarged  edition  in  1872  ;  Woman;  her  Bights, 
Wrongs,  Privileges  and  Resjxmsibi/ities,  1869;  The 
Year  of  Battles;  a  History  of  the  Franco-German 
War,  1871-'2;  Epidemic  and  Contagious  Diseases, 
1873;  The  Silk  Industry  in  America,  1876;  The  Cross 
and  the  Crescent,  1877,  &c,  &c.    He  has  also  edited 
numerous  works;  was  from  1856  to  1862,  on  the  edi- 
torial staff  of  the  New  American  Cyclopa  dia ;  from 
1861  to  1875,  one  of  the"  editors  of  Appleton's  Annual 
Cyclop"  dia;  and  from  1872  to  1877,  one  of  the  edi- 
tors of  Johnson's  Universal  Cyclopaedia.   He  has  writ- 
ten also  numerous  review  and  magazine  articles,  and 
is  now  editing  the  new  geographical  monthly,  De 
scriptive  America.     He  completed,  in  1879,  a.  His- 
tory of  the  Bogomiels,  the  Baptists  of  the  East,  from 
the  5th  to  15th  century,  and  has  in  hand  a  Life  of 
Christ,  on  which  he  has  been  engaged  for  over  eight 
years.   He  has  resided  in  Brooklyn  twenty-five  years. 

We  come  now  to  our  local  historians,  a  class  of 
writers  who,  though  their  works  may  not  gain  the  eclat 
which  attends  other  literary  productions,  still  fill  a 
very  important  place  in  the  history  of  any  community. 

In  the  year  1824,  Gabriel  Fi  rman  (see  biography 
page  349),  a  native  of  the  town,  published  a  little 
volume  which  he  modestly  entitled  "Notes  on  the 
History  of  Brooklyn,"  and  which,  for  that  day,  pos- 
sessed great  merit  as  a  local  history.  He  had  an 
intuitive  and  prophetic  sagacity  as  to  the  importance 
of  desoribing,  recording,  and  fixing  the  dates  of  many 
things  which  could  change  with  progress  and  be  for- 
gotten; and  but  for  his  "Notes,"  published  in  ls24,  it 
would  now  be  well-nigh  impossible  for  us  to  trace 
the  beginnings  of  our  "  goodl y-hcritage." 

Contemporaneous  with  him,  and  older  in  years,  was 
that  worthy  citizen,  Gen.  Jeremiah  Johnson,  himself 
a  connecting  link  between  Brooklyn's  Past  ami  Present, 
all  of  whose  contributions  to  local  history,  however, 
were  in  the  form  of  articles  in  newspapers  and 
magazines.  To  his  excellent  memory  ami  writings, 
both  published  and  in  manuscript,  all  succeeding  his- 
torians li;ivc  been  indebted.  His  biography  will  be 
found  on  page  147. 


Benjamin  Thompson,  the  historian  of  Long  Island, 
in  1843,  and  the  Rev.  Nathaniel  S.  Prime,  his  suc- 
cessor in  the  same  historic  field  in  1845,  each  gave 
interesting  but  necessarily  brief  resumes  of  Kings 
County  and  Brooklyn  history;  while  Thos.  P.  Teai.e's 
somewhat  scanty  "Chronicles,"  in  Spooner's  Directory 
for  1848  ;  and  J.  T.  Bailey's  "Historical  Sketch,"  in 
1840;  the  Bushwick  and  Williamsbnrgh  sketches,  by 
C.  S.  Sen roeder,  in  the  Long  Island  Family  Circle, 
1852;  Samuel  Reynolds'  "History  of  Williams- 
burgh,"  published  as  an  adjunct  to  the  Williamsbnrgh 
Directory  of  1852  ;  and  Mr.  F.  G.  Fish's  History  of  St. 
Ann's  P.  E.  Church,  1845,  and  Rev.  Dr.  Strong's 
History  of  Flatbush,  in  1842,  completes  the  list  of 
our  earlier  local  histories. 

Ten  years  later,  1863,  the  formation  of  the  Long 
Island  Historical  Society  gave  a  new  impetus  to  his- 
torical and  antiquarian  research  in  this  county,  and 
upon  Long  Island.  Among  its  founders,  and  most  ac- 
tive in  the  field  of  authorship,  were  Hon.  Henry  C. 
Mubphy,  Alden  J.  SeooNER,  Esq.,  Hon.  Tfunis  C 
Bergex,  Thomas  W.  Field,  and  the  editor  of  this 
history,  who  alone  remains  to  inscribe  upon  its  pages 
the  record  of  that  progress  to  which  his  departed  asso- 
ciates so  much  contributed. 

The  years  1863-'67  were  full  of  literary  and  historic 
enterprises  and  labors.  Spooneb  put  forth  a  new  and 
annotated  edition  of  Wood's  History  of  Long  Island. 
to  which  he  prefaced  a  loving  memoir  of  his  old  friend 
the  author ;  and,  with  Henry  R.  Stiles  (under  the 
guise  of  the  Faust  Club),  he  published,  also,  a  new 
edition  of  Fin-man's  Notes,  with  Memoir  and  Notes. 
Field  reprinted  Garden's  Anecdotes  of  the  Revolution, 
in  three  stately  volumes,  and  subsequently  his  Histori- 
cal >fud  Anliouarian  Scenes  in  Brooklyn  and  Vicinity, 
1882  ;  and  his  Battle  of  Long  Island,  for  the  second 
volume  of  the  Historical  Society's  Collections.  MuRrn  v 
translated  and  edited,  for  the  Historical  Society,  the 
Journal  of  the  Labadists,  which  forms  the  first  volume 
of  its  Collections  ;  and  Bergen  put  forth  his  Bergm 
Genealogies,  etc.    (See  page  268). 

In  1865,  Stii.es  issued  (limited  edition)  two  volumes 
relating  to  the  sufferings  and  experiences  of  the  Prison- 
Ship  captives  in  Wallabout  Bay,  under  the  title  of  The 
Wullabout  Series ;  and,  in  1867,  he  brought  out  the 
first  volume  of  his  History  of  the  City  of  Brooklyn, 
of  which  two  remaining  volumes  appeared  in  1869  and 
1870. 

Henry  R.  Stiles,  M.  A.,  M.  D.,  was  born  in  New 
York  City,  March  10,  1832;  obtained  his  education  at 
the  Grammar  School  of  the  University  of  the  City  of 
New  York;  was  freshman  at  the  University,  and 
sophomore  at  Williams  College;  ill-health  prevented 
his  graduation  there,  but  in  1876,  he  received  the  de- 
cree of  A.  M.  from  that  college.  He  studied  medicine 
at  the  Medical  Department  of  the  University  of  City 
of  New  York,  graduating  1855;  as,  also,  same  year, 


LITERATURE  AND  SCIENCE. 


1319 


from  the  N.  Y.  Ophthalmic  Hospital.  Practised  in 
New  York  City;  Galena,  111.;  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  and 
Woodbridge,  N.  J.  In  1863,  was  one  of  the  originators 
of  the  Long  Island  Historical  Society,  at  Brooklyn,  of 
which  he  was  a  director  and  the  librarian  until  1866. 
In  1868,  was  appointed  Chief  Clerk  in  the  Brooklyn 
Bureau  of  Vital  Statistics,  of  the  Metropolitan  Board 
of  Health;  and  remained  in  that- office  until  the  legisla- 
tive abolition  of  the  Metropolitan  Commissions  in 
1870.  He  was  then  appointed  Sanitary  Inspector  in  the 
New  York  City  Board  of  Health  (serving  as  such  in 
the  2d,  4th,  and  6th  Wards),  until  the  creation  of  a 
new  board  in  June,  1873;  passed  the  civil  service  ex- 
amination, instituted  by  the  new  board,  with  honor, 
and  was  re-appointed  Sanitary  Inspector,  June  17,  1873; 
in  July,  same  year,  he  was  appointed  Medical  Superin- 
tendent of  the  State  Homoeopathic  Asylum  for  the 
Insane,  located  at  Middletown,  Orange  county,  N.  Y. ; 
he  there  superintended  the  erection  of  the  first  two 
buildings,  organized  the  service  of  the  asylum,  and 
placed  the  institution  on  the  foundation  of  success 
which  is  now  universally  accorded  to  it,  as  the  first  and 
(thus  far)  the  only  homoeopathic  insane  asylum  in  the 
world  under  governmental  control;  resigning  his  posi- 
tion in  1877,  he  removed  with  his  family  to  Dundee, 
Scotland,  where  he  was  appointed  to  the  charge  of  the 
Dundee  Homeopathic  Dispensary ;  and  where,  in  the 
enjoyment  of  a  good  practice,  he  remained  until 
December,  1881,  when  he  felt  obliged  by  his  wife's 
health  and  his  own,  to  return  to  America.  He  is  now 
engaged  in  a  consultation  practice  in  New  York  city. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  N.  Y.  County  Homoeopathic 
Medical  Society,  and  a  permanent  member  of  the 
N.  Y.  State  Homoeopathic  Medical  Society;  has  also 
belonged  to  the  Kings  and  the  Orange  County  Honuv- 
opathic  Medical  Societies;  is  a  member  of  the  Clinical 
Club  (medical);  the  N.  Y.  Medico-Legal  Society;  a 
founder  and  officer  of  the  Society  for  Promoting  the 
Welfare  of  the  Insane;  was  one  of  the  organizers  and 
first  members  of  the  Public  Health  Association  of  New 
York  City,  in  1872.  He  has  also  been  Lecturer  on 
Hygiene  and  Sanitary  Science,  at  the  N.  Y.  Homoeo- 
pathic Medical  College,  and  is  now  Professor  of  Men- 
tal and  Nervous  Diseases,  at  the  N.  Y.  Women's 
Medical  College  and  Hospital,  New  York  city. 

In  1859,  Dr.  Stiles  published  The  History  and 
Genealogies  of  Ancient  Windsor,  Conn,  and  in  1861, 
a  supplement  to  the  same;  and  also  a  monograph  on 
Bundling  in  America;  in  1863,  he  published  the  Gene- 
alogy of  the  Massachusetts  Stiles  Family;  in  1865,  he  was 
(see  page  1318)  an  active  member  of  the  "  Faust  Club  " 
(publishing),  of  Brooklyn;  in  1865,  issued  two  volumes 
of  the  Wallabout  Series,  and  edited  The  Genealogy 
of  the  Stranahan  and  Josslyn  Families;  and  in  1867, 
he  issued  the  6rst  volume  of  his  History  of  the  City  of 
Brooklyn;  in  1869,  the  second  volume,  and  in  1870, 
the  third;  he  was,  also,  from  1863  to  1870,  a  contributor 


to  the  Round  2'ablr,  and  to  several  works  of  history 
and  biography  edited  by  other  parties.  He  has,  for 
many  years,  been  an  active  member  (and  was  for  eight 
years,  the  Recording  Secretary)  of  the  American 
Ethnological  Society;  and  was  one  of  the  organizers 
and  Recording  Secretary  of  the  (now  defunct)  Ameri- 
can Anthropological  Institute;  in  1869,  he  was  one  of 
the  seven  founders  of  the  N.  Y.  Genealogiad  and 
Biograpldcal  Society,  and  its  President  from  1869  to 
1873,  and  still  a  member  of  its  board  of  trustees  and  of 
its  publication  committee.  He  is  honorary  and  corre- 
sponding member  of  various  historical  societies,  among 
which  are  the  New  England  Historic-  Genealogical 
Society;  the  Dorchester  (Mass.)  Antiquarian  Society; 
the  Wisconsin  and  the  Arizona  Historical  Societies; 
the  Antiquarian  and  Numismatical  Society  of  Phila- 
delphia; the  American  Philological  Society,  etc.  He 
is  a  life  member  of  the  Long  Island  Historical  Society. 


PRIVATE  LIBRARIES. 

As  to  private  libraries — and,  by  this  we  mean  those 
collections  of  books  which  have  been  gathered  with 
well  defined  purpose,  as  illustrative  of  some  special 
subject,  or  indicative  of  some  peculiar  fancy  or  taste  of 
their  owners — Brooklyn  has  had,  and  still  has,  some 
which  are  well  worthy  of  note. 

Of  such  was  the  princely  library,  now  lately  dispersed, 
of  the  late  Hon.  Henry  C.  Murphy  (see  page  364), 
a  notable  collection  of  Americana;  especially  of  rare 
volumes  on  early  American  exploration,  navigation  and 
Colonial  Dutch  history.  It  numbered  3,142  titles, 
and  brought,  under  the  auctioneer's  hammer,  nearly 
§52,000.  In  Dr.  Wynne's  "  Private  Libraries  of  New 
York,"  will  be  found  a  full  description  of  the  treasures 
of  this  splendid  collection. 

Dr.  Wynne's  Private  Libraries  of  New  York,  in- 
cludes among  its  descriptions,  that  of  the  library  of 
our  fellow-townsman  J.  Carsox  Brevoort.  It  orig- 
inally contained  some  10,000  volumes,  of  which  nearly 
6,000  were  collected  by  the  late  Henry  Brevoort,  father 
of  the  present  owner.  He  began  to  collect,  about  1810, 
while  abroad;  and  the  French  Revolution  of  1830,  as 
well  as  the  numerous  book  sales  which  followed  the 
cholera  visitation  of  1832,  opened  to  him  a  rich  field 
for  the  purchase  of  fine  and  valuable  works,  of  which 
he  liberally  and  judiciously  availed  himself.  The  orig- 
inal editions  of  "  Smith's  Virginia,"  "  the  Warres  of 
New  England; "  "  The  Simple  Cobbler  of  Aggawam;  " 
"  Hubbard's  Indian  Wars;"  "Mather's  Indian  Wars," 
and  a  number  of  other  early  and  rare  American  tracts, 
presented  to  Mr.  Brevoort  by  Sir  Walter  Scott— who 
had  collected  them  with  a  view,  subsequently  aban- 
doned, of  writing  a  novel  of  the  early  New  England 
times— are  among  the  gems  of  this  collection;  which  is 
also  extremely  rich  in  priceless  MSS.,  autograph  let- 
ters, official  and  military  journals,  order-books,  etc.,  etc. 


l:V20 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


To  this  valuable  library,  bequeathed  to  him  in  1848, 
Mr.  Brevoorl  made  large  additions,  consisting  of  works 
illustrative  of  the  progress  of  geographical  discovery 
in  America,  such  as  maps,  narrations,  topographical 
memoirs;  his  tastes,  in  this  respect,  running  parallel  to 
those  of  his  friend,  Hon.  Henry  C.  Murphy,  whose 
library  we  have  referred  to  on  page  364.  Peter 
Martyr;  Ramusius ;  Hakluyt  (ed.  1589,  1599-600,  and 
the  later  quarto) ;  Purchas;  the  Spanish  writers,  Herrera, 
Torquemada,  Clavigero,  De  La  Vega,  and  Charlevoix; 
Kingsborough,  De  Bry,  are  all  represented,  besides 
many  less  known,  but  equally  valuable  and  rare.  In 
charts,  maps,  atlases,  government  and  state  publica- 
tions, geological  and  geographical  reports  and  surveys 
relating  to  the  American  Continent,  and  especially  in 
the  line  of  Arctic  and  Antarctic  exploration  and  Pa- 
cific voyages,  the  collection  is  very  rich.  Next  to 
voyages  and  travels,  the  main  feature  of  this  library  is 
its  works  in  Natural  History,  including  about  2,000 
volumes  on  Zoology.  This  department  is  especially 
strong  in  transactions  of  natural  history  societies,  both 
foreign  and  domestic;  but  its  completest  section  is  that 
of  Ichthyology.  American  history  and  pamphlets  upon 
special  political  topics,  etc.,  have  also  been  extensively 
collected  by  Mr.  Brevoort. 

Wynne's  sketch  of  this  library,  though  written  in 
1860,  described  it  as  it  was  until  1875.  Mr.  Brevoort's 
health  and  eyesight  becoming  seriously  impaired  about 
that  time,  he  has,  since  then,  gradually  bestowed  the 
greater  part  of  his  library,  and  its  accompanying  col- 
lections, upon  those  scientific  bodies  and  societies  to 
which  he  felt  that  they  would  prove  of  most  service, 
such  as  the  Long  Island  Historical  Society  of  this 
city,  the  American  Geographical  Society,  and  the 
Natural  History  Museum  in  the  Central  Park,  New 
York  city,  and  the  Entomological  Society  of  Phila- 
delphia. To  the  Long  Island  Historical  Society,  of 
which  he  was  President  during  its  first  ten  years,  he 
has  been  a  constant  and  liberal  donor,  almost  denuding 
his  own  library  of  his  very  large  accumulation  of 
American  local  history,  biography  and  pamphlets. 

So  generous  and  judicious  a  giver  of  books  to  our 
public  libraries  deserves  some  slight  biographical 
notice  at  our  hands. 

James  Carson  Brevoort,  eldest  son  of  Henry  and 
Laura  (Carson)  Brevoort,  of  New  York  city,  was  born 
July  10,  1818,  and  gained  his  education  in  his  native 
city,  in  France  and  Switzerland.  Upon  leaving  school 
at  llofwyl,  near  Berne,  he  studied  for  three  years  at 
the  "Ecole  Centrale  des  Arts  et  Manufactures,"  at 
Paris,  and  graduated  with  a  diploma  as  Civil  Engineer. 
Returning  home,  lie  was,  for  a  while,  employed  on  the 
Survey  of  the  North-eastern  Boundary,  in  Maine, 
under  his  ancle,  the  late  Prof.  James  Renwick,  who 
was  then  a  Commissioner  on  the  Survey.  In  1838,  he 
accompanied  Washington  Irving,  on  his  appointment 
as  Minister- Plenipotentiary  to  Spain,  and  passed  a  year 


with  him  in  the  capacity  of  private  secretary,  after- 
wards traveling  through  Europe. 

He  returned  to  this  country  again  in  1843,  and,  in 
1845,  married  the  only  daughter  of  the  late  Judge 
Leffert  Lefferts,  of  Bedford.  Since  that  time  he  has 
resided  in  the  Lefferts  homestead,  engaged  in  manag- 
ing the  estate  of  his  late  father-in-law,  as  well  as  the 
property  which  he  himself  purchased  in  the  neighbor- 
hood, and  modestly  but  honorably  identifying  himself 
with  the  progress  and  institutions  of  his  adopted  city. 
He  served,  for  some  years,  as  a  member  of  the  Board 
of  Education,  and  as  one  of  the  Constructing  Board 
of  Water  Commissioners,  and  is  the  author  of  the 
Preface  to  that  Board's  Report,  published  by  the  city 
authorities.  From  1863  to  1873,  he  was  President  of 
the  Long  Island  Historical  Society;  and,  for  two  years, 
Superintendent  of  the  Astor  Library,  New  York  city, 
of  which  he  had  been  a  Trustee  since  1852.  In  1861, 
he  was  made  a  Regent  of  the  University  of  the  City 
of  New  York,  being  now  the  third  eldest  member  of 
that  distinguished  body  ;  and,  in  1863,  received  the 
diploma  of  LL.  D.  from  Williams  College,  Mass.  Mr. 
Brevoort  is  a  resident-member  of  the  X.  Y.  Historical, 
1845;  the  Acad,  of  Natural  Sciences,  1840;  American 
Geographical  Society,  1856;  corresponding  member  of 
the  N.  Eng.  Geneal.-Hist.  Society,  1858;  the  Mass. 
Hist.  Society,  1858;  the  Penn.  Hist.  Society,  1859,  and 
the  Entomological  and  Numismatical  Societies  of 
Philadelphia;  honorary  member  of  the  Numismatical 
Society  of  Boston,  1882;  and  of  various  other  learned 
bodies  at  home  and  abroad. 

Mr.  Brevoort  commenced  his  study  and  collections 
in  Entomology  in  1833,  and  in  Ichthyology  in  1842.  In 
this  latter  department  his  collection  of  books  and 
specimens  have  been  extensive  and  valuable;  and  he 
has  recently  turned  them  over  to  Mr.  Eugene  G.  Black- 
ford, the  N.  Y.  State  Fish  Commissioner,  who  has  in- 
corporated them  in  his  Ichthyological  Museum  in 
Fulton  Market.  Mr.  Brevoort  wrote  the  Ichthyological 
department  of  Commodore  Perry's  Report  of  the  U.  S. 
Expedition  to  Japan. 

His  collection  of  coins  was  commenced  in  1850.  He 
has  contributed  to  the  Am.  Journal  of  Niunismatics, 
a  series  of  (illustrated:  papers  on  "  Early  Spanish 
and  Portuguese  Coinage  in  America,"  of  great  in- 
terest. 

In  the  Historical  Magazine  he  has  published  a  paper 
upon  the  "  Discovery  of  the  Remains  of  Columbus;"  and 
in  1874,  a  volume  on  "  Ycrrazano,  the  Navigator,  or 
Notes  on  Giovanni  de  Verrazano,  and  on  a  Plani- 
sphere  of  1529,  illustrating  his  American  Voyage  in 
1524,"  this  being  a  revision  of  a  paper  read  by  him  he- 
fore  the  American  Geographical  Society,  Nov.  28,  1871. 

Chari.es  E.  West,  the  well-known  principal  of  the 
Brooklyn  Heights  Seminary,  possesses  literary  and  art 
collections  of  no  mean  value  and  interest.  The  three 
buildings  in  which  the  Seminarv  is  located,  are  filled 


mi 


in  every  part  with  that  which  cannot  fail  to  attract  and 
mould  the  taste  and  intellect  of  his  pupils.  Every- 
where are  books,  prints,  casts,  statuary,  mineralogical 
and  conchological  cabinets,  educational  apparatus,  an- 
tiquities, bric-a-brac.  Among  these  collections  we  may 
especially  note  the  Abbott  collection  of  paintings, 
copies  by  the  Chevalier  Chatelain,  of  Rome,  of  some 
of  the  most  celebrated  paintings  in  Italy  ;  a  cabinet  of 
ancient  and  almost  unique  specimens  of  early  Grecian, 
Roman,  Egyptian  and  Peruvian  art;  a  rare  collection 
of  Jewish,  Grecian  and  Roman  coins;  a  very  complete 
collection  of  Anglo-Saxon  works  of  the  15th  and  16th 
centuries,  old  Icelandic  sagas,  etc.;  special  collections 
of  the  Bibliography  of  Art,  etc.,  etc.,  the  scattered 
condition  of  all  which,  however,  scarcely  does  justice 
to  its  great  collective  value,  comprising,  as  it  does, 
nearly  12,000  volumes. 

Prof.  West  has  long  been  a  connoisseur  in  engravings 
and  etchings,  not  alone  for  the  gratification  of  his  own 
tastes,  but  for  educational  uses  ;  and  his  collection  is 
unrivalled  in  this  county.  Among  them  are  Joh.  Fred. 
Wm.  Muller's  Raphael's  "  Sistine  Madonna,"  one  of  the 
five  only  impressions  known  to  exist  from  the  first  plate; 
the  "Hundred-Guilder  Piece "  of  Rembrandt,  in  the 
second  state;  the  same  master's  "Crucifixion"  in  its  first 
state;  as  well  as  the  "  Three  Trees  "  and  "  Burgomaster 
Six;"  eight  of  Sir  David  Wilkie's  etchings  (of  which 
only  seven  were  thought  to  exist),  among  them,  in  red 
and  black,  the  exquisite  "  Guess  My  Name  ; "  the 
rarest  of  Seymour  Haden's  etchings,  in  varieties  of  im- 
pression; a  series  of  Fortuny's  and  Whistler's  etchings; 
Hamerton's  also  ;  the  finest  of  Albert  Durer's  works, 
in  wood  and  copper  ;  Claude  Lorraine's,  Bartalozzi's, 
Jacquemart's,  Wille's  before  the  letter ;  Edelinck's, 
Nanteuil's,  Drevet's,  Schmidt's  ;  a  grand  collection  of 
Strange's,  Woolett's,  and,  above  all,  of  Sharp's  glorious 
engravings. 

Twin  to  this  collection  of  engravings,  and  equally 
unapproachable  in  variety  and  interest,  is  Prof.  West's 
collection,  in  numerous  pieces,  of  Japanese  art.  Gath- 
ered by  Mr.  Charles  L.  Sanderson,  by  royal  permission 
of  the  Mikado,  and  under  exceptionally  fortunate  cir- 
cumstances, it  is,  without  doubt,  the  oldest,  richest  and 
most  elegant  collection  of  the  ancient  wares  of  Japan, 
ever  brought,  or  which  will  ever  be  brought  out  of  that 
country.  Among  them  are  royal  robes,  satsuma  wares, 
gold  lacquers,  bronzes,  and  works  in  silver  from  the 
Imperial  Palace;  from  the  oldest  and  largest  temple  in 
Japan,  Nishi-Kongwanji  of  Kioto,  are  shrines,  altars, 
holy  mirrors,  the  high-priests'  robe  chest,  bronzes  of 
the  gods,  incense  vases,  a  450-year  old  temple  c  lock, 
bronze  candle-holders  1,800  years  old,  a  carved  ebony 
table  given  by  the  Emperor  of  China,  over  2,000  years 
ago,  to  the  Mikado  of  Japan,  the  Golden  Picture, 
probably  the  first  which  ever  embellished  a  temple, 
and  a  superb  specimen  of  Sand-Painting,  a  now  "  lost 
art,"    Space,  however,  forbids  an  enumeration  of  this 


wonderful  and  unique  collection.  We  are  glad  to 
know  that  several  of  its  choicest  pieces  have  been 
chosen  to  illustrate  Mr.  G.  A.  Audsley's  elaborate  vol- 
umes, now  in  preparation  in  Paris,  on  "The  Orna- 
mental Arts  of  Japan." 

Although  Prof.  West  writes  freely  and  gracefully 
upon  any  subject  which  he  takes  up,  his  printed  works 
have  been  but  few  and  of  an  occasional  character.  He 
has  edited  an  Analyst*  of  Butler's  Analogy,  as  a  text- 
book, which  has  passed  through  several  (amended  and 
enlarged)  editions;  also  several  school-books.  His  ad- 
dress, before  the  first  annual  meeting  of  the  Brooklyn 
New  England  Society,  December,  1880,  on  "the  21st 
of  December,  as  the  true  anniversary  day  of  the  land- 
ing of  the  Pilgrims  at  Plymouth,"  is  an  exhaustive 
paper  of  rare  historic  value;  and  his  recently  published 
address  on  the  50th  anniversary  of  the  Union  College 
Class  of  1832,  entitled,  "  Fifty  Years  of  Progress" 
is  a  most  thorough,  brilliant  and  permanently  valuable 
record  of  that  wonderful  half  century  in  the  history 
of  science,  literature  and  art,  in  which  he  and  his 
classmates  have  lived,  and  of  which  the  professor  has 
been  so  close  an  observer.  For  more  than  fifty  years 
a  teacher,  his  habits  of  trained  observation,  his  pro- 
gressive spirit  and  intellectual  enthusiasm,  have  kept 
him  en  rapport  with  all  worth  knowing  in  every  de- 
partment of  knowledge. 

Prof.  West  has  the  degree  of  M.  A.  from  Union  and 
from  Columbia  Colleges;  of  M.  D.,  from  the  Univ.  of 
the  City  of  X.  Y.;  of  LL.  D.,  from  Rutgers  College; 
was  elected  Fellow  of  the  Royal  Antiq.  Society,  of 
Denmark,  1849  ;  is  a  member  of  the  Am.  Ethnologi- 
cal, the  Am.  Philological,  the  Xew  York  Historical,  the 
Long  Island  Historical  Soc.  (of  which  he  was  one  of 
the  founders),  the  N  Y.  Century  Club,  and  various  other 
scientific,  educational  and  learned  societies. 

The  Indian  collection  of  Thomas  W.  Field,  was 
another  remarkable  Brooklyn  library. 

Thomas  W.  Field  was  born  in  the  village  of  Onon- 
daga Hill  in  1S20.  His  father  was  a  native  of  Connecti- 
cut, a  descendant  of  the  Pilgrim  fathers,  and  connected 
with  Gov.  Bradford.  Mr.  Field  received  a  good 
common-school  education,  and  taught  for  several  years 
in  Onondaga  county.  At  the  age  of  23,  he  became  a 
resident  of  Williamsburgh,  teaching  school  in  New 
York.  Subsequently  he  engaged  in  business  as  a 
florist;  he  also  made  a  specialty  of  the  cultivation  of 
pears,  and  in  his  little  12mo  work  on  Pear  Culture. 
published  in  1858,  was  regarded  as  an  authority.  He 
was  also  a  surveyor,  and  did  much  official  surveying. 
His  connection  with  Williamsburgh 's  educational  in- 
terests dates  back  to  1843.  For  some  years  he  was 
Principal  of  a  school  there,  and  was  a  trustee  when  the 
consolidation  took  effect,  becoming  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Education  of  the  consolidated  city.  In  1873, 
he  was  appointed  Superintendent  of  Schools,  which 
office  he  held  at  the  time  of  his  death,  Nov.  25,  1881. 


1322 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


"He  was  lour  times  married,  and  ltft  a  widow  and  lour 
children. 

His  first  literary  production  was  a  small  volume  of 
poems;  next  followed  by  the  work  on  Pear  Culture  be- 
fore referred  to.  His  connection  with  the  Long  Island 
Historical  Society,  in  its  earlier  years,  seemed  to  turn 
his  literary  tastes  into  a  new  channel.  From  bio- 
graphical memoirs,  mostly  of  foreign  origin,  he  became 
an  enthusiastic  collector  of  Americana,  at  first,  mostly 
relating  to  Long  Island;  and  he  published  his  History 
of  the  Battle  of  Long  Island,  and  Historic  and  Antiqua- 
rian Scenes  in  .Brooklyn  and  Vicinity.  Then  his  studies 
and  collections  took  a  wider  national  scope,  finally,  to 
works  on  the  Ethnology  of  the  Aboriginal  Americans; 
and,  in  1873,  he  published  An  Essay  towards  an 
Indian  Bibliography,  at  that  time  the  only  extant 
work  on  .that  subject.  His  collection  of  works  illus- 
trative of  the  literature,  history  and  arclneology  of  the 
aborigines  of  both  Americas,  came  under  the  hammer 
in  -May,  1874,  and  was  the  most  extensive  and  complete 
in  that  department  of  research,  which  has  ever  been 
offered  for  sale.  Its  line  of  public  documents  relating 
to  Indian  affairs  was  unapproachable,  containing  many 
works  which  the  Indian  Department  at  Washington 
had  not  succeeded  in  obtaining.  His  set  of  De  Bry's 
Voyages  was  "  the  most  perfect  ever  sold  in  America;" 
while  his  copy  of  Kingsborough's  Mexican  Antiquities 
was  one  of  the  few  with  colored  plates.  He  had,  also, 
eleven  of  the  very  rare  Eliot  Tracts,  eight  of  the  Las 
Casas  Tracts,  and  about  sixty  of  the  later  Indian  Mis- 
sions and  Tracts,  costing  from  $70  to  $150  each. 
This  collection,  which  comprised  2,663  titles,  as  cata- 
logued by  Mr.  Joseph  Sabin,  brought  about  $10,000. 
Mr.  Field  also  left  a  very  considerable  volume  in 
manuscript,  of  Aphorisms,  both  selected  and  original. 

Mr.  Field  was  a  man  of  positive  convictions  and 
speech;  of  very  philanthropic  disposition,  and  of  untir- 
ing mental  activity.  As  a  historical  writer,  he  be- 
trayed the  lack  of  early  mental  training,  and  his 
imagination  somewhat  unduly  influenced  his  judgment. 
His  humanitarian  tendencies  were  manifested  as  plainly 
in  his  writings  as  in  his  daily  speech;  especially  on  the 
subject  of  our  governmental  relations  with  the  Indians, 
slavery,  and  other  great  topics  involving  the  principles 
of  right  and  wrong — on  all  of  which  he  spoke  and 
wrote  with  a  free  and  scathing  use  of  invectives  and 
adjectives,  which  would  have  been  amusing,  had  it  not 
heen  redeemed  by  the  evident  honesty  of  his  convic- 
tions. An  amusing  instance  of  his  graphic  vigor  of 
speech  is  remembered  of  him,  when,  during  the  recent 
Civil  War,  he  introduced  to  Rev.  Dr.  Bellows,  then 
President  of  the  1'.  8.  Sanitary  Commission,  a  man  who 
was  desirous  of  entering  the  active  service  of  that 
Commission  in  the  field  and  hospital  service,  in  these 

words:  "  Here  is  .    He  wants  to  go  the  front  in 

the  service  of  the  Commission.  //<  has  f/,<  hi  art  of  an 
any/,  and  the  stomach  <>f  a  horse  I"    It  is  needless  to 


add  that  the  applicant  with  these  necessary  qualifica- 
tions was  promptly  accepted. 

Daniel  M.  Tredwell,  well  known  to  frequenters 
of  the  County  Clerk's  Office,  is  the  author  of  a  most 
charming  little  volume,  entitled  -1  Monograph  on 
Priratc/y  Illustrated  B<><>L-s;  a  Plea  for  Bibliomania, 
1882,  being  the  outcome  of  a  paper  read  by  him,  in 
1880,  before  the  Rembrandt  Club  of  Brooklyn,  of 
which  he  was  one  of  the  founders;  and  in  its  present 
extended  and  annotated  form  possesses  great  value  and 
interest  to  the  book-lover.  Mr.  Tredwell  began, 
nearly  forty  years  ago,  to  offset  the  tedium  of  business 
cares  by  spending  a  portion  of  his  evening  leisure  in 
"the  seductive  art  of  privately  illustrating  books," 
and  this  is  not  only  the  record  of  his  experience,  but  a 
most  important  collection  of  data  in  regard  to  the 
history,  methods,  and  results  of  this  science  in  America. 
When  he  commenced,  private  illustrating  was  almost 
an  unknown  passion  in  this  country.  His  first  work 
was  a  copy  of  Giraud's  "  Birds  of  Long  Island,"  a 
common  octavo,  published  in  1844,  which  he  illus- 
trated with  147  prints  of  great  beauty,  from  other 
sources.  His  last  work,  Stiles'  "  History  of  the  City  of 
Brooklyn,"  in  three  volumes,  he  has  extended  to  nine,  by 
the  addition  of  some  2,300  pages  of  various  kinds  of 
matter  and  decorations,  mostly  portraits  and  prints  of 
old  historic  landmarks;  there  are  780  prints,  260  pages 
of  new  matter  in  manuscript,  60  photographs,  51  old 
maps  (some  quite  unique),  22  original  sketches  and  water- 
colors,  besides  original  letters,  etc.  Since  Mr.  Tred- 
well was  bitten  with  this  rabies,  he  has  thus  illustrated 
about  60  works  in  all,  or  about  120  volumes.  These 
form,  of  course,  the  gems  of  his  fine  library;  although 
he  is  an  omnivorous  reader,  an  industrious  student, 
and  particularly  interested  in  ethnological  and  anti- 
quarian sub  jects.  He  has,  also,  been  engaged  for  several 
years,  upon  a  work  which,  it  is  hoped,  will  soon  ap- 
pear from  the  press,  and  the  title  of  which  will  pro- 
bably be  A  Sketch  of  the  Life  of  Apollonius  of  Tyana, 
or  A  Literary  History  of  the  First  Ten  Decades  of  Our 
Era.  If  we  can  judge  from  the  taste  of  the  quality  of 
his  authorship  which  Mr.  Tredwell  has  given  us  in  his 
brochure  already  referred  to,  it  cannot  fail  to  be  a  most 
important  addition  to  the  store  of  our  knowledge  of  the 
World's  literary  history.  Mr.  Tredwell  is  a  well-known 
member  of  the  L.  I.  Hist,  and  Am.  Ethnoloyical  Soci- 
eties, and  Rembrandt  Club;  and  was,  for  many  years, 
President  of  the  Philosophical  Club  of  Brooklyn. 
He  resides  in  Flatbush.    (See  also  Addenda,  p.  1332.) 

His  son,  Frederick  Tredwell,  very  naturally  and 
very  successfully  carries  on  the  book  and  print  busi- 
ness, at  the  corner  of  Fulton  avenue  and  Boerum 
place;  a  pleasant  lounging-place  for  Brooklyn's  book- 
men and  artists. 

Among  other  libraries,  of  which  we  can  only  give  a 
passing  mention,  is  that  of  Whitman  W.  Kenyon, 
President    of  the  Rembrandt  Club,  rich  in  works  on 


LITERATURE  AND  SCIENCE. 


1323 


Art  and  Art-Culture;  that  of  Mr.  Havemeyer,  which 
is  strong  in  the  department  of  General  History  and  Po- 
litical Economy;  that  of  Henry  T.  Cox,  Esq.,  another 
member  of  the  Rembrandt.  Mr.  Cox's  privately  illus- 
trated copies  of  "  Walton's  Complete  Angler,"  with  its 
200  water-colors,  130  etchings,  and  700  prints  (proofs, 
and  on  India  paper)  and  titles,  original  designs,  executed 
in  water-colors  by  F.  O.  Darley,  is  a  chef-d'oeuvre  of  the 
illustrator's  art.  His  large  paper  copy  of  "  Madame 
Sevigne's  letters,"  extended  to  fourteen  volumes  by  750 
extra  illustrations,  chiefly  proofs,  and  many  in  three 
stages,  is  a  superb  example  of  the  art  of  illustrating, 
and  his  library  is  otherwise  marked  by  its  splendid  col- 
lection of  art  literature.  William  Matthews,  of 
Brooklyn,  is  also  a  "  bookish  man,"  largely  given  to  il- 
lustrating. 

Nor  can  we  overlook  the  small  but  interesting  collec- 
tion of  dramatic  works,  relics  and  bric-a-brac,  owned 
by  Gabriel  Harrison;  although  he  some  years  ago 
gave  some  of  his  greatest  treasures  in  this  line  to  the 
Long  Island  Historical  Society.  These  consisted  of 
early  editions  of  many  celebrated  plays,  MS.  "  parts  " 
used  by  eminent  actors,  old  play-bills,  etc.,  etc. 

American  book  illustrators  have  mostly  to  call  to 
their  aid  the  professional  "  inlayer,"  of  whom,  as  has  been 
well  said  by  one  who  knows  whereof  he  speaks,  "  there 
are  but  three  in  this  country  worthy  of  mention — 
Messrs.  Trent,  Toedteberg  and  Lawrence,  all  of  Brook- 
lyn. The  work  turned  out  by  these  gentlemen  is  of  the 
first  order,  far  superior  to  that  of  the  best  English  and 
French  inlay ers."  Mr.  Trent,  we  believe,  has  been 
longest  engaged  in  this  business. 

Mr.  Toedteberg  is  not  only  a  "  professional,"  but  is 
himself  an  accomplished  scholar,  and  an  illustrator  of 
books  on  his  own  account,  forming  a  collection  which, 
in  many  points,  rivals  those  of  some  of  his  best  patrons. 

"  Among  all  the  private  illustrators  of  American 
literature,"  as  Mr.  Treadwell  justly  observes  in  his 
Bibliomania,  "  none  are  entitled  to  more  credit  than 
Mr.  Augustus  Toedteberg  (of  No.  333  Bridge 
street).  Born  in  Germany,  in  a  little  village  in  the 
Kingdom  of  Hanover,  in  1824,  he  came  to  New  York  in 
1844,  and  with  all  the  disadvantages  of  foreign  birth 
and  a  foreign  tongue,  he  occupies  the  position  to-day  of 
one  of  the  most  accomplished  illustrators  in  America." 
His  copy  of  that  favorite  of  all  private  book-illustrators, 
Ireland's  "  Records  of  the  New  York  Stage,"  is  prob- 
ably the  finest  extant.  It  contains  over  5,000  portraits, 
views  and  dramatic  drawings,  etc.;  also  about  1,000 
rare  play-bills,  and  is  truly  a  stupendous  as  well  as 
valuable  affair.  His  masterpiece  of  illustrated  treasures, 
however,  is  the  "Narrative  of  Nell  Gwynne,"  with  542 
illustrations  by  contemporaneous  artists,  and  of  which 
22  are  portraits  of  Nell.  It  is  rich  in  rare  proofs  be- 
fore the  letter  and  makes  three  volumes,  large  folio. 
The  feature  of  Mr.  T.'s  collection  is  the  exceedingly 
choice  character  of  his  selections  of  prints,  both  as  re- 


gards their  illustrative  appropriateness  and  historic 
value,  and  their  artistic  merit. 

We  cannot  forbear  adding  that  his  daughter,  Miss 
Emma  Toedteberg,  has  for  the  past  fifteen  years  most 
admirably  filled  the  position  of  First  Assistant  Librarian 
to  the  Long  Island  Historical  Society. 

In  connection  with  books,  etc.,  we  must  not  overlook 
John  Keese,  well  known,  in  years  gone  by,  to  the  older 
book-lovers  of  both  Brooklyn  and  New  York.  His 
genial  humor  and  ready,  sparkling  wit  rendered  the 
book  auctions  of  Messrs.  Cooley  &  Keese  (at  successively 
157,  191  and  377  Broadway,  New  York)  as  entertaining 
as  a  theatrical  performance.  People  attended  their 
sales  frequently  with  no  intention  of  buying,  simply  to 
be  amused.  He  lived  on  Atlantic  street,  Brooklyn, 
and  his  memory  is  well  embalmed  in  a  volume  from  the 
Appletons'  press,  written  by  his  son,  entitled  "  John 
Keese,  Wit  and  Literature,'1''  and  which,  we  believe,  has 
already  passed  to  a  second  edition. 

Joseph  Sabin,  who  resided  in  the  Eastern  District, 
and  for  many  years  kept  an  Americana  book-store  on 
Nassau  street,  which  was  the  resort  of  all  book-lovers,  is 
also  well  deserving  of  more  than  a  passing  notice.  He 
was  born  in  Braunston,  England,  in  1821,  and  when 
fourteen  years  old  was  apprenticed  to  a  prominent 
bookseller  in  Oxford,  where  he  soon  developed  such  an 
expertness  and  judgment  in  the  valuation  of  books  and 
prints  that  he  was  intrusted  with  the  buying  as  well  as 
with  the  selling  of  them.  Upon  the  expiration  of  his 
apprenticeship — having  had  considerable  experience  in 
the  cataloguing  of  books  for  sale — he  fancied  he  could 
do  a  good  business  as  a  book  auctioneer;  and,  to  that 
end,  he  formed  a  partnership  with  one  of  the  sons  of  a 
Mr.  Winterborne,  an  architect  and  builder  of  Oxford, 
and  began  business  as  bookseller  and  auctioneer.  The 
business  prospered,  and  in  1844  he  married  the  sister  of 
his  partner,  and  published  his  first  work,  The  Thirty- 
nine  Articles  of  the  Church  of  England,  with  Scriptural 
Proofs  and  References,  which  he  issued  anonymously, 
but  which  soon  attracted  the  attention  of  the  Oxford 
students,  by  the  great  research  of  its  annotations.  In 
1838,  with  his  wife  and  two  sons,  he  came  to  this  coun- 
try and  settled  in  Philadelphia,  buying  a  farm  on 
Chesnut  Hill,  and  himself  becoming  general  assistant 
and  salesman  with  the  well-known  publisher,  Geo.  S. 
Appleton,  who  soon  learned  to  appreciate  him  at  his 
full  value.  In  1850  he  engaged  with  Cooley  &  Keese, 
book-auctioneers,  in  New  York  city,  as  general  assist- 
ant, his  duties  being  principally  to  catalogue  books  to 
be  sold,  in  which  his  experience  as  an  expert  was  very 
valuable;  and,  occasionally,  he  aided  in  the  sales.  In 

1851  he  made  his  first  important  library  catalogue,  that 
of  the  collection  of  Dr.  Samuel  Farmer  Jarvis.  In 

1852  he  entered  the  employ  of  Bangs  Bros.,  in  Park 
Row,  where  he  remained  five  years,  and  where,  among 
others,  he  catalogued  the  E.  B.  Corwin  Library,  the 
sale  of  which  may  be  said  to  have  first  drawn  atten- 


1324 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


tion  to  the  subject  of  "  Americana  "  in  this  country,  and 
which  gave  to  Mr.  Sabin  the  idea  of  the  great  work  to 
which  he  subsequently  devoted  so  much  of  his  life.  In 
1856  he  made  a  premature  attempt  at  business  on  his 
own  account,  in  Canal  street,  but  finding  himself 
"  ahead  of  the  times,"  as  far  as  the  rage  for  collection 
of  rare  books  was  concerned  in  New  York,  he  removed 
to  Philadelphia,  and  there  did  a  fine  business  (mostly 
southern)  until  the  Civil  War  broke  out.  He  then 
(1861)  returned  to  New  York,  and  (with  N.  A.  Jennings, 
under  the  firm  name  of  J.  Sabin  &  Co.)  opened  a  book 
auction  store  in  4th  street,  where  one  of  his  first  cus- 
tomers was  Wm.  E.  Burton,  the  celebrated  actor,  whose 
library  of  6,154  volumes  he  catalogued  and  sold.  In 
1863  Mr.  Sabin  retired  from  the  auction  line  and  estab- 
lished himself  in  the  purchase  and  sale  of  rare  books 
and  prints  at  84  (subsequently  removing  to  No.  64) 
Nassau  street;  establishing  a  branch  house  in  London 
(in  charge  of  his  two  eldest  sons),  and  making  annual 
trips  to  Europe  in  search  of  books,  etc.  In  April,  1879, 
he  retired  from  active  business,  in  order  to  give  his  en- 
tire time  to  the  compilation  of  his  great  work,  the  Dic- 
tionary of  Books  Relating  to  America  from  its  Dis- 
covery to  the  Present  Time.  This  stupendous  work 
contains  the  title  of  every  book  or  tract,  in  any 
language,  relating  to,  or  even  slightly  referring  to, 
America,  alphabetically  arranged,  and,  besides  the 
title,  the  number  of  its  pages  and  plates,  its  size,  with 
notes  by  Mr.  Sabin,  and  (if  rare)  a  reference  to  where 
copies  may  be  found.  It  was  begun  in  1856,  but  the 
first  volume  was  not  published  until  1867,  and  he  was 
engaged  upon  the  thirteenth  volume  (which  brings  the 
catalogue  down  to  the  letter  P),  when  death  closed 
his  labors,  June  5,  1881.  We  are  glad  to  learn  that 
this  important  undertaking,  though  delayed,  is  not 
abandoned,  and  that  there  are  hopes  of  its  being  ulti- 
mately completed. 

As  a  cataloguer  of  libraries,  Mr.  Sabin's  name  is 
imperishably  connected  with  the  history  of  our  greatest 
American  collections,  which  have,  from  time  to  time 
<luring  the  past  thirty  years,  passed  under  the  hammer. 
Among  these  may  be  named  the  "  Waltonian "  li- 
braries of  Rev.  Dr.  Bethune,  and  of  E.  B.  Corwin 
(1856);  of  Andrew  Wight  (1856);  of  John  A.  Rice, 
which  brought  $44,000;  of  Mr.  Menzies,  which  brought 
$50,000;  of  Thos.  W.  Field,  of  Brooklyn  (1874);  of 
Francis  S.  Hoffman,  of  Philadelphia;  of  John  Allan,  the 
private  illustrator;  of  Edwin  Forrest,  the  tragedian; 
Wm.  E.  Burton,  the  actor,  etc.,  etc.  The  great  Bnn- 
ley  sale,  which  brought  over  $100,000,  he  conducted 
(although  he  did  not  catalogue  it),  with  remarkable 
skill.  His  knowledge  of  books,  both  as  to  contents, 
arity  and  market  value,  was  incredibly  accurate;  for 
example,  it  is  said  of  him  that  he  appraised  the  Irving 
Brown  library,  which  sold  for  about  $11,000,  at  within 
$10  of  the  amount  it  brought  at  auction.  At  a  book- 
sale,  Mr.  Sabin  was  invaluable.     He  could  point  out,  in 


a  few  words,  just  what  made  each  book  valuable,  and 
could  give,  from  memory,  a  rapid  synopsis  of  the  con- 
tents of  many  of  the  rarer  works.  He  had  crossed  the 
ocean  twenty-five  times,  and  each  time  had  paid  his 
passage  by  the  profits  made  on  some  stray  bar- 
gains picked  up  at  the  London  book-stalls.  Mr. 
Sabin's  crowning  honor,  however,  as  a  bibliophile 
and  book-dealer,  was  his  honesty.  His  advice  to 
customers  was  always  in  favor  of  buying  "  the 
best  editions;"  and  while  his  judgment  as  to  books 
could  always  be  implicitly  relied  upon,  it  was  not 
influenced  by  considerations  of  self-interest.  Be- 
sides the  great  Bibliography  above  referred  to,  Mr. 
Sabin  published  the  American  Bibliophilist  for  several 
years,  and  issued  many  reprints  of  curious  works  on 
American  history. 


The  scientists  of  Brooklyn,  like  the  authors,  are 
identified  with  it  mostly  by  residence  ;  their  material 
interests  being  mainly  in  the  busy  metropolis  across 
the  river. 

Among  those  who  deserve  more  than  a  passing  no- 
tice at  our  hands  (did  our  space  permit),  are  certain 
civil  engineers.    Earliest  on  the  roll  is  the  name  of 

Brig.-Gen.  Joseph  G.  Swift,  Chief  Engineer  of  the 
U.  S.  Army,  from  1812  to  1818,  whose  biography  has 
been  well  written  by  Maj.-Gen.  G.  W.  Cullum,  was 
first  identified  with  Brooklyn,  as  having  planned  and 
superintended  the  erection  of  the  extensive  line  of  de- 
fensive works  designed  to  cover  New  York  and  the 
western  end  of  Long  Island  from  naval  attack  by  the 
British  in  1814  (See  page  61).  He  seems  from  this 
time,  to  have  been  a  resident  and  extensive  property- 
holder  in  the  then  village,  until  serious  financial  dis- 
asters in  Wall  street  compelled  him,  in  1826,  to  relin- 
quish all  but  his  honor.  To  him,  also,  Brooklyn  is  much 
indebted  for  the  establishing  of  its  present  water  front. 
He  died,  aged  82  years,  at  Geneva,  N.  Y.,  July  23,  1865, 
after  an  exceedingly  active  and  useful  life.  "Born  at 
the  close  of  the  American  Revolution,  and  dying  at  the 
termination  of  the  American  Rebellion,  he  lived 
through  a  most  momentous  period  of  history,  and  was 
himself  a  prominent  actor  in  the  proud  drama  of  our 
national  existence.  His  military  career  began  with 
that  of  the  Military  Academy  at  West  Point,  which 
he  fostered  in  its  feeble  infancy;  and  he  lived  to  see, 
in  its  developed  maturity,  the  sons  of  his  cherished 
Alma  Mater  directing  the  high  destinies  of  his  coun- 
try on  victorious  fields  in  Canada,  Florida,  Mexico, 
and  within  the  wide  domain  of  our  Southern  border. 
Amicable  and  sincere,  spotless  in  integrity,  staunch  in 
friendship,  liberal  in  charity,  Gen.  Swift  was  a  model 
gentleman,  a  true  patriot,  and  a  Christian  soldier." 

Maj.  David  B.  Domn. ass  was  peculiarly  identified  with 
the  city's  growth  and  improvement,  in  its  earlier  civic 
days.  He  was  born  in  1790,  at  Pompton,  N.  J.;  grad. 
at  Yale  College;  in  1813  entered  the  army  as  Second 


LITERATURE  AND  SCIENCE. 


i  .;•_>. -> 


Lieutenant  of  Engineers,  and  saw  actual  service  in  the 
Battle  of  Niagara,  and  in  the  defence  of  Fort  Erie. 
After  the  war  he  became  Assistant  Professor  at  West 
Point;  in  1819-'20,  served  as  Astronomical  Surveyor 
in  the  Commission  for  settling  the  North-western 
Boundary  of  the  U.  S.,  and  about  the  same  time  was 
appointed  Professor  of  Mathematics  in  the  Military 
Academy. 

In  1823,  he  was  transferred  to  the  chair  of  Civil  and 
Military  Engineering.  To  this  science,  then  compara- 
tively new  among  us,  Major  Douglass  devoted  himself 
with  ardor  and  success.  In  1831,  he  resigned  his  post 
at  West  Point,  removed  to  Brooklyn,  and  became 
Chief  Engineer  of  the  Morris  Canal.  Soon  after,  he 
was  chosen  Professor  of  Civil  Architecture  in  the 
University  of  .New  York,  and  made  the  designs  for  its 
college  building. 

In  the  summer  of  1833,  he  began  his  surveys  for  the 
work  of  supplying  New  York  with  water.  His  first 
report  was  submitted  in  the  autumn  of  that  year,  and 
clearly  proved  the  feasibility  of  bringing  a  supply 
from  the  Croton  River.  Acting  on  the  plans  and 
estimates  which  he  furnished,  the  city  government,  in 
1835,  resolved  to  build  the  aqueduct.  Appointed  Chief 
Engineer  by  the  Board  of  Commissioners,  Maj.  Douglass 
proceeded  to  lay  out  the  line  of  the  aqueduct,  and  to 
complete  his  plans.  He  had  accomplished  the  prelim- 
inary work  when  he  was  superseded.  That  this  was  not 
owing  to  any  want  of  confidence  in  his  judgment  or 
skill,  may  be  inferred  from  the  fact  that  his  plans  were 
adopted  and  carried  out  by  his  successors. 

In  the  autumn  of  1835,  Maj.  Douglass  gave  a  public 
lecture  in  Brooklyn  on  the  capabilities  and  prospects 
of  the  young  and  rising  city.  Mr.  H.  E.  Pierrepont,  to 
whom  he  applied  for  hints  on  the  occasion,  suggested 
the  idea  of  a  large  rural  cemetery,  with  an  astronomi- 
cal observatory  on  its  grounds.  The  Major  accepted 
the  suggestion,  and  enlarged  upon  it  in  his  lecture. 
This  is  believed  to  have  been  the  first  public  presenta- 
tion that  was  made  of  the  subject.  In  1838,  Major 
Douglass  aided  in  selecting  the  portion  which  seemed 
best  suited  to  the  purpose  of  a  cemetery  ;  and  the 
same  year  an  Act  of  the  Legislature  was  passed  incor- 
porating the  Green-Wood  Cemetery.  From  1838  to 
1840,  Major  Douglass  was  much  occupied  with  the 
affairs  of  Green- Wood.  He  made  a  topographical  sur- 
vey of  the  grounds,  and  was  associated  with  Mr. 
Pierrepont  in  the  negotiation  for  the  purchase  of  the 
grounds  from  numerous  owners,  which  was  attended 
with  much  labor  and  trouble. 

In  1841,  Maj.  Douglass  was  appointed  President  of 
Kenyon  College,  at  Gambier,  Ohio,  and  entered  on  his 
duties. 

In  1848,  he  resigned  and  returned  to  New  York. 
During  the  next  four  years  he  was  employed  as  a  lec- 
turer, and  turned  his  taste  and  skill  to  account  in  de- 
veloping the  landscape  features  of  Staten  Island,  in 


laying  out  the  Albany  Cemetery,  and  also  the  Protes- 
tant Cemetery,  at  Quebec. 

In  1844,  he  was  appointed  Professor  of  Mathematics 
and  Natural  Philosophy  in  the  college  at  Geneva,  N.  Y., 
where  he  died  October  21,  1849,  and  was  buried  at 
Green-Wood.* 

Silas  Ludlam,  the  oldest  surveyor  in  the  city,  was 
born  in  New  York,  and  came  to  Brooklyn  in  1827.  He 
had  learned  surveying  with  his  father,  Stephen  Ludlam. 
A  map  of  the  village  of  Brooklyn,  published  by  Hooker 
in  1827,  shows  the  settled  portion  of  the  village  in  stip- 
ple, from  which  it  appears  that  a  line  through  Clark 
and  Concord  streets  to  the  Wallabout  pond  comprised 
the  settled  portion,  and  even  this  part  contained  many 
vacant  lots.  Fulton  street  was  paved  only  to  Middagh; 
above  it  was  a  turnpike  on  which  toll  was  exacted. 
Mr.  Ludlam's  first  work  was  the  laying  out  of  the  Duf- 
field  estate,  between  Fulton  and  what  are  now  Wil- 
loughby  and  Duffield  streets  and  the  Wallabout. 
From  this  beginning,  in  1827,  he  continued  with  the 
Middagh,  the  Remsen,  the  Pierrepont,  the  Jackson, 
and  other  farms  until  he  has  been  over  a  large 
portion  of  the  3d,  4th,  11th,  10th,  9th,  20th,  21st, 
and  23d  Wards.  He  is  still  actively  engaged  in  his 
profession. 

Of  Wm.  T.  McAlpine,  the  engineer,  who  was  mainly 
connected  with  the  introduction  of  the  Ridgewood 
Water  Supply  to  Brooklyn,  we  have  no  notes  ;  or  of 
Gen.  Ward  B.  Burnett  and  J  as.  P.  Kirk  wood,  also 
eminently  identified  with  the  same  great  public  under- 
taking. Of  Maj.  Rohert  Van  Buren,  the  present  able 
engineer  in  charge,  whose  biography  we  have  given  on 
page  594,  we  present  a  portrait  on  the  following  page. 

The  Roeblings,  father  and  son,  who  have  so  recently 
linked  their  names  imperishably  with  the  great  bridge 
which  unites  Brooklyn  to  the  metropolis,  have  been 
elsewhere  noticed  (see  pages  458  and  460;.  With  this 
same  wonderful  structure,  moreover,  is  linked  (see  page 
447)  the  name  of 

Col.  Julius  W.  Adams,  who  was  born  in  Boston  in 
1812.  His  ancestors  were  among  the  oldest  of  the  New 
England  families  ;  he  has  the  commission  held  by  one 
of  them  in  the  royal  forces  under  George  III,  and  also 
the  commission  under  which  he  fought  in  the  patriot 
army,  at  Bunker  Hill.  Col.  Adams  was  educated  at 
West  Point,  resigning  in  1832  ;  he  acted  as  civil 
engineer  under  Majors  McNeil  and  Whistler.  He  was 
connected  with  the  construction  of  many  railroads,  in- 
cluding the  N.  Y.,  Prov.  &  Boston  R.  R.,  the  Great 
Western  of  Mass.,  the  N.  Y.  Central,  and  the  Erie  Rail- 
roads. He  designed  the  famous  Syracuse  viaduct 
on  the  Erie  road;  also  the  Cascade  bridge,  one  of  the 
longest  single-arch  wooden  bridges  ever  built,  covering 
a  chasm  300  feet  wide  at  a  single  span.  He  was  also 
engineer  of  various  railroads  in  the  West. 

♦Condensed  from  the  History  of  Grun-Woml,  written  by  N.  Cleveland, 
A.  D.  lmi. 


1326 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


In  1856  he  returned  to  Brooklyn  to  devise  the  system 
of  sewerage  for  the  city.  During  the  war  he  served  two 
years  as  colonel  of  a  Long  Island  regiment  ;  and  lias 
since  heen  connected  with  various  important  works  as 
constructing  or  consulting  engineer.  For  nine  years  lie 
was  ( 'liief  Kngineer  of  the  Department  of  City  Works  of 
Brooklyn,  and  had  much  to  do  with  the  water  supply  of 
the  city.  Col.  Adams  is  entitled  to  the  honor  of  heing 
the  first  to  devise  a  feasihle  plan  for  bridging  East 
River,  as  the  following  extract  from  the  report  of  the 
Executive  Committee  of  Bridge  Trustees  shows:  "The 
project  of  building  a  bridge  across  the  East  River,  al- 
though for  many  years  the  subject  of  more  or  less 
public  discussion,  was  not  seriously  taken  up  until  six 
or  seven  years  ago,  when  Col.  Adams,  through  the 
instrumentality  of  Mr.  Kingsley,  projected  a  plan  for  a 
suspension  bridge.  Afterward,  through  the  same 
means,  John  A.  Roebling  submitted  another  plan,  which 
was  the  one  finally  adopted."  (See,  also,  page  448.)  Col. 
Adams'  plan  design  was  of  two  elliptical,  iron  latticed, 
open  tubes,  each  1H  feet  and  24  feet  high,  placed  side  by 
side,  connected  by  lattice  trusses  of  the  same  depth  and 
width  of  the  tubes,  on  the  top  and  bottom,  in  the  center 
and  on  the  sides,  giving,  with  trussed  girders,  a  plat  form 


of  50  feet  at  top,  another  of  28  feet  wide  midway  of  the 
tubes,  and  a  third  of  20  feet  wide  at  the  bottom.  The 
whole  to  be  .  supported  by  chains,  with  links  of  steel 
plates,  10  or  15  feet  long,  admitting  of  renewal  at  any 
time  without  interrupting  travel.  As  Col.  Adams  had 
never  built  a  suspension  bridge,  while  Col.  Roebling 
had  built  several,  the  latter  received  the  appointment  of 
chief  engineer,  and  the  bridge  was  built  after  his  plans. 
Col.  Adams  is  now  engaged  by  the  city  of  New  York. 

Notices  of  the  able  staff  of  engineers  connected  with 
the  building  of  the  great  East  River  Bridge  will  be 
found  on  page  460. 

Gen.  J.  V.  Mesekoi.k  is  another  civil  engineer  who 
is  widely  and  favorably  known  in  connection  with  sur- 
veys and  maps  in  the  Eastern  District.  Born  in  18:54, 
he  studied  civil  engineering  in  the  office  of  Mr.  Betts, 
the  foremost  surveyor  of  his  time  in  that  section.  A 
fellow-student  was  Mr.  G.  R.  Van  Alst;  after  the 
death  of  .Mr.  Belts  in  1853,  the  two  students  formed  a 
partnership  to  carry  on  the  business,  which  continued 
for  several  years,  when  Mr.  Van  Alst  removed  to  Long 
Island  City.  Gen.  Meserole  has  done  much  and  im- 
portant work  in  laying  out  streets  in  the  15th  and  10th 
Wards,  establishing  grades,  dividing  estates  into  lots, 


LITERATURE  AND  SCIENCE. 


1327 


etc.,  also  in  relation  to  the  docks  and  wharves,  pier 
lines,  etc. 

Among  other  Brooklyn  and  Kings  county  gentlemen 
of  this  profession,  we  may  be  allowed  to  mention  : 

No  yes  G.  Palmer,  East  New  York,  Civil  Engineer 
and  Surveyor.  Born  in  Madison  Co.,  N.  Y.,  1822;  estab- 
lished since  1849,  in  the  town  of  New  Lots  ;  has  held 
the  office  of  Superintendent  and  Surveyor  of  Cypress 
Hills  Cemetery  for  twenty-six  years.  Mr.  John  Shaw, 
o  216  Skillman  street,  is,  at  present,  Superintendent 
and  Chief  Engineer,  under  the  Board  of  Charit  ies  at 
Flatbush. 

Turning  now  to  the  Naturalists  of  our  city,  we  notice, 
first  among  them  : 

Col.  Nicholas  Pike.  A  native  of  Newburyport, 
Mass.,  he  comes  of  a  line  of  ancestors  ever  prominent 
in  the  military,  clerical  and  civic  annals  of  the  United 
States.  Settling  at  an  early  age  in  Brooklyn,  he  has 
married  and  grown  up  with  the  place,  identifying 
himself  strongly  with  all  its  interests;  especially  with 
those  of  a  scientific  nature.  In  1849,  he  contributed 
largely  to  Prof.  Harvey's  great  work  on  American 
Algoe — the  Nereis  Borealis  Americana — and  was  Presi- 
dent of  the  Natural  History  Society  of  Brooklyn. 
Actively  engaged  in  mercantile  pursuits,  he  has  al- 
ways pursued  scientific  researches  with  unremitting 
industry.  In  1852,  he  was  appointed  U.  S.  Consul- 
General  to  Portugal  ;  and,  amid  his  well-performed 
official  duties,  he  yet  found  time  to  enrich  his  native 
land  with  the  results  of  his  scientific  observations.  He 
sent  home  cuttings  of  a  species  of  olive,  quick  of 
growth  and  easily  adapted  to  our  climate,  and  reported 
elaborately  on  the  methods  of  its  growth,  etc.;  he  inves- 
tigated (at  the  request  of  the  Portuguese  Government) 
the  grape  disease,  then  largely  affecting  the  wine-crop 
of  that  and  other  European  countries;  and  his  official 
report  thereon,  published  by  the  United  States  Govern- 
ment, attracted  universal  -attention  and  commendation 
in  the  various  official  and  scientific  circles  of  the  con- 
tinent. 

In  1856,  he  was  elected  a  corresponding  mem- 
ber of  the  London  Zoological  Society;  and,  also, 
Honorary  Vice-President  of  the  "  Societ'e  Univereslle 
pour  V encouragement  des  Arts  et  de  Vindustrie."  In 
1859,  he  was  appointed  by  the  Portuguese  Government 
as  one  of  the  Jurors  of  the  Universal  Exposition  of 
that  country,  being  the  only  foreigner  on  the  Board; 
and  was  afterwards  chosen  President  of  the  Board  for 
the  distribution  of  the  prizes.  During  his  residence  in 
Portugal,  he  opened  correspondence  and  exchanges 
with  many  of  the  leading  naturalists  of  Europe,  and 
added  largely  to  his  collections  of  Alg;e,  ferns,  etc. 
In  1858,  he  was  made  an  honorary  member  of  the  Mil 
ton  Club,  London;  and,  in  1860,  returned  home,  ac- 
companied by  the  best  wishes  of  all  with  whom  he  had 
been  associated,  and,  also,  a  handsome  service  of  silver 
from  the  merchants  of  Oporto. 


Shortly  after  his  return,  the  war  of  the  Rebellion  broke 
out,  and  true  to  the  military  instincts  of  his  family,  his 
services  were  at  once  tendered  to  and  accepted  by  the 
Government.  Recruiting  troops,  conducting  a  camp  of 
instruction  at  Williainsburgh,  addressing  public  meet- 
ings, etc.,  he  labored  with  might  and  main,  and  was 
commissioned  Lieut.-Colonel  of  the  96th  N.  Y.  He 
was  also  elected  Captain  of  the  "Light  Guard,"  a;, 
old  crack  corps  of  Brooklyn,  and  assisted  actively  in 
the  organization  of  the  13th,  and  in  the  securing  of  the 
old  City  Hall  (cor.  Henry  and  Cranberry  sts.),  as  an 
armory  for  the  military — the  first  in  Brooklyn.  He  is 
also  one  of  the  oldest  members  of  the  Old  Guard  of 
New  York. 

In  1863  he  was  elected  president  of  the  New  York 
and  subsequently  of  the  Brooklyn  Photographic  Soci- 
ety, gave  letters  on  photography  and  the  chemistry  of 
the  arts,  and  instructed  a  school  of  young  officers  about 
proceeding  to  the  front  on  staff  service,  in  the  pro- 
cesses of  photographing  battle  scenes,  forts,  earth- 
works of  the  enemy,  etc.;  and,  in  1865,  he  addressed 
the  Long  Island  Natural  History  Society  on  the  influ- 
ence of  light  upon  vegetation  when  reflected  through  a 
colored  medium,  showing  experiments  made  on  the 
growth  of  different  cereals  under  Wwe-glass,  which, 
years  later,  created  such  a  furor.  In  Nov.,  1865,  he 
donated  to  the  Long  Island  Historical  Society  his 
splendid  collection  of  Algae,  in  10  or  12  portfolios — the 
labor  of  25  years — representing  the  marine  flora,  of  a 
coast-line  of  20,000  miles  ;  a  costly  herbarium  of  the 
ferns  of  Long  Island  and  of  Portugal;  also  a  collection  of 
zoophytes  and  a  nearly  complete  collection  of  the  birds 
of  Long  Island,  and  a  number  of  works  on  natural  his- 
tory. 

In  1866,  he  declined  the  U.  S.  Consulship  to  Amoy, 
China;  but,  shortly  after,  his  wife  having  died,  accepted 
the  consulship  for  Mauritius  and  its  dependencies.  He 
arrived  there  June,  1867,  at  the  very  time  when  a 
terrible  epidemic  fever  was  raging  throughout  the 
Island.  His  prompt  and  arduous  labors  in  behalf  of 
his  sick  countrymen  were  followed  by  a  severe  and 
almost  fatal  attack  of  the  fever,  but,  on  recovery,  he 
forwarded  to  the  Government,  at  Washington,  an 
exhaustive  and  valuable  scientific  report  on  the  epi- 
demic, published  in  the  Annual  Report  of  the  Depart- 
ment of  Foreign  Relations,  for  1868.  He  also  for- 
warded collections  of  the  alga'  of  Mauritius  to  Prof. 
Dickie,  of  Aberdeen,  and  that  eminent  savant's  report 
upon  them  was  published  in  the  Transactions  of  the 
Linncean  Society,  of  London.  He  also  collected  over  one 
thousand  fishes  of  the  Indian  ocean,  among  which 
have  been  discovered  27  new  species  and  several  new 
genera.  Over  400  of  these  fish  were  sketched  and 
mostly  colored  from  life  by  him.  While  at  Mauritius 
he  published  a  volume  entitled  Sub- Tropical  Ramblct 
in  the  Land  of  the  Aphan apteryx,  and  another  volume 
on  its  fauna  and  flora.    His  abilities  as  a  naturalist 


1328 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY 


were  recognized  by  his  election  as  Vice-President  of 
the  Royal  Society  of  Arts  and  Sciences,  of  Port  Louis, 
he  being  the  only  foreigner  ever  elected  to  that  office. 

In  1870,  there  being  many  things  in  the  dependen- 
cies, especially  relative  to  American  sailors,  requiting 
supervision  at  the  Deschelles  islands,  he  took  advan- 
tage of  the  kind  invitations  of  the  then  Governor,  Sir 
Arthur  Gordon  and  Admiral  Sir  Alex.  Cockburn  to 
accompany  them  in  II.  M.  S.  frigate  Forte,  about  to 
proceed  thither.  The  result  was  a  series  of  letters  on 
these  interesting  islands.  He  left  Mauritius  in  1873 
and  settled  again  in  Brooklyn,  where,  in  1874,  he 
married  again,  to  an  English  lady  who,  possessing 
congenial  tastes  for  natural  science,  is  a  cordial  assist- 
ant in  his  studies. 

Since  his  return  he  has  been  actively  engaged,  first, 
in  collecting,  preparing  notes,  making  drawings,  etc.,  of 
the  arachnoids  of  Long  Island,  and  the  large  collec- 
tion, in  alcohol,  is  now  in  the  hands  of  one  of  the  ablest 
arachnologists  of  the  day.  While  this  is  being  worked 
up,  he  is  collecting  and  figuring  all  the  reptiles  of  Long 
Island,  and  has  a  work  on  them  nearly  ready  for  the 
press.  This  is  part  of  a  history  of  the  fauna  of  the 
island,  which  he  hopes  to  live  to  complete.  A  check- 
list is  already  nearly  completed  of  his  collec  tions  on 
the  island,  from  1839  to  the  present  day. 

Of  the  earlier  votaries  of  Natural  Science  in  Brook- 
lyn, and  of  the  names,  lucubrations  and  doings  of  the 
members  of  the  old  Brooklyn  Lyceum  of  Natural 
History,  formed  in  1838,  once  located  in  the  Brooklyn 
Institute  in  Washington  street,  we  have  no  definite- 
information.  We  trust  some  survivor  will  yet  be  able 
to  preserve  a  few  of  its  memorials — taking,  as  his  text, 
our  slight  mention  of  the  Lyceum,  on  page  1302. 

In  1864,  soon  after  the  inception  of  the  Long  Island 
Historical  Society,  and  especially  through  the  personal 
efforts  of  Em  as  Lewis,  Jr.  (now  President  of  the 
Brooklyn  Bank),  one  of  the  Society's  earliest  members 
and  directors,  the  foundation  was  laid  in  that  institute 
of  a  Museum  of  Long  Island  History  and  Ethnology. 
Mr.  Lewis  was  cordially  seconded  by  Charles  Cong- 
don,  J.  Carson  Brevoort,  Prof.  Chas.  E.  West, 
Henry  E.  Pieeeepont,  Wm.  Gould  Leveson,  C.  H. 
Baxter,  John  Ak hurst,  Alfred  Younc  and  others 
of  tlic  Society's  members.  A  "  Department  of  the 
Natural  History  of  Long  Island"  was  established,  and 
special  meetings  held;  and  the  result  is  now  seen  in  the 
Splendid  and  very  complete  collection  of  the  fauna, 
flora,  geology,  etc.,  of  the  Island,  so  thoroughly  arranged 
in  the  galleries  of  the  Society's  new  building.  Where 
all  have  contributed  -o  much,  it  seems  invidious  to  name 
any  particular  person;  yet  it  is  doubtless  to  Mr.  Ei.ias 
Lewis'  persistent  interest,  his  wide  acquaintance  and 
influence  on  the  Island,  and  his  excellent  judgment  and 
power  of  systematization  that  this  collection  is  now  so 
perfect,  and  that  it  forms  so  valuable  a  portion  of  the 
Society's  collection. 


Geology,  mineralogy,  paleology,  metallurgy,  etc., 
engage  the  attention  of  Chas.  H.  Chapman;  Prof.  D. 
G.  Eaton,  Ph.  D.,  of  the  Packer  Institute;  D.  W.  Fer- 
guson; G.  D.  Hiscox;  A.  W.  Humphreys;  Dr.  R.  K. 
Raymond;  Prof.  G.  S.  Roberts,  E.  M.,  C.  E.;  Col.  W. 
A.  Roebling,  C.  E.;  G.  Scarborough;  T.  B.  Stearns. 

Astronomic(d  Science  (besides  those  mentioned  in 
our  notice  of  the  American  Astronomical  Society  of 
Brooklyn,  p.  1307)  employs  the  leisure  of  G.  D.  His- 
cox and  Henry  M.  Parkhurst. 

Among  the  chemists,  we  may  mention  especially 
Elias  H.  Bartley,  B.  S.,  M.  D.,  Lecturer  on  Chemistry 
at  the  Long  Island  College  Hospital,  Chemist  to  the 
Board  of  Health,  who  also  devotes  much  attention  to 
microscopy  and  electrical  science;  P.  Casamajor,  the 
Cor.  Secretary  of  the  American  Chemical  Society;  Dr. 
N.  B.  De  S.  Sizer  (also  histology) ;  P.  H.  Van  Der 
Weyde,  M.  D.  (also  electricity  and  microscopy);  Prof. 
Cochran  of  the  Polytechnic,  and  Prof.  A.  K.  Eaton. 

Among  the  botanists,  we  find  Maj.  Wm.  S.  Beebe, 
lT.  S.  A.  (anthropology,  also);  Rev.  Dr.  E.  Foster; 
Rev.  Dr.  Chas.  H.  Hall;  Dr.  Fred.  A.  Jewett;  W.  C. 
Peckham;  G.  Scarborough;  Theo.  Schuster;  Rev.  Win. 
Short,  and  Alfred  R.  Young.  The  marine  florists,  i.e., 
collectors  of  alga',  are  Jos.  S.  Brown,  Gardiner  D. 
Hiscox;  Nicholas  Pike  and  A.  R.  Young. 

The  ornithologists  comprise  John  Akhurst;  John  N. 
Blair;  Dr.  Win.  II.  Gregg;  S.  D.  Obsorne;  T.  B. 
Stearns. 

The  entomologists  (besides  those  mentioned  under 
the  head  of  Brooklyn  Entomological  Society,  p,  1307), 
are  John  Akhurst  (taxidermist,  also);  A.  W.  Asquith; 
J.  Carson  Brevoort;  A.  E.  Brunn;  Jacob  Dole;  Robert 
W.  Chambers;  Edw.  L.  Graef ;  Rev.  Wm.  Short;  Prof. 
F.  G.  Schaupp. 

Among  the  ichthyologists,  Mr.  J.  Carson  Brevoort 
led  the  van,  until  declining  health,  some  ten  years 
since,  obliged  him  to  relinquish  its  active  pursuit; 
Nicholas  Pike  (see  p.  1327),  and  Eugene  G.  Blackford 
(see  p.  966),  now  bear  his  mantle  worthily;  also 
Dr.  Wm.  H.  Gregg. 

Prof.  Asahel  K.  Eaton,  M.  D.,  practical  and  ana- 
lytical chemist,  65  Henry  street,  has  been  a  resident  of 
this  city  since  1861.  He  was  born  at  East  Windsor, 
Conn.,  in  1822;  graduated  at  Hamilton  College,  N. 
Y. ;  was  for  some  years  Principal  of  the  Academies  at 
Little  Falls  and  Fredonia,  N.  Y.,  and  afterwards 
Professor  of  Chemistry  at  the  Eclectic  Medical  College, 
at  Rochester,  N.  Y.  lie  then  settled  in  New  York 
city,  as  an  analytical  chemist;  discovered  and  patented 
a  process  for  making  steel  directly  from  the  iron  ore, 
and  also  a  quick  process  of  tanning  leather.  His  atten- 
tion was  then  directed  to  the  gold  mines  in  North 
Carolina,  and  he  invented  and  patented  several  im- 
proved processes  of  amalgamation  and  separation;  and 
shortly  after,  in  connection  with  Charles  C.  Spencer,  of 
Canastota,  V    V.,  entered   into  the  manufacture  of 


LITERATURE  AND  SCIENCE. 


1329 


optical  instruments,  microscopes,  telescopes,  etc.,  at  that 
place;  and  constructed  for  the  Litchfield  Observatory, 
Hamilton  College,  the  large  telescope,  then  one  of  the 
largest  ever  manufactured  in  this  country.  In  1856,  he 
was  engaged  in  New  York  city,  in  the  refining  of 
kerosene  from  the  coals  of  Western  Pennsylvania  and 
Eastern  Ohio — this  being  before  the  discovery  of 
petroleum.  During  the  early  part  of  the  Civil  War, 
Prof.  Eaton  was  largely  engaged  in  the  preparation 
(by  processes  of  his  own  invention)  of  the  peculiar 
green  and  other  colored  inks  required  by  the  Bank 
Note  Companies  in  the  printing  of  the  Government 
"greenbacks."  In  18G4,  he  went  to  Montana  Territory, 
where  he  was  engaged  in  gold  and  silver  mining,  per- 
fecting several  new  processes  and  machinery  for  that 
work.  Returning,  in  1877,  to  Brooklyn,  he  invented 
a  new  kind  of  prism,  using  bi-sulphide  of  carbon,  and 
also,  a  direct-vision  spectroscope.  When  the  telephone 
was  brought  into  public  notice,  he  made  and  patented 
several  valuable  improvements,  and  organized  a  tele- 
phone manufacturing  company,  which,  however,  was 
ultimately  forced  to  succumb  to  the  superior  financial 
strength  of  the  Bell  Telephone  Co.  Prof.  Eaton  has 
since  been  actively  engaged  in  forwarding  the  interests 
of  a  new  form  of  storage-batteries  for  electricity, 
invented  by  himself.  He  published,  several  years 
ago,  a  small  elementary  text-book  on  Agricultural 

Chemistry.  Prof.  Eaton  is  thoroughly  versed  in  his 
chosen  science  of  chemistry,  as  well  as  in  Geology, 
Mineralogy,  Metallurgy  and  Optics;  few  men  have  read 
more  extensively,  or  have  enjoyed  so  wide  a  range  of 
practical  observation  and  experience;  and,  as  an  expert 
in  matters  of  medical  jurisprudence,  he  has  also  done 
the  State  some  service. 

Oology  claims  among  its  votaries,  8.  D.  Osborne; 
John  N.  Blair;  T.  O.  Callender;  R.  M.  Mitchell,  and 
T.  B.  Stearns.  Histology,  Pathology,  Comparative 
Anatomy  and  Physiology  are  the  favorite  pursuits  of 
Dr.  Geo.  R.  Cutter;  Dr.  Wm.  Bates;  Franklin  W. 
Hooper,  Professor  of  Natural  Science  at  the  Adelphi 
Academy;  and  W.  Le  Conte  Stevens,  also  Professor  at 
the  Adelphi,  has  a  specialty  of  Acoustics  and  Physical 

Optics.  Dr.  S.  Edward  Stiles  gives  particular  atten- 
tion to  Pathological  Microscopy,  Infusoria,  and  En- 
tomology. 

Herpetology,  Jos.  S.  Brown;  Crustacea,  J.  H.  Droge; 
Articulates,  Invertebrates,  Carl  F.  Geisler,  Ph.  D. 

Nblson  Sizeb,  Phrenologist  and  Author.— Bio- 
graphy is  the  cream  of  history,  and  man's  real  character 
the  soul  of  biography.  One  person  with  but  medium 
talent,  bravery  and  patriotism,  may,  through  favoring 
conditions,  win  a  battle  for  liberty;  while  another,  a  real 
hero  and  patriot,  suffers  nominal  defeat  in  checking  the 
advance  of  the  enemy  which  threatens  the  common  cause. 

In  a  country  like  ours,  riches  and  culture  in  a  family 
can  not  confer  continued  prominence  and  influence,  or 


shed  luster  on  a  race  willing  to  sit  idly  in  the  waning 
light  of  departed  greatness;  for  nations  and  families 
find  their  strength  in  the  worth,  talent  and  deeds  of  their 
living  sons.  The  death  of  some  men  of  mark  is  as 
disastrous  to  their  heirs,  as  the  sinking  of  a  tow-boat 
would  be  to  its  score  of  helpless  but  richly  laden 
barges. 

It  has  been  facetiously  said,  that  in  Philadelphia, 
public  sentiment  asks  of  a  stranger,  "  Who  are  you?" 
in  Boston,  "What  do  you  know?"  in  New  York, 
"  What  can  you  do?  "  Though  these  qualities  are  all 
desirable,  their  order  of  precedence  should  be  reversed, 
since  the  ability  to  do  is  the  basis  of  both  knowledge 
and  reputation.  Who  asks  if  Horace  Mann  came  from 
a  rich  and  distinguished  family  ?  He  is  known  as  the 
promoter  of  the  public  school  system  of  Massachusetts 
and  America,  and  his  work  will  live  in  the  culture  of 
coming  generations,  and  keep  his  name  fragrant  for- 
ever. Every  man  ought  to  do  worthy  work  of  some 
sort,  and  the  reputation  he  wins  should  depend  on  his 
motive,  on  the  talent  employed,  and  on  the  quality  of 
the  result. 

Nelson  Sizer,  the  subject  of  the  present  sketch, 
has  been  so  many  years  in  the  field  as  an  author 
and  practitioner  in  Phrenology,  that  the  mention 
of  his  name  is  sufficient  to  awaken  a  lively  interest  in 
thousands  who  have  profiled  by  his  professional  coun- 
sels. The  newness  of  his  theme  and  its  vital  import- 
ance to  those  who  seek  its  aid  in  rightly  shaping  their 
lives  for  success,  health  and  harmony  of  character,  has 
given  him  unequalled  opportunity  to  make  the  public 
his  debtor  for  the  eminent  services  he  has  been  able  to 
render. 

His  portrait  indicates  strong  elements  of  character, 
at  the  basis  of  which  is  an  excellent  physiology.  His 
brain  measures  about  twenty-three  inches  in  circum- 
ference, and  his  weight  being  nearly  two-hundred 
pounds,  his  nervous  system  is  fully  supplied  with  nutri- 
tion. Having  been  thoroughly  temperate  and  orderly 
in  his  habits,  he  has  confirmed  in  its  integrity  a 
constitution  robust  by  inheritance,  which  enables  him 
to  accomplish  a  lage  amount  of  work.  The  head  is 
relatively  high,  showing  fullness  in  the  moral  organs, 
while  the  intellectual  developments  are  particularly 
large  in  the  perceptive  region.  He  has  a  capital 
memory  of  whatever  he  has  experienced,  and  with  his 
large  comparison  he  is  able  in  conversation,  or  while 
addressing  an  audience,  or  describing  a  character,  to 
employ  illustrations  drawn  from  every  side  of  nature 
and  experience,  which  are  both  rich  and  vivid.  Indeed 
he  seems  to  think  pictorially. 

Nelson  Sizer,  for  more  than  thirty  years  a  well-known 
citizen  of  Brooklyn,  was  born  in  Chester,  Hampden 
county,  Mass.,  May  21st,  1812.  On  his  father's  side  he 
is  of  Portuguese  extraction,  his  great-grandfather 
having  emigrated  to  Americr.  from  the  Island  of  Ter- 
ceira,  one  of  the  Azores,  in  1726.    He  Bettled,  married 


1330  HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


NELSON  SIZEK. 


and  spent  his  life  in  Middletown,  Conn.  His  neighbors 
desired  to  make  the  colony  seem  to  be  English,  and 
persuaded  those  having  a  foreign  prefix  to  their  names 
to  drop  it.  His  name  being  Antonio  De  Souza,  when 
spoken  quickly,  sounded  like  Size?,  so  the  astute  town 
clerk  invented  and  put  on  record  the  name  as  Anthony 
Sizer.  All  who  bear  the  name  in  this  country  trace  their 
origin  to  this  man.  Anthony  married  a  lady  of  Scotch 
descent;  hence  our  subject  unites  Portuguese  and  Scotch 
elements  in  his  character,  liveliness  and  sociability  on 
one  side,  with  prudence  and  integrity  on  the  other.  His 
father,  Fletcher  Sizer,  the  fourth  of  a  family  of  sixteen 
children,  married  Lydia  liassett,  of  Westfield,  Mass., 
whose  father  was  an  Englishman.  In  this  way  Nelson 
Sizer  attained  an  English  impression  in  the  direction  of 
stability  and  personal  dignity.  His  father  being  a  car- 
pcnter,  he  early  became  familiar  with  tools,  and  also 
practically  acquainted  with  all  the  work  of  a  farm.  At 
fourteen  he  was  engaged  in  the  wool  mill,  at  liland- 
fonl,  Mass.;  at  seventeen  he  commenced,  in  association 
with  an  elder  brother,  the  manufacture  of  cloth;  from 
eighteen   to  nineteen  he  worked  at    the  carpenter's 


bench;  from  nineteen  to  twenty-two  was  again  en- 
gaged in  the  woolen  business.  He  was  then  offered 
inducements  to  take  a  position  in  a  new  paper-mill  in 
the  place,  and  in  two  years  he  became  a  partner  and 
had  charge.  In  this  business  he  continued  five  years, 
doing  eighteen  hours  work  a  day.  While  attending 
the  paper  mill  at  night  he  read  extensvely  in  the  litera- 
ture of  Phrenology,  and  wrote  articles  for  the  local 
press. 

In  1830,  his  wife  having  died,  he  gave  up  the  paper 
business,  which  was  becoming  very  profitable,  to  enter 
the  practical  work  of  a  phrenologist.  Ten  years  he 
travelled  and  lectured,  mainly  in  New  England.  In  1840 
he  joined  Mr.  P.  L.  Buell  in  a  phrenological  partnership, 
and  they  gave  extended  courses  of  lectures  in  Wash- 
ington, and  in  leading  towns  in  Maryland,  Virginia, 
New  York,  Massachusetts,  Connecticut,  New  Hamp- 
shire and  Vermont.  In  1843  a  joint  work,  entitled 
"  A  Guide  to  Phrenology,"  was  published  by  the  asso- 
ciates and  used  as  a  chart  in  making  examinations. 

Mr.  Sizer  aimed  from  the  beginning  to  give  Phrenol- 
ogy an  elevated  place  in  the  estimation  of  the  public, 


LITERATURE  AND  SCIENCE. 


1331 


and  not  to  make  the  new  science  a  mere  instrumental- 
ity of  gain,  and  thus  won  the  respect  of  his  audiences 
and  patrons.  He  usually  obtained  the  use  of  churches 
for  his  lecture-rooms,  and  was  commended  by  letter 
from  one  clergyman  to  another.  Believing  that  man's 
moral  nature  is  the  strongest  and  highest  element,  and 
that  the  best  success  must  come  from  addressing  him- 
self to  this  element,  he  aimed  to  develop  clearly  in  his 
teachings  the  moral  and  religious  aspects  of  phreno- 
logical science. 

While  lecturing  he  was  a  frequent  contributor  to  the 
Phrenological  Journal,  and  also  its  agent.  In  1843  he 
married  Mrs.  Sarah  Hale,  of  Suffield,  Conn.,  and  resided 
there  for  a  year,  then  removed  to  Avon,  Conn.,  still 
continuing  to  lecture.  Here  was  born  to  them,  in  1846, 
a  son,  Nelson  Buell  Sizer,  who  became  an  alumnus  of 
the  "  University  of  the  City  of  New  York,"  and  a 
physician,  now  settled  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  By  the 
former  marriage  there  were  two  children,  George  W., 
settled  in  the  West,  and  Julia  E.,  the  wife  of  Francis 
Wood  of  Brooklyn. 

In  1849  he  was  invited  to  take  the  position  of  Phre- 
nological Examiner  in  the  office  of  Fowler  &  Wells, 
in  New  York,  and  from  that  time  has  remained  thus 
related,  and  a  resident  of  Brooklyn.  Meanwhile  he  has 
contributed  largely  to  the  Journal,  his  diverse  expe- 
riences and  extended  observations  rendering  him  a  val- 
ued writer  on  topics  connected  with  human  nature. 
In  1859,  '60,  '62,  and  '63  he  had  sole  editorial  charge 
of  the  Journal,  the  proprietors  being  absent  on  a  pro- 
fessional tour  in  America  and  Europe.  Since  1864  he 
has  been  associate  editor,  besides  being  Vice-President 
of,  and  principal  teacher  in,  the  "  American  Institute 
of  Phrenology,"  incorporated  in  1866.  He  has  made 
more  than  250,000  professional  examinations,  and  many 
thousands  confess  that  his  advice  guided  them  to  right 
pursuits,  or  saved  them  from  mental  and  moral  wreck. 
He  has  published  several  books  of  great  value;  one  en- 
titled "  Choice  of  Pursuits,  or  What  to  Do  and  Why;" 
another,  "  How  to  Teach,  or  Phrenology  in  the  School 
Room  and  the  Family,"  and,  "  Forty  years  in  Phrenol- 
ogy, embracing  History,  Anecdote  and  Experience." 
These  works,  more  than  any  other,  serve  to  bring  the 
science  of  human  nature  home  to  practical  use  in  every 
relation  of  life. 

As  a  phrenological  examiner  no  man  in  any  country 
has  a  higher  and  purer  reputation  for  usefulness,  his 
merits  being  warmly  acknowledged  by  thousands  who 
have  received  the  benefit  of  his  professional  skill.  As  a 
lecturer  he  is  well  known  in  New  York,  Brooklyn,  and 
vicinity,  his  services  being  in  frequent  demand  for  as- 
sociations, lyceums,  and  churches.  He  speaks  extem- 
poraneously, is  auimated,  direct,  earnest,  highly  in- 
structive, abounding  in  illustration,  and  is  often  in  a 
high  degree  amusing.  His  most  telling  lectures  are 
those  which  treat  of  temperance  and  moral  reform, 
based  on  Phrenology  and  Physiology. 


ADDENDA. 

While  these  pages  were  passing  through  the  press, 
there  occurred  (May  30,  1884)  the  death  of  another 
Brooklyn  literary  man: 

Augustus  Ely  Sillihan.  He  was  born  in  Newport, 
R.  L,  about  seventy  years  since,  but  came  to  this  city 
when  a  small  boy,  and  has  resided  here  ever  since.  He 
retired  from  business  in  1868,  and  spent  the  remaining 
years  of  his  life  at  home  engaged  principally  in  literary 
pursuits.  He  was  never  married.  He  was  a  brother 
of  Benjamin  D.  Silliman,  the  well-known  lawyer,  with 
whom  he  lived.  Mr.  Silliman  for  a  long  period  was 
prominently  known  in  financial  and  social  circles.  He 
was  for  many  years  connected  with  the  Merchants' 
Bank  in  Wall  street,  New  York,  as  its  president.  He 
resigned  from  the  position  sixteen  years  ago,  in  conse- 
quence of  ill  health,  leaving  the  bank  in  a  prosperous 
condition  as  proof  of  his  financial  ability.  It  was  said  of 
him  at  the  time  that  he  was  "  a  sound  political  econo- 
mist, thoroughly  conversant  with  the  true  principles  as 
well  as  the  best  practice  of  banking,  and  having  a  char- 
acter for  truth,  uprightness  and  integrity  which  is  per- 
fectly unsullied."  Mr.  Silliman  co-operated  actively 
and  efficiently  in  establishing  the  Clearing  House.  At 
a  meeting  of  bank  officers  August,  13,  1853,  a  commit- 
tee, consisting  of  Messrs.  Edmonds,  of  Mechanics'  Bank; 
Silliman,  of  Merchants'  Bank;  Punnett,  of  Bank  of 
America;  Berry,  of  Tradesmen's  Bank;  and  Everett,  of 
Broadway  Bank,  was  appointed  to  devise  a  plan  for 
simplifying  the  method  of  making  exchanges  and  set- 
tling the  daily  balances.  These  gentlemen  founded  the 
great  establishment,  and  remained  as  the  regular  Clear- 
ing House  Committee  for  six  years.  When  Mr.  Silli- 
man went  out  of  business  the  presidents  of  the  banks 
in  the  Clearing  House  passed  resolutions  expressing 
their  good  wishes  and  attesting  to  the  uniform  courtesy 
and  kindness  which  had  characterized  his  intercourse 
with  them  and  the  zeal  and  consistency  with  which  he 
had  always  supported  sound  and  conservative  measures, 
and  the  influence  which  he  had  exerted  in  establishing 
and  giving  character  and  dignity  to  the  association. 
Mr.  Silliman  was  a  man  of  fine  literary  ability.  He 
read  much  and  also  wrote  freely.  He  was  author  of 
"A  Gallop  Among  American  Scenery,"  principally  con- 
sisting of  military  sketches  of  the  war  of  1812.  It  had 
a  large  sale  and  was  very  popular  with  the  cadets  at 
West  Point.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Century  Club 
and  of  the  Long  Island  Historical  Society.  He  was 
independent  and  self-reliant  in  his  opinions;  his  truth 
and  sincerity  were  absolute  and  unvarying,  alike  in 
matters  of  importance  and  in  the  smallest  affairs  and 
conventionalities  of  life.  He  was  a  gentleman  of  pol- 
ished manners,  of  warm  affections,  of  great  refinement 
and  of  large  mental  culture. 

In  a  very  interesting  and  appreciative  article  in  the 
Brooklyn  Eagle,  June  1,  1884,  "Clericus"  gives  an 


1 3  3  2  HIST  OR  Y  OF  KINGS  C  0  UNTY. 


account  of  Rev.  Henry  Ward  Bekciier's  library,  art- 
collections,  literary  habits  and  tastes.  Although  Mr. 
Beecher's  library  does  not  strictly  come  within  the 
scope  of  our  definition  on  page  1319,  yet  we  can- 
not forbear  quoting  somewhat  from  the  article  in 
question. 

"  The  library  comprises  perhaps  six  thousand  volumes.  It 
is  miscellaneous  in  character  and  without  special  precision  of 
arrangement.  It  lacks  the  completeness  of  a  collection,  but 
covers  with  reasonable  fullness  almost  every  department  of 
thought.  The  religious  department  of  course  predominates, 
the  varied  phases  of  modern  religious  thought  being  espe- 
cially full.  Physiological  books  are  numerous,  while  law, 
science,  philosophy,  history,  political  economy  are  represented 
largely  upon  the  shelves.  The  intellectual  hospitality  of  Mr. 
Beecher's  mind  is  seen  in  the  fact  that  on  controverted  topics 
both  sides  are  almost  equally  well  represented.  *  *  *  * 
Mr.  Beecher's  intense  love  for  living  things,  animals,  plants, 
fishes,  and  especially  birds,  would  be  noticed  hy  the  casual 
visitor,  even  if  he  was  without  previous  knowledge  of  his 
tastes  in  these  directions.  "  Everything  that  has  life,"  he 
quaintly  remarked,  "is  related  to  me.  I  am  its  Butch  uncle." 
The  books  on  fishes  and  birds  were  everywhere;  crowded  in 
among  the  mustiest  folios  of  the  Fathers  were  books  curiously 
illuminated,  describing  the  habits  of  the  birds,  while  the 
flowers  and  ferns,  trees  and  fruit,  kept  company  with  the 
dreariest  quartos  and  the  moth-eaten  relics  of  mediaeval  days. 
In  the  earlier  years  of  Mr.  Beecher's  ministry  he  was  an 
enthusiast  in  botanical  studies,  doing  some  of  his  earliest 
writing  on  the  subject  of  floral  culture,  and  from  the  evidence 
given  by  his  books,  the  love  of  his  youth  has  not  passed  away, 
for,  side  by  side  with  the  old  floral  books  of  his  earlier  life, 
are  the  recent  publications  of  the  press,  telling  the  story  of 
the  flowers. 

"  The  library  is  especially  rich  in  the  literature  of  art,  and 
the  number  of  illustrated  books  is  very  large.  *  *  *  In 
looking  over  the  library  of  Mr.  Beecher  one  could  easily  im- 
agine tbat  he  had  determined,  like  Bacon,  to  '  take  all  know- 
ledge for  his  province.'  A  young  lawyer  could  from  his 
shelves  select  a  law  library  of  reasonable  completeness;  the 
young  medical  graduate  would  feel  rich  with  the  professional 
outfit  he  might  obtain,  and  the  student  in  science,  philosophy, 
natural  history,  botany,  fishes,  buds  and  insects  could  revel 
here.  The  key  to  the  vast  fund  of  illustration  possessed  by 
Mr.  Beecher  is  found  by  even  a  cursory  glance  at  this  strangely 
diversified  collection.  *  *  *  Mr.  Beecher  has  never  been 
in  any  sense  a  collector.  Though  a  man  of  hobbies,  he  has 
rarely  had  any  of  the  bibliographical  crazes  that  have  unset- 
tled so  many  men  of  literary  promise.  Perhaps  the  nearest 
he  has  ever  come  to  the  dangerous  amusement  of  collecting 
has  been  in  the  direction  of  art.  *  *  *  Another  singular 
fact  which  has  been  but  seldom  noticed  by  the  press  is  his 


peculiar  love  of  gems.  He  delights  in  finely  polished  stones, 
finding  rest,  when  weary,  in  looking  at  these  things.  During 
his  memorable  war  addresses  in  England,  when  beset  on 
every  side,  with  every  faculty  strained  to  its  utmost  tension, 
he  found  peculiar  usefulness  in  two  rich  opals,  which  had 
been  loaned  him,  for  the  purpose  of  making  a  selection,  by  a 
Glasgow  jeweller.  In  the  days  of  his  more  active  ministry, 
he  used  to  have  a  little  box  filled  with  unmounted  brilliants 
of  every  kind,  and  when  at  his  work  he  felt  the  need  of  some 
calming  influence,  he  was  wont  to  spread  his  treasures  before 
him,  and  in  their  eternal  fires  find  calm  and  rest.  He  used 
laughingly  to  deride  this  strange  love  as  a  peculiar  and  sense- 
less whim,  but  it  is  not  difficult  to  trace  its  origin  to  his 
peculiarly  sensitive  love  of  beauty,  which  finds  satisfaction 
in  that  which  of  all  things  beautiful  has  most  of  beauty, 
Among  other  singular  hobbies  is  a  love  of  rugs.  *  *  *  A 
case  of  pottery  gives  even  now  significant  hint  that  ceramics 
may  yet  be  the  coming  bee  in  the  parson's  bonnet.  Unlike 
most  men,  Mr.  Beecher  rarely  outgrows  his  old  loves.  The 
new  hobby  is  added  to  the  others,  but  it  does  not  displace 
them;  as  he  quaintly  puts  it,  'his  recreations  are  like  an 
irrigating  stream,  to  be  cut  off  in  one  direction  for  a  time, 
that  it  may  be  turned  on  in  another.'  *  *  *  As  an  author, 
Mr.  Beecher  may, by  the  number  of  his  works  published,  justly 
rank  among  the  most  prolific  writers.  He  is  the  literary 
father  of  thirty-five  volumes,  and  if  the  writings  published 
without  his  sanction  should  be  added  to  the  list,  the  number 
would  increase  to  over  fifty.  The  stress  of  his  times,  his 
intense  sympathy  with  the  living  questions  of  the  hour,  have 
been,  perhaps,  an  inevitable  hindrance  to  literary  finish  and 
completeness.  His  work  has  been  largely  fragmentary,  yet 
he  cherishes  the  hope,  not  without  reason,  that  some  of  his 
sermons,  which  have  touched  the  unchanging  spiritual  needs 
of  men,  may  have  a  permanence  beyond  his  own  personal 
life  and  fame.  *  *  *  The  variety  of  his  writings,  his 
mental  vigor  and  originality,  his  unquestioned  spiritual 
vision,  together  with  his  complete  command  of  all  the  re- 
sources of  the  English  language,  cannot  fail  to  give  him  a 
lasting  place  among  the  foremost  literary  workers  of  this 
period  of  American  history." 


Daniel  M.  Tredwell. — In  our  sketch  of  this  gen- 
tleman's library  and  writings,  on  page  1322,  we  should 
have  stated  that  he  is  a  native  of  Long  Island ;  and  that 
he  also  published,  in  1874,  a  work  entitled  Literature 
of  the  Civil  War  between  the  North  a?id  South.  He  has 
been  a  large  contributor  of  literary  and  scientific  mat- 
ter to  the  local  press  and  magazines,  and  for  ten  years 
past  has  devoted  much  time  to  preparing  and  delivering 
lectures  on  popularized  scientific  matters,  in  Brooklyn, 
New  York,  Boston  and  Philadelphia. 


BIOGRAPHIES. 


1333 


JULIUS    E.  MEYER. 


Julius  E.  Meyer,  the  distinguished  voice-builder  of 
New  York  and  Brooklyn,  was  born  at  Altenburg,  Ger- 
many, on  the  15th  of  September,  1822.  He  comes  of  a 
musical  family,  his  father  being  then  the  city  organist 
of  the  largest  churches  in  that  city. 

Of  seven  children  he  was  the  third  son,  and  began 
his  musical  studies  at  nine  years  of  age,  becoming  a 
member  of  the  church  choir  where  the  music  of  Handel, 
Haydn,  Beethoven  and  the  other  great  masters  was  in- 
terpreted by  a  picked  chorus  and  carefully  selected 
orchestra.  Notwithstanding  his  surroundings,  keen  per- 
ception and  quick  appreciation,  Julius  did  not  intend 
to  become  a  musician.  Music  had  upon  him,  strange  to 
say,  a  depressing  and  melancholy  effect,  and  when  well 
rendered  completely  overcame  him  at  times.  Yielding, 
however,  to  the  force  of  circumstances,  he  finally 
changed  his  mind,  and  set  about  his  studies  with  the 
zeal  and  earnestness  of  purpose  which  have  ever  since 
characterized  him  in  his  brilliant  career.  He  mastered 
several  instruments,  including  the  bassoon,  trombone 
and  trumpet,  but  the  violin  being  more  to  his  taste,  he 
took  it  up  under  its  then  acknowledged  master,  Ferdi- 
nand David. 

When  the  great  Conservatory  was  founded  by  Men- 
delssohn, at  Leipsic,  Julius  was  one  of  its  first  pupils, 
and  among  his  fellow-students  were  Tausch,  who  suc- 
ceeded Schumann  as  Chapelmeister  at  Dusseldorf ,  Kal- 
liwoda,  Otto  Goldschmidt,  who  subsequently  married 
Jenny  Lind,  and  others  of  merit  and  renown.  On  the 
death  of  Mendelssohn,  Julius  was  chosen  among  the 
twelve  most  distinguished  scholars  to  bear  the  laurels- 
wreaths  which  were  laid  at  the  feet  of  the  illustrious 
dead.  For  seven  years  Meyer  played  first  violin  in  the 
celebrated  Gewendhaus  Concerts,  which  correspond  to 
our  own  Philharmonic  Society,  and  sustained  both  vocal 
and  instrumental  solos,  for  which,  in  the  meantime,  he 
had  been  fitting  himself.  His  voice  was  a  clear,  high, 
ringing  baritone,  of  great  compass,  flexibility  and  vol- 
ume, and  much  admired. 

He  became  an  intimate  friend  of  Mendelssohn,  and 
spent  much  of  his  time  at  the  house  of  the  great  composer, 
singing  his  songs  and  playing  his  music  from  manuscrij^t,  as 
did  also  Julius'  sister,  whom  Mendelssohn  likewise  held  in 
high  esteem  for  her  musical  proficiency  and  rare  attainments. 

All  of  Julius'  brothers  and  sisters  were  more  or  less  distin- 
guished musically,  his  eldest  brother  having  been  for  25  years 
past  the  Chapelmeister  at  Munich,  a  position  he  still  holds. 
Last  year  the  Gold  Medal  of  Arts  and  Sciences  was  bestowed 
upon  him  by  the  King  of  Bavaria.  Mendelssohn's  recogni- 
tion of  Julius'  genius  was  most  marked.  On  one  occasion 
he  took  him  from  the  orchestra  in  St.  Paul's  Church,  in 
Leipsic,  to  sing  the  baritone  solos  in  the  oratorio,  without  re- 
hearsal, before  a  large  and  exceedingly  critical  audience,  and 
the  result  more  than  justified  the  high  appreciation  and  con- 
fidence thus  manifested. 

Mendelssohn  brought  to  his  aid  in  his  Conservatory  the 
ablest  talent  of  continental  Europe;  and  we  find  Julius'  stu- 
dies prosecuted  under  the  immediate  and  personal  direction 
and  supervision  of  Moscheles,  Hauptmann,  David  and  Schu- 
mann, under  the  last  of  whom  he  studied  musical  composi- 
tion and  string  quartet  instrumentation. 

It  was  Mendelssohn  himself  who  first  suggested  to  Julius 
that  he  should  become  a  teacher  of  the  voice.    After  hearing 


one  of  his  own  exquisite  songs  interpreted  |by  Meyer,  he 
turned  to  him  and  said,  "  You  are  a  born  singing  teacher; 
you  have  the  finest  ear  I  ever  came  across."  He  acted  upon 
the  suggestion,  and  commenced  his  vocal  instruction  at 
Leipsic,  where  a  musician  had  to  stand  or  fall  solely  and 
entirely  by  his  own  merit,  and  only  the  most  skillful  and 
most  talented  musiciau  could  obtain  position.  He  was 
signalh'  successful  from  the  outset,  and  remained  in  Leipsic 
eleven  years,  where  he  was  married  to  Miss  Emma  Teeg,  the 
daughter  of  the  organist  of  a  neighboring  city,  in  St.  Thomas' 
Church,  where  Sebastian  Bach  played.  Among  others  sent 
to  him  for  vocal  culture  was  a  niece  of  Hauptmann. 

From  Leipsic,  Julius  went  to  Frankfort-on-the-Main  to 
teach,  and  met  with  renewed  success,  bringing  out  Ida  Vogt 
asaj»'/)wa  donna  (after  she  had  been  discharged  from  the 
chorus  of  the  opera)  in  the  course  of  a  year  and  a  half,  at  one 
of  his  celebrated  concerts,  which  were  attended  by  the 
wealth  and  nobility  of  Frankfort,  among  them  the  Roths- 
childs. In  consequence  of  this  signal  triumph,  the  Baroness 
Rothschild  sought  Mr.  Meyer's  personal  instruction  for  her- 
self, and  had  but  just  completed  arrangements  therefor  at 
the  time  of  her  death,  when  she  left  him  a  handsome  present 
in  gold  in  recognition  of  his  distinguished  services  to  art. 


1334 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Mr.  Meyer  then  came  to  America,  where  he  has  since  remained 
and  built  up  a  great  reputation  as  a  vocal  instructor.  He  has 
twice  declined  the  chair  of  vocal  culture  in  the  Conservatory 
at  Leipsic,  preferring,  for  the  present,  to  remain  in  America. 

As  a  teacher  of  the  voice,  he  has  no  superiors,  and  few,  if 
any,  equals  in  this  country,  while,  as  a  composer,  he  towers 
above  his  fellows.  To  him,  Miss  Thursby  owes  all  she  is,  or 
has  been,  or  ever  can  be,  having  studied  with  him  five  years; 
and  to  him,  likewise,  are  many  of  our  best  churches  in- 
debted for  their  finest  soloists.  Taught  by  a  natural  and  ra- 
tional method,  his  pupils  sing  with  ease  what  speedily 
fatigues  an  improperly-cultivated  voice,  and  he  gives  them  a 
depth,  fullness  and  clearness  of  tone,  and  compass  of  voice, 
which  is  impossible  by  any  other  method. 

Mr.  Meyer  has  5  sons  and  4  daughters,  who  all  inherit  un- 
mistakable musical  and  artistic  talents.  His  sons,  Paul  and 
Walter,  are  in  Para,  Brazil.  Paul  is  the  foremost  photo- 
grapher in  that  country.  Walter  put  the  first  steamboat  on 
the  Rio  Sinu  river,  U.  S.  of  Columbia;  and  is  actiDg  U.  S. 
Consul  at  Para.  Arnold  has  his  father's  love  for  music;  has 
made  it  the  pursuit  and  profession  of  his  life.  He  studied  in 
Leipsic,  Germany,  under  two  of  his  father's  old  teachers  of 
the*piano-forte  and  organ  practice  and  theory.  He  has  a  de- 
servedly high  reputation  as  a  concert  pianist,  and  as  a  church 
organist  and  teacher.  Has  recently  been  recalled  as  organist 
of  the  New  Grace  M.  B.  Church,  corner  7th  avenue  and  St. 
John's  Place.  He  devotes  all  available  time  to  musical  com- 
position and  the  study  of  vocal  culture. 


The  oldest  daughter,  Emmie,  returned  in  June,  1883,  from 
a  year  in  Germany,  where  she  went  for  rest  after  several 
years'  constant  labor  in  the  cultivation  and  development  of 
her  voice  under  her  father's  tuition;  while  in  Berlin  her 
friends  insisted  on  hearing  her  in  public.  She  sang  at  the 
Singakademy  of  Berlin,  and  on  other  occasions,  with  remark- 
able success.  The  critics  agreed  that  "  she  surprised  the 
audience  by  the  great  range  and  flexibility  of  her  beautiful 
voice.  The  ease  and  grace  and  exquisite  quality  of  her  head 
tones  were  especially  admired.  The  opinion  was  unanimous 
that  her  training  bad  been  faultless,  and  that  her  powers  and 
performances  assured  her  a  glorious  future."  At  a  soiree  at 
the  house  of  Frau  Dr.  Breiderhoff,  in  Berlin,  which  was  ar- 
ranged for  the  purpose,  she  met  her  father's  old  friend  Prof. 
Joseph  Joachim,  at  present  the  greatest  of  living  violinists. 
The  same  evening  the  celebrated  string  quartette,  Joachim, 
De  Alena,  Wirth  and  Hansmann,  were  present.  Miss  Meyer 
was  heard,  for  the  first  time  since  her  return,  at  the  Mozart 
Musical  Union  in  Chickering  Hall,  New  York,  in  the  ever 
popular  "Shadow  Dance"  from  Dinorah,  and  the  "Casta 
Diva''  from  Norma,  two  selections  widely  different  in  style 
and  seldom  attempted  by  one  singer.  Miss  Meyer's  excep- 
tionally fine  training,  resembling  more  that  given  to  the 
lamented  race  of  great  singers  whose  names  and  methods  are 
only  a  tradition,  enables  her  to  attempt  this  difficult  feat  with 
impunity.  Her  accomplishments  fully  justify  the  predictions 
for  a  brilliant  future  made  by  some  of  Berlin's  most  cele- 
brated musicians. 


ALBERT  DAGGETT. 


In  the  list  of  distinguished  citizens  who  have  represented  the 
County  of  Kings  in  the  State  Senate  is  the  name  of  Albert 
Daggett,  present  Senator  from  the  Third  District  of  the  State. 
There  have  been  few  among  his  predecessors  more  naturally 
capacitated  for  a  servant  of  the  people  in  that  body  than  he.  If 
he  is  strong  with  the  masses  it  is  because  he  is  conspicuously 
one  of  the  people;  moved  by  their  impulses,  imbued  with  their 
sense,  inspired  by  their  rights,  and  sharing  their  convictions. 
He  brings  these  endowments  largely  into  politics  ;  for,  aside 
from  being  an  accomplished  business  man,  he  is  a  politician, 
well  versed  in  politics.  But  he  is  uncompromising  in  his  fealty 
to  his  party;  acting  on  the  principle  that  a  man  who  is  not  a 
partisan  is  without  convictions,  or,  if  ho  has  convictions,  he  is 
false  to  them. 

Mr.  Daggett  is  a  Republican,  believing  in  those  principles 
upon  which  that  party  was  founded,  and  which  now  constitute 
the  cohesive  power  which  forms  it.  His  clear  view  of  politics 
causes  him  to  regard  the  principles  of  the  Republican  party  as 
essential  to  the  best  results  in  government,  whether  local,  state 
or  federal. 

He  is  a  man  of  thought  and  action,  of  firm  convictions  versed 
in  the  logic  of  common  sense,  with  a  mind  of  much  quickness 
and  energy.  Although  Mr.  l)aggett  is  an  ardent  partisan,  with 
the  faults  which  attach  to  such  men,  he  has  corresponding 
redeeming  traits  that  cause  him  to  stand  well  as  a  politician 
and  a  citizen.  In  the  collisions  of  party  strife  Mr.  Daggett's  in- 
dependence of  thought  and  action,  his  skill  and  success  as  a 
party  manager,  have  stimulated  envious  rivalry  among  his  own 
fellow  partisans,  and  occasionally  brought  upon  hiin  their  acri- 
monious attacks.  But  all  this  is  the  natural  result  of  a  suc- 
cessful political  career,  for  such  has  been  the  career  of  Mr. 
Daggett,  and  such,  it  is  apparent,  will  be  his  career  in  the 
future. 


Albert  Daggett  was  born  at  Troy,  N.  Y.,  March  19,  1845. 
He  comes  from  one  of  the  most  distinguished  families  in  the 
country,  of  English  descent,  whose  ancestry  extend  back  into 
the  earliest  days  of  Colonial  history.  His  father  was  Dr.  Joseph 
Daggett,  of  Troy,  a  man  of  refined  taste,  a  gentleman  and  a 
scholar,  whose  natural  love  of  study  was  a  dominant  feature  of 
his  character.  He  was,  in  a  measure,  dependent  upon  his  own 
exertions  for  attaining  an  education;  but  these  were  sufficient. 
Before  his  indomitable  energy  and  perseverance  every  obstacle 
gave  way,  and  the  treasures  of  classic  lore,  in  their  plenitude, 
were  open  to  him.  Like  niany  other  young  men  of  limited 
means,  the  young  student  supported  himself  by  teaching.  After 
a  thorough  preparatory  course,  he  entered  Middlebury  College, 
Vt.  From  this  institution  he,  in  due  time,  graduated,  with 
highly  respectable  scholarly  standing. 

He  was  accomplished  in  Latin, Greek, Hebrew,  French,  Spanish 
and  Italian.  There  was  that  in  his  nature  which  gravitated  directly 
towards  the  medical  profession,  and  immediately  after  graduat- 
ing he  began  the  studies  of  a  physician  and  surgeon,  and  in  due 
time  took  his  degree  as  an  M.  1).  But  failing  health  prevented 
his  practicing  in  the  profession.  Utilizing  his  knowledge  of 
chemistry  and  of  medicine,  ho  adopted  the  calling  of  a  druggist 
and  opened  a  drug  store  at  Troy.  Success  in  this  occupation 
was  assured  to  him  from  the  beginning.  His  scholarly  attain- 
ments, his  accomplishments  as  a  gentleman,  his  undoubted  in- 
tegrity and  honor,  as  a  citizen  and  a  man  of  business,  gave  him 
many  friends  and  an  extended  reputation. 

From  a  druggist  he  became  a  wholesale  dealer  in  drugs,  oils, 
turpentine  and  glass,  extending  his  trade  throughout  the  northern 
section  of  the  State  and  Vermont.  His  devotion  to  his  business 
anil  his  integrity  in  conducting  it,  was  rewarded  by  a  large 
fortune,  much  ol  which  was  invested  in  real  estate  in  anil  about 
Troy.    Few  men  were  bettor  acquainted  with  the  value  of  real 


BIOGRAPHIES. 


1335 


estate  than  Dr.  Daggett.  Although  he  was  a  Democrat,  he  was 
for  several  successive  years  —owing  to  his  practical  knowledge  oi 
real  estate —elected  an  assessor  of  the  City  of  Troy,  without  op- 
position. A  constitution,  always  delicate,  at  length  broke  entirely 
down,  never  to  rally  again ;  and,  in  1852  Dr.  Daggett  died,  leaving 
his  son,  the  present  Senator,  at  the  age  of  seven,  without  a 
father's  guidance,  but  with  the  memory  of  a  father's  teachings 
and  a  father's  virtues. 

Senator  Daggett's  first,  and  perhaps  his  best  tutor,  was  his 
father,  who  taught  him  the  rudiments  of  an  English  education; 
taught  him  French  with  such  success  that  the  boy  was  re- 
garded as  a  better  French  than  English  scholar.  Soon  after  his 
father's  death,  young  Daggett  was  sent  to  a  celebrated  school  for 
boys,  taught  by  Rev.  Dr.  John  Ireland  Tucker,  an  Episcopal 
clergyman,  a  man  possessing  few  equals  as  a  teacher.  Dr.  Tucker 
was  young  Daggett's  godfather  in  baptism,  and  between  this 
eminent  clergyman  and  Christian  gentleman,  and  Senator 
Daggett,  there  has  always  existed  the  warmest  friendship.  Dr. 
Tucker  is  still  preaching  in  Troy.  It  was  the  intention  of  Mr. 
Daggett  to  enter  Union  College,  and  he  prepared  to  enter 
the  Sophomore  class  of  that  institution,  but  he  received  such 
injuries  from  a  fall  in  the  gymnasium  that  he  was  unable  to  con- 
fine himself  to  study  for  a  long  time,  and  on  his  recovery  he 
decided  not  to  enter  upon  a  collegiate  course.  This  was  in 
1861. 

The  war  for  the  Union  was  then  summoning  not  only  the 
middle-aged,  but  the  youth,  to  the  defense  of  the  country.  None 
entered  more  enthusiastically  into  the  cause  of  his  country  than 
young  Daggett,  although  he  was  only  in  his  seventeenth  year.  It 
was  his  ambition  by  day,  and  his  dream  at  night,  to  become  a 
soldier  in  the  army  of  the  Republic.  But  being  an  only  son,  and 
as  he  could  not  gain  his  mother's  consent,  he  could  not  be  ac- 
cepted as  a  soldier  by  the  recruiting  officers.  He  endeavored  in 
vain  to  join  the  2d  N.  Y.  Volunteers,  under  General  Carr,  which 
was  the  first  regiment  that  moved  from  this  State  to  the  seat 
of  war.  Still  determined  to  enter  the  service  of  his  country, 
he  made  an  effort  to  enlist  under  General  Gildersleeve,  and 
General  Ketchum,  but  with  no  better  success.  Finally,  he 
reluctantly  abandoned  all  thoughts  of  becoming  a  soldier.  In 
1864,  he  received  an  appointment  as  confidential  clerk  in  the 
Department  of  State  at  Washington.  At  this  time  the  illus- 
trious Seward  was  Secretary  of  State,  and  Mr.  Daggett  soon  won 
the  confidence  and  esteem  of  that  great  man.  He  remained  in 
this  department  until  the  latter  part  of  1869,  when  he  was  ap- 
pointed Deputy  Collector  of  Internal  Revenue,  under  Collector 
Bailey.  A  few  months  elapsed,  and  this  gentleman  was  suc- 
ceeded by  General  Pleasanton.  Mr.  Daggett  continued  to  dis- 
charge the  duties  of  deputy  collector  for  eleven  months,  when 
Mr.  Harlow  succeeded  to  the  collectorship.  During  his  term  of 
office  Mr.  Daggett  handled  stamps,  for  liquors  and  tobacco,  to  the 
amount  of  more  than  $11,000,000.  When  Mr.  Harlow  entered 
upon  his  duties,  the  young  deputy's  books  were  subjected  to 
the  closest  inspection,  but  as  they  were  found  to  be  correct  to  a 
cent,  he  was  retained  in  the  position  which  he  had  filled  so 
acceptably.    Mr.  Harlow's  successor  was  Mr.  Treadwell,  who 


retained  Mr.  Daggett  as  his  doputy  until  May,  1873,  when  the 
departments  were  consolidated  and  Daggett  retired. 

In  July,  1873,  Mr.  Daggett  was  appointed  Under-Sheriff  of 
Kings  County  by  Sheriff  Williams,  serving  in  that  capacity  dur- 
ing the  years  1873  '4  and  '5.  In  the  autumn  of  1875,  Mr.  Dag- 
gett was  promoted  to  the  office  of  Sheriff  by  the  electors  of  Kings 
County,  retiring  from  the  office  at  the  expiration  of  his  term, 
January  1,  1879.  During  the  year  1880,  he  was  awarded  the 
weighing  contract  in  the  Customs  Department,  New  York,  which 
he  retained  till  June,  1882,  when  the  contract  system  was 
abolished. 

We  have  already  spoken  of  Mr.  Daggett's  connection  with  the 
Republican  party.  It  is  proper  to  say  that  he  occupies  a  pro- 
minent position  in  the  Republican  party  of  the  State,  one  of  its 
acknowledged  leaders,  whose  counsel  and  influence  is  justly  and 
widely  appreciated.  He  has  been  present  at  every  Republican 
State  Convention  since  1868  ;  his  presence  and  wholesome  in- 
fluence there  is  indicated  by  the  warm  greetings  he  receives, 
and  by  the  deference  which  is  always  paid  to  his  advice  and 
counsel. 

Though  not  always  successful  in  the  advocacy  of  his  own 
measures  or  policy,  in  regard  to  his  party,  he  accepts  the 
decision  of  the  majority  as  the  only  rule  in  politics.  No  man 
understands  the  vicissitudes  of  success  and  defeat  that  await 
all  politicians  better  than  he. 

In  the  autumn  of  1883,  he  received  the  nomination  from  the 
Republicans  of  the  Third  Senatorial  District  for  State  Senator, 
and  he  was  elected  over  his  opponent — a  highly  popular  man — 
by  a  very  flattering  majority.  He  took  his  seat  in  the  Senate 
on  January  1,  1884,  and  was  honored  by  the  chairmanship  of 
the  Committee  on  Engrossed  Bills,  Insurance,  Cities,  Militia, 
Roads  and  Bridges. 

Although  Senator  Daggett  makes  no  effort  at  distinction,  and 
is  unassuming  in  his  manners,  yet  he  is  regarded  as  one  of  the 
ablest  members  of  the  State  Senate.  He  is  a  practical,  useful, 
profound,  rather  than  a  brilliant  legislator. 

The  differences  in  men  are  rarely  to  be  measured  by  difference 
in  natural  and  purely  intellectual  endowments  ;  they  exist  more 
commonly  in  the  differences  in  zeal,  energy  physical  energy — 
perseverance,  devotion  to  duty,  to  friends  and  country,  integrity, 
love  of  honor,  and  self-respect.  Senator  Daggett  possesses  most, 
if  not  all,  of  these  endowments  to  a  degree  that  happily  balances 
whatever  faults  enter  into  his  character.  He  does  not  often  ad- 
dress the  Senate,  but  when  he  does  he  speaks  boldly  and 
plainly  up  to  his  convictions,  and  he  is  always  listened  to  with 
respect  and  consideration. 

Senator  Daggett  was  united  by  marriage  to  Miss  Tremere,  of 
Brooklyn,  October  25,  I860.  His  family  consists  of  one  son,  born 
in  1H69,  and  a  daughter,  born  in  1877. 

As  the  Senator  is  now  in  the  priine  of  life,  ripe  in  experience, 
possessing  those  courtesies  and  those  amenities  which  form  the 
character  of  a  gentleman  and  give  large  scope  to  abilities  and 
acquirements,  as  he  ranks  favorably  with  the  legislators  and  poli- 
ticians of  the  State,  it  is  no  exaggeration  to  say  that  a  bright  and 
successful  future,  opening  to  still  higher  honors,  is  before  him. 


THE 

SPORTING  AND  ATHLETIC  CLUBS 

OF 

KINGS  COUNTY. 


SPORTING  CLUBS.* 

The  Long  Island  Shooting  Club  was  the  pioneer  organiza- 
tion of  the  gun  clubs  of  this  country.  Originally  it  was 
simply  an  association  of  gentlemen  who  had  enjoyed  trap 
shooting  in  England,  their  mother  country,  and  wished  to 
perpetuate  a  pastime  which  furnished  them  the  practice  of 
wing  shooting  at  comparatively  small  expenditure  of  time 
and  money. 

It  was  in  existence  prior  to  1842.  Robert  Carter  was  its 
Secretary  as  early  as  1847,  when  its  roll  consisted  of  about  25 
members,  including  such  "old  time  sportsmen"  as  Harry 
Russell,  Samuel  Parker,  John  Thompson,  John  Maitland, 
Frank  Palmer,  Humphrey  Hartshorn  and  Robert  Robinson. 
Their  place  of  meeting  was  "  The  Woodcock,"  then  kept  by 
Harry  Russell  and  afterwards  by  Palmer,  in  Adams  st.,  near 
Willoughby,  on  about  the  site  of  the  present  iron  works  of 
Howell  &  Saxtan.  All  business  meetings  were  at  the  call  of 
the  President,  and  were  held  about  three  or  four  times  a  year, 
to  arrange  for  a  trap  shoot  which  depended  upon  the  possi- 
bility of  obtaining  a  suflicient  supply  of  wild  pigeons,  which 
were  generally  used  for  that  purpose.  They  had  no  regular 
club  ground  but  held  contests  in  the  vicinity  of  the  old  Oil 
Cloth  factory,  near  the  present  Sackett  st.  boulevard,  which 
was  then  in  commons,  and  also  at  Sutton's  Prospect  Hill 
Hotel,  then  known  as  "Sam  Vunk's,'*  and  located  on  about 
the  site  of  the  Distributing  Reservoir,  at  the  entrance  to 
Prospept  Park.  The  novelty  of  these  "shoots"  attracted 
such  a  crowd  of  spectators  that  the  members  ceased  to  hold 
them  in  the  old  places,  and  adopted  the  system  of  chartering 
a  tug-boat  and  sailing  to  some  of  the  islands  near  the  city, 
where  they  could  enjoy  themselves  without  interruption. 

Their  last  excursion  of  this  character  was  to  Riker's  Island, 
in  1*50,  when  700  birds  were  killed.  At  that  time  no  reg- 
ular trap  rules  had  been  adopted,  except  such  as  had  been 
in  vogue  in  England  for  at  least  a  century.  One  ground 
trap  only  was  used,  which  the  club  imported  from  England. 

All  disputes  were  settled  by  submission  to  Bell's  Life,  and 
frequently  large  sums  were  wagered  on  the  result  of  the 
derision,  which  would  remain  undetermined  pending  the  six 
\\  e^k.V  del;i\  neressai  \  to  receipt  of  the  paper  from  London 
containing  the  "answer."  The  amount  of  shot  allowed  was 
one  and  a  half  ounce.  Soon  after  the  Riker's  Island  meeting 
the  club  moved  its  headquarters  to  the  tavern  corner  of  Main 
and  York  sts.,  kept  by  Russell  &  Stainsby,  and  still  later  it 
followed  Harry  Russell  to  his  place,  then  in  Fulton  st.,  about 


•  We  are  lndol>ted  for  this  very  complete  history  of  the  Sporting 
duos  of  the  city,  to  Mr.  Ann.  Crook,  of  the  Fountain  Gun  Club, 


opposite  York  st.  In  1855  the  club  was  re-organized  and  its 
membership  was  limited  to  24  members,  and  applicants  for 
membership  were  required  to  await  a  vacancy. 

About  1868  a  further  re-organization  was  effected,  and  the 
limit  of  membership  increased  to  fifty,  and,  for  the  first  time, 
a  formal  constitution  and  by-laws  and  shooting  rules  were 
adopted.  Its  Officers,  then  elected,  were:  William  M.  Parks, 
Pres.;  Robert  Robinson,  First  Viee-Pres.;  Charles  W.  Rod- 
man, Second  Vice-Pres. ;  Captain  Sealy,  Treas.;  J.  Foulke,  Jr., 
Sec.  Its  Executive  Committee  were:  Frank  H.  Palmer,  Benja- 
min L.  DeForest,  Robert  Robinson,  Dr.  S.  W.  Bridges  and 
(ieo.  S.  Lanphear. 

Shooting  grounds  were  selected  at  John  I.  Snediker's,  on 
the  old  Jamaica  plank  road.  The  club  then  included 
among  its  members  Benjamin  W.  West,  George  Lorillard, 
Howard  Jaffray,  and  many  other  men  of  means  and  sporting 
tastes,  who  united  in  rendering  each  meeting  at  the  trap 
peculiarly  festive. 

A  dinner  on  the  grounds  was  a  feature  of  those  days,  and 
was  served  frequently  at  the  expense  of  the  losing  team  of 
those  selected  at  the  commencement  of  the  contest.  In  1874 
another  re-organization  was  had.  Again,  in  1870,  an  ineffect- 
ual attempt  was  made  to  incorporate  the  club  under  the  club 
act  of  1S75.  A  certificate  was  filed  in  Queens  county,  which 
stated  its  object  to  be  "  The  enforcement  of  all  laws  and  ordi- 
nances against  the  killing  and  sale  of  game  out  of  season  and 
the  encouragement  of  a  genuine  sportsmanlike  spirit  among 
its  members."  The  limit  on  membership  was  removed, 
but  a  unanimous  vote  was  required  to  elect  a  member. 

Finally,  on  June  3,  1870,  the  club  tiled  with  the  Secretary 
of  State  a  copy  of  a  further  certificate  of  incorporation,  which 
had  been  filed  in  Kings  County  Clerk's  office  on  May  24, 1876. 
and  the  incorporation  became  complete.  This  filial  certifi- 
cate states  as  the  "  object  "  of  the  organization,  "Protection 
and  preservation  of  game  and  the  shooting  of  pigeons  from 
traps;  to  practice  and  improve  in  the  use  of  the  gun  in  shoot- 
ing birds  on  the  wing,  for  which  suitable  grounds  have  been 
provided  in  the  county  of  Queens." 

The  number  of  the  directors  was  certified  to  bo  seven, 
"who,  with  the  President,  Vice-President,  Secretary  and 
Treasurer,  shall  form  an  Executive  Committee."  It  has  about 
50  members.  Officers:  Theodore  Linington,  Pres.;  John 
Akhurst,  Vice- Pres.;  John  II.  Chasmar,  Sec;  Robert  Robin- 
son, Treas. 

The  Phoenix  Gun  Club. — As  its  name  denotes,  the 
Plm-nix  sprung  from  the  ashes  of  its  original  Association, 
the  Blue  Rock  Pxjcon  Club  which  was  organized  February 

4,  1806, 


SPORTING  AND 


The  "Blue  Rock"  founders  were:  A.  H.  Glahn,  Adam 
Glahn,  M.  McMahon,  Owen  Larkin,  Austin  Appleyard, 
Samuel  McGaw  and  John  H.  Chasmar.  Its  first  meeting  was 
at  the  residence  of  A.  H.  Glahn,  Flushing  ave.,  near  Classon 
ave.,  Brooklyn;  but  subsequently  the  meetings  were  at  the 
residence  of  Austin  Appleyard,  at  the  corner  of  High  and 
Bridge  sts.  It  was  limited  to  fourteen  members.  The  offi- 
cers were  held  peculiarly  to  the  performance  of  their  duties 
by  the  imposition  of  a  fine  of  one  dollar  for  any  neglect.  Non- 
attendance  at  a  business  meeting  subjected  a  member  to  a 
fine  of  twenty-five  cents:  and  if  not  present  at  roll  call,  ten 
cents  was  imposed  as  a  penalty.  Profanity  and  personalities 
were  especially  abhorred  and  payment  of  fifty  cents  for  such 
indulgence  was  exacted.  The  trap  contests  were  monthly, 
and  the  trophy  for  the  winner  was  a  sterling  silver  cup, 
thirteen  inches  in  height,  in  a  glass  case;  which  was  retained 
until  won  by  some  other  member  at  a  subsequent  contest. 

In  May,  1871,  the  "Blue  Rocks"  dissolved,  leaving  the 
cup  with  its  then  holder,  Austin  Appleyard.  On  June  7, 
1872,  it  was  re-organized  under  its  present  name  at  a  meet- 
ing in  the  "Abbey,"  on  Fulton  St.,  nearly  opposite  Flatbush 
ave.,  with  Austin  Appleyard,  Edward  H.  Madison,  Warren 
Birdseye,  John  H.  Chasmar,  Daniel  McGaw  and  John 
Akhurst  as  its  members.    Its  limit  of  membership  is  ten. 

The  rigid  official  and  individual  discipline  has  been  retained. 
Each  member  contributes  $1.50  monthly  untila  sufficient  sum 
has  been  received  to  provide  the  birds  necessary  for  a  shooting 
contest  and  for  refreshments  upon  the  ground.  About  four 
"  shoots "  are  held  each  year.  All  shooting  is  by  teams  of 
equal  numbers,  one  side  being  captained  by  the  President 
and  the  other  by  the  Vice-President;  the  shooters  being 
selected  by  lot  and  all  being  experts.  Each  contestant  shoots 
at  fifteen  birds.  Sometimes  a  single  trap,  with  use  of  one 
barrel  of  the  gun,  is  provided,  but  usually  the  contest  is  with 
five  traps  and  both  barrels  may  be  used.  The  losing  side 
furnishes  a  supper  for  the  participants  upon  the  close  of  the 
day's  sport.  The  club  gold  badge  is  awarded  to  the  indi- 
vidual making  the  best  score  of  the  day;  but  is  returnable  to 
the  club  at  the  next  contest.  The  conservative  but  social 
character  thus  maintained  has  rendered  membership  so 
desirable  that  vacancies  seldom  occur.  Its  present  Officers 
and  members  are:  Samuel  McGaw,  Pres.;  Reuben  Midmer, 
Vice-Pres.;  John  H.  Chasmar,  See.;  John  Akhurst,  Trcas.; 
William  Baulsir,  James  Smith,  Moses  Chichester,  D.  H. 
Freligh,  George  Jamer,  Austin  Appleyard. 

The  Brooklyn  Gun  Club. — This  voluntary  organization 
dates  from  July  24,  1872,  and  was  re-organized  July  31,  1877. 
As  a  pigeon-shooting  club,  it  has  had  on  its  roster  the 
names  of  many  well-known  citizens  of  the  city  whose  name 
it  bears.  Gradually  its  members  have  deserted  the  ranks  and 
sought  enrollment  in  more  active  bodies.  At  one  time,  some 
years  since,  it  secured  a  victory  over  the  Riverton  Gun  Club, 
then  known  as  the  Social  Gun  and  Rifle  Club  of  Philadelphia. 
Its  policy  has  been  exceedingly  conservative. 

At  its  annual  meeting,  in  January,  1884,  it  was  decided 
that  the  club  should  devote  its  energies  and  funds  to  stock- 
ing with  quail  certain  farms  in  the  vicinity  of  Smithtown, 
Long  Island,  for  the  purpose  of  affording  its  members  facili- 
ties for  field  sports,  and  that  trap  shooting  should  be  aban- 
doned by  it.  Last  year,  the  Club  tried  the  experiment  of 
re-stocking,  with  gratifying  results.  Its  membership  is 
about  25.  Its  Officers  are:  Henry  F.  Aten,  Pres.;  John  L. 
Logan;  Vice-Pres.;  John  E.  McEwen,  See.;  Isaac  C.  Monroe, 
Treas. 

The  Fountain  Gun  Club.— The  Fountain  Gun  Club  has  ap- 
propriately been  styled  the  "  banner  club."  It  was  the 
creation  of  necessity.    Prior  to  1876,  membership  of  gun 


\TIILETIC  CLUBS.  1387 


clubs  was  practically  limited  to  expert  manipulators  of  fowl- 
ing pieces;  and  ti-ap  shooting  was  confined  chiefly  to  sweep- 
stakes or  contests  for  cups,  which  represented  the  aggregate 
amounts  paid  by  tho  contestants  as  entrance  money.  Skillful 
shots  formed  "combinations,"  whereby  they  agreed  to  divide 
winnings  and  share  expenses.  Novices  soon  became  dis- 
couraged. 

In  May,  1870,  a  few  of  these  tyros  met  at  "  Browns,"  on  the 
old  Coney  Island  road,  and  inaugurated  a  shoot  in  an  adjoin- 
ing potato  patch.  The  surroundings  were  "  truly  rooral." 
Refreshments  were  at  hand  on  a  table,  composed  of  a  board 
supported  by  two  barrels.  One  ground  trap  was  provided, 
and  as  each  participant  "toed  the  mark,"  the  others  formed 
a  line  beside  him  and  the  luckless  bird  became  the  target  for 
their  united  efforts.  If  killed,  it  was  scored  to  the  shooter 
who  had  been  called  to  the  front.  Many  "goose  eggs" 
appear  on  these  original  records. 

Soon  those  pastimes  occurred  at  regular  intervals  of  one 
month  and  the  "  lunch  "  gave  way  to  a  regular  dinner  which 
each  member  attended;  and  toasts  and  responses,  having 
special  reference  to  the  incident  of  the  day,  were  intermingled 
with  songs  and  chorus.  Under  such  fostering  influences,  the 
members  became  closely  united,  and  an  esprit  du  corps 
prevailed  to  an  extent  far  greater  than  in  any  of  the  rival 
clubs.  Members  of  the  older  organizations  applied  for  ad- 
mission to  the  young  society;  and,  having  outgrown  its  swad- 
dling clothes,  it  was  incorporated  May  10,  1877.  Its  objects 
are  specified  in  the  articles  of  incorporation  to  be  as  follows  : 
"The  particular  business  and  object  of  such  society  shall  be 
the  enforcement  of  all  laws  and  ordinances  against  killing 
and  sale  of  game  out  of  season;  the  prevention  of  unlawful 
and  inhumane  destruction  of  game;  the  improvement  in  the 
use  of  the  gun  and  the  fostering  of  a  genuine  social  and  sports- 
manlike spirit  among  its  members. 

Commodious  club-rooms  were  secured  at  the  well-known 
hostelry  of  Mr.  Harry  Miller  (more  familiarly  called 
"Harry's"),  Nos.  449  and  451  Flatbush  avenue.  Brooklyn. 
This  is  still  the  head-quarters  of  the  Club,  and  the  judicious 
counsels,  the  deliberations,  and  the  sallies  of  wit  "that 
set  the  table  in  a  roar,"  all  these,  occurring  within  the  walls 
of  the  club-rooms,  would,  if  recorded,  form  a  volume  both 
instructive  and  entertaining. 

From  the  time  of  organization  the  membership  has  steadily 
increased;  and  the  club-rooms  have  been  admirably  fitted  up, 
and  adorned  with  picturesque  scenes,  mounted  game  birds, 
&c,  rendering  them  an  attractive  rendezvous  for  the  sports- 
men. The  apartments  are  four  in  number,  consisting  of  the 
club-room,  committee,  billiard  and  card  rooms. 

In  the  club-room  proper,  numerous  trophies  and  scenes  of 
the  field  greet  the  eye  at  every  turn.  Prominent  among 
these  may  be  mentioned  a  handsomely  mounted  group  of 
game  birds;  a  pair  each  of  California  quail;  ruffed  grouse; 
mallard  ducks;  snow-white  egrets  and  blue  rock  pigeons:  a 
large  fox  in  life-like  posture;  a  handsome  crested  wood  duck, 
and  many  others. 

Numerous  pictures  adorn  the  walls,  notably  a  life-size 
painting  representing  a  bunch  of  pigeons,  presented  by  Mr.  C. 
A.  Lester;  a  fine  painting  of  various  game  birds,  presented 
to  the  club  by  Mr.  F.  C.  Chamberlain:  and  a  large  photo- 
graph of  the  Long  Island  Delegation  to  the  State  Sport  men's 
Association  at  Seneca  Falls,  in  1880. 

Several  neat  silver  trophies  are  also  displayed  in  convenient 
niches.  One  of  these,  a  large  oxydized  trophy,  is  thus  in- 
scribed: "  Shot  for  on  the  grounds  of  the  Long  Branch  Gun 
Club,  Tuesday,  July  5,  1881,  by  teams  of  five  members  each, 
15  birds  per  man  (of  the  Brooklyn  Fountain,  Jersey  City 
Heights,  Long  Branch,  Long  Island  and  Midway  (Jun  Clubs); 


1338 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


won  by  the  Fountain  Gun  Club  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  with 
a  total  score  of  62;  S.  A.  Tucker.  14;  Charles  W.  Wingert,  13; 
M.  V.  Baylis,  12;  E.  H.  Madison,  12;  Dr.  B.  Talbot,  11." 
Another  chaste  silver  trophy,  won  in  competition  with  the 
Coney  Island  Rod  and  Gun  Club,  is  emblematic  of  the  skill 
attained  in  wing  shooting  by  members  of  the  Fountain  Gun 
Club. 

At  the  annual  tournament  of  the  New  York  State  Sports- 
men's Association,  Seneca  Falls,  in  1880,  the  three  principal 
prizes,  viz.,  Dean  Richmond  Cup,  Wadsworth  Cup  and  Dia- 
mond Badge  were  won  by  the  Fountain  Club,  making  "a 
clean  sweep,"  which  is  typified  by  a  handsome  gilt-embossed 
broom,  borne  from  the  scene  of  victory,  and  conspicuously 
placed  on  the  wall  of  the  club-room. 

The  card  and  billiard  rooms  also  contain  several  game 
birds,  mounted  in  artistic  style  by  Mr.  J.  H.  Batty,  the  well- 
known  taxidermist  and  author.  A  number  of  fine  pictures 
of  game  and  fish,  from  the  original  paintings  by  Kilbourn, 
grace  these  rooms. 

These  rooms  have  been  the  resort  of  several  noted  chess 
and  draught  players,  among  whom  may  be  mentioned  Dr. 
Robert  Yates  and  Professor  Perrin;  and  many  of  these  inter- 
esting and  scientific  games  have  attracted  thither  the 
members.  Stereopticon  exhibitions,  lectures  and  musical 
performances,  both  classical  and  popular,  have  also  been 
furnished  freely. 

The  policy  of  the  club  has  led  it  to  investigate  and  (on  ap- 
proval) initiate  reforms  and  changes  in  the  systems  of  trap 
shooting.  It  claims  to  have  introduced  the  prevailing  sys- 
stem  of  handicapping  shooters,  according  to  skill,  in  lieu  of 
the  old  method  of  gauging  the  handicap  by  the  weight  or 
bore  of  the  gun.  No  betting  is  allowed  at  the  contests.  The 
handicap  ranges  from  21  yards  to  30  yards  from  the  trap, 
and  according  to  their  respective  handicaps,  the  meml>ers 
are  classed  as  '•Amateurs,"  "Middle  Class,"  and  "Cham- 
pions." Each  of  these  three  classes  has  its  respective  prizes, 
and  ambition  and  practice  enable  the  "Freshman"  who 
previously  "  never  shot  a  gun"  to  graduate  in  due  time  with 
credit.  It  has  had  but  three  presidents:  James  White,  who, 
in  1878,  was  succeeded  by  Charles  E.  Fiske,  who  in  1879  was 
followed  by  Abel  Crook,  the  present  incumbent.  During 
his  successive  terms  of  office,  through  his  energy,  assisted  by 
the  other  officers  and  members,  the  general  prosperity  of  the 
club  and  its  standard  of  membership  has  steadily  advanced. 
The  membership  is  about  ICO.  The  Officers  and  Trustees 
are:  Abel  Crook,  Pres.;  Frank  C.  Chamberlain,  Vice-Pres.; 
Henry  Thorpe,  Sec.;  Henry  G.  Miller,  Treas.;  Additional 
Trtutees:  Theodore  Linington,  Charles  W.  Wingert,  Nathan- 
iel B.  Cooke,  Oliver  K.  Buckley,  Jr.,  Robert  Wells. 

The  Washington  Gun  Club. — For  the  purpose  of  forming 
a  society  to  represent  the  sportsmen  of  the  Eastern  District 
of  Brooklyn,  a  number  of  zealous  gunners  and  anglers  gath- 
ered in  convention,  May  17,  18H0,  and  organized  this  club, 
with  a  membership  of  30.  The  Officers  were:  Mr.  Henry 
Altenbrand,  Pres.;  Mr.  Charles  Curtis,  Vice-Pres.;  Mr.  E.  C. 
Hawley,  Sec.;  and  Mr.  H.  Hedcman,  Treas. 

The  objects  of  the  club,  as  indicated  by  the  rules  and  by- 
laws, included  the  preservation  of  fish  and  game,  the  promo- 
tion of  sportsmanship  and  the  cultivation  of  good-fellowship 
and  unity  of  action  among  sportsmen. 

The  membership  increased  rapidly,  and  in  little  more  than 
one  year  alioiit  125  were  enrolled,  but  owing  to  lack  of  ac- 
commodations at  the  dub-room  tho  number  gradually  de- 
en-a-eil,  and  now  consists  of  some  seventy  active  members. 

At  the  State  Sportsmen's  Convention  of  1H81,  the  President 
•  •I  the  Washington  Gun  Club  was  one  of  the  prime  movers  in 
favoring  the  came  law  which  had  there  its  inception,  and  a 


strong  delegation  was  sent  to  Albany  in  the  interest  of  the 
enactment.  In  addition  to  the  large  delegation  sent  to  the 
State  Convention  at  Seneca  Falls  in  1880,  and  Coney  Island 
in  1881,  the  Club  was  well  represented  at  Niagara  Falls  last 
June,  and  the  active  interest  manifested  in  behalf  of  the 
State  Sportsmen's  Association  has  been  both  felt  and  appre- 
ciated by  that  organization. 

A  special  feature  of  the  Washington  Gun  Club  has  been  the 
annual  excursion,  for  the  purpose  of  social  intercourse  and 
the  enjoyment  of  such  manly  out-door  sports  as  rowing, 
shooting  and  the  like.  New  Jersey  has  usually  been  the 
chosen  ground  for  these  memorable  events,  in  which  many 
of  the  most  distinguished  gentlemen  of  Brooklyn,  and  not  a 
few  from  Gotham,  have  participated.  This  pleasing  feature, 
which  has  done  much  to  promote  a  fraternal  feeling,  not 
only  among  club  members,  but  their  friends  and  guests,  is  due 
to  a  suggestion  made  by  the  President,  Mr.  Henry  Altenbrand, 
and  by  him  put  into  effect. 

The  club-rooms  are  situated  at  the  corner  of  Division  ave- 
nue and  Sixth  street,  and  are  neatly  furnished.  The  Club 
occupies  the  parlor  floor,  and  numerous  water-color  sketches 
of  game-birds,  dogs,  sporting  scenes,  &c,  are  tastefully  dis- 
played upon  the  walls.  A  fine  upright  piano  and  well-se- 
lected library  of  sporting  works  also  add  to  the  attraction  of 
the  club-rooms. 

A  monthly  shoot  is  held  at  Ridgewood  Park,  and  in  ad- 
dition to  the  usual  Club  badge,  an  amateur  trophy  is  also 
offered  for  the  novices. 

The  present  Officers  and  members  of  the  club  are:  Mr. 
Henry  Altenbrand,  Pres.;  Mr.  Samuel  Guthrie,  Vice-Pn^.: 
Mr.  W.  E.  Trott,  Sec.;  and  H.  Koniahaeus,  Treas.  The 
Trustees  are:  Messrs.  J.  Evans,  J.  Moller,  Jr.,  and  W.  EL 
Weeks. 

Coney  Island  Rod  and  Gun  Club. — This  popular  and  influen- 
tial club  was  organized  Nov.  11, 1880,  at  Van  Sicklen's  Station, 
Long  Island,  with  a  membership  of  twenty-eight  devoted 
gunners  and  anglers.  The  Officers  were:  Wm.  L.  B.  Stears, 
Pres.;  L.  P.  Van  Pelt,  Vice-Pres.;  L.  J.  Fagan,  Treas.;  George 
L.  Ayres,  Rec.  Sec.:  W.  H.  Barber,  Cor.  Sec.  Trustees:  H.  P. 
Bostwick  and  C.  W.  Wingert.  The  objects  of  this  club,  as 
described  in  the  constitution  and  by-laws,  may  be  briefly 
summed  up  in  the  promotion  of  manly  field  sports,  improve- 
ment in  haudling  the  rod,  efficiency  in  the  use  of  the  gun,  and 
protection  of  the  fishing  interests  in  Gravesend  Bay  and  Coney 
Island  Creek.  Prizes  are  given  at  the  close  of  each  fishing 
season  for  the  largest  bass  caught  with  rod  and  line  in  Graves- 
end  Bay. 

The  monthly  shoots  are  held  at  King's  Highway,  the  club 
being  divided  into  three  classes,  A,  B  and  C,  shooting  at  20 
to  27  yards'  rise,  regular  handicap  rides.  Monthly  prizes  are 
awarded,  and  an  elegant  badge  is  given  the  shooter  win- 
ning the  greatest  number  of  times  at  the  traps  during  the 
year. 

The  regular  monthly  meetings  are  held  in  the  club  rooms, 
48Willoughby  street,  Brooklyn,  and  tho  annual  meeting  and 
election  of  officers  occur  in  May  of  each  year.  The  preoati 
Officers  arc:  Mr.  Hugh  McLaughlin,  Pres.;  T.  J.  Fagan, 
\'ice-Pres.;  Ed.  Bushnell,  Treas.;  George  L.  Ayres,  lice.  Sec; 
Robert  Furey,  Cor.  Sec.  Trustees:  H.  Goodwin  and  J.  C.  de 
Fraine. 

The  Audubon  Gun  Club. — In  September,  1SS0,  a  party  of 
young  men  residing  in  the  extreme  portion  of  the  Hasten) 
District,  met  at  the  house  of  one  of  their  number,  and  organ- 
ized the  Audubon  Hod  and  Gun  Club,  in  honor  of  that  emi- 
nent naturalist,  John  .1.  Audubon.  The  name  was  afterwards 
abridged  to  the  Audubon  Gun  Club,  by  which  titlo  it  is  still 
k  nown. 


SPORTING  AND  ATHLETIC  CLUBS. 


1339 


The  Officers  elected  at  that  time  were:  Robert  F.  Sabin, 
Pres.;  Chas.  W.  Field,  Vice-Pres.;  James  Hemming,  Sec;  and 
Frank  X.  Gehrling,  Treas. 

The  members  of  the  club  then  were:  Robert  L.  Sabin,  James 
Hemming,  Chas.  W.  Field,  Frank  X.  Gehrling,  Fred  G  Hem- 
ming, Edward  Blackwell,  Cornelius  Twing,  Samuel  Knight, 
Fred.  J.  Scharfenberg  and  Louis  B.  Field. 

The  club  soon  after  secured  rooms  at  39  Moffat  street, 
Brooklyn,  where  it  still  continues  to  meet.  The  rooms  ai-e 
tastefully  fitted  up  with  sporting  pictures  and  stuffed  birds. 
The  meeting  nights  are  the  first  and  third  Mondays  of  each 
month.  Shoots  take  place  once  a  month,  at  Dexters  Shooting 
Grounds,  Jamaica,  each  member  shooting  at  ten  clay-pigeons. 

The  club  has  had  three  medals,  all  of  which  have  been  won 
by  Mr.  Philip  Post. 

The  following  are  the  present  Officers  and  members: 
Philip  Post,  Pres.;  Louis  B.  Field,  Vice-Pres.;  Joseph  Betz, 
Sec;  Henry  Eger,  Fin.  Sec;  Wm.  J.  Schilling,  Trcas. 

The  members  number  about  twenty  persons.  The  club  has 
recently  donated  $50,  to  be  invested  in  purchasing  a  breech- 
loader shot-gun,  or  anything  that  may  suit  the  winner's  taste. 

The  club  is  steadily  growing  in  influence  and  member- 
ship, and  bids  fair  to  rank  among  the  prominent  gun  clubs 
of  Brooklyn. 

The  Glenmore  Rod  and  Gun  Club  of  Long  Island,  was 
organized  June  24,  1881,  the  primary  objects  of  the  society 
being  to  improve  its  members  in  the  art  of  wing  shooting 
and  the  handling  of  the  rod,  as  also  to  enforce  the  game  and 
fish  laws  of  New  York,  especially  in  the  localities  most  fre- 
quented by  club  members.  Articles  of  incorporation  were  duly 
filed  with  the  Secretary  of  State,  and  soon  after  its  organiza- 
tion the  club  joined  the  Long  Island  Sportsmen's  Association. 

At  the  corner  of  Vermont  ave.  and  Broadway,  East  New 
York,  the  club  has  ample  quarters  in  the  shape  of  large  and 
neatly  arranged  club-rooms,  the  walls  being  adorned  with 
pictures  of  shooting  scenes,  etc.  The  grounds  on  which  the 
monthly  shoots  take  place  are  also  well  kept  and  conveniently 
arranged.    The  club  has  a  membership  of  about  30. 

The  original  Officers,  who  still  hold  their  respective  posi- 
tions, are  as  follows:  Bernard  Midas,  Pres.;  William  Wright, 
Vice-Pres.;  H.  J.  Cookman,  Fin.  Sec;  J.  K.  Powell,  Rec  Sec; 
Samuel  A.  Livingston,  Treas.,  and  Joseph  Ochs,  Steward. 
Executive  Committee:  Messrs.  Peter  Sutton,  George  Forbell, 
J.  P.  Friedmann,  S.  G.  Conover  and  H.  H.  Adams. 

The  Robin's  Island  Club.— This  organization  of  Brooklyn 
gentlemen  own  a  game  preserve  of  500  acres  in  Peconic  Bay, 
which  they  have  stocked  with  quail.  Wm.  B.  Kendall,  Pres. 
Directors:  W.  B.  Dickerman,  Alden  S.  Swan,  S.  Fleet  Speir, 
H.  J.  Cullen,  Jr.,  H.  D.  Polhemus,  A.  T.  Plummer.  Auditing 
Com.:  Wm.  H.  Force,  Wm.  Hester. 

Long  Island  Forester  Club  was  organized  August,  1878. 
Its  object  is  to  aid  in  the  preservation  of  fish  and  game,  as 
well  as  to  enjoy  privileges  of  conference  and  social  intercourse 
among  sportsmen.  The  first  Officers  were:  W.  W.  Walsh, 
Pres.;  C.  W.  Field,  Vice-Pres.;  R.  F.  Sabin,  Sec.;  Henry 
Thorpe,  Treas.  The  present  membership  is  23.  Officers: 
Henry  Thorpe,  Charles  M.  Edwards,  Thad.  C.  Banks  and 
Wilbur  F.  Hawks.  This  club  was  elected  to  membership  in 
the  Long  Island  Sportsmen's  Association  and  The  New  York 
State  Sportsmen's  Association,  in  1880,  and  occupy  rooms  at 
Cleaver's  Old  Stag's  Head  Inn,  on  Putnam  ave.,  corner  of 
Downing  st.   Meetings  on  the  second  Tuesday  of  each  month. 


YACHTING  CLUBS. 
The  Williamsburg  Yacht  Club.   This  organization  was 
suggested  during  the  winter  of  1869-'70,  in  the  Boatmen's 


Head-quarters,  at  the  old  Penny  Bridge,  where  a  number  of 
yachts  were  laid  up  for  the  season. 

The  club  was  incorporated  in  1870.  The  first  Commodore 
was  Fred.  M.  W.  Meyrichs:  the  first  boats,  the  Bertha,  Poca- 
hontas, Ltirlinc,  Kate  Bulger,  Eveline,  Allen,  Velocipede, 
Excelsior  and  Jeannette.  The  club-house  which  they  now 
occupy,  at  the  foot  of  Dupont  St.,  Greenpoint,  is  of  generous 
proportions,  is  well  kept,  and  combines  all  necessary  con- 
veniences. 

East  River  Yacht  Club  was  organized  at  Greenpoint,  Jan. 
19,  1880,  and  is  incorporated  under  New  York  State  laws,  and 
chartered  in  March,  1882.  This  club  is  thoroughly  social  and 
entirely  devoted  to  yachts  and  yachting.  The  first  Officers 
were:  Wm.  Sware,  Commodore;  M.  J.  Charde,  Viee-Comm.; 
Jno.  B.  Gerard,  Sec;  Edw.  Grissim,  Treas.  The  present 
membership  is  80,  headed  by  the  following  officers,  in  above 
order:  J.  F.  Sullivan,  Jas.  Schusselle,  Harvey  T.  Lewis,  Edw. 
Grissim.  The  club  built,  in  1882,  a  floating  boat-house,  off 
Pottery  Beach,  Franklin  st.,  Greenpoint,  for  the  better 
accommodation  of  the  members,  whose  number  was  rapidly 
increasing.  In  1880,  11  yachts  carried  the  club  signal.  22 
boats  are  in  the  Meet  at  present. 

Brooklyn  Yacht  Club  was  organized  in  the  Wheeler  Build- 
ing, No.  428  Fulton  street,  in  1857,  and  was  incorporated 
with  20  members  in  1864.  The  first  Officers  were:  Henry  W. 
Turner,  Pres.;  W.  R.  Wadsworth,  Sec;  Henry  S.  Wood, 
Trcas.  The  first  Commodore  was  Elias  Pitcher,  Esq.,  closely 
identified  with  the  early  history  of  small  boats  in  South 
Brooklyn.  After  Commodore  Pitcher,  the  honor  has  succes- 
sively fallen  upon  Gilbert  L.  Haight,  John  Jones,  R.  M. 
Whiting,  Geo.  W.  Kidd,  Jacob  Voorhis,  Jr.,  John  S.  Dicker- 
son  and  Lester  Wallack.  The  club-house  of  this  organiza- 
tion was,  uutil  1S79,  at  the  foot  of  Court  street,  when  the 
club  sold  out  their  property  and  suspended  sine  die.  The 
withdrawal  of  this  club  from  yachting  circles  has  excited  but 
little  comment,  owing  to  the  fact  that  dissolution  has  been 
pending  for  some  time.  The  social  as  well  as  financial  tone 
of  the  club  became  impaired  years  ago,  when  a  number  of 
the  more  prominent  members,  because  of  lack  of  discipline 
among  them,  saw  fit  to  withdraw  themselves  from  the  Mother 
Club  and  found  the  Atlantic  Yacht  Club. 

The  Atlantic  Yacht  Club  was  organized  in  Lennox's  Hotel, 
at  the  foot  of  Court  street,  in  August,  18G6.  This  club  was 
instituted  "  to  protect  the  rights  of  the  owners  of  small  boats 
and  the  more  retiring  members;"  it  was  originally  composed 
of  gentlemen  from  the  Brooklyn  Yacht  Club.  The  Atlantic 
Yacht  Club  is  to-day  the  representative  boating  organiza- 
tion in  the  country;  its  object  rather  to  cultivate  men  than 
money;  it  has  founded  the  Atlantic  Harbor  Company, 
Limited,  and  has  caused  to  be  built  out  into  the  Bay  a  hol- 
low square  of  docks,  sufficiently  large  to  secure  a  sheltered 
anchorage  for  the  club's  fleet  of  76  yachts.  The  club  house 
is  one  of  the  old  Bergen  homesteads,  remodelled  to  suit  the 
requirements  of  modern  yachtsmen;  it  stands  at  the  foot  of 
55th  street,  on  the  bluff  overlooking  the  bay,  surrounded  by 
well  kept  lawns  and  flower  beds;  during  the  yachting  season 
the  rising  and  setting  of  the  sun  is  acknowledged  by  the 
howitzer,  which  occupies  a  conspicuous  place  in  the  fore- 
ground, and  responded  to  by  the  club  signal,  according  to  the 
nautical  code,  by  which  this  club  is  governed.  Officers  for 
1884:  H.  H.  Hogins,  Commodore;  Geo.  B.  Moffat,  Vice-Pres.; 
H.  C.  Wintringham,  Rear  Commodore;  F.  C.  Swan,  Bee.  Sec; 
J.  L.  Marcellus,  Cor.  Sec;  Richard  C.  Field,  Treas. 

The  Long  Island  Yacht  Club  was  organized  in  1872, 
chiefly  through  the  efforts  of  Frank  P.  Bates,  a  well-known 
boat  builder,  whose  yard  is  at  the  foot  of  37th  street,  South 
Brooklyn,  where  the  club  is  located.    The  first  Officers 


1340 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


were:  Jamee  .Sweeney,  Commodore;  Geo.  Farley,  Vice-Coin.; 
A.  P.  Boliver,  Pres.;  Frank  P.  Bates,  Treas.,  and  John  G. 
White,  .Sec.  The  membership  of  this  club  at  present  is  about 
GO;  the  number  of  yachts  in  the  fleet,  30. 


BOAT  CLUBS. 

The  Pioneer  Boat  Club  was  organized  March  17,  1869,  by 
R.  S.  Bowden,  C.  Golling,  J.  M.  Leach,  J.  A.  Williams  and 
W.  C.  Bush.  One  year  later,  others  were  admitted,  and  an 
unpretentious  boat-house  was  built.  The  organization  grew 
rapidly,  and  in  1S75  was  incorporated.  During  the  same  year, 
a  more  commodious  club-house  was  built  at  Bay  Ridge. 
This  club  has  50  active  members,  50  honorary  members  and 
nearly  50  boats. 

The  Columbia  Boat  Club  was  organized  May  29,  1872,  with 
9  members  on  the  roll,  which  number  was  augmented  shortly 
to  23.  A  floating  boat  was  built  and  anchored  off  the  foot  of 
Court  st.,  where  it  remained  until  1878,  when  an  elegant 
house  was  erected  at  the  foot  of  49th  st.,  with  accommoda- 
tions for  60  members.  This  club  is  not  a  racing  club; 
although  its  reputation  for  fast  rowing  was  well  earned, 
when,  in  1S79,  it  won  the  prize  in  the  National  Amateur 
Association's  Regatta. 

The  Varuna  Boat  Club  is  an  association  of  amateur  oars- 
men who  organized  under  the  above  name,  in  1S75.  The  club 
at  present  number  fifty  active  members,  own  twenty-five 
boats,  and  a  commodious  house  at  the  foot  of  59th  street, 
furnished  with  all  improvements,  including  billiard  and 
pool  tables,  gymnasium,  rowing  apparatus,  etc.  Present 
Officers  are:  J.  G.  Tighe,  Pres.;  A.  Walton,  Vice-Prcs.;  J.  W. 
Reid,  Treas.;  W.  L.  Byrne,  See.  The  Varuna  is  a  thoroughly 
social  organization;  their  entertainments  are  largely  attended 
and  are  considered  events  in  boating  circles. 

The  Seawanhaka  Boat  Club  was  organized  in  April, 
1874,  by  several  prominent  gentlemen  in  the  Eastern  Dis- 
trict. The  club-house,  a  building  30x75  feet,  is  built  on  a 
large  scow,  is  two  stories  high,  and  furnished  with  number- 
less conveniences  and  luxuries;  and,  although  situated  in 
Newtown  Creek,  is  largely  composed  of  Eastern  District  mem- 
bers. The  club  has  rowed  in  many  regattas,  always  holding 
an  honorable  place.  Additions  are  being  made  constantly  to 
the  fleet,  which  now  numbers  twenty-five  boats.  The  club 
meml>ership  is  170  at  present. 

The  Nereid  Boat  Club  was  organized  in  1867  by  T.  B. 
Atkins,  Pres.;  A.  Vanderbilt,  Capt.;  A.  C.  Kyte,  See.;  F. 
II  Wheeler,  C.  C.  Brown,  G.  Kyte,  and  G.  G.  Knaebel.  At 
the  foot  of  Smith  st.  the  first  boat-house  of  the  club  was  lo- 
cated, in  1869 ;  a  disabled  canal  boat  was  bought,  fitted  up 
and  used  for  club  purposes  for  a  year,  when  it  was  demol- 
ished by  collision  with  a  schooner.  In  1870,  the  club  was  in- 
corporated, its  membership  increased  to  fifty,  and  a  club- 
house built  at  the  foot  of  Gowanus  creek.  Three  years 
later,  the  house  was  rebuilt  and  considerably  enlarged  ;  and 
again,  in  1876,  improvements  were  added.  This  location 
was,  in  some  respects,  undesirable,  in  view  of  which  fact  the 
club,  in  18H0,  secured  ground  at  Shcepshead  bay,  near  the 
Oriental  Hotel,  where  a  boat  house  was  built  at  a  cost  of 
$18,000.  The  boats  used  by  this  club,  fifty  in  number,  are 
made  of  paper;  the  aggregate  value  of  the  fleet  is  $H,0(>0. 
The  present  memliership,  200. 

The  Alcyone  Boat  Club  is  the  oldest  association  of  its 
kind  in  Kings  county,  having  been  organized  in  1S54,  by  W. 
II  IVebe,  W.  B.  Tupper,  M.  Bridgman,  and  five  other  gen- 
tlemen.  The  club  then  owned  but  one  barge.  In  1857,  a 
Miiall  lioiit-housc  was  built  at  the  foot  of  Court  St.,  which 
the  club  oerupifd  for  tbirlecn  years,  when  an  active  mem- 


bership of  fifty  necessitated  the  addition  of  a  second  story 
to  the  house.  Ten  years  later,  a  handsome  club-house  was 
erected  at  Bay  Ridge,  which  the  seventy-five  active  and 
fifty  honorary  members  occupy  at  the  present  time.  Thirty- 
five  boats  are  owned  by  this  club ;  two  regattas  are  rowed 
annually;  and,  since  its  organization,  thirty  years  ago,  its 
object,  the  combination  of  physical  culture  and  development 
with  social  enjoyment,  has  been  secured. 

The  Long  Island  Life  Saving  Association  was  organized 
March  13,  1879,  for  the  purpose  of  encouraging  meritorious 
conduct  in  the  saving  of  life,  to  grant  rewards,  donations, 
and  premiums  in  money  and  medals,  and  to  perform  any 
similar  service  of  benevolence  and  charity.  The  Managers 
are  :  G.  B.  McGrath,  (J.  L.  Fox.  Jas.  C.  Eadie,  Rev.  M.  May- 
nard,  A.  Hencken,  Rev.  J.  Hyatt  Smith,  A.  C.  Hockemeyer, 
W.  E.  Horwill,  and  James  Rodwell.  This  association  has 
thus  far  presented  18  gold  or  silver  medals  in  recognition  of 
bravery.  The  head-quarters  are  at  45  Broadway,  Brooklyn, 
E.  D.  The  original  Board  of  Officers  have  been  continued 
to  the  present  time:  (Jeo.  B.  McGrath,  Pres.;  G.  L.  Fox,  Viee- 
Pres.;  Jas.  C.  Eadie,  Treas  ,  and  A.  C.  Hockemeyer,  See. 


BICYCLING  CLUBS. 

The  Kings  County  Wheelmen. — This  club  was  organized 
at  the  residence  of  Geo.  T.  Brown,  144  Wilson  St..  Brooklyn, 
E.  D  ,  on  March  17,  1881.  Its  object  is  to  further  the  interests 
of  Bicycling  and  Tricycling,  and  to  protect  the  rights  of 
wheelmen.  The  original  membership  was  six  :  the  present 
number,  40  active,  16  veteran,  and  10  honorary.  Officers  : 
R.  F.  Hibson,  Pres.;  A.  C.  D.  Loucks,  See.;  J.  M.  Sorzano, 
Treas.  This  club  is  recognized  throughout  the  country  as 
one  of  the  most  enterprising  of  the  fraternity.  Three  race 
meetings  are  given  annually,  which,  together  with  the 
yearly  Ball  and  Reception,  held  at  the  Brooklyn  Bicycle 
Company's  rooms,  at  161  and  163  Clymer  st. ,  entitle  this  or- 
ganization to  the  social  prominence  which  it  has  secured. 

The  Heights  Wheelmen  of  Brooklyn  was  organized  April 
18,  1883,  by  eight  amateur  bicyclists.  The  first  OFFIGBBB 
were  :  E.  J.  Milhau,  Pres.;  F.  E.  Dunnell,  See.  and  Treas.; 
J.  C.  King,  Capt.  The  present  membership  is  24,  officered 
by  E.  J.  Milhau,  Pres.;  F.  L.  Dunnell,  Sec.;  Jacob  W.  Dun- 
nell, Treas.,  and  T.  G.  Condon,  Capt.  The  club-rooms,  which 
are  in  the  Hamilton  Building,  are  handsomely  fitted  up  to  meet 
the  requirements  of  the  members  of  this  growing  organiza- 
tion, which  stands  to-day  second  to  none  of  its  kind. 


ATHLETIC  CLUBS. 

Turn  Vereins  von  Brooklyn,  E.  D.,  was  organized  in  1853. 
at  68  Meserole  st.,  with  about  20  members.  The  first  Offi- 
cers were:  Henry  Ganns,  Pres.;  Adolph  Stehlin,  Trias.; 
Herman  Law,  See.  The  object  of  this  organization,  which 
numbers  at  present  nearly  200,  is  physical  development. 
Officers  are  :  Robt.  Sneider,  Pres.;  Louis  Kroder,  Viet- 
Pres.;  Win.  Baum,  Sec,  and  F.  Walters,  Treas.  The  society 
still  occupy  the  original  quarters,  which  have  been  largely 
improved  lately,  and  now  ofTer  exceptional  accommodations 
for  physical  training  and  development. 

Williamsburgh  Athletic  Club,  organized  Jan.  21st,  1879; 
incorporated  Nov.  17th,  1S79.  The  business  and  object  of 
this  club  is  the  establishment  and  maintenance  of  athletic 
grounds,  and  of  a  gymnasium;  the  general  conduct  of  athletic 
games,  sports  anil  exercises;  and  in  every  lawful  and  proper 
way  to  Improve  and  develop  the  social,  physical  and  moral 
condition  of  its  members.  The  membership  is  limited  to 
male  persons,  who  shall  be  amateurs,  at  least  sixteen  years 
old  at  the  time  of  their  election  to  membership. 


I  TBLETIO  CLUBS. 


1341 


"  An  amateur  is  any  person  who  lias  never  competed  in  an 
open  competition,  or  for  a  stake,  or  for  public  money,  or  for 
gate  money,  or  under  a  false  name;  or  with  a  professional 
for  a  prize,  or  where  gate  money  is  charged;  nor  has  ever,  at 
any  period  of  his  life,  taught  or  pursued  athletic  exercises  as 
a  means  of  livelihood." 

The  club  has  occupied  grounds  on  Penn  St.,  near  Wythe 
ave.,  but,  in  the  spring  of  1884,  an  extensive  enclosure,  be- 
tween DeKalb  and  Classon  aves.  and  Graham  st. ,  was  fitted 
up  with  a  Club  House,  gymnasium  and  track,  and  formally 
opened  on  Decoration  Day.  Officers,  1884  :  Gilbert  H. 
Badeau,  Pres.;  Frank  M.  Price.  Vice-Pres.;  Walter  G.  Hege- 
man,  Sec;  Jos.  G.  Liddle,  Treas.;  George  R.  Smith,  Capt.; 
Ed.  Brown,  Jr.,  First  Lieut.;  Samuel  L.  Sweezy,  Second 
Lieut.  Board  of  Trustees  :  Gilbert  H.  Badeau,  Frank  M. 
Price,  Walter  Hegeman,  Jos.  G.  Liddle,  George  R.  Smith, 
Wm.  C.  Bryant,  William  Gaetz,  E.  P.  Murray,  D.  C.  Morrell, 
W.  T.  Pelletier,  B.  H.  Tobey,  B.  W.  Wilson,  Jr.  Club  House, 
Gymnasium,  Track  and  Grounds,  DeKalb  ave. ,  Classon  ave. 
and  Graham  sts.,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 


BASE  BALL  ASSOCIATIONS. 

During  the  period  from  the  year  1850  to  the  break- 
ing out  of  the  War  of  the  Rebellion,  out-door  sports 
and  athletic  games  had  in  this  country  a  wonderful  re- 
vival and  development.  Ball-playing,  boat-racing  and 
horse-trotting  were  the  more  prominent  forms  assumed 
by  this  growing  desire  for  trained  and  skilled  competi- 
tion in  open-air  exercise.  Base  ball  was  the  favorite, 
rapidly  taking  the  lead  after  the  modern  regulations 
were  adopted.  Pitching  originated  in  1852.,  The  first 
swift  pitcher  was  Crayton  of  the  Excelsiors,  in  1859. 
Just  where  the  old-fashioned  game. of  base  ball  origin- 
ated it  is  difficult  to  tell.  The  oldest  club  in  the 
United  States  is  the  Knickerbocker,  of  New  York, 
which  was  organized  about  fifty  years  ago,  and  has 
kept  up  a  series  of  annual  games  ever  since.  The  next 
clubs,  in  date  of  organization,  were  the  Empire, 
Gothams  and  Eagles  of  New  York,  and  the  Atlantics, 
Excelsiors,  Putnams,  Continentals,  Eckfords  and  Stars 
of  Brooklyn.  It  was  not  long  before  every  city,  vil- 
lage, college,  and  almost  every  school  district  had  one 
or  more  base  ball  clubs. 

The  benefits  derived,  especially  by  the  sedentary 
classes,  from  this  special  training  in  severe  and  contin- 
ued physical  exercise,  are,  and  were,  undoubtedly,  of 
high  value  to  the  general  health.  Competent  observers 
have  attributed  much  of  the  extraordinary  average  of 
endurance  and  good  health  of  our  young  men  as  sol- 
diers, through  the  fatigues  and  hardships  of  the  late 
Avar,  to  the  excellent  preparation  they  received  while 
active  members  of  gymnasiums,  base  ball  and  rowing 
clubs. 

Base  ball  clubs  were  organized  as  follows  : 
Knickerbocker,  (N.  Y.),  organized  Septembers,  1845. 
Gotham  (N.  Y.),  organized  1852. 
Eagle  (N.  Y.),  organized  April,  1852. 
Empires  (N.  Y.),  organized  October  12,  1854. 
Excelsior  (Brooklyn),  organized  December  8,  1854. 
Newark  (N.  J.),  organized  May  1,  1855. 
Eckford  (Brooklyn),  organized  June  27,  1855. 


Union  (N.  Y.),  organized  July  17,  1855. 

Atlantic  (Brooklyn),  organized  April  14,  1855. 

Star  (Brooklyn),  organized  October  18,  1856. 

Mutual  (N.  Y.),  organized  June  24.  1857. 

Hudson  River  (N.  Y.),  organized  May  1,  1859. 

Eureka  (N.  J.),  organized  January  3,  1860. 

Athletic  (Phila.),  organized  April  7,  1860. 

New  York  (N.  Y.),  organized  November  2,  1860. 

The  first  convention  of  base  ball  players  was  held  in  New 
York  city  in  May,  1857.  The  following  clubs  were  represented, 
each  by  three  delegates :  Knickerbocker,  Gotham,  Eagle, 
Empire,  Putnam,  Baltic,  Excelsior,  Atlantic,  Harmony,  Har- 
lem, Eckford,  Bedford,  Nassau,  Continental,  Union,  Olympic. 

The  second  convention  was  held  10th  March,  1858.  At  the 
ninth  convention,  held  at  Clinton  Hall,  Astor  Place,  New 
York,  December  14,  1864,  the  "fly"  game  was  adopted  by  a 
vote  of  thirty-two  to  nineteen. 

Atlantics* — Up  to  1N57,  the  old  game  called  "twenty-one 
up,"  was  played;  "  twenty-one  up  "  meaning  that  the  club 
first  securing  twenty -one  runs  after  even  innings  was  winner. 
In  the  winter  of  1857  the  present  nine-inning  rule  was 
adopted. 

The  Atlantic  Club  was  practically  the  club  to  first  popu- 
larize base  ball  in  America.  Among  its  original  members 
were  Caleb  Sniffen.  3d  B.;  Thomas  Powers,  1st  B.;  —  Whit- 
son,  C. ;  Isaac  Loper,  C.  F. ;  Wm.  Bahcock,  P.;  Tice  Hamil- 
ton, 2d  B.;  Wm.  Bliss,  L.  F.\  John  Holder,  C.  F.;  A.  Gilder- 
sleeve,  K.  F.  Its  games  were  many  and  its  ratio  of  success 
very  high.  They  own  a  case  containing  two  hundred  and 
twenty-two  balls,  trophies  of  part  of  their  victories. 

Over  half  of  the  original  members  (then  numbering  fifty) 
are  now  dead. 

The  struggles  of  the  old  Atlantic  Club  with  such  rivals  as 
the  Empires,  Mutuals,  Excelsiors  and  Gothams  are  yet  a 
pleasant  reminiscence  of  the  old  base-ballites. 

In  1868  the  Atlantics  practically  ceased  playing,  although 
the  organization  as  a  club  has  never  been  disbanded,  and 
their  yearly  meetings  are  attended  by  all  the  old  members 
yet  living. 

The  Atlantic  Club  used  to  play  in  the  old  lots  on  York 
street,  where  the  station  house  now  stands. 

Introduction  of  the  game  in  California. — In  1^58,  Wm. 
Babcock,  of  Brooklyn,  went  to  California.  With  him  he  had 
two  balls,  and  a  copy  of  the  by-laws.  He  took  these  to  the 
editor  of  the  California  Clipper,  explaining  the  game  to  him, 
and  in  October  of  that  year  the  first  game  of  base  ball 
on  the  Pacific  coast  was  played  at  San  Francisco.  Each 
side  played  two  men  short,  the  players  being:  H.  Henry,  C; 
J.  G.  Clauson,  1st  B.\  S.  J  .Clair,  C.  F.:  Mr.  Saunders,  3d 
B.\  Mr.  Williams,  id  B.  \  Mr.  Gibard,  -id  B. :  John  Foote,  P.; 
vs.  Wm.  Babcock,  C. ;  John  Baulsir,  1st  B.;  H.  Cossius,  2d 
B. ;  Nimrod  Baulsir,  .Id  B.  \  Mr.  Pettit,  C.  F.  \  Robert 
Brower,  R.  F.;  A.  G.  Babcock,  P.  Owing  to  darkness,  but 
five  innings  were  played,  the  first  club  winning  by  a  score  of 
19  to  18. 

Recent  History.— The  American  Association  of  base  ball 
clubs  is  composed  of  the  following:  Toledo,  Washington, 
Baltimore,  Athletic  (Phila.),  Brooklyn,  Louisville,  St.  Louis, 
Cincinnati,  Indianapolis,  Metropolitan  (N.  Y.),  Allegany 
(Pa.),  Columbus  (Ohio). 

Ten  games  are  played  by  each  club,  making  one  hundred 
and  twenty  the  total  number  of  championship  games. 

The  League  Clubs  are  as  follows:  Buffalo,  Chicago,  Phila- 
delphia, Boston,  New  York,  Providence,  Detroit,  Clevelaud: 
fourteen  games  played  by  each  club. 

All  championship  games  commence  the  first  of  May. 

*  Facts  furnished  by  Win.  Babcock. 


1342 


UIS  TOE  Y  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


In  1*83.  the  Brooklyn  Amateur  B.  B.  Association  was 

organized,  six  clubs  beins;  members.  Each  member  pays 
an  initiation  fee,  and  is  subject  to  an  assessment  for  ex- 
penses. The  names  of  the  clubs  are  as  follows:  Prospects 
(won  the  championship  iu  1883),  Resohites,  La  Fayette,  Ver- 
non, Ivanhoe,  Atlas.  They  play  schedule  games  for  the 
championship  of  Kings  Co.,  the  prize  being  a  silver  ball; 
games  are  played  on  Saturday  of  each  week.  The  grounds 
are  on  Prospect  Park.  Tbe  Officers  of  the  Association  are: 
Edward  Cook,  Pres.;  N.  A.  Tapscott,  Sec.;  Edw.  Brand, 
Treat.  The  yearly  outlay  will  not  exceed  *1,500. 

The  clubs  not  named  in  the  preceding  pages,  now  in  exis- 
tence, are  the  Dauntless,  Commercials  and  Waverly.  These 
clubs  have  no  chartered  existence. 

Brooklyn  Base  Ball  Association  was  started  in  Feb.,  1883, 
to  supply  a  long-felt  want  of  the  city.    The  association  was 


started  by  Messrs.  F.  A.  Abell,  Joseph  J.  Doyle,  C.  H.  Byrne, 
and  Geo.  J.  Taylor,  who  expended  $30,000  in  fitting  up  the 
grounds,  which  are  acknowledged  to  be  the  finest  in  the  coun- 
try. They  leased  the  Litchfield  property,  between  4th  and 
5th  aves.  and  3d  and  5th  sts.,  celebrated  in  history  as  the 
scene  of  the  battle  of  Long  Island,  and  having  in  the  north-east 
corner  the  old  Dutch  farm  house,  known  as  the  "  Vechte- 
Cortelyou "  House.  The  Officers  of  the  club  are:  C.  H. 
Byrne,  Pres.  and  Trcas.;  Geo.  J.  Taylor,  Sea.  and  Manager; 
F.  A.  Abell  and  Joseph  T.  Doyle,  Directors.  The  club 
is  a  member  of  one  of  the  leading  associations  of  the 
country— the  American  Association — and  will  compete  with 
the  other  clubs  of  that  association  for  its  championship 
honors  and  also  with  the  National  League  clubs.  The  club  is 
incorporated  under  the  laws  of  the  State  of  New  York.  In 
1883  it  won  the  Inter-State  Association  championship. 


JOHN   A.  VOORHEES. 


Mil.  John  A.  Vooriiees.  —One  of  the  oldest  and  best 
preserved  men,  in  mind  and  in  body,  in  the  town  of  Flat- 
lands,  is  John  A.  Vooriiees.  The  writer  of  this  ap- 
plied to  Garret  Bergen,  another  old  and  exceedingly 
well  posted  townsman,  for  information  concerning  early 
settlers  and  their  families.  In  the  course  of  the  conver- 
sation he  said:  "  Have  you  seen  John  A.  Vooriiees.  lie 
has  always  been  an  active,  observing  man,  intimately 
familiar  with  the  people  and  events  of  his  times,  and  he 
has  an  exact  memory  of  everything  he  has  ever  known." 
A  visit  to  the  old  Vooriiees  homestead,  gave  evidence 
to  the  correctness  of  this  estimate.  The  door  bell  was 
answered  by  a  thin  spare  man,  apparently  about 
seventy-five  years  of  age,  a  little  lame  in  one  leg,  but 
moving  with  a  noticeable  quickness  and  ease.  His  gray 
eyes  were  clear,  and  his  rather  sharp  features  which 
wore  an  inviting  animation,  belonged  to  an  clastic  frame, 
a  little  under  the  average  size.  His  face  beamed  with 
intellect  and  that  brightness  that  denotes  in  an  elderly 
countenance  an  active,  well-spent  life.  With  great 
readiness  he  furnished  the  following  leading  occurrences 
of  his  history.  lie  was  born  in  the  house  in  which  we 
were  sitting  in  the  year  1708,  September  27th;  one  of 
the  few  living  men  in  Kings  county,  who  were  born  in 
the  l*th  century.  His  father's  name  was  Abraham,  and 
he  was  born  July  3,  1703.  His  grandfather  was  also 
named  Abraham,  born  June  8,  1  725,  died  Nov.  10, 1807, 
aged  years,  0  months.  I  lis  great-grandfather  was 
John  Lucas,  and  his  great-great-grandfather,  was  Lucas 
Stephenson  Vuurhees.  His  brot hers  and  sinters  were: 
Abraham,  bom  October  14,  1790,  died  when  I  months 
old;  Abraham,  born  November  15,  1  7!»l',  died  Decem- 
ber _'">,  1*33;  he  was  a  fur  merchant  in  New  York, 
and  spent  several  years  in  the  fur  west,  buying  furs  for 


John  Jacob  Astor;  Adriana,  born  Jane  27,  1803;  Peter, 
born  June  14,  1800,  farmer.  John  A.  enjoyed  the  ad- 
vantages of  the  average  farmer's  son,  who  minds  the 
cows  and  horses,  milks,  does  chores,  light  farm  work, 
and  attends  the  common  school.  At  the  age  of  14, 
he  went  as  clerk  in  the  country  store  of  his  uncle 
John  Lott,  Jr.,  at  Flatbush.  Here  he  staid  five  years; 
then  in  1817  went  to  New  York  for  six  months.  At 
this  juncture,  his  uncle  Lott  failed  in  trade,  and  his 
father  bought  the  stock,  and  put  his  son  back  as  sole 
manager  of  the  business  he  had  thoroughly  learned 
as  clerk.  This  arrangement  took  effect  December  10, 
1817,  and  lasted  8  years.  In  the  meantime  he  had 
taken  a  wife,  Phebe,  daughter  of  Jacoba  and  Johanna 
Rider,  the  event  being -celebrated  February  11,  ISl':s. 
In  1825,  he  quit  the  store  and  they  went  to  New 
York,  where  they  kept  a  victualing  and  lodging  house, 
including  a  bar  with  liquors;  first,  a  year  at  Dry 
Dock,  and  then  at  82  West  street,  till  1833.  During 
this  period  his  father  had  died  in  1826,  and  his  mother, 
'  in  1831.  The  old  farm  possessed  attractions  that  drew 
him  at  this  period  back  to  it  at  the  age  of  35.  He 
had  successfully  completed  several  terms,  and  won 
several  prizes,  in  the  sharp  competitions  of  the  tierce 
school  of  life,  for  which  all  other  schools  and  univer- 
sities are  but  the  preparation. 

Between  that  day  and  this,  the  most  important  half 
century  the  world  every  saw  has  rolled  its  great  events 
into  the  history  of  the  ages,  during  all  of  which  John 
A.  Vooriiees  has  stuck  to  the  quiet  home  of  his  fore- 
fathers. But  his  fellow  men  have,  through  all  these 
years,  been  making  demands  on  his  time  and  services. 
In  1828  be  was  appointed  Captain  in  the  New  York 
State  Militia,  receiving  his  commission  from  Governor 


BIOGRAPHIES. 


1343 


Joseph  C.  Yates.  This  he  held  four  years.  He  was 
elected  Coroner  next  year,  after  the  Constitutional 
Convention  of  1821,  the  only  citizen  of  Flatlands  who 
has  ever  held  this  office.  After  serving  in  the  various 
positions  of  Road  Commissioner,  Assessor  and  School 
Trustee,  he  was,  in  1844,  elected  Supervisor  of  his 
town,  and  annually  thereafter  for  nine  consecutive 
terms.  In  1845  he  was  elected  to  the  State  Assembly, 
taking  his  seat  in  1846,  when  that  magnificent  pillar  of 
the  Democratic  party,  Silas  Wright,  was  Governor. 
This  was  the  last  year  in  which  Kings  county  was  rep- 
resented in  the  State  Assembly  by  but  two  members. 
These  were  primitive  days  in  modes  of  conveyance. 
Winter  had  come,  the  boats  on  the  Hudson  had  stopped 
running,  and  there  were  no  railroads  along  its  banks, 
nor  free  passes  by  any  route.  Mr.  Voorhees  had  to 
take  the  Sound  boat  to  Bridgeport,  Conn.,  and  the 
Housatonic  Railroad  from  there  to  Albany.  The  pay 
was  the  old  rate  of  three  dollars  per  day,  and  a  traveling 
fee  of  ten  cents  per  mile  for  one  trip  each  session.  But 
board  was  in  proportion  to  even  this  small  compensa 


tion.  The  member  from  Kings  county  says  he  had 
good  accommodations  for  a  dollar  a  day.  In  1857,  he 
was  again  elected  to  the  same  office,  serving  in  1858. 
The  last  Census  had  entitled  Kings  county  to  seven 
members,  and  railroads  and  free  passes  were  in  full 
blast.  Mr.  Voorhees  has  always  been  an  unswervirg 
Democrat  of  the  true  Jeffersonian  type.  For  nineteen 
years  he  has  taken  the  daily  Nero  York  World.  In 
1834  he  joined  the  Reformed  Church,  in  which  he  has 
served  repeatedly  as  deacon  and  elder,  and  as  treasurer 
forty  consecutive  years,  from  1838  to  1878,  when  he 
resigned. 

The  children  of  John  and  Phebe  Voorhees  have  been: 
James,  born  July  2,  1824;  died  May  14,  1863.  Abra- 
ham, born  May  30,  1826;  died  when  one  year  old. 
Joana  K,  born  July  7,  1828;  married  Ditmas  Jewell, 
now  Supervisor  of  New  Lots.  Abraham,  horn  August 
31,  1831,  now  farmer  at  old  home.  Phebe  Maria,  born 
August  10,  1834;  died  at  the  age  of  seven.  Harriet, 
born  May  29,  1836;  died  when  three  years  old.  Wil- 
liam EL,  horn  May  10,  1838,  now  flour  and  feed  dealer 


1:144 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


in  Flatbush  avenue  and  Raymond  street,  Brooklyn. 
Adriana,  born  May  27,  1840;  married  David  Doxey,  of 
Brooklyn.  Hannah  M.,  born  July  8,  1843;  married 
John  J.  Hageman,  of  Flatlands.  Peter,  born  January 
11,  1847;  died  seven  months  old.  The  mother  of  this 
large  family  is  still  blessed  with  unusual  alert  powers 


of  body  and  mind,  moving  about  the  house  with  almost 
the  ease  and  speed  of  girlhood.  Old  in  years,  but  still 
young  in  spirit,  this  interesting  and  worthy  couple  are 
Hearing  the  sunset  of  life,  under  brightest  skies, 
and  amid  pleasantost  surroundings  of  family  and 
friends. 


JAMES  SCHENCK. 


James  Schenck,  of  Canarsie,  is  believed  to  be  the 
oldest  representative  of  that  name  in  Kings  county. 
He  was  born  on  the  old  home  farm  April  19,  1800, 
where  several  generations  of  his  forefathers  had  lived 
and  died.  His  father  and  his  grandfather  were  both 
named  Nicholas;  his  great-grandfather's  name  was 
Stephen,  and  he  was  the  son  of  John,  the  original 
.Schenck  on  Long  Island,  who,  with  his  brother  Roeloff, 
settled  in  the  town  of  Amersfort,  now  Flatlands,  in 
1650. 

John  Schenck  bought  land,  on  which  he  built  a  resi- 
dence and  a  mill,  the  former  of  which  is  still  standing, 
in  that  locality  known  as  "  Crook's  Mill."  This  house 
was  built  over  230  years  ago,  and  has  been  continu- 
ously occupied  as  a  residence  ever  since.  It  still  re- 
tains many  of  the  Dutch  characteristics  of  architecture. 
Around  the  fire-place  are  the  old-fashioned  pictorial 
tiles,  then  in  common  use.  The  immense  beams,  with 
their  side  braces,  are  a  curiosity,  evidently  hewn  from 
the  then  plentiful  big  trees  of  the  forest.  Its  existence 
to-day  is  ample  proof  of  the  excellent  quality  of  material 
and  construction. 

"Uncle  Jimmie,"  as  he  is  familiarly  known,  has 
passed  a  quiet  farmer's  life,  living  in  the  house,  still  in 
a  good  state  of  preservation,  built  by  the  first  Nicholas 
in  1772,  who  was  a  man  of  weight  and  position  in  his 
time,  being  a  surveyor,  and  serving  his  town  as  super- 
visor. Some  years  ago,  the  Canarsie  Railroad  took  a 
strip  of  land  from  one  side  of  the  old  farm,  on  a  part 
of  which  the  hotel  at  the  landing  now  stands.  Mr. 
Schenck,  who  has  never  married,  has  one  brother  living 
in  Brooklyn — Abraham,  two  years  his  junior — and  they 
are  the  last  of  the  family.  "  Uncle  Jimmie's"  place,  at 
present,  contains  about  70  acres. 

The  first  inhabitant  of  Canarsie  Point,  tradition  says, 
was  Fisherman  Horn,  who  had  a  cabin  on  the  present 
Schenck  farm  about  1600,  and  the  locality  was  called 
Fisher's  Hook. 

We  append  as  much  of  his  genealogy  as  can  be 
Obtained  by  the  careful  researches  of  Garret  Bergen, 
who  is  excellent  authority  in  such  matters,  as  follows: 
John  Si  i i i: n «  k  emigrated,  in  1050,  from  the  Nether- 
lands, and  settled  in  Flatlands.  (His  father's  name 
was  Martin  Schenck.)  Married  Jannetjc  (.lane),  the 
daughter  of  Stevense  Van  Yoorhccs;  (supposed)  died 


in  1G89.  Bought,  December  29,  1657,  of  Elberte 
Elbertse  Stoothoff,  the  one-half  of  the  mill,  and  the 
island  on  which  the  mill  is  located  in  Flatlands,  near 
Bergen's  Island,  lately  known  as  Crook's  Mill.  August 
20,  1660,  he  obtained  a  patent  of  10  morgans  (20  acres) 
in  New  Amersfort  (Flatlands),  and  in  1687  took  the 
oath  of  allegiance  in  said  town.  January  28,  1688-'9, 
he  made  a  will,  in  which  he  devised  to  his  son  Martin 
the  old  land  and  small  island  and  mill  and  dependencies 
thereof;  to  his  son  Stephen,  the  lot  at  Canarsie,  with 
the  meadow  at  Hogg's  Neck,  etc.,  as  per  page  140  of 
liber  1  of  conveyances. 

Issue.—  Jane,  born  about  1673.  married,  May  20,  1692,  Gar- 
rett, the  son  of  John  Dorlant;  Martin,  born  1675;  Wellemtje 
Janse,  born  about  1677,  married  Pieter  Wyckoff,  of  Mon- 
mouth county,  New  Jersey;  Stephen,  born  October  2,  1681, 
died  young;  Johannas,  baptized  November  5,  1682,  died 
young;  Neeltje,  baptized  November  23,  1683,  married,  Octo- 
ber 5,  1712,  John  Wyckoff,  of  the  Raritan,  New  Jersey; 
Steven,  born  February  2,  1685;  Aaltje  (or  Alletta) ;  Antje 
(Anna)  Schenck. 

Steven  Schenck  was  born  (on  the  farm  of  his 
father,  commonly  called  "the  Mill  Farm,"  in  the  south- 
east part  of  Flatlands),  February  2,  1685;  died  Novem- 
ber 6,  1767.  He  married  Ann,  daughter  of  Nicholas 
Wyckoff,  October  23,  1712,  who  was  born  August  29, 
1693;  she  died  July  15,  1766.  Steven  Schenck  built 
the  first  house  in  Canarsie. 

Issue. — Jane,  born  June  27,  1715;  died  March  20,  1778;  mar- 
ried Folgert  Sprong,  who  was  born  January  18,  1718,  and 
died  October  25,  1807;  resided  in  Flatlands.  John,  born  May 
23,  1718;  died  December  15,  1775;  resided  at  Oyster  Bay, 
Queens  county;  bad  children.  Sarah,  born  November  24, 
1720;  died  December  3,  1797;  married  Abraham  Emmons; 
residence,  Gravesend.  Ann,  born  June  1,  1723;  died  August 
1,  1803;  married  Abraham  Duryee,  who  was  born  April  5, 
1720,  and  died  Septeinl>er  7,  1785;  resided  at  Fishkill  Plains, 
Dutchess  county.  Wilhelmina,  born  October  15,1726;  died 
December  18,  1802;  married  Peter  Ammerman,  of  Flatlands. 
N'elly,  horn  April  28.  1730;  died  October  !>,  1784;  married 
Nicholas  Williamson,  of  Jamaica,  L.  I.;  no  issue.  Nichoku, 
born  September  I,  1732:  died  April  3,  1810.  Margaret,  l>orn 
January  17,  1736;  died  April  8,  1814;  married  Peter  L  Mon- 
fort,  of  Fishkill  Plains,  Dutchess  county,  N.  Y.;  he  was  born 
March  12,  1731:  died  September  20,  1791.  Maria,  born  March 
28,  1739;  died  May  13,  1813;  married  Samuel  Stryker,  who 
was  born  Octolier  19,  1736;  died  February  7,  1828;  resided  in 
Gravesend. 


BIOGRAPHIES. 


1345 


Nicholas  (second  son  of  Stephen  and  Ann)  Schenck, 
married,  March  11,  1767,  Willemtie  (Wilhelmina) 
Wyckoff,  who  was  horn  December  23,  1736,  and  died 
September  12,  1779;  resided  at  Canarsie  Point. 

Their  children  were  :  Stephen,  born  July  18,  1758;  died  De- 
cember 14,  1787.  John,  born  October  7,  1760;  died  March  28, 
1823.  Anna,  born  March  19,  1763.  Nicholas,  born  February 
23, 1765;  died  September  10, 1836.  Wilhelmus,  born  February 
19,  1767;  died  September  28,  1767.  Adriana,  born  August  22, 
1768;  died  September  1,  1830.  Wellemtie,  born  June  3,  1771; 
died  August  2,  1776.  Nelly,  born  February  13,  1776;  died 
August  8,  1776. 


Nicholas  (son  of  Nicholas  Schenck  and  Wilhelmina 
Wyckoff),  married,  April  20,  1788,  Alletta  Remsen, 
who  was  born  December  3,  1768,  and  died  May  6, 
1855. 

Tlieir  ch  ildren  were :  Anthony  Remsen,  born  February  7, 
1790;  died  September  15,  1871.  Jane,  born  March  19,  1792; 
died  May  28,  1843.  Jane  Schenck  married  Ralph  Malbone. 
Wilhelmina,  born  December  30,  1794;  died  January  18,  1816. 
Wilhelmus,  born  August  20,  1797;  died  March  16,  1832. 
James,  born  April  19,  1800.  Abraham,  born  September  12, 
1802.  Maria,  born  May  31,  1805;  died  December  27,  1814. 
Stephen,  born  June  30,  1808;  died  May  15,  1842. 


Col.   ANDREW  HARRISON. 


Mr.  Andrew  Harrison,  a  veteran  of  six  wars,  was 
born  in  New  York  city,  in  1824.  He  was  a  soldier 
from  pure  love  of  military  excitement  and  adventure. 
His  first  experience  was,  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years, 
in  the  Florida  war;  next,  in  Texas,  under  Gen.  Sam 
Houston,  against  Santa  Anna;  then  he  served  in  the 
Mexican  war;  next,  in  the  campaign  against  the  In- 
dians, in  Oregon;  then  he  accompanied  Col.  Walker,  the 
"  grey-eyed  man  of  destiny,"  in  his  Nicaraguan  cam- 
paign; and,  lastly,  was  in  service  in  the  war  of  the 
Civil  Rebellion,  first  in  the  Department  of  the  Potomac, 


and  later  in  the  Department  of  the  Gulf.  Col.  Har- 
rison has  testimonials  from  Gen.  Wdol  (the  last  letter 
he  ever  wrote),  and  from  many  well-known  military 
men  under  whom  he  has  served  in  the  United  States 
army.  He  is  the  last  survivor  of  the  old  guides  across 
the  plains. 

Returning  to  Brooklyn,  in  1870,  he  is  now  engaged 
in  law  and  the  real  estate  business;  and  has  delivered 
many  public  lectures  upon  his  military  life  and  ad- 
ventures, in  which  he  has  wrecked  his  health  and 
strength. 


H  ISTORY 


<)K  TIIK 


Beneficent  rnd  Social  Organizations 


OF 


Brooklyn  and  Kings  County. 


FREE  AM)   ACCEPTED  MASONS. 

FREEMASONRY  IN  KINGS  COUNTY. — The 
early  history  of  Freemasonry  in  Kings  county 
is  involved  in  great  obscurity; the  scanty  records 
that  are  left  to  us  are  little  more  than  traditions. 
We  know,  however,  through  colonial  newspapers,  that 
during  the  War  of  the  Revolution,  military  lodges 
existed  in  both  the  American  and  British  armies  with 
the  approval,  and  indeed  the  co-operation  of  the  authori- 
ties on  cither  side.  So  far  as  known,  the  earliest 
Masonic  organization  in  Kings  county,  was  the  Union 
Lodge,  which  was  instituted  by  the  colonial  troops 
stationed  on  Long  Island,  in  1776,  for  the  defense  of 
New  York.  Many  of  the  members  of  this  informal 
lodge  were  killed  in  the  disastrous  battle  of  Long 
Island,  August  27,  1776;  and  on  the  13th  of  September 
of  that  year,  the  Master,  together  with  many  of  the 
members,  were  taken  prisoners  by  the  British.  The 
Lodge  was  thus,  through' the  chances  of  war,  disbanded, 
never  to  reorganize. 

In  1729,  the  Duke  of  Norfolk  issued  a  deputation  to 
Samuel  Coxe,  of  New  Jersey,  as  Grand  Master  of  New 
York,  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania.  That  was  the 
first  notice  of  Masonry  in  this  country,  and  was  pub- 
lished in  the  Gazette  by  B.  Franklin. 

The  Grand  Lodge  of  New  York  was  first  organized  in 
1781.  On  February  4,  1784,  the  petition  of  James  Gar- 
diner, John  Lever  el  Hudson  and  Joseph  Corwin,  for  a 
warrant  to  establish  a  Lodge  on  Long  Island,  was  granted 
by  the  Grand  Lorlge.  Thus  was  instituted  the  Jamaica 
Lodye,  which  surrendered  its  warrant  on  January  16, 
1793;  a  little  later  in  the  same  year,  the  Mechanics' 
Lodye  was  organized  in  Kings  county;  it  languished 
awhile  and  passed  away.  On  December  7,  1796,  a 
petition  was  presented  and  filed  for  a  Lodge  to  be  called 
the  Suffolk  Lodye;  this  effort  bore  no  fruit,  and  not 
until  1797  was  a  Masonic  Lodge  permanently  estab- 
lished in  Kings  county.  On  June  7th  of  that  year, 
a  petition  was  granted  for  a  Lodge  in  the  "Town  of 
Brooklyn,"  to  be  named   St.  Albans,  No.   62.  This 


Lodge,  until  June  5,  1799,  exerted  the  beneficent  influ- 
ence which  characterizes  all  similar  organizations;  when, 
because  of  internal  dissensions,  its  charter  was  revoked 
by  the  Grand  Lodge.  On  September  10  of  that  year, 
George  A.  Clansman,  Martin  Boerum,  Daniel  Rhodes, 
Fred.  Cleveland,  Henry  Eckford,  Thomas  Thomas, 
Nathaniel  Hempstead,  John  McKinny,  John  Martin, 
and  Samuel  Thomas,  mostly  members  of  the  disor- 
ganized St.  Album  Lodye,  met  at  Martin  Boerum's 
house,  near  Fulton  Ferry,  and  petitioned  for  a  warrant 
to  establish  Fortitude  Lodye,  No.  84,  which  was  granted 
December  4,  1799.  The  Lodge  commenced  its  existence 
with  George  A.  Clansman,  Master,  and  84  members. 
Its  first  meetings  were  held  at  Martin  Boerum's,  near 
Fulton  Ferry.  In  1813,  moved  to  Main  street,  corner  of 
James;  in  1817,  moved  back  to  Boerum's,  then  called 
Hunter's  Hotel;  then  to  Fulton  street,  above  Sands; 
then  to  Military  Garden,  in  Fulton  street,  near  Boerum 
street;  in  1842,  the  Lodge  moved  to  No.  3  Front 
street,  and  united  with  the  Hohenlinden  and  Nassau 
Chapter;  on  May  5,  1859,  these  Lodges  removed  to  the 
corner  of  Court  and  Joralemon  streets. 


BLUE  LODGES,  F.  and  A.  M. 

Acanthus,  No.  719,  Bedford  and  Fulton  aves.,  was  insti- 
tuted January  30.  1872,  and  meets  in  Styles'  Hall,  corner 
Bedford  ave.  and  Fulton  st.,  Brooklyn.  OFFICERS,  1882-'83  : 
A.  W.  Peters,  W.  M.;  Azariah  Seiple,  S.  W.;  M.  F.  Van 
Vrancken,  J.  W.:  C.  Ackerman,  J.  D.:  J.  W.  K.  Oakley, 
S.  M.  C:  W.  H.  Hoole,  J.  M.  C:  George  Grant,  Chap.;  J. 
C.  Cortis.  Sec:  C.  F.  Bloom,  Treas.;  M.  Grimes,  S.  D.;  T.  B. 
Limb,  Tiler.    Present  roll  of  members,  90. 

Adytum,  No.  640,  was  instituted  June  14,  1867,  with  a 
membership  of  11.  First  OFFICERS  :  Jno.  W.  Simons,  Wm. 
M.  l)<.e,  ("has.  A.  Hodges,  John  C.  Hill.  Present  memlxr- 
ship,  50,  oflicered  by  Chas.  K.  Myers,  Rudolph  ( Junzenhauser, 
James  L.  Farley,  and  Arthur  C.  Jacobson. 

Allemania,  No.  740,  317  Washington  st. 

Altair,  No.  601,  40  Court  st.,  was  organized  Dec.  88,  1861) 
willi   II   members,  oflicered  by  Peter  M.  Borland,  Win.  E. 

Pearse,  John  V.  I  :i  udoi  f,  Jr.,  Thomas  H.  Morrison,  and 

Chas.  F.  Uogers.  Present  membership  is  over  300;  OFFICERS: 


BENEFICENT  AND  SOCIAL  ORGANIZATIONS. 


1347 


Starks  Edson,  Warren  C.  Hubbard,  Horace  H.  Stevens,  L. 
V.  D.  Harden bergh,  and  Charles  S.  Carter. 

Anglo-Saxon,  No.  137,  40  Court  st.,  was  instituted  March 
13,  1848,  and  was  regularly  organized  July  22  of  that  year, 
with  10  members  and  the  following  Officers:  John  E.  Good- 
child,  M.;  James  Sheward,  S.  W.;  Henry  Jessup,  J.  W.;  B. 
H.  Downing,  Sec;  M.  Mottram,  Treas.  The  present  member- 
ship of  this  Lodge  is  120,  officered  by  Fitz  R.  Verrneule,  M.; 
Samuel  E.  Weaver,  8.  W. ;  Phil.  H.  Bowne,  J.  W.;  Robt.  B. 
Atterbury,  Sec,  and  William  Conklin,  Treas. 

Anthon,  No.  769,  413  Bedford  ave. 

Aurora  Grata,  No.  756,  306  Fulton  st. 

Baltic,  No.  354,  So.  2d  and  4th  sts.,  was  organized  in  1853. 
Officers  (1882-83)  are:  James  E.  Hand,  Master  ;  L.  F.  Tice, 
S.  W.;  Chas.  P.  Lloyd,  J.  W.;  Chas.  W.  Hayes,  Treas.;  John 
Doherty,  Sec;  Benj.  F.  Briggs,  S.  D.;  A.  F.  Upson,  J.  D.;  T. 
F.  Randall,  Chap.;  Wm.  J.  Lepine,  Tiler. 

Bedford,  No.  574,  317  Washington  st. 

Brooklyn,  No.  288,  306  Fulton  st. 

Cambridge,  No.  662,  Court  and  Joralemon  sts. 

Cassia,  No.  445,  89  Broadway. 

Central,  No.  361,  Fulton  and  Flatbush  aves. 

Commonwealth,  No.  409,  instituted  in  1856  or  '57,  has 
never  been  incorporated.  The  original  membership  was  less 
than  50.  First  Officers:  R.  McChesney,  W.  M.;  Benj.  Price, 
L.  W.;  Jas.  M.  Fuller,  J.  W.  Present  membership,  379, 
officered  by  (in  above  order)  G.  F.  E.  Pearsall,  J.  W.  Evans, 
E.  F.  Jordan. 

Corner  Stone,  No.  367,  Grand  and  7th  sts. 

Clinton,  No.  453,  was  instituted  Oct.  3,  1806,  with  twenty 
charter  members,  officered  by  Hon.  S.  L.  Mitchell,  Sam'l 
Torbert,  John  D.  Miller,  C.  M.  Slocum,  and  Thos.  M.  Vail. 
The  present  membership  is  over  100;  the  Officers  :  Francis 
E.  Sherwood,  W.  M.;  Francis  W.  Clyde,  S.  W.;  Geo.  G. 
Kendrick,  J.  W.;  Chas.  F.  Grim,  Treas.,  and  Chas  B.  Valen- 
tine, Sec  This  venerable  Lodge  meets  at  No.  89  Broadway, 
E.  D.,  on  the  1st,  3d  and  5th  Wednesday  of  each  month. 

Cosmopolitan,  No.  585,  Court  and  Montague  sts.,  was  or- 
ganized in  1865,  and  meets  at  Montague  place,  corner  Court 
st.,  Brooklyn.  The  Officers  for  1882-83  are  :  George  W. 
Cummings,  Master ;  Albert  W.  Dougherty,  S.  W.;  Thomas 
Penney,  J.  W.;  Joseph  S.  Myers,  Treas.;  Edward  Sloggatt, 
Sec;  Joseph  W.  Irwin,  S.  D.;  Mahlon  B.  Adams,  J.  D.;  Jo- 
seph W.  Riell,  S.  M.  .of  C;  James  B.  Quinn,  J.  M.  of  C; 
Edwin  F.  Lindridge,  Chap.;  J.  H.  Von  Nardroff,  Organist  ; 
P.  C.  Wilson,  Tiler. 

Covenant,  317  Washington  st.,  was  organized  Dec.  2,  1874, 
First  Officers  were:  L.  W,  Beasley,  Master;  Geo.  B.  Elmore, 
S.  W.;  Monroe  B.  Washburn,  J.  W.  Original  membership, 
77.  Present  membership,  118,  headed  by  following  officers: 
Geo.  B.  Elmore,  C.  H.  K.  Smith,  Chas.  N.  Elliott. 

Crystal  Wave,  No.  638,  317  Washington  street,  was  insti- 
tuted February  13,  1867,  with  21  members.  The  Officers 
were :  H.  E.  Day,  Henry  L.  Foote,  Jas.  A.  Beardsley, 
Wm.  McBride,  and  B.  Cromwell.  The  present  membership 
is  162,  officered  by  N.  W.  Kendall,  W.  M.;  R.  H.  Dumbleton, 
S.  W.;  Jos.  R.  Brown,  J.  W.;  Jno.  F.  Tandy  and  Jno.  S. 
Davenport,  <Secs. 

Copernicus,  No.  545,  98  Broadway. 

Delta,  No.  451,  Court  and  Joralemon  sts. 

Euclid,  No.  656,  413  Bedford  ave.,  was  instituted  March  14, 
1867,  at  the  corner  of  Myrtle  and  Kent  aves.,  with  96  mem- 
bers. First  Officers  :  W.  A.  Kelsey,  P.  A.  Hall,  J.  T.  Bur- 
dick,  M.  Chichester,  and  Wm.  Barwick.  The  present  mem- 
bership is  66,  officered  by  J.  Pritchard,  J.  J.  Herold,  Bernard 
Reid,  Fred'k  Heeg,  and  F.  S.  Brooks. 

Ezel,  No.  732,  165  Clermont  ave. 


Fortitude,  No.  19,  Court  and  Joralemon  sts.,  was  organized 
Dec.  4, 1799,  at  old  Fulton  Ferry,  and  was  incorporated  under 
New  York  State  laws  in  1879.  The  original  membership  of 
this  masonic  branch  was  15  ;  the  present,  204.  The  State 
Officers  at  time  of  organization  were  :  Robert  R.  Living- 
ston, G.  M.;  Jacob  MortOD,  .S'.  W.;  Martin  Hoffman,  J.  W. 
The  Lodge  Officers:  Geo.  A.  Clausman.  Master ;  D.  Rhodes, 
S.  W.;  Henry  Eckford,  J.  W.  This  Lodge,  though  old  in 
years,  is  young  in  vigor,  and  holds  its  honorable  place  among 
the  brotherhood  because  of  its  good  works  as  well  as  age. 
Present  Officers  are,  in  order  as  above,  Wm.  McDonald, 
Geo.  C.  Gill,  Sam'l  L.  Harris;  Henry  Block,  Treas.;  A.  J. 
Hicks,  Sec 

Greenpoint,  No.  403,  was  instituted  in  Greenpoint,  March 
14,  1856,  and  was  chartered  July  4th  of  the  same  year.  The 
original  membership  was  25.  First  Master,  Henry  Schroeder; 
First  Secretary,  John  T.  Mearns.  The  present  membership  is 
205,  officered  by  Wm.  T.  Giles,  Jno.  F.  Valentine,  Jas.  H. 
Wliitehorne  and  Michael  Smith. 

Greenwood,  No.  569,  22d  st.  and  3d  ave. 

Hill  Grove,  No.  540,  Kent  and  Myrtle  aves.,  was  instituted 
June  9,  1864,  with  thirty  members.  First  Officers  :  Jos.  D. 
Evans,  Gerrard  Willett,  Wm.  J.  Munn  and  Wm.  A.  Evans. 
The  present  membership  is  159.  Officers:  C.  N.  Silliman, 
Jas.  McCullough,  Wm.  Holland  and  Jas.  L.  Murphy. 

Herder,  No.  698,  was  instituted  at  Greenpoint,  in  Novem- 
ber, 1869,  with  sixteen  charter  members,  officered  by  Jacob 
Leoboldti,  Henry  Vogt,  Geo.  Bullwincle,  John  Bowers.  The 
present  membership  is  127.  The  Officers  :  Fred.  Ziminer, 
F.  Lotterle,  S.  Lambert  and  Henry  Vogt. 

Hohenlinden,  No.  56,  306  Fulton  st.,  was  instituted  June  21, 
1821,  and  is  not  incorporated.  The  original  membership  was 
323.  The  first  Officers  :  Erastus  Worthington,  Master; 
George  Worthington  Rodgers,  Senior  Warden,  and  Ralph 
Malbone,  Junior  Warden.  The  present  membership  of  this 
veteran  Lodge  is  180.  The  Officers  :  William  V.  Babcock; 
Heary  J.  Twarts;  Loftin  Love;  Samuel  Love,  Sec,  and  Ira  L. 
Brackett,  T reas.  This  Lodge  meets  at  Masonic  Hall,  304  and 
306  Fulton  st. 

Hyatt,  No.  205,  89  Broadway. 

Joppa,  No.  201,  Court  and  Joralemon  sts. — The  first  com- 
munication of  this  Lodge  was  held  at  the  corner  of  Fulton 
and  Orange  sts.,  July  10,  1850.  The  original  membership  was 
forty-eight,  which  has  increased  to  two  hundred  and  nineteen. 
The  first  Officers  were  :  Geo.  Leeds,  Master;  N.  L.  Pettitt, 
Senior  Warden;  S.  B.  Rea,  Junior  Warden;  Geo.  W.  Gerace, 
Treas.  The  Officers  at  present  are:  Benj.  F.  Adams,  W. 
Burton,  C.  R.  Randall,  J.  II.  Griffith.  This  Lodge  was  char- 
tered Dec.  27,  1850. 

La  Universal,  Court  and  Joralemon  sts.,  was  instituted 
in  Brooklyn  in  1874.  The  membership  is  distinctively 
Spanish,  and  numbered  originally  80  members;  the  first  OFFI- 
CERS were  :  Antonio  Gonzalez,  Serafin  Sanchez,  Felix  Garcia 
and  Jose  G.  Garcia.  The  present  membership  is  150,  officered 
by  Manuel  Rodriguez,  Alvano  Garcia,  Enrique  Guerra  and 
Lisardo  ( 'aras. 

Lessing,  No.  608,  Court  and  Montague  sts. 

Lexington,  No.  310,  cor.  Court  and  Montague  sts. 

Long  Island,  No.  382,  Court  and  Montague  sts. 

Manual,  No.  636,  Grand  and  Seventh  sts.,  E.  D.,  was  insti- 
tuted Jan.  29,  1867,  with  20  charter  members,  and  the  follow- 
ing Officers  :  John  Gibbs,  G.  L.  Judson,  H.  C.  Lanius  and 
Jeremiah  Brown.  The  present  memliership  is  135,  headed  by 
Wm.  Miller,  N.  T.  Travis,  L.  A.  Blendermann  and  J.  H. 
Bartley. 

Marsh,  No.  18S,  South  Second  „nd  Fourth  sts. 
Mistletoe,,  No.  647,  317  Washington  st. 


l:;  is 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Montauk,  No.  286.  40  Court  St.,  was  instituted  April  7, 
is.",:?,  with  17  members.  The  first  ( )fficers  were  :  Richard 
L.  Delisser,  Roht.  W.  Sage  and  Wm,  N.  Puffer.  The  preent 
membership  is  131,  officered  by  Geo.  D.  Bascome.  David 
Barnett,  P.  L.  Schenck,  Nevin  W.  Butler,  Secretary,  and 
Thos.  J.  Northall,  Treas. 

Nassau,  No.  536,  Court  and  Joralemon  sts. 

Oltmans,  No.  44ti,  Broadway  and  Boerum  sts. 

Orion,  No.  717,  264  Flatbush  ave. 

Progressive,  No.  354,  Grand  and  7th  sts. 

Reliance,  No.  776,  Greenpoint.  was  instituted  in  Brooklyn 
June  19,  1877,  with  33  members.  The  first  Officers  were  : 
Thos.  Anderson,  W.  M.;  Geo.  Wygant,  S.  W.;  Moses  Engle, 
J.  W.;  Geo.  II.  Rhodes.  Treas.,  and  John  R  Conner,  Sec. 
The  present  membership  is  78.  Officers:  James  Camp- 
bell, W.  H.  Godfrey,  Seba  Brinkerhoff,  E.  R.  Smith  and 
Geo.  Wygant. 

Ridgewood,  No.  710,  Broadway  and  Ralph  aves. 

Sanctorum,  No.  747,  Court  and  Union  sts. 

Schiller,  No.  304,  Broadway  and  Boerum  st.,  was  instituted 
in  Brooklyn,  E.  D.,  in  1853,  with  144  members.  The  first 
Officers  were:  B.  Bombard.  J.  Engelhaupt,  J.  J.  Wolf,  and 
B.  Redenback.  The  present  membership  is  268.  The  Officers: 
Chas.  Alphey,  Rudolph  Fischer,  H.  W.  Miller  and  Theo. 
Tiekmann.  This  Lodge  meets  at  the  German  Saviugs  Bank 
Building,  corner  of  Broadway  and  Boerum  st. 

Seawanhaka,  No.  678,  Greenpoint. 

Star  of  Bethlehem,  No.  322,  Court  and  Joralemon  sts. 

Star  of  Hope,  No.  430,  Broadway  and  Boerum  place.  The 
first  regular  communication  was  held  at  Metropolitan  Hall, 
in  Myrtle  avenue,  E.  D.,  April  9,  1857.  The  Officers  for 
1882-  83  are:  Wm.  E.  Esperson,  W.  M.;  Andrew  Peck,  S.  W.; 
Joseph  Wolf,  J.  W. ;  Peter  Reitner,  Treas.;  Edward  M.  Wun- 
der,  Sec. 

Stella,  No.  485,  40  Court  street. 

Tuscan,  No.  704,  was  instituted  June  30,  1870,  and  meets 
at  Lexington  Hall,  corner  of  Gates  and  Reid  avenues.  The 
Officers  (1882-3):  Thomas  Isted,  Master;  Henry  Ohlandt,  S. 
W.i  William  H.  Rob  rts,  J.  W.;  James  Cornelius  (P.  M.), 
Treasurer;  Charles  E.  Burgess,  Secretary;  Robert  Hull  (P. 
M.),  Chaplain. 

Yew  Tree,  No.  406,  South  Second  and  Fourth  streets; 
was  organized  June  20,  1859.  Its  Offickrs  for  1882-83  are 
as  follows:  Henry  H.  Cook,  W.  M.;  M.  C.  Carswell,  S.  W.; 
W.  H.  Pinder,  J.  U'.;  Harvey  W.  Peace,  Treas.;  William  G. 
Halsey,  Sec. 

Zeredatha,  No.  438,  306  Fulton  street;  was  instituted  in 
June,  1860,  with  25  charter  members  and  the  following 
officers:  Benjamin  Price.  Edward  A.  Hodgson,  and  Charles  P. 
Marrat.  The  present  membership  is  212,  officered  by 
James  A.  Cassidy,  Joseph  E  Pattison,  George  W.  Dowues. 
P.  F.  Lenhart,  Treas,  and  Edward  Payne,  Sec. 

ROYAL  ARCH  CHAPTERS. 

Altair,  No.  237,  Meserole  avenue  and  Orchard  street,  E.  D. 

Banner,  No.  214,  Vernon  and  Third  streets,  L.  I.  City. 

Brooklyn,  No.  148,  Court  and  Joralemon  streets. 

Constellation,  No.  209,  Fulton  and  Flatbiifh  avenues. 

De  Witt  Clinton  No.  142,  89B'dway,  E.  I).;  was  instituted 
E.  D..  January  19,  1853,  with  13  charter  members.  The 
Officers:  T.  J.  Hendrickson,  High  I*riest;  Chas.  Cobb,  King; 
UrewMer  .Jarvis,  Treas.;  and  I'.  Knglehaiipt,  See.  The  present 
inemlier.ship  is  17">,  officered  by  Thomas  ( '.  Adams,  II.  W. 
Bryant,  Theo.  E.  Green,  and  George  B.  Claflin. 

Evening  Star,  No.  225:   Myrtle  and  Kent  avenues;  was 
organised  April  23,  1868,  under  disj»ensation,  with  24  mem-  i 
hers.   First  Qm  m  were:  GOO,  N.  Wilbur,  A.  EL  Davidson,  I 


Elijah  Pratt  and  W.  A.  Kelsey.  The  present  membership 
is  78,  officered  by  Francis  Nolan,  Austin  Appleyard,  James 
Pritchard  and  W.  K.  Todd. 

Greenwood,  No.  265,  476  Fifth  avenue. 
Gate  of  the  Temple,  No.  208,  Myrtle  avenue  and  Adelphi 
street,  was  instituted  May  16,  1867,  at  the  corner  of  Myrtle 
and  Kent  avenues,  with  18  members.  The  first  Officers  were: 
Robert  H.  Wilber,  High  Priest:  Judson  Curtis,  King:  John 
II.  Clickner,  Scribe:  J.  Box,  Treas.:  J.  W.  Johnson,  Sec. 
The  present  membership  is  87.  The  Officers:  Robert  Har- 
per. Wm.  M.  Post,  Charles  G.  Suydam,  Robert  Jones  and 
Theodore  Thieler.  This  chapter  was  chartered  February,  1868, 
and  meets  in  the  Hall,  corner  Myrtle  avenue  and  Adelphi 
street. 

Nassau,  No.  109,  304  Fulton  street. 

Orient,  No.  138,  P.  O.  Building;  instituted  in  1847;  meets  at 
317  Washington  street.  The  Officers  for  1882-'3  are  as  fol- 
lows: Chas.  M  Truman,  High  Priest;  Henry  Drisler,  Jr., 
King;  Geo.  W.  Van  Buskirk,  Scribe;  James  B.  Goldey,  Treas.; 
E.  J.  Campbell,  Sec.;  Jasper  N.  Sims,  C.  of  H.  ;  M.\  E.\  S.  S. 
Conant,  P.  S.;  Geo.  W.  French,  R.  A.  C;  M.\  E.\  F.  H. 
Down,  .V.  3d  V.;  J.  J.  Duff,  M.  2d  V.;  F.  H.  Boehne,  M.  1st 
V.;  Rev.  T.  S.  Pycott,  Chaplain;  S.  H.  Ackennan,  Organist: 
J.  E.  Cook,  Ass't  Organist;  George  Reock,  Tiler. 
Progressive,  No.  198,  Grand  and  Seventh  streets. 
Pentalpha,  No.  206,  Flushing. 

Ridgewood,  No.  263,  Lexington  and  Ralph  avenues. 

KNIGHT  TEMPLAR  COMMANDERIES. 
Clinton,  No.  14,  306  Fulton  street. 
De  Witt  Clinton,  No.  27,  89  Broadway. 
Greenwood,  No.  58,  Twenty-second  street  and  Third  ave. 
St.  Elmo,  No.  57,  was  organized  at  Greenpoint,  November 
14, 1873,  and  received  charter  August  14, 1874.  First  Officers 
were:  Geo.  C.  Bradley,  Eminent  Commander;  Wm.  Bridges, 
Generalissimo;  J.  H.  Wlntehorn,  Treas.:  J.  R.  Laws,  Re- 
corder.   The  original  membership  was  18:  the  present,  92. 
Present  Officers  are,  in  the  order  above,  John  II.  Bonuing- 
ton,  Henry  Vogt,  Sylvester  Gray,  James  H.  Whitehorn. 

EASTERN  STAR. 
Esther,  No.  2,  306  Fulton  street. 
Stella.  No.  29,  315  Washington  street 

Hartnonia,  No.  34,  South  Second  and  Fourth  streets,  E.  D. 
Radiant,  No.  35,  Masonic  Hall,  Meserole  st.,  Greenpoint. 
Mizpah,  No.  40.  306  Fulton  street. 
Alma,  No.  41,  South  Second  and  Fourth  streets,  E.  1). 
Zipporah.  No.  45,  Corner  Court  and  State  streets. 
Evangeline,  No.  51.  Greenwood  Hall,  Twenty-second  street 
and  Third  avenue,  Brooklyn. 

Crescent,  No.  55,  Masonic  Temple,  Seventh  and  Grand 
streets,  E.  D. 

Masonic  Mutual  Relief  Association  was  organized  in 
Brooklyn,  March  9,  1867,  and  incorporated  April  3d  of  that 
year.  Its  object:  the  relief  of  widows  and  children  of  de- 
ceased memlKTs.  The  original  membership  was  1,225.  The 
first  Officers:  James  M.  Fuller,  John  M.  Weeks,  Henry  W. 
Earn  and  Harvey  Farrington.  The  present  membership  is 
1,090.  The  Officers:  Joseph  Short,  Jr.,  William  Parker, 
Geo.  M.  Anderson  and  George  W.  French. 

ANCIENT  AND  ACCEPTED  (SCOTTISH)  RITE 
OF  MASONRY. 
This  Kite  lias  for  many  years  been  established  in 
"The  Valley  of  Brooklyn,"  under  the  title  of  Aurora 
Grata.    Its  highest  body,  the  Aurora  Grata  Con- 
I  sistory  (19th  to  32d  degree),  was,  a  few  years  since, 


BENEFICENT  AND  SOCIAL  ORGANIZATION^  1849 


merged  in  the  New  York  City  Consistory,  but  the 
other  bodies  remain,  and  are  in  very  efficient  order, 
viz.: 

Aurora  Grata  Lodge  of  Perfection  (4th  to  14th  degree,  in- 
clusive). 

Aurora  Grata  Council,  Princes  of  Jerusalem  (loth  and  16th 
degrees),  org.  April  19,  1866,  with  14  members;  present  mem- 
bership, 134.  First  Officers:  E.  Gates,  M.  E.  S.  P.  G.  M.\ 
R.  C.  Gurney,  G.  H.  P.;  M.  Bridgman,  M.  E.  S.  G.  W.;  J. 
Armstrong,  M.  E.  J.  G.  W.;  J.  N.  Wickoff,  Jr.,  G.  K.  of  S.; 
C.  H.  Pelletreau,  Jr.,  G.  T.  Present  Officers:  J.  P.  Abel, 
M.  E.  S.  P.  G.  M.;  E.  B.  Jordan,  G.  H.  P.;  H.  H.  Stevens, 
JT.  E.  S.  G.  W.;  C.  F.  Graves,  JT.  E.  S.  J.  G.  W.;  J.  Jay,  C. 
Daughters  G.  K.  of  S.;  Edwin  Gates,  G.  T. 

Aurora  Grata  Chapter,  Knights  of  Rose-Croix  (16th  and 
17th  degrees). 

INDEPENDENT  ORDER  OF  ODD  FELLOWS. 
LODGES. 

Odd  Fellowship  received  its  start  in  Brooklyn,  from 
the  action  of  certain  brethren  of  the  order,  resident  in 
the  city,  but  holding  membership  in  New  York  city 
lodges.  Several  meetings  and  consultations  were  held 
in  the  year  1839,  at  the  house  of  Brother  James  W. 
White;  and  finally  application  was  made  to  the  Grand 
Lodge  for  a  charter.  This  application,  signed  by  Bros. 
Geo.  P.  Bancroft,  Garret  B.  Black,  Lemuel  B.  Hawx- 
hurst,  John  Van  Pelt,  William  G.  Hynard,  James  W. 
White,  John  Higbie,  Abram  Campbell,  Charles  and 
John  Pelletreau,  was  favorably  received  by  the  G.  L., 
and  a  charter  grauted,  to  be  known  as 

Brooklyn  Lodge,  No.  26, 1.  O.  O.  F.,  which  was  fully  or- 
ganized Nov.  12,  1839,  in  Hall's  Building,  corner  Fulton  and 
Orange  streets,  by  John  A.  Kennedy,  at  that  time  G.  M.  of 
the  Order  in  the  States,  assisted  by  the  officers  of  the  G.  L. 
The  Officers  then  chosen  and  installed  were:  L.  B.  Hawx- 
hurst,  N.  G.;  James  W.  White,  V.  G.;  Win.  G.  Hynard,  Sec- 
John  W.  Van  Pelt,  Treas.  At  the  next  meeting,  Nov.  19th, 
Messrs.  John  C.  Roach,  Thaddeus  Davids,  Rich.  Hallam. 
Henry  Rohring,  Jarvis  Rogers,  Thos  H.  Redding,  Geo. 
Bloomfield,  William  M.  Johnson,  John  Povie,  David  M. 
Smith,  Henry  S.  Smith,  Peter  L.  Taylor  and  Philip  Adams 
were  initiated  members.  By  1847,  the  membership  num- 
bered 500,  and  Nassau  39;  Principle,  48;  Atlantic,  50;  Ivanhoe, 
127;  and  Magnolia,  166,  had  been  colonized  from  it.  From  its 
organization  in  1839  to  January,  1844,  this  Lodge  has  enrolled 
1,070  members.    Present  active  membership,  117. 

This  lodge  at  an  early  day  purchased  ten  lots  in  Green- 
wood cemetery  in  which  to  furnish  a  place  of  decent  se- 
pulture for  its  members,  and  for  strange  Odd  Fellows  dying 
here,  away  from  home  and  friends.  Present  Officers:  H. 
H.  Boyles!!  N.G.;  Wm.  Donelly,  V.G.:  E.  M.  Osborne,  Per- 
manent See.;  S.  H.  Merryweather,  Sec.;  John  Stevenson. 
Treas.  (to  whom  we  art  indebted  for  this  account  of  the 
lodge). 

List  of  the  Noble  Grands  of  this  Lodge:— -1839, 
L.  B.  Hawxhurst;  1840,  J.  W.  White,  John  Higbie, 
John  Pelletreau,  Peter  L.  Taylor;  1841,  S.  A.  Smith,  John  C. 
Roach,  James  Jordan,  John  F.  Solomon;  1842,  Jamee 
McChesney,  Richard  Sharp,  Thomas  H.  Redding,  S.  A.  House; 
1843,  Thomas  Jones,  James  De  Revere,  G.  W.  Niles,  Obed.  H. 
Joy;  1844,  D.  A.  Taylor,  Henry  R.  Oxwith,  D.  P.  Barnard, 
Solomon  Skinner;  1845,  J.  J.  Ryan,  Thomas  Leslie,  William 
Lane,  Frederick  Blair;  1846,  John  B.  Pitt,  Daniel  Chauncey, 


George  Bennett,  John  Tassie;  1847,  Daniel  Ayres,  Jr.,  Joseph 
Davis;  1848,  John  Tassie.  Jr.,  James  K.  Apgar;  1849,  R.  H. 
Curtis,  John  Stevenson;  1850,  Andrew  Bates,  Charles  Wads- 
worth;  1851,  M.  A.  Briggs,  Jasper  Du  Flon;  1852,  John  Ellis, 
James  H.  Stevenson,  1853,  William  Pearce,  James  Youmie: 
1854,  Joseph  Harvey,  James  Milligan;  1855,  Matthew  Palti- 
son,  John  Donnell;  1S56,  John  Arthur,  Jabez  W.  Goodwin: 
1H57,  G.  W.  Reed,  Alexander  Petrie;  1858,  M.  A.  Briggs,  G. 
W.  Reed;  1859,  M.  A.  Briggs,  Job  Field;  1860,  Henry  Smith, 
John  Donnell;  1861,  James  Milligan,  Jabez  W.  Goodwin; 
1862,  Jolm  Arthur,  Archibald  Conn;  1888,  M.  A.  Briggs,  Mat- 
thew L.  White;  1864,  George  Schaper,  John  Williamson;  1865, 
Robert  Stevenson,  John  P.  Nehmans;  1866,  Joseph  A.  Gough, 
Albert  E.  Summers;  1867,  James  Williamson;  186K,  John 
Waller;  1*69,  Daniel  Gilbert,  James  Williamson;  1870,  David 
E.  Syme,  James  W.  Dean;  1871,  William  G.  Sims,  John  B. 
Pitt;  1872,  William  C.  Noble.  B.  C.  Hollingsworth;  1873,  Wil- 
liam Iremonger,  James  H.  Salisbury;  1*74,  Samuel  G. 
Fletcher,  James  C.  Fletcher;  1875,  James  Drain,  Samuel  G. 
Fletcher;  1876,  E.  M.  Osborn.  John  A.  Muuro;  1877,  Daniel 
W.  Gilbert,  Geo.  R.  Dietrick:  1878,  Charles  Werner,  Daniel 
W.  Gilbert;  1879,  William  Kirkpatrick,  P.  H.  Jeanott;  1880, 
John  J.  Gannon,  James  C.  Fletcher;  1881.  Charles  M.  Drain, 
Samuel  M.  Bennett;  18*2,  John  Payne,  William  Ryley;  1883, 
Williain  Kirkpatrick,  Theodore  Thieler;  1884.  H.  H.  Boyles. 

James  L.  Ridgely,  No.  287,  was  instituted  August  8,  1871, 
in  Latbam  Hall,  corner  of  Hope  and  Ninth  sts.,  Brooklyn,  E. 
D.  The  first  Officers  were:  Wm.  H.  Diamond,  R.  G.  Wilkin- 
son, H.  Parker  and  J.  A.  Terhune.  This  lodge  is  not  incor- 
porated. The  original  membership  was  21;  the  present  102, 
officered  by  John  W.  McCoy,  O.  B.  Merrill,  Wm.  H.  Miller 
and  John  Peterkin. 

Lexington,  No.  4U2,  was  instituted  August  22,  1881,  with  56 
members.  The  first  Officers  were:  A.  R.  Stagg,  Wm.  Durst, 
Henry  Meyer  and  James  Lahy.  The  present  membership  ia 
89,  officered  by  Edwin  L.  Castano,  Jno.  H.  Conselyea,  Jesse 
B.  Wharry  and  John  Horning. 

Magnolia,  No.  166,  was  instituted  June  26,  1845,  by  D.  D. 
Grand  Master,  Rob't  G.  Story,  on  the  corner  of  Court  and 
Montague  sts.,  in  the  building  theu  known  as  Burnll  Build- 
ing, now  called  Mechanics'  Bank  Building.  The  original  mem- 
bership was  55.  The  first  Officers  were:  John  J.  Spowers, 
Chas  T.  Barnard,  Geo.  W.  Boyd  and  Issachar  G.  Reed.  The 
present  membership  is  225;  the  officers,  John  L.  Fagan,  John 
N.  Brockway,  Thomas  Phillips  and  John  Smith. 

Wallenstein,  No.  428,  was  organized  May  20,  1875,  at 
present  rooms,  No.  104  Boerum  Place.  The  original  mem- 
bership was  22;  the  present  number,  146.  The  first  Officers 
were  H.  Ritzheimer,  Xoble  Grand;  J.  Kalb,  Vice  Grand;  A, 
Duster,  Rec.  Sec;  I.  Eubel,  Treas.  Two  years  ago  a  Finan- 
cial Sec.  was  added  to  the  board  of  officers,  whose  names  for 
present  year,  in  the  order  as  above,  are  F.  Diuze,  P.  Barden- 
werber,  D.  Frey,  J.  Paap  and  B.  Justus,  Fin.  Sec. 

Blucher,  No.  426,  was  instituted  April  17,  1875,  at  221  Navy 
st.,  with  18  members.  The  officers  were  Louis  Stal,  Carl 
Reber,  Wm.  Lorenz  and  Fred.  Finkeldey.  The  present 
membership  is  84,  officered  by  John  Volkman,  Fried  Froase. 
Peter  Hansen  and  Wm.  Kopp.  This  lodge  is  distinctively 
German. 

Purity,  No.  337,  was  instituted  in  Brooklyn,  Oct.  21,  1873, 
with  2*  charter  members.  The  first  Officers  were:  Wm.  P. 
Holley,  Uriah  Ellis  and  SamL  W.  Keymer.  The  present 
membership  is  120;  the  Officers:  E.  T.  Baker,  K.  G.  Blumen- 
stein  and  Henry  Smith. 

Atlantic,  No.  50,  was  instituted  in  Hall's  Building,  corner 
of  Fulton  and  Cranberry  sts.,  mi  March  22,  1841,  with  15 
members.  The.// rst  Officers  were:  James  McFarlane,  James- 


1350 


niSTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


W.  Peck,  David  W.  Smith  and  John  Willins.  The  present 
membership  is  19(i,  oflicered  hy  Reed  Midmer,  Win.  Stevens, 
Barnabas  R,  Carter  and  Melhourn  B.  Love  joy. 

Joppa.  No.  3St>,  was  instituted  in  Brooklyn,  April  7,  1874, 
with  23  charter  members.  The  first  Officers  were:  Henry 
T.  McClny.  Jno.  H.  Norwood,  Henry  Atcheson  and  Wm. 
Schroeder.  Tlie  present  membership  is  183,  officered  by 
Charles  Grote,  Wm.  O'Neill,  Chas.  Archele  and  John  Jones. 

Cornelia  Lodge  was  instituted  at  136  Graham  ave.,  Brook- 
lyu.  E.  D,,  Oct.  26,  1872.  28  sisters  and  8  brothers  were 
the  original  members,  officered  by  Charity  Kiehl,  Anna 
Lunish,  Hosina  Hollinger  and  Ella  Poi>e.  The  present  nuin- 
l>er  is  88  sisters  and  49  brothers.  Tlie  Officers  are:  Ada 
Schwet,  Christine  Gottloeb,  Rosina  Hollinger  and  Eliza  Fruh. 

Crystal  Wave,  No.  425,  was  instituted  April  27,  1875,  at 
Armory  Hall,  on  Clermont  ave.  The  original  membership  of 
this  lodge  was  20;  the  Officers,  Chas.  Rhodes,  H.  H.  Scheele 
and  J.  1).  McCutchen.  The  present  membership  112,  officered 
by  J.  D.  McCutchen,  J.  G.  Green  and  A.  Rupprecht.  The 
financial  condition  of  this  lodge  is  excellent,  and  its  social 
standing  high. 

Progressive,  No.  339,  was  instituted  in  Brooklyn,  Oct.  21, 
1872,  with  25  members.  The  first  Officers  were:  Jas.  Webb, 
Geo.  J.  Barratt,  Geo.  Luges  and  Win.  Pendle.  Tlie  present 
membership  is  100,  officered  by  Wm.  Watts,  Geo.  Yard, 
Victor  Monnetield  and  Wm.  Pendle. 

Charles  T.  Schmitt,  No.  34S,  was  organized  in  Brooklyn  in 
1*73,  and  is  not  incorporated.  23  memliers  were  originally 
enrolled.  The  membership  at  present  is  1 18.  First  Officers 
w<  rc:  Charles  Buhron,  iV.  G.;  J.  D.  Mahlstedt,  1".  G.;  A. 
Blohme,  Sec.;  II.  Tiedeinann,  7' reus.  Present  board,  in  same 
order  arc,  viz.:  Aug.  Hartmann,  C.  Stciuhof,  Jno.  Denda,  H. 
Bostelman.    This  lodge  is  distinctively  German. 

Steuben,  No.  133,  was  organized  in  Brooklyn  on  Christmas 
day,  1844;  is  not  incorporated.  22  members  were  originally 
enrolled.  Present  membership  is  175.  First  Officers  were: 
O.  Vollmer,  AT.  G.;  C.  B.  Schmidt,  V.  G.;  H.  Lubeck,  Sec.; 
C.  Foost,  Treas.  The  present  board  is  F.  Teale,  N.  G.;  H. 
Schutt,  V.  <?.;  H.  Paris,  Sec;  N.  Boger,  Treas.  This  lodge, 
too,  is  distinctively  German,  and  is  in  a  very  flourishing 
condition. 

Ivy,  No.  472,  was  instituted  June  21,  1878,  at  Stella  Hall, 
with  57  ineuibers.  The  first  Officers  were:  W.  Flias,  John 
Fanel,  James  Turnbull  and  P.  Ernst.  The  present  member- 
ship of  this  lodge  is  162,  officered  by  J.  P.  Bortzner,  J.  L. 
Wainright,  C.  N.  Wood  and  John  Bennett. 

Justitia,  No.  370,  org.  Oct.  10,  1872,  at  102  Bushwick  ave., 
E.  I).;  incorp.  October  10,  1*73.  N.  Y.  State;  original  mem- 
liership,  21;  present  membership,  163.  First  Officers:  John 
Eschcnbacher,  N.  G.;  Henry  Weitzel,  W.  G.;  Valentin  Bruch- 
hauser,  R.  S.;  Andreas  Bopp,  P.  S.;  Christ.  Schmitt,  7'rcas. 
First  Officers  of  each  succeeding  board  to  the  present  time: 
John  Eschenbacher,  1  lenry  Weitzel,  Valentin  Bruchhauser, 
'l'heodor  Hellstern,  Joseph  Merz,  Martin  Hoffman,  Gehhard 
Kraus,  Henry  Hicronimus,  Fritz  Krichelsdorf,  August  Nicol, 
August  Knk,  <  harles  Vogel,  Joseph  Goetz,  Bait  baser  Hein- 
rich,  Krnst  Luders  Herrmann.  Pri  st  nt  Officers:  Henry 
Wi  ideiiniuller,  N.  G.;  Jacob  Ablbach,  W.  G.;  Charles  Vogel, 
/.'"  .  Sec;  David  Loeser,  I'rrm.  Srr.;  Hermann  Mayer,  Treas. 

Nassau,  No.  39.  Olive  Leaf,  No.  233. 

Principle,  No.  4H.  Lyceum,  No.  333. 

Montauk,  No.  11  I.  Nor.  A.  Manning,  No.  415. 

The  Woods,  No.  121.  Stella,  No.  200. 

Ivanhoe,  N».  127.  Ceres,  No.  225. 

Union,  No.  1  09,  Prospect,  No.  290. 

Frarrtclin,  No.  182.  Fort  Greene,  No.  .'154. 

*    Gowanus,  No.  239.  Eagle,  No.  36*. 


William  Tell,  No.  135. 
Socrates,  No.  338. 
Diogenes,  No.  298. 
Chase,  No.  367. 
Harmonia,  No.  394. 


Woodbine,  No.  378. 
Myrtle,  No.  323. 
Arbor  Vitae,  No.  384. 
Crusaders,  No.  61. 
Mount  Ararat,  No.  144. 
Rainbow,  No.  409. 
Franklin  Degree,  No,  13. 
Olive  Branch  Rebekah  Degree,  No.  19. 
Vereinigte  Schwestern  Degree,  No.  59. 
Silver  Spray  Degree,  No.  63. 
Mayflower  Rebekah  Degree,  No.  77. 
Kings  County  Degree,  No.  38. 
Cornelia  Rebekah  Degree,  No.  3s. 

Olive  Leaf,  No.  233,  was  instituted  in  Greenpoint,  April 
14.  1870,  with  27  charter  members.  The  first  OFFICBU 
were:  S.  F.  Bartlett,  E.  E.  Griffiths,  W.  H.  Holmes,  Wm. 
Chester.  The  present  membership  is  201,  oflicered  by  W.  W. 
Taft,  J.  M.  Farrington,  John  Johnson  and  John  Howe. 

ENCAMPMENTS. 
The  Odd  Fellows'  Lodges  in  the  County  of  Kings  are 
divided  into  four  districts.  District  No.  1  comprises  16 
lodges,  1  Degree  lodge,  and  3  lodges  of  Daughters  of  Rebe- 
kah, under  the  command  of  William  M.  Dupree.  of  Montauk 
Lodge.  District  No.  2  comprises  7  lodges,  under  Daniel 
W.  Hitchcock,  of  Mt.  Ararat  Lodge.  District  No.  3  com- 
prises 9  lodges  and  one  lodge  of  Daughters  of  Rebekah,  under 
Isaac  N.  Luce,  of  Purity  Lodge.  District  No.  4  comprises 
10  lodges,  1  Degree  lodge  and  1  lodge  of  Daughters  of  Rebe- 
kah, and  3  Encampments  in  the  E.  D.,  and  3  in  the  W.  Tf.  of 
the  City,  under  John  H.  V.  Breuer,  Blucher  Lodge.  The 
Mutual,  and  Provident  Benefit  Associations  of  the  Order 
have  been  in  existence  for  many  years,  and  have  effected  a 
great  amount  of  good,  in  the  aiding  of  the  widows  and 
orphans  of  deceased  members  of  the  order.  In  those  two 
institutions  alone,  upwards  of  $160,000  have  been  contributed 
and  disbursed. 

Roland  Encampment  was  instituted  in  Brooklyn,  Septem- 
ber 29,  1876,  with  22  members.  The  first  Officers  were: 
John  Bulwinkel,  H.  Siedenburg,  F.  Schulz,  T.  H.  Siebach  and 
Thos.  Amling.  The  present  membership  is  60,  oflicered  by 
Chas.  Sharbacher,  E.  Meyer.  L.  R.  Miller,  A.  Hector  and  A. 
H.  Bruhe. 

Beacon  Light  Encampment  was  instituted  January  9,  1878, 
with  39  members,  officered  by  C.  S.  Smith,  A.  G.  I  Ilia .  Geo, 
W.  Thwaites,  Geo.  Renshaw  and  W.  II.  Jcnne.  The  present 
membership  is  over  100.  The  Officers:  R.  R.  Latourette, 
Theo.  Yost,  S.  W.  Welch,  W.  J.  Fowler  and  Jos.  Bedell. 

Bethlehem  Encampment  was  instituted  in  Brooklyn,  Jan., 
1S16,  with  40  charter  members,  officered  by  W.  H.  Arthur. 
S.  Skinner,  J.  P.  Scott,  J.  C.  Jacques  and  W.  R.  Robinson. 
The  present  membership  is  120.  The  Officers:  J.  W.  Gard- 
ner, C.  Braunsworth,  E.  F.  Leanny,  P.  Wiggins  and  J.  A. 
Carlin. 

Odd  Fellows'  Provident  Association   of  Brooklyn  was 

instituted  June  is.  |s75.  Is  not  incorporated,  secret  or  sec- 
tarian; its  object  is  beneficent  insurance  to  any  "Odd  Fel- 
low" whose  lodge  is  located  in  Kings  or  New  York  counties. 
The  original  membership  was  9,  the  present  sou,  officered  by 
S.  I..  Rowland.  Pres.:  L.  Bcasley.  I  'ire- Pres. :  E.  Jacobs.  See.; 
Win.  MeGurn,  Treas.  Insurance  in  this  association  is  effected 
by  an  assessment  of  one  dollar  per  capita  from  each  member, 
upon  satisfactory  proof  of  a  death  in  their  ranks. 


THE  AMERICAN  LEGION  OF  HONOR 
The  American  Legion  of  Honor  is  a  co-operath  a 

society,  formed  under  the  State  Laws  of  Massachusetts, 


BENEFICENT  AND  SO 


1351 


for  the  purpose  of  furnishing  its  members  Life  Insur- 
ance at  cost.  Tt  has  a  rapidly  increasing  membership 
of  over  50,000,  and  is  paying  out  over  $1,250,000 
annually  to  the  dependents  of  its  deceased  members,  at 
an  average  of  fifteen  assessments  yearly.  No  high 
salaries  are  paid  by  this  society,  no  agents  used  ;  and 
all  are  acceptable  who  are  of  sound  bodily  health,  and 
good  moral  character,  between  the  age  of  eighteen  and 
fifty-five. 

COUNCILS. 

Acme,  No.  359,  was  instituted  Dec.  14,  1880.  Present 
Officers  :  John  P.  Dallimore,  Smith  S.  Merritt,  Richard  R. 
Franklin,  Augustus  H.  Marinus. 

Active,  No.  1073,  was  instituted  Jan.  30,  1883.  Present 
Officers  :  John  D.  Broderick,  Isaac  Berman,  C.  A.  J.  Hert- 
man,  I.  G.  Hagenbacker. 

Amaranth,  No.  284,  was  instituted  Sept.  15,  1880.  Present 
Officers:  Wm.  O.  Hammond,  Edward  Schnalbach,  Jr., 
John  H.  Waite,  Wm.  H.  Ray. 

Amphion,  No.  877,  was  instituted  April  9,  1883.  Present 
Officers  :  Wm.  B.  Stover,  Wm.  B.  Potter,  Alfred  Stover, 
Joseph  Wertheimer. 

Atlas,  No.  447,  was  instituted  Nov.  25,  1881.  Present 
Officers  :  Fred.  H.  Nolte,  Terrence  Nugent,  Rubens  Stot- 
hard,  Simon  Schleicher. 

Bedford,  No.  639,  was  instituted  at  Styles'  Hall,  Bedford 
avenue,  corner  of  Fulton  street,  June  29,  1881,  where  the 
Order  still  meet.  The  original  membership  was  85,  with  the 
following  Officers  :  Thos.  T.  Evans,  Commander ;  Wm. 
Berri,  Vice^Com.;  M.  F.  H.  Smith,  Sec'y;  Caleb  Barker,  Treas. 
Present  membership,  148.  Present  Officers  :  J.  Woolsey 
Shepard,  Horace  E.  Merrill,  M.  F.  H.  Smith,  Fred'k  Eckel. 

Brooklyn,  No.  800,  organized  Dec.  19,  1881,  in  Brooklyn. 
Original  membership,  26.  Present  membership,  63.  The 
first  Officers  were :  G.  M.  Brown,  Commander ;  George 
Kenneth,  Jr.,  Vice-C.  ;  W.  F.  Bedell,  Past  C. ;  Alex.  Pallas, 
See'y ;  E.  B.  Van  Deusen,  Collector/  James  Armstrong, 
Orator ;  W.  F.  Scantleburg,  Treas.  ;  Charles  Bradshaw, 
Chaplain;  Guy  Loomis,  Guide;  Chas.  Maw,  Warden;  A. 
Grendal,  Sentry.  Present  Officers,  in  order  as  above: 
Henry  C.  Bull,  Jr.,  D.  M.  Madden,  E.  B.  Van  Deusen,  G.  M. 
Brown,  M.  W.  Stoughton,  Thos.  Sealy,  W.  F.  Scantleburg, 
J.  W.  Stewart,  James  Brown,  Geo.  W.  Kopf,  J.  A.  Shannon. 

Cecilia,  No,  1064,  was  instituted  December  29,  1882. 
Present  Officers:  G.  K.  Ackerman,  J.  W.  Scott,  W.  P. 
Burnham,  F.  S.  Edminster. 

Columbia,  No.  239,  was  instituted  July  15,  1880,  with  49 
members.  Present  Officers:  John  Thomas,  T.  M.  K.  Mills, 
John  Schuller,  George  S.  Bishop.    Present  membership,  132. 

Continental,  No.  308  (E.  D.),  was  instituted  October  7, 1880. 
Present  Officers:  Bigelow  Meeker,  Geo.  H.  Curran,  Almond 
W.  Barnes,  James  Folliart. 

Court  Union,  No.  769,  was  instituted  November  8,  1881. 
Present  Officers:  Louis  Fisher,  Adolph  Rothcbild,  Henry  A. 
Wed,  Gottlob  Engel. 

Daniel  Webster,  No.  516,  was  instituted  April  14,  1881. 
Present  Officers:  Bernard  Fabei%  Ernst  Fisher,  Henry 
Knopf,  Andrew  Schnerzelsen. 

Ethan  Allen,  No.  609,  was  instituted  May  26, 1881.  Present 
Officers:  George  H.  Birdsall,  M.  R.  Allen,  Thos.  H.  Birdsall, 
Thos.  H.  Williams. 

Frederich  Von  Schiller,  No.  1115  (E.  D.),  was  instituted 
April  21,  1883,  with  44  members.  Present  Officers:  Henry 
Ruppel,  Michael  Schwarz.  Frank  W.  Koch,  Jacob  Klein. 
Membership  distinctively  German. 


Germania,  No.  579,  was  instituted  May  1,  1881.  Present 
Officers:  John  Lummernian,  Carrie  Weinberg,  E.  L.  Wenz, 
C.  J.  Frank. 

Graham,  No.  572,  was  instituted  June  22,  1883.  Present 
Officers:  John  B.  Mezick,  Edw.  H.  Forder,  Jas.  D.  Cochrane, 
Jas.  W.  Tooker. 

Hermann,  No.  634,  was  instituted  June  27,  1881.  Present 
Officers:  Eibe  H.  Iljen,  J.  August  Rath,  Joseph  Bayer,  D. 
Deterling. 

Independent,  No.  1143,  was  instituted  July  10,  1883.  Pres- 
ent Officers:  J.  F.  Bisbee,  F.  E.  Kingden,  Wm.  C.  Muller, 
Henry  J.  Wills. 

Kemble,  No.  1009,  was  instituted  July  28,  1882.  Present 
Officers:  M.  D.  Messinger,  J.  H.  Iledenberg,  E.  Hendrick: 
son,  C.  Pritchard. 

Knox.  No.  1002,  was  instituted  July  25,  1882.  Present 
Officers:  John  C.  Valentine,  Geo.  A.  Ward,  A.  H.  Frost, 
John  Heydinger. 

Lafayette,  No.  460,  was  instituted  March  16,  1881.  Present 
Officers:  Arthur  F.  Curtis,  Robert  Gillies,  Chas.  Merrick, 
M.  J.  Connolly. 

Lincoln,  No.  367,  was  instituted  December  17,  1880.  Pres- 
ent Officers:  H.  E.  Dubois,  Wm.  H.  Riley,  C.  F.  A.  Salter, 
Olaf  F.  Anderson.  * 

Lipsia,  No.  1098,  was  instituted  March  13,  18K3.  Present 
Officers:  Wm.  F.  Dechent,  Frank  P.  Cooper,  Charles  Fisher, 
Heinrich  Schelling. 

Long  Island,  No.  661,  was  instituted  July  23,  1881.  Pres- 
ent Officers:  John  H.  Rooney,  Alfred  Lanchartin,  Adolph 
Plaettner,  Geo.  R.  Kuhn. 

Monroe,  No.  663,  was  instituted  July  19,  1881.  Present 
Officers:  Stephen  M.  Maxon,  J.  Orlando  Harrison,  Madison 
M.  Cannon,  William  W.  Stone. 

Nassau,  No.  440,  was  instituted  February  2S,  1881.  Present 
Officers:  Joseph  Stevens,  B.  F.  Hardenbergh,  G.  H.  Stevens, 
E.  B.  Wood. 

Obelisk,  No.  336,  was  instituted  November  12,  1880.  Pres- 
ent Officers:  Cornelius  Grinnell,  Lewi.s  Walker,  Jacob 
Ritschy,  Wm.  W.  Starr. 

Old  Bushwick,  No.  1104.  was  instituted  April  20.  1S83. 
Present  Officers:  Jesse  W.  Hursh,  Geo.  W.  Farrell,  Edwin 
R.  Lake,  Meyer  Richard. 

Progressive,  No.  423,  was  instituted  February  14,  1881. 
First  Officers  were:  Samuel  R.  Tuomey,  W.  Stannard. 
Samuel  V.  Owen,  Charles  Hinckley. 

Prospect,  No.  401,  was  instituted  January  31,  1881.  Pres- 
ent Officers:  H.  P.  Pierce,  H.  H.  Morgan,  W.  H.  French, 
W.  Sherman. 

Rainbow,  No.  134,  was  instituted  Marcli  24,  1H80.  Present 
Officers:  H.  C.  Melville,  S.  Benjamin,  Charles  W.  Smith, 
A.  Davidson. 

Roebling,  No.  1137,  was  instituted  June  22,  1S83.  Present 
Officers:  William  H.  Whitlock,  William  M.  Rome,  Clarence 
Moore,  Robert  B.  Valentine. 

St.  John's.  No.  391,  was  instituted  January  20,  1881. 
Present  Officers:  A.  K.  Jones,  E.  H.  Wheeler,  Thomas  A. 
Wroten,  (ieorge  E.  Barrett. 

Security,  No.  686,  was  instituted  April  22,  1881.  Present 
Officers:  R.  Gilbertson,  J.  D.  Billard,  William  P.  Jones, 
William  Boyd. 

Standard,  No.  467,  was  instituted  March  22,  1881.  Present 
Officers:  Frank  H.  Bellows,  George  Gray,  George  C.  Dar- 
ling, Samuel  S.  Martin. 

Stella,  No.  40,  was  instituted  January  28,  1881.  Present 
Officers:  Nevin  H.  Butler,  John  H.  Sutter,  Justin  F.  Price, 
Henry  H.  Gordon.  * 


1352 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Steuben,  No.  952,  was  instituted  May  18,  1H82.  Present 
Officers:  Thomas  Kane,  Henry  Metz,  J.  G.  Obenauer,  John 
Fisher. 

Tompkins,  No.  1133,  was  instituted  June  15, 1883.  Present 
Officers  :  R.  H.  Heasman,  Robert  F.  Rhodes,  G.  E.  Melius, 
"William  E.  Fitt. 

Unique,  No.  3,  was  instituted  November  9,  1883.  Present 
Officers:  Henry  Needham,  W.  H.  Snyder.  William  Cor- 
selyea,  Julius  Sauer. 

Winona,  No.  905,  was  instituted  November  17,  1882. 
Preseut  Officers:  T.  Jeff.  Stevens,  F.  H.  Sloan,  Charles  J. 
GofT,  Edward  W.  Hale. 

ROYAL  ARCANUM. 
COUNCILS  IN  BROOKLYN. 
The  object  of  this  order,  which  now  numbers  fifty 
thousand  members,  is  Mutual  Benefit  Insurance;  it  is 
secret,  non-sectarian  and  social;  the  superior  body  is 
incorporated,  the  subordinate  councils  are  not;  since  its 
organization,  June  23d,  1877,  810  councils  have  been 
instituted,  with  a  total  membership  of  50,000,  and 
during  these  seven  years  there  have  been  but  53  assess- 
ments levied. 

Acme,  No.  594,  was  instituted  Nov.  2d,  1882,  with  25  Char- 
ter members,  officered  by  T.  Lindsay,  Henry  Dodson,  J.  A. 
Williams  and  E.  F.  Krantz.  The  present  membership  is  07; 
the  Officers  are:  T.  G.  Holmes,  C.  P.  Steyert,  J.  A. Williams 
and  E.  F.  Krantz. 

Amaranth,  No.  461,  was  instituted  by  Deputy  Grand  Re- 
gent Charles  Young,  of  Brooklyn  Council,  on  March  23, 
1880,  and  is  regularly  incorporated.  The  original  memliership 
is  25;  the  first  Officers:  J.  L.  Knox,  H.  Shatford,  F.  J. 
Oakes  and  J.  W.  Scott.  The  present  membership  is  155,  offi- 
cered by  J.  W.  Creswell,  D.  E.  Christie,  J.  Heydiuger  and  J. 
W.  Scott. 

Bedford,  No.  055.  J.  II.  Burtis.  Regent;  C.  H.  Pine,  Secre- 
tary. 

Brooklyn,  No.  72,  was  instituted  at  Everett  Hall,  Fulton 
street,  April  10,  1878,  with  22  members.  The  first  Officers 
were:  E.  D.  Hall,  W.  J.  Dickie,  II.  EL  Gordon  and  J.  M. 
Lodewick,  Jr.  The  present  membership  is  247:  the  Officers: 
O.  H.  Dolbeare,  E.  S.  Riggs,  L.  B.  Hanks  and  J.  A.  E. 
Speir. 

Burnside,  No.  625,  J.  F.  Hamilton,  Regent;  Albert  H.  Frost, 
Secretary. 

Carroll  Park,  No.  630,  was  organized  Dec.  22,  1881,  and 
meets  at  Lincoln  Hall,  Court  street,  corner  Sackett ;  the 
original  membership  was  29;  the  present,  69.  First  Officers 
wen-:  Henry  E.  DuBois,  Regent;  Win.  H.  Moquin,  Vice-R.; 
M.  J,  llanna.  .Sec;  O.  F.  Anderson,  'Treas.  Present  Officers: 
Fred  Wilke,  I).  H.  Martin,  Robt.  S.  Neeley,  O.  F.  Anderson. 

Commonwealth,  No.  542.  Lewis  If.  Smith,  Regent;  Oswald 
Weber,  Jr.,  Secretary. 

DeWitt  Clinton,  No.  419,  was  instituted  at  Styles' Hall, 
Dec  .5,  1*79,  and  is  regularly  incorporated.  The  original 
membership  was  50:  the  lirst  Officers:  .lames  l'enuoyer, 
Franklin  B.  Van  Wart.  D.  S.  Unckles  and  Joseph  E.  Palmer. 
.Ir.  Tin-  present  membership  is  300,  officered  by  Jno.  A.  <,»iiiii- 
tard.  Geo.  h'.  Clark.  M.  I'.  Van  Yranken  and  M.  F.  H. 
Smith. 

De  Long.  No.  725.  J.  A.  Moody,  Regent:  M.  E.  Doyle,  .Sec. 
Fern,  N<>.  7;  I.  Josephus  L.  Wood.  Regent:  W.  B.  I )avis,  Sec, 
Franklin.   No.  268,  was  instituted  Feb.  15,  1879,  with  13 
charter  members.  The  first  OFFICERS  were:  Thos.  C.  Thome, 
Thos.  W.  Pidsdalc  and  Chas  Stikeinan.    The  present  mem- 


bership is  120.  officered  by  Chas.  Stikeman,  Geo.  C.  Eggles- 
ton,  H.  E.  Esterbrook  and  C.  B.  Davenport.    This  council 
meets  in  Prospect  Hall,  cor.  of  DeKalb  and  Marcy  avenues. 
Fraternity,  No.  504.    P.  Springer,  Regent;  F.  B.  Gardiner, 

Sec. 

Fulton,  No.  299.  Will  H.  Johnston,  Regent;  C.  B.  C.  Fow- 
ler, .See. 

Iolanthe,  No.  318.  C.  Pritchard,  Regent:  Lewis  Collins,  Sec. 
Kings  County,  No.  459,  Alex.  Thompson,  Regent:  Edw. 
Nash,  Sec. 

Long  Island,  No.  173,  was  instituted  in  Armory  Hall,  on 
Clermont  avenue,  September  27,  1878,  with  18  charter  mem- 
bers; the  first  Officers  were:  James  Macbeth,  S.  W.  Tate,  D. 
R.  Ferrett  and  E.  W.  Jacobson.  The  present  membership  is 
512.  officered  by  Munson  S.  Brown,  Wm.  L.  Howard,  Theo. 
W.  Curtis  and  W.  A.  Merritt.  This  Council  is  the  largest  in 
the  Order,  and  numbers  iu  its  membership  many  prominent 
men  of  our  city. 

Montauk,  No.  651,  Everett  Hall,  398  Fulton  street.,  org. 
Feb.  24,  1882,  with  18  members.  Present  membership,  99. 
First  Officers:  G.  Selig,  Regent;  A.  D.  Newman,  Vice-R.;  W- 
Silverberg,  Treas.;  A.  Louis,  .Sec  Present  Officers:  A.  D. 
Newman,  J.  H.  Convin,  M.  Hirsch,  Treas.;  A.  Louis,  Sec. 

Morning  Star,  No.  680.  Jos.  H.  McMullan,  Regent;  W.  R. 
Kerr,  Sec. 

Nassau,  No.  822.    G.  E.  Moore,  Regent;  Hamilton  A.  Gill, 

Sec. 

Osceola.  No.  759,  Greenpoint.  Chas.  G.  Colton,  Regent:  .1. 
D.  Billard,  Jr.,  Sec. 

Oxford,  No.  650,  was  organized  Feb.  21,  1882;  the  original 
membership  was  17.  The  first  Officers:  J.  W.  Lincoln,  Re- 
gent: E.  F.  Ludridge,  Vice-R.;  E.  C.  Leckey,  Sec;  Jno.  C. 
Valentine,  Treas.  The  present  membership  is  33,  officered 
by  F.  L.  Degener,  Wm.  Bishop,  Wm.  H.  Riley,  Jno.  C. 
Valentine. 

Peter  Cooper,  No.  821.  Jesse  Wilkinson,  Regent.  J.  A. 
Gradachos,  .Sec 

Peconic,  No.  631;  org.  Dec.  23,  1881 ;  incorp. ;  original  mem- 
bers, 29;  present  No.  81.  First  Officers:  Geo.  V.  Brower, 
Regent;  Wm.  L.  Harris,  V.  A'.;  Wilson  Godfrey,  Orator;  Wm. 
F.  Bedell,  P.  R.;  John  Y.  YanWicklin,  Sec;  Ed.  W.  Hirsch, 
Coll.;  R.  D.  Yanderhoef,  Treas.;  J.  C.  Brownell,  Chajrtain; 
Chas.  W.  Smith,  Guide;  J.  Whaley,  Warden;  P.  C.  Wilson, 
Sentry;  W.  F.  Bedell,  Med.  Exam.  Present  Officers:  Ward 
C.  Pardee,  M.  D.,  Regent;  S.  T.  White,  V.  i?.;Thos.  E.  Pear- 
sail,  Orator;  George  V.  Brower,  P.  R.;  Walter  S.  Hicks,  Sec; 
Edward  W.  Hirsh,  Coll.;  R.  D.  Yanderhoef,  Treas.;  James 
M.  Parker,  Chaji.;  Jos.  Whaley,  Guide;  Geo.  T.  Brown, 
Warden;  P.  C.  Wilson,  Sentry:  James  II.  Pittinger,  Warren 
S.  Silcocks,  John  M.  Tompkins,  Trustees;  W.  F.  Bedell, 
M.  D.,  Geo.  McNaughton,  M.  D.,  Med.  Fxrs. 

Philadelphos,  No.  562,  was  instituted  in  Prospect  Hall,  cor- 
ner of  Marcy  and  DeKalb  aves.,  February  7,  1881,  with  25 
charter  memliers.  The  first  Officers  were :  Henry  E.  Tomp- 
kins, Regent:  Geo.  Woodruff.  Vice-Reg.;  A.  S.  Kirk  man, 
Treas.;  Thos.  C.  Brush,  Sec  Present  membership  is  18, 
officered  by  Win.  A.  Nash,  David  A.  Baldwin.  Wm.  E.  At- 
kins and  <  Hivcr  Hull.  Council  meetings  are  held  in  Styles' 
Hall. 

Ridgewood,  No.  678,  was  instituted  in  Lexington  Hall. 
No.  854  Gates  ave.,  on  April  20,  ISS2.  with  :!l  members.  The 
first  <  >FI  Icf.rs  :  Francis  M.  Fdgertou,  William  Masten,  Geo. 
Iremonger,  Ira  Coddard.  The  present  membership  is  100. 
The  ( >FFK'ERs  :  William  Masten.  Wm.  Ircmougcr,  Geo.  Ire 
monger,  and  C.  11.  Fancher. 

Stuyvesant,  No.  090.  Isaac  B.  Crane.  Regent;  Flmer  K 
Winckler,  Sec 


BENEFICENT  AND  SO  CIA  L  OR  G.  I NIZ.  1  TIONS. 


1353 


Welcome,  No.  703.  F.  S.  Grenelle,  Regent;  Geo.  L.  P. 
Chambers,  Sec. 

THE  KNIGHTS  OF  HONOR* 
Similar  in  its  general  aims  and  forms  of  organiza- 
tion, to  the  Legion  of  Honor,  Royal  A  rcanum,  etc.  It 
embraces  over  130,000  members,  and  has  distributed,  at 
an  average  of  $8,000  per  day,  to  widows  and  orphans. 

LODGES. 

Those  Lodges  thus  marked  (t)  work  in  the  German  language. 

No.  63,  Kings  County  Pioneer,  instituted  April  1,  1875, 
with  13  members.  First  Officers:  Levi  E.  Hart,  J.  W. 
Lake,  A.  D.  Hartye,  and  S.  M.  Smith.  Present  membership 
is  18.  Officers:  A.  Fitzroy,  E.  F.  Dennis,  W.  S.  Bennett, 
and  A.  H.  Griswold. 

No.  420,  Sweden,  instituted  December  20,  1876. 

No.  570,  Brooklyn  City,  instituted  March  30,  1877. 

No.  1443,  Onward,  instituted  February  28,  1879. 

No.  1616,  Williamsburgh,  instituted  March  20,  1879,  at 
Masonic  Temple,  corner  Seventh  and  Grand  streets,  Brooklyn, 
E.  D.  Incorporated  under  the  laws  of  the  State  of  Kentucky. 
Present  membership,  98.  First  Officers:  William  H.  Bryan, 
Diet.;  G.  W.  Ketcham,  Vice-D.;  J.  S.  Bryan,  Ass"t  D.; 
William  C.  Allen,  Past  D.;  N.  Callan,  Jr.,  Reporter;  J.  M. 
Smith,  Financial  Reporter;  Hon.  William  H.  Ray,  Treas.; 
George  S.  Eaton,  Chajrfain;  J.  Hughes,  Guide;  D.  Stewart, 
Guardian;  A.  Van  Alst,  Sentinel;  Moses  R.  Allen,  Represen- 
tative; J.  B.  Overton,  Medical  Examiner.  Succeeding  First 
Officers:  John  M.  Smith,  N.  Callan,  Jr.,  G.  S.  Eaton,  John 
Schuller,  William  C.  Parr,  John  Thomas,  F.  W.  Pollock. 
Present  Officers:  F.  W.  Pollock,  P.  Diet.;  John  Vanderzee, 
Diet.:  J.  L.  Wilsey,  Vice-D.:  S.  C.  Hendrickson,  Ass't  D.; 
William  A.  Bishop,  Reporter;  John  H.  Waite,  Financial 
Reporter;  Hon.  William  H.  Ray,  Treas. :  William  H.  Mooney, 
Chaplain;  D.  C.  Reilly,  Guide:  H.  C.  Wills,  Guardian;  Geo. 
S.  Brewster,  Sentinel:  William  H.  Bryan,  Representative. 
Trustees:  E.  Andrews,  J  D.  Walsh,  S.  C.  Hendrickson. 

No.  1641,  Moltke,  f  instituted  June  12,  1879,  and  incorp. 
Original  membership,  33.  Officers:  Martin  Schneider,  Otto 
Range,  Henry  Roseland  and  W.  Haedrich.  Present  mem- 
bership, 132.  Officers:  John  F.  Cordes.  August  F.  Schmulz, 
Henry  Roseland,  and  Charles  Meyer. 

No.  1662,  Arcanum,  instituted  June  16,  1879,  by  Deputy- 
Grand  Dictator  John  L.  Knox,  of  Columbia  Lodge,  No.  800, 
of  New  York  City.  Original  membership,  40.  First  Offi- 
cers: C.  Young,  C.  Davis,  E.  Longbotham,  and  J.  W.  Scott. 
The  present  membership  is  76;  Officers:  D.  E.  Christie,  G. 
Graff,  W.  W.  Lambert,  and  J.  W.  Scott. 

No.  1699,  Crescent,  instituted  at  Greenpoint,  July  11,  1879. 
Original  membership,  40;  present  membership,  112.  First 
Officers:  W.  W.  Silkworth,  Diet.;  E.  D.  Church,  Vice-D.; 
E.  M.  Sanders,  Reporter;  D.  A.  Manson,  Treas.  Present 
Officers:  E.  B.  Ackerley,  W.  J.  Anderson,  E.  G.  Tucker- 
man,  D.  A.  Manson. 

No.  1739,  United  States,  instituted  August  18,  1879. 

No.  1881,  Montgomery,  instituted  November  20,  1879. 

No.  1921,  Bedford,  instituted  in  Brooklyn,  E.  D.,  with  40 
members.   First  Officers:  C.  P.  Read,  G.  W.  Baker,  C.  A. 

*  Tlie  Knights  of  Honor  and  Tlie  American  Let/ion  of  Honor  owe  much 
of  their  vitality  and  rapid  extension  to  Moses  P.  Allen,  a  native  of 
New  York  city,  and  a  veteran  of  the  1st  Kogiment.  Rhode  Island 
Cavalry,  in  the  late  war.  Originally  a  member  of  Providence  |  ft.  I.) 
Lodge  of  K.  H.,  he  founded  a  lodge  in  that  State,  and  also  one  of  the 
K.  and  Lotties  of  H.  In  Brooklyn  he  has  been  the  active  organizer  of 
Williamsburgh.  Crescent.  L'nitfd  States,  Clinton,  and  Ivy  Lodges  of  the 
Knights  of  Honor:  of  Mizpuh  and  Fern  Lodges  of  K.  an  d  Ladies  OF 
Honor;  of  Columbia,  Continental,  Ohrlisk,  Ethan  AUrn,  Monroe,  Court 
Union,  Amphion,  and  Tompkins  Councils  of  the  American  Legion  of 
Honor.  In  all  these  orders  he  has  held  various  of  the  highest  and 
most  important  working  offices. 


Olcott,  and  J.  Warren  Tway.  The  present  membership  is  92. 
Officers:  C.  S.  Young,  F.  B.  Gardner,  Wm.  Vincent,  and 
J.  Warren  Tway. 

No.  2022,  De  Witt  Clinton,  instituted  February  7,  1880. 
The  original  membership  was  40,  the  present,  160.  First 
Officers:  E.  H.  Dickey,  James  Emery,  Jr.,  Richard  H. 
Harding,  Theodore  E.  Green.  Present  Officers:  Thomas 
Connor,  Jas.  W.  Anderson,  Richard  H.  Harding,  John  H. 
Brennen. 

No.  2060,  Clinton,  instituted  Feb.  18, 1880,  with  the  follow- 
ing Officers  :  Wm.  H.  Hall,  P.  D.;  C.  H.  Gallagher,  D. :  J. 
C.  Hinneman,  V.  D.;  D.  A.  Nevins,  A.  D.;  Thos.  Paine,  R.; 
R.  H.  Browne,  F.  R.;  Wm.  Doggrell,  T.;  Rev.  G.  T.  Stans- 
bury,  C;  C.  D.  Robinson,  Ge.;  J.  H.  Harrison,  G.;  Thos. 
Terry,  S.;  W.  F.  Crutchley,  M.  D.,  Med.  Ex.;  W.  F.  Crutch- 
ley,  C.  G.  Hall,  and  G.  E.  Henderson,  Trustees  ;  W.  H.  Hall, 
Rep.  to  G.  L.;  C.  H.  Gallagher,  Alt.  Rep. 

No.  2114,  Allemanie,  t  instituted  Feb.  20,  1880,  at  No.  121 
Franklin  st.,  Brooklyn,  E.  D.,  and  was  incorporated  under 
Kentucky  State  laws.  Original  membership,  40;  the  number 
at  present,  95.  First  Officers  :  John  Schroeder,  Dictator: 
John  H.  Diercks,  Vice;  H.  Behrmann,  Asst.  Vice.  Present 
officers,  in  order  as  above,  J.  D.  Benken,  H.  Moritz,  H.  C. 
Meyer. 

No.  2098,  Goethe,f  instituted  March  16,  1880. 

No.  2102,  Enterprise,  instituted  March  18,  1880. 

No.  2138,  Fritz  Reuter.f  instituted  March  30,  1880. 

No.  2133,  Senate,  instituted  March  30,  1880. 

No.  2140,  Fulton,  instituted  April  3,  1880,  with  24  mem- 
bers. First  Officers  were:  Wm.  W.  Arnold,  D.  A.  Gillespie, 
Wm.  Boiling,  and  Charles  Ramsden.  The  present  mem- 
bership is  60,  officered  by  Wm.  W.  Arnold,  F.  H.  Muller, 
Jno.  Magill,  and  Dan'l  Weston. 

No.  2147,  Franklin,  instituted  April  7,  1880,  with  a  mem- 
bership of  40,  officered  by  C.  W.  Morton,  Geo.  W.  Van 
Mater,  E.  R.  Johnson,  Wm.  W.  Silver.  The  present  mem- 
bership is  100,  officered  by  Win.  P.  Phillips,  Jere.  Costello, 

B.  G.  Conkling,  and  A.  H.  Frost. 

No.  2154,  Ha-.vard,  instituted  April  9,  1880. 

No.  2156,  Bayard  Taylor,!  instituted  April  10,  1880. 

No.  2157,  Ivy,  instituted  April  10,  ia80,  in  Styles'  Hall, 
cor.  Bedford  and  Fulton  aves. ;  incorp.  under  Kentucky  State 
laws;  original  membership,  37.  First  Officers  were  :  H.  S. 
Willis,  Diet.;  Jno.  L.  Kendall,  Vice-D.;  G.  E.  Blake,  Rep.; 
J.  M.  Nash,  Treas.    Present  Officers:  J.  D.  Kendall,  £>.; 

C.  W.  Blake,  V.  D.;  S.  A.  Glier,  A.  D.;  J.  A.  Grudchos,  Rep.; 
C.  A.  Horn,  F.  Rep.;  J.  M.  Nash,  Treas.;  G.  E.  Blake,  Chap.; 
C.  Weed,  Ge.;  E.  Horn,  Guar.;  F.  A.  Blake,  Sen.;  H.  S. 
Willis,  P.  D.  Present  membership,  230;  meetings  at  Lex- 
ington Hall,  854  Gates  ave. 

No.  2193,  Prospect. 

No.  2319,  Long  Island,  instituted  Nov.  19,  1880. 
Crystal  Lodge. 

No.  2830,  Fern,  organized  Sept.  8,  1882,  in  Armory  Hall, 
Clermont  ave.,  near  Myrtle.  Original  membership,  32.  First 
Officers:  Herbert  Feaine,  Diet.:  Jno.  H.  Hancock,  Vice-D.; 
Robt.  Harper,  Reporter :  Chas.  Van  Daren,  Treas.  The 
present  membership  is  69,  officered  by  A.  E.  Overton,  B.  R. 
Western,  T.  B.  Richter,  J.  H.  Van  Thun. 

Protective  Lodge. 


KNIGHTS  AND  LADIES  OF  HONOR.* 

A  secret,  benevolent  association,  composed  of  both 

sexes,  and  organized  into  Supreme,  Grand,  and  Subor- 

*  By  Moses  H.  allen,  O.  V.  I'.  Brooklyn  is  represented  in  the  N.  Y 
State  Grand  Lodge  of  the  order  by  Mr.  Allen,  as  Grand  Vice  Protector' 
and  John  A.  Kinquolm,  as  Grand  Sentinel. 


1354 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


dinate  Lodges.  Its  purposes  are  humane.  It  seeks  to 
protect,  aid  and  benefit  its  members  while  living;  and 
w  hen  dead,  to  provide  for  their  dependents,  the  child- 
ren, the  parents,  the  brothers,  the  sisters,  the  family. 

This  latter  protection  it  affords  through  the  machin- 
ery of  a  co-operative  Mutual  Benefit  Society. 

The  Knights  and  Ladies  were  chartered  in  1878  by 
the  State  of  Kentucky.  Its  original  qualifications  for 
membership  confined  it  to  the  members  of  the  Knights 
of  Honor  and  their  lady  relatives,  until  a  very  recent 
date.  It  now  offers  its  advantages  to  all  of  "repu- 
table profession,  business,  or  occupation."  Still  it  en- 
courages and  solicits  the  institution  of  lod'jes,  where  the 
membership  shall  be  restricted  to  the  Knights  of  Honor 
and  their  ladies,  thus  making  itself  an  alhj  to  that  great 
fraternal  Order. 

It  now  numbers  28,000  members,  700  subordinate 
lodges  and  13  grand  lodges.  Its  membership  is  about 
equally  divided  between  the  two  sexes. 

This  organization  is  believed  to  be  the  first  society 
of  its  kind  to  admit  female  members.  Its  growth  at 
first  was  retarded  by  the  popular  prejudice  that  female 
risks  were  greater  than  male.  Such  a  prejudice  was 
founded  upon  ignorance  of  the  comparative  mortality 
of  the  two  sexes.  Its  experience  has  verified  the  testi- 
mony of  experts  upon  this  subject.  Its  female  risks 
hare  constantly  proved  better  than  its  male. 

LODGES. 

Jenny  Lind,  No.  94,  organized  Dec.  6,  1878. 

Mizpah,  No.  205,  organized  Nov.  lit,  187!).  First  Officers: 
Moses  R.  Allen,  P.;  Mrs.  Mary  A.  Bragdon,  V.  P.;  Mrs.  Emily 
Doughty,  Chap.;  Wm.  H.  Hall,  P.  P.;  E.  O.  Bragdon,  Sec; 
Geo.  S.  Eaton,  F.  .Sec;  Geo.  S.  Bishop,  Treas.;  Mrs.  Mary  A. 
Burehell.  Gc;  Mrs.  H.  Marietta  I  Ionian,  Guar.;  R.  W.  Ho- 
inan.  Sent.;  M.  R.  Allen,  Rep.  to  G.  H.    Present  Officers  : 

Mrs.  Mary  A.  Burehell,  P.;  V.  P.;   Chajx;  Geo. 

S.  Eaton.  P.  P.;  Geo.  H.  Maynard,  Sec.;  Robert  C.  Living- 
ston, F.  See.;  Mrs.  Human,  Treas. 

Fern,  No.  270,  organized  March  18,  1880.  First  Officers  : 
S.  M.  Lyon,  P.;  Mrs.  Mary  D.  Godfrey,  V.  P.;  Mrs.  Mary  A. 
Baker,  Chap.;  Wm.  H.  Godfrey,  P.  P.;  Mrs.  E.  H.  Gerard, 
Sec;  Mrs.  Mary  J.  Sanders,  F.  Sec.;  D.  I.  Monson,  Treas.;  J. 
II.  Downey,  Ge.;  Mrs.  S.  J.  Lyon,  Guar.;  E.  B.  Sanders, 
Sent. 

Eastern  Star,  No.  419,  East  New  York,  organized  March 

28,  1880. 

Goethe,  No.  350,  organized  July  21,  1*80. 
Morning  Star,  No.  404,  organized  Feb.  28,  1881. 
Evening  Star,  No.  412,  oiKanized  March  15.  1881. 
Teutonia,  organized  March  7,  1884. 


KNIGHTS  OF  PYTHIAS. 

This  organization,  founded  in  1801,  with  25  nrem- 
bers,  had  less  than  80,000  in  1875,  and  now  numbers 
120,000.  It  is  non-sectarian;  its  object,  to  bind, 
through  Friendship,  Charity  and  Benevolence,  men  of 
nil  classes  and  all  opinions. 

Stella  Lodge,  No.  171!,  instituted  at  Stella  1  lull,  113  Bed- 
fold  ave.,  October 6,  1*81  ;  is  incorporated  by  virtue  of  its 


subordination  to  the  Grand  Lodge,  which  was  incorporated 
May  25,  1SS0,  Chapter  370.  The  original  membership  of  this 
Lodge  was  38.  First  Officers  :  S.  L.  Rowland,  W.  C. 
O'Donnell,  George  Zanes,  and  W.  H.  P.  Hopkins.  Present 
membership  is  94,  otticered  by  H.  S.  Latimer,  W.  II.  Hoyt, 
M.  Van  Duzen,  and  F.  Hubbs. 

Grand  Union  Lodge,  No.  182,  instituted  at  Temperance 
Hall,  112  Court  St.,  on  March  25,  1882,  with  42  members. 
First  Officers  were  :  Alfred  Rowlands,  Chancellor  Comm.: 
W.  Taylor,  Vicc-C.  C;  G.  T.  Hilton,  Keeper  of  Records;  H, 
Baily,  Master  of  Finance.  The  present  membership  is  85, 
officered  by  W.  H.  Grainger,  Edwin  Rowlands,  Alfred  Row- 
lands, and  H.  Baily. 


THE  HOME  CIRCLE. 

This  is  a  secret  benevolent  order,  organized  in 
Boston,  Sept.  2 2d,  1879,  and  incorp.  under  the  laws 
of  Mass.,  Jan.  13th,  1880.  Its  purpose  is  to  organize 
and  unite  in  fraternal  union  all  persons  over  eighteen 
years  of  age,  who  are  of  good  moral  character  and 
socially  acceptable,  to  aid  and  assist  its  members,  and 
educate  them,  socially,  morally,  and  intellectually.  To 
establish  a  benefit  fund  from  which,  on  the  satisfactory 
evidence  of  the  death  of  a  member  who  has  complied 
with  all  its  requirements,  a  sum  not  exceeding  five 
thousand  dollars  shall  be  paid  to  the  family,  orphans, 
or  dependents,  as  the  member  shall  have  directed. 

Keystone  Council,  No.  48,  org.  June  22,  1882,  with  33  char- 
ter members.  Present  membership  47.  First  Officers: 
Chiis.  Davis.  Leader;  J.  F.  Atwood,  Past  Leader  and  Med. 
Ex.:  C.  H.  Requa,  Vice-Leader;  Mrs.  J.  F.  Atwood,  Instructor; 
F.  P.  Slade,  Sec;  J.  P.  Holland,  Financier;  G.  L.  Ogilvie, 
Treas.:  J.  0.  Springsteen,  Guide:  Mrs.  G.  L.  Ogilvie,  Warden, 
and  W.  Thayer,  Sentinel:  first  officer,  1883,  Chas.  H.  Requa. 
Present  Officers:  C.  A.  Thayer,  Leader;  R.  M.  Whiting, 
Vice-Leader;  Mrs.  J.  P.  Holland,  Instructor:  J.  P.  Holland, 
Financier;  G.  L.  Ogilvie,  Treas.;  Mrs.  G.  L.  Ogilvie,  Sec; 
F.  H.  Sloane,  Guide;  Mrs.  C.  A.  Thayer,  Warden;  B.  E. 
Wood,  Sentinel. 


SONS  OF  ST.  GEORGE. 
LODGES. 

Anglo-Saxon  No.  48,  was  instituted  at  Greenwood  Hall, 
Fifth  ave.,  corner  of  Ninth  St.,  Brooklyn,  Sep.  22,  1S79,  and 
is  not  incorporated.  The  object  of  this  society,  which  is 
secret  and  non-sectarian,  is  insurance  against  death,  and 
medical  attendance  when  sick  or  disabled.  The  original 
membership  was  4(i,  the  present  120.  The  first  OFFICERS 
were:  T.  S.  Rippier,  Past  Pres.;  R.  F.  Field,  Pres.;  F.  E. 
Stevens,  V.-Pres.:  C.  Cole,  'Treas.:  A.  Rowlands,  Sec.  I*res- 
eut  ( )FFICEKS  are:  John  Harper,  Pres.;  Wm.  Reed,  I*. - / 'res. ; 
Henry  Maginness,  .SVc;  .lames  Hart  lev.  Tuns. 

Commonwealth,  No.  59,  was  organized  May  4,  1881,  and 
incorporated  under  act  of  May  12.  1875,  chapter  2C>7.  Tlie 
original  membership  was  59.  The  first  Officers:  James 
Alexander,  ('has.  M.  <  later,  Joseph  Metealf,  Krnesl  H.  Kow- 
den  and  Jonathan  Jones.  The  present  meml>ership  is  190, 
officered  by  Thos.  C.  Hale,  Jonathan  Jones,  Henry  Long  and 
Win.  Foskett. 

Holly  Lodge  was  instituted  at  Ceres  Hall,  1680  Fulton  st, 
June  9.  1HS1,  with  18  charter  members.  The  first  Officers 
were:  Chas.  Mason,  I 'res.;  Joseph  Carter,  1  "ice- Pres.;  John 


BENEFICENT  AND  SO  CIA  t  ORG  A  NIZ.  I  TIONS. 


1355 


Lister,  Treas.,  and  G.  P.  Tapling,  Sec.  Present  membership, 
47,  officered  by  John  Lister,  Frank  B.  Trent,  G.  P.  Tapling 
and  Chas.  Mason. 

Mistletoe  Lodge,  org.  August  9,  1879,  at  Ridgewood  Hall, 
Broadway  and  Ralph  ave.  Not  incorporated.  Original 
membership,  183;  present  membership,  120.  First  OFFICERS: 
W.  Doggrell.  A.  T.  Tall,  J.  J.  Stephenson,  J.  R.  White,  G.  J. 
Oulmer,  Fred.  Dyer,  John  White.  Present  Offickrs:  I.  W. 
Croger,  R.  H.  Heasman,  J.  T.  Black,  H.  W.  Paine,  Win. 
Twiddes,  E.  E.  Mills. 

Magna  Charta  Lodge,  org.  Oct.,  1879,  in  E.  D.,  with  47 
members;  present  number,  105.  First  Officers:  B.  Morgan, 
Pres.;  J.  A.  Wood,  Vice-Pres.;  N.  H.  Wood,  See.;  A.  Dues, 
Treas.;  H.  G.  Wright,  First  Messenger.  Present  Officers: 
Isaac  Filce,  Pres.;  Wm.  Willdigg,  Vice-Pres.:  Sand.  Oakes, 
See.;  Wm.  Williams,  Treas.;  Alfred  Rogers,  First  Messenger. 


THE  BROOKLYN  ORDER  OF  ELKS. 

April  6,  1883,  a  meeting  was  held  at  559  Atlantic 
avenue,  to  perfect  the  organization  of  the  Brooklyn 
branch  of  the 

Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks. — The  charter 
members  were:  W.  L.  Sinn,  W.  J.  Lamb,  J.  A.  De  la  Harpe, 
H.  C.  Foster,  J.  J.  Mackey,  T.  J.  Hayden,  H.  W.  Stevens,  G. 
W.  McCarthy,  R.  Stewart,  J.  H.  Smith,  J.  H.  Thompson,  D. 
T.  Lynch,  E.  Brown,  T.  H.  Troy,  H.  Meyer,  W.  W.  Dunleavy, 
D.  Bandwiu,  H.  H.  Adams,  and  W.  A.  McConnel.  The  lodge 
was  organized  September  15th,  and  is  known  as  Brooklyn 
Lo  Ige,  No.  22.  The  following  Officers  were  elected:  Exalted 
Ruler,  D.  T.  Lynch;  E.  Leading  K.,  W.  L.  Sinn;  E.  Loyal  K., 
T.  H.  Troy;  E.  Lecturing  K.,  James  IL  Thompson;  Sec., 
Thomas  W.  Hayden;  Treas.,  W.  H.  Dunleavy;  Tiler,  R. 
Stewart ;  Trustees,  H.  W.  Stevens,  J.  A.  De  la  Harpe  and 
Emory  Brown. 


UNITED  ANCIENT  ORDER  OF  DRUIDS. 
Brooklyn  Circle,  No.  1,  was  organized  at  Nos.  134  and  13(5 
Graham  avenue,  E.  D.,  June  9th,  1879,  with  58  charter  mem- 
bers. Officers:  Ferdinand  Richter,  Elise  Wagner,  Katha- 
rina  Haug,  Francis  Martin  and  Charles  Reiuhardt.  This 
circle  is  not  incorporated;  it  is  non-sectarian,  secret,  social 
and  beneficent.  Present  membership,  120.  Officers:  Elise 
Wagner,  Barbara  Schmidt,  Anna  Pfizenmeyer,  Francis  Mar- 
tin and  Charles  Reinhardt.  The  circle  is  essentially  German 
in  its  membership. 


IMPROVED  ORDER  OF  RED  MEN. 

This  Order  is  purely  American,  employing  the 
imagery,  names,  types  and  symbols  taken  from  Indian 
life  and  history.  Its  emblems  are  drawn  from  nature, 
and  it  is  a  confraternity  for  the  promulgation  of  the 
principles  of  true  Benevolence  and  Charity,  and  for 
the  establishment  of  friendly  bonds  among  men. 

Black  Hawk  Tribe,  No.  18,  was  instituted  at  cor.  Clermont 
avenue  and  Fulton  street,  October  8,  1873,  and  incorporated 
under  New  York  State  Laws  May  12,  1875.  Objects,  benevo- 
lent and  non-sectarian;  their  motto,  "Freedom,  Friendship 
and  Charity."  The  original  membership  was  32.  Officers: 
Daniel  W.  Hallock,  Sachem;  A.  L.  Titus,  Senior  Sagamore; 
D.  S.  Bookstaver,  Junior  Sagamore;  Geo.  D.  Williams,  Chief 
of  Records;  R.  B.  Kelley,  Keeper  of  Wampum;  William 
B.  Marsh,  Prophet.  The  present  membership  is  82  ;  the 
Officers  in  same  order  as  above  :  George  W.  Cann,  Frank 


Morris,  William  N.  Columbine,  John  D.  Haight,  Thomas 
Kinkaid  and  Abel  Kriim. 

Narragansett  Tribe.— Org.  Brooklyn,  E.  D.,  May  22,  1K74, 
under  State  Laws  of  Penn.  Original  members,  4H  ;  present 
members,  97  ;  first  Officers  :  A.  B.  Davis,  Sachem ;  Wm. 
Van  Wart,  Senior  Sagamore ;  Geo.  S.  Mosely,  Junior  Saga- 
more; A.  Townley,  Prophet;  E.  Y.  Bellows,  Chief  of  Records; 
R.  Shafts,  Keeper  of  Wampum.  First  Officer  of  each  suc- 
ceeding Board  :  Wm.  Van  Wart,  Geo.  S.  Mosely,  Safety 
Layton,  Peter  J.  Dobbs,  Edw.  Sanger,  Jas.  B.  Collins,  F.  F. 
Brennan,  D.  A.  Parr,  W.  H.  Rhodes,  W.  W.  Vanderhoof, 
Chas.  T.  Wilson,  W.  L.  Osborn,  G.  H.  Jones,  S.  Layton  (2d 
time),  Chas.  Valentine,  Jas.  McKigncy,  W.  H.  Wilson, 
R.  C.  Seymour.  Present  Officers:  J.  Kemp,  Sachem;  F. 
F.  Gassinan,  Sen.  Sag.;  J.  W.  Stillvvell,  Jan.  Sag.;  R.  C.  Sey- 
mour, Prophet;  W.  H.  Rhodes,  C.  of  R.;  C.  F.  Gruber,  Asst. 
C.-ofR.;  W.  W.  Vanderhoof,  K.  of  W.;  Geo.  Taylor,  1st 
San.;  C.  T.  Wilson,  2d  San.;  W.  Snow,  G.  of  W.;  T.  Barker, 
O.  ofF. 


ANCIENT  ORDER  OF  FORESTERS. 

This  order  was  instituted  in  1745,  and  now  embraces 
the  whole  world  ;  over  $2,000,000  are  distributed  an- 
nually by  this  organization. 

Myrtle  Court,  No.  G843,  was  instituted  January  25,  1882, 
with  30  charter  members.  The  fust  Officers  were:  F.  J. 
King,  C.  M.  Gaber,  J.  White  and  T.  D.  Wilkins.  Present 
membership,  175.  Officers:  E.  H.  Rowden,  Jos.  W.  Pearce, 
A.  H.  Greer  and  Samuel  H.  Andrews. 

Linden  Grove  Court  was  instituted  April  3,  1882,  with  28 
members.  First  Officers:  J.  M.  Hayes,  P.  S.  Fletcher,  R. 
S.  Moss  and  H.  Levy.  Present  membership,  194.  Officers: 
C.  C.  Ryder,  R.  Hill,  A.  S.  Hunkele  and  J.  Jones. 

Court  of  Brooklyn,  No.  4421,  was  instituted  May  24,  1864, 
and  is  incorporated.  The  original  membership,  24;  the 
present,  176.  First  Officers:  S.  W.  Lambert,  Chief  Ranger; 
Jos.  Ward,  Sub  C.  R.;  W.  J.  Bryan,  Sec.  Present  Officers 
(in  same  order):  Robinson  Ramsden,  David  Bryan,  Fred  Dick- 
inson, and  G.  Pape,  Treas. 

Court  Fort  Green,  No.  0978,  was  instituted  May  7,  1883; 
not  incorporated.  Original  members,  56,  officered  by  C.  E. 
Burgess,  C.  E.  •  Lane,  D.  H.  Cobb  and  T.  Shedd.  Present 
membership,  79.  Officers  (in  the  order  above):  C.  E.  Lane, 
J.  W.  Ross,  R.  Anderson  and  T.  Shedd. 

TEMPERANCE  SOCIETIES. 
INDEPENDENT  ORDER  OF  GOOD  TEMPLARS. 

Sylvan  Spray  Lodge,  No.  18,  organized  at  Everett  Hall, 
May  16,  1881,  is  not  incorporated.  The  object  of  this  order, 
which  is  Protestant  and  secret,  is  total  abstinence  for  the 
individual  and  prohibition  for  the  State.  Original  member- 
ship was  21;  present  number,  24.  First  Officers  were: 
David  B.  Martin,  Chief  Templar:  Maria  L.  Martin,  Worth;/ 
Vice;  Jos.  H.  Downing,  Sec;  Robt.  G.  Souter,  Treas.  Present 
Officers  (same  order  as  above):  David  B.  Martin,  Amanda 
Kinney,  Jacob  E.  Isele,  Maria  L.  Martin. 

Guiding  Star  Lodge  was  organized  May  1,  1878.  The 
original  membership  was  120.  First  Officers  :  Sam'l  Lor- 
ing,  Mary  Lauyon,  and  Peter  Chisholui.  The  present  mem- 
bership is  50.  Officers  :  Francis  Curnon,  Thos.  O'Connell 
and  Edward  Lanyon. 

SONS  OF  TEMPERANCE. 

Grand  Union  Division,  No.  6,  w  is  instituted  at  Grand  Union 
Hall,  Brooklyn,  Jan.  6,  1881.  Its  membership  is  entirely  male; 


1356 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


its  object,  the  suppression  of  intemperance;  assistance  to  mem- 
bers when  sick  or  disabled,  and  to  their  families  after  death. 
The  original  membership  was  42.  OFFICERS  :  Alfred  Row- 
lands, Worth;/  Patriarch:  W.  C.  Devins.  Recording  Scribe;  N. 
A.  Swan,  Trcas.  The  present  membership  is  214.  Officers: 
A.  Bennett,  W.  E.  Swan  and  N.  A.  Swan. 

Olive  Branch  Division  was  organized  Feb.  24,  1881,  at 
Grand  Union  Hall,  and  is  composed  entirely  of  female  mem- 
bers, who  originally  numbered  24,  officered  by  Jane  Edwards, 
Mary  Watson,  Mary  Myles  and  Maria  Rowlands.  The  present 
membership  is  94.  Officers:  Mary  Tool.  Emma  Meserole,  A. 
M.  Stansbury,  and  Maria  Rowlands. 

International  Lodge  was  instituted  Feb.  22d,  1871,  in  Old 
Continental  Hall,  cor.  South  9th  and  4th  sts.,  with  38  mem- 
bers. The  first  Officers  were  :  W.  H.  Curtis,  Joseph  Todd 
and  John  Hollis.  The  present  membership  is  84,  officered  by 
Arthur  F,  Curtis,  Isaac  M.  Holly,  Robert  Towart  and  Henry 
Arnzen. 

UNITED  STATES  BENEVOLENT 

FRATERNITY. 

Standard  Council  was  instituted  in  Brooklyn,  August  9, 
1882,  and  is  subordinate  to  the  United  States  Benevolent 
Fraternity,  which  was  organized  in  Baltimore,  Feb.  24,  1881, 
and  incorporated  under  the  State  Laws  of  Maryland.  This 
order  is  secret,  monotheistic  aud  beneficent;  and  claims  a 
total  membership  of  2,000.  The  Standard  Council  numbered 
originally  eleven  members.  The  first  Officers  were  :  C.  G. 
Little,  Pres.:  G.  B.  Wilson,  Vice-Prcs.,  and  R.  Cibulsky,  Sec. 
The  present  membership  is  thirty-two.  Officers  :  W.  C. 
Rose,  G.  B.  Wilson  and  R.  Cibulsky. 

THE  CATHOLIC  BENEVOLENT  LEGION. 

The  Catholic  Benevolent  Legion  was  organized  Septem- 
ber 5,  1881.  The  admission  fees  and  quarterly  dues  are  low 
enough  to  be  within  the  means  of  every  sober,  industrious 
man,  and  the  grades  of  benefit  vary  from  $500  to  $5,000, 
with  proportionate  rates  of  assessment.  All  members  ad- 
mitted are  upon  the  equal  footing  of  being  in  good  health, 
and  the  rates  of  assessment  vary  according  to  the  age  of  each 
at  the  time  of  admission,  and  the  amount  of  benefit  he  may 
desire  paid  to  his  family  at  his  death. 

The  Catholic  Benevolent  Legion  is  composed  of  the  Su- 
preme Council  and  numerous  Subordinate  Councils. 

The  Supreme  Council  is  incorporated  and  authorized  to 
issue  certificates  as  a  beneficiary  association.  It  has  authority 
to  make  laws  for  the  government  of  the  entire  Legion.  It  is 
composed  of  the  charter  members,  and  will  be  increased  by 
representatives  from  State  Councils. 

A  State  Council  may  be  instituted  in  any  State  where  five 
or  more  Subordinate  Councils  are  in  good  standing  with  a 
membership  of  five  hundred. 

A  Subordinate  Council  is  composed  of  a  number  of  Roman 
Catholics,  not  less  than  seven,  who  receive  from  the  Supreme 
Council  a  charter  and  all  account  books,  supplies,  etc.,  re- 
quired. 

Each  applicant  must  pass  a  careful  examination  by  a 
physician  selected  by  the  Council  and  approved  by  the  Su- 
promfl  Council,  and  is  required  to  be  personally  acceptable  to 
the  members,  and  able  to  earn  a  living  for  himself  and  his 
family. 

COUNCILS. 

St.  John's  Chapel,  No.  1,  instituted  Oct.  12,  1881,  with  8 
■  hartcr  member-*.  Meets  in  Mall  in  new  Cathedral,  corner 
of  Greene  and  Vanderbilt  aves.  James  I'.  Cunningham, 
Sir.;  < '.  H.  Johnson,  M.  I).     1 15  members. 


Sacred  Heart,  No.  2,  instituted  Oct.  14,  1881,  with  13 
charter  members.  In  Armory  Hall,  Clermont  ave.,  near 
Myrtle.  Eugene  J.  Cunningham,  Jr.,  See.;  Thomas  P.  Norris, 
M.  U.    1H9  members. 

Our  Lady  of  Mercy,  No.  3,  instituted  Nov.  20,  1881*  with 
14  charter  members.  In  school-room  opposite  the  church, 
Debevoise  place,  near  DeKalb  ave.  John  T.  Breen,  Sec;  Jos. 
A.  Kene,  M.  D.    64  members. 

Madison,  No.  4,  instituted  Nov.  10,  1881,  with  17  charter 
members.  In  Hall  adjoining  Church  of  the  Nativity,  Madi- 
son st.,  near  Classon  ave.  P.  J.  Donnelly,  Sec.;  Joseph  M. 
Everett,  M.  D.    90  members. 

St.  Joseph's,  No.  5,  instituted  Nov.  30,  1881,  with  22  char- 
ter members.  School-room,  677  Dean  st.  William  J.  Kelly. 
Sec;  Jno.  J.  McLaughlin,  M.  D.    118  members. 

Transfiguration,  No.  6,  instituted  Jan.  22,  1882,  with  '21 
charter  members.  Hall,  No.  136  Broadway,  E.  D.  Daniel  J. 
Scully,  Sec;  Jos.  E.  Smith,  M.  D.    137  members. 

St.  Patrick's,  No.  7,  instituted  Jan.  26,  1882,  with  14 
charter  members.  In  St.  Patrick's  Academy,  Kent  ave., 
near  Willoughby.  Jno.  T.  Sullivan,  Sec.;  C.  H.  Johnson,  M.  D. 
79  members. 

St.  John  the  Baptist,  No.  8,  instituted  Feb.  16,  1882,  with 
13  charter  members.  In  College  Hall,  cor.  Willoughby  and 
Lewis  aves.  Walter  P.  Walsh,  Sec  ;  Wm.  H.  Harlin,  M.  D. 
57  members. 

Concord,  No.  9,  instituted  April  13,  1882,  with  25  charter 
members.  Granada  Hall,  Myrtle  ave.,  near  Bridge  st.  John 
F.  Frost,  Sec.;  John  Griffin,  M.  D.    89  members. 

Bedford,  No.  10,  instituted  April  16,  1882,  with  11  charter 
members.  Hall  of  St.  Teresa's  Church,  cor.  Classon  ave.  and 
Butler  st.  Patrick  Quinn,  Sec.;  John  J.  McLaughlin,  M.  D. 
51  members. 

Union,  No.  11,  instituted  May  1882,  with  18  charter 
members.  St.  Boniface  Hall.  John  E.  Bailly,  Sec:  Jos.  M. 
Everett,  M.  D.    88  members. 

South  Brooklyn,  No.  15.  instituted  August  8,  1882,  with  18 
charter  members.  Hall,  cor.  Carroll  aud  Columbia  sts. 
Amos  Hague,  Sec;  Thos.  P.  Corbally,  M.  D.    65  members. 

St.  Boniface,  No.  23,  instituted  Jan.  7,  1888,  with  19  char- 
ter members.  Hall,  Willoughby  st.,  near  Duffield.  George 
C.  Hessel,  Sep.;  John  J.  McLaughlin,  M.  D.    57  members. 

Leonard,  No.  26.  instituted  Jan.  28,  1883,  with  25  charter 
members.  National  Hall,  Grand  st. ,  bet.  10th  and  11th  sts. 
William  A.  Do  ran,  Sec;  Henry  J.  Hesse,  M.  D.    94  members. 

St.  Michael's,  No.  28,  instituted  Feb.  11,  1883,  with  11 
charter  members.  Vestry  of  church,  4th  ave.  and  42d  st. 
James  McDevitt,  Sec.;  Jeremiah  Phelan,  M.  D.  36  mem- 
bers. 

St.  Vincent  de  Paul,  No.  30,  instituted  March  18,  1883, 
with  17  charter  members.  Hall  of  church,  North  6th  st., 
near  5th  st.  John  W.  Kelly,  Sec.;  Charles  F.  Newman, 
M.  I).    31  members. 

Central,  No.  37,  instituted  July  13,  1883,  with  9  charter 
members.  St.  Boniface  Hall,  Willoughby  st.,  near  Duffield. 
Thomas  F.  Reilly,  -S'ec;  Joseph  F.  OConnell,  M.  I). 

St.  Mary's,  No.  49,  instituted  Nov.  25,  1883,  with  11  char- 
ter members.  378  Hamilton  ave.  Simon  11.  Smith,  Pus.: 
Jos.  V.  Scully,  Sec;  C.  F.  McGuire,  M.  D. 

Sylvester,  No.  56,  organized  Jan.  13,  1884,  w  ith  15  charter 
members.  Meetings  at  Hall  of  Sts.  Peter  and  Paul's  Church, 
Brooklyn.  E  I).    Charles  W.  Colliding,  Sec. 


The  Loyola  Union  was  organized  in  May,  1882,  with  a 
membership  of  50,  which  has  increased  to  100.  For  the  first 
year  the  I'nion  had  no  permanent  place  of  abode,  but  in  May, 
I1-"-  !,   it  secured  a  line  building  at  14-1  South  Fourth  street. 


BENEFICENT  AND  SO  CIAL  ORG  A  NIZ.  I  TIONS. 


1357 


The  new  home  is  a  large  and  roomy  3-story  brick  building, 
25  by  60  feet.  The  building  was  renovated  and  improved  at 
considerable  expense.  The  basements  are  used  as  billiard- 
rooms,  and  the  parlors  for  receptions.  The  by-laws  prohibit 
the  sale  or  use  of  intoxicating  liquors  on  the  premises.  The 
President  is  Mr.  John  C.  Kelly,  and  the  Sjriritual  Director  is 
Rev.  S.  Malone. 


THE  CATHOLIC  KNIGHTS  OF  AMERICA. 

Brooklyn  Branch,  No.  186,  was  org.  April  1,  1S80,  and  in- 
corp.  under  Kentucky  State  Laws;  the  object  of  this  frater- 
nity is  to  unite  Catholics  and  give  them  moral  as  well  as 
material  assistance  in  case  of  need.  The  original  membership 
of  this  Branch  was  9;  the  present  97.  The  original  Officers 
were:  R.  A.  Davis,  Pres.;  Wm.  T.  McKnight,  Vice-Pres.;  Jno. 
F.  Murtagh,  Sec. :  Jno.  Devany.  Treas.  The  present  Officers 
are:  Jos.  P.  Clarke,  Pres.;  Jas.  M.  Judge,  Viee-Pres.;  Thos.  J. 
Power,  See.;  Francis  Hunt,  Treas.  $2,000  is  paid  at  the  death 
of  each  member  to  his  heirs. 

St.  Anthony's  Branch  was  instituted  in  November,  1882. 
The  original  membership  was  18;  the  Officers:  P.  W.  Bra- 
zill,  J.  Hynes,  John  Lanib  and  Thos.  Dolan.  The  present 
membership  is  75;  officered  by  the  original  Board. 

St.  James'  Branch,  instituted  June  22,  1882,  under  State 
Laws  of  Kentucky,  with  10  members;  present  No.,  25.  First 
Officers:  James  Smith,  Pres.;  John  Reid,  Yice-Pres.;  Chas. 
J.  Curran,  Sec.;  John  J.  Casey,  Treas.;  James  Smith,  Pres., 
1883.  Present  Officers:  John  Reid,  Pres.;  John  Donlan, 
Vice-Pres.;  John  J.  Casey,  Sec;  Patrick  Brady,  Treas. 

United  Order  Golden  Cross,  G.  T. — Social  and  beneficent, 
org.  Jan.  12,  1881;  incorp.  under  State  Laws  of  Tenn.,  with 
33  members;  present  No.,  65.  First  Officers:  Jas.  McElhin- 
ney,  Pres.;  Isaac  Ammerman,  Sec.;  Danl.  W.  Holmes,  Fin. 
Sec.;  W.  R.  Clayton,  Treas.  First  officer  of  each  succeeding 
Board  up  to  the  present  time:  Jas.  McElhinney,  Jas.  H.  Pol- 
hemus,  Jos.  McKinney,  C.  J.  Prehn,  Jas.  McElhinney  and  J. 
J.  Daily.  Present  Officers:  J.  J.  Daily,  Pres.;  E.  Malmar, 
Rcc.  Sec;  E.  E.  Malmar,  Fin.  Sec;  Wesley  Sherman,  Treas. 


JEWISH. 
INDEPENDENT  ORDER  B'NAI  B'RITH. 

This  is  a  secret  Jewish  order,  under  the  jurisdiction 
of  the  Grand  Lodge.  Its  chief  object  is  beneficent,  pay- 
ing to  the  heirs  or  widow  of  a  member  deceased,  $1,000, 
inside  of  30  days,  and  $5.00  weekly  to  any  member, 
rich  or  poor,  if  sick  or  unable  to  attend  his  business. 

Beni  Scholum  Society,  was  instituted  in  Brooklyn,  May  30, 
1875.  The  original  membership  was  40;  First  Officers:  L. 
Hofheimer,  Pres.;  Geo.  Falk,  Vice-Pres.;  S.  Salomon,  Sec;  L. 
Hirschfeld,  Treas.  The  present  membership  is  108,  officered 
by  B.  Crones,  I.  Dietz,  S.  Salomon,  N.  Hess. 


Hillel  Lodge,  No.  28,  was  instituted  in  Brooklyn.  E.  D., 
January  3d,  1864,  and  is  a  branch  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
B'nai  B'rith.  The  endowment  paid  by  this  Lodge  on  the 
death  of  a  member  is  $1,000,  and  $5.00  weekly  during  sickness. 
The  original  membership  was  30;  the  Officers:  Ernst 
Nathan,  Pres.;  Morris  Adler,  Vice-Pres.;  Louis  Long,  Sec; 
Abraham  Strauss,  Treas.  The  present  membership  is  173, 
officered  by  Abraham  Strauss,  S.  Dresdner,  L  Blum  and  Her- 
man Newman. 

Samuel,  No.  63,  was  organized  March  5,  1865.  The  first 
Officers:  David  Koehler,  Pres.;  George  Falk,  Vice-Pres.; 
M.  Katzenberg,  Cor.  Sec;  Julius  Glogan,  Fin.  Sec;  Morris 
I  Adler,  Treas.;  W.  Schellenberg.  Inside  Guardian;  J.  Morris, 
Outside  Guardian.  The  original  membership  was  18,  the 
number  at  present,  179.  The  Society  meets  at  rooms  which 
they  have  occupied  for  fourteen  years  in  the  Halsey  Build- 
ing. 371  Fulton  street.  Present  Officers  are :  Emanuel 
Cohen,  Pres.;  David  Engel,  Vice-Pres.;  Rudolph  Heineman, 
Cor.  Sec;  Simon  Wolf,  Fin.  Sec;  David  Stern,  Treas.;  S. 
Gunzberger,  Inside  Guardian;  Raphael  Strauss,  Outside 
Guardian.  This  Lodge  stands  very  high,  socially  and  finan- 
cially, having  a  cash  balance  in  the  treasury,  to-day,  of 
$7,500. 


The  Bushwick  German  Mutual  Independent  Sick  Benefit 
Society  was  incorporated  January  7,  1884,  by  the  following: 
J,  Steger,  George  Leykun,  Joseph  Lindauer,  George  Lampert, 
George  Schlitz.  George  H.  Hammer,  Carl  Bertenheider,  John 
Nuetzel,  Jacob  Bungert,  Peter  Braby,  and  John  Bleymueller. 
Officers:  J.  Steger,  Pres.;  George  Leykun,  Vice-Pres.; 
Jacob  Heibs,  Treas.;  J.  Fettinger,  Fin.  Sec;  J.  Lindauer, 
Rec.  Sec;  and  Julius  Dewall.  George  H.  Hammer,  and 
Nicholas  Braby,  Trustees.  There  are  about  sixty  members  in 
the  organization,  and  the  meeting-place  is  at  the  corner  of 
Central  avenue  and  Troutmann  street. 


The  Erin  Fraternal  Beneficial  Association,  chartered  in 
1855,  and  having  an  exclusively  Irish  membership,  is  designed 
to  unite  all  classes  of  Irishmen  in  onecommon  bond  of  amity 
and  peace,  burying  forever  in  the  feeling  of  kindness  and 
charity,  all  sectional  and  traditional  enmities,  lending  mutual 
support  to  each  other,  as  sojourners  in  a  strange  land.  The 
Shamrock  Benevolent  Society,  organized  in  1841,  and  char- 
tered May  5,  1848,  was  composed  of  Irishmen,  associated  for 
the  purpose  of  mutual  assistance  and  relief.  The  Fmmett 
Benevolent  Society,  organized  1847,  chartered  May  8,  1848, 
had  for  its  object  the  relief  of  its  sick  or  infirm,  and  the 
burial  of  its  deceased  members,  and  the  wives  of  its  mem- 
bers. Connected  with  this  society,  was  a  Widows'  and 
Orphans'  Fund,  accruing  from  an  annual  festival,  and  a 
small  monthly  tax  upon  each  member,  the  proceeds  of  which 
were  especially  appropriated  to  the  relief  of  the  widows  and 
orphans  of  deceased  members  of  the  society. 


HOTELS  AND  BATHING  ESTABLISHMENTS 

IN 

KINGS  COUNTY. 


HOTELS,  OLD  AND  NEW. 

H OSPITALITY  among  the  early  settlors  of  Brook- 
lyn was  so  general  and  travelers  so  few,  that  no 
hotels  were  erected  until  more  than  one  hundred 
years  after  the  first  settlement.  In  1746  the 
corporation  of  New  York  eity  erected  a  ferry  house  on 
the  "old  ferry  road,"  partly  on  the  site  of  the  present 
Nos.  19,  21  and  23  Fulton  street,  which  was  burned  in 
1748.  Its  successor  was  the  "ferry  tavern"  at  the  foot 
of,  and  on  the  northerly  side  of  the  "old  road,"  (now 
Fulton  street,  near  Front,  to  which  point  the  East 
river  then  rose  at  high  water).  It  was  a  large  and 
gloomy  stone  building,  about  sixty  feet  square,  two 
stories  high,  standing  in  such  a  way,  cornerwise,  as  to 
leave  only  thirty-five  and  a  half  feet  for  the  width  of 
the  street  at  that  point.  Being  owned  by  the  corpora- 
tion of  New  York,  it  was  known  as  the  "Corporation 
House;"  also  as  the  "Coffin  House,"  from  the  circum- 
stance of  having  a  coffin  hoisted  upon  its  flag-staff  at 
one  time.  It  had  been  noted  as  a  tavern  for  thirty 
years  before  the  Revolution.  Its  last  incumbent,  be- 
fore the  Battle  of  Brooklyn,  was  Captain  Adolph 
Waldron,  who  was  also  the  "ferry  master." 

Being  an  active  patriot,  he  was,  of  course,  compelled 
to  leave  during  the  British  occupation.  He  was 
succeeded  by  Charles  Loosely  and  Thomas  Elms, 
thorough  loyalists,  who  named  the  old  tavern  "The 
King's  Head,"  fitted  it  up  anew,  and  catered  so  suc- 
cessfully to  the  taste  of  their  military  and  royalist  pa- 
trons that  it  became  a  popular  resort  for  army  officers 
and  the  fashionables  of  the  day.  Lieut.  Anbury,  in  a 
letter  to  a  friend  in  England,  dated  New  York,  Oct. 
30,  1781,  refers  to  it  thus:  "On  crossing  the  Hast 
River  from  New  York,  you  land  at  Brooklyn,  which  is 
;i  scattered  village,  consisting  of  a  few  houses.  At 
this  place  is  an  excellent  tavern,  where  parties  are 
made  to  go  and  eat  fish;  the  landlord  of  which  has 
saved  an  immense  fortune  during  the  war."  This 
head-quarters  of  royalist s  and  tories  was  subsequently 
known  by  the  name  "  Brooklyn  Hall."    Other  hostel- 


ries  were  established  in  time.  In  the  A7!  Y.  Mercury 
of  May  9,  1774,  John  Cornell  announces  that  "he  has 
opened  a  tavern  on  Tower  Bill,  Brooklyn,  near  the 
new  ferry,  called  'St.  George's.'  Companies  will  be 
entertained  if  they  bring  their  own  liquor,  and  may 
dress  turtle,  etc.,  on  the  very  lowest  terms."  Tower 
Hill  was  a  slight  eminence  on  what  is  now  Columbia 
Heights,  between  Middagh  and  Cranberry  streets. 

Benjamin  Smith's  Inn  was  a  large  stone  building  on 
the  cast  side  of  the  road,  opposite  the  old  "Corpora- 
tion House."  It  was  a  two-story  stone  building,  with 
bar  and  sitting  room  in  the  corner,  and  a  swinging 
sign  before  the  door.  It  was  a  noted  stopping-place 
for  Long  Island  Quakers;  was  also  the  place  of  deposit 
for  the  New  York  papers,  which  were  here  delivered 
to  subscribers. 

In  1782  John  Boss  opened  a  tavern  next  to  Loosely's, 
and  "  laid  in  an  assortment  of  the  best  Liquors."  On 
the  corner  of  Elizabeth  street  stood  a  very  old  brick 
building,  occupied  by  Daniel  Mott  as  a  tavern,  which 
was  burned  in  1814.  Next  above  Smith's  Inn  was 
Martin  Boerum's  tavern,  afterward  kept  by  John  Hun- 
ter, a  rough,  jovial  man,  whose  stand  became  head- 
quarters for  his  comrades  and  military  acquaintances, 
Nearly  opposite  Front  street,  stood  Selah  Smith's  tav- 
ern, a  double  frame  building,  built  in  1780.  On  the 
corner  near  the  ferry,  now  occupied  by  Marston's  coal 
yard,  was  originally  Richard  Mott's  tavern,  afterwards 
kept  by  Townsend  <fe  Cox,  Joel  Conklin,  and  Daniel 
Wright  successively,  and  was  a  general  stopping-place 
for  the  habitues  of  the  ferry.  On  the  corner  of  Fulton 
and  Water  streets  stood  a  tavern  kept  by  ('apt.  King, 
then  by  Mr.  Barnum,  afterwards  by  A.  Yung  and  (i. 
C.  Langdon.  It  was  succeeded  by  the  present  Frank 
lin  Bouse,  No.  1  Fulton  street.  In  the  upper  part  of 
the  old  hotel  was  a  large  ball-room,  which  was  also 
used  by  Elias  Hicks,  the  Quaker,  for  preaching.  Next 
above  was  Coe  S.  Downing's  tavern  and  stage-house, 
who  was  as  large  in  proportion  as  his  immense  sign, 
that  projected  over  the  sidewalk.     The  second  door 


HOTELS  AND  BATHING  ESTABLISHMENTS. 


1359 


above  stood  Samuel  Carman's  tavern,  who  was  re- 
garded as  an  oracle,  especially  on  "  horse  "  matters.  A 
little  above  Orange  street,  in  1816,  was  "Biddy" 
Stephenson's  liquor  saloon  and  "  Ice  Cream  Garden." 
After  the  death  of  her  husband,  William,  who  had 
kept  the  "  Auld  Lang  Syne,"  or  Washington  Inn,  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  way,  she  removed  the  business 
and  the  sign  to  the  west  side  of  the  street;  there  town, 
village  and  public  meetings  were  often  held.  A  little 
distance  south  of  Love  Lane  was  Lawrence  Brower's 
tavern,  called  "  Mount  Pleasant  Garden,"  which  was 
also  resorted  to  for  popular  gatherings.  The  elections 
were  then  held  for  three  successive  days,  either  at 
Devoe's  "  Black  Horse  "  tavern  on  Fulton  street,  or  at 
Duflon's  Military  Garden.  A  little  north  of  the  pres- 
ent Mechanics'  Bank,  on  the  corner  of  Montague  street, 
stood  Mrs.  Well's  "  Bee  Hive."  Near  Washington 
and  Johnson  streets  was  Dempsey's  hotel,  "  The  Vil- 
lage Garden,"  where  the  young  fellows  used  to  "  shoot 
turkey."  Whitehead  Howard's  tavern  was  on  the 
southwest  corner  of  Water  and  Main  streets;  and  on 
the  opposite  corner  Van  Winkle's  tavern  and  grocery. 
On  a  high  hill  near  the  present  Bridge  street,  was 
"Mount  Prospect  Tavern,"  where  the  New  York  row- 
dies used  to  hold  high  carnival.  On  the  southwest 
corner  of  Water  and  Little  street  was  Scott's  tavern, 
kept  by  his  widow  for  many  years  after  his  death. 
John  Little  built  a  small  tavern  close  to  the  Navy 
Yard  entrance.  In  1831,  when  the  number  of  families 
in  Brooklyn  was  estimated  at  1,780,  there  was  one 
tavern  for  every  ten  families,  110  licensed  taverns  and 
68  unlicensed.  The  famous  restaurant  kept  by  John 
Joseph,  on  the  northeast  corner  of  Prospect  street  and 
Stuart's  alley,  might  appropriately  be  mentioned  in 
this  connection.  He  kept  the  best  Heidsieck,  and  fried 
oysters  in  unequalled  style.  On  what  is  now  Furman 
street,  was  a  tavern  kept  by  an  Englishman,  with  this 
inscription: 

"  This  sign  hangs  high;  it  hinders  none; 
Come,  take  a  nip,  and  travel  on." 

But  the  most  celebrated  resort  for  many  years  was 
the  Military  Garden,  on  the  site  of  the  present  Court- 
house ;  it  was  originally  occupied  by  Thomas  Coe,  a 
blacksmith,  but  in  1810,  passed  into  the  hands  of  Col. 
Greene,  by  whom  it  was  named;  it  reached  its  greatest  ex- 
cellence while  under  the  control  of  Mons.  John  Francois 
Louis  Du  Flon.  There  was  a  large  and  fine  hall,  for 
balls,  concerts,  and  traveling  shows,  with  a  pleasant 
garden  adjoining,  tastefully  adorned  with  flowers  and 
shrubbery.  Du  Flon  died  in  1853,  and  the  garden  fell 
into  decay;  all  traces  were  removed  in  1862  to  make 
way  for  the  County  Court-house. 

With  the  progress  of  years  and  the  growth  of  the 
city,  saloons  for  the  retailing  of  liquor  came  into  ex- 
istence, and  supplanted  the  old  taverns,  which  fast 
disappeared.  The  hotels  now  existing  in  the  city  are 
as  follows: 


The  Mansion  House,  on  Hicks  street,  near  Pierre- 
pont,  was  built  in  1833  or  '34,  by  one  of  the  Cornells, 
for  a  Female  Seminary.  It  then  comprised  the  old 
portion  of  the  building  which  stands  back  from  the 
street.  In  1838  or  '40,  it  was  opened  as  a  hotel  by 
Edward  R.  Yale,  who  conducted  it  successfully  for  a 
great  many  years.  In  1872,  Daniel  Buhler  rented  it, 
and  remained  until  1874.  Since  that  time  it  has  been 
in  the  hands  of  various  lessees;  Messrs.  Peed  and  Van 
Cleef  having  been  the  owners  of  the  lease  since  1882. 
It  is  owned  by  one  of  the  heirs  of  Mr.  Yale.  The 
large  addition  containing  the  dining-room  was  erected 
in  1855. 

The  Clinton  House,  Fulton  street,  near  Clinton,  was 
built  in  1846,  and  has  been  continuously  occupied  as  a 
hotel  since  that  time,  having  passed  through  many 
vicissitudes  under  many  owners. 


THE  PIERREPONT  HOUSE. 


The  Pierrepont  House,  corner  of  Montague  and 
Hicks  streets,  was  erected  in  1853  by  Litchfield  and 
Ketcham,  and  was  opened  by  Russell  and  Chase,  Lb 
1854.  It  is  a  brick  structure,  about  75  by  90  feet,  six 
stories  in  height.  In  1857,  Chase  and  Whitney  fol- 
lowed, succeeded  by  Mr.  Burns,  in  1865,  and  by  D.  P. 
Peters  until  1868.  Wm.  J.  Ackerman  bought  it  in 
1868,  and  four  years  later,  C.  N.  Peed,  the  present 
proprietor,  purchased  and  now  conducts  it. 

The  Clarendon,  corner  of  Washington  and  John- 
son streets,  was  opened  as  a  restaurant  in  1873,  being 
connected  with  the  Brooklyn  Theatre,  and  was  con- 
ducted by  Ilubel  for  a  number  of  years.  In  1883,  it 
passed  into  the  hands  of  its  present  proprietor,  and 
was  re- named.  Brooklyn  is  so  largely  a  city  of  homes, 
and  has  so  few  transient  visitors,-  that  there  is  less 
need  of  large  hotels  than  in  other  cities,  as  New  York, 
the  principal  sojourning  point  for  strangers,  is  so  well 


1360 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


supplied.  Measures  are  under  consideration  for  the 
erection  of  a  large  hotel  in  the  future,  hut  no  definite 
location  has  been  selected  as  yet. 

The  Waldo  House,  est.  1877,  by  Waldo  E.  Fuller, 
at  corner  of  Hamilton  avenue  and  Union  street,  is  six 
stories  high,  with  basement,  with  accommodations  for 
100  guests,  and  is  the  only  hotel  m  this  part  of  the  city. 
Mr.  Fuller  was  born  in  Jersey  City  in  1856,  and  has 
been  a  resident  of  Brooklyn  for  fifteen  years. 


Charles  N.  Peed  is,  in  every  sense  of  the  word,  a  Brook- 
lynitp,  for  Brooklyn  is  his  birthplace,  and  here  he  was  edu- 
cate'!, and  here  he  has  spent  his  life.  He  began  his  educa- 
tion in  the  schools  of  Brooklyn,  the  one  principally  presided 
over  by  Mr.  Adrian  Hegeman.  whose  school  was  kept  in  the 
old  building,  more  recently  known  as  "  Gothic  Hall."  Here 
young  Peed  attended  school  until  he  was  fourteen  years  of 
age,  attaining  a  good  practical  education.  In  1^44.  he  en- 
tered the  office  of  the  Hrooklyn  Daily  Advertiser,  as  an  ollice 
\«>y.  This  paper  was  started  in  January  of  that  year  to  ad- 
vocate the  election  of  Henry  Clay  as  President.  In  this  it 
did  good  service.  In  this  office  young  Peed  passed  through 
all  the  stages  of  office-work — as  compositor,  pressman,  fore- 
man of  job  office,  police  and  city  rej>orter,  and  then  in 
charge  of  the  office  as  cashier  and  hook-keeper. 


His  connection  with  the  Advertiser  continued  till  1851, 
when  its  senior  proprietor  and  editor,  H.  A.  Lees,  died.  Close 
application  and  undeviatiug  attention  to  his  business  having 
impaired  Mr.  Peed's  health,  he  severed  his  connection  with 
that  journal.  During  his  engagement  with  it,  he  success- 
fully effected  a  plan  to  send  boys  to  the  ferries  for  the  sale  of 
newspapers.  He  was  the  originator  of  this  plan.  He  also 
was  the  first  person  who  introduced  and  operated  a  Card 
Prtss  on  Ix>ng  Island.  He  purchased  a  "  Yankee "  Press, 
with  a  platen  lix8,  from  the  inventor  of  the  Gordon  Press. 
This  purchase  was  made  for  doing  the  small  work  of  the 
office,  all  of  which  had  previously  l)een  done  in  New  York. 
Mr.  Peed's  employers  having  refused  to  purchase  this  press, 
he  assumed  the  responsibdity  and  purchased  it  with  his  own 
means,  with  the  understanding  that  he  was  to  operate  it  on 
his  own  account,  after  regular  working  hours.  This  invest- 
ment and  venture  proved  eminently  successful,  so  much  so, 
that  Mr.  Peed  lias  always  deemed  it  the  starting  \x>int  or 
entering  wedge  of  his  financial  life. 

On  leaving  the  office  of  the  Advertiser,  Mr.  Peed  entered 
into  the  real  estate  business,  as  a  partner  in  the  old  and 
well-known  firms  of  Stone  &  Sothen,  and  Bage  &  .Sothen, 
where  lie  continued  until  1855,  when  his  relations  with  them 
terminated,  and  the  firm  of  Peed  and  Cole,  real  estate  and 
general  auctioneers,  was  formed.  Mr.  Peed  continued  this 
busine"  relation  till  1872,  when  it  was  dissolved,  and  he 
purchased  the  interest  of  W.  J.  Anderson  in  the  Pierrepont 


MOTELS  AND  BATHING  ESTABLISHMENTS. 


1361 


House,  now,  in  every  sense,  a  first-class  hotel,  and  as  such, 
widely  and  favorably  known  to  the  public.  But,  when  Mr. 
Peed's  connection  with  the  house  commenced,  it  was  very 
much  run  down.  It  was  not  long,  however,  before  the  exe- 
cutive ability,  the  forecast,  energy,  and  popular  manner  of 
Mr.  Peed  began  to  effect  a  most  salutary  change  in  its  every 
department,  placing  it  on  a  remunerative  basis,  and  Anally 
bringing  it  up  to  the  high  standard  we  have  described — the 
leading  hotel  of  Brooklyn. 

In  1882,  Mr.  Peed  leased  the  Mansion  House,  in  Brooklyn, 
favorably  known  to  the  travelling  public,  which  he  is  con- 
ducting in  connection  with  Mr.  John  C.  Van  Cleaf,  the 
former  gentlemanly  clerk  of  the  Pierrepont  House. 

Mr.  Peed,  in  all  the  vicissitudes  of  his  business  career,  has 
been  guided  by  a  high  sense  of  honor,  by  a  business  sagacity 
which  has  given  him  a  very  high  rank  in  the  business  circles 
of  Brooklyn,  and  an  honorable  position  among  its  citizens. 

BATHS. 

To  Charles  H.  Shepard,  M.  D.,  is  due  the  honor 
of  first  introducing  into  Brooklyn  the  Turkish  Bath, 
in  October,  1863.     The  first  month  only  50  baths 


were  given,  but  during  the  first  year  the  number 
reached  2,000,  and  the  fifth  year  it  had  grown  to 
15,000.  Dr.  Shepard  still  conducts  his  establishment 
at  81  and  83  Columbia  Heights,  whore  the  several 
forms  of  Turkish,  Russian,  Roman  and  Electric  baths 
are  given,  including  massage,  according  to  the  most 
approved  and  enjoyable  methods. 

Turkish,  Russian  and  Electric  Baths,  est.  at 
34  Clinton  street,  April  17,  1880.  A.  L.  Wood,  M.  D., 
the  projector,  designer  and  physician  of  the  institution, 
has  had  the  most  extended  and  extensive  experience  in 
the  administration  of  the  Turkish  Bath  of  any  man  in 
America.  In  the  year  1861,  he  was  connected  with  the 
first  Turkish  Bath  ever  built  in  this  country,  in  Boston. 
He  afterwards  visited  and  studied  the  best  establish- 
ments in  Europe;  erected  baths  in  Providence,  Mon- 
treal and  other  cities;  and,  in  1864,  built  the  first,  and 
for  four  years  the  only  Turkish  Bath  in  New  York 
city. 


THE  COUNTY  JAIL  IN   RAYMOND  STREET.* 

Addenda  to  Bench  and  Bar  of  Kings  County  {page  341)» 


The  Jail  in  Raymond  street  having  been  repeatedly 
condemned  as  unsafe  by  the  Grand  Jury,  the  Super- 
visors were  urged  to  erect  a  new  one  in  its  place.  •  At 
a  meeting  of  the  Board  of  Supervisors,  August  22,  1877, 
a  resolution  was  passed  appropriating  $25,000  for  a 
site  for  the  Jail.  With  the  money  so  appropriated 
they  purchased  from  the  Brooklyn  City  Hospital  the 
land  on  which  the  new  Jail  stands.  On  the  30th  of 
December,  1878,  the  County  Treasurer  was  authorized 
to  borrow  $245,000,  and  to  advertise  for  proposals. 
The  Committee  on  Jail,  consisting  of  A.  Gubner,  Peter 
Van  Cott,  James  Hyde,  Daniel  Ryan  and  Alexander 
Walker,  at  the  same  meeting,  reported  on  proposals 
for  finishing  one  wing  to  the  proposed  new  Jail  under 
the  plans  of  William  A.  Mundell,  architect;  the  mason 
and  plumbing  work  was  given  to  Freel  &  McNamee 
for  $200,000;  heating  to  W.  N.  Abbott,  for  $16,500; 
H.  L.  Wilson,  for  concrete  work,  $15,076.50,  and  the 
Yale  Lock  Company,  for  locks,  $7,125.  A  contract 
was  directed  to  be  made  in  accordance  with  these  bids. 


*  Condensed  from  article  on  Court-Houscs  and  Jails  of  Kings  County, 
in  Advmice  for  January,  1883,  by  Stephen  M.  Ostrander,  Esq. 


On  March  20,  1879,  the  County  Treasurer  was  directed 
to  issue  bonds  for  $245,000,  and  May  1,  1879,  the  same 
were  issued.  On  August  5,  1879,  the  Board  directed 
the  County  Treasurer  to  issue  bonds  to  raise  $17,(t00 
for  extra  plumbing.  On  the  22d  of  April,  1880,  an 
official  visit  was  made  by  the  Board  of  Supervisors, 
and  almost  immediately  thereafter  the  prisoners  were 
transferred  from  the  old  Jail  and  the  new  one  was  oc- 
cupied. 

In  building  the  Jail  there  was  a  very  singular  over- 
sight on  the  part  of  the  architect  or  Supervisors. 
When  it  was  completed  there  was  no  front  door  to  the 
building,  and  afterward  a  resolution  was  passed  appro- 
priating out  of  the  unexpended  balance  to  the  credit 
of  the  Jail  account  the  sum  of  $1,850  to  cut  out  and 
make  a  door  in  the  place  where  the  door  ought  to  have 
been. 

The  county  realized  $5,798.30  premiums  on  the 
bonds  issued  for  the  Jail.  This  speaks  well  for  the 
credit  of  the  county.  The  amount  unexpended  of  the 
appropriations  when  the  Jail  was  completed  was 
$405.18.  The  total  cost  of  the  Jail  was  as  follows 
(including  $25,000  for  land  purchase):  $320,393.12. 


GENERAL  TRADE  AND  MERCHANDISE 

IN 

Brooklyn  and  Kings  County. 


DRY  GOODS. 

IT  is  now  difficult  to  trace  the  early  history  of  the 
older  lines  of  the  retail  dry  goods  trade  in  this 
city,  owing  to  the  lapse  of  time  and  the  loss  of  re- 
liable information  concerning  them.  The  first 
Brooklyn  directory  published  in  1 706,  gives  the  names  of 
Clows  and  Rhodes  and  Josejdi  Fox  as  "  storekeepers  " 
in  the  "Main  Road;"  Jacob  Eagles,  Joseph  Field, 
grocers,  Main  Road;  Kgd  <t*  Jedlge,  grocers,  corner  of 
Main  and  New  Ferry  Roads;  Gilbert  Van  Mater, 
grocer,  Old  Ferry  Dock.  In  1801,  Furman  db  Sands 
advertised  their  "  store"  at  the  New  Ferry.  In  1806, 
Thomas  Langdon  was  dealer  in  hoots  and  shoes,  and 
Henry  Hewlett  kept  a  stock  of  general  merchandise  near 
the  Old  Ferry. 

In  the  first  number  of  the  Long  Island  Star,  1809, 
Thomas  Morton  advertised  his  dry  goods  kept  in  the 
store  of  the  late  Mrs.  Brasher.  In  1810,  was  the  disso- 
lution of  the  firm  of  Rapalge  &  Mooneg,  after  which 
Abraham  Rapalge  kept  the  stock  of  dry  goods  on  Old 
Ferry  Road,  and  Mary  Mooneg  retained  the  "  millenary 
business,"  next  door. 

In  1811,  Abraham  Rcmsen  had  his  dry  goods  store 
at  the  corner  of  Fulton  and  Front  streets.  Ilenrg  Aid- 
worth  was  at  the  corner  of  Main  and  Middagh  streets, 
from  1817  till  after  1820.  At  about  the  same  time,  Mrs. 
J.  M.  Williams  and  Williams  <(•  Nichols.  In  1823,  we 
find  Ilenrg  Dikeman  at  45  Fulton,  Hewlett  ds  Allen,  46 
FultOD,  and  the  next  year,  S.  A.  Clowes,  also  Rushmore 
<(■  Sngder.  I>ik>  man  ,1'  f'onrt  came  the  year  following. 
In  I  *_*.">,  .John  d  fr'eorgr.  /A/// are  mentioned  among  the 
merchants.  A  few  years  later  Robert  Pettit  and  F.  L. 
RtuTimore,  were  retailers  of  dry  goods,  the  former  on 
.Main  street,  the  latter  on  Fulton.  In  1828,  Elijah 
Za  wis.  Sr., opened  a  store  on  Fulton,  between  High  and 
Na»»an  streets,  which  was  then  thought  too  far  up  town, 
and  he  afterward  moved  down  to  the  corner  of  Sands 
street,  where  he  remained  many  years.  Cgrus  Hill, 
father  of  Chas.  K.  Bill,  began  business  in  1833,  on  the 
opposite  corner  of  Sands  and  Fulton,  where  he  was 


afterwards  succeeded  by  Henry  P.  Morgan.  Plant  <t 
Co.'s  store  in  1839,  was  at  136  Fulton.  John  Sinclair 
was  located  at  the  corner  of  Middagh  and  Fulton,  and 
A.  Buckley,  between  Middagh  and  Henry.  The  first 
jobber  in  Brooklyn,  T.  M.  Hall,  had  a  store  between 
Sands  and  Prospect  streets,  afterwards  at  Orange  street, 
where  he  carried  the  largest  stock  of  goods  in  the  vil- 
lage. Among  his  clerks  were  two  young  men,  Messrs. 
Jonrneay  and  Burnham.  Abram  Sutton's  store  was 
opposite  Henry  street, where  he  was  succeeded  by  Young 
ib  Underhill.  Wm.  Hinman  started  in  business  near 
Sands  street  in  1840.  Opposite  Cranberry  street  were 
Bennett  <£*  Payne,  and  Merwin  <0  Carpenter.  They 
were  succeeded  by  Steicart,  who  afterwards  went  into 
carpets,  now  HirdenberglCs  establishment. 

All  of  these  firms  have  passed  away  with  the  changes 
of  time.  The  oldest  dry  goods  house  now  existing,  is 
that  of  A.  D.  Matthews,  which  was  started  in  1836,  at 
83  Main  street,  afterwards  removed  to  lower  Fulton, 
and  in  1873  to  their  present  location,  at  No.  398  Fulton. 
The  firm,  now  A.  I).  Matthews  &  Son,  employs  about 
ninety  persons,  and  its  annual  sales  amount  to  $200,000 
and  upwards.  Soon  after  Elijah  Lewis,  Jr.,  went  into 
business  on  the  corner  of  Main  and  Sands  streets,  re- 
moving afterwards  to  273  Fulton.  Within  a  short  time 
after,  T.  A.  Newman  opened  a  store  on  Fulton,  which 
is  now  T.  A.  <D  X.  F.  Newman,  at  305  Fulton.  In 
1844,  Journcag  <C  Burnham  who  had  been  clerks  with 
Ball,  opened  a  store  on  Atlantic  avenue,  and  in  1851, 
removed  to  their  present  location  at  No.  126.  They 
began  in  a  small  way,  with  one  salesman  and  one  boy, 
but  now  have  over  two  hundred  employees.  Their  trade 
has  always  been  confined  to  dry  goods  alone. 

Osborn  11  orton  commenced  trade  about  the  same 
time  as  K.  Lewis,  Sr.,  and  was  afterwards  succeeded  by 
his  son,  T.  K.  Ilorton,  on  Fulton  street,  below  Orange. 
Burned  out  in  the  great  fire,  he  removed  to  the  block 
above.  He  built  one  of  the  four-story  brown-stone  front 
Stores,  between  Johnson  and  Tillary,  and,  a  number  of 
years  later,  removed  to  l1' niton  street,  above  Smith. 


GENERAL  TRADE  AND  MERCHANDISE. 


1 363 


WECHSLER  &  ABRAHAM'S  NEW  STORES. 


In  these  days  of  intense  rivalry  and  sharp  competition,  a 
successful  merchant  must  be  made  of  good  stuff.  This  ap- 
plies with  particular  force  to  a  firm  carrying  on  its  business  in 
a  large  and  prosperous  city,  where  rivals  are  those  with  the 
acutest  brains  and  largest  experience. 

Messrs. Wechsler  &  Abraham,  Nos.  297-299  Fulton  street, 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  are  the  leading  and  most  successful  dry 
goods  merchants  in  our  city.  They  began  their  business 
here  in  1865,  in  their  present  location,  leasing  additional 
room  from  time  to  time,  until  they  now  occupy  from  Fulton, 
through  to  Washington  street,  covering  an  area  of  30,000 
square  feet.  Their  new  building,  Nos.  422  to  432  Fulton  street, 
into  which  they  will  soon  remove,  will  have  145,000  square 
feet  of  flooring,  over  three  acres,  and  with  one  exception,  will 
be  the  largest  retail  exclusively  dry  goods  establishment  in 
the  U.  S.  It  will  be  fitted  in  the  most  artistic  manner  which 
modern  skill  and  taste  can  suggest.  It  will  have  two  passen- 
ger elevators,  and  the  grand  dome  will  be  superior  to  any- 
thing of  its  kind  in  the  country.  The  dimensions  of  this  dry 
goods  palace  are  as  follows:  main  building,  122x200  feet,  and 
a  wing  running  to  Gallatin  Place;  six  floors,  each  2"xl00feet; 
four  80-horse  power  engines,  placed  in  a  detached  engine- 
house,  will  supply  the  motive  power  for  the  elevators,  elec- 
tric lights,  machinery,  sewing  machines,  etc.  They  will  give 
active  employment  to  1,500  people. 

Messrs.  Wechsler  &  Abraham  have  great  faith  in  the  future 
of  Brooklyn,  and  in  this  confidence  are  ever  ready  to  invest 
capital  in  improvements,  and  additional  departments  to  their 
already  immense  stock.  Their  patrons  are  from  the  best  of  our 
county,  and  it  is  one  of  the  sights  of  the  city — an  inspection 
of  their  bewildering  assortment  of  a  fine  and  well- selected 
stock. 

Mr.  Wechsler  is  of  German  descent,  and  came  to  America 
in  1850,  and,  previous  to  starting  in  his  present  location  was 
a  merchant  on  Myrtle  avenue. 

Mr.  Abraham  is  a  native  of  New  York;  after  receiving  a 
good  business  education,  he  entered  a  mercantile  house  in 
New  York  city.  On  reaching  his  majority  he  started  in  Brook- 
lyn, and  although  his  first  venture  was  made  with  gold 


quoted  at  208,  and  the  market  declining,  it  proved  suc- 
cessful. 

Messrs.  Wechsler  &  Abraham  are  justly  ranked  among  the 
few  successful  merchants  of  the  country.  Honorable  and  fair 
in  all  their  dealings  with  the  public,  their  past  is  a  guarantee 
of  increased  prosperity  in  the  future. 


C.  M.  West,  251  Fulton  street.— In  1856,  G.  P.  Dickinson 
entered  the  dry  goods  trade  at  351  Fulton,  opposite  Pierrepont 
street.  In  a  year  he  associated  O.  M.  West,  under  the  name 
of  Dickinson  &  West,  which  business  relation  bsted  twenty- 
one  years.  Mr.  West  succeeded  to  the  business,  and  removed 
to  251  Fulton.  The  house  has  a  trade  in  dry  goods  strictly, 
and  now  has  a  stock  of  about  $90,000,  employing  25  men. 


Frederick  Loeser  &  Co.— This  house  was  founded  in  1860, 
by  Mr.  Loeser  and  Mr.  Moritz  Dinkelspiel,  who  began  business 
in  a  small  way,  at  No.  277  Fulton  street,  opening  there  a  stock 
of  worsteds,  embroideries  and  trimmings.  In  1863,  Mr.  J.W. 
Jones  entered  the  firm,  and  a  branch  store  was  opened  at  No. 
737  Broadway,  New  York.  Three  years  after,  Mr.  Loeser  sold 
his  interest  in  the  latter,  and  purchased  the  shares  of  his 
partners  in  Brooklyn,  then  introducing  a  general  line  of  dry" 
goods.  In  1870,  the  store  was  removed  to  its  present  location, 
and  Mr.  Louis  Liebmann  was  admitted  to  partnership;  the 
firm  was  further  increased  by  the  addition  of  Messrs.  Her- 
mann Liebmann  and  Gustav  Loeser  in  1872  and  1875  respec- 
tively. The  house  now  ranks  among  the  foremost  in  the  city; 
its  business  has  grown  to  vast  proportions  in  response  to  the 
constant  efforts  of  the  firm  to  meet  the  wants  of  the  public. 
A  very  heavy  stock  of  goods  is  carried,  while  the  annual  sales 
exceed  a  million  dollars,  giving  employment  to  700  per- 
sons. Mr.  Loeser's  portrait  and  biography  will  be  found  on 
page  1104. 

J.  O'Brien.— In  1863,  J.  O'Brien,  W.  A.  Papen,  and  Julius 
Meyer,  established  themselves  in  the  dry  goods  business  at 
151  Atlantic  avenue,  under  the  firm  name  of  J.  O'Brien  & 
Co.  In  1879,  the  junior  partners  retired,  and  J.  O'Hrien  suc- 
ceeded. He  now  occupies  five  continuous  stores  which  are 
filled  with  an  extensive  line  of  goods,  including  everything 
that  people  wear,  besides  carpets  and  upholstering  goods. 
Mr.  O'Brien  has  $300,000  capital  employed,  and  his  yearly 
sales  foot  up  to  nearly  three-quarters  of  a  million,  while  his 
employees  number  150. 

James  Thorburn. — Mr.  Thorburn  commenced  in  St.  Louis 
in  1863,  in  the  dry  goods  trade.  Ten  years  later  he  removed 
to  Brooklyn,  and  became  one  of  the  firm  of  Porter  &  Thor- 
burn, on  Fulton  street.  In  1880,  he  established  himself  alone 
at  419  Fulton  street.  His  stock  contains  only  dry  goods, 
with  silks  and  dress  goods  a  specialty.  Thirty  men  are  em- 
ployed, and  the  annual  sales  reach  $225,000. 


S.  B.  Jones,  309  Fulton  street,  established  1864,  now  em- 
ploys from  75  to  100  persons,  and  manufactures  to  the 
amount  of  $50,000  annually,  with  annual  sales  of  $350,000. 


S.  Wechsler  &  Bro. — Samuel  and  Herman  Wechsler  en- 
tered the  mercantile  business  together  in  1868,  with  a  moder- 
ate capital.  After  occupying  several  different  locations  on 
Fulton  street,  they  are  now  at  293.  Their  stock  consists  of 
dry  goods,  manufactured  dresses,  cloaks,  underwear,  eta, 
which  are  made  up  for  the  firm,  under  its  immediate  direc- 
tion. The  capital  employed  in  business  is  $200,000,  and  some 
75  persons  are  retained  in  the  h  juse,  besides  the  services  of 
200  sewing  women  outside. 


1364 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Among  the  other  prominent  firms  in  the  dry  goods 
line  are: 

II.  Batterman  641  Broadway. 

R.  G.  Collins  200  De  Kalb  ave. 

Jeremiah  Walsh  471  Manhattan  ave. 

H.  G.  Walters  101  Atlantic  ave. 

Established  1872. 
T.  A.  &  F.  L.  Newman ...  305  Fulton  st. 

James  Haslehurst  689  St.  Mark's  Place. 

A.  M.  Jackson  New  Lots. 

A.  C.  Keister  Atlantic  ave.,  E.  N.  Y. 

Edward  Milner  208  Rodney  st. 

W.  S.  Purdy  56  6th  st. 

D.  E.  Williams  267  Canal  st. 

J.  F.White  127  Smith  st. 

J.  P.Friedman  New  Lots. 


On  October  17,  1864,  be  was  united  by  marriage  to  Miss  E. 
Matilda,  youngest  daughter  of  Dr.  Robert  Waters,  of  New- 
Utrecht,  L.  I.  There  were  born  to  this  marriage  six  children 
— three  of  whom  are  now  living — the  eldest  a  son,  and  two 
daughters;  J.  E.,  the  son;  daughters,  Jessie  M.  and  Mabel  M. 

In  186C,  he  became  a  resident  of  Brooklyn,  and  engaged  in 
the  floral  business  adjoining  Greenwood  Cemetery,  his  pres- 
ent place  of  business.  It  is,  perhaps,  needless  to  add  that  Mr. 
Weir  has  been  eminently  successful  as  a  florist.  The  thou- 
sands upon  thousands  of  people  who  annually  visit  that  beauti- 
ful "city  of  the  dead,"  Greenwood,  and  who  pass  Mr.  Weir's 
charming  conservatory,  redolent  with  the  perfumes  of  the 
rarest  exotics  and  native  flowers,  find  this  one  of  the  chief 
attractions  of  the  Cemetery,  which  never  fails  to  elicit  the 
warmest  admiration.  From  this  conservatory,  also,  comes  a 
large  number  of  the  exquisite  wreaths  and  beautifully  wrought 
designs  which  are  used  on  funeral  occasions,  and  which 
embellish  many  of  the  tombs  in  the  great  Cemetery  near  by. 

Iu  the  arrangement  of  the  plants  in  Mr.  Weir's  conserva- 
tory one  can  not  fail  to  observe  the  artistic  skill  in  which 


JAMES  WHIR'S  CONSERVATORIES  AND  GREEN-HOUSES. 


FLORISTS. 

James  Weir,  Jr.,  proprietor  of  one  of  the  most  extensive 
and  beautiful  conservatories  or  green-houses  that  adorn  the 
grounds  adjacent  to  Greenwood  Cemetery,  was  born  in 
England,  October  17,  1843.  His  parents  were  James  and 
Ann  Weir,  who  came  to  this  country  in  the  year  1844,  when 
the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  scarcely  one  year  old,  locating 
at  Bay  Ridge.  L.  I.  His  father  and  younger  brothers  are 
florists  and  nurserymen,  possessing  a  practical,  thorough  and 
tasteful  knowledge  of  that  business.  Young  Weir  attended 
the  public  schools  of  Brooklyn,  and  when  old  enough,  he  en- 
tered the  Collegiate  and  Polytechnic  Institute  of  that  city, 
where  lie  acquired  a  n<">d  and  useful  education. 

He  inherited  from  his  father  a  natural  love  of  the  delight- 
ful occupation  in  which  he  is  now  engaged.  His  taste 
-teemed  {■■  assimilate  him  with  the  work  of  cultivating 
flowers;  accordingly,  after  leaving  school  he  engaged  with 
his  father  and  brothers  in  their  business,  where  he  continued 
until  the  year  w  hen  he  l>egan  business  for  himself. 


each  plant  is  so  placed  in  relation  to  another  as  to  produce 
the  most  exquisite  harmony  of  color  and  form,  enhanced 
by  the  fine  arrangement  of  the  grand  center,  composed  of 
rock  work.  Connected  with  his  conservatory  is  a  large 
florist's  establishment,  luxuriant  with  tastefully  arranged 
beds  of  blooming  plants  and  flowering  shrubs. 

In  politics  Mr.  Weir  has  always  l>een  a  democrat,  and  has 
generally  taken  an  active  interest  in  the  success  of  his  party. 
As  a  citizen,  he  is  held  in  high  esteem  for  the  possession  of 
those  qualities  of  head  and  heart  which  naturally  give  men 
an  elevated  position  in  the  community  in  which  they  live. 
In  recognition  of  these  qualities,  he  was  elected  a  member  of 
the  Board  of  Aldermen  of  Brooklyn,  two  successive  terms, 
1880-1881  and  1882-1883.  In  1883,  he  was  honored  with  the 
position  of  Chairman  of  the  Board,  which  renders  him,  in 
absence  of  the  Mayor,  Acting  Mayor  of  the  city. 

Mr.  Weir's  religious  sentiments  attach  him  to  the  Episco- 
pal church,  the  church  of  his  father,  under  whose  teach- 
ings he  came  from  his  childhood,  his  youth,  to  his  manhood, 
and  to  which  he  is  strongly  attached. 


GENERAL  TRADE  A ND  MERCHANDISE. 


1365 


RICHARD  SHANNON'S  GREENHOUSES. 


Richard  Shannon,  Florist. — "We  present,  above,  a  view  of 
the  beautiful  greenhouses  of  Mr.  Shannon,  on  Fort  Hamilton 
avenue,  Flatbush,  opposite  the  eastern  entrance  to  Greenwood 
cemetery. 

Mr.  Shannon  is  a  native  of  Ireland,  and  was  born  in  1837. 
He  came  to  Boston  in  1856,  with  a  good  knowledge  of  flori- 
culture, and,  after  spending  six  months  as  assistant  gardener 
on  the  estate  of  the  late  Col.  Thomas  Handasyd  Perkins,  he 
became  gardener  for  the  Hon.  Charles  Francis  Adams,  at 
Quincy.  He  remained  in  Mr.  Adams'  employ  till  that 
gentleman  sailed  for  England  as  Minister  to  the  Court  of  St. 
James,  in  the  spring  of  1861.  Thence  he  removed  to  New- 
port, R.  L,  where  he  was  engaged  in  the  same  pursuit  for 
about  three  years,  when  he  came  to  New  York,  and  in  1863-'4 
made  Brooklyn  his  home,  at  first  dealing  in  flowers  and 
plants  at  Fulton  and  Washington  streets,  but  in  1865  removed 
to  Greene  avenue,  near  Franklin,  where  he  erected  a  small 
greenhouse,  leasing  at  the  same  time,  with  the  privilege  of 
purchase,  ten  city  lots  adjacent.  The  7th  and  the  north  part 
of  the  9th  Wards  (which  four  or  five  years  later  was  divided 
into  the  21st  and  23d  Wards)  had  just  begun  to  grow  at  this 
time,  and  they  have  continued  to  grow  ever  since.  New 
houses  were  constantly  going  up  and  requiring  the  laying 
out  of  gardens  and  grounds,  and  the  people  who  inhabited 
these  houses  were  enterprising  and  cultured  families,  to 
whom  a  good  florist  was  as  necessary  as  a  good  grocer.  Mr. 
Shannon  prospered;  the  single  greenhouse  multiplied  to  six, 
and  his  services  and  those  of  his  men  were  in  constant 
demand.  In  1878  he  determined  to  extend  his  business  by 
erecting  greenhouses  opposite  the  eastern  entrance  to  Green- 
wood, then  recently  opened.  He  secured  a  full  acre  of 
ground  and  has  erected  one  building  after  another  till  now 
he  has  more  than  10,000  square  feet  under  glass,  and  has  one 
of  the  most  complete  floral  establishments  in  the  vicinity  of 
Greenwood.  He  has  already  many  patrons  among  the  lot 
owners,  and  it  is  a  marked  characteristic  of  the  man  that 
those  who  employ  him  once  are  very  sure  to  continue  to  be 
his  patrons.    His  collections  of  flowers,  shrubs,  and  tropical 


plants,  both  at  Greenwood  and  at  his  Greene  avenue  houses, 
are  very  large  and  of  great  variety,  and  while  not  neglecting 
other  plants  and  flowers  he  has  given  special  attention  to  per- 
fecting his  collection  of  fine  roses  and  the  l>est  tropical  plants. 


The  grounds  of  the  well-known  florist,  James  Dean,  are 
situated  at  Third  ave.  and  Sixty-sixth  st.,  and  comprise 
nearly  three  acres.  In  front  is  Mr.  Dean's  handsome  resi- 
dence, and  at  the  rear  his  eight  large  greenhouses,  each  150 
feet  long,  with  boiler-house  and  all  necessary  appendages, 


JAMES  DEAN'S  GREENHOUSES. 


1366 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY 


including  a  wind-mill  and  tower  for  raising  water.  At  the 
side  are  numberless  cold-frames,  handsome  flower-beds  and 
smooth  lawn.  Tbe  green-houses  are  well  stocked  with  plants 
and  flowers  of  all  kinds,  but  Mr.  Dean's  specialty  is  roses,  of 
which  he  has  innumerable  varieties,  and  on  which  he  has 
taken  many  first  premiums  at  New  York  Exhibitions.  His 
roses  are  so  well  kuown  that  he  has  a  large  trade  in  Boston, 
New  York  and  Philadelphia.  He  now  employs  eight  men 
and  two  wagons  in  his  business,  which  he  commenced  in 
18(55  on  a  small  scale.  Mr.  Dean  served  in  the  war  of  the 
Rebellion  in  the  78d  N.  Y.  Regt,  under  General  Hooker,  and 
was  mustered  out  of  the  service  with  small  means;  but,  by 
his  industry  and  application  to  business  he  has  built  up  and 
maintains  a  large  and  profitable  trade. 


Philip  Zeli  &  Son  5th  ave.  cor.,  23d  st. 

E.  Kasold  Henry,  cor.  4th  place. 

Peter  Mallon  473  Fulton  st. 

Thomas  Poynter  668  Fulton  st. 

Florist.    Est.,  1864,  in  Brooklyn. 

E.  L.  Rhoades  374  Gates  ave. 

Mrs.  Carl  Schmidt  233  Clinton  st. 

R.  Shannon  343  Greene  ave. 

L.  Schmitz  Flatbush. 

A.  Walton  505  Fulton  st. 

Frederick  Weir  Bay  Ridge. 

J.  Condon  734  5th  ave.  and  218  25th  st. 

John  Stubbs  585  Fulton  st. 

August  Jahn  108  Broadway. 

Florist.    Est.  1872,  at  present  location. 


GROCERS,  AND  DEALERS  IN  TEAS,  COFFEES 
AND  SPICES. 

There  seems  to  be  now  no  means  of  ascertaining 
who  was  the  first  man  who  embarked  in  the  grocery 
trade  in  Brooklyn.  It  was  the  early  custom  for  Brook- 
lynites  to  lay  in  their  family  supplies  "  across  the 
water,"  as  New  York  was  familiarly  referred  to.  In 
1809,  John  C.  Middleton  kept  a  grocery  at  the 
junction  of  New  and  Old  Ferry  sts.,  and  it  is  presum- 
able that  he  was  thus  engaged  for  some  time  afterward. 
Isaac  Weeks  and  Teunis  Johnson  were  prominent 
Brooklyn  grocers  in  1812,  and  Jacob  Garrison  and  J. 
&  S.  Schenck  in  1817.  In  the  last  mentioned  year, 
John  G.  Pray  opened  a  grocery  at  the  coi  ner  of  Main 
and  Middagh  streets,  and  another  was  established  by 
Afiraham  I>  Qstrander  mar  the  N'avv  Yard.  Wil- 
liam R.  Dean  was  added  to  the  list  of  those  engaged 
in  this  trade  in  1820,  and  was  still  keeping  a  grocery, 
at  the  corner  of  Fulton  and  Sands  streets,  in  1828.  A 
grocery  wa9  opened  by  Messrs.  Hicks  <b  Remsen  in 
1824,  and  another  the  following  year  by  Messrs.  Joms 
i(  J'!H»r/.  In  1827,  the  latter  firm  was  succeeded  by 
Henry  Elbert.  About  this  time  the  firm  of  Gonklin 
<L-  lull, ill  was  well  known  and  it  gave  place  to  that  of 
llai/imr  A-  Conklin  in  182 9.  In  connection  with  his 
old  "  stage  house,"  near  Fulton  Ferry,  early  in  the  pre- 
sent century,  John  Bedell  had  a  grocery.    On  the  cor- 


ner of  Fulton  street  and  a  narrow  lane,  now  called  Eliza- 
beth street,  a  site  which  was  cleared  by  a  fire  in  1814,  a 
temporary  structure  was  erected,  which  was  occupied 
as  a  grocery  until  about  1832,  when  it  gave  place  to 
the  brick  building,  since  known  as  Carll's  stables.  In 
the  lower  part  of  Fulton  street,  next  door  to  Dosvning's 
"  stage  and  livery  stable,"  was  the  liquor  and  grocery 
store  of  Old  Mr.  Evert  Barkeloo,  which  was  also  the 
office  of  the  trustees  of  the  town  of  Brooklyn,  of  which 
body  Mr.  Barkeloo  was  clerk  during  a  portion  of  the 
first  quarter  of  the  present  century.  Upon  the  pur- 
chase of  the  old  Rapelye  house  by  Mr.  Abraham 
Remsen,  the  latter  tore  it  down  and  used  a  portion  of 
the  stone  in  the  erection  upon  the  same  site  of  a  brick 
and  stone  dwelling  and  store  where  he  dealt  in  gro- 
ceries and  other  domestic  merchandise.  The  site  of 
that  early  store  is  now  occupied  by  the  splendid  build- 
ing of  the  Long  Island  Safe  Deposit  Company.  On  the 
corner  of  Fulton  and  Hicks  sts.  was  once  the  grocery  of 
D.  Pell,  a  low,  one-story-and-a-half  building.  Passing 
up  Fulton  street,  beyond  tbe  old  Hicks  mansion,  another 
old-time  grocery  was  approached.  Here  Mrs.  Thomas 
kept  "  green  groceries,  candy  and  yeast,"  and  was  suc- 
ceeded in  the  same  business  by  Mrs.  Flowers.  On  the 
easterly  corner  of  Fulton  street  and  Poplar  place  (then 
known  as  "  Buckbee's  Alley),  was  the  grocery  and 
general  store  of  Mr.  Buckbee.  Seventy  years,  or 
longer,  ago,  Adam  Bijjpincott,  and  later,  Jenkins  & 
Lippincott  kept  a  grocery  on  Fulton  street,  between 
Prospect  and  Sands  streets. 

A  well-remembered  grocery  was  that  of  Peter  Cow- 
enhoven,  located  on  Fulton  street,  near  the  corner  of 
Cranberry,  and  kept  in  a  building  which  had  formerly 
been  occupied  as  a  paint-shop  by  old  Matthew  Hall. 
Two  doors  above  Sands  street,  on  the  easterly  side  of 
Fulton,  was  the  residence  and  grocery  store  of  High 
Sheriff  John  Hean,  father  of  Colonel  Joseph  Dean. 
Dean  was  a  prominent  politician  in  his  time  and  was 
appointed  sheriff  in  March,  1813.  "  Dean's  Corners," 
as  the  locality  was  generally  called,  was  a  great  rendez- 
vous for  business  and  political  gossip.  A  few  doors 
further  up  the  street  was  the  grocery  of  Isaac  Moser, 
An  early  landmark  in  that  part  of  the  town  was  Van 
Winkle's  tavern  and  grocery  on  the  north-east  corner  of 
Main  and  Water  streets,  and  Peter  Snyder  kept  a  gro- 
cery on  the  south-east  corner  of  the  same  streets.  In 
1815  there  was  a  two-story  frame  grocery  at  the  north- 
west corner  of  Front  and  Main  streets,  in  which  ex- 
Mayor  Edward  Coj>ela?id  is  said  to  have  commenced 
business,  and  on  the  north-east  corner  of  the  same 
streets  there  was  another  grocery.  A  grocery  was 
opened  in  Williamsburgh  by  John  Skillman  in  1818. 
The  groceries  of  the  early  days  differed  materially  from 
those  of  the  present.  Indeed,  it  is  doubtful  if  many  of 
the  earlier  ones  were  really  groceries,  pure  and  simple, 
the  demands  of  the  trade  of  that  period  necessitating 
the  keeping  of  a  more  or  less  extensive  anil  varied  stock 


GENERAL  TRADE  AND  MERCHANDISE. 


1367 


of  general  merchandise,  and  the  stores  were  more  like 
the  groceries  in  small  towns  of  the  present  day  than 
the  large  groceries  to  be  seen  everywhere  in  Brooklyn, 
involving  the  investment  of  large  capital  and  the  carry- 
ing of  stocks  of  goods  which  in  some  cases  aggregate 
several-fold  the  combined  stock  of  the  groceries  above 
alluded  to.  Among  the  many  engaged  in  the  grocery 
trade  in  the  city  at  this  time,  either  as  wholesale  or 
retail  dealers  and  on  a  larger  or  smaller  scale,  may  be 
mentioned  the  following-named  individuals  and  firms  : 

Frederick  Allers  345  Court  st. 

J.  H.  Ashchoff  33  Smith  st. 

Julius  Bauer  Fulton  ave. 

Wm.  Busch  New  Lots,  L.  I. 

B.  Bischoff  388  Court  st. 

J.  M.  Clapp  346  Atlantic  ave. 

"Wm.  Smith  Carlisle..   403  Fulton  st. 

Teas,  Coffees  and  General  Groceries;  est.,  1861,  by  him- 
self; capital  employed  about  $30,000;  number  of  em- 
ployees, 7;  amount  paid  annually  for  salaries,  $3,300; 
amount  of  sales  per  annum,  about  $190,000. 

Campbell  &  Cleighton         549  Fulton  st. 

Robt  Carson  912  Fulton  &  381  5th  ave. 

Clapp  Bros  979  Fulton  st. 

Alex  Carson  756  Myrtle  ave. 

Geo.  Cunniff  16  Clinton  st. 

E.  Carmundy  466  Bergen  st. 

Henry  Carson   1205  Fulton  St. 

C.  Dengel  New  Lots. 

W.  A.  Forte  Gravesend. 

William  Gray   150  St.  James  PI. 

Herman  Gunter  317  Court  st. 

Groceries;  est.  1881;  capital  employed,  about  $4,000; 
amount  paid  annually  for  salaries,  $1,000;  amount  of 
yearly  sales,  $25,000. 

Simon  Gunder  7  Douglass  st. 

John  Gercken  Bath. 

August  Graw  Flatlands. 

Abijah  Haviland  118  Bridge  st. 

Gilbert  Hicks  Flatbush. 

W.  H.  Harrison  585  Washington  ave. 

Robert  W.  Hawkins  1291  Fulton  st. 

M.  Hanly  615  Myrtle  ave. 

William  Irvine  &  Co  583  Grand  &  515  Court  st. 

Groceries:  came  to  America  in  1869;  worked  as  a  clerk 
for  two  years,  then  formed  a  partnership  with  Wil- 
liam Johnston  &  Co.,  establishing  themselves  on  the  tor. 
of  Court  and  9th  sts.  In  1876,  the  firm  dissolved  and 
Mr.  Irvine  carried  on  the  business  alone  until  1880, 
when  his  brother  was  admitted  as  partner,  under  the 
firm  name  of  Wm.  Irvine  &  Co.,  and  a  branch  store 
opened  on  cor.  of  Grand  &  Humboldt  sts.  A  branch 
store  was  also  opened  at  82  Fulton  st.,  in  1883.  Capital 
employed,  $20,000. 

Alex  Irvine  515  Court  st. 

Oliver  &  James  Johnston.  .553  Fulton  st. 

William  Johnston  691  Fulton  st. 

Groceries;  established  in  New  York;  removing  to 
Brooklyn  in  1868;  has  8  employees,  paying  them  an- 
nually $4,000;  amount  of  yearly  sales,  $125,000. 


184  and  559  Fulton  St.,  607 
Geo.  Lockitt  &  Sons  ....  \     De  Kalb,  187  Myrtle,  and 

89  Atlantic  avenue. 
The  senior  member  established  his  first  store  in  1852  at 
187  Myrtle  ave.,  afterwards  another  at  91  Atlantic  ave., 
and  a  third  at  549  Fulton  street,  and  placed  the  three 
under  the  management  of  his  sons  Clement,  Alfred  and 
Theophilus  respectively,  while  he  attended  to  the  finan- 
cial duties. 

In  1868,  he  opened  the  store  corner  Fulton  and 
Orange;  and  admitted  his  sons  to  partnership  in  1870,  un- 
der the  present  firm  name.  In  1872,  the  store  on  DeKalb 
ave.  was  opened  ;  in  1876,  the  large  store  at  559  Fulton 
st.  was  occupied.  The  three  sons  are  members  of  the 
New  York  Produce  Exchange.  The  business  of  the  firm 
amounts  to  about  $500,000  annually.  George  Lockitt 
died  in  1883. 

Daniel  Lamberson  287  Court  st. 

F.  Middendorf  New  Lots. 

Henry  C.  Mangels  52  Union  st. 

Robert  McKane  Gravesend. 

W.  C.  Reamer  368  Court  st. 

Stephen  Stevenson  110  Atlantic  ave. 

Groceries,  Wines,  Liquors,  etc.;  established  in  1861, 
by  H.  Scranton,  W.  H.  Otis,  and  S.  B.  Harriman,  under 
the  firm  name  of  Scranton  &  Co.:  capital  employed, 
$40,000;  number  of  employees,  10;  amount  paid  an- 
nually for  salaries,  $6,000;  amount  of  annual  sales, 
$150,000. 

Richard  Slater  Fort  Hamilton. 

George  Self   Bay  Ridge. 

E.  H.  Sayre  29  Peck  Slip,  N.  Y. 

Lewis  A.  White  622  Myrtle  ave. 

D.  J.  Dann  500  5th  ave. 

J.  J.  Hillis  544  5th  &  648  Myrtle  ave. 

Wm.  H.  Sanford  211  DeKalb  ave. 

James  Fletcher  254  Withers. 

Charles  A.  Thayer  206  Flatbush  ave.  and  451 

Bergen  street. 
Dealer  in  groceries,  fruits,  meats,  and  other  goods;  es- 
tablished his  business  in  1883,  and  has  a  large  store  one 
hundred  and  nine  feet  long,  extending  from  street  to 
street. 

The  following  mentioned  houses  may  be  regarded  as 
in  one  important  branch  of  the  grocery  trade,  as  they 
are  dealers  in  teas,  coffees  and  spices: 

John  Baldwin  &  Sons  292  and  372  Grand  st. 

John  McGahie  210  Myrtle  ave.  and  321 

Columbia  st. 

H.  Wischmann  &  Co  78  Fulton  st. 

William  Waring  74  Fulton  st. 


PRODUCE,  FLOUR  AND  FEED  DEALERS 
AND  WHOLESALE  GROCERS. 
It  must  be  seen  that  the  history  of  the  business  of 
handling  produce  in  Kings  county  must  be  to  a  consid- 
erable degree  coincident  with  that  of  the  grocery 
trade.  It  had  its  beginning  with  the  beginning  of 
civilization  in  Brooklyn  and  vicinity,  and  assumed  tan- 
gible shape  long  since,  when  Brooklyn  was  but  a  mere 
village.    The  old  Brooklyn  markets  are  elsewhere 


136S 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


referred  to.  As  elsewhere,  produce  was  early  handled 
at  the  general  stores,  and  every  merchant  as  well  as 
every  grocer  of  the  earlier  period  of  the  commercial 
history  of  the  city  was  in  some  sense  a  produce  dealer. 
A  few  facts  of  interest  in  this  connection,  concerning 
several  dealers  in  produce,  flour,  feed  and  kindred 
merchandise  at  this  time,  are  given  below.  Georye  W. 
Mumby,  wholesale  dealer  in  Hour  and  grain,  140  Liv- 
ingston street,  began  business  in  1846  at  59  Fulton  6t., 


WHOLESALE  GROCERS 


JOHNSTON  BROTHERS,  55!  and  555  Fulton  Street. 

as  a  retail  dealer  in  flour,  removing  to  his  present 
location  in  1876  and  increasing  his  trade  till  it  is 
now  very  extensive.  He  is  a  member  of  the  New 
York  Produce  Exchange,  and  enjoys  the  distinction  of 
having  been  the  first  man  to  tap  the  Brooklyn  city 
water  works,  May  24th,  1858.  Jacob  &  Colyer,  46-50 
Flatbush  ave.,  dealer  in  flour,  feed,  hay,  etc.,  was  born 
in  Jerusalem,  L.  I.,  in  1830,  and  established  his  business 
in  Brooklyn  in  1859.  Henry  Glasser,  86  De  Bevoise 
St.,  Brooklyn,  E.  D.,  produce  commission  dealer,  is  well 
known  both  as  a  business  man  and  prominent  citizen, 
and  also  a  military  man,  having  served  as  colonel  and 


JOHNSTON  BBOTRBB8,  M3 


Lvenue,  cor.  Cumberland  Street. 


chief  of  artillerists  of  the  2d  Division,  N.  G.,  S.  N.  Y., 
under  (i<n.  D;ik  in,  in  1876,  and  as  a  member  of  the  Brook- 
lyn Board  of  Education,  1878-'81.  His  business  was  es- 
tablished in  1861  at  the  foot  of  North  Second  street,  and 
subsequently  removed  to  its  present  locality.  William 
K.  Voorhrf-a,  member  of  the  New  York  Produce  Ex- 
change and  of  the  Manhattan  Hay  and  Produce  Ex- 
ohftnge,  and  dealer  in  flour  and  feed,  79  La  Fayette 
ave.,  was  born  in  Flatlands,  L.  I.,  and  established  his 


business  in  Brooklyn,  at  103  Flatbush  ave.,  in  1865. 
John  H  Fort  is  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Marsh,  White 
<fe  Co.,  long  prominently  identified  with  the  grain  and 
milling  interests  of  Brooklyn.  This  firm  began  busi- 
ness in  New  York  in  1868,  and  were  succeeded  by  two 
of  their  oldest  and  most  trusted  clerks,  John  H.  Fort 
and  Georye  T.  Howler,  who  are  members  of  the  firm 
as  present  organized  and  which  retains  the  old  style  of 
Marsh,  White  ct  Co.,  its  business  being  located  at  the 
foot  of  North  Fifth  st.,  Brooklyn,  E.  D.,  to  which 


JOHNSTON  BROTHERS,  Court  Street,  cor.  Baltic  Street. 

place  it  was  removed  in  1875.  Henry  0.  Collard,  grain 
dealer,  116  President  St.,  is  a  native  of  Brooklyn,  and 
has  been  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Supervisors  from 
the  6th  Ward. 


The  firm  of  Johnston  Brothers  was  formed  on  May  1,  1882, 
consisting  of  James  and  Oliver  Johnston,  each  of  whom  had 
been  in  the  business  for  about  ten  years;  previous  to  that 
date  had  started  and  operated  stores  at  different  times  and 
places  tliroughout  Brooklyn.  Their  present  principal  store 
at  553  and  555  Fulton  street,  is  the  largest  of  its  kind  in  the 
city,  having  a  frontage  of  50  feet  on  Fulton  street,  50  feet  on 
De  Kalb  avenue,  and  100  feet  depth.    They  have  also  a  branch 


JOHNSTON  BROTHERS,  Fulton  Street,  cor.  Clermont  Avenue. 

store,  corner  Myrtle  avenue  and  Cumberland  street,  30x80; 
one  on  Fulton  street,  corner  Clermont  avenue,  40x90  feet; 
and  one  at  Gravesend,  L.  L  In  these  stores  they  give  em- 
ployment to  about  30  men,  and  keep  16  horses  and  10  wagons. 
The  member*  of  the  firm  were  born  in  the  county  of  Fer- 
managh, in  the  north  of  Ireland;  came  to  this  country  when 
about  lOyearsold.  They  commenced  asclerksin  their  present 
business,  and  by  perseverance  and  close  attention,  they  were 
enabled  in  a  few  years  to  start  in  a  small  way  for  themselves, 
which  they  kept  steadily  increasing  until  they  united  and 
formed  the  present  firm,  and  to-day  they  are  the  leading 


GENERAL  TRADE  AND  MERCHANDISE. 


1.360 


cash  grocers  of  Brooklyn.  Theirs  is  strictly  a  cash  business, 
selling  no  goods  on  weekly  or  monthly  payments.  Having 
noticed  the  unfairness  of  making  a  customer  who  paid  his 
bills  pay  an  extra  profit  for  those  who  did  not,  they  deter- 
mined when  they  started  in  business  to  sell  goods  for  cash 
only,  to  treat  every  customer  alike,  rich  or  poor,  honest  or 
dishonest:  and  this  they  have  carried  out  to  the  letter  for  the 
past  twelve  years;  and  to  this,  more  than  anything  else,  they 
attribute  their  success.  At  the  time  they  commenced,  and  for 
a  number  of  years  after,  the  great  bulk  of  the  retail  grocery 
trade  was  done  by  a  system  of  books  or  monthly  accounts.  It 
was  also  about  that  time  that  the  evil  effects  of  extravagance 
cultivated  by  the  people  during  and  succeeding  the  war 
(when money  was  plenty)  began  to  be  felt;  money  was  getting 
scarcer,  business  quiet,  manufacturers  closing  down,  men 
who  had  been  considered  good  failing  in  business,  all  of 
which  worked  ruin  to  the  retailer  who  gave  credit,  having  to 
increase  his  profits  in  order  to  make  up  for  the  many  bad 
debts,  and  driving  his  trade  to  the  house  which,  by  selling  for 
cash,  could  always  afford  to  sell  goods  at  a  small  profit.  As 
a  consequence  the  business  done  by  each  of  the  present  firm 
of  Johnston  Brothers  increased,  whereas  a  great  number  of 
the  larger  and  older  firms  dwindled  out  of  business. 

Appended  are  the  names  and  addresses  of  various  in- 
dividuals and  firms  in  Brooklyn  connected  with  the 
flour  and  feed,  provision  and  general  produce  trade. 
Flour  and  Feed: 

E.  E.  Bunce  82  5  B'  way  &  1 1 3  8  Myrtle  av 

R.  S.  Decker  521  Halsey  st. 

John  Gilbertson  9  Lafayette  ave. 

Ditmas  Jewell  &  Son  Fulton,  cor.  B'way. 

S.  Hart  Bergen,  n.  Carlton. 

Edward  Murphy  329  2d  St.,  E.  D. 

J.  H.  Mumby  100  Fulton  st. 

Bernard  McCaffrey  19  Tillary  st. 

Wm.  M.  Shipman  123  Myrtle  ave. 

Tonges,  Moller  &  Co  31  B'way. 

Thomas  Gallagher  362  K  2d  st. 

Ditmas  Jewell  New  Lots. 

Provision  Dealers: 

Chas.  D.  Burrows,  Jr  192  Leonard  st. 

Carl  Sanford  466  Clermont  ave. 

J.  Schueltheis  16  Graham. 

W.  H.  Sayre  65  Hicks  st. 

Produce: 

W.  L.  Watson  130  Lefferts  Place. 

Food  Products: 
The  manufacture  of  cocoa  was  first  begun  in  Brook- 
lyn, 1875,  by  (Beatson  J.)  Bell  c&  Co.,  at  839  Putnam 
avenue,  removing  successively,  as  the  demand  necessi- 
tated larger  accommodations  (1879)  to  Marcy,  then  to 
398  Gates  avenue;  finally  to  present  large  factory,  U 
Durham  Place,  E.  D. ;  office  109  Fulton  street,  N.  Y. 
The  peculiar  feature  of  this  preparation  is  the  readiness 
with  which  it  is  prepared  for  use,  being  instantly  dis- 
solved in  boiling  water.  It  is  largely  recommended  by 
the  medical  profession,  and  has  received  the  medal  of 
superiority  at  the  American  Institute  Fair  for  the  past 
five  years. 


JOHN  HARRISON'S  GROCERY. 

John  Harrison. — The  subject  of  this  sketch,  an  extensive 
wholesale  and  retail  grocer  of  Fulton  avenue,  Brooklyn, 
N.  Y.,  was  born  at  Belfast,  Ireland,  in  the  year  1841.  His 
parents  were  Joseph  and  Margaret  Harrison  of  that  city. 

At  an  early  age  he  emigrated  to  this  country,  and  in  1855 
at  the  age  of  fourteen,  he  became  a  resident  of  the  city  of 
Brooklyn,  where  he  attended  the  public  schools,  attaining  a 
practical  business  education.  His  industrious  habits,  hon- 
esty and  probity,  paved  the  way  for  his  entrance  into  a  suc- 
cessful business,  which  he  began  in  1862.  The  business 
chosen  by  him  was  that  of  grocer,  and  a  general  dealer  in  all 
productions  connected  with  that  business.  He  has  now  been 
engaged  in  it  for  the  period  of  21  years,  and  ranks  among 
the  most  successful  and  prominent  business  men  of  Brooklyn. 

It  needs  but  a  few  moments  spent  in  inspecting  his  large 
establishment,  with  its  well  arranged  and  well  stocked  de- 
partments, to  convince  one  of  the  nature  and  permanency  of 
his  success. 

In  politics  Mr.  Harrison  is  a  Democrat,  firmly  and  con- 
scientiously adhering  to  the  principles  of  the  Democratic 
party;  but  he  has  never  been  a  seeker  for  any  kind  of  ofHci.il 
position,  preferring  success  in  business  to  short-lived  official 
success. 

In  the  year  1873,  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Elizabeth  A. 
Connoly;  seven  children  have  been  born  to  this  marriage. 
Mr.  Harrison  is  still  a  comparatively  young  man,  and  it  is 
easy  to  see  that  with  his  acknowledged  capacity  for  business, 
and  his  facilities  for  conducting  it,  a  very  prosperous  and 
prominent  future  is  open  to  him. 


Next  to  air,  the  most  constant  and  imperative  demand  of 
the  human  animal  is  for  food.  Its  supply  costs  more  time 
and  labor  than  all  of  the  other  bodily  wants.  The  first  and 
in  many  cases  the  greatest  problem  in  a  military  campaign, 
is  how  to  feed  the  army.  A  great  city  is  in  many  respects 
like  a  great  army  in  camp.  Its  greatest  necessity  is  to  be 
provisioned.  What  the  quartermaster  does  for  the  army  the 
grocer  does  for  the  city  ;  he  obtains  and  distributes  the  ra- 
tions.   The  former  is  appointed,  but  the  latter  appoints  him- 


1370  HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


A.  ft  B.  HAVILAND  &  CO.'S  STOKES. 


self,  and  his  term  of  service  and  compensation  are  measured 
by  the  quality  and  efficiency  of  his  work.  The  health  of 
camp  and  city  depends  largely  upon  the  fitness  and  fairness 
of  those  men.  It  is  of  greater  importance  to  have  an  honest 
and  honorable  grocer  than  druggist,  for  everybody  buy6  gro- 
ceries— only  the  sick,  the  unfortunate  and  the  ignorant  buy 
drugs.  Besides  ability  and  integrity,  the  successful  grocery- 
man  must  possess  a  peculiar  fitness  of  tact  and  disposition, 
and  a  body  and  brain  capable  of  enduring  extra  hard  work 
through  long,  continuous  hours,  from  early  dawn  to  late  bed- 
time. To  the  ranks  of  this  trade,  whose  sales  aggregate  a 
larger  sum  than  the  sales  of  any  other  one  or  two  legitimate 
honorable  callings,  many  able  men  and  much  capital  are 
attracted. 

The  firm  of  A.  &  S.  Haviland  &  Co.,  Wholesale  and  Re- 
tail Grocers,  corner  Bridge  and  Prospect  streets,  is  composed 
of  three  brothers,  Abijah,  Solomon  and  Benjamin  Franklin. 
Solomon  entered  the  firm  in  1873,  and  when  the  New  York 
store  was  opened  he  took  charge  of  it,  and  has  ever  since  re- 
mained at  its  head.  Benjamin  Franklin  became  a  partner  in 
1882,  and  has  charge  of  the  Bridge  street  store.  Abijah 
wishes  to  acknowledge  the  valuable  and  indispensable  co- 
operation of  his  brothers  in  bringing  the  business  to  its 
present  prosj>erity.  Their  father,  David  Abijah  Haviland, 
was  ;\  native  of  Westchester  county,  brought  up  on  a  farm 
till  21  years  of  age,  when  he  came  to  New  York  city,  en- 
gaged in  carting  for  alxnit  15  years,  when  he  returned 
to  his  native  county  and  settled  down  on  the  old  farm,  where 
In  died  in  187*.  Abijah,  the  founder  of  the  business  we  axe 
describing,  was  born  in  I^wrence  street,  New  York  city, 
January  15,  1845.  After  considerable  experience  in  trade, 
he  started  for  himself  in  the  grocery  business  in  Myrtle 
avenue  in  18f(9.  Al*>ut  six  months  later  he  took  Louis  A. 
White  in  partnership,  and  the  firm  of  Haviland  &  White 
opened  a  branch  store  in  Bridge  street  in  1871,  and  another  in 
New  York,  corner  of  1st  avenue  and  18th  street,  in  1875. 
This  linn  was  dissolved  in  December,  1883,  Mr.  White  retain- 
ing the  Myrtle  avenue  store,  and  Mr.  Haviland  the  New 
York  and  Bridge  street  stores.    The  building  and  lot  shown 


in  the  above  engraving  were  purchased  in  1880.  The  store  is 
four  stories  high,  each  floor  being  in  constant  use  to  accom- 
modate the  heavy  supply  of  goods  always  in  stock. 

The  Haviland  Brothers  have  always  made  a  specialty  of 
the  flour  trade.  They  manufacture  the  "White  Rose"  pre- 
pared flour,  which  takes  the  lead  of  all  other  kinds  they  have 
ever  sold.  The  sales  of  "  Haviland's  Baking  Powder,"  manu- 
factured exclusively  by  this  firm,  demonstrate  its  superiority, 
when  brought  in  competition  with  any  and  all  other  brands 
in  market.  Mr.  Abijah  Haviland  owns  the  old  family  home- 
stead in  Harrison,  Westchester  county,  2^  miles  from  White 
Plains  depot,  and  4  miles  from  Rye  and  Portchester  depots. 
With  a  natural  love  for  fine  horses,  he  has  turned  his  atten- 
tion most  successfully  to  this  very  attractive  branch  of  stock 
raising.  Already,  over  twenty  splendid  representatives  of 
the  standard  Hambletonian  blood,  grace  his  fields  and  stables. 
The  following  are  the  names  of  some  of  the  most  famous. 
The  oldest  is  Boss  H.,  7  years  old,  June  29,  1884;  has  a  record 
in  6-year-old  class  of  2:31  J,  at  the  May  meeting,  1883,  Belmont 
Park.  Philadelphia.  He  was  timed  May  4, 1884,  on  Fleetwood 
Track,  making  his  mile  in  2:27J,  last  quarter  in  36  seconds. 
Comment  on  such  performances  is  unnecessary.  Daisy  Dell, 
bay  mare,  15}  hands  high,  4  years  old,  June  25,  1884;  she  is 
elegant  and  stylish,  pure  gaited,  has  never  been  handled  for 
speed,  but  can  show  a  2:50  gait — a  most  promising  animal. 
Lady  Venture,  black  filly,  3  years  old,  May  7, 1884;  15}  hands 
high,  powerfully  built,  with  every  indication  of  speed  in  due 
season.  Governor,  bay  gelding,  4  years  old,  April  25,  1884; 
15  hands  3J  inches  high,  own  brother  to  Lady  Venture,  a 
promising  colt.  Maud  H.,  dark  brown  filly,  2  years  old, 
April  6,  1884;  own  sister  to  Lady  Venture,  good  size,  and  very 
flattering  in  appearance.  Garfield,  bay  gelding,  3  years  old, 
May  4,  1884;  15  hands  2£  inches  high,  not  broken,  but  has  in- 
dications of  fine  promise.  Dutchess  Queen,  light  bay  filly,  2 
years  old,  June  2,  1884;  has  all  the  characteristic  appearances 
of  the  noted  Hambletonian  blood.  Volunteer  Blackwood, 
bay  stallion,  3  years  old,  June  29,  1884;  a  little  over  16  hands 
high,  weighs  1,135  pounds,  Hambletonian  with  thoroughbred 
crosses,  unequaled  in  proportions  and  movement.  Paul 
Jones  (foal),  foaled  March  19,  1884.  Besides  the  nine  horses 
included  in  this  brief  mention,  Mr.  Haviland  has  nine  others 
of  the  same  Hambletonian  blood,  all  well  bred  and  possess- 
ing the  fine  points  so  much  admired  and  valued  by  horsemen. 
Here,  among  his  horses  on  the  old  farm,  and  surrounded  by 
the  many  familiar  scenes  and  associations  of  childhood,  he 
finds  that  rest  and  relaxation  from  business,  which  richly  re- 
pays his  many  years  of  unwearied  devotion  and  care.  Mr. 
Haviland  was  married  June  21,  1876,  to  Mary  P.  Nelson,  of 
Brooklyn. 

BUTCHERS   AND   MEAT  AND  FISH 
MERCHANTS. 

Butchers  have  long  been  numerous  in  Brooklyn. 
The  old  market-house  near  Fulton  Ferry  was  their 
rendezvous  during  the  period  of  its  existence.  The 
following  names  of  early  butchers  are  given  byDeVoc: 

Paulus  Van  der  lieeck,  1645;  Roelef  Jimsen,  1654; 

William  Harck  and  Thomas  Willet,  1G5G;  James 
Harding,  1707;  Evardus  lirower,  1715;  Israel  and 

Timothy  Horsfield,  1720;  followed  by  the  sons  of  the 
former;  Samuel  Hops,,,,,  1735;  John  and  lioijamin 

Carpenter,  1743;  Whitehead  Cornell,  and  his  sons 
J,,l, William,  Whitehead,  Jr.,  and  Benjamin,  and 
the  brothers  Sut/dam,  1755;  Thomas  Everitt,  and  his 


GENERAL  TRADE  AND  MERCHANDISE. 


1371 


sons  William,  Thomas,  Jr.,  and  Richard  and  Mat- 
thias Gleaves,  1756;  John  Doughty,  and  his  son,  John, 
Jr.,  1760;  George  Powers  and  Jonathan  Post,  1774; 
John  Garrison,  and  his  sons,  John  E,  Jacob,  and 
Thomas  and  Gersham  Ludlow,  1780;  Burdet  Stryker, 
and  his  sons,  1790;  and  later  Abiel  Titus,  and  his  sons, 
David  Seaman,  Jacob  Patchen,  Ralph  Patchen,  Jesse 
Coope,  Israel  Reynolds,  John  Ray  nor,  William  Poster, 
Michael  Trappel,  and  many  others.  On  the  south  side 
of  the  street,  a  little  up  from  the  market-place,  lived 
John  Simonson,  a  well-known  butcher.  At  the  foot 
of  Main  street  another  market  was  established,  having 
a  close  resemblance  to  the  one  above  referred  to  as 
Titus'  Market,  from  the  fact  that  Abiel  Titus  kept 
a  butcher's  stand  there.  More  than  three-quarters  of 
a  century  has  wrought  great  changes  in  this  as  in  other 
interests.  The  number  of  butchers  now  required  to 
supply  the  trade  of  Brooklyn  is  very  large,  and  their 
shops  are  to  be  found  in  nearly  every  block.  But  at  this 
time  butchers  are  not  simply  butchers,  but  dealers  in 
fish  and  oysters,  as  well  as  in  meat;  some  of  them  on  a 
very  extensive  scale,  and  combining  with  these  other 
kindred  branches  of  trade.  One  of  the  oldest  meat 
markets  of  Brooklyn  at  this  time,  is  that  of  James 
Van  Dine,  140  Elliot  place,  who  is  the  successor  to  a 
business  established  in  1828  at  the  old  James  Street 
Market.  Among  the  many  butchers  and  dealers  in 
meat,  fish  and  oysters,  in  Brooklyn  at  this  time,  are 
the  following: 

P.  W.  Blattmacher  389  Flatbush  ave. 

Henry  Cook  Flatbush. 

E.  R.  Coker  635  Fulton  st. 

Crummey  &  Son  114  Fulton  &  9  Henry  st. 

W.  R.  Coker  272  Flatbush  ave. 

John  C.  De  Frain  85  Atlantic  ave. 

A.  Erzman  Flatbush. 

P.  Fisher  New  Lots. 

John  Fallon  672  Atlantic  ave. 

George  F.  Gildersleeve  932  Fulton  st. 

John  Hanley  70  Atlantic  ave. 

John  Hughes  329  Court  st. 

Edwin  Kershaw  640  Fulton  st. 

J.  A.  Ketchum  169  Lafayette  ave. 

C.  W.  Kirchner  51  Willoughby  place. 

John  Liddall  682  Bedford  ave. 

Anton  Mergel  421  Hudson  ave. 

Moses  May  Johnson  ave.,  c.  White. 

M.  Mullins   620  Myrtle  ave. 

Amos  F.  Oswald  131  Pacific  st. 

George  Roth  71  Montague  st, 

A.  Stoothoff  Adelphi  and  Lafayette. 

Theo.  Schloerb  91  Orange  st. 

Henry  S.  Styles  1207  Fulton. 

M.  Schauback  182  De  Kalb  ave. 

Samuel  J.  Styles  204  Reid  ave. 

Carl  Symonds  168  Fulton. 

Samuel  Valentine  Gravesend. 


J.  Van  Dyne. .  Rear  141  N.  Elliot  st. 

Thomas  Wynne  451  Court  st. 

John  W.  Young  333  Myrtle  ave. 

H.  Kern  274  Columbia. 

G.  W.  Morrison  633  Fulton. 

Charles  Lockitt  145  Clinton  ave. 

Pork  Packer;  established  in  Furman  street,  near  Fulton 
Ferry,  in  1843;  the  firm  then  being  Joseph  Lockitt,  Sr., 
and  John  Lockitt,  they  were  the  first  in  the  city  to  ex- 
port to  the  English  market  their  different  forms  of 
English  cut  bacon  and  hams. 

The  following-named  persons  may  be  referred  to  as 
among  those  who  make  a  specialty  of  fish: 

Frederick  Guttenberg  1001  &  1003  Fulton  st. 

Born  in  Woodhaven,  N.  Y.,  in  1851,  and  established 
himself  as  a  dealer  in  fish  and  oysters  in  1871. 

John  W.  Campbell  320  South  Fifth  st. 

Established  his  business  at  17  Fulton  Market,  N.  Y.,  in 
1872. 

S.  S.  Clark   1075  Fulton  st. 

Geo.  A.  Chappell  108  St.  Mark's  ave. 

Julius  Dixon  957"  B'way. 

James  Gildersleeve  428  Gold  st. 

Charles  A.  Lester  346  Court  st. 


MILK. 

Long  Island  is  noted  for  the  quantity  and  quality  of 
the  milk  it  produces,  and  from  the  first  growth  of 
Brooklyn  that  point  has  been  a  prominent  market  for 
it,  though  large  quantities  have  long  gone  to  New 
York.  But  other  large  quantities  have  been  brought 
to  Brooklyn  from  New  York,  which  have  been  recei\  ed 
from  Long  Island  as  well  as  from  contiguous  portions 
of  New  Jersey  and  New  York.  To  give  anything  like 
a  history  of  the  milk  traffic  of  Brooklyn  would  be 
impossible  from  the  very  nature  of  the  trade.  Promi- 
nent among  the  milk  dealers  of  the  city  may  be  men- 
tioned the  following: 

C.  H.  C.  &  J.  E.  Beakes. .  .181  Atlantic  avenue. 

J.  W.  Gildersleeve  235  Atlantic  avenue. 

R.  F.  Stevens  338  Adams  street. 

S.  G.  Smith  Market  street. 

F.  B.  Smith  Market  street. 

R.  Vestalen  194  Bergen. 


BAKERS  AND  CONFECTIONERS. 

(See  also  pp.  770,  771.) 
In  1809  Isaac  Osborn  had  a  bakery  in  Brooklyn,  the 
precise  location  of  which  is  now  unknown,  but  it  was, 
doubtless,  not  far  from  the  river.  How  long  he  con- 
tinued in  the  business  does  not  appear.  In  1824  and 
1825,  at  least  four  bakeries  existed  in  the  town.  They 
were  those  of  Walter  Nichols,  48  Fulton  street,  L.  E 
Breirster  &  Co.,  Main  and  Fulton  streets,  S.  Ilealy, 
116  Fulton  street,  and  Oliver  T.  <fc  Joseph  Hewlett,  46 
Fulton  street.  With  the  advancement  in  the  popula- 
tion of  Brooklyn,  the  number  of  bakeries  increased. 


1372 


HISTORY  OP  KINGS  COUNTY. 


There  are  now  many  in  the  city,  among  which  may  be 
mentioned  those  of 

H.  C.  Anderson  50  4th  avenue. 

C.  E.  Anderson  120  Lafayette  avenue. 

Henry  Brant  206  York  street. 

Rudolph  C.  Bacher  377  &  483  Manhattan  ave. 

Daniel  Canty  532  Grand  street. 

S.  W.  Day  &  Son  167  Fulton  street. 

A.  B.  Herseman  &  Co  292  Graham  avenue. 

'  545  Myrtle  avenue. 
73  Atlantic  avenue. 
288  Columbia  street. 


E 


J.  Jennings 

_  245  Smith  street. 

J.  T.  Jennings,  181  &  393  Grand  street. 

James  Kern  an,  449  Fulton  street. 

F.  B.  Moore  348  Bridge  street. 

Adam  Rauch  51  Broadway. 

C.  A.  Schilling  80  Ewen  street. 

In  many  establishments  the  departments  of  bakery 
and  confectionery  are  combined,  and  besides  these  are 
numerous  confectioners  who  confine  their  manufacture 
to  candies  and  kindred  goods  alone.  It  will  be  obvi- 
ous that  no  complete  history  of  this  interest  can  be 
given.  Among  the  numerous  confectioners  of  the 
present  time  we  may  refer  to 

C.  Mollenhagen  197  Atlantic  avenue. 

George  F.  Riley  "  753  Fulton  street  and  282 

Flatbush  avenue. 

W.  H.  Weeks  78  4th  St.,  Brooklyn,  E.  D. 

Henry  Wolfert  is  a  confectioner  at  New  Lots;  and 
Frank  C.  Swan,  of  Brooklyn,  is  proprietor  of  a  confec- 
tionery at  29  Cortlandt  street,  New  York. 


DRUGGISTS. 

(See  also  pp.  751,  940.) 
Among  the  first  druggists  in  Brooklyn,  in  the  early 
part  of  the  century,  was  Dr.  Osborti,  whose  "  apothe- 
cary's shop  "  was  bought  in  1811  by  It/del  Smead,  and 
continued  for  a  number  of  years.  Later  followed  Dr. 
J.  W.  Smith,  Edgar  W.  Stevens,  Sands  and  Jay,  and 
along  Fulton  street;  »S'.  P.  Leeds,  at  Hicks  street;  C.  J. 
Bin  grow,  at  Main;  G.  Skerrit,  at  Johnson;  and  Geo. 
F.  Mountain,  at  Adams;  1825,  J.  V.  E.  Vanderhoef 
95  Fulton  street.  In  1848,  Francis  M.  Bassett  estab- 
lished himself  at  Court  and  Atlantic,  succeeded  in  1881 
by  Lather  F.  Stevens;  the  same  year  Thos.  J.  France, 
now  A  614  Myrtle  avenue,  opened  a  drug  store.  In 
1854,  Geo.  S.  Phillips  began  business  at  39  Fleet  place. 
Later  came  J.  G.  Koehler,  now  on  Grand  street,  and 
on  Broadway;  J.  B.  Winter,  138  Franklin;  Thos. 
M.  La/iey,  146  Smith;  1857,  Herman  F.  Franclce, 
Herman  A.  Mailer,  204  Columbia  street;  1859,  i£  A. 
8ayret  461  Myrtle  avenue;  1865,  C.  W.  Kitchen,  349 
Fulton;  .7  R.  Crawford,  736  Bedford  avenue;  E  Alt, 
New  Lots;  Andrews  &  Manney,  302  Flatbush  avenue; 
<ir<  m-ili,  .1/  A'.//-.  r,  t*7  Manhattan  avenue;  Robert 
Black,  264  Blidgfl  street;  R.  E  Burroics,  2d  Place; 


A.  B.  ChadicicJc,  S.  A.  Dickinson,  84  Montague; 
W.  A.  Dovglas,  423  Fulton;  Heydenreich  Bros.,  169 
Atlantic  avenue;  1862,  McDonald  <£  Bro.,  120  Myrtle 
avenue;  A.  T.  Metcalfe,  298  5th  street,  E.  D.;  Loui* 
E  Nicot,  67  Union  (1871,  member  Board  of  Educa- 
cation,  ex-Pres.  and  Sec.  Kings  County  Board  of 
Pharmacy);  James  Quee,  256  Fulton;  1861,  Floyd  W. 
Rogers,  167  Atlantic  avenue;  1882,  Robert  Wetidler, 
404  Atlantic  avenue;  Wheeler  cb  Bolton,  264  Fulton; 
J.  C.  Vbert,  Division  and  Lee  avenues. 

Wm.  J.  De  Forest  32  5th  ave. 

R.  J.  Dodge  58  Clark  st. 

Richard  Lauer  365  Pacific  st. 

B.  V.  B.  Livingston  231  Grand,  E.  D. 

L.  L.  Lazell   69  Livingston 

George  S.  Phillips  39  Fleet  place. 

Cyrus  Pyle  326  Fulton  st. 

Daniel  C.  Robbins  91  Fulton  st. 

A.  J.  Rozezlawski  Gates,  n.  Classon  ave. 

The  whole  number  of  druggists  doing  business  in 
Kings  county  is  about  380,  and  the  aggregate  capital 
invested  is  $1,400,000. 

SILVER-PLATING. 

(See  also  p.  707.) 

Henry  Schade  was  born  in  Germany,  and  came  to  New 
York  in  1848,  when  he  learned  the  trade  of  metal  spinner, 
and  went  in  the  silver-plating  business  for  himself  in  1873. 
In  1883,  he  came  to  Brooklyn,  purchased  the  land,  and  built 


HENRY  SCHADE'S  SILVER-PLATING  FACTORY. 

the  silver-plating  factory,  Nos.  56  and  58  Ainslie  street,  shown 
by  the  above  cut.  He  uses  a  steam-engine  of  25  horse  power, 
employs  25  hands,  mostly  skilled  workmen,  and  produces 
$50,000  worth  of  goods  annually.  His  business  is  prosperous 
and  increasing.  There  is  but  one  other  establishment  of  the 
kind  in  Brooklyn. 

FURNITURE  AND  UPHOLSTERY. 

(See  also  pp.  729,  733.) 
Among  the  many  furniture  dealers  and  upholsterers 
of  Brooklyn,  the  following-named  firms  and  individuals 

are  conspicuous: 

0.  H.  Baldwin  46  4th  st.,  E.  D. 

Brooklyn  Furniture  Co. .  .  .559  Fulton  st. 

John  A.  Baldwin  46  4th  st. 

John  C.  Brown  300-302  Fulton  st. 

W.  A.  Davis  Sands,  cor.  Fulton. 

Finglcton  Bros  611  De  Kalb  ave. 


GENERAL  TRADE  AND  MERCHANDISE. 


1373 


William  N.  Howe  148  4th  st. 

Albert  Korber  355  Adams  st. 

James  Loeder  971  Fulton  st. 

Lang  &  Nau  262  Fulton  st. 

C.  M.  Medicus  18  &  20  Throop  ave.,  and 

45-49  De  Kalb  ave. 

John  F.  Mason  Myrtle  ave.  &  Bridge  st. 

J.  G.  Reither  &  Sons  Fulton,  cor.  Navy  st. 

E.  H.  Storms  704  Fulton  st. 

P.  W.  Schmitz  264  Court  st. 

Jacob  Schneider  134  Metropolitan  ave. 

George  Wilson  42  Myrtle  ave. 

John  Wood  223  Fulton  st. 

Martin  Worn  &  Sons  103  Humboldt  st. 

Carman  Pearsall  337  Manhattan  ave. 

Arthur  Lott  1107  Pacific  st. 

Dealer  in  furniture;  began  business  in  1865. 

F.  B.  Jordan  155-157  Adelphi  st. 

Dealer  in  furniture,  drapery  and  upholstery;  has  been 
in  business  since  1878,  employs  a  capital  of  $8,000;  pays 
a  large  sum  annually  as  salaries  to  thirteen  employees; 
his  yearly  sales  averaging  $38,000. 
The  following  are  well-known  upholsterers: 

E.  Estberg  72  Hamburg  ave. 

Rohmann  &  Killemann. . .  .347  Adams  st.,  &  90  Bow- 
ery, N.  Y. 


COWPERTHWAIT  CO.'S  FURNITURE  WAREHOUSE. 


Cowperthwait  Company. — One  of  the  landmarks  of  old 
New  York,  is  the  great  furniture  house  of  the  Cowperth  waits 
of  Chatham  street.  The  establishment  of  the  Brooklyn  firm 
of  Cowperthwait  Company  bids  fair  to  mark  an  epoch  in  the 
history  of  the  sister  city.  At  the  beginning  of  the  present 
century,  John  K.  Cowperthwait,  a  sturdy  scion  of  Pennsyl- 
vania Quaker  stock,  established  the -New  York  house,  and 
controlled  its  destinies  from  1807  to  1838.  From  that  time 
until  1865,  Samuel  N.  Cowperthwait,  the  son  of  the  founder 


of  the  concern,  stood  at  the  helm.  Eighteen  years  ago  the 
firm  became  M.  B.  Cowperthwait  &  Co.,  Montgomery  B. 
taking  an  interest  with  his  brother.  In  1881,  Montgomery 
B.  Cowperthwait  and  Albert  Ammerman,  established  the 
Brooklyn  house.  Quaker  fidelity  to  the  principles  of  fair 
dealing,  have  made  the  name  of  the  Cowperthwaits  famous 
the  world  over  in  connection  with  the  furniture  trade.  This 
same  business  method,  allied  to  a  spirit  of  enterprise  in  ac- 
cord with  our  own  age  of  progress  and  commercial  exten- 
sion, has  given  the  Brooklyn  house  of  Cowperthwait  Com- 
pany phenomenal  success  in  the  three  years  that  it  has  been 
in  existence,  and  given  a  reasonable  guarantee  of  a  highly 
prosperous  future.  Mr.  Ammerman  was  Auditor  of  the  city 
of  Brooklyn  for  two  years,  having  been  extensively  engaged 
previous  to  his  election,  in  the  lumber  trade  on  Gowanus 
canal.  It  would  be  hard  to  find  a  better  matched  team  of 
business  men  than  the  two  principal  members  of  this  pros- 
perous establisbment,  about  which  so  many  traditions  of 
success  in  the  remote  past  cluster;  Mr.  M.  B.  Cowperthwait. 
with  the  prestige  of  his  name  and  his  specific  knowledge  of 
the  details  of  the  trade  in  which  liis  family  have  l>een  en- 
gaged for  nearly  a  century;  Mr.  Ammerman  with  his  wide 
commercial  experience,  aptitude  for  the  management  of  a 
large  concern,  and  tried  executive  abilities.  The  present 
house  is  located  on  the  corner  of  Fulton  street  and  Gallatin 
place,  but  a  short  time  will  doubtless  see  the  present  site  ex- 
tended, and  branches  in  different  parts  of  the  city,  as  Brook- 
lyn achieves  the  natural  development  we  may  expect  for  her 
as  the  next-door  neighbor  of  the  metropolis.  Mr.  M.  B. 
Cowperthwait  made  a  good  business  move  in  bringing  the 
time-honored  name  of  his  house  across  the  East  river.  (For 
biography  and  portrait  of  Mr.  A.,  see  List  of  Portraits.) 


BABY  CARRIAGES  AND  TOYS. 
Jesse  A.  Crandall,  manufacturer  of  baby  carriages, 
children's  rocking-horses,  velocipedes,  etc.,  etc.,  has 
been  already  alluded  to  on  page  704  of  this  volume. 
We  present,  herewith,  a  view  of  his  well-known  estab- 


jesse  a.  cranualls  manufactory. 


1374 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


lishment  on  the  coiner  of  Fulton  and  Pierrepont  streets. 
His  enterprising  devotion  to  the  interests  of  "  baby- 
dom  "  and  childhood,  has  well  earned  for  him  the 
cognomen  of  the  "  The  Child's  Benefactor." 


CARPET  DEALERS. 

(See  also  p.  813.) 

One  of  the  oldest  carpet  houses  in  the  city  is  that  of 
Hardenbergh  &  Co.,  which  was  founded  in  1839,  by 
Jonathan  and  Samuel  Stewart.  On  the  ruins  of  the 
great  fire  of  1837  they  built  the  present  store,  174 
Fulton  street,  especially  adajjted  for  the  business. 
L.  V.  D.  Hardenbergh  afterwards  entered  their  em- 
ploy, and,  on  the  death  of  Jonathan  Stewart,  in  1871, 
the  firm  was  reorganized  as  Hardenbergh  &  Co.,  and, 
in  1878,  Mr.  Hardenbergh  acquired  entire  control.  The 
annual  sales  average  $150,000,  and  employment  is 
given  to  20  men  in  and  about  the  salesroom. 

S.  W.  Woolsey  opened  a  carpet  store  at  167  Grand 
street,  in  1852,  where  he  has  since  remained  ;  he  em- 
ploys 10  men,  and  his  annual  sales  average  about 
675,000. 

Brainard  G.  Latimer,  est.  1854,  at  Grand  and 
Sixth  streets  ;  afterwards  removed  to  196  and  198 
Grand  street,  and  (1884)  to  Broadway  and  Sixth  street; 
annual  sales,  about  $150,000;  employs  20  men. 

Wm.  Berries  Sons,  est.  on  Fulton  street  about  1850 
by  Wm.  Berri,  who  was  succeeded  by  his  sons  in  1874. 
In  1880,  they  built  four  stores  at  526-530  Fulton  street, 
which  the  occupy  for  their  large  business.  Wm.  Berri 
is  joint  editor,  with  W.  A.  Harris,  of  the  Carpet  Trade 
Review. 

Other  prominent  firms  are :  W.  M.  Batterman,  1 
Cook  street;  Campbell  &  Josten,  est.  1882,  at  424  Ful- 
ton street ;  Carr  &  Murray,  63  Myrtle  avenue,  est. 
about  10  years  ;  Andrew  J.  Dexter,  322  Fulton  street, 
est.  1873  ;  A.  H.  King,  294  Fulton  street  ;  Geo.  H. 
Titus,  607  Fulton  street ;  Willetts  Bros.,  201  Atlantic 
avenue. 


The  painting  and  paper-hanging  business  of  M.  Webster 
&  Son,  corner  Clinton  and  Degraw  streets,  represented  by 
the  accompanying  cut,  was  established  by  Webster  &  Haines 
in  1857.  Their  first  location  was  in  a  room,  C  by  40  feet,  on 
Degraw  street.  They  soon  found  the  place  too  small,  and 
moved  to  the  next  building  on  the  6outh.  In  1804,  they  had 
to  provide  still  more  room  to  keep  pace  with  their  work,  and 
built  the  block  clear  through  to  Clinton  street,  which  M. 
Webster  &  Son  now  own  and  occupy.  Mr.  Haines'  health 
becoming  poor,  he  left  the  firm  in  1807,  from  which  time  to 
1*75,  Mr.  Webster  conducted  the  business.  At  the  latter 
time  mentioned,  he  took  his  son,  Fred,  into  the  partnership, 
u  hi'  h  still  exist-.  as  M.  Webster  &  Son.  Their  painting  and 
l>apcrhanging  became  extensive,  and  frequently  suffered 
while  waiting  for  other  repairs.  They  thought  it  desirable  to 
cijiiip  themselves  with  help,  so  that  they  could  overhaul  a 
boUM  in  all  its  requirements,  accordingly,  they  added  car- 
penters', plasterer-.'  and  masons'  jobbing  work  to  their  busi- 
ness, and  have  ever  since  been  prepared  to  repair  a  house 


M.  WEBSTER  &  SON'S  WAREROOMS. 


from  basement  to  roof,  doing  all  the  work,  from  the  roughest 
to  the  most  elaborate  artistic  finish,  inside  and  out.  In  this 
line  they  do  more  than  any  concern  in  Brooklyn.  By  a 
queer  circumstance,  another  branch  of  industry  was  de- 
veloped about  this  time  (1877).  A  lady  for  whom  they  were 
kalsomining  wished  them  to  clean  her  carpets  at  the  same 
time.  It  was  a  new  thing,  but  they  hired  a  colored  man  and 
did  it  by  the  hour.  She  was  so  well  pleased  that  she  told  her 
friends,  and  before  they  were  aware  of  it,  they  had  still 
another  business  to  attend  to.  Becoming  too  large  to  do  by- 
hand,  they  bought  out  a  patent  cleaning  apparatus,  and 
started  their  present  extensive  Open  Air  Cleaning  Works  at 
New  Utrecht.  Carpet  cleaning  had  been  done  generally,  up 
to  this  time,  in  buildings,  but  the  results  were  unsatisfac- 
tory, the  dust  settling  back  intp  the  goods.  By  their  new 
process,  each  carpet  is  whipped  by  machinery  under  a  large 
roof;  the  sides  being  entirely  open,  the  dust  and  dirt  are  car- 
ried away  by  the  wind,  after  which  each  piece  is  swept  by 
hand.  From  a  business  of  6,000  yards  the  first  year,  the  in- 
crease reached  300,000  yards  in  1881.  All  this  is  done  for 
from  5  to  7  cents  per  yard. 

Attached  to  this  cleaning  establishment,  in  New  Utrecht, 
is  the  "Clinton  Renovating  Co."  This  novel  institution 
takes  all  articles  of  house  furniture,  bedding,  mattresses, 
window  curtains,  any  and  everything  movable  that  ever  be- 
comes infested  with  moths  or  other  vermin,  and,  by  a  per- 
fectly harmless  process,  destroys  every  vestige  of  insect  life, 
and  completely  removes  all  accumulations  of  grease  or  filth, 
without  coloring  or  defacing  the  most  delicate  fabric  or 
finish.  The  ravages  of  moths,  so  destructive  to  carpets,  are 
instantly  arrested,  at  the  small  cost  of  10  to  12  cents  per 
yard. 

To  do  all  this  work  in  New  Utrecht,  requires  a  steam 
engine  of  10-horse  power;  and,  from  a  working  force  of  only 
two  men,  with  which  they  commenced  business,  they  now 
employ  in  the  different  departments  fifty  men.  The  develop- 
ment of  this  varied  and  diverse  business  has  been  purely  a 
work  of  observation  and  enterprise,  and  it  is  not  a  matter  >>f 
surprise  that  If.  Webster  &  Son  are  thriving  and  prosperous. 


GENERAL  TRADE  AND  MERCHANDISE. 


1375 


BOOT  AND  SHOE  MAKERS  AND  DEALERS. 

Joseph  Herbert  had  a  shoe  shop  on  Sands  street, 
between  Bridge  and  Main,in  1809,  as  appears  from  a 
notice  in  one  of  the  issues  of  the  Long  Island  Star  for 
that  year.  Of  course  he  had  predecessors,  but  who 
they  were  and  where  their  shops  were  located  cannot 
now  be  ascertained.  About  the  same  time  W.  P.  and 
Abraham  Bennett  had  a  shoe  shop  in  Brooklyn,  in  the 
ownership  of  which  they  were,  not  long  afterward,  suc- 
ceeded by  Winant  P.  Bennett,  who  was  probably  the 
W.  P.  Bennett  above  referred  to.  In  1812  Losee  Van 
Nostrand  was  shoe-making  on  Old  Ferry  street.  For 
some  time  previous  to  1815  Isaac  Van  Nostrand  had  a 
shoe  shop  far  down  what  is  now  Fulton  street,  near  the 
ferry.  It  used  to  be  his  custom  to  boast  that  he  could 
"  fit  a  man's  foot  but  not  his  eye."  Just  below  Poplar 
Place  was  once  the  shoe  shop  of  John  Bert/en,  who 
was  succeeded  by  Abraham  Van  Nostrand.  A  man 
named  Richardson,  and  called  "Marvellous,"  "Marvel" 
and  "  Miraculous  "  Richardson,  was  a  well-known  shoe- 
maker, who  had  his  shop  near  the  corner  of  Fulton  and 
Middagh  streets.  In  connection  with  his  grocery  on 
Fulton  street,  near  Sands,  Ex-Sheriff  John  Dean 
had  an  extensive  shoe  shop.  In  1817  Henry  Dikeman 
advertised  that  he  was  able  to  supply  all  demands  for 
ladies'  and  children's  shoes.  While  it  is  likely  that  he 
made  shoes  for  men  as  well  as  for  women  and  children, 
there  seems  little  reason  to  doubt  that  he  was  the  first 
who  made  a  specialty  of  the  kinds  of  shoes  mentioned. 
Benjamin  Hulsard  was  making  boots  and  shoes  in 
Brooklyn  in  1819,  and  during  that  year  was  succeeded 
by  Uriah  Ryder.  Dikeman,  mentioned  above,  seems 
to  have  formed  a  partnership  with  a  man  named  Conant, 
as  the  firm  of  Dikeman  &  Conant,  boot  and  shoe 
makers,  was  dissolved  by  mutual  consent  in  1823.  J. 
Rikeman  was  in  the  businesss  in  1827  and  had  then 
been  thus  engaged  for  some  time.  J.  Valentine  had  a 
shoe  shop  on  James  street  in  1828  and  Edmund  Sutton 
a  similar  establishment  at  195  Fulton  street  in  1829. 
These  and  other  shoe-makers  were  well  known  in  Brook- 
lyn early  in  the  present  century.  To  complete  the  list 
down  to  the  present  time  would  be  impossible,  and  even 
if  it  were  not  it  would  be  unprofitable.  Gradually  the 
manufacture  of  boots  and  shoes  by  machinery  was  in- 
troduced till  factories  entirely  superseded  the  once  busy 
shops  in  which  numbers  of  "  jour."  shoe-makers  worked, 
turning  out  their  wares  by  hand.  This  change  was  not 
wrought  without  the  exhibition  of  much  of  that  bitter 
rivalry  which  has  ever  characterized  the  transition  from 
the  "hand"  to  the  "machine"  period  of  manufacture. 
The  introduction  of  machine-made  shoes  led  to  the  es- 
tablishment of  retail  stores,  which  are  now  more 
numerous  than  were  ever  shoe  shops  within  the  same 
area.  Some  of  these  stores  are  large  and  elegant  and 
almost  any  of  the  more  important  of  them  contain 
stocks  of  boots  and  shoes  which  alone  would  have 
been  almost  sufficient  to  supply  the  trade  of  Brook- 


lyn early  in  the  century.  Only  a  few  of  these  establish- 
ments can  be  mentioned.  That  of  Messrs.  Crossman  & 
Bergen  was  established  in  1859  by  J.  T.  Whitehouse, 
who  was  succeeded  by  the  present  firm  in  1871.  Their 
store  is  located  at  599  Fulton  street.  The  business  of 
Joseph  J.  Btjers  <jb  Co.,  at  110  Court  street,  was  estab- 
lished in  1879;  $20,000  capital  is  employed,  and  the  an- 
nual sales  amount  to  $57,000.  The  business  necessitates 
the  employment  of  ten  persons,  and  the  firm  pay  $4,000 
yearly  in  salaries.  Following  are  the  names  and  ad- 
dresses of  a  number  of  other  firms  or  individuuls 
engaged  in  this  branch  of  trade  : 

Brennan  &  Kelly  80  Grand  street. 

B.  L.  Cornell  463  Fulton  street. 

F.  W.  Deitz  24  Boerum 

Fred  J.  Finch  485  Fulton  street. 

H.  Holtz  &  Son  183  Montague. 

Harding  &  Co  317  Fulton  street. 

Christian  Hohn  737  Fulton  street. 

M.  J.  Kearney  547  Fulton  street. 

William  La  Sell  40  Schermerhorn. 

J.  Mundell  &  Sons  298  Fulton  street. 

L.  L.  Whitehouse  265  Fulton  street. 

Robert  C.  Westley  315  North  Second  street. 

F.  Edwards  166  Atlantic  avenue. 

James  L.  Smith  10th  street,  E.  D. 


Joseph  J.  Byers,  dealer  in  fine  boots  and  shoes,  No.  110 
Court  street,  corner  of  State,  was  born  May  9th,  1856,  in 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  In  early  life  he  attended  the  public  schools 
of  his  native  city,  and  Browne's  Business  College.  For  a  time 
he  was  the  trusted  manager  of  an  old-established  shoe  house 
in  this  city,  and  May,  1879,  commenced  business  for  himself 
in  his  present  store.  At  the  very  outset  of  his  business  life, 
Mr.  Byers  was  fully  impressed  with  the  low  ratio  of  success 
among  business  men,  and  decided  that  blind  follow  ing  of  old 
methods  should,  in  his  case,  be  superseded  by  new  ways.  His 
success  has  proven  the  wisdom  of  his  decision.  His  fine  store, 
88x75  feet  in  dimensions,  speedily  grew  charming  and  attrac- 
tive, under  his  renovating  and  beautifying  system.  He  fitted 
it  up,  spending  money  with  a  lavish  hand,  and  ornamented  it 
in  every  possible  way.  He  was  the  first  to  introduce  "  open- 
ings" into  this  trade.  On  these  occasions,  his  store  presents 
a  bewildering  array  of  ornamentation,  and  the  public  is  cor- 
dially welcomed,  while  he  dispenses  presents  to  his  customer* 
in  a  liberal  spirit,  having  given  as  many  as  2,700  bouquets 
in  four  days.  On  another  occasion  he  had  a  children's  day, 
when  he  delighted  his  fair  little  visitors  by  giving 
them  1,000  plates  of  ice  cream.  In  1880  and  1881, 
he  gave  $1,500  worth  of  pictures,  besides  other  at- 
tractive presents  to  his  customers;  and,  in  1882,  spent 
|600  in  canary  birds  and  cages,  each  purchaser  to  a  certain 
amount  receiving  one  of  these  musical  gifts.  Every  lady 
possessing  a  scrap  album  should  remember  Mr.  Byers,  as  to 
his  originality  this  advertising  method  is  due,  and  he  has 
given  out  over  one  and  a  half  millions  of  these  cards.  In  the 
spring  of  1883,  his  presentation  of  a  pot  of  pansies  to  every 
customer  resulted  in  the  distribution  of  3,000  pots  of  these 
flowers.  In  the  giving  of  realistic  views  in  his  show-windows) 
he  again  illustrated  the  advantage  of  native  originality. 
Among  other  representations  ire  a  model  of  the  ill-fated 
Arctic  steamer  "Jeannettei"  tossing  in  the  ice;  a  miniature 


1376 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


JOSEPH  J.  BYRES'  SHOE  STOKE. 


mill  at  work,  a  faithful  portrayal  of  a  historic  old  mill  at 
New  London,  Conn.,  etc.  He  keeps  a  stock  on  hand  worth 
from  twenty  to  twenty-five  thousand  dollars.  Many  of  his 
boots  and  shoes  are  fashioned  after  special  designs  of  his  son. 
He  keeps  ten  hands  constantly  employed,  and  his  messengers 
and  door-hoys  are  neatly  uniformed.  His  sales  aggregate 
$60,000  annually,  and  he  has  an  extensive  out-of-town  patron- 
age. Though  yet  a  young  man,  Mr.  Byers  can  be  ranked  with 
successful  merchants  of  Brooklyn,  and  his  future  years 
promise  but  additional  prosperity. 

THE  RETAIL  HATTERS. 

(See  also  p.  743.) 

The  hat  trade  has  been  an  important  interest  in  this 
city  from  a  very  early  day.  While  in  the  manufacture 
of  hats  Brooklyn  ranks  first,  the  retail  trade  alone 
;i<r<_rreL,ratcs  nearly  a  million  of  dollars  in  capital,  and 
employs  several  hundred  men.  The  first  Brooklyn 
directory,  issued  in  1796,  names  three  hatters,  John 
Middagh  and  Nathaniel  Townsend,  in  "  Main  Road," 
and  Jeffrey  Tillotson  at  Old  Ferry  Dock;  a  good  pro- 
portion compared  with  the  other  lines  of  business,  being 
equal  in  number  to  the  grocers,  and  exceeding  that  of 
the  merchants.  In  1816,  Stephen  S.  Voris'  hat  store 
(formerly  John  Middagh's)  was  on  Fulton,  a  few  doors 
below  Henry  street.  In  1822,  Wm.  Voorhis  kept  a  hat 
store  on  Fulton  street,  opposite  Henry.  Robert  W.  Peck 
established  himself  in  1829  at  84  Fulton,  removing  two 
years  later  to  110.  His  brother,  Ja.s.  W.  Peck,  succeeded 
in  1832,  and  is  still  hale  at  80  years  (1883),  the  oldest 
battel  in  the  city.  In  1*62,  the  firm  became  W.  Peck 
tb  So,,,  in  1*7:1,  11'.  //.  IWk  ib  /?/«.,  and  since  187:! 
Ixmr  W.  /'■  /..  and  is  the  oldest  house  in  the  trade, 
and  its  members  have  ;ill  been  practical  hatters.  The 
next  was  Mr.  Campbell,  on  Fulton  street,  above  York. 


In  1832,  Gaidt,  Ballard  d>  Bigelow  commenced  busi- 
ness at  the  corner  of  Fulton  and  High  streets;  the  firm 
afterwards  became  F.  H.  Bigeloio  c£*  Co.,  and  is  now 
Iialch,  Price  tbCo.  Their  first  store  was  burned  in  the 
great  fire  and  rebuilt.  In  1872,  they  removed  to  their 
present  location,  376  Fulton  street,  being  the  second 
house  in  age  in  the  trade.  John  Phillips  next  opened  a 
store  in  Atlantic  avenue,  about  1836.  Gaston  was  next 
in  order,  at  the  corner  of  Middagh  and  Fulton.  Bossier 
opened  in  1863,  at  340  Fulton;  was  succeeded  by 
Attix  tb  Co.,  and,  in  1883,  by  Knox.  In  1864,  James 
Turnbull  opened  a  store  at  39  Fulton,  then  removed 
to  the  basement  of  the  Union- Argus  building,  subse- 
quently returning  to  39  and  41  Fulton.  A.  C.  Jacobson 
began  in  1868,  at  the  corner  of  Tillary  and  Fulton, 
and  Furman  T.  Nutt  in  1870,  at  300  Fulton;  Heany 
Bros.,  in  1872,  moving  to  No.  79  in  1875.  The  follow- 
ing also  are  prominent  dealers: 

Thos.  F.  Brazell  116  Court. 

Wm.  Diehl  32  McKibbin  street. 

G.  A.  Price  376  Fulton. 

W.  H.  Slater  376  Fulton. 

H.  A.  Smith  151  4th  street,  E.  D. 


BOOKSELLERS,  STATIONERS  AND  BINDFK>. 

(See  also  p.  738.) 

No  record  has  been  found  to  show  that  any  one  was 
prominently  engaged  in  the  book  trade  in  Brooklyn 
before  Thomas  Kirk,  wrho  had  a  book  store,  at  the 
printing  office  of  the  long  Island  Star,  on  Main  street, 
next  door  to  Rapelye  and  Mooney's  dry-goods  store. 
During  the  time  the  paper  was  published  by  Mr.  Kirk, 
E.  Worthington,  Alden  Spooner  and  others,  there  was 
a  book  store  in  connection  with  the  establishment.  These 
gentlemen  at  different  times  published  such  books  as  a 
requisite  number  of  subscribers  could  be  obtained  for, 
and,  as  appears  from  advertisements  in  the  Star,  made 
proposals  to  issue  numerous  books  and  pamphlets 
which  were  not  bespoken  in  numbers  sufficiently  large 
to  warrant  their  publication.  A  leading  bookseller, 
importer  and  publisher,  for  many  years  until  his  death, 
was  the  late  W.  W.  Swayne,  whose  business  is  con- 
tinued since  his  death.  Among  the  numerous  living 
booksellers  and  stationers  of  Brooklyn  are  the  follow- 
ing, whose  establishments  in  different  parts  of  the  city 
are  well  known  and  liberally  patronized  : 

David  S.  Holmes  89  4th,  E.  D. 

George  Gilluly  83  Franklin  ave. 

Henry  Thorpe  454  Sackett  St. 

Thomas  B.  Ventres  62  Court  st. 

Weedon's  Book  Exchange.  122  Myrtle  ave. 

Henry  E.  Sackmann  445  Van  Bur  en,  St.,  K.  N.Y. 

Hook-Binder.  Born  at  Altenlande,  Germany  ;  learned 
trade  at  Hamburg;  came  to  America  in  1831;  lived  in 
Texas  a  number  of  years,  and,  in  1S40,  settled  at  East 
New  York,  establishing  a  book-bindery  at  63  Vesey 
street,  Ne«  York,  removing  from  there  to  39  and  11  Cen- 
tre si  reel,  present  location. 


GENERAL  TRADE  AND  MERCIIANJ)  1 rS K 


PRINTERS. 

(See,  also,  page  T3S). 


J.  J.  Jolack  

,  ,  612  Bushwick  ave. 

C.  Collins  &  Co  

H.  G.  Coyle  

.  .  18  Lafayette  ave. 

Albert  Jbries,  Jr  

,  .  157  S.  1st  st. 

TXT     T  >     /  I    •  (,» ,  I 

W .  r.  Griffith  

365  Fulton  st. 

Wilber  S.  Hawkes  

19  Court  st. 

M.  King  

446  Grand  st. 

Charles  H.  Mcllvaine  . 

.  .h.,  274  Hooper  st. 

Geo.  S.  Patton  

Henry  C.  Reimer  

99  Broadway. 

W.  F.  Smith  

282  Court  st. 

John  C.  Sullivan  

302  Graham  ave. 

J.  Woehr,  Jr  

60  Bergen  st. 

William  White  

79  William  st.,  N.  Y 

PHOTOGRAPHERS. 

(See,  also,  page  816). 

H.  W.  Biffar   

113  4th  st.,  E.  D. 

George  Forshew  

245  Fulton  st. 

Henry  Holler  

149  Ewen  st. 

J.  F.  Kopke  

407  Fulton  st. 

William  S.  Pendleton . . 

..336  Fulton  st. 

Charles  S.  Rawson  

255  Fulton  st. 

D.  H.  Smith  

. .  428  Fulton  st. 

Van  Doorn  

242  Fulton  st. 

Chas.  Weller  

,130  Broadway. 

William  Wendel  

6  Nevins  st. 

MUSICIANS. 

Henry  E.  Brown  42  Fourth  ave. 

Charles  D.  Carter  197  Sixth  ave. 

A.  D.  Caswell  179  Montague  st. 

Lucian  Conterno  2S3  Ryerson  st. 

G.  A.  Connor  188  Pacific  st. 

H.  B.  Dod worth  47  Lafayette  place. 

Thomas  R.  Deverell  118  38th  st.,  S.  Bklyn. 

Thomas  R.  Deverell,  a  native  of  Ireland,  and  son  of  a 
British  army  officer;  early  life  spent  amid  military  associa- 
tions, and  his  musical  education  was  imder  Mr.  Thos.  Orozier, 
one  of  seven  brothers,  who  were  all  band-masters.  Coming 
to  U.  S.  1852,  he  entered  the  U".  S.  Navy,  at  Brooklyn  Navy 
Yard,  and  became  one  of  the  band  in  the  old  "  North  Caro- 
lina ; "  in  1854,  accompanied  the  flag-ship  Independence  on  a 
South  Pacific  cruise,  during  which  he  was  made  band-master. 
Leaving  the  service,  on  his  return  in  1857,  was  band-master 
for  16  months  of  the  2d  Regiment,  N.  Y.  S.  N.  G.  (afterwards 
"79th  Highlanders");  at  the  West  Point  U.  S.  Military 
Academy  (1858-'60),  he  gave  music  lessons  to  the  cadets, 
having  as  pupils  many  who  have  since  become  eminent  offi- 
cers. In  August,  1861,  was  one  of  the  band-leaders  of  the  62d 
N.  Y.  (Anderson  Zouaves)  Regiment;  became  leader  of  the 
8th  Regiment,  N.  J.  S.  N.  G.  band  in  1872;  serving  nearly 
three  years  ;  was  band-master  of  the  13th  N.  Y.  S.  N.  G.,  and 
of  9th  Regiment,  N.  J.  S.  N.  G.,  1876 ;  of  47th  Regiment, 
N.  Y.  S.  N.  G.,  1879,  which  two  latter  positions  he  still  re- 


1377 


tains.  Mr.  Deverell's  Band  (the  47th  Regiment)  is  well  known 
to,  and  appreciated  by,  the  citizens  of  Brooklyn,  from  their 
performances  on  many  public  occasions.  Mr.  Deverell 
(December  22,  1882)  was  appointed  Recruiting  Agent  for  the 
U.  S.  Army  Bands  by  Gen.  Sherman. 

Jno.  M.  Loretz,  Jr  207  Washington  ave. 

Raphael  Navarro  536  State  st. 

Martin  Papst  130  Livingston  st. 

E.  C.  Phelps   24  Greene  ave. 

A.  Noziglia  92  Orange  st. 

John  Schneider  74  Lee  ave. 

Mert  C.  Wiske  80  Taylor  st. 

J.  Vankeuren  74  Hooper  st. 

Carl  Wagner  229  10th  st. 

E.  J.  Fitzhugh  238  Lafayette  ave. 

F.  Fauoiulli  350  Henry  st. 


DEALERS  IN  PIANOS. 

(See  also  p.  SI2.) 

George  Lyding  487  Broadway. 

W.  II.  McDonald  114  4th  st.,  E.  I). 

The  Arion  Piano  Warerooms,  128  Fourth  st.,  E.  D., 
was  established  by  Mr.  McDonald,  a  native  of  Philadel- 
phia. When  quite  young,  he  came  to  New  York,  and, 
for  more  than  30  years,  was  a  citizen  of  Brooklyn  ;  was 
engaged  in  the  sale  of  pianos  for  many  years,  formerly 
in  New  York,  and  latterly  in  Brooklyn,  first  at  144,  then 
at  143  Fourth  st.,  Brooklyn,  E.  D.;  was  a  man  of  con- 
siderable literary  talent,  and  of  rare,  noble  principles. 
He  died  in  July,  1882,  and  the  business  was  re-established 
by  his  widow  in  December,  1882,  at  144  Fourth  St.,  then 
moved  to  128  Fourth  st.,  where  she  now  remains. 

DEALERS  IN'  MUSIC. 

Daniel  J.  Lent  333  Sackett  st. 

Frederick  Schneider  73  Lafayette  ave. 

II.  Depew  Tier  257  17th  st. 


CHINA,  GLASS  AND  CROCKERY. 
As  early  as  1810,  Mrs.  Van  Antwerp  had  a  crockery 
store  on  Main  street.  J.  G.  Durell  it  J.  cfc  A.  Sutton 
is  the  long  and  somewhat  oddly  constructed  name  of  a 
firm  advertising  in  1823  a  china  and  glass  store  at 
82  Fulton  street.  The  next  year,  Henry  A.  Tollman 
kept  a  similar  establishment  at  8  New  Slip.  In  1829, 
Messrs.  Underhill  &  Doolittle  had  another,  at  109  Ful- 
ton street.  Among  the  leading  dealers  in  china  ware 
in  both  Brooklyn,  New  York,  and  110  Clark  street, 
Chicago,  at  this  time,  are  Messrs.  Ovington  Brothers, 
246  and  248  Fulton  street.  They  were  estab.  here 
(1846)  at  85  Fulton  street,  were  burned  out  in  1883, 
have  rebuilt,  and  occupy  one  of  the  largest  and  most 
elegant  stores  in  Brooklyn,  and  are  eminently  one  of 
the  institutions  of  the  city.  Another  dealer,  well 
known  in  this  city,  is  Mr.  J.  L.  Jensen,  144  Greene 
avenue.  Mr.  Francis  Thill,  16  Taylor  street,  and  T. 
Storm,  corner  of  North  11th  and  Second  streets,  are 
known  in  connection  with  the  glass  trade. 


1378 


HISTORY  OF  KWGS  COUNTY. 


In  connection  with  the  crockery  trade  of  Brooklyn, 
we  may  also  mention  C.  C.  Leigh,  born  in  Phila- 
delphia, located  here  1833;  was  an  early  abolition- 
ist, one  of  the  originators  of  the  Freedman's  Relief 
Iss  'eiation,  formed  in  early  part  of  the  civil  war,  and 
(under  special  autograph  passes  from  Pres.  Lincoln, 
the  Secretary  of  War,  and  Gen.  Grant)  had  access  to 
every  portion  of  the  Union  lines,  in  the  work  of  for- 
warding the  interests  of  the  "  contrabands."  In  secur- 
ing funds  for  this  purpose,  he  visited  also  Great  Britain, 
France,  Germany,  and  Holland.  He  afterwards  effected 
the  establishment  of  the  Franco- American  telegraph 
system,  as  an  offset  to  the  Anglo-American  cable,  both 
ends  of  which  latter  were  virtually  under  British  con- 
trol, which  would  be  detrimental  to  American  interests 
in  case  of  war  between  U.  S.  and  Great  Britain.  He 
is  an  ardent  temperance  advocate;  as  member  of  the 
N.  Y.  Legislature,  has  rendered  effective  service  in  the 
cause.  In  1880,  was  Pres.  of  N.  Y.  City  Temperance 
Alliance;  and,  in  1873,  org.  Kings  Co.  Prohibition 
Alliance.  Is  a  member  of  Old  Brooklgnites,  and  is  a 
well-known  and  honored  citizen. 


PAINTERS,  PAPER-HANGERS  AND  INTERIOR 
DECORATORS. 

(See  also  p.  724.) 

No  record  of  any  painter  in  Brooklyn  earlier  than 
the  Aliens  is  to  be  found.  From  a  reference  to  the 
Long  Island  Star,  it  appears  that  Messrs.  J.  &  31. 
Allen  were  advertising  themselves  as  painters  in  1819. 
Matthew:  James,  another  painter,  inserted  his  advertis- 
ing card  in  1823.  Near  the  corner  of  Fulton  and  Cran- 
berry streets  was  once  the  paint  shop  of  old  Matthew 
Hall,  father  of  ex-Mayor  Hall,  who  was  known  in  the 
town  more  than  half  a  century  ago.  If  not  the  first 
painter  in  Brooklyn,  a  distinction  which  could  not  well 
be  claimed  for  him,  Mr.  Hall  was  one  of  the  earliest 
who  became  prominent  both  as  a  painter  and  a  citizen. 
In  1825,  David  Price  had  a  paint  shop  at  20  Sands  street, 
and,  in  1828,  John  Dean  was  engaged  in  the  same  line 
at  145  Fulton  street.  A  year  later,  John  Miller  ad- 
vertised that  he  was  "  prepared  to  receive  orders  for 
all  kinds  of  painting,  at  the  corner  of  James  and  Main 
streets." 

These  may  be  regarded  as  having  been  the  best 
known  among  the  early  painters  of  Brooklyn.  Since 
their  day  the  demand  for  painters  has  increased  so 
greatly  that  it  is  probable  that  the  painters  of  Brook- 
lyn are  now  numbered  by  thousands.  Gradually  paint- 
ing has  been  combined  with  paper-hanging,  kalsomin- 
ing  and  other  branches  of  the  art  decorative  as  applied 
to  the  interiors  of  buildings.  As  the  city  has  advanced 
in  wealth  and  refinement,  a  demand  for  finer  and  more 
artistic  work  has  grown  up  until  at  this  time  the  man 
who  is  a  skilful  interior  decorator  is  an  artist  in  his 
way  of  no  mean  ability.    The  following  brief  noticeB  of 


some  of  the  well-known  painters,  paper-hangers  and  in- 
terior decorators  and  dealers  in  the  supplies  of  the 
craft  in  Brooklyn  at  this  time,  may  prove  not  uninterest- 
ing. Prominent  in  this  class  of  tradesmen  is  Mr. 
William  Harkness,  of  690  Fulton  street,  of  whose 
career  a  sketch  appears  elsewhere  in  these  pages. 
George  Elford,  painter,  decorator  and  paper-hanger, 
506  Fulton  street,  began  business  at  his  present  loca- 
tion in  1856.  In  18G2,  his  son  became  his  partner  and 
the  house  became  known  as  that  of  George  Elford  & 
Son.  M.  Webster's  Son,  Degraw  street,  at  the  corner 
of  Clinton,  is  the  present  proprietor  of  the  business 
established  by  his  father,  M.  Webster,  in  1858,  and, 
besides  taking  rank  among  the  most  enterprising 
painters  and  decorators,  is  the  representative  of  the 
Open-Air  Carpet  Cleaning  Company.  The  establish- 
ment of  Mr.  William  H.  Wilkeyson,  277  Broadway, 

E.  D.,  dealer  in  paints  and  paper-hangings,  has  been  in 
existence  since  1858  also.  William  W.  Beaver, 
painter  and  paper-hanger,  19  Gates  avenue,  began  busi- 
ness in  1862,  and  is  well  known  in  band  and  military 
circles,  having  served  as  Drum-Major,  under  the 
militia  organization,  twelve  years,  and  three  years  as  a 
member  of  the  New  York  State  Volunteers.  Peter 
Bertsch,  painting,  japanning,  gilding,  carving,  engrav- 
ing, etc.,  374  Broadway,  E.  D.,  began  business  in  1863. 
George  B.  Elmore,  painter  and  decorator,  654  Fulton 
street,  began  business  in  1866,  at  314  Bridge  street. 
He  served  three  years,  during  the  late  war,  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  61st  Regiment,  New  York  State  Volunteers, 
and  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  Captain.  John  W. 
Roice,  painter  and  decorator,  98  Court  street,  came  to 
Brooklyn  September  1st,  1832,  learned  his  trade  inNew 
York,  and  established  his  business  in  Brooklyn  in  1876. 
B.  H.  Newman,  painter,  paper-hanger  and  decorator, 
425  Gates  avenue,  began  business  in  1877  in  a  small 
building,  which  the  increase  in  his  trade  has  since  com- 
pelled him  to  enlarge.  James  S.  Schneider,  571  Broad- 
way, E.  D.,  dealer  in  paints,  oils,  chemicals  and  dyes, 
was  a  sign-painter  previous  to  1869,  when  he  estab- 
lished his  present  business  at  the  location  named.  Fol- 
lowing are  the  names  and  addresses  of  others  engaged 
in  this  branch  of  industrial  art  : 

J.  Avila  145  Fulton  street. 

F.  Aldridge  24  Myrtle  avenue. 

Chas.  II.  Berry  144  Broadway. 

W.  H.  Bushfield  21  Chauncy  street. 

W.  W.  Bearan  442  Clermont  avenue. 

Hugh  Carrick  &  Son  284  Division  avenue. 

E.  A.  Dubay  356  Fulton  street. 

YY.  II.  Garrison  520  DeKalb  avenue. 

J.  A.  Greany  324  Albany  avenue. 

Geo.  Hudson  1  York  street. 

Geo.  W.  Hall  322  Bergen  street. 

John  McComb  85  Orange  street. 

John  McNeill  446  Fulton  street. 

Rockfeller  Bros  22  Broadway. 


GENERAL  TRADE  AND  MERCHANDISE. 


1379 


Anthony  Ris  333  Court  street. 

Joseph  E.  Tomes  572  Atlantic  avenue. 

Isaac  H.  Williams   1250  Fulton  street. 

Loftus  Wright  216  S.  8th  street. 

Charles  L.  Zellensky  114  Livingston  street. 

Following  will  be  found  the  names  of  some  of  those 
who  deal  in  paints,  oils  and  general  painters'  supplies: 

William  C.  Carrick  B'way,  cor.  11th  St.,  E.  D. 

G.  Doremus  449  Carleton  avenue. 

Cornelius  Jansen  127  Broadway. 

J.  &  W.  Mathison  107  <fc  109  N.  1st  street. 

D.  Maujer's  Nephews  147  Grand. 

S.  B.  Richardson  528  Fulton  street. 

L.  Richardson  281  Plymouth  street. 

William  Staats  57  Johnson  avenue. 

R.  Thurston's  Sons  77  Broadway. 

Hugh  Carrick  248  Hewes  street. 

I.  H.  Williams   1250  Fulton  st.  and  G2  4th 

street,  E.  D. 


William  Harkness. — Mr.  William  Harkness,  the  subject 
of  this  sketch,  is  known  as  one  of  Brooklyn's  prominent  busi- 
ness men  and  public-spirited  citizens.  Extensively  engaged, 
as  he  is,  in  the  business  of  house  decoration,  his  name  has 
become  a  synonym  for  trustworthiness,  while  as  a  member 
of  the  Board  of  Education  he  takes  a  high  rank  among  the 
men  who  have  devoted  their  time,  their  labor  and  their  skill 
to  the  public  interest,  with  a  zeal  and  disinterestedness  worthy 
of  all  praise. 

Mr.  Harkness  is,  in  the  truest  sense  of  the  word,  a  self-made 
man.  Without  inherited  capital  or  influence  to  start  in  busi- 
ness, he  now  occupies  a  foremost  place  in  his  own  department. 
Without  the  advantages  of  a  liberal  education  in  his  youth, 
he  has  fought  his  way  to  usefulness  and  prominence  in  the 
community.  He  was  born  Nov.  1,  1840,  at  Smithborough, 
Co.  Monaghan,  Ireland,  of  that  mixed  Scotch  and  Irish 
stock,  whose  industry  and  frugality,  whose  grit  and  hard- 
headedness  have  redeemed  the  North  of  Ireland  from  poverty 
and  rendered  their  sons  successful  in  every  foreign  land  to 
which  they  have  emigrated.  Mr.  Harkness's  career  adds  one 
more  to  the  many  stories  told  of  the  success  of  the  Scotch- 
Irish  in  America.  He  was  brought,  by  his  father,  along  with 
one  brother  and  three  sisters,  to  this  country  when  he  was 
eight  years  of  age.  For  a  brief  interval  he  attended  Public 
School  No.  1,  but  his  father  dying,  in  1850,  stern  necessity 
ordered  that  the  boy  often  should  leave  the  class-room  for  the 
work -shop  and  drop  the  pen  to  take  up  the  hammer.  He  was 
apprenticed  to  Aaron  A.  Degraw,  now  a  prominent  citizen  of 
Jamaica,  L.  I.,  to  learn  the  trade  of  brass  moulding  and  fin- 
ishing. This  done,  he  went  to  hat  making,  in  Prentice's  hat 
factory.  We  next  find  him  back  with  his  old  employer,  Mr. 
Degraw,  in  his  establishment  on  Wyckoff  street.  Neither 
brass  moulding  nor  hat  finishing,  however,  was  altogether  to 
his  taste,  and  he  bound  himself  for  three  years  to  Wm.  Bon- 
ner, to  learn  the  work  of  house  painting;  and  afterwards,  for 
two  years,  to  William  Harvest,  to  acquire  the  art  of  frescoing. 
Thus,  before  he  had  reached  his  majority,  and  while  the 
average  boy  is  still  thinking  of  arithmetic  and  base-ball, 
young  Harkness  had  made  himself  proficient  in  these  distinct 
handicrafts,  at  anyone  of  which  he  was  well  qualified  to  earn 
a  good  living,  and  all  the  time  had  contributed  largely  to  the 
support  of  his  mother  and  sisters. 

While  his  general  intelligence  was  thus  sharpened  by 


WILLIAM  II A  UK  NESS'  STOKES 


rubbing  against  the  world,  and  his  hand  and  eye  were  being 
trained  in  the  work-shop,  such  advantages  as  came  in  his  way 
for  a  more  literary  education  were  not  neglected.  Every 
evening  during  the  night-school  term  found  him  in  his  place, 
a  willing  and  a  diligent  pupil.  Such  were  the  only  facilities 
for  education  within  his  reach,  but  of  them  he  made  the 
most. 

On  reaching  his  majority  he  started  as  a  journeyman 
painter.  The  work  was  not  to  his  liking.  He  had  a  mind 
that  craved  for  the  direction  of  work — not  its  mere  execu- 
tion. He  felt  that  he  was  intended  for  something  higher  than 
to  continually  work  for  others,  and  was  determined  to  reach 
the  goal  of  his  ambition.  But  how  'r  Capital  he  had  none; 
and  without  capital  independent  work  was  impossible.  There 
was  but  one  alternative,  to  borrow  money  or  to  continue  as 
a  journeyman.  He  chose  the  former.  In  this  crisis  of  his 
life  he  appealed  to  his  old  employer,  Wm.  Harvest,  for  a  loan 
of  ten  dollars  to  start  in  business  for  himself.  The  appeal 
was  an  extraordinary  one,  but  Wm.  Harvest  was  not  the 
man  to  refuse  a  helping  hand  to  a  faithful  workman.  He 
loaned  the  money  and  the  journeyman  became  a  capitalist 
and  employer.  It  is  unnecessary  to  add  that  Mr.  Harkmss 
cherishes  the  most  kindly  and  grateful  feelings  toward  his 
early  benefactor,  who  still  lives. 

Soon  Mr.  Harkness  was  in  a  position  to  purc  hase,  for  a  small 
sum,  the  stock  and  good  will  of  a  paint  store  at  the  corner  of 
Lafayette  avenue  and  Fulton  street ;  and  subsequently,  in 
1804,  he  bought  out  the  store  of  John  L.  Griffin,  at  No.  C92 
Fulton  street— a  stand  which  he  has  since  occupied,  and 
where  he  has  eminently  prospered. 

In  public  life  Mr.  Harkness  is  chiefly  known  through  his 
connection  with  the  Board  of  Education.  He  was  first  ap- 
pointed to  that  body  by  Mayor  Howell  in  1880,  and  lias  since 
been  re-appointed  by  Mayor  Low.  Besides  taking  part  in  the 
usual  work  of  the  Board,  and  acting  as  Chairman  of  the  Local 
Committee  of  Public  School  No.  1,  Mr.  Harkness  has  held 
prominent  places  on  the  Evening  School  and  School  House 
Committees,  and  is  Chairman  of  the  Committee  on  High  and 
Normal  Schools.    The  recollection  of  what  he  himself  owes 


1380 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


to  the  evening  schools  has  caused  him  to  take  a  deep  interest 
in  night-school  work;  while  his  practical  knowledge  has  been 
of  no  small  value  to  the  Board  and  to  the  city  in  regard  to 
the  work  of  repairing  and  constructing  school-houses.  It  is, 
however,  as  Chairman  of  the  Committee  on  High  and  Normal 
Schools  that  he  is  most  likely  to  be  remembered.  When 
Superintendent  Calvin  Patterson  outlined  in  his  Annual  Re- 
port for  1882  a  plan  for  a  Normal  School,  to  be  exclusively  de- 
voted to  the  traiuing  of  teachers,  Mr.  Harkness  saw  not 
merely  its  feasibility  but  its  desirability.  With  characteristic 
energy  he  threw  himself  into  the  work  of  securing  the  adop- 
tion by  the  Hoard  of  the  Superintendent's  plans,  and  in 
April,  1884,  his  efforts  were  crowned  with  success.  At 
that  time  the  Board  passed  resolutions  adopting  the  Superin- 
tendent's plan,  and  placing  at  the  disposal  of  the  High  and 
Normal  School  Committee  a  school-house  on  Berkeley  place  in 
which  to  organize  a  Normal  School.  At  the  present  writing  the 
school  yet  remains  to  be  organized;  but  when,  in  future  times, 
the  history  of  the  educational  system  of  Brooklyn  comes  to 
be  written,  the  historian  will  not,  in  all  probability,  be  called 
upon  to  chronicle  a  more  far-reaching  movement  than  the  es- 
tablishment of  an  institution  for  the  training  of  teachers  in 
their  special  work  ;  and  with  it  will  always  be  associated  the 
name  of  William  Harkness. 


HARDWARE  DEALERS. 

(See,  also,  page  821). 

Among  the  earliest  in  this  line,  were:  1809,  Joel 
Bunce,  cor.  old  Ferry  and  Front;  John  Moon,  nails, 
etc.;  1821,  John  C.  Thompson,  Fulton  street;  1823,  J. 
Martense,  10  Fulton  street.  Among  the  present  repre- 
sentatives of  the  trade,  we  may  mention: 

S.  O.  Burnett  288  Fulton  st. 

Hardware;  established  1831,  at  81  Fulton  street,  by  I.  C. 
Duryea,  who  removed  to  present  location  in  1846,  and 
was  succeeded  in  1847  by  Young  &  Palmer,  who  were  in 
turn  succeeded  by  Young  &  Burnett.  Mr.  Burnett  has 
carried  on  the  business  since  the  decease  of  Mr.  Young, 
in  1866. 

William  Marlow,  Jr  335  Manhattan  ave. 

Hardware  and  house  furnishing  goods;  established 
1856,  cor.  of  Franklin  street  and  Greenpoint  avenue,  by 
Bliss  &  Brown,  for  whom  Mr.  Marlow  acted  as  clerk 
until  1861,  when  he  succeeded  to  the  business,  removing 
to  his  present  location  in  1880. 


PLUMBERS. 

(See  also  p.  815). 

The  business  of  plumbing  and  steam  and  gas  fitting 
in  Brooklyn  has,  as  elsewhere,  been  one  of  gradual  and 
comparatively  late  development.  At  first  needed  re- 
pairs were  made  by  men  who  went  from  house  to  house 
for  that  purpose,  and  many  of  whom  were  employed 
regularly  as  tinsmiths  or  blacksmiths.  With  the  intro- 
duction of  gas,  water  and  other  modern  improvements, 
the  business  under  consideration  was  developed  as  a  ne- 
cessity. Some  of  the  mechanics  whose  attention  had 
been  directed  to  this  much  needed  branch  of  industry 
opened  small  shops,  which  in  time  grew  to  be  large  es- 
tablishments with  extensive  salesrooms  and  offices  at- 
tached. Following  will  be  found  a  few  interesting 
items  concerning  some  gentlemen  well  known  in  connec- 


tion with  this  branch  of  business  at  the  present  time: 
The  business  of  Mr.  William  J.  Roche,  plumber  and 
gas-fitter,  64  Henry  street,  was  established  at  99  Orange 
street  in  1866,  by  Gilmour  and  Roche,  and  was  re- 
moved to  65  Henry  street  in  1875,  whence  it  was  subse- 
quently removed  by  Mr.  Roche  to  his  present  address. 
The  business  of  Mr.  Frederick  .1.  Hutchinson,  334 
Myrtle  avenue,  a  prominent  plumber  and  dealer  in  gas 
fixtures,  was  established  by  the  father  of  the  present 
proprietor  in  Trenton,  N.  J.,  in  1855,  and  by  him  sub- 
sequently removed  to  Brooklyn,  Mr.  Frederick  A. 
Hutchinson  succeeding  him  in  1877.  Mr.  R.  M. 
Moffat,  113  Fourth  street,  Brooklyn,  E.  D.,  established 
himself  as  a  plumber  and  lead-burner  at  143  Fourth 
street  in  1872,  and  has  done  a  successful  business,  at 
this  time  occupying  the  position  of  Consulting  Plumber 
and  Inspector  of  Plumbing  in  the  Department  of 
Health.  James  Hueston,  a  former  Inspector  of  Plumb- 
ing for  the  Board  of  Health,  began  business  as  a  sanitary 
engineer  and  plumber,  at  6  Hoyt  street,  in  1875.  In  1880 
he  opened  a  manufactory  at  Flatbush.  His  store  and 
office  are  at  390  Cumberland  street.  The  business  of 
Mr.  G.  Alfred  Smith,  90  Cranberry  street,  plumber 
and  steam  and  gas  fitter,  was  established  at  11  High 
street,  in  1875,  by  Messrs.  Smith  &  Heath,  who  were 
succeeded  by  Messrs.  Smith  &  Wright,  and  they  in 
turn  by  Mr.  Smith.  Mr.  James  W.  Birkett,  president 
of  the  Plumbers'  Association  of  Brooklyn,  established 
his  business  at  83  Myrtle  avenue,  and  removed  thence 
to  his  present  location,  83  Myrtle  avenue,  doing  all 
general  plumbers'  work,  and  making  a  specialty  of 
steam  heating.  There  are  few  plumbers  in  the  Eastern 
District  who  enjoy  a  larger  patronage  than  Mr.  George 
W.  Coger,  of  whom  a  biographical  sketch  is  given  on 
the  opposite"  page. 

The  following-named  gentlemen  in  this  line  of  busi- 
ness have,  from  longer  or  shorter  association,  become 
familiar  to  the  residents  of  various  parts  of  the  city: 

James  Armstrong  348  Court  tfc  409  Myrtle  ave. 

Henry  Anderson  236  De  Kalb  avenue. 

Stephen  Alexander  489  Manhattan  avenue. 

Richard  J.  Burnett  122  10th  street,  E.  D. 

John  Buckbee  183  William  street,  N.  Y. 

James  W.  Birkett  169  C'mbia  &  68  Myrtle  ave. 

Piatt  S.  Conklin  594  Atlantic  avenue. 

Edward  Callahan  349  Smith  street. 

Edward  Carley  51  Greenpoint  avenue. 

Daniel  Corcoran  276  Court  street. 

Geo.  W.  Coger  104  Broadway,  E.  D. 

Jno.  J.  Dillon  541  Atlantic  avenue. 

Alexander  Davidson  383  Atlantic  avenue. 

A.  Elmendorf  475  Washington  avenue. 

P.  &  .1.  Foley  11  Willoughby  avenue. 

Geo.  C.  Gunning  100  Orange  street. 

E.  Oateson  &  Son  125  Broadway,  E.  I>. 

Geo.  Gilmore  89  Orange  street. 

Qannonds  Hueston  i  Hoyt  street. 


/ 


GENERAL  TRADE  AND  MERCHANDISE. 


1381 


Gfroehrer  &  McCarty  492  Grand  street. 

John  Hasford   . .  .267  Monroe  street. 

H.  Hawkes  425  Flatbush  avenue. 

Henry  S.  Hartman  324  Court  street. 

Thomas  F.  Harrington. . .  .334  De  Kalb  avenue. 

Win.  J.  Hosford  &  Co  460  Fulton  street. 

Robert  Hill  179  Chauncey  street. 

James  Harley  288  Flatbush  avenue. 

G.  S.  James   1088  Fulton  street. 

James  Keenan  948  Fulton  street. 

Samuel  R.  Kimball  619  De  Kalb  avenue. 

Wm.  McDonald  83  Cranberry  street. 

Alex.  McGarvey  140  Vanderbilt  avenue. 

Thomas  Munkenbeck  94  Hamilton  avenue. 

Jas.  F.  McNulty  81  Court  street. 

J.  T.  Matthews   288  Division  avenue. 

O'Keefe  &  McKenna  473  5th  avenue. 

Jas.  J.  Powers  99  Pineapple  street. 

Phil  Post,  Jr.,  127  McDougall  street. 

John  Paterson  660  Fulton  street. 

H.  Reid  113  Flatbush  avenue. 

Thos.  Read  822  Fulton  street. 

John  H.  Read  156  Gates  avenue: 

B.  Reid   Myrtle  avenue. 

Henry  L.  Stiles  973  Fulton  street. 


Benj.  Samuels  108  Atlantic  avenue. 

Toohill  Bros  37  Hamilton  avenue. 

Walker  tfc  Woods  38  Myrtle  avenue. 

Henry  Williams   404  Broadway. 

J.  II.  Wamsley   564  Manhattan  avenue. 


George  W.  Coger.  plumber  and  steam  and  gas  fitter, 
No.  104  Broadway,  Williamslmrgh,  was  born  in  Huntington, 
L.  I.,  September  10th,  1832.  His  parents  were  William  and 
Mary  (Jarves)  Coger,  his  father  having  been  a  pump  and 
block  maker. 

Mr.  Coger  attended  the  public  schools  of  his  native  town, 
and,  at  the  age  of  fifteen,  began  a  six-years'  apprenticeship  to 
the  plumbing  trade,  four  years  of  which  he  served  with  John 
A.  Brush,  No.  83  Pike  Slip,  N.  Y.,  and  two  years  with  T.  & 
J.  Chardavoyne,  Cherry  street,  N.  Y.,  near  Catharine  street. 
After  he  completed  the  acquisition  of  his  trade,  he  went  to 
Chicago  and  worked  at  it  for  several  years,  latterly  as  super- 
intendent of  pumps  and  appliances  for  supplying  water  to 
the  engines  of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  Company. 

Returning  east,  in  the  fall  of  1859,  Mr.  Coger  bought  the 
branch  store  of  John  A.  Brush,  at  No.  11  Broadway,  Wil- 
liamsburgh,  whence  he  removed  to  No.  20,  and  seventeen 
years  ago  to  No.  103,  and  thence,  in  1882,  to  his  present  loca- 
tion. His  business  has  been  very  prosperous,  and  at  this 
time  he  carries  a  large  stock  of  goods  in  his  line  and  gives 
employment  to  a  considerable  nuirber  of  men.  He  has  done 
the  plumbing  and  other  work  in  his  line  in  the  Williams- 


1382 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


burgh  Savings  Bank,  the  Kings  County  Savings  Bank,  the 
Metropolitan  Life  Insurance  Company's  building,  New  York, 
and  in  other  large  buildings.  For  several  years  he  did  most 
of  the  work  in  houses  erected  along  the  Hudson  River,  and 
at  this  time  he  does  much  out-of-town  work.  He  is  vice- 
president  of  the  Master  Plumbers'  Association  of  the  city  of 
Brooklyn;  a  member  and  Past  Master  of  Manual  Lodge,  No. 
C36,  F.  &  A.  M. ;  a  member  of  DeWitt  Clinton  Commandery 
K.  T.  No.  27,  and  of  Progressive  Chapter  No.  198,  R.  A.  M. 

In  1856,  Mr.  Coger  married  Martha  A.  Hampson,  of 
Yonkers.  N.  Y.,  who  has  borne  him  nine  children.  Their 
residence  is  at  102  Rutledge  street. 


LUMBER  DEALERS. 

(See,  also,  page  79fi). 
It  would  be  difficult,  if  not  impossible,  to  ascertain 
who  was  the  first  lumber  merchant  in  Brooklyn,  as  some 
one  or  more  persons  must  have  manufactured  or  sold 


places,  and  as  the  building  up  of  the  city  has  progressed 
they  have  become  very  numerous.  As  representatives 
of  this  department  of  trade,  the  following  gentlemen 
and  firms  are  well  and  favorably  known,  and  some  of 
them  have  been  in  business  so  long  that  their  establish- 
ments rank  among  Brooklyn's  oldest  business  institu- 
tions : 

Alexander  &  Ellis  Flushing  &  Wash'ton  aves. 

Sherlock  Austin  Kent  avenue,  c.  Cross. 

Beers  &  Resseguie  Flushing  ave.,  c.  Wash'ton. 

Charles  K.  Buckley  105  15th  st. 

Timber  Mills.   Est.  1868,  Prospect  and  Hamilton  aves. 
Annual  business  about  $3,000,000. 

II.  Deringer  134  Leonard  street. 

II.  E.  Fickett  tfc  Co  3d  street,  near  Third  ave. 

Aug.  I.  Frankenfeldt  Van  Brunt  &  Elizabeth  sts. 


LOins   BOSSEKT'S  MANUFACTORY. 


lumber  of  some  sort,  from  the  beginning  of  all  improve- 
ment'and  progress.  Regular  lumber-yards  were  estab- 
lished about  the  beginning  of  the  present  century,  and 
before  that  period  and  after,  individuals  sold  lumber 
which  was  brought  in  by  boats  for  consumption  in  the 
growing  village.  In  1817  Richard  Stanton  cC  Co.  had 
"a  saw-pit  and  lumber  yard,"  with  "a  store  of  nails 
and  groceries,  <fec,"  at  some  convenient  point  in  the 
place.  How  long  they  had  at  that  time  been  in  busi- 
ness is  unknown.  In  1818  Richard  Stanton  &  Co.  were 
succeeded  by  Moon.  <fc  Stanton.  In  1820  this  firm  was 
dissolved,  and  Richard  Stanton  and  John  Moon,  each 
engaged  in  the  same  trade  for  himself,  the  latter  at  the 
corner  of  Washington  and  Water  streets.  In  1828  a 
Lumber  yard  was  advertised  by  T.  &  H.  Conk/inr/,  the 
proprietors.  Others  whose  names  are  not  now  remem- 
bered engaged  in  the  business  at  different  times  and 


Hardy.&jVoorhees  ft.  N.lst,  &  239  Mon'se  ave. 

O.  F.  Hawley  Kent  ave.,  c.  Rodney  st. 

Kenyon  &  Newton  528  Union  street. 

R.  W.  Kenyon  309  1st  street,  East. 

J.  S.  Loomis  Nevins  &  Baltic. 

Daniel  Lake  25th  street,  c.  Third  avenue. 

E.  D.  Newman  789  Grand  street. 

Richard  G.  Phelps  «fe  Co. .  .  Kent  &  1 1  ewes  streets. 

Ed.  C.  Pease  Bond  &  Third  streets. 

Julian  Ross  &  Sons  Nevins  &  Butler  streets. 

Elbert  Verity  93  Plymouth  street. 

Wattson  &  Pittentrer..  .  .  .Carroll  <fc  Nevins. 


Chief  among  the  many  causes  of  failure  is  unfitness  for  the 
work,  which  seems  at  the  time  to  be  the  only  means  of  lalnir 
by  which  a  livelihood  can  be  obtained. 

Many  of  those  who  go  to  make  up  the  large  percentage  of 
business  ruins,  had  they  been  occupied  in  work  suitable, 


GENERAL  TRADE  ARB  MERCHANDISE. 


1383 


LOUIS  BOSSERT. 


would  have  made  a  different  showing.  Environments  are  a 
great  factor;  but,  with  the  best  surroundings,  a  natural 
machinist  would  not  succeed  as  a  musician. 

Louis  Bossebt,  from  his  earlier  years,  was  particularly 
fortunate  in  finding  a  suitable  field  for  his  mechanical  genius, 
Mr.  Bossert  was  born  in  Germany,  30th  of  November,  1843, 
and  received  the  usual  primary  education  of  that  country. 
In  1854  he  came  to  America,  and  until  16  years  of  age  alter- 
ternately  attended  school  and  worked  in  a  factory  in  Brook- 
lyn. From  then  until  1869  he  was  engaged  as  a  workingman 
in  the  manufacture  of  sash  and  doors.  In  that  year,  with  his 
brothers  Henry  and  Jacob,  the  firm  name  being  Bossert 
Brothers,  he  started,  on  the  land  now  occupied  by  him,  as  a 
manufacturer  of  sash,  blinds,  doors,  ceilings,  siding,  mould, 
ings  and  all  interior  household  ornamentations  that  are  made 
of  wood. 

In  1875  his  brothers  both  retired,  and  from  that  time  the 
business  has  been  conducted  by  Mr.  Bossert,  the  firm  name 
being  his  name.  In  1883  the  commodious  buildings,  Nos.  18- 
30  Johnson  avenue  (with  office  and  salesroom  Nos.  6  and  8 
Union  avenue,  near  Broadway,  Brooklyn,  E.D.),  were  erected. 
These  buildings  occupy  over  twenty-two  city  lots.  There  are 
eight  floors,  twenty-five  by  sixty  feet,  and  four  floors  one 
hundred  and  twenty-five  by  sixty  feet,  irrespective  of  the 
area  of  the  planing  mills.  He  gives  employment  to  over 
three  hundred  men,  and  the  annual  output  of  his  manufac- 
tory is  a  half  a  million  dollars,  and  is  the  largest  concern  in 
this  line  in  New  York  State.  A  good  cut  of  his  manufactory 
is  shown  herewith. 

Mr.  Bossert  was  married  in  1869  to  Elizabeth  Neger,  and  in 
February,  1884,  suffered  the  irreparable  loss  of  her  death, 
three  children,  two  daughters  and  one  son,  surviving  her. 


In  politics  Mr.  Bossert  is  Republican,  and  two  years,  1881 
and  1882,  represented  the  16th  Ward  of  Brooklyn  as  Super- 
visor. He  is  Colonel  of  the  32d  Regiment,  N.  G.,  enrolling  as 
private  sixteen  yeai-s  ago.  In  private  life  Mr.  Bossert  is 
genial,  companionable,  and  finds  his  recreation  and  relief 
from  business  cares  in  out-door  sports.  Near  his  elegant  home 
at  Far  Rockavvay  his  boats  arc  moored,  and  there  he  enjoys  the 
reward  of  a  business  life  fitly  spent. 


CONTRACTORS  AND  BUILDERS. 

Henry  Bevan  56G  Bushwick  ave. 

Contractor;  established  1862. 

John  A.  Laehner  250  Moore  st. 

Was  foreman  for  Col.  John  Rueger,  builder,  for  11 
years;  for  15  years  connected  with  32d  Regt.,  N.  G.,  S. 
N.  Y.,in  first  company  org.  under  Capt.  (afterwards  Col.) 
Rueger. 

John  Rueger  Stuyvesant  ave.  »fe  Hart  st. 

Established  1865. 


COAL  AND  WOOD  DEALEK- 
Among  the  earliest  dealers  in  this  line  we  find,  in 
1817,  A.  Robinson,  on  Von  Bokkelen's  wharf;  in  1822, 
John  Galloway,  at  25  Water  street;  in  1827,  W.  &  G. 
Cunningham,  on  Front  street.  The  oldest  establish- 
ment in  Brooklyn  is  that  of 

William  EL  Marstox,  born  at  Ne\vburg,  Orange  County, 
N.  Y.,  in  1825.  His  father,  Win.  Marston,  was  born  at 
Sands'  Point,  L.  L,  in  1793.    When  quite  a  young  man,  he 


1384 


niSTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


removed  to  Newburg;  in  his  route,  he  crossed  the  East 
river  from  Brooklyn  in  one  of  the  early  horse-ferry  boats. 

After  becoming  a  resident  of  Newburg,  he  married  a  Miss 
Wyatt,  of  Orange  county,  whose  mother  was  a  Sands,  a  con- 
nection of  the  Sands  family  of  Kings  county.  The  father  of 
the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  a  man  of  intelligence,  indus- 
try, probity  and  honor  ;  and  he  taught  his  son  those  princi- 
ples of  integrity  and  devotion  to  business  and  honorable 
dealing,  which  lias  led  to  his  success  in  life.  He  lived  to  the 
advanced  age  of  89  years,  dying  in  August,  1882,  in  Brook- 
lyn, N.  Y. 

|  t\Vheu  his  son.  Wm.  H.  Marston,  was  live  years  old,  he  re- 
moved to  the  city  of  New  York  ;  here  young  Marston  re- 
ceived an  excellent  common  school  and  business  education, 
for  the  bent  of  his  mind  tended  to  the  occupation  of  a  busi- 
ness man.  In  1849,  he  associated  himself  with  George  F. 
Power,  Esq.,  in  the  coal  trade  in  Brooklyn,  and  the  follow- 
ing year  took  up  his  permanent  residence  there;  and  it  is  an 
interesting  fact  that  the  commodious  office  which  Mr.  Mars- 
ton now  occupies  stands  substantially  on  the  same  premises 
on  which  he  commenced  his  business  thirty-four  years  ago. 
Mr.  Marston  has  f>een  longer  in  the  coal  business  in  Brooklyn 
than  any  other  dealer  in  that  product  now  living  there. 

When  he  began  business,  the  Anthracite  coal  trade  was  in 
it>  infancy.  The  facilities  for  transportation  were  then 
Limited,  and  his  stock  was  brought  to  Brooklyn  by  the  Dele- 
wave  ami  C.iritan,  the  Morris,  anil  the  Delaware  and  Hudson 
(  anal-,  ami  lie  was  compelled  to  lay  in  his  winter  slock  of 


coal  in  the  Fall.  In  those  days  the  total  product  per  year  of 
the  anthracite  mines  was  only  about  3,000,000  tons;  now  it  is 
more  than  30,000,000  of  tons  per  year.  In  1849,  Mr.  Marston 
was  united  by  marriage  to  Miss  Merrill,  daughter  of  Charles 
Merrill,  Esq.,  a  prominent  hardware  merchant  of  Grand 
street,  New  York,  whose  business  has  been  conducted  in  that 
city  for  more  than  sixty  years.  Five  children  were  born  to 
this  marriage,  two  sons  and  three  daughters.  The  eldest  son, 
Frank  II.  Marston,  now  about  33  years  of  age  (a  young  man 
of  acknowledged  business  talents,  and  high  character  as  a 
citizen)  is,  and  for  eleven  years  has  been,  the  partner  of  his 
father,  under  the  firm  name  and  style  of  Marston  &  Son,  a 
business  concern  of  the  highest  rank  in  the  city  of  Brooklyn. 

Mr.  Marston,  the  senior  member  of  the  firm,  is  a  Republi- 
can, and  has  been  since  the  formation  of  that  party.  He 
adopted  this  party  from  principle,  modestly  but  firmly  main- 
taining its  principles,  though  in  no  sense  of  the  word  an  ac- 
tive politician,  never  seeking  prominence  nor  office;  indeed, 
he  could  not  be  induced  to  accept  of  an  office;  but  he  always 
voted  ;the  ticket  of  his  party,  believing  that  it  is  incumlient 
on  every  citizen  to  discharge  thoughtfully  and  intelligently 
the  great  and  responsible  duty  of  an  elector. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  Chisson  Avenue  Presbyterian 
Church.  Many  years  ago  he  united  with  the  Presbyterian 
church,  of  which  Rev.  Dr.  Rockwell  was  then  pastor,  now 
under  (lie  pastoral  charge  of  Rev.  T.  DeWitt  Talmage. 

Though  unassuming,  and  entirely  unpretentious,  Mr. 
Marston  occupies  a  high  and  inlluential  position  among  the 


GENERAL  TRADE  A ND* MER (J HA NDISE. 


1385 


business  men  of  Brooklyn.  By  strict  integrity,  excellent 
practical  abilities  and  devotion  to  business,  courteous  and 
manly  bearing,  he  has  won  the  confidence  of  the  community 
and  achieved  a  most  gratifying  success  in  life. 


S.  TUTTLE'S  SON  &  CO.'S  CUAL  YARDS.  ^ 

The  large  and  prosperous  coal  business  now  con- 
ducted by  Messrs.  S.  Tuttle's  Son  &  Co.,  was  established 
in  1846,  by  Mr.  Silvester  Tuttle,  a  well-known  New 
York  merchant.  His  son,  Ezra  B.  Tuttle  (whose 
portrait  faces  this  page,  and  whose  biography  will 
be  found  on  page  305),  entered  the  firm  in  1855  ; 
Augustus  P.  Day  in  1870;  and  Winthrop  H.  Tuttle, 
a  son  of  Ezra  B.  Tuttle,  on  the  1st  of  January,  18S4. 
Since  the  decease  of  the  senior  member  in  1874,  the 
business  has  been  conducted  under  the  firm  name  of 
S.  Tuttle's  Son  &  Co.  From  a  moderate  tonnage, 
it  bas  gradually  assumed  large  proportions.  Tbe  old 
plan  of  unloading  coal  by  horse-power  was  found 
inadequate  to  meet  the  demands  of  a  rapidly  increasing 
business;  and,  in  1865,  an  entire  block  was  bought  on 
the  Wallabout  water-front,  between  Ross  and  Wilson 
streets,  where  they  built  extensive  coal-pockets;  the 
first  ever  erected  in  Brooklyn.  Steam  power  is 
used  to  elevate  the  coal  from  tbe  barges  to  the  pockets, 
and  the  bins  are  so  arranged  that  a  cart  or  wagon 
passing  under  them  can  be  loaded  witli  well  screened 
coal  in  two  minutes.  In  the  spring  of  1883,  an  addi- 
tional water-front  of  five  hundred  feet  on  Newtown 
creek,  between  Grand  street  and  Metropolitan  avenue, 
was  purchased,  with  over  fifty  adjoining  lots;  and  sub- 
stantial docks  have  since  been  completed.  In  addition 
to  the  above  supply  yards  on  the  water-front,  six  dis- 
tributing yards  have  been  located  by  them  on  the  lead- 
ing thoroughfares  of  the  city.    This  firm  is  one  of  the 


most  enterprising  in  the  city,  and  spares  no  pains  or 
expense  in  adopting  all  improvements.  It  has  a  large 
factory  for  the  preparation  of  kindling  wood  by 
machinery,  large  and  well  equipped  stables,  private 
telegraph  lines,  telephone  connection,  and  all  kinds  of 
labor-saving  machinery,  while  the  general  office  at  No. 
40  Broadway,  Brooklyn,  is  fitted  up  in  a  manner  that 
is  unsurpassed  in  convenience  and  elegance  in  the  two 
cities. 


Charles  Henry  Reynolds  is  one  of  the  most  active,  en- 
terprising, and  best  known  business  men  on  Newtown  creek. 
His  history  is  that  of  a  boy  who  early  realized  that  what  he 
was  to  be  in  this  world  depended  on  what  he  could  do,  and 
how  he  should  do  it.  He  was  born  in  New  York  city,  July 
21, 1837.  His  father,  Henry  Reynolds,  came  from  Greenwich, 
Conn.,  and  was  the  son  of  Joshua  Reynolds,  an  old  and 
highly  respectable  citizen  of  that  town,  and  a  soldier  in  the 
Revolutionary  war.  His  father  died  when  he  was  four  years 
old,  and  for  a  time  he  went  to  live  with  his  grandfather 
Lawrence,  in  Manhassett,  L.  I.  At  the  age  of  12,  he  chose  to 
learn  the  book-binders'  trade,  and  was  regularly  indentured 
as  an  apprentice  to  Harper  &  Bros.,  New  York  city,  for  the 
period  of  6  years,  11  months  and  21  days.  True  to  his  deter- 
mined purpose,  Charles  served  his  time  faithfully,  and  then 
worked  two  years  as  a  journeyman,  fully  mastering  a  trade 
that  was  then  done  mostly  by  hand,  and  now  mostly  by 
machinery.  The  close  times  of  1860  compelled  a  reduction 
of  help  in  the  great  publishing  house  of  Harper  &  Bros.,  and 
they  most  justly  discriminated  in  favor  of  married  men,  dis- 
charging those  who  had  no  families.  Mr.  Reynolds  had, 
with  his  mother,  lived  in  Brooklyn  since  1850,  and  now  find- 
ing himself  out  of  work,  he  leased  a  lot,  328  Grand  street,  put 
up  a  building  of  rough  boards,  8  feet  by  10,  with  board  roof 
covered  with  tar  paper,  bought  a  barrel  of  kerosene,  and 
started  an  oil  store.  The  next  year  he  took  a  partner,  and  the 
firm,  which  was  Lewis  &  Reynolds,  added  the  wood  trade  to 
the  oil  business.  At  the  end  of  one  year,  George  Robinson 
took  Mr.  Lewis'  place,  under  the  firm  name  of  C.  H.  Rey- 
nolds &  Co.,  and  the  new  firm  added  coal  to  the  wood 
business,  locating  their  coal  yard  on  the  corner  of  South  1st 
and  9th  streets.  The  oil  and  wood  trade  was  continued  at 
the  old  place,  the  wood  being  sawed  at  first  by  horse  power, 
and  then  by  a  small  5-horse  steam  engine.  This  arrangement 
lasted  for  10  years,  and  was  so  prosperous  that  Mr.  Reynolds 
paid  Mr.  Robinson  $20,000  for  his  half  interest,  when  he 
withdrew  and  went  South.  Since  that  time  till  recently,  he 
has  had  no  partners.  In  1877,  he  came  to  his  present  location, 
and  was  largely  instrumental  in  openiug  Grand  street,  from 
the  bridge  to  Newtown.  He  bought  two  acres  of  laud  and 
built  an  office,  stable,  and  a  large  coal  pocket  of  3,500  tons 
capacity.  Two  years  later  he  added  a  wood  yard,  with  all 
appliances  necessary  for  the  trade.  In  1881,  lie  built  a 
planing  and  moulding  mill,  equipped  with  the  most  approved 
machinery.  Within  the  past  year  he  has  put  in  an  engine  of 
150  horse  power,  with  ample  boilers,  all  from  the  engine 
works  of  James  Bulger,  of  North  2d  street.  To  supply  his 
large  trade,  nearly  5,000  cords  of  wood  and  60,000  tons  of 
coal  are  sold  annually.  His  appliances  for  handling  coal  of 
all  kinds  are  very  perfect,  and  his  kindliog  wood  department 
is  a  model  of  its  kind.  The  accompanying  cut  conveys  to 
the  eye  a  good  representation  of  this  large  establishment  as 
it  appears  in  the  spring  of  1884.  To  do  this  heavy  business, 
90  hands  are  employed,  and  25  wagons,  carts  and  trucks.  In 
order  to  get  a  little  relaxation  from  constant  cares,  Mr. 


1386  HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Reynolds,  in  May,  1883,  took  his  two  sons.  Charles  H.  and 
Mortimer  L..  and  his  brother-in-law,  Gilbert  M.  VanderWater, 
into  partnership  under  the  firm  name  of  C.  H.  Reynolds. 
Sons  &  Co.  This  gives  him  more  time,  to  manage  his  large 
real  estate  interests,  which  now  aggregate  fourteen  acres  in 
the  Eastern  District,  which  he  now  owns,  and  on  which  he 
is  constantly  erecting  more  buildings.  Such  is  the  honorable 
record  of  one  who,  from  a  book-binder's  apprentice,  has, 
through  his  own  unaided  efforts,  attained  to  a  leading  posi- 
tion in  a  community  of  prosperous  and  able  men.  December 
3,  1802.  Charles  H.  Reynolds  married  Naomi  Adeline  Vandex 
Water,  of  South  Oyster  Ray.  They  have  had  10  children  (6 
sons  and  4  daughters),  8  of  whom  are  living  (4  sons  and  4 
daughters). 

Other  well-known  dealers  in  wood,  coal,  etc.,  are: 
Abraham  .1.  DeBann          30-34  Jay  street. 

Wood  and  coal;  established  1865. 

Nelson  J.  Gates  636  Greene  avenue. 

Wholesale  coal  merchant;  established  1805,  N.  Y. 
Mi-mhi-r  Hoard  of  Education  from  1H74  to  1881. 

Henry  M.  I'eekham  1 8  Columbia  Heights. 

<'<>ul  and  wood.  In  1H.V2,  became  member  of  firm 
known  a>  SamuH  Thompson's  Nephews,  successors  to 
Everitt.  Thompson  iV  Co. 

Frederick  K.  Teves  280-296  2d  street. 

( ,'oal  and  wood;  established  lNr>.">,  by  J.  &  I'.  Wintjell, 
'•n  DOT,  N.  3d  and  3d  street*.  Mr.  Teves  succeeded  the 
firm  in  ls7s.  and  re  ved  to  his  present  address,  18H'i. 


Charles  D.  Willits  644  Fulton  street. 

Coal  and  wood;  established  1857,  corner  Fulton  street 
and  Clermont  avenue. 

Thomas  W.  Wood  191  Schermerhorn  street. 

Coal;  established  1866,  coi  ner  State  and  Nevins  streets. 
Native  of  Smithtown,  L.  I. ;  ancestors  settled  at  South- 
ampton, Long  Island,  1640.  Was  Supervisor  of  3d  Ward 
one  year. 

Daniel  W.  Wilkes  491  State  street. 

Coal  and  wood  contractor;  established  1881,  .corner 
Douglas  and  Nevins  sts.    Elected  Supervisor  for  1884. 


DENTISTS. 

(See  pages  slii  and  SMO-948). 

Frank  P.  Abbott  100  Hanson  place. 

X.  M.  Abbott   11  Greene  avenue. 

S.  W.  Bridges  199  Clinton  street. 

.las.  F.  Brogan  805  Fulton  street. 

II.  T.  Harrow  263  Fulton  street. 

M.  Connor  60  Court  street. 

L  J.  Elliot  227  Clinton  street.  . 

Geo.  W.  Fraim  301  Fulton  street. 

Samuel  S.  Guy,  Jr  132  Flatbush  avenue. 

0.  E.  Hill  160  Clinton  street. 

Charles  W.  Ilarreys   108  4th  street,  E.  D. 

William  .larvie.  .  .   10.r>  Clinton  street. 


GENERAL  TRADE  AND  MERCHANDISE. 


13*7 


S.  M.  Lyon  119  Kent  avenue. 

D.  R.  Longnecker  519  Fulton  street. 

C.  A.  Marvin  169  Clinton  street. 

H.  G.  Mirick  156  Clinton  street. 

James  E.  Miller  294  Henry  street. 

Charles  E.  Mensck  169  Clinton  street. 

I.  C.  Monroe  191  Joralemon  street. 

J.  K.  Powell  New  Lots. 

T.  A.  Quinlan  463  Fulton  street. 

W,  M.  Ramsdell   ...  .50  Livingston  street. 

David  S.  Skinner  124  Montague  street. 


JEWELERS. 

(See,  also,  page  824). 

The  first  watchmaker  and  jeweler  in  Brooklyn,  of 
whom  there  is  an}'  trace,  is  Thomas  Smith,  who  was 
located  at  Brooklyn  Ferry,  in  1782.  Later,  April 
1818,  came  Samuel  Carman,  whose  shop  was  on  lower 
Fulton  st.  Soon  after,  1819,  Samuel  Smith  and  John 
Lowe  were  engaged  in  the  business.  In  1820,  James 
Gray,  on  Front  St.,  and  later  still,  one  F.  White,  about 
1826,  on  Sands  St.,  and  Pressac,  a  Frenchman.  The 
oldest  firm  now  existing  is  that  of  William  Wise,  239 
Fulton  St.,  established  in  1834,  at  old  No.  79  Fulton 
St.,  about  50  yards  above  Ralph  Patchin's  house  and 
grounds,  which  stood  about  where  York  st.  enters 
Fulton  st.  In  1864,  he  built  the  store  which  he  and 
his  son  now  occupy.  In  1848,  Wm.  R.  Tice  opened  a 
store  on  Atlantic  st.,  next  Henry  st.,  removed  to  311 
Fulton  st.,  in  1860,  and  in  1870  retired,  his  brother 
Thomas  S.  Tice,  succeeding.  Jacob  Wets,  104  Mon- 
trose ave.,  established  in  1876,  at  116  McKibben  st. 
Other  prominent  firms  are: 


Jas.  H.  Hart  313  Fulton  st. 

Hayden  &  Stanwood  451  Fulton  st. 

Jacob  Morch  110  Broadway. 

B.  F.  Spink  329  Fulton  st. 

D.  Younger  &  Brother.  . .  .276  Grand  6t. 

P.  W.  Taylor  521  Fulton  st. 

John  D.  Bennett  East  New  York. 

E.  S.  Browe  338  Grand  ave. 

Louis  Finkelmeier  336  So.  3d  st. 

Jeweler;  established  1868,  23  Maiden  Lane.  Boru  in 
Germany;  came  to  United  States,  1853;  member  of  N.  Y. 
Volunteers,  1861-3;  came  to  Brooklyn,  1865. 

Charles  Pope  147  Hopkinson  ave. 

Enos  Richardson  116  Remsen  st. 

W.  H.  Welch  85  Myrtle  ave. 


MERCHANT  TAILORS. 

(See,  also,  Clothing,  page  788). 
The  first  hundred  and  fifty  years  of  this  country's 
history  were  the  days  of  homespun  linens  and  woolens, 
when  every  man's  clothing  was  cut  and  made  at  home 
by  the  "gude  wife"  or  by  the  tailoress  who  went 
from  house  to  house.  After  the  Revolutionary  War  a 
more  exacting  taste  in  men's  apparel  began  to  prevail, 
partly  owing,  no  doubt,  to  the  presence  of  the  French 
soldiery  and  their  influence  on  American  society  during 
our  struggle  with  Great  Britain.  Then  professional 
tailors  began  to  be  known  in  the  larger  towns  of  the 
Eastern  States.  In  1816,  the  sign  "  Merchant  Tailor" 
hung  over  the  shop  of  Deter  Prest  on  the  north  side  of 
Old  Ferry  Road,  nearly  opposite  Elizabeth  st.,  though 
he  afterwards  removed  farther  up  town.  Si/lvamu 
B.  Stilhccirs  tailor  shop  was  in  an  old  frame  building, 
on  the  site  of  the  Union  Office.     In  1818,  occurs  the 


1388 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


inline  of  G.  Jay  as  a  tailor.  In  1S20,  Van  Kensen  & 
1  Hckerson  were  engaged  in  the  business.  Five  years 
later,  Wm.  Corn  well  had  a  shop  in  his  dwelling,  45 
Front  st.  In  1826,  Elisha  Bigelou)  was  at  55  Fulton  st. 
When  the  village  became  a  city,  Iloyt  <fc  Hanabergh, 
John  P.  Enirne7is,  Wm.  Hewit  Sharp  cfc  Sturges,  I] 
H.  Chichester,  and  J.  W.  Roues  were  located  on  Fulton 
st.;  J.  Proctor,  2  High  st. ;  Wm.  Evans,  Atlantic  ave., 
established  in  1840,  who  was  followed  by  the  present 
house  of  E.  W.  Richardson,  156  Atlantic  ave.  The 
more  prominent  houses  of  to-day,  arranged  alphabet- 
ically, are  : 

Adam  Scm  63  Court  st. 

Merchant  tailor;  established  1871. 

Arneberg  &  Brother  209  Montague  st. 

T.  Branagan  Atlantic  ave.,  E.  N.  Y. 

Merchant  tailor,  and  dry  and  fancy  goods  store;  estab- 
lished lS(i6,  on  Miller,  between  Fulton  and  Atlantic  aves., 
removing  to  present  location  in  1875. 
E.  B.  Bundick  90  Broadway. 

E.  W.  Richardson  156  Atlantic  ave.,  c.  Clinton 

Importer  and  tailor;  established  1840  by  Wm.  Evans. 

His  importations  are  selected  by  himself  from  English 

and  Scotch  houses. 

Wm.  J.  Collins  227  Court  st. 

G.  H.  Conklin   140  Franklin  st. 

John  Craft  &  Son  183  Montague  st. 

John  Donohue  107  Montague  st. 

J.  V.  Dubernell  333  Fulton  st. 

F.  A.  Ernst  &  Son  302  Court  st. 

James  B.  Healy,  1881.  . .  .205  Montague  st. 

E.  J.  Hutchings  53  4th  st.,  E.  D. 

John  S.  McKeon  Broadway,  cor.  4th  st. 

(McKeon  &  Todd)  clothiers;  originally  of  the  firm  of 
Gray,  McKeon  &  Co.,  having  l>oen  admitted  in  1872;  the 
present  firm  being  formed  in  1878,  on  the  admission  of 
Mr.  Todd. 

James  Mitchell  80  Montague  st. 

James  Porter  288  Fulton  st. 

J.  J.  Rife  193  Atlantic  ave. 

S.  H.  Shipman  48  Bond  st. 

o         n       in  J  9lB'way,60  4thst.,E.D.,& 

Smith,  Gray &  Co  -         ,  *'     r<  n         • Z. 

'       J  I   Manhattan,  C.  Greenpomt. 

C.E.  Teall  611  Fulton  st. 

GENTS'  FURNISHING  GOODS. 

Frank  J.  Cole  153  Flatbush  avenue. 

[tbamar  Oil  Boifl  328  Fulton  street. 

See  Biography,  page  792. 

A.  W.  DeGraw  73  Broadway. 

Edward  L  Tripler  407  Fulton  st. 

Willoughby  Buildings;  established  1871,  dress  Blurts 
and  underwear,  a  sj>ecialty. 

T.  E.  Wallace  53  Broadway,  cor.  2d  st. 

Men's  Furnishing  goods;  established  is;:!,  a!  (;i  Broad- 
way, having  l>ecn  a  carpenter  previous  to  that  time;  in 
1*70,  enlarged  and  removed  to  55  Broadway;  in  1879,  on 
account  of  rapidly  increasing  business,  was  obliged 
Bgalll  to  remove  and  enlarge  his  establishment,  which  lie 


did  by  purchasing  the  building  (104  2d  st.)  in  the  rear  of 
his  present  location;  in  1882,  purchased  the  corner  build- 
ing, Broadway  and  2d  Street,  forming  the  whole  into  one 
large  store.  He  has  about  45  employees,  his  specialty 
being  the  manufacture  of  shirts,  of  which  some  15,000 
are  annually  sold.  Member  of  the  Empire  Club,  the 
Amphion  Musical  Society,  the  Williamsburgh  Athletic 
Club,  Fraternity  Council,  Royal  Arcanum;  Bedford 
Lodge,  Knights  of  Honor;  and  Crusader's  Lodge,  L  O. 
of  O.  F.  Is  also  Director  of  the  N.  Y.  Homoeopathic 
Life  Ins.  Co.,  and  Secretary  of  the  Brooklyn,  E.  D., 
Dispensary  and  Hospital. 
H.  C.  Walters  161  and  163  Atlantic  ave. 

MILLINERY. 

A.  J.  Foren  40  Boerum  place. 

James  Murphy  169  Grand  street. 

Millinery  Goods  and  Notions.    Est.  1857,  near  present 
locality,  removing  to  above  address  in  1864. 

John  North  249  Fulton  street. 

J.  Rothschild  269  and  271  Fulton  st.,  and 

56  W.  14th  st.,  N.  Y. 
Importer  and  manufacturer  of  Millinery.  Est.  1870, 
56  and  68  W.  14th  street.  In  1874,  started  a  branch 
house  at  249  Fulton  street,  Brooklyn.  In  1876,  enlarged 
and  removed  to  261  Fulton  street,  removing  from  there 
to  their  present  location  in  1879.  Is  one  of  the  largest 
and  most  extensive  establishments  of  the  kind  in  the 
United  States,  having  branch  houses  at  Philadelphia, 
Boston  and  Paris. 

Henry  M.  Winter  489  Fulton  street. 

David  A.  Herrick  423  Vanderbilt  avenue. 

Manufacturer  of  Embroideries  and  Millinery  Goods. 
COSTUMER. 
Annie  E.  Lawrence  166  Broadway. 


UNDERTAKERS. 
On  Fulton  street,  just  above  Middagh,  stood  in  1815, 
the  residence  of  Richard  H.  Cornwell,  a  "  cabinet- 
maker and  coffin-maker,"  who  was  well-known  early  in 
the  century.  It  is  by  no  means  probable  that  he  was 
the  first  coffin-maker  in  Brooklyn,  for  it  was  the  custom 
to  have  coffins  made  by  mechanics  in  wood,  even  before 
coffin-making  and  furniture-making  was  combined.  In 
1828,  Joseph  H.  Van  Nostrand  advertised  in  the  long 
Island  Star  that  he  kept  "ready-made  coffins"  for  sale 
at  14  Hicks  street.  No  evidence  has  been  found  that 
any  one  in  Brooklyn  made  a  business  of  buying  and 
selling  factory-made  coffins  before  him,  though  it  is  not 
improbable  that  he  had  predecessors.  It  is  certain  that 
local  coffin-makers  plied  their  trade  later  than  this,  for 
from  subsequent  notices,  it  appears  that  there  was 
rivalry  between  some  such  and  dealers  in  "  ready-made" 
coffins.  The  development  of  undertaking  as  a  distinctive 
business  was  gradual,  and  during  its  later  years  very 
rapid.  Undertakers  established  themselves  in  various 
localities  until,  at  t  his  time,  t  he  business  has  numerous  re- 
presentatives, whose  shops  and  warehouses  are  to  be 
found  in  all  parts  of  the  city.  Among  them  it  may  not 
be  without  interest  to  refer  to  a  few.  The  business  of 
Samuel  Henderson  &  So/i  was  established  at  the  corner 


GENERAL  TRADE  AND  MERCHANDISE. 


1389 


of  Washington  and  Tillary  streets  in  1852,  and  was  re- 
moved from  that  point  to  128  Myrtle  avenue,  and  thence 
to  62  Myrtle  avenue.  Owen  Gallagher,  161  North  Sixth 
street  and  297  Fourth  street,  established  his  business  in 
1861,  at  292  Fourth  street,  and  has  a  livery  in  connec- 
tion therewith.  Among  the  undertakers  of  Brooklyn, 
who  are  dealers  in  undertakers'  supplies,  may  be  men- 
tioned L.  A.  Whitehill,  78  First  street,  and  Bain  & 
Smith,  12  Boerum  place.  The  following-named  under- 
takers are  well-known  in  various  parts  of  the  city. 

Henry  Burhenne  N.  J.  &  Liberty. 

James  Benson  397  Atlantic  ave. 

fm,  H.  Burrill  13  Flatbush  ave. 

Wm.  H.  Bryan  149  4th  street. 

Geo.  F.  Corlis  702  Fulton  street  and  107 

Flatbush  avenue. 

James  Conley  195  Park  and  552  Myrtle 

avenue. 

J.  H.  Farrell  274  Jay  street. 

Peter  Farrell  302  Bergen  street. 

Thomas  Foran    506   Court  and   273  Van 

Brunt  streets. 

J.  M.  Hopper  Court,  cor.  Joralemon  sts. 

Estab.  on  Montague  st.,  1850,  with  S.  N.  Burrill  (of  S. 
N.  B.  &  Co.);  partnership  existed  five  years;  a  year  later, 
Mr.  B.  located  at  present  place,  where  he  has  been  for 
28  years;  has  conducted  the  funerals  of  many  most  dis- 
tinguished citizens,  among  whom  were  Gens.  O.  M. 
Mitchell,  Underbill,  Sanford  and  Dakin  (the  largest 
funeral  ever  held  in  the  city),  Louis  Tappen,  Hon.  Owen 
Lovejoy  (who  died  in  Brooklyn),  Rev.  Lyman  Beecher 
(father  of  Henry  Ward  Beecher),  Col.  J.  M.  Perry,  and 
John  Brown,  "the  Liberator." 

Moses  Genung  370  Fulton  street. 

David  Longworth  42  Fourth  street,  E.  D. 

Andrew  Lennart  297  Columbia  street. 

W.  F.  Moore  Penn  avenue,  East  N  Y. 

M.  McMahon  144  Hamilton  avenue. 

George  H.  Nason  196  Franklin. 

John  T.  Parker  135  Union  ave.,  E.  D. 

Established  1859. 
Francis  E.  Pouch  &  Bro . .  305  Adams  street,  and  893 

Gates  avenue. 

Established  1877. 

Leonard  Ruloff  244  Devoe  street. 

John  H.  Snyder  409  Grand  avenue. 

Taylor  &  Halvorsen  10  Hoyt  street  &  13  Market 

street,  N.  Y. 

Edward  M.  Wunder  817  Flushing  avenue. 

John  W.  Newman,  General  Furnishing  Undertaker,  181 
Court  st.,  bought,  in  1879,  the  premises,  and  erected  the 
building  now  occupied  by  him.  The  business  was  estab.  by 
his  father,  Michael  Newman,  about  1850,  on  Jay  st.,  opposite 
the  old  St.  James'  Catholic  Church;  from  there  he  moved  to 
Court  St.,  corner  of  Pacific,  continuing  in  the  same  avoca- 
tion till  his  death,  which  occurred  in  August,  1863.  The 
Newmans  have  always  been  among  the  leading  undertakers 
in  Brooklyn,  having  performed  their  part  in  the  last  rite  of 
burial  at  the  decease  of  many  of  her  most  noted  and  worthy 
citizens. 


LIVERY  STABLES. 

Charles  H.  K.  Smith  846  Fulton. 

Jno.  Bennett  155  Division  avenue. 

Wm.  Burtenshaw  13  College  Place. 

P.  Bartlett  214  5th  street,  E.  D. 

C.  R.  Collyer  2  College  Place. 

Geo.  R.  Cate  Flatbush. 

Douglass  &  Peterkin  165  Clymer  street. 

J.  J.  Donnelly  104  Henry  street. 

Owen  Gallagher  297  4th  street,  E.  D.,  &  161 

N.  6th. 

William  Greene  17  Red  Hook  Lane. 

George  Hudson ....   120  De  Kalb  avenue. 

G.  H.  Henje  Bath. 

A.  B.  Lane  174  Carlton  ave. 

Wm.  T.  Morford  515  Classon  &  464  Clermont 

aves. 

Chas.  H.  McGovern  46  Love  Lane. 

Oakley  &  Sons  21  Hoyt  st. 

A.  &  G.  Polhemus  106  Division  ave. 

A.  L.  Rogers  Sterling  pi.,  near  7th  ave. 

F.  Roemmele  &  Son  522  North  2d  st. 

W.  H.  Ryuus  &  Son   Clinton,  cor  Degraw  st. 

S.  E.  Sturdevant  Warren  &  Henry  sts. 

James  W.  Van  Riper  431  5th  ave. 

Francis  J.  York  343  Union 

Ruloff  R.  Bennett,  228  and  261  Greene  avenue,  first 
established  his  boarding  and  livery  stables,  in  1874,  at 
311  Grand  avenue,  and  was  formerly  known  in  connec- 
tion with  the  old  Volunteer  Fire  Department,  having 
been  a  member  of  Hose  Company  No.  10. 

George  W.  Oakley,  liveryman,  21  and  23  Hoyt  street, 
began  business  in  1855,  at  18  and  20  High  street.  The 
business  is  now  owned  by  Messrs.  Oakley  &  Sons. 

Harris  &  Stilwell,  Flatbush  avenue,  opp.  Prospect 
Park.  Prospect  Park  Carriage  Service.  Mr.  Harris 
established  the  Park  work  in  1873.  In  1875,  Mr.  Stil- 
well entered  into  partnership  with  Mr.  Harris,  under 
the  firm  name  of  Harris  &  Stilwell.  They  ran  first 
public  conveyance  on  Coney  Island  ;  also  have  boat 
privilege  in  Prospect  Park. 


OILS,  &c. 

Wm.  S.  Purdy  56  6th  ave. 

Inspector  of  petroleum,  oils,  etc.  Resident  of  Brooklyn 
for  35  years;  established  1862,  118  Maiden  Lane,  N.  Y. 
Was  member  Volunteer  Fire  Department  for  11  years. 

Samuel  Van  Wyck  65  New  York  ave. 

Oil  Commissioner;  established  1863,  155  Maiden  Lane. 
N.  Y.    Supervisor  24th  Ward,  1879-'80. 


WINES,  LIQUORS  AND  CIGARS. 

John  Bauer  121  Graham  av.,  c.  Boerum 

Wines  and  liquors;  established  in  Brooklyn  about  18 
years.    The  head-quarters  of  the  32d  Regt. ,  N.  G. ,  S.  N.  Y. 

Robert  Hill   Hunterfly  Place. 

Cigars;  established  1883.    Served  as  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Aldermen  from  1872  to  1882. 


1390 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Herman  Colell  171  South  9th  st. 

Leaf  tobacco;  established  1860,  202  Chatham  street, 
N.  Y.    Excise  Commissioner  of  Brooklyn  in  1880-  81. 

William  N.  Moeneh  29  Uumboldt  st. 

Manufacturer  of  tobacco:  established,  1869,  Brooklyn, 
E.  D. 

William  B.  Vredenburgh. .  .104  Court  st. 

Cigars,  tobacco  and  pipes;  established  Sept.  1,  1873. 


BREWERS. 

(See  also  p.  771.) 

Warren  G.  Abbott  234  Bushwick  ave. 

S.  Blumenstock  14  Union  ave. 

Edgar  Conklin  Kent  and  Division  aves. 

Dahlbender  &  Greiner. ...  174  Ewen  st. 

Joseph  Fallert  66  Meserole 

C.  A.  Goetz  948  Dean 

Henry  Grass  435  1st  st. 

Otto  Huber  Bushwick  ave.,  c.  Meserole. 

S.  Leibman's  Sons  36  Forest  st. 

Joseph  Leibman  33  Forest  st. 

Geo.  Malcom  Flushing  ave.  &  Skillman. 

Obermeyer  &  Liebman. . .  .67  Bremen  st.,  E.  D. 

William  Ulmer  Beaver,  c.  Belvidere. 

Fred.  W.  Witte  102  Luqueer 

John  Welz  Myrtle  ave.,  c.  Wyckoff. 

Chas.  Zerwick  Myrtle  &  Wyckoff  aves. 

IRON  MERCHANTS. 

John  O.  Carpenter  7  St.  Felix  st. 

Iron  merchant;  established  in  John  street,  N.  Y.,  1868; 
has  been  connected  for  more  than  ten  years  with  some  of 
the  largest  iron  and  steel  manufacturers  of  the  United 
States;  also  has  connection  in  London;  has  resided  15 
years  in  Brooklyn,  twelve  years  in  the  11th  Ward.  His 
firm,  J.  O.  Carpenter  &  Co.,  are  agents  for  the  Rome 
Merchant  Iron  Mills,  the  Fort  Pitt  Iron  and  Steel  Works, 
the  Manhattan  Rolling  Mill,  the  Kensington  Spike 
Works  and  the  New  Haven  Nut  Company. 


ICE  COMPANIES. 
Ridgkwood  Ice  Com  pant,  organized  1874,  by  John 
M.  Lawrence,  who  bought  out  the  Brooklyn  Ice  Com- 
pany, and  was  President  of  the  new  company  until 
1879.  The  company  was  then  reorganized  with  ad- 
ditional capital  and  working  capacity;  John  Clark, 
Pres.;  J.  M.  Lawrence,  Treas.,  and  E.  H.  Close,  Sec, 
which  board  of  officers  still  remains.  Capital,  $1,000,- 
000,  of  which  $140,000  is  paid  in;  business  mostly  whole- 
sale, extending  largely  to  New  York.  The  Brooklyn 
depots  are  at  the  Wallabout,  and  foot  of  Sackett  street; 
offices,  186  Flushing  avenue,  and  207  Montague  street; 
Hudson  river  ice  is  entirely  used;  capacity  of  ice- 
houses, 250,000  tons. 


PILOTS. 

W.  Baulsir  455  Hudson  ave. 

Robert  Williams  158  Hart  st. 


John  M.  Oil.. 


ROOFING. 
 453  Grand  st. 


MISCELLANEOUS. 
Wm.  Kampfmidler,  71  Broadway,  between  2d  and 
3d  streets,  Bird  and  Gold-Fish  Depot  and  Sporting 
Goods.  Established  1869,  at  Broadway,  between  3d 
and  4th  sts.  The  first  bird  and  gold-fish  store  opened 
in  Brooklyn  ;  has  several  gold-fish  ponds  on  Long 
Island,  where  he  breeds  the  Ssh  ;  has  sales  all  over  the 
United  States  and  Canada.  In  1877  he  published 
a  book  on  Cage  Birds,  named  "Our  Pets,"  that  has 
now  reached  its  fourth  edition. 

H.  W.  Sawers,  189  Washington  st.,  Artist.  Makes  a 
specialty  of  coloring,  transferring  and  crystalizing 
photographs  on  glass. 

Joseph  liegeman,  21  Willoughby  avenue,  Auctioneer. 
Est.  1841,  14  Fulton  street. 

Joseph  Harris,  245  Court  street,  Pawn  Broker.  Est. 
1870,  at  191  Smith  street. 

Cotton  and  Woolen  Mags,  Paper  Stock,  Bags  and 
Bagging. — Peter  Young,  wholesale  dealer,  233,  235 
and  237  Tillary  street ;  also  at  261  and  263,  corner  of 
Tillary  and  Raymond  streets  ;  storehouses,  corner  Di- 
vision avenue  and  1st  street.  Amount  of  rag  and 
other  paper  stocks  bought  and  sold  runs  from  7,000  to 
8,000  tons  per  year,  besides  his  bag  trade,  which  often 
is  15,000  per  day.  In  1881,  he  bought  the  machinery 
in  the  Locust  Valley  Paper  Mills,  which  he  moved  to 
7  and  9  Elm  street,  N.  Y.  He  rented  the  old  Man- 
hattan Well,  that  yields  an  abundant  water  supply, 
and  commenced  manufacturing  wrapping  and  Manilla 
paper.  The  product  the  first  year  has  been  1,000  tons, 
consuming  1,200  tons  of  material.  He  employs  30 
men  in  Brooklyn  and  New  York. 


LIST  OF  THE  MAYORS  OF  BROOKLYN. 


TERMS 

OP 
OFFICE. 


George  Hall  1834 

Jonathan  Trotter   1835-36 

Jeremiah  Johnson   )  1837-38 

Cyrus  P.  Smith   1839-41 

Henry  C.  Murphy  1842 

Joseph  Sprague   1843-44 

Thos.  G.  Talmage  1845 

Francis  B.  Stryker  4846-48 

Edward  Copeland  1849 

Samuel  Smith  1850 

Conklin  Brush   1851-52 

Edward  A.  Lambert....  1853-54 

George  Hall   1855-56 

Samuel  S.  Powell  is:,7  <;o 

Martin  Kalbfleisch  1861-63 

Alfred  M.  Wood   1864-to 

Samuel  Booth   1866-67 

Martin  Kalhfleisch  186S-71 

Samuel  S.  Powell    1872-73 

John  W.  Hunter   1874-75 

Fred.  A.  Schroeder  ,1876-77 

.lames  Howell   1878-81 

Seth  Low  !  1882-85 


25, 
22, 
11. 
30, 
26, 


Sept.  21, 
May, 
Jan.  23, 
April  5, 
July  5, 
July 
Oct. 
Dec. 
May 
May 
March  8, 
June  10, 
Sept.  21, 
Feb.  16, 
Feb.  8, 
April  19, 
July  4, 
Feb.  8, 
Feb.  16, 
Oct.  15, 
March  9, 
Oct.  16, 
Jan.  18. 


DIED. 


April  16,  1868 
April  5,  1865 
Oct.  20,  1852 
Feb.  13,  1877 
Dec.  1,  1882 
Dec.  12,  1854 
May    4,  1863 


1795 
1797 
1766 
1800 

1810 : 

1783 
1S01 

1811 

17!13  June  IS,  1S59 
1788  May  19,  1872 
1794  Julv  4,1870 
IS13 
1795 
L815 


April  16,  1868 
Feb.     6,  1879 
1804 1  Feb.  12,  1878 

1828   

1818  

1S04  Feb.  12,  1*73 


1H15 
1807 
1833 
1829 
1850 


Feb.    6,  1879 


ADDENDA. 


1391 


ADDENDA  AND  ERRATA. 


ADDENDA. 


THE  MOTTO  OF  THE  CITY  OF  BROOKLYN. 

" Eendracht  maakt  macht."  The  meaning  of  the 
motto  literally  is,  "  Unity  makes  might,"  which  is  sub- 
stantially, "  In  union  there  is  strength,"  and  it  was  the 
motto  of  the  United  Provinces  of  the  Netherlands,  the 
inhabitants  of  which  had  very  good  reason  to  appreci- 
ate its  value.  At  the  time  of  the  Dutch  Republic,  each 
of  the  United  Provinces  coined  its  own  money,  and 
many  of  those  coins  (which  were  in  extensive  circula- 
tion not  so  very  long  ago,  and  may  be  occasionally  met 
with  now)  bear  the  legend  "  Eendracht  maakt  ?nacht," 
or  its  equivalent  in  Latin,  "  Concordia  facet  fortes." 
The  motto  bore  about  the  same  relation  in  the  United 
Provinces  of  the  Netherlands  as  the  "  E  pluribus 
unum  "  does  in  the  United  States  of  America. 


THE  POPULATION  OF  BROOKLYN  IN  1884. 

This,  according  to  Lain's  Brooklyn  Directory,  is- 
sued June  14th,  1884,  amounts  to  704,610,  instead  of 
the  650,000  with  which  the  city  has  been  generally  cred- 
ited. In  this  Directory  there  are  161,238  families  men- 
tioned. In  1875  there  were  only  85,000,  so  that  the 
population  has  nearly  doubled  in  less  than  fifteen  years. 
The  book  contains  1,450  pages  of  names,  against  1,368 
last  year.  Altogether  it  contains  about  1,600  pages, 
and  8,500  names  have  been  added. 

Mr.  Lain,  in  his  Preface,  says: 

"  We  took  occasion  in  the  Directory  of  1880  to  refer  to  the 
great  annual  increase  in  population  in  our  city.  There  has 
since  been  no  subsidence  of  that  growth.  Taking  the  rule 
stated  in  1880,  based  upon  the  National  and  State  census,  it 
was  found,  by  comparing  that  census  with  the  number  of 
names  in  the  Directory,  that  the  proportion  of  the  latter  to 
the  former  was  4  37-100.  Adopting  that  rule  this  year,  we 
demonstrate  that  as  the  Directory  of  this  year  contains  161,- 
238  names,  an  increase  of  8,950  names  over  last  year,  so  the 
population  of  Brooklyn  is  704,610. 


SPIRITUALISM  IN  BROOKLYN. 

ADy  one  who  believes  that  communication  under  any 
circumstances,  be  it  ever  so  rare,  between  those  who 
live  on  this  earth,  and  those  who  have  lived  on  it,  is 
possible  and  actual,  is  reckoned  by  those  who  do  thus 
believe,  essentially  a  spiritualist.  Not  the  nature  of 
the  communication,  but  the  fact,  covers  all  that  is  vital 
in  the  tenets  of  this  numerous  body  of  believers. 

Spiritualism  dates  back  in  Brooklyn  to  earlier  days  of  the 
movement.  Dr.  Wit.  Fishbocgh,  formerly  a  Universalist 
clergyman,  and  who  was  the  amanuensis  of  that  remarkable 
book,  "  Nature's  Divine  revelations,"  through  the  medium- 


ship  of  Andrew  Jackson  Davis,  was  prominent  in  conducting 
spiritual  meetings  which  were  held  in  the  Brooklyn  Institute, 
on  Washington  street,  near  Concord.  These  meetings  were 
fairly  attended.  Children's  Lyceums  have  been  established 
in  different  parts  of  the  city,  with  varied  success.  As  far  back 
as  1860,  Mr.  I.  A.  Wilson  was  President  of  the  Brooklyn  So- 
ciety of  Sjnritualists,  who  held  their  meetings  in  the  Brooklyn 
Institute,  and  at  the  Hall,  corner  of  Smith  and  Fulton  streets. 
E.  V.  Wilson,  a  well  known  medium  and  pioneer,  organized 
the 

Brooklyn  Society  of  Spiritualists  in  1876.    Mr.  Charles  R. 

Miller  was  elected  to  the  Presidency  of  this  organization  and 
held  it  until  1881,  when  Mr.  Benedict  was  its  President,  suc- 
ceeded, in  1884,  by  Mr.  Johnson.  This  society  holds  meet- 
ings in  Conservatory  Hall,  cor.  Bedford  and  Fulton  avenues, 
which  are  fairly  attended. 

The  Brooklyn  Spiritual  Fraternity  was  organized  Jan., 
1880,  with  S.  B.  Nichols  for  Pres.;  D.  M.  Cole  for  Viee-Pres.; 
Charles  J.  Warner,  Treas.;  Dr.  JohnC.  Wyman.  It  held  Sun- 
day services  in  Fraternity  Hall,  cor.  Fulton  and  Gallatin 
place,  and  in  Brooklyn  Institute;  has  a  membership  of  150, 
including  some  of  the  active  workers  in  the  cause,  and  has 
been  fairly  prosperous. 

The  Brooklyn  Spiritual  Conference  was  organized  by  E. 
V.  Wilson,  July,  1878.  S.  B.  Nichols  was  its  chairman  until 
Jan. ,  1S80,  when  Capt.  I.  David  was  elected  its  presiding  offi- 
cer. These  meetings  have  always  been  held  in  Everett  Hall, 
398  Fulton  street,  on  Saturday  evenings. 

A  conference  meeting  was  organized  in  1878,  in  the  East- 
tern  District.  Mr.  C.  R.  Miller  has  been  its  President  since 
its  organization;  it  holds  its  meetings  weekly  in  Composite 
Hall. 

The  South  Brooklyn  Spiritualist  Society  was  organized 
in  July,  1884,  S.  B.  Bogert.  Pres.,  and  hold  Sunday  and  week- 
day meetings  in  Franklin  Hall,  3d  ave.  and  18th  st. 

The  Second  Eastern  District  Spiritualist  Association  has 

recently  been  organized,  and  holds  regular  Sunday  evening 
meetings  in  Masonic  Temple,  corner  Grand  and  Seventh 
streets.  Mr.  N.  A.  Schroeder  is  President,  and  Mr.  A.  A. 
Conklin,  Treasurer. 

There  are  two  publications  in  Brooklyn  devoted  to  the 
elucidation  and  defense  of  the  phenomena  and  philosophy 
of  Spiritualism,  viz.:  Miller's  Psychometric  Circular,  and 
Hie  Gallery  of  Spirit  Art.  The  former  is  a  monthly  of  i6 
pages,  royal  size;  the  latter,  an  illustrated  quarterly  maga- 
zine. Both  are  published  by  C.  R.  Miller  &  Co.,  at  No.  16 
Willoughby  street. 


See  Chapter  on  Architects,  Builders  and  Real  Estate  Agents. 
(Page  829.) 

E.  D.  Phelps  was  born  in  Brooklyn,  in  1850.  Was 
for  a  time  in  Importers'  and  Traders'  Bank,  New  York 
City.  Established  piano  business,  308  Fulton  Street, 
Brooklyn,  in  1870;  afterwards  took  his  father  in  part- 
nership. Phelps  &  Son  were  first  firm  in  this  city  to 
sell  pianos  on  small  monthly  installments.  Moved  in 
1880  to  Washington  Street.  Mr.  E.  D.  Phelps  built 
the  first  apartment  house  in  Brooklyn,  "The  Ply- 
mouth," in  Orange  Street,  in  1881. 


1302 


HISTORY  01  KWGS  COUNTY. 


In  1883  he  commenced  "The  Columbia"  in  Pine- 
apple Street,  which  is  nearly  completed;  is  8  stories 
high  and  has  14  sets  of  apartments,  each  10  rooms; 
has  open  stone  staircase,  the  best  fire-escape  known, 
fire  and  smoke  proof.  The  apartments  rent  from  $S00 
to  £1,000  each.    Every  room  is  an  outside  room. 

Myron  C.  Rusu,  324  Franklin  ave. ;  born  at  Peeks- 
kill,  N.  Y. ;  established  at  329  Franklin  ave.,  1875;  has 
built  nearly  forty  houses  in  Brooklyn  since  then. 


PHYSICIANS  PRACTICING  IN  BROOKLYN. 

(Addenda  to  page  924.) 

Jenkins,  J.  A  702  Leonard  street. 

Loewenstein,  Henry  150  Bushwick  avenue. 

Preston,  Henry  G  138  S.  Oxford  street. 

Born  Hartford,  Conn.,  1847;  rem.  to  St.  John's,  N.  B., 
1859;  grad.  B.  A.  Univ.  N.  B.,  1866;  studied  med.  with 
his  father,  Dr.  H.  C.  Preston,  and  with  Ur.  G.  S.  Green, 
of  Hartford,  Conn.;  grad.  Bellevue  Hosp.  Med.  Coll.,  N. 
Y.,  1869;  passed  naval  exam.;  practiced  awhile  in  N.  Y. 
city,  and  a  year  in  St.  John's,  N.  B. ;  then,  until  1876,  at 
Albany,  N.  Y.;  then  succeeded  Dr.  John  Butler  and  Dr. 
Rollin  Gray,  in  Brooklyn  ;  has  been  Surg.  Horn.  Disp., 
St.  Johns,  N.  B.;  Vice-Pres.  1871,  and  Pres.  1872,  Albany 
Co.  Horn.  Med  Soc;  del.  to  State  Horn.  Med.  Soc,  1871- 
'75,  and  inemb.  of  since  1875  ;  Surg.  Albany  City  Disp., 
and  of  Alb.  Horn.  Hosp.;  Electro-Therapeutist  of  B. 
Horn.  Disp.,  1877;  Visiting  Phys.  B.  Maternity,  1877; 
Lect.  Gen.  Path,  of  School  of  Nurses  ;  of  the  Maternity, 
1877;  contributor  to  Vols.  IX.,  XIII.,  XIV.,  Trans.  State 
Horn.  Med.  Soc,  special  department,  Surgery  and  Gyne- 
cology. 

Traneurs,  Ludwig  548  Atlantic  avenue. 

Born  Gottenburgh,  Sweden,  1826;  completed  the  philo- 
sophical course,  1846,  at  Univ.  of  Upsal,  where  he  grad. 
M.D.,  1881 ;  was  2i  years  Surg,  in  hosp.,  Stockholm,  and 
at  Co.  Hosp.,  Udde valla,  1853-'60  ;  Res.  Phys.  at  Sahl- 
gren's  Hosp.,  Guttenburgh,  1860-62;  at  St.  Mary's  Hosp., 
1862-70:  1st  Surgeon  (Capt.)  Royal  Marine  Hosp.,  1864- 
-'70;  came  to  U.  S.,  1870  ;  settled  in  St.  Louis,  Mo.;  then 
in  Chicago;  in  Brooklyn,  1873;  his  grad.  thesis  (pub.)  was 
on  Musculus  Multijidns  Spincti  and  Muse.  Kotatores 
Dorsi;  Plaster  of  Paris  for  immovable  dressing  of  am- 
putated stumps,  1853 ;  the  Home  Physician  (a  popular 
treatise),  1872.    Originally  an  Allopathist,  Dr.  T.'s  atten- 
tion was  called  to  Homceo.  in  St.  Louis,  in  1871,  since 
which  time  he  has  preferred  that  practice. 
Notk.— Reference  should  also  be  made  in  this  History  to  an  article 
of  great  historic  value,  on  The  Rise  and  ProgrtU  of  Homo-opathy  in 
On,  County  of  King*  (lirooklyn),  L.  I.,  from  1840  to  October,  1803,  by 
Itoberl  C.  Moffat,  M.D.,  published  in  the  Transactions  of  the  N.  Y. 
Stale  Homeopathic  Medical  Society,  for  the  year  1804. 


The  Bedford  Dispensary  should  have  been  included 
in  our  list  of  these  institutions,  page  925.  Win,  C. 
Hoople,  Pres.;  Thos.  P.  Wilkinson,  Vice-Pres.;  H.  W: 
Brinkerhoff,  Sec;  Geo.  Stannard,  Treas. 


Lafayette  Academy,  149  Lafayette  avenue, 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  Rev.  1).  Marvin,  Jr.,  A.  M.,  Princi- 
pal, who,  in  Oct.,  1875,  purchased  from  Rev.  R.  H.  L. 
Tighe,  at  present  minister  of  Grace  (P.  E.)  Chapel,  in 


High  street,  the  school  known  as  "Young  Ladies'  Sem- 
inary," at  149  Lafayette  avenue.  In  1877  the  name 
was  changed  to  "Lafayette  Academy."  At  first, 
pupils  of  both  sexes  were  received  ;  now,  boys  only 
are  received.  The  school  is  designed  'as  a  preparatory 
school  for  college,  business,  or  scientific  schools.  The 
course  of  study  includes  classics,  modern  languages, 
mathematics,  natural  sciences  and  English  branches. 


Society  for  the  Aid  of  Friendless  Women  and  Children. — 

In  1869  Mrs.  Abigail  Bulkley,  who  had  traveled  in  Europe 
and  observed  the  practical  workings  of  benevolent  institu- 
tions there,  became  impressed  with  the  desirableness  of  an 
institution  for  the  temporary  shelter  and  protection  of  friend- 
less women.  In  connection  with  Mrs.  A.  Crittenden  and 
others  she  rented  rooms  for  the  purpose,  and  they  com- 
menced the  work  of  relieving  those  whom  they  found  in  dis- 
tress and  destitution,  and  whose  only  shelter  would  be  the 
"  station  house."  Others  soon  joined  them  in  their  good 
work,  which  was  at  first  carried  on  ac  their  own  expense. 
This  was  the  nucleus  of  the  association  that  has  since  been 
known  as  the  Society  for  the  Aid  of  Friendless  Women  and 
Children. 

The  work  of  these  ladies  attracted  the  attention  of  other 
benevolent  people,  who  contributed  for  it,  as  they  saw  its 
good  results;  and,  in  1871,  the  society  was  incorporated  by  an 
Act  of  the  Legislature.  In  the  same  year  the  building  now 
occupied  by  the  society,  on  Concord  street,  between  Fulton 
and  Washington  streets,  was  purchased  for  $30,000.  The 
annual  disbursements  now  reach  the  sum  of  $6,000,  and  the 
number  receiving  relief  is  600  annually. 

The  object  of  this  society  is  to  give  temporary  relief,  and 
to  aid  in  finding  homes  and  employment  for  those  who  have 
been  overtaken  by  adversity. 

The  first  President  of  the  society  was  Mrs.  Bulkley,  who 
died  in  July,  1876;  her  successor  was  Mrs.  A.  S.  Barnes, 
whose  death  occurred  in  October,  1881.  Mrs.  H.  L.  Packer 
was  chosen  to  succeed  Mrs.  Barnes  in  the  presidency. 


Skinner. — The  residence  of  the  late  Dr.  Salmon 
Skinner,  No.  124  Montague  st.  (see  view,  page  948),  is 
the  present  dental  office  of  his  son  and  successor,  David 
S.  Skinner.  It  is,  also,  one  of  the  two  houses  first 
erected  on  that  street. 


Humphreys,  A.  W. — In  our  biography  of  this  gentle- 
man, (see  page  515a),  it  should  have  been  mentioned 
that  he  is  one  of  the  managers  of  the  New  York  Metal 

Krrhiiixje. 


Turkish  Baths. — According  to  Dr.  Dio  Lewis,  the 
first  Turkish  Bath  in  the  U.  S.  was  built  by  Dr.  Shep- 
ard  in  Brooklyn  (seep.  1361);  the  first  in  Boston  by 
Dr.  Estcrbrook,  in  1801;  the  second  by  Dr.  Adams,  in 
1802  or  '63;  third  by  Dr.  Adams,  in  1803,  under  Dr. 
Wood's  supervision. 


Acki<mrl<d<i»>cnts  should  be  made  to  Messrs.  IIakpkr 
Brothers  for  the  use  of  the  excellent  portrait  of  the 
late    -Mr.    Thomas  Kinsilla   on   page    1185.     Also  to 


ADDENDA. 


13  93 


Messrs.  Funk  &  Wagnall,  publishers,  for  the  use  of 
the  portrait  of  Rev.  Henry  Ward  Beecher,  on  page 
1019. 


Edward  Ridley,  whose  portrait  and  biography  will 
be  found  on  page  210,  and  Wililliam  H.  Engeman, 
(on  page  204)  have  both  deceased  while  these  pages 
have  been  passing  through  the  press. 


Musicians,  (page  1377). — Received  too  late  for  inser- 
tion in  proper  place: 

Rafael  Navarro,  536  State  street,  Professor  of 
Music;  established  in  Brooklyn,  1869;  has  been  organ- 
ist and  choir-master  in  several  prominent  Brooklyn 
churches  ;  has  been,  and  still  is,  director  of  several 
Brooklyn  musical  societies,  such  as  the  "  Handel  and 
Haydn  Society,"  the  "  Symphony  Society,"  the  "  Ama- 
teur Opera  Society,"  etc. 

Henry  Giesemann,  32  and  34  University  Place,  N. 
Y.  city;  orchestra;  established  1870;  member  of  Ox- 
ford Club;  a  leading  pianist,  and  furnishes  some  of  the 
best  music  obtainable  for  social  purposes. 


U.  S.,  COUNTY  AND  CITY  OFFICIALS  AND 
EX-OFFICIALS   AND  EMPLOYES 

WHO  ARE  PATRONS  OF  THIS  WORK. 

F.  A.  Briggs,  County  Auditor,  606  Frankliu  are. 

W.  Barre,  Deputy  Register,  382  Carlton  ave. 

Chas.  A.  Bartow,  Water  Department,  151  No.  Oxford  st. 

Wm,  Bryan,  ex-Keeper  of  Jail,  55  Jefferson  st. 

W.  H.  Bacon,  District  Attorney's  Office,  Court-House. 

Edward  Brooks,  Post-office,  101  Java  st. 

M.  A.  Brown,  Postmaster,  New  Lots. 

John  Barr,  Police  Captain,  383  State  st. 

Wm.  A.  Brown,  Board  of  Audit,  City  Hall. 

Geo.  Brown,  Office  of  Com'r  of  Charities,  174  Kosciusko  st. 

John  B.  Byrne,  Clerk  Sup.  Court.  575  Henry  st. 

David  Brower,  Ass't  Engineer,  185  Keap  st.,  Munic.  Building. 

H.  F.  Cadley,  County  Treasurer,  457  Gold  st. 

I.  S.  Catlin,  District  Attorney,  3  Court-House. 
W.  D.  Cornell,  Auditor's  Office,  City  Hall. 
John  Y.  Culyer,  Superintendent  Prospect  Park. 
M.  W.  Cole,  Arrears  Department,  113  Nevins  st. 
Edward  B.  Cadley,  Clerk  Board  of  Sup's,  42  Hanson  Place. 
J.  L.  Conelly,  Clerk  Board  of  Supervisors,  10  Court-House. 
Thomas  Carroll,  Register,  344  Jay  st. 

R.  D.  Crotty,  Clk.  Board  of  Educa.,  City  Hall  (Board  Educa.) 

James  Campbell,  Police  Captaiu,  411  Dean  st. 

Francis  R.  Core,  Inspector,  55  St.  Felix  st. 

Samuel  H.  Cornwell,  Searcher,  335  Madison  st. 

Charles  H.  Colton,  Board  of  Elections,  196  Greene  ave. 

John  Cullin,  Supervisor,  223  Tillary  st. 

John  Courtney,  Justice,  304  Myrtle  ave. 

E.  W.  Coburn,  Searcher,  8  Municipal  Building. 

W.  H.  N.  Cadmus,  Searcher,  180  18th  st. 

Geo.  N.  Dick,  Supt.  Street  Repairs,  416  Nostrand  ave. 

Henry  Dawson,  Jr.,  Clerk  Fire  Commissioners,  City  Hall. 

George  H.  Day,  City  Surveyor,  219  Montague  st. 

James  Dunn,  Police  Captain,  9th  Precinct  Station. 

A.  C.  De  Merritt,  Board  of  City  Works,  28  Stirling  Place. 

R.  J.  Doyle,  Justices'  Court,  351  Myrtle  ave. 


Wm.  De  Lacy,  Assessor,  354  Dean  st. 
James  Dunn,  Keeper  of  City  Hall,  City  Hall. 
Wm.  De  Vigue,  Register's  Office,  248  DeKalb  ave. 
Chas.  B.  Elliott,  County  Clerk,  102  Oak  st. 
Wm.  F.  Early,  Captain  of  Police,  New  Lots. 
Thos.  Ennis,  Assessor,  544  Herkimer  st. 

Barnard  Fowler,  Clerk  Board  of  City  Works,  496  Bedford  ave. 
Wm.  A.  Furey,  Commissioner  of  Jurors,  255  Bridge. 
Francis  B.  Fisher,  Justice  of  Police  Court,  216  Quincy. 
Chas  E.  Fiske,  Inspector,  20  Ft.  Greene  Place. 

E.  B.  Fowler,  U.  S.  Int.  Revenue,  44  Court  st. 

Chas.  B.  Farley,  Asst.  Engineer  Fire  Dept.,  125  DeKalb  ave. 
John  Green,  Penitentiary  Supt.,  Kings  Co.  Penitentiary. 
W.  H.  Gaylor,  Building  Commissioner,  City  Hall. 
Samuel  H.  Harlow,  ex-U.  S.  Marshal,  168  Montague. 

F.  S.  Hodgkinson,  Deputy  Sheriff,  8  Court-House. 
Granville  W.  Harman,  Revenue  Department,  403  Macon  st. 
M.  J.  Hannan,  ex-Assemblyman,  113  Tillary. 

W.  J.  Hobday,  Inspector,  517  Pacific. 
John  Heydinger,  Jr.,  Clerk  U.  S.  Court,  168  Montague. 
Theo.  F.  Jackson,  Register  of  Arrears,  45  Broadway. 
Darwin  R.  James,  U.  S.  Representative,  123  Maiden  Lane, 
New  York. 

James  Jourdan,  ex-Police  Commissioner,  21  Schermerhorn. 

Wm.  C.  Kingsley,  Pres.  Bridge  Trustees,  Washington  Park. 

Wm.  Kowalske,  City  Surveyor,  397  Fulton  st. 

Chas.  Kiehl,  Justice,  196  Johnson  ave. 

Geo.  W.  Knabel,  City  Clerk,  303  Gates  ave. 

Thomas  J.  Kenna,  Justice,  115  North  8th  st. 

Wm.  Kaiser,  Police  Captain,  1,763  Atlantic  ave. 

Henry  Keller,  Police  Captain,  164  Pacific. 

Daniel  M.  Kelly,  Assemblyman,  393  Bridge  st. 

E.  A.  Kollmeyer,  Auditor's  Office,  125  Lafayette  ave. 
John  J.  Kiernan,  Senator,  2  Broad  st.,  New  York. 

Aug.  D.  Limburgher,  Custom  House  Insp.,61  Willoughby  st. 
Wm.  Mayo  Little,  Ex.  Board  of  City  Works,  72  Greene  ave. 
Richard  Lauer,  Excise  Commissioner,  365  Pacific  st. 
L.  W.  Lloyd,  Police  Captain,  139  11th  st. 
Walter  L.  Livingston,  Surrogate,  92  Hewes  st. 
James  Lanagan,  Surrogate's  Office,  127  10th  st.,  E.  D. 
Jeremiah  Lott,  Supt.  Water  Works,  Flatbush,  L.  I. 
P.  H.  Leary,  Police  Captaiu,  Third  Precinct. 
Wm.  MacTaminany,  Supt.  Truant's  Home,  Plank  Road. 
Frank  C.  Mason,  Supt.  Police  Telegraph  Bureau,  16  Munici- 
pal Building. 

Edward  P.  McManus,  Supt.  Van  Brunt  Post-office  Station. 
D.  McNamara,  ex-City  Clerk,  120  Willoughby. 
John  Mitchell,  ex-County  Treasurer,  184  Devoe  st. 
Chas.  A.  McLaughlin,  Water  Register,  361  Quincey  st. 
James  McLeer,  Postmaster,  Post-office. 
Wm.  Murray,  Aims-House  Keeper,  Flatbush. 

C.  B.  Morton,  Assistant  Postmaster,  283  South  5th  st, 
Thos.  Murphy,  Police  Captain,  289  13th  st.,  226  21st  st. 
J.  MacKellock,  Police  Captain,  119  11th  st. 

H.  M.  McKeever,  Dept.  of  Arrears,  50  Broadway. 
P.  H.  McLoughlin,  Police  Department,  Ninth  Precinct. 
B.  J.  Mulholland,  Assemblyman,  122  Tillary. 
Thos.  F.  Nevins,  Chief  Fire  Dept.,  367  Jay  st. 

D.  L.  Northrup,  Sec.  Board  City  Works,  132  South  9th  st. 
J.  W.  Naughton,  Supt.  School  Buildings,  107  Carroll  st. 
Daniel  O'Reilly,  ex-Congressman,  149  Huntington. 
Richard  H.  Poillon,  Deputy  Fire  Com'r,  295  Carroll  st. 

F.  G.  Quevedo,  ex-Sec,  Park  Coui'rs,  255  9th  st. 
Chas.  Rushmore,  Tax  Dept.,  109  Cambridge. 

Dom.  Roche,  Sec.  of  Board  of  Assessors,  Municipal  Building, 
Samuel  Richards,  Register,  Municipal  Building. 
Benj.  W.  Wilson,  Assessor,  1609  Broadway. 


1394 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Edward  Redly,  Police  Captain,  568  Clinton  st. 

George  Rowland,  Supervisor,  84  Colyer. 

Lewis  R.  Stegnian,  Sheriff,  174  Taylor  st. 

R.  B.  Sedgwick,  ex-Sheriff's  Clerk,  79  Orange. 

Aug.  D.  Sterling,  Inspector,  9  St.  Felix  st. 

Charles  F.  Schultz,  Keeper  Jail,  Raymond  st. 

R.  S.  Steves,  Cashier,  Arrears  Dept. ,  Municipal  Building. 

H.  W.  Sabin,  Bridge  Police  Sergeant,  4  Dean  st. 

J.  Short,  Jr.,  Clerk,  Board  of  Charities,  244  Fulton  st. 

D.  W.  Talmadge,  Sec.  Board  of  Education,  209  Macon  st. 

D.  C.  Toal,  Board  of  Charities,  444  Fulton  st. 

Wm.  M.  Thomas,  ex-Building  Com'r,  219  Schermerhorn  st. 

James  Tanner,  Tax  Collector,  362  9th  st. 

John  A.  Taylor,  Corporation  Counsel.  City  Hall. 

Truman  V.  Tuttle,  Examiner,  169  South  9th  st. 

Aug.  C.  Tate,  U.  S.  Marshal,  105  St.  Felix  st. 

Walter  Thorn,  Shore  Inspector,  Bay  Ridge. 

John  L.  Voorhees,  Town  Clerk,  Gravesend. 

Robert  Van  Buren,  Eng.  Water  Works,  29  Municipal  Buildg. 

Rodney  C.  Ward,  U.  S.  Revenue  Collector,  44  Court  and  139 

Joralemon  street. 
Peter  L.  Williamson,  Supervisor,  Flatbush. 
T.  C.  Wilmarth,  Police  Captain,  263  Adelphi  st. 
John  A.  Westervelt,  Supervisor,  316  Lorimer  st. 
W.  H.  Whitlock,  Internal  Revenue,  44  Court  st. 
F.  Wrightington,  Supt.,  Navy  Yard,  76  Freeman  st. 
Thos.  H.  York,  Clerk,  County  Court,  151  Willoughby. 

OFFICIALS  OF  CITY  CORPORATIONS. 

Theodore  Cocheu,  Supt.  Cemeteries,  280  Ainslie  st. 

J.  Crandall,  Supt.  Street  Railroads,  1609  Broadway. 

John  Cunningham,  Pres.  Street  Railroads,  264  Van  Brunt. 

W.  H.  Curran,  Superintendent  R.  C.  Cemetery,  Flatbush. 

Whitson  Colyer,  Railroad  Office,  New  Lots. 

C.  W.  Douglass,  Railroad  Supt.,  120  Liberty  st.  (N.  Y.) 


Addenda  to  the  sketch  of  Hon.  Eben  Moody  Boynton,  page  826. 

The  record  of  the  Boynton  family  in  England  begins 
with  Bartholomew  Boynton,  Lord  of  the  Manor  of 
Burton  Acres,  Bryerton,  England,  A.  D.  1014,  and 
continues  uninterruptedly  to  the  present  time. 

Mr.  Boynton's  social  relations  have  been  singularly 
fortunate  and  happy.  His  summer  home  is  on  Pipestave 
Bill,  in  West  Newbury,  Mass.,  overlooking  Newbury- 
port  and  the  lovely  valley  of  the  Merrimac,  whose 
tidal  waters  sweep  the  base  of  the  eminence.  His  par- 
sonage farm  was  once  the  property  of  Caleb  Moody, 
his  ancestor;  and  his  tower  commands  a  view  of  forty 
mountain  peaks,  including  Mt.  Washington.  The  first 
Senator  of  the  United  States  from  Massachusetts  re- 
sided there.  Senator  Dalton,  and  his  brother-in-law, 
Hooper,  entertained  upon  this  hill  many  distinguished 
French  exiles  after  the  French  Revolution,  among 
whom  were  Louis  Phillipe,  afterwards  king  of  France, 
M.  de  Talleyrand,  and  the  young  poet,  Brissot,  who 
here  wrote  his  sketches  of  the  most  beautiful  scenery 
in  New  England. 

Within  a  half  hour's  drive  are  the  birth-places  of 
the  poet  Whittier,  Gov.  Josiah  Bartlett,  Hon.  Caleb 
Cushing,  Win.  Lloyd  Garrison,  Caleb  Moody,  Major 
Ben.  Perley  Poore,  John  Newell,  and  other  distin- 
guish''! men,  while  just  below  on  a  beautiful  island  is 
the  residence  of  Harriet  Prescott  Spofford.  James 
I  'ait  <>n,  the  historian,  resides  a  mile  further  in  New- 
boryport,  opposite  the  old  home  of  Dr.  Tvng.  The 
castellated  house  erected,  and  for  six  years  inhabited 
by  the  British  Minister,  Sir  Edward  Thornton,  looks 


out  from  Laurel  Hill  near  by,  the  property  of  Capt. 
H.  W.  Moulton,  and  his  literary  family. 

Mr.  Boynton  came  to  his  present  place  of  residence 
when  he  was  fourteen  years  old,  to  reside  with  Mrs. 
Susan  Coker,  a  sister  of  Mrs.  General  Peabody,  of 
Newburyport,  who  had  in  her  household  her  nephew, 
George  Peabody,  the  banker,  during  his  early  man- 
hood. The  influence  of  Mrs.  Coker,  and  her  daughter 
Catherine,  was  of  value  to  young  Boynton  in  the  form- 
ative age,  and  when  he  married,  she  gave  him  the 
Peabody  clock  as  a  souvenir  of  the  distinguished 
banker. 

In  1872,  on  May  1st,  Mr.  Boynton  married  Anna 
Bartlett  Gale,  the  only  daughter  of  Dr.  Stephen  M. 
Gale,  of  Newburyport,  connected  through  her  father 
with  the  Bartletts,  Josiah  Bartlett  being  her  great- 
grandfather, and  the  Websters,  on  the  side  of  her 
mother,  Hannah  Whittier  Johnson,  with  the  Johnsons 
and  Whittiers.  She  is  a  lady  of  high  literary  and 
musical  culture,  uniting  these  pursuits  with  domestic 
tastes.  Among  their  friends  are  numbered  some  of 
the  best  people  in  the  land.  Their  union  has  been 
blessed  with  four  promising  daughters.  That  their 
summer  home  is  one  of  rare  beauty  and  happiness,  we 
can  testify  from  personal  knowledge. 

Erratum. — In  the  sketch  of  the  Hon.  E.  M.  Boyn- 
ton, page  826,  third  line  from  the  bottom,  "  Gen. 
George  Thorn  "  should  be  Gen.  George  Thom. 


John  J.  Hardy. — This  well-known  citizen  of  Brooklyn, 
was  born  in  Nottingham,  England,  January  26,  1811, 
and  passed  the  earlier  years  of  his  life  in  the  mother  country. 
Like  so  many  others,  he  determined  to  seek  his  fortunes  in 
in  America,  and  made  Brooklyn  his  place  of  residence.  Mr. 
Hardy  first  married  Miss  Mary  Reek,  who  died  in  1832;  their 
son,  William  T. ,  is  a  resident  of  Brooklyn,  and  has  two  sons, 
William  T.,  Jr.,  and  Winfield  A.  Mr.  Hardy  married,  for  his 
second  wife,  Miss  Anna  Reek  (sister  of  his  former  wife),  but 
she  lived  only  a  few  years.  He  afterward  married  Miss 
Louise  A.  Wykes;  the  result  of  this  union  was  one  daughter, 
Fanny  L.,  who  resides  at  the  homestead  on  3d  avenue.  Some 
time  after  the  death  of  his  wife,  Mr.  Hardy  married  his  pres- 
ent wife,  Emily  Singleton,  who  was  born  in  Nottingham 
also.  Mr.  Hardy's  business  career  has  been  fortunate.  His 
industry  and  integrity  have  brought  prosperity.  In  1851,  he 
established  the  manufacture  of  axle  grease,  on  a  small  scale, 
but  gradually  extended  his  operations  until  the  annual 
product  is  large.  The  manufactory  is  in  South  Brooklyn. 
Mr.  Hardy  is  an  upright  business  man,  somewhat  conserva- 
tive, yet  enterprising,  and  has  the  esteem  and  confidence  of 
those  who  know  him. 


ERRATA. 


Medical  History  of  Kittys  Co. — On  page  415  it  is 
stated  that  Dr.  Beekman  refused  to  ask  pardon  of  Gov. 
Slaughter,  and  was  ultimately  released.  This  is  an 
error.  Beekman  did  ask  pardon,  but  was  not  released 
until  after  the  arrival  of  Slaughter's  successor  to  the 
Governorship.  F.  B.  G. 


William  Maltltews. — The  name  of  this  gentleman 
occurring  in  the  history  of  Flatbush  (page  235),  and 
also  in  connection  with  the  mention  of  the  Episcopal 
Church  in  that  village,  should  be  spelt  with  two  "<V 


GENERAL  INDEX 

TO 

HISTORY   OF   KINGS  COUNTY. 


A.  PAGE 

Addenda  821,  1391 

Academy  of  Design,  The  505,  1143 

of  Music   486 

Agricidtural  Capabilities  of  L.  I. .  38 
Amateur  Dramatic  Associations 

OF  B'KLYN   1162 

Ambulance  Service,  The  Hosp. .  .566,  567 

American  Legion  of  Honor   1350 

Anglo  American  Dry  Docks   641 

Annex  Ferry  Boats,  The   513 

Ansonia  Clock  Co   515 

Architects,  Builders,  and  Real 

Estate  Agents  of  B'klyn  829-864 

Armories  509,  510,  511,  512 

Art  in  Brooklyn   1137 

Association,  The  Brooklyn   1140 

Clubs  of  Brooklyn,  The   1145 

Products   816 

Artists  in  Brooklyn   1168 

Arts,  the  Fine,  in  B'klyn  1137,  1161 

Assessments  and  Collections,  Dept. 

of  Internal  Revenue   869 

Asylums  and  Industrial  Schools..  618 
Athletic  Clubs,  See  Associations. 

Atlantic  ave.  R.R   421 

Docks,  The   636 

Harbor  Co.,  The   823 

Insurance  Co   515 

Attendance  Schools   618 

Authors  in  Kings  Co.  and  B'klyn.  1313 
Autographs : 

Antonides,  Rev.  V   335 

Baxter,  Geo   164 

Cortelyou,  Jacques   257 

De  Beauvois,  Carel   409 

De  Sille,  Nicasius   258 

Hainelle,  Michael   224 

Hegeman,  Adrian   220 

Hubbard,  James   164 

Indian   187 

Janse,  Dirck   223 

Lot,  Peter   218 

Moody,  Henry   158 

Pietersen,  Leffert   217 

Reycke,  Hendrick   217 

Reyerse,  Adrian   218 

Selyns,  Rev.  Henry    331 

Schenck,  Johannes,  Jr   324 

Snedicor,  Jan   220 

Strycker,  Jacob   22") 

Jan    217 

Suebringh,  Jan   220 

Tilton,  John   164 

Van  Barkelloo,  W.  Jaasen   262 

Vanderbilt,  Jan  Aertsen   222 

Vanderveer,  Cornelis  Janse. . .  217 

Van  Duyn,  Genet  Cornelisen.  262 

Van  Salee,  Anth.  Jansen   158 

Van  Wyck,  Cornelis  Barent . . .  254 
Associations.    (Clubs,  Societies.) 
See  also  Histories  of  Towns. 

Alcyone  Boat  Club   1340 

Amateur  Dramatic   1312 

Pioneer  Photo.  Club.  1313 

Apollo  Club,  The   1310 

Art  Guild,  The  Brooklyn   1309 


Associations.  page 

Astronomical,  The  American.  1307 

Athletic  Clubs  of  New  Lots. .  316 

Atlantic  Base  Ball  Club   1341 

Yacht  Club   1339 

Audubon  Gun  Club   1338 

Brooklyn  Amateur  Base  Ball 

Assoc   1342 

Brooklyn  Art  Guild   1309 

Club  500,  1307 

Gun  Club   1337 

Institute,  The   1301 

Lyceum   1302 

Women's  Club   1310 

Yacht  Club   1339 

Bryant  Literary  Soc,  The   1306 

Burns,  The   1312 

B'klynites,  The  Soc.  of  Old.  .515, 1311 

Bowling  Clubs  of  New  Lots. . .  316 

Caledonian,  The   1312 

Capitoline,  The   489 

Carleton,  The   1308 

Clinton  Club,  The   1308 

Columbia  Boat  Club   1340 

Coney  Island  Rod  &  Gun  Club  1338 

Constitution  Club,  The   1309 

Crescent  Literary  Soc,  The. . .  1313 

Dramatic  (Amateur)  Assoc   1312 

Durer  Club,  The   1309 

East  Brooklyn  Y.  M.  Assoc. . .  1101 

East  River  Yacht  Club   1339 

Eckford  Base  Ball  Club   1341 

Eclectic  Club,  The   1309 

Empire  Club,  The   1308 

Entomological  Soc.  The  Bklyn  1307 

Everett  Lit.  Assoc.,  The   1306 

Excelsior  Club,  The   1307 

Base  Ball  Club    1341 

Faust  Club,  The   1309 

Fleetwood  Yachting  Club   316 

Fountain  Gun  Club   1337 

Franklin  Literary  Soc   1305 

German  Evan.  Aid  Soc   1101 

Gilbert  Dramatic  Assoc   1312 

Glenmore  Rod  &  Gun  Club,  316, 1339 

Hamilton  Club,  The  518, 1308 

Literary  Assoc   1304 

Heights  Wheelmen   1340 

Hist.  Soc,  The  L.  I.  .40,  514,  516, 1304 

Kings  Co.  Club,  The   1307 

Kings  Co.  Wheelmen   1340 

Lincoln  Club,  The   1308 

Lyceum,  The  Brooklyn   1302 

Long  Island  Forester  Club   1339 

Historical  Soc.  .40,  1304 

Life  Sav'gAss'n.  1340 

Shooting  Club. . .  1336 

Yacht  Club   1339 

Lincoln  Club,  The   1308 

Mechanics'  and  Traders'  Ex. . .  1313 

Microscopical.  The  B.  Club.. . .  1307 

Nereid  Boat  Club   1340 

New  England  Society  515,  1311 

New  York  Arbroath  Assoc —  1311 

New  Lots  Yacht  Club   316 

Old  Brooklynites,  Soc.  of .  .515,  1311 
Oxford  Club,  The  515,  1308 


Associations.  page 

Paul  Morphy  Chess  Club   1308 

Philomathean  Soc,  The   1306 

Phoenix  Gun  Club   1336 

Pioneer  Boat  Club   1340 

Polytechnic  Debating  Soc   1306 

Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Ani- 
mals, Soc.  for   503 

Prevention  of  Cruelty  to  Chil- 
dren, Soc.  for  .    515 

Rembrandt  Club,  The   1309 

Robins  Island  Club   1339 

Sangerbund,  The  Brooklyn. . .  1312 

Seawanhaka  Boat  Club   1340 

Sketch  Club.  The   1140 

St.  Nicholas  Soc.  of  Nassau  I'd  1311 

St.  Patrick's  Soc.  of  B'klvn. . .  1311 

Students'  Guild,  The   1309 

Tupper  Literary  Soc   1306 

Turn  Yereins  von  B.  (E.  D.). .  1340 

Twilight  Club,  The   1309 

Union  for  Christian  Work   1101 

Union  Club,  The   130N 

Varuna  Boat  Club   1340 

Washington  Gun  Club   1338 

Weber  Quartette.  The   1312 

Williamsbgh.  Athletic  Club..  1340 

Yacht  Club  . . .  1339 

Windsor  Club,  The   1308 

W<  man's  Club.  The   1310 

Young  Men's  Christian  Assoc.  526 

B 

Baby  Carriages   1373 

Banking  and  Insurance  619-632 

Bakers.    (See  Dealers). 
Banks. 

Atlantic  State   620 

Banking  and  Insurance   619 

Banks  of  Deposit   619 

Bank  of  Williamsburgh,  The,  620 

Brooklyn  Bank    513 

Guar,  and  T.  Co. . . .  511 

Savings  Bank   620 

Trust  Co   627 

Bush  wick  Savings   625 

Central   509 

City,  of  Williamsburgh   303 

Commercial   624 

Dime  Savings   626 

of  W'msburgh. .  623 

East  Brooklyn  Savings   624 

East  N.  Y.  Savings   318 

Farmers'  &  Citizens,  of  L.I.,  303,  622 

First  National   626 

Fulton,  of  Brooklyn   624 

Germania  Savings   623 

German  Saviogs   623 

Greenpoint  Savings   624 

Guar,  and  T.  Co.,  The  B'klvn,  511 

Home  Trust  of  Vol.  of  B'klyn.  439 

Kings  Co.  Savings   622 

Long  Island  Savings. . .  .513,  619,  627 

Manufacturers',  of  N.  Y   622 

Mechanics'  488,  510,  625 

Mechanic  '.  of  Williamsburgh.  303 

Nat.  of  W'msb'gh .  303 


1396 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Banks.  page 

Mechanics'  Savings   510 

Mechanics'  and  Traders'   626 

Nassau  National   622 

National,  City   621 

Savings  Banks   619 

South  B'klyn  Savings   621 

Sprague  National  520,  627 

Trust  Co.,  The  B'klyn  510,  019 

Williamsburgh  Savings   621 

Bank   620 

Bar,  The  Present  Kings  Co   1269 

Base  Ball  Clubs.   (See  Assoc'ns). 

Baths.  (See  Coney  Island)  1361,  1392 

Bay  Ridge.  (See  New  Utrecht). 
Bench  and  Bar  of  B'klyn — 1214-1299 
Kings  Co  .  .  338-369 
Beneficent  and  Social  Organiza- 
tions, History  of   1346 

Beneficent  and  Social  Organi- 
zations, History  of  1346,  1357 

Biographies,  Legal  346,  1275 

Biographies  and  Biographical 
Notices. 

Abbott,  Benj.  V   1242 

Abraham,  Mr   1363 

Adams,  Col.  Julius  W   1325 

Adams.  Rev.  Thomas   1058 

Ager,  Rev.  J.  C   1090 

Albani   1135 

Ambrose,  Daniel,  M.D   658 

Ammann,  Rev.  J.  J   1057 

Amnierman,  Albert   510a 

Anderson,  John  D  838-839 

Andersen,  Rev.  Rasmus   1085 

Augell,  Robert  H   1179 

Armor,  Dr.  S.  Q   892 

Arnold,  Rev.  Anthony   1057 

Aspinwall,  Rev.  J.  A   1012 

Aten,  Dr.  Henrv  F   920 

Ayers,  Dr.  Daniel   892 

Baird,  Andrew  D   805 

Bacchus,  Rev,  John  G   1012 

Backus,  Prof.  Truman  J   952 

Baker,  Rev.  Chas.  R   1005 

Dr.  Geo.  W   920 

Dr.  Jennie  Van  H   920 

Dr.  Richard  C   920 

Baldwin,  Rev.  J.  A   1074 

Barberin,  Dr.  John  J   417 

Barker,  Dr.  John   907 

Israel  A     1099 

Barnard,  Daniel  P   1243 

Barnes,  Gen.  A.  C  878-880 

A.  S   740 

Hon.  Demas   1172 

Barney  Nathan  825a,  826a,  827a 

Barnhart,  Rev.  J.  W   1042 

Barnitz,  Rev.  M.  C.  R   1044 

Bartlett,  Dr.  Homer  L   896 

Bartow,  Edgar  John   1003 

Bass,  Rev.  J.  G   1038 

Bates,  Rev.  E.  0   1042 

Bauer,  Paul   198 

Bayles,  Dr.  Havens  B   920 

Bayliss,  Rev.  Samuel   1098 

Beard,  Svlvester  M   802 

William   639 

Bedell,  Chester   855-856 

Beecher,  Rev.  H.  W.  .1019,  1020, 1316 

Beekman,  Abraham  J   626 

Dr.  Gerard  us   414 

Beliman.  Louis  C   1165 

Behrends,  Rev.  A.  J.  F   1024 

Behringor.  Rev.  Geo.  F   1085 

Bell,  Dr.  A.  N   893 

Benedict,  Rev.  B.  G   1074 

H-n-l.-ss,  I.Vs    ,J.  I)   10M3 

hennett,  l>r.  <  'lias.  L   920 

Ruloff  R   13H9 

Bergen,  Jacob  1   1260 

John  H   1248 

Hon.  Tennis  G  267,  516 

Tunis  G   1286 


Biographies.  page 

Bergen,  Van  Brunt   590 

Beyer,  Rev.  J.  P     1086 

Bigelow,  Rev.  J.  F   1083 

Binns,  James  820-821 

Birch,  Geo.  L   1170 

Birdsall,  Dr.  S.  T   916 

Birdseye,  Lucien  E   1281 

Bishop,  Mrs.  Anna   1128 

Black,  Albert   940 

Blackford,  Eugene  G   966 

Blakeman,  Rev.  W.  C.    1044 

Bliss,  Neziah   513 

Boerum,  Henry   290 

Bonnel,  Dr.  Chas.  L   920 

Booth,  Samuel   500 

Bossert,  Louis   1383 

Bowdish,  Rev.  W.  W   1034 

Bowne,  Samuel   439 

Rodman   439 

Boyle,  Fred.  T.  Lee   1147 

Boynton,  Ebon  M  825-828 

Mrs   1394 

Braham,  Mr   1127 

Brandt,  Geo.  W   841 

Brasher,  Hon.  Philip   1215 

Breed,  Rev.  Joseph  B   1082 

Brevoort,  J.  C   1320 

Brick,  Joseph  K   807 

Bridge,  Col.  Chas.  E   753 

Martin  K   942 

Rev.  W.  J   1074 

Britton,  Winchester   1280 

Broach,  John   304 

Bromley,  Rev.  Henry. .    1082 

Brough,  Wm.  Francis   1127 

Brown,  Geo.  W  839-840 

Wm.  K   940 

Wm.  M  1149,  1168 

Brush,  Conklin   153 

Bryant,  Dr.  Joel   907 

Budington,  Rev.AV.  I.,  515, 1022, 1023 

Bulklev,  Edwin   880 

Bunker,  Dr.  E.  S   903 

Bunn,  Rev.  Albert  C   1000 

Burch,  Robert  A   1189 

Burnett,  Edwin  H  856-857 

S.  0   1380 

Bun-ell,  F.  A.  M   781 

Burroughs,  Claude   1121 

H.  F   835 

Burrows,  Jr..  Chester  D   864 

Burt,  Rev.  Wm   1044 

Byers,  Joseph  J   1375 

Byrne,  Dr.  John   934 

Cabbie,  The  Bros   695 

Edward   695 

Elijah   696 

Callen,  Rev.  J.  H   1074 

Camp.  Rev.  Stephen  H   1087 

Campbell,  Dr.  Alice  B   920 

Hon.  Felix   415a 

Rev.  LB   1012 

Joseph  W   842 

Canfield,  Rev.  A.  J   1088 

Carlisle,  W.  S   1866 

Carpenter,  John  0   1390 

Carroll,  Rev.  M   1056 

Carter,  Rev.  Frederick  B   1007 

Catlin,  Isaac  S   1254 

Chad  wick,  Rev.  J.  W   1087 

Chamberlain.  Dr.  L.  T   1070 

Chanfrau.  Mr   1110 

Chapin.  Dr.  Edward   920 

Chapman,  Isaac  F    061 

Rev.  E.  M   1089 

Chappell,  Alonzo   1146 

Christian,  H.  S   835 

Chaun<  «'\  .  Daniel  519,  625 

Claghorn,  Chas  960,  901 

Clark,  James  B   1251 

Kate  Upson   1315 

Clement.  Nathaniel  H   1236 

Clussman,  Dr.  Samuel  A   417 


Biographies.  page 

Coffin,  Timothy   300 

Coger,  Geo.  W   1381 

Collingwood,  Francis   460 

Collins,  Geo.  J   527 

Conroy,  Dr.  Wm.  E   920 

Conselyea,  Hon.  Wm   290 

Cook,  Rev.  J.  B   1090 

Cookman,  Rev.  John  E   1041 

Cooper,  George  A   941 

Nicholas   861 

Corner,  Rev.  C.  P   1042 

Copeland,  Edward   152 

Cort,  Dr.  Lottie  A   921 

Cocks,  John  D   518 

Crandall,  Jesse  A   1372 

Creamer,  Wm.  G   692 

Creed,  Dr.  Wm.  D   417 

Crefield,  Dr.  Richard   1168 

Crittenden,  Alonzo   519 

Crooke,  Gen.  Philip  S   358 

Crowe,  Rev.  S.  J   1073 

Cullen,  Edgar  M   1253 

Cuvler,  Rev.  Theo.  L   1067 

Daegener,  Rev.  H   1086 

Daggett,  Hon.  Albert   1334 

Dailey,  Abraham  H   1244 

Dakin,  Maj.-Gen.  Thos.  S..514,  1206 

Dana,  Francis  E   1297 

Darling,  Dr.  Orlando  G   921 

Darlington,  Rev.  James  H   1010 

Davenport,  Julius   862 

Dawson,  Rodman  B   1249 

Dean,  James   1365 

De  Bevoise,  John   128 

Robert   128 

De  La  Vergne,  Dr.  E   921 

Delmar,  John   370 

Dennis,  Charles   660 

Deverell,  Thos  R   1377 

De  Witt.  Wm.  C   1244 

Dick,  William   672 

Dikeman,  Hon.  John  359,  515 

Diller,  Rev.  Jacob  W   1001 

Dixon,  Rev.  Wm.  T   1082 

Doherty,  John  848-849 

Doughty,  John   114 

Douglass,  Maj.  David  B   1324 

Rev.  F.  A   1082 

Dower,  Dr.  Andrew  J   921 

Driggs,  Edmund   512a 

Du  Bois,  Dr.  Francis  H  418,  888 

Dr.  J.  E   888 

Ithamar   792 

Rev.  Dr.  Anson   64 

Dudlev,  Dr.  W.  H   932 

Du  Flbn,  John  F.  L....   125 

Duryea,  Harmanus  B   1233 

Samuel  B   1233 

Duryee.  Jacob   527 

Eadie,  James  C   860 

Eaton,  Asahel  K   1328 

Eddy,  Geo.  M  794-795 

Edwin,  Mr   1127 

Elliott,  Charles  B   371 

Dr.  Joseph  B   921 

Elwell.  James  W   656 

Engeman,  Wm.  A   204 

Enos,  Dr.  De  Witt  C   889 

Entwistle,  Mrs   1108 

Esehmanu,  Rev.  John   1090 

Kulner.  K'ev.  I,   1074 

Everet  Family,  the   123 

Richard                    ..  124 

Thomas,  Sr   123 

Thomas,  Jr   124 

William   124 

Farley,  Rev.  F.  A   1087 

Fanner,  Aaron  1)   883 

Feltman,  Charles   199 

Field,  Thos.  W   1321 

Fingleton  Bros   732 

Finklemeier.  Louis   1387 

Firth,  Dr.  Henry  S   921 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


1397 


Biographies — Continued.  page 

Firth,  Dr.  Lamhson  B   921 

Fiske,  Dr.  Wm.  M.  L  909-910 

Fisher,  Francis  B.,  Justice   519 

Geo.  H   1249 

Fleet  Family,  the   133 

Samuel   133 

Ford,  Dr.  Nathaniel   921 

Foord,  John   1179 

Foote,  Rev.  L.  R   1069 

Forrester,  G.  B   757 

Fowler,  Dr.  Geo.  R   902 

Fraim,  Dr.  Geo.  W   946 

Freel,  Edward   843 

Freeman,  Rev.  Bamardus. . . .  335 

Frey,  Rev.  A.  E   1085 

Frost,  John  S  843-844 

Fulton,  Rev.  J.  D    1079 

Furman,  William   108 

Gabriel   349 

Gaegan,  Rev.  Chas.  F   1060 

Gallagher,  Bernard   838 

Garside,  Dr.  W.  B   921 

Garrison,  John   115 

Gaylor,  Wm.  H   580 

Gessler,  Rev.  T.  A.  K   1077 

Giberson,  Dr.  Chas.  H   890 

Gilbert,  Hon.  Jasper  W   1275 

Rev.  Lyman   1074 

Gilfillan,  Dr.  George.. .  .514,  888,  889 

Gill,  Robinson   804 

Gillette,  Dr.  Fidelio  B   921 

Gillmore,  Gen.  Q.  A   1207 

Gleason,  Rev.  Anson   1027 

Gleavy,  Dr.  John  J   921 

Good,  John   723 

Goodrich,  Dr.  Chas.  S    889 

W.  W   1249 

Gorton,  Dr.  David  A  914-915 

Gray,  Dr.  Landon  C   924 

Green,  Dr.  Frank  B   414 

Greenwood,  Hon.  John   1213 

Griggs,  Dr.  Stephen  C   921 

Griswold,  Dr.  Chas.  E   921 

Groves,  Samuel   302 

Gunnison,  Rev.  Almon   1088 

Guttenberg,  Fred   1371 

Hainer,  Rev.  E.  A   1090 

Hall,  Rev.  Chas.  H   1003 

George  146-147 

Rev.  Geo.  A   1044 

Halliday,  Rev.  S.  B   1021 

Hallam,  Dr.  Albert  C   921 

Hanford,  Dr.  Wm.  H    921 

Dr.  Samuel  C   921 

Hardy,  John  J   1394 

Harkness,  William   1379 

Harreys,  Chas.  W   949 

Harrison,  Col.  Andrew   1345 

Gabriel   1151 

John   1369 

Hart,  William   1145 

Hasbrouck,  Dr.  Everitt   921 

Haskins,  Rev.  S.  M  1007-1009 

Hatton,  Rev.  M.  J   1058 

Hausleen,  Rev.  C   1086 

Haviland,  A.  and  S   1370 

Hayes,  Catherine   1128 

Haynes,  Rev.  E.  J   1078 

Hazzard,  William  H   591 

Heenev,  Cornelius   990 

Hehr,  Rev.  J.  G   1074 

Heischmann,  Rev.  J.  J   1084 

Herr,  Frederick  847-848 

Herries,  William   1188 

Hester,  Col.  William   1187 

Hewlett.  Mr   1107 

Hicks,  Jacob   120 

Hinkley,  Miss   1132 

Hirsh,  Hugo   1250 

Hobbs,  Edward  H   1285 

Hoffmann,  Rev.  J.  P   1056 

Hogan,  Timothv   666 

Holmes,  David  "S   1192 


Biographies.  page 

Holton,  F.  H   774 

Hopkins,  Dr.  Geo.  G   893 

Hopper,  J.  M   1389 

Horsfield,  Israel   123 

Timothy   123 

Howell,  Hon.  James   513 

Hubbard,  Rev.  W.  C   1004 

Dr.  Fred.  H   921 

Hughes,  Rev.  D.  C   1082 

Hulbert,  Henry  C  881-883 

Hull,  Dr.  A.  C    906 

Hulst,  Rev.  Geo.  D.  .i   996 

Humphreys,  A.  W  515a,  L392 

Humphries,  Rev.  E   1044 

Humpstone,  Rev.  John   1081 

Hunt,  Dr.  J.  G.  T   418 

Hunter,  Hon.  John  W   511 

Hutchins,  Dr.  Alex   896 

Hutchison,  Dr.  Joseph  C   894 

Dr.  N.  G   890 

Hyde,  Dr.  Joel  W   924 

Ingersoll,  Rev.  Edward  P.. 995,  1026 

Rev.  Wm.  H   1027 

Irvine,  Wm.  &  Co   1367 

Isaacs,  Dr.  Chas.  E   889 

Jackson,  Samuel. . .    127 

Jacobi,  Dr.  August   922 

James,  Hon.  Darwin  R   416a 

Jan  de  Swede   273 

Jenks,  Grenville  T  350,  509 

Jennings,  A.  G  808-809 

Ephraim  J   768 

Jensen,  Thomas  M   1150 

Jewett,  Dr.  Chas   892 

Johns,  Rev.  John   1042 

Johnson,  Jesse                     .  1251 

Jeremiah,  Gen   147 

Jr   1099 

Hon.  Samuel  E   509 

Johnston  Bros   1368 

Wm   1367 

Jones,  Rev.  Robt.  W   1038 

S.  B   1363 

Joralemon,  Tunis   132 

Jordan,  F.  B   1373 

Kalbfleisch,  Hon.  Martin   504 

Keegan,  Very  Rev.  William. .  1046 

Keep,  Dr.  John  Lester   909 

Kelley,  Rev.  Wm.  V   1034 

Kellogg,  Clara  Louise   1133 

Kelsay,  Rev.  R.  B   1080 

Ketcham,  Enoch   702 

Isaac  A   828a 

Kiely,  Rev.  J.  M   1057 

Kiernan,  Hon.  John  J   418a 

Kilner,  Thos   1107 

Kimberly,  Gideon   127 

King,  Michael   1192 

Kingsley,  Hon.  William  C.  .461-463a 

Kinsella,  Hon.  Thomas   1185 

Kirk,  Thos   1169 

Kissam,  Brewster   1296 

Knapp,  Rev.  H.  W    1082 

Kramer,  Rev.  Geo.  R   1090 

Lachner.  John  A   1383 

Lahey,  Thos.  M   940 

Laimbeer,  Richard  H   652 

Lambert,  Hon.  Edward  A. . . .  154 

Lander.  Benjamin   1150 

Lansing,  Rev.  John  A   998 

Lauer,  Richard   940 

Lawson.  Rev.  A.  G   1078 

Lazell.  Lewis  T  885-886 

Leary,  James  D   798 

Lee,  John  840-841 

Lefferts,  Hon.  John   1299 

Leigh,  C.  C   1378 

Lincoln,  Geo.  Burt   866 

Littlejohn,  Rt.  Rev.  A.  N   1012 

Livingston,  Walter  L   1289 

Lockitt,  Charles   1371 

George   1367 

Loeser,  Frederick  514,  1104,  1363 


Biographies.  PAGE 

Loomis,  John  S   736 

Loring,  Rev.  Henry  H   1012 

Lott,  Hon.  John  A  352,  514 

Loughlin,  Rev.  John   1059 

Loveridge,  Clinton   1168 

Low,  Abiel  A   646 

Seth  513a,  520 

Seth,  Hon   516 

Lowe,  Rev.  Peter   336 

Lowrey,  Charles  J   355 

Lublin,  Isaac   1249 

Ludlow,  Rev.  James  M   1067 

Ludlam,  Silas   1325 

Lung,  Dr.  Jesse  B   922 

Lynch,  Benj.  T  850-851 

Lyon,  Hon.  Wm.  H   874-876 

McCabe,  Daniel     849 

Rev.  E.  J   1056 

McChesney.  James   662 

McCue,  Alex  1234-1235 

McCullagh,  Rev.  A   1069 

McDonald,  W.  H   1377 

Mcllvaine,  Chas.  H   1192 

McKane,  John  Y   209 

McKeon,  John  S   1388 

McKinney,  Dr.  Susan  S   922 

Rev.  W.  G   1012 

McLean,  Andrew   11H8 

McLeer,  Col.  Jas  514,867-869 

McNamara,  Rev.  J.  V   1060 

Rev  P.  J   1055 

McNamee,  Rev.  J.  F   1060 

•  McNulty,  Geo.  W   460 

Macdowell,  Rev.  W.  J   1073 

Mairs,  Wm.  H   727 

Malone,  Dr.  Edward   922 

Rev.  Sylvester   1050 

Mann,  Dr.  C.  S   904a 

Dr.  Edward  C   903a 

Markham,  Charles  C   1149 

Marlow.  Wm.,  Jr   1380 

Marston,  Wm.  H  1383-1385 

Martin,  C.  C   460 

Rev.  Wm.  M   1074 

Marvin,  C.  A   949 

Rev.  Dan,  Jr   1012 

Mason,  Rev.  Alfred  De  W   998 

Matthews,  Azel  D   1098 

Mathewson.  Dr.  Arthur. . .  .893,  904a 

Maujer,  Daniel   518 

May,  Rev.  Michael   1054 

Maynard,  Rev.  Newland   1010 

Meeker,  Samuel  M  302,  1249 

Melmoth,  Mrs.  Charlotte   131 

Merwin,  Rev.  J.  B   1033 

Meserole  Fam.  of  Bush.,  The,  271.273 

Gen.  J.  V   1326 

Meyenborg,  Henry  A   1249 

Meyer,  Julius  E   1333 

Millard,  A.  Orville   1297 

Miller,  Benj.  C   855 

Dr.  Francis   323 

Fam.  of  Bush.,  The.. ..  272 

James  E   941 

Mrs.  Olive  Thome   1315 

Rev.  D.  H   1081 

Samuel  B   970 

Minton,  Dr.  Henry   922 

Mitchell,  Dr.  C.  L   932 

Moffat,  Dr.  John  L   922 

Montressor,  Sig.  Charles   1127 

Moody,  Leonard   859 

Mcore,  Henrv  A   1252 

Moort,  Rev.  Paulus   1012 

Morehouse,  Rev.  H.  L   1062 

Morrill,  Dr.  H.  E   907 

Morris,  Hon.  Samuel  D   1236 

John  R   1098 

S.  D   1236 

Morse,  Nathan  B   1251 

Rev.  F.  R   1078 

Mortensen,  Rev.  Andreas.  . . .  1086 

Morton,  John   836 


1398 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Biographies— Continued.  page 

Moser,  Joseph   116 

Mudge,  Charles  C  520,  1098 

Murdock,  Henrv  S   1121 

James  E   1111 

Murphv,  Hon.  Henry  C,  149,  300, 518 

Murtha,  Hon.  W.  H   562 

Navarro,  Rafael   1393 

Neilson,  Hon.  Joseph   1216 

Nelson,  Rev.  Thomas  A   1071 

Newman,  J.  W   1389 

Nichols,  Squire   117 

John  A   1297 

Nicot,  Louis  E   940 

Noble,  Rev.  Franklin   1027 

Norris,  Dr.  Thomas  P   899 

North,  Dr.  Nelson  L    922 

Northall,  Dr.  Wm.  K   1111 

Northcote,  James    1150 

Oakey,  Hon.  John   1299 

O'Beirne,  Rev.  James   1054 

O'Brien,  J   1363 

P.  F  842-843 

O'Donohue,  Joseph  J   663 

Olcott,  Dr.  Cornelius   897 

O'Reillv,  Rev.  T.  S   1058 

O'Rourke,  John  H  846-847 

Ormiston,  Dr.  Robert   922 

Orr,  Alexander  E    648 

Osborne,  Dr.  Samuel   408 

Ostrander,  Dr.  Ferd.  W   904 

Owen,  Dr.  Edward  W   922 

Packer,  Wm.  S  952-953 

Paine,  W.  H   469 

Palmer,  Dr.  Warren  B   9»2 

Noyes  G   1327 

Parker,  John  A   1148 

Parmentier,  Andre   135 

Parodi   1129 

Parsons,  Rev.  B   1074 

Samuel  L   1099 

Pardee,  Dr.  Ward  C   922 

Partridge,  Rev.  Alfred  H...520,  1009 

Col.  J.  N   577 

Patchin,  Jacob   114 

Patterson,  Rev.  Charles  J   1250 

Peace,  Harvey  W   700 

Pearce,  Hosea  O   745 

Henry  O   746 

Pearsall,  G.  Frank  E   1167 

Thos.  E   1253 

Peed,  Charles  N   1360 

Peck,  Rev.  J.  O   1037 

Dr.  E.  F   40a 

Peloubet,  Seymour  S   1255 

Pendleton,  Dr.  Edward   922 

Pentecost,  Rev.  Geo.  F.    1028 

Perry,  A.  J   1293a 

John  C   1238 

Joseph  A   606 

Rev.  R.  L   1082 

Timothy   1290 

Peters,  Bernard   1177 

Phelps,  E.  D   1391 

Phillips,  Dr.  Geo.  S   940 

Rev.  W.  L   1036 

Piercy,  Henry  R   1099 

Pierrepont,  Hezekiah  B   129 

Henry  E   443 

Pierson,  Wm.  M   1099 

Pike,  Col.  Nicholas   1327 

Pilcher,  Dr.  l^ewis  S   893 

Pinto,  (ien.  Francis  E   653 

Polhemus,  H.  D   632 

Porter,  Rev.  Elbert  S  994,  995 

Rev.  James   1044 

Powell,  Samuel  S  485,514 

Powers,  George,  Sr   13-1 

Praa,  Capt.  Peter   274 

Pratt,  Hon.  Calvin  E   1277 

Preston,  Dr.  H.  G   1392 

Wm.  Irvino   829a 

Prout,  Dr.  Jonathan  S  893,  922 

Pryor,  Roger  A   1245 


Biograpliies.  page 

Pullman,  Rev.  Joseph   1036 

Purdy,  Wm.  S   1389 

Pyne,  Louisa   1129 

Randolph,  Dr.  Wm.  H   922 

Rapalje,  Williamson   319 

Rapelye,  Jacob   859 

Rappelvea,  Jeremiah  J   886 

Rappold,  Dr.  Julius  C   922 

Raymond,  Dr.  Joseph  H   923 

Reed,  Rev.  Geo.  C   1038 

Reeve,  Rev.  B.  F   1032 

Reid,  Rev.  Wm   1079 

Reynolds,  Chas.  H   1385 

Geo.  G  1235-1236 

Rev.  Joseph   1012 

Rhodes,  Rev.  C   1081 

Richardson,  Lemuel   399 

Leonard   713 

Riddle,  Miss   1108 

Ridgway,  James  W   1254 

Ridley,  Edward   210 

Riplev,  Henrv  E   392 

Ritchie,  A.  H   1149 

Rivers,  Charles  H  961-962 

Robbing,  Amos   1103 

Eli   1102 

Daniel  C   884 

Roberts,  Mr   1107 

Rev.  C.  G   1083 

Robinson,  Jeremiah  P   637 

Mr   1106 

Robinson,  Hon.  William  E. . .  1190 

Rockwell,  Dr.  Frank  W   923 

Hon.  William   354 

J.  S   780 

Rodell,  Rev.  Albert   1086 

Rodwell,  James   841 

Roebling,  John  A  458,  506 

Col.  Washington  A. ,  458 

Roehr,  Col.  Henry  E   1175 

Rolfe,  John  P   1250 

Rome,  Andrew  H   1192 

John    844 

Rosa,  Parepa   1135 

Ross.  Dr.  John  H   923 

Rothschild,  J   1388 

Rowe,  Geo.  H    1191 

Rueger,  Julius   1168 

Runcie,  John  T   608 

Rushmore,  Dr.  J.  D   904a 

Russell,  Henry   1127 

Rutan,  Thomas  B   843 

Sabin,  Joseph   1323 

Sackett,  Grenville  A   1313 

Samuel   116 

Sackman,  H.  E   1376 

Sands,  Comfort   119 

Joshua   120 

Sangster,  Margaret  E   1316 

Saxtan,  Daniel  Y   688 

Schade,  Henry   1372 

Schenck,  Isaac  C   324 

James   1344 

Rev.  Noah  H   1000 

Schieren,  Charles  A    781 

Schroeder  Frederick  A   512 

Schoonmaker,  Rev.  M   336 

Schurig,  ( Charles..    520 

Scott,  John   942 

J.  R   1110 

Rufus  L   1291 

Scudder,  Rev.  Henry  M   1024 

Searle,  Dr.  Win.  S   923 

Seguin.  Mr.  and  Mrs   1127 

Sell/,  Nicholas  and  Michael..  772 

Seelig,  M.  J  816-817 

Selleck,  Rev.  A.  F   1044 

Selyns,  Rev.  Henry  880-881 

Shannon.  Pichard   1885 

Shearman.  Thos.  G   1239 

Slicchy,  Pev.  I).  J   10.-.S 

Sheldon,  Henrv   514a 

Sheppard.  Warren  \V    1108 


Biographies.  page 

Sidebotham,  Thos.  B   1191 

Silliman,  Augustus  E   1 331 

B.  D.,  1229, 1230,  1231,  1232 

Simmons,  Dr.  Daniel   923 

Rev.  1   1044 

Sizer,  Nelson  1330-1331 

Skene,  Dr.  Alex.  J.  C   892 

Skinner,  David  S  948,  949 

Dr.  Salmon  947,  1392 

Smith,  Andrew  A   1098 

Cyrus  P  149,  355 

Dr.  D.  D   907 

Edward   789 

Samuel   152 

Thos.  C   765 

Dr.  Thos.  L   904 

Snedeker.  Elbert   838 

Snively.  Rev.  Wm.  A   1003 

Snowden,  Rev.  Robt.  B   1012 

Somers  Brothers,  The   702 

Sou  tag   1128 

Soper,  Abram  D   301 

Speir,  Dr.  Samuel  Fleet   894 

Robert   832a 

Spencer,  Dr.  Wm.  E   923 

Spiller,  Mr     1107 

Spicer,  Elihu,  Jr   663 

Spooner  Family,  The   1 169 

Col.  Alden   1169 

Alden  J  356,516 

Sprague,  Joseph   149 

William  E   579 

Stearns,  John  M  279,  292,  1295 

Stegman,  Lewis  R   369 

Stevens,  Rev.  C.  Ellis   1011 

Stevenson,  Stephen   1367 

Stevhens,  Dr.  Anna   923 

St.  Clair,  Dr.  R.  Wallace   923 

St.  John,  Rev.  0   1074 

Stiles,  Dr.  Henry  R   1318 

Dr.  R.  Cresson   889 

Dr.  S.  Edward   923 

Stillwell,  Wm.  H   212 

Stine,  J.  R   781 

Stockwell,  Rev.  A.  P  156,  998 

Storer,  Samuel  L   970 

Storrs,  Charles   1158 

Rev.  Richard  S. ..  .1016-1017 

Stranahan.  Hon.  J.  S.  T   598 

Stringham,  Admiral  S.  H   512 

Strong,  Rev.  R.  G   998 

Stryker,  Francis  B   150 

Burdett     109 

Stuart,  Dr.  Francis  H   923 

Sullivan,  Dr.  John  D   923 

Sumner,  Dr.  A.  E  518,  912 

Wm.  0   861 

Suydain.  Hon.  Adrian  M   291 

Swalm,  Dr.  Wm.  F   923 

Swertcope,  John  V   117 

Swift,  Gen.  Joseph  G   1324 

Syme,  Rev.  David     1074 

Taafe,  Rev.  James   1054 

Talmadge.  Thomas  G   150 

Talmage.  Dr.  John  F   916 

Dr.  Samuel   923 

Rev.  T.  De Witt.  .1062-1003 

Tanner,  James   521 

Tate.  Augustus  C    877 

Taylor,  Rev.  C.  W   1074 

James  A   686 

John  A    1247 

Rev.  Jere.  B   1082 

William   685 

William  R   679 

Templeton,  Mr   1127 

Terhune.  Dr.  Jas.  J   923 

Terrv.  Edmund   I2»2 

Teves,  Fred.  E   1386 

Thallon,  Dr.  Win  M   923 

Thomas.  Pev.  J.  B   1075 

Robert  849-850 

Win.  M   581 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


1399 


Biographies — Continued.  page 

Thompson,  Hon.  George   1287 

Jonathan   124 

Thorburn,  James   1368 

Thorpe,  Henry   1192 

Thwing,  Rev.  Edward  P   1027 

Tibbals,  Rev.  Chas.  A   1004 

Ticknor,  Dr.  Martin  A   923 

Toedteberg,  Augustus   1323 

Tracy,  Gen.  Benj.  F.,  1222, 1223, 1224, 
1225,  1226, 1227 

Traneurs,  Dr.  Ludwig   1392 

Trask,  Alarison   785 

Tredwell,  Daniel  M  1322,  1332 

Trotter.  Jonathan ....    147 

Troy,  James   1250 

Turner,  Dr.  Joseph  M    924 

Joha  S    817 

Rev.  Chas.  Wm   1006 

Tuthill,  Dr.  James  Y   924 

Tuttle,  Ezra  B              .    .305,  1385 

Sylvester  305,  1385 

Ubert,  J.  C   940 

Valentine,  Dr.  John  F   924 

Van  Anden,  Isaac   1182 

Van  Boerum,  Willem    220 

Van  Buren,  Robert  594, 1325 

Van  Der  Beeck,  Dr.  Paulus. . .  414 

Vanderbilt,  Hon.  John   1299 

Vanderveer,  Dr.  Adrian  887-888 

Charles  B   322 

Dr.  John  R   924 

Mrs.  Wm    201 

Stephen  Lott. ...  320 

Van  De  Water,  Rev.  Geo   1001 

Van  Nuyse,  Aucke  Jansen. . . .  222 

Van  Zandt,  Mrs   1133 

Ventres,  T.  B    1192 

Vining,  Harrison  S   651 

Voorhees,  John  A   1342 

Wackerhagen,  Dr.  Geo   901 

Wade,  Dr.  Jas.  D   924 

Wagner,  Rev.  John  M   998 

Walcott,  Mr   1109 

Wallace,  James  P  506-509 

T.  E     1388 

Wall,  Charles    720 

Hon.  Wm   719 

Michael  W   720 

Walsh,  Rev.  E.  H   1060 

Walstein,  Mr.  and  Mrs   1108 

Waring,  Henry   127 

Henry  P   1293 

N.  F  1252,  1293 

Hon.  Wm.  H   1293 

Watson,  Gay  lord   1191 

Weaver,  James   846 

Webster,  E.  G.  &  Brother. ...  707 

M   1375 

Wechsler,  Mr   1363 

Samuel   1363 

Herman   1363 

Weedon,  W.  J   1192 

Weeks,  Dr.  Joshua  R   924 

Weidmann,  Paul   787 

Weir,  James,  Jr   1364 

Wells,  Rev.  J.  D   1065 

John   346 

Lindsay  J   857 

Wemmel,  Dr.  A.  A   924 

Wendell,  Dr.  Mathew   887 

Wendt,  Louis  A   1191 

West,  Benj.  W   968 

Charles  E   1320 

CM   1363 

Rev.  Jacob    998 

Westbrook.  Dr.  Benj.  F   924 

Wheedon,  Dr.  Thos.  J   924 

Wight,  Dr.  Jar  vis  S  893,  924 

Wilkes,  Daniel  W   1386 

Williams,  John   625 

Rev.  Samuel   1082 

Winslow,  John  1227-1228 

Wintner,  Rev.  L   1089 


Biographies.  page 

Wischmann,  H  801-802 

Woehr,  John,  Jr   1192 

Wood,  Col.  Alfred  M   491 

Wood,  Geo   941 

Geo.  M   347 

Rev.  Chas   1066 

Thos.  W   1386 

Wood  hull,  Gen   32 

Jacob   1109 

Woodruff,  Albert   1092 

Franklin   642 

Rev.  Robert   1043 

Woods,  Rev.  John  T   1056 

Worn.  Martin   731 

Wright,  Dr.  Albert    914 

Wurster,  Rev.  Fred   1043 

Wyckoff,  Van  Brunt   940 

Dr.  R.  M   904a 

Wyman,  Luther  B   1134 

Youug,  Augustus   1160 

Zabriskie,  Dr.  J.  B   888 

Zimmermann,  Rev.  J.  C   1083 

B'nai  B'rith,  Order  of   1357 

Book-binders   1376 

Boots  and  Shoes   1375 

Booksellers,  etc.  (See  Dealers.) 

Brewers   1390 

Brooklyn. 

And  L.  I.  Fair,  1863   493 

Annals  of  Village  of,  1817-'34,  139 

As  a  Village   102 

Battle  of   52 

Bennet  and  Bentyn  Purchase,  82 

Charter  of,  1862    489 

Charter  of,  1873,  The  City. ...  510 

City  Charter   297 

Cholera  iu,  1866    501 

Church  of,  Second   332 

City  Court  of   546 

City  of,  The  First,  1834-'54  ...  145 
Consolidated  History 

of  the  484,  520 

Civil  Hist.  Dur.  Dch.  Regime,  88 

Under  Dk.  of  Yrk..  89 
Civil  List  of  Officers  of  Town 

and  Village  of  B.,  1671-1883  423a 

Commerce  of    633 

Commerce,  Gov't  Inspect'n  of,  645 
Consolidation  of  the  City  of, 

with  Williamsburgh   533 

Court  of  Special  Sessions.    .  .  547 

Dongan  Oak   597 

Draft  Riots,  The,  1863   490 

During  the  British  Occupation, 

1776-1783    94 

Early  Dutch  Patents   81 

Inhabitants  of.   68 

Settlements  of.  1646. ...  81 

Village  Constabulary. .  557 
Earlier    Sanitarv  Provision 

Prior  to  1854. . ."   563 

Elec.  Light  First  Introduced 

in   514 

Enlarg'rnt  of  Vil.  Dist,  1795,  570 

Fire  Insurance  Companies. . . .  628 

Fire  District  Created,  1801  . .  104 

First  City  of,  1834-1854   145 

Fortifications  in,  1812   61 

From  the  Close  of  the  Revolu- 
tion to  the  War  of  1812   101 

From  its  Incorp.  as  a  Village,  105 

Growth  of,  in  1868   505 

Guy's  Snow  Scene,  1820.      ..  113 

Half  Way  House,  E.N.  Y.,  The,  505 

Heights   126 

History  of  First  City  of.  .  .145-155 

Town  of  80-105 

Village  of  139-145 

Improvement  Co   643 

Mayors  of  City  of   1390 

Middagh   House    and  Barn, 

View  of   HI 

Military  Execution  at,  A   100.1 


Brooklyn.  page 
Military  Punishm'ts  at,  during 

British  Occupation   101 

Motto  of  City  of   1391 

Municipal  History  of  528-564a 

Of  To-Day,  1883  522-527 

Officials  of,  List  of   1394 

Olympia  Described  102-104 

Police  Courts  and  Other  Jus- 
tices   547 

Population  (1884)   1391 

Presidents  and  Trustees  of  the 

Village,  1816-1834   424a 

Seventy-seven  Years  Ago   102 

"Single  Head"  Commissioners 
appointed  over  the  Dept.  of 

Fire  and  Building,  1880   577 

Snow  Scene  in,  1820    113 

Stocks  and  Whipping  Post. . .  229 

Town  of,  Hist,  of   80 

Town  Pound   229 

Under  the  English   90 

Village,  The   107 

Village  of,  The,  1817-'34,  An- 
nals of   139 

Water  Front,  Warehouse  and 

Dry  Dock  Co   659 

Yellow  Fever  District,  1822, 

Map  of   141 

Bushwick. 

Arbitration  Rock   288 

Boerum  House,  The   286 

Church,  Old   337 

Civil  History,  1660-1708   275 

De  Voe  Houses,  The   284 

During  the  British  Occupat'n,  280 

Early  Settlers  and  Patents   270 

Ecclesiastical  History   278 

From  Close  of  Re  vol.  to  1854..  282 

Greenpoint   274 

Since  the  Revolu- 
tion  286 

Het  Dorp,  Map  of   282 

History  of  Town  of  270-291 

Manout,  Boudwyn,  Auto.  of..  276 

Old  Grave vard   283 

Old  Mills.   285 

Old  Miller  House,  The   272 

Revolutionary  History   279 

Butchers.    (See  Dealers.) 

C 

Canals  and  Docks. 

Anglo-American  Dry  Docks..  641 

Atlantic  Docks   636 

Brooklyn  Basin,  The  637,  642 

Erie  Basin,  The  637,  640-641 

Erie  Basin  Dry  Dock   502 

Gowanus  Bay  and  Canal   643 

Gowanus  Canal  Improvem't . .  503 

Internal  Imp.  of  the  State   16 

Newtown  Creek  and  Canals. .  644 

Wallabout  Basin  and  Canal  . .  G44 

Wallabout  Canal  Improvem't,  504 

Carpets.    (See  Dealers. ) 

Cath.  Benev.  Legion,  The   1356 

Knights  of  America   1357 

Cemeteries. 

Battle  Hill,  Green- Wood   603 

Cemeteries  of  B'klyn,  The   602 

Cemetery  of  the  Holy  Cross. .  609 

Citizens'  Union  Cemetery   608 

Cypress  Hills   607 

"  Evergreens,'"  The    608 

Friends'.  The   609 

Green-Wood  602-607 

Cem.  Ass'n   520 

Northern  Entrance  to  Green- 
Wood  (eng.)   602 

Union   609 

Washington   609 

Charitable  Instit'ns  in  Kings 
County  974-992 

China  and  Glass.  {See  Dealers.) 


1400 


HISTORY  01  KINGS  COUNTY 


Churches.    (See  also  Histories  of  page 
the  Several  County  Towns). 

Baptist. 

Calvary   1080 

Central  1076,  1081 

Clinton  Ave   1078 

Concord   1081 

East  Brooklyn   1070 

Emmanuel   1081 

First  1074,  1081 

(E.  D.)   1082 

German   1080 

Swedish   1082 

Greenpoint    1081 

Greenwood   1078 

Hanson  Place   1078 

Harrison  Ave   1082 

Herkimer  St   1079 

Marcy  Ave   1080 

Pierrepont  St   1074 

Sands  St.  Mission   1079 

Second   1074 

Sixth  Ave   1080 

Strong  Place   1077 

South   1076 

Tabernacle   1078 

Trinity   1080 

Washington  Ave   1077 

Willoughby  Ave    1076 

Congregational. 

Bedford   1023 

Central  1024,  1028 

Church  of  the  Covenant   1026 

Church  of  the  Pilgrims   1015 

Clinton  Ave   1022 

East   1028 

Elm  Place   1023 

Fifth  Ave   .026 

First   1026 

First,  Brownsville   1028 

First  Identity   1028 

Free   1018 

Grand  Ave.  Chapel   1022 

Independent,  the   1015 

Lee  Ave   1027 

Lewis  Ave   1027 

Mayflower  Mission   1023 

Mt."  Prospect  Mission  (S.  S.).. .  1022 

Navy  St.  Mission   1015 

Nazarene   1027 

N.  Y.  and  B'klyn  Ass'n   1029 

New  England   1026 

Plymouth   1018 

Plymouth  Bethel   1021 

Puritan   1024 

Rochester  Ave   1024 

Scandinavian  Free  Mission...  1028 

State  St   1023 

South   1023 

Tompkins  Ave   1027 

Union  1023,  1028 

Union  Mission  Chapel   1028 

Warren  St.  Mission  1015,  1022 

Dutch  Reformed. 

Bedford  Ave   994 

Bethany  Chapel   997 

Centennial  Church,  First   99H 

East   997 

First  Ch.  of  B  993-994 

Fourth   995 

German   998 

Ger.  Evang.  St.  Peter's  Ch.. . .  998 

Greenpoint   995 

Lee  Ave   997 

Middle   995 

North   996 

Second,  or  Central    994 

So.  Bushwick   996 

Third,  or  South   995 

Washington  Ave   995 

Protestant  EpUeopdL 

All  Saints    1006 

Atonement  1006,  1014 


Churches  (Prot.  Ejriscopal).  page 

Calvary,  Free   1001 

Calvary  (E.  D.)   1010 

Chapel  Ch.  Char.  Foundation,  1007 

Christ   1000,  10U9 

Emmanuel  1001,  1005 

Episcopal  Churches   999 

Good  Shepherd   1007 

Grace  Ch.  Chap.  (St.  Michael),  1004 

Grace  1003,  1011 

Holy  Trinity   1003 

Mediator   1007 

Messiah  ." .  1005 

Our  Saviour   1000 

Redeemer   1005 

Reconciliation    1014 

Redemption   1004 

Reformation  1004,  1006 

St.  Andrew's   1006 

St.  Ann's  (Old)   121.  515 

St.  Barnabas'  Chapel  (E.  D.). .  1011 

St.  George's   1007 

St.  James'  1006,  1010 

St.  John's  (E.  D.)   1011 

St.  John's    1000 

St.  John's  (S.  S.)   1097 

St.  Luke's   1001 

St.  Mark's   1004 

St.  Mary's   1001 

St.  Matthews'   1006 

St.  Paul's  (Old)   515 

St.  Paul's   1004 

St.  Paul's  (E.  D.)   1010 

St.  Paul's,  Free   1000 

St.  Peter's   1004 

St.  Stephen's   1007 

St.  Thomas'   1001 

Trinity   1000 

The  Ascension   1011 

Friends  (Quakers). 

Meeting  House   1014 

Lutheran  (The  Evangel,  and). 

Emmanuel   1085 

German  Evangel   1083 

Evang.  Mission,  Hop- 
kins St   1085 

Grace  Eng.  Evangel   1085 

Harrison  Ave.  Church  of  E. 

Assoc.,  N.  A  ...    1085 

Norwegian  Seaman's   1084 

Our  Saviour's  (Danish)   1084 

St.  Johannes'   1083 

St.  John's   1083 

St.  Luke's  (German)   1084 

St.  Mark's   1085 

St.  Matthew's  (Eng.)  108!.  1084 

St.  Peter's  (German)   1084 

St.  Paul's   1084 

Zion  (German)   1083 

Methodist  Episcopal. 

Methodism  in  Brooklyn   1029 

First   1030 

African  (Wesleyan)   1031 

Bethel,  African   1033 

Brooklvn  (Prim  )   1043 

Carlton  Ave   1032 

Carroll  Park   1042 

Cedar  St   1042 

Central   1041 

DeKalbAve   1032 

Killers.    Presiding,   in  B'klvn 

and  L.  I.  Dist   1044 

First  (Greenpoint)    1034 

First  German   1037 

First  (Prot.)   1043 

First  Place  (Free)   1043 

First  Place   1034 

Fleet  St     1034 

Fleet  St.  Bethel   1038 

Forty- Fourth  St   1012 

Fourth  Meth.  Prot   1043 

Grace   1041 


Churches  (Meth.  Episcopal).  page 

Grand  St   1033 

Greene  Ave     1042 

Hanson  Place   1037 

Janes   1037 

Johnson  St   1032 

Leonard  St   1041 

Mt.  Zion  African  Prot   1032 

Mariners'   1042 

New  York  Ave   1037 

North  Fifth  St   1033 

Nostrand  Ave   1038 

Norwegian  Bethel  Mission. . . .  1043 

Orchard  (Prim.)   1043 

Pacific  St    1032 

Park  Ave.  (Prim.)   1043 

Preachers  in  L.  I.  Circuit   1044 

St.  John's   1034 

St.  Paul's    1036 

Sands  St   1029 

Sheepshead  Bay  182,  1043 

South  Third  St   1037 

Summerfield   1036 

Sumnierrield  Mission   1037 

Swedish   1042 

Union  ville   182 

Warren  St   1036 

Washington  St   1031 

Williamsburgh   1041 

Willoughby  Ave   1038 

York  St. . ."   1031 

Zion   1042 

Zion's  Chapel   1043 

York  St.  (S.  S.)   1097 

Presbyterian. 

Chapel,  City  Park   1065 

Christie  St   1069 

Classon  Ave   1069 

Clinton  St    1064 

Cumberland  St.  Chapel   1067 

First  1060,  1064,  1069 

United   1072 

Fifth   1064 

Ft.  Greene   1072 

Fourth   1064 

Free   1064 

Genevan   1067 

German  Evangelical    1066 

Greene  Ave   1072 

John  Knox  .    1067 

Lafayette  Ave   1067 

Lawrence  St   1066 

Memorial   1070 

Noble  St   1072 

Ross  St    1069 

Second   1061 

Siloam   1065 

Sixth   1064 

South  Brooklvn   1065 

South  Third  St   1064 

Tahernacle   1061 

Third   1061 

Throop  Ave   1069 

Wallahout   1065 

Westminster  :   1067 

Reformed  Presbytenan. 

First   1073 

Second  (United)   1073 

Free  Presbyterian. 

First   1073 

Roman  Catholic. 

All  Saints'   1056 

Annunciation.  B.  V.  M   1056 

Assumption.  B.  V.  M   1046 

Holv  Name   1055 

Holy  Family  (Ger.)   1068 

Immaculate  Conception   1055 

Our  Lady  of  Mercy   1055 

Our  Lady  of  Victory  . .    1057 

Nativitv   1057 

Sacred  Heart   1057 

St.  Agnes'   1058 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


140i 


Churches  (R.  C.) — Continued.  page 

St.  Alphonsus'  (Ger.)    1057 

St.  Ambrose's   1058 

St.  Anne's   1056 

St.  Anthony's   1055 

St.  Augustine's   1057 

St.  Bernard's   1057 

St.  Benedict's   1055 

St.  Boniface's   1055 

St.  Bridget's   1058 

St.  Cecelia's   1057 

St.  Francis  de  Sales'   1056 

St.  Francis'    1055 

St.  James'   1045 

St.  John's  1054,  1058 

St.  John  the  Baptist   1056 

St.  Joseph's   1054 

St.  Leonard's   1057 

St.  Louis'   1057 

St.  Mary's  Star  of  the  Sea ....  1055 

St.  Marv's  Parochial  School..  1055 

St.  Michael's   1058 

St.  Nicholas'   1056 

St.  Patrick's  1054,  1058 

St.  Paul's.    1046 

St.  Peter's   1055 

St.  Peter's  and  St.  Pauls   1050 

St.  Stephen's   1056 

St.  Theresa's   1058 

St.  Vincent's    1057 

St.  Vincent  de  Paul's   1056 

Transfiguration   1057 

Visitation,  B.  V.  M   1055 

Reformed  Catholic. 

Ref.  Catholic  Churches   1060 

Jewish. 

Temple  Israel   1089 

Beth  Elohim   1089 

Ahavis  Achim   1089 

Unitarian. 
First  Congreg.  (Ch.   of  the 

Saviour)   1086 

Second   1087 

Third  Union   1087 

Universalist. 

First  1086 

Church  of  Our  Father   1088 

All  Souls'   1088 

Miscellaneous. 

Chr.  Ch.  of  the  Evangel   1089 

First  Moravian   1090 

Life  and  Advent   1090 

Union  Chapel   1090 

German  Evangelical  Mission.  1072 

Navy  Mission,  The   1097 

German  Church  of  the  Holy 

Trinity   1054 

Church  of  Blessed  Hope   1090 

Society  of  the  New  Jerusalem 

(Swedenborgian)   1090 

Spiritualistic  Circles   1391 

City  Officials   1393 

City  of  B.,  History  of  the  Con- 
solidated  484-520 

Clarendon  House,  The   1359 

Clinton  House,  The   1359 

Clubs.    (See  Associations.) 

Athletic  316,  1340 

Bicycling   1340 

Boat   I340 

Sporting   1336 

Yachting  316,  1339 

Coal  and  Wood.    (See  Dealers.) 

Colonial  Legislation  372,  373,  374 

Commerce  of  Bklyn.,  The  634-667 

Commissioners  of  Charity  of 

Kings  County  493a-510a 

Coney  Island. 

Bauer,  Paul   Jj« 

Discovery  of   J"* 

Divisions  of   191 


Coney  Island.  page 

Feltman,  Charles   199 

Map  of,  1066   190 

Modern  Development  of   194 

Piracy   192 

Ocean  Pavilion   199 

Roads   192 

Seaside  Home  for  Children . . .  197 

Sanitarium   197 

Settlement   189 

Topography  of   189 

Town's  Commonage  Leases. .  .  192 

Tragedv  of  Brig  Vineyard   192 

West  Brighton  Hotel   198 

Confectioners.    (See  Dealers.) 
Conservatories.    (See  Florists.) 
Consolidated  City  of  B.,  The 

Hist,  of  484-520 

Contractors  and  Builders   1383 

Convention  of  1754,  The   373 

Costumer   -1388 

County  Officials   1392 

D 

Dealers  —  Drv  Goods   1362 

Bakers   1371 

Books,  etc   1376 

Boots  and  Shoes   1375 

Butchers   1370 

China  and  Glassware.. . .  1377 

Coal  and  Wood   1383 

Confectioners   1371 

Druggists    940 

Fish   1370 

Furniture   1372 

Gents'  Furnishing   1388 

Grocers   1366 

Hardware   1380 

Hats   1376 

Jewelers   1387 

Lumber   1382 

Meat   1370 

Milk   1371 

Millinery   1388 

Music   1377 

Pianos   1377 

Stationers   1376 

Tailors,  Merchant   1387 

Teas,  Coffees,  etc   1366 

Dental. 

B'klvn  Dental  Assoc..  The   944 

Brooklyn  Dental  Society,  The  944 
Brooklyn  Society  of  Dental 

Science     944 

Dental  Infirmary   509 

Dentists'  Materials   816 

Kings  Co.  Dental  Soc   945 

L.  I.  Association  of  Dental 

Surgeons   943 

Mechanical  Dentistrv   816 

New  York  Dental  Soc. ,  The . . .  944 

Pioneers  of  Dentistry  in  K.  Co.  941 

Profession  of  Dentist  ry   941 

Services  of  B'klyn  Dentists  in 

the  Civil  War   943 

Dentistry  in  Br'klyn,  The  Pro- 
fession of  941-949 

Dentists   1386 

Drama  and  Opera  in  B'klyn,  1105-1135 

Dramatic. 

Academv  of  Music  486,  1112 

Amaranth,  The   1163 

Amaryllis   H64 

Amateur  Opera  Association..  1164 

Amateurs,  Since  Professionals,  1165 

Amphitheatre,  The    1108 

Amphion,  The   1164 

Arcadian,  The    1164 

Athenaeum,  The  Brooklyn   1112 

Brooklyn  Lvceum,  The   1302 

Theatre  510,  1117 

Burning  of  the   513 

Bulwer,  The   1416 

Colonnade  Garden,  The   1109 


Dramatic.  page 

Drama,  The,  in  Brooklyn   1105 

Dramatic  Amateur  Ass'n   1162 

Entre  Nous,  The   1102 

First  Dramatic  Performance 

in  Brooklyn    1106 

Grand  Opera  House   1125 

Haverly's   1123 

Hooley's  Opera  House  1115,  1124 

Kemble,  The   1163 

Mozart  Gardens   513 

Music  Hall,  The   1124 

Music  and  Opera,  Progress  of, 

in  Brooklyn   1126 

Museum,  The  Brooklyn   1110 

Music  in  Public  Schools   1161 

Novelty,  The   1125 

Olympic,  The   1125 

Other  Dramatic  Societies   1162 

Park,  The   1116 

Prospect  Heights,  The   1164 

Standard,  The   1124 

Volks,  The    1124 

Druids.  United  Order  of   1355 

Druggists.    (See  Dealers.) 

Dry  Goods.    (See  Dealers.) 

E 

Eastern  Star,   Lodges  of.  (See 

Masons.) 
East  New  York.    (See  New  I^ots 

Hist.) 
Ecclesiastical. 

B'klyn  Objects  to  Ch.  Taxes. .  328 
B'klvn  Petitions  for  a  Separate 

Minister   329 

Ch.  Erected  at  Brooklvn   332 

Erected  at  Flatlands   330 

Church  Masters   337 

Ecclesiastical  History  of 

Kings  Co.,  1628-1800  327-337 

First  Ch.  on  L.  I.  at  Flatbush.  327 
First  Ministers  of  New  Nether- 
lands   327 

Ecclesiastical  Organizations  of 

B'klyn  993-1090 

Education,  Higher,  in  Bklyn.  .950-962 

Public,  Dep't  of   609 

Educational.  (See  Histories  of  the 
Several  County  Towns). 

Adelphi  Academy,  The   954 

Board  of  Education,  B'klvn. .  485 

Members  of  615,  618 

Officers  of  184,  618 

Organization  of,  1835. . .  614 
Brooklyn.  (See  Board  of  Ed.). 
Asylums  and  Industrial 
Schools,  under  charge 
of  Board  of  Educat'n,  618 
Attendance  and  Princi- 
pals  618 

Colored  and  Principals..  (  is 

.  Evening  Schools   617 

Free  Sch'l-Book  System  617 
First  School  Teacher  in,  409 
Grammar  and  Princi- 
pals  618 

Grammar  Schools   618 

Primarv  and  Principals,  618 

Primary  Schools  613,  618 

Sources  of  Income  for 
the  Support  of  Public- 
Schools  in   616 

Statistics  of   616 

Scholarships  in  Colleges,  615 

Teachers   617 

Bklyn  Collegiate  and  Poly- 
technic Institute   953 

B'klyn  Conservatory  of  Music.  958 
B'klyn  Froebel  Kindergarten, 

The   958 

B'klyn  Heights  Sem   953 

B'klyn  juvenile  High  School.  953 


1402 


Educational— Continued.  page 

Browne's  Business  College. ...  958 
Bryant  and  Stratton  Business 

College,  The   959 

Columbia    Conservatory  of 

Music   958 

Dawn  of  a  Higher  Education, 

The  410,  950 

Dept.  of  Public  Education. ...  009 
Early  Educational  Advantages 

and  Methods   411 

Early  Private  Schools  413,  950 

Education  in  Kings  Co.,  1659- 

1883,  History  of   409-413 

Education  in  Kings  County  . .  48 

Greene  Collegiate  Inst   957 

Industrial  School  for  Destitute 

Children   518 

Kissick's  Business  College   959 

Lock  wood's  Academy   955 

Mollenhauer's  Coll.  of  Music. .  958 

Private  and  Endowed  Schools  525 

Packer's  Collegiate  Inst   951 

School  for  Destitute  Children, 

Industrial   518 

Schools  During  the  Revolu- 
tionary War   410 

Schools  After   411 

Schools  in  the  State  of  N.  Y . .  16 
Schools  of  the  Town  of  Bush- 
wick  and  Village  of  Wil- 

liamsburgh   611 

St.  John's  College   955 

Wright's  Business  College  and 

Eclectic  Academy   959 

Elks,  Benev.  Order  of   1355 

Ephemeris  of  Materia  Medica   11 90 

Epidemics. 

Epidemics  which  have  visited 

Kings  county.  The   891 

Map  of  Yellow  Fever  district.  141 

Yellow  Fever   485,  487,  504 

Errata   1394 

F 

Federal  Building,  The  865a-868a 

Ferries. 

Ancient  Feny  Rights   426 

Atlantic  St.  or  South   439 

Annex  446,  513 

Bridge  St   444 

Brooklyn  Ferries  and  Ferry 

Rights  425-446 

B'klvn,  Hist  of  425-446 

Catharine  St  102,  438 

Contest  as  to  Ferry  Rights   427 

Dangers  and  Difficulties  of 

Ferry  Travel  in  Olden  Time,  431 

Division  St   445 

Earliest  Ferry  to  B'klyn   425 

Erie  Annex   446 

Fern-  District  of  Village  in 

18i6,  Map  of   109 

Ferry  Houses    442 

First  Ferry-Master  (eng.)   446 

Fulton,  Collision  on   505 

Grand  St.  IE.  D.)   445 

Green]K)int  303,  446 

Gouverneur  St   442 

Hamilton  Ave..  View  of   441 

Houston  St   445 

Kings  Co.,  Tabular  List  of. . ..  446 

Map  of  Old  Ferry  Dist.,  1816..  109 

Navy  Yard   444 

X.  Y.  &  B'klvn  Steamboat  As- 
sociates, The   184 

Old  Grand  St.,  View  of   445 

l'cek  Slip   446 

Renewed     \  -it  ;it  ii  >n    of  the 

I'Vm  Question.  1*21   135 

Roosevelt  St   442 

Steam  Introduced  on  the  Ferry 

Lines   432 

South   439 


Ferries.  page 

Steamboats  on  the  B.  Ferry. .  433 
Team,  or  Horse-Boats  on  the 

B.  Ferrv   433 

The  B.  U*  F.  Co   436 

The  New   438 

The  N.  Y.  and  B.  F.  Co   436 

Union  Ferry  Co. . .  437,  509,  516,  525 

Wall  St,  View  of   441 

Fire  Department. 

B'klvn  Vol.  Fire  Department., 

Personnel  of,  1869   576 

Board  of  Fire  Com   486 

B'klyn's  First  Fire  Eng.,  (eng.)  568 
Chief    Engineer,    Office  of, 

Created.  1816   571 

City  Fire  Dep't,  1855    573 

Corn's  of  Fire  Dep't.,  1869   576 

Exempt  Firemen's  Assoc.  of 

the  City  of  B'klyn   583 

Fire  and  Buildings,  Depart- 
ment of  568,  582 

Fire  Dep't.  Board  of  Estimates  504 

Fire  of  1848,  Great   151 

Fire  Commissioners,  Board  of  486 

Fne  Department  568,  525 

Fire  Department  of  Brooklyn.  485 

Fire  Dep't.  Statistics   578 

Fire  Dept.,  The  Volunteers. . . .  506 

First  Fire  Dept.,  1788   569 

Fire  Dept.,  Eastern  District..  .  574 

Fire  Wardens  Appointed,  1817.  571 

Fire  Wardens  and  Marshals.. .  580 
Firemen's  Mon.  in  Greenwood 

Cemetery,  eng   578 

First  H'k.  and  L.  Co..  1817.. .  .  571 
First  Fire  Co.  of  Brooklyn, 

1785    568 

First  Village  Fire  Bell,  1795  . .  570 

Hose  Companies   573a 

Map  of  Fire  of  1848   151 

Single  Head  Commission.  1880  577 
Village  Fire  Dep't.,  1823,  In- 
corporation of  the   573 

Widows'  and  Orphans'  Fund..  582 

W'Lmrgh  Fire  Dep't.  inc.  1843.  575 
Fish.   (See  Dealers.) 

Culture  on  L.  1  963-970 

Flatbush. 

Annexation  Question   237 

Beginnings  of  Settlement.  . . .  213 

Board  of  Health   241 

Board  of  Improvement   236 

Boundary  Dispute  with  New- 
town   216 

British  Occupation  of.  The. . .  227 

Cemetery  of  the  Holy  Cross. .  248 

Changes  in  the  Village   230 

Church  in  the  Woods,  The. . . .  245 

Commutation  of  Quit  Rents. .  218 

Congregational  Church   245 

Distinguished  Citizens   225 

Dongan  Charter  of   216 

During  the  Revolution   225 

Educational  History  of   249 

Erasmus  Hall  Academy   250 

Fire  Engine  Co   234 

First  Baptist  Church   24H 

M.  E.  Church   244 

Houses   214 

Village  Newspaper   236 

Five  Dutch  Towns.  The   220 

Gas  Company    235 

History  of  Town  of   213-254 

1 1  faithfulness  of   241 

Historical  Trees   230 

Indian  Deed  of,  1670   214 

Justices  of  the  Peace   224 

Last  Court  held  at  Flatbush..  .  345 

Law  and  Order  Association. .  .  239 

Literary  Societies   254 

Local  Officers  Appointed   220 

Main  Road,  The   231 

Melrose  Hall   227 


Flatbush.  page 

Mission  School    245 

Modern  History  of,  The   230 

Musical  Associations   245 

Office  of  Overseers  changed  to 

Commissioners   223 

Old  Mills   227 

Old  Stage  Routes   231 

Organization  of  Local  Govern- 
ment and  Ports   219 

Original  Seat  of  Justice   222 

Overseers  of   221 

Parkville,  The  Village  of   232 

M.  E.  Church   245 

Public  School   253 

R.  C.  Church   247 

Patentees  of,  Facsimiles  of  Au- 
tographs of   217 

Polic  e  Coin's  Appointed   239 

Population   230 

R.  C.  Ch.  of  the  Holy  Cross. . .  246 

Sabbath  Schools  of   243 

Select  Schools   252 

Second  Reformed  German  Ch.  248 

Sidewalks  Regulated   231 

Sisters  of  St.  Joseph,  The   247 

Sidew'ks  and  Cross'gs  Flagged  231 

Skirmishes  of   226 

Stocks  and  Whipping  Post   228 

Street  Cars  Introduced   231 

Streets  Laid  Out   232 

Social  and  Political  History. . .  218 

St.  John's  P.  E.  Ch   243 

St.  Paul's  P.  E.  Ch.,  Hist.  of. .  243 

Supervisors  Appointed   223 

Sunday  Laws   222 

Telegraph  Co    237 

Temperance  Societies   238 

The  Nicolls  Patent  of   214 

Town  Clerks   234 

Town  Hall   238 

Town  Pound   228 

Treasurers  of  the  Co.  from... .  225 

Waterworks   240 

Windsor  Terrace   233 

Windsor     Terrace  Sabbath 

School   246 

Windsor  Terrace  School   253 

Flatlands. 

Barren  Island   77 

Common  Schools  of   75-77 

German  Evan.  Ref.  Ch   75 

M.  E.  Church  of   75 

Neck   71 

Prot.  Meth.  Church  of   75 

Reformed  Dutch  Church  of. . .  73 

Second  Ch.  at  Flatbush,  1698..  333 

Situation  of   64 

Sons  of  Temperance  in   77 

St.  Matthew's  Lutheran  Ch. . .  75 

Town  of,  History  of   64-79 

Florists   1364 

Foresters,  Anc.  Order  of  316,  1355 

Furniture.    (See  Dealers.) 

G 

Garfield  Building,  The  648, 1300 

Gas  Corporations. 

Brooklyn  Gas  Light  Co   675 

Citizens'  Gas  Light  Co   676 

Fulton  Municipal  Gas  Light  Co  676 

Gas  Light  Companies   675 

Illuminating  Oils   675 

Metropolitan  Gas  Light  Co  . . .  676 

Nassau  Gas  Light  Co   676 

People's  Gas  Light  Co   676 

Gk.n  kuai,  T&ADE  and  Merchan- 
dise 1362-1392 

dents'  Furnishing.    (See  Dealers.) 

Good  Templars.  (See  Temperance. ) 

Graham  Art  School.  The   1140 

(hand  Army  of  the  Republic,  316,  1210 

1212 


GENERAL  INDEX 


1403 


Gravesend  page 

Addenda  186-188 

Ancient  Plot  of,  1045   186 

A.  P.  Stockwell's  House.  .  . .  118 

Assessors   169 

Avenue   171 

Bay  Ridge  Landing   203 

Brighton  Pier  at  C.  1   204 

Brighton  Beach  B.  P.  at  C.  I. .  205 

Cattle  and  Fences   165 

Cemeteries   183 

Chapels   181 

Church  History   177 

Coney  Island  Causeway   171 

Chapel  a.  182 

Hist,  of  189-212 

Plank  Road   171 

County  Treasurer   169 

Court  of  Sessions   168 

Division  of  Lands   163 

First  Town  Patent   160 

General  History. ...    185 

Geography  of   156 

Highways   170 

History  of,  Town  of  156-188 

Hotel  Brighton  at  C.  1   205 

Houses  of  Olden  Time   166 

Household  Furniture   166 

Indian  Purchases   162 

Johnson  House   188 

Libraries   183 

Magistrates'  Pew  in  Church  ..  185 

Manhattan  Beach  at  C.  1   208 

Hotel,  C.I. ,  208 

Marine  R.  R.  at  C.  1   208 

Ministers   181 

Miscellaneous   177 

.  Name,  Origin  of    158 

Neck  Road,  The  '  171 

Observatory  at  C.  1   202 

Ocean  Ave   171 

Parkway   172 

Pier  at  C.I   204 

Odd  Fellows'  Lodge    183 

Orders  and  Contracts,  Sundry,  166 

Oriental  Hotel  at  C.  I.       ...  208 

Parsonage   181 

Pioneer  Settlers   158 

Post  Offices   173 

Quit  Rent   168 

Race  Courses   18(5 

Revolutionary  Incidents   176 

Sea  Beach  Hotel  at  C.  1   203 

Settlement   156 

Schools,  Public   173 

Sheepshead  Bay   183 

Soil   156 

Still  well  House   187 

Stryker  House   188 

Sunday  Laws   165 

Supervisors   185 

Temperance  Laws,  Early   165 

Topography   156 

Town  Clerks   185 

Court   166 

Hall   186 

of,  History  of   156 

Organization   164 

Dnionville   185 

Church,  M.  E   182 

Vanderveer's  Bathing  Pavil'n,  201 

Villages   183 

Water  Supply   186 

Grocers.    (See  Dealers.) 

H 

Hardware.    (-See  Dealers.) 

Hatters.    {See  Dealers.) 

Hempstead  Conven.,  1665,  The.  .372,  373 

Heptasophs.  Order  of.   310 

Home  Circle.  The   1354 

Honor,  Knights  of  316,  1353 

Knights  and  Ladies  of.. 316,  1353 

Legion  of,  The   1351 


Hospitals  and  Institutions.  page 

Bedford  Dispensary   1392 

B'klyn  City  Dispensary   936 

Central  Dispensary.  ..485,  937 

City  Hospital   485 

Diet  Dispensary   939 

Eye  aud  Ear  Hospital..  935 

Nursery   913 

Women's  Horn.  Hosp. 

andDisp   914 

Home  for  Cons'm't'ves,  935 

Horn.  Disp   910 

Hosp   911 

Maternity   912 

Sanitarian  Hosp.  and 

Disp   939 

Bushwick  and  East  B.  Disp. . .  938 
Bushwick  Germ.  Mutual  lnd. 

Sick  Ben.  Society   1357 

County  Hosp.,  Flatbush   467 

E.  D.  Dispensary  519,  937 

E.  D.  Horn.  Disp.  Ass'n   913 

Erin  Fraternal  Benev.  Ass. . . .  1358 

Garfield  Home  for  Cons'm't's,  518 

Gates  Ave.  Horn.  Disp   909 

German  Home  for  the  Aged. .  518 

Lutheran  Hosp   516 

Home  for  Destitute  Children..  489 

for  the  Aged  German. .  518 

Hosp.  and  Disp.,  E.  D   515 

The  Seney  516,  518 

Keith  Home   936 

Kings  Co.  Aims-House   477 

Inebriate  Home  . . .  503 

Lunatic  Asylum. . .  485a 

Lucretia  Mott  Dis.  and  Inf'y..  937 

L.  I.  Col.  Hosp  487,  509 

M.  E.  Hospital,  The   935 

N.  Y.  State  Training  School 

for  Nurses   913 

Old  Men's  Home   514 

R.  C.  Home  for  the  Aged   518 

Southern  Disp.  and  Hosp   938 

St.  Mary's  Hosp  515,  933 

St.  John's  Hosp  513,  935 

Superintendents  of  the  Poor, 

Hist,  of   463 

Hotel,  Clarendon,  The   1359 

Clinton,  The   1359 

Mansion  House,  The   1359 

Old  and  New  1358-1359 

Pierrepont  House,  The. . . .  1359 

Waldo  House,  The   1360 

Hotels  and  Baths   1358 

Hunt  Horticultural  and  Botanic 

Garden   485 

I 

Ice  Co.,  The  Ridge  wood   1390 

Institutions.    (See  Histories  of  the 
Several  County  Towns). 

Baptist  Home,  The  512,  978 

Brothers  of  St.'  Francis'  Mon- 
astery, The   955 

B'klyn  Ass'n  for  Improving  the 

Condition  of  the  Poor   974 

B'klyn  Benevolent  Soc   977 

Bureau  of  Charities. ..  974 
B'klyn  Children's  Aid  Society, 

The   980 

B'klyn  Schools   957 

Bk'lyn  Howard  Colored  Or- 
phan Asylum   983 

B'klyn  Home  for  Aged  Men, 

The   974 

B'klyn  Nursery,  The   977 

Home  for  the  Aged. ..  512 

Orphan  Asylum   973 

Indian  Ass.,  The   988 

B'klyn  Soc.  for  the  Relief  of 
Respectable  Aged  Indigent 

Females   976 

Business  Women's  Union,  The  987 


Institutions.  pagr 

Children,  Home  for  Destitute,  489 

Children's  Aid  Society,  E.  D.,  303 

Ch.  Charity  Foundation   509 

Ch.  Charity    Foundation  of 

L.  I  ,  The   978 

Christian  Union  for  Chinese 

Work,  The   986 

Convent  of  the  Go<  >d  Shepherd  981 
Convent  of   the   Sisters  of 

Mercy   981 

Dispensary,  E.  D.,  Hos.  and. .  515 

Emerald  Association   992 

Evangelical    Home    for  the 

Aged   974 

Female  Employment  Soc   982 

First  Brooklyn  Woman's  Chr. 

Temperance  Union   986 

Flower  aud  Fruit  Charity,  The  976 

German  Ladies' Association . .  992 

R.  C.  Orph.  Asylum..  992 

Good  Samaritan,  The   982 

Gr'npoint  Home  for  the  Aged, 

The   982 

Howard   Benev.   Soc.  (New 

Lots)   303 

Hebrew  Benevolent  Soc   984 

Orphan  Soc.  of  B   984 

Helping  Hand,  The   992 

Home  for  the  Aged   981 

Home  Association  for  Working 

Women  and  Children,  The.  983 
Home  for  Friendless  Women 

and  Children   976 

Home  for  Incurables   970 

Hospital  Sat.   &  Sun.  Ass., 

The   988 

Indus  School  Assoc.  &  Home 

for  Destitute  Children   984 

Industrial  School  &  Home  of 

Brooklyn,  E.  D    985 

Industrial     Restaurant  and 

Training  School   986 

Inebriates'  Home  for  K.  Co.,  5G2a,989 

Jewish  Societies   1357 

Ladies'  Fruit  and  Flower  Mis- 
sion   511 

Lutheran  Home  Association, 

N.  Y.  City   318 

Mutual  Sick  Aid  Soc   316 

Orphan  Home  of  the  Ch.  of 

the  Holy  Trinity   986 

Prot.    Epis.    Mission    to  the 

Public  Institutions    988 

Relief  Work   992 

R.  C.  Orphan  Asylum  Soc.  of 

the  Citv  of  Brooklyn   990 

Sailors'  Coffee-House  Co.,  The  987 

Sheltering  Arms  Nursery,  The  983 
Society  for  the  Prevention  of 

Cruelty  to  Animals,  The   987 

Society  for  the  Prevention  of 

Cruelty  to  Children   987 

St.  Francis'  College   956 

St.  Joseph's  Inst,  for  the  Im- 
proved Instruction  of  Deaf 

Mutes   990 

St.  Joseph's  Female  Orphan 

Asylum   992 

St.  Leonard's  Academy   956 

St.  Michael's  Kranken  Unter- 

setzungs  Verein   316 

St.  Paul's  Industrial  School. . .  892 

St.  Phebe's  Mission   98<i 

St.  Vincent's  Home   992 

Truant  Home  of  the  City  of  B., 

The  562a,  990 

Visiting  Committee  of  State 

Charities  Aid  Ass.  for  the  K. 

Co.  Institutions   988 

Wayside  Home   989 

Wartburg  Home   317 

Willianishurgh  Benev.  Soc...  992 

Missionary  Soc   303 


1404 


HISTORY  OF  KINGS  COUNTY. 


Institutions. — Contin  ued.  page 
Woman's  Work  Exchange  & 

Decorative  Art  Soc.  of  B.  ..  987 

Y.  M.  Assoc.,  Third  Pres.  Ch.,  303 

Ziou  Relief  Association   988 

"Woman's  Dispensary   937 

Pharmaceutical. 
B'klyn  Board  of  Pharmacy, 

The   940 

Homoeopathic  Pharmacies   913 

Kings  Co.  Phar.  Society   940 

Pharmaceutical  Associations.  940 

Insurance  Companies. 

Atlantic   515 

B'klyn  City  Safe  Deposit  Co. .  632 

Brooklyn  Fire   628 

Brooklyn  Life   631 

Continental   630 

Fireman's  Trust   630 

Fire     628 

Fulton,  of  W'msburgh   303 

Germania   631 

Home   631 

Life   631 

Ins.  and  Safe  Deposit  Co   629 

Kings  Co.  Fire   630 

Lafayette  Fire   629 

Life   631 

Long  Island   629 

Safe  Deposit  Co. .  632 

Mechanics'  Fire   630 

Montauk  Fire   630 

Nassau  Fire   629 

Phenix   629 

Real  Estate  and  Insurance...  863 

Safe  Deposit  Co   632 

Williamsburgh  City  Fire  303,629 

Iron  Merchants   1390 


Jail,  County,  The   1361 

Jewelers.    (See  Dealers.) 

K 

Kings  County. 

Bench  and  Bar  of  338-369,  1269 

Board  of  Charities   514 

Census,  1880   515 

Chanties  Com   516 

County  Courts   343 

Comm'rs  of  Jurors   421a 

Charities  493a-510a 

Court-house  489,  535 

Court  of  Common  Pleas   343 

Ecclesiastical  Hist,  of  327-337 

First  Court  held  at  B'klyn  . . .  346 

First  Circuit   345 

First  Court  of  Record   342 

Court  of  Oyer  and  Terminer. .  345 
Courts,  Town  and  Justices'. . .  341 
Customs,  Domestic  and  Social  48 

Court  of  Sessions   343 

Supreme  Court   342 

District  Attorneys  356,  366 

District  Attorneys  under  Con- 
stitution of  1846   367 

Dutch  Names,  Early   44 

Early  Courts  of  Kings  Co   340 

Education  in  409-413 

Epidemics  in    sill 

First  Court-house  in   339 

Second  Court-house  and  Jail 

at  Flatbush   339 

Third  at  Flatbush,  1793   340 

First  Settlement,  of   43 

Furniture  and  Houses  of  Dutch 

Times   46 

History  of   43-63 

166K-1832   33H 

Indian  Purchasers   71 

Industries  in.  Primitive   48 

Interpreter  in  the  Courts  of.  .  422a 
County  Judges  under  Consti- 
tution of  (846    :m 


Kings  County.  page 
Judges  of  the  Common  Pleas,  366 
Judicial  Officers   under  the 

Duke's  Laws   366 

Justice  of  the  Quorum   366 

Justices  under  Gov.  Andros. .  366 

Legislative  Officers  from   372 

List  of  County  Officials   366 

Med.  Prof,  in,  1644-1822  414-418 

Med.  Soc   488 

Estab   418 

Under  Fed.  Gov.  and  Consti- 
tution of  State  N.  Y   392 

Penitentiary   476 

Poor  House  Estab   463 

Registrar  419a-420a 

Settlement  of   43 

bv  the  Dutch   66 

Single  Head  Bill   515 

Slavery  in   48 

Slaves  in,  1755   69 

Social  Conditions  of  Early  In- 
habitants   70 

S.  S.  Union   1097 

Superintends  of  the  Poor. .  .463-492a 
Supervisors,  1st  meeting  after 

Rev.,  1784    393 

Supervisors.  1st  meeting  after 

Incorp.  of  B'klvn   404 

Temp.  Court  Accom..  1832-37,  340 

Travel  and  Transit  in   419 

Treasurers   418a 

Will,  The  First  Recorded  in. .  419a 

Knights,  Cath.  of  America   1357 

of  Honor  316,  1353 

of  Pythias  316,  317,  1354 

and  Ladies  of  H  316-317 

1353 

L 

Law  and  Trials. 

(See  Bench  and  Bar  of  B'klyn.) 
Asa  P.  and  F.  W.  Robinson  vs. 

City  of  Brooklyn   1264 

Beecher-Tilton  Trial.  ..511,  512,  1216 
1220,  1222 

Case  of  Newspaper  Reporter. .  1264 

Coppin  vs.  Gatewood   1268 

Executors  of  P.  W.  Radcliff  vs. 

Mayor  aud  C.  C.  of  B'klyn  .  1265 
Great    Ropewalk  Litigation 

with  the  City  of  B'klyn  ....  1266 
Henry  W.  Sage  vs.  City  of  B.  1264 

Hope  vs.  English   1263 

Municipal  Court   under  the 

First  Charter   530 

The  People  vs.  Rubenstein   1262 

Tilton-Beecher  Trial. .  .511,  512,  1216 
1220,  1222 

Surrogates   368 

Sheriffs   868 

Legal  Biographies   1275 

Legion  of  Honor,  American   1351 

Catholic  Benev   1356 

Legislative  Officers  from  K. 

Co  372-377 

Libraries. 

Apprentices',  The   1301 

Brooklyn,  The  1301-13(13 

Law,  The   1303 

Institute,  The   1301 

City,  The   1302 

Eastern  I  listrict  Assoc   130 I 

Garfield  Law,  The   1302 

Kings  Co.  Med.  Soc   890 

I/>ng  Island  Historical  Soc.  50a.  130-1 
Mechanics'  Free  Read'g  Room  1304 

Mercantile  486,  506,  510 

Private   1309 

Literati  uk  and  Science  in  B. 

1301-1332 

Literature  iSee  Assocs..  Socs.  and  Clubs.) 
Literature  and  Science  in  B. 
(Bee  Authors  <i iiri  Scientists.)  1301 
Livery  Stables   1389 


Long  Island.  page 

Agricultural  Capabilities  of . .  38 

Battle  of,  The   52 

British  Occupation  of    32 

Customs,  Primitive,  of   29 

Colonial  History  of   25 

Discovery  of    25 

Fish  Culture  on   963 

General  History  of   18-42 

Geology  of   18 

History   40 

Indians  of   20 

Indian  History  of,  by  Alden  J. 

Spooner   20 

Indian  Owners  of   64 

Industries  of.  Earlj'   29 

Institutions  of   29 

Kidd,  Capt.,  on   29 

Library,  Mercantile   510 

Natural  History  of   18 

Primitive  Customs  of   29 

Revolutionary  History  of   31 

Smuggling  on   32 

Topography  of   18 

Lumber.    (See  Dealers.) 

n 

Mansion  House,  The   1359 

Manufactures. 

Manufacturing  Industries 

of  Brooklyn  668,  824 

Agricultural  Tools   822 

Implements   704 

Architects,  Builders,  and  Real 
Estate  Agents. . .  .829,  830,  831,  832 

Awnings   817 

Axles  and  Carriage  Springs. ..  800 

Baking  Powder  Manufacturers  754 

Boilers  679,  822 

Box  Manufacturers   823 

Boot  and  .Shoe  Manufacturers,  783 

Braids,  Worsteds   823 

Brass  Founders   822 

Brass  Foundries,  etc   691 

Bread  aud  Baking  Products. .  767 
Breweries  and  Distilleries. . . .  770 
Brewers'  and  Distillers'  Ma- 
chinery  679 

Brooms,  Brushes   814 

Builders  and  Architects  853,  854 

Builders'  Hardware   704 

and  Masons'  Materials  834 

Camp  &  Sons'  Docks   641 

Carpenters  and  Masons   837 

Carriages    823 

Carriages,  Cars   799 

Caulking  Irons   822 

Census  Returns,  Imperfection 

of  U.  S   668 

Cigars  etc.  (See  Tobacco). 

Clothing   788 

Coffee,  Spices  and  Teas   800 

Confectioners   770 

Cracker  Bakery   823 

Dealers  in  Builders'  Materials.  823 

Distilleries  and  Breweries. . . .  770 

Doors,  Sash  and  Mouldings. . .  735 

Drugs  and  Chemicals   751 

Dyeing  and  Cleaning   813 

Eiectro-platers   708 

Engine  Makers   681 

Fancy  Metal  Hoods   822 

Fertilizers  78,756 

Fire  Brick  ami  Tile   806 

Flouring  and  Feed  Mills   813 

Foundry  and  Machine  Shops..  677 

Furniture  Manufacture   729 

Galvanized  Iron   701 

Class  Manufacture   759 

Class  Works   821 

Glue  756,  758 

Hardware  and  House  F'sh'g. .  821 

Hats  743,  822 

Heating  Apparatus   822 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


1405 


Manufactures — Continued.  page 

Housekeeping  Hardware   704 

Iron  Cans   822 

Iron  Railings,  Fences   822 

Iron-work   694 

Jewelry   776 

Jute  Manufacture   722 

Kindling  Wood   818 

Leather  Manufacture   778 

Locks   822 

Lumber   796 

Dealers   837 

Machinists   822 

Marble  and  Stone   803 

Marine  Railway  and  Shipyard  824 

Mats,  Matting,  and  Rugs   814 

Mechanics'  and  Traders'  Ex. .  1313 
Measuring  Tapes  and  Instru- 
ments of  Precision   793 

Meat  Slaughtering   677 

Minor  Machine  Shops   694 

Mineral  Paint   754 

Waters   754 

Miscellaneous  Manufactures 

and  Industries   819 

Musical  Instruments  810-812 

Nickel-plating   708 

Paint  Manufacturers   712 

Paint  and  Varnish  Manufac- 
turers 709,  714 

Paper-making   727 

Paper-box  Manufacture   728 

Paper-hangings  Manufactories  724 

Patent  Medicines   753 

Petroleum  Refining   673 

Photography  in  Brooklyn   1166 

Photographic  Materials   816 

Plumbing  and  Gas  Fixtures. .  815 

Pottery    822-823 

Porcelain  Pottery   761 

Presses  and  Die  Manufactures  688 

Printers   1192 

Publishers   1191 

Publishers  and  Book  Manufac- 
turers  738 

Pump  Manufacturers   823 

Real  Est.  Dealers  and  Agents.  858 

Refrigerator  Manufacturers..  706 

Refrigerating  &  Ice  Machines .  818 

Roller  Skates   822 

Ropes,  Cordage  and  Twine   716 

Rope-making  Machinery   723 

Roofing  Materials   813 

Rubber,  Elastic  Goods   774 

Sash,  Door,  and  Mouldings   821 

Saws  and  Files  698,  822 

Silver-plating   707 

Silver-plated  Ware  821,  1372 

Silk  and  Lace  Goods   807 

Soap  Manufacture   810 

Stamped  and  Drawn  Wares. . .  701 

Stationers   1192 

Steam  Engine  Manufacturers.  678 

Steam  Fittings   822 

Steam  Pump  Makers   681 

Steam  Presses   822 

Steel  Manufacture   697 

Sugar  Refining   669 

Tin  and  Sheet  Iron  Wares  ...  701 

Tobacco,  Manufacture  of.  ...  775 

Trucks  799,  823 

Upholstery   733 

Wagons  799,  823 

Watches  and  Clocks  776-777 

Water  Meters   822 

White  Lead  Manufacture   709 

Window  Blinds  and  Shades. . .  785 

Wire   822 

Wire  Works  695-696 

Women's  Clothing   790 

Wood-working  Machinery   693 

Woolen  and  Cotton  Goods. .  .807-810 
Manufacturing  Corporations. 

Abendroth  &  Root  Mfg.  Co. . .  681 


Manufacturing  Corporations.  page 
Agricultural  Machine  Works.  705 

Ansonia  Clock  Co   705 

Arcade  Mfg.  Co   79 

Artificial  Ice  Machine  Works.  635 

Atlantic  Steam  Engine  Co   678 

Sugar  House   672 

White  Lead  and  Lin- 
seed Oil  Co   712 

Atlas  Iron  Works   694 

Averill  Paint  Co  635,  713 

Bay  State  Shoe  Co   785 

Britton  Brewing  Co   773 

Brooklyn  City  Foundry   705 

Eagle  Bindery   743 

Felt  Hat  Co..  .747,  748,  750 
Flint  Glass  Works. .  760 

Furniture  Co   733 

Gas  Light  Co   '675 

Mfg.  Co   703 

Pie  Baking  Co  -..  770 

Refinery  560a,  675 

Roofing  Co   813 

Spring  Bed  Co   738 

Sugar  Refining  Co., 672,787 

Wire  Works  694,  734 

Watch  Case  Co   776 

White  Lead  Co. . .  .712-714 
Wire  Cloth  Works . .  697 

Bud weiser  Brewing  Co.   773 

Bush  &  Denslow  Mfg.  Co.  . . .  675 
Cabbie  Excelsior  Wire  Mfg. 

Co   734 

Campbell  Mining  and  Reduc- 
ing Co   694 

Citizens'  Gas  Light  Co   676 

Charles  Pratt  &  Co   674 

Chesebrough  Mfg.  Co   675 

Columbian  Iron  Works   684 

Cooper  Glue  Factory  757-758 

Davidson  Steam  Pump  Co. . . .  683 

Devoe  Mfg.  Co  673-674 

Eagle  Iron  Works   694 

Oil  Works   675 

Empire  Roofing  Works   813 

Refining  Co  673,  675 

Eureka  Glass  Annealing  W'ks.  821 
Francis'  Metallic   Life  Boat 

Co   288 

Franklin  Oil  Works   675 

Fulton  Municipal  Gas  Co  675-676 

Sugar  Refinery   672 

Germania  Coffee  and  Spice 

Mills   801 

Grain  Warehousing  Co   652 

Greenpoint  Bolt  Works   819 

Gas  Light  Co   288 

Glass  Works   760 

Oil  Works   675 

Halsted  Mfg.  Co   705 

Harding  Mfg.  Co   791 

Havemeyer  &  Elder   684 

Hudson  Oil  Works   675 

Island  Citv  Knitting  Mills   810 

Iron  Clad  Can  Mfg.  Co  703,  822 

Keep  Mfg.  Co   791 

Kings  Co.  Oil  Works   675 

Livingston  Sugar  Refinery   672 

Locust  Hill  Oil  Factory   560a 

L.  I.  Brewing  Co   773 

Improved  Roofing  Co   813 

Saw  &  Planing  Mill  Co.,  738, 796 

Manchester  Gimp  Co   810 

Manhattan  Chemical  Co   754 

Compress  and  Pipe 

Factory   635 

Meriden  Britannia  Co   707 

Silver  Plate  Co   707 

Metallic  Upholstering  Co   738 

Metropolitan  Gas  Light  Co. . . .  676 

Mfg.  Co   738 

Pie  Bakery   770 

Middletown  Silver  Plate  Co  . .  707 
Monarch  Mfg.  Co   791 


Manufacturing  Corporations. 
Nassau  Fire  Insurance  Co. 

Gas  Light  Co  , 

National  Baking  Co  

Chemical  Works. 


PAGE 

626 
676 
768 
754 

Chera.  Wood  Treat- 
ment Co   818 

Nelson's  Torpedo  Factory.  . . .  307 

N.  Y.  Book-binding  Co   748 

Kerosene  Gas  Light  Co .  675 
Patent   Steam  Carpet 

Beating  Co   813 

Roofing  Co   813 

Tartar  Co   635 

Wire  and  Wire  Rope  Co.  697 
Niagara  Steam  Pump  Works.  683 
North  American  Iron  Works..  694 
Open  Air  Carpet  Cleaning  Co.  813 

People's  Gas  Light  Co   676 

Phenix  Chemical  Works   754 

Pioneer  Iron  Works   684 

Planet  Caqiet  Mills   810 

Pond's  Extract  Co  560a,  754 

Puritan  Iron  Works    680 

Ridgewood  Distilling  Co   771 

Royal  Baking  Powder  635,  755 

Sherill-Ropes  Air  Engine  Co. .  678 
Singer  Sewing  Machine  Co . . .  693 

Standard  Oil  Co  673-675 

Sone  &  Fleming   675 

Steam  Heating  Co   671 

South  B'klyn  Saw  Mill  Co..  .738,  796 

Steam  Boiler  Works   679 

Steam  Engine  Co..  .678,  684,  693 

Sun  Mfg.  Co    791 

Tobacco  Inspection  Stores. . . .  635 
Union  Porcelain  Works,  705,  761,  762 

Print  Works   810 

Toy  Mfg.  Co   704 

White  Lead  Co   712 

Vesta  Oil  Works   675 

Vulcan  Saw  Works   705 

Waltham  Watch  Co   776 

Washington  Oil  Works   675 

Weyer  Annealing  Co   821 

White  Dental,  The  S.  S.,  Mfg. 

Co   816 

Williamsburgh  Brewery   772 

Manufacturing  Industries  of 

Bklyn.,  The  668-824 

Maps.    (See  List  of  Illustrations.) 

Markets,  Brooklyn   971 

Hamilton   509 

Public,  at  the  Walla  bout.  520 

Masons,  F.  and  A   1346 

Chapters,  Royal  Arch   1348 

Commanderies  of  K.  T. . .  1348 
Eastern  Star  Lodges. .  .316,  1348 

Lodges  of  1346,  1348 

Scottish  Rite  Bodies   1348 

See,  also,  Hist.  New  Lots,  316 

Mayors  of  Brooklyn     1390 

Meat   MOT 

Medical. 

Ambulance  Service,  The   567 

Biographies   894 

Hist,  of  the  Profession  of  the 

Cit}'  of  Brooklyn.   887 

Hist,  of  the   Profession  of 

Kings  Co.,  1644-1822    414 

Homoeopathy  in  Kings  Co   905 

Kings  Co.  Med.  Soc   887 

Medical  Chemists   752 

Night  Medical  Service   567 

Pharmacies,  the  Homoeopathic  913 
Society,  Medical,  of  Kings  Co.,  488 
Society,  The  Kings  Co.  Med., 

Library  and  Publications. . .  890 
Medical  Profession  of  B'klyn,  887-940 
Medical  Profession  in  Kings 

Co.,  Hist,  of   414-418 

Military. 

Civil  Rebellion.  B's  Share  in . .  487 
French  War,  The   12 


1406  HIS  TOR  Y  OF  KINGS  C  0  UNTY. 


Military — Continued.  page 
Fortilications  in  B.,  War  of 

1812   61 

Grand  Army  of  Republic.  .1210-1212 

Great  Sanitary  Fair   503 

K.  Co.  in  the  Revolution   51 

in  the  War  of  1812   00 

Soldiers  in  War  of  1812  63 

L.  L,  Battle  of   52 

Martyrs  of  the  Prison  Ships. . .  56-60 

Militia  Company  in,  1715   69 

National  Guard,  N.  Y.  S   1193 

Annual  Muster   1203 

Battery,  Third  (Gatling)  1199 

Brigade,  Third   1195 

Fourth   1199 

Camp    of  Instruction, 

State   1203 

Civil  War,  B'klyn  Regts. 

in   1203 

13th  Regt.  Armory,  510, 511. 512 

32d  Regt.  Armory   1202 

47th  Regt.  Armory   1201 

56th  Regt.  Armorv   1203 

17th  Separate  Co   1203 

Rifle  Practice,  Dept.  of.  1203 

Regiment,  13th   1195 

14th   1197 

28th   1199 

23d   1200 

32d   1202 

47th   1201 

Second  Division  of   1194 

Third  Brigade  of   1195 

Organization,  of  in  K. 

Co   1193 

Old  Jersev  Prison  Ship    57 

Prison  Ships,  The  56-57 

Revolutionary  History    72 

Revolution.  The,  in  K.  Co   51 

Revolution,  The  Commence- 
ment of   12 

Revolutionary  Incidents  in.. . .  13 

Soldiers'  War  Medals   502 

The  48th  Reg't   1204 

67th  Vol.  Reg't   1204 

87th  Vol.  Reg't   1205 

139th  Vol.  Reg't   1205 

158th  Vol.  Reg't   1205 

173d  Vol.  Reg't   1205 

Vol.  Regt's  in  Civil  War   1203 

War  Fund  Com   503 

War  Statue  of  Lincoln   508 

War  of  1812,  The   14 

Operations  on  Long  Island  36 

Gravesend   177 

War  with  France   12 

1812,  The  War  of   14 

Military  Organizations  of  K. 

County,  The  1193-1212 

Milk.    (See  Dealers.) 
Millinery.    (See  Dealers.) 
Missionary,  Bible,  and  Tract 

Work   1100 

Motto  of  City  of  B'klyn    1391 

Municipal  Administration. 

Administrative  Power  under 

the  First  City  Charter  ....  529 
Administrative  Power  under 

the  Last  Charter   541 

City  Hall   534 

Civil  Jurisdiction  of  Justices 

of  the  Peace   548 

Courts  of  Civil  and  Criminal 

Jurisdiction  in  B'klyn   532 

Early  Municipal  Buildings   533 

Leg.  and  Admin.  Powers  of 

the  Corp.  of  the  City   540 

Mayors,  Prest's.  of  C.  C,  and 
City  Officers  of  B'klyn.  .563a,  1391 

1394 

Municipal  Building  512,  536 

Municipal  Hist,  of  Brook- 
lyn  528-564a 


Municipal  Administration.  page 

Nassau  Water  Co    485 

New  Plumbing  Law   560a 

Ridgewood  Water,  Intro,  of. .  486 
Sewerage  System  of  B'klyn. . .  591 
Municipal  Departments. 

Ambulance  Service   567 

Board  of  Char,  aud  Cor  509,  515 

Elections  515,  536 

Board  of  Health  of  the  Village, 

1824   563 

Board  of  Health,  1854   563 

Health,  Metropolitan  501 

Health,  1873   565 

Health,  1870.. 560a,  563,  564 

Sewer  Com   486 

Bureau  of  Combustibles   560a 

Telegraph   558a 

Commissioner  of  Repairs   531 

Comptroller   531 

Corp.  Attorney  and  Counsel. .  531 

Dep't.  of  Arrears  536,  557a,  1028 

Assessment   543 

Audit  536,  542 

Buildings. . .  .504,  560a,  580 

City  Works  544,  584 

Education,  Public  . .  609 

Excise  525,  536,  559a 

Finance   542 

Fire  and  Buildings. .  568 

Health   563 

Law  543,  546 

Parks  515,  561a,  595 

Police  &  Exc,  525,  543  557, 
558,  558a,  560,  561 

District,  Met.  Sanitary   501 

District,  Met.  San.,  and  Board 

of  Health,  1866   563 

Financial   560a 

Health  Statistics.  1883   560 

Municipal  Departments   536 

Park  Commissioners,  List  of. .  598 

Parks,  Maintenance  of   562a 

Police,  First  Regular  City   557 

Life  Insurance  Fund. .  559 

Metropolitan  486,  557 

Pension  Fund,  The.. .  559a 
Redemption  Fund...  558a 

Statistics.  1883   561 

Steam  Boiler  Inspectors   559a 

Street  Com.  under  the  First 

Charter   531 

Taxes,  Equalization  of   557a 

Treasury  of  City   536 

Water  and  Sewerage  Com. .  .486,  584 
Music.    (See  Dealers.) 
Musicians   1377 

Names,  Early  Dutch   44 

Nassau  Water  Works   485 

New  Lots. 

Andrews  M.  E.  Church   312 

Brownsville   307 

Cypress  Hills   307 

Early  Settlers  of   306 

East  New  York   306 

Ebenezer  M.  E.  Church   311 

Fire  Dep't   309 

First  Baptist  Church   312 

First  Congregational  Church..  313 

German  Lutheran  Church. . . .  312 

History  of  Town  of  306-326 

Hamilton  C.  Warren   306 

New  Church  Erected  at  Flat- 
bush,  1793   337 

Newspapers    308 

Old  Bushwick  Church,  View 

of   337 

Organization  of   306 

Police  Department   308 

Post  Office   318 

Public  Schools   314 


New  Lots.  page 

Reformed  Church,  The   310 

St.  Malachi's  Church,  R.  C. . .  313 

St.  Michael's  R.  C.  Church   314 

Seal  of  Flatbush  Ch    337 

Second  B'klyn  Church,  View 

of   332 

Societies  (See,  also,  Assoc'ris).  316 

The  First  Town  Election   307 

The  Old  Village  of   306' 

Town  Officers   308 

Trinity  P.  E.  Ch   310 

Trustees  of  Church,  1785   337 

Union  Gas  Light  Co   308 

Union  Congregational  Ch. . . .  313 

Van  Sinderen,  Rev.  Ulpianus  336 

Newspapers. 

Advance,  The  Brooklyn   1180 

Advertiser,  The  B.  Daily.  .1170,  1171 

The  Weekly   1189 

Advocate  and  Nassau  Gazette, 

The  Brooklyn   1170 

Age,  The    1171 

Anzeiger,  The   1177 

Apologet,  Der   1172 

Argus,  The  Brooklyn  513,  1172 

Bee,  The  Brooklyn   1174 

Blade,  The  Brooklyn   1180 

Brooklyn  Union  503,  513,  1178 

Catholic,  The  Brooklyn   1174 

Examiner,  The  B. . .  1180 

Casket,  The  Literary   1172 

City  News,  The  Brooklyn. . . .  1171 

Daily  News,  The  Brooklyn. . .  1170 

Register,  The   1172 

News  and  Long  Island 

Times,  The  B'klyn. . .  1170 

Democrat,  The  W'm'sburgh  . .  1170 

Drum  Beat,  The   H72 

Eagle,  The  Brooklyn   1181 

The  Sunday   1174 

Echo,  The  Brooklyn   1180 

Freeman,  The  Brooklyn   1171 

Freie  Presse,  The  Brooklyn. . .  1174 

Gazette.  The  Williamsburgh.  1170 

Globe,  Greenpoint   1190 

Greenpoint  Advertiser,  The. . .  1171 

Hornet,  The   H90 

Independent  Press,  The   1171 

The   1171 

Index,  The   1172 

Journalists   1191 

Kings  Co.  Rural  and  Brooklyn 

Gazette   1180 

Lance,  Brooklyn  Daily   1189 

Laterne,  The   1180 

Ledger,  The  Brooklyn  Daily. .  1174 

Long  Island  Daily  Times,  The.  1170 

Patriot   1170 

Messenger  Bird.  The    1171 

Monthly,  The  Brooklyn   1172 

Magazine,  The  B...  1171 

Morning  Post,  The  B'klyn. . . .  1171 

News,  The  Brooklyn  1180,  1190 

Neophyte,  The   1172 

Once-a-Week,  The   1172 

Orbit  and  Excelsior,  The   1171 

Programme,  The  B.  Daily. ...  1180 

Quarterly.  The  Packer   1172 

Record,  The   1180 

The  Brooklyn   1180 

Review,  The  Brooklyn   1180 

Sentinel  and  Brooklyn  Herald, 

The  East  New  York   1190 

Sentinel,  The  East  New  York.  1180 

Standard,  The  Brooklyn   1171 

Stats    Svenska   Argus,  The 

N.Y   118° 

Sun,  The  Brooklyn  Sunday. . .  1174 

Times,  The  Brooklyn   1177 

Transcript,  The  B.  Daily.  ...  1172 

Tyro,  The   H71 

Union-Argus,  Brooklyn   513 

The  Brooklyn  Daily,  513, 1178 


GENERAL  INDEX. 


1407 


Newspapers — Continued.  page 

Volks  Blatt,  The  Brooklyn  ...  1172 

Wochenblatt,  The  Deutsches.  1180 

Zeitung,  The  L.  1   1177 

New  Utrecht. 

And  Brooklyn   261 

African  Zion  M.  E.  Church, 

"  Union ville''   265 

A  New  Town  Patent,  1666  ...  260 

Another  Change  of  Masters. . .  260 

Bay  Ridge  P.  E.  Church   265 

Captain  Scott's  Raid  Upon. . . .  259 

Constables   263 

De  Sille  House,  View  of   259 

Dongan  Patent   261 

Ecclesiastical  History  of   263 

Educational   265 

End  of  the  Dutch  Regime   261 

First  Ch. ,  Dutch  Reformed ...  263 

First  Houses   257 

First  Settlements   256 

First  Town  Charter   258 

Founding  of  the  Town   257 

History  of  255,  269 

Hotels,  Roads  and  Drives   266 

Increase  of  Population   261 

Indian  Inhabitants   255 

Inhabitants  in  1698,  Names  of  261 

In  War  of  the  Civil  Rebellion.  263 

Location   255 

Manufactories   267 

M.  E.  Church  of   264 

Militia    262 

Modern  Public  Buildings   266 

Old  Village  Graveyard   266 

Overseers   263 

Pastors  of   264 

Population   and  Valuations, 

Statistics  of   263 

Railroads   267 

R.  C.  Ch.  at  Fort  Hamilton. ..  265 

Sabbath  Schools   264 

St.  John's  P.  E.  Church   265 

Share  in  the  Rev.  War   262 

Slaves   262 

Supervisors    263 

Town  Grants,  1684   261 

Town  Clerks   263 

Unionville  Colored  Church . . .  265 

Union  ville  M.  E.  Church   264 

Zion  M.  E.  Church   265 

New  York  State. 

Canals  in   16 

Colonial  Governors  of   10 

Convention,  the  Provincial. . .  373 

Council  of  Appointment   374 

Revision    374 

Discovery  of   9 

English  Governors  of   10 

Government  of   13 

Governors  of,  Colonial   10 

English   10 

Since  1777   17 

History  of,  Outline   9-17 

Improvements  of ,  Internal .. .  16 

Incidents  of,  Revolutionary.. .  13 

Legislature  of . . . ,   374 

Population  of   17 

Provincial  Congress  of   373 

Revolutionary  Incidents  in. . .  13 

Under  the  Dutch   10 

O 

Odd  Fellows,  I.  O.  of  1349,  1350 

Oils   1389 


Painters   1378 

Paper-hangers   1378 

Parks. 

Boulevards   425 

Carroll   596 

City   596 


Parks.  page 

City  Hall   5<J6 

•  Dept  of   536,  595 

On  Columbia  Heights   596 

Prospect  525,  597 

Tompkins;   5<J6 

Washington   595 

Park  ville.  (See  Flatbush  History.) 

Photographers   1377 

Physicians   1391 

Pianos.    (See  Dealers.) 

Pilots   1390 

Plumbers   1380 

Population  of  B'klyn,  1884   1391 

Press  of  Kings  Co.,  The  11 69-1 192 

Printers   1377 

Provident  Assoc.  of  Odd  Fellows.  1350 
Pythias,  Knights  of  316,  317,  1354 

R 

Red  Men,  Imp.  Order  of   1355 

Roofing   1390 

Royal  Arcanum,  The   1352 


Safe  Deposit  Companies    619 

Scientists  in  Brooklyn   1313 

Seawanhaka,  The  Burning  of  the,  515 

Spiritualism  in  Brooklyn   1300 

Sons  of  Temperance   316 

Sporting  Clubs  of  Kings  Co. 

(See,  also,  Associations.)  1336,  1342 

St.  George,  Sons  of  316,  1354 

State  of  New  York,  Outline 

Hist,  of  10-17 

Stationers.    (See  Dealers.) 
Sunday-School  Unions. 

B'klyn  S.  S.  Union. . .  .485,  515,  1091 

Foreign   1093 

First,  in  Brooklyn   1095 

Missionary,  Bible,  Tract  and 

other  Organizations   1100 

Systematic  Visitation   1092 

Union  Society,  The  B'klyn ....  1091 
Union,  The  Sunday-School. . . .  1092 
Sunday-School  Work  in  B.,  The  1091 
Superintendents  of  the  Poor  of 

Kings  Co  463-492a 

Supervisors  in  Kings  Co.,  His- 
tory of  377-422a 

T 

Tailors,  Merchant.    (See  Dealers.) 
Tea,  Coffees,  etc.    (See  Dealers.) 

Temperance,  Sons  of   316 

Societies   1355 

Templars'  Good,  I.  O.  of   1355 

Travel  and  Transit  in  K.  Co.  ,  419-464a 

Turnpikes  and  Bridges. 

B'klyn  and  Jamaica  Turnpike,  134 

East" River  Bridge.. 447,  505,  509,  525 

Accidents  aud  Casualties.  456 

Anchorages  of   451 

Approaches   454 

Bridge  Co  510,  511 

Caissons  of   449 

Cost  of   520 

Elevation  of  (eng.)   454 

Engineering  Staff,  The. . .  460 
First  Active  Measures  to- 
wards a  Bridge   447 

Formal  Opening  of  456,  520 

Incorporated   447 

Making  the  Cables   452 

Panic  on  the   520 

Plan  of  B'klyn  Approach 

(eng.)   454 

Plan  of  N.  Y.  Approach 

(eng.)   454 

Railway    4o5 

Section  of,  (eng.)   453 

Statistics  of   456 


Travel  and  Transit. 
East  River  Bridge. 

The  Directorate  of... . 

Tolls  on  

View  of,  from  B'klyn 
Gowanus  Creek  Bridge. 


PAGE 

460 
520 
457 
462 

Penny  Bridge,  Newtown  Crk,  461 
Railroads. 

Atlantic  Ave.  R.  R.  Co   421 

B'klyn,  Canarsie  &  Rockaway 
Beacli  R.  R.  &  S.  B.  Route. .  423 

B.  City  R.  R  421,  509,520 

B.  City  &  Newtown  R.  R.  Co.  422 

B.  Cross  Town  R.  R.  Co   422 

B.  &  C.  I.  R.  R   422 

B.  &  Jamaica  R.  R   420 

B.,  Bath  &  C.  I.  R.  R   423 

B.  Elevated  R.  R.  Co   511 

B.  ,  Flatbush  &  C.  I.  R.  R  424,  514 

B'way  R.  R.  Co   422 

B'way,  Tompkins  Ave.  &  Har- 
rison Ave.  R.  R   512 

Bushwick  R.  R.  Co   422 

C.  I.  R.  R   489 

C.  I.  &  B.  R.  R.  Co   423 

Culver's  R.  W.,  C.  I   424 

E.  R.  Bridge  &  C.  I.  Steam 

Transit  Co  516,  518 

Elevated  R.  W.  Schemes.  ...515,  516, 

518,  520 

Flatbush  R.  R.  Co   423 

Grand  St.  &  Newtown  R.  R.  Co.  422 
Grand  St.,  Prospect  Park  & 

Flatbush  R.  R.  Co   423 

L.  I.  R.  R  37,  420,  514,  515 

Manhattan  Beach  R.  R.,  513,  514,  518 

Marine  R.  W.,  C.  1   424 

N.  Y.,  Bay  Ridge  &  Jamaica 

R.  R   512 

N.  Y.  &  M.  B.  R.  R.  Co   424 

N.  Y.  &  Sea  B.  Ry.  Co  424,  513 

New  Williamsburgh  &  Flat- 
bush R.  R.  Co   423 

North  2d  St.  &  Middle  Village 

R.  R.  Co   423 

Prospect  Park  &  C.  L  R.  R. 

Co   423 

Prospect  Park  &  Gravesend 

R.  R   202 

Railroads  on  L.  1   37 

R.  R.,  Statistical  Table  of. .  .424,  425 
Rapid  Transit  Commissioners.  515 

Rapid  Transit  Trains   513 

Sea  Beach  &  N.  Y.  R.  R   513 

South  B.  Central  R.  R.  Co. . . .  422 

The  Elevated  R.  W..  C.  1   424 

Van  Brunt  &  Erie  Basin  R.  R. 

Co   422 

Williamsburgh  &  Flatbush. . .  423 
Grand  St.,  Prospect  Park  & 

B.  Steam  Transit  Road   514 

Stage  &  Omnibus  Line   419 

Surf  Ave.,  C.  1   515 

Roads. 

L.  I.,  Wagon  Roads  on   37 

Ocean  Park  Roadway   513 

Plank  Roads   425 

Tree  Planting  and  Fountain  So- 
ciety 519,  1165 

Trials",  Important   1256 

U 

Undertakers  1388 

Unionville.    (See  New  Utrecht.) 
United  States. 

Assessment  and  Collection  of 

Internal  Revenue   869 

Christian  Commission   497 

Commissioner,  The   876 

Dist.  Attorney   876 

Dist,  Judge   876 

Fort  Lafayette   505. 


1408 


HISTOR  Y  OF  KINGS  CO  UNTY. 


United  States. 

Gov.  Inspection  of  Brooklyn 

Commerce   645 

Interests  in  Kings  Co  865-878 

Marshal's  Office,  The   76 

Navy  Yard,  U.  S. .  .643,  870,  871,  872 

873 

Navy  Yard  Scare,  The.*   488 

Officials  1392 

Presidential  Electors   417a 

P.  O.  in  Brooklyn   865 

Representatives  in  Congress  of 

the  U.  S   414a 

U.  S.  Benev.  Fraternity   1356 


U.  S.  Interests  in  Kings  Co  865-878 

W 

Waldo  House   1360 

Williamsburgh. 

A  New  Start  \  . .  297 

Citv  Charter,  The   297 

City  of,  The    303 

History  of  Town  of  292-305 

Street  Nomenclature   of  the 

Village   297 

The  Era  of  Speculation   296 

The  Morrell  Speculation   293 


Williamsburgh. 

The  Period  of  Fin.  Collapse  296 

Woodhull  Speculation   292 

Trustees  of  the  Village   299 

Village  Beginnings   294 

Charter   294 

Organization   294 

Wallabout  Canal,  The   304 

Wallabout     and  Newtown 

Turnpike,  The   293 

Yorkton   293 

Street  Nomenclature  of  Wil- 
liamsburgh   297 

Wines,  Liquors,  etc   1389 


